to others who by their flattering service and wicked perswasions moved them to take up their unjust armes Ye doe well by the passages of King James writs which hee let fall in passion against some few persons as himselfe professeth to incite King Charles to destroy the whole generation of your opposits For that equivocation which ye obiect to some in their subscribing of the Covenant at the Commissioners and Counsels direction sufficient satisfaction is given long agoe to all reasonable men by published writs The matter shortly was this one of your factious ingines to draw us subtilie from that Covenant wherein we did abiure Bishops Bookes and the rest of your novations which were contrarie to the doctrine and discipline of our Church was a new subscription to the first part of this Covenant as it was first set downe in the yeare 1580 without our late addition wherein it was applyed to your newly obtruded novations Upon hope by this new subscription that not only the formerly subscribed addition and abjuration of these novelties expressed in that addition should be forgotten but also that meanes should be gotten to perswade that these once abiured novations were in nothing contrary to the Kings Covenant yea that all of them were so much conforme to it and virtually contained therein that all the subscrivers should finde themselves oblidged by that oath and subscription to embrace the articles of Perth the Canons the Leiturgie and all the intended novations at least without all doubt Episcopacie the Fountaine whence the rest had proceeded and from which they knew they would flow againe in due time if it alone could be gotten preserved This was the true intention of the Commissioner in pressing that new subscription as his Grace did publish thereafter in print but in the first proposition of that new oath all such designe was carefully concealed yet wise men among us fearing and foreseing the plot did carefully diswade that new subscription as a dangerous master piece invented for the utter destruction of the true sense of our first subscribed Covenant Their advice was heard by the most part who thereupon refused that new subscription yet some knowing perfectly well that the Covenant in the 1581 did not include Episcopacie or any of the late novations but clearely enough excluded them Since the Commissioner his Grace in the proponing that subscription did make no declaration at all neither of his owne nor of his Master the Kings minde to have Episcopacie or any of these novations included in that Covenant they were content at his desire to subscribe it but with this expresse declaration which they required and obtained to be acted in the Counsell Bookes so farre were they from any Equivocation that they did subscribe that Covenant in that same sense and no other wherein it was understood at the first framing in the 1580. What that sense was we had for a time too much dispute but at last the Registers of our Church in the generall Assembly being carefully cast over it was found that the doctrine and discipline of our Church in that 80. yeare did runne so crosse to Episcopacie to Perth articles to the Leiturgie and all the rest of our troublesome novelties that whosoever did heartily subscribe the Covenant of our Church in that sense it behoved to have in the yeare of his first framing did stand no lesse oblidged thereby to renounce the posteriour novations then those who had subscribed the other Covenant with the addition wherein all these novations were expressely named It was found even in our last Assembly whereto Traquaire according to his commission from the King did consent that both these Covenants that with the application and that without the application were but both one So that your equivocation whereupon your brethren also have too much tinkled is cleared without the disgrace of any but the like of you who were the authours of all the mistake that for a time was in this matter 15. Paralell The fifteenth paralell of your piae fraudes is but like the rest the ground of this great commotion could not be the malcontentment of any man for losse of what they possessed in the tyths or any thing else of the Church patrimonie or for want of such favour they desired to have with their Prince All these are but sillie fables These whose hand hath beene prime in this high affaire from the beginning hath had very little or no entresse at all in any part of the Church patrimonie ye may know that the most of the tithes were in the hands of the not covenanting Lords and that the small portion which remained with Covenanters was made so sure to them as the King and his Lawes were able to make it Also it is very well knowne that the chiefe in the Covenant had so much favour of their Prince as their heart could wish which they constantly did brook till their zeale unto this cause did crack their credit Yee are exceedingly injurious to say that we did ever slander our King with any idolatrie with any poperie Our thoughts of that gracious Princeâ— are farre more considerate and our words of so sacred person more full of due regard But indeed though we both say preach and print that so long as the like of you gett leave to possesse his eare we can have little hope that any true Protestant so farre as ye are able shall ever gett living in quiet in this I le and though we avow that by the Service-booke and other novations yee intended to make us all trot backe againe unto Rome believe us that in those Speeches we wrong not our minde that we speake no other then we thinke and we hope now have given tolerable evidence for these our thoughts and Speeches though ye and the Pope both should laugh in the Sardonian fashion when ye are like to lose your game In your last paralell The last paralell The paterne of a perfect Iesuite your motion that it may appeare to be naturall is swifter then at the beginning ye â—ere overcome your very selfe any Iesuite J have ever read in vilenesse of lies slanders filthie Speeches railings scâ—ffings and blasphemous abuse of the holy Scripture to all this stuffe Ye prove a good Scholler to your Masters Petroneus Arbiter Lucian Rabelais none that come in your way whether men or wâ—men whether living or dead Nobles Pastors Commanders People may escape the fire and filth of your envenomed tongue All your opposites if the King can be perswaded to follow your advice must quickly be packing out of these dominions as the vilest straitours but to our nobles and leaders ye will not shew such favour they as ye tel us with Râ—villiack Coppinger must be hanged drawen quartered and buried with the buriall of an asse That Jesuite Abernethy should have become Protestant ye can not abide with patience for so is the doctrine of your Society that separation from Rome is needlesse That
