A LOOKING-GLASS FOR LEVELLERS: Held out in a SERMON, Preached at St. Peter Pauls-Wharfe, upon Sunday in the Afternoon, Sept. 24. 1648.  
BY PAUL KNELL, Master in Arts, of Clare-Hall in Cambridge. Sometime Chaplain to a Regiment of Cuirassieers in His Majesty's Army.  LUKE 20.19. 
And the chief Priests and Scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him (but they feared the people) for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON. Printed in the Year, 1648.   

A LOOKING-GLASS For LEVELLERS, etc.  St. LUKE 20. ver. 14. 
But when the Husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the Heir, come let us kill him, that the Inheritance may be ours.  
THe first particle is discretive, and severeth the Text from the foregoing Verses, wherein our Saviour holdeth forth, as it were, a Dark-Lanthorne to the chief Priests, That seeing they might see, and not perceive, and that hearing they might hear, and yet not understand. Or rather he showeth them their faces in a Glass, wherein they might see plainly what manner of men they were. The Looking-glass is this present Parable of the Vineyard, wherein he insisteth chief on three things.  
First, he showeth the descent and pedigree of the Priesthood, A certain man planted a Vineyard, and let it forth to Husbandmen.  
Secondly, he upbraideth the ingratitude of these Husbandmen in abusing their Landlords servants, they beat them, they entreated them shamefully, they wounded them, they killed them.  
Thirdly, he threatneth a punishment for their ingratitude, which is no less than a re-enter, the Lord shall destroy these Husbandmen, and shall give the Vineyard to others.  
But more punctually to survey and view this parable. By this certain man, the Planter of this Vineyard, we are to understand the world's Creator, God himself. By the Vineyard, we are to understand his Church, confined for a long time to Judea, Isa. 5.7. By the Husbandmen, to whom the Vineyard was let out, we are to understand the chief Priests, who by their doctrine and example were, as it were, to prune and dress God's Vineyard, that so it might be fruitful in good works. By the Servants sent to demand some of the fruit of this Vineyard, we are to understand the inspired Prophets, who were sent by God to call the chief Priests to repentance, to bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life. Trium autem mentio fit, etc. saith Aretius, God is said to have sent severally three Servants to the Husbandmen, because three is a perfect number, and is therefore used to show Gods uncessant desire of their Conversion. Uncessant, I say, it was, for though it knew a little intermission, yet it knew no termination, though the word of the Lord were precious in the days of Eli, yet even then God raised up Samuel to reprove the lewdness of the Priests, there was no time, there was no place but the Jewish Priests had Prophets sent among them. Before their Captivity in Babylon, they had Isaiah; Jeremy, Amos, Micah, Zephany, and others. In time of their Captivity, they had Ezekiel and Daniel. After their Captivity, they had Haggai, Zechary, Malachy. And the last was not the least, for among those that were borne of Women, there was not a greater Prophet than John the Baptist. But what entertainment found these Servants amongst their Master's Tenants? why just such as we that will not Preach treason meet with in these days, just such as the Messengers of truth have always found, convitia, verba, vulnera, as Stella speaketh, revile, blows, wounds; nay, very death itself. Isaiah was sawn asunder, Jeremy and Zechary were stoned, Amos had his brains beaten out with a Club, Micah was thrown down headlong from a rock; and all the rest did the Jews either kill, or at least hunt after them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as S. Steven asked them, which of the Prophets did not their Fathers persecute? Act. 7. yet see the never-wearied goodness of Almighty God, though the chief Priests had killed his Prophets, and had stoned those that were sent unto them, yet he did so long to do them good, that nullum non movebit lapidem, he will leave no stone unrolled, no not the cornerstone, he had but one bosome-Son, and he sendeth him to them for his rent, presuming that for shame they would not send him away empty, They will reverence (saith he) their young Landlord when they see him, But when the Husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, this is the Heir, come let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.  
The Text, ye see, is a conspiracy against Christ, wherein we meet together the four causes of it.  
First, here is the Efficient cause, or the Conspirators, the Husbandmen.  
Secondly, the Material cause, or person conspired against, the Heir, when they saw him.  
Thirdly, the Formal cause, or manner of their conspiracy, they reasoned among themselves, saying, come let us kill him.  
Fourthly, and lastly, the Final cause, or end of their conspiracy, which was, that they might be Lords of the Manor, that the inheritance may be ours.  
These are the parts, of which in order briefly, and very plainly. I begin with the first part, the Conspirators, which are Coloni, the Husbandmen.  
