THE LEVELLER TRACTS PROJECT

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To Our Reverend, Learned and Religious Brethren, the Prolocutour and the rest of the Assembly of Divines, now sitting in holy Conspiracy at King Henry the Seventh's Chappell, at Westminster, Cheek by Jowl to the Two Houses of Parliament; These present.

REverend and Beloved BRETHREN, (for so I have Authority from your own sacred President.) I cannot but take notice of your indefattigable vigilancy, and incessant endeavors after this endlesse worke of Uniformity; that rather then you will loose the vantage of an opportunity, out of your supercelestiall Providence, you can even create Opportunity it self, and then like the Godly, able, Orthodox of the Land indeed, most Prudently, in all Presbyterian Piety, lay hold on the advantage, to consumate your endeavoured Uniformity: for after your so many spirituall, mysticall Conspiracies, the miraculous result of your most Seraphicke late Consultations for its present settlement, hath struck my Piety into an holy Admiration, that now I confesse your Policy high surpass'd my Sanctity; for upon the first of January, when the Injunctions from the Generall Assembly in Scotland came into your grave and Learned Assembly, against Toleration of Independency in this Kingdom, & was read in your Reverend Audience, you had so ordered Superior Providence, that even in that very instant of time, (just is if it had been predestinated,) this Most juditious argumentative Letter of the London Ministers, (from that Syon-Colledge-conspiracy,) should present it self; whereat the Learned Mr. Hinderson, forthwith in a Scotch Rapture, cryed out of the great Providence of GOD· saying, Doubtlesse no other but God was the Father of Two such Blessed Twins! that at one instant of time, so many godly, Learned and Orthodox of the 2. Kingdoms, should so happily concurre and meet with their desires, and advice for this generall Uniformity: Indeed it was a Providence neatly and plausibly contrived, and doubtlesse would have done the deed, but that there is one thing that spoiles all, The Lord frustrateth the Tokens of Lyars, and maketh Diviners mad, turneth Jsai. 44. 25. wise men backwards, and maketh their knowledge foolishnesse: But here's not all: The Assembly's Anathama against Toleration, at that instant of time, is given into the HOUSE. O, there's a Divine Providence indeed: Sure, our Syon Colledge is even Presbyterializ'd into the primum Mobile, or else that supercelestiall Assembly at Westminster, [4] is REFORM'D into the Emperiall Heaven, that even Divine Providence it self is thus in their dispose; an exaltation even into the Throne of God! Where are our Presbyters now? They even are set as gods in the Temple of God, shewing themselves that they are gods indeed, by the working of Sathan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders: Providence after Providence, &c. to deceive: All which I have here discovered, and in all Dedicatory humility represent vnto your venerable perusall those my Observations upon this Letter; that happily you may take notice therein of a real Providence of God indeed, that such Godly, Learned, Orthodox Divines, as the Ministers of the City of London, should be so infatuated in their wisedome, that their reasons against Toleration should inevitably conclude Toleration, condemne themselves, and their Presbytry, which I have endeavoured to evidence to the whole world, and leave it to the publike Tryall, either to stand or to fall by such their Reasoning, and against this faire proffer, to haue our mettall tryed by their own touch-stone, the Presbyters themselues cannot except: If I fayl, then let me weare your Churches Livery, which themselues are pleased to put upon it, a Coat of divers Colours, pag. 1. Thus then for the prizse.

LONDON MINISTERS.

When all things are examined by the Word, then that which is best may be heldfast.

Martin. This plainly grants an equity to the holding fast, or practising that with all freedome, which every man in his own understanding, by such examination shall so discover; or otherwise, Wherefore shall any have liberty of Examination after their understandings, seting otherwise they cannot examine, if after their understandings, they may not practise, for what is written, is written for our learning, and consequently for our Practise; So that your Monopolizing all Liberty and Judgement into your own hands, is condemned by the equity of your owne Argument; If you will be sole Judges, you may be sole Examiners [5] too, for after wee have examined, if your judgement restraine us the practise, wee are never the neere, for Faith without Workes is dead. Wee may be sure, what ever our Examination discoveret, which entrencheth upon your Lordliness over your Brethren, your Pompe and Preheminence, your Ordinance for Tythes, your Congregationall, Classicall, Provinciall, Nationall Courts, &c. to expect determination concerning the same, to be of like effect, with that of the Lord Bishops, when it was put to Vote in the Lords House, whether the Bishops had a Right by Law to Vote therein; Or like into your Answer given by your Committee, to Mr. Tombes 1 2. Arguments against Infants Baptisme, specifyed in his Examen. pag. 2. Or rather more like unto the Answer which Ananias the High-Priest gave unto Paul, when he had declared, that he had lived in all good Conscience unto that day: Smite him on the mouth, (Acts 23. 1, 2.) with the Presbyerian clutter-fist of iniquity.

