beene forced to recite because it makes very much for the justification of what hee writ in his Apology and that hee had good ground greatly to blame the Prelates aswell for these as for many other of their proceedings as afterwards this honorable Court shall well perceive And now that the Defendent may come to the things that he is charged with in the Information as to have accused the Bishops of in his Apology which by the informers is termed a Libell though it contayneth nothing but a true Narration of the passages of the High-Commission Court which he never spake nor writ against but onely against the abuses of the Iudges in it who have turned that Court which was of purpose appoynted by the State for the suppressing of Heresyâ— Popery and viceâ— to the beating downe of the Religion established by Autority and the promotion and advancement of superstition and the molestation and undoing of the Kings faithfullest Subjects and the deare servants of God as daylie experience teacheth us and the whole Kingdome can witnes In the writing of which booke he the Defendent thinketh himself so far from being a delinquent as he conceiveth he hath done good service to King Church and State having in it vindicated and mayntayned regall Autoritie against the tyranny of the Pope discovered also the Prelats lawlesse usurpations with their ungratitude to the King and cruelties againâ—â— their brethten mayntayned the hoâ—our likewise of the Lawes of the Land and the dignity of sacred Writ both which they slight and make nothing of and by innâ—merable testimonyes of learned men proved the assertion for which he is thus traduced and envyed to be neither novell nor hereticall but according to both the Divine Scriptures and all Antient trueth the vetustest Bishops and by the whole clergy of England in King Henry the eights dayâ—s as all the learned and ingenuous do well perceive and know both at home and abroad So that if â—he Informers with the Prelats will make this Booke a libell then let them make holy Scripture the Lawes of the Kingdome and all the antient recordâ— of learned Bishops libells also for the Defendent in â—hat haâ—h sayd nothing concerning the Preâ—bytery which is not agreeable to them all And for â—he matters in specâ—all he is charged wiâ—h in the information Viz. That he hath causlesly enveighed against the oath ex officio and other antient formes of proceedings in that Court and against the sacred Hierarchy orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons preferring a Presbyteâ—ian parity before it And â—â—at he hath falsly and scandalously defamed the witnesses produced against him falsly maliciously taxed the High Commission Court it self and the Iudges therein in generall and some of them particularly and peâ—sonally with cruelâ—y and injustice with want of wisdome and temperance and that they are perswaders of his Majest to bloudshed and are upholders of idolatry superstition Popery and Prophanesse and further most maliciously and falsly affirmeth that Canterbury London and Ely are disgracers and contemners of holy Scriptures and falsly traduceth them and the rest of the Bishops for traytors and invaders of his Majest Prerogative and that in the sayd booke there are contayned diverse other unlawfull and scandalous passages against the established government and seâ—led discipline of the Church of England the Bishops and Clergy and their proceedings which being many and of various naâ—ure is delivered into his Majestâ— Court of Starchamber To all which things that he is here charged with the Defendent will answer with what breviâ—yâ— and the best Method he can doubteth nothing but whatsoever he hath writ in his Apology against the Prelats their proceeding shall be made evidently appeare to this Court to be most true And to begin with the things layd to his charge in the last place that hee accuseth the Bishops to be disgracers and contemners of holy Scripture to be invaders of his Majest prerogative upholders of idolatry Poperie superstition and prophanesse All which is most true for so they are as he hath sufficientlie proved against them in that booke and doth here also add that they have greatly dishonoured the King their Master and King Iames his Father of perpetuall memoryâ— all which he will briefly declare and demonstrat to this noble Court And that they are contemners disgracers of holy Scripture what can be more manifest when they say that the Scriptures are the refuge of all Schismaticks and Hereticks as much as if they should say â—he good Lawes and Statuts of a Kingdome and the Kings Edicts and Proclamations are the cause of all disorder and wickednes withall what is it to be contemners and disgracers of the holy Scriptures if this be not to say That they can neither be knowen to bee the Word of God nor distinguished from the Apocrypha and Prophane Authors nor be understood and the meaning of them attayned unto for their obscurity but by the Fathers If this be not to contemne sacred writ then all Orâ—hodox writers both in ours all reformed Churches and King Iames himself have accused the Church of Rome most falsly whom they prove blasphemous against God and disgracers of the Holy Scriptures for the same assertions as all their learned wriâ—ings witnes wiâ—h innumerable Arguments in them for proofe of the same The Defendent desireth to know what it is to prophane and contemne holy Scripture of thâ—s be not to slight and vilyâ—â— the autority of it and to proferre humane authority before it which the Bishops did blasphemously saying that they couâ—d not be knowne to be the Word of God without the help of the Fathers when every page and leafe of those sacred monuments breath a divine Spirit and they are called the lively oracles Act. 7. vers 38. as if the Scripture had lost his ancient luster â—ife and Divinity by its antiquity were inferior to alâ— other things boâ—h Naturall and Artificiall When notwiâ—h standing there is such a Maiesty and Splendor in the Scripture as it dazleth the eyes of all those that looke into it with hiâ— transcendent and heavenly clarity and brightnes the eyes of whose minds the God of this world hath not blinded yea vnder the very law whâ—n there was a vayle before the eyes of men so that they could not so clearly see into them as now Christians may yet then such dignity and excellency was discerned in them that at the first reading of them men cryed out the voice of God and not of man tore their garments for very anguish and feare of the threats in them and never were so ungratious and impious to say How shall wee know these books to be the Word of God For the holy Scriptures had ever such an innate and Domesticall light beauty goodnes in them and caryed such testimony and witnes within themsâ—lves ever able to declare themselves Divine and holyâ— to be the very word of the everliving God that they needed
borrow no help from without them or fetcht in humane witnesse for the declaring of their Divinity There was no need to send unto the Prophets or the Church in old time to inquire whether the Scriptures were the Word of God amongst any that were but any â—hing acquaynted with the language of Canaan as is manifestly evident in the 2 of the Kings 22. vers 8.10 and the 2. of the â—hron 34. vers 14 15 19â— where it appeareth that when the booke of the law was found by Helchia the Priest in the house of the Lord he knew it at the first reading of it to be the Word of God the same did the King they were neither of them told by the Church or any Prophets or Fathers that it was the book of the law neither did the King send unto Hulda the Prophetesse to know whether it were a true authentick Copy all this needed not it needed then no Godfathers Godmothers to Christen and give it the name of the law of God and holy Scripture as without the with it could not have been knowne there was no need of any such thing or any humane autority for the proofe of that in those times all that were then true Israelits knew it by its owne testimony to be the Word of God and shall any man now thinke that the Scriptures are more obscure and darkeâ— and harder to be discerned by their owne testimony to be Divine and holy then when they had a vaile before them and their sacred treasuries of Divine trueths were muffled up in so many types mysteries Certainly this is not onely great ingratitude to Gods bounty but very contempt and