answer was that if the matter be made to appear upon enquiry they were of opinon that the Temporalties belonging to the Clergy may and ought to be seized and the Church-maintenance also secured for the right ends and uses to which they were appointed The Ecclesiasticks declaim against this affirming that the Churches priviledges and revenues were granted and confirmed to the Church by Kings and Emperours and therefore ought not to be invaded under pain of damnation To this it was replied that the true Elders were worthy of double honour both of reverence and maintenance but such as are slow bellies neither serving God nor man ought not to have the Churches maintenance and that if some Kings against all equity permitted the same other succeeding Kings may and ought to reform it that there is not one sentence in all the Scriptures that warranteth such power in Church-men or that countenanceth such manner of living especially in an unlawful way of opposing the Civil Magstrate as hath been used in Sueden for these last two hundred years In conclusion the States determined that the Churches Revenues are in the power of the King according to the condition of times to encrease maintain or to diminish as may best conduce to the safety of true Religion in Doctrine and to the establishment of the pure worship of God and holiness of life Hence followed a storm of Imputations and Execrations Forreign Nations are made to believe that the King is an Atheist and that the common people in Sueden obey a Devil in the shape of a man but the King sleighted these Scar-crows as all Princes that fixe their counsels upon good foundations ought to do yet the common people in Sueden were enraged hereby and amongst these the Dallcarles who were the first in vindicating the peoples liberties are now the first that appear to keep themselves and the people in bondage but they knew not who to pitch upon for their leader yet at length one was discovered called Nicholas Stur reputed the son of Steno Stur late Governour of Sueden and he ascends the Stage in West Gothland to act for the old Church Government the people also allured by his great name joyned with him and so the War is now become Bellum Episcopale the Bishops War The King hears and sees all yet the hatred and practices of these men move him not He shewed magnanimity in the Field but never more than in this case He is but newly a King and contrary to all principles of policy he is presently put upon an hard task even to change Ecclesiastical Government and their formerly received Religion wherein he was to sail against wind and tyde and therfore though he was very couragious yet this daring adventure must rather be attributed to his Faith than to his Valour and he met with success accordingly for the Dallcarles not finding that bravery of spirit in their new Captain as might become a son of that famous Steno began to suspect that they might be in danger of a cheat and therefore they secretly sent to the Widow of Steno Stur to enquire the truth She tells the Messengers plainly that they were deceived for that her son Nicholas was long since dead This message caused the Dallcarles presently to withdraw their assistance fearing that the cause of Religion will not bear them out unless patronized by one of the Royal blood of Sueden The Dallcarles now gone the spirit presently disappears and is no where to be found till he makes another apparition at Rostock where at the request of the King of Sueden he was put to death as also some others of his party in Sueden were served in the like manner and so the storm blew away Yet the common people are still like a Sea a Famine comes upon the Land and the Church-men tell the people that this is the fruit of their Innovations in matters of Religion whereupon they are again angry and refuse to pay the Kings Tribute the King tells them that few of them understood Gods words and that fewer of them could make a right judgement of his Works that their stop of his Tributes should not stop his course He soon gathers an Army and marches to Westerass and from thence gives notice of his coming to them of the Dales requring them to meet him at Terna ready either to fight for their cause or to beg pardon for their enterprise The Dalcarles like neither if they could help it Feign they would hold their old way of Religion yet choose rather to submit and to hazard their opinions rather than their lives and the issue was some of them were corporally punished others reproved and sent home giving security for their good behaviour and in the like manner others in other places were so served onely the Archbishop of Upsal being one of the Popes sons was admitted as a male-content to banish himself from his native Country The King being returned to Westerass considered with himself the danger of the Kingdome by reason of the bad lives of the Clergy and their neglect of the peoples souls and their restless endeavour to bring his Government into dislike with the people and his person into contempt by imputations of Heresie and Blasphemy to which some stop must be put speedily or all would come to confusion Hereupon he called a Convention of all the States of Sueden to whom he propounded to take into consideration the State of the Nation saying that they all knew that he neither sought nor willingly undertook the Government of the same that they all promised to assist him therein without whose help it was impossible for him to Govern that he now contrary to his expectation found the people much dissatisfied through the instigation of the Clergy whose Lordship and power amongst them you all said he know to be such as that now it is put into the ballance with the Kings and their luxury pride and idleness all the world knows to be such as is inconsistent with the duty of their places the good of the people and righteous Government that their Castles and temporal Revenues are exempted from the service and safeguard of the Kingdome to maintain Dissentions Mutenies and Rebellions that for his part he must rather cease to be a King than to see all things in confusion under his Government and therefore I require saith he some order to be taken by the Convention of the States for regulating hereof or else I am resolved to lay down my Government and leave it to them that can manage it to better purpose and hereof I desire a speedy and positive answer from you the Bishops and other States of this Kingdome But the Bishops ears were deaf to these things their Authority and Revenues were dearer to them than to part with them for words They thought they had the King at an advantage which they purposed to make use of and the
