example before men belongs to Christian Kings to regulate by discretion with the advice of their Clergy Numb 27.21 Mal. 2.7 for their Transitory Nature makes them more allyed to this present world where Kings are Soveraigns than their bare Connexion to Holy duties doth make them appurtenances to the other immortal world where Christ only Raigns and Rules For Instance whether it be more decent to perform Divine service in a Gown or Surplice or in a Cloak or Querpo whether with the people having all their Hats on as do the Jewes or the Minister as the French or all bare both Minister and People as usually amongst us whether kneeling or sitting be the best and seemliest postures at several Offices before men for it is clear before God that the heart is all in all whether a Bason at the Ministers Elbow be more comly than a Font or whether the Font stand best in the Chancel with the other Table for the other Sacrament or at the Church door in token of our entrance by it Whether the Cross may be used in Baptism or the Ring in Marriage Whether the King have not power to found and endow Churches and to alter Sees and to translate the Metropolitan from one place to another as he thinks fit for any new convenience or redress These things are nominally spiritual but really secular and belong to Christian Temporal Jurisdiction which no way intrenches herein upon Divine Institution or Soveraignity which hath left out such matters and causes free for Christian Kings to regulate even in the Church and Temple as did the Kings of Israel The Church being part of their state and Province where Kings and Subjects are Christian and the one to order every thing to the Lord Christ whose Deputies and Vicars now they are and the other to obey them in all such their Orders from the heart as to the Lord Neither is there any peril of Soul or Salvation by such transitory matters as wears and postures of the Body where they are not ordained for to honour or acknowledge Idols and false Gods there may be great danger in contention 1 Cor. 11.16 and disobedience to those Divine and Eternal Laws which command obedience and Conformity to humane Neither are the Circumstances of Religion made equal hereby to the substantial parts thereof being observed to such several Ends and intents sufficiently distinct and different as are the Authorities that appoint both the one and the other God himself in those and Kings as his Deputies and delegates in these though many mens too much placing their Heaven and zeal and humour and scruples upon Ceremonies and shadows make them substances as to themselves For the difference between Time and Eternity or the Body and the Soul or sense and faith or word and sword or Heaven and Earth or peace of Conscience and the peace of the Kingdom is not more fixt and manifest and unconfounded than is that between the inside and outside of the Church the one lying within the Perambulation and Jurisdiction of Divine Soveraignty the other of humane neither of the Popes over us in England nor the latter but only there where he is a Temporal nor the former even at Rome it self where so he is And O! the Unchristian Arts and Methods that have been us'd by Popery all along both above and under-board according as it was high or low to wrest this Ecclesiastical Supremacy and Prerogative from Christian Kings which is their manifest and undoubted right and chiefest Glory in their Temporal Crowns and a peculiar Talent for their management in order to an Eternal Sometimes openly and above-board by an impudent pretence of Plenitude of Power when they had none at all they have eagerly endeavoured to hook unto themselves our Kings Royal Priviledges about Investures and nomination of Bishops and the Crowns off from their heads which is too well known For any ones Temporal right that had any reference or Relation towards the Church was straightway the undoubted Appurtenance of St. Peters Chair under that pretence they caus'd King Henry the Second in the Controversie about the exemption of the Clergy which was an absolute invasion of his Royal Government and Authority to be whipt and stript by his Subjects like a Malefactor in Bridewell for the good of his Soul and in breach of his Royal Trust and Dignity to allow Appeals to Rome to heal his wounded Conscience Their poisoning Attempts and Invasions and Powder-plots against Queen Elizabeth and King James are fresh in Memory When open Arts can do no good they 'l work their Ends in Masquerade and smaller undertakings Here possessing Quakers and raising Sects to resist and Blaspheme our Religion and Government There endeavouring to get more considerable Instruments into power to promote their Romish Interest in Protestant Shapes with greater succcess and lesser noise because less discern'd to corrupt our hopeful Clergy and destroy honest men under-hand and imbroile the Nation by widening the differences between Protestants which were ready to close and multiplying Non-conformists whether they would or not For it is obvious and easie to observe that all or most of our Presbyterian Dissenters of the younger sort throughout the Nation did see their Errour and desert their Party upon the Restauration of our Church And that the Elder sort were no less convinc'd from the experience of late confusions but that it was harder for the one than for the other in point of Reputation to change and walk contrary on a suddain to their former Actings And the secret enemies of our Protestant peace and union laid hold of this advantage as Non-conformists alledge and cast in politick Provisoes and obstructions to make their Repentance harder still if not impossible to the trouble of our Government and the joy of Rome Some ambodextrous Pens like Mountebanks upon a Stage shall publickly wound and confute and presently heal and defend the Church of Rome as faithfully as any of her own Inquisitors and as safely as any of our own Authors by this double stile falling fiercely upon their first Deserters and such as begin to espy and loath any of its grosser Errours enough in time if not so carefully prevented and discourag'd to cause a general defection throughout the host because they are not perfect Protestants in a moment able to see and relinquish all her Corruptions at first waking And therefore the sincere Irish Clergy shall be rigorously chid for beginning an Orthodox Allegiance in disobedience to their Church and violation of their Oaths And the Jansenists for defending Catholick Doctrines with the like sincerity to Christ and dis-rellish to the Pope And the Distinguishers of the Church of Rome from its more corrupt Court as Pestiferous and rash beginners or some Ho-body Hoyes and no right Sons of the one Church or of the other against all Principles of Christian Charity which forbids to quench the smoaking Flax or break the bruised Reed as also against common humanity and
profit of the difference and laugh at the follies and credulity of the appellants The Supremacy of the King in all Causes and over all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal being that which hath been learnedly evinced by our Writers and is solemnly recogniz'd every day in Gods presence in Prayers and Oaths according to the settlement of our Laws by the Wisdom of the Nation But though this inside of the Church be properly Secular and Temporal because visible yet the Secular Causes which belong to the determinations of Christian Secular Authorities are well and orderly distinguishable into Ecclesiastical and Christian or Temporal and Civill as the whole Commonwealth may be considered either as a Society of men or a Society of Christian men or Church In the first respect as men all are Subject to their own Kings and Laws in matters of life limb and property whether they be Christian or Holy or Heathen and Antichristian as they were before Christ came into into the World and must be to the Worlds end For Magistracy is Gods Ordinance whom all men therefore are to be subject to from the heart which alwayes attends what God appoints though manag'd by a Claudius who was weak and infamously credulous or Nero who for his cruelty was believed by many to be Antichrist for to such the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul command obedience and subjection not only for fear of wrath and power but for Conscience sake and the fear of God Rom. 13.5 1 Pet. 2.14 16. For they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 Yet on this undoubted unforfeitable right of Earthly Kings and Governours according to their several Constitutions by the Laws of their Kingdoms the Pope like a fift Monarch hath ever and still doth affect and design new incroachments as before upon the King of Heaven and spiritual pretences of Superiority Not only by exempting his Subjects and Clergy from secular subjection assuming to be the mother of the Child that 's not her own but also through his Emissaries and influence in the time of his Reign and Power in bringing the Lives of Subjects to the Stake and their States into Forfeiture from their Posterity for Opinions and the Heads and Crowns of Kings themselves to the like danger for the like insufficient cause Absolving Subjects of their Allegiance which Christ binds on every Soul and leading them into perjury and Rebellion which God forbids and damns being not only Traytors against Heaven and Earth therein but which is infinitly worse Traitor-makers as Satan is worse than a sinner and as many Traitor-makers by their Doctrine and what lyes in them as there are Subjects or Polls in any Kingdom they would absolve and seduce Which made the Nation joyn unanimously against their methods not only by Acts of Treason since the Reformation but of premunire long before A very Apostolical and comely deportment in a chief Professor of Christian Holiness and vertue that he and his Missionaries should deserve to be thrust and shoulder'd out like Pests by a wise and a Religious people and their Friends and the door made fast against them with the strongest Barricadoes that could be thought of Hanging and Drawing and Quartering Yea many of his own Confessors and Martyrs our Native Roman-Catholicks to this day who sincerely adhere to all his other Doctrines though Flead Alive with penalties and inconveniences for it yet disclaim and desert his infallible guidance in this particular and would be ready to venter Lives and Fortunes for their Laws and Countrey against any Invasion of the Land though countenanc'd or authoriz'd by the Pope for though such Loyalty be looked upon at Rome with an evil eye as hath lately appeared in the Irish Excommunications for the like principle and profession of Allegiance yet they are resolved to be true to their King let who will call them Hereticks for being honest Subjects And this their Resolution must be grounded either upon Policy or vain glory to avoid the danger as well as the Infamy of Rebellious principles or upon Conscience to God which only is true honour I am apt if I do no wrong to believe the last and to acknowledge and own all such by Consequence as true English Protestants as any in our own Church for preferring Conscience before the Pope which as I have proved is the chief point in difference between Papists and Protestants And the rather if they deal alike with the rest of their opinions which set us at distance from one another by the same rule which if it be good and right must hold in the rest as well as this dismissing all other Tenets that are excepted against and have no support from God or Conscience or the Scripture but the bare Authority of the Pontifical Chair For being so dangerously and perfidiously deceived while trusting to its judgement and of right interpreting in a case so evident and plain and Important as Neck and Estate and Salvation can amount to If they will suffer themselves again to be over-rul'd to differ from their Brethren upon no reason of Conscience but this bare Authority alone whereof they have had tryal of its fidelity and the old sophisme of believing as that Church believes This cannot be counted worthy and filial piety and well weighed Religion in them but a negligent unadvisedness equivalent to plain fault and folly especially there being present suffering and future hazard in the Case according to the known Proverb The Friend that deceives me once it is his fault twice it is my own All differences in our Religion being thus easily compos'd between us if they stand constant to their good principle throughout its consequences as reason binds them to and there will be no reason else to believe or trust their Loyalty what a day of bliss would it be to them and us to go hand in hand together like Christian as well as English brethren to their Churches and ours what peace to themselves in their concerns both within and without what tears of joy would it cause in their Protestant Tenants and dependants who would willingly resigne their lives to see that blessed day what acclamation and bone-fire throughout the Nation for the restoration of its strength and Union what Ecchoes and Halelujahs amongst the Angels of Heaven that delight in mens Salvation and return from Errour But should they offer to make themselves and us and the Nation happy with such a Festival How must they expect to be well lash'd for this by their Old Friends for Hereticks and Schismaticks and Apostates from the Holy See besides the ignobleness of changing and being unconstant to which I shall not now reply But those of them that through Gods Grace assisting them nowithstanding such discouragements and obstacles that will be leaders and examples to their brethren in such paths of Peace and Life and count it Glory and magnanimity to adhere to truth through shame and calumny and but an Heathenish
