beene forced to recite because it makes very much for the justification of what hee writ in his Apology and that hee had good ground greatly to blame the Prelates aswell for these as for many other of their proceedings as afterwards this honorable Court shall well perceive And now that the Defendent may come to the things that he is charged with in the Information as to have accused the Bishops of in his Apology which by the informers is termed a Libell though it contayneth nothing but a true Narration of the passages of the High-Commission Court which he never spake nor writ against but onely against the abuses of the Iudges in it who have turned that Court which was of purpose appoynted by the State for the suppressing of Heresyâ— Popery and viceâ— to the beating downe of the Religion established by Autority and the promotion and advancement of superstition and the molestation and undoing of the Kings faithfullest Subjects and the deare servants of God as daylie experience teacheth us and the whole Kingdome can witnes In the writing of which booke he the Defendent thinketh himself so far from being a delinquent as he conceiveth he hath done good service to King Church and State having in it vindicated and mayntayned regall Autoritie against the tyranny of the Pope discovered also the Prelats lawlesse usurpations with their ungratitude to the King and cruelties againâ—â— their brethten mayntayned the hoâ—our likewise of the Lawes of the Land and the dignity of sacred Writ both which they slight and make nothing of and by innâ—merable testimonyes of learned men proved the assertion for which he is thus traduced and envyed to be neither novell nor hereticall but according to both the Divine Scriptures and all Antient trueth the vetustest Bishops and by the whole clergy of England in King Henry the eights dayâ—s as all the learned and ingenuous do well perceive and know both at home and abroad So that if â—he Informers with the Prelats will make this Booke a libell then let them make holy Scripture the Lawes of the Kingdome and all the antient recordâ— of learned Bishops libells also for the Defendent in â—hat haâ—h sayd nothing concerning the Preâ—bytery which is not agreeable to them all And for â—he matters in specâ—all he is charged wiâ—h in the information Viz. That he hath causlesly enveighed against the oath ex officio and other antient formes of proceedings in that Court and against the sacred Hierarchy orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons preferring a Presbyteâ—ian parity before it And â—â—at he hath falsly and scandalously defamed the witnesses produced against him falsly maliciously taxed the High Commission Court it self and the Iudges therein in generall and some of them particularly and peâ—sonally with cruelâ—y and injustice with want of wisdome and temperance and that they are perswaders of his Majest to bloudshed and are upholders of idolatry superstition Popery and Prophanesse and further most maliciously and falsly affirmeth that Canterbury London and Ely are disgracers and contemners of holy Scriptures and falsly traduceth them and the rest of the Bishops for traytors and invaders of his Majest Prerogative and that in the sayd booke there are contayned diverse other unlawfull and scandalous passages against the established government and seâ—led discipline of the Church of England the Bishops and Clergy and their proceedings which being many and of various naâ—ure is delivered into his Majestâ— Court of Starchamber To all which things that he is here charged with the Defendent will answer with what breviâ—yâ— and the best Method he can doubteth nothing but whatsoever he hath writ in his Apology against the Prelats their proceeding shall be made evidently appeare to this Court to be most true And to begin with the things layd to his charge in the last place that hee accuseth the Bishops to be disgracers and contemners of holy Scripture to be invaders of his Majest prerogative upholders of idolatry Poperie superstition and prophanesse All which is most true for so they are as he hath sufficientlie proved against them in that booke and doth here also add that they have greatly dishonoured the King their Master and King Iames his Father of perpetuall memoryâ— all which he will briefly declare and demonstrat to this noble Court And that they are contemners disgracers of holy Scripture what can be more manifest when they say that the Scriptures are the refuge of all Schismaticks and Hereticks as much as if they should say â—he good Lawes and Statuts of a Kingdome and the Kings Edicts and Proclamations are the cause of all disorder and wickednes withall what is it to be contemners and disgracers of the holy Scriptures if this be not to say That they can neither be knowen to bee the Word of God nor distinguished from the Apocrypha and Prophane Authors nor be understood and the meaning of them attayned unto for their obscurity but by the Fathers If this be not to contemne sacred writ then all Orâ—hodox writers both in ours all reformed Churches and King Iames himself have accused the Church of Rome most falsly whom they prove blasphemous against God and disgracers of the Holy Scriptures for the same assertions as all their learned wriâ—ings witnes wiâ—h innumerable Arguments in them for proofe of the same The Defendent desireth to know what it is to prophane and contemne holy Scripture of thâ—s be not to slight and vilyâ—â— the autority of it and to proferre humane authority before it which the Bishops did blasphemously saying that they couâ—d not be knowne to be the Word of God without the help of the Fathers when every page and leafe of those sacred monuments breath a divine Spirit and they are called the lively oracles Act. 7. vers 38. as if the Scripture had lost his ancient luster â—ife and Divinity by its antiquity were inferior to alâ— other things boâ—h Naturall and Artificiall When notwiâ—h standing there is such a Maiesty and Splendor in the Scripture as it dazleth the eyes of all those that looke into it with hiâ— transcendent and heavenly clarity and brightnes the eyes of whose minds the God of this world hath not blinded yea vnder the very law whâ—n there was a vayle before the eyes of men so that they could not so clearly see into them as now Christians may yet then such dignity and excellency was discerned in them that at the first reading of them men cryed out the voice of God and not of man tore their garments for very anguish and feare of the threats in them and never were so ungratious and impious to say How shall wee know these books to be the Word of God For the holy Scriptures had ever such an innate and Domesticall light beauty goodnes in them and caryed such testimony and witnes within themsâ—lves ever able to declare themselves Divine and holyâ— to be the very word of the everliving God that they needed
in the Prelats that poore Christians in our age may neither obey the commandement of God who inioyneth us to heare in season and out of season nor imitate the Saints of olde in their pious indeavours in building up themselves in their most holy faith nor follow the good paternes of their Kings and Governors but they must be severely punished for it yea undone traduced â—or it aâ— evil doers if this be not great cruelty tyranny it selfe in the Prelats there was never none for they robb them of Heaven earâ—h all other comforts in as much as in them lyeth Nay which is yet more to shew their cruelty injustice unrightuous dealing the Prelats in the Baptisme of infants constraine the Godfathers Godmothers there solemnly to promise that they wil call upon them that are baptised when they come to yeares of discretion ofâ—en to heare Sermons to this duty are also the baptized tyed Now when they are come to yeares of understanding and in obedience of their promise they made by their God Fathers and God-Mothers and perhaps beeing stirred up also by their exhortation to this good duty of hearing the Word if â—hey goe out to heare Sermons when they have none in their owne Parishes they are first punished in their purses and liberties and then given to the Devill for this good worke which they notwithstanding have tied them to by speciall promise in their baptisme and if all this be not unspeakeable cruelty tyranny and injustice there was never none in the world and yet this is the dayly practise of the Prelates through the Kingdome as all men know And which is yet more to be observed in