disgrace of holy Scriptures that their most excellent self autority can have no credit amongst Christians without adventiciall assistance of vaine man Is not the witnes testimony of God greater then the testimony of manâ— If we receive the witnes of men the witnes of God is greater sayth S. Iohn in his first epistle chap 5. vers 9. But the Preâ—ats affirmeâ— the testimony of man is to be preferred before the witnes of God so that we ought not beleeve â—he Spirit witnessing but the testimony of the Fathers for they say the Scriptures can noâ— beknowne without the Fathers Christ who was truâ—h it selfe saiâ—h in the 5. of Iohn vers 36. I have a greater witnesse then that of Iohn and what was that witnes his works the witnes and approbation of hâ—s Father the Scriptures Christ here preferres the testimony of the Scripture before the testimony of Iohnâ— which was the greatest of all the Prophets and the Prelats preferre the testimony of the Fathers before the Scriptures and is not this to contemne the holy Scriptures S. Peter in that glorious transfiguration of Christ upon the mount heard the voice of God the Father notwithstanding he sayth in his 2â— epistle chap. 1. vers 19. we have also a more sound word of prophesy And Christ himselfe so reverenced the holy Scriptures that he seemeth to preferre Moses his words bâ—fore his owne saying if yee beleeve not his writings how shall yee beleeve my words and in the person of Abraham when Dives desired one might be sent to his Fathers house to warne his brethren of the danger of torment that he was in Christ sayth they have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them and he sayd nay Father Abraham but if one-went unto them from the dead they will repentâ— and he sayd unto him If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead By all which testimonies of sacred writ it is evident that if the Scripture of it self cannot prevaile with men that then there is little hope that very miracles will doe them any good for the begetting of faith in them or bringing of them to the truth much lesse the Fathers and this by Christs owne words is confirmed unto us yet the Prelats nevertheles esteeme of the Fathers autority more then of the sacred Scriptures But can any man that hath but the name of a Christian thinke that those that will not be moâ—ed by the Majest and autority of the Scriptures speaking in the name of the Lord of hosts that the autority of the Fathers will prevaile with them who are not â—o be beleeved but as they speake out of the holy Scriptures and by their Divine autority Christ denyes it and therefor we are rather to beleeve that then the phantasies and impious grolleries of a few ungodly men Is not the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of his owne self sufficiency so able to declare its owne mind and meaning that it hath no need of the Fathers help without doubt unles prophane mouthes will make it a pack of nonsense Truly one would thinke that very reason might be able to convince these wretched wranglers if they had not hardened themselves to fight against the truth yea and sett themselves to resist thâ— holy Spirit of God for if we looke upon very nature art and reason they would convince us for there is no naturall thing but will prove and shew it selfe what it is and declare its owne nature as the Sun Moone Starrs declare their owne nature and tell what they are to every beholder of them fire by it self and of its owne nature esâ—ence is knowne what it is earth and water doe the same and the same may be sayd of gold and silver all other metals they are able to witnes for themselves what they are and to distinguish their owne natures from each others to any rationall man Againe All artificiale things are knowne what they are by their proper formes and so are discriminated the one from the other every one of them carrying a sufficient indication of it self yea all humaneâ— writings â—hew from whence they comeâ— by the spirit they are writ with and doe shew whether the Authors Writers of them be learned or unlearned or be men in autority place or not and there needs no Commentaries upon them to tell whose they are The Proclamations Edicts of Kings and Princes doe sufficiently without either marginall notes or annotations declare of themselves that they come from imperiall autority and the Majest the dignity of their phrase and expression proclame to all men that the authors of them are sacred persons and hee that should call them in question without a Councell or Parlament or the Faâ—hers and Iudges of â—he lawes autority would be thought no loyall Subject and not worthy to live and that deservedly for the very maner of their penning writing doe ever convince their Readers both of the dignity of their matter and of the excellency of the personages that set them forth And shall any in this age of light be found so darkened in his judgmentâ— as to thinke the Word of God inferior to all naturall artificiall humane things yet so it is to
there had been no other meanes for him to have come to the knowledge of the Scripture this doth not necessarily follow But were it granted that had not the Church told Augustine which was the Scripture and Word of God that he had then never beleeved it to be the Word must â—his conclusion of necessity be gathered from thence That all men must be like Augustin in this or that the Autority of men is greater and above the Scripture all â—hese are poore lame consequences and not beseeming the worthy Faâ—hers of the Church in open Court to publish to the infinit dishonour of holy Scripture advancing human Autority above it which indeed is meere blasphemy against the Holy Word of God For would not every man accuse one of folly if an other being a stranger and never seeing the King and meeting him in a journey with all his Nobles richly clad as it beseemeth noble Peeres so to be for the honour of their Master and the Majesâ—y of his Court and in this company where there are so many brave personages and all so excellently apparrelledâ— and he not knowing vvhich vvas the King should aske some of his retinue or some Courâ—ier vvhich of those vvere the King Novv doth it follovv because at that time the man should not have knovvne the King vvithout this information from some of the attendantâ— that the King could no other way have beene knowne unto him or that Kings could be knowne no other wayes but by such informatioÌ„s No rational creatures wil so conclude at that time he in part beleeved from the Courtiers relation that it vvas the King But after that he seeth the King in his Court or upon his thâ—one vvith his crovvne upon his head and vvith all his State and Magnificence and his Nobles in their service vvith the reverence that is yeilded unto him then hee beleeveth no longer because the Servant told him that it vvas the King but because by his ovvne reason he is evinced of it knovving that such attendance such a guard â— so great pomp dignity and State belongeth to none but Kings And it vvould be thought not madnes only but treason to say if one had not told him that it was the King othervvise the King could not be knovvne or that he that told him vvas greater then the King or his Autority greater The same may be sayd of the Holy and ever bleâ—sed Word of God that it is a great madnes impiety to conclude That the Holy Scripture cannot be knovvne to be the Word of God vvithout the Autority of the Fathers or Church or that the Autority of either is greater then the Scriptures vvhich to affirme is vvithout doubt blasphemy in a High degree against Almighty God and his blessed revealed vvill able to provoke his indignation upon us because it is an error against the very light of Nature art and reason and the apparent Words of the Scripture vvhere the Word of God is called the immortall seed 1. Pet. chap. 1. v. 23. vvhich liveth abideth for ever Novv all seed by its invvard vertue sproutet into a blade is by it self and his ovvne fruits knovvn to be vvhat it is So is the Scripture of it self knovvne to be the Word of God and as Paul sayth in the 1. of â—he Cor. chap. 2. ver 4. the Word of God is in the Demonstration of the Spirit in povver and maketh the hearts of the beleevers burne vvith in them as it did to those that â—vent vvith Christ to Emmaus Luke the 2â— vers 32. and as the Apostle sayth in the first to the Thessalonians the 2. chap. vers 