THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND Established by PARLIAMENT against Disobedience and wilfull Rebellion Published by G. I. for satisfaction to his Parishioners of WATTON in the County of Hartford Printed for William Sheares at the signe of the Bible in Coven Garden 1642. TO His loving Neighbours of WATTON in the County of Hartford Brethren BE loved in the bloud of JESUS for preaching obedience to God and the King I am and have beene more then a mouth a prisoner and cannot get my liberty unlesse I would promise to forbeare preaching to you as I have done and yet I have promised to preach nothing to you but what I shall prove plainely from the word of God the doctrine of the Church of England the oath of Supremacy the oath of Allegiance and our late Protestation all which I have published for your satisfaction If you will read those oaths and these Sermons in my absence you shall find that I have dealt faithfully with you and am ready to seale my doctrine with my dearest bloud if God shall call so great a sinner to so great an honour Neither Living nor Liberty nor Life is precious to mee when I should sacrifice them all to the glory of my great good God the service of my gracious Soveraigne and the discharge of a good conscience towards my selfe and you I told you before how sensible I was of danger for this my fidelity but for Zions sake I could not I cannot hold my peace God will imprison mee to Hell if I imprison his truths Feare God Honour the King is both Law and Gospell and my prayer is that you all may live and dye good Christians and good Subjects and as the Church prayed for Saint Peter in prison so doe you for your affectionate Pastour in prison for his God his King his Conscience regulated by the word of God the Doctrine of the Church of ENGLAND and his Oaths G. I. Decemb. 3. 1642. A SERMON against Disobedience and wilfull Rebellion The first SERMON AS GOD the Creatour and Lord of all things appointed his Angels and Heavenly Creatures in all obedience to serve and honour his Majesty so was it his will that man his chiefe creature upon the earth should live under the obedience of his Creatour and Lord. And for that cause God assoone as hee had created man give unto him a certaine Precept and Law which hee being yet in the state of innocency and remaining in Paradise should observe as a pledge and token of his due and bounden obedlence which denunciation of death if hee did transgresse and breake the said Law and Commandement And as God would have man to be his obedient subject so did hee make all earthly creatures subject unto man who kept their due obedience unto man so long as man remained in his obedience unto God in which obedience if man had continued still there had beene no poverty no diseases no sicknesse no death nor other miseries where with mankind is now infinitely and most miserably afflicted and oppressed so here appeareth the originall Kingdome of God over Angels and Man and universally over all things and of Man over earthly Creatures which God had made subject unto him and withall all the felicity and blessed estate which Angels Man and Creatures had remained in had they continued in due obedience unto God their King For as long as in this first Kingdome the Subjects continued in due obedience to God their King so long did God embrace all his Subjects with his love favour and grace which to enjoy is perfect felicity whereby it is evident that obedience is the principall vertue of all vertues and indeed the very Root of all vertues and the cause of all felicity But as all felicity and blessednesse should have continued with the continuance of obedience so with the breach of obedience and breaking in of rebellion all vices and miseries did withall breake in and over-whelme the World The first Authour of which rebellion the Roote of all vices and Mother of all mischeifes was Lucifer First Gods most excellent creature and most bounden subject who by rebelling against the Majesty of God of the Brightest and most glorious Angell is become the blackest and most foule fiend and Devill and from the height of Heaven is fallen into the pit and bottome of Hell Here you may see the first authour and founder of rebellion and the reward thereof Here you may see the grand Captaine and Father of rebels who perswading the following of his rebellion against God their Creatour Lord unto our first Parents Adam and Eve brought them in high displeasure with God wrought their exile and banishment out of Paradise a place of all pleasure and goodnesse into this wretched earth and vale of misery procured unto them sorrowes of minds mischeifes sicknes diseases death of their bodies and which is farre more horrible then all worldly and bodily mischiefes hee had wrought thereby their eternall and everlasting death and damnation had not God by the obedience of his Sonne IESUS CHRIST repaired that which man by disobedience and rebellion had destroyed and so of his mercy had pardoned and forgiven him of which all and singular the premises the Holy Scriptures doe beare