For if two or more differing thinges bee ioyned and vnited together this agreeing matter must of necessitye be such that the thinges to be reconciled doe consent therein Those which bee of one kinred agree in bloude The domesticalles of one familye in cohabitation Those which bee of the same Religion which is the Associators case to haue the same Sacrisice Priesthoode Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies belonging vnto Reuerence If we consider the quallitie which is required to Association I trust it wil not be an humble Motiue for such people to be fellowes with Prynces and theyr owne Soueraigne Some wright that the Earles of England be termed Comites because by curtesie of our Kinges they haue both beene so named and in some sorte so vsed But that Title was neuer giuen to inferiour Nobles Then it maye not be yeelded to such vnable spirits except which is the marke they shoote at and which priuatlie they beleeue all things must be in communitie and no Superious Spirituall or Temporall may be allowed How the second cause of vnion betweene the protestants of England and the Puritanes thereof in Religion can bee deuised differing in 32. pointes as their admonition witnesseth I cannot conceaue For this Puritane Motor maketh no submision that they wil refor me to the Parlament doctrine Then either there can bee no Association or else the Queene and Parlament must reuoke their lawes and onely maintaine Puritanisme which is the second pricke of their leuell as appeareth by his owne vvordes of which I will speake more heareafter THE IIII. VNTRVTH IN THE fourth worde to maintayne THE worde To maintaine as it suppo seth the beinge of the thing to bee maintained soe it must yeelde sufficient causes of preseruation and maintenance to the same Towchinge the first Philosophers doe call Duration a continuance of beeing because at least in prioritie of nature it supposeth the existence and being of that whereof it is a duration or continuance In the seconde Respect that whiche maintaineth an other must be more Noble and Potent then that which is maintayned and stronger then those assailing enemies which striue to ouerthrow it The Master maintayneth his seruāt the Soueraigne his subiect in naturall causes the more general and powerable doth maintayne preserue the weaker The Sun among the Planets is called an vniuersall cause in regarde ir preserueth and giueth maintenance to these inferiour thinges And all creatures are maintayned by GOD without whose maintenance and assistance all thinges would be annihilate In the first sence Puritanisme and Association with the Professors thereof cannot giue duration to Religion For that which this Pamphletor laboureth to establish was neither by any kinde of Priority or Simultity which I can finde now is authorized in England but of this I will make challenge in the worde Establish In the other meaning to speake of maintenance I thinke all Protestants are very farre from giuing credit that Puritanes seeke to maintaine their Religion And that they are destroyers and not maintayners thereof Parliam 5. Parlia 23. Eli. Synod Lond 1562 l. art hath bin often concluded in the highest Court of Parlament the booke of Articles it selfe by the whole Protestants Clergy of England with a double Subscription And touching any motyue that may mooue this high conceit of their proceedinges that diuinity which I haue learned teacheth me this for most founde and certaine doctrine that as there is nothing so vndoutedly true as the articles of true Religion which is taught and reuealed of God which as he is infinitely wise and good so he can neither be deceaued in himselfe or giue cause of error vnto others so that which maintayneth this trueth and certaintye must needes be most true and infallible euerye thinge beeing maintayned by such meanes by which it consisteth Then the lying spirit of Puritanes by which euery basest fellowe is to prescribe Religion to the vninersall worlde and no doctrine can be maintained without that mans allowance cannot be a maintemance but destruction to true Reuerence as to giue a shorte example in a briefe difcourse Epip Haer. Aug. Haer. Bern. later Catal. Haer. Vlenb. l. 22. Caus Rain Cal. turais there haue beene by morall iudgement 700. sectes of Heretickes which haue pleaded this kinde of maintenance Therefore it is oddes 699. to one that Puritanes will destroy and not maintaine Religion THE V. VNTRVTH IN THE fift worde Religion REligion is that due worship which man oweth and is to render to God his Creator and chiefe omnipotent Benefactor for so many fauours wherewith he hath enriched him And which man is to receaue hereafter by his insinite irrecompensible bounty This worship as it is the Reuerence of God in whose vnsearchable will pleasure it is by what homage and offices hee will be honoured so the institution thereof muste needes proceede from him and Reuelation of it to man In which regard it is an impossibilitie that any Article or Questiō of duty by that incrrable power so ordeyned and proposed shoulde either be vntrue variable vnconstanr or vncertaine as this so by themselues called Religion of Puritanes which so daily altereth Aug. Her Epiph. Her Bern. Later Catal. Her