kind of high flown persecuting Conformists feared some remarkable change to be brought in by K. James's coming to the Crown who had been train'd up by the Kirk of Scotland in the Presbyterial way See Mr. Rich. Sedgwick's Life writ by Mr. Clark pag. 397. in Fol. N. B. Thus might I carry on this History of Nonconfermity both through K. James the First and K. Charles the First yea and Charle the Second and James the Second but this would make a Volume All that can be contain'd here is the History of the Infancy of it in the first Reformers CHAP. III. Remark 1st UPon K. James's Reign in the year 1605. at Hampton-Court he calls an Assembly of Divines to confer about the Liturgy and Church Government where he told them that his End of calling them together was not to make any Alteration which was not requisite seeing he found all things so well setled already but like a wise Physician he would search into the supposed Diseases and remove the occasion of Complaints whereupon the Prelates of his Privy Council were dismissed and the Monday after he calls in the complaining Doctors telling them he meant not to alter the Church Government so well setled already but to settle Vniformity and Vnity c. Dr. Reynolds the Foreman reduceth their Grievances to these four Heads First For preserving true Doctrine Secondly For placing Good Pastors Thirdly For sincere Church-Government And Fourthly For explaining some passages in the Service-Book Of this Conference c. I must refer my Reader to Mr. Fuller's Church History who according to his Name gives a fuller Account than this small Treatise is capable of Some brief touches make Remark the Second Mr. Fuller saith that Dr. Barlow then an opposite to the Nonconformists doth not give an impartial Relation of this Conference Whereupon he wittily saith If the Israelites be forced to whet their Tools with the Philistims no wonder if the Thilistims set a sharper edge on their own and a blunter upon their enemies Weapons he was a Party and so was partial in favouring the Conformists c. But Mr. Fuller Cent 17. Book 10. pag. 21. c. Saith here was great odds only these four Reinolds Knewstubbs Spark and Chaderton called to cope with 8 Bishops 8 Deans and two Doctors beside the King and his Privy Council Nor were they called to have their Scruples satisfyed but his Pleasure propounded the King call'd them not that he might know what they could say but that they might know what he would do in the matter For tho they petition'd for a full Reformation of Church-Service Livings Ministers and Discipline and that with a Millenary Petition subscribed with about a thousand Ministers hands yet got they not the Kings Ear but he cryed to them No Bishop no King and as they dealt with my mother so would they deal with me I 'le make you conform or banish you c. But he order'd a new Translation of the Bible differing from that of Geneva charging the Translators to keep the old Ecclesiastick words as Church and not Congregation and Easter c. and not to make any marginal Notes as were in the Geneva Bibles against which he much exclaimed and more especially its Notes upon Exod. 1.19 which allows Disobedience to Kings and on 2 Chron. 15.16 saying Asa should have kill'd the Queen and not deposed her only Remark the Third Mr. Fuller says further when Dr. Reynolds wâ—… complaining against Arminian Doctrine lazy Ministers bad Goverâ—…ment of the Church and Common Prayer c. saying It was tâ—… cry of the People Such a Church c. will bring the Souls of thâ— Nation into a faint and feeble condition having no warm meet provided for them save only the cold Homilies and the starve-us-Starve-us-Book â—… Bishop Bancroft at this Hampton-Court Conference answered only with urging that old Canon Schismatici contra Episcopos non sunt audiendi Schismaticks ought not to be heard in their complaining against the Bishops and said He was beholden to the King to suffer him thus to speak against the Laturgy contrary to the Statute in the first year of Q. Elizabeth and that probably he was of the same mind with Mr. Cartwright who would conform in Ceremonie rather to the Turks than to the Papists Book 10. pag 11. Cent. 17. And the same Bishop Bancroft bade K. James remember the Speech of the French Ambassador Rognee who said That if the Reformed Church in France had kept the same Order both in Service and in Ceremonies there would have been a thousand more Protestants than there be in that Land intimating That if the Protestants there had embraced the same Service and Ceremonies with the Prelates in England which they could not do but differed from them the Popish Party in France would have been pleased with them and their Conformity would have prevenâ—ed the Parisian Massacâ—e pag. 15. The same Bishop said likewise That in a Church newly planted Preaching is most necessary but it is not so in a Church long established as ours is whereby his Design was to thrust out Sermons as unnecessary by the more necessary Service-Book pag. 15. Remark the Fourth But the Lord Chancellor said at that