more facilitating of their purposes they advance the secular power of Princes and of all soveraigne Estates above all that themselves either crave or desire alone for this end that their clerks may ride upon the shoulders of Soveraignitie to tread under the feet of their domination first the Subjects and then the Soveraignes themselves The tyrannous usurpation of the Canterburians are as many and heavie as these of the Romist Clergie How much our men are behinde the greatest tyrants that ever were in Rome let any pronounce when they have considered these their following maximes They tell us first that the making of all Ecclesiastick constitutions doth belong alone to the Bishop of the Diocesse no lesse out of Synod then in Synod That some of the inferior clergie may bee called if the Bishops please to give their advice and deliberative voice That the Prince may lend his power for confirming and executing of the constitutions made but for the work of their making it is the Bishops priviledge belonging to them alone by Divine right (a) Samuel Hoards sermons pag. 7. By the Chruch I meane the Churches Pilots who sit at the sterne Heads members divide all bodies Ecclesiasticall and civill what ever is to bee done in matters of direction and government hath alwayes beene and must be the sole prerogative of the heads of these bodies unlesse wee will have all common-wealths and churches broken in picees Ibid. pag. 8. The key of jurisdiction which is a power of binding and lousing men in foro exteriori in the coutts of justice and of making lawes and orders for the government of Gods house is peculiar to the heads and bishops of the church Ibid. p. 31. what was Ignatius and Ambrose if we look at their authoritie more than other bishops of the church That libertie therfore which they had to make new orders when they saw cause have all other prelats in their churches Edward Boughanes serm Pag. 17. Submit your selves to those that are put in authoritie by kings so then to Bishops because they are put in authoritie by Kings if they had no other clame But blessed bee God they hold not only by this but by a higher tenor since all powers are of God from him they have their spirituall jurisdiction what ever it be S. Paul therfore you see assumes this power unto himselfe of setting things in order in the kirk before any Prince become Christian 1 Cor. 11.34 The like power hee acknowledgeth to be in Titus 1.5 and in all bishops Heb. 15.17 Ibid. pag. 18. Kings make lawes and bishops make canons This indeed it was of necessitie in the beginning of Christianitie Kings made lawes for the State and bishops for the kirk because then there was no Christian Kings either to authorize them to make such lawes or who would countenance them when they were made But after that Kings became nourishing fathers to the Church in these pious and regular times bishops made no Canons without the assent and confirmation of Christian Kings and such are our Canons so made so confirmed Chounei collect pag. 53. Reges membra quidem filios Eccesiae se esse habitos reiecisse contempsisse nonnunquam audivimus obediunt simulque regnant Iura quibus gubernari se permittunt sua sunt vitalitatem nativam ex praepositis Ecclesiae tanquam ex corde recipiunt vivacitatem ex ipsis tanquam ex capitibus derivant Samuel Hoards pag. 9. Nor did they exercise this power when they were in Counsell only but when they were asunder also Speaking of apostles as they are paterns to all bishops 2. That in a whole Kingdome the Bishops alone without the privitie of any of the clergie of any of the laitie may abolish all the Ecclesiastick judicatories which the standing and unrepealled lawes which the constant customes ever since the reformation had setled and put in their rowme new forraigne courts which the kingdome had never known scarce so much as by their name (b) Our Chrurch Sessions our weekly presbyteries our yearly generall Assemblies whereof by our standing lawes wee have beene in possession are closse put downe by our book of Canons and in their rowme Church-wardens officiall courts synods for Episcopall visitation and generall Assemblies to bee called when they will to be constitute of what members they please to name are put in their place That at one stroke they may annull all the Acts of three or fourscore National Afsemblies and set up in their roome a Book of Canons of their own devysing (c) So is their book entituled Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall gathered and put in forme for the governement of the Church of Scotland and ordained to bee observed by the clergie and all others whom they concerne That they may abolish all the formes used in the worship of God without any question for threescore yeares and above both in the publicke prayers in the administration of the Sacraments in singing of Psalmes in preaching the Word in celebrating of Marriage in visiting the sicke and in ordination of Ministers Neither this alone but that it is in their hand to impose in place of these accustomed formes foure new Bookes of their owne of Service of Psalmes of Ordination of Homilies All this our Bishops in Scotland have done and to this day not any of them to our knowledge can be moved to confesse in that deed any faile against the rules either of equitie or justice what ever slips of imprudence there may bee therein And all this they have done at my lord of Canterburies direction as wee shall make good by his owne hand if ever we shall be so happy as to be permitted to produce his owne authentick autographs before the Parliament of England or any other Judicatorie that his Majestie will command to cognosce upon this our alleadgance Readily Rome it self can not be able in any one age to paralell this worke which our faction did bring foorth in one yeare It is a bundel of so many so various and so heavie acts of tyrannie Certainly England was never