Ministers for the Suppressing of those very truthes or doctrines of our Church clearly though briefly expressed in the 39 Articles and especially that of Election Predestination as before wee noted Now will any man Say that the Declaration is prefixed to the Articles that they should bee void and of none effect or that they should bee as a nose of wax or a Dâ—lphicke Oracle to bee taken in two contrary senses It s impossible And therefore it is too great impiety to fasten such a diabolicall practise upon the Sacred person of so noble a King as the author of it But in the meane time a fearefull innovation of doctrine is by this very meanes broken in upon us Now the doctrines of Gods free grace and mans salvation are husht and banished out of Citty and Countrey For where is there a Minister almost among a thousand that dare cleerly and plainly according to the Word of God and the Articles of our Church preach of these most comfortable Doctrines to Gods people and so soundly and roundly confute the Arminian heresies repugnant thereunto Although both by Gods Word and by our Ordination we are bound thereto So as the matter of our preaching must bee but morality at the best The mistery of God touching his Grace may not be opened as it ought And to this purpose Mountagues Appeale the first part allowing altogether of Arminianisme the second of Popery was published and that by the speciall approbation and allowance of the Prelates But it pleased our Gratious Soveraigne to call it in Also the Historicall Narration being a notorious packe and plot of knavery for the conclùding of the Arminian Tenents to be the doctrins of the Church of England was by them published being allowed in London house Although the Archbishop that then was called it in Also D. Iacksons bookes were to maintaine Arminianisme So that booke of a namelesse author called Gods love to mankinde although it hath no expresse priviledge yet it goes abroad by connivence being printed as they say in London Also Cosens Private Devotions which did maintaine prayer for the dead till after the out-cry being questioned in Parliament that point was purged out but yet the whole booke is popish weares the Iesuites badge in the front of it Also a Sermon of one Browne preached in Oxford in the prayer whereof printed before the Sermon is an expresse prayer for the dead And it passeth for currant uncensured Also the booke of Franciscus à S. Clara which hath beene now thrice printed and that in London as they say much applawded of our Innovators and most boldly dedicated to the Kings Majesty and they say presented to the King by a Prelate the scope whereof is to reconcile our Religion and so to cast of the old man that is the Calvinisticall to reduce our Church to Mother Rome againe In so much as he indeavors by shuffling and packing and false dealing with his paraphrases upon all our 39. Articles to make his owne game so faire as he hopes to win us backe againe to Rome Yea he saith we agree in justification inherent by workes which is to reconcile light with darknesse And Article 37. hee labours to reduce our King unto Subjection to the Apostolicke Sea the Pope That 's their ayme indeed as being the principall Fundamentall wherein consists the unity of all Churches under one Head the Pope And all this according to the sence of Trent Now let any man but of common sence judge The Pope being cast out of this Kingdome with all his false doctrines can any man imagine that the Articles of our Religion could beare any such sence as to bring us backe againe to Rome to bring our King under the Popes girdle againe to conspire with all those blasphemous doctrines and decrees of that most Antichristian Councell of Trent What man in the world were he not a Iesuited Divell incarnate but would have blushed and beene ashamed to have undertaken such a monstrous Task as this to reconcile the Articles of our Religion with the Councell of Trent How comes it then to passe that till now of late all our grave and learned Divines yea Prelates and others have maintained an immortall warre and which can never admit of a Truce against the Pope and all his Antichristian heresies packed up in that Diabolicall Councell of Trent And their learned workes doe still live and that with triumphant Lawrells upon their heads standing to this day unanswered and unanswerable And yet one Franciscus a St. Clare with the very breath of Ipse dixit will on a sudden overthrow all the writings of those Worthies and by a Romish racke serue up our very Articles to speake whatsoever language Mother Trent will have them For this take another instance or two One is our Eleventh Article which shewes our Iustification to bee by faith without the concurrence of workes in justification and whereas our Homily by him alledged Probl. 22. versus finem Saith That the habit or act of Faith in us doth not justifie us for this were to attribute justification to some vertue or act in us c. Videtur saith hee negare jusâ—itiam inhaerentem sed vere nihil minus intenditur quia â—â—aâ—im subditur Deus est qui justificat This seemes saith hee to denie inherent righteousnesse but in trueth nothing lesse is intended because it is by and by added It is God that justifieth Now see this mans impudent non-sence The whole scope of the Homily is to set forth most clearely the formall cause of our justification to bee by imputation of Christs Righteousnesse which Gods free mercy accounteth ours not in any worke of grace in us in whole or in part no not in faith it selfe as it is an habit or act inherent in us but as an instrument apprehending and applying Christ. And it utterly and expresly excludeth al inherent righteousnesse in us and all merit of workes as the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God So as the Homily setting downe these two as opposite one to the other namely Faith as a vertue in us doth not justifie us and It is God that justifieth with what mouth of impudency can any man Say that the Homily intended nothing lesse then to exclude justification by workes But hee hath gotten a Dispensation from the Father of lies and from the Pope to coyne brutish lies at his pleasure Adde wee a second instance which is that of the 24. Article concerning Prayer in an unknowne tongue in the congregation in these words It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God and the Custome of that Primitive Church to have publike prayer in the Church or to Minister the Sacraments in a tongue not understood of the people Now what doth Franciscus paraphrase upon this Namely that this Article determineth it is repugnant to the Scriptures that is not to the doctrine of
by authority of Parliament which it seemes they make but light account of published as Authentick Acts not to bee altered by private spirits But who they bee it 's hard for me to divine it pertaines to those to find them out of whom Salomon saith It is the honour of Kings to search out a matter Now having fallen upon this so important a passage wherein the Innovators would not have the Romish Religion to be called Rebellion or their faith Faction the like but labour all they can to wash this Blackamore white while by their index expurgatorius they purge out of all our authentick records all monuments and memorialls of this Strumpets Staines painting her haggs face with the counterfeit colours of Christs Spowse I will crave leave in this place briefely to show how truly according to the judgement of our Church grounded upon manifest and undeniable proofes the Romish or Popish Religion is here in this Booke set foorth by the Parliament called Rebellion and their faith Faction First that the Popish religion is rebellion is prooved by the universall practise of Papists both Iesuites Priests and other Recusants For whereas in 3. Iacobi cap. 4. the Oath of Supremacy is injoyned to all Papists all Iesuites and Seminary Priests refuse it and all Iesuited Papists and if any Papist doe take it hee is excommunicated for it And their reason is Because they hold and adhere to the Pope as the onely Supreme head and Soveraigne over all powers on earth this being the prime and fundamentall Article of their Creed and so consequently they hold and teach those doctrines concerning the Popes usurped power over Kings Princes in deposing them and disposing of their Kingdomes in Excommunicating them and so exposing them to the rebellion of their people as being now freed from their allegiance Secondly that the Popish religion is rebellion is prooved by their writings positions and doctrines which they professe and teach concerning the Popes usurped power and Soveraignty over all Kings and Kingdomes of the earth Here of the Reader may take a briefe and full view both in Doctor Iohn White his Defence of the way chap. 6. and in Doctor Crakenthorpe his Treatise of the Popes temporall Monarchy Cap. 1. First Dr. Iohn White in answere to the Iesuites bold challenge hath in the said place collected no lesse then 40. instances of Popish Authors who exalt the Popes power over Kings in deposing them and exposing their Persons to the danger of Rebells Traytors and Murderers commending and highly magnifying as a meritorious act the killing of Kings as of Henry the Third and Henry the Fourth of France as there is to bee seene Therefore saith hee I say still and heere write it in capitall Letters that THE CHVRCH OF ROME TEACHETH DISLOYALTY AND REBELLION AGAINST KINGS AND LEADES HER PEOPLE INTO ALL CONSPIRACIES AND TREASONS AGAINST STATES AND KINGDOMES This I shew by the Doctrine and Assertions of the chiefest Divines therein So hee Let the Reader peruse the whole chapter at large where among other remarkable things is this Passage out of Capistranus that so soone as any one King for Apostacy from the faith by judgement is denounced Excommunicate IPSO FACTO HIS SVBIECTS ARE ABSOLVED FROM HIS GOVERNMENT AND FROM THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE So there The second Learned Author of ours is Dr. Crakenthorpe who in the fore-named place hath collected the Sentences of many Poopiâ—h Authors concerning the same point Some of them saying That Christian Kings are Dogges which must be ready at the Sheepheards hand to wit the Pope or else the Sheepheard must presently remooue them from their office This saith Becanus doth reason teach this doth the Councell of Lateran Decree And Scioppius that Reges Catholici sunt Asini cum tintinnabulis Catholik Kings are Asses with bells about their necks as being the fore-asses which leade the way to other inferiour Asses The whole Chapter is worth the reading being full fraught with such stuffe Yea the Popes owne Decretalls are full of the like arrogancies What should I speake of their Bookes of the Sacred Roman Ceremonies wherein are setdown the severall Offices which Emperors Kings Princes according to their severall rankes must performe to the Pope either at his Coronation or when he rideth in Soleme Procession in his Pontificalibus how the Emperor or some great King must lead the Popes horse and if the Pope bee carried on a Seat then foure great Princes whereof the Emperor if present must be one or some great Prince for the honor of the Saviour Iesus Christ shall cary the Seat with the Pope upon their shoulders Also which stirrop the Emperor must hold How the Elect King of Romans must implore the favour and grace of the Apostolicke Sea and offer himselfe to performe whatsoever Oathes of fidelity to the Roman Church How the Chore sings the Antiphona The Lord hath chosen him and hath exalted him above the Kings of the earth And the like By these and many more it plainly appeareth that the Popish Religion is Rebellion and that Papists are an Antichristian Sect as is expressed in the sayd Prayer Againe as their Religion is Rebellion so their faith is faction as there is added For proofe hereof I referre the Reader to Doctor Crakenthorpe Of the fifth generall Councell Chapter 13. where hee learnedly prooveth that the Church of Rome holdeth no doctrine by faith And this from the Councell of Lateran under Leo 10. wherein they layd another foundation then Christ the Popes words in steed of Gods and Antichrists insteed of Christs For before that Councell of Lateran though they believed the same heresies and errours yet it was because they thought the Scripture to bee the maine ground thereof but in this Councell they must believe all these things because the Pope hath so resolved and defined So as though the Materialls of Popery were the same yet the formality and foundation of their faith and Church was quite altered So as from hence Papists are so truly called from the Pope as the prime Head Rocke and foundation of their faith For as wee make Christ and his Word so they on the contrary make the Pope that is to say Antichrist and his word the ground and foundation of faith In regard whereof as the faith and religion is from Christ truely called Christian and they truely Christians So the faith and religion of the other is from the Pope or Antichrist truely and properly called Papisme or Antichristianisme and the Professors of it Papists or Antichristians And the ground of all this is because they hold the Popes judgement to bee Supreme and infallible and so build their faith on him as on the foundation thereof which their owne Church never did till the time of Leo the tenth It is not then the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda but the Lyon of the Lateran Synod who is the foundation of the faith of Papists and from whom therefore they justly
1. Tim. 1. 19. Poritopistin enavagysan circa fidem naufragâ—verunt Latin Chonaei Collectiones Theologicae Cap. 16. Discourse of the Sabbath Epistle Dedicatory pag. 4. See the Answere to it * As Fâ—… à Sancta Clara in Artic. 23. makâ—… mention much glorieth of pag. 1â—… 191. 〈◊〉 9. 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 10â—5 * Against all our worthy Divines as Dr. Iohn White in his way to the true Church Sect. 61. n. 4. For as much as the State of the Papacy the Pope and his Religion is Antichrist wee say all that obeyed the same are eternally damned So he See also Dr. Whitakers de Antichristo Also Dr. Downham D. Abbor D. Sharpe D. Suteliffe and others And our Homilies justar omnium call the Pope The Babylonical Beast of Rome and the Church The Kingdome of Antichrist For White l. 2. a serm 6. against Rebellion * Pag. 148. * pag. 157. Our sweetest Lady * Pag. 154. 155. This day made holy by the purification of the Mother And pag. 21. hee calls her white spotlesse soule And pag. 37 Purity it selfe And pag. 45. Her all-holy heart As pag. 130 All holy Lord. So pag. 60. Pag. 236. Lo here the new great Goddesse Diana whom the whole Pontifician world worshippeth * Here he contradicts his owne practise as pag. 247. O pardon gratious Princesse c. Dat veniam Corvis vexat censura Columbaâ— * Negotiátorem clericum ex inopi divitem ex ignobili gloriosum quasi quandam pestem fuge Hierom. ad Nepot * Reve. Schelford Morton Dr. White Dr. Pocklington * See before the â—p of London in the High-Commission threatning those that should bring Prohibitions to that Court Cum duplicantur Lateres tunc venit Moses In the Editions since 1619. Altered since 1619. * Lab. 1. Conscâ—ratio Câ—ronatio Pontificis Sect. 13. Aug. contra Peâ—â—liani Donat. epist. cap. 4. * This is one of those things objected to me in their Articles O boldnes to defend it Ionah These passages also objected to me in their Articles Without all peradventure they have dâ—… in their Articles * This also objected to me in the Article of High-Commission * As in the case of Mr. Valentine * Treatise of the Sabbath See Bispop Wrens Articles All these particulars objected against mee in their Articles * As in Oxford and elsewhere Sheâ—ford Sermon of Charity 〈◊〉 36. â—…inted by the allow ance of the Vice Chanâ—â—llorer of Cambridge even at the commencement time 〈◊〉 * This heâ— speakes of the Prelates For who but they can make new Lawes Canons * Pag. 14. Ibid p. 21. * As I was lately charged in the Articles of High Commission 〈◊〉 that my sermoni offended the more moderate bearers a As with dumbe Pictures and Images Laymens bookes in steed of Scripture Sentences b By speaing smooth things and not roughly against Popery sin c See before Franciscus a Sancta 〈◊〉 note of Cambridge Commencement d As Dr. Coosens Private Devotions with the Iesuits badge Here â—e quotes these in the margent For â—…mple The Pope not Antichrist Prayer for the Dead 〈◊〉 bus Patrum Pictures That the Church hath authority to determine Controversies in faith and to interpret the Scripture about Free will and Predestinatâ—on Vniuersall grace that all our works are not sinnes merit of good works inherent justice Faith alone doth not justify Charity 〈◊〉 to bee preferred before knowledge Traditions Commaundements possible to bee kept †A little Treatise so intituled printed 1636. * Sunday no Sabboth A Sermon printed 1636. pag. 38. ‡ Lib Can. An. 1571. Can. 19. Bellar. Concio 20 Pars Altera de Dominica Quinqnagess O qualem inquiunt Christiam Deum habent quam egregiam Legislatorem qui haec vel pracipit vel 〈◊〉 c. * All these things they doe most boldly maintaine while they Article against mee for laying these to their charge * In the High Commission not long since in a cause about a Peâ—â— in the Church * M. Leâ— Est mihi namque domi Pater est injusta Noverca Homily of the place time of prayer part 2. pag. 131. Homily of Idolatry part 1. 2. 3. Homily of the place time of prayer part 2. pag. 131. * Quae bellua ruptis cum semel effugit redded se prava Catenis * Gen. 11. 6 Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo * Aeliani variâ— historiae lib. c. 1.
