Some New Blazing Stars Styling Themselves New Lights, Section 2
Section II.
Comprizing their ſeditious, ſcandalous, libellous and daring paſſages againſt ſundry Ordinances and Proceedings of this preſent Parliament in particular not to be paralel'd in any Age, nor tolerable in this.
THeir intolerable libellous ſeditious paſſages of this nature are ſo many and various that I muſt branch them into ſeverall Heads.1. Libellous ſeditious paſſages againſt the Ordinances in regulating Printing.
I ſhall 1. begin with their Invectives againſt the ſeverall Ordinances of both Houſes of Parliament, for the regulating of Printing, and ſuppreſſing the great late abuſes, and frequent diſorders, in printing many falſe, ſcandalous, ſeditious, libellous and unlicenſed Pamphlets, to the great defamation of Religion and Government.
John Libourne in his unlicenſed, printed Libell, intituled, A copy of a Letter to Master Prynne, thus declares againſt theſe Ordinances pag. 2, 3. But being that bNeither I nor the black-coats, but the Parliament, were the ſole Authors of theſe Ordinances.you and the Black-coats in the Synod, have not dealt fairly with your Antagonists, in ſtopping the Preſſe againſt us, while things are in debate, yea, robbing us of our Liberty (as we are Subjects) in time of freedome, when the Parliament is ſitting, who are ſufficiently able to puniſh that man *And therefore you who have abuſed your pen, as much as any man.whatſoever he be) that ſhall abuſe his Penne; ſo that whilſt we are with the hazard of our deareſt lives, fighting for the Subjects Liberty, we are brought into Egyptian bondage in this and other particulars, by the Black-coats, who I am afraid will prove more cruell Task masters then their deare Fathers the Biſhops; who cowardly ſit at home, in my apprehenſion, for no other end but to breed faction and diviſion amongſt thecYou would ſay illaffected, as your Libels againſt their power, Ordinances, and proceedings evidence wel-affected to to the Parliament, promoting thereby their owne intereſt, which is Lazineſſe, Pride, Covetouſneſſe and Domination, endeavouring to lay lower then the duſt, a generation of men whom they falſly call Sectaries, that have in the uprightneſſe of their hearts, without Synodianlike ends, ventured all they have in the world for the good of the Parliament, and the Common-wealth of England, and who may bid defiance to all their adverſaries, that brand them with unfaithfulneſſe; ſo that by meanes of which, I have not been able that way, yet to accompliſh my earneſt deſire; and truly it argues no manhood nor valour in you not the Black-coats, by force to throw us downe and tye our hands, and then to fall upon us, to beat and buffet us; for if you had not been men that had been afraid of your Cauſe, you would have been willing to have fought and contended with us upon even ground and equall termes namely, that thedSo it is in an orderly & regular, though not in a Libellous & ſeditious way. Preſſe might be as open for us as for you, and as it was at the beginning of this Parliament; which I conceive, the Parliament did of purpoſe, that ſo the free borne Engliſh Subjects might enjoy their eLiberty to Print Libels, ſtanders, invectives againſt Parliamentary proceedings, is not the Subjects Liberty or priviledge but his claim and ſhame.Liberty and Priviledge, which the Biſhops had learned of the Spaniſh Inquiſition to rob them of, by locking it up under the key of an Imprimatur, in whoſe tyrannicall ſteps the Synod treads; ſo that you and they think you may rayle at us cum privilegio, and ranke us amongſt the worſt and baſeſt of men, asfYour Libels, carriages proclaim them ſuch. rooters up of Parliaments, and diſturbers of States and Common-wealths.
The ſcurrilous, blaſpemous, unlicenſed Libell, ſtiled, The Arraignment of Perſecution; thus contemptuouſly affronts & jeers this Ordinance, with the Parliament, Synod and Directory, in the very Title Page; This is licenſed and printed according to holy Order, but not entred into the Stationers Monopoly: and in the oppoſite page:
Die Saturni, April. 6. 1645.
It is Decreed and Ordained by the Reverend Aſſembly of Divines, now Aſſembled in holy convocation, that Doctor Burgeſſe and Maſter Edwands doe returne thanks unto the worthy Author of this Treatiſe, intituled, The Arraignment of perſecution, for his gImpious, & ſeditious, if you will not pious.pious endeavours and vigilant care he hath therein, at the entreaty of this Synod. And it is further Ordained, that they doe deſire him, to print and publiſh the ſaid Treatiſe forthwith, and that it be recommended to the people, ashRather a Diab…licall Libell againſt it. a divine Hand-maid to the right underſtanding of the Directory. And it is yet further Decreed and Ordained, that none ſhall preſume to print or re-print the ſaid Treatiſe, but whom he ſhall authorize under his owne hand writing, till this moſt holy Synod ſhall further Order.