the same Sacrament of Baptisme children promise there by their God-Fathers and God-Mothers or they doe it for the children to be baptized that they will forsake the Devill and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and are there signed with the signe of the Crosse that innocent Ceremony as they call it that he shall continue Christs Faithfull Souldier fight under his banner all the dayes of his life against the World the Flesh and the Devill by the which promise he is bound to the utmost of his power alwayes to oppose all errors wickednes and prophanenesse Now if any in conscience of his promise either speake or write in defence of the truth as it ought to be defended or if he doe but put in practice that which he hath promised in opposing of Error Superstition Prophanesse Idolatry or the iniquities of the times the Prelates severely punish them for it as their dayly proceedings witnes and if this be not a daring crueltie also and great injustice there is none exercised upon the earth for what is unjustice and crueltie if punishing of men for doeing their duty and keeping their promise and performing that which the Prelates themselves have tied them to by speciall promise be not They teach all Christians in an other Ceremonie of standing up at the Gospell and at Gloria Paâ—ri and at the Creed to shew their readinesse and promptitude in fighting for â—he Faith of Iesus and their Holy Religion against Heresie Poperie and all Innovations all which our Gracious King declares himseâ—fe that he will never alâ—ow of or suffer and the neglect of this Ceremonie will cost a man an undoeing Now if any beeing taught by this Ceremonie come forth to the combat and but oppose themselves against Popery Errors or Innovations in defence of the Faith and the Honour of their King they are punished most severelie for it by the Prelates both in the High-Commission and other Courts and Bils and Informations and Articles are exhibited and made against them as evil doers and troublers of the State and all for doing that thâ—y teach them by their Ceremonies and bind them by promises oath to doe which is Hyperbolicall tyrannieâ— unjustice and cruelty in those reverend Fathers It seemes they would have Christians like Saint George a horsebacke ever mounted but never moving and if they doe chance to stiâ—re or dare bee so bold as to move they immediatelie are cast downe and breake either their eares or their noses or their foreheads and it may be â—hey are also whâ—pped to the baâ—gaine for beeing so bold some mischief for the most part followes their endeavours and that for doing their dutie and that which they were taught by Ceremonies and is not this arrogant tyrannyâ— cruelty and injuâ—â—ice in the Prelates to punish and that severely both the neglect and the doing also of their duty and that they are injoyned to doe without all doubt there is no such crueltie in the world as is daily practised by the Prelates and in their Courts of the which there might mightie volumes bee made but the Defendent hath instanced in these few things onely becauseâ— they are knowne to most men and obvious every day and the Defendents condiâ—ion and his cause can sufficiently witnes their unrighteous dealings and that in divers respects for they dealt with him against the very law and light of nature and as they would not bee done by to make him accuse himselfe to admit his sworne and capital enimies and which first informed them against him out of meere malice as was proved by many to bee prosecutors and witnesses against him yea to speake as it is that the Prelates themselves should be Accusers Parties Witnesses Iury and Iudge in their owneâ— cause as they all were this the Defendent saith is unrighteous dealing to which may bee added the defending of the Popes quarrell to condemne him for one thing and putting those things likewise in the records of the Court for which by the whole Court he was freed from As for example the Defendent was condemned onely for his booke now in the order of the Court or Sentence it is put inâ— that he was condemned for the other things alsoâ— which howsoever they were in themselves verie ridiculous yet it is great injustice to superadde them and so to deale with him Neither is that a small part of injustice to punish and condemne the innocent and justify the wicked both which are an abomination to the Lord. Now they condemned the Defendent for writing against the Pope adjudged his Booke to be burnt and justified his adversaries and Chouny who writ in defence of the Church of Rome and it is their daily practice to condemne bookes that are writ for the Honour of Religion accusing them to bee factious pamphlets but Bookes that are writ for the advancement of Poperie and Superstition and in defence of the Pontificalitie of Prelats and the magnification of the Church of Rome â—o the trampling downe of regall autoritie and for the murdering killing of Kings for the bringing in of Innovations into a Kingdome and for suppressing of true Religion many of which are not to bee named of these Bookes a man may buy shipfuls of them in Pauls Church yard
the proceedings of the Prelats against himself and their dealings tovvards others of their brethren the theame of vvhich booke he the Defendent desireth the honorable Courtâ— to take a briefe relation of at this time that they may the better be informed of the falsitie of the information And first for the principall theame and matter of the booke it is the State of the questions in his Flagello Pontificis for vvhich he suffered vvith the summe of the Arguments he produced for the confirmation of the trueth The questioâ—s arising betvveen the Babylonian and the defendent concerning the autoritie of the Pope were these The first whether Christ did constitute Peter sole Monarch of the Catholick Church The second vvhether the Pope of Rome if hee bee a Bishop as hee is a Bishop hath Autoritie jurisdiction over Kings Emperors Thirdlie vvhether Popish Bishops be true Bishops or no and of the discussing of these questios the defendent saith his adversarie vvas the sole cause In the handling of the which the Defendenâ— fâ—rther affirmeth that he used all the caution that vvas possible as he supposed for man to use prefacing in his booke that being to dispute about the Autority of the Bishop of Rome he desired candidly to be understood of all menâ— for while he disputed of Episcopall autoritie he medled nor contended not against such Bishops as ackovvledge their autoritie jurisdiction from Kings and Emperors into vvhose hands the government of States Kingdomesâ— and Commonvvealths is by God committed For if the Popes themselves vvould acknovvledge their immense and unlimited autoritie from Kings and Emperors he the defendent there said if they commanded nothing contrarie to the vvill and Word of God that he for his part out of the reverence duty â— loyaltie to his Prince vvould obey it The Words in the Original are these Verum de Episcoporum autoritate locutus à bonis bene intelligi cupio Non enim litis litem moveo quatenus ab Imperatoribus Regibus Principibus Terre quorum interest salutem civium tueri potestatem â—us Imperium in socios totumque Dei gregem adepti sunt Nam si Romani Episcopi immâ—nsam illam nullis limitibus circumscriptam autoritatem indulgentia Principum acceptam ferrent voluntati Episcopali nihil voluntati divinae inimicum jubenti obtemperandum putem ob reverentiam Principi si volenti debitam c. So that the defendent having thus playnlie set downe his minde before knowing that all the jurisdiction that the Bishops in England now exercise over others is â—rom the King he thought himself not onely secure from danger but expected favâ—ur at least from the Bishops their helping hand especially when the opposing the Popes Autority in England is a thing that the King and State have ever so well allowed of And that this honorable Court may yet be fâ—rther informed of the speciall cause for which the Prelats are so displeased with the defendent it was for the truely and narrowlie disputing and discussing of the second question to wit whether the Pope of Rome if he be a Bishop as he is a Bishop have Autoritie jurisdiction not onelie over his fellow brethâ—en but over Kings and Emperors which the Defendent there denyed for many warrantable Arguments The summe of which he desireth here to relate unto this honorable Court for his just and necessarie defence justification For by the veâ—ie light