unto God in his behalfe pag. 135. see 132. Consid 1. Whether all men are camels and oaks beasts and blocks that will not bow and make adoration not to Christ but to the Ministers prayer XXII That here in England this worse conclusion of the Doctors to desire to sit at the Communion is more to be feared from the opposers of our Lyturgie who brag of their cousinship and coheireship with Christ then from us who are ready to live and die in defence of the same pag. 149. Consid. 1. Whether this Orthodox Prelate doe quake for feare lest people sit at the Communion and yet confesse himselfe that the Apostles used a table gesture Holy tab. p. 132. 2. Whether the Bishops hold their Miters in tenure of a Service-booke that they will live and die in defence of the same XXIII That it was well done by the reformed Church in Poland first by monitions in the yeere 1573 and then by Sanctions in the yeere 1583. ne in usu sit that the usuall receiving of the Communion in those parts should not be by sitting round about the table pag. 133.136 Consid 1. Whether Bishop Williams was then a privy Councellor of Poland to know all their circumstances whether they did well or ill 2. Whether he have ground in Scripture to prove that they did well that did either directly against the institution or against their owne consciences inforcing weake consciences in a thing at the most but indifferent 3. Whether they did well to goe beyond Rome it selfe which as this Bishop confesseth did not absolutely condemne this Ceremony of sitting Holy table p. 133. XXIV That it hath beene alwayes as the practice so the doctrine of this Kingdome that both in every part and in the whole Lawes doe not make Kings but Kings Lawes which they alter and change from time to time as they see occasion pag 31. XXV That the Kings of England have a power from God himselfe not only to make laws but to alter and change laws from time to time for the good of themselves and their subjects ho tab. p. 41. Consid. 1. Whether it be not manifest in the holy table that he speakes this of the Kings power to make and change lawes absolutely without expressing in or with the Parliament 2. Whether hee thinkes it needfull for Bils propounded by the King to passe the upper and lower House or that the Regall power absolute is as sufficient of it selfe to make and change Lawes or that the priviledges of the Houses being necessarily requisite to passing Bils be any encroachment upon the Regall power Jure Divino or any wrong unto the supreme Majesty 3. Whom doth hee thinke must be judge what is good for them and their Subjects 4. Whether hee thinke the honourable House of Commons may not justly take these things into serious consideration though another man dare not meddle with so stout a Prelate XXVI That the power in matters Ecclesiasticall is such a Fee-simple as was vested in none but God himselfe before it came by his and his onely donation to be vested in the King and being vested in the King it cannot by any power whatsoever no not by his owne be devested from him ho tab. p. 24. Consid. 1. Whether doth he thinke that the Parliament hath no power at all in matters Ecclesiasticall but that the same power was in the King absolutely before the Parliament made the Statute of primo Elizab. as it was after as his former words seeme to affirme if it was what needed that or any Act to be passed but an arbitrary government if not in all things yet at least in all matters Ecclesiasticall which is the onely desire of the Prelates whereby they by flatteries and insinuations may doe what they list 2. Whether doth not this deny the King himselfe to have power to invest his sonne and heire in part or in whole of his power if he please as some Kings have done and as David did 3. Whether doth not this tenet deny the Kings power to be devested from him to his officers for execution of his Lawes seeing it tyes all so upon his owne person that it seemes to deny him power to unburthen himselfe 4. Whether doth not this deny the King to have power to make Acts of Parliament in matters Ecclesiasticall because in such Acts the King obliges himselfe to that Law or whether doth not this tenet nullifie all such Lawes ipso facto if the Kings power cannot by himselfe be devested from him XXVII That the Kings Declaration is therefore in the letter called a kind of Law because it was neither act of Parliament nor a meere Act of Councell but an Act of the King sitting in Councell which if not in all things else without all question in all matters Ecclesiasticall is a kinde of Law Holy tab. p. 188. Consid. 1. Whether the Prelates could not wish there were no other kinde of Law neither Acts of Parliaments nor Acts of Councell but meere Declarations and those onely by their owne directions as in all things else so especially in all matters Ecclesiasticall 2. Whether the Prelates have not laboured to reduce all kindes of Law to an arbitrary government XXVIII That the Kings Majestie may command a greater matter of this nature then that the holy Table should be placed where the Altar stood and be railed about for the great decencie and that although the Statute of primo Eliz. had never beene in rerum natura pag. 32. Consid. 