A Brief Description by way of supposition holding forth to the Parliament and such as have but common reason, wherein a true Commonwealth consisteth: as also the grand enemies of this Commonwealth plainly discovered.  
SUppose that ten or twelve sorts of people (being of several opinions) are all together willing to inhabit a fruitful Island, yet before they resolve to plant or build, they judge it necessary to have one of the wisest of them to be their Magistrate or chief overseer, with so many servants as the time requires, not only to keep the people in order, but also to be in a posture of defence, against all enemies whatsoever, maintaining the same (for their service to the Commonwealth) out of the Common stock. After this; all persons that are of one and the same opinion are gathering themselves (as members belonging to one body) together making up when they are separated, the number of ten or twelve different Congregations, every one providing maintenance for his own Ministers, and the Magistrate standing unmovable (as a centre) between them all, to keep the balance in the Government, that one sect may not domineer over the other. If he (to wit the Magistrate) join himself (as a member) to one particular Congregation he hath his liberty to honour the same, with his presence, with his tongue, with his pen, and with his own money: but not with the sword or money of the Commonwealth, for he is in regard of his Office to be considered not as a particular but as a general person standing for the good of all: just as it is with a Treasurer, who is entrusted with a sum of money to employ the same not for his own, or any ones private advantage in particular, but for the benefit of all those that have entrusted him. This now (when there are made Hospitals for the poor; work-houses for the idle and evil persons; as also general meeting places for the dispelling of errors) is a true and perfect Commonwealth, without calling the Ministers of one particular sect national Ministers. Till Satan appearing (in his servants) as an Angel of light, doth bewitch and overcome the Magistrate which commonly happens in this following manner: The Ministers of every sect, having their own meetings among themselves, are labouring and striving (some to a good, and others to an evil end) to bring the greatest number of persons under their jurisdiction: the evil minded losing their customers, and so their maintenance by the increase of others, the truth having most power, are consulting together, in what manner to gain the Favour and Assistance of the Magistrate. Appearing before him with flattering addresses and fair pretences calling him the most noble, most excellent, and most serene, etc. Telling him that they have a great inclination and desire to his continuance in the government. Thus having made their first entrance they proceed and go on (to complish their design) insinuating him that there is a certain sort of people under his government that very much increase being (as they call it) of dangerous principles, because they are opposite to them: warning him with great earnestness to take special notice of them, with this conclusion, if he do not suppress them (to hinder their increase) that he is in danger to lose his government. The Magistrate not perceiving that the old Serpent is hidden under these fair pretences, nor discerning the wolves in sheep's clothing, is moved and resolved to reward them for all their pretended care and kindness manifested to him, allowing them maintenance, not of his own but of the Commonwealth's money, which belongeth not to him; much less to them, they then being made partakers of the money unjustly taken of the Commonwealth, are in fear that the honest people of the other Congregations (perceiving these contrivings) will discover their wickedness and deceit. Whereupon they presently resolve to extol the Magistrate in the public meeting places, calling him a very good and religious Magistrate because he is good to them, the Common people seeing the great union and familiarity between the Magistrate, and those Ministers, are commonly inclined to fall in with their affections, where the magistrate is affected, because they seek favour and offices by him; wherein the Ministers are very serviceable to advance their own Disciples before others in the government, that so their kingdom (their children being brought up to the same trade) may stand upon a more sure foundation then heretofore, giving out by the mouth of their followers that the interest of the Magistrate lieth in them, the Magistrate perceiving that not only many of his Officers, but also the generality of the Common-people agree with those Ministers, is easily persuaded to believe that his interest lieth in them, being now afraid to displease those cunning sophisters who by their subtlety have brought him by degrees under their own power, being no more (as heretofore) a servant of the Commonwealth but a servant of one particular sect which are preparing his heart for persecution, by slandering and branding as heretics and blasphemers, those that differ from them in opinion, to render them odious in the sight of the Magistrate, persuading him to abuse the Sword and power of the Commonwealth, by the persecution of such as in matters of religion live according to their own light and understanding blameless and without offence, till the long suffering of God, towards that hypocritical generation is come to an end, as woeful experience hath made manifest here in England, in the bringing down of the King and Bishops, what