record in sundry places Thus doe you see that neither Heaven nor Paradise could suffer any rebellion in them neither bee places for any Rebels to remaine in Thus became rebellion as you see both the first and the greatest and the very roote of all other sinnes and the first and principall cause both of all worldly and bodily miseries sorrowes diseases sicknesses and deaths And which is infinitely worse then all these as is said the very cause of death and damnation eternall also After this breach of obedience to God and rebellion against his Majesty all mischeifes and miseries breaking in therewith and overslowing the World least all things should come to confusion and utter ruine God forthwith by lawes given to mankind repayred againe the rule and order of obedience thus by rebellion overthrowne and besides the obedience due to his Majesty hee not onely ordained that in Families and Househoulds the Wife should bee obedient to her Husband the Children unto their Parents the Servants unto their Masters but also when mankind inceased and spread it selfe more largely over the World hee by his holy word did constitute and ordaine in Citties and Countries severall and speciall Governours and Rulers unto whom the residue of his people should be obedient As in reading of holy Scriptures wee shall find in very many and almost infinite places as well of the old Testament as of the new that Kings and Princes as well the evill as the good doe raigne by Gods ordinance and that Subjects are bounden to obey them that God doth give Princes wisedome great power and authority that God defendeth them against their enemies and destroyeth their enemies horribly that the anger and displeasure of the Prince is as the
wonderfull to see what false colours and feighned causes by slanderous lyes made upon their Prince and the Counsellours rebells will devise to cloake their rebellion withall which is the worst and most damnable of all false witnesse-bearing that may be possible The tenth Commandement For what should I speake of coveting or desiring other mens wives houses lands goods and servants in rebells who by their wills would leave unto no man any thing of his owne Thus you see that good lawes are by rebells violated and broken and that all sinnes possible to bee committed against God or man be contained in rebellion which sinnes if a man list to name by the accustomed names of the seven capitall or deadly sinnes as Pride Envie Wrath Covetousnesse Sloath Gluttonie and Lechery he shall finde them all in rebellion and amongst rebells For first as ambition and desire to bee aloft which is the propertie of pride stirreth up many mens mindes to rebellion it commeth of a Luciferian pride and presumption that a few rebellious subjects should set themselves up against the Majestie of their Prince against the wise-dome of Counsellours against the power and force of all Nobilitie and the faithfull subjects and people of the whole Realme As for envie wrath murther and desire of blood and covetousnesse of other mens goods lands and livings they are the inseparable accidents of all rebells and peculiar properties that doe usually stirre up wicked men unto rebellion Now such as by riotousnesse gluttonie drunkenesse excesse of apparell and unthriftie games have wasted their owne goods unthriftily the same are most apt unto and most desirous of rebellion whereby they trust to come by other mens goods unlawfully and violently And where other gluttons and drunkards take too much of such meates and drinkes as are served to tables rebels wast and consume in short space all corne in barnes fields and else where whole garners whole store-houses whole cellers devoure whole flockes of sheepe whole droves of Oxen and Kine And as rebells that are married leaving their owne wives at home doe most ungraciously so much more doe unmarried men worse then any stallions or horses being now by rebellion set at libertie from correction of lawes which bridled them before abuse by force other mens wives and daughters and ravish virgins and maydens most shamefully abominably and damnably Thus all sinnes by all names that sinnes may be named and by all meanes that sinnes may be committed and wrought doe all wholy upon heapes follow rebellion 2 King 14. and are to be found altogether amongst rebels Now whereas pestilence famine and war are by holy Scriptures declared to be the greatest worldly plagues and miseries that likely can be it is evident that all the miseries that all these plagues have in them doe wholly altogether follow rebellion wherein as all their miseries be so is there much more mischiefe than in them all For it is knowne that in the resorting of great companies of men together which in rebellion happeneth both upon the part of true subjects and of the Rebels by their close lying together and corruption of the ayre and place where they doe lye with ordure and much filth in the hot weather and by unwholesome lodging and lying often upon the ground especially in cold weather in Winter by their unwholesome diet and feeding