Plain English: OR, THE SECTARIES anatomised.  
Wherein the honor of the three Estates of the Kingdom is maintained, the government both of Church and Common-wealth is pleaded for:  
And this famous City of LONDON, and their faithful REMONSTRANCE is Vindicated from such false aspersions as lately have been cast upon it.  

Imprimatur.  
JAMES CRANFORD.   Isaiah 59. vers. 8, 9 13. 
The way of peace they know not, and there is no judgement in their going: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein, shall not know peace.  
Therefore is judgement far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.  
In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.  
LONDON, Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Ralph Smith, at the sign of the Bible in Corn-hill near the Royall-Exchange. 1646.   

Plain English: OR, THE SECTARIES anatomised.  
TO speak the truth plainly, with intent do advance Truth, and to depress Error, is a duty which concerns us all, and were it now as generally observed and practised by us of this City and Kingdom, as is the contrary, I might then have spared this pains, an turned sighs and sorrow into singing, and these complainings into rejoicings: but finding Error with its Patrons and Abettors in such request, and so much in fashion, Si natura negat, &c. Give me leave to writ unto them, to shane the deceivers, and admonish such who are in danger of being deceived by them. I shall therefore address my discourse to the unknown author of a Pamphlet called a Moderate Reply to the Cities Remonstrance, and through him to all the rest of his Associates, and by way of general answer and recrimination together; but in the first place I appeal to every conscientious and wel-meaning man to judge whether that and other Pamphlets published in answer to the said Remonstrance, do not appear to be most false scandalous, yea, and destructive to the true interest of every English and religious subject, and desperately wounding all good government, by encouraging and strengthening the hands of all the furious Champions of Sedition and confusion.  
Wherefore who ever you be that was the author of that Pamphlet( if you have not quiet lost that noble endowment of reason, the distinguishing character betwixt sober and mad men; betwixt men and beasts) consider what will be the issue of your labours if they accomplish their end; What good, nay what mischief, what horrid ruins and distractions will they produce to this our native late flourishing, but now almost destroyed country? and what comfort can you have( if you survive) to behold it a spectacle of sorrow and astonishnent to its friends: of scorn, contempt, and horrible insulting to its enemies, who by all their industry could not effect what you have done for them? and which is worse, when poor England shall behold itself thus miserable, and strongly chained under this condition, having neither hopes nor means left to be repaired or recovered; for( if I much mistake not) your endeavours do tend to remove her fence and wall of government quiter away, and to lay her waste, to take up and destroy her sluice, that the waters of comfort, both spiritual and temporal, in time may glide away; to what end else tends your striving to hinder and oppose such a Government in the Church as may effectually and piously secure the sacred truths of God( the least part whereof is far more precious then our lives) from cursed mixtures, fantastic interpretations, bold and blasphemous assertions, even to the visible and great impairing and decay of piety and righteousness? why else are all such impious persons, under pious pretences covered and kept warm and safe under your Independent wings? Why have you juggled and delayed to produce your own model of Government, the mean while Jesuitically dividing the people, increasing your party every where, and drawing after you many admirers of yourselves, and your long promised Government, which neither you nor they do understand?  
Time was, you joined with us; you cried down Papists and their adherents cried up, and prayed to God and man for a blessed Reformation; but now with you the wind is turned about; you cry up a formal declared Toleration to all persons, professions and consciences, and if in love and faithfulness we labour to hold and keep you out of this consuming fire, whereinto you are posting: you rave, and cry out persecution; persecution; judge if there be not reason thus to charge you.  
It hath been said by some of your principal sticklers, that we ought to tolerate amongst us, not only false worshippers, but worshippers of false gods. What, will such a Reformation( or rather deformation) content you now? have ye utterly forgot, or refuse ye to remember the ground of this unnatural war in reference to Religion; or have you lost your Religion amid the confusions which this war hath occasioned? Oh! what horrible Monsters willa declared Toleration bring in upon us, when a mere connivance hath produced so many great evils? but I believe you have some seduced followers, who mean better then their leaders and intend no harm to the public, I mean as little to them.  
But you have your instruments of all sorts and sizes, you have some curious Artists and Ingeneares, who can lay plots, and endeavour that conclusions and experiments of new medicines never before administered to the body politic of any Common-wealth may be tried upon this, not considering, or much caring whether it may operate to the recovery or the ruin of this sick State, if but hopeful to promote their designs; and are mighty studious and active to abuse the people in that most weighty work of electing Members into the House of Commons, crying up unfit men, and endeavouring in a surreptitious way to promote the election of such.  
And here the world may take notice of some late expressions of Master Peters who( being  told at the leaguer before Oxford, that whoever could gain his favour, might be chosen a Member of Parliament) acknowledged that even at that time he had the disposing of two or three such places, and could confer them upon such persons as he thought fit. Now let all judge whether any such power ought to reside in him, and if this be not a ready way to put peace far from us, and to destroy us by a Law? But that God who hath wonderfully saved this poor Nation, I trust will blast those devices. You have those who strike at the face, nay at the very heart of Monarchy, at the validity of the regular and well-digested Votes of the high and honourable House of peers, and with unparalleled desperateness, strike at the very root of Parliaments, when either Lords or Commons do either vote or act any thing contrary to your ends and humors; And that not only whispered, but published to the world in print, with such invectives against the Parliament, as outstrips even Aulicus himself, and no wonder; for Ana-baptists &c. do not so much oppose government, because it is of this or that frame, but because it is government, which impartially enjoins subjection to a peaceable and just rule: Whereas they account themselves Kings, having a right to sway the sceptre as much as our sovereign, and also priests and Prophets, that all( from the Statesman to the Tinker, and from the colonel to the Provos-marshall) may offer for, and preach to the people, as the spirit of faction and private design shall dictate unto them; Nay, they rest not here; for they as well as Princes are sons of Adam, and know no reason why a Chimney-sweeper, or a Broome-man, may not share in Common in the estates of their Brethren, yea and enjoy them rather then the right owners; for the good things of the world belong only unto them, being the only Saints as they reckon themselves. But this they cannot well compass, until they have tied a millstone about the neck of our laws, and thrown them into the bottom of the sea. Hath there not been of late bold adventures made to this purpose, by that tempestuous Incendiary, for which the right Honourable House of Lords most justly committed him to Newgate, against whom if there were a charge collected out of his own speeches, writings, and other actions, I presume it would appear such a piece of sedition, as never before came to light. And wise men are of opinion, that if he( and others like him) be not dealt with according to their demerit, it will prove of evil president and consequence, and a great scandal to both the Honourable Houses.  
