Lordly Prelates aunciently yea lately done or endeavoured at least to doe the like in Germany France that I say not in England too Their chiefe practise 〈◊〉 allwayes beeâ—…e to aliâ—…nate subjects affectiens from their Kings by putting them upon unjust Taxes 〈◊〉 Projects Monopolies oppressions Inâ—…ations by giving them evill counsell by â—…opping the course of lawes of common Right and Iustice of the preaching power and progresse of the Cospell by advancing Idolatry popery 〈◊〉 with their owne intollerable 〈◊〉 and Lordly iurisdiction by fathering all their unjust 〈◊〉 uâ—…on Kings c. and on the contrary to estrange the Kiâ—…gs hearts â—…om their Subjects by false Calumnies by sedicious Court-Sermons and by infusing jealousies and discontâ—…nts into their heads and hearts against their best and loyallest Subjects without a cause A divellish practise never more used then in these our dayes 29. Satan will not bee devided against Satan for feare his Kingdoâ—…e should not stand Math. 12. 10. So these Lordly Prelates wil never be devided one against another in point of their Antichristian Iurisdiction Pompe and Hierarchie which they all concurre iâ—… though they have oft many deadly personall and particular fendes one with another nor yet against the Pope or Devells Kingdoâ—…s for then their oâ—…ne kingdome a branch and meâ—…ber of the Pâ—…pes and divells as many of our godly Mâ—…rtyrs and Writers have resoâ—…ved should soone fall to ruine 30. The divell that Red-Dragon had seven crownes upon his head Revel 12. 3. to shew his royall power So have the Popes and other Prelates Crownes and Miters oâ—… their pates to testify their royalty and Lordly doâ—…inion over Kings and others as they vaunted in D. Baâ—…twicks Censure 31. The Divell had a seate and Throne in the Church of Pergamus wherein hee sate in state Revel 2. 13. So have the Prelates in their Cathedralls and Chappell 's as they then also boasted yea their great Cathedralls are but châ—…ires for these great two legged Foxes Lordly tayles to sit in 〈◊〉 a lesser meaner Chayre did then câ—…ntent the divell who now sits in greater state and is farre better served and attended in our Cathedrals then ever hee was in the Church of Pergaâ—…us 32. The divell that Red-Drogon with his tayle drew the third part of the Starres from heaven and cast them to the earth Revel 12. 4. So have Lordly Prelates the tayle of that fell Dragon anciently and of late times swept downe the third part or more of our starres to wit of all our faithfull powerful painâ—…full zealous Ministers fâ—…om heaven to wit from their Pulpits and â—…hurches and by their suspensions excommunications imprisonments deprivations suppressing of Lectures persecutions c. have cast them to the ground nay trampled them under their dragon-like pawes depriving them of their office and Benefices thereby robbing God and Christ of the glory the poore peoples soules of the fruit and comfort of their Ministry to their greatest griefe 33. This greate Red Dragon the divell stoode before the Woman the Church which was reddy to be delivered of a man-childe for to devoure her Childe her spirituall regenerate Children as soone as it was borne Rev. 12. 4 5. Thus those Lordly Prelates doe No sooner can the Church be reddy to be delivered of a man-childe of a godly faithfull Pastor new Minister or zealous Christian but these great redd scarlet Dragons wâ—…o can suffer dumbe Dogges deboist licentious dissolute drunken scandalous Ministers and supersticious Popelings to sit still and doe what they list without danger or countroll are at hand like Pâ—…aroah and the divell to devoure silence suppresse persâ—…cute and destroy thâ—…m as sâ—…one as they are borne or â—…ginne but once publiquely to appeare in the world as experience too well â—…ifieth in most places where a godly Minister or Christian can no sooner shew his head or beginne to doe God faithfull service but they presently lay trappes and snares to hamper or send Apparitors Pursevants with such other Hellish Furies to seize upon them that so their Lordships may swallow them all up at a bit Yea if any good Booke shall beginne to peepe out against their tyranny Prelacy and Innovations Howses Shipps Studdies Trunks and Cabinets must be broken up and ransacked for them Such ravenous redâ—… Furious Dragons are they and such open wide Sepulchers are their devoâ—…ring throates to swallow 〈◊〉 all things that any way make against them 34. This Dragon and his Angells make ware in heaven fiâ—…hting with Michaell to wit our Saviour Christ and his Angells Rev. 12. 7. Soe the Lordly Prelates and their Angells To wit their Deanes Arch-deacons Officialls Chauncellors Commissaries Surragates Advocates Proctors Registers Pursevanst Sumâ—…ers Apparitors Howshold Chaplaynes too for the most part have in al ages to this very moment made warre in heaven Gods Church militant with Christ and his Angells To wit his faithfull poâ—…erfull godly Ministers Preachers Saints and Servants as all Histories ages witnesse And now this Battaile seemes to be at the hottest here amongst us More godly Ministers hâ—…ving been silenced suspended deprived driven from their Ministry chased out of the Realme within these 5. yeares though conformable to the established doctrine and discipline of our Church then in many ages before 35. When the divell coâ—…es downe among the inhabitants of the earth and of the Sea then woe be to them Rev. 12. 