at all times and often by famine and lack of meate and drinke in due time and againe by taking too much at other times It is well knowne I say that as well plagues and pestilences as all other kinds of sicknesses and maladies by these meanes grow up and spring amongst men whereby moe men are consumed at length then are by dint of sword suddenly slaine in the field So that not onely pestilences but also all other sicknesses diseases and maladies doe follow rebellion which are much more horrible then plagues pestilences and diseases sent directly from God as hereafter shall appeare more plainely And as for hunger and famine they are the peculiar companions of rebellion for while Rebels doe in a short time spoyle and consume all corne and necessary provision which men with their labours had gotten and appointed upon for their finding the whole yeare after and also doe let all other men husbandmen and others from their husbandry and other necessary works whereby provision should bee made for times to come who seeth not that extreame famine and hunger must needs shortly ensue 1 King 24. and follow rebellion Now whereas the wise King and godly Prophet David judged warre to bee worse then either famine or pestilence for that these two are often suffered by God for mans amendment and bee not sinnes of themselves but warres have alwayes the sinnes and mischeifes of men upon the one side or other joyned with them and therefore is warre the greatest of all worldly mischeifes but of all warres civill warre is the worst and farre more abominable yet is rebellion then any civill warre being unworthy the name of any warre so farre it exceedeth all warres in all naughtinesse in all mischeife and in all abomination Math. 32. And therefore our Saviour CHRIST denounceth desolation and destruction to that Realme that by sedition and rebellion is divided in it selfe Now as I have shewed before that pestilence and famine so is it yet more evident that all the calamities miseries and mischiefes of warre bee more grievous and doe more follow rebellion than any other warre as being farre worse than all other warres For not onely those ordinary and usuall mischeifes and miseries of other warres doe follow rebellion as corne and other things necessary to mans use to bee spoyled Houses Villages Townes Cities to bee taken sacked burned and destroyed not onely many very wealthy men but whole Countries to bee impoverished and utterly beggered many thousands of men to bee slaine and murthered women and maids to bee violated and deslowred which things when they are done by forraigne enemies wee doe much mourne as wee have great cause yet are all these miseries without any wickednesse wrought by any of our owne Countrey-men But when these mischiefes are wrought in rebellion by them that should bee friends by Countrey-men by Kinsmen by those that should defend their Countrey and Countrey-men from such miseries the misery is nothing so great as is the mischiefe and wickednesse when the subjects unnaturally doe rebell against their Prince whose honour and life they should defend though it were with the losse of their owne lives Countrey-men to disturbe the publique peace and quietnesse of their Countrey for defence of whose quietnesse they should spend their lives the brother to seeke and often to worke the death of his brother the sonne of the father the father to seeke or procure the death of his sonne being at mans age and by their faults to disinherit their innocent children and kinsmen their heires for ever for whom they might purchase livings and lands as naturall Parents
Tree stretching out his arme as it were for that purpose caught him by the great and long bush of his goodly hayre lapping about it as hee fled hastily bare-headed under the said Tree and so hanged him up by the hayre of his head in the ayre to give an eternall document that neither comelinesse of personage neither nobility nor favour of the people no nor the favour of the King himselfe can save a Rebell from due punishment God the King of all Kings being so offended with him that rather than hee should lack due execution for his treason every Tree by the way will bee a gallows or gibbet unto him and the hayre of his owne head will unto him bee in stead of a halter to hang him up with rather then hee should lack one A fearefull example of Gods punishment good people to consider Now Achitophel though otherwise an exceeding wise man yet the mischievous Counseller of Absolom in this wicked rebellion for lack of an hangman a convenient servitour for such a Traytour went and hanged up himselfe A worthy end of all false Rebels who rather than they should lack due execution will by Gods just judgement become hangmen unto themselves Thus happened it unto the Captaines of that rebellion besides forty thousand of Rascals Rebels slaine in the field and in the chase Likewise is it to bee seene in the holy Scriptures how that great rebellion which the Traytour Seba moved in Israel was suddenly appeased the head of the Captaine-traytour by the meanes of a