A briefe and moderate answer, to the seditious and scandalous challenges of Henry Burton, late of Friday-Streete in the two sermons, by him preached on the fifth of November. 1636. and in the apologie prefixt before them. By Peter Heylyn. Heylyn, Peter, 1600-1662. 1637 Approx. 359 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 114 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A68174 STC 13269 ESTC S104014 99839755 99839755 4205 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A68174) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 4205) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1441:03, 1488:02) A briefe and moderate answer, to the seditious and scandalous challenges of Henry Burton, late of Friday-Streete in the two sermons, by him preached on the fifth of November. 1636. and in the apologie prefixt before them. By Peter Heylyn. Heylyn, Peter, 1600-1662. [32], 194, [2] p. Printed by Ric. Hodgkinsonne; and are to be sold by Daniel Frere, dwelling in little-Brittan, at the signe of the red-Bull, London : 1637. A reply to "For God, and the King" and "An apology of an appeale" by Henry Burton. With a final errata leaf. a1, D4, and T1 are cancels in some copies. Variant 1: first two leaves in another setting, with "challenge" in title. Quire d is in two settings. d2r line 1 begins "Adversary," or (variant 2) "Adversary:". Identified as STC 4158 on UMI microfilm reel 1441. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Burton, Henry, 1578-1648. -- For God, and the King -- Controversial literature. Burton, Henry, 1578-1648. -- Apology of an appeale -- Controversial literature. 2005-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-03 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-03 Ali Jakobson Sampled and proofread 2007-03 Ali Jakobson Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE PREFACE , SHEWING . THE OCCASION OF This following Answere , with somewhat of the Storie of H. B. the principall Argument thereof . AMONGST the severall commendations given unto Charitie by Saint Paul , we find these particulars . Charitie vaunteth not it selfe ; is not puffed up ; doth not behave it selfe unseemely ; seeketh not her own ; is not easily provoked : thinketh no evill : Which if they be the certaine marks of Charitie , as no doubt they are ; we may affirm it of too many in these later daies , that whatsoever Faith they pretend unto , they have little Charitie . Such boasters are they of themselves , so arrogant , so unadvised in all their doings , so greedie either after lucre or vaine applause , so peevish and intemperate in their speech and writings , and finally so jealous and distrustfull of all those who concurre not with them in opinion : That though they had all Faith , so that they could remove mountains , which I thinke they have not ; or should they give their bodies to be burned , as I thinke they will not ; it would profit nothing . Of such , as these it was that S. Peter tell 's us , that they are Presumptuous , selfe-willed , and are not afraid to speake evill of dignities : of whom S. Jude relates , that they were murmurers , complainers , walkers after their owne lusts , and that their mouth speaketh great swelling words . Would you a further censure of them ? As naturall bruit beasts ( saith the Apostle ) made to be taken and destroyed , they speake evill of the things they understand not , and shall utterly perish in their own corruption . These are the mockers of whom the Apostles have foretold us , that they should come in the last times , and being come ; we must accordingly expect they should play their parts , and doe the will of him that sent them : And so they doe . The Church continually traducea , as if she were unsound in her intentions towards Christ ; as if there were a day at hand , in which the Saints i. e. themselves , must be tryed and sifted . The Prelates generally condemned , their cause un-heard , as factors for the Mysticall strumpet in S. John's Apocalypse , to make men drunken with the Cup of her abhominations . And as for the inferiour Clergie , which know no better sacrifice then obedience , and willingly submitte themselves unto the just commands of their Superiors , what are they but the common markes whereat each furious Malecontent doth shoot out his Arrowes , even bitter words . Nor hath the supreame Majesty , the Lords annointed escaped so cleere , but that they also have had part of those hard speeches , which these ungodly sinners have spoken against them , in Saint Judes language . Antonij epistolae , Brutique conciones , falsa quidem in Augustum probra , sed multa , cum acerbitate habent , as he in Tacitus . No times more full of odious Pamphlets , no Pamphlets more applauded , nor more deerely bought ; then such as doe most deeply wound those powers , and dignities , to which the Lord hath made us subject . Egregiam vero laudem , et spolia ampla . Not to goe higher then the Reigne of our now dread Soveraigne , how have both Church and State beene exercised by those factious Spirits , Layton , and Prynne , and Bastwick , the Triumviri ▪ with H. Burton the Dictator , what noise and clamours have they raised ; what odious scandalls have they fastned on their Reverend Mother ? what jealousies & feares ( that I say no worse ) have they seditiously infused into peoples mindes ? And thereby turned those weapons on their Mothers Children , which might have beene employed more fitly on the common Enemie . But when those of the Triumvirate had received their judgement , Layton and Prynne in the Starre-chamber , & Bastwick in the high Commission , the greatest comfort of the cause , did seeme to be intrusted to Dictator Burton : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a man in whom the Element of fire had the most predominancie , which made that which is zeale in others , to be in him a zealous furie . The rather since he had deceived himselfe in his expectations , and swallowed down those hopes , he could not digest . That which hath heretofore made so many Hereticks , occasioned his first dislike of the holy Hierarchy . When once Aerius lost his hopes of being made a Bishop , as Saint Austin tells us ; he set on foot this peevish doctrine , Presbyterum ab Episcopo nulla ratione debere discerni , that by no meanes there was a difference to be made , betweene Priests and Bishops . And that once broached , there followed next , non celebranda esse jejunia statuta , sed cum quisque voluerit jejunandum ? that no set fasts were to be kept , but every man might fast when he would himselfe . This was the very Case of our Grand Dictator . He had beene a servant in the Closet to His Sacred Majestie , then Prince of Wales : and questionlesse being in the Ascendent , he thought to Culminate . But when he saw those hopes had failed him , and that by reason of his violent and factious carriage , he was commanded to depart the Court , he thought it then high time to Court the people ; that he might get in the hundreds , what he lost in the Countie . This pincheth him it seemes , to this very day ; and he is so ingenious , ( which I wonder at ) as to let us know it . For in the Epistle to His Majestie before his Sermon ( if at the least a rayling and seditious declamation may be called a Sermon ) he stiles himselfe His Majesties old and faithfull servant : and in the other to His Majestie before the Apologie he bemoanes himselfe , as an old out-cast Courtier , worne out of all favour and friends there . Hinc illae lachrymae ; Hence the opinion of these quarrells . Here he declares most plainly where his griefe doth lye ; what made him first flie out , and bend his thoughts , to foster and foment a faction : Such is the humour of most men , whom the Court casts out ; that they doe labour what they can , to out-cast the Court. Being thus entred and ingaged , hee found it necessary to acquaint himselfe with such as were affected like himselfe , and in their severall professions might best aide and helpe him : this made him picke out Master Prynne , an utter Barrister of Lincolns Inne , for his learned Counsaile : Layton and Bastwicke , two that had the name of Doctors , to be Physitians to his person : His Doctors finding by some Symptomes , which they had observed , that he was very fretfull , and full of Choller , perswaded with him , either by preaching , or by writing to vent that humour : which otherwise for want of vent , would soone burne him up : his learned Counsaile standing by , and promising that whatsoever he should write or say , hee would finde Law for it . On this encouragement he beganne to cast abroad his wilde-fire , endeavouring nothing more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to raise combustions in the state : and like Erostratus of old , seeing hee could grow famous by no other meanes , to burn downe the Temple . The Pulpit , first erected onely for preaching of the word of God , was by him made a Sanctuary , or privileged place , from whence to raile against the times , to cry downe all the orders of holy Church , and to distract the people with needlesse controversies , in despight of his Maiesties Declaration , which he cared not for , or would interprete for his purpose : And had this happinesse withall , that whatsoever he said there , did instantly become Gods truth ; and therefore not to be suppressed by Prince , or Prelate . The Presse , which was devised at first for the advancement and increase of learning ; was by him made a meanes to disperse his pasquills , that they might flye abroad with the swifter wing , and poyson mens affections , whom he never saw . And howsoever some of his unlicenced Babels , were guilty of sedition , and tended to incense the Commons against the King ; yet , being dedicated to the Parliament , As himselfe relates it , P. 45. he came off bravely , and brought his adversaries to a non-plus . Fortunate man , one of the sonnes , no question , of the young white henne ; to whom , both Presse & Pulpit prostitute themselves , and yet account it as an honour that hee hath abused them . Too fortunate indeed , had it so beene carried . But not long after , this brave man of Armes , that dares encounter with Goliah , as hee boasts himselfe , received the foile , being first suspended for his preaching , and afterward imprisoned , and brought into the High Commission for his printing , as hee relates the story . p. 52. Oh , but by Gods great blessing , and the Kings good Lawes he was fetch 't off those shelves ( where else as he complaineth , he had suffered shipwracke ) by a Prohibition . P. 53. for that hee was beholding to his friend Mast . Prynne who both aduised him to it , & had led the way ; and having Layton's valour in admiration , thought it a farre more Noble suffering , to lose one eare or two by sentence in the Starre-Chamber , then lend an eare to the censure of the High Commission , so fared it with his learned Counsaile , whose punishment might have perswaded him to more moderate courses , but that he had a strong desire to fill up the measure of his iniquities : and having beene a stickler in the same cause with him , conceived it most agreeable to the rule of fellowship , that he must suffer with him also . Tully indeed did so resolve it . Ut qui in eadem causa fuerunt , in eadem item essent fortuna : and certainly it was very fit that it should be so : nor was it possible to stay him being once resolved : only he wanted opportunity for the accomplishment of his designes , which the last Gun-powder day did present unto him ; that day being by him thought most proper for their execution , whom he had long before condemn'd , and meant to blow up now without helpe of Powder . In that more mercifull indeed , than Faux or Catisby ; they purposing to blow up the three estates together ; he but at once . The place designed for this dispatch , that which he had so long abused , the Pulpit ; the way of bringing it about , that which hath alwaies served his turne on the like occasions , a seditious Sermon : wherein he had drawn up together , what ever spirit of malice he had found dis●●rsed in al or any of those scurrilous and pestilent Pamphlets , which had bin published to the world since Martins time , of purpose to defame the Clergy , and inflame the people ; his own store being added to it : Nor did he thinke it was enough thus to disgorge his stomacke , of purpose to excite his audience against their superiors , and startle them with dreadfull feares , as if hoth tyranny and Popery , were likely in short time to be thrust upon them : that was an undertaking fit for private persons , whose gifts might be confined to one place or Parish : For his part , he was now the generall Superintendent of all the Churches , the forlorne hope , the Centinell perdue of the whole brother-hood : and therefore the most choyce and materiall poynts of the Declamation , ( like the Enclyclicall Epistles of the elder times ) must briefely be summed up , and scattered all abroad the Kingdome , as Newes from Ipswich : Nay , lest one title of his word should fall to ground , the Declamation presently must become a Libell , and was by him thought fit to have been printed ( as soone as spoken ) for the generall god ( as he assures us ) of all his Majesties loving Subjects throughout the Kingdome : and printed at the last it was , and with a monstrous impudence dedicated to his Maiesty , and Copies of the same given forth , ( as he saith himselfe ) in hope that it might come at last to his Maiesties hands . Two things there were especially which did embolden him thus to preach and publish his owne personall quarrells , as the truth of God : First an opinion of some extraordinary calling from above , the same perhaps that Hacket was possessed with in Queene Elizabeths reigne : This he avoweth in his Epistle to the King. I heartily thanke my Lord Jesus Christ , who hath accounted mee faithful , & called me forth to stand in his case , and to witnesse it before the World , by publishing my said Sermons in Print , &c. And in that directed to the true-hearted Nobility , where he speaks more plainly Certainly I am one of the watch-men of Israel ( though the meanest ) yet one that hath obtained mercy to bee faithful . Nor have I inconsiderately or rashly rushed upon this businesse , but have been by a strong hand drawn into it . Yea my Lords , know assuredly that Christ himselfe my great Lord & Master , hath called me forth , to be a publike witnesse of this great cause , who will certainly maintaine both it and me , against all the Adversaries of God and the King. The second was a confidence , that no man durst to question so great a prophet , greater then which , was never raised up from the dead , to preach to Dives and his brethren . And this he lets us know in his Apologie , p. 7. I never so much as once dreamed ( saith he ) that impiety and impudencie it selfe , in such a Christian state as this is , and under such a gratious Prince , durst ever thus publikely have called me in question , and that upon the open stage , &c. No marvell if so strange a calling , seconded by so strong a confidence , spurred him bravely on ; and made him lift up both his voice and hand against what ever is called God : and how know wee , but that in some of his spirituall raptures , he might faine an hope , that his dread name should be as famous in the stories of succeeding times , as Muntzers , or King John of Leidens . But these imaginations failed him too , as his Court-hopes did . For contrary to what he dreamt ( such filthy dreamers , S. Jude speakes of ) Vpon the Third of December next ensuing , a Pursuivant ( as he tells the storie ) served him with letters missive from the high Commission , to appeare before Doctor Duck at Cheswick , then and there to take his oath to answere to such Articles as were laid against him . Bold men , that durst lay hands upon a Prophet of such an extraordinary calling , who if his power had been according to his spirit , would have commanded fire from heaven , to have burnt them all , or sent them further off with a noli me tangere . But caught or not caught , all was one . For though it was no time to move the Court for a Prohibition , being out of Terme , yet he bethought himselfe of another way to elude his Judges : and that was by a strange Appeale , being neither a gravamine , nor a sententia , to decline that Court ; and put the cause immediately into his Majesties hands , where he might be , he thought , both a defendant and complainant , as he saith himselfe . p. 1. of the Apologie . A fine invention doubtlesse , but more sine then fortunate . For on a new Contempt , as himselfe informes us , he was suspended by the high-Commissioners , both from his Benefice and Office , and the suspension published ( as he now complaines ) in his own Parish Church , to his intolerable disgrace and scandall . Indignum facinus . Therfore that all the World might knowted and on what suspended , Lo a necessitie ( so he saith ) is laid upon him , as formerly to Preach , now to Print his Sermon ( for Sermon he will have it called , whosoever saith nay . ) And printed at the last it was , as before was said , and therewithall was printed also an Apologie for the said Appeale , with severall addresses to the Kings most Excellent Majestie , to all the true-hearted Nobilitie of His Majesties most honorable Privie Counsell ; and to the Reverend and Learned Judges : the Copies of them both being spread abroad , for the greater consolation of the Brethren , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , here and there dispersed , like Simeon and Levi , brethren in evill , in the tribes of Israel . This is the substance of the storie , which I have here laid downe together by way of preface , that with lesse interruption I might ply the Argument presented to us , both in the Sermon and Apologie . For howsoever neither of them be considerable in regard of the Author , who since his being thrust out of the Court , hath beene an open and professed enemie of the Publicke Government : yet in relation to the Church and Rulers of it , whom he endeavoureth to expose to the common hatred ; and next in reference to the people , whom he hath laboured to possesse with false and sinister conceits of the present state ; it hath beene thought convenient by authority , that an Answer should be made unto them . The preservation of Religion is a thing so Sacred , that we cannot prize it to the height : and therefore they that labour to preserve it , are of all men , the most to be esteemed and honoured . Proximus diis habetur , per quem deorum majestas vindicatur , as the Historian rightly noted . So that wee cannot blame poore men , if they are startled and affrighted at those scandalous rumors which are diffused and spread amongst them , to make them think that Religion is in no small danger : or if they hold a Reverend esteeme of those , who seeme to them to have a principall care thereof , and the safety of it . Onely they are to be admonished , not to be too credulous in matters of so high a nature , till they are throughly certified of the trueth thereof : that they conceive not ill of the Church , their mother , upon the light and false reports of every male contented spirit ; or thinke them Champions of Religion , who are indeed the bane , and disturbers of it : That Faction in the Church , which Mast . Burton , and his Copesmates , have so much laboured to promote : hath since the first beginning of it accused the Church of England of the selfe same crimes , whereof they now pronounce her guilty : nor haue they found any new matter wherewithall to charge her , than that which their fore-fathers had beene hammering on in the times before them : yet they cry out with no lesse violence but farre more malice , than their fathers did ; and fill the minds of iealous and distrustfull people with doubts and feares of innovations , of and in the worship of God , & the whole doctrine of Religion ; as if the bankes were broken downe , and Popery were breaking in a maine upon us ; onely because they can no longer be permitted to violate all the orders of Gods Church , here by Law established . The Papists and these men , how different soever they may seeme to bee in other matters , have , as it were by joynt consent , agreed in this , to charge this Church with novelties and innovations : the one especially in the poynts of Doctrine ; the other principally in matters of exteriour order , & the service of God. But as we say unto the one , that in the reformation of this Church , we introduced no novelties into the same , but onely laboured to reduce her to that estate and quality , wherin she was in her originall beauty , and the Primitive times : so may we say unto the other , that all those Innovations which they have charged upon the Church in their scandalous Pamphlets , are but a restitution of those ancient orders , which were established heere at that Reformation . This that the world might see , and see how scandalously and seditiously they traduce the Church ; I was commanded by authority to returne an Answer to all the challenges and charges , in the said two Sermons and Apology of Master Burton . For being it was the leading Libell , in respect of time , ( the principall matters in the Newes from Ipswich , being borrowed from Master Burtons Sermon ) and that those many which have followed , are but a repetition of , and a dilating on those poynts which are there conteined : it was conceived , that bee being answered , the rest would perish of themselves . On this command I set my selfe unto the Work ; and though I knew no credit could bee gotten from such an Adversary , Vbi & vincere inglorium est , & atteri sordidum ; and that there are a sort of men , who hate to be reformed in the Psalmists Language : yet being so commanded , I obeyed accordingly , & cannot but account it an especiall honour to mee , to bee commanded any thing in the Churches service . Besides J could not but be grieved , to see my dearest Mother traduced so fowly in things whereof I knew her guiltlesse ; and it had argued in mee a great want of Piety , not to have undertaken her defence herein , being called unto it . From which two great and grievous crimes , defect of piety , and true affection to the Church our mother ; and disobedience to the commands and orders of the higher powers ; no lesse than from the Plague and Pestilence , good Lord deliver us . Having thus rendred an account , both of the reasons why the Sermon and Apology of Master Burton , have been thought worthy of an Answer ; and why , for my part , J have undertaken a Reply unto him : I must now settle close unto the businesse , beginning first with the Apology , so farre forth as it justifieth his said Appeale ; and leaving those particulars , which he doth charge upon the Prelates , to be considered of more fully in due place and time . CHAP. I. Containing a particular answere to the severall Cavills of H. B. in defence of his Appeale . Appeales unto His Majestie , in what case admitted . The high Commissioners , neither parties in the cause , nor Adversaries to the Person of the Appellant . The Bishops no usurpers of the Jurisdiction belonging to the King. The Oath of Supremacie not derogatorie to Episcopall power . Objections against the Oath Ex Officio , with an answere to them . Other objections against the Proceedings in the high-Commission answered . Of giving forth a Copie of ones Sermon , upon Oath . Sedition , how it may be punishable in the High Commission . Archbishop Whitgifts name abused , and his words mis-reported by H. B. HItherto Mass . Burton , wee have laid you open , by the way of an Historicall narration ( though all Historicall narrations be offensive to you , for the sake of one ) and consequently spake only of you in the third Person , as hic et ille . But being now employed in the Examiners Office , I must deale with you , as if Coram , in the second Person , which I perswade my self will better sort with your ambition ; the second Person ( if you remember so much of your Accidens ) being more worthy then the third . And first , I would faine know what mooved you to appeale unto His Majestie at your first conventing , before you had just grievance , or an unjust sentence . Your conscience sure accused you , and pronounced you guiltie , and told you what you should expect in a legall triall : and on the other side your presumption flattered you , that being an Old Courtier , though worn out of favour , you might have some friend there to promote your suite . Sir you forget it seemes , what is related in the conference at Hampion Court , in the self same case . My L. of London , moved his M tie . that then was [ K. James of B. memory ] that Pulpits might not be made Pasquils ( Pray sir mark this well ) wherin every humorous or discontented fellow might traduce his Superiors . This the King very gratiously accepted , exceedingly reproving that as a lewd custom , threatning , that if he should but heare of such a one in a Pulpit , He would make him an example : ( this is just your case ) And that if any thing were amisse in the Church Officers , not to make the Pulpit a place of personall reproofe , but to let His Majestie heare of it , yet by degrees . First let complaint be made unto the Ordinarie of the place , from him to goe to the Archbishop ; from him , to the Lords of the Counsell , and from them , if in all these places no remedie is found , to his own self : which Caveat His Majestie put in , for that the Bp. of London had told him , that if he left himself open to admit of all complaints , neither His Majestie should ever be quiet , nor his under Officers regarded : seeing that now already , no fault can be censured , but presently the delinquent threatneth a complaint to the King. Here is a long gradation , and that after censure : but you will venter on the King , per saltem , not by faire degrees ; and that not only before censure , but before any grievance to be complained of . The King would quickly have his hands full , were that course allowed of ; and wee must needs conceive him God , as well by nature , as resemblance : it being impossible he should have any spare time left , either to eare , sleepe , or refresh his Spirits , or whatsoever other businesse doth concern this life , or shew him mortall . But wee must needs conceive , there was some speciall reason in it , which might induce you to cry out , before you were hurt ; more then the matter of the Articles which were read vnto you ; or your own guiltie conscience , which had precondemned you . Yes sure , for you except against as well the incompetencie of the Judges , as the illegall manner of proceedings in the high Commission . The Judges you except against ( excepting those honorable Nobles , Judges , Counsellers of state , which are seldome there ) as parties in the cause , and adversaries to your person for the causes sake ; p. 6. parties , because you have traduced them for Innovators , and Adversaries , for the reasons which hereafter follow . Suppose them parties , and what then ? Then by the Lawes of God and nature , as also by the Common , Canon , and Civill Lawes , they are prohibited from being Judges . This is the first Crutch your Appeale halts with ; and this will faile you . For howsoever it be true , in ordinary course , that no man can be Judge in his own cause , there where the cause concernes himself in his own particular ; yet it is otherwise in a body aggregate , or a publick person . Suppose in time of Parliament , a man should taxe that great assembly with some grievous crime , should the whole body be disabled from proceeding with him ? Or that a man should raise some odious scandall on my Lords the Judges , should he escape unpunished because there is none else to judge him ? Or that some sawcie fellow behaves himself audaciously and Contra bonos more 's , before the Justices on the bench , at their Quarter Sessions ; should not the Bench have power to bind him to his good behaviour ? Or that a man within the Liberties of London , should say a fig for my Lord Major , might not my Lord Major clap him in the Counter ? And yet the Parliament , and the Judges and the Justices , and the Lord Major of London , are asmuch parties in these cases ; as the Arch-Bishops , Bishops , Chancellors , and the rest of the High Commission , are by you said , and only said , to be in the other . For that they are not parties , wee shall see anon , when wee shall come to cleere them of those imputations , which in a furious zeal you have laid upon them . That which you next attempt , is to prove them Adversaries , and Adversaries to your person for the causes sake . Good Sir , what see you in your self , that you should think such great and eminent men should beare malice to you . Tullie , a wiser man then you , and a better Orator , as I take it , and in more credit with the common people ( though you grieve to heare it ) might have taught you better . Non video nec in vita , nec in gratia , nec in hac mea mediocritate quid despicere possit Antonius . Was it not you , sweet Sir , that did Protest thus roundly of my LL. the Bishops , I speake not this , God is my witnesse , out of any base envy to their Lordly honor and pompe , which is so far beneath my envy . Poore soul , are those great persons , and their honors beneath your envie ; and is your person a fit marke for theirs ? Diogenes ; and your self , two magnanimious Cynicks . You know the story wel enough , and can best applie it . Calco Platonis fastum , sed mafore fastu . Yea , but they are the Adversaries of your person for the causes sake : Say then the Adversaries of the cause ; let your person goe , as a contemptible thing that provokes no Adversary . Yet wee will take you with us to avoid exceptions , and see what proofe you have to make them Adversaries to your person for the causes sake . And first they are your Adversaries , because the Adversaries of those trueths by you delivered in your Sermon , p. 7. Hold there a little brother B. As farre as you have said the truth , they will all joyne with you . Veritas a quocunque est , est a Spiritu Sancto , said St. Ambrose truely . In that assuredly you shall find no Adversaries . But when you leave to speake the trueth , which is the Office of a Preacher ; and fall upon Seditious , false and factious discourses , to inflame the people , and bring them into ill opinion , both of their King , and those to whom the goverment of the Church is by him intrusted ; you are no more a Preacher , but a Prevaricator , a dangerous Boutefeu , and Incendiarie , as you have beene hitherto . That this is true , shall be most plainly manifested in the Anatomie of your Sermon , ( for wee will call it so to please you ) where the charge is pressed . A second reason which you have to prove them your Adversaries , is that they have usurped such a title of jurisdiction , as cannot consist with that title of Jurisdiction , which the Law of the Land hath annexed to the Crown Imperiall , p. 7. If so , they are the Kings Adversaries in the first place , robbing him of the fairest floure in the Regall diadem : and as the Kings Adversaries , the common Adversaries of all loyall subjects , no more yours then mine . But how may it appeare unto us , that they have made so great and manifest an usurpation , as you charge them with ? Because , say you , they doe continually exercise their Episcopall jurisdiction , without any Letters Patents of His Majestie , or His Progenitors , in their own names and rights only , not in His Majesties Name and right , &c. Great pitty but you should be made the Kings Atturney ; you would bring all the Clergie doubtlesse in a Premunire , and make them fine more deeply for it , then when King Henry the 8th first charged them with it . But this being objected to them in that sermon also ; we shall there meet with it . One thing I must take with me now , for feare I find it not hereafter . You say the Bishops exercise their Episcopall jurisdiction , in their own names and rights only , not in his Majesties name and right , to the manifest breach of their oathes aforesaid . Alas poore Prelates , cast away your Rochets , and resigne all to Brother B. Before he had indited you at the Kings Bench , for usurpation ; and now he files a bill against you in the Star-Chamber , as in case of perjurie . For he assures us , that the Statute , 1. Eliz. c. 1. uniting all manner of Jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall whatsoever , unto the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme , enacteth the Oath of Supremacy and Allegeance eo nomine , to that very end and purpose , that none should presume to exercise any Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction within this Realme , but by virtue of the Kings Letters Patents , and in the Kings Majesties name and right Qui nunquam risistis nunc ridete . Here 's such a piece of learned ignorance , as would make Heraclitus laugh ; It seemes you had no conference of late with your learned Counsell ; who , had he seene this passage , might have marred the merriment ; For pray you Sir , was the Oath of Allegiance enacted 1. of Elizabeth ? Then certainly my books deceive me , in which it is reported to have been enacted 3. Jacobi , on the occasion of the Gunpouder Treason . And for the Oath of Supremacy , made indeed 1. Eliz. was it enacted eo nomine , to that end and purpose , as you please to tell us ? What ? that no Bishop might proceed in exercise of his ordinary Episcopall Authoritie , without especiall Letters Patents ; and in the Queenes Majesties Name and right only ? Find you in all the Statute any mention of Letters Patents , more then in and for the erection and establishment of the High Commission , for excercise of that supreme , and highest jurisdiction of right invested in the Crowne ? as for the Oath , look it well over once againe , if there be any one word which reflecteth that way , of suing out especiall Letters Patents by the Party sworne , for the discharge of the authoritie committed to him ; or that makes mention of the Queenes name to be used therein . Assuredly , learned sir , that Oath was framed , to settle the abolishment of all forreine power and jurisdiction , such as the Popes of Rome had lately practised in this Kingdom ; and for no other end and purpose . Or if it were enacted , eo nomine , to that end and purpose , that none should exercise any Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction within this Realme , but by virtue of the Kings ( or Queenes ) Letters Patents : then certainly it must be thought , that all , and every Temporall Judge , Justice , Major , and other lay and temporall Officer or Minister ; all that take wages of the King in any of His dominions , those that sue out their Livery , or Oustre le maine ; young Schollars in the Universitie , when they take degrees , or finally , whosoever is required by the Statute to take that Oath ; have in them a capacitie of Jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall , but may not exercise the same without Letters Patents : or else must forthwith take up armes against those that doe . As for that clause which followes after , And in the Kings Majesties name and right , that 's just like the rest . It was indeed enacted so , in some certaine cases . 