ready way that would not faile to bring a curse upon Israel by inticing them to Idolatry with Moabs wiles And this is the course that the Balaamites of Rome and their confederates have holden lesse or more ever since the Gunpowder Treason untill this very day And in tracing their foot-steps and graduall proceedings weshall obserue how they have kept the same order for the reerecting of the throne of the Beast in this Land which hath beene observed by the founders and builders of the Spirituall Babilon in former ages And that wee may not expatiate beyond those narrow bounds within which wee have proposed to our selues to limit this our short discourse wee will instance in the Antichristian Hierarchy to the top whereof by what degrees it hath ascended I referre the Reader as to the Centuries and other Histories of the Church so in speciall to the Lord of Plessie his Mistery of iniquitie Also of the Masse the whole body whereof was imped with the feathers and patched with the pieces of sundry Popes inventions in their severall ages for which also See the same Author his learned discourse of the Masse Polidor Virgil de inventoribus rerum with others Also in the Sacrament Transsubstantiation was not knowne among the ancient Fathers for above 600. yeeres afterwards it crept in by degrees and was indifferent to be holden or not at last Pope Innocent 3. decreed it in the Councel of Lateran as a matter of faith necessary for all to beleeve So for the Sacrament in one kind anciently it was in both kindes untill the Councell of Constance but by degrees the people came to be nose-wiped of the Cup by a custome of omitting it in some places before it came to bee made a Law Besides both these authors and instances the like is observed by Dr. Whitakers of the graduall growth of Antichrist as also of the abuse of Images in Churches how they crept in first to be mute teachers of the blind and then to be dumbe gods to be worshipped Thus I say as of old the Mistery of iniquity could not be produced in one day but as the Elephants broode was many yeeres a hatching before it came to any perfection So our new refounders of Popery could not accomplish their worke in one day but it requireth some longer time although a man would wonder to see in so short a space such a monstrous and suddaine alteration notwithstanding the long establishment and cleare light of the Gospell and the strong sence of good Lawes whereby it is hedged about So if ours would set up the Masse-God in our Churches they cannot effect it all at once They must first downe with Tables and up with Altars For that cause all Seats must downe at the end of the Chancell that the Altar may stand closse to the wall because as their Oracle saith none must sit above God-Almighty And if Ministers bee so stiffe as not to yeeld to this innovation at least the Table must be rayled about that none touch it as being more Sacred then Pulpit Pew or Font. Then some adoration as lowly bowing must bee given to it Then the second Service as dainties must bee said there as being more holy than the Readers Pew And what then Surely a Priest is not farre off But where is the Sacrifice Stay a while that service comes last and all these are preparations unto it as the trimming of a Rome and spreading of the table bodes the banquet to come anone So as all these preambles doe at length usher in the great God of the Host so soone as it is well baked and the peoples stomacks sitted to digest so hard a bit But what bee those Changes and how came they What they be wee shall shew by and by but how they come it cannot be imputed to any other cause than to that Spirit which rules in the ayre and which doth usually haunt the Pallaces of Prelates And such a poyson hath this spirit infused into the Chaire of the Hierarchy as that man who fits in it had need to bee strongly fortified with preservatives and antidotes of true Reall Grace not nominall and titular that is able to overcome the infection of it For demonstration hereof wee begin with those Reformers of Religion in King Edward 6. his Raigne who yet prooved Martyrs in Queene Maries Is it not to bee admired that Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ridley of London should bee so stiffe against holy and learned Hooper who being by the King chosen Bishop of Glocester and having obtained the Kings favour not to weare the Rochet square Cap as being offensive to his Conscience yet they would not yeeld unto it although both the King himselfe and a great Harle in the Kings name did earnestly write unto them for the same Mr Foxes words are But I can not tell what Sinister and vnlacky contention concerning the ordering and Consecration of Bishops and of their apparrell with such otherlike trisles began to disturbe the good and lucky beginning of this goldly bishop For notwithstanding that godly Reformation of Religion that began in the Church of England besides other Ceremonies more ambitious then profitable or tending to edification they used to weare such garments and opparell as the Popish Bishops were wont to doe First a Chymere and under that a white Rochet then a Mathematicall Cap with Foure angles dividing the whole World into Foure parts These trifles tending more to Superstition then otherwise as hee could 〈◊〉 abide so in no wise could hee bee perswaded to weare them For this cause hee made Supplication to the Kings Majestie most hâ—â—bly desiring His Highnesse either to discharge him of his Bishopricke or else to dispence with him for such Ceremoniall orders Whose Petition the King granted immediately c. But I say the Bishops would not Yet at the length the fire reconciled them all when they laid aside their Pontificall robes and offered up their lives in sacrifice for the Truth Now if such a spirit did cleave to the very Chaire then when those pious men sate in it who were Reformers of Religion for the Substance of it and who afterward were persecuted and suffered Martyrdome for the faith of Christ What may wee expect in those Prelates that shew themselves such enemies of that Religion for which those suffered and persecute the faithfull Ministers thereof and are not content with those ceremonies limmited by the Lawes of the Land but bring in a number of other Superstitious and Idolatrous Ceremonies of Rome to the intollerable burthening of mens consciences and insnaring of their Soules Bodies and estates both against the Law of God and the Liberty which Christ hath purchased for us and also the Lawes of the Land Nor let our present Prelates glory that they can shew us such Predecessors Prelates who were Martyrs unlesse they themselues will therein be their Successors Bellarmine makes it one note of their holy Mother Church
this last it saith Christ ordained the authority of the Keâ—es to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolve them which are truly penitent They abuse this power at their owne pleasure as well in cursing the godly with Bell Booke and Candle as also in absolving the reprobate which are knowne to be unworthy of any Christian society And what can the Prelates and their Court say for theÌ„selues why that of Bernard may not be applied to them which hee spake of the Prelates in his time Quem dabis mihi de numero Episcoporum qui non plus invigilet subditorum evacuendis marsupijs quaâ— vicijs extirpandis Vbi est qui flectat iram Vbi est qui praedicet annum placabilem Domini Propterea relinquamus istos quia non sunt Pastores sed traditores imitemur illos qui viventes in carne plantâ—verunt Ecclesiam sanguine suo Successores omnes cupiunt esse imitatores pauci Whom wilt thou shew mee of all the Bishops who is not more vigilant to empty the peoples purses then to root out their vices Where is hee that seekes to appease wrath Where is hee that preacheth the acceptable yeere of the Lord Wherefore let usabandon these men because they are not Pastors but Traytors and let us imitate those who living in the flesh have planted the Church with their blood So hee I will not speake of their domesticall discipline but for the present and for brevity sake passe it over But from the beginning it was not so Hierome saith A negotiating Clerke and of poore rich of ignoble glorious fly from as from a kind of plague The 3. Change is in the worship of God which they goe about to turne inside outward placing the true worship which is in Spirit and Trueth in a Will-worship of mans devising consisting in some externall complements and gesticulations as cringing crouchings bowing or standing upright at some Scriptures more than at others also a punctuall observance in these formalities as in bowing to the name of Iesus to the Communion table or rather Altar as to the Mercy-seat as they teach in their books praying with their faces towards the East thus tying God to a fixed place standing at reading of the Gospell and the like Also reading their second service at their Altar as we touched before many the like And who so wil not worship after their new fashion their new discipline is to excommunicate them or to bring them into the High-coÌ„mission a place which they make worse theÌ„ Purgatory it selfe Al which oppression being an innovation is directly contrary to the Act of Conformity before the CoÌ„munion Booke bringing the Prelats into little lesse then a Praemunire The 4. change is in the civill govermeÌ„t which they labor to reduce transferre to Ecclesiasticall while they seeke to trample upon the Lawes of the Land step between the King his people exercising such a lawlesse tyranny over their bodies goods as also over their coÌ„sciences as is more intollerable then the Egyptian servitude of Israel under their Taskmasters in regard wherof the Prelates power over-swaying the subjects right in the free use and benefit of the Lawes the people of the Land are used rather as vassals slaves to the Prelates then as the free subjects of the King And this is the case of all England at this day the people every where groaning sighing for this their boÌ„dage their miserable vexations in the Ecclesiasticall Courts Well could they but cry mightily to the Lord and make their just complaints to his vicegerent their King as their cause requireth hee would quickly send a Moses to deliver them And so much the more should they bee sensible of this evill by how much the glory of the Kings governement over a free people according to his righteous Lawes is lamentably eclipsed his power infringed and his regall Prerogative undermined The fifth innovation is in the altering of Prayer-Bookes set foorth by publicke authority And first in the Communion Booke set forth by Parliament and commaunded to bee read without any alteration and none other they have altered Sundry things as in the Collect for the Queene and the Royall Progeny they have put out Father of thine elect and of their Seed as it were excluding the King Queene and Seed Royall out of the number of Gods Elect. Also in the Epistle for Sunday before Easter That in the name of Iesus they haue turned into At the name of Iesus that so it may make the fairer colour for their forced bowing to the name of Iesus for which there is neither Scripture nor ancient Father The second Booke is the Prayers set forth by authority of Parliament for Solemne thankesgiving for our deliverance from the Gun-powder Treason of the Papists on every Fifth of November where in stead of this passage Root out that Babilonish and Antichristian Sect which say of Ierusalem c. They in the last Edition 1635. set it downe thus Root out that Babilonish and Antichristian Sect OF THEM which say of Ierusalem c. Now whereas the words of the Originall copy doe plainely meane That all Iesuites Seminary Priests and their confederates are that Babilonish and Antichristian Sect which say of Ierusalem c. This latter Booke either restraines it to some few that are of that mind or else mentally transferres it to those Puritans that cry Downe with Babilon that is Popery which these men call Ierusalem and the true Catholike Religion Againe in the same Prayer the old copy hath these words And to that end strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with Iudgement Iustice to cut off these workers of iniquity whose religion is rebellion whose faith is faction whose practise is murdering of soules and bodies and to root them out of the confines of this Kingdome c. But the new Booke hath it thus And to that end strengthen the hands of our Gratious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with Iudgement and Iustice to cut off these workers of iniquity WHO TVRNE RELIGION INTO REBELLION AND FAITH INTO FACTION Thus these Innovators would not have the Popish Religion to be termed Rebellion and their faith Faction as the ancient copy plainly shewes it to bee but turne it off from the religion to some persons which turne religion into rebellion and faith into faction So as by this turning they plainly imply that the religion of Papists is the true religion and no rebellion and their faith the true faith and no faction Thus with altering of a word they have quite perverted the sence and so turned the Cat in the Pan so as the blame is quite taken off from the Church of Rome and laid upon a few who ever they bee who turne Religion into Rebellion and Faith into Faction Thus what dare not these men doe that are not afraid to alter those things which are