1. Whether the Prelates have not alwayes perswaded that the greatest affaires of Church and State might be mannaged and performed not onely by meere commands without but contrary to Acts of Parliament 2. Whether Bishop Williams doe not prove elsewhere that railes and Altar-wise placing are directly contrary to Lawes and Acts of Parliament 3. Whether a subject is not guilty of laesae Majestatis that by flattery betrayes the Kings judgement into the manifest breach of the Lawes established XXIX That the Act of primo Eliz. concerning Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction was not a Statute introductory of a new Law but declaratorie of the old Parliaments are not called to confirme but to affirme and declare the Lawes of God Weake and doubtfull titles are to be confirmed such cleare and indubitate rights as his Majestie hath to the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction are onely averred and declared by Acts of Parliament And all Declarations of this kind are as the stuffe they are made of to last for ever pag. 25. Consid. 1. Whether every part or parcell of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction be perpetuall because the whole is such so that Parliaments cannot change them 2. Whether the High Commission is therefore to last for ever contrary to the same authoritie that stablished it first 3. Whether this tenet doe not deny the power and priviledge of Parliaments if all Ecclesiasticall Lawes so once declared are to last for ever to please the Prelates so that the Parliament cannot repeale the Statutes
themselves doe make 4. Whether doe not Parliaments rather affirme and declare the full consent of the King subjects in such points wherein they doubt what the Law of God is 5. Whether some particulars in Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction which before were doubtfull whether they ought to be by Gods Law obeyed or no may not be confirmed by the full consent of the parties whom they most concerne in Acts of Parliament XXX That whatsoever by the Laws of God the Prince or the Church is once constituted is no longer to be mooted upon but absolutely obeyed by all inferiours And what God the King and Church have directed is not to be put to deliberation but execution Holy Table pag. 66.67 Consid. 1. Whether all the Prelates Canons are constituted by God the Prince or the Church 2. Whether it will suffice that it be constituted by God and the Prince or else by the Church alone without them 3. Whether by the name of Church here be not meant the worst members of the Church the Prelates in Convocation 4. Whether no deliberation is allowed to know whether God hath constituted it or no XXXI That all commands of the King that are not upon the first inference and illation without any prosyllogismes contrary to a cleare passage in the Word of God or to an evident sun-beame of the Law of nature are precisely to be obeyed pag. 68. Consid. 1. Whether a command contrary to the word of God upon the second inference may not be as unlawfull as upon the first 2. VVhether a command which is truely contrary to an obscure passage in the word of God may not be as unlawfull in it selfe as to a cleare XXXII That it is not enough to finde a remote and possible inconvenience that may ensue therefrom which is the ordinary objection against the Booke * of Recreations pag. 68. Consid. 1. Whether Bishop Williams doe not here allow the Booke of Recreations because he admits not the ordinary objection against it XXXIII That every good subject is bound in conscience to believe and rest assured that his Prince environed with such a Counsell will be more able to discover and as ready to prevent any ill sequele that may come of it as himselfe possibly can be Holy Table pag. 68. Consid. 1. Whether is a good subject bound to believe and rest assured that the Councell are such as they should be though they be not and so be bound in conscience to believe a falshood 2. VVhether is a good subject bound in conscience to believe and rest assured upon other mens goodnesse for the safetie of his owne conscience 3. VVhether the Papists doe not so thinke of the Pope and his conclave of Cardinals be they good or bad XXXIV That the Table without some new Canon is not to stand Altarwise and you at the North end thereof but tablewise and you must officiate on the North side of the same by the Lyturgie Holy Table pag. 20. Consid. 1. Whether this doe not imply that by a new Canon it may stand Altar-wise though by the Lyturgie authorised by Parliament it may not 2. VVhether this doe not preferre a Canon before a Statute and the Convocation before the Parliament 3. VVhether this did not give the first hint for the new Canons and lay the first foundation for the late Convocation to make the Canon XXXV That whether the Altars may soone be mounted up by steps that the Minister may be seene and heard of the Congregation I cannot tell you without new directions For the orders made 1561. require plainly that if in any Chancell the steps be transposed they be not erected againe and these were high Commissioners grounded upon the Act of Parliament who set forth these orders Which how farre they binde I dare not determine being as you say none of the ablest Canonists in the Church of England Holy Table pag. 206. Consid. 