and Excess as our Saviour speaks Matth. 23.25 Upon consideration of the premises though I did not renounce wholly yet were our meetings interrupted and we remained socii sine societate and brethren without communion till wearied with that spirit and by occasion of the Siedge by the help of some of those whom I had not wholly left as Austin once of which afterwards invited thence and withdrawn being out of the crowd and smoaks I have had time and clearness to review things better Which through Gods mercy I have so improved that it hath produced in me both in word and walking now many years both verbal and real retractations having felt that true Thine own wickedness shall correct thee Jer. 2.19 and thy back slidings shall reprove thee Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my feat is not in thee saith the Lord of hosts So true is that Brightm in Apocyl cap. 3.20 Si fugiatis hunc Christum qui eum electis in nostris coetibus coenat ac eos vicissimi excip t profectò nusquam invenietis If you saith mine Author fly from Christ who with his Chosen sups in our Assemblies in the Church of England and again also entertaineth them in truth you will find him no where This for the Church affair The next is that of the Common-wealth how far I went in that Sect. 4. How far the Author proceeded in the Civil Controversie First Never could I disgest the opposition against and attempts touching the life of the King though I took it down for a few days but was not able to concoct it as shall be shewed Which leads me to the second particular What first did more especially open my eyes and excite my spirit to a recognition in that particular also Sect. 5. What recalled him When the Army had the King at Causham by Redding and moved openly against the Lords and Commons in Parliament I made a journey thither to satisfie my self touching the grounds of their proceedings and spake with the persons of greatest influence both in the Army and of the Ministery some whereof I found most earnest against them Note because they acted beyond and against their Commission who since have turned tail as I may so speak But so little satisfaction I received that from that time forward I ever declined from the Army Next when that abhorred Conspiracy for the death of our late Soveraign began to ripen and was drawing near unto execution I my self with some others address'd our selves both unto the General and the Lâ—eutenant-general Cromwel The first we found civil and as we thought flexible the other I must now speak it I plainly fell out with And though some way related to him and having merited some good interest in him yet from that day I never spake with him nor did ever after come near unto him but reflected on him with horror Gal. 1.20 Behold before God I lie not and all that have ever known me this twelve years day and upward can bear me witness Yet for some few days after this for I speak as I shall answer before the judgment-seat of Christ being over-powered 2 Cor. 5. against my own judgment by the authority of some whose reason I preferred far before my own whereas I had before publickly appeared against that unexemplified impiety I was so weak as to resile and recal what I had said in the same place But which I desire the Reader to take notice of I was soon after so oppressed in my spirit Note both with the sense of the horror of that act the destruction of the King which I thought I saw to be fatal to the Nation and an irrecoverable evil and such in its proportion as was the death of Christ our Lord and Saviour unto Jerusalem as also with my own guiâ—t in recalling what I had well spoken that I cou d hâ—rdly keep from sinking in despair in my mind and the spirits of my body and my nerves were to resolved and looâ—ened that though I felt neither cold nor pain yet I could not lie in my bed without perpetual shaking as if I had had an ague This brought restlesness and want of sleep with it and so into the peril of some further evil But upon the reception of some Physick and with-drawing a little into the Country through Gods mercy I recovered that but not my peace and inward quiet Note untill I had publickly again declared my return unto my former thoughts concerning the death of his Majesty and with this Emphasis That I must speak it though it should be the last I should ever speak unto them And I was afterwards look'd upon with such an eye that I was in danger since to be laid in prison there as they term'd it for Malignancy And about that time my selfe and another Scholar of the Independent way but of too good a spirit for that Schism did draw a Letter to have been presented to the General Mr. Tho. Waterh but by my neglect omitted by way of disswasion from that enterprise And this also may be a further proof of the integrity of my return to my Allegiance that I refused the Engagement which I desire may be noted although the Commissioners about it sate in the same Town where I lived and yet do And in my publick Sermons in the Lecture * At Alesb Com. Bucks near where I live I concealed not my spirit Neither have any other in these parts had for the time above specified any other conceptions of me But the greatest demonstration of all was that Anno 1659. when God is witsness I did not know nor could foresee any present ground to belâ—eve Note that I should live to see any change of the Government that then was I published the sum and heads of these Retractations as was noted above and as they are in the next Chapter of this Treatise for the discharge of my consciene though I knew it hazardous to my outward condition whether I liv'd or dy'd And I took and do take great comfort in it and humbly bless God for the putting it into my heart and giving me opportunity to perfect and publish it And necessitating me thereunto by that contest about Baptism and the printing thereof In which also I hope and have heard that there hath been some service performed to the Church Yea at the publishing of this now I am not without manifold fears so great sins committed against God and so great animosities among men Matth. 12. that it threatens this Kingdom divided against it self and in great measure from God the danger of not standing And I may come to answer for what I now write 2 Cor. 12. But the Lord perfect his power in my weakness and he grant that the godly sorrow which he hath effected in my heart 2 Cor. 7. in the
of the Old and New Testament The Church of England receiveth the Canon of Scripture according to the antient Church exactly as the Church of England doth Secondly that he saith that is secundum majorum traditionem ex patrum monumentis That it is according to the tradition of the Church and out of the writings of the Fathers Whereby we see the Church of England follows antiquity in reception of the books of holy Scripture more truly than the Church of Rome doth But this obiter and the way Again Bullinger citeth the judgment of Bibliander Bibliander de opt genere interpretandi Hebraica whose words are Ecclesiasticos libros etiam Hagiographa nominant sancta scripta Quae etsi non habent idoneam authoritatem roborandi ea quae in contentionem veniunt ut Canonici Scriptores non tamen rejiciuntur ut Apocrypha qualis fuit prophetia Eldad Medad c. Ecclesiastici autem lâ—bri etiam in Scholam auditoria fidelis populi admâ—ssi sunt tam venerandi multis ut Judith etiam in ordinem canonicae Scripturae à quibusdam reponatur Which having the same sense I forbear to English Onely he saith that the Book of Judith was by some accounted Scripture I suppose he meaneth Origen which I think may as little claim that priviledge as any other Lastly Bullinger goes over every book of them and shews the benefit that the Church may reap by the reading of them And saith We may better learn the form of Houshold-government out of Tobit and Judith and the Ethicks or rules of good living out of Ecclesiasticus and the book of Wisdom than out of Plato Aristotle and Xenophon And the way of a religious Soldier out the Maccabees And of the first book of them he saith Ac tanti omnino hic liber est ut boni illo non possent citra jacturam carere That it is verily of such worth that a good man cannot without loss be without it Which is consonant unto that of King James speaking of the same book Conf. Hamp Court pag. 61. viz. Who shewed the use of the Maccabees to be very good to make up the story of the persecution of the Jews c. And of the History of Bel and the Dragon Bullinger saith Viderint autem qui eam historiam pro fabula damnant quibus nitantur Authoribus Ego video Historiam refertissimam esse multiplici fructu eruditione Let them look to it saith he what Authors they rest upon who condemn it for a fable I observe it to be a History full fraught with fruitful instructions And he names what In a word his whole discourse on these books is worth reading And it is to be noted that this was with the allowance of the rest of the Ministers of Tigur where this book was printed Necessit Reform pag. 20. Basilic Doron But the authority of King James is by some Brethren objected against the Apocrypha viz. As for the Apocrypha books I omit them because I am no Papist and indeed some of them are not like the ditement of the Spirit of God Answ Thus say they the King But it seems time and reading had further ripened the Kings judgment in that point For afterward when he upon great occasion solemnly delivered his judgment Confer Hamp Court second day confer p. 61. è Cathedrâ in reference to the satisfaction of his whole Kingdom this was the result His Majesty in the end said He would take an even order between both Affirming that he would not wish all Canonical books to be read in the Church unless there were one to interpret nor any Apocrypha at all wherein there was * He explains himself presently in allowing the book of Maccabees wherein he acknowledgeth some errors any error But for the other which were clear and correspondent to the Scripture he would have them read for else said he why were they printed and therein shewed the use of the book of Maccabees very good to make up the story of the Persecutions of the Jews but not to teach a man to sacrifice for the dead or to kill himself Thus far the King whâ—ch if the Brethren knew they did not well to cover and if they knew it not and were not vers'd in the most authentical books and writings of this nature as that Conference is a special one they were not fit to deal in such an Argument So also in the same place of the same Conference pag. 61 62. the King opened and defended a passage in Ecclesiasticus one of the Apocryphal books objected against as unsound and closes all with this salt quippe to the opposers What trow ye makes these men so angry with Ecclesiasticus by my saul I think he was a Bishop c. You see with what judgment the Brethren have quoted the King against the Apocrypha and yet as a crowing argument they insist upon it Again Object 2 Hierom. Ep. ad Laetam Tom. 1. St. Hieron is also produced as a witness against these books viz. That he should advise a Lady say they caveat omnia Apocrypha that she should take heed of all the Apocrypha Answ There are several causes of mistaking and mis-representing of an Author as 1 That men rest on Quotations Causes of misunderstanding and mis-representing of an Author and read them not themselves 2 That they understand not the language and Idiom of the writer 3 That they weigh not his scope and drift 4 That they ponder not the context 5 That they compare not one place with another 6 That they consider not the circumstances time place c. 7 That they consult not others that may illustrate him Then for misrepresenting him 1 That they make no bones of it 2 That they conceit they shall not be seen by every eye 3 And that when they be they have a brow to bear it so what they say may serve the turn at present It so fares here For if the Brethren read the place they quote in Jerom it is sure they understood not what he meant by Apocrypha Erasmus therefore on the place shall teach them Inscribuntur Petro Paulo nonnulla ipsi Christo Erasm in Hierom â—p ad Laetam num 79. veluti epistola Jesu ad Abygarum regem They are saith he ascribed to Peter to Paul and some to Christ himself as the Epistle of Jesus unto Agborus Where you see that Jerome did not mean by the Apocrypha onely the Books joyned with the Old Testament but those also yea those especially that were affixed to the New Again They did not weigh Jerom's scope for it was onely to instruct a young Girl in reading in that place not to shew what the Church might do or did Fourthly They did not compare this passage with others where he expresseth himself ex professo As where he speaks of the Books which bear Solomons name but are not his used to be read
Repentance and return 1 Pet. 3. I am obliged to render VVithall for the honour of those that went before us and have setled the things that here I plead for it is not amisse to shew 1 Cor. 7. that they had also the Spirit of God Besides it is requisite to Evidence that those that have not hearts to love this Church and Kingdom yet to hate them they have no Cause Add hereunto 'T is not perhaps impossible that some Eye by Gods direction may fall on these Lines who may thereby not only with a more steddy foot walk himself in the good and the old Paths Jer. 6.16 which I point at but may be of Influence also to cause others to do it likewise and not to suffer them to stumble in their ways from the ancient ones Jer. 17.15 to walk in paths in a way not cast up Lastly there is nothing new under the Sun Eccles 1.9 that which hath been may be again to the prevention whereof I have endevoured to contribute somewhat in this Treatise After some Recovery purging is most requisite Nam quae in Morbis relinquuntur post crisin Hipp. l. 2 Aph. 13. recidivas facere consueverunt Dreggs of Diseases if not digested or expelled do cause Relapses Especially in such distempers as are malignant Of which sort if any are Schisme and Sedition Fare thou well Septemb. 27. Anno Dom. 1661. The Contents of this Treatise The Chapters Sections and Pages are referred to as they are here Printed which sometimes but not often are amiss LIB I. Of the Civil Controversie CHAP. I. 1. OF the Right of Retractations allowable unto all men 2. Evidenced from the General Causes of Error 3. and of some great Examples of them Ancient and Modern CHAP. II. How far only the Author declined how he behaved himself therein and what awakened him unto Recovery pag. 15. CHAP. III. What the Author doth Retract both in General and in Particular 1. The War 2. Independency p. 24. CHAP. IV. Causes of the Authors falling and first the Negative p. 28. CHAP. V. The Causes positive And first in General p. 39. to 58. CHAP. VI. Causes particular to each Controversie And first of the VVar. SECT I. Cause general and privative Not obeying the Spirit of God p. 56. SECT II. Particular Motives to the VVar with their Refutation p. 58. to 83. CHAP. VII Reply to certain general Grounds for the VVar being the chief heads of a Book Entituled Scripture and Reason pleaded for Defensive Arms. p. 90. to 106. The Contents of the Second Book Of the Church Controversie CHAP. I. Of Independency SECT I. THe Occasion of the Authors lapse into it p. 109. SECT II. Causes 1. Privative viz. not obeying the particular Word of God p. 112. SECT III. Causes Positive p. 113. SECT IV. The Contents of Independency p. 114. CHAP. II. Of the Grounds of Separation And first in generall p. 119. CHAP. III. Particular Exceptions against the matter of the Premisses 1. Against the Articles or Doctrine p. 174. CHAP. IV. Of Worship and the Directory thereof the Common-Prayer-Book SECT I. Of Worship 1. In it self p. 195. 