12. Soe woe be to the kingdomes Churches and people where Lord Prelates come and beare most sway amongst them witnesse our Booke of Martyrs and Chronicles of England to these Diocesse wherein they domineere Witnesse Norwich Diocesse and others at this present 36. When this Dragon and the Divell was cast out to the earth he persecuted the Woman the true Church of God Rev. 12. 13. So have these Lord Prelates in all ages as the Bookes of Martyres record at large since they were cast out of heaven Christs true spirituall Church for their Lordly pride 37. When the Dragon saw the Woman had such swift winges given her that Shee escaped his hands and fledd into the wildernesse out of his reach and danger where Shee was nourished for a time then he cast out of his mouth a floud of water after her to devoure drowne her Rev. 12. 14 15 16. So these Lord Prelates when any godly Ministers or Christians have escaped their Lordships their Apparitors Pursevants or other Cathpoles hands by flight or otherwise power out of their mouthes a floud of Execrations Excommunications Intimations Suspensions Maledictions reproaches obloquies and outragious Censures against them to devoure and over whelme them Yea Excommunications with agravations that no man shall buy sell trade eate drinke or have any conversation with them An Hellish Antichristian tyranny lately practised and revived against all lawes and Statutes of the Realme against 4. men in Norwich Only for not bowing at the name of Iesus and against Mr. Samuell Burrowes of Colchester for Indicting Parson Newman for enforcing the
promote your Cardinals to the higest seat of dignities without any let in all the world in stopping the mouth of our adversarie Iesus Christ and alleaging againe that he preferred his kins folks being but of poore and base degree vnto the Apostleship but doe not you so but rather call as ye doe those that live in arrogancie in haughtinesse of mind and filthie lecherie unto the state of wealthie riches and pride and those rewards and promotions which the followers of Christ forsook do ye distribute unto your friends Therefore as ye shall have better vnderstanding prepare ye vices clocked under the similitude of vertues Alleage for yourselues the glosses of the holie Scripture and wrest them directly for to serue for your purpose And if any man preach or teach otherwise then ye will oppresse ye them violently With the sentence of excommunication and by your censures heaped one upon another by the consent of your brethren let him be condemned as an heretike and let him be kept in most strait prison and there tormented till he die for a terrible example to all such as confesse Christ. And setting all favour apart cast him out of your temple lest peradventure the ingrafted word may save 〈◊〉 soules which word I abhorre as I do the soules of o her saithfull men And do your indeuour that ye 〈◊〉 deserue to haue the place which we have prepared for you under the most wicked dwâ—…lling on of our dwelling place Farre ye well with such felicitie as we desire and intend finally to reward and recompence you with Given at the center of the earth in that darke place where all the rablement of divels were present specially for this purpose caâ—…led unto our most dolorous Consistorie under the the Character of our terrible seale for the confirmation of the premisses Ex Registro Herefordensi ad verbum This letter of Lucifâ—…r to your Lordly Predecâ—…ssors then will I trust excuse my Epistle and Parallels here dedicated to your Lordships now both from the unjust imputation of calumnie slaunder or reviling And so leaving your Lordships to Veâ—…we and reueiw your selves in this new Looking-Glasse made purposely for your sweet holy faces I take my leave of you as I trust you will now doe of all your Lordlinesse worldlinesse pride and other vices here discovered till you have exactely trimed yourselves thereby to make yourselves more amiablc both to God and man then now you are A notable Jesuiticall Policy of some Lordly Prelates worthy consideration SOme great domineering Lord Prelates to advance their own power and draw all men to their party have of late endevoured to ingrosse into their hands the disposall of most Ecclesiasticall dignities as Bishopricks Deanneres Prebendaries Headships in the Vniversities presentations to most great Benefices and the like and of many temporall preferments together with the Custody of his Majesties Treasury By this policy First they keepe all men from preferment how deserving learned and pioussoever but those of their owne faction and creatures Secondly they make their owne party very great and strong in all Courts of Iustice and places of the Realm so as none dare oppose them in the least measure no not in cases which highly concerne both GOD the King Religion and the whole Realme Thirdly they are more feared and crowched to then