resolved on and set on foot for the preventing if possible of the imminent ruines both of Church and State Nor let this motion be contemned because it commes from so meane a person as in the worlds opinion a poore Minister of Christ Certainly I am one of the watchmen of Israel though the meanest yet one who hath obteined mercy to bee faithfull Nor have I inconsideralty or rashly rushed upon this businesse but have been by a strong hand drawne into it Yea my Lords knowe assuredly that Christ himselfe my great Lord Master hath called me forth to be a publique witnesse of this great Cause who will certainely mainteyne both it and me against all the Adversaries of God and of the King And being so doth not the same Lord Iesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords call both the King your Honors and all his Nobles and worthies to lay to heart such a cause as this if with the whole Realme you will not be brought backe againe under the Papall and Antichristian yoake which where euer it coÌ„meth Lordeth and tyrannizeth over soules bodies consciences goods lawes and Liberties What shall we see Religion overturned the Lawes out lawed our Liberties captived Christ Kingdome and the Kings throane together undermyned and Antichrists throane exalted over us and that by a Faction of Iesuited Poly-pragmatiques and wee like heartlesse doves sitt trembling while the Hagards doe outdare us as if we were made for nothing els but for them to prey upon Certainely if wee thus sit us downe and hide us under the hatches while the Romish Pyrates doe surprise our Ship and cut our throaths and cast us overboard what volumes will be sufficient to Chronicle to posterity the basenesse of Degenerate English Spirits become so unchristianized as to sett up Antichrist above Christ and his annoynted and to suffer our selves to be cheated and nose-wiped of our Religion Lawes Liberties and all our Glory and that by a sorte of bould Romish * Such as Francis a Sancta Clara and other his Iesuiticall Compliâ—â—â— Mountebanks and Iuglers Obiection But some will object what doth this concerne any of the Laity Doe not matters of Religion properly pertaine to the Clergy Have not they all the power and Authority to determine such matters Tractent fabrilia fabri will they say Answer O egregious and pernicious errour The Clergy only by which they meane the Church to have power in matters of Religion to determine them As if lay persons who are Christians be not members of the Church of Christ Gods peculiar people and inheritance Againe what should become of our Parliamentary Lawes by which our Religion hath been established and the Popish abolished Or what shal become of our Religion so established if the Authority therof must now depend only upon nthe Clergy that Clergy for the most part dependes upon the authority of one who exerciseth a kinde of Papall power in dedermining matters of Religion Then how easy were it for one Arch-Bishop of Canterbury if hee be possessed with a Papall spirit and zeale for Popery should have great favour power in Court in one assembly of Prelates at one clap to overthrow all our religion by Law established and to set up againe the whole body of Popish superstition and Idolatry Moreover why should it be unlaufull for lay persons Nobles and others to looke into matters of Religion within the limits of their calling whether generall as Christians or speciall as members of the common weale when Clergy men dare in affront to Gods word to Christs Doctrine and example of his Apostles to all Councels and Canons whatsoever usurped take upon them to intermeddle in the managing even of the highest and weightiest affaires of Princes States and temporall Kingdomes which is incompatible with the ministeriall function Againe have not all Christians soules to save and are not those of Berea * Acts 17. 11. 12. indigitated in Scripture as being more honourable then others in searching the Scriptures daily whether those things were so which even the Apostle Paul himselfe did teach And are not all Christians themselves enjoyned to try the spirits whether they bee of God And the rather because many false * 1. Io. 4. 1. Prophets are gone out into the world 1 Iohn 4. 1 And are not all Christians so to know the Scriptures as if any teach * Gal. 1. 8. otherwise yea though Angell from heaven to hould him accursed Gal. 1. 8 And are we not all Christians And if every Christian how mene soever should have a care of his owne soule and not to pinne it upon any ones sleeve as not knowing whither hee may carry it how much more every great man that is in high place and hath greater gifts of knowledge and is in * Eccles 10. 