same Hampton Court Conference that Church-Livings at that time wanted rather Learned-men than Learned men any Church livings Many such pining for want of Places through their Nonconformity and to this Complaint he added That he wished every Learned man were supplyed with a single Coat to wit one Church-Benefice before that others be thatched on with double and treble Coats in their Pluralities c. p. 16. Mr. Knewstubb the Nonconformist at the same Conference said Put the case That the Church hath Power to add any significant Signs it may not add them where Christ hath already ordered them This derogates from the Authority of Christ as much as if any should presume to add any thing to the Great Seal of England c. These few instances I have inserted in this small Tract out of Mr. Fuller who was a famous Episcopal Divine c. Remark the Fifth Tho King James was look'd upon by the Prelates as no better than an Arrant Puritan when he came first to the Crown of England and was the first King that ever was proclaimed K. of Great Britain France and Ireland yet Cluverius testifies of him That he left the Church of England as he found it at the Death of Q. Elizabeth without any Reformation or Redress of Grievances therein insomuch that some severely enough describing his Court and Character discover much of his King craft even such as were Eye witnesses or Ear-witnesses thereof and so making good his own Motto Qui nescit dissimulare nescit Regnare He that cannot Dissemble ought not to Reign Mr. Fuller tells us That in his time Archbishop Abbot's stiffness about the Earl of Essex's Divorce c. though it was to his eternal Honour in not complying with the Bawdy Bishops yet the
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PRESBYTERY AND INDEPENDENCY From their first Original to this Time SHEWING I. Wherein and the Reasons why they Separate from the Church of England II. Wherein they differ from each other WITH Some Remarks on the late Heads of Agreement Assented to by the United Ministers of both PERSWASIONS Written at the Request and for the Satisfaction of a Private Friend and now made publick for General Information LONDON Printed for Edward Faulkner 1691. A BRIEF HISTORY OF PRESBYTERY AND INDEPENDENCY c. CHAP. I. TO give a full History of Nonconformity to the Church of England since the first Reformation is both impracticable and impossible in so small a Treatise take here only an Essay to it in a Compendious Epitome Begin we with that Reformation transported from that of Luther's in Germany unto our King Edward the VI. into England Remark 1. He is truly styled a second Josiah whom Cardan though a Papist yet had so much of a Philosopher in him as to Admire for a None-such in Accomplishments saying in a Transport of him Not only England but the World has reason to lament the loss of such an hopeful Blossom so early Blasted Whereas a Prelatical Doctor of our Country and a pretended Protestant seem'd to rejoyce at it rather than bewail it as an Infelicity That he was so soon Succeeded by Q. Mary a Bloody Popish Queen Characterizing him as one ill principl'd in himself and easily inclin'd to embrace such Counsels as would have proved pernicious to the Church so slanders him with Sacriledge c. Heyline Hist of Ref. Preface pag. 131. c. no Reason can be rendred why Cardan should out shine Heylin in Admiring this Young King but because such a Spirit of Reformation began to bud in him as if it had blossom'd and become Fruit would in all probability have Reformed the Church throughly according to her primitive Pattern and so dear was the Diana of the Churches Splendour and worldly Pomp in that Day that a Popish Queen who would Establish it was more welcome than such an hopeful King whom they feared would Reduce it to the first Institution Non erat sic ab Initio It was not so from the Beginning though such profound Piety shone forth in this Illustrious Prince in so convincing a lustre as Mother-Church her self could not bribe that Popish Foreign Philosopher but he was constrained to afford this Royal Enemy his due Encomium Yet his Regal Dignity or Innocent Piety cannot secure him from Severe Censures out of the Mouths of English Divines under a Tincture of Prelacy Nor was this all but that King 's Godly Uncle the Duke of Somerset did suffer hard things and at last Death it self by such as were sowred by the like Leaven In both which cases the venom of a Persecuting Spirit had a preposterous Operation working upwvrd both against a Pious Prince and against a Pious Protector They both were Spew'd upon by Men of this Brann whereas when there is a possession of Power in their hands then this poysonous Principle is for working Downward casting forth Cart Loads of Excrements upon such as under their power as the Sequel will sufficiently demonstrate c. Remark 2. 