any of his predecessors because he sins against greater light and more warnings yea let Prelate Vsher speak whether his hands be cleare of the bloody persecutions in Ireland of late and if they will not the earth shall discover her blood and no more hide her slaine the infection of the bloody office is growne to such a height as hath not left any one of them untainted one way or other 4. If they all should hold their peace the stones will cry in their High Commissions and Courts their books and Court Records shall testifie to posterity of their tyranny in government So as it hath been an old tryed Maxime of their Courts That a good man makes a bad cause there how hath the terrour of their Courts made many Ministers and people like the figge-tree cast their fruit before they felt the storme upon the first puffe of winde of appearance of troubles when they have heard an I seene how other men have been crushed and undone by them * Vestigia terrent The very sight of a Puritane as they brand them in their Courts makes their blood rise and their spirits rage and swell as against the mortall enemies of their Dominion And if the Papists plot of a long intended bloody Massacre had prevailed and not of late from Heaven been prevented I beleeve their white sleeves would have been dyed in our blood ere now their dog-like appetite so hungers after the Puritanes blood as the very nature of their office so to doe and cannot be otherwise for this is the fruit of the old withered stock of Romes Hierarchy and the longer this tree of Prelacy springing out of that root shall stand it grows taller and stronger from the nourishment it receives from the sap and root in the dunghill foundation of the Canon Law and according to the nature of the soyle the fruit must be and so of necessitie bring forth daily more bitter fruits to the Church of God like apples of Sodome 5. The brightnesse of divine truth in this point of discipline hath so dazled the Prelaticall partie that of late they have confessed the discipline of the Church of England to be the same with the Church of Rome and yet they are either so modest as ashamed to have it called Antichristian or els so impudent as to deny the Pope to be Antichrist as whores and bawds love the gaine asid pleasarcof their filthy trade but cannot endure the name What a shame is it to our Religion and Nation to uphold Artichrists filthy trade and government the mother of all abhominations and mistresse of whoredomes a thing so scandalous to all the reformed world of Protestants 6. Let our deare friends and exiles in America speake and the whole Kingdome at home of the scattered families of Christs servants witnesse what havock they have made of the Church and what rule they keep in Court and Countrey Towne and Citie from the Metropolitane to the meanest son of the Church how they pierck and pranse it above all Nobilitie and Centry and become the onely brave fellows and fac tâ—â—ums in all affaires in the Common-weale as well as in the Church So as at length they have over-shadowed the whole State Eclipsed the very royall Authoritie hindred the Sun-shine of his Princely aspect from his loyall subjects and which is not the least of all by the mists of then inventions and smoak of their superstitious abhominations arising out of their sulphurious Seas like the Asphaltites they darken the light of the sun of Righteousnesse and hinder us of the Lord Jesus his beautifull and shining rayes and influence of his sweet countenance which like the Sun in his strength would revive all our droopings and make the Land to flourish when once his throne his rest were set up amongst us O how would he make his rest glorious Isa 11.10 Thus at last to conclude this argument we have found in the office of Prelacy the principall markes of Antichrist corrupt doctrine corrupt worship and tyranny in government all naturally flowing through their offices out of the same dunghill foundation with Antichrist for if it were not in the nature and power of their offices thus to doe their kingdome would long agoe have falne and come to nothing And therefore the Prelates are wrongfully blamed for abusing their offices thevery nature and right use whereof is to wast and overthrow the Church and offices of Christ to overturne Kingdomes and Lawes to propagate the kingdome of Antichrist the office is so bad they cannot use it otherwise no more than one of them can ride a horse blind and lame of all leggs over mountaines and hills without hazard of his neck the office or Episcopacy is the blind and lame Jade which they are mounted upon to over-ride all divine and humane authoritie and will certainly breake their necks ere long and therefore the best office their friends can doe them is to stop their gallopping and to save their necks helpe to dismount them Ob. This cannot be so will some say why should the Prelates be so venturous or ride so madly they sure have a more care of themselves than so desperately precipitate themselves to fatall ruine Ans Because they ride for a better horse whence they had this which makes them so loath to part with the Jade and rather will venture a fall every Priest rides for a parsonage every person for a Prebendary every Prebend for a Deanery so for a Bishoprick an Archbishoprick a Cardinallship till some of them that