the King himselfe or all his Nobles Fourthly they would win all men to their own opinions humours and superstitions out of hopes of preferment which else they have no way to attaine Fiftly they have many Clergie men so wholly at their command that they will write preach practice defend any errours false Doctrines Innovations Superstitions or popish Ceremonies their Lordships shall command or desire them to obtaine their favours and advancement Sixtly by this meanes they gaine scouts and spies in every corner of the Kingdome in Court City Countrey and in most Noble-mens and Gentlemens families whose Chaplaines are now for the most part nought else but these great Prelates agents and Intelligencers so that nothing can be done or spoken against them or intended for their prejudice but they have present information of it Seventhly by this policy they keep all men under their girdles crush all that dare oppose them stop the current of Iustice bolster out all their popish agents and opposing officers setup Popery againe without much noyse or opposition oppresse his Majesties good Subjects extirpate piety and Religion rob his Majesty his Nobles and officers of ther Authority Privilidges and power to preferre well-deserving men and so by consequence deprive them of much honour service respect observance and thankfulnes for benefits to be received advance their owne Episcopall power jurisdiction Cours beyond all moderation and bounds and in a manner do and say what they list without opposition or controule This Iesuiticall stratagem of theirs prescribed by Conc ' in his Politiques as one of the chiefe meanes to undermine Religion and all protestant States and Churches is worthy his Majesties and his Nobles most serious consideration and prevention in due time for feare it inslave them and the whole Kingdome to the Pope and Prelates before they are aware of it Great Reverend Lord Prelates are like to that we call a Sir Reverence the more they stirre and are stirred the worse the more they stinke They are like Davids mountaines Ps. 144. 5. If men doe but touch them and their vices they will smoke yea storme and rage like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waterscast up mire and dirt Isay. 56. 20. Hence they labour to suppresse sease and call in all good Bookes yea the Palsgraves New-printed Declaration in affront to his Highnesse and his Churches because it censures some of their idle Ceremonies and Arminian Doctrines though tacitly and moderately by way of Apologie our Saviour himselfe gives us the true reason Why Iohn 3. 20. For every one that doth evill hateth the light neither commeth to the light lest his deeds should be discovered and reprooved as their Lord ships now are pretty well if not to their amendment yet doubtlesse to their shame Gentle Reader ere thou read this Treatise be pleased with thy penne to correct these Presse-errors Page 2. line 2. read Parallels p. 3. l. 17. for fable r unstable l. 6. p 4. Iowne c drowne l. 9 be sure l. 19. but weekes p. 8. l 3. makâ—…s p. 10. l 7. and not r. as not p. 12. l. 11. traducing l. 30. that r. their p. 14. l. 22. Fathers p. 15 l. 24. them r. their p. 16. l. 3. habeâ—…s p. 17. l. 8 publish p. 18. l. 25. a practise p. 19. l. 5. Bayli l 7. urge this l. 25. auncient l. 29. Crantzius l. Testium Aventimus l. 32. Hypocrites p. 21. l. 9. heart p. 22. l. 17. bruize r. bring p. 23. l. 3. Bacchanals l. 12. Rainsford p. 24. l. 13. Ed. 6 p. 25. l. 3. ransant Banger l. 5. his r. her p.
Crucifixes Tapers with other Altar-trinkets even before our most gracious King himselfe and Bray like a wild Asse or rayle and scolde like Oyster women against those who preach for Lords Tables which they beginne now againe to terme Oysterboardes as that turne coate Dr. White with other Papists did in â—…u Maries dayes when they did set up Popery afresh or oppose their Popish Idoll-Altars and the turning of our Tables Altar-wise And not contented to set up Altars and Crucifixes against our Statutes Articles Homilies Canons Injunctions established Doctrine of our Church to which they have subscribed Yea against the very Booke of common prayer itselfe which prescribes only a Table not any Altar they crease not to preach continually at Court Paules-Crosse in both our Vniversities and else where that men 〈◊〉 and ought to bow downe and worship the golden Images the stately guilded Altars Cru cifixes Images which their greate Nabucadonozer the Lord Prelates have set up in their owne Chappell 's Cathedralls and other Churches as if one Stone Stock Image or dumbe Idoll might not fall downe and worship another alone but all else must imitate their example as the Rule of faith and worship and themselves bow downe and worship before them as the Idolatrous Isralites and Pagans did before their Idolls and Altars 1. Kings 12. 30. 2. Kingâ—… 18. 22. 2. Kings 5. 