that Christ Iesus should be more faythful in his owne house then Moses was Is it an odious hearing vnto her Maiestie that the churche in her kingdome should be cleansed of al vnlawful callings and corruptions and beutified with the holy ordinances of her sauiour Iesus Christ euen in her daies that the same praise might be trulie ascribed vnto hir in the adges to come which the spirite of God hath yeeled vnto King Iosiah 2. Kin. 23.25 Like vnto Queene Elizabeth was there no Queene before hir that turned vnto the Lord with all hir hart with all her soule and with al hir might according to all the lawe of Moses neither after hir arose ther any like vnto hir Cannot hir Maiestie I say abide these things Far be it that any should perswade them selues she cannot Then are they vndutiful slaunderers of hir highnes who to terrifie the Parliament from dealing concerninge the redresse of the church vsually avouch such purposes to be altogether vaine because hir Maiestie will neuer be induced to yeeld hir consent vnto the remouing of the established gouernement of the Church neither is the slaunder any whit lesse vndutifull against the estate when the kingdome is said to be indangered except Iesus Christ should make it lawfull for the Parliament to tollerate what Church gouernment the ciuill state can best away with And it is a point wherin you of this Parliament may shew what harts you beare vnto the sinceritie of religion My 2. reason followeth That forme of Church gouernment and that booke or bookes which make the established regiment to be an humaine constitution that is inclusiuely according to the worde but no otherwise according to the worde then the ciuill gouernement is whiche also must a 1. Pet. 2.13 2. Pet. 2.10 bee inclusiuely according to the same and so may at the pleasure of man bee altered as the ciuill gouernement may that gouernment and that booke or bookes besides that they prefer Moses before Iesus Christ is a wicked and pernicious gouernment Pag. 55. and they vngodly and pestelent bookes But our Church gouernment in Church causes and this booke of D Bridges with al other books of this grieste make the ecclesiasticall gouernment to be nothing else but an humane constitution which may be lawfully altered and abolished at the magistrates pleasure Therefore our Church gouernment in Wales and this booke or bookes are vngodly and wicked The proposition is proued by these resons First they are wicked and intollerable because they make no difference between that which belongeth to the true worship of God as ecclesiasticall gouernment doth and that which apertaineth vnto ciuil pollicie Contrarie to the apostle Peter who affirmeth in expresse wordes that wee haue reaceaued by the knowledge of God whatsoeuer belongeth vnto true religion in such sort as it is vnlawful for man to add any thing of his owne inuention therevnto For soe the worde Eusebeia translated godlines signifieth in that place Whereas the worde hath not so furnished vs with whatsoeuer belongeth to the ciuil magistracie called b Pet. 3.13 mans ordinaunce by the same apostle but that therein those thinges that haue been and are inuented by them that neuer knew God are warrantable and may be inclusiuely according to the word Secondly ecclesiasticall gouernment being granted to be an human constitution maketh the Pope to haue sufficient warrant out of the word If you read D. Bridges pag. 448. lin 3 you shall finde him not far from auouching this point not of his Idolatrous and false religion but of his superioritie ouer all ciuil Maiestrates and pastors within the ecclesiastical bodie of the church For whie should not the pope the ciuill Maiestrate granting him this superioritie as all they vnder his jurisdiction doe be alowed by the word to be aboue the emperor and all other Magistrates and ministers whatsoeuer if the ecclesiasticall gouernment be an human ordinance For I am assured that the emperor with al other princes in Europe may lawfully chuse a Magistrate superior vnto them all if they wil. And why may not this magistrate whom they may lawfully chuse and he lawfully yeelde vnto their choyse to be the highest and superiour goâ—or in christendome to be a bishop or an archb â—f the Church gouernement be an humane ordinaunce or if it be lawfull for either of them to be Lordes and to beare a ciuill office Before I goe farther I am particularly in this poynt to deale with such in this parliament as are our L. Bb. in Wales Here therefore in the audience of her R. excellent Maiestie and this honorable councel 〈◊〉 prooue before you the B. of Landaff Dauids Aâ—aph and Bangor that the Pope of Rome whose â—uperioritie all sounde hearted christians doe acâ—nowledge to be intollerable and accursed hath â—ltogether as good warraunt from the worde for his ecclesiasticall hierarchie as you vnto whom I â—ow speake to be L. bishops in Wales My reason 〈◊〉 conclude after this manner and if you can infringe anye part thereof I will not refuse anye death or other punishment that shal be laide vpon me What Bb. soeuet they be that haue no other warrant of their lordly jurisdiction whereby they exercise temporal gouernment as ciuil magistrates hauing still