THE ANSWER OF JOHN BASTVVICK Doctor of Phisicke To the Information of Sir IOHN BANCKS Knight Atturney universall IN WHICH There is a sufficient Demonstration That the Prelats are Invaders of the Kings Prerogative Royall Contemners and Despisers of holy Scripture Advancers of Poperie Superstition Idolatry and Prophanesse ALSO That they abuse the Kings Authoritie to the oppression of his loyallest Subjects and therein exercise great crueltie tyrannie and injustice and in the execution of these impious performances they shew neither wit honestie nor temperance NOR That they are either Servants of GOD or of the KING as they are not indeed but of the Devill being enemies of God and the King and of every living thing that is good All which the sayd Doctor Bastwick is ready to maintaine before King and Counsell against them all with the hazard of otherwise being exposed to extremest miserie Printed in the yeare 1637. To the Kings most Excellent Majestie Most Sacred Majestie THE comfort of all poore Subjects under any Kingdom and Empire hath ever beâ—n this That in all oppressions calamities they had a Caesar to appeale toâ— who in the place of God did defend the poore from the tyranny of the mighty deliver them from the cruelty of the more potent after hee had heard their just Defence and Answer for themselves this is the onely glory of a Monarchy and of regal Government which favour liberty was never yet denyed under Pagan Emperors to poore Christians and the which your Highnesse hath never yet refused to grant to any in your Kingdomes which hath emboldened mee a loyall though poore Subject in this great extremity to flye unto your Highnes who hath been most cruelly and unjustly dealt with by the Prelates for mayntayning your Prerogative Royall and at this time suffers their mercylesse oppression being denyed that which hath not been hitherto refused to those that have been reputed delinquents against sacred Mast. and to have abused the reverend Iudges of the Kingdome which was the enjoying of the society of their wifes and friends for their reliefe and comfort and that they might put in their answer under their owne hands names when they could have no counsel and yet these are now denyed unto your poore Subjects by the Prelats Wherefore he amongst the rest doth humbly appeals unto your Mast. beseeching your gracious Highnes to heare his just defence and answer especially it tending so much for the advancement of the honour of God the honour dignity of your most excellent Mast. the good of the whole Kingdome it making so much allso for the discovering of the cruelty tyranny unjustice of the Prelats over your loyallest Subjects in abusing your Mast autority their impiety also against God their disloyaltie also against your sacred Mast. with the vvrong they have likevvise done to your royall Father of famous memory All vvhich if hee shall not bee able to prove against them he vvill vvillingly undergoe vvhat punishment any authoritie shall lay upon him Therefore he most humbly beseecheth your Mast. that you vvould please to receive his ansvver to vvhom he hath made itâ— vvhom chiefly it concerneth And hee shall ever acknovvledge your Princely favour in it and shall ever pray for your Mast. happy raigne and long lifeâ— vvith the affluence of all divine benediction upon your Royall Person Crovvne Dignitie your illustrious Posteritie and ever remaine Your most truely obedient Subject JOHN BASTWICK The severall Answâ—â— OF Iohn Bastwick Doctor of Physick 〈…〉 ents to the Information of Sir Iohn Ba 〈…〉 his Majesties Atturney Generall THe â—aid Defendent saving reserving to himselfe now and at all times hereafter all advantages and benefits of exceptions to the incertaintie and insufficientie and other imperfection of the said Information For answer thereunto so far forth as concerns the sayd defendent he saith he doth with all thankfullnes acknowledge his Majesties great care zeale at all times for the mayntenance and defence of the true Christian faith and religion the service of Almighty God love charity and concord among his Subjects withall that his peopleâ— all loyall Subjects have great cause dayly to praise God for the happy government they have had under him and for that they may for futurity promise unto themselves under his Royalty and Principality especially when he hath so graciously made knowne his pious intentions for the goodâ— and Wellfare of Church and State in that his Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects of the causes which made him dissolve the last Parlament published by his Highnesses speciall command in the which Declaration pag. 21. his Mast. thus speaks For wee call God to record before whom we stand That it is and alwayes hath been our hearts desire to be found worthy of that Title which we account the most glorious in all our Crowne Defender of the faith Neither shall we ever give way to the autorizing of any thing whereby innovation may steale or creep into the Church but preserve that unity of doctrine discipline established in the time of Queen Elizâ— whereby the Church of England hath stood flâ—rished ever since c. These words â—olemne protestation of our most pious King cannot but stirre up the hearts loves and affections of all his true and loyall Subjects both incessantly to pray for his happy life raigne preservation and also to the utmost of their powers to yeeld all subjection obedience yea their lives and liberties for the honour of his Crowne Dignity in the number of the vvhich Subjects the said defendent professeth himself to be being willing and ready at all times and upon all occasions not onely to lose his liberty livelyhood estate but millions of lives if he had them in defence of his Empire and prerogative royall and doth againe againe acknowledge and that with all thankfullnes his renowned Highnesses zeale care for the maintenance of the true religion love charity and concord amongst his Subjects and beseech the King of Kings and Lord of Lords long to continue him among us and to put into his royall heart to remove all those Scandals in Church State which have beenâ— such hinderances of the propagation of the Christian faith and true religion established in his Mast. Kingdoms of the which he is defender in his dominions and the right instruction of the people in the same who alone are most of the Prelats in generall the Arch Prelats in speciall being so farre from seeking the right and due instruction of the people in the true Christian faith religion as the information vvould inferre as they spend their vvhole endeavours to take avvay all the possibility and meanes of instruction vvhich is the preaching of the vvord that is onely able to save our soules and vvithout vvhich no man can beleeve or come to life eternall as thousand plâ—ces in sacred Writ vvitnâ—s and among other that
