TO THE HIGH COURT OF PARLIAMENT.

A DILEMMA, FROM A PARALLEL.

HUMBLY PRESENTED.

2 TIM. 3. 1.

Perillous times shall come; for men shall be, &c.

Multi Christum osculantur, pauci amant. Bucocl.

Published according to Order.

LONDON, Printed by Matthew Simmons for Henry Overton, and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head Alley, 1646.

THE PARALLEL.

Gangraena playes REX.

(2d par. Cor. 4. p. 201.)

FOr a conclusion of this Corallory, O that any particular members of Par­liament who are for pre­tended liberty of Conscience, a Toleration of Sects, fa­vourers of Sectaries, and out of those principles hin­der all they can the setling of Religion and Govern­ment by civill sanction, would often and sadly me­ditate upon this Scripture, and be wise now (whilest there's time) thus to serve the Lord, lest suddenly, when they least thinke of it, they perish from the way, and God make them examples, for adhering so pertinaciously to the Secta­ries, and that party. They may read in Ecclesiasticall Stories, what hath befallen Princes for not serving the Lord in feare, and kissing his Sonne; and they see before their eyes the ma­ny evills that hath be­fallen [Page] the King, and the great straights to which he hath been reduced for favouring too much the Popish, and Prelaticall party against the mind and humble desires of both his Kingdomes: and can particular per­sons think (who are not Kings, but under that title of Judges) that they can prosper long in standing for a Sectarian faction a­gainst the mind of both Kingdomes, and that the Kingdomes will not see and de­sire to understand how it comes about? and by whose meanes it is, that we having taken a Covenant for uni­formity in Doctrine, Government, &c. and for extirpating of He­resie, Schisme, and the Parliament, ha­ving declared in some Declarations and Re­monstrances against Anabaptists, Brow­nists, preaching of men not ordained, and against leaving particular persons and [Page] Congregations to their owne Liberty; that yet all things should be done quite con­trary, with an high hand? For may not now who ever will both preach and ga­ther Separated Chur­ches, print and act against Presbyteriall Government, and for all sorts of Sectaries? Yea, such persons are countenanced, preferred in all places, and to all kinds of Offices and imployments (which makes many turne In­dependents,) and the most zealous cordiall men against Sectaries are displaced, or dis­countenanced, or ob­structed, &c. These things doe seeme strange and against all reason, that the Par­liament, professing and declaring one thing, yet the quite contrary in all things of this na­ture should be done dai­ly in Citie and Coun­try. In the worst times, when the King was most misled by the Counsels of Pre­lates [Page] and evill men a­bout him, there were not actions more con­trary in many Ministers of State and other per­sons to Proclamations and Declarations, then are now to Ordinances, Declarations, and votes of Parliament; and yet wee heare of few cen­sured or made exam­ples. Now the people every where say, these things could not be, persons durst be thus bold to do these things but that they know they have some great ones to backe them, and stand by them; and the people enquire after, and speake who they be, and question­lesse will represent these things as unsufferable, and most dishonoura­ble to the Parliament, and they will humbly desire these things may bee remedied by the power and wisdome of the Parliament: and therefore O that all such would be wise in time, be wise now, desert the Sectaries, further the worke so [Page] much the more as before they have hindred it, for there is an emphasis and weight in that Adverb now, sig­nifying they should do it speedily, be­cause the same opportunitie will not be alwayes given, and the Psalmist hints they may yet do it profitably, if they make hast; but if any do per­sist and go on, working day and night, rolling every stone to uphold that party, he that strikes through Kings in the day of his wrath, will not spare them, and they shall finde by sad experience: when his wrath is kindled but a little, Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

In the Kings Declaration con­cerning the Militia.

WE have been told that we must not be jealous of our great Counsell of both Houses of Parliament. Wee are not,—but of some turbulent, seditious, and ambitious na­tures, which (being not so cleerly discerned) may have an influence upon the actions of both Houses.

In the Kings Answer to the Decla: of the Lords and Com: of the 19 of May, 1642.

And we call Almighty God to witnesse, all our complaints and jealousies, which have never been causless, nor of our Houses of Parliament: (but of some few Schismaticall, Factious, and Ambitious Spirits,—

In the Kings Answ: to the 19 Propositions.