silly woman being cut off And as the holy Scriptures doe shew so doth dayly experience prove that the counsels conspiracies and attempts of Rebels never tooke effect neither came to good but to a most horrible end For though God doth oftentimes prosper just and lawfull enemies which bee no subjects against their forraigne enemies yet did hee never long prosper rebellious subjects against their Prince were they never so great in authority or so many in number Genoâ— 1â— Five Princes or Kings for so the Scripture termeth them with all their multitudes could not prevaile against Chedorlaomer unto whom they had promised loyalty and obedience and had continued in the same certaine yeares but they were all overthrowne and taken prisoners by him but Abraham with his family and kinsfolkes an handfull of men in respect owing no subjection unto Chodorlaomer overthrew him and all his hoast in battell and recovered the prisoners and delivered them So that though Warre bee so dreadfull and cruell a thing as it is yet doth God often prosper a few in lawfull warres with forraigne enemies against many thousands but never yet prospered the subjects being Rebels against their naturall Soveraigne were they never so great or noble so many so stout so witty and politick but alwayes they came by the overthrow and to a shamefull end so much doth God abhorre rebellion more then other warres though otherwise being so dreadfull and so great a destruction of mankind Though not onely great multitudes of the rude and rascall Commons but sometime also men of great wit nobility and authority have moved rebellions against their lawfull Princes whereas true Nobility should most abhorre such villany and true wisedome should most detest such frantick rebellion though they should pretend sundry causes as the redresse of the Common-wealth which rebellion of all other mischiefes doth most destroy or reformation of Religion whereas rebellion is most against all true Religion though they have made a great shew of holy meaning by beginning their rebellions with a counterfeit service of God as wicked Absolon did beginne his rebellion with sacrificing unto God though they display 1 King 15. and beare about Ensignes and Banners which are acceptable unto the rude ignorant Common people great multitudes of whom by such false pretences and shewes they doe deceive and draw unto them yet were the multitudes of the Rebels never so huge and great the Captaines never so Noble politique and witty the pretences fained to bee never so good and holy yet the speedy overthrow of all Rebels of what number state or condition soever they were or what colour or cause soever they pretended is and ever hath beene such that God thereby doth shew that hee allowed the dignity of any person nor the multitude of any people nor the waight of any cause as sufficient for the which the subjects may move rebellion against their Princes Turne over and read the Histories of all Nations looke over the Chronicles of our owne Countrey call to mind so many rebellions of old time and some yet fresh in memory yee shall not find that God ever prospered any rebellion against their naturall and lawfull Prince but contrariwise that the Rebels were overthrowne and slaine and such as were taken prisoners dreadfully executed Consider the great and Noble families of Dukes Marquesses Earles and other Lords whose names ye shall read in our Chronicles now cleane extinguished and gone and seeke out the causes of the decay you shall finde that not lacke of issue and heires male hath so much wrought that decay and waste of Noble bloods and houses as hath Rebellion And for as much as the redresse of the Common-wealth hath of old beene the usuall and fained pretence of Rebells and religion now of late beginneth to be a colour of rebellion let all godly and discreete subjects consider well of both and first concerning religion if peaceable King Solomon was judged of God to be more meete to build his Temple whereby the ordering of religion is meant then his Father King David though otherwise a most godly King for that David was a great warrier and had shed much blood though it were in his warres against the enemies of God of this may all godly and reasonable subjects consider that a peaceable Prince especially our most peaceable and mercifull King who hath hitherto shed no blood at all no not of his most deadly enemies is more like and farre meeter to set up or to maintaine true religion then are bloody rebels who have not shed the blood of Gods enemies as King David had done but doe seeke to shed the blood of Gods friends and of their owne Countrey-men and of their owne most denre friends and kinsfolkes yea the destruction of their most gracious Prince and naturall Countrey for defence of whom they ought to bee ready to shed their blood if neede should so require What a religion is it that such men by such meanes would restore may easily be judged even as good a religion surely as rebells be good men and obedient subjects and as rebellion is a good meane of redresse and reformation being in it selfe the greatest deformation of all that may possible be but as the truth of the Gospell of our Saviour Christ being quietly and soberly taught though it doe cost them their lives that doe teach it is able to maintaine the true religion so hath a franticke religion neede of