2. In the Ceremonies p. 196. SECT II. Objections particular against the matter of our Worship p. 204. SECT III. Exceptions against the Body of the Common-Prayer-Book SECT IV. A Vindication of the Compilers of the Liturgy in this particular p. 231. SECT VI. Exceptions against the Ceremonies pag. 270. CHAP. VI. Of the Assemblies their matter and mixture SECT I. The means in the Church of England of preserving them from Corruption p. 266. this number and some following are to be looked for in the 6. Chap. of the Second Book p. 269. SECT II. Causes Constitutive of the Church of England p. 270. SECT III. Apostolical Churches vitiated but no separation p. 273. SECT IV. The Primitive Churches also p. 275. SECT V. The Reformed Churches p. 280. CHAP. VII Of Discipline CHAP. VIII Of Government 1. By the Ministery in general and 2. by Episcopacy in particular Sect. 1. The Conditions requisite to the constitution of a Ministery p. 301. Sect. 2. Of Episcopacy It s Right and Title p. 304. Sect. 3. Exceptions against the former Government and Discipline 1. Episcopacy established by Law in Engl. p. 325. Subsect 2. Whether Episcopacy be a different order from Presbytery ibid. Subsect 3. The Question not of order but of Power p. 332. Subsect 4. Whether Ordination in the N. Testament without a Bishop p. 334. Sect. 4. Of the Book of Ordination Subsect 1. Bishops Imposition of hands upon Deacons p. 338. Subsect 2. Apostles choose Deacons ibid. Subsect 3. That phrase Receive the Holy Ghost defended p. 339. Subsect 4. Consecration of Bishops and Archbishops p. 346. Subs 5. Episcopal Jurisdiction p. 349. Sect. 6. The Close of the Church Controversie CHAP. IX The Proof and Trial of these Retractations CHAP. X. The Conclusion 1 A Petition p. 367. The Elder Son ibid. 2. An Admonition of Zanchy p. 368. 3. The Prediction of his late Majesty p. 370. CHAP. XI Additionals The Scope and Protestation of the AUTHOR Containing also an Explication of the FRONTISPIECE MY ayme is to perform by way of Retractation some small service Principi Patriae to the King and to my Country My allegeance to the one and engagement to the other and my lapsing in both so much obliging me Now a] Psal 20. the Kings honour is great in Gods Salvation And b] Psal 144. blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God But c] Amos 3. how can two walk together unless they be aggreed We d] 1 Joh. 3.5 must be like him if we would see him as he is Now God is a righteous God Psal 11. his countenance will behold onely the thing that is JUST This was the end of our Redemption viz. e] Tit. 2. to deliver us from the practise of all iniquity that we might live a godly righteous and sober life Now the the onely rule of this righteousness and justice is the f] Tit. 1. will of God Which will is revealed either generally in the Scripture and in the Law of Nature or particularly in the constitutions of every Nation which contradict not the former Hence g] Dâ— Sibbis Souls conflict cap. 17. what is agreeable to Law is agreeable to Conscience said once the Lawyers Casuist Hence also h] Ro. 13.1 he that resists the Laws of particular Nations resists the Ordinance of God and he be he head or tail branch or rush as the i] Isa 3. Prophet phraseth it shall receive to himself damnation k] Eccles 10. He that brakes this hedge a serpent shall bite him he that removeth these foundation stones they shall fall upon him Laws therefore being the sacred impress of the will of God and the observance of them the obligement and security both of Majestrate and Subjects of Prince and People my onely scope is the
eyes look right on to the true scope And turn not to the right hand or to the left of unlawful means If thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light Matth. 6.22 if thine eye and aim be evil thy whole body of thy actions will be full of darkness and in darkness men do not walk even said our Saviour 8. Cause Negligence in Religious duties Jam. 4. 8. In the next place there was no doubt either neglect of or some other defect in prayer and religious duties For though the thing were not omitted yet it seems there was an asking and not receiving which could not have been for he is faithful who had promised but that there was an asking amiss Heb. 10. Now the promise cannot fail Tâ—t 1. Jam. 1. because God cannot lie and the promise is If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth it liberally It hath even by the light of nature been discovered that great miscarriages in judgment and practise could not happen but as a punishment for some neglect of God as well as a sin against him When Alexander the Great had in a drunken fit slain Clytus a man both of valor Curtius lib. 8. paulo ab initio and merit towards the King after that he had spent all night in lamenting and repenting Scrutatumque num ira deorum ad tantum nefas actus esset subiit anniversarium sacrificium Libero patri non esse redditum st to tempore itaque inter vinum epulas caede commissa iram Dei fuisse manifestam Upon search it was found that the sacrifice to Bacchus was not performed in its season and therefore in his very benefits wine for so they reckoned the table was made a snare and in drinking and feasting slaughter being committed the anger of god was evident Thus those Heathens Matth. 6. Surely lead us not into temptation as it is a necessary so it should be a daily prayer and that with earnestness 9. Add to this some failing or other 9. Cause Fail in practise either in spirit and sincerity or in practice and walking For Good and upright is the Lord therefore he will teach sinners in the way but so that we be tractable Psal 25.8 9 10. for the meek he will guide in judgment and the meek will he teach his way that is the plain-hearted and those that walk with a right foot and make streight steps unto their feet Heb. 12. And all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto them that keep his Covenant Psal 25. and his testimonies to do them And what man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach the way that he shall choose As on the contrary when we know God Rom. 1.28 and glorifie him not as God he often delivers us to an erring and unjudicious spirit 2 Thess 2. And the not receiving the truth in the love of it introduceth frequently strong delusions The close shall be St. Austins Diriget mites In Psal 24. diriges nec perturbabit in judicio eos qui sequuntur voluntatem ejus nec ei resistendo praepenunt suam That is He shall direct the meek nor shall he disturb them in their judgment which follow his will and do not by resisting prefer their own The last of those general causes which I shall name 10. Cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of my back-sliding was Being too busie without my sphere 1 Thes 4.11 and in the things did not belong unto me A practice consequent unto the former negligence as is implied by the Apostle whilst he saith Do your own business and work with your hands the thing that is good Psal 131.1 It was one thing that preserved David from sedition that he exercised not himself in things too high for him and above his place but refrained his soul as a weaned child 2 King 11. Not but that Jehoiada the High-prieâ—â— may according to his office and power given him deal in the greatest affairs of a kingdom Yea and not onely Zadoc and Abiather the chief but even also Ahimaaz and Jonathan the inferior Priests when regularly may put their hand to save the Throne as well as the Altar But the case with me was different I need not explain how That Prophesie Take unto thee the instruments of a foolish shepherd Zech. 11.15 c. was applied by one late in power unto the Ministers dealing in affairs of State Lieutenant General Cromwels Letter to the Speaker out of Scotland Sept. 4. 1650. when yet himself and party played their first and best game by their hands in so medling He saith Such means will not be effectual for the setting up the Kingdom of Christ and neglect or not trust to the word of God the sword of the Spirit which alone is powerful and able for the setting up that Kingdom and when trusted to will be found effectually able to that end and will also do it Thus he Oh that so much had been said by him at the beginning of the English as it was at the beginning of the Scotish War But then it would have spoil'd the sport 2 Pet. 1.12 and it seems there is a present truth as some apply those words of Peter not capable of any other moments of time past or to come But to return Johannes Funccius Johan Funccius that notable and good Chronologer a Divine also Chaplain and Chancellor unto the Duke of Borussia having as it seems counsell'd some act that was disgusted vehemently by the State Bucholcer Chronol ad Ann. 1566. they rested not till they had his head that contriv'd it who as he went to execution gave forth this Distich Disce meo exemplo mandato munere fungi Et fuge ceu pestem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which I have sometime thus rendred Learn thou by mine example to apply Thy self to thine own studies and do fly As from the plague that folly mine of late Divines too medling in affairs of State Somewhat like was that of Justus Jonas Justus Jonas idem ad Ann. 1567. the year following which he gave forth as he went to the same calamity Quid juvat innumeros scire evolvere casus Si facienda fugis si fugienda facis What doth it boot all cases for to know If duty thou omit and sin thou do But he was of another Trade to wit a Lawyer I conclude this with the Apostles warning 1 Thess 4. that we study to be quiet and to do our own business 1 Pet. 4. lest we suffer as evil doers and busie-bodies in other mens affairs The Causes general are ended CHAP. VI. Particular Causes with their Confutation And first of the War SECT I. Cause General and Privative viz. Resisting of the Spirit of God AS touching particular ones namely those which induced me unto the civil Controversie and those which lead me to
the Kingdom Dec. 15. 1642. was the fountain of all the following mischiefs The very first line is Your Majesties most humble and loyal subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled Next the Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy do declare That the Kings Majesty is the onely Supream Governor of this Realm over all persons and in all causes 2. Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance 3 Eliz. cap. 1. Kings Answer to the Remonstrance of May 26. 1642. Remonstr of Lords and Commons Nov. 2. 1642. Ecclesiastical and Temporal and of all other his Dominions and Countries Yea and every Parliament-man before he can sit is bound by Law to swear them Now this is not answered in my judgment by a saying out of a Private * Fleta lib. 1. cap. 17. de justitiariis substituendis Lawyer that Rex habet in populo regendo superiores legem per quam factus est curiam suam videlicet Comites Barones And by that other that Rex est major singulis but minor universis For the former Author hath that sentence and words out of Bracton who hath several times also the quite contrary as shall appear Again It is against the tenor and current of Law and Lawyers and the known practise of the Nation Thirdly It may bear an other interpretation namely understanding the Law either of God who makes Kings Prov. 8. or of men made with the Kings consent whereunto he hath voluntarily obliged himself from which at first he might be free And by the superiority of his Court their legal jurisdiction conferred on them by his approbation for decision of ordinary controversies that may fall betwixt himself and his Subjects but not simply his superiors first because he calls it His Court now the owner is greater than the thing owned as such Again else the Earls and Barons were the superior power to the King Fourthly This refers not at all to the House of Commons whereof neither Fleta nor his Author Bracton in this sentence make any mention Again secondly the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance and the style the Parliament speak in of his Majesties loyal and humble subjects the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament Remonstr Nov. 2. 1642. are not answered by saying that this of supream head and governor over all persons Object in all causes is meant of singular persons rather than of Courts or of the collective Body of the whole Kingdom And that it is meant in Curia not in Camera in his Courts not in his private Capacity and properly onely in his high Court of Parliament wherein and wherewith his Majesty hath supream Power For first Answ 1 The Oathes speak comprehensively both of Persons and Causes over all and in all So again the style of humble and obedient subjects is spoken as from them as the two Houses of Parliament for so they say assembled in Parliament Now if Subjects then and there sure Soveraigns or associates in Soveraignty they cannot be the terms in the same respect are contradictory Thirdly If the King be acknowledged to be the fountain of justice as the Law and Lawyers say he is of which anon then both Laws and Courts flow from him and thence are called his Laws his Courts and so ordine naturae dignitatis both in nature and dignity must be before and above both His splendor is in his Courts but his Supremacy not onely there but in his person also from whence it was derived to his Courts For there must be a First in nature either the King or his Courts and if they be His Courts then he made them and therefore in esse naturae before them Neither doth it hence follow as is there inferred Object That then the King may over-rule all his Courts Ibid. even the Parliament it self and so the goodly frame of Government should soon be dissolved and Arbitrary power brought in Answ For the King having both consented and sworn to the Laws and to the maintaining the jurisdiction of his Courts acting according to those Laws is not now in that respect sui juris and arbitrary in Government but obliged both to God and man to act by Laws and to preserve his Courts unviolate But if any Court shall assume a greater power than the King and Law hath given them or act in opposition to that power from whom they had their being whilst he doth not openly reject all Laws and Government much less when he doth rationally together with as many or more both of Lords and Commons though excluded the formality of being in such a place judge that he acts according to Law in the main of his proceedings In such case and in such actings they are not such a Court nor are not authorised with power from above but act excentrically and as private persons unto whom the Declaration grants the King to be superior As the Army having received Commission from the two Houses of Parliament afterward turned their Arms against them which they could not do by their Commission as also a great fautor of their proceedings since then spake in my hearing God thereby perhaps representing to the Houses by the Army their own failings toward their Superior And the Armies reasoning was on the like principles viz. That they were entrusted with power for the Kingdoms preservation and that the Parliament degenerating they must not see the Kingdom perish Object 3 Neither may it be received that if the Parliament may take account of what is done by his Majesty in his inferiour Courts Ibid. much more of what is done by him without the authority of any Court For to speak properly the Parliament takes account not of the Kings actions or authority in his Courts but of his Officers and of their administration of that authority and this also by the Kings consent established by Law whereby they are enabled so to do Or to speak yet more properly The Parliament that is the King Lords and Commons for the Parliament is not without the King as being the Head of it but without and in opposition unto him and the Laws they do not take such cognizance Again for that saying That they might much more take account of the Kings actions that are done without the authority of any Court meaning the great administration of Justice and the raising of Arms Seeing no Court is superior to its Author the King therefore no Court can give authority to him but he to them nor can they call him to account for then they were his superiors and had the Regal Power and himself should be no King as is expresly affirm'd in Mr. St. John's speech against Ship-mony of which afterward Humbly represent to him they may his miscarriages and punish his Ministers so it may be done without sedition and assuming the Sword which is inseparable from the Supreme Power Lastly How can this be assented unto that because when the Title is dubious Ibid. pag. ult he is