Iurisdiction of Bishops jure divino as being no where found in the Scripture but the contrary sayd openly that in matters of divinity wee are not tyed to the Scriptures but to the Vniversall Catholicke Church in all ages for how said hee shall wee know the Scriptures but by the Church And therefore not without some reason doth that Iesuite in his Pamphlet printed in English 1636 intituled A Direction to bee observed by N. N. make a laudable mention of that great Prelate saying Although I ought not to dissemble but doe gladly acknowledge and deservedly publish in this occasion for a patterne to others in this Realme the care of the Chiefest Prelate in England in prohibiting the sale of Bookes tending to Socinianisme So there But what meaneth the Iesuite here by Socinianisme Hee tells us plainly pag. 16. and 17. in these words First then I say that the very Doctrine of Protestants if it be followed closely and with coherence to it selfe must of necessity induce Socinianisme This I say confidently and evidently proove by instancing in one errour which may well bee termed the Capitall and mother Heresy from which all other must follow at ease I meane their hereâ—y in affirming that the perpetually visible Church of Christ descended by a never interrupted succession fromour Saviour to this day is not infallible in all that it proposeth to bee believed as revealed truthes For if the infallibility of such a publicke Authority bee once impeached what remaines but that every man is given other to his owne wit and discourse And talke not here of holy Scripture And a little after And indeed take away the authority of Gods Church no man can bee assured that any one Booke or parsell of Scripture was written by divine inspiration or that all the contents are infallibly true which are the direct errours of Socinians So hee Where wee see what his meaning is when hee commends the chiefe Prelate as a patterne to all other in prohibiting such bookes as exalt the sole authority of holy Scripture as the onely Rule of faith Thus not unde servedly hee commends him for upholding the authority of the Church to wit of the Pope primarily and next after him the Prelates as whereon depends the authority and sence of Scripture Well But is this the way of setling the faith of Christians in the true religion Nay is it not the high ready way to unsetle all to make religion a wether-cocke to be turned this way or that way as the winde of mans unstable erronious fancy shall blow move it And for proofe hereof let us but obserue what the same Iesuite faith a little after For writing of the present state of our Church and that since this new generation of Doctors and Prelates hath Sprung up amongst us I know not from what Popish root hee saith * And to speake the trueth what learned judicious man can after unpartiall examination imbrace Protestantisme which waxeth even weary of it selfe Its Professors they especially of greatest worth learning and authority declare themselves to love temper and moderation allow of many things which some yeeres agoe were usually condemned as Superstitious and Artichristian and are at this time more unresolved where to fasten then at the infancie of their Church Thus by the way hee sheweth who they bee that are the chiefe Fathers of that new-fangle religion of Protestancy of late birth in England namely those of greatest worth learning and authority as the Prelates are counted to bee who are of that temper and moderation as they allow of many things which some yeeres agoe were usually condemned as superstitious and Antichristian But how doth the Iesuite demonstrate this Pag. Twenty two Hee saith For doe not the Protestant Churches begin to looke with another face Their walls to speake with a new language Their Preachers to use a sweeter tone Their annuall publicke Tentes in their Vniversities to bee of another style and matter Their books to appeare with titles and arguments which once would have caused a mighty scandal among the brethren Their doctrine to be altered in many things and even in those very paints for which their Progenitors for sooke the then visible Church of Christ Their 39 Articles that is the summe the Confession and almost the Greed of their Faith are patient Patient They are ambitious of some sense wherein they may seeme to bee Catholicke To alledge the necessity of wife and children in these dayes is but a weake plea for a married Minister to compasse a Benefice Fiery Calvinisme once a darling in England is at length accounted Heresy yea and little lesse then Treason Men in word and writing use willingly the once fearefull names of Priests and Altars Nay if one doe but mutter against the placing of the Altar after the old fashion for a warning hee shall be well warmed by a coale from the Altar English Protestants are now put in mind that for exposition of Scripture by canon they are bound to follow the ancient Fathers And to conclude all in one maine point The Protestant Church in England willingly professeth so small Antiquity and so weake subsistence in it selfe that they acknowledge no other visible being for many Ages but in the Church of Rome So the Iesuite Behold here now Protestant Reader what testimony a Iesuite can give of the present state of our Church and that out of his owne reading and observation and which we our selves cannot deny all which hee ascribeth to the Prelates as those whom hee indigitates for men of greatest worth learning authority who declare their Innovations as Sodome her sinnes and hide them not even our enemies now their friends being witnesses who gladly feed their infants with the pappe of our new Papisme But to returne to our particular point of Innovation concerning the rule of faith which our Prelats have turned off from the holy Scripture to the authority of the Church this is the maine upshot in Dr. Whites Treatise of the Sabbath day wherein he tyes the observation of the Lord day to that limitation which the Prelates of the Church doe or shall prescribe so also all other matters of Religion And doe they not also overthrow the Scriptures as the rule of faith in that they restraine the preaching of them to their illiberall allowance inhibiting such and such points to be medled with as before is shewed doe they not place the Communion booke as a rule of faith in all matters of Religion wherin the Arch-Bishops definitive sentence must determine as Recv ibid. p. 206. The 8th innovation or Change is in the rule of manners which rule must not be any more the word of Christ and the writings and examples of the holy Apoles wherein they followed Christ for that is counted too precise and puritanicall but our Prelates have prescribed a new rule of Christian manners to wit the example of
FOR GOD and the KING THE SVMME OF TWO SERMONS Preached on the fifth of November last in St. MATTHEWES FRIDAY-STREETE 1636. By HENRY BVRTON Minister of GODS Word there and then 1. PET. 2. 17. Feare GOD. Honour the KING 2. TIM 4. 1 2 3. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome Preach the Word be instant in season out of season reproove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine c. Bernard in Dedic Ecclae Ser. 3. Non miremini fratres si durius loqui videor Quia veritas neminem palpat Printed Anno Dom. 1636. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. SIR What the title in the front professeth FOR GOD AND THE KING the substance thereof was by me preached in two Sermons on the last fifth of November 1636. to teach my people obedience to both And for this I was by the divine providence directed to this Text Prov. 24. 21. 22. My Sonne feare thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their calamity shall arise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both The Doctrines of which text as I thought the more necessary to be preached and pressed in these times of Apostacy and defection from the due obedience both of God and the King So I deemed that day the memoriall whereof should cause all loyall subjects for ever to detest all Innovations tending to reduce us to that Religion of Rome which plotted that matchlesse treason the most seasonable for this text as wherein our Solemne acknowledgement of our sacred thankes to God for our great deliverance the fruits whereof we injoy at this day under your Royall and happy government being a strong ingagement and inducement to every good duty both to God and the King might worke the more kindly effect in the hearers a word in season being as the Wiseman saith like Apples of gold in pictures of silver Now although the generall good acceptation of the word then preached whereby the peoples hearts were much affected being instructed and exhorted to sticke closse to God and the King in all manner of duties to each that none of those of whom my text admonisheth might worke a disvnion might have beene a sufficient motive of publishing those Sermons in print for the generall good of all your Majesties loving Subjects throughout this your Kingdome yet Lo a necessity it now layd upon mee For on December 3. after my house had beene searched by a Pursuivant Constables and Wardens of the Company of Stationers for a booke which I had not then and there the Pursuivant served me with Letters Missive from the High Commission to appeare on Twesday then next ensuing before Doctor Ducke at Chesewicke there to answer to Articles against me The Articles were all of them against my preaching and in speciall and by name against my Sermons on November 5. on Prov. 34. 21. 22. Therein was objected to me that I preached against sundry Innovations which indeed was one speciall point in my text as alterations in the booke for the fift of November alterations in the new Fast-booke contrary to your Majestes Proclamation which Orders the old Fast booke set forth by your Majesties authority to be reprinted and published alterations in the Booke of Common Prayer set forth by Act of Parliament a turning out of the Collect for the Queene and Royall Progeny these words Father of thine Elect and of their seed as if they would blot out your Majesty Qeene and Royall Progeny out of the number of Gods Elect and in the Epistle on Sunday before Faster for IN the name of Iesus is now put AT the name of Iesus c. alterations in setting up of Altars Images Crucifixes in bowing to the Altar in putting downe afternoone Sermons on the Lords dayes in sundry Diocesse in allowing no other Catechising but by bare Question and Answer out of the Booke without expounding of the maine Principles of Religion to the ignorant youth and people in reading of a second Service at the Altar in the upper end of the Chancell where in many great Churches the people cannot possibly heare not even in lesser Churches or indifferent without a stentorious voyce of the Minister together with sundry other things of the like nature some truely alledged which I am readie to maintaine against the Innovators and some falsely and maliciously perverted whereof I am readie to give your Majestie a true account And in the end of all the Articles I was charged to bring in a true copie of my Sermon The conclusion was a booke tendred to me to sweare to answer to those Articles Here at I startled admiring that these things should be charged upon me as crimes which both were truthes and pertinent to my text and necessarie to admonish my people of as leading them from the feare of God and of the King I also upon the suddaine apprehended that I could expect small iustice of those that were not only the countenancers but practisers yea and which is the highest degree of all iniquity open maintainers of such innovations and that in that very Court where they ought rather to bee severely Censured and Suppressed but that on the contrarie I should be there censured as a Delinquent for executing my Ministerie in speaking the trueth and reprooving of Sinne. And againe considering with my selfe that this cause was of a higher nature then to be so much as hazzarded upon the iudgement of these who were professed parties I presently reflected my thoughts upon your Sacred Majestie as not only worthie to take the cognizance of so waightie a cause and the best able both in respect of your Princelie wisdome and unpartiall iudgement to waigh it in a just ballance but also as the prime and principall person next unto God whose honour and welfarre it most neerelie concerneth and who next after God are ingaged in my text to inquire into So as my replie to Dr. Duke was Sir I humblie appeale to the Kings Majestie my Soveraigne and Patron as my judge in this cause and before whom I shall be both a Defendant and Complainant For I hold it not fit that they who are my adversaries should be my Iudges These were the verie words of my Appeale to Your Majestie as I remember Now thou my Gracious Soveraigne that which my profest adversaries in so just a cause did unjustlie and against the Law require of me namelie to bring them a copie of my Sermon that so they might at their pleasure take advantages by perverting of my words I doe here most freelie and faithfullie in all humblenesse present to Your Majestie yea and that with manie additions and inlargements like to Ieremies rowle