ride fastest at last be mounted on mens shoulders to make Princes run at their stirrup Complaine not then of the Prelates abuse of their offices in trampling upon you when it is the nature of the beast and ride he must if you would be eased of your paine dismount the rider and knock the lame Jade on the head And thus we see how under a pretence of love to Christ they overthrow all his offices as Prophet Priest and King and therefore the conclusion stands firme that they are not of Christ but of Antichrist and then our next Argument tells us what will be the end of them Argument VII Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out Mat. 15.13 The Prelacy and their offices are no plants of the Fathers planting Ergo they shall be rooted out and as an abhominable branch of the old withered stock of Romes Hierarchy be cut downe and cast out of the Church as the garments of the slaine thrust through with the sword of authoritie and as a carcasse trod under foote Isa 14.19 The Major proposition is undeniable being out of his mouth who is faithfull and true Apoc. 13.14 and will make it good in his own time for out of his mouth goes a two edged sword the sword of his Spirit sharpening and thrusting forth the sword of the Magistrate which in due time he will cause to be forbished and made bright to the
shew the approaches of dangers if you prevent not Men use not to blame him who lyes Sentinel perdue as a lost man for giving warning of danger Though now it might seeme we have enough of the Prelates windie divine authoritie now found none of Gods planting as by their fruits at Christs command we have tryed and found them and therefore nothing now wanting but the execution of his own sentence to be rooted out which we now expect by the diligent hand of this Honourable Parliament Yet may I not passe till I have met with Tho Duresme in particular because he hath deceived many both Papists and Protestants in their expectations and by his leave I would faine love my Religion and Countrey above his dignitie or regalitie more fit for one of the Kings Sons than any Prelate and therefore for his cause we will have one bout more about the office Argument VIII Those offices and that government in the Church which nourish ignorance and blindnesse an idle ignorant and unsound Ministery persecute our Religion established and the orthodox Preachers and professors of it and cherish and countenance Popery and Papists and their dangerous meeting and Masses are not of Christ but of Antichrist But such are the offices and government of Diocesan Bishops and the rest of that rable Ergo not of Christ but of Antichrist The Major if they will cavill at here see it made good Arg. 6. And so we proceed to the proofe of the Minor which if it be all made good in the office and officers of Tho Duresme accounted one of the best in the bunch it may be worth something to move the rest in modesty to take it home to them without more adoe 1. For ignorance and blindnesse an ignorant idle and unsound Ministery persecution of Religion established and the orthodox preachers and professors of it though too conformable his diocesse and government may better challenge the Metropolitane precedency than his kingly regalitie none of them not Wâ—â— Cant. or the winged little Wren hath flowne more swiftly home to Rome in their practises at least he may deserve the place next to them none of them hâ—…â—o scoâ—…d their Seas of sound Preachers as if they were Pirates to the Prelates office as he hath done so 〈…〉 few puritane Preachers as they terme them whom his worse reputed predecessors had left in that diocesse and some others brought in by men well affected to preaching in that poore ignorant Countrey an object of this honourable Parliaments pitty he hath had the honour to root them out So as in one poore County of Northumberland and towne of Newcastle in about seventy two or more Parishes besides Chappell 's whereof divers livings of two three and foure hundred per annum as we are credibly informed by some of the Inhabitants of credit ther 's scarce a Minister left that is not a superstitious innovator or not popish and Arminian or that make conscience of preaching but as they please at their leasure or regard the peoples soules but prey upon their fleeces and poll their purses August de pastore like soule-murtherers as Augustin calls them And some Gentlemen who have been at the charge of keeping godly Preachers have been robd of them by these Wolves ravening that lay waste Countryes and Congregations such rule he keepes If Tho Duresms house were so kept as he hath kept Gods there would be nothing but hungar and hard walls and cold entertainment for his fat Prebends and who knows but the Lord may ere long send as much famine amongst them as they have had feasting and the poore flocks starving And for his County Palatine of Duresme that soyle cannot beare sound preaching and Preachers no plants for his Palatinate but if you will talke of fat parsons and parsonages fat Prebends pluralists and tot quots c. his soyle affords as good store of these fat Cattle like kine of Bashan as it doth of fat Oxen nestling in fat livings of foure five six and seven hundred pound per annum and as full stall-fed as any in the Land most of which livings have been of late supplyed by his kinsmen