to be accepted for King whom the two Houses declare to be so by the Statute of 11 H. 7. that therefore much more they may judge in the great question what is the best service of the King and Kingdom Whence also it will follow that they have the power of declaring Law in all cases How I say can this be received namely to argue from a power in doubtful cases to a power in cases that are clear in Law and reason or sense Secondly when there is no King actually their power may be more as the wife that hath no husband Thirdly The Declaration of Parliament doth not give the King his title or authority but onely declares recognizeth and acknowledges that he had it before As for those assertions in that Declaration Ibid. viz. That the Soveraign Power resides in the King and both Houses of Parliament That the two Houses are judges superior to all others That the Kings negative voice doth not imply a liberty to deny c. because no Law is produced and that they oppose such as are known as also the practise of Parliament in this Nation conscience is to seek for a foundation of assent unto them It is delivered as Law that the King is the * Mr. Pym's speech at the attainder of the Earl of Straffâ—rd p. 10. Father the Husband of the Common-wealth he is the Head they are the body * Mr. St. Johns speech at the same Attaind p. m. 7. That the Laws are the Kings Laws he is the fountain from whence in their several channels they are derived to the subject * The case of Ship-mony a speech in Parliament Nov. 3. 1640. pag. 12 13. Note That he is the soul of the Law in whose power it is ALONE to execute Law and yet not be constrained thereunto That the Sacred PERSON of the King is INVIOLABLE and subject to no force or compulsion of any other and free from any coercive or vindicative power That this freedom is unsepar ble from the Person of the King because no force can be used but by Superiors or Equals and he that hath Superiors or Equals is no KING Again first The Judges in Calv. case recited by D. Austin Allegiance not impeached cap. 1. That allegiance of the subject is due to the King by the Law of Nature Secondly That the Law of Nature was before any Judicial or Municipal Law as being written from the beginning in mans heart Thirdly That the Law of Nature is immutable Fourthly That this immutable Law of Nature Bractoâ— is a part of the Law of England That Rex in regno parem habere non debet cum par in parem non habeat potestatem multo fortiùs non habeat superiorem The King in his Kingdom ought to have no equal because one equal cannot have power over another much less should he have any superior Object And this is not to be taken with that exposition as above Remonstr Nov. 2. 1642. Serg. Bradshaw at the sentencing hâ—s late Majesty vâ—z That he is major singulis minor universis Greater then any one but less then all For both the Statute is express That this Realm of England hath been accepted for an Empire governed by one supream Head unto whom a body politick compact of all sorts and degrees of People Answ of the Spirituality and Temporality 24 Hen. 8. cap. 12. 4. Declarat of Parliament Proposition in Parliament Apr. 25. 4 Car. propos 5. Rushworth Collect. p. 553. are bound next unto God in a natural obedience As also it is acknowledged in full Parliament First in general by the House of Lords As touching his Majesties Royal Prerogative intrinsecal to his Soveraignty and betrusted him withall from God Ad communem totius populi salutem non ad destructionem That his Majesty would resolve not to use or divert the same to the prejudice of any of his loyal people in the property of their goods or liberty of their persons is prayed by the Lords And in particular by the Commons Most dread Soveraign We your dutiful Commons now assembled in Parliament we think it is a meet and most necessary duty being called by your Majesty to consult and advise of the great and urgent affairs of this Church and Common-wealth Commons Remonstrance against the Duke 4 Car. Anno 1628. Rush Collect. pag. 631. Note finding them at this time in apparent danger of ruine and destruction faithfully and dutifully to inform your Majesty thereof and with bleeding hearts and bended knees to crave your speedy redress therein as to your wisdom unto which we most humbly SUBMIT our selves and our desires shall seem most convenient So then first the Kings prerogative is intrinsecal unto his Soveraignty and betrusted to him by God say the House of Lords And they most humbly submit themselves and their desires to the wisdâ—m of the King say the House of Commons even then when both Church and Common-wealth were in apparent danger of ruine and destruction And to return again unto the judgment of the Sages of the Law the former Author saith That the King is the most excellent * Bract. l. 1. c. 8. Majestas Intemerata pag. 38. Bract. l. 2. de Acquir rer domin c. 24. Stamf. r. 7. 11. Majestas Intemerata p. 32. part of the Common-wealth next unto â—od Again Dominus Rex habet ordinariam jurisdictionem dignitatem potestatem super omnes qui in regno suo sunt Our Lord the King saith the same * Bracton cited by Stamford lib. 2. cap. 2. Reasons of the University of Oxford against the Covenant sect 7. pag. 27. Bracton hath ordinary jurisdiction dignity and power over all which are in his Kingdom And ea quae jurisdictionis sunt pacis ad nullum pertinent nisi ad Coronam dignitatem regiam nec à Coronâ separari possunt And that therefore those things which are annexed to justice and peace belong to none but the Crown and dignity Royal neither can they be separated from the Crown We have heard the testimony of Lawyers yea and of the Law it self the dialect also and speech of Parliament and the judgment of those who have not by the way Dr. Bilson of Subj Rebel Part. 3. ed. Lond. 1586. p. 277. but ex professo handled this argument with the full witness of one of which number and that an eminent one I shall conclude this particular who speaking of the German Wars and of their Laws and ours saith Their States be free and may resist any wrong by the Laws of the Empire The German Emperor is elected and his power abated by the liberties and prerogatives of his Princes The Queen of England inheriteth and hath ONE and the same right over ALL her subjects be they NOBLES or others Now all the fore-mentioned allegations concerning the Person Power and Prerogative of the King and the subjection of all persons and our allegiance
due by nature to him being uttered as Law and in Parliament and cited by those that in the late contest appeared against him are authentick And the the things being so as they came farther into my knowledge and consideration the same sense of the Laws and my allegiance as that before of Religion did concuss and shake me from the one and setle me on the other side And this to the first Motive 2. The Integrity of the persons and their ability To the second the integrity and ability of many of the persons inviting to this contest might be very great yet all of them were not for it as shall be seen anon Besides Answ it is the doctrine of our Church that a Council may Artic. 21. Paphnut Socrates H. lib. 1. cap. 8. 3. Authority of the two Houses and have erred even in things pertaining to God And in the first and great Council of the Primitive Church in a very material point they all erred but one and suffered themselves by him to be corrected To the third the Authority of the two Houses I did not then so throughly consider though I had some doubts as was noted above that they were the Child the King Answ 1 the Parent that they were the Spouse the King the Husband 1. Their Relation that they were the Body the King the Head as we heard above out of Mr. Pym. Now these relations doubtless could not regularly act without much less in opposition to the chief relatum unless in cases of infancy alienation of mind voluntary absence abdication of the Government 2. Their Style and such like of which more anon Besides we heard even now themselves in Parliament style themselves His Majesties most humble and loyal subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament in that Declaration wherein they did not onely pare the nails but even also pierce the quick 3. Their Title and Power whereon founded and in what consisting Moreover what power and authority they have it must be by Law Power publick and authoritative I suppose consists especially in three points first in making Laws secondly in declaring Law lastly in executing Law Touching the first Although the King being the fountain of Law it must primarily flow from him though into his Courts yet it is condescended unto and a share is granted them in making Laws and protecting Liberties Kings answer to the 19 propâ—sit 1642. pag. 12. what that is his late Majesty you will say hath fully opened In this Kingdom saith he the Laws are joyntly made by a King by a House of Peers and by a House of Commons chosen by the People all having free votes and particular privileges The Government according to those Laws is trusted to the King 1 power of Treaties of war and peace 1. Kings prerogative 2 of making Peers 3 of choosing Officers and Counsellors for State 4 Judges for Law 5 Commanders for Forts and Castles 6 giving Commissions for raising men to make war abroad or to prevent or provide against invasions or insurrections at home 7 benefit of confiscations 8 power of pardoning and some more of the like kind are placed in the King 2. House of Commons Next for the House of Commons he saith Again That the Prince may not make use of this high and perpetual power to the hurt of those for whose good he hath it and make use of the name of publick necessity for the gain of his private favourites and followers to the detriment of his people The House of Commons an excellent conserver of liberty but never intended for any share in government for they do not administer an Oath or the choosing of them that should govern is solely intrusted with the first Propositions concerning the levies of monies which is the sinews as well of peace as of war and the impeachment of those who for their own ends though countenanced by any surreptitiously gotten command of the King have violated that Law which he is bound when he knows it to protect and to the protection of which they were bound to advise him at least not to serve him in the contrary This for the Commons Next for the House of Lords he proceedeth And the Lords 3. House of Lords being trusted with a judicatory power are an excellent skreen and bank between the Prince and People to assist each against any encroachment of the other and by just judgment to preserve that Law which ought to be the rule of every one of the three Whence he adds Since therefore the power legally placed in both Houses is more than sufficient to prevent and restrain the power of tyranny c. Thus far the King A share then they have in their several degrees in the Legislative power though neither supreme nor co-ordinate but subalternate and by descent from the high unto the lower 2. Declaring Law In his speech after his assent to the Petition of Right Kings Answer to the Remonstrance of the 19 of May 1642. pag. 21. Touching the next the power of declaring Law though the King do avow That the power of declaring Law be not in either or both Houses of Parliament without his consent and that the Judges are the interpreters of Law under himself Yet he saith We deny not but that they the Lords and Commons in Parliament may have a power to declare in a particular doubtful case regularly brought before them what Law is but to make a general declaration whereby the known rule of the Law may be crossed or altered they have no power nor can exercise any without bringing the life and liberty of the subject to a lawless and arbitrary subjection Lastly as to the execution of Law or judging by it This is not in any other 3. Execution of Laws but either in the House of Peers in Parliament with the Kings consent who must sign all their capital sentences or in the Judges and other Officers by Commission from the King in whose name they all proceed So then the power of government original and final and of execution of the Laws is in the King so far as is made known by the constant practice of the Nation A power therefore of resistance publickly and by Arms how should they have in opposition to the King who have no power of judging or execution of the Law but by authority from him and his consent formally expressed 4. Their silence in point of particular Law Lastly There was though spoken of and they urged to produce it never any Law shewn nor the Charter or Custom or Act named that did either formally or virtually imply a power of Government and much less of Arms without and in opposition to the King which might settle and satisfie the conscience The Barons Wars For some presidents in tumultuous times of some great men will not be a fit example for a Parliament And some very few sentences of one or two Lawyers