that in the chiefe place Your Majestie may take a full account of the whole matter whereof nothing is concealed and so also as all Your loving and loyall Subjects may make good use of it Herein besides manie other things the reading whereof will not I hope be losse of time to Your Majestie I haue observed sundrie perillous innovations set on foot in this Your Kingdome worthie Your Majesties saddest consideration And to whom next unto God should I addresse my complaint herein but to Your Majestie whose honour I cannot but be most tenderlie sensible of so deeplie suffering in those Innovations herein mentioned For how frequentlie and Solemlie hath your Majestie made most Sacred Protestations to all Your loving Subjects that you would never suffer the least innovation to creep into Your Kingdome And here both for the comfort to us Your faithfull people and for the conviction and condemnation of our Innovators and for the refreshing of the memorie of Your Majesties Golden Sayings never to be forgotten as most honourable to Your Majestie let me set downe a few of them Your Majestie in Your Declaration to all Your loving Subjects of the causes that mooved You to dissolve the last Parliament published by Your Majesties Speciall command 1628. pag. 21. hath these words We call God to record before whom wee stand that it is and alwaies hath been our hearts desire to be found worthie of that title which we account the most glorious in al our Crowne DEFENDER OF THE FAITH neither shall wee ever give way to the authorising of anie thing whereby ante innovation may steale or creep into the Church but preserve that unitie of Doctrine and Discipline established in the time of Queene Elizabeth whereby the Church of England hath stood and florished ever since And in your Declaration prefixed to the Articles of Religion speaking of Ordinances and Constitutions in Convocation by Your Majesties leave and under Your Seale is added this Proviso Providing that none be made contrarie to the Lawes and Customes of the Land More might be added All which well considered how audacious yea how impious are our Innovatours how fearelesse of Your Majestie how regardlesse of Your Royall Honor that in their Innovations made such havocke commit such outrages and that upon the open theater New Rites and Ceremonies doe now not steale and creep into the Church but nudo capite are violently and furiously obtruded upon Ministers and people and that with suspension excommunication ejection out of house and home threatnings and thundrings to the refusers who dare not yeeld conformity unto them as being against both Law and Conscience and these your solemne declarations So as it seemeth these Innovators will put it to the triall whether their practises will more prevayle against your Majesties Solemne and Sacred Protestations to the contrarie which stand upon Record in aeternam rei memoriam that so they may as much as in them lyeth blast the beautie and glorie of Your Royall Name delivered in Annales to posteritie as if it should be said This King had no regard to sacred Vowes and solemne Protestations which God forbid it should ever enter into the thought of any of Your loving Subjects to suspect or whether your Majestie will looke moore narrowly into their desperate practises not suffering your self to be abused through credulitie of their blandishing flatteries and bainfull suggestions and Your people most intollerably oppressed under their lawlesse power will bee pleased upon others true reports true reports I say for who dare report falsely of them whom so few dare speake the truth against them they be so potent and vindicative to make a full Scrutiny and inquiry into their exorbitant and extravagant courses and thereupon to acquit Your honour in executing of Iustice upon the Delinquents I doe not charge any one particular person That honor is reserved to Your Majestie For as Salomon saith it is the honor of Kings to search out a matter And for me Your Majesties old and faithfull Servant while as Christ Minister a watchman of Israel yea a Sentinell perdu I discover both present and thereupon in my apprehension consequent dangers to my Soveraigne and his State and while as the poore sheep I appeale and complaine to my Shepherd oh never let my Shepherd either leave me in or deliver me into the power of the wolfe And while all along I plead for God and the King for Feare and Obedience and against Innovators the enemies of both oh let my God and my King protect their poore Servant against his adversaries the Innovators in my text Who if they quarrell these my charges I beseech Your Majestie lay Your charge upon them to make a full and cleare answer unto them What shall or can I say more Your Majesties wisedome can pierce deeper into this cause then my shallownesse is able to give intimation wherein you will easily discerne how deeply You are ingaged to close with God and Your good Subjects against all those Innovators the disturbers of the peace and distractors of the unitie of Your Kingdome so as thereby You shall become the most glorious Prince in Christendome formidable to Your enemies and amiable to all Your good Subjects whose hearts and affections being indecred hereby will become a richer Mine to Your Majestie then all the Westerne Indies to the King of Spaine And if my stile seeme sharper then usuall be pleased to impute it to my Zeale and Fidelitie for God and for Your Majestie when I am to encounter with those that he adversaries to both And if any word have dropped from my pen which malice may pervert and wrest to my prejudice I beseech Your Majestie to be my Iudge Your selfe and to consider as on the one side a weake man so on the other a Minister of Christ whose message hee durst not but faithfully discharge to his uttermost power and at his uttermost perill Nor must I looke to fare better then the Prophets of old who complained of those who made a man an offender for a word and laid a snare for him that reprooued in the gate Yea then Christ himselfe whom the Pharisees thought to intangle in his words Yet my comfort is that a Prince so gracious so righteous so religious shall be my Iudge And if my simplicitie shall be by my captious Adversaries found worthy of censure for a word misplaced or so I shall the more willinglie undergoe their censure so as they may haue their condigne punishment according to the Law for their most perrillous Innovations In fine my last comfort is and will be that in case they shall for the present beare me downe together with so Noble a cause as this is which yet I know will in time beate all us Adversaries downe sith it is Christs owne Cause I haue been a true witnesse of Christ and a faithfull subject of Your Majestie in thus freeing mine owne soule by discharging of my duety What ever become
my course preaching upon the whole Chapter It was objected to me that therein I did contrary to the Kings Declaration To which I answered that I never take the Kings Declaration to be intended by him for the suppressing of any part of Gods truth neither durst I ever conceive a thought so dishonourable to the King at to thinke him to be an instrument of suppressing Gods truth And have I not good ground for it For in his Majesties Declaration to All his loving Subjects of the cause which mooved him to dissolue the last Parliament Published by his Majesties speciall Command his Majesty mentioning Richard Mountagues Appeale which did open the way to those Schismes and divisions which have since insued in the Church expresseth himselfe in these words we did for remedy and redresse thereof and for satisfaction of the consciences of our good people not only by our publick Proclamation call in that Book which ministred matter of offence but to prevent the like danger for hereafter reprinted the Articles of Religion established in the time of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory and by a Declaration before those Articles we did tye restraine all opinions to the sense of those Articles that nothing might be left for private fancies and innovation For we call God to record before whom we stand that it is and alwayes hath been our hearts desire to be found worthy of that title which we account the most glorious in all our Crowne Defender of the faith neither shal we ever give way to the authorising of any thing where by any innovation may steale or creep into the Church but preserve that vnity of Doctrine Discipline established in the time of Queene Elizabeth whereby the Church of England hath stood florished ever since These be his Majesties expresse words Well for all this I was suspended from my Mistery Thus when they would insnare or oppresse us they lay all the burden upon the King which how injurious and dishonorable it is to his Majesty I referre to them that are best able to judge of matters of such moment Take another instance Another time namely then when I was brought to the High Commission board at London-house about that Booke of mine formerly mentioned though they had nothing at all against mee but rayling and reviling and charging me with sedition which I retorted upon themselves whereby I put them to silence for the time yet they recovering breath one of them sayd I must to prison If I must sayd I I desire to put in baile in regard of my Ministeriall charge being within three dayes of Easter No quoth my Lord of London that then was the King hath given expresse charge for YOV that no â—ale shall bee taken for YOV No my Lord Then I desire to know by what Law or Statute of the Land you doe imprison 〈◊〉 if it bee according to Law I humbly submit my selfe Otherwise I doe here claime the right and priviledge of a Subject according to the Petition of Right Well for all this to prison I must and if I found my selfe agrieved I might bring a writ of false imprisonment To the Fleet I went where I was a prisonner twelve dayes And when they sent for me forth to make me amends they put me into the High Commission out of the frying pan into the fire But blessed be God and my King by the benefit of whose good Lawes I obtayned a Prohibition against their illegall proceedings which fetcht mee off those shelves where else with the threatned storme of their Censure I must have suffered shipwracke But now I referre it to the sad consideration of the sagest whither that which hee fathered upon the King was not a most dangerous and seditious speech tending to possesse both me and the many by-standers and consequently all the people in the Land with a sinister opinion of the Kings justice constancy in keeping his solemne Covenant with his people as in that Petition of Right Though I blesse God I could never intertaine such a thought of my King that he should utter such a word as to deny his old Servant the hanfell-benefit of his gratious hand wherewith but a little before he had signed the Petition of Right for the maintenance not onely of myne but of every good Subjects just and honest cause Take yet another instance and that also at the high Commission Court where I was attending as a poore Client or rather an Innocent at the barre waiting for my Censure There a Rule for a Prohibition for Master Prinne being cendered in Court according to the course of the Kings Lawes in that behalfe presently my Lord of London then President of the Court stands vp and flyes in the face of Master Prinne and his Prohibition with great heat of passion even almost unto fury and after many threatnings to him hee uttered these words that whosoever should dare to bring the next Prohibition hee would set him fast by the heeles This was spoken alowd in open Court Now as I conceive this did not a little reflect and trench upon the Kings honor the Lawes of the Land and the Liberty of the subject What for any man to dare with open mouth and that in open Court to out-dare the Kings just goverment of his Subjects according to his good Lawes Or upon what ground did hee thus boldly beare himselfe Vpon the King His Majesty had not long before signed â—he Petition of Right Also his Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects of the causes which mooved him to dissolve the last Parliament Published by his Majesties speciall commaund 1628. Speaking in his name that for the Parliaments full satisfaction and security Hee did by an answer framed in the forme by themselves desired to their Parliamentary Petition confirme their ancient and just Liberties and Rights which saith his Majesty Wee resolve with all constancy and justice to maintaine Whereupon then did this man dare to utter such an insolent speech Not from the King I am sure Wee have his Royall Word and Hand to the contrary And yet some perhaps might surmise that hee durst not speake thus in open Court had hee not some better ground for it than his owne desperate boldnesse Or the best Apology hee can make is that his tongue did runne before his wit and that in the flames of his passion he sacrificed his best reason and loyalty To these Instances wee will adde two or three more very remarkable and whereof wee all at this very time are eye-witnesses for they are still in acting The first is That most outragious practise of the Prelates in making havocke of the Church and of Religion by suspending excommunicating outing of Ministers from their freehold and the like because they cannot dare not read the booke for sports on the Lords day Now the Prelates and their officers herein most insolently and with a high hand proceeding neither according to Law nor
Canon upon what authority doe they goe Surely they lay all the load upon the King Why upon the King Doth the King commaund that Ministers shall read it in their Congregations No such thing The Booke Orders that it bee published in Churches but expresseth not that it bee read by the Ministers Indeed it saith Wee further wiâ—l that publication of this our Commaund bee made by order from the Bishops c. Now the publication of the Commaund differs from the reading of the Booke The commaundement may be published and yet not the Booke read Well but it pleaseth their Lordships so to extend their order Ministers must read it But they dare not doe it as being against their Consciences If not what then They must bee suspended and are By what Law or Canon That matters not their will is so But if they alledge the Kings authority as they doe where show they the King hath given them this authority to proceed so illegally and incanonically The Booke orders no such severe and wicked Censures to be inflicted upon any in that behalfe No nor yet gives the Bishops any expresse order or power at all to punish any Minister in this case And will no lesse Censure then serve the turne then suspension excommunication deprivation and the like but they are rebells against the King If so then there is a Law to punish them But how are they rebells They resist not they doe no violence to authority All disobedience is not rebellion For then Daniel and the three children had beene rebells for not obeying the Kings Commandement But the Ministers I say that refuse to read the Booke doe not therein directly disobey the King For first the Booke expresseth no such Commaundement that Ministers shall read the Booke as before Secondly no wife and honest man can ever imagine that the King should ever intend to commaund that which mainly tends to the publicke dishonour of God and his Word to the violation and annihilation of the holy commandement touching the Sabbath to the alteration of the Doctrine of the Church of England which in the Homily clearly fully grounds the sanctification of the Lords day which it calls our Christian Sabbath-day upon the fourth commaundement and conseqnently to the destruction of the peoples soules For this were against all those solemne royall Protestations of the King as where he sayth Neither shall we give way for the authorising of any thing whereby any innovation may steale or creepe into the Church but preserve that unity of Doctrine c. But the reading of this Booke by the Ministers is to bring in and that not creepingly and by stealth but by the head and shoulders as it were by a flood gate set open a mighty innovation of the unity or Doctrine concerning the Sabbath which hath beene ever since the Reformation and so from the Raigne of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory constantly