1. estimation for wisdome and glory It is a Iusuiticall principle and that very mystery of iniquity which supports Antichrists throane to require or render blinde obedience to the dictates of the Church alias of the Pope or Prelate or Priest then which servitude and spirituall bondage none in the world is more vile and base none more perillous and pernicious Thus the * Math. 1â— 14. blind leading the blinde both fall into the ditch thus the Pope carrying with himselfe millions of soules to be tormented with the great Divell and none to reprove him for it as their owne Decretalls say what amends will this bee to those soules thus miserably deceived by him So as this new doctrine of the Iesuites so much cryed up now adayes in Pamphlets and Pulpits therby to captivate the faith and Conscience of all the Laity yea and of all inferior Ministers to the dictates of the Metropolitan chaire is nothing els but that prime Article of the Antichristian and Papall Creed to overture all the Articles of our Christian Faith And if this Iesuiticall Doctrine be creapt into the Court and there beginne to Lord it the Lord himselfe roote it up and cast it out But your honors have not so learned Christ as thus to come under Ephes 4. 20. Antichrists Babilonian yoake And therefore in the name of Christ rowse up your noble Christian zeale magnanimous courage for the truth and now sticke close to God and to the King in helping the * Iudges 5. 23. Lord and his Annoynted against the Mighty and earnestly contend for the maintenance of that Faith * Iude. 3. Religion which was once delivered to the Saints and hath been sealed with the blood of so many holy Martyrs and transmitted downe to us from our worthy Progenitors and whereof our gracious King is intituled the Defender and hath in sundry his royall Declarations and proclamations solemnely protested that hee will never suffer the least Innovation and which also your Honors have bound your selves not only as Christians in your Baptisme but as Counsellers and Statesmen by Oath to mainteyne not suffering
honorable and due respect and between all those Prelates who are Innovators and eo nomine as they are Innovators onely together with all those that have a neere relation unto them and dependance upon them as bearing office under them and hoping for grace and preferment by them which are the usuall body of the Court determining all causes brought before them First that these against whom I except are parties thus I prove because the Innovations which I charge the Innovators with are both done by them or by their Officers and also they appeare in the cause as Patrons to Defend and maintaine the same against me so as upon the very reading of the said Articles I could not but presently apprehend that the laying of these things to my charge by way of recrimination did professedly ingage them parties in the cause Secondly because they are my Adversaries in the Cause that this is soe I prove as followeth First because they are Adversaries to those truthes delivered by me and charged by them as matter of Sedition against me which notwithstanding I am ready to maintaine against them with my life although I never so much as once dreamed that impiety and impudency it selfe in such a Christian State as this is and under such a gracious Prince durst ever thus publickely have called me in question and that upon the open stage not only for the manifest truth of those notorious and audacious Innovations contrary to the Law but also and which I can never sufficiently admire that these things should be obiected against me which I preached upon the foresaid text and day alledged in the said Articles My Sonne feare thou the Lord and the King c. Wherein according to my duty and the text I so much urged and pressed all maner of obedience and service to God and to the King as all those who heard me can testify earnestly admonishing Gods people and the Kings Subiects to beware and not to meddle with such Innovators as according to my text are enemies of God and of the King and divide between the King and his people Secondly they against whom I except as aforesaid are my Adversaries in that they usurpe such a title of their Iurisdiction as cannot consist with that title of Iurisdiction which the Law of the Land hath annexed to your Imperiall Crowne from whence all maner of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction what soever hath its immediate and sole dependance and derivation as appeareth by the Statute of 26. H. 8. c. 1. 37. H. 8. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1. and 1. Iac. c. 25. which repealed Queen Maries Act. of repeale of the said Statute of Ed. 6. c. 2. whereby the same Statute standeth now in force And the said Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 1. uniting all manner of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction whatsoever unto the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme enacteth the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance eo nomine to that very end and purpose that none should presume to exercise any Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction within this Realme but by vertue of the Kings Letters Patents and in the Kings Maiesties name and right notwithstanding these men against whom I except as aforesaid haveing all of them severally often solemnely taken the said Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance being undoubtedly bound thereby doe continually exercise their Episcopall Iurisdiction without any such Letters