1. VVhether this doe not intimate that by new directions the Bishops may crosse the orders authorised by Parliament 2. VVhether he doubt how farre orders grounded on Parliament may binde and yet affirme in the next Tenet that the Convocation maketh strong and binding Canons 3. VVhether it be not undenyably manifest here that the writer of the Letter to the Vicar and the writer of the Holy Table are both one man because those words of the ablest Canonists in the Church of England which here he takes to himselfe Doctor Heylin spake onely of the writer of the Letter and so it is plane they are both one man and Holy Table pag. 58. he saith this Pamphleters whole Booke is but a libell against a Bishop but that Booke as Coal from the Altar was written onely against the writer of the Letter therefore both the writer of the Letter and of the Holy Table were both one to wit the Bishop of Lincolne for both in the Title page and in the license it is said to be written by a Minister of Lincolneshire XXXVI That the reverent house of Convocation is not convened or licensed by the King to make permissions that men may doe what they list but to make when they are confirmed by the King strong and binding Canons to be obeyed by the Subjects and to be pursued by all the Ordinaries of the Kingome Holy tab. pag. 205. Consid. 1. Whether it was not a brave world for Prelates to make what Lawes they pleased if they could but get the Kings consent 2. Whether hee doe not aggravate the strength of Canon and arbitrary commands but extenuate the power of Parliaments XXXVII That the Bishop or Ordinary if he command according to the Lawes and Canons confirmed for otherwise he is in his eccentricks and moves not as hee should doe why then in such a case as wee had even now that is a case of diversity doubt and ambiguity hee is punctualy to be obeyed by those of his jurisdiction be they of the Clergie or of the Laitie holy Table pag. 68.69 Consid. 1. Whether the Bishop expecting obedience if hee command according to the Lawes and Canons in cases of doubt and diversity being learned and knowing his grounds may not better shew his grounds and evidence of the lawfulnesse to satisfie the weake consciences then to force obedience against their consciences without any ground XXXVIII That in matters of doubting and ambiguity the inferiour shall be approved of God for his dutie and obedience and never charged as guilty of error for any future inconvenience holy tab. pag. 69. Consid. 1. Whether there be any ground in Scripture to warrant the committing of wilfull and presumptuous sinnes 2. Whether any Scripture teach that men shall be approved of God for sinning against God to please a Bishop and not rather severely punished 3. Whether this doth not bewray Bishops that they seeke more their owne pride and vain-glory then the glory and service of God 4. Whether this doctrine be not divellish and Popoish and cleane contrary to S. Paul who saith
moderate degrees draw in as much Romish heat if not more than the former as appeareth plainly by the subsequents and so deceived many thousand readers and also would me if I had but only once look'd over Lincolne SECT. IV. Of Heylins Antidotum Lincolniense TO this Holy Table Doctor Heylin tooke no care to provide holy coverings and furnitures nor bossed Bookes guilt Candlestickes Virgin wax-tapers Embroydred hangings carved Rayles pretious Plate no nor so much as a massie Crucifix to pray unto for helpe against this Prelate but seeing his credit lie at stake his Coale extinguished his Altar sore wounded his Learning though weake lie a bleeding and his Religion poysoned hee thinkes it no time to sit playing at Tables with an idle Bishop but presently provides a salve for all these sores which hee called Antidotum Lincolniense but as his Divinitie was gone to travell in strange countreys and was but newly come home weary weake and feeble when he kindled his Coal to warme it so his physique lay asleepe in a warme night-cap and could not suddenly be awaked when he composed his Antidote so that it would neither cure his credit salve his Altars sores selve to expell the poyson of his opinion nor preserve his repute of learning although he graced it with his name in publique thereby bewraying himselfe to be the author of the Coal SECT. V. Of the Author of the Letter and Holy Table c. THat the Bishop of Lincolne was the Author of the Letter to the Vicar of Grantham and Divines of that Lecture though his Secretaries pen might set downe the words is manifest by the premisses in the first Section and that hee was likewise the Author of the Holy Table in