Tedders in his sermon at the visitation of the B. of Norwitch all subscribed by the hands of my L. of Canterburies Chaplane Bray Oliver Baker or some others THE PREFACE IT is fallen out much beside our expectation Wee did expect nothing lesse then warre that the storme of warre should now againe begin to blow when we did esteem that the mercy of GOD and justice of our Prince had setled our Land in a firme peace for many generations at least for many daies ever while some appearance of provocation should have arisen from us for the kindling of the wrath of our enraged enemies whose furie though we know well not to be quite extinguished yet we did surely think it would not breake forth in haste in any publick and open flame til some new matter had been furnished or some probable colour of a new quarrell could have beene alleadged against us When we have scattered that cloud of calumnies We have committed nothing that can bee pretended with any goodly colour for the breach of the late pacâ—fication which by their tongues and pens they had spread abroad of our rebellion many other odious crimes when by our frequent supplications informations remonstrances declarations and other writs wee have cleared aboundantly the justice of our cause the innocencie of our proceedings to all the ingenuous minde of the Yle and to so many of our neighbour nations as have beene desirous to cognosce of our affaires when our gracious and just Prince in the very heat of his wrath raised alone by their mis-informations even while armes were in his hand hath beene moved with the unanimous consent of all his English Counsell of all his Commanders and whole armie to acknowledge us good and loyall Subjects And after a full hearing of our cause in his Campe to professe his satisfaction to pronounce us free of those crimes which before were falsely blazed of us to send us all home in peace with the tokens of his favour with the heartie embracement of â—hat armie which came against us for our ruine When we in a generall Assembly of our Church with the knowledge and full consent of his Majesties high Commissioner whole Counsell have justified our opposition to the innovation of our Religion and Lawes by the Prelaâ—es our excommunication of them therefore the renewing of our Covenant and all the rest of our Ecclesiastâ—call proceedings when our States in Parliament were going on in a sweet harmonie to confirme the weaknesses set right the disorders of our Estate that no farther then clear equitie reason law yea the very words of the pacificatorie Edict did permit wheÌ„ our whole people were minding nothing but quietnesse having cast their neckes under the feet of our reconciled king put all their Castles Canons in his hand without any securitie but the royall Word and received heartily all those fugitives who had taken armes in the Prelates cause against their Countrie having no other minde but to sit down with joy gâ—e about our own long neglected businesse praising God and blessing the King The martiall mindes among us panting for languor to be imployed over sea for the honour of the Crowne in spending their bloud against the insolent enemies of his Majesties house While these are our only thoughts It was more then marveilous to us that first the dumbe and obscure whisperings and at once the loud blasts the open threats of a new more terrible and cruell warre then before should come to our eares that our Castles should be filled with straÌ„gers be provided with extra ordinarie victuals and munition as against a present assault or long siege Many of our Nobles tempted to leave our cause numbers of assayes made to breake the unitie of all our Estates and at last our Parliament commanded to arise the Commissioners thereof after a long and wearisome journey to Court for the clearing of some surmised mistakes about moods and formes of proceedings refused presence a Parliament in England indicted as the rumour goeth to perswade that Nation our dearest neighbours with whom our cause is common to imploy their meanes and armes against us that so our old nationall and immortall warres may be renewed to make sport to Prelates a bridge for the Spainyard or French to come over Sea and sit downe masters of the whole Yle when both Nations by mutuall wounds are disabled for defence against the force of an enemie so potent as either France or Spaine are this day of them selves without the assistance which too like shall bee made them by the Papists of the Yle and many more who will not faile to joyne for their owne ends with any apparent victory Wee admire how it is possible that intestine armes without any necessity should be takeÌ„ up at this season Compassion hope and all reason call now for peace at home that at last we may gett some order of our enemies abroad when all the Forces the whole Yle can spare are most earnestly called for by the tears of his Ma. only sister by the bloud long desolation of her most miserable Subjects by the captivitie and banishment of all her hopefull Children Prince Charles lying dayly under the hazard of the French hang man at Paris Prince Robert of the Austrian at Vienne the rest of that royall bloud lying so many yeares with their Mother banished in a strange Countrie Pietie would command us to put up all our homeward quarrels though they were both great and manie let be to forge any where none reall can be found Yea hope would allure us to try now if ever our Armes on those spitefull Nations the hereditary enemies of our Religion and of our Yle when God hath made them contemptible by the cleare successe hee giveth dayly to every one that riseth against them Banier with a wing of the Swedâ—sh Armie dwelling in spite of the Emperour all this yeare in the heart of his Countries a part of Weymers forces with a litle help froÌ„ France triumphing on the Rhene for all that Baviere Culen the Emperour or Spainiard can doe against them That very great and strong Armado all utterly crushed in our eyes by the Hollanders alone without the assistance of any The very French not the best sea men having lately beaten oftener then once the Spanish navies in the Mediterrian Shall we alone sit still for ever shal we send alwayes nought but base contemptible derided Supplications to these intractable Princes shall we feed our selves still with their scornfull promises which so oft wee have found to our great disgrace most false yea rather then to beate them by that aboundance of power which we have if God will give us an heart to imploy it rather then to pull downe those tyrants who have shed rivers of Protestants bloud who hath loÌ„g tred on the persons of our nearest friends and in them on our honour Is it now meet we should choose
though the remainder of the Nobilitie and Gentrie in the Land should be sent over by him some to worke in fetters in his Mines of Peru others in chayns to row all their dayes in his gallayes in the Mediterrane for all these or any other imaginable acts of tyrannie that could escape the wicked head of any mad Nero of any monstrous Caligula these men doe openly take upon them to perswade that no kinde of resistance for defence can bee made by the whole States of a Land though sitting in Parliament with a most harmonious consent no more then the Jewes might have done against Nabuchadnezar or the Christians of old against the Pagane Emperours or the Greeke Church this day against the grand Signieur in Constantinople that all our forbeares both English and Scots in their manifold bickerings against the misleaders of their Prince against the tyrannizing factions of Court were ever Traitours and Rebels and ought to have loosed their head and Lands for their presumption to defend their Liberties against the intollerable insolencies of a pack of runnigate Villanes for their boldnesse to fasten the tottering Crowne upon the head of their Kings all such Services of our Antecessours to King and Countrie were treacherous insurrections If for all these their crimes I make speake before you no other witnesses then our owne tongue Armes needlesse taken in so evill a cause can not but end in an untimeous repentance I trust they shall not remaine in your mindes the least shaddow of any scruple to beleeve my allegations nor in your wills the least inclination to joyne with the Counsells of so polluted and self-convicted persons And if to men whose open profession in their printed Bookes let be secret practises leads to so wicked ends so farre contrarie to the glorie of God to the honour and safetie of our King to the