to make and impose new visitation Oathes Articles 〈◊〉 Orders Innovations to make Miniâ—…ers Churchwardâ—…ns 〈◊〉 to keepe visitations and Consistories without any Patent or Commission from his Majestie in their owne names and rights alone to graunt out Citations Proces Excommunications Probate of wills Commissions of administration c. in their owne names under their owne Seales not his Majesties to fine imprison censure and 〈◊〉 his Majesties good Subjects c. their fellow brethren at their pleasures to bee coached and barged up and downe from place to place I am sure seldome to the pulpit to bee courted capped attended cloathed like petty Kings and Princes to fare deliciously every day to have stately Pallaces great possessions Knights and brave Gentlemen to attend them Lords and Earles to crowch unto them all to feare them flatter them none to rebuke oppose or control them no not in their oppressing and unjust courses to bolster out their encroachments upon the Kings Prerogative and Lawes and on his Subjects Liberties with might threats and violence to trampâ—…e all Lawes of God and man under foot and doe all things by will power not Law or Canon to bee implacable unmercifull pittilesse proud stately cruell to shake up terrifie and bâ—…ow-beate imprison Excommunicate deprive degrade presents their fellow-brethren and eate them like their Curres to set forward all profanenesse disorders sports and Eâ—…hnicke pastimes even on Gods own day and make no conscience of it to doe all things like absolute Law-givers Lords Popes and Monarks or rather professed Atheists fearing neither God â—…or man and breaking all their lawes to bolster up base drinke idle scandalous clergie men exempting them froâ—… secular power jurisdiction to maintaine their Officers in 〈◊〉 open exortions oppressions abuses exhorbitant misdemeanor the like Which is now only to be and play the Bishop in point of Doctrine and practise Then thus to bee and act the Biâ—…hop is in truth to 〈◊〉 and play the very divell and to parallell him in all forecited respects let those who are such Lordly Prelates deny it if they can or dare The second Parallel BETWEENE THE IEWISH HIGH PRIESTS And Lordly Prelates AS Lordly Prelates resemble their Father the divell in all the forenamed particulars so doe they the Iewish high Priests in these ensuing Particulars 1. The high Priests of the Iewes were ordained of men to offer gifts and sacrifizes on the Altar Heb. 8 3. Exod. 40. Levit. 1. to 22. So our high Priests the Lord Prelates are and will bee ordayned and also ordaine others high Priests for this end to offer Sacrifices and gifts at their new erected Altars not to preach the end why they every where erect advance consecrate and bow downe to Altars which now want nothing but a Masse to grace them withall 2. The Iewish high Priests had their Miters and brave costly pontificall Robes ornaments and attires whereby they were differenced from other men Exod. 31. 1. to 32. c. 28 2. to 43. So have the Lordly Prelates and that in imitation of the Iewish high Priests from whence they derive them 3. The Iewish high Priests went but once a yeare into the second Tabernacle to offer for the people Heb. 9. 7. And our Lordly high Priests commonly goe but once a yeare and many of them scarce once in 3. or 4. yeares witnesse both our present Arch-prelates some other unpreaching Bishops examples into the Pulpit to preach unto the people or to offer sacrifice on the Altar 4. The Iewish high Priests commanded the Apostles not preach any more in the name of the Lord Iesus to the people that they might be saved and apprehended imprisoned and scourged them for doâ—…ng it Acts 4 5. 1 Thess. 2. 16. Our Lordly Prelates heretofore and at this very day silence and suspend our best our painfullest Ministers from preaching Gods Word unto their people that they may bee saved though God the King the Books of Ordination and Statutes of the Realme enjoyne them for to doe it and threaten to apprehend imprison and fine them if they preach contrary to their suspensions as the Apostles did Who in despite of all the high Priests threats inibitions imprisonments stripes three times one after another Daily in the Temple and in every howse which now would bee a Conventicle ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ Acts 5. 41 42. And so would and should our Ministers now silenced against Law and Canon too were they true successors of the Apostles and not intoxicâ—…ted with a base unworthy spirit of carnall feare and cowardize which makes them betray their liberties Religion Flocks Brethren to the will and rapine of these beastly ravening Lordly Wolves 5. The Iewish high Priest granted out warrants or letters missive to Saul breaâ—…hing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord that if hee found any of this way whether they were men or women hee might bring them bound to Ierusâ—…em Acts 〈◊〉 2. Lordly Prelates heretofore and now grant the like letters missiue warrants and Attachments to their Pursuivants and other malicious wicked Informers that breath out threatnings and slaughter against the Lords disciples against divers godly Ministers Christians and all such as they please to stile Puritans and Cowventicklers wheither men oâ—… women to breaks open and ransacks their houses take their bodies bring them up Prisonners to London Ye kâ—… or Durham before their Lordships holynesses to fine censure deprive imprison and undoe them though Christ his Apostles and the primitive Bishops never claymed or exercised any such Lordly secular tyranny or Iurisdiction but condemned it as unlawfull and unbeseeming Clergie-men 6. The Iewish high-Priest Ananias when Paul was convented before the Counsell and beganne to make his Apologie and plead his owne cause commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth and would not suffer him to speake in his owne defence Acts 33. 1 2. Thus doe our Lord Prelates deale with Gods Ministers when they come before them in the High Commission or elsewhere they will not suffer them to speake in their owne defence or pleade their owne causes to the full but when they offer to speake enjoyne them silence or else commaund the Pursevant or Iaylour to smite them on the mouth or take them away to the Prison So imperious are their Lordships growne Take but one fresh memorables instance insteed of many others One M. Snelling a graue Kentish Minister was suspended ab Officio Beneficio about a veare and halfe since by D. Wood commissary to the Bishop of Rochester and after that excommunicated pursuiuanted and articled against before the High Commissioners at Lambetâ—… only for not reading the Declaration for sports fathered falsely upon his Majesty by the Prelates To which Articles hee drawing up a full answer shewing the reasons both in point of law and conscience why hee conceived himselfe not bound to read it and so not culpable of any crime the
rewardes causing Servants to betray their Masters Wives their Husbands Children their Parents People their Pastors Nay one Minister one Professor at least in 〈◊〉 another and cause one friend one neighbour to accuse intrappe and betray another whom they malice for their grace and goodnesse or any other occasion that so they may persecute hamper ruine them in their ecclesiasticall or high Commission Courts or crush them by their temporall power and greatnesse at their pleasures by putting them from their freeholds and lawfull callings confining them to some prison or forcing them to flie the land in case they stoope not to their lusts in all particulars as hundreds of late Presidents manifest aâ—…â—…ull 25. The divell doth buffet and binde Gods servants till Christ by his infinite power doth loose them 2. Cor. 12. 7. Luke 13. 16. So have done and yet dayly doe Lord Prelates buffet and binde Gods people by their Censures Excommunications officers Pursevants Iayloâ—…s till Christ by his omnipotent power shall rescue and deliver them from this their tyranny 26. The diuell filleth mens hearts to lie to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 3. So Lord Prelates with promises and perswasions do the like by suborning their instruments in their writings and Sermons before Kings Princes Vniversities and the most eminent assemblies to maintaine their Episcopall Iurisdiction Lordlinesse pompe and power their superstious Popish Ceremonies Altars Crucifixes Tapers genuflexions Conservations adorations c. to bee all Iure divino warranted anâ—… prescribed by Gods Law and word of purpose to deceive the Auditors when as their consciences know tâ—…e contrary to bee true and that they lye against the Holy Ghost in what they preach and write and to forge divers notorious fables and calumnies of Puritans Precizians and godly Christians out of their owne poeticall braines as false as any figments in the golden Legend to bring both them the practise power and profession of Religion into publike scorne that so Popery Atheisme and Profanenesse may overfloâ—… the world A dangerous yet now a common sinne and practise which I wish the guilty would reforme by Ananias and Saphirahs exemplary punishments for this very sinne Acts 5. 3. to 10. 27. The divell tempts and encourageth men to all kindes of sinne of wikednesse and to disobey all Gods Commandements Gen. 3. 1. to 7. to â—…cleanenesse 1 Cor. 7. 5. to cruelty and implacablenesse 2 Cor. 2. 11. to wantonnesse worldlinesse lasciviousnesse profanenesse and fleshly lusts Ephes. 2. 2 3. 1 Tim. 5. 