there at the Barr as a Delinquent for mayntayning the Religion established by publick Autority the honour of the King and the glory of his Majestie and that one Chouny a Sussex man a laick as vvell as himselfe should vvrite a Booke and set it forth by publicke autoritie mayntayning the Church of Rome to be a true Church and never to have had so much in her as the suspition of error in fundamentall poynts and that this booke should be dedicated to the Prelate of Canterbury patrionized by him vvhich Bookâ— the Defâ—ndent both read and exhibited in Court by vvhich notwithstandig the King himselfe and all his Subiects were made Schismaticks and hereticks to the infinit dishonour of God our Gratioâ—s King and King Iames of blessed memorie and our most holie profession and religion This as the defendent told the Lord of Dorset struck an amazement in him especially vvhen the author of it must be favoured and coâ—ntenanced by Canterburie and for the defending of the honour and dignitie of our Church and the honour of the King the Defendent should stand as an evill doer Novv vvhen the defendent vvas come thus farre and vvas then approaching more closely unto them all intending more fullie in the pleading of his cause to have set forth their unjust dealing they tolde him that he rayled and imperiouslie commanded him to hold his peace vvhich vvas the reason of his Apologeticus ad Praesules Anglicanos vvhere he tooke libertie to vvrite that and publish it to the vievv of all the vvorld vvhich he vvould have then spoke But after that they had silenced him they then fell a thundering against him everie one as he pleased all of them joyning in this one onely excepted that they censured him onely for his Booke and in their censure they unanimously agreed that the Defendent should pay the costs of suite a thousand pounds unto the King for a fine be debarred of his practice that his booke should be burnt and that the Defendent should lye in prison till recantation and in the meane time be delivered unto Satan And thus did the Sublime Court deale with the Defendent for doing his duty But here the Defendent craveth favour againe of the honorable Court that he may briefly letting the puny Iudges and their nonsenâ—e dye in silence say something of the Prelats haranges because they onely were the men that found themselves aggreeved aâ— his writing to say the trueth all the other are Officiers under them and are the Prelats hangbyes he meanes the Doctors to doe what they would have theÌ„ as hourely experience teacheâ—h all men And so much the more earnestly he desireth this liberty because it will make much for the demoÌ„stration of the justice of his accusation against the Prelats both in respect of the dishonor they have don unto God by it the dishonour of the King their Master King Iames of precious memory and the wrong done to himself in particular Now the first that entred this combat was Francis White Bishop of Ely who in the first place most blasphemously and with many contumelyes reproached the holy Scriptures making nothing of their divine Autority as all the standers by can witnes for he reviling the Defendent sayd That he had nothing in his booke but Scripture which was as he tearmed it the refuge of all Hereticks and Schismaticks openly averring withall That the Scripâ—ures could not be knowne to be the Word of God but by the Fathers and Saint Augustin would not have beleeved the Scriptures to be the Word of God had not the Church told him so Further he sayd That the Scripture could not be knowne distinguished from â—he Apocrypha but by the Faâ—hers nor the meaning of the Scripture found out but by the Fathers that all the Faâ—hers from all Antiquity which is most false as the defendent in a speciall booke hath sufficiently shewed made and proved a vast difference between Bishops and Presbyters and that there was ever a greater excellency and Autority in the Bishop then in Presbyters And this with an unanâ—mous coÌ„sent they all agreed in till a base fellow Calvin for so he tearmed that ever to be honoured Divine rose up in an obscure corner of the World viâ—lated and overtrew all order Autority in the Church and would allso have demolished the Autority of the Magistrates And then turning his speech to the Defendent unhumanly he called him Base fellow Brasen faced Fellow Base Dunce and sayd in the face of the Court That if he could not mayntayne his Episcopall Autority to be Iure Divino he would fling away his Rotchet And so concluding with those that had gone before him in his censure he sat downe in a very great fuâ—y and passion Afâ—er him came forth the Bishop of Yorke and in that numerous Assembly proclaymes That Iesus Christ made him a Bishop and the holy Ghost consecrated him and that he had not his Autority from the King for Bishops were before Kings and that Bishops