well of us all whether in Soule Body Estate Children or any thing that is deare to us yee would lead your armes against us we beleeve the Lord of Hosts the righteous judge would be opposite to you and make hundreds of your men in so evill a cause flee before ten of ours Or if it were the profound and unsearchable pleasure of the God of Armies to make you for a time a scourge to beate us for our manifold transgressions yet when ye had obtained all the Prelates intentions when wee for our others sins were tred under your feete wee would for all that hope to die with great comfort and courage as defenders of the truth of God of the Liberties and Lawes of our Countrie of the true good and honour of the Crown and Royall Familie All which as we take it one of the most wicked and unnaturall faction that ever this Isle did breed are manifestly oppugning yet certainly we could not but leave in our Testament to you our unjust oppressors the legacie of an untimous repentance for when ye have killed thousands of us banished the rest out of the isle when on the back of our departure your sweete Fosters the Bishops have brought the Pope upon you and your Children or when a French Spanish invasion doth threaten you with a slavish conquesh Wil ye not then all above all our gracious Prince regrate that Hee hath beene so evill advised as to have put so many of his brave Subjects to the cruell sword who were very able and most willing to have done him noble service against these forraine usurpers Would not at such a time that is too likely to be at hand if our Prelates advises now be followed both his Majestie and all of you who shall remaine in life bee most earnest recallers not onely of your owne Countrie-men many thousands whereof ye know have lately by Episcopall tyrannie beene cast out from their homes as farre as to the worlds end among the savadge Americans but also the reliques of our ruine from their banishment with as great diligence as in time of Fergus the second the inhabitants of this Land did recall our ancestors when by the fraud force of a wicked faction they were the most part killed and the rest sent over sea in banishment It were better by much before the remeedilesse stroke be given to be well advised then out of time to sigh when the millions of lost lives when the happinesse of our true Religion when the liberties of both the nations once throwen away by our owne hands can not againe be recovered To the end therefore that such lamentable inconveniences may be eshewed In this nick of time very poore wittes without presumption may venture to speake to Parliaments and your Honours the more animate to deny your power to those who now possiblie may crave to have it abused against us without cause beside numbers of pressing reasons wherewith I doubt not every wise man amongst you is come well enough instructed by his owne considerations and which I trust shall be further presented in plentie by these of our Nation who have ever beene at the head of our affaires whom God hath still enabled to cleare the justice and necessitie of all our proceedings hitherto to the mindes of all save our infatuat adversaries whom superstition and rage hath blinded If it might be your Honours pleasure when all the rest hath ended I could wish that even unto me a little audience were given my zeale to the truth of God to the peace of this Isle to the honour of our deare gracious Soveraigne imboldneth me to offer even my little myte of information This is a period of time when the obstinate silence of those who are most obliged by their places and guifts to speake must open the mouth of sundrie who are not by much so able verie babes yea stones must finde a tongue when Pharisees deny their testimonie to Christ Dumbe men will gett words when a Father when a King let be a whole Kingdome by the wickednesse of a few is putt in extreame perrill of ruine An Asse will finde language when the devouring Sword of an Angell is drawne against the Master Nothing more common then the speaches of very Oxen before any calamity of the Common-wealth The clâ—iking of Geese did at a time preserve the Capitoll Amicla was lost by too much silence The neglect of the voice of a Damosell the contempt of Cassandraes warning the casting of her in bands for her true but unpleasant Speach did bring the Troyane Horse within the walls and with it the quick ruine both of the Cittie and Kingdome I hope then that the greatnesse of my undertaking may purchase mee a little audience An offer deserving a little audience For I offer to make you all see with your own eyes and heare with your owne eares the Canterburians to declare by their owne tongues and write downe under their owne hands their cleare mindes to bring into our Church Arminianisme and compleet Poperie and in our State a slaverie no
reward of his boldnesse had cast in his lap in a trace the Deanrie of Edinburgh the Bishoprick of Brechan and last of Galloway with full hopes in a short time of an Archbishops cloake In the North Doctour Forbes the onely Father of the most of those who fell away from the doctrine of our Church came to good speed in his evill labours and for his paines was honoured with the first seate in the new erected chayre of our principall citty Others about Glasgow made their preaching of the Arminian errours the pathway to their assured advancement In our generall Assembly we found that this cockle was comming up apace in verie manie furrowes of our field Some of it we were forced albeit to our great griefe to draw up cast over the dike which at once was received and replanted in England in too good a soyle We confesse that it happened not much beside our expectation that our Arminians The Kings names stolen by Canterburie to the defeÌ„ce of Arminians after the censure of our Church should at Court have beene to graciously received and sheltered in the sanctuarie of his Grace at Lambeth But this indeed did and doth astonish us all that any should have beene so bold as to have stolen King Charles name to a printed Declaration wherein not onely our generall Assembly is condemned for using any censure at all against any for the crime of Arminianisme (g) Large declar pag. 74. According to their weake and poore power they did determine coÌ„troversies concerning predestination universal grace irresistibilitie of grace concurrance in grace and other such like intricate points that some meÌ„ would be loath to live so long as they could make them understand them But also Arminius articles are all utterly slighted and pronounced to be of so obscure and intricate a nature that both our Assembly was to peart to make any determination about them and that many of our number were altogether unable by any teaching ever to winne so much as to the understanding of the very questions (h) Some Mininisters were dedeprâ—ved for Arminiâ—â—isme a course never heard off â—n any pâ—ace where any rule of justice was observed that a Min ster should bee deprived for holding any Tenet which is not against tâ—e doctri e of that Church wherin he liveth and that before it be prohibited condemned by that Church Now there is nothing in the confession of that Church against these Tenets Yea those articles are avowed to be consonant and in nothing to bee opposite to the Confession of our Church and are freely absolved of all Poperie (i) Pag. 303. They could no answer when it was told them th se Tenets could not bâ—e counted Popish concerning which or the chiefe of which as learned Papists as any in the world the Dominicans Iesuites did differ as much as thâ— Proâ—estants and thaâ— those which doe adhere to the Augustin confession did hold hat side