The New Query and Determination Upon It, Dedication
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS ADAMS Lord Major of the Metropolis of England, the renowned Citie of LONDON.
Right Honourable,
THe concurrent deſires of people of all ſorts, (except of ſuch as raiſe their owne particular intereſts out of the common ruines) for recovery of our peace, and the pantings of many lying under the power of the oppreſſour for deliverance from warre, have of late by the good hand of God upon our publique counſels and forces, thriven up to hopes, and thoſe hopes to preſages, that it will be an Honourable note upon your Name in time to come, to have had the good hap within your view (before you give up to another the Enſignes of your Honour) which is the generall vote of all the true hearted Patriots of three Kingdomes, that is a well compounded, and compacted happineſſe, made up of three of the moſt deſirable bleſſings of humane ſociety, which are conſiſtent with the condition of mortalitie; and they are theſe,
1. A ſincere and through reformation of Religion, in Doctrine and worſhip of God.
2. A Diſcipline and Government eſtabliſhed according to Gods word, and the example of the beſt reformed Churches: whereby, with the aſſiſtance of Divine grace, we may be better (then heretofore) ſecured from relapſes into irreligion, hereſie, ſchiſme, and profaneneſſe, which have beene the great crimes and curſes of the laſt precedent, and preſent times, though (through the cunning workings of Satan) the evils now in courſe (with ſome degrees of improvement from bad to worſe) are taken by ſome to be the remedies againſt foregoing corruptions.
3. A third thing (which in order of dignitie is the laſt, though in moſt mens affections it be the firſt) is, that according to the preſcript prayer of the Apoſtle, we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, 1 Tim. ….1. he addeth in all godlineſſe and honeſtie; but both theſe have beene virtually premiſed in the two precedent particulars. This will be of ſo much the ſweeter taſt to all, as either by actuall ſuffering, or by affectionate ſympathy they have taken the deeper draught of the bitter cup of furious hoſtility.
That none of this hopefull expectation may faile of effect, it will be requiſite that every one (for his part and to his power) endeavour to make it good by all the good meanes, and helps, which conduce to the comfort and ſafetie not of a few, but of the whole Common weale, in each of the Nations now ſo much ſhaken, and in danger alſo to be broken in pieces.
1. By making an holy Covenant with God, and by being ſtedfaſt in the Covenant when we have made it; ſo we may engage his favour, and power to our partie, to be not onelyonly a friend, and Patron to us, but an enemie to our enemies, and an adverſarie to our adverſaries, Exod. 23.22.
2. By being at union among our ſelves, and ſtudying as much to uphold it, as the ſeditious Shebaes on the other ſide plot the ſetting of diſcord betwixt the deareſt brethren; and if it be not to be looked for, that all, who are equally concerned in the ſame Cauſe, ſhould unanimouſly conſent in that courſe which may carry it on to deſired ſucceſſe; yet there may be a fivefold union among us, which may give ſtrength unto, and maintaine the reputation of the great Deſigne it hand, viz. a through reformation both in Church and State.
The firſt union is of the two Siſter Nations, according to our ſolemne League and Covenant, which muſt be preferred before all either factions, or queſtuo…s intereſts of any particular party whatſoever.