of nature and unanswerable reason it is evident and manifest that where there is an equalitie and pariâ—ie amongst men there the one doth not exceed the other in power or Dominion Paris enim in Parem non esse imperium inter Naturae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Novv Divine constitution hath made Bishops and Presbyters or Elders a like and equall vvhich that it might the better appeare the Defendent propounded there tvvo things to be proved The first vvas That Bishops and Presbyters vvere by the Word of God one and the same Secondlie That Presbyters had equall Autoritie of Governmentâ— Ordination Excommunication vvith Bishops vvherein onely consists their preeminency Autoritie above their brethren vvhich things being proved it vvill necessarilie follovv That the Pope of Rome as he is Bishop doth no vvay exceed other Bishops and Presbyters they being in all things a like and equall unto him much lesse hath any Autoritie and povver over Kings and Emperours And for the proofe of the first position the vvords Presbyter Bishop do sufficientlie evince iâ— vvhich in holy Scripture though diverse in sound signifie one and the same thing as not to cite the vvords themselves vvhich would be large The Apostle Paul to Titus in the first chapter doth sufficientlie shew vvhere the words Bishop Presbyter are confounded And likevvise in the first Epistle of Peter and the fift Chapter there Presbyter and Bishop signifie one and the same thing And the Epistlâ— to the Philippians the first Chapter and the â—irst verse doâ—h apparentlie demonstrate itâ— and diverse other places might be produced dilucidating the same thing But the 20â— of the Acts puts all out of controversie where Presbyter and Bishop signifie one the same thingâ— for officeâ— honour and function so that the identity of their officeâ— is signifyed by those tvvo expressions Neither is there a confusion of their names with a difference still of their functions administrations as some vvould cavill for in these places vvhere Presbyters are called Bishops the disputation is not about the title but about the office signified and specified by the title For vvhen S. Paul exhorts the Presbyters to have an eye to their duty charge he useth this reason that the Holy Ghost had made them Bishopsâ— And the trueth of â—his is so evident that the Rhemists themselves as learned men as any Bishops in England and as able to mayntayne an error are forced ingenâ—ouslie to confesse it saying in expresse vvords in their Noâ—es upon the 28. vers of that Chapter That in the Apostles times there vvas no difference betvveen Presbyter and Bishopâ— so that for the first position it is not onely by the Word of God clearlie evident but by the very confession of the adversaries of the trueth granted as a thing without controversy Novv for proofe of the second position that Presbyters as vvell as the Bishop of Rome have the povver and right of Government Ordination and Excommunication by vvhich in these times Bishops onely exceed Presbyters the defendent vvill here brieflie demonstrat it referring those of this honorable Court that have a desire to search into the full trueth of it to his booke And for proofe that the Government vvas committed unto them and that they exercised the same it is most perspicuous out of the first of Timothie 5. vvhere the Apostle sayth The Presbyters that rule vvell are vvorthie of double honour especially those that labour in Word and Doctrine By this testimonie it is evident that they
there at the Barr as a Delinquent for mayntayning the Religion established by publick Autority the honour of the King and the glory of his Majestie and that one Chouny a Sussex man a laick as vvell as himselfe should vvrite a Booke and set it forth by publicke autoritie mayntayning the Church of Rome to be a true Church and never to have had so much in her as the suspition of error in fundamentall poynts and that this booke should be dedicated to the Prelate of Canterbury patrionized by him vvhich Bookâ— the Defâ—ndent both read and exhibited in Court by vvhich notwithstandig the King himselfe and all his Subiects were made Schismaticks and hereticks to the infinit dishonour of God our Gratioâ—s King and King Iames of blessed memorie and our most holie profession and religion This as the defendent told the Lord of Dorset struck an amazement in him especially vvhen the author of it must be favoured and coâ—ntenanced by Canterburie and for the defending of the honour and dignitie of our Church and the honour of the King the Defendent should stand as an evill doer Novv vvhen the defendent vvas come thus farre and vvas then approaching more closely unto them all intending more fullie in the pleading of his cause to have set forth their unjust dealing they tolde him that he rayled and imperiouslie commanded him to hold his peace vvhich vvas the reason of his Apologeticus ad Praesules Anglicanos vvhere he tooke libertie to vvrite that and publish it to the vievv of all the vvorld vvhich he vvould have then spoke But after that they had silenced him they then fell a thundering against him everie one as he pleased all of them joyning in this one onely excepted that they censured him onely for his Booke and in their censure they unanimously agreed that the Defendent should pay the costs of suite a thousand pounds unto the King for a fine be debarred of his practice that his booke should be burnt and that the Defendent should lye in prison till recantation and in the meane time be delivered unto Satan And thus did the Sublime Court deale with the Defendent for doing his duty But here the Defendent craveth favour againe of the honorable Court that he may briefly letting the puny Iudges and their nonsenâ—e dye in silence say something of the Prelats haranges because they onely were the men that found themselves aggreeved aâ— his writing to say the trueth all the other are Officiers under them and are the Prelats hangbyes he meanes the Doctors to doe what they would have theÌ„ as hourely experience teacheâ—h all men And so much the more earnestly he desireth this liberty because it will make much for the demoÌ„stration of the justice of his accusation against the Prelats both in respect of the dishonor they have don unto God by it the dishonour of the King their Master King Iames of precious memory and the wrong done to himself in particular Now the first that entred this combat was Francis White Bishop of Ely who in the first place most blasphemously and with many contumelyes reproached the holy Scriptures making nothing of their divine Autority as all the standers by can witnes for he reviling the Defendent sayd That he had nothing in his booke but Scripture which was as he tearmed it the refuge of all Hereticks and Schismaticks openly averring withall That the Scripâ—ures could not be knowne to be the Word of God but by the Fathers and Saint Augustin would not have beleeved the Scriptures to be the Word of God had not the Church told him so Further he sayd That the Scripture could not be knowne distinguished from â—he Apocrypha but by the Faâ—hers nor the meaning of the Scripture found out but by the Fathers that all the Faâ—hers from all Antiquity which is most false as the defendent in a speciall booke hath sufficiently shewed made and proved a vast difference between Bishops and Presbyters and that there was ever a greater excellency and Autority in the Bishop then in Presbyters And this with an unanâ—mous coÌ„sent they all agreed in till a base fellow Calvin for so he tearmed that ever to be honoured Divine rose up in an obscure corner of the World viâ—lated and overtrew all order Autority in the Church and would allso have demolished the Autority of the Magistrates And then turning his speech to the Defendent unhumanly he called him Base fellow Brasen faced Fellow Base Dunce and sayd in the face of the Court That if he could not mayntayne his Episcopall Autority to be Iure Divino he would fling away his Rotchet And so concluding with those that had gone before him in his censure he sat downe in a very great fuâ—y and passion Afâ—er him came forth the Bishop of Yorke and in that numerous Assembly proclaymes That Iesus Christ made him a Bishop and the holy Ghost consecrated him and that he had not his Autority from the King for Bishops were before Kings and that Bishops held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads and so peremptorily averring that the Defendent ought to