say that the Scriptures are so hard and obscure that although people were permitted to read them in their mother tongue yet they could not possibly understand them and therfore it boots not at all to do so Now against this Tenet of theirs we enforce this place arguing thus Christ in the former verses affirmed his Apostles to be not only the sale of the earth but also the light of the world and in this verse shewes how absurd a thing it is to light a candle and then to put it under a Bushell and how usefull it is to put it into a candlestick because so it gives light to all that are in the house But if the writings of the Apostles be obscure then we must of necessity confesse that the light is hid under a bushell and is not seen by those in the roome Now if this be absurd then let the Pastists acknowledge it an absurd opinion to think the Scriptures obscure and rather affirme them to be perspicuous and plain yea not only perspicuous and clear to the understanding of some but to all who are in the house that is to all the faithfull Briefly if the Gospell be like a lighted candle which is put into a candlestick and gives light to all who are in the house then it is perspicuous and clear to the whole houshold but the former is true from this verse therefore also the latter c. Were not our Prelates wholly Popish and Romes sworne Vassals who could not endure to have such passages as these passe freely through our Presses without a Romish purgation and do not these bad fruits discover how rotten their hearts how corrupt their judgements were 70. Passages blotted out against Transubstantiation and Christs Corporall presence in the Eucharist IN Dr. Clerk's Sermons page 229. l. 21. after these words not dye at all should follow this deleted cause God is the creator 't is hee John sayes made all things the Popish Priest sayeth he can by certaine words said in the Sacrament make his maker create Christ incarnate him again turne bread into Christs body And in Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew p. 380. Wine and bread cannot be both in the Sacrament corporally and substantially as the Papists teach But of this subject you have heard much before we shall not therefore here enlarge our selves any further 71. A notable clause deleted concerning the Toleration of Popish Priests and Divines preaching against it IN D. Featlie's Clavis Mystica p. 175. this notable passage is purged out by the Archbishops Chaplaine Now though toleration of different Religions falleth in some respects within the compasse of the mysteries of state which cannot be determined in the Schools but are fittest to be debated at the Councel Table yet considering the preheminence the Law of God hath above the law of men and the dangerous consequence of an ill resolution of the state in this point which may tend to the ruine of many thousand soules certainly the States-man is not to begin but where the Divine ends in a deliberation of this nature For first it is to be enquired Whether bearing with a false Religion be a thing justifiable by the rules of true Religion whether the God of Heaven permit any permission of blasphemy against himselfe or heresie against his true worship And in case that God dispence with some kind of toleration of errours and abuses for some time to prevent a greater mischiefe the Councell of state is to enquire whether the condition of the present state be such that the onely meanes to suppresse heresie is for a while to let it grow as also whether the cockle can be cleane weeded out without the spoile of much good corne If the Grecians never undertook any matter of great consequence before they received answers from their Oracles neither the Jews before they consulted with God by the Ephod nor the Romans priusquam de coelo servatum esset before they had the approbation of their south-sayers doubtlesse all Christian estates are to expect either a command or at least a warrant from Scripture before they proceed in matters so neerly concerning God and his service otherwise they goe about to set the sunne by the dyall not the dyall by the sunne alter the house to the hangings whereas all good Governours should be like good Pylots qui manum ad clavum oculos habent ad astra who have their eye upon the starres or Câ—rd and hand upon their helme that is they ought according to the direction from heaven to steere their course 72. Passages expunged against Veniall sinnes IN Doctor Clerk's Sermons page 295. l. 16. after Lotteries the Licenser hath deleated these words All sinnes ventall ventall I would say there yea as a Romish Riball shamed not once to say though a man had layen with our Lady And page 333. l. 22. after these words A petty sunne should follow nor ever heard I of vice in a Diminutine but onely in a Papist Lindan hath Levicula vitiola substantive and adjective abated both In Master Ward 's Comentary on Matth. 5. ver 19. page 105. One of the least Commandements this discourse is rased out Are all sinnes mortall are not some Veniall First some sinnes are called veniall possibilitate because there is a possibility that they may be pardoned and they are thus called in opposition to those mortall sinnes which cannot possibly be forgiven as finall impenitency totall apostacy and the sinne against the Holy ghost Heb. 64. 10. 26. Secondly some sinnes are called veniall facilitate because they are more easily and usually forgiven and they are thus called in opposition to those sins which are scarcely or seldome pardoned as swearing and the idolatry of covetous men which are seldome truly repented of Thirdly some sinnes are called veniall promissione because they have a promise of pardon and thus all the sinnes of the righteous children of God are called veniall Fourthly some sinnes are called veniall vera estimatione because they deserve not death nor condemnation And in this sense we deny any sinnes to be veniall because every transgression of the Law is mortall yea hence Bellarmine confesseth that they are not properly sinnes because they are preter legem non contra besides the Law not contrary to the Law and therefore we should not presume because our sinnes are small but feare because they are many the smalnesse of them having been a meanes to hinder us from turning from them or repentig of them and also to multiply and encrease the number of them Ibidem written copy page 334. Object Therefore some sinnes are veniall some mortall Answ First neither an Eagle nor an Elephant will catch at flyes and therefore it becomes not so great and learned a Scholler as Bellarmine is to catch and snatch at these flyes and moats 73. Passages rased out concerning our effectuall Vocation THis whole discourse is obliterated in Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew 22. ver 14. Many are
endeavours to subvert the rights of Parliament and auncient Course of Parliamentary proceedings and by false and malicious slanders to incense his Majesty against Parliaments contained in the 14. Originall and 1. 9. 10. Additionall Articles The first Specificall branch of the Charge against the Archbishop touching his Trayterous endeavours to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established among us to introduce Popish Superstition and Idolatry in liew thereof and to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome by severall stepps and practises with the copious evidences produced to manifest the same at his Tryall THE true Religion by Law established being that which is most pretious claiming proceedency of all other sublunary things in respect of its owne intrinsicall Excellency that which is nearest and dearest to every conscientious Christian the undermining and alterations where of doth most concern and reflect upon the Archbishop in respect of his calling as a Minister of his Ecclesiasticall dignity as an Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of all England and of the speciall trust reposed in him by his Majesty who wholly committed the care of Religion of all Church affaires within his Dominions to this Arch-Prelates Care mannaging and his Charge concerning the Alteration and subversion of it being that which he most of all openly protested against both in the beginning proceeding conclusion of his long Tryall and on the very Scaffold at his death we shall begin with the Commons evidence given in against him concerning his endeavours practises to alter and subvert the same and introduce Popish superstition and Idolatry into our Church Wherein notwithstanding all his specious pretences confident Protestations reiterated deep Asseverations of his Innocency of his cordiall syncerity to the true Protstant Religion wherewith he hath deceived many over-credulous people we doubt not but upon the perusall of the various evidences against him in this particular he will appeare the most desperat cunning violent palpable underminer corrupter alterer subverter of the true reformed Religion by Law established in our Churches of one who professed himselfe a reall Protestant and zealous maintainer of the same that ever was yet heard of in the Christian world Prisca parem nescit aequalem poster a nullum Exhibitura dies He alone by his policies and power corrupting undermining our Religion advancing Popery more in the few yeares of his Predominency then the Pope with all his Consederates both at home and abroad could doe in almost fourescore yeares before by all their Plots and Potency as shall be irrefragaly demonstrated by his Actions which cry louder and give in stronger evidence against him then all his fraudulent verball protestations or printed funerall Orations can doe for him His Charge concerning the Alteration and subvertion of Religion laid downe in the Articles consists of these two generall Members First That he hath Trayterously endeavoured to subvert Gods true Religion by Law Established in this Realme and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Jdolatry Secondly That he hath Trayterously and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome The latter of these is but the issue of the former the first in projection but the last in execution and the proofe of the one an indubitable evidence of the other which shall be prosecuted in their Order The evidence to prove the first generall branch of his Charge concerning the alteration ub version of Religion THe Archbishop in his Speech in Justification of his Innocency and sincerity in matters of Religion made at the Lords Barre at the entrance of his Tryall most peremptorily challenged all that was betweene Heaven and Hell justly to tax him in any one particular savoring either of Popish superstition or Idolatry But on the contrary the Committee of the House of Commons might more justly have challenged him in their entring upon his Charge to nominate any person whether Prelate Minister or Laick in any age professing himselfe a Protestant who during his aboad on earth twixt Heaven and Hell was so guilty so peccant in this nature as they shold undeniably manifest him to be wherefore if they allotted him any place at or after his death but Hell it selfe it must be either a Popish Purgatory or such a middle place as some Papists assigne to that Newter Erasmus betwixt Heaven and Hell perchance some losty Gibbet or Pinacle in the Ayre whereon his Head and Quarters might be hanged up for a lasting Monument of his Treason in this kind which they manifested him to be guilty of by these ensuing particular evidences First by his endeavours to set up and introduce all kind of Popish superstitious Idolatrous ornaments furniture ceremonies in our church formerly cast out of it upon the reformation In pursuit whereof they first trailed this Romish Fox to his own Kennel at Lambeth where having unkenneled they chased him from thence by his hot Popish sent to the Kings own royall Chapel at Whitehal Westminster Abby from thence to the Vniversities of Oxford and Cambridge from thence to Canterbury Winchester and most other Cathedralls in England and from them to our Parish Churches and Chapels all which he miserably defiled corrupted with Popish superstitious Crucifixes Altars Bowings Ceremonies Tapers Copes and other Innovations To begin with his owne Kennel at Lambeth We shall first lead you by the hand into his publike Chapell there a place devoted to Gods worship and evidence what Popish Superstitious Pictures Vtensils Vestments Ceremonies Innovations he there introduced and constantly practised since his instalment in the Archbishopricke of Canterburie never heard off in any his Predecessors dayes since the beginning of reformation in King Edward the 6th and Queene Elizabeths reignes First we shall manifest what Idolatrous superstitious Popish Pictures were there newly repaired furbished erected by him in this Chappell to the great scandall of our Religion and encouragement of Papists in their Idolatry contrary to our Statutes Articles of Religion Homilies Jnjunctions Writerâ— the established Doctrine of our Church wherein the matter of fact stands thus In the beginning of Reformation by vertue of the Statute of 3. and 4. Ed. 6. c. 10. for the abolishing defacing and putting away of divers Bookes and Jmages then standing in any Church or Chapell of the severall Homilies against the Perill of Jdolatry then published by Authority of Queen Elizabeths subsequent Jnjunctions given by her as well to the Clergy as Laity of this Realme by the advise of her most honourable Councell in the first yeare of her Raigne for the advancement of the honour of Almighty God and suppression of superstition throughout her Realmes Injunction 2. 3. 23. 25. and Articles of inquiry thereon Artic. 2. 45. which enjoyned All Pictures Paintings Images and other monuments of Idolatry and superstition to be utterly extinct removed abolished and distroyed so that there remaine no memory of the same in