in the 26â— of the Acts vvhere Christ saith unto Paul Rise stand up on thy feet For I have appeared unto thee for this purposâ—â— to make thee a minister witnes both of the things which thou hast seene and of those things in which I will appeare unto thee delivering thâ—e from the people and from the Gentilesâ— unto whom now I send thee to open their eieâ— and to turnâ— them from darknes unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenes of Sinnes inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith which is inâ— mâ—e And Paul vvas not disobedient to this heavenly vision but preached unto all men that they should repentâ— turne to God and doe vvorks meet for repentance And this vvas and is the onely vvay God hath appointed to save our soules by for Faith cometh only by heaâ—ingâ— this preaching vvas all that Paul didâ— I came not to baptise sayth hee but to preach the Gospell so that preaching is the effect of all the ordinances And in another place he saith Woe be meâ— If I preach not the Gospell And in the sixt of the Acts the Apostles told the Churchâ— That it was not reason that they should leave the vvord of God serve Tables and â—herefore they resolved continually to give themselves to prayer to the ministery of â—he Wordâ— And in the 4. of the Ac 〈…〉 the Rulers commanded Peter and 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 nor teach in the name of â—esus Th 〈…〉 vered 〈◊〉 unâ—o them Wheâ—her it be right in 〈…〉 of God to hearken unto yâ—u more then unto 〈…〉 ge yee for vve cannot but speake the things 〈…〉 e have heard Heâ—e vve see the vvhole office 〈…〉 the Apostles vvas to preach the Gospell◠〈…〉 the vvorke taâ—ke and duty of Ministers to 〈…〉 same vvord of life And Paul set hi◠〈…〉 re them for his sedulity in preach 〈…〉 mands them to follovv him in that◠〈…〉 y and Titus and all Ministers in them to 〈…〉 stant in season and out of season in preaching the vvord they that neglect that duty are no Ministers of Christ nor of the Gospell Yea the Bishops themselves and all their Priests as they call them as vve may see in the booke of Ordinations solemnly promise before God the Church that â—hey vvill be diligent in the preaching of the Worde of God and publishing of the Gospell And for the better stirring of them up to that Duty and Office they reade the 20. Chapter of the Acts concerning the charge that vvas given the Elders and Bishops of Ephesus for their diligent preaching of the Gospell And in most of all their prayers before their Sermons they beseech God to blesse the tvvo fountaynes of all learning in this Kingdom that he vvould send out streames for the vvatering of â—he garden of the Church and that he vvould preserve those fountaynes pure and incorrupt Novv all men knovv hovv Paul planted and Apollos vvatered the garden of the Church and that vvas by preaching as is manifest in the 1. of the Cor. Notvvithstanding all this Viz. the charge that is layd upon them by God himself that they should preach the vvord diligently as they love him notvvithstanding allso the promise that the Bishops and their Priests have made of their particular care in preaching vvhich is onely able to save our soules notvvithstanding the curse that is layd upon them if they do not preach notvvithstanding they pray that the tvvo â—ountaines may send out streames for the vvatering of the garden of the Church Notvvithstanding all the premisses the Defendent saith That the Prelats neither preach themselves nor vvill let others preach but silence allmost vvhole Diocesses together and have extinguished very many of the chiefe burning lights amongst us and doe dayly suspend â—he remnant of the most laborious painfull Ministers through England and Wales and have deprived the people of all Soules comfort and spirituall solace vvithout vvhich a mans life is miserable to the infinit dishonoâ—r of God hinderance of the Christian faith and the good institution of the people yea and to the trouble of the vvhole Church and State and therefore the Prelats are the onely hinderers of the instruction of the people in their Christian faith and the saving of their soules and by consequence the enimyes of the Church and Kingdome for from these Priests is iniquity gone out through the vvhole Kingdome and of the truth of that the Defendent novv saithâ— all the Realme can vvitnes and the Prelates practices prove vvho make voyd the commandements of God by their vaine traditions and trample his holy divine precepts under their feet and stop the course of the everlasting Gospell and therefore the enemies of Christs Kingdome and the salvation of their Brethren Novv vvhereas in the Information it is saydâ— That the tontriving publishing divulging sâ—lling venting and dispersing of defamatory and libellous Booksâ— pamphlets and infamous Libells and Letters are pernicious wicked things in themselves and of dangerous consequence to his Mast. service and the publik weale of this Realme directly contrary to wholesome Lawes and Statutes The Defendent for his part doth absolutly in all things thinke the same But vvhereas the Informers vvould make the Defendent M. Burtonâ— M. Prin guilty of such things and to have envyed maligned his Mast. happy government and the good discipline of the Church and that they have made a confederation among themselves out of some schismaticall factious humors and have from time to time causlesly indeavored as much as in them lyeth to vilify defame his Mast. Excellent government the proceedings of the Courts Spiritual and within the Kingdome especially the Court of High Commission for Ecclesiastical causes that the said Confederats have within these seven yeares last past raised layd diverse false scandalous imputations upon the proceedings of all the Courts in generall especially of the sayd High Commission and chiefly upon the Archbishoppes Bishops prime Iudges thereof who doe equally administer justice therein by acquitting the innocent and correcting the nocent according to their demerit proceeding therein with great temper moderation and by their wicked courses and by telling divulging of false lyes news and tales have attempted to move and stirre the people to disobedience and discontent against his Mast. government for the effecting of the said wicked designes purposes the said Iohn Bastwick having been heretofore about the 10. or 12. of February in the tenth yeare of his Mast. raigne justly censured by the said High Commission Court for writing speaking words tending to the maintaining upholding of schisme and division in his Mast. Church of England opposition against the laudable orders ceremonies of the Church as by the said Sentence amongst other things more at large appeareth Thereupon vvithin these three yeares last past he
of the Kingdome of Heaven by name are committed those are more vvorthy honorable then those thaâ— have not that Priviledge But for the Presbyters they have the Priviledge of the Keys granted unto them by name Ergo the Presbyters are more honorable then Bishops For the major no good Christian vvill or rationall man can deny it And for the minor he that readeth the last of Iames shall finde it manifestly enough confirmed and proved By all vvhich Arguments the Defendent did sufficiently beat dovvne the Bishop of Romes autority and by the very light of reason overthew it For if that every Presbyter be by the word of God as good a man as the Bishop of Rome if not better and vvithall if the Presbyters neither can nor may usurp autority over their fellovv brethren much lesse may they doe it over Kings and Emperors and by consequence and necessity of reson it follovveâ—h that the Bishop of Rome hath no cause to arrogate such autority to himselfe over the vvhole Church as he doth and therefore that his rule Government is a meere usurpation and an abominable tyranny over the vvhole Church of God and ought of all men to be defyed abominated and abhorred vvith all his complices as impious and blasphemous against Godâ—â—njuriouâ— to Kings Princes and nocent to all the faithfull members of Iesus Christ. The recapitulation of all the vvhâ—ch Arguments this Defendent thought fit to make knovvne to this honourable Court that their illustricityes might in every respect see his innocency vvho first exemted all Bishops that acknovvledge their autorityes from Kings and Emperors out of the number of those against vvhich he disputed and secondly