according to Gods command must svveare in rightâ—ousnes in judgment and in truth Novv by this damnable oath ex officio he can doe none of all this For he knovveth not vvhat to svveare to and by that oath he makes that evill vvhich is good many times and that good vvhich is evill vvhich is great unrighteousnes and untruth he is also to accuse himselfe and his brethren to the utter undoing of them all vvhich is horrible injustice and vvant of vvisdom judgment Besides an oath by Gods ovvne appointment is to bee â—he end of all controversy It is the last thing in a controversy and the conclusion of it vvhere this end is not in an oath it is not to svveare according to Gods ovvne appoyntment but sinfully Now the oath ex officio is not such an oath for that is the beginning of all molestation and strife mischief vvicked debate and the cause of infinit brabbles and needles vexations to â—hemselves and others and therefore ought to be deâ—ested and abominated Further no man is to take the name of God in vaine novv in the oath ex officio every man takes the name of God in vaine For they vvil never beleeve him though he svveare by the day and by the night vvhatsoever he svveareth or sayth in his ovvne defence and justification let it be never so true as dayly experience can testifie but onely make it a trap and a snare farther to intangle and involve him therefore it being an oath against the Lavv of God of charity love nature it is to be detested as the devill and so the Defendent for his part doth abhorre it as he doth the devill and all his vvorks and as he doth all the other cuâ—sed and abominable proceedings of the Prelats vvho spend the vvhole patrimony of their vvit to molest the deare servants of God and the Kings best and loyallest Subjects By all vvhich unrighteous dealing they manifest themselves to bee the enimies of God and the King and as such the Defendent vvrites against them and so he yet vvill for the many reasons above alledged esteeme of them by vvhat names or titles soever they be called or whatsoever place of dignity they are in and in this mind the Defendent will persever till they have acknovvledged their contumacy to God and the King and repented of the same And thus much the Defendent had to say in his owne defence concerning the things hee was charged with in his Apology and with al desireth of this honourable assembly that the oâ—her matters that the informers say are of divers natures in it may be specified For it is an easy thing to pick here and there a word out of best books to doe a man a mischeife all men know Spiders will gather poison where Bees find hony and he knoweth very vvell he hath many malignant enimies and therefore desireth the favour of the honorable Court for his better defence And now he comes to the second booke called the Letany occasioned by the Bishops cruelty for they threatning him not onely to starve him out of his opinion but also vvith the pillory the losse of his eares the one at Colchester the other at London vvith the slitting of his nostrills branding of him in the forehead and he allso hearing that this decree vvas gone out before September last divulged and spread abroad by the Prelats favourits as all the Country vvill testify it put him upon his devotions and made him vvrite a Letany vvherein he prayeth for deliverance from them But vvhether that vvhich is annexed to the information be the same he knovveth not for the informers say that that is a prophane Letany As for the Letany the defendent made it was a good godly Letany and in that ridentem dicere verum Quid vetat And concerning the Christening hee doth confesse he did invite CANTERBURY AND LONDON IN HIS WIVES NAME AND THE WHORE OF BABYLON TO BE WITNESSâ—S Which he vvas constrayned to by reason of the penury of his freinds for the Prelats had driven avvay all his acquayntance so that every body vvas affrayd of them nor no man durst intertayne his poore vvife nor give her houseroome though she vvas then great vvith child and in much misery as the vvhole Country vvill justifie and in this distresse and calamity he did it vviâ—hall he thought he did the Prelats a great deale of honour that he the Defendent should vouchsafe to have such men as they were to his Christening that he did joine so honorable a Gossip as the Matrone of Rome with them whom they so much honoured adored and pleaded for in this Deâ—endents cause as Christs true Church and Spouse and their best beloved Mistris presuming that he could no way disparage them by joyning this Spirituall Mother with these Spirituall Fathers and in this the Defendent thinks he did very much grace them inviting such a Catholicke companie to the baptising of his child who he hopeth will live and die a true Christian Catholick And wonders that the Prelates should be so peevish as to misinterpret his â—eale to them all especiallie when he did give them their titles most magnificently as FATHER WILâ—IAM OF CANTERBVRIE HIS HOLINESSE AND WILLIAM LONDON MAGNIFICVS RECTOR OF THE TREASVRIE Neither did hee see any reason why he should detract from Canterburie his titles for as he is Pope of Canterburie he is holy and for the title of Pope it was given antientlie to all or most Bishops and in speciall to his predecessor Anselmus that rebell as all Histories doe relate and the title of Grace is but the title of a Cardinall Besides that title is now revived if fame be not a liar which is a good plea in their Courts and false copies from both thâ— universities bee not dispersed and spred abroad For the Vniversity of Cambridge