If the first man had been a good Husband, there had been no Husbandman, the Earth need have had no Midwife, she would have brought forth of herself. But Haec maledictio Adae, etc. saith Saint Bernard, this was a curse entailed on Adam's sin, that for his sake the ground itself was cursed, his barrenness in obedience made the very Earth grow barren. Which may therefore serve to mind us sinners of repentance, the husbandry of the hand may teach us the husbandry of the heart, even to break up our fallow ground, and sow in tears. But I must not insist upon these Georgics, I must lead you from corporal to spiritual husbandmen. And these are the painful Preachers of God's word. For as the Earth must be ploughed and harrowed by the Countryman, before she will ever bring forth her increase: So the men of the earth must be directed and corrected by the Churchman, before they will bring forth the fruits of righteousness. The Clergy, like the Prophet Elisha, are a kind of Ploughmen. They that do, as it were, drive the Blow, are ordinary Ministers; they that hold the Blow, are the reverend Bishops; the Blow would not go so well, should Episcopacy be abolished. Let these Labourers therefore have their due, they are worthy of their hire. And let them likewise have a respectful estimation set upon them.  
For the Courtier cannot live without the Countryman, the King himself is served by the Field. Neither doth man live by Bread only, but by every word of God. As then where no Hushandmen are the people starve: So likewise where no Ministers, where no vision is, the people perish. Which admonisheth God's husbandmen, the Clergy, to be industrious.  
There is no profession more laborious than that of Husbandmen, who in the sweat of their face most commonly eat their bread. And herein they are a pattern and ensample unto us, who indeed should labour more abundantly than they all, because they labour but to sustain men's bodies, we to feed their souls. We must therefore: abound always in the work of the Lord, we must Preach the word, as Saint Paul charged Timothy, not slothfully, but painfully, we must labour in the Gospel, we must be instant, and eager, and earnest in our preaching, in season, out of season, in time of peace, in time of war, we must reprove, we must rebuke, we we must exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine, as the Apostle speaketh.  
And as we must be fervent, so we must be perseverant in our office, having put our hand to God's plough, we must resolve not to look back. We must not, with Demas, forsake our function, and embrace the world; nor must we cease to exercise it, till we just put off this tabernacle though there be never so great danger in the exercising of it, though there be never so many wicked warrants out against us, Husbandmen will not give over ploughing for a shower of rain, nor must we give over Preaching because of persecution, though we are never so superannuated, though we are such as Paul the aged, or though so feeble, that, with St. John, we must be carried to the Pulpit. Neither must we lord it over God's heritage, like Presbyterian Pastors, or like these chief Priests, who that they may be Lords of the Lords Vineyard, conspire to murder the right Lord of it, the Conspirators, our Text telleth us, were Coloni, the Husbandmen. And so likewise Pontius Pilate told our Saviour, Thine own Nation, and the chief Priests have delivered thee unto me, Joh. 18.35. What prodigious unthankful miscreants were these! there can be no Epithet bad enough for such Traitors. For they that taught the people, taught they not themselves? They that were dressers of the Vineyard, durst they conspire against the owner of it? durst men of the Temple venture upon the worst of treasons? well, we see by this the truth of that old axiom, Corruptio optimi est pessima, the best wine maketh the sharpest vinegar; if Clergymen once turn Traitors, they are incarnate Devils. So our Saviour styled the traitor Judas, and thus likewise all Synod-traytours may be styled. And so I pass from the first part of the Text, the Conspirators, the Husbandmen, to the second, the person against whom they conspired, which was the Heir, when the Husbandmen saw him.  
The Heir. The wise God of peace and order, will not have every man be his own carver, for the best weapon would then be the best evidence, as Levellers would fain have it; the strongest arm would be the surest title. But as he hath ordained a succession of men, so of Estates, their Children must be their Heirs, they must leave their substance to their Babes, Dominio non fundatur in gratia, they that call themselves babes of grace, all things are not theirs, had not Jacob supplanted Esau, this graceless one had been Isaac's Heir. For the inheritance was always challenged by the eldest Son; and therefore this title of Heir, must needs be due to Christ, who was the first begotten of his Heavenly Father, the firstborn of his Earthly Mother, the firstborn of every Creature, the firstborn among many Brethren, by right of primogeniture he was the Heir, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith the Apostle, Heir of all things, Heb. 1.2. The earth is the Lords, and all that therein is, the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein, Psal. 24.1. And he that is owner of all things, maketh his eldest Son a promise of them, he promiseth to give him the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, Psal. 2.8.  