will become of the little-Bishops, and of them that strengthen their hands (by forcing the people to give tithes to them) the Lord knows; the Whore (and her Daughters) have made drunk the kings and Rulers of the earth, with their cup of fornication, yet I hope that once the sword of justice, shall cut off the cord wherewith the Ministers and Magistrates are tied, that so all sects (in these Nations) being brought to the enjoyment of equal privileges, the great work of God (which hath been obstructed) may be carried on again, in more truth and power then before, to the convincing of all Antichristian dominions, and especially New-England, where the Magistrates (being deceived by the Clergy) are become the greatest persecutors of all those that profess themselves to be of the reformed protestant religion, prescribing and imposing of their own rules and forms, upon the people for their own ends, inflicting punishment upon such whose consciences cannot endure to pay tithes or taxes, to hold up their enemies (in spiritual matters) against themselves this now being unreasonable, and contrary to cristianity, than equity requires, that, that law (whereby the people are forced to pay tithes to Ministers) ought without delay to be abolished, for we have no reason to expect a peaceable Government, whilst the Magistrate as Magistrate continues, to favour (with the sword or money of the Commonwealth) any sect or person in particular, being the chief cause, not only of partiality and strife in cities and countries, but also oftentimes of war and horrible bloodsheddings which will certainly be revenged in this life, or in the life to come, upon such as have not prevented these mischiefs according to the power and opportunity which was left or given in their hands.  
1. Leave the ministers to be provided for, by their own people that employ them, and if by this means any that are now ministers shall become destitude; let some course be taken to supply them during the time of their lives: but no encouragement for any others in time to come to make a trade or merchandise of the things of God.  
2. Expel out of the Schools called Universities, the humane forms of religion, that they may be Universities indeed.  
3. Erect Schools of learning in all Cities and market Towns or other convenient places, throughout these nations; to instruct every one as well poor as rich that have a desire to learn Arts and Sciences to answer the ends of nature for the Common good, for in spiritual matters the revealed will of God is only our rule.  
4. If it were the magistrates work to set up national ministers according to their own understanding, than we should be in danger to have as many religions as there be several ways of Government in the world, and the magistrates changing their opinion, the whole national ministry must also as often be changed, whereby it comes to pass, that the people's fear towards God is taught by the precepts of men, which makes their worship in vain, and destroyeth (as much as in them lieth) their souls.  
5. If you accept of any form besides the holy Scripture, & set up a national ministry according to that form, then will that shameful reproach remain, that the magistrates and ministers in England have brought down the King and Bishops rather to succeed in their places, then to bring the people to liberty and happiness, for the Lord alone will prescribe both Laws and Rules for his people to walk in; and the magistrates are to encourage and preserve them, in all countries against evil doers.  
6. Make a true distinction between England and all Antichristian Dominions; by bringing the holy Scripture in the public meeting places (instead of the Popes, Luther's, calvin's, or other doctrines) upon the Throne; that so Christ alone may be exalted, giving liberty after the reading of the same to every one in an orderly way to declare his own mind and understanding, even as it was among the Jews, Acts 13. excluding only such who are not willing to stay their turn, till they are better disposed without oppressing them by imprisonment, or otherwise, continually observing that no pre-eminence or sole privilege be granted to any of offering any thing or of speaking first, that so every one being at liberty and unhindered, may bring forth that, which is most conducing to the Common welfare, all of them fitting still in silence so long after the reading of the Scripture, till any one think it fit in his judicious & humble mind to propose somewhat, for mutual edification, endeavouring withal to make his discourse short; that another may have his time likewise, contrary to the custom of the common Teachers, who only or solely speaking do lengthen their discourse to the weariness of their auditory; for which end the moderators (who ought to be meek and understanding men) are to observe that there be due order kept.  
And for as much as the Lord hath eminently appeared in these Nations to make the people instrumental for a general work; sounding an alarm to the nations about it, that the powers of the earth that presume to give edicts in matters of religion (and thereby making themselves as a beast for the whore to Ride upon &c.) must fall in the day when God gins to arise to redeem his people from all Antichristian powers, therefore it is good for magistrates never to set up or meddle with any particular form or ministry composed and ordained by the will and power of men, leaving that work only to the Lord; protecting all such in peace and safety whom God shall raise up to do his mighty work.  By P.C. V.Z. 
FINIS.