acquaint with the like wee see what great trouble it hath cost his Grace to get thorow there one poore ceremonie of setting the Communion table altar-wayes for there themselves dar not deny that it is repugnant to the established Lawes of their church and state for any Bishop yea for all the Bishops being joined to make the poorest Canon without the voices of their convocation-house or Nationall Assemblie yea without the Parliaments good pleasure (d) VVhites examination of the dialogue pag 22. By the lawes of our kingdome and Canons of our Church many learned persons are appointed to be assistants unto bishops and in our nationall Synods in which all weightie matters concerning religion are determined nothing is or may be concluded but by the common vote and counsell of the major part of the convocation which consisteth of many other learned Divines besides Bishops Andrews sermons
articles of Parliament it is commanded to be subscribed by the hearts and hands of all in this Kingdome without exception So that new there stands at the back of that long blasphemed Covenant among the first and most conspicuous hands not onely Roxburgh Lawder-dale Southâ—ke and others of the prime Counsellours but also Traquair the Kings great Commissioner for that effect We hope then that you and your like if there remaine any sparke of reverence in your breast towards that authoritie which oft yee pretend to adore will not onely for ever hereafter bridle your very loose tongues but also eate in againe or at last cover so farre as ye can for hidding of your shame these most false lies and unchristian railings which these two yeares by-gone in word writ Print ye have vomitted out against our proceedings especially that most hatred slandered passage of them the renewing of our Covenant The fi st point wherein ye parallell us with Jesuites 1. paralel Wee are for Monarchie but against Monarchical tyranny is in our opposition to Monarchicall government By Monarchicall government yee expreslâ— enough declare that ye understand such an absolute and illimitate power as exeemeth the Prince from the tye of all Law and puts in his hand the full libertie to make what Lawes he wâ—ll withâ—ut the advice let bee consent of Parliament of Counsell or of any others and taketh absolutely all Liberty from his Subjects though met together in Parliament to defend them elves by Armes in any imaginable oppression even such a Mâ—narchie as the great Turke or the Mâ—gor of Iâ—dia or the Châ—m of Taâ—tarie this day doth enjoy over their slaves even that strange kinde of government which in my last Chapter I descrived in the words of your brethren We confesse freely that our heart is much opposite to such a Mâ—narchie yet no more then our gracious Prince king Charles his glorious Father king Iames give us expresse warrant The one in his fore-cited writ of his Atturney Suprâ— chap 8. Q.R. abhorring these injurious flatterers who would impute unto him the making of Lawes without his Parliament the other in his Parliamentary Speach Page 531. A king governing in a setled kingdome leaveth to bee a King degenerateth in to a tiraÌ„t as soone as hee leaveth off to rule according to his Lawes Therefore all Kings that are no tyrants or perjured will be glad to bound themselves within the limits of their Lawes They that perswade them the contrarie are vipers and posts both against them and the Common-wealth making that Prince a perjured tyrant who would not gladly bound himself within the limits of his laws and these men to be taken for vipers pests and common enemies to Princes and people who would assay by their flatteries to loose Princes from their pactions made with their people at their Coronation and the setled lawes of their Kingdome yea we show that your own great Bishop Laud possibly as great a Royalist as is needfull goeth before us with his own mouth what ever he directeth you and many other of his followers to the contrary to teach that no statute Supra Cap. â— Q Law can bee made any where but in Parliament even in England let bee â—cotland where to this day never any conquerour did dwell But as for true Monarchie so high as the lowable lawes any where do make it we are in nothing opposite thereto for what have we to doe to condemne the setled state Lawes of any other Nation Certainly the royall authority of our owne gratious Soveraigne so far as the lowable lawes of our Kingdome doe extend it we are sworne in our Covenant heartily to the uttermost of our power to maintaine As for the lawfulnesse The lawfulnesse of defensive Arms of resistance in the present case of our invasion I may not enter in this short postscript in any such question onely ye may if ye please understand that it hath been the tenet of our Church since the reformation it hath been the right and practice of our Kingdome since the first foundation a number of instances thereof are approved in our standing acts of Parliament unrepealed to this day it hath been the practice of all the reformed Churches abroad wherein by Queen Elizabeth King Iames King Charles they have been all allowed and the most of them countenanced with powerfull assistance of men and money Your self cannot deny but in the judgement of reformed Divines resistance in many cases is lawfull even in Kingdomes where the Prince is tyed in the fundamentall lawes by paction to his people That this is the State of the kingdome of Scotland though ye may deny it yet King James who is like to have as great understanding in the rights of the Crowne and Kingdome of Scotland as you or your like gives us assurance that by a fundamentall law the King of Scotland is obliged at his coronation to paction under his great oath the preservation of the established Religion of the Lawes of the Kingdome of the Liberties and priviledges of the Subjects P. 105 In the Coronation our Kings give their oath first to maintaine the Religion