3. that they received the Word of God not as the vvord of man but as it is in the trueth the Word of God vvhich effectually vvorketh in those that beleeve and in the 4. of the Hebr. 12. Paul sayth that the Word of God is quick and povverfull sharper then a tvvo edged Svvord piercing even to the dividing asunder the soule and Spirit and of the raines and marrovv and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart So that by these testimonies and thousands more that might be produced it is sufficiently evident that the Scriptures of themselves are declaratory and by their ovvne native and inbred splendor doe conciliat Autority credit to themselves neither have they any need of 〈◊〉 from man or the Fathers Autority to prove them â—â—e Word of God For before there vvere any Fathers the Scriptures had their Autority and vvere knovvne to be Divine Neither did the Fathers or Church make them Authentick or the Word of God no more then a Piller maketh a proclamation to bee the Kings vvill and pleasure because it stands upon it but the Church or Fathers declared them so to bee neither doth or can the very Synagogue of Rome deny this How impious then and blasphemous are â—he Prelaâ—es that they dare thus vilify the holy Scriptures and make their autority nothing And can any man of judgment see any reason why one should beleeve the Fathers more then the Scriptures or why one should beleeve that these are the works of Augustin or Ambrose should doubt that this is the Gospell of Luke Iohn or that these are the Epistles of Paul Of these things the Defendent for his part can see no reason Neither can there any solid reason be yeelded why one should beleeve the Fathers more theÌ„ the Scriptures themselvesâ— when the Fathers are not to be câ—â—dâ—tedâ— but as they accord with Scripture as the very Popish Canons Papists themselves acknowledge for in the Canon law thus speakes the Pope Paâ—rum quantalibet doctrina sanctitate pollentium Scripta ex Canonâ—â—â—â— sacris consideranda nec cum credendi necessitate sed cum judicandi libertate legenda sunt Neither is Baronius his opinion other concerning the autority of the Fathersâ— as at large may be seen in his Annals an 34. § 213. and an 44. § 42. And for Bellarmine he is of the same mind in his 2 booke concerning Councels in the 12 chapter in these words Sacra Scripta Patrum non sunt regula nec habâ—nt autoritatem obligandi And when the very adversaries doe thus fully expresse themselves that whatsoever autority is in the Fathers books and writings it is onely as they harmonise and accord with the Scripture shall any man then thinke or suppose that there should yet be more autority in the writings of the Fathers or in the Decrees of Councels then there is in the holy Scriptures from whence as the Fountaine those streames doe issue very reason will confound the fatuity of this devillish doctrine for the streames brookes are never so pure nor good as the fountaine for it is ever the fountaine that gives authority of goodnes and the name of excellency to the little sucking rivers as all men knowâ— and they commend the waters ever from the fountaine they come so
of the Kingdome of Heaven by name are committed those are more vvorthy honorable then those thaâ— have not that Priviledge But for the Presbyters they have the Priviledge of the Keys granted unto them by name Ergo the Presbyters are more honorable then Bishops For the major no good Christian vvill or rationall man can deny it And for the minor he that readeth the last of Iames shall finde it manifestly enough confirmed and proved By all vvhich Arguments the Defendent did sufficiently beat dovvne the Bishop of Romes autority and by the very light of reason overthew it For if that every Presbyter be by the word of God as good a man as the Bishop of Rome if not better and vvithall if the Presbyters neither can nor may usurp autority over their fellovv brethren much lesse may they doe it over Kings and Emperors and by consequence and necessity of reson it follovveâ—h that the Bishop of Rome hath no cause to arrogate such autority to himselfe over the vvhole Church as he doth and therefore that his rule Government is a meere usurpation and an abominable tyranny over the vvhole Church of God and ought of all men to be defyed abominated and abhorred vvith all his complices as impious and blasphemous against Godâ—â—njuriouâ— to Kings Princes and nocent to all the faithfull members of Iesus Christ. The recapitulation of all the vvhâ—ch Arguments this Defendent thought fit to make knovvne to this honourable Court that their illustricityes might in every respect see his innocency vvho first exemted all Bishops that acknovvledge their autorityes from Kings and Emperors out of the number of those against vvhich he disputed and secondly never by name fought against any other but Romish Bishops and vviâ—h their ovvne arguments vvounded themâ— And therefore he could not but take it unkindly that when in this combat they should have helped him against the common enimie they defending him fell upon the poore Defendent to his perdition saying that he meant â—hem and that he vvas erronious and factious in his opinions Novv if the Defendent hath erred in the discussing of these truthes the Scripture that Word of Life hath brought him to it vvhich vvere blasphemie to thinke and therefore vvhen they adjudged his booke to be burnt they might as vvell have burnt thâ— Scripture also yea all antiquitie and the gravest and learnedest of auncient Fathers vvhose testimonies also hee hath made publick for the greater vindication of the truth against error and cruelty But that the integritie of the defendent may yet more clearlie appeare he most humbly entreateth this Illustrious Tribunall to heare hovv the busines vvas carried against him at his Araignment before the Prelats Barre at Lambeth and hovv submissively he demeaned himself there and hovv superciliously they carried themselves towards the Defendent on the contrary side When it came to his part to speake for himselfe the Advocat having formerly denied to plead his case any farther then about the vvitnesses testimonie vvhich he also did very jejunely beeing an Advocate of such excellent parts of learning and eloquence as he vvas and also at the Bar â—enouncing iâ— saying That the Defendent should plead himselfe which vvhen it vvas put upon him he then first related vnto the Assemblie the Theame of the booke vvhich vvas the mayntenance of the Kings prerogative royall Then he told them the occasion of his vvriting of it that he vvas provoked thereunto by a Pontifician vvho often had dared him into the list of disputeâ— which aâ— last he could not deny as he vvas a Christian and as he vvas a Subiect for by the Word of God he told them and by the Law of the Land and his speciall oath he vvas bound unto it vvhich Oath he also read at large in open Court the vvhich also all the Bishops of England and all the Iudges of the Kingdome had taken and vvere equally bound vvith him to observe Then before he entred into the combat vvith the adversarie he shevved vvhat caution he used that being to vvrite against the Bishop of Rome Italian Bishops it vvas onely as they arrogate their auâ—oritie over their Brethren and the Church of God yea over Kings and Emperors jure divino against such Bishops onely hee affirmed he did dispute read the vvords of exception formerly cited at the Barre as for such Bishops as acknovvledge their jurisdiction povver and autority from Kings and Emperors he sayd he haâ— no controversy against them as he there againe and againe declared himself in the number of vvhich he the Defendent sayd ours were for all the Bishops of England and in his Majst Dominions had and received or at leastvvise ought so to doe their autoritie jurisdiction over their brethren from him For proofe of vvhich he cited read publickly the Statuts and Acts of Parlament as follow First that of the first of Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie vvherein the Oath of Allegiance vvas ratifyed In the which Statute there are these words That all jurisdiction all Superiorities and all Privileges and Preminencies spirituall and temporall are annexed to the Imperiall Crovvne vvhich by Oath he being bound to mayntaynâ—â— could doe no lesse being provoked by an adversary of regal dignity He read also the Statute vvhich was inacted in the 37. of Henrry