dishonourable scandalous and offensive act which would scandalize and disgust all his wel-affected protestant Subjects dishonour his owne royall Father King James our Parliaments Church State who all authorized approved used this prayer for thirty yeeres space together encourage Papists Priests Jesuits to such like horrid treasons and exceedingly animate elevate the popish faction causing them to deride if not to insult over the Protestants and our Church which must now alter retract her own approved Collects to gratifie them and their Antichristian Religion But so farre is he from this that he readily obeyes the first command without the lest disswasion resistance without advising with or giving notice thereof to any other of his Brethren the Privy-Counsell Judges and other publike persons as much concerned in it as himselfe to whom he ought to have given notice and asked their leave at least opinions herein ere he obeyed the King though not Master Burtons and Master Prynnes being more ready to obey than his Majesty to command them Finally admit his Majesty had commanded him to make these alterations yet for him in his owne cause in an open Court of Justice where by Law he ought not to have been present or spoken as a Judge to lay all the Odium of these alterations with all his other Innovations in Religion only on his Majesty to render him odious to his people to cloke his own shame extenuate his own guilt and then to publish it in print to all the World to his perpetuall dishonour when there was no necessity and that by pretext of his Majesties speciall command was such a disloyalty and transcendent aggravation of his crime as no age can paralell no punishment expiate but that which the Gunpowder Traytors justly suffered Besides this after the publication of his â—peech in Star-chamber he specially imployed Doctor Heylin to iustifie these alterations to the world in print in his Moderate Answer to the seditious and scandalous chalenges of Henry Burton as he stiles them written by his * speciall command and licensed by his Chaplaine p. 150. to 157. and ordered Christopher Dowe to second him herein in his Innovations unjustly charged upon the present Church and State p. 136 to 14â— where thus he writes Secondly I say that the alteration of those Prayers being done by the same authority that first set them forth it is neither for him nor me nor anyother of inferiour ranke to question them but with humble reverence to submit to their judgements and to think them wiser and farre more fit to order those things that belong to then places than we whom it neither concernes nor indeed can know the reasons that move them either to doe or alter anything But more particularly that which he objecteth against the former is that they would not hereby have all Jesuits and Papists termed a Babylonish and Antichristian Sect but restraine it to some few of them and mentally transferre it to those Puritanes who cry downe with Babylon that is popery But what then what if out of a charitable respect to those which in that Religion are peaceable and honest men as no doubt but some of them whatsoever Master B. beleeves of them are such they are not willing nor think it fit to pray for the rooting up and confusion of all Papists indiscriminatim under those harsh termes surely charitably minded Christians cannot but approve such an alteration if there were no other ground than that for it As for any mans transferring it to Puritanes that is as meer a surmise as it is a false slander that any of those whom he intimates doe call Rome Jerurusalem or Popery the true Catholique Religion Yet I know not why such furious cryers downe of popery as Master B. hath shewed himselfe may not be accounted of a Baby lonish and Antichristian Sect as well as any Jesuit in the world nor why we may not pray and that with better reason than Master B. would have men to doe and under those titles against the Hierarchy of our church that God would root them out of the Land c. Wherein he makes zealous opposers of popery those the world then stiled Puritanes more dangerous persons and fitter to be rooted out of the Land as a Babylonish Antichristian Sect than papists or Jesuits Now thus to justifie this alteration in so daring impudent a manner in favour of popery priests Papists Jesuits what a transcendent crime it is and of what a rotten popish spirit it savours let all impartiall persons determine The third purgation made by himselfe discovering the hidden popery of his heart is his purging out this notable clause against popery in the first Collect of the publike book of prayers appointed at the generall Fast for ceasing the Plague in the yeere 1636. Thou hast delivered us from Superstition and Idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and hast brought us into the most cleare and confortable light of thy blessed Word by which we are taught how to serve and honouor thee and how to live orderly with our Neighbours in truth and verity The King by his Proclamation Anno 1636. commanded that the Booke of prayers for the Fast formerly set forth by authority should be reprinted re-published and likewise used in all Churches and places at the publike meetings during this Fast The Arch-bishop instead of re-printing the book formerly set forth by authority purgeth this clause out of it in the new impression though used in the Fast-books upon like occasions in Queen Elizabeths and King James their severall reignes and in that of 1. Caroli and that upon these very grounds which should have moved him to retaine it still had his heart been upright or sincere to God and our Religion because it layes a just censure and blemish upon popery by stiling it superstition and idolatry and thankfully recites Gods goodnesse to us in delivering us from Popish superstition and idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and bringing us into the most cleare and comfortable light of his holy Word by which we are taught how to serve and honour him c. A clause so pious so just and equitable that it is almost a miracle how any but a most inveterate Papist could except against it yet this Arch bishop is so irreconcileably angry with it that it must be wholy obliterated and quite omitted out of this new impression and that without any speciall order or command from his Majesty which he pleaded for the former alterations in the Gunpowder-treason book or any suggestion from Papists Priests or Jesuits who were scandalized with it for he doth not so much as pretend any such thing in his justification of this purge but by his owne papall authority contrary to his Majesties Proclamation out of his own metro popish genius which perswades us that the former alcerations in the book for the fift of Novem. proceeded originally from himself too as well as this however he would translate it to the
yet be expresly prohibited to pray for the Queens conversion in particular to whom we have so neere relation the want of whose conversion hath brought so many mischiefs wars on our Church and Kingdomes Certainly this was an Act of the greatest impiety that ever was committed by any christian Prelat if he really beleeved the Queen to live in a false Religion and may justly brand him for an Atheist being diametrally contrary to Gods precept 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made FOR ALL MEN for Kings and ALL THAT ARE IN AVTHORITY that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty Therefore he must needs beleeve her popish Religion to be the true ours the false else he would have encouraged rather then prohibited Ministers to pray for her conversion unto us and our Religion whom it seems by this inhibition he would have converted to her and hers Thirdly this inhibition manifests at the least that the Archbishop was a very cordiall friend servant not onely to her Majesties person but her popish Religion too that he desired her un-interrupted continuance in it without the least opposition not onely by way of dispute but prayers too Fourthly this publike prohibition in his own Metropoliticall visitation was of it self a great encouragement to a strong confirmation of her Majesty and all the popish party in their false Religion giving them great advantages to seduce others to it as the true because this Injunction intimated it to be the true Religion wherein they might safely persevere But did this Prelate stop here only openly to inhibit men thus to pray for her Majesties conversion No verily for both before and after this he imprisoned questioned and censured some in the High Commission for such prayers Master Bernard as we proved formerly was questioned censured in the High Commission as a grand offender for such a Prayer Master Hugh Peter was apprehended by a Pursevant imprisoned for a time in the New-prison silenced here from his Ministry and forced into Holland by the Arch-bishop onely for praying at Sepulchers Church for the Queen in these words That as shee came into a Goshen of safety so the light of Goshen might shine into her soule that shee might not perish in the day of Christ as himselfe and sundry others will depose But we shall insist onely on two other instances in the High Commission The first is one Master William Jones a Gloucestershire Minister who as Master Prynne attested upon oath was brought into the High Commission Anno 1636. and there prosecuted by the Arch-bishops meanes for not reading the Booke of Sports and for praying thus for the Queen in his Pulpit to God To shew unto the Queene the light of Goshen and to bring her to his true worship What worship said the Arch-bishop to him as if her popish worship were Gods true worship Nor did he onely persecute and trouble Ministers thus for praying for the Queens illumination and conversion to Gods true worship but likewise for praying to God to keep the Prince from the infection of popery witnesse the case of one Master John How Minister of Loughborough in the County of Leicester who on the sixth day of November 1634. as was proved by the Register book of the High Commission Court there produced and read was censured in that Court where the Archbishop was chiefe Judge and Dominus fac totum attached committed during his Majesties pleasure suspended from the execution of his Ministry and every part thereof fined five hundred pounds to the Kings use ordered to make a submission to the Court and condemned in expences and costs of suit onely for praying but once in the Pulpit That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery whereof there was great cause to feare for that as was alleaged these words did much derogate from his Majesties known approved Religious care in maintaining propagating the true Religion here established professed within this Realme and caused a causelesse jealousie of the education of the young Prince his Sonne in the popish Religion When as he onely intended it of the danger of his education in respect of the Queen his Mother and those many seducing Priests Papists then about her who by many policies devices endeavoured as much in them lay to draw him to and educate him in the popish Religion it being provided by the sixteenth Article of the Kings marriage with France That the children which shall by reason of the said marriage be borne and live shall be nurst and brought up NEER THE SAID LADY AND QUEEN from the time of their birth untill they come to the age OF FOURTEEN YEERS In respect whereof there was great cause to feare the Princes infection by and seducement unto Popery without Gods extraordinary mercy and therefore great need of our frequent prayers to prevent it His rigorous proceedings therefore against these Ministers on the one hand for praying for the Queens illumination with and conversion to our Religion and his severe censuring them on the other hand for praying That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery compared with his intimacy favour with the Queen his redinesse to serve her Majesty upon all speciall services and commands are a most pregnant evidence not onely of his conusance of but powerfull concurring assistance in promoting this grand dangerous designe of introducing Popery and reconciling us to the Church of Rome And that which may further satisfie your Lordships and the world herein is his extraordinary dignifying of Queen Maries his depressing King Edward the sixth his Reigne in his very Preface to the new Statutes compiled by him for the Vniversity of Oxford the Originall whereof was produced and this clause read out of it Edwardo sexto ad clavem sedente novo sundatum est molimine c. Prascribente Rege lenocinante NOVITATE primo visum opus admitti c. Paulo post potiente rerum Maria sub Cardinalis Poli auspicijs idem recruduit labor Novae exindè data leges sed pari cum prioribus angustiâ Interim tamen inter incerta vacillans Statuta viguit Academia colebantur studia enituit Disciplina OPTANDA TEMPORUM FAELICITATE Tabularum defectum resarcivit innatus Candor quicquid legibus deerat Moribus suppletum est Decurrente temporum serie vitijs legibus pariter laboratum est In which passage he brands King Edwards dayes of Reformation with Flattering Novelty applauds Queen Maries under the government of Cardinall Pool as those wherein the University of Oxford did most eminently flourish in learning Discicipline manners and magnifies the desirable felicity of those times under another Qu. Mary of the same Religion depressing Queen Elizabeths reign and her successors as more abounding with vice and more defective of good laws and government in our Oxford University at least then Queene Maries This
