faith patience courage When there was deliberation at Rome about the demolishing of Carthage * Sinenda est Carthago ut ejus metu disciplina à majoribus tradita jam Laba cens rest ituatur Appian de bellis puntcis let it stand saith Scipio least the people of Rome should want an occasion or object whereon to exercise their valour God could soone annihilate his Churches enemies but let them live saith God let them doe their worst they shall but be for the exercise of my peoples wisdome faith zeale constancy courage and whole panoplie of grace 3. For the further illustration of his owne Glory And yet God hath a further end in permitting this then his peoples exercise and tryall and that is The illustration of his owne glory by the crafty and cruel attempts of the Churches enemies that the glory of his wisdome and power in the preservation and prosperity of his Church might be the more illustrious Archimedes had never been so famous if the City where he dwelt had not been so long so violently besieged and a long time preserved onely by his meanes If the Church of God the city of the habitation of his holinesse should not often be surrounded with enemies besieged with difficulties and oppositions the wisdome and power of God in preserving and prospering his Church would never be so glorious therefore the Lord suffers the Adversaries of his Church to designe and indeavour by craft or cruelty or both to hinder any worke that tends to the Churches good gives them leave to plot and conspire against his Church and lets them say They shal not know nor see til wee are in the midst of them c. The Doctrine applyed 1 By way of Commemoration And now if ever Text were verbum diei as the vulgar Latine reades it or verbum super rotas as some others Surely this Truth this Text is such Every word of this Text is a Wheele of that triumphant Chariot Pro. 25 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercer in which our Church and State this day glories over a designe of our Adversaries against us fraught with all the subtilty and cruelty that hell it selfe was able to infuse into it This day thirty seven yeares was this Scripture fulfilled in England This day thirty seven yeares the King then sitting upon the Throne had summoned the Peeres and Commons of this Kingdome to an Assembly of Parliament The intent of that meeting as was hoped by Gods people and feared by their enemies was to surround Ierusalem and the Temple with walls and bulwarkes to secure the Church the true Religion and worship of God with needfull healthfull Lawes this was the worke intended Wherefore should a Parliament meet but for that worke and our Adversaries said they shall not know neither see till we are in the midst of them and slay them and cause the worke to cease And our Adversaris Our Adversaries Who are they Consider and then judge Who are they that when time was filled their loathsome Prisons with the bodies of our fore-Fathers Made our land drunk with the bloud of Martyrs In the space of lesse then 4. yeares sacrificed the lives * Balthaz Hol. in Chron. Osiand Cen. 16 Histor Eccles Anno 1555. of 800. Innocents unto their Idols And ever since God hath put a stop to those bloudy outrages have travailed with nothing but Englands destruction now these Fourescore yeares Who are they that have made so many desparate stabbes at the breasts of our Prineces so many deadly blowes at the heart of the State given life and vigour to so many insurrections and rebellions in the bowells of the Kingdome Are they not the Papists It is easie then to point out these Adversaries The Papists they are our Adversaries so they have beene so they are so they will be as long as Christ is ours his Gospell ours the Reformed Religion ours Sooner shall a man finde honey and balme in the nests of Aspes and the Dennes of Dragons then wee true friendship and peace with Papists Said Sooner shall East and West meete and kisse the Arke and Dagon Hierusalem and Babylon Christ and Belial cease to be Adverse then they cease to be our Adversaries These were these are our Adversaries And our Adverssaries said These our Adversaries had had many a saying to us they had said in eighty eight a Psal 83 4. Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of England may be no more in remembrance They had said as Moab b 2 Kin. 3 2◠Up Rome to the spoyle presuming the victory was theirs before the fight And when that Saying was disappointed yet they said there was a day a comming which should pay for all that was the day of Queen Elizabeths death concerning which their Balams prophesied c Parsons ans to the libell of Eng Iust p. 176 181. That by the uncertainty of the next heire the Kingdome was in a despeat case in the greatest misery that ever it was since or before the Conquest and farre worse then any Countrye in Christendome d Cujus sepulchrum velut totius Regni voraginem naufrrgium tanquam sub oculis contemplemini Ingentes moles tempestatum conturbationum cruentorum imbrium conglomeratas nubes vestris impendere cervicibus despicietis Vndiquaque Anglia in praedam expetitur expectatur Weston de triplici hominis officio in perorat ad Academ That Clouds of blood hung over England which waited but her dissolution for their dissolving that upon her death England would be a common prey and her tombe would be Englands grave This our Adversaries said then and from these sayings issued all that prodigious variety of murderous complotments against the sacred person of that ever honoured Queen The miracle of her Sex the glory of her Age the astonishment of the World But the silver line of her pretious life being hid in the hollow of Gods hand from all their desperate assassinates she full of yeares and more full of honour went to the grave in peace and God who frustrates the tokens of the Lyars Isa 44.25 and makes Diviners mad contrary to the hopes and confidences of our Adversaries brought in a peacefull King and established his Throne in peace What Say our Adversaries now are they not so ashamed and confounded in their former disappointments as they can open their mouths no more No they are saying still the malice of our Adversaries is as uncapable of disheartning as Balaam was in his attempts of cursing Israel Let God appeare never so often against them let the Angell of God stand with a drawn Sword in his hand they will on yet again our Adversaries said c. What Pharaoh said to his Servants that our Adversaries said one to another Exod. 1. Come let us deale wisely our former projects against this people have bin too shallow and open our
