Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times, Part 1 (6 of 7)

Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times · Part 1 (6 of 7)

p. 99Having thus forced his Conscience to justifie all his Cause, (the Cutting off the the King, the setting up himself and his Adherents, the pulling down the Parliament and the Scots,) he thinketh that the End being good and necessary, the necessary means cannot be bad: And accordingly he giveth his Interest and Cause leave to tell him, how far Sects shall be tollerated and commended, and how far not; and how far the Ministry shall be owned and supported, and how far not; yea, and how far Professions, Promises, and Vows shall be kept, or broken; and therefore the Covenant he could not away with; nor the Ministers, further than they yielded to his Ends, or did not openly resist them. He seemed exceeding open hearted, by a familiar Rustick affected Carriage, (especially to his Soldiers in sporting with them): but he thought Secrecy a Vertue, and Dissimulation no Vice, and Simulation, that is, in plain English a Lie, or Perfidiousness to be a tollerable Fault in a Case of Necessity: being of the same Opinion with the Lord Bacon, (who was not so Precise as Learned) That [the best Composition and Temperature is, p. 100to have openness in Fame and Opinion, Secrecy in habit, Dissimulation in seasonable use; and a power to feign if there be no remedy,] Essay 6. pag. 31. Therefore he kept fair with all, saving his open or unreconcileable Enemies. He carried it with such Dissimulation, that Anabaptists, Independants, and Antinomians did all think that he was one of them: But he never endeavoured to perswade the Presbyterians that he was one of them; but only that he would do them Justice, and Preserve them, and that he honoured their Worth and Piety; for he knew that they were not so easily deceived. In a word, he did as our Prelates have done, begin low and rise higher in his Resolutions as his Condition rose, and the Promises which he made in his lower Condition, he used as the interest of his higher following Condition did require, and kept up as much Honesty and Godliness in the main, as his Cause and Interest would allow, (but there they left him): And his Name standeth as a monitory Monument or Pillar to Posterity to tell them, [The instability of Man in strong Temptations, if God leave him to himself: what great Success and Victories can do to lift up a Mind that once seemed humble: what Pride can do to make Man selfish, and corrupt the Heart with ill designs: what selfishness and ill designs can do, to bribe the Conscience, and corrupt the Iudgment, and make men justifie the greatest Errours and Sins, and set against the clearest Truth and Duty: what Bloodshed and great Enormities of Life, an Erring deluded Judgment may draw Men to, and patronize; and That when God hath dreadful Judgments to execute, an Erroneous Sectary, or a proud Self-seeker, is oftner his Instrument, than an humble, Lamb-like, innocent Saint].

§ 145. Cromwell being dead, his Son Richard by his Will and Testament, and the Army was quietly setled in his place; while all Men look'd that they should presently have fallen into Confusion and Discord among themselves; the Counties, Cities, and Corporations of England send up their Congratulations, to own him as Protector: (But none of us in Worcestershire, save the Independants, medled in it.)

He interred his Father with great Pomp and Solemnity: He called a Parliament, and that without any such Restraints as his Father had used: The Members took the Oath of Fidelity or Allegiance to him at the Door of the House before they entred. And all Men wondred to see all so quiet, in so dangerous a Time. Many sober Men that called his Father no better than a Trayterous Hypocrite, did begin to think that they owed him Subjection. They knew that the King was by Birth their Rightful Sovereign; and resolved to do their best while there was hopes to introduce him, and defend him: But they were astonished at the marvellous Providences of god, which had been against that Family all along, and they thought that there was no rational probability of his Restoration, having seen so many Armies and Risings and Designs overthrown, which were raised or undertaken for it: They thought that it is not left to our liberty, whether we will have a Government, or not; but that Government is of Divine Appointment; and the Family, Person or Species is but of a subservient, less necessary determination: And that if we cannot have him that we would have, it followeth not that we may be without: That twelve years time (from the Death of the last King) was longer than the Land could be without a Governour, without the Destruction of the Common Good, which is the End of Government! Therefore that the Subjects, seeing they are unable to restore the King, must consent to another: That the House of Commons, having sworn Allegiance to him, have actually subjected the Nation to him: And though his Father Trayterously made the Change, yet the Successor of a Traytor may by the Peoples consent, become a Governour, whom each Individual must acknowledge by Subjection: That the Bishops and Churches both of East and West, as all History sheweth, have professed their Subjection to Usurpers, in a far shorter time, and upon lighter Reasons: That this Man having never had any hand in the War, (but supposed to be for the King) nor ever seeking for the Government, and now seeming to own the Sober Party, was like to be used in the healing of the Land, &c.] Such Reasonings as these began to take with the minds of many, to subject themselves quietly to this Man (though they never did it to his Father) as now despairing of the Restitution of the King:**The advantage of Mens present cruel Malice, was only from the Epistle of 2 Books wherein I never justified his Usurpation: But Iudicis officium est: ut res ita tempora rerum, &c. And I confess such Thoughts were somewhat prevalent with my self: But God quickly shewed us the root of our Errour, which was our limiting the Almighty; as if that were hard to him that was impossible to us: So that the Restoration of the King, which we thought next impossible, was accomplished in a trice: And we saw that twelve or eighteen years is not long enough to wait on God.

p. 101The Army set up Richard Cromwell, it seemeth upon Tryal; resolving to use him as he behaved himself: And though they swore Fidelity to him, they meant to keep it no longer than he pleased them; And when they saw that he began to favour the sober People of the Land, to honour Parliaments, and to respect the Ministers, whom they called Presbyterians, they presently resolved to make him know his Masters, and that it was they and not he, that were called by God to be the chief Protectors of the Interest of the Nation. He was not so formidable to them as his Father was, and therefore every one boldly spurned at him. The Fifth Monarchy Men followed Sir Henry Vane, and raised a great and violent clamorous Party against him, among the Sectaries in the City: Rogers and Feake, and such like Firebrands preach them into Fury, and blow the Coales; But Dr. Owen and his Assistants did the main Work: He gathereth a Church at (at Lieutenant General Fleetwood's Quarters, at Wallingford House, consisting of the active Officers of the Army (this Church-gathering hath been the Church… scattering Project): In this Assembly it was determined that Richard's Parliament must be dissolved, and then he quickly fell himself: (Though he never abated their Liberties or their Greatness; yet did he not sufficiently befriend them); Dictum factum; almost as quickly done as determined: Though Col. Richard Ingolsby and some others, would have stuck to the Protector, and have ventured to surprise the Leaders of the Faction, and the Parliament would have been true to him; yet Berry's Regiment of Horse, and some others, were presently ready to have begun the Fray against him; and as he sought not the Government, he was resolved it should cost no Blood to keep him in it: But if they would venture for their Parts on new Confusions, he would venture his Part by retiring to his Privacy: And so he did (to satisfie these proud distracted Tyrants, who thought they did but pull down Tyranny) resign the Government by a Writing under his Hand, and retired himself, and left them to govern as they pleased.

His Good Brother in Law, Fleetwood, and his Uncle Desborough were so intoxicated as to be the Leaders of the Conspiracy: And when they had pull'd him down, they set up a few of themselves under the Name of a Council of State; and so mad were they with Pride, as to think the Nation would stand by and reverence them, and obediently wait upon them in their drunken Giddiness; and that their Faction in the Army was made by God an invincible Terror to an that did but hear their Names. The Care of the Business also was, that Oliver had once made Fleetwood believe that he should be his Successor, and drawn an Instrument to that purpose; but his last Will disappointed him. And then the Sectaries flattered him, saying, that a truly Godly Man that had commanded them in the Wars was to be preferred before such an one as they censured to have no true Godliness.

§ 146. I make no doubt but God permitted all this for Good; and that as it was their Treason to set up Oliver and destroy the King, so it was their Duty to have set up the present King instead of Richard: And God made them the means, to their own Destruction, contrary to their Intentions, to restore the Monarchy and Family which they had ruined. But all this is no Thanks to them; but that which with a good Intention had been a Duty (to take down or not set up Richard Cromwell) yet as done by them was as barbarous Perfideousness as most ever History did declare: That they should so suddenly, so scornfully and proudly pull down him whom they had so lately set up themselves and sworn to: And that for nothing; they could scarce tell why themselves; nor ever were able to give the World a fairer Reason for their Villany (by any Fault they could charge upon him) than the Munster Fanaticks had to give for their Bethlehem Outrages and Rebellion: That they should do this while a Parliament was sitting which had so many wise, religious Members; not only without the Parliaments Advice, but in despight of them, and force him to dissolve them first; as if Perjury and Rebellion were newly put into the Commandments; or God had made these proud Usurpers to be the Governors of Protector and of Parliaments, and exempted them wholly from the Precept [Honour thy Father] [Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers]: That they should so proudly despise not only the Parliament, but all the Ministers of London and of the Land, as to do this, not only without advising with, and against their Judgments; but in a factious Envy against them, left they should be too much countenanced: Yea, they did it against the Judgments of most of their own Party (the Independants), as they now profess themselves: Yea, Mr. Nye, that was then thought to be engaged in the same Design, doth utterly disclaim it, and p. 102profess that his Consent or Hand was never to it: But Pride usually goeth before Destruction.