For as no two Nations under heaven have more and ſtronger bonds of union, then we of England, and our Brethren of Scotland, being bounded, and ſurrounded by the Sea, as one entire Iland, united under one King, under one Title in the Kings Royall ſtyle [the King of Great BRITAINE] united yet more in Language, and Religion and moſt of all in our late Covenant for a generall Reformation of Church and State, and mutuall aſſociation and aſſiſtance againſt all malignant combinations; So nothing is more enviouſly obſerved by our common enemies then theſe many obligations of union betwixt us, nothing more cunningly contrived, or more ſeriouſly purſued by them, (and I wiſh ſome among our ſelves had neither hearts, nor heads, nor hands in the plot) then to diſ-joyne us, and to make us, not onelyonly perfidiouſly to fall off from performance of our common Covenant, but with the ſame hands which we have lifted up to the moſt High God, to fall one upon another, as the confounded and accurſed Midianites, Iudg. 7.2…. and when by ſuch wickedneſſe we are brought to a weakneſſe, which may be eaſily ſubdued (but God forbid, we ſhould be both ſo bad, and mad as to act a Tragedie upon our ſelves, to ſet forth a Comedie for ſuch malicious ſpectators, as would make their greateſt mirth of our moſt grievous miſery) we muſt expect the execution of the bloody and deſtructive deſigne, reſolved on in Ireland: which a knowing Intelligencer hath reported of the rebels there in theſe words: *The Iriſh Remonſtrance. p. 31.This Kingdome, viz. Ireland, ſettled and peopled onelyonly with ſound Catholicks, thirty thouſand men muſt be ſent into England to joyne with th…rench and Spaniſh forces; and the ſervice in England perfor…, then they will joyntly fall upon Scotland for the reducing of that Kingdome to the obedience of the Pope, which being finiſhed they have engaged themſelves for the King of Spaine, for aſſiſting him againſt the Hollanders. Wherein, though they reckon without the Lord of Hoſts, who onelyonly commands both Peace and Warre at his pleaſure, and ſwayeth the ſucceſſe to which ſide he will, yet this diſcovers their deſigne of unpartiall perdition of the Proteſtant partie; and the diſcovery thereof ſhould be a motive of more confirmed union among our ſelves.
The ſecond Ʋnion is that of the Parliament and Citie; whereof we have had ſuch happy experience, ever ſince the unhappy hoſtility betwixt the flatterers of the King, and friends of the Kingdome, that we are bound to bleſſe God for it, and to pray for the continuance of it, both for our owne time, and for the ages to come.
The third is the Ʋnion of the Parliament and Aſſembly of Divines; whoſe recipr…call, and proportionable reſpects, (which I mean not in an Arithmeticall, but in a Geometricall Proportion) give much countenance and authoritie to what is propounded to the people in their names; for ſo the command of the one will be more awfull, the advice, direction, and reſolution of the other more uſefull, throughout the whole Kingdome.
A fourth Ʋnion is betwixt the Aſſembly of Divines and the City Miniſters; who may the more eaſily accord and agree together, becauſe many of them be but the ſame men under ſeverall relations; and moſt of them are ſwaid by the ſame principles of truth and pietie, and involved in a ſociety and participation of the ſame duties, hopes, and hazards.
The fifth Ʋnion is betwixt the City Magiſtracie and the Citie Miniſtery, to which both ingenuous, and religious correſpondence doth diſpoſe them; for no where in the Proteſtant Churches (ſo farre as I have read or received by report) are good Miniſters better accepted of, or more reſpectively uſed, then in this City, nor by any Citizens more then by thoſe who are moſt worthy of honour; and is cannot but be the deſire, as well as the duty, of godly Miniſters, to advance them as much as may be in the eſtimation of the people; and to preſſe upon them obedience according to their duty, and dependence, for conſcience ſake.
And though it be obvious to common obſervation, how much the Magiſtrates favour maketh for the Miniſters honour, and ſuccour, it is not unknowne, nor unobſerved by the wiſe, that the Miniſters have been very ſerviceable to the Civill State, and to the Military too, not onelyonly by their ſupplications to God, for good ſucceſſe to all their publique undertakings, and their happy proceedings in all their warlike marches, and motions, as at the removall of the Arke. Numb. 10.35. Riſe up Lord, and let thine enemies be ſcattered, let them that hate thee flee before thee; but by their informations, and ſoli…itations of the people, to engage both their eſtates, and perſons, in the Cauſe of God, and their Countrey: and I could name ſuch at have b… looked on by the blood ſh…tten …yes of profeſſed enemies, and fained by them (by way of moſt hatefull repr…ach) at the Authours of the Rebellion of whole Counties, that is, (in the true ſenſe of their charge) the perſwaders of them, not to betake themſelves to a divided party, but to unite in the union of the King and Parliament.
And I am ſure that ſome of them who have been envied, and reviled in Print (by libellous Schiſmaticks) as growing rich upon the revenues of fat ſequeſtrations, (when by a juſt accompt they have come ſhort of a competent ſubſiſtence) have been offered both riches and honour in the Kings name, by perſons of eminent degree, to imploy their parts in his Majeſties ſervice (the termes were no worſe, the intention likely not ſo good) and have modeſtly, and yet reſolutely refuſed them, then when it ſeemed both moſt profitable, and honourable to a… cept them, and not a little dangerous to withſtand rewards, when there was power to call for obſervance by minatory commands.