1 Edw. 6. c. 2. but was repealed by Parliament , 1. Mar. c. 2. and stood repealed all the reigne of Queene Elizabeth , and therefore could not be intended in the statute 10. I see Sir , you are as excellent in the Law , as in the Gospell : and marveile that you have not mooted all this while in some Inne of Chancery . Le ts on Sir to those other Arguments which you have studied , to prove the High Commissioners to be your adversaries ; and if we follow your account they are three in number : but stilo novo we shall finde but one , and that one worth nothing . First , they who are adversaries of God and the King , are your adversaries , p. 9. Secondly , they which are Christs enemies are your enemies . And thirdly , they which are the Kings enemies are your enemies . p. 10. This is as good as handy dandy , pretty sport for Children . I hope you will not divide Christ from God , and I am sure you cannot divide the King from himselfe . Let then your three arguments passe this once for one : and shew us how you meane to prove , that the Bishops are the adversaries of God and the King. That 's made as cleare as all the rest , by arguing a non-concessis pro concessis ; by taking it for granted , because you say it , that they are dangerous innovators , hinderers of the Gospell , opposers of his Majesties Lawes , Proclamations , and Declarations against all innovations of religion , &c. What proofe you have of this , more then your owne bare Ipse dixit , we shall see hereafter : and when we see it , we will answer to it as we see occasion . Meane while , I would faine know how this concernes you , more then others : why any schismaticke or delinquent may not pretend the selfe same reasons , to decline the judgement of that Court , as well as you . Pope Boniface tels us of Saint Peter , that he was taken in consortium individuae Trinitatis ; and doubtlesse you deride him for it : yet in effect , you take as much unto your selfe . Gods cause and yours are so alike , of such neere kinne to one another , that they are hard to be distinguished . Our Saviour Christ hath no advantage of you , but that hee was the first-begotten , and therefore is your elder brother : As for the King , according to the Puritan tenet , he 's but a Minister of the State , onely a sworne Bailiffe of the Common wealth , and to be called unto accompt when the people please : the Saints , i. e. your selfe and such as you , being kings indeed , to whom the earth belongs of right , and the fulnesse of it ; and at whose feete , in case the Presbyterian discipline were once established , all Kings and Princes of the world must lay downe their scepters , Huic disciplinae omnes orbis Principes & Monarchas fasces suos submittere , & parere necesse est . As your friend Travers stated it in his booke of Discipline . Yes marry Sir , now I perceive there 's somewhat in it , why Gods cause , Christs , the King , and yours , are so linked together . So farre we have gone after you , or with you rather , to see how you could justifie your Appeale , as it related to the incompetencie of the Iudges : wee must next looke upon you whilest you pleade your cause , as it reflects upon the illegality of their proceedings . And this you branch into two parts also , ( for you are excellent at making a division : ) the one generall which concernes their usuall practise in all other cases ; the other particular , in your owne case , p. 11. It had beene fitter sure you had left out the generall , and fallen on the particular onely : for in such things , which are , you say , their usuall practise , what cause have you to make appeale more then other men . And should all other men take liberty to decline the Court , that would dislike their course and manner of proceedings : his Majesty might quickly call in the Commission , as an vnnecessary thing , of no use at all . This therefore onely was put in to beget an Odium to that Court , and buzze into the peoples heads ( who if once seasoned with your leaven , are apt to credit it ) that the proceedings there are contrary to pie●y , to law , to charity , and utterly against the liberty of the Kings good subjects . But being put in , we must doe what we can to rase it out againe : and therefore speake , what is it that you are agrieved at in their usuall practise . Your first exception is against the oath ex officio , in which you say they doe transgresse in three particulars : first in regard it is exacted of the delinquent , before a copy of the Articles or Libell is exhibited unto him ; and secondly in that the deponent is not permitted to have a copy of the Articles , before he doth depose unto them , that he may answer to them by advise of Counsell : both which , you say , are contrary unto the practise of all the other Courts of Iustice . Thirdly , in that the oath exacted is contrary both unto faith and charity ; to faith , in that an oath so taken must needes be taken for a rash oath , and so against the nine and thirtieth Article of the Church of England ; to charity , in that it makes a man to accuse his brother , and betray himselfe , and so against that generall maxime , nemo tenetur prodere seipsum , p. 11. and 12. This is the summe of what you say , ( for that which followes of putting in Additionals to the information , on the discovery of new matter , was not worth the saying : ) and all this is no more , but quod dictum prius , that which hath formerly beene alledged , and already answered , your learned Counsell furnished you with these particulars , when you were both delinquents in that Court together : and he might doe it easily without much study . They were collected before hee was borne , and by some that had as evill will to the Church as he , and spred abroad amongst that party in Queene Elizabeths time : but very learnedly refelled by Dr. Cosin , then Deane of the Arches , to whom for brevities sake I might well referre you . Yet since your libell is made publicke , and dispersed abroad , I will in briefe lay downe such answers as are made by him , to your severall cavils ; adding a little of mine owne , and one thing specially for your satisfaction which he could not know of . In answer to the first , he tels you ( if you would have learned ) that though the Articles or Libell , be not exhibed inscriptis , before the oath , yet that the generall heads are signified and opened to the party criminall : which was observed , as you confesse , in your particular : For you informe us in the beginning of your Apologie , that the occasion of your Appeale was upon the reading of certaine Articles unto you , by the Register of the Court before Doctor Duck , and by his appointment who thereupon tendred unto you an oath to answer to the said Articles . This was as much favour as could be showne you , and more then needed . The reason why the Articles are not given in scriptis , is chiefely upon observation , that some of those to whom that favour hath beene showne , have used it onely as a meanes to instruct their confederates , for the concealing or the disguizing of the truth ; ( a thing of dangerous consequence in punishment of Schismes , Heresies , and such other things which this Court takes notice of : ) themselves , upon perusall of the Articles , remaining still as obstinate in the refusall of the oath , as they were before . Nor is it generally contrary to the practise of the Common-law , as it is pretended ; the grand inquest taking an oath before the Iudges , that they shall diligently inquire , and truely present all offenders against any such point , as shall be given them in charge : and yet the charge not given till the oath be taken . As to the second , touching the advise of Counsell to draw up the answer , that 's universall neither in law nor practise . For on inditements at the common law upon life and death , there is no counsell given the party to draw up his answer . And in proceedings in the Starre-chamber , Chancery and Court of requests , however they commence suites there by bill and answer : yet when they come to interrogatories , the parties first take oath to answer truely to the points ; and then the Interrogatories are proposed unto them peece by peece , in the Examiners office . Besides that in such Cases , as principally doe concerne the high Commission , it hath not beene thought sit to admit of Counsell , for drawing up an answer unto the Articles objected ; the better to avoide delaies , and that foule palliating of schismes , and errors , which might thence arise . As for the first part of the third exception , it 's true , that vaine and rash swearing is condemned by the nine and thirtieth Article : but then it resteth to be proved , that taking of an oath to answer to the points proposed , doth come within the compasse of rash swearing . For howsoever men are sworne aforehand , in the proceedings of that Court , to answere truely to the things objected , when they come to heare them ; yet they are never sworne to answer to them before they heare them . And for the breach of charity , and the old said saw , Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum , 't is answered , that the oath is not exacted in things meerely secret , which are left to God ( for de occultis ecclesia non judicat , as the saying is , ) but in such cases which are partly manifested , as by bruite or fame , and such like indicia , in which the Church is to be satisfied . And in this case and such as these the oath is tendred , not to betray the party whom it doth concerne , but rather , if it be possible to cleare his innocency ; on both sides to bring truth to light , which is a Iewell worth the finding . Which cou●se is also used in the Starre-chamber , where the defendant is to answer , even in criminall matters , on his corporall oath : and that not onely to the bill preferred against him , but to as many Interrogatories , and some crosse ones too , as the Plaintifes Counsel shall devise . Adde here , which Doctor Cosin could not know of , the resolution of King Iames of blessed memory , at Hampton Court. When the Lord Chancelor , and after him the Lord Treasurer , had spoke both for the necessity and use of the oath ex officio , in diverse Courts and cases ; his excellent Majesty preventing that old allegation , Nemo cogitur detegere suam turpitudinem , said that the Civill proceedings punished onely facts , but in Courts Ecclesiasticall it was requisite that fame and scandalls should be looked into . That here was necessary the oath compurgatorie , and the oath ex officio too ; and yet great moderation should be used , first , in gravioribus criminibus , and secondly , in such whereof there is a publicke fame , and thirdly , in distinguishing of publicke fame , either caused by the inordinate demeanour of the offender , or raised by the undiscreet proceeding in triall of the fact . All which just cautions were observed in this proceeding against you Mass . B. and therefore your appeale was causelesse , as your grievance none . Now for your owne case next , and thē illegality of proceeding in it , you have no lesse then tenne exceptions ; you might have spunne them out as you doe your uses , to as many more . These wee will summe up briefly , that the world may see them ; and afterwards reply to such as are considerable , though peradventure we may touch at all , for your satisfaction . First , you except in reference to the matter charged upon , which was sedition , and so belonging to the Civill Courts ; and secondly against the manner of proceeding , viz. first , inciting you to a private house , before one Commissioner alone ; secondly , excluding your friends and neighbours that they might not heare ; thirdly , in tendring you an oath in a matter , which if true concernd your life ; fourthly , in calling for a copy of your Sermon to be delivered upon oath ; fifthly , in that you were suspended , being absent ; sixthly , notwithstanding your appeale ; seventhly , and the suspension published in your owne parish Church , to your intollerable disgrace and scandall ; eightly , in taxing you of sedition in the said suspension ; and ninthly , in denying you a Copy of the Articles , and other Acts of Court , whereby to perfect that appeale to his sacred Majesty . Of all these tenne , there are but two considerable , ( the other eight being onely added to make up the tale : ) to wit , of the matter charged upon you , which was sedition ; and then the tendring of an oath in the said matter , being a crime , which might if true , concerne you , in point of life . For that you were convented before one Commissioner alone , at his private house is no rare matter ; that his conventing of you being onely to tender you an oath , to make true answer to those Articles which were read unto you : there being a particular clause in the very Commission , that any one Commissioner may give the oath to party or witnesse . And why you should bring your friends and neighbours with you ; or being there , why should you thinke to have them present at your examination is beyond my reach : unlesse perhaps you were desirous to let them see how valiantly you durst out-face authority . You cannot be so ignorant , having had businesse in that Court before , as not to know , that though the party cited doe for the most part take his oath in the open Court , to make true answer , whensoever he is called unto it : Yet the examinations are in private , in some other place . And so they are also in the Examiners office for the Starre-chamber , Chancery , and Court of Requests , and all Commissions thence awarded : where the Examiner and the Party , the Commissioners and Deponents are alone in private , remotis arbitris . The calling for a Copy of your Sermon to be delivered upon oath , is neither any new matter , or used onely in your case : it being Ordinary in the Vniversities ; and by the Vice-chancellours there done of common course . And it seemes wonderous strange to me , you should deny to give a private Copy of your Sermon , when it was required of you by authority : and notwithstanding publish it in Print a little after , being not required . As for the Example of our Saviour , ( whose case you parallell with your owne upon all occasions ) who being demanded of his doctrine by the High-Priest , made answer , that he spake openly in the Synagogue , and in the Temple , and said nothing in secret , and therefore they might aske the question of those that heard him : that makes nothing for you . And yet from hence you draw a most factious inference , that no Minister ought to be put so much as to give an answer , much lesse a Copy of what he publickely preached in the Church p. 15.16 . The case is very different between Christ and you , though you make it one : he being demanded of his doctrine in the generall , without particulars , either time or place , or any matter charged upon him ; you being questioned for a Sermon preached at such a time , and in such a place , containing such and such seditious and factious passages , as were reade unto you . Lesse reason have you to complaine of being suspended being absent , because being warned to be there , you refused to come : or that you were suspended notwithstanding your appeale , to his sacred Majesty , since your suspension , as you grant , was grounded on a new contempt , not the first refusall of the oath . That the suspension should be published in your owne Parish Church , and that therein you should be taxed of sedition ; was both just and necessary . For if you were convented first , because of your seditious Sermon , and a seditious Sermon Preached to your owne Parishioners : good reason that your censure should be published there , where you committed your offence , that so the people might beware of the like false teachers . And for denying you a Copy of the Articles , and other Acts of Court , I see no cause at all why you should demand them . For having at the first declined the judgement of that Court , by the refusall of the oath , and your said Appeale ; and afterwards contemptuously neglected your appearance on the second summons : what cause had you to expect any favour from them , or to consult those Acts which you cared not for ; Especially considering you continued still in your disobedience , and desired the Articles , not to answer to them , but thereby , as you say your selfe to perfect your Appeale ; or rather , as it may be thought , to scatter them abroad in imperfect copies , with such false answers to them as you pleased to make . Your selfe and such as you , have long used the art , of getting the first start upon mens affections : non ignari instandum famae , & prout prima successerint fore vniversa . But come we now unto the maine of your Appeale , in reference to the illegality of proceedings in your owne particular : for all that hath beene answered hitherto , was but the vantage as it were , which you cast in out of your abundance , to make up the reckoning . It is pretended , that being charged with sedition , you were not bound to answer to it . And why ? Because sedition is no ecclesiasticall offence against the Church , but a civill against the King and State ; and therefore to be tried onely in his Majesties Courts of Civill Iustice , and not before the High Commissioners , who have no cognizance thereof . Your Enthimeme doth halt extreamely . For there are many matters punishable in either jurisdiction , which since you are ignorant , I will name you some . Vsury , contrary to the statute , 21. Iac. c. 17. is punishable at the Common-law , and it is also punishable in the Court Christian ; as in the 109. Canon . The selfe same Canon reckoneth drunkennesse and swearing , as punishable by the Ordinary upon presentment : and yet are punishable by the Civill Magistrate , by vertue of two severall statutes , viz. 4. Iac. 5.21 . Iac. and 21. Iac. 20. So for prohibited , either workes or recreations on the Lords day , the parties so offending are by the Statute 1 Car. c. 1. & 3. Car. c. 1. to be convented and corrected by the Iustices of the Peace : and yet there is a salvo there , for the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to proceed as formerly . All persons that offend against the Statute 1. Eliz. c. 2. either in depraving the Booke of Common prayer , or else not using it as they ought to doe , or using any other forme of prayer ( N. B. ) then is there prescribed , &c. are punishable either by enditement at the Common-law , or by the censures of the Church According as complaint is first made unto either Court : I could informe you of many such particulars , were it convenient . So that you see , your proposition is not true , in that full latitude wherein you propound i● : viz. because sedition is to be tryed in the Courts of civill Iustice , therefore in you , and as it was an offence by you committed , it was not to be censured in the High Commission . For Sir , I hope you can distinguish betweene sedition in the field , or in the Market-place , and a seditious Sermon ( for Sermon I must call it for feare of angring you ) in the Church or Pulpit . Had you behaved your selfe seditiously in any other place , no better dealing with you , then by the Constable first , and so on . But if you preach seditiously , and make the House and Ordinance of God , onely a Pandar to your discontent or your ambition , I hope my Lords the Iudges will not be offended , if your Superiours in the Lord doe chastise you for it , yet this , at last , you make a just gravamen , upon the which you might appeale . But had you thought indeed , as you say you doe , that the Ecclesiasticall Commssioners , could take no cognizance of the crime objected to you : you might with better hopes have labored for a prohibition , as formerly you did upon weaker grounds ; then runne your selfe so hastily on a new experiment , of making an Appeale , when you were not grieved . Lastly , you pleade , that being the matter charged upon you , was Sedition , and so if true , your life might have beene called in question ; you were not bound to take the oath propounded to you , and this you ground upon a Passage of Arch-Bishop Whitgift in the conference at Hampton Court , saying , as you report his words , that in matter of life , liberty , and scandall , it is not the course of that Court to require any such oath : wherein you doe most shamelessely misreport the words of the said Arch-Bishop . All that he said , is this , which will helpe you little , viz. If any Article did touch the party any way , either for life , liberty , or scandall , he might refuse to answer , neither was he urged thereunto . He doth not say , as you make him say , that in those cases there recited , it was not the course of that Court , to require any such oath , but that the party might refuse to answer to those Articles which did so concerne him . It is the custome of the Court to give an oath unto the party , to answer truely to such Articles as shall be propounded : and the indulgence of the Court , at the examination , that if the party will , he may chalenge any of them , as not being bound by law to answer to them ; and his refusall , if the law binde him not to answer , is to be allowed . You might then , subtile Sir , have tooke the oath ; and yet demurred on any such Article , when you came unto it . And so farre we have traced you in your Apologie , wherein is nothing to be found , but poore surmises : which being proved onely by an Aio , might have beene answered with a Nego ; but that I am resolved to dissect you throughly , and lay you open to the world , which hath so long beene seduced by you . CHAP. II. The Kings authority restrained , and the obedience of the subject limited within narrow bounds , by H. B. with the removall of those bounds . The title of the Sermon scanned , and the whole divided . H. B. offended with the unlimited power of Kings , the bounds by him prescribed to the power of Kings , both dangerous and doubtfull . The power of Kings how amplified by Iewes , Christians , Heathens . What the King cannot doe , and what power is not in him , by Mass . Burtons doctrine . The Positive Lawes of the Realme conferre no power upon the King , nor confirme none to him . The whole obedience of the subject restrained by H. B. to the Lawes of the Realme ; and grounded on the mutuall stipulation betweene King and people . The dangerous sequells of that doctrine . A Pravis ad praecipitia . Wee are on the declining hand , out of the Hall into the Kitchin , from an Apologie that was full of weakenesse , unto a Sermon or rather a Pasquill farre more full of wickednesse : yet were we guided either by the Text or Title , we might perswade our selves there were no such matter , nothing but piety and zeale , and whatsoever a faire shew can promise . But for the Title Sir ( I hope you know your owne words in your doughtie dialogue betweene A. and B. ) you know the proverbe , Fronti rara fides , the fowlest causes may have the fairest pretences . For whereas you entitle it , for God and the King , you doe therein as Rebells doe most commonly in their insurrections : pretend the safety of the King , and preservation of Religion , when as they doe intend to destroy them both . The civill warre in France , raised by the Duke of Burgundy and Berry against Lewis the eleventh , was christned by the specious name of Le bien Public , for the Common-wealth ; but there was nothing lesse intended then the common good . And when the Iewes cryed Templum Domini , Templum Domini , they did but as you doe , abuse the people , and colour their ambition , or their malice , choose you which you will , with a shew of zeale . So that your Title may be likened very fitly , to those Apothecaries boxes which Lactantius speakes of , quorum tituli remedium habent , pixides venenum , poysons within , and medecines writ upon the Paper . So for your Text , we will repeat that too , that men may see the better how you doe abuse it . My sonne feare thou the Lord , and the King , and meddle not with them that are given to change ; For their calamity shall arise suddenly , and who knoweth the ruine of them both , Prov. 24.21 , 22. A Text indeed well chosen but not well applyed . For had you looked upon your selfe and the Text together , and followed the direction which is therein given you , you had not so long hunted after Innovations , as for these many yeares it is knowne you have ; and so might possibly have escaped that calamitie which is now like to fall upon you . But it 's the nature of your humour , as of some diseases , to turne all things unto the nourishment of the part that is ill affected : Meane while you make the Scriptures but a nose of wax , as Pighius once prophanly called it ; by wresting it maliciously to serve your turnes ; and so confirme the vulgar Papists in contempt of that , which were it not for you , and such as you , they might more easily bee induced both to heare and reverence . Now for the method of your Sermon ( I meane to call it so no more ) though you observe no method in it , but wander up and downe in repetitions and tautologies , as your custome is : I must thus dispose it . The passages therein , either of scandall or sedition , I shall reduce especially unto these two heads : those which reflect upon the Kings most excellent Majestie , and those which strike directly against the Bishops . That which reflects upon the King , either relates to his authoritie , or his actions . That which doth strike against the Bishops is to be considered as it is referred either unto their place , or to their persons , or finally to their proceedings : and these proceedings are againe to bee considered , eyther in reference to their Courts , and behaviour there , or to their government of and in the Church , and carriage in that weighty office , wherein you charge them with eight kinds of Innovations , most of the generall kinds being sub-divided into several branches . For a conclusion of the whole , I shall present unto your selfe , by way of Corollarie , or resultancie out of all the premisses , how farre you are or may prove guilty of sedition , for that Pulpit pasquill of yours : and so commend you to repentance , and the grace of God. In ripping up whereof , as I shall keepe my selfe especially to your Pulpit-Pasquill : so if I meete with any variae lectiones , in your Apologie , or Epistles , or the Newes from Ipswich , or your addresses to the Lords of the Privie Councell , and my Lords the Iudges , I shall use them also either for explication or for application . Such your extravagancies , as cannot easily be reduced to the former heads , I either shall passe over , or but touch in transitu . This is the order I shall use . First for the King , you may remember what I told you was the Puritan tenet , that Kings are but the Ministers of the Common-wealth , and that they have no more authority then what is given them by the people . This though you doe not say expresly , and in terminis , yet you come very neare it , to a tantamont : finding great fault with that unlimited power which some give to Kings , and as also with that absolute obedience which is exacted of the subject . One of your doctrines is , that all our obedience to Kings and princes and other superiors must be regulated by our obedience to God. Your reason is , because the King is Gods Minister and Vice-gerent , and commands as from God , so for God , and in God. Your doctrine and your reason , might become a right honest man. But what 's your use ? Your first use is , for reprehension or refutation of those that so advance mans ordinances and commandements , as though they be contrary to Gods Law , and the fundamentall lawes of the State , yet so presse men to the obedience of them as they hold them for no better then rebells , and to deserve to be hanged drawne and quartered that refuse to obey them , pag. 77. So pag. 88. a second sort come here to be reproved , that on the other side separate the feare of the King from the feare of the Lord : and those are such as attribute to Kings such an unlimited power , as if he were God Almightie himselfe ; so as hereby they would seeme to ascribe that omnipotency to the King which the Pope assumes , and his Parasites ascribe to his holinesse . So pag. 89. Thus these men crying up , and exacting universall absolute obedience to man , they doe hereby cast the feare of God , and so his Throne , downe to the ground . Finally you reckon it amongst the Innovations wherewith you charge the Prelats in point of doctrine , that they have laboured to make a change in the doctrine of obedience to superiours , setting man so in Gods Throne , that all obedience to man must be absolute without regard to God and conscience , whose onely rule is the word of God , pag. 126. In all which passages , however you pretend the word of God , the fundamentall Lawes of state , and conscience : yet clearely you expresse your disaffection unto the soveraignty of Princes , and in effect leave them no greater power then every private man shall thinke fit to give them . Besides there is a tacite implication also , that the King exercises an unlimited power , which cannot possibly consist with the subjects conscience , the fundamentall lawes of the Kingdome , or the word of God. It had beene very well done of you to have told the people , what were the fundamentall lawes of State , which were so carefully to be preserved ; within what bounds and limits the authority of Kings is to be confined , and to have given them a more speciall knowledge of the rule of conscience . For dealing thus in generalls onely , ( Dolosus versatur in generalibus , you know who sayd it ) you have presented to the people a most excellent ground , not onely to dispute , but to disobey the Kings commands . Now Sir I pray you what are you , or by what spirit are you guided , that you should finde your selfe agreeved at unlimited power , which some of better understanding then your selfe have given to Kings : or thinke it any Innovation in point of doctrine , in case the doctrine of obedience to our superiours bee pressed more home of late then it hath beene formerly . Surely you have lately studied Buchannan dejure regni , or the vindiciae writ by Beza under the name of Iunius Brutus : or else perhaps you went no further then Paraeus , where the inferiour Magistrates , or Calvin , where the three estates have an authority to controule , and correct the King. And should the King be limited within those narrow bounds which you would prescribe him , had you power ; he would in little time be like the antient Kings of Sparta , in which the Ephori , or the now Duke of Venice , in which the Senate beare the greatest stroke : himselfe meane time , being a bare sound , and an emptie name , Stet magni nominis umbra , in the Poets language . Already you have layd such grounds , by which each private man may not alone dispute but disobey the Kings commandements . For if the Subject shall conceive that the Kings command is contrary to Gods word , though indeede it be not ; or to the fundamentall lawes of state , although hee cannot tell which be fundamentall ; or if he finde no precedent of the like commands in holy Scripture , which you have made to be the onely rule of conscience : in all these cases it is lawfull not to yeeld obedience . Your selfe have given us one case in your Margin , pag. 77. we will put the other . Your reprehension is of those , that so advance mans ordinances and commandements , as though they be contrary to Gods Law , and the fundamentall lawes of state , yet presse men to obedience to them , your instance is of one which was shrewdly threatned ( how true that is we meane to tell the world hereafter ) for refusing to doe that which was not agreeable to the word of God , viz. for refusing to read the booke of sports , as you declare it in the Margin , pag. 26. whether you referre us . So then the case is this . The King permits his people honest recreations on the Lords day , according as had beene accustomed , till you and your accomplices had cryed it downe : with order to the Bishops to see his declaration published in the Churches of their severall diocesses , respectively . This publication you conceive to bee repugnant to Gods word , ( though none but a few factious spirits ever so conceived it , and that your doctrine of the Sabbath be contrary to all antiquity and moderne Churches : ) and therefore by your rule they doe very well that refuse to publish it . It 's true indeed , in things that are directly contrary to the law of God , & such as carry in them a plaine and manifest impietie ; there is no question to be made , but it is better to obey God then man. But when the matter chiefly resteth either in misapplying , or misunderstanding the word of God , ( a fault too incidēt to ignorant & unstable men , & to none more then to your disciples & their teachers too ) or that the word of God be made a property like the Pharisees Corban , to justifie your disobedience unto Kings and Princes : your rule is then as false , as your action faulty . So for your second limitation , that 's but little better ; and leaves a starting hole to malicious persons , from whence to worke on the affections of the common people . For put the case , the King in necessary and emergent causes , touching the safety of his empire , demand the present ayde of all his subjects ; and any Tribunitian spirit should informe them , that this demand is contrary unto the fundamentall lawes of state : according to your rule , the subject is not bound to obey the king , nay he might refuse it , although the busines doth concerne especially his owne preservation . But your third limitation , that of conscience , is the worst of all . For where you make the word of God to be the onely rule of conscience , you doe thereby conclude expressely that neither Ecclesiasticall or Civill ordinances doe binde the conscience : and therein overthrow the Apostles doctrine , who would have Every soule be subject to the higher powers , not for wrath onely but for conscience sake . So that in case the king command us any thing , for which we finde not some plaine precept or particular warrant in the word of God ; as if the King command all Lecturers to read the service of the Church in their ●oodes and surplices , before their Lectures ; such his command is plainely against conscience , at least the Lecturers are not bound in conscience to submit unto it , because there is no speciall precept for it in holy Scripture . And certainely this plea of conscience , is the most dangerous buckler against authoritie , which in these latter ages hath beene taken up . So dangerous that were the plea allowed , and all the judgements of the king in banco , permitted to bee scanned and traversed in this Court of Conscience ; there were a present end of all obedience . Si ubi jubeantur , quaerere singulis liceat , peunte obsequio , imperium etiam intercidit , as he in Tacitus . If every man had leave to cast in his scruple , the balance of authority would be soone weighed downe . Yet since you are so much agreived at the unlimited power which some gives to Kings , will you be pleased to know , that Kings doe hold their crownes by no other Tenure , than Dei gratia : and that what ever power they have , they have from God , by whom Kings reigne , and Princes decree justice . So say the Constitutions ascribed to Clements , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . So Irenaeus also an antient father , Cujus jussu homines nascuntur , ejus jussu reges constituuntur . And Porphyrie remembreth it amongst the Tenets of the Essees a Iewish Sect , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that no man ever did beare rule but by Gods appointment . Holding then what they have from God , whose deputies they are , and of whose power they are partakers ; how and by whom doe you conceive they should be limited ? doubtlesse you meane to say by the lawes of the Land. But then if question be demanded who first made those lawes , you must needes answere also , the kings themselves . So that in case the kings in some particulars had not prescribed limits unto themselves , and bound their owne hands , as it were to enlarge the peoples : neither the people , nor any lawes by them enacted could have done it . Besides the law of Monarchie is founded on the Law of nature , not on positive lawes : and positive lawes I trow are of no such efficacie , as to annihilate any thing , which hath its being and originall , in the law of nature . Hence is it , that all soveraigne Princes in themselves are above the lawes , as Princes are considered in abstracto , and extent of power ; and how farre that extent will reach , you may see in the first of Sam. and 8 chap. though in concreto a just Prince will not breake those lawes , which he hath promised to observe . Princes are debtors to their subjects , as God to man ; non aliquid a nobis accipiendo , sed omnia nobis promittendo , as S. Austine hath it . And we may say of them in S. Bernards words ▪ Promissum quidem ex misericordia , sed ex justitia persolvendum : that they have promised to observe the lawes , was of speciall grace ; and its agreeable to their justice to observe their promise . Otherwise we may say of kings , as the Apostle of the just ; Iusto lex non est posita , saith the Apostle , and Principi lexnon est posita , saith the law of nature . Doe you expect more proofe than you use to give , Plutarch affirmes it of some kings . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that they did not governe onely by the law , but were above it . The like saith Dion of Augustus Caesar , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that he was sure and had an absolute authoritie , aswell upon his lawes as upon himselfe . Besides in case the power of kings were restrained by law , after the manner , that you would have it ; yet should the king neglect those lawes , whereby you apprehend that his power is limited ; how would you helpe your selfe by this limited power ? I hope you would not call a Consistorie and convent him there ; or arme the people to assert their pretended liberties : though as before I said , the Puritan tenet is , that you may doe both . Your learned Councell might have told you out of Bracton , an ancient Lawyer of this kingdome , omnem esse sub Rege & ipsum sub nullo , sed tantum sub Deo ; And Horace could have told you , that kings are under none but God. Reges in ipsos imperium est Iovis , as he there hath it . You may moreover please to know , what Gregorie of Tours said once to a king of France ; Si quis e nobis , O Rex , justitiae tramites transcendere voluerit , a te corripi potest ; si vero tu excesseris quis te corripiet ? &c. If any of us , O king , offend against the rules of justice , thou hast power to punish him , but if thou breake those rules , who hath power to doe it ? We tell you of it , and when you list , you please to heare us , but when you will not , who shall judge you , but he that tels us of himselfe , that he is justice . This was you see the ancient doctrine , touching the power and right of kings , not onely amongst Iewes and Christians but in heathen states : what ever new opinion of a limited power , you have pleased to raise . But you goe further yet , and tell us of some things the king cannot do , and that there is a power which the king hath not ; what is it , say you , that the king cannot doe ? Marry you say he cannot institute new rites and ceremonies , with the advise of his Commissioners Ecclesiasticall , or the Metropolitan , according as some pleade from the Act of Parliament before the Communion booke , pag. 65. Why so ? Because , according to your law , this clause of the Act is limited to Queene Elizabeth , and not extended to her successours of the Crowne . This you affirme indeede , but you bring no proofe : onely it seemes you heard so from your learned councell . You are I see of Calvins minde , who tels us in his Commentarie on the 7 of Amos , what had beene sayd by Doctor Gardiner , after Bishop of Winchester , and then Ambassadour in Germany , touching the headship or Supremacie of the king his master : and closeth up the storie with this short note , inconsiderati homines sunt , qui faciunt eos nimis spirituales , that it was unadvisedly done , to give kings such authority in spirituall matters . But sir I hope you may afford the king that power , which you take your selves , or which your brethren at the least have tooke before you : who in Queene Elizabeths time had their Classicall meetings without leave or licence , and therein did ordeine new rites , new Canons , and new formes of service . This you may doe , it seemes , though the kings hands are bound that he may not doe it . And there 's a power too , as you tell us , that the king neither hath nor may give to others . Not give to others certainely , if he have it not ; for nemo dat quod non habet , as the saying is . But what is this ? you first suppose and take for granted , that the Bishops make foule havocke in the Church of God , and persecute his faithfull servants : and then suppose , which yet you say is not to be supposed , that they have procured a grant from the king to doe all those things which of late they have done , tending to the utter overthrow of religion by law established . And on these suppositions you doe thus proceede . Yet whatsoever colour , pretext or shew they make for this , the king ( to speake with all humble reverence ) cannot give that power to others , which hee hath not himselfe . For the power that is in the king is given him by God , and confirmed by the lawes of the kingdome . Now neither God in his law , nor the lawes of the land , doe allow the king a power to alter the state of religion , or to oppresse and suppresse the faithfull ministers of the Gospell , against both law and conscience . For kings are the ministers of God for the good of his people , as wee shewed before . p. 72.73 . So you , and it was bravely said , like a valiant man. The Brethren now may follow after their owne inventions , with a full securitie : for since you have proclaimed them to be faithfull ministers , no king nor Keisar dares suppresse them ; or if he should , the lawes of God , and the law of the land to boote , would rise in judgement to condemne him , for usurpation of a power which they have not given him . But take me with you brother B●● and I perhaps may tell you somewhat that is worth your knowledge . And I will tell you sir if you please to hearken , that whatsoever power is in the king , is from God alone , and founded on the law of nature . The positive lawes of the land as they conferre none on him , so they confirme none to him . Rather the kings of England have parted with their native royalties for the peoples good : which being by their owne consent , established for a positive law , are now become the greatest part of the subjects liberties . So that the liberties , possessions , and estates of the kings leige people , are , if you will , confirmed by the lawes of the land ; not the kings authoritie . As for the power of kings which is given by God , and founded on the law of nature , how farre it may extend in the true latitude thereof , we have said already : Whether to alter the state of religion , none but a most seditious spirit , such as yours would put unto the question : his majesties pietie and zeale , being too well knowne to give occasion to such quaeres . Onely I needes must tell you , that you tye up the kings hands too much , in case he may not meddle with a company of Schismatickes , and refractarie persons to all power and order , onely because you have pronounced them to be faithfull ministers of the Gospell . Such faithfull ministers of the Gospell as you and yours , must bee suppressed , or else there never will be peace and unitie in the Citie of God. And yet I see you have some scripture for it , more than I supposed : kings being , as you tell us from S. Paul , the ministers of God for the good of their people , and no more then so ? I thought S. Paul had also told us , that the King is a minister of God , an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill : yea more than so too brother B. and it may concerne you , viz. if thou doe that which is evill be afraid , for he beareth not the sword in vaine . Aut undequaque pietatem tolle , aut undequaque conserva ; Take the whole text along good sir , or take none at all : and if you take all be afraid , as you are advised , verbum sapienti . I must goe forwards with you yet from the authoritie of the king , to the obedience of the subject ; which you doe presse indeede , but on such false grounds , as in conclusion overthrow the whole frame of government . The absolute obedience of the subject you have dashed alreadie , and reckon it amongst those Innovations in point of doctrine , which you have charged upon the Prelates : and in the place thereof bring in a limited or conditionall