Lond. Min. The desires and endeavours of the Independents Toleration, at this time extreamly it unseasonable and præproperous· for, 1. The Reformation of Religion is not yet perfected and setled among us, according to our Couenant. And why may not the Reformation be raised up at last to such purity and perfection, that truly tender Consciences may receiue abundant Satisfaction, for ought that yet appeares?

Martin. But what Reformation is that, according to the Covenant, that you intend, till which our endeavours are extreamly unseasonable and præproperous? Sure wee must accept it in your owne Presbyterian sense, and what that is, is evident to the whole world, by your Pollitick endeavours, both private and publick, to be no other, but an absolute enslaving both of Parliament and People unto your Presbyterian Dictates, in all matters Evangelicall and Spirituall; which is no other, but the very Spirit, Marrow, root, and Quinticense of Popery, against which, that very Covenant, in its genuine intent, expresly doth engage us and our Posterity in the fundamentall Extirpation thereof out of the Three Kingdomes; for indeed that preheminence is no other but an absolute Arrogation of Popish Supremacy, and spirit of Infallability, for plurallity of Persons in that arrogation, doth not alter the nature and essence of the thing arrogated; it is as well Popish Supremacy in a Synod, Classis, or the like, as in one man.

So that our Couenant doth engage us in the totall Extirpation of LORD PRESBYTERS, their Classes, Ordinances, &c. [6] as well as of their Grandfather the Pope, their Fathers the Lord bishops, their Courts, Cannons, &c. before them: Will, but it seems till this Popish Prelaticall Prerogative (the perfection of your Reformation, after your sense of the Covenant) be absolutely Presbyterizliz'd; you judge it unseasonable and præproperous: Truly, (Reverend and beloved Brethren,) I submit unto your judgements herein, for to nip it in the Bud, to crush the Cockatrice in the shell, to prevent this approaching Papall Episcopall Tyranny and usurpation of our Birthrights by the Independents indeavours for a timely Toleration, before it be absolutely Presbyterian, will utterly annihilate and frustrate your designe, so that in your sense, it must needs be extreamly unseasonable indeed, when our mouthes are sowed up, our hands tyed behind us, our feet fettered, then in your Presbyterian sense, comes in Our Season; for if before it be unseasonable and preproperous, that implyes, that then it will be seasonable; when the Steed is stollen, you will give as leave to shut the Stable doore; Indeed we are obliged to your venerable Sanctities in the Superlative degree, that you will be but pleased to stop me i'th mouth with a Fox-tayle: Before, it is too soon, and after, it will be too late: And thus the truly tender Consciences may receive abundant satisfaction for ought that yet appeares, have their Persons banish'd or imprisoned, their goods Plundered and confiscate, their houses pull'd downe, and Gibbets made of the Timber to hang their tender Consciences out, to take the Presbyterian Ayre; for no better as yet appeareth, and this is already evident both in their Writings and Sermons: (See Byseild; Sermon before the House, latter end of his Book.) And if they thus shew their teeth before they have full power to bite, what will they doe, when their power is absolute; their mercies will be cruelty, if the future may be judged by the present, as all the mercies of the Wicked are. Prov. 12. 10. And then wee shall be sure (they having all Judgement in their hands) none shall be judged to be of truly under Consciences, but such as are Presbyteriall, such as will be awed by their Power and Tyranny; the rest must stand upon their Perill. Well, wee must stay till Reformation, according to the Covenant, be fully setled, and what your sense is, is evident; but what Reformation is that the Covenant it self doth intend? Is it not a Reformation (after the expresse Letter of it) according to the Word of God? As for your Presbytery, though by your selves, in your late Petition for it's establishment, you urge and avow it to be the Ordinance of Jesus Christ, yet in the [7] Judgement of the Parliament, it was Voted false and scandalous, and the highest title they ever voted upon it, was but jure Humano; therefore, not jure Divino: and if not jure Divino, then our Covenant which doth engage us in a Reformation, according to the Word of God, which is such an one, as is absolutely jure Divino, doth not engage us at all unto Presbytrie, which by the Parliaments own confession, is but jure Humano, but rather to its suppression; and the Parliament themselves, if they will but practise according to their owne Votes, cannot engage us thereto by vertue of our Covenant, but are to Protect us and our Posterity from it; not suffering Presbytery no more then Papistry and Prelacy, which are but jure Humano, to insult and tyrannize over us, our Consciences, Persons or Estates; for if by our Covenant they be bound to safe-guard Us from the incursions of Papistry and Prelacy, (the Two first divisions of the great City Babylon,) because they are but jure Humano, then they are equally thereby bound to Protect us from the Tyranny and Oppression of Presbyters, (the third Division,) for themselves say, it is but jure humano. And yet, forsooth, you challenge the Precedency, your turnes must be served first, as though you were the Children, and the Independents the Dogges; The Independents might rather urge, that the endeavours of the Presbyters are unreasonable and præproperous, till Independency be setled; for the Parliament never yet Voted Independency to be jure Humano, neither are your selves able to prove it so to be.