their ministery vpon them claime vnto themselues superiority ouer their felow brethren as ministers then the ordinance good will and pleasure of man that is of the state wherin they liue they haue no better warraÌ„t froÌ„ the word of god for this their lordly superiority then the Pope of Rome hath for his who claymeth no other jurisdiction and superioritie vnto himselfe ouer magistrats and ministers then that which he hath by the free consent good liking and authoritye of those states who voluntarilye submit themselues vnto his idolatrous religion But you the Bb. of Landaff Davids Bangor and Assaph in Wales haue no other warrant to be L. bishops that is to joyne both magistracie and ministerie together and claime vnto your selues authority spirituall in deed according to the spirite that ruleth in the ayre as the Apostle sayth ouer your fellowe ministers then the constitutions of man to witt the will and pleasure of her Maiesty and this high court of parliament Therfore you the said L. bishopps haue no other warrant for your Lordships and superioritie ouer other ministers theÌ„ the pope hath for his supream authoritie and vniversall prerogatiue As for hiâ— crueltie pride and idolatrous profession far be it but I should make difference betweene you anâ— him Although euery part of this reason be already prooued yet I demand of you by what authority you are so far in respect of temporal things and the abuse of ecclesiasticall jurisdiction preferred before many godly and learned ministers in this land as you by vertue of your places are Barons of the parliament house enjoye great revenews and are Lordes ouer your brethren and fellow ministers Your answere will be I knowe that you hold
to consider so shal it be plaine and free without minishing or clipping any part of the trueth for the feare or fauor of any creature which it concerneth you to heare wherein I will vtter nothing but that which by the assistaunce of God I will seale with my blood if I shall be driuen therevnto The reason moouing me to so free and plaine a kind of writing as neither I dealing in the same cause nor yet any els before me haue vsed is not the Lord is my witnes because I would hereby arrogate vnto my selfe the prayse of a bolde rebuker of states great personages but it is first because I deale in that matter vpon the goodnes whereof I may presume to speak the whole truth of God especially writing vnto an assembly professing true religion Secondly because the suite is put vp vnto them who although they professe to seeke the honor of God yet haue heretofore altogether vndutifully refused to giue the hearing vnto any motion tending vnto the reformation of the religion which they pretend to fauor and professe Some of them thinking the cause at all not worthie to be delt in Others not altogether disliking the suite iudged notwithstanding the time wherein it was to be handled not to be as yet come Because they saw that the base and supplicatorie maner whereby it desired the hearing made al other causes comming with authority from men to be preferred before it The most who in deede sincerely fauoreth the cause haue thought it to be a gaineles matter to deale at all therein For as much as it is the generall voyce of all men that reformation cannot be taken in hand without the high and heauie displeasure of her Maiestie who to speake as I am perswaded being borne in hand by the vngodly perswasions of some godlesse and irreligious men of the Ecclesiastical state that the Church within her Maiesties dominions cannot be at a better stay then it is hath not without great reason bene hitherto the hard liar induced to haue the cause of religion againe dealt in which she is perswaded altogether to be in a tollerable sort according to the will of her God Being also vndutifully borne in hand that the endeuour of reforming religion is nothing else but a new fangled and seditious attempt proceeding from the factious discontented braines of those who are slandered to desire thereby nothing els but the alteration of the present state dangerous to her royal crowne and person and ruinous vnto the whole kingdome In respect whereof the cause offering it selfe againe to be considered of this high court it became the same to come with a maiesticall and terrifying countenance that if it pleased the Lorde it might this way for feare compell them dutifully to stoupe vnto it whose fauor and good liking in a peaceable manner hitherto it coulde by no means procure And it became it so to offer it selfe as withall it might appeare that the enterprise of reforming religion is not a matter tendinge to the disturbinge of the common-wealth and the disliking of her Maiestie Except men would slanderously surmise the estate of this kingdome to be so out of square as Gods trueth cannot haue passage therein without the imminent ruine of al and slanderously report her Maiesties will and affection to be then intollerably crossed when the will of her God is sought to be established which assertions shal be manifested to be grieuous and vndutifull slaunders against hir Maiestie and the state by the opening of such thinges as being amisse within Wales the Lorde requireth to be