never by name fought against any other but Romish Bishops and vviâ—h their ovvne arguments vvounded themâ— And therefore he could not but take it unkindly that when in this combat they should have helped him against the common enimie they defending him fell upon the poore Defendent to his perdition saying that he meant â—hem and that he vvas erronious and factious in his opinions Novv if the Defendent hath erred in the discussing of these truthes the Scripture that Word of Life hath brought him to it vvhich vvere blasphemie to thinke and therefore vvhen they adjudged his booke to be burnt they might as vvell have burnt thâ— Scripture also yea all antiquitie and the gravest and learnedest of auncient Fathers vvhose testimonies also hee hath made publick for the greater vindication of the truth against error and cruelty But that the integritie of the defendent may yet more clearlie appeare he most humbly entreateth this Illustrious Tribunall to heare hovv the busines vvas carried against him at his Araignment before the Prelats Barre at Lambeth and hovv submissively he demeaned himself there and hovv superciliously they carried themselves towards the Defendent on the contrary side When it came to his part to speake for himselfe the Advocat having formerly denied to plead his case any farther then about the vvitnesses testimonie vvhich he also did very jejunely beeing an Advocate of such excellent parts of learning and eloquence as he vvas and also at the Bar â—enouncing iâ— saying That the Defendent should plead himselfe which vvhen it vvas put upon him he then first related vnto the Assemblie the Theame of the booke vvhich vvas the mayntenance of the Kings prerogative royall Then he told them the occasion of his vvriting of it that he vvas provoked thereunto by a Pontifician vvho often had dared him into the list of disputeâ— which aâ— last he could not deny as he vvas a Christian and as he vvas a Subiect for by the Word of God he told them and by the Law of the Land and his speciall oath he vvas bound unto it vvhich Oath he also read at large in open Court the vvhich also all the Bishops of England and all the Iudges of the Kingdome had taken and vvere equally bound vvith him to observe Then before he entred into the combat vvith the adversarie he shevved vvhat caution he used that being to vvrite against the Bishop of Rome Italian Bishops it vvas onely as they arrogate their auâ—oritie over their Brethren and the Church of God yea over Kings and Emperors jure divino against such Bishops onely hee affirmed he did dispute read the vvords of exception formerly cited at the Barre as for such Bishops as acknovvledge their jurisdiction povver and autority from Kings and Emperors he sayd he haâ— no controversy against them as he there againe and againe declared himself in the number of vvhich he the Defendent sayd ours were for all the Bishops of England and in his Majst Dominions had and received or at leastvvise ought so to doe their autoritie jurisdiction over their brethren from him For proofe of vvhich he cited read publickly the Statuts and Acts of Parlament as follow First that of the first of Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie vvherein the Oath of Allegiance vvas ratifyed In the which Statute there are these words That all jurisdiction all Superiorities and all Privileges and Preminencies spirituall and temporall are annexed to the Imperiall Crovvne vvhich by Oath he being bound to mayntaynâ—â— could doe no lesse being provoked by an adversary of regal dignity He read also the Statute vvhich was inacted in the 37. of Henrry the eight vvhich is that Archb and Bish. and all other Ecclesiasticall persons have no other Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction but that vvhich they received and had by the King from the King and under his Royall Majest He read also the Statute made in the first of King Edward the sixt in these vvords That all jurisdiction and Autoriâ—ie Spirituall and Temporall is derived and doth come froÌ„ the Kings Majest as supreme Head in the Churches and Kingdomes of England and Ireland and that by the Clergy of both the Kingdomes it ought no otherwise to be held or esteemed of and that all Ecclesiasticall Courts vvithin the sayd Kingdomes ought to be held and kept by no other povver and autoritie eyther domesticall or forrain then that vvhich comes from his most excellent Majestie And that vvhosoever did not acknovvledge and venerate this autoritie that the same men are ipso facto in a praemunire under the Kings high displeasure and indignation as the vvords of the Statute run and the mouth of the lavv speaks and then vvith some reasonâ— also vvhich the Defendent produced besides the Word of God hee shevved That no Romish Bishops had autoritie over their fellovv brethren nor could jure divino challenge it much lesse over Kings and Emperors and therefore so long as the defendent had the Word of God the Lavves of the Kingdome and reason it self on his side he told them he thought himself reasonably secure from all danger in that place And then applying his speech unto the right honorable and noble Lord the Earle of Dorset then present the Defendent tolde his honour that he could not but vvonder that hee should stand
beene forced to recite because it makes very much for the justification of what hee writ in his Apology and that hee had good ground greatly to blame the Prelates aswell for these as for many other of their proceedings as afterwards this honorable Court shall well perceive And now that the Defendent may come to the things that he is charged with in the Information as to have accused the Bishops of in his Apology which by the informers is termed a Libell though it contayneth nothing but a true Narration of the passages of the High-Commission Court which he never spake nor writ against but onely against the abuses of the Iudges in it who have turned that Court which was of purpose appoynted by the State for the suppressing of Heresyâ— Popery and viceâ— to the beating downe of the Religion established by Autority and the promotion and advancement of superstition and the molestation and undoing of the Kings faithfullest Subjects and the deare servants of God as daylie experience teacheth us and the whole Kingdome can witnes In the writing of which booke he the Defendent thinketh himself so far from being a delinquent as he conceiveth he hath done good service to King Church and State having in it vindicated and mayntayned regall Autoritie against the tyranny of the Pope discovered also the Prelats lawlesse usurpations with their ungratitude to the King and cruelties againâ—â— their brethten mayntayned the hoâ—our likewise of the Lawes of the Land and the dignity of sacred Writ both which they slight and make nothing of and by innâ—merable testimonyes of learned men proved the assertion for which he is thus traduced and envyed to be neither novell nor hereticall but according to both the Divine Scriptures and all Antient trueth the vetustest Bishops and by the whole clergy of England in King Henry the eights dayâ—s as all the learned and ingenuous do well perceive and know both at home and abroad So that if â—he Informers with the Prelats will make this Booke a libell then let them make holy Scripture the Lawes of the Kingdome and all the antient recordâ— of learned Bishops libells also for the Defendent in â—hat haâ—h sayd nothing concerning the Preâ—bytery which is not agreeable to them all And for â—he matters in specâ—all he is charged wiâ—h in the information Viz. That he hath causlesly enveighed against the oath ex officio and