The Devil, I know, made his brags once, that he was Heir of the world, when he shown our Saviour all the Kingdoms of it, and told him, they were his. But as he was a murderer, so he was a liar from the beginning. It is true that Abraham had a promise, that he should be Heir of the World, as the Apostle testifieth, Rom. 4.13. But though to Abraham and his seed there were such a promise made, yet Christ, for all this, was still to be the Heir, it is the same Apostles observation, Gal. 3.16. He saith not to seeds, as of many, but to thy seed, as of one, which is Christ.  
But here we must not be mistaken, for though our Saviour be styled the Heir, yet we must know that his inheritance is no temporal, but a spiritual inheritance, his Kingdom, his Church, his heritage is not of this world. And as we Christians are not of it, so our inheritance properly is not in it, we are Heirs to a better Country, that is an Heavenly, though not by nature, yet by grace, though not by birth, yet by faith we are made partabers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, we are heirs of God, co heirs with Christ, we have an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for us, where we shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of God, where we shall see our pierced-Saviour, not to our terror, but our triumph, where we shall see him not with other, but with these same eyes, the same numerical, though not the same mortal eyes, where we shall see that which Saint Austin so much wished to see, Christum in carne, Christ in the flesh, and that which many Prophets and Kings desired to see, and could not see it. They saw this sight indeed a far off, which did not a little cheer their hearts, Abraham rejoiced, saith our Saviour, to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad, John 8.56. But when Simeon saw him in the Temple, his eyes were satisfied with seeing, close them now, Lord, saith he, let me die in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. And we may observe here by the way, that if ever we will see Christ in Heaven, we must first see him upon earth, for though we cannot see him yet, as Simeon (and these chief Priests) did, with the eyes of our body, yet we may see him, as Abraham did, with the perspective of our faith, we may, & we must see him thorough this glass darkly, before ever we can see him face to face. A Christian must not be like a Cyclops, with one eye; the spouse of Christ, as Peraldus observeth, must have two, oculum fidei, and oculum gloriae, the eye of faith, and the eye of fruition. We must walk by faith, before we can walk by sight. We must, like Jacob, be first married to blear eyed Leak, before we can obtain beautiful Rachel; we must first see our Saviour with the tender eye of faith, before ever we can behold him with the brighter eye of glory.  
Now though our Saviour pronounce them blessed that have not seen, and yet have believed, and though Faith be defined by the Apostle, the evidence of things not seen; yet Segniùs irritant animos, etc. as the Poet speaketh, a man will give more credit to his eyes, then to his ears, Saint Thomas would not go by hear-say, except he might see, he resolved not to believe. But the chief Priests were so perverse, that they would not believe their own eyes, for they conspired against our Saviour, though they saw him, though they knew him, though they knew him to be the Messiah, and could say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, This is the Heir.  
From whence we may observe, that as there is a zeal without knowledge, so there is a knowledge without faith. The very Devils knew our Saviour, they knew him to be the Son of God, Mat. 3.29. Jesus I know, said the evil Spirit to those Exorcists, Act. 19.15. But their knowledge was merely historical, like their faith. And just after this manner did the chief Priests know Christ. There are indeed some places of Scripture that seem to contradict our Text, and to say, that the chief Priests knew not Jesus to be Christ, knew not that he was the Heir. For Saint John saith plainly, that the world knew him not, Joh. 1.10. And Saint Peter upbraiding the Jews for killing the Prince of life, useth these very words, I wots that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your Rulers, Act. 3.17.  
And Saint Paul speaking of the wisdom of God, which I take to be his Son, telleth us in express words, that none of the Princes of this world knew it, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2.8.  
But I answer, First, to that of Saint John, the world knew not Christ, that is, the greatest part of it, to that of Saint Paul, none of the Princes of this world knew him, that is, few of them; to that of Saint Peter, the Jews and their Rulers slew him ignorantly, that is, some of them did so: thus the ordinary gloss would have those places construed.  
Secondly, I answer, that the ignorance of the chief Priests was not purae negationis, but pravae dispositionis, if they were ignorant of Christ, it was because they would be ignorant, as the people used to say to their Seers, see not, so these Seers seem to have stopped their ears, and shut their eyes, for otherwise they could not choose but acknowledge Jesus to be the Messiah, because all the Prophecies of his coming were fulfilled.  
First, that Prophecy, Gen. 49.10. pointing at the time of his Birth, the Sceptre was then departed from Judah, the Jews paid contribution, they were tributaries to the Romans.  
