The Utter Routing of the Whole Army of All the Independents and Sectaries, Appendix – Imprimatur

The Utter Routing of the Whole Army of All the Independents and Sectaries · Appendix – Imprimatur

p. 611AN APPENDIX.

In the which all the reproaches, and truth-gainſaying calumnies, ſo injuriouſly and cauſeleſly caſt upon me by my Brother BURTON, my Quondam Fellow-ſufferer, are all wiped away with the ſpunge of Innocency in this my true Anſwer unto him: In the which alſo, all ſuch paſſages as hee ſo exceedingly exaggerates and cryes out againſt in my Preface and Poſtſcript are cleared from his clamorous ſurmiſes, and my Integrity vindicated from all his traducing Inferences, and forced Concluſions.

Brother Burton,

IN the beginning of your Epiſtle to the Reader, ſay you, This anſwer was long agoe ſo conceived in the wombe, as the ſlow birth may ſeeme to have outgone his due time. Truly it had beene good for you, and farre more for your honour, and for the honour and glory of God, and for the honour of your holy profeſſion, that the wombe of this your Booke had beene its grave: for it hath not onelyonly given great ſcandall to many, but ſadded the hearts of multitudes of Gods people that formerly truly loved and honoured you. But men that make more haſte then good ſpeed, have p. 612cauſe at leiſure often to repent, as you one day muſt doe for this untimely birth of your deformed and monſtrous brat. To the matters of Argument concerning your opinion in anſwer to my Booke; I have in the foregoing Treatiſe made my Reply, in this Appendix I am to make my juſt defence againſt ſome falſe accuſations and ſoule aſperſions with which you have beſpatterd mee through your whole diſcourſe; but ſhould I ſumme up all the revilings, ſcornings, vilifying, unſufferable and unchriſtian language, which thoſe of your Fraternity (after I had declared my ſelfe to be none of your party, before any of my Books came forth) did and ſtill doe provoke and ſalute mee with, even in the open ſtreets, to the ſhame of their profeſſion (yet in the 27. page of your Booke approved of) they would riſe to a volume. But I have learned with the Apoſtle Paul, to paſſe through honour and diſhonour, through evill report and good report, as a Deceiver and yet true (2 Cor. 6. 8.) being therefore nothing moved with their raylings, I ſpread them before the Lord, and for brevitie ſake will not here repeate them.

I ſhall onelyonly take a note of ſome (paſſing by many) of the unbrotherly reproaches, falſe accuſations, and bitter invectives, poured out from your ſelfe (whoſe Schollers it may be thought the others are) and I will unfaynedly anſwer you, in the words of truth and ſoberneſſe, and in the ſpirit of meekneſſe and love. But firſt give mee leave to ſay, that from you of all men I leaſt expected, much leſſe deſerved ſuch hard ſpeeches, I having beene not only a ſufferer with you (which ingageth a perſonall reſpect) but alwayes ready and forward in the worſt and moſt dangerous times to appeare in your defence to my owne great detriment and dammage, and as a faithfull friend, have ſtucke cloſe, and been ſerviceable unto you ſince, as can ſufficiently be proved when your proteſtation proteſted was queſtioned; all which challenged a Chriſtian circumſpection, even in reproving of humane frailties.

Now things being thus betweene you and mee, how exceedingly doth it aggravate your offence, in ſcandalizing my name as you have done? For mine owne part, when out of zeale to Gods Glory, and my ſervent deſire of Syons peace, I write againſt that new way you walke in, and juſtly blamed in generall (naming no man) the unwarrantable writings, and cenſures publiſhed, and laid upon all who in their judgements diſſent from Independents, p. 613though truly Godly, affirming, that they are but converts in part, that they are enemies to Christs Kingly office: and ſet up Chriſt as a pageant King; that they neither profeſſe nor confeſſe Chriſt, but with the Iewes ſay, wee will not have this man to raigne over us: obſerving alſo in the Frontiſpices of their Bookes writ in defence of Independent errors, theſe words; Thinke not that I am come to ſend peace upon earth: I came not to ſend peace but a ſword, &c. Matth. 10. 34 35, 36. and that in a time of ſo great diſtractions, when your party have ſubtilly ſpread Schiſme, Faction, and cauſed fraction and diviſion through the Kingdome; and conſidering withall how ready tumultuous and turbulent people are, eſpecially upon ſuch advantages as theſe, to miſapply Chriſts words (as all men may ſee, and by their daily expreſſions plainly perceive they doe) and from that text are eaſily perſwaded to beleeve they have good ground and warrant to fight againſt their Chriſtian brethren to maintaine errors and their owne whimſies; I ſay, I weighing all theſe things, when I writ againſt erroneous and peace diſturbing wayes, which I tooke to be my duty, yet ſo far was I your fellow ſufferer, from falling at odds with you (as you ſeeme to intimate, page 2.) that in reproving ſinne, for which I have ſacred Writ to be my warrant, Levit 19. 17. I gave a reverentiall honour to the perſon, and to manifeſt my reſpects unto your ſelfe (becauſe a ſufferer) I brought not your name upon the Theater; error I confuted, the danger of miſapplying Scripture I declared, and reprehended, and ſo by Gods gracious aſſiſtance I ever ſhall; and will not connive with any that hold and labour to maintaine a way that leads to error and faction: But ſo tender I was of your repute, and at ſo vaſt a diſtance from reproaching you with untruths to render you deſpicable to men, that your name I ſpared to mention, and for my deſcription of a grave man with a white basket-hilted-beard, a ſelfe denying man would have paſſed it over with ſilence, and onelyonly made uſe of it, as a reſpectfull private reproofe. For I beſeech you lay aſide your paſſion, and conſider a little, are there not ſome others of your judgement, that have as great white beards as your ſelfe? which are basket-hilted beards in my Dialect, a harmeleſſe word in it ſelfe, and a word that you know in Love and Mirth I doe frequently uſe to my deareſt and familiar friends, and it was not counted ſcurrilous or offenſive by any other, nor by your ſelfe (to whom I have p. 614often uſed this expreſſion, and you never reproved me nor were offended at it untill now, becauſe I cannot approve of your writings and way, which God is my witneſſe, before whom I ſpeak, and who knows the ſecret intentions of my heart, I would imbrace and walk in, were there in Scripture any command, precept or example for my ſo doing, but you can never produce ſound Scripture proofes for it. Now Scripture clearly holds out that way I walk in, practice and maintain.

Brother you were too too precipitate, you need not have made a particular application in publike, and then preſent your ſelfe to the view of the world in ſo great a paſſion, as to let men ſee and know, you are not able to diſgeſt a merry word; Alas! thouſands never ſaw your book, and of them that have ſeen and read it, happily every one took not notice of your uncharitable writings and opinions; for untill you ſo unadviſedly ruſhed out, and on the publique Theatre proclamed your ſelfe to be the man, very few ſuſpected you would have dealt ſo unbrotherly with your brethren (who though they differ from your judgement, yet are ſincerely godly, and have deſerved well from you, and layd out themſelves freely, for the good of you, and yours, above all other men) as to pronounce them emenies of Jeſus Chriſt, or that you would unchriſtian all holy Chriſtians, and deny the ſaving work of grace in them (true converſion) becauſe they dare not joyne with you, nor approve of thoſe opinions you have lately taken up; you have not been ſo forward at other times to declare your ſelfe to be the man (why now?) ſurely you conceit the ſubſcribing your name again thereunto, is a ſufficient ground for men to believe, that thoſe paſſages and aſſertions are not erroneous, and that it is a Piaculum in me to queſtion the matter, time, ſeaſon, and manner of publiſhing ſuch things; if ſo, you miſtake your ſelfe exceedingly, for this is an undeniable truth, that you are a man ſubject to like paſſions (and errors) as other men are (Jam. 5. 17.) even your beſt friends being Judges. And that I may diſcover your ſelfe unto your ſelfe, I will ſum up a few of your paſſionate expreſſions, with your unbrotherly (that I ſay not unchriſtian) aſperſions, and ſlanderous accuſations brought againſt me by name, in your book that you intitle (but how truly) Vindiciae Veritatis, which before ever I had ſeen or ſo much as heard of, being in the Country when it came forth, one having peruſed it, briefly p. 615and lovingly reproved you and writ againſt many unworthy reproaches and ſlanders contained therein; And I ſhall now again take a note of them, and then clear thoſe falſe accounts wherewith you have ſo deeply charged me, which conſiſt of ſeverall particulars: viz.

You account me one that hath but fair flouriſhes of holineſſe. Page 17.

An Adverſary to Chriſts Kingdome, and an open enemy and Perſecutor of the Church. Pag. 18.

A Scandalous Walker to the ſhame of the very name of Chriſtian Religion. Pag. 20.

Worſe then a Heathen, a baſe and barbarous man. Pag. 21.

One of the greateſt Incendiaries in the Land. Pag. 25.

A diſhoneſt man of a Serpentine practice. Pag. 28.

A hollow-hearted man of a ſhallow brain, a man, not onelyonly whoſe heart is divided, but whoſe head is, &c. Pag. 29.

The reckoning in the full ſum (by your account) amounts to thus much, that I am an hypocrite, an unbeleever, a perſecutor, a profane, wicked, baſe and barbarous man, an Incendiary, a Knave, a Serpent, a Diſſembler, an Ignoramus, a mad Man, &c. Oh that ever ſuch a ſoul condemning, heart accuſing, head dividing Charge ſhould be drawn up and publiſhed by a Quondam Fellow Sufferer! Is this no railing nor bitter ſpeaking becauſe cunningly uttered by an Independent? If ſober men (who are godly without faction) judge of this your method, it will appear, and by them be truly voted, you have forgot the promiſe you made (page the ſecond); for my part I leave it to the grave conſideration of ſuch.

And I ſhall now ſpeak a little to your great charge, of which a man might make a book in Folio, to ſet forth the ſinfull ſinfulneſſe that lies cloſely coucht therein, with your furious ſmiting at my ſoul and body, which inforceth me to ſay, Theſe are the wounds that I received in the houſe of my Friend, (Zech. 13. 6.) Yet becauſe from a friend and a Quondam Fellow Sufferer, I preſently bound them up, and ſhould have been very ſparing in opening and diſcovering of them again, could I have done it without prejudicing the life of my good name, and obſcuring truth; but for the preſervation of the one, and the manifeſtation of the other, I am conſtrained not to neglect to lay them open, ſearch their depth, declare their danger; and what evill effects may enſue, and to p. 616poure in the ſoveraigne Balſome of a good conſcience, and lay upon them the plaiſter of innocencie, which is the onelyonly approved remedy for ſuch deſperate wounds.

Now for your Bi… of Accuſations, and Defamations, I here in the preſence of God, and before all men proteſt againſt it, abſolutely denying the whole charge, and doe affirme, that neither you nor any mortall creature can truly make any one of the leaſt particulars thereof good againſt me, although you have laboured hard, and taken a great deale of paines to do it, howſoever in the opinion of holy, wiſe, and learned men to little purpoſe. But waving that buſines a little I will firſt diſcover the ground of your fury againſt me, and then goe on.

You preach and write that Independencie according to your practiſe, is the onelyonly way to advance Chriſt upon his Throne, and that narrow path which all Chriſtians are commanded to walk in, but hitherto your confident ſaying ſo, is the ſtrongeſt Argument you bring to maintaine your Aſſertion. Now in that I durſt not take your bare word, nor no mansliving, have he never ſuch fairepretences, in Gods matters, but with the Bereans ſearching the Scriptures, whether thoſe things were ſo or no, and finding that way contrary to Gods Word and Apoſtoli call practiſe, having by cleare Scripture and Arguments grounded thereupon, diſcovered the errour of that way out of a Chriſtian remorſe and godly pitty to the ſoules of poore weake tender hearted Chriſtians, who are eaſie to be ſeduced, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine, Epheſ. 4. 14. Exhorted Magiſtrates, Parents, Maſters, and all that feare the Lord in ſincerity, to put to their helping hand to keepe the people from wandering into by-paths, and to ſee that they and their families together doe ſerve our God, live in his feare, and walke in the wayes of his commandements according to Scripture rule, and the example of the faithfull, holy ſervants of the Lord, &c.