reformed at the handes of her Maiestie and this Parliament The wants therefore and corruptions of the seruice of God in Wales joyned with the misery of that people are first in that the most congregations within that countrie haue all this time of the Gospell preached in Englande had no other seruice of God for the working of fayth and repentance sounding in them but such as whereby the people partaking the same cannot possibly be saued ordinarily Mistake me not For I doe not saye that eyther that seruice which all this time of her Maiesties gouerment they haue had and now haue is idolatrous or that by the publike authoritie of her Maiestie and the Parliament they haue bin publikely enjoyned to professe any other religiō then that only true religion in the professiō wherof alone ordinary saluation is to be had But I affirme that God is not otherwise serued in the most assemblies there then that way whereby the food of eternall life shall neuer be ordinarily conuayed to the people This I affirme and this I will stand vnto because for the space nowe of 30. yeares complete they haue euery where for the most part wanted the preaching of the word without which as it is plainely set downe in manye places of the a Iam. 1.12 1 Pet. 1 2◠Iob. 33.23 1. Cor. 121. Rom. 10.14 Ephes 1.13 and 2.17 Acts. 20.32 Pro. 8.34.35 Isay 53.11 word and I haue elswhere largely prooued vnto her Maiestie and this high court ordinarily no fleshe can be saued Now my Lords and you the rest of this Parliament consider I pray you what care hath bin had of the soules of men vnder her Maiesties gouernement and how in the dayes of reckoning and account these things wil be answered Consider how lamentable a case it is that in the flowrishingest gouernment for outward peace that is again vnder the cope of heauen where publike idolatrie hath bene bannished not one family or one tribe but a whole nation should perishe for want of knowledge And see whether I haue not sufficient cause to deale with you on the behalfe of my countrie My crie my crie is not the crie of b Deut. 11.8 giltlesse and innocent blood which were verye woefull but of lost and damned foules which is most lamentable and giue you eare vnto it my LL. least the blood of soules bee laide to your charge and required at your hands For it is not the judispensible dutie of the Parliament to giue eare vnto this crie Howe then I pray you will it be answered before the judge of all the worlde in the day of judgement if you be carelesse of a dutie so necessarily required at your handes when our Sauiour Christ affirmed it to be nothing availeable vnto men to winne the whole worlde Luk. 9.22 if they lose their owne soules Did he thereby thinke you not only enforce that they are in a miserable taking who in respect of the knowledge of their saluation know not the right hand from the left but also forcible in feare that gouernours vnto whome of trust he hath committed inferiours discharge not their duties in his sight vnlesse they haue great care of the saluation of their people Questionlesse he doth Let them therefore be afraide of aeternall shame and confusion who blushe not to be busie in the consultation of euerye trifling matter and would be accounted great
this honourable â—ourt of Parliament you are not to learne that â—o defend by lawe or to countenance by authoriâ—ie the breach of gods ordinance is the defence of sin and that the defence of sinne is the hatred of God who rewardeth them to their faces that â—ate him Deut. 7.10 and therefore also you are â—ot to be taught what horrible sinnes you shall â—ommit Nomb. 26.9 if hereafter you stil maintaine such plain manifest impieties They are no trifles as you â—ee For I assure you that Dathan and Abiram â—he sonnes of Eliab men famous in the congregation had more colour of right to claime vnto themselues either the ciuill gouernement from Moses or the priesthood from Aharon Because they were the sonnes of Reuben the firste borne vnto whose lotte had he not defiled his fathers a Gen. 49.4 bedd by all likelihood either the scepter or the priesthood should haue fallen then these vsurpers haue to claim the places they are in wherevnto either by right of inheritance according to the flesh or ordinaunce from God they came by no title Here it must needes followe you of this honorable assemblie hauing regarde vnto the estate of your soules and bodies before the Lord and your good names amoÌ„g posterities that if these things set downe be true if not bring vppon me deserued shame and punishment you wil either labor to redres the miserable estate of distressed wales by erecting there a godly ministerie and abollishing all Cananitishe relikes or for the defence of a fewe vnconscionable and godlesse men aduenture to vndergoe the fierie and flaming execution of the burning decree of Gods wrath My Lords and you the rest of this assemblie be not deceiued the Lord of heauen is angrie with you and his whole hoast for the Babilonish garments of these Achanes Ioh. 7.9.21 Retayne them no longer if you would not fall before the enemie When the L. shall plead with you your wiues children family the whole land Ezek. 38.22 with pestilence or with blood as he