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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56725	The life of John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the times of Q. Elizabeth and K. James I written by Sir George Paule ; to which is added a treatise intituled, Conspiracy for pretended reformation, written in the year 1591, by Richard Cosin ...; Life of Archbishop Whitgift	Paule, George, Sir, 1563?-1637.; Cosin, Richard, 1549?-1597. Conspiracy for pretended reformation.	1699 (1699)	Wing P878_ENTIRE; ESTC R1659	167,057	342

pleased at the Archbishop's presence in proclaiming the King proclaimed him again 105. I am doubtful to speak lest I might seem to detract from others of the great comfort which the common People and Citizens took in the presence of the Archbishop and how heartily they prayed for him at his return as if they nothing doubted but that all went well for the State in that Counsel among whom he was present 106. He was indeed beloved of all sorts of People yea even of some of them who were the most fervent Reprehenders themselves as they have confessed since his death And well worthy was he so to be for that he carried a most mild and moderate hand over them A more particular love also he deserved of many for his affection Archbishop a lover and incourager of Liberal Arts. unto liberal and ingenious Arts whereof his domestick government and care was no less argument than his publick which I have formerly spoken of For besides the pains which he took himself after he was Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of Canterbury many years with a number of worthy young Gentlemen in reading unto them thrice aday he took into his House besides his Chaplains divers of quality to instruct them in the Mathematicks and other Lectures of sundry Arts and Languages giving them good allowance and Preferments His Liberality great otherwise as occasion was offered And besides the many poor Scholars He kept many poor Scholars in his House whom he kept in his House till he could provide for them and prefer them as he did sundry to good Estates he also maintained divers in the University And maintained divers in the Universities at his own charge and gave liberally to them and others of any towardliness as he heard of their necessity and wants 107. He kept likewise for the exercise of Military Discipline a good Armory Is an incourager of Military Exercises and a fair Stable of great Horses insomuch as he was able to arm at all points both Horse and Foot and divers times had One hundred Foot and Fifty Horse of his own Servants mustered and trained for which purpose he entertained Captains He had also skilful Riders who taught them to manage their Horses and instructed them in warlike Exercises all whom he rewarded in liberal manner By this means he had divers of his own Gentlemen that afterwards proved good Soldiers many whereof became Captains and Commanders and some for their Valour and Service were Knighted in the Field There were also divers others that for Learning Languages and Qualities were fit to be employed by any Prince in Christendom Insomuch as his House for the Lectures and Scholastical Exercises therein performed might justly be accounted a little Academy and in some His House a little Academy respects superior and more profitable viz. for Martial Affairs and the Experience that Divines and other Scholars had being near and often at the Court and chief Seats of Justice from whence they continually had the Passages and Intelligences both for Matters of State and government in Causes Ecclesiastical and Civil By which their continual Experience many of his * Dr. Bancroft Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Ravis Bishop of London Dr. Barlow Bishop of Lincoln Dr. Goldisbury Bishop of Gloucester Dr. Parry Bishop of Worcester Dr. Redman Bishop of Norwich Dr. Buckeridge Bishop of Rochester Domestical His Chaplains promoted Chaplains both before and since his death attained unto the chiesest Honours and Dignities in our Church and Commonwealth 108. And here I may not forget his religious care and provident order for the due execution of his Charge and determination of all such Causes as belonged unto his proper cognizance and place To which end and purpose he appointed every Thursday in Term a solemn and set Commission day upon which he had a Sermon in his Chappel by one of his Houshold Chaplains and entertained the Commissioners and their Attendants though to his great expence which he little esteemed in regard of the well guiding and ordering the Affairs then by him undertaken That day you should have had a Senate of the worthiest and greatest Counsellors of State with the assistance of the chief Prelates Justices Judges and sufficientest Lawyers of both Professions that those Times afforded 109. You may then hereby observe the The Archbishop's care and wisdom in determining Causes Archbishop's exceeding care and singular wisdom in proceeding with the Advice of so many worthy prudent and learned Men of several Faculties whereby the Subjects came chearfully to the hearing of their Causes and without fear of partiality in any particular Person And howsoever the Cause went the Archbishop