specificates a Religion what latitude you will allow Shall every difference in Religion be sufficient to produce a new one Then Geneva and you are not of one Religion For your new erection of Ruling Elders to sway in all Presbyteries and Assemblies and to voice in Matters of Faith Geneva knowes not Nay the Protestants of France as i D'Aubiga l. 2. c. 5. an Historian of their owne Party tells us offered to conforme themselves to all the Ceremonies and Constitutions that had beene established within the fifth Age of the Church whereas you forsake them all But if one difference serve not to diversifie a Religion may a few do it Then are not you a thing which we shall by no meanes acknowledge of one and the same Religion with us P. 98. For besides other differences betweene us you say your Countrey-men would never be induced to follow so much of the Masse as we retained here If a few will not doe it then how many I pray depinge ubi sistam how many Errours for Number and how great for Quality are of a just weight to make Christned men no Christians When you goe about this Worke you will finde your selfe brought in locum lubricum periculosum as Cicero cals it so that you were better take the Stoicks counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be quiet and to stop this differencing of Religions which is cutting a thread betwixt Heaven and hell at those knowne bounds and limits which common observation hath made els you will but venture into a soriticall Maze out of which you will never be able to finde your way 31. In like manner it offends you P. 44. that my Lord of Canterbury in all that large Booke set out by him the last yeare doth no where charge the Papists with Schisme Heresie or Idolatry nor any of his Favourites you say have done it in earnest as farre as you can remember in all your poore Lecture Now truly I see little Cause why you should much confide in your owne poore Lecture For doubtlesse most of these Collections were brought to your hand and it is plaine because in the puzle of digesting them your fashion is to put downe a Quotation and then another and another and often by mishap you light upon the same againe and downe you clap it againe without any Care at all Let the Reader but observe the manner and he will be of my mind 32. But first touching Schisme doth my Lord of Canterbury no where charge the Papists with Schisme That he doth sure very plainely especially in the 23. Sect. of his Book where he shewes in regard they thrust us from them by Excommunications and Censures and were obstinate to continue in their owne Corruptions the Schisme was theirs The Cause of the Schisme is yours saith he for you thrust us from you because wee called for Truth and redresse of Abuses A Schisme must needs be theirs whose the cause is Againe he makes the Separation that gives the first just cause of it not He that makes an actuall separation upon a just cause preceding Further as he casts upon them the k P. 145. beginning of the Schisme so doth he the continuance of it And if this be not to charge them with Schisme I know not what is and insisting so largely as he doth upon this Argument how could you misse it You that a little before could see in his Booke what was not there the Popes Authority absolutely vindicated and commended to bee set up in England Now cannot see what is there The Papists charged with Schisme but no great marvell this l Tertul. Apol cap. 9. Coecitatis enim duae species facilè concurrunt ut qui non vident quae sunt videre videantur quae non sunt Or in S. Basil's language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An eye indisposed and out of temper sees not many things that are and seemes to see many things which are not 33. Next how should we be sure neither the Archbishop nor any of his Favourites charge the Papists with those other two Crimes of Heresie and Idolatry You that read them only to explore what is amisse wil not report what you find for you say they absolve them clearely in formall Termes of all those three crimes Schisme Heresie and Idolatry Of Schisme because they goe on in the practice of their Forbeares without introducing any late Novations Of Heresie because their errors taketh no part of the Foundation away but are only Excesses and Additions consisting with all fundamentall Truth Of Idolatrie because they teach not the giving of Latria to any Image or any Creature Where that they clearly and in formall termes absolve them of all these three or any of the three I am very confident will be found an untruth for it is one thing to absolve them by Deductions and Consequences of your making and another to absolve them clearly and in formall Termes Concerning the first which is Schisme as your report is false so the reason given is weake and filly for it is no Contradiction but they may goe on in the practises of their forefathers and yet be guiltie of Schisme by exterminating all those that will not submit themselves