be knockt downe with club-Law for his ignorance assenting with the rest in their Censure he fell a sleep In the third place the Bishop of London advanced forwards speaking very loud and temerarious words against the Holy Scriptures saying That he had thought to have found some great Matters in the Defendents booke seeing him so confident and so peremptory but diligently reading of it he met with nothing in it but Scripture which as he sayd was the refuge of all Schismeticks Hereticks so according with his predecessors in their opinion and censure he concluded his part of speech But last of all came forth the Prelat of Canterbury who with a frontlesse boldnes avouched his Episcopall Autority preeminency over his breâ—hren to be onely from God very much blaming Calvin for his faâ—tious Spirit saying That their Ecclesiasticall Autority the power they exercised was from Christ Iesus and produced Timothy and Titus to proveâ— the same assertion and that Bishops were before Christian Kings and they held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads For no Bishop no King those that would have no Bishops sought to overthrow all Government in his censure he jumped in all things with the rest saving in the Fine which as he sayd hee thought too little and therefore ought of meere conscience as he told the other Iudges hee fined the Defendent a Thousand pounds more But he had one thing more to speake as he sayd concerning the Châ—rch of Rome and about that he resolved publickly there to declare himself in regard the Defendent had cast Chounyes book unto him in open Court and of the Synagogue of Rome he spake verie honorably affirming That shee was a true Church and that shee did not erre in fundamentall poynts and all this hee spake in that publick Sessions All which the Defendent hath
there had been no other meanes for him to have come to the knowledge of the Scripture this doth not necessarily follow But were it granted that had not the Church told Augustine which was the Scripture and Word of God that he had then never beleeved it to be the Word must â—his conclusion of necessity be gathered from thence That all men must be like Augustin in this or that the Autority of men is greater and above the Scripture all â—hese are poore lame consequences and not beseeming the worthy Faâ—hers of the Church in open Court to publish to the infinit dishonour of holy Scripture advancing human Autority above it which indeed is meere blasphemy against the Holy Word of God For would not every man accuse one of folly if an other being a stranger and never seeing the King and meeting him in a journey with all his Nobles richly clad as it beseemeth noble Peeres so to be for the honour of their Master and the Majesâ—y of his Court and in this company where there are so many brave personages and all so excellently apparrelledâ— and he not knowing vvhich vvas the King should aske some of his retinue or some Courâ—ier vvhich of those vvere the King Novv doth it follovv because at that time the man should not have knovvne the King vvithout this information from some of the attendantâ— that the King could no other way have beene knowne unto him or that Kings could be knowne no other wayes but by such informatioÌ„s No rational creatures wil so conclude at that time he in part beleeved from the Courtiers relation that it vvas the King But after that he seeth the King in his Court or upon his thâ—one vvith his crovvne upon his head and vvith all his State and Magnificence and his Nobles in their service vvith the reverence that is yeilded unto him then hee beleeveth no longer because the Servant told him that it vvas the King but because by his ovvne reason he is evinced of it knovving that such attendance such a guard â— so great pomp dignity and State belongeth to none but Kings And it vvould be thought not madnes only but treason to say if one had not told him that it was the King othervvise the King could not be knovvne or that he that told him vvas greater then the King or his Autority greater The same may be sayd of the Holy and ever bleâ—sed Word of God that it is a great madnes impiety to conclude That the Holy Scripture cannot be knovvne to be the Word of God vvithout the Autority of the Fathers or Church or that the Autority of either is greater then the Scriptures vvhich to affirme is vvithout doubt blasphemy in a High degree against Almighty God and his blessed revealed vvill able to provoke his indignation upon us because it is an error against the very light of Nature art and reason and the apparent Words of the Scripture vvhere the Word of God is called the immortall seed 1. Pet. chap. 1. v. 23. vvhich liveth abideth for ever Novv all seed by its invvard vertue sproutet into a blade is by it self and his ovvne fruits knovvn to be vvhat it is So is the Scripture of it self knovvne to be the Word of God and as Paul sayth in the 1. of â—he Cor. chap. 2. ver 4. the Word of God is in the Demonstration of the Spirit in povver and maketh the hearts of the beleevers burne vvith in them as it did to those that â—vent vvith Christ to Emmaus Luke the 2â— vers 32. and as the Apostle sayth in the first to the Thessalonians the 2. chap. vers 3. that they received the Word of God not as the vvord of man but as it is in the trueth the Word of God vvhich effectually vvorketh in those that beleeve and in the 4. of the Hebr. 12. Paul sayth that the Word of God is quick and povverfull sharper then a tvvo edged Svvord piercing even to the dividing asunder the soule and Spirit and of the raines and marrovv and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart So that by these testimonies and thousands more that might be produced it is sufficiently evident that the Scriptures of themselves are declaratory and by their ovvne native and inbred splendor doe conciliat Autority credit to themselves neither have they any need of 〈◊〉 from man or the Fathers Autority to prove them â—â—e Word of God For before there vvere any Fathers the Scriptures had their Autority and vvere knovvne to be Divine Neither did the Fathers or Church make them Authentick or the Word of God no more then a Piller maketh a proclamation to bee the Kings vvill and pleasure because it stands upon it but the Church or Fathers declared them so to bee neither doth or can the very Synagogue of Rome deny this How impious then and blasphemous are â—he Prelaâ—es that they dare thus vilify the holy Scriptures and make their autority nothing And can any man of judgment see any reason why one should beleeve the Fathers more then the Scriptures or why one should beleeve that these are the works of Augustin or Ambrose should doubt that this is the Gospell of Luke Iohn or that these are the Epistles of Paul Of these things the Defendent for his part can see no reason Neither can there any solid reason be yeelded why one should beleeve the Fathers more theÌ„ the Scriptures themselvesâ— when the Fathers are not to be câ—â—dâ—tedâ— but as they accord with Scripture as the very Popish Canons Papists themselves acknowledge for in the Canon law thus speakes the Pope Paâ—rum quantalibet doctrina sanctitate pollentium Scripta ex Canonâ—â—â—â— sacris consideranda nec cum credendi necessitate sed cum judicandi libertate legenda sunt Neither is Baronius his opinion other concerning the autority of the Fathersâ— as at large may be seen in his Annals an 34. § 213. and an 44. § 42. And for Bellarmine he is of the same mind in his 2 booke concerning Councels in the 12 chapter in these words Sacra Scripta Patrum non sunt regula nec habâ—nt autoritatem obligandi And when the very adversaries doe thus fully expresse themselves that whatsoever autority is in the Fathers books and writings it is onely as they harmonise and accord with the Scripture shall any man then thinke or suppose that there should yet be more autority in the writings of the Fathers or in the Decrees of Councels then there is in the holy Scriptures from whence as the Fountaine those streames doe issue very reason will confound the fatuity of this devillish doctrine for the streames brookes are never so pure nor good as the fountaine for it is ever the fountaine that gives authority of goodnes and the name of excellency to the little sucking rivers as all men knowâ— and they commend the waters ever from the fountaine they come so
