feare the other a Civill filiall feare The point in briefe is True Subjects beare to their King such a feare as children to their parents Not a feare with terror as the Apostle sayth to Parents Provoke not your children to wrath The name of a Father is a name of love and hath in it the bowels of a naturall affection which is above all other kinds of humaine affections Now a King is the Father of his Countrey and all his loving and loyall Subjects are as so many Children into him Hee is the Father of the great family of his Kingdome Hee is the great Lord Steward whom God hath set over his family to provide for them and to protect them He is the Shepherd of the people to feed them rule them as Dauid Psal. 78. 71. 72. Now the sheep are affrayd of the wolfe not of the Shepherd Therefore saith the Apostle If thou doest evill be affrayd So as a good Subject so feareth as hee is not affrayd because he lives in obedience to God and his King Againe this filiall feare in a Subject towards his Prince doth necessarily imply an excellent and eminent love towards the King yea greater love then naturall Children beare unto their Parents namely as they are members of the great politicke body united to the King as the Head There being a neerer tye of affection betweene the Head and the members then betweene a Father and his child And therefore it is worthily sayd by that faithfull servant of God M. Perkins A good Subject is more to love the life of his Prince then his owne life And great reason for the King is the breath of our nostrills Lam. 4. 20. Hee is more worth than ten thousand of us 2. Sam. 18. 3. Vse 1. Let this be for exhortation to all good Subjects to feare their King as Sonnes their Father as their carefull Shepherd to provide for them under God and to preserve them from wolves 2. This may condemne those that would perswade Kings to rule in a terrible and formidable manner as over a sort of slaves Contrary to the Apostle Rulers are not a terror to the good Rom. 13. 3. Such are dangerous persons that would turne filiall feare in Subjects to servile For according to the old saying Oderunt dum metuunt Againe hereunto wee may fitly joyne the next Point which is That the true feare of a King as it is a filiall feare so it is a feare of adherency a feare full of loyalty and fidelity which makes a true Subject to sticke so close to his Prince at all times and in all conditions as nothing can make a separation The King and his Subjects are united with strong ligaments as the head and body And this feare of adherency is a speciall gift of God as we reade 1. Sam. 10. 26. There went with Saul a band of men whose hearts God had touched But such as cleave not unto the King are branded for children of Belial who despisâ—d their King vers 27. So wee read also of David when hee was in great distresse and straits by reason of his unnaturall and traiterous Sonne Absalom and those many tribes of Israel that had revolted to him from their King yet some cleave unto him as 2. Sam. 15. 15. The Kings servants said unto the King Behold thy servants are ready to doe whatsoever my Lord the King shall appoint And vers 21. Ittai said to the King when hee went about to perswade him to goe back and to take care for his safety as verse 19. 2â— As the Lord liveth and as my Lord the King liveth Surely in what place my Lord the King shall bee whether in death or life even there also will thy servant bee Here was a faithfull servant and loyall subject indeede And great reason every good subject should sticke close to his King in all difficulties First we are bound hereunto by a strong bond of conscience as before Rom. 13. 5. And this Conscience is grounded upon the true Religion and feare of God which is the surest bond of all obedience This was that bond which tyed the Christians of old to performe such faithfull military service unto the heathen Emperours and those also who where otherwise cruell persecuters of the Church and Apostates from Christ. As wee see in the Example of Iulian who when hee commanded his band of Christians to march against his enemies those of the heathen they straight obeyed and put their lives in hazard But if he commanded them to fight against the Christians their brethren then they layd downe their Armes and cast themselves downe at the Emperors feete and offered their naked bodies rather to suffer whatsoever torments A second reason why a good subject ought to sticke close to his King in all difficulties because this is the meanes to make a Kingdome invincible and terrible to the enemies Therefore it was an old saying Divide and Rule Divisions in a state expose it to forraigne enemies But unity of heart and affections betweene the subjects and their Soveraigne makes a Common-Wealth happy and perpetuall When my selfe was once at the High Commission falsly charged by a great Prelate of Sedition in that said hee I had dedicated a Booke to the Lower house of Parliament thereby to incense the Commons against the King I presently answered No my Lord I dedicated my Booke to the whole Parliament to wit to the King and both the Howses I doe not divide the head from the body my Lord but I pray God unite them together Hereat he was mute and all his raylings and false charges were at an non-plus So it seem'd some there were not farre off who went about at that time to divide the King from his people And yet another of them said Amen to my prayer being convinced of this trueth that divisions or heart-burnings betweene the King and his subjects are most perillous Vse 1. Here then those are justly and severely censurable even as traytors to the King and State who play the make-baites betweene the Prince and people And these are the Iesuites and Seminary Priests or else those of their faction who herein combine with them as Samsons foxes tyed tayle to tayle with a fire-brand to set the whole State in a combustion by stirring up and fomenting the fire of dissention betweene our gratious Soveraigne and his loving and loyall Subjects And this they labour to doe two wayes either by incensing the King with a hard opinion of his best Subjects those especially that are most religious and pious humble and peaceable in his Kingdome or else on the other side by incensing the people with a sinister opinion of their Soveraigne thus playing lack of both sides being Ambidexters and know to make advantage every way The first of these wayes it hath beene an old practise of Satan the Accuser of the brethren to suggest and whisper into Kings eares evill and false
against his King or lifted up a hand against his Sacred Person But wee can fill large volumes of Examples if need were of Iesuites Priests and Prelates that have beene notorious traitors to their Emperours and Kings and some of them that have laid violent hand upon the Lords anointed And howsoever they cry thiefe first and their cry being lowder prevailes most especially being ushered in with the very name of Puritan as of old the very name of Christians was crime enough yet they which thus abuse the eares of pious Princes both by base flattery and mallicious traducing of good men the Kings good Subjects unto His Majestie incensing him against them that so they may more easily worke their owne mischievous ends these will be found to bee the great theeves as will appeare by that which now followeth in these words And meddle not with them that are giuen to change These words are an admonition to all that feare the Lord and the King not to meddle with them that are given to change that is not to have fellowship or partnership with them as before was opened The point we learne hence is That the true servants of the Lord subjects of the King ought not to joyne with those that are given to change whither it bee in the State of Religion or of the Common-weale This is confirmed first with sundry places of Scripture As Prov. 22. 28. Remove not the ancient Land-marke which thy Fathers have Set. This alludes as Divines interprit to the alteration of the State of the true Religion of good Laws So Eccl. 10. 8. Who so breaketh an hedge a Serpent shall bite him An hedge is a bounder or fence betweene man and man This is forbidden with a curse Deutr. 27. 17. And the Princes of Iuda were reprooved as those That remooved the Bound to wit of the Lawes Hose 5. 