Casp vlen l. 22. caus c. as the wanering spirit of euery Professor thereof floweth and ebeth vp and downe And 700. to one as is recited by actuall experience it is vntrue so many seuerall and opposed sects by that soundation grounding so many diuers and contrary professions in diuine reuereuce Of which by necessary consequence al but one must needs be false and by no probability that can be true Secondly seeing this holy worshippe is that obligation and bond whereby as the name it selfe Religion teacheth vs man is bounde and religed vnto God for so many gistes and graces wherewith hee is adorned and aduanced aboue other creatures the office and exe cution of this reuerence must bee such that it religeth and binde all faculties and powers of man to persorm that dutie Then if wee compare puritane profession which catholicke worshipp it carieth no semblance of Religion for all articles of that holy Reuerence be affirm a tiue and teaching one point of deuotion or other as the affirmation of so many sacred misteries of priesthoode Sacrisice Inherent grace seauen Sacramēts with their supernaturall effects prayer Inuocation of Saints prayer for the departed and other meanes to keepe man still bounde and religed vnto GOD. And if by frailty or otherwise he chance to breake those bandes of Religation Penance Contrition griefe and afflictin of minde and body to relige and binde him againe If we resemble this Puritane doctrine to the protestancie of England it likewise is a Negation of all Religion denying such affirmatiue particles as they had left Admonit Parl. 1.2 I. W. against the Admonit For nowe the Parlament must haue no sentence the Communion booke is fooleries and damnable al the Courts and Consistories of Protestants
saue them harmelesse and for that reason I may and for other regardes I must be silent And you may rest secure that the Monkes of S. Bencdicts order are not yet multiplied to posses your Abbies Ten or such like number of them are not likely in haste to challenge and enjoy so many hundreds of Monasteries with their reuenewes as were their dowrie in England And so small an handfull of other Priests are not likely to make present entry to so many thousands of Bishoprickes Deaneries and Ecclesiasticali liuings as the Protestant Clergy is setled in Many or most of vs haue willingly disinherited our selues and embraced wantes we which haue beene voluntaries in pouerty so long cannot by probability be so sodainely changed to desire riches with so greate encombers If England were Catholicke to morrowe no Pretendor of perfection euer heard that in any age such a generallity of Dualities or Pluralities was grannted which coulde endowe so litte a number with so many thousand spirituall maintenances Then Sr if you coulde bee but so equally affected to them which were so many hundred yeares togither true Titlers and owners both of Religion and religious possessions in this Nation to let them now in some poore disgraced and penitentiall manner professe the first with such deuotion as they affect they should easely ioyne to leaue the second to them which more desire and lesse deserue it And I trust no Puritane should complaine of perill to Prince iniury to himselfe or dammage to other subiect Such seruing of God which is all wee seeke is not so dangerous eiher to Religion established or the temporall state of our most beloued countrey that any banding in Associations be needefull against it Being neither more or so much as the Pope himselfe alloweth to the Iewes in all his Terrytories euen in the City of Rome where he is Resiant And which the protestant Prines of Germany the Turkish Emperour Persian and other absolute Monarches which cannot be condemned regardlesse of their temporall Regiments allowe vnto Iesuites Priestes and others both religious and Catholickes of the Lay condition in vvhich so small a kindnesse any man of reason woulde rather presume vpon your fauour then feare your disfriendshippe And the rather because Sr giue mee leaue in this very Pamphlet so inuectiue against so little curtesie your selfe doe seeme to free vs of all vnworthines For if you remember there be but two bars which you put against it Ielousie to concur with forreigne forces And Popes Supremacy with reconciliation and your selfe haue broken both and seeme to set vs at liberty from such suspects Of the former thus you doe discharge vs when you take away all hope of aduancements by such conspirings vpon which you ground your wicked and vntrue conceits your acquittance in this case is set downe in these wordes Pag. 27. The Admirant of Arragon spared the Papists no more then the other in the Borders of Germany And the Duke of Medina said that if he had preuailed against England with his inuincible Armado he would haue spared Papists no more then Protestants but make way for his Master Concerning the second our Supercedias from you Pag. 35. may bee this sentence Priestes are executed indeede for affirming the Popes Supremacy and reconciling to the Church of Rome which are partes of their Priestly function Then Sr if Supremacy in the Pope of Rome and to receconcile to that Church be partes of Priestly function which is wholly spirituall and distinct from a