15. besides murther treachery lying and other forenamed sinnes So doe the Prelates witnesse their many late vngodly Superstitious licentious Bookes and practises to spurre men on to Popery and superstition but especially to profane the Saboath to use dancing Morrisses May-games erect Ales May-poles Bacchavalls drinke swill and play the Epicures the Pagans even on Gods owne sacred day and that whiles we lye all under Gods scourge plagues for this very sinne to tumble them headlong into hell and draw downe all Gods wrath and plagues upon us from heaven at once to our speedy certayne ruine Take but one fresh instance of this kinde Master Skinner the Bishop elect of Bristoll this last Sâ—…mmer even in the heate of the Plague invited one Sir Garret Ramsford a prisonner in the Kings Bench with his Lady to dine with him at his Countrey house on the Lords day and charged them not to fayle him for they would bee very merry They came accordingly and his elect Lordship according to promise was so merry that hee called for Bristow milke strong Sacke to season him for that diocesse and sucked it up so freely that hee had almost got the Staggars and his men seeing their new Lord set upon so merry a pinne plied him so fast with it that at last he bad them take away the Sacke for feare they should kill him with it and what then should his Majestie doe for a new Bishop as if enough would not bee reddy to succeed him if hee were gone Well their company was so good that they must stay at Supper with him too they did so and they were very merry Supper ended his Lorâ—…ship cals for a paire of Cardes and to play they must all goe Sir Garret thereupon answered My Lord I thinke you are of their opinion who hold that the Saboath endeth at six of the clocke that you will now goe to Cardes for I hope you will not play upon the Saboath No saith hee I am not of that opinion but his Majestie coÌ„mandeth us to play on this day A notorious untruth For where I pray commandeth his Majestie or alloweth Bâ—…shops or Ministers to play at Cardes or Dice or Tables on the Lords day when as he commands that nothing bee done against the Lawes aud Canons of the Church in that very Declaration they would father on his Highnesse and the 73. and 74. Canons expressely proâ—…ibit Bishops and Ministers to play at Cardes Dice or any other unlawfull games on any day Much lesse then on the Lords day which the 13 Canon and the Homilie of the time and place of prayer with 5. 6. E. l. c. 3. and his Majesties prime Act. 1. Carolic 1. will infâ—…rme them ought otherwise to be spent then in Carding Playes and pastimes Sir Garret replied that hee conceiued it was against the fourth Commandement and that his Majestie neither would nor could command any thing against Gods Law or if he did we were not to obey in such cases His Lordship replied that the fourth Commandement was ceremoniall and abrogated long agoe So said Sir Garret you may say as well of all the rest and if his Majestie should command any thing against the other 9. Would you obey it That said his Lordship wee must dispute when there shal bee occasion intimating that if his Majestie should command any thing against aâ—…y of Gods Commandements which wee trust hee will never doe the Bishops would obey it without any great dispute Well Sir Garret would not play at that time and thereupon the Cards were sent backe againe And is not this a man thinke you like to make a very hoâ—…y Prelate It may be so for hee hath since beene consecrated and that with some new Popish Ceremonies as is reported And in truth he needed a Consecration for I remember well when hee was fellow of Trinity Colledge in Oxford hee after pretty Bes Bauger so long that he begate a strong kinde of spurious tympany in his belly for which I never heard hee did any penaâ—…ce or made any purgation But his Consecration doubtlesse hath purged this and all other his sinnes cleane away Such holy examples are Lord Prelates whose doctrine had need convert mens soules for few of their lives will doe it 28. The divell stirreth up Kings to offend God to the destruction and prejudice of their subjects 1 Chron. 21. 1. and rayseth discordes and dissentions and disaffections betweene Kings and their subjects Iudges 9. 23. And haue not
God that which belongeth to him nor yet to Caesar that which is his but exercise you the power of both the swords according to our decrees making yourselues doers in wordly matters fighting in our quarrell intangled with segular labours and businesse And clime ye by little and little froÌ„ the miserable state of povertie unto the highest seats of all honours and the most princely places of dignitie by your devised practises and false and deceitfull wiles and subtiltie that is by hypocrisie flatterie lying perjurie treasons deceits simonie and other greater wickednesse then which our infernall suries may devâ—…se For after that ye have beene by us advanced thitâ—…er where ye would be yet that doth not suffice you but as greedie starvelings more hungrie then ye were before ye suppresse the poore scratch and rake together all that comes to hand perverting and turning every thing topsie 〈◊〉 so swolne that ready ye are to burst for pride liuing like Lechers in all corporall dilicatenesse and by fraud directing all your doings You challenge to yourselves names of honour in the earth calling your selves lords holie yea and most holie fathers Thus either by violence ye raven orelse by ambition subtillie ye piâ—…ter away and wrongfully wrest and by false title possesse those goods which for the sustentation of the poore members of Christ whom from our first â—…all we have hated were bestowed and given consuming them as ye yourselves list and wherewith ye cherish and maintaine an innumerable sort of whores strumpâ—…ts and 〈◊〉 with whom ye ride pompousâ—…ie like mightie princes farre otherwise going then those poore beggerlie Preists of the primitive Church For I would ye should build yourselves rich and gorgeous palaces ye farelike princes eating and drinking the most daintiest meates and pleasantest wines that many be gotten yee hoord and heape together an infinite deale of treasure not like to him that said Gold silver have I none yee serve fight for us according to your wages O most acceptable society or fellowship promised unto us of the Prophet and of those fathers long agoe reproved whilest that Christ called thee the Synagogue of Satan and likened thee to the mightie whore which committed fornication with the Kings of the earth the adultero is spouse of Christ and of a chast person made a strumpet Thou hast left thy first love hast cleaved unto us O our beloved Babâ—…lon O our citizens which from the transmigration of Ierusalem come hither we love you for your deserts we rejoyce over you which contemne the Lawes of Simon Peter and imbrace the Lawes of Simon Magus our friend and have them at your fingers ends and exercise the same publickely buying and selling spirituall things in the Church of God and against the Commandement of God Ye give benefices and honours by petition or else for money for favour or else for filthie service And refusing to admit those that bee worthy to Ecclesiasticall dignity you call unto the inheritance of Gods sanctuary bauds liers flatterers your nephewes and your owne children and to a childish boy yee give many prebends the least whereof yee deny to bestow upon a poore good man ye esteeme the person of a man and receive gifts yee regard money and have no regard of soules Ye have made the house of God a denne of theeves All abuse extorsion is more exercised a hundreth fold in your judgement seats then with any secular tyrant Yee make lawes and keepe not the same and dispence with your dispensations as it pleaseth you you justifie the wicked for reward and take away the just mans desert from him And briefly yee perpetrate or commit all kinde of mischiefe even as it is our will yee should And yee take much paines for lucres sake in our service and especially to destroy the Christian faith For now the lay people are almost in doubt what they may beleeve because if ye preach any thing to them at sometimes althouhg it be but seldome seene and that negligently enough even as we would haue it yet notwithstanding they beleeve you not because they see manifestly that ye doe cleane contrarie to that ye say Wherevpon the common people doing as ye doe which have the goverment of them and should be an example unto them of well doing now many of them leaning to your rules d ee runne headlong into a whole sea of vices and so continually a very great multitude flocketh at the strong well fenced gates of our dungeon And doubtlesse ye send us so many day by day of euery sort and kind of people that we should not be able to entertaine them but that our insatiable Choas with her thousand rauening jawes is sufficient to deuour an infinit number of soules And thus the soueraigntie of our empire by you hath beene reformed and our intollerable losse restored Wherefore most specially we commend you giue you most heartie thanks exhorting all you that in any wise ye perseuere and continue as hitherto ye haue done neither that you slacke henceforth your enterprise For why by your helps we purpose to bring the whole world againe under our poweâ—… and dominion Over and besides this we commit unto you no small authoritie to supplie our places in the betraying of your brethren and we make and ordaine you our vicars and the Ministers of Antichrist our son now hard at hand for whom ye have made a very trim way and passage Furthermore we counsell you which occupie the higest roomes of all other that you worke subtillie and that ye fainedly procure peace between the princes of the world and that ye cherish and procure secret causes of discord And like as craftilie ye have destroyed and subuerted the Roman Empire so suffer ye no kingdome to be ouermuch inlarged or inriched by tranquillitie and peace lest perhaps in so great tranquillitie al desire of peace set aside they dispose themselues to view and eonsider your most wicked works suppressing on euery side your estate and from your treasures take away such substance as we haue caused to be reserued and kept in your hands vntill the comming of our wel beloued son Antichrist We would ye should doe our commendations to our intirely beloved daughters pride deceit wrath auarice bellicheere and lecherie and to all other my daughters and especiallie ho ladie Simonie which hath made you men and inriched you and hath giuen you sucke with her owne breasts and weaned you and therefore in no wise see that ye call her sinne And be ye loftie and proud because that the most high dignitie of your estate doth require such magnificence And also be ye couetous for what soeuer ye get and gather into your fardell it is for St. Peter for the peace of the Church and for the defence of your patrimonie and the Crucifix therefore ye may lawfully doe it Ye may