10. Which Zanchie expounds as the other And the Ordinary Glosse expounds it of Trelates which would be accounted Princes that remoove the bounds that is Preach other doctrine then they have received from the Apostles So as the Doctrines of the Apostles are the ancient Bounds which must not bee remooved Now with Innovators such as feare the Lord and the King must not meddle nor pertake and that for sundry waighty reasons 1. Because the accessory is equall with the principall both in fact and punishment As Obad. 11. Edom is as deepely charged as the Heathen actors for but looking on while they spoiled his brother Iacob and took no compassion on him much les ayded him against his enemies And in our Law misprison of Treason that is concealement of it is punishable as treason So when wee see wicked men goe about by their Innovation to undermine and overthrow the State of Religion and of the Common-weale if wee be silent and doe not detect them nor labour to defeate them but out of a base feare hold our peace when the State of things cal upon us to speak we shal be found guilty before God though the State take no notice of it of the same Sinne with them and so pertake of the like punishment 2. Because Innovation of Religion and the Republike is and ever hath beene held dangerous to a State especially when the change is for the worse As 1. in point of civill government to change a Kingdome setled on good Lawes into Tirany is very dangerous And ever States have beene wary hereof Insomuch as the Locrians ordained that who so would moâ—ion a nâ—w Law should come with an halter about his necke that is it were not liked hee should be hanged in his halter And it was the speech of Heraclitus Ephesius That Citizens ought to fight no lesse for their Lawes then for their walls Because a City may stand without walls but without Lawes it cannot For a State can no more stand without good Lawes as it were the Soule of it then the body can live without the soule Lycurgus therefore to preserue his Lawes unto perpetuity covenanted with his Citizens that they should alter nothing till his returne whereupon he voluntarily became a perpetuall exile from his Countrey Aristotle compares changes in a State which at first seeme but small and insensible to the expenses of a howse and the wasting of a mans substance by little and little which in a short time consumes all And in his Third Booke ibid. Shewing the difference betweene a King and a Tyrant hee saith The Citizens defend with Armes their King but Strangers a Tyrant For Kings doe rule according to Law and over willing Subjects But Tyrants against their wills So as Kings have a Guard of their people but Tyrants against them So hee Whereby we see the usefulnesse of good Lawes as combining King and peoples as the head and members Secondly in point of Religion A notable example hereof we have in Deut. 13. Where if Sonnes of Belial have drawne a City of Israel to Idolatry upon the inquiry of the Truth all Israel is to smite the Inhabitants of that Citie with the sword destroying utterly all therein both man and beast with the edge of the sword and the whole City with all the spoile therein shall be consumed with Fire and made a heape for ever that so Israel may be guiltlesse and blessed of God So for all Ieroboams policy which yet to carnall judgement seemed very subtily and safe for his Kingdome the erecting of his Calues proved the bane of his House and Kingdome for ever And the like ruine fell upon Ierusalem afterward with the Babilonian Captivity for 70. yeeres And the cause was partly changing of the Lawes whereof before and partly and especially changing of Religion as these two changes goe commonly hand in hand together So Iere. 2. 36. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way So vers 11. Hath a Nation changed their Gods which yet are no Gods But my people have changed their glory for that which doeth not profit And Esay puts all together Saying The earth is befiled under the Inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Lawes changed the ordinance broken the Everlasting Covenant Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth and they that dwell therein c. Innovation in Religion breeds oftentimes troubles and distractions especially after a long settling And for this cause the first Reformers of our Religion were very tender of settling such an exact reformation in all things as perhaps they desired As the Lord Cromwell having set forth the Psalter in English with omission of the Letany there was such discontent about it as hee was forced to put it in againe Some indulgence must be given According to that observation of Beatus Rhenanus upon Tertullian it was needfull saith hee in ancient times to give indulgence to Christians in many things who commonly when they were old were converted from Paganisme to our Religion with great difficulty relinquishing
for they feare not the King they honour him not they love him not they obey him not How Doe not these novellers honour love feare the King Who seeme more True Yet as was shewed before these are the most dangerous enemies of the King who under a pretence of honor and love doe machinate the overthrow of his Kingdome and State as by altering the State of religion and by that meanes alienating and unsettling the hearts of his Subjects by filling them with feares and suspicions as if the King gave these novellers authority so to doe which farre bee it from every good Subjects heart once to imagine For the King and Novellers here doe stand in opposition one against the other Can those be the Kings friends that goe about to divide betweene him and his good Subjects Or to expose his Kingdome to Gods displeasure by corrupting his worship and oppressing his truth It s impossible Therefore to joyne with such is to partake with the Kings false friends and fawning enemies Now for the close of all with application to this present occasion in the thankefull memory of this dayes deliverance from the Gunpowder plot a deliverance never to bee cancelled out of the Calender but to bee written in every mans heart for ever this serveth first for caution to all to take heed how they any way partake with those that bee given to change And to the end wee may the better take heed I will propose onely two examples which it concernes us most at this present to take notice of The first of the Gun-powder Plotters who if their plot had taken effect had prooved notorious Changers For as Popery it selfe is a religion of Changes as from antiquity of truth to novelty of error though they falsely pretend the contrary like the Gibeonites with their old shooes and mouldy bread as if they had come from farre when they dwelt hard by so it can rest no where but is a Mother pregnant in plotting and producing of changes in States Kingdomes Common-weales only unchangeable in this that she makes her selfe Supreme and Sole Mistresse where ever the cometh Accordingly those her Sons whom she had fostered as fit sparkes for such a combustion were set on worke to produce the most monstrous Change that ever the world saw on such a suddaine if it had taken place But our God though he winked at them and suffered them to come to the very upshot of their hope strikes in on a suddaine and in the very nick puts a divine sentence in the lippes of the King who by a strange interpretation of a word in one of their own Letters to a Popish Noble-man not according to the Grammaticall sense of the Letter smelling a sent of fire from the mention of burning the Letter and the danger is past thereupon sent the Lord Chamberlaine to search about the Parliament-house and under it Where entring into the Sellar underneath the upper-house hee found a great many Billets and Faggots heaped up not yet suspecting what lurked underneath But the last search was made for more privacy by Sr. Thomas Knevet who first met with Faux and his Lanthorne with his Matches about him ready against the next morning to blow up King Queene Prince Peeres Nobles Knights Burgesses assembled then and there in Parliament and making him sure first entred the Sellar and found no lesse then 36. Barrells of Gun-powder lying Couchant under Billets and Barres of Yron Thus through Gods mercy the change was prevented the change of a Noble