You are fol of those who corrupt the doctrines of the sacred Scriptures, and not content that your selvs only should do so, but strive that all men may run into the same condemnation with you. And so far have you proceeded herein, that many simplo ones are misled; and not one principle of our saith left, but by some or other, is either blasphemously denied, or Atheistically questioned.  
But blessed be God there are yet some who stand and will( by Gods assistance) still stand betwixt you and the enjoyment of your pride and lust; Though you work and threaten very hard, covering all with fairest pretences, like him that puts a faire glove upon foul hands. But let me tell you, no hypocrisy is so hateful to God as that which mounteth most high towards him in pretence, and yet in effect and intentionally, centereth itself in the bottom of our own cisterns.  
You complain much of our Brethren of Scotland, as being guilty of great crimes and bad ends, &c. What those are, and how they can appear, I am yet to learn; but this I know, that if they love themselves( which you are apt to say they do too much) they must be honest and true to their Covenant; for providence hath so ordered matters, that they can benefit by no other means; yet it's much more comfortable, that they are faithful to God, his Covenant and cause, out of love to him, and conscience of their duty, which hath been abundantly testified; And yet all this neither hath, nor can satisfy that unreasonableness of prejudicate and malicious mindes.  
Tell me; did not you( if you are not a Romish Jusuit and do act the English Sectary) rejoice in them, and bless God for their exceeding love which brought them in, so to hazard all theirs, to five us and ours? have they not been serviceable, might they not have been less burdensome, and would gladly have been much more useful, if they had received supplies necessary for such Atcheivments? What people could have been more constant, less griveous? What temporations have they resisted? Standing by us like a brazen wall, when we doubted almost every h●… amongst ourselves; the Oxford charmer being so prevalent, to draw so many great and wise men from all their estates interests and dearest relations, both in Country; City, and even from the Parliament itself. with what difficulties have they contended, and still do? Under what reproaches and discouragements have they laboured? and yet with what wisdom, moderation, and patience, have they protection them all, to the shane and wonder of their adversaries? For shane therefore lay by design, which will not suffer you to see the wood for trees. See and thankfully aclowledge the goodness of God to this Nation by them, and he will yet make them a greates blessing.  
Also the Ministers of the Assembly, and Sion college, and all other the godly Presbyterian Ministers, do hear( nay the righteous God doth hear and remember, all those reproaches and scandals, which you and your party most unjustly dodayly forge and vent against them. Are not you one of them that deny the Authority of the word, and with it all Ordinances? If you be not so gross, there are many( whom you labour to uphold in their errors) are, whose practise is to bring the Ministers into contempt, and then the Ministry and Ordinances with them; And as a ready way to further that devilish design, they cry down Tithes( which from the Primitive times, both in our own and other Christian kingdoms, have been by many laws settled upon the Ministry, as the most equal, most regular, and most agreeable way to the word of God) an evident demonstration whereof hath been shewed in those petitions brought up out of Hariford and Buckinghamshires. The inhabitants of which Counties have been drawn unto it, not out of any principle of Religion and Conscience, but of ignorance and covetousness. Though the active Emissaries of the Sectaries have had an other design in it, viz. by impoverishing the Ministers, to drive them away, or make them contemptible, that so they might gain opportunity to thrust in corrupt and mechanic Teachers, and the more quietly set up that vain and ridiculous idol, I mean the monster Toleration, which soon after it is up, will fall, and break, to the ruin of itself, and all the worshippers thereof.  
The City of London also hath been very sensible of, and much suffered under those many traducing and malicious invectices of some which like the fruit of vipers, have struck at the life, and gnawn at the bowels of her that bread and nourished them. Is it imaginable with what wonder and contempt, all wise men in this and future ages, will behold this selfe-destroying and ungratfull generation?  
What hath this faithful City( which God hath inclined to be a Sanctuary and a nurse, opening her arms to embrace all distressed religious persons from all places) yet deserved no better from you and your associates?  
I reckon it superfluous to enumerate the many mighty thing wherein God hath made this city and Citizens instrumental in the view of all men, having been even prodigal of their blood, and of all things precious to men, to maintain the cause of God and this Parliament, and that without private ends; for they neglected themselves and all those frequent offers of additional power, benefit, and privilege, which yet they were invited to receive, and might then have had for asking for, with promise also of some extraordinary mark of honour, to proclaim the constant and unparraleld faithfulness of this city to all succeeding generations. And the eyes of all christendom expect the performance; for my part I rest assured of the full performance hereof, maugre all the malice and supplantations of Incendiaries. And tis worth observation that this City did, and do, humbly acquiesce in the said promises, until the enemy be suppressed; Minding the public service, and the Obligation of their duty and Covenant, continuing to act accordingly, from which by divine assistance they resolve not to vary.  