ciuill state and temporall affaires by no lawe or learning that which appertayneth to that function is parte thereof can bee preiudiciall or dangerous to the second And your simple distinction following which you say was made before the late Earle of Huntington you are well acquainted with that family watch-wordes ward-words and their appendices that Priestes are not executed for these partes as they are religious but as they bee dangerous to the State in ciuill consideration is both ridiculous for my reason before and derogareth to the lawes of England because you cannot doubt but those articles were maintayned known and honured euen in this kingdome by almost 200. Kinges and their lawes many hundreds of yeares togither vntill these daies at this present are so reuerenced in the most florishing Kingdomes of the worlde And if contention be betweene Religions and ciuill lawes except God be inferiour to man it is no question who muste haue dominion Temporall thinges be subordinat to spirituall Religion is the highest rule But to giue you all contentment Pag. 6. 7. if you only must bee vvise and your plots approoued Then to satissie you in your owne devises of security which be by oath and pecuniary punishments Concerning the laste I haue made you a reckoning before how the Catholickes of England which defend their Religion answer yearely truly farre greater summes to her Maiesties vse for that cause then you demande If they come not to her purse you knowe they be not such Recusants which be Receauers and hinder it And for other Subiects how no gaine at all but generall discontent would grow by tender of such oathes your owne opinion so often repeated of Parlament and disguised Papists ouerthroweth your first position and woulde prooue the practise to be ridiculous Touching an oath for the security of our most honoured Queene and the temporall estate of this kingdome a man of such reading as you affect to bee reputed doth knowe that a spirituall oath was neuer vsed in any Nation to secure a ciuill Regiment Neither by any wit can you nowe make it a politicke inuention for that purpose Where the endes be diuers the meanes must needes be different But seeing it pleaseth you thus farre to giue confidence to the consciences of Catholickes which is more then we dare assume for you Then if you remember vvhat is written Pag. 6. 7. both in domesticall and forreigne histories commended and commanded in lawes of Princes to such sntents Temporall Regiments are and euer were secured both in this and other Nations by oathes of temporall and ciuill duty and obedience To this our ancient Statutes and the particular oathes of priuate offices as of generall and common allegeance be testimony Then Sr to secure our Prince and trie our assections if you mooue our gratious Soueraigne to receaue all Catholihkes into her protection which will take such oath which is so much as we euer gaue to former Prince or our lawes require or her Maiesty will as I hope needeth to demande let all which refuse so louing and gratious dealings be as in all former ages forth of her fauour and defence And whereas your newe engin is that oathes shoulde bee chieflie ministred to Gentlemen Magistrates and Possessionors Pag. 6. by which particular you knowe how many be exempted yet to take all danger of your perilous Priests and Iesuites away procure that vpon their acceptance of this and rheir allegeance
are become dennes of theeues and serpents The names of Arch-bishops Bishops Arch-deanes Deanes and such be Dyabolicall No signe of the Crosse or memory of mans Redemption may be vsed Assoc pag. 39. and whatsoeuer religeth a man to God must not be remembred vnder their curse for superstition If we put these people into ballance with the idolatrous Gentiles Turkes Iewes and Brachmans it is euident by al writers that although those Infidels doe erre in true Religion yet they maintayne forged Priesthoods Sacrifices and other tokens of Reuerence to keepe in seare of a diuine Maiesty all which thinges be wanting in this Puritane hauing no one positiue or affirmatiue opinion concerning worshippe And so for Religion and binding of men to God haue brought in a plaine priuation of those duties irreligion and a freedome to all liberty and vndutifulnesse both to God and man THE VI. VNTRVTH IN THE sixt worde established IT is euident by the whole discourse of this Religious Associator and so hee rearmeth himselfe in diuers places that he is a Puritane and laboureth to settle that same profession as he bewrayeth in plaine tearmes Pag. 19 And yet who knoweth not but Puritanes be condemned at the least as before in 32. questions by that Religion which is setled in England Admonit Purit Com. B Parl. 5. et 13. Elizab. as their owne Admonition the Communion booke and Parlaments themselues are witnesse against them Therefore this Innouator seeketh not to associate to maintayne any Religion setled but to settle his own vnsetled sect THE VII VNTRVTH THE seauenth foule and flattering Vntruth is two leaues longe as though Puritanes were the most loyall louing and obedient subiects which her Majestie hath and in respect of them neither Councell Nobility Bishops or any other were dutifully carefull of her