owne likenesse in the shape of one of those beasts that Daniel saw in his vision that had three ribs in the mouth of it and they sayd unto it arise devoure much flesh Dan. 7.5 You may trace the monster foot by foot from Abel unto this present in steps of blood The persecutions of the Jewish church under Pharoah Nebuchadnezar Antiochus and of the christian church vnder the heathen and after them the Arrian Emperors and Bishops since them vnder Antichrist on the one side and the Turk on the other are so knowne I need not mention them but this they all declare that the indeavoures of the adversaries have alwayes bin by cruelty to cause the worke to cease And indeed if wee consider those floods and seas of blood which in the successive persecutions of the church have beene exhausted wee may wonder the church is not quite extinct save onely the bloud of Martyres extra venas is not cruor but semen and by the irradiation of the sunn of righteousnesse becomes miraculously fruitfull to the producing of a new succession of Saints But to trace the adversaries of the church in their craft t Secondly of the oraft of headversaries which are severall Prov. 30.19 hic labor hoc opus they are serpentina soboles the seed of the serpent and as the way of the serpent upon a rocke is unknowable so are their wayes of undermining the church yet as farre as either in history or scripture I may I shall trace them and give you a breife veiw of the severall arts and crafts whereby the adversaries of the church have sought to hinder their proceedings and cause the work to cease First The first design that ever was against the Church of which we reade in Scripture is that of Pharaoh and his Councellors Exod. the first Come let us deale wisely with them and what is the result of this consultation not to deny them presently the liberty of their Religion we take away but by burdening and oppressing them in their liberties and estates to breake their hearts and imbase their spirits that they should have no heart to minde Religion or any thing because of their great anguish and affliction a designe that hath bin practised against the church of God many a time Thus the Persian Tyrant thought to have subdued the spirit of Hormisdus that noble christian He would not kill him but enthrall him Turne him out of his possessions throw him from his honour give his wealth diguitie wife to the basest of his slaves Turne him naked our of dores to keepe Mules in the Wildernesse by this meanes thinking to choke and smother that holy fire God had enkindled in his heart And this is the art of the great Turke at this day though he pretend to let the Christians in Greece and those countries under him enjoy their lives and their religion yet so heavy is his yoake upon them that they have little joy of their lives and for the most part as little care of their religion scarce any thing more than the name of Christ generally to be found among them Second The second art whereby the adversaries of the church have sought to prejudice it hath beene by procuring matches and mixtures of some of the members of the church and some of their owne that were Idolaters This was the art of Balaam when hee saw hee could no otherwise fasten a curse upon the Israel of God he gave the King of Moab councell to ensnare the men of Israel with the daughters of Moab whereby they were drawne not onely to corporall but to spirituall adultery The history of this you have Num. 25 1 2 3. The people began to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moah and the people did eat of their sacrifices and bowed downe to their gods and Israel joyned himselfe to Baal-Peor And that this was the plot of Balaam is cleare Numbers 31.16 These caused the children of Israel through the councell of Balaam to commit trespafle against the Lord It was Balams councell this and wicked councell it was This mixing with unbelievers hath bin ever looked upon as a thing of dangerous consequence to the Church of God which is the reason that Nehemiah was in such a heat of indignation against the people for this thing Nehe 13.25 26. ver I contended with them and cursed them and smote certaine of them and plucked off their haire and made them swear by God saying you shall not give your daughters to their Sonnes nor take their daughters unto your sonnes did not Salomon King of Israel sin by these thinge yet among many Nations there was no King like him who was beloved of his God Neverthelesse even him did outlandish women cause to sin Great dangers the Church of God is exposed unto by this designe First of being corrupted by this meanes and drawne from the true Religion which is the very reason why God forbad such marriages in the old law Deut. 7.4 For they will turne away thy sonnes from following me that they may serve other Gods so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and desroy thee suddainely And sad experience of this sad effect and consequent of marrying with Idolaters and those that are enemies to the Church The Church of God hath had not only in Salomon whose heart his jdâ—â—â—â—rous wives turned away from God and so captiâ—â—ted that he did publiquely tolerate their idolarour worship 1 Kings 11.4 When Salomon was cold his wives turned away his heart after other Gods and vers 7. Then did Salomon build an high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moah and for Moloch the abomination of Ammon and likewise did he for all his strange wives and sacrificed to their Gods Nor onely in Iehoram the Son of Jehosaphat the reason of whose deflection from the practice of his father and the principles of his education unto Idolatry is rendered by the holy ghost this for the daughter of Ahab was hie wife 2 King 8.18 Nor onely in other of the Kings of Israel and Judah but even in christian Kings and Princes when they have matched though not with Pagans and Heathens but with such as have professed the christian Religion onely not in purity Valens the Emperour was at first a true Orthodox Professor but being married to an Arrian Lady she soone insnared him with her flatteries and captivated him to the same heresie with her selfe and he proved a most bloudy persecutor of the true Orthodox Church Theod. 4.11 Or secondly If there be such establishment of heart in the truth that the unbeliever dares not attempt to draw the believing yoak-fellow from the true Religion or attempts it but in vaine This inconvenience yet followes thereupon that the unbeliever will as much as they can viis et modis promote the false Religion and subvert the true The Church of God had experience of this in Justinian the Emperour Evagr. 4.10 whose
wife Theodora addicted to the heresie of Eutyches did no lesse foster encourage promote and reward the teachers maintainers of that heresie than the Emperor did the true orthodox professors yea prevailed so farr with her husband as to make Severus a chief leader of the Eutychian faction Bishop of Constantinople Thirdly By this meanes not only the present age but posterity is indammaged For put case the unbelieving party doth survice there is danger least the children specially if young should by the authority of an Idolatrous father or rhe perswasion of an Idolatrous mother to be drawn away from the true Religion An instance of this we have in Valentinian the younger whose father dying and leaving him in the tutelage of Justina his mother who was an Arrian though all the time of her husbands life shee had concealed ir Socr. 5.2 Theod. 5.13.14 Sozom. 