Lon. Min. 2. It is not yet knowne, what the Government of the Independents is, neither would they ever vouchsafe to let the world know what they hold in that point, &c.

Martin. If it be unseasonable (according to your reasoning,) for such Independents, whose Government is not made known to the World; (for that is the reason of your Argument, for you state the unseasonablenesse in the non-knowledge, &c.) then for such whose Government is made knowne, must needs be seasonable, after the same reasoning.

But Reverend MARTIN, with his Brethren, whom you dignify and distinguish by the names of Anabaptists, Brownists, &c. have declared their Discipline to the whole World, both by their Preachings, Writings, and continued practise, even unto this day: See the Confession of the 7· Churches. See Mr. Turners model, intituled, An Heavenly Conference for Syon· Saints. Therefore the endeavours of Reverend MARTIN, [8] and his Independent Brethren, must now be seasonable, even from your own reasoning.

But I must needs tell you by the way, you need not much urge the only seasonablenes of yours from the knowledge thereof: I pray you, what is it? can you tell your selves? You tell the Independents of their reserves, but what may they say of yours? for wee have yours but in part, and that neither presented, but by Peece-meals; now a little, and then a little, and still reserves in the rear, yea innumerable still, for any thing we can perceive, which are but yet hammaring out to the temper of the People; what they are, is best known to your selves: what is knowne, is not so beautifull, as to make all others unseasonable and præproperous: If drawn into a Modell, I think it will rather affright then allure; for in the Bulke, it is no other then a Bundle of Tyrannicall Ordinances, and wicked Lawes over our Consciences, Persons, and Estates, to torment us in endlesse Suits and Appeales from Court unto Court, Congregationall, Classicall, Provinciall, Nationall, &c. with mercilesse Mulcts and Penalties upon our Persons, as your Thundering Ordinance for the Covenant, your Plundering Ordinance for Tythes, your Monopolizing Ordinance for Preaching, your Romish Episcopall Ordinance for Ordaining of Ministers, your devouring Ordinance for the better establishment of your Directory, your High-Commission, Star-chamber Ordinance for the Lords Supper, &c. witnesse to the whole World: and truly, whether this Presbyterian Modell of your Government be so honourable, to make allothers unseasonable, I leave to the woefull experience of those against whom this Modell of Ordinances is in force, yea, even to the whole World, to judge.

But not to detract from the integrity of those Independents, you here intend; it is evident, that hitherto the Assembly have suppress'd the bringing in of their Modell, that they (by all their unwearied endeavous, could never attain an equall and just liberty thereunto, either by dispute or otherwise, as the copy of their Remonstrance touching that businesse doth declare. Now let the World judge, whether this be fair and reasonable dealing, such as becomes the Ministers of the City of London. First to suppresse the delivery, and then like Scholast Synodicall Disputants, to urge the non-delivery, as an Argument against their Toleration. 'Tis a stout Argument, if but followed; If it be in force to any, it is to the suppressors not the suppressed.

Lon. Min. Secondly, their desires and endeavours are unreasonable, and unequall, [9] in divers regards. 1. Because no such Toleration hath been established (so farre as we know,) in any Christian state, by the Civill Magestrate.