Scribes.
Henry ROborough.
Adoniran Byfield
I appoint my divine Cozin MARTIN CLAW-CLERGY, Printer to the Aſſembly of Divines, and none elſe to print this Treatiſe.
Young MARTIN MAR-PRIEST.
What more audacious, jeering affront could be afforded to the Commons or Aſſembly, then this feigned libellous Order?
In the Book it ſelfe, page 2. Perſecution had a thouſand trucks, above all the reſt, for to block up all paſſages. ſtop all mouths, and fortifie himſelfe round; he turned reverend imprima…ur: and here the purſuer was at a ſtand; for all was as faſt as the Devil and the Presbyters could make it: They ſought to authority toiNot to print modeſt and ſober Trea…ies, but ſeditious Libels, …, blaſphemy. o…en the Preſſe, and ſtill the Presbyters (as the cuſtome is) were in the way, that nothing could be done.
P. 10. This fellow Perſecution ſtoppeth Preſſes, whereby men cannot make their juſt defence, ſuffers nothing to be licenſed, printed, preached, or otherwiſe publiſhed, but what himſelfe alloweth; and having thus bound the hands, and ſtopt the mouths of all good men, then he comes forth in print againſt them, like an armed man, and furiouſly aſſaults them, exaults and exalts himſelfe over them, faineth Arguments for them, and then like a valiant Champion, gives them a conquering Anſwer, and thus puts them to flight, and purſues them with revi…ings, ſcandals, forgeries, and opprobrious nick-names, as Anababaptiſts, Br…wnists, Independents, Sciſmatiques, Heretiques: Thus he dealeth with the godly party; (How godly you are, well appeareth to all the world by theſe your libellous, ſeditious, ungodly Pamphlets.)
The libellous Book in purſuance of this ſtiled, A ſacred Decretall &c. proceeds in the ſame language, page 24. Leſt they ſhould fall upon our reare, under pretence of ſuppreſſing the Kings papers, we bounded the Preſſe with our kIt was a Parliamentary Ordinance of both Houſes not made by Presbiterians.Presbyterian compaſſe; that they could not without hazard of plundering, tranſgreſſe our reverend Imprimatur. Then iſſued out witleſſe ſcholaſtick Tractates, againſt the Anabaptiſts, &c. Having thus neatly ſtopt their mouths, we ſophiſticated their Arguments, &c. and then with our politick Anſwers, we preſent them to the people with an Imprimatur. JAMES CRANFORD or the like. We imploy Doctor Featly's Devil (a very reverend ten pound Sir John) to make a diſcription of the Anabapti…s, &c. and this foule ſpirit for the love he beares to the Black-coats at the Doctors deceaſe, tranſmigrated into old Ephram Pag…t (ſeldome lyes the Devil dead in a dry ditch) ſo that the good old man to confute thelIt ſeems th… Libeller denies the ſoules immortality, and writes as it there were no heaven nor hell. mortality of the ſoule, hath made himſelfe ſure of an immortall ſpirit.
Many ſuch ſcurrilous paſſages againſt the Ordinances for regulating printing, (made by both Houſes, ſpeciall care and direction before the Aſſembly met) are ſcattered in their libellous pamphlets, which I pretermit, wherein they write, …s if there were neither heaven nor hell.
OnelyOnly I ſhall adde, that ſome of theſe perſons have acted as contemptuouſly againſt theſe Ordinances, as they have written and printed.
For Maſter Henry Robinſon (the ſuppoſed Author of the Arraignment of perſecution. A ſacr…d Decretal, M…tyns Eccho, and other moſt ſcurrilous, ſeditious Libels) hath maintained a private Printing-preſſe, and ſent for Printers from Amſterdam, wherewith he hath printed moſt of the late ſcandalous, libellous Books againſt the Parliament; and though he hath been formerly ſent for before the Committee of Examinations for this offence, which was paſſed by in ſilence; yet he hath ſince preſumed and proceeded herein in a farre higher ſtraine then ever: beſides John L…lburne being queſtioned before that Committee by ſpeciall Order of the Commons Houſe for printing his libellous Letter▪ contrary to th…ſe Ordinances▪ hath pending his very Examinations▪ contemptuouſly printed and diſperſed abroad his falſe and ſcandalous Reaſons delivered in to that Committee, for printing his former libellous Letter, with ſome marginall …nno…ations and a ſcandalous, libellous Petition, Remonstrance (as formerly Articles) againſt Colonell King; (to omit other printed unlicenſed Papers) an inſolent contempt not to be parallel'd,Libellous, ſeditious paſſages againſt the Ordinance for Tythes. at leaſt not to be tolerated.