Protestants also must have born some share To consider hereof a great Assembly of Papists and Protestants of the whole Nation was appointed in the Lord Deputy Faulklands time The place of their meeting was in the Hall of the Castle in Dublin At which time the Bishops by our Lord Primates invitation met at his house where he and they drew up and unanimously subscribed a Protestation against the Toleration of Popery A Copy whereof because it deserves perpetual remembrance is here inserted The Judgement of the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland concerning the Toleration of Popery which is applicable also against the Toleration of other Heresies The Religion of the Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous their Faith and Doctrine erroneous and Heretical their Church in respect of both Apostatical To give them therefore a Toleration or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and profess their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin and that in two respects For 1. It is to make our selves accessary not onely to their Superstitions Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the Deluge of the Catholick Apostacy 2. To grant them a Toleration in respect of any money to be given or contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it the souls of the People whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious blood And as it is a great sin so also a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we commend to the Wise and Juditious Beseeching the Zealous God of Truth to make them who are in Authority zealous or Gods glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery Superstition and Idolatry Amen Ja. Armachanus Mal. Cashlen Anth. Medensis Tho. Hernes Laghlin Ro. Dunensis c. Georg. Derens. Rich. Cork Cloyne Rosses Andr. Alachadens Tho. Kilmore Ardagh Theo. Dromore Mic. Waterford Lysm Fran. Lymerick This Judgement of the Bishops Dr. George Downham Bishop of Derry at the next meeting of the Assembly which was April the 23 1627 published at Christ Church before the Lord Deputy and Council in the middest of his Sermon with this preamble viz. Are not many amongst us for gain and outward respects willing and ready to consent to a Toleration of false Religions thereby making themselves guilty of a great offence in putting to sale not onely their own souls but also the souls of others But what is to be thought of Toleration of Religion I will not deliver my own private opinion but the judgement of the Archbishops and Bishops of this Kingdome which I think good to publish unto you that whasoever shall happen the world may know that we were far from consenting to those favours which the Papists expect After he had published it the people gave their votes with a generall acclamation crying Amen The judgements of the Bishops prevailed so much with the Protestants that now the Proposals drove on very heavily and after much debate of things the L. Deputy finding the discontents of both parties encreasing desired our Lord Primate as the fittest person both in regard of his esteem in the Assembly and being a member of the Council and therefore concerned in promoting of the Kings business to sum up the state of things and to move them to an absolute grant of some competency that might comply with the Kings necessities without any such conditions with which upon their answer he would cease moving any further which upon very little warning he did with much prudence according to his double capacity of a Privy Counsellour and a Bishop A copy of which Speech desired of him by the Lord Deputy was immediately transmitted into England But it not being prevalent with the Assembly to induce them to supply the Kings wants it was dissolved Not long after the Lord Deputy Falkland being called back into England when he was to take Boat at the water side he reserved our Lord Primate as the last person to take his leave of and fell upon his knees on the sands and begged his blessing which reverend respect shewed to him gained a greater reputation to himself both in Ireland and England and indeed from his younger years the several Lord Deputies had alwayes a great esteem of him It was no small labour to him to answer those many Letters which came to him from forreign parts and our own Nations upon several occasions some for resolution of difficulties in Divinity others about Cases of Conscience and practical subjects Twelve of the most eminent Divines in London who at his being here were wont to apply themselves to him as to a Father as Dr. Sibbs Dr. Preston c. between whom and him there were most entire affections wrote to him for his directions about a Body of practical Divinity which he returned them accordingly He much endeavoured the augmentation of the maintenance of the Ministery in Ireland and for that end he had obtained a Patent for Impropriations to be passed in his name for their use as they should fall but it was too much neglected by themselves whereby his desires were frustrated He preached every Lords day in the forenoon never failing unless he was disabled by sickness in which he spent himself very much In the afternoons his directions to Dr. Bernard his assistant were that before publick Prayers he should Catechize the youth and that after the first and second Lesson he should spend half an hour in a brief and plain opening the Principles of Religion in the publick Catichisme and therein he directed him to go first through the Creed at once giving but the sum of each Article the next time to go through it at thrice and afterwards to take each time one Article as they might be more able to bear it and to observe the like proportionably in the Ten Commandements the Lords Prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments The good fruit of which was apparent in the common people upon their coming to the Communion at which time by ordeâ— the receivers were to send in their names and some account was constantly taken of their fitness for it His order throughout his Diocess to the Ministers was that they should go through the Body of Divinity once a year which he had accordingly drawn out into fifty heads When any publick Fast was enjoyned he kept it very strictly preaching alwayes first himself and therein continuing at least two hours in a more than ordinary manner enlarging himself in prayer the like was done by those that assisted him in the duty His expences for Books was very great especially whilst he enjoyed the revenues of his Archbishoprick a certain part whereof he laid aside yearly for that end but especially for the purchasing of Manuscripts and other Rarities