Object whereof one contradicts himself is not a sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a firm footing to stand upon to shake not the earth onely but heaven also Bracton writing in Henry the third his time fol. 34. A. when the Barâ—ns had raised a Militia against the King saith indeed Rex habet superiorem Deum scilicet item legem per quà m factus est Rex item curiam suam viz. Comites Barones c. That the King hath a Superior namely God also the Law whereby he was made King also his Court to wit the Earls and Barons The like sentence verbatim almost is cited out of * lib. 1. c. 17. de justitiariis substituendis Declar. L. L. Com. Nov. 2. 1642. pag. 22. Fleta that the King had in populâ— regendo superiores legem per quam f ctus est curiam suam viz. Comites Barones c. But the former place in Bracton and so in Fleta is not meant of the Court of Parliament for there 's no mention of the Commons but it follows in the same place debent ei fraenum imponere they ought to bridle him Dr. Fearns's Conscience satisfied sect 4. pag. 17. 1248. It is likely he spake this in favour of the Militia raised against Henry the third for then he wrote and might call that Assembly of Earls and Barons then combined against the King Curiam the higher Court or Counsel But he contradicts this else-where not onely in that sentence Rex in regno parem habere non debet cum par in parem non habeat potestatem multò fortiùs non habeat superiorem That the King in his Kingdom ought to have no equal because one equal can have no power over another much less should he have any superior But also by other sentences quoted out of him above Somewhat perhaps like Cicero sometime with Pompey sometime for Cesar as not a few have been in our time Another also is cited who saith 2. Fortescue fol. 25. â— By the fuller answer to Dr. Fearn pag. 3. Ad hanc potestatem a pâ—pulo effluxam ipse habet quo non licet ei potestate aliâ populo suo dominari That the King by having this power flowing from the people is obliged so that it is not lawful for him to rule over them by any other authority Answ 1 But this assertion being back'd with no antient record or custom nor with any judged case or Act of Parliament yea contrary to the known process and practise of the Law and Acts of Parliament and general sentences of Lawyers cannot satisfie especially if we consider that if such power had flowen from the people yet as the King observes it doth not follow that it must therefore return unto them 2. Answer to the Remonstr of May 26. 1642. pag. 10. at least when and in what manner they will As in the case of the power of the Husband which first did flow unto him from the Wife but may not be resumed without breach of wedlock 3. 24 H. 8. c. 12. and that also adjudged lawfully The Law is otherwise which teacheth us That this Realm of England hath been accepted for an Empire governed by one supream Head unto whom a body politick compact of all sorts and degrees of people of the Spiritualty and Temporalty are bound to bear next unto God a natural obedience And that by the Law of nature and of the Land we owe Allegiance as we saw above Now this is not answered Reply to Dr. Ferm's answer sect 3. pag. 18. by saying ' By the preamble of the Statute it appears so to be made to prevent appeals to Rome and that by the supreme Head is meant such a one as is able to do all needful acts of justice which the King in his natural capacity cannot do and therefore must be understood in his politick capacity which takes in Law and Parliament For the whole body politick whether Parliament or People are governed and made subâ—ect to this Supreme Head and do owe unto him natural obedience And accordingly in His not in the Houses of Parliament's name though sitting do all judgments and executions of Law proceed The authority then of the two Houses of Parliament is the authority of the Body not of the Head by which even it also must be governed and against which it may not oppose it self 1 Tim. 2. For as he said I permit not a woman to usurp authority over the man but to live in subjection holds betwixt the political Spouse and Husband also I have done with the third 4. Case of Necessity To the fourth Motive the case of Necessity We must here note Thesin Hypothesin the general and the particular state of the Question 1. In Thesi and in general 'T is true Pleaders for Regal power do acknowledge that there may indeed fall out some cases wherein such designments may be warrantable As first Abbot de Anti-Ch cap. 7. n. 5. 6. in general when per patrias leges licere judicarunt Hîc verò politica res agitur Quid principi juris in subditos per leges cujusque reipublicae fundatrices permissum sit c. When they might judge that it was lawful by the Laws of their Country Now here the Question is civil and political namely What power is given to the Prince over his subjects by the fundamental Laws of each Common-wealth c. saith the Bishop of Salisbury Here Law is made the bottom in general but that Law must be produced that may be known In particular two or three cases are alleadg'd wherein onely it is found allowable Non alias igitur populo in eum potestas est Gull Barcla contr Monarchom lib. 3. prope sin quà m si id committat propter quod ipso jure Rex esse desinat Tunc enim quia se ipse principatu exuit atque in privatis constituit liber hoc modo populus superior efficitur reverso ad illum scilicet jure illo quod ante regem inauguratum in interregno habuit duo tantum commissa invenio duos inquam casus Horum unus est si regnum Rempublicam evertere conetur hoc est Aurel. Victor de Caesarib Sueton. cap. 49. cap. 30. si id ei propositum eaque intentio fuerit ut regnum disperdat quemadmodum de Nerone fertur de Caligula Talia cum Rex aliquis meditatur molitur serio omnem regnandi curam animum illico abjicit ac proinde imperium in subditos amittit ut * l. 1. ult D. pro. derelict dominus servi pro derelicto habiti dominium Alter casus est si Rex in alicujus clientelam se contulerit ac regnum quòd liberum à majoribus populo traditum accepit alienae ditioni mancipaverit c. And instanceth in Baliol King of Scots that subjected his Crown and Kingdom to Edward the first of England then
Ethelred the Saxon King being married to Henry the first brought us forth a Royal seed derived from the antient blood of the Saxon Kings Yet why may we not think that some of our Princes originally might be as free as another lately who had no such such title either of Succession or Conquest professeth himself to have been in points of Law and Government Lord Protectors speech Septemb. 12. p. 11. and p. 13. untill he limited himself I say saith he the Authority I had in my hand being so boundless Again my power again by this resignation was boundless and unlimited as before All things being subject to Arbitrariness and a person having power over the three Nations pag. 14. boundless and unlimited Again The Government limited me and bâ—und my hands to act nothing to the prejudice of the Nations without consent of a Councel until Parliament and then limited by a Parliament I did accept it I was arbitrary in power May it not then have been in Princes as it was in this Vsurper and invader of the publick Liberties And indeed the Coronation-Oath seems to imply so much Coronation-Oath H. scrips 24. Apr. 61. die Coronationis casu non consilio dum opus recognoscerem wherein among other things the King is asked ' Sir will you grant to hold and keep the Laws and rightful customs which the Commonalty of this Realm consuetudines quas vulgus elegerit His Majesties answer to the Remonstrance of May 26. 1642. pag. 17. 15. whether you expound it have or shall choose Which words do not imply a force upon the King It is for the ease of Princes and satisfaction of Subjects that that unlimited power given by God to Princes is bounded in all places by Laws with their own consent Dr. Sandersons preface to Dr. Usher of the right of Kings pag. 12. but a desire of his engagement Therefore the choice of Laws being not the Princes but the Peoples advantage and priviledge is left unto them not as implying a co-ordinate power but a concession of liberty not now to be changed because established both by Law and Oath yet so that the King reserves to himself the power of a negative voice Negative voice and of refusing to pass their Elections into Laws if he like them not If it be said Object That the Houses have the like negative voice that 's a mistake Answ they have it in order the one house to the other but not in order to the King because he doth not propound Laws unto them his desiâ—es he may but they to him So that there is no such thing as a negative voice in the Houses about the Laws in order to the King it is onely in reference of the one House to the other So that to speak properly according to the known practise of the Parliament the two Houses seem to have no co-ordinate share in making Laws but in choosing things to be made Laws the King onely making of them for the Houses acknowledge Declar. Parl. ' That they are not Laws till the Royal assent But I may not correct the King who saith Object in this Kingdom the Laws are joyntly made by a King Kings answ to the 19 proposit p. 12. by a House of Peers and by a House of Commons chosen by the people all having free votes and particular privileges Nor do I but explain what he must intend Answ The making of the matter of the Laws belongs to the two Houses the conferring of the form Declar. Parl. in defence of that May 26. 1642. and giving them the esse and being of Laws is from the King onely and so acknowledged by the Houses viz. That if he do deny it is no Law without him Script Reas sect 5. p. 64. Kings answ to 19 Proposit p. 19. and so acknowledged by the greatest pleaders for the taking up of Arms. But secondly because his Majesty saith a little after We conjure you that you allow us our share in the Legislative power which would be counted in us not onely a breach of priviledge but Tyranny and subversion of Parliaments to deny you Which implies the other have a share also I answer That they have a share but derivative not original subordinate as subjects even in Parliament for so they call themselves not co-ordinate as equals The wife hath a share in the government of the family for sure she is more in point of right relating to the government of it than a servant but it is not a co-ordinate but subordinate power The King would not be understood to confute his Father Himself or the Laws Not his Father K. James's Law of Free Monarchies who saith That the King is above the Law as both the Author and giver of strength thereto Not Himself who hath several times avowed his Soveraignty though not his solitude his Supremacy though not his aloneness in government who at the time of publishing that answer had drawn his sword to vindicate his Sovereinty prerogative Nor was it his intent to confute the Law which maketh him the fountain of justice as we saw above therfore what waters of power any else have must needs flow originally from him Thirdly the King hath said he is no Lawyer neither is it necessary that he should so be if then his Majesty out of zeal to content his subjects should let fal any * To the 19 Propositions expression in that answer of his so much insisted on that might prejudice his legal right it ought not in duty as it cannot in conscience be improved against him contrary to the known practise of Laws and Parliament It is true the two Houses say in their declaration of November 2. 1642. That the Kings Soveraignty is in and with the two Houses That they are the supreme Court whose determinations ought not to be question'd by the King That the Kings power is a trust from the people That the two Houses may dispose of any thing of the King or Kingdoms But seeing no Law is produc'd a sentence of out Fleta above answered is not sufficient to bottom in my conscience so high assertions To conclude All that have share in Legislative power have it not equally the King is acknowledged by the Oath of Supremacy sworn by every Parliament man before he sit to be Supreme over all in these his Dominions Neither have they it originally but by concession and grant though now setledly But though they have this derivative power in Legâ—slation and in some cases in declaring Law so it be not against the known Lavvs yet have they none in execution of the Lavvs much less the povver of the Sword further then the King shall grant unto them For vvhich though Laws vvere spoken of yet vvere they never produc'd Though the King declare That there is no power in either or both Houses Kings Answer to the Declaration of both Houses in answer to his
lost the Revenues of a good part of a Bishoprick as 't is said which he had purchased And it may be others of these Brethren are ejected as they had ejected others For these times are like those Ruffin Hist eccl l. 1. c. 21. Ea tempestate foeda facies ecclesiae admodum turpis erat non enim sicut prius ab externis sed à propriis vastabatur Fugabat alius alius fugabatur uterque de ecclesia erat praevaricatio erat lapsus ruina multorum Similis poena sed impar victoria similiter cruciabantur sed non similiter gloriabantur quia dolebat ecclesia etiam illius casum qui impellebat ad lapsum At that time the face of the Church was foul and uncomely indeed for not now as formerly the Church was destroyed by enemies but by her own One is driven the other drives him away and both of them of the Church Offences and falls and ruines there were of many All were like sufferers but not all like conquerors All were tortured alike but all could not glory alike for the Church did lament even his fall that forced another to miscarrry saith the Historian But to leave the men and to come unto the matter 3. Their matter The premises are not established they say because there is Addition Detraction and Alterations made in them since the Originals and first establishment For Answer Object 1 Addit Substract Alterat Answ we may note here a twofold distinction 1. Of persons private or publick 2. Of things lighter or more material to apply these If the Alterations Additions or Detractions alledged be done by private hands and in things of lesser moment Misprisions in lesser things by private hands the main continuing unviolate It would be better thought on whether such a misprision be it casu or consilio unwittingly or willingly ought to invalid a publick act For then perhaps neither the Brethren have an authentick Bible nor any Lawyer a true Statute-Book because there are many faults do happen by the pen and by the press which may have happened in the things we speak of But secondly if such alterations In more material ones and by publick persons c. be made by publick persons or in things material it must be considered what powers the Laws do give unto them in these affairs now it is certain and the Brethren acknowledge it that until 17 Carol. 