Patents of your Maiesty or your Progenitors in their owne names and rights only and not in your Maiesties name and right to the manifest breach of their Oathes aforesaid and to the manifest vsurpation of your Maiesties right and in high contempt of your Majesty contrary to your Maiesties peace your Crowne and dignity And therefore under your Maiesties royall favour I account all such my Adversaries and so in competent Iudges of my cause aforesaid The rather because this very Act which they thus notoriously transgresse is the ground whereupon their Commission in causes Ecclesiasticall is erected and that principally for the better observation of the said Act and the punishment of all Delinquents against it as appeares by all the Commissions Ecclesiasticall into which this clause of the Statute is inserted Now if these men thus dayly infringe this Act themselves and soe abuse that very power and Commission by which they now clame to be my Iudges in affront of your Maiesties royall Iurisdiction what indifferent justice I may expect from them I humbly referre unto your Majesties just and royall consideration Thirdly they who are Adversaries of God and of the King are my Adversaries But all Innovators either in matters of Religion or of the Common weale are Adversaries of God and of the King therefore they are my Adversaries The first Proposition noe good Christian or loyall Subject will deny but that the Adversaries of God and of the King are his Adversaries And for the other Proposition the text proveth it for Innovators are there opposed to the feare of the Lord and of the King And those men against whom I have excepted as aforesaid either are the Innovators themselves or chiefe Authors Abbetters or Countenauncers of those Innovations and therefore they are my Adversaries and so incompetent Iudges of my Cause Fourthly they are my Adversaries for this reason oâ— argument They which are Christs enemies are my enemies But these are Christs enemies therefore my enemies That they are Christs enemies I prove They who oppose the word of God in the Ministry of it in stopping the mouthes of Gods Ministers and persecuting of them without and against all Law are Christs enemies But these doe so Therefore c. That they doe so is cleare by their practise which will aboundantly appeare upon due examination Fiftly they who are the Kings enemies are my enemies But these Innovators by overturning the State of Religion in bringing in their new Superstitious rites and Ceremonies whereby both God is justly incensed to wrath against the Land and the peace of the same is disturbed are the Kings enemies Therefore they are my enemies They are the Kings enemies that openly and affrontingly with a high hand and shamelesse forhead trangresse and oppose his Majesty royall Lawes Proclamations and Declarations against all Innovations in matters of Religion c. And thereby disturbe the peace of his Majesties Kingdome and weaken the State thereof distracting the peoples hearts by making them both to feele their present oppressions especially upon their Consciences and to feare the utter subversion of the true Religion by your Majesties Lawes established amongst us Againe they who with all their might and maine persecute and opâ—ignâ— those faithfull loyall Subjects Ministers and people who most plead and stand for his Majesties just and royall Prerogative in Causes Ecclesiasticall his Lawes Declarations Proclamations and the established Doctrine and Religion of Christ in the Church of England and most oppose all Innovations and enemies to them must needs be the Kings enemies But thus do those from whom I Appeale
any forraigne or other exorbitant and usurped power to be exalted over this Land in any other Iurisdiction Ecalesiasticall then is by the Law annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme To conclude the Cause both of my petition and Appeale to his Majesty is this That usurpers and Innovators of Religion and of the Lawes of the Land being occasionnally and justly charged by me in my sermons as heere your Honors may see may be inquired on called to a strict account And the rather wheÌ„ now they shew by their recrimination in the articles objected against me how ready they are openly upon the stage to maintaine with an high hand those their usurpations InnovatioÌ„s Which as it cannot be without impiety so much as once imagined that his Majesty would ever countenance against so many solemne protestations to the contrary So it cannot be without horror conceived into what devouring gulfes they must needs precipitate this otherwise goodly State if with Gods good help the King State ioyntly and speedily put not to their maine strength to stay it All the world seeth in what a distracted estate things doe stand and what a cloude of divine displeasure hanges over us how ill wee thrive in our affaires how heavily the chariots are driven And can we wonder but that God should blast all our beauty and glory if men of Beliall of that lawlesse one be suffered to make â—avâ—â—ke of Christs Kingdome to destroy the true Religion and to set up againe