too long a time And to joyne unto the reports of Histories matters of latter memory Could the Bishop of Rome have raysed the late rebellions in the North and West Countries in the times of King Henry and Edward our gracious Soveraignes in their time but by abusing of the ignorant people Or is it not most evident that the Bishop of Rome hath of late attempted by his Irish Patriarkes and Bâ—shops sent from Rome with his Buls whereof some were apprehended to breake downe the barres and hedges of the publique peace in Ireland onely upon confidence easily to abuse the ignorance of the wilde Irishmen Or who seeth not that upon like confidence yet more lately hee hath likewise procured the breach of the publique peace in England with the long and blessed continuance whereof hee is sore grieved by the ministery of his disguised Chaplaines creeping in Lay mens apparell into their houses and whispering in the eares of certaine Northerne borderers being then most ignorant of their duty to God and to their Prince of all people of the Realme whom therefore as most meete and ready to execute his intended purpose he hath by the said ignorant Masse-priests as blind guides leading the blind brought those silly blind subjects into the deepe ditch of horrible rebellion damnable to themselves and very dangerous to the state of the Realme had not God of his mercy miraculously calmed that raging tempest not onely without any shipwrack of the Common-wealth but almost without any shedding of Christian and English bloud at all And it is yet much more to bee lamented that not onely common people but some other youthfull or unskilfull Princes also suffer themselves to bee abused by the Bishop of Rome his Cardinals and Bishops to oppressing of Christian men their faithfull subjects either themselves or else by procuring the force and strength of Christian men to bee conveyed out of one Countrey to oppresse true Christians in another Countrey and by these meanes open an entry unto Moores and Infidels into the possession of Christian Realmes and Countries other Christian Princes in the meane time by the Bishop of Romes procuring also being so occupied in civill warres or troubled with rebellions that they have neither leisure nor ability to conferre their common forces to the defence of their fellow Christians against such invasions of the common enemies of Christendom the Infidels and miscreants Would to God we might onely read and heare out of the histories of old and not also see and feele these new and present oppressions of Christians rebellions of subjects effusion of Christian bloud destruction of Christian men decay and ruine of Christendom increase of paganism most lamentable pittifull to behold being procured in these our dayes as well as in times past by the Bishop of Rome his Ministers abusing the ignorance of Gods Word yet remaining in some Christian Princes and people By which sorrow and bitter fruits of ignorance all men ought to be moved to give care and credit unto Gods Word shewing as most truely so most plainely how great a mischefe ignorance is and againe how great and how good a gift of God knowledge in Gods Word is And to begin with the Romish Clergie who though they doe bragge now as did sometimes the Jewish Clergie that they cannot lacke knowledge yet doth God by his holy Prophets both charge them with ignorance and threaten them also for that they have repelled the knowledge of Gods word and law from themselves and from his people that he will repell them that they shall be no more his Priests God likewise chargerh Princes as well shall be no more his Priests God likewise chargeth Princes aswell as Priests that they should endeavour themselves to get understanding and knowledge in his Word threatning his heavie wrath and destruction to them if they faile thereof And the wise man saith to all men universally Princes Priests and people where is no knowledge there is no good nor health to the soule and that all men bee vaine in whom is not the knowledge of God and his holy Word that they who walke in darkenesse wot not whither they goe and that the people that will not learne shall fall into great mischefes as did the people of Israel who for their ignorance in Gods Word were first led into captivitie and when by ignorance afterward they would not know the time of their visitation but crucified Christ our Saviour persecuted his holy Apostles and were so ignorant and blinde that when they did most wickedly and cruelly they thought they did God good and acceptable Service as doe many by ignorance thinke even at this day finally through their ignorance and blindnesse their Countrey Townes Cities Ierusalem it selfe and the Temple of God were all most horribly destroyed the chiefest part of their people