they will have nothing or very little at all to doe with Christ whose sacred presence Either by the powerfull preaching of his word the Purity of his Ordinances the reprehēsion of their sines the approach or meditation of the day of death or Iudgment or by the growth or progresse of his true spirituall Kingdome under their noses is so irksome to them that it ◅ments them before the time make them frett fume rage vex chafe and play about them like madd men as appeares by the Booke of Martirs yea by present experience with out further evidence And if at any time after they are made Bishops they leave their former habitations and repaire to their Diocesse or bee translated from one See to another they commonly take with them seaven other spirits as bad ar more wicked themselves to wit Archdeacons Chauncellors Registers Appariters howshold Chaplaines Secretaries and private Informers against good men who reside either neere or with them in their Diocesse which are so vexed pilled polled spoyled corrupted by these Horseleaches and Caterpillars that the last estate of them when they leave them is commonly farre worse then the first when they repaired thither yea their Bishopricks too are usually so pared by the sale of woods renewing of leases granting of offices Reversions and such other usuall devices of these Ghostly Fathers before their deathes and translations that they leave them commonly in farre worse estate then they found them So like are they to the divell to make all things worse and worsethey meddle with The reason I take it of our usuall English Proverbe when any Milke or Broth on the fire is burnt and thereby marred that the Bishop hath been in the Pot Because they commonly marre all things where they come as the divell doth Seaventhly The divell takes men captive at his will and few that are taken by him recover themselves but with great difficulty out of his snares 2 Tim. 2. 26. So domineering tyrannizing Prelates imprison pursivant and take men captive at their pleasures against all Iustice equity piety pitty Lawes of God and man against Magna Charta the Petition of Right and all other Acts of Parliament for the Subiects liberties Take but one fresh instance for an example insteed of hundreds more on the 26. of this instant Ianuary one Knight a Glasse-man in London for repeating a Sermon in Norfolke was conuented before the Archbishop and other High-Commiffioners at Lambeth and tend◅ed an Ex Officio oath not warranted by any Law of God or man and in direct termes for ever exploded and not warrantable by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme in the late Petition of Right 3. Caroll hee thereupon answered that he was not fully satisfied in conscience of the lawfulnesse of that oath and therefore humbly desired his Grace that he might be satisfied first in point of conscience errehe tooke it The Archbishop hereunto replied like a learned Prelate You shall bee satisfied I warrant you take him laylor to ◅he Fleet where he now is Alas is this the learned satisfaction the argumentation and sole Logicke of our Prelates to quiet mens consciences and remove their doubts Take him laylor away with him Purfevant to the Fleet and that against the expresse Petition of Right which enacts that no man hereafter shall be compelled to take SVCH AN OATH or be confined or molested or disquieted concerning the same or for refusall thereof Was ever such language heard out of our Saviours or his Apostles mouthes Take him Iaylor to Prison with him c. or did they ever give such satisfaction to mens conscience as this No verily This onely is the divels language law and spirituall satisfaction Who takes men captive at his will as these Lord Prelates now daily doe by his example And as those who are taken captive by the divell can hardly recover themselves out of his snares againe So those who are thus uniustly imprisoned and apprehended by them can hardly recover themselues out of their snares Such tenacious divells are they Eightly The Divell goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5. 9. Iob. 1. 7. c. 2. 2. So doe Lordly Prelates their Officialls Commissioners Pursevants and Apparitors especially when they ride about to visit pill and poll their diocesse only this is the difference that the Divell goeth and they ride and coach it about in state Ninthly The divell layes snares and trappes to entangle and catch men 2 Tim. 2. 26. Rev. 2. 23. So doe Lord Bishops lay baites snares and spies in every corner especially to intrap and catch betray or informe against godly Ministers Professors of Religion with all other sorts of men of whom they may gaine mony or advantage to themselves or Officers 10. The divell is and hath been a murtherer of mens soules and bodies from the beginning till this present Iohn 8. 44. Such have Lord Prelates beene in all ages from their very beginning to this instant as a◅ histories our Bookes of Martyrs and present experience manifests 11. The divell is a lyar yea the Father of lyes and there is no truth in him yea when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne Iohn 8. 44. Such are all Lorly Prelates in raysing up a false enormous schandals tales reports accusations and forged calumnies of all good Ministers and people in broaching false Doctrines Errors Heresies and forging many fabulous stories false glosses miracles tales and spurious Antiquities to support their tottering Hierarchies and vsurped Episcopall Iurisdictions in being trecherous yea perfideous in all their wordes and actions both towards God and men Especially to their Princes and those who have most relied on them as all the Italian German and English Stories Writers of the lives of Popes and Prelates and Mr. Tindals practise of Popish Prelates testify at large and present experience much complaines of there being no such grosse Hypocrites Machiavils Equivocators perfideous faithlesse persons breathing as some Prelates shewe themselves and that aswell in Divine as temporall affaires and transactions 12. The divell is an accufer a false Ruducing calumniator of the Brethren true Saints of God Reb. 12. 10. whence false accusers are stiled divells in the Originall Greeke 2. Tim. 3. 3. Such have malicious Lordly Prelates been in all ages and never more then now accusing all godly faithfull Christians Preachers and Ministers of the Golpell whom they and the Papists now terme Puritains to Kinges and greate Officers of State of seditions rebellion disobedience disloyalty treason schisme inconformity conspiracy vnlawfull conventicles and assemblies false dangerous Doctrines puritanisme and the like only for their godly holy just and blame lesse liues their powerfull Zealous freq◅ent preaching praying the discovering of or declayming against their idlenesses lordlynesses luxury persecutions tyranny covetousenes secularity Superstitio is Popish Doctrines Innovations and intollerable enchroachments both Superstitio◅s his Majesties Ecclesiasticall Prerogatives and the Peoples liberties