What ground is there then for any malicious mind to think, much less to publish that horrid woe and alas, London will ruin us, London begins to decline the Parliament, London begins to close with the King, London is filled with Malignants Language, London demonstrates to the Parliaments prejudice?  
Can London be imagined so far to forfeit her reason, as to become destructive to the public, like yourself and your crew, whose eyes are so far dazzled with an ignis fatuus, or new lights, that you have lost the faculty of discerning betwixt truth and error, peace and war, and the issues and consequences of them all? Hence it is, that you judge an humble and faithful Petition and Remonstrance( carrying within it, itis own justification, against envy itself) to tend to the Parliaments prejudice.  
To comply with the King in an evil sense, to the guilty of the foul crime of malignancy, to decline the Parliament, and to ruin the Kingdom; What man! is it become a character of malignancy to Petition that a form of Church-government according to the Word of God, and the example of the best reformed Churches, may with all speed be perfected and confirmed by the civill sanction of Authority? That schismatics, heretics, and seducing teachers be effectually suppressed, and all good means used to make up the sad breaches in this our Sion? Why then do you not charge an endeavour of ruin upon those 300. and more, learned and godly Divines of Suffolk and Essex, who subscribed a Petition to this purpose as well as London? You might as soon, and( in some respects) sooner have been believed. Certainly this immoderate replier and his companions are wilfully ignorant, and will not know, weak in judgement, or strangers, and do not know the Interest of London. Should London ruin the Kingdom together with itself, who is so great a part, and hath so great an interest in the whole? Consider what, and how considerable London is, what lands in every County this City and Citizens have a right in, as in this Kingdom so in Ireland? How doth this City by themselves and their stock carry on the home and foreign trade of the whole Kingdom in the greatest measure? and the greatest part of the Shipping which are as walls to this iceland, are they not built, employed, and maintained by this City? How many friends and allies hath this City in all parts of the Kingdom, 
This Interest being reciprocal.  who are very dear and precious to them? How effectual is their example, and hath ever been to induce and engage the Kingdom to preserve itself, the cause of God, and this Parliament? May I not call this city a principal vital part of these three united Kingdoms, a support to friends, a scourge and terror to enemies, foreign and domestic? and although you grudge and esteem every little power as too much for London, yet in all this and much more( through the goodness and power of our God) London will shane its adversaries, whilst itself will stand firm as a rock. Thus is it most clear to wise men that London cannot comply with any ( either high or low) in plotting the ruin of the Kingdom; therefore cease to reproach London, and remember that neither person or faction ever prospered long that did thus provoke it.  
Possibly you may here object, that you speak not thus of London, but of a party there.  
For answer by the way, Why then do you contradict yourself, saying in your immoderate Reply, London will ruin us, London will do this and that? But to answer more fully( what party do you mean) I believe and affirm that the clothing of all the companies of London( which I suppose you name the body collective) unless it be one man of a hundred, do most hearty concur with the Remonstrance, which hath been, and will be sufficiently evidenced to the world, when authority shall please to call them together; and not they only( which yet is most considerable) but the far greatest part of all the rest, free-men and others. A good demonstration whereof is that Petition of the Inhabitants and free-men of London presented to the common-council, June 23. and subscribed by many thousand hands. If you mean the common-council, is it not the representative of the City? much like as the Parliament is of the Kingdom. And as it is treason in any man to exasperate, or to endeavour to raise the Kingdom represented against the Kingdom representative; So is it sedition at least, and tends higher, to endeavour to raise the City represented against the City representative, especially when grounded upon your four mere pretences and forgeries, not worth a word of answer, and know that the proceedings of the representative of this City, are wise, regular, and faithful, and can endure the barking at of such as you are, and yet never fall from their element or principles; and doubtless have, and still ought to have as much power to conclude this City in their Votes, as when for the service of this Parliament they charged the fifty Subsidies upon themselves and it. If you mean a party in the common-council; for answer, are there not some in all councils( the Parliament itself not excepted) who speak and appear more in all the debates, then many others do? and yet the silent persons may be very useful, and may discern as far into the matters debated as any; if then they concur and Vote therein, and the mayor part conclude it ( Without forestalling or surprisals) is it not past exception? It may be that you are troubled that all Members in councils are not Speakers, like to the members of your new separated and confused congregations. But the great quarrel is, that the common-council doth not concur with you in your destructive designs. No, nor was it ever in their intentions so to do; nor can they, it being so contrary unto those two grand obliging principles of conscience and interest. They still act by the same rule and motives they did, when they first took arms against the common enemy; And are most unjustly charged when they are  told that they decline the Parliament, or their own first principles; ●o certainly, the defection is in you and your party, who like a man intoxicated, thinks the house turns round, when the fault is in his own addle head; or like a man rowed upon the water, who fancies that the banks move as well as the boat, but the banks remove not, nor doth the common-council( although most of your party are gone) from their first just grounds; only their opinions are altered touching some persons of your faction, who have given sufficient cause to all wise men to dislike their courses.  
Indeed you have taken a great liberty to use( or rather abuse) this City, the governors and government thereof at your pleasure; one Sectary most impudently enters the City, and publisheth a Proclamation in contempt of its government, by the same reason he may to morrow in like manner publish( if he could obtain it) that which should utterly and instantly ruin the Parliament, this city, and all the inhabitants thereof. Others of you to gain subscriptions to your late Petition, did use false and indirect ways and means to the great scandal of this City; otherwise that inconsiderable number of( for the most part) inconsiderable persons, had not been much more then half so many; one of your number, viz. that Ubiquitary Master Peters, hath expressed his diligence like to an unwearied Champion for evil, chiefly labouring to serve himself and his party under the faire pretence of serving the public.  