obedience , of your owne devising ; Your first condition or limitation rather , is , viz. that our subjection unto the king , is to be regulated as by Gods law , the rule of universall obedience to God and man , so by the good laws of the king . p. 38. the king as you informe us p. 42. having entred into solemne and sacred covenant with all his people , to demaund of them no other obedience , but what the good lawes of the kingdome prescribe & require : as on the other side , the people swearing no other obedience to the king than according to his just lawes , pag. 39. and 40. In which restraint , there are two things to be observed , first that wee are to obey the king no farther than there is law for it , and secondly no farther than that law seemes good ; So that in case the king commands his people any thing for which he hath no positive law to warrant his command ; and of this sort are many Proclamations , orders , decrees , injunctions , set out from time to time by the kings authoritie , and Prerogative royall , by brother Burtons rule the people are at liberty to obey or not . And on the other side , in case the said command bee grounded on some positive law which they like not of , whether it be a Penall statute , or some old Act of Parliament almost out of use , by the reviving of the which they may be prejudiced in purse or otherwise : this is no good law in their judgement , and so no more to be obeyed than if the kings command were founded on no law at all . But your next limitation is farre worse than this , though this bad enough . For in the next place you have grounded all obedience on the peoples part , upon that mutuall stipulation which the king and his subjects make at his Coronation . Where the king takes an explicite solemne oath to mainteine the antient lawes and liberties of the kingdome , and so to rule and governe all his people according to those lawes established ; consequently and implicitely all the people of the land doe sweare fealtie , allegiance , subjection and obedience to their king , and that according to his just lawes , pag. 39. your inference from hence is this , that if the king so solemnely by sacred oath , ratified againe in Parliament under his royall hand , doe bind himselfe to maintaine the lawes of his kingdome , and therein the rights and liberties of his subjects , then how much are the people bound to yeeld all subjection and obedience to the king , according to his just lawes , p. 40. So that according to your doctrine , the people is no longer to obey the king , than the king keepes promise with the people . Nay of the two the people have the better bargaine ; the king being sworne explicitely and solemnely to maintaine their liberties ; the people onely consequently and implicitely to yeeld him subjection . Is not this excellent doctrine think you ? or could the most seditious person in a state have thought upon a shorter cut to bring all to Anarchie ; for if the subject please to misinterpret the kings proceedings , and thinke though falsely , that he hath not kept his promise with them : they are released ipso facto from all obedience and subjection , and that by a more easie way , then suing out a dispensation in the Court of Rome . You tell us , p. 129. of the kings free subjects ; and here you have found out a way to make them so : a way to make the subject free , and the king a subject ; and hard it is to say whether of the two be the greater Contradiction in adjecto . I have before heard of a free people , and of free states , but never till of late of a free subject : nor know I anyway to create free subjects , but by releasing them of all obedience to their Princes . And I have read too of Eleuthero Cilices , which were those people of Cilicia that were not under the command of any king : but never reade of an Eleuthero Britannus , nor I hope never shall . I will but aske you one question , and so end this point . You presse the kings oath very much about maintaining of the lawes of the Kingdom , as pag. 39.40 . and 42. before recited , as also , pag. 72. againe and againe , and finally in your addresse to my LL. the Judges : is it by way of Commemoration or of Exprobration ? if of Commemoration , you forget the Rule ; memorem immemorem facit , qui monet quae memor meminit . But if of Exprobration , what meant you , when you needed not to tell us , that in a point of Civill Government , it is a dangerous thing to change a Kingdom setled on good lawes into a tyranny ; and presently thereon to adde a certaine speech of Heraclitus , Viz. That Citizens ought to fight no lesse for their Lawes , then for their walls . I only aske the question , take you time to answere it . CHAP. III. An Answere to the Challenge of H. B. against His Majesties Actions and Declarations . The King accused for breach of promise , touching the Petition of Right ; but falsly . His Majesties Declaration before the Articles censured by H.B. as tending to suppresse the Trueth , and advance the contrary errours . Of the law of Amnestie . His Majesties Declaration about Sports condemned and censured . H. B. fall's scandalously fowle upon King James , by reason of the like Declaration by him set forth . H. B. makes the people jealous of the Kings intentions . His Majestie accused for the restraint of Preaching in infected places , contrary to his Declarations , and the former practise ; and thereunto the increase of the Plague imputed . His Majesties Chappell paralleld with Nebuchadnezars golden Image , and Julian the Apostates Altar . H. B. incourageth disobedient persons , and makes an odious supposition about setting up Masse in the Kings Chappell . FRom your restraint and curtailling of the Kings authoritie , proceed wee to your censure of His Actions and Declarations which wee have separated from the other , because in this wee have some intermixture of your invectives against the Bishops : your scandalous clamours against whom , in reference to their place and persons , are to follow next . And first wee will begin with the Petition of Right , as having some resemblance to the former point : on which you please to play the Commentator and spoile a good text with a factious glosse . It pleased His Majestie , being Petitioned ( amongst other things ) in Parliament , 1628 , that no Free-man ( and not a Free Subject , as you phrase it ) should be imprisoned , or detained without cause shewed , and being brought to answere by due course of Law : to passe His Royall assent to the said Petition . What Comment do you make thereon ? That no man is to be imprisoned , if hee offer bayle . p. 52. You do indeed resolve it so , in your own case too ; and fall exceeding fowle on His Sacred Majestie , because your Comment or Interpretation could not be allowed of . Now your case was thus . During that Session , you had printed a seditious Pamphlet ( as all yours are ) entituled Babell no Bethel ; tending to incense the Commons against the King : for which , being called before the High Commission , order was made for your commitment . And when you offered bayle , it was refused , you say , by my Lord of London that then was , affirming that the King had given expresse charge , that no bayle should be taken for you : That thereupon you claimed the right and Privilege of a Subject , according to the Petition of Right , but notwithstanding your said claime , were sent to Prison , and there kept Twelve dayes , and after brought into the High Commission . This is the case , as you relate it . p. 52. and 53. And hereupon , you do referre it unto the consideration of the sagest , whether that which he fathered on the King , were not a most dangerous and seditious speech , tending to possesse the by-standers , and consequently all the people of the land with a sinister opinion of the Kings Justice and Constancy in keeping His solemne Covenant made with His people , as in that Petition of Right . And you have noted it in the margin , p. 53. for a most impious and disgracefull speech , to bring the people into an hard conceit of His Majestie , who but a little before had signed the Petition of Right . This is yet pressed againe both in the same , and the next page , as also in your addresse unto the Judges : as if the King had violated His solemne promise made unto the people , and beare down all the rights and liberties of the Subject mentioned in the said Petition ; by suffering , or appointing a Seditious Phamphletter to be sent to prison , without bayle . But tell me Sir I pray you , for I know not yet , how you could plead the benefit of that Petition ; or how it could advantage you in the smallest measure . It was petitioned , that no Subject being a Free-man , should be committed to the prison without cause shewed , and being brought to answere in due course of Law. Tell me of all loves , how doth this concerne you ; or how can you complaine of being imprisoned contrary to His Majesties answere unto that Petition : the cause of your commitment being shewne unto you ; which was that Booke of yours formerly mentioned ; and you being brought to answere in the High Commission , according to due forme of Law , as your selfe informe us . Here was no matter of complaint , but that you have a mind to traduce His Majestie , as if he had no care of His Oathes and promises : more of which treacherous Art to amate the people , wee shall see hereafter . Besides Sir , you may please to know , that your case was not altogether such as those which were complained of in the said Petition , there being alwayes a great difference made between a man committed on an Ecclesiasticall , and a Civill crime ; And I will tell you somewhat which reflects this way . It appeares in the Diarie of the Parliament , 4. H. 4. what time , the Statute 28. Edw. 3. mentioned in the Petition ( which you call ) of right , was in force and practise , how that the Commons exhibited a Petion that Lollards arrested by the Statute . 2· H. 4. should be bayled , and that none should arrest but the Sheriffe , and other lawfull Officers : and that the King did answer to it , Le Roys ' advisera . This I am bold to let you know ; take it as you please . Next for His Majesties Declarations , you deale with Him in them , as in the Petition , if not somwhat worse . His Majestie finding by good tokens , that some such wretched instrument as your selfe , had spread a jealousie amongst the Commons in that Parliament , that there was no small feare of an Innovation in Religion : as also , that by the intemperate handling of some unnecessary questions , a faction might arise both in the Church & Commonwealth : thought fit to manifest himself in two Declarations . Of these , the first related unto the Articles of Religion , in this Church established , wherein His Majestie hath commanded that in those curious and unhappy differences , which were then on foote , no man should put his owne sense or Comment to be the meaning of the Article , but take it in the literall and Grammaticall sense : shutting up those disputes in Gods promises , as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scriptures ; and the generall meaning of the Articles according to them . The second did containe the causes which moved His Majestie to dissolve the Parliament , Anno 1628. wherin his Majestie protesteth , that he will never give way to the authorising of any thing , wherby any Innnovation may steale or creepe into the Church , but preserve that unitie of Doctrine and Discipline established in the time of Queene Elizabeth . So farre his Majestie . And those his Majesties Declarations , are by you either peevishly perverted , in defence of your disobedience ; or factiously retorted on his Majestie , as if not observed ; or scandalously interpreted , as if intended principally to the suppression of Gods trueth . I will begin first with that particular mentioned last , of which you tel us plainly , that Contzen the Jesuite in his Politicks prescribes this rule of silencing Controversies , as an excellent way for the restoring of their Roman Catholik Religion in the Reformed Churches . p. 114. As also from the Centuries that the Authors of corruptions and errours do labour to compose all differences with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or silencing of all Disputes ; that by such counsells the Emperor Anastasius ▪ being a favourer of the Arian heresy , was moved to burie the principall heads of Controversie in an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and finally , that the Arian Bishops did the like in the Councell of Seleucia , called by Constantius an Arian Emperor , who did therein suppresse by perpetuall Amnestie the mention of Homousios and Homoiousios , that so they might coine a new faith , and utterly extinguish that of the Councell of Nice . p 115. This you ascribe indeed unto the Prelates , as an Art of theirs ; but you must needs intend it of the King , whose Act it was . Nor doe you only misinterpret his Majesties most pious Act , in an undutifull & scandalous manner ; but you pervert both this and the other also to serve your turne , and sometimes factiously retort them on His Majestie , as if not observed . What ever thing you challenge , or except against , that is forthwith proclaimed to be against his Majesties Declarations , so solemnly set out and published for satisfaction of his people : as Viz. in your two Epistles to his Sacred Majestie ; in your Apology p. 6. in your addresse to the Nobility . p. 23.24 . and to the Judges . p. 28.30.31 . and in your Pulpit Pasquill p. 51.52.54.64.65.67.72.146 . and finally , no lesse then thrice in the Newes from Ipswich . As for example . His Majestie intended by the first , that before the Articles , to silence those disputes which might nourish faction ; and in the other , to nourish in his Subjects a good opinion of his constancie to the Religion here established : but you , and such as you , will abuse them both . You were convented , as you tell us , unto London house , for Preaching on the point of Predestination , and there it was objected to you , that you had done therein contrary to his Majesties Declaration , pag. 51. which in the Margin there , you affirme to be A dangerous and false charge laid upon the King. And thereupon you answered that you never took the Kings Declaration to be by him intended for the suppressing of any part of Gods trueth , nor durst you ever conceive a thought so dishonourable to the King , as to think him to be an instrument of suppressing Gods trueth . No doubt you had good ground for so quick an answere ; and what was that ? His Majestie in his Declaration about the Parliament , had profest as much . p. 52. Here is the King against the King , one Declaration against another , both by you abused , both made to serve your turne , as occasion is . But why do you thus construe his Majesties words ? Because , say you , it was no part of his Majesties meaning to prohibit Ministers , to Preach of the saving Doctrines of Grace and Salvation , without the which , the very Gospel is destroyed . p. 51. the ministery of the Gospel overthrowne , and nothing but orations of moralitie to be taught the people . And doth the whole ministerie of the Gospel , the saving doctrines of Grace and Salvation , depend alone upon those difficult and dangerous points of Gods secret counsells ? Are all the Doctrines of the Gospel , matters of meere moralitie ; save those at which Saint Paul did stand astonished , and cryed out , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , O the depth and heigth ! Cannot Christ Crucified profit us , rather you and your disciples ? unlesse wee must be taught , that the greatest part of mankind , is cast off for ever , without any regard had to their sinnes , and all the promises of the Gospel made unto them of none effect ? Or do you think that Faith , and an honest life will become unprofitable , unlesse wee vexe poore people with the noise of doubtfull disputations , which Saint Paul prohibited . Take heed Sir , I advise you as a speciall friend , least that befall you , which Saint Austin did once complaine of , Viz. lest honest , though unlearned men get heaven , whilest you with all your subtilties are excluded thence . Surgunt indocti et rapiunt coelum , et nos cum doctrinis nostris , sine corde , ecce ubi volutamur in carne et sanguine . But to what purpose do I seek to charme so deafe an Adder ? Be the Kings purposes never so sincere and pious , yet you are bold to quarrell with his Declaration , and to cry out vnto the people , that the Doctrines of Gods Grace , and mans salvation are husht , and banished out of Citie and Countrie ; and that there 's not a Minister , one amongst a thousand , that dare cleerely and plainly according to the word of God , and the Articles of our Church , preach of these most comfortable doctrines to Gods people , and so soundly and roundly confute the Arminian heresies ( as you call them ) repugnant thereunto . p. 116. But so you will not leave the King , he must heare more yet . His Declaration about lawfull recreations on the Lords day , is the next you quarell with . In this you fall more fowly on him then you did before , more then a civill honest man would , or could probably have done upon his equall ; and yet you ground this too on his Declaration . For thus you say . No wise and honest man can ever imagine that the king would ever intend to command that which mainly tendeth to the dishonor of God and his word , to the violation and annihilation of the holy Commandement touching the Sabbath , and to the alteration of the doctrine of the Church of England . How so ? Because , say you , this were against all those solemne Royall protestations of the King , &c. p. 56. Stay here a little I beseech you . How doth this businesse of the Sabbath touch the Declaration about dissolving of the Parliament , which is cited by you . Yes , in a very high degree , because , say you , it is a mighty Innovation in the doctrine of the Sabbath , which hath beene ever since the Reformation , and so from the Reigne of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory , constantly universally , and unanimously maintained in the Church of England , pag. 57. Qui semel verecundiae limites , &c. And if you proceed on a little , you will shortly blush at nothing . For the point in hand : Men of farre more credit , then I trow you are , assure us , that your new doctrine of the Sabbath , was never known in England , untill the yeere , 1596 ; and being made known then , not before , was neither universally , nor unanimously received , as you informe as . For had it beene a Doctrine constantly maintained ever since the Reformation , as you falsly say , assuredly Arch - Bp. Whitgift , had never called in those Books which maintained that argument , as it 's well knowne he did in his visitation , Anno 1599. nor had Judge Popham done the like at the Assises in Saint Edmonds bury , in the yeere 600. You must tell likelier tales then this , or all the old wives in your Parish will beshrew you for it : who cannot but remember with what harmelesse freedom they used to behave themselves , that day , in their yonger times . You stay not here , but as before you set the King against himselfe , one Declaration of the Kings against another ; so next , you set the King against the Parliament : and tell us , that the prophanation of the Sabbath or Lords day , which the Books seemes to give allowance to , as in sundry sports here specified , is contrary unto the Statute 1. Caroli , in which all unlawfull Exercises and Pastimes are prohibited upon that day ; and therefore dauncing , leaping , and the rest , which the Book alowes of p. 57. For this you are beholding to your learned Counsell , the first that ever so interpreted that Statute : and thereby set the Statute and the Declaration at an endlesse odds . But herein you goe farre beyond him , for he only quarrelled with the living , who had power to right themselves : You lay a scandal on the dead , who are now laid to sleepe in the bed of peace : and tell us of that Prince of blessed memory , King James , that the said Booke for Sports , was procured , compiled , and published in the time of his progresse into Scotland , when he was more then ordinarily merrily disposed . p. 58. When he was more then ordinarily merrily disposed ? Good Sir , your meaning . Dare you conceive a base and disloyall thought , and not speake it out , for all that Parrhesia which you so commend against Kings and Princes : p. 26. Leave you so faire a face with so foule a scarre : and make that peereles Prince , whom you and yours did blast with daily Libells when he was alive ; the object of your Puritanicall , I and uncharitable scoffes now he is deceased . Unworthy wretch , whose greatest and most pure devotions , had never so much heaven in it , as his greatest mirth . I could pursue you further , were you worth my labor , or rather , if to Apologize for so great a Prince , non esset injuria virtutum , as he in Tacitus , were not too great an injurie to his eminent virtues ; and therfore I shall leave your disloyal speeches of the King deceased , to take a further view of those disloyall passages , which doe so neerely concerne the King , our now Royall Soveraigne . For lest the people should continue in their duty to him , being the thing you feare above all things else ; you labour what you can to take them off : at lest to terrify his Majesty with a feare to lose them . For you assure us on your word , because you would have it so . p. 64. that pressing of that Declaration with such cursed rigour ( as you call it ) both without and against all Law , and all example , and that also in the Kings name , is very dangerous , to breed in peoples mindes , as not being well acquainted with His Majesties either dispositions or protestations ( still you bring in that ) I know not what strange scruples or feares , causing them to stagger in their good opinion of his Majestie . And in the Apologie , giving distast to cal your Majesties loyall subject who hereupon grow jealous of some dangerous plot . p. 6. You would faine have it so , else you would not say it . Quod minus miseri volunt , hoc facile credunt . But hereof , and how you encourage men to stand it out , wee have more to come . A man would think that you had said enough against your Soveraigne , charging him with so frequent violating of his protestations , and taxing in such impudent manner his Declaration about sports , as tending mainly to the dishonour of God , the prophanation of the Sabbath , the annihilation of the fourth Commandement , and the alteration of the doctrine of the Church of England . Yet that which followes next is of farre worse nature ; no lesse a crime , then pulling down of preaching , and setting up Idolatry : pretty Peccadillo's . For Preaching first , it pleased his sacred Majestie out of a tender care of his peoples safety , to ordaine a fast , by his Royall Proclamation to provide , that in infected parishes there should be no Sermon , the better to avoid the further spreading of the Sicknesse , which in a generall confluxe of people , as in some Churches , to some Preachers , might bee soone occasioned . This his most royall care you except against as an Innovation contrary to his Majesties publick Declarations , p. 146. and in the Newes from Ipswich , you tell us also that it is a meanes to inhibit preaching , and consequently to bring Gods wrath upon us to the uttermost . p. 147. You call it scornfully a mock-fast , p. 148. a mock-fast , and a dumb-fast distastfull to all sorts of people , in the Ipswich newes : and in plaine language tell the King , that this restraint , with other innovations which you have charged upon the Prelates , do fill the peoples minds with jealousies and fears of an universal alteration of religion , p. 147. What peoples minds are filled so I beseech you sir , but those whom you and such as you have so possessed ? I trow you have not had the people to confession lately , that you should know their minds and feares so well , as you seeme to do . But know , or not know , that 's no matter ; the King is bound to take it upon your word ; especially considering that the restraint of preaching in dangerous and infected places , and on the day of fast , when men come empty to the Church , and so are farre more apt to take infection then at other times ; is such an Innovation , as certainly the like was never heard of in the holy Scripture , or any of the former ages ; and withall so directly contrary unto his Majesties solemne Protestations made unto his people . Here 's a great cry indeed , but a little wooll . For how may wee be sure , that the holy Scripture and all former ages have prescribed preaching as a necessary part of a publike fast , yea as the very life and soule of a fast , as you please to phrase it , both in your Pulpit Pasquill , p. 144. and the newes from Ipswich . That so it was in holy Scripture , you cite good store , as viz. 2 Chron. 6.28.29.30 . Chap. 7.17.14 . Numb . 25.6 . to 10. Ioel. 1. & 2. Zeph. 2.1.2.3 . all in the margin of the Newes book . Of all which texts , if there be one that speakes of preaching , let the indifferent Reader judge . The Scripture being silent in it , how shall we know it was the custome in all former ages ? For that you tell us , in the same margine of the Newes book , that so it was 1. Iacobi & Caroli . Most fairly proved . I never knew till now , but that the world was older then I see it is . Men talk of certain thousands that the world hath lasted : but we must come to you for a new Chronologie . The world , my masters , and all former ages , ( which comes both to one ) contain but 34 yeares full , not a minute more . An excellent Antiquarie . No marvell if his Majesty be taxed with innovations , changing , as he hath done , the doctrine of the Sabbath , first set on foor Anno 1596 , and the right way of celebrating a publike fast , for which you have no precedent before the yeare 1603. Nor can I blame the people , if they feare an alteration of religion , when once they see such dreadfull Innovations break in upon them ; and all his Majesties solemne protestations so soon forgotten & neglected . Yet let me tell you sir , that fast and pray was the old rule , which both Scriptures and the Church have commended to us ; as in the texts by you remembred , and that delivered by Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7.5 . Oratio jejunium sanctificat , jejunium orationem roborat , was the Fathers Maxime . I never read of Fast and preach , till you made the Canon ; at least till you first brought it hither , if you made it not . And yet because of this , and such like terrible Innovations as this , you flie out extremely . First unto Gods most secret Counsailes , affirming most unchristianly , and withall most shamelesly , that this restraint of preaching ( in infected places ) was the occasion that the plague increased , double to any weeke since the Sicknesse beganne p. 144. that it brought with it a double increase of the plague , p. 50. an extraordinary increase the very first week of the fast , together with most hideous stormes , &c. p. 148. Sir , you forget that which was taught you by the Prophet , Abscondita , Domino Deo nostro ; that secret things belong to God : and wee may aske this question of you out of holy Scripture , What man hath known the mind of the Lord , or who hath been his Counseller ? Surely , untill you usurped that honor by reason of that extraordinary calling which you so much brag of , no man ever did . Yet since you are so curious in the search of causes , & wil needs tell us what occasioned so great a sicknes ; look in the last words of the second homily of Obedience , and you will find that nothing drawes down greater plagues from almighty God , then murmuring & rebellion against Gods Annointed . Next you fall foule upon his Majesty , and tell him plainly in effect , but cunningly as you imagine , that if he look not better to his Protestations , the beauty of his royall name will bee blasted in the Annals delivered to posterity , and that in them it will be said , This King had no regard to sacred vowes , and solemne protestations . I see what Chronicles we shall have when you come to write them , Caesarum contumeliis referta ; there 's no question of it . From pulling downe of Preaching , proceed wee next to setting up Idolatry ; which how you charge the King withall , must next be shewed . You tell us , that the Prelates to justifie themselves in those Innovations , which you unjustly lay upon them , do plead the whole equipage , furniture , and fashion of the Kings Chappell , as a pattern for all Churches : in which there is an Altar , and bowing towards it ; Crucifixes , Jmages , and other guises . And why should Subjects be wiser then their King ? p. 165. To this you answer , that the worship and service of God and of Christ ( you wil needs separate Christ from God do I what I can ) is not bee regulated by humane examples , but by the divine rule of the Scriptures . In vaine do they worship me , teaching for doctrines the commandements of men . p. 165. Well said ! the service in the Kings Chappell , and that which is conforme unto it , is a ●aine worship in the first place : And what follows next . The three Children would not bow to the Kings goodly golden Image . The old Christians would not so much as offer incense in the presence of Julian the Emperour at his Altar , nor at his command , though he propounded golden rewards to the doers , and fiery punishment to the denyers . p. 166. This is plaine enough . Here 's the Kings Chappell and the furniture thereof compared to Nebuchadnezars golden Image , and Julians Altar : by consequence the King resembled ●o those wicked tyrants . I now perceive what 't was you meant , when you extoll'd so highly that Parrhesia , which you conceive so necessary in a child of God ; p. 26.27 . instancing there , as here , in the three Children , Who feared neither the Kings big looks , nor furious threats ; and Maris Bishop of Chalcedon , who comming before Julian the Apostata , called him Atheist , Apostata , and a desertor of the faith : As in Elias , when he retorted King Ahabs words upon him , and the stout answer which Elisha made to the King of Israel : adding for close of all , that it were endlesse to recite examples in this kind , except to convince the cowardice of these times . You would have every man , it seemes , as bold a Bravo as your selfe ; to bid defiance to the King , at least to stand it out against all authority . For , for the proof of that brave Parrhesia , which you so extoll , you instance chiefly in such opposition : as was made to Kings , and therefore all your uses must be construed to reflect that way : now your fourth use is this . This makes for exceeding consolation to the Church of God , especially in declining times of Apostacie , ( in these dayes of lukewarmnesse and Apostacie , in the proposall of your uses , p. 128. ) and when the truth is openly persecuted and oppressed , and idolatry and superstition obtruded in stead thereof : when notwithstanding we see many Ministers of Iesus Christ , to stand stoutly to their tacklings , and rather then they will betray any part of Gods truth , and a good conscience , they will part with their ministerie , liberty , lively-hood , and life too , if need were . This is that which keeps Christs cause in life . This gives Gods people cause of rejoycing , that they see their Captains to keep their ground , and not to flie the field , or forsake their colours , or basely yeeld themselves to the enemie , &c. p. 31. They are your own words , one of the pious uses which you make of your so celebrated Parrhesia , that freedome and liberty of speech against Kings and Princes , or whatsoever is called God , which you so specially commend unto your disciples . Well then , here 's superstition and idolatry , but is there not a feare of the Masse also . Sure it seemes there is . For thus you close your answer , touching the equipage ( as you call it ) of the Kings chappell , the fashion , and furniture thereof . Lastly suppose , ( which we trust never to see , and which our hearts abhorre once to imagine ) Masse were set up in the Kings Chappell ; is this a good argument why it should be admitted in all the Churches throughout the Realm of England ? p. 166 Why how now zealous sir ; what ? Suppositions , Ifs & And 's , in such an odious intimation as setting up of Masse in the Kings Chappell ? I will not tell you any thing of my opinion in this place , but keepe it till I meet you at the halfe turne in the close of all . Onely I needs must tell you here , you might have dealt more curteously with your Soveraigne and Patron , as you stile him , had you the least part of that piety which you pretend to : seeing so manifestly that ( in Seneca's words , Jllius vigilia omnium domos , illius labor omnium otia , illius industria omnium delicias , illius occupatio omnium vacationem tueatur . The Kings great care to keepe his people in wealth , peace , and godlinesse , if considered rightly , might make the vilest of us all , to serve , honour , and humbly obey him , according to Gods holy word and Ordinance . But you , and such as you , have a speciall priviledge : which I much muse you did not plead , when you were questioned publickely for your misdemeanours . CHAP. IV. A plaine discoverie of H. B. quarrells against the Bishops , in reference to their calling , and their Persons . H. B. displeased that the Bishops doe challenge their Episcopall authoritie from our Saviour . The challenge of Episcopall power from Christ and his Apostles , neither new nor strange , as H. B. pretednds . Of the Episcopall succession in the Church of England . Episcopall succession , how esteemed and valued amongst the Antients . The derivation of Episcopall discent from the Church of Rome , no prejudice vnto the Hierarchy , or Church , as H. B. makes it . The Bishops antiently called Reverend Fathers . The scandalous and scornfull attributes given by H. B. to the Bishops in the generall , and to some of the chiefe of them in particular . A briefe replie to all his cavills against the chiefe of those particulars . H. B. makes his addresse to all sorts of people to joyne together with the King , to destroy the Bishops ; and is content to run an hazard of his own life , so it may be done . The ruine of the Bishops , made by H. B. the only present meanes to remove the Plague . A generall answere to these slanderous and Seditious passages . LEt us now looke upon your dealing with my LL. the Bishops , how you handle them , their place , their persons , their proceedings : who being the principall object of your malice , must not expect more civill usage , then the King their Master , especially considering in cold blood how they have provoked you , by calling you forth upon the stage . However use them as you please , you have one good shelter . For if your stile seeme sharper then usuall , wee are to blame , if wee impute it not to your zeal and fidelity for God and the King , being you are to encounter those who be adversaries to both : Begin then zealous sir , wee stand ready for you . First then , you quarrell with the calling , and stomack it exceedingly , that some of them should say in the High Commission , being put unto it by your Brother Bastwick , that they had their Episcopal authority from Christ , and if they could not prove it , they would cast away their Rochets . And so , say you , they might their Capps too , for any such proofe they can bring for it . p. 68. What more ? It 's plaine that they usurpe , professe and practise such a jurisdiction , as is not annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of England , but with the Pope and Prelates of Italy , they claime from Christ . Ibid. Well then , what hurt of this ! Thus you see our Prelates have no other claime for their Hierarchy , then the Popes of Rome have and doe make , which all our Divines since the Reformation , till yesterday , have disclaimed , and our Prelates cannot otherwise assume , but by making themselves they very limbes of the Pope , and so our Church a member of that Synagogue of Rome . And this you say , because it is affirmed by Dr. Pocklington , that we are able lineally to set downe the succession of our Bishops from Saint Peter to Saint Gregory , and from to our first Archbishop Saint Austin , our English Apostle , downwards to his Grace that now sits in the chaire , &c. p. 69. Thus also in the Newes from ●pswich , you are much offended with the Prelates , that they will needs be Lord Bishops , jure divino , by the holy Ghosts own institution , and shame not to stile themselves the Godly Holy Fathers of our Church , and Pillars of our faith , when as their fruites and actions manifest them to be nought else but Step-fathers and Catter-pillers , the very pests and plagues of both . And not long after , you bestow a gentle touch on Dr. Pocklington , calling the Prelates , as your use is , the true-bred sonnes of the Roman Antichrist , from whom D. Pocklington boasts they are lineally descended . But whatsoever be the claime from Christ , or his Apostles , or the Church of Rome ; you have found out a fitter Author of the holy Hierarchie ; even the spirit that beares rule in the aire , the devill . Who doth not only haunt the Pallaces of Prelates ( perhaps he went sometimes upon your occasions ) but hath infused such a poison into the chaire of this Hierarchie , as that man , who sits in it , had need to be strongly fortified with Preservatives and Antidotes of true Reall Grace , ( not nominall and titular ) that is able to overcom the infection of it . p. 106. This is the summe of what you say , or repeat rather with a nil dictum quod ; and this is hardly worth the saying by so great a Rabbin , the answere being made before the objection , yet since you say it , something must bee sayd about it , and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Your first exception is , that the Episcopall authoritie is claimed from Christ ; and that some of the Bishops said in the High Commission , that if they could not prove it they would cast away their Rochets . This is no more then what had formerly beene said in the conference at Hampton Court ; when on occasion of Saint Hieromes saying , that a Bishop was not divinae ordinationis : the Bishop of London ( Dr. Bancroft ) interposed , that unlesse hee could prove his ordination lawfull out of the Scriptures , he would not be a Bishop foure houres . You see then this is no new saying devised but yesterday , and contrary to what hath beene the judgement of all our Divines since the reformation , as you please to tell us . The learned workes of Bishop Bilson , entituled The Perpetuall government of Christs Church , and those of Dr. Adrian Saravia against your Patriarke Theodore Beza , de diversis ministerii gradibus ; with many others of those times : shew manifestly that you are an impudent Impostor , and care not what you say , so you make a noise . And yet I cry you mercy , I may mistake you ; not knowing exactly what you meane by your Our Divines : For if by your Divines , you meane the Genevian Doctors , Calvin and Beza , Viret and Farellus , Bucan , Vrsinus , and those others of forreine Churches , whom you esteeme the onely Orthodox professours : you may affirme it very safely , that the derivation of Episcopall authority from our Saviour Christ , is utterly disclaimed by your Divines . Calvin had never else invented the Presbytery , nor with such violence obtruded it on all the reformed Churches : neither had Beza divided Episcopatum , into Divinum , humanum , and Satanicum , as you know he doth . But if by our Divines , you meane those worthies of the Church , who have stood up in maintenance of the holy Hierarchie against the clamours and contentions of the Puritan faction ; or such as are conformable unto the Articles and orders of the Church of England : you do most shamelessely traduce them , as your custome is , and make them Patrons of that Tenet , which they most opposed . For tell me of a truth , who is it , which