consciences and estates All this their owne and that sworne creatures daily sâ—…ditious Court Sermons and Treatises evidence past all denyall 13. The Divill envied and maligned holy Iob stripped him of his Children Cattle Servants estate health and all earthly comforts tormented him with botches and blaines from top to toe and persecuted him with the most extremity of his malice and power Only because he was a iust man that feared God Neither was there any like him for goodnes in all the earth Iob. 1. 2. 3. Thus likewise have done and yet doe the Lordly Prelates serve many of the â—…minentest best yea most godly faithfull Ministers and Christians whose families and estates they have vtterly ruined depriving them of their Benefices freeholds Iectures Ministry lawful callings contrary to the fourth CoÌ„maundment stripping them quitte naked of altheir estates by Fines or costly Suites and then casting them into a nasty Prison there to rot and perish or banishing them the Land and troubling all such godly Christians who out of piety or charity dare contribute any thinge to there releife witnesse the Mayer Tounclerke and Aldermen of Gloster not long since convented by the now Arch-Bishop of Canterbury as most notorious offenders before his Majesty and the high Commission to only for granting an annuity to their ancient Preacher Mr. Workeman which they were inioyned by his Lord-ships Grace to Cancell Such cruell mercilesse barbarous inhumane divells are they degenerated into as to make charity and mercy itselfe to godly Ministers a grievous crime 14. The divell is full of venome poison rankor wiles devices craft and subtelty to mischeife and destroy men seeking and taking all advantages to hurt them 2. Cor. 2. 11. Ephes. 6. 11. Whence he is called a 〈◊〉 and an olde Sarpent Isay 27. 1. Cor. 11. 3. Rev. 12. 2. 14. 15. c. 20. 2. Soe are the Prelates as Ecclesiasticall Stories the Booke of Martyrs the History of the Counsell of Trent teâ—…ifie and experience evidenceth beyond all contradiction in our presente serpantine venemous malicious Prelates wise only to dâ—… evill but to doe good they have yet no knowledge for ought appeares by their daily practises 15. The divell is the Prince of the world by vsurpation tyranny Iohn 12. 37. c. 14. 30. c. 16. 18. Ephes. 2. 2. Yea the Prince of the darkenesses of this world Ephes. 6. 12. So are Lord Prelates who beare cheife rule and sway in al Churches and States where they are dominering like absolute Priâ—…es Kings Tyrants in most Christian Realmes exercising all temporall all Ecclesiasticall Dominion at their pleasure and Lording it over al men yea over Lords themselves contrary to our Saviours expresse inhibition Math. 20. 25. 26. 27. Luke 22. 25. 26. 27. Mark 10. 42. 43. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 23. Yea which is very observable Bishop White in his late Epistle to the 〈◊〉 of Canterbury before his Treatise of the Saboath London 1635. is not ashamed to appropriate that Text of Psal 45. insteâ—…d of thy Father shal be thy children whom thou maâ—…st make Princes in all the earth to Biâ—…ops only who it seemes haue now ioyntly conspired togeather in all Countries to make themselves Princes in all Kingdomes of the earth and to engrosse the sole goverment of them and the whole worldinto their spirituall hands as they conspired in this Manner of olde both at home and abroade â—…itnesse 37. Hen. 8. c. 17. 28. H. 8. c. 10. Mâ—… Tindalls Practise of Popish Prelates and his Obedience of 〈◊〉 Chriâ—…ian man Moreover they are certainly the Princes of the 〈◊〉 darkenesses of this world both by putting out the glorious lights and Preachers of Gods word and sweeping downe the brightest stars of our Church from heaven which their dragonlike tayles in every place by degrees and by purging this very passage out of the first Collect in the last Fast-booke Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatry wherein wee were uttâ—… drowned and hast brought us into the most cleare and comfortable light of thy holy word c. of purpose to bring us backe againe into superstitious Romish Hellish darkenesse utterly to drowne both our soules and bodies in it And are they not then pretty Princes starres and Angels of darkenesse 16. The Divell challengeth all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them as his owne and by a 〈◊〉 and grant of them tempteth Christ himselfâ—… to full dowâ—… and worship him Math. 4. 8 9 10. Luke 4 5 6 7. This not only the Pope doth in direct termes as 〈◊〉 Crakenthorpe proves at large in the first Chapter of the Popes temporall Monarchie But the Lordly Prelates likewise who anciently have and now againe attempt to sway and dispose of all Kingdomes of the world with all dignities offices and promotions in them at their pleasures and by promise of them or of Bishopricks Benefices Deaneries and other preferments to them creatures and agents tempt divers both of the Laity and Clergie even against their knowledge and conscience to fall downe obey feare serve and worship them more then God then Christ their Soveraignes or their lawes as woefull experience manifests at this day wherein most men in authority feare and worship our Prelates more then God or the King and are more carefull to obey more fearefull to offend their Injunctions Articles Edicts pleasures then either Gods or the Kings lawes as I could instance in sundry particulars in Prohibitions habens corpora and other actions against the Lord Prelates their officers and creatures which I spare to mention 17. The divel adventured to tempt Christ himselfe by severall successive temptations to drawe him to his beck Math. 4. 1. to 12. Luke 4. 1. 10. Soe doe Lordly Prelates adventure by several wiles Stratagems flateries promises and faire pretences yea and by perverting the Scripture it selfe as the divell did here with Christ to tempt Kings Princes Nobles great officers of estate Schollers Lawyers and all men of note especially the eminent Preachers and Professors to take their parts to prostitute themselves to their Papall Institutions Superstitions Decretalls pleasures Ceremonies Innovations and commaunds and to protect uphold aduance their Antichristian tottering Hierarchie as ancient Histories with present experience and Mr. Tindalls Practise of Popish Prelates testifie 18. The divell would have Christ himselfe to fall downe and worship him notwithstanding Gods expresse Commaundement to the contrary Math. 4. 8. 9. 10. Luke 5. 6. 7. Soe our Prelates would have all men euen against the lawes of God and the Realme to fall downe and submit to them and their antichristian novell Ceremonies Articles Injunctions Oathes Vsurpation Extorsions encroachments to bowe and cringe to Altars Images Crucifixes Crosses the Sacramentall Bread wine the verâ—… name of Iesus c and to publish theire Declaration â—…or sportes and pastimes on the Lords day coloured only by them with his Maiesties name though really none of his in their Parish Churches as if it were Gods owne
Lordly Prelates aunciently yea lately done or endeavoured at least to doe the like in Germany France that I say not in England too Their chiefe practise 〈◊〉 allwayes beeâ—…e to aliâ—…nate subjects affectiens from their Kings by putting them upon unjust Taxes 〈◊〉 Projects Monopolies oppressions Inâ—…ations by giving them evill counsell by â—…opping the course of lawes of common Right and Iustice of the preaching power and progresse of the Cospell by advancing Idolatry popery 〈◊〉 with their owne intollerable 〈◊〉 and Lordly iurisdiction by fathering all their unjust 〈◊〉 uâ—…on Kings c. and on the contrary to estrange the Kiâ—…gs hearts â—…om their Subjects by false Calumnies by sedicious Court-Sermons and by infusing jealousies and discontâ—…nts into their heads and hearts against their best and loyallest Subjects without a cause A divellish practise never more used then in these our dayes 29. Satan will not bee devided against Satan for feare his Kingdoâ—…e should not stand Math. 12. 10. So these Lordly Prelates wil never be devided one against another in point of their Antichristian Iurisdiction Pompe and Hierarchie which they all concurre iâ—… though they have oft many deadly personall and particular fendes one with another nor yet against the Pope or Devells Kingdoâ—…s for then their oâ—…ne kingdome a branch and meâ—…ber of the Pâ—…pes and divells as many of our godly Mâ—…rtyrs and Writers have resoâ—…ved should soone fall to ruine 30. The divell that Red-Dragon had seven crownes upon his head Revel 12. 3. to shew his royall power So have the Popes and other Prelates Crownes and Miters oâ—… their pates to testify their royalty and Lordly doâ—…inion over Kings and others as they vaunted in D. Baâ—…twicks Censure 31. The Divell had a seate and Throne in the Church of Pergamus wherein hee sate in state Revel 2. 13. So have the Prelates in their Cathedralls and Chappell 's as they then also boasted yea their great Cathedralls are but châ—…ires for these great two legged Foxes Lordly tayles to sit in 〈◊〉 a lesser meaner Chayre did then câ—…ntent the divell who now sits in greater state and is farre better served and attended in our Cathedrals then ever hee was in the Church of Pergaâ—…us 32. The divell that Red-Drogon with his tayle drew the third part of the Starres from heaven and cast them to the earth Revel 12. 4. So have Lordly Prelates the tayle of that fell Dragon anciently and of late times swept downe the third part or more of our starres to wit of all our faithfull powerful painâ—…full zealous Ministers fâ—…om heaven to wit from their Pulpits and â—…hurches and by their suspensions excommunications imprisonments deprivations suppressing of Lectures persecutions c. have cast them to the ground nay trampled them under their dragon-like pawes depriving them of their office and Benefices thereby robbing God and Christ of the glory the poore peoples soules of the fruit and comfort of their Ministry to their greatest griefe 33. This greate Red Dragon the divell stoode before the Woman the Church which was reddy to be delivered of a man-childe for to devoure her Childe her spirituall regenerate Children as soone as it was borne Rev. 12. 