This forſooth is the ground of your quarrell which I thought fit to mention by the way of Preface, and for this you accuſe mee to be an Adverſary of Chriſts Kingdome, an open enemy and Perſecutor of the Church (and what not?) to which with a good conſcience I anſwer you ſcandalize me, for according to the Apoſtles exhortation, 2 Tim. 2. 15. I have ſtudied to ſhew my ſelfe approved unto God; nay, further I ſay, I am ready, (if the will of p. 617God be ſo) to lay downe my life for the Regality, and Kingly office of Jeſus Chriſt, and for the peace of his Church, but not in your notion having no warrant for it. Brother, give me leave to aske you the like queſtion which Paul did the Galatians, Gal. 4. 16. Am I therefore (an adverſary to Chriſts Kingdome, a Perſecutor) become your enemy becauſe I tell you the truth? I appeale to the righteous Judge, to judge betweene you and mee herein; and paſſe to other particulars in your charge, handling them together as they have neereſt relation one to the other. Now where you ſpeake of mee as if I were an Hypocrite, and boldly accuſe me of walking ſcandalouſly to the ſhame of the very name of Chriſtian Religion; for theſe, and all your other falſe calumnies God who is the juſt Judge of all men, will one day call you to an account; in the meane time let mee tell you, though your accuſations be founded as deepe as hell, yet neither Satan, who is the Accuſer of the Brethren, Revel. 1…. 10. nor any Inſtrument that hee doth worke in, or by, can be ever able in the words of truth to prove your charge; but it is an old ſtratagem of Satan, when a man labours to walke uprightly, to feare God, and eſchew evill, thus to accuſe him; for when God himſelfe had declared the integrity of his ſervant Job, Iob. 1. 8. notwithſtanding Satan durſt accuſe him to be an Hypocrite, and ſay that if God but put forth his hand to touch all that hee had, hee would curſe God to his face, Iob. 1. 9, 10, 11. and when God gave Satan power over all he had, verſe 12. and Job ſtill bleſſed the name of the Lord, hee ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly, verſe 21, 22. yet Satan went on in accuſing Job, and ceaſed not untill God gave him power over his body, Iob 2. 5. 6. yea, his friends, through Satans inſtigation, ſpake againſt him, and condemned him to be a man who had onelyonly ſhewes of Religion, or to uſe your words, faire flouriſhes of holineſſe, Iob 4. 6, 7, 8. Iob 15. 2, 3, 4, 5. Thus hath Satan dealt with mee, God gave him power over all I had, and over my body, hee caſt mee into priſon that I might be tryed, Revel. 2. 10. and hee hath ſtirred up ſuch as ſhould have beene and ſeemed to bee my friends, to accuſe mee for an Hypocrite, a ſcandalous Walker, and what ever hee falſely ſuggeſts unto them, yet ſtill I have, (and will by the grace of God in mee) retained mine Integrity, and with holy Iob, I anſwer you, and all ſuch Traducers; My witneſſe is in Heaven, and my Record is on high: My friends ſcorne me; p. 618but mine eye poureth out teares unto God, Iob 16. 19, 20. Brother Burton, it cannot be denied, but that you and your party, have brought the ſame accuſation againſt me, as Satan, and Iobs friends brought againſt him; yet as God reproved them, & accepted of Iob, Iob. 42. 8. ſo my God whom I in truth and ſincerity ſerve with the twelve Tribes of Iſrael day and night, Act. 26. 7. hath approved, and will accept of mee, maugre all the power, falſe accuſations, Revilings, ſubtle Wiles, and workings of Satan; for, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Cor. 2. 11. I am not ignorant of his deviſes; nay, herein I have comfort, becauſe I know the faithfull ſervants of God in all ages have beene traduced and accuſed for Hypocrites, and ſcandalous Walkers; wee reade 2 Cor. 10. 2. that the falſe Apoſtles did thinke, or reckon of Paul, as one that walked according to the fleſh; but as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh to them, in the third verſe of that Chapter, ſo I ſay to you, that though I walke in the fleſh, yet I doe not warre after the fleſh, &c. For I have lived in all good conſcience before God untill this day, Act. 23. 1. But were all true you have ſaid, and that of your owne knowledge, or could you by the teſtimony of honeſt, ſober, and approved Chriſtians, prove mee ſuch an one, as you have decyphered me, it had beene a brotherly part, more Saint-like, and would have brought leſſe ſcandall to the Goſpel, if you had pleaſed to have made knowne betweene you and mee, wherein you conceived, or had been informed, that I walked ſcandalouſly; and if I could not have cleared my ſelfe from all ſuch wicked aſpertions, and made it plainely appeare, that it was a malicious evill report rayſed cauſeleſſely, then if you had reproved me ſharpely, you had done as a Chriſtian ought to doe; For, to reprove ſinne is warrantable, and an Argument of brotherly Love, Levit. 19. 17. but to receive a falſe report of me, or ſlily raiſe it up, and publiſh it in print, before you had laboured to reſtore mee in the ſpirit of meekneſſe, according to the Apoſtles exhortation, Gal. 6. 1. or told me my fault betweene you and mee, and uſed all ſuch other meanes to have gained a brother, as Chriſt our King and Law-giver hath commanded, Matth. 18. 15, 16, 17. is an open diſobedience to his Royall Mandates, and doth demonſtrate, that in all things you have not (as you pretend) obeyed Chriſt, nor made his will revealed in Gods Word your rule to walke by, and therefore you in this have not ſet him upon his Throne.

And to that hell-hatcht charge which you have brought againſt p. 619mee, cunningly aſperſing mee for a ſcandalous walker, &c.

I anſwer, that as the Devill ſpake in the ſubtill Serpent and belyed God himſelfe to our firſt Parents; ſo the Inventors of this notorious untruth, who ever they be, are of a ſerpentine nature, into whom the Devill is entered, and having a full poſſeſſion, ſpeaketh in them being ſubtill and active Inſtruments to report Lyes; and I am confident that upon due and juſt examination, it will appeare they are ſome ſhameleſſe infamous creatures ſet a worke by the Devill, and prompted by Sectaries, to defame mee; that there by the Goſpel, my holy profeſſion, and the wayes of God might be ſcandalized in blemiſhing my good name: and to have it with the more credit received, hee hath ſo ordered, That you muſt be the Herauld to proclaime their Deviliſh defamations, yet notwithſtanding my innocencie triumphs in the middeſt of blacke mouthes ſlanders, being fully aſſured that God in his due time, will make a cleare diſcovery of their wicked deſigne, for hee is above the Devill: And before the Lord, that ſeeth the ſecret thoughts, imaginations, intentions of all men, in truth and faithfulneſſe I ſpeake it, I can, I doe, and by Gods grace ever ſhall, waſh my hands in innocencie; yea, I call upon the righteous Judge, the God of Heaven and Earth, who knowes my innocencie to judge betweene you and mee herein: For, God is my witneſſe, that I have indeavoured to walke before him with an honeſt, ſincere, faithfull, and upright heart, ever ſince hee gave mee the knowledge of himſelfe. And during the time I was in the eſtate of nature, God by his preventing and reſtrayning grace kept mee from living or delighting in ſuch ſinnes, whereby any could truly charge me for a ſcandalous Walker. Therefore in the preſence of this great God, who of his free grace hath Elected, Called, and Juſtified me through faith in his Son the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, not ſuffering me to turne aſide, neither to the right hand nor to the left, out of the paths of truth and that lead to holineſſe: I ſolemnly proteſt, and hold out my Proteſtation to the view of the whole World; you have moſt injuriouſly wronged mee, in proclaiming mee to be ſuch an one; For I am as blameleſſe and free from your calumniations, as Naboth was from wicked Iezabels deſperate plot, wherewith ſhe tooke away his life, 1 King 21. 8, 9, 10. &c. and as innocent as Joſeph, from the falſe accuſations brought againſt him by his wanton, laſcivious, and ſhameleſſe miſtreſſe, Gen. 39. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, which p. 620makes me bold to ſay, neither the Devill, any of his Inſtruments, no nor your ſelfe, in the words of truth, can prove the things whereof you have accuſed mee.

I ſhal here conclude my anſwer to this Charge with the Apoſtle Paul's words, 1 Cor. 4. 3, 4, 5. But with me it is a very ſmall thing that I ſhould be judged of you, or of mans judgement: yea, I judge not mine own ſelfe. For I know nothing by my ſelfe, yet am I not hereby juſtified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, untill the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſſe, and will make manifeſt the Councels of the heart: and then ſhall every man have praiſe of God.

Brother, I have been the larger in my reply to this particular becauſe it is the foundation and main pillar that may ſeem to hold up all your other Calumnies; for if you could prove me to be a Scandalous walker, to the ſhame of the very name of Chriſtian Religion, then men might eaſily be perſwaded to beleeve your whole Charg; But the foundation being ſo rotten and unfound, the ſuperſtructure cannot poſſibly ſtand.

I now proceed to the fourth particular, and my Anſwer thereunto is, that no man of truth, worth, and piety, can juſtly taxe me either with baſeneſſe or barbariſm.

For the fifth particular, it is elevated very high, and becauſe you have in this exceedingly beſtirr'd your ſelfe, I am neceſſitated (for the clearing my ſelf, & to vindicate the truth of what I have written) to be ſomewhat large in my reply, that I may fully anſwer the Charge you bring againſt me therein, which is very great: viz. You accuſe me to be one of the greateſt Incendiaries in the Land, and to prove this you quote two paſſages in one of my bookes, and you bring them as two witneſſes; for the confirmation thereof, the firſt is in my Preface pag. 28. the ſecond in my Poſtcript pag. 45. Now theſe two witneſſes of your own (ſay you) want but a Judge judicially to pronounce ſentence whether theſe words be not of an Incendiary nature and that in a high degree: For who's ſo blind as doth not clearly ſee theſe fiery flaſhes and flames to fly in the face of that Army which God hath honoured with many Crowns of admirable Victories both at York, at Naſeby, and at Lamport, with the recovery of Leiceſter, Bridgewater, Bath, &c. ſo as God hath made this despiſed Army, the Preſervative of City and Country, the p. 621Repairer of the breach, the Reſtorer of the pathes to dwell in. Thus you.

Brother, this accuſation hath a Tower raiſed on the ſame Baſis the whole Fabrick of your Charge is founded upon, and the foundation being deep, you dare build ſo high as (if it were poſſible) to over-top truth, not fearing the fall of your Babel; but God, who is Truth it ſelfe, ſeeing the evill of your intentions, hath confounded your Language, as he did thoſe builders who ſought to get themſelves a name, Gen. 11. 4, 5, 6, 7. And therefore it will fall notwithſtanding the height of its Tower. O what a confuſed relation have you made to prove me an Incendiary! I aſſure you in all you have ſaid, men of the cleareſt eye-ſight, nay were they Eagleey'd, they can never diſcerne any truth where with you make good that Charge which you ſay is ſo conſpicuous to the view of all men: For thoſe two witneſſes that you produce, thus they ſpeak (Preface pag. 28. ſaith) They have the ſword now in their hand, and they think their party ſtrong enough to encounter any adverſe and oppoſing party, and they profeſſe they care not how ſoon they come to cutting of throats, and ſpeak of nothing but the ſlaughtering and bunchering of the Preſbyterians, and therefore there is juſt cauſe given us to think we may expect better quarter from the very enemies, then from the Independents. (Poſtſcript teſtifieth) that the Independents boast they have ſuch a party in the Kingdome, (if their own words may be credited) as they now think by the ſword to be able to make their own laws; and have been frequently heard ſay, that they had many abbettors in the Aſſembly, and in both Houſes of Parliament and in many parts through the Kingdome, beſides in all the Armies; and they were all reſolved to have the liberty of their conſciences, or elſe they would make uſe of their ſwords, which they have already in their hands. So that moſt certain it is the Religion of too too many of them is a meer faction, &c. Now what theſe two have affirmed, can be corroborated by other witneſſes, and if in your account he be an Incendiary that in deteſtation thereof hath ſet down their words by way of repetition to diſcover the danger of permitting ſuch lawleſſe ſpirits to go on in their unwarrantable wayes, what great Incendiartes are they that have imagined ſuch things in their hearts and boldly ſpoken thoſe words with their mouths? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh, Matth. 12. 34. Luke 6. 45. as it can be proved Independents have p. 622done; and ſo much the two witneſſes you ſpake of ſaid; and no more; for they accuſed not that Army, which God hath honoured with many Crowns of admirable Victories, &c. But you ſay, they caſt fiery flaſhes and flames which do fly in the face of that Army, &c. Truly this is no other but a falſe Comment made by your ſelfe, from which you draw an evill inference, and then you cry out (as a man overcome with paſſion) ſaying, theſe words are not to be born: but I leave (ſay you) the judgement thereof to the wiſdome and juſtice of the Parliament, whoſe former freeing of you extends not to cleare your words from being Incendiary. Thus farre you.

Brother, I profeſſe I am heartily ſorry to ſee that you my Quondam Fellow Sufferer ſhould ſo much forget your ſelfe, as not only bitterly, unworthily, and moſt falſly thus to inveigh againſt mee, but alſo to inſinuate into the Parliament, as if they could not manifeſt their wiſdome and juſtice, except they paſſe their judgement, and cenſure me according to your bill of Information. This violent proſecution, and your Canterburian expreſſions, make not me alone, but all other ſolid Chriſtians wonder at your ſpirit: for you may pleaſe to call to mind, how one once profeſſed he would not paſſe any ſentence againſt You, my Brother Prynne, and My ſelfe, but left us as he ſaid to the wiſdome and juſtice of the Court, which was in the judgement of all that heard his whole ſpeech, to pronounce us ſo highly guilty, that if the Lords there preſent, did not ſeverely cenſure us, they would ſhew themſelves neither wiſe, nor juſt. This preſident you have exactly followed againſt me but it will never Crown your head with honour; and for the Parliament, it is their glory to ſlight troubleſome informers: for ſhould they hearken to every information invented and drawn up by the unſatisfied and turbulent ſpirits of ſome Independents, it would cloud their wiſdome, and totally eclipſe the ſhining of their Juſtice in our Horizon: But you cannot there obtain an Order to have your Bill taken pro confeſſo, and gain ſo much of the Parliament that I ſhould not anſwer for my ſelfe; therefore I may and will ſpeak for my ſelfe in my juſt defence and ſhew how unjuſtly you have accuſed me; And here I deny your Charg in every particular circumſtance.

But before I returne my anſwer thereunto, you having given me ſuch a Theam to ſpeak upon, as the due acknowledgement of p. 623Gods goodneſſe in raiſing us up deliverers when City and Country were ſorely afflicted and heavily oppreſſed on every ſide, in ſpeaking of Gods providentiall care and ſeverall actings in way of mercy to his people, I cannot omit (by way of thankfulneſſe to God and men) to declare how that in the firſt place City and Country are deeply ingaged for ever next unto divine goodneſſe to honour and highly eſteem thoſe Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, and Citizens who in the beginning of the Kingdomes troubles, like the Governours of Iſrael and the Princes of Iſſachar did offer themſelves willingly among the people. Judges 5. 9. 15. whoſe very appearing in the cauſe was then of ſuch concernment, that as it made the hearts of all who were truly godly to praiſe God for them, ſo thereby God made them the preſervative of City and Country; Inſomuch that upon ſerious conſideration we ſhall find, that thoſe Noble Lords, and all thoſe brave Commanders that adhered to them, who as Zebulon and Napthali jeoparded their lives unto the death, in the high places of the field, and expoſed themſelves to reproach, Judges 5. 18. are not to be over lookt, and their gallant undertakings obſcured under a Sable cloud of unthankfulneſſe, nor to be buried in the grave of Oblivion.

