to tell him what harme this example might doe and how much hereby the secret Papists would be stirred up to rejoyce hoping for that which they have long looked for now to be neere at hand Was there no man had any sparke of Elias spirit to speake a word in Gods behalfe O lamenrable times in which we live that these things are swallowed downe by your Preachers in silence I forbeare to say much till I bee certified from you the truth of all matters I hope it is not so for I cannot thinke your Prebends would be so fainte hearted having also the Law of the Land on their side that it ought not to stand there where the Altar stood as to shrink at the first wetting without any pressing Speedily send me word I pray you and so with my hearty commendations I end Your loving Friend Iohn White Winchcombe 12th of Feb. 1616. A Copy of this Letter which this Archbishop stiled a Lible was soone after found in the Pulpit of Saint Michaels Church and sent up to the Deanes own hands who made much stir at Gloucester and the Court about it as appeares by these three Letters sound in his Study by Master Prynne and endorsed with his owne hand The first is a Letter sent by two of the Prehends to the Now Archbishop when he was Deane of Glocester upon this occasion Right Worshipfull OUr dutifull love remembred Wee have heard somewhat within these two or three dayes and this day more certainly of a certaine Libell or scandalous writing found in the Pulpit of Saint Michaells within the Citie of Gloucester upon the 14th of this instant Februarie about seaven of the Clocke in the morning when the Parish Clarke there did lay the Pulpit Cloth for Master Prior who was then to preach this scandalous writing was taken up by John Wells Curate there and by Thomas Smith the Clarke and by them read and by their meanes divulged so that all in the Citie well neare doe new speake of it The effect of the writing was as we learne a dislike for the Removing of the Communion Table within our Cathedrall Church affirming untruly that it tended to the animating of the Papists that it savoured of superstition that it was translated from a Communion Table to an High Altar and that Worship and obeysance were made unto it The Libeller marveileth that it is suffered as now it standeth and that there is not one Elias amongst us to reforme it Master John Jones one of our Aldermen and Justice of Peace hath examined some of them and they answer that they are advised by their Counsell not to confesse the effect of that Libell if they give not this day a better answer hee saith his purpose is to binds them ever to answer before the Judges at the next Assizes Master Jones his opinion is that it is very fit that there bee a Commission speedily procured from His Majesties High Commissioners for the examining of this matter and directed to some of the Clergie here and to sence Justies of Peace here provided alwayes that there be none such in that Commission of what degree or dignitie so ever they be that favour that schismaticall faction of the Puritans But now we learne that this Libell was presently delivered by the Curate or Clark unto our now Master Sub-Deane and therefore we assure our selves you are enformed of it by him and Master Robinson 5. or 6. dayes before this day If there be not a speedy course taken for the supressing of this their malicious and scandalous dealing it will in short time breed no small inconvenience within this plâ—â—â— c. Assuredly these zealous people are our Precisians the number whereof is great in this place Thus being bold to manifest unto you our love and dutie as we take it in this behalfe We humbly take our leave with our prayers unto God for Your health and welfare and rest Your Worships assuredly at Command Henry Aisgill Elias Wrench Gloucester Febr 21. 1616. The second is a Letter writ by him on this occasion to the Bishop of Glocester to this effect My Lord MY love and service remembered unto your Lordship when I came to doe my duty to his Majesty at Christmas it seemed by the speech he uttered to me that some body had done the poore Church of Glocester no very good office For his Majesty was graciously pleased to tell me He was informed that there was scarce ever a Church in England so ill govern'd and so much out of order And withall required me in generall to reforme and set in order what I there found amisse Hereupon at my being at Glocester I acquainted the Chapter with that which his Majesty had said to me and required at my hands And tooke as good order as in so short a space I could both for repaire of some parts of the edifice of the Church and for redresse of other things amisse Among the rest not rashly and of my selfe but by a Chapter Act I removed the Communion Table from the middle of the Quier to the upper end the place appointed to it both by the Injunctions of this Church and by the practise of all the Kings Majesties Chappell 's and all other Cathedrall Churches in the Kingdome which I have seene This Act since my comming thence as I am by letters informed is very much traduced by some in the City and a libell against it layd in the Pulpit of St. Michaells where Master Subdeane preaches to the great scandall of the Church and the Lawes established Good my Lord let me desire this favour in enquity at your Lordships hands that these things may be ordered and that your Lordship will joyne to reforme such tongues and penns as know not how to submit to any Law but their owne I must upon this of force have his gracious Majesty acquainted both with the thing it selfe and the entertainment which it hath found among turbulent Spirits And I presume his Majesty will be well pleased to heare that your Lordship as in other things so in this is carefull to preserve order and peace after it in the Church Thus not doubting but your Lordship will be carefull to rectifie what is amisse I for this time being full of my businesse for Scotland humbly take my leave and shall ever rest Your Lordships in all love and service WILLIAM LAVD Saint Iohns Feb. 27. 1616. The third was a letter writ by him to the Bishop of Lincolne Dr. Neale his great Patron then at Court MY humble duty and service remembered unto your Lordship c. When I was at London at Christmas to doe my duty unto his Majesty he was pleased very graciously to tell me that the Church of Glocester as his Majesty had been informed was more or as much out of order as any Church in England and to require me to order such things as I there found amisse upon this admonition of his gratious Majesty
the possibility of the Apostacy of Saints for it is confessed on all hands that these vvords are spoken in generall to all elect as vvell as reprobate and they are of singular use to stirre them up to watchfulnesse over their wayes and diligence and constancy in the use of all such means as by Gods grace may keep them from backsliding and dangerous relapses yet the elect as they themselves freely grant who are predestinated to eternall life are in no danger of losing it this Commination therefore maketh nothing against the perseverance of Saints Thirdly yet because he is cleansed but in part and hath but a temporary faith and some flashes of heavenly light it is possible for him with Demas to forsake the Gospel and embrace this present world with Hymeneus and Philetus to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience with Julian to become an Apostate and a persecuter of the truth in a word he may depart from the seeming righteousnesse which he hath in the eyes of men but not in the sight of God as Saint Gregory speaketh or from the true righteousnesse which he had in part and that measure of sanctification which before he received Fourthly no man ever made question but that a truly regenerate man may depart from his actuall righteousnesse and commit inquity and doe according to all the abominations that the wicked doth and that if he should dye without repentance that his former righteousnesse should stand him in no stead but that he should suffer the pains of eternall death which is all that the letter of this Text enforceth our assent unto Page 770. although it be most true that an elect child of God can never fall quite out of Gods favour yet doth not the light of his countenance at all times shine equally upon him sometimes he substracteth his grace from him for the abuse thereof and hence it commeth to passe that he falleth often and sometimes dangerously the wise man saith the righteous falleth seven times a day and therefore more then seventy times seven times in all his life whereupon Saint Jerome maketh a witty quere If he fall how is he righteous if righteous how doth he fall and gives us the solutian of it in a word he loseth not the appellation of a righteous man who riseth alwayes by repentance his meaning is that though the righteous fall dangerously and greivously hurteth himselfe yet he never dyeth of his fall but his limbs are recovered by grace and he riseth againe by repentance and ever after walketh more circumspectly in the paths of Gods Commandements Fifthly the Prononne his giveth some light to cleare the meaning for the Prophet saith not simply when the righteous turneth away from righteousnesse