7.13 knowing her husbands zeale for the Orthodox Religion she taking the advantage of her husbands death and the tender and flexible age of her son to advance the Arrian faction easily corrupted him that he was scarse warme in his throne but he falls a persecuting the true Religion These and many other inconveniences have bin observed to attend such kinde of mixtures betweene the Church and their adversaries which the adversaries are not ignorant of and that is the reason sometimes they are so willing to offer their daughters in marriage to the members of the church 1 Sam. 18.21 but it is onely as Saul gave Michal unto David that she might be a snare unto him Third The third Art whereby the adversaries of the church have endeavoured the ruine and over throw of Religon is by covering their intent to alter religion with a pretence of publick emollument So Jeroboam to cover his Idolatrous projects pretends the peoples ease It is too much for you to goe up to Jerusalem 1 King 12.28 a great journey a great charge you may serve God nearer and better cheape at Dan and Bethell as if he meant not to alter Religion but only to let them have it with more ease and bettex accommodation Like that of some of late time For people to heare two Sermons a day it is too much one well heard and remembred is enough For young folke to be kept from sports on the Lords Day it is too much It is too much for you to goe up worship at Ierusalem The like pretence was sometimes used to Theodosius justly called Great who having abolished in Egypt their Heathenish sacrifices and forbid their Idolatrous worship upon paine of consiscation and death the people fearing the omission of their accustomed superstitions would make the River Nilus whom they honoured as a God keep in his streames and not water their land as in former yeares began to mutinie and things tended to sedition whereupon the President of the Countrey wrote to the Emperour beseeching him for once to please the people by conniving at their Idolatry To whom he answered It is better to continue faithfull and constant unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soz. 7.20 then to preferre the overflowing of Nilus and the fruitfullnesse of the earth before piety and godlinesse Nay I had rather Nilus should never flow then to have it raised by sacrifices and inchantments A brave resolution and becomming a true Christian Prince Let people be pleased or displeased come losse come gaine let truth and godlinesse be maintained A fourth fraud or art whereby they endeavour to supplant the Church is By counterfeiting a friendly compliance with the Church of God as if they meant to help and farther the businesses thereof when in truth they intend nothing but to overthrow and hinder all So the Adversaries Esra 4. When the people of God were about rebuilding the Temple the Adversaries came and offered to joyne with them vers the second Let us build with you for we seek your God as you doe When they intended nothing more then to betray them This was the great art of the Adversaries in the Apostles dayes when many false bretheren joyned themselves to the Church Galat. 2. meerely to spy out their liberty and many false Apostles that seemed to preach Christ with abundance of zeale and forwardnesse but it was only that they might withdraw Disciples from the true Doctrine and Apostles of the Lord Iesus and fill the Church with rents and schismes as they did the Church of Corinth Thus the Arrians would often counterfeit themselves Orthodox men and mingle themselves with Orthodox professers that they might with lesse suspition spâ—ead the poison of their errors That good Prince Constantine the Great was much abused by that Generation in this kind his great admirer Euschius confesseth he retained neare him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb de vita Constantin 4.54 Sceleratos Nebulenes qui simulaverunt Religionem Christeanam Specially one potorious one who had bin Chaptain to the Emperours Sister and by her dying was commended to the Emperour and received into his Family and though all the time of Constantine the great he kept his poison hid yet no sooner was he dead but he began to play his pranks First inveigling the chiefe Gentlemen of the Emperours bed chamber then some of the rest after these the Empresse and soon after the Emperour himselfe winning them all to the Arrian heresy who if in Constantines time he had not complyed with the Orthodox party he had never had the accesse to Constantine and so never this opporrunity of spreading that heresie This is a trick not unusuall with Rome I have heard that the Jesuites have a practise of running over to the Lutheran Church I find a passage in Frantrius that may give some credit unto this Oracula Sacra 129. p. 842. pretending to be converts and to build with them but it is only to keep up that bitter contention that is between the Calvinists and the Lutherans the virulency whereof is much fomented by these râ—negado Iesuits The first way is To ingratiate themselves to Kings and Princes with much officiousnesse and pretended care of their profit and honour that so being potent with the Potentates of the earth they may have the more power to doe the Church a mischiefe So the Adversaries of the Iews pretended that in duty and conscience they could doe no lesse then complaine of the Iewes to King Artaxerses Ezra 4.14 Now because we have maintenance from the Kings pallace and it was not meet for us to see the King dishonoured we have sent and certified the King Wretches that cared no more for the Kings honour then a straw only pretend this that they might the more easily draw out the Kings power for the suppressing of the Church So Haman Esth 3.8 seemed to mind only the Kings profit when his mind is only set upon the Iewes destruction It is not for the Kings profit to suffer them So the Iewes themselves in prosecuting and murdering the Lord Christ pretend
upon their own heads it was the Lords doings and it is marvellous in our eyes But now as that great King Esther 7. When he read in the records of the Chronicles that Mordecai had discovered a Treason against the King presently enquired What honour and dignity had been done to Mordecai for this So do you You have seene this day a briefe record of that which deserves a larger Chronicle You have seene how the God of Heaven prevented and disappointed a Treason as darke and cruell as Hell intended against the whole State and Kingdome Now your parts it is Honourable and Beloved who representatively are the whole Nation your parts it is to enquire what honour what dignity hath been done to God for this True it is the Parliament then assembled whose the Deliverance more immediately was did ordaine this Anniversary which wee celebrate this Day But besides this what honour what dignity hath been done to God What hath been done for the advancement of his Glory the propagation of his Gospell the repressing of Popery from that Deliverance unto this Day Doe you in your consciences thinke that the bare keeping this deliverance inmemory or an acknowledging of it in our assemblies as at this day is sufficient retribution of dignity and honour to our great deliverer Did not Hezekiah doe as much as this did not hee indite a Song in the praise of that God that had delivered him from the sentence of death You have it Isa 38. to yet is it not said 2 Chron. 