is likely to do for these wedges of execrable golde it is not the pontificall Lordships of Bishops at whose commaundement the Lords sword wil returne again into his sheath when your gasping soules shal cry for mercy at the Lords hand it is not the proud and popelike Lordshipps of Bishopps their vsurped jurisdictions their profane excommunications their pitiles murthering of soules their railinge slaunders against Gods truth and his seruants their impious brething of the holy Ghost vpon their Idol priestes that wil driue the Lord to giue you any comfort Let me therfore thogh my persoÌ„ be base entreat you that the judgments of God against sin both in this life in that other of eternal wo misery may apeare so terible in your eies and of that vndouted consequence as you wil no longer retain vnder your gouernment these things whose continuance do giue the Lord just cause in this life to pronounce this sentence by the mouth of Ieremie against euerie on of you Iere. 22.29 that wil not promote this sute and execute the same O earth earth earth here the wordes of Iehouah write these men destitute of children men that shall not prosper in their dayes yea there shal not bee a man of their seed that shall prosper and bee a-parliament man or beare rule in England any more And in the life to come to say moreouer These mine enemies that would not haue me to beare rule Luk. 19.27 by mine owne lawes ouer them and their people bring hither slay before my face yea bind them hand and foote and throw them to vtter darknes there is weeping gnashing of teth And let me crauing vpon my knees with all submission and earnestnes and more earnest if it were possible to obtane that my countrymen by your meanes may haue the word preached euen the meanes whereby they may liue for euer with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Graunt them this my Lordes though I dye for it And this the Lord knoweth is the only scope of my writing and not the discrediting or galling of our Lorde Bb. Let not their places withstand the saluation of my brethren and the true seruice of God among them and if euer I either write or speake more against them any further then their places are like to be the ruine of hir Maiestie and the whole state let it cost me my life Here me in this sute good my Ll. The reward thereof your soules shall find otherwise I am likelie to become a wearisom and an importunate sutor vnto this high assemblye The cause is so juste that if it were as sometimes it was by the apostle him selfe decided in the Athenianes Areopago a court for heathen justice of famous and celebrated memory I doubt not but it should be hard And shal it not haue justice in the christian parliament of England Iustice my Lords I say for I seeke nothing else but that the statutes of the God of judgment and justice may be made known in my country wher now they are vnhard of Then the which I know not what can be more just neither can I see what justice in truth can be administred by them that neglect this cause Trulie for mine owne parte God aiding me I wil neuer leaue the suite though there shoulde bee a thousand parliaments in my dayes vntill I either obtaine it at your handes or bring the Lord in vengeance and bloud to plead against you for repelling his cause I hope it wil not be here said that the parliament can doe nothing in the matter because hytherto all Churche causes haue bin referred vnto the conuocation house the leaders thereof namelie to our Bishops And doe you meane it shal be so still Then shall you still maintain these horrible profanations of Gods sanctuarie whereof I haue spoken Then may it be said vnto your shame that Sion lying vppon the ground and mourning like a widdow stretched out her handes vnto the parliament of England but could find no comfort Then may you stil be said to betray Gods truth to betray the saluation of his people yea and to betray the liberties of this parliament For what assembly is there in the land that dare chaleng vnto it selfe the ordering of religion if the parliament may not When you say then that you may not deale in the matters of religion because the determinations of that cause is referred vnto the Bishops assembled in the conuocation house who in their Cannons are to prouide and see that the church be not in a decaied state do you not thereby thinke you rob your selues of your owne prerogatiue and liberties and take order that the church without controuersie may be starued and spoiled In deed if the conuocation house were such as it ought to be vz. a sinod of sincere and godly learned ministers wherein matters of relligion were determined of according to the worde and
