against the Waldenses and Albigenses whilest these popes were busie in sending Kings to conquer Ierusalem and persecuting the Emperours King Iohn of England and other Princes Such was the religion of those times the ages next before for as one observes If the Bishops of Rome sent into any countrie it was not principally to preath the Gospel Plessis mysterie iniquitie prog 24. but to broach their owne ceremonies their singings their service in latine howres organs Altars tapers c. stirring up Princes to enforce their subjects to use and practise them who would faine have kept themselves to the first institution of the Church in the puritie of the Gospel And as he observeth the worser sort of men are most zealous in such things to shadow and obscure their evill acts and indeed to serve them in steade of the Religion which Christ ordained therefore though they neglected and contemned found doctrine true faith knowledge zeale and the like graces yet they would build stately Temples bow to the Altar and to the bread which is called the body of Christ and thinke they did God the better service I will not say that those English Bishops and Doctors who had hand in the reformation and ordained kneeling at the receiving of the bread and wine did beleeve transubstantiation or consubstantiatiō or teach men to doe honour to those elemēts because they are called the body and blood sacramentally it may be it was rather to draw Papists the sooner to Church that this and other Romish rites were retained as also because this had beene so long used in all the world they thought it too much as once to fall from kneeling to sitting thinking that if they should ignorant Papists of which the land was then peopled would never bee drawen to Church or to hearken to thē in other things when having once laid these things for Rules like the Lutherans in their tenets they can heare nothing to the contrarie but above all because they knew the office of a Diocessan Bishop could not subsist in these daies of reformation without maintaining them against all opposers of traditions and humane inventions I know that as yet there is no publick constitution teaching plainly that reverence ought to be done to the Elements because they are called the body and blood of Christ but if they that stand so much for kneeling at the Sacrament have not some such superstition in it why doe they bow toward the Altar or table rather then toward the pulpit or some other side of the Church seeing God is every where and on all sides of us And why else doe they begin to erect Altars at the east end of the quier in Churches where there have beene none since poperie was abolished These Popish ceremonies should also have beene abandoned to shew plainly that they doe not favour superstition and the worship of bread They vainly say it argues too much boldnes to sit or stand at the table of the Lord for it is a far greater presumption to use and ordaine a ceremonie so contrarie to the institution and practise of the Church in the Apostles time The greatest reverence wee can doe to God is to stick close to his ordinances to obey and love them and the greatest presumption to thinke any thing can be better devised performed and practised then it was in his institution with the Papists they doe but mock God with a name of greater reverence whilest they withstand that of the institution and command another gesture that is farthest from it God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth In beleeving and following his word and ordinances as Paul worshipped the God of his fathers Ioh. 4. Act. 24.14 1. Cor. 11. who delivered this ordinance so as he received it of the Lord and not as they did whose feare toward God was taught by the precepts of mē they worshipped him in vaine he regards not their kneeling It is not enough for preachers to say wee preach and urge them because our Princes and Bishops have commaunded them for he will answer Who required these things at your hands Isa ◠1◠which doe but open a gap for Kings and Prelates to commaund what they list Hence came that * Besides that about the Saboath order of King Iames that men should not in pulpits confute poperie in things controverted but leave that to the Bishops and Deanes and that which succeded that Ministers should not in the Vniversities pulpits and print dispute preach or write against Arminianisme they that perswade a King that he may doe this strive in effect to make a Pope of him And lastly thence comes the great domineering and strange injunctions of prelates in their visitations that none must dare to speake against any of their orders or ceremonies whatsoever unles he long to be silenced reckoned a mad fellow Dr. Clewit at the Bishop of London visit An. 1631. thence comes the extreame flatterie of their Agents and Chaplaines who begin to preach thus Auctoritàs praecipientis est ratio praecepti and no man considers that thus the Church of Rome grew to an unlimited and licentious power that such are the naturall fruits of the hierarchie and they must needes grow worse and worse In those reformed Churches where men sit they come to the table more prepared with more knowledge feare Rev. 2.20 reverence and circumspection then such men they dare not admit a notorious drunkard Adulterer Arminian or the like nor any person utterly unknowne because it tendeth to corruption 1. Cor. 5.6 For a litle leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Whereas in England all that will may come bodly even in the Cathedrall Church in London They that receive are utterly unknowne to them that administer no man examines them nor testifieth