Secondly, that Prophecy, Micah 5.2. pointing out the place of his Nativity, he was borne in Bethleem of Judea, which was the place assigned for Christ's Birth, as these very chief Priests or their Predecessors told King Herod. But if neither the time nor place of his Birth, yet his Miracles might perfectly assure them that he was the Messiah. And therefore when Saint John Baptist sent two of his Disciples to ask him, if he were Christ? all the answer he would return by them was this, Go, and show John again those things ye do hear and see, the blind receive their sight, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised up, etc. Mat. 11.4, 5. And when Christ cometh, some asked the question, Shall he do more Miracles than these which this man doth? Joh. 7.31. Though the chief Priests then would not believe his words, yet they might have believed him for his works sake. But neither of these would prevail with them, they had ears, yet would not hear, they had eyes, yet would not see. Which was a most notorious aggravation of their treason, for had they been stark blind, their sin haply might have been remitted, but because seeing they would not see, therefore their sin remaineth. And this sin of theirs seemeth to be no better than the very sin against the Holy Ghost, for against conscience, out of mere malice they conspired to put this Heir to death. And I pray God the Ringleaders of our rebellious Reformation be not guilty of the selfsame sin; for it seemeth to be out of a desperate, inveterate malice, that notwithstanding the present Treaty, some of them persist in their conspiracy against the best of Kings. But these Levellers shall bring up the rear of my discourse.  
I pass therefore from the second part of the Text, the Person that the chief Priests conspired against, which was the Heir, to the third, which is the manner of their conspiracy, They reasoned among themselves, saying, come, let us kill him. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they reasoned, they argued the case. Treason is a sin of deliberation, a studied sin. All sins are not cognita, known sins, there are sins of ignorance, as well as sins of knowledge. But there is neither ignorantia facti, nor ignorantia juris in treason, it is wilfully contrived and complotted, it is a premeditated sin. And herein appeareth the heinousness of it above other sins. To sin out of infirmity or ignorance, to be overtaken in a fault, this is but (as it were) chance medley, pardonable by the law of God and men. But to sin with a full career, of set purpose, to consult about it, this is no less than wilful murder, a sin that never must go unpardoned; and yet this was the sin of these chief Priests in our Text, they reasoned among themselves, saying, come, let us kill him.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Come. Wicked men use to call and invite one another to commit sin, they are a sociable sort of people, that are unwilling to go to Hell alone, they entice and engage as many as they can to be partakers with them, they are in league and covenant, there is a combination among them, especially among Traitors, such as these chief Priests were, who conspired against Christ, just as Joseph's Brethren against him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, come, let us kill him. Joseph indeed scaped with life, thanks to his eldest Brother; but Jesus had not one Reuben to speak for him, none but a Woman, and she could not prevail, the Kings of the earth standing up, and the Rulers taking counsel together against the Lord, and against his Christ, for against the holy Child Jesus both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of the Jews were gathered together, they gathered them together against the soul of the righteous, that they might condemn the innocent blood, they reasoned among themselves, saying, come, let us kill him.  
Kill him. As the Devil is a murderer, so all those that are of his party thirst after blood. Shimei did a great deal of wrong to David in calling him so, but otherwise Bloody man, and man of Belial may well go together, for there is no man desperately wicked, but he is a bloodthirsty man. It hath been thus from the beginning of the world, and will be so to the end. Cain was of that wicked one, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and slew his Brother, 1 Joh. 3.12. This was likewise the resolution of wicked Esau, the days of mourning for my Father are at hand, than (saith he) will I slay my Brother Jacob, Gen. 27.41. Thus Pharaoh commanded the Egyptian Midwives to murder every Male child of the Hebrews, if it be a Son, than ye shall kill him, Exod. 1.16. And thus Herod slew all the Children in Bethleem, from two years old and under, Mat. 2.16. This we read of Herodias, that nothing would satiate her malice but Saint John Baptists blood, Mat. 14.8. Thus the Jews cried out against Saint Paul, Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live, Act. 22.22. And Act. 23.12. we find some that bond themselves under a curse (they took the Covenant) saying, that they would neither eat nor drink, till they had killed Paul. And the Whore of Babylon is said to be drunk with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus, Rev. 17.6. I might be infinite in examples, but this in our Text shall be instar omnium, we may fee the bloody mindedness of wicked men by these chief Priests, who conspired not to banish or imprison, but even to murder Gods own Son, they reasoned among themselves, saying, come, let us kill him. And the voices of the multitude, and of these chief Priests prevailed, this treason stood not always in consultation, but went on to action, what the common counsel determined wickedly, the common people executed greedily, they cast the Heir out of the Vineyard, and slew him with this dreadful imprecation, his blood be on us, and on our children.  