could not be impeached of rash or inconsiderate proceeding seeing he had the consent and approbation of all Professions For the Archbishop always gave Sentence and ordered matters as the greater part of the Court did encline beginning at the Junior first although himself would sometimes dissent from them in opinion and so he would tell them but without tartness yea in such kind and loving manner as no man was hindered in delivering his mind By which means he was sure always to have the Cause fully debated and every man's opinion fully known which when he found concurring with his own and the Proceedings ordered according to the Rules of Justice he would go on to sentence and determine the Cause 110. Wherein he carried himself His Resolution in Judgment with great resolution and courage were the Persons never so great that were interested in the same as you may perceive by one Instance among many when himself was yet no Counsellor of State A Gentleman of good Note seeing An Instance how the Court was enclined to order his Cause not according to his desire told the Archbishop that upon another occasion there grew some speech of that Cause before the Lords of the Council and their Lordships were of another opinion than his Grace and the rest of the Commissioners seemed to be what tellest thou me said the Archbishop of the Lords of the Council I tell thee they are in these Cases to be advised by us and not we by them He would upon such like Occasions oftentimes say unto his private Friends towards his latter time when they talked familiarly with him and observed his courage and stoutness That two things did help much to make a man confident in good Causes namely Orbitas Senectus and said he they steed me both 111. This orderly proceeding and He upholds the Dignity of the High Commission-Court course upheld the Reputation and Dignity of the Commission Court which albeit it be of great Authority and dealeth for the most part in matters of great weight and importance yet the want of worthy Assistants and Counsel if the like care should not be continued may make it grow to be of little reputation as experience hath somewhat taught us since the decease of this

for the rest unto the perusal of Doctor Cosin his Book intituled Conspiracy for Pretended Reformation Conspiracy for pretended Reformation wrote by Dr. Cosin Where he shall find their Purposes Plots and Designments with many other markable things at large discoursed and taken truly out of their Conference and Writings under their own hands with their Confessions and Examinations subscribed by themselves before sundry honourable and worshipful Personages of great gravity and wisdom employed in those Affairs By all which together with their temperate direct and pertinent Speech and congruity of Phrase and Matter both before and after their Apprehension it will clearly appear that the said Conspirators were not Mad-men unless it be a kind of Madness to be a violent * Promoters Prosecutor of This Reformation as indeed it is howsoever some of that Fraternity and Sect have so given it out chusing thereby rather to accuse the honourable Justice of the Realm and all the Ministers thereof than that any professing desire of pretended Reformation should be noted with deep Disloyalty as they were charged withal 66. When the Queen and State saw the incredible height of these audacious Attempts so dangerous to the Commonwealth thus knotted and countenanced under pretence of reforming the Church they found it necessary to stop the Fountains of these Proceedings lest it might grow to the like outrage Amongst whom there were very forward to the like presumption Henry Barrow Gentleman and John Greenwood Clerk who were convented before the High Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical in November 1587. for 1587. Barrow and Greenwood their Schismatical and Seditious Positions their Schismatical and Seditious Opinions viz. That our Church is no Church or at the least no true Church yielding these Reasons therefore First That the Worship of the English Church is flat Idolatry Secondly That we admit into our Church Persons unsanctified Thirdly That our Preachers have no lawful Calling Fourthly That our Government is ungodly Fifthly That no Bishop or Preacher preacheth Christ sincerely and truly Sixthly That the People of every Parish ought to chuse their Bishop and that every Elder though he be no Doctor nor Pastor is a Bishop Seventhly That all the Precise which refuse the Ceremonies of the Church and yet preach in the same Church strain at a Gnat and swallow a Cammel and are close Hypocrites and walk in a left-handed Policy as Master Cartwright Wiggington c. Also in Norwich Master Moare Pawmone and Burges that all which make Catechisms or teach and expound printed and written Catechisms are Idol Shepherds as Calvin Ursin Nowell c. That the Child of ungodly Parents ought not to be baptized as of Usurers Drunkards c. nor any Bastards That Set-Prayer is blasphemous 67. The fore said Brochers of these The Ring-leaders on being convened make shew of Conformity but afterwards go back Opinions at this their first Convention made shew of their conformity upon conference with some Divines and in hope thereof were enlarged upon bonds but all in vain For after their liberty they burst forth into further Extremities and were again committed to the Were re-committed July 1588. and proceeded against March 1592. Fleet July 20. 