For, when the Kingdome was in greateſt danger, then God made uſe of them to preſerve Citie and Countrey, rayſing an Army by Land, and ſetting forth a Navie at ſea, under the commands of the Right Honourable, thrice Illuſtrious, Faithfull, Valiant, and for ever to be highly honoured Lords, Robert Earle of Eſſex, and Robert Earle of Warwicke, whom hee made by ſea, and land, inſtrumentall for the good and welfare of the Kingdome; and the truth is, at this day, neither preſervation nor ſafety could have beene expected in Citie and Countrey, as things then ſtood, had not theſe two Renowned Lords and Heroes, ſo nobly and undauntedly appeared in the cauſe, & undertaken the charge, and care upon them, one to be Admirall of the Navie at ſea, the other to be Generall of the Parliaments forces by Land: For this their undertaking was in ſuch a juncture of time, that had they out of ſelfe reſpects declined it, unleſſe the Lord by a miracle had withſtood and over-throwne our enemies, Citie and Countrey (in all probability) long before this time, would have beene over-run, and poſſeſſed by them, and no man ſhould now have had peace in his going out or comming in: But by the valour, vigilancie, and faithfulneſſe of p. 624our then Noble Admirall, our Seas were ſafe-guarded, by which meanes, forraine enemies were awed, home-bred enemies weakened, by ſurprizing many Ships, Armes, Ammunition, Inſtruments, and Preparations for warre, which were ſent over into England, for the deſtruction of Citie and Countrey; beſieged Townes were by him relieved, as Lyme, Plymouth, &c. So that God made that Noble Lord by Sea▪ the preſervative of Citie, and Countrey, which lay open ready to be deſtroyed by cruell and bloody enemies. And as the Earle of War wicke by Sea, ſo had not the Earle of Eſſex, being Generall of the Parliaments Armies by Land, beene an experienced Commander, faithfull to their cauſe, and with a moſt Heroick and undaunted courage ſtood to the Battle at Edge-hill (when by report whole Regiments ran away, and through feare deſerted him) there now would have beene no ſafety in Citie and Countrey. What had become of Citie and Countrey when Briſtow was loſt, aud Glouceſter cloſely beſieged, which though it was a long time, even beyond expectation valiantly maintained by Colonell Maſſie the then Governour thereof, that ever to be honoured Gentleman, had it not by the care and valour of that Noble Lord beene ſeaſonably relieved, it could not poſſibly have held longer out, but muſt have beene delivered up unto the Enemie, and have beene made a prey for the Spoylers, and then what peace or ſafetie would Citie or Countrie have injoyed? In a word, what had become of Citie and Countrie, if that Army under his command, and ſo gallantly incouraged by him had not incountered the enemies of our peace, and through Gods merciemercy victoriouſly diſcomfited their Forces ſeverall times, as at Newbury, and at other places?

Truly it is by all, that will not manifeſt to the whole world that they are ungratefull to God, and unthankefull to men, ever to bee acknowledged, that the Earle of Eſſex, the Earle of War wicke, with thoſe gallant Commanders, and Citizens in that Armie, and Navie commanded by them, deſerve the firſt place of honour to be our preſervers, ſome of whoſe names I ſhall by and by ſet downe, though I can never ſufficiently ſet forth their praiſes and their merits, and to theſe many other worthy Generals muſt bee added with all thoſe gallant Officers and Commanders under them, who commanded ſeverall Armies, Regiments and Companies by Commiſsions from the Earle of Eſſex: as the p. 625Right Honourable, thrice Illuſtrious, Faithfull, Valiant, and for ever to be highly honoured Lord.

Edward Earle of Mancheſter.

The Earle of Denby.

The Earle of Stanford.

The Earle of Peterborrow, Generall of the Ordnance at Keinton.

The Lord Robert, Lord Martiall of the field.

The Lord Fairfax, and his ſon

Sir Thomas Fairfax his Excellencie now Captaine Generall of the Forces rayſed by the Parliament.

The Lord Gray.

The Lord Willoughby.

Sir William Waller, Major Generall.

Sir Arthur Haſlerig.

Sir William Brereton.

Sir William Balfour Generall of the Horſe.

Sir John Merrick Generall of the Ordnance.

Sir Philip Stapleton, Lievetenant Generall of the Ordnance.

Sir Samuel Luke, Colonell, Governour of Newport-Pannell.

Sir Robert Pye Collonel.

Sir Edward Dodſ-worth Knight. Commiſſary Generall for the Muſters of the Cavallary, with the Earle of Eſſex Lord Generall His Excellencie.

Sir Iohn Gell.

Sir Edward Peatoe Lievtenant Generall of the Ordnance at Keinton.

Sir Iohn Meldrum Collonel.

Major Generall Skippon.

Collonel Maſſie.

Collonel Holleſſe.

Collonel William Davis.

Collonel Iames Sheefeild.

Collonel Thomas Shefeild.

Collonel Richard Graves.

Collonel Dolbier.

Collonel Brown.

Collonel Eſſex ſlaine at Keinton

Collonel Morgan.

Collonel More.

Collonel Roſſiter.

Collonel King.

Collonel Poyns.

Collonel Terrell.

Collonel Dodſon.

Collonel Goodwin.

Major Hercules Langeriſh.

All theſe and many hundreds more, whoſe names are unknown to mee, none of the which were then Independents, yet whoſe fame, for their noble chivalry and gallantry in all their imployments, will live when Mortality is dead; and truly for every one of theſe I have by name ſet downe, they are all of them men accompliſhed for all heroicall vertue, and ſuch as of whom ſeverally p. 626for their moſt excellent ſervice, and ſeverall engagements, even in difficulteſt times▪ I could make a large Diſcourſe, and yet that would not ſufficiently ſet forth their due prayſes; for theſe firſt Actors under-went the heate of the day, and by their valour quelled the Enemy, as I have heard the Cavaliers themſelves acknowledge; and therefore all thoſe noble Heroes and gallant Commanders, as I ſaid before, have all of them primary right to that title Iſay 58. 12. to be called the Repairers of the breach, the reſtorers of our pathes to dwell in; for as much as when we were in great fears and unavoydable ruin did ſeem to threaten both Church and State, then God moved all their hearts to appear in his cauſe, and made them the preſervative of City and Country, Whoſe undertakings, performances, faithfulneſſe, valour, and Noble proweſſe, ought to be predicated, and recorded, that future generations may know their deliverers, and admire Gods goodneſſe who gave them magnanimous ſpirits to appear and expoſe themſelves to danger for the Kingdomes ſafety in ſuch a time, when the people were generally ſecure, ignorant of the miſeries that were like to befall them, and their poſterity, and ſo deluded with promiſes and proteſtations that the greater part in moſt Counties, withſtood their own good, the peace and welfare of Church and State. And when the men in England lived delicately, and had been ſo long dandled in the lap of peace, that very few, none in compariſon, had ever ſeen the formidable face of a reall fighting Army, nor had ever beheld the furious countenance of bloody war, whilſt ſhe encountreth with her enemies, but were unacquainted and altogether unexperienced with warlike affaires, and marſhall diſcipline: yea, when City and Country were in great diſtractions and eminent danger, and when all things both by ſea and land, were to be accompliſhed for the preſervation thereof, with all manner of diſadvantages, and the greateſt hazzard and difficulty, that men could poſſibly meet withall; and therefore I ſay again all theſe brave men have the primary right to be called the repairers of the breaches, the reſtorers of our pathes to dwell in.

And next unto theſe illuſtrious ones, I pray good Brother looke upon the famous Citie of London, and on all the true hearted citizens in it, who ſtood cloſe to the Parliament in the moſt dangerous times, and firſt reſcued their Members queſtioned, and preſerved them all from the jawes of imminent danger, and after p. 627that expoſed themſelves their lives, fortunes, and liberties in their quarrell, and ſtucke cloſe to their cauſe, ſupplying them continually with Men, Monies, and Ammunition, and all manner of warlicke accoutrements, without whish the whole Kingdome had beene miſerable; Yea, in their owne perſons in the Citie and in the Field they hazarded all their lives in the Parliaments and their countries ſervice, ſo as they alſo may juſtly challenge a ſhare in the next place to thoſe noble Worthies above mentioned, to be counted the Repairers of our breaches, and Reſtorers of our paths to dwell in; and therefore I ſhall deſire you Brother, and all thoſe of your Fraternity to give the next place of honour to this Renowned Citie. And whiles I am now ſpeaking of ſuch as have deſerved well, and merited the name (under God) of being preſervers of our pathes to dwell in: I pray let us not forget out brethren the Scots whoſe faithfull ſervice deſerves eternall gratitude and an everlaſting memory, who alſo ſtood in the breaches when we were but in a low condition, who for our aſſiſtance expoſed their own lives, fortunes and countries to the fury and rage of many a potent enemy, and indured incredible hardſhip at home and abroad, undergoing many miſeries, and that at ſuch a ſeaſon of the year as was enough to have killed them, to lie in the field, and made their Country a prey for the ſpoilers, who uſed barbarous and mercileſſe cruelties upon them, many of their brave and gallant commanders and gentlemen alſo dayly looſing their lives and wallowing in their own blood, and all for our preſervations; and therefore they may, under God, duly challenge the third place of honour to be reputed the Repairers of our breaches and Restorers of our pathes to dwell in: whoſe kindneſſe, brother, I could wiſh that thoſe of your party may never forget.

And I may not whiles I enumerate thoſe that have deſerved the name of deliverers, omit here to ſpeak of all the faithfull Preſbyterian Miniſters in this City as well as through Country, thoſe Chariots and Horſemen of our Iſrael though now forgotten, many of the which not onelyonly ventered their lives in battell, but by holding up their hands as Moſes did when the people of Iſrael fought againſt the enemy, and by the lifting up their hearts and voices to God with ſtrong cryes made all our Armies abroad and our Counſells at home to proſper, and all our undertakings happily to ſucceed. Neither is that all, but by their wiſdome vigilancy, p. 628and powerfull and perſwaſive preaching they were the principall means under God of keeping the people here and every where in obedience to the Parliament by reſolving their doubts, ſatisfying their ſcruples, and going before the people to their abilities, yea (many of them to my knowledge out of zeal to the cauſe) beyond their abilities in all contributions, animating and incouraging others to bring in their Plate and Moneys and whatſoever was of price and eſteem with them exhorting them now if ever to ſtand for their Religion, Lives, Liberties and the Liberty of the Subject: And as by their indeavours they did exceedingly promote the cauſe through City and Country; ſo many of them did the Parliament very good ſervice in diſcovering ſecret and powerfull enemies by which they were diſabled to do miſchiefe. In a word I peremptorily aſſert it, that next under God the whole Kingdome are bound to be thankfull to the Miniſters who ſtrengthned the hands and hearts of the ſouldiers everywhere to battell and made them ſtick cloſe to their ſeverall Commanders and Captaines, who without their ſouldiers could never have done any thing of moment for our deliverance; and all the people through the aſſociated Counties eſpecially may thank their painfull and faithfull Miniſters that they now live in peace and tranquillity under their ſeverall Vines and Figtrees; and therefore the condemnation of thoſe men ſleeps not that for all their Miniſters care for them and their pains taken both to preſerve them in a bodily being and for converting their ſouls, in lieu of thankfulneſſe do not onelyonly reproach them with odious and infamous names, but would deprive them alſo of their livelyhoods and take away their tythes from them. Such ingratitude was never heard of in any nation before, but there was eminent danger inſued upon it; for in the ſecond of the Chronicles the laſt chapter, when the Lord ſent his Prophets and Servants amongſt them early and late calling them to repentance, and the people deſpiſed them, it is related that they provoked God ſo much by it, as there was now no remedy and medicine left to cure the nation: I pray God the ſame may not happen to this ungratefull nation, who you brother and your complices have inraged againſt our faithfull and zealous Miniſters, who notwithſtanding whatſoever the Independent party can ſay, may challenge alſo a ſhare and that a great one in that honour to be counted the Repairers of our breaches and p. 629the Reſtorers of our paths to dwell in; and all this before the battell of Yorke and Nazeby, in both which the Independents did not do all the ſervice as is pretended, and who all of them have deſerved as well from the Parliament and the whole Country as before.

This, brother Burton, being premiſed, I come now to anſwer your Charge (which as I formerly ſaid) I do abſolutely deny.

And here I affirme that after theſe two noble Earls, and other of our honourable and ever to be highly renowned worthies, ceaſed from their warlike imployments and commands by ſea and land; The Army which God hath ſince made the preſervative of City and Country, It is that Army under the Command of his Excellency Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX (which is imployed in all parts and quarters of this Kingdom) whom with the whole body, I honour, and every particular member thereof, as they have done worthily. And whereas you accuſe me to be an Incendiary, and ſay thoſe forecited words are flaſhes and flames to fly into the face of that Army, I am ready upon oath to depoſe, that it is a falſe miſchievous Calumny conceived in the fiery brain of ſome Independent, and brought forth into the world by your ſtrong paſſion. Further I averre there is none ſo blind but they can diſcerne a myſtery of iniquity in your expreſſions: for it is generally known That there are many more Presbyterians then Independents in that Army, yea ten to one, which God hath now made victorious every where, and of them as valiant men as ever drew ſword, or wore iron, being experienced Souldiers, gallant Stormers, and as a man may ſay, even the Cream of the Kindome, and the whole …eareth its denomination from the greater part, or the better, which the Independents are not.

Now looking on the Army as it is united to one head under the command of one chiefe Generall, and whether diſperſed Eaſt, Weſt, North, South, yet hath acted together to be the Preſervative of City and Country, is that the victorious deſpiſed Army you ſpeak of? No, no, you will not hear of that, but you divide that Army which God hath made ſo inſtrumentall for the Kingdomes ſafety, and you overlook the greateſt part thereof as if they were uſeleſſe men and had done nothing for the preſervation of City and Country; this may prove the work of an Incendiary indeed, what? will you attribute all the honour of thoſe many glorious p. 630victories which God hath crowned the whole Army with, but onelyonly to a part of that Army? This is a derogating and dividing language, yet as in your writings, ſo in the publike Aſſemblies, and where ever any Independents preach or pray, you, and they, agree in this language, ſaying, It is the godly party, the praying people, that deſpiſed Army, that ſome ſpeak evill of, that God hath done ſuch great things by. Now none are called nor accounted the godly party with you and thoſe of your judgement, but Independents and Sectaries; ſo that it is plain you give all that Honour which is due to the whole Army, onelyonly to the leaſt part thereof; by which courſe you endeavour to divide in the eſteem and opinion of men that Army, which God and the State have joyned and made one. But for my part, God is my witneſſe ſo far have I been from caſting fiery flaſhes and flames to flie in the face of that Army or any part of it, that I have, I do, and ever ſhall acknowledge, all the Worthies of that Army have done gallantly, and that for their wiſdome, faithfulneſſe, valour, and victories they are ever to be renowned, the whole body have purchaſed perpetuall honour, and the Kingdome is bound to aſcribe to God all praiſe and glory: But herein you are failing, when you divide that Army, as by your expreſſions you plainly do, and upon all occaſions ſacrifice to your own net, by which practice you ſeek what lies in you to diſcourage the hearts and weaken the hands of the body of that Army, and to caſt ſecret Fire-brands, which may break forth into flames of diſcontent, and ſo cauſe hot and burning Emulations amongſt our valiant and couragious Heroes, when they hear and ſee themſelves ſlighted, and quite ſtripped of the honour and due praiſes that God hath made them equall ſhares of. We read 1 Sam. 18. 6▪ 7. When the women came forth to meet King Saul, with joy and ſinging, anſwering one another (and as they chanted out their notes, running diviſion in their ſongs) ſaid, Saul hath ſlain his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands, that their aſcribing more to David then to Saul made him very wrath, and the ſaying diſpleaſed him, (yea it wrought ſad effects) yet they did not aſcribe all the honour of the victory to David; for they allowed Saul his thouſands: But you deal not ſo impartially and ingenuouſly with that Army, which God hath now made the Preſervative of City and Country, &c. Certain it is ſuch writings, prayers and dividing practices are of a dangerous conſequence, if not of an Incendiary p. 631nature. You proceed to double your Charge, and in the 26. Page of your book thus expreſſe your ſelfe, further (ſay you) to diſcover your ſpirit againſt thoſe Worthies in the Army, you go about to eclipſe the glory of that famous victory at Marſton-moore; for ſpeaking contemptuouſly of it, you ſay, ſome of the Independents ſtood to it in the Battell of York, when others of them ran away; for they ran as well as others: and if they be not Lyars all the other Independents had ran away too, and left the field, if they had known what had happened in the other parts of the Army: Then you make what conſtruction your own fantaſie frameth and dictates unto you upon thoſe words in my Poſtſcript Page 68. after which you go on in your diſcourſe, ſaying, I can produce thoſe that were actors in that Battell and are no Independents, that affirme, there was no running away at all, of thoſe whoſe valour you ſo vilifie: yea, though they did perceive how the matter went with ſome, as when a whole body flies, a thing with no great difficulty to be diſcerned. So you.