4 5. Thus those Lordly Prelates doe No sooner can the Church be reddy to be delivered of a man-childe of a godly faithfull Pastor new Minister or zealous Christian but these great redd scarlet Dragons wâ—…o can suffer dumbe Dogges deboist licentious dissolute drunken scandalous Ministers and supersticious Popelings to sit still and doe what they list without danger or countroll are at hand like Pâ—…aroah and the divell to devoure silence suppresse persâ—…cute and destroy thâ—…m as sâ—…one as they are borne or â—…ginne but once publiquely to appeare in the world as experience too well â—…ifieth in most places where a godly Minister or Christian can no sooner shew his head or beginne to doe God faithfull service but they presently lay trappes and snares to hamper or send Apparitors Pursevants with such other Hellish Furies to seize upon them that so their Lordships may swallow them all up at a bit Yea if any good Booke shall beginne to peepe out against their tyranny Prelacy and Innovations Howses Shipps Studdies Trunks and Cabinets must be broken up and ransacked for them Such ravenous redâ—… Furious Dragons are they and such open wide Sepulchers are their devoâ—…ring throates to swallow 〈◊〉 all things that any way make against them 34. This Dragon and his Angells make ware in heaven fiâ—…hting with Michaell to wit our Saviour Christ and his Angells Rev. 12. 7. Soe the Lordly Prelates and their Angells To wit their Deanes Arch-deacons Officialls Chauncellors Commissaries Surragates Advocates Proctors Registers Pursevanst Sumâ—…ers Apparitors Howshold Chaplaynes too for the most part have in al ages to this very moment made warre in heaven Gods Church militant with Christ and his Angells To wit his faithfull poâ—…erfull godly Ministers Preachers Saints and Servants as all Histories ages witnesse And now this Battaile seemes to be at the hottest here amongst us More godly Ministers hâ—…ving been silenced suspended deprived driven from their Ministry chased out of the Realme within these 5. yeares though conformable to the established doctrine and discipline of our Church then in many ages before 35. When the divell coâ—…es downe among the inhabitants of the earth and of the Sea then woe be to them Rev. 12. 12. Soe woe be to the kingdomes Churches and people where Lord Prelates come and beare most sway amongst them witnesse our Booke of Martyrs and Chronicles of England to these Diocesse wherein they domineere Witnesse Norwich Diocesse and others at this present 36. When this Dragon and the Divell was cast out to the earth he persecuted the Woman the true Church of God Rev. 12. 13. So have these Lord Prelates in all ages as the Bookes of Martyres record at large since they were cast out of heaven Christs true spirituall Church for their Lordly pride 37. When the Dragon saw the Woman had such swift winges given her that Shee escaped his hands and fledd into the wildernesse out of his reach and danger where Shee was nourished for a time then he cast out of his mouth a floud of water after her to devoure drowne her Rev. 12. 14 15 16. So these Lord Prelates when any godly Ministers or Christians have escaped their Lordships their Apparitors Pursevants or other Cathpoles hands by flight or otherwise power out of their mouthes a floud of Execrations Excommunications Intimations Suspensions Maledictions reproaches obloquies and outragious Censures against them to devoure and over whelme them Yea Excommunications with agravations that no man shall buy sell trade eate drinke or have any conversation with them An Hellish Antichristian tyranny lately practised and revived against all lawes and Statutes of the Realme against 4. men in Norwich Only for not bowing at the name of Iesus and against Mr. Samuell Burrowes of Colchester for Indicting Parson Newman for enforcing the
Crucifixes Tapers with other Altar-trinkets even before our most gracious King himselfe and Bray like a wild Asse or rayle and scolde like Oyster women against those who preach for Lords Tables which they beginne now againe to terme Oysterboardes as that turne coate Dr. White with other Papists did in â—…u Maries dayes when they did set up Popery afresh or oppose their Popish Idoll-Altars and the turning of our Tables Altar-wise And not contented to set up Altars and Crucifixes against our Statutes Articles Homilies Canons Injunctions established Doctrine of our Church to which they have subscribed Yea against the very Booke of common prayer itselfe which prescribes only a Table not any Altar they crease not to preach continually at Court Paules-Crosse in both our Vniversities and else where that men 〈◊〉 and ought to bow downe and worship the golden Images the stately guilded Altars Cru cifixes Images which their greate Nabucadonozer the Lord Prelates have set up in their owne Chappell 's Cathedralls and other Churches as if one Stone Stock Image or dumbe Idoll might not fall downe and worship another alone but all else must imitate their example as the Rule of faith and worship and themselves bow downe and worship before them as the Idolatrous Isralites and Pagans did before their Idolls and Altars 1. Kings 12. 30. 2. Kingâ—… 18. 22. 2. Kings 5. 18. Besides these Angells and spirituall Sonnes who preach nothing now all most but their Lordships Commandementâ—…â—…de of Gods they have divers Ministring spirits as Arch-Deacons Commissaries Pursevants Apparitors â—…ilors Registers Informers Aduocates Proctors Spies and Notaries in all places to set up Alâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impose and prescribe nâ—…w Ceremonies Injunctions Oathes orders Articles to suspende silence excoÌ„municate imprison intrap wailay betray persecute fleece and ruine all godly Ministers and people and advance their Lordships Monarchie Honour Pompe State Raveuewes Kingdome and cause al men to fall downe and worship them like somâ—… petty Gods descended from heaven and their Antichristian fond Injunctions and Popish Innovations as Gods sacred Oracles So like are they to their Father the divell in this resemblance 42. The divell was a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahaâ—…s Prophets to perswade him to what they pleased against Gods word true Prophets c. to advance his owne designes 1. Kings 22. 22 23. So our Lord Prelates anciently were now are as much as ever lying spirits in the mouths of many false Prophets and I would wee could not say in most of his Majesties Chaplaines in ordinary and others that preach before his highnesse and in other publike places who preach nought else but their Lordships pleasures and those words those precepts they cunningly put into their mouthes as the Woman of Tekoah spake Ioabs words to David to accomplish their owne Antichristian designes advance their owne power and Hierarchie and cause all men to adore them as the only Gods Lords and Oracles on the earth Maximus Tirius records That one P. Sapho dwelling in the parts of Libia desirous to be canonized a God tooke a sort of prating Birds and secretly taught them to sing P. Sapho is a great God and having their lesson perfectly hee let them flie into thee Woods and Hills adioyning where continuing there long other Birds also by imitation learned the same till the hedges rang with nothing but P. Saphoes dittie Great is the God P. Sapho The Countrey-people hearing the Birds but ignorant of the â—…raud thought Sapho to be a God indeed and beganne to worship him This â—…ame not only hath beene but now is both the Popes and Lord Prelates practise Who desirous to effect their owne ambicious ends advance their owne pretended divine power Iurisdiction Hierarchie and to bee adored and obeyed in all their Antichristian Innovations Injunctions and designes as Gods with sweet promises of preferments which they have now for the most part monopolized into their owne hands they procure a company of bold audacious prating Birds or Bussards rather in our Vniversities and elsewhere with their owne domesticke Chaplaines to learne these notes by heart That the Calling of Lord Bishops is Iure Divino that the holy Fathers the Prelates are to order all Church-affayres and to bee obeyed in all their Injunctions and Commands without dispute that they have power to decree Rights and Ceremonies and authorities in Controversies of faith a clause lately foysted by them into the 20 Article of our Church being not in the Latine or English Articles of King Edward the fixt Queene Elizabeth Nor those of Ireland taken Verbatim out of the English that we must have Images Crucifixes Altars Preists Sacrifices that men ought to set their Altars and Tables Altarwise at the East end of the Church to bow downe vnto them and worship them that they ought to bow at the naming of Iesus Stand up at Gloria Patri the Gospell Athanasius and the Nicene Creede read the 2. service at the Altar pray with their faces to the East submit to the Lord Prelates in all matters of faith and discipline beleeving as they beleeve and doing as they doe that they must allwayes declayme and crie out thus against Puritans as they now doe in all their Sermons that they are sedicious factious persons enemies and rebells to the King and his lawes when as the Bishops themselves meere hildebrands â—…oth in Church and state are such meere Hipocrites and imposters men farre more dangerous and vnsufferable in the State then Preists or Iesuites that they must magnify auricular confession extreme vnction and absolution as things fitting to be received in the Church Maintayne a reall presence in the Sacrament Deny the Pope to be Antichrist or his Ceremonies to bee Antichristian Crie up the use of dancing sports and pastimes on the Lords day Crie downe the strickt â—…anctification of it as Iewdaisme superticious and puritanicall Preach against lectures lecturers often preaching and Sermons on the Lords day afternoone as meere babling pratling and foolishnes with a world of such like Songes all which these their prating Iayes having perfectly learned some two or three yeares since they sent them abroade not only into the Woods Hills and Dales in the Country but also vnto the Court Citie Vniversities and places of greatest refort to chaunt and â—…oare out these their Episcopall Ditties where these singing Birds or Decoyes rather have so well playd their parts of late by preaching printing and chanting out these their lessons in Citty Court Country that other Birds also by imitatioÌ„ ignorance or hopes of like preferments as some of these first Decoyes haâ—…h attayned to fall to â—…nge the self same ditties euery where as fast as they So that now our Cathedralls Chappell 's Churches Pulpits ringe of little else but these Episcopall tunes and songes which the people daylie hearing every where being ignorant of the Prelats fraud and practise herein who taught those Birds these tunes of