preseruation But Sr because you pretend you selfe so dutifull a Subiect to our Soueraigue and regardfull of reuerence to the English Protestant Clergy and that Religion which they professe you will giue me licence to vtter in a fewe wordes the true allegeance and loue which your reformed Seignorie and eldership beareth vnto them For except this affection be knowne to bee excellent in your Society you will not bee worthy to be admitted to such exempted fauour with our Queene and her Bishops to whome you write Then I will condemne you by your owne sentences to be vndutifull to her Maiesty our Queeene moste malitious to her Clergy and deuoted Aduersaries to their Religion for whose maintenance you counterfeite desire of Assoctations And to exemplifie what forreigne Religion is so gratious in your eies as that of Geneua Admonit parl in fin Repl. Admon Parl. tract 20. and other Churches there abouts which you call for that reason resormed your Admonition to the Parlament approoueth the Presbitery of Scotland and the French Puritanes so farre that you propose them for example of imitation to England your owne writings I hope you will not deny And if you forsake Caluin and Beza your Fathers and dearest friends you are discredited for euer Then to begin with them first which I named last let the Reader iudge vvhether our Soueraigne her Arch-bishops Bishops with the rest of the Parlament Ministery and their Religion so contrary vnto Puritanes liue in security be honoured by this people Concerning Princes which be not of Caluins purity he vseth these wordes Caluin in Da. c. 6. v. 22.25 c. They spoile themselues of all authority yea they are vnworthy to bee accounted in the number of men and therefore we must rather spit vpon their heades then obey them And touching the English Communion booke which is the rule of Parlament Religion hee calleth it fooleries Stat. 1. Eliz Surn of hol disc Beza epist ded nou test an 1564. et epist ad Episcop Ebor Beza euen in his Epistle to her Maiestie of England defendeth Rebellion against Princes of a different Religion and honoureth such as bee slaine in such quarrels with the glory of Martyrs And in his Epistle to a Protestant Bishop of England condemneth the exercise of their Religion The reformed Churches of France holde the same sentence both concerning King and worship in their 39. Article Congreg artic 39. Articul Puri Scon Two of the chiefest Articles of the Scottish Puritanes be these 1. Bishops and Archbishops haue no authority their very names and titles be Antichristian and Diabolicall 2. It is heresie for any Prince to call himselfe heade of the Church But he may be excommunicate and deposed of his ministers And to come to English Puritanes and the Consistory of your Eldership and reformed Scignorie the chiefest Patron thereof T. C. is knowne to be an ancient and mortall enemy to the present Arch-bishoppe of Canterbury and is farre from allowing the Titles names dignities and authority of him or any Bishop Deane high Commissionor or other by her Maiesties proceedings that as the same Arch-bishoppe hath gathered to my handes T. C. in repl to the ans of the Admonit I. whitgift prefat to the ans to the Reply of T. C. T. C. in Repl. in fin Confes c. 18. T. C. repl pag. 5. T. C. pag. 144. he wil not allowe him the dignity of a Doctor but Ironice and scoffingly after your manner calleth him M. Doctor 370. times at the least in one litle book And telleth vs that the equality of Ministers is consirmed by the sentence of the Puritanes of Heluctia Tygurine Berne Geneua Polmia Hungary and Scotland with others And although you to slatter the Protestant Arch-bishops and Bishops of England woulde bring your disagreement from thē toceremonies yet he desendeth that the doctrine of the English Protestants is such that Puritanes are bound to deny it with losse of as many liues as they haue haires on their heades And for reuerence and duty to our Soueraigne denounceth by his Euangelicall preeminence against all Protestant Princes which will not be Puritanes and embrace their Presbitery that to vse his own wordes They must submit their Scepters and throwe downe their Crownes before the Church of their Eldership and licke the dust of their feete The highest cathedrated sentence of your Admonition written in all your names rayleth at the Protestants affirming your contentions to be but Ceremonies But I will alleadge the wordes of that holy worke both for your confusion in this and all other your wicked practises in this Association These they be Lordy Lordes Arch-bishops Bishoppes Prefat Admon Parl. Admonit tra 2.3 c Suffraganes Deanes Doctors Arch-deacons Chauncellors and the rest of that prowde generation whose Kingdome must downe Titles liuings and offices of Metrapolitane Arch-bishop Lordes grace Lordshippe Suffrragane Deane Arch-deacon were denised by Antichrist and are plainely in Christs worde forbidden and are vtterly with speede to be remooued Prefat Admonit supp But in a few wordes to say what we meane either must wee haue a right ministerte of God and a right