1588. where they pub lished their Scandalous and Seditious Writings for which they were proceeded withal at Justice-Hall near Newgate in London March 21. 1592. 68. For suppressing this kind of People which as you see were grown unto a great height of violence and outrage the State held it fit at the next Parliament An Act of Abjuration and Banishment made against Schismaticks following to make a Law of Abjuration or Banishment of such as should either persuade others or be present themselves at these their Conventicles or Meetings which Law is entituled An Act to restrain the Queen's Majesty's Subjects in their due obedience 69 LET the Reader now consider with what Contagion and Leprosy many poor Souls had like to have been infected through the divulging of their wicked Libels and dangerous Positions tending to Innovation and Rebellion had not the stroke of Justice and providence of the State wisely prevented the same selecting as out of an hundred thousand seditious Mutineers for so many they confessed were ready for that purpose only four Only four Persons prosecuted of a very great Number Persons as the chief Ring-leaders whose lot it was to be proceeded withal for the quenching of the fiery outrage of the rest kindled already to the like Attempts as those in Germany of the Great Troubles in Germany just cause of sears here from like Principles and Pretences of Reformation Cabinet-teachers and Reformers both at Mulhusin and Munster in Westphalia Which Seditions could not be appeased till Fifty thousand of them were killed and cut in pieces by the united Forces of most of the Princes of the Empire And though some not of the greatest foresight may think that the fear which our Archbishop conceived of Dangers to ensue out of these Sectaries Attempts was far greater than there was just cause yet the Examples of those foreign Pretenders of like Reformation as is aforesaid compared with these our Reformers Designs taught him not to be without fear or care for preventing these dangerous Events at home For all their Intendments sorted to one end viz. Reformation and to be brought to pass by one and the self-same means viz. by commotion of the unbridled multitude 70. For was it not in their Assemblies The Discipline decreed in their Assemblies to be put in Practice Classical and Synodical concluded That the Discipline should within a time limited be put in practice and erected all in one day by the Ministers together with the People whom these Disciplinarians bragged to be already enflamed with Zeal to lend so many thousand hands for the advancement of their Cause by whom they hoped and said such Reformation must be brought in And how I pray you did they incense the common People not only in their private Conventicles decreeing that the Queen's Authority The Queen's Authority Ecclesiastical to be restrain'd ought to be restrained in Causes Ecclesiastical but in their publick Sermons and Exhortations alienating the hearts of their Auditors from all obedience of the Ecclesiastical Magistrates As namely Master Cartwright who saith That no obedience Cartwright ' s seditious Doctrines ought to be given unto them either in doing that which they command or abstaining from that which they prohibit And that it should not be lawful for any one of the Brother-hood to take an Oath whereby he may discover any thing prejudicial to himself or his Brother especially if he be persuaded the matter to be lawful for which the punishment is like to be inflicted or having taken it he need not discover the very truth And in his Prayer before his Sermons he used thus to say Because they Cartwright ' s charitable Prayer for the Bishops in his Sermons at Banbury 1589. Penry '

direct themselves by the Rule of Geneva would learn thus to discipline their Tongues with him and imitate his Modesty 91. The Archbishop as from Master Beza so from other famous Men beyond the Seas received many Letters arguing their great love and due respect of him At their request and recommendation he relieved and entertained into his House for many years The Archbishop's kindness and charity to Foreign Divines of the Reformation together divers distressed Ministers out of Germany and France who were enforced to forsake their own Countries some by Banishment others by reason of Wars and extremity which they were put unto And at their departure he dealt bountifully with them as namely Drusius Renicherus Frigevill and Monsieur Buse a French Minister who read weekly a Lecture in Latin in his Chappel And although his French pronunciation and want of good delivery did somewhat blemish the goodness of the matter which he handled yet the Archbishop's property ever was to cherish and encourage him and all others that preached before him and was never heard to give the Preacher distaste but rather would commend or excuse him against other mens Censures saying If he were young better experience would correct his defaults and if he were in years he was in that respect to be born