presently professed punish al those that should alter or disturbe the profession thereof and next to maintaine the lowable good lawes made by their predecessours lastly to maintain the whole Countrie and every state therein And this oath in the Coronation is the clearest civill fundamentall Law whereby the Kings office is properly defined However we love your ingenuity who doe not dissemble but professe openly your minde that when a faction about a Prince by divine providence is permitted to take courses for the evident overthrow both of the Religion of the Lawes of the Liberties of the goods of the lives and all that is deare to an whole kingdome that in those or any other imaginable cases of tyrannie whole Parliaments may not proceed for their defence one step beyond teares prayers and flight That what ever is done more by whole and consentient nations against a faction of Court misleading the Prince is simplie unlawfull Your scoffes about the questions of Bishops and Elders deserve no answer Our Tenets about bishops and ruling Elders the king hath approved nothing doe we maintaine in them but what the assemblies of our church at our first reformation ordained and was in peaceable practice among us ever till men of your coat by fraudulent and violent wayes for their owne ambition and avarice set up their novations We have no other minde in those questions then the Church of Holland and France All our tenets are so well cleared by that Learned Hollander Gersome Bucerus as none of your partie hath yet beene bold after 22. yeares advisement to make any reply yea we maintaine no more in these questions then that wherewith our gracious Prince by his Commissioner and act of Counsell in our last generall assemblie hath declared himselfe to be well pleased but ye are a
should print over and over againe his unworthie collections not onely subscribed by his Chaplane but dedicated to himselfe wherein salvation is avowed to be a thing unknown and whereof no man can have any further or should wish for any more then a good hope (z) Pag. 82. Salus eorum satis certa quamvis ipsis ignota ex gratia infinita sua misericordia det Deus hanc spem sua vissiman huius spei plerophoriam amplioreÌ„ non expectamus And if any desire a clearer confession behold himselfe in those oposcula posthuma of Andrewes which he setteth out to the world after the mans death dedicates to the King avowing that the Church of England doth maintaine no personall perswasion of predestination which Tenet Cardinall Pirroun had obiected to them as presumption (z) Stricturae we think it not safe for any man peremptorily to presume himself predestinat White also in his answer to the Dialogue makes mans election a misterie which God hath so hid in his secret counsell that no man can in this life come to any knowledge let be assurance of it at great length from the 97. page to the 103. and that most plainly A demonstration of Canterburies Arminianisme in the highest degree But to close this Chapter passing a number of evidences I bring but one more which readily may be demonstrative though all other were layd aside By the Lawes and practickes of England a Chaplans licencing of a booke for the presse is taken for his Lord the Bishops deed So Helen approven by Canterburie teacheth in his Antidotum (a) Pag. 3. Or if you be so dull as not to apprehend that yet must the publishing of this Libel rest in conclusion on my Lord high Thesauror the Bishop of London at whose house the booke was licentiate which is so high a language against authoritie against the practise of this Realme for licenciating of bookes against the honour of the Star-chamber on whose decree that practise is founded c. and for this there is reason for the Lawes give authoritie of Licencing to no Chaplane but to their Lords alone who are to bee answerable for that which their Servant doeth in their name Also the Chaplane at the Licencing receives the principall subscrived Copie which he delivereth to his Lord to be laid up in his Episcopall Register William Bray one of Canterburies Chaplanes subscrived Chounaei Collectiones Theologicae as consonant to the doctrine of the Church of England meet for the presse The Author dedicated the Treatise to my L. of Canterburie it was printed at London 1636. In this booke the first article which by the confession of all sides drawes with it all the rest is set downe in more plaine and foule tearmes then Molina or any Jesuite sure I am then Aâ—minius Vorstius or any their followers ever did deliver (b) Pag. 18. Non vidio rationem in contrarium quare cum quae est ex Deo per unam eandemque actionem bonitatis a seipso emanantem recta ordinatio fidei in Christum resipiscentiae obedientiae perseverantiae sit causa salvationis perversa quae ex hominibus est damnationis non in eadem unitatis ratione electionis reprobationis etiam causa agnoscantur teaching in one These those three grosse errours 1. That mens faith repentance perseverance are the true causes of their Salvation as mis-beleefe impenitencie apostasie are of damnation Doeth Bellarmine goe so farre in his Doctrine of Iustification and merite 2. That those sinnes are no lesse the true causes of reprobation then of damnation 3. That mens faith repentance perseverance are no lesse the true causes of tâ—eir eternall Election then mis-beliefe or other sinnes of their temporall damnation Let Charitie suppone that his Grace in the middest of his numerous and weightie imployments hath beene forced to neglect the reading of a booke of this nature though dedicate to himselfe albeit it is well knowne that his watchfull eye is fixed upon nothing more then Pamphlets which passes the presse upon doctrines now controverted yet his Grace beelng publickly upbraided for countenancing of this Booke by D. Bastwick in the face of the Star-chamber and beeing advertised of its dedication to himselfe of the errours contained