other antient formes of proceedings in that Court and against the sacred Hierarchy orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons preferring a Presbyteâ—ian parity before it And â—â—at he hath falsly and scandalously defamed the witnesses produced against him falsly maliciously taxed the High Commission Court it self and the Iudges therein in generall and some of them particularly and peâ—sonally with cruelâ—y and injustice with want of wisdome and temperance and that they are perswaders of his Majest to bloudshed and are upholders of idolatry superstition Popery and Prophanesse and further most maliciously and falsly affirmeth that Canterbury London and Ely are disgracers and contemners of holy Scriptures and falsly traduceth them and the rest of the Bishops for traytors and invaders of his Majest Prerogative and that in the sayd booke there are contayned diverse other unlawfull and scandalous passages against the established government and seâ—led discipline of the Church of England the Bishops and Clergy and their proceedings which being many and of various naâ—ure is delivered into his Majestâ— Court of Starchamber To all which things that he is here charged with the Defendent will answer with what breviâ—yâ— and the best Method he can doubteth nothing but whatsoever he hath writ in his Apology against the Prelats their proceeding shall be made evidently appeare to this Court to be most true And to begin with the things layd to his charge in the last place that hee accuseth the Bishops to be disgracers and contemners of holy Scripture to be invaders of his Majest prerogative upholders of idolatry Poperie superstition and prophanesse All which is most true for so they are as he hath sufficientlie proved against them in that booke and doth here also add that they have greatly dishonoured the King their Master and King Iames his Father of perpetuall memoryâ— all which he will briefly declare and demonstrat to this noble Court And that they are contemners disgracers of holy Scripture what can be more manifest when they say that the Scriptures are the refuge of all Schismaticks and Hereticks as much as if they should say â—he good Lawes and Statuts of a Kingdome and the Kings Edicts and Proclamations are the cause of all disorder and wickednes withall what is it to be contemners and disgracers of the holy Scriptures if this be not to say That they can neither be knowen to bee the Word of God nor distinguished from the Apocrypha and Prophane Authors nor be understood and the meaning of them attayned unto for their obscurity but by the Fathers If this be not to contemne sacred writ then all Orâ—hodox writers both in ours all reformed Churches and King Iames himself have accused the Church of Rome most falsly whom they prove blasphemous against God and disgracers of the Holy Scriptures for the same assertions as all their learned wriâ—ings witnes wiâ—h innumerable Arguments in them for proofe of the same The Defendent desireth to know what it is to prophane and contemne holy Scripture of thâ—s be not to slight and vilyâ—â— the autority of it and to proferre humane authority before it which the Bishops did blasphemously saying that they couâ—d not be knowne to be the Word of God without the help of the Fathers when every page and leafe of those sacred monuments breath a divine Spirit and they are called the lively oracles Act. 7. vers 38. as if the Scripture had lost his ancient luster â—ife and Divinity by its antiquity were inferior to alâ— other things boâ—h Naturall and Artificiall When notwiâ—h standing there is such a Maiesty and Splendor in the Scripture as it dazleth the eyes of all those that looke into it with hiâ— transcendent and heavenly clarity and brightnes the eyes of whose minds the God of this world hath not blinded yea vnder the very law whâ—n there was a vayle before the eyes of men so that they could not so clearly see into them as now Christians may yet then such dignity and excellency was discerned in them that at the first reading of them men cryed out the voice of God and not of man tore their garments for very anguish and feare of the threats in them and never were so ungratious and impious to say How shall wee know these books to be the Word of God For the holy Scriptures had ever such an innate and Domesticall light beauty goodnes in them and caryed such testimony and witnes within themsâ—lves ever able to declare themselves Divine and holyâ— to be the very word of the everliving God that they needed
eternall life they testifie of mee And in the 3. of the Acts ver 22 23. S. Peter brings all men unto Christ to be taught by him not in somethings onely but that Prophet must be heard in all things and no other in Gods matters must be listened unto the words are these For Moses truely sayd unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto mee him shall you heare in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shal come te passe that every Soule which will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people And in the 12. of Iohn vers 48. our Saviour sayth He that rejecteth mee and receiveth not my Words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spake the same shall judge him in the last day And therefore doth it not stand with all good reason that we should guide square our lives and actions by that word and rule onely by which we shall at the last day be judged Paul in the 2. of the Rom. ver 16. sayth That the secrets of mens hearts shall at that day be judged according to his Gospell shall not all our doctrines yea and our whole Religion be squared and regulated by the same all good reason vvould dictate so They have Moses the Prophets sayth Abrahamâ— let them heare him saith he Luc. 16. ver 29. We have Christ and his Apostles we are onely to heare them in all things not the Faâ—hers not the traditions of the Elderâ— not the use customes of former ages if they dissent from the holy Scriptures and vvritten word of God For the great Doctor of his Church telleth the Saduces saying Yee erre not knovving the Scriptures Matth. 12. vers 24. indeed from the ignorance of the Scriptures commeth all error they that follovv the Scripture for their guide can never stray or straggle from the right vvay neither have they need to borrovv the candle of the Fathers to be directed by so long as the glorious Sun of the vvord shineth so clearly and it was the eternall praise and commendations of the more noble Bereans that they did dayly search the Scriptures vvhether the things the Apostles taught vvere so or no. Acts 17 ver 11. and Paul is greatly honored vvith this applause in the 26. of the Acts ver 22. that he taught no other things then those vvhich the Prophets and Moses did say should come te passe And so Christ taught his Apostles Luc. 24 that all things ought to be fullfilled concerning him vvhich vvere vvrit in Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes So that the Scriptures alone are the Foundation of all our religion and to say that the meaning of the Scriptures can not be knowne without the Fathers is an unsufferable wickednes done unto that holy booke and an infinite contempt and disgrace of it to say it hath need of the ayde of man to support it Christ vanquished the Devill by the Scriptures Matth. 4. drove away the Saduces Matth. 