32.25 But Hezekiah returned not unto the LORD according to the benefit done unto him Hezekiah returned praise unto the Lord even a Psalme of praise But Hezekiah returned not unto the Lord according to the benefit done unto him Therefore was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Ierusalem May it not be said so of England for all our Anniversaries our Sermons and Songs of praise But England hath not returned unto the Lord according to the benefits done unto them Quid verba andiam facta cum videam Care I saith God for the flattering praises of England when I see the cursed practises of England Have not my purest Truthes been adulterated in England and Romes grossest errours entertained in England and that even since this Deliverance Have not my purest Ordinances beene polluted in England and Romes grossest superstitions practised in England Have not Masses beene openly celebrated with a greater confluence of multitudes to them then to Sermons and Sacraments Have they not published edictes against the Sanctification of my Day Deut. 32.6 but none against the Idolatry of the Masse Have they not without Law against Law persecuted my Ministers my Servants imprisoning them compelling them to voluntary exile while they have neglected to put in execution their owne Lawes against Romish Priests and Iesuites Doe you thus requite the Lord O foolish Nation and unwise Did I deliver you this Day from Romish cruelties that you should deliver up your selves to Romish Superstitions and Idolatry Is this to returne to the LORD according to the benefits hee hath done Arise arise yee Princes of the tribes of England yee members of the honour able houses of Parliament act something this day worthy of your selves worthy of this day worthy of this deliverance worthy of your great deliverer God I perswade my self hath reserved unto you the glory of returning unto him according to this dayes mercy You have begun to do more for the repressing of Popery for the reforming of the Church in doctrine worship discipline then your forefathers have done ever since the first hand was put to the work of reformation Go on in the name of the Lord in the power of his might in the multitudes of his strength Go on to root out not only Popery but all that is Popish Let this day adde something towards the perfection of that work Some such thing I suppose was in the hearts of the honourable Houses when they made choice of this particular day for the assembly of Divines to meet on Why to meet this day if not to deliberate and advise something that might tend to the farther honour of the Authour of this dayes deliverance and the farther confusion of the Authour of this dayes treason the Romish Religion Wel that assembly by the said distempers of these bleeding times is yet suspended I beseech you make this the work of yours and when you returne to your Parliament House again let the first question put to vote this day be Davids Quid retribuam psalm 116. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me Let this be the question and the God of wisdome and grace direct you in your Resolves And what ever God shall reveale to make most for his glory his Churches peace and good the union of the Kingdomes the extirpation of Popery let that be the Crowning Act of this day Scripio Africanus being accused before the Tribunes of the people and the day of his triall falling upon the same moneth and day in which be had some yeares before wonne a great victory over Hanniball in Affrick Iiv 8. c 40. Vpon his first appearance addresses himself to the people in this wise Hoc die Quirites cum Annibale faeliciter pugnatum est c. This day Gentlemen did I fight with Hanniball in Affrick with good successe therefore leaving Law suites I passe directly to the Capitoll to salute the Gods and give them thankes Hoc die Quirites This day Knightes and Gentlemen God himself fought for you against Rome ô do not think it enough that you have come to salute God in his Temple this morning and give him praise but when you returne to your Parliament-House againe letting all other businesses sleep a while in the first place Resolve this question Quid retribuam What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits Application second by way of Information And this I would the rather excite you to Honourable and beloved in our Lord because due thankfulnesse for former deliverances is a happie meanes to procure new God is never weary of delivering a people that studyes thankfulnesse And hath not England hath not the Parliament need of the arme of God to be stretched out againe for their deliverance For have we now no adversaries or have our adversaries changed their natures put of their woâ—â—ed craft and cruelty forgott their ould note to say They shall not know nor see till we are in the middest of them and slay them and cause the work to cease No certainely Sooner shall the Leopard change his sports or the Ethiopian his skin then our adversaries change their scrafty bloudy dispositions or cease to plot ruine against us till they have utterly ruined themselves by their owne plots Have our adversaries thinke you bin sleeping ever since this powder treason You that have bin now these two yeares wrastling with them you know what their Molitions have bin and in
jus to the highest apex of the Law but even Supra jus beyond the extent and rigour of the Law hath bin used to such as stood in the way of their great designe let the walles of their high Commission speak Our Chronicles report That when our forefathers demollished the Abbies they found in their walles and vaultes and pondes heapes of sculles and bones the monuments of their Smoothered crueltyes I doubt not but the abolishers of that high Commission have found as manifest evidence of their cruell practises heapes of the bloud of innocents whose skin hath bin flead from of them and their bones broken and they and their families chopped in pieces as flesh for the cauldron Micah 3. And this fruit they reaped of their severity managed with this art which the Iesuit promised Itaque reformatio quae provectos non ad juvat aetatem tamen puenlem Catholicam reddet That though compulsory Reformation could do no good upon old standers yet it would render the younger sort Catholicks His ninth rule The ninth meanes and as he saith of all the rest most effectuall is That such as are in authority do religiously practise and maintaine integrity of life and purity of manners The reformation of Religion that is the introducing of Popery into a reformed Church will go on very slowly and prove very difficult unlesse the Prelats and Doctors shall outshine the whole Common wealth not only in innocency but in reputation and fame of integrity And certainly this rule they had conned some of them Ad amussim or else they could never have obtained so farre upon the heart of our Soveraign as to leave the disposing of all Church affaires wholly unto them * The Arts of Dissembling Heretikes have for the most part been Excellently skilled in Sometimes a good Prince hath been overreached by it Quem ubi vident constanter Religioni adhaerentem non adeò temerari sunt ut directè caluÌ„nientur traducant apud cum Orthodoxam Religionem sed occasiones commodas accipiunt quibus deplorent turbatam pacem Ecelesiae hortantur Prineipem ad eam restituendam id facilè esse dicuÌ„t auferatur modo Contentionis studium quod dissidium non sit in rebus Magni Monumenti sed exigui Pondexis c. Vedell de Prud. vet Eccles l. 2. c. 5. See the Ep. Ded. of the relation of the Conference between a Iesuit W. L. fol. penult If they had not in his eye demeaned themselves as the only Saints upon earth as incarnate Angels men wholly composed of devotion to God compassion to his Church greif for the rents and breaches of it zeale for the peace and good of it what but this should prevaile with our soveraign to abandon this Church into the hands of that faction I know not But undoubtedly it stands not with reason That a Protestant Prince should knowingly and willingly give way to the re-establishing of the Popish Religion therein Ipso facto divest himself of his supremacy and lay his head at the Popes feet for him to kick of the Crown from his Royall brow with a spurne of his disdainfull foot at pleasure But why the Bishops specially such of them have bin observed to wish well to Popery Abincunabulis should contrive and carry on such a plot some reason may appeare For could th y once have obtained this That Popery should have triumphed over the reformed Religion The Miter would soon have trampled upon the Crown Haec enim est veritas saith Bellarm. a Haerc enim est vâ—â—â—tas quicquid iâ—trocuxeâ—t consueâ—â—â—o Episcopâ—s est Pater Pastor Doctotam Principâ—s quam reliquâ— populi Et se cundum haec Nomâ—â— PRINCEPS SVBDITVS esse DEBET suo EPISCOPO NON EPISCOPVS PRINCIPI Bellarm de officio Principis Christ l. 1. c 5. This is the truth what ever custome hath introduced that the Bishop is the father and pastor and Doctor as well of the Prince as of the rest of the people And according unto these appellations the Prince ought to be subject to his Bishop and not the Bishop to his Prince Vnusquisque saith b Vnusqu sque Rex subditus est suo Episcopo in Soiritualibus nisa à Pontifice eximatur Suarez defens fid l. 3. cap. 17. sec 18. Suarez Every King is subject to his Bishop in spiritualibus unlesse he be exempted by the Pope A brave world this had bin for the Prelacy and the whole Clergy too To have bin exempted from the power of Lawes and civilly dicature c Leges non obligant Clenicos ex vi Iurisdictionis Laicae nec POSSVNT Reges obligare Clericos Legibus illis peculiariter impositis Id. l. 4. c. 