Kingdome into an Anarchy and Babilonian tyranny a change of Christs Religion into Antichrists of Tables into Altars of Preaching Ministers of the Gospel into sacrifising Masse-Priests of light into darkenesse of Christ into Belial of the Temple of God into a temple of Idolls of fundamentall just lawes of a Kingdome into Papall Canons of the Liberty of the Subjects into the servitude of slaves of Regall Edifices and Monuments into vast solitude ruinous heapes Yea what tongue can tell or what heart conceive the miserable changes that must have ensued upon that desperate designe if it had beene effected But blessed be God who hath not given us over as a prey unto their teeth but hath turned the Change another way for in stead of taking us in their snare themselues were taken therein in stead of blowing up the heads and bodies of this Kingdome together with the house and all their owne bodies were quartered and their heads set upon the top of the Parliament-house to their perpetuall infamie and in stead of a day of lamentation and woe and crying in the streets wee keep it a day of rejoycing of solemne thankesgiving and of singing of Psalmes ever since till this every day And ever may wee so in all thankfullnesse celebrate the memory of this day that wee may never provoke God to deliver us up into the hands of those mercilesse Philistimes Finally as the Lord hath made our Fifth of November a glorious day by such a deliverance So on the other side Hee hath branded their fifth of November with the note of a perpetuall curse and ignomy as in that fall of the House in the Black-Friers on their fifth of November when one of their Popish Priests or Predicants would presume to Preach like a Roman Fox to the English Geese the house by the speciall judgement of God suddenly falling upon their heads which flew both the Preacher and some hundreds of the hearers So as wee have cause to remember that Fifth of November also to the glory of our God who alone avenged his cause on those Idolaters But notwithstanding all these things so remarkable both Gods great mercy in delivering vs on our fifth of November and also his severe and just judgement in noting the fifth of November in their Calender with purple Letters died in the blood of so many persons Yet doe they relent Are their Consciences convicted Is their malice abated alas no such thing But as the Prophet told the King of Israel when God had given him the Victory over the King of Syria Goe strengthen thy selfe and marke and see what thou dost for at the returne of the yeere the King of Syria Will come up against thee And so it prooved For the servants of the King of Syria said unto him Their Gods are Gods of the hills but let us fight on the plaine and wee shah be stronger than they So the Pontificians not succeeding that way they try another way What is that way Wee cannot better compare it then to that of Baalam who when hee could not by all his Inchantments conjure up from hell one curse upon Gods people then hee goes a politicke way to worke hee giues Balack the King of Moab crafty counsell to cast a stumbling block before the Children of Israel to eate things sacrificed to Idolls and to commit fornication as yee may see Numb 25. 1. 2. c. This indeed was the
the rule whereby God doth governe the best patterne of a Kings government and the reason is this Wee are to bee subject to our King in the performance of all due services by that bond or tye which not onely Gods Law and Ordinance but also the Kings Law doth put upon us You may remember I showed you before how Gods Law is the rule of our feare and service which wee performe unto his Majesty and to goe beside or transgresse this rule brings us under the guilt and penalty of rebellion I showed you also how wee are bound to serve God as our King by vertue of mutuall stipulation which God makes with us and we with him Semblably our subjection unto the King is to be regulated as by Gods Law the rule of universall obedience to God and man so by the good Lawes of the King And note the completenesse of this correspondence It stayes not here but holds also in that mutuall stipulation or Covenant which the King and his Subjects make at his Coronation Where the King taking an explicit solemne oath to maintaine the ancient Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome and so to rule and governe all his people according to those Lawes established So consequently and implicitly all the people of the Land doe sweare fealty allegiance subjection and obedience to their King and that according to his just Lawes To this purpose it is that his excellent Majesty in the Petition of Right which he subscribed with his owne royall hand hath these words worthy to be written in golden characters The King willeth that right be done according to the Lawes and Customes of the Realme and that the Statutes be put in due execution and His Subjects may have no cause to complaine of any wrong or oppressions contrary to their just Rights and Liberties To the preservation whereof hee holds himselfe in Conscience as well obliged as of his Prerogative And after that in full Parliament he concluded with these words Soit droit fait come est desire Let right be done as is desired And then in his Majesties speech following And I assure you my Maxime is that the Peoples Libertie strengthens the Kings Prerogative that the Kings Prerogative is to defend the Peoples Liberties O blessed King ever may'st Thou live crowned with all blessings in Thy Royall selfe and Posterity being knit unto Thy people in this indissoluble bond And herein His Sacred Majestie shewed himselfe a Peereles Sonne to His Peerelesse Father who in his speech to the Parliament 1609. besides sundry other rare passages to the same purpose hath these words The King bindes himselfe by a double oath to the observation of the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome Tacitly as being a King and so bound as well to protect the People as the Lawes of his Kingdome and expresly by his Oath at His Coronation So as every Just King in a setled Kingdome is bound to observe that paction made to his people by his Lawes in framing his government agreeable thereunto according to that paction which God made with Noah after the deluge c. And therefore a King governing in a setled Kingdome leaves to be a King and degenerates into a Tyrant as soone as hee leaves off to rule according to his lawes And a little after Therefore all Kings that are not Tyrants or perjured will be glad to bound themselves within the limits of their Lawes and they that perswade them the contrary are Vipers and Pests both against them and the Common Wealth Which words beseeming a just King I have heere set downe as an honourable testimony of such a Father of such a Sonne and all to be for the stronger reason to all subjects to performe all due obedience to their Soveraigne For if your Gracious King doe so solemnly by Sacred oath ratified againe in Parliament under His Royall hand bind himselfe to maintaine the Lawes of his Kingdome and therein the Rights and Liberties of His Subjects then how much are the people bound to yeeld all subjection and obedience to the King according to his just Laws So much of the proofe of the point Now to the Uses Here 1. Not onely Papists but the religion of Popery it selfe come under the guilt and condemnation of Rebellion forasmuch as the maine Principle of Popery is to exalt and acknowledge the Pope as supreme over all Powers as Emperors Kings Princes States c. And therefore not unworthily is their Religion branded for Rebellion and their faith for Faction and their practise murdering of soules and bodies And though some Papists will take the Oath of Allegiance as subjects to their King yet they refuse the Oath of Supremacy as acknowledging their subjection to the King upon no other termes but as subordinate to the Pope as Supreme And so the Pope and not the King is the Papists King and Soveraigne And yet how is their rebellious religion nay which is rebellion it selfe fostered and fomented in our Land to the infinite dishonour not onely of God but of the King and His Supremacy and danger of the Kingdom if God in mercy doe not prevent it The ancient Church before Antichrist the great usurper mounted aloft acknowledged no