22 and S. Iames by the Scriptures put an end unto the great controversy of the Churches at Ierusalem set the Churches of the Gentiles free for ever from all Ceremonyes vvhatsoever but those God himselfe had appoynted Acts 15. and onely by the Scriptures did Paul resolve all questions So that according to Gods ovvne instruction and direction vvhich must ever be obeyed and listened unto the Scriptures onely soly must bee the Iudge Law square rule of all our religion vvords actions Not the Autority of the Fathers not the traditions of men not the practice custome of the ancient and the name of Antiquity For they that shall preferre these things before the Word of God or at least affirme that these Holy Oracles and Divine records cannot be understood vvithout the Fathers do not only blasphemously disgrace and contemne the Holy Scriptures but neglect the great Prophet vvhom vve ought to heare in all things so that listening unto the voice of men before the vvords of this great Prophet accusing the Scriptures of obscurity and saying they are the refuge of all Schismaticks and Hereticks is great impiety contumacy against God most injurious to the Holy Scriptures All which the Prelats being so highly guilty of the Defendent will never be a frayd to charge them with it that they are disgracers contemners of Holy Scripture withall that they are very ungratefull to the King their master invaders of his Prerogative Royall all which he shall make also evidently appeare to this honorable Court and how unworâ—hily yea prophanely they have abused not onely the King their now Soveraigne but his most excellent Father of pious memory And that they are invaders of his Prerogative it iâ— most certayne not onely by the Statuts Lawes of the Kingdome but by this very information For by the Lawes Statuts specified before with many others it is solemnly inacted That whatsoever Autority is here exercised under the King in his Dominions whether it be Spirituall or Temporall whether by Archbishops Bishops or any Ecclesiasticall men it is meerly in by and from the King and so ought to be acknowledged and that all jurisdictions superiorities all privileges and preeminencies spirituall and Ecclesiasticall are annexed unto the Imperiall Crowne so to be acknowledged And whosoever doth not acknowledge that all jurisdiction and Autoritie both Spirituall and Temporall is derived and doth flow immediatly from the Kings Majestâ— as supreme head under Christ in these Churches and in his Kingdomes as the Statutes declare at large is ipso facto in a praemunire and under his Majest high displeasure For it is the Prerogative of Princes and the priviledge that onely agrees to Kings and Potentates to be absolute in their Dominions and that all other jurisdictions superiorityes exercised by any other in their Kingdomes are derived from them and that of themselves they have none but as from the Kings So that it is arbitrary and in the Princes power to have or not to have such jurisdictions and preeminencies under them And that they may abdicat or annihilate them when they please And whosoever shall deny this or clayme any right of Government to themselves in Princes Dominions jure Divino are delinquents against their Kings and Masters and by our Lawes and Statutes they are proclaymed enimyes of the King and his Prerogative Royall that is true the mouth of the Law hath spake it And therefore the Defendents booke cannot be called a Libell without the Lawes first be proclamed such for the lawes say That all such persons as shall challenge any Autority unto themselves in his Majest Dominions but from the King are delinquents against his Majest and invaders of his prerogative Royall his Highnesses enimyes and so they are Now that the Prelats are such they sufficiently declared it in the censure of the Defendent For he reading
oveâ—ruling their brethren and beating their fellow servants is to bee rebels against Christ and to usurp that vvhich belongeâ—h not unto them and vvhich thâ—y ought not to meddle with and therefore vvhen the Prelats doe not onely eate up and devoure this forbidden fruit but challenge a right unto it from God himselfe and say they have no depencie from the King the Defendent maintaineth that it is intollerable arrogancie against God the King and by vvhich they are delinquents in an elevated degree of contumacie against them both What an horrible impudencie is this in the Prelats or any Subject that vindicats their quarrell that they dare call the Hierarchie sacred especially when they derive it from Rome whom King IAMES of famous memorie calls Babylon and the Pope Antichrist and can any man thâ—nke that those that are lineally descended from Babylon and Anticâ—rist that great enemie of Christ his kingdome and members can be holy and sacred Certainly if the fountaine be not holy the streames cannot be holy Yea King Iames is very large in that his Booke to all Christian Princes in discovering the impiety of the Hierarchy of Rome and proves the Pope to be that man of Sin and all the Prelaâ—s of that Sea to be the Frogs that came out of the bottomles pit For the Nature of Frogs they being Amphibia is to live upon the Earth and in the vvater Novv King Iames sayth That the Prelats are the Frogs for they seeme to be Church men and are ever medling in States affayres creeping out of their stinking guâ—ters are such mighty busy bodies in other mens matters as they trouble all the Nations and Kingdomes vvhere they dvvell and inslave them all So that if the Hierarchy be sacred and the Prelats be the chiefe members of it then they are a generation of sacred frogs the holynesse notvvithstanding of the vvhich is such as fevv mens impiety is greater or more dangerous to Church and State and their usurpation upon both Autorityes deserving severely to be punished especially for that they so abuse his sacred Mast. Autority in oppressing his poore Subjects and trampling upon his prerogative so that to any eye of understanding it may sufficiently appeare by that the Defendent hath sayd that the Prelats are not onely contemners and disgraceâ—s of Holy Scripture but also invaders of the Kings prerogative Royall and enimyes of his imperiall dignity It yet remaynes to pove also that they have farther dishonoured the King their Master and King Iames of famous memory yea our most Holy religion and profession and all this in the Dâ—fendents Censure For vvhat any one of the Prelats did all the other assented to they being one Body it vvas the action of them all though acted in the person of the Prelat of Canterbury vvhich vvas this to magnify the Church of Rome defend the purity of her Doctrine affirming openly that she never erred in fundamental points and vvas a true Church as much as to proclayme the King and all his Subjects Schismaticks and Hereticks and that by the mouth of the Prelate of Canterbury vvhich the Defendent sayth is not onely injurious to the King their Master but to King Iames of famous memory his renovvned Father vvith vvhom for piety and learning all the Prelats together are not to be named the same yeare his Royall excrements are mentioned King Iames that glorious and learned Prince in his Apology to all Christian Princes and States proves the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist and the man of Sinne by many unansvverable arguments He proves likevvise the Church of Rome to be the vvhore of Babâ—lon for her abominations Spirituall Sodome for her filâ—hines and uncleannes Spirituall Egypt for her inslaving the Saints and Servants of God and all this he evinceth by irrefragable Autority thus taught he the whole vvorld his Royall Son and all his Subjects persvvadeth all Christian Princes to come out of Babylon to shake of the yoke of the Pope And in this faith he lived and dyed And this faith is King Charles his Son and our gracious Soveraigne novv Defender of and all this is Orthodox Doctrine vvhich our King