18. Besides these Angells and spirituall Sonnes who preach nothing now all most but their Lordships Commandementâ—…â—…de of Gods they have divers Ministring spirits as Arch-Deacons Commissaries Pursevants Apparitors â—…ilors Registers Informers Aduocates Proctors Spies and Notaries in all places to set up Alâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impose and prescribe nâ—…w Ceremonies Injunctions Oathes orders Articles to suspende silence excoÌ„municate imprison intrap wailay betray persecute fleece and ruine all godly Ministers and people and advance their Lordships Monarchie Honour Pompe State Raveuewes Kingdome and cause al men to fall downe and worship them like somâ—… petty Gods descended from heaven and their Antichristian fond Injunctions and Popish Innovations as Gods sacred Oracles So like are they to their Father the divell in this resemblance 42. The divell was a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahaâ—…s Prophets to perswade him to what they pleased against Gods word true Prophets c. to advance his owne designes 1. Kings 22. 22 23. So our Lord Prelates anciently were now are as much as ever lying spirits in the mouths of many false Prophets and I would wee could not say in most of his Majesties Chaplaines in ordinary and others that preach before his highnesse and in other publike places who preach nought else but their Lordships pleasures and those words those precepts they cunningly put into their mouthes as the Woman of Tekoah spake Ioabs words to David to accomplish their owne Antichristian designes advance their owne power and Hierarchie and cause all men to adore them as the only Gods Lords and Oracles on the earth Maximus Tirius records That one P. Sapho dwelling in the parts of Libia desirous to be canonized a God tooke a sort of prating Birds and secretly taught them to sing P. Sapho is a great God and having their lesson perfectly hee let them flie into thee Woods and Hills adioyning where continuing there long other Birds also by imitation learned the same till the hedges rang with nothing but P. Saphoes dittie Great is the God P. Sapho The Countrey-people hearing the Birds but ignorant of the â—…raud thought Sapho to be a God indeed and beganne to worship him This â—…ame not only hath beene but now is both the Popes and Lord Prelates practise Who desirous to effect their owne ambicious ends advance their owne pretended divine power Iurisdiction Hierarchie and to bee adored and obeyed in all their Antichristian Innovations Injunctions and designes as Gods with sweet promises of preferments which they have now for the most part monopolized into their owne hands they procure a company of bold audacious prating Birds or Bussards rather in our Vniversities and elsewhere with their owne domesticke Chaplaines to learne these notes by heart That the Calling of Lord Bishops is Iure Divino that the holy Fathers the Prelates are to order all Church-affayres and to bee obeyed in all their Injunctions and Commands without dispute that they have power to decree Rights and Ceremonies and authorities in Controversies of faith a clause lately foysted by them into the 20 Article of our Church being not in the Latine or English Articles of King Edward the fixt Queene Elizabeth Nor those of Ireland taken Verbatim out of the English that we must have Images Crucifixes Altars Preists Sacrifices that men ought to set their Altars and Tables Altarwise at the East end of the Church to bow downe vnto them and worship them that they ought to bow at the naming of Iesus Stand up at Gloria Patri the Gospell Athanasius and the Nicene Creede read the 2. service at the Altar pray with their faces to the East submit to the Lord Prelates in all matters of faith and discipline beleeving as they beleeve and doing as they doe that they must allwayes declayme and crie out thus against Puritans as they now doe in all their Sermons that they are sedicious factious persons enemies and rebells to the King and his lawes when as the Bishops themselves meere hildebrands â—…oth in Church and state are such meere Hipocrites and imposters men farre more dangerous and vnsufferable in the State then Preists or Iesuites that they must magnify auricular confession extreme vnction and absolution as things fitting to be received in the Church Maintayne a reall presence in the Sacrament Deny the Pope to be Antichrist or his Ceremonies to bee Antichristian Crie up the use of dancing sports and pastimes on the Lords day Crie downe the strickt â—…anctification of it as Iewdaisme superticious and puritanicall Preach against lectures lecturers often preaching and Sermons on the Lords day afternoone as meere babling pratling and foolishnes with a world of such like Songes all which these their prating Iayes having perfectly learned some two or three yeares since they sent them abroade not only into the Woods Hills and Dales in the Country but also vnto the Court Citie Vniversities and places of greatest refort to chaunt and â—…oare out these their Episcopall Ditties where these singing Birds or Decoyes rather have so well playd their parts of late by preaching printing and chanting out these their lessons in Citty Court Country that other Birds also by imitatioÌ„ ignorance or hopes of like preferments as some of these first Decoyes haâ—…h attayned to fall to â—…nge the self same ditties euery where as fast as they So that now our Cathedralls Chappell 's Churches Pulpits ringe of little else but these Episcopall tunes and songes which the people daylie hearing every where being ignorant of the Prelats fraud and practise herein who taught those Birds these tunes of