opportunities and it was his usual custome to spend Saturdayes in the afternoon in these duties Amongst other sins he much bewayled his too much love to humane learning which made him as glad when Munday came that he might renue his studies as he was when Sabbath day came wherein he was to apply himself to the service of God and it cost him many tears that he could not be more heavenly-minded at that age At fiftten years old he had made such a progress in the study of Chronology that he drew up in Latine an exact Chronicle of the Bible as far as to the Books of the Kings which did not much differ from that of his late Annals excepting his enlargements by some exquisite observations and the Syncronismes of Heathen story About this time also he was much afflicted with a strong temptation which moved him to question Gods love to him because he was so free from afflictions which was occasioned by some inconsiderate passages which he met with in some Authors and long was he under some trouble before he could get rid of it Before he was Bachelor of Arts he read Stapletons Fortress of the Faith and therein finding how confidently he asserted Antiquity for the Popish Tenets withall branding our Church and Religion with novelty in what we dissented from them he was much troubled at it not knowing but that his quotations might be right and he was convinced that the Ancientest must needs be best as the nearer the Fountain the sweeter and clearer are the streams yet withall he suspected that Stapleton might mis-report the Fathers or wrest them to his own sense and therefore he took up a setled resolution that in due time if God prolonged his life and health he would trust onely his own eyes by reading over all the Fathers for his satisfaction herein which work he afterward began at Twenty years old and finished that vast labour at Thirty eight strictly tying himself to a certain portion every day what occasions soever intervened Whilst he was Batchelor of Arts he read divers of the Works of the Fathers and most Authors which had written the Body of Divinity both Positively and Polemically in consuting the Popish errors and had read many of their Authors also by which means he was so well acquainted with the state of those controversies that he was able to dispute with any of the Popish Priests as he often did with the principal of them Anno Christi 1598 The Earle of Essex newly coming over Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and being chosen Chancellor of the University of Dublin there was a solemn Act appointed for his entertainment and Mr. Usher being then Batchelor of Arts answered the Philosophy Act with great applause and approbation About this time his Fathers intention was to send him over into England to the Innes of Court for the study of the Common Law which was a great trouble to him yet in obedience to his Fathers will he assented and resolved upon it but it pleased God that his Father shortly after dyed viz. August the 12. Anno Christi 1698 so that then he being at liberty to make choice of his studies devoted and applied himself wholly to Divinity and thereupon was chosen Fellow of the College being before uncapable of taking the Oath which was required of all Fellows at their Admission viz. that the present intent of their studies should be for the Profession of Divinity unless God should afterwards otherwise dispose their mindes And here again was an other occasion of disturbance to his mind ministred to him For his Father left him a good estate in land but finding that he must have involved himself in many Suits of Law before he could attain to the quiet enjoyment of it to the interrupting of his other studies he gave up the benefit of it to his brothers and sisters suffering his Uncle to take Letters of Administration for that end resolving to cast himself upon the good Providence of God to whose service in the work of the Ministry he had wholly devoted himself not doubting but he would provide for him yet that he might not be judged weak or inconsiderate in that Act he drew up a note under his hand of the state of all things that concerned it and directions what to doe about it When he was nineteen years old he disputed with Henry Fitz-Simonds a Jesuit in the Castle of Dublin as himself acknowledgeth in his Preface to his Book called Britanno-mochia Ministrorum the occasion of which Dispute was this The Jesuit by way of challenge as it was interpreted gave forth these words That he being a Prisoner was like a Bear tyed to a stake but wanted some to bait him Whereupon this eminent man for so he was though very young was thought fit and able to encounter him though at their first meeting he despised his youth as Goliah did David Mr. Usher proffered to dispute with him about all Bellarmines Controversies for which a meeting was appointed once every week and it fell out that the first subject proposed was De Antichristo about which they had two or three solemne Disputations and Mr. Usher was ready to have proceeded further but the Jesuit was weary of it yet gives him a tolerable commendation and much admired his abillities in such young years concerning which he saith There came once to me a youth of about eighteen years of age one of a too soon ripe wit scarce you would thank that he could have gone through his course of Philosophy or that he was got out of his childe-hood yet was he ready to dispute upon the most abstruce points of Divinity And afterwards the same Jesuit living to understand more of him saith that he was A catholicorum doctissimus the most learned of such as were not Catholicks being as it seems unwilling or ashamed to call him Heretick Anno Christi 1600 when he was about twenty years old he commenced Master of Arts and answered the Philosophy Act and was chosen Catechist of the College in which office he went through a great part of the Body of Divinity in the Chappel by way of Common place and Ministers being scarce at that time there were three young men of the College chosen out and appointed to preach in Christ Church before the State One was Mr. Richardson afterwards Bishop of Ardah who was appointed to preach an Expository Lecture upon the Prophesie of Isaiah every Friday Another was Mr. Welch afterwards Dr. of Divinity who was designed to handle the Body of Divinity on Sabbaths in the forenoon the third was our learned Usher who was to handle the controversies for the satisfaction of the Papists on the Lords dayes in the afternoons which he did fully and cleerly alwayes concluding with some emphatical Exhortation that it tended much to the edification and confirmation of the Protestants in their Principles as many of them in their elder yeares have