§ 147. And having said this of the Crimes of these Firebrands of the Army, I must say somewhat of the Sectarian Party in General; I mean, those who have been most addicted to Church-Divisions, and Separations, and Sidings, and Parties, and have refused all terms of Concord and Unity: I doubt not but many of them were People that feared God, who in their Ignorance of the Doctrine of Church Unity and Communion, have been drawn by Pretences of Purity to follow their Leaders in ways which they understood not: And I doubt not but the Presbyterians have had their Faults in their Treaties with them; and that politick Statesmen kept open the Divisions for their own Designs, (that they might have a Party to weaken the Scots and Presbyterians that would have restored the King). But yet I must record it to the Shame of their Miscarriages, that the weaker and younger sort of Professors, have been prone to be puft up with high Thoughts of themselves, and to over-value their little Degrees of Knowledge and Parts, which set them not above the Pity of understanding Men: That they have been set upon those Courses which tend to advance them above the Common People in the Observation of the World, and to set them at a farther Distance from others than God alloweth, and all this under the Pretence of the Purity of the Church. That in Prosecution of their Ends,The Lord Bacon nameth Four Causes of Atheism. 1. Many Divisions in Religion. 2. The Scandal of Priests. 3. A Custom of Prophane Scoffing about Holy Matters. 4. Corrupting prosperity. Essay 16. p. 91. there are few of the Anabaptists that have not been the Opposers and Troublers of the faithful Ministers of the Land; and were the Troublers of their People, and the Hinderers of their Success; they strengthned the Hands of the Prophane: The Sectaries (especially the Anabaptists, the Seekers, and the Quakers) chose out the most able, zealous Ministers, to make the Marks of their Reproach and Obliquy, and all because they stood in the Way of their Designs, and hindered them in the propagating of their Opinions: They set against the same Men that the Drunkards and Swearers set against, and much after the same manner; reviling them, and raising up false Reports of them, and doing all that they could to make them odious, and at last attempting to pull them all down; only they did it more prophanely than the Prophane; in that they said, [Let the Lord be glorified; Let the Gospel be propagated] and abused and prophaned Scripture and the Name of God by entituling him to their Faction and Miscarriages. Yea, though they thought themselves the most understanding and consciencious People of the Land, yet did the Gang of them seldom stick at any thing which seemed to promote their Cause; but whatever their Faction in the Army did, they pleaded for it and approved it: If they pull'd down the Parliament, imprison'd the godly faithful Members, killed the King, if they cast out the Rump, if they chose a Little Parliament of their own, if they set up Cromwell, if they set up his Son and pull'd him down again, if they sought to obtrude Agreements on the People, if they one Week set up a Council of State, and if another Week the Rump were restored, if they sought to take down Tythes and Parish-Ministers, to the utter Confusion of the State of Religion in the Land; in all these the Anabaptists, and many of the Independants in the Three Kingdoms followed them; and even their Pastors were ready to lead them to consent.

And all this began but in unwarrantable Separations, and too much aggravating the Faults of the Churches and Common People, and Common Prayer Book and Ministry; which indeed were none of them without Faults to be lamented and reformed: But they thought that because it needed Amendment, it required their obstinate Separation, and that they were allowed to make odious any thing that was amiss; and because it was faulty, if any Man had rebuked them for belying it, and making it far more faulty than it was, instead of confessing their Sin, they called their Reprover a Pleader for Antichrist or Baal; every Error in the Mode of the Common Worship they had no fitter Name for, than Idolatry, Popery, Antichristianism, Superstition, Will-worship, &c. when in the mean time, many of their own Prayers were full of Carnal Passion, Selfishness, Faction, Disorder, vain Repitions, unfound and loathsom Expressions, and their Doctrine full of Errors and Confussion; and these Beams in their own Eyes were matter of no Offence to them: They would not communicate with that Church where ignorant Persons or Swearers were tollerated (though they themselves never did their Part to have them cast out, but look'd the Ministers should do all without them); but without any scruple they would communicate with them that had broke their Vow and Covenant with God and Man, and rebelled against both King, Parliament, and p. 103all kind of Government that was set up (even by themselves) and did all the fore-recited Evils.

I know these same Accusations are laid by some in Ignorance or Malice, against many that are guilty of no such things, and therefore some will be offended at me, and say, I imitate such Reproachers: But shall none be reproved because some are slandered? Shall Rebells be justified, because some innocent Men are called Rebels? Shall Hypocrites be free from Conviction and Condemnation, because wicked Men call the Godly Hypocrites? Woe to the Man that hath not a faithful Reprover; but a Thousand Woes will be to him that hateth reproof: And woe to them that had rather Sin were credited and kept in Honour, than their Party dishonoured: and Woe to the Land where the Reputation of Men doth keep Sin in Reputation. Scripture it self will not spare a Noah, a Lot, a David, a Hezekiab, a Iosiah, a Peter; but will open and shame their Sin to all Generations: And yet, alas! the Hearts of many, who I hope are truly Religious in other Points, will rise against him that shall yet tell them of the Misdoings of those of their Opinion, and call them to Repentance. The poor Church of Christ, the sober; sound religious Part, are like Christ that was crucified between two Malefactors; the prophane and formal Persecutors on one hand, and the Fanatick dividing Sectary on the other hand, have in all Ages been grinding the spiritual Seed, as the Corn is ground between the Milstones: And though their Sins have ruined themselves and us, and silenced so many hundred Ministers, and scattered the Flocks and made us the Hatred and the Scorn of the ungodly World, and a by Word and Desolation in the Earth; yet there are few of them that lament their Sin, but justify themselves and their Misdoings, and the penitent Malefactor is yet unknown to us. And seeing Posterity must know what they have done, to the Shame of our Land, and of our sacred Profession, let them know this much more also to their own Shame, that all the Calamities which have befallen us by our Divisions were long foreseen by seeing Men, and they were told and warned of it, year after year: They were told that a House divided against it self could not stand, and told that it would bring them to the Halter and to Shame, and turn a hopeful Reformation into a Scorn, and make the Land of their Nativity a Place of Calamity and Woe; and all this Warning signified nothing to them; but these Ductile Professors bldinly followed a few selfconceited Teachers to this Misery; and no warning or means could ever stop them.

Five dissenting Ministers in the Synod begun all this, and carried it far on: Mr. Philip Nye, Mr. Tho. Goodwin, Mr. Sydrach Sympson, and Mr. William Bridge, to whom that good Man Mr. Ieremiah Burroughs joined himself in Name; but as he never practised their Church-gathering way, so at last he was contented to have united on the Terms which were offered them, and wrote his excellent Book of Heart Divisions. After this they encreased, and Mr. Burroughs being dead, Dr. Iohn Owen arose, not of the same Spirit, to fill up his place; by whom and Mr. Phillip Nye's Policie the Flames were encreased, our Wounds kept open, and carried on all, as if there had been none but they considerable in the World; and having an Army and City Agents fit to second them, effectually hindred all remedy till they had dash'd all into pieces as a broken Glass. O! what may not Pride do? and what Miscarriages will not false Principles and Faction hide? One would think that if their Opinions had been certainly true, and their Church-Orders good, yet the Interest of Christ, and the Souls of Men, and of greater Truths, should have been so regarded by the Dividers in England, as that the Safety of all these should have been preferred, and not all ruined rather than their way should want its carnal Arm and Liberty; and that they should not tear the Garment of Christ all to pieces, rather than it should want their Lace.

§ 148. And it must be acknowledged also impartially, that some of the Presbyterian Ministers frightned the Sectaries into this Fury by the unpeaceableness and impatiency of their Minds: They ran from Libertinism into the other Extream, and were so little sensible of their own Infirmity, that they would not have those tollerated who were not only tollerable, but worthy Instruments and Members in the Churches: The Reconcilers that were ruled by prudent Charity always called out to both the Parties, that the Churches must be united upon the Terms of primitive Simplicity, and that we must have Unity in things necessary, and Liberty in things unnecessary, and Charity in all: But they could never be heard, but were taken for Adversaries to the Government of the Church, as they are by the Prelates at this Day: Nay, when in Worcestershire we did but agree to practice so much as all Parties were agreed in, they said, we did but thereby set up another Party. We p. 104told them of Archbishop Usher's Terms in his Sermon before the King on Eph. 4. 3. but they would not hear. The Lord Bacon in his Third Essay, and his Considerations, Mr. Hales in his Treatise of Schism, and all men of sound Experience and Wisdom, have long told the World, that we must be united in things Necessary, which all Christians agree in, or which the Primitive Churches did unite in, or not at all: But nothing shorter than the Assemblies Confession of Faith and Catechisms, and and Presbytery, would serve turn with some. Their Principles were that no others should be tolerated; which set the Independants on contriving how to grasp the Sword! They were still crying out on the Magistrate, that he was irreligious, for suffering Sects, and because he did not bring Men to Conformity: And now they cannot be tollerated themselves, to preach, nor scarce to dwell in the Land. The Uniting of the Churches upon the Primitive Terms, and the tollerating (not of all, but) of tollerable Differences, is the way to Peace, which almost all Men approve of, except those who are uppermost, and think they have the Reins in their own hands. And because the side which is uppermost are they that have their Wills, therefore the Churches had never a settled Peace this Thousand years at least; the true way of Settlement and Peace, being usually displeasing to them that must give Peace to others: But this way hath the mark of being the best; in that it is the only way, which every Sect acknowledge for the second, and next the best; and is it which all, except the predominant Party, liketh. But Wisdom is justified of her Children.