of our Divines , that holds Episcopall authority to be derived from any other fountaine then that of Christ and his Apostles ? and that conceive their ordination is not de jure divino , grounded and founded on the Scriptures , and thence deduced by necessary evident and undeniable illation ? if any such there be , hee is one of yours , Travers , and Cartwright , and the rest of your Predecessours ; men never owned for hers by the Church of England . Of whom wee may affirme , what the historian saith of the Athenians , when besieged by Sylla , animos extra moenia , corpora necessitati servientes intra muros habuerunt . Geneva had their hearts , we their bodies onely . I hope you doe not here expect that I should show you what precedencie or superioritie our Saviour gave the twelve Apostles , before and over all the Seaventie : or how the Apostles in their owne persons exercised authority over other Pastors ; or how they setled severall Bishops in convenient places , as Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Crete , with power of ordination , Tit. 1.5 . and power of Ecclesiasticall censure , 1 Tim. 5.19 . or finally what successours they left behind them , in those particular Sees where they most resided . This were but actum agere , to sing our old songs over , as you use to doe : and therefore I referre you to the writings of those worthies before remembred , our Divines indeed . Nor had I said thus much , but to let you see , that neither the claime is new , devised but yesterday ; nor by all our Divines disclaimed since the reformation : both which with shame enough you are bold to say . The next thing that offends you , and you clamour of , is that they claime a visible and perpetuall succession , downe from S. Peter to Pope Gregory , from him by Austin the Monke , first Arch Bishop of Canterbury , unto his Grace now being , and Sic de coeteris . For by this meanes , you say , they make themselves the very limbes of the Pope , the true-bred sonnes of the Roman Antichrist : and consequently our Church a member of that Romish Synagogue . Who would have thought but this had pleased you . For if the Bishops bee the sonnes of the Roman Antichrist , and the Church a member of the Romish Synagogue ; then are you acquitted : and all your clamours , raylings , and opposition , aswell against the one , as the other , may be fairely justified . But let your inference alone till another time , what is it that you quarrell in the ground thereof . Is it that Saint Peter was at Rome , or was Bishop there , ( whether for 25. yeares as Eusebius tell 's us , we will not dispute ) you may remember it is granted , or rather not denyed by Calvin . HOwever his minde served him to have made a question of it ; yet , propter Scriptorum consensum non pugno , the evidence was so strong hee could not deny it . Is it that Gregory Pope of Rome , sirnamed Magnus , after a long descent succeeded him ? The Tables of succession in the Church of Rome make that cleare enough : and Irenaeus brings downe the succession till his owne time ; during which time , the lineall succession in that Church , by reason of the many persecutions under which it suffered , might be made most questionable . That Gregory sent this Austin into England to convert the Saxons , and made him ( having before beene consecrated by the Archbishop of Arles ) the first Archbishop of the English ; is generally delivered by all our writers , from Venerable Bede to these present times ; as by those also which have writ the life of the sayd Pope Gregory . Finally that my Lord the Archbishop that now is , is lineally descended , in a most faire and constant tenour of succession you shall easily finde , if you consult the learned labours of Mr. Francis Mason , de ministerio , Ang●icano . The Papists would extremely thanke you , and thinke you borne into the world for their speciall comfort , could you but tell them how to disprove that lineall succession of our Prelates , which is there laid downe . A thing by them much studied , but conatu irrito : and never cast upon our Prelates , as a staine or scandall , that they could prove their Pedegree from the holy Apostles , till you found it out . Whatever you conceive hereof , you cannot choose but know , that the succession of the Prelates in the purest times , was used as an especiall argument against those Sects and heresies which were then on foote . And since you challenge Dr. Pocklington , for the succession of the Bishops in the Church of England , I will send you to him for three instances , which might have satisfied you in that point , if you will be satisfied : the first from Irenaeus , l. 3. cap. 3 , 4 , 5. the second from Tertullian , de praescript . cap. 11. and the last from S. Austin , contra Petil. l. 2. c. 51. In all of which it is apparant , ( and see them you must needs , being the occasion of his instance in the Church of England ) that the succession of the Bishops in their severall Churches , ita ut primus sit aliquis ex Apostolis , beginning their discent from some one or other of the holy Apostles , hath beene a speciall meanes to confound those hereticks , which tooke up armes against the Church , as some men doe now . Now for your instance , you pleade , that if this rule of succession hold , our Bishops are the true-bred sonnes of the Roman Antichrist ; and tell me then I pray you Sir , whose sonne are you , that had your ordination , and received your Ministrie from those Bishops which were so discended , you must needes be a limb of the Pope also ; like it as you list : But never feare it Sir , there is no such danger as you dreame of , either that any Priest or Prelate in the Church of England , should therefore bee a sonne of the Roman Antichrist ; or that the Church should be a member of that Romish Synagogue : because wee claime by and from them , a visible succession of and in the sacred Hierarchie . Wee may receive our orders from them and chalenge a succession by them , from the blessed Apostles ; and yet not bee partakers with them in their corruptions . When Hezekiah purged the temple , and set all things right , which had beene formerly amisse in the Iewish Church : thinke you that the High-Priests which followed after , thought it a shame to fetch their Pedegree from Aaron ? Or doe you finde it was objected against them that did , that because some of those from and by whom they claimed it , had misbehaved themselves in so great an office , and possibly advanced Idolatry in that tottering state , therefore all those that followed them and descended from them , were also guilty of the same crimes ? Or to come nearer to your selfe , thinke you your ministery the worse , because you did receive it from the hands of them , whom you accuse for true borne sonnes of the Roman Antichrist : and that your brethren in New England will not thinke themselves the purest and most perfect Church in the Christian world , although they once were members of that here established which they have forsaken . T' was not the purpose of those holy men in King Edwards time to make a new Church , but reforme the old ; and onely to pare off those superfluities , which had in tract of time beene added to Gods publicke service . In which regard , they kept on foote the Priesthood and Episcopate , which they had received ; with many of those rites and ceremonies to which they were before accustomed : not taking either new orders , or bringing in new fashions , never knowne before . If you have any other pedegree , as perhaps you have , from Wiclif , Hus , the Albigenses , and the rest which you use to boast of ; keepe it to your selfe . Non tali auxilio , the Church of England hath no neede of so poore a shift . Nor did shee ever think it fit , further to separate herselfe from the Church of Rome either in doctrine or ceremonie , then that Church had departed from herselfe , ( when shee was in her flourishing and best estate ) and from Christ her head . And so King Iames resolved it at Hampton Court. That which remaineth touching the poison which the spirit hatt ruleth in the aire , hath infused into the chaire of the Hierarchae ; and your distinction betweene nominall and reall grace , for which I make no question but you doe hugge your selfe in private : is not worth the answering . I shall produce your raylings , as I goe along , but not confute them : as knowing little credit to begotten by contending with you , and farre lesse by scolding . But where you seeme to be offended with the Bishops , ●hat they should stile themselves the Godly holy Fathers of the Church : I hope you know the title is not new nor first used by them . All ages , and all languages have so entituled them . The Gretians everused to stile them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the Latines , Reverendos in Christo Patres ; the English our Reverend fathers in God : all of them as of common course , you cannot but know it . As for that patch which followes after , viz. the Pillars of our faith ; and your conceit upon them both , of Caterpillers and stepfathers ; those you may heare amongst the scoffes , reviling , and reproachfull termes , which with a prodigall hand and a venemous penne , you cast upon them , every where , in your severall Pasquills ; to which now I hasten . To begin therefore where we left , for fathers you have made them Step-fathers ; for Pillars , Caterpillers ; their houses haunted , and their Episcopall chaires poysoned by that spirit , that bear's rule in the ayre . These we have told you of before goe on then . They are the limbs of the beast , even of Antichrist , taking his very courses to beare and beate downe the hearing of the Word of God , whereby men might bee saved , p. 12. Their feare is more towards an Altar of their owne invention , towards an image or crucifixe , towards the sound and syllables of Iesus , than towards the Lord Christ. Pag. 15. Miscreants , 28. the traines and wiles of his [ the dragons ] dog-like , flattering tayle , pag. 30. New Babel-builders , 32. blind watchmen , dumbe doggs , plagues of soules , false prophets , ravening wolves , theeves and robbers of soules : which honorary attributes you bestow upon them from the Magdeburgians , pag. 48. Either for shame mend your manners , or never more imprison any man , for denying that title of succession , which you so bely by your unapostolicall practise . pag. 49. If the Prelats had any regard either to the honour of God , and of his word , or to the setled peace of the kingdome , as they have but little , as appeareth too palpably by their practises in disturbing and disordering all , pag. 63. The Prelates actions tend to corrupt the kings good peoples hearts , by casting into them feares and jealousies , and sinister opinions towards the king , as if he were the prime cause of all those grievances , which in his name they doe oppresse the kings good subjects withall , pag. 74. These factors for Antichrist , practise to divide kings from their subjects , and subjects from their kings , that so betweene both they may fairely erect Antichrists throne againe , pag. 75. Antichristian mushromes , pag. 83. They cannot be in quiet till res novas moliendo , they may set up Popery againe in her full equipage . 95. tooth and nayle for setting up of Popery againe , 66. trampling under their feete Christs kingdome , that they may set up Antichrists throne againe , p. 99. According to that spirit of Rome which breatheth in them , by which they are so strongly biassed to wheele about to their Roman Mistresse , pag. 108. the Prelates confederate with the Priests and Iesuits , for rearing up of that religion . pag. 140. by letting in a forraigne enemie , which these their practises and proceedings pretend and tend unto . pag. 75. The Prelates make the mother Cathedralls ( the adopted daughters of Rome ) their concubines whereon to beget a new bastard generation of sacrificing idolatrous Massepriests throughout the land , p. 163. Nothing can now stay them , but either they will breake all in peeces or their owne necke , p. 164. All this sir in your Pulpit-pasquill . So also in your Apologie , Iesuited Polypragmaticks , and sonnes of Belial : and in the newes from Ipswich , Luciferian Lord Bishops , Execrable traytors , devouring wolves , with many other odious names not fit to be used by Christians . Finally in your Pulpit libell , you seriously professe that you are ashamed that ever it should bee sayd , you have lived a minister under such a Prelacie , p. 49. Great pittie sir , you had not lived a little in king Edgars time , amongst whose Lawes it was ordeined , that that mans tongue should be cut out which did speake any slanderous or infamous words , tending to the reproach of others . Hitherto for the generalls . And there are some particulars , on which you spend your malice more than all the rest ; you descant trimmely , as you thinke , in the Newes from Ipswich , on my Lord of Canterbury , with your Arch-pietie , Arch-charitie , if Belzebub himselfe had beene Arch-Bishop , Arch-Agent for the devill , and such like to those . A most triumphant Arch indeed to adorne your victories . His costly and magnificent enterteinment of the king at Oxford , you cry out against in your sayd Pulpit libell , for a scurrilous enterlude , made in disgrace of that which is the greatest beauty of our religion , to wit true pietie , and learning ▪ and will him in this shrift to confesse , how unseemely it was for him , that pretendeth to succeed the Apostles , p. 49. You taxe a certaine speech of his as most audacious and presumptuous , setting his proud foote on the kings lawes , as once the Pope did on the Emperours necke p. 54. in marg . and tell him that the best Apologie hee can make , is that his tongue did runne before his wit , and that in the flames of his passion he had sacrificed his best reason and loyaltie . p. 55. You tell us also that the republishing of the booke [ for sports ] with some addition , was the first remarkable thing which was done presently after the Lord of Cant. did take possession of his Grace-shippe , pag. 59. that with his right hand hee is able to sweepe downe the third part of the starres in heaven , p. 121. Having a Papall infallibility of spirit , whereby as by a divine oracle , all questions in religion are finally determined pag. 132. However in your generall charges , I left you to runne riot , and disperse your follies , according as you would your selfe : yet now you are fallen on a particular , and a particular as eminent in vertue as hee is in place ; you may perhaps expect a particular answer . And lest your expectation should be frustrate , I will see you satisfied . First for your language such it is , as one may thence conjecture easily what foule heart it comes from . They that have pure hearts cannot possibly have so impure a mouth : for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , out of the abundance of the heart it is that the mouth speaketh . And though your rayling accusation doth deserve no other answere , than the Lord rebuke thee : yet I must tell you now , being thus put to it , that you are much mistaken in the man you drive at . And you had come more neere unto him , and the trueth it selfe , had you bestowed that character on him , which Possidonius gives you of S. Austin , viz. Profactibus & studiis favens erat , & exultans bononum omnium , indisciplinationem pie & sancte tolenans fratrum , ingemiscens que de iniquitatibus malorum , sive eorum qui intra ecclesiā , sive eorum qui extra ecclesiam constituti sunt , dominicis lucris semper gaudens , & damnis moerens , which may thus be Englished ; He was a favorer of learning a friend of goodnesse and good men , and suffered with great both patience and pietie , the inconformable aversenesse of his brethren from the publicke discipline , and grieved at the iniquitie of ill men , whether they were within the pale of the Church , or without the same ; as one that alwayes was affected with the successes of Gods Church , according as it gained , or lost , as it thrived or faded . This character if your malice will not suffer you to apply unto him , give me leave to doe it ; and disproove any of it if you can . And I will adde withall , though you grieve to heare it , that both for the sinceritie of his conversation , as a private man , and for the pietie of his endeavours as a publicke person , you would be shrewdly troubled to finde his equall in this Church , since the first reformation of religion in K. Edwards time . And for a witnesse hereunto I dare call your selfe ; who making all the search you could into him , and that with a malicious eye , which commonly is wont to spie the smallest errour ; you have not yet detected him of any personall default as a private man. And as for those particular charges which you lay unto him , as a publicke person , they are so poore ( more than the clamour that they make ) that they are hardly worth the answering ▪ Next for your charges , which that you may the better see , I meane to take them all as they lye in order , and speake as briefely to them , as you would desire . First for the enterteinment , of his Majestie at the universitie , tell me I pray you of all loves , how would you have contrived it better , had you beene master of the Ceremonies for that place and time ? Would you have had a sermon ? Why the king had one . Would you have fitted him with Academicall exercises ? there was as little want of that : Orations in the fields , the Church , the Colledges , the Convocation , and the Library . Would you have left out playes ? When did you ever know an Academicall enterteinment of the king without them . Would you have had the playes in Latine ? Consider that the Queene was a principall guest , and they were commanded to be in English . But sir conceale your griefe no longer . I know what t is that troubles you , and makes you call it scurrillous enterlude , and say that it was made in disgrace of pietie . All that offends you is , that Melancholico , a Puritan passion in one of the commedies , was in conclusion marryed to Concupiscentia ; In case you doe not like the wedding , why did you not come thither to forbid the banes . The Spartans used to shew their drunken slaves unto their children , the better to deterre them from so base a vice . And how know you but that the representing of that humour on the open stage , may let men see the follies of it , and so weane them from it . But however the person you so grossely abuse , could not possibly have leisure , farther than in the generall to command all things should be without offence , which he most carefully did . That which you next except against , is the audatious & presumptuous speech that you so much talke of . And what was that ? Assuredly no more , than that his Grace , then Bishop of London threatned your learned Counsell Mr. Prinne , to lay him by the heeles for his too much sawcinesse . Not as you say , ( and would have simple folke beleeve you ) for bringing a Prohibition from the Courts of law ; but for his insolent and irreverent behaviour intendring it unto the Court of the high Commission . Your selfe Mass . Burton are not called in question , for your preaching ; but for your factious and seditious preaching : nor was hee threatned because he tendred to the Court a Prohibition , but because he tendred it in such a malapert and ungracious manner . This makes a difference in the case . Had he behaved himselfe contra bonos more 's , before an Ordinary Iustice , he must have either found out suerties for his good behaviour ; or beene committed for his fault ; no remedy . And will you not allow the Court of high-Commission , or any Prelate in the same , as much if not a little more authority , then a common Iustice ? Perhaps you thinke , because Mass . Prinne is of a factious Tribunitian spirit ; he must be Sancrosanct and uncontrolable as the Tribunes were . When you can proove his calling to so high a place ; you may doe well to chalenge the prerogatives belonging to it . In the meane time suffer him to be taken up and censured as hee hath deserved . Next for his Majesties declaration about lawfull sports , you have no reason to charge that on my Lord Archbishop , as if it were a matter of his procuring : or if it were , to reckon it amongst his faults . His sacred Majesty treading in the steps of his royall Father , thought fit to suffer his good Subjects to enjoy that innocent freedome , which before they did ; in using moderate and lawfull recreations on the Sunday , after the divine and publicke Offices of the Church were ended , both for morning and evening ▪ and of the which , they had been more deprived in these latter dayes , then before they were . And it was more then time , perhaps , that somewhat should be done to represse your follies : who under a pretence of hindering recreations upon that day , had in some parts , put downe all feasts of dedications , of the Churches commonly called Wakes , which they which did it , did without all authority . A pious and a Princely Act , however you and such as you , traduce it every day in your scandalous pamphlets . Nor doth it more belong to a Christian King , to keepe the holy dayes by the Church established , whereof that is one , from being prophaned by labour , and unlawfull pleasures ; then to preserve them , quantum in ipsis est , at lest , from being overcome with Iudaisme or superstition . And you might see how some out of your principles came to have as much if not more of them Iew , then the Christian in them , about the time when the declaration came forth . All that my Lord the Archbishop had to doe therein , was to commit the publication of it to his suffragan Bishops according to his Maties . just will and pleasure : and if that be the thing you except against , your quarrell is not at his Act , but his obedience . Last of all , where you say , that with his right hand he is able to sweepe downe the third part of the starres in heaven ; and that hee hath a Papall infallibility of spirit , by which as by a Divine Oracle all questions in religion are finally determined : that onely is put in because you have a minde to charge on him those innovations , as you call them , that you complaine of in the Church . What innovations you have noted wee shall see hereafter ; when they will prove to be no other then a sicke mans dreame . I onely tell you now , that in all the Hierarchy , you could not possibly have pitched on one lesse liable and obnoxious to the accusation . For being vir antiquae fidei , and antiquissimi moris , take them both together : you may be sure he neither will nor can doe any thing that tends to innovation either in faith or discipline . In case your selfe and such as you , would suffer him in quiet , to restore this Church to its antient lustre ; and bring it unto that estate in which it was in Queene Elizabeths first time , before your predecessours in the faction had turned all decency and order out of the publicke service of Almighty God : I dare presume he would not trouble you nor them , by bringing in new ordinances of his owne devising . But this if he endeavour , as hee ought to doe , you charge him presently for an innovator : not that he innovates any thing in the antient formes of worship in this Church established , but that he labours to suppresse those innovations , which you and those of your discent have introduced into the same . But one may see by that which followes , that it is malice to his person , and no regard unto the Church , that makes you picke out him to beare so great a share in these impudent clamours . For where his grace had tooke great care for inhibiting the sale of bookes tending to Socinianisme ; and had therefore received thankes from the penne of a Iesuite , as your selfe informes us : that his most pious care is by you calumniated , for prohibiting of such bookes , as exalt the sole authority of Scripture for the onely rule of faith , p. 153. I see Socinus and his followers are beholding to you for your good opinion : and so you may cry downe the Prelates , you care not how you doe advance the reputation of such desperate heretickes . But it is now with him , and the other Prelates , as heretofore it was with the Primitive Christians . Tanti non est bonum , quanti est odium Christianorum , as Tertullian hath it . Nor stay you here . Other particulars there are which you have a fling at . You tell us of my Lord of Ely , whose bookes you are not fit to carry , that if he undertake an answer unto your doughty dialogue betweene A. and B. Surely he will sacrifice all the remainder of his reason ( if any be left in him ) upon it . Why so ? For you are sure he can neuer answer it , except with rayling and perverting , wherein lyeth his principall faculty , ( your owne you meane ) in fighting against the truth , &c. p. 127. Of my Lord Bishop of Chichester you give this Item , that it were strange if such a mystery of iniquity ( as you there complaine of ) should be found in any but a Prelate , and in this one by name , for a tryed champion of Rome , and so devout a votary to his Queene of Heaven , p. 126. My Lord of Norwich is entituled in the Newes from Ipswich , by the name of little Pope Regulus , most exceeding prettily . And finally you tell us of those Bishops that attend the Court whom you include un●er the name of Amasiahs ; as did your learned Counsell in his Histrio-Mastix : that there 's not any thing more common in their mouthes then declamations against the good Ministers of the land , the Kings most loyall , dutifull , faithfull , obedient , peaceable subjects ; whom they accuse , you say , as factious , seditious , and turbulent persons , dissaffected to present government , enemies of the Kings prerogative , and what not . p. 48.49 . So you , but were it any thing materiall , I could tell you otherwise , and make it manifest both to you and all the world , that those whom you traduce most fouly , and against whom your stomacke riseth in so vile a manner ; are such who both for their endeavours for this Churches honour , fidelity unto the service of the King , and full abilities in learning , have had no equals in this Church , since the Reformation . This could I doe , if I conceived it proper to this place and time ; and that I did not call to minde what Velleius taught me , viz. Vivorum ut magna admiratio , ita censura est difficilis . Nor doe you onely breath out malice , but you threaten ruine , you conjure all the kingdome to rise up against them , and magnifie those disobedient spirits , which hitherto have stood it out in defiance of them : and seeme content , in case their lives might runne an hazard , to foregoe your owne . For likening them unto the builders of the Tower of Babel , p. 32. you doe thus proceede . But as then so now , the Lord is able by an uncouth way , which they never dreamed of , to confound them and their worke , to their eternall infamy . Even so O Lord. p. 33. And more then so , you tell us also by what meanes it shall come to passe , viz. that it shall rise , as it were from beneath them , whereas their height seemes to secure them from all danger , as trampling all things under feete , &c. yet by that which seemeth to them most contemptible , shall they fall from that which is below them , shall their calamity arise , p. 97. However to make all things sure , you stirre both heaven and earth against them . You let the nobility to understand , that if we sit downe thus and hide us under the hatches , whilest the Romish Pirats doe surprize us and cut our throates , &c. What Volumes will be sufficient to chronicle to posterity , the basenesse of degenerous English spirits , become so unchristianized , as to set up antichrist above Christ and his annointed , and to suffer our selves to be cheated and nose-wiped , of our religion , lawes , liberties , and all our glories , and that by a sort of bold Romish mountebankes and juglers , p. 20. What then advise you to be done ? that in the name of Christ they rouze up their noble and christian zeale , and magnanimous courage for the truth , and now sticke close to God and the King , in helping the Lord and his annointed against the mighty . p. 23. In your addresse unto the Iudges , you conjure them thus . For Gods sake therefore , sith his Majesty hath committed unto you the sword of Iustice , draw it forth to defend the lawes against such innovators , who ( as much as in them lieth ) divide betweene the King and the people . p. 31. In that from Ipswich , you and your brethren in that , made it call out upon the nation generally , saying , O England , England , if ever thou wilt bee free from Pests , and Iudgements , take notice of these thy Antichristian prelates desperate practises , innovations , and Popish designes , to bewaile , oppose , redresse them , with all thy force and power . Then those of the better sort , O all you English Courtiers , Nobles , and others , who have any love or sparke of religion , piety , zeale , any tendernesse of his Majesties honour or care for the Churches , Peoples , or the Kingdomes safety , yet remaining within your generous brests , put to your helping hands and prayers to rescue our religion & faithfull Ministers now suspended , from the jawes of these devouring wolves , and tyrannizing Lordly Prelates , &c. All sorts of people thus implored to promote the cause , you labour to perswade the King , in your Epistle Dedicatory , before the Pasquill , how deepely he is ingaged to close with God and his good subjects , against all these innovators , and disturbers of the peace , and distracters of the vnity of his kingdome , especially considering whose Vice-gerent he is , and before whose woefull Tribunall hee must give a strict accompt , how hee hath mannaged so weighty a charge ; in the Epistle to your Apologie . Finally in your Pasquill , p. 141. You tell us how it doth concerne our gracious Soveraigne , our Nobles and Magistrates of the land , to strengthen their hands with judgement and justice , to cut of these workers of iniquity , and to roote them out of the confines and limits of the Kingdome , &c. applying so to them a passage in the booke of prayers , for the Gunpowder day , intended by the Church against all such as are so treacherously affected , as those traytors were . Here is enough , a man would thinke , to effect the businesse ; yet this is not all . For should there come a Parliament , you would adventure your owne life , to make sure worke on 't . Assuring us , that if it were a law in England , as once amongst the Locrians , that whosoever would propound a new law , should come with an halter about his necke , that if it pleased not the Senate , the hangman was ready to doe his office ; and that if opportunity served , you would come with an halter about your necke with this proposition , that it would please the great Senate of this land to take into their sad consideration , whether upon such woefull experience , it were not both more honorable to the King , and more safe for his kingdome &c. That the Lordly prelacy were turned into such a godly government , as might suite better with Gods word , and Christs sweet yoke . p. 109.110 . Nay so transcendent is your malice , that you propose a speedy execution of them as the only remedy to divert Gods judgements , for thus you state the question in the newes from Ipswich . Is , it not then high time for his Majesty to hang up such Arch traytors to our faith , Church , Religion , and such true-bred sonnes of the Romane Antichrist ? And anon after more expressely . Certainely till his Majesty shall see these purgations rectified , superstition and idolatry removed , &c. and hang up some of these Romish Prelates and inquisitors before the Lord , as the Gibeonites once did the seaven sonnes of Saul , wee can never hope to abate any of Gods Plagues , &c. And to the same effect , in your addresse to the nobility , All the world feele in what a distracted state things do stand , what a cloud of divine displeasure hangs over us , how ill wee thrive in our affaires , &c. Certainely if such be suffred to goe on thus as they doe , God must needes destroy us . p. 24. Finally , that you may seeme to shew some compassion on them , before the executioner doe his office , you thus invite them to repentance . Certainely hell enlargeth her selfe for you , and your damnation sleepeth not , if you speedily repent not , p. 81. Of your Pulpit-libell . Hanging , and hell , and all too little to appease your malice : which is advanced so high , that no chastizement of their persons , but an utter abolition of the calling , will in fine content you . You may remember what you preached once at a fast in London . Where pleading for reformation under Ioshua's removall of the accursed thing , you told the people , that the maine thing to be removed was that damnable Hierarchy of Bishops who made no matter of sincking Church and State , so they might swimme in honours and worldly wealth . This is the thing you aime at , and so greatly long for : which to effect , you care not what strange course you run , so you may effect it . Scelus omne nefasque hac mercede placent . Thus have I briefely summed together those most uncharitable and unchristian passages , which every where occurre , dispersed and scattered in your Pamphlets . And having summed them up , dare make a chalenge unto all the world , to shew me if they can , such a rayling Rabsakeh , so sanguinarian a spirit , so pestilentiall a disease in a Christian Church . All the marre-Prelates , and make-bates of the former times , with those which have succeeded since , though Masters in this art of mischiefe , come so short of this , that I perswade my selfe you doe condemne them in you heart , as poore spirited fellowes , in whom there is too much of that Christian prudence which you so deride . p. 28. But I forget my first intent , which was to muster up your raylings , and produce them onely ; but not to quit you with the like : though should I use you in your kinde , and lay the whip on the fooles back , it were a very easie errour , and such as possibly might receive a faire construction . Nam cujus temperantiae fuerit de Antonio querentem , abstinere maledictis . To speake of such a thing as you , and not flie out a little , were a kind of dulnesse . Yet I shall hold my hand a while , until we meete againe at the halfe turne , where possibly I may be bold to tell you more of my opinion . Meane time , I hope you doe not thinke , that all this barking at the Moone , will make her either hide her head , or chang her course : or that by all this noise and clamor you can attract , the Nobles , Iudges , Courtiers , or any other to take part with you ; and follow those most desperate counsels which you lay before them . The world is growne too well acquainted with these dotages , to be moved much at them . Nor could my Lords the Bishops but expect before hand , what censures would be passed upon them by such tongues as yours ; if once they went about to suppresse your follies , and to reduce the Church to that decent order , from which your selfe and your accomplices have so strangely wandered : Howsoever their great care deserve better recompense ; yet was it very proper you should doe your kinde : and they may count it for an honour , that such a one as your selfe , hath declaimed against them . Reg●um est cum bene feceris male audire . And it is very well observed by our incomparable Hooker , to be the lot of all that deale in publicke affaires whether of Church or Commonwealth , that what men list to surmise of their doings , be it good or ill , they must before hand patiently arme their mindes to endure . Besides being placed on high , as a watch-tower , they know full well how many an envious eie will be cast upon them : especially amongst such men as brother B. to whom great eminences are farre more dreadfull then great vices , and a good name as dangerous as a bad . Sinistra erga eminentes interpretatio , nec minus periculum ex magna fama , quam ex mala . And herein they may comfort and rejoyce their hearts , that whatsoever sinister and malicious censures are now passed upon them ; yet there will one day come a time , in which all hearts shall be open , all desires made knowne , and when no counsels shall be hid : and then the Lord shall make it knowne , who were indeed on his side , and who against him . In the meane time , suspence of censure and exercise of charity , were farre more sit and seemely for a Christian man ; then the pursuite of those uncharitable and most impious courses , whereby you goe about to bring the Church of God and the Rulers of it , into discredit and contempt . I know assuredly , how gloriously soever you conceive of your owne deere selfe , that you are no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , no searcher of the heart , nor no discerner of the spirits . And therefore I am bold to tell you what I have learned from Venerable Bede , viz. ut ea facta , quae dubium est quo animo fiant , in meliorem partem interpretemur , that all mens actions , whereof we know not the intent , should be interpreted to the better . How much the rather should this rule be in use amongst us in points of counsell : the hearts of Kings ( for he hath had his share in the declamation ) being unsearchable in themselves , and unseene to us ; the resolutions of the Church , grounded on just and weighty reasons , being to be obeyed , and not disputed , much lesse rashly censured . This counsell , if it come too late to you , may yet come soone enough to others ; and to them I leave it . CHAP. V. An Answer to the quarrells of H. B. against the Bishops , in reference to their Iurisdiction , and Episcopall government . H.B. endites the Bishops in a Premunire for exercising such a jurisdiction , as is not warrantable by the Lawes . The Bishops not in danger of any Statute made by King Henry the eight . The true intention of the Statute , 1. Eliz. c. 1. The Court of High-Commission in the same established . The Statute 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. on what ground enacted : repealed by Qu. Mary , and so still continueth . The use of excommunication taken away by that statute of King Edward . A finall answer to the cavills about the exercise of Episcopall jurisdiction . Why H. B. and the Brethren doe seeme to pleade so hard for the Kings supremacie ; the Bishops chalenged for oppressing the Kings leige people ; the Iudges , for not sending out their Prohibitions to reteine them . H. B. the onely Clergie man that stands for Prohibitions . King Iames his order in that case . The quality of their offence , who are suspended by their ordinaries , for not publishing the book for sports . The Bishops charged with persecuting Gods faithfull Ministers , and how deservedly . HAving made knowne your good affections , unto the calling and the persons ; we must now see what you have to say against the proceedings of the Bishops , in their place and calling . For sure you would not have it thought , that you have lifted up your voyce so like a Trumpet , to startle and awaken the drowzie world ; and that there was no cause to provoke you to it . No , there was cause enough you say , such as no pure and pious soule could endure with patience ; their whole behaviour both in the consistory and the Church being so unwarrantable . For in their consistory they usurpe a power peculiar to the supreme majestie , and grievously oppresse the subject against law and conscience : and ●n the Church , they have indeavoured to erect a throne for Antichrist , obtruded on it many a dangerous innovation , and furiously persecuted the Lords faithfull servants for not submitting thereun●o . Therefore no wonder to be made , if being called forth by Christ , who hath found you faithfull , to stand in his cause , and witnesse it unto the world ; you persecute the Prelacie with fire and halter , and charge them with those usurpations , oppressions , innovations and persecutions , which you have brought in readinesse to make good against them ; hoping in very little time to see their honour in the dust , and the whole government