did preach unto us and our Royall King novv professeth and vvhich all his Loyall Subjects to God and his Majest vvill seale vvith their blouds This heroicall King notvvithstanding and his Divine Doctrine is stamped under foot by the Prelats to the infinit dishonour of our most pious clement Prince the eternall disgrace of his most incomparable Father and the discredit indeed of the vvhole Church and Kingdome if not indangering the same to the great hardening of the Papists in their Hereticall wayes the perverting of the Kings most Loyall Subjects and teaching the Papists to rebell And to all this the dignity and glory of the Scripture is offuscated by their sable mouths So that what can any man either say or thinke of this progeny of Prelats whose contumacy and rebellion reaâ—cheth to the very clouds and what can men think of this degenerating of-spring of this age The one that they dare against God and the King openly breath out their blasphemies and call evill good and good evill The other that they should out of cowardise suffer their Royal King and his most excellent Father to be thus abused But this Defendent hopeth that this honorable Court like that noble Nehemiah vvith other true-hearted loyall Subjects remayning about the King vvill novv at last informe his Majestâ— of the intollerable insolency of the Prelats of vvhich he beleeveth they vvere formerly ignorant or not so vvell acquaynted and seeke by his Autority for redresse against their impudency As for this Defendent for his part he is resolved though left alone ever to say LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER And although he should suffer a thousands torments from the Prelats living and dying hee will ever cry LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER And let the name of his learned and transcendent Father liâ—e to perpetuity And let the enemies of the King and Gospell perish Neither will hee ever suffer to the uttermost of his power That either the Kings Honour or the Dignity of his most illustrious Father or the glory of our most Holy profession or the honour of the Holy Scriptures shall be contaminated or Babylon or superstition advanced in his Dominions and crueâ—ly and injustice exercised by the Prelats over his poore Subjects and hold his peace All vvhich evidently appeare in the daylie proceedings of the Prelats in their High Commission and from their speech hourelie there their practises through the vvhole Kingdome Some of vvhich he desireth in order to proveâ— that the honorable Court may be the fuller informed that he hath not causlesly in his Apology layd any crime unto their charge vvhich they are not guilty of And novv to proceed to the other thingâ— the Defendent is chargâ—d vvith Viz that he taxeth the High Commission Court of crueltie injustice vvant of
sent droanes and loyterers amongsâ— them dumb dogs that can not barke and is not this great cruelty to the poore Soules of men to deprive them of the food of life and to starve them See what Paul sayth to Bariesus the Sorcerer in the 13. of the Acts when Sergius Paulus the Deputy of the Country a prudent man called for Barnabas and Saul and desired to heare the word of God it is sayd that Elemas the Sorcerer withstood them seeking to turne away the Deputy from the faith to whom Saul filled with the holy Ghost setting his eyes on him sayd O full of all subtility and all mischiefe thou childe of the devill thou enimy of all righteousnes wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord Those then that take away the meanes of salvation and hinder others from the hearing of the word they are most cruell unto them hindering of them of salvation it selfe and such are the children of the devill the enimies of all rightnousnes perverters of the wayes of the Lord the holy Ghost hath spake it and Christ himselfe sayth Matth. 23. and the 13. Woe unto you Scribes Pharisies hypocriâ—s for yee shut up tâ—e Kingdome of heaven against men for you neither goe in your selves neither suffer you them that are entring to goe in And in Luke the 11. and verse the 52. hee sayth Woe unto you Lawyers for yee have taken away the key of knowledge yee enter not in your selves and them that were entring you hindred Christ himselfe pronounces woe here to all such Soule-murtherers as take away the key of knowledg from the people and shut up the Kingdome of heaven against them which is the greatest cruelty that can be exercised over miserable men and yet this is the dayly occupation of the Prelats of which the whole Kingdome can witnes how that they have made most places desolate depriving them of the bread of life the preaching of the Gospell and taking away the key of knowledge from them and in stead of â—rue nourishing food they give them the huskes of ceremonyes and vaine traditions and idle superstitious observations Neither doe they onely extinguish and put out all their shiâ—ing lights but they severely punish those that seeke it or goe after it where it is so that if one do but goe out of his owne parish where he hath no preaching where perhaps there hath not been a sermon seven yeares together as there are many such parishes in this Kingdome he is forthwith haled into their Courts tormented to death and is not this horrible cruelty yea if one neighbour doe but goe to an other and that but to heare a Sermon repeated when he dare not goe out of his owne parish he is immediatly haled into their Courts as a Keeper of Conventicles and miserably there tormented and is not this also great cruelty Especially when any of their lewd parishioners may goe from yeare to yeare out of their owne parishes a drinking quaffing and that on the Lords day and holy dayes as they call them and have their meetings in troopes and great assemblyes in drinking Schooles tippling there to the great dishonour of God and many times to the great mischiefe of oâ—hers and the perpetrating of many â—innes and all such though they never heare Service neither divine nor humain find favour in their Courts and serve for wiâ—nesses against the generation of the just and those that feare God they are esteemed good Sons of the Church though in all other things they be also never so impious Neither is there any law against those children of Beâ—iall neither can any man deny this that knoweth any thing for they are the defenders of such fellows tormentors of the most godly And if this be not also insufferable tyranny and crueâ—ty let every reasonable man judge In this iâ—formation his most excellent Majest is truely and deservedly commended that he is an enimy to Popery and all innovation of religion as his Highnes hath often declared himselfe and that he doth dayly frequent the Church and is diligent in hearing of Sermons And this most eminent piety in our noble King and Soveraigne we his loyall though poore Subjects heartily reioyce at desiring the Lord of heaven still to inflame his royall heart with a zeale for the glory of God the propagation of the Gospell and to continue in him an increase a love unto his holy word Now all men know that Kings examples have been ever the paterne for their Subjects and it is the duty of all good Citizens Subjects to imitate their King in all well doing and men use commonly to say Regis ad exemplum the Kings example is ever to be followed and it is his royall hearts desire that his Subjects should imitat him in that his piety Now what a great unexpressible cruelty is this in the Prelats towards the poore people and how great a dishonour is done to the Kiâ—g in it that they will not let his Subjects be good for it is good in the King and hightly