held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads and so peremptorily averring that the Defendent ought to be knockt downe with club-Law for his ignorance assenting with the rest in their Censure he fell a sleep In the third place the Bishop of London advanced forwards speaking very loud and temerarious words against the Holy Scriptures saying That he had thought to have found some great Matters in the Defendents booke seeing him so confident and so peremptory but diligently reading of it he met with nothing in it but Scripture which as he sayd was the refuge of all Schismeticks Hereticks so according with his predecessors in their opinion and censure he concluded his part of speech But last of all came forth the Prelat of Canterbury who with a frontlesse boldnes avouched his Episcopall Autority preeminency over his breâ—hren to be onely from God very much blaming Calvin for his faâ—tious Spirit saying That their Ecclesiasticall Autority the power they exercised was from Christ Iesus and produced Timothy and Titus to proveâ— the same assertion and that Bishops were before Christian Kings and they held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads For no Bishop no King those that would have no Bishops sought to overthrow all Government in his censure he jumped in all things with the rest saving in the Fine which as he sayd hee thought too little and therefore ought of meere conscience as he told the other Iudges hee fined the Defendent a Thousand pounds more But he had one thing more to speake as he sayd concerning the Châ—rch of Rome and about that he resolved publickly there to declare himself in regard the Defendent had cast Chounyes book unto him in open Court and of the Synagogue of Rome he spake verie honorably affirming That shee was a true Church and that shee did not erre in fundamentall poynts and all this hee spake in that publick Sessions All which the Defendent hath
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
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
the said Iohn Bastvvickâ— by the advice confedeâ—acyâ— combination abetment helpe and assistance of the sayd Henry Burton and Mr. Prin c. hath unlavvfully contrived framed and vvriâ— vvithout licence printed divers epistles prefaces additions other passages annexed and inserted thereunto and all vvritten by him the sayd Iohn Bastvvick or by his advice and approbation in vvhich book he hath causlesly boldly enveighed against the Oath ex officio other the antient formes and proceedings of the sayd High Commission Court c. against the Hierarchy of the Church preferring a Presbyterian parity before the sacred and setled Orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons and in the sayd book hath falsly and scandalously defamed the vvitnesses produced against him falsly allso and maliciously taxed the High Commission Court it self and the Iudges therein in generall and some of them particularly personally vvith cruelty injustice vvith vvant of vvisdome temperance and that they are persvvaders of his Mast. though in vaine to bloudâ—hed and are upholders of idolatry superstition prophanesse and therein farther most malicioâ—sly falsly affirmeth That the Archbishop the Lord Treasurer and the Bishop of Ely three of the most vvorthy and learned Prelats of the Kingdome that they are disgracers and contemnets of the holy Scriptures and falsly traduceth them for Traytors and invaders of his Mast. prerogative And in the sayd booke are contayned divers other unlavvfull scandalous libellous passages vvhich beeing many and of various natures is annexed unto the information as a part thereof to vvhich he referreth himselfe To all vvhich large accusation the Defendent for ansvver saith That vvhereas these things of so foule nature consequence are layd upon him Mr. Burton and Mr. Prin That the informers begin their accusation with a calumny As for the defendents ovvne partscular he affirmeth and that truely That for reverend and learned Mr. Henry Burton and Mr. Prin he hath never knovvne them othervvise then to be loyall Subjects unto his Mast. and such as in all peaceable vvayes and honest endeavours have sought vvished earnestly laboured for the promotion of the true Christian faith and religion and such no other maner of men he the defendent hath ever knovvne them and such he verily believeth they are and therefore as they feare God honour the King he is and hath been and ever vvill be by the grace of God an a better vvith them and if that in so doing and practising it be counted either faction confederation or combination he vvill live and dye in it But notvvithstanding of the resolution and purpose of the defendent he further for satisfaction to the information sayth that hovvsoever the forenamed Master Burton and Mr. Prin and himself have been of long acqueyntance yet their familiarâ—â—y hath been ever very little they having