but from his righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse of his owne works or his inherent righteousnesse not the imputed righteousnesse of Christ for that is not his owne That I may be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Admit Christs righteousnesse by which every true beleever is justified cannot be lost yet he may lose his owne righteousnesse that is it is very possible and daily experience verefieth it that he may give over his strict observance of the duties of the first and second Table he may let loose the reines to sensuall desires and he may follow the gainfull or ambitions or voluptuous courses of the world for the way to Heaven is up-hill but the way to hell is down-hill and thither the weight of our sinfull flesh sorcibly tendeth All these purgations we have in Doctor Featlyes Sermons There are these ensuing purgations made in Master Ward his Comentary on Matthew fol. 300. part 1. page 33. There are two sorts of evill to wit First some are onely precedent which being once taken away returne no more now these hinder the foundation but not the edifice and are taken away by God in the elect as for example First the death of the soule in good things Secondly the captivity and slavery they are in under finne Thirdly the generall and totall pollution which is in them by reason of sinne and the like Secondly some are succedent which hinder the encrease as thorns in the wheat hinder the corne from growing now these are daily to be taken away and must be taken away after the plantation of grace as sinne daily springs up so it is daily to be rooted out Page 67. Ob. Bellarmine here objects the love of many shall wax cold and therefore all righteous men shall not presevere in faith and consequently all shall not be saved An. The Cardinal here proves nothing against us except he will prove that those who fall from the Lord or whose charity waxeth cold were such as were righteous before God by a true faith or who had the love and faith of the elect of God whereof mention is made Titus 1. 1. now that these were not such is cleare from verse 24 of this Chapt. they would seduce if it were possible the very elect and from Saint Augustine Charitas quae desert potest nunquam ver a fuit that love which falleth away was never any true love or charity which may be forsaken was never true Charity In the printed book fol. 334. but in the Abridgement of purgations page 83. it is questioned between us and the Papists whether Election or Predestination to life eternall be from Gods free grace or a fore-sight of mans good workes and faith First it is agreed upon betwixt us and them that there are some elected and predestinated and this is cleare from Matth. 20. 16. 22. 14. 24. 31. Rom. 8. 30. Eph. 1. 4. and Secondly it is agreed betwixt us also that those who are elected and predestinated are elected unto an eternall Kingdome as is plaine from Luke 12. 32. And Thirdly it is likewise agreed upon betwixt us that those who are elected unto life eternall shall infallibly and certainly be saved and this is proved from Mat. 24. 22. 24. John 6. 29. 10. 28 29. 11. 29. This was assented unto by the best esteemed Divines in the Councell of Trent and thought to be Catholike because it was consonant to the opinions both of Thomas Scotus and the most School-writers and also to the doctrine of Saint Paul and Catharinus himselfe could not deny it Read the History of the Councel of Trent lib. 2. p. 211. 212. Yea Belarmine himselfe doth affirme as much plainly De grat Lib. Arbit lib. 2. cap. 10. which is worth observing because elswhere he contradicts himselfe teaching That the elect may fall from faith and salvation and utterly and eternaly lose both Fourthly the Papists affirme that faith and works foreseen were the impulsive and moving cause of the decree of election unto life everlasting Fifthly we say that the impulsive and moving cause of the decree of election is only that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
unregerate though they seeme never so glorious to the eyes of the world God sets not a straw by them no more then he did by the sacrifices of the Pagans nor their works be not meritorious because they proceed from an heart void of faith yet they affirme them to be good works and such as please God truly they be as pleasing to him as the sacrifice of Caine was they are no better then fine glistering sinnes they want faith therefore they cannot please God nothing that we doe without faith hath any acceptance with God It is said of the ancient Israelites that the Word profited them not because it was not mingled with faith nor sacrifice in the time of the Law nothing was good unlesse there were salt in it so no work is good if it be not seasoned with faith therefore let us entreat the Lord to give us a true faith in Christ that so our spirituall sacrifices may be accepted of him And page 410. though the blind Papists will not see it but we affirme that our best works are defiled with sinne our preaching our praying our giving of almes hearing of Sermons yea martyrdome which is the most glorious work of all may have some contagion of sinne in it our bearing of sicknesse may have some infirmities we may curse God in it as Job's Wife perswaded him to doe and if God should mark what is done amisse who could stand But here is his goodnesse he saw a lye in the work of Rahab yet he commends it for a good work he seeth imperfections in all that we doe yet he passeth them over and because we be in Christ he accepteth of that we doe as a child may faile in doing his fathers errand he may faile in some circumstances yet because the substance of it is done the father praiseth him so will our heavenly father us well done thou good and faithfull servant therefore let this encourage us to well doing c. And page 101. We are not to seek salvation by the observation of the Law as Papists doe 38. A Passage expunged against the Churches Infallibility IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew page 294. this is deleted Object The Doctrine of the Church is in all things infallible Answ First this was a personall promise made onely to the Apostles and so cannot be extended to all the Church if we will speak according to the words properly according to their immediate sense 39. Passages deleted against the Impositions Tyranny and Dissimulation of Kings see Arbitrary power c. page 289. IN Doctor Clarks Sermons page 224. instead of legall imposts the Licenser hath put peaceable imposts Ibid page 225. instead of Subjects are not Tributaries the Licenser hath altered it to good subjects need not to be Tributaries c. And instead of not that in Samuel he puts if not that in Samuel Ibidem after jus Regis the Licenser hath blotted out these words A plea abused to corrupt good Kings Ibidem Not Samuel's Tollet is made If not Samuel's Tellet Ibidem page 336. l. 4. these words at all are added by the Licenser and these that follow Or if you will not lawfull in a compulsory way but in a consultory it wils due respect and discretion The Author wrote thus Kings are uncontrolable who will say saith Job to a King thou art wicked that shewes that it is not safe to censure them not 't is not lawfull men may doe that they dare not doe c. And page 452. after unto another this is expunged It was a King a most Christian King that taught his sonne happily all the Latine that he had Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare he cannot reigne that cannot faigne c. In Master Wards Comentary on Matthew page 145. written copy this sentence â—s expunged Subjects are not actively to obey Kings when they command what God forbids in his Word 40. Passages deleted that the Law of God is possible to be fulfilled by men as the Papists hold and That men are damned for Originall sinne as well as Actuall IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matth. 11. 5. page 227. this is obliterated How is the fulfilling of the Law impossible Answ First negatively not because the works therein contained in their owne nature transcend the power of the mind or body or Organs for man in Paradise had strength enough to obey the whole Law and the Saints in Heaven doe perfectly fulfill it Secondly affirmatively the Law is impossible for man to fulfill First the judgement of the mind is so depraved that we know not how to doe any spirituall or morall work aright so as we ought to doe it and Secondly because the affections are so corrupted that we are not able to governe them or to curb or restraine the malice and depravation of them Quest 2. Why are so many or any damned perpetually Answ Not onely for their actuall sinnes but even also for their originall corruptions and depravation of nature Ephes 2. 1 2. for sinners shall be beaten with stripes and with more stripes Luke 12. 47. c. that is First they shall have plura verbera more stripes and more grievous torments in hell for their actuall sinnes But Secondly they shall also have verbera stripes eternall condemnation and torments though not equall with the former who never committed actuall sinne but onely dyed in their naturall estate their originall corruption not being washed away by or in the blood of Christ Observ Secondly by grace in Christ we are enabled to walk in the wayes of God and to work his work for Christ doth give unto all those whom he cals power in some measure to obey him for he gives not onely velle power to will and desire but also posse power to doe that which he commands Phil. 2. 13. Quest 3. How doth this appeare for none seem and that especially to themselves more weak then the children of God Answ It most evidently appeares by these particulars viz. First because we are called unto the glory of God Phil. 2. 15. c. and to hold forth the Lamp of a pure life Mat. 5. 16. and therefore certainly those whom God cals shall from him receive grace and power to performe good works Secondly because Religion is the path-way to Heaven and therefore undoubtedly those whom the Lord cals unto that inheritance he will enable in some measure to walke in the wayes of Religion and to giue unto him religious worship read Deut. 5. 33. Josh 22. 5. Mat. 3. 8. 10. 7. 20. Luke 11. 28. Rom. 2. 7. Gal. 5. 16. Thirdly because Christ unto those whom he cals gives the holy comforter even a bright shining light whereby we are assured of the love of God which love of his worketh a threefold effect in us namely First it makes us love the Lord againe and to returne love for love and although we cannot love him in that measure and degree that he loveth us his love