that the spring hath ever the precedency and is of greatest autority and without all controversy as it overthroweâ—h all reason so it is exceedingly impious against our great God the fountayne of all good and the giver of every good and perfect gift and they that shall speake so contumeliously as the â—iâ—â—â—ps doe of these Fountaynes of living waters â—he holy Scriptures as they did the Defendent wâ—ll euer mayntaine they are contemners and despisers of the holy Scriptures and in this opinion he will live and die Neiâ—her did they lesse offend in saying that the Scriptures could not be knowne from the Apocryâ—ha without the help and auâ—hority of the Fathers which poynt also the Defendent desireth this honorable Court to heare a little discussed it being a thing of so high nature concerning not onely the glory of God buâ— the good of every mans Soule the peace of the Church and the tranquillity of the whole Kingdom And therefore he humbly craveth favour that he may agitate it here a little for the furtheâ— Demonstration of the iustnes of his accusaâ—ion hee chargeth the Prelats with viz That they are disgracers and contemners of the holy Scriptures They say that the Scriptures can not be distinguished from the Apocrypha but by the Fathers which assertion is against sense and reason it self too impious for Prelats to speake Is not this an essentiall property of the Scriptures of the old Testament that they were written in the Hebrew tongue and that they did give witnes of Christ and received autority from him and that they were put into the hands keeping of the elect chosen people of God as a Treasury Now the Apocrypha had none of all this honour Neithâ—r did ever the Jews account of them as Scripture yea to this day they reject them Neither for these reasons onely are they distinguished from the Apocrypha but for many others the divinity purityâ— sublimity appeares in the Canonicall Scriptures the futility folly and falsity in the Apocrypha are too too manifest and is there any man so stupid blockish to thinke that this age wherein we live cannot distinguish or discerne gold from lead without the autority of the Fathers There is a vaster difference between the Apocrypha and the Canonicall Scriptures then is between gold and lead Every mans reason will tell him an apparent difference between brasse beanes But if any be desirous of autority to distinguish them will not Christs and the Apostles suffice The very Papists that have not abiured all honesty goodnesâ— do freely acknovvledge and confesse that those onely are Canonicall Scriptures which the Apostles did eiâ—her write or approve of But thâ—y did never approve of the Apocrypha The Canonicall Scriptures of the old Testament did in shâ—dows and figâ—res sett fâ—rth that which thâ— new Testament cleâ—rly speaks They did adâ—mâ—rate the new Testament expresseth in lively colours one anâ— the same thing They consent one with an other and yeild each other mutuall ayde and help Now the Apocrypha do neither foretell the new nor are by their autority and approbation illustrated and declared Christ commends Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes as books without all exception Luc. 24. and grounds his doctrine upon them but never honours nor graceth the Apocrypha with his Commendations or wiâ—nes How then can the Prelaâ—s without great conâ—umely unâ—o the sacred Scriptures say they cannot be distinguished and knowne from â—he Apocrypha but by the Fathers especially after the judgment of Christ himself is given and hath passed upon the Scriptures for the autorizing of them to be â—he word and will of God The Fathers as the learned acknowledge were for their times many of them worthy of honour but yet they vvere subject not to a fevv errors and often agreed not vvith themselves and are ever at variance vvith others and have been indeed the originall and cause of allmost all the coâ—troversies vvith vvhich the Churches are novv tormented And therefore to conclude this poynt the Defendent sayth that the Prelats are disgracers and contemners of holy Scripture vvhen against so much light of reason and Divine autority they say they cannot be distinguished and knovvne from the Apocrypha but by the Fathers Neither â—s the third Thesis Position freer from impudency and outrage against the Scriptures then the tvvo former In that they say the meaning of the Scripture could not be knovvne but by the Fathers For in this they doe as much as playnly affirme there is an other vvay to heaven then by â—he Scriptures vvhich if it be not a contemning and disgracing of holy Scripture then there never vvas any Nay if it be not blasphemy the Defendent knovveth not vvhat blasphemy isâ— and therefore all those that desire salvation and to goe to heaven must come to the Schoole of the Fathers and not to the Doctrine of the Scriptures And hovv then vvill the poore people doe to be saved that never knevv vvhat a Father vvas Nay hovv did all those goe to heaven that dyed before the Fathers For the Prelats say that the meaning of the Scripture cannot be knovvn vvithout the Fathers vvithout the knovvledge of the Scripture there is no salvation It is most manifest by these expressions of the Prelats that they vvith their untempered morter vvould put out the light of the Scripturesâ— make them not onely inferior to all mens vvritings but a very pack of Non-sense for vvheresoever thâ—re is any sense there can something be gathered out of it especially if it be so large a Booke And hovvsoever there bee many depths in Scripture there is also great perspicuity so that according to the ancient saying as an eliphant may svvimme a lamb may vvade thâ—re also But if it should be so as the Prelats say that without the autority and interpretation of the Fathers the meaning of them could not be knowne found out then the Dâ—fendent affirmeth they should be inferior to all other writings yea to every Letter and Epistle that men penn with understanding for they ever carry their owne sense and meaning along with them or to what end are they otherwise writ If the letter that discovered the gunpouder treason had not had a match and light of understanding in it that Popish plot had never been discoveredâ— till by its cruell flames it had declared it self and by the funerall of the vvhole Kingdome had been made knovvne and left those that survived and lived in perpetuall mourning If every Letter-vvriting and booke then that is penned vvith judgment carry its ovvne sense and meaning in it and the books for vvhich the Defendent is novv questioned and if all Proclamations Lettres and Edicts of Princes are easily to be understood and carry their ovvne interpretation vvith them so that none after their publication may pretend ignorance dare any man be so bold and audacious as to say that the Letters and Proclamations of the King of heaven and
eternall life they testifie of mee And in the 3. of the Acts ver 22 23. S. Peter brings all men unto Christ to be taught by him not in somethings onely but that Prophet must be heard in all things and no other in Gods matters must be listened unto the words are these For Moses truely sayd unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto mee him shall you heare in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shal come te passe that every Soule which will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people And in the 12. of Iohn vers 48. our Saviour sayth He that rejecteth mee and receiveth not my Words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spake the same shall judge him in the last day And therefore doth it not stand with all good reason that we should guide square our lives and actions by that word and rule onely by which we shall at the last day be judged Paul in the 2. of the Rom. ver 16. sayth That the secrets of mens hearts shall at that day be judged according to his Gospell shall not all our doctrines yea and our whole Religion be squared and regulated by the same all good reason vvould dictate so They have Moses the Prophets sayth Abrahamâ— let them heare him saith he Luc. 16. ver 29. We have Christ and his Apostles we are onely to heare them in all things not the Faâ—hers not the traditions of the Elderâ— not the use customes of former ages if they dissent from the holy Scriptures and vvritten word of God For the great Doctor of his Church telleth the Saduces saying Yee erre not knovving the Scriptures Matth. 