Wee would not be understood, that we intend to fix this Designe upon both or either Houses of Parliament, wee utterly professe against it,—But we do beleeve, & accordingly professe to all the world, that the malignity of this Design—hath proceeded from the subtil informations, mischievous practices, and evill Counsels of ambitious turbulent Spirits, disaffected to Gods true Religion, and the unity of the Professors thereof.

In the Kings Answ: to the 19 Propositions.

But that without any shadow of a fault ob­jected, onely perhaps because they follow their [Page] Conscience, and preserve the established Lawes, and agree not in such Votes, or assent not to such Bills, as some persons, who have now too great an influence even upon both Houses, judge or seeme to judge to be for the publick good, and as are agreeable to that Utopia of Religi­on and Government, into which they endea­vour to transforme this Kingdome.

In the Kings Declar: of Aug. 2. 1642.

We well know the combination entred into by severall persons for an alteration in the go­vernment of the Church—and observed that those men had greatest interest, and power of perswading of both Houses, who had en­tred into such Combination, yet—we be­leeved, even those men would either have been converted in their Consciences, by the cleernesse and justnesse of our actions, or would have ap­peared so unseasonable, or been discovered so sedi­tious, that their malice and fury would not have been able to have done mischiefe; [After­ward] When such licence is given to Brow­nists, Anabaptists, Sectaries, and whilst Coach-men, Feltmakers, and such Mecha­nick persons are allowed and entertained to preach by those who thinke themselves the principall members of either House; when such barbarous outrages in Churches, and hea­thenish irreverence and uproares even in the time of Divine Service, and the Administration of the blessed meanes of advancing Religion, the preaching of the word of God, is turned into a licence of libelling, and reviling both Church and State, and venting such seditious positions, as by the Lawes of the Land are no lesse then Trea­son, and scarce a man in reputation and cre­dit with these Grand Reformers, who is not notoriously guilty of this, whil'st those Lear­ned, [Page] reverend, painfull, and pious Preach­ers, who have been and are the most emi­nent and able assertours of Protestant Reli­gion, are (to the unspeakable joy of the Adver­saries to our Religion) disregarded and op­pressed.

In the Kings Answer to the Declar: of the Lords and Com: of the 21 of June, 1642.

This all men are bound to beleeve, though they see the Protestant Religion, and the Professors thereof miserably reproached, and in dan­ger of being destroyed by a vitious and ma­lignant party of Brownists, Anabaptists, and other Sectaries, (the principall Ring­leaders of whom, have too great a power, even with some Members in both our Houses of Parliament) our Authority despised, and as much as in them lies, taken from us, and reviled in Pulpits and presses by persons immediately in their protection, and recommendation.

In the Kings Answer to the Declaration of the Lor: and Com: of 19 of May, 1642.

What a strange time are we in, that a few impudent malicious (to give them no worse terme) men should cast such a strange mist of er­rour before the eyes of both Houses of Parlia­ment, as that they either cannot, or will not see how manifestly they injure themselves, by main­taining these visible untruths?

In the Kings Declar: of August. 12. 1642.

We were able to discover that—there was, still a faction of a few ambitious, disconten­ted and seditious persons, who under pretence of being enemies to Arbitrary power, and of com­passion towards those, who out of tendernesse of Conscience could not submit to some things enjoy­ned, or commended in the Government of the Church, had in truth a desire (and had entred [Page] into a Combination to that purpose) to alter the Government both of Church and State.

The former Declaration begins thus.

Tis more then time now after so many injuries and indignities offered to our Royall person—to vindicate our Selfe from those wicked and damnable Combinations and Conspiracies which the implacable malice and insatiable ambition of some persons have contrived against us.

In the Conclusion of that Declaration.

Our quarrell is not against the Parliament, but against particular men, who first made the wounds, and will not now suffer them to be hea­led, but make them deeper, and wider, by contri­ving, fostering, and fomenting mistakes and jea­lousies betwixt body and head, us and our two Houses of Parliament; whom we name, and are ready to prove them guilty of high Treason.