in general and to all Nations in particular that it is not his will we should be led by strangers more than by guides of our own flesh and bloud for this cause Christ took upon him humane nature when sent by God John 17.3 to direct the world For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels for this purpose Heb. 2.16 which though greatly Holy is yet Forraign to ours and as it were of another Country and their best messages seldome received by the best Christians without fear and horrour and suspition Luk. 2.9 Math. 28.45 But he took upon him the seed of Abraham being sent unto his own John 1.11 And in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren to be the better fitted for Sympathy towards us on his part and the belief thereof on ours Heb. 2.17 18. In like manner in sending his Apostles for the conversion of Nations the first fruits in every Nation that were converted to Christ were appointed for Bishops and Teachers as soon as might be to convert their Brethren and the Supemacy over the Gentile Churches not entail'd upon a Jewish line and succession forever as our first Teachers but upon the Natives themselves in every City and Country when fitted for it to Govern and direct their people and every Province to have its own Metropolitan chief within it self and unsubordinate to Foreigners And it is likewise observed that the needs of every Country in point of food and Raiment and Physick is best supplied from within it self and whether it be for the health or interest of this Nation to delight to wear forraign Liveries above its own I shall not now dispute and but that the Witchcraft and fascination that is in errour doth Seal up the Intellect it deludes less dispute there would be with all sober minds but that we have Governours of our own Nation praised be God fitted as likely for ability and compassion to be faithful guides to their Inferiour Brethren as the greatest Angels of the Church of Rome to whom were it alwayes certain they would prove good Angels we are not so near and dear as to our own Pastors who are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh And that our own wise Kings and Parliaments have and can make as wholesom Laws for this Church and State as the Conclave ever can or did how far and how dear soever fetched and bought To alledge as the Romanists do that Christ had his fix'd Officers his Apostles and Bishops in his Church before there were any Christian Kings which cannot be denyed that St. Peter was the chief of these Apostles which also may be granted for peace-sake as to his precedence but not any Jurisdiction that the present Popes are the successors of St. Peter in all his Authority and Holiness whether they follow him as he followed Christ or not and therefore are Superiours to all Christian Kings and Princes in their own Teritories as well as at Rome in all affairs relating to Religion is such a broken Title such a far-fetch'd Etymology and derivation of Authority as only fully proves the Antichristian humour of exalting themselves above every thing that is called God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Majesty as the word may imply which is the Jaundize that overspreads the face and vitals of that Church all over but cannot satisfie the conscience of any sober English Christian to relinquish and renounce his manifest allegiance and Subjection to his own Prince and Church to whom it is due to bestow the same to his own wrong and Spiritual danger as well as Temporal upon a forraign Power to whom it is not due and to rob his King to maintain a cheat For neither are our Brittish Churches more Subject to the Chair of Rome than is the Crown of France to the Crown of Spain which it had long a mind to but never any right neither if degrees and dignities be compared are Crowns to be Subject to the Mitre but the Mitre to the Crown For Kings if Heathen are without the Church and therefore not Subject to the Pope were he a lawful Vicar of Christ for what have I to do to judge them that are without them that are without God judgeth 1 Cor. 5.12 13. neither do they forfeit their Soveraignty by being Christian Kings by any colour or pretence of St. Peters supremacy St. Peter himself being judge who writes to his fellow Elders to feed the flock of God which was among them 1 Pet. 5.1 2. and to be subject for the Lords sake to the King as supreme for so is the will of God 1 Pet. 5.1 2. There is no where less love and honour from the heart to that blessed Apostle St. Peter no not perhaps in Hell than amongst them at Rome an out-side love or Philauty for Secular ends and designs they may have for him beyond any such as the Ephesian Silver-smiths had for Diana by which they had their wealth Act. 19.24 25. or Turks for Christs Sepulcher which turns to account unto them which is not their love to St. Peter but to themselves and bellies for if they had the least love and honour from the heart in Christ to his name and dignity they would rather chuse to starve or beg than face their frauds and cheats upon all degrees of men with his name and Authority or make him a complice or an Author to all their impious Usurpations and Rebellions against the Kings both of Heaven and Earth against his mind and principles as before For St. Peter himself from whom Popes derive all the power over Kings they can pretend to yea Christ himself from whom St. Peter had his and the whole Christian Church in his divine person while he was on Earth did submit to Magistrates and Presidents acknowledging their Power to be from Heaven John 19.11 and his Kingdom not to be of this world Joh. 18.36 as his pretended Vicars cannot also be by consequence for a Deputy cannot have more Power than his Soveraign St. Paul commands every soul to be Subject or subordinate to the higher Powers Rom. 13.1 which St. Chrysostom upon the place as before extends to Apostles and Ecclesiasticks as well as Lay and with good reason for no Crime can be Treason where is no Subjection and gives the title of excellency to Festus an Heathen President Act. 26. as St. Luke to Theophilus a Christian Luk. 1.3 an evident argument that neither would have denied the title of Majesty to a King and much more to a Christian King for as Servants gained no outward liberty by becoming Christians but continued Servants after as well as before their conversion 1 Cor. 7 20 21. So neither do Kings lose their Prerogatives or Supremacy by being Christians but are to be received into the Christian Society or Church in the same degree and quality they had in the Civil or State Superiour to all Inferiour to none And the Texts therefore that command
confess to prop his other Arguments and Interest to which he was more addicted nor left remaing in Brittish Histories as can yet be found It being justly believed that they were carefully suppressed or adulterated by the Romish Power while it here prevailed as Instance was made before in Geoffrey of Monmouth's History and Gualter who were both impos'd upon or else consumed y H. Lhuid fragm Brit. p 58. with their Libraries in Pagan Conflagrations of the Roman-Catholick Contrivance But in the Scottish Histories which better escap'd and can be less suspected of partiality nothing is more plainly delivered and repeated than that all the English Nation or a very great part in all probability were brought over to the Christian Faith before the arrival of Augustine or Mellitus Hector Boethius saith in one place there was a very great part of the English as yet unconverted before their landing z H. Boethius lib 8. p. 171. Augustinus Mellitus missi ut Anglorum gentem ad eam usque diem majori ex parte pietatem aversatam Christi dogmate ritè Instituerent But then gives the reason of this obstruction and defect a Ibid p. 150. Aspernabantur ut plurimum Saxones Brittonum sacerdotum tum Gualiam incolentium doctrinam tametsi veram proficerentur invisae magis Gentis quam discplinae de quà multa atque praeclara frequentiùs audverant odio permoti The Saxons for the most part slighted the Doctrine of the Brittish Clergy that Inhabited Wales although it was true and Orthodox being moved thereunto more out of hatred to that Nation than to the Institution of which they had frequently received many excellent characters and reports they were ashamed it seems to be converted by them whom they had Conquered right or wrong for their Converters were not yet driven to Wales as this Historian supposes but lived in Lhoegr amongst them as before and were in great part their flesh and bloud but God in great mercy to both removed this obstruction by the Victorious Arms of some of our subsequent Brittish Kings turning this their carnal Height and Pride into necessity and Interest to embrace the Faith For when they were reduced by King Aurelius Ambrosius whom Gildas calls vir modestus whose Tomb Polydor Virgil conceives Stonehenge to be the terms given them by the Conquerour were b Ibid p. 171. Migrant Ambrosii edicto Cuncti Saxonum generis ad bellum idonei c. All of English or Saxon Race that were fit for War were ordered to depart the Land and the rest made Tributary and suffered to remain behind in Albion or Lhoegr on condition of their embracing the Gospel so all that stayed behind became Christians in Truth or at least in Shew And when their Recruited Forces were afterwards Conquered by King Arthur c Hect. Boethius l. 9. p. 161. Saxones viribus fracti cum spem nullam haberent c. The Saxons when they were so quite defeated that they had no hopes of ralling any Forces together to make head any more came bare-foot and bare-head before King Arthur to beg his mercy and pardon supplicibus Regis clementia pepercit ea lege ut sacro ad moti lavacro Christiani fierent aut-si id minus placeret fortunis ac armis exuti Insula excederent The King Graciously pardoned them only with this proviso that they would become Christians and be Baptized or if this pleased them not that they should quit the Realm leaving all their Arms and Bag and Baggage behind them Whereupon all being to profess some did it in sincerity and Truth but many only dissembled their Religion to reserve themselves for better times Which last clause perhaps may have more of uncharitable conjecture though d Buchanan l. 5. Reg. 45. p. 148. Buchanan concur therein with Boethius than of Historical Truth for charity and kindness here where all was forfeited out weighed the force And nothing more agrees with the heart than Christian Religion managed by Right and Able masters of Assemblies such as our Brittish Clergy approved themselves to be towards others not long before who had been equally their Enemies towards the Irish in St. Patrick and the Scots and Picts and Caledonians in Ninius Kentigerne Constantine c. as before But after the three Christian Nations here of Brittains Scots and Picts ruined one another in e Hector Boethius lib 9. p. 165. Civil Wars between Arthur and Mordred who laid title to the Crown f Ibid. p. 160 The English came to prevail again and drove the Military Brittains in like manner as themselves were served into Wales and other places yet the rest were permitted to stay behind under Tribute and Subjection and their Clergy amongst others till Augustine's coming for about 100 years and here that obstruction of Force which is so contrary to Religion being removed the Saxons were again coped with with the meer power of the naked Gospel and the Sword of the Spirit only in the weak hands of their captives and were more reduced than ever as it fared before with the other parts of the Heathen-Roman-World whom the Gospel overcame with its arms tyed behind it Their work of Conversion in the Capital Kingdom of Kent arrived to a publick toleration by g Ibid p. 166. the Prince himself as was instanced before Father to Augustine's Ethelbert which argued himself was not far of from the Kingdom of Heaven if Pride or an equitable restitution of his Kingdom on Earth upon his own conversion to the right owners had not stood in the way so difficult is it according to the Gospel for the Rich and Great to enter there And also the great Kingdom of Mercia with King Penda himself as some conceived and Bede acknowledges h Bed l. 3 c. 21. Math. Westm Anno 640. thus much that he well liked those Christians that walked answerable to their Religion received Christ's yoak from those that were now under its own and so did the Other Heptarchs saving Ethelfred King of the North the sole Furious Patron of Heathenism and Resolved Enemy of Christianity †Hector Boethius l. 9. p. 169. Homo in Britanicum genus odio Infensissimo An implacable enemy of the Brittains upon that score who made War upon his own English for turning Christians k Ibidem p. 172. Mercios Saxonas quod Christi Religionem fuerant amplexi dispendio ingenti afflixerat Did greatly michief the Mercian Saxons for no other cause but their yeilding to be Christians so he served or threatned the other Kings Minatus ad hibito juramento Australibus threatning the Southern English that is with this Historian the rest of the Heptarchies in the South set against his own in the North For Redwald King of the East-Angles next unto him was feign to confederate with other Christian Heptarchyes for his preservation against him which supposes the like Conversion by his like danger and necessity of Allyance l H.