principells of Error and Darknesse how can it be expected better then that the people should be even ready to stone him as they did him that did but Act the part of Bellerophon in Rome But to avoyde this danger he conveyes in this poyson in a guilded Pill with baites and pretences of Reconciliation a pleasing snare Laqueus Diaboli ad miserorum animas ad infernum detrudendas A beade Roll of particulars might be recited wherein this Reconcilement was to be wrought in points of Free-will Merits Justification Vniversall grace Purgatory and in effect all the rest To draw on these there must be an introducing of Popish Ceremonies in all the particulars contained in the Masse-Bookes and Pontificalls themselves and to make way for these the Booke of Sports must bee published and pressed beyond the Kings intention or Declaration which was but a civill Command but hee subjoynes Ecclesiasticall penalties even the sharpest suspention deprivation and the like these executed on diverse good and godly men with a high hand Thus a liberty proclaimed not to Captives but to profane Caitifes this day set a part by God ab eterno exposed and prostituted to all loosenesse and irreligion and that by a Law This Lambe taken out of his bosome Iehosaphat sends Priests Levites into all the Cities Tribes to instruct them This Prelate sends Declarations and Injunctions to corrupt them and to extinguish the Lamp and light of Religion in the former Acts he destroyes the Protestant in this Religion it selfe In the one he leaves Superstition in the other nothing but Atheisme and Profanenesse in the one he destroyes Presbyteros as did Dioclesian in the other Presbyterium as did the Apostate Julian Yet to shew his love to Religion the Popes only he holds correspondency with those of Rome Cardinall Barbarino Panzani Con Rosetti the Popes Nuntioes Sir Toby Mathewes Saint Clara Saint Gyles the most dangerous and desperate Jesuites and many others ejusdem farina And by all these steps and rounds he makes a Ladder for himselfe to clime up to the Papall dignity in example of Anselme whom though famous for his Contumacy and Rebellion yet he calls him His worthy Predecessor as was Becket also and is contented to take upon him the Plenitude of power the title of holinesse of Arch-Angell of this Church the lineall Successor of Gregory the first rather of Gregory the seventh and for all this was well worthy to have those two great offers made him recorded in his owne Memorialls by these that had ability to performe it viz. A Cardinalls Capp but such was his modesty to forbeare it because though Rome be a true visible Church in his opinion yet something dwelt with him that hindered it for a time to wit I suppose his dwelling here For his attempts against the Laws the Subjects birth-right and the rights of Parliaments their chiefe support and refuge how little regard he had to them how much he did dispise and abhor them making it his Ambition to preferre the contemners and abusers of them and to set up his own Canons and Constitutions above them imposing of unjust and unlawful Oathes Exactions Monopolies all sorts of oppressions stopping of Prohibitions course of Justice rescinding of Acts of Parliament advancing of Proclamations and all kinde of Arbitrary power above the Lawes of God or man is fully expressed in the Articles and will more fully appeare in the evidence To conclude Naaman was a great man but he was a Leaper This mans Leaprosy hath so infectted all as there remaines no other cure but the sword of Justice which we doubt not but your Lordship will so apply that the Common-wealth shall yet live againe and florish When Serjeant Wilde had concluded his speech the Archbishop humbly desired the Lords that he might have liberty to speake a few words to wipe of that dirt which had injuriously bin cast upon him that so he might not depart thence so foule a person as he had been rendered to their Lordships by the Articles Which liberty being granted he made a long premeditated Oration which hee held written in his hand A true extract whereof communicated by him in writing to divers of his freinds you have heere subjoyned My Lords MY being in this place in this condition recalls to my memory that which I long since read in Seneca Tormentum est etiamsi absolutus quis fuerit causam dixisse 6 de Benef. c. 28. T is not a griefe only no t is no lesse than a torment for an ingenuous man to plead Capitally or Criminally though it should so fall out that he be absolved The great truth of this I finde at present in my selfe and so much the more because I am a Christian and not that onely but in Holy-orders and not so only but by Gods Grace and goodnes preferred to the greatest place this Church affords and yet brought Causam dicere to plead for my selfe at this great Barre And whatsoever the world think of me and they have bin taught to think much more ill of me then I humbly thank Christ for it I was ever acquainted with yet my Lords this I finde Tormentum est t is no lesse than a torment to me to appeare in this place Nay my Lords give me leave to speake plain truth No senrence that can justly passe upon me and other I will never feare from your Lordships can go so neere me as Causam dicere to plead for my selfe upon this occasion and in this place For as for the Sentence be it what it shall I thanke God for it I am for it at Saint Pauls ward Acts 25. 11. If I have committed any thing worthy of death I refuse not to dye For I thanke God I have so lived as that I am neither afraid to dye not ashamed to live But seeing the Malignity which hath been raised against me by some men I have carried my very life in my hands these divers yeares past But yet my Lords if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me though I may not in this Case and from this Barre appeale unto Caesar yet to your Lordships Iustice and Integrity I both may and do not doubting but that God of his goodnesse will preserve my innocency And as Iob in the midst of his affliction said to his mistaken Friends so shall I to my Accusers God forbid I should justifie you till I die I will not remove my Integrity from me I will hold it fast and not let it go my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live Iob 22. 5. My Lords the Charge against me is brought up in ten Articles but the maine heads are two An endeavour to subvert the Lawes of the Land and the Religion established Six Articles the five first and the last concerne the Lawes and the other 4. Religion For the Lawes first I thinke I may safely say I have beene to my understanding as strict an observer of