the eight vvhich is that Archb and Bish. and all other Ecclesiasticall persons have no other Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction but that vvhich they received and had by the King from the King and under his Royall Majest He read also the Statute made in the first of King Edward the sixt in these vvords That all jurisdiction and Autoriâ—ie Spirituall and Temporall is derived and doth come froÌ„ the Kings Majest as supreme Head in the Churches and Kingdomes of England and Ireland and that by the Clergy of both the Kingdomes it ought no otherwise to be held or esteemed of and that all Ecclesiasticall Courts vvithin the sayd Kingdomes ought to be held and kept by no other povver and autoritie eyther domesticall or forrain then that vvhich comes from his most excellent Majestie And that vvhosoever did not acknovvledge and venerate this autoritie that the same men are ipso facto in a praemunire under the Kings high displeasure and indignation as the vvords of the Statute run and the mouth of the lavv speaks and then vvith some reasonâ— also vvhich the Defendent produced besides the Word of God hee shevved That no Romish Bishops had autoritie over their fellovv brethren nor could jure divino challenge it much lesse over Kings and Emperors and therefore so long as the defendent had the Word of God the Lavves of the Kingdome and reason it self on his side he told them he thought himself reasonably secure from all danger in that place And then applying his speech unto the right honorable and noble Lord the Earle of Dorset then present the Defendent tolde his honour that he could not but vvonder that hee should stand
there at the Barr as a Delinquent for mayntayning the Religion established by publick Autority the honour of the King and the glory of his Majestie and that one Chouny a Sussex man a laick as vvell as himselfe should vvrite a Booke and set it forth by publicke autoritie mayntayning the Church of Rome to be a true Church and never to have had so much in her as the suspition of error in fundamentall poynts and that this booke should be dedicated to the Prelate of Canterbury patrionized by him vvhich Bookâ— the Defâ—ndent both read and exhibited in Court by vvhich notwithstandig the King himselfe and all his Subiects were made Schismaticks and hereticks to the infinit dishonour of God our Gratioâ—s King and King Iames of blessed memorie and our most holie profession and religion This as the defendent told the Lord of Dorset struck an amazement in him especially vvhen the author of it must be favoured and coâ—ntenanced by Canterburie and for the defending of the honour and dignitie of our Church and the honour of the King the Defendent should stand as an evill doer Novv vvhen the defendent vvas come thus farre and vvas then approaching more closely unto them all intending more fullie in the pleading of his cause to have set forth their unjust dealing they tolde him that he rayled and imperiouslie commanded him to hold his peace vvhich vvas the reason of his Apologeticus ad Praesules Anglicanos vvhere he tooke libertie to vvrite that and publish it to the vievv of all the vvorld vvhich he vvould have then spoke But after that they had silenced him they then fell a thundering against him everie one as he pleased all of them joyning in this one onely excepted that they censured him onely for his Booke and in their censure they unanimously agreed that the Defendent should pay the costs of suite a thousand pounds unto the King for a fine be debarred of his practice that his booke should be burnt and that the Defendent should lye in prison till recantation and in the meane time be delivered unto Satan And thus did the Sublime Court deale with the Defendent for doing his duty But here the Defendent craveth favour againe of the honorable Court that he may briefly letting the puny Iudges and their nonsenâ—e dye in silence say something of the Prelats haranges because they onely were the men that found themselves aggreeved aâ— his writing to say the trueth all the other are Officiers under them and are the Prelats hangbyes he meanes the Doctors to doe what they would have theÌ„ as hourely experience teacheâ—h all men And so much the more earnestly he desireth this liberty because it will make much for the demoÌ„stration of the justice of his accusation against the Prelats both in respect of the dishonor they have don unto God by it the dishonour of the King their Master King Iames of precious memory and the wrong done to himself in particular Now the first that entred this combat was Francis White Bishop of Ely who in the first place most blasphemously and with many contumelyes reproached the holy Scriptures making nothing of their divine Autority as all the standers by can witnes for he reviling the Defendent sayd That he had nothing in his booke but Scripture which was as he tearmed it the refuge of all Hereticks and Schismaticks openly averring withall That the Scripâ—ures could not be knowne to be the Word of God but by the Fathers and Saint Augustin would not have beleeved the Scriptures to be the Word of God had not the Church told him so Further he sayd That the Scripture could not be knowne distinguished from â—he Apocrypha but by the Faâ—hers nor the meaning of the Scripture found out but by the Fathers that all the Faâ—hers from all Antiquity which is most false as the defendent in a speciall booke hath sufficiently shewed made and proved a vast difference between Bishops and Presbyters and that there was ever a greater excellency and Autority in the Bishop then in Presbyters And this with an unanâ—mous coÌ„sent they all agreed in till a base fellow Calvin for so he tearmed that ever to be honoured Divine rose up in an obscure corner of the World viâ—lated and overtrew all order Autority in the Church and would allso have demolished the Autority of the Magistrates And then turning his speech to the Defendent unhumanly he called him Base fellow Brasen faced Fellow Base Dunce and sayd in the face of the Court That if he could not mayntayne his Episcopall Autority to be Iure Divino he would fling away his Rotchet And so concluding with those that had gone before him in his censure he sat downe in a very great fuâ—y and passion Afâ—er him came forth the Bishop of Yorke and in that numerous Assembly proclaymes That Iesus Christ made him a Bishop and the holy Ghost consecrated him and that he had not his Autority from the King for Bishops were before Kings and that Bishops held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads and so peremptorily averring that the Defendent ought to be knockt downe with club-Law for his ignorance assenting with the rest in their Censure he fell a sleep In the third place the Bishop of London advanced forwards speaking very loud and temerarious words against the Holy Scriptures saying That he had thought to have found some great Matters in the Defendents booke seeing him so confident and so peremptory but diligently reading of it he met with nothing in it but Scripture which as he sayd was the refuge of all Schismeticks Hereticks so according with his predecessors in their opinion and censure he concluded his part of speech But last of all came forth the Prelat of Canterbury who with a frontlesse boldnes avouched his Episcopall Autority preeminency over his breâ—hren to be onely from God very much blaming Calvin for his faâ—tious Spirit saying That their Ecclesiasticall Autority the power they exercised was from Christ Iesus and produced Timothy and Titus to proveâ— the same assertion and that Bishops were before Christian Kings and they held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads For no Bishop no King those that would have no Bishops sought to overthrow all Government in his censure he jumped in all things with the rest saving in the Fine which as he sayd hee thought too little and therefore ought of meere conscience as he told the other Iudges hee fined the Defendent a Thousand pounds more But he had one thing more to speake as he sayd concerning the Châ—rch of Rome and about that he resolved publickly there to declare himself in regard the Defendent had cast Chounyes book unto him in open Court and of the Synagogue of Rome he spake verie honorably affirming That shee was a true Church and that shee did not erre in fundamentall poynts and all this hee spake in that publick Sessions All which the Defendent hath