confidence in their Cut-throate-fathers and are call'd to severe and sharp account for the errours of their teachers and their own yet most clear and undeniable it is that the People have a good zeal in General for the true God and Religion yea are more sincerely stedfast in their errours amidst poverty and torture and double Tithes and payments and death it self than many knowing Protestants are for the true Religion which they shrink from and change upon any appearance of advantage or disadvantage as often as the Moon he that is sincere and earnest in a false Religion aims at the true in the General and in his conscience But he that lives contrary or slights the Religion which himself professes and believes to be true declares himself of no Religion or understanding for contradiction added to Atheism is the Outlary of all reason and honour The Irish therefore are the more to be regarded and tender'd by us under their Ignorance and spiritual disorder because curable and not to be neglected for what wrong or temporal mischief soever they have done to us or themselves in the time of their blindness and seduction lest we be justly guilty of the unjust calumny against the Ancient Brittains towards the Saxons but we are to be zealous of their Reformation whether we be English or Brittains if English we are their debters their Learned and Pious Ancestors have done the like and more for many of ours whom they taught the first Gospel when they lay in Heathenish Ignorance and the shadow of death And much more if we are Ancient Brittains for our Ancestors taught theirs and love descends and it belongs to a Husbandman to be more careful of his plantation than to a stranger therefore we are bound to intreat and beseech them especially their Learned and sincere Clergy that love the Salvation of their charge more than absolute Dominion over them and their remaining afflicted Gentry and Nobility in the name of God and the bowels of Christ and that we may the better prevail even upon our knees before them that they will be merciful to their land and to their own souls and Posterity and as they have of late to some trouble own'd our Soveraign in Temporals that they would also own Christ in Spirituals instead of the Pope and holy Scriptures instead of lyes and Bulls and Legends and conscience more than deceitful guides and Popery will have its end in Ireland and the Ignorance and misery of that poor Nation in soul and body and Estates together with it as we hope and trust They are as able to overthrow the pretended Infallibility of the Pope in the latter and grosser errour as they have done effectually in the first And they 'l meet their old Religion which St. Patrick taught in the Protestant Church of Ireland and England Protestant truth and Irish sincerity will make excellent Christianity The Learned and Pious Dr. Sall is worthy of everlasting honour amongst all good Christians for his great and leading example in this point amidst great discouragements And as for some other of their guides who are like to be most cross and averse against this Petition of truth and love who if they are not fowly belyed delight in the Impliciâ— saith of their Female charge as well as their Male the chastity of the soul and body from God and purity being the chief sacrifice and triumph that Satan and his Ministers delight in we are not so desirous of their company or Communion till by better reformation they assure us of their belief of any God which we doubt not in the least of the rest of their seduc'd Brethren And by this second Instance appears the difference between the Religion of the Irish under its first Plantation by the Brittains and it s after Cultivation by the Romanists by the one they became the Glory of Western Christendom for Christian life and Learning by the other the reproach and scorn of the World and Pitty of all good men for their Ignorance and wildness And the English from the time of King Ina and the Brittains while under their Power till the Reformation were well nigh as much beholding to Rome for their like improvement in knowledge And Rome hath accomplish'd most of her Conquests over Churches and Souls by this mist of Ignorance to set off mistakes and cheats Adimit rebus nox atra colorem darkness destroys differences a Serpent shall be taken for a Rope a Pool for a Meadow a Statue for a living man an enemy for a Friend a King for a Subject in the dark And so the first currant mistake by the help of this politick Ignorance that hath advanc'd and supported the Empire and credit of that Church to this day is that they make their Proselytes believe that their Church is the same with Jerusalem wich is above descended down to Rome the Mother of us all the Church of the living God out of whose Pale or Bosome there is no Salvation to be expected For so all degrees and Converts to that Church by the Bull or Test of Pius quartus must profess and swear the Holy Catholick Church in Heaven and Earth mention'd in Creeds to be their particular Roman Church which begets it great Authority and veneration from those which can believe this to be true and heretofore brought great resort and Treasure and Honour to that City several Kings and Princes leaving their Crowns and Kingdoms to end their dayes at Rome as it were in Heaven or Abraham's bosom So Bede saith of a Bede lib. 4. c. 5. Oswi that he was grown so perfect a Catholick that had not his Disease prevented he resolved to go to Rome to leave his Bones there to be sure of Heaven Which the Monkish corrupter of the Brittish History directly affirms of Cadwaladr last King of the Brittains the absurdity of which dream and forgery tending to exalt the Honour of Rome and the abuse of our Saints and worthies most evidently appears by comparing Bede and Geoffrey of Monmouth together For he with all others allows Cadwaladr to be the Son of Cedwalla or Cadwalhan King Edwins Chrony and Antagonist born the same day and brought up b Hist Britt l. 12 c. 1. in the Court of Northwales to years of manhood together That Edwin recovering Northumberland by the defeat and death of Edelfred after long exile and falling out with Cadwalhan who would not allow him to wear a Crown beyond Humber but at peril of his head and then siding with the Roman faction conquer'd Wales and drove out Cadwalhan beyond the Seas holding the Countrey in subjection for 17 years but was overthrown at last and kill'd by Cadwalhan in the year 633. being the 47 year of his Age c Bede l. 2. c. 20. saith Bede as Cadwalhan was of the same Age by consequence and Cadwaladr his Son born and in being about this time or else according to Bede he never could be born For according to
s insensibly received and admitted into its rest at last and then and there lost forever and found forever in the Bosom of the Immense Ocean so is it most an end with every Christian soul at the beginning and progress and end of his Christian Race who is as sure to reach to his rest and glory in the bosom of God forever as Rivers to reach the Sea which they are reaching every day nearer and nearer as they move towards it in the channel that leads unto it and is the very same Element with it To conclude if all could be perswaded and won to walk up to this short and Catholick Rule which reaches all Nations and Churches and Conditions and Vocations and degrees to discharge all their duties to one another from the heart as unto Christ there would be more truth and veracity in the World not only towards Brethren but towards enemies and strangers who have Christ in mens hearts to hold in their behalf any promise pawn'd and made unto them the violation whereof carries as much of Atheism and contempt of Christ within the heart as dishonesty without towards him it wrongs There would be more meekness and patience towards enemies and persecutors if not for their sakes yet for Christs who commands forgiveness and love to enemies More obedience or submission to all Governours to the best for Christ's sake and their own to the worst for Christ sake however being our necessary duty and their due Almes There would be more love and readiness to help one another by Counsel or Purse or Prayer instead of eating and devouring one another by Craft and Power when it shall be consider'd that every benefit or wrong we do to our Neighbour without we do both in a higher degree and greater edge to Christ himself within our hearts to our Eternal reward or reckoning This would make men true Christians and Loyal Subjects and tender Fathers and Governours and just Masters and right members in their respective Communities and Societies and trusts and Genuine Sons of the Church not only of England our Mother on Earth but of Jerusalem above the Mother of us all in Heaven to the saving of our Souls Infallibly when the whole stock of Mountebank Indulgencies shall faile to effect the Cure This little Commandment well observ'd would be the Harmony of the World set Heaven and Earth in Tune again and God at peace with his Creatures and plant joy and concord and the peace of God which passeth all understanding in every Kingdom in every City in every Family in every Breast And that Angelical Prophetical Anthem at our Saviours Birth would recover its Truth and Power in the World And Glory should be to God on high and on Earth peace and good will towards men FINIS A Particular Table of the Contents PART I. MOral experiments proving the Body to be as nothing in comparison of the Soul pag. 1 2 11. Masters and Princes Symbols of Christ how 4. How the Stature of a Christian reaches from Earth to Heaven p. 5. The Heart is never without its God p. 7. 20. Sincere Heathens and Carnal Christians compar'd and which preferr'd 7. Outside Duties in Religion necessary though nothing when compar'd to the Inside p. 8. None ought to vilifie their own Faith before a fair and open Renuntiation ibid. Sincere and dangerous mistakes arising from the comparative excellency of the Soul above the Body p. 9 Monkery and Non-conformity compar'd p. 9 10. How a thought of the Soul true or false is preferr'd before Estate Health and Life p. 11. Three properties requir'd to Act from the heart p. 12. Of force about Religion p. 13 14. Both good and bad men are for pleasure and the difference and the necessity of Divine Grace to set the will free p. 14 15. The Heart is for God and Christ and none beside why How p. 16. seqq Two reasons why the heart is so and how the Soul is Correlate to God p. 19. seqq An Irrefragable proof of the Deity from wicked mens experience and why it operates not upon some p 20 21. The Scheme and Hypothesis of the Christian Faith out of St. Paul and Creed and Fathers and Baptismal Vow p. 21 22. The right rule to chuse or avoid Communion with Churches p. 23. The Christian Hypothesis the best foundation and support of Societies p 23 24. A description of a true and right member of a Society p. 25. seq Honour is more than Life Conscience more than Honour what more than Conscience p. 27. Of a false member and of self-love how sordid and destructive of it self p. 28. seqq What makes good Men good Subjects good Rulers p. 31. seqq The great Rule of doing as we would be done by fenc'd and exalted by the Text p. 32. seq Blind obedience and implicit Faith in the Church of Rome to Superiours fairly examin'd and found unsound and unworthy p. 32. 33. seq What is Truth p. 37. Which the greater sin Tyranny or Rebellion p. 38 39. Plenitude of Soveraignty and Liberty consistent p. 40. Christs Divinity prov'd against Socinians p. 41 42. SECT I. An Exhortation to adhere to the Church of England against Rome p. 43. seqq The way to be Infallible p. 44. Worship in an unknown Tongue excludes the heart p. 44. seq Men are to be Infallible for themselves first for their Brethren next p. 47. The Controversy consists in the Election of a right or wrong Infallible guide p. 47. This Question stated in the sense of both parties p. 48 49 51. All other Controversies would end if this were decided p. 51. Obedience to the wrong is disobedience to the Right Soveraign ibid. Three Questions propos'd to find out the true p. 52. The heart cannot be without a guide Christ or sin or man of sin p. 53. The Principles of Government with the last p. 54 55 No Law of Christ or Conscience or Countrey must be heeded against his Authority and Interest p. 56 57 The Soul is Gods Temple and the Pope instead of Christ affects to be Soveraigâ— there p. 61 62. Great folly and danger to hearken to a Perkin Warheck p. 63 64. The Principles of Protestants how they prove the uniform Loyalty of the heart to Christ as the right Soveraign p. 63 64. How the Brittish Church knowes the Scriptures to be Gods word p. 64. How our Controversies about things indifferent are decidable by these Principles p 65 66. Christ is the Judge of quick and dead and who are his Depuâ—â—â—â—on Earth 47 67. And nothing to be acted against him by â—â—â—s Authority p. 67. Such as be Hereticks with the Pope but Catholicks with God are in no danger p. 67. SECT II. Rome no Mother Churâ—h to us not Loyal to Christ her Soveraign p. 68 69. Every Church may be consider'd three wayes 1. According to its Inside 2. Outside 3. Or extraction p. 69. Jerusalem above not Rome is the Mother Church to all Christians in respect of their inside
or quicken either or like Pipes in an Organ Dead and Dumb as of themselves yet sounding out aloud the high praises of their God in his Church when they are filled with his Breath and Holy word and spirit However when these inward conceptions of mens spirits bud and break out in Births James 1.15 and land in another World in the Territories of Earthly Soveraigns who like God are both Omniscient and Omnipotent in their own Dominions and precincts Here the case is far otherwise Here Earthly Magistrates have their free Liberty and Authority to arrest and take as in the out-side and purliews of the soul whether they be Christian or Heathen as well the one as the other in their several capacities and Characters Heathen Kings being Gods Deacons Rom 13.4 or his Ministers in the State to preserve the peace of God and man by frowning upon all vice and sin and wicked lewdness Act. 18.14 which is spiritual Idolatry and War against God in the heart provoking his vengaence and judgement against a land and to Protect and praise them in every good work and vertue which is the amicable and loyall deportment and worship of righteous souls towards God whereby he is won to be favourable in his blessings and protections not only to them and their seed but to the whole land though less deserving for their sakes Gen. 18.32 And Christian Kings being the Fathers and Bishops of the Church and Christs undoubted Viccars on Earth in all the outward affairs of that Holy Polity to preserve its beauty and order and the holiness of its Communion against blemishes and scandals according to the Rules of Christ Christian Kings I say cannot be denyed to be the Fathers of the Church according to Gods own mind in Esa 49.23 Prophecies like to Faith being the evidence of things not seen given their right stiles and Titles to persons and degrees as yet not in being as if they were And as they are Fathers so they are Bishops and Overseers of Christs Flock the Church in things without as other Holy Bishops are in things within as it was declar'd by our Constantine the first Christian Emperour in the first and great general of Counsel of Nice of 318. Primitive and the best tried Bishops the Church ever had Nemine contradicente not one dissenting or disliking the expression either then or since but our Romish Popes of late after the Church began to slumber and