12. vers 24. indeed from the ignorance of the Scriptures commeth all error they that follovv the Scripture for their guide can never stray or straggle from the right vvay neither have they need to borrovv the candle of the Fathers to be directed by so long as the glorious Sun of the vvord shineth so clearly and it was the eternall praise and commendations of the more noble Bereans that they did dayly search the Scriptures vvhether the things the Apostles taught vvere so or no. Acts 17 ver 11. and Paul is greatly honored vvith this applause in the 26. of the Acts ver 22. that he taught no other things then those vvhich the Prophets and Moses did say should come te passe And so Christ taught his Apostles Luc. 24 that all things ought to be fullfilled concerning him vvhich vvere vvrit in Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes So that the Scriptures alone are the Foundation of all our religion and to say that the meaning of the Scriptures can not be knowne without the Fathers is an unsufferable wickednes done unto that holy booke and an infinite contempt and disgrace of it to say it hath need of the ayde of man to support it Christ vanquished the Devill by the Scriptures Matth. 4. drove away the Saduces Matth. 22 and S. Iames by the Scriptures put an end unto the great controversy of the Churches at Ierusalem set the Churches of the Gentiles free for ever from all Ceremonyes vvhatsoever but those God himselfe had appoynted Acts 15. and onely by the Scriptures did Paul resolve all questions So that according to Gods ovvne instruction and direction vvhich must ever be obeyed and listened unto the Scriptures onely soly must bee the Iudge Law square rule of all our religion vvords actions Not the Autority of the Fathers not the traditions of men not the practice custome of the ancient and the name of Antiquity For they that shall preferre these things before the Word of God or at least affirme that these Holy Oracles and Divine records cannot be understood vvithout the Fathers do not only blasphemously disgrace and contemne the Holy Scriptures but neglect the great Prophet vvhom vve ought to heare in all things so that listening unto the voice of men before the vvords of this great Prophet accusing the Scriptures of obscurity and saying they are the refuge of all Schismaticks and Hereticks is great impiety contumacy against God most injurious to the Holy Scriptures All which the Prelats being so highly guilty of the Defendent will never be a frayd to charge them with it that they are disgracers contemners of Holy Scripture withall that they are very ungratefull to the King their master invaders of his Prerogative Royall all which he shall make also evidently appeare to this honorable Court and how unworâ—hily yea prophanely they have abused not onely the King their now Soveraigne but his most excellent Father of pious memory And that they are invaders of his Prerogative it iâ— most certayne not onely by the Statuts Lawes of the Kingdome but by this very information For by the Lawes Statuts specified before with many others it is solemnly inacted That whatsoever Autority is here exercised under the King in his Dominions whether it be Spirituall or Temporall whether by Archbishops Bishops or any Ecclesiasticall men it is meerly in by and from the King and so ought to be acknowledged and that all jurisdictions superiorities all privileges and preeminencies spirituall and Ecclesiasticall are annexed unto the Imperiall Crowne so to be acknowledged And whosoever doth not acknowledge that all jurisdiction and Autoritie both Spirituall and Temporall is derived and doth flow immediatly from the Kings Majestâ— as supreme head under Christ in these Churches and in his Kingdomes as the Statutes declare at large is ipso facto in a praemunire and under his Majest high displeasure For it is the Prerogative of Princes and the priviledge that onely agrees to Kings and Potentates to be absolute in their Dominions and that all other jurisdictions superiorityes exercised by any other in their Kingdomes are derived from them and that of themselves they have none but as from the Kings So that it is arbitrary and in the Princes power to have or not to have such jurisdictions and preeminencies under them And that they may abdicat or annihilate them when they please And whosoever shall deny this or clayme any right of Government to themselves in Princes Dominions jure Divino are delinquents against their Kings and Masters and by our Lawes and Statutes they are proclaymed enimyes of the King and his Prerogative Royall that is true the mouth of the Law hath spake it And therefore the Defendents booke cannot be called a Libell without the Lawes first be proclamed such for the lawes say That all such persons as shall challenge any Autority unto themselves in his Majest Dominions but from the King are delinquents against his Majest and invaders of his prerogative Royall his Highnesses enimyes and so they are Now that the Prelats are such they sufficiently declared it in the censure of the Defendent For he reading
the Statuts at the Barr they notwitstanding affirmed that they had not their Autority and jurisdiction from the King but that Iesus Christ made them Bishops and bestowed their Autority upon them and that they were jure Divino and that they were before Christian Kings held the Crovvnes of Kings upon their heads for no Bishop no King and all this in a publick Court of judicature and in a most crouded assembly So that it seemeth the King is beholding to them and not they to his Majest And if this bee not to invade the Prerogative and to be enimyes of it and to be ungratefull unto his Highnes the Defendent knovveth not what it is to bee enimies of the prerogative The Lavves say it and therefore if the Defendent hath erred the Lavves have brought him into this error Neither did the Prelats ovvne Words at the Bart onely declare their disloyalty to the King and their independency on him but this very information vvhich comes from the Prelats in the name of the Attorney Generall sufficiently demonstrates it For in it the Defendent is accused as guilty of a great crime for vvriting against the Hierarchy and preferâ—ing a Presbyterian paâ—ity before the Sacred Orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons What the Defendent hath Writ the occasion of it concerning the Presbyâ—eâ—y the honorable Court hath been informed in part and vvithall if so vvriting be libelloâ—s and the Defendent have erred in it the Holy Scripture is also libellous which vvere impiety to thinke and hath been the cause of it from vvhich he varied nothing at all in that discourse further the Defendent resolveth to live and die in that error concerning the parity of Ministers and Presbyters vvhich he is ready to prove and make good against all the host of Prelats Doctors Proctors Commissaries Officials and Surrogats this day living But the thing that the Defendent desireth the honorable Court to take notice of is the contumacy of the Prelats for they call their Hierarchy and the Orders of their Bishops Priests and Deacons Sacâ—ed which if it bee graunted and so bee indeed then the Prelats are from God and not from the King of whom they have no depence For speaking of the King wee say His sacred Majestie because God himselfe hath appointed Him over us for by mee saith GOD Kings raigne and all Authority is from God and Kings are called Gods so that Kings are sacred Persons But that Hierarchy should be sacred and that there should be a holy Principality of Pastors and Ministers the prime and forman of which should have the Keyes of Heaven Earth and Hell and that hee should dispose of Kingdomes and Empires and make the greatest Potentates and Rulers his Subjects and Vassals and should have his domineering servants under him in all Common-wealths and Princes Courts to pry into their royall proceedings to their revenues riches and treasuries to know their powers their allyes and confederates and be Counsellors of their most secret admission should have an autority and jurisdiction independent over their Subjects and Lawes and Canons of their owne making to rule by and by them to persecute and undoe them at pleasure in the number of which are Cardinals Patriarchs Prime-mates Metropolitans Archâ—Bishops Bishops Deanes and innumerable such like vermin a member of which monstrous body our Hyrarchy is the Defendent saith this is not knowne in Sacred Writ nor never came from God but rather from the Pope and the Devill Diabolus cacavitillos Yea the Word of God is absolutely against it And that our Arch-Bishops Prime-mates and Metropolitans