Wee desire that the Lord Kimbolton, Mr Hollis, Mr Pim, Mr Hampden, Sir Arthur Haslerigge, Mr Stroud, Mr Martin, Sir Hen­ry Ludlow, Alderman Pennington, and Capt. Venne, may be delivered into the hands of Ju­stice to be tryed by their Peeres, according to the knowne Lawes of the Land.

In the Kings Answer to the Declaration of the 26 of May, 1642.

But wee doubt not all our good Subjects doe now plainly discerne through the maske and vi­zard of their Hypocrisie, what their Designe is, and will no more looke upon the Framers, and Contrivers of that Declaration, as upon both Houses of Parliament; (whose freedome and just Priviledges wee will alwayes maintaine, and in whose behalfe wee are as much slandred as for our Selfe) but so a Faction of Malignant, Schismaticall, and ambitious persons, whose designe is and alwayes hath been to alter the [Page] whole frame of Government, both of Church & State, & to subject both King and people to their own law­less arbitrary power & government.

In the Kings Answer to the De­claration of the Lords and Com: of 26 of May 1642.

For the Contrivers of that De­claration, (though they have no minde to be Slaves) they are not unwilling to be Tyrants: (what is Tyranny, but to admit no rule to Governe by but their own wills?) and we know the misery of Athens was at the highest, when it suffered under the Thirty Tyrants.

From the foregoing Parallel, ariseth the DILEMMA: That either the HIGH COURT OF PARLIA­MENT is chargeable with Obstinacy and Hypocrisie a­gainst God and the publick Good: (a thing horrid to apprehend) or, The Author of the Pamphlet fore-mentioned, is as guilty of the breach of Parliamenta­ry Priviledge, and sedition against the Kingdome, as the Contrivers of the Kings papers have been by the Par­liament declared to be.

TO THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT; A POSTSCRIPT.

NOW the Adversary of yours and this King­domes welfare (Right Honourable) sees he can­not keep the field against you any longer, he findes it best to recruit himselfe, by working his broken Swords into Pen-knives, and betake himselfe to his Study. He remembers how keen the Royal Stile was, and how neare it came to the heart of the Parliament; when He expressed greatest confidence in the Par­liament, and onely struck at some particular Members; thus in Answer to your Declaration of the 19 of May, 1642. We shall never [and we hope our people will never] account the contrivance of a few factious, seditious persons, (a Malignant partie who would consecrate the Common-wealth to their owne fury and ambition) the wisdome of Parliamen. The Honourable House of Commons in their late famous Declaration, of the 17. of Aprill, have discove­red that there are still the same spirits stirring, and humours working though under other disguises and upon other grounds. Since this dis­covery, these spirits doe not blush to proceed according to the first beginnings, and to reflect the like crimes on the Parlia­ment, under the persons of some particular Members, and this done by men professing great Zeale for you, and that now after [Page] you have almost brought this Kingdome (by the good hand of God upon you) to feast upon the remembrance of the fore-passed gall and wormewood, and to satiate it selfe with the fat of securitie, Truth and Peace. But (as Solomon speaks) a Foole is never so troublesome as when he is filled with meat; even so now, Ingratitude hath taken the Ballance into her hand, and Fancy sits upon the beame, and judgeth that the Talents of precious mercies which by you (Noble Senatours) we enjoy, are light in respect of some still wanting: neither can all you have done be pawne enough of adding them hereafter; no nor any thing you can say though never so solemnly, and there­fore cannot obtaine the Credit, much lesse the Obedience: as to have your Declaration in that kind published; and because they despaire in a way of duty to obtaine their desires, have now borrowed the pen of Insolency out of the hands of Malig­nity, and as these formerly stiled you Rebels, Traitors, Schis­matiques, &c. and another Party acted to a frenzie of zeale, wrote you, Antichristian, Popish, tyrannous: So these here spoken of expresse themselves of you, as Fautors of Errour, Se­ctaries, Anarchy, intolerable Toleration: unlesse you put life in­to, and take it from what they point you to.

Now this sheet of paper hath humbly presented to your Honours, the Designe and Language of these in Parallel with the former, aspersing the Honour and enervating the Authority of Parliament under the Notion of accusing some particular Members; and that done with expressions so high and dange­rous, whether respect be had to the Consciences of the people over awed, or to the safety of the State at this time, especially, thereby imperilled: that hence there seemes naturally to issue (by your Wisdomes to be considered) the fore-mentioned DILEMMA.

