WHen mouth Granadocs from Sion Colledg fly about with so much sacred Authority, and the fierce sons of Thunder tell us, they have obtained a Commis­sion for fire and brimstome from Heaven; and all the Cyclops of the Province of London are sum­moned, to give up their stock of thunderbolts, to make up the in­dignation of the Judgments of the Ministers of the Gospel: that this full Viol of Wrath might be poured at once upon the heads of this presumptuous, Heretical, Sacrilegious Army, by the hands of a new Army of Martyrs, before their threatned Consecration. Tis high time for all that are under the influence of this prodigeous meteor, to bespeak a covering, and ship themselves in the Ark of Innocency; that the deluge of the threatned storm might not irre­coverably sink them into the bottomless pit of Presbyterian de­struction.

Though I am an inconsiderable piece of their mighty rage, and impar congressui; and know well, that no skin is so invulnerable, as that which is anoynted with the oyl of Clergy, and Classical Au­thority; and though they are numeri fruges consumere, yet I shall take the confidence to desire them to give me the serious Represen­tations of their judgments in this particular; and possibly the rest, I will debate with them more modestly.

Whether the prudent circumspection of those, was not much to be commended, who ordered a good quantity of Buckets to be hanged up in every steeple-house within your Province, knowing the greatest danger, was left a mischievous fire should break ou [...] from such places; and often finding that a little spark kindles [...] great flame. Sure Cacus was a Presbyter: And some say, even Gunpowder was invented by a Monk.

[Page] But now a little more seriously.

When this horned Ant, this little beast branded with so ma [...] names upon its buttock, was first offered to my view; I thought in reference to an equal contest, to have called my company toge­ther, and parcelled out to every one a Reason or two, presented from these judicious Pastors; that after a serious debate, we might have acquitted our selves from the danger of them, by a just re­sponsal; or otherwise made an honorable submission, to the equity and truth of them.

But I found that their Censure and Judgment upon the proceed­ings of the Army, is like their Pulpit Confutations of Heresies▪ Judg them by the lump, damn them in gross, (as Whole-sale, me [...] may sell good peny-worths,) take Atheists, Hereticks, Shisma­ticks, Anabaptists, Brownists, Independents, and binde an huge Milstone of Condemnation about their necks, and throw them all at once into the midst of the Sea. When I saw, that most; or all their Bruta fulmina, were forged upon the Anvile of their own Judgments, Censures, Decrees; and indeed, these two-handed Divines, lay heavily about them with those Hammers: And when they had authentickly said us Covenant-breakers, Despisers of lawful Authority, Rebels against Magistracy and Ministery, Haters of God, Goodness, and all good men; Patrons of Heres [...] and Impiety. These Sorbonists had nothing more to do, th [...]n open the Quire of their Common-place Books, and shoot some keen Arrows out of the Sacred Writ, (with some bolts of their own) and easily destroy those Sons of Confusion, who in­deed deserve to die by no worthier hands. For who knows not, that such discourses as these, though calculated for the Meridi [...] of the Province of London, yet may indifferently serve for any so­ciety of men, that can make any lawful improvement of waste Paper: For when Weapons of Scripture, and sound Reasons were laid down before all the world, and these Masters of De­fence invited to the Combat; what candor or ingenuity was there to refuse the ingagement: And issue forth to judgment, with the confidence of a Letter, every where magnifying their Magisterial [Page] power; but no where their Integrity or Wisdom, in examining of what they so readily condemn.

For let all men judg what account their Forlorne gives of it [...]elf: I understanding that some of their prime men, that now [...]erve onely to line the Hedg, had a dispute with the General and [...]ome of his Officers, and had already crowed over their conquest; [...]hey desire to sound a Trumpet to their Victories, and though [...]hey heard not in that skirmish one piece of Reason discharged: [...]otwithstanding, they draw up their Assents in rank and file, with [...]heir Brethren, take the Margent into the Text, condemn what [...]hey never heard. And all this, that they might shew the people [...]heir Transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins.

And if for this onely end we had desired a Conference, that the [...]ddition of so many lamentable voyces, might have made up the Chorus of our condemnation, they would easily have strung [...]the acred Harp to their own ditty, and have warned us to have no Fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove [...]hem rather.

The next Paragraph exercises a most Arbitrary and Tyrannical [...]ower over our proceedings (never were Muses condemned before) [...]n prejudging our Remonstrances, Declarations, Restraints of Members, as Things unjust, illegal, unholy: For of that, the Court takes special cognizance, without the allowance of any Plea, Reason, and Equity, might advance in their behalf; yea, the un­happy Agreement, is judged Illegitimate, before it was born, and signed with the sign of the Cross, before ever it came into the world,

The next is a needless defence of untouched Authority a pres­sing all the Friends of Power in genere, to serve under the colours of Tyranny and Oppression. A Patronage of Personal Priviledge against Publike Safety, and Advantage: The Kings, the Parlia­ments, the Magistrates, the Ministers Interest so involved and con­joyned, as it is not easie to judg who is Heir-apparent to the dear­est affections of these indifferent men.