not by the 4. or 5. yeares together neither seen nor heard one of an other and for these three yeares last past the defendent sayth that he hath not seen the face of Mr. Prin nor been ever vvith Mr. Burton above tvvice or thrice as he remembreth much lesse bene privy or acquaynted the one vvhat the others either proceedings or intentions vvere and therefore for ever doth disaâ—owâ— any help counsell advice in the making or publishing of any thing that ever he hath done but vvhatsoever he hath vvrit it vvas accomplished before that they knevv of it And for the other men specifyed in the information the defendent knovves them notâ— neither by face nor name and this he is ready to depose And so much may suffice in generall to have spoke of this matter But novv more especially vvhereas he the defendent is accused of long continuance to have envyed maligned his Mast. happy governmenâ— and the good discipline of the Churchâ— Hee the defendent protesteth in the presence of Godâ— and before the vvorld that it is a most false accusation and that there is never a Subject in his Mast. dominions a more honourer of the government of his Imperiall Mast. one that desireth more the good discipline of the Church and is able to produce the testimonies of all the places he haâ—h lived in in this Kingdome both from Magistrats Ministers for the honesty and integriâ—y of his life and conversation and that in all respects he hath so demeaned himself as that he hath not onely been free from viceâ— faction schisme but from the suspition of all vvhich testimonies he hath ready to shevv to this honorable Court the vvhich he exhibited to â—he High Commission Court at that time they studyed most to defame him all this both towne and contrey can testify as also of the infatigable diligence in his particular calling How that he neglected no opportunity to doe the indigentesâ— men good how that being unwearyed in his imployments he wenâ— through the heat of Summer the cold of Winter rose earlie went to bed late exposing himself at all times to any danger whatsoever of plague and pestilence and all to doe the meanest of the Kings Subjects good never taking penny of poore nor never of servant never suffering the most neglected creature of nature to perish for want of care or looking to but made them all an object of his pity and of his art giving them out of his poore competency both for their food Physick neither can any man say that ever he asked the richest a farthing for any paynes he tooke day or night for their preservation or that he ever murmured at the smallest content thy gave him if the Prelâ—â—s had let him follow his calling this defendent had continued in this diligent course of life till the day of his death Buâ— they picking a quarrell with him for writing in defence of the Kings prerogative Royall against the Popeâ— sayingâ— that while hee writ against the Pope he meant them put him upon sâ—ch imployments as he indeed thinks will be very little pleasing to the Prelats allâ—hough he is most cenfident that in them he hath and shall doe the King and Church good service and so he knoweth it will appeare when he is dead and gone But because this bookâ— is now layd unto the Defendents charge as tending to thâ— mayntenance and upholding of schisme and division iâ— his Mast. Church of England opposition against thâ— laudable Orders and Ceâ—emonyes of the sayd Churchâ— howsoever there be no such thing in the sayd Flagâ—llâ— yeâ— this Defendent desireth to give a reason unto this honorable Court for the writing publishing not onely oâ— that booke but of all other his writings since And first concerning the booke for which he was censured He saith that he was provoked thereunto by a Popish Iesuiticall Doctor of Physick who continually dared him into the field of Dispute and set downe his owne theames about which he wâ—â—ld contend which were concerning the Popes Supremacy and the sacrifice of the Masse And it
the proceedings of the Prelats against himself and their dealings tovvards others of their brethren the theame of vvhich booke he the Defendent desireth the honorable Courtâ— to take a briefe relation of at this time that they may the better be informed of the falsitie of the information And first for the principall theame and matter of the booke it is the State of the questions in his Flagello Pontificis for vvhich he suffered vvith the summe of the Arguments he produced for the confirmation of the trueth The questioâ—s arising betvveen the Babylonian and the defendent concerning the autoritie of the Pope were these The first whether Christ did constitute Peter sole Monarch of the Catholick Church The second vvhether the Pope of Rome if hee bee a Bishop as hee is a Bishop hath Autoritie jurisdiction over Kings Emperors Thirdlie vvhether Popish Bishops be true Bishops or no and of the discussing of these questios