§ 149. To consummate the Confusion, by confirming and increasing the Division, the Independants at last, when they had refused with sufficient pervicacy to associate with the Presbyterians (and the Reconcilers too) did resolve to shew their proper strength, and to call a General Assembly of all their Churches. The Savoy was their Meeting-place. There they drew up a Confession of their Faith, and the Orders of their Church Government. In the former, they thought it not enough expresly to contradict St. Iames, and to say (unlimitedly) That we are justified by the Righteousness of Christ only, and not by any Works; but they contradicted St. Paul also, who faith, That Faith is imputed for Righteousness. And not only so, but they expresly asserted, that [we have no other righteousness] but that of Christ. A Doctrine abhorred by all the Reformed and Christian Churches; and which would be an utter shame to the Protestant Name, if what such Men held and did were indeed imputable to the sober Protestants. I asked some honest Men that joyned with them, Whether they subscribed this Confession; and they said No. I asked them why they did not contradict it; and they said that the meaning of it was no more than that we have no other Righteousness but Christ's to be justified by: So that the Independant's Confessions are like such Oaths and Declarations, as speak one thing and mean another. Also in their Propositions of Church Order, they widened the breach, and made things much worse, and more unreconcileable than ever they were before. So much could two Men do with many honest tractable young Men, and had more Zeal for separating Strictness, than Iudgment to understand the Word of God, or the Interest of the Churches of the Land, and of themselves

§ 150. But it hath pleased God by others that were sometime of their way, to do more to heal this Breach, than they did to make it wider. I mean the Synod of New-England; who have published such healing Propositions about stated Synods, and Infants Church Membership, as hath much prepared for a Union between them, and all other moderate Men: (And some**Mr. Mitchel, as its said. One hath strenuously defended those Propositions against the opposition of Mr. Davenport, a dissenting Brother). I take this to be more for healing than the Savoy Propositions can be effectual to divide,And since this Mr. Elliot of New-England hath sent me a printed Paper of his own, contriving a Healing Form of Synods for constant Communion of particular Churches. because the New-England men have not blemished their Reputation, nor lost the Authority and Honour of their Judgments, by any such Actions as the leading Savoyers have done.

§ 151. When the Army had brought themselves and the Nation into utter Confusion, and had set up and pull'd down Richard Cromwell, and then had set up the Rump again, and pull'd them down again, and set up a Council of State of themselves and their Faction, and made Lambert their Head, next under Fleetwood, (whom they could use almost as they would) at last the Nation would endure them no longer, nor sit still while the world stood laughing them to scorn, as acting over the Minster Tragedy: Sir George Booth and Sir Thomas Middleton raised Forces in Cheshire and North-Wales: (but the Cavaliers that should have joyned with p. 105them failed them almost all over the Land; a few rose in some places, but were quickly ruined and came to nothing). Lambert quickly routed those in Cheshire: Sir Arthur Haselrigge with Col. Morley get into Portsmouth, which is possessed as for the Rump. Monk declareth against them in Scotland, purgeth his Army of the Anabaptists, and marcheth into England. The Rump Party with Haselrigge divided the Army at home, and so disabled them to oppose Monk; who marcheth on, and all are afraid of him; and while he declareth himself against Monarchy for a Commonwealth, he tieth the hands of his Enemies by a lie, and uniteth with the City of London, and bringeth on again the old ejected Members of the Parliament, and so bringeth in the King. Sir William Morrice (his Kinsman) and Mr. Clarges were his great Advisers: The Earl of Manchester, Mr. Calamy, and other Presbyterians, encouraged and perswaded him to bring in the King. At first he joyned with the Rump against the Citizens, and pull'd down the City Gates to master them; but at last Sir Thomas Allen then Lord Mayor (by the perswasion of Dr. Iacomb, and some other Presbyterian Ministers and Citizens, as he hath oft told me himself) invited Monk into the City, and drew him to agree and joyn with them against the Rump (as they then called the Relicts of the Parliament). And this in truth was the Act that turned the Scales and brought in the King: whether the same men expected to be used as they have since been themselves, I know not: If they did, their Self-denial was very great, who were content to be silenced and laid in Gaols, so they might but bring in the King. After this the old Excluded Members of the Parliament meet with Monk; He calleth them to sit, and that the King might come in both by him and by them. He agreeth with them to sit but a few days, and then dissolve themselves and call another Parliament. They consented, and prepared for the King's Restoration, and appointed a Council of State, and Dissolved themselves. Another Parliament is chosen, which calleth in the King, the Council of State having made further preparations for it. (For when the Question was, Whether they should call in the King upon Treaty and Covenant, (which some thought best for him and the Nation) the Council resolved absolutely to trust him, Mr. A. especially perswading them so to do). And when the King came in, Col. Birch and Mr. Prin were appointed to Disband the Army, the several Regiments receiving their Pay in several places, and none of them daring to disobey: No not Monk's own Regiments who brought in the King.

Thus did God do a more wonderful Work in the Dissolving of this Army, than any of their greatest Victories was, which set them up. That an Army that had conquered three such Kingdoms, and brought so many Armies to destruction, cut off the King, pull'd down the Parliament, and set up and pull'd down others at their pleasure, that had conquered so many Cities and Castles; that were so united by Principles and Interest and Guilt, and so deeply engaged, as much as their Estates, and Honour, and Lives came to, to have stood it out to the very utmost; that had professed so much of their Wisdom and Religiousness; and had declared such high Resolutions against Monarchy: I say, that such an Army should have one Commander among themselves, whom they accounted not Religious, that should march against them without Resistance, and that they should all stand still, and let him come on, and restore the Parliament, and bring in the King, and disband themselves, and all this without one bloody Nose! Let any Man that hath the use of his Understanding, judge whether this were not enough to prove that there is a God that governeth the World, and disposeth of the Powers of the World according to his Will! And let all Men behold this Pillar of Salt, and standing Monument of Divine Revenge, and take heed of over-valuing Human Strength, and of ever being puffed up by Victories and Success, or of being infatuated by Spiritual Pride and Faction! And let all Men take warning how they trample upon Government, rebel against it, or vilifie the Ministers and Ordinances of Christ, and proudly despise the Warnings of their Brethren.

§ 152. And at the same time while Monk was marching against them into England, the sober godly Officers of Ireland were impatient of the Anabaptists Tyranny: So that Col. Iohn Bridges (the Patron of Kidderminster) with his Lieutenant Thompson, and some few more Officers, resolved upon a desperate surprizal of Dublin Castle, (which the Anabaptists possest, with most of the strong Holds): and so happily succeeded, that without any bloodshed they got the Castle: And that being won, the rest of the Garrisons of all the whole Kingdom yielded without any loss of Blood; and unless one or two, without so much as any appearance of a Siege. Thus did God make his wonders to concur in time and manner; and shewed the World the instability of those States which are built upon an Army. He p. 106that will see more of this Surprize of Dublin Castle, may read it as printed by Colonel Bridges in a short Narrative. Had it not been for that Action, it is probable that Ireland would have been the Refuge and Randezvouz for the disbanded or fugitive Army, and that there they would not only have maintained the War, but have imbodied against England, and come over again, with Resolutions heightned by their Warnings. The Reward that Col. Bridges had for this Service was the peaceful Testimony of his Conscience, and a narrow escape from being utterly ruined; being sued as one that after Edghill Fight had taken the King's Goods, in an Action of Fourscore Thousand pound: But all was proved false, and he being cleared by the Court, did quickly after die of a Fever at Chester, and go to a more peaceable and desirable World.

§ 153. For my own Actions and Condition all this time, I have partly shewed them in the Second Part: How I was called up to London, and what I did there, and with how little Success I there continued my Pacificatory Endeavours. When I had lived there a few Weeks, I fell into another fit of Bleeding, which though it was nothing so great as formerly, yet after my former depauperation by that means and great debility, did weaken me much. Being restored by the mercy of God, and the help of Dr. Bates, (and the moss of a dead man's skull which I had from Dr. Michlethwait) I went to Mr. Thomas Foley's House, where I lived (in Austin-Fryars) about a year; and thence to Dr. Michlethwait's House in Little Brittain, where I tabled about another year: and thence to Moorfields, and thence to Action; from which being at the present driven by the Plague, I wait for the further disposal of my Almighty and most Gracious Lord.

§ 154. And now I shall annex for the Reader's satisfaction, an Account of my Books and Writings, on what occasion they were written, and what I now judge of them on a review, and after so much sopposition.

§ 155. The Books which I have written (and those that are written against me) are so numerous, that I confess if they plead not to the Reader for themselves, I cannot easily excuse my putting the World to so much trouble. And I was once almost faln out with my self, when I saw such abundance of Sermon Books printed in Oliver's days, because I concurred with them in over-loading the World. But God was pleased to keep me from Repentance by their Success; and since then I am more Impenitent herein than ever, as seeing more of the reason of God's disposal than I saw before. For since so many hundred Ministers are silenced, and an Act is now past in the Parliament to forbid us coming withing five miles of any City, Corporation, or Burgess Town; and a former Act forbiddeth us speaking to above four that are not of a Family; and knowing what Persons are Ministers in many of our places, I now bless God that his poor Servants have the private help of Books, which are the best Teachers, under God, that many thousand Persons have.

And whereas there are about Fifty Books (as I remember) that in whole or in part are written against me, or some Passages in mine; I bless the Lord that they have not disturbed or discomposed my mind, nor any more hindered me from my greater duty, by Replies; nor been altogether unprofitable to me: And that none of them, nor all of them, any whit disabled me from the Service of God by diminishing my Estimation with those that I have opportunity to serve, or with the common Readers that may profit by my Labours, but only with the Members of the several Factions.

Some are written against me by Quakers, Iames Nayler, and many others: Some by Clement Writer, and other Seekers and Infidels: Some by Papists; some by Anabaptists (Mr. Tombes, Fisher, and many others): some by Reverend Brethren that understood not all Points of Doctrine as I did (which-ever of us was in the right) (as Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Blake, Mr. Burgess, Dr. Kendall, &c.) some by Antinomians, and some by Separatists; and some by good Men that were but half possest with their Opinions, (as Mr. Eires, Mr. Crandon, Mr. Warner, &c.): some by proud impatient Men; and some by the Prelatical Party: some by young Men that wanted Preferment, and thought that this was the way to get it; and some by obscure Men that desired to be taken notice of; and some by Flatterers, that desired to please others on whom they did depend; and some by malicious blood-thirsty Calumniators! some by factious Temporizers, (as Stubbs, Rogers, Needham, &c.); and abundance by erroneous impatient Men, that could not endure to be contradicted in their Mistakes. To many of these I have returned Answers; and that some others remain unanswered, is through the restraint of the Press.

p. 107§ 156. The first Book that ever I published is a small one, called, Aphorisms of Iustification and the Covenants, &c. I had first begun my Book, called The Saints Rest; and coming in it to answer the Question, How in Matth. 25. the reward is adjudged to men on the account of their good works? The chief Propositions of that Book did suddenly offer themselves to me, in order to that Resolution: But I was prepared with much disputing against Antinomianism in the Army. At Sir Thomas Rous's House, in my weakness, I wrote most of that Book, and finished it when I came to Kidderminster. I directed it to Mr. Vines and Mr. Burgess, out of my high esteem of them, though my personal acquaintance with them was but small. Mr. Vines wrote to me applaudingly of it. Mr. Burgess thought his Name engaged him to write against it.