degenerate And Viccars on Earth they all are severally in their own Kingdoms by the Popes own confession for so Eleutherius early declares in his Epistle to our Lucius the first Christian King in the world about the year 170. if it were the Act of Eleutherius or about the year 110. if the Act of Evaristus according to a. Usher de Britan. Eccles Primordiis p. 34. Ninius or sooner according to b. Usher de Britan. Eccles Primordiis p. 34. Paulus Jovius which though it be not Authentick in all its parts and purposes yet because some of our Kings might send to some of the Popes of Rome then Famous in the world for their uprightness to be Brotherly advised about some points of their Government unless our difference from them about Easter as well as the East might interrupt such correspondence or Communion and the Epistle passes for true and Authentick amongst many of our Romanists therefore the Testimony and citation in it touching Kings being Gods Vicars in their Territories is firm however and binding against them to the full And St. Paul doth no less in the Principles he layes down in my Text by which every master is Christs Vicar to his own Servant and by consequent proportion every King is Christs Vicar to his own Subjects for the Apostle would have tied obedience upon Subjects toward Christians Kings if they had been in his time in being in the same from and tenour as upon Christian Servants here towards their Christian Masters as is observed by a right learned Person towards whom they are to do all from the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto Christ himself this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as implies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as the master is is over the Servant in his Civil capacity his Civil Lord and Master so is he over him in his Christian capacity a Christian Servant as Christ is over Christians and Subjects Masters and Kings by consequence being Christs Image or similiude or Lievtenants or Viccars as the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies The same Apostle exhorting every soul to be subject to the higher Powers Rom. 13.1 amongst whom are comprehended Ecclesiastical persons as well as lay saith St. Chrysostom If those Powers become Christian as they are now with us they become the Vicars of Christ by consequence to all their Christian Subjects of the Clergy as well as Laity and were his Holiness a liege Subject of this Kingdom our King would be inevitably Christs Vicar on Earth unto him as he is undoubtedly to all English or Brittish Roman Catholicks who yet suffer themselves to be seduced by him who is no Viccar of Christ to them as such to withdraw their Christian obedience from him who truly is and Unchristianly and disloyally to disown his Supremacy over them who is as truly Christs Vicar over them in this world as he is their Christian King or they his Christian Subject Which is also agreeable to right reason as well as Scripture for there is a great difference between the Inside and the Outside of any Church or particular Christian which are in two several Kingdoms under two distinct Governments the one Heavenly and Eternal as is the soul the other Earthly or Temporal as is the body of which two they are severally made For such actions of the Soul as are concrete to the body and of use and moment in this present world only and not contrariant to Divine Institution and are circumstantiated with time and place whereby they become visible facts preceptible by mens senses and open to the view and cognizance of humane Authority though they be concerning matters Christian or deportments and behaviours and wears to be used within the Church and in time of service the same are not properly Spiritual as they are vulgarly call'd especially with them at Rome whose whole Religion is about the outside or Heavenly or Eternal and Invisible and belonging to Salvation which is equivalent but they carry a Temporal or Secular or Carnal nature in them and belong therefore to Temporal Jurisdiction to each Crown they are under and by no pretence to Rome but where Rome hath a temporal Authority to order them in her own Subjects but with us they belong to our Brittish Thrones and Tribunals and to Ecclesiastical Courts where they concern Christian and Temporal where they concern Civil Society and to the Kings Subjects as witnesses and Juries upon the place and not to any Forraign Chair or Rota or Pack of strangers to make
denied by our Adversaries themselves that the Christian Faith was first introduced to our Brittain by Joseph of Arimathea who buried our Saviour in his own new Tomb Math. 27.60 who landed here with other followers of our Saviour shortly after his Resurrection and Diu ante-long before Eleutherius his time saith (a) Baron T. 2. An. 183. p. 240. Polyd. Virgil lib 2. p. 37. Barronius fixing it to the 35 year of Christ where after he had preach'd the Gospel in this Country he ended here his days and quotes an English M.S. in the Vatican Library for one of his Authors and Sanders and Cressy and Pitseus and the rest of the Roman Catholick writers upon this Subject allow this story so that habemus confitentes reos we have such a testimony for the proof of our first point as in wordly Tribunals is counted fatall and conclusive the confession of the Adverse party And it is to be wondred of such men that they should be so ill advised as to yield such a Truth so easily to such a prejudice to their Cause but what then should become of the credit of so many holy Monks Relations and Revelations touching the Monastry of Glastenbury and not only the devout visits of Faganus and Dwywanus and Austine and Paulinus sent hither from the Pope to preach the Gospel which proves Christian Religion as well as that Old Church to have been here in their belief and perswation long before their Arrival hither but the many Divine Revelations from Angels and the Virgin Mary and Christ himself about the building and dedicating that Ancient Church It 's safer therefore with our Romish Authors and a less inconvenience of the two to confess this fact and yield the cause than question the credit of so many Miracles and Supernaturall Revelations enough to spoil and overthrow their Church whose errours are chiefly supported and confirmed by such devices and extol the wisdom of Protestants that rely on no Divine Visions but those recorded in Scripture But others are swayed much more by other Evidences so many Charters of Kings as well Brittish as Saxon and Norman several extant to this day given to this Monastery upon the account and acknowldgement of its undoubted Antiquity and priority to all other Churches in this Land or in this part of the world The Charter of King (e) Usher de Primordiis p 122. Henry the Second in the year 1185. where it is affirm'd of it Fons Origo totius Religionis Angliae pro certo habetur And recites the Charters of former Kings touching the place of William the 1. and 2. and Henry his Grandfather and those Ancienter of Edgar and Edmond and Edward and Alfred and Bringwalch Kentwin Baldred Ina Inclyti Arthuri the famous Arthur Cudred and many other Christian Kings all diligently perus'd and read before him and the Charter of Edward the third in the third year of his Reign to the like effect both perus'd by the Renowned Vsher The first Church in the Kingdom of Brittain saith King Ina counted the Principal in this Kingdom ab Antiquo from Ancient time saith Edgar built by the Disciples of Christ where in all agree And (g) Monasticon Anglican the Tombs of so many Abbots and Saints and Bishops and Kings counting it Honour to be there Interr'd and King (h) Usher p. 117. Arthur in particular whose Tomb and inscription after the burning of the Abby was there found about the year 1200. say the best Historians of (f) Idem p. 124. those times But the bringing of this Tradition to publick test and examination in several (i) Usher p. 23. 175. General Synods of Europe gives it much great reputation where the Embassadors of England in the Controversie about the Dignity and Precedency of England with France who derive their first conversion from Dionysius the Areopagite converted by St. Paul at Athens Act. 17.34 and with Spain or Castile who ascend higher for their founder to James the Brother of John kill'd by Herod Act. 12. yet claim'd Priority to England before either of them from Joseph of Arimathea's landing and preaching here statim post i Usher p. 23. 175. Passionem Christi immediately after the Passion of our Saviour and the weakness of the exceptions of the Advocates of the adverse part may be seen in the great Vsher with answers to them where requisite which Controversie was first set on foot in the Council of Pisa in the year 1409. next in the Council of Constance in 1417. between the Embassadors of France and England in the Council of Sena 1424. before Pope Martyn the fift between us and French and Spaniards together 1434. between the Embassadors of England and Castile again which passages have so prevail'd with Cressy that he hath no scruple left but one and that not against the Fact and body of the story but against the time and earliness thereof k Cressy Eccles Histor he can not hastily believe that Joseph arrived here so soon wherein yet he is to be commended by that party for his watchfulness for the Honour and Prerogative of the Church of Rome in apparent danger of being overthrown by this Church if the date and time as well as the substance of the story be once granted and evinced For if Joseph arrived here in the 35 year of Christ as Baronius guesses or the 36. as others for where some differr it to 63. m Spelman Concil p. 12. Sir H. Spelman conceives the figures displaced 63 for 36 and our Saviour suffered in the 34 of his age it follows that Joseph repaired hither immediately after the Resurrection in the 21 or 22. that is to say the last or last year saving one of Tiberius his Reign Christ being Crucified in his 20 th n Helvic Chron. whom Caligula succeeded Regning three years and ten Months And â— Claudius after him thirteen years and eight months And n Helvic Chron. Nero after Claudius another thirteen years and eight months And St. Peter's arrival at Rome is not so much as pretended by them of Rome to be before the second year of Claudius which yet Protestants can never grant finding him in those years to be in Palestine and Papists can never prove but that he came to Rome about the 12 or 13 year of Nero they have tradition more favourable for them and more reconcilable to his other abodes and Martyrdom It is consequent here upon that the Christian Faith was in Brittain before St. Peter ever came to Rome for as many years as are between the latter end of Tiberius and the second of Claudius in their own account that is for about seven years and in the account of all others for as much time as Intervenes between the end of Tiberius and the 12 or 13 year of Nero that is that the Church of Brittain is manifestly Senior and Ancienter in the Faith than the Church of Rome by thirty years complete
Regions are parted from neighbouring Kingdoms by impervious Mountains and wild and inhospitable deserts or whether it were that the Ink then in use was Bloud and their best evidences and Records flames and Martyrdom Nevertheless the acknowledged increase of Religion over all the Land in King Lucius his time will attest the zeal and fidelity of this Age to their Principles when it shall appear from the Epistle of Eleutherius that Christian Religion is pre-supposed therein to be settled in this Land before and the King pre-instructed in it And the c Usher p. 141. great Vsher Marshalls about 20 or 30 Authors both Foreign and Domestick to confute and stop the mouths of some ignorant suggestions as if Religion had fail'd or expir'd in this Land between the time of its first planting and Dioclesians persecution For the third Age Origen and Tertullian early Fathers mention Religion to flourish here the one writing about the year 201. Brittannorum in accessa Romanis loca Christo vero subdita That Christ was received as Lord here where the Romans had much ado to enter the other that they were united to Christ in Brittain though divided from the rest by situation And Dioclesians persecution in the beginning of the fourth Age about the Year 303. largely proves the existence of the Christian Faith in this Land which it so fiercely endeavour'd totally to suppress but to little effect Yea to the more corroborating of Christianity here by the exemplary constancy of Martyrs St. Alban and Amphibalus and Julius and Aaron c. establishing it the more by their sufferings and d Bed lib. c. 7. Converting their Executioners with their invincible meekness and patience And occasioning its larger extent and the full Conversion of the Scots dwelling then in the Northwest of Scotland beyond Dunbritton Frith by the Brittish Culdees e Buchanan Rerum Scoticarum Regit ◠p. 122. Spotswood Hist lib. 1. retiring to those parts as Archbishop Spotswood and Buchanan acknowledge the Providential benefit from whose Cells the Ancient Scots denominated their Churches Who in after Ages were extruded saith the same Author e Buchanan Rerum Scoticarum Regit ◠p. 122. Spotswood Hist lib. 1. by a new sort of Popish Monks Tanto Doctrinâ pictate illis inferiores so much coming short of the other for Learning and Piety as they exceeded them in Riches and Ceremonies wherewith they affect mens Senses and infatuate their minds In the Year 313. when peace was restor'd by Constantine they begin saith Gildas f Gildas Epist to Re-build their Churches demolished to the ground and her exil'd Children dissipated into Corners gather themselves together into the bosom of the Church to Celebrate their Festivals and Triumphs over their Enemies to give God the Glory and to attend his Sacraments with pure heart and mind In the following year the Church being in good order we find the three Archbishops of Brittain taking their places and subscribing in the great Councel of Arles in France Eborius Ivor Arch-Bishop of York Restitutus Edrud Archbishop of London and Adelfius Brawdol Archbishop of Caerleon upon Vsk a Roman Colony where a Legion in the Brittish Leon kept their Garrison corruptly set down in the Council with several other places h Concil Arelat Edit Reg Paris Civitate Colonia Londinensium where an uniform Celebration of Easter was agreed upon and thereupon Constantine i Constantini Epist apud Spelm. Conc. p. 4. with good reason assures all the Orthodox Bishops that were not present at the Council of Nice which was held eleven Years before that of Arles that the Church of Brittain with others did agree with the rest of the World in the Orthodox observation of Easter In 347. in a Councel of about 400 Western Bishops we find the Bishops of Brittain to joyn in the Condemnation of the Arrian Heresie and the clearing of k Apol. 2. Athanasius as himself doth testifie About the Year 390. l Usher 787 St. Chrysostom likewise magnifies the Divine power of Christ from the Holy Faith and Life the Churches and Altars in Brittain as it were in another World In the latter end of this Age m Gildas Epist Maximus in this Island making for the Roman Empire exhausted the Nation of all its Fighting men and Arms and Treasure wherewith he Coped with two Emperours Gratian and Valentinian driving the one out of Rome the other out of his Life and leaving the Nation weak and open to the Incursion of its Enemies round about but made far more weak by Gods desertion upon the follies and ill life of Vortigern inviting the Saxons into his pay against the Scots and Picts and prefering the Beauty of Hengist's Daughter before his Faith and Countrey and his Christian Subjects after his example inter-marrying with the Saxon Infidells which was one o Ubbo Emmius Rerum Frisic Hist lib. 3. of the reasons brought over St. German and Lupus to disswade them from such wickedness but all in vain till God gave them and their Countrey over to be barbarously and mercilessly destroyed by their perfidious mercenaries Confederating with their enemies against them who were before too strong for them in their weakness yet God in his mercy rais'd them pious and Couragious Princes Aurelius Ambrosius and Vter Pendragon and the Renowned Arthur who by the strength of a Christian p Ubbo Emmius Rerum Frisic Hist lib. 3. League enter'd into with Picts and Scots made great slaughter upon the Infidels and subdued and chas'd them out of the Land And what further proves not only the continuation but the true temper and life of the Christian Faith amongst them our Brittains were zealous and successful to preach and plant the Gospel amongst their Enemies and Invaders As the most Reverend and Holy Bishop Ninian as Beda stiles him lib. 3. c. 4. about the year 412. Converted by his Preaching the Southern Picts dwelling then between the Frith of Edenburgh and the Hills having his See amongst his own Countreymen at Whitern or Candida Casa translated afterwards to Glasgow that Territory r Usher p. 663. from Dunbritton Firth down to Cumberland remaining then in the possession of the Ancient Brittains and the names of Rivers and Towns and Mountains are as Brittish as in the heart of Wales In the Year 432. the great St. Patrick a Brittain born whether about St. Davids in ſ Humph. Lhuid Frag. Britt p. 63. Wales as some say or at Kirpatrick t Usher p. 819 near Dunbritton as others will have it it matters not much the people and Language in the one place and in the other being then of the same Brittains whence he was stollen with about an hundred more by Irish Pirates and sold for a Slave whereby he had time to learn their Language and was enabled by God to Captivate the whole Nation to Christ both Princes and people and the Isle of ſ Hist Ch. Scot. lib. 1. Spotswood ascribes the