thus page 44. Some Traditions I deny not true and firme and of great both Authority and use in the Church as being Apostolicall Doctor Heylins Antid Lincolniense page 86. Sect. 2. Many things came into our mind by a successionall Tradition for which we cannot find an expresse command which yet we ought to entertaine ex vi Catholicae consuetudinis of which Traditions there are many which still retaine their force among us in England This Church the Lord bethanked for it hath stood more firme for Apostolicall Traditions then any other whatsoever of the Reformation 19. That Ave Maries are to be now said to the Virgin Mary That shee and other Saints and our Angells Gardians are to be invoked and prayed to as our Patrons Popish Saints to be imitated and the Virgin Mary extolled deisied by Protestants as she is by Papists CHrists Epistle to a devout Soule Page 237. Say with the same intention the prayer at least which I taught my Disciples and the Salutation of the Angell to my blessed Mother and offer me up to my Father in thy heart and with me all those good workes which I and my servants either do or have done for thee and the vniversall Church pag. 252. Doe not omit every night to intreat my glorious Mother to pray unto me to pardon thee at her request all such negligences as thou hast ignorantly committed and which thou dost not remember She hath performed the office of a tender Mother to mee I have received nourishment from her blessed Duggs and therefore I cannot nor will not my love to Her is so great deny any Petition that she presents and therefore entreat me daily by her intercession for the amendment of thy life perseverance in vertue and obtaining of my grace pag. 253. Thou shalt further intreat me by her Intercession that the worshiping and honouring of me may be daily amplified inlarged augmented and increased either by this rule and instruction which I have now prescribed and commended to thee or by what other meanes soever that shall seeme best unto thee p. 262. By the compassion of thy Mother c. What can be more Popish then this Francis Sales in his Introduction to a devout life writes thus page 19. Saint Lydia and Saint Chrispian were perfectly devout in their open shopps Saint Anne Saint Martha Saint Monicha amongst their families c. page 89. Thou being placed upon thy knees before thy good Angell Consider that God desireth thou wouldst make choise of Paradice and thy good Angell also urgeth expresly thee with all his power offering thee on Gods behalfe a thousand succours page 91. In like manner accept the favours which all the blessed Saints present unto thee promise them that thou wilt make towards them and give thy hand to the good Angell that he may guide thee thither and encourage thy soule to make this choyce page 97. O sacred Virgin and all you blessed Saints of Heaven I chuse you for my guides and Patrons I render my selfe under your colours O my Guide and Gardian in heaven unite me unto this glorious and sacred assembly Page 194. We must pray for the whole Church of God employing and imploring to that end the intercession of our blessed Lady Page 165. O Father of Goodnesse c. Then think upon our blessed Lady upon the good Angells and the Saints that are gone before thee to the end that thou maist insist in their steps and be partaker of their happy intercessions page 197. The holy Soules of the Saints in Heaven in company of the blessed Angells they likewise doe good Oshces and helpe to assistus by their sacred intercession Honour Reverence and respect the sacred and glorious Virgin Mary with an especiall Love she is the Mother of our Soveraigne Lord and heavenly Father Christ Iesus and consequently our Grand-Mother page 198. Chuse some particular Saints amongst the rest whose lives thou maist more particularly read tast and imitate page 200. Read also the lives of the Saints in which as in a mirror thou maist see the ponâ—traiture of Christian perfectison The solitarinesse of Saint Paul the first Hermit is imitated in some sorts by the spirituall retreates of which we have spoken and the extreme poverty of Saint Francis may be imitated c. There be some Saints which more directly serve to guide and order our lives then others doe as that of Saint Gregory our Apostle of England as the life of the blessed Martyer Teressa the lives of Saint Thomas of Aquine Saint Francis Saint Benuet and such like page 201. Other Saints lives there are which containe more matter of admiration then of imitation as the life of Saint Mary of Egypt of Saint Simeon Stilites of the two St. Katherins of Sienna and of Genua and Saint Angla and which never the lesse do minister unto us great occasions to tast the sweetnesse of the love of God Bishop Mountague his Amid page 20. Non abnuerim Sanctos esse Orationis Intercessionis ut loqui soletis Mediatores sed universim universos praecibus suis apud Deum interveniunt orationibus mediantur page 22. Meminerunt amicorum suorum et rerum a si quondam in terris gestarum quocirca ad Christum in caelo recollecti poterint de viae ordinaria per Jesum Christum apud deum Patrem amicos familiares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praecibus commendare et adjuvare Which hee thus further prosecutes in his Gagge page 203. Now the case of Angell keepers in point of advocation and invocation is much different from other Angells not Guardians as being continually attendant always at hand though invisible and therefore though we might say Sancte Angele Custes Ora pro me it followeth not we may say Sancte Gabriell ora pro mâ— page 207. Angels are to bee beseeched who are deputed our Gardians therefore not all Angells but onely Guardian Page 214. The Saints pray for us in particular some particular Saint for some particular man in some speciall case some time And to come more particularly to it The question is not whether Saints departed doe pray unto God that is confessed on both sides c. Anthony Stafford in his Femall Glory in the Front whereof there is the Picture of the Virgin Mary encompassed with a Glory holding Christ a little Infant in her Armes thus extolls nay justifies the Invocation of the Virgin and saying Aves to her Med Poetica Ave Maria. Tu gaudi verbum peperisti dicit Avete Omnibus atque omnis terra revibrat Ave. He proceedes thus in the Reverse The House of Gold the gate of heavens power great Queene of Queenes most milde most meeke most wise most venerable cause of all our joy c. In the Panegyrick of her he addes To whom doe bow The Soules of all the just whose place is next to God Pag. 2. 3. He stiles her Most Excellent Princesse The Virgin Mother of God Empresse of
be said unto every particular member of hers in the Communion The Body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was given for thee c. if any one of them were absolutely reprobated 1. c. from all eternity unconditionally decreed to bee damned in Hell fire everlastingly The Booke intituled Gods love to mankind and Doctor Jack sons Divine Essence and Attributes part 1. are professedly written to justifie universall Grace and Redemption 23. That the Personall succession of Bishops is a true note of the Church and necessary That Peters Chaire was at Rome and he sate Bishop there and that it is the honour and happinesse of our Church that this Archbishop of Cant. that now is with our other Bishops and Ministers can derive them personall succession and Ordination from the Sea and Popes of Rome Dr. Pocklingtons Sunday no Sabbath P. 2. Ouâ— Diocesan can derive himselfe the successor of an Apostle it is Saint Austins resolution Successio Episcoporum ab ipsa sede Petri is that which among other things by him named keepes us in gremio Ecclesiae and Subjects us to our Bishops Jurisdiction Page 47. Their vanity may appeare that against all Antiquity make fooles beleeve Saint Peter was never at Rome making the succession of Bishops and truth of the Latin Churches as questionable as the Centurists orders Page 48. Reckon up your Priests who succeded one another after Saint Peter in his Chaire if you will bee esteemed Members of the Church Hereby we may by Gods mercy make good the truth of our Church For wee are able lineally to set downe the succession of our Bishops from Saint Peter to Saint Gregory and from him to our first Archbishop Saint Austin our English Apostle as Bishop Goodwin calls him downeward to his Grace NOW that sits in his Chaire Primate of all England and Metropolitan Which hee thus seconds in his Altare Christianum Page 45. Saint Peters Chaire in Rome succession of Bishops in the Church of England c. Page 47. Though saith Saint Austin you slanderously call the Chaire in other Churches Cathedram Pestilentiâ—ae what cause hath the Church of Rome giuen you to say so of it In qua Petrus sedet et in quâ hodie Anastasius sedet The very note whereby Heritickes were knowne from Catholikes was that Catholikes could shew their Churches and the very Chaires in them wherein there was not only a morrall succession in purity of Faith and manners but a locall succession of Bishops continued even from the Apostles times which Heretickes could not shew and therefore were hereby convinced to bee such and so put to shame and confounded Page 48. Hee recons up those that had succeded the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the Church of Rome Page 49. Novatian is neither Bishop nor Member of the Church saith Saint Cyprian because hee cannot prove his succession according to Apostolicall Tradition If in all this time there were no materiall Churches then there could be no materiall Chaire wherein their Bishops were enthronized and if no Chaire then no reall Inthronization then no personall succession from the Apostles whereby the right faith was derived from God the Father to his Son nor from the Sonne to his Apostles nor from the Apostles to succeding Bishops Those that deprive us of the benefit of this Apostolicall Tradition pluck one speciall staffe out of our hands whereby we stay our selves from falling from the true Catholicke Church and beat all Heretickes out of our Communion Miserable were we if hee that NOW sitteth Arch Bishop of CANTERBVRY could not derive his succession from Saint Augustine St. Augustine from Saint Gregory Saint Gregory from Saint Peter for hee that remembreth whom he succeeds will doubtlesse endeavour and pray to be heire to their vertues as well as possessor to their places What a comfort is this to his Grace and to all