the defendent saith his adversarie vvas the sole cause In the handling of the which the Defendenâ— fâ—rther affirmeth that he used all the caution that vvas possible as he supposed for man to use prefacing in his booke that being to dispute about the Autority of the Bishop of Rome he desired candidly to be understood of all menâ— for while he disputed of Episcopall autoritie he medled nor contended not against such Bishops as ackovvledge their autoritie jurisdiction from Kings and Emperors into vvhose hands the government of States Kingdomesâ— and Commonvvealths is by God committed For if the Popes themselves vvould acknovvledge their immense and unlimited autoritie from Kings and Emperors he the defendent there said if they commanded nothing contrarie to the vvill and Word of God that he for his part out of the reverence duty â— loyaltie to his Prince vvould obey it The Words in the Original are these Verum de Episcoporum autoritate locutus à bonis bene intelligi cupio Non enim litis litem moveo quatenus ab Imperatoribus Regibus Principibus Terre quorum interest salutem civium tueri potestatem â—us Imperium in socios totumque Dei gregem adepti sunt Nam si Romani Episcopi immâ—nsam illam nullis limitibus circumscriptam autoritatem indulgentia Principum acceptam ferrent voluntati Episcopali nihil voluntati divinae inimicum jubenti obtemperandum putem ob reverentiam Principi si volenti debitam c. So that the defendent having thus playnlie set downe his minde before knowing that all the jurisdiction that the Bishops in England now exercise over others is â—rom the King he thought himself not onely secure from danger but expected favâ—ur at least from the Bishops their helping hand especially when the opposing the Popes Autority in England is a thing that the King and State have ever so well allowed of And that this honorable Court may yet be fâ—rther informed of the speciall cause for which the Prelats are so displeased with the defendent it was for the truely and narrowlie disputing and discussing of the second question to wit whether the Pope of Rome if he be a Bishop as he is a Bishop have Autoritie jurisdiction not onelie over his fellow brethâ—en but over Kings and Emperors which the Defendent there denyed for many warrantable Arguments The summe of which he desireth here to relate unto this honorable Court for his just and necessarie defence justification For by the veâ—ie light of nature and unanswerable reason it is evident and manifest that where there is an equalitie and pariâ—ie amongst men there the one doth not exceed the other in power or Dominion Paris enim in Parem non esse imperium inter Naturae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Novv Divine constitution hath made Bishops and Presbyters or Elders a like and equall vvhich that it might the better appeare the Defendent propounded there tvvo things to be proved The first vvas That Bishops and Presbyters vvere by the Word of God one and the same Secondlie That Presbyters had equall Autoritie of Governmentâ— Ordination Excommunication vvith Bishops vvherein onely consists their preeminency Autoritie above their brethren vvhich things being proved it vvill necessarilie follovv That the Pope of Rome as he is Bishop doth no vvay exceed other Bishops and Presbyters they being in all things a like and equall unto him much lesse hath any Autoritie and povver over Kings and Emperours And for the proofe of the first position the vvords Presbyter Bishop do sufficientlie evince iâ— vvhich in holy Scripture though diverse in sound signifie one and the same thing as not to cite the vvords themselves vvhich would be large The Apostle Paul to Titus in the first chapter doth sufficientlie shew vvhere the words Bishop Presbyter are confounded And likevvise in the first Epistle of Peter and the fift Chapter there Presbyter and Bishop signifie one and the same thing And the Epistlâ— to the Philippians the first Chapter and the â—irst verse doâ—h apparentlie demonstrate itâ— and diverse other places might be produced dilucidating the same thing But the 20â— of the Acts puts all out of controversie where Presbyter and Bishop signifie one the same thingâ— for officeâ— honour and function so that the identity of their officeâ— is signifyed by those tvvo expressions Neither is there a confusion of their names with a difference still of their functions administrations as some vvould cavill for in these places vvhere Presbyters are called Bishops the disputation is not about the title but about the office signified and specified by the title For vvhen S. Paul exhorts the Presbyters to have an eye to their duty charge he useth this reason that the Holy Ghost had made them Bishopsâ— And the trueth of â—his is so evident that the Rhemists themselves as learned men as any Bishops in England and as able to mayntayne an error are forced ingenâ—ouslie