Martin. It seems Holland, Poland, Transilvania, &c. where free Toleration of all sorts of Independents is established by Civill Magestrates, are not Christian States, because they are not wholly Presbyterializ'd, Tolerating none but Presbyterian· So that in your sense, they are no further Christian then they are Presbyterian: So that if this Parliament should tollerate any other but your selves, it seems you make account to Unchristen them all, your Bull is prepared against them, you have told them what they must expect, the censure of Infidells, Heathens and Hereticks, an Excommunication ipso facto, for they must not be Christian. But in case there were no such Toleration in any State professing Christianity, yet that were no Argument against Toleration, for Evangelicall Precept is not derivative from Humane President: The practise of Emperours, Kings, States or the like, is no Evangelicall Rule; for Evangelicall Right, must have Evangelicall Authority, which one would have thought had been known to Evangelicall Ministers, such as you stile your selves.

Lon. Min. 2. Because some of them have solemnely profest, that they cannot suffer Presbytry, and answerable hereto is their practise in those places where Independency prevailes; Therefore their Toleration is unreasonable and unequall.

Martin. If their Toleration be unreasonable and unequall, because some of them solemnly professe, (which I scarse beleeve,) that they cannot suffer Presbytry; then by the same reason, the Toleration of Presbytry is much more unreasonable, and unequall, because all of them doe solenmly professe, that they cannot, neither will they suffer Independency; though Independents could suffer them, would but the Parliament, according to their own Covenant and Lawes, knock off their Horns, pluck out their Tusks, break their Jaws, pare their Nailes, that they neither Push, goar, crush, bite, scratch or devour any more: for if it be in force to all, for that deny all by some, it is much more forceable to all, where all deny: So that, if they deny all of Toleration be a sufficient Argument, (as it seems according to the Reason of the Lon. Min.) against the Toleration of such denyers, then what must become of the Presbyters? The same pit that they have digged for others, they must be content to fall into it themselves.

Lon. Min. Many mischiefes will inevitably follow upon this Toleration, and that both upon Church and Common-wealth. First to the Church.

Bitten heart-burnings among Brethren, will be fomented and perpetuated to Posterity.

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Mar. The reason of this Argument is this; That which· will occasion heart-burnings, foment and perpetuate them to posterity, is not to be tollerated in a Common-wealth. Therefore, if I prove an Universall Tolleration will be an occasion of allaying of heart-burnings to posterity, Persecution the contrary, then by the Argument of the Lon. Min. such Tolleration is lawfull, and that which they so ignorantly prosecute, unlawfull.

That which occasioneth murmurings, repinings, fears, jealousies, conspiracies, insurrections, rebellions, &c. begetteth heart-burnings, and perpetuates them to Posterity; and so by your Argument, not to be Tollerated: And on the contrary, That which doth not beget murmurings, &c. doth not beget heart-burnings, or perpetuate them to Posterity, but tendeth to allay them, and prevent them, and so by your own reasoning to be tollerated.

But Persecution, or Non-Tolleration which you plead for, occasioneth and begetteth murmurings, repinings. &c. for it enrageth the Conscience, then which, nothing is more neere and dear unto us, and a wounded Conscience, (saith Solomon,) who is able to bear it? Wee had rather loose our lives then deny our Faith; and what will not men doe for their lives? this suggesteth and provoketh to Conspiracies, Jnsurrections, Rebellions, &c. as Holland, France, Germany, Jreland, Scotland and England, &c. have felt by woefull experience: Nothing is more desperate and resolute, then an enraged Conscience,· it is of a Lyon-like nature in its fury, it beareth on a man, even to the shedding and laying down of his life; no dangers, no attempts, though never so difficult, never so desperate, can beare it down; it will venture, though it perish; and on the contrary, (to use mine own words in the Arraignment, pag. 12.) it is a Lambe, if appeased, and nothing more mild, more gentle and loving then it. Enraged, it is like the wild Bore out of the Forrest; pleased, it is like the Dove frrom the Arke; no greater freind, no greater foe; Oppression (saith the Wise man) will make a wise man mad; a very worme will turne again, if troad upon; It may beget wrath, but never can beget Love, and that which doth so, must needs beget heartheart-burnings and perpetuate them to posterity; Therefore by your owne grant, not to be Tollerated: Thus the Fowlers are caught in their owne snare.

Lond. Min. The life and power of godlinesse, will be eaten out by frivilous Disputes, and vaine janglings.