Supreme above the Emperour or every absolute Prince in his Kingdome but onely God 2. For Exhortation Heere let all good Christians and royall subjects learne to yeeld all feare honour obedience to their Soveraigne following the direction and exhortation of the Apostle Let every soule be subject to the higher powers And render to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custome to whom Custome Feare to whom feare Honour to whom honour And for the better stirring up of all those duties which subjects owe to their Soveraigne Let us often meditate of these reasons and motives fore-mentioned by the Apostle and especially considering That the King is Gods Minister to doe Iustice to punish the evill and to countenance and reward the good as also because hee attends continually upon this great office And lastly considering in speciall how our Gracious Soveraigne hath entered into Solemne and sacred Covenant with all his people to bee their King and Protector and to governe them according to his good and just lawes and to maintaine all their just Rights and Liberties and according to the Patterne of God himselfe whose vicegerent hee is to demaund of them no other obedience but what the good lawes of the Kingdome prescribe and require With what alacrity then and readinesse ought all Subjects to expresse their loyalty to their Prince and with all adde their dayly and fervent prayers and supplications for the life of our gracious King that under the shadow of his righteous and religious government wee may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty It followeth Feare the King that is with a filiall feare as the feare of the Lord is only keeping the difference that the one is a religious filiall
thy fâ—are will I worship towards thy holy Temple So Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord in feare Which I say is such a feare as hath in it faith love affiance and other graces 5. Lastly wee are bound to performe all obedience to God in a holy feare by vertue of the Word of God as the rule and of the Covenant God hath made with us in his Word and we with him Gods Law is so the rule of our feare and obedience to God as it is death to feare or obey him otherwise then hee hath commaunded us in his Law Els it is rebellion not obedience will worship not service to God And this wee are bound to by mutuall Couenant 1. God binds himselfe to be our God and King by Covenant in his word as Exod. 20. Secondly wee bind our selves by a reciprocall Covenant as in our Baptisme to bee his Servants and to serve him as hee hath commaunded in his Law Vse of this point is first for reproofe and conviction of the whole Romane Synagogue as being altogether devoyd of the true feare of God and consequently is no true Church of Christ â—…one of the Kings Daughter none of his spowse Why For all her feare towards God is taught by the precept of men her service of God is a Masse of Idolatry and Superstition Will-worship of mans invention and therefore though they draw neere to God with their lipps yet their hearts are farre from him And so in vaine they worship him nay they worship the Devill and not God as the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 10. 20. For all Idolatry as that of the breaden god in the Masse is the worship of the Devill They will say they worship God in the Host So did the Pagans plead for themselues that they worshipped God in their Idols Yet saith the Apostle I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devills and not to God And God disclaimes all worship of Him that is not according to His Word and He abhorres such presumptuous worshippers as those that doe not feare him So as secondly heere are justly reprooved those men as wanting the true feare of God who in these dayes shew themselves Antichrists Factors both in teaching practising and pressing new Formes of worship Secundum usum Sarum and setting them up againe in Churches as Altar-worship Iesu-worship Image-worship Crosse-worship and the like A plaine evidence that these men what ever they most hypocritically pretend and would bee accounted as a new kind of Saints dropped downe out of the cloudes as most holy and devoute persons have no true feare of God in them Yea their hearts are far from God Their feare is more towards an Altar of their owne invention towards an Image and Crucifix towards the sound and sillables of Iesus then towards the Lord Christ. For did they truely feare Christ they would not as they doe so desperately and furiously persecute him in his faithfull Ministers and members and make havocke and turne upside-down the very glory of Christ's Kingdome in the Ministery of His Word and power of Religion and purity of his worship which they altogether trample under and defile with their Wolvish feete Therefore forasmuch as they set up and teach a false feare and worship of God in the Churches I saith the Lord will proceede to doe a marvellous worke among the people even a marvellous worke and a wonder for the wisedome of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid And v. 16. Surely your turning of things upside-downe shall bee esteemed at the Potters clay But of these more in their proper place A 2. 〈◊〉 â—s for instruction to teach us wherein the true filiall feare of God consisteth namely in the true worship and service of God internall and externall according to the exact forme and prescript of his Word Not to swerve one haires bredth from it Againe that true feare of God stnads in an universall obedience to all and every of his Commandements not onely those of the first Table but those of the second nor onely those of the second but those of the first So as Thirdly this may condemne two sorts of grosse Hypocrites 1. Those that seeme exact and punctuall in observing the Commandements of the second Table they are no Adulterers no Drunkards no inordinate livers they are not notorious offenders and what then Hereupon they applaud themselves and would be esteemed of the World good Christians and with the Pharisee thanke God that in these things they are not as other men Extortioners Vnjust c. They live peacably with their Neighbors they pay every man his owne and the like But what 's all this without the feare of God Where is their Piety and Love to God expressed in the duties of the first Table Are they willingly and grosly ignorant of the knowledge of God Doe they hate contemne neglect his words Doe they despise his faithfull Ministers Doe they speake evill of the Way and Profession of Godlinesse Doe they profane the Lords Sabbaths Yea doe they comply with Idolaters in their Altar-worship and Iesu-worship and the like and yet would they bee accounted good honest men Can they be honest and good men that are enemies of God and of the Profession yea and name of holinesse and of the power of Religion and of the true Saints and servants of Iesus Christ Can they be good Christians which are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly and which minde earthly things On the other side there is another sort of Hypocrites who place all their Religion in the outward performances and duties of the first Table professe a great deale of Religion would seeme very devout but yet are like the Pharisees who under a colour of long prayers devoure Widowes houses Of these Hypocrites there are two sorts 1. Of them that are all for outward formality but their hypocrisie bewrayeth it selfe two wayes First in that though they seeme very devoute in frequenting the Church yet it is in a false way mingling mens devices of will-worship with Gods Ordinance in dividing the Lords day betweene God and the Devill allowing to God onely two houres of the day for his publike worship and the rest of the day to the lusts of men Secondly in that they place all the service of God in reading of long Prayers and thereby exclude Preaching as unnecessary And yet they make no bones of oppressing Gods people and the Kings good Subjects with burthens intollerable to bee borne The second sort is of them that will seeme Religious and to give God his due but make no conscience of giving to all men their due they will make no scruple of Lying of over-reaching in bargaining of living in some secret raigning lust of oppressing of defrawding and the like These are so much the more to be abhorred because by their meanes Religion and the name of