to confesse it saying in expresse vvords in their Noâ—es upon the 28. vers of that Chapter That in the Apostles times there vvas no difference betvveen Presbyter and Bishopâ— so that for the first position it is not onely by the Word of God clearlie evident but by the very confession of the adversaries of the trueth granted as a thing without controversy Novv for proofe of the second position that Presbyters as vvell as the Bishop of Rome have the povver and right of Government Ordination and Excommunication by vvhich in these times Bishops onely exceed Presbyters the defendent vvill here brieflie demonstrat it referring those of this honorable Court that have a desire to search into the full trueth of it to his booke And for proofe that the Government vvas committed unto them and that they exercised the same it is most perspicuous out of the first of Timothie 5. vvhere the Apostle sayth The Presbyters that rule vvell are vvorthie of double honour especially those that labour in Word and Doctrine By this testimonie it is evident that they
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
in the Prelats that poore Christians in our age may neither obey the commandement of God who inioyneth us to heare in season and out of season nor imitate the Saints of olde in their pious indeavours in building up themselves in their most holy faith nor follow the good paternes of their Kings and Governors but they must be severely punished for it yea undone traduced â—or it aâ— evil doers if this be not great cruelty tyranny it selfe in the Prelats there was never none for they robb them of Heaven earâ—h all other comforts in as much as in them lyeth Nay which is yet more to shew their cruelty injustice unrightuous dealing the Prelats in the Baptisme of infants constraine the Godfathers Godmothers there solemnly to promise that they wil call upon them that are baptised when they come to yeares of discretion ofâ—en to heare Sermons to this duty are also the baptized tyed Now when they are come to yeares of understanding and in obedience of their promise they made by their God Fathers and God-Mothers and perhaps beeing stirred up also by their exhortation to this good duty of hearing the Word if â—hey goe out to heare Sermons when they have none in their owne Parishes they are first punished in their purses and liberties and then given to the Devill for this good worke which they notwithstanding have tied them to by speciall promise in their baptisme and if all this be not unspeakeable cruelty tyranny and injustice there was never none in the world and yet this is the dayly practise of the Prelates through the Kingdome as all men know And which is yet more to be observed in the same Sacrament of Baptisme children promise there by their God-Fathers and God-Mothers or they doe it for the children to be baptized that they will forsake the Devill and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and are there signed with the signe of the Crosse that innocent Ceremony as they call it that he shall continue Christs Faithfull Souldier fight under his banner all the dayes of his life against the World the Flesh and the Devill by the which promise he is bound to the utmost of his power alwayes to oppose all errors wickednes and prophanenesse Now if any in conscience of his promise either speake or write in defence of the truth as it ought to be defended or if he doe but put in practice that which he hath promised in opposing of Error Superstition Prophanesse Idolatry or the iniquities of the times the Prelates severely punish them for it as their dayly proceedings witnes and if this be not a daring crueltie also and great injustice there is none exercised upon the earth for what is unjustice and crueltie if punishing of men for doeing their duty and keeping their promise and performing that which the Prelates themselves have tied them to by speciall promise be not They teach all Christians in an other Ceremonie of standing up at the Gospell and at Gloria Paâ—ri and at the Creed to shew their readinesse and promptitude in fighting for â—he Faith of Iesus and their Holy Religion against Heresie Poperie and all Innovations all which our Gracious King declares himseâ—fe that he will never alâ—ow of or suffer and the neglect of this Ceremonie will cost a man an undoeing Now if any beeing taught by this Ceremonie come forth to the combat and but oppose themselves against Popery Errors or Innovations in defence of the Faith and the Honour of their King they are punished most severelie for it by the Prelates both in the High-Commission and other Courts and Bils and Informations and Articles are exhibited and made against them as evil doers and troublers of the State and all for doing that thâ—y teach them by their Ceremonies and bind them by promises oath to doe which is Hyperbolicall tyrannieâ— unjustice and