those that receive consecration from him and to all those that they shall ordaine Page 51. Tell us when and from whence you come and what you make your selves to do in the Church that are no Sons of the Church We can with Saint Iraeneus point you to the time of your comming in You Cartwright and your brood came in as most Sabbatarians did under Archbishop Whitgift and your Ames and Brightman with your Laodiceans came in under Archbishop Bancroft and you Vicars and our Cotton with his fugitives came in or rather went out under Archbishop Abbot Page 144. I shall begin with my selfe I had my Ordination from Bishop Dove he had his Consecration from Archbishop Whitgift and the Archbishop his from the undoubted successours of Saint Peter Doctor Heylin his Moderat Answer to Mr. Burton Page 72. Write If you have any other Pedegree as perhaps you have from Wickliffe Hus the Albigâ—enses and the rest which you use to boast of keepe it to your selfe non tali auxilio the Church of England hath not need of so poore a shift Page 68. The next thing that offends you and you clamour as if that they claime a visible and perpetuall succession down from St. Peter to Pope Gregory from him by Austin the Monk first Archbishop of Cant. unto his Grace now being and sic de caeteris That Gregory sent Austin into England to convert the Saxons and made him first Archbishop of the English is generally delivered by all our writers Finally that my Lord the Archbishop that now is is lineally descended in a most faire and constant tenor of succession you shall easily finde if you consult the learned labours of Master Francis Mason de Ministerio Anglicano The Papists would extreamely thank you and think you borne into the World for their speciall comfort could you but tell him how to disprove that lineall succession of our Prelates which is there laid dowe By Mountague his Gagge page 49. The Church hath ever beene visibe In England especially how can this fellow impute invisibility to us who claime and prove a succession 25. That Sunday is no Sabbath nor of divine institution that the strict sanctification of it is Iewish superstitious and Rabbinicall That May-games Wakes Revells Dancing Interludes with other sports and pastimes are not only lawfull but convenient and necessary thereon not to be restrained but incouraged and the Kings Declaration to that purpose most pious and Religious That two houres only of it viz. The time of publik service and sermons are to be kept holy and that the residue may be spent in Recreations or ordinary workes of our calling That the Lords day Sabbath was never heard of in the world till Dr. Bounds daies That the Sabbath is not morrall THis is the subject matter of many whole late printed Books against the morallity and strict observation of the Lords-day Sabbath wee shall instance only in some few beginning with Doctor Pocklington in his Sunday no Sabbath where thus he most scandalously and prophanely writes page 6. What shall wee think then of Knox and Whittingham and their
namely First an earnest desire to heare as Act. 13. 42. like one who having beene deafe desires the sense of hearing Secondly a renewed understanding when we heare as Mary did who pondered in her mind that which shee heard and this understanding of what we heare is so necessary that Chrysostome tels us that the Deacon prayed for the Catechumenoi that they might understand what they heard Thirdly a trembling and fearfull heart because we have offended our God and so long neglected to serve him and thereby have caused him to separate himselfe from us Fourthly joy and delight in the Word Act. 8. 38 39. 13. 48. Fifthly when the Word penetrates deep into the heart making therein deep furrowes Sixthly when we lay up what we hear as a treasure hoarding it up against the time of need Matth. 13. 52. never departing from the Word without some profit thereby and Seventhly meditating continually upon the Word of God Psal 119. 2. 3. Certainly if these things he in us in truth we may then assure our selves that Christ hath begun to cure the deafnesse of our soules 35. Passages purged out against Gods Hardning and Obduration of men THese clauses are expunged in Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew 11. ver 25. 26. Quest 2. Whom doth the Lord thus blind or harden Answ First he blinded or hardened Pharaoh Exod. 7. and why first because he persecuted and oppressed the godly Exod. 5. and Secondly because he condemned and despised the Lord and his Message Exod. 5. 2. and Thirdly because he drove away and banisht Moses the Messenger of the Lord from him Exod. 10. 28. And secondly he hardened and blinded those who sought salvation by the Law and not by faith in Christ Rom. 9. 32. And thirdly those who defile themselves by wallowing in the filthy puddle of iuiquity Isa 59. 7. 9. Rom. 1. 24. 25. And fourthly those who are drowned in sleep and overvvhelmed in security Rom. 11. 8. And fifthly those vvho still retaine the vaile over their hearts and abide in vvilfull and affected ignorance 2 cor 3. 14. And therefore if vve desire that the Lord should discover the hidden mysteries of the Gospell unto us and not hide them from us then we must take heed of these things to wit First vve must take heed of persecuting or oppressing of the children of God and Secondly of concernning or despising either God or his Word and Thirdly of banishing or putting away from us his Ministers and Messengers and Fourthly of seeking salvation by vvorks and Fifthly of sinne security presumption and ignorance c. Ibidem vvritten copy page 214. The Lord is active in reprobates two manner of vvayes namely first Praedestinando by determining and appointing of them unto a just doeth but this is remote from our present purpose Secondly Obdurando c. And a little after before Quest 6. This last is most proper to our present purpose and institution for if it be demanded How doth the Lord blind the mind or harden the heart I answer by not giving a blessing unto his Word or not co-operating therewith or not enabling men to apprehend and conceive or understand the Gospell and the truths therein contained 36. Passages blotted out against Holy-dayes dedicated to Saints IN Master Wards Comentary on Matthew written copy page 358. this sentence is expunged The Papists hold that Holy-dayes may be dedicated unto Saints for their honour and worship as Christpromised this charitable work of Mary Magdalen wrought upon him should be recorded and remembred whereby say they we learne that the good works of Saints may be recorded to the Honour of Saints in the Church whereof arise their commemorations and Holy-dayes Rhemist annot Matth. 25. sect 1. First the good works of Saints may be remembred to the honour of God without their Holy-dayes and commemorations Christ instituted no holy-day of Mary Magdalen neither commanded any image of her fact to be made but onely a memory of her in the preaching of the Gospell Secondly we grant that christian solemnities may be kept as things indifferent which the Church may retaine or abrogate as it shall seem best for edification if they â—e not observed of necessity as a part of Gods worship neither consecrated to the honour of Saints seeing all divine worship is wholly to be reserved to God and not to be given to any other For times and seasons the Scripture saith the Lord hath put them only in his owne power therefore he only is to have the honour of them Thirdly what honour is due unto Saints Saint Augustine sheweth Colimus Martyres eo cultu dilectionis societatis que in hac vitacoluntur sancti homines Dei we doe honour Martyrs-with the service of love and fellowship as the holy men are honoured in this life but it is not lawfull to consecrate dayes and times to holy men living therefore neither to Saints departed for one and the same honour is due to them both c. 37. Clauses obliterated That we are Justified onely by Faith in Christ not by Workes That Justification may be lost and that Workes merit not IN Doctor Clarks Sermons page 282. l. 41. after that in Christ should be onely that in Christ onely we are justified but onely is blotted out c. Ibid. page 419. l. 29. after verse 8. should follow this excellent passage which was expunged by the Licenser Surely faith justifieth faith ONLY works have no doing in the worke in justification Rome cannot prove it non si se ruperit if shee disputes till Dooms-day but that sola fides is not solitaria faith never is alone true saving faith love is fast linkt unto her but in that act of Justification shee intermeddles not le ts faith work it alone Love is concomitant not co-operant faine would Rome wrest at least but this from us that works doe save if not justifie yet save needs will shee have them necessary to salvation we yeeld them not that neither some Lutherans doe but with that distinction as we may yeeld it too necessitate praesentiae not efficienciae works are where salvation is but they are not cause of salvation they are in salvando but have not vim salvandi all that are saved must have them but not any are saved by them c. Ibid. page 419. l. 3. after our conversation should follow these words as we doe out of the act of our Justification c. viz. exclude works Ibid. page 443. l. 10. after these words a farre off this clause is deleted Justification by works Saint James is flat for that ex operibus justificatur homo As for the distinction of declarative it was but some Calvmist that invented it c. Ibidem page 570. l. 15. these lines are expunged The other part of the spirit's exposition of the blessednesse of the dead is the reward of their faith for that is meant by these words and their works follow them Works as often elsewhere put by figure for