hath wickedly and traiterously advised His Majestie that he might at his owne will and pleasure leavie and take money of his Subjects without their consent in Parliament and this hee affirmed was warrantable by the Law of God 2. Hee hath for the better accomplishment of that his traiterous designe advised and procured Sermons and other discourses to be preached printed and published in which the Authoritie of Parliaments and the force of the Lawes of this Kingdome have beene denyed and absolute and unlimited power over the persons and estates of His Majesties subjects maintained and defended not onely in the King but in himselfe and other Bishops against the Law And he hath beene a great protector savourer and promoter of the publishers of such false and pernicious opinions 3. Hee hath by Letters Messages Threats and promises and by diverse other wayes to Judges and other Ministers of justice interrupted and perverted and at other times by meanes aforesaid hath endeavoured to interrupt and pervert the course of Justice in His Majesties Courts at Westminster and other Courts to the subversion of the Lawes of this Kingdome whereby sundry of His Majesties Subjects have been stopt in their just suits deprived of their lawfull righte and subjected to his tyrannicall will to their ruine and destruction 4. That the said Archbishop hath traiterously and corruptly told ustice to those who have had causes depending before him by colour of his Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as Archbishop High Commissioner Referree or otherwise and hath taken unlawfull gifts and bribes of His Majesties Subjects and hath as much as in him lies endeavoured to corrupt the other Courts of justice by advising and procuring His Majestie to sell places of Judicature and other Offices contrary to the Laws and Statutes in that behalfe 5. He hath traiterously caused a booke of Canons to be composed and published without any lawfull warrant and authoritie in that behalfe in which pretended Canons many matters are contained contrary to the Kings Prerogative to the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of this Realme to the right of Parliament to the propriety and libertie of the Subject and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence and to the establishment of a past unlawfull and presumptuous power in himselfe and his successors many of which Canons by the practise of the said Archbishop were surreptitiously passed in the late Convocation without due consideration and debate others by feare and compulsion were subscribed by the Prelates and Clerkes there assembled which had never beene voted and passed in the Convocation as they ought to have beene And the said Archbishop hath contrived and endeavoured to assure and confirme the unlawfull and exorbitant power which he hath usurped and exercised over His Majesties Subjects by a wicked and ungodly oath in one of the said pretended Canons injoyned to be taken by all the Clergie and many of the Laitie of this Kingdome 6. He hath trayterously assumed to himselfe a papall and tyrannicall power both in Ecclesiasticall and Temporall matters over his Majesties Subjects in this Realme of England and in other places to the disherison of the Crowne dishonour of His Majestie and derogation of his supreme authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters And the said Archbishop claimes the Kings Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as incident to his Episcopall Office and Archiepiscopall in this Kingdome and doth deny the same to bee derived from the Crowne of England which he hath accordingly exercised to the high contempt of his Royall Majestie and to the destruction of divers of the Kings liege people in their persons and estates 7. That he hath traiterously indeavoured to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established in this Realme and in stead thereof to set up Popish superstition and Idolatrie And to that end hath declared and maintained in Speeches and printed books diverse popish doctrines and opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion established by Law Hee hath urged and injoyned diverse popish and superstitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law and hath cruelly persecuted those who have opposed the same by corporall punishments and Imprisonments and most unjustly vexed others who refused to conforme thereunto by Ecclesiasticall censures of Excommunication Suspension Deprivation and Degradation contrary to the Lawes of this Kingdome 8. That for the better advancing of his traiterous purpose and designe he did abuse the great power and trust His Majestie reposed in him and did intrude upon the places of diverse great Officers and upon the right of other His Majesties Subjects whereby he did procure to himselfe the nomination of sundry persons to Ecclesiasticall Dignities Promotions and benefices belonging to His Majestie and divers of the Nobilitie Clergie and others and hath taken upon him the commendation of Chaplaines to the King by which meanes he hath preferred to His Majesties service and to other great promotions in the Church such as have been Popishly affected or otherwise unsound and corrupt both in doctrine and manners 9. Hee hath for the same trayterous and wicked intent chosen and imployed such men to be his owne Domesticall Chaplaines whom he knew to be notoriously disaffected to the reformed Religion grosly addicted to popish superstition and erroneous and unsound both in judgement and practise and to them or some of them hath he committed the Licensing of Bookes to be printed by which meanes divers false and superstitious bookes have beene published to the great scandall of Religion and to the seducing of many His Majesties Subjects 10. Hee hath traiterously and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome and for the effecting thereof hath consorted and confederated with diverse Popish Priests and Jesuites and hath kept secret intelligence with the Pope of Rome and by himselfe his Agents and instruments treated with such as have from thence received authoritie and instruction hee hath permitted and countenanced a Popish Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall government to bee established in this Kingdome by all which trayterous and malicious practises this Church and Kingdome hath beene exceedingly indangered and like to fall under the Tyrannie of the Roman See 11. He in his owne person and his Suffragans Visitors Surrogates Chancellors and other Officers by his command have caused divers learned pious and Orthodox Ministers of Gods Word to be silenced suspended deprived degraded excommunicated and otherwise grieved without any just and lawfull cause and by diverse other meanes he hath hindered the preaching of Gods Word caused divers of His Majesties loyall Subjects to forsake the Kingdome and increased and cherished Ignorance and profanenesse amongst the people that so hee might the better facilitate the way to the effecting of his owne wicked and traiterous designe of altering and corrupting the true religion here established 12. He hath traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord betwixt the Church of England and other reformed Churches and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the Priviledges and Jmmunities which
them all the dayes of my life so farre as they concerne me as any man hath and since I came into place I have followed them and byn as much guided by them as any man that sate where I had the honour to sitte And of this I am sory I have lost the testimony of the Lord Keeper Coventry and other Persons of Honour since dead And the Councell which attended at the Councell Board can witnesse some of them here present that in all references to the Board or debates arising at the Board I was for that part of the cause where I found Law to be and if the Councell desired to have the cause left to the Law well I might move in some cases Charity or Conscience to them but I left them to the Law if thither they would goe And how such a carriage as this through the whole course of my life in private and publique can stand with an intention to overthrow the Lawes I cannot yet see Nay more I have ever beene of opinion That Lawes binde the conscience and have accordingly made conscience of observing them and this doctrine I have constantly preached as occasion hath beene offered me and how is it possible I should seek to overthrow those Lawes which I held my selfe bound in conscience to keep and observe As for Religion I was borne and bred up in and under the Church of England as it stands established by Law I have by Gods blessing growne up in it to the yeares which are now upon me and to the place of preferment which I now beare I have ever since I have understood ought in my profession kept one constant tenor in this my profession with out variation or shifting from one opinion to another for any worldly ends And if my conscience would have suffered me to doe so I could easely have slid through all the difficulties which I have prest upon me in this kinde But of all diseases I have ever held a Palsey in Religion most dangerous well knowing and remembring that disease often ends in a dead Palsie Ever since I came in place I have laboured nothing more then that the externall publique worship of God so much slighted in divers parts of this Kingdome might be preserved that with as much decency uniformity as might be for I evidently saw that the publique neglect of Gods service in the outward face of it and the nasty lyeing of many places dedicated to that service had almost cast a dampe upon the true and inward worship of God which while we live in the body needs exteriall helps and all little enough to keepe it in any vigor And this I did to the uttermost of my knowledge according both to Law and Canon and with the consent and likeing of the people nor did any command issue out from mee against the one or without the other Further my Lords give me leave I beseech you to acquaint you with this also that I have as little acquaintance with Recusants as I beleeve any man of my place of England hath or ever had sithence the Reformation and for my kindred no one of them was ever a Recusant but Sir William Web grandchild to my Vnkle Sir VVilliam VVeb sometimes Lord Major of London and since which some of his Children I reduced back againe to the Church of England On this one thing more I humbly desire may be thought on That I am fallen into a great deale of obloquie in matter of Religion and that so farre as appeares by the Articles against me that I have indeavored to advance and bring in Popery Perhaps my Lords I am not ignorant what party of men have raised these scandalls upon me nor for what end nor perhapps by whom set on but howsoever I would faine have a good reason given me if my conscience stood that way and that with my conscience I could subscribe to the Church of Rome what should have kept me heere before my imprisonment to indure the libelling and the slaunder and the base usage that hath beene put upon me and these to end in this question for my life I say I would know a good reason for this First my Lords is it because of any pledges I have in the world to sway me against my conscience No sure for I have neither Wife nor Children to cry out upon me to stay with them And if I had I hope the calling of my conscience should be heard above them Is it because I was loth to leave the honour and profit of the place I was risen too Surely no for I desire your Lordships and all the world should know I do much scorn the one and the other in comparison of my conscience Besides it cannot be imagined by any man but that if I should have gone over to them I should not have wanted both honour and profit and suppose not so great as this I have here yet sure would my conscience have served my self of either lesse with my conscience would have prevailed with me more than greater against my conscience Is it because I lived here at ease and was loth to venture the losse of that not so neither for whatsoever the world may be pleased to think of me I have led a very painfull life and such as I would have been content to change had I well known how and would my conscience have served me that way I am sure I might have lived at far more ease and either have avoyded the barbarous Libelling and other bitter grievous scornes which have been put upon me or at least been out of the hearing of them Not to trouble your Lordships too long I am so innocent in the businesse of Religion so free from all practise or so much as thought of practise for any alteration unto Popery or any blemishing the true Protestant Religion established in England as I was when my mother first bore me into the world And let nothing be spoken but truth and I do here challenge whatsoever is between Heaven or Hell that can be said against me in point of my Religion in which I have ever hated dissimulation And had I not hated it perhaps I might have been better for worldly safety then now I am but it can no way become a Christian Bishop to halt with God Lastly if I had any purpose to blast the true Religion established in the Church of England and to introduce Popery sure I took a wrong way to it for my Lords I have staid more going to Rome and reduced more that were already gone then I believe any Bishop or Divine in this Kingdome hath done and some of them men of great abilities and some persons of great place and is this the way to introduce Popery My Lords if I had blemished the true Protestant Religion how could I have brought these men to it And if I had promised to introduce Popery I would never have reduced
to the Church either for that they are so sore blinded that they understand nothing of God godlinesse and care not with divelish example to offend their neighbours or else for that they see the Church altogether scowred of such gay-gazing sights as their grosse phantasie was greatly delighted with because they see the false religion abandoned and the true restored which seemeth an unsavoury thing to their unsavoury taste as may appear by this that a woman said to her neighbour Alas Gossip what should we now do at Church since all the Saints are taken away since all the goodly sights wee were wont to have are gone since wee cannot hear the like piping singing chaunting and playing upon the Organs that we could before But dearly beloved we 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 he 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 we greatly to praise God for that such superstitious and idolatious manners as were utterly naught and defaced Gods glory are utterly abolished as they most justly deserved and yet those things that either God was honoured with or his people edified are decently retained and in our Churches comely practised c. Mr. Workman by all these and such other passages in our Homilies ratified and subscribed unto by all our Ministers in the 35 Article of our Church as containing a godly and wholesome doctrine necessary for these times and established by the statute of 13 Eliz. ca. 12. which confirmes the Articles justifyed every syllable in his Sermons against Images in which he used only the words of our Homilies yet notwithstanding by the Archbishops violence against him who went highest in his sentence on the 25 of April 1635. in the High Commission held at Lambeth was Suspended from the execution of his office and function in the Ministery excommunicated ordered to make his submission and recantation of his eronious and scandalous doctrine at Lambeth the next Court day in such manner and forme as should be set down by the Commissioners and delivered to him in writing under the Registers hand of the Court and after this submission made publickly in Court the same to be sent down to Glocester and there openly published in the Cathedrall Church of Glocester and in the Church of S. Michaels immediately after Divine Service ended when as the Congregation shall be then and there assembled and condemned in costs of suit to be taxed the next Court day and likewise imprisoned Which sentence of his for the cause a foresaid was proved by the Register-Book of the High Commission out of which it was read at the Lords Barre by the testimonies of Mr. Thomas Pury a Member of the House of Commons and of Mr. John Langley late Schoole master of Glocester and now of Pauls-Schoole in London who further witnessed upon oath That Mr. Workman having been a most painfull diligent Preacher of Gods Word in the City of Glocester for above 15 years and a man of