he handsomely fish out the business from the Bishop wherefore he went another way to work and indeed the surest way by seeking counsel from God communicating the matter to Dean Hill a very godly man whom he requested that with some others they would seek unto God for his assistance for he believed that something was in brewing that he might not know of Herein imitating the practise of wise Daniel Chap. 2. 17 18. This done he studied the Rights of the Irish Church some fruits whereof we have in that Learned Piece of his called The Religion professed by the ancient Irish and Britains Yet he heard nothing till the Assembly was summoned and himself the next day was to be present at it then went he to the Lord Deputy to know the occasion of their meeting The Lord Deputy would not believe at first that he could be a stranger to it but afterwards when Mr. Usher had assured him that he had no information from the Bishops about it he was much displeased and told him that without him all the the rest were but Cyphers for that the King had referred the whole business to his judgement whether the power of the Hierarchy should be established there as it was in England The next day the Kings Commission and Letters were read in the Assembly and Speeches were made concerning the excellency of the Kings intention to reduce that Kingdome to one uniformity with England in Ecclesiastical Government they also told him what honour the King had put upon him whose esteem learning and judgement the King so much depended upon for the promoting so great and good a work Mr. Usher replied that he believed that in a business of so great concernment wherein he was so far interested the Kings intentions were that he should have convenient time to consider of it before he delivered his opinion which he also humbly desired The Bishops answered that his judgement was sufficiently known by his practise and that they expected no more from him but his consent and concurrence with them He replied that the matter concerned more than himself For said he if I had all mens consciences in my keeping I could in these disputable cases give Laws unto them as well as unto my self but it s one thing what I can do and another thing what all other men must do Then they asked of him if he had any thing to say why they should not satisfie the Kings desire He after a short pause wherein he lifted up his heart unto God for direction told them that if they would grant him no longer time he would as well as he was able give them his judgement if that Honourable Assembly would grant him three Requests 1. A free hearing without interruption 2. Liberty for him to answer any man that should be unsatisfied 3. That there might be a final determination of the business at that meeting These being all granted Mr. Usher undertook to prove that such a Jurisdiction could not be introduced into that Kingdome neither by the Laws of God nor by the Civil or Ecclesiastical Constitutions of that Kingdome nor yet without the violation of the Kings Prerogative in that Nation All which he performed to admiration But before he descended to particulars he shewed the difference between Conformity as it was set up in England and as it would be if it were set up in Ireland The Kings saith he and Queen of England imposed those Ceremonies that thereby they might decline the charge of Schismaticks wherewith the Church of Rome laboured to brand them seeing it did appear hereby that they left them only in such Doctrinal points wherein they left the truth Again hereby they would testifie how far they would willingly stoop to win and gain them by yeelding to meet them as far as they might in their own way But saith he the experience of many years hath shewed that this condescention hath rather hardened them in their errours than brought them to a liking of our Religion This being their usual saying If our Flesh be not good why doe you drinke of our Broth As for Ireland wherein the English Canons were never yet received and the generality of the Inabitans were Popish Recusants and even in Popish Kings times there was no receptions of the Popes Ecclesiastical Constitutions because he encroached upon their temporals if such Laws now should be set up under so Religious a Protestant King this would be to set the Pope on Horse-back amongst them which needed not The Lord Deputy when he had finished his Speech and answered what was objected against it told him that he was much affected with every part of his learned speech but that he was more especially concerned in that which touched upon the Kings Prerogative part wherein he had discovered such hidden flowers of the Crown as he thought the King himself knew not and therefore he said as he would endeavour to preserve his Majesties right therein whilst he was his Deputy so he would present them to the King and take care that it should be very hard for any that came after him to rob him of them By this we may easily see that he was then so far from a Prelatical spirit that on the contrary he was an Advocate for and Patione of godly and conscientious Non-Conformists Anno Christi 1612 he proceeded Dr. of Divinity being created by Archbishop Hampton his Predecessor one of his Lectures for his Degree was upon the seventy weeks to the slaying of the Messias mentioned Dan. 9. 24. the other out of Rev. 20. 4. concerning the meaning of the Prophesie that the Saints should reign with Crist a thousand years which in these times would be very seasonable but it s lost Dr. Hoyle who died Professor of Divinity in Oxford after he had many years been the like in Dublin said that when he went out Dr. of Divinity he thought Tully himself could not have excelled him in Eloquence had he been alive not only in his composed speeches but in those which occasionally fell from him upon the by Anno Christi 1613 He published his Book De Ecclesiaram Christianarum successione statu magnified so much by Causabon and Scultetus in their Greek and Latine verses before it It was solemnly presented by Archbishop Abbot to King James as the eminent first fruits of that College at Dublin Indeed its imperfect for about three hundred years from Gregory the 11 to Leo the 10 viz. from the year 1371 to 1513 and from thence to this last Century which he intended after the finishing of a Book which he was now about to have compleated But the Lord prevented him Anno Christi 1615 there was a Parliament in Dublin and consequently a Convocation of the Clergy at which time those learned Articles of Ireland were composed and published and Dr. Usher being a member of that Synod was appointed to draw them up they were highly approved of the