And seeing our Master was thus used, we must expect no better measure, but even to be killed all the day long, as the Psalmist speaketh, and to be counted as Sheep appointed to be slain. The Alpha, and the Omega of the Church is writ in blood, 
Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia, sanguine crevit,  
Sanguine firmatur, sanguine finis erit.  And we need not wonder at this, if we believe our Saviour, for it is but that which he told us long ago, that we should be hated and hunted after for his sake, yea the time will come (says he) that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service. A Prophecy that seemeth to point directly at our very days, when the bloodiest of Soldiers think themselves the best of Saints, when murdering of loyal Christians goeth for pure Religion. But though our blood be shed like water on every side, yet our God that is true and holy, will (in his good time) judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth, there will one day be a strict inquisition made for blood, for the blood of Strafford and Canterbury, for the blood of Lucas and Lisle, for the blood of Tomkins and Chaloner, for the blood of yeoman's, Bourchier, and Burleigh, for the blood of Dunkin, and others in Kent, there will be a day, I say, if not in this, yet in the next world, when all the righteous blood that hath of late years been shed in this Kingdom, shall be required at the hands of this tyrannical satanical generation.  
And so I pass from the third part of the Text, which was the manner of the chief Priests conspiracy, they reasoned among themselves, saying, come, let us kill him, to the fourth and last, the end of their conspiracy, which was, that they might be Lords of the Manor, that the inheritance may be ours, But when the Husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, this is the Heir, come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.  
In every action, there is both Opus, and Intentio operantis, the doing of the work, and the end for which we do it, and by an Hysteron proteron the last of these is first, what is last in execution, the same is first in our intention, the end being always the beginning of the action. Now it is an axiom in Philosophy, Finis & Bonum convertuntur, let the action be what it will, Good is always propounded for the end, either Honestum, or Jucundum, or Vtile, either an honest, or a pleasant, or a profitable end, they that do evil will say they do this, that good may come of it, good to themselves at least, though hurt to others; or if it be not good indeed, yet it shall seemingly be good; and the last of those three ends the chief Priests here propound unto themselves, Bonum utile, they set up profit for their end, Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. They propound the same end with those sinners that Solomon cautioneth us to take heed of, Prov. 1.11, 13. where hope of gain is used as a motive to invite others to join with them, Come, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause, we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil. And at the 19 Verse there is just such another passage, So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain, which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. 
— quid non mortalia pectora cogis  
Auri sacra fames?  There is no villainy but will go down with men, if it have a golden bait. The love of money is the root of all evil, 1 Tim. 6.10. Balaam will endeavour to curse Israel, if he may gain but the rewards of Divination. Achan will take of the accursed thing, if he may gain a Babylonish garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold; Saul will spare the spoil of Amaleck, if he may gain good store of rich plunder; Gehazi will tell an arrant lie to Naaman, if he may gain two talents, and new clothes; Judas will betray his own Master, if he may gain thirty pieces of silver; the Soldiers will say that Christ was stolen out of the grave, if the chief Priests will give them large money; Jezebel will plot Naboth's death, if she may gain his Vineyard; she proclaimed a fast, yet knew no other godliness but gain: and this, this likewise set the chief Priests a work to conspire the death of Christ, Come (say they) let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. That we may be no longer dressers, but possessers of the Vineyard, that there may be no Superior, no Lord over us, but that the Church may be ruled and governed as we list, that the doctrine and discipline of it may be what we see good; nay, that we may have dominion as well over men's freehold, as their faith, that their consciences and coffers may both be at our command. This was the end that the chief Priests aimed at, when they conspired against the Heir, Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.  
And herein the Bishop of Rome looketh very like them, who styleth himself Christ's Vicar, S. Peter's Successor, he saith, that he is the right heir, the head of Christ's whole Church, he arrogateth the title of Universal Bishop, he challengeth (as it were) the Wardship, nay, the Lordship of the Church, whatsoever he saith must go for Gospel, merely because he saith it, he taketh upon him more than Apostolical authority, even that which is God's peculiar, To forgive sins, for which cause fall the silly people unto him, and thereout he sucketh no small advantage, it is a mass of money that his Pardons annually bring in to him. And other stratagems he hath, but all to enrich himself. He will release men out of Purgatory, if they will give him money enough, he will warrant they shall be heirs of Heaven though herein he contradict himself, for sometimes he telleth them, that they can never be sure of Heaven till they come thither, yet thus he befooleth the people, he will warrant them an inheritance in Heaven, if they will make him their Heir on earth. His whole Religion indeed is nothing else but a politic project to get money, he feedeth not the flock of Christ, but feedeth upon it, he keepeth the people in ignorance, seeking not them, but theirs, He, and all his Cardinals, Monks, and Abbots, they seek their own profit and preferment, their own gain and greatness, like these chief Priests in our Text, whose aim was to get the inheritance, Come, (say they) let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours.  