11. The King had freedome by Law to appoint under his Broad Seal Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical Reasons for Reform p. 51. to amend whatsoever might be reformable in the Church And in the Act for uniformity of Common-Prayer Act for uniformity of Com. Prayer at the end of it it is granted unto the Queen that if there shall happen any irreverence in the service of God by the mis-using the orders appointed in the Common-Prayer-Book she may by her Commissioners or by the advice of the Metropolitan ordain further rites or ceremonies for the advancement of the glory of God c. Several Acts in K. Hen. 8. Edw. 6. Q Eliz particulaâ—ly that of 1 Eliz. cap. 1. Necessit of Reform p. 50. Now by this and other particular Acts that restored all Ecclesiastical power from the Pope unto the Crown And particularly by the Act of 1 Eliz. cap. 1. wherein having first united and annexed all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical jurisdiction to the Imperial Crown of this Kingdom they are the words of the Brethren it addeth what power shall be given by commission under the Great Seal to exercise the same in this following clause viz. And that your Highness your Heirs and Successors Kings or Queens of this Realm shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England to assign name and authorise when and as often as your Highness your Heirs and Successors shall think meet and convenient and for such and so long time as shall please your Highness your Heirs or Successors such person or persons being natural born Subjects to your Highness your Heirs or Successors as your Majesty your Heirs or Successors shall think meet to exercise and use occupy and execute under your Highness your Heirs and Successors all manner of jurisdictions priviledges and preheminencies in any wise touching or concerning any spiritual or ecclesiastical jurisdiction within these your Realms of England and Ireland or any other your Highness Dominions and Countries And to visit reform redress order correct and amend all such errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever which by any manner spiritual or ecclesiastical power authority or jurisdiction can or may lawfully be reformed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue and the conservation of peace and unity of this Realm Now howsoever the Brethren would make this Act void after the Act of 17 Car. 1. of which anon yet the things we speak of being transacted before remain in force by vertue of that Act. And certain it is that not only the Kings themselves but the Parliaments also the Judges the Ministry have always thought that by the King some alterations might be made by vertue of these Acts without violation of Law provided nothing were done contrary to any thing in the Book contained Preface to the Com. Prayeâ— Book especially when the King shall be supplicated by his people thereunto Hence the King in his Proclamation for the Authorizing of the Book of Common-Prayer by occasion of the Conference at Hampton Court which having reflected on saith Kings Proclamat for establishing the Book of Com. Prayer And for that purpose namely to satisfie the scruples of some tender consciences gave forth Our Commission under Our Great Seal of England to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others according to the form which the LAWS of this Realm in like case prescribe to be used to make the said EXPLANATION c. And it is also certain that the same not only Kings successively but also Parliaments and Judges with all the other Magistracy have taken all the premises viz. The Doctrine or Articles of Religion the Worship or Common-Prayer-Book The Discipline and Government to be established by Law Or else how will the Brethren or how can any other free the Kings from Arbitrary Government the Parliaments from betraying the publick liberties the Judges from perjury and perverting Law and other Magistrates from oppressing of the people if men have been punished for disobedience to these if not established by Law But surely we may more safely confide in the judgment of so many Acts of Parliament and Laws of so many Princes By divers Ministers of sundry Counties so in the title K. Ja. Instructions to Preachers 1622. Artic. 4. Parliaments Judges Magistrates then in the conjectures of certain Country or County Ministers what is Law The rather because this being a Prerogative Ecclesiastical
to the judgment of these Brethren that the Q. and these Parl. then were in matter of the greatest moment the establishing of the Doctrine and Worship Articles and Liturgy of Almighty God and means of the salvation of men either so ignorant that they understood not what was requisite to the full establishment of their own Acts or so negligent that they minded it not as they should And seeing all the Kings and Parliaments since have swallowed their error As also all the Judges of the Land who do not only sit in Parliam to give advice but also have judged in their several Circuits the violations of those Books And because the present and future Parliaments may be subject to the like miscarriages may it be prevented in a better way then by the Parliam restoring to the Clergy the liberty of being elected Burgesses lost as I take it but in Henry the 8 th his time and so the Brethren may obtain places in the House of Commons and the Parliament enjoy the benefit of their guidance 2. To their instances particular in their printed sheet of alterations in the first printed book of Queen Elizabeth from that of Edward 6. viz. certain Saints days in the Kalender 1 Saints days but in black letters instead of others that were named in that of Edw. 6. Secondly certain Lessons of the Apocrypha appointed to be read instead of some out of the Canonical Scripture which were before appointed in the book of Edw. 6. For answer to both these first in general we have heard above to which I refer the reader Next in particular to that of the Saints days it doth not seem to hazzard the bringing in of new Holy-days both because as the brethren acknowledge they are set down in black letters those to be kept Holy-days in red but especially because the number of Holy-days is stinted they are set down by name in the Liturgy and a prohibition of any other to be kept so that as long as the book remains as now it is there can be no peril of that It may be the change of names was because the days now put in might be days of payment of mony or days of Law or perhaps unworthy persons names put out and better put in their room as Mr. Fox did in that Kalender of his Martyrology But this whatsoever it be makes no alteration in the Service or in the reading Yea but the alteration of the Chapters does 2. Apocryphal chapters To that therefore I say that this alteration was done either casu and by chance or consilio and of purpose And then either by privat hands or by publick authority by the Queen or Commissioners from her according to the clause in this Act authorising her for explanations In all which respects I refer unto the general answer afore-going But more particularly They might be altered upon some such suggestions as was made afterward by the Brethrens Ancestors modestly at the Conference of Hampton-Court of which afterwards To the Second 2. Book of Common-prayer aâ— it now stands established The book of Common-prayer as it now stands as established which the Brethren oppose as differing from that of Queen Elizabeth in alterations detractions and additions For answer first in general We must reflect on what hath been said above viz. That such alterations as have been made by Royal authority by commission under the great Seal being made but for explanations fake and containing nothing contrary to any thing in the book contained doth not derogate from the authority and establishment of the book but such alterations are confirmed such power being yielded to the Kings of this Nation by the Laws K. James Proclamation for uniformity of Com. prayer And for that purpose gave forth Our Commission undes Our Great Seal of England to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and others according to the form which the LAWS of this Realm in like case prescribed to be used to make the said EXPLANATION c. saith the King upon occasion of the alterations made at the Instance of the Brethrens predecessors at the Conference at Hampton-Court But to come unto particulars first to the Alterations 1. Alterations in the Liturgy That of Holy-days hath beâ—n replyed unto as also that of Apocryphal Chapters To which I add R. Hook eccles pol. l. 5. § 20. That it cannot be reasonably thought that we do thereby offer disgrace unto the word of God For in such choice we do not think but that fitness of speech may be more respected than worthiness of matter But this alteration whatsoever it were was made as by the authority of the King By whose means the Apocryphal chapters were altered so it seems by the occasion of Dr. Reynolds anotations For the King said That Dr. Reynolds should note those chapters in the Apocrypha books where those offensive places were and bring them But why do the Brethren appear now so zealous for the reading of the Scripture Conf. Hamp Court p. 63. Matth. 15. which they had almost laid aside in the publick worship for their own traditions i. e. for what they thought better to deliver unto the people 3. As for the alterations made for explanations sake K. James explanation of the present Liturgy by the King at the suit of the Non-conformists at that Conference now made violations of the Statute and essential alterations of the book they were not in any part of the substance of the book it self not in any prayer Not any alteration in the matter of the Liturgy or Exhortation and so in no one point either of Doctrine or Worship let the Reader note against the calumnies insinuated by these Brethren but onely in some two or three words in the old Translation of the Gospels And in a few Rubricks Hook eccles pol. l. 5. § 19. which are directions for the service The words altered in the Gospels wherein the steps of the Latine-service-book have been somewhat too nearly followed they are these 1. ' And Jesus said to them Conf. Hamp Court p. 86. to be put twice into the Dominical Gospels instead of Jesus said to his Disciples Though at the Conference it was answered That for ought that could appear by the places Ibid. pag. 63. he might speak as well to his Disciples as to the Pharisees The alterations in the Rubricks are Ibid. pag. 86. 1. Before the general Absolution is put or Remission of sins which before was onely Absolution 2. In private Baptism the lawful Minister present before it was then they minister it 3. In the same Rubrick they procure not their children to be baptised before it was they baptize not children 4. In that before Confirmation Examination with Confirmation of children it was appointed but I do not find it was done So that as the alterations of the words of the old Translation were but two so these in the Rubricks are but three And none of
House of Peers carried for them by far the major part of Lords Yet after five repulses contrary to all order and custom it was by tumultuary instigation obtruded again and by a few carried when most of the Peers were forced to absent themselves In like manner was the Bill against root and branch brought on by tumultuary clamours and schismatical terrors Bill against Episcopacy which could never pass till both Houses were sufficiently thinned and over-awed To which partiality while in all reason justice and religion my conscience forbids me by consenting to make up their Votes to Acts of Parliament I must now be urged with an Army and constrained either to hazard my own A cause of the War defence of Episcopacy and my Kingdoms ruine by my defence or prostrate my conscience to the blind obedience of those men whose zealous superstition thinks or pretends they cannot do God and the Church a greater service than utterly to destroy that Primitive Apostolical and antiently Vniversal government of the Church by Bishops And the King hath the like complaint * Kings declaration to all his loving subjects Aug. 12. 1642. p. 8. print Cambr. else-where So that we see what was the mind and affection the scope and intent of the King and the two Houses as then when that Act passed touching Episcopacy Whence it will follow that as they had no intention nor ever consented to the Bill for it to destroy the office so neither did the Commons think that it was so by that Act of taking away their votes or by recalling of the former clause of 1 Eliz. 1. touching Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction for then they would not have prepared another Act for it which never passed the Houses whilst full nor the Kings assent afterward and so is no Law It remaineth therefore that the intention of the Parliament in the repealing of that clause was onely in reference unto the High-commission Court or other excentrical from the legal jurisdiction of Bishops and raised onely by the Kings prerogative yet of use whilst established but removed not for its unprofitableness as to prevent some greater inconvenience It was their jurisdiction in those cases and upon such special commission from the King that there ceased not their ordinary legal and per se Episcopal power of government in this Church * By Act of this present Parliament for restoring Episcopal jurisdiction As hath been of late more authentically evidenced Answ 4 even before this was printed As for the Ordinance that especially at that time as it could at no time cannot countervene a setled Law Neither have the Houses power to declare any thing against Law as we heard above Lord Cant. speech ubi suprà For close therefore I repeat that suit of his and do humbly in the Churches name desire of his Majesty that it may be resolved not onely by all the Reverend Judges of England A supplication to his Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament but by his Majejesty and both Houses of Parliament and then published by them that the Doctrine and Articles of Religion the Liturgy and Worship the Discipline and Government are not against or besides the Laws of this Realm That so the Church-Governors may go on cheerfully in their duty and the peoples minds be quieted by this assurance that neither the Laws nor their Liberties are infringed as Subjects thereby SECT VII Of the Obligation of the League and Covenant AGain it is objected that there is an engagement for the Reformation of the Doctrine Worship Assemblies Discipline and Government in the solemn League and Covenant therefore they are not to be adhered unto Subsect 1. That the Covenant obligeth not OMitting the elaborate and excellent pains of the University of Oxford in this argument Reasons of the University of Oxford concerning the Covenant 1647. Duplies of the professors of Aberdeen to the Brethr. concerning the Covenant 1638. Dr. Lesly Bish of Down in his Visitation speech Lond. 1638. 1. Argument Because it is opposite to after other Oaths c. Gal. 3.14 18. as also that of the Professors of Aberdeen in Scotland And of the Bishop of Down in Ireland the testimony of the three Kingdoms against it I shall propound only four Arguments to evince first the nullity of its obligation and then from thence collect what it binds yet unto The Arguments touching the former are First from the nature and order of this Oath The second from the power imposing of it The third from the matter of the oath it self The last from the scope and end of its framing and imposing First from the nature and order of this Oath When there are two oaths touching the same things and they contradictory one to another if the former be lawful and obliging the latter cannot be so too but void and null ipso facto Hence it is that our Apostle proveth the invalidity of the Ceremonial Law and Covenant being different from and in some sort opposite to the Covenant of Grace because it was made four hundred years after and so could not make the other void So this Oath and Covenant whereof we now speak being contradictory as shall be seen and is evident of it self to former lawful Oaths and Engagements confirmed by the Laws of the Kingdome as the Oath of Allegiance Supremacy Canonical Obedience Subscriptions to the three Articles and Protestations cannot make those former of none effect and is therefore void being taken as it was unlawful to take it unless the Obligation of the former Oaths and Engagements had been by the same or superiour power relaxed As was done by Hermannus Archbishop of Cullen to his subjects Sleid. Com. l. 18 Ad Ann. 1547. when he was no longer able to protect them Which was not our case Our former Oaths and Engagements were agreeable to Law and Equity both in their matter and authority injoyning them This contradictory to them and by an inferiour power yea by such a power as had not authority to do it which brings me to the second Argument 2. Arg. Because it was in posed by unsufficient power in opposition to the lawful authority namely taken from the power or rather the impotency of the imposers as to this act It is proved above that in the Government the King is Supreme by the Laws But if he were but equal yet in a coordinate power if when one desires to do his duty and is well able thereunto the other shall exclude him and act in opposition not only to him but also to the Laws established by all and impose upon the Subjects who are not obliged but as it proceeds from all to submit and to accept of such impositions if voluntarily is a threefold iniquity and injustice First Unto the person excluded against his will and right Secondly Against the liberty of the Subject who is not liable to injunctions proceeding from some but all Thirdly Against the priviledge