the cause of God heard with out partiallitie then indeed were it their partes to set downe for the direction of the parliament such thinges as were behoofull for the glorie of God and the good of his church the parliament by their direction according to the word ought to enjoine all the ministers and people whatsoeuer should be thus enacted by the ciuil state And if the conuocatition house were such an assembly then were it not laweful for the parliament to establish any thing in the matters apertaininge vnto the pure worship of God among their people but that wherein they shoulde be directed by the aduise of the churche gouernours For as in a christian common wealth where the ciuill state sincerely fauoureth the true worship of the Lord it is not tollerable no not for the right and lawful muchlesse say the vsurping tiranical gouernors of the church establish any thing in the church but by the authoritie of the christian magistrat so wher there are godly wise and sincere ministers it is vnlawfull for the ciuill gouernour to order any thing in the church within his domminions but by their direction according to the word So that I doe not denie but that the conuocation house being an assembly of true and lawful church officers you ought to vse their advise and direction how the wants of the church might be supplied But you shoulde not permit them to enact what they would by their owne authoritie especially their decrees being as now they are to the ratifying of corruptions and to the continuance of vngodly callings within these dominions And if you mean to giue ouer your right in dealing with the case of God vnto the conuocation house to what end shall the states of the land meete together in parliament be euer againe sued vnto But alasse that any thing in church causes shal be referred vnto that assemblie which would not stand as it doth if there weare that good order in the church which the Lord requireth and and as long as it doeth stand must needs be the cause of all disorders therein and must needs be a meanes of continuing that staruing ignoranuce which raigneth in this land Why my Lords to referre the cause of religion vnto the Conuocation house is nothing els but to charge the wolues vnder paine of the displeasure of careful shepherds to see that the lambes may be fedd besides the injurious derogation that thereby is offered vnto the liberties of this house And that it may appear how justly I apeal from that sinagogue vnto this high court of parliament and what small hope there is to be conceiued of reforming the abuses of our Church if the redresse be committed vnto that meeting you of the honorable court of parliament are to vnderstand that the conuocation house condemneth this cause of christ now in hand before it be hard and that their onely endeuours who are there mett is howe to preuent him from bearing rule in the Church by his owne lawes For it is well knowne that all of them haue banded and linked them selues together to maintaine the corruptions of our Church whereof I haue before spoken as the vngodly and popish hierarchie of bishops the ignorant ministery c. Which thing shal be manifested by the consideration of the persones who are admitted vnto the consultation meeâ—ing And they are of 2. sorts First these whoe by â—easoÌ„ of the superiority they vsurp over their breâ—hreÌ„ must needs be the chief doers in that house â—ow ignorant vnconscionable and vnfit for the gouernment of the Church soeuer they be Of which number are our Archbb. and L. bishops c. The second sort is of these who hauing no interest to be there in respect of anye superioritie they beare in the Churche are therefore elected and chosen to be there as the clarks of the Convocation house c. But there is such freedome and liberty in the choyse of these men that great care and heede is alwayes had by our L. Bb. that none shal be chosen thither but such as for good causes are knowen to bee vtter enemies vnto all sinceritie and strong maintainers of the established corruptions if any other by some meanes be gotten thither who doth but once mention the healing of the wounds of our Church he is straightwaies taken for a Nicodemus among theÌ„ namely for a man fauoring that side which none of the great Scribes and Pharises can brook and lightly they take that order with him which the Iewes tooke with those who professed our Sauiour Christ that is they bannish him out of their Synagogue To be briefe whosoeuer are of the house there is nothing done there but what the former sort to wit L. archb Bb. would haue enacted For the rest eyther cannot or wil not withstand their proceedings The whole sway then direction of this synod being in their hands who are for the most part the greatest cause of the teares of our Church will you referre the ordering of religion the reformation of the church vnto the Conuocation house I haue alreadye shewed that you ought to be so far from permitting vnto L. Bb. the disposition of any thing behofull vnto the Church of God as the very names and places should be razed from vnder your gouernment And wofull experience these 30. full yeares hath taught vs what a lamentable reformation these men now bring to passe if they may haue their owne wils Why these men my Lords and consequently the whole Conuocation house are in judgement contrarye vnto our a Luk. 22.25 Sauiour Christ for they holde it lawfull for ministers to be Lordes ouer their brethren These men my Ll. are of judgement that the exhortation of the Apostle Peter was not directed vnto them The Elders which are among you sayth the Apostle I beseech which am also an Elder and a witnes of the sufferings of Christ also a pertaker of the glorye that shal be reuealed