commendable before God men to heare the Word of God often preached and to be diligent in the hearing of Sermons or els the Informers would not have set it downe as so singular a vertue in our royall King and yet they punish this good in his Subjects and it is a cause of the utter undoing of many of them if they goe to Sermons and when they are found to bee diligent at the hearing of the word the going to a sermon into the next Parish when they have none in their owne is matter sufficient to mount them up into the high Commission which is none of the smallest crueltyes that holy and pious men in these our dayes groane under to the infinit dishonour of God and the King and the needles vexation and molestation of his dutifullest Subjects who desire to follow in that their godly Princes example In S. Iohn Baptists time it is sayd That Ierusalem Iudea and the region round aboutâ— came all out to heare him running after Sermons and so they did after Christ And it stands recorded in sacred Writ to their eternall honour and for our imitation For all the Saints godly examples are set downe for us to imitate and wee never read that any were by the very enimies of the Gospell in those dayes the Scribes Pharises and High-Priests molested or troubled for the same and it is sayd of them that they tooke the Kingdome of heaven with a kind of holy violence and their diligence in hearing the word is related â—nd told of them as a thing very honorable and praise worthy and so it is very well related in the information of our gracious King to his immortall honour and great praise and so it is and ever to be honoured in his Majâ— and his example in this to be followed of all his obedient Subjects And is it not a transcendent cruelâ—y then
all which tend to the ruine of the Kingdome and perverâ—ing of Reâ—igion and the seducing of the Kings good Subjects And all other Bookes of Arminians Sosinians and a thousand such blasphemous treatises are bought and sold publikely in every Stationars shop with the Prelates very good liking And the greatest enimies of the truth such as Bellarmine Baronius Tyrrian Caâ—etan are not onely publicklie vented but are before the King and in the Vniversities and indeed in every Pulpit magnified with glorious titles as the learned Cardinal incomparable Bellarmine those grand impostors and perverteâ—s of the wayes of God and such as have abused King IAMES of famous memory and blasphemously defamed our most Holy Religion All these Authors and many more with their Bookes the Defendent saith are dailie approved of and commended by the Prelatesâ— and such as extoll the Church of Rome patronized by them and maintained And what is it then to advance Poperie if all these doings of the Prelates bee not and what is it to favour prophanesse and irreligion if the punishing and silencing of those that write and speake against the iniquitie of the times be not let all men judge of this with serious reason and they will soone perceive that in this accusation of the Prelats the Defendent hath no way wronged them And for their intemperance and want of wit it is notoriouslie also knowne who raile most shamefully and unhumanelie upon all honest men that come before them as their very speeches in their censure may witnes Iudges of old were wont to give Sentence in lesse matters beeing full of compassion with teares in their eyes neither doe wee read of any Iudges since Christs time but of Ananias the High Priest and Festus the Governor that they ever did revile those that were brought before them or give them any ill language And the one was a Iew and the other a Heathen both enimies of Christ and Christians But for Christian Iudges and them spirituall ones for such contumeliouslie to abuse their brethren as they did the Defendent and dailie doe others and to give them over to the Devill and to perpetuall chaines for every triviall thing yea even for a misprision or a very surmise and to make a man an offender for a word and to ruine them their wives and children for such things and that with scoffes reproaches tants and mocks this the Defendent affirmeth in the Prelates is both crueltie injustice intemperance and want of wisdome and so hee nothing doubteth but this honorable Court and all rationall men will judge Neither doth his graciousâ— Majest or this honorable Court as he truelie believeth know how they abuse his poore Subjects neither will God take this well at their hands for it no way beseemeth those would bee thought the Faâ—hers of the Church so to doe For if wee looke upon Timothy and Titus whose successors they would be thought to bee and the rules that they followed and were guided by wee shall find a vast difference betweene them Saint Paul in his 2. epistle to Timothy chap. 2. telleth him That the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all menâ— apt to teach patient in meeknes instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the trueth c. And in an other place the same Apostle sayth A Bpp. must be patient and no brawler Now when the Prelats so exorbitantly behave themselves trampling all Apostolicall Canons under their feet and so basely revile the good Subjects of the King and their brethren trampling also the sacred Scriptures under their feeâ— and that with as great contempt as the Papists themselves doe advancing Poperie everie way and the Defenders of it can any denie that these are intemperaâ— imprudent unjust men and furtheres upholders of Poperie vvhereas the Defendent is charged in the informationâ— That he accuseth the Prelats as upholders of idolatry superstition and prophanesse and that hâ—â— defameth the witnâ—sses brought against him and hath causlesly and boldlie inveighed against the oath Ex officio The Defendent humbly intreateth the honorable Court that vvith patience they vvould heare his ansvver to these things then he vvill come to the last thing that concerneâ—h him the Letany and the occasion of the vvriting of it What he himself hath done he is ever resolved to seale vvith his best bloud to justifie and make good vvhatsoever he shall accuse the Prelats of Amongst the vvhich he acknovvledgeth that he chargeth them to be advancers of Poperie idolatrie superstition prophanesse And so they are as hath been alreadie sufficiently evinced and by that vvhich follovveth shall yet more illustriously appeare For what is it to aduance Popery and idolatry if that the Prelats dayly doe be it not without men will thinke that Poperie onely that advanceth the Popes Supremacy and they Protestants onely that goe no farther in opposing that Hereticall religion when that is among many Divines counted one of â—he least controversies in Theology between Papists and us true Catholicks Greater matters I wosse hundreds there are between us And howsoever the King blessed be God his predecessors by the blood of their Subjects and the sacrificing of themselves have shaken off the yoake of the Pope yet his poore Subjects are under many Popes which deale worse with them then ever Popes did to Kings in the middest of their swellingâ—â— pride arrogancy yea every parish Priest and base fellow that is but a Prelats Servant can ruine and undoe the honestest man upon any information So that for the Subjects coÌ„dition it is worse they are in a farre more deplorable predicament then they were in under the Pope by this change for now they have neither their consciences their libertyes their purses their bodyes their limbs or lives in any security but as the Prelats their creatures please are deprived of all who seek continually for their bloud and starve many of them in prisons and expose them to infinit miseries and calamityesâ— so that they are as sheep to the slaughter slayne all the day long And of their deadly crueltie against those that feare God the whole Kingdome can witnes and how that they make them every where most odious But now to the matter the Defendent câ—argeth the Prelats with viz. that they are advancers of Idolatry superstition and prâ—phanesse And that â—hey are advancers of idolatry who can doubt of it that knoweth that very rudiments of Divinity or in the least measure â—aâ—h been acquaynted with the lawes of God For as God onely is and must be the object of all Divine worship as tâ—e first commandement teacheth for him onely we are to serve Matth. 4. as Christ also commandeth to worship any other or to trust in any thiâ—g els is idolatry in a high degree for we must love him with all our hearts and all our Soulâ—s and trust onâ—ly in him So likewise for