And it was then an advantage viſible enough, which the King had above the Parliament (as the Pope hath above a Councell) that the diſpo…all of Church dignities was held in right, and exerciſed in fact, as a branch of the Royall Prerogative; whence aroſe the Proverbe which made ſo many Eccleſiaſticall Courtiers, No fiſhing to the Sea, No ſervice to the King; and by the power and Court Countenance that ſuch had over the inferior Miniſters, both they by the Prelaticall Clergie, and the people by them were made more obſequious and ſerviceable to whatſoever conſtitutions, and impoſitions, which came upon them, whether from the Civill or Eccleſiaſticall Authority. And though wee have cauſe to multiply our benedictions, as David did, 1 Sam. 25.…2, 33. Bleſſed be God, and bleſſed be the Parliament, and bleſſed be their advice, not only to themſelves, but to all the Kingdom, that the heavie yoke of the domineering Hi…rarchy is taken off our neckes, yet betwixt the Magiſtrates and the people, the godly Miniſters of the Kingdome (and ordinarily the Miniſters of this Citie eſpecially (for the Synod of Divines is an extraordinary Aſſembly) will be alwayes as leaſt inſtrumentally profitable for the promoting, and upholding of a conformity and commodious correſpondence on both ſides, according to the Relations, wherein for the glory of God, and the publique welfare they are mutually obliged to each other.
In pr…poſall of theſe particulars to your Lordſhip, I ſhall not be thought to preſent you with an impertinent diſcourſe, by any thus will conſider bow much the union of three Kingdoms depends upon the union of this Metropolis, or mother Citie with the Parliament above it, the Miniſtry within it, and all the ſiſter Cities, and daughter Townes and Villages round about it; and how much the union of this City now depends upon your Honour, and I doubt not but that by Gods ſpeciall providence your Honour was reſerved for ſuch a time as this, when by a prudent, and zealous, and authoritative endevour for the cure of the manifold diſtractions among us, you may be a bleſſed meanes to keepe off the deſtruction from us, which is threatned by our Saviour to a Kingdome, (and there is the like danger to any either City or family) given over to diviſion, Matth. 12.25. wherein your Lordſhip and your Venerable Colleagues may have the deepeſt ſhare in ſuffering, according to the meaſure of your eminent prelations in honour, and eſtate, above ordinary Citizens, if (which God forbid) violent and unruly ſpirits ſhould not be circumſcribed with the virge of your awfull authoritie.
To this end though the Presbyterian Government may be very ſubſervient, and the Miniſters of the City will be alwaies ready, (as their faculties furniſh them with abilitie, and their duties oblige them with diligence) to ſerve your Honour, yet ſince that is ſet up but in part, and for a good part ſubiect to diſpute, (as your power is not, for it is wholly compleat, and no way queſtionable) the through reformation of this ſpatious and populous Citie, next under God, and the Parliament, will more depend upon your head for counſell, your heart for affection, and your hand for execution, then on any humane helpe or meanes, whatſoever it be.
And if in regard of newly emergent miſchiefs, (for Satan infuſ…th into his Agents new fancies, and devices, and ſtirreth them up to dangerous Innovations every day) you find not ready remedies for all preſent, or imminent evils, within the bounds of your municipall Charters, you are ſo neere the well-head, and ſpring of Civill Government (the Legiſlative Senate at Weſtminſter) that you may eaſily, and ſpeedily procure a ſupplement of power, for any ſervice that may conduce to the ſafety of the Parliament, and Citie, and (with both) by conſequentiall operation, and virtuall influence, of many millions of ſubiects within the three Kingdomes, united in the moſt Sacred bond of our ſolemne Covenant; which may with more i…genuiti… be deſired, and with more facility be obtained, becauſe thereby the Parliament it ſelfe may be the better ſecured, both from contemp…, and tumult, which may juſtly be feared from ſuch an inſolent, and violent generation of fanaticke, and ſome franticke Enthuſiaſts, and other fiery ſpirited Separatiſts, who account it the height of their Evangelicall zeale, to bring downe the higheſt and moſt eminent Worthies of the State for true piety, prudence, dignitie, and power, under the feet of confuſed Anarchy, and popularity.