universally and unanimously maintayned in the Church of England untill this late faction of Anti-Sabbatarians started up to cry downe all Sanctification all power and purity of Religion And indeed the innovation of the Doctrine of the Sabbath bring in with it an universall innovation of all Religion as experience is an eye-witnesse Therefore for certaine the King never gave authority to the republishing of this Booke in case it should any way tend to any innovation or violation of the unity of Doctrine professed and maintained in our Church Againe the profanation of the Sabbath or Lords-day which the Booke seemes to give allowance unto as in sundry sports there specified is directly against the very first Act of Parliament in the first of King Charles an auspicious beginning promising a religious and gracious Raigne where it is expressely sayd For as much as there is nothing more acceptable to God then the true and sincere service and worship of Him according to his holy will and that the holy keeping of the Lords day is a principal part of the true service of God and therefore all unlawfull exercises and pastimes are prohibited upon that day Now what are unlawfull exercises and pastimes prohibited on that day Namely not only those there specified but all other unlawfull pastimes as there it is sayd What are those By name all dancing leaping rebelling and such like in termes condemned by Imperiall Edicts Decrees of Councells writings of ancient Fathers of all learned Divines both Protestants and Papists in all ages And King Iames of famous memory in his Basilicon Doron to his Sonne hath these words Certaine dayes in the yeare would be appointed for delighting the people with publicke Spectacles of all honest games and exercises of armes as also for conveening of neighbours for intertaining friendship and heartlinesse by honest feasting and merrinesse as in making playes and lawfull games in May c. So that alwayes the Sabbaths be kept holy no unlawful pastimes be used By which words it is evident that all Sports on the Sabbaths or Lords dayes are condemned as unlawfull which yet are by King Iames allowed on other dayes Now will any say that our gracious Soveraigne the Peerelesse Sonne of so Peerelesse a Father doth herein disobey his Royall Fathers instruction as to allow May-games and the like as lawfull on the Sabbath which Hee expressely and by name forbids to bee used on that day Object But the Booke for Sports was first published in Print in K. Iames his name and therein May-games and other Sports are alowed on the Sabbath dayes Answ. It s too true But if wee consider the maner of putting forth of that booke at first we shall finde how light it is to hold waight or to preponderate that learned and judicious Booke honorably Stiled Basilicon Doron First it was procured compiled and published in time of his Majesties Progresse into Scotland when he was more then ordinarily merily disposed They that were the compilers of it for we must not thinke the Kings leasure served him to doe it for their officiousnesse Populo ut placerent God rewarded them the one not long after injoying his life the other surviving out-living both his favour place in Court Againe it was never read nor yet pressed upon any Minister to be read during King Iames his raigne which lasted six yeares after the publishing of the said Booke in Print Thirdly it was not ratified under the Kings broad Seale as publick royall Acts use to be to make them authenticall Fourthly this booke was not inserted in his royall works sent to Oxford as not sutable to be ranked among so many learned and pious workes Lastly it was never in his raigne used as a snare and engine to outt good Ministers out of their Ministry and living as it is now used by the Prelates Quest. But how came it to be revived republished K. Iames being dead and this book also having no place in his royall Workes to preserve the memory of it Answer By whose
meanes it was raked out of the Ashes I know not but this I am sure of that the republishing of it with some addition was the first remarkable worke which was done presently after the Lord of Canterbury tooke possession of his Grace-ship Which done his Grace was very zealous for the pressing of it to be read in all the Churches of his Province so as the vnwary and hasty reading of it hath caused the dignity of some to kisse the dust and the not reading of it hath cast some out of their livings by suspension yea and out of the Church too by Excommunication though blessed be God their dignity shineth the more gloriously So as the violent and furious pressing of it by the Prelates and their instruments hath proved a most pernicious snare to all the Ministers in England And though the Prelates with their Learned Doctors and heires apparent have pulled their wits broken their braines and sleep spent many precious howers and dayes and moneths in compiling and setting forth Treatises Histories Sermons and such like and all to ouerturne the fourth Commanndement with the Sanctification of the Sabbath day and so bring in Libertinisme and all profanesse into the Church thereby exposing our Religion to the reproch and scorne of the Papists themselves the learnedst of them confessing that their profanation of Holy-dayes caused their Catholick Religion to be Scorned of the very Turkes and hindred their Conversion so farre are we from all hope of converting Papist to our Religion by vsing the Liberty of our vaine and madde fooleries on the Lords Holy day which they detest on their Festivall dayes Yet all their sophistry decurtations of authorities wrestings wrangling windings contradictions vaine distinctions and bold asseverations will never be able to abide the test or yet the light when their drosse and false visard shall come to be puld off Againe besides the dishonour of God and of his word the violation of his holy Commaundement the precipice and downfall of the peoples soules into perdition and the reproch of our Religion and Ministry all which the publick reading of the Booke draweth after it the least whereof were cause sufficient to deterre stay Ministers from reading of it besides many other reasons there is one more and that of no small consequeÌ„ce which makes me treÌ„ble with the very thought of it namely that Ministers in reading this booke to the congregation should declare how the Iustices of Aâ—…s in their severall Circuits are commanded thâ—t no man to trouble or molest any in or for their lawfull recreation such as are there specified Alas then what shall Parents and Masters doe when their Sons or daughters and servants will abroade and take their liberty of Sports at least wise after evening prayer every Lords day and will stay out as long as they please when in the meane time their Parents or Masters being godly disposed would haue them to spend the time at home in the private duties of the day for the good of their soules Gladly would they restraine them but they may not dare not for feare of being brought before the Assises there to bee punished for their Sons or Servants offences And what 's the issue of this Doth it not ingender in youthes mindes too prone to run riot without a spurre contempt of their Parents or Masters being freed by the booke to follow their pastimes on the Lords-dayes after evening prayer so as they will attend upon no private family dutie either requisit for their soules or necessary about the house And though this liberty be dispensed only upon the Lords-dayes and their holy dayes yet it is sufficient to breed in them and traine them up to such a habit of contempt and so of a rebellious humour toward their Parents and Masters as they wil be ready to fly out upon all occasions they wil be contained within no bounds of their obedience Of this how many Masters do complaine but the Iustice that should bright them must for sooth punish those Masters if their servants complaine of restraint And among many other examples of youthâ—… Contempt and rebellion against their Masters and that upon the occasion of the Ministers reading of the said booke in the Congregation I will alledge one related to me in a letter by a reverend Minister of good credit so as no doubt is to be made of the truth of it In October last 1636. the said booke for Sports being publickly read by the minister one Master Hubberd of S. Stephens Parish upon the Lords day three Apprentises being present at the reading of it were so overjoyed at the Liberty dispensed in it as that they spent six shillings that same day at the Taverne concluded to run from their Masters hired horses on the Lords daye 3. weekes ensuing executed their plot rode away towards London were pursued overtaken and two of them brought home made this Confession O coÌ„sider this al ye my brethreÌ„ that have read the booke how many soules you have indangered if not destroyed hereby So as this is a trenching or rather a violent inroade upon the fifth Commandement which saith Honor thy Father and thy Mother c. Thus the reading of this booke to the Congregation teacheth them at once to breake two great Commandements in the Decalogue the last of the first Table and the first of the Second and so cutting in sunder the very sinewes not only of Religion but of all Civill Society at one blow And by this occasion what Ministers instructions Exhortations reprofes of youth in this kind will be of any authority with them when they teach them how to sanctify the Lords day according to his word how to feare God and to honour and obey their owne Parents and masters in the Lord as well upon the Lords dayes as upon other dayes Who then seeth not here a most dangerous overthrow of those two great Commaundements in the Law which are the very pillars both of Religion and of Civill Society and which be ing pulled downe the whole house must needs become a ruinous heape of all confusion And doth not this tend to the inuring and training up of all unbridled untaught and unseasoned youth by degrees to such a height of insolency as that upon some discontents or other occasions as Iesuites baites and seducements they are easily drawne to advance their rebellious lusts against those that bee higher in authority then their Masters and Parents which the Lord prevent Yet such like Souldiers trained up in such a licentiated disorderly campe as that of Venus or the Lady May in their sportfull intertainments are those like to prove who when they should fight for their King and Countrey will bee ready either to take their heeles as not knowing how to keepe ranke or because effeminate Sports and warlike encounters will not suite together Our Homily against wilfull Rebellion noteth how Rebels and Sabbath-breakers goe hand in hand together For there
namely the Sanctity of the life of the authors and prime Fathers of their Religion But as the heathen Seneca saith Qui genus jactat suum aliena jactat The Iewes were never a whit the more holy for calling Abraham Father But alasse our new Masters account those Martyrs fooles in suffering for such toyes as the denyall of the Reall Presence and the like wherein they of Rome and our new Romanists can well agree and for which they never meane to bee but to make Martyrs Come wee therefore to those usurpations of the Prelates in succeeding ages For wee meddle not with that rigidnesse and stiffenesse which hath beene used all along with all extremity against such godly and peaceable ministers whose conscience could not yeeld to that Conformity which the Law of the Land seemes to require And yet this I confesse if such bee the affinity or rather consanguinity between our Prelates and those of Rome that neither Gods Law nor mans Law nor Religion nor Conscience can containe them within those lists which humane Lawes have confined them unto but according to that Principle which they derive from their originall and that Spirit of Rome which breatheth in them they are so stroÌ„gly biassed to wheele about to their Roman mistresse as every element hath a naturall effection and inclination to its proper place and resteth not out of it and if it bee not possible for them to governe as Fathers as the Law intended but that they must needs tyrannize as Lawlesse Lords and lift themselves up in a transcendent degree above the Kings Lawes so comming betweene Him and his people as they intercept from the people that gratious influence of protection which properly and by right appertaines unto euery good Subject from his naturall Prince against all such usurping Tyrants and if they can doe no other but show what kind they come of in labouring to overthrow the true Religion to corrupt the worship of God with Superstition and Idolatry to trouble the peace of the Church to captivate mens consciences with their humane invention and their bodies with their vexatioÌ„s in persecuting God faithfull Ministers lawlessely in stopping the course of the Gospell by all the wiles and wayes which eyther the pollicy or power of man can take and if they cannot choose but hate the power of Religion and the very name of holinesse and cry against it and downe with it with might and maine because it crosseth the course of their lives and if they cannot but seeke the ruine of Christs Kingdome being altogether Spirituall and a Kingdome of righteousnesse and not of this world because their owne is of this world a Kingdome of pride and pompe a Kingdome of outward riches and glory no way sutable to the Kingdome of grace and so they cannot stand together but the one must fall and in a word if they cannot content themselves with that title of Iurisdiction which the King by his Lawes hath conferred upon them but they must needs pretend to hold it from Christ and his Apostles than which nothing is more derogatory to the honor of Christ nothing more contrary to his Word nothing more opposite to the example of Christ and his Apostles while under pretence of their jurisdiction from Christ they exercise such Lordly tyranny as the Gentiles did which Christ prohibited to his Apostles So as such a claime from Christ is blasphemous as making Christ the author of their Antichristian usurpations All these things and many more well considered I confesse were it a Law in England as it was once amongst the Locrians that whosoever would propound a new Law should come with a halter about