for them they may be Arminians excommunicate prophane or Church-papists for ought that any man there knowes they looke after no religion but this that he kneele at the Sacrament which if he doe but observe be his life or religion what it will he may come boldly Notwithstanding all these things many say so long as the Gospel may be and is freely preached why should wee trouble a Church or leave it our places and meanes for such faults and ordinances Marke how God hath suffered these men to be punished and deceived the Gospel is there freely preached by them that will needs preach so but not by the care of the Bishops nor yet in all points much lesse in all places Ministers are called upon to urge these ordinances of men yet in the meane they are not suffered to preach Gods ordinance the Eldership nor yet against Arminianisme It is true that after the prohibition the Parliament immediately succeeding many couragiously preached against Arminianisme and so doe some to this day but not in the Court nor in the Vniversitie much lesse before the Bishops who are still against such and
as rivers through many windings find way into the sea Nothing lieth so newtrally betweene the Romish and reformed Religions as the Hierarchie and the traditions thereof unles perhaps the Lutheran Religion which hath affinitie with it and that nothing doth more fortifie Rome and hinder the ruine thereof this whole worke doth manifest And as a river doth water the bancks townes castles and mannors that lie upon it so doe these water the noblitie and people who delight to dwell on these shores and drinke of these waters which coole or quench their zeale against misticall Babylon and so fill them with ignorance and neutralirie that they relish them better then the waters of the sanctuarie which are those of the Eldership and in requitall send into her those land waters which comming to them from heaven or springing out of their grounds fall into this river and make it swell with a terrible greatnes and these land waters are riches and authoritie which streames must bee exhausted or turned an other way before Babylon can be destroyed I am not so confident is to make this a full exposition of the sixt viall which yet is not the least probable seeing that things are rather to bee mistically then literally understood But sure it is that some have thought that as without England there is little hope that the Protestants should prevaile not rather be dayly consumed as heretofore they have beene So the Bishops with their traditions and practises are the greatest hinderances of true unitie and confederacie among all protestant Princes and States that England doth not effectually joyne with them against Antichrist and his champions Papists therefore nourish the English Hierarchie and all helpes thereof knowing that the Episcopall authoritie is at such emnitie with the Eldership that they can never be so true freinds of religion as to seeke unitie and confederacie with Churches governed by elders that all such Princes and States as Kings of the East and Citizens of the new Ierusalem may joyne to make the whore desolate Experience shewes that they have hindered it and so are like so long as the Hierarchie stands and the waters thereof run with so stronge a streame These therefore must be dried up by true light knowledge and zeale ere God can be well pleased or the Church have hope of victorie And sure they shal be taken away Ioh. 15. for Christ saith Every branch that beareth not fruite in me he taketh away they therefore that stand for them doe in effect shew themselves Romes freinds and the Churches enemies as the Arminians and popelings doe There are three things that breede all the stir in the world and hinder Romes ruine 1 The greatnes of the house of Austria which is nourished by the Romish Clergie and that Clergie by it and that hath made some think this house and the power and riches thereof to bee the misticall river Euphrates which must be exhausted or turned an other way before Rome can be burned which is well begun by the King of Sweden 2. Want of true unitie and confederacie amongst Protestant Princes and States against the common Adversaries of Religion for this hath emboldened the Pope the howse of Austria and others to attempt so much as they have to subvert all by power and policie 3. The pernicious power offices and greatnes of Diocessan and Provinciall Bishops and other Clergie men which hinder these good effects in the two former and makes bothe the Spaniard and Church of Rome to have stronge parties in all the greatest Kingdoms in Christendome and even in England it self though Protestants in profession And such Prelates indeed are a stronger fort to the great whore then the howse of Austria which if it be a fort these yet are the deepe ditch or more that goes about it the great river that strengthens both it the Church Cittie of Rome the bankes of this river must be cut the streame of theire power and riches let out and dried up ere any great good can be donne It is a thing that will serve to astonish the ages to come that any reformed Christian much lesse those that are reckoned and so should be of the wiser sort as Counsellours of estate Nobles Divines many others that seeme to have a greater share of preeminence wit and learning then of true knowledge honour and authoritie in such cases should stand so stedfastly in the maintenance of diocessan Bishops and traditions and other wordly dignities honours and revenues which the Clergie have obtained besides those that are given to the Ministers of Christ in the Gospel Wherein though it be true that