Feede the flocke of God which dependeth vppon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lukers sake but of a readie minde not as though ye were Lords ouer Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the flocke and when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory These men I say are in judgement contrary vnto this blessed Apostle for they drinke it lawful for theÌ„ to be Lords ouer Gods heritage They are of judgment that christ Iesus was not so faythfull as Moses in the gouerment of his owne house And do you then thinke that they care how vnfaythfull rhey doe behaue themselues in the ouersight of the Church They hold the gouernment of the Church to be an humane ordinaunce and so holde the Pope to haue sufficient warrant of his hierarchie They my Ll. hold the kingdome of Christe in the outward gouernment to be a kingdome the lawes whereof may be chaunged and abrogated at the pleasure
not onely monstrously maymed the outward face of the church in the matter of gouernement and ceremonies but also grieuously wounded the same in the matters of doctrine and sacramentes vnto the mayntenance of all which corruptions in the gouernment of the Churche in the ceremonies in the doctrin sacraments they haue joyned the crimes of seducing and deceiuing the ciuill state and people by bearing all estates in hand that al hath bene and is well in the Church and in like manner as much as in them lay they haue vexed and persecuted as many of the deare seruants of God as haue but entended to motion the redresse of any of the former corruptions Hereof if I shall not be able to prooue the eyes and leaders of this synagogue consequently the whol house to bee guiltie let mee to the terror of all slaunderers be put to all the torments that may bee invented The Conuocation house cannot here object that I deal injuriously with the whol assembly by laying vnto the charge of the whol those crimes whereof our Bb. alone are guiltie For the whole house neuer as yet disauowed the hierarchie of Bb. their practises in vrging subscription in maintayning the dumbe ministerie nonresidencie c. And vntill the corruptions of the Bb. be ouerthrown in that assembly the whol house shall be still justly subject vnto the former accusations See now my Lords whether they doe not bewray their impietie who think that men weary them selues about small matters when they call for a reformation of the church And see whether there be not many and vrgent causes to inforce the parliament to take the gouernment of the Church out of the hands of these men vnlesse the continuance of the ruinous breaches of our Church would be stil maintined it is not the matter of capp surplice tippet and other beggerlie and popish ceremonies whence al the dissention and dissagreement in our church is sprong vp But the controuersies arise because our Archbb. and Bb. are not permitted with the silence and consent of the seruants of God to smother persecute depraue corrupt the truth of that true religion which in name they professe to vndermine and captiuate the church of God in this land Those who withstand their vngodly procedings haue hitherto dutifully kept them selues within the bonds of the calings wherin the Lord hath placed them they haue in al submission and duty entreated that the cause of God might be equally hard and that her Maiestie and the parlament would amend the things proued to be amis they haue neuer as yet presumed theÌ„selues to take in hand the correction of any thing But how quietly on the other side haue the leaders of the conuocatioÌ„ house behaued them selues wheÌ„ a redres hath bin caled for at the hands of the ciuil state Surely they haue alwais hitherto preseÌ„tly betakeÌ„ theÌ„selues to imprisonments and bonds and would neuer suffer the truth to haue the hering nor any man with quietnes to stand in the defence therof And therefore also al the tumults that hereafer are like to arise in the Church of God within this land about these controuersies the leders of the conuocation house are the causes thereof for they wil not yeeld vnto the truth but labour by all meanes possible to smother the same Gods seruants cannot winke at their procedings vnlesse they would betray Gods truth and the libertie of his church The least parte of the sinnes of our Bb. hath bin in the maintenance of vnprofitable supersticious and corrupt ceremonies If they would but yeeld free passage vnto the truth and hir authority vnto the church in other matters they should not be gretly molested for these things And woe be vnto them if they had rather prouoke god and his church to battel against them for the defence of the truth then receiue the light grant peace vnto the church Concerning her Maiestie who as it is thought can neuer be induced to aulter the established gouernment I answere that if it be made known vnto her and proued out of the word that the established regiment of the church is traiterous against the Maiestie of Iesus Christ that it confirmeth the popes supremacie O therfore it is dangerous vnto her crown that it is besides the commission giuen by our Sauiour Christ vnto his apostles and therefore accursed that it sheweth them to be void