antichristian Hierarchie and more then bâ—…barous tyrannie neere at hand 49. When the great redd Dragon and his Angeâ—…ls were cast out of heauen Gods Church the heauens and those that dwelt therein by Gods commandments did reioyce Rev. 12. 12. So when those Lordly Prelates and their forenamed Angels shall bee caâ—… quite out of the Church of God Shee and all her faithfull members will exceedingly rejoyce they being now her greatest griefe and grievance of which shee is so weary and sicke at heart that shee groanes to bee delivered from unbâ—…thened of them being now intollerable for her to sustayne Such is their present divellish insolency pride and open tyrannie especially of that Arch-wolfe and madde red Dragon of Canterbury who now makes open havocke of Gods Church and Ministers like another furious power against all Lawes of God the Realme to the amazement of the people 50. Hell and everlasting torments are prepated for the divell and his Angels reserved now in chaines of darknesse â—…nto the Iudgment of the great day when they shall be all cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Math. 25. 41. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Iude 6. Revel 20. 20. So are they prepared likewise for all proud Lordly persecuting unpreaching oppressing tyrannizing Prelates who suppresse the preaching and progresse of the Gospell with the Preachers Ministers and Professors of it and hate them to the death And if there be any place or torments in Hell hotter deeper greater or moâ—…e insupportable â—…orrid and loathsome then other certainly that shall bee reserved for these ungodly Lord Bishops and false Prophets who shall have the same condemnation and torments inâ—…icted on them as the divell himselfe shall vndergoe 1. Tim. 3. 6 7. Rev. 20. 10. O that our proud persecuting Lording Prelates would now at last consider this o that they would repent and amend in time before they fall downe headlong quick into Hell Some of them as their late actions manifest to all the world being growne as insolent as impudent as desperate professed publique enemies to purity piety holynes the syncere preaching and Preachers of Gods word and power of Religion as the very divell himselfe and some of them I â—…eare worse then any divells For first all the divells beleeve Gods threats word Iudgments and tremble at them Iames. 2. 19. but they as their atheisticall vnjust vnconscionable tyranicall lives and actions proclayme to all men doe neither beleeue nor tremble at them 2. The divell confessed Paule his fellow preachers to be the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of saluation Acts. 16. 16 17 18. Lordly Prelates will not confesse our godliest faithfullest Preaching Ministers to be such witnesse there expung of the Collect in the last fast-booke begining thus It had beene good for us c. Only because it magnifieth often preaching and call such preachers Gods servants 3. The divell is exceeding diligent night and day but Lordly Prelates very lasie negligent in following of their spirituall Plough as B. Latimer shewes at large in his Sermon of the Plough so in those three respects are worse then hee When as they are parallels and checkmates with him in all and every of these 50. Particulars From all which I shall frame this Argument discovering the office and calling of Lordly Bishops and Prelates not to be from God nor of divine institution but from the Divell and his invention which I challenge all great Lord Bishops to answer if they can Those who are altogether like the very Divell tread in his footsteps doe his workes and bring forth his propper fruits in all the forecited particulars and that principally by reason of their function those questionlesse are none of Gods institution but of their Fathers the Divell of and from whom they are Christ himselfe so expressely resolving Iohn 8. 44. 1 Iohn 3. 8. Math 7. 16. 20. Such have Lordly domineering Pontificiall Bishops and Prelates in all ages beene and that principally by reason of their Lordly functions as the premises all Stories and experience manifest Therefore they and their Lordly function are none of Gods institution but of their father the divells of and from whom they are Yet mistake me not I pray as if I concluded every Bishop to bee like the divell in all these particulars or to bee damned Such uncharitablenesse and impiety bee farre from me and all good Christians I know some Bishops have beene godly men and Gods deere Saints I doubt not but there are some few such now though their cowardise and silence in Gods cause in which they now dare not publikely appeare bee inexcusable 1. But yet this I say withall First that they were such before they were made Lord Bishops 2. That their Bishoprickes never made any of them better or more laborious or couragious sor the truth then before but many of them far worse fearefuller and lasier 3. That since Bishopricks were endowed with Lordly riches Iurisdiction