in Parliament to the subversion of the Property and Liberty of the Subjects which Sermons were preached and printed by this Archbishops speciall solicitation was on the 14. of June 1628. censured by the Lords in Parliament and thereby perpetually disabled from all future Ecclesiasticall preferments in our Church Of this censure the Archbishop took speciall Notice inserting it into his Diary adding that himself was complained of by the house of Commons June 12. for warranting Doctor Manwarings Sermons to the Presse Yet no sooner was this Parliament ended but in high affront of their publike censure in Iuly following by this Prelates assistance Doctor Manwaring as was proved by the Docquet Booke was presented unto the Rectory of Stamford Rivers in the County of Essex voyd by the promotion of Richard Mountague to the Bishopricke of Chichester he who had right thereto was put by and a dispensation granted to Doctor Manwaring to hold it with the Rectory of St. Giles which made this Doctor in the superscription of a Letter of his to this Archbishop when London about the Commission of Fees in London Churches Jan. 28. 1631 indorsed with the Bishops own hand and found in his study to stile him My singular good Lord And so he proved for soon after as was proved by the Docquet Booke in May 1633. the Deanery of Worcester was granted to this Doctor and the grant signified to the signet office by the Bishop of London Laud who procured him this preferment What service Manwaring did in that Church in setting up a Marble Altar introducing Copes with other Popish Innovations and what Account he gave thereof to the Archbishop his Patriot you may formerly read p. 81. under both their hands which was such a Meritorious Work that in few dayes after the Archbishop procured a Conge d'eslier for him to the Bishopricke of St. Davids in Wales which was signed by the Archbishop himselfe as appeares by the Docquet Booke in the signet office produced at the Lords Bar among the entries of December 1635. After which himselfe consecrated him Bishop of that See as was proved by his own Diary wherein he entred this Memento with his owne hand Feb. 28. 1635. I consecrated Doctor Roger Manwaring Bishop of Saint Davids So that this paire of malignant active Popish Prelates Mountague and Manwaring received all their Ecclesiasticall preferments after the proceedings against them in severall Parliaments by his procurement in highest affront of their Authority and Censures who obtained likewise a Royall Pardon procured for them entred in the Docquet Booke Jan. 1628. Both drawne according to his Majesties pardons of Grace granted to his subjects at his Coronation with some particulars for the pardoning of all Errours heretofore committed severally by them either in speaking writing or printing whereby they might be hereafter questioned But to proceed to others August 1628. we finde in the Docquet Booke a Conge d'sliere and Royall Assent by order from the Bishop of London for Doctor Mawe a known Arminian to be Bishop of Bath and Wells and the like in the same Moneth for Doctor Richard Corbet a professed Arminian and one well-affected to Popery to be Bishop of Oxford by order from this Bishop who afterwards promoted him to Norwich In November 1628 A Conge d'slier by his order too was directed to the Deane and Chapter of Yorke to elect Samuell Harsnet then Bishop of Norwich a professed notorious Arminian well inclined to Popery to the Archbishopricke of York Mart. 25. 1632. we find a Conge D'eslire to the Dean and Chapter of Christ-Church to Elect Doctor John Bancroft Bishop of Oxford and in June following a Warrant for the restitution of the temporalities of this Bishoprick to him both subscribed signified by the Bishop of London and what a corrupt unpreaching Popish Prelate Bancroft was is known to all the University of Oxford In Octob. 1632. We find these four severall Conge D'eslires all procured by order of this Prelate then Bishop of London One to the Dean and Chapter of Winchester to Elect Walter Curle Bishop of Bath and Wells to be Bishop of Winchester Alike to the Deane and Chapter of Coventry and Lichfield to Elect Robert Wright Bishop of Bristol to be Bishop of that See Alike to the Deane and Chapter of Peterborough to Elect Doctor Augustine Linsell an Arch-Arminian and very Popish and Superstitious as was attested by Mr. Peter Smart upon Oath and the Author of most of the Innovations in Durham Cathedrall who joyned therin with Doctor Cosins Bishop of that See Alike to Elect Doctor Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wells Now how active all these Prelates were to set up Altars introduce all Popish Ceremonies suppresse Lectures silence Ministers promote the Book of sports advance Arminianisme and Popery hath beene already manifested in the premises And we find that Doctor Lindsell was afterwards translated to the Bishoprick of Hereford Jan. 1633. and this Bishop of Winchester made the Kings chiefe Almoigner in Iune 1637. by Order of this Archbishop In Octob. 1635. we meet with in the Docquet Book a Conge D'eslire and Letter to the Dean and Chapter of Norwich to Elect Mathew Wren Bishop of Norwich both signified by this Archbishop of Canterbury and the like for his translation to Ely March 17. 1637. by Order from this Archbishop Now what an Arminian and Popish Innovator this Prelate was in all particulars the Popish furniture of whose Chappell with Basons Candlesticks Corporalls Altar-cloths A Chalice with a crosse upon it and other Popish Trinkets as appears by his own Book of Accounts costing him 159. l. 4. shil 1. d. and how great a persecutor silencer supresser of Godly Ministers people the world experimentally knows and the premises demonstrate We could instance in sundry English Welsh Bishops more of the same strain who were all advanced by his order means as namely Bi Neal made Archbishop of York by him an Arch promoter of Arminians Popish Clergy men and all Popish Innovations Dr Iuckeson first made Bishop of Hereford afterward of London and Lord Treasurer by this Archbishop A man though of a milde temper yet as Superstitious as Popish as most of the former and his Visitation Articles especially the last enforcing the New Cannons and Etcetera Oath as Superstitious and Vile as any Doctor Duppa Bishop of Chichester a known Arminian and very Superstitious Doctor Skinner Bishop of Bristoll and after of Oxford a man tainted with Arminianisme and very much addicted to Popish Superstitions Innovations with sundry others but these shall suffice Onely we cannot pretermit a notable Letter of Dr. Iohn Towers to Sir Iohn Lamb to be a Mediator to his Grace to confer the Bishopricke of Peterborough upon him which Letter intimates that all Bishopricks and Ecclesiasticall Preferments were then in his disposall Worthy SIR I Intended onely my hearty Thankes to you in this Letter for what I read in your last Letter to my Lord Bishop concerning my selfe and your true Love
as followeth My most honoured Lord I Humbly thanke your Grace for very many Demonstrations of your Love to me and particularly for your last favourable mediation to his Majesty in my behalfe for a Prebend in Windsor The conveniency of that preferment if my Soveraign Master please to confer it on me I shall value much more then the profit But how ever resolve not to prescribe to your Grace much lesse to his Majestie or with immodesty or importunity to presse you I blesse God for what I have and hope he will give me the grace to rest well contented with my present condition what soever it is In the means while my Lord the Obligations which I have to you are such as I can never satisfy but with my prayers which shall be constant that your Grace may long live with honour and comfort to serve God his Majesty and this Church which daily feeles the benefit of your wisdome and goodnesse c. Your Graces in all humility Chr. Potter Octob. 6. 1633. Queenes Colledge In April 1635. We find in the Docques Book a Presentation of Dr Richard Bayly generally reputed an Arminian and Popishly affected to the Deanery of Sarum by Order from this Archbishop In October 1638. Dr Thomas Jackeson a professed Arminian as Doctor Daniel Featly his fellow-Collegian attested was made Dean of Peterborough by the order and procurement of this Archbishop By his meanes Bishop Wren was made Dean of his Majestics Chappell And to conclude with one notable instance more instead of all others October 16. 