Two Faults I now find in the Book: 1. It is defective, and hath some Propositions that need Correction, being not cautelously enough expressed. 2. I medled too forwardly with Dr. Owen, and one or two more that had written some Passages too near to Antinomianism. For I was young, and a stranger to mens tempers, and I thought others could have born a Confutation as easily as I could do my self; and I thought that I was bound to do my best publickly, to save the World from the hurt of published Errours; not understanding how it would provoke men more passionately to insist on what they once have said. But I have now learned to contradict Errours, and not to meddle with the Persons that maintain them. But indeed I was then too raw to be a Writer.

This Book was over-much valued by some, and over-much blamed by others, both contrary to my own esteem of it: It cost me more than any other that I have written; not only by mens offence, but especially by putting me upon long and tedious Writings. Some that publickly wrote against it, I publickly answered. And because of the general noise about it, I desired those that would have me of their mind, to send me their Animadversions; which proved so many, that took me up too much of my time to answer them. But it was a great help to my Understanding: For the Animadverters were of several minds; and what one approved another confuted, being further from each other than any of them from me.

The first that I craved Animadversions from was Mr. Burgess, and with much ad extorted only two or three Letters against Justification by Works (as he called it): which with my Answers were afterward published; when he had proceeded to print against me what he would not give me in writing.

The next (and full) Animadversions which I received, were from Mr. Iohn Warren, an honest, acute, ingenious man; to whom I answered in freer Expressions than to others, because he was my Junior and familiar Friend; (being a School-Boy at Bridgenorth when I was Preacher there, and his Father being my Neighbour.)

Next his I had Animadversions from Dr. Iohn Wallis, very judicious and moderate, to which I began to write a Reply, but broke it off in the middle because he little differed from me.

The next I had was from Mr. Christopher Cartwright of York, (who defended the King against the Marquess of Worcester): he was a man of good reading as to our later Divines, and was very well verst in the Common Road, (very like Mr. Burgess); a very good Hebrician, and a very honest worthy Person. His Animadversions were most against my distinction of Righteousness into Legal and Evangelical, according to the two Covenants. His Answer was full of Citations out of Amesius, Whittaker, Davenant, &c. I wrote him a full Reply; and he wrote me a Rejoynder; to which my time not allowing me to write a full Confutation, I took up all the Points of Difference between him and me, and handled them briefly, confirming my Reasons, for the ease of the Reader and my self.**This is since published.

The next Animadverter was Mr. George Lawson, the ablest Man of them all, or of almost any I know in England; especially by the Advantage of his Age and very hard Studies, and methodical Head, but above all, by his great skill in Politicks, wherein he is most exact, and which contributeth not a little to the understanding of Divinity. Though he was himself near the Arminians (differing from them in the Point of Perseverance as to the Confirmed, and some little matters more) and so went farther than I did from the Antinomians, yet being conversant with Men of another Mind, to redeem himself from their Offence, he set himself against some Passages of mine, which others marvelled that he of all Men should oppose; especially about the Object of Faith, and Iustification. And afterwards he published an excellent Summ of Divinity, called, Theopolitica; in which he insisteth p. 108on those two Points, to make good what he had said in his M. S. against me: (though the Reader that knoweth not what past between him and me, will not understand how these Passages there fell in, and some Divines have told me how excellent a Book it had been, if he had not been led aside in those Particulars; not knowing how it came to pass, the ablest Men being sometimes most hardly drawn to desert any thing which they have once affirmed). He hath written also Animadversions on Hobbes; and a piece of Ecclesiastical and Civil Policy, according to the Method of Politicks; an excellent Book, were it not that he seemeth to justify the Kings Death, and meddle too boldly with the Political Controversies of the times (though he be a Conformist): Also I have seen some ingenuous Manuscripts of his for the taking of the Engagement (to be true to the Commonwealth as established without a King and House of Lords) his Opinion being much for submitting to the present Possessor, though a Usurper): But I thought those Papers easily answerable. His Animadversions on my Papers were large, in which he frequently took occasion to be copious and distinct in laying down his own Judgment, which pleased me very well: I returned him a full Answer, and received from him a large Reply; instead of a Rejoinder to which, I summ'd up our Differences, and spoke to them briefly and distinctly, and not verbatim to the Words of his Book. I must thankfully acknowledge that I learnt more from Mr. Lawson than from any Divine that gave me Animadversions, or that ever I conversed with: For two or three Passages in my first Reply to him he convinced me were Mistakes, and I found up and down in him those hints of Truths which had a great deal of Light in them, and were very apt for good Improvement: Especially his instigating me to the Study of Politicks, (in which he much lamented the Ignorance of Divines) did prove a singular Benefit to me. I confess it is long of my own Uncapableness that I have received no more good from others: But yet I must be so grateful as to confess that my Understanding hath made a better Improvement (for the sudden sensible increase of my Knowledge) of Grotius de Satisfactione Christi, and of Mr. Lawson's Manuscripts, than of any thing else that ever I read; and they convinced me how unfit we are to write about Christ's Government, and Law, and Iudgment, &c. while we understand not the true Nature of Government, Laws, and Iudgment in the general; and that he that is ignorant of Politicks and of the Law of Nature, will be ignorant and erroneous in Divinity and the sacred Scriptures.

§ 157. 2. The Second Book which I wrote(and the first which I began) was that called, The Saints everlasting Rest: Whilst I was in Health I had not the least thought of writing Books; or of serving God in any more publick way than Preaching: But when I was weakened with great bleeding, and left solitary in my Chamber at Sir Iohn Cook's in Derbyshire, without any Acquaintance, but my Servant, about me, and was sentenced to Death by the Physician, I began to contemplate more seriously on the Everlasting Rest which I apprehended my self to be just on the Borders of. And that my Thoughts might not too much scatter in my Meditation, I began to write something on that Subject, intending but the Quantity of a Sermon or two (which is the cause that the Beginning is in brevity and Style disproportionable to the rest); but being continued long in Weakness, where I had no Books nor no better Employment, I followed it on till it was enlarged to the bulk in which it is published: The first Three Weeks I spent in it was at Mr. Nowel's House at Kirkby-Mallory in Leicestershire; a quarter of a Year more, at the Seasons which so great Weakness would allow, I bestowed on it at Sir Tho Rous's House at Rous-Lench in Worcestershire; and I finished it shortly after at Kidderminster: The first and last Parts were first done, being all that I intended for my own use; and the second and third Parts came afterwards in besides my first Intention.

This Book it pleased God so far to bless to the Profit of many, that it encouraged me to be guilty of all those Scripts which after followed. The Marginal Citations I put in after I came home to my Books; but almost all the Book it self was written when I had no Book but a Bible and a Concordance: And I found that the Transcript of the Heart hath the greatest force on the Hearts of others: For the Good that I have heard that Multitudes have received by that Writing, and the Benefit which I have again received by their Prayers, I here humbly return my Thanks to him that compelled me to write it.

§ 159. 3. The Third Book which I published was that which is entituled, Plain Scripture Proof for Infants Church-Membership and Baptism: being the Arguments used p. 109in the Dispute with Mr. Tombes, and an Answer to a Sermon of his afterward preached, &c.

This Book God blessed with unexpected Success to stop abundance from turning Anabaptists, and reclaming many both in City and Country, (and some of the Officers of the Irish and English Forces) and it gave a considerable Check to their Proceedings.

Concerning it I shall only tell the Reader, 1. That there are towards the latter part of it, many enigmatical Reflections upon the Anabaptists for their horried Scandals, which the Reader that lived not in those times will hardly understand: But the cutting off the King, and rebelling against him and the Parliament, and the Invading Scotland, and the approving of these, (with the Ranters and other Sects that sprang out of them) were the Crimes there intended; which were not then to be more plainly spoken of, when their Strength and Fury was so high.

2. Note, that after the writing of that Book, I wrote a Postscript against that Doctrine of Dr. Burges and Mr. Tho. Bedford, which I supposed to go on the other Extream; and therein I answered part of a Treatise of Dr. Sam. Warks's which Mr. Bedford published; and it proved to be Mr. Thomas Gataker whom I defended, who is Dr. Ward's Censor; But I knew it not till Mr. Gataker after told me.

But after these Writings I was greatly in doubt [whether it be not certain that all the Infants of true Believers are justified and saved if they dye before actual Sin] My Reason was, because, it is the same justifying saving Covenant of Grace which their Parents and they are in: And as real Faith and Repentance is that Condition on the Parents part which giveth them their right to actual Remission, and Adoption: So to be the Children of such, is all the Condition which is required in Infants in order to the same Benefits: And without asserting this the Advantage of the Anabaptists is greater than every one doth imagine. But I never thought with Dr. Ward that all Baptised Children had this Benefit, and Qualitative Sanctification also; nor with Dr. Burgess and Mr. Bedford, that all converted at Age, had inherent seminal Grace in Baptism certainly given them; nor with Bishop Davenant that all justly baptised had relative Grace of Justification and Adoption: But only that all the Infants of true Believers who have right to the Covenant and Baptism in foro Coeli as well as in foro Ecclesiae, have also thereby Right to the Pardon of Original Sin, and to Adoption, and to Heaven; which Right is by Baptism to be sealed and delivered to them. This I wrote of to Mr. Gataker who returned me a kind and candid Answer, but such as did not remove my Scruple; and this occasioned him to print Bishop Davenants Disputations with his Answer. My Opinion (which I most incline to) is the same which the Synod of Dort expresseth, and that which I conjecture Dr. Davenant meant, or I am sure came next to.