singular piety learning wisdome and moderation as the Archbishop himself confessed the Corporation of Glocester to help support his great charge of children in consideration of his great paines in preaching and visiting the sick about September 1633. granted him an Annuity of 20 l. per annum under their Common Seale with one unanimous consent a little before his troubles in the High Commission For which act of justice and charity Iohn Buckston the then Mayor Master Wise the Town Clerk and some other of the Aldermen of that City were by the Archbishops procurement sent for by a Pursevant to appear before the Counsell Table as Delinquents where they appearing were fully heard concerning the granting of this Annuity before the King himselfe and his Councell who seemed fully satisfied approving of their grant and were ready to dismisse them from thence as seeing no just cause for their molestation Whereupon the Archbishop moved that they might be transmitted from thence to the High Commission which by his means was ordered accordingly After which in January following Mr. Pury himself together with M. Henry Browne Mr. William Prise Aldermen Mr. Anthony Edwards and others were arrested by a Messenger out of the High Commission who exacted and received 20 Marks in Fees from them to whom they gave bonds to appear in that Court the Terme following which they did Where they were then articled against for consenting to the grant of the said Annuity to Mr. Workman to which Articles they answered and the cause being brought to hearing not long after their Counsell alleaged That the said grant of 20 l. per annū to M. Workman ought first to be proved illegall or obtained by illegal practise and the whole Corporation whose act it was under whose Seal it was granted to be made parties to the suit before these Defendants sued only as private men ought as they conceived to be censured for consenting thereunto or the said deed made void and cancelled yet notwithstanding the said Mr. Edwards one M. Nelme for consenting to this grant only were fined 10 l. a piece and the grant ordered to be cancelled which was done accordingly and thereupon a 100. l. expence the rest were dismissed the Court and M. Workman deprived of his Annuity After which M. Workman himself being censured and put from his Ministery and imprisoned by the High-Commission for Preaching against making and setting up the Images of the Trinity and of Christ and Saints in Churches having after some moneths Imprisonment with much solicitation obtained his Liberty to support himself his wife and many small children from perishing was necessitated to teach children in private having no other livelihood left him after his former Annuity granted him by the City of Glocester was by the Arch-bishops potency unjustly wrested from him of which the Arch-bishop being informed inhibited him to teach any children at all in publike or private as he would answer the contrary at his perill whereupon he fell to practise Physicke for his necessary support which being informed of to the Arch-bishop he thereupon prohibited him likewise to practise Physick Whereupon he having no meanes of subsistance left and being debarred to Preach teach School or administer Physick to maintain himself and his charge was so afflicted with these tyrannicall and unjust pressures of which he oft complained to Master Langley and others that they drew on crasinesse and sicknesse of body upon him and as his most intimate friends were verily perswaded shortned his dayes and precured his death to the great griefe and losse of that City So zealous was this Arch-Prelate in defence of Idolatrous Images as thus most unjustly and tyrannically to ruine a most godly painfull Minister with his family and destroy this
in the time of K. Edward and Q. Elizabeth and in the time of Q. Mary for his conscience endured voluntary exile And to place him in the front of the most learned and Godly English Bishops holy Martyrs and others that suffered Martyrdome in the daies of Q. Mary for the truth and Gospell of Christ Jesus in which number he is Registred in the Title Page and placed before Bishop Hooper and Father Latymer in the Book it selfe The occasion of writing this unlicenced obscure Pamphlet was as followeth Iohn Veron being Divinity Lecturer in Paules Cathedrall in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth handled the Doctrine of Predestination and other incident Points thereto belonging in direct opposition the Popish Pelagian and now Arminian Tenets which Lectures he soone after published in Print and dedicated to Q. Elizabeth in a booke intituled A Fruitfull Treatise of Predestination c. Printed at London for JOHN TYLDALE about the second yeare of Queene Elizabeths Raigne against which Lectures this Champnyes taking some exceptions published this Anonimous Answer by way of a Letter which Veron soone after answered almost verbatim in his authorized Apology dedicated to the Queen whereto Champeneys never replyed After which this Letter was largly answered word for word from the very Title page to the end thereof in a Book Intituled An Apology or Defence of the English Writers and Preachers with Cerberus the Three-Headed Dogge of Hell chargeth with false Doctrine under the name of Predestination written by Robert Crowley Clerke a fugitive for Religion in Queene Maries dayes and an eminent laborious Preacher in those times Vicar of Saint Giles without Criplegate in London Imprinted at London in Pater-Noster-Rowe at the signe of the Starre by Henry Denham Anno 1566. Octob. 14. Seene and allowed according to the order appointed In which booke this Pamphlet which the Bishop and his Agents now obtrude upon us as the received Doctrine of our prime Martyrs and of the Church of England in King Edward the 6th and Queene Elizabeths Reignes was by publique Authority in the name of all the Orthodox Writers and Preachers of England refuted as directly contrary to the received Doctrine of our Martyres Writers Preachers Church and censured as Pelagiau and Popish in both these ancient printed Answers It must needs therefore be an inexpiable insufferable abuse in this Archbishop and his Instruments thus to revive reprint this exploded Erronious Arminian Treatise in the yeare 1631 and obtrude it on us as the received Doctrine of our Martyrs and Church of England in the beginning of Reformation whereas there was nothing lesse on purpose to propagate his Arminian Errors and strengthen that lesuiticall faction After this Mr. Prynne produced Bishop Hoopers Confession and Protestation of his faith made to the whole Parliament An. 1550. in King Edwards dayes His comfortable Exposition upon the Psalmes London 1580. his Articles upon the Creed London 1584. Artic. 3. to 15. 17. 21. 25. 29. 30. 33. 36. 38. to 56 62. 67. 68. 91. to 99. wherein he expresly in terminis refutes those Arminian opinions which this our Author wold wrest out of the words of his Preface to the Commandements contrary to his intention together with divers Passages in Father Latimers Sermons expresly against the Arminian Tenets which explicate his other misapplyed Clauses in the Hystoricall Naration All which Mr. Pryn then shewed to Sir Humfry Lynde to his great satisfaction then desired him to repaire to Bishop Laud in his name to acquaint him with the premises and this desperate Imposture he had obtruded on our Church to his eternall Infamie and thereupon to advise him speedily to call in and burne this dangerous seducing booke or else he would prosecute him to the uttermost for this abuse Sir Humfry accordingly acquainted the Bishop his Chaplin Martin herewith but yet they took no course to suppresse the Booke whereupon Mr Prynne repaired to Lambheth to Archbishop Abbot acquainted him with the execrablenesse of this imposture shewed him the severall old Answers to this new printed Pamphlet with the expresse positions of Bishop Hooper and Bishop Latymer contrary to those imputed to them in this Narration desiring him to call in this dangerous Historicall Narration with all severity and to cause it to be publikely burnt to reprint the old Answers to it and withall to give him leave to prosecute Bishop Laud his Chaplaine Martin with the publisher of this book in the high Commission for this insufferable abuse To which Archb. Abbot gave this answer that this booke did very much trouble him that he had sent to Bishop Laud about it who at first denied that his Chaplain licensed it but afterwards acknowledged it that he gave order to call it in but it was in a privat manner after most of the bookes vâ—nded that he never saw nor knew of these 2. old Answers to it therefore desired Mr. Pryn to leave them with him for a time promising faithfully to restore them and to give him an accompt of this businesse on the Saturday following In the meane time Mr. Prynne because this booke had done much harme in both the Vniversities sent downe some of these Answers of Veron and Crowly with some of Bishop Hoopers books to Oxf. Cambridg to some of his acquaintance there and to the Vniversity Lybrary at Oxford whither many resorted to peruse them to their great satisfaction and the Bishops dishonour by discovering this imposture to them On Saturday being Easter Eve Master Prynne repayred to Archbishop Ahbot for an Answer who told him that he had called in this offencive book seized on som of the copies which were caried into Stationers-hall that Bishop Laud had since been with him that he had shewed him the bookes there left who confessed his Chaplin Martÿn had licenced this Narration in which he had done very ill but he had given him such a ratling for his paines that hee would warrant His Grace hee should never meddle with Arminian Bookes or Opinions more To which Mr. Prynne replyed that indeed he had ratled him to very great purpose for no longer then yesterday in the afternoone his Chapline Martin Preaching the Passion Sermon at Paules Crosse publikly broached maintained Vniversall grace and Redemption with all the Arminian Errors contained in this Book and condemned in the Synol of Dort to the great offence of the Auditors as his owne Chaplains Dr. Buckner Master Austen and Dr. Featley could at large informe him and therefore the Bishop did most grosly abuse his Grace herein who should doe well to proceed against both of them and publikly censure them in the High-Commission or this grosse practise to the end the whole Kingdome might take notice of it and the Arminian party be thereby discouraged That the Bookes they had seized were but few the greatest part of the Impression being vented they were called in so slighty and in so private a manner that few or none took notice thereof and
Dedicated to the Archbishop and Licensed by Heywood his Chaplain August 26. 1634. cap. 16. p. 45. 46. determines thus Quaenam sit Romana Ecclesia Cum constet Romanam Ecclesiam in primariis temporibuss velut inter ignes Luna Minores caeteris Ecclesiis praeluxisse caeterisque Maechantibus castam pudicam veritatis conservatricem extitisse nec in pessimis usque eo degenerasse censemus ut in primariis fundamentalibus Religionis capitibus aberrasse videatur quidniquamvis in caeteris forsan vitiatam temeratam Ecclesiae tamen nomine honestandam censeam c. This passage Doctor Bastwick taking exception against at his censure in the High-Commission read it openly in Court where the Arch-bishop publikely justified it in his speech affirming That the Church of Rome was a true Church and that it never erred in fundamentalls in which we differ not but onely circa fundamentalia This distinction of his was afterwards thus justified in Print by Christopher Dome in his Innovations unjustly charged pag. 48. Nor is it an absurd distinction as he unreverendly and absurdly termed it that a great Prelate used in the High-Commission at the censure of Doctor Bastwick when he said That we and the Church of Rome differ not in fundamentalibus but circa fundamentalia pag. 49. The distinction is not absurd but it may most truely and fitly be said that we may and do differ about and not in fundamentals which Doctor Heylin likewise seconds in his Moderate Answer to Henry Burton p. 6. 124. 125. No difference between the Church of Rome and England in fundamentalls Suppose a great Prelate in the High-Commission 〈…〉 had said openly that we and the Church of Rome differ not in â—â—â—â—amentalibus yet how comes this to be an Innovation c. The Church of Rome hath done more against the Heretickes of this age than you or any of your Divines be he whom he will But for the Church of Rome it is a true Church and that we differ not from them in fundamentalls see the Reconciler Doctor Potter in his booke which he submitted to the Arch-bishops censure concludes thus pag. 62. 77. The most necessary and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned We hope well of those holy souls who in former ages lived and dyed in the Church of Rome c. Nay our charity reacheth further to all those this day who in simplicity of heart beleeve the Roman Religion and professe it Doctor Pocklingtons Altare Christianum pag. 114. Termes Rome by the name of Holy Church and applauds her canonized Popish Saints stiling them The Holy Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Christ whose names are written in heaven And our Protestant Martyrs Traytors Murderers Rebels and Hereticks The Archbishop himselfe was a professed maintainer of the truth and visibility of the faith and Church of Rome not only in his Speech in the high Commission at Doctor Bastwicks censure there and in his Speech in Star-chamber pag. 36. but likewise in his late Reply to Fisher Epist Ded. p. 16. And were not this so we should never be troubled with that idle and impertinent question of theirs Where was your Church before Luther For it was just there where theirs is now One and the same Church still no doubt of that one in substance but not one in condition of State and purity Their part of the same Church remaining in corruption and our part of the same Church under Reformation In the Reply it selfe pag. 370. 