〈◊〉 sec 16.17 Leges non obligant saith Suarez again The law doth not binde the Clergy by vertue of any Laick jurisdiction neither can Kings binde the Clergy by laying any speciall Law upon them and againe d Pesona Ecclesiasticâ— gaaudent immanitâ—te siâ—e privi egio fort nâ—â— solum in Criminibus Ecclesiasticis sed civilibus Id. ea 15. Sect. 1. Ecclesiasticall persons are priviledged in Court not onely in case of ecclesiasticall but of civill crimes An immunity which a corrupt Clergy would be glad of And therefore though there can be no reason conceived why a Prince professing the Protestant Religion should decline to Popery Yet you see there is reason why a proud Prelacy and a corrupt Clergie should under-hand indeavour to bring it in and you see the method and wayes whereby they may compasse their designes and neither Prince nor people know nor see These were their pract ses for many late yeares you all know let any ingenous spirit judge of their intentions I have onely let you see from whose quiver they have drawne their shaftes judge by that of the marke whereat they aymed You have seene whose heifer it is they plowed with judge by that of the seed they would have sowne If they never knew that a Iesuite had delivered these Rules for the altering of Religion in a Christian state they were very unhappie in complying so exactly with them when they did not know them And what can wee thinke but that they were acted by the same Genius or the same Angelus informans that the Iesuite was when he penned them But if they did know as iâ— is most probable they did that these were the rules this the art delivered by a Iesuite for the subverting the true reformed Religion and the introduction of popery againe and yet did knowingly and de industria conforme to them and made proofe of them what can wee thinke was their intention but to alter our Religion They had said they shall not know nor see till we are in the midst of them and cause that worke to cease But blessed bee the Lord who hath not given us up as a prey unto their teeth Blessed bee the Lord that by the hand of this Parliament hath
frustrated that plot We all hope for ever Information of some present practises of the adversaries But did I say for ever May we hope it What are our adversaries all destroyed or have they left of plotting Neither And yet I hope we may say for ever This great plot of altering Religion prevented for ever As for our adversaries verily if ever the did straine their Witts to exceed themselves in plotting mischiefe it hath been since this Parliament Such a succenturiation there hath beene of plotts that wee may say of them as she of Gad. A Troope commeth Many of them indeed have proved abortive miscarried before they came to a growth capable of full discovery and so are more easily denied then proved Besides some ridiculous things have beene sent forth into the publicke of purpose to outface the truth and sully the glory of our deliverances from many and reall dangers which possibly may be the reason why some men are so incredulous they can see no adversaries they apprehend no dangers the Parliament needs no guard there is no necessity of settling the MILITIA of the Kingdome If there bee any such here and you bee men of reason hearken alittle First Doe you not thinke there are as many Papists in England now as there were at the time of the powder Treason I know not how there should bee fewer but more unlesse the preaching of popish doctrines complying with popish ceremonies setting up publike Masses tolerating a convent of Friers relaxing the Lawes against popish Priests bee a meanes to convert papists there cannot be fewer then was at the time of the powder treason Secondly Consider whether the papists have any better doctrines d spositions principles now then they had then Their faith was then faction their Religion Rebellion in the judgement of the State who spake as they found Have they since changed their faith altered their Religion that our State should alter their judgement of them Doe they not yet hold it as lawfull as meritorious to promove the Catholicke cause Vi vel fraude by violence or treason now as they did then Have they retracted that doctine of theirs a Reges et principes non Romano-Catholici possunt de jure occidi etiam à privatâ persona illud factum est generâ—suâ— cum virtute conjunctum heroicum Compaâ—â—n dâ—m cum maximis sumâ—a Laude dignis factis esse Sanctissimum humanissimum dignissimum laâ—datissimum commendatissimum c. Es qui in vitam talium Regum es principium conjuram esse animosos machinato res fortititudinem Eorum esse plusquam humanam supplicia eorum non nisi vera martyria appellanda qui fint aliquandâ— praemium accepturi in viâ—â aeternâ Francis de Veron Constant in Apol Part. 1. Cap. 7. That Kings Princes which are not Roman Catholicks may be lawfully killed by any private person And that the killing of them is a generous vertuous heroick exploit To bee compared with the greatest and most praise worthy actions A most holy worthy commendable praise-full work Those that conspire against the life of such Kings and Princes are magnanimous persons Their courage is more than humane heroick divine Their punishments are true martyrdome they shall receave reward in the kingdom of Heaven Have they yet revoked that assertion b Necessarium quocunque casu Religionem confirmari etiam â—orte Regum Id. pat 2 c 12 15. It is necessary in any case that Religion be maintained even with the death of Kings Or that of the Iesuite c Non passe ab aâ—iqâ—â— fiâ—ri ulluÌ„ magâ—s meritorium opus quam si Regem interfiâ—eret Anton. Arnold in Ora contra Iesutias Varadius to Barerius That there could not be a more meritorious work then for him to kill the King Do they not to this day honour Garnet that Arch powder Traitour as a Saint have not their a Coâ—nel a Lapid in Apocal cap. 7. ver 3. Late Writers crowned him with fresh Encomiasticks And hath not our State reason to have a watchfull and prudent jealousie over men informed with such desperate principles and thus incouraged to all bloudy designes specially such of them as are Iesuites and Seminaries of whom we may truely say as Amilcar did of his sonnes Hee bred them b Plutarch Tanquam leoninos catulos in pernitiem Romani imperij c Se quam primuÌ„ posset hostem fore populo Rom capitalem Liv li. 21 c. 1. Appian de bellis Hisp as Lions Whelpes for the destruction of the Roman Empire So doe they breed their Novices As Lions whelpes for the destruction of the English Church and