him frequently Magnum Usherium Usher the Great Morus in his Oration at Geneva dedicated to him stiles him The most Excellent servant of God The most Reverend man of God the Athanasius of our Age. Thy breast saith he is a breathing Library Thou art to Britain as Austin was to Hippo Farewel Britains great Honour Ludovicus de Dieu in his Animadversions on the Acts dedicated to him entitles him To the Excellent Prelate worthy of an Eternal memory c. Paulus Testardus Blesensis stiles him Seculi Ecâ—clesiae decus eximium the greatest honour of the Church and Age. Arnoldus Bootius saith of him That he did excel with a most singular Judgement in the Oriental Languages and in all other abstruse and deep learning Venerable to all Europe whose Authority prevails much with all men c. Mr. Selden saith of him The most Reverend Prelate James Usher a man of great Piety singular Judgement learned to a Miracle and born to promote the more severe studies c. Dr. Prideaux calls him The most rich Magazine of solid Learning and of all Antiquity Dr. Davenant speaks thus of him A man of singular Piety abounding with all manner of Learning Sir Roger Twisden acknowledging the assistance he had from him in his History saith thus This we owe to the most worthy Archbishop of Armagh in whom with incredible learning and rare knowledge of Antiquity his most courteous conversation and wonderful sweetness in instructing the unskilful mixed with a certain serious Episcopal gravity were seen to strive one with the other c. There was an eminent Character given of him by a the whole University of Oxford in the year 1644 by solemn Order in the Convocation which was given in charge to sixteen eminent persons of whom seven were Doctors chosen with the Vice-Chancellor Proctors to see his Effigies cut and an Elogium worthy of him to be prefixed to his Annotations on Ignatius his Epistles there then in the Press and at the charges of the University and in the publick name of it Indeed it was omitted to that book but was aftewards affixed to his Book De Symbolis the Elogium is this James Usher Archbishop of Armagh Primate of all Ireland the most skilful of Primitive Antiquity the unanswerable Defender of the Orthodox Religion the Maul of Errours in preaching frequent eloquent very powerful a rare example of an unblameable life Yea for his learning his very Adversaries being Judges those of the Church of Rome have acknowledged A certain Jesuit in a Book called Hyberniae Vindiciae writing against Dempster a Scotchman who had undervalued the Irish for learning after he had reckoned up many Learned men of his own and other Orders of that Nation at length he addes this of our Primate And if I should put in men of a different Religion I might truly say Scotland never saw another Usher whose sublime wit and most curteous behaviour I wish that unlucky education amongst Sectaries had not been his stepmother Divers others of his Popish Adversaries might be mentioned but I forbear and shall adde onely the Testimony of Dr. William Chappel sometime Fellow of Christs College in Cambridge and afterwards Provost of Trinity College Dublin who was very judicious and a great learned man He gave three reasons why he thought our Primate to be the greatest Schollar in the Christian world 1. Because of his rare natural parts having a quick invention a prompt wit a strong memory a clear understanding a piercing judgement and a ready utterance Seldome said he do all these meet in an eminent degree in the same person but in him they so concurred that it is hard to say in which of them he most excelled 2. Because few men had made so rich an improvement of these parts nor indeed had such means by reason of the choice Libraries which he had the use of viz. his own Dr. Challoners the University Library at Dublin which he had frequent access unto besides the University Libraries and Sir Robert Cottons in England He had also taken indefatigable pains in studying and that for many years together which few other mens bodies and brains could bear 3. Because in these and in the Universities beyond the Seas he was so esteemed and whosoever conversed with him found him a skilful Linguist a subtile Disputant a fluent Orator a profound Divine a great Antiquary an exact Chronologer and in brief a living and walking Library Insomuch that the greatest Professors admired the concatenation of so much learning in one person A Catalogue of the Books published by him De Ecclesiarum Christianarum successione statu in 4o. Epistolarum Hybernicarum Syloge in 4o. Historia Goteschalci in 4o. De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britanicarum in 4o. Ignatii Epistolae cum annotationibus in 4o. De Anno Solari Macedonum in 8o. Annales Veteris Testamenti in Fol. Annales Novi Testamenti c. in Fol. Epistola ad Cappellum de variantibus textus Hebraici lectionibus in 4o. De Graeca Septuaginta Interpretum versione Syntagma in 4o. A Sermon before the House of Commons Feb. 18. 1618. A Declaration of the Visibility of the Church in a Sermon before King James June 20. 1624. A Speech in the Castle in Dublin the 22 of Nov. 1622. An Answer to Malon the Jesuit in 4o. 1631. The Religion professed by the antient Irish and British in 4o. 1631. Immannel or The Incarnation of the Son of God in 4o. 1639. A Geographical Description of the lesser Asia in 4o. 1644. Confessions and Proofs of Dr. Reynolds and other Protestant Divines about Episcopacy in 4o. 1644. A Discourse of the Original of Bishops and Archbishops in 4o. 1644. His small Catechisme reviewed in 12o. 1654. His Body of Divinity in part his but published without his consent in Fol. A Method for Meditation or a Direction for hearing the Word Annals of the Old and New Testament with the Synchronismes of Heathen Story to the destruction of Jerusalem in Fol. The Life and Death of Mr. Richard Capel who dyed Anno Christi 1656. Mr. Richard Capel was born in the City of Gloucester Anno Christi 1586 of good Parentage descended from an ancient Family of the Gentry of his own name in Herefordshire and of alliance to the Lord Capel but he had learned with brave Philpot to tread that under his feet His Father was a stout man and an Alderman of that City a fast friend first to Mr. Thomas Prior and afterwards to Mr. John Workman having had a principall hand in drawing of him thither both of them men of great sufficiency for the preaching of the Gospell and instruments that the Lord made much use of for the advancement of the true saving knowledge of himself and for the setting up of the reall and substantiall power of godliness in that City during the time that they exercised their Mâ—nistry there His elder Brother yet lives and is an Alderman in that place