'T is well observed that the shortness of K. Edward's Life prevented him of an opportunity for a thorough Reformation Notwithstanding the high Places were not yet Remov'd as 't is oft said in the Books of Kings and Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and Judah Mr. Martin Luther hath this Passage in his History c. p. 283. That Edward VI. was a Storm that tore up Popish Prelacy by the Roots yet a top Root remain'd entire with the Stock which bare of the old Soil of Papacy yet transplanted into the new Mold of Royalty began to flourish again c. and may it not be said that he had not time nor opportunity to do little more than to lop off the Branches of Popery because he dyed when but Sixteen Years old so leaving the Root it presently sprung up again when his Sister Mary Succeeded him in the Throne Remark 3. Dr. Thomas Fuller an Episcopal Divine in his History of this Edward the VI. hath this Passage For this Young King to Reform all at once had been the ready way to Reform nothing at all but now saith he there is more Light more number of Protestants less fear of Papists therefore a thorough Reformation may now be more probable and practicable instead whereof shall we still run back to Rome Hinc illae lachrimae c. Remark 4. 'T is true King Henry the VIII broke the Ice for his young Son by Injoyning the Lord's Prayer the Creed and the Ten Commandments to be translated into the English Tongue and to be taught unto the Parishioners by all the Parsons and Vicars Even this small step cost a Rebellion at Lincoln York Hull c. Tanta molis erat Romanam condere gentem The Work of Reformation is a Work of great difficulty Remark 5. Pass we over Queen Marys Reign which was a Reign of Deformation c. and come to the Reign of our English Deborah Famous Queen Elizabeth who renew'd and reviv'd K. Edward's Reformation again but so retarded she was by so many Remora's in her Reforming Work that she could not step up to the Pattern in the Mount the Sacred Scriptures the Word of God which is Regula Regulans Regulata the Rule Ruling as well as the Rule Ruled 'T is Index sui obliqui giving the truest Indication both of its own straightness and of others crookedness But alas Prudentials and Politicks of State then prevailed against that weaker Royal Sex the over-toping Vogue was then New Wine must be gently poured into old Bottles least the strength of the Liquor being advantag'd by the violence of the Infusion break the Vessel c. Reformation cryed the Grandees of that Day must be made by degrees and State-Politicians must deal with the Body-Politick when sick and swollen with Distempers as the Skilful Chyrurgeon dealeth with an Hydropick Person whose Body is almost drown'd with a Deluge of Water the Cure is done by degrees some Tap or Sluce must be opened yet not to let go all at once least the violent Effluvium or flowing forth of the natural Spirits together with the Peccant Morbisick Humour constantly consequent should destroy the Patient and endanger him upon dry ground more than in those almost drowning Waters but the Method is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the opening of a small Tap or Hole in the Skin which may so run as to drain the Body gradually of its Dropsie and by insensible degrees drawing out not above a Pint at a time and never more at once though many Gollons be designed for Evacuation So Politicians will not make over large leaps at once Remark 6. 'T is an excellent Observation of Famous Mr. Fuller concerning these first Reformers whom he compareth to the Patriarch Jacob who would not
over drive his Tender Flock saying I dare not march my Lord Esau 's pace It may be easily presumed that Jacob lookt upon his Brother as one very nimble of foot because he so delighted to lead an Huntsman's Life and lived so much in Hunting his swift Game Though Jacob himself could have lift up his feet as he did when refreshed with the Vision of the Ladder Gen. 28.12 and 29.1 Hebr. and walk'd Esau's pace yet would he not force his feeble Flocks to keep pace with Esau Even so saith Mr. Fuller those first Reformers found England setled upon the Lees having been long nouzell'd up in Superstition c. so could not be look'd upon as capable of a sudden and perfect Alteration c. Fuller 's Church Hist Cent. 16. B. 7. pag. 374. Notwithstanding all this these Reformers have Right to a due Veneration for that most excellent Reformation they made in the Doctrine of the Church considering what Anakins and what Goliahs they had at that time to contend with and how the whole World almost in that Day did wonder after the Beast Revel 13.3 Yea and a long and continued Custom for many Ages saving the short Parenthesis of K. Edward's Reign of training up every Generation in Idolatry c. had made it a Law or Prescription yet were these Reformers most eminent Instruments in God's Hand to carry on so couragiously a Doctrinal Reformation wherein they threw down the Walls of Jericho by the sounding of Rams Horns and put to flight the Armys of the Aliens c. Remark 7. It must evermore be acknowledged to the Eternal Honour of those choice and chief Champions of the true Church in that Day How they knock'd down the prime Pillars or rather Catter pillars of the Romish Church with their look beyond Luther