Secondly, I ſhall proceed to their libellous, ſcurrilous and ſeditious Invectives againſt the Ordinance for payment of Tythes; which Iohn L…lburne in his forementioned libellous Letter thus affronts charging the Parliament with no leſſe then perjury and breach of their Covenant, for making it.
Page 4. 27. If you put the parliament in mind of their Covenant, tell them. I think they have ſworne to root out all Popery, and therefore have lately aboliſhed the Common-prayer (that great Idol) but yet have eſtabliſhed Tythes, &c. the very nThey were long before Popery; and being the Miniſters maintainance warranted not only by the law of Nature, of Nations, and the old Teſtament, but by the new too, 1 Cor. 9. 7. to 16.root and ſupport of popery;which I humbly conceive is a contradiction of their Covenant; and which will be … greater ſnare then the Common-prayer to many of the precious conſciences of Gods people, whoſe duty is, in my judgement, to dye in priſon, before they act or ſtoop unto ſo diſhonourable a thing as this is to their Lord and Maſter, as to maintaine the black-coats with Tythes, whom they look upon as the profeſſed enemies of their anointed Chriſt; he that payes oIf you add, by vertue & in … of the Leviticall law to Leviticall Prieſts, your argument, might have ſome weight, but if by vertue of the fore-cited Goſpel Texts, the law of the Land & common equity to Miniſters of the Goſpel (as now Tyths are …) your … nonſenſeTythes, is ſubject to the whole law of tythes, in which there was a Lambe to be brought for a ſinne Offering, which is aboliſhed; alſo, he that was to take Tythes,Luke 10. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 17, …. was one that was to offer ſacrifice daily for ſinne, which if any doe ſo now, it is to deny Chriſt come in the fleſh, and to be the alone ſacrifice for ſinne by his death, and ſo overthrow all our comfort, joy and hope.
A moſt inſolent,G…l. 6. 6. ſcurrilous and ſeditious paſſage to ſtirre up the people to rebell againſt this Ordinance.
This Libell is thus ſeconded in the ſeditious pamphlet, inſtiled the Arraignment of perſecution, in the Epiſtle Dedicatory.
To the Reverend, learned Prolocutor, Aſſeſſors, the Commiſſioners of the Church of Scotland, and the reſt of the Venerable Aſſembly of Divines now ſitting in holy Convocation at Weſtminſter.
Reverend Sirs,
According to my duty, at your divine entreaty I have reduced thoſe pious inſtructions received from you unto ſuch a pleaſing forme as, I hope, ſhall not only affect, but abundantly edifie the people of this Kingdome under your holy juriſdiction, for conſidering your ſpirituall care over them, and how your time hath been token up wholy in the procurement of that ſacred Ordinance for Tythes, wiſely thought o… before the Directory, for he is an Infidell and denieth the faith, that doth not provide for his Family, &c. and pag. 26. lib. Conſc. My Lord, the Defendant ſmels of a fat benefice; ſee, ſee his pockets are full of presbiterian ſteeples, the ſpires ſtick under his Girdle, ha, ha, ha: inſtead of Weather-cocks, every ſpire hath got a black-box upon it, and in it the pure and imaculate Ordinance for Tythes, Oblations, &c. ſure ſhortly inſtead of Moſes and Aaron, and the two tables, we ſhall have Sir Simon and Sir John, holding the late ſolemne League and covenant, and that demure, ſpotleſſe, pretty, lovely, ſacred, divine, and holy Ordinance for tythes (the two Tables of our new Presbyterian Gospell) painted upon all the Churches in England: O brave Sir Simon, the Bels in your pocket chime all-in, ours chime all-out; I pray give you a funerall Homily for your friends here, before you depart; heres twenty ſhillings for your paines; you know 'tis ſacriledge to bring downe the price, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever ſhall be▪ world without end, Amen. Sop. 38. My Lord, but our diſſembly Doctors teach otherwiſe; yet I think if your Lordſhip ſhould ſettle Anabaptiſtry or the like, even that which they now perſecute and threaten, preach and pray againſt, and forwarne the people of as hereticall and damnable, provided you ſhould endow it with goodly fat Benefices, and ſanctifie it with the halowed Ordinance for Tythes, offerings, oblations &c. queſtionleſſe the generality of thoſe perſecutors of Anabaptiſts, would have the wit to turne Anabaptiſts, for their Religion is moved upon the wheele of the State: Our Temporizing Doctors, our ſtate Proteſtant Miniſters are not ſo ſimple to ſwim againſt the ſtreame, they are wiſer in their generation, for they know moſt wealth goes that way; as long as our Ordinance is laden with Tythes, offerings oblations, they'le be ſure to give fire; but ſhould the State deprive their Religion of all Eccleſiasticall revenue, of parſonages, tythes, &c. yea, ſhould it be this very Presbytery they ſo aime at, that they ſhould ſo impoveriſh, certainly we ſhould have more pariſhes then Presbyters, more ſteeples then Doctors; then they would not be ſo hot for Presbytery, or zealous to perſecute its oppoſers; I would your Lordſhip would make tryall; call in but your Ordinance for tythes, and turne them to the good will of people, and then—a tythe-Pig will be ſold for a pennie.