that the spring hath ever the precedency and is of greatest autority and without all controversy as it overthroweâ—h all reason so it is exceedingly impious against our great God the fountayne of all good and the giver of every good and perfect gift and they that shall speake so contumeliously as the â—iâ—â—â—ps doe of these Fountaynes of living waters â—he holy Scriptures as they did the Defendent wâ—ll euer mayntaine they are contemners and despisers of the holy Scriptures and in this opinion he will live and die Neiâ—her did they lesse offend in saying that the Scriptures could not be knowne from the Apocryâ—ha without the help and auâ—hority of the Fathers which poynt also the Defendent desireth this honorable Court to heare a little discussed it being a thing of so high nature concerning not onely the glory of God buâ— the good of every mans Soule the peace of the Church and the tranquillity of the whole Kingdom And therefore he humbly craveth favour that he may agitate it here a little for the furtheâ— Demonstration of the iustnes of his accusaâ—ion hee chargeth the Prelats with viz That they are disgracers and contemners of the holy Scriptures They say that the Scriptures can not be distinguished from the Apocrypha but by the Fathers which assertion is against sense and reason it self too impious for Prelats to speake Is not this an essentiall property of the Scriptures of the old Testament that they were written in the Hebrew tongue and that they did give witnes of Christ and received autority from him and that they were put into the hands keeping of the elect chosen people of God as a Treasury Now the Apocrypha had none of all this honour Neithâ—r did ever the Jews account of them as Scripture yea to this day they reject them Neither for these reasons onely are they distinguished from the Apocrypha but for many others the divinity purityâ— sublimity appeares in the Canonicall Scriptures the futility folly and falsity in the Apocrypha are too too manifest and is there any man so stupid blockish to thinke that this age wherein we live cannot distinguish or discerne gold from lead without the autority of the Fathers There is a vaster difference between the Apocrypha and the Canonicall Scriptures then is between gold and lead Every mans reason will tell him an apparent difference between brasse beanes But if any be desirous of autority to distinguish them will not Christs and the Apostles suffice The very Papists that have not abiured all honesty goodnesâ— do freely acknovvledge and confesse that those onely are Canonicall Scriptures which the Apostles did eiâ—her write or approve of But thâ—y did never approve of the Apocrypha The Canonicall Scriptures of the old Testament did in shâ—dows and figâ—res sett fâ—rth that which thâ— new Testament cleâ—rly speaks They did adâ—mâ—rate the new Testament expresseth in lively colours one anâ— the same thing They consent one with an other and yeild each other mutuall ayde and help Now the Apocrypha do neither foretell the new nor are by their autority and approbation illustrated and declared Christ commends Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes as books without all exception Luc. 24. and grounds his doctrine upon them but never honours nor graceth the Apocrypha with his Commendations or wiâ—nes How then can the Prelaâ—s without great conâ—umely unâ—o the sacred Scriptures say they cannot be distinguished and knowne from â—he Apocrypha but by the Fathers especially after the judgment of Christ himself is given and hath passed upon the Scriptures for the autorizing of them to be â—he word and will of God The Fathers as the learned acknowledge were for their times many of them worthy of honour but yet they vvere subject not to a fevv errors and often agreed not vvith themselves and are ever at variance vvith others and have been indeed the originall and cause of allmost all the coâ—troversies vvith vvhich the Churches are novv tormented And therefore to conclude this poynt the Defendent sayth that the Prelats are disgracers and contemners of holy Scripture vvhen against so much light of reason and Divine autority they say they cannot be distinguished and knovvne from the Apocrypha but by the Fathers Neither â—s the third Thesis Position freer from impudency and outrage against the Scriptures then the tvvo former In that they say the meaning of the Scripture could not be knovvne but by the Fathers For in this they doe as much as playnly affirme there is an other vvay to heaven then by â—he Scriptures vvhich if it be not a contemning and disgracing of holy Scripture then there never vvas any Nay if it be not blasphemy the Defendent knovveth not vvhat blasphemy isâ— and therefore all those that desire salvation and to goe to heaven must come to the Schoole of the Fathers and not to the Doctrine of the Scriptures And hovv then vvill the poore people doe to be saved that never knevv vvhat a Father vvas Nay hovv did all those goe to heaven that dyed before the Fathers For the Prelats say that the meaning of the Scripture cannot be knovvn vvithout the Fathers vvithout the knovvledge of the Scripture there is no salvation It is most manifest by these expressions of the Prelats that they vvith their untempered morter vvould put out the light of the Scripturesâ— make them not onely inferior to all mens vvritings but a very pack of Non-sense for vvheresoever thâ—re is any sense there can something be gathered out of it especially if it be so large a Booke And hovvsoever there bee many depths in Scripture there is also great perspicuity so that according to the ancient saying as an eliphant may svvimme a lamb may vvade thâ—re also But if it should be so as the Prelats say that without the autority and interpretation of the Fathers the meaning of them could not be knowne found out then the Dâ—fendent affirmeth they should be inferior to all other writings yea to every Letter and Epistle that men penn with understanding for they ever carry their owne sense and meaning along with them or to what end are they otherwise writ If the letter that discovered the gunpouder treason had not had a match and light of understanding in it that Popish plot had never been discoveredâ— till by its cruell flames it had declared it self and by the funerall of the vvhole Kingdome had been made knovvne and left those that survived and lived in perpetuall mourning If every Letter-vvriting and booke then that is penned vvith judgment carry its ovvne sense and meaning in it and the books for vvhich the Defendent is novv questioned and if all Proclamations Lettres and Edicts of Princes are easily to be understood and carry their ovvne interpretation vvith them so that none after their publication may pretend ignorance dare any man be so bold and audacious as to say that the Letters and Proclamations of the King of heaven and
God of the whole world can not bee understood when notwithstanding David sayth they give light and understanding to the simple and that by reading and meditating in the law testimonies of the Lord he grew wiser then his Teachers and Paul that Timothy knew the Scriptures from his youth 2â— Tim. chap. 3. vers 13. and notvvithstanding all this dare the Prelats affirme that the meaning of this Scripture cannot be knovvne vvithout the interpretation of the Fathers We have great cause to praise and blesse God that hath so graciously afforded us better Masters to be taught by It is good ever therefore to listen unto them Let us heare novv then vvhat the Prophets Christ and his Apostles have taught us concerning â—his vvaighty matter and of so great consequence let us follovv their example and instruction vvhich lead us into all truth and not listen to the contemners of holy Scripture They send those that are studious of the vvayes to heaven to the lavv and to the testimonyes Esai 8. to Moses the Prophets and the Scriptures not to the traditions of the Elders and custome of antiquity And they that bring an other doctrine are not to be listened unto neither may vve bid them God Speed The Word of the Lord is the vvaâ— light and Lanthorne to our Feet vvhich send forth sufficiently the beames of truth and shines so clearly of it self as it may be both knovvne proved expounded and unfolden by its ovvne brightnesse Tâ—ey do as it vvere lend luster unto the Sun from a smoaking snuffe that from the