all their defēders doe not willingly take the marke of the Beast because all that defend them doe it not on purpose to helpe the Pope and Church of Rome or with the more ease to bring-in poperie as some have said of the late Duke and his faction which indeed is to have the marke secret in the right hand nor wholly because some that stand for Diocessan Bishops and theire traditions which are popish and tend to poperie doe nevertheles hate other points of Poperie yet doe they take it partly in effect and by consequence and in a way which is a step helpe and introduction to all poperie which cannot but bee * Rev. 14.9 dangerous especially when like Papists they will not see it or seeing it will not desist First because Antichrist and they are of one and the same broode and ofspring of one and the same foundation his rising was their rising and their traditions and ceremonies are his they had them from him every Diocessan Bishop is now a pettie Pope in his Diocesse For at the first Plessis misterie of inquit prog 4 and 5. the Pope only grew great as a Diocessan Bishop in a great citty haveing this only priviledge that he was reckoned the Bishop of the first sea and an Arch-Bishop Rome being the seate of the Empire but there were then others that were reckoned Archbishops as well as hee and governed theire seas as freely as he did his and so did many Bishops also It is well manifested by Hierome on the first of Titus and by many other fathers Bellar. de clericis lib. 1. c. 14. and moderne writers cited by Bellarmine and Medina as also by Pietro Scave Polano in his historie of the councell of Trent that at first a presbiter and a Bishop was one Hist of the Councell of Trent pag. 220.331.332.591 and the same thing that the Churches were governed by the common counsailes of the presbiters and how the jurisdiction and power of Diocessan and Provinciall Bishops crept into the church to withstand divisions namely together with the Popes and therefore to defend their office is to defend his which only differs in the excesse of power and evill and in supremacie and universalitie neither have they so much withstood divisions as increased them for Plessis and these other authors shew
Eldership against Arminian errours or any thing else the Bishops would not have them know that must needs be true in them which our Saviour saith He that walketh in darknesse Ioh. 12.35 knoweth not whither he goeth and therefore their deliberations in matters of preserving the Church and State which in these times are so intermixed by reason of popish practices that commonly the cause and good of the one belongeth to the other must needs bee accordingly canried that is with much blindnesse and danger 2. Because if any King or great Favourite like the Duke be in this error of the Hierarchy Arminianisme or any other the having of these great places in the Hierarchy in his gift makes almost all the Clergy and especially the Prelates and Vniversities to bee at his devotion to temporize temper forme and keepe bad divinity to their minde by such power and policy that all the most skilfull Divines in the kingdome shall not dare or at least not be able to helpe it but whatsoever become of the truth or reforming errours and abuses the honour of the Prelates and their abettors must bee saved as in the Court of Rome and by these things they are prepared to rule a Synod if occasion serve as the Court of Rome did that of Trent and in the mean so to keepe divers errours and abuses from the knowledge of their King and to guard his eares from all just counsailes and complaints made against them or their confederates or to pervert their drift by pretending his prerogative and government are taxed or questioned and the Episcopall government established by his authority is sleighted and contemned that nothing can bee heard fearfull divisions are made Parliaments are for their sakes dissolved the best counsels rejected reformation hindred notorious delinquents Papists and Arminians emboldned men in the greatest trust may daily be in the fellowship of Iesuited Papists what ever they practise it is found in vaine to accuse them and by this meanes the King is either the last that knowes the truth and right in divers causes or one that never comes to understand it nor indeed to be willing to heare of it Which is far from the wisedome and diligence of the Pope and popish Princes that seeke to supplant him and all true religion Histor of the Councel of Trent pag. 693. Pius the 4. doubting that some Prelates and other great ones favoured the Protestants resolved to discover them and was wont to say that he was more wronged by the masqued heretickes then by the bare faced Men that love theire King and Religion say as much of the masqued Papists in England and that therefore the Prelates and others vainly brag of the long peace and prosperitie England hath enjoyed while other Countries have smarted when it hath beene procured by such meanes and more vainely thinke that God is well pleased with them seing they haue no changes but he hath suffered them to prevaile against such as sought the redresse when they should rather know that the long suffering of God leadeth to repentance that all these things as they doe more and more disable the king and his people from defending themselues in the time of war because the Popish and Arminian factions are by them increased and God provoked so without amendment they will cause God to send a sword amongst them to auenge the quarrell of his covenant when thus weakned they shal be lesse able to withstand it Some foiles they haue had and their present securitie