For though he lay it on some Members onely, and grants that The proofe of the result of the Dilemma from the Premises. the Parliament hath ordained, &c. yet whilest he addes, that all things are carried with a high hand contrary, and persons dange­rous to Church and State, Sectaries, &c. countenanced, and preferred in All places and to All kind of Offices, and that the Parliament professeth one thing, yet the quite contrary in all things, [Page] in Citie and Country, seeing this could not be done but by the Authority or connivence of the Parliament, what doth he but plainly insinuate what before he labour'd covertly to hide? That this is the Authors true meaning, you may please to re­flect on his Epistle before the first part of his Gangraena to both Houses of the Parliament; particularly, in the fift page, where what he here chargeth upon particular Members, he there layes upon both Houses, as in these words; You have most Noble Sena­tours done worthily against Papists, Prelates, scandalous Ministers, Images, Altars, Crucifixes, Ceremonies, &c. But what have you done against other kinds of growing evills, Heresie, Schisme, disorder, Seekers, Anabaptists, Antinomians, Brownists, Libertines, and other Sects? in the seventh page thus. Now Right Honourable, though you have made Ordinances against Anabaptists, Brownists, other Sects, &c. and upon complaint have troubled some Sectaries, &c. yet notwithstanding there is a strange and unheard of bearing with them, as I beleeve all things considered never was the like under any Orthodox, Christian Magistrate and State; p. 9. Yet I doe not say your Honours have done these things, for there are matters of this nature you heare not of: and upon complaints that have come im­mediately to your Houses, there hath been some redresse; yet such things are done by Committees, or persons under your power and Govern­ment, and no effectuall wayes taken to prevent, discover or reme­dy these things. Now I humbly submit to your deep Judgement, whether God account not men guilty of that which is committed by others under them. [Nay to take off all scruple touching his meaning, his next words fasten the charge upon your selves] as also whether it will not be interpreted by men, that there is cer­tainly great countenance and favour above, or else persons below durst not doe as they doe. So page 10. Reformed Churches abroad say, why may not the King as lawfully tolerate Papists one false Religion, as the Parliament suffer all Sects to grow? And lastly, page 11. Know God is a righteous God, and will require it at your hands, vi­sit and be avenged for these things. Let no man flatter you with your great prosperity and successe, &c. where the very charge and threatning that he denounces in his second part against some particular Members, is charged upon both Houses joyntly. And [Page] why now he should endeavour to cast that odium upon parti­cular Members which he before charged upon the whole, (though this also fall upon the whole) the Reason may be to make the Designe at once both more dangerous and more feeble; for whil'st it was in generall the reverence of so great a Court might justly awe the People, whereas now some particulars be­ing singled out, he might with more colour and possibility ex­cite, and stir up the people to appeare against them. Now for this to be done not by any considerable number of men by way of humble Petition, upon indispensable necessity, but by a private per­son, and that not in a Petition first presented unto you, that your Wisdomes might have judged whether it were fit for pub­like view, but in a Book written purposely for the branding of Sectaries, Hereticks, and the worst of men; and that without suffi­cient proofe in a thing of so high a nature. There seems necessarily to arise from hence the double evill expressed in the latter mem­ber of the Argument, viz. an unlawfull breach of Parliamentary Priviledge; and a most perilous Introduction to the ruine of the Parliament it selfe by raising the people to sedition against it. For as the King upon the like distinction of some Members from the rest, demanded six of your Honourable Members to Justice, as a Prologue to the Tragedy. If now the People should by such a pestilent Booke, be Alarm'd on groundlesse misprisions to declare against certaine of your Members as insufferable in their pra­ctises; though under notion of Petitioning against them, it may be doubted whether afterward first six, and then sixteen, and after that sixty shall not be demanded, yet with pretence held out before the people of all honour and obedience to the Parliament.

The Lord, whose work you doe, teach your understandings, comfort your hearts, strengthen your hands, and cover your Heads in this day of Battaile.

FINIS.

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