and others his friends brought in by him into chiefe offices popish and superstitious of Dr Cozens garbe so as he hath out gone his predecessors herein In summa Will Cant. or little Wrenns diocesses cannot paralell his for a crue of dumbe doggs Sir Iohns alchouse-keepers prophane antick fellowes more fit for a stage than a pulpit and other popish Arminian Mountebancks that vend the Italian wares as fast as any in the Land So that in this particular he is the greatest soule-murtherer in the Land without the mountaines of Wales woe will be to him for it and for oppression and Inclosures c. his poore Palatines say that their case is little better than the poore Irish Crammacrees under the Lord Lieutenant 2. For Superstition let his Cathedrall and Sea of Durham witnesse and be visited it will be found as well fethered as the Wrens nest and for Tho. Duresme himselfe he is so zealous of Altar-worship and such fopperies as before he misse of his devotion he will duck to a Tombe in stead of an Altar its good to be sure 3. For countenancing Popery and cherishing Papists his Chancellour Archdeacon and Officialls in riding their Circuits make these their chiefe familiars but for puritanes they tosse and tumble them in their Courts till they be wearied out of their callings and Countrey too Tho Duresme himselfe threatning to rid the Land of them till then saith he it will never be at rest And if the times had not suddenly turned above all humane expectation its most probable by many prodigious signes that the first bloody massacre of all that but favoured our religion as well as the putitanes Newcastle be thankfull to God thou hast scap't a scourging should have begun in his Diocesse in Northumberland and towne of New astle full stuft with his palatine Papists it seemes to that end and those of the most dangerous in the Land never molested till the Scots scattered them The said Tho Duresme amongst his palatine Souldiers most Papists in these late Episcopall broyles was observed to have in his Coach with him one of the most dangerous Papists in the North fit to be one of his Councell of Warre in his regalitie and in that Episcopall quarrell with the Scots which being publickly taken notice of was very offensive to many and scandalous to his Majesties government and to his pretended divine Authoritie to see Tho Duresme so accompanied I know not what he can say to this but that he left his Rochet and office at his Sea of Duresme and now in his regalitie no more Bishop as the Lutherane Priests in Germany when they goe to a feast lay downe their black gowne saying Lie thou there Priest now I le be as joviall as the best of you so Camelion-like change into any
of the supreme Magistrate as all the times of the Judges and many good Kings even from Joshua to the time of Artaxerxes the feast of keeping of boothes was neglected Because first there 's much naturall blindnesse in the best men secondly the Church often too carelesse in some weighty things thirdly men are ready to sit downe ere their work be half done soone weary in so great and publick works as Reformation is the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Thus as they of old long neglected the feast of boothes so have we too long neglected Christs discipline and government the Lord pardon it Seventhly and lastly for the flourishing of Religion under the Prelates government we have no cause to thanke them they have alway persecuted the light and life of it and done their best to put out the light and to bring in an Egyptian darknesse againe secondly it hath been those they have most persecuted who have spread the greatest light for a persecuted light is ever the brightest which shews it to be of God and like to him though darknesse comprehend it not to him be glory that we have any light after so hot persecutions and so many banished this is a signe our persecuted light shall prevaile Tandem bona causa triumphat was that renowned old Duke of Saxons Motto in all his bitter troubles with Luther Thirdly though some see it not so sleepy-headed in their ease and pleasures they little regard the hazard Gods Ark is in yet others that have watched long in the long winter night of the Churches troubles for the dawning of the day of deliverance have found ill fruits of flourishing of Religion and seene a great decay of the power of godlinesse these many yeares past and many Ministers and professors fallen some in following the sway of the times for worldly things others through pusillanimitie of spirit into great decay of gifts and deadnesse all for want of Christs discipline to keepe all men in their severall stations and active in obedience and to hedge in the Church from the inroades of enemies The Lord teach us the use and benefit of and open our eyes to see the want of pardon our so long neglect of Christs Kingly office Conclusion of all Since now the pretended divine Authoritie of the Hierarchy is fayled in the foundation and left them no footing but in the filthy dunghill of the Canon Law of the Popes Authoritie exalted above the Scriptures in which they Mother like have built their nests as in the clefts of the rocks of the seven hilled Citie And they in Gods just judgement so blinded and of late confounded in their Councells as to cast off his Majesties royall Authoritie by which they have stood too long and not a little trenched upon they deserve to finde and feele that He beares not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 but is Gods vindex of his own and subjects wrongs many wayes so especially in opposing Christ so long in his Kingly office and now at last in all his offices As they by the abuse of his Majesties sword have ruined many so by the same sword let them perish Who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed He that killeth with the sword shall be killed with the sword Gen. 9.6 Apoc. 13.10 Matth. 