is an ill omen of worse 3. Because by these meanes Courtiers being nourished in spirituall ignorance Popist Princes that either labour to bring all to one Monarchie or neerer neerer to Romish Religion finde fit instruments in court and Councell to negotiate withall to get leauges treaties and articles of peace or war to theire best advantage to make divisions factions to corrupt and be corrupted that is either for reward or conscience to helpe Romish Religion vnder pretences of State policie or being against the puritans wherein they could never make things seeme to stand with religion without the consent and confederacie of the Prelates For if there were no hierarchie no Prelates to countenance them but the land were indeed of the reformed Religion all would be ashamed of such counsailes as stand not with the good thereof and Iesuits could not find the meanes they doe to be stickling by theire disguised freinds to trouble the state and by degrees and colourable pretences to alter Religion wherein if Princes and favourits come to be corrupted none so likely or potēt to get things decreed to theire mindes in Sinods as Bishops that are thosen by them and depend on them as others on the Pope the Trent fathers shewed it in many particulars All which is as ill for the soules of those Princes and statesmen as for the Church and State what a miserable case is it that Kings and Princes who of all should loue Christe and tender the good of his Church and people as being nursing fathers will not take these things into consideration nor suffer the words of exhortation and that such as are neere them will not vse the meanes that they may know them Ministers dare not touch vpon it seing the Prelates flatter and are able to vndoe them wherein Romish Princes and Religion haue infinite aduantages against them The meanest Iesuits and Capuchins are admitted into the closets of Kings and Sates men and permitted to convince or reprove in the cause of theire Religion to exhort and animate them to constancie vigilancie and courage to vnmasque and destroy the secret and open enemies thereof When the Queene Regent of France had suffered Beza to speake in Colloquie a bold Iesuit reproched the Protestants and openly reprehended the Queene for medling in matters that he said belonged not to her Pag. 454. but to the Pope c. yet was he not molested for it They honour others punish zealous spirits Papists and other children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light more zealous more diligent as is daily seene in France Spaine and all popish countries which is ill for the State and Church of England This therefore may be sufficient to excuse me for making this manifestation 4. Because if there be not a reformation God for all these evils is forced to plague such a Church and State in many things especially in those spirituall plagues Isa 29.14 and 2 Thess 2.11 It is pretended that they that seeke reformation of the Church make schisme The Church of Rome said as much for her selfe against them that sought to reforme her in the time of Luther And indeed the schism is rather made by the Bishops and their supporters from the reformed Churches and such as hold Gods truth with them which hath made the enemies attempt so much against them and prevaile therein while they saw the English to divided from them and oposite to them
have troubled many in the universities and elsewhere Neither can they rest heere the fruite of the Hierarchie that is not a tree of Gods planting must needes grow worse Ioh. 15.2 and worse which shewes it concernes the faith it self to have the hierarchie abolished All which things considered doe manifest that their pretended devotion in commanding to kneele at the Sacrament is but like that of signing children with the signe of the Crosse wherein they straine at a gnat and swallow a Camel God must needes regard their kneeling verie litle as that of the Papists who exceede in that and all other humble and devout gestures because they are not better or more obedient Christians they doe not more feare God nor indeed so much as Protestants that kneele not when they receive For they ordaine that men should bow the knee so oft as they heare the name Iesus mentioned in the Church which they doe not at any other name of God nor when Ruffins sweare by it as also that all should kneele at the Sacrament But what a mockerie is this while in the meane with the Papists they themselves neither bow to the word and ordinances of God nor consequently to Christ Iesus who is the word nor suffer others that would in such proofes of Scripture as prove that there ought to be * Act. 14.23 Acts. 20.17.28 Tit. 1.5 1 Pet. 5. Elders in every flock to govern the same and no such Lords of Gods heritage as Diocessan Bishops no such edicts against confutation of Arminians nor no such traditions canons set fasts as make the word of none effect It is true that the Lent fast is very ancient but so is the mysterie of iniquitie the Popes usurped primacie dominion and many other parts of Romish superstition and errour that English Bishops doe not yet affirme plainly that it ought to be observed as an ordinance of God or pari pietatis affectu ac reverentiae because it is an ordinance of the Church but they so hover about it that men feare it will come to that if their dominion stand As to this reason that Christ fasted fortie dayes they might as well tel us because he walked on the water or suffered for sinners so therefore should wee And what a mockerie is it to make this time of the yeare the time of repentance and mortification when that is not to be put off till Lent but is due at all times of the yeare as mens soules by reason of daylie sins doe oft stand in need of bodily fasting and humiliation the better to fit them for praier Or if it were necessarie what a mockerie is it to ordaine abstinence from all flesh when men have libertie to eate the daintiest fish and other delicates used in fish dinners banquets and feasts and that as much and as oft as they lift And if the Prelates themselves did not use it they would not be so fat and lustie as they are * B. Bangor March 4. 