Here note also, that Mr. Tombes sollicited me yet after all this, to write him down my Proofs of Infants Church-membership out of the circumcised Church, which I did at large, as from the Creation downward, as far as Proof could be expected in Proportion to the other Histories of those Times. Instead of sending me an Answer to my Papers, he printed some of them with an insufficient Answer in his last Book: These Papers with a Reply to him I have since Printed.

§ 159. 4. The Fourth Book which I published is a small one, called, The right Method for Peace of Conscience and spiritual comfort, in thirty two Directions. The Occasion of it was this: Mrs. Bridgis, the Wife of Col. Iohn Bridgis, being one of my Flock, was often weeping out her Doubts to me, about her long and great Uncertainty of her true Sanctification and Salvation. I told her that a few hasty Words were not Direction enough for the satisfactory resolving of so great a Case; and therefore I would write her down a few of those necessary Directions which she should read and study, and get well imprinted in her Mind. As soon as I had begun I found 1. that it would not be well done in the Brevity which I expected. 2. And that when it was done it would be as useful to many others of my Flock as to her; and therefore I bestowed more time on it, and made it larger and fit for common use.

This Book pleased Dr. Hammond much, and many Rational Persons, and some of those for whom it was written: But the Women and weaker sort I found could not so well improve clear Reason, as they can a few comfortable, warm and pretty Sentences; it is Style and not Reason which doth most with them: And some of the Divines were angry with it, for a Passage or two about Perseverance; because I had said that many Men are certain of their present Sanctification, which are not certain of their Perseverance and Salvation; meaning all the Godly that p. 110are assured of their Sanctification, and yet do not hold the certainty of Preserverance. But a great Storm of Jealousie and Censure was by this and some such Words raised against me, by many good Men, who lay more on their Opinions and Party than they ought. Therefore, whereas some would have had me to retract it, and others to leave it out of the next Impression, I did the latter, but instead of it I published not long after

§ 160. 5. My Book called [R. B's. Iudgment about the Perseverance of Believers] In which I shewed them the Variety of Opinions about Perseverance, and that Augustine and Prosper themselves did not hold the certain Perseverance of all that are truly sanctified, though they held the Perseverance of all the Elect; but held that there are more Sanctified than are Elect, and that Perseverance is affixed to the Elect as such, and not to the Sanctified as such. (which Bishop Usher averred to Dr. Kendal before my Face to be most certainly Austin's Judgment, though both he and I did incline to another). From hence, and many other Arguments I inferred, that the sharp Censures of Men against their Brethren, for not holding a Point which Austin himself was against, and no one Author can be proved to hold from the Apostles Days till long after Austin, doth argue less Judgment and Charity than many of the Censurers seem to have. I never heard of any Censure against these Papers, though the few Lines which occasioned them had so much.

§ 161. 6. Before this I had published two Assize Sermons, entituled, True Christianity, one of Christ's Dominion, and the other of his Sovereignty over all Men as Redeemer: The first was preached before Judge Atkins, Sir Tho. Rous being high Sheriff: The second before Serjeant Glyn, who desiring me to print it, I thought meet to print the former with it.

§ 162. 7. Also I published my Apology against divers that had printed Books against many things which I had written. It consisteth of five parts: 1. An Answer to Mr. Blake. 2. An Answer to Dr. Kendall. 3. A Confutation of Ludiom… us Colvinus. 4. An Answer to Mr. Crandon. 5. An Answer to Mr. Eyres.

The first, Mr. Blake, a reverend worthy Man of my acquaintance, in a Treatise of the Covenants had written much, I thought mistakingly against me; and though I replyed without any sharpness, it was very displeasing to him.

Dr. Kendall was little quick Spirited Man, of great Ostentation and a Considerable Orator and Scholar: He was driven on farther by others than his own Inclination would have led him: He thought to get an Advantage for his Reputation, by a Triumph over Iohn Goodwin and me; for those that set him on work would needs have him conjoin us both together, to intimate that I was an Arminian; while I was replying to his first Assault, he wrote a second; and when I had begun a Reply to that, meeting me at London, he was so earnest to take up the Controversy, engaging Mr. Vines to persuade me that Bishop Usher might determine it, and I was so willing to be eased of such work, and to end any thing which might be made a Temptation against Charity, that I quickly yielded to Bishop Ushers Arbitriment, who owned my Judgment about Universal Redemption, Perseverance, &c. but desired us to write against each other no more; and so my Second Reply was supprest.

As for Ludiomaeus Colvinus, it is Ludovicus Molinaeus a Doctor of Physick, and Son to Pet. Molinaeus, and publick Professor of History in Oxford: He wrote a small Latin Tractate against his own Brother Cyrus Molinaeus, to prove that Justification is before Faith: I thought I might be bold to con…ute him who chose the Truth and his own Brother to oppose. Another small Assault the same Author made against me (instead of a Reply) for approving of Camero and Amiraldus's way about universal Redemption and Grace: To which I answered in the Preface to ther Book: But these things were so far from alienating the Esteem and Affection of the Doctor, that he is now at this Day one of those Friends who are injurious to the Honour of their own Understanding by overvaluing me, and would fain have spent his time in translating some of my Books into the French Tongue.

Mr. Crandon was a Man that had run from Arminianism into the Extream of half Antinomianism, and having an excessive Zeal for his Opinions (which seem to be honoured by the extolling of Free-grace) and withal being an utter stranger to me, he got a deep conceit that I was a Papist, and in that persuasion wrote a large Book against my Aphorisms, which moved laughter in many, and pity in others, and troubled his Friends, as having disadvantaged their Cause. As soon as the Book came abroad, the news of the Author's death came with it, who died a fortnight after its birth. I had before hand got all save the beginning p. 111and end, out of the Press, and wrote so much of an Answer as I thought it worthy, before the publication of it.

Mr. Eyres was a Preacher in Salisbury of Mr. Crandon's Opinion; who having preached there for Justification before Faith, (that is, the Justification of Elect Infidels) was publickly confuted by Mr. Warren, and Mr. Woodbridge (a very judicious Minister of Newbury, who had lived in New-England): Mr. Woodbridge printed his Sermon, which very perspicuously opened the Doctrine of Justification after the method that I had done. Mr. Eyres being offended with me as a Partner, gave me some part of his opposition, to whom I returned an Answer in the end: And a few words to Mr. Caryl who licensed and approved Mr. Crandon's Book, (for the Antinomians were commonly Independants). No one of all the Parties replied to this Book, save only Mr. Blake to some part of that which touched him.

§ 162. 8. Because my Aphorisms had so provok'd so many, and the noise was very loud against them, to make the Passages plainer which ofended them (about Justification, Sanctification, Merit, Punishment, &c.) I wrote a Book, called The Confession of my Faith about those matters: which I gave the World to save any more of them from misunderstanding my Aphorisms, and declared my Suspension of my Aphorisms till I should reprint them, intending only to correct two or three Passages, and elucidate the rest: But afterward I greatly affected to bring them into a small System of Divinity, which having never yet had time to write, I have omitted the reprinting of them to this day; (But some have surreptitiously printed them against my will).

In my Confession I opened the whole Doctrine of Antinomianism which I opposed, and I brought the Testimonies of abundance of our Divines, who give as much to other Acts besides Faith, in Justification as I. And I opened the weakness of Dr. Owen's Reasonings for Justification before Faith, in his former Answer to me. To which he wrote an Answer, annexing it to his Confutation of Biddle and the Cracovian Catechism (to intimate that I belonged to that Party) that I thought it unfit to make any Reply to it, not only because I had no vacancy from better work, but because the quality of it was such as would unavoidably draw me, if I confuted it, to speak so much and so offensively to the Person, as well as the Doctrine, that it would have been a Temptation to the further weakening of his Charity, and increasing his desire of Revenge: And I thought it my duty (when the Readers good required me not to write) to forbear replying, and to let him have the last word, because I had begun with him. And I perceived that the common distast of Men against him and his Book made my Reply the more unnecessary.

But for all the Writings and Warth of Men which were provoked against me, I must here record my Thanks to God for the Success of my Controversal Writings against the Antinomians: when I was in the Army it was the predominant Infection: The Books of Dr. Crisp, Paul Hobson, Saltmarsh, Cradock, and abundance such like were the Writings most applauded; and he was thought no Spiritual Christian, but a Legalist that savoured not of Antinomianism, which was sugared with the Title of Free-grace; and others were thought to preach the Law, and not to preach Christ. And I confess, the darkness of many Preachers in the Mysteries of the Gospel, and our common neglect of studying and preaching Grace, and Gratitude, and Love, did give occasion to the prevalency of this Sect, which God no doubt permitted for our good, to review our apprehension of those Evangelical Graces and Duties which we barely acknowledged, but in our practice almost over-lookt. But this Sect that then so much prevailed, was so suddenly almost extinct, that now they little appear, and make no noise among us at all, nor have done these many years! In which effect those ungrateful Controversal Writings of my own have had so much hand, as obligeth me to very much Thankfulness to God.

§ 164. About that time having been at London, and preached some Sermons there, one scrap of a Sermon preached in Westminster-Abbey to many Members of Parliament, was taken by some one and printed; which is nothing but the naming of a few Directions which I then gave the Parliament Men for Church Reformation and Peace, according to the state of those Times which it was preached in. (In Oliver Cromwell's time.)