And so I have gone thorough the several parts of the Text. A few words of application, and I have done.  
Our Text is a plain conspiracy against our Saviour, and the conspiracy of Levellers against our Sovereign will match it right. Our Saviour let out his Vineyard to Husbandmen, so our Sovereign did (as it were) let out His Kingdom to Statesmen, he gave them power to prune and dress it, to take off superfluities, to rectify enormities, he gave them their heart's desire, and denied them not the request of their lips, he granted that which none but a most indulgent Landlord would ere have granted, they asked a lease of him, and he gave them a long lease, longer than any of their Predecessors ever had, he made them no Tenants for years, much less at will, but reserving his fee-simple, I mean his Negative voice, he gave it under his hand, that he would not re-enter, till they themselves consented to it.  
O fortunatos nimium, bona si sua norint, Agricolas! What men were ever so happy, as these might have been? How might the glory of their God, of their King, of their Country, and even of themselves have been advanced by them? But neglecting the three first, they aimed chief at the last, at their own glory. For assoon as their unlucky lease was sealed, they strait way thought themselves freeholders', taking Regal power upon them, as if the Militia, the King's inheritance had been theirs, they devested their Sovereign of it, and invested themselves with it, making the Heir of three Kingdoms (though no Child in any thing, but malice) to differ nothing from a servant, when he was Lord of all, for, without him, they took upon them to un-make, and to make Laws, saying, we have the legislative power, who is Lord over us? And that they might the better enjoy the Crown, they entered into Covenant against the Mitre, resolved to abolish the excellent government of Bishops, root and branch. And because the King, both against his oath and conscience would not yield to this, Come, said they, let us compel him to it by force of Arms; they set the people a-work first to mutiny, then to fight against him, as who should say, we have no part in Charles, neither have we inheritance in the Son of James, every man to his tents, o England, they proclaimed open War against Him and His Adherents, giving out Commissions to kill and slay all persons that should oppose them, their Sovereign Lord the King was not excepted, for bullets cannot distinguish between a Sceptre and a shovel, the sword (as David said) devoureth one as well as another. But seeing they could not kill Him in the field, they have since attempted it in the prison, it is too apparent that the Ringleaders of this Rebellion had an hand in that late Conspiracy against Him. Nor is it only Carolus, but even Rex that they strike at, going about not only to kill the Person, but the very office of King, I speak of the levelling Faction, all this while, Come, say they, let us break his bonds asunder, and cast away his cords from us; come, let us make no more addresses to him, but let us make ourselves a free-State, that the name of Monarch may be no more in remembrance. And to effect this, they have made the Kingdom not only a field, but even a sea of blood, breathing out nothing but slaughter against all loyal Subjects, killing and slaying, butchering and murdering their Brethren, whose blood they have shed like Water on every side, like that Woman in the Revelation, drinking themselves drunk with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus, in which noble Army those matchless Knights murdered at Colchester may well be listed.  
It is no marvel if these bloodhounds will not have God's Commandments read in Churches, for one of these telleth them expressly, they must do no murder, and as almost all the rest, so most especially that sixth Commandment they count Apocryphal, for murdering of men is their profession, and a great part of their Religion, as if Mars were their God, and Mahomet their Messiah. Let them usurp the name of Christians while they will, I am sure their bloody practices proclaim them arrant Turks. Christianity, is for the saving of men's lives; Turkism, for the destroying of them, and such is the Religion of these Levellers, destruction is in their way, they are still opposing of Treaties, the way of peace have they not known, like horseleeches, they never think they have blood enough, they would have it even unto the horse-bridles, as if they had a mind to swim in blood.  