c. who when the Romanits ask'd them Where was your Religion before Luther Answered it was in the Sacred Scriptures where their Romish Religion could not be found which they demonstrated to them by undeniable Arguments insomuch that when the Romanists were sensibly foiled and beaten out of the Holy Scriptures they cry'd for their only Reserve saying Let us forsake that Field wherein we are defeated with Scriptum est it is written in Gods Word c. and let us rally all our Forces in the Field of the Ancient Fathers wherein we may master them Here again the Battel was renew'd and here again the Romanists were beaten out of their strong hold of Tradition for the first Six Hundred Years after Christ which is the whole term of time that deserves the Title of Antiquity In this Controversie our Learned Whittaker acted so eminently that his Antagonist Bellarmine had his Picture in his Study with this Inscription upon it Quanquam Haereticum Doctum tamen habeo Adversarium Though this Whittaker be an Heretick yet I find him a Learned one Remark 8. Besides him many more Famous Worthys shone forth in their Orb in that day as the Queens Jewel Bishop Juel and others who all did excellently as to the Doctrinal Reformation from the Corruptions of the Romish Church but as to the Discipline of a Gospel-Church they did not so much meddle with perhaps looking upon it as not pertaining to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Being but only to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or well being of the Church and hence it came to pass that so much Romish Rubbish still remain'd unremov'd c. whereby a Foundation was laid among the tenderest part both of Pastors and People for Nonconformity from those Altitudinarian Conformists who had writ upon their Pillars a Ne plus Ultra being resolv'd not to stir one step farther into the Work of Reformation Whereas this seem'd a Sullenness much differing from the practice of their Piously Learned Predecessors as 1st Holy Father Latimer had not rested in the Reformation made by K. Henry VIII only Englishing the Lords Prayer Creed and Ten Commandments to the People but he perswaded K. Edward VI. to step farther that the People might have the whole Divine Service in their Mother Tongue c. Nor were blessed Bucer and holy Hooker so fully satisfy'd with the first Purgation of the Liturgy after it was extracted out of the Popish mass-Mass-Book by K. Edward's Divines they could not rest contented so but perswaded the King to a second Purgation as the second Edition of the Service-Book sheweth Nor was Q. Elizabeth willing to rest in that second Edition of K. Edward's but Reformed divers things in it though her Royal Brother had given it a second refining Nor did this Queens Divines Juel Bentham Pilkinton c. bring in their Edition with any such high Commendatory Character as Omnia bene All are so well as needs no Amendment when they brought it to her Majesty for Authorizing it by her Royal Authority c. Remark 9. Besides all this I might mention many more Amendments which Reverend Mr. Hugh's computeth were it not that it would too much swell this small Discourse I refer only to it c. from whence we may mark That as there was a plus ultra or a steping farther all along in Reforming the means of Gods Worship taken for granted so there was a kind of Nonconformity found first in those Royal Persons namely K. Edward not conforming to that Reformation made by his Royal Father K. Henry the VIII and Queen Elizabeth's not conforming to that of her Royal Brother K. Edward the VI Nor ought we to Despise that Day of small things Zach. 4.10 but rather Adore Divine Goodness that reveal'd so much to them in their 〈…〉 step out of Popery As we say of Luther God is more to be Admired 〈◊〉 â—…vealing so much of the Mystery of Divine Truth to him more 〈…〉 that main Fundamental point of Justification c. wherein he is 〈…〉 â—…lent in his Comment upon the Epistle to the Galathians than for leaving him to his own Mistakes about Consubstantiation But the first grand Nonconformist to the Established Church of England under that Protestant Queen was Mr. Tho. Cartwright who had her Royal Approbation at a Commencement in Cambridge and after became Professor of Divinity there and in his Lectures he being occasion'd to discover his Nonconformity about Church Discipline the Heads of the University took it heinously as dangerous to the Hierarchy and for which notwithstanding his Universally admired Merit and Veneration they got him at last Expell'd the University when Dr. Whitgift was Vice Chancellor Now when his Ministry was thus obstructed in England he travell'd beyond Sea where he Conforted with Famous Beza who gave him this Character The Sun never shone upon a more Learned Man in a Letter Beza wrote to his Friend in England Secondly Many more Nonconformists appear after upon the Stage as Mr. Deering Mr. Fox the Martyrologist with others who drew up an Admonition to the Parliament for the Reformation of the Church which Dr. Whitgift then made Archbishop of Canterbury