Brother, I entreat you take a view of what you have ſaid, and then conſider the incongruity of your relation; for can it be properly ſaid that it is a diſcovering of my ſpirit againſt thoſe Worthies in the Army, and a ſeeking to eclipſe the glory of that famous Victory at Marſton-moor and a ſpeaking contemptuouſly of it, becauſe I ſay ſome of the Independents ſtood to it in the Battell at York, when others ran away? Let all rationall men judge, for ſurely there cannot be a greater contradiction, nor more confuſion of language. What? is it a diſcovering of my ſpirit againſt thoſe Worthies in the Army, to ſay they ſtood to it in the Battell at Yorke? Doth it not rather crown their heads with Lawrell, and ſpeak honour to their perſons who ever they were that did ſtand to it in the Battell of either party, whether Presbyterians or Independents? for as ſome of both parties did run away, yet divine providence ſo ordered it (that God alone might have the glory) that ſome of both parties valiantly ſtood to it; and thus much is in part acknowledged by your ſelfe, when you ſay, you can produce thoſe that were actors in that ▪Battell, and are no Independents, &c. So that by your own confeſſion they were not all Independents, (no nor the greateſt part according to the relation of many, who were alſo actors in that Battell) by whom God gave us that famous Victory. Then this is out of queſtion. I but (ſay you) thoſe actors affirme that there was no running away at all, of thoſe whoſe valour p. 632you ſo much vilifie, &c. Brother, judge not raſhly, but aſſure your ſelfe, I have more man-hood in me then to vilifie true valour; for I profeſſe I do, and ever ſhall honour a Valiant man, whoſoever he be. But is ſpeaking the truth, and aſcribing to all our Worthies their due honour without reſpect of perſons, become a vilifying of Valour with you? this is Independent Rhetorick, and ſo deep, that every one as yet doth not underſtand it, neither will I here undertake to unfold the meaning and Myſtery of it; onelyonly give me leave without offence to tell you, That if any do affirm there were no Independents that ran away, when others ſtood to it in the Batell at York, their affirmation is moſt falſe, though happily unknown to them ſo to be: now their ignorance herein may convince you of your errour, and bring you to the knowledge of this truth, viz. that one Wing of an Army, may be diſcomfited and flying, yet in the heat of the battle the other Wing being deeply ingaged at that preſent time, may not know how it fareth with them nor ſee their flight, and if a whole Body be worſted as the wind may ſet and drive the ſmoak, the ingaged party cannot poſſibly preſently diſcern it. Thus it was at that famous battle at Marſton-moore, as I have been informed by ſuch as were Actors in that Battle both Presbyterians and Independents. And that ſome Independents did then run away as well as others, and of them not a few, nor all of the meaneſt rank and quality, is a reall truth: But if you will not give credit to what I ſay, that you may not hereafter with ſuch great confidence put in Print falſe informations as you too too often do, I refer you to Leiutenant Coll: Iohn Lilburne, who was there at the beginning of that Battel; and for your better ſatisfaction enquire of him, whether ſome Independents did not run away, and alſo whether I have ſpoken any thing concerning that Battell, but what he himſelfe knows, and hath reported for a truth, as can be proved. I could tell you the names of ſome Independents that did run away & thoſe not a few and none of the leaſt eſteem amongſt you; but I forbear, unleſſe to cleer the truth I am inforced thereunto; for I know, that upon a diſcomfiture in the day of battell, gallant men, valiant, and experienced ſouldiers, have ſometimes been glad to run: And therefore what I there writ in my Poſt-ſcript, was not to vilifie any, but to give to every man his due honour which you and others of your Judgement did then, and ſtill do moſt injuriouſly rob and p. 633wholly ſtrip them of, who diſſent from your opinions; and if ever you, or any of your party, ſhall ſo far prevail with the honourable Court of Parliament, to queſtion me for thoſe words, I doubt not, but as formerly I have found Justice, ſo then I ſhall finde the like, and be cleered both by Lords and Commons, from the reproach of being an Incendiary.

Truly brother Burton, when I read your lines, and ſee how much you aſcribe unto men, and how little you ſpeak of God upon all occaſions, I cannot but wonder: for the truth is, in all your language you never ſpeak of your party, who you call the confiding men, the wel-affected in the Army, the godly party, but you count them and them only the ſaviours of the Kingdome, the reſtorers of our paths to walk in, and this is your own dialect, God is not ſo much as named many times to my knowledge in your ordinary diſcourſes: although God hath given a caveat againſt ſuch expreſſions and ſpeakings, Deut. 9. where the Lord charged all his people by a threefold prohibition that they ſhould not aſcribe the glory or honour of their victories to their own righteouſneſſe, or to their own arme (which is the Independents dayly practice to ſay their party have done all) to teach all men that there is nothing that more diſpleaſeth God then to give his glory to men that can deſerve nothing at his hands who is ever to have the ſole glory and honour of caſting the horſe and rider into the ſea; yea in expreſſe words it is often declared in holy Scripture, that God can ſave by few as well as by many, and that a King is not ſaved by the multitude of an hoſt, and that the horſe is prepared for the battell, but God gives the victory; and all this to teach us ever to give the glory of all victories to God onelyonly and to aſcribe the honour to him. Now then when we have ſo many witneſſes that God is the Saviour of his people and the Reſtorer of our paths to dwell in, and a ſpeciall command to give him the praiſe of it; how is it Brother, that there is nothing in your mouth more frequent, yea in your Pamphlets and prayers, then that thoſe men you call the godly party in the Army have done the whole work in this War, yea and are the only ſaviours of the people and the healers up of our breaches and the reſtorers of our paths to dwell in? robbing both God of his glory and all the other gallant men that indeed under God did the work of their due honour and praiſes, who had in all reſpects a far greater ſhare in all the victories obtained againſt the enemy, as being farre p. 634better ſouldiers and better Chriſtians and valianter men, and the more in number by far ten to one then the Independent party. And that both at Marſton-moore and Naſeby, as in its due place will appear to all future ages.

But becauſe Brother you have particularized the Battell at Marſton-moore, aſcribing the glory of that victory wholy to your party, and extreamly wrongfully accuſe me about that buſineſſe, I ſhall here therefore ſet down what I find writ by a ſtedier hand then yours concerning that Battell, and by ſuch an one as I know would not divulge an untruth to the world: neither would I have made uſe of his teſtimony, not withſtanding I know the truth of it, but that I am able my ſelfe to prove what he hath writ by a cloud of witneſſes that were there and received many wounds in that Battell, and againſt whom there can be brought no juſt exception: the words of the Author are theſe.

In this Battell, ſaith he, (ſpeaking of Marſton-moore) divers gallant men of both Nations had an honourable ſhare of the Victory: but none I hear of, without diſparagement to any, did appear ſo much in action that day with gallantry, as David Leſley.

Here thoſe of the party we ſpake of a little before: (viz. the Sectaries and Independents) to indear themſelves to the people, attribute unto themſelves the honor of the day, and ſtick not to call one of theirs the Saviour of the three Kingdoms, when god knows he that they then did extoll ſo much, did not appear at all in the heat of the buſineſſe; having received at the firſt a little ſcar, he kept off till the worſt was paſt. This had not been ſpake of at all (ſaith the Author) if ſome idle men to gull the world had not given the honor of the day to thoſe who had but little or no ſhare in it.

And all this that this Author relateth can be proved by an Iliad of witneſſes to be true▪ and as this teſtimony is true, ſo many more witneſſes, and thoſe men of reputation, can be brought to prove that the victory hath been wholly aſcribed unto the Independent party in other Battells and Skirmiſhes when they have been many miles of from the very place; and if there be but any commander of their party in any imployment though he ſtrike but one ſtroke, then he carries away all the honour from the reſt, and they have their pentionary pen-men both in the Army and at London to do this feat for them, to give them the praiſe and honour of it, to indeare themſelves into the people, and all to delude them; and ſo it p. 635was at that Battell; the Presbyterians underwent the heat of the day, and the Independents challenge the honour. Thus much Brother you have forced me to ſpeak, and now I go on.

Brother, for the other particulars which to pleaſe your ſelfe, and ſet forth your paſſion, you charge me withall, I will anſwer them as they lie. And here I proteſt before the Lord, I have never dealt diſhoneſtly, nor Serpent-like with you nor any creature living, or that ever did live upon the earth: Alſo that my heart is ſound unto my God, firme, and filled full with Chriſtian Love to all that fear his Name, and walk before him in truth and ſincerity. And for my brain, it is not ſo ſhallow, but that through the wiſdome which is given me of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, Jam. 1. 5. I can diſcern into the depth of Error, and am able by Gods aſſiſtance to make it appear to all whoſe eyes are open to ſee the clear ſun-ſhine of the truth, That the way of your Independency is not grounded on the Word of God, but its rice, continuance, and increaſe hath for the foundation thereof, onelyonly the fantaſie, ambition, private intereſt, ſelf-ſeeking, and cunning practices (with a ſeeming hollowneſſe) of ſome ſubtill and unſtable spirits. And likewiſe, for the whole univerſe, I aſſure you it never did nor never can bring in a juſt verdict, and ſay, I am a man not onelyonly whoſe heart is divided but whoſe head is, &c. For the whole univerſe hath been and is ſo far from bringing in any ſuch verdict, that grave, learned, godly, zealous, and holy men (in the Reformed Churches) have given in another verdict of me, whoſe Teſtimonies I can ſhew for my godly Life, Learning, and blameleſſe Converſation, whileſt I lived amongſt them beyond the Seas; and I have the like from the moſt eminent, godly, learned men where ever I have inhabited in this Kingdome; yea, many Letters of late time I have received from godly learned men both at home and abroad that have read my Books, whoſe faces I never ſaw, and by them it plainly appeareth that the chiefe, pious, orthodox, learned men of the whole univerſe, eſteem of me as a man of piety and learning, and not (according to the Character you have given of me) as a man not onelyonly whoſe heart is divided, but whoſe head is, &c. Therefore I having ſuch a plaiſter made by ſuch conſcionable, skilfull, and learned Phiſitians and men of reputation, it is approved of by all that are rationall and godly, to be efficacious not onelyonly to ſalve this ſore, but to keep from feſtering, and perfectly heal up the ſeverall wounds I have p. 636recived from you and your fraternity, although you have all cut deep, and many wayes, wounding me in my Religion, in my Reputation, in my good Name, (all which are more precious unto me, then my life) and then with one blow indeavouring to divide my heart and head, to make the wounds irrecoverably mortall. But if ſuch actions proceed from Independent principles, and the new light they pretend to walk by, doth guide you or any of them into theſe wayes, ſeeing ſuch inſtruments of cruelty are in their habitations (to murther innocent men in their good names, which is greater cruelty and more wrong to an honeſt godly man, then to take away his naturall life) with good old Jacob Gen. 49. 6. I ſay, O my ſoul come not thou into their ſecret: unto their Aſſembly mine honour be not thou united, &c. Now to conclude my Anſwer to your Charge, where you ſpeak of me as if I were mad.

Thus the Prelaticall faction in their time ſpake of me and of all who in ſincerity and uprightneſſe of heart oppoſed their erroneous opinions, unwarrantable wayes and ſinfull practiſes: and it is no new thing for ſuch who wander from the truth to walk in the bypaths of error, and to think and ſpeak of any that hold out and maintain the truth, that they are mad and beſides themſelves; thus Festus thought and ſpake of Paul Act. 26. 25. And thus it hath pleaſed you (cunningly, but more ſcornfully) to ſpeak of me; yet as the Apoſtle replyed to him, ſo I do to you, I am not mad (Brother and Fellow Sufferer) but ſpeak forth the words of truth and ſoberneſſe. And here in the words of truth and ſoberneſſe I averre, whereas you ſay, Pag. 25. there wants but a Judge judicially to pronounce ſentence on the former repeated words in my Poſtſcript, that it is obvious to all men you aſſumed the place of a Judge, (though not a judiciall one) and have proceeded ſo far, not onelyonly to pronounce an unjuſt ſentence againſt me, but by your uſurped authority to judge my heart, which power is peculiar to God alone Who ſearcheth the hearts and tryeth the reines Pſal. 7. 9. Jer. 11. 20. and will give to every man according to his wayes, and according to the fruit of his doing, Jer. 17, 10. Revel. 2. 23.

Yea, further I ſay, there is none ſo weak-ſighted, but they may plainly ſee, how you, and other Independents, do make it your maſterpiece to uſe dividing and traducing language, ſlighting all men that differ from your opinions, as if they had neither piety, wit, nor learning in them. And were not you grown very skilfull in theſe faculties, p. 637you would never have falſly accuſed, ſat Judge, condemned the whole man, and then have turned Executioner, to divide my heart and head as you have done. For all which the Lord humble you low before him, giving you repentance not to be repented off; and never lay theſe your cauſleſſe, paſſionate, unadviſed, and unbrotherly dealings with me, unto your Charge.

But before I paſſe on, good brother give me leave here a little to parly with you.