Popish superstition and idolatry over the Land Certainely if such be suffered to goe on thus as they doe God must needs destroy us Therefore my honorable Lords give me leave againe and againe to presse this upon your Honors as a mayne service which you owe both to God to the King to Religion and so to your Posterities and to the whole State that your Honors will use your best meanes throughly to acquaint and possesse the King with this weighty businesse That upon the sight thereof his wisedome directed by Gods spirit may finde out a speedy course for the removing of those intollerable greivances under which his whole Kingdome groaneth ready to sinke and to breath out its last And what ever the present necessities be this I am perswaded of that never could a fayrer opportunity be taken if well followed to vindicate his Maiesties honor and to make him the most happy glorious King in Christendome when closing with God and with his good people hee should at least reduce into order the troublers of Israel Now the Lord our God fill your heroical hearts with understanding zeale and courage that you may acquitte your selfes as good Christians towards God faithfull Counsellors to the King and true Patrons of the true Religion and so strong pillars of the State in this cause of God and of the King That so after many honorable dayes heere you may be crowned with eternall glory in the Kingdome of heaven which is the prayer of Your Honors humble Orator at the Throane of grace Henry Burton TO THE REVEREND And Learned IVDGES RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Your place and office of Iudicatury to which God and the King have called you ingageth you to doe justice to all impartially as being bound thereunto both by law and conscience By law For * Magna Charta cap. 29. Iustice shall not be sold deferred nor denyed to any man And * 2 Edw. 3. c. 8. No Commaundement under the great or little seale shall disturbe or delay iustice or right in any point And the Iustices of both benches Assise c. shall doe right to all men without regard of letters writs or Commaundments * 18. Edw. 3. State 3. 20. E. 3. c. 1. 2. c. Secondly by conscience For the law prescribes this Oath unto you Ye shall sweare that well and lawfully ye shall serve our soveraigne Lord the King and his poeple in the Office of Iustice and that lawfully ye shall counsell the King in his businesse ye shall doe even Law and Execution of Right to all his Subiects rich and poore without having regard to any person c. and in case that any of what estate or condition they be come before yau in your sessions c. to disturbe the execution of the Common law or to menace the people that thay may not pursue the law that you doe their bodies to be arrested and put in prison And in case they be such that ye may not arrest them that ye certify the King of their names and of their misprision hastily so that he may thereof ordaine a convenable remedy and that yee deny to no man common right by the Kings letters nor none other mans nor for none other cause And in case any letters come to you contrary to the law that ye do nothing by such letters but certify the King thereof goe forth to do the Law notwithstanding the same letters And in case ye be from hence-forth found in default in any of the points aforesaid ye shall be at the Kings will of body Lands and goods thereof to be done as shall please Him as God you helpe c. Now these things I recite most Learned Iudges not as if you were ignorant of them or had altogether forgotten them but that the remembrance of them might the better prepare you to doe iustice in a cause which here I present unto you And yet when I doe but name the cause namely for God and the King what needs any other incitement to doe iustice then your owne propensity In this case which of you will not professe to be For God and the King Well I take it for graunted that you are and wil be for God and the King Onely give me leave in a word to intimate what it is to be for God and the King First for God Christ saith to persecuting Saul Why persecutest thou me Yet he persecuted not Christs Person but his members and Ministers And to his Disciples he saith He that honoreth you honoreth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Are you then for Christ Then you must be for his Ministers to doe them iustice in their iust cause If so than what meaneth the blearing of the sheep the grievous coÌ„plaint of Gods Ministers in many places of this land who are unjustly oppressed suspended excommunicated outed of their livings and so themselves families undone in their worldly estate You will say why doe they not complaine to us If they doe not it is because some of them have done so and yet found little or cold reliefe and because the common rumour goeth that the course of Iustice is stopt in such cases so as none dare plead their cause or open their mouths against the Prelates But I hope better And if none be found to plead this cause of God I hope your Worships will give me leave according to the right of law to plead it and your selves will give true judgement For