withal alledging for both that some would take exceptions sometimes rather to satisfy their own too much curiosity than for any just cause of dislike in the Preacher 92. Wherein he shewed a Disposition very rarely to be found in that having himself an excellent gift in that Faculty his modesty in prizing himself and his mildness in censuring others was extraordinary and very singular His backwardness to censure other mens Gifts and Performances so that thereby he gave great encouragement unto some whom otherwise his exquisite Judgment might have daunted 93. Neither herein did he as in service of War the Trumpeters use to do who encourage others to fight never taking Weapon in hand themselves or as Plutarch noteth in Aristogiton who Plutarch in vita Phocionis animated others to take Arms but himself in excuse pleaded lameness and came halting to the Musters in pretence thereof But as his continual Endeavours were to reward those of best Gifts and to encourage those of meaner so as often as Church and State-affairs gave him leave he was industrious in propounding wholesome Doctrine unto the People and a worthy Pattern of true Divinity and Diligence unto all others of the Clergy to follow him therein When he was Bishop of Worcester unless The Archbishop a constant Preacher when publick Affairs would admit extraordinary businesses of the Marches of Wales hindred him he never failed to preach upon every Sabbath-day many times riding five or six Miles to a Parish Church and after Sermon came home to Dinner The like he did also when he was Archbishop and lay at Croydon the Queen being in her Progress No Sunday escaped him in Kent as the Gentlemen there can well witness who would exceedingly resort unto him And he would oftentimes preach so early in the Morning in some Parish-Church both in Worcester and Canterbury that he came afterwards to the Sermon in the Cathedral Church 94. His Gift that way was excellent Had an excellent Tallent in Preaching Learned eloquent and judicious His Gesture grave and decent without affectation as if you had heard Saint Augustin himself or some of the ancient Bishops in the Primitive Church His Gesture and Action in the Pulpit so grave and decent his words coming from him so fatherly and comely and though plainly for the most part and without affectation yet always elegantly with special choice and substantial matter full of good and sound Learning plentiful in Authorities out of Scripture Fathers and School-men so singularly applied that he much affected his Auditory therewith Thus he oftentimes stirred and moved mens minds and affections and that not by the force of Eloquence only but by his pious Life answerable to his religious Sentences the opinion and confidence which the People had of his Integrity being very Of great Integrity and unspotted Life great because he did live unspotted of the world and would not any way be corrupted 95. He never preached but he first He wrote the Notes of his Sermons wrote his Notes in Latin and afterwards kept them during his life For he would say That whosoever took that pains before his preaching the elder he waxed the better he should discharge that Duty but if he trusted only to his memory his preaching in time Disapproved trusting only to Memory would become pratling Wherein out of a true religious care and divine wisdom he did express the grave and prudent Counsel that Demosthenes held in his Orations and pleadings in the Court. For as Plutarch saith He would never Plutarch in vit Demosth offer to speak unto the People before he had made briefs of that which he had to deliver alledging that he loved the People well that would be careful before-hand what to say unto them And this preparation saith he doth shew that a man honoureth and reverenceth them too Contrariwise he that passeth not how the People taketh his words it is a plain token that he despiseth them and their Authority and that he lacketh no good-will to use force against them if he could rather than reason or persuasion 96. When he was Bishop of Worcester When at Worcester he treated the Recusants mildly and won many of them over and Vice-president of the Marches he did exceeding good by that his continual preaching as also by his often conference and conventing of the Papists whom he used with mild and temperate speeches and thereby got many of them to conform themselves both Gentlemen and others whereby as at his first coming unto the See of Worcester he found many Recusants so he left very few at his coming thence 97. Immediately after he came to be When he came to be Archbishop he dealt with the Learnedst of them by Authority Ecclesiastical Archbishop he convented before him the chiefest and most learned Recusants throughout all England He also wrote Letters to the Bishops his Brethren within the Province of Canterbury to proceed with the Recusants by their Authority Ecclesiastical and Censures of the Church and called yearly upon them for an account of their doings He sent forth also many Warrants by vertue of her Highness's Commission for Causes Ecclesiastical and thereby had daily brought before him both Recusants and Priests who according to the quality of their Offences were restrained and proceeded against or delivered over unto the Civil Magistrate to be dealt withal as to Justice appertained after the Laws were enacted against Recusants and Seminary Priests 98. Thus this grave and prudent He kept a straight hand over the Seminary Priests and subtle Papists Archbishop always carried a most vigilant eye and straight hand over the subtle-headed