suddainely and fearefully from heaven to earth like Liteninge Luke 10. 18. yea theâ—… with all their vsurped power lordlynes poâ—…pe State glory and multitude shall forever descend into Hell Isay 5. 14. as to their propper place Acts. 1. 25. 47. The divell is an importunate suitor who will hardly take any refusall or denyall of his suite A diligent soâ—…icitor and vigilant prosecutor of his designes overslipping no oportunity or meanes to atcheive â—…is ends and an impudent shamelesse miscreant who will never bee shamed daunted terrified by any detection discovery or publique dislike of his mischievous wiles plotts and attempts against the Ministers people Oâ—…dinances Gospell Kingdome of God and Christ as appeares by Iob 1. 13. to 22. c. 2. 1. to 10. Math. 4. 1. to 10. Ephes 6. 11 12 16. 1 Pet 5. 8 9. So the Lordly Prelates are importunate suitors to Princes and others for the advancement preservation of their Hierarcie usurpations Iurisdictions Ceremonies and the suppression of the purity and power of Religion in which they will have no denyall or foyle they are most vigilant diligent and earnest solicitors loosing no 〈◊〉 spâ—…ring no cost or paynes or promises to effect any thing that may make for the advancement of their proffit honour power Iurisdiction or suppression of the Puritans as they terme them now as their late encroachments upon his Majesties prerogative the subjects liberties the Common Lawes and other Officers witnesse yea they are impudent shamelesse most audacious brazen-faced creatures who will neither blush at give over nor desist the prosecution of their impious Popish designes though publickely detected to all the world witnesse our present experience For though the execrable Romish â—…esuiticall practises of some of our Lord Prelates to usher in Popery Superstition and Idolatry as by licensing Popish and sâ—…perstitious Bookes purging and altering the Common Prayer-booke â—…ast-booke and Gun-powder-treason-booâ—…e in a most gâ—…osse and shamelesse that I say not traytorly manner by erecting Altars Images Crucifixes Crosses as the Archbishop of Canterbury the Arch-Irnovator both in Church and State affaires though hee will not bee thus reputed hath erected Altars and Crucifixes in the Chappell 's of Lambeth Croydon London-house Fuâ—…ham c. The Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield D. Wright this last pestilentiall Sommer blotted out Gods Ten Commandements in the Cathedrall at Litchfield aâ—…d set up a giont-like monstrous Crucifix as bigge and large as any three men with an Altar under it and also raysed the Chauncell and set up an Altar at Coventry as one Knightly a knowne Popish Priest in those parts directed as that Good-man S. Godfrey of Gloster hath also erected a Crucifix and Altar in his Cathedrall at Gloster and solemnly consecrated Altar-clothes for them And likewise hath set up a new Crosse at â—…inzor with a large glorious Crucifix on the one side and the picture of Christ arising out of his grave with his Body halfe in and halfe out of his Sepulcher in goodly colours on the other not fearing to write thereon in Capitall letters and to give publique notice to all the Realme That this Crosse was repayred and beautified at his costs Anno Domini 1635. contrary to the expresse Doctrine of our Homelies which condemned the very making of the picture of Christ or a Crucifix as Idolatrous wicked and a meere lye to which hee and all other our Crosse erecting Prelates have ofte subscribed and therefore are worthy of no painted but a reall Crosse themselues for tollerating and erecting such Crosses and Crucifixes contrary to their owne subscriptions only to set Popery by silencing suspending and persecuting godly Ministers Suppressing lectures and powerfull preaching in many Diocesse encouraging people to neglect and profane Gods Saboathes with all Heathenish sportes and impieties imposing new visitation Oâ—…thes Articles Ceremonies and the like setting up the Popes Canon law rayling upon godly Ministers and people suppressing them under the name of Puritans Magnifying Popish writings and vilefyinge Protestant Authors endeavoring to bring in the Gregorian account punishing all those that oppose their Romish Innovations or indicte or molest them for it in the high Commission now made a meere Spanish Inquisition to suppresse our Protestant Religion and set Popery with an high hand against his Majesties Lawes and publique declaration and by sundry other such Iesuiticall tricks and stratagemes prescribed long since by the Iesuite Contzen Politiq liber 5. which their Lordships follow to an haires bredth Since some or all these their execrable practises I say at which the very divell himselfe might blush and hide his head have been laid open to all the world of late in such an apparant undeniable manner that all the people both cleerely see declayme against and abhorre their treachery villany and wicked Romish designes and themselves had they any conscience shame ingenuity grace or modesty in them would be ashamed to shew their faces either in citty or countrey Much more at Court having so notoriously abused his Majestie and affronted his Lawes and Declarations in all these particulars and injured his Highnesse in his Royall Issues Sister Nephewes in blotting them out of the Collect late Fast-booke and Catalogue of Gods Elect Yet these audacious holy Fathers as blushlesse as their Gownes their Rochetts or the divell are so farre from being ashamed or reforming these their enormities and impieties that they proceed on with as great or greater rage and violence in them then before silencing more Ministers every day yea breaking open the houses committing close Prisonners and questioning those with an high hand as seditious persons and offendors who dare preach or write against or finde fault with those their perfidious traytorly disloyall impious practises Purgations Innovations Crucifixes Altars Tapers and proceedings execrable both to God and man So like to the Divell are they growne in their affronted shamelesse impudency 48. The divell hath great wrath bâ—…cause hee knoweth hee hath but a short time Revel 12 13. So have Lord Prelates noâ—… great wrath and â—…xercise strange unusuall rage persecutions exorbitances against Gods faithfull Ministers and people hunting after them with their blood-hounds the Pursevants and riâ—…ing and breaking up their howses Studies Coffers with unheard of violence as if they were the archest Traytors breathing witnesse their late proceedings against Master Burton in clapping him up close prisonner and convicting his wife and Clarke to severall prisons onely for obeying his commands in presenting his Appeales and Sermons to the Lords For God and the King which makes people stand amazed at their tyranny and causeth the Papists to triumph as if the day now were theirs whereas Preists and Iesuites meere Traytors by our lawes are favored of late as their darling Sonnes and not molested by them Therfore doublesse the time of their vsurped tyranny raigne wil be but very short and their sinnes now growne ripe withall for the Sickle of Gods Iudgments the ficaâ—…l ruine of their
antichristian Hierarchie and more then bâ—…barous tyrannie neere at hand 49. When the great redd Dragon and his Angeâ—…ls were cast out of heauen Gods Church the heauens and those that dwelt therein by Gods commandments did reioyce Rev. 12. 12. So when those Lordly Prelates and their forenamed Angels shall bee caâ—… quite out of the Church of God Shee and all her faithfull members will exceedingly rejoyce they being now her greatest griefe and grievance of which shee is so weary and sicke at heart that shee groanes to bee delivered from unbâ—…thened of them being now intollerable for her to sustayne Such is their present divellish insolency pride and open tyrannie especially of that Arch-wolfe and madde red Dragon of Canterbury who now makes open havocke of Gods Church and Ministers like another furious power against all Lawes of God the Realme to the amazement of the people 50. Hell and everlasting torments are prepated for the divell and his Angels reserved now in chaines of darknesse â—…nto the Iudgment of the great day when they shall be all cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Math. 25. 41. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Iude 6. Revel 20. 20. So are they prepared likewise for all proud Lordly persecuting unpreaching oppressing tyrannizing Prelates who suppresse the preaching and progresse of the Gospell with the Preachers Ministers and Professors of it and hate them to the death And if there be any place or torments in Hell hotter deeper greater or moâ—…e insupportable â—…orrid and loathsome then other certainly that shall bee reserved for these ungodly Lord Bishops and false Prophets who shall have the same condemnation and torments inâ—…icted on them as the divell himselfe shall vndergoe 1. Tim. 3. 