Page 44. there is this ſcurrilous Quere put among others. 5. Whether the late divine Ordinance for tythes, offerings, oblations and conventions, be not better Gospel, and in all Presbyterian wiſdome to be preferred and provided before the Directory for the worſhip of God?
O cives, cives, quaerenda pecunia primum Virtus poſt nummos.
Many more clauſes of like nature are in this prophane Libell, which I pretermit.
But that which is the moſt audacious, contemptuous, ſeditious, publike affront of all others againſt the Ordinance, is the prophane, ſcurrilous Libell, intituled. A Sacred DECRETALL nor Hue and cry from his ſuperlative holineſſe, Sir Simon Synod, for the apprehenſion of reverend young MARTIN MAR-PRIEST: In the front whereof there is the picture of a Bull, toſſing Sir Simon Synod on his hornes, and trampling the ordinance for Tythes under his feet, with this inſcription upon it, ORD. for TYTHES.
And page 2. this explanation of it; nothing appeareth but a Bull toſſing Sir John upon his hornes, and ſtamping the bleſſed Ordinance for tythes under his cloven feet; O PROFANE MARTIN! O wicked MARTIN! O ſacrilegious MARTIN! O blaſphemous MARTIN! what? toſſe a Presbyter, and prophane the holy Ordinance for tythes? MARTIN'S not a benefic'd man, that's infallible divinity; wherefore being thus jeer'd and bul'd, we Decree and Ordaine &c.
Page 7. 8. 10. the ſubtill tell-tale muſt be taken, elſe all's mart'd; both Parliament and people will underſtand our deceit, and then Sir John may goe whiſtle for his tythes, if the people once underſtand their owne right: and that the exaction of tythes IS MEERE THEFT and ROBBERY: they'le have the wit (if they be wiſe) to keep their owne; ceaſe hiring us to cheat and delude them to their faces, and we ſhall be laid levell with the mechanick illiterate Laicks; a wickedneſſe not to be mentioned in the Church of God. Page 10. 11. Elſe how ſhould we have got in our Tythes, though now, God be thanked and the Parliament, we have an Ordinance for it: In caſe Martin runne, puſh or gore at the Ordinance for tythes with the right horne, at the Directory with the left horne, let all the trained bands in the Kingdome he ſpeedily raiſed to confute him, that we may ſophiſtically conclude our Presbyterian premiſes, with take him Goaler.
Martyns Eccho proceeds in the like dialect, page 3. 4. 14. (ô divine pillage, gracefull children!) if he had conſidered your pious providence to make ſure the ordinance for tythes, before you could be inſpired with the Directory, he would firſt have had his 400. l. per annum with the Deane of Pauls houſe, confirmed by the Ordinance of Parliament upon him during his naturall life, like as our Brother Burges hath (a ſuper-Epiſcopall Induction, &c.) If Sir John Synod ſhall renounce the Ordinance of tythes, be content with the good will of the vulgar, &c. then Martyn will ceaſe libelling againſt him: In the mean time you are to provide that order may be taken, that the ſuperviſers make diligent ſearch and enquiry after all conventicles and private meetings, &c. for they are very dangerous and deſtructive to your proceedings; for truly their practice and obedience to Chriſt will make your Law and Gospel, your O…d. for tythes, and your Directory the two great commandements, the fulfilling of the Law, and the Prophets, your Fathers, of none effect.