I shall therefore desire, if one man be not appointed to lay out [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] for the rest) that a tax might be rated upon the Province of Lon­don, and the Parson of Sepulchres made Collector for other mens Contributions, that satisfaction might be made in point of Reason, to some few demands. Because in a great part of what you say, You pretend greater acquaintance with Policy then Religion.

1. VVHether there be any such specifial Power, so formed by the Almighty Architect; that all Nations and People under Heaven, are everlastingly bound to shape the frame of their Common-wealths, in exact Conformity thereto, as the Divine Pro­totipe of Government, as Moses had a patern for the Tabernacle; from which, in the least to deviate, was a sin. Or, whether God did so won the issuings out of Natural Wisdom and Policy, in particu­lar Societies of men, endevoring after some Representative of Authority, in reference to their good; as to stamp a ray of majesty upon it: consecrating it as a positive good to all, living under the jurisdiction of the same. And whether such a Power, for ends of publike advantage, transferred, and accepted, may not through deficiency, or default, revolve into its root and original, and ad­mit a new debate, as to the Specification thereof. And whether this be not our present condition?

2. Whether the supreame Authoritie in being, acting apparently destructive to the foundations of the Nations freedome, yet en­tituling just power to usurped Tyrannie, may not be opposed by the major, or better part of the people? and if a bloudie warre ensue, and obstinacie so farre contest with resolution, that nothing under heaven, but the sad arbitrement of the Sword can decide the unhappy quarrell. Whether it be not consonant to Religion, reason, and sole policie, that each partie should be equally re­sponsable to the issues of so hotly a disputed warre? Whether this be just, that any power, or person should so incircle it selfe in the conjuration of priviledge or prerogative, that from thence it might issue out to the destruction of many thousands of people, equally heirs to the divine Image, and retire againe to the Citie of [Page] refuge, as a sacred thing, not to be touched; But the other partie, in case of non-prevailing, consigned over even in that case, to the curtesie of perpetual slavery.

3. Whether the Authority of those, by whose Commission we engaged against oppressive power, being reversed, and revolved into a treacherous complyance with the vanquished, yet irrecon­ciled enemie, that by the fallacie of a Treatie they might breath a new life into the carcase of subdued Tyrannie, and by an unwor­thy condiscention infranchise themselves into outlawed soveraign­ty? whether it be not equally righteous to oppose such destructive designes, to shrinke the sinews of any hand, that would attempt the life of the Nations Liberties? It is all to me, to be drowened at Westminster, or at the Isle of Wight. If you tell us there can be no re­volutions to a higher good for Commonwealth, till the primum mo­bile of soveraignty be touched by an heavenly influence; your good friend Mr. Peters, a Gentleman of a little better credit, will tell you, That a loving mother being set upon by Theeves in her chamber, cries out for help; The elder brother attempting to unlock the door (the Key having contracted a seven years rust) the younger breaks it open, and comes in a timely rescue, and leaves it to your wisdoms to judge who best deserved the birth-right.

If these unhappy undertakers had gone forth in the judiciall strength of reason, and sounder Authoritie then the inartificiall Argument of their owne, to have encountred the mindes of men unsatisfied in these particulars; their sentence of condemnation had been more dreadfull; but to come out to defie an Army with such weak Artillerie, as if they had been only sent Balaks errant; Goe and curse them in the name of their God; Sure these men made such haste to the use, they forget the doctrine; they instruct weakly, reprove sharply, the lightning is not seen, but the thun­der is heard. Observe at what rate these men of the East discourse.

The King broke the priviledge of the Parliament, and was wor­thily blamed, therefore the Parliament may destroy the Liberties of the people without controule, Sillogismus in Bocardo.

Another followes of a most sententious signification.

[Page] The Parliament, at first intended us no more good then they de­clared, therefore they must now doe the Nation no more good then they intended. Profoundly,

We have taken a Covenant, sacred, inviolable, of perpetuall Record, to maintain the Kings Person; Therefore oh King, live for ever, have we sworn him out of his naturall capacitie of dying.

It is the constant opinion of grave Divines, that Kings may not be murthered, therefore Subjects may.

We have desired that all heresies might make their appearance before the Consistorie, where the ministeriall Tribunall is erected, therefore we tolerate them a sad consequence.

God hath blest us in our former undertakings, therefore he will, blast us in this. A rare experiment.

There is no necessitie of these our undertakings, because they judge it a sinne, truly if so, they have rightly judged; But if there be a necessitie, it is visible to us only, not to them; Therefore we must walke, and act according to their Light, and not our owne. Excellent Divinitie; but most supersapientially they judge our en­deavours are not righteous, because they feare our ends are not.

Truly, even as much as I feare; the order of Priesthood should suffer martyrdome in Hartfordshire, and be burnt at a stake with. Tith sheeves.

Thus the Corporation, reason, and he that proportions not his beliefe to their measure of Judgement, must not publiquely vend an inch of discretion; For every Parish Priest must be a Clarke of the Market. I have done; their threatnings shall hurt only them they fright. And I hope by the pious industrie of this Parliament and Army, to see the Nations, freedomes so setled, in spire of their priestly rage that it shall be their greatest honour to have their names forgotten.