in their letters greet him with Sanctissimâ— Pater most holy Father the title of the Pope which onely belongeth to the first person of the glorious Trinity God blessed for ever and from Oxford they give him the stile of Sanctitatis his Holynesse and Edmund Reeve in his exposition of the Catechisme in the Common-Prayer Booke gives the title of Holinesse of times to the Bishops cals them Holy Fathers by their owne allowance and approbation Now he is a Father of the Church and that of Canterbury and he is VVilliam and he is Holy at leastwise vvould bee so reputed and vvould deeme it a Scandalum magnatum to be stiled prophane or unholy Ergo Father VVilliam of Canterburie his Holynesse and the Defendent is resolved never to detract any thing from his Holinesse but shall daily praâ— that hee may grow and evermore increase in Holinesse And for the Prelate of London he should be feeding of Christs flocke in the Pulpit and he is at the receipt of custome telling of mony like Matthew the Publican before his calling to the Apostleship the love of vvhich is the roote of all evill and hath got himselfe no small honour by it vvhich the Defendent vvould not in the least diminish and therefore beeing 〈◊〉 skilfull Hâ—rald nor acquainted vvith the titles of Honour they usually stile men in that place he vvas constrained to make use of a little of his Roman Rhetoricke and called him Magnificus Restor of the Treasury a fiâ—ting honorable title as he conceived vvhich he doth not nor ever shall repute a Scandall nor repent of that invitation And for any other passages that are in the Letany that he made he the Defendent is most assured if the honorable Court heard it all not by peeces and scrips vvhich hee most humbly desireth they vvould vvell perceive the Defendent had good reason for vvhat he hath both done and vvrit For this Honorable Court vvould then vvell perceive that the Defendent never medled vvith any of them nor in the least thing impeached their dignities till they by their delinquency against God and the King did manifestly demonstrate they were fallen from Grace and then as they had proclaimed themselves enimies of God and the King he did set himselfe against their proceedings and vvill continue in so doing though it bee through all misery to the last gasp of breath and vvill continually say LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER AND THE ENIMYES OF THE KING PERISH and dying he will devoutly pray from plague pestilence famin from Bishopsâ— Priests and Deacons good Lord deliver us Ever meaning from usurping Popish Bishops Priests Deacons and such as challenge their standing and Autoâ—itle jure Divino and not from the King as our Prelaâ—â— do And as to all other the residue of the offences and misdemeanors complayned of in the sayd information examinable in this honorable Court this Defendent saith that he is not guiltie of them or any of them in maner and forme as by the said information is supposed All vvhich matters this Defendent is ready to averte and prove as this honorable Court shall a vvard And humblie prayeth to be dismissed out of the same vvith his costs and charges against the Prelats by vexation in this his former suite in the High Commission most vvrongfullie susteyned FINIS
in the 26â— of the Acts vvhere Christ saith unto Paul Rise stand up on thy feet For I have appeared unto thee for this purposâ—â— to make thee a minister witnes both of the things which thou hast seene and of those things in which I will appeare unto thee delivering thâ—e from the people and from the Gentilesâ— unto whom now I send thee to open their eieâ— and to turnâ— them from darknes unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenes of Sinnes inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith which is inâ— mâ—e And Paul vvas not disobedient to this heavenly vision but preached unto all men that they should repentâ— turne to God and doe vvorks meet for repentance And this vvas and is the onely vvay God hath appointed to save our soules by for Faith cometh only by heaâ—ingâ— this preaching vvas all that Paul didâ— I came not to baptise sayth hee but to preach the Gospell so that preaching is the effect of all the ordinances And in another place he saith Woe be meâ— If I preach not the Gospell And in the sixt of the Acts the Apostles told the Churchâ— That it was not reason that they should leave the vvord of God serve Tables and â—herefore they resolved continually to give themselves to prayer to the ministery of â—he Wordâ— And in the 4. of the Ac 〈…〉 the Rulers commanded Peter and 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 nor teach in the name of â—esus Th 〈…〉 vered 〈◊〉 unâ—o them Wheâ—her it be right in 〈…〉 of God to hearken unto yâ—u more then unto 〈…〉 ge yee for vve cannot but speake the things 〈…〉 e have heard Heâ—e vve see the vvhole office 〈…〉 the Apostles vvas to preach the Gospell◠〈…〉 the vvorke taâ—ke and duty of Ministers to 〈…〉 same vvord of life And Paul set hi◠〈…〉 re them for his sedulity in preach 〈…〉 mands them to follovv him in that◠〈…〉 y and Titus and all Ministers in them to 〈…〉 stant in season and out of season in preaching the vvord they that neglect that duty are no Ministers of Christ nor of the Gospell Yea the Bishops themselves and all their Priests as they call them as vve may see in the booke of Ordinations solemnly promise before God the Church that â—hey vvill be diligent in the preaching of the Worde of God and publishing of the Gospell And for the better stirring of them up to that Duty and Office they reade