Amongst the multitude of his unworthy prancks, I shall only instance this one; namely, his getting a Purse into his hands to buy medals for the encouragement of deserving Souldiers, which medals he having prepared, refuseth of late to confer that badge of honour upon any, though never so worthy, unless they subscribe for a contribution towards the maintenance of the separate Churches in London; having by his seducements prevailed far therein amongst the Commanders of the Army, discouraging thereby the Presbyterians, and discovering the number of each party in the said Army; for what ends others may gueffe, but himself knoweth best: Others( nay few but) are, violent and turbulent disturbers of the peace, despisers of authority, arraigning and condemning the Courts, laws, Governors, and government of the City and Kingdom, making yourselves( though most unfit) sole judges and interpreters both of the laws of god and man, and what not? Truly considering all this, it would be no honour for this City to be in favo●● with, or commended by, either you or your party; and 'tis fit it should bear a share of your injurious reproaches, with our Brethren of Scotland, the Assembly of Divines, and other honest men, yea, all the Reformed Churches, who are all enemies alike to your irregular and skeptick proceedings.  
I have heard you commended for your activity; truly I cannot join therein, unless you were zealous in a good matter; but it is said that you have much advantaged your design thereby; but consider, the swifter the deviation is the more tedious & difficult will the return be; Its well known you have some furious drivers, or desperate sticklers, whom I may compare to a busy petty-fogger, employed in a suite against a whole County, who( whilst the County or any for them are either absent or negligent) by false suggestions and misinformations obtains an order of court against them; But when the County hears of it, discovers the fallacy, and rightly informs the Court, nulls the order, and recovers damages; expect the issue to be such; for believe it your vizards will off, your fallacious and false dealings appear more and more every day; Proceed therefore in your nimble courses as long as you can, since you hate to be wiser. The City cannot steer by your compass; great bodies move slowly, and honest men deal fairly; the City may not use your way of daily and undue solicitations at Westminster, nor impoly scurrilous and abusive Pamphlet-makers, who labour to charm the people into a good opinion of an ill cause, and turn all the waters of praise and profit into your Cistern, nor sand Emissaries to stir up the people to Petition for your Independent licentious liberty; and with Pamphlets and other Books scattered and delivered gratis into all or most parts of the Kingdom; and Preachers also of all trades and crafts sent to gain Proselytes, and to poison the judgements of the people, nor buy men over to them with money or gain, &c. Nor labour with the Army ( whilst the Sword is in their hands) to Petition the Parliament, nor use packing and juggling courses, nor lies 
* See Rev. 22.15  and falsities, nor vain brags of the greatness of a party, when indeed they are nothing, some few sticklers being laid aside; your whole number being a sort of giddy people, made up of byased and engaged men, and some strangers, rash Youth, silly Women and Maidens, yet by such are we thus perplexed, and the Kingdoms in danger to be ruined, by your troubling our waters; as if in calm and quiet streams, you could catch no fish, and therefore you refuse no means which may disturb our present peace, or prevent an establishment of this distressed Kingdom therein.  
These practices appear extreme odious in the eyes of all true hearted Presbyterians, nor need they such unlawful helps. No, their Cause and Ends are so good, as will admit of no bad means to carry them on. The prime means which they yet use, is by humble and hearty addresses to Heaven, and to the Parliament: To the first they have a liberty as Christians; to the second, as true English-men and free citizens, who have laid all at stake by its request and command, to serve and save the Kingdom.  
And by the same justice and reason you quarrel their liberty to the Second, you may to the First; and be so charitable( in the practise of your new large liberty of conscience) as to rob and deprive them of all hopes and means both in heaven and earth, to free them from those insupportable burdens which you labour to lay, and bind upon them, evento the breaking of their backs and hearts; insomuch that you may well wonder why they go not up in multitudes, to crave justice against some of your Champians, as formerly they did against other Incendiaries. But remembering their former ill tempered zeal, and their present requisite duty, they intend to forbear a while. But you have not lost all love to yourselves( as you say the City hath, by joining in a design to its ruin) for although you will not allow the Metropolis of England to Petition regularly, yet particular persons of your party may, and that for public ends too; and not only Remonstrate, but rail against, and that to the faces of the Peers and Judges of the land, and that in open Court too, with incredible insolency, as that disturber of the first magnitude hath lately done.  
Was is it malice or ignorance, or a mixture of both, that moved you to charge our Remonstrance with the terms, First, of an unparalleled Remonstrance. Secondly, exceeding the power of our Charter. And Thirdly, receiving its rise from royalists and Malignants? To the first I answer, I am confident you cannot but know, that several Remonstrances have been presented to this Parliament, by persons far less considerable then the common-council of London. I shall only mind you of that presented to the Honourable House of Commons, in December, 1642. by Sir David Watkins, and Master Shute, and accompanied by three of your much admired friends, Master burrows, Master Peters, and Master Goodwin; containing, as I conceive, divers things of a far higher nature in some respects, then the highest clause of our Remonstrance, and yet was graciously and thankfully received by that Honourable House. to the second I answer; I confess I never red the Charter, but am informed that we have not in the least exceeded the bounds thereof: But admit we did pray for something which could not clearly arise from any branch thereof; Could the prevision of former Parliaments, perfectly provide us all requisites for safety to the end of the world; so as that it should become a crime in us to pray to this Parliament for any addition or alteration, or for them to grant it; especially considering the great disturbances in the Church, the transaction and mutations in the State, which these wars have produced, and wherein this City hath been chiefly used? All which might well put us into a necessity of craving something more then we had before. To the third I answer, it is very probable that Malignants as well as other men are well pleased, that we are true to our Covenant in that article which concerns our Loyalty to his majesty: If this be an offence, truly I cannot consent to remove it, although scrupled at by never so many pretended tender consciences. Yet do I most earnestly pray, that for the honour and benefit both of King and People, such due and honourable bounds be set, that neither prerogative, nor any other power may be permitted to grow monstrous any more.  