mist of the Fathers vvould bring light unto â—he Scriptures God is the Author of the Scriptures vvho is the originall and fountayne of all light in vvhom there is no darknes For the Prophesie came not in old time by the vvill of man but holy men of God spake as they vvere moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. chap. 1. vers 21. we have also a more sure vvord of Prophesy sayth the same Apostle vvhereunto you doe vvell that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place vers 19. So that the Scriptures vvere of purpose penned by holy men inspired by God himâ—elfe for a direction light to the Saints to be guided by and so they are termed by the holy Ghost So that as Peter sayd unto Christ in the sixt of Iohn vvhen he asked his tvvelve Disciples if they also would goe away To whom shall wee goe sayth he thou hast the Words of eternall life Even so we may truly say whither shall wee goe for light and direction to get to heaven but to the holy Scriptures for they have the Words of eternall life in them and this â—ayth Christ and his Apostles and yet notwithstanding all this excellent light that shineth in the Scripture the Prelats averre they are but blind guides and preferre humane darknes before the splendor of these sacred Oracles the Scripâ—ures and say without the interpretation of the Fathers â—hey can not be knowne which is unsupportable blasphemy and as much as to tell the everliving God and truth it selfe hee lyes It is most veritable that they see not the light of the Scripture the eyes of whose minds are blinded neither doe they see the light of the Sun whose eyes are plucked out If our Gospell be hid sayth Saint Paul it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds that is in infidels least the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God should shine upon them 2 Cor. chap. 4. vers 3 4â— every one knoweth the voice of that man with whom he is acquaynted as soone as the sound of it commeth to his eares and shall we not know the voice of God so clearly and perspicuously speaking unto us in the Scriptures Those that are taught of God know it â—he true worshippers of him know and understand it those that have any familiar commerce with heaven and in heavenly things But wordly men and those that are given to the love of the same are carelesse of heaven and happines they understand not the Divine language nor heavenly voice Canany heare the voice of God and not assent unto it without the aide and autority of the Fathers what a contumely is this to holy Scripture Shall God have lesse autority credit among men then the Fathers Shall vve not beleeve God speaking unto us and shall we beleeve the Fathers Shall we not give credit to Gods word and shall wee beleeve men Let the dishonor of so great a contumacy against God be farre from Christian obedience Truly the Fathers being conscious of their owne imbecillity and vveaknesseâ— never thought themselves worthy of so great dignity as to suppose that any honour came unto the Scriptures from their interpretations and expositions who in their writings frequently exhort their Readers not to listen what they say but what the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles speake in them and no farther to receive their autority and doctrine then it is grounded upon the holy Scriptures expressions to this purpose the Defendent saith he could accumulate infinite out of the Fathers which for brevity he omitteth fearing to be over tedious though it be a matter of greatest importance Such was the modesty of â—he Fathers fearing to be vvise above that vvhich vvas vvritten ever making the holy Scripture the rule and measure to be guided by And in this moderation the Fathers imitated Christ the Prophets and Apostles vvho ever fetch the proofe testimony of their doctrine from the Scriptures not as novv the Prelats doe preposterously bringing autority to the Scriptures from the interpretation of the Fathers according to their ovvne sense To the Lavv and to the Prophets sayth Esay 8. vers 20. vvhosoever speaketh not according to that hath no light in him And Iosua that great Commander is inioyned by God to order and governe himselfe and the people and the whole Common wealth according to the rule of the Scripture Iosua 1. ver 7 8. Onely be thou strong and very couragious that thou mayst observe to doe according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee turne not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayst prosper whither soever thou goest This Booke of the Law shall not goe out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to doe according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good sucâ—â—sse And in the 23 chapter vers 6. he sayth Be yee therefore very couragious to keepe and to doe all that is written in the Booke of the Law of Moses that you turne not asides therefrom to the right hand nor to the left And Christ himselfe our great Master sayth Ioh. 5. vers 38. Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have
eternall life they testifie of mee And in the 3. of the Acts ver 22 23. S. Peter brings all men unto Christ to be taught by him not in somethings onely but that Prophet must be heard in all things and no other in Gods matters must be listened unto the words are these For Moses truely sayd unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto mee him shall you heare in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shal come te passe that every Soule which will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people And in the 12. of Iohn vers 48. our Saviour sayth He that rejecteth mee and receiveth not my Words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spake the same shall judge him in the last day And therefore doth it not stand with all good reason that we should guide square our lives and actions by that word and rule onely by which we shall at the last day be judged Paul in the 2. of the Rom. ver 16. sayth That the secrets of mens hearts shall at that day be judged according to his Gospell shall not all our doctrines yea and our whole Religion be squared and regulated by the same all good reason vvould dictate so They have Moses the Prophets sayth Abrahamâ— let them heare him saith he Luc. 16. ver 29. We have Christ and his Apostles we are onely to heare them in all things not the Faâ—hers not the traditions of the Elderâ— not the use customes of former ages if they dissent from the holy Scriptures and vvritten word of God For the great Doctor of his Church telleth the Saduces saying Yee erre not knovving the Scriptures Matth. 12. vers 24. indeed from the ignorance of the Scriptures commeth all error they that follovv the Scripture for their guide can never stray or straggle from the right vvay neither have they need to borrovv the candle of the Fathers to be directed by so long as the glorious Sun of the vvord shineth so clearly and it was the eternall praise and commendations of the more noble Bereans that they did dayly search the Scriptures vvhether the things the Apostles taught vvere so or no. Acts 17 ver 11. and Paul is greatly honored vvith this applause in the 26. of the Acts ver 22. that he taught no other things then those vvhich the Prophets and Moses did say should come te passe And so Christ taught his Apostles Luc. 24 that all things ought to be fullfilled concerning him vvhich vvere vvrit in Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes So that the Scriptures alone are the Foundation of all our religion and to say that the meaning of the Scriptures can not be knowne without the Fathers is an unsufferable wickednes done unto that holy booke and an infinite contempt and disgrace of it to say it hath need of the ayde of man to support it Christ vanquished the Devill by the Scriptures Matth. 4. drove away the Saduces Matth. 