An Anatomy of John Lilburns Spirit, Title page – Dedication
AN ANATOMY OF Lievt. Col. JOHN LILBƲRN'S SPIRIT and PAMPHLETS.
OR, A VINDICATION Of theſe Two Honorable PATRIOTS Oliver Cromwel, Ld Governor of Ireland, AND Sir Arthur Haſlerig, Knight Baronet, FROM THE Unworthy and falſe Aſperſions by him caſt on them in two LIBELS; The one intituled, An Jmpeachment of High Treaſon against OLIVER CROMWEL, &c.
The Other, A Preparative to a Hue and Cry against Sir ARTHƲR HASLERIG: Wherein the ſaid LILBURN is demonſtratively proved to be a common Lyar, and unworthy of civil Converſe.
Prov. 10.31. The mouth of the juſt bringeth forth wiſdom: but the froward tongue ſhall be cut out.
Prov. 4.16. They ſleep not, except they have done miſchief; and their ſleep is taken away, except they have cauſed ſome to fall.
Jude, verſ. 9. The Lord rebuke thee.
LONDON, Printed by John Macock for Francis Tyton, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the three Daggers neer the Inner-Temple, Fleetſtreet. 1649.
To the Right Honorable Houſe of Commons THE Supream Authority OF ENGLAND.
Noble Senators,
I Need not make my Apology, if I dedicate this little Diſcourſe to You, becauſe it moſt concerns You, not onelyonly for that the Diſhonor of Your own Members reflects on You all, but alſo for that You are firſt ſtruck at, and theſe are but ſparks of that fire, that have been firſt kindled (if poſſible) to conſume You. As I have with much joy and admiration, in my ſolitary and private converſation, viewed the eminent actings of providences among You; ſo I have, with almoſt as much lamentation and wonder, bewailed the unhandſom and unſuitable deportments of mens ſpirits and actions, oppoſing of You; But moſt of all the exceeding boldneſs and impudency, together with the tranſcendent rage and venom of that generation of men which are truly called LEVELLERS, a Faction grown out of Your own Bowels, whom I know not what to call, but the putrifaction of GOD'S Mercies and Your Indulgencies, whoſe Principles, as they are begotten by the corruptions of Perſons and Governments, ſo they are maintained and onelyonly thrive by Tumults and Confuſions; a People who have as many Governments as Religions, and as little of the true Religion, as they have of Eſtates and Fortunes in this Nation; men of no more reputation, then what they get among diſcontented and bank-rooted perſons, by holding forth taking and ſeeming Propoſitions of Levelling and Licentiouſneſs: And yet theſe men are ſuffered (in perpetuum noſtri ſeculi infamium) to ſcandalize Your Supream Authority, to raiſe Mutinies and Tumults againſt You, to ſlander Your moſt publique and active Inſtruments, and tolerated, yea, by many countenanced, as if they were the moſt uſeful Inſtruments, or had ſome myſterious glory in their Perſons and Pamphlets, that it were Blasphemy for any ſober man to ſpeak againſt. But, among all this popular and ſeditious Gange, there is none hath more diſhonored this Nation, and contemned Your Authority, then Lievtenant Colonel John Lilburn, their desperate and wretched Inſtrument, who thinks he can attain to no higher reputation, then to deny Your Authority: He hath called You once and again, a Junto, Colonel Prides Junto, a Mock-Parliament, a company of Theeves, and Murtherers, and Felons; made publique Libels againſt the Councel of State, the Army, General, Lievtenant General, all Your Officers; ſlighted all Your Orders, Ordinances, Acts, and glories in it to Your very faces; What a Reproach is this to Your Government? What a Weakening to Your Cauſe, and Diſcouragement to Your Friends? What an emboldening Your Enemies, that John Lilburn, a man of ſuch an inconſiderable Interest, one who could hardly ever challenge more Land in England then might Geometrically ſerve to make his grave, ſhould be ſuffered thus publiquely, and upon Record, to defame not onelyonly Your Perſons ſingly, but ſcorn Your very Government and Authority, as honeſt men do tyranny and inhumanity, without any ſignal puniſhment to the terror of the reſt? And, if I may ſpeak vox populi, the Vulgar think, Your Guilt is the cauſe of Your Patience, and his Innocency of his Boldneſs: and what arcanum imperii there may be in Your breſts, I know not; But You little know, how theſe fooliſh Papers do Gangrene the moſt of men, and according to their different tempers and affections, have their divers and ominous operations: The worſer ſort of men rejoyce, and take heart, and feed their Malignant humors and diſcontents by them; The indifferent and moderate ones know not what to ſay, but think enough; The better ſort, and Your Friends, are much diſheartened, and ſtaggered, and have cauſe to think You are doubtful of Your own Authority, ſince You are ſo cold in maintaining it. Pardon me, if I, out of the abundant ſenſe of Your Honors and the Nations Happineſs, be ſomewhat zealous in ſtirring You up to look about You. England hath been a ſtage of Glory and divine Manifeſtations: You have been carryed on, by a wonder of Providence, through many Difficulties, and have been made Inſtruments of gallant actions, among all which, that Act of Juſtice, done by You on the late King, renders You a Glory to This, and a Terror to all other Nations: And ſhall the Honor of theſe tranſactions (wherein the finger of the Almighty himſelf hath been demonſtrable) be undermined by the diſcontents of a few Mechanick Levellers? or be ſuffered to be blaſted by the puny pen of a distracted Humorist? What will after ages ſay? What will other Nations think? Either maintain Your Government, or give Commiſſion to all men to affront You: It's Equity and Juſtice that ſome ſhould be made Examples to others, now, as others have been made to them heretofore: If You give way to this, You ſhall not want abuſes, and all Your Friends.