his necke that if it pleased not the Senate the hang-man was ready to doe his office and the oportunity served I should come with an halter about my necke with this Proposition that it would please the great Senate of this Land to take into their said consideration whither upon such wofull experience it were not both more honorable to the King and more safe for his Kingdome and more conducing to Gods glory and more consisting with Christian Liberty and more to the advancement of Christs Kingly office which by usurping Prelates is troden downe that the Lordly Prelacy were turned into such a godly government as might suite better with Gods Word and Christs sweet yoake I speake not this God is record out of any base envy to their Lordly honour and Pompe which is farre beneath my envy but rather for the good of their soules Brunâ— Sigâ—inas when a Bishopricke was offered him refused it saying A Bishopricke was altogether to bee forsaken of that man that would not bee set at Christs left hand And Pope Marcellus 2 as Onuphrius relates in his life smiting his hands upon the table sayd I doe not see how they who possesse this high place can bee saved And one saith Hee who loveth primacy upon earth shall find confusion in heaven And how many doe wee read of that have some refused and others disburdened themselves of their Bishopricks Claudius Espencâ—â—â— in Timotheum Digress lib. 3. cap. 4. presents us many notable examples of pious and learned men who refused Bishopricks in good earnest and not with a counterfeit Nolo Nolâ— And our Saviour Christ saith It is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaâ—â—n But this is strange Divinity in these dayes But I speake this wishing their salvation not destruction And this by the way But according to our Text wee are professedly against all those usurpations and innovations which the Prelates of later dayes have haled in by the head and shoulders being besides and agaisnt the Law of the Land and much more against the Law of God And these innovations or changes wee may reduce to eight generall heads 1. Innovation in Doctrine 2. Innovation in Discipline 3. Innovation in the worship of God 4. Innovation in the Civill governement 5. Innovation in the altering of Books 6. Innovation in the meanes of knowledge 7. Innovation in the rule of faith 8. Innovation in the rule of manners First they have laboured to bring in a Change in Doctrine as appeareth by these instances 1. By procuring an Order from King Iames of famous memory to the Vniversities that young Students should not read our moderne learned writers as Calvin Beâ—â— and others of the reformed Churches but the Fathers and Schoolemen This I say must needs bee of the Prelates procuring it being no part of that noble Kings meaning that Schollers should bee debarred from the reading of those excellent and orthodox authors whom himselfe so much approoved and magnified both for their great learning sound judgement and religious lives For did not that excellent King give the right hand of fellowship to those reformed Churches which those authors had either planted or watered with their famous labours when hee sayd Hee would exhort all those reformed Churches to joyne with HIM in a Common Councell
the Scriptures as if it ordained any thing to the contrary but to the writing or tradition of the Scripture which among the Corinthians was in the vulgar tongue Here al that heare may hisse But what saith he to the 28. Article which condemneth Transubstantiation Surely his Reconciliation heere is at a stand For hee is forced to Say that Negare Transubstantiationem divinâ— c. To deny divine Transubstantiation in this fearefull Mystery is against the verity of Faith as it is defined in the Councels of Lateran Trent It is well then Herein in the point of Transubstantiation no Reconciliation betweene us and Trent Then what hope hath he to reduce us to Rome or to re-erect his Masse in England yes he hath one hope What is that By calling here a nationall Synod Of whom Not of those whom he calls Calvinists and Puritans who are of the Orthodox party For he sayth Deponentes secundum pristinam conversationeÌ„ verterem homineÌ„ nempe Calvinisticum qui corrumpitur c. Putting off as touching the former conversation the old man to wit the Calvinisticall which is corrupted And in his Paraphrase on the 37. Article utinam denuo c. Now I would to God that by publick authority the matter for the dignity of it Puritanis non â—ntermixtis the Puritans not intermedling or intermixt might out of an affection of revnion be throughly scanned For I know the Puritans abhorre this For they fly all communion with us and abominate us as the body of Satan and Antichrist as Cassander said of some Christians This doth Franciscus apply to the Puritans whom he would have vtterly excluded from a Synod assembled to revnite Rome and England And can ye blame him Did not the Trent-Conventicle in truth though they pretended the contrarie exclude Protestants from them And did not the Protestants being invited as warily refuse to come and that by the example of Iohn Hâ—ss when they might answere the Popes counterfet invitatioÌ„ as the Fox did the sick-Lyon refusing to visit him in his deÌ„ne Quia me vestigia terrent c. No no quoth Renâ—ld for full well I see All foot-sleps towards you none towards me Now who are those Puritans he excepts against as not to be admitted to the Synod Perhaps he may find some few Puritan tantum non in Episcopatu Bishops that are for doctrine Orthodox So also many Doctors and Divines that are Orthodox these must have noe place in his Synod And why Good reason For how els will he reconcile Romes night and our English twilight together in one League if the meridian light come betwene Or how shall Romes cold and livelesse religion have fellowship with ouâ— Lukewarme Neuters and moderate men if true Christian zeale come betwene and make an interruption Away therefore with Puritans and Calvinists out of their Synod Who then Onely peaceable and indifferent men as Ely Chichester and all other well affected to Rome and above all the Arch-Prelates as to whose definitive sentence all other Divines must vaile Bonnet captivate their judgements and therein rest themselues For these or one of them with his mighty traine is able to sweepe downe the third part of the starres of heauen But this by the way for Franciscus And to this agreeth the common cry among the Factionists and Factors for Rome that wee and they differ not in Fundamentalls Yea a great Prelate in the High Commission Court said openly at the Censure of Dr. Bastwick That wee and the Church of Rome differ not in FundameÌ„talibus but onely circa Fundamentalia Though the distinction bee absurd it being all one according to the Apostle to erre in fide circa fidem For circa fidem concerning or about faith men may make ship-wracke Yet this hee spake in defence of a little Pamphlet of one Chowne which he dedicated to his Lordship wherein hee affirmeth That the Church of Rome and wee differ not in Fundamentalibus and that the Church is one over the World whereby he would conclude our Church to be one the same with that of Rome And to this purpose is that of Dr. White in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Lords Grace of Canterbury before his discourse of the Sabbath in these words But from this which is delivered I shall intreaâ—e your Grace and all other impartiall and intelligent Readers to consider the vncharitable construction of Romish adversaries who from the rising up of some Schismaticall Spirits amongst us conclude that the maine body of our Church is Schismaticall And pag. 5. ibid. Now Schismaticall heere must needs be in relation to the Church of Rome as from which Romish adversaries object wee are Schismaticall which Dr. White cleareth and calls it an vncharitable construction of Romish adversaries So as heere is a change of our very Church and a bringing of us back to a reconciliation union with the Church of Rome as from which wee have made no such Schisme as they uncharitably charge us withall And thus will come in an universall change in all our Doctrines As in the Commencement at Cambridge not long agoe was openly maintained justification by Workes And Shelfords booke will proove justification by Charity And that the Pope is not Antichrist contrary to the resolved Doctrines of our Church in our Homilies and elsewhere As Homily against wilfull rebellion part 6. The Pope is the Babilonicall Beast of Rome c. Also the Second part of the Sermon for Whit-sunday The Pope the Devill and all the Kingdome of Antichrist And in a Prayer for private Families in the Communion-Booke by publike authority Confound Satan and Antichrist c. And Shelfords Second Treatise is to beate downe true Preaching and Pulpits for hee saith hee cannot finde a Pulpit in all the Scripture How Did the old Priest never read the 8. of Nehemiah appointed to bee read for the 27. of May wherein hee might find both a Pulpit vers 4. and Preaching vers 8 I omit many more passages in that Authour of the like nature all contrary to the expresse Doctrines of our Church according to the Scriptures And yet this Booke was licenced by the Vicechancellor of Cambridge that then was Dr. Beale and published at the very Commencement whereat my selfe then was that so it might poysonall England Adde wee hereunto another Booke intitled the Female glory By Anthony Stafford printed by authority 1635. Wherein hee mightily deifies the Virgin Mary calling her The grand white immaculate Abbesse of the Snowie Nunneries of those votaries to whom hee speakes before whom hee would have them to kneele presenting the All-saving babe in her armes with due veneration Loe heere a change of our God into a Goddesse And there hee commends the Sacred Arethmitick in praying on their beades And pag. 153. hee commends Candlem as day for the Lights burning and Masse-singing taken from the Heathen guise and converted into Christian. And That which was performed
this Kingdome that they may never prevaile against us and triumph in the ruine of thy Church and give us grace to avert these and the like judgements from us This Lord wee earnestly crave at thy mercifull hands together with the continuance of thy powerfull protection over our dread Soveraigne the whole Church and these Realmes and the conversion or confusion of all implacable enemies and that for thy deare Sons sake our onely Mediator and Advocate Thus the conclusion prayer of the Homily this Prayer of the 5. of Novem. being well weighed together we see unlesse in so praying we play the most notorious hypocrites dissemblers before God and men in what a sacred bond all the Magistrates in the Land from the highest to the lowest do ingage thēselues unto the great God of heaven earth to roote out the whole Babilonish Sect of Iesuites and Seminary Priests out of these confines limits of these Kingdomes and not to suffer them to roost here to the great dishonour of God scandall of our Religion danger to the State destruction of the soules of Gods people and of the Kings Nor this onely but if our Prelates as they plainely shew by their open practises be found to be fast friends to Rome confederates with Iesuites Priests active Agents factors for the rearing up again of that religion which is rebellion that faith which is faction cōsequētly that practise which is murdering of soules bodies for the advancing of that Babilonish antichristian sect which say of Ierusalē down with it down with it even to the ground while they labour by all wayes and wiles yea by an open Lawlesse force to beat downe the Kingdome of Christ in the Ministery of the word as too lamentable experience can witnesse and to destroy all true religion holinesse piety then how doth it concerne our Gracious King our Nobles and Magistrates of the Land to strengthen their hands with judgement justice to cut off these workers of iniquity to root them out of the confines limits of this Kingdome that they may never prevaile against us and triumph in the ruine of the Church by reducing vs under the Babylonian and Antichristian yoake againe which they labour with might and maine to effect as their notorious practises plainly tell us And how should all the Kings good people in the Land make this their dayly prayer which is publickly used once in the yeare teach it to their children that so at the least wise it may be propagated intire to all posterity so vindicated from the injury of time which our Innovators would bring upon it and never give over thus praying till it shall please God to returne a gracious answere in the fulfilling of it Yet are they not cōtent herewith but like themselves they practise the like in the last Fast-booke that contrary to the Kings expresse Proclamation which ordereth the booke for the former Fast to be reprinted and published as it followeth The third Prayer Booke which they have pitifully mangled is that which was set forth by the King for that Publick Fast in the first of his Raigne for the averting of the great Plague of Pestilence that thē devoured many thousands in this City elswhere in our Land which his late Proclamation commaundeth to bee reprinted and published and so read in Churches every Wednesday But doe they or durst they alter that Booke which the Kings Proclamation hath so lately commaunded to be reprinted and published Yes even that and that in such wise as I see not with what warrant any Minister may read it as being not according to the Proclamation Now the Alterations in the new Booke bee these In the first collect is left out this remarkable pious Sentence intirely Thou hast delivered us from Superstition and Idolatry wherein wee were utterly drowned and hast brought us into the most cleere and comfortable light of thy blessed Word by the which wee are taught how to serve and honour thee and how to live orderly with our neighbours in truth and vertty Lo here these men would not have Popery to bee called Superstition and Idolatry nor would they have the Word of God to commended as that cleare and comfortable light which teacheth us all duties to God and man Secondly that collect which begins thus It had beene the best for us c. is wholly left out in the new Booke And wot yee why Alas therein is commended the profitable use of continuall