1631. They make great feasts at their consecration in Lent But say they it makes much for the increase of cattel that the subject may have them in more plentie and better cheape I could say this might be much better effected by forbidding many great and superfluous feasts as was partly practised in that dearth 1630 but I answer They might as well tell us that the great feasts used in the twelve daies and at other festivall times cause plenty and cheapnes as Lent which costs men more in fish For who sees not that both the one and the other make all things the dearer That when they approach all men striving to store their houses with flesh and fish the markets are raised to that extremitie that mens purses find a dearth in the midst of plentie Butchers and Poulterers pay deere for their licences which makes all extreame deere to such poore and sick or weake persons as must needs eate some flesh and Lent ended people buy as if they had never eaten flesh before which makes it want for no price Besides how many thousands are there who are not sick and yet of such weake constitutions that they cannot live six weekes without eating some flesh all these must needes abstaine to their hurt or bee reckoned Rebels and vexed by promoters resembling them of the Inquisition But fishing and shipping would otherwise decay This were somewhat if they had beene or were like to be used in the defence of Religion or against the enimies thereof and not against such as the Rochellers but howsoever if men were free to eate fish when they list they would desire it more as experience shewes in other countries where such freedome is Or if there were but one or two daies in a weeke as wednesday saterday or both wherein it were prohibited to all under great penalties sick persons excepted and especiallie to Inholders Alehouses Vintners Cookes and Victuallers that none should dresse or sell dressed any flesh on that day on paine of having his house shut up and paying some great fine all thorow-fare and market townes would strive to be furnished with fish for those daies and there would be more fishing and fish spent in the land in one yeare then now there is in two and this being only a common law and but for a day or two in a weeke and not imposed as a fast would be no burthen But the lawes are alleadged for this Lent fast as for the dominion of the Prelates and observation of other their traditions and ceremonies I might answer that the way to have lawes observed is to commaund things reasonable and agreeable to Gods word such as may without hurt be observed things burthensome to little purpose are as little regarded That Ministers of the Gospel should rather alleadge the law of Christ that fasts and almes ought to be voluntarie or obtained by the word preached for private humiliation or publick being commanded by authoritie when there is a publick calamitie or some great enterprise in hand needing such humiliation to obtaine the assistance of God and thus only are they used in the reformed Churches but in this and the like cases there is an example noted in a hystorie worthy our observation Quarrels of Paul 5. lib. 1. p. 9. The state of Luca finding many Citizens had changed their Religion and retired into protestant countries published an Edict forbidding all their subjects to have commerce with such persons The Pope that could not dislike their intent saide The Republick had no authoritie to make such an ordinance which touched Religion for as much as the laicques have not any power to decree in matters of Religion although the law be in favour thereof therefore he commanded it to be raced out of their Records If the Pope said this of States and lawes helping and maintaining his Religion how much more may God say it of Diocessan Bishops Councels States and all such their lawes Canons and Edicts as helpe the
freely preached in all other things and no Minister hindred in them but now it is come to another evill the bondage and limitations are more increased For the Clergy and especially the Bishops have not onely temporised with the Duke and other hispaniolized and popish agents and practisers but even for their favour let in Arminianisme neither opposing it themselves nor suffering others that would but because light remedies alwayes cherish an evil they got the King to prohibite disputes on both sides not to hinder Arminianisme for the bookes of Doctor Iackson and others were suffered to come out after that but others from confuting it in their disputations books and sermons and in stead of the Scriptures to make the Articles the Rule and them the interpreters of them who have not onely protected the Appealer Doctor Iackson Doctor Cousens and some others that savour of Arminianisme and Popery hindred the Parliament and others from convincing them of errour and so emboldned others to broach worse errours in flattery of mighty favourites helped to get Parliaments dissolved wherein men had some hope of remedy but have themselves preached some passages savouring of Romish and Trent corruption seeming to approve the vulgar edition that the Sacraments