22 and S. Iames by the Scriptures put an end unto the great controversy of the Churches at Ierusalem set the Churches of the Gentiles free for ever from all Ceremonyes vvhatsoever but those God himselfe had appoynted Acts 15. and onely by the Scriptures did Paul resolve all questions So that according to Gods ovvne instruction and direction vvhich must ever be obeyed and listened unto the Scriptures onely soly must bee the Iudge Law square rule of all our religion vvords actions Not the Autority of the Fathers not the traditions of men not the practice custome of the ancient and the name of Antiquity For they that shall preferre these things before the Word of God or at least affirme that these Holy Oracles and Divine records cannot be understood vvithout the Fathers do not only blasphemously disgrace and contemne the Holy Scriptures but neglect the great Prophet vvhom vve ought to heare in all things so that listening unto the voice of men before the vvords of this great Prophet accusing the Scriptures of obscurity and saying they are the refuge of all Schismaticks and Hereticks is great impiety contumacy against God most injurious to the Holy Scriptures All which the Prelats being so highly guilty of the Defendent will never be a frayd to charge them with it that they are disgracers contemners of Holy Scripture withall that they are very ungratefull to the King their master invaders of his Prerogative Royall all which he shall make also evidently appeare to this honorable Court and how unworâ—hily yea prophanely they have abused not onely the King their now Soveraigne but his most excellent Father of pious memory And that they are invaders of his Prerogative it iâ— most certayne not onely by the Statuts Lawes of the Kingdome but by this very information For by the Lawes Statuts specified before with many others it is solemnly inacted That whatsoever Autority is here exercised under the King in his Dominions whether it be Spirituall or Temporall whether by Archbishops Bishops or any Ecclesiasticall men it is meerly in by and from the King and so ought to be acknowledged and that all jurisdictions superiorities all privileges and preeminencies spirituall and Ecclesiasticall are annexed unto the Imperiall Crowne so to be acknowledged And whosoever doth not acknowledge that all jurisdiction and Autoritie both Spirituall and Temporall is derived and doth flow immediatly from the Kings Majestâ— as supreme head under Christ in these Churches and in his Kingdomes as the Statutes declare at large is ipso facto in a praemunire and under his Majest high displeasure For it is the Prerogative of Princes and the priviledge that onely agrees to Kings and Potentates to be absolute in their Dominions and that all other jurisdictions superiorityes exercised by any other in their Kingdomes are derived from them and that of themselves they have none but as from the Kings So that it is arbitrary and in the Princes power to have or not to have such jurisdictions and preeminencies under them And that they may abdicat or annihilate them when they please And whosoever shall deny this or clayme any right of Government to themselves in Princes Dominions jure Divino are delinquents against their Kings and Masters and by our Lawes and Statutes they are proclaymed enimyes of the King and his Prerogative Royall that is true the mouth of the Law hath spake it And therefore the Defendents booke cannot be called a Libell without the Lawes first be proclamed such for the lawes say That all such persons as shall challenge any Autority unto themselves in his Majest Dominions but from the King are delinquents against his Majest and invaders of his prerogative Royall his Highnesses enimyes and so they are Now that the Prelats are such they sufficiently declared it in the censure of the Defendent For he reading
vvisdome and temperance and that they are perswaders of his Majest to bloudshed and are the upholdes of idolaâ—rie superstition prophanesse â—hat he scandalously defameâ—h the vvitnesses produced against him and that he hath causleslie and boldlie inveighed against the oath ex officio and other the ancient formes of proceedings of the High Commission Court To all these the Defendent ansvvereth as they lie And first vvhereas the Defendent chargeth them vvith crueltie injustice vvant of vvisdome temperanceâ— he conceiveth he hath very good reason for that his charge both in respect of himself and others and in regard both of the soules and bodies estates of men all which they captive enslave or dissipate scatter at pleasure and in as much as in them lyes seeke the ruine of To say nothing of their daylie practises who condemne men without either exhibiting articles producing of witnesses or any legall proceedings against them as if a man should be hanged without evidence given or indictment framed which is the hight of injustice the DefendeÌ„t saith that their very proceedings against himselfe sufficiently shew their crueltie injustice want of wisdome and temperance their very speeches apparently prove all these things Neither is there such a president of wrong and cruelty in the whole world that any man of what ranke order or degree soever he be that shall write a Booke in Defence of that religion that is established by publick Autority for the honour of the King in Defence of his prerogative against a common enimy that for this indeavour of his should be ruined he his wife children cast into prison deprived first of all possibility of livelyhood rayled upon reviled publickly and after all this given to the Devill and that onely for writing a Booke which had nothing in it but Scripture and in the which the Defendent thought they meant him and that they should still prosecute him seek his eares and the defacing of him which they threaten Such a President of wrong crueltie the Defendent sayth cannot be produced in toto Macrocosmâ— therefore the Defendent in respect of his owne particular justlie chargeth them with crueltie injustice and intemperance And in respect of all other honest men that come under their jurisdiction the same may be sayd and proved by thousands whether one respect their soules bodyes or goods for they use cruelty in regard of all sparing neither age or sex poore or rich youg or old bond or free but upon every triviall occasion or for the meanest neglect of any one of their idlest and impious Ceremonies or for any misprision it is enough to have them hoisted into the High Commission Court brought from the remotest parts of the Kingdome to the utter undoing of them their familyes when as the greatest breach of any of the Commandements of the first table is not once thought of And in the bringing of them into troubles they deale with those poore men as they doe with Beares Bulls at Paris Garden they first by violence and their Officers to their mightie expenses hale them into their Courts and then with bands of two or three hundred pounds they tie them to their stakes bait them three or foure yeares together with all maner of contumelyes reproaches vexations expenses calamities torments till they have wearied them to death and made their lives tedious unto them after all this they fling him into one jayle or other destitute of friends monies And as if this were not enough eâ—en as the persecutors of the Martyrs in the primitive times as histories relate dealt with the Saints when they brought them to the slaughter they were wont to cloth them with the skinnes and hides of wilde Beasts that so they might make them the more formidable and the better animate their dogs and curres against them to teare them in peeces In like maner doe the Prelats their complices in these our times deale with poore honest Christians and the true and faithfull servants of the Lord and the Kings most loyall Subiects they make them monstrous ugly and deformed unto all men King Nobles by their relations and informations they cloth them with saying of them That they are maligners and enimies of government troublers of Church and State Seducers of the Kings Subjects making them disloyall unto their Prince stirrers up of sedition faction and a thousand such crimes setting all the people against them in their open Courts have their orators to blanch over their defamatory false accuâ—ations charging them with foule crimes the thought of which never came into their heads as this present information may witnes Yea in the very Court-Sermons they incense the King Nobles dayly against those they brand with the name of Puritans and Sectaries which all this honorable Assembly can witnes and the Defendent hath heard many Court-Sermons with his owne eares in the time of his liberty but never heard one where the Puritans as they terme them were not brought up in the Pulpit most shamefully unchristianly traduced as those that opposed the Kings proceedings and such as maligne his government and trouble the peace of Church and State and humbly besought