judgements are the forest judgements What if thou hast but the same words as Christ Mat. 26. 44. thou maist be heard as he was Heb. 10. 11. The song of Moses was a new Song because tendered to God with new affections Rev. 14. 3. 15. 3. What if thy petitions be broken and confused as Exod. 14. 10 11 12. This poor man cried saith David Psal. 34. 6. when he was in a poor case indeed like a Bedlam 1 Sam. 21. 13. and yet he was heard The little lisping children have sometimes a grant of their requests when those that are of greater maturity seem to be set aside Whilst Moses held up his hands though in a poor way Israel prevailed Who can tell what God may do Abraham left asking ere God left granting even for a filthy Sodome Remember Mr. Latimers once againe once againe Tug and wrestle We may come to see and our people may bee made to know that their heart is turned backe againe to the God of their Fathers 1 King 18. 37. But to return to Master Capel He was of a sound and setled judgement He pitched at first upon a good foundation and being nourished up in the words of Faith he continued in the things he had learned and been well assured of knowing from whom he had received them as 1 Tim. 4. 6. He was well grounded in his opinion one that stood like a brazen wall as firm as a very Rock in the middest of all the dashings and clashings of tempestuous times He saw with a clear eye through all the painted glosses of those that were given to change and therefore was not moved at all with any thing that was said or done in that kinde he was true to his Religion and clave close all along to his first principles holding fast the Faith that was once and as he himself would often express it but once delivered to the Saints He lived and dyed a true Orthodox Divine according to the known Doctrine of the Church of England He knew full well for all the great talk of the Gospel as though it were but newly dropt out of the clouds that there is not any other Gospel but the everlasting Gospel Rev. 14. 8. that was preached before unto Abraham Gal. 3. 8. and hath been entertained all along still by Gods faithful people and shall be so continually to the end of the world Yet some there be that are no mean pretenders to the Gospel and notwithstanding the same are in great danger of perverting the Gospel of Jesus Christ as Gal. 1. 7. This constant and stable man was set up as a sure Sea-mark Let us stand to his steps though we stand alone God and a good conscience are alwayes good company Elijah was but one yet did he very good service One Athansius in the East one Hillary in the West was of mighty great use in a staggering time What if we meet with storms It is but a poor Religion that is not worth suffering for It will turn to a Testimony Luke 21. 13. When the wilde humour is spent men will return home again A Statue of Mercury wil be looked upon then Those poor silly souls that be tossed to and fro and whirled about and about again with every wind of Doctrine Eph. 4. 14. will be glad of such a sight in the day of their visitation whereas they which know or should know more of God be not steddy in their steering but vary in their course poor bewildred hearts will be at their wits ends not knowing which way to turn nor to whom to go nor whom to walk after As there is but one God so there is but one Faith one Baptisme and one way to eternal life and one Rule for us all to walk by why be we not then all of one heart why walk we not all in one tract So many men as we see so many mindes there be Every moneth almost produceth a new Faith It is easie to swim with the Tyde To perswade the heart of the rectitude of that that is favoured by the times and yet to pretend still that it is from more light We may talk of the Spirit but its certain that Schisme is a fruit of the Flesh. The old way is the good way Jer. 18. 15. He shall stumble and ensnare his feet that swerves from the antient paths What is got by gadding Men itch for change still and there is no rest but with our first Husband Hos. 2. 7. It is good to be all of one minde in God Where there is not unity in Judgement there is scarce unity in affections We are too fierce against such as close not with our Notions It was Bell Book and Candle once It is not much better now Wilde fire flyes amain We cannot all cut to a thread there will be some variation in the Compass But whilst we aim at the white the odds is to be passed by without bitterness Why should there be such huge Rents and Divisions in the Church Where is our mutual forbearance We have not yet learned our Lesson well to wait one for another till God shall reveal it Phil. 3. 15. Whilst we be so sharp in our contests Satan makes his Markets Religion goes to wrack our differences are widened Some are ready to give up all seeing there is no better Harmony Others could well wish themselves out of the world that they might be delivered as Melancthon said from the implacable difference even amongst some Divines Oh! that we could hearken unto God who would have the truth followed but in love Eph. 4. 15. If the Word will not prevaile the Cross will come and make a Hooper and a Ridley imbrace one another Let us fall upon that one and onely solid way of God it will ever be our glory Get we to God he can stablish our unresolved hearts 2 Cor. 1. 21. See that the judgement be so rightly set Isa. 33. 6. and the heart so firmly knit to God and his Truth and then we shall not waver Tamper not with opinions 2 Pet. 3. 17. nor with opiniative men 1 Tim. 6. Rom. 16. 17 18. Nor yet with Books that scatter Tares This grave and prudent Divine gives a very good caution to this purpose in his Treatise of Temptations from famous Mr. Dod a man of vast experience An honest heart may be sorely puzled with a forked Argument The Martyr could dye for Christ that could not dispute for him Some pretend that they must try all things But they speak besides the Book Who will try Rats-bane or a sharp Sword whether it will pierce into his bowels Some think that they can withdraw when they see danger but Satan is subtle Venome will get â—n before we be aware and error will stick and eat like a Gangrene What gets the Fly that playes with the Candle They that nibble at the bait shall hardly escape the hook Again gingle not with tearms that be