371. Rome but with all particular Churches and no more than other Patriarchall Churches was and is radix existentiae the roote of the Churches existence The Church of Rome and every other particular Church c. Indeed Apostolike she is as being the See of one and he a prime Apostle but not the onely Apostolike Visible I may not deny God hath hitherto preserved her And p. 376. Secondly if the Religion of the Protestants be in conscience a known false Religion then the Romanists Religion is so too for their Religion is the same Nor do the Church of Rome and the Protestants set up a different Religion for the Christian Religion is the same to both but they differ in the same Religion and their difference is in certain grosse corruptions I shall close up this with a publike Recantation drawn up and prescribed by Godfry Goodman Bishop of Glocester to one Mr. Ridler Minister of Little Deane about 7. miles from that City who having many Papists in his Parish and preaching in a Sermon there That Papists as Papists were damned and that the true Protestant Religion was the onely true and safe way to Salvation he was upon the complaint of some Papists convicted before this Bishop and by him enjoyned to make this following Recantation prescribed to him in writing in the Cathedrall Church at Glocester on Jan. 2. 1636. and for refusing to make it he was afterwards on the 5. of March next following suspended from his living IHS IN the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Whereas I did deliver in a Sermon lately preacht in this Diocesse That if we are saved the Papists are damned I am right heartily sorry that I should deliver any such doctrine wherein I must acknowledge mine owne errour and my great fault and offence First against his Majesties Instructions thus rashly and unadvisedly to affirme That Papists are damned Secondly it is an offence against the laws of the Kingdome For in the eye of the Law we are still one with the same Catholike Church for were we of a distinct or severall Church Then our Church could claim no right or Title to those Priviledges Charters Foundations and Revenues which it enjoyes at this day for these were granted to Papists and for many hundred yeares possessed by them and since there hath beene no new Law for transferring them upon a different or contrary Church But this is made much more manifest by the expresse words of the Statute as it appeares by the Act of Parliament which was made upon the first breach with the Papists the words are these That they do not thereby intend to seperate themselves from Gods Catholike Church but onely for some politicall respects to preserve the Kingdome from Ruine This was made the 25. of Hen. 8. and it is in force at this day so that to make such a difference between these two Churches as is between damnation and salvation certainly is against the Common Lawes and the Statute Law of this Kingdome besides many acts of State which being above my element I will not presume to touch upon Thirdly against the Church of England It is imposible there should be any greater offence in regard of the affinity that is between both Churches for we have the same Holy Orders the same Church Service the same Ceremonies the same Fasts the same Festivals and we have generally the same Canon Lawes and therefore
Majesties warrant to each of them so that herein I averre I did not offend unlesse that I gave not these men notice of it or asked them leave to obey the King To which it was answered First that the Arch-bishop confeseth clearly in his Speech and publisheth it to all the world in print That he made the alterations in this prayer which neither of his Predecessors Bancroft or Abbot durst once to think of or attempt Secondly That he esteemed Master Burtons and Master Prynnes dislike of him for making these alterations in extentation of the horrid Gunpowder-plot and favour of trairerous Jesuits Priests Romanists and the popish Religion a most transcendent crime worthy the severest bloodiest censure that ever was inflicted on any person in the Star-chamber as appeared by their herbarous Sentence there for which he heartily thanked the Lords in the close of his speech whereas his offence was certainly ten thousand times greater in making these alterations then theirs in charging him with them when himselfe confesseth and just fieth them or disliking them when made for such sinister popish ends Thirdly that his reasons to justifie these alterations to be fit and necessary were very absurd discovering the rottennesle of his heart with his extraordinary affection to popery and Papists His first reason that it was fit and necessary to make these Alterations to avoyd scandall and offence to Papists in calling their religion Rebellion c. was very unreasonable and absurd For since this clause had continued un-altered un-excepted against neer thirty yeers space together and was never deemed scandalous by K. James K. Charle's our subsequent Parliaments or Church which approved and confirmed it no solid reason can be given why it should grow unseasonable or scandalous only now so an as to call for a necessary alteration but that the Arch bishop and his confederates had now a new resolved plot to reconcile us to Rome and her Religion which former ages never had to which designethis clause might happily prove seandalous and obstructive Besides he could not but conclude the alteration of it after so many yeers continuance of purpose to gratifie Papists priests and Jesuits the sole contrivers of that marchlesse excerable Gunpowder-plot would give extraordinary seandall offence to all the whole Church State and cordiall protestants of Engl. and lay a secret tax if not a publike censure on them and on K. James for injuring the papists and their Religion even in these publike prayers neer thirty yeers spice together yet this zealous Romish Agent would rather scandalize censure injure our whole Church State parliaments King Iames with all true-hearted English protestants then give the lest scandall to the papists or suffer this just imputatation of Rehellion to continue upon their religion Moreover the whole parliament of 3. Iacobs in the Oath of Alleagiance then enjoyned with all our parliaments prelats Peers who since have approved it The second part of our authorized Homilies for Whit-sunday with our Homilies against wilful rebellion Bishop B â—â—on in his True difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion Bishop Iewel in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England part 4. p. 439. to 470. Doctor Iohn White in his Sermon at Pauls-Crosse and in his Defence of the Way ch 6. 11. Doctor Crakenthorp's Treatise of the Popes temporall Monarchy Deus Rex Haddon contra Osorium and generally all our Writers against the Popes supremacy at home and in the reformed Churches abroad resolve unanimously in their writings the Romanists Religion and Faith in the poynts of deposing excommunicating murthering Christian Princes Kings Emperours of absolving subjects from their alleagiance arming them against their Soveraigns by the Popes authority and command for not submitting to his tyrannicall or Antichristian Edicts it is meere Rebellion and Faction For this Arch-prelate then thus publikely to averre it a scandalous imputation to them and their religion and upon this ground to make these alterations in this prayer and not in all those Statutes Homilies Authors too is a most false absurd scandalous suggestion and in truth a meer evasion to colour his affection to papists their Antichristian Religion His second reason that it wil be of dangerous conquence sadly to avow that the Papists Religion is Rebelion because it is Christian religion and the same with ours is both fals fallacious for popish religion as popish is not Christian but Antichristian and though papists hold many points of Christian Religion as they are Christians yet not one point of it as Papists popery truly so called being no part of Christian Religion but deviations from or paradoxes against it Yea himselfe confessing That some opinions of theirs teach rebelion That 's apparently true which opinions of theirs are that part of their Religion which this prayer cals Rebellion refutes his owne Objection His third reason that if you make their religion to be rebelion then you make their religion and rebelion to be all one and that is against the ground both of State and Law c. which never put any man to death for Religion but for Treason and Rebellion onely is a meere childish fallacy For their Religion is not any actuall treason or rebellion for which only they suffered death but doctrinall and habituall rebelion prone to produce actuall rebellions and the mother of them in which sense onely this prayer stiles it Rebellion yet such for which no Romanist ever dyed unlesse he reduced it into some treasonable and rebellious action and then he suffered onely for the act not the Religion or opinion which induced him thereunto he might well then have spared these three irrationall reasons for this Alteration with this assertion of his p. 39. I took it my duty to lay it before you that the King had not onely Power but Reason to command it which onely aggravate not extenuate or justifie his fact his justification then rests solely upon the Kings command and warrant but this will not excuse his guilt For we have nothing but his own bare word in his own case to which no faith can be given having so often bin taken tardy in this kind to prove first that himselfe did not move the King to command these alterations to be made which is more than probable by his aleaging the reasons whereupon they were made and his activity in other changes of this nature Secondly that himself did not procure the Warrant for these Alterations after they were made and printed being written with his own hand and having no witnesse but himself to prove the date as he hath done in other cases Thirdly admit the command and warrant proceeded originally from the King himselfe not him yet he being by his place and office principally entrusted with the care honour safety of our Religion and Church so much concerned in these alterations it had been his duty to have disobeyed this command and disswaded his Majesty from such a
the Apostles Acts 4. 14. c. Wherefore if we desire to be preserved from all danger and evill we must enter into a new covenant with the Lord our God and beleeve in him we must labour that our lives may be holy pure and 〈◊〉 and then hope confidently upon the promises which God hath made to such we must remember the many examples we have of Gods gracious assistance towards many in his Word And lastly we must pray that if we be free from corporall evils the Lord would be pleased still to preserve aâ— and if any evill lye upon us that he would deliver us So on Matthew 25. 25. page 331. this clause is purged out The Papists say that there is a contrition which ariseth simply and onely from the feare of punishment which is good and we say that the feare of punishment at first is profitable but after the love of God is entred into the soule all feare of hell and damnation which breedeth terrors and affrights of conscience is expelled by love this we confirme from this place thus The slothfull servant saith to his Master I knew that thou wast an hard man c. and therefore I was afraid Now this servant was not commended for this feare but blamed and reproved and cast into utter darknesse for his Master saith thou evill and slothfull servant and Origen hereof writeth well non est honus hujusmodi timor c. Neither is the feare good neither doth it deliver from outward darknesse Origen tract 33. in Matth. Bellarmine replieth hereunto that to feare God cannot be evill but they who have this servile feare doe notwithstanding feare God Ergo. Bellar. de poeuit lib. 2. cap. 28. First the devill feares God and trembles Iames 2. 12. and yet the Jesuit would blush to say that there is any good feare in Devils Secondly it is false that such as those feare God for they feare not him but hell and if there were no hell they would not feare him at all 30. Passages deleted against Free-will Resisting grace c. IN Doctor Featlyes Clavis Mystica page 604. Doctor Bray deleted these clauses Postremum genus corum est qui oves Christi pascunt sed cibo insalubri quo magis inficiuntur quam reficiuntur Christi oves agnique corum dico qui floribus fructibus Paradisi aut noxias herb as admiscent aut flores Adonidis aspergunt cujusmodi sunt ist a dogmata Vires liberi arbitrij ab Adami lapsu ad bonum spirituale fract as debilitat as non penitus profligat as amissas c. And page 894. I told you before that this was a wet step and many have here slipt for some odiously object that unlesle we will grant universall grace and a power in the will of man to resist and frustrate the work of the Spirit in our conversion and that unlesse these Jewes had sufficient grace offered them to repent them of their sinnes and thereby prevent this their finall overthrow the prediction of our Saviour was to no end and purpose nay that his teares over Ierusalem might seem like to those which Iulius Caesar shed for Pompey's death who yet himselfe procured it or might have hindred it if he would did not Christ say they foresee and decree the destruction of Ierusalem how then doth he bemoane it with teares c. Master Ward part 2. page 4. Quest 2. Why doe so few if those many who are called unto the profession of Christ persevere unto the end Answ Because the gift of perseverance is great and but given to a few I say great because it is greater then the gift of free-will August Corrupt grat 13. for first this was given unto Adam at the first but not that Adam in his framing being endued with freewill which he lost by his fall but not with perseverance for then he could not have fallen Here there is indeed pride in Religion when God must be content either to accept of will-will-worship and a free-will offering or else he shall have nothing c. 31. A Clause expunged against Flagellant Fryars IN Doctor Clarks Sermons page 148. After these words both sacrifice and Priest this is expunged To this end I think the Fryars Flagellant never read this Text why whip they else themselves but to heale themselves by their owne blood happily they will not be beholding unto Christ they will be healed by stripes but not by his Thus much for the Phisician c. 32. That God is not the Author of sinne deleted IN Doctor Claks Sermons page 132. after these words Gods owne works the Licenser hath expunged these lines following Melanchton sayes Papists say he sayes it and it is sinne then God must cry peccavi too for that they inferre that we make God anther of sinne strange they should study school-divinity so much as not be able to distinguish between the Action and the privity of the Action between Actus and defectus the Act and deformity I presume they will not learne of us we Calvinists are asses they have all the learning let Snarez teach them a Jesuit that God doth operari Actum peceati but not malitiam the Act of Judas his delivery of Christ that was of God but the wickednesse of his heart in delivering him that was of Satan and himselfe God is Author operis but not sceleris Zuinglius distinction the operation God's the aberration ours 33. Clauses deleted and altered against Vniversall grace Vniversall Redemption and Election and resisting Grace IN Doctor Clarks second Sermon of the Nativity page 6. after halfe of one world instead of this parenthesis for the Elect are few compared with the Reprobate the Licenser hath put in the parenthesis nay not halfe for how small an handfull is man compared with other creatures c. Ibidem page 17. after to men onely instead of these words but not all the Licenser hath altered the Authors mind and made him to say to men onely and to all then should follow this excellent passage which the Licenser hath expunged Pelagius the old Heretick and all that are Minions to Pelagius hold Christ was both natus datus both borne slame and suffered for all men even for the reprobate a reprobate heresie Paul's place seems pat for them 1 Tim. 4. 10. God's said to be the Saviour of all men not of beleevers onely but all orthodox expositors conster a Saviour there to meane but a preserver No it is Christ there that is called so but Gods preserving providence looks indifferently â—â— all And Saint Ambrose expounds it of Gods gracious goodnesse not of his saving health God is good to all his creatures will Grand a petty Papist he so senselesse as to say Christ is the Saviour of the bruit creatures yet David saith in the Psalmes that the Lord saveth both man and beast first preserveth them but the main pillar of this Papist paradox is another place of Pauls who wil have