his Majest that some severe course might bee sought taken against them These such like sprincklings of their brotherly Rhetorick the defendent himselfe hath often heard neither can this honorable Court be ignorant of the truth of this And what is all this but great cruelty injustice to abuse thus their brethren by malicious and false accusations to the incensing of their Gracious King and Soveraigne against them when they are most innocent harmlesse desiring nothing more then the life safety prosperity happines of his Majesty and of his royall progeny his florishing raigne and would lose ten thousand lives if they had them for the honour of his crowne dignity for they desire nothing more then to bee found loyall neither do they seeke any thing more then the peacâ— and wellfare of the Church the good of this commonwealthâ— And therefore if there be any this is cruelty and injustice in a high degree to deale thus mercilesly with their too too much allready afflictid brethren of whom they are ever making sinister relations to King Councell and State to the depriving of them many times of their libertâ— livelyhoods and states to the making of them theirs ever miserable and all this also they doe in their Courts every day defaming them as enimies of government and enimies of the Church and casting them into prison with great Fines on their backs And this is the cruelty they dayly use in respect of their bodies lives and estates But yet their cruelty is greater in respect of their soules for they have through the Kingdome of England and VVales taken away allmost all their glorious paynfull Ministers and â—hose that with most diligence taught the people and
in the Prelats that poore Christians in our age may neither obey the commandement of God who inioyneth us to heare in season and out of season nor imitate the Saints of olde in their pious indeavours in building up themselves in their most holy faith nor follow the good paternes of their Kings and Governors but they must be severely punished for it yea undone traduced â—or it aâ— evil doers if this be not great cruelty tyranny it selfe in the Prelats there was never none for they robb them of Heaven earâ—h all other comforts in as much as in them lyeth Nay which is yet more to shew their cruelty injustice unrightuous dealing the Prelats in the Baptisme of infants constraine the Godfathers Godmothers there solemnly to promise that they wil call upon them that are baptised when they come to yeares of discretion ofâ—en to heare Sermons to this duty are also the baptized tyed Now when they are come to yeares of understanding and in obedience of their promise they made by their God Fathers and God-Mothers and perhaps beeing stirred up also by their exhortation to this good duty of hearing the Word if â—hey goe out to heare Sermons when they have none in their owne Parishes they are first punished in their purses and liberties and then given to the Devill for this good worke which they notwithstanding have tied them to by speciall promise in their baptisme and if all this be not unspeakeable cruelty tyranny and injustice there was never none in the world and yet this is the dayly practise of the Prelates through the Kingdome as all men know And which is yet more to be observed in the same Sacrament of Baptisme children promise there by their God-Fathers and God-Mothers or they doe it for the children to be baptized that they will forsake the Devill and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and are there signed with the signe of the Crosse that innocent Ceremony as they call it that he shall continue Christs Faithfull Souldier fight under his banner all the dayes of his life against the World the Flesh and the Devill by the which promise he is bound to the utmost of his power alwayes to oppose all errors wickednes and prophanenesse Now if any in conscience of his promise either speake or write in defence of the truth as it ought to be defended or if he doe but put in practice that which he hath promised in opposing of Error Superstition Prophanesse Idolatry or the iniquities of the times the Prelates severely punish them for it as their dayly proceedings witnes and if this be not a daring crueltie also and great injustice there is none exercised upon the earth for what is unjustice and crueltie if punishing of men for doeing their duty and keeping their promise and performing that which the Prelates themselves have tied them to by speciall promise be not They teach all Christians in an other Ceremonie of standing up at the Gospell and at Gloria Paâ—ri and at the Creed to shew their readinesse and promptitude in fighting for â—he Faith of Iesus and their Holy Religion against Heresie Poperie and all Innovations all which our Gracious King declares himseâ—fe that he will never alâ—ow of or suffer and the neglect of this Ceremonie will cost a man an undoeing Now if any beeing taught by this Ceremonie come forth to the combat and but oppose themselves against Popery Errors or Innovations in defence of the Faith and the Honour of their King they are punished most severelie for it by the Prelates both in the High-Commission and other Courts and Bils and Informations and Articles are exhibited and made against them as evil doers and troublers of the State and all for doing that thâ—y teach them by their Ceremonies and bind them by promises oath to doe which is Hyperbolicall tyrannieâ— unjustice and cruelty in those reverend Fathers It seemes they would have Christians like Saint George a horsebacke ever mounted but never moving and if they doe chance to stiâ—re or dare bee so bold as to move they immediatelie are cast downe and breake either their eares or their noses or their foreheads and it may be â—hey are also whâ—pped to the baâ—gaine for beeing so bold some mischief for the most part followes their endeavours and that for doing their dutie and that which they were taught by Ceremonies and is not this arrogant tyrannyâ— cruelty and injuâ—â—ice in the Prelates to punish and that severely both the neglect and the doing also of their duty and that they are injoyned to doe without all doubt there is no such crueltie in the world as is daily practised by the Prelates and in their Courts of the which there might mightie volumes bee made but the Defendent hath instanced in these few things onely becauseâ— they are knowne to most men and obvious every day and the Defendents condiâ—ion and his cause can sufficiently witnes their unrighteous dealings and that in divers respects for they dealt with him against the very law and light of nature and as they would not bee done by to make him accuse himselfe to admit his sworne and capital enimies and which first informed them against him out of meere malice as was proved by many to bee prosecutors and witnesses against him yea to speake as it is that the Prelates themselves should be Accusers Parties Witnesses Iury and Iudge in their owneâ— cause as they all were this the Defendent saith is unrighteous dealing to which may bee added the defending of the Popes quarrell to condemne him for one thing and putting those things likewise in the records of the Court for which by the whole Court he was freed from As for example the Defendent was condemned onely for his booke now in the order of the Court or Sentence it is put inâ— that he was condemned for the other things alsoâ— which howsoever they were in themselves verie ridiculous yet it is great injustice to superadde them and so to deale with him Neither is that a small part of injustice to punish and condemne the innocent and justify the wicked both which are an abomination to the Lord. Now they condemned the Defendent for writing against the Pope adjudged his Booke to be burnt and justified his adversaries and Chouny who writ in defence of the Church of Rome and it is their daily practice to condemne bookes that are writ for the Honour of Religion accusing them to bee factious pamphlets but Bookes that are writ for the advancement of Poperie and Superstition and in defence of the Pontificalitie of Prelats and the magnification of the Church of Rome â—o the trampling downe of regall autoritie and for the murdering killing of Kings for the bringing in of Innovations into a Kingdome and for suppressing of true Religion many of which are not to bee named of these Bookes a man may buy shipfuls of them in Pauls Church yard