6 7. Rev. 20. 10. O that our proud persecuting Lording Prelates would now at last consider this o that they would repent and amend in time before they fall downe headlong quick into Hell Some of them as their late actions manifest to all the world being growne as insolent as impudent as desperate professed publique enemies to purity piety holynes the syncere preaching and Preachers of Gods word and power of Religion as the very divell himselfe and some of them I â—…eare worse then any divells For first all the divells beleeve Gods threats word Iudgments and tremble at them Iames. 2. 19. but they as their atheisticall vnjust vnconscionable tyranicall lives and actions proclayme to all men doe neither beleeue nor tremble at them 2. The divell confessed Paule his fellow preachers to be the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of saluation Acts. 16. 16 17 18. Lordly Prelates will not confesse our godliest faithfullest Preaching Ministers to be such witnesse there expung of the Collect in the last fast-booke begining thus It had beene good for us c. Only because it magnifieth often preaching and call such preachers Gods servants 3. The divell is exceeding diligent night and day but Lordly Prelates very lasie negligent in following of their spirituall Plough as B. Latimer shewes at large in his Sermon of the Plough so in those three respects are worse then hee When as they are parallels and checkmates with him in all and every of these 50. Particulars From all which I shall frame this Argument discovering the office and calling of Lordly Bishops and Prelates not to be from God nor of divine institution but from the Divell and his invention which I challenge all great Lord Bishops to answer if they can Those who are altogether like the very Divell tread in his footsteps doe his workes and bring forth his propper fruits in all the forecited particulars and that principally by reason of their function those questionlesse are none of Gods institution but of their Fathers the Divell of and from whom they are Christ himselfe so expressely resolving Iohn 8. 44. 1 Iohn 3. 8. Math 7. 16. 20. Such have Lordly domineering Pontificiall Bishops and Prelates in all ages beene and that principally by reason of their Lordly functions as the premises all Stories and experience manifest Therefore they and their Lordly function are none of Gods institution but of their father the divells of and from whom they are Yet mistake me not I pray as if I concluded every Bishop to bee like the divell in all these particulars or to bee damned Such uncharitablenesse and impiety bee farre from me and all good Christians I know some Bishops have beene godly men and Gods deere Saints I doubt not but there are some few such now though their cowardise and silence in Gods cause in which they now dare not publikely appeare bee inexcusable 1. But yet this I say withall First that they were such before they were made Lord Bishops 2. That their Bishoprickes never made any of them better or more laborious or couragious sor the truth then before but many of them far worse fearefuller and lasier 3. That since Bishopricks were endowed with Lordly riches Iurisdiction power and pompe I never read of any one man that was ill before who grew a good and godly Christian by being made such a Bishop a thing remarkable nor of any good man before that ever grew better more painefull holâ—… zealous heavenly minded and laborious but most of them al much â—…orse more idle worldly covetous proud luxurious malicious oppressive petulant selfe-willed and unjust 4. That most Lordly Prelates especially those who have beene most pontificiall powerfull Lordly domineering active and stirring in the Church and state have in all ages since they were made Lords Peeres and Bâ—…rons beene like the divell in all or most of the forecited particulars and if any proved good or became not such it was only from the overruling sanctifying grace of Gods spirit in their hearts before and after they were made Lord Prelates not from this very Lordly office pompe power and function it selfe which otherwise would have made them such as it hath made most other Popes and Prelates as all stoâ—…ies evidence 5. Finally I affirme that if to bee a Lord Bishop bee such a thing onely as many now define and make it Namely to manage temporall offices and state-affaires to give over preaching except one Leuten Court-Sermon in a yeare or two not in their proper Dioc sse to their people to follow and hunt the Kings Court to get and dispose oâ—… Ecclesiasticall and so 〈◊〉 civil osfices and preferments to suppresse Lectures Lecturers and often preaching of Gods Word Suspend excommunicate persecute imprison deprive godly Ministers and Professors for toyes and trifles yea for their zeale and piety against all Lawes of God and man to consecrate Chappels Churches set up Crucifixes Altars Tapers Crosses Organs Images â—…oyle in Communion-tables Altaâ—…wise set up Superstition Popery and Idolatry License Popish and Armenian Bookes Corrupt and purge the Common-Prayer-Booke the Gunpowder treason Booke the Fast Booke yea the Articles of Religion ad normam Romanae fidei
Register refused to accept or receive his Answer though tendred to him in writing saying it was too long and hee durst not take it Hereupon hee contracted it into lesse then a sheet of paper and tendred it to him as his answer He refused it the second time and though he thus tendred his answer yet an Attactment issued out against him for not answering The conclusion was hee must put in onely such an answer as the Register should prescribe without any justification or defence or mention of the reasons why hee refused to read the Booke telling him that he might and should put in his reasons in court by way of defence Whereupon he gave in a short answer without any defence at all in a manner which comming to bee repeated before one of the Commissioners the Register and hee dashed out of his very answer against all Law and Iustice what they pleased which M. Snelling perceiuing professed hee would not acknowledged for his answer none of his but their owne making vet notwithstanding this answer must stand as his This Hilary tearme hee tenders his defence the Register and Court at Informations refused to accept thereof telling him 〈◊〉 came too lâ—…te though before the cause informed against At Lambeth he tendred his defence in Court the Archbishop referre the consideration of it to Sir Nathaniell Brent and D. Guyn whether it were fit to bee received only he told them he would have no dispute of the point which is all one as if his Grace had said I will have no defence at all This the event hath manifested For hee tendering his defence to these Referres they refuse to receive or allow thereof telling him that the King the Archbishop have decreed that the Booke shall and must be read and therefore hee must submit and read it and they can allow of no Defence against it That the Archbishop hath decreed it shall be read I believe it without an Oath but that his Majestie hath made any such Decâ—…ee they must give me and all others leave to demurre to it till they shall be able to produce such a Decree as this under his Majesties great seale which will be ad Grecas Calendas loe here the desperate impiety and injustice of our Prelates parallell to that of Ananias when hee commanded Paul to be smitten on the face as â—…ee began to make his Defence For first they will make and prejudge the not reading of this forged declaration an heinous offâ—…ce though there be no law canon or precept at all for the reading of it nor any clause at all that it should be read much lesse by the Minister nor any power given them so much as to question much lesse to suspend excommunicate fine or cenfure any who refuse to read iâ—… When as the great question is whether it be an offence at all but this must not be disputed What now is this but to prejudicate and not judge mens causes 2. No answer must bee given or received but what themselves shall make and allow and alter at their pleasures Is not this pretty iustice Who then shall bee innocent 3. When the answer is in no defence must be made or accepted If so then the most innocent man in the world may bee condemned What no defence made Christ himselfe had liberty to make his defence before Pilate an Heathen Iudge Paul the like liberty before Felix Festus and Agrippa â—…eere Pagan Infidell Magistrates Yea the veryest Traytors and Rebels in the world have liberty in all Courts of justice to make their defence and pleade the best they can for themselves yet this godly grave Minister cmming for such a grand crime as this before our Lordly Prelates must make no defence at all O divell o Iewish High Priests blush at this impudency impiety and injustice of these your sonnes and successors A drunkard an Adulterer a Symoniacke any incarnate divell may put in what answer and defence he please before them but this grave Minister every way unspotted in his life and doctrine must not doe it because they haue decreed before hand to condemne him Is not this right high Priests justicâ—… 7. This Iewish high Priest â—…te to judge Paul after the law and commanded him to be smitten contrary to the Law Acts 2â—… 3. So our Lordly Prelates in their Consistories Visitations and Commissions sit to judge Ministers and others his Majesties Subjects according to the Law and yet imprison fine excommunicate suspend deprive degrade teare fleece and judge them for the most part contrary both to the Lawes of God the Realme and their owne Canons as thousends of Presidents evidence of late 8. The Iewish high Preist by Tertullus his Orator accused St. Paule before Felix the Governour for a Pâ—…stilent fellow a mover of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world and a ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens Acts 24. 