are members of that body let not onely our Martyrs writings and speeches Henry Stubbridge his exhortatory Epistle but even Masons Booke be looked into concerning the Succession of Bishops and it will be â—ound That hee derives their pedigree from Rome and so doth Pâ—cklington in his Booke Sunday no Sabbath wherein hee saithâ— That our Prelats are lineally descended from Saint Peters Chaire at Rome they being therefore a branch of that Synagogue and standing by the same autority the Pope pretends to stand which is as they all chalâ—â—nge jure divino they are enemies to the King and â—â—vaders of his prerogative and so they are justly gâ—ilty of all those crimes they accuse the Pope of and as great enemies of God as hee is all which the Defendent hath sufficiently proved in his Apoâ—ogy For they challenge their Autoritie jure divino and say That Iesus Chrâ—â—t made them Bishops and the holy Ghost consecrated them and that they weâ—e before Kings and held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads and the Pope sayes no more They call also their Hierarchy Sacred the Pope doth no more and for the erecting of this sacred Hierarchie Emperors Kings must be thrust down and made vassals of and all Kingdomes that are under their jurisdiction made slaves to it and all those stinking slavelings that depend upon it as the whole Christian world by woefull experieÌ„ce daily findeth But this same tearme of Sacred Hierarchie and sacred orders of Prelats ought here a little to be discussed That which is sacred is from God But the Hierarchie is not from God Ergo it is not sacred For the minor it is evidentâ— That vvhich God hath peremptorily forbid to his Ministers and Servants and is an enemie to that is not of God and by his institution but hee hath forbid Lordâ—y dominion to all the Ministers of the Gospell saying The Princes of the Gentiles beare rule over them but it shall not be so among you you shall not Lord it over your Brethren Ergo thâ— Hierarchie is not of God but of the Devill that is the cause of all disorder and ignorance For God forbad his Apostles and in them all Ministers to be Lords over one an other and set his owne example before them of service and commanded them to immitate him and to bee humble and meeke and told them plainly That the office of Principalitie and Dominion belonged unto Kings and Princes and that their imployments consisted in their obedience to Kings in praying for them that they might live in all godly peace under them and that they should diligentâ—y feed the flock of Iesus Christ committed to their charge in season and out of season as they love him and will answere it at his last appearingâ— and this was all the businesse that Christs Ministers Servants vvere to be taken up in they were not to be intangled with the things and affaires of this life nor to bee incombred with worldly matters they have speciall commands and presidents to the contrary and their charge and dutie assigned unto them from which station they must not goe which is onely to feed the flocke with all care and diligence vvith the sincere milke of the Word to preach unto them day and night and to goe before them in godly and holy example and to neglect thâ—s and to be taken up vvith domination and
oveâ—ruling their brethren and beating their fellow servants is to bee rebels against Christ and to usurp that vvhich belongeâ—h not unto them and vvhich thâ—y ought not to meddle with and therefore vvhen the Prelats doe not onely eate up and devoure this forbidden fruit but challenge a right unto it from God himselfe and say they have no depencie from the King the Defendent maintaineth that it is intollerable arrogancie against God the King and by vvhich they are delinquents in an elevated degree of contumacie against them both What an horrible impudencie is this in the Prelats or any Subject that vindicats their quarrell that they dare call the Hierarchie sacred especially when they derive it from Rome whom King IAMES of famous memorie calls Babylon and the Pope Antichrist and can any man thâ—nke that those that are lineally descended from Babylon and Anticâ—rist that great enemie of Christ his kingdome and members can be holy and sacred Certainly if the fountaine be not holy the streames cannot be holy Yea King Iames is very large in that his Booke to all Christian Princes in discovering the impiety of the Hierarchy of Rome and proves the Pope to be that man of Sin and all the Prelaâ—s of that Sea to be the Frogs that came out of the bottomles pit For the Nature of Frogs they being Amphibia is to live upon the Earth and in the vvater Novv King Iames sayth That the Prelats are the Frogs for they seeme to be Church men and are ever medling in States affayres creeping out of their stinking guâ—ters are such mighty busy bodies in other mens matters as they trouble all the Nations and Kingdomes vvhere they dvvell and inslave them all So that if the Hierarchy be sacred and the Prelats be the chiefe members of it then they are a generation of sacred frogs the holynesse notvvithstanding of the vvhich is such as fevv mens impiety is greater or more dangerous to Church and State and their usurpation upon both Autorityes deserving severely to be punished especially for that they so abuse his sacred Mast. Autority in oppressing his poore Subjects and trampling upon his prerogative so that to any eye of understanding it may sufficiently appeare by that the Defendent hath sayd that the Prelats are not onely contemners and disgraceâ—s of Holy Scripture but also invaders of the Kings prerogative Royall and enimyes of his imperiall dignity It yet remaynes to pove also that they have farther dishonoured the King their Master and King Iames of famous memory yea our most Holy religion and profession and all this in the Dâ—fendents Censure For vvhat any one of the Prelats did all the other assented to they being one Body it vvas the action of them all though acted in the person of the Prelat of Canterbury vvhich vvas this to magnify the Church of Rome defend the purity of her Doctrine affirming openly that she never erred in fundamental points and vvas a true Church as much as to proclayme the King and all his Subjects Schismaticks and Hereticks and that by the mouth of the Prelate of Canterbury vvhich the Defendent sayth is not onely injurious to the King their Master but to King Iames of famous memory his renovvned Father vvith vvhom for piety and learning all the Prelats together are not to be named the same yeare his Royall excrements are mentioned King Iames that glorious and learned Prince in his Apology to all Christian Princes and States proves the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist and the man of Sinne by many unansvverable arguments He proves likevvise the Church of Rome to be the vvhore of Babâ—lon for her abominations Spirituall Sodome for her filâ—hines and uncleannes Spirituall Egypt for her inslaving the Saints and Servants of God and all this he evinceth by irrefragable Autority thus taught he the whole vvorld his Royall Son and all his Subjects persvvadeth all Christian Princes to come out of Babylon to shake of the yoke of the Pope And in this faith he lived and dyed And this faith is King Charles his Son and our gracious Soveraigne novv Defender of and all this is Orthodox Doctrine vvhich our King did preach unto us and our Royall King novv professeth and vvhich all his Loyall Subjects to God and his Majest vvill seale vvith their blouds This heroicall King notvvithstanding and his Divine Doctrine is stamped under foot by the Prelats to the infinit dishonour of our most pious clement Prince the eternall disgrace of his most incomparable Father and the discredit indeed of the vvhole Church and Kingdome if not indangering the same to the great hardening of the Papists in their Hereticall wayes the perverting of the Kings most Loyall Subjects and teaching the Papists to rebell And to all this the dignity and glory of the Scripture is offuscated by their sable mouths So that what can any man either say or thinke of this progeny of Prelats whose contumacy and rebellion reaâ—cheth to the very clouds and what can men think of this degenerating of-spring of this age The one that they dare against God and the King openly breath out their blasphemies and call evill good and good evill The other that they should out of cowardise suffer their Royal King and his most excellent Father to be thus abused But this Defendent