Conversion of the Isle of Man to the Brittish Culdees Usher 642. Man together in a miraculous manner which was his Christian retaliation to his enemies Whose reward is great with God and the greater by this that he hath the less of praise from men his very Adorers since his plantation was long obscur'd by a Romish Fog that still lasts upon it never ceasing to defame and traduce his Divine work with Superstitious descriptions and unworthy Legends though intended perhaps for Honour In 451. †Usher p. 978. Gildas Albanius born at Arcluit in Beda's time called Alcluid that is a Town upon the River Cluid now Dunbritton Inhabited then by the Brittains preach'd to and converted the North parts of Scotland beyond the Hills whether Ninias before had not reach'd And after him in 565. St. Columba of Irish Birth and Brittish Doctrine and Institution assisted by u Idem 540. Constantine Duke of Cornwall repenting of his Adulteries and Murthers upon the reproofs of Gildas Badonicus and taking orders perfected the Conversion of the Picts Serfus one of the Culdees and consequently of Brittish either Birth or Principle promoting the same work as far as the Orcades About the Year 560. St. Kentigerne y p. 686. Nephew to King Arthur and Founder of St. Asaph returned to his Bishoprick of Glasco and preached first the Gospel to the English though enemies permitted upon (f) Histor Brit. lib. 8. C. 9. M. Westm 489. submission and fealty under Octa and Ebusa Sons of Hengist newly conquer'd by Aurelius Ambrosius to live in that Brittish Territory between the Friths and the Wall where they suffer'd the Brittains before being worsted by them to reside upon like submission About 596 what by divisions among themselves what by great invasions by Gormond from Ireland as well as by the Saxons in their bowels what by a great and Epidemical Plague and Jaundize and the entrance of Monk Austin the greatest Plague of all two of their Candlesticks were removed Thadiock Arch-Bishop of the See of York and Theon of London being forc'd from their Sees and charge with the Clergy and Gentry from their Estates and Homes to retire for their safety into the parts of Wales and Cornwall and Ireland very probably none staying behind but the Peasantry at the Terms and for the conveniencies and interest of the conquerour York faring best of the two Sees for the Cambrian (m) Usher p. 1005. Kingdom or Cumberland called Valentia with Scotland or old Albany which formerly had been parcels of the See of York stood yet entire and safe under the Protection of their own Kings and Princes who were able to defend their Religion and Territories both from Pagan and Romish Encroachments about this time infesting them But in the See of London and the body of Lhoegr as the Brittains still call England the Inhabitants that remain'd behind Tributaries to the Saxon Conquerour were to retain their Faith between the heart and God after their Clergy were expell'd by the procurement of Rome as is to be suspected unless some lurked behind in cognitò as is usual for their comfort and assistance or the Pagan Conquerours as we shall see anon gave them toleration of Religion either by Grace or Articles as did Irmericus in Kent and Penda in Mercia and Kerdic in West Saxony c. whereof Bede takes little notice though he could not and doth not wholly conceale the passages But then as the loss of one sense adds strength to the other and the shutting of one eye enlarges the others Candle Ireland grew rich and famous upon this dispersion and accession of learned men into its Teritories for refuge whereby it became about this time the University as it were of these Western parts of Europe for the Christian Orthodox Religion and term'd Insula Sanctorum the Island of Saints whither recourse was made for Spiritual knowledge from all parts and Kingdoms and Wales and its Sees and Abbies was no less stock'd with choice of Able-men and particularly the famous Monastery of Bangor-is-y coed where we find about this time above two thousand learned Monks living together in a holy Fraternity all Subject to the Metropolitical See of St. David whither the Chair was removed from Caerleon by the Authority of King Arthur and a Synod about the year 521 These in 602 gave Augustine the Monk a meeting about Worcester where the pretended Supremacy of the Church of Rome with its superstitious Innovations were Synodically disclaimed and rejected Augustines design being to seize our Brittish Churches as it were by occupancy and to subject them to Rome under colour of Conversion For that their Sees were made too hot to hold Thadiock and Theon at the arrival of Augustine or not long before is some Argument that the Pagan fury was made to burn the fiercer with Roman-Catholick bellows and that the believing Brittains who needed not their Conversion must veil their Ancient Metropolitan Chair of St. David or Caerleon likewise to an upstart See of Romes erection as Austine expected this manifestly proves and discovers it was their Temporal Dominion and superiority which by them is call'd the Catholick Faith that was the chief aim of Rome by all Inhumane and Unchristian Arts to propagate here in Brittain And if we were constrained to submit in part and for a time to their yoke and superstition when the Crown in our Kings for a time was miss-led by their influence and were freed from the same yoke in H. 8. when the Crown was better rectified by Providence we stand as we were holding fast our Liberty with a better conscience than they could usurp it from us being now under no Tye or obligation to Rome either for our Faith or errours not for our first Faith which we never had from them nor for some latter superstitions which we restor'd back unto them continuing a right Church from first to last because when we were at the worst we were as Orthodox as themselves who corrupted us and recovering our clearness again from their forc'd mud and mixture we continue as well English as Brittains now mutually Incorporated to profess the same Faith which was planted here above sixteen hundred and odd years ago not only before Lutâ—er was born but before Rome it self had its Christian being SECTION VI. Brittain had not the Faith from Pope Eleutherius THe first point being thus clear'd It becomes as clear we had not our Faith from Pope Eleutherius by King Lucius and were the Epistle and the Persons contemporary it makes more against them than for them whereof the sum is this You desired of us to send you the Roman Laws which you would use in the Kingdom of Brittain we can never disallow Gods Laws but may Caesars You have lately by Divine mercy received the Law and Faith of Christ you have with you in the Kingdom both the New and Old Testament whence by the advice of your Peers and the Council of
your Kingdom you may select holy and blameless Laws which may be enacted and supported not by any Forreign but your own Authority who are Gods Vicar in your Kingdom and represent his power to your People But not a word about Lucius his Baptism or the Nations conversion which it rather plainly pre-supposes Nor was it unbeseeming in a first Christian King much less the forfeiture of the Liberties of his Brittish Church and Kingdom forever to ask the advice of Neighbouring Churches or such excellent Christians as the Popes of Rome in those times were about the settlement and Government of the Church in his Dominion and the answer and the event do shew there was no such danger for the Popes answer is Protestant and Orthodox that the King is Christs Vicar in his Kingdom and the head of the Church which he may well Govern with his own Authority without depending upon Forreign provided he took along the Law of God and the opinion of his sages for his Rule and help the advice to be theirs the Acts of Governing to be his own which with the present Church of Rome is unsound and Heretical Doctrine for it 's the Land that moves with some and not themselves when they are sailing from it And it appears by event the Popes did never intermeddle in the Government of this Church or State yea that they were such strangers to us all along to the time of Pope Gregory who sent Austine hither that by his questions and clinches about the English he met at Rome in the Market Angli Angeli Deira Dei ira King Elle Halelujah it appears whether we were Pagans or Christians here in Brittain he did not very well know but some Papists are grown willing of late to relinquish this part of their pretence and to allow this Epistle to be counterfeit because so contrary to their present Doctrines and seditious principles more than for the considerable reasons Sir H. Spelman layes down against it which Mr. Prynne takes upon him to disallow and answer to severally but the other part of the story though thus crack'd in credit that Lucius was Baptiz'd together with all the Land by Eleutherius his Emissaries must stand nevertheless which yet is wholly improbable and contrary to all sense and reason for the Brittish Church in Augustines time was found so uniformly unlike in all its rites and customs to the Roman if the Roman observations in the time of Augustine and Eleutherius were the same that one may easily believe that the fair Nothern Nations are so many Colonies of Blackamoores as believe Brittain to be regenerated by the Baptism of Rome to which Mother it held so little resemblance in any of its Ecclesiastical features For one of the main points in difference between the Brittains and Austine we find in Bede lib. 2. c. 2. was about their Ceremonies of Baptism then that known and lasting difference and contention about Easter and their abstinence on Wednesdays and Frydays not on Saturday as was and is observ'd at Rome against the sense and Custom of the Catholick Church there being as little Conformity between this Church and that in the heads and guides as well as the whole body of the People in the former rites Our Deacons varying from them in point of tonsure our Priests and Bishops in that of Marriage our Arch-Bishops in the Characteristicall Badge and livery of the Pall which these Churches never fetch'd or wore in token of compliance or dependance on that Church as shall be further proved in every particular out of their own or better Authors so that they may be justly ashamed as much of the Second part of this lye and pretence touching the Baptism of our King and Kingdom as they are of the first touching the Epistle where by the way it may be observ'd with abhorrence and detestation what unworthy Arts and Methods this holy Roman-Catholick Church makes no conscience to use to compass its Unchristian Ambition and Supremacy over Kingdoms and Nations where it can find the least colour or occasion what lyes they scruple not to Father upon all manner of men the living and the dead even on their best Popes and the Apostles and the Virgin Mary and Christ and God himself so their Carnals ends and Grandeur may be advanced thereby and what forgeries and falsehoods have they not foisted into all manner of books and Records and Histories to promote their Dominion hook or by crook particularly into our Brittish in the time of Ignorance and their Kingdom of darkness extending once to all parts and Persons Geoffrey of Monmouth affirming that that he did not compile but only Translate into Latine his History out of a Brittish Manuscript which Gualter Arch-Deacon of Oxford brought over hither from little Brittain whereas that Gualter attests likewise in the close of that very book that he Translated a A mysi Cualter Archiagon Rydychen a droes y Llyfr hwn or Lladin yn gymraâ—g I Walter Arch-Deacon of Oxford Translated this out of Latine into Welsh Histor Brittan Galfr'd Monm M. S. Cambro Brit. the same out of Latine into the Brittish tongue by which device the Enemies of the Glory of our Brittish Church and Nation have to the wrong of the first and to help on their vain Supremacy by any Art or shift shuffled in this passage touching Lucius into ours as the other touching Constantine into other Histories that both were Baptized by Popes Eleutherius and Silvester by all means because the one the first Christian King the other the first Christian Emperour and both brag 's equally true as likewise that Dubritius Arch-Bishop of Caerleon in King Arthurs time was Apostolicae sedis legatus not unlike another of their fictions of the Popes sending the Pall to St. Patrick to make him Arch-Bishop of Ireland under Rome though a Pall in Ireland was never heard off till the time b Cambrens Topograph Hiber C. 17. of Malachias Anno. 1152 and to the diminution of the Second clogg'd the Archievements of the great and Religious King Arthur with their unworthy Legends and Fables as with a designe that the one with the other might in time be of equal credit which hath induc'd some blind to lead the blind to believe there was no such King In so much that Buchanan well knowing and seeing the contrary in the Records of his own Nation could not forbear to make a digression on purpose to vindicate his name and story which in other c Ubbo Emmius Rer. frisic Hist lib. 3. Nations concerned in that History is acknowled'd as well as in the Scottish and our own in a just indignation against the underminers of the fame of so great a Hero d Buchanan Rer. Scotic lib. 5. Reg. 45. p. 151. But some light and occasion perhaps they had for their Monkish Invention in that very probably Lucius was Baptized by one from Rome viz. e Usher cap. 3. p. 31. seq Timotheus