cruelty in those reverend Fathers It seemes they would have Christians like Saint George a horsebacke ever mounted but never moving and if they doe chance to stiâ—re or dare bee so bold as to move they immediatelie are cast downe and breake either their eares or their noses or their foreheads and it may be â—hey are also whâ—pped to the baâ—gaine for beeing so bold some mischief for the most part followes their endeavours and that for doing their dutie and that which they were taught by Ceremonies and is not this arrogant tyrannyâ— cruelty and injuâ—â—ice in the Prelates to punish and that severely both the neglect and the doing also of their duty and that they are injoyned to doe without all doubt there is no such crueltie in the world as is daily practised by the Prelates and in their Courts of the which there might mightie volumes bee made but the Defendent hath instanced in these few things onely becauseâ— they are knowne to most men and obvious every day and the Defendents condiâ—ion and his cause can sufficiently witnes their unrighteous dealings and that in divers respects for they dealt with him against the very law and light of nature and as they would not bee done by to make him accuse himselfe to admit his sworne and capital enimies and which first informed them against him out of meere malice as was proved by many to bee prosecutors and witnesses against him yea to speake as it is that the Prelates themselves should be Accusers Parties Witnesses Iury and Iudge in their owneâ— cause as they all were this the Defendent saith is unrighteous dealing to which may bee added the defending of the Popes quarrell to condemne him for one thing and putting those things likewise in the records of the Court for which by the whole Court he was freed from As for example the Defendent was condemned onely for his booke now in the order of the Court or Sentence it is put inâ— that he was condemned for the other things alsoâ— which howsoever they were in themselves verie ridiculous yet it is great injustice to superadde them and so to deale with him Neither is that a small part of injustice to punish and condemne the innocent and justify the wicked both which are an abomination to the Lord. Now they condemned the Defendent for writing against the Pope adjudged his Booke to be burnt and justified his adversaries and Chouny who writ in defence of the Church of Rome and it is their daily practice to condemne bookes that are writ for the Honour of Religion accusing them to bee factious pamphlets but Bookes that are writ for the advancement of Poperie and Superstition and in defence of the Pontificalitie of Prelats and the magnification of the Church of Rome â—o the trampling downe of regall autoritie and for the murdering killing of Kings for the bringing in of Innovations into a Kingdome and for suppressing of true Religion many of which are not to bee named of these Bookes a man may buy shipfuls of them in Pauls Church yard
all which tend to the ruine of the Kingdome and perverâ—ing of Reâ—igion and the seducing of the Kings good Subjects And all other Bookes of Arminians Sosinians and a thousand such blasphemous treatises are bought and sold publikely in every Stationars shop with the Prelates very good liking And the greatest enimies of the truth such as Bellarmine Baronius Tyrrian Caâ—etan are not onely publicklie vented but are before the King and in the Vniversities and indeed in every Pulpit magnified with glorious titles as the learned Cardinal incomparable Bellarmine those grand impostors and perverteâ—s of the wayes of God and such as have abused King IAMES of famous memory and blasphemously defamed our most Holy Religion All these Authors and many more with their Bookes the Defendent saith are dailie approved of and commended by the Prelatesâ— and such as extoll the Church of Rome patronized by them and maintained And what is it then to advance Poperie if all these doings of the Prelates bee not and what is it to favour prophanesse and irreligion if the punishing and silencing of those that write and speake against the iniquitie of the times be not let all men judge of this with serious reason and they will soone perceive that in this accusation of the Prelats the Defendent hath no way wronged them And for their intemperance and want of wit it is notoriouslie also knowne who raile most shamefully and unhumanelie upon all honest men that come before them as their very speeches in their censure may witnes Iudges of old were wont to give Sentence in lesse matters beeing full of compassion with teares in their eyes neither doe wee read of any Iudges since Christs time but of Ananias the High Priest and Festus the Governor that they ever did revile those that were brought before them or give them any ill language And the one was a Iew and the other a Heathen both enimies of Christ and Christians But