Let what I haue written be examined yea by mine aduersaries them selues if I haue anye and it shall appeare that I haue made a conscience how I haue dealt with my superiours especially those concerning whome it is said you are gods least I should seeme to leaue behinde mee the least print of a minde in anye sorte tending to diffame them or their gouernment As I haue beene carefull herof so let the Lord yea and no otherwise which I speake as far as my corruptions do permit graunt this cause and my selfe also if it be his wil fauour in your eies Indeede in regarde of the cause I commandatory wise vnto your Hh. but in regard of my selfe I come in feare and trembling as vnto the lords vice-gerents entreating most humbly that the dignitie of so worthy a cause be thought off nothing the more dishonorably because it is brought in my hands And I protest in respect of my sinnes that the Lord may iustly denie it the fauor it deserueth in your eies bicause I am a dealer therein But this should be no cause why your Hh. should giue it a repulse For in the eies and ears of al the world I make it known that it is the cause of the liuing god wherein I deale and that if it had beene possible for me to haue written more humbly dutifully I had done it Or if I had seene any way that might haue bene likelier to preuail with my superiors then this course I take the Lord to record vnto my soul that I would not haue vsed this And I would to GOD I could tell how to make the cause plaucible So far I am from setting down any thing that might carrie with it any shew of occasion to hinder and disgrace the same Well I haue done my endeuour the successe I expect at the lords hands vnto whom I commend the cause and the saluation of that pore people The sworde of iustice reached vnto you by the Lord himselfe to take punishment of him only that is an a Rom 13.4 euil doer I fear not because I haue not offended If it should be drawn against me for this action the president wold be such as they who ment hereafter to prophesie vnto your Hh. might be aduisedly counselled b Micha 2.6 not to prophisie the Lord as a token of your iust destruction to ensue would say they shal not prophesie nor take shame If I haue spoken any vntruth beare witnesse thereof if a truth I dare by the lords assistance stand to it and demand what he is that wil presume to obiect and throw himselfe vnto the vengeance of God by punishing me an innocent The Lord may for my other sinnes bring mine head vnto the graue with bloud but in this cause what haue I offended and therfore vndoubted woe will betide him that shall molest me for this worke Howsoeuer it be thus I haue performed a dutye towardes the Lorde and his church my countrey and your Hh. which I would doe if it were to be done againe though I were sure to endanger my life for it And be it known that I am not afraid of earth in this cause And if I perish I perishe my comfort is that I know whether to go and in that day wherin the secreats of all hearts shabe manifested the sinceritie of my cause also shall appeare It is enough for mee that howsoeuer I be miserable in regard of my sins yet vnto Christ I both liue and die and purpose by his grace if my life should be prloonged to liue herafter not vnto my self but vnto him to his church otherwise then hithertoo I haue doone The Lorde is able to raise vp those that are of purer hands and lippes then I am to speake and write in the cause of his honor in Wales the Lord make them whosoeuer they shal be neuer to be wanting vnto so good a cause the which because it may be the Lordes pleasure I shall leaue them behinde me in the worlde I earnestly and vehemently commende vnto them as by this my will and testament And haue you pore Wales in remembraunce good my Lordes by establishing the word preached there that the blessing of many a saued soule therein may follow her maiestie and your Hh. ouertake you light vpon you and sticke vnto you for euer The eternall God giue hir Maiestye and your Hh. the honour of building hys church in Wales multiply the daies of hir peace ouer vs blesse hir and you so in this life that in the life to come the inheritance of the kingdom of heauen may be hir and your portion so be it good Lord. Were my dutifull heart towards your Hh. throughly knowen then I doubt not but I should bee better knowen vnto you then by my name IOHN PENRI TO THE READER Master D. SOMES booke was published this day I haue read it The man I reuerence from my heart as a godly and learned man The reasons he vseth against me in the questions of the reading ministrie and communicating with them I had aunswered as you may see in this booke before he had written They are faultie either because they desire that for graunted which is the question or make those things of like nature wherein there is a great dissimilitude as the arguments drawen from the magistracie and the Leuiticall Priesthood I haue answered thē The cause the reuerence I owe vnto the man though the reasons he vseth deserue not to be twise read ouer will enforce me to answere him at large There be certaine faults escaped in the print beare with them