Kingdome And as Hannibal when hee was but nine yeares old swore upon the Altar of their Gods that as soone as hee was able hee would bee a deadly enemy to the people of Rome So do they in effect sweare as much against us d Ad defendenduÌ„ retinendum papatum Rom contra omnem â—omineÌ„ adjutor ero Haereticos Schismaticos qui alicut ex Dominis nostris successoribus pâ—aedictis Rebelâ—es fuerint persequar impugna â—o Szeged speculum Pontificum I will helpe to defend and maintaine the Roman papacy against every man Heretickes and Schismaticks And all such as shall rebell against our Lord the Pope and all his successors I will persecute and oppose The whole fry of them are Conjurati hostes Ecclesiae Reipublica They declared themselves so in their powder treason and as long as they retaine their old Religion they cannot but retaine their old disposition Thirdly there being papists among us now as there was at the time of the powder Treason They being infected with as bloudy doctrines and principles now as then Consider Thirdly Whether they may not pretend to themselves as just causes to put them upon all bloudie and desperate designes now as then they did Were they crossed in their expectations of a tolleration of their Religion then Their expectations were raised higher now They hoped for a revolting to their Religion and are crossed in that Did they feare the State would make some further provision for the suppressing of popery then And did they not feare the State would make some farther provision for the utter extirpation of it now Were they so inraged then Surely they are madde and desperate now Were their thoughts so full of bloud then Sure they are full of hell now And of a truth if there had not beene one plot nor one treason discovered all this Parliament time yet good reason why the Parliament should upon these considerations arm the Kingdom for its defence And the whole Nation is bound to them for their care herein to prevent our adversaries least they should say Wee will come upon them and they shall neither know nor see till wee are in the midst of them and slay them and cause the worke to cease But what need these Ambages when the bloudy monsters of Ireland speake
out and tell all the world the warre they have kindled is against the puritan Parliament of England So that ex professe there hath been treason against this Parliament and our adversaries have said varying the words of the Text a little Wee will come upon them though they know and see it and slay them and cause the worke to cease And ô that Ireland had beene guilty alone That England England had not beene conscious of such treacherous practises But it is to too apparent now That even in England in the midst of us in our hosomes have beene the most dangerous and desperate practises against our peace and Religion that ever yet were knowne Let me not seeme to detract from the glory of that great deliverance if I say they doe exceed the powder Treason Those traitors layed their traines and fire workes in the bowels of the earth These have layd theirs which every true loyall heart 〈◊〉 leeds to think of in the bosome of our Soveraigne They covered their treason with earth These with Heaven with pretences of defending the Protestant profession the prerogative of the King the Lawes and liberties of the Land whereby they have not only captivated many of the injudicious mulâ—â—â—de but even the Throne it selfe Lamen 4 20. The breath of our nostrils the Anointed of the Lord is taken in their pitts Of whom we said under his shadow we shall live Their pretences have so farre prevailed with our Soveraigne That he confides more in a popish partie then in a protestant Parliament Ezekiel 19.4 This is a lamentation and must be for a lamentation They now pretend to be all for the King the King Iohn 19.15 as much as the Iewes for Casar Wee have no King but Caesar no King but Caesar As if Caesar had had no such loyall Subjects in the world as the Iewes were but when they had served themselves of Caesar and abused his power to the murdering of Christ they soone discovered themselves and Caesar had no such desperate rebels and implacable enemies upon earth as they were So the Papists and their faction cry out The prerogative the King and Caesar as if the King had no such subjects and friends upon earth as they are But marke my words If ever they can serve themselves of His Majestie and by the abuse of his power have their wills to murder Christ in His members and root out the Gospell and the professors of it which Lord in mercy preserve His Majesty from but if they once obtaine but this If they doe not prove the most deadly and desperate enemies His Majestie ever had let mee dye the death of a false Prophet The searcher of hearts knowes Oh that our Soveraigne knew as well how the hearts of all His loyall Protestant subjects bleed within them for the soule of our Soveraigne To see his confidence removed from his true Protestant subjects whom hee can only confide in and whom Catholicke Princes trust rather then those of their owne Religion To see I say his confidences withdrawne from â—â—em and leaning upon a company of popish blouâ— â—â—â—â—â—â—es whom no protestant prince but himseâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—urst trust Lord give thy judgements to the â—ing 〈◊〉 Doth not His Majestie know that with the pâ—pâ—â—◠〈◊〉 protestants are Heretickes and with Hereticke KINGS and Princes they take a short course have a quicke way of dispatch Doth not His Majestie know or will none of his great Divines informe him That â—he Catholicke Doctors a Reges principes possunt de jure etiam a prvatâ persond occidi Francis de Veron ubi supra hold it lawfull for any prâ—vate person to kill a Hereticke King Yea and thâ—â— though he bee not sentenced excommunitated or deposed by the Pope if his heresie be notorious saith b Cajetan 22 ae q. 4.2.2 Cajetan Or if he be d Andreas Eudaemon Apol. pro Garnetto c. 10. p. 276. Et Mariana de Rege Regis institutione Lib. 1. c. 6.7 8. pag. 58.60.63.67 Fas est subditis Reges Principes quibuâ— viri graves haereseos CrimeÌ„ impegerint â—uavis Ratione è medio tollere publikely defamed for an Hereticke or so reputed by grave and judicious men Nay that it is not onely lawfull but e Obligati sunt subduiaâ— principes haereticos depell aâ—os hujusmodi principes suos non tantuns leâ—â—time possunt detuâ—bare sed etiam ad hoc praecepto Divino vincuâ—â—â—â—ctil simo 〈◊〉 extremâ— Aâ—â—maâ—â—â—â— periâ—â—â—o â—enen uâ— Creswell in Philopat 〈◊〉 2 Num. 160.162 necessary not onely that they may doe it but they are bound to doe it And that by the command of God upon perill of their soules And this is not a f Vniversa Theologorum Schola tenet est certum ac de fide Quem cunque Principem Christianum si a â—oâ—â—ano Catholi 〈◊〉 Religione 〈◊〉 seâ—e destexâ—â—â—â— aâ—â—es â—â—ocaâ—â— vohâ—e it exâ—â—â—â—e siaâ—m â—b 〈◊〉 poâ—â—staâ—e Digatate ex ipsa vi juris Diâ—â—ai huma ni â—oc que aâ—te Omnem sentenâ—iam Pontificis Et suld tos quoscunque Liberos esse aboumi Iuramenti obligatione quoad de Obed entia praesti tissens posseque debere bujusundi hominem tanquam Aposta tam ex dominatis eijcere â—â—e alios inficjan Cresw Num. 137 Non est propria Iesuiâ—arum sed Totius Ecclesia quiden ab aniquâ—ssiâ— is Temporibus conscasionâ—â—â—â—cepta nostra Doctrina est Eudaem Apol. cap. 3. private opinion but the opinion of all their Divines ana of their whole Church if we may believe themselves Nay it is not only lawfull and necessary but if g Pendet Chriâ—â—ianum