confer grace ex opere operato and to tye the understanding of the Scriptures to the interpretation of the Fathers to make the best of moderne Divines little regarded In these and the like they being powerfull in Court cannot want followers and flatterers and therefore men of understanding say they are not so well read in the Rules of piety as in those of policy used against the desired reformation in the time of Luther which being set forth in the history of the Councell of Trent though it anger the Papists in regard it discovereth a world of their various dissimulations cunning shifts and devices yet it pleaseth them in this that they serve to teach the Bishops and Arminians how to frustrate and delude all the fairest proofes and attempts of their adversaries And because some have written to discover the errours practices and dangers they have not onely put all they could catch in the high Commission but lest such should get out and themselves be any way hindred or discovered in such proceedings they have obtained authority that if any writer Printer or Book-seller come with a prohibition he shall be presently censured Some will say this is but reason I anwser true if their hierarchie and practices were according to Gods word and they seditious and hereticall that they trouble but being as it is and this power seldome or never extended against any but such as stand for Gods truth against Arminians popish practisers and defenders of the hierarchy they abuse the King and Councell in getting them to be their protectors and are themselves blinde and Antichristian tyrants Such as in stead of following the rules of the Gospell seeme rather to encline to that of Paul 4. who set on foot the Inquisition Hist of the Councell of Trent pag. 405. 409. which he said was the principall secret and mystery of the Papacy the true Ramme to beat down heresie and defend the Apostolike sea by advancing another which like it shall prevaile by power and terrour in stead of good reason namely the high Commission Court The Councellors of the Parliament of Paris seeing the Articles of reformation published in the Councell of Trent opposed saying the Ecclesiasticall authority was enlarged beyond its bounds with the wrong and diminution of the temporall by giving power to Bishops to proceed to pecuniary mulcts and imprisonment against the laity whereas no authority was given by Christ to his Ministers but meere and pure spirituall that when the Clergy was made a member of the policy the Princes did by favour allow the Bishops to punish inferiour Clergy men with temporall punishments that discipline might be observed amongst them but to use such kinde of punishment against the laickes they had neither from the law of God nor of man but by usurpation onely All which sheweth that diocessan Bishops are great impostors though the Pope bee indeed the grand impostor And let men be sure that as they and their hierarchy are more and more defended so will their power encrease and grow more popish blinde erroneous and Antichristian as that of the Church of Rome did their feare towards God being in these things taught by the precepts of men the wisedome of them and their supporters must needs decay and perish to the extreame danger of the Church and Commonwealth By all which may bee seene that the kingdome of God in the true free and full power of the word preached is incompatible with the hierarchy they cannot stand together but the maintenance of the one is the breaking of the bands of the other and of the true peace and happinesse of the Church and State and that therefore there is necessity of a reformation in the Church and restoring the ordinances of God to that forme which not any humane but his divine wisdome ordained Some have pretended that it is good policy to uphold the Hierarchy for say they no Bishop no King there must be order in the Church and Bishops are they that preserve it This is that bulwark which they used to beat off all just complaints and save themselves their cause their friends and followers such as the Duke the Appealer and Cousens from the parliamentary power Crushed and dissolved it must be rather then such a one or his trechery be brought to triall though they thereby make such the more bold to attempt the like or worse evills overthrow the power and use of Parliaments that confirmed their hierarchy a requitall not so strange in them as just with God and so alienate the heart of the King from his subjects and the subjects from the King though they know a kingdome divided in it felfe cannot stand that having their hearts hee is strong and a King indeed that otherwise hee cannot well subsist as a King should nor be supplied with money and men but must bee forced to make peace with the enemies of religion on the harder conditions and home-bred Papists and Arminians would thereby grow the bolder to encrease their religions and parties the Palatinate could not well be recovered but the enemy must needs be made the more absolute and resolute to root out our religion and brethren in forraigne parts and at last seeing division in England to venture thither to endanger the Church and Commonweale the Kingdome and all Wherein what have the Prelates shewed lesse then that they had rather all these should be shaken and endangered then their hierarchy or then one proud Appealer one popish Cousens should be questioned in disparagement thereof For these evils could not have beene effected against so many endeavours of Parliaments without the helpe of their religious pretences nor passed without the cloake of their Episcopall gravity And lest things should bee