attended but with one Clerk or two at the most and after a little refection he hastened presently away to read to his Disciples or to his private prayers after whose pattern and example in that time all devout men and women every where made it a Custom to fast every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year till three a clock afternoon except the 50 dayes between Easter and Whitsontide He never spared for fear or honour to reprove the Rich when ever they did amiss but corrected them especially with great severity He never us'd to give away Money or presents to the Rich and Great in this World but only a kind entertainment when ever they came to visit him but what ever such bestowed upon him he soon imployed it either for relief of the Poor or redemtion of Captives admitting them his Scholars and Disciples whom he so redeemed and fitting them by his pains and Instructions for the Priestly dignity Not a word of Vests and Ornaments or Palls or Crucifixes or Holy Water or Indulgencies or toyes or lyes or Prophetick Murders for they were no Roman-Catholicks but only good Brittish Christians The Right Pictures of Gildas who loved best and truest when they were most troublesom to offenders being lively Instances to guess at this distance at the spirit and efficacy of St. Patrick's Ministry upon the Ancient Irish and Scotch by the Apostolical stamp of such self-denial and contempt of this present World in their hearts and affections out of love to Christ and that to come This worthy Bishop Aidan as his name imports in the Brittish and Holy King Oswald were the Chief Authors and Instruments under God of the Conversion of the English to the Christian Faith over all the Land not only in Northumberland where they Reigned and resided but over the rest of the English Heptarchies by their Influence and good example for Oswald did not only the part of a King in the first Invitation and continual encouragement maintenance Protection of those men of God but bore a great share with them in their Ministry for as Aidan delivered Gods mind in his Doctrine and Preaching so h Bede l. 3. c. 3. 6. l. 3. c. 5. Oswald out of great zeal and humility to the better edification of his Subjects vouchsafed in his Royal Apparel to be his Clerk or Deacon interpreting Aidan's mind to the People wherein he was defective or unready for want of more skill in the tongue and which gave the greatest life of all to his endeavours exemplifying all his precepts by a leading conversation and holiness of life and largeness of Alms and charity hardly to be parallel'd parting with his meat out of his mouth with his dinner set before him to his poor Christian Subjects without that Aidan once wishing this unwearied Arm and liberal hand of his might never fail but be ever supplied by God with heart and substance for it gave occasion to Monkish Historians of the superstitious Letter wherein Bede himself was no mean proficient i Bede lib 3. c. 6. to fain and believe that his arm never rotted or decayed in the Grave forgetting or taking in the better to frame the Legend those Posts or Town Gates whereon King Penda hanged it For as by the Grace of God he exceeded all other Kings in Religion and vertue so in Gods just and unsearchable judgements he no less out went them in the disaster of his end being conquered in Battel by Penda King of Mercia his Enemy who quartered and hang'd up his head and arms for scorn and terrour to all about of which direful end of so good a Christian no conjecture can be made out of Bede of the cause but from the place of the Fathers murders and the Sons sufferings for Bede saith he was kill'd at a place call'd by the English k Math. Westm Marels-feild Bede lib 3. c. 12. Hen. Huntingdon Mesa-feild Locus conterminus Walliae Armonicae 7 millibus a civitate Schrowsbury versus Walliam Monastic Anglic. pars 1. p. 38. Maser-feild not expressing where it lay but Heaven-feild the place he Conquered and killed Cadwalhan about 46 years before Cadwalhan dyed by rearing the Cross he assigns to be about the Picts wall in the North But most probably the place of his Cross and Death was one and the same As Cambden more rightly guesses by several Circumstances to which I have particular reason to add one for at Oswestree where Oswald was kill'd by Penda thence called Oswaldsstree and in the Brittish Croâ—s Oswalht or Oswalds-Cross is to be found Cae-Nef as it is called to this day or Heaven-feild in the English which I have often gone over adjoyning near to the feilds where the ruins of Oswald's Chapel remain by a Well l Ibid. called Ffynnon-Capel-Oswalht where the late Noble Lord Capel drawing his Forces in a body was answered touching the place in my hearing that it was called Cae-Capel or Capel-feild by that famous and strong Warriour Mark Trevor Viscount Dungannon bred and born there and there abouts whom Cromwel had ever a great honour for being the only man that wounded and worsted him in the face of his Brigades which never had been known because concealed by his Armour but by Cromwel's own Ingenious Confession and kindness towards him for his Valour after the Loyal party was reduc'd as I have heard his Royal Highness relate the Story in publick Within 8 or 9 Miles of this place stands Bangor-îs-y coed whose Religious Monkes were so barbarously Murthered by his Father Ethelfred in such numbers as before By the Ministry of Aidan the m Bede lib. 3. c. 3. 6. M. Westmin A. 635. Nullus incredulus tempore Oswaldi in Northumbriâ Idem A. 634. whole Province of York this side Scotland and its English Inhabitants was restor'd to the Brittish Church that is the two Provinces of Bernicia and Deira as that Metropolitan See was divided into were entirely converted such as needed n Usher p. 1004. Bernicia containing in it Eastward the whole County of Northumberland and part of Durham On the West the North-Cumbrian Kingdom erected by the Brittains between the Rivers Derwen and the Friths upon the ruines of the Northumbrian n Usher p. 1004. And Deira the other part comprehending the Counties of York and Westmerland and Lancashire and the South part of Cumberland below Derwen Cheshire about this time being in great part within the Principality of Powys and Brochwael Scythrawg its Prince residing at West-chester as other times at Shrewsbury and there assaulted by King Ethelfred Bede lib. 2. A goodly part of the English Nation especially if we add thereunto the large Kingdom of Mercia where all the English according to Bede lib. 3. were Converted and brought up in the Faith by Finan a who was Discipulus Nennii Bannachorensis Cestriâ Elapsi Nennius his Disciple who escap'd from Chester saith Pitzeus but according to Bede both he and Diuma the other
the most considerable Saxon Kingdoms the Church of Rome had not the least Hand or pretence in their first Conversion though some of its bold seducers will not stick to affirm the English in general had no Christian Faith before Luthers time but what they received Originally from Rome and count them no less than Hereticks for adhering to the Religion of their Fathers which they undoubtedly received through Brittish Teachers from the Apostles which to deny were either great Impudence in such as know this to be true or great Ignorance in such as know it not But it is not however much to be wondered at in them for as Christ's mind and the truth with Christians so the mind of the Pope and the Interest of the Church of Rome with Roman-Catholicks is the rule and measure of their Conscience and affection and their Affirmations and the Eternal standard of good and evil verity an falsity with them incurably while Roman-Catholicks And why the men of that perswasion may not depose any thing in Tribunals against their light and private knowledge of the Truth for the Interest of their Church or at the Catholick suggestion of their guides why not sweare or conspire to any thing in point of Fact as well as believe any thing in point of Faith out of Implicit obedience to Superiours against the dictates of their conscience and the Truth which with them is but a private Spirit not to be followed against the other without danger I cannot see any reason to the contrary but the Roman-Catholick Hypothesis may well beare the consequence and Improvement provided all be carried on with a Lacedemonian skill and wariness with whom stealing was no Crime but to those alone that were caught in the Fact Hitherto we have recounted those Counties in England about 26 or 27 in number with the great City of London touching which the Church of Rome hath nothing to object or upraid the Inhabitants in their Progenitors in the least with any derivation of their first Faith from them and consequently not the least Imputation of Ingratitude or Disobedience or Schism to fasten on them in that respect any more than on the Ancient Brittains themselves Next I will instance in those Provinces wherein they have some pretence and colour out of Bede to insist on somthing to say for themselves and their title of Superiority whether it hold good or not both in the Kingdom of the West-Saxons which was a considerable Territory and in the three other of East-Angles South-Saxons and Kent more inconsiderable in comparison that it may appear to all how that somthing is meer nothing as some of their kind and learned favourers have observ'd and in part confessed For their title over the West-Saxon-Kingdom and the Counties that did belong f Usher 394. thereunto Surrey Southampton Berks Wilts Dorset Somerset Devon Cornwall they alledge that the first Christian King thereof Kinigilsus was converted to the Faith by Roman Ministry by Birinus by name sent thither from Pope Honorius and ordain'd Bishop at Genua It is answer'd this Conversion came to nothing and were it true and Regular and with the leave and liking of the Bishops of this Province yet it ended with that King and with Birinus who left no successor g Bede lib. 3. c. 7. 27. The succeeding King Kenwalch refusing his Fathers Faith was Converted afterwards by the means of Anna King of the East-Angles whither he was driven out of his Kingdom by Penda who saith Polydor g Bede lib. 3. c. 7. 27. satis constat it s sufficiently manifest were of the same Province and Kingdom with the East-Saxons though sometimes govern'd by two several Kings and London was the Royal City and Metropolis of both Nations Kenwalch's Conversion therefore falling out in a Brittish Oswaldian See cannot be well ascribed to Rome Besides Agilbert the first Bishop he used for his Instruction is stil'd by Bede g Bede lib. 3. c. 7. 27. Pontifex ex Hibernia a Bishop out of Ireland though of French descent for there he studied several years and learn't that Divinity which he preach'd to Kenwalch which was Brittish Doctrine by consequence Where it is observable by the way how the greatest Clergy of France for Agilbert afterwards was Archbishop of Paris came over hither to our Britttish Isles to Study Divinity And Wini h polyd Virg. lib. 4 p. 71. who was afterwards made a Partner with him in his Diocess was not from Rome but from h polyd Virg. lib. 4 p. 71. France with whom the Brittish Church held fair Communion as with Ireland i Brittish Bishops and Doctors Famous in France were Apud Usher Mellon first Archbishop of Roan p. 145. Mansuetus first Bishop of Toul in Lorraign p 747. St Winocus p. 1147. St. Winwalocus p 464. St. Leonorius cum 72 discipulis p. 1012. Faustus Reiensis p. 424. Paulus Leonensis p. 558. Sampson Maglorius and Maclovius Archbishops of Dole p. 73 75. Alcumus Rabamus Maurus c. sending to as well as receiving Teachers from them Besides the passage about Birinus is suspicious and Legend-like in several Circumstances and making much against them For it doth not mention what Countrey he was of which never could be known as k W. Malmesbury lib. 2. de Episc Occiden Saxon p. 137. Malmesbury notes besides King l Bede lib. 3. c. 7. Oswald being Recorded to have been at the same time a Suiter for Kinigils Daughter and Godfather to his Faither-in Law at his Baptism It looks not as Improbable that his Conversion was brought about as of most of the Saxon Kings by the zeal and Industry of King Oswald who else was too pious to have that value for Heathen Allyanee And therefore our Birinus might well be an Erinach or a Loegrian-Brittain How else if a Forreigner could he preach and instruct the King who understood nought but English unless King Oswald was a Gospel-Interpreter between them as well in the South as he used in the North and so in effect a Royal Preacher of it to the English from one end of the Land to the other and the tale of Birinus his Italian Ordination looks like the other lusty Affirmation of Bede that makes way for his feates in that Church who in contradiction to himself as well as the truth represents the West Saxons at his arrival amongst them to be l Bede lib. 3. c. 7. Paganissimos altogether Heathenish whereas most of those Counties and some to this day were Ancient Brittish Christians who had Bishops preserv'd amongst them from the time of King Lucius and the Christian Faith from the Resurrestion and the Landing of Joseph of Arimathaea in their Territory besides that the first power of the Saxons over those Counties was through Treaty and Allyance for mutual assistance between Kerdick and Mordred as afore and not by force and Conquest and their confirmation in it by King Arthur with particular