acclamation to our Prince and Parlament by publickly defended posiitions that the lawes of Princes doe not binde in conscience Andrew Will. Sinop c. lawes Calu. inst Foxe to 2. sup obed Tind art 18. Claud. de Sanct. lib. 5. accad egl that eucrie man is Lord of other mens goods the children of faith which bee onely Puritanes in their opinion are vnder no lawe all humane lawes must be taken away the nature of the Gospell is to raise wars among Christians there is no Magistrate no Superiour and whose practise in action hath euer beene answerable to this doctrine manifeste by all monuments of theyr proceedings or rather to be reprooued for such pernitious and perilous people THE XV. VNTRVTH BVT to shewe how high a pitch of impiety he can mount to make a malitious stoope vpon men in misery he vttereth this most foule and vntrue sentence The Papists of Religion at this present Pag. 25. stand furnished 1. with credit and authority 2. wealth and ability 3 weapons and furniture So that they may drawe followers by the one wage them by the other and arme them by the third Whould any man thinke that so holy wise and well affected friend as this man woulde see me to her Maiesty durst present so monstrous and palpable an vntruth to the viewe of of so prudent a Priucesse but that I haue alleadged his owne wordes For the first of credit authority I thinke it a difficult thing for this Puritane to find one Cathohcke in England which hath any authority at all Let him name any Presedent of Wales or the North Warden of Ports Gouernour of Ilandes Captaine of Castle Lieuetenant of Tower Lieuetenant Deputy-Lieuetenant Sheriffe Iustice of peace or poore Constable or Tythingman which is a Papist of Religion I thinke it will be a dissicult thing for him to sinde in our whole kingdome tenne of the meanest authority which I haue named Of the chiefest no man can be singled sorth What the wealth and ability of them can be except God doth miraculouslie blesse them then let not Puritanes repine at his benediction who can imagine if he see the due payments of 260. poundes yearely paide to her Maicsties Checker by the chiefest and by other the two partes of their Reuenewes moste truely answered their goods seaxed and besides these so many extraordinary oppressions by Puritanes in authority As for weapons and surniture to arme so many as would sight against so many thousands of Puritanes of action Pag. 41. and resolution of London and good Towner most Lords Gentlemen and Captaines which be for them is a thing so ridiculouslie vntrue that none or sewe Catholickes be possessed of any at all Doth he not remember when they were dispoyled of them And to this day are scarcely where such Muster Masters liue admitted to haue vse of their owne to serue her Maiesty And at the time of the comming of the Earle of Essex out of Ireland when somewhat more was in hand then Catholickes imagined were they not generally in the West cuntries so dispoiled by puritane Iustices of their ordinary Armes weapons that they were in danger to be spoyled of the basest Robbers for want of sufficient defence against them but if these three thinges be those that bee so perilous in people apt for Innouations let him look into Puritanes and howe many thoufands he may finde furnished with those complements Pag. 41. His owne sentence London and good Townes most Lordes Gentlemen and Captames of action and resolution will be sufficient censure against him THE XVI VNTRVTH AT the last this Associator commeth to issue and somewhat vnmasketh himselfe to giue testimony to his spirit to dispose of the Crowne make his Queene a Pupill expell Catholickes roote out Protestantes wholly to aduance his Puritane Gospell to bring the Scepter and Regality of this Kingdome Pag. 18. to the sacred disposition of their spirit His wordes are these The mightiest in succession as your Maiestie knoweth are they speaking in the plurall number whose alliance kindred and confederacies are for the most part with Papists Who is ignorant this to be a notorious Vntruth except hee will aduance any Title from Spaine and then his plurall number wil except against him otherwise if al those which be next in succession must be esteemed as Papists and worthy of disinheritance from all Title of a Kingdome by the supreame sentence of their spirit because they be not Puritanes either a Puritane whether hee hath any Title or no must raigne Or which is more probably to be coniectured where these desires should be effected of depriuing true Titlers from their inheritance and Puritanisme shall haue superiority England shall haue no King Queene or Regent at all And if her Maiesty should attend to such treacherous and tyrannicall suggestions as this spirit enspireth and their purpose of planting their impiety be performed shee were like to be rewarded with the same payment of their common doctrine which I cited before that the children of faith are vnder no lawe That there is no Magistrate no Superiour among Christians All humane lawes must bee taken away Eueryman is Lorde of other mens goods and the like must bee put in practise The presbitery which they would haue planted in Scotland to the deposing of their King Kinge of Scots in his Booke of Reg. to Henry his Sonne Suru of holy disciple The practise of Geneua and such places for a fewe Ministers and yearly elected Artizans to gouerne and the Flemmish