the 20. Chapter of the Acts concerning the charge that vvas given the Elders and Bishops of Ephesus for their diligent preaching of the Gospell And in most of all their prayers before their Sermons they beseech God to blesse the tvvo fountaynes of all learning in this Kingdom that he vvould send out streames for the vvatering of â—he garden of the Church and that he vvould preserve those fountaynes pure and incorrupt Novv all men knovv hovv Paul planted and Apollos vvatered the garden of the Church and that vvas by preaching as is manifest in the 1. of the Cor. Notvvithstanding all this Viz. the charge that is layd upon them by God himself that they should preach the vvord diligently as they love him notvvithstanding allso the promise that the Bishops and their Priests have made of their particular care in preaching vvhich is onely able to save our soules notvvithstanding the curse that is layd upon them if they do not preach notvvithstanding they pray that the tvvo â—ountaines may send out streames for the vvatering of the garden of the Church Notvvithstanding all the premisses the Defendent saith That the Prelats neither preach themselves nor vvill let others preach but silence allmost vvhole Diocesses together and have extinguished very many of the chiefe burning lights amongst us and doe dayly suspend â—he remnant of the most laborious painfull Ministers through England and Wales and have deprived the people of all Soules comfort and spirituall solace vvithout vvhich a mans life is miserable to the infinit dishonoâ—r of God hinderance of the Christian faith and the good institution of the people yea and to the trouble of the vvhole Church and State and therefore the Prelats are the onely hinderers of the instruction of the people in their Christian faith and the saving of their soules and by consequence the enimyes of the Church and Kingdome for from these Priests is iniquity gone out through the vvhole Kingdome and of the truth of that the Defendent novv saithâ— all the Realme can vvitnes and the Prelates practices prove vvho make voyd the commandements of God by their vaine traditions and trample his holy divine precepts under their feet and stop the course of the everlasting Gospell and therefore the enemies of Christs Kingdome and the salvation of their Brethren Novv vvhereas in the Information it is saydâ— That the tontriving publishing divulging sâ—lling venting and dispersing of defamatory and libellous Booksâ— pamphlets and infamous Libells and Letters are pernicious wicked things in themselves and of dangerous consequence to his Mast. service and the publik weale of this Realme directly contrary to wholesome Lawes and Statutes The Defendent for his part doth absolutly in all things thinke the same But vvhereas the Informers vvould make the Defendent M. Burtonâ— M. Prin guilty of such things and to have envyed maligned his Mast. happy government and the good discipline of the Church and that they have made a confederation among themselves out of some schismaticall factious humors and have from time to time causlesly indeavored as much as in them lyeth to vilify defame his Mast. Excellent government the proceedings of the Courts Spiritual and within the Kingdome especially the Court of High Commission for Ecclesiastical causes that the said Confederats have within these seven yeares last past raised layd diverse false scandalous imputations upon the proceedings of all the Courts in generall especially of the sayd High Commission and chiefly upon the Archbishoppes Bishops prime Iudges thereof who doe equally administer justice therein by acquitting the innocent and correcting the nocent according to their demerit proceeding therein with great temper moderation and by their wicked courses and by telling divulging of false lyes news and tales have attempted to move and stirre the people to disobedience and discontent against his Mast. government for the effecting of the said wicked designes purposes the said Iohn Bastwick having been heretofore about the 10. or 12. of February in the tenth yeare of his Mast. raigne justly censured by the said High Commission Court for writing speaking words tending to the maintaining upholding of schisme and division in his Mast. Church of England opposition against the laudable orders ceremonies of the Church as by the said Sentence amongst other things more at large appeareth Thereupon vvithin these three yeares last past he
is well knowne to the Townes country where they both dwelt that the sayd defendent could never be quiet for his braggs andâ— scriblings to himself others till he had ansvvered vvhich vvas the sole cause of his ruine the vvhich ansvver of his though he had long time for peace sake neglected yet at last he vvas through his adversaries importunity put upon it Neither could he for the honour of the trueth and the honour of his Prince both vvhich he loves more then his life delay it any longer and â—herefore out of his duty to God and the King he entred the combat vvith the enimy To vvhich duty he the defendent saith he vvas bound by Christ himself vvho haâ—h commanded to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars unto â—od the things that are Gods vvhich commandement of Christs tyes all Christians under obedience to a double duty vvhich by them may not be neglected Viz. to give vnto God his due and unto the King his Yet for obeying of this commandement this poore defendent must be defamed ruined undone and left friendles monylesse and in captivity and given to the Divell and yet say nothing But