Articles for the perpetual preservation of the Christian Faith amongst them besides the union and Intermarriadges of Saxons and Brittains in this Territory especially as elsewhere whereby the Brittains in withholding the Gospel from them as they are unjustly traduc'd did but withhold it from their own flesh and bloud so that the English Loegrian Brittains of these eight West-Saxon Counties may and ought with a good Conscience account themselves members of the old Brittish Church if they will as the other 26 Counties must whether they will or not As for the three remaining Heptarchyes which were not so large and considerable as the other four either that of the East-Angles m Usher p. 394. which contain'd the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Ely and Cambridge or the other of the South Saxons which contain'd m Usher p. 394. Sussex and part of Surry with the Isle of Wight or Kent which was the first seat of the Aliens whereof the two first were gain'd together with the East-Saxon Heptarchy dolo non ferro as Malmsbury n lib. 2. de Episc Lond. words it the last by Carnal Lure that is in the Dialect of modern Christianity not much inferiour to their Heathenism one by Pimping and the other three by Trepanning of King Vortigern whom they well knew to be an Usurper as well as dissolute Neither were the generality of the former Inhabitants thereupon all put to the Sword immediatly but accepted for Tributaries to their new Masters in all probability and serviceable perhaps thereby to their Salvation yet it is to be examined how far the English in these Counties owe their first Faith and subjection to Rome after the Archbishoprick of London wherein they stood was recovered without any long Intermission to the Brittish Church If it be alleadged that Eorpwald Son of Redwald King of the East-Angles either Father or Son or both were won over to Christianity by the means of Edwin King of Northumberland and the Romish Ministry of Kent It appears out of the same Bede o Bede l. 2. c. 15. that both Conversions ended with their persons without any erection or succession of Bishops in that Territory the one revolting to Heathenism at the perswasion of his Wife or which was far worse serving Christ and Satan at the same Altar and Eorpwald shortly after his Baptism killed by one of his own Countrey and kindred and the Kingdom lying in its old Idolatry till his Brother Sigebert succeeded in the Throne who was not Converted by the means of Rome but p Ibid. in France where he lived in exile in his Brothers time and when upon his return he was desirous to make his people partaker of the same Christian Faith We find him in Bede assisted q Ibid. by Felix a Frenchman and r Idem l. 3. c. 19. Furseus a Noble man from Ireland both Nations fairly agreeing in Communion with the Brittish Church The one being made the Bishop of the East-Angles but ordained and Consecrated in Burgundy whence he came He is said to call one Honorius then Archbishop of Canterbury and to acquaint him with his desire to Preach the Gospel who sent him to these parts neither with Ordination nor guift of Tongues nor any other token of Dependance the King himself being his Patron who probably had been the Kings old acquaintance if not his Ghostly Father and first Converter And the chiefest assistance towards the good of the people that he is particulariz'd to give King Sigebert is about the ordering of his Å¿ Bede l. 3. c. 18. School for young Children after the manner he observed in France And his successor Thomas Diaconus sent by the same Honorius after the Decease of Felix was de Girviorum or †Usher 1027. Jarrow in the North part of Aidan's plantation under King Oswald in whose time not u M. Westm An. 605· one Infidel in those parts was left unconverted In whom or him that was next Bishop the Roman Race and succession must needs have given place to Brittish Ordination how else could it be true that in x Bede l. 3. 28. Wini Bishop of Winton's time who was contemporary Bede should affirm there was no other Bishop besides him throughout this Isle of Brittain that was not of Brittish Ordination as we often have occasion to urge But the Conversion of the body of the people is chiefly and deservedly attributed to y Idem l. 3. c. 19 20. Furseus and his Companions who first founded a Monastery in the Countrey called Knobhersburgh for a Nursery to his Ministry and an example to the people of Mortification and contempt of this present World which was then their usual method in the first planting of the Gospel whose main end is to bring this World with all its pompes and self ends more out of request with men and the life to come more in view and value This St. Furseus for his quality and extraction z Bede lib. 3. c. 19. Erat de Nobilissimo genere Scotorum He was of the Princely bloud of the Scotch or Irish who with Bede are one and the same People but for his temper and education he was more noble in mind than bloud brought up to learning and sanctity from his Infancy famed far and near for his Preaching and holy living his vertues and miracles and visions He first comes from Ireland to the Brittains a lib. 3. c â—7 from them to to the East-Angels and to the Leogrian-Brittains left amongst them ill supplied with Ministers for it is observable upon Monk Augustine's arrival it was the British b Clerici vero sacerdotes mucronibus undique micantibus ac Flammis omnes simul in exterminium pelluntur tunc Archiproesul Theonus Londonnensis Thadioc Eboracensis c Math. Westm ad An. 586. Clergy their Priests and Bishops more than their Laity that with fire and Sword were hunted and driven into Wales and not left there unpursued And being honourably received by King Sigebert he fell to his wonted work of preaching the Gospel for the Irish were no strangers about this time to the English tongue as neither the English to the Irish who us'd high and low Nobiles mediocres to flock from England to c Bede l. 3. c. 27. Ireland to be instructed in the Scriptures and strict way of living c Bede l. 3. c. 27. where it cost them nothing for Instructions or Books or Diet And brought numbers of Infidels to embrace the Christian Faith or conforted and confirm'd those that had believed already by the example of his life and the power of his Doctrine leaving his Brother Foilan with other Monks and Ministers to continue what he began the whole Teritory being afterwards reduc'd and Conquered by the Kings of Mercia whose Religion we have known before to be wholly Brittish as opposed to the Roman Neither are the descendants of South-Saxons in Sussex or Surrey or the Isle of
force And as Satanical injections refus'd are the Devils guilt but the Christians merit who was buffeted with them to his grief when he could not help Of the like nature especially as to the violence were their Roman missions and Consecrations in this Land wherewith our Brittish Church was needlessly troubled and molested at the entrance of Theodore and his Canterbury Successors for it may well be said that our Brittish Clergy had alwayes thâ—ir own Sees and Prelates in reason and right although actually and forcibly Invaded and possess'd for a time against Law and Canons by Romish Tyrants who when they ordained here ordain'd not in their own but in the right of the true Owners and rightful Governours as their Deputies by fiction because of Gods permission Prov. 8.15 Rom. 13.1 Which right was conveighed down to the Ordained while the guilt and Irregularity of the Action stuck solely to the Conscience of the usurping Ordainer and to no other that was worthy to be ordain'd for which the one must account one day to their sorrow while the others temporary embasement and seeming bastardy Ecclesiastical which they could not help shall be repair'd to their relief and joy And yet in this life a Church restor'd hath the Rights and Priviledges of a Kingdom restor'd which hath and takes the power and liberty to allow or disallow reject or Legitimate enact or abrogate whatever Proceedings have pass'd in publick in the time of Vsurpation And such legitimation and allowance is founded upon the Authority of the rightful Governour coming in and not on any merit of the unrighteous Usurper turning out which makes patience commendable under any slavery or oppression though it continue 7 20 100 500 or 1000 years rather than to extricate it self by any indirect or ungodly means which in Rome is little scrupled at for God is not to be offended nor Faith and Conscience violated to save life or liberty which is more than life or Ecclesiastical liberty which is the greatest of liberties For no evil is to be done by a Christian that good may come thereof Rom. 3.8 For the Innocence of his Soul is a more substantial eternal prosperity than any Outside deliverance whatsoever The body being but a shadow to the Soul and this life but a minute to that come 2 Cor. 4 ult But to return of our own accord to that Spiritual Captivity from whence we were so happily delivered in Gods time and Counsel and by lawful means were to justifie and approve the wrongful slavery of our Ancestors and Posterity together with our own against the Spirit and honour and trust and the common sense and understanding of men and Christians and English Brittains to sell our selves for naught and spit back Gods merciful deliverances into his face SECTION XI Of the Indirect Methods of Rome in Subjugating this and other Churches under it ANd the unworthy methods of their Intrusion and prevalence over our Brittish Church which all that profess Christianity but Roman-Catholicks would abhore and be asham'd of are as manifest as the usurpation it self over us and others 1. By giving away Kingdoms from the right owners to those that had Swords in their hands to force and win them upon the termes and condition the Pope might be considered for polluting the name of Christ and Religion to countenance such injustice So the Pope and Monk Augustine got their first footing in Canterbury by the help of the prevailing Saxons Augustinus quod Dinothus persensit praetextu fidei gentem advenam alieno confirmavit imperio ut suam jurisdictionem Romanam dilataret saith one a Antiq. Eccles p. 9. Augustine the Monk as Abbot Dunawd well perceived made use of Religion to Invest and settle a Foreign Nation in a Territory that was not their own to promote and enlarge the better their own Ecclesiastical b Wheeloc note in Bede c. 2. l. 2. Supremacy by that means So have they ruin'd the Eastern Churches and expos'd them to the Turk about 140. years after by giving Charlemagne the Western Empire from its Constantinopolitan Proprietors to be their Patron and deliverer from Lombards and Exarchs so have they befool'd the Spanish Ambition all along setting him on the like designes with 88. Till their Monarchy is quite tyr'd and Jaded and endanger'd to be master'd by their less Catholick Neighbours and more Christian 2. By Politick Matches and unequal yokes and Apostates rais'd within our own Bowels by the operation of preferments and honours upon men of pride and parts as Balak converted the Prophet Balaam and by slighting and traducing the least mote in other Churches as Damnable Haeresie and maintaining their own grossest errours for Apostolical Infallibities And hard it is to define the time when this method hath been out of use and fashon in that Church these thousand years And by this stratagem they re-invaded the English-Brittish Church after its breaches were repair'd by Oswald For a match being contriv'd between his c Monastic Angl. part 1. p. 333. Bastard Brother and Successor or rather Usurper King Oswi who was not so sound a Christian at the heart as appears by his putting his d Bed l. 3. c. 14. 24. Kinsman and Neighbour King Oswin to death amidst submission and holding the Kingdom from his lawful Nephew and e Idem c. 15. Eanfled Sister of King Edwin Baptiz'd by Paulinus the new Romish Archbishop of York as his first fruits in the North She by her share in Oswi's Bed and Throne became useful and instrumental to preserve and keep alive some Relliques of her Romish Faith expiring in those parts in Cadwalhan's dayes countenancing under hand f Ibid. Romanus and Johannes Diaconus as her Chaplains and sending g Idem l. 5. c. 20. Wilfrid observing his ambitious parts from the Brittish Lindisfarn Monastery where he imbib'd his first principles to Canterbury and Rome to study the point of Easter and to be young Alchfrids Tutor Oswi's Son and to be able to perplex the Brittish Doctors at the point as it afterwards fell out at the Synod and debate at Streanshall or Whitby wherein King h Oswi ita conclusit quia hic Ostiarius est cui ego contradicere nolo ne forte me adveniente ad sores Regni Caelorum non sit qui reserat c. Bede lib. 3. c. 25. Oswi being afore tun'd into a superstitious veneration of St. Peters Keyes which are said to be kept at Rome openly declared in the close of the disputation that he counted it his best wisdom and security to side with St. Peter whom Wilfrid confidently made to be the Author of his new-stile or Golden Number for which he strove than with St. John from whom the Brittains deriv'd their old least St. Peter should turn the h Oswi ita conclusit quia hic Ostiarius est cui ego contradicere nolo ne forte me adveniente ad sores Regni Caelorum non sit qui reserat c.
shall through the mercy of God be again recover'd and repair'd to its former state yea into a better condition than before And the fam'd g Dr. Davies Preface to Welsh Grammar for part thereof Taliessin to the same effect about the year 580. Which for several considerations are believed to come to pass in Henry 7th not only by others but by himself as may be conjectur'd from his Order h Powel Annot. in cap. 3. Descriptionis Cambriae Giraldi and Commission to the Heralds in Wales to give account of his Pedigree from the said King Cadwaladr and his designe to revive the name and memory of the renowned Arthur King of Brittain to the great joy of our own and the terrour i Hall 1 Henry 7. f. 5. of Foreign Nations saith an English Writer In him the Union of the Roses and in the Provident Marriage of his Daughter Margaret to James the fourth of Scotland from whom our King James descended the Vnion of the Kingdoms and the old Name of Great-Brittain early Commenc'd as it were in its causes In his time the several persons first appear'd who before they went off were the causes or great occasions of our Reformation or the Restoration of our Brittish Church to follow that of the Crown In his time and by his Order Catherine of Castile Prince Arthurs Dowager was design'd Wife for the second Brother by which Incestuous Marriage confirm'd by the Pope for k Antiquitates Eccles p. 316. a round sum both he and his Successors lost their credit and Supremacy in England ever afterwards It was his provident husbandry rais'd a Purse for Henry 8th to effect this change In his time was l Idem p 309 Fox Bishop of Winchester a Promoter of that Incestuous Match who by his favour thereby first Introduc'd Wolsey m Ibid into Court in whom Popery received its mortal wound both in Effigie as it were and in the Cause He being both the lively Type and Image of Rome and her Religion for pompous vain glory and pride and falshood and luxury and likewise the main cause of her fall and ruine through the match aforesaid which he first contriv'd to be scrupled n Idem p. 316. for other ends and his Romish Legatine power o Idem p. 325. which brought him and the whole Popish Clergy involv'd in the same guilt of Praemunire to the mercy of the King and to renounce the Pope and to acknowledge him for the head of the Church in his stead In his time to instance in more direct and positive causes and first glimmerings of our Reformation Dr. p Idem 306. Collet Founder of St. Pauls School q Pitzeus 691. where W. Lilly was his first Schoolmaster whose father was twice Lord Mayor of London appear'd zealous in his Divinity Lectures at Oxford for Scripture and Antiquity against Images and Legends and the two great Authority r Antiq. Eccles 306. of Scotus and Aquinas and the Schoolmen the great Pillars of Popery being followed in his Principles ſ Ibid. by Dr. Warner and others in that of Cambridge and especially in Court and City for his eloquent Sermons to the same effect And though Articled against as an Heretick †Ibid. Pitzeus 693. by Fitz James then Bishop of London yet King Henry the Seventh esteemed him before any other Let others chuse what Doctor they list u Antiq. Eccles 307. I am best pleased with Doctor Colet was that wise Kings saying whereby it is inferrible that the one being a Protestant in his Principles and tendency the other could be no less by his Approbation For all great Actions have smal beginnings like other things and are not in their perfection the first instant The first Alienation of Henry the Eight from depending so much on the Popes judgement and Authority to follow that of his own Clergy and Universities together with the judgement of others in Points and Cases of Religion and Conscience and particularly that of his mariadge is observ'd to be wrought by x Ibid. Cranmer afterwards Arch-Bishop at Waltham whither he retired from Cambridge where he read Divinity after the steps and Principles of y p. 323. Ibid. p. 331. Colet and Warner that went before so that if Cranmer who enlightened and Converted Henry the Eight had his first light from Colet the first motion and beginning of the Reformation must in all reason be referr'd to the time of Colet and Henry the Seventh for then I say Scripture and Fathers began to be regarded and followed before Schoolmen and Legends which is the nature and design of Protestancy And the instinct hath continued to our days amongst the learned who are restless till this Church become wholy Primitive and Apostolical and Orientall in its Doctrines and Discipline and Customs such as our Brittish Church before the mixtures of Popery appears from Records to have ever been In his time in a word it might be said Aspice venturo laetentur ut Omnia Saeclo The Nation had a manifest new Date and Epocha in respect of Church and Laws and Tenures and Fines and the Alteration of interests amongst all degrees Commons and Nobles as well as the Union of all Royal blouds and the end of former Wars and Divisions and the beginning and fair hopes of more blessed days in his time the Crown and Scepter of Brittain began after long shiverings to have its first rest as in its proper Centre from the time it was wrested from the right owners for it never rested with the Saxons who soon to quarrel about their prey being divided into seven or eight Kingdoms or Heptarchies in perpetual Wars and Jarrs with one another for about 270 years till the West-Saxon Kingdom where the Loegrian-Brittains were best us'd swallowed all the rest under King Egbert and Alured The Dane being upon their heels without above 9 years respite to swallow them The Norman afterwards swallowing both in one day and they soon after divided into bloudy Wars between Kings and Barons and especially the long contest between the two houses of York and Lancaster which never could be extinguished till Henry the Seventh and the right and Ancient owners or the Brittish line was found uppermost The Restoration of the Brittish Religion hastening after that of its Monarchy as it were by providential fate and consequence for where else better to fix the beginning of our Reformation as it is generally stil'd is hard to calculate To make those conspicious events and Audible stirrs that first accompanied it in the World by which the vulgar that are led by sence are most guided the standard of its Originals were to begin at the streame and not at the spring to place it in the visible alteration it self made by Laws in Parliament against Bulls and Palls and Supremacies and Appeals in 22.23 24. Henry Eight by which Popery in England was quite knocked in the head were to