for Christian Iudges and them spirituall ones for such contumeliouslie to abuse their brethren as they did the Defendent and dailie doe others and to give them over to the Devill and to perpetuall chaines for every triviall thing yea even for a misprision or a very surmise and to make a man an offender for a word and to ruine them their wives and children for such things and that with scoffes reproaches tants and mocks this the Defendent affirmeth in the Prelates is both crueltie injustice intemperance and want of wisdome and so hee nothing doubteth but this honorable Court and all rationall men will judge Neither doth his graciousâ— Majest or this honorable Court as he truelie believeth know how they abuse his poore Subjects neither will God take this well at their hands for it no way beseemeth those would bee thought the Faâ—hers of the Church so to doe For if wee looke upon Timothy and Titus whose successors they would be thought to bee and the rules that they followed and were guided by wee shall find a vast difference betweene them Saint Paul in his 2. epistle to Timothy chap. 2. telleth him That the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all menâ— apt to teach patient in meeknes instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the trueth c. And in an other place the same Apostle sayth A Bpp. must be patient and no brawler Now when the Prelats so exorbitantly behave themselves trampling all Apostolicall Canons under their feet and so basely revile the good Subjects of the King and their brethren trampling also the sacred Scriptures under their feeâ— and that with as great contempt as the Papists themselves doe advancing Poperie everie way and the Defenders of it can any denie that these are intemperaâ— imprudent unjust men and furtheres upholders of Poperie vvhereas the Defendent is charged in the informationâ— That he accuseth the Prelats as upholders of idolatry superstition and prophanesse and that hâ—â— defameth the witnâ—sses brought against him and hath causlesly and boldlie inveighed against the oath Ex officio The Defendent humbly intreateth the honorable Court that vvith patience they vvould heare his ansvver to these things then he vvill come to the last thing that concerneâ—h him the Letany and the occasion of the vvriting of it What he himself hath done he is ever resolved to seale vvith his best bloud to justifie and make good vvhatsoever he shall accuse the Prelats of Amongst the vvhich he acknovvledgeth that he chargeth them to be advancers of Poperie idolatrie superstition prophanesse And so they are as hath been alreadie sufficiently evinced and by that vvhich follovveth shall yet more illustriously appeare For what is it to aduance Popery and idolatry if that the Prelats dayly doe be it not without men will thinke that Poperie onely that advanceth the Popes Supremacy and they Protestants onely that goe no farther in opposing that Hereticall religion when that is among many Divines counted one of â—he least controversies in Theology between Papists and us true Catholicks Greater matters I wosse hundreds there are between us And howsoever the King blessed be God his predecessors by the blood of their Subjects and the sacrificing of themselves have shaken off the yoake of the Pope yet his poore Subjects are under many Popes which deale worse with them then ever Popes did to Kings in the middest of their swellingâ—â— pride arrogancy yea every parish Priest and base fellow that is but a Prelats Servant can ruine and undoe the honestest man upon any information So that for the Subjects coÌ„dition it is worse they are in a farre more deplorable predicament then they were in under the Pope by this change for now they have neither their consciences their libertyes their purses their bodyes their limbs or lives in any security but as the Prelats their creatures please are deprived of all who seek continually for their bloud and starve many of them in prisons and expose them to infinit miseries and calamityesâ— so that they are as sheep to the slaughter slayne all the day long And of their deadly crueltie against those that feare God the whole Kingdome can witnes and how that they make them every where most odious But now to the matter the Defendent câ—argeth the Prelats with viz. that they are advancers of Idolatry superstition and prâ—phanesse And that â—hey are advancers of idolatry who can doubt of it that knoweth that very rudiments of Divinity or in the least measure â—aâ—h been acquaynted with the lawes of God For as God onely is and must be the object of all Divine worship as tâ—e first commandement teacheth for him onely we are to serve Matth. 4. as Christ also commandeth to worship any other or to trust in any thiâ—g els is idolatry in a high degree for we must love him with all our hearts and all our Soulâ—s and trust onâ—ly in him So likewise for