slaine and the rest led into most miserable captivitie for he that made them had no pitty upon them neither would spare them and all for their ignorance And the holy Scriptures doe teach that the people that will not see with their eyes nor heare with their eares to learne and to understand with their hearts cannot be coverted and saved And the wicked themselves being damned in hell shall confesse ignorance in Gods Word to have brought them thereto saying we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us and the Sunne of understanding hath not risen unto us we have wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and perdition and have walked cumbrous and crooked wayes but the way of the Lord have we not knowne And as well our Saviour himselfe as his Apostle Saint Paul doth teach that the ignorance of Gods Word commeth of the devill is the cause of all errour and mis-judging as falleth out with ignorant subjects who can rather espie a little moate in the eye of the Prince or a counseller then a great beame in their owne and universally it is the cause of all evill and finally of eternall damnation Gods judgement being severe towards those who when the light of Christs Gospell is come into the world doe delight more in darkenesse of ignorance then in the light of knowledge in Gods Word For all are commanded to read or heare to search and studdy the holy Scriptures and are promised understanding to be given them from God if they so doe all are charged not to beleeve any dead man nor if an Angell should speake from heaven much leste if the Pope doe speak from Rome against or contrary to the Word of God from the which we may not decline neither to the right hand nor to the left In Gods Word Princes must learne how to obey God and to governe men in Gods Word subjects must learne obedience both to God and their Princes old men and young rich and poore all men and women all States sexes and ages are taught their severall duties in the Word of God For the Word of God is bright giving light unto all mens eyes the shining lampe directing all mens pathes and steps let us therefore a wake from the sleepe and darkenesse of ignorance and openour eyes that we may see the light let us rise from the workes of darkenesse that we may escape eternall darkenesse the due reward thereof and let us walke in the light of Gods Word whilst we have light as becommeth the children of light so directing the steps of our lives in that way which leadeth to light and life everlasting that we may finally obtaine and enjoy the same which God the Father of lights who dwelleth in the light incomprehensible and inaccessible grant unto us through the light of the world our Saviour Jesus Christ unto whom with the holy Ghost one most glorious God be all honour praise and thankesgiving for ever and ever Amen The Prayer O Most mighty God the Lord of Hosts the governour of all creatures the onely giver of all victories who alone art able to strengthen the weake against the mighty and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enemies with the countenance of a few of thy servants calling upon thy Name and trusting in thee defend O Lord thy servant and our governour under thee our King Charles and all thy people committed to his charge O Lord withstand the cruelty of all those which be common enemies as well to the truth of thy eternall Word as to their owne Naturall Prince and Countrey and manifestly to this Crown and Realme of England which thou hast of thy divine Providence assigned in these our dayes to the government of thy servant our Soveraigne and gracious King O most mercifull Father if it be thy holy will make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those that doe exalt themselves against thy truth and seeke either to trouble the quiet of this Realme of England or to oppresse the crowne of the same and convert them to the knowledge of thy Son the only Saviour of the world Jesus Christ that we and they may joyntly glorifie thy mercies Lighten we beseech thee their ignorant hearts to embrace the truth of thy Word or else so abate their cruelty O most mighty Lord that this our Christian Realme with others that confesse thy holy Gospell may obtaine by thine ayd and strength surety from all enemies without shedding of Christian blood whereby all they which be oppressed with their tyrannie may be releived and they which be in feare of their crueltie may be comforted and finally that all Christian Realmes and specially this Realme of England may by thy defence and protection continue in the truth of the Gospell and enjoy perfect peace quietnesse and securitie and that we for these thy mercies joyntly altogether with one consonant heart and voyce may thankefully render to thee all Laud and praise that we knit in one godly concord and unity amongst our selves may continually magnifie thy glorious Name who with thy Sonne our Saviour Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost art one eternall Almighty and most mercifull God to whom be all Laud and praise world without end Amen FINIS