of the Church committed to the holy Elders , whereof you are chiefe . In case you cannot prove what you undertake , you are contented to submit to the old Law amongst the Locrians , & let the Executioner do his office . I take you at your word , and expect your evidence : first that the Prelates have usurped a power peculiar to his sacred Majestie , which is the first part of your charge . How prove you that . Marry say you , because of sundry statutes , as in King Henry the eight , King Edward the sixt , and Queene Elizabeths time , which doe annex all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction unto the Crowne of England ; so as no Prelate or other person hath any power to visit Ecclesiasticall persons , &c. but he must have it immediatly from the King , and confirmed by Letters Patents under the great Seale of England , pag. 68. So farre the tenor of the Law , if you tell us true ; or rather if your learned Counsell rightly informed Dr. Bastwicke in it , from whose mouth you tooke it . Now for the practise of our Prelates , you tell us that they neither have at any time , nor never sought to have any the Kings Letters patents under the great Seale of England , for their keeping Courts and Visitations . But doe all in their owne names , and under their owne Seales , contrary to the Law in that behalfe , pag. 69. There be your Major and your Minor. The conclusion followes . So as being a power not derived from the King , as the immediate fountaine of it , it proves to bee at least a branch of that forreine power altogether excluded in the Statute , 1. Eliz. c. 1. And it is flatly against the oath of supremacie in the same statute which all Prelates take , wherein they professe and promise faith and true allegiance to the Queenes highnesse , her heires and lawfull successors , and to their power to defend all jurisdictions , priviledges , &c. granted to the Queenes highnesse , her heires , &c. p. 70.71 . In fine you bring them all in a premunire , & leave them to the learned in the law : of which if you were one , or that your learned Counsell might sit Iudge , to decide the controversie ; Lord have mercy upon them . For answer hereunto wee would faine know of you , where it is said , what Law , what Statute so resolves it , that no Prelate or other person hath any power to visit Ecclesiasticall persons , &c. but he must have it immediatly from the King and confirmed by Letters patents under the great Seale of England . None of the Acts of Parliament made by King Henry the eight , King Edward the sixt or Queene Elizabeth , speake one word that way . The act of the Submission of the Clergie , 25. Hen. 8. cap. 19. on which your fond conceipt is grounded , if it hath any ground at all , saith not as you would have it say , the Clergie shall not put in ure , &c. any constitutions , of what sort soever , without the Kings royall assent , and authority in that behalfe : but that without the Kings royall assent and authority in that behalfe first had , they should not enact or put in ure any new Canons , by them made in their Convocations , as they had done formerly . This law observed still by the Clergy to this very day , not meeting in their Convocation , untill they are assembled by his Majesties writ , directed to the Archbishop of either Province ; nor when assembled , treating of or making any Canons , without the Kings leave first obteined ; nor putting any of them in execution , before they are confirmed by his sacred Majestie under the broad Seale of England . Is there no difference gentle brother , betweene enacting new Canons at their owne discretion ; and executing those which custome and long continuance of time have confirmed and ratified . If you should bee so simple as so to thinke ( as I have no great confidence either in your law or wisedome ) you may be pleased to understand , that by the very selfe same statute , All Canons which be not contrariant nor repugnant to the Lawes , statutes and customes of the Realme , nor to the damage or hurt of the Kings prerogative Royall , shall be now still executed and used as they were before the making of that act , till the said Canons should be viewed by the 32. Commissioners in the same appointed , which not being done , as yet , ( although the said Commission was revived by Parliament 3 , 4. to Edw. 6. c. 11. ) all the old Canons quallified as before is said , are still in force . So that for exercise of any Episcopall jurisdiction , founded upon the said old Canons , or any of the new which have beene since confirmed by the King or his predecessours : there 's no necessity of speciall Letters Patents under the broad Seale of England , as you faine would have it . There was another Statute of King Henry the eight concerning the Kings highnesse to bee the supreame head of the Church of England , and to have authority to reforme all errors , heresies and abuses in the same . But whatsoever power was therein declared , as due and proper to the King , is not now materiall : the whole act being repealed A. 1. & 2. Ph. and M. c. 8. and not restored in the reviver of Qu. Eliz. 1. Eliz. c. 1. in which you instance in your Margin . [ Nor can you finde much comfort by that Statute , 1. Eliz c. 1. wherein you instance , if you consider it , and the intention of the same , as you ought to doe . You may conjecture by the title of it , what the meaning is ; For it 's intituled , An act restoring to the Crowne the antient jurisdiction over the state Ecclesiasticall and spirituall , and abolishing all forreine power repugnant to the same . The preamble unto the act makes it yet more plaine . Where it is sayd that in the time of King Henry the eight , divers good Lawes , and Statutes were made and established , aswell for the utter extinguishment and putting away of all usurped and forreine powers and authorities out of this Realme , &c. as also for the restoring and uniting to the imperiall Crowne thereof the antient jurisdictions , authorities , superiorities and preheminences to the same of right belonging and apperteining : by meanes whereof the subjects were disburdened of divers great and intollerable charges and exactions before that time unlawfully taken and exacted by such forreine power and authority , as before that was usurped . Which makes it manifest that there was no intent in the Queene or Parliament , to alter any thing in the ordinary power Episcopall , which was then and had long before beene here established : but to extinguish that usurped and forreine power , which had before beene chalenged by the See of Rome , and was so burdensome unto the subject . The body of the Act is most plaine of all . For presently on the abolishment of all forreine power and jurisdiction , spirituall and Ecclesiasticall , heretofore used within this Realme , there followeth a declaration of all such jurisdictions , &c. as by any spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power and authority hath heretofore or may lawfully be exercised or used for the visitation of the Ecclesiasticall state and persons , and for reformation , order and correction of the same , and of all manner errours , heresies , schismes , &c. to bee for ever united and annexed to the imperiall crowne of this Realme . Then in the next words followeth the establishment of the High Commission : it being then and there enacted that the Queenes highnesse , her heires and successours , shall have full power and authority by vertue of the said act , by letters Patents under the great Seale of England , to assigne , name and authorise , &c. such person or persons being naturall borne subjects to her highnesse , her heires and successours , as her Majestie shall thinke meete to exercise , use , occupie and execute under her highnesse , her heires and successours , all manner of Iurisdictions , priviledges , and preheminences within these her Realmes of England , &c. and to visit , reforme , order , redresse , correct and amend all such errours , heresies , schismes , abuses , offences ; contempts & enormities whatsoever , which by any manner Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power , authority or jurisdiction , can or may be lawfully reformed , &c. Plainely in all this act there is nothing contrary to that ordinary jurisdiction , which is and hath beene claimed and exercised by Episcopall authority , in the Church of England : nothing at all which doth concerne the purchasing or procuring of Letters Patents , for their keeping Courts , and Visitations ; as you seduced by your learned Counsaile , beare the world in hand . My reason is , because whatever jurisdiction was here declared to be annexed unto the crowne , is called a restoring of the antient jurisdiction unto the same : and certainely , the ordinary Episcopall power , of ordination , excommunication , and such like Ecclesiasticall censures , were never in the crowne in fact , nor of right could be : and therefore could not be restored . And secondly because whatever power is here declared to be in the Queene , her heires and uccessours ; shee is inabled to transferre upon such Commissioners , as shee or they shall authorise under the great Seale of England , for execution of the same . Now we know well that there is no authority in the high Commission ( which is established on this clause ) derogating from the ordinary Episcopall power ; and therefore there was none supposed in the act it selfe , to be invested in the Queene : the said Episcopall authority remaining as it did , and standing on the selfe same grounds as it had done formerly . Which said , the last part of the Argument touching the oath of supremacie , taken and to be taken by every Bishop , that 's already answered in the Premisses : the said oath being onely framed , for the abolishment of all forreine and extraordinary power ; not for the altering of the ordinary and domesticall jurisdiction , if I so may call it , in this Church established . I hope the Prelates are now out of danger of the Premunire , which you threatned them ; though you not out of danger of the Locrian law : And if K. Edward the 6. helpe you not , I know no remedie , but that according to your owne conditions , the executioner may be sent for to doe his office . Now for K. Edward the 6. the case stood thus . King Edward being a Minor about nine yeares old , at his first comming to the crowne ; there was much heaving at the Church , by some great men which were about him , who purposed to inrich themselves with the spoyles thereof . For the effecting of which purpose it was thought expedient , to lessen the authoritie of those Bishops which were then in place ; and make all those that were to come , the more obnoxious to the Court ; upon this ground there passed a statute 1 0 of this King consisting of two principall branches : whereof the first tooke off all manner of elections , and writs of Conge d'peslier , formerly in use ; the other did if not take off , yet very much abate the edge of Ecclesiasticall censures . In the first branch it was enacted , that from thenceforth no writ of Conge d' peslier be granted , nor election of any Archbishop or Bishop , by Deane and Chapter made ; but that the king may by his letters Patents at all times , when any Arch-bishopricke or Bishopricke is voyde , conferre the same on any whom the king shall thinke meete . The second clause concerned the manner of proceeding from that time to be used in spirituall courts , viz. that all summons , Citations , and other processe Ecclesiasticall in all suites and causes of instance , and all causes of correction , and all causes of bastardie , or bigamie , or de jure patronatus , Probates of Testaments and Commissions of administrations of persons deceased , &c. be made with in the name and with the stile of the king , as it is in writs Originall or Iudiciall at the Common Law , &c. As also that no manner of person or persons who hath the exercise of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction use other seale of jurisdiction but wherein his majesties Armes bee ingraven , &c. on penaltie of running in his Majesties displeasure and indignation , and suffering imprisonment at his will and pleasure . The reason of this order is thus delivered in the Preamble . To the second branch , viz. because that all authoritie of jurisdiction spirituall and temporall is derived and deducted from the kings Majestie , as supreame head of these Churches , and Realmes of England and Ireland , &c. and that all Courts Ecclesiasticall within the said two realmes , bee kept by no other power or authoritie , either forreine , or within the Realme , but by the authoritie of the kings most excellent Majestie . Which Act , with every branch and clause thereof was afterwards repealed , 1 of Queene Marie , cap. 2. and hath stood so repealed to this very time . For howsoever you pretend , and all your fellow libellers insist upon it , that the said statute was revived in the first yeare of K. Iames of blessed memorie , and therefore that you are yet safe from the Locrian law : yet this pretence will little helpe you . That their assertion or pretences , if examined rightly will proove to be a very poore surmise ; invented onely by such boutefeus as you and your Accomplices , to draw the Prelates into obloquy with the common people , and make your Proselytes beleeve that they usurpe a power peculiar to his sacred Majestie , it being positively delivered by my Lords the Iudges , with an unanimous consent , and so declared by my Lords chiefe Iustices in the Starre-chamber , the 14 of May now last past , that the sayd Act of Repeale 1 of Queene Mary , doth still stand in force , as unto that particular statute by you so much pressed ; your desperate clamours unto the contrary notwithstanding . Nor doth there want good reason why the said Statute of K. Edward was at first repealed , or why the said Repeale should bee still in force . For being it was enacted in that Statute that from thenceforth all Ecclesiasticall processe should bee made in the kings name and stile , not onely in all suites or causes of instance , bastardy , bigamie , Probates of Testaments , &c. which have much in them of a civill , or a mixt nature at the lest ; but in all causes of correction also : it came to passe that excommunication , and other censures of the Church , which are spirituall meerely , & in no sort civill , were therby either quite abolished , or of none effect . And it continued so all King Edwards reigne , to the no small increase of vice , because it nourished a presumption of impunitie in the vicious person . This Father Latimer complaineth of in his sermon preached before that King at Westminster , Anno 1550. thus . Lecherie is used throughout England , and such Lechery as is used in none other place of the world . And yet it is made a matter of sport , a matter of nothing , a laughing matter and a trifle not to be passed on , nor reformed , &c. Well I trust it will one day be amended , &c. And here I will make a suite to your highnesse , to restore unto the Church the discipline of Christ , in excommunicating such as be notable offenders ; nor never devise any other way , For no man is able to devise any better way , than that God hath done ; with excommunication to put them from the congregation till they bee confounded . Therefore restore Christs discipline for excommunication . And that shall be a meane both to pacifie Gods wrath and indignation , and also that lesse abomination shall be used , than in times past hath beene , and is at this day . I speake this of a Conscience , and I meane to move it of a will to your Grace and your Realme . Bring into the Church of England open discipline of Excommunication , that open sinnes may be stricken withall . So farre Father Latimer . What thinke you sir of this ? See you not reason for it now , why your sayd Statute was repealed , and why the sayd repeale , should continue still . Put all that hath beene sayd together , and I can see no hopes you have to scape the penaltie of the Law by your selfe proposed ; but that you cry peccavi , and repent your follies . So farre in answere to your Cavils , ( for Arguments I cannot call them ) I have beene bold to justifie the proceedings of the Bishops , in their Courts Episcopall : wherein there is not any thing that they usurpe upon the King , or that authoritie which is inseparably annexed to the Regall diademe . For granting that all authority of jurisdiction spirituall is derived from the King , as supreme head of the Church of England ( although that title by that name , be not now assumed in the stile Imperiall ) and that all Courts Ecclesiasticall within this Realme be kept by no other authoritie , either forreine or within this Realme , but by authority of the kings most excellent majestie ; as is averred in the sayd Preamble of King Edwards statute : yet this if rightly understood , would never hurt the Bishops , or advantage you . But my reason is , because that whensoever the king grants out his Conge d' peslier for the election of a Bishop , and afterwards doth passe his royall assent to the said election , & send his Mandate to the Metropolitan for consecration of the party which is so elected : he doth withall conferre upon him , a power to exercise that jurisdiction , which by his consecration , done by the kings especiall Mandate , he hath atteined to . And this may also serve for answere to your other cavill ; but that Bishops may not hold their courts or visitations without letters Patents from the king . For were there such a law , ( as there is no such ) yet were the Prelates safe enough from your Praemunire : because the Royall assent to the election , and Mandat for the consecration , passing by broad seale , as the custome is ; inable them once consecrated to exercise what ever jurisdiction is by the Canon incident to Episcopall power . No neede of speciall letters Parents for every Act of jurisdiction , as you idly dreame . No more than if a man being made a Iustice of the Peace under the broad seale of England , and having tooke his oath as the law requires ; should neede for every speciall Act some speciall warrant ; or any other kinde of warrant than what was given him in the generall , when first made a Iustice . And yet I trow the King is the immediate fountaine also of all temporall power ; and no man dare execute authority , but from and by him . Touching his Majesties supremacie , more than in answere to your clamours , I shall say nothing at this present as neither of this place nor purpose . It is an Argument of great weight ; fit rather for a speciall treatise , than an occasionall replication . Only I will be bold to tell you , that if the kings supremacy were not more truely and sincerely , ( without any colour or dissimulation ) as the Canon hath it , defended by my Lords the Bishops , than by such as you : it would be at a losse ere long , and setled on the vestrie wherein you preside . For wot you what King Iames replied on the like occasion . When Dr. Reynolds in the Conference at Hampton Court , came in unseasonably once or twice with the Kings Supremacie . Dr. Reynolds quoth the King , you have often spoken for my supremacie : and it is well . But know you any here , or any elsewhere , who like of the present Government Ecclesiasticall , that finde fault or dislike with my supremacie ! And ( shortly after ) putting his hand unto his hat , his Matie sayd , My Lords the Bishops I may thanke you , that these men doe thus pleade for my Supremacie . They thinke they cannot make their party good against you , but by appealing unto it , as if you or some that adhere unto you , were not well affected towards it . But if once you were out and they in place , I know what would become of my supremacie . No Bishop , no King , as before I sayd . How like you this Mass . Burton , is not this your case ? Mutato nomine de ie fabula narratur . You plead indeed for the Kings supremacie ; but intend your owne . The next great crime you have to charge upon the Bishops , is that they doe oppresse the kings Leige people , against law and conscience . How so . Because , as you informe us , Prohibitions are not got so easily from the Courts of Iustice , as they have beene formerly : and being gotten , finde not such entertainement and obedience ▪ as before they did . This you conceive to be their fault : and charge them that by stopping the ordinary course of law , the Kings people are cut off from the benefit of the Kings good lawes : so as it is become very geason and a rare matter to obteine a Prohibition against their illegall practises , in vexing and oppressing the kings good subjects . Nay , they are growne so formidable of late , ( as if they were some new generation of Giants ) that the very motion of a Prohibition against a Prelate , or their proceedings in the high Commission , makes the Courts of Iustice startle ; so as good causes are lost , and Innocents condemned because none dare pleade and judge their cause according to the Kings Lawes , whereby wee ought all to be governed , p. 69.70 . My Masters of the Law , and my Lords the Iudges , will conne you little thankes for so soule a slander , greater then which cannot be laid on the profession , or the Courts of Iustice . What none dare pleade , nor none dare judge according to the Lawes ? So you say indeed . And more then so , in your addresse unto the Iudges . What meane's , say you , that difficulty of obtaining prohibitions now adayes , whereby the Kings innocent Subjects ( you are an innocent indeed , God helpe you ) should be relieved against their unjust molestations and oppressions in the Ecclesiastical Courts , and high Commission ? What meaneth that consternation of spirit among Lawyers , that few or none can be found to pleade a cause be it never so just , against an oppressing Prelate , and are either menaced or imprisoned if they doe . p. 29. Hoc est quod palles ? Is this the thing that so offends you , that prohibitions are restrained , or not sent out so frequently from the Courts of Law , as of late they were , to the diminishing if not annulling the authority of the Court Christian ? I trow you are the onely Clergie-man that complaines of this . Or if there be more such , they be such as you , who onely make a property of the civill Courts , by them to scape their censures in the Ecclesiasticall . Were you so innocent , as you would have us thinke , you rather should rejoyce for the Churches sake , that Prohibitions flie not out so thicke , as they have done formely , to the great oppression of the Clergie in their suites and businesses , especially in those which did concerne the Patrimony of the Church , their tithes . And if my Lords the Iudges , are with more difficulty mooved , to send abroad their Prohibitions , then were their predecessours in the place before them ; it is a pregnant evidence of their great love to justice : Nor can it but be counted an honour to them to leave every Court to that which is proper to it , and for the which it was established . And God forbid the Church should aske or doe any thing that should incroach upon them , or invade any of their rights . What doth this greeve your conscience also ? Good Sir consider with your selfe , what mischiefes Clergie-men were put to , when they could scarce commence a suite , but prohibitione cautio est ; a Prohibition was sent out , to stop the course of his proceedings , or if he had a sentence to reverse that also . Or if you will not trouble your selfe in thinking of it , will you be pleased to heare what our late Soveraigne King James hath observed therein . If ( saith he ) Prohibitions should rashly , and headily be granted , then no man is the more secure of his owne , though he hath gotten a sentence with him : for as good have no law or sentence , as to have no execution thereof . A poore Minister with much labor and expence , having exhausted his poore meanes , and being forced to forbeare his studie , and to become non-resident from his flocke , obtaines a sentence ; and then when he lookes to enjoy the fruites thereof , he is defrauded of all by a Prohibition : And so he is tortured like Tantalus , who when he hath his Apple at his mouth , & that he is gaping to receive it , then must it be pulled from him by a Prohibition , and hee not suffered to taste thereof . So farre the Royall Advocate hath pleaded the poore Clergies cause . And did he nothing as a Judge ? Yes , he declared it to be his Office , to make every Court containe himselfe within his own limits ; and thereupon admonished all other Courts , that they should be carefull , every of them , to containe themselves within the bounds of their owne jurisdictions ; the Courts of Common law , that they should not be so forward and prodigall in multiplying their Prohibitions . But you will say perhaps , that your exception lieth against the stopping of the course of Prohibitions , not so much , if at all , in reall , as in personall actions : and that you are offended only , because by this meanes the Kings Innocent Subjects , are not relieved ( as you and Mr. Prynne once were ) from the unjust oppressions of the Courts Ecclesiasticall , and High Commission . Why , what 's the matter ? There is , you tell us , a great persecution in the Church , and many a faithfull godly Minister , hath beene of late suspended from his ministery , and outed of his benefice , by the Prelates , in the Courts aforesaid : no remedy being to be had , as in former times from the Common Law. For as the common rumor goeth ( at least you make a rumour of it ) the course of Justice is stopped in these cases , there being none dares open his mouth to pleade a cause against the Prelates . So you in your addresse to my Lords the Judges . p. 29. For an example of the which , as well the persecution , as the want of Remedie , you instance in the Ministers of Surrey , who are suspended of their ministerie , and outed of their meanes and freeholds against all law and conscience : yet are so disheartned and over-awed that they dare not contend in law against their Prelate , [ the Lord Bishop of Winton ] for feare of further vexations , and are out of hope of any faire hearing in an ordinary legall way . p. 70. of your Pasquill . What want of remedie can you or they complaine of , if they have not sought it : or rather if their conscience tell them , and those with whom they have advised , advertise them , that in such cases as this is , the Judges cannot by the law , award a Prohibition , if they should desire it . Doe you conceive the case aright ? If not , I will take leave to tell you ; His Maiestie having published his Declaration about lawfull pastimes on the Sunday , gives order to his Bishops that publication thereof be made in all their severall diocesses , respectively . The Bishops hereupon appoint the Incumbent of every Church , to read the booke unto the people ; that so the people might the better take notice of it : and finding opposition to the said appointment ; made by some refractory persons , of your owne condition , presse them to the performance of it by vertue of that Canonicall obedience , which by their severall oathes they were bound to yeeld unto their Ordinaries : But seeing nothing but contempt , and contempt upon contempt , after much patience and long-suffering , and expectation of conformitie to their said appointment , some of the most pervers amongst them , have in some places , beene suspended , aswell a benificio as officio , for an example to the rest . No man deprived , or outed , as you say , of his meanes and livelihood , that I heare of yet ? This is the Case . Which being meerly Ecclesiasticall , as unto the ground , being a contempt of and against their Ordinarie ; and meerely Ecclesiasticall , as unto the Censure , which was suspension : I cannot see what remedie you can find for them amongst the Lawyers , but that which every man might give them , good and wholsome Counsaile . And call you this a persecution ? when a few refractarie persons are justly punished in a legall way , for their disobedience ? For howsoever they and you pretend , that the Command was contrary to the Law of God , and could not be performed with a safe conscience ; yet this was onely a pretence : their reading of the booke ( had the Contents thereof displeased them ) being no more an Argument of their approbation of any thing therein contained ; then when a Common Crier reades a Proclamation , which perhaps he likes not ▪ It must be therefore some Association had and made amongst them , to stand it out unto the last ; and put some baffle or affront on that authoritie which had imposed it . Such also is the persecution doubtlesse , which you so complaine of in the two whole Counties of Norfolke , and Suffolke , where in a very short space , ( as you say ) there hath beene the foulest havock of Ministers , and their flocks , &c. as ever our eyes have seene : there being already , as you tell us , 60 Ministers suspended , and betweene 60. and 80. more having had time given them till Christ-tide ( take head of Christmasse by all meanes , by which time , as you say , they must either bid their good conscience fare-well , or else their pretious Ministery , and necessary meanes . In all Queene Maries time , no such havock made , in so short a time , o● the faithfull Ministers of God , in any part of , yea , or in the whole land . p. 65. The same is also told us in the Newes from Ipswich . Nay , more then so , you tell us how one or two godly Ministers ( some of your Associates ) were threatned by Docter Corbet , Chancellor of that diocesse , with Pistolling and hanging , and I know not what ; because they had refused to read His Majesties Declaration about lawfull sports . In this you doe as shamefully belie the Chancellor , as you have done the Bishop in all the rest : of whose proceedings in that diocesse , I will present you with a short account , that you may see how grosly you abuse the world . And first , you may be pleased to know , that the Clergie of that Diocesse , comprehending all that are in spirituall dignitie or office , and all Parsons , Vicars , Curates and Schoole-masters ( taking in the Lecturers with all ) amount unto the number of 1500. or thereabouts . So that in case there had beene 60. of that Fifteene hundred suspended by the Bishop , as you say there were ; had this beene such a terrible persecution , as you give it out for ? But yet it is not so as you tell us neither . For at the beginning of November , when you Preached that Pasquil , of the Fifteene hundred , there were not twice fifteen , & that 's not halfe your number involved in any Ecclesiasticall censure of what sort soever ; and not above sixteene suspended . Sixtie and sixteene are alike in sound ; but very different in the number : and of those sixteene , eight were then absolved for a time of further triall to be taken of them ; and two did voluntarily resigne their places ; so that you have but six suspended absolutely , and persisting so . Now of the residue , there was one deprived , after notorious inconformitie for 12. yeeres together , and finall obstinacie after sundry severall monitions : eight excommunicated for not appearing at the Court , and foure inhibited from preaching ; of the which foure , one by his education , was a Draper , another was a Weaver , and the third was a Taylor . Where are the 60. now , that you so cry out of ? I have the rather given you this in the particulars , ( which were collected faithfully unto my hands , out of the Registerie of that Diocesse ) that you , and other men may see , your false and unjust clamours : the rather , because it was related to me by a friend of mine in Glocestershire , that it went current there amongst your Brethren , that your said 60. were suspended for no other cause , then for repeating the doxologie at the end of the Lords Prayer . So for your other number betweene 60. and 80. suspended upon day till Christmasse ( or Christide as you please to phrase it ) upon examination of the Registers , there appeare but eight ; and those not all suspended neither : two being Excommunicated for not appearing . Eighty and Eight doe come as neere in sound , as Sixtie and Sixteene before : but differ more a great deale in the Calculation . And so much for the grand persecution in the Diocesse of Norwich . How doe you find it pray you , in other places ? Why more or lesse say you over al the Kingdom . For you complaine as truly , but more generally , p. 27. that many Godly Ministers in these dayes , are most unjustly , illegally , yea , and incanonically also , in a most barbarous and furious manner , suspended , excommunicated , outed of their livings , and deprived of all livelihood and means to maintaine themselves . How just soever the cause be on the Prelates part , and that there be no other means to bring things to right , there where the Orders of the Church are so out of order , then by the exemplary punishment of the most pervers , to settle and reduce the rest : yet persecution it must be , if you please to call it so . Such Innocent people , as your selfe , that runne point-blanck against the Orders of the Church , cannot be censured and proceeded with in a legall way ; but instantly you cry out , a Persecution . But thus did your Fore-fathers in Queene Elizabeths time : et nil mirum est si patrizent filij . CHAP. VI. The foure first Innovations charged by H. B. upon the Bishops , most clearely proved to be no Innovations . Eight Innovations charged upon the Bishops by H. B. King James his order to young Students in Divinity made an Innovation in point of doctrine : the reason of the said order ; and that it was agreeable to the old Canons of this Church . Another Order of King James , seconded by his Majesty now being , with severall Bookes of private men made an Innovation of the Bishops . No difference betweene the Church of Rome and England in Fundamentalls . Private opinions of some men , made Innovations in point of doctrine . The Pope not Antichrist , for any thing resolved by the Church of England . The doctrine of Obedience and of the Sabbath , not altered , but revived , explained , and reduced to what it was of old . No Innovation made in point of discipline . A generall view of Innovations charged upon the Bishops in point of worship . Bowing at the Name of Jesus , praying towards the East , and adoration towards the Altar , no new Inventions ; not standing up at the holy Gospel . Crosse-worship falsely charged upon the Bishops . No Innovation made by the Bishops in the civill government . The dignity and authority of the High-Commission . AS is the persecution , such are the Innovations also , which you have charged upon the Bishops , both yours and so both false alike . Yet such a neat contriver are you , that you have made those Innovations which you dreame of , the cause of all that persecution which you so cry out of . For in your Pasquil , it is told us , that we may see or heare at the least , of o●d heaving and shoving to erect Altar-worship and Jesu-worship , and other inventions of men , and all , as is too plaine , to set up Popery againe ; and for not yeelding to these things ministers are suspended , excommunicated , &c. pag. 25 , And pag. 64. you ground the persecution ( as you call it ) in the Diocesse of Norwich , upon the violent and impetuous obtruding of new Rites and Ceremonies . monies . You call upon the Bishops by the name of Iesuiticall novell Doctors , to blush and be ashamed , and tell them that they doe suspend , excommunicate and persecute with all fury Gods faithfull ministers , and all because they will not , they may not , they dare not obey their wicked commands , which are repugnant to the lawes both of God and man. p. 81. If this be true , if those that bee thus dealt with bee Gods faithfull ministers , and the commands imposed upon them so wicked as you say they are , contrary to the lawes both of God and man : and tending so notoriously to set up Popery againe : you have the better end of the staffe , and will prevaile at last , no question . Meane while you have good cause , as you please to tell us , to comfort your selfe , and blesse the name of God , in that he hath not left himselfe without witnesse , but hath raised up many zealous and couragious champions of his truth , I meane faithfull ministers of his word , who chuse rather to lose all they have , then to submit and prostitute themselves to the wicked , unjust , and base commands of usurping & Antichristian mushromes : their very not yeilding in this battel being a present victory . p. 83 But on the other side , if the commands of the Superior be just and pious , agreeable to the orders of the Church , and all pure antiquity : then are your godly faithfull ministers no better then factious and schismaticall persons : and you your own deare self a seditious Boutefeiu , so to incourage and applaud them for standing out against authority . This we shall see the better , by looking on those Innovations , which as you say , The Prelates of later dayes have haled in by head and shoulders , being besides and against the law of the land , and much more the law of God. p. 111. These you reduce to these eight heads , viz. 1. Innovation in doctrine . 