Regâ—um a Pontifice in hoc ut possit non â—â—â—â—um consulere aut consentire ut Regnum Regem sibi pernitie sum deponat sed â—tâ—â—â— praeciperâ— â—ogere ut id facias Suares defens fid Lib. 6. cap 4. â—â—ct 17. people should be loth to offer violence to their PRINCE the Pope may command and compell them to it When the Papists shall as publikely and unanimously dâ—sclaime this Doctrine as they have proclaimed it And the Parlâ—ament broach such doct iâ—es and the protestants drinke them in Then let His Majestie flye from his Parliament and protestant subjects to secure his life and Crowne among the Papists But in the meane time O what a piece of Arch Treason was it By sowing contention betweene His Majestie and Parliament to draw His Majesty to betray Himselfe into the hands of a generation that in Conscience think they may kill him when they please Nay are taught That in conscience they are bound to kill him if he please not them in Matters of Religion and may with a Nodd from Rome be commanded to kill him Oh what an inextricable labyrinth have these wretches brought our Prince into by perswading him The intentions of his Parliament are against his Dignity and prerogative The Lord rebuke them that so perswade him Yea
christiano c. 2â— Papistry saith he can neither stand with peace nor piety The State therefore that would have these things hath just cause to suppresse it But what course is to be taken for the suppressing of it Shall wee take that course for the suppressing of popery which some of theirs prescribe for the suppressing of the truth Decretum fuit in consiliis Toletanis c. They made decrees in some of their counsels That every King before he bee installed should sweare among other things That hee would permit no man to live in his Kingdom that is not a Roman Catholick but will pursue all Hereticks with the sword I know it is disputed among Divines Whether it be lawfull to use compulsory meanes in matters of Religion And no lesse among Politicians whither it would bee successefull I shall neither take upon mee to determine those disputes Nor direct the wisdome of the great councell of the kingdome in a course for suppressing popery Only in briefe the meanes to be used to this end are either sacred or civill Acts of Religion or of State For religious meanes I conceive that as the re-establishment of Popery in Queen Maries dayes was an Act of State and of the whole Kingdome assembled in Parliament so if the State the Parliament now assembled would please to indict some Day or dayes of solemne Nationall professed humiliation for that sinne of the Nation which as farre as I could ever learne was never yet done it might bee a happie meanes to expiate that sinne and to purge the Land from that bloud of Martyrs which it yet groanes under and would blessedly prepare the heart of the Nation for a more thorow perfect Reformation We observe it in particular persons that if they slide out of profane and sinfull wayes into wayes of more retirednesse without any evidence of a sincere and proportionable Humiliation That Reformation seldome proves lasting or saving I know not why the same may not bee verified in Nationall Reformations And among other things which possibly might bee causes why the wrath of the Lord was not removed from Hierusalem notwithstanding Josiah's so glorious Reformation this may bee one because the Land was never humbled for the Idolatries or Bloudsheds of Manasses but looked upon the reformation as sufficient without humiliation which verily hath been Englands course to this day we have blessed our selves in a kinde of Reformation But never tooke to heart the Idolatrous and bloudy Lawes enacted by our forefathers to bee humbled for them Next to this as a second meanes for the suppressing of Popery I would subjoy ne the casting out from among us of all appearances of Popery every that lookes like Rome every thing of which the Papists may say this you borrowed from us True it is the Israelites by Gods expresse commandement borrowed of the Aegyptians Iewels of silver and Iewels of Gold but when they imployed those Egyptian Iewels to Egyptian worship and turned their Egyptian gold into an Egyptian God you know what followed I condemne not every thing received from Rome as simply evill But certainely as long as the Papists see any such things among us in our publike worship They will but scorne us and our Religion as imperfect and unable to furnish us in the service of our God without being beholding unto them The third Meanes is To ridd the Church of scandalous Ministers that what by their corrupt doctrine what by their abominable lives have exceedingly hardned the Papists against our Religion and strengthened them in their owne Fourthly By complying as neare as possible may be with other reformed Churches in all things The resolution you have put on for uniting with the Church of Scotland is one of the blessed'st things for the utter subversion of popery that hath beene since the first reformation And lastly Plant a faithfull painefull powerfull Ministery through the Kingdome And give maintenance and incouragement answerable But O Lord in such a corrupt State of Clergie and Universities where shall we finde faithfull men to plant the Nation with The harvest is great the labourers few O pray yee the Lord of the Vineyard to send forth labourers into his harvest To give the word that great may be the multitude of them that preach it As for Civill meanes of rooting out Popery I shall wholly leave them to the Councell of the State Only one thing more let me adde which I cannot without sinne forbeare If ever you would root popery out of Englâ—nd with the uttermost of your vigour prosecute the affaires of Ireland If Popery prevaile to the suppressing of the true Religion there Doe not thinke you can prevaile to suppresse popery here I know your Domesticke affaires are great your occasions of expences vast yet I remember what the Historian saith of the Roman State There was nothing did more evidence the greatnesse of their spirits then that at such a time as Hanniball was even Ad portus Their treafure exhausted by long Warres Their Armies routed diverse times The State at the lowest ebbe that ever it was in Yet even then when a mighty Warre lay upon their backes They did not remit the care of any affaires though never so remote from them And nothing did more make Hannibal despaire of taking Rome Then that he heard supplies of Souldiers were sent out of the Citie into Spaine even then 〈…〉 22. c. 3â— when he with his whole army lay before their walles I know not whither any thing would more please God or procure a blessing upon your affaires at home I am sure scarce any thing would mâ—â—e dant your adversaries at home and abroad then to see you at such a time as this sending supplies into Ireland And you my brethren the rest of you that stand before Exhortatiâ—â— the peoplâ— the Lord this day Withdraw not your assistance from the honourable Houses of Parliament in that or any other worke so just Honourable and pious You see they meete with opposition from their adversaries impossible it is it should be otherwise Oh let them not meete with discouragment from their friends from their brethren No question it was worse to Nehemiah to heare Iudah say The strength of the bearers of burdens is decaied and there is so much rubbish wee cannot build the wall Then it was to heare the adversaries say We will come upon them and they shall neither know nor see till we are in the midst of them and play them and cause the worke to cease That which the adversaries said was no more then he looked for But this of Iudah was unexpected O let not London say let not England say The strength of the bearers of burdens is decaied The expences of the Irish warre and of the English affaires are such a burden wee can beare no longer our strength is decaied wee cannot build the wall the worke must cease I know your burdens this way have been great and in this City farre