The pursuance of our duty in this lawful and necessary thing, possibly causeth many to be ready to close with us, who otherwise would not. But our confidence is not in multitudes, but in the goodness and faithfulness of our God. However if it were unlawful, it would be almost as bad as your great engine Toleration, which calls into your aid, not only Malignants, but Papists, Atheists, Libertines, Turks, Jews, Infidels, Blasphemers, and all sorts of heretics; each man expecting an indulgence from Pope Toleration; Still to enjoy his Dallilah, and keep the sweet morsel hidden under his tongue, which we well know will prove as a canker, eating out the power of Religion, and the peace of the Kingdoms, and will expose us as a prey to the teeth of some wolvish enemies, who have long waited for such an opportunity to devour us.  
And know farther( you immoderate replier, and your fellow libelers) that the Magistracy of London do, and will do their duties in opposing you, in your destructive ways, and must not be checked, or directed by all, or any of you. What the Authority of Parliaments is, they aclowledge, and reverence its just Authority. And here you force me to say, that they have done and furfered,( and still do) so much to preserve it inviolable, that it almost exceeds the power of Art, fully to declare to the world, their famous services; Consider what vast sums of treasure did London voluntarily contribute, when either they must do it, or all must perish. Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur.  
Which borrowed treasure will no doubt( for the honour and credit of Parliaments) certainly be repaid. Hath it not long and willingly born any impositions? And doth it not still pay fifteen thousand pounds a week, or there about, for custom and excise, besides all other loans, Taxes and impositions, even to admiration? In a word, have they not preferred obedience to the commands of Parliament( both ordinary and extraordinary) above their very lives? and yet now to be thus charged, and saucily checked, and directed by a single Sectary. Oh! horrible presumption and impudence; in which black Arts, the Sectaries of these times are noted to be the greatest proficients.  
Nay, you proceed, and tell the Magistracy of London, that the people( who they represent) will not own the Remonstrance, nor will stand by them. But then, and how came you to know it, so as thus positively to give the sense of the people? And what do you mean by the peoples standing by them? It seems to me you intend or desire a new war; that you will again force them to the use of their sword; if so, accursed from God be your design. The City intends it not; they desire, that now God having so blessed endeavours, as that they may have Religion and Peace settled, and secured to them and to posterity, that no time or opportunity be lost to effect it; and that all impediments be removed, and the long prayed for mercies embraced, with all humble and perpetual thankfulness to the God of our salvation, and all due thankfulness to the Parliament, and every faithful instrument.  
But if you only mean that the people will not approve of the Remonstrance, then you see to your hearts grief that the people of London( or the body Collective, as you term them) do and will adhere to the common-council and their Remonstrance according to their duty. And how can it be otherwise? Are not all the Members of common-council, men of their own annual electing from among themselves, and engaged both in conscience and interest to be faithful? Do not all their Votes and Acts, effectually engage themselves, without any freedom or privilege, in person or estate, more then any person represented by them hath? And have they not ever been unchangeably true to this trust? And lastly, you tell us of the dangerous tendency of our Remonstrance and Petition, wherein you flourish, and show your Art and envy; proving nothing, dealing only in generals, as deceivers use to do. Truly I shall declare both to you, and the whole world, what the Remonstrance tends to; and shall appeal to every honest man to judge, whether it be not so: It tends and strives to unite the kingdoms in the way of God, that they and their seed may enjoy the blessed fruits of a happy union; even, Religion, righteousness and Peace, and abundance of all good things.  
All which so beautiful and desirable happiness( in probability) the Kingdoms might soon enjoy, did not you, and your party raise mountains of opposition in the way; Remoraes one after another; which but lately was the work of Papists and Malignants; neither conscience, nor Covenants, nor laws of God or man, being able to hold you from your destructive ways; which threaten as fatal and as certain ruin to the Kingdoms,( if you prevail to obtain your desired Toleration) as did theirs. Yet with the strumpet your wipe your mouth, and say, what have I done? falsely and maliciously, shifting the evil issue of your own actions, upon the honest and plain hearted Presbyterians; and charging them, that they would not have an honest man to live amongst them, and for all your great tenderness of conscience, can forge reproachful names for them, calling them Adamits, Remonstrators, Persecutors, and what not; asperfing, and rashly censuring every honest man that stands in your way: But if his integrity be so famous, that none of your diet will fasten upon him, then you commend his good meaning, but insinuate his weakness, and tell the world of the patronage of abused simplicity; and being drawn from his duty, by the fineness, and artifice of impostors, under the specious show of Reformation and uniformity, although probably, he is more able to discover the artifice of impostors, and more willing to eschew their danger, then the most admired person of your faction, with the help of all your new lights; whereby, and with your fine specious show and artifice, you have more prevailed to dazzle the eyes of men, and unsettle and disturb the kingdom in four years, then fourscore yeares of the enjoyment of the gospel could establish it. Nay you are become so hardened in this sin, that you seem to rejoice, and to bless yourselves in such practices; nor must we so much as reprove you for them, under the pain of being accounted persecutors of the Saints, for such as you only are the faithful friends and servants of the Parliament; whereas experience shows it to be your daily practise to malign and scandalise those who are so indeed, for no other reason, but because they cannot approve of your opinions and practices; yet you expect it as a duty from the Presbyterians, to join with you in love and affection, although they differ in opinion, and do