Mart. The Reason of this Argument, is this, That which eateth out the life and power of godlinesse, in the judgement of the Lon. Min. is not to be tollerated. Whence I Reason.

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That which preventeth the breaking and spreading forth of Knowledge in the Word of God, eateth up the life and power of godliness.

But Non-tolleratition, your silensing all Disputes, tryall of Doctrines, and confining unto all your Dictates, preventeth & suppresseth the breaking forth, encrease and growth of knowledge; for by faire and equall Reasonings, and tryall of Doctrine, light would daily break forth and encrease; as common experience doth witnesse.

How could you have been converted to Presbytry? How could the Rottenness of Popery, Episcopacy, &c. have been discovered, and spread through the Kingdome, had it not been for Preachings, Writings, Disputations, tryall of Doctrine, &c.

Therefore your Non-Tolleration, and suppressing of all Disputes, &c. eateth up the life and Power of Godlinesse; and therefore not to be setled.

Thus farre the London-Ministers and MARTIN are agreed: Surely their Letter is a close couched Presbyterian Designe of comming over to Independency; Ile promise you, this is a faire step at the first, and pretty cunningly carried: we gratulate our so happy concurrence; Sirs, You are all heartily welcome to our Sanctnary in TOLERATION-STREET, and we acknowledge our selves deeply engaged to the London Ministers, for their good service to our cause: Be therefore encouraged, Reverend & beloved Brethren, goe on and prosper, wee are not offended at your Policy, to Reason thus covertly for us; wee well know, that Rome was not built in a day.

But let us proceed, and see what further Assistance your Reasons affords.

Lond. Min. The whole course of Religion in private Families will be interrupted and undermined.

The Reason of which Argument is this.

Martin. That which interrupteth and undermineth the course of Religion, in private Families, is not to be setled.

The edge of which Reason, I thus turne against you.

That which tendeth to the making of Hypocrites, Fearers, and pleasers of men more then of God, must needs interrupt and undermine the purity of Religion in private Families.

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But the coercive Power, which you so plead for, doth so; for it maketh multitudes, (as common experience doth too much witnesse,) for fear of bodily punishment, deprivation of their goods, losse of their Places, Trading, &c. to dissemble with their Consciences, even practise contrary thereto, and temporize with the Time, which is an absolute perversion of the power of Godliness in them· Therefore.

Lon. Min. Reciprocall duties between Persons of neerest and dearest relation, will be extreamly violated.

Mar. The reason hereof is, That which is destructive to reciprocall duties, is to be abominated; the which I thus retort upon your owne heads. That which setteth Father against Sonne, sonne against Father, one freind against another, King against Parliament, Parliament against King, Kingdom against Kingdome, and divideth Nations and People amongst themselves, and enrageth them one against another, extreamly violateth Reciprocall Duties betweene Persons of neerest and dearest relation.

But so doth Persecution; For where this principle is, of forcing the contrary-minded, will they, nill they, it engendereth and begetteth feares and jealousies one of another; and when one knoweth the other is his mortall enemy, it maketh each other to stand in defyance and defence one against the other, even to the drawing of the sword, especially when one thinks he can conquer the other, which makes them lie in wait for blood, witnesse our Armies of this Kingdome; and hereupon they wallow in one anothers blood: Yea, what will not the oppressed doe against the oppressour; Tyranny is the mother of Conspiracies, Murmurings, Repinings, &c, which at length break forth (after they have gotten strength,) into open Rebellions, Insurrections, &c. Therfore Non-Toleration extreamly violateth reciprocall dueties between Persons of nearest and dearest Relation.

Lon. Min. 9. 10. All other Sects &c. (See the Letter.)

Mar. The marrow of these two is this, That Independency is not to be Tolerated, because other Sects and Heresies, under that notion, will seek to be tollerated: But in case they should not, then by the vertue of your Argument, it should be tollerated: So that, by your own grant, its Toleration is only accidentally unequall; not absolutly in respect of it self; but casually in respect of others. Therefore, why are you so hott against the equity of its Toleration, seeing from your own Argument, it is equall. If it be good to tolerate that, and evill to tolerate Heresies, &c. you must [13] not forbeare the good, to avoid the evill, doe evill, that good may come of it, but must doe the thing that is just and equall in it self; that is, tolerate the Independents, whom you title Brethren, godly and learned, and doe to them, as you say of them, what ever becomes of us; wee neither expect nor crave your mercy: If we cannot have Justice on earth, wee appeal unto the God of heaven, and meekly and freely submit, to suffer for his Name, with our hearts rejoycing, that wee can be counted worthy so to doe.