of â—hose Tenets wâ—ich the Arminians did hold and yet they were very far rom beeing Papists beeing the first Proâ—estants and there ore it was aâ—ainst all senâ—e â—o condemne that for P perie wh câ— was held by many Proâ—ellaâ—ts Churches and reject by many learned Papists Because indeed for this is the onely reason some learned Papists finde divers of Arminius points to be so absurd that their stomackes cannot away with them and some of the Lutherian divines agree with the Arminians in certaine parcels of some of their articles They must be strangers in these questions who are ignorant in how many things the Dominicans and all Papists agree with Arminius and in how many the Lutherans disagree from him However wee were and are amazed to see Canterburie so malapeart as to proclame in the Kings name beside many other strange things the articles of Arminius to bee so farre above the capacitie of our generall Assembly that it deserves a Royall reproofe for minting to determine any thing in them and that they are no wayes contrary to the doctrine of our Church neither any wayes Popish and that for a reason which will exeeme from the note of Poperie every errour which is so grosly absurd that some learned Papists are forced to contradict it or some grosse Lutheran can gett his throat extended to swallow it downe This boldnesse can not in any reason bee imputed to our gracious Soveraigne For how is it possible that hee upon any tollerable information should ever have suffered himselfe to be induced to write or speake in such a straine of these things which so lately by his learned Father was declared in print and that in Latine to be no lesse then heresies worthie of burning yea damnable to the very infernall pitt whence as he sayes they did first come up Neither is it like that these Sentences come from the heart of D. Balcanquell the penman of them For hee was a member of Doâ—t Synod and brought up in the Church of Scotland the man is not unseene in the Popish Tenets How is it pâ—ssible that his conscience should absolve the Arminian errours of all Poperie and all contrarietie to the Scotish confession May any be so uncharitable as to suspect his late promotion in Durhame hath altered so soone his minde Sure not long since both in England and Scotland he did desire to be esteemed by his friends one of those whom Canterburie did maligne and hold downe for his certaine and knowne resolutions and reputed abilitie to oppose his Graces Arminian and Popish innovations His Majestie being certainly cleare of this imputation and readily also Balcanquell the amanuense on whom can the fault lye but Canterburie the directors back For the world knowes that on his shoulders for common alone the King doth devolve the trust of all Bookish and Ecclesiasticall affaires that concernes him that at his commandement hee hath written in the Kings name that part at the least of the declination which patronizeth the Arminians persons and cause we doe not conjecture but demonstrate by the constant avowed course of his Graces carriage in advancing Arminianisme at all occasions in all the Kings Dominions That this may appeare consider his practises not so much among us as in the Irish Church The Irish Church infected with Arminianisme by Canterburie where yet his hand is very nimble to set these ungratious plants and to nippe off all the overspreading branches of any tree that may overtop them For who else in a moment hath advanced D. Bramble not onely to the Sea of Derrie but to be the Kings Vicar Generall Who sent D. Chappell first to the Universitie of Dubline and then to his Episcopall Chaire Who holds downe the head of that Orthodox Pâ—imat and of all who have any zeale there to the truth of God Who caused not onely refuse the confirmation of these Antiarminian articles of Ireland in the last Parliament but threatned also to burne them by the hand of the hang-man Whose
were uncapable of these doctrines when men began to chyde and to count each other Anathema as it was with our neighbours it began to be with us was it not time to enjoyne both sides silence By this meanes you say there is no Minister not one among thousand that dare clearely preach of these most comfortable doctrines and so soundly confute the Arminian heresie Blessed be God that there are so few who dare and I wish those few who dare had shewed more obedience to his Majestie approven by Canterburies Chaplane P. Helen directed to speake for Canterburie himselfe doth not stand to affirme that this was a cause well deserving all the sufferings he complained off Canterburie his followers contrary to the proclamation goe on still to print let be to preach their Tenets Could any here but expect of his Graces wisdome and loyaltie when his sollicitude appeareth to disgrace and punish without respect of persons all who in contempt as hee saith of the Kings proclamation will not desist from the publick oppugning of Arminianisme that on the other hand the preachers printers for Arminianisme according to that same proclamation should be put to some order yet this is so far neglected that all who are so affected Cousins Colinâ—s Beel in Cambridge Potter and Iackson in Oxfoord and many more prime Doctours in both Universities in the cittie in the Court and over all the Land boldly give out their minde to all they meete with for the advancement of the new way yea boldnesse in running those pathes hath beene knowne to have beene the high way in all the three Dominions these yeares bygone to certaine promotion in many men who to the worlds eyes had no other singular eminencie of any good parts But that his Graces tramping upon the Kings Proclamation may be yet the more evident behold how he doth dayly dispense both with his owne pen and those also of his friends to write and print for Arminianisme what they please White being taxed by Burtoun for his subscription to Montagous appeal is so far from the least retractation that the fift article of Apostacie uncertaintie of salvation which Burton did single out of all Montagous errours as most opposite to Christian comfort he maintaines it in his owne answer to the Dialogue but as the custome now is under the covert of some Fathers name at great length with much bitternesse and casts out without provocation in his Treatise of the Sabboth the first and second article (t) P. 82. The benefitt of redemption by the antecedent will of Christ is intended to all men living though all men by reason of their own demerits doe not actually receive the Fruit of it Voluntas antecedens est voluntas primaria beneplacitum Dei ex eius nativa propensione existens nullamque sumans occasionem ex nobis Mr. Dow and Schelfoord use the same plainesse Yea in the 31. yeare that faction was so malapeart as to set out the historicall narration by one M. A. Ileward wherein all the Articles of Arminius at length with these false and bitter calumniations of our doctrine Which are usually chanted and rechanted by the Remonstrants are not onely sett downe as truths but also fathered upon the first reformers Martyrs of England That booke when it had beene out a while was called in not because the Doctrines were false not because the storie was forged as that learned Knight S. Vmphrey Lyne by the ocular inspection of the originall manuscript did since demonstrate but the only reason of the calling of it backe as his Grace makes Heylen declare to us was the dinne and clamour which Burtown then one of the Ministers of London made against it (w) Moderat answer p. 121. The Historicall narration was called in also for your pleasure Canterburie himselfe is nothing afrayed to lend his own hand to pull downe any