power and pompe I never read of any one man that was ill before who grew a good and godly Christian by being made such a Bishop a thing remarkable nor of any good man before that ever grew better more painefull holâ—… zealous heavenly minded and laborious but most of them al much â—…orse more idle worldly covetous proud luxurious malicious oppressive petulant selfe-willed and unjust 4. That most Lordly Prelates especially those who have beene most pontificiall powerfull Lordly domineering active and stirring in the Church and state have in all ages since they were made Lords Peeres and Bâ—…rons beene like the divell in all or most of the forecited particulars and if any proved good or became not such it was only from the overruling sanctifying grace of Gods spirit in their hearts before and after they were made Lord Prelates not from this very Lordly office pompe power and function it selfe which otherwise would have made them such as it hath made most other Popes and Prelates as all stoâ—…ies evidence 5. Finally I affirme that if to bee a Lord Bishop bee such a thing onely as many now define and make it Namely to manage temporall offices and state-affaires to give over preaching except one Leuten Court-Sermon in a yeare or two not in their proper Dioc sse to their people to follow and hunt the Kings Court to get and dispose oâ—… Ecclesiasticall and so 〈◊〉 civil osfices and preferments to suppresse Lectures Lecturers and often preaching of Gods Word Suspend excommunicate persecute imprison deprive godly Ministers and Professors for toyes and trifles yea for their zeale and piety against all Lawes of God and man to consecrate Chappels Churches set up Crucifixes Altars Tapers Crosses Organs Images â—…oyle in Communion-tables Altaâ—…wise set up Superstition Popery and Idolatry License Popish and Armenian Bookes Corrupt and purge the Common-Prayer-Booke the Gunpowder treason Booke the Fast Booke yea the Articles of Religion ad normam Romanae fidei
against his Chaplaine and that he and his Chaplaine were therevpon both come together to his Lordship to know what the businesse was and what his Lordship could object against him His Lordship therevpon answered that his Chaplaine had openly affronted him in his Diocesse in daring to presume to preach therein without his speciall license and that on the Lords day afternoone when he had expressely prohibited all Sermons within his Iurisdiction telling Mr. Ash that he would make him an example to all others and that if he could not punish him sufficiently in his owne Court he would bring him into the High Commission for this insolency unto which my Lord Brooke answered that his Chaplaine was vnwilling to preach and that therevpon hâ—… commaunded him to doe it upon this speâ—…iall occasion being importuned by the Earkes and Nobles then present defiring his Lordship not to be offended with his Chaplaine for obeying his commaund upon such an extraordinary occasion The Bishop replied that his Lordship did very ill to offer to maintaine his Chaplaine in this that No Lord of England should affront him in his Diocesse in such a manner and if he did his Majesty stould know of it that he would make his Chaplaine an example My Lord Brooke demaunded whether his Lordship could take any exception either against his Chaplaines lâ—…fe or doctrine He answered no Then my Lord said he I hope the offence is not great there being no Law of God or the Realme nor Canon of the Church that inhibits Ministers to preach on the Lords day afternoone To which he might have added that the very declaration for Sports much vrged by the Bishop on the Ministers of his Diocesse as his Majesties allowes of Sermons every where in the afternoone Since it prescribes No Sports to be used but after the end of diuine Service and AFTERNOONE SERMON as Bishop white confesseth in his examination of A and B. p. 131. and p. 9. of the Declaration our pleasure is That the Bishop and all other inferior Church-men shall for their parts be carefull and Diligent both to instruct the ignoâ—…ant and coâ—…vince and reforme them that are mâ—…led in religion c. Therefore that Bishops and Ministers shoâ—… preach on the Lords day afternoone as well as in the forenoone not be questioned but commended for doing it The Bishop demaunded of Mr. Ash how he durst presume to preach in his Diocesse without his special License though his 〈◊〉 could preach at Cambridge as they say in Paris his pulpit without his license Mr. Aâ—… answered that he had a Metropoliticall license froâ—… the Arch Bishop to preach over all his Province the Bishop bad him produce it My Lord said he I have it not about me No replied the Bishop nor any such license and for ought I know you are no Minister where are your Letters of Order My Lord said he I durst not be so bold or dishonest to informe you I had such a license were I not able to produce it and had I no letters of order or were no lawfull Minister I presume my Lord would not have entertained me for his Chaplaine mâ—… Lord both my license and orders are at home and I use not to carry them alwayes with me in my pocket My Lord Brooke intâ—…ed his Lordship to dismisse