of the Church nor any in the Church but such as are prescribed in the worde which were verie impious to thinke or contained in the gifts of the magrstracie not yet seperated from his outwarde calling For the verie outward calling is it that giueth life vnto the magistracie though the person sustayning it want gifts to discharge the same The reason heereof is euident because the magistracie being an humane constitution a 1. Pet. 2.13 as the holy ghost saith is appropriated vnto his possession vpon whomsoeuer man bestoweth the same if hee bee capable to possesse though vnfit to execute what is allotted vnto him So cannot the ministerie bee vnlesse hee vpon whome the Church imposeth it be made fitte by the Lorde for the execution thereof They who thinke the essence of a magistrate any more to consist in the gifts of courage vnderstanding wisdome fearing God dealing trulie b Exod 18.21 deut 1.13 hating couetousnes the onely properties mentioned by Iethro whence this life of a magistrate is falsely gathered then the being of a minister is contained in his a 1. Cor. 4.7 faithfulnes verie inconsiderately gaine-say the Apostle Peter in the place before quoted because hereby they make the magistracie not to bee an humaine ordinaunce but an ecclesiasticall constitution prescribed in the word The obiection therefore that a minister shold be no more denied to be a minister bicause he wanteth gifts then a magistrate denied to bee a magystrate for the same defect prooueth not woorth the answering Because the Lorde hath tied a mans inherytance no otherwaies vnto him then hee hath the magistracie vnto that person or persons who haue aucthoritie to make a magistrate So that the very magistracie may bee deriued from him by the outwarde calling as well as the substantiall interest of this inheritance by the best conuaiaunce in law No such thing beeing tied vnto the Church in making a minister Because none can say they are in the possession of a ministerie who haue not the same from the Lord. And what ministerie haue our readers from him Any outward thing in the possession of man of which nature all men knowe the magistracie to be may bee conuaied really and indeed ought not alwaies I graunt vnto him vppon whomsoeuer man the possessour thereof will confer the same and there it ought to be inuiolablie inherent as long as man whose right it is to bestow it or take it away wil haue it so Hath a man lesse interest in his money because either for want of witte hee knoweth not how to vse or by his leudnes dooth abuse it Candanles a foole is no lesse a magistrate a far worse I deny not among the Lydians Herod lib. 1. Plato de reip dial 2. then Egesilaus among the Lacedemonians a wise and a politike gouernor The same is to be said of Ioab Benaiah of Licinius a persecutour and Constantine a christan emperor Tib. Ghracchus abuseth his magistracy the senate and people sin because they depriue him not but as long as they tollerat him therin the magistracie is his owne and therefore not lawfull for any priuate man by disobedience to rob him thereof And why so Because the swoorde in his hand is still the Lords sword the sedition tyrannie in him is his owne To come to the ministerie the Church maketh that wretch a minister vnto whom it will be said I a Math. 7.22.23 know thee not thou worker of iniquitie But did the Lorde by enduing him with graces meete for the ministerie say vnto him go prophesie in my name hee did Then there is a ministerie committed vnto him which is neither his nor the churches but the Lordes the same dare not I denie vntill the Lorde take it awaye for the foulnes of his handes Another commeth with the same calling of the church he sayth b I am a plain heardman a Zachary 13.5 neither prophet nor the sonne of a prophet Now Lord if it be thy will bee mercifull vnto them conuert them and disburden thy church of them but I haue my letters of orders from the Lord bishop and am in possession of the liuing I knowe no ministerie he hath And therefore I denie him to be any more a minister for his outward calling sake there Herdonius a traiterous and slauish seruant is a magistrate though by treacherie he with a company of other rogish vagabonds like him selfe hath now gotten possession of the Capitol That the spech may not seeme straunge vnto any let men way but the prerogatiue which the Lord reserueth vnto him selfe in making ministers in hys Church with the priuilege which hir Maiestie hath in ordaining magistrates within hir dominions The whole assembly of Parliament for some causes mouing them ordaine a Lord high Constable of England as France hath hir Maiestie sheweth hir publik disliking therof And that shee will hauen such officer within hir Realme is he a magistrate hee is none neither wil I acknowledge him for any as long as it shal be against hir wil pleasure to haue any such within hir dominions For what magistrate is he in this land which she saith to be none as long as the royall prerogatiue is in hir hand In like maner what minister is he in the Church of God whome the Lord denieth to be any The case is too to manifest The distinctiō that readers are ministers of iudgment that is sent of the Lorde in iudgement to punish the sinnes in this age but not ministers of the mercie and grace of God is as if they were sayd to be ministers of an ordinance neuer ordayned now farre be it we shoulde make a ministery of an ordinance neuer reuealed of an ordinaunce that is but temporary And in very deed I cannot but thinke it a very strange matter that these men who make a conscience of