of all care of reâ—igion who wittingly countenance the same and that it calleth for the judgments of God against her and her kingdom and then if shee yeeld not vnto the razing of all sinful callings out of the church I will not desire to liue if this be thought a matter worthy of death for a man to be dutyfully perswaded of his soueraigne Be it that her Maiestie hath bin moued by some of this house for the redresse of the church you should moue her againe and againe and neuer leaue vntil you be heard Great matters are neuer brought to passe without great and mighty endeuours Our sinnes haue otherwise deserued then that the Lord should at the first encline mercy vnto vs in the sight of her highnes Would any of you alter any part of the gouernment of his family being perswaded by leud flatterers that all were well vnlesse the abuse were shewed and you earnestly dealt with for a reformation And can you then maruel that our soueraigne is hardly drawne to reforme the church whose estate in her hearing is daily said out of the pulpit to be most florishing wheras the deformity therof is not made knowne vnto her I know it is no smal perswasion that should driue a monarch to abrogat the receued constitutions and establish new vnles the vnanswerable necessiry thereof were made knowne vnto her or him I am perswaded that her Maiestie knoweth not the exacting necessitie that lieth vppon her sholders of reforming the church Shee knoweth not the estate of her vntaught and damned subiects to be as it is Wherefore serue parliament men if her eies must be in al places to see euery thing and what doe you see if you do not see our miserie and lament it I grant indeed that of this point she ought to be most careful but if of oversight the waightiest matters be omitted shoulde not you put her in mind hereof And in submission entreat her and neuer leaue entreating vntill shee yeeld to turne away the wrath of God from her and her kingdome by abollishing vngodly ordinances and restoring beauty vnto Zion Well I haue forged the most notable slanders that euer were coined or els the state of my cuntrey vnder her Maiesties gouernment is very miserable yours no lesse lamentable if it so continue And if you make not the same knowne vnto her Maiestie and see it be speedely amended the Lord make Quene Elizabeth and her crown free from the bloude of her destroyed people And I pray God if it be his will that their soules be not required at your
as being the highest councel in the land in this cause I apeale debarred of my liberty before my cause according vnto the word be ouerthrowne The injury which I sustained the last parliament being a suitor in this cause enforceth me to craue this at your hands which otherwise I should haue perswaded my selfe to be a needles suit For wheras the auncient priueledges and liberties of this house do giue leaue during the parliament vnto any that are suitors thereunto quietly to follow their suits without feare of any arrest and being arrested do presently deliuer and set them free I was not suffred to enioy any the former liberties But contrary vnto all religion law equity and conscience to the great derogatiō of the liberties of this noble court was committed close prisoner by some who abused the high commission their dealing might haue appeared more tollerable lesse derogatorious vnto your Hh. worships if they had shewed any cause of mine imprisonmēt their abused authority only excepted which vnto this day is altogether vnknowne vnto me I know that the infirmities and wants of men who deale in good causes are commonly beaten vppon the back of the cause they handle Therefore the Lord knoweth how careful I haue bin to keepe it vnspotted and my selfe out of all vnnecessary danger Setting downe nothing before I had considered what might insue ether in regard of the matter or manner of deliuery But why did I publish a matter of such waight before I aquainted the parliament therewith Whie it is published to the ende that the parliament may bee acquainted with the suite which could not be done by priuate writing And it is but an vngodly shifte of those that woulde smother the trueth to pretend it to be against the law to moue the parliamēt in any suit that is printed As thogh the suits of men vnto that high courte were parliament statutes In deede if the parliament had enacted the remoouing out of Wales all L. Bb. dumb ministers c. Then were it an intollerable part for any to publishe their actes but by their appointment Graunt you the petition and the cauill of committing it to the presse will easily be answered If you do not meane to yeeld vnto the suite neither woulde you haue done it being mooued therevnto by priuate writing The cause I make knowne to the end it may be granted and herein let not my life be precious vnto me vpon the necessitie of the publishing hereof I stande because that the worlde may see when you redresse these things that you did nothing that you durst leaue vndone vnles you would bring swift destruction vpon your selues and the whole lande But what follie is it to thinke that such great matters wil be reformed in our dayes Rather what injurie doe they vnto the whole state who