thing that seemes crosse to Arminianisme The certainty of salvation the assurance of election is such an eyesore that to have it away hee stands not with his owne hand to cutt and mangle the very Lyturgie of the Church otherwise a sacred peace and a noli me tangere in England in the smallest points were they never so much by any censured of errour Yet if any clause crosse Arminianisme or Poperie his Grace doth not spare without dinne to expurge it did it stand in the most eminent places thereof in the very morning prayers for the Kings person Here there was this clause fixed since the reformation who art the Father of thine Elect and their Seed this seemed to be a publike profession that it was not unlawfull for King Charles to avow his certainty and perswasion that God was his Father and hee his adopted Childe elect to salvation His Grace could not endure any longer such a scandalous speach to beâ— uttered but with his owne hand scrappeth it out Beeing challenged for it by Burtoun and the out-cryes of the people hee confesseth the Fact Onely for excuse bringeth three reasons of which you may judge (x) Star-chamber speach p. 28 It was put out at the Ks. direction in my predecessours time when the king had no children First hee saith It was done in his predecessours time Doth not this make his presumption the more intollerable that any inferiour Bishopp living at the very lugge of the Archbishop should mint to expurge the Lyturgie Secondly Hee pretends the Kings command for his doing Doth not this encrease his guiltinesse that he and his followers are become so wicked and irrespective as to make it an ordinare pranke to cast their owne misdeeds upon the broad back of the Prince Dare hee say that the King commanded any such thing motu proprio Did hee command that expunction without any information without any mans advise Did any King of England ever assay to expurge the publike Bookes of the Church without the advice of his Cleargie Did ever King Charles medle in any Church matters of farre lesse importance without D. Lauds counsell The third excuse That the King then had no Seed How is this pertinent May not a childlesse man say in his prayers that God is the Father of the Elect and of their Seed though himselfe as yet have no Seed But the true cause of his anger against this passage of the Leiturgie seemeth to have beene none other then this Arminian conclusioÌ„ that all faith of election in particular of personall adoption or salvation is nought but presumption That this is his Graces faith may appeare by his Chaplans hand at that base and false storie of Ap-Evan by Studly wherin are bitter invectives against all such perswasions as puritanik delusions (y) Satan like an Angell of Light stirring up in the heart of immortified persons a spirituall pride in a high conceit of their gifts the assurance of their Election illumination conversioÌ„ imaginarie sense of their adoptioÌ„ c. yea he is contented that Chounaeus
autâ—m dicit author ille tuus dans gloriam Deo 8 That the temporall principalities which the Pope enjoyeth this day in Italie or elswhere are but his just possessions which none ought to invy him (p) Montag antid pag. 95. Habeat ille suas sibi opes facultates fundos habeat latifundia principatum dominium per Ecclesia terras Petri possessiones obtineat dummode contentus vetuctiorum principum liberalitate alienam non invadat possessionem 9. That the restitution of the Popes ancient authority in England and yeelding unto him all the power that this day he hath in Spaine or France would be many wayes advantageous and in nothing prejudiciall to the King (q) Cant. relat pag. 202 Hee that is not blinde may see if hee wil of what little value the popes power in France and Spaine is this day further then to serve the turns of their Kings therewith which they doe to their great advantage 10 The old constitution of the Emperour whereby all the westerne clergie is so farre subjected to the Bishop of Rome that without him they are disabled to make any Ecclesiasticall law and obliged to receave for lawes what he doth enjoyne was very reasonable Yea if the King would be pleased to command all the church men in his dominions to be that far subject to the Pope they would be unreasonable to refuse present obedience (r) Montag antid pag. 156. Quod è codice allegatur Theodosiano decernimus ne quid tam Episcopis Gallicanis quaÌ„ aliarum provinciarum contra consuetudinem veterem liceat sine viri venerabilis Papae urbis alternae authoritate tentare sed illis omnibusque legis loco sit quicquid sanxit sanxeritve sedis apostolicae authoritas Quicquid hic pontifici sayeth Montagow arrogatur id totum edicto debetur Theodosiano vel vetustae consuetudini quicquid autem per rescriptum tribuitur imperatoris ad occidentales credo solos pertinebat nec omnes quibus juxta veterem consuetudinem Pontifex praesidebat ut Patriarcha Decernat imperator de Gâ—rmanis episcopis Rex Angliâ— de Britannis suis Francorum de Gallicanis quod olim Theodosius decrevit dicto erunt omnes obedientes Onely by all meanes my Lord of Canterburies prerogative behoved to bee secured his ancient right to the patriarchat of the whole Isle of Britaine behoved to be made cleare that to his rod the whole clergie of the Isle might submit their shoulders as to their spirituall head and Monarch from whom to Rome there could bee no appeale (Å¿) Cant. relat pag. 171. It is plaine that in these ancient times in the Church government Britaine was neever subject to the Sea of Rome for it was one of the six diocies of the West Empire and had a pâ—â—mat of its own Nay Iohn Capgraw and William Mabinnesburrie tell us that Pope Vrbâ—n the second in the Councel at Bari in Apuleia accounâ—ed my worthie predecessor S. Anselme as his owne Compeer and said Hee was as the patriarch and apostolick of the other world quasi comparem veluti Apostolicum alterius orbis Patriarcham Now the Britains having a primate of their own which is greater then a Metropolitan yea a patriarch if yee wil he could not be appealed from to Rome in any cause which concerned onely the churches of the Kings dominions for in causes more universall of the whole catholicke Church willingly they are contented that the Patriarch of Britaine and all others should submit to their grand Apostolicke father of Rome (t) Montag Antid pag. 57. Rectè cautum erat olim per canones vetustae Ecclesiae ut Romanus ille primus Episcoporum cui tot per occidentem suffraganei adherebant suam sententiam rogatus adhiberet ubi fidei Ecclesiae universalis vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rebus ad politiam spectantibus agitabatur supra Everie one of these pontificall positions since the midst of Henrie rhe eights raigne would have beene counted in England great paradoxes yet now all of them are avowed by Canterbuerie himself in that verie booke which the last yeare at the Kings direction hee set forth for to satisfie the world anent their suspition of his Poperie or else by D. Montagu in his books yet unrepealed and cleanged of all suspition of Poperie by M. Dow under the seal of his Graces licencing servant This much for the Pope About the Cardinalls they tell us that their office is an high and eminent dignitie in the Church of God Their minde to the Cardinalat for the which their persons are to be handled with great reverence and honour (w) Montag ap pag. 56 Penitere non potuit Baronium eruditissimuÌ„ laboriosissimum virum industriae suae ac deligentiae Cardinalitiame niminde merito quidem suo adeptus suscepit dignitateÌ„ ibid. pag. 75. Virum illustri adeo nominis celebritate eminentissima dignitate coÌ„stitutum honestum probum preterea in vita