unregerate though they seeme never so glorious to the eyes of the world God sets not a straw by them no more then he did by the sacrifices of the Pagans nor their works be not meritorious because they proceed from an heart void of faith yet they affirme them to be good works and such as please God truly they be as pleasing to him as the sacrifice of Caine was they are no better then fine glistering sinnes they want faith therefore they cannot please God nothing that we doe without faith hath any acceptance with God It is said of the ancient Israelites that the Word profited them not because it was not mingled with faith nor sacrifice in the time of the Law nothing was good unlesse there were salt in it so no work is good if it be not seasoned with faith therefore let us entreat the Lord to give us a true faith in Christ that so our spirituall sacrifices may be accepted of him And page 410. though the blind Papists will not see it but we affirme that our best works are defiled with sinne our preaching our praying our giving of almes hearing of Sermons yea martyrdome which is the most glorious work of all may have some contagion of sinne in it our bearing of sicknesse may have some infirmities we may curse God in it as Job's Wife perswaded him to doe and if God should mark what is done amisse who could stand But here is his goodnesse he saw a lye in the work of Rahab yet he commends it for a good work he seeth imperfections in all that we doe yet he passeth them over and because we be in Christ he accepteth of that we doe as a child may faile in doing his fathers errand he may faile in some circumstances yet because the substance of it is done the father praiseth him so will our heavenly father us well done thou good and faithfull servant therefore let this encourage us to well doing c. And page 101. We are not to seek salvation by the observation of the Law as Papists doe 38. A Passage expunged against the Churches Infallibility IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew page 294. this is deleted Object The Doctrine of the Church is in all things infallible Answ First this was a personall promise made onely to the Apostles and so cannot be extended to all the Church if we will speak according to the words properly according to their immediate sense 39. Passages deleted against the Impositions Tyranny and Dissimulation of Kings see Arbitrary power c. page 289. IN Doctor Clarks Sermons page 224. instead of legall imposts the Licenser hath put peaceable imposts Ibid page 225. instead of Subjects are not Tributaries the Licenser hath altered it to good subjects need not to be Tributaries c. And instead of not that in Samuel he puts if not that in Samuel Ibidem after jus Regis the Licenser hath blotted out these words A plea abused to corrupt good Kings Ibidem Not Samuel's Tollet is made If not Samuel's Tellet Ibidem page 336. l. 4. these words at all are added by the Licenser and these that follow Or if you will not lawfull in a compulsory way but in a consultory it wils due respect and discretion The Author wrote thus Kings are uncontrolable who will say saith Job to a King thou art wicked that shewes that it is not safe to censure them not 't is not lawfull men may doe that they dare not doe c. And page 452. after unto another this is expunged It was a King a most Christian King that taught his sonne happily all the Latine that he had Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare he cannot reigne that cannot faigne c. In Master Wards Comentary on Matthew page 145. written copy this sentence â—s expunged Subjects are not actively to obey Kings when they command what God forbids in his Word 40. Passages deleted that the Law of God is possible to be fulfilled by men as the Papists hold and That men are damned for Originall sinne as well as Actuall IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matth. 11. 5. page 227. this is obliterated How is the fulfilling of the Law impossible Answ First negatively not because the works therein contained in their owne nature transcend the power of the mind or body or Organs for man in Paradise had strength enough to obey the whole Law and the Saints in Heaven doe perfectly fulfill it Secondly affirmatively the Law is impossible for man to fulfill First the judgement of the mind is so depraved that we know not how to doe any spirituall or morall work aright so as we ought to doe it and Secondly because the affections are so corrupted that we are not able to governe them or to curb or restraine the malice and depravation of them Quest 2. Why are so many or any damned perpetually Answ Not onely for their actuall sinnes but even also for their originall corruptions and depravation of nature Ephes 2. 1 2. for sinners shall be beaten with stripes and with more stripes Luke 12. 47. c. that is First they shall have plura verbera more stripes and more grievous torments in hell for their actuall sinnes But Secondly they shall also have verbera stripes eternall condemnation and torments though not equall with the former who never committed actuall sinne but onely dyed in their naturall estate their originall corruption not being washed away by or in the blood of Christ Observ Secondly by grace in Christ we are enabled to walk in the wayes of God and to work his work for Christ doth give unto all those whom he cals power in some measure to obey him for he gives not onely velle power to will and desire but also posse power to doe that which he commands Phil. 2. 13. Quest 3. How doth this appeare for none seem and that especially to themselves more weak then the children of God Answ It most evidently appeares by these particulars viz. First because we are called unto the glory of God Phil. 2. 15. c. and to hold forth the Lamp of a pure life Mat. 5. 16. and therefore certainly those whom God cals shall from him receive grace and power to performe good works Secondly because Religion is the path-way to Heaven and therefore undoubtedly those whom the Lord cals unto that inheritance he will enable in some measure to walke in the wayes of Religion and to giue unto him religious worship read Deut. 5. 33. Josh 22. 5. Mat. 3. 8. 10. 7. 20. Luke 11. 28. Rom. 2. 7. Gal. 5. 16. Thirdly because Christ unto those whom he cals gives the holy comforter even a bright shining light whereby we are assured of the love of God which love of his worketh a threefold effect in us namely First it makes us love the Lord againe and to returne love for love and although we cannot love him in that measure and degree that he loveth us his love
performe a good work and an acceptable service unto Christ it may therefore be demanded Whether those works which are undertaken out of a good intention though without a command be acceptable services or parts of Gods worship Answ No for the Word saith that he is worshipped in vaine by the Doctrine of men Isa 15. 9. and Col. 220. will-worship is condemned yea this last was singular not exemplary for Mary anointed Christ without any speciall command from God but not without a singular instinct of the spirit and Christ defendeth the fact not at simply good or worthy to be imitated nor because he did approve of wil-worship but because it was gratefull unto him for another use which he knew but shee knew no namely his buriall which was shortly to be Bareus s fol 853. b. Ibidem page 57. in the written copy Here indeed is a pride in Religion when God must be content either to accept of will-wil-worship or a freewill-offering or else he shall have nothing 75. Passageo deleted concerning the loving prizing and hearing of Gods Word IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew page 110. in the written copy this clause is rased out Answ 3. Except their righteousnese exceed that of the Scribes they cannot be saved because civill honesty without Religious zeale is but like a menstrens cloth Isa 64. And afterwards the last line but four First delight in the hearing of the Word and call it not a wearinesse or hard saying we see in hunting that both the horse and the dog runne after the Hare but after a diverse manner for the horse hath no delight in that sport and therefore if he were whipt and spurred he would not ride after it but the dog delights in the pastime and therefore runs swiftly of himself without any beating Thus it is not enough to come to the house of God upon Gods day to heare his Word but we must doe it with delight and desire if we would have the Lord to approve of our hearing Ibid. page 332. there is this further deletion First how doe we love the Word whether doe we prepone or postpone other things before it we should enquire with our selves whether we so love the Word that we had rather want our meat drink and rayment and recreations and riches and all rather then the preaching of the Word of God c. Fourthly unto an example of piety and purity Phil. 2. 15. we say and see that those who are in place among the Papists are bold and couragious in the defence of their Religions and therefore it is a shame if any Protestants who are preferred either to Ecclesiasticall or civill dignities should stand as Newters betwixt two And a little after Thirdly vvhether the back and belly of the poore blesse us c. Fourthly vvhether vve use our riches for the buying and procuring the preaching of the Word or not vvhen vve vvant it For our Lord vvill take an account of the spending and disposing of our riches 76. Passages deleted concerning good works their end and against the Merit of Works and Works of Supererogation IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthevv p. 200. this is purged out Quest Hovv many ends are there in the performance of good vvorks Answ Foure namely first to please God secondly to glorifie God and thirdly to make our ovvne calling and election sure and fourthly to confirme strengthen and build up others Novv the morall vvorks of the naturall man fall short in all these but onely the last for sometimes his Neighbour reaps benefit thereby Ibidem printed book fol. 156. written copy fol. 68. 69. Why may we not ascribe some Merit unto our works Answ Because that were to derogate from God and his good will who so graciously invites us to come and buy grace of him without mony ormony-worth Isa 55. 1. and therefore we must not expect not exact the reward of glory as a due debt unto us from God for our works as Saint Elzearous did c. Will not this hinder and discourage men from working to remember that all their works merit nothing at Gods hand at all Ans It is so far from hindering that it furthers so farre from discouraging that it encourages so farre from lessening that it encreases and so farre from extinguishing that it enflames our desires and endeavours to be rich in good works Ibidem written copy fol. 105. We deserve nothing at the hands of God but only by the obedience of the Commandements i. e. if there be any merit it is in the obedience of the Law if Adam had merited it had been by obeying that which was commanded not that which was required for when by such things we desire to please God he will say who hath required these things at your hands Isa 1. 12. and therefore little hope can the Papists have to merit Heaven by their monasticall Vowes whether generall or particular Ibidem written copy fol. 108. It is injurious unto Christ to desire God to accept of the overplus of our brothers merits for us Here we may observe the true Mystery of Iniquity and the impious impudency of the Popish Writers and all who herein subscribe unto them who first hold that the merit of Christ is not sufficient to save us because it is not ours and we ought to have an inherent righteousnesse of our owne besides that imputative righteousnesse of his or otherwise we can never be saved And secondly that the merits of a meere man can save us although we be wicked and have no ioherent righteousnesse in us at all thus blasphemously arrogating more to the false and faigned overplus of sinfull men then to the whole sufferings and perfect merits of that Lamb without spot Ibidem written copy fol. 300. Object For the merit of works Answ First the Question between us and the Papists is demeritis secundum esse but this conclusion is inferred de Meritis secundum dici and therefore proves nothing against us Answ 2. Secondly he who can perfectly fulfill whatsoever is commanded in the Law may be said to merit the reward promised but this none are able to doe as hath been formerly in divers places proved Answ 3. Thirdly the promise of the Gospell is not doe this and live but beleeve and thou shalt be saved and therefore the reward is not merited by works but given of grace and mercy Answ 4. Fourthly these accidentall promises wherein life is promised to works doe not give a tight unto the Kingdome of Heaven for the merit of works but the profession of life everlasting through grace in Christ And therefore works are not antecedent causall and meritorious causes of this life but in respect of our right thereunto they are frequent conditions and in regard of our possession thereof they are preparations thereunto Passages expunged against Prophanenesse Libertinisme and living ending in sinne TO close up these purgations we informed you in the first Section of them p. 259.