of that body and government which is that every member and state of it is to act together with the rest For the person now excluded may perhaps afterward by power or policy get the power to him and then exercise that arbitrary power on the other and the people without the tother Now apply this If the two Houses supposing them to be such have power to impose Oaths under penalties upon the people then hath the King and Lords without the Commons and the King and Commons without the Lords By which it appeareth that voluntary taking of such an Oath doth betray the Prerogative of the King the priviledge of Parliam and the liberty of the people Seeing two powers if coordinate cannot countervene what is done and established for Law by all much less where one is Supreme to the other two So that the former Oaths and Protestations engaging for the maintenance of the Kings Prerogative the priviledges of Parliam and the liberties of the Subject makes this Oath and Covenant come clearly within the Verge of Perjury so far as I can understand as well as Treachery to all the three premised interests Yea and is expresly against the great Charter which provides 9 H. 3. Magna Charta Jud. Jenk Vindic. pag. 6. Aquin. 2.2 Q. 104. Art 6. ad tertium that no Act of Parliament binds the Subjects of this Land without the assent of the King either for person lands goods or fame To conclude this argument from the power imposing it Principes si non habent justum Principatum sed usurpatum vel si injusta praecipiant non tenentur eis subdita obedire nisi fortè per accidens propter vitandum scandalum vel periculum Governours if they have not a lawful power but an usurped one or if they command unrighteous things the people are not bound unto obedience unless perhaps by accident for the avoiding of scandal or of danger saith Aquinas The former part of which cases hath been evidenced here the latter shall be proved in the next Thirdly 3. Arg. Prouâ— the matter of the Covenant 1. Doubtful From the matter of this Oath and Covenant And first the doubtfulness of it not to insist upon that clause of swearing to preserve the Religion of the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government whereas very few do understand what these are in Scotland and so swear to they know not what For it may be there are errors in their Doctrine Superstition in their Worship defect or tyranny in their Government for ought many know which if so they sweâ—l here to preserve them so it be against the common enemy The same might be said for the priviledge of the Parliam both theirs and ours and liberties of the Kingdoms Secondly the equivocation of it For this I shall insist only on that clause in the same first Article According to the Word of God and example of the best Reformed Churches For it intends either that Scotlands Reform is according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches or is it self such an example But Englands not 2. Equivocation Now to colour this it equivocally put in that clause as representing that they meant only according to the Word of God For proof of this When the Covenant was first published and began to be pressed my self having with many others doubt that the intention was to oblige us to the Discipline and Government of Scotland I addressed my self to two persons most eminent in their several relations Mr. Th. G. Mr. Al. Henders and as I thought best able to resolve me The former acknowledged that his own scruples were the same with mine but that he had given himself up unto the Protestant Religion and thereupon had taken it The other told me that they did not particularly engage unto any Discipline or Government but according to the Word of God as it was in the Covenant with this gilding the pill went down But soon after the Scotish Government c. was pressed by vertue of the Covenant which made me then or since reflect on that of the Apostle whatsoever is not of faith Rom. 14. ult that is of a mans own perswasion some way is sin According to that of one of the Rabbins Although thou hast six hundred advisers Apud Drusium in Proverb Rabb yet neglect not the counsel of thine own soul And that of our late Soveraign to His Majesty that now is Never saith he repose so much upon any mans single counsel Icon Basilic M. dit 27. fidelity and discretion in managing affairs of the first magnitude that is matters of Religion and Justice as to create in your self or others a diffidence of your own judgment which is likely to be alwaies more constant and impartial to the interest of Your Crown and Kingdoms than any mans And a grave Divine Dr. Sibbs Souls Conflâ—ct cap. 17. pag. edit 1. 366. and good Casuist of our own hath in giving direction for light in difficult cases this expression Where we have cause to think that we have used better means in the search of grounds and are more free from partial affections than others there we may use our own advice more safely otherwise what we do by consent from others is more secure c. Not amiss therefore did he complain that Sym. Grynaeus Ep. ded ante novum orbem Basil 1555. plerique mortales animi sui naturam ingenium parvipendentes c. est enim sapientis solius Spiritum Dei in se invenisse Most men are ignorant of and do undervalue their own endowments and judgments because it is the part only of a wise man to find the mind of the Spirit of God which is in him and what he prompts us to 3. Injuriousness to the Church of England A third evil in the matter of the Covenant is its injuriousness unto the Church of England and that in three respects First in regard of its honour It being not only the Mistress Kingdom to that of Scotland this being a feudatory of it and the Kings of England having a just title thereunto as amongst others Nic. Nich. Bodrugan alias Adams of the King of Engl. title to the Crown of Scotland Lond. 1546. Though denyed by Will. Barclay Contr. Monarcbomach Bodrugan proves unto Edward the sixt But also is the elder sister and perhaps in some sort a mother to it in Christ As having been in the Faith before it And not only receiving it first but sealing it with ten bloods of its Martyrs to one in Scotland so far as I have learned But now as it seems being old must step as the younger sister or daughter shall please to lead it Secondly it eminently injureth the Ch. of England in respect of truth of Doctrine Worship Government and Discipline insinuating plainly that it is rotten in the head and foundation of Doctrine in the heart and life
Scripture This refers especially to the seventh Article touching Predestination c. whose words in the latter part they are Lastly Ministers are not prohibited absolutely from searching but from that which is curious Answ 5 and beyond sobriety This for the doubtfulness of the Articles The second exception is their erroneousness 2. Error for on this the Brethren insist though under the other covered head of doubtfulness First because it is said Not every deadly sin committed willingly after Baptism Artic. 16. is a sin against the holy Ghost they infer that the Church holds the distinction of venial and deadly sin which is Popish What if the Article speak in the then received language and according to such distinction not owning of it therefore in the sense held by the adversary but using it for the purpose they had in hand viz. that though all sins be deadly of themselves yet seeing some are greater than other grant the worst which they call deadly sin as we usually express a great evil by that word that it is a deadly one as a deadly grief a deadly mischief yet is not every such a sin against the holy Ghost especially when the Church hath in other places so plainly declared her self to the people as in the Homilies Catechism and Common-prayer-book in the last whereof it prescribeth confession of sins to be made twice every day by all the Congregation Now it is not to be thought that every one is guilty of deadly sin every day in the sense expressed so that the people are in no great danger by that expression And the Articles declaring Artic. 11. Artic. 22. that we are accounted righteous before God onely for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And that there is none other satisfaction for sin but that offering of Christ alone and damning of all Purgatory Pardons worshipping of Images and Reliques and invocation of Saints do declare they count no sin in it self venial but by the blood of Christ Again Artic. 20. where because 't is said The Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies and authority in controversies of faith Because the Kings declaration and the Act before that say That the Articles must be taken in the literal and grammatical sense they infer ' That if a Convocation declare any thing in the premises they must assent and subscribe in the literal sense or be deprived But I it is not forbidden either by that Act or the Kings Declaration to enquire the literal sense and so to examine them nor 2 are they required by that declaration to subscribe to what a Synod shall conclude in the literal and grammatical sense of such conclusions or Canons but onely to the literal and grammatical sense of the Articles This therefore is a captious inference upon the Declaration and the Act. And so much more are their exceptions against the 34 Article That whosoever through his own private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant unto the Word of God and be ordained by common authority c. But are there not three or four Cautions in it that should defend it from all calumny 1. That these Traditions and Rites must not be repugnant to the Word of God 2. That they be established by common Authority 3. That a man do transgress of his own private judgment And 4. willingly purposely Yea and 5. openly This exception taketh away the obedience to all Church-Laws yea to all Civill Laws they may as well except against subscribing if any such Act were to the sense of this Article applyed to the Laws of the Kingdom As suppose they should be enjoyned to subscribe That whosoever shall through his private judgment willingly and purposely openly break the Laws of the Land which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained by common Authority and to take these words of the Act in the literal and grammatical sense without putting their own private or new sense upon it c. Would not such persons be thought unworthy to have any place in any Common-wealth that should refuse And why then in the Church surely they must be both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men without yoke and without use and that per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pernitious unto all Societies and men of Belial 3. Artic. 35. Their third exception is against Artic. 35. wherein is required the subscribing to the Book of Homilies as a godly and wholesome doctrine and necessary for these times Against this they object that there are false doctrines or assertions in them First in general subscription to the Homilies is intended by the Church The Homilies how to be understood in Subscription not in so punctual and verbal a degree as is required unto the Articles as appears because the Articles are to be distinctly and severally read and the expressions in them every one assented to the Homilies not so but onely as they agree with the Articles which are the superior rule unto them Not therefore to every expression or sentence no nor doctrine nor assertion if any were contrary to the definitive doctrine of the Articles All men know that there is a greater latitude of expression allowed to popular Sermons as the Homilies are than to Articles And the Brethren would have their Sermons to contain necessary and wholesome doctrine yet perhaps will not be so hardy as to affirm that they may not have uttered some sentences not so true or congruous if exactly scanned or that nullnm unquam verbum emisit eorum quisque quod revocare vellet as he said above And lest there should any inconvenience arise to the people though now the danger is little the Homilies being so much if not too much laid aside the Common-prayer and reading of the Scripture publickly together with preaching according to the Articles are provided as a remedy Yea which is more if one Homily speak less warily in any material point it is corrected in another as in the Homily of Alms-deeds seeming in one passage or so to ascribe some kind of merit unto them though it doth not taking the word properly yet it explaineth it before-hand in another namely in the Homily of Salvation or Justification wherein that doctrine is excellently set forth as also in the Homily of Faith So when in the Homily of Alms Tobith is cited as Scripture not onely the Article doth regulate that expression but every ones Bible also Instructions to Preachers Artic. 1. Ann. 1622. Besides every exhortatory expression must not be called a doctrine or an assertion but that which as a point is purposely insisted on to be maintained of which sort I believe verily the Brethren will never be able to instance in any one out of the Homilies And indeed had they observed the instructions of King James above mentioned viz. That no preacher