God is evill spoken of And such have beene and will bee in all ages Yet woe be to them that hereupon take occasion to cast an aspersion of reproach upon religion and all the sincere Professors thereof because of a few hypocriticall and false hearted Christians so called who have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof There was among the twelve Apostles one Iudas a traytor a thiefe a notorious hypocrite were therefore all the rest so God forbid And yet is not this one of those subtile practises which Iesuites and their complices the Popes Factors here in England doe familiarly use taking all occasions by laying forth the examples of some faylings or perhaps some grosse sinne in one that is a Professor to brand the whole profession of Religion In so much as they take the paines and spend their time and witts in setting forth pamphlets yea some larger volumes as of that poore distracted man Ap-Evans who as they write should kill his Mother and Brother and all forsooth because they kneeled in receiving the holy Communion Now it is most evident to every sober and rationall man that this poore wretch was out of his witts else he had never done such an outragious act And yet what a hubbub is made hereof how must the Presse sweat with printing this tale of a mad man how must the Court and City and Countrey ring of it And to what end Namely to beware of these Puritans to hate all Puritans for Evans his sake Alas poore Puritans must they all fare the worse for one mad man Yet this is the charity of those that are profest enemies to true sanctity and sincerity And it matters not whither it be true or false it must be believed for truth though this of Evans was in another written copy offered to be licensed but rejected shewed to be quite contrary to the first relation And thus the accuser of the brethren wants not his agents to make advantage of the falls or faylings of some Professors not only to the branding of their persons but even of Religion it selfe and the whole profession of it As when some possessed and overcome with that malevolent humour of blacke melancholy through Satans prevailing over the weaker part doe make themselves away oh how is this exagitated and occasion taken thereby to exclame against Religion or some Puritan Preachers that by the doctrine of Predestination drive men to dispaire and therefore some strict order must bee taken for the suppressing of this Doctrine as dangerous and desperate which notwithstanding the 17. article of our Religion commends Saying The godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feele in themselves the working of the spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their minds to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirme their faith of eternall salvation to be inioyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God So the article which I note by the way But the conclusion is the men of the world will have Gods children or Professors of Religion either as the pure and perfect Angels without the least spot of sinfull infirmity or if they be at any time overtaken with humane frailty then they must be taken for blacke divels and their religion to come from hell But all good Christians and wise men of upright judgement will beware of this rocke not to bee Scandalized and fall fowle upon the Religion of Christ either for the hypocrisie of some false Professors or for the infirmity of those that bee sincere and upright in their way but are attended with faylings and humane frailty Concerning which the Apostle gives this good lesson Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meeknesse Considering thine owne selfe least thou also be tempted And againe we that are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves So much of this point That it is the duty of every true Christian thus to feare the Lord as hath beene sayd Againe as there is in Scripture a feare of obedience which feare comprehends the whole service of God and is the whole of a Christian man So there is also a feare of adherence whereby the soule cleaveth inseparably to God This feare is layd downe in Ier. 32. 40. v. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me This is the feare of adherency And this further sheweth how this feare is not without faith hope and charity as without which it cannot adhere unto God Now from this feare of adherency we learne That the true feare of God in his children preserves them from falling from God and his worship This is confirmed by the forenamed place in Ieremy And this is notably set forth Psal. 1â—2 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord c. Surely he shall not be mooved for euer v. 6. hee shall not be afraid of evill tidings for his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord v. 7. This is a speciall property and character of the true child of God So 1. Iohn 2 19. speaking of Apostates They went out from us for they were not of us for had they beene of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Where wee note these particulars 1. All they that are of us to wit true believers doe no doubt continue in the Communion of Saints 2. They that for a time seeme to be of the number of Gods children and afterwards fall away it is a certaine signe that they were not indeed what they once seemed to be So 2. Iohn 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God hee that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Sonne And it is worth the nothing by the way what is added in the very next words If there come any unto you and bring you not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for hee that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds So that this is the doctrine of Christ namely the doctrine of adherency and perseverance of the Saints in grace as here in the grace of feare This doctrine might further be illustrated and confirmed by many reasons as 1. from the covenant of God I will make an everlasting Covenant with you that I will not turne away from you to doe you good Ier. 32. 40. This is that foundation of God that stands sure and
my course preaching upon the whole Chapter It was objected to me that therein I did contrary to the Kings Declaration To which I answered that I never take the Kings Declaration to be intended by him for the suppressing of any part of Gods truth neither durst I ever conceive a thought so dishonourable to the King at to thinke him to be an instrument of suppressing Gods truth And have I not good ground for it For in his Majesties Declaration to All his loving Subjects of the cause which mooved him to dissolue the last Parliament Published by his Majesties speciall Command his Majesty mentioning Richard Mountagues Appeale which did open the way to those Schismes and divisions which have since insued in the Church expresseth himselfe in these words we did for remedy and redresse thereof and for satisfaction of the consciences of our good people not only by our publick Proclamation call in that Book which ministred matter of offence but to prevent the like danger for hereafter reprinted the Articles of Religion established in the time of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory and by a Declaration before those Articles we did tye restraine all opinions to the sense of those Articles that nothing might be left for private fancies and innovation For we call God to record before whom we stand that it is and alwayes hath been our hearts desire to be found worthy of that title which we account the most glorious in all our Crowne Defender of the faith neither shal we ever give way to the authorising of any thing where by any innovation may steale or creep into the Church but preserve that vnity of Doctrine Discipline established in the time of Queene Elizabeth whereby the Church of England hath stood florished ever since These be his Majesties expresse words Well for all this I was suspended from my Mistery Thus when they would insnare or oppresse us they lay all the burden upon the King which how injurious and dishonorable it is to his Majesty I referre to them that are best able to judge of matters of such moment Take another instance Another time namely then when I was