You ſay Pag. 25. There wants but a Judge judicially to pronounce ſentence on the former words in my Poſtſcript, &c. But that needs not, you have already done it for your purpoſe, though not judicially; but it ſeems you would have me judged twice for one and the ſ…me but conceived offence, which is very tyranny; yea I muſt tell you that you have proceeded in your cenſure already againſt me, contrary unto all the laws of God, Nature and Nations, and all humanity; yea by a more tyrannicall law then that of the High Commiſſion Court or Star-Chamber, all which by Gods aſſiſtance I ſhall evidently make appear.

For the manner of proceeding in all Courts of Juſtice appointed by God (to ſay nothing how they never condemn a man twice for one and the ſame but conceived crime) was, that none ſhould be condemned but by the mouth of two or three witneſſes. And by the law of Nations their Courts of Juſtice were ever open to implead any prevaricators againſt their laws, obſerving ever an ordinary way and manner of proceeding in them, which were appointed by the Statutes and Ordinances of their ſeveral Countries.

Now the conditions and requiſites for a Judiciall Proceeding, were.

Firſt, that the parties queſtioned ſhould firſt be cited and ſummoned into the Court, and this was to be done either by Articles or Bill, or Allegation, Libell or Petition, Information or Accuſation exhibited into the Court againſt the pretended Delinquent, before any Sentence could paſſe againſt him.

Secondly the party accuſed was to be heard ſpeak and plead for himſelf before Sentence might paſs againſt him, except he wilfully neglected the Summons and ſo declined his appearance: for ſo it was ordered by the law of God and practiſed by all his people in the worſt times, as we may ſee in Nicodemus, who to convince the Jews of injuſtice in their proceedings againſt the Lord of life, p. 638ſaid unto Chriſts enemies, Doth our law condemn any man before we have heard him? Yea, this was Gods own method before the deſtroying of Sodom and Gomorrah, who came down to ſee and know whether al things were according to the cry that was come up into the Court of Heaven: And it was the practice of all Judges and in all Courts of Judicature to proceed ſecundum allegata & probata, the parties ever being brought before them face to face, or otherwiſe they did not judicially pronounce ſentence againſt them.

Thirdly, all things were to be proved by ſufficient witneſſes and by men without exception, ſuch as were people of worth and credit, of no infamous and beaſtly life, and by ſuch as bare no grudg or hatred againſt the party queſtioned, and againſt whom the party accuſed could pretend no juſt exception: for all men know that malice can neither think, ſpeak, or write wel of any they malign (witneſſe your book againſt me) ſo that if the party complained againſt could make it appear that the witneſſes were his mortall enemies, and that they were men or people of a vitious life and converſation or guilty of any heinous crimes and offences, and with▪ all that they were enemies and implacable adverſaries unto him, there was then a caution in law that ſuch men might be excepted againſt, and their teſtimony was not to be admitted without there were other more apparent evidence of the truth. And although the High Commiſſion and Star-Chamber were the moſt corrupt Courts in the Kingdome, yet even in thoſe Courts there was an appearance of juſtice in this kind, ſo that if any man had any juſt exception againſt any mans teſtimony, if it did not totally overthrow their witneſſe, which it many times did, yet it ſo enervated their evidence that it was never ſo valid and prejudicall to him as otherwiſe it would have been; as you your ſelfe can witneſſe it was in my cauſe in the High Commiſſion Court, where I making it appear by ſufficient witneſſe that Thomas Newcomin and John Danet, and Richard Daniel had formerly been expunged in the Chancery for Knaves, and had for that out of malice put me up into it, were all my adverſaries and perjured varlots, their teſtimony by the whole Court was rejected, and they were by them all accounted a company of Knaves all over ſoul and body, for ſo ſome of the Court ſaid of them, and I was onelyonly condemned for my book: And this part of Juſtice in many cauſes remained even p. 639in thoſe Courts in the worſt of times; & in all Courts of the world there was ever leave and liberty given unto the accuſed to make his juſt defence and bring in the evidences of his own innocency and non-guiltineſſe, & his juſt exceptions againſt both his accuſers proſecutors and witneſſes, and this by the very law of nature, for ſo ſaid Feſtus, that it was not the manner of the Romans to condemn any before they had been brought face to face with their adverſaryes, and that they had bin fully heard what they could ſpeak for themſelves: for otherwiſe if they had condemned any without either of the former conditions, they had not proceeded according to law nor condemned them judicially.

Fourthly, thoſe that are judged judicially, and according to the Lawes of God and nations, they muſt ever be within the juriſdiction of that Court, and of thoſe that judge them, and under their Lawes. Neither doe any wiſe Judges take any cognizance of things without their juriſdiction: and if any ſhould bee ſo unjuſt or unadviſed to attempt any ſuch thing, the party accuſed hath the benefit of his Appeal, as wee ſee in the cauſe of Paul, when hee appealed from the Tribunall of the Jewes to Caeſars Barre. And all men know, that the Courts of one Countrey doe not judge and condemne the ſubjects that dwell in an other, and that are under an other government; yea, the Courts ſecular, and the Courts Eccleſiaſticall, even in the ſame Kingdomes and Common-wealths doe not intermeddle with one an others imployments, except it be by ſpeciall appeale which is granted unto them by ſome caution upon juſt occaſions, but they leave each Court to the managing of thoſe cauſes that are of ſpeciall cognizance there and within their juriſdiction; for otherwiſe it would breed confuſion ſpeedily in a Country, and therefore thoſe diſtinct Courts and Juriſdictions take the cognizance of thoſe things onelyonly that are peculiar and proper to themſelves, and within their ſpheare, and never intermeddle and exerciſe any power over others that are out of their juriſdictions, be they never ſo facinorous, or accuſed of never ſo high a crime; yea, if any information or accuſation be put up againſt any man into any Court, be it true or falſe, if the Judges conceive that the parties impleaded againſt belong unto an others juriſdiction they will ſend them thither to be judged, and decline ſentencing of them; and this method of judgement the very Law of nature teacheth all men; yea Pontius Pilat p. 640though a moſt wicked and unjuſt Judge, yet underſtanding that Chriſt was of Galilee, of which Herod was the Tetrarcke or Governour, and conceiving him to be under Herods juriſdiction he ſends him forthwith unto Herod, intimating that the examination and tryall of his cauſe peculiarly belonged unto him, if Chriſt were judicially to be proceeded againſt. Yea, Paul himſelfe ſaith, What have I to doe to judge thoſe that are without? Thoſe that were without in Pauls opinion, and under an other juriſdiction, hee profeſſed that hee had nothing to doe with them.

The fifth thing required for the judiciall proceeding and handling of any cauſe, is this, that they that are to be Iudges may not be both parties, witneſſes, proſecutors, Iury, and Iudges in the ſame cauſe; for it they be, they cannot be ſaid judicially to give ſentence. All that I now write unto you Brother, I am confident your conſcience tels you is juſt and true. Now in all nations and well governed Kingdomes and countries, if there have beene any faylings in either of theſe conditions and requiſites, the ſubjects have the benefit of the Law againſt both their Proſecutors and Iudges, and may appeale unto the King, or ſupreame Court of judicature in the Kingdom, & crave juſtice there againſt ſuch Iudges, and ſuch proceedings, and if they cannot obtaine juſtice there, God will call them to an account one day for it: for, in the judgement of all men ſuch proceedings have ever beene counted illegall and unjuſt, and all thoſe Iudges that have at any time given ſentence, without obſerving thoſe rules and conditions, did never cenſure any man judicially, neither can their judgement be ſaid to be judiciall in any juſt mans underſtanding.

Now Brother, if your proceeding againſt mee be examined by theſe rules, and by ſuch men as are judicious and truly godly without faction, you will not be thought judicially to have cenſured & condemned me: for it is moſt certain you have not in all the carriage of this buſines beene a judiciall Iudge; for in this your ſentence you have gone againſt all the Lawes of God and nature; yea & againſt the practice of the moſt corrupt Courts in the world, in that you have accuſed me, arraigned me and condemned mee, without either Articles, Bill, Libell, (ſaving your owne Booke) allegation or information, and without any lawfull citation into your Court, or any Court, you have alſo condemned mee before p. 641I knew who were my Accuſers, and that without hearing mee ever ſpeake for my ſelfe; yea, you have condemned and adjudged me an innocent man withou any lawfull witneſſe; for as I am not conſcious to my ſelfe of ever having done any thing that deſerves convention before any Court of Iud icature in this world, much leſſe to have ſentence given againſt mee, ſo I am moſt aſſured that if ever theſe your dealings againſt mee ſhall be brought to a tryall, and a judiciall hearing indeed, as they may be, if the time once grows more quiet; I ſhall make it clearly and evidently appeare, that the ground of this your beaſtly accuſation brought againſt me, viz. that I am a ſcandalous Walker to the ſhame of the very name of Chriſtian Religion, did firſt ariſe from one of the moſt infamous & notorious creatures, though an Independent, that now lives upon earth for all manner of villanies, a ſhame & diſhonor to her name & kindred, known to be one of the moſt prodigious impudent Whores that is this day in the world, except the Whore of Babylon; and yet originally and primarily from that creature, or from ſuch as are as bad as her ſelfe, have you grounded your moſt unbrotherly and extra judicall judgement againſt mee, and ſo you have made your ſelfe party, witneſſe, Iury and Iudge in this your owne cauſe, and which is more have condemned one that is in your opinion without, and out of your juriſdiction; whereas Paul had taught all Chriſts Diſciples by a Statute Law from Heaven, that they ſhould not judge thoſe that are without: now you account mee and all the Presbyterians to bee enemies of Ieſus Chriſt, and ſuch Saints as Iob would not ſet with the dogs of his flocke, and proclayme us all the ſonnes of Belial, as your learned Works can ſufficiently witneſſe; and therefore you account us all without, and yet you condemne me, and that in the face of the whole world, as guilty of all thoſe foule crimes you charge me with, whereas you had nothing to doe with mee, I being out of your juriſdiction: I pray tell me courteous Brother, whether this your proceeding be to ſet up Chriſt as King upon his Throne, and be judicially to condemne any Brother? when it is apparently manifeſt by theſe your actions you tranſgreſſe all the Lawes of Chriſt our King, and trample them under your feet? for Chriſt hath taught all his people and ſubjects, ſaying, Matth. 18. If thy brother offend thee, tell him of it betweene him and thee, &c. and againe, hee hath ſaid, judge not leſt yee be p. 642judged, and againe, there ſhall be judgement without mercy to him that ſhewes no mercy; againe God hath ſaid, hee that condemnes the righteous, and hee that juſtifies the wicked, they are both an abomination to the Lord; whether therefore by all theſe your proceedings againſt mee you have not violated all theſe moſt holy Lawes and Statutes, I ſhall leave to the judgement of others. Brother you may remember in the 17. page of your Booke, ſpeaking there what you will doe when you come to my Poſtſcript (which you have finely performed) you aske mee whether or no, when you make mention of it my mind doth not miſgive me? your words are theſe, which when I mention here (ſay you) doth not your mind miſgive you? for anſwer I tell you no: for I am able to prove every word of that Booke by ſufficient witneſſe, and out of the very Independents writings; yea, their daily practiſes have made good every period of it, and ſo farre I am that my mind ſhould miſgive mee at the mention of it for doing my duty, that I will with all ſpeed print it againe with ſome little inlargement concerning your New-lights, and other of your grolleries. But this by the way. But becauſe Brother, you take that liberty to propound now and then queſtions to me, I will here alſo uſe the ſame freedome with you: Therefore tell me I pray the next time I heare from you, whether or no your mind doth not miſgive you when I mention your bookes, and when you thinke what you have done againſt mee in thus condemning mee, and adjudgeing an innocent man, and your quondam Fellow-ſufferer? Brother had you to deale with ſome man, hee would recriminate, which would not be for your honour; but for the preſent I content my ſelfe to have declared my innocency; only by the way conſider what you did to my reverend Brother, Maſter George Walker, a man to whom you were ſo much ingaged to; and when I mention him, doth not your heart miſgive you? But enough of this.

Now before I conclude this my parley with you; I will ſay thus much concerning your new Courts, in your new gathered Churches, if this be your way of proceedings there, to be witneſſe, party, Iury, and Iudge in your owne cauſe, and when you have given ſentence againſt the innocent if ther be no appeale: then your Courts are worſe, and more tyrannicall then that of the High Commiſſion, or Star-chamber; and for ought I know all ſuch arbitrary p. 643Courts as your are, and all ſuch arbitrary and unjuſt Iudges as you are, may as well be queſtioned, cenſured and put downe, for all theſe your illegall, unjuſt, and extrajudicall proceedings, as either they or any other tyrannicall Courts were; and truly it concernes the whole Kingdome now ſeriouſly to looke about them, and to have a ſpeciall eye to your Jndependent proceedings and Iudgements: for if they bee not timely looked unto, all the repairing of our breaches, and all the reſtoring of our pathes to dwell in which you make mention of, will be no ſuch thing to the poore Presbyterians, who cannot already paſſe quietly in the ſtreets for you: nor any man avoyd your uniuſt cenſures, nor the filth both of your tongues and pens, which you caſt in our faces every ſtep wee goe. The Lord rebuke you for theſe your revilings. Truly Brother, I ſee a divine hand of juſtice againſt you in many paſſages, though you looke loftily, and ſpeake great ſwelling words, in all which you breath out hell, and your own ſhame, the Lord I hope in time will diſcover unto you all your vanity, and ſinfulneſſe. I will ſay thus much of you, that whiles you uſed the ſharpeneſſe of your parts againſt the common enemy, you were very ſerviceable to the Church of God; but now turning the edge of them againſt your Chriſtian brethren▪ you have through their ſides both wounded your ſelfe, and all thoſe of your party, as I am moſt aſſured they will all aſſert. Yea, I can aſcertaine you of this, that it is exceedingly admired by many, that you having beene ſome yeares in captivity under the Prelates tyrannie, ſhould continue ſuch a trewant in the ſchoole of affliction, as not yet to have learned the leſſon of patience, ſo that you cannot digeſt a merry word, or but a conceived Ieſt. But this they are moſt of all ſtranged at, that out of the height and greatneſſe of your ſpirit you will ſtrike your enemy, though it be through the ſides of Religion, and the Chriſtian cauſe; and truly this your dealing with all your Chriſtian brethren, eſpecially with my ſelfe, cals for deepe and ſerious repentance at your hands.