that which they teach being also wise and godly learned are not ashamed to be reported the forgers and setters abroach of such shifting and siely stuffe The other obiection concerning the ministery vnder Moses is as faultie For to square the ministerie of the new couenant according vnto the Leuitical priesthood is to require the Consulship of Rome to be framed after the Maioraltie of London besides manye other foule inconsequentes it hath in it I haue alreadie shewed the weaknes herof and if it deserued a further aunsweare I woulde vouchsafe it the same The reasons expressed in the booke are now to be set downe Such of them as are noted with this marke The thinges which they pretend to seeke I imbrace their seperation I detest * are some of the reasons whereby I am necessarily induced vtterly to condemne that course of those I hope fearing God who haue made a separation from those ministers in this lande their congregations who truely preache the worde And although there bee in our godly assemblies manye corruptions and more wants tollerated whiche euery Christian heart must needs abhorre
the whole land with pestilence or with blood as he is likely to do for these wadges of execrable gold it is not the pontificall Lordships of byshops at whose commaundement the lordes sword will b Ierem. 47.6 returne againe into his sheath when your gasping soules shall cry for mercy at the Lords hands it is not the proud popelike Lordships of bishops their vsurped iurisdictions their prophane excommunications their railing slaunders against Gods truth and his seruants their blasphemous breathing of the holye ghost vppon their Idol priests that will driue the Lord to giue you and coÌ„fort Let me therfore though my person bee base conteÌ„ptible entreat your Hh. that the iudgements of God against sin both in this life and in the other of eternal woe and miserie may appeare so terrible in your eies of that vndoubted consequence as you will no longer retaine vnder your gouernment these thynges whose continuance doe giue the Lord iust cause in this life to pronounce this sentence by the mouth of c Iere. 22.29.30 Ieremiah against euery one of you and execute the same O earth earth earth heare the wordes of Iehouah write these men destitude of children men that shall not prosper in their daies yea there shall not be a man of their seed that shall prosper and sit at the counsell table or beare rule in England anye more And in the life to come to saye moreouer these a Luke 29.27 mine enemies that would not suffer mee to beare rule ouer them and their people bring hither and stay before my face yea binde them hand and foot and throw them to vtter darknes where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth And let me crauing vppon my knees with all submission and earnestnesse and more earnest if it were possible obtaine that my countrey-men by your meanes may haue the word preached euen the meanes wherby they may liue for euer with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Graunt them this my Lords though I die for it Oh I would thinke it an happie death which shoulde make mee the first messenger to carie such ioyful newes vnto the blessed b Luke 16. Saincts and aungels in heauen as that Wales were conuerted from sinne And this the Lord knoeth is the only scope of my writing and not the discrediting and galling of our lord-bishops Let not their places withstand the saluation of my brethren and the true seruice of God among them and if euer I either write or speak more against them any further then their sears are like to bee the ruine of her Maiestie and your Hh. let it cost mee my life Heare me in this sute good my Lords the rewarde whereof your soules shall find otherwise I am likelye to become a wearisome and an importunate sutor vnto you The couÌ„tenance of that creature is as yet vnseene that shal enforce me by the lords assistance to take a deniall at your hands The cause is so iust that if it were as sometimes it was by the c Act. 17.19 Apostle himselfe decided in the Athenians Areopago a court for heathen iustice of famous and celebrated memorie I doubt not but it should be heard And shall it not haue iustice at the christian counsell table of England Iustice my Ll. I say for I seeke nothing els but that the statutes of the God of iudgement iustice may be made knowen in my deare countrie where now they are vnheard off Then the which I knowe not what can be more iust neither can I see what iustice in trueth canne bee ministred by them that neglecte this cause Verelye for mine owne part GOD ayding me I will neuer leaue the suit vntill I either obtain it at your hands or bring the Lord in vengeance blood to plead with you for repelling his own cause Here I know it will be answered that counsellors can do nothing in the matter her Maiestie hath referted all vnto the prelates in church causes They haue dealt with her they cannot they may not be heard Be it that her maiestie hath bin mooued by you for the redresse of the church you shuld do it again againe and neuer leaue vntill you be heard Great matters are neuer brought to passe without great mightie endeuours Our sinnes haue otherwise deserued then that the Lord should at the first incline mercie vnto vs in the sight of her highnes would any of you alter any part of the gouernment of his familie being