preaching the Word of God So as this collect would not have suited well with such a Fast wherein all preaching is prohibited in all places infected And in the very last page Order for the Fast these words are left out in the new Booke To avoid the inconvenience that may grow by Fasting Some esteeming it a meritorious worke others a good worke and of it selfe acceptable to God without due regard of the end c. What Doe they esteeme their Fast a meritorious worke Must the condemnation hereof bee expunged And doe they account their Fast a good worke and of it selfe acceptable to God without due regard of the end It seemes so too For the end of a true Fast is reformation of our evill wayes as the King of Nineveb proclaimed and which hee and his people performed But these men it seemeth have no such purpose propound no such end to themselves as the reformation of all their violent oppressions and outragious tyrannizing over Gods Ministers and people to the utter overthrow of Religion and setting up of Idolatry and Superstition in the worship of God which one sinne alone is enough to bring the Pestilence and all other plagues upon a Land Beside these they have guelded the Booke in sundry other particulars as in the Collects and Prayers for the Royall Progeny they have left out the mention of the Lady Elizabeth and her children expressed in the former booke They have left out the collect for the Kings Navy and for seasonable weather whereas there was never more need to pray for seasonable weather than since this fast beganne when so many tempestuous stormes and immoderate raines have beene as have indangered Ships in the very harbour Shipwrackt some of great price and caused great Floods threatning a Famine by drowning the Seed under the clods Also sundry Psalmes and Collects besides are omitted and a whole passage in the Exhortation applyable enough to the present occasion Now whither it bee for these alterations wherein both the Kings Order in his Proclamation is not observed and God is dishonoured by leaving out such our humble acknowledgements both of his mercies in delivering us from Superstition and Idolatry and bringing us into the cleare and comfortable light of his blessed Word and of our sinnes in not hearkning to His Word continually Preached unto us and the like and Gods Ministers and people are abused by having such Bookes
precedent and proofe And for this very cause were there no more Preaching was never more necessary in this City than at this time which doth so swarme with multitudes of poore who without some present competent reliefe must needs perish so would heape upon this City yet greater Sins which is ready to sinck under the heavie burthens both of Sins and Plagues I might note againe as an 8. reason that great extraordinary increase the very first weeke of the Fast together with most hideous stormes fearfull and foule weather immoderate raine ever since it began God testifying by his reviving and renewing of the Plague by the sad and black countenance of the skies and those many great losses both by Sea Land that he abhorres such a Fast as of which his very judgemēts Speak Call you this a Fast Yea also a 9. reason because according to the Prelates practise this Fast is made a meere mock Fast wherein God is mocked to the face For doe the Prelates propose this as the principall end of their Fast to breake off their violent and tyrannicall proceedings against Gods Ministers and so against the State of Religion I feare it And so long let us never look for any good issue of this Fast but rather further judgements to be powred upon the Land For these reasons I say I could wish with all my heart to be an humble Petitioner to the King who I am perswaded would speedily hearken to such a request and would certainly answere that it was never his mynd that Preaching should be in this Fast prohibited The king prohibit Preaching Noe noe we all see who they be that prohibit Preaching even those that labour tooth and nayle to Suppresse Preaching and lay snares to intrap all painfull Preachers as the pressing of the booke for Sports for instance they being not content that the booke be read by the Curate but the Incumbent himselfe must read it or els abide extremity as Suspension from his Ministry Excommunicatiō out of the Church Sequestration from his living and Ecclesiasticall meanes the great crying Sinne of this Land at this day But I will add no more So as the Ninivites shall rise in judgement against this generation for they upon occasion of Ionas preaching proclaimed a Fast and reformed their lives and their violent dealing but these men under pretence of a Fast as Iezebel did to devoure Naboths vinyard would devoure Christs Vinyard while they Suppresse the Preaching of the Word whereby men should be convinced of their Sinnes and converted from them and bring forth good fruits of the Vine and thereby harden their necks against the Lord and strengthen their hands in violence to fill up their sinnes allway The sixt Innovation is about the meanes of the knowledge of God and of the Mistery of our Salvation That may be verified of many Prelates in these dayes which Christ charged the Pharisees with all Woe be unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for yee shut vp the Kingdome of heaven against men for yee neither goe in your selues neither suffer yee them that were entring to goe in Matth. 23. 13. Which in Luke 11. 52. is expressed thus Ye take away the Key of Knowledge And doe not our Prelates thus when they hush and silence all Lectures in whole Diocesse When they suppresse and cut short Preaching all they can When they lay snares to muzzle Gods Ministers that they may not Preach When they disgrace and traduce Preaching calling it in scorne Sermonizing When they forbid Ministers to use any prayer before their Sermons but that bare and barren forme of words in the Canon wrapping all up in the Lords Prayer When they must use no Prayer at all after the Sermon but come downe and read a second or third Service at the Altar where in great Churches halfe the people cannot heare a word When they must not preach at all in the Afternoone upon the Lords dayes When they must onely Catechise for halfe an hower and that not by expounding the Principles of Religion which may well be called the Key of Knowledge which they take away but onely by the bare questions answeres in the booke teach the children like Parats so as they can never come to give a reason of their fayth with understanding When in a great City or in the Vniversities they limit all Sermons to one hower so as the heares cannot injoy the benefit of more then one Sermon a day Yea what devises have they not put in practise to put the light of Gods word vnder a bushell if not rather altogether to quench it if it were in their power What invectives are in Shelfords ad Treatise against Preaching and the peoples knowledge How doth he find fault with the Peoples desire of Sermons And pag. 47. he Sayth Our Soli Sermonists and Solifidians so they may have a Sermon or two on the Lords dayes c. And pag. 91. he allowes of Preaching with a restriction and limitation as being not fit for every Minister but for extraordinary excellent men called by God and the Church to reforme Errours abuses or to promulge to the world new Lawes Canons And againe least this should be too great a burthen to these his extraordinary men he qualifies the matter by restraining their preaching to certaine extraordinary times in the yeare pag. 94. as Easter Whit-Suntide Christmas day and to extraordinary places too as Cathedralls and for this cause pag. 93. he would have many Ministers vnfurnished of their licences especially those that preach twice every Lords day and those that are permitted to preach to be restrained to certaine times and seasons as once a Moneth at most And he gives the reason of all because the Church is now settled and therefore doth not need preaching as once it did in its infancy So he Thus they labour tooth and nayle to cry downe Preaching For saith he p. 94. Reading is the ordinary preaching ordained by God himselfe And this is that maine marke which they al shoot at to mould up all in the Lumpe of the Communion Booke and make that the Summe and Scope the very Circle of al Religion Knowledge The Seventh innovation is in the rule of faith for whereas the sole and complete rule of faith is the Holy Scripture as 2. Tim. 3. Our new Doctors cry up the dictates of the Church to wit of the Prelates to be our only guides in Divinity as in Reeves Cōmunion booke Catechisme expounded pag. 20. and 206. where all Ministers must submit to the judgement of the Prelates in all matters pertaining to religion and all Prelates must submit to the Arch-Prelate as having a Papal infalibility of spirit whereby as by a Divine Oracle all questions in Religion are finally determined And here I cannot forget a speech of the chiefest Prelate of England in the High Commission who at the censure of Doctor Bastwicke for oppugning the
bind these all-shapeturning Monsters to good behaviour May not this whole State say as that good King Iehâ—shaphat in the straites of Ierusalem Wee know not what to doe but our eyes are towards 〈◊〉 O Lord And besides all this in the last place being pulled away from the hornes of their Cathedrall Altars as not able to shelter them from their pursuers they fly as to their last refuge and most impregnable Fort as they conceive to the Kings Chappell Wherein they doe as the Fish Polypus or many-foot which gets her selfe closse to the rocke and putting on the colour of the rocke so as she seemes to be a part of it when other fishes swimme toward the rock for shelter she catches them unawares in her net-like haires or hornes So our Innovators getting closse to the King as unto the rock assimiling themselves to the manners of the Court when the fishes think to fynd shelter and protection under the Rocke they are ready with their fangs to intangle and devour them Well what say they of the Kings Chappell They plead the whole equipage furniture and fashion thereof as a patterne for all Churches There say they is an Altar there bowing towards it there Crucifixes there Images other guises And why should Subject be wiser then the King Totus componitur orbis Regis ad exemplum To this I answere 1. Why should subjects think to compare with the King in the State of his royall Family or Chappell 2ly there be many things in the Kings Chappell which were presumption to have in ordinary Churches and some things cannot be had or maintained in them as a quire of Gentlemen Singing men other Choristers which dayly sing Service in the Chappell and sundry other 3ly The worship and service of God and of Christ is not to be regulated by humaine examples but by the Divine rule of the Scriptures In vaine they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men The three children would not bow to the Kings goodly golden Image The old Christians would not so much as offer incense in the presence of Iulian the Emperors Altar and at his commaund though he propounded golden rewards to the doers and menaced fiery punishments to the denyers 4ly The externall rites and ceremonies in the Church are limited by Act of Parliament prefixed to the Communion booke and no more to be added or used in Churches Lastly Suppose which we trust never to see which our hearts abhorre once to imagine Masse were set up in the Kings Cappell is this a good argument why it should be admitted in all the Churches throughout the Realme of England But enough of this And here an end for this time and thus farre of this text which as I began so I will conclude with all My Son feare thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both FINIS * Golden sentence Invicem cedunt dolor voluptas brevior voluptas Senec. Psal. 42. 11 Psal. 2. 11. * Id est cum variantibus ac perfringentibus Dei suorumque Principum mandata denique deficientibus vita sua immorigera à reverentia Dei Regis Point 〈◊〉 Question Answer Psal. 85. 8. 1. Thess. 2. 13. * 1. King 22 Iohn 8. 39. 41. v. 42. 39. Nec quenquam senem audivi oblâ—tum quo lovo thesâ—urum abruisset Omnia quae curant menunerunt Cre. de Senectute Mal. 1. 6. Poiâ—… 2. Math. 15. 9 Phil. 3. 18. 19. Article 17. * What mâ—râ— jeared by a generation of upstarts in these dayes Galath 6. 1. Rom. 15. 1. Point 3. * Aug. De correptili gratia Cap. 9. quia non habuerunt perseuer antiam sicut non vere discipuli Christi ita nec vere filij De fuerimt etiam quando esse videbantur at itâ— vocabantur * V. 10. Reasons Rom. 8. 38. â—9 Rom. 11. * Examen * Ioh. 6. 39. 2. Ioh. 10. 11. * Dr. Corbet Chancellor to the Bp. of Norwiâ—h Mr. Greenhill an eminent Minister coming to him with another Minister in humble manner to desire absolution from excommunication for the refusall of conformity to their new rites said unto him in a great head of passion that if hee had the power as hee desired he would Pistoll him ‡ As Master Buck in his Sermon at Norwich inveighing against the Puritans said If a cup of cold water had a reward much more a cup of blood As Dr. Corbet said to Mr. Powell a Minister who refused to read the booke for sports That were it not for a point in the common law he deserved to bee hang'd drawne and quartered †Iustum tenacem Propositi virum non civium ardor Pravâ— Iubentium non vultus instantis Tyranni mente quaâ—it solida Horat. * 1. King 18. 18. 2. King 3. 14. ‡ Zozoâ— Hist. l. 5. Cap. 4. * It was in old time when some Bishops were content to bee poorevita S. Wilfredi See Caml Remaines Wisespeeches p. 183. Act. 7. †Bono probari malo quam multis malis Ausonius Lu. 12. 4. 5. Revel 12. 4 * Prosperâ—… ac fâ—…lix scelus virtus vocatur Senec si malâ— res cessit licet optima male tamen audit Rom. Gen. 11. 6. Turpiu◠〈◊〉 grâ—…â—â—icitur quam non admittâ—tur â—espes Virgil. Eglog Sic cantbâ—â— carulos similes sio matribus hoedos Noram sic parvu componere magna solebam * See Shelforts Sermons and Dr. Pockl. Sunday no Sabbath And others * Matt. 13. 25. * See the Homily of the place time of Prayer part 2. Where these words are Finally Gods vengeance hath beene and is dayly provoked because much wicked people passe nothing to resort to the Church either for that they are so sore blinded that they understand nothing of God and godlinesse and care not with divellish example to offend their neighbours or â—ls for that they see the church altogether scoured of such gay gazing sights as their grosse fantasy was greatly delighted with because they see the false religion abandoned the true restored which seemeth an unsavory thing to their unsavorly tast as may appeare by this that a woman sayd to her neighbour Alas Gossip what shall we doe at Church since all the Saints are taken away since all the goodly sights we were wons to have are gone since we cannot heare the like piping singing chanting and playing upon the Organs that wee could before But dearely beloved wee ought greatly to rejoyce and give God thanks that our Churches are delivered out of ALL those things which displeased God so sore and filthily defiled his holy house and his place of prayer for the which hee hath justly destroyed many nations according to the saying of Saint Paul If any man defile the Temple of God God will him destroy And this ought wee greatly to prayse God for that such Superstitious and Idolatrous manners as were utterly