fashion must be erected And none but Puritanes and their vile deuises haue allowance which this seditious libeller doth plainly insinuate in the nexte page following Pag. 19. where he giueth this for a lawe to our gratious Queene to vse both Puritanes and Protestants for the planting of his platforme of Resormation and that being effected her Maiestie muste to vse his owne wordes by scuere discipline mightely encrease the first Puritanes daylie to deminish the second and third Protestants and Papists and to propulse the relapses of either So that the affections of these fellowes as themselues giue sentence tende to the ouerthrowe of Protestant as well as Papist And the number of the one equally as of the other must be diminished and propulsed So that whatsoeuer they are Queene Councell Nobility Lawes Parlament Authority or any proceeding not resined by the spirit of Puritanes must be thus diminished and ouerthrowne This as I saide besore was their first intention and nowe is their finall end THE XVII VNTRVTH ANd that these Pretendors of persection in Religion as this Associator calleth Puritanes might pretend a perfect and absolute neglect and reiectment of al order Pag. 24. Magistracy and Regiment in this Kingdome After they had so much distasted their sugred mouthes with the vnpleasing sauors of the State and Gouernment as they complained both in their so much dishked Bill of Reformation and this Author consesseth in his Associotion They first
office of defiance euen to the State it selfe of which he hath bin hitherto so kindely carefull And because he loueth authority and pleadeth for it of such as be placed therein and haue credit with her Maiesty he meaneth some of her priuie Councell he affirmeth not only that they haue incurred Premunire Pag. 38. by fauouring comforting counselling or abetting an appeale to Rome contrary to the Statute of 24. H. 8. c. 22. whereby he calleth their liberties landes and goodes into question But because he will cast at all euen their liues themselues chargeth them not onely with Priests and Iesuites but to haue receaued ahsolutiō indulgence or dispensatiō by such meanes Which what an vntruth it is I neede not vrter and howe venimous against such personages I remit to others censure And concerning the Protestant Bishops nowe at last he rewardeth with the offalles of the whore of Babilon Pag. 40. THE XXII AND LAST Vutruth AND as the nature of the spirit of these pretendors is to rule to gouerne to be at defiance with all peace with none so nowe he denounceth wars mustereth his men calleth his Lordes togither surueyeth his Cities and Townes Pag. 40. 41 numbreth his Gentlemen Captaines men affaction and resolution and arrayeth his whole Army in such order multitudes ten to one that if dissembling and vntruthes may not be admitted yet his confidence is that he may preuaile by armes And telleth in plaine tearmes that it is not good to prouoke the Puritanes And why forsooth because to vse his wordes London and good Townes Lordes Gentlemen and Captaines that be of the Religion incline that way and be men of action and resolution And concerning his Chaplaines thus he boasteth Setting by nonrefidents and dumbe dogges ye shall sinde ten Puritanes for one formalist What the meaning of these men is requireth no difficulty to decypher And yet if his wordes were true I doubt notbut he would dispute in an other manner which their spirit teacheth and battaile with weapons not with words as they haue threatned in other Pamphlets and their holy brethren performed in other place But for this time I will put it in the number of his vntruthes For if so many in authority and credit with her Maresty the Maior part of Parlamet Clergy and others are this mans Papists then it cannot be true that most Lords Gentlemen and Captaines and men of action and resolution London and townes out of vvhich those Papist Burgesses were chosen be for them And although the affirmation or denyall of them which speake so vntruly is not to be regarded yet if we will either consider their Religion in it selfe what it teacheth community of thinges warres rebellions spoyles and vsurpation of others labours fewe will be founde for I doe not speake but some may bee deceaued which haue either wit wealth honour credit authority or estimation but woulde bee willing to maintayne them which in this destructine Religion they cannot performe Or if we will be measured by experience wee shall consider that in these London and good townes whereof they glory onely the meanest and most needy which hope by exhanges and innouations to be exalted and among their clergy such as want wealth and benifices which they cannot get enuying at others substance haue embraced this Religion And if they coulde be aduāced change their debased estate Petr. frar or cont sectar nou test tr ord Burg in remonstrat sup edict Reg. Gal. delens Reg. Rel. woulde be no more scrupulous to change their pretended perfection then their brothers a Tayler and Cobler at Franckford which were vnder no lawe before when they had gotten head constituted Lawes Courts and Rulers as their spirit taught them And as Caluin Beza Othoman and others both in Switzerland and Fraunce could neither endure