much exclaim against them for the least failing therein; whilst you and your party take a liberty to practise the contrary, urging that we should have a constant respect to the rule( wherein you do well) but you will be your own rule, and make laws for yourselves: and herein I could offer some weighty and pregnant instances, but presuming they cannot be so soon forgot, I forbear. And notwithstanding all your great pretences, I may( without breach of charity) say, there was never such hypocrisy( in the matters both of God and man) expressed since the world was first founded, as at this day; for there was never so much pretended and sworn, that piety, justice, and peace, should be advanced and settled; and yet never such corrupting of truths, never such slighting and underming of the power of godliness; never such looseness and licentiousness, as in Doctrine, so in mens manners, never more injustice practised, never were those precious jewels of peace and order more needful, and less valued; never such driving on of base and by-ends, nor such unjust and indirect means and ways used and attempted by some Sectaries, to effect those ends: It would be to tedious to particularize the persons and actions, nor shall I need it, being so fully already done by others; let any indifferent eye observe your daily practices in all places, and peruse those heaps of odious Pamphlets written by many of yourselves: let any man also but view( amongst others) that dangerous Pamphlet called a Remonstrance of many thousand Citizens and other freeborn people of England occasioned by the late imprisonment of Master Lilburn. Wherein the Parliament is arraigned, and each of the three Estates of the Kingdom debased and extremely vilified, and all endeavours used to divide, and thereby to destroy them; whilst the giddy people, or confused multitude are cried up, and placed in the Throne to judge their Judges, who can hope for no mercy from them, there being no such Tyrant as are the people, when once they can get the power into their hands. Bellua multorum Captium multitudo. Those truths published in the Books of Mr. Thomas Edwards, Mr. Bayly, and divers godly Divines, and other honest men, published on purpose ( as I do this) to unmask you, and to give a caveat to well-meaning people, who are apt to be cheated with your counterfeit coins, and great pretence of holinesse, liberty, and pure Ordinance, the old engines and artifice of heretics and schismatics, whereby they use to facilitate their work.  
Religion and Liberty are indeed the two great Arguments wherewith wise men ought to be much taken and affencted, and we hear much talk of them from you; O that I could not say that little else but talk is to be discerned from the greatest part of you; you cry up Religion, and with the same breach do pled for Blasphemers, heretics, and other enemies, who strike at the very root of Religion; and when you are about to make the people worse then slaves,( because slves to you) you cry salus populi, and the liberties of Englishmen, whereof Master Lilburne, and such other, expect to be the sole Judges, and not the laws or constitutions of England; for against them they do daily declaim with insufferable insolency, as if the wholesome laws of the kingdom did debar them from any part of their just liberty. But the liberty you and they so much contend for, I esteem not worth the having, because itis an enemy to Peace, and it is against the nature of it to reside any where but in, and amongst troublesone and confused times, places, and persons; and furnisheth men with desperate and irregular encouragements, resolutions, and practices tending to equalize, subvert, and confounded persons, families; yea, all ranks, orders, and degrees of persons and societies, Churches, kingdoms, and Commonwealths: these, and such as these are the fruits of this liberty, according as it hath been lately used by some of your sraternity, even to the exposing of us to the pits brink of another war, worse then the former bloody war, which yet is not past over, the skars thereof being still visible, and our wounds running, bleeding, and festering; & that not only in reference to the bodies of our dear Country men and Brethren, but to the general state of three languishing kingdoms; yet have you no bowels of pity and compassion towards the one or the other, but pressing hard forward towards destruction you infect and misled the judgements of people by all means possible, straining your parts in sophistical( and often sottish) arguments, and when you meet with any who begin to discov●r your deceits, O how you shuffle and shift, like the Papist, from one argument to another and conclude nothing; using a form of fine words and high phrases to small purpose, more then to amuse the standards by; and when you are so closely followed by clear Scripture argument, as that your reason is at last gasp, how do you then strain and abuse the holy word of God with false glosses, and will own no interprepretation, but such as will sure with your ends, claiming a liberty to give your own sense thereof, though it be sometimes such as was never heard of in the world before, and when some of you have been  told so, you have fathered your blasphemy upon the Spirit of God, as if he did convey this new light as a peculiar gift unto you; and in all your contestations wherein I have been a witness, you labour to place a right and power in each man to judge of truth, and to interpret the whole word of God, or any part thereof as shall seem good to his own opinion; Why then do you not deliver this to the world as a principle of your new light? That true Religion is nothing else but what each man judgeth to be so, thereby making every parcel of sinful dust the judge of that Sacred Word which undoubtedly shall one day approve, acquit, or condemn all the several sorts of creatures both in heaven and earth, bringing that dreadful curse upon yourselves for adding to, or taking any thing from that blessed Word which is of a most superlative esteem with the holy Angels, and by them acknowledged to be a most deep and glorious mystery, and whereinto they willingly prie; yet you have those( most dreadful it is to speak it) who have said they are able to compose as good a Scripture, and deny the truth and authority of this Word; and abundance more such cursed blasphemies, that I tremble to think of them, and dare not transcribe them, but they are too well known.  
It may be you will object, that you are neither Anabaptist, Antinomian, Brownist, Seeker, heretic, or Blasphemer, nor any of the rest of that numerous rabble, but a mere Independent, who like not the Presbyterian government, &c.  