2. in discipline , 3. in the worship of God , 4. in the Civill government , 5. in the altering of bookes , 6. in the meanes of knowledge , 7. in the rule of faith , and 8. in the Rule of manners . It is a merry world , mean-while , when you and such as you , the Innovators and Novatians of the present times , complaine of other men for that very fault , of which your selves are onely guilty . Quis tulerit Gracchos ? But to goe with you point per point , what Innovations have you to complaine of in point of doctrine ? Marry , say you , There was an order procured from King Iames of famous memory to the Universities , that young Students should not reade our moderne learned writers , as Calvin ; Beza , and others of the reformed Churches , but the Fathers and School-men . p. 111. Quid hoc ad Ithycli boves ? What have the Bishops now alive to do with any act of King James his time : or how can this direction of that learned Prince bee brought within the compasse of Innovations in point of doctrine ? Directions to young Students how to order and dispose their studies , are no points of doctrine : nor doe I finde it in the Articles of the Church of England , that Calvin or Beza are 〈◊〉 bee preferred before Saint Austin or Aquinas . But doe you know the reason of the said direction ? or if you do not , will you learne ? Then I will tell you . There was one Knight a young Divine that preached about that time at Saint Peters in Oxford , and in his Sermon fell upon a dangerous point ( though such perhaps as you like well of ) viz. that the inferiour Magistrate had a lawfull power to order and correct the King if he did amisse : using this speech of Trajans unto the Captaine of his Guard , Accipe hunc gladium , quem pro me si bene imperavero distringes ; sin minus contra me . For this being called in question , both in the University and before the King , he layed the fault of all upon some late Divines of forraigne Churches , who had misguided him in that point : especially on Paraeus , who in his Comment on the Romans had so stated it , and in the which he found that saying of the Emperour Trajan . On this confession Paraeus Comment on that Epistle was publickly and solemnly burnt at Oxford , Cambridge , and Saint Pauls Crosse London : And shortly after came out that order of King James , prohibiting young ungrounded Students to beginne their studies in Divinity with such books as those , in whom there were such dangerous positions , tending so manifestly to Anarchy and disobedience : but that they should beginne with the holy Scriptures , so descendendo to the Fathers , and the School men , and by degrees to those Divines you so much magnifie . Wh●● hurt in this good sir , but that it seemes , you are possessed with your old feare , that by this means the Kings may come to have an unlimited power : and absolute obedience will be pressed more throughly on the subjects conscience . Besides , you cannot but well know that generally those divines of forraigne Churches are contrary in the point of discipline , unto the Hierarchy and rites of the Church of England : which some implicitely , and some explicitely , have opposed and quarrelled . Which as it is the onely reason why you would have them studied in the first place , that so young students might be seasoned with your Puritan principles : so might it be another motive , why by the Kings direction they should come in last ; that Students finding in the Fathers , Councels , and Ecclesiasticall historians , what was the true and ancient kinde of governement in the Church of Christ , might judge the better of the modernes when they came to reade them . Nor was this any new direction : neither it being ordered by the Canons of the yeere 1571. Cap. de Concionatoribus , that nothing should bee preached unto the people , but what was consonant unto the doctrine of the old and new Testament , quodque ex illa ipsâ doctrina Catholici Patres & veteres Episcopi collegerint , and had beene thence collected by the Orthodox Fathers , and ancient Bishops . As for your dealing with the Fathers , of whom you say as Virgil said of Ennius , that they which reade them must margaritas e Coeno legere , gather pearles out of the mud ; p. 112. that's but a tast of your good manners . Nor would you slight them so , I take it , but that the most of them were Bishops . But whatsoever you thinke of them , a wiser man then you hath told us , qui omnem Patribus adimit authoritatem , nullam relinquet sibi . Your second Innovation in point of doctrine , is so like the first ; that one would sweare they were of one mans observation : and that is the procuring of another order in King James his na●● inhibiting young Ministers to preach of the doctrines of election and reprobation , and that none but Bishops and Deanes should handle those points ? Good Sir what hurt in this ? Are those deepe mysteries of Gods secret Counsailes , fit argument for young unexperienced Preachers , wherein , calores juveniles excercere , to trie their manhood , and give the first assay of their abilities ? or call you this an Innovacion in point of doctrine , when as for ought you have to say , the doctrine in those points continued , as before it did : onely the handling of the same was limited and restrained to graver heads . The like complaint you make of his Majesties Declaration before the Articles , by meanes whereof you say , the doctrins of the Gospell must bee for ever husht and laied asleepe . p. 114. what Sir , are all the doctrines of the Gospel husht and laied asleepe , because you are inhibited to preach of predestination and that not absolutely neither , but that you may not wrest the Article in that point , as you were accustomed . This was the Devills plea to Eve , and from him you learnt it ; that God had said to our first father , hee should not eate of every or any tree in the Garden of Eden ; whereas he was restrained onely from the tree of knowledge of good and evill . But hereof wee have spoke alreadie , and referre you thither . Hitherto also you reduce the publishing of certaine bookes , most of the which were either answer'd , or called in : and therefore you have little reason to except against them . My Lord of Chichesters appeale , was , as you say , called 〈◊〉 by our gracious Soveraigne : and had not other men free leave to print and publish a discourse in answere to it ? The Historicall narration you disliked , and that was called in too , to please you . If Doctor Jacksons bookes , were as you falsly tell us , to maintaine Arminianisme ; I doubt not but you have in keeping , a booke invisible to any but to such as you , said to bee writ by Doctor Twisse , as much against his person , as against his argument . For Doctor Cosens Private Devotions , that still lieth heavy on your komacke , as not yet digested : though both your selfe and your learned Counsell disgorged your selves upon him in a furious manner . Brownes prayer before his Sermon if you are agrieved at , you may finde the verie clause verbatim in King Edwards first liturgie , Anno 1549. which in that verie act of Parliament , wherein the second was confirmed , is said to bee a very Godly order , agreeable to the word of God , and the Primitive Church . As for Franciscus a S. clara , being the book is writ in latine ; and printed in the parts beyond sea ; how can you charge the Bishops with it : for that it hath beene printed in London , and presented to the King by a Prelate , you dare not certainely affirme ; but speake it onely upon heere-say . p. 117. Or were it so , yet being written in the latine , it is meete for Schollers , and such as understand that language : not as your pamphlets are , proposed unto the common people , either to misinforme them , or to inflame them . As for the booke intituled the Female glorie , you finde not in it , that I see by your collections , any thing positively or dogmatically delivered , contrarie unto any point of doctrine established and received in the Church of England . Some swelling language there is in it , and some Apostrophes , I perceive by you , to the virgin Marie ; which if you take for Invocations , you mistake his meaning : who tells us plainly , as you cite him , p. 125. that the more wee ascribe unto her , setting Invocation apart , the more gracious wee appeare in our Saviours sight . No Innovation hitherto in point of Doctrine . From bookes set out by private men , proceed we to the opinions of some certaine Quidams , which you are displeased with : and were it so , as you report it , yet the opinions of some private men , prove not in my poore Logick an Innovation in the Doctrine by the Church delivered , though contrary unto the Doctrine so delivered . To make an Innovation in point of Doctrine , there must be an unanimous and general concurrence of minds and men , to set on foote the new , and desert the old : not the particular fancie of one private man. And yet I think , you will not find me out that particular man , that hath defended any thing contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England , and passed uncensured . Yes that you can , you say , for certaine . For a great Prelate in the High Commission Court , said openly at the censure of Dr. Bastwick , that wee and the Church of Rome , differ not in fundamentalibus , but circa fundamentalia : as also that the same had beene affirmed by one Choune . p. 122. Suppose this true , and how comes this to be an Innovation in the Doctrine of the Church of England . Hath the Church any where determined , that wee , and those of Rome doe differ in the Fundamentalls : if not , why doe you make this saying an Innovation in the Churches Doctrine . The Church indeed hath told us in the Nineteenth Article , that the Church of Rome hath erred , not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies , but also in matters of Faith : it hath not told us that that Church hath erred in Fundamentalls . The learned Junius could have told you that the Church of Rome is a true Church , quoad essentiam , according to the essence of a Church ; lib. de Eccl. cap. 7. and Dr. Whitakers , that there were many things in the Church of Rome ( Baptisme , the Ministery , and the Scriptures ) quae ad veram ecclesiam pertinent , which properly appertaine to a true Church ? An argument that neither of them thought that Church had erred in Fundamentalls . And certainly , if that confession of Saint Peter , Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God , Matth. 16. be that Rocke , on which the Church of Christ is founded ; as all our Protestant Divines affirme it is : the Church of Rome , doth hold as fast on that foundation , as you , or any Zealot of your acquaintance ; and hath done more against the Hereticks of this Age , in maintenance of the Divinitie of our Lord and Saviour , then you , or any one of your Divines , be hee who he will. But for the Church of Rome , that it is a true Church , and that wee doe not differ from them in fundamentalls , you may see further in a little booke called the Reconciler ( doe not you remember it , and the occasion of it too ? ) writ by the Bishop of Exeter , now being : and therein the opinion of some Bishops , to the selfe same purpose , and of some others also , learned men , whose judgement you preferre in other things more then any Bishops . Had you but throughly studied the Reconciler , as you should have done , you had not made this quarrell , perhaps none at all . As for the other opinions of more private men , that have offended you , you goe on , and say , that Justifi●ation by works was maintained in Cambridge , at the Commencement , not long agoe ; and that Shelfords booke will prove Justification by Charitie : as also , that the said Shelford , in that book , maintaineth that the Pope is not Antichrist , contrary , as you say , to the resolved Doctrines of our Church , in our Homilies , and else-where . p. 122. and 123. In answere to the first of which , I hope you doe not think in earnest , that whatsoever point is ventilated , and discussed in the Publike Schooles , is presently conceived to be a Doctrine of the Church : or that there hath beene nothing handled in those disputations , but what is agreeable thereto . Many things there , both are , and may be handled and propounded problematically , and argued Pro and Con , as the custom is ; as well for the discovery of the trueth , as the true issue of the question betweene the parties . And if you please to cast your eye upon those questions , which have beene heretofore disputed at those solemne times : how many will you find amongst them , and those of your owne speciall friends , in which the Church hath not determined : or not determined so , as they have then and there been stated , and yet no clamour raised about it . Nor doe you truely relate the businesse neither ; Thesis not being so proposed , as you informe us : Viz. That wee are Justified by Workes ; but onely that good Workes are effectually necessary to Salvation : so that the principall part of our justification , was by the Doctor , then and there , ascribed to faith ; workes only comming in , as effectuall meanes to our salvation . For Shelfords Booke , what ever is in that maintained , should as little trouble you , if he ascribe a speciall eminencie unto Charitie , in some certaine things ; it is no more then what was taught him by Saint Paul , who doth preferre it , as you cannot chuse but know , before Faith and Hope . Nor doth hee attribute our justification thereunto in any other sense , then what was taught him by Saint James . And here I purposed to have left you with these opinions of particular and private men , but that you tell us by the way , that by the Doctrine of our Church , in the Homilies and elsewhere , it is resolved that the Pope is Antichrist . Your else-where I am sure is no where , and that which you alledge from the booke of Homilies , is as good as nothing . The Second Homilie for Whitsunday , concludeth with a Prayer , that by the mighty power of the holy Ghost , the comfortable Doctrine of Christ may be truely preached , truely received , and truly followed in all places , to the beating down of sinne , death , the Pope , the Devill , and all the Kingdom of Antichrist . Can you conclude from hence , that by the Doctrin of the Church , the Pope is Antichrist ? the Devill assone . For they are put there as distinct things , the Pope , the Devill , and the kingdome of Antichrist : and being put downe as distinct , you have no reason to conclude that it is resolved by that Homilie , that the Pope is Antichrist . Nor doth the 6 Homilie of Rebellion , say the Pope is Antichrist . Though it saith somewhat of the Babylonicall beast of Rome . The whole clause is this . In King Johns time the Bishop of Rome understanding the bruite blindnesse , ignorance of Gods word , and superstition of Englishmen , and how much they were inclined to worship the Babylonicall beast of Rome , and to feare all his threatnings and causelesse curses , hee abused them thus , &c. Where certainely , the Babylonicall beast of Rome is not the same with the Bishop or Pope of Rome ; but rather the abused power of that then prevalent and predominant See. Or were it that the Pope is meant , yet not being spoken positively and dogmatically , that the Pope is , and is to be beleeved to be the Babylonicall beast of Rome ; it is no more to bee accounted for a doctrine of the Church of England , then that it was plaine Simony in the Prelates then to pay unto the Bishop of Rome great summes of mony for their Bulls , and conformations , as is there affirmed , I have yet one thing more to say unto you in this point . Saint John hath given it for a rule , that every spirit that confesseth not , that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh , is not of God , but is that Spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard &c. So that unlesse you can make good as I thinke you cannot , that the Pope of Rome confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh , you have no reason to conclude that hee is that Antichrist . Hitherto we have followed you to finde an innovation in point of doctrine ; and are yet to seeke : and if wee finde it not in the next two instances both wee and you have lost our labour . There you say somewhat doubtlesse , and charge the Bishop with two dangerous innovations ; one in the doctrine of obedience to superiors , the other in the doctrine of the Sabbath or Lords-day . These wee have met withall alreadie , and therefore shall say little here . Onely I would faine learne , for I know not yet , where that conditionall obedience which you onely like of , is delivered to us by the Church ; where there is any thing layed downe , for a publick doctrine , against that absolute obedience , which you so dislike , and reckon the inforcing of it , amongst the Innovations made in point of doctrine ! your brethren in the Conference at Hampton Court , put in a scruple , how farre an ordinance of the Church was to binde them , without impeaching of their Christian libertie : where at the King being much moved , answered , that it smelled very ranckely of Anabaptisme ; adding , I charge you never to speak more to that point , ( how farre you are bound to obey ? ) when the Church hath ordained it . What think you Sir. Heere is an absolute obedience preached to the Churches Ordinances . I hope you cannot tender lesse unto the Orders of the King. As for that other Innovation which you tell us of , about the doctrine of the Sabbath ; there is indeed a mighty alteration in it , I could wish there were not : but it was made by you and yours , who litle more then 40. yeeres agone , first broached these Sabbath-speculations in the Church of England ; which now you presse uppon her for her antient doctrine . This hath beene shewne at large elsewhere , and therefore I will say nothing now . But where you say , that for the maintenance of that change which you lay upon them , their novell Doctors , have strained the veines of their conscience no lesse then of their braines . p. 126. I am bold to tell you , that at the best you are a most uncharitable man , to judge the hearts of those , whose face you know not . For my part , I can speake for one , and take almighty God to witnesse that in the part committed to mee , I have dealt with all ingenuitie and sinceritie : and make this protestation before God and man , that if in all the scriptures , Fathers , Councells , moderne writers , or whatsoever monument of the Church , I met within so long a search , I had found any thing in favour of that doctrine , which you so approve ; I would not have concealed it , to the suppression of a truth , for all the world . How ever you accuse me , yet my conscience doth not . Delectat tamen conscientia quod estanimae pabulum , incredibili jucunditate perfusum , in Lactantius language . Your Innovations in the points of Doctrin being blowne to nothing , let us see next what is it that you have to say for the change of discipline ; the second Innovation which you charge upon my Lords the Bishops . And here you say , that where of old the censures of the Church were to be inflicted upon disordered and vicious persons , as drunkards adulterers , heretickes , Apostata's , false-teachers and the like : now the sharpe edge thereof is turned mainely against Gods people and Ministers , even for their vertue and pietie , and because they will not conforme to their impious orders p. 127. That Bishops sometimes turne the edge of their authoritie , on those who you entitle Gods ministers , and people , is as true , as necessarie : but that they turne it on them even for their pietie and vertue , is both false and scandalous . Iust so a Brother of yours , whom I spare to name , preached once at Oxford , that good and honest men were purposely excluded from preferments there , ob hoc ipsum quod pij , quod boni , onely because they were inclined to pietie and vertue . But Sir , those godly folke you speake of , are Godly onely in your eye , and in such as yours : and if the edge of authoritie be turned upon them , it is because they have too much of your spirit in them . The censures of the Church proceed no otherwise now then of old they did . Looke in the antient Canons , and you shall see with what severitie the Church of old did punish Schismaticks and Separatists : and tell mee if the Church now doth not deale more mercifully with you , then of old it did . And where you seeme to intimate , that now the censures of the Church are not inflicted as of old , upon disordered and vicious persons : that 's but your wonted art to traduce the Bishops and make them odious to your followers . For looke unto the Articles for the Metropolitan visitation , of my Lord of Canterbury Anno 1635. and for the visitation of my Lord of Norwich , Anno 1636. both which I am sure you have perused , or any of the rest which you meete next with . Looke on them well , and tell mee truely , if you can , whether there bee not speciall order for the presenting of all those vicious and disordered persons , of the kindes you mention : you could not choose but knowe this , having seene the Articles : and therefore doe belie them against your conscience . And so I leave you and this point of the Churches discipline : which if it bee not changed is no fault of yours , who have endeavored nothing more then to introduce a totall alteration of it . The third generall Innovation which you make complaint of , is in the worship of God , which ( as you tell us ) they goe about to turne inside outward , placing the true worship which is in Spirit and truth , in a Will worship of mans devising . p. 128. Particularly , in bowing to the name of Iesus , to the Communion table or rather Altar , praying with their faces towards the East , standing at the reading of the Gospell . As also reading their second service at the Altar , and the like . p. 129. You tell us also of their teaching , practising , and preaching new formes of worship , secundum usum Sarum , and setting them up againe in Churches , as Altar-worship , Iesu-worship , Image-worship , Crosse-worship , and the like : and make it a plaine evidence that they have no feare of God in them . p. 15· As also , what an old heaving and shoving there is , to erect Altar-worship and Iesu-worship , and other inventions of men ; and that the end thereof is to set up Popery againe . p. 25. The like you tell us also , p. 32. and make those rites you instance in , a degree to Popery . Rome , say you , was not built in one day . And Rome being about to be rebuilt in this Land cannot be done all at once , but it must be by degrees ; although the builders doe every day get ground , and the building goeth on a maine with incredible celority . Finally , that I presse you with no more particulars , you lay it home unto them , that all their actions tend to bring in the Masse ▪ p. 105. And thus you marshall the degrees . If , say you , our new refounders of Popery would set up the Masse-god in our Churches , they cannot effect it all at once . They must first downe with Tables , and up with Altars . For that cause all seates must downe at the end of the Chancell , that the Altar may stand close to the wall , because , as their Oracle saith ( Arch-Prelate of Canterbury , in the Margin ) none must sit above God Almightie . And if Ministers be so stiffe as not to yeeld to this Innovation , at least the table must be railed about that none touch it , as being more sacred then Pulpit , Pewe , or Font. Then some Adoration as lowly bowing , must be given to it . Then the second service , as dainties must be said there , as being more holy then the Readers Pewe . What then ? Surely a Priest is not farre off . But where is the sacrifice ? Stay a while , that service comes at last , and all these are preparations to it , tending to usher in the great God of the Host , so soone as it is well baked , and the peoples stomacks fitted to digest so hard a bit . I have layed downe this place at large , because it makes a full discovery of your malicious thoughts and imaginations : as also of your full intent to amate the people , and make them apt to any desperate attempt , which you may put them to when occasion serves . But these your wicked and uncharitable surmises will soone come to nought . For if it be made evident , that those particular Innovations wherewithall you charge them , are either falsely charged upon them , or no Innovations : then I presume , that any charitable Reader , will finde that your surmises proceeded onely from envy , hatred , malice , and all uncharitablenes , from which deliver us good Lord. That which you instance first in , is bowing to the name of Iesus : and where finde you that ? Who presseth you , or any els to bow unto the name of Iesus , suppose it written on a wall , or where else you will ? That , if it be an Innovation , is no mans but yours . The Church injoyneth us no such matter . For bowing at the name of Iesus , that 's no Innovation , made by the Prelates of these times : but injoyned in the Canon of the yeare 1603 , and there no otherwise enjoyned then it was before . For so the Canon hath appointed , that when in the time of divine service the Lord Iesus shall be mentioned , due and lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present , as it hath beene accustomed . Can. 8. No Innovation then good Sr. if so long since ordained by Canon ; and an old custome too before it . A custome certainely as old as the Reformation . For it is said expressely in the Queenes Injunctions , that whensoever the name of Iesus , shall be in any Lesson , Sermon , or otherwise in the Church pronounced , that due reverence be made of all persons young and old , with lownesse of curtesie , and uncovering of heads of the men-kinde , as thereunto doth necessarily belong , and hath beene accustomed . It 's almost fourescore yeares agoe , since that Injunction ; yet then it was an antient custome : and more then custome too , conceived a necessary duty . I could informe you what is said by B. Iewell in this point , did I conceiv't fit , to adde unto the publike order of the Church , the testimony of a private though a learned man. Yet if you please to looke , you shall see his judgment , in his reply to Harding . Art. 8. Sect. 1. So that you see , that Iesu-worship , as you call it , is no Innovation : or if it be , it is as old at least in the Church of England at the reformation . Higher we neede not goe for your satisfaction , in this or any other of these Innovations by you objected : such men as you are not regarding what hath beene done in the most pure & perfect times of the Chrstian Church ; but what was here observed and practised since the reformation , as before was said . Otherwise we could give you sufficient evidence of this and all the other antient usages , by you termed Innovations , in the Church of Christ , out of the Fathers , Councells , & other uncorrupted Monumēts of true antiquity . Your second instance is of bowing to the Communion table , or Altar rather , as you please to correct your selfe : and praying with the face towards the East . Here you have to it , as before ; but ther 's no such thing done , as to it . Towards it if you will , not to it , When you say Grace before the table , or said your prayers in the last conventicle you were at , at the bords end : I hope you prayed not to the table , nor said Grace to it . Neither doe they bow to the Altar , or Communion table , call it which you please , which bow towards it . It was an antient custome in the primitive times , as Tertullian notes in his Apologeticke , ad orientis regronem precari , to turne themselves unto the East when they said their prayers ; and hath continued so till this very time : most of our Churches , except some of late , being built accordingly . The Fathers tell you of it more then once or twice : but what care you or such as you for the holy Fathers . Had Calvin said as much , or Beza , then it had beene somewhat . The Fathers had their spots or naevi , and he that readeth them must margaritas e coeno legere , as you told us lately . Well Sir , upon this generall custome of praying towards the East came in that adoratio versus Altare , you complaine of , though not Altaris , as you charge it . When men first entred into the house of God , they used some lowly reverence to expresse or intimate that the place they stoode upon was holy ground : and because mē diduse to pray with their faces towards the East where the Altar stoode , they made their reverence that way also . Why should that offend you ? Old people use it still , both men and women ; though now it be interpreted as a curtesie made unto the Minister . If bowing towards the Communion table or before it be offensive to you , at the administration of the Sacrament : I would faine know upō what reasons , or why you stomack it , that men should use their greatest reverence in so great an action ? Thinke it you fit , the Priest should take into his hands the holy mysteries , without lowly reverence , or that it is an Innovation so to doe ? Then go to schoole to B. Iewell , and let him teach you . Harding makes mention of some gestures , which at that time the people used : as viz. standing up at the Gospell , and at the preface of the Masse , bowing themselves downe & adoring at the Sacrament ; kneeling at other times , as when mercy & p●rdon is humbly asked . What saith the Bishop unto this ? he alloweth them all kneeling saith he , bowing ( i. e. that kinde of bowing which Harding speakes of ) and standing up , and other like are commendable gestures and tokens of devotion , so long as the people understandeth what they meane , and applieth them unto God. If you looke higher into the use and practise of the primitive times , you cannot misse a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an honour to the Altar ; in Ignaltus ; a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a respect showne unto the holy table in Dionysius de Heir . cap. 2. as also an adgeniculationem aris Dei , a kneeling downe before Altars in Tertullians time ; besides what you may finde in St. Chrysostomes Liturgie to the selfe same purpose . No Innovation therefore , as you would have it , to bow before or towards the Communion table ; or to pray with our faces towards the East , whatsoever you tell us . On then good Sir , to the rest that follow , and first of standing up at the Gospell , and reading the second service at the Altar : what are they Innovations also ? For standing up at the Gospell , it was enjoyned expressely in the first Liturgy of K. Edward 6. and practised also , though not prescribed , under that now in use amongst us . Bp. Iewell , as you see allowes it , with whom you are not worthy to be named in the same day . And for the practise of it , take this of Hooker . Because the Gospells which are weekely reade , doe all historically declare something , which our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe either spake , did , or suffered in his owne person , it hath beene the custome of Christian men , then especially , in token of the greater reverence to stand , to utter certaine words of acclamation , and at the name of Iesus to bow . Which harme'esse ceremonies , as he tells us , there was not any man constrained to use ; nor was it necessary : all sorts of people using them without constraint , till you and your forefather Cartwright made a scruple of it . The first originall hereof is by antiquity referred to Pope Anastasius who lived in the 5. Centurie : therefore no Innovation surely . As little Innovation is there , in reading the second service at the Altar or Communion table . The Rubricke of the Church appointeth , that it shall be so . Compare the last Rubricke before the Comunion , with the first after it : and you will sooner finde your selfe an Innovator in so saying , then any of the Bishops in so doing . Nor was it onely so appointed , and not done accordingly . For learned Hooker tells us in the place last cited , that some parts of the divine service of the Church are such , that being they serve to singular good purpose , even when there is no communion administred ; neverthelesse , being devised at the first for that purpose , are at the table of the Lord for that cause also commonly reade ? No Innovation hitherto Mas . Burton , but what comes after . You make a noise of Image-worship and Crosse-worship ; I know no such matter : no such enjoyned , that I am sure of , nor no such practised that I can heareof . If any such thing be , tell me who , and when , or I shall take you alwayes for a very false brother , that make no conscience what you say , or whom you slander . I hope you doe not meane by Crosse-worship , the signing young children when they are baptized with the signe of the Crosse : or if you doe , I trow you cannot take it for an Innovation . Nor neede you feare Idolatry in that Christian usage , as some clamoured once . The 30. Canon hath so fully removed that feare , that they that feare it now , must be more then mad-men . Thuanus , one more wise then you , is of another minde by much : conceiving that the cautious and restrictions in that Canon used , have in a manner more abolished then confirmed the true and proper use of that antient ceremony . For speaking of the Synode in London An. 1603. and of the Canons then agreed on , he saith as followeth . Crucis ceremonia in Baptismate retinetur , et explicatur , sed ita et tot adhibitis cautionibus , ut sacrosancti signi reverentia omnis aboleri potius , quaem confirmari videatur . No Innovations all this while , but such as you have falsly charged upon the Bishops , of Image-worship , and Crosse-worship : and therefore all your feares of setting up the Masse-God , as you call it , are all come to nought . Hitherto we have found no novelty , nothing that tends to Innovation in the worship of God : but a reviver and continuance onely of the antient usages which have beene practised in this Church since the reformation , and were commended to it from the purest ages . And here we would have left this charge , but that you tell us p. 158. that all those rites and ceremonies which are to be used in our Church are by an Act of Parliament prefixed to the Communion booke restrained to those only which are expressed in the same booke . Either you are a very unlucky Lawyer , or a very bad Church-man . For tell me I beseech you , where doe you finde in all that statute , that there shall be no other rites and ceremonies used in the Church then are expressed in the booke of Common prayer ? That all those ceremonies which are expressed in the said booke shall be observed ; the statute doth indeede informe you : but that none other shall be added , that you finde not there . The contrary you may finde there , if you please to looke . For it is said expressely that the Queenes Majesty may by the advise of her Commissioners Ecclesiasticall or Metropolitane ordaine and publish such further ceremonies or rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods glorie , the edifying of his Church , and the due reverence of Christs holy mysteries and Sacraments . This you restraine unto the person of the Queene affirming p. 66. that it is not to be extended to her successours in the Crowne . How truely this is said , hath beene showne elsewhere . And were it so in point of Law , yet a good Church man as you are could not choose but know , that in the Articles of the Church it is acknowledged and agreed on , that the Church hath power to decree Rites or ceremonies . Art. 20. and more then so , that every particular or nationall Church , hath authoritie to ordaine , change , and abolish ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained onely by mans authority , so that all things be done to edifying . Art. 34. These Articles you have subscribed to more then once or twice , and therefore cannot choose but know , that other ceremonies may be used in the Church , then those which are expressed in the Common prayer booke . Nor were these Articles confirmed onely in the Convocation , the power and authority of the which you regard but little : but were confirmed , and subscription to the same exacted by Act of Parliament , as your unlearned Counsaile can at large informe you . It s true , some such as you have quarrel'd with the 20. Article , as if that clause of giving power unto the Church , to decree rites or ceremonies , and authority in controversies of faith , were not coequall with the Article , but thrust in of late : and for that cause , by some undue and sinister practise , the booke of Articles was lately printed in the Latine tongue , and that clause left out . But in the antient Copies published in the yeare 1563. the Article is intire and whole , according as it is in all those bookes of Articles to which you severally subscribed . Nor saith that Article any more , as to the matter of ordaining ceremonies , then what is afterwards affirmed in the 34. Article , as before was said : nor more then what hath positively beene affirmed by your owne Divines , as you please to stile them . Calvin whose judgment in this point you neither may nor can decline , hath said as much upon these words of the Apostle , Let all things be done decently and in order . Non potest haberi , quod Paulus hic exigit nisi additis constitutionibus tanquam vinculis quibusdam , ordo ipse et decorum servetur . That which St. Paul requires , cannot be done , saith he without rules and Canons , by which as by some certaine bondes , both order and decorum may be kept together . Paraus yet more plainely , and unto the purpose ; Facit ecclesiae potestatem de decoro et ordine ecclesiastico libere disponendi , et leges ferendi . So that you see the Church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies in things that appertaine to order , decency , and uniformity in Gods publicke service : and which is more , a power of making lawes and Canons to inforce conformity unto the same , in the opinion of your owne Doctors . And if it please his Majesty with the advice of his Commissioners or Metropolitane , to ordaine new ceremonies , or if the Church thinke fit to adde further rites , to those which are received already : I know no remedy either in Law or conscience , but that you must submit unto them . Which said we will proceede to those other Innovations , which you have falsly charged upon the Prelates . The fourth change is , you tell us , in the civill government , which they labour to reduce and transferre to ecclesiasticall , while they seeke to trample on the lawes of the land , and step between the King and his people , ( the Prelates power overswaying the subjects right ) in the free use and benefit of the Lawes , pag. 129. You make the like out-cry to my LL. the Iudges , saying . Doe not your wisdomes see a new generation of Innovators risen up in this Land , who usurping and practising a Papall and Antichristian power and jurisdiction , exempted from the Kings Lawes &c. doe thereby begin to overtop the Royall throne , and trample the Lawes , liberties and just rights of the Kings Subjects under their feete . p. 29. Quid dignum tanto ? What is the ground of all this noise . Nought els it seemes , but that the high Commissioners thinke that Court of too high a nature , to be affronted by such fellowes as your Learned Counsailes , of which you tell us . p. 129. and that my LL. the Iudges , out of their honourable love to Iustice , are not so easily moved to send their writs of prohibition to that Court , as some of their Predecessours were before them . And is there not good reason thinke you ? For if ( as Dr. Cosin pleades the case ) his Majesties supreame Royall authority and power ecclesiasticall granted by Commission to others be as highly vested in his Crowne as is his Temporall : then will it be probably gathered , both of them being in their severall kindes supreme and the exercise of them committed over to others under the great Seale ; that the one of them is not to be abridged , restrained , or controuled by the other . And you may also know , if you please to know it , how that it was affirmed once by K. Iames of blessed memorie , in his speech at Whitehall before both houses of Parliament An. 1609. That the high Commission was of so high a nature , that from thence there was no appellation to any other Court. Both Courts being thus supreme in their severall kindes , and neither of them being to be abridged , restrained and controuled by the other , as long as the Iudges in the high Commission keepe themselves ( within their bounds ) to causes of ecclesiasticall cognizance : what reason have you of complaint , in case you cannot get a Prohibition , as before you did . Most likely that my LL. the Iudges are growne more difficult in that kinde , as for diverse other reasons , so most especially because they see the Iudges in that other Court so carful , as not to meddle in any thing which may entrench upon the Courts of common Law or the subjects liberty . Call you me this an overtopping of the Royall throne , a trampling of the Lawes , liberties , and just rights of his Majesties subjects under their feete ? Cannot so insolent a wretch as you be denied a Prohibition from the Courts of Law , or may not Mr. Prynne be threatned for his sawey and irreverent carriage by the high Commission : but presently you must raise an outcry , ac si Anniball ad portas , as if the libertie of the subjects was indangered in the free use and benefit of the Lawes , as you please to phrase it ? yet this amongst the rest you have made a cause of your seditious libelling against Church and State ; as if the one were like to devoure the other ; and all were in a way to ruine , but for such Zelots as your selfe , the carefull watchmen of the times . But good Sir be assured there is no such danger . For as the reducing of the civill government so ecclesiasticall , which you so much feare , there must be other meanes to doe it , then by a difficulty of obtaining Prohibitions from the Common Law. And it is never more likely to be effected , then when your selfe sit chiefe in your longed ▪ for Consistory , with your Lay-elders round about you . Then Kings and Queenes and whatsoever is called God , must cast themselves before your foote-stoole , as you your selves have told us in your publicke writings : And as for businesse , the Lawyers , howsoever you count them now , will have too little to maintaine them . For this is reckoned by your Brethren , amongst the excellencies of your discipline , both for the wealth of the Realme , and quiet of the subjects , that thy Church is to censure those who are apparentle troublesome and contentious , and without reasonable cause ( which you meane to judge of ) upon a meere will and stomacke doe vex and molest their brother and trouble the Country . Where will your Civill government be then ? and who shall send out Prohibitions , when that comes to passe . CHAP. VII . The foure last Innovations charged upon the Bishops , examined