§ 165. 10. And when I was returned home I was sollicited by Letters to print many of the Sermons which I had preached in London; and in some of them I gratified their desires: One Sermon which I published was against Mens making p. 112light of Christ, upon Matth. 22. 5. This Sermon was preached at Lawrence Iury, where Mr. Vines was Pastor: where though I sent the day before to secure room for the Lord Broghill, and the Earl of Suffolk, with whom I was to go in the Coach, yet when I came, the Crowd had so little respect of Persons, that they were fain to go home again, because they could not come within hearing, and the old Earl of Warwick (who stood in the Abbey) brought me home again: And Mr. Vines himself was fain to get up into the Pulpit, and sit behind me, and I to stand between his Legs: which I mention that the Reader may understand that Verse in my Poem concerning him which is printed, where I say, That At once one Pulpit held us both.

§ 166. 11. Another of those Sermons which I published was, A Sermon of Iudgment, which I enlarged into a small Treatise. This was preached at Pauls at the desire of Sir Christopher Pack, then Lord Mayor, to the greatest Auditory that I ever saw.

§ 167. 12. Another Sermon which I preached at Martin's Church, I printed with enlargement, called, Catholick Unity; shewing the great necessity of Unity in real Holiness: It is fitted to the prophane and ignorant People, who are still crying out against Errours and Divisions about lesser matters, while they themselves do practically and damnably err in the Foundation, and divide themselves from God, from Christ, from the Spirit, and from all the living Members of Christ: And it sheweth how greatly Ungodliness tendeth to Divisions, and Godliness to the truest Unity and Peace.

§ 168. 13. About that time I had preached a Sermon at Worcester, which (though rude and not polished) I thought meet to print, under the Title of The true Catholick, and The Catholick Church described: It is for Catholicism against all Sects; to shew the Sin and Folly and Mischief of all Sects that would appropriate the Church to themselves, and trouble the World with the Question, Which of all these Parties is the Church? as if they knew not that the Catholick Church is that whole which containeth all the Parts, though some more pure, and some less: especially it is suited against the Romish Claim, which damneth all Christians besides themselves; and it detecteth and confuteth dividing Principles: For I apprehended it a Matter of great Necessity to imprint true Catholicism on the Minds of Christians; it being a most lamentable thing to observe how few Christians in the World there be, that fall not into one Sect or other, and wrong not the common Interest of Christianity, for the promoting of the Interest of their Sect: And how lamentably Love is thereby destroyed, so that most men think not that they are bound to love those, as the Members of Christ, which are against their Party, and the Leaders of most Sects do not stick to persecute those that differ from them, and think the Blood of those who hinder their Opinions, and Parties, to be an acceptable Sacrifice to God. And if they can but get to be of a Sect which they think the holiest (as the Anabaptists and Separatists), or which is the largest, (as the Greeks and Papists) they think then that they are sufficiently warranted, to deny others to be God's Church, or at least to deny them Christian Love and Communion.

To this small Book I annexed a Poscript against a ridiculous Pamphlet of one Malpas, an old scandalous neighbour Minister, who was permitted to stay in by the Parliament, (so far were they from being over-strict in their Reformation of the Clergy) and now is a considerable Man among them.

§ 169. 14. When we set on foot our Association in Worcestershire, I was desired to print our Agreement, with an Explication of the several Articles: which I did in a small Book, called, Christian Concord: In which I gave the reasons why the Episcopal, Presbyterians, and Independants might and should unite on such Terms, without any change of any of their Principles: But I confess that the new Episcopal Party, that follow Grotius too far, and deny the very being of all the Ministers and Churches that have not Diocesan Bishops, are not capable of Union with the rest upon such Terms: And hereby I gave notice to the Gentry and others of the Royalists in England, of the great danger they were in of changing their Ecclesiastical Cause, by following new Leaders that were for Grotianism. But this Admonition did greatly offend the Guilty, who now began to get the Reins; though the old Episcopal Protestants confessed it to be all true. There is nothing bringeth greater hatred and sufferings on a Man, than to foreknow the mischief that Men in power are doing, and intend, and to warn the World of it: For while they are resolutely going on with it, they will proclain him a Slanderer p. 113that revealeth it, and use him accordingly, and never be ashamed when they have done it, and thereby declared all which he foretold to be true.

§ 170. 15. Having in the Postscript of my True Catholick, given a short touch against a bitter Book of Mr. Thomas Pierce's against the Puritans and me, it pleased him to write another Volume against Mr. Hickman and me, just like the Man; full of malignant bitterness against Godly men that were not of his Opinion; and breathing out blood-thirsty malice, in a very Rhetorical fluent style. Abundance of Lies also are in it against the old Puritans, as well as against me; and in particular in charging Hacket's Villany upon Cartwright as a Confederate: which I instance in, because I have (out of old Mr. Ash's Library) a Manuscript of Mr. Cartwright's containing his full Vindication against that Calumny, which some would fain have fastened on him in his time.

But Mr. Pierce's principal business was to defend Grotius: In answer to which I wrote a little Treatise, called, The Grotian Religion discovered, at the Invitation of Mr. Thomas Pierce: In which I cited his own words, especially out of his Discussio Apologetici Rivetaini, wherein he openeth his Terms of Reconciliation with Rome, viz. That it be acknowledged the Mistress Church, and the Pope have his Supream Government, but not Arbitrary, but only according to the Canons; To which end he defendeth the Council of Trent it self, Pope Pius's Oath, and all the Councils, which is no other than the French sort of Popery: I had not then heard of the Book written in France, called Grotius Papizans, nor of Sarravius's Epistles, in which he witnesseth it from his own mouth. But the very words which I cited contain an open Profession of Popery. This Book the Printer abused, printing every Section so distant, to fill up Paper, as if they had been several Chapters.

And in a Preface before it, I vindicated the Synod of Dort (where the Divines of England were chief Members) from the abusive virulent Accusations of one that called himself Tilenus junior. Hereupon Pierce wrote a much more railing malicious Volume than the former, (the liveliest Express of Satan's Image, malignity, bloody malice, and falshood, covered in handsome railing Rhetorick, (that ever I have seen from any that called himself a Protestant). And the Preface was answered just in the same manner by one that stiled himself Philo-Tilenus. Three such Men as this Tilenus junior, Pierce and Gunning, I have not heard of besides in England! Of the Jesuites Opinion in Doctrinals, and of the old Dominican Complexion, the ablest Men that their Party hath in all the Land; of great diligence in study and reading; of excellent Oratory (especially Tilenus junior and Pierce); of temperate Lives; but all their Parts so sharpened with furious persecuting Zeal, against those that dislike Arminianism, high Prelacy, or full Conformity, that they are like the Briars and Thorns which are not to be handled, but by a fenced hand, and breathe out Tereatnings against God's Servants better than themselves; and seem unsatisfied with blood and ruines, and still cry, Give, Give; bidding as lowd defiance to Christian Charity, as ever Arrius or any Heretick did to Faith.

This Book of mine of the Grotian Religion greatly offended many others: but none of them could speak any Sence against it, the Citations for Matter of Fact being unanswerable. And it was only the Matter of Fact which I undertook, viz. To prove that Grotius profest himself a moderate Papist: But for his fault in so doing, I little medled with it.

§ 171. 16. Mr. Blake having replye, to some things in my Apology, especially about Right to Sacraments, or the just subject of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, I wrote five Disputations on those Points, proving that it is not the reality of a Dogmatical (or Justifying) Faith, nor yet the Profession of bare Assent (called a Dogmatical Faith by many); but only the Profession of a Saving Faith, which is the Condition of Mens title to Church-Communion Coram Ecclèsiâ: and that Hypocrites are but Analogically or Equivocally called Christians, and Believers, and Saints, &c. with much more to decide the most troublesome Controversie of that Time, which was about the Necessary Qualification and Title of Church-Members and Communicants: Many men have been perplexed about that Point, and that Book. Some think it cometh too near the Independants, and some that it is too far from them; and many think it very hard, that [A Credible Profession] of True Faith and Repentance, should be made the stated Qualification; because they think it incredible that all the Jewish Members were such: But I have sifted this Point more exactly and diligently in my thoughts, than almost any Controversie whatsoever: And fain I would have found some other Qualification to take up with, (1. Either the Profession of some lower Faith than that which hath the Promise of Salvation; 2. Or at least such a Profession of Saving Faith, as needeth not to p. 114be credible at all, &c.) But the Evidence of Truth hath forced me from all other ways, and suffered me to rest no where but here. That Profession should be made necessary without any respect at all to Credibility, and consequently to the verity of the Faith professed, is incredible, and a Contradiction, and the very word Profession signifieth more. And I was forced to observe, that those that in Charity would belive another Profession to be the title to Church-Communion, do greatly cross their own design of Charity: And while they would not be bound to believe men to be what they profess, for fear of excluding many whom they cannot believe, they do leave themselves and all others as not obliged to love any Church-Member as such, with the love which is due to a True Christian, but only with such a Love as they owe to the Members of the Devil; and so deny them the Kernel of Charity, by giving the Shell to a few more than else they would do. Whereas upon my deepest search, I am satisfied that a Credible Profession of true Christianity, is it that denominateth (the Adult) visible Christians: And that this must contain Assent and Consent, even all that is in the Baptismal Covenant, and no more; and therefore Baptism is called our Christning: But withal, that the Independants bring in Tyranny and Confusion, whilst they will take no Profession as Credible, which hath not more to make it credible than God and Charity require: And that indeed every man's word is to be taken as the Credible Profession of his own mind, unless he forfeit the Credit of his word, by gross ignorance of the Matter professed, or by a Contrary Profession, or by an inconsistent Life: And therefore a Profession is credible as such, of it self, till he that questioneth it doth disprove it. Else the Rules of Humane Converse will be overthrown: for who knoweth the Heart of another so well as he himself: And God who will save or damn men, not for other mens Actions but their own, will have mens own choosing or refusing to be their inlet or exclusion, both as to Saving Mercy, and to a Church state: And if they be Hypocrites in a false Profession, the sin and loss will be their own. But I confess mens Credibility herein hath very various degrees: But though my fears are never so great, that a man dissembleth and is not sincere, yet if I be not able to bring in that Evidence to invalidate his Profession, which in foro Ecclesiae shall prove it to be incredible, I ought to receive him as a credible Professor, though but by a Humane, and perhaps most debile Belief.