brought to the High Commission board at London-house about that Booke of mine formerly mentioned though they had nothing at all against mee but rayling and reviling and charging me with sedition which I retorted upon themselves whereby I put them to silence for the time yet they recovering breath one of them sayd I must to prison If I must sayd I I desire to put in baile in regard of my Ministeriall charge being within three dayes of Easter No quoth my Lord of London that then was the King hath given expresse charge for YOV that no â—ale shall bee taken for YOV No my Lord Then I desire to know by what Law or Statute of the Land you doe imprison 〈◊〉 if it bee according to Law I humbly submit my selfe Otherwise I doe here claime the right and priviledge of a Subject according to the Petition of Right Well for all this to prison I must and if I found my selfe agrieved I might bring a writ of false imprisonment To the Fleet I went where I was a prisonner twelve dayes And when they sent for me forth to make me amends they put me into the High Commission out of the frying pan into the fire But blessed be God and my King by the benefit of whose good Lawes I obtayned a Prohibition against their illegall proceedings which fetcht mee off those shelves where else with the threatned storme of their Censure I must have suffered shipwracke But now I referre it to the sad consideration of the sagest whither that which hee fathered upon the King was not a most dangerous and seditious speech tending to possesse both me and the many by-standers and consequently all the people in the Land with a sinister opinion of the Kings justice constancy in keeping his solemne Covenant with his people as in that Petition of Right Though I blesse God I could never intertaine such a thought of my King that he should utter such a word as to deny his old Servant the hanfell-benefit of his gratious hand wherewith but a little before he had signed the Petition of Right for the maintenance not onely of myne but of every good Subjects just and honest cause Take yet another instance and that also at the high Commission Court where I was attending as a poore Client or rather an Innocent at the barre waiting for my Censure There a Rule for a Prohibition for Master Prinne being cendered in Court according to the course of the Kings Lawes in that behalfe presently my Lord of London then President of the Court stands vp and flyes in the face of Master Prinne and his Prohibition with great heat of passion even almost unto fury and after many threatnings to him hee uttered these words that whosoever should dare to bring the next Prohibition hee would set him fast by the heeles This was spoken alowd in open Court Now as I conceive this did not a little reflect and trench upon the Kings honor the Lawes of the Land and the Liberty of the subject What for any man to dare with open mouth and that in open Court to out-dare the Kings just goverment of his Subjects according to his good Lawes Or upon what ground did hee thus boldly beare himselfe Vpon the King His Majesty had not long before signed â—he Petition of Right Also his Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects of the causes which mooved him to dissolve the last Parliament Published by his Majesties speciall commaund 1628. Speaking in his name that for the Parliaments full satisfaction and security Hee did by an answer framed in the forme by themselves desired to their Parliamentary Petition confirme their ancient and just Liberties and Rights which saith his Majesty Wee resolve with all constancy and justice to maintaine Whereupon then did this man dare to utter such an insolent speech Not from the King I am sure Wee have his Royall Word and Hand to the contrary And yet some perhaps might surmise that hee durst not speake thus in open Court had hee not some better ground for it than his owne desperate boldnesse Or the best Apology hee can make is that his tongue did runne before his wit and that in the flames of his passion he sacrificed his best reason and loyalty To these Instances wee will adde two or three more very remarkable and whereof wee all at this very time are eye-witnesses for they are still in acting The first is That most outragious practise of the Prelates in making havocke of the Church and of Religion by suspending excommunicating outing of Ministers from their freehold and the like because they cannot dare not read the booke for sports on the Lords day Now the Prelates and their officers herein most insolently and with a high hand proceeding neither according to Law nor
ready way that would not faile to bring a curse upon Israel by inticing them to Idolatry with Moabs wiles And this is the course that the Balaamites of Rome and their confederates have holden lesse or more ever since the Gunpowder Treason untill this very day And in tracing their foot-steps and graduall proceedings weshall obserue how they have kept the same order for the reerecting of the throne of the Beast in this Land which hath beene observed by the founders and builders of the Spirituall Babilon in former ages And that wee may not expatiate beyond those narrow bounds within which wee have proposed to our selues to limit this our short discourse wee will instance in the Antichristian Hierarchy to the top whereof by what degrees it hath ascended I referre the Reader as to the Centuries and other Histories of the Church so in speciall to the Lord of Plessie his Mistery of iniquitie Also of the Masse the whole body whereof was imped with the feathers and patched with the pieces of sundry Popes inventions in their severall ages for which also See the same Author his learned discourse of the Masse Polidor Virgil de inventoribus rerum with others Also in the Sacrament Transsubstantiation was not knowne among the ancient Fathers for above 600. yeeres afterwards it crept in by degrees and was indifferent to be holden or not at last Pope Innocent 3. decreed it in the Councel of Lateran as a matter of faith necessary for all to beleeve So for the Sacrament in one kind anciently it was in both kindes untill the Councell of Constance but by degrees the people came to be nose-wiped of the Cup by a custome of omitting it in some places before it came to bee made a Law Besides both these authors and instances the like is observed by Dr. Whitakers of the graduall growth of Antichrist as also of the abuse of Images in Churches how they crept in first to be mute teachers of the blind and then to be dumbe gods to be worshipped Thus I say as of old the Mistery of iniquity could not be produced in one day but as the Elephants broode was many yeeres a hatching before it came to any perfection So our new refounders of Popery could not accomplish their worke in one day but it requireth some longer time although a man would wonder to see in so short a space such a monstrous and suddaine alteration notwithstanding the long establishment and cleare light of the Gospell and the strong sence of good Lawes whereby it is hedged about So if ours would set up the Masse-God in our Churches they cannot effect it all at once They must first downe with Tables and up with Altars For that cause all Seats must downe at the end of the Chancell that the Altar may stand closse to the wall because as their Oracle saith none must sit above God-Almighty And if Ministers bee so stiffe as not to yeeld to this innovation at least the Table must be rayled about that none touch it as being more Sacred then Pulpit Pew or Font. Then some adoration as lowly bowing must bee given to it Then the second Service as dainties must bee said there as being more holy than the Readers Pew And what then Surely a Priest is not farre off But where is the Sacrifice Stay a while that service comes last and all these are preparations unto it as the trimming of a Rome and spreading of the table bodes the banquet to come anone So as all these preambles doe at length usher in the great God of the Host so soone as it is well baked and the peoples stomacks sitted to digest so hard a bit But what bee those Changes and how came they What they be wee shall shew by and by but how they come it cannot be imputed to any other cause than to that Spirit which rules in the ayre and which doth usually haunt the Pallaces of