good Archbishop Whereunto not unaptly may be applied that which Plutarch reporteth Plutarch in vita of Cato Utican When he was Praetor For he would oftentimes go on foot bare legged and without his Gown unto his Praetorian Chair and there give sentence of life and death whereby he rather defaced and impaired the majesty and dignity of his Office than gave it countenance by his manner of proceeding although otherwise he were a good Commonwealth's man and ministred justice uprightly unto all 112. But I return unto our Archbishop His dispatch of Causes to great satisfaction again He gave audience unto Suitors twice a day and afforded them set hours for their dispatch at which time he would so courteously entreat them giving them so mild and gentle Answers that even they that sped not of their Suits did depart without discontentment Wherein I may justly compare him unto Titus qui neminem Sueton. in vita unquam à se tristem dimisit he dismissed no man sorrowful from his presence Wherefore he gave also express commandment unto his Officers that Suitors and Strangers should ever be courteously entertained as well for expedition of their Suits as for Hospitality sake 113. He had a desire always to keep His great Hospitality a great and bountiful House and so he did having the same well ordered and governed by his head Officers therein and all things in plentiful manner both for his own service and entertainment of Strangers according to their several Qualities and Degrees He often feasted the Clergy Nobility and Gentry of his Diocess and Neighbourhood And at Christmas especially his Gates were always open and his Hall set twice or thrice over with Strangers Upon some chief Festival-days he was served with great solemnity sometime upon the Knee as well His State for the upholding of the State that belonged unto his Place as for the better education and practice of his Gentlemen and Attendants in point of service 114. Every Year he entertained the His entertainment of the Queen Queen at one of his Houses so long as he was Archbishop and some Years twice or thrice where all things were performed in so seemly an order that she went thence always exceedingly well pleased And besides many publick and gracious Favours done unto him she would salute him and bid him farewell by the name of Black Husband calling also his Men her Servants as a token of her good contentment with their attendance and pains 115. Every third Year he went into He was always honourably received by the Gentlemen of the Country Kent unless great occasions hindred him where he was so honourably attended upon by his own Train consisting of Two hundred Persons and with the Gentlemen of the Country that he did sometimes ride into the City of Canterbury and into other Towns with Eight hundred or a Thousand Horse And surely the Entertainment which he gave them and they him was so great that as I am verily persuaded no Shire in England did or could give greater or with more chearful minds each unto other The Fatherly care which he had of his Clergy whom he never charged with visitation but once in twenty Years his Affability amongst the Gentlemen and courteous usage of his Tenants gained him so great a love that he might very far prevail with them yea they never denied him any request that he made unto them 116. At his first Journey into Kent His first journey into Kent July 1589. with pomp and solemnity he rode to Dover being attended with an hundred of his own Servants at least in Livery whereof there were forty Gentlemen in Chains of Gold The Train of Clergy and Gentlemen in the Country and their Followers was above Five hundred Horse At his entrance A Romish Intelligencer accidentally lands he admires the Appearance and owns a mistaken prejudice concerning the meanness of our Church into the Town there happily landed an Intelligencer from Rome of good Parts and Account who wondred to see an Archbishop or Clergy-man in England so reverenced and attended But seeing him upon the next Sabbath day after in the Cathedral Church of Canterbury attended upon by his Gentlemen and Servants as is aforesaid also by the Dean Prebendaries and Preachers in their Surplesses and scarlet Hoods and heard the solemn Musick with the Voices and Organs Cornets and Sagbuts he was overtaken with admiration and told an English Gentleman of very good quality who then accompanied him That Sir Edward Hobby they were led in great blindness at Rome by our own Nation who made the People there believe that there was not in England either Archbishop or Bishop or Cathedral or any Church or Ecclesiastical Government but that all was pulled down to the ground and that the People heard their Ministers in Woods and Fields amongst Trees and bruit Beasts But for his own part he protested that unless it were in the Pope's Chappel he never saw a more solemn sight or heard a more