to the same vicious practices together with them as it was shewed even now The blame ever goes along with the Cause 34. For the second which is Haeresie Even those Errours of Rome which they hold not to be contra fundamentum fundamentall errours yet they hold them to be damnable and if obstinately persisted in hereticall Which is cleare by his Graces discourse Confer p. 315. And elswhere as what say you to this passage p. 298. Therefore in this present case there is perill great perill of damnable both schisme and Haeresie and other sinne by living and dying in the Roman faith tainted with so many superstitions as at this day it is Call you this cleare absolving 35. Thirdly Concerning Idolatrie though the Papists be very nice in their doctrine here yet it is well enough knowne their Practice is grosse and how little my Lord of Canterbury favours them either in their doctrine or practice I leave the Reader to be his owne Iudge if he please to peruse the 33. Sec. Nu. 13. of his Conference where upon occasion of a proposition taken out of Lammas he putteth his adversary to this question And now I pray A. C. doe you be judge whether this proposition doe not teach idolatrie and whether the moderne church of Rome be not growne too like to paganisme in this point For my owne part I heartily wish it were not And much more hath he there to this purpose enough sure to shew what credit may be given to this shamelesse Calumniatour who would make the World believe that the Papists stand absolved of these three Crimes Schisme Heresie and Idolatrie clearly and in formall termes 36. His like frequent overstrainings in this kind are an evident demonstration
judgement in those points Or if those Points bee comprehended in the Articles and not condemned belike they are approved there But if the Articles doe condemne Arminianisme all men promoted in the Church subscribe to the Articles They professe fully and heartily to assent to the Doctrine there set downe which Profession is as valid as an oath and an * Heb. 6.16 Oath for confirmation is an end of all strife So that to affirme his Grace keepes a constant course in promoting Arminianisme as a Sect offensive to this Church is but a meere calumny Their subscription being as great and apparant a Purgation of any their adherence to heterodox Opinions as they can possibly exhibit or hee require of them And should he require more he could not justifie it 15. That which brought up Arminianisme among you was you say * P. 11. a gentle ayre from Court which were it true as it is undoubtedly false yet it leaves no reall Aspersion upon those Opinions The Court does not alwayes cherish the evill seeds it is the voice of Schismaticks sometimes a Optat. l. 1. Aug. Ep. 48. Quid Episcopis cum palatio The Arrians and Donatists did often complaine they were borne downe by favour at Court and so do you now and so did alwayes all unquiet Spirits when they could not have there what themselves desired * P. 11. Dr. Wederburne you tell us was made Bishop of Dunblane and that Bishop is alwayes Deane of the Chappell Royall and a society of twenty foure Chaplaines was erected the fittest that could be found in the whole Kingdome to preach to the State the Deanes Arminian Tenets Where it may be all the offence is that your selfe was none of the number 16. Passing over into Ireland you question there * P. 15. P. 21. Who holds downe the head of that Orthodoxe Primate Which complaint after three or foure pages you resume againe thus What fray makes that worthy Primate Vsher to foretell oft to his friends his expectation to be sent over sea to die a Pedant teaching boyes for his bread by the persecution of this faction Where this strange expression from your pen Orthodoxe Primate made me almost forget the maine of your complaint For say in good earnest is Episcopacie a wicked and Antichristian calling So you teach sometimes And sure if a simple Bishop be a limb of Antichrist a Primate must be a very principall member how then Orthodoxe primate Or why care you who holds downe his head Were it in your power would you advance it You that have howted all Ecclesiasticall Dignities quite out of your Countrey You tell us plainly that a totall ejection of the Bishops * Postscrip p. 28. would much increase the joy and prosperity of all the three dominions We have just reason to think then that if this Orthodoxe Primate were in your Power you would divide betwixt his Orthodoxie and his Primacie by such a kind of distinction as that was of old b Platin. in vit Ioan. 24. Gibellinorum bona Guelfa the Man might be Orthodoxe but the Primacie with what belongs to it his Rents and Revenues would be found all Antichristian so that he must be content indeed to die a Pedant teaching boyes for his bread But to the maine of your Complaint take his Answer which upon sight of this passage in your booke he made with his owne mouth This is notoriously false I never said any such thing I never thought