in it yea of injuries against the King of the deepest staine as these which strooke at the very root of his Supremacie and that in favour of the Bishops When in such a place Canterburie was taxed for letting his name stand before a booke that wounded the Kings Monarchick Government at the very heart and did transferre from the Crowne to the Miter one of its fairest diamonds which the King and his Father before him did ever love most dearly no charitie will longer permitt us to beleeve but his Grace would without further delay lend some two or three spare-houres to the viewing of such a piece which did concerne the King and himselfe so nearly Having therefore without all doubt both seene and most narrowly sifted all the corners of that small Treatise and yet beene so farre from reproving the Authour from censuring the Licencer his Chaplan from calling in the booke from expurging any one jot that was in it that the Treatise the second time is put to the presse at London with the same licence the same dedication no letter of the points in question altered May wee not conclude with the favour of all reasonable men that it is my Lord of Canterburies expresse minde to have his owne name prefixed and his Chaplanes hand subjoyned to the grossest errours of Arminius and so to professe openly his contempt of the Kings proclamation for the pretended violation whereof be causeth stigmatize mutilat fine excessively imprison for time of life very vertuous Gentle-men both Divines Lawyers Physicians and of other faculties What here can bee said for his Graces Apologie nothing commeth in my minde except one allegation that the point in hand crosseth not the proclamation discharging to proceed in those questions beyond the grammaticall construction and literall sense of the articles of England Arminianisme is consonant to the articles of EnglaÌ„d and not contrary to the proclamation The Authour indeed in his Epistle dedicatorie avowes to his Grace that the These alleadged and all the rest of his booke doeth perfectly agree with the English Articles in the very first and literall sense whereof the proclamation speaketh (c) Nec videantur sensum articulorum ecclesiae Anglicanâ— in literali grammaticali nedum in affixo verborum sensu transgredi And to this assertion the Licencers hand is relative as to the rest of the booke But of this miserable apologie which yet is the onely one which I can imagine possible this will bee the necessary issue that the grosse lye which good King Iames put upon the bold brow of impudent Bertius for his affirming that one article of the Saints apostasie let be other more vile Arminian Tenets
autâ—m dicit author ille tuus dans gloriam Deo 8 That the temporall principalities which the Pope enjoyeth this day in Italie or elswhere are but his just possessions which none ought to invy him (p) Montag antid pag. 95. Habeat ille suas sibi opes facultates fundos habeat latifundia principatum dominium per Ecclesia terras Petri possessiones obtineat dummode contentus vetuctiorum principum liberalitate alienam non invadat possessionem 9. That the restitution of the Popes ancient authority in England and yeelding unto him all the power that this day he hath in Spaine or France would be many wayes advantageous and in nothing prejudiciall to the King (q) Cant. relat pag. 202 Hee that is not blinde may see if hee wil of what little value the popes power in France and Spaine is this day further then to serve the turns of their Kings therewith which they doe to their great advantage 10 The old constitution of the Emperour whereby all the westerne clergie is so farre subjected to the Bishop of Rome that without him they are disabled to make any Ecclesiasticall law and obliged to receave for lawes what he doth enjoyne was very reasonable Yea if the King would be pleased to command all the church men in his dominions to be that far subject to the Pope they would be unreasonable to refuse present obedience (r) Montag antid pag. 156. Quod è codice allegatur Theodosiano decernimus ne quid tam Episcopis Gallicanis quaÌ„ aliarum provinciarum contra consuetudinem veterem liceat sine viri venerabilis Papae urbis alternae authoritate tentare sed illis omnibusque legis loco sit quicquid sanxit sanxeritve sedis apostolicae authoritas Quicquid hic pontifici sayeth Montagow arrogatur id totum edicto debetur Theodosiano vel vetustae consuetudini quicquid autem per rescriptum tribuitur imperatoris ad occidentales credo solos pertinebat nec omnes quibus juxta veterem consuetudinem Pontifex praesidebat ut Patriarcha Decernat imperator de Gâ—rmanis episcopis Rex Angliâ— de Britannis suis Francorum de Gallicanis quod olim Theodosius decrevit dicto erunt omnes obedientes Onely by all meanes my Lord of Canterburies prerogative behoved to bee secured his ancient right to the patriarchat of the whole Isle of Britaine behoved to be made cleare that to his rod the whole clergie of the Isle might submit their shoulders as to their spirituall head and Monarch from whom to Rome there could bee no appeale (Å¿) Cant. relat pag. 171. It is plaine that in these ancient times in the Church government Britaine was neever subject to the Sea of Rome for it was one of the six diocies of the West Empire and had a pâ—â—mat of its own Nay Iohn Capgraw and William Mabinnesburrie tell us that Pope Vrbâ—n the second in the Councel at Bari in Apuleia accounâ—ed my worthie predecessor S. Anselme as his owne Compeer and said Hee was as the patriarch and apostolick of the other world quasi comparem veluti Apostolicum alterius orbis Patriarcham Now the Britains having a primate of their own which is greater then a Metropolitan yea a patriarch if yee wil he could not be appealed from to Rome in any cause which concerned onely the churches of the Kings dominions for in causes more universall of the whole catholicke Church willingly they are contented that the