Prelates And such a poyson hath this spirit infused into the Chaire of the Hierarchy as that man who fits in it had need to bee strongly fortified with preservatives and antidotes of true Reall Grace not nominall and titular that is able to overcome the infection of it For demonstration hereof wee begin with those Reformers of Religion in King Edward 6. his Raigne who yet prooved Martyrs in Queene Maries Is it not to bee admired that Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ridley of London should bee so stiffe against holy and learned Hooper who being by the King chosen Bishop of Glocester and having obtained the Kings favour not to weare the Rochet square Cap as being offensive to his Conscience yet they would not yeeld unto it although both the King himselfe and a great Harle in the Kings name did earnestly write unto them for the same Mr Foxes words are But I can not tell what Sinister and vnlacky contention concerning the ordering and Consecration of Bishops and of their apparrell with such otherlike trisles began to disturbe the good and lucky beginning of this goldly bishop For notwithstanding that godly Reformation of Religion that began in the Church of England besides other Ceremonies more ambitious then profitable or tending to edification they used to weare such garments and opparell as the Popish Bishops were wont to doe First a Chymere and under that a white Rochet then a Mathematicall Cap with Foure angles dividing the whole World into Foure parts These trifles tending more to Superstition then otherwise as hee could 〈◊〉 abide so in no wise could hee bee perswaded to weare them For this cause hee made Supplication to the Kings Majestie most hâ—â—bly desiring His Highnesse either to discharge him of his Bishopricke or else to dispence with him for such Ceremoniall orders Whose Petition the King granted immediately c. But I say the Bishops would not Yet at the length the fire reconciled them all when they laid aside their Pontificall robes and offered up their lives in sacrifice for the Truth Now if such a spirit did cleave to the very Chaire then when those pious men sate in it who were Reformers of Religion for the Substance of it and who afterward were persecuted and suffered Martyrdome for the faith of Christ What may wee expect in those Prelates that shew themselves such enemies of that Religion for which those suffered and persecute the faithfull Ministers thereof and are not content with those ceremonies limmited by the Lawes of the Land but bring in a number of other Superstitious and Idolatrous Ceremonies of Rome to the intollerable burthening of mens consciences and insnaring of their Soules Bodies and estates both against the Law of God and the Liberty which Christ hath purchased for us and also the Lawes of the Land Nor let our present Prelates glory that they can shew us such Predecessors Prelates who were Martyrs unlesse they themselues will therein be their Successors Bellarmine makes it one note of their holy Mother Church
namely the Sanctity of the life of the authors and prime Fathers of their Religion But as the heathen Seneca saith Qui genus jactat suum aliena jactat The Iewes were never a whit the more holy for calling Abraham Father But alasse our new Masters account those Martyrs fooles in suffering for such toyes as the denyall of the Reall Presence and the like wherein they of Rome and our new Romanists can well agree and for which they never meane to bee but to make Martyrs Come wee therefore to those usurpations of the Prelates in succeeding ages For wee meddle not with that rigidnesse and stiffenesse which hath beene used all along with all extremity against such godly and peaceable ministers whose conscience could not yeeld to that Conformity which the Law of the Land seemes to require And yet this I confesse if such bee the affinity or rather consanguinity between our Prelates and those of Rome that neither Gods Law nor mans Law nor Religion nor Conscience can containe them within those lists which humane Lawes have confined them unto but according to that Principle which they derive from their originall and that Spirit of Rome which breatheth in them they are so stroÌ„gly biassed to wheele about to their Roman mistresse as every element hath a naturall effection and inclination to its proper place and resteth not out of it and if it bee not possible for them to governe as Fathers as the Law intended but that they must needs tyrannize as Lawlesse Lords and lift themselves up in a transcendent degree above the Kings Lawes so comming betweene Him and his people as they intercept from the people that gratious influence of protection which properly and by right appertaines unto euery good Subject from his naturall Prince against all such usurping Tyrants and if they can doe no other but show what kind they come of in labouring to overthrow the true Religion to corrupt the worship of God with Superstition and Idolatry to trouble the peace of the Church to captivate mens consciences with their humane invention and their bodies with their vexatioÌ„s in persecuting God faithfull Ministers lawlessely in stopping the course of the Gospell by all the wiles and wayes which eyther the pollicy or power of man can take and if they cannot choose but hate the power of Religion and the very name of holinesse and cry against it and downe with it with might and maine because it crosseth the course of their lives and if they cannot but seeke the ruine of Christs Kingdome being altogether Spirituall and a Kingdome of righteousnesse and not of this world because their owne is of this world a Kingdome of pride and pompe a Kingdome of outward riches and glory no way sutable to the Kingdome of grace and so they cannot stand together but the one must fall and in a word if they cannot content themselves with that title of Iurisdiction which the King by his Lawes hath conferred upon them but they must needs pretend to hold it from Christ and his Apostles than which nothing is more derogatory to the honor of Christ nothing more contrary to his Word nothing more opposite to the example of Christ and his Apostles while under pretence of their jurisdiction from Christ they exercise such Lordly tyranny as the Gentiles did which Christ prohibited to his Apostles So as such a claime from Christ is blasphemous as making Christ the author of their Antichristian usurpations All these things and many more well considered I confesse were it a Law in England as it was once amongst the Locrians that whosoever would propound a new Law should come with a halter about his necke that if it pleased not the Senate the hang-man was ready to doe his office and the oportunity served I should come with an halter about my necke with this Proposition that it would please the great Senate of this Land to take into their said consideration whither upon such wofull experience it were not both more honorable to the King and more safe for his Kingdome and more conducing to Gods glory and more consisting with Christian Liberty and more to the advancement of Christs Kingly office which by usurping Prelates is troden downe that the Lordly Prelacy were turned into such a godly government as might suite better with Gods Word and Christs sweet yoake I speake not this God is record out of any base envy to their Lordly honour and Pompe which is farre beneath my envy but rather for the good of their soules Brunâ— Sigâ—inas when a Bishopricke was offered him refused it saying A Bishopricke was altogether to bee forsaken of that man that would not bee set at Christs left hand And Pope Marcellus 2 as Onuphrius relates in his life smiting his hands upon the table sayd I doe not see how they who possesse this high place can bee saved And one saith Hee who loveth primacy upon earth shall find confusion in heaven And how many doe wee read of that have some refused and others disburdened themselves of their Bishopricks Claudius Espencâ—â—â— in Timotheum Digress lib. 3. cap. 4. presents us many notable examples of pious and learned men who refused Bishopricks in good earnest and not with a counterfeit Nolo Nolâ— And our Saviour Christ saith It is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaâ—â—n But this is strange Divinity in these dayes But I speake this wishing