out of it And the next day being November 8. Anno Christi 1520 not by legal trial but in a way of Butchery he murthered near a hundred of the Nobles and chief men of Sueden and Citizens of Stockholm and then letting loose the Souldiers upon the City and Country all sorts of persons Ecclesiastical Civil Great Mean Men and Women and Children suffered all manner of violences and deaths that Cruelty could devise their rage extending not onely to the living but to the dead towards whom they used all the opprobrious indignities that could be the lively Character whereof may be described better by some Dane that saw it or some that were interessed in the Scicilian Vespers or the Parisian Nuptials or Irish Massacre than by my pen. After these horrid Murders and outrages Covetousness began to ascend the Stage the King seizing upon all the estates both of the dead and living and to make all sure the Liberties of Sueden being thus brought into the state of a dead man they thought to buy them also so as they might never rise again To which end they set Guards in all places published Edicts and did not onely deprive the Suedes of their Armour but of their Arms and Legs also saying in scorn That a Swede could plow his ground well enough with one arm and a wodden leg But the last and worst of evils was abominable Hypocrisie For this Christian Kings conscience forsooth is pretended for what he did He was touched with much compassion and would not have done it but that his conscience tyed him thereto in zeal to the Church and obedience to the Popes sentence of Excommunication and thus Religion is made the Patron of all these Villanies Yet all this quieted not the Kings conscience but he hastes out of uecden possibly fearing lest the ground should open her mouth and swallow him up or lest the fame of his cruelty should arrive before him in Denmark and make that Nation abhor and vomit him out But behold how vengeance follows him Now is he gone home King of the three Kingdomes of the Baltick Sea and to secure Sueden he had left Guards in every place But cruelty never conquered mens spirits A Tyrant may be feared of all but is hated of all and his own conscience so pursues him that he can be quiet no where And so it fell out with this King for within three years he lost all his three Kingdomes without adventuring one drop of blood or striking one blow for them The manner shall be after glanced upon but my present work is to shew how Sueden now under water comes to lift up its head again This sad news at Stockholme coming to the ears of Gustavus now at Rafsness and in particular the murther of his own Father Ericas amongst the rest of the Nobles he was not at all discouraged but rather provoked with a desire of revenge and to rescue his Country from such barbarous Tyranny yet what with grief and detestation of such execrable cruelty and doubt that many would be affrighted thereby from appearing in their Countries cause his spirit was much troubled and rendred less able at the present to determine upon the manner of his proceeding and therefore in all haste away he goes to the Mountain-people with this news but they scarce civillized are little sensible of their Countries cause Gustavus therefore makes no stay there but away he goes to a Castle in those parts commanded by one Aaron Peter a Noble man whom once he knew to be well affected to the Liberties of his Country and to him he discovered himself what he was and what were his intentions desiring his counsel but he found the man and others in those parts so amazed at the news of Stockholme as that they forgat both themselves and the publick and were rather willing to couch under any burden than to make opposition against it yea so fearful they were of being suspected by the Danes that they rather desired to be esteemed wholly at their service and especially Aaron Peter who though he pretended pity and compassion to Gustavus in this condition and promised not onely security to his person if he would abide with him but his best assistance in compassing the ends propounded by him yet having drawn from him the utmost of his resolutions after a few dayes wherein he had carryed himself fairly to avoid suspicion he gets himself abroad and away he went to the Danish Lieutenant Bruno and discovers to him the whole matter as well concerning Gustavus his intentions as what counsel himself had given him But Aaron forgat one point of policy which was to let none know his intentions but his own heart for he told his wife whither and what he went about who being more true to her Country and regardful of the Laws of common honesty and hospitality than her Lord was when he was gone told Gustavus whither her Lord was gone and to what purpose and therefore advised him forthwith to shift for himself furnishing him with her own horse to go to Suertso to one that had been Gustavus his Colleague in the University The day following came Bruno the Dan◠with twenty Souldiers to apprehend Gustavus at Aaron Peters house but his Lady told him that Gustavus was secretly departed the day before and so the prey being lost Bruno returns without sport Thus God made a woman a great instrument in saving Sueden from miserable ruine Gustavus being come to Suertso found kinde entertainment but consideration being had to the restless 〈◊〉 pursuit of the Danes it was thought convenient that he should not stay long there for now the enemy hunted upon hot sent and therefore he departed privately beyond the Dallcarls unto Retwick These Dallcarls are a people of Sueden strong and hardy men of resolution and being inured to work hard in the Mines were fit for action whence as some Writers note they have their name of Dallcarls or Carles or robustious men of the Dales having by reason of their priviledges this advantage that they are numerous and rich To these Gustavus applies himself and relates to them the particulars of the Massacre at Stockholme whereby the Suedes had lost much of their best blood he told them also what further danger the Nation was in which he in good language set forth to the life for he could no less skifully manage his tongue than his arms The Dallcarls pitying the state of their Country and having respect to themselves and their friends they told Gustavus that they would adventure all that was dear to them to be revenged on the Danes and to vindicate their Nation from bondage onely they desired him that he would engage their Brethren of the Eastern Dales with them This Gustavus willingly undertook and forthwith departed to Mora the chief City of those Dales whither coming about the latter end of December the next day he obtained audience