Patriarch of Britaine and all others should submit to their grand Apostolicke father of Rome (t) Montag Antid pag. 57. Rectè cautum erat olim per canones vetustae Ecclesiae ut Romanus ille primus Episcoporum cui tot per occidentem suffraganei adherebant suam sententiam rogatus adhiberet ubi fidei Ecclesiae universalis vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rebus ad politiam spectantibus agitabatur supra Everie one of these pontificall positions since the midst of Henrie rhe eights raigne would have beene counted in England great paradoxes yet now all of them are avowed by Canterbuerie himself in that verie booke which the last yeare at the Kings direction hee set forth for to satisfie the world anent their suspition of his Poperie or else by D. Montagu in his books yet unrepealed and cleanged of all suspition of Poperie by M. Dow under the seal of his Graces licencing servant This much for the Pope About the Cardinalls they tell us that their office is an high and eminent dignitie in the Church of God Their minde to the Cardinalat for the which their persons are to be handled with great reverence and honour (w) Montag ap pag. 56 Penitere non potuit Baronium eruditissimuÌ„ laboriosissimum virum industriae suae ac deligentiae Cardinalitiame niminde merito quidem suo adeptus suscepit dignitateÌ„ ibid. pag. 75. Virum illustri adeo nominis celebritate eminentissima dignitate coÌ„stitutum honestum probum preterea in vita privata rigidem severum ac tantum non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nusquam nisi honorificentissime compellavi that their office is a reward due to high graces and vertues that some of them though the greatest enemies that ever the reformed Churches have felt such as Baronius that spent all his time in opposing the trueth and advancing Antichristianisme and Barromaeus (x) Pokling Alt. pag. 34. The Linchonshire Minister it his jearing veine flouteth Cardinal Baromaeus whereas if he list to read his life he may not be ignorant that the Cardinall was a man of exemplarie holinesse and spent the greatest part of his life in fasting prayer almes-deeds preaching exhoration and doctrine and did detest both impietie and vanitie both in word and deed Me thinkes his conscience should checke him for his scornfull usage of a man who had the report of so vertuous and pious a Bishop a bloudy persecutor of our religion and one of the fathers of Trent that even such men are so full of grace and pietie that it is a great fault in any protestant to break so much as a jest on their red hattes Where the head and shoulders are so much affected it is hard to restraine charitie from the rest of the bodie These good men vent their passion no lesse towards the bodie of the present Church of Rome then towards the Pope and the Cardinalls Foâ— first his grace avowes over and over againe that the Papists and wee are of one and the same religion They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands that to speak otherwayes as the Liturgie of England did all King Iames dayes were a matter of very dangerous consequent and therefore he confesseth his helping that part of the liturgie which puts a note of infamie upon the popish religion least that note should fall upon our owne religion which with the popish is but all one (y) Cant. relat p 36 The Church of Rome
is mention made of the dedication of churches under Euaristus anno 112. under Hyginus 154. under Calixtus 221. And before them all in S. Clemence his epistles These testimonies of Romane Bishops the Centurists do suspect Where the doctrine and decrees of Popes and those in the first and best times are confirmed by the doctrine and constant practice of the holy catholicke church it seemeth great boldnesse in trhee or foure men to condemne and to brand their authoritie with the misterie of iniquitie Which diverse of the papists themselves acknowledge to be supposititions yet our men will defend them all and with them the Canons of the apostles the constitutions of Clemence and all such trash (d) Laurence Sermon p. 18. the Apostles in their Canons and these to which are undoubtedly theirs Montag apar p. 390. Ex antiquissimis illum facile principem primariae authoritatis quia erat Apostolorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clementem nimirim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non preteribo quem licet delicatuli nescio qui ex utraque parte contendentium falsi postulant tanquam falsarium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nos tamen ipsius tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra quosvis suscipere patrocinium audemus post doctissimum virum Turrianum In the sacrament of pennance they teach first that auricular confession was evil abolished and was verie expedient to be restored (e) White on the Sabbath in the preface There might also my reverend good Lord be a verie profitable use of some private forme of pasturall collation with their flock for their direction and information in particular spirituall duties such as was privat confession in the ancient Church Now the Presbyterian censures by their paralogisme taken from abuse have with such loud and impetuous declamations filled the eares and prepossessed the mindes of many people that they are exceeding averse from this soveraigne and ancient medicine of consolation prevention and curing of the maledies of the soule He approveth that of Gerardus Privata coram Ecclesiae ministro confessio quam auricularem vocant quamvis non habeat expressum peculiare mandatum ac proinde non fit absolutae necessitatis tamen cum plurimas praestet utilitates disciplinae Ecclesiasticae pars sit non postrema publico Ecclesiae consensu recepta ideo nequaquam temere vel negligenda vel abolenda sed piè in vero Dei timore praesertim ab illis qui ad sacram synaxin accedunt usurpanda M. Sp Sermon printed with approbation p. 18. Confesse