Answ. And why not the Presbyterian government? In the judgement of the best Divines its most agreeable to the word of God, 'tis practised in all the Reformed Churches, it hath been tried and preached by the best men in divers ages, and hath gained the testimony of the best Government; the Parliament hath ordained and declared for it; and should they now vouch safe you a Government of your own framing, both you and your party would be as much unsettled and to seek, as you have been all this while; and as those divided and sub-sub-divided separate Churches in Holland ever were; and will you value your Independent nullity, before this so good a Government? Which, though good, I believe you neither like it, nor Monarchy, nor House of peers, nor Ministry, nor our Brethren of Scotland, nor the City of London, nor that there are so many Presbyterians in the Army, nor in Plain English, any thing but an Anarchy both in Church and State, notwithstanding the national Covenant, and all those other great obligations which lie upon you to the contrary.  
I answer further: although you be not an Anabaptist, &c. yet being an Independent, you are all those in effect; for if you and other Independents were not, those other Sects, either could not be at all, or not so hurtful; for you pled for them, protect, receive and harbour them: but remember the Proverb, A receiver is worse then a thief.  
again, if ye be not yet properly one of them, take heed, for you soon may be, having laid yourself in Satans high-way, I mean that of Toleration; and 'tis great odds, if spiritual pride, and the craft and diligence of deceivers, do not betray you to the embracing of one error in Doctrine; and when one of them hath gained admittance, it will usher in all the rest after it, unless God mightily prevent: and therefore say not, that an error in judgement is a light thing,; for as the judgement is, such will the practise be, the conviction of the mind being the mother of ra●ionall actions, much like, as Independency is the mother of all those Sects and schisms which so annoy us, and threaten the utter ruin of all things precious to us.  
Oh! therefore consider I beseech you, before it be too late all ye that are either unsettled, or already mis-led by the sleights and cunning craftiness of those who lye in wait to deceive.  
What dishonour you do to God, what damage will accrue to his Church and these three kingdoms, yea to your own souls by serving the ends, and strengthening the hands of such, who by their tenants and practices do evidence to the world( notwithstanding their other pretences) that they are enemies to God and good men, whose constant practices are against truth, peace, union, and good government; and that your may escape their snare, observe their cunning, their faire and specious shows, pretences and promises. But it would be needless to repeat all the glosses, pretences, and faire promises with which they use to deceive the simplo; and to wash off those blots where with they have been most deservedly charged. I shall only instance in their pretendedly moderate Master Burroughs his Vindication against Mr, Edwards his two Books called Gangraena and Antapologia, whereby their practices have most worthily been discovered and confuted; which Book, because it cannot be well answered, therefore they must be impatiently railed at, and all endeavours used to asperse the person of that faithful friend of truth. And in the 24. page. of Mr. Burroughs his Book, he accun's it an injury that Independents are said to be such as would have no Government, but that all Heresies, &c. be tolerated.  
Answ. Let any judicious indifferent man judge whether the protecting, pleading for, and palliating the faults of Blasphemers, heretics and Sectaries, mediating and soliciting for a Toleration, or at least connivance for them, and the Independents reckoning all said or done against themselves, which is said, writ, or done against such Sectaries; I say, judge whether this charge be not just upon them. and is not the protection and toleration of schismatics contained in the very nature of Independency itself? And here let sad experience speak what less hath( but the beginnings of) Independence produced, and what monstrous effects may we expect from it, if tolerated? But for the said Book in general it promiseth much, and I confess I did expect more from M. Burroughs, then light irritating and personal discourses, for which he blames others even in the same Book, using glosses and insinuations, but leaves unanswered that which sticks and will stick upon him and his party; yet cries out of Mr. Edwards as being faulty, whereas nothing appeareth but his zeal for God and his truth against Blasphemers and licentious persons, wherein Mr. Burroughs ought to join with him, if he were as he desireth to be accounted.  
Observe also now of late their great threatenings, saying, that if we oppose their ways, we shall offend God, the Parliament, and the Army: To discover the untruth hereof; I affirms, and it is certain, that it s no offence to God, but a duty we owe unto him, to vindicate his name and truth against Blasphemy, error, and contempt; nor to the Parliament or any other good men to rescue and pled for the laws, Government, Order and Peace of the Kingdoms from ruin an I violation: nor to the Armies that we contend by Word for the preservation of all those, yea the same precious things, which they with the Sword did or ought to have sought for.  
Certainly it is a high presumption in all erroneous Sectaries to render the Parliament and Armies under such a terrible notion, as if their opinions and affections were altered, and turned from their best and most considerable friends, whereby jealousies are fomented, the hands of the Parliament weakened, our enemies encouraged, and the whole Kingdom extremely disturbed and endangered; And a strange impudence it is in the said Sectaries to patronise their errors, and the maintenance of them upon God, the Parliament, and the Army; and 'tis contrary to reason, as well as Religion, that it should be so. Can Almighty God approve of any practise which is contrary to his own holy will? Or can Englands Parliament countenance any endeavours tending to ruin the public, who are so highly entrusted, sworn, and bound both in conscience and interest to preserve it, even to the utmost hazard of all they either have or are? And have they not most worthily declared to the world, and sworn to the mighty God & Judge of heaven and earth, for such a Reformation, which shall not only discountenance, but extirpate all schism and heresy, as well as Ropery and Prelacy, and what ever else shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness, we hope the Parliament( by Gods assistance) will effect. when that good and necessary Discipline of the Church can be settled, and the great work of saving the Kingdom give them leave to intend it; Or can our Army who have so gallantly stood in defence of Religion and Liberty, now render themselves for ever infamous, by being the Champions of irreligion, and licentious Toleration, as some Sectaries would fain have us to believe? No, we would not entertain such thoughts of any of them, who have done so well formerly.  
But I like not that the Sectaries should thus mention the Army as a distinct state of the Kingdom; for, our Kingdoms government knows but three Estates, namely King, Lords, and Commons, which( without addition or fundamental alteration) we are bound to preserve inviolable against all men whatsoever, as the best Government this day extant in the world, which being altered or confounded, will cause great and continual distrubances, and at last utter ruin to these three Kingdoms.  