privata rigidem severum ac tantum non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nusquam nisi honorificentissime compellavi that their office is a reward due to high graces and vertues that some of them though the greatest enemies that ever the reformed Churches have felt such as Baronius that spent all his time in opposing the trueth and advancing Antichristianisme and Barromaeus (x) Pokling Alt. pag. 34. The Linchonshire Minister it his jearing veine flouteth Cardinal Baromaeus whereas if he list to read his life he may not be ignorant that the Cardinall was a man of exemplarie holinesse and spent the greatest part of his life in fasting prayer almes-deeds preaching exhoration and doctrine and did detest both impietie and vanitie both in word and deed Me thinkes his conscience should checke him for his scornfull usage of a man who had the report of so vertuous and pious a Bishop a bloudy persecutor of our religion and one of the fathers of Trent that even such men are so full of grace and pietie that it is a great fault in any protestant to break so much as a jest on their red hattes Where the head and shoulders are so much affected it is hard to restraine charitie from the rest of the bodie These good men vent their passion no lesse towards the bodie of the present Church of Rome then towards the Pope and the Cardinalls Foâ— first his grace avowes over and over againe that the Papists and wee are of one and the same religion They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands that to speak otherwayes as the Liturgie of England did all King Iames dayes were a matter of very dangerous consequent and therefore he confesseth his helping that part of the liturgie which puts a note of infamie upon the popish religion least that note should fall upon our owne religion which with the popish is but all one (y) Cant. relat p 36 The Church of Rome
the English book drawn from the place wherein it stood of old in the masse to countenance the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into Christs body and bloud but standing in this place before the consecration it is clear of all such suspition Our men are so bold as to transplant it from this good ground to the old wicked soile at the back of the consecration where it wont to stand before in the old order of Sarum 5. In the next English prayer we put in the words of the masse whereby God is besought by his omnipotent spirit so to sanctifie the oblations of bread and wine that they may become to us Christs body and bloud from these words all papists use to draw the truth of their transubstantiation wherefore the English reformers scraped them out of their book but our men put them fairly in and good reason have they so to do for long ago they professed that about the presence of Christs body and bloud in the sacrament after consecration they are fully agreed with Lutherans and Papists in all things that is materiall and needfull as for the small difference which remaines about the formalitie and mode of presence it is but a curious and undeterminable question whereabout there would be no contraversie did not the diuelish humor of the Puritans and Jesuites make and entertaine it (a) Mont. apeal pag. 289. If men were disposed as they ought unto peace there neded bee no difference in the point of reall presence for the disagreement is only de modo praesentiae the thing it self That there is in the holy Eucharist a reall presence is yeelded to on either side For Andrews professeth to Bellarmine nobis vobiscum de obiecto convenit de modo lis est Praesentiam inquam credimus non minus quam vos verum de modo praesentiae nil temere definimus There is no such cause therefore saith he why in this point of the sacrament we should be so distracted seeing we both confesse that which is enough This is my bedy and contend meerly about the means how it is my body a point of faith undeniable though it be unsearchable and incomprehensible From Hooker he pronounceth that there is a generall agreement about that which is alone materiall for the rest he avoweth himself to be for peace and reconciliation and all to be so but Puritans and Iesuites whom the divel doth nourish up in a faction Lawrence pag. 18. I like S. Ambrose Lombard Rosfensis and Harding who advise in this argument to forbeare the determination of the manner of presence and to cloth our rancie with indefinite and generall expressions As I like not those that say he is bodily there so I like not those that say his body is not there For S. Paul saith it is there and the Church of England faith it is there and the Church of God ever said it is there and that truly substantially essentially VVe must beleeve it is there VVe must not know how it is there It is a mysterie they all say The presence they determined the maner of his presence they determined not They said he is there but the Lord knows how Yea they seem to have come a step further to the embraceing of the very modde of the popish presence for they tell of a corporall presence ibi that the body is there on the altar and that essentially yea so grosly that for its presence there the altar it self let be the elements must bee adored 6. They make an expresse rubrick for the priests taking of the paten and chalice in his hand in the time of consecration which taking not being either for his own participation or distribution to others why shall we not understand the end of it to be that which the masse there enjoynes the paten and chalice their elevation and adoration for the elevation was long practised and professed by some of our bishops and the adoration when the chalice and paten are taken in the priests hands is avowed by Heylene (b) Heylens answere p. 137. Think you it fit the priest should take into his hands the holy mysteries without lowly reverence and that it is an novation to do so 7. In an other rubrick of our consecration we have the cautels of the masse anent the priests intention to consecrat expresly delivered unto us As for that wicked sacrifice of the Masse Our changes about the sacrifice which the Canon puts at the back of the consecration the English banisheth it allutterly out of their book but the faction to show their zeal in their reforming the errors of the English church their mother puts downe heere in our book first at the back of the consecration their memento and prayer of oblation 2. That prayer of thanksgiving which the English sets after the Communion in a place where it can not be possibly abused as it is in the Masse for a propitiatory sacrifice of Christs body and blood they transpose and set it just in the old place where it stood in the order of Sarum at the back of the consecration before the Communion 3. The clause of the Missall which for its savour of a corporall presence the English put out of this prayer may worthily receive the most pretious Body and Blood of thy Son Christ Iesus they have heere restored 4. That we may plainly understand that this prayer is so transplanted and supplied for this very end that it may serve as it did of old in the missall for a prayer of oblation of that unbloudie sacrifice by the priest for the sins of the world Behold the first eighth lines of it which of old it had in the missall but in the reformation was spred out by the English are plainly restored wherein we professe to make and over again to make before Gods divine majestie a memoriall as Christ hath commanded This making not only the Papists but Heylene speaking from Canterburie expones far otherwise than either Andrewes Hooker Montagu or the grossest of the English Divines for a true proper corporall visible unbloody sacrificing of Christ for which first the Apostles and then all Ministers are as truely Priests though Euangelicall and after the order of Melchisedeck as ever the Sons of Aaron were under the Law and the Communion Table becomes as true and proper an Altar as ever was the brasen Altar of Moses (c) Heylens antid pag. 6. sect 2. The passion of our Saviour as by the Lords owne ordinance it was prefigured to the Iewes in the legal sacrifices à parte ante So by Christs institution it is to bee commemorat by us Christians in the holy Supper à parte post A sacrifice it was in figure a sacrifice in fact and so by consequence a sacrifice in the commemorations or immediatly upon the post fact a sacrifice there was among the Iewes a sacrifice there must be amongst the Christians and if a sacrifice where upon to doe