Many ſuch paſſages I find againſt the Ordinance for tythes; the very deſigne of theſe libellous and ſeditious Sectaries being to incite the people to with-hold all Tythes and maintainance from their Miniſters, and ſo to ſubvert the Miniſtery, that none but their illiterate Tub-preachers may inſtruct mens ſouls; and this (I feare) brings many Miniſters into queſtion as ſcandalous and malignant, who might elſe ſit quiet would they deſert their Tythes, and renounce their miniſtery to pleaſe theſe Sectaries.
Thirdly,…. I ſhall recite ſome of their contumelious libellous Invectives againſt the Ordinances of both Houſes of the 26 of April: That no perſon or perſons be permitted to … Minister.
The ſeditious, libell… pamphlet intituled▪ A ſacred ſynodicall Decretal; or … from … Simon Synod, for the apprehending of Martyn Ma-Prieſt: (the Quinteſſence of ſcurrility, blaſphemy and ſedition) writes thus, pag. 5. Yea hee'l not ſtick to tell the people, that the inhanſ…ng and ingroſſing of Interpretations, Preachings and Diſcipline into our owne hands, is a meere Monopoly of the ſpirit, worſe then the Monopoly of ſoape, &c. and that the NEW ORDINANCE of the 26. of April, that no perſon or perſons be permitted to preach that is not ordained a Miniſter, &c. is but a Patent of the ſpirit, to get the whole trade into their owne hands, and ſo rob the people with what Ware, and of what price we pleaſe, thereby onelyonly to advance and enrich themſelves, impoveriſh and delude them, look in their faces and pick their pockets: If preaching ſhould not be reduc'd and confined in the ancient bounds of the Clergy, the Mechanicks would out-ſtrip the Scholaſticks in teaching and * knowledge would ſo encreaſe and multip…y among the common-people,He ſhould ſay …. and preaching grow ſo common with them, that we ſhould grow out of eſteem, and all things that are good and dainty depart from us; therefore it was wiſely prevented in time.
Pag. 17. Martyn will tell the people, that we (Sir Simon Synod) FORGED THE NEW ORDINANCE (that none may preach that is not ordained Miniſter, on purpoſe to make the Sectaries fly before us (to uſe the Doctors phraſe) like lightning before the thunder. Their preaching in the Army is very deſtructive to our Cloth; therefore the Ordinance was wiſely commended to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax to be executed there, which occaſioned a pretty ſtory betwixt an Engliſh-man and one of Jemmy's owne Countrymen: quoth the Scotch-man, Man, is it fit that Colonell Cromwels Souldiers ſhould preach in their Quarters, to take away the miniſteriall function out of the Miniſters hands? Why man (quoth the Engliſh man) doe they ſo? quoth the Scotch-man, I ſay man it is a common thing amongſt them; truly ſaith the Engliſh man, I remember they made a gallant Sermon at Marſton-Moore neer York (where they were Inſtruments to ſave this Kingdome) but your Country-men were in ſuch a fright, they durſt not ſtay to heare them: MARTIN prayes (notwithſtanding the Ordinance) they may make many ſuch Sermons, for that was one of the beſt Sermons that hath been preached in the Kingdome ſince our troubles began.
Pag. 21. Indeed Sir Johns gummes being lately rub'd with a Parliament Corall (the late Ordinance that none may treach that is not ordained a Miniſter) is mad to put his boariſh tuskes, his huge great iron fangs in execution; to devour, rend, teare and cruſh theſe Hereticks. And therefore we wiſely conſulted among our ſelves of a COMMITTEE OF EXAMINATIONS to be choſen out of us. It muſt not be eſteemed a Court of Inquiſition▪ that's Popery: nor a renovation of the High-commiſſion that's Antichriſtian; onelyonly an inlet to a thorow Reformation, that's a godly name and may doe much good▪ &c.
How contemptuouſly they have oppoſed this very Ordinance in their practiſe, ſending our their Emiſſaries, Captaines and Souldiers every where to preach in corners, and giving tickets of the time and place of their conventicles (ſome of them boaſting of working miracles, and caſting devils out of men poſſeſſed by their exerciſ…es at the Jeſuits and Papiſts doe) is ſo experimentally knowne to all and proved before the Committee of Examinations, in the caſe of Captaine (newly) Hobſon, a Taylor, and his confederate Lay-preachers, who lately exerciſed their new miniſterial function neer Neuport Painel, railing againſt our Church, Miniſtery and childrens baptiſme, that it needs rather Reformation by, then Information to the higher Powers.
