how to have right 'done him,' without some obstruction or other intervening? Indeed we were almost grown arbitrary in everything.

What was the face that was upon our affairs as to the Interest of the Nation? As to the Authority in the Nation;

to the Magistracy; to the Ranks and Orders of men,whereby England hath been known for hundreds of years? [The Levellers!] A nobleman, a gentleman, a yeoman; 'the distinction of these:' that is a good interest of the Nation, and a great one! The 'natural' Magistracy of the Nation, was it not almost trampled under foot, under despite and contempt, by men of Levelling principles ? I beseech you, For the orders of men and ranks of men, did not that Levelling principle tend to the reducing of all to an equality? Did it 'consciously' think to do so; or did it 'only unconsciously' practise towards that for property and interest? 'At all events,' what was the purport of it but to make the Tenant as liberal a fortune as the Landlord? Which, I think, if obtained, would not have lasted long! The men of that principle, after they had served their own turns, would then have cried-up property and interest fast enough! -This instance is instead of many. And that the thing did' and might well' extend far, is manifest; because it was a pleasing voice to all Poor Men, and truly not unwelcome to all Bad Men. [Far-extended classes, these two both!] To my thinking, this is a consideration which, in your endeavours after settlement, you will be so well minded of, that I might have spared it here: but let that pass.

'Now as to Spirituals.' Indeed in Spiritual things the case was more sad and deplorable 'still;'-and that was told to you this day eminently. The prodigious blasphemies; contempt of God and Christ, denying of Him, contempt of Him and His ordinances, and of the Scriptures: a

spirit visibly acting14 those things foretold by Peter and Jude; yea those things spoken of by Paul to Timothy ! Paul declaring some things to be worse than the Antichristian state (of which he had spoken in the First to Timothy, Chapter fourth, verses first and second, 'under the title of the Latter times'), tells us what should be the lot and portion of the Last Times. He says (Second to Timothy, Chapter third, verses second, third, fourth), "In the Last Days perilous times shall come; men shall be lovers of their own

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selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient "to parents, unthankful," and so on. But in speaking of the Antichristian state, he told us (First to Timothy, Chapter fourth, verses first and second), that "in the latter days” that state shall come in; 'not the last days but the latter,' -wherein "there shall be a departing from the faith, and "a giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy," and so on. This is only his description of the latter times, or those of Antichrist; and we are given to understand that there are last times coming, which will be worse !15-And surely it may be feared, these are our times. For when men forget all rules of Law and Nature, and break all the bonds that fallen man hath on him; 'obscuring' the remainder of the image of God in their nature, which they cannot blot out, and yet shall en

14 a general temper visibly bringing out in practice.

15 There is no express mention of Antichrist either here or elsewhere in the Text of Timothy at all; but, I conclude, a full conviction on the part of Cromwell and all sound Commentators that Antichrist is indubitably shadowed forth there. Antichrist means, with them and him, the Pope; to whom Laud, &c., with his 'four surplices at Allhallowtide' and other clothweb and cobweb furniture, are of kindred. "We have got rid of Antichrist," he seems to intimate, "we have got pretty well done with Antichrist: and are we now coming to something worse? To the Levellers, namely! The Latter times are over, then; and we are coming now into the Last times?" It is on this contrast of comparative and superlative, Latter and Last, that Oliver's logic seems to ground itself: Paul says nothing of Antichrist, nor anything directly of the one time being worse or better than the other; only the one time is 'latter,' the other is 'last.'-This paragrah is not important; but to gain any meaning from it whatever, some small changes have been necessary. I do not encumber the reader with double samples of what at best is grown obsolete to him: such as wish to see the original unadulterated unintelligibility, will find it, in clear print, p. 321, vol. xx. of Parliamentary History, and satisfy themselves whether I have read well or ill.

deavour to blot out, "having a form of godliness without the power," 'surely' these are sad tokens of the last times!