§ 172. 17. After that I published four Disputations of Justification, clearing up further those Points in which some Reverend Brethren blamed my Judgment; and answering Reverend Mr. Burgess (who would needs write somewhat against me in his Treatise of Imputed Righteousness); and also answering a Treatise of Mr. Warner's of the Office and Object of Iustifying Faith: The Fallacies that abuse many about those Points are there fully opened.

If the Reader would have the Sum of my Judgment about Justification, in brief, he may find it very plainly in a Sermon on that Subject, among the Morning Exercises at St. Giles's in the Fields, preached by my worthy Friend Mr. Gibbons of Block-Fryars, (in whose Church I ended my Publick Ministry); a Learned Judicious Man, now with God. And it is as fully opened in a Latin Disputation of Monsieur le Blanc's of Sedan; and Placaeus in Thes. Salmur. Vol. 1. de Iustif. hath much to the same purpose.

§ 173. 18. Near the same time I published a Treatise of Conversion, being some plain Sermons on that Subject, which Mr. Baldwin (an honest young Minister that had lived in my House, and learnt my proper Characters, or short-hand, in which I wrote my Sermon Notes) had transcribed out of my Notes. And though I had no leisure, for this or other Writings, to take much care of the stile, nor to add any Ornaments, or Citations of Authors, I thought it might better pass as it was, than not at all; and that if the Author, mist of the Applause of the Learned, yet the Book might be profitable to the Ignorant, as it proved through the great Mercy of God.

§ 174. 19. Also I published a shorter Treatise on the same Subject, entituled, A Call to the Unconverted, &c. The Occasion of this was my Converse with Bishop Usher while I was at London, who much appoving my Method or Directions for Peace of Conscience, was importunate with me to write Directions suited to the various States of Christians, and also against particular Sins: I reverenced the Man, but disregarded these Persuasions, supposing I could do nothing but what is done as well or better already: But when he was dead his Words went deeper to my Mind, and I purposed to obey his Counsel; yet so as that to the first sort of Men (the Ungodly) I thought vehement Persuasions meeter than Directions only: And so for such I published this little Book; which God hath blessed with unexpected Success p. 115beyond all the rest that I have written (except The Saints Rest): In a little more than a Year there were about twenty thousand of them printed by my own Consent, and about ten thousand since, besides many thousands by stollen Impressions, which poor, Men stole for Lucre sake: Through God's Mercy I have had Informations, almost whole Housholds converted by this small Book, which I set so light by: And as if all this in England, Scotland and Ireland were not Mercy enough to me, God (since I was silenced) hath sent it over on his Message to many beyond the Seas; for when Mr. Elliot had printed all the Bible in the Indians Language, he next translated this my Call to the Unconverted, as he wrote to us here: And though it was here thought prudent to begin with the Practice of Piety, because of the envy and distaste of the times against me, he had finished it, before that Advice came to him. And yet God would make some farther use of it; for Mr. Stoop the Pastor of the French Church in London, being driven hence by the displeasure of Superiors, was pleased to translate it into elegant French, and print it in a very curious Letter, and I hope it will not be unprofitable there; nor in Germany, where it is printed in Dutch.

§ 175. 20. After this I thought, according to Bishop Usher's Method, the next sort that I should write for, is those that are under the work of Conversion; because by Half-Conversion Multitudes prove deceived Hypocrites: Therefore I published a small Book entituled, Directions and persuasions to a sound Conversion; which though I thought more apt to move than the former, yet through the Fault of the covetous Booksellers, and because it was held at too high a Price (which hindred many other of my Writings), there were not past two or three Impressions of them sold.

§ 176. 21. About that time being apprehensive how great a part of our Work lay in catechising the Aged who were Ignorant, as well as Children, and especially in serious Conference with them about the Matters of their Salvation, I thought it best to draw in all the Ministers of the Country with me, that the Benefit might extend the farther, and that each one might have the less Opposition. Which having procured, at their desire I wrote a Catechism, and the Articles of our Agreement, and before them an earnest Exhortation to our Ignorant People to submit to this way (for we were afraid lest they would not have submitted to it): And this was then published. The Catechism was also a brief Confession of Faith, being the Enlargement of a Confession which I had before printed in an open Sheet, when we set up Church Discipline.

§ 177. 22. When we set upon this great Work, it was thought best to begin with a Day of Fasting and Prayer by all the Ministers at Worcester, where they desired me to preach: But Weakness and other things hindered me from that Day; but to compensate that, I enlarged and published the Sermon which I had prepared for them, and entitled the Treatise, Gildas Salvianus (because I imitated Gildas and Salvianus in my Liberty of Speech to the Pastors of the Churches) or The reformed Pastor: I have very great Cause to be thankful to God for the Success of that Book, as hoping many thousand Souls are the better for it, in that it prevailed with many Ministers to set upon that Work which I there exhort them to: Even from beyond the Seas, I have had Letters of Request, to direct them how they might bring on that Work according as that Book had convinced them that it was their Duty. If God would but reform the Ministry, and set them on their Duties zealously and faithfully, the People would certainly be reformed: All Churches either rise or fall as the Ministry doth rise or fall, (not in Riches and worldly Grandure) but in Knowledge, Zeal and Ability for their Work. But since Bishops were restored this Book is useless, and that Work not medled with.

§ 178. 23. When the part of the Parliament called the Rump or Commonwealth was sitting, the Anabaptists, Seekers &c. flew so high against Tythes and Ministry, that it was much feared lest they would have prevailed at last: Wherefore I drew up a Petition for the Ministry, which is printed under the Name of the Worcestershire Petition, which being presented by Coll. Iohn Bridges and Mr. Thomas Foley, was accepted with Thanks; and seemed to have a considerable tendency to some good Resolutions.

§ 179. But the Sectaries greatly regard against that Petition, and one wrote a vehement Invective against it; which I answered in a Paper called, The Defence of the Worcestershire Petition (which by an Over-sight is mained by the want of the Answer to one of the Accusers Queries). I knew not what kind of Person he was that I wrote against, but it proved to be a Quaker, they being just now rising, and p. 116this being the first of their Books, (as far as I can remember) that I had everseen.

§ 180. 24. Presently upon this the Quakers began to make a great Stirr among us, and acted the Parts of Men in Raptures, and spake in the manner of Men inspired, and every where railed against Tythes and Ministers. They sent many Papers of Queries to divers Ministers about us: And to one of the chief of them I wrote an Answer, and gave them as many more Questions to answer, enti…uling it, The Quakers Catechism: These Pamphlets being but one or two Days Work, were no great Interruption to my better Labours, and as they were of small Worth, so also of small Cost. The same Ministers of our Country that are now silenced, are they that the Quakers most vehemently opposed, medling little with the rest. The marvellous concurrence of Instruments telleth us, that one principal Agent doth act them all. I have oft asked the Quakers lately, why they chose the same Ministers to revile, whom all the Drunkards and Swearers rail against? And why they cryed out in our Assemblies, Come down thou Deceiver, thou Hireling, thou Dog; and now never meddle with the Pastors or Congregations? And they answer, 1. That these Men sin in the open Light, and need none to discover them. 2. That the Spirit hath his times both of Severity, and of Lenity. But the Truth is, they knew then they might be bold without any Fear of Suffering by it: And now it is time for them to save their Skins; they suffer enough for their own Assemblies.

181. 25. The great Advancement of the Popish Interest by their secret agency among the Sectaries, Seekers, Quakers, Behmenists, &c. did make me think it necessary to do something directly against Popery; and so I published three Disputations against them, one to prove our Religion safe, and another to prove their Religion unsafe; and a third to shew that they overthrew the Faith by the ill Resolution of their Faith. This Book I entituled, The safe Religion.

§ 182. 26. About the same time I fell into troublesom Acquaintance with one Clement Writer of Worcester, an ancient Man that (had long seemed a forward Professor of Religiousness, and of a good Conversation, but was now perverted to I know not what: A Seeker he profest to be, but I easily perceived that he was either a jugling Papist or an Infidel; but I more suspected the latter: He had written a scornful Book against the Ministry, called Ius Divinum Presbyterii, and after two more against the Scripture and against me, one called Fides Divina, the other's Title I remember not: His Assertion to me was, that no Man is bound to believe in Christ that doth not see confirming Miracles himself with his own Eyes.

By the Provocations of this Apostate, I wrote a Book, called, The unreasanableness of Infidelity, consisting of four Parts: The first, of the extrinsick Witness of the Spirit by Miracles, &c. to which I annexed a Disputation against Clement Writer, to prove that the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles, oblige us to believe that did not see them. The Second part was of the intrinsick Witness of the Spirit, to Christ and Scripture. The Third was of the Sin or Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. And the Fourth was to repress the Arrogancy of reasoning against Divine Revelations. All this was intended but as a Supplement to the Second Part of The Saints Rest, where I had pleaded for the Truth of Scripture: But this Subject I have since more fully handled in my Reasons of the Christian Religion.

At the time Mr. Gilbert, a learned Minister in Shropshire wrote a Small concise Tractate in Latin (as against a Book of Dr. Owen's, though his intimate Friend) to prove that Christ's Death was not necessary absolutely, but of Divine Free Choice; and in answer to that Book, I wrote a brief Premonition to my Treatise against Infidelity to decide that Controversy.