perswaded by leude flatterers that all were well vnlesse the abuse were shewed you earnestly delt with for a reformation And can you blame that our soueraigne is hardly drawen to reforme the Church whose estate euen in her hearing is said daily out of the pulpit to bee most flowrishing whereas the deformitie thereof is not made knowne vnto her I knowe it is no small perswasion that should draw a Monarch to alter and establishe new lawes vnles the vnanswerable necessitie thereof were made knowne vnto hir or him Hir Maiestie knoweth not I speake as I am perswaded the exacting necessitie that lieth vpon her shouldrrs of reâ—â—â—ning the Church e She knoweth not the estate of her vntaught and damned subiects to bee as it is Wherefore serue Counsellers if her eies must be euerie where to see euerie thing And what do your Hh. see if you see not our case and lament it In this point I grant her eies should be her owne chusers but if of ouersight the waightiest matters bee omitted should not you my Ll. put her in minde hereof and in submission intreat her yea and neuer leaue entreating vntill she yeeld to turne away the wrath of God from her selfe and her kingdome by abolishing vngodly ordinances and restoring beutie vnto SioÌ„ Which of you is he that hath that doth or wil performe this duetie to our Soueraigne which of you will make knowne vnto her this which I haue written I knowe I shal be traducted and torne againe in pieces with slaunders as a seditious firebrand of newe attemptes to stir vp her people to innouation at the least let me be made knowne vnto her by this name that some way I may come to the triall of my cause in hand and my warrantable proceedings therein I am neither papist Annabaptist libertine familian one that dareth seperate himself from the godly assemblies in this lande where the worde preached soundeth nor yet one that holdeth any thing either in substance or circumstance contrary to the wholsome doctrine expressed or included in Gods reuealed word of the old and new testament therefore let me haue the benefite of a Christian if not of a christian subiect not to be condemned before my cause be hearde whiche is not mine owne but the cause of God his Churches my countries and your Hh. I haue forged the most notable slaunders that euer were coyned or else the estate of my country is most miserable and yours no lesse lamentable
speaking or writing in the behalfe of either of these vnreconcilable eities Men belike thinking no more to bee required at their hands then the razng of Babell the deuil as yet contenting himself with Bethel The last yeare as I am almost pesuaded the verye same day or by all likly-hood the very same week vpon a suddain the enterprises of the building of both in 2. seueral books issuing from two of the remotest corners in our lande South-wales and North-wales was taken in hand The one of the bookes pleading the cause of Sion cōming forch priuiledged by publike authority alowāce was directed vnto hir maiesty the Parliament requiring at their hands by vertue of the lords own mandatory letters the performance of this work shewing by euidence of gretest antiquity this to bee required of duety at their handes as a part of the homage due vnto his highnes whose feudaries and vassalles all the princes states vnder heauen must acknowledge themselues to be a portion of that inheritance beeing theirs by liniall discent from their predecessors the godly kings and rulers who time out of mind alwaies laied their shulders vnto this burthen The other written in Welch printed in an obscure caue in Northwales published by an author vnknown Y druch Christ anogaw more vn learned for I thinke hee had neuer read any thing but the common published resolution of R. P. a book containing many substantiall errors frier Rush and other shamefull fables stood to by none hauinge no reasons to shew why his Babilon should be reaedified it contained it selfe within the handes of a few simple priuate men and neuer durst vnto thys hour be made known vnto your Hh. Both the books in this thing had the same successe in that both togither they fel into the hands of the prelats who as they pretend are enemies vnto both places but vndoubtedly vnto Syon especially as it appeared by their harde dealing with the pation of that cause whereas the fautors of the other were either not at all dealt with or very curteously entertained of thē The reason of their enmitie vnto both but their hatred vnto Syon is that neuer I feare me meaning to go thither This is spoken in regard of the Church-gouermen and constrained by law to be enemies vnto the other they haue of the golde of Caldea the drosse of Ierusalem compacted thē a citie wherwith they meane to content themselues vntill they returne vnto Babel againe or the Lord be merciful vnto them vnto a worse place Haue they not therfore good cause to be the more beholding vnto the one for the golde then to the other for the drosse Well my Ll. bee you assured hereof that they who stirred vp both these instruments both at one time wil neuer suffer them to cease vntil in Wales either a church of Christ or a synagogue of satan be built Out of question the concurring of both causes sheweth that the Lorde hath some secreat worke in the matter Satans instruments for their parts were neuer busier since hir Maiesties raigne then they are