26.52 the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and we waite the fulfilling of it The Lord put into the hearts of our royall King and of this honourable Parliament to fulfill his will upon Babell and all her bratts and abhominations Amen Amen Jerem. 50.24.26 I have laid a snare for thee and thou art also taken O Babylon and wast not aware thou art sound and also caught because thou hast striven against the Lord. Tread her in hèapes destroy her utterly let nothing of her be left The benefits of Reformation of Discipline Then shall Christs workmen with great alacritie begin to build the house of God which these men have defaced and defiled and make a beautifull habitation for the Lord Jesus to dwell and delight in and great shall be his glory in the midst of us in presence and protection Then shall our eyes see our King in his glory on his throne and our Jerusalem in peace Isa 33.17.20 Then also shall King Charles his throne be more glorious than any his predecessors then shall Judgement and Justice flow forth as a mighty River to sweep away all sinne and wickednesse Then shall our King be to the Just as raine upon the grasse new mowen Psal 72. the Mountaines shall bring forth peace and the little hills righteousnesse Court and Countrey shall flourish the Land shall bring forth her encrease and God even our God shall blesse us and all the ends of the Earth shall seare him Psal 67.6 When they heare and see what great things he will doe for us A short appendix touching Discipline Since in this great and honourable High Court of Parliament every subject is so concerned as bound to submit to what shall be therein established therefore as a member and well-wisher of the well-fare of the whole body I crave leave for a word or two concerning discipline Since t is now in every mans mouth what forme of discipline we shall have when the Prelaticall as none of Christs shall be justly abolished Which seems to me to upbraid the ignorance and unthankfulnesse of this age the fruits of Episcopacy as if men in the Sun-shine should complaine of darknesse or as if the Spirit of Christ which descended upon the Apostles teaching all things and leading them into all truth should have left them wandring at randome without direction in governing the house of God or yet left it arbitrary to mens severall minds humours and frames The Scriptures are full and plentifully furnished with instructions for the whole frame and fashions of the house of GOD which all brought together and set up would be a beautifull structure it is the tabernacle of God with men Apoc. 21.3 walking in the midst of them 2 Cor. 6.16 Apoc. 2.1 Luk. 2◠17 It were a piece of heavens happinesse to see it advanced in the same form Christ hath appointed and his Apostles practised and instituted in all the Churches to be perpetuall to the worlds end All I have to say in one word t is that I would consent to keepe close to that patterne and beware of the severall frames of mens braines to governe the Church by humane policy after the manner of earthly Kingdomes and States which was the first thing brought in the plague of Episcopacy and will still leave a back-dore to papall tyranny in the Church of God from which we can never be secured untill Christs own government be established t is his own Scepter must rule and no inventions of men or Angels if possibly they could be consulted with FINIS
small short sweeping out root and branches and clensing the Land of all their remnants The next two Canons are planted upon their passage to cut off all ayde and succour from them whiles the other are battering 9 Canon Minans or stand of Assistants 10 Canon flagrans a long Basiliske whose siery eyes at long distance threatens death and destruction to all that come neare to plead for them or partake with them against the Lord Iesus the mighty King incensed to wrath against their working And thus courteous Reader if thou mindest aright this service I hope thou shalt finde it not unprofitable at this time but affording some usefull instructions to all sorts of men whereby t is hoped some may be bettered in some measure 1. The first to be looked at are the suffering servants of God who have lyen under long and great oppressions under the Prelates these may hence be comforted to see their long deserted cause at length victorious though the seidge prove long these Canons are strong will not miscarry if the service be hot nay if some of them be not discharged at all that depend on mens hands and handling yet there are enough besides in the number that will not spare them and are in the divine hand of a jealous God who will let flie at them one thunderclap from on high at their blasphemy will teare their building from top to bottome or