1. Ioâ—… The selfe same accusation haue the Lord Prelates laid to our Ministers charge in former ages and to our zealous godly Ministers and Preachers now adayes accufing them to the King and his Counsell and persecuting yea suspending imprisoning them every where as pestilent factious sedicious persons and ringleaders of Sects and Schisme as many late examples and some now in agitation evidence 9. The Iewish his Preists informed Festus the Governour against Paule and desired favour against him that he would send for him to Ierusalem that there they might judge him themselves according to their owne law or else murther him by the way Acts. 25. 23. c. 24. 6. Our Lordly Prelates Especially his Archgrace of Canterbury and other our Cant Bishops doe the like informing the King or temporall Majestrates against godly Ministers and people and desiring not Iustice but favour against them that they would sent for them into their owne Courts or High-Commissions or not suffer them to appeale or be released thence by Prohibitions oâ—… other meanes that so they might judge them after their owne law and wills and be both enemies parties delinquents and Iudges in their owne cause contrary to all reason Iustice equity and law both of God and man of which we have manylate memorable Instances and one thing verie observable that they have caused his clause derogatory to his Majesties royall Iustice and supremacy to make themselves absolute supreme Kings and Iudges that there shal be no Appeale or Provocation allowed or admitted from the high Commissionâ—…rs to be inserted into their last Commission A strange clause to tie up his Majesties hands and soveraigne Iustice from being able to releive his oppressed or injured subjects be their causes never so good their Iudges their censures never so parciall maliâ—…ious exorbitant or vnjust 10. Saul by authority received from the Iewish chiefe Preists shut up many of the Saints in Prison and persecuted them even unto strange Citâ—…es Acts. 26. 10. 11. 12. Our Lordly Prelates Pursevants Catchpoles creatures and vermine by like
their fellow Ministers Diocesse and the Lords inheritance suspending silencing excommunicating pursevanting fining imprisoning reviling depriving them prescribing new Ceremonies Injunctions Articles Oathes Orders and fining and punnishing them for the violation of them at their pleasures like absolute Popes Kings Monarks Parliaments against all lawes of God and the Realme as ancient and above all others present experience testifieth So like are their Lordly Sanctities to the Apoftles or rather to their holy-Father the Pope divell 9. The Apostles preached daylie the Lord Iesus and his Gospell to the people because Christ God himselfe enioyned them to doe it notwithstanding the high Priests whole Counsels suspencions inhibitiōs threats imprisonments and scourgings to hinder and deterre them Acts 4 5. 1. Thess. 2. 15 16 17. Lords Prelates on the contrary are so farre from imitating their examples that they every where against the lawes of God and the realme yea contrary to the very Booke of ordination and charge there given them when they were ordavned suspend prohibit Ministers from preaching Christ his Gospell to the people that they may be saved threatning to imprison deprive and ruine them if they doe it notwithstanding Christ and his Apostles have expresly commanded them and their Lordships to if Christs Ministers or their Successors to doe it under payne of eternal woe which Bishop wren commaunded to be blotted out of a Church wall in Ipswich Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 15. Acts. 20. 281. Cor. 9. 16 17. 1. Tim. 4. 1 2 3 4 5. 1 Tim. 4. 13. c. 5. 17. The very highth of al iniquity and impiety 1. Thess. 2. 15 16. Yea money base fainthearted Ministers forgetting this President of the Apostles set now silence under these illegall impious suspensions and some of them like hirelings f◅e from their flocks and leave them to be devo◅vred of these raging wolves as full experience manifests whereas if they were true Sheopards and faithfull Ministers they would rather lay downe their lives then flie or give over preaching upon such vngodly vnjust Suspentious meerely void in law which of Common Civill Canon or Diuine 10. The Apostles dayly in the Temple and in every howse which now fotsooth were a Conventicle ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ Acts 5. 42. and that notwithstanding all the high Priests inhibitions suspensions and imprisonments Nay S. Paul as he spread and preached the Gospell of Christ almost over all the world ever from Ierusalem round about to Illyricum and where Christ was not once so much as named before Rom. 15. 19. 20. So hee disputed and preached daily in the Schoole of one Tyrannus for two yeares space Acts 19. 9. 10. Yea for three yeares space together he ceased not day and night to warne every one at Ephesus with teares teaching them publikely and from house to house now a dangerous unlawfull conventicle in our Lord Prelates judgement Acts 20. 20. 21. 31. he and the rest of the Apostles by their daily preaching and holy lives converting thousands unto God planting and watering many eminent Churches as the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles witnesse Our Lordly Prelates are so farre from not ceasing thus to preach dayly themselves that few of them preach monthly or quarterly and it is much if they preach annually and then only at Court Others of them as our great Archprelates not in three or foure yeares space or more some not at all as the dumbe Bishops of Oxford Landaffe and others yea they doe all they can to preach write and cry downe frequent preaching as hurtfull and superfluous suppressing all or most weeke◅day Lectures with Sermons on Lords dayes afternoone in many Diocese o impiety inhibiting all painfull godly Ministers from preaching some totally other at least halfe so often as they desire to doe or more and which is a thing almost incredible and most impious suppressing Lectures and preaching in all infected places and that on the solemne Fast-day as a meanes to spread the pestilence even then when all former ages and an eminent ancient Popish Councell have cried them up as most necessary and usefull the sicke having farre more need of spirituall physicke and Physitians then the whole Math. 9. 12. 13. As for preaching from house to house bee it by a Minister in his owne parish only our holy Lord Prelates are so farre from practising or approving it though Apostolicall that they most unchristinaly prohibit most impiously condemne most severely punish it and the repetition of Sermons for a dangerous Conventicle deserving imprisonment excommunication fining deprivation and what not is a clowd of late examples testify Such holy successors of Christs Apostles are these ghostly Lords spirituall I will not say carnall worldly and diabolicall as some too truly stile them This being one of Satan the great dragon his principall instructions to the heard-men of his goates Bishops and Archbishops to see that they hate despise and blaspheme both the word of God and the true Preachers and lovers thereof and not to suffer the truth and freedome of Gods Law to be knowne but to keep it under as much as they can to suffer no true Preachers to abide in their Diocesses but quickly to bring them into great thraldome charge and penury and never to cease till they have driven them away and set up in their roomes and places Doctor Ignorance Domine drunkard Sir Iohn Lacke-latin with Sir William Wilde-oathes that hunteth after whores and such also as can play dissembling hypocrites whereby the divels empire of darkenesse doth exceedingly flourish which much decayed in all places by the true and frequent preaching of Gods Word As for their planting or watering of Churches and converting store of soules to God by their diligent frequent zealous preaching and pious lives Alas which of our great Archprelates can truly say that hee ever yet truly converted one soule to God by his life or doctrine Which of all our Lordly loyterers can shew mee one man that he thoroughly convetted to Christ or reduced to an holy life since he became a Prelate scarce one or two I feare of the whole paeke Or what men are they this day living in England who can say with comfort that a Lord Bishop was the meanes of their true conversion Such converts doubtlesse are so rare that all their names I feare like the good Roman Emperors may bee ingraven in one ring whereas the soules they have murthered and tumbled into Hell by their ill examples unjust ungodly tyrannicall atheisticall lives supressing of preaching Lectures godly Ministers repetition of Sermons private Fasts and Christian private assemblies in all places declamations against purity Puritans piety and precisenesse making and countenancing ungodly unworthy scandalous Ministers stirring men up to prophane the Lords owne day by Dancing sports c. As wofull experience witnesseth past all deniall O that these unprofitable Lord Prelates would consider that excellent saying of Pope Gregory the first Pensemus