heavenly sound Well said the English Gentleman I am glad of this your so lucky and first sight ere long you will be of another mind and I hope work miracles when you return to Rome in making those that are led in this blindness to see and understand the truth It is said the Intelligencer the chief cause of my coming to see with mine own eyes and truly to inform others Whereupon the said English Gentleman accompanied him to London and so to the Court where he saw and heard many things to confirm the Gentleman's report for the government of the Church and civil carriage of the People in their obedience to the Clergy and Magistrates in the Commonwealth Afterwards this Intelligencer had private The Intelligencer had private speech with Secretary Walsingham speech with Sir Francis Walsingham then principal Secretary to her Majestey who related all this to the Archbishop with due approbation of his Kentish Journy confessing that he should reverence and honour him therefore while he lived And although he were one of the honourable Counsellors before mentioned that seemed to favour the precise Faction yet undoubtedly he was after this time a kind Friend to the Archbishop and did him many good Offices with the Queen 117. Howbeit some of near alliance unto Sir Francis bearing themselves very boldly upon his favour would oftentimes handle the Archbishop very roughly and much provoke him by vain Speeches and brags of their own worth and scholarship and being meer Lay-men would very unmannerly compare themselves with the best conformable Divines for true knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures But the Archbishop smiling at their Vanities would notwithstanding courteously handle and entreat them in his own House according to the true Rule of Hospitality not unlike unto Pericles who being reviled by a leud Plutarch ●n vit Fellow in the Market-place all the day long returned no bad languge but dispatched his Affairs

of Worcester 6 years and 5 months And Archbishop of Canterbury 20 years and 5 months 122 He was libell'd after his death by Lewis Pickering Ib. Was honourably interr'd at Croydon March 27. 1604. 123 His Funeral Sermon by Bishop Babington Ib. The Text 2 Cor. 24. 15 16. Ib. Description of his Person 124 FINIS CONSPIRACY FOR Pretended Reformation VIZ. Presbyterial Discipline A TREATISE Discovering the late Designments and Courses held for Advancement thereof by William Hacket Yeoman Edmund Coppinger and Henry Arthington Gent. out of Others Depositions and Their own Letters Writings and Confessions upon Examination Together with some part of the Life and Conditions and the two Indictments Arraignment and Execution of the said Hacket Also an Answer to the Calumniations of such as affirm they were Mad-men And a Resemblance of this Action unto the like happened heretofore in Germany Written by Richard Cosin LL. D. Dean of the Arches and Official Principal to Archbishop Whitgift Finished Ultimo Septembris 1591. And Published by Authority 1592. LONDON Reprinted for Ri. Chiswell MDCXCIX Prov. cap. 30. v. 12. There is a generation that are pure in their own conceit and yet are not washed from their filthiness 2 Tim. cap. 3. v. 5. Having a shew of godliness but have denied the power thereof turn away therefore from such TO THE READER DIVERS have hitherto diversly reported of this Action and of the Actors in it according to their own several Intelligences attained thereof and to the Humours they are led by And albeit the Matter falling out not many Months since might seem to be in fresh remembrance of many yet sundry there are which hitherto know not the very particular dangerous Attempts and Outrages into which these men burst out and the most part I think have not heard what was the original cause of such their discontentment or the main drift and purpose of all their Designments nor of any the ways and means by them used for furthering and atchieving the principal scope they shot at nor of any their Counsels and carriage of the Action nor yet who were their Complices that were made acquainted with the matter in some general or more special terms By want of knowledge of which things sundry perverse and sinister Conceits and Misdeemings have arisen and are blown abroad amongst the People which seem meet to be abated and reformed in them For the Papist our common Enemy in some late Writings from beyond the Seas hath as I am informed wrested these mens dealings to another end And sundry at home who would seem more moderate than many other of their own Judgment yet in favour of the Persons or which I judge rather upon liking of their Opinion in matter of Church-Government have allowed their meanings to have been good though they mislike somewhat they say of the manner Others seek to disguise the very Purposes of these men as if that which in truth was most had been least of all intended by them There are some also purposing to extenuate the Fault and to prevent that so just a blot may not fall upon the meanest Favourer of pretended Reformation who will needs make them to have been stark mad and such as knew not what they said or did And there want not certain also who under pretence of pity and commiseration towards them are said not to