Wherein that they meane to make no reſerves of reverence for the ſupreme Senate of the Kingdome, nor to allow any protection by priviledges of Parliament, is clearly diſcovered in that moſt ſeditious Pamphlet (beſides many others) called Englands Birthright. For notwithſtanding the preſent, preſſing, and imperious neceſsities of the Commonweale, requiring the raiſing of ſupplies in extraordinarie wayes for its owne ſupport, and preſervation from perpetuall ruine, and notwithſtanding the exemplarie juſtice of the Parliament, upon their owne members of both Houſes, (to which may be added to their glory, and the Kingdomes comfort, their moſt juſt and impartiall proviſion againſt oppreſsion of the people, either by themſelves, or their ſubſtituted Committees) the Libellous (and in reſpect of ſome paſſages of his Booke, I may ſay blaſphemous) Authour, taking no notice of any thing that may be juſtly pleaded for the proceedings of Parliament, labours to repreſent them to the people as a combination of moſt grievous, and …ngratefull oppreſſours.
I will ſet downe his owne words, but ſo as the Scripture doth the blaſphemies of Satan, or Rabſhakeh, and other ſuch like *The word cometh of Saraph, which ſignifieth to burne, and of that is derived the noune Saraph, (with the onelyonly difference of a long vowell for a ſhort) which is uſed for a fiery ſerpent, Iſa. 14.29.S…raphicall ſlanderers, that they may be as odious, as their diſpoſition is dangerous to all good men, if they had as much power in their hands, as there is gall in their hearts, their tongues, and pens; the Title of this out-laſhing Libell is ſet downe in theſe words.
*For an Antidote againſt ſuch calumnies ſee M. Prinnes Booke entitled The Lyar confounded.Englands birthright juſtified againſt all arbitrary uſurpation, whether Regall or Parliamentary, or under what vizor ſo ever. With divers Queries, Obſervances, and Grievances of the people, declaring this Parliaments proceedings to be directly contrary to thoſe fundamentall Principles, whereby their Actions at faſt were juſtifiable againſt the King, in their preſent Illegall dealings with thoſe that have beene their beſt Friends, Advancers, and Preſervers: And in other things of high concernment, to the Freedome of all the Free-borne people of England.
What ever the man is, the B…ke is no hypocrite, for it i… th…ſ… within, which it ſeemeth without. For page the 33. he putteth this Qu…re (and his Queres are implicit reſolutions on the wrong ſide.) Whether is it not agreeable to law, juſtice, equitie, and conſcience, that there ſhould be a Parliament once every yeare, and more often if need require? whereby he meaneth that this Parliament hath ſate too long already, for a little after he chargeth them, that many of the Members have betrayed their truſt, and thoſe that remaine ingroſſe Law-making, and alſo Law-executing into their owne hands, contrary both to reaſon and to the true intent and meaning of the Law; and within a few lines, he goeth on thus: By which manifeſt abuſing, negligent, and not true uſing the Lawes, oppreſſions, miſchiefe…, and grievances are no leſſe (if not farre more) increaſed then they were before the Parliament began; and many times by the powerfull Intereſt of a faction in the Parliament, to ſave ſome one, two, or three of their Members undeſerving credits, they ſo violate the knowne, unrepealed, and declared Law of the Land, yea and their owne Votes, Ordinances, Declarations, and Proteſtations, as if they had never made them; I ſay all theſe things conſidered, ought not the Freemen of England, who have laboured in theſe deſtroying times, both to preſerve the Parliament, and their owne Native freedomes, and birth-rights, not onelyonly to chooſe new Members, where they are wanting, once every yeare, but alſo to renue and enquire once a yeare, after the behaviour, and carriage of thoſe they have choſen.
And having page 44. aggra…ed the condition of the times by taxes and impoſitions, inſtancing in the Trade of Ha…makers, he concludes with this enclamation (which may ſerve for an incentive to ſeditions tumult) O …ruell, pitifull, and intolerable bondage, no longer to be endured, ſuffered, or undergone, the burden being heavier then the poore labourers can beare!