And indeed the character wherewith this spirit and principle is described in that place of Scripture,' is so legible and visible, that he who runs may read it to be amongst us. For by such "the grace of God is turned into wantonness," and Christ and the Spirit of God made a cloak for all villany and spurious apprehensions. [Threatening to go a strange course, those Antinomian, Levelling, day-dreaming Delusionists of ours ] And though nobody will own these things publicly as to practice, the things being so abominable and odious; yet 'the consideration' how this principle extends itself, and whence it had its rise, makes me to think of a Second sort of Men, 'tending in the same direction ;' who, it's true, as I said, will not practise nor own these things, yet can tell the Magistrate "That he hath nothing "to do with men holding such notions: These, 'forsooth,' 66 are matters of conscience and opinion: they are matters "of Religion; what hath the Magistrate to do with these "things? He is to look to the outward man, not to the inward,”—' and so forth.' And truly it so happens that though these things do break out visibly to all, yet the principle wherewith these things are carried on so forbids the Magistrate to meddle with them, that it hath hitherto kept the offenders from punishment.16

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Such considerations, and pretensions to "liberty of conscience," what are they leading us towards!' Liberty of Conscience, and Liberty of the Subject,-two as glorious

16 The latest of the Commentators says: "This drossy paragraph has not much 'Political Philosophy in it, according to our modern established Litany of "toleration," "freedom of opinion," no man responsible for what opinions he may 'form," &c. &c. ; but it has some honest human sagacity in it, of a much more perennial and valuable character. Worth looking back upon, worth looking up to'wards, -as the blue skies and stars might be, if through the great deep element ' of " 'temporary London Fog" there were any chance of seeing them!-Strange 'exhalations have risen upon us, and the Fog is very deep: nevertheless very indubitably the stars still are.'

things to be contended for, as any that God hath given us; yet both these abused for the patronising of villanies! Insomuch that it hath been an ordinary thing to say, and in dispute to affirm, "That the restraining of such pernicious "notions was not in the Magistrate's power; he had no"thing to do with it. Not so much as the printing of a "Bible in the Nation for the use of the People, 'was com"petent to the Magistrate,' lest it should be imposed upon "the consciences of men,"-for "they would receive the "same traditionally and implicitly from the Magistrate, if "it were thus received!" The afore-mentioned abominations did thus swell to this height among us.

'So likewise' the axe was laid to the root of the Ministry.17 It was Antichristian, it was Babylonish, said they.' It suffered under such a judgment, that the truth is, as the extremity was great according to the former system,18 I wish it prove not as great according to this. The former extremity 'we suffered under' was, That no man, though he had never so good a testimony, though he had received gifts from Christ, might preach, unless ordained. So now 'I think we are at the other extremity, when' many affirm, That he who is ordained hath a nullity, or Antichristianism, stamped thereby' upon his calling; so that he ought not to preach, or not be heard.—I wish it may not be too justly said, That there was severity and sharpness 'in our old system'! Yea, too much of an imposing spirit in matters of conscience; a spirit unchristian enough in any times, most unfit for these 'times;'-denying liberty of conscience' to men who have earned it with their blood; who have earned civil liberty, and religious also, for those [Stifled murmurs from the Presbyterian Sect] who would thus impose upon them!

17 Preaching Clergy.

18 'on that hand' in orig. He alludes to the Presbyterian system.

We may reckon among these our Spiritual evils, an evil that hath more refinedness in it, more colour for it, and hath deceived more people of integrity than the rest have done ;—for few have been catched by the former mistakes except such as have apostatised from their holy profession, such as, being corrupt in their consciences, have been forsaken by God, and left to such noisome opinions. But, I say, there is another error of more refined sort; 'which' many honest people whose hearts are sincere, many of them belonging to God, 'have fallen into and that is the mistaken notion of the Fifth Monarchy

[Yes, your Highness !—But will his Highness and the old Parliament be pleased here to pause a little, till a faithful Editor take the great liberty of explaining somewhat to the modern part of the audience? Here is a Note saved from destruction; not without difficulty. To his Highness and the old Parliament it will be inaudible; to them, standing very impassive,serene, immovable in the fixedness of the old Eternities,-it will be no hardship to wait a little! And to us who still live and listen, it may have its uses.

"

The common mode of treating Universal History,' says our latest impatient Commentator, not yet entirely fallen obsolete in this country, though it has been abandoned with 'much ridicule everywhere else for half a century now, was to group the Aggregate Transactions of the Human Species into 'Four Monarchies: the Assyrian Monarchy of Nebuchadnezzar ' and Company; the Persian of Cyrus and ditto; the Greek of 'Alexander; and lastly the Roman. These I think were they, 'but am no great authority on the subject. Under the dregs

' of this last, or Roman Empire, which is maintained yet by express name in Germany, Das heilige Römische Reich, we poor moderns still live. But now say Major-General Harrison ‘and a number of men, founding on Bible Prophecies, Now 'shall be a Fifth Monarchy, by far the blessedest and the only 'real one, the Monarchy of Jesus Christ, his Saints reigning for Him here on Earth,—if not He himself, which is probable 'or possible, for a thousand years, &c. &c.-. O Heavens, 'there are tears for human destiny; and immortal Hope itsel