hopeth that this honorable Court like that noble Nehemiah vvith other true-hearted loyall Subjects remayning about the King vvill novv at last informe his Majestâ— of the intollerable insolency of the Prelats of vvhich he beleeveth they vvere formerly ignorant or not so vvell acquaynted and seeke by his Autority for redresse against their impudency As for this Defendent for his part he is resolved though left alone ever to say LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER And although he should suffer a thousands torments from the Prelats living and dying hee will ever cry LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER And let the name of his learned and transcendent Father liâ—e to perpetuity And let the enemies of the King and Gospell perish Neither will hee ever suffer to the uttermost of his power That either the Kings Honour or the Dignity of his most illustrious Father or the glory of our most Holy profession or the honour of the Holy Scriptures shall be contaminated or Babylon or superstition advanced in his Dominions and crueâ—ly and injustice exercised by the Prelats over his poore Subjects and hold his peace All vvhich evidently appeare in the daylie proceedings of the Prelats in their High Commission and from their speech hourelie there their practises through the vvhole Kingdome Some of vvhich he desireth in order to proveâ— that the honorable Court may be the fuller informed that he hath not causlesly in his Apology layd any crime unto their charge vvhich they are not guilty of And novv to proceed to the other thingâ— the Defendent is chargâ—d vvith Viz that he taxeth the High Commission Court of crueltie injustice vvant of
vvisdome and temperance and that they are perswaders of his Majest to bloudshed and are the upholdes of idolaâ—rie superstition prophanesse â—hat he scandalously defameâ—h the vvitnesses produced against him and that he hath causleslie and boldlie inveighed against the oath ex officio and other the ancient formes of proceedings of the High Commission Court To all these the Defendent ansvvereth as they lie And first vvhereas the Defendent chargeth them vvith crueltie injustice vvant of vvisdome temperanceâ— he conceiveth he hath very good reason for that his charge both in respect of himself and others and in regard both of the soules and bodies estates of men all which they captive enslave or dissipate scatter at pleasure and in as much as in them lyes seeke the ruine of To say nothing of their daylie practises who condemne men without either exhibiting articles producing of witnesses or any legall proceedings against them as if a man should be hanged without evidence given or indictment framed which is the hight of injustice the DefendeÌ„t saith that their very proceedings against himselfe sufficiently shew their crueltie injustice want of wisdome and temperance their very speeches apparently prove all these things Neither is there such a president of wrong and cruelty in the whole world that any man of what ranke order or degree soever he be that shall write a Booke in Defence of that religion that is established by publick Autority for the honour of the King in Defence of his prerogative against a common enimy that for this indeavour of his should be ruined he his wife children cast into prison deprived first of all possibility of livelyhood rayled upon reviled publickly and after all this given to the Devill and that onely for writing a Booke which had nothing in it but Scripture and in the which the Defendent thought they meant him and that they should still prosecute him seek his eares and the defacing of him which they threaten Such a President of wrong crueltie the Defendent sayth cannot be produced in toto Macrocosmâ— therefore the Defendent in respect of his owne particular justlie chargeth them with crueltie injustice and intemperance And in respect of all other honest men that come under their jurisdiction the same may be sayd and proved by thousands whether one respect their soules bodyes or goods for they use cruelty in regard of all sparing neither age or sex poore or rich youg or old bond or free but upon every triviall occasion or for the meanest neglect of any one of their idlest and impious Ceremonies or for any misprision it is enough to have them hoisted into the High Commission Court brought from the remotest parts of the Kingdome to the utter undoing of them their familyes when as the greatest breach of any of the Commandements of the first table is not once thought of And in the bringing of them into troubles they deale with those poore men as they doe with Beares Bulls at Paris Garden they first by violence and their Officers to their mightie expenses hale them into their Courts and then with bands of two or three hundred pounds they tie them to their stakes bait them three or foure yeares together with all maner of contumelyes reproaches vexations expenses calamities torments till they have wearied them to death and made their lives tedious unto them after all this they fling him into one jayle or other destitute of friends monies And as if this were not enough eâ—en as the persecutors of the Martyrs in the primitive times as histories relate dealt with the Saints when they brought them to the slaughter they were wont to cloth them with the skinnes and hides of wilde Beasts that so they might make them the more formidable and the better animate their dogs and curres against them to teare them in peeces In like maner doe the Prelats their complices in these our times deale with poore honest Christians and the true and faithfull servants of the Lord and the Kings most loyall Subiects they make them monstrous ugly and deformed unto all men King Nobles by their relations and informations they cloth them with saying of them That they are maligners and enimies of government troublers of Church and State Seducers of the Kings Subjects making them disloyall unto their Prince stirrers up of sedition faction and a thousand such crimes setting all the people against them in their open Courts have their orators to blanch over their defamatory false accuâ—ations charging them with foule crimes the thought of which never came into their heads as this present information may witnes Yea in the very Court-Sermons they incense the King Nobles dayly against those they brand with the name of Puritans and Sectaries which all this honorable Assembly can witnes and the Defendent hath heard many Court-Sermons with his owne eares in the time of his liberty but never heard one where the Puritans as they terme them were not brought up in the Pulpit most shamefully unchristianly traduced as those that opposed the Kings proceedings and such as maligne his government and trouble the peace of Church and State and humbly besought his Majest that some severe course might bee sought taken against them These such like sprincklings of their brotherly Rhetorick the defendent himselfe hath often heard neither can this honorable Court be ignorant of the truth of this And what is all this but great cruelty injustice to abuse thus their brethren by malicious and false accusations to the incensing of their Gracious King and Soveraigne against them when they are most innocent harmlesse desiring nothing more then the life safety prosperity happines of his Majesty and of his royall progeny his florishing raigne and would lose ten thousand lives if they had them for the honour of his crowne dignity for they desire nothing more then to bee found loyall neither do they seeke any thing more then the peacâ— and wellfare of the Church the good of this commonwealthâ— And therefore if there be any this is cruelty and injustice in a high degree to deale thus mercilesly with their too too much allready afflictid brethren of whom they are ever making sinister relations to King Councell and State to the depriving of them many times of their libertâ— livelyhoods and states to the making of them theirs ever miserable and all this also they doe in their Courts every day defaming them as enimies of government and enimies of the Church and casting them into prison with great Fines on their backs And this is the cruelty they dayly use in respect of their bodies lives and estates But yet their cruelty is greater in respect of their soules for they have through the Kingdome of England and VVales taken away allmost all their glorious paynfull Ministers and â—hose that with most diligence taught the people and