the King is to destroy his Monarchike government to dethrone him and make him no King to subject him to his people and make them his masters or at least collegs in the Empire (l) Joannes Wemius pag. 18. Quo casu dicerâ—m non proprie esse regnum sed aristocratiam vel democratiam Ibid. pag. 23. Hoc esset ex rege non regem eum facere Ibid. p. 38. Quod si alicubi non habeat rex potestatem leges serendi nisi ex populi in comitiis consensu sic fundamentaliter limitato propriè Rex non est ac non tam acceptans est populus quam cum Rege ut collega Regem ferens ibid. pag. 53. Non est imperium illud vere Monarchicum sed principatus quidam imperans ille non Monarcha aut Rex sed tantum Princeps ut Venetorum dux residente in optimatibus aut populo imperii summa But thanks be to God that our gratious Prince hath so oft declared himselfe to bee farre from all such thoughts yea that my lord of Canterburie himselfe is forced whiles to let drop from his fingers cleane contrare maximes (m) Relat. of the Conference pag. The statute Lawes which must binde all the Subjects can not bee made but in and by Parliament the supreame Magistrate in the civill state may not abrogat Lawes made in Parliament Ibid. pag. 158. Tiberius himself in the cause of Silanus when Dolabella would have flattered him into more power than in wisedome he thought fit then to take to himself he put him off thus No the Lawes grow lesse when such power enlargeth nor is absolute power to bee used where there may be an orderly proceeding by Law Even in no imaginable case they will have tyrants resisted Lastlie they teach us in the matter of resistance first that do the Prince what he will he may never be resisted by any or all his Subjects that not only a private man must give over all defence though most innocent of his own life against the Prince though his most unjust violence (n) Ioannes VVemius p. 21. Teneri videtur subditus seipsum fame perimere ut principem salvaret propter conservationem boni publici singulis a dempta est adversus principem quae naturalis dicitur iuris defensio seu iniuriae depulsio but the whole state can do nought without rebellion against God but flee or suffer when the Prince whether by him selfe or his officers doth destroy the true religion established by all Laws and the liberties of the land dear bought of old peaceably brooked in many ages also the lives of many thousands of the best Subjects without the pretence or colour of any just cause (o) Canterb. relat Pag. 205. vvhere the foundations of the faith are shaken by princes there their ought to be prayer and patience but no opposition by force Aberdeens duplys pag. 25. The way for all Christian Subjects to conquer tyrants and the remedy provided in the New Testament against all persecutions is not to resist powers which God hath ordained lest we be damned but with all meeknesse to suffer that we may be crowned It is evident by Scripture that it is unlawfull for Subjects in a Monarchicall estate to take armes for religion or for any other pretence without warrand from the Prince The renowned Thebaean legion of 6666. Christian souldiers without making resistance as they had strenth to have done suffered themselves rather to be slaine for their Christian profession by the Officers of Maximinian the Emperours executors of his cruell commandements against them Corbet pag. 42. For your examples from reformed churches since we live not by examples but by Lawes I will not stand upon them from facts to prove the lawfulnesse of resisting is ridiculous none of those by resisting gained so much as by suffering as experience too late doeth show Againe that all this subjection must be used not only to our native King but to any forraine usurper who can get footing among us and it were the Kings of Spaine as their predecessors the hereticall Gothish Kings got footing in the Romane Impyre (p) Aberdeens Duplys pag. 29. Such was the doctrine and practice of many other great lights which shined in the days of Iulian the Apostate and in the dayes of the Arrian Emperours and Gothick Arrian Kings That even against them the States of a Land with a good conscience could use no defence though before their eyes they should see them execut the cruell tyrannies of Nebuchadnezar put out the eyes of the King kill his children lead himself and his Nobles away to a far land in fetters Though with Nero (q) Corbet pag. 26. Qui Mario Cajo Casaeri qui Augusto ipse Nerom qui Vespasianis vel patrivel filio ipsi Domitiano crudelissimo ne per singulos ire necesse sit qui Constantino Christiano ipse apostatae Iuliano Ibid. pag. 36. If the Iewes in the dayes of Assuerus had beene of this new Scottish humour when an utter extirpation was intended by Haman both of themselves and their religion they would have taken Ames but their prayers and teares were their defence in their greatest extremity for their mere pleasure they should set the royall city in a faire fire or execute the plot of Haman by murthering all the seed of the Iewes all zealous Protestants up and downe the Land in one day Such maximes exceedingly opposite to the honour of God the safetie of the Kings person and crowne the welfare of the people these men cause to bee printed and let them go about without any censure at these times when by royall decreers they have pulled into their hands the full commandement of all the Presses and the absolute jurisdiction over all the Book-sellers shops in the Kingdome and kythes frequently their zeale against any Books that give but the least touch to their mitres by inflicting no lesse censure then fire upon the Books pilloring and nose-sliting on the Authors and whipping thorow the streets on the carriers All these extraordinary prerogatives VVat they give to Kings is not for any respect they have to Majestie but for their own ambitious and covetous ends whereby the faction advanceth supreame Magistrats so nere unto God and their favorits so far above the skyes (r) Ioannes VVemius in his preface to the Duke of Buckinghame Reges in diviniorem sortem transcripti cute specie tenus homines reipsa boni genii censendi sunt in quos ut humanos loves divini honoris offines pene consortes oculos animosque nostros defigi convenit Tu Heros nobilissime coruscas velut inter ignes Luna minores quem in summo augustioris gloriae solstitio divina prorsus virgula constitutum nemo potest diffiteri seeme to flow not from any love they carie either to their crownes or the royall heads that bear them but meerlie out of their self-respect