thinke that they wil any longer tollerate the breach of Gods law And in this point let the good opinion that they who alledge such pretences conceiue be wayed with my dutiful perswasions of this honorable assembly and both causes judged accordingly For mine owne part I think the majestie of the cause to be such as they who are the Lordes dare not but entertaine it and tremble to thinke that all this while it hath beene so carelesly attended vpon And it is in the behalfe thereof that I haue presumed to deale with you who otherwise durst not haue suffered my voyce to be hearde in the ears of the princes of my people Let what I haue written bee examined yea by mine aduersaries themselues if I haue any and it shal appeare that I haue made a conscience howe I haue delt with my superiors especially those concerning whom it is said you are Gods lest I should seem to leaue behinde me the least print of a minde in any sort tending to defame them or their gouernement As I haue bene carefull hereof so let the Lorde yea and no otherwise which I speak as far as my corruptions will permit grant this cause and my selfe also if it be his will fauour in your eyes In deed in regarde of the cause I come Mandatorie wise vnto this honorable assembly but in regard of my selfe I come in feare and trembling as vnto the Lords vicegerents entreating most humbly that the dignitie of so high a cause be thoght off nothing the more dishonorably because it is brought in my hands And I protest in respect of my sinnes that the Lorde may justly denie it the fauour it deserueth in your eyes because I am a dealer therein But this should be no reason why the parliament should giue it a repulse For in the eyes and eares of al the world I make it knowne that it is the cause of the liuing god wherin I deal And that if it had beene possible for me to haue written more humblye and dutifully I had done it Or if I had seene anye waye that might haue bene likelier to preuaile wirh my superiors then this I take the Lorde to witnesse vnto my soule that I woulde not haue vsed this course And I would to God I could tel how to make the cause plawsible So farre I am from setting downe any thing that might cary with it any shewe of occasion to hinder and disgrace the same Well I haue don my endeuour the successe I expect at the Lords hands vnto whome I commend the cause and the saluation of that poore people The sword of iustice reached vnto you by the Lord himselfe to take punishment onely of him that is an euil doer I fear not because I haue not offended If it should be drawne against me for this action the president would be such as they who ment herafter to prophesie vnto you might be aduisedly counseled not to prophesie and the Lord as a token of your iust destruction to ensue would say they shal not prophesie nor take shame If I haue spoken any vntruth beare witnes thereof if a trueth I dare stand to it by the Lords assistance and demand what he is that will presume to obiect and throw him selfe vnto the vengance of God by punnishing me an innocente It is a common manner with some in these dayes to threaten those who deale in this cause nowe in hand but they are to know that it is not so easie a matter to spil their bloud whose daies are numbered with the Lord. The Lord may I confesse with griefe in regard of my other sinnes bringe mine head to the graue with bloud but in this case what haue I offended And therfore vndouted woe wil betide him that shall molest me for this worke Howe soeuer it be thus I haue performed a duty towards the Lord his church my country you of this high court which I wold doe if it were to be done againe though I were assured to endanger my life thereby And be it knowne that in this case I am not afraid of earth If I perish I perish My comforte is that I knowe whither to go in that day wherein the secrets of all hearts shal be manifested the sincerity also of my cause shal apeare It is inough for me howsoeuer I be miserable in regard of my sinnes that yet vnto Christ I both liue and die and purpose by his grace if my life should be prolonged to liue hereafter not vnto my selfe but vnto him and his church otherwise then hitherto I haue don The Lord is able to raise vp those that are of puerer hands and lipps then I am to write and speak in the cause of his honor in Wales And the Lord make them whosoeuer they shal be neuer to be wanting vnto so good a cause the which because it may be the Lords pleasure that I shal leaue them behind me in the world I earnestly and vehemently commend vnto them as by this my last wil testament And haue you R. honourable worshipful of this parlirment poore Wales in remembraunce that the blessing of many a saued soule therein may follow her Maiestie your Hh. and worships overtake you light vppon you and stick vnto you for euer The eternal God giue hir Maiesty you the honor of building his church in Wales multiply the daies of hir peace ouer vs blesse her and you so in this life that in the life to come the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen may be her and your portion So be it good Lord. By him that hath bound him selfe continually to pray for your Hh. and worships IOHN PENRI