herein Seventhly himselfe if not immediatly yet originally and mediatly hindered the printing of all the new Books against Popery refused at the Presse and denied license by his Instruments Chaplaines Doctor Bray Doctor Haywood Doctor Weekes Doctor Baker unlesse first purged by them Ninthly the questioning of Master Prynne Master Burton with their Printers and Stationers in the High Commission for their Books against Doctor Cosins his popery Babel no Bethel Baiting of the Popes Bull and the like was originally his act alone not the Courts which did naught in it but by his instigation Their getting off thence was by Prohibitions sore against his will where else he resolved to ruine them Master Burtons answering the Popes Bull by license deserved no questioning at the Counsell Table and was certainly no Libell at all unlesse the Pope or his Partisans deemed it such to them His Books then were no trouble to the Church and therefore it was strange and most unjust he should be troubled for them yea his imprisonment without Baile which he tendered when bailable by Law was contrary to Magna Charta and the Petition of Right though the cause of it not warranted by Law was expressed in the Warrant Tenthly his owne Chaplaines oversights and offences in licensing popish Books even with this speciall Encomium that there was nothing in them contrary to faith and sound Doctrine the forme of licensing himselfe prescribed them under his owne hand is certainly both in law and justice his owne crime more then theirs who must answer for it much more then they the trust of licensing books being originally reposed in himselfe by the State and in his Chaplaines onely by his owne Deputation for whom he must answer at his perill To prove this and take away this poore evasion which he so much insists on we shall put but these few cases adjudged in Law If a Bailiffe under Jaylor or under Sheriffe suffer a prisoner to escape or any way to misdemeane themselves in their office an action of escape debt an fine in cases of felony and treason and action of the case lyeth against the high Sheriffe and chiefe Jaylor for it who must undergoe the penalty and blame because they are their servants entrusted by themselues And to put a case which comes neerer home and is farre stronger then this of a Chaplaine 21. E. 1. membr 3. Dorso Clauso and in the Pleas of that Parliament placit 17. John Archbishop of Yorke was questioned in Parliament for excommunicating William of Willicon and John Rowman servants to the Bishop of Durham then imployed in the Kings service the Archbishop pleaded just as this Archbishop doth now That they were not excommunicated by himselfe but onely by his Commissary who must answer for it and so no act of his for which he ought to answer But yet notwithstanding it was upon serious debate resolved in Parliament that the Act of his Commissary being his owne immediate Officer was his owne act for whose misdemeanour he must answer and thereupon he was fined 4000. markes to the King and forced to pay it a great fine in those times for such an offence yea gladed to make many friends to the King to avoid a further censure which is farre stronger then the case of this Arch-prelate For this Commissary was an Officer established by Law which the Archbishop could not remove at pleasure without just cause but his Chaplaines were no Officers by Law but meer meniall servants under his immediate command and removable at pleasure therefore certainly they durst license nothing especially against our established Religion without his privity and command Besides there were never any such popish Books authorized since the beginning of Reformation in any of his Predecessors times by themselves or their Chaplaines neither durst such erronious pamphlets appeare publickly amongst us till he grew great to patronize them yea when they were thus licensed and publickly complained against as Popish erronious and destructive to our Religion he censured persecuted such who durst complaine or write against them never questioning nor punishing the Licensers Printers or Authors of them exemplarily as he should have done to discharge the trust reposed in him and vindicate his sincerity herein whereas if any new Book against Arminians or Popish Innovations did but privily passe the Presse by license of his Predecessors Chaplaines as Bishop Carltons Book against Mountague Master Prynnes Perpetuity his Survey of Master Cozens his Cozening Devotions Histriomastix with other forenamed Impressions did he presently suppressed burnt them questioned the Authous Printers Dispersers Licensers of them both in the High Commission and Star-chamber too where Master Prynne by his meanes was censured in the highest degree of extremity for his Histriomastix a licensed Book and Master Buckner too who licensed it fined by this Archbishop himselfe and that Court therefore this act of his Chaplaines must rest upon his own head and the guilt thereof lye heaviest upon him whose fault it was to make choyce of such and to entrust them in this kind As for his excuse of his many other grand imployments which so engrossed his time that he had no leisure to peruse what Books were tendred and licensed for the Presse it is so farre from being any excuse that it aggavates his crime Certainly the preservation of our Religion in its purity the keeping out all Popish innovations in Ceremony Doctrine Worship and the suppression of Popish errours Books Doctrines were the principall things of all others which his Place Calling yea his Majesties trust engaged him to look unto for him then to neglect this principall part of his Episcopall duty the frequent preaching of Gods Word he seldome appearing in the Pulpit after he became Archbishop and a Privy Counsellour to drowne himselfe in all manner of secular imployments in the Star-chamber Counsel-Chamber Exchequer spending his time in proling about Tobacco Licenses illegall Taxes Projects Monopolies of all sorts contrary to the Lawes and Liberties of the Subjects in undermining Parliaments oppressing the people every where and managing the Kings Revenues things no way suitable to his spirituall Function is so farre from extenuating that it puts the highest degree of aggravation upon this his negligence and Chaplaines misdemeanours which he should have better looked too But admit the reall duties of his Place alone had been overburthensome to him he should then have intrusted imployed such in Licensing and perusing Books who would have discharged the trust reposed in them in farre better manner then his knowne Popish and Arminian Chaplains did Tenthly to his excuses touching the particular Popish Books objected We answer first that Sales his Booke was Licensed by Doctor Haywood his own Chaplain that he was not abused in it but the Printer whom he checked for complaining to him of the Popish passages in the Booke and encouraged to proceed in the printing of it which otherwise he durst not have printed That it was afterwards
the Lawes concerning it meer Engines of State to draw reward for toleration dispensation and connivance c. his excuse is most miserable and ridiculous For first it is generally agreed by all Protestant Writers that Popery trencheth upon the first Commandement by advancing the Virgin Mary Pope to omit the Bredden Wafer into the very Throne of God himselfe and Deifying them both with divine Titles Adorations Attributes Epithites Orisons and the like therefore no reason to delete this clause that it trencheth on the first Commandement the rather because Paul himselfe affirmes it in direct termes 2 Thes 2. 3 4. as all orthodox Expositors resolve Secondly it s agreed by all Protestants yea by this Arch-Prelat himselfe in shew at least when his reputation seemed to be somewhat blasted as if he were devoted to Popery and expresly resolved by our Homilies against the perill of Idolatry that Popery expresly trencheth upon the second Commandement sundry wayes as by adoring Crucifixes Images Saints Angels Reliques Altars the consecrated Hoast yea by invocation of Saints departed and introduction of sundry Idolatrous Superstitious Rites Ceremonies formes of Worship invented by Popes Priests Fryars into the Worship of God Therefore had he deleted its intrenchment upon the first Commandement as dubious yet since there is no question of their transgressing the second in all these particulars his abolition thereof is inexcusable and displayes his popish disposition Thirdly however had he deleted this likewise yet his obliterating that which followes against connivance at and suspention of Lawes against Popery and Papists for luchre sake least God make the gaine gotten by this dividing betwixt him and Idols to be like that of Solomons which was recompenced with the losse and dividing of his Kingdome betwixt his Sonne and a Stranger c. the sad effects whereof we have lately felt with all other passages whatsoever against Popery especially at this juncture of time when all forraigne popish Princes had confederated to extirpate the Protestant Religion in forraigne parts as the first deleted passage informes us is such an unsufferable execrable crime in one who pretends himselfe a Protestant Bishop and had then no legall authority to correct or license Books for the Presse as deserves the highest censure yea displays to all the world the hidden Popery of his heart if not his secret correspondency with the Romish party to replant their false superstitious Religion and Idolatry in our Church and from this originall purgation of his we may visibly discover that all succeeding expunctions of this kind made by his owne chaplains and other Agents at Lambeth or London-house proceeded primarily from himself as the originall cause and Author of them The second Objection of this kind is my alterations of the Prayers appointed for the fift of November in some particular causes in the Impression of them Anno 1635. To this I answer First that these alterations were not made by me but the Prayers were sent unto me altered by the King himselfe who commanded me to see them printed according to those alterations and I have here the Books with his Majesties hand and Warrant to each of them for what I did Secondly that the expressions were somewhat overharsh and fit to be altered terming their very Religion Rebellion being but the Christian Religion and the same with Ours as I have proved at large in my Speech in Star-chamber to which I must referre where I have rendred reasons for it which gave generall satisfaction then and I hope will doe so to your Lordships now To which was replied First that the Archbishop shewes his great undutifulnesse here in casting this and other his unwarrantable popish actions on the King himselfe Secondly that for ought appeares he procured from the King this Warrant since the alterations were printed yea complained of and that by circumvention Thirdly that it had been his duty to have disswaded the King from giving way to such scandalous alterations in favour of Jesuits Papists Traitors and their bloody Religion Fourthly that himselfe in his Speech page 33 34. confesseth he made the Alterations himselfe by the Kings command Therefore the Book was not sent him altered by the King or any other as now he falsly pretends Fiftly as for the grounds of the most grosse alteration mentioned in his Speech we have already refuted them at large in the Charge therefore we shall not actum agere but refer you thereunto The third objected Purgation made by my selfe is of some clauses appointed in the Book for the Fast Anno 1636. To which I answer First that it is not proved that I made these Purgations Secondly that I have given a full answer to and shewed there was reason for the making of them in my SPEECH in Star-chamber where they were objected To this was replied First that himselfe doth both confesse and justifie thèse purgations in his said Speech to be made by himselfe and his confederated brethren to whom the care of this Fast was committed therefore he much forgets himselfe here in denying it to be proved when we undeniably evidenced it by his owne printed Confession Secondly we have already refuted his reasons for those purgations mentioned in his Speech discovering their absurdity and fully proving that they were made meerly in favour of Popery to which he hath not returned the least shadow of answer therefore we shall acquiesse therein without further reply The fourth objected alterations and purgations ascribed to my selfe are in Doctor Potters Book entituled Want of Charity c. the second Edition To which I answer First that he writ to me of his own accord to alter or correct any thing I thought meet in the second Impression of his Book and what I did therein was upon his owne request Secondly that the expressions I advised him to amend were either such as were very harsh as Beleeve in the Pope or somewhat obscure as The Idol of Rome c. Thirdly that his exposition of Matth. 18. 17 11. Dic Ecclesiae c. concernes not the Parliament but the Sanhedrin or Civill Court of the Jewes And whereas it is urged that I writ his Exposition of it seemes to give as much power to the Parliament as to the Church or Convocation in Church affaires which is a derogation to the Parliaments Jurisdiction I conceive it to be none since it appeares by the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 1. that the Parliament cannot determine any thing in matter of Religion without assent of the Clergy in their Convocation this Act providing That the High Commissioners shall not in any wise adjudge any matter to be Heresie but onely such as hath beene heretofore determined ordered or adjudged to be Heresie by the authority of the Canonicall Scriptures or by the first foure generall Councels or any of them c. or such as shall be hereafter ordered judged or determined to be Heresie by the high