at this hower and shall be stil they trecherously against the lawes of God and this land seek to bring the people again vnto AEgypt I acording vnto both dutifully endeuour neuer to let them rest vntill it please God by hir Maiestie and your Hh. to bring them within the lande of promise no though they were vppon mounte Nebo whence with their eies they might view the same They haue dealt deale secretly with poore soules in darke corners dare not make known their fabulous cause I haue dealt all this while in the face of the sun and now before your Hh. I want not a good cause and by the grace of God it shall not want a defender or hide the face as long as I liue Whether you countenaunce it or no I know it shal one day preuaile when this wil be the Lord knoweth best but the matter is whether you wil imbrace christ in the building of his church or sathan in continuing the breaches thereof Therfore my Ll. entertaine THIS CAVSE and you giue satan the foile reiect this and you streng then him And trie if you denye it the hearing whether the very papists in this land will not be thereby encouraged to supplicate vnto your Hh. that you woulde grant them the liberty of their seared consciences to commit publike idolatrie Al that hitherto I haue spoken I haue spoken either in the cause of christ which is a good cause or in the cause of sathā If I seek the building of his synagog wil you let me liue if of the church of christ wil you denie me your helpe which yet againe and againe in the name of the eternall God I require for the pretious death passions sake of Iesus christ I earnestly desire at your hands My Ll. as you wold haue the Lorde to entertaine your soules in the life to come as you would haue him shew you any mercie as you loue her Maiestie hir life as you would haue the continuance of her raigne ouer vs which the lord vndoubtedly thretneth to shorten because he would bring ruine vpon you vs all for the contempt of his trueth as you woulde not haue your names razed from vnder heauen as you would not haue the Lord to bring vpon vs the Spanish Italian Romish or Guisian forces as you woulde not haue those who shall liue to see the desolation and desperate sorrowe which the Lorde is to bring vpon this lande not abide to see you and your children ryde or go in the streets as you would not haue the most contemptible to stretche forth his hande vpon the dearest things you possesse offer violence before your eies vnto the fruit of your bodies so entertain this cause graunt this suite and haue a care of the Lords true seruice in Wales etherwise I feare me the vengeance of God will neuer leaue you your posterities as long as there is a man of your houses vnder heauen And notwithstanding the case of the Earle of Pembroke is neuer the better if he stil presume to beare rule within these gates where the Lords Sabboths are not sanctified Ezekiel in deede is not now liuing to put you in minde of the necessitie of redressing of thinges amisse by laying open the corruptions of all estates vnder your gouernement as he doeth cap. 22 of his prophesie His words I will set downe that your Hh. may waye our estate with the time wherin the prophet liued and see whether the Lord will spare you and vs if we still prouoke him to smite There is a conspiracie of her prophets in the middest thereof Ezek. 22.25.26.27.28.29 faith the prophet like a roaring lyon rauening the pray they haue deuoured foules they haue taken the riches and precious things they haue made hir manie widowes in the midst therof hir priests haue broken my law and haue defiled
mine holy things they haue put no difference betweene the holy prophane neither discerned between the vncleane and the cleane and haue hidd their eies from my Saboth and I am prophaned among them Hir princes in the midst thereof are like wolues rauening the prey to shed blood to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre And her I rophets haue dawbed thē with vntempered morter seing vanities diuining hes vnto them saying thus saith the Lord Iehouah when Iehouah hath not spoken The people of the land haue violently oppressed by spoiling and robbing and haue vexed the poore and needy yea they haue oppressed the stranger against right Thus far Ezekiel Be the sinnes of our prophets of our princes of our people the same that heare he speketh against be they greater or be they lesse yet without controuersie Verse 30 if the Lorde may saye I haue sought for a man among the coūsellors of England thatshuld make vp the hedge stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none then wo be vnto vs for that shal follow which is set downe in the prophet Therefore haue I powted out mine indignation vpon them Verse 31 consumed them with the fire of my wrath their owne waies haue I rendred vpon their heads saieth the Lord Iehouah And vnlesse there were iust cause to think that this Lord had either already or shortly ment to pronounce this sentence against vs wee might contemne scorne at the carped assaults of the Spanyards or any other the enemies of the gospel and her Maiesties whosoeuer But as long as we giue not the right hande vnto the Lorde by entring into his sanctuarie we haue iust cause to feare a nation that is no nation much more a people in number as the sand which is by the sea shore Our leags and most stable couenants with the enemies the lord will soone disanull standing thus at the staffes end with his maiestie as we do And as a Ierem. 