noble gentle-man Generall Leslie Generall Leslies vindication cannot escape the scrapes of your empoysoned peâ— Ye are on a stage playing the part of a Fuâ—ioso who ever commeth in your way the first dirt and stones ye can grip must flie at their faces When ye have searched that great personage from his birth to his old age nothing can yee espy in all his life whereupon to fasten your tuske but that which among all Nations as well barbarous as civill hath ever beene reputed a marke of honour and matter of gloriation When ye have curiously eyed that excellent piece from top to toe your malice can espy no blemish but a skar of an old most honourable wound which maketh him the more glorious with all who understand the tearmes of true honour and the dearer to every one who hath any spark of affection toward that service wherin that wound among many more was received by him But ye your like cannot hold in the passion of your soule but must vent your hatred malice your disdainfull indignation against all the valarous acts of any in the reformed religion against the popish partie whether in these dayes or the dayes of our forfathers Ye cannot dissemble your passionate affection to the side of Q. Marie at our first reformation rather ere your loyal heart had played the pranks of the rebellion the treason and what not of our ancestours ye would have joyned with the enemies of our Churcâ— State for the cutting off of the blessed root of King Charles race for the setling upon the throne of Britaine after the dispatch of Q. Elizabeth K. Iames these hereticall Schismaticks the posteritie of Iohn of Austria of the Duke of Northfolke or of any whom it should have pleased the Pope the Catholick King the Duke of Guise to have matched with Q Marie Thus dâ—e ye and your faction stand affected toward the former age neither is your minde any better toward this present The Dâ—tch Princes the head of their league that true Heroâ— â—hat wonder of the world the K. of Swaine must all be to you but villanes traitours who for their zeale to the reformed Religion Liberties of Germanie durst be so peart as to lift up armes to stop that very far advanced reformation of Ferdinand The wounds that famous Leslâ—e did get in this cause must be slandered and made a matter of reproach to you your like but it is good that men of honour doe think of you your language as it is Who is acquainted with the world abroad they know full well that Leslies most valarous very wise happie deportments in the wars over Sea have brought more true glorie to our NatioÌ„ then the cariage of any man who went out of our Land these manie ages Certainly this brave Souldiers late conduct of our Nation in the time of the greatest danger that our land did see this hundreth yeares was so full of wisedome stoutnesse moderation successe that his memory will be fragrant blessed in all generations to our posteritie This sight of that mans vertues did draw to him so much love from all that followed his Campe so much honour from all the English Nobilitie that served in the opposite armie that we may say truely There liveth not in this Yle a gentle-man of comparable reputation with all sorts of men except alone of you in the faction by whose hearts to be hated by whose pens to be defamed it is an increase of contentment praile of all honest men But being unable to stand any longer upon your dung hill least I be suffocat with the stink therof I must turn my back flie leaving you to dwell upon these your excrements if so be ye cannot be drawn from them to die be buried therin only my parting a little of one purpose which so oft in your whole writ ye inculcate Ye will have us in the doctrine of Episcopacie we agree in our Tenets of Episcopacie with all the reformed abroad to differ from all other reformed Churches yet it will appeare to those who goe not beyond the very passages your selfe doth bring in this matter that betwixt us any reformed Church there is no discrepance at all For that Episcopacie which ye maintaine beside the manifold unhappy accidents that use to hang both upoÌ„ the persons and office which your selfe will scarce defend hath into it essentially the power of ordination all Ecclesiastick jâ—risdiction annexed that by a divine right to the person of one man in a whole diocesse that ever any reformed divine except some few that but lately in England did approve let be commend such an office it is so false as any thing can be That kind of episcopacie wherof the divines ye alleadge speak off is so farre from the present English and late Scotish one as light is from darknesse as reformed doctrine from grosse Poperie contrarie both to the word of God all sound antiquitie Beside even that kinde of Episcopacie which they seem not much to oppose is such an office as they make to be no way necessary in any Church but removeable out of all to which they thought never meet to give any footing in their own churches but at the beginning did cast it out and to this day have carefullie holden it at the doore This ye cannot be ignorant is the known practice let be the doctrin of al the reformed churches over Sea of all their divines without the exception of one man Doe ye think that any of them will be offended with us for following their owne example for casting out that which they have rejâ—cted before us upon lesse occasions For it is certain that Episcopacie is no way so opposite to the discipline of any reformed church as to that discipline which many Assemblies Parliaments have setled in our land it is certain that no church over Sea hath ever been halfe so much grieved with that unhappie office as ours oft times hath beene we all know that from it alone hath flowed all the miseries schisms dangers wherwith our church since the reformation hath been vexed none of us is ignorant that this â—ffice was the only horse wherupon our later novations of Perth articles high CoÌ„mission Leiturgie Canons came riding unto us And now the world may see that it is only Bishops that threaten this whole Yle with the danger of the most cruell warre it saw these 500 yeares That any reasonable man will blame us for our firm resolution to oppose their re-entrie among us for ever we doe not â—ear for beside that our whole land is al utterly impatient of their but theÌ„ our last two generall Assemblies articles of our late Pâ—rliament with our Princes approbatioÌ„ have ordained their office to be abjured by our whole nation with solemne oaâ—h subscriptioÌ„ As for our neighbour churches in Engâ—aÌ„d Ireâ—aÌ„d though hitherto we have been mâ—st sparing to meddle with any thing which concerneth them yet now since ye put us so hardly to it we canÌ„ot dissemble any loÌ„ger our hearty wishes that since the bishops there beside the manifold evils that is in tâ—e â—ffice which they doe use defend the needlesnes of iâ— since I say their bishops have been the first fountain of all our churches trouble since they are the prime instrumeÌ„ts which now infect this Yle with Arminianisme popery since they have raised yet doe further so hot a persecutioÌ„ against our whole natâ—oÌ„ in Iâ—land as no reformed church to this day hath ever beeÌ„ acquainted with since after our full agreemeÌ„t with our gratious king neighbour natioÌ„ of Eng aÌ„d they without any cause that yet we know or can hear tel of have been the bellows to kindle the wrath of our king against us to stir up a most blodie war for the undoing if God prevent it not first of the most flourishing churches in these dominioÌ„s theÌ„ of the whole reformed elâ—where we professe it our wish to God that the king his present parliameÌ„t might seriously coÌ„sider if it were not for the good of the crown for the welfare of their natioÌ„ for the peace of their church that EnglaÌ„d after the exaÌ„ple of all the reformed should rid theÌ„selvs at least of their bishops trouble as they did of old without any repentance to this day of their Abbots Monks This we conceive would much increase the joy and prosperitie of all the three Dominions FINIS