defence of the Letter against the Coal from the Altar is not onely probable but plainly manifest and undenyable for although in the Title page and in the license he call him a Lincolneshire Minister and pag. 5. a neighbouring Minister employed in some of the maine passages and pag. 11. one of the Lecturers of Grantham saying Wee met accordingly and perused these Letters c. And pag. 21 and 114. one of the Lecturers that approved of the Letter yet all this proves him not a Lecturer both because he might purposely personate another man whom he was not and also because that by the same reason wee may as well thinke him to be a Countrey Joyner for hee saith Holy Table pag. 45. I that am but a poore Countrey Ioyner can set you up a Table c. and yet hee could not be a Lecturer and Joyner both besides the Lordly stile the Bishoply phrase the Prelaticall disdaine of the Doctor the Chaplin although the Kings his mocking him with a Bishopricke his slight of a Vicaridge his disdaine of the Vicar of that Lecture doe speake him no Lecturer at Grantham his leasure to reade Histories besides English French Italian and Spanish unlikely in a Lecturer his dexteritie in the civill Common and Canon lawes the Lord Keepers office Acts of Parliament Acts of Councell Prerogative Royall Episcopall policy and experience and many such reasons bewray him to be no Lecturer his skill in the tongues not usuall in a Lecturer his Promptitude and readinesse in the Popish Canons Decrees and Decretals his skill in so many severall Masse-bookes and frequent quotation of Masse-mongers his notorious ignorance in understanding and applying the Scriptures as appeares pag. 78. upon Acts 6.2 and his rare quotation of Scriptures the whole Booke I thinke scarce affording five severall Texts among many hundreds of Jesuits Masse-bookes and other Authors frequently quoted in all which regards I appeale to any rationall man whether this can be a Lecturer but above all this wee have himselfe confessing and one confession of the party accused or suspected the Law takes hold of not regarding a hundred denialls for saith hee Holy Table pag. 206. I dare not determine being as you say none of the ablest Canonists in the Church of England here he takes the words as spoken of himselfe which in the Coal from the Altar pag. 50. and quoted Holy Table pag. 54. It is manifest that Heylin speakes it and Lincolne takes it as spoken of the writer of the Letter so that it cannot be denyed but that one man was writer of both and that hee was the Bishop appeares plainly Holy Table pag. 58. saying This Pamphleter whose whole Booke is but a Libell against a Bishop c. Now it is evident that Heylin writ the Coal in answer to the Letter and the Writer thereof therefore the Writer of both Letter and Booke was the Bishop And if this plaine confessing can be shifted off with jugling barbara celarent pag. 64. adieu Grammar and Logicke Mood and Figure and Mood and Tense too and vous avez Doctor Holdsworth who they say corrected it at the Presse and Master Bourn who had the Manuscript and also vous avez the Bishop of Lincolne himselfe who licensed and approved it for Orthodoxal and consonant and subscribed his Name A Preamble to the Tenets BEcause the Prelates are so subtile and politique and so selfe-conceited and to use Lincolnes owne words doe make their owne workes above all humane and equall to the Lawes divine Holy Table pag. 4. and such is the partiality of them that they make their owne case make their owne evidence make their owne law and make their owne authorities and all out of their owne conceits and endeavour what they can to give a faire cause a foule face Holy Tab. pag. 5. so that when wee have that great advantage which Tully speakes of Confitentem reum the guiltie confessing wee can scarce be sure to tie a knot upon a Bishop for he is a slipperie youth as Plaut. in pseudolo Quid cum manifesto tenetur Anguilla est elabitur Holy Table pag. 40. When you thinke sure an Eele is tyed Hee 'l slip the string and not abide So that a man cannot imagine what evidence to provide to give satisfaction to so hautie a companion who Iura negat sibi nata nihil non arrogat armis pag. 5. His native lawes he will deny The Prelats power to deify And because it is possible a Prelate may propose unto himselfe some peevish wrangling waspish humour of his owne in stead of a Canon Holy Table pag. 65. and therefore no Ecclesiasticall Judge whatsoever is to guide himselfe by his owne sense pag. 65. although this Prelate would have his courteous Readers the poore countrey people to swallow many a Gudgeon without so much as champing or chewing on it Holy Table pag. 146. I have therefore proposed before his Tenets to avoyd cavillations and Prelaticall evasions three rules and one compasse which if they were mine owne being reasonable it were as great reason this Prelates Opinions and Tenets should be ruled and squared by them as that Heylin and others should be regulated by and compassed within his rules and compasse But because I would deale with all