as the church directs confesse to God confesse also to the Priest if not privat in the eare since that is out of use Male aboletur sayeth a devout Bishop it is almost quite lost the more pitie 2. That God hath given a judicial power of absolution to every priest which every one of the people is obliged to make use of especially before the communion by confessing to the priest all their sins without the reconcilement of any (f) Dow p. 35. It can not bee denyed but that the Church of England did ever allow the private confession of sinnes to the Priest it were very strange if our church ordaining Priests and giving them power of absolution and prescribing the forme to bee used for the exercise of that power upon confession should not also allow of that private confession M. Sp. Sermon p. 16. Since the Priest can in the name of God forgive us our sinnes good reason we should make our confession to him Surelie God never gave the Priest this power in vaine he expects we should make the best use of it we can He requires we should use the meanes we can to obtaine that blessing now the onely meanes to obtaine this absolution is our confession to him Ib. p. 19 If we confesse in humilitie with griefe and sorrow for them if we confesse them faithfully not concealing any 3. That God in the heaven will certainly follow the sentence of the priest absolving on earth (g) Ib. pag. 15. There is another confessiō that would not be neglected Hee that would be sure of pardon let him seek out a priest make his humble confession to him for God who alone hath the prime and originall right of forgiving sins hath delegat the priests heere upon earth his judges hath given them the power of absolution so that they can in Gods name forgive the sinnes of those that confesse to them But is not this poperie would some say Now take the counsell that is given in the eight of Iob Aske the Fathers and they shall tell thee aske then S. Chrysostome on Esay and hee will tell thee that heaven waites and expects the priests sentence heere on earth For the priests sits judge on earth and the Lord followes the servant and when the servant bindes or louses heere on earth clave non errante the Lord confirmes it in heaven words sayes hee so cleare for the judiciall and formall absolution of the priest that nothing can be said more plaine 4. Beside a private confessor it were very expedient to have in every congregation a publik penitentiarie who in the beginning of Lent on ashe-wednesday might in the Kirk sit in his reclinatorie and sprinkling dust on the head of every parishioner enjoyn them their lent-pennance whereby they may truly satisfie Gods judgement for their sins in the end of lent or Shrif-thursday before Pasche give his absolution to those who have fully satisfied (h) Pockl. alt pag. 57. The bishops made an addition to the ecclesiastick canon that in every church a penitentiarie should bee appointed to remit penitents in the church after they have done publick pennance This kinde of confession Nectarius abolished in the church of Constantinople howbeit the confession whereof Tertullian and Cyprian speaks was never abolished but did ever continue in the Greek church and in the Latine likewise And to this purpose a solemn day was set apart for taking of publick pennance for open faults by imposition of hands and sprinkling of ashes namely Ashwednesday This is the godly discipline whereof our church speaketh and wisheth that it might be restored And as Ashwednesday was appointed for putting notorious sinners to open pennance so Thursday before Easter is appointed for penitents to receive absolution This absolution they took upon their knees by the imposition of the priests hands Ib. p. 63 67. The Competents beginning on Ashwednesday in sackcloth ashes to humble themselves they were all Lent long purged with fasting and prayer They were to stand barefoot on sackcloth and watch on good Fryday all night Howfond a thing it is sayeth Tertullian to think to carrie away with us the pardon of sin not first of all to pay for our commoditie The merchant before he deliver his wares will look to your coyne ne sculptilis ne rafus that it be neither washed nor shaved and doe not
of Trumpets dedicated to the King by Canterburie As for the Churches lawes which wee call Canons or rules made to restrain or redresse abuses they have alwayes been made at Church assemblies and in her owne Councels not elsewhere Heylens antidot pag. 29. I trow you are not ignorant that the kirk makes canons it is the work of Cleargie men in their Convocations having his Majesties leave for their conveening and approbation of their doings His Majestie in the declaration before the articles hath resolved it so and the late practice in King Iames raigne what time the Book of Canons was composed in the Convocation hath declared it soo to 3. They avow that all their injunctions though so many and so new yet they are so holy and so just that the whole kingdome in conscience must embrace them all as the commands of God (e) VVhites examination pag. 20. telleth us as it were from Eusebius Quicqued in Sanctis Episcoporum conciliis decernitur id universum Divina voluntati debet attribus And from Bernard Sive Deus sive homo vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profectó obsequendum est cura pari reverentia suscipiendum ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecepit homo That whoever will be so peart as to affirm in any one of them the least contrarietie to the Word of God he must have no lesse censure then the great excommunication from which he must never be relaxed but by the Bishops own mouth after his publick repentance and revocation of so vile an errour (f) Book of Canons pag. 8. VVhosoever shall hereafter affirme that the forme of worship contained in the booke of Commoun Prayer that the rites and ceremonies of the church that the government of y Church