spare to mutter abroad that Matters are made worse and of greater consequence and peril than they be in deed And that these Men with some others were prosecuted with greater vehemency and sharpness than the Cause it self or quality of their several Offences might justly minister occasion All which untrue Surmises and Imputations what do they else but apparently and directly tend unto the injury depravation and slander of the honourable Justice of this Realm and State For assertion and clearing whereof from such Calumniations and to make manifest also the very truth of these matters unto all that are desirous to be enformed aright in them It is thought meet that this Treatise for good Considerations hitherto stayed since it was finished should now at length be published Whereby I make no doubt but it will appear to any that shall be pleased to peruse it with a single eye how important these Causes are to be throughly looked into for the weight and danger of them how honourable the Proceedings in them have been for manner and how exceeding mild and merciful a course hath been holden by the State not only with some of the chief Dealers but also with sundry others notable Concurrents in the Action who though they be sufficiently well known yet hitherto have not been so much as called into question how far soever perhaps they may seem unto some not unwise to have waded therein or to have entertained intelligence of it both dangerously and undutifully So far is her Excellent Majesty and the whole State from aggravating mens Offences yea and from taking advantage even when most just occasion sometimes is offered I pray God this notable rare Clemency may be hereafter answered by those who both in this and other matters stand not a little in need of it how little soever they acknowledge it with that measure of dutiful remembrance and thankfulness which it worthily deserveth at their hands Amen R. C. THE PREFACE WHEN in the time of professing the truth of Religion such as pretend greatest sincerity and zeal do fall into fanatical Fancies and dangerous Attempts Then some do thereupon stagger in the Doctrine and are scandalized Some be quite driven back And others are carried even with open mouth to slander and to reproach the very profession of the Gospel The two first of which are of the weaker but the last are of the wickeder sort For these are straightway ready to make comparisons betwixt the Times and to declaim largely concerning the sweet and golden quiet with agreement in Judgment which they erroneously conceive to have continually accompanied the Times of Superstition and Blindness But though this were universally true which is far otherwise yet both the one sort and the other are dangerously deceived and transported into misdeeming by want of due consideration what is the very well-spring and occasion of such Accidents under the profession of the Gospel For when Sathan the deceiving Enemy of Mankind had in the Times of Popery by insensible and as it were obscure degrees under a colour of Religion and Devotion envenomed once the very Fountains of Doctrine with many pestilent Errors much Superstition and gross Idolatry and had almost quite damned up the light of the glorious Gospel Then was it no marvel though he here rested his Labours as being in some sort arrived unto the main end of all his drifts and purposes Insomuch as this once atchieved the rest were sufficiently able to go forward of themselves For upon corruption of Faith and Doctrine must needs ensue either open corruption of Life and Conversation or at least Corruption masked under

he opened his mouth blasphemously against Heaven and against the Majesty of the Eternal God And concerning certain opinions of the Anabaptists do not many of the Disciplinarian humour come far nearer unto them than were to be wished for though they deny not the Civil Magistrates superiority altogether yet in Causes Ecclesiastical though they admit it in words they allow unto him nothing else but execution of their Orders without attributing any superior preheminence of commandment in Church-causes for retaining of good order and of soundness of Doctrine in the Church Likewise though they take not the sovereignty from the chief Magistrate in causes of the Common-wealth do they not so abridge and bound his Authority in causes Ecclesiastical that the very Papists do attribute as much in this behalf unto him as they do And albeit they will not absolutely in judgment deny the lawfulness of an Oath before a Magistrate yet if their sundry and variable Positions in this point be marked they do in effect wholly repeal the use of it For do not some of them plainly refuse to take an Oath whereby they may be urged to discover any thing which may either be penal to themselves or to their Christian Brother and so in effect deny it altogether Do not others of them refuse to tell any thing that is criminal concerning any other person though perhaps they will do it against themselves especially when they think it is afore discovered and known Do not some of them refuse an Oath simply yea and to answer without Oath either affirmatively or negatively but do will their accusers to stand forth Do not others deny to take an