in the Prelats that poore Christians in our age may neither obey the commandement of God who inioyneth us to heare in season and out of season nor imitate the Saints of olde in their pious indeavours in building up themselves in their most holy faith nor follow the good paternes of their Kings and Governors but they must be severely punished for it yea undone traduced â—or it aâ— evil doers if this be not great cruelty tyranny it selfe in the Prelats there was never none for they robb them of Heaven earâ—h all other comforts in as much as in them lyeth Nay which is yet more to shew their cruelty injustice unrightuous dealing the Prelats in the Baptisme of infants constraine the Godfathers Godmothers there solemnly to promise that they wil call upon them that are baptised when they come to yeares of discretion ofâ—en to heare Sermons to this duty are also the baptized tyed Now when they are come to yeares of understanding and in obedience of their promise they made by their God Fathers and God-Mothers and perhaps beeing stirred up also by their exhortation to this good duty of hearing the Word if â—hey goe out to heare Sermons when they have none in their owne Parishes they are first punished in their purses and liberties and then given to the Devill for this good worke which they notwithstanding have tied them to by speciall promise in their baptisme and if all this be not unspeakeable cruelty tyranny and injustice there was never none in the world and yet this is the dayly practise of the Prelates through the Kingdome as all men know And which is yet more to be observed in the same Sacrament of Baptisme children promise there by their God-Fathers and God-Mothers or they doe it for the children to be baptized that they will forsake the Devill and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and are there signed with the signe of the Crosse that innocent Ceremony as they call it that he shall continue Christs Faithfull Souldier fight under his banner all the dayes of his life against the World the Flesh and the Devill by the which promise he is bound to the utmost of his power alwayes to oppose all errors wickednes and prophanenesse Now if any in conscience of his promise either speake or write in defence of the truth as it ought to be defended or if he doe but put in practice that which he hath promised in opposing of Error Superstition Prophanesse Idolatry or the iniquities of the times the Prelates severely punish them for it as their dayly proceedings witnes and if this be not a daring crueltie also and great injustice there is none exercised upon the earth for what is unjustice and crueltie if punishing of men for doeing their duty and keeping their promise and performing that which the Prelates themselves have tied them to by speciall promise be not They teach all Christians in an other Ceremonie of standing up at the Gospell and at Gloria Paâ—ri and at the Creed to shew their readinesse and promptitude in fighting for â—he Faith of Iesus and their Holy Religion against Heresie Poperie and all Innovations all which our Gracious King declares himseâ—fe that he will never alâ—ow of or suffer and the neglect of this Ceremonie will cost a man an undoeing Now if any beeing taught by this Ceremonie come forth to the combat and but oppose themselves against Popery Errors or Innovations in defence of the Faith and the Honour of their King they are punished most severelie for it by the Prelates both in the High-Commission and other Courts and Bils and Informations and Articles are exhibited and made against them as evil doers and troublers of the State and all for doing that thâ—y teach them by their Ceremonies and bind them by promises oath to doe which is Hyperbolicall tyrannieâ— unjustice and cruelty in those reverend Fathers It seemes they would have Christians like Saint George a horsebacke ever mounted but never moving and if they doe chance to stiâ—re or dare bee so bold as to move they immediatelie are cast downe and breake either their eares or their noses or their foreheads and it may be â—hey are also whâ—pped to the baâ—gaine for beeing so bold some mischief for the most part followes their endeavours and that for doing their dutie and that which they were taught by Ceremonies and is not this arrogant tyrannyâ— cruelty and injuâ—â—ice in the Prelates to punish and that severely both the neglect and the doing also of their duty and that they are injoyned to doe without all doubt there is no such crueltie in the world as is daily practised by the Prelates and in their Courts of the which there might mightie volumes bee made but the Defendent hath instanced in these few things onely becauseâ— they are knowne to most men and obvious every day and the Defendents condiâ—ion and his cause can sufficiently witnes their unrighteous dealings and that in divers respects for they dealt with him against the very law and light of nature and as they would not bee done by to make him accuse himselfe to admit his sworne and capital enimies and which first informed them against him out of meere malice as was proved by many to bee prosecutors and witnesses against him yea to speake as it is that the Prelates themselves should be Accusers Parties Witnesses Iury and Iudge in their owneâ— cause as they all were this the Defendent saith is unrighteous dealing to which may bee added the defending of the Popes quarrell to condemne him for one thing and putting those things likewise in the records of the Court for which by the whole Court he was freed from As for example the Defendent was condemned onely for his booke now in the order of the Court or Sentence it is put inâ— that he was condemned for the other things alsoâ— which howsoever they were in themselves verie ridiculous yet it is great injustice to superadde them and so to deale with him Neither is that a small part of injustice to punish and condemne the innocent and justify the wicked both which are an abomination to the Lord. Now they condemned the Defendent for writing against the Pope adjudged his Booke to be burnt and justified his adversaries and Chouny who writ in defence of the Church of Rome and it is their daily practice to condemne bookes that are writ for the Honour of Religion accusing them to bee factious pamphlets but Bookes that are writ for the advancement of Poperie and Superstition and in defence of the Pontificalitie of Prelats and the magnification of the Church of Rome â—o the trampling downe of regall autoritie and for the murdering killing of Kings for the bringing in of Innovations into a Kingdome and for suppressing of true Religion many of which are not to bee named of these Bookes a man may buy shipfuls of them in Pauls Church yard