it and I am in my particular beholding to my Lord of Canterbury I had the happinesse to be by when my Lord Primate spake this 17. Your aptnesse to misconstrue even the best actions appeares by the censure you put upon His Majesties Declaration before the Articles You make it but a crafty trick in his Grace then Bishop of London by the Duke his Patron you say to perswade that course of silence purposely to give * Their crafty leader seeing the sâ—…t of opposition and sinding it meet a little to hold in c. p. 19. advantage to the Arminians It were a happy thing if in all emergent controversies men would carrie themselves with that temper and prudence as that no such declarations might be needfull But when the fire of contention begins to burne and endanger the peace of Church and State it is then time for Kings who are nutritii Ecclesiae to interpose their power and suppresse the flame What our gracious Soveraigne did was done more majorum after the example of all godly Princes In the time of Theodosius the elder every mans tongue ran upon the Trinity nothing could be heard but perpetuall wrangling about those high mysteries whereupon that pious Prince forbad all disputing thereabout c Sozom. l. 7. c. 6. latâ lege paenâ constitutâ Had you lived then you would have said This was but the tricke of some Prelate to give advantage to the Sabellians Photinians Arrians and the like In these very questions blessed King Iames both counselled and approved a pacificatory edict devised and published in Holland to make peace there which indeed was variously carped at But God forbid that at such exigences for the misprision of some disaffected spirits Kings and Princes should lay by their care whose office it is to suppresse Schisme and Faction in Church as well as theft homicide or like crimes in State as d Ep. 50. cont Crescon 3. c. â—1 S. Austin tels us But what advantage did the Arminians make of this edict I pray Yes * P. 23. Many Doctors you say in both Universities and over all the Land boldly gave out their minde to all they met with for the advancement of the new way Boldly gave out their minde But did they print as boldly I am sure some of the contrary part as boldly gave out their mindes otherwise your intelligence had not been so good And what know you but that many books like to be offensive in this kinde were and are suppressed by my Lord of Canterburies care I am sure you can keepe no tale of them no more than Diagoras his friend could of those that were drowned quia nusquam picti sunt for they appeare not 18. Needs will you make the world believe in this quarrell of Arminianisme my Lord of Canterburies Predecessour Archbishop Abbot was so farre * P. 21. wrought out of grace with the King that he remained some yeares before his death well neare confined to his house at Lambeth and that for the same cause is caged up in the Tower that great and learned Bishop of Lincolne Where touching the first in good time said you well neare confined For certainly no other confinement lay upon him at Lambeth some yeares before his death but by that which serves an arrest upon all the sonnes of men age and infirmity And for the second that Arminianisme is any way concerned in my Lord of Lincolnes affaire is more than I ever understood
that he set himselfe about this Worke not out of any Love of Truth but out of a wicked purpose to doe Mischiefe They teach sayes he * P. 43. that not only the People but their most learned Clergie Popes Cardinals Iesuites living and dying in their bitter oppositions and persecutions of Protestants are in no hazard of Damnation though they never come to any particular Acknowledgement of their sinfull opinions and practices following thereupon as who should say for so the Words import though knowing them to be sinfull Opinions and practises yet never acknowledging them such never repenting nor asking God forgivenesse for them they are still in the way to heaven Belike these Canterburians would be content to save the Pope and his Cardinals though sinning against the Holy Ghost for truth is this were no lesse To make good this Accusation stand in his Margin this and such like sayings The Corruptions of Rome materially and in the very kind and Nature are leven drosse hay and stubble yet the Bishop thought that such as were misled by Education or long custom or over-valuing the Soveraigntie of the Romane Church and did in Simplicity of heart embrace them might by their generall Repentance and faith in the merits of Christ attended with Charity and other vertues finde Mercy at God's hands Reader how say you doth this come home to the Popes learned Clergie living and dying in bitter and unrepented Oppositions and persecutions of Protestants It was counted a Christian Speech that of * Euseb Hist L. 6. c. 45. Dionysius Alexandrinus to Novatus Thou oughtest to have endured any thing rather then to rent the Church of God To suffer for avoiding of Schisme is a Martyrdome