Fourthly our Lord himself hath intimated unto us Luk. 15. Object Answ that in some cases the Pastor must leave ninety and nine sheep to help one that is lost To that they say that it is no way of necessity to the sick mans salvation 't is unadvisedly spoken For what if he may be saved without it yet if not with that necessary comfort that is requisite to the grapling with the King of fears it were both unchristianity peradventure and inhumanity to deny it him as the case may stand But secondly such may be the sick mans temptations and so great his weakness that for want of this special support his faith may fail him and so he may fail of salvation Or howsoever as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 8. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed So destroy not him for want of thy meat for whom Christ dyed For whatsoever God may do with him yet his blood as the point may be perhaps will God require at such a hand Conf. Hamp Court p. 17. A peart Minister asked me saith King James if I thought Baptism so necessary that if it were omitted the child would be damned I answered him no but if you being called to baptize the child though privately should refuse to come I think you shall be damned Buc. Script Angl. Censur Liturg. cap. 22. I conclude this answer with the censure of Bucer touching the Communion of the sick and injunctions about it Quae hic praecipiuntur sunt Divinis scripturis satis consentanea communionem enim sumere domini de mensá ejus ad consolandum perturbatas conscientias non parum valet si ea ut dominus instituit sumatur Those things saith he which are here commanded touching the Communion of the sick are sufficiently agreeing with the Scriptures For to receive the Lords Communion and from his Table doth not a little avail for the comforting afflicted consciences if it be taken as the Lord hath commanded SECT III. Of the body of the Common-prayer-book 3. Except against the body of the Liturgy 3. COme we now to their Exceptions against the body of the Liturgy it self and the matter of it Where like men that are rolling down a hill the more their brains as well as their body run round so fares it here with the Brethren who did rail before but now they rave and are without bounds immodest So true is that Eum qui semel verecundiae fines transiit oportet graviter impudentem esse He that hath once set himself beyond blushing it concerns him afterward to take a brow of brass And that of the Apostle ' Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3. But to come to the matter First they do ominously ad limen offendere stumble at the threshold and fall too but 't is fouly upon the first sentence of the Book viz. At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sin from the bottom of his heart Ezek. 18. I Except 1 will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance saith the Lord. At what time soever a sinner repenteth c. Against which they object first for the name that it is called a sentence of Scripture 2. The matter that it is contrary to Scripture 3. The effect that it implies a man may repent when he list this occasions delay of repentance which carries many to Hell First to shake off these flies that would blow this holy Sacrifice And then to vindicate the Religious Compilers of the Liturgy To the first And first for the naming it a sentence of Scripture when if it were true say they it is but a sense of Scripture which yet is more then they grant Hieron in epist ad Gal. c. 1. notum vob facio St. Jerom would long since have told them Nec putemus in verbis Scripturarum esse Evangelium sed in sensu non in superficie sed in medullâ non in sermonum foliis sed in radice rationis Neither let us think saith he that the Gospel consists in words Scripture is sense not syllables Matth. 4. but in the sense not in the bone but in the marrow not in the leaves of syllables but in the root of its reason For otherwise saith he in the same place the devil sometime quoted Scripture And before him Athanasius in the defence of the Council of Nice It being objected against the Council that it had used terms as consubstantial and the like not found in Scripture he answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every one saith he that is willing to learn Athanas de Nicen concil narrat sive Quòd illa idoneis sit usa verbis Tom. 1. Tract 15. know that although the very words be not in the Scriptures yet have they the mind of the Scripture and do sound the same thing in the ears of those who have their senses open unto godliness And that they are ignorant men that think otherwise If therefore it be the sense of Scripture it may not be unfitly called a sentence of Scripture Neither is it any injury as the Brethren cavil to say pag. 27. that the Apostles did the like in quoting the old Testament for what think they of this For thus it is written by the Prophet Matth. 2.5 6. Sense of Scripture sentence of Scripture Mic. 5.2 And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least among the Princes of Judah c. Whereas it is in the Prophet in words different yea quite contrary First Different viz. And thou Bethlehem Ephrata Next contrary Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee c. And there is added the word For which is not in the Hebrew VVherein they followed the Greek which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they mistaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad existendum for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad non existendum Per contractionem So that there is detraction contrariety and a material addition which cannot be shewn in the sentence impugned And what think they of another soon after Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God Matth. 4.10 and him onely shalt thou serve And our Saviour saith It is written Now in the place cited it is in the first Deut. 6.13 and 10.20 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his Name And in the second ' Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God him shalt thou serve and to him shalt thou cleave and swear by his Name Difference enough you see Is this a belying of the Scripture too And what think they of another Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet Jeremy Matth. 27.9 saying And they took the thirty pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value and gave them for the potters
likeness-sake So are these also called Scripture and holy Scripture yea and sometimes Canonical some of them De doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 8. by St. Austin But so that aliter Hieronymus accipit vocabulum hoc Canonicus aliter eam vocem Augustinus Innocentius Patres Carthaginuenses interpretanter Otherwise doth Jerom take the word Canonical and otherwise Austin Innocent and the Fathers at the Councel of Carthage saith our Whitaker Contr. 1. Q. 1. c. 4. And so I say otherwise do the Articles of our Church take the word Canonical and otherwise sometimes the Prayer-book and the Homilies But of this more largely above In the answer to the fourth general Exception Secondly These are brought in here not as an interrupting of the reading any more than the singing of a Psalm which though not express Scripture might be sung betwixt the Lessons or reading an Exhortation or Prayer for they are brought in by way of Hymn onely and are sung also in some Churches But in particular they except first against Te Deum Te Deum We praise thee O God c. that it is a piece taken out of the Mass-book and in Popish Churches usually sung Thence brought in by Bishops into Protestant Churches but no where enjoyned or warranted by any Law in force That it shews the Bishops are not able to give thanks themselves for extraordinary mercies That it is a superstitious formal dress c. Answ To the antiquity of Te Deum beyond the Mass-book its reference unto St. Ambrose might be testimony But it s being used there or taken thence doth no more derogate from the matter of it than it doth from the Psalmes Epistles and Gospels or then it doth from the Doctrine of Free-mercy against Merits which is yet there and in the very office of the Mass as we saw above In answer to the fifth general exception It is recorded as a reputation to the old Romans that they disdained not nec ab hoste doceri To learn even of an enemy for we In what is good all friends and fellows be That the Bishops brought it in does not argue want of ability to give thanks themselves but their want of self-conceit and singularity They prudently and modestly choosing to receive and close with what is good and of general reception That they might declare their communion with all Christians in what they might and fulfilling the Apostles prayer Rom. 15. With one mind and one mouth glorifie God with the rest of his Church That it is no where enjoyned and warranted by any Law in force Not established is more than they have charged the Book hitherto with Answ having not nor indeed being not able to do it alledged any one thing added to the body of the Liturgy established by Law pag. 28. n. 6. but an Appendix as themselves reckon of three prayers one for the Queen or King another for the Bishops a third for Queen Anne and the Royal Progeny 2. Act uniform com pr. Besides it is also untrue for themselves acknowledge as it is in the Act for the Uniformity of Common-prayer that the Books of 5 6 Edw. 6. shall be established without alteration except one sentence in the Letany and the addition of two in the Lords Supper c. Now it is evident that TE DEUM is in King Edwards Books and in the Book of Queen Elizabeth established by Parliament as we now receive it with all the Kings Parliaments and Judges since and comprehended by Bucer in that Elogy of his before named viz. That all generally till the Communion was agreeable to Gods Word and the use of the primitive Church Which form of Communion then hath been since reformed in part as he directed So that Te Deum is as well established by Law as any other part of the Book This gross reeling of the Brethren doth not it argue now they were etcaetera To the last which touches the matter of it viz. That it is a superstitious formal dress Seeing this is a high charge not on it but on the Common-prayer-book also yea and on the Church of England it should have in particular been shewed by the Brethren wherein it is so for dolosus versatur in universalibus This is the fruit perhaps of their Law-studies they have learned the course of Chancery to charge heavy crimes and prove nothing But shall I open this mystery of iniquity to be suspected in the breasts of these Brethren they seem to be Socinians and enemies to the Godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine of the Trinity both which are there splendidly acknowledged and professed in the Hymn of Te Deum Mr. Cartwright as it seems before Dr Reynolds and the rest at Hampton-Court were ashamed to except against it though they spared not where they thought exception might with any modesty be taken But as I said here is not onely a profession of the doctrine of the Trinity and a kind of repetition of the common Creed by way of Hymn The special use of the hymn TE DEUM but a particular application of prayer unto our Lord Jesus Christ which is done in no other part of the Book so expresly except the Letany Communion This is the superstition it may be feared that the Brethren aim at for other there is none We may now understand them when they call it and other parts of the Book Popish superstitious and Antichristian namely in his sense who writing against the doctrine of the Trinity and the Godhead of the Lord Jesus entituled his book Antithesis doctrinae Christi Antichristi de uno vero Deo An opposition of the doctrine of Christ and of Antichrist concerning the one true God To which the learned Zanchy making answer shews that for strengthning our faith in the doctrine of the Godhead of Christ Zanch. epistol dedic ad Sturm ante Resp suam ad Arrianum Tom. 8. p. 6. Ad hanc fidem in cordibus nostris servandam fovendam augendam quà m necessaria est crebra ad Christum in coelo residentem pro nobis interpellantem mentis elevatio EJUSQUE ac patris invocatio à verâ porrò seriâ contemplatione personae Christi ab assiâ—ua beneficiorum ejus commemoratione denique ab ardenti nominis ejus invocatione quibus fovetur fidos nostra separari non potest studium perpetuum resipiscentiae c. sunt autem haec meditatio invocatio resipiscentia tria praecipua verae fidei effecta c. For the nourishing this our faith saith he in the Godhead of Christ namely in our hearts and for the encreasing and preserving of it Prayer to Christ necessary for the strengthning of faith in him how necessary is the often lifting up our minds to Christ sitting in heaven and interceding for us and as necessary is prayer to him and to the Father Now from the true and serious consideration of the
So true is that long since foretold of such persons Their own tongues shall make them to fall Psal 64.8 after the Old Translation insomuch that whoso seeth them shall laugh them to scorn Neither is their sword that of the Spirit as if to curse or rather to recite and read them out of the Word of God 3. Sword were dissonant from the ministery of the Gospel Why read they then though they read but little in the publick those and such like Chapters out of the Bible Besides did not our Saviour curse Woe woe woe unto you Matth. 23. Scribes and Pharisees which he having named once repeats seven times in the same Sermon Unless woe be less then cursing Matth. 10. And did not he teach his Disciples to do so when he charged them to shake off the very dust from their feet as a testimony against them that would not receive them And doth not the Apostle say 2 Cor. 2.16 that the Ministers of the Gospel are as well the savour of death unto death as of life unto life Act. 13.11 chap. 23.3 And did he not curse when he said to Elymas Thou child of the devil and to the High-priest God shall smite thee thou whited wall And of the false Apostles 2 Cor. 11. that their end should be according to their work and wished that the Schismatical Teachers among the Galatians were cut off Gal. 4. Let them seriously consult the second Epistle of Peter and that of Jude But secondly to this Head The Minister doth not any thing more in this than in reading the Ten Commandements where 't is said The Lord will not hold him guiltless c. What is this but a curse express And That thy days may be long in the land which contains a curse implicite The old Divines Old method of Preaching they were wont to teach that Moses and John Baptist made way for Christ the Law for the Gospel Repentance for Faith as the needle for the thread But the Brethren know how to sow more easie pillows under all Ezek. 13.18 elbows Mar. 1.15 Act. 20.21 as the Prophet speaks Christ himself and so Paul did preach repentance before believing of the Gospel and represented the Curse that they might flee to the Blessing But let us try what metall their Shield is of whereby they would defend themselves viz. That was a service of the children of Israel 4. The Shield done but once and that not in the publick worship nor the Answ 1 place of it That no useful thing to others though first appointed to the Jews was peculiar unto them hath Answ 2 been shewn above That this was but once so done formally with that great solemnity of all the Tribes together the whole Nation assembled is granted yet it might be done by them more commonly in a less troublesom way and was in effect by the Prophets afterward And that this was not done as before though not with so great a Answ 3 multitude is not proved Neither if it were doth it follow that what was once commanded and is ever of good use in its season is therefore forbidden for ever Answ 4 because commanded but once That it was not done in publick worship is untrue for it was the most solemn and publick almost of any other They should say it was not done in the ordinary worship and why because it Answ 5 was an extraordinary service Which is an answer unto that It was not done in the place of publick worship that is the ordinary place it being not capable of it But as Mount Horeb was the place of worship at the delivery of the Law so Ebal and Gerizim at this solemn sanction of it by the Blessing and the Curse To the last piece People necessitated to curse themselves The people are hereby necessitated to curse themselves Why do not the Brethren enter an action at their profession the Law for this against God Almighty Answ who did in this Service so appoint his own people to curse themselves Numb 5.19 Exod. 22.11 as also in the suspected woman if guilty and any man that had concealed a thing of trust committed to him The end of which Ordinance then and of this institution of the Church now is most soveraign to the intent viz. That you saith the Commination being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners The use of it may the rather be called to earnest and true repentance and may walk more warily in these dangerous days fleeing from such vices for the which ye affirm with your own mouthes the curse of God to be due But this ground that men must not curse themselves overthrows all civil Oathes for or before the Magistrate lest they should curse themselves For what is an Oath but an invocation of God 2 Cor. 1. An Oath to witness upon our soul that we lâ—e not as the Apostle speaks with an adjuration and cursing of our selves if we lie We may hence perhaps see Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy why some of late have been so backward to swear either Allegiance or Supremacy because 't is to be feared some of them were true to neither Object For their close of Exceptions to the body of the Book where they say Answ That more might be said of sundry other particulars in the Service-book It is replyed above that more for number and weightier for substance have been long since urged by others and received by godly and learned * R. Hooker The Disputants at the Conf. Hamp Court and others men their full answer To which in the like scruples it were good that men would betake themselves * K. James pag. 47. of that Conference One of whom after solemn hearing of all that the Brethrens more modest Predecessors could object Thus concluded Alleadging from Bartolus de Regno That as better a King with some weakness than still a change Note so rather a Church and I add a Liturgy with some faults if such they were as the Brethren note then an innovation And surely saith he if these be the greatest matters you be grieved with I need not have been troubled with such importunities and complaints as have been made unto me some other more private course might have been taken for your satisfaction And surely it would make any man as it did him shake his head and smile And thus far of the matter of the Liturgy as to the substance of Worship SECT VI. Exceptions against the Ceremonies THe Appendixes follow and they are Ceremonies where their Exceptions against them may be reduced unto two heads First against the Imposition of Ceremonies in general Secondly against these in particular Of Ceremonies in general pag. 38. pag. 37. Touching the first they say That Ceremonies being things indifferent can by no command of Authority become necessary especially if they offend tender consciences For proof whereof
their general exception The next is against the Ceremonies of this Church and of the Common-prayer Book in particular Of the Ceremonies in partic Against which they except these things First that they are not established by Law Secondly that they are superstitious Thirdly that they are scandalous Fourthly that they have been occasions of persecution Fifthly they are burdensom for their number And lastly even by the consequence of the Article 34. of the 2. Homilie of the time and place of Prayer by the very Preface of the Common-prayer Book it self and also the practice of the Bishops they ought to be removed Touching the first that they are not established they endeavour to prove first generally in that the Common-prayer Book is not established secondly particularly because of the Book of 2. and 5 6 Ed. 6. and the Act of Uniformity of Common-prayer Touching the first that they are not established In the Answ to the sixth gen Except because the Common-prayer Book is not established hath been answered above Touching the particular proof here the Brethren do prevaricate not unpalpably and very undutifully traduce Qu. Eliz. and the Parliament that established the Book of Common Prayer P. 34. For first they say that However the Rubrick before the Book of Common-prayer printed in 1 Eliz. directeth to use such Ornaments as were in use in 2 Edw. 6. Ornaments of service yet that is no part of the Book of Common-prayer which the Parliament of 1 Eliz. established because the Book of 5. 6 Edw. 6. hath no such Rubrick or direction and that Act of 1 Eliz. for Uniformity of Common-prayer injoyns all things to be done according to the Book of 5 6 Edw. 6. and none other nor otherwise therefore nothing according to the Book of 2 Edw. 6. which yet * P. 39. afterward they say is good Law So that they make that Parliament very weak and inconsiderate men Answ and indeed meer C. Combs if that word might be used in reference to so awfull an Assembly that what they appointed in the very entrance of the Book by Rubr. they would establish they did by the Act immediately overthrow They appoint such Ornaments in the Book unto the Minister in Divine Service as was in use by Act of Parliament in the second year of Ed. 6. And in the Act they conform the Prayer-book unto that of 5 6. Ed. 6. and none other or otherwise As if the former were not an Exception and a Provâ—so also in the Act it self Act for Uniformity prope sinem Provided alwayes sayes the Act and be it enacted that such Ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof shall be received and be in use as were in the Church of England by the Authority of Parliament in the second year of the Reign of King Edw. 6. untill other order shall be therein taken note by the Authority of the Queens Majesty Note with the advice of her Commissioners appointed and authorised under the Great Seal of England for Causes Ecclesiastical or of the Metropolitane of this Realm Which latter clause of the Act yields a farther Answer to the Breth viz. that if those Ornaments were not otherwise established either by the Act or by the Liturgie yet by this Act Other Ceremonies if they be established by the Queen and her Commissioners and so by the following Princes Q. hath power to ordain Ceremon Rites and Orders Ecclesiastical it is sufficient The like may be said for Ceremonies Rites and Orders appointed by the Book That Act immediately after the former words subjoyning And also that if there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the Orders appointed in this Book the Queens Majesty may by the like advice of the said Commissioners or Metropolitane ordain and publish such further Ceremonies or Rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy Mysteries and Sacraments So that here is establishment enough Next they would prove that the Ceremonies in the Common-prayer Book for of those they are speaking are not established by Law Pag. 38. because the Common-prayer Book of 2 Edw. 6. is in some things referred to And particularly as to Ornaments and Rites both by the Rubrick before Common-prayer in the present Liturgy and by the Statute of 1 Eliz. 2. So that as to this point vâ—z of Ornaments and Rites which they named and as to Ceremonies for of those they are speaking and instance in them presently so much of that Book is still in force by Law But that Book hath expresly given a liberty in some of the things here desired to be no further imposed where in the last page thereof called Certain Notes for the more plain Explication and decent Ministration of things contained therein it saith As touching kneeling crossing holding up of hands knocking upon the breast and other gestures they may be used or left as every mans devotion serveth without blame This say the Brethren is still good Law c. wherein they do as well falsifie as prevaricate for neither the Rubrick before the Common-prayer nor the Act for Uniformity do name Ornaments and Rites as the Brethren recite the words but Ornaments only Now the word Rites comprehends the Ceremonies also which are not referred to in this Act but bounded in the Book it self and further liberty given to the Queen about them as we saw above out of the Act. Again they prevaricate for they know it was far from the meaning of that Rubrick they quote in 2 Ed. 6. when it names kneeling crossing and other gestures as things indifferent to be done or left according to every mans devotion Far it was from them to intend the Crosse in Baptism or the kneeling at the Communion or other gesturâ—s establisht in that very Book and by Act of Parliament and the latter whereof they explain by Rubrick in the Book of 5 6. Edw. 6. But the Brethren know they meant these words of such other Crossings and Kneelings and gestures which were many in those times not appointed by the Book So much for the â—stablishment The next is they are superstitious Superstitious Thirdly scandalous Both which have been replyed to above to which I referre for brevities sake only because this Tract is growen farre beyond what I intended The fourth is they have been occasions of persecution to manâ— able and godly peaceable Miniâ—teâ—s and sober Christians With reference to what hath been said above I add Pâ—â—â—â—â—ble Ministâ—â—s first Touching the Ministers that peacâ—â—ble they are not if like the Brethren Who first endâ—avour to enflame the people as well as Parliament and then to cast questions of difference between the King and Parliament â—ag â—â—â— â—â—â—r â— about Prerogative â— as they not obscurely do by quarrellâ—ng the validity of the
Note whom they have now rejected and to renounce my separation before I bee separated out of this world Thus far Mr. Will. Giigate with other things worth the noting SECT II. AS touching my self the like or if you will the contrary upon a contrary cause hath happened For in August last going to London with a great part of these Retractations with intention to print them wholly off as some of it was done before It pleased God to assault * Aug. 24. St. Barth day 1660. Job 19.12 On the Eve whereof now 1661. and in the same place not on design but occasionally I observe I am ultimately fitting this Chapter for the Press providence hath often such not to be neglected parallels mee with a whole squadron of diseases ' and as Job speaks hee sent out his troops against mee every one of them threatning no less than the approach of the King of Fears A Plurisie an high Malignant if not a pestilential Feaver the Jaundice and a Cough threatning a Consumption after all With the second whereof the Physicians being affrighted that was their word and it prevailing to a great measure of heat deprivation of sleep inequallity and interception of the pulse both in their fears and in my own sense I began to receive the sentence of death in my self 2 Cor. 1. It was now a time of most solemn exploration as in reference unto other matters so also unto that of Retractation both that which I had before * In the Tract intitled the Pastor and the Clerk Anno 1659. Gen. 8. published above mentioned and this which I had brought with mee for the Press But the Dove ' my conscience could finde no rest for the sole of its foot but in the Ark of this Church and State as established by Law And unto which I had by those Retractations declared my return And I did tremble at the thoughts of being found either in Sedition or Schism as to my judgement I formerly was Now the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. The fire shall try every mans work whether it bee Gold Hay or Stubble This proof therefore God having given mee of these Retractations I have made bold thus far with the Readers Candor here to impart it as perhaps not altogether useless SECT III. ANd now because nec medico in majus gratia referri potest Senec. de Benef lib. 3. cap. 35. nec nautae si naufragum sustulit Wee cannot be too thankful to our Medicant or to our Mariner saving us from Shipwrack Give mee leave by way of Recognition to reflect with Gratitude on the healing hands of those worthy persons Of Dr. Tho. Cox one of His now Majesties Physicians in ordinary who though designed formerly for another study yet Scire potestates herbarum usumque medendi Maluit Hee rather chose the power of herbs to know And that good Art whence health to man doth grow And of Dr. John Hill another of the Colledge my honoured friend and Collegiate now deceased lately Both Gratis and without Fee yea and with the offer of supply also because I was visited from mine own home And of Mr. Will. Bradford Apothecary my Collegiate also at the three black Lions in the Old-Bayley which God was pleased to make use of for my recovery None of these were of that number with him Tertul. advers Marcion lib. 1. qui nutriat morbum morâ praesidii periculum extendat dilatione remedii quo preciosius aut famosius curet That maintains the disease by the delay of remedy and augments the danger by deferring of help for the more gainful reward or the greater reputation But as one of them Qui plus impendit quà m medico necesse est pro me non pro fama artis extimuit Senec. de Benefic lib. 6. c. 16. Non fuit contentus remedia monstrare sed admonit Interea sollicitus assedit ad suspecta tempora occurrit Nullum Ministerium oneri illi nullum fastidio fuit Gemitos meos non securus audivit In turbâ multorum inuocantium ego illi potissima curatio fui Who performs more than might bee look't of a Doctor A Physician Careful not for his own credit but for my safety Not contented to prescribe the remedies but hee applies them In the mean while sits and observes diligently Hastens to be present at critical seasons Is neither weary nor ashamed of any office hee may do Hears my groans with trouble and so attends mee as if among the crowd that call for help my self onely were his patient And in a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Il. λ. A man of Art whose finger cures the sick More than the body of an Emperick SECT IV. BUt yet Non haec humanis opibus Aeneid 12. non arte Magistrâ Proveniunt Major agit Deus atque opera ad majora remittit This not by humane help nor Physicks skill 'T was God that did it whose most sacred will Is I should live to further service still Psal 147.3 After the old English Mark 2.7 For hee saith the Psalmist giveth medicine to heal their sickness Because sickness originally is the fruit of sin and none can forgive sin but God onely Hence they are joyned and joyntly ascribed unto him Psal 103.3 who forgiveth all thy sin who healeth all thy diseases Which is also the observation of Hezekiah being recovered from sickness Thou hast saith hee delivered mee from the pit of corruption Isa 38.17 for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back Psal 116.12 For my self therefore I must exclaim with the former And passionately interrogate my soul What shall I render unto the Lord for all these benefits towards mee And particularly for giving mee this further proof by this tryal that there is no peace to the wicked Isa 57. ult and Apostates from communion with this Church and from obedience to the fundamental Laws of this Nation The Laws being not onely a result of the reason of many men for publick good as that * Dr. Sibs Souls conflict cap. 17. Author speaks But also of the Law of Nature it self As the * Rom. 2.15 chap. 1.19 Apostle shews Nay an express even of Gods own Law As the same Apostle hath it a little before if * R. Hook Eccl. pol. l. 3. sec 9. therefore they have God for their Author contempt which is offered unto them cannot chuse but redound unto him Whose vindication of himself and such Laws wee have seen executed upon the violaters from the least of them unto the greatest The Lord therefore having delivered mee from so great a sin and so dangerous a sickness I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord Psal 116. I will pay my vows c. CHAP. X. The Conclusion Petitory Monitory Speratory SECT I. ANd now to close this Tractate I beseech all men to judge nothing before the time