by archbishops bishops and others that the forme of consecrating archbishops bishops presbyters and deacons as they are now established under his Maiesties authoritie doe containe in them any thing repugnant to the Scriptures or are corrupt superstitious or unlawfull in the service and worship of God let him be excommunicate and not restored but by the bishop of the place or archbishop of the province after his repentance and publick revocation of such his wicked errours That his bodily and pecuniall penaltie shall be at the free will and discretion of the Bishop (g) Book of Canons pag. 37. In all this book of Canons whersoever there is no penaltie expressely set downe it is to be understood that so the crime or offence bee proved the punishment shall be arbitrarie as the ordinarie shall think fittest That the worthiest men of any liberall profession get savour to losse but their eares to have their noses slit and cheeks burnt for contradicting their innovations (h) Canterburies Star chamber speach in his epistle to the King I shall rather magnifie your clemencie that proceeded with those offenders Burtoun Bastmijck Prinne in a Court of Mercie as well as Iustice since as the reverend Iudges then declared yee might have justly called the offenders into another Court and put them to it in a way that might have exacted their lives That the furthest banishments for tearme of life is a priviledge which their indulgence may grant but to few (i) The world knowes that numbers who have beene flying from episcopall tyrannie out of England to the very new found lands never to return have beene by violence keeped back and cast in their prisons and wee see dayly that numbers not onely of men but even of sillie women are drawn back in Ireland from their flight out of the kingdom to close prisons That the vilest dungeons yrons whippings bread and water chaining to posts without all company day or night in the coldest and longest winters is but a part of their opposers deserving (k) Huntly in his Breviat reports as a known case among many other this one also that M. Iohn Hayden a poore Devonshire Minister for preaching at Norwich a Sermon wherein he let fall some passages against setting up of images and bowing at the name of Iesus was apprehended like a traitour with the Constables bills and halberts by D. Harsnet then Bishop and brought manacled to him like a fellon and committed to the common Iayle close prisoner above thirteene weekes where hee was like to sterve the Bishop having taken from him his horse papers and all thereafter he was sent by a pursevant to London and keeped two full tearms At last by the high Commission he was deprived of his orders thereafter the high Commissionars imprisoned him in the Gate house common dungeon and Canterburie sent him to be whipped in Bredwall and there keeped him all the long extreame cold winter in a dark cold dungeon without fire or candle light chained to a post in the mids of the room with heavy yrons on his hands and feet allowing him only bread and water with a pad of straw to ly on And since on his reliefe hath caused him to take an oath and give band to preach no more and to depart the Kingdome within three weeks without returning and all this for preaching after his first uniust deprivation though no exception was taken against his doctrine That the greatest Nobles of the Land ought in Law to for-fault their Life and Estate if they be so bold as to put their hand to a supplication unto their gratious Prince against their practices (l) Sundrie of our prime Earles and Lords did present a supplication to our King after his Coronation wherein the matter of their greatest complaint was so far as ever wee heard their challenging of the Bishops for what they had done and were likely to doe The copie of this privie supplication being privily convoyed by an unfriend some two or three years thereafter out of my Lord Balmerinochs chamber was a dittay for which hee was condemned to die for an example to all other Noble Men to beware of the like rashnesse especially his Fellow-supplicants who are all declared to have deserved by that fault the same sentence of death Large Declaration pag. 14. Nor could they have found the least blemish in our justice if wee should have given warrant both for his sentence and execution whose life was now legally devolved into our hands Ibid. pag. 13. VVee were graciously pleased that the feare and example might reach to all but the punishment onely to one of them to passe by many who undoubtedly had beene concluded and involved by our Lawes in the same sentence if wee had proceeded against them That all this is but just severitie and the very expedient meane to advance their cause which they glory have well neere already close undone their opposites (m) Studley about the end of his wicked storie avowes that since by severe punishment the number of the unconformists have decayed that their cause can not bee from God and which they boast shall still bee used (n) Canterburie in his epistle to the