never a whit lesse nay indeed more Glorious then for not sacrificing to Idols And S. Chrysostome cites this from the mouth of an holy man as he sayes That even Martyrdome will not satisfie for Schisme Now then what Spirit may we thinke guides these men that are so dearely affected to Division and Combustion that rather then faile to kindle a fire among us doe harden their faces to slander and in this bold Manner 37. Our Divines say there is a Difference in Case of Schisme or Heresie betwixt the Simple and the Learned the Misled and the misleaders They say A man may be a good Protestant and yet not damne all his forefathers They say we refuse Communion with Rome in her Publike Service being grosse and superstitious but in Charitie we hold Vnion with them and all the Church of Christ These and the like sayings are scored downe here in his Margin as foule and impious So that belike the Contradictory of them would have better become the Pens of Protestants They must say there is no difference betwixt Priest and people simple and learned Leaders and followers all are in a like Condition all must to hell alike They must say no man can be a good Protestant that lives in charitie with a Papist Nor can he be a good Protestant unlesse he damne all his Forefathers What Cause there may be to repent of that pious and prudent Way which hath hitherto beene insisted upon by this our Church in defence of the Truth and is most agreeable to Christian moderation and the practice of the most holy times I know not But if this keene zeale were the only Weapon left to destroy Poperie And the Bishops with their Adherents should wipe their Pens and give place to these fierie Champions What Fields of honour would be wonne by their devouring sword of damnation what accession made to the Protestant part wise men know well enough and time would teach the rest which is the best master to shew an errour but the worst to mend it 38. Hitherto you have stood upon Generalls you tell us now you will come up close to the Canterburians in particular points of Poperie and for that purpose you propound us foure heads * P 48. Their Idolatries their Heresies their Superstitions their abomination of Desolation the Masse In all which say you nay the grossest of which it shall appeare that the Canterburians joyne with Rome But having undertaken to present the Reader with such passages as are objected to my Lord of Canterbury from his owne pen which was to be expected would raise a great Cloud over him To see the ill luck of it my worke is done even where it should begin For except about the Matter of Altars in this next point of Idolatry I meet not with his Name cited above once or twice in all the residue of your Booke so that you are faine to give him over at the first loose only the word Canterburian runs through all but to keep the worke alive and your Reader in minde at what marke specially be it right or wrong he is to shoot This must be swallowed or els you have done just nothing that all these men whom you bring to the Barre for Canterburians wrote by his speciall encouragement and direction whereas some of them were his Elders and Antecessors in the Church as D. Andrewes and D. White 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of them were and are meere strangers and unknowne to him so much as de facie which is most true and will be avowed Yea and when this is swallowed yet you have done just nothing for let the indifferent Reader but use the helpe of your Margin to confute your Text not distracting his owne eyes with passion or prejudice and this quarrell is well nigh ended Though were it otherwise yet to affirme that the Archbishop of Canterbury long before he was Archbishop for these many yeares hath held the Pens of all that have written in England amisse and of none of them that have written right is such a wild Presumption as no man of any honesty can say and no man of Common Sense will believe 39. Concerning the holy Table or Altar your Accusation is Canterbury saith that Worship yea and divine Worship or Adoration is to be given to the Altar Let us see now whether your Allegations in the Margin will come home to this there we finde Great reverence is due to the Body and so to the Throne where this Body is usually present Marke you Reverence not Worship But you say he gives Venite Adoremus to the Altar and no man can suppose that to be lesse than Divine Adoration Let us to your Margin againe there we read thus Therefore according to the Service-Book of the Church of England in this Compellation Venite adoremus the Priest and the People both are called upon for externall and bodily Worship of God in his Church Marke you againe Worship of God not of the Altar Let the Reader peruse the whole Passage as it is set downe within the Bounds of a few short Pages in his Starre-Chamber Speech and see if his constant expression be not Reverence to the Throne Worship to God q St. Sp. p. 43. God forbid sayes his