riches or regiment but kept councels to depose Princes and Rulers yet when themselues preuayled could both approoue of riches and keepe others in subiection to their deuises Thus we se by these sew things wherein I haue exemplisied in so shorte a Pamphlet how falsely and corruptly hee hath delt if the rest of his vntruthes shoulde be measured with like examine Which for many causes and not to bee offensiue I haue omitted And therefore when voluntarily I passe ouer so many sorgeries let no man thinke that I haue allowed for truth such things as I haue not here consuted And concerning the humilitie Motyues loyalty and loue of this Associator to our gratious Princesse and those Protestant Bishops whome hee taketh in hand to teach I hope no man will bee so moueable to be carried with the motions of him which not onely without any motiue at al would mooue so great a Queene and Kingdome to go about vtterly to remooue a Religiō which had reigned vnre mooued in her most holy and renowmed Ancestors and this Nation so many hundreds of yeares and mooued by so certaine and vnfallible motiues as I haue recited the whole Christian worlde to honour defend it but such as euery man of iudgment and such as will not be moued with euery blaste of such vnconstant and contemptible men may suppose they were by which so many prowde Pagan Emperours and Princes of the earth so many wise and learned Philosophers Magicians and potent enemies were conquered to professe so poore and penitentiall life in regard of those honours and pleasures they had enioyed Neither is this the ende and scope of that Associator as I haue described But to mooue our Soueraigne firste to establishe that Religion which she hath allowed onely vntill such time as he hopeth the former may bee ouerthrowne And then both that and the professors thereof muste bee diminished and taken away as his owne wordes haue witnessed And that vncertaine vnconstant false and seditious profession which neuer hath ende but euer is in debate contention disobedience rebellion and dissentions wickednesse must bee erected When the Vicar of Greenewitch or Deane of Winsor or Parson of any place where the Queene or King shall keepe their Court may depose them as their spirit pleaseth Which vnder Puritane correction to vse this mans phrase is far more dangerous to the State in ciuill consideration Pag. 35 then to maintayne supremacie in the See of Rome And yet I make a doubt if your Presbitery may be planted and the pretended persection in Religion admitted whether any Queene King or Prince may bee allowed with that submission For such Regents are incompatible of those brethren vpon vvhome no lawe may be imposed Then Nobles and Councell are to cease where both community of thinges must bee and so many Regalities and Regencies are as there be Parishes in this Nation thousandes of supremacies more then can giue maintenance to any vnity or Subordination As for Protestant Bishops and al such as depend vpon ecclesiastical dignities Pag. 24. you haue alreade enacted in this Pamphlet as distincte and opposite to Puritanes viz. such as pretend perfection in Religion Howe the depending authorities of inferiour Magistrates can haue place where the superiour to which they are subordinate is taken away it passeth my inuention Or howe the priuate wealth wiues or any proper of Subiects can be their peculiers where euery beggarly and lasciuious wanton muste haue his will as his spiritte leadeth I finde not in that profession And yet your owne writinges witnesse this vvoulde bee platforme of holy Assotiation FINIS
within siue lines after both forgetting himselfe and vnmindfull of the doctrine of his Masters Plato and Aristotle and all reason which deny a regradation in causes he acknowledgeth that Papists of Religiō be Parents to al the rest The fourth father to the third this to the second the second of the first Which in his former assertion gaue existence to al. This is the ridle of Oedipus Mater me genuit eadem mox gignitur ex me But his only intent being to encrease the power of his people of which hee considered before seeketh by all meanes true or contrary to make Puritanisme the first and last Alpha and Omega of all As Philosophers teache that which is first by order of intention is last by execution And in this sence his sentence is true for they wholie intend the setling of theyr Puritane sect which is their first and chiefest intention But the setling and execution thereof by necessitie must be last For both Protestants and Catholikes must be taken out of theyt waye before sufficient scope and place be made for the Regiment of theyr spiritte which as it ouer-turneth all thinges except it may rule the whole world as the natural propension thereof enclineth will euer be vnrulie still seeking Innouations THE XIIII VNTRVTH AFter he hath ended his Diuisions in such learned manner as I haue declared he giueth censure of the propertyes of the parts diuided His definitiue sentence is this The first Puritanes are constant and faithfull vnto your Highnes The second Protestants wauerenge The third Pag. 23. Papists of estate For such he chargeth the Lordes Bishoppes and others of the last Parlament perilous The fourth Papists of Religion Pernitious Than the which nothinge can be more corrupt I thinke this man should meane that Papists of Religion be pernitious in respect of a temporall Regiment for which he so much in words contendeth Otherwise a false Religion If we should graunt our most holye Catholike Reuerence to be such being vsed of those professors only for cause of Religion as his distinction is cannot be offensive or perilous to anye Ciuill Regiment against which it teacheth no repugnant thinge Secondlye he desineth the inconuenience of these Papists of Religion that to vse his wordes they bee in Darknes False-hoode Error and Superstition Then seeing this member of his diuision Pag. 11. 