1640. the Deanery of Peterborough was granted to Doctor John Cosin by signification and order from this Archbishop who promoted him to this dignity by his own confession thâ—â— written with his own hand attested by M. Prynne I presented four of his Majesties Chaplaines in ordinary to his Majestie for the Deanery of Peterborough His Majesty pitched upon Doctor Cosia in regard his meanes lying in the Bishoprick of Durham was in the Scots hands and nothing left to maintain him his wife and children but a poor Headship worth 40. l. per anuum And out of the same consideration and no other did I put his name with the rest to his Majesty What an Arch-Promoter of Popish Doctrines Ceremonies Innovations this Dr Cosin was appeares by the premises and Master Peter 〈◊〉 testimony of him upon Oath and what a recall intimate friend this Arch bishop was to him what a Patriâ—t and Protector of him against al Prosecutions might be evidenced by sundry Letters passing between them over tedious to recite the Originals whereof found in the Archbishops Study we have ready to produce For Clergy men infected with Arminianisme Popery and devoted to Popish Ceremonies 〈◊〉 by him to be Chaplaines in ordinary to his Majesty the Prince his Highnesse to corrupt their Persons Courts in the Theory and Practise of Religion we shall instance only in these ensuing Dr Richard Bayly Deane of 〈◊〉 Dr Thomas Turner Dr William Heywood Dr Richard Marsh Dr William Hutchinson all formerly his own Chaplaines as appears by a list of his Chaplaines since he was Bishop written with his own hands Dr Peter Heylin Dr William Brough Dr William Lewes Dr Thomas Laurence Dr Samuel Baker Dr Richard 〈◊〉 Dr Iohn Cosin Dr Walter Raleigh Dr William Watts Dr Benjamin Layney Dr Thomas Bletchenden Dr William Beal Dr Iames Browne advanced to be Deane of Hereford by his means of whose Popish Practises we formerly gave evidence Dr Andrew Clare Dr Christopher Dow Dr Lushington and Dr John Pocklington How much many of these were addicted to Arminianisme Popery and all Popish Ceremonies hath been formerly attested upon other occasions that the rest of them were of the selfe same strain is so notoriously known in the Court our Universities the places where they live to your Lordships and the Archbishop himself that it needes no other proofe That these were made his Majesties and the Princes Chaplaines by this Archbishops procurement who usurped upon the Lord High Chamberlaines office to nominate Chaplaines in ordinary to his Majestie which stone of his Predecessors did since the Reformation was attested by Mr Oldisworth a Member of the Commons House who deposed That upon his knowledge for 25. years space it did belong to the Lord Chamberlaines office to nominate and appoint the Kings Chaplains in ordinary and so it continued all the old LordWill Earle of Pembrookes Chamberlainship And this the difference of the Warrants proves For where the Kings Warrant runnes These are to signifie his Majesties pleasure there the King is to be consulted with before the place is granted as in the Warrant and case of the Bedchamber-men But where the Warrant is These are to Will and require you to admit such a one as in the case of the Kings Chaplains there the Lord Chamberlaine doth all by his owne authority without consulting with the King That since the present Earle of Pembrooke was Lord Chamberlain the Archbishop took upon him to recommend all Chaplaines to the King and many of them were his own Chaplaines first which the Earl of Pembrooke himselfe seconded Mr Oldisworth likewise delivered in a list of the Kings and Princes Chaplaines in ordinary as they stood Feb. 12. 1640. produced at the Barre Two of these Chaplaines to wit Doctor William Heywood and Doctor Samuel Baker with his owne Arminian Chaplaines Doctor Edward Martyn Doctor William Bray and Doctor Thomas Weekes whom he openly denyed to be his Chaplaine before the Lords till Mr Prynne proved the contrary by a list of his Chaplaines under his owne hand affixed to the end of his Written Diary were the Licensers of all the forementioned Arminian and Popish Bookes published in our Realme and the Purgatory Doctors who obliterated all the fore-cited Passages against Popery Arminianisme Popes Jesuites Papists out of our orthodox Writers Others of them were Authours of sundry Arminian licentious Popish Impressions As Doctor Heylin Doctor Laurence Doctor Cosin Doctor Watts Doctor Dowe and Doctor Pocklington Whose Bookes were some of them written others of them printed by the Archbishops command some of them with others without the Authours privity Amongst these we shall instance onely in Doctor Pocklingtons Bookes the most Popish Impious and profane of any other Who though lately dead before this Triall yet speakes loud enough to this purpose in his Petition to the House of Peeres before his censure here remaining upon the File of Petitions A Copy whereof we have here subjoyned compared with the Originall by which you may clearly discerne by whose command his Popish Impressions were Printed and Published even by this Archbishops who perused them before they were printed To the right Honourable the Lords spirituall and temporall now Assembled in the High Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of John Pocklington Doctor in Divinity and Rector of Yevelden in the County of Bedford Most humbly sheweth THat he is right hearty sorry for doing or bringing any thing
Articles of the Duke of Buckingham against the Lord Digby and the Lord Digbies Articles of impeachment against him in Parliament charging one another reciprocally with high treason for endeavouring to withdraw the Prince when in Spaine from his Religion and make him a Roman Catholike of all which we find Authentick Copies endorsed with his owne and Windebanke his creatures hands among both their seized papers already published at large in print where you may peruse them at leizure and therefore he could not possibly be ignorant of this Plot The rather because the sending of the King when Prince into Spaine was the Duke of Buckingham's project of purpose to seduce him in his Religion for which there were Articles of high Treason exhibited against him by the Lord Digby in the House of Peers in Parliament on the first of May 1626. as appeares by the Lords Journall and the Bishops owne Diary to which Duke this Bishop was both a Confessor and cabinet bosome Covnseller as these clauses in his owne Diary manifest June 9. 1622. My Lord Marquesse of Buckingham was pleased to enter upon a neerer respect to me the particulars are not for paper therefore certainly some deep Mystery of iniquity fit to be concealed June 15. I became C. Confessor as himselfe expounded it to my L. of Buckingham Jan. 11. My Lord of Buckingham and I in the inner Chamber at York-house c. and Fed. 17. next following The Prince and Marquesse Buckingham set forwards very secretly for Spaine That this Prelat was privy to the plot of sending the Prince thither before he was sent and to the Instructions given him here how to demean himself even toward the Pope and his instruments when he came thither is most apparent by his owne Letter under his owne hand sent to Bishop Hall Jan. 14. 1639. wherein there is this notable passage formerly urged upon another occasion The last with which I durst not but acquaint the King is about Antichrist which Title in three or four places of your Book you bestow upon the Pope positively and determinately whereas King James of blessed memory having brought strong proofe in a work of his as you well know to prove the Pope to be Antichrist and being aftewards CHALLENGED ABOUT IT he made this Answer WHEN THE KING THAT NOW IS WENT INTO SPAINE AND ACQUAINTED HIM WITH IT that he wrote that not concludingly but by way of Argument onely that the Pope and his adherents might see there was as good and better Arguments to prove him Antichrist then for the Pope to challenge temporall jurisdiction over Kings THIS WHOLE PASSAGE BEING KNOWNE TOME I could not but speake with the King about it who commanded me to write unto you that you might qualifie your expression in these particulars and so not differ from the knowne judgement of his pious and learned Father c. By this relation under his owne hand and Seale it is as cleere as the noon-day Sunne this Prelat was not onely privy to the Kings voyage into Spaine before he departed hence but likewise to the private instructions for his carriage towards the Pope his agents when he came there and his zeal to have this title of Antichrist given to the Pope by Bishop Hall so lately thus qualified obliterated and his complaint of it to the King at this time plainly shewes that he bare a good affection to the Pope and his designes both then and now and politickly furnishes King James with this equivocating Answer to please his Holinesse and to put all out of question that he was privy to this journey before it was undertaken we shall prove it by his owne Diary wherein thus he writes Feb. 17. 1622 The Prince and the Marquesse Buckingham set forwards very secretly for Spaine Feb. 21. I writ to my Lord of Buckingham into Spaine March 31. 