§ 183. 27. Mr. Tho. Foley being High Sheriff, desired me to preach before the Judges; which I did on Gal. 6. 16. and enlarged it to a Treatise, entituled, The Crucifying of the World by the Cross of Christ; for Mortification; and put an Epistle somewhat large before it to provoke rich Men to good Works.

§ 184. 28. Some Men about this time persuaded me, that if I would write a few single Sheets on several Subjects, though the Style were not very moving, yet it would do more good than larger Volumes, because most people will buy and read them, who will neither buy nor read the larger. Whereupon I wrote first, One Sheet against the Quakers, containing those Reasons which should satisfie all Sober Men against their way.

§ 185. 29. The Second Sheet I called A Winding Sheet for Popery, containing a Summary of Moderate and Effectual Reasons against Popery: (which single sheet no Papist hitherto hath answered).

p. 117§ 186. 30. The third Sheet was called [One Sheet for the Ministry, against the Malignants of all sorts); containing those Reasons for the present Ministry which shew the greatness of the Sin of those that set against them. It was intended then against the Quakers and other Sectarian Enemies to the Ministry: but is as useful for these Times, and against those that on other pretences hate, and silence, and suppress them; and might tell their Consciences what they do.

§ 187. 31. The fourth Sheet I called [A Second Sheet for the Ministry]; being a Defence of their Office as continued, against the Seekers, who pretend that the Ministry is ceased and lost: And it may serve against the Papists that question our Call for want of a Succession; and all their Spawn of Sectaries that are still setting themselves against the Ministry, (and against the Sacred Scriptures).

§ 188. 32. Mr. William Montford being chosen Bayliff of Kiderminster, desired me to write him down a few brief Instructions for the due Execution of his Office of Magistracy, that he might so pass it as to have Comfort and not Trouble in the Review; which having done, considering how many Mayors, and Bayliffs, and Countrey Justices needed it as well as he, I printed it in an open Sheet to stick upon a Wall, Entituled, Directions for Iustices of Peace, especially in Corporations; for the Discharge of their Duties to God; (suited to those Times).

§ 189. 33. Mr. Iohn Dury having spent thirty Years in Endeavours to reconcile the Lutherans and Calvanists, was now going over Sea again upon that Work, and desired the Judgment of our Association how it should be successfully expedited; which at their desire I drew up more largely in Latin, and more briefly in English: The English Letter he printed, as my Letter to Mr. Dury for Pacification.

§ 190. 34. About that time Mr. Ionathan Hanmer of Devonshire wrote a Treatise for Confirmation, as the most expedient means to reform our Churches, and reconcile all that disagree about the Qualification of Church Members: I liked the Design so well (having before written for it in my Treatise of Baptism) that being requested, I put a large Epistle before it; and after that, when some Brethren desired me to produce more Scripture Proof for it than he had done, I wrote a small Treatise called, [Confirmation and Restauration the necessary means to Reformation and Reconciliation]. But the times changed before it could be much practised.

§ 191. 35. Sergeant Shephard, an honest Lawyer, wrote a little Book of Sincer…ty and Hypocrisy; and in the end of it Mr. Tho. Barlow (afterward Bishop of Lincoln) wrote (without his Name) an Appendix in Confutation of a supposed Opinion of mine, that Saving Grace differeth not Specie but Gradu from Common Grace: To which I replied in a short Discourse called [Of Saving Faith, &c.] I had most highly valued the Author whom I wrote against, long before, for his Six Exercitations in the end of Schibler's Metaphysicks: But in his Attempt against me, he came quite below himself, as I made manifest; and he resolved to make no Answer to it. In this Tractate the Printer plaid his part so shamefully, that the Book is scarcely to be understood.

§ 192. 36. Being greatly apprehensive of the Commonness and Danger of the Sin of Selfishness, as the Summ and Root of all positive Evil, I preached many Sermons against it; and at the Request of some Friends I published them, entituled A. Treatise of Self-denial; which found better acceptance than most of my other, but yet prevented not the ruine of Church and State, and Millions of Souls by that Sin.

§ 193. 37. After that I published, Five Disputations about Church-Government, in order to the Reconciliation of the differing Parties: In the first I proved that the English Diocesance Prelacy is intollerable (which none hath answered): In the Second I have proved the Validity of the Ordination then exercised without Diocesanes in England (which no Man hath answered, though many have urged Men to be re-ordained). In the third I proved that there are dives sorts of Episcopacy lawful and desirable. In the fourth and fifth I shew the lawfulness of some Ceremonies and of a Liturgy, and what is unlawful here.

This Book being published when Bishops, Liturgy and Ceremonies were most decryed and opposed, was of good use to declare my Judgment when the King came in; for if I had said as much then, I had been judged but a Temporizer: But as it was effectual to settle many in a Moderation, so it made abundance of Conformists afterwards (or was pretended at least to give them Satisfaction): Though it never medled with the greatest Parts of Conformity (Renouncing Vows, Assent and Consent to all things in three Books, &c.); and though it unanswerably confuted our Prelacy and Re-ordination, and consequently the Renunciation of the Vow against Prelacy; and opposed the Cross in Baptism. But Sicvitant p. 118Stulti Vitia (as my Aphorisms made some Arminians). If you discover an Error to an injudicious Man, he reeleth into the contrary Error, and it is hard to stop him in the middle Verity.

§ 194. 38. At the same time I published another Book against Popery, fit for the defensive part, and instructing Protestants how to answer any Papist. It is entituled, A Key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Iesuits, and satisfie all that are but truly willing to understand whether the Cause of the Roman or Reformed Churches be of God.

In this, Treatise, proving that the Blood of the King is not by Papists to be charged upon Protestants, I plainly hazarded my Life against the Powers that then were; and grievously incensed Sir H. vane (as is before declared): And yet Mr. I. N. was so tender of the Papists Interest, that having before been offended with me for a Petition against Popery, and (a Justice of all times) spake against it on the Bench, and his Displeasure encreased by this Book; he took occasion since the King came in, to write against me for those very Passages which condemned the King-killers: Because comparing the Case with the Doctrine and Practice of the Papists, I shewed that the Sectarians and Cromwelians had of the two a more plausible Pretence, (which I there recited) he confuteth those Pretence of theirs as if they had been my own; thereby to make the World believe that I wrote for the King's Death, in the very Pages where to the hazard of my Life I wrote against it; when he himself took the Engagement against the King and the House of Lords, and was a Justice under Oliver, and more than so, signed Orders for the sequestring of others of the King's Party. But the great Indignation against this Book and the former, is, that they were by Epistles directed to Ri. Cromwell as Lord Protector, which I did only to provoke him that had Power, to use it well, when the Parliament had sworn Fidelity to him; and that without any Word of Approbation to his Title.

Yet those that were not prejudiced by partiality against this Book (my Key for Catholicks) have let me know that it hath not been without Success: It being indeed a sufficient Armory, for to furnish a Protestant to defend his Religion against all the Assaults of the Papists whatsoever, and teacheth him how to answers all their Books. The second part doth briefly deal with the French and Grotian Party, that are for the Supremacy of a Council, at least as to the Legislative Power, and sheweth that we never had a general Council, nor can it be at all expected.

§ 195. 39. But the Book which hath furnished my Enemies with matter of Reviling (which none must dare to answer) is my Holy Commonwealth: The Occasion of it was this; when our Pretorian Sectarian Bands had cut all Bonds and Pull'd down all Government, and after the Death of the King had twelve Years kept out his Son, few Men saw any probability of his Restitution; and every self-conceited Fellow was ready to offer his Model for a new Form of Government: Mr. Hobbs his Leviathan had pleased many: Mr. Tho. White the great Papist, had written his Politicks in English for the Interest of the Protector, to prove that Subject ought to submit and subject themselves to such a Change: And now Mr. Iames Harrington (they say by the help of Mr. H. Nevill) had written a Book in Folio for a Democracy, called Oceana, seriously describing a Form near to the Venetian, and setting the People upon the Desires of a Change: And after this Sir H. Vane and his Party were about their Sectarian Democratical Model, which Stubbs defended; and Regars and Needham (and Mr. Bagshaw had written against Monarchy before). In the end of an Epistle before my Book of (Crucifying the World) I had spoken a few Words against this Innovation and Opposition to Monarchy; and having especially touched upon Oceana and Leviathan, Mr. Harrington seemed in a Bethelhem Rage; for by way of Scorn he printed half a Sheet of foolish Jeers, in such Words as Ideots or Drunkards use, railing at Ministers as a Pack of Fools and Knaves, and by his gibberish Derision persuading Men that we deserved no other Answer than such Scorn and Nonsense as beseemeth Fools: And with most insolent Pride he carried it, as if neither I nor any Ministers understood at all what Policy was; but prated against we knew not what, and had presumed to speak against other Mens Art, which he was Master of, and his Knowledge to such Ideots as we incomprehensible. This made me think it fit, having given that General hint against his Oceana, to give a more particular Charge, and withal to give the World and him an Account of my Political Principles, and to shew what I held as well as what I denyed; which I did in that Book called, Political Aphorisms, or A Holy Commonwealth, as contrary to his Heathenish Commonwealth: In which I plead the Cause of Monarchy as better than Democracy and Aristocracy; but as p. 119under God the Universal Monarch. Here Bishop Morley hath his Matter of Charge against me; of which one part is that I spake against Unlimited Monarchy, because God himself hath limited all Monarchs. If I had said that Laws limit Monarchs, I might among some men be thought a Traytor, and unexcusable: but to say that God limiteth Monarchs, I thought had never before been chargeable with Treason, or opposed by any that believed that there is a God. If they are indeed unlimited in respect of God, we have many Gods or no God. But now it is dangerous to meddle with these matters: Most men say now, Let God defend himself.