severally and confuted . The Alterations said to be in the Common Prayer-book , Father of thine Elect and of their seede , left out ; and why ? Of bowing in the name of Iesus . The alterations said to be in the booke of Prayer for the fifth of November . Prayers intended first against Recusants aswell appliable to the Puritans , as some Lawes and Statutes . The religion of and in the Church of Rome , whether it may be said to be Rebellion ; and how the Prelates are chalenged in that respect . The Arguments produced by H. B. to prove that the Religion of the Ch. of Rome is rebellion , are either false ; or may be turned upon himselfe . Of alterations in the Fast-booke . The Letany of K. Edward altered , because it gave offense and scandall , to those which were affected to the Ch. of Rome . Some prayers omitted in the Fast-booke ; and the reason why : The Lady Eliz : and her Children , why left out in the present Collect. IN nova fert animus . Your minde is still upon your Metamorphosis ; more changes yet , and the next head of changes is altering the formēs of prayer : particularly the booke of Common prayer , that for the fifth of November , and lastly that for the fast , set forth by his Majesties appointment , An. 1636. And first , you say , in the Communion booke set forth by Parliament , and commanded to be read without any alteration , and none other , they have altered sundrie things p. 130. Ho there . Who told you that the Common-prayer-booke was set forth by Parliament ? Thinke you the Knights and Burgesses of the house of Commons , were busied in those times , in making or in mending Prayer-bookes ? The Statute 2. & 3. Edw. 6. c. 1. will tell you that the Common prayer booke was set forth ( in that very word ) by the Archbp. of Cant. and certaine of the most learned and discreete Bishops , and other learned men of this Realme : and being so set forth , was by authority of Parliament confirmed and ratified , as it related to the Subject . Which course was after taken , in the review of the said booke , both in the fift and sixt of King Edward the sixt , and in the first of Queene Elizabeth . Being set forth then by the Clergie , it was , as you informe us , commanded to be read without any alteration : that was indeed done by authority of Parliament . Doe you observe that ordinance , do not you alter it , and chop and change it every day ; at lest if you vouchsafe to reade it , as perhaps you doe not . And if it must be read without any alteration , and none other ; why doe you quarrell at the reading of the second Service at the Communion Table before and after Sermon , being there so ordered ? or use another forme of prayer then is there appointed ? Remember what you tell us here , for you and I must talke about it in the next generall change . Meane time what are the sundry things which you say are altered in the booke set forth by Parliament . You tell us but of two , and you talke of sundry . How shall I credit you hereafter , if you palter thus in the beginning . But for those two , what are they I beseech you ? Marry you say , that in the Collect for the Queene and the Royall Progenie , they have put out Father of thine elect and of their seede , as it were , excluding the King , Queene , and Seede Royall , out of the number of Gods elect , p. 130. This you have told us of in your Epistle to the King , and in your Apologie , and the Newes from Ipswich . The Queene is more beholding to you , then I thought shee had beene ; you take such speciall care for her Election . But Sir , a word before we part . Who told you that this Collect was set forth with the booke allowed by Parliament ? I trow King Edward the sixt , and Queene Elizabeth had no royall progenie : so that this Collect could not bee then in Esse when the booke was made . The first time it was made and used , was at the happie entrance of King Iames on this Realme of England ; neither set forth nor ratified by any Parliament that hath beene since . Now King Iames had at his first comming hither , a royall seede ; but when his Majestie the King , came unto the crowne , he was then unmarried ; and after he was married , had not children presently you know well enough . Would you have had the collect passe as it did before ; Father of thine elect and of their seed , when as the king , whom you must needs meane by Elect in that place and prayer , had no seede at all ? I hope you see your folly now , your most zealous folly ; which made you in the Newes from Ipswich , on the recitall of this supposed alteration to crye out , O intollerable impietie , affront , and horred treason ; Most bravely clamoured . The other alteration which you charge them with , is , that in all the common prayer bookes printed since the yeare 1619. in the Epistle for the Sunday before Easter , they have turned in the Name of Iesus , to at the name of Iesus : to countenance , as you say , their forced bowing to the name of Iesus ; ( you are still for to it . ) Such change there is indeede , but yet no alteration from the booke or text ; The Bishops Bible , as they call it , out of the which the Epistles and Gospells were first taken readeth at the name : and so doth Bishop Iewell too , citing this very text in the place and passage noted to you in the last Chapter . And if you looke into the Bible of the last translation , you finde that it is therein also , at the name of Iesus : so that you have no reason to repine at this , which is a restitution onely of the proper reading , and no change at all . The second booke which they have altered , as you say , is that appointed to bee read on the fifth day of November , published by authority of Parliament , p. 131. set forth by act of Parliament , p. 41. in the Margent ordered by Parliament , in the second p. of your apologie , ordered , set forth and published , all by Parliament , and yet the Parliament did nothing in it . All that was done by Parliament was that the day of that deliverance was appointed for a kinde of holy day , wherein the p●ople were to meete together to set forth Gods glory : and it was there enacted also , that upon every such day , that very statute of the institution , should be read publickly to the Congregation . Of any forme of prayer , set forth , or afterwards to be set forth , ne gry , I am sure , in all that statute . The booke was after made and published by the Kings authority without the trouble of a Parliament . However being set out , and published , though not by Parlament , you cannot but be grieved at the alterations . Well what are they . First you complaine , that whereas in the former booke there was this passage , Roote out that Babilonish and Antichristian sect which say of Hierusalem , &c. in the Edition A. 1635. it is set downe thus , Roote out that Babilonish and antichristian Sect of them which say of Hierusalem , &c. Here 's of them added more then was . And this you thinke doth make a great and fearefull difference . For whereas in the Originall it was plainely meant , that all Iesuites , Seminary Priests and their confederates are that Babilonish and Antichristian sect , which say of Hierusalem , &c. this latter booke either restraines it to some few that are of that mind , or else mentally transferres it on those Puritans that cry downe with Babilon , that is , Poperie , which these men call Hierusalem , and the true Catholick Religion , p. 130 , 131. It seemes you have a guilty conscience , you would not start so much at this else . Quid prodest non habere conscium , habenti conscientiam , sayd the Father rightly . That Babylonish Sect which say , and that Babylonish Sect of them which say make 's so little difference : that were you not guilty to your selfe , of many ill wishes against Hierusalem , you would not have so stomacked at the alteration . And being that it is confessed by you , their Oracle , that the Puritans doe cry downe with our Hierusalem , by them called Poperie : they come within the compasse of the prayer , take which forme you list , either that Babilonish Sect , or that Babilonish Sect of them . Nor is it strange that so it should bee . For howsoever the Iesuites , Priests and their confederates were at first intended : yet if the Puritans follow them in their designes of blowing up the Church and State , and bringing all into a lawlesse and licentious Anarchie ; the prayer will reach them too , there 's no question of it . The Statute , 1. Eliz. c. 2. Confirmatorie of the Common prayer booke , hath ordained severall penalties for such as shall deprave the said booke of Common prayer , or obstinately refuse to use it , or use any other forme of prayer then that there appointed : as also a particular mulct of 12d , toties quoties upon every man that doth absent himselfe from Church on Sundaies and holy dayes . This was intended at the first against Recusants there being then no Puritans in rerum natura . And may not therefore all the penalties therein contained , be justly laid upon the Puritans , if they offend in any of the kinds before remembred ? The like may also be affirmed of the High Commission , established hereby at the first , for the correction and reduction of the Papists , being then the onely opposite partie to the Church : and yet you know , the High Commissioners may take a Puritan to taske , if they finde him faulty . That which you next complaine of , is that whereas in the old booke , the prayer went thus , Cut off these workers of iniquity , whose Religion is rebellion , whose faith is faction : it is now altered into this , who turne Religion into rebellion , and Faith into faction . Hereupon you inferre , that these Innovators would not have the Popish Religion to bee termed rebellion , and their Faith faction , as the antient Copie plainely shewes it to be : but turne it off from the Religion to some persons , which turne Religion into rebellion , and Faith into faction , so as by this turning they plainely imply , that the Religion of Papists is the true Religion , and no rebellion , & their Faith the true faith , & no faction , p. 131. You make another use of it in your Apologie , and tell us that it tendeth to justifie and extenuate notorious treasons & traytors , and to usher in Poperie , Superstition and Idolatry , p. 3. Here is a change indeede , you say right in that ; but that which you inferre thereon , is both false and sc●ndalous . For taking it for granted , that they by whose authority the said clause was altered , thought it not fit to call the Religion of the Church of Rome rebellion , or the Faith therein professed , faction : must it needs follow thereupon , that by so doing they imply , that that religion is the true religion , and that faith the true faith . There 's a non sequitur with a witnesse . There is a kinde of religion amongst the Turkes . Because I cannot say that their religion is rebellion ; doe I imply so plainely ( as you say they doe ) that therefore their religion is the true religion . And there 's a faith too questionlesse among the severall Sects of Christians in the Easterne , Muscovite , and African Churches . Because I thinke not fit to say of any of them , that their faith is faction must I conclude astringently , therefore the faith profest by each particular Sect , is the true faith . You might well tax me should I say the one ; and I may laugh at you for concluding the other . Adeo argumenta ex falso petita , inepto habent exitus , as Lactantius hath it . Your use is yet more scandalous , then your inference false . For how doth this tend to justifie and extenuate notorious treasons and Traytors . The treasons and the traytors stand as before they did , unlesse the staine be laid more deepe upon them then before it was . Before the imputation seemed to rest on the faith it selfe : which being a generall accusation concerned no more the guilty , then it did the innocent . But here it resteth where it ought , upon the persons of the Traytors , who are not hereby justified , or their crime extenuated : but they themselves condemned , and the treason aggravated in an higher manner . That which comes after of ushering in Poperie , Superstition and Idolatry , is but your ordinary flourish , one of your generall calumnies ; and needes not a particular answer . O but say you , and undertake to make it good , the very religion is rebellion , and the faith is faction : and therefore there was somewhat in the chang which deserved that censure . That their religion is rebellion , you prove two wayes . First because the Iesuites and Seminary priests refuse to take the oath of Supremacie , which is injoyned to all Papists , 3. Iac. c. 4. You must needes shew your law , you have such store of it . For speake man , was the oath of Supreamacie enacted 3. Iacobi . Then am I out againe , for my bookes tell me it was 1 Elizabethae . In your Apologie you place the oath of alleigance 1. Elizabethae , and here to make your ignorance the more remarkeable , you place the oath of Supremacie 3. Iac. Cujus contrarium verum est . The oath of alleigeance t is you meane . And sure you will not say , all Seminarie Priests and Lay-papists refuse the oath of alleigeance ; considering that of each sort , some have written very learnedly in defence thereof : therefore according to your way of disputation , the religion of all Papists is not rebellion , and consequently their faith not faction . The second proofe you offer , is , that by Doctor Iohn White and Dr. Cracanthorp it is affirmed that the Church of Rome teacheth disloyaltie and rebellion against kings ; that Popish Authors doe exalt the Popes power over kings ; that some of thē have sayd that Christian kings are dogges , which must be ready at the Shepheards hand , or else the Shepheard must remove them from their office . p. 134.135 . This argument is full as faulty as the other was ; and will conclude as much against your selfe and the Puritan faction , as any Papist of them all . The Citizens of Geneva expelled their Bp. as the Calvinians in Emden , did their Earle ; being their immediate Lords and Princes . (a) Calvin hath taught us that the three estates (b) Paraeus that the inferiour Magistrate , & (c) Buchanan that the people may correct and controule the Prince ; and in some cases too depose him . And you Mass . Burton have condemned that absolute obedience unto Kings and Princes which is due to them from their subjects ; and that unlimited power which is ascribed unto them , because theirs of right . Therefore we may from hence conclude , or else your argument is worth nothing , that out of doubt the Puritan religion is rebellion , and their faith faction . As for your generall challenge , p. 191. viz. What one Protestant can they bring that ever committed treason against his king , or lifted up an hand against his sacred person : I leave it to the Papists to make answere to it , to whom your chalenge is proposed . But I could tell you in your eare , ( which I would to God were otherwise ) of more than one or two twice told and twice told to that , Protestants of that sort which you most labour to defend , and make to bee the onely right ones . Had you distinguished as you ought , betweene the doctrines of that Church , and the particular either words or actions of particular men : you had not made so rash a venture , and lost more by it than you got . So then the religion of the Church of Rome not being in it selfe rebellion , though somewhat which hath there beene taught may possibly have beene applyed to rebellious purposes ; there is a little feare that their faith is faction : and so the alteration not so grievous as you faine would have it . What further reason there was in it you shall see anon . The third booke , altered as you say , is that set sorth by the king for the publicke fast , in the first yeare of his reigne : and which his Majestie by his proclamation commanded to be reprinted and published , and so reade in the Church every Wednesday . What finde you altered there ? In the first Collect , as you tell us , is left out this remarkeable pious sentence intirely , viz. Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatry , wherein we were utterly drowned , and hast brought us into the most cleere & comfortable light of thy blessed word , &c. And then you ad ; Loe here these men would not have Popery called Superstition and Idolatry , nor would they have the Word of God so commended , as that cleare and comfortable light , which teacheth us all duties both to God and man. p. 142. This is the last of all these changes , which tend , as you informe us , to bring in Popery ; and therefore I will tell you here , what I conceive to be the reason of those alterations which you so complaine of . You cannot chuse but know , ( because I think you have it in your Pamphlet against D Cosens ) that in the Letanie of King Edward 6. there was this clause , viz. From the tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome , and all his detestable enormities , from all false doctrine &c. Good Lord deliver us . This was conceived to be , as indeede it was , a very great scandall and offence to all those in the Realme of England , which were affected to the Church of Rome : and therefore in the Liturgie of Queene Elizabeth , it was quite left out . Had you beene then alive , you might perhaps have quarrelled it , and taxed those learned men that did it , of Popery , Innovation , & I know not what : and then conclude it that they would have the people think that there was neither tyrannie in the Pope , nor any detestable enormitie in the Church of Rome . But as that then was done with a good intent , and no man quarrelled for it that I can heare of : why should you thinke worse of the changes now or quarrell that authoritie which gave order for it , before you knew by whose authority it was so done , conceive you not that those , who in this Kingdome , are affected to the Church of Rome ; are not as apt to take offence now , as they were before ; or that there is not now as much consideration to bee had of those which are that way affected , as was in any part of the said Queenes time ? the matter being of no greater moment than this is , how great soever you pretend it . Most of our faults before have beene of Commission ; but these that follow , most of them are omission● onely . First you except against the leaving out of the whole prayer , It had beene best for us , &c. And this was done with an Alas , because therein was commended the profitable use of continuall preaching the Word of God , p. 142. The Newes from Ipswich calls it , the most effectuall prayer of all , because it magnifies continuall often preaching , &c. and call's our powerfull Preachers Gods servants . Say you me so ? Then let us looke upon the Prayer , where I perswade my selfe there is no such matter . All that reflects that way is this . It had beene also well , if at thy dreadfull threates out of thy holy word , continually pronounced unto us by thy servants our Preachers , we had of feare ; as corrigible servants , turned from our wickednesse . This all , and in all this where doe you finde one word that magnifies continuall preaching , or that takes any notice of your powerfull Preachers , quorum pars ego magna , as you boast your self . Cannot the dreadfull threats of Gods holy word , be any other way pronounced , and pronounced continually by Gods servant , then by the way of Sermons only , or if by sermons onely , by no other Preachers than those whom you stile powerful preachers , by a name distinct ? I trow the reading of Gods Word in the congregatiō , presents unto the people more dreadfull threats , then what you lay before them in a sermon ; and will sinke as deepe : Therefore assuredly there was some other reason for it , then that you dreame of . ●nd thinke you that it might not be , ( there being prayers enough without it ) because in the whole Tenor of it , it soundeth rather like a complaint or a narration , then a prayer ? Two other prayers you finde omitted , the one for the Navie , and the other for seasonable weather : as if a forme of prayer fitted for a particular time and purpose , must be still observed ; when there is no such cause to use it , as at first to make it . The Navie then went out against a great and puissant Monarch , to set upon him on his owne coasts , many leagues from home : the honour and the fortune of the kingdome being layed at stake . Now it keepes onely on our owne coasts , without an enemie to bid battaile or to cope withall : and rather is set forth to prevent a danger , then to remove it being come . The cases being different , must we needes use the Prayers which were then set forth ? What thinke you of this clause , Lord turne our enemies sword into their owne bosome ; Would that be proper at this time , when as his Majestie is at peace with all his neighbours ? Had you not longed to picke a quarrell ; I finde not any thing in this , that might provoke you : nor could you possibly have pitched on any thing , that had lesse become you . For are not you the man that spake so much against long prayers , as wee shall see anon in your next generall head of Innovations ; because thereby the preacher is inforced to cut short his sermon ? and doe you here complaine that the Prayers are shortned , that so you may have libertie to preach the longer ? I see it were a very difficult thing to please you , should a man endeavour it . That which comes next , is that the Prayer for the Lady Elizabeth and her Children , is left out in the present fast-booke , which were expressed in the former p. 143 and that as the Newes-booke saith , while they are now royally entertained at Court. My Lord the Prince Elector cannot but take this very ill , that you should make his royall entertainement here a maske to cover your seditious and malevolent projects . For you know well enough , that not alone in this new fast-booke , set forth since his arrivall here , but long before his comming hither , that excellent Lady and her children , had not by name , beene specified in the Common prayer booke . Why did you not dislike that omission there , as well as leaving out the Father of thine Elect ? Or will you have a reason for it , why it was layed aside in both ; if you will promise to be satisfied by reason , I will give you one , and such a one as may suffice any one but you . In the first fast-booke , his Majesty our Soveraigne Lord had not any children , to be remembred in our prayers : and the remainder of the royall seede , was in that most illustrious Lady and her Princely issue . That case now is altered . His Majesty Gods name be praised hath many children , as well male , as female ; none of the which are specified by name , particularly , but the Prince alone : the rest together with the Lady Elizabeth and her Princely issue , being all comprehended in the name of the Royall Progene . The Lady Elizabeth and her children , finding no more neglect in this , then the Kings owne most Royall issue , will give you little thankes for so vaine a cavill . More anger yet . You charge the Bishops next , that they cry up with fasting , and downe with preaching . For crying up fasting , you produce this instance , that in the order for the East , these words are left out of the new booke , viz. To avoide the inconvenience that may grow by fasting ; some esteeming it a meritorious worke ; others a good worke , and of it selfe acceptable to God without due regard of 〈…〉 &c. p. 142. Hereupon you conclude , tha● 〈…〉 esteeme fasting a meritorious worke ; and acceptable unto God , without due regard of the end . Ibid. I have had patience all this while . But patientia ●●sa . I must now tell you in plaine termes , in all my life , ( and I have seene the world a little ) I never met with such an impostor . For good Sir , take the passage as it lyeth together , and how can you have conscience so to delude your audience ; whose soules you say you tender as you doe your owne . The Order then is this , Num. 6. Admonition is here lastly to be given , that on the fasting day there be but one Sermon at morning Prayer , and the same not above an houre long , and but one at evening Prayer of the same length , to avoid the inconvenience that may grow by the abuse of Fasting : some esteeming it a meritorious worke : others a good worke , and of it selfe acceptable to God without due regard of the end : others presuming factiously to enter into publicke fasts without the consent of authority , and others keeping the people together with over much wearinesse , and tediousnesse , a whole day together : which in this time of contagion is very dangerous , in so thicke and close assemblies of the multitudes . This is the place at large , so pricked and commade , as I finde it in the said old booke . Deale honestly , if you can in any thing , in this . These words , To avoide the inconvenience which may grow by the abuse of fasting ; Are they the beginning of a new period , as you lay them downe ? or what doe they relate unto , unto the merit of a fast ? No Sir , but to the former words touching the number and the length of Sermons , wherin , some men ( your selfe for one ) had placed so much sanctity ; that publicke fasts so solemnized were by some thought ( no doubt ) meritorious workes ; by others many times kept without due authority : by others so spunne out with Sermons of foure houres a peece , that with much wearinesse and tediousnesse it tooke up the day ; no care at all being taken to avoid contagion , which in such close and thicke assemblies is exceeding dangerous . This is the plaine Analysis of that passage , in the said first booke . Assuredly , what ever other cause there was , there is no reason to suspect that it related anything to the point of merit . These times are so fallen out with fasting . ( Vnlesse it be a Fast of their owne appointment ) that you have little cause to feare lest any man should place a part of merit in it . Non celebranda esse jejunia Statuta . To cry downe all set times of fasting , which was the heresie of Aerius in the former times , is reckoned a chief point of orthodox doctrin , in the present times . No merit placed in fasts , ordinary or extraordinary , that I can heare of , unlesse perhaps you place some merit in your long Sermons on those fasts , as before is saide , And dare you then affirme as in the newes-booke , that this place and passage , was purposely left out to gratifie the Papists , or to place any popish merit in the present fast ? if any body may be said to be gratified in it , it is you and yours , whose absurd course and carriage had in the former book been described so lively . But you are still the same . Primus ad extremum similis sibi . You and the Black Moores skinne will wash white together . This is , I hope enough to satisfie you , touching the crying up of fasting : and for the crying downe of preaching on the dayes of fast , that hath beene spoken of already . How far it is suppressed at all other times , you meane to tell us in the next of your generall heades ; and we expect to heare what you have to say . On then . Your sixt generall innovation is in the meanes of salvation , in which there are particulars very many which you charge them with . As viz. in suppressing lectures , cutting short preaching , forbidding any prayer before the Sermon but that barren forme of words in the Canon ; using no prayer at all after the Sermon , but reading a second or third service at the Altar . Having no sermon in the afternoone ; catechizing onely for halfe an houre , and that by question and answer onely ; and finally limiting all Sermons in great Cities and the universities to one houre , so as the people cannot enjoy the benefit of more then one Sermon a day , p. 150. These are the severalties contained in that generall head ; and they relate either to preaching or to praying ; or indeed altogether unto preaching , and unto praying no further then as subservient thereunto . First for suppressing Lectures , why doe you reckon that for an innovation , when as the very name of Lecturers , and Lectures , are in themselves a new and late invention ? borrowed by Travers and the rest towards the latter end of Queene Elizabeths time , from the new fashions of Geneva . We in the Church of England know no other names , but Bishops and Curats ; and Curats are againe divided into Parsons & Vicars , and those which doe officiate for and under them , now in the use of speech called Curats as by a proper and distinct name . Your Lecturer hath no place in the prayers of the Church of England , nor none amongst the termes of Law. But being Geneva had it so ; a Doctor superadded to the ordinary Pastor , whose office onely was to teach , not to administer the sacraments or execute any other ministry to the Priest belonging : it must needes bee disposed so here , that by degrees , insensibly wee might be brought more neere that Church . There is a story of the Bats or Reremice , that when the birds came to demand tribute of them , shewing them their brests they said they were beasts : and when the beasts came to them and craved the like , shewing them their wings , they said they were birds . Your Lecturers , in the same occasion , are like these Reremice . When subsidies were granted for his Majesties use , if any thing was demanded of them by the Clergie , they had no benefice , no title , and so passed for Lay : and on the like demand made by the Laity , they onely shewed their gownes , and that made them Clergie . Being then in themselves but a new invention , and such as tended to bring in the greatest innovation in this Church , that possibly could be projected how could you reckon the suppressing of them an innovation ? Now for these Lecturers , we may distinguish them into Weekes-day Lecturers , and Lords-day Lecturers , As Weeke-day Lecturers , you complaine how they are suppressed by that restriction in his Majesties Proclamation about the fast : and tell us , that the Prelates doe extend the letter of the Proclamation , that if but one house in a Parish be infected , the pestilence thus continuing and the fast not ceasing , all wednesday sermons in the whole City must be suppressed . p. 147 , If so , as so it is not , ( you know well enough ) what reason had you of complaint . Are there not holidayes so many , that you and yours doe reckon them as a burthen , both to Church and State ? Observe the holy dayes as you ought with prayers and Preaching : and see what losse the Church would have , or any of the people finde , for want of Wednesday or any other weeke-day Lectures . As Lords-day Lecturers we shall meete them in the afternoone , wherein all sermons are put downe , if you tell us true . Next followes cutting short of Preaching . How comes that to passe ? For that we must needes seeke elsewhere , for here you tell us not . Looke therefore in your 17. p. and there wee have it . There you find fault with them that are all for outward formalities ( you being for none at all your selfe ) in that they place all the service of God in reading long-prayers , and thereby excluding preaching as unnecessary : and p. 158. commanding of long Matins instead of Preaching ; which as they are performed , in Cathedrall Churches , you call prophanely Long Babylonish service , p. 160. This is the blocke you stumble at , that whereas formerly you used to mangle and cut short the service , that you might bring all piety and the whole worship of God , to your extemporary prayers and sermons : now you are brought againe to the antient usage , of reading the whole prayers , as you ought to do . And call you this an innovation ? Are not you he that told us that the Communion-booke set forth by Parliament , is commanded to be reade without any alteration , and none others , p. 130. And if you reade it not as it is commanded , make you alteration thinke you ? Doe you not finde it also in the 14. Canon , that . All Ministers shall observe the Orders , rites , and ceremonies prescribed in the Booke of Common-prayer , as well in reading the holy Scriptures , and saying of Prayers , as in administration of the Sacraments , without diminishing in regard of preaching or any other respect , ( how like you that Sir ) or adding any thing to the matter or forme thereof . The very selfe same answer we must also make to another of your cavils , about the using of no prayer at all , after the Sermon , but reading a second or third service at the Altar . For being it is so appointed in the booke of Common Prayer , that on the holidaies if there be no Communion , shall be said all that is appointed at the Communion , untill the end of the Homilie , concluding with the Praier for the whole state of Christs Church , &c. The innovation is on your part , who have offended all this while , not onely against the Canon , but the Act of Parliament , by bringing in new formes of your owne devising . As for forbidding any prayer before the Sermon , but that barren forme of words in the Canon , ( for being in the Canon you can give it no better Epithite ; ) if any such forbidding be , it s but agreeable unto the Canon , which hath determined of it long agoe : and so no innovation of these present times . Nor was that Canon any new invention neither , when it first was made : but onely a repetition and confirmation of what had formerly beene ordered both in King Edward the sixt , the Queenes injunctions according to the rule and practise of the former times ; the Preachers then using no forme of prayers before their Sermons , but that of bidding , moving , or exhorting , which is now required in the Canon ; as may be plainely seene in Bishop Latimers Sermons , Bishop Iewels , Bishop Andrewes , and diverse others . Your afternoone Sermons on the Sondaies , if performed by Lecturers , are but a part of that new fashion which before wee spake off : and having no foundation in the Church at all , it cannot be an Innovation to lay them by . And if the Curate of the place , or whosoever hath the Cure of Soules ; bestow his time in Catechizing , as he is appointed , that in effect is but to change one kinde of Preaching for another . So that if he that hath the Cure , doth carefully discharge his office , and performe his duty : you have no reason to complaine for want of having Sermons in the after noone . I know it is the custome of you and yours , to take up Sermons more by tale then weight : and so you have your number , you thinke all is right . But as in feeding of the body , one temperate meale digested presently and concocted throughly , adde's more unto the strength of nature , then all that plentifull variety of delicates which gluttony hath yet invented : So doe they profit best in all heavenly wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not who heare many Sermons , but which heare good ones . For limiting the Catechizing unto halfe an houre , that 's ordered by the Canon also : and it is ordered by the Canon , that Children shall bee taught no other Catechisme , then that set forth in the booke of Common prayer . Not that the Curate , is to examine them by question and answere onely , without expounding any of the principles of religion , which is that you quarrell : but to examine and instruct them , as the Canon hath it . Yet so that under the pretence hereof , nor you nor any such as you , may assume that libertie , as to turne simple Catechizing for the instruction of the youth and ignorant persons of the Parish ; into a Catechisme Lecture of some two houres long , not differing from your mornings sermons , but in name alone . If in great Cities and the Viniversities , Sermons are limited to the same time of the day , or as your owne phrase is , to one houre onely ; assuredly it is neither new , nor strange . The Sermon appointed for the morning being a part of the second service , is to be read or spoken in all Churches , at the time appointed by the Church . Nothing in this de novo , that I can heare of . In Oxford it was alwayes so , since I first knew it ; the Sermon for the Vniversity and Towne being expressely at the same time . Nor neede you bee offended at it , if by that meanes the people in those places cannot heare above one sermon in a day : it being not many but good sermons , not much but profitable hearing , which you should labour to commend unto them ; but that you would bee some body for your often preaching . Our Saviour tels us of some men , that thought they should bee heard by much speaking ; and you are one of them that teach the people that they shall be saved by much hearing . Your two last innovations I shall joyne together ; the one being in the rule of Faith , which is now made , you say , to be the dictates of the Church , to wit , the Prelates , p. 151. the other in the rule of manners , which must not bee any more the word of Christ , but the example of the Prelates lives , and dictates of their writings onely . p. 156. In this you have most shamefully abused your selfe , and all them that heard you . The rule of faith is still the same , even the holy Scriptures : nor can you name a man who hath changed this rule , or made the dictates of the Church , to wit the Prelats , the rule of faith . The application of this rule , that is the exposition of the Script . you must acknowledge to be in the Churches power , or els you are no son to the Church of Eng. For in the Articles of the Church , to which you have subscribed more thē once or twice , it is said expresly that the Church hath authority in cōtroversies of faith , & that it is vwitnes & a keeper of holy writ : As also that it hath authority to expound the scriptur , cōditioned that it so expound one place , that it be not repugnant to another . And for the judgmēt of prelats , I know not how you can excuse your selfe before God almighty , for not submitting therunto ; having called God to witnes , that you would so do . For when you took the order of holy Priesthood , it was demanded of you in the Congregation , whether you would reverently obey your Ordinary , and other chiefe Ministers , unto whom the government and charge is committed over you , following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions , and submitting your self to their godly judgements : and you made answer , that you would , the Lord being your helper . Either then you must first cōvince their judgements of some plaine ungodlines , or else your not submitting to them , must be a plaine colluding both with God and man. Reeve , whom you jeere at so , both in your Pasquil ; p. 152. and in your dialogue between A. & B. saith no more then this : and if you say not this , you have not lied unto men only , but unto God ▪ Nor is this any other doctrine , then what was held for currant in Ignatius his time ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. Let the Priests ( saith he ) submit themselves unto the Bishop ; Deacons , unto the Priests , the people to the Priests and Deacons . And then hee addes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soule for theirs that faithfully observe this order . So he . And had you kept this order , you had not so engaged your self in these factious brabbles , wherewith you have disturbed both your selfe and others . Touching the rule of manners , that any hath affirmed or written , that it must bee according to the Prelates lives and dictates , you produce no proofe . Onely you say , and say it onely , that they doe countenance , allow , and by Episcopall authority dispense with an heathenish kinde of life , especially in most sacred times , as the Lords day . This is no proofe I hope , but an ipse dixit , or a petitio Principii take it at the best ; although it bee an argument you are used most to . And I must answer you to this in the words of Tullie , Quid minus est , non dico Oratoris sed hominis , quam id objicere Adversario , quod si ille verbo negarit , ulterius progredi non passis . Till you bring better proofes for your innovations , your selfe must be reputed for the Innovator : and all the mischiefe which you have imagined against other men , will fall upon your owne pate , and deservedly too . Hitherto you have acted the false Accuser , and have done it excellently well , none better . In the next place you come to play the Disputant ; and that you do us wretchedly , none worse . For first you say , that it is pleaded by our changers , ( as you please to call them ) that they bring in no changes , but revive those things which antient Canons have allowed and prescribed ; as standing up at the Gloria Patri , and at the reading of the Gospell , bowing at the name of Jesus , and to the high Altar ; removing the communion table to stand Altarwise ; placing of Images in Churches , erecting Crucifixes over the Altars , commanding of long Mattins instead of preaching and the like . This said , you answere hereunto , that wee in this land , are not to be ruled by the Popes Canons , or the Canon Law , but by the law of God and the King. And that there are no other rites and ceremonies to be used in our Church , then those that are allowed by the Act of Parliament , prefixed to the communion booke , and are expressed in the same booke . But Sir , you may bee pleased to knowe , that the commanding of long prayers is warranted by that Act of Parliament , which you so insist on ; the prayers being made no longer , then that Act commandeth : and that our bowing at the name of Jesus is enjoyned by the 18. Canon , which being authorized by his Majestie , is the law of the King , and being grounded on the second of the Philipians , is the law of God. Our standing at the Gospell , and praying with our faces towards the East , have beene still retained by our Church , not out of any speciall Canon , but ex vi Catholice consuetudinis , by vertue of the constant and continuall custome of the church of God. The placing of the holy Table Altar-wise , and standing at the Gloria Patri , have generally beene observed in Cathedrall Churches , since the Reformation : it being granted by a good friend of yours , the Author of the holy Table , that in some Cathedrall Churches , where the steps were not transposed in tertio of the Queene , and the wall on the backeside of the Altar untaken downe ; the table might stand , as it did before , along the wall . For bowing to the high Altar , I know no such matter , either in practice or in precept : for bowing towards it , wee have the practice of antiquitie but no present precept . Your friend and fidus Achates , the good minister of Lincolnshire , could have told you this , that although the Canon doth not enjoyne it , yet reason , pietie , and the constant practice of antiquitie doth : that Church-men doe it in Saint Chrysostomes Liturgie ; and the Lay-men are commanded to doe it in Saint Chrysostomes Homilie : and finally if there bee any proud Dames , quae deferre nesciant mentium religioni , quod deferunt voluptati as Saint Ambrose speakes , that practice all manner of curtesies for maskes and dances , but none by any meanes for Christ , at their approach to the holy Table : hee declares them Schismatickes , bequeathing them unto Donatus , with a protest , that hee will never write them in his Calendar for the Children of this Church . For Images , in Churches , and Crucifixes over the Altars , finde you , of all loves , that the Church hath any where commanded them , or any of the Prelates in their visitatiōs , given order for their setting up ? if not , why do you charge it on her , and bring not any proof at all that shee hath imposed it . So that your answer being thus come to nothing , the objection by you brought on the Churches part , remaines unanswearable . Viz. that the Prelates of the Church have brought in no changes , but onely have revived those things which the antient Canons have allowed and prescribed ; the Law of God , the King , and the Act of Parliament , either inabling them to doe so , or not gainsaying it . Secondly you object on the Prelates part , that they bring in no Innovations , no new rites , but what hath been in use ever since the Reformation , and that in the most eminent places even the Mother Churches of the land ; so as all that they goe about is to reduce inferiour Churches to an unitie and conformitie to their Mother-Churches ; that bringing all to unitie , they may take of that reproach which the Adversaries cast upon us in this kinde . This is their Plea indeed , you say wondrous honestly . Would you could hold long in so good a veine , and not flie out unto your wonted arts of Scandall and false clamours upon noe occasion . For having pleaded thus , you make an answere presently , that the Cathedrals are the old high places not yet removed ; the antient dennes of those old foxes ; the nests and Nurceries of superstition and Idolatrie , wherein the old Beldame of Rome hath nuzzled up her brood of Popelings , and so preserved her VSVM SARVM , to this very day . p. 159. and finally that the Prelates make these mother Cathedralls ( being Romes adopted daughters ) their Concubines , whereon to beget a new bastard generation of sacrificing Idolatrous Masse-priests throughout the land . p. 163. But Sir , consider in cold blood , that this is not to answere , but to rayle downe Arguments . His sacred Majestie , in his resolution of the case about Saint Gregories Church , neere the Cathedrall of Saint Paul , did determine positively , that all Parochiall Churches ought to be guided by the Pattern of the mother Church upon the which they doe depend : and yet hee did declare his dislike of all Innovations and receding fromantient constitutions grounded upon just and warrantable reasons ; Which makes it manifest that he conceived not this conformitie with the mother Churches , to com within the compas of an Innovation . But wherefore tell wee you , of his Majesties pleasure , which are not pleased with any thing that his Majestie doth , except it may bee wrested to advance your purposes . The Minister of Lincolnshire , and any thing from him , will be far more welcome ; and something you shall have from him to confute your follies ▪ who can doe more with you , I am sure , then the world besides . Now he , good man , the better to pull downe the authoritie of his Majesties chappell , hath told you somewhat of the authoritie of the Mother Churches . What 's that ? Marry saith he , In the name of God let the same offices be said in all the Provinces , as are said in the Metropoliticall Church ; aswell forthe ord●r of the service , the Psalmody , the Canon , as the use and custome of the ministration : & this he tels us was the old rule of the antient Fathers ▪ For this he cites good store of Evidence in his margin , ( as his custome is ) and then concludes , that it is a current direction in all Authors ; where you may see that by the rule of the old Fathers , and your friends to boote , whatever is the use and custome of the Ministration in the Metropoliticall Church ; the same is universally to bee received throughout the provinces . And therupon we may conclude , that by the old rule of the Antient Fathers , by the direction of all authors , and the authoritie of your good frend the minister of Lincolnshire ; in case the things that you complain of , have bin and are retained in the ministration by the Mother Churches ; they ought to be retained also in Parochiall Churches ; especially if it be so ordered by the higher powers , the Bshops and Pastours of the same . Your scandalous and opprobrious speeches , wee regard not heere , in attributing to the Mother Churches those most odious names of high places , dennes of foxes ; nurseries of superstition ; and stiling the conformable ministers of this Church , a generation of Idolatrous sacrificing Masse-priests . You know what he in Tacitus replied on the like occasion , Tu linguae ego aurium Dominus sum . And you may raile on if you please , for any answere we shall give you , but neglect and patience . Onely I will be bold to tel you , that were it not for those Cathedralls , ( howsoever you vilifie and miscall them ) we had not onely before this time , beene at a losse amongst ourselves , in the whole forme and order of divine service , heere established : but possibly might have had farre more Recusants in this kingdome then now wee have . Which if you take to be a Paradox , as no doubt you will , you may remember that it was affirmed by Marquesse Rhosny Ambassadour here for King Henry the fourth of France , having observed the majestie of our divine service in Cathedrals , that if the same had bin observed by the Protestants in France , there had not been so many Papists left in it , as there were at that time . For your particular instances in the Cathedrall Churches of Durham , Bristol , Saint Pauls , and Wulpher Hampton 161. ( though , I trowe , Wulpherhampton bee no Cathedrall but that you have a minde to match your friend the Minister , for his Cathedrall Church at D●ver ) the most that you except against , are things of ornament : which you are grieved to see you more rich and costly then they have been formerly . Judas and you alike offended at any cost , that is bestowed upon our Saviour , either on his bodie , or about his Temples : both of you thinking all is lost , that is so disposed of ; and that it would doe better in the common bagg , whereof hee was , and you perhaps have beene the bearers . And so I should proceed to the third Argument , which you have made in the behalfe of these Innovations , as you cal them , drawn from the furniture & fashion of his M ●● . Chappell , and to an answer thereunto . But we have met with them already ; partly in answere to your own wretched & seditious comparison of his Majesties Chappell and the Altar there , to Julian the Apostates Altar and Nebuchadnezzars golden image : and partly in reply to the selfe same answers , made to the sold Argument by your friend the Minister , your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and true yoake-fellow in this cause ; whither I referre you . So having traced you up and downe , from one end of your Pasquill unto the other : and looked upon those factious and seditious doctrines which you have preached unto the people : nothing remaineth but that I lay before you , and your Audience , a word of Application , and so conclude . THE CONCLUSION . Containing an addresse to H. B. and representing to him the true condition of his crime , and punishment thereto , belonging , if he should be dealt withall according to the Law in that behalfe . Oldnols case . The Puritanes use to practise on the people , for the accomplishment of their designes . Scandalum magnatum , what it is , and how punished . Seditious writings brought within the compasse of Treason ; and severall persons executed for the same . Many of the Principall of the faction , hanged up , by a particular Statute in Q. Elizabeths time . The power ascribed unto the people by the Puritan doctrine . An Exhortation to the People , to continue in obedience , to God , the King , and his publike Ministers . No further Answeres to be looked for to those pestilent libells , which every day are cast abroad . The close of all . IT pleased King James of blessed memory , to leave unto the World at once , both a complaint for , and commendation of the Church of England . It is a signe ( saith he ) of the latter dayes drawing on ; even the contempt of the Church , and of the Governours and Teachers thereof , now in the Church of England : which I say in my conscience , of any Church that ever I read or knew of , present or past , is most pure , and neerest the Primitive and Apostolicall Church in Doctrine and Discipline , and is sureliest founded upon the Word of God , of any Church in Christendome . Which commendation as the Church doth still retaine ; so may it take up the complaint in more grievous manner : those times being modest then in respect of these ; and those contempts which he complaines of , being now growne to such an height , Supra quod ascendi non possit , that greater cannot be imagined . Wherein , as the Triumviri , whom at first I spake of , have well played their parts : so there is none of any age , nor all together in all ages , which hath shewne greater malice unto the Church , and to the Governors and Teachers of it , then you , Mas . Burton . Not to the Bishops only , and inferiour persons , whom either for their place or calling , you were bound to honour ; but to the supreame Governor thereof , your Soveraign and Patron , as you please , sometimes to call him : your carriage towards whom , I shall first lay down , according as before delivered ; and after tell you my opinion freely , what I thinke therein . First , for the King , you call His royall power in question , and are offended very much that any one should attribute unto him an unlimited power , as you meane unlimited , or that the Subject should be taught that his obedience must be absolute , that being ( say you ) a way , to cast the feare of God , and so his Throne , downe unto the ground . You tell us of some things the King cannot doe , and that there is a power ( in government ) which he neither hath , nor may transferre upon another . You had my censure of this before , in the Second Chapter . Yet I will here be bold to tell you , that as it is a kind of Atheisme to dispute pro and con , what God can doe , and what hee cannot ; though such disputes are raised sometimes by unquiet witts : so it is a kind of disobedience and disloyalty to question what a King can doe , being Gods Deputie here on earth ; especially to determine what he can , and what he cannot . Then for the obedience of the Subject , you limit it to positive lawes ; the King to be no more obeyed then there is speciall Law or Statute for it : the Kings Prerogative Royall , being of so small a value with you , that no man is to prize it , or take notice of it , further then warranted by Law , and which is worse , you ground this poore obedience , which you please to yeeld him , upon that mutuall stipulation , which is between the King and people ; and thereby teach the people , that they are no longer to obey the King , then he keeps promise with the people . This ground of obedience laied , you next proceed unto the censure of his Majesties actions : complaining that in your commitment unto Prison , his Majestie had not kept his solemne covenant made with his people , touching their Petition ( which you call ) of right . That by his Declaration before the Articles , the Doctrines of Gods Grace and mans salvation have beene husht , and silenced , and that by silencing those needlesse controversies , there is a secret purpose to suppresse Gods truth , and to bring in the contrary errours , as did the Arian Emperours by their law of Amnestia . His Majesties Declaration about lawfull sports upon the Sunday , you taxe , as tending manely to the dishonour of God , the prophanation of the Sabbath , the annihilation of the fourth Commandment : and charge him that thereby , and by his silencing of those doctrines before remembred , and restraint of preaching on the Fast-dayes , in infected places ; hee hath given way to Innovations , contrary to his solemne promise made unto his people . His Majesties Chappell Royall and the furniture thereof , you liken unto Nehu chadnezzars golden Image , and Julians Altar : the King himselfe to Nebuchadnezzar , the Apostate Julian , and that Idolatrous King Ahab : incouraging the people both by particular instances , and a generall exhortation to stand stoutly to it . Finally you lay down a most odious and disloyall supposition , touching the setting up of Masse in his Majesties Chappel , and what is to be done when that comes to passe . And ever and anon informe him ( as if you meant to terrifie and affright him with it ) how much the people doe beginne to stagger in their good opinion of his Majestie ; that they grow jealous of some dangerous plot , that all the people of the Land ( by your commitment to the prison ) may be possessed with a sinister opinion of the Kings justice and constancie in keeping his solemne Couenant made with his people as in that Petition of right ; and if hee observe his word no better , it will be said of him in succeeding Annalls , that hee had no regard to sacred vowes and solemne Protestations . Thus having taught the people that all obedience to the King is founded on a mutuall stipulation betweene him and them ; and telling them , how often , and in how great matters , he hath broke the Covenant made betweene them : you have released the people ipso facto of all obedience , duetie , and alleageance to their Soveraigne Lord ; and thereby made them free subjects , as you please to call them , so free that it is wholy in their pleasure whither they will obey , or not . Thus have I briefely layed together your carraige and behaviour towards our Lord the King : wherein expressely contrarie to the Statute of Westminster , that no man tell or publish any false newes or tales , whereby discord or occasion of discord or slander may growe betweene the King and his people or the nobles ; you have as much as in you was , made a breach betweene them . For though ( the Lord be praysed ) no such discord bee ; yet is your crime no lesse then if it were : the law forbidding such false tales , not onely by the which discord or slander doth arise , but by which it might . Oldnoll , a yeoman of the Guard , was on this very Statute endicted in Queene Maries time , pour parrols horrible , & slanderous parrols del Roigno , for horrible and slanderous words against her Highnesse , unde scandalum in regno inter dominam Reginam & Magnates vel populum suum ●riri poterit . &c. And howsoever no dissension did arise on the said false tales , yet seeing there was occasion given , he was proceeded with , and punished , according to that Statute , as you may finde in Iustice . Dier . p. 155. So farre the lawes provide to prevent all discord , and the occasions of the same : but for preventing of sedition , and seditious either words or writings , they are more severe : of which how far you have been guiltie , we shal see annon . Mean time you may take notice , if at lest you will , that it hath beene the antient practise of those men , whose stepps you follow , to put into the peoples mindes seditious humours , thereby to make themselves of power against the Magistrates : and sometimes also to terrifie and affright the Prince or supreame Magistrate with the feare of uproares , the better to accomplish what they had projected . This was the device of Flacius Illyricus the father of the stiffe or rigid Lutherans in high Germany : whom as you follow in his doctrines , deprovidentia , Praedestinatione , Gratia , Libero arbitrio , Adiaphoris , and such heads as those ; so doe you also follow him , in his fiery nature , and seditious Principles . One of which was , Principes potius metu seditionum terrendos , quam vel minimum pacis causa indulgendum , that Princes should be rather terrified with the feare of tumults , then any thing should bee yeilded to for quietnesse sake . The other was , ut plebs opiniones suas populari seditione tueretur , that the common people ought to take up armes against the magistrat , in maintenance of those opinions which they were possessed of . Which as Paraeus tells us , hath beene the practice ever since of all his followers ; whereof you are chiefe . And for your odious supposition , of setting up of Masse in the Kings Chappell , let mee tell you this . That it is Criminall , if not Capitall , to use Ifs and And 's , and suppositions in matters of so high a nature ; and such as in some cases hath beene judged high Treason . Sir William Stanley , a man as of especiall merit , so in especiall favor with King Henry the seventh , found it no jesting matter to use Ifs and And 's , in things which doe so neerely concerne a King. For saying onely , that if he thought the young man ( Perkin Warbeck ) to bee the undoubted sonne of King Edward the fourth hee never would beare armes against him he was condemned of treason , and executed for the same : the Judges thinking it unsafe to admitt ifs and ands in such dangerous points . So for your dealing with the Bishops , you labour to expose them as much as in you is , to the publicke hatred ; and to stirre up the people to effect their ruine . Not to repeate those scandalous and odious names , which passim , almost in every page you have cast upon them , to bring them into discredit and contempt with the common people : you have accused them of invading his Majesties supreme authoritie , and left them , as you thinke , in a Premunire ; the better to incense his Majestie against them also . whom having exasperated , as you hope , against them , you call upon him in plaine termes to hang them up , as once the Gibeonites did the 7. sonnes of Saul ; at least to joyne with God and his good subjects , Courtiers , Nobles , Judges , Magistrates , and the rest together , to cut them off , and roote them out . Which if hee will not doe , you tell him roundly that for his owne part , he will make a very sorrie accompt to almightie God , for the great charge committed to him ; and then , that God for his part , will rather adde unto , then decrease our Plagues ; till he hath utterly destroyed vs. But fearing lest this should not edifie with so wise a Prince , you practise next upon the people . And knowing that there is nothing , which they prize so highly , as the defence of their religion and lawfull liberties ; you lay about you lustilie , to let them see how much they are in danger of loosing both . For this cause you accuse the Prelates allmost every where for bringing in of Poperie , tooth and nayle for Poperie , confederating with Priests and Jesuites , for rearing up of that religion ; and setting up againe the the throne of Anti-Christ : and all their actions you interpret to tend that way . Next you crie out , how much the people are oppressed contrarie to their rights and liberties , affirming that the Bishops doe not onely over toppe the royall throne , but that they trample the lawes , liberties , and just rights of the Kings subjects under their feete ; and cutt the people off , from the free use and benefit of the Kings good lawes . Which said , and pressed in every place with all spight and rancour , you call upon the nobles to rowze up their noble Christian zeale and magnanimous courage ; upon the judges , to drawe forth their sword of justice ; upon the Courtiers , nobles , others , if they have any sparke of pietie , now to put their helping hands in so great a neede ; and lest all these should faile , you call upon the nation generally to take notice of their Antichristian practises & to redresse them withall their force and power . What doe you thinke of this Alarme , this Ad arma ad arma , this calling of all sorts of people to combine together , to rouze their spirits , drawe their swords , put to their hands , muster upp all their force and power : doe you not thinke this comes within the compasse of sedition ? have not you done your best ( or your worst rather ) to raise an insurrection in the state , under pretence of looking to the safety of religion , and the Subjects rights ? I wil not judge your conscience , I leave that to God. But if one may collect your meaning by your words and writings ; or if your words and writings may bee censured , not onely according to the effect which they have produced but which they might : you are but in a sorry taking . And because possiblie when you finde your danger , you will the better find your error , and so prepare your selfe for a sincere and sound repentance ; I will a little lay it open . Make you what use there of , you shall thinke most fitt . And first , supposing , that these your factious and false clamours , are onely such as might occasion discord betweene my LL. the Bishops and the Commons ; where had you beene then ? there passed a Statute ( still in force ) 2. Ric. 2. cap. 5. for punishment of Counterfeiters of false newes , and of horrible and false messages ( mistaken in the English bookes for the French Mensonges , i. e. ●●es ) of Prelates , Dukes , Earles , Barons , and other No●●es and great men of the Realme , &c. of things which by the said Prelates , Lords , &c. were never spoken , 〈◊〉 , or thought , ( pray marke this well ) in great slander of the said Prelates , &c. whereby debates and discords might arise ( not doth , but might arise ) betwixt the said Lords and Commons , which God forbid , and whereof great perill and mischiefe might come to all the Realme , and quicke subversion and destruction of the said Realme , if due remedie bee not provided . And for the remedy provided , which in this statute was according to that of Westminster the first before remembred ; that in the 12. of this King Richard , cap. 11. is left to the discretion of his Majesties Councell . So that what ever punishment His Majesties most honourable Privie Councell may inflict upon you , you have justly merited , in taking so much paines to so bad a purpose , as to set discord and debate betweene the Prelates and the people . But where you have gone further to excite the people ; what say I , people ? nay , the Lords , Judges , Courtiers , all the Nation generally , to draw their powers and force together : I see no reason why you should bee so angry with the High Commissioners for laying sedition to your charge ; or if that please you better , a seditious Sermon . And being a seditious Sermon then , and a seditious Pamphlet now , dispersed up and downe throughout the kingdome , especially amongst those , whom you , and such as you have seasoned with a disaffection to the present governement : What have not you for your part done , to put all into open tumult ? I doe not meane to charge it on you , but I will tell you how it was resolved in former times , by Bracton , and Glanvill , two great Lawyers in those dayes ; viz. Siquis machinatus fuerit , vel aliquid fecerit in mortē D. regis , vel ad seditionē regis , vel exercitus sui , vel cōsenserit , cōsiliumve dederit , &c licet id quod in voluntate habuit non produxerit ad effectum , tenetur tamen criminis laesae Majestatis . Construe me this , and you will find your selfe in a pretty pickle . And I will tell you also two particular cases , which you may find with little paines , in our common Chronicles . The first of one John Bennet , Wooll-man , who had in London scattered schedules full of sedition , and for that was drawn , hanged , and beheaded in the fourth yeare of Henry the Fifth , The other of Thomas Bagnall , Jo. Scot , Jo. Heath , and Jo. Kennington , who being all Sanctuary men , of Saint Martins le Grand , were taken out of the said Sanctuary for forging of seditious Bills , to the slander of the King , and some of his Counsell , ( will you marke this well ? ) for the which three of them were condemned and executed , and the fourth upon his plea returned to Sanctuary , in the ninth yeare of King Henry the Seventh . I instance only in these two , because both ancient ; both of them hapning before the Statute 23. Eliz. 〈…〉 which being restrained unto the naturall life of the said Queene , is not now in force ; and which , as long as it continued , was a strong bridle in the mouths of your forefathers in the Faction , to hold them in , from publishing and printing such seditious Pamphlets . The common Chronicles will tell you , how that most excellent Lady dealt with those , who had offended her in that kinde , wherein you excell : Tha●ker and Capping , Barrow , Greenwood , Studly , Billot and Bowlar , Penry and Vdall , zealous Puritans all , being all condemned to death ; and the more part executed . And you may please to know for your further comfort , that in King James his time , May the third , Anno 1619. one Iohn Williams , a Barrister of the middle Temple , was arraigned at the Kings Bench , for a seditious book by him then but lately writtē , & secretly disperst abroad never printed ( as yo●urs are ) or which hee was condemned , and executed at Charing crosse , some two dayes after . And it was afterwards resolved at the first censure of Mass . Prynne , in the Starre-chamber , by the Lord Chiefe Justice that then was , that had hee beene put over to his Tribunall , hee had beene forfeit to the gallowes . All which being represented to you , I close up my addresse in the words of Tullie , Miror te , quorum act a imitere , eorum exitus non perhorrescere . So God blesse the man. And yet I must not leave you so . As I have raised one use for your reprehension ; so give mee leave to raise one more for the instruction of others , those most especially whom you have seduced . My use shall be , that they continue stedfast in their full obedience to God ; the King , Gods deputie ; the Prelates of the Church being Gods Ministers , and the Kings : and that they doe not suffer themselves to bee carryed up and downe with every blast of doctrine , by the subtletie of those who onely labour to deceive them . I know it is a fine perswasion to make the common people think that they have more then private interest in the things of God , and in the government of States : nothing more plausible nor welcome to some sort of men , such whom you either make or call free Subjects . This Buchanans device , to put the sword into the hands and managing of the people ; in that his most seditious maxime , Populo jus est imperium eui velit deferat . And such the doctrine of Cleselius , one of your brethren in the cause , a furious Contra-Remonstrant of Roterdam , who laid it for a doctrine before his audience , that if the Magistrates and Ministers did not do their parts to preserve Religion , then the people must , licet ad sanguinem usque pro ea pugnarent , what blood soever should bee spent in pursuite thereof . Such grounds were also laid in Queene Elizabeths time , by those who then were held as you thinke your selfe , the Grand supporters of the cause : men like to Theudas in the Acts , who thought themselves , as you doe now , to be some great Prophets , and drew much people after them , so many that they threatned to petition to the Queenes highnesse , with no fewer then 100000. hands . But what became of these jolly fellowes . They perished , & as many as followed after them , & redacti sunt ad nihilum , and are brought to nothing : nothing remaining of them now , but the name and infamy . Nor can I promis better to those who pursue their courses ; and either furiously runne , or else permit themselves to bee drawne along into those rash counsailes : which as they are begunne in disobedience , and prosecuted equally with pride and malice ; so can we not expect that they should have a better end , then calamitous ruine . And therefore I shall earnestly beseech and exhort all those , who have beene practised with by this kind of spirits , ( if such at least may cast their eyes on any thing which is not made to feede their humour ) that they would seriously endeavour the Churches peace , and conscionably submit themselves to their superiours in the Lord : not following with too hastie feete those Ignes fatui , who onely leade them on to dangerous precipices , and dreadfull down-falls . The greatest vertue of a Subject is his free obedience ; not grudgingly or of necessity , or for feare of punishment : whether it be unto the King , as unto the chiefe ; or unto Governours as unto them which are sent by him , for the punishment of evill doers , and for the praise of them that doe well . Suspition , as it is in Kings , the sicknesse of a tyrant ( and so his Majestie King Iames conceived it ) so is it in a Subject , the disease and sicknesse of a mischievous braine , apt upon every light surmise , to entertaine undutifull and pernitious counsailes . The safest man is he , that thinkes no evill , and entertaines not rashly those unjust reports , which are devised and spread abroad by malicious wits , of purpose to defame their betters : that they themselves might gaine applause , and be cryed up , and honoured , yea tantum non adored by poore ignorant men , who doe not understand aright what their Projects ayme at . Lastly , I must informe both you and them , that howsoever it was thought not to bee unfit , that at this present time an Answer should be made unto all your quarrells , that so the people whom you have seduced might see the errour of their courses : yet neither you nor they must expect the like on all , or any of those factious provocations which every day are offered to the publicke governement . Things that are once established by a constant law , are not at all to be disputed , but much lesse declamed against : or if they bee , will finde more shelter from the lawes , then from their Advocates . These scandalous and seditious pamphlets are now growne so rife , that every day ( as if wee lived in the wild of Africke ) doth produce new Monsters : there being more of them divulged at this present time , then any former age can speake of ; more of these factious spirits quam muscarum olim cum caletur maxime , then there are Scarabees and Gad-flies in the heat of Summer . And should the State thinke fit , that every libell of yours , and such men as you , should have a solemne Answer to it : you would advance your heads too high , and thinke you had done somthing more then ordinary , which should necessitate the state to set out Apologies . That , as it would encourage you to pursue your courses ; so would it suddenly dissolve the whole frame of government ; which is as much endangered by such disputations , as by disobedience . And yet I would not have you thinke , that you are like to find those daies whereof Tacitus speaks , ubi & sentire quae velis , & quae sentias loqui liceat ; in which you may be bold to opine what you list , and speake what ever you conceive : much lesse to scatter and disperse in publick what ever you dare speake in private . Princes have other waies to right themselves , and those which are in authority under them , then by the pen : and such as will fall heavier , if you pull them on you . Kings & the governors of states , as they participate of Gods power and patience , so doe they imitate him in their justice also ; and in their manner of proceeding against obstinate persons . God is provoked every day , so Kings : God did sometimes expostulate with his faulty people , and so doe Kings : God sometimes did imploy his Prophets to satisfie the clamours and distrusts of unquiet men ; and thus Kings doe also . But when the people grew rebellious , and stif-necked , and would not heare the Charmers voice , charme hee never so wisely ; God would no longer trouble himselfe in seeking to reclaime them from their peevish folly : but let them feele the rod and the smart thereof , till the meere sense of punishment had weaned them from it . So howsoever it bee true , convitia spreta exolescunt , that scandalous pamphlets , such as yours , and those which if not yours , are now spread abroad , have many times with much both moderation , & wisdome , been slighted and neglected by the greatest persons : yet if the humor be predominant , and the vein malignant , it hath beene found at other times as necessary , that the tongue which speaketh proud words be cut off for ever . Nor would I have you so farre abuse your selfe , as to conceit that none of these seditious Pasquils , which are now cast into the world , doe concerne the King. For as Saint Paul hath told us , that whosoever doth resist the power , resists the ordinance of God , because there is no power but it is from God : So whosoever doth traduce and defame those men , which are in chiefe authority under the King , doe defame the King , because they have their dignities and authorities from and under him . And thus it was affirmed in Vdals case , one of your Fathers in the faction , being arraigned upon the Statute 23 Eliz. cap. 2. For when it was pretended for him , that he defamed not the Queen which the law provided for , but the Bishops onely : it was resolved that they who spake against her Majesties supreme government in cases Ecclesiastical , her lawes , proceedings , and all those Ecclesiasticall officers , which rule under her , did defame the Queeene . Your case being just the same with Vdalls , nor you , nor any such as you have reason to perswade your selves , but that your scandalous Pasquills doe as neerely concerne the King , as those did the Queen ; or that you shall be answered alwayes , edictis melioribus , with pen and paper . If Authority hath stooped so low , this once , to give way that your seditious pamphlets should come under an examination , and that an Answer should be made to all the scandalous matters in the same contained , I would not have you thinke it was for any other cause , but that your Proselytes may perceive what false guides they follow , and all the world may see how much you have abused the King and his Ministers , with your scandalous clamours . Which done , and all those cavills answered , which you have beene so long providing ; it is expected at their hands ; that they rest satisfied in and of the Churches purposes , in every of the things objected ; and looke not after fresh Replies upon the like occasions . And so I leave both you and them with those words of Solomon , which you have so perverted to your wretched ends : My sonne feare thou the Lord and the King , and meddle not with them that are given to change : for their calamity shall arise suddainely , and who knoweth the ruine of them both . FINIS . ERRATA . For Saltem p. 3. l. 9. r. Saltum . p. 17. l. 2. for of . r. that of . il . l. 12. dele And. p. 28. l. 25. for ab r. at that . p. 33. l. 24. for sure r. free . p. 37. l. 27. for and r. what . p. 52. l. 10. for I. audr . i. e. p. 53. l. 23. for by . r. and by . p. 70. l. 26. for Instance , r. inference . p. 78. l. 16. d. next for your charges . p. 86. l. 1. del . in . p. 90. l. 20. for a. r. on a. p. 96. l. 25. for . to . r. of . p. 104. l. 3. for will , r. good will. ib. l. 31. dele . But. p. 105. l. 9. dele . But. p. 107. l. 3. for cautio r. cautum . p. 115. l. 22. dele . momes . p. 119. l. 12. for Ithicly r. Iphycly . p. 122. l. 29. for a discourse , r. their discourses . p. 123 l. 23. for meete , r. meate . p. 127. l. 1. r. the Thesis . p. 142. l. 5. for coequall . r. co●evall , p. 144. l. 20. for For as the , r. And as for the. p. 146. l. 1. for Count , r. court . l. 11. for your , r. the. p. 149. l. 2. for change r. charge . p. 153. l. 4. for hereby , r. verely . p. 157. l. 6. for a r. as . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A68174-e10 1 Cor. 13.23 . 2. Pet. 2.10 . Jude 16. 2. Pet. 2.12 . Jude 17.18 . Jude 15. De haeres . c. 23. Cann . 83. Orat. pro M. Marcell . Ep. to the King. Notes for div A68174-e2450 Apolog. p. 6 Philip. 2. Pag 111. Diog. Laert. part 3. c. 15. part . 3. c. 9. Tacit. in vica Agricolae . Notes for div A68174-e5780 Paterculus . Phil. de Comiues . lib. 3. cap. 15. In Rom. cap. 13. Institut . lib. 4. c. ult . Lucan . Acts 4. Rom. 13.5 . hist . l. ● ▪ Lib. 7. c. 17. In Psal . 10● . Hist . l. 53. Rom. 13.4 . Cicero Philip . 2. Notes for div A68174-e8410 Rom. 14. Confess . ● . 8 . Tacit. Annal. Notes for div A68174-e11020 Epistle De●●●●t . to the king . Paterculus . Institut . l. 4. Sect. 15. Lib. 3. cap. 3. In vit . Augustini . c. 8 . Bishop of Elys Epistle Ded. before his treatise of the Sabbath . Lucan lib. 1 Tullie . Phil. 2. Lib. 4.14 . Tacit. in vi●a Agricol . Notes for div A68174-e15150 Epist . Dedicat . Notes for div A68174-e17960 Can. 18. Art. 3. ● 26 Lib. 5.29 . Lib. 131. Statute 1. Eliz. cap. 2. Art. 3. s 26 Apologie . part 3 cap. 15. p. 226. v. Hooker in the Preface to his Eccl : Politie . Notes for div A68174-e22240 The Prelats falsly charged with attributing Popish merit unto Fasting , of putting downe Lectures , cutting short of Sermons , the prayer before the Sermon , & Catechizing . No innovations either in the role of faith , or manners . (a) Instit . l. 4. c. ult . (b) In Rom. 13. (c) De Iure regui . Holy Table p 183 Notes for div A68174-e27220 speech in Starre . Chamber . 3 Edw. l. 33 Necessaria Respon●io p. 83. Cont. Bellar. de Peccat . origi . Hist . of K. H. 7. by the Vis . S. Alb. Glanvil● l 14 Bracton l. 2. Stewes A●n . Holling h. p. p. 778. Deiure Reg. Marca . Resp . pars 2. p. 50. 1. Pet. 2.13.14 . Hist , l. ● . Rom. 13 Sutel●sses Answ p. 3.