For my part, I freely forgive you, and do profeſſe it is a griefe unto my ſoul that you have drawn me out with ſuch violence in forcing me to encounter with you by name; it's true, the erroneous wayes, opinions and falſe lights (under the name of new) lately held forth, I did and cannot but write againſt, they being contrary to ſacred writ; yet you my Brother, and Quondam Fellow Sufferer, I reverenced and did ever love, honour and eſteem, and p. 644had it not been to wipe off thoſe black reproaches wherewith you have laboured to beſmear me all over, making me appear to the world as a man ſpotted and defiled with ſcandalous walking, an Hypocrite, a Perſecutor, a mad man, &c. I profeſſe out of tender reſpect to your perſon, and ſufferings, as I have hitherto ſpared your name, ſo I would now have over lookt your falſe aſperſions; but ſeriouſly conſidering the great and deep Charge you have brought againſt me (wounding truth thorow my ſides) upon the due deliberation thereof, I plainly perceived without diſhonouring God, and being cruell to my ſelf, I could not be ſilent, for that my taciturnity might cauſe truth & the ways of God to be evil ſpoken of, and give an occaſion to cenſorious ſpirits to vote me guilty of thoſe Malverſations wherewith you ſo ſlily & unjuſtly have accuſed me; all which my ſoul hates and ever did utterly abhor; therefore although I was forwarder to pity your paſſion, and more deſirous to paſs by your miſcarriages, then to take notice of them, or divulg the weakneſſes and too too groſſe failings of you my Brother; yet your Charge being of a high nature and publiſhed in Print, it neceſſitated me to reply leſt I ſhould ſeem to approve of the murthering of my good name; So that meerly to preſerve the life thereof, you have extracted from me theſe lines, that men may know it lies upon you to prove it, (for I ſtand upon my juſtification and proteſt againſt every one of your foul Calumnies, as notorious untruths:) And likewiſe that all who fear the Lord may be fully aſſured, however you have rendred me to the world as one who hath a name to live but am dead, (ſo that I may ſtink in the opinion of ſuch as are holy) yet I do live to my God, who I doubt not will diſcover the bottome and myſtery of this iniquity. For herein you have dealt with me as the Papists did with Reverend and Learned Mr John Calvin, raiſing and publiſhing untruths, accuſing him for a ſcandalous walker, and as guilty of abominable ſins, making his very name odious; And by their falſe reports they blinded the eyes of the people, cauſing them ſtil to imbrace & continue in Error, and ſo hardned their hearts againſt him, that they would not hearken unto nor beleeve thoſe precious Goſpel-truths which he maintained; but as their wicked practices were diſcerned by all (that with humble hearts received the truth in the love thereof that they might be ſaved) ſo I am confident the Lord Jehovah will bring forth my righteouſneſs as the light, and my judgement as the noone day, Pſal. 37. 6. And will cauſe p. 645mine adverſaries to be clothed with ſhame and to cover themſelves with their own confuſion as with a mantle, Pſal. 109. 29. that all the World may ſee and know your Charg hath no truth in it, but is an Independent plot, invented and ſpread abroad to defame me and cauſe the people to ſuſpect, ſlight and diſregard thoſe ſound Scripture truths I hold forth and conſtantly maintain.

Thus far I have anſwered your falſe accuſations: And in the preſence of God I ſolemnly proteſt this is a true anſwer.

Brother, I would here gladly diſmiſſe the Reader, for willingly I over look many of your invectives without mentioning of them; But I find two or three paſſages more to which you engage me to ſpeak, for the clearing the truth of what I have written (in my Poſtſcript Page 68.) concerning Independents; as alſo to anſwer a complaint you have made againſt me: And laſtly to reſolve two quaeries which you have propounded unto me, and in theſe I ſhall endeavour fully to ſatisfie you and all men.

But firſt, as a Phiſitian and a faithfull Friend, avoyding all flattery; I cannot but truly relate unto you the dangerous condition I find you in; for I aſſure you, I feel your pulſe beates very high, and I ſee you have a vein puft up with windy matter, and I perceive you are ſwoln with pernicious and corrupt humors, and that Choler exceedingly abounds in you, inſomuch as you breath forth …rong revilings and defamings againſt thoſe that never wronged you, and make loud exclamations as if I were a man of no Religion, Piety, Wit, or Learning, becauſe I have (as for truths ſake I was induty bound) truly ſtated the Queſtion of difference between the Presbyterians and Independents, and made it appear that INDEPENDENCY is not GODS ORDINANCE, nor grounded on the holy Scriptures: and that the practice of Independents and the way they plead for, will prove deſtructive to Church and State. Now as I am grieved to ſee it, ſo I wonder at the ſuddain diſtemper and great heat you are fallen into, which makes you talk ſo much, and that againſt me by name, more then againſt others; wherereas before I writ, and ſince, many have (and one more eſpecially) in part diſcovered the ſinfull practices of Independents, the evill and unwarrantableneſſe of their new way; And how ever you are generally blamed for ruſhing out upon the Theatre to oppoſe him by name, it being a work in the judgement of all wiſe men fitter for any other man to have undertaken p. 646then your ſelfe, becauſe of ſome more then ordinary tye of friendſhip between you and him; yet you have bridled up your fury againſt his perſon, although you ſay in your Appendix he ranks your words under the head of his firſt Section, containing divers, ſeditious, ſcandalous, libellous paſſages againſt the Authority and Juriſdiction of Parliaments, Synods and temporall Magiſtrates in generall, &c.

Now here is exceeding great wrong done unto you, if your words are not of ſuch a nature; and might you be the ſole Judge, I am perſwaded you would pronounce them not guilty; notwithſtanding, you do not revile, vilifie, and falſly accuſe the Author thereof; But on me you have let looſe your fury and have fallen upon me ſo paſſionately who was once a Fellow Sufferer with you, that it hath ſadded the ſpirits, grieved the hearts, and given great offence unto all that are truly godly, who walk in that old way and the known paths of holineſſe, which Gods word doth plainly direct and lead them into, and contrarywiſe you have opened the mouthes of the wicked and given cauſe of rejoycing to ſuch as are without, by your bitter expreſſions and falſe accuſations brought againſt me one of your Quondam Fellow Sufferers.

But Pag. 26. you pleaſe to ſay, that I have much exaggerated vilifications upon the Independents: And notorious is that I ſay in my Poſtſcript Pag, 68. as by experience I know not any Indep… dent in England,, two onelyonly excepted,, that do not as maliciouſly and implacably hate the the Preſbyterians as the mortalleſt enemies they have in the world, &c.

To this Brother I anſwer, I vilifie none, I have ſpoken the truth; but becauſe I ſee you take ſuch great exceptions at theſe words, I ſhall prove the truth of them from your own Tenents, or make it appear you are not the only Saints; for I have ſaid nothing there, but what the profeſſed judgment of thoſe Independents I know (I ſtill keep within the bounds of my own knowledg) and their practiſe inciteth me to beleeve: And if there be any Independents that differ from their judgement and practice, I know them not, (two only excepted, as I ſaid before): But for thoſe Independents who being in the company of ſuch as are truly godly, yet becauſe they are Presbyterians, refuſed in private to pray or joyn in prayer with them; and for ſuch who hold and do pronounce all that walk not in their way to be enemies of Jeſus Chriſt, &c. Theſe Independents p. 647by their opinions and practices do ſufficiently prove the truth of what I ſaid in the forecited words; and therefore you, with all that hold ſuch an opinion, muſt diſclaime that Independent principle, if you denie the veritie of them; otherwiſe you will declare to the whole world that you are not ſo zealous for Gods glorie nor love not the Lord ſo ſincerely, as his faithfull ſervants have formerly done; and withall you will manifeſt to all men that you are more ſtudious to preſerve your own honours and reputation then the glory of God.

For whereas you (with moſt of the Independents that I know) doe hold and maintaine (in your bookes intituled Vindication, and Vindiciae veritatis) That the Presbyterians are enemies to Chriſts Kingly office, that inſtead of finding Chriſt ſet upon his Throne in their Congregations, you find there no more but an Image, ſuch as Michael had made up inſtead of King David, 1 Sam, 19. or as thoſe that in mockery, made of Chriſt a Pageant-King, ſtriping him, and putting on him a ſcarlet Robe, and on his head a Crowne of Thornes, and in his hand a Reed, ſaluting him with, Haile King of the Jewes, with which title over his head they crucified him. That the Presbyterians neither profeſſe, nor confeſſe Chriſt, but ſay with the wicked Iewes, we will not have this man to raigne over us, Luke 19. 14. That they are at the beſt but Converts in part, &c. which is to ſay, they are in King Agripas condition, but almost Chriſtians, Act. 26. 28. or like Simon Magus ſtill in the gall of bitterneſſe, and bond of iniquity. And if this great charge againſt the Presbyterians be true, which you ſo confidently affirme in your books, truly all the Presbyterians are in a more curſed condition then the wicked Iewes were; for why? they know, and ſay they doe beleeve, that Ieſus Chriſt is God and man, the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth, Iohn 1. 14. who was made of the ſeed of David according to the fleſh, and declared to bee the Sonne of God, with power, according to the ſpirit of holineſſe by the reſurrection from the dead, Rom. 1. 3. 4. The Redeemer of his Elect, and choſen ones, Epheſ. 1. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The Saviour of all that beleeve in him, Ioh. 3. 15, 16. The bleſſed, and onelyonly Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6. 15.

Now the Presbyterians knowing and profeſſing that they doe beleeve theſe Goſpel truths (which the Iewes did not know, nor would not beleeve) if they notwithſtanding are enemies to Ieſus p. 648Chriſt, and refuſe to ſet Chriſt upon his Throne, but in mockery ſet up Chriſt as a Pageant King in their Congregations, and doe as thoſe who ſaluting him with Haile King, &c. yet reiect him, ſaying, wee will not have this man to raigne over us. Then the Presbyterians ſinne in the height of aggravation, ſinning againſt their owne knowledge, and profeſſed beliefe; and all ſuch, cannot but hate Ieſus Chriſt, and are haters of God; for the Lord Ieſus Chriſt hath ſaid, Hee that hateth mee, hateth the Father alſo, (Ioh. 15. 23.) So that conſequently, you make them the children of the Devill. For if God were their Father, they would be ſo farre from being enemies, that they would love the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, (the Sonne of God;) this the Lord and Prince of life hath declared, and He makes it his Argument to convince the unbelieving Jewes, that God was not their Father, ſaying, If God were your Father, yee would louelove mee, for I proceeded forth, and came from God; neither came I of my ſelfe, but hee ſent me. If the Preſbyterians therefore are enemies to Chriſts Kingly office, and make a m…ke. King of him who proceeded forth and came from God, and was ſent by him, as you have once and again publiſhed in print, then it muſt needs be granted they are not the children of God, but the curſed children of the Devil (Anathema maranatha) becauſe they love not the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And from what hath bin ſaid, this is further neceſſarily implyed, that either you, with all that are of your judgement herein, have falſely accuſed the Preſbyterians (as indeed you have) to be enemies to Chriſts Kingly office; otherwiſe, if you, and they are a holy people, and ſuch as doe advance Chriſt upon his Throne, then (I ſay) I am perſwaded the Independents doe hate the Presbyterians; yea, it were an hainous offence in them to love ſuch whom they hold and judge to be enemies to Chriſt, and ſo haters and enemies to God; for to love any that hate the Lord, is a wrath provoking ſinne; this the Prophet ſheweth plainely, when reproving King Iehoſaphat, hee ſaid unto him, ſhouldst thon helpe the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord, 2 Chron. 19, 2. wee find it in ſacred Writ, that Mordecai a holy man, was ſo farre from loving any of Gods enemies, that notwithſtanding all the Kings ſervants that were in the Kings gate bowed, and reverenced Haman, for the King had ſo commanded concerning him; yet Mordecai bowed not, nor did him p. 649reverence, Eſth. 3. 2, 3. I ſuppoſe none will give way to ſuch an uncharitable thought, as to thinke, that Mordecai would run the hazard of his owne ruine, and the deſtruction of all the people of the Iewes, for want of giving an outward Complement, for that had beene but pride in him ſo rebelliouſly to tranſgreſſe the Kings Commandement: But he knew Haman to be an Agagite, of the ſtock and raze of the Amalecks, who were enemies to God, of whom the Lord had ſaid, that hee would utterly put out the remembrance of Amaleck from under heaven: And had ſworne that hee would have warre with Amaleck from generation to generation; as hee will with all that are his enemies, Exod. 17. 14. 16. and withall hee well remembred how much the Lord was diſpleaſed with King Saul, for ſparing and honouring Agag the King of the Amalekites, in ſo much that hee rent the Kingdome from him for it, and gave it to David, and only for favouring his enemies, and not deſtroying him according to Gods command: therefore Mordecai one of Gods peculiar people, and his faithfull ſervant, looking on Haman, as hee was an enemy to God, hated him, and would not ſo much as bow, nor doe outward civill reverence unto him: Indeed maliciouſly, and implacably, to hate any, is a ſinne that cryeth loud in the eares of God, and of this crying ſinne, too too many Independents are deeply guilty, as is very evident, by their raiſing up falſe reports, to defame thoſe who indeavour to walke in the wayes of Gods Commandements without hypocriſie; but to hate Gods enemies is no ſinne, for it is the fruit of true grace, and an evidence of ſincerity, David a man according to Gods own… heart, publiſheth this as a manifeſtation of his integrity, that hee hated Gods enemies, appealing unto God, ſaying, Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee▪ and am I not grieved with thoſe that riſe up againſt thee? J hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies, Pſal. 139. 21▪ 22. had not David thus hated Gods enemies, hee could never have cleared his faithfulneſſe to God: And this is undeniable▪ that thoſe who David hated with perfect hatred, were not, nor could not be greater enemies to God, then you have accuſed the Presbyterians to be, for you proclame them enemies to the Sonne of God, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, whom God hath anoynted to be the King, Prieſt, and Prophet of his Church, Iſa. 61. 1. Pſal. 45. 7. Pſal. 2. 6. Dan. 7. 14. Revel. 17. 14. Pſal. 110. 4. Heb. 7. 27. Deut. 18. 18. Act. 3. 23. p. 650Now whoſoever are enemies to Chriſts Kingly office, and will not have him to raigne over them, they are open enemies to God, reſiſters of his will, and oppoſers of his infinite wiſedome, for he hath given all power unto the Sonne, Matth. 28. 18. and all ſuch his enemies hee will command to be brought and ſlaine before him, Luke 19. 27. O Brother, either give glory to God, and confeſſe you have highly offended in maintaining ſuch an uncharitable opinion, whereby you condemne all godly, holy, ſelfe-denying Chriſtians, that walke not in your way▪ yea all the Reformed Churches in Europe; or if you, with other Independents will ſtill perſevere in charging the Presbyterians, to be enemies to Chriſts Kingly office, and if you abſolutely beleeve they are ſuch, then acknowledge, that thoſe Independents hate the Presbyterians, if not, it may juſtly be ſuspected ſuch Independents are not ſincere to God, nor the onelyonly Saints, becauſe they doe not like holy David, manifeſt their integrity; for the Saints ſhew their ſincerity in loving God, with all their hearts, with all their ſoules, and with all their might, which Love cannot be ſet forth more clearely then by their labouring ſo to walk…, that their whole Lives and Converſations may bee ſquared according to Gods Royall will, and the example of his holy Saints and ſervants; And this is the will of God, that all men ſhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father: Hee that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath ſent him, Ioh. 5. 23. but the Independents doe not honour the Son, as the Saints of old have honoured the Father, unleſſe they account all the enemies of Jeſus Chriſt their enemies, and hate them with a perfect hatred. Therefore, upon due deliberation the whole univerſe will conclude this truth, and give in their verdict, that either you and other Independents are too raſh and ridgid in cenſuring; for it is notorious what you and they hold, teach, and write, concerning the Presbyterians, viz. that they are enemies to the Kingly office of Ieſus Chriſt, and make but a mocke King of him, &c. Or if the Presbyterians be indeed guiltie of the like enmitie againſt the Lord Chriſt, as the wicked Jewes were, who crucified him, as you accuſe them, then the Independents doe hate the Presbyterians more then they doe, or may their mortalleſt enemies, becauſe they pronounce theſe to be enemies to the Sonne of God, his beloved Son, in whom he is well pleaſed; otherwiſe if the Independents know the Presbyterians to be ſo deſperately wicked, as you have p. 651ſaid, and doe not hate them, then this verdict will bee given in, that they are not the only Saints, and godly party as they ſpeake of themſelves, for the Saints hate all the knowne enemies of God, and of his Sonne the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. So then, that which I briefly gave but a touch of in my Poſt-ſcript, being thus evidently proved from your owne tenents, both by Scripture and reaſon, none who doe not make it their delight to cavill, and their worke to except againſt every truth that is ſpoken, can conſidering the grounds, queſtion the verity of what I there ſaid.