tears put her Prayers to a pause When the heart is full of love the mouth is filled with praise of a person most deservedly and most dearly beloved whereof we have an example in this vertuous Gentlewoman who when time company and occasion did invite her to communicate to others the good matter which her heart had indited of God she used her Tongue as the pen of a ready writer Psal. 45. 1. And when she had that great King for the subject of her speech she spake of him with such hearty and savoury relishes of sacred delight and reverence and with such an affectionate force as if her soul were ready to leap out at her lips into the ears of others to kindle the same holy fire in their hearts who heard her which burned in her own bosome longing as David did that others might taste and see the goodnâ—ss of the Lord Psal. 34. 8. that they might be Rivals with her in her Religious love and glad she was when any sinner was converted or any already called better enabled to promote the glory of God and that was the end which she principally aimed at in her godly discourse of him In giving vent to her heart in this duty she could spend her spirits with great delight both to her self and to those choice friends who had opportunity to hear her when just occasion was ministred unto her and yet when she had spoken best she found matter of complaint in her own expressions as being too faint and too flat and so far below that which was meet for the Majesty of the great God insomuch as all the acceptation which she desired of him was but to pardon her presumption as the errour of her love for taking upon her to speak of his Excellency and the weakness of her spirit and speech which made her fall infinitely short of doing him right in the publication of his praise Another evidence of her dear affection unto God was the great love which for his sake she bore to whom or whatsoever had any near relation to him according to that 1 Joh. 4. 21. He that loves God must love his brother also and he must love him rather in a direct than in a collateral line as Gods childe rather than as his brother more for Gods sake than for his own The dearest degree of love belongs to those persons and things which are nearest to him and to such she bore a sincere and singular good will As to his Saints with David Psal. 16. 3. and to his true Religion and worship both at home and abroad the happy progress and prosperity whereof was with her as Jerusalem with David preferred above her chiefest joy Psal. 137. 6. and it was a great affliction to her heart to hear any ill tidings of any good man or any good cause She highly prized Gods word and in the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper she felt such a sweet refreshing as might make amends for the severity of her frequent fasting so that for her part and portion of it in respect of the common sort of Communicants she might say I have meat that ye know not of Joh. 4. 32. Dainties which infinitely exceed whatsoever delighteth or pleaseth a sensual pallate For the house of God she shewed her self just of Davids minde when she said I have loved the habitation of thy house the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal. 26. 8. and How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord Psal. 84. 1 2. If by any imperious impediment she were kept from the Church as by sickness in her body c. her soul was love-sick by her longings to be there and whereas many women take a little occasion to absent themselves from it she would many times force her feeble body to carry her soul to the Sanctuary though the day before she were confined not only to her chamber but to her bed whereby though she hazarded her health yet it pleased God so graciously to accept of her zeal to his House that she was never the worse for those pious adventures She kept a great distance from doting on the world which St. James condemns as enmity to God Jam. 4. 4. Though while she lived she could not choose but be in the world yet did she so love her dear Lord Jesus Christ that for his sake she was exceedingly estranged from the world which appeared 1. By her estrangement from sensual delights which she shewed by her frequent fasting from meats and drinks By her abstinence from such sports and pastimes as before her conversion she had been too immoderately addicted unto and by her fiâ—m resolution to forbear Marriage after her widowhood and to rest in that condition wherein she might best attend upon the service of God Indeed her love and delight in communion with God made her mindeless of meat and careless of provision for the flesh Well she knew that though fasting makes the body weak as David saith My knees are weak through fasting and my flesh faileth of fatness Psal. 109. 20. yet it strengthneth the spirit and maketh it vigorous in conflict and victorious in the event yea fasting and prayer make a potent combination which is able to drive the strongest Devil out of his usurped possession as Matth. 17. 21. These two she used not onely as weapons against the Devil but as wings to elevate her soul God-ward and heaven-ward yet herein was she observant of our Saviours rule Mat. 17. 18. that she fasted without an appearance of fasting onely the next day it might be discerned by her faintness she having spent her spirits in spiritual exercises the day before For those sports and pastimes wherein formerly she had taken too much contentment she not onely abstained from them but much complained of her vanity in them Her eyes which before were used to behold them with delight now shed tears of shame and sorrow that formerly she had set her minde so much upon them and now she imployed them in the more frequent and affectionate reading of the holy Scriptures wherein she took more delight than she had done before in the most pompous Spectacles set out to take the eyes with gazing and the minde with wonder And as for Marriage her heart was so devoted to her Lord Christ that though she had divers fair invitations to it by such as both for profit and credit and other considerable respects were worthy rather to be desired than denied yet she resolved not to change her condition in that kinde and that not onely in love and loyalty to her former Husband but that she might be more free to serve God according to that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 7. 34. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is married careth for the things