And that we may know of how lawleſſe a Sect himſelf in, and thoſe whom …e plead… for, he pr…feſſeth himſelfe a litter enemy to Lawyers, firſt … the writer of a looſe ſheete of paper, under the Title of Advertiſements for the new election of Burgeſſes for the Houſe of Commons (by the name of a worthy Authour) as a Caveat againſt filling up elections with ſuch kind of men, making the knowledge of the Law of nouſe for making of a Stateſman, ſince it is, ſaith he, a confined and Topicall kind of learning, calculated onelyonly for the Meridian of Weſtminſter Hall, and reaching no furthen then to Dover; for tranſplant a common Lawyer to Calice, and his head is no more uſefull there, then a Sunne-Diall in a grave. Whereas it is notorious to the world that ſundry *As the L. Ver. M. I. Seld. Will. Pr. (and ſome others) whoſe excellently learned labo… praiſe them i… the gates.profeſſed Legiſts have been qualified with other learning, and that both with great variety, and in an eminent degree, above other men.
Having impeached their heads, he cometh downe to their hearts, and hands, and taxeth theſe for ill conſcience, as the other for ignorance. Lawyers (ſaith he) being a bold, and talkative kind of men, will intrude themſelves into the Chaires of all Committees, where (being accuſtomed to take fees) they will underhand protect Delinquents, and their concealed eſtates with tricks and deviſes. He knoweth ſure very little of the manner of Committees; for no man can thruſt himſelfe into ſuch an employment, but is thruſt into it by the major part of the Committee; but there needs none Apologie, where the Antilogie is none other then a moſt raſh and unreaſonable calumny; and my preſent purpoſe is but to note how headſtrong and unruly, how refractory to Government, and Law, the Sectaries are already; to what an height of inſolence would they grow, if (which they preſſe for) they ſhould be permitted a toleration by publique Authoritie? It may be ſome among them in time would take upon them as the proud and rude Rebell Wat Tyler, in Richard the Seconds time, who preſumed, among other moſt lewd and impudent demand…, to *S. Daniel continuation of the Hiſtory ad Rich.K 2. p. 5.propound this for one, That all Law might be aboliſhed, affirming with an execrable oath, before Night all the Law of England ſhould paſſe through this ſtrait, (clapping his hand upon his mouth.)
But I muſt take my hand from this Table, leſt I treſpaſſe againſt the publique Intereſt, in detaining your Honour too long in beholding this Sciographie or ſhadow-draught of pernicious Sectaries, ſixce it is a time rather of action, then of ſpeculation; and yet if your Honour have any ſpare houres for further information in the various, and dangerous turnings, and windings of the ſpirits of Errour, (whom Satan in theſe laſt and worſt times hath ſent out, not by couples, as our Saviour ſent out his Diſciples, Mar. 6.7. but almoſt by Legions, to ſeduce ſimple ſoules, to trouble our publique peace, and to reproach and retard the reformation deſired) I ſhould make bold to offer to your view an *M. Robert Baylie his Diſſwaſive from the errours of the time; wherein the Tenets of the principall Sect of the Independ: are drawne together in one Mappe: Printed for Sam. Gellibrand at the Braſen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard.exact delineation, or deſcription of the whole body of Schiſmaticall, and Hereticall noveltie, drawne by a very skilfull and faithfull hand, and newly publiſhed to undeceive the Engliſh, especially the people of the City, of whom many are miſerably miſled, and more will be, if both Magiſtrates and Miniſters doe not watchfully overlooke them, and ſeriouſly ſot themſelves to prevent their increaſe: Wherein your Lordſhips prudence, and power, (beginning betime, and continuing your care in a proportionable tenour, untill your Office expire, (which is the expectation of all that know the ſoliditie of your judgement, and ſtability of your ſpirit) may prevaile very much, though it be but for an yeare; for how great matters in how ſhort a time have beene attempted and accompliſhed by that worthy Generall Sr. Thomas Fairfax, undertaking, and proſecuting the warre (with a couragious and conſtant reſolution) not as a Trade to enrich himſelfe, but as a Remedy to deliver his Countrey, from partly preſent, and partly imminent miſeries?
And for that purpoſe your Lordſhips Sword in the City may be of very great uſe, as his in the field; and that with both the Sword of the Lord may be aſſociated, as with the Sword of Gideon, Iudg. 7.18. and his power may ſtill ſupport your ſtate, protect your perſon, and promote your proceedings to moſt happy ſucceſſe, is the hearty deſire, and ſhall be the daily prayer of
Your Honours moſt humble ſervant, JOHN LEY.