Popes exclusion must be acknowledged to commence with Henry the Eight Executing divers Wills at once His Own will apparently or as his Enemy say his lust the presumptive Will of Henry the Seventh the longing Will of groaning Brittain and the foretold Will and providence of God whose Divine Will and Power alone could make it possible to be effected against all human probability And the favour and frown of God upon this Nation followes remarkably its disposition towards Popery either for or against it The entrance and re-entrance whereof was ever fatal to Brittain and inauspicious to our lawful Princes Popery came first in as was observ'd when our Brittish Crown began to decline in 600. and when it recover'd in 1500. went soon out as it is observable further that then our Nation most flourished in Glory and Renown and addition to its Territory when our Princes were most watchful and resolute against Romish encroachments and as soon began to moulder into confusion and contempt and loss of strength when ever they began to connive and fall in love with Rome Who more Magnificent than King Henry the 8th who gave the first fatal blow to the Popes Supremacy in England which never could recover from that time to this Some say the Title of Majesty began to be given to our Kings in his time which was highnâ—ss or Grace before for he from first to last was indeed more like an Emperour of the West in his time than King of England Francis of France a Hall 24. H. 8. fo 207. acknowledg'd his own and his children's liberty to be chiefly his favour and b Idem paid 20000 l. per annum tribute to him for his Kingdom and its defence c Idem Charles the fifth his Nephew was made King of Spain in his Mothers life time being an Inheritrix and also Emperour after that by his means and interest which could not be denyed d Idem The Pope Imprison'd in Castel St. Angelo could never get his liberty till he interposed with Purse and men King Edward the Sixth though his Reign was short as that God in him let England see saith one what a blessing sin and Iniquity would not suffer it to enjoy yet Historians observe his victory against the Scots at Musckleborrow to have been obtain'd the same day that Images were pulled down at London by his injunction Queen Mary went against fate with great trouble to her self and People and the loss of Callice which broke her heart Queen Elizabeth who was Sincere and zealous to the utmost in the defence of our Brittish Liberties against Rome what Prince his Reign from Brute was here more glorious and successful with Peace at home and victories abroad and an Addition of Forreign Colonies to her Territories and a free Trade over all or most part of the World who lives more to this day in all English hearts of all ranks and degrees as the example and measure they pray and wish all their Princes to follow to the like honour and blessing from God and their people Who had more the purses of her people or better heads and hearts and Arms at Her command and service Her Divines were Jewels Hookers Whittakers Her Courtiers Sidnyes Her Commanders Veres Drakes Norrices Rawleighs Her States-men Walsingham's and Cecils and Her Merchants Cresham's Cloughs c. our debauch Gentry and frantick Wits whose souls are too narrow and pusilanimous to bear their fortunes without transport had been clapt up in Bedlam in her days for Lunaticks and our envyed Courtezans who are said to blind our Princes and disturb our Counsels and touch our dignities and consecrations and pollute our land would have been then preferr'd to Bridewell e 1 Cor. 5.5 for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord. Her own Epitaph best shewes Gods blessing on Her sincere Reign Religio Reformata Pax fundata c. Religion Reform'd Peace settled Money recovered to its own value a formidable Navy prepar'd Our Naval honour restor'd Rebellion extinct England for 40 years prudently Govern'd Enrich'd and Fortified Scotland deliver'd from the French France relieved the low Countrys supported Spain curb'd Ireland appeas'd the whole World once and again sail'd round King James whose heart was deep met with troubles and dangers near his first entrance f Tortura Torti p. 190. Apologizers for the Powder Plot taxing him of breach of some promise of tolaration as a Provocation who reign'd however after he began to appeare but with his Pen in earnest for Protestantism in more peace and love to him and his till he ran Counter to that Profession and the Brittanick Stars and fate in his eager Ambition after Romish Matches the Pandora's box of all our evils ever since and as cold an Espousall of the Protestant Interest in the Palatinate His glorious Son had the fate of King Oswald to lose his life and three Kingdoms by the faults of others and to gain Heaven and Immortal honour by his own Innocence and vertue For it is too much to be fear'd if events may be read in their causes that Edgehill and Newbery and Maston Moore c. bloody fights and the ruin of our late Soveraign and the Exile and troubles of his children and the soyling of our restoration fell out in the days of Gondomar in our own days we might have observ'd invincible Fleets the security and glory of our Nation strangely defeated with Mists and divided Counsels Emblemes as well as blasts of dark designs God who seeth in secret disappointing openly what was contriv'd in private Conclaves against his will and attesting his displeasure by unparallel'd judgements signs and disasters Fire Plague Comets c. So that to prosper and be victorious Courage and preparations are not more necessary than sincerity and plain-dealing And to make use of a Congruous instance in an Enemy Oliver Cromwell who had here a very jarring ruffled Government to tune and order during his Usurpation the Loyal party not to be won over to him either by feare or love his own betrayed and deceived several times over yet when all parts failed by acting a Protector of the Reformed Churches against Popery especially those abroad and harping upon that string the children of this world being wiser in their Generations than the children of the Kingdom he gave that strange content to the Body of the Nation that he lull'd them into sleep and trust and too much forgetfulness of their Exil'd Princes whom he kept out all his time and made the greatest States and Monarchs of Europe unworthily desert them likewise and stand in fear of him and brought wealth besides and great trading to the Nation and strength to its Navies and additions to its Territories As if Providence had raised him on purpose to upbraid and chastize our errours about the Britannick Fate and Interest himself being discovered likewise to be of that extraction which he disgraced
children before his face as it were by a just Judgement of God wherein it is likely the Popes had no more hand in the contrivance than Monk Augustine a few years after in the bloud of Bangor though some while after we find them openly and Traiterously destroying not Emperours only â—at the Empire of the East it self and despising and chopping the Kings and Emperours of the West as fast as Tarquâ—n did Poppies till they stumbled upon a Brittain And Holy Gregory kept fair Communion with this bloudy Phocas in Letters full of Honour and Respect nevertheless and his next or next Successor saving one who sate not half a year Boniface the third obtain'd from the Grant of Phocas that Universal Primacy wherewith they have troubl'd the World to this day which in others was Antichristanism by confession and yet themselves are the men A Phocâ obtinuit Bonifacius magna tamen contentione ut sedes B. Petri Apostoli que caput est Omnium Ecclesiarum ita diceretur haberetur ab omnibus He obtain'd with much ado of Phocas that the See of St. Peter which is the head of all Churches in their fansie should be so esteemed and accounted of by all d Platina in Bonifacio tertio They were and still are long studying and hammering for a square and proportionable Title and Foundation to bear this grand Fabrick of Universal Monarchy in the Church The house of Pudens and our Ruffina their Ancientest and Truest was too narrow The undoubted residence of St. Paul in their City was their most Honourable and Glorious Title but more serviceable for Salvation than for Supremacy for it made them but co-ordinate yea Junior to several Churches of Greece Athens Ephesus Thessalonica of the same Plantation Constantine's Imperial Graunt was Subject to change of time and Emperours to change of mind therefore no shoulders seem'd broader and fitter than St. Peter's to be their Atlas who yet if ever he came to Rome came thither upon the score of the Jews who were his peculiar charge as the Gentiles were St. Pauls as is plain from Scripture and their own e Spondan An. 51. n. 4. confession according to the appointment of God Gal. 2 7. and the decree of the Hierosolymitan Synod and their particular respective undertaking lest therefore by this they were at best but Popes of the Jews they 'l borrow help from St. Paul and both shall be their founders together in despite of God who made them Separate but then there are other Prerogatives since assum'd by that See of deposing Kings and Emperours and transferring Kingdoms which cannot be well derived from Fishermen and Tent-makers and Subjects Therefore it is a more adequate Title to be Christs Vicars by whom Kings Raign but because his Kingdom was not of this World nor his Mission while on Earth but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel The Roman Parasites discern that the Plaister is never broad enough for the sore till he is Vice-Deus or e Torturi Torâ—i p. 361. Vice-God on Earth as they begin to stile him in their dedications And this comes nearest to the Scriptures 2. Thes 2. Now it is not my design at present to display the great mischief and bloud-shed and confusion that did arise to Christian Kingdoms and Churches from this groundless Primacy nor the Enchantments upon souls by this Castle in the Air nor to examine whether Turcism or Popery have been the greater Nusance to Christendom or which was the greatest wrong to the spouse of Christ to be slain or defil'd to be pillag'd or divided For all Churches heretofore from one end of the Earth to the other were all as loving Sisters of one and the same Family under one and the same roof tyed to one another in a lovely knot and Union of mutual charity and preference and still might be if by the mercy of God and zeal of Christian Princes this common disturber were raised from being Servus Servorum an Hebraism for a great slave to be equal in Vote and Authority in Publick Councils to other Metropolitans and Primates his Reverend Brethren who otherwise hinders all with his proud humility and detestable Union of slavery But my scope and purpose only is to vindicate our own Rights and Liberties and to unmask this Bishop and his Clerks who come as thieves in the Coat of Christ and St. Peter to steal away our Crowns and Mitres and to seduce wel-meaning people and unwary Grandees to assist them in the Robbery out of Conscience and to burn and destroy us as Hereticks out of zeal for keeping our own against this their Phocacian Monopoly and Usurpation which c Whâ—lock not in Bed l. 2. c. 8. Monk Augustine and his Successors were sent hither to execute amongst as many as they could abuse and deceive For what fair obligation upon Conscience which is ever correlative and corresponding with Gods will can this Intrusion on the Fights of Neighbouring Kingdoms and Churches have which is so expresly forbidden by the Laws of God and Nations and the Canons of the Universal Church Can God be contrary to himself or one Catholick Church to another or the same Lord Christ be both the Avenger and Patron also of such as over-reach their Brethren or remove bounds and Land-marks Doth not Conscience bind them rather to aid their injur'd Neighbours against these holy Robbers and to study reparations wherever they were miss-led to be accessory and assisting to such Burglaries upon the Innocent If it be good Catholick Religion and Conscience to swallow hand over head any Tradition oâ— gloss that shall produce a Commission from God against his express Will and Precept to the contrary Then Adam and Eve were commendable Catholicks in hearkning to the Serpent to the ruine of themselves and their posterity and we in protesting from plain Scripture against such glosses and suggestions culpable Protestants Protestancy is not a name of Schism but of Duty and eternal Allegiance of the Soul to God and Truth against Atheism and falsehood and the works and words of the Devil in any shape The Act that pass'd at Germany about an 100 and odd years ago in protesting from manifest Scriptures against gross Errours counterfetting Divine authority was a duty in general 1500 years before and more and will be still to the Worlds end The vow of Baptism makes every Christian a Protestant from the Font. Nothing more makes Roman-Catholicks and Cardinals and Popes than a Carnal forgetfulness and abhorrence from such Protestantism It is not believing as men would have but as God in his word and will would have us to believe that makes true Catholicks and Christians for Christians are to resist temptations whereof the most prevalent love to be cloathed with God and Religion fatuus the Latine for a fool is conjectur'd to be deriv'd from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade one that is easily won to believe any Lie or Legend or Imposture Old Adam and