And all this under pretence of Religion and Reformation, a pretence so pitiful & so thread bare, that I wonder men are not ashamed to be seduced by it, for Religion was ever made the stalking-horse to Rebellion, and indeed this must be the pretence, or else the design will soon be dashed, for should they proclaim themselves open Atheists, and profess the subverting of Religion, I think the world is not so bad, but that it would tear them all in pieces. They are bound therefore to pretend piety, like Absolom and Jezebel, but their actions tell the world that they aim at other ends, even at Libertinism, that they may be lawless, that they may do what they list, that they may roar and whore, yet never be questioned or controlled; for there are no men living more given to the flesh, than they that pretend so extremely to the spirit; but chief, the Inheritance, the Kingdom's wealth is that they aim at, they seek not the kingdom of God, but the riches of this Kingdom, that the revenue of the Crown, and the patrimony of the Mitre, and the Estate of every loyal Subject may be theirs. Most truly may that of the Prophet be applied to them, Jer. 22.17. their eyes, and their hearts are not but for their covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence to do it; witness their Sequestrations, their Contributions, their Excise, their Fift, and Twentieth part; besides their greediness in getting all the gainful Offices of the Kingdom. Their love of money hath been the root of all our evils, we may see this by their dividing of the spoil, their sharing of the Kingdom's wealth among themselves, especially, by their sacrilegious selling and usurping of Church-lands; they had long ago ended the War, or rather had never begun it, but to get these Lands: they kill, as Saint James speaketh, because they desire to have, to have other men's possessions, the whole world, and even their own consciences bear witness to this truth. And their Chaplains of the Assembly are just like them, those Journey-men-Rebels, that love the wages of unrighteousness, that have so much by the day to make Rebellion good by Scripture; an heart they have exercised with covetous practices, through covetousness, with feigned words, making merchandise of men. Their aim is to get the greatest Live, even Pluralities, which once they so much railed at, and under the name, forsooth, of Lecturers, they creep into Deans and Prebendaries houses, some get Mastership's of Colleges, some of Hospitals, all their aim is that the inheritance, the profitable preferments may be theirs.  
I shall not need to rake this dunghill, nor stir this Camerina any further. It is most evident how bloody and covetous all these levelling Vinedressers are. What therefore shall the Lord of the Vineyard do unto them? Sure in justice he might destroy them (though he delighteth more in mercy) and might let out his Vineyard to others, he might discard these unjust Judges, he might displace these unfaithful Stewards, these Zimries deserve no peace, no pardon, that would have slain their Master, these Shebaes' deserve to have their heads thrown over the Wall, these haman's to be executed upon their own gallows, those mine enemies, (might the King say) which would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me. 
— neque est lex justior ulla  
Quàm necis artifices arte perire suâ.  They might justly be served, as the Scythian Queen served Cyrus, have their heads thrown into a bloud-boule, with this exprobration of their tyranny, Satiate vos sanguine, sanguisugae, quem sitistis, their heads should down to the grave with blood, theirs especially that have shed the blood of war in peace, that for mere envy, have murdered their Captives in cold blood. And methinks indeed these men of blood should have such an hell within themselves, that like Cain, they should be afraid that every one which meeteth them, will slay them. For bloodthirsty men, as David speaketh, shall not live out half their days, if they do, they seldom die peaceably in their beds, 
Ad generum Ceteris sine caede & vulnere paci  
Descendunt— & siccâ morte tiranni.  If any ask why I rip up these men's actions, in a time of Treaty, I Answer, that I have, in a manner, their own order for it, they returned thanks to those men that petitioned lately against the Treaty, whereby it is evident that they approved of their Petition, and one passage in that Petition was to this purpose, that no base Act of Oblivion might obliterate their do, but that there might be an Act rather for the propagating of their memorial to posterity. But to speak no more of them being absent, let me now apply myself to you here present, and let me entreat you to be no longer partakers in their sins, walk not ye in the way with them, refrain your feet from their path, for their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood, and bloodshed, Brethren, how light soever now esteemed, is a most crying sin, the cries of it enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. Wash therefore not your hands only, but your hearts too from this sin, let no bloody thoughts any longer lodge in you. As the death of men is dear in the sight of God, so let it be in your sight. Remember what Almighty God saith, Gen. 9.5, 6. Surely your blood of your lives will I require, at the hand of every man's Brother will I require the life of man. Who so sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Take heed then of shaking hands with those men that delight in blood, this sin will not suffer God to be quiet, till he avenge it. To the slain, his ears are open, but fast shut to those that slay them, all your days of Fasting and Humiliation will be ineffectual if ye be against the Treaty, if ye be still for War, though ye make never so many Prayers, God will not hear you, so long as your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves therefore I beseech you, make you clean from the blood of all men, be no longer accessary to murder, by raising Money to maintain War, ye know that no murderer (no not a second-hand murderer) hath eternal life abiding in him. Let then your prayer be, that God would deliver you from this kind of blood-guiltiness, and hereafter make better use of your money, make it not the price of blood. Cursed be he, saith God by Jeremy, that keepeth back his sword from blood, Jer. 48.10. A place that Assembly-men have strangely wrested of late years, pressing it upon men's consciences as a warrant for them to cut throats, urging it as a Commission and command for them to kill and slay; and many thousands have followed their pernicious doctrine, even LONDON, the sometime faithful City is become an Harlot, righteousness did once lodge in it, but now murderers. But let not these bloody wolvish Prophets seduce you any more. woe to the bloody City, this is the voice of the Lords Prophets, and if any man teach you otherwise, let him be accursed.  