It is the opinion and ſerious judgment of many ſober and wiſe, yea godly men, that bleſs GOD for this Change, and lament the miſeries of the times, that one great occaſion, if it be not a cauſe of this ſort of mens oppoſition to you, flows from that unlimited Toleration of RELIGION which is yet granted in this Nation, and think that there is ſomewhat divine and judicial in it, that the first fruits of their new Opinions and Principles ſhould be the abuſing your Authority and Government, that you may ſee betimes what the end of ſuch a Toleration will be, and prevent it. For it's moſt obſervable, that as it was the great and fundamental Principle in their Agreement of the People, (without which all other civil Grants was nothing,) ſo it may be almoſt mathematically demonſtrated, that all that turn Levellers, first leave the Principles of Scripture-Religion, that they may be without check of conſcience for any civil diſorder. Religion is a ſacred bond and tye on mens ſpirits, as well to Civil, as to Spiritual Rules, and when once men forſake theſe Principles, no hearty or cordial obedience can be expected: As Tyrants and Politicians firſt ſtrive to enſlave mens conſciences, and then they are ſure of their perſons; ſo when men mean to level all things to their luſts and humours, they firſt make ſhipwrack of a good conſcience. And it's not to be wondered, that men ſhould deny the common and ordinary Rules of Civil Government, who have profeſſedly denyed all Rules and Inſtitutions both of Law and Gospel; for though Religion and Civil Government be of different natures, yet they are commonly inter-woven together, as to the flouriſhing of each other; that Government ſhall never thrive where Religion is not advanced, nor will Religion much flouriſh in the midst of Factions or Schiſms, or under Popular or Tyrannical Governments of States; yet commonly the one is bleſſed by the other, Gods deſign being to advance himſelf firſt, to ſet up his own Name, and then to prosper Nations.
I am conſtrained (Honourable Worthies) to repreſent this Conſideration to you, that you would vindicate your own names in advancing Chriſts, and expect no hearty conjunction of any with you, in this Government, but honeſt and conſciencious men, who can only be engaged by Principles of Religion, and Civil Freedom; for men that have left the Principles of the Scripture, the Rule of Religion, expect nothing elſe but they ſhall, as they find their l…st act, ſoon oppoſe the moſt fundamental Maximes you can lay down as a baſis to your Goverment. It is the fear of this unlimited Toleration makes many honeſt Preſbyterians ſtand at ſuch a distance, and ſo unwilling to ſubmit to this change; yea, that makes you loſe many a godly heart, which elſe would rejoyce in former acts done by you, while they ſee no more ſignal Character of favour and reſpect profeſſedly ſet on the Principles of the Gospel, then on Heatheniſm, or Judaiſm, and continually hear Blasphemies ſpoken cum privilegio, at leaſt without puniſhment. Is our Religion ſo uncertain, or doubtful, that it need to have falſe Religions to try it by? Is Blasphemy a leſs ſin then it was? or, is Gods honor faln in its worth and excellency, that it ſhould not be as much preſerved as ever? God forbid. Liberty of Conſcience muſt be given onelyonly to men that can be ſuppoſed conſcienciouſly to differ, not onelyonly from Religion, but ſome externall way of practiſing the ſame Principle. But I leave it to Your wiſe and ſerious Conſideration, onelyonly preſent You with this Vindication of two of Your faithful and active Agents of this Nation, You have Power enough to vindicate Your own Authority; I can do no more then witneſs againſt the falſe and wicked asperſions of Lievt. Col. John Lilburn againſt them, and ſubmit it to Your Iudgments, as thoſe who ought to take the prime cognizance of it, that You may know what Servants You, and this State hath, and what an evil and intolerable perſon this John Lilburn is to live under the favor and ſmiling aspect of ſuch a State, or, which he makes the onelyonly Butt of his madneſs and malice.
Your Honors moſt humble Servant, T. M.