1623. I received Letters from my Lord of Buckingham out of Spaine April 19. I received Letters from my Lord of Buckingham out of Spaine June 13. I received Letters from the Duke of Buckingham out of Spaine Aug. 17. I received Letters from the Duke of Buckingham out of Spaine By which it is apparent First that he knew of the time of their secret departure to Spaine the very day they went Secondly that he knew whether they went and writ Letters to the Duke into Spaine within foure dayes after their departure hence before they were neere there or knowne to be arrived there Thirdly that he held constant intelligence with the Duke all the time he was in Spaine writing frequently to him and received no lesse then four Letters from him from thence therefore questionlesse he was privy to this perilous journey of the Prince into Spaine one of the horridest treasons that ever was acted thereby to pervert him in his Religion and reconcile both him and our Kingdomes to the Sea of Rome for this very act alone which his profession as a Bishop ought to have engaged him against with all his might he deserved to be impeached of high treason as well as the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Digby who impeached one one another of high treason for it in Parliament anno 1626. In one word this Bishop at the time of the Princes being in Spaine was so farre in love with the Masse-book and so studious of it that he noted his Missale Romanum neatly bound up gilt in folio almost in every leaf with his own hand by way of approbation and every moneth in the Callender of it by inserting into it with his own pen the Feasts and Stories of divers Popish Saints with the translations of their Reliques and in the Moneth of Sepetmber the 13. day he writes this Memoriall of the Princes returne out of Spaine Prince Charles this night took ship at Saint Andrews to come out of Spaine but had no prayers in his ship that night because so many Spaniards were aboard To prove which the Missal it selfe was produced This his noting and studying of the Masse-book at that very time doth as we conceive strongly intimate his approbation of it his good hopes and assistance to introduce it by that Spanish Match had it succeeded But that breaking off to his griefe soone after the Princes returne from Spaine the next designe of the Duke and his popish confederates to reconcile reduce us to Rome was the translation of their Scene from Spaine into France and making up a popish Match there between the King and our present Queen Mary a zealous Roman Catholike grand patriot of that party whose powerfull mediation and solicitations might as theythen writ in time effect and accomplish this plot as we have elswhere cleerly demonstrated And in this project likewise this Arch-bishop had a finger if not a hand For the Duke of Buckingham with whom he was a Cabinet Counsellour being sent into France to consummate that Match and bring over the Queene from thence we find this Arch-bishop
to us being perfect ours to him imperfect yet we labour and desire to love him above all things in heaven and earth Hence secondly we desire to doe all things which are pleasing unto him yea and to performe them cheerfully and with delight Thirdly the love of God of the holy spirit which assures us thereof doth teach us how to obey God namely in sincerity of heart yea with our whole heart and life and that for the Lords sake onely not for any base or by ends of our owne and in faith hoping that our works shall be acceptable unto God for Christs sake c. Ibidem on Matth. 19. 18. page 289. manuscript Copy this discourse is purged out by the Licenser Quest Whether is the morall Law of God possible to be kept or perfectly to be obeyed with or by an actuall obedience Answ First the Law is possible to be obeyed in regard of that relation which is betwixt our nature or out mind or the faculties of the soule and the actions themselves which are enjoyned in the law for whatsoever is commanded in the law whether internall or externall may be performed by the faculties and parts of our bodies and souls yea the obedience which is there required of us is to be performed by those faculties The Lord in his law doth not require of us impossibilia impossible things either first in se in themselves or secondly respectu facultatum in regard of the faculties of the soule that is the Lord in his law doth notcommand us to raise the dead or to remove mountaines with or by our vvords for these are impossible things in themselves for us to doe neither doth he command us to flye in the ayre or to vvalk upon the vvater because these are impossible in regard of us and our faculties but he commands such things as our faculties are capable of Secondly the obedience of the law is impossible in regard of some circumstances that is first respectu extentionts in regard of the extension for first although vve might performe some one particular action commanded in the law yet not all and every such action vvhich is therein enjoyned and yet this the law requires of us and secondly although vve might performe some one action or other vvhich the law enjoines yet vve are not able alwayes to abide firme and immoveable in this our obedience and yet the Lord threatens us vvith a curse if vve both doe not doe all and abide therein alwayes Gal. 3. 10. and thirdly although we might performe many duties which the law commands yet we could not performe them all alwayes in that sufficient degree and ample and perfect measure which the law enjoynes and thus Andradius himselfe confesseth that the first Commandement cannot be kept vve cannot love God in that manner measure and degree vvhich the law commands Secondly respectu intentionis in regard of the intention because vve can doe nothing vvith a perfect mind for whatsoever is not of faith is of sinne Heb. 11. 6. and therefore vvithout saith no true or acceptable obedience Thirdly respectu infirmitatis in regard of the infirmity of our nature because all the gifts and faculties of our nature are vitiated and corrupted Job 4. 8. 19. 15. 15. 16. Rom. 3. 10 c. Psal 14. 12. Chrysostome sup Matth. fol. 614. saith That by nature we are blind lame taken with the palsie and incarcerated and therefore no wonder Legem non esse possibilem if the law be unpossible unto us Quest 2. Is not this unjust for God to require of us that which is impossible unto or for us to doe Answ No not at all God may justly command a blind man to walk if his blindnesse come from himselfe if maliciously he hath plucked out his owne eyes A man may justly require his debt of a Prodigall Rent is due unto the Land-lord though the Tennant have wasted all his estate and substance and God may justly require that obedience of us which once from and by him we had power to performe although now by our sinnes we have lost that power Quest 3. What may we learne from hence Answ First to acknowledge that the duties enjoyned by the law are possible in themselves and Secondly that they are become impossible unto us by sinne and the infirmity of the flesh Rom. 8. 3. and Thirdly to confesse that God is true and we lyars he just but we wicked Ibid on Mat. 11. 29. The Papists generally object this place to prove the possibility of the laws fulfilling What is this light burden and sweet yoke say the Rhemists but the Commandements of God and therefore they are possible to be kept Bellarmine de justific lib. 4. cap. 11. and Vasques and Alphonsus and Salmeron and the Trent Councell and Becauus urgeth this place to prove that actuall obedience to the whole law is not onely possible but also very easie to the regenerate and justified person They argue thus That burden which is light may be carried without shrinking under it that yoke which is easie is worne without paine and those Commandements which are not burdensome may be observed without difficulty But such is the morall law My Yoke saith Christ here is easie and my burden light therefore the morall law may be easily observed I will for the satisfying of this Objection give onely a double answer viz. First answer to the point which they endeavour to prove and then to the place which they alleage for their proofe First to the substance or matter or subject matter of the Objection viz. That the law is possible and easie to be observed by the regenerate I answer the law of God is impossible to be kepr in such perfection as God requireth and therefore no man can be justified by the works of the law Gal. 2. 16. 3. 11. Here observe these particulars to wit First the old Pelagians did wrest this and the like places for this end to prove the possibility of the fulfilling of the law as appeares by Hierom advers Pelagian lib. 1. cap. 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. 4. and Augustine de Perfect Justific contra Coelestium de Natura Gratia contra Pelagian cap. 69. and therefore we may note by the way from whence the Papists and those amongst us who hold this erronious tenet took or learnt it c. Ibid. on Mat. 19. 21. If thou wilt be perfect c. this is purged out The Papists hold that a man may perfectly obey and fulfill the Law of God and for the proofe hereof argue thus If a man may doe more then the Law requires then certainly he may doe as much But a man may doe more then the Law requires therefore he may doe as much The minor Bellarmine proves by the example of this young man who telling Christ that he had observed all the Commandements and that from his youth our Saviour bid him doe one thing more and then he should be perfect if thou