a word from the Lord Iesus mouth shall roote them when he begins to roare in mount Zion his voice is powerfull and full of majestie Psal 29.4 he will shake their deepe rooting and lay them on the ground his eyes are as flames of fire if once his wrath begin to burne woe to them he finds in his way of advancing his kingdome he will make waste mountains and hills of greatest enemies for the Lord is jealous the Lord avengeth the Lord avengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his enemies Nahum 1.2 and he will comfort Zion and build her waste places he hath had respect to the prayer of the desolate and will not tarry they may then be comforted to them belongs the songs and palms of victory over the beast of Rome and his Image in these bratts of Babell these are they that come out of great tribulation that keepe the Commandements and faith of Jesus that are not defiled with the silthinesse of the whorish woman for they are the virgins that follow the Lambe and shall enter with him through the gates into the Citie The consideration whereof should mitigate their present sorrowes having an eye to the recompence of reward 2. The enemies of Christs kingdome may read their doome from the righteous judgement of the Lord of hoasts and be at last provoked to repentance and resignation of their unlawfull offices and doe homage to Christs Scepter who otherwise will come as a these in the night upon them and cut off their pompe and power and make them naked and unarmed and cast them out as dogs out of the holy Citie and so there be left them no place to repentance though they seek it with teares out of time when the gate of the Kingdome is shut against them they may howle and cry and knock till they be weary ere St. Peters keyes come to open This will certainly befall them sooner or later if they repent not 3. Those that are gone back to the flesh-pots of Egypt and are swimming downe with the streame of the time may be forewarned to returne and come out of the tents of these wicked men least by partaking in their sinnes they partake of their plagues Isa for it is the time of the Lords vengeance the yeare of recompence of the Controversies of Zion 4. All sorts of men loyall subjects of the King and good Patriots of their Countrey may be moved with pitty to helpe to remove the insupportable burthens which presse downe the land to ruine and misery Vbi dolor ibi digitus is the part and dutie of every member of the body all flowing from the Hierarchy and till the pressures in Religion be removed and Christs kingdome advanced the Common-weale cannot be eased they are like Hippocrates twinns they mourne and rejoyce live and dye together T is the office of Prelacy that keepes out Christs kingly office is the Achan sin that troubles the Land and is the cause of all our miseries and threatens still greater if that be not removed Gods wrath will not be appeased our troubles not ended The Lord pitty us and ease himselfe and us of these his Adversaries who will not have Christ to reigne over them Undique concurrunt ac crescit turba malorum sed cum probrosi castra superba tenent Lament 5.17 18. For this our heart is faint our eyes are dimme because of the mountaine of Zion which is desolate the Foxes walke upon it SOME ARGVMENTS AND MOTIVES TO The finall Extirpation of the usurped unlawfull Government of the HIERARCHY AS Having no foundation in the Scriptures but meerly in that filthy dunghill the Canon Law of the Popes Authoritie and therefore Antichristian Argument I. THat Name which is onely proper to the Lord Jesus is unlawfull yea blasphemy for any man to assume But so is the name Archbishop onely proper to the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 5.4 Heb. 13.20 Acts 3.15 5.31 the chiefe Shepheard and Bishop of our soules 1 Pet. 2.25 Ergo for any man to assume that name is unlawfull yea blasphemy and the blasphemer should be stoned to death Levit. 24.11.14 II. That office whose originall is not knowne is unlawfull But the originall of the office of Archbishop is not knowne as the chiefe champion of Prelacy confesseth Whitgift cont Cartwright pag. 351. And further nothing can be said for the primacy of a Metropolitane Bishop but what will as well maintaine the primacy of the Pope as universall Bishop of all the world Ergo the office of an Archbishop is unlawfull III. That name and office which is unlawsull and blasphemy for any man to assume no Prince or humane power may lawfully give But so is the name and office of Archbishop as before Ergo no Prince or humane power may lawfully give it to any man and wee hope his Majesty when he is rightly informed will explode the remembrance of it this is the very corner stone of their building if this once faile the whole fabricke will suddenly tumble upon their heads The Lord grant it and put into the heart of our royall Soveraigne to execute his will upon these Bratts of Babell IV. No officer in the Church is lawfull who cannot prove his function from the word as Iohn did when the Priests questioned him 1 Iohn 20.23.25 But all these officers in the Hierarchy from the chiefe Metropolitane to the meanest Apparitour are such as cannot prove their functions from the word when they are questioned their onely prooses are fulminations of Canons censures excommunications prisons and fines