Now therefore if that which you so much contend for, be chiefly but a lawful liberty of conscience, and to serve God in purity, use no unlawful or impure means to accomplish those good ends; for all wise men will conclude, that whilst the means you use are bad, your ends and aims cannot be good, Many of your evil practices I have now hinted, more( as reserved) lie in the deck; but I shall observe two things very notorious in your party.  
First, that you have ever born as final a part of the public burden as might be, whilst many of you have made show of doing much but indeed have built you houses out of the Kingdoms ruins; yet when any public work is done at the charge of others, you challenge all the honour as being due to you.  
The second is, in your not being content thus unjustly to monopolise the praises due to others, but strive to destroy even them and their reputations, by infamous and false imputations, reporting that they drive on the Kings design, and carry a compliance with the Kings Declarations, and what not; whereas, they, of all others, have appeared most free from self-ends and base designs, your own consciences being judges.  
All these things you do, whereby our peace is deferred, and those blessed endeavours which tend to settlement, rendered fruitless; whilst the rents and ruins of the Church continually grow more desperate and irreparable: The Kingdoms impoverished by the mighty charge and spoil of an intostine bloody war, and polluted with the guilt thereof, and the spirits of men still more exasperated one against another, which threateneth a second and a worse war then the former. and whilst foreign States do more and more drain away, and deprive us both of our Trade and our Treasure, whereby the Kingdoms are weakened, and strangers sitted and strengthened for the first opportunity to destroy both yourselves and us; consider the many clouds which hang over us, and amongst others, that of the Prince his going out of the Kingdom; Historians can tell you, that formerly such accidents have cost dear: Mathematicians will lay that so great an eclipse is( or may be) fatal; reason and experience tells us, that he is not amongst our best friends.  
Whilst we are divided, we are weak, and the longer our division is, the more our weakness will be, and then will our enemies delight to show their strength most, when ours appears to bee least.  
Forbear therefore to do any thing tending to disunite us, and poure forth no more oil upon the flamme, but into the wounds of these distressed bleeding Kingdoms; let us close ere it be too late, and then probably our foes will turn our friends( at least in show) however we shall be better able to defend the Nation from their lust and fury. Be persuaded to that end to labour after unity in judgement, flatter not yourselves; for it contradicts Scripture, reason, and experience, that there can be a blessed concord in affection amongst Christians, when there are such vast differences in opinion; the Prophet Amos puts the question, Can two walk together except they are agreed? The Apostle exhorteth 1 Cor. 1.10. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions or schisms among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgement.  
Thus you see it is a duty to be laboured after, not to be preached and writ against, as Mr. del and others have done, and by opposing the way to it, fly and avoid the society and familiarity with such men, serve not the bad designs of evil men, neither make,( nor side with) factions or parties: be not tossed with every wind of Doctrine. Delight not in novelties, have not mens persons in admiration; be a true Englishman, and prise lawful liberty, the safety and public weal of the Kingdom above lust or life, or any thing, which you may well be and do; and yet not cry down our faithful Brethren of Scotland, but carefully maintain that correspondence and covenanted amity with them; which instead of being an obloquy, will set a lustre upon every true Englishman. Pursue with all earnestness, a blessed peace; be a friend to all good government.  
Affect not the shadow more then the substance; be zealous for God, lament and grieve for the multitude of Blasphemies and other great dishonours, which( now more then ever) are daily vented and practised against his Divine Majesty.  
Be true to your Covenant, and tremble at the thought of all such sons of wickedness as dare presume to speak or writ any thing against it. with the same care and zeal avoid all novel and spurious interpretations thereof, being urged of purpose, as the most likely and ready way to destroy the obliging nature of it. Abhor the cursed Toleration, as being hateful to god and all good men, and destructive to Church and State.  
Yet, as I never did, so I hope never shall oppose or dislike, that all due care be taken that we persecute not piety and peaceable men, who cannot through scruple of conscience come up in all things to the common rule: But that they may have such a forbearance as may be according to the word of God, may consist with the Covenant, and not be destructive to the rule itself, nor to the peace of the Church and Kingdom.  
And I do seriously profess that my pen hath no quarrel with any, but such as are in opinion or practise wilful enemies to the said qualifications; and do lament the condition of all such honest well-meaning persons; who, by the artifice and cunning of Sectaries are dangerously missed and ensnared.  
It hath been, and is the opinion of many, that we should( instead of answer) slight and scorn those odious libels published against this famous and faithful City, which hath been the cause they have so long past uncontrolled, and so seldom answered; but now discerning their presumption to grow so very high, I cannot but declare these my observations touching the sin and misery of these mountebanks in Religion. And which will prove the ruin of the Kingdoms, if not timely prevented. I have insisted long upon this unpleasing theme, but with much grief of heart, that such crimes may so justly be charged upon any pretenders to piety.  
If I should enlarge upon matter of fact referable to the precedent heads, it would appear much more sad; only I should then be tedious, and it would be but raking into a most odious dunghill; I shall therefore forbear, and refer you to the books of that subject which are published to the world in print.  
Reader, you either do, or may see, how pernicious the practices of the Sectaries are, how dangerous it is to be deceived by them, Ephes. 6.14. Stand therefore, having your loins guirt about with truth, &c.  
Heb. 10.21. to the 27. verse. And having a high-Preist over the house of God, Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering( for be is faithful that promised) And let me consider one another to provoke to love and to good works.  
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is: but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching; for if wee sin wilfully, after that wee have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaines no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain looking for of judgements and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  
FINIS.