O that ye would know therefore in this your day the things that belong unto your peace, lest otherwise they be hid for ever from your eyes. Consider what God saith to the Jews, Isa. 1.19, 20. for the very same he saith now to you, If ye be willing and obedient, willing to have your King restored, and will henceforth be obedient to him, ye shall eat the good of the land, but if ye refuse his gracious pardon, and resolve still to rebel against him, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord bathe spoken it. If ye still keep up the sword, ye will, in the end, perish by it, your sword will certainly penetrate your own heart. Obey not them therefore that think they can kill the body, and that would have you make a trade of killing, but obey him that can kill body and soul, whose express command is, that ye shall not kill. If ye will not follow peace, ye shall never see the Lord. If here ye banish that from you. He will hereafter banish you from him he will renounce you with those words of David, Psal. 139.19. Depart from me, ye bloody, ye bloodthirsty men. And as God abhorreth the bloody, Psal. 5. so doth he the covetous man, Psal. 10. He that said, Do not kill, said also, Do not covet, as therefore ye must abstain from blood, so must ye from covetousness, let not this be on●e named amongst you, as becometh Saints, but learn of the Apostle in whatsoever state ye are, therewith to be content; see that ye covet no man's silver, or gold, or apparel, but having food and raiment, be therewith content. Ye know whose law it is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house; take heed then, Brethren, of coveting Bishops houses, or any thing else that is another's, and not yours. All covet, all lose, ye may have good Scripture for it, Jer. 8.10. I will give their Wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the Prophet, even unto the Priest. They that greedly get away other men's, beget a gangrene in their own estates. De male quaesitis vix gaudet tertius hares. Take heed therefore, as our Saviour exhorteth, and beware of covetousness. Consider what S. Paul saith, Ephes. 5.5. no covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ, and of God; and consider what the same Apostle saith, 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich (as it were, whether God will or no) fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. Covetousness tempteth men to murder, this is that maketh Levellers so bloody as they are: from whence come wars and fightings among you? Surely covetousness hath been the original of them all, the lower sort of people strive to be in an higher room, the poor would feign turn tables with the rich, they would thus have every valley to be filled, and every mountain and hill to be laid low, as if, in this sense, every man were bound to seek another's wealth, they that were borne to nothing, strive to get others birth rights, calling themselves, for sooth, the Saints, who, they say, must inherit the earth; they would make themselves rich, that have nothing, and others poor, that have great riches.  
But to conclude this, Brethren, is not the office of Saints, it is God's office, it is the Lord that maketh poor, and maketh rich. Presume not then to take God's office out of his hand, strive not to make yourselves rich, if God have made you poor, but be content with that portion of outward things that he hath given you; the silver is mine, and the Gold is mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, Hag. 2.8. Deny him not therefore that privilege, which your own selves challenge, give him leave to do what he pleaseth with his own; let not the least root of covetousness remain in you, remember that godliness with contentment is great gain, if the riches of others increase, set not your hearts upon them, seek not these things below, but those above, strive not for an inheritance on earth, but to have one in heaven; that ye may banish cruelty, let covetousness be banished first, that ye may not thirst after other men's bloods, covet not their goods, baste thou killed, saith God to Ahab, and also taken possession? well, ye know what became of him & Jezebel for this; stifle therefore not only you murderous, but also your covetous thoughts, if ye must needs be killing, mortify your earthly members, if ye must needs be coveting, covet earnestly the best gifts; God hath chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, to be heirs of his kingdom; labour therefore to get the gold of faith, whereby ye may be rich towards God, and then although here ye have no temporal inheritance, yet hereafter ye shall have one far better, ye shall be heirs apparent unto Heaven, ye shall inherit gloty, God will give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified, though now ye are in your nonage, yet at the last day ye shall be perfect men, ye shall be of full age, ye shall attain to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, who shall then invite you to enter upon your inheritance in these words, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Which God of his infinite mercy vouchsafe to grant unto us all, for the merits of his beloved Son, our blessed Saviour. To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, Three Persons, one Immortal, Invisible, Indivisible, only wise God, be rendered and ascribed, as most due is, All Honour, Glory, Power, Praise, Might, Majesty, Wisdom, and Dominion, the residue of this blessed day present, and for evermore world without end, Amen.  
FINIS.