12. 13. by his owne graunt hath no reference to busines of estate they cannot be ofensiue or pernitious to that which they haue no relation But if hee coulde disburthen themselues which will bee an heauye loade to doe if he will charge any of this guiltienes the second and thirde Protestants of estate and Papists of estate which often he confoundeth because he allotteth them to State affaires must enter into combat against him Which they will easilye performe being such by his owne acknowledgment as bee neareste to her Maiesties Person Pag. 23. by Office by Parlament by Councell And those which haue not intermedling in such matters by the voice of so great an enemy may not bee condemned as pernitious Aduersaries That mouth which denounceth them innocent in the first cannot be admitted for Accuser in the second Where no cause is precedent or concommitant no effecte can be or followe except an effect can bee caused without a cause Thirdly we are enfranchised by an other sentence of this Censurer for as he highly commendeth Protestants of Religion or Puritanes as constant and saithfull to our Queene Pag. 11. so he confesseth that these be engendred of Protestants of estate these of Papists of estate which be ofspring to Papists of Religion Then if there is any constancy or faithfulnesse in the first Puritanes as it must be doubled in the second Protestants of estate tripled in the third so it must by that rule of proportion be somtimes as constant and faithfull in Papists of Religion and by no meanes if this mans gradation be true can be lesse in them then in the other which proceede from them My reason is which this man may reade in his Authors Plato and Aristotle there be two kinde of causes the one vniuocall the other equiuocall the first although it is not that which is now in question yet it must needes conteine so much vertue as the effect which it produceth otherwise some vertue in that which is caused should bee effected without cause which is a deceasance in nature Of this sort be all inferiour naturall agents as men beastes fowles fishes c. which produce the like in their kinde The second of which condition this Pamphletors discent and progeny is to be esteemed is called Equiuocall which euer contayneth more vertue and ability then that which is effected in which sence the Sunne Heauens and God himselfe are termed such equiuocall and vniuersall or generall causes because their power so much excelleth the faculties of their particuler effects and are able to bring forth many and not only one or few operations Fourthly by an other free charter of this Gentleman Papists of Religion are freed from al suspect to bee pernitious or any wayes dangerous in this busines because they want all those helpes by which he affirmeth Power and strength of any people is to bee augmented Pag. 10. 1. addition or number 2. supply of Necessaries 3. aduantage of place 4. order of gouernment All which be wanting in that people as is before demonstrated and Puritanes be possessed of them all And touching his addition number which hee nameth for the chiefest supplie himself acknowledgeth that in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne Pag. 40. when we were many and mighty we were so farre from contriuing against her that we honoured her with her greatest dignity and Diademe it selfe Then there can be no daunger hereafter For seing our doctrine is one there is no such perill of diuersity in dealings in that case And to auoide vs from all ielousie for suture and present times he maketh this threatning calculation Pag. 41. howe in diuers respects Puritanes are ten times more and mightier then Protestants Howe farre this sorte exceedeth all kindes of Papists there is no doubt And yet it pleaseth this man to acknowledge this sentence Pag. 15. It is not vnprobahle that of the Papists in this Land the fourth part are not Papists of Religion Then it cannot be truly said that such people be pernitious or perilous in this Common wealth which besides all their positions agreeable to an honourable and ciuill Regiment their orderly dutifull quiet conditions in Saxonye Denmarke some cantons of Switzerland Greece Hungary Turkic Persia and other places where they liue vnder Prin ces enemies to their Religion will be an eternall euidence When contrariewise these Puritanes Protestants of Religion So constant and faithfull to her Maiestye if this mans word be Gospell Mart Mar Prel not only be their priuate seditious Libels without ende in England but factious Admonitions by their generall