I ſhall cloſe this Section with ſome generall paſſages, affronting and jeering all Ordinances of Parliament in direct termes.
The new moſt ſeditious Libell, called Martyns Eccho, publiſhed the laſt week, ſtiles Ordinances of Parliament TOYES: page 11. You muſt be carefull that your Directory and all other yout Eccleſiaſtical Acts, be with great ſanctity and reverence ador'd amongſt the people, or elſe your eſteem will goe downe; and this cannot be done without ſome ſevere Lawes, ordinances and the like to that end, which you muſt put the Parliament upon; you know your power and influence upon them, they'le gratifie you with SVCH TOYES, &c.
The late ſeditious pamphlet, ſtiled A ſacred Decretal, is yet more vile; pag. 3. 4. O ye claſſicall Clerks and Sextous of the three Kingdomes, demoliſh and pull downe all the Martyns neſts from your Church-wals and ſteeples, and have a ſpirituall care (as you will anſwer the contempt of the new ordinance) that hereafter no birds build, chatter, doe their buſineſſe, or ſing there, but Church-owles, Jackdawes, otherwiſe called Sir Johns, blind Bats, Presbyterian Woodcocks, and the like: O ye two Houſes of Parliament, make another Ordinance to make all the MARTINS flye the three Kingdomes the next midſommer with Cuckowes and Swallowes, that we may have a blew-cap Reformation among Bats, Owles, Jackdawes and Woodcocks (and then blew-cap for us.)
I could furniſh you with more ſuch Independent ſtuffe, but I am loth to defile more paper with this infernal language of rai…ing Rabſhakeh's; and ſhall here appeale to every ingenuous mans conſcience, whether he can with any ſhadow of reaſon or charity beleeve, that this froward, libellous generation of Independent Sectaries, who thus publikely libell, inveigh and oppoſe themſelves againſt the juriſdiction, Ordinances and proceedings of Parliament, are the moſtp… holy, religious, conſcientious, beſt affected party; the moſt precious Saints and generation of Gods deareſt ones; the Parliaments beſt and faithfulleſt friends who have to their utmoſt power, and divers of them beyond their ability, ſupported & ventured their lives in the Parliaments cauſe and ſervice; doing them more reall and faithfull ſervice then any other generation of men in England, and the onelyonly Vindicators of the Parliaments Priviledges and Subjects Liberties againſt presbiterian and ſynodical uſurpations; (as they boaſt in every one of theſe their Libels againſt the Parliament and its proceedings;) Or whether they are nor in truth thoſeq…. deſpiſers of government, thoſe evill ſpeakers againſt dignities, thoſe reſisters of the higher powers, prophecied of the laſt times;… Pet. 2. 10. who have forgotten Saint Paul's Canon, Rom. 13. 1. Let every ſoule be ſubject to the higher powers, &c. and Tit. 3. Put them in mind to be ſubject to principalities and powers, … 13. 2, 3.to obey Magiſtrates, &c. Yea, the moſt deſperate unparallel'd, publike contemners, affronters, deriders of the Parliaments power, Ordinances, proceedings that ever breathed in our Engliſh Climate: who under the pretext name and colour of the wel-affected, faithfull, godly party, and ſtouteſt Champions for the Parliament, endeavour by degrees to advance themſelves (by policy and the Sword) above it, and trample its authority (as they doe the Ordinance for Tythes, and others) in the very Front of their ſacred Decretal, under their cloven feet. Doubtleſſe they can never fight cordially for the Parliament and its proceedings (but onelyonly for their owne deſignes and intereſts) who that ſeditiouſly, contemptuouſly ſpeak, write, print againſt them; and if their inſolencies againſt the parliament, Synod, Magiſtrates, be already growne ſo intolerable, whiles their faction is yet but in the birth, how tranſcendently arogant and contumelious will they prove when they have accroached greater power, both in our Armies and Councels? God give our ſupreame councell hearts, wiſdome, zeale and fervency ſeriouſly to ſuppreſſe and puniſh theſe Epidemicall growing inſolencies in due time, for feare they become masterleſſe, remedileſſe in the end; elſe theſe Anabaptistical ſectaries, theſe Germane opinions and practiſes will (I feare) ſodainly involve us in the Germane, Anabaptiſticall diſtractions, inſolencies, warres and diſolations, recorded by Sleidan and others, for Englands admonition.