against his King or lifted up a hand against his Sacred Person But wee can fill large volumes of Examples if need were of Iesuites Priests and Prelates that have beene notorious traitors to their Emperours and Kings and some of them that have laid violent hand upon the Lords anointed And howsoever they cry thiefe first and their cry being lowder prevailes most especially being ushered in with the very name of Puritan as of old the very name of Christians was crime enough yet they which thus abuse the eares of pious Princes both by base flattery and mallicious traducing of good men the Kings good Subjects unto His Majestie incensing him against them that so they may more easily worke their owne mischievous ends these will be found to bee the great theeves as will appeare by that which now followeth in these words And meddle not with them that are giuen to change These words are an admonition to all that feare the Lord and the King not to meddle with them that are given to change that is not to have fellowship or partnership with them as before was opened The point we learne hence is That the true servants of the Lord subjects of the King ought not to joyne with those that are given to change whither it bee in the State of Religion or of the Common-weale This is confirmed first with sundry places of Scripture As Prov. 22. 28. Remove not the ancient Land-marke which thy Fathers have Set. This alludes as Divines interprit to the alteration of the State of the true Religion of good Laws So Eccl. 10. 8. Who so breaketh an hedge a Serpent shall bite him An hedge is a bounder or fence betweene man and man This is forbidden with a curse Deutr. 27. 17. And the Princes of Iuda were reprooved as those That remooved the Bound to wit of the Lawes Hose 5. 10. Which Zanchie expounds as the other And the Ordinary Glosse expounds it of Trelates which would be accounted Princes that remoove the bounds that is Preach other doctrine then they have received from the Apostles So as the Doctrines of the Apostles are the ancient Bounds which must not bee remooved Now with Innovators such as feare the Lord and the King must not meddle nor pertake and that for sundry waighty reasons 1. Because the accessory is equall with the principall both in fact and punishment As Obad. 11. Edom is as deepely charged as the Heathen actors for but looking on while they spoiled his brother Iacob and took no compassion on him much les ayded him against his enemies And in our Law misprison of Treason that is concealement of it is punishable as treason So when wee see wicked men goe about by their Innovation to undermine and overthrow the State of Religion and of the Common-weale if wee be silent and doe not detect them nor labour to defeate them but out of a base feare hold our peace when the State of things cal upon us to speak we shal be found guilty before God though the State take no notice of it of the same Sinne with them and so pertake of the like punishment 2. Because Innovation of Religion and the Republike is and ever hath beene held dangerous to a State especially when the change is for the worse As 1. in point of civill government to change a Kingdome setled on good Lawes into Tirany is very dangerous And ever States have beene wary hereof Insomuch as the Locrians ordained that who so would moâ—ion a nâ—w Law should come with an halter about his necke that is it were not liked hee should be hanged in his halter And it was the speech of Heraclitus Ephesius That Citizens ought to fight no lesse for their Lawes then for their walls Because a City may stand without walls but without Lawes it cannot For a State can no more stand without good Lawes as it were the Soule of it then the body can live without the soule Lycurgus therefore to preserue his Lawes unto perpetuity covenanted with his Citizens that they should alter nothing till his returne whereupon he voluntarily became a perpetuall exile from his Countrey Aristotle compares changes in a State which at first seeme but small and insensible to the expenses of a howse and the wasting of a mans substance by little and little which in a short time consumes all And in his Third Booke ibid. Shewing the difference betweene a King and a Tyrant hee saith The Citizens defend with Armes their King but Strangers a Tyrant For Kings doe rule according to Law and over willing Subjects But Tyrants against their wills So as Kings have a Guard of their people but Tyrants against them So hee Whereby we see the usefulnesse of good Lawes as combining King and peoples as the head and members Secondly in point of Religion A notable example hereof we have in Deut. 13. Where if Sonnes of Belial have drawne a City of Israel to Idolatry upon the inquiry of the Truth all Israel is to smite the Inhabitants of that Citie with the sword destroying utterly all therein both man and beast with the edge of the sword and the whole City with all the spoile therein shall be consumed with Fire and made a heape for ever that so Israel may be guiltlesse and blessed of God So for all Ieroboams policy which yet to carnall judgement seemed very subtily and safe for his Kingdome the erecting of his Calues proved the bane of his House and Kingdome for ever And the like ruine fell upon Ierusalem afterward with the Babilonian Captivity for 70. yeeres And the cause was partly changing of the Lawes whereof before and partly and especially changing of Religion as these two changes goe commonly hand in hand together So Iere. 2. 36. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way So vers 11. Hath a Nation changed their Gods which yet are no Gods But my people have changed their glory for that which doeth not profit And Esay puts all together Saying The earth is befiled under the Inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Lawes changed the ordinance broken the Everlasting Covenant Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth and they that dwell therein c. Innovation in Religion breeds oftentimes troubles and distractions especially after a long settling And for this cause the first Reformers of our Religion were very tender of settling such an exact reformation in all things as perhaps they desired As the Lord Cromwell having set forth the Psalter in English with omission of the Letany there was such discontent about it as hee was forced to put it in againe Some indulgence must be given According to that observation of Beatus Rhenanus upon Tertullian it was needfull saith hee in ancient times to give indulgence to Christians in many things who commonly when they were old were converted from Paganisme to our Religion with great difficulty relinquishing
thosethings unto which throughout their whole life they had bene accustomed So he And although but a few Ceremonies were retained and so limited by Act of Parliament yet old Doctors popishly affected doe so doate upon their humane inventions and their old mother of Rome her superstitions that they cannot bee in quiet till res novas moliendo they may set up Popery againe in her full equipage though thereby they hazard not only the peace and welfare of the State which every good Patriot ought to bee more tender of then of his owne life but themselves too as followeth in the next reason For thirdly its dangerous to meddle with these Novellers because such doe bring commonly an old house upon their owne heads and so consequently upon them that joyne with them First upon themselves Ecel 10. 8. Hee that diggeth a pit shall fall into it and who so breaketh an hedge a Serpent shall bite him So Hos. 5. 10. Princes of Judah were like them that remoove the bound therefore will I powre out my wrath upon them as water And Esay 29. 16. Surely your turning of things upside downe shall be esteemed as the Potters clay What befell Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16 What Achitophel What Absolom And not only the principall actors but the fautors and complices such as partake with them are served with the same sawce the same punishment Therefore Moses warneth the people to avoid not to come neere the tents of those rebels least they be swallowed up with them As the voyce from heaven warnes Gods people to come out of Babylon saying Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receive not of her Plagues It is historied of Tarquinius Superbus that because hee went about to turne the Regall governement into a Tyranny and so committed many outrages the Romans for that cause banished the very name of Tarquinius out of their dominions And King Iames doth in two words excellently expresse both the nature and event of such as would turne the Regall goverment established upon good lawes into a lawlesse Tyranny by terming them as was touched before Vipers and Pests Vipers eate through their dams belly and Pests the Pestilence destroyeth not onely the house where it is but all that adjoyne unto it And Esay saith They hatch Cocatrice egges and weave the Spiders webbe hee that eaâ—th of their egges dieth and that which is crushed breaketh out into a Viper Nothing but destruction and calamity is in their paths The Spiders webbe is to catch the flyes And notwithstanding the Spider loves to be in Princes Palaces as Salomon sayth where shee may fasten her netts on high and bee out of the reach of the broome Yet as the Lord saith though they make their nest as high as the Eagle in the rocks or among the Starres thence will hee bring them downe All Hamans Cobwebbs could not preserve him from his owne gallowes but make a halter for him And the calamity and ruine of these innovators is described in the 22. verse first by the suddainenesse unexpectednesse of it for their calamity shall rise suddainly 2. By the manner of it shall rise as it were from beneath them whereas their heighth seemes to secure them from all danger as trampling all under their feet and who shall be able to bring them downe yet by that which seemes to them most contemptible shal they fall from that which is below them shall their calamity arise as we see Hamans did froÌ„ Mordechai whom he so scorned 3. By the certainty of it It shal arise there is no preventing of it and 4. By the efficient causes of it And who knoweth the ruine of them both where as was opned before ruine actively understood as noting whence it cometh namely from them both to wit both from God and from the King as in the former verse who shall both jointly bring ruine upon those that bee given to change As we see in the example of Haman whom God did ruine by so ordering the Kings heart and so disposing of things as all conspired thereunto For the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whither soever he will Histories furnish us with infinit examples in this kind but this suffice A fourth reason why good Christians and subjects should not meddle with them that be given to change is because they feare not God but are enemies unto him For here wee see how these are set in opposition to those that feare God My sonne feare thou the Lord and meddle not with them that are given to change implying that they which are given to change doe not feare the Lord. And yet who make fairer pretence in their kind of way of Religion devotion and the feare of God How holy would they seeme to bee in their new guise of devotion and in a curious formality and punctuall observance of their holy rites as in a lowly bowing at the name Iesus in an humble adoration to the Altar in standing bolt upright at the Gloria Patri and at the Gospel and the like Would not the world believe these men to be very regular very religious deuout holy Surely if true religion and holinesse stood in outward rites of mans devising and in false showes and will-worship in a kind of Courtship in a complement in a Congee in making of a legge in bowing of the body or the like these were very religious men And ignorant persons who are not able to judge of colours take them to bee so and have them in great admiration But bring these counterfeit coynes to the touch and by and by they are discovered And the touch is Gods Word which saith In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines the Commaundements of men Yea if we compare their showes of devotion to their other practised there need no other triall to discover them They pretend great love and reuerence to Iesus while they are so zealous and devout for bowing to his Name and so to their Altar as who so refuseth to doe it Minister or people must bee excommunicated Pious men sure But while they pretend such extraordinary respect to Iesus and persecute and crucify Christ in his Ministers and members also in his Word and the Ministry of it by labouring tooth and nayle to oppresse and overthrow it and in the power of religion by crying downe all true piety and in the worship of God by corrupting it with their Superstitious and Idolatrous rites and so trampling under their feet Christs Kingdome that they may set up Antichrists throne againe If this bee piety if this holinesse then is Popery piety and Superstition holinesse as they would faine make it as wee shall see anone But all their holinesse is but Pope-holinesse The last reason why we may not meddle or partake with these men is because they are also enemies to the King