Romans differed from our Church in some points of Doctrine touching the Kings Supremacy concurring therein with the Papists for which his Book was here publickly condemned burnt and likewise in some other points therefore it could not be properly said that their Religion and ours was the same in all particulars Secondly it seemed to determine a great controversie between Protestant Divines among themselves and likewise between them and the Church of Rome whether the Pope be Antichrist which was never yet determined by any Councell and of which there is great doubt and difference in opinion even among the learned Now I conceived it a very unfitting thing to determine such a doubtfull controversie definitively by Letters Patents under the great Seale which is not yet resolved in the Schooles Upon these grounds the King thought fit to revoke the Patent though it were under the Great Seale which I had no power to recall but the KING onely Thirdly I deny that I called in the Declaration of the Palsgraves Religion neither doe I rememeber any such thing Fourthly it is true that I questioned the Dutch and Walloone Churches but not for any ancient Priviledges but onely for their encroachments beyond their priviledges to the prejudice of our English Churches and Parishes wherein they lived yet my Injunctions and proceedings towards them in this kind were so faire and just that they rested satisfied with them and returned me speciall thanks for my favour towards them and their Congregations therefore I much mervaile that this my carriage should be so much blamed as to make it a CAPITALL CRIME and CHARGE against me To this was replyed in the generall that the premised proofes with his late military proceedings against the Scots for complying with those Churches in their Doctrine Discipline Government sufficiently evidence his enmity to his opposition against those forraigne Protestant Churches because they had no Bishops insomuch that he blamed Bishop Hall for dealing so mildly with them in his Book for Episcopacy which he submitted to his censure where on the contrary he is so zealous of the Popes honour that he could not but complaine to the King of some harsh passages in it bestowing the Title of Antichrist on his Holinesse and procured a speciall command from his Majesty to the Bishop to expunge them to gratifie the Pope yea his purging out the objected clause in the Kings Patent and suppressing of the Declaration of Palatinate Churches Faith and Religion argues little affection in him to those Churches and much inward rancour against them but a very high esteem of Rome As for his encouraging of Master Dury in his designe of reconciling the Calvinists and Lutherans Master Dury undertook this worke without his privity or advice and found so small encouragement from him that he oft complained thereof to his friends as we are credibly informed To the particulars we reply First that in his Conference with Fisher he doth not recite but misrecite and pervert Saint Jeroms words and opinion who dogmatically resolves in his very Epistle to Evagrius which this Archbishop quotes and elswhere That Bishops and Presbyters Jure Divino are both one and the same as well in Jurisdiction as Office and that Presbyters have the power of Ordination as well as Bishops Therefore his appropriating of the word Sacerdos and Jeroms saying Vbi non est Sacerdos non est Ecclesia to Diocesian Bishops which he cleerly meanes of Priests and Ministers in generall is a grosse perverting of Jeroms meaning and his inferene thence So even with him NO BISHOP and NO CHVRCH is only a Declaration of his owne private opinion not of Jeroms who held no such Prelaticall Paradox For Bishop Mountagues Book it was licensed by his Chaplaine presented to received approved by himselfe Bishop Hals Propositions were not onely interlined with but allowed under his owne hand as fit for a generall subscription and now he justifies them not onely by Bishop Bilsons opinion but likewise by Master Calvins as great an enemy to Bishops as Saint Jerome whose words he wilfully perverts as he did his in applying that to Diocesian Bishops which he spake onely of ordinary Ministers who succeeded the Apostles in their Ministeriall Function In briefe his owne Conference together with Mountagues Book and Bishop Hals Propositions approved by him doe necessarily unchurch all the reformed Protestant Curches un-minister all their Ministers and make them no Churches no Ministers of Christ whereas he averres the Church of Rome to be a true Church and her Priests to be true Ministers as we have formerly proved therefore he must needs be guilty of the extreamest malignity and anmity against them what ever he pretends to the contrary Secondly he denies and yet at last justifies and maintains what we charge him with to wit that he denies the Religion of forraign Protestant Churches to be the same with ours or to be true Religion he instanceth in the opinion of Paraeus whose Commentary on the Romans he caused to be burnt as erronious when as he writes no more then Bilson did before him whom himself hath cited in defence of Episcopacy other orthodox Writers of our Church have maintained publickly for truth before since As for the burning of Paraus his Book being of a forraign Nation and no Subject to our King without summoning him to defend himselfe it was an unjust rash inconsiderate action to say no more as his Son hath manifested to the world in print who hath justified his Fathers opinion to the full as orthodox However the extravagant opinion of one Palatinate Divine in point onely of the Kings Supremacy not about any Article of Faith cannot make the reformed Churches and ours to be of different Religions especially since he argues in his Star-chamber Speech that the Papists Religion and ours are both one though we differ in some private Tenets Yea his deniall of the Protestants Religion in forraigne parts to be the true Religion when as he contends that Rome is a true Church argues his virulency against the one and good affection to the other Thirdly the calling in of the Declaration of the Palsgraves Religion is directly and punctually proved to be his act its impudency therefore in him to deny it and policy not to remember it Fourthly for the purgation and revocation of the Letters-Patents he not onely confesseth but shamelesly justifies it most undutifully laying the blame the scandall of it on the King himselfe who did naught therein but by his instigation and that upon two false scandalous grounds First that the Religion of the forraigne Palatinate Churches and ours differ and are not the same then which falshood nothing can procure a greater scisme and juster ground of scandall between us and those Churches Secondly that no Councill had defined the Pope to be Antichrist of which there was great variety of opinions amongst Protestant Divines touching the same unfit to be decided by the Kings Letters-Patents Therefore
Pope corrupt Ordinances Sacraments and a meere Idolatrous supersticious wil-worship Thirdly no true Ministry nor government of Christs institution Fourthly she yeelds no true Subjection nor Obedience to Christ his laws word spirit but opposeth him and them in all Fiftly she is over-spread with a Leprosie of damnable Errours in Doctrine corruptions in Faith Manners Ordinances Government Sixtly the definition of a true visible Church in our Homilies and Writers agrees not to her Seventhly our Homilies Writers define her to be a false Church not a true who are all mustered up together by Master Burton in his Babell no Bethell where she is largely proved to be no true Church For his distinction that she is a true Church Veritate Entis though not Moris as a Thiefe is a true man it is a meere childish evasion For it is not the meere entity and being of a company of men that makes up a Church or true Church for if so the Turks Pagans or any assembly else should be a true Church as well as the Protestants but a company of men rightly qualified to wit professing the true Christian Faith among whom the Word of God is truly Preached and the Sacraments duly administed To set then the distinction and comparison right If one should demand of the Archbishop Whether a Theefe be a true man or no as this phrase true man in our ordinary language signifies an honest just-dealing man with reference to his qualities morals not his Entity or being as a meer man himself grants that he is no true man but a false one in this sense in this very distinction and to answer that he is a true man in regard of his essence therefore a true man in respect of his Morals were a meer impertinency Nonsequitur By the selfe-same reason when we demand of him Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church and he answers She is so Veritate entis for she consists of a company of persons or reall men not veritate moris for that they are not so truly qualified in those Morals or rather supernaturall principles which makes them to be a true Church Himselfe must needs grant that his distinction is fallacious in applying this veritas entis to them as they are a Church not men or else yeeld that they are a false but no true Church because his not veritate Moris can be applyed to nothing else but to such morall and divine qualifications as should make them a true Church so as his owne distinction directly subverts this his false conclusion of her being a true Church and his charging her with grosse Corruptions Errors Superstitions to the endangering of salvation doth the like Secondly it was retorted that his distinction of her erring onely circa fundamentalia not in Fundamentalibus was a falshood For first her affirming the Church to be built upon Peter and the Pope not Christ the chiefe corner-stone Her denying the Scriptures to be Scriptures but as they are grounded on confirmed and expounded by the Authority of the Church and Pope Her making Apochryphall Scriptures Canonicall and so adding to the Scriptures Her giving the Pope power to null and dispence with things against the Scriptures Her resolving the foundation of all our Faith into the Church To beleeve as the Church beleeves not into the Scriptures themselves Her deifying of the Virgin Mary Saints Images in praying to and adoring them with divine worship Her joyning of Saints Merits and Mediations with Christs and making them joynt Saviours Mediators Advocates with him Her turning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper into a Propitiatory Massing Sacrifice of as great or greater Merit as Christs own Sacrifice on the crosse adoring the consecrated Bread as their Lord God and Christ himselfe Her taking away the Sacramentall Cup from the Laity point-blanke against Christs owne Institution Her giving Christ an ubiquitary body on earth instead of a glorified body in heaven her tying people to pray to God in an unknown tongue with her creating a new head of the Church in Christs stead the Pope who hath the Keyes of Heaven Hell and Purgatory too and can pardon sins release Soules out of Hell and Purgatory at his pleasure with her abolishing the second Commandement out of the Decalogue What are they all but Fundamentall Errors nullifying that Church which maintaines them and not Errors onely about the foundation For his foure instances that circumstances may undermine and destroy the Foundation We answer First that neither of all these instances concerne the Papists or Church of Rome the subject in question therefore altogether impertinent Secondly they are not meer circumstantials but fundamentals because directly contrary to the expresse words of Scripture and Articles of our Faith of which they are unseparable parts which if false in any part may and will be false in the whole and no ground of Faith at all For the rule of the Schools we agree it but how he applyes it to his distinction or the Church of Rome we cannot yet discerne Thirdly it was replyed That the Religion of the Church of Rome and England is not one and the same For that which they repute the maine part of their Religion is no Christian Religion at all nor part of the Christian Religion but meere Antichristian Errour Superstition corruption Idolatry And in his Booke he doth no more charge her with some grosse corruptions endangering Salvation then she chargeth us as the perusall of his words demonstrates Fourthly his justifying salvation to be had in this false Antichristian Church and Religion denying the foundation is contrary to the opinion of all Otthodox Protestants who make her damnable Errours the ground of their separation from her And though some affirme that divers in the Church of Rome are saved yet none are saved by being of that Church or by that Faith and Doctrine which she properly cals her Faith and Religion wherein she differs from us but by their relying onely on Christs merits which she disclaimes Fiftly his deleting all phrases clauses calling or intimating the Pope to be the Antichrist is a cleer evidence that he holds him not to be so Else his sinne fault will prove the greater in purging out that as Heterodox and scandalous which himselfe beleeves to be a truth For our Statutes Homilies Writers they define the Pope either in direct termes or equivalent expressions to be Antichrist and our Church yea State in them at leastwise in our forecited Statutes and the Subsidy Act 3. Jac. penned by the Convocation As for the Articles of Ireland though they bind us not yet being taken out of the Articles and Homilies of England they sufficiently declare the resolution of our Church as well as theirs that the Pope is Antichrist and Doctor Vsher Primate of Armagh in a Letter of his to the Archbishop himselfe Jan. 4. 1635. the very day of his birth writes That this conceit is so rife in the minds and mouths of the Papists