greater then in other places of the Kingdom and are like to continue still For though I hope it is not in the purposes of God to destroy England nor to destroy London yet I have thought sometimes The purpose and intent of God hath beene to humble and attenuate London and England For Englands long continued peace had abundantly increased Englands wealth and the abundant creased of Englands wealth had proportionably increased Englands pride The age before us knew not that excesse of bravery in clothes and utensils that we were growne unto And the generation growing up was like to exceed us in both God saw us labour so dangerously of a plethory as his wisdome and love judged it needfull to abate and exhaust our fulnesse at least so much as is super fluous and not matter of subsistence but matter of pride unto us which if we can willingly and chearefully resigne up to the disposall of God we may possibly thereby obtaine and secure our lives Lawes Religion the things that are or should be dearest to us But if we hugge our wealth when God would have us let it goe Take heed we lose not that and all the rest Me thinkes I reade it in the footsteppes of God towards England God hath said I will abate the wealth and pride of England Me thinkes the succession of these three warres within these few yeares which comes not without the speciall providence of that God who ruleth in the kingdomes of men the expences of all which must lye upon England speaks it That the purpose of God is to abate the pride and wealth of England And me thinkes we should say as Mephibosheth did 2 Sam. 19.30 Yea let him take all for as much as my Lord the King is returned againe in peace to his owne house might we but see our Soveraigne Lord the King brought in peace againe to his owne house and to His Houses of Parliament Might we but see the King of Kings upon his holy hill of Zion Christ in his beauty on his Throne The Church reformed truth and peace established let him take all I perswade my selfe every honest heart that is loyall to God to the King to the publicke weale would willingly speake it and seale it did not our adversaries by their crafty insinuations indeavour to divide as much between the Parliament and people as they have done betweene the King and Parliament That would faine perswade the people of this Nation with the Ape in the emblem to cut in under the arme of the tree whereon they sit and plunge themselves into a gulph and sea of misery To this purpose as they have tolde his Majestie so now they tell the people That the Parliament will alter Religion A charge like that of Rabshakeh against Hezekiah and as true When he would perswade the people God would not helpe them because Hezekiah had altered Religion Isaias 36.7 If thou say to me we trust in the Lord our God is it not he whose Altars high places Hezekiah hath taken away sayd to Iudah and Ierusalem you shall worship before this altar Truth is This is all the alteration of Religion the Parliament hath made They have taken away the high places and Altars that they have done intended to proceed to command all worship to be according to the rule of Gods word To say to England you shall worship according to this rule And this is he great crime of altering Religion My brethren be not deceived â—â—â—eâ—â—tio Perseâ—riva oâ—ruptiva As in naturall so in civill and morall things there is a double alteration There is a perfective alteration And there is a corruptive alteration To alter Religion so as to corrupt Religion was the plot and work of the Popish Prelats and their faction To alter their alterations to antiquate their innovations to reduce Religion to its pure originall perfection which cannot be done without alteration of some thing introduced that was the purpose and work of the Parliament and for this it is our adversaries crie against them They will alter Religion I but then the Parliament will alter the government of the Kingdome Yes Just like as they altered Religion As in Religion such alterations as tend Ad perfectionem are not to be condemned So likewise in Polity and civill government Plato tells us That in all Common-wealths upon just grounds there ought to be some changes And that Statesmen therein must beehave themselves like skiâ—fâ—â—l Musicians Qui artem Musices non mutant sed Musices modum But they do things without his Majesties consent I that is our greif and our adversaries triumph That our adversaries have so farre prevailed upon the heart of our soveraign as to perswade him to with draw first his presence then his assent from the great Councell of his Kingdome And thereby force them Either to do things without the consent of our soveraign Or else do nothing but sit still and expect their owne the Kingdomes ruine And in such a case is it so high acrime to determine things necessary for the safety of King and Kingdome without consent of his Majestie when it cannot be obtained I have read that the Persian Monarches were wont to call the Peers and Presidents of their Provinces to Councell but giving them no freedome nor liberty of Councell For every one of them had 〈◊〉 plate or tile of gold to stand upon in the Councell house and if he gave councell that the King thought well of Kecker Polit. the plate of gold was given him for a reward but if he delivered any thing contrary to the Kings minde Valer. Maxim l. 9. c. 5. Flagris caedebatur And one writes that Xerxes in his expedition against Greece called his Princes together and spake to them to this purpose Least saith he I should seeme to follow only my owne Councell I have assembled you and now do you remember that it becomes you rather to obey then advise Our adversaries would faine have it so with the Peers and Parliament of England and have a long time bin labouring to perswade his Majestie it ought so to be and would make the like impression upon the people now But you my brethren beware of their insinuations and know That they that devide between his Majestie and Parliament or between Parliament and people are the greatest enemies of King people and Parliament This is the first time that ever loyalty to the King was set in opposition to fidelity to the Parliament The first time that ever it was thought possible to draw the English Nation to desert their Parliament under the notion of adhering to their King Oh let not this age beare the date of such infamy Did ever Parliament do more for the Lawes and liberties of the Nation with more danger and detriment to themselves And will you when they have need of you leave them well here is our comfort God hath not left God will not leave his cause 1. Kings 8.57.58.59.60 his work his people 1. Kings 8. The Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers let him not leave us nor forsake us that he may encline our hearts unto him to walke in all his wayes and to keep his commandements and his Statutes and his Iudgements He even he maintaine the cause of his servants and of his people Israël at all times as the Matter shall require that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is none else FINIS