the Defendent desireth this honorable Court to give him leaue to say as Queene Hester spake to Ahashuerosh if that hee and his wife had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen he had held his peace but for them to be ruined and undone because he could not see God and the King dishonoured he the defendent cannot but speake Let the King live for ever and never let it be sayd that he hath such a base cowardly fellovv in his Kingdomes that vvill suffer his imperiall Mast. to be trampled upon and suffer it in silence For his ovvne part this defendent confesseth that he is but poore and the Prelats have made him so but as rich in loyalty as any Subject in his Highnesses three dominions and as â—ob sayd concerning God though the Lord should kill him yet he vvould trust in him so this defendent sayth Though the King should leave him to the mercylesse fâ—ry of the Prelats yet he vvill ever honour him vvith his life and all that ever he hath and as hee vvas borne under obedience under obedience hee vvill dye and vvill ever say vivat Rex let the King live for ever and our gracious God put it into his Royall breast to looke into the devillish ploâ—s of the Prelats that doe not onely equalize the paynted tombes in Christs time but farre exceed them in cruelty and wickednes This he is resolved living and dying to doe â—â—vito Diabâ—lo to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods for he is bound to this duty by Christ himselfâ— neither will he ever rebell against his blessed will Now the things that belong unto God as he is King of Kings Lord of Lords and by vvhom alone Kings raigne is an absolute command Soveraignâ—y oveâ— his Church and vvho requires of all his Subjects that they should love him vvith all their hearts vvith all their Soules and vvith all their mighâ—s and that they should not serve him by any of their ovvne inventions And for the maner of his vvorship he hath abundantly declared it in sacred vvrit And Saint Paul vvriting unto Titus vvarnes himâ— sharply to rebuke his auditoâ—s that they may be sound in the faith not giving heed unto the commandements of men that turne from the Trueth chargeth the Corinthians that they should â—ot be servants of men nor vvise above that vvhich is vvrittenâ— sayes unto the Colossians vvherefore if yee be dead vvith Christ from the rudiments of the vvorldâ— vvhy as though living in the vvorld are ye subject unto ordinances and Christ himselfe saith In vaine doe they vvorship him teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men By all vvhich it is manifest if Christians vvill give unto God that vvhich is his and vvill not vvorship him in vaine as they must love him vvith all their hearts so he onely must rule in them they must give him his ovvne vvorship and such service onely both for matter and maner as he requires at their hands and commands from them and not serve him accordiâ—g to mens precepts and devices for in his vvorship they must not be the servants of men for he is the onely King and Lavvgiver in his Church and this is his prerogative Royall vvhich no man may meddle vvithâ— this is to give unto God that vvhich is Gods this duty he the Defendent sayth all Christians are bound unto Againe for all Subjects duties towards the King the defendent saith that must allso freelie vvillinglie bee yeelded and that by speciall precepts for they are commanded to feare God honour the King to be subject unto his autoritie in all things in the Lord to give unto Caesar that vvhich is Caesars Novv in regard of his duty both to God and the King and also of his speciall Oath of allegiance the defendent sayth he could doe no lesse then that vvhich he did in vvriting his booke being provoked thereunto by an enimie of both And so much the rather because himself and all Christians are commanded to give a reason of their hope to vvhomsoever shall demand it of them earnestly to contend for the faith vvhich vvas once delivered unto the Saincts he saith in all these respects he could doe no lesse in ansvvering that Popeling then that he did by giving unto God the right of his government in the hearts consciences of men taking it from the Pope that Vicar rather of hell then of Christ by giving the King that jurisdiction and aâ—tority of regiment in his dominions over his Subjects which God hath conferred upon himâ— Both vvhich Autorityes Spirituall and temporall the Pope and Popish Bishops most blasphemouslie arrogate unto themselves â—rampling all Divine Lawes and Kinglie regalitie under their polluted feet making Kings and Emperors their Vassals vvhich is a most horrible arrogancie and usurpation and not to be suffered by either Kings or their Subjects And therefore vvhen this defendent did nothing but that vvhich by his speciall dutie he vvas bound unto If this by the Informers be thought either schisme faction or sedition he this defendent is resolved to live and dye in it and never to thinke any a good Subject that is not of his minde He doth vvithall freelie confesse unto this honorable Court that he looked for no ill usage of the Prelats for this his indeavour vvhich vvhen he found at their hands it vvas the occasion of the vvriting of manie other books since that time amongst the vvhich there is one called Apologeticus ad Praesules Anglicanos c. dedicated unto the privie Counsell but vvhether the booke that is annexed unto the Bill bee the same that the defendent knovveth not but a booke vvith that Title he confesâ—eth he vvrit vvherein he set dovvne
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