his Chaplaine and prosecute him no further all would not doe he would make him an example and so after many threatning speeches to him and my Lord they departed The Bishop presently proceedeth with all violence against Mr. Ash in his owne Court no Mediation of Lord and friends would pacify him till at last the Earle of Doncaster told him that if he would not dismisse him his Court he would complaine to the King against him since he preached only upon my Lord Brookes commaund and his and other Earles importunity Hereupon the Bishop leaving the Chaplaine falls upon the Churchwardens of the Parish for permitting him to preach without his License fines them Quo iure I know not forty shillings a piâ—…ce enjoynes them to doe publike pennance in the Church with a white wand and a paper in their hands to aske God and his Lordship forgivenesse to confesse that their censure was just and to desire all others to take example by them not to offend in like manner All which the poore men were enforced to doe O pride O tyrannie 7. Christs very yoake is easie and his burthen light Math. 11. 30. Lord Prelates yoakes exceeding heavy and intollerable witnesse those under which the whole Kingdome now lie groaning languishing with their many late new invented Ceremonies Oathes Articles Injunctions and Innovations 8. Christ whiles he was on earth went about continually doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the Divell Acts 10. 38. Lord Prelates when they ride about in circuite or their vifitations not foot it as our Saviour did doe no good at all but only mischiefe silence Ministers set up Altars and new popish ceremonies pill and poll both Ministers and pâ—…ople with new extorted fees procurations disquiet aâ—… good men and insteed of healing wound and further oppresse those like divels that were spiritually oppressed by the divell before by exactions suppressing Gods ordinances especially powerfull prâ—…aching which should cast out the divels that spiritually possesse take them captives at their wills 9. Our Saviour Christ went about all the Countrey preaching in every Synagogue where he came Math. 4. 23. Mark 1. 38 39. Our Bishops ride sometymes about the Country in their trienniall visitations to fill their guts and purses and at other times hawking hunting feasting and recreating themselues but seldome or never goe or ride thus abroad to preach in any one Church or Synagogue inhibiting those Ministers that would to doe it 10. Our Saviour preached daily and constantly in the Temple beginning early in the morning and continuing untill evening and so preached morning and evening Luke 19. 47. c. 21. 37 38. Iohn 8. 2. But yet wee finde not that ever hee read any common Prayers or Homilies in the Temple or any other Synagogue Our Lordly Prelates are so farre from preaching dayly in our Temples that few of them preach monthly or quarterly some of them scarce yearely some not once in three or foure yeares yea in ten or twelve yeares together and other not at all and so farre are they from preaching or approving morning and evening Sermons even on the Lords owne Sacred day much lesse on others that they have suppressed the Lords day early morning Lectures in London and all afternoonâ—… Sermons on the Lords day in many Diocesse in the Countrey making it an high offence deserving both suspension and excommunication to preach on the Lords day after dinner Yea they are not ashamed to license Shelfords Sermon of uncharitrble Charity against often preaching in direct opposition to our Saviours example and the very established â—…omely of the right use of the Church p. 3. 4. to
which he themselves have subscribed Such undoubted Sons disciples and followers are they of our Saviour in this particular 11. Our Saviour Christ when he preached read only his Text and then closed the Booke and gave it againe to the minister sate down preached without book Luke 4. 17. to 22. Our Prelates when ever they chance to preach commonly read not onely their Texts but their who◅e Sermons too if not their very prayers being so dull of memory that whereas our stage-players can get their parts by heart though they act every day of the weeke yet their stupid block-headed Lordships cannot conne one Sermon by heart in a yeare or two their doctrine being so far from sinking into their owne hearts that it never so much as enters into their heads when they preach it but onely into their books where they leave shut it up close prisoner into their lips which presently vent it out againe Are they not then very deuout Preachers very much in ◅oue with Gods word with which they will neither trouble their braines nor hearts sweet followers of our Sauiours steps in this particular 12. Our Sauior Christ with fasting praying weeping preaching was so leane that he might tel al his bones Psal. 22. 17. Our Lord Prelates with feasting Lording laughing sleeping loytering are so fat plumpe for the most part that they or others can neither tell nor feele their bones 13. Our Sauiour Christ was full of grace goodnes and truth Iohn 1. 