L. Min. Secondly, (mischiefs) to the Common-wealth; for thereby the Kingdome will be weakned by Scandalls and Divisions, &c.

Mart. The reason of this Argument is, That which tendeth not to keep all in Peace and Civill Society, but reduceth them to Divisions and scandals, that is not to be established by your thus reasoning: But Nontoleration keepeth not all, but one predominant Sect in Unity, dividing all others from it; persecuting, reviling, upbraiding, and reproaching them, though never so honest, godly, conscienscious, sober, meek, and neighbourly, with lyes, scandalls, nick-names, as Anabaptists, Brownists, Schismaticks, Hereticks, prodigious new wandering Blazing-Starres & Firebrands, pernitious mutiners, waspish Generation, schismaticall, Anti-Parliamentary, infamous, mutinous, daring, presumptuous, scurrilous, libellous, scandalous, seditious, insolent, blasphemous, seditious Trumpetters, revilers of God, despisers of Government, resisters of Higher power, stirrers up of Sedition and insurrection, Anabaptisticall Sectaries, New furious Sectaries, avowed conspiratours, contemners of Parl. Anti-covenanters, audatious, contemptuous Libellers, New furious Ringleaders of Sedition, House-creepers, Incendiaries, Rayling Rabshakeh's, publick contemners, Affronters of Parl. *blasphemers against the Assembly of Divines, &. (*See Pryns Fresh Discovery. pag. 17. Contents of the 4. Sect.) which are no other then termes of provocation and wrath, of vengeance and ignomy, tending to the breach of the generall Bond of Unity, Peace, and Civill Society, which must needs extreamly weaken the Kingdom, for the Kingdome lies in he Unity of the People. Therefore your Non-Toleration ought in no wise to be established.

L. Min. It is much to be doubted, least the power of the Magestrate, &c. See Letter.

Martin. The reason hereof is, Those that are Anti-Magesteriall, or weaken the Magesteriall Power, are not to be tollerated: But your intended Prelaticall Presbytry is Anti Magisteriall: Ergo, you have brought [14] your Hogges to a faire market, held in Toleration-street, at the signe of the Subjects Liberty, &c.

Minor proved

Those that would not have all coercive Power in the Magestrates hands, are Anti-Magesteriall, and weakners of the Magestrates Power.

But Presbytry would not have all coercive Power onely in the hands of the Magestracy, but laboureth to encroach, as much as possibly it can into its own hands, as continued practise doth evidence. Therefore, by the London Ministers own reasoning, Presbytry is Anti-Magesteriall, and not to be setled.

On the contrary. Those that would have all Civill Power, preserved intire in its own proper Magesteriall compasse, are not in the least Anti-Magisteriall.

But Reverend MARTIN, with his Independent Brethren, would have it intirely preserved in its own Magesteriall compasse; they would not have it wrested or perverted to this or that Sect, to this or that Religion, but would have it, yea, expose their lives to have it preserved precisely in its own property.

Therefore, Reverend MARTIN, and his Brethren are not Anti-Magesteriall: But in all faithfulnesse, acknowledge themselves not onely ly bound to pray for all in lawfull Authority, but even to spend their Lives and Estates in their Just Defence, against all opposition, encroachment and usurpation thereof, whatsoever: And to this our practise, hath given Witnesse, even when Magestracy was in greatest danger of subvertion; for when the Parliament had no other helpe under God, then we stuck closest to them; even, when the King came in a Hostile manner for the 6. MEMBERS in the House; while the degenerate Temporizing Presbyters, stood as farre off, as from Scotland to Westminster; and have continued unspotted in our Fidelity to them, even unto this very day.

And this I dare be bold to affirme, That if the King should conquer and confound the Parliament, the now Parliamentized-Presbyters, even the Clergy in generall, would therewith be Royalized, rather then loose their severall Parsonages; and that which is now Antichristian, Episcopacy, would then be as Christian as ever it was in their esteemes; for they'l tell you· That they must submit unto the Higher Powers, and the Powers that are, are of God; and that cures all.