Oath except every particular question be afore made known unto them a matter impossible because sundry Questions that shall be asked do arise forth of the matter of the Answer And do not sundry of them albeit they yield to detect by Oath both their own and others offences yet deny to reveal any thing whereof they are asked if themselves be persuaded the matter demanded of be none offence And so they do hang obedience to Laws Allegiance and Duty of Subjects upon every particular mans conceit even as he by circumstances or his own fond persuasion shall list to measure matters Do they not resolutely hold that summa potestas the Chief and Sovereign Power in all church-Church-causes belongs to a Presbytery who though they may consult yet may not determine matter of any moment without the allowance of the People Had not these Conspirators a like opinion to those of Munster that the principal spirit of Christ being in Hacket he was come with his Fan to sever and dispatch out of the way all the wicked and ungodly from the good and godly Hath it not been set down by an English subject and twice printed with singular allowance of the English Arch-Prophet of discipline for Sound and Holy Divinity that it is God's ordinance to have in every Kingdom certain chief Officers like Ephori in Lacedoemon who should have authority to depose Kings though they come unto it by lawful Succession if they shall judge them to be Tyrants Did not Wigginton deliver for sound Doctrine That if the Magistrates did not govern well the people might draw themselves together and to see a Reformation Do not these kind of persons likewise slander the Prince and State with persecution of the Saints and of innocent men because they are a little restrained from running on in their Seditious courses Did not these Conspirators also hold That now in these latter times Christ by his principal spirit imparted unto Hacket should reign and erect an external kingdom on earth and in the world And did they not fancy that even at that time the Gospel with their discipline should be universally established and all the ungodly abolished Do not all of the Disciplinarian Sect hold that to the very being of Baptism and without which it is of no more force in any case than the Nurses washing it is required that it be administred by a lawful Minister thereby derogating not only from the true Baptism of Thousands but also of all whomsoever that were Baptized by Popish Sacrificing Priests themselves and from all that have received Baptism of such as were Baptized by them whereupon must needs follow necessity of Rebaptization or else that it were lawful to neglect and contemn that Sacrament and high Mystery of our Salvation Lastly Do they not make great shews and many pretences for all their unsound and absurd Opinions that they are taken from the holy and sacred written word of God which by this means they make to be of private interpretation and do not reduce their senses unto it when they read but do wickedly captivate the Scripture unto their own senses and meanings even as in this behalf Coppinger or Arthington did first take upon them an extraordinary calling Scripturas ad suum non suum sensum ad Scripturas adducunt and were afterwards charged by Hacket to read over the whole Bible there to find an approbation of it God of his infinite mercy forgive and turn the hearts of all that trouble his Church fromrunning well or that impugne his Ordinance and such as are set over them and restrain or root out all Phantastical Errors and Fanatical spirits which the envious man from time to time doth sow among the good Wheat that holding the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace we may all meet together in the unity of faith and knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ and so speedily and joyfully meet him our Bridegroom in the Clouds with our heads lifted up and full of Comfort and so reign with him for ever through the same Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost one Eternal Immortal Invisible and only wise God be all Honour Praise Glory and Dominion now and for ever Amen FINIS Books Sold by R. Chiswell DAngerous Positions and Proceedings published and Practised within this Island of Britain under pretence of Reformation and for the Presbyterial Discipline Written in 1593. by Dr. Riohard Bancrofe afterwards Lord Archbishop of Canterbury 4o. His Survey of the pretended Holy Discipline Containing an Historical Narration of the Beginnings Success Parts Proceedings Authority and Doctrine of it with some of the Manifold and Material Repugnancies Varieties and Uncertainties in that behalf Faithfully gathered out of the Writings of the Principal Favourers of that Platform Written 1593. 4o. An Apology for Sundry Proceedings by Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical in 3 Parts Written 1593. By Richard Cosin L. L. D. Dean of the Arches and Official-Principal to Archbishop Whitgift 4o. The Sum of a Conference held by King James the First at Hampton-Court 1603. with the Bishops and Clergy and some Chief of the Puritan Ministers about sundry Church-Matters 4o. Mr. Richard Hookers Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity in 8 Books Fol.