their salvation not destruction And this by the way But according to our Text wee are professedly against all those usurpations and innovations which the Prelates of later dayes have haled in by the head and shoulders being besides and agaisnt the Law of the Land and much more against the Law of God And these innovations or changes wee may reduce to eight generall heads 1. Innovation in Doctrine 2. Innovation in Discipline 3. Innovation in the worship of God 4. Innovation in the Civill governement 5. Innovation in the altering of Books 6. Innovation in the meanes of knowledge 7. Innovation in the rule of faith 8. Innovation in the rule of manners First they have laboured to bring in a Change in Doctrine as appeareth by these instances 1. By procuring an Order from King Iames of famous memory to the Vniversities that young Students should not read our moderne learned writers as Calvin Beâ—â— and others of the reformed Churches but the Fathers and Schoolemen This I say must needs bee of the Prelates procuring it being no part of that noble Kings meaning that Schollers should bee debarred from the reading of those excellent and orthodox authors whom himselfe so much approoved and magnified both for their great learning sound judgement and religious lives For did not that excellent King give the right hand of fellowship to those reformed Churches which those authors had either planted or watered with their famous labours when hee sayd Hee would exhort all those reformed Churches to joyne with HIM in a Common Councell
the Scriptures as if it ordained any thing to the contrary but to the writing or tradition of the Scripture which among the Corinthians was in the vulgar tongue Here al that heare may hisse But what saith he to the 28. Article which condemneth Transubstantiation Surely his Reconciliation heere is at a stand For hee is forced to Say that Negare Transubstantiationem divinâ— c. To deny divine Transubstantiation in this fearefull Mystery is against the verity of Faith as it is defined in the Councels of Lateran Trent It is well then Herein in the point of Transubstantiation no Reconciliation betweene us and Trent Then what hope hath he to reduce us to Rome or to re-erect his Masse in England yes he hath one hope What is that By calling here a nationall Synod Of whom Not of those whom he calls Calvinists and Puritans who are of the Orthodox party For he sayth Deponentes secundum pristinam conversationeÌ„ verterem homineÌ„ nempe Calvinisticum qui corrumpitur c. Putting off as touching the former conversation the old man to wit the Calvinisticall which is corrupted And in his Paraphrase on the 37. Article utinam denuo c. Now I would to God that by publick authority the matter for the dignity of it Puritanis non â—ntermixtis the Puritans not intermedling or intermixt might out of an affection of revnion be throughly scanned For I know the Puritans abhorre this For they fly all communion with us and abominate us as the body of Satan and Antichrist as Cassander said of some Christians This doth Franciscus apply to the Puritans whom he would have vtterly excluded from a Synod assembled to revnite Rome and England And can ye blame him Did not the Trent-Conventicle in truth though they pretended the contrarie exclude Protestants from them And did not the Protestants being invited as warily refuse to come and that by the example of Iohn Hâ—ss when they might answere the Popes counterfet invitatioÌ„ as the Fox did the sick-Lyon refusing to visit him in his deÌ„ne Quia me vestigia terrent c. No no quoth Renâ—ld for full well I see All foot-sleps towards you none towards me Now who are those Puritans he excepts against as not to be admitted to the Synod Perhaps he may find some few Puritan tantum non in Episcopatu Bishops that are for doctrine Orthodox So also many Doctors and Divines that are Orthodox these must have noe place in his Synod And why Good reason For how els will he reconcile Romes night and our English twilight together in one League if the meridian light come betwene Or how shall Romes cold and livelesse religion have fellowship with ouâ— Lukewarme Neuters and moderate men if true Christian zeale come betwene and make an interruption Away therefore with Puritans and Calvinists out of their Synod Who then Onely peaceable and indifferent men as Ely Chichester and all other well affected to Rome and above all the Arch-Prelates as to whose definitive sentence all other Divines must vaile Bonnet captivate their judgements and therein rest themselues For these or one of them with his mighty traine is able to sweepe downe the third part of the starres of heauen But this by the way for Franciscus And to this agreeth the common cry among the Factionists and Factors for Rome that wee and they differ not in Fundamentalls Yea a great Prelate in the High Commission Court said openly at the Censure of Dr. Bastwick That wee and the Church of Rome differ not in FundameÌ„talibus but onely circa Fundamentalia Though the distinction bee absurd it being all one according to the Apostle to erre in fide circa fidem For circa fidem concerning or about faith men may make ship-wracke Yet this hee spake in defence of a little Pamphlet of one Chowne which he dedicated to his Lordship wherein hee affirmeth That the Church of Rome and wee differ not in Fundamentalibus and that the Church is one over the World whereby he would conclude our Church to be one the same with that of Rome And to this purpose is that of Dr. White in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Lords Grace of Canterbury before his discourse of the Sabbath in these words But from this which is delivered I shall intreaâ—e your Grace and all other impartiall and intelligent Readers to consider the vncharitable construction of Romish adversaries who from the rising up of some Schismaticall Spirits amongst us conclude that the maine body of our Church is Schismaticall And pag. 5. ibid. Now Schismaticall heere must needs be in relation to the Church of Rome as from which Romish adversaries object wee are Schismaticall which Dr. White cleareth and calls it an vncharitable construction of Romish adversaries So as heere is a change of our very Church and a bringing of us back to a reconciliation union with the Church of Rome as from which wee have made no such Schisme as they uncharitably charge us withall And thus will come in an universall change in all our Doctrines As in the Commencement at Cambridge not long agoe was openly maintained justification by Workes And Shelfords booke will proove justification by Charity And that the Pope is not Antichrist contrary to the resolved Doctrines of our Church in our Homilies and elsewhere As Homily against wilfull rebellion part 6. The Pope is the Babilonicall Beast of Rome c. Also the Second part of the Sermon for Whit-sunday The Pope the Devill and all the Kingdome of Antichrist And in a Prayer for private Families in the Communion-Booke by publike authority Confound Satan and Antichrist c. And Shelfords Second Treatise is to beate downe true Preaching and Pulpits for hee saith hee cannot finde a Pulpit in all the Scripture How Did the old Priest never read the 8. of Nehemiah appointed to bee read for the 27. of May wherein hee might find both a Pulpit vers 4. and Preaching vers 8 I omit many more passages in that Authour of the like nature all contrary to the expresse Doctrines of our Church according to the Scriptures And yet this Booke was licenced by the Vicechancellor of Cambridge that then was Dr. Beale and published at the very Commencement whereat my selfe then was that so it might poysonall England Adde wee hereunto another Booke intitled the Female glory By Anthony Stafford printed by authority 1635. Wherein hee mightily deifies the Virgin Mary calling her The grand white immaculate Abbesse of the Snowie Nunneries of those votaries to whom hee speakes before whom hee would have them to kneele presenting the All-saving babe in her armes with due veneration Loe heere a change of our God into a Goddesse And there hee commends the Sacred Arethmitick in praying on their beades And pag. 153. hee commends Candlem as day for the Lights burning and Masse-singing taken from the Heathen guise and converted into Christian. And That which was performed