If you doe but consider, they have even reserv'd an help at a dead lift, [15] they tell us now, That a Bishop and a Presbyter is all one, and thereupon retaine their old Ordination, derived from a forraign Power, and so goe forth, and ordaine other young Bishops; So that if the King should subdue us, they are still in their Episcopall Ministry, and a little Royall Reformation would continue their places. Then they would take Covenants, Preach and pray against the Parliament, as much as ever they did against the King: Thus, rather then they would be confounded themselves, they would let true Magesteriall Parliamentary Government goe to confusion; and in that Day of Tryall, scarce any would be found to witnesse against Him, except the now despised handfull of Separates.

And yet wee must be cast out of the Parliaments Protection, by this Temporizing Faction of Presbyters: Ingratefull inhumanity! Heare O Heavens! and judge O Earth!

BUt whereas his Holiness, out of a late spirituall Rapture, at that Inquisition Ordinance of the Supper, hath in the 6, 7. and 8. pages of the Ord. for Tythes Dismounted, even spurn'd at Synodean prodigy in the Highest Orbe; whereupon, through the weaknesse of some, and malice of others, I am misconstructed to be Anti-Parliamentory: I would have such, the Two Honourable Houses of Parliament, and the whole World know, That there was not, nor is to this day, the least thought, or intent in my heart against Magesteriall Government, either therein, or in any thing else that I have written; And of this I take God to Record, as I shall answer it at the great and Dreadfull Day of Judgement, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed; Onely respecting Presbyterian deprivation, or corruption too much diffused (to my hearts grief) into the Two Houses, by the bewitching subtilty, and over-powering Policy of that prevalent, deceitfull, Synodean Faction; and so my writing there, is not against that High and Honourable Court, or any thing in their Magesteriall capacity, but simply against the Presbyterian Exorbitancy, in the Names of the LORDS and COMMONS stretched beyond the limits and Precincts of their Magesteriall Function. As for the Congregational, Classicall, Provinciall, Nationall Courts and grievances, there mentioned, I was forced, in Equity and Justice, to use them in their Names, in whose they were owned and published, else how could I have discharged my Duty in the reproofe of the one, or discovery of the other; so that my virulency and bitterings there, is onely against· Presbyterian Competitors, and Intruders into the Office and Royalty of my most Soveraigne Lord, the King of Kings, CHRIST JESUS; against all [16] tyrannicall encroachers, and usurpers of our Birth-rights, Liberties, and freedoms in Persons and Estates, under what pretence, notion or Title soever.

So that in plain English, the proper morrall and genuine intent of those 3. pages, is a meer contestation and defyance of your Presbyterian Tyranny, whether in the name of the two Houses, or otherwise gloss'd or presented; labouring thereby only to brush off the superiour Title of the Two Houses from it, that it might be cleerly discovered in its proper ugly Presbyterian shape, unto the Kingdome; only to pluck off its Parliamentary cloak, that we might the better discerne that Synodean, Presbyteran Monster. That the People, under that specious Magisteriall vizor, may not entertaine that deadly venomous Presbyterian Serpent into their bosomes, and be destroyed unawares.

Thus I am resolved to oppose Tyranny it selfe, where ever I find it, maugre the malice of Devills, and terrour of the mighty Rulers of this Earth, yea, even of the sturdy Presbyters themselves; though I, and all that's mine perish, Ile doe it: were there a Parliament of no lesse then Emperours, Kings and Princes competitours with it, I would spare them in my just testimony against it, no more then I would so many beggers upon a dunghill; for I have not the truth of my GOD, nor the love of my Country in respect of Persons.

And this my contestation and defyance of Presbytry, is no otherwise against it, but onely as it is Exorbitant, Tyrannicall, Prelatticall, Cruell and Ambitious; as for honest, meek, Evangelicall Presbytry, I am ready, through the Power of my God, to seal it with my blood, even out of an unfained love thereunto. So that in brief, my emnity is onely against Tyranny, where ever I find it, whether in Emperour, King, Prince, Parliament, Presbyters, or People.

Thus Reader, thou hast my own proper sense, as being best expounder of my own words, for no man knoweth the heart of man, but himself: All other I utterly disclaime, and onely own that fore-mentioned Sense, and thereto subscribe.

MARTIN MAR-PRIEST.

DOUBT.

Who hath wonne the Coat of Divers Colours, MARTIN, or the London-Ministers?

FINIS.