I come now to anſwer your complaint, and Queries, made and laid downe in your booke, pag. 27. where for the ſpace of foure or five lines, you breake off your diſcourſe with mee, and to inſinuate into the Reader complaine of me ſaying, Hee commends the Kings Cavaliers for brave Gentlemen; and hee found more favour from them (which he doth ever acknowledge for a ſingular courteſie) then ever hee found from Proteſtant Goalers. Thus having complained of my gratitude, which in all other is accounted a commendable vertue; you begin to parle with me againe, and ſtrictly inquire what was the cauſe that moved the Popiſh Cavaliers to ſhew mee favour, and then you raiſe Queſtions, viz. was it that you diſcovered unto them ſome of that bitterneſſe of ſpirit againſt the Independents, or ſome courtly compliance with Papiſts, preferring them before Independents or Proteſtants, that made thoſe Popiſh Cavaliers ſo much to applaud you? Thus you.

Brother for your complaint and quaeries I entreat you be not offended that I ſay, had you not been when you framed them, ſo far tranſported with cauſleſſe paſſion, as it left no place for brotherlo love, truth▪ well grounded reaſon or your own experience to dictate unto you, certainly you would never have thus complained nor propounded them▪ therefore I ſhall repeat my own words, and whoſoever reads them will ſoon diſcern how unworthily you deal with me, what a cauſleſſe abuſive complaint have you made, and how little ground or colour you have for the propounding ſuch quaeries, I having there given a reaſon why the Popiſh Cavaliers ſhewed me favour ſufficient to ſatisfie any, that will not maliciouſly pretend they are unſatisfied? For in the fourth page of my Defence I ſpeaking of the clamorous tongues of Independents, and how that after they underſtood I differed in opinion p. 652from them (before they had ſeen my books) they railed againſt me, raiſed up falſe reports and calumniated me, as the greateſt Incendiary in the Kingdome; in all which they moſt ſhamefully (as dayly ſtill they do) abuſed me; thereunto I replyed in theſe words, I have been freed from that reproach by both Houſes of Parliament who adjudged all my ſufferings unjuſt, as againſt the Law and Liberty of the Subject. And if it were a thing that could be any way uſefull unto me. I could prove by many of the brave Gentlemen in the Kings Army, who in great Aſſemblies did acknowledge, when I was a Priſoner amongſt them, that I had great injury done me. Yea, the Papiſts themſelves have often averred it, that never any Subject ſuffered more unjuſtly then I did, in that I was caſt into Priſon and fined, for maintaining the Prerogative Royall of the King againſt the Pope; and for defending that Religion which was eſtabliſhed by the Laws of the Land: And further added, that had any Catholique writ as well in defence of their Religion, as I did for the maintenance of the Proteſtant Profeſſion, he ſhould have been ſo far from ſuffering for it, as they would not only greatly have honoured him, but alſo highly have rewarded him for his endeavour; and this that I now write I am able to prove by a cloud of witneſſes: and my unjuſt ſuffering in their opinion, made me find more favour amongst all the Governours that were Papiſts (which I do ever acknowledge for a ſingular courteſie from them) then ever I found from Proteſtant Goalers. And therefore whereas the Independents do accuſe me for the greateſt Incendiary of the Kingdome, all men may ſee they speak as untruly, ſo moſt maliciouſly, &c.

Now theſe are my words: And herein is obſervable:

Firſt, that as I ſay I have been cleared by both Houſes of Parliament, from being an Incendiary, ſo I mention not, commend, or ſpeak of the Cavaliers, for their undertakings; I onelyonly ſay, many of the brave Gentlemen in the Kings Army have alſo cleared me from that aſperſion being convinced that my ſufferings were moſt unjuſt.

Secondly that I ſay many of the brave Gentlemen; I ſpeak not of all the Cavaliers in the Kings Army; but you ſilencing my words and omitting to ſhew the cauſe which induced me there to ſpeak of them, make your complaint in Generall ſaying, He commends the Kings Cavaliers for brave Gentlemen.

Thirdly, in my forecited words I plainly ſet down the reaſon p. 653which moved the Popiſh Cavaiiers to ſhew me favour, namely, becauſe they were fully perſwaded that I (having writ ſo much in defence of the Proteſtan… Religion, which was here eſtabliſhed) had ſuffered moſt unjuſtly, and contrary to the Laws of this Kingdome, for my own part, I look to a higher hand in it, but this was the reaſon that moved them to demean themſelvs courteouſly towards me). Now, who ſo deafe as they that will not hear, and who ſo blind as they that will not ſee? for whoſoever will hear, ſee, and read what I have written, and then ſpeak truly, they cannot but ſay, that were you not reſolved for the venting of your ſelfe to pretend ignorance, the reaſon there laid down might have informed and ſatisfied you, and ſo have ſtopt the mouth of your cauſleſſe Quaeries; You having as little reaſon to queſtion and examine me upon ſuch interrogatories, as you have for complaining of me for commending the Kings Cavaliers, (and for the falſe Calumnies, which throughout your book you have loaded me withall) but by theſe you diſcover your ſpirit and what you aime at, to ſay no more: Therefore I will give a more full Anſwer to them, and firſt to your complaint, I ſay, That to affirm there are many of the Kings Cavaliers brave Gentlemen is a truth; and all ingenuous men, that have been amongst them will confeſſe, they have met with many of whom it may be ſaid it is ten thouſand thouſand pities, that ſuch brave Gentlemen ſhould be ſo ſeduced and miſled, as to appear in ſo bad a cauſe; and further for my ſelfe, know, I am not aſhamed nor afraid to confeſſe, that Popiſh Cavaliers did uſe me courteouſly; and that I might not be ungratefull to God nor man, I then did, now do, and ever ſhall acknowledge, that I found more favour from ſome of them (which I eſteem a ſingular courteſie) then ever I found from Proteſtant Gaolers. Therefore as to the glo…y of …od I there made mention of it, ſo I ſhall here ſet down the particulars and inlarge my ſelfe to ſhow forth Gods goodneſſe unto me therein. For by his gracious aſſiſtance I will never ceaſe to declare how that after I had been kept in the dungeon ſeven days and nights in York Caſtle, and for a year and a halfe underwent great inhumanity, was cruelly uſed, uncivilly and moſt unſufferably abuſed by a profeſſed Proteſtant Goaler there, a length, by the Command of the Earl of Newcaſtle (on purpoſe, if poſſible, to augment my miſeries) I was all on a ſodain removed from York Goale to Hemſley Caſtle, in which he intended evill towards p. 654me, but the Lord turned it to good and gave me favour in the eyes of a profiſt Papiſt (Colonell Irington by name) the Governour of that Caſtle, who, with all in his family, uſed me and my ſervant very courteouſly, he ſupplyed me with neceſſaries (and that freely) and demeaned himſelfe unto me in every reſpect as a Gentleman while I remained his Priſoner, which was but one MonethMonth; for when my adverſaries heard thereof, perceiving their deſigne was fruſtrate, they forthwith removed me to Knaſeb…ough Caſtle, the Governour and (his Deputy) the Captain thereof being profeſt Proteſtants; where, although in ſome things, I was not ſo inhumanelyly abuſed as in York Goal, yet there I was kept cloſe Priſoner again, and I aſſure you, I found no ſuch courteous uſage as I received from the other Gentleman. Now for my part I am ſo far from being conſcious to my ſelfe that I have done evill in making mention hereof (as by your complaint you would infer) that I then did, and ſtill do hold my ſelfe bound in conſcience upon all occaſions to ſpeak of the merci…s of my God unto me, and to make manifeſt the mighty power of the Lord JEHOVAH, that ſo for time to come, if any who fear his name, ſhould be invironed about with enemies, troubled on every ſide and caſt into the depth of miſeries (in mans imagination) as I have been; yet by the many experiences which I have had of Gods fatherly mercies (the heavenly, ſoul-raviſhing, and ſpirit-reviving comforts wherewith the Lord hath ſtrengthned and ſupported me in my greateſt calamitie) they may be incouraged to maintain their integritie, and be confident of his never failing goodneſſe, mercies and loving kindneſſes unto them. For though in my remove, I could expect nothing but increaſe of miſerie, to the outward man, yet to the glorie of God I ſpeak it, I found at that very inſtant (as at other times) the Lord mightily to uphold my ſpirit, filling me with ſuch inward comforts, full aſſurance of ſupporting mercies, and that his grace was ſufficient for me, and his strength would be made perfect in weakneſſe; that in the ſtrength of my God I went willingly and chearfully not fearing what man could do unto me. And when I was delivered to Colonell Irington, to whom the foreſaid Earl had ſent me; He in my hearing read the warrant which he had received from him, wherein he was ſtraitly commanded to keep me cloſe Priſoner, and not to ſuffer any to ſee or ſpeak with me; but God counter-manded this command, and moved the Colonels heart to ſuch compaſſion, p. 655that he carried himſelfe verie nobly and lovingly towards me, & if any deſired it, he permitted them to have acceſſe unto me, and gave me liberty to take the Aire, which was a ſweet refreſhing unto me, being not thorowly recovered out of a long and dangerous ſickneſſe, whoſe favors and courteſies I ſtand bound in the bonds of thankfulneſſe and civilitie ever to predicate, whereby all men may take occaſion to bleſſe and praiſe Gods name with me, and I may manifeſt my gratitude to him whom the Lord made an inſtrument of good unto me, and alſo that thoſe who have and do exerciſe crueltie and inſult over Priſoners, may be convinced of their ſinfull doings, and know, that humanity and courteſie to all, but more especially to any in diſtreſſe, is not onelyonly highly pleaſing to God, but the honour of a man to the worlds duration. This is a true Anſwer to your complaint, wherein I doubt not but I have given ſatisfaction to all ſober-minded Chriſtians (yea to all that have but common humanitie and underſtanding) to whom to their great griefe it doth apparently appear, that ſince you walked in your new way, you have accuſtomed your ſelfe to ſpeak of men that differ from your opinions in a blaſting and detracting language, by which you endeavour to make the vertues that ſuch men are clothed withall, ſeem to the ignorant, to be the garments of vice, and to render them odious, if they will not turn Independents and Sectaries.

I am now come to your quae ies, and here I cannot but confeſſe, I ſtand aſtoniſhed to ſee the humour you are fallen into, the libertie you take to calumniate, the ſtrange devices you have to delude withal & the aſperſing diſcourſe that proceedeth from you O Brother, Brother, I beſeech you recollect your ſelf, look back & ſeriouſly conſider whither your anger leads you, and how paſſion hath darkned your Judgement and quenched that fire of brotherly love, whoſe flames would have conſumed all your evill thoughts, for love thinks no evil; ſurely then you had not the ſpirit of brotherly love when you propounded thoſe quaeries, for they are wholly made up with carnall reaſonings and evill ſurmiſes, being altogether as voide of charitie as of Chriſtian experience: and truly I could wiſh I might paſſe them over in ſilence, but your publiſhing and doubling them, as if they were not to be gainſaid, inforc me (though unwillingly) to replie thereunto, leſt by my ſilence many be deceived with your falſe gloſſes, my ſinceritie to the p. 656truth ſuſpected (by ſuch as know me not) and God be robbed of his due praiſe and glory; therefore upon theſe conſiderations I have undertaken the work, and to undeceive the world to your firſt quaerie, which is:

Whether I diſcovered unto the Cavaliers ſome of that bitterneſſe of spirit againſt the Independents.