14. Lord Prelates are cōmonly ◅ul of gracelesnes profanenesse malice enuy pride ambition couetousnes idlenes di◅imulation and hypocrisy hauing little reall but only meere titular grace to adorne them 14. Our Sauior Christ made both the deafe to heare the blind to see and the dumbe to speake Math. 9. 33. c. 12. 22. c. 15. 30. 31. Our Lord Prelates make the hearers of Gods Word deafe for want of preaching the seing blinde through ignorance and our preaching Ministers dumbe by silencing and suspending them 16. Christ sent forth his disciples not to read Homilies or divine service which every clowne or schoole boy can doe as well as the learnedst Minister but to preach the Gospell Math. 10. 7. 10. 14. Luke 9. 2 3 4 5 6. c. 10. 2. to 15. and that as well in mens private houses as the publicke Synagogues Ibid. and Acts 5. 42. c. 20. 20. which now for sooth our Lordly Prelates condemne and censure for a conventicle yea hee bid and commanded his disciples goe into all the world and preach the Gospell to every creature teaching them to observe all things that hee had commanded them Math. 28. 19. 20. M◅rke 16. 15. yea he enjoyned them earnestly to seed his flocke and Lambes Iohn 21. 15 16 17. Our Lord Prelates silence and suspend Christs faithfull Ministers prohibiting them not only in private houses but in Churches to to preach the Gospell to their people send them about only to read divine service and homilies and command them to observe and subscribe to whatsoever Canons Orders Articles Ceremonies and Injunctions they shall prescribe them though con◅rary to Christs charging them not to feed but fleece their Lambes and Sheepe And are they not then good Pastors 16. Our Saviour Christ was the goo◅ Sheopard that laid downe his life for his Sheep◅ hee knew his Sheepe and was knowne againe of them and they heard and knewe his voyce Iohn 10. 6. 11. to 16. Lord Prelates are rather Wolves then Sheopards reddier to take away theire Sheepes lives then to lay downe their lives for their Sheepe many of them being so farre from knowing their Sheepe by name that they never so much as saw them the most of their Sheepe never so much as seeing or knowing their faces much l◅sse hearing or knowing their voyces in the Pulpit many of them though they have thousands by the yeare of purpose to preach to their Sheepe not so much as bestowing on Sermon on them in 3. or 4. yeares space receiving above 3. or 4000. pounds for every Sermon they preach too greate a rate sor so little w◅rke Yt thesemen were Tankard-bearers and should sell their watter at that rare they take for their Sermons our water certainely would be far◅e dearer then the richest wine Yet many of their Sermons for which they take so much are scarce so good as ditch watter 17. Our Saviour Christ though he were equall with God the Father yet he made himselfe of no reputation but tooke upon him the forme of a Servant was made in the likenesse of men ◅ubling himselfe for farre that he became obedient to death even to the dreath of the Crosse Phil. 2. 6 7 8. Our Lord Prelats though equal comonly in birth to the meanest Peasants yet in doubt in imitation of our Sauiour make themselves of so greate reputation that they take upon them not only the forme and title but the pompe and state of Lords and Petty Princes not servants and as if they were not made in the likenesse of men but borne Princes Angels or demy Gods they become disobedient to all lawes of God and man and insteede of humbling themselves to death and the Crosse for Christs sake they tyrannically humble their brother Ministers and other Christians to the Prison the Pillary the Crosse Stocks for Christ. Witnesse our Bookes of Martires and late experience 18. Our Saviour Christ though he were rich yet for our sakes he became poore that we through his poverty might be made rich 2. Cor. 8. 9. Our Lord Prelates though poore and beggarly at first yet for Christs sake they are content to become greate and rich that so others through their power riches avarice tyranny and extortion may be made poore to enrigh themselves the more 19. Our Saviour when Peter drew his sword to cut of Malchas eare therewith immediately healed it againe commanding him to put up his sword into the Scabbard Iohn 18. 10 11. Luke 22. 50 51. Math. 26. 51 22. Our Lord Prelates now ingrosse both swords into their sacred hands and insteede of putting them into the Scabbard draw them out like valiant men smiting off some mens eares and noses with it and now threaten to maine and mangle more in like manner insteede of curing those allready maymed by them Such swashbucklers and gladiaters are they growne Yf we have warres with Spayne we hope his Majestie will send these hacksters packing to those warres to mangle and hackle off the Spainards eares and noses insteede of his loyall Subjects 20. Our Saviour Christ after he began to preach refused to inter meddle with secular affaires or to devide the inheritance betweene the too Brethren refused the kingdomes Pomde and glory of this world affirming openly that he and his kingdome were not of his world Math. 4. 8 9 10. Luke 12. 13 14. Ioan. 6. 15. c. 17 16. c. 18. 36. Our Lord Prelates after they become Lords forgetting their primitive base originall and pedigree with