notable deceaver while ye would make the world beleeve that the great questions betwixt you and us are alone about Bishops and Elders while as ye are very like if ye be not marred by the hands of Bishops to bring in upon us the whole bodie of Poperie and to overthrow the whole civill Priviledges of both the Nations without any possible remedie as your selfe in this same place doeth too evidently declare Upon your first parallell we make but one other remarke The CanterburiaÌ„s in all their lectures of tyrannie have the Jesuites for their Masters Yee wrong much the Iesuites in denying them the honour to be your adiuncts in the re-erection of a tyrannick and turkish Monarchie in Christendome Your ambition herein is too great it were better to admitt these pregnant wits to be copartners in your glorie then to venture you alone upon so high a designe The opposition which that worke can not but suffer may make it breake in your hands if ye be not supported with their effectuall assistance in this art they are your Masters yee are but meere novices it is unjustice to dissemble from whom ye have learned if ye deny your theifts from them the world about you is not blinde they see laugh at your poore and ill contrived cunning for who now is ignorant that the Jesuites above all men living have obtained long agoe the priviledge to sit in Machiavels chaire that from thence they may teach every where their lectures of tyrannie for the re-erection of a spirituall Monarchie in the whole Church for the pope in their owne societie for the generall in the whole universe in things temporall a Catholick Monarchie for the Spaniard And while these furthest ends may bee gotten and compassed an absolute Monarchie for the Prince in every countrie where they can gett footing What ever paines of old the Pope did take to weaken Emperours and Kings for the promoting of his owne greatnesse yet now being fully assured of their constant affection to beare his Yoake he hath this last age beene as busie as lay in his power in lifting up of their head by the hands chiefly of the Jesuites to the toppe of all Tyrannie with the extreame prejudice of their Subiects Liberties and Lawes Who else were the prime Counsellours of Philip the second for to spoile his ancient Kingdome of Arragon of their great priviledges and to bring them downe to the same basenesse of Subiection wherein his great grand father Ferdinand had putt the Mâ—ores of Granada Who else did stirre him up to begin that course of tirannie with Flanders which hath cost him more money alreadie then this day all Europe can command and more men then are living Spaniards Who else were the advisers of King Lues the 13. to spoile his ancient Kingdome of Navarre and his Fathers best friends the Protestants of these priviledges which they had long enjoyed peaceably under former Kings Who wakened the late King of Pole to present the Yoake of tirannie to the necke of his ancient Subiects in Swaine Had the late Emperour any other movers to these cruell oppressions which first in his own hereditarie Estates then in the Kingdome of Boheme and last in the whole Empire hee did practise to the very evident hazard of his Crowne to the infinite unspeakable afflictions of Germanie through the mids and all the foure corners thereof was not the maine and graund quarrell of all these Troubles the too great affection of a Monarchick tyrannie of an absolute domination without tye of Lawes Oaths Covenants wherewith the Jesuites inspired the heart of that man otherwise not the worst of Princes Though therefore it be your craft for your better lurking to professe your Separation from the Jesuits in this your great enterprise of erecting in Britaine a new Monarchicke tirannie Yet the world is not so blinde as you suppose but seeth you clearly linked hand in hand the Jesuites leading the ring and you but following and dancing to their measures Your second paralell is wholie Jesuitick 2 Paralell We are farr from subiecting the Crowne of our King to will of his people the throwing of holie Scriptures unto your wicked Scoffes at the gracious Servants of God the laying to our charge imputations which never entred in our thoughts Did anie of us ever teach that royall authoritie did depend upon the multitude and that it was in their power to give Crownes to whom they would When these men are bold to put in print before the Eyes of the world such slanders of us what doe they instill in the eares of our King and his Servants in their privie Conferences Shall anie wonder that so long as such men get leave to spread without a reply such horrible calumnies of us that the heart of our gracious Prince and manie about him should be much inflammed to our hatred What he speaketh of divine institution of Kings wee doe believe it that by God Kings doe reigne it is plaine Scriptures as also that all advancement is neither from the East nor the West but from the hand of the most High So that all who denie to any Superiour the obedience which is due to their Lawfull commands must sinne against God We grant that some of our Opposites have here a conceit which we doe not well understand they seeme to teach that royaltie alone and that most absolute without any limitation is of divine institution that all other governments whether of republick or aristocracies are but humane inventions opposite to the Law of nature and the first institution of God This state-speculiation seemeth to us a curiositie wherewith we have nothing to doe it is enough for us to beleeve that our King is set over us by God as his Deputy that since the time our old ancestours did choose Fergus for their King oblidging themselves by their oath to be ruled by his race alone according to the laws made and to be made with publick consent yea since the days of King Kenneth the third to be governed by his nearest heire Our subiection to the nearest heire of that race is now simplie unchangeable The least motion of any such change hath as little come in the minde of our Nation in these dayes of King Charles as in any age of the last two thousand Yeares wherein our Fathers have shewed more constant affection to the service of his Antecessours then any other Nation under the Heaven this day to their royall families Wâ—at here ye rechant of our minde to a resistance and defensive warre in some cases is nothing contrarie to this our profession Many bickerings have our predecessours had with misleading factions to which the Prince for a time hath given his countenance but they were ever willing to distinguish betwixt the Prince and his misinformers 3. Parallell The CanterburiaÌ„s give to the Prince much more power over the Church then the Iesuites give to the Pope to see them punished when their insolent tyrannie