I anſwer, this is a cunning deceiveable queſtion, whereby you delude poore ignorant, harmeleſſe people, baring them in hand, as if there were a vaſt difference and great diſagreement between the Cavaliers and Independents, which is quite contrary; for there is a direct harmonie betweene the Independents and Cavaliers of all ſorts, whether malignant, or popiſh Cavaliers, and the truth is, to ſpeake againſt Independents to Cavaliers, may purchaſe diſpleaſure to any man ſooner then gaine him favour; for I know, and many can teſtifie the ſame, that the Cavaliers doe generally applaud the Independents; and indeed they have reaſon ſo to doe; for they drive on the Cavaliers great deſigne, with as much earneſtneſſe as themſelves, yet they have done it with farre more Ieſuiticall policie, doing it under the pretence of holineſſe, and ſo have beene leſſe diſcerned by many in their deſtructive practiſes. But their cunning undermining both Church and State, doth now daily more and more, very manifeſtly appeare, and is diſcerned, and bewayled of all, who have not the eye of reaſon blinded with ſelfe-ends, and by-reſpects, and for preferments ſake will connive at, and ſide with any party: But who ever prudentially, conſcienciouſly, and judiciouſly examine, and take a view of their proceedings, they plainely ſee and confeſſe, that the Independents have exceedingly laboured to ſet forward, and daily doe indeavour, leaving no wayes unattempted to effect that thing, which was and is the Cavaliers grand deſigne, for it is well knowne, that the Cavaliers did make it their great, and one of their chiefeſt deſignes to have Biſhops, and all the Prelaticall faction continued, that ſo Popery, though it were not by a Law ſet up, and eſtabliſhed in this Kingdome, yet it might be countenanced, and privately authorized by them, which is all one with the toleration in effect, that the Independents doe ſo plead, ſeeke after and contend for, calling it Liberty of Conſcience: Thus while they ſtrive to get an unlimited, which is an irreligious and unlawfull Liber…y, they ſet forward the Cavaliers deſigne to the full, and act for p. 657them with all their power, and ſhould the Independents obtaine their deſire herein, the greateſt part of the Cavaliers worke would be done to their hand; for then Cavaliers, Papiſts, Prelates, Malignants, Turkes, Iewes and Heathens, would all pretend, that they beleeve, ſerve, and worſhip God, according to the Light they have received, and as they are perſwaded in their Conſciences is agreeable to Gods Word, and Will (and Conſcience is a tender thing, and ought not to be forced); ſo that by the ſame rule in equity, a toleration and Liberty of Conſcience cannot be denyed to any of them, if once granted to the Independents, and Sectaries of our times, who for the greateſt part of them are as erroneous, if not worſe, in their Doctrine as the Papists and Prelates; many of them as blasphemous as the Turkes and Iewes, and live as without God in the world; and the malignant party knowing this very well, doe therefore all of them, Cavaliers, Papiſts, and the profaneſt Malignants in the Kingdome, looke upon the Independents, and ſpeak of them uſefull as their friends, and unanimouſly agree upon all occaſions to withſtand the Presbyterian government, that way being too ſtrict and holy for any of them, yea the Independents and they doe all joyne together as one man, with one voyce pleading and crying out for a toleration, liberty of conſcience, or an indulgence without any limitation, that ſo every man may beleeve and ſerve God as it ſeemes good in his owne eyes, under the name of tenderneſſe of conſcience.

Now the Independents practices, and the way they plead for, being thus knowne to be very pleaſing, and acceptable to the Cavaliers, whether Popiſh or otherwiſe, then ſurely had I diſcovered any bitterneſſe of ſpirit againſt Jndependents, it might have exaſperated their ſpirits againſt mee, it could never have extracted pitie or favour, nor have drawne any applauſe from them; therefore it is cleare, that was not the cauſe: But know the onelyonly cauſe which moved ſome of the Cavaliers (after J had for the further tryall of my patience, and the manifeſtation of my faithfulneſſe, for a long time indured ſtrict and cloſe impriſonment in the Goale of Yorke) to ſhew me favour, was the gracious working, and over-ruling power of God, vvho inclined their hearts to deale kindly vvith me his faithfull ſervant.

Thus have I given you a true anſvver to your firſt Querie, I come now to the ſecond, which you propound in theſe words.

p. 658Or was it ſome Courtly Compliance with Papiſts, preferring them before Independents or Proteſtants, that made thoſe Popiſh Cavaliers ſo much to applaud you?

To which I anſwer▪ that part of this laſt Querie, is the ſame with the former; for here you ſpeake as if to ſlight the Independents, were a ſure way to obtaine favour and applauſe from Popiſh Cavaliers; truly you flatter your ſelfe if you thinke your ſubtill dealing herein is not ſeene, when as it is ſo notoriouſly known, that any man who ſpeaks againſt Independents may be ſcorned, but never applauded by Popiſh, or any that are Cavaliers; for they applaud the Independents, whom they hold to be more ſubtill, and powerfull to effect the thing they chiefly ayms at, and deſire then themſelves; and it is well knowne, and can be proved that they will run and goe to doe any Malignant a favour, yea, they will joyne with the wickedeſt Cavaliers againſt a Presbyterian to doe him a miſchiefe. But having cleared this truth in my Reply to your firſt Querie, I haſten to the other part of this, where you ſtart the Queſtion, Whether the favour I received were not by my courtly compliance with Papiſts, preferring them before Proteſtants, &c. To which I anſwer, that my conſtant perſeverance in holding forth the true Proteſtant Religion where ever I lived, at home and beyond the ſeas, is ſufficiently knowne to all the godly, faithfull, orthodox Chriſtians, that inhabited in any of thoſe parts where I have dwelt, and ſo farre have I ever beene from any courtly complying with Papiſts, or preferring them before Proteſtants, as ſome in England at this day can teſtifie, that when I lived in forraine nations, my zeale was ſo great for the Proteſtant Religion, that with no little hazard I have maintained it; for all the while I travailed abroad, and continued in Popiſh Countries, which was many yeares, it fared with mee as with the Apoſtle Paul, while hee waited at Athens, Act. 17. 16, 17. my ſpirit was ſtirred in me when I ſaw the Cities and all the Countries wholly given to Idolatry; therefore carrying my life in my hand I daily diſputed with Papiſts, and thoſe they accounted the devout perſons, Prieſts and Ieſuits againſt Popery, maintaining the Proteſtant Religion; inſomuch, as it was only the goodneſſe of my God that kept me ſafe, giving them no power to hurt mee; further J anſwer you, the Bookes that I have written againſt Popery, in Latine, and in Engliſh, are yet extant, and they doe witneſſe p. 659and will to future generations, that the Author of them diſputed againſt, and diſclaimed Popery, and earneſtly contented for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints, Iud. verſ. 3. yea, the many diſputations I have held with Prieſts, Jeſuits, and people popiſhly affected in England, not onelyonly while I injoyed my liberty, but alſo when by the Prelaticall popiſh party J was for maintaining the true Proteſtant Religion, and ſtanding for the peace and welfare of my countrey caſt into ſeverall priſons, viz. in the Gate-houſe at Westminſter, in the Caſtle of Launceſton in Cornewall, in the Caſtle, in the Iſle of Sylly, in the Goale of Leicester, in the Goale in the Citie of Yorke, in Hemſley-Caſtle, in Yorke-ſhire; Laſtly in Knaſebrough-Caſtle in Yorke-ſhire. Yet through Gods ſupporting grace, in none of all theſe priſons, could the cruelty, pride and fury of men, which in Yorke and Sylly was my daily portion, either make me forget my integrity, or daunt mee in the leaſt; for their rage and power I feared not, neither did I ever forbeare to juſtifie godly Proteſtants, nor decline any opportunity to diſpute with Papiſts, but improved it to the uttermoſt to ſhew the great idolatry, and vanity of their Religion, as many who were priſoners with mee, in ſome of the fore-named places can teſtifie: And I am confident, that the Popiſh Cavaliers, with whom I have beene a priſoner, and others of them, that have diſcourſed and reaſoned with me in matters of Religion, will give this teſtimony, that they ever found me conſtant to my principles, unmoveable in the Proteſtant Religion, and as farre from complying with Papiſts, or preferring them before Proteſtants, what ever I ſuffered or under-went, as light is from darkeneſſe in its greateſt brightneſſe.

Moreover Brother, I would not that you ſhould be ignorant how that I have beene as frequent in diſputations, writ as much in confutation, and at all times, and in all companies have appeared as forward and earneſt againſt Papiſts, and have ventured my life to maintaine the Proteſtant Religion, as freely as any Independent, I know in England, and that in the worst of times; yea, when thoſe who are now the chiefe independent Rabbies, to avoyd ſuffering for truth, would not ſtand to appeare in her behalfe, but went out of the Kingdome, and like the parents of the man that was borne blind, Joh. 9. 21. Left her to ſpeake for her ſelfe, then J helped to maintaine truths cauſe, and was not afraid nor aſhamed to ſuffer p. 660in ſo good a quarrell, but reſiſted her oppoſers, Papists, Prelates, Arminians and Formalists in their erroneous Doctrines, and Popiſh practiſes even unto blood. I am become a foole in glorying, you have compelled me, 2 Cor. 12. 11. for ſo many reproaches which you have caſt upon me, and ſuch groundleſſe Queries could never have proceeded from any that had not beene guided ſhould I ſay by a traducing ſpirit, truly that word would come ſhort fully to explaine and ſet forth the ſinfull ſubtilty of them; therefore I will not undertake to ſet down what ſpirit it was, and what name it will beare; I ſhall onelyonly ſhew what it was not, and leave it to ſuch as are godly, wife, and experienced Chriſtians, to ſpell out the name thereof: Now it is very evident that it was not the ſpirit of brotherly love; that would have ſilenced yea annihilated ſuch thoughts in the firſt conception; for as brotherly love thinks no evill, much leſſe dares it deviſe, and publiſh falſhood; yet more evill, and greater falſhood; then you have not only thought (as it plainely appeares) but publiſhed againſt me, and that deliberately, none could ever have imagined; for you render me a ſcandalous Walker (as vile as vile can be) and here you queſtion whether I have not complyed with Papiſts, and Popiſh Cavaliers, and preferred them before Proteſtants.

Thus with your windie Independent policie you blaſt my good name, raiſe doubts, cloud my ſincerity, darken and overſhadow my faithfull conſtant perſeverance in the truth and wayes of God to make me be thought a man infamous and of no Religion: but ſuch dealings are abſolutely contrary to brotherly love; therefore it is very clear to the underſtanding of all, that you were not guided by that ſpirit. And as your quaeries were made without brotherly love, ſo they ſeem to be altogether voyd of Chriſtian experience, being wholly filled with evill ſurmiſes, ſcrued up to their height by the hand of carnall, reaſon, and uttered by the tongue of ſinfull ſuſpicion. For I beſeech you conſider how it comes to paſſe, that you who have been a Priſoner, one of my Quondam Fellow Sufferers, when you heare, that I being a Priſoner (under the command and power of Popiſh Cavaliers) was courteouſly uſed by a profeſt Papiſt, ſhould have ſuch thoughts ariſe in your heart, and ſet them forth in Print, to inquire whether the favor I received from them were not obtained by my courtly complying with Papiſts, preferring them before Proteſtants.

p. 661Brother, have you had ſuch experience of Gods power and gracious goodneſſe in giving you favor two years together in the eyes of ſome to whom you were committed Priſoner, and do you now think it ſo ſtrange as you cannot ſearch out the reaſon of it when God hath wrought the ſame thing for me, (one MonethMonth) but ſuſpect that the favor I received was purchaſed by wronging my conſcience? Surely when you writ theſe quaeries you had forgot the loving kindneſſes of our God ſhewed to you in your impriſonment, and how notwithſtanding for the firſt halfe year, the Governour of Garnſey kept you cloſe Priſoner in very ſtrict durance (in ſome things exceeding the rigor of his Warrant); Yet at laſt God moving his heart to more humanitie, he afterwards gave you what liberty the Caſtle did afford, ſuffered you not to want any accommodation that he could poſſiblie helpe you unto, and uſed you courteouſly all the remaining time of your baniſhment. Had you called theſe things to mind (me thinks) the remembrance of Gods mercies unto your ſelfe would have fully ſatisfied you in this particular, and ſilenced your carnall reaſonings, knowing Gods arme is not ſhortned nor his power leſſened, He is the ſame God yeſterday, to day, and for ever; therefore (I ſay) ſurely you had forgot his loving kindneſſes to you, or elſe you wilfully ſtopped the mouth of your experiences and would not permit them to ſpeak for me, whom you ſo ſeek to blot with falſe reports, ignominie, and diſgracefull language, that even the goodneſſe of God manifeſteſt towards me, you to obſcure with a vail of evill ſurmiſes; But that the name of God may be ever magnified, the world undeceived, and you receive a ſatisfactory anſwer unto your quaeries, know, it was not any courtly compliance with Papiſts which procured me favor; I did no ſuch thing; let God be true, and every man a lyar; for to him all praiſe is due, who in his Word hath ſaid, When a mans ways pleaſe the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16. 7. This did my God, when I was committed cloſe Priſoner to a Papiſt, make good to me his ſervant (who though in much weakneſſe, do make it the ultimate end of all my endeavors to pleaſe the Lord): Now this was the Lords doing, and let it not ſeem marvellous in your eyes, That that God, who called Cyrus by name, made him a friend to the people of God, though he knew not God, Iſaiah 45. 4. Who ſent his Angel and ſhut the lyons mouthes p. 662that they could not hurt his ſervant Daniel. Daniel 6. 22. And delivered the three children out of the fiery furnace Daniel 3. 26,27, 28. ſhould when he pleaſed to make his power known, and prevent the evill intentions of men, cauſe Popiſh Cavaliers to ſhew me favor and to uſe me courteouſly: Is any thing too hard for the Lord to do? No ſurely! For this and greater things then this, my God hath done for me; Therefore the experiences I have had of his goodneſſe, free grace, rich mercies, and never failing loving kindneſſes, I for ever will extoll, predicate, declare, and ſpeak of, that men may know it is not in vain to ſerve and patiently wait upon the Lord our God, nor to relie on him, in the time of their diſtreſſe, when they ſeem to be deprived of all outward comforts and expoſed to the greateſt miſeries.

Thus I have labored to ſatisfie your doubts truly, and faithfully to anſwer your quaeries. The Lord convince you of your error, and of the reail truth of all I have herein ſaid, and forgive your unbrotherly practices and bitter invectives againſt me, one of your Quondam Follow Sufferers.

Now becauſe my brother Burton hath ſo deeply cenſured me for my Poſtſcript, and becauſe all thoſe of his fraternity have upon all occaſions ſo often reviled me for it, though none but himſelf ever indeavored to diſprove the leaſt title of it, which they can never do, I intend within theſe few daies to ſend it out again into the world ſomething inlarged touching their New Lights, undertaking before all men to make good whatſoever is contained in it, and much more concerning their practices.

Imprimatur,

Ja. Cranford.

FINIS

End of the text · John Bastwick, The Utter Routing of the Whole Army of All the Independents and Sectaries (1646)