37. Ieremie said vnto the king and states in his time though we had smitten the whole hoast of the Spanyardes that intend our ouerthrow there remained bur wounded men among them yet should euerie man rise vp in his tent and ouerrun this lande Let vs looke assuredlie whensoeuer the abiecte and contemptible enemie shall assaile vs abiect and contemptible I saie in all respects in comparison of the value and strength of our men and munition and the lord increase them a thousand folde more that this God whose seruice is so little esteemed of vs will send a terror into the harts of our valiantest and stoutest men so that he whose heart is as the heart of a lyon shall become as weake as water and one enenimie shal chase a thousand of vs because the hand of the lord will be against vs for our sinnes It is not therefore the Spanishe furniture and preparations but the sinnes within the land that we are most of all to feare For although the armie of the Spanyarde were consumed with the arrowes of famine although the contagious and deuouring pestilence had eaten them vp by thousands although their tottering shippes were dispersed and carried away with the whirle-winde and tempest although madnes astonishment were amongst them from him that sitteth in the throne vnto her that grindeth in the mil although the lords reuenging sword in the hand of the sauage Turke had so preuailed against them as it had left none in that vncircumcised host but languishing and foyled men notwithstandinge a contēptible withered remnant of the plague famine a nauie of winde and weather-shaken ships a refuse of feeble and discomfited men shal be sufficiently able to preuaile against this land vnlesse an other course be taken for Gods glory in Wales by your Hh. then hitherto hath bene If I did speake vnto infidels and vngodly atheists I know I should not be so plaine because vnto such the trueth is at sometimes vnseasonably spoken But I speake vnto your Hh. that haue vndertaken the profession of Christianitie and therefore shoulde be at all times fit to heare the trueth of your God And I know no temporizing trueth no temporising iudgements of God against sinne no trueth that is to be concealed vnto Christians because their Hh. cannot brooke the same no trueth my LL that is either not at all or minsinglye not to bee vttered because states loue not to heare thereof So that I was in this matter not to consider what your high places were content to hear but what was the dutie of your high places to heare And therefore I should thinke it I protest an vndutifull and flattering petition to intreat your Hh. not to be offended with me for vttering the trueth As though I supposed you woulde thinke it wonderfull that a man should aduenture to speake euen in the cause of his GOD anye farther then stood with your good liking I know the infirmities wants of men that deal in good causes are commonly beaten vpon the bak of the cause they handle Therefore the Lord knoeth how carefull I haue beene to keepe it vnspotted and my selfe out of all vnnecessary daunger Setting downe nothing before I had weighed what might ensue either in regard of the mater or maner of deliuery This I am assured that in the whole woorke there is nothing whereby any law of the land canne take holde of me But why did I publish a matter of suche waight before I acquainted your Hh. therewith Grant the pitition I will redeeme mine oversight heerein if it can be prooued any which I know to be none with the losse of my life if you do not meane to yeeld vnto it neither would you haue done it being mooued thervnto by priuate writing The cause I make known to the end it may be granted and herein let not my life be precious vnto me vpon the necessity of the publishing thereof I stand bicause that the world maye see when you redresse those things that you did nothing which you durst leaue vndone vnlesse you would haue brought swift destruction vpon your selues and the whole lande But what folly is it to think that such great matters in our daies wil be reformed Rather what iniury do they to your Hh. that thinke you will countenance any longer the breache of Gods lawes And in this point let the good opinion that they which aleadge such pretences conceiue be weighed with my dutifull perswasions of your Hh. and both our causes iudged accordingly For mine own part I thinke the maiesty of the cause to be such as they who are the lords dare not but entertaine it tremble to think that all this while it hath bene so carelesly attended vpon And it is in the behalf therof that I haue presumed to deale with you who other-wise durst not haue suffered my voice to be hard in the ears of the rulers of my people
works of a minister in deed may according to the ordinance of God be performed by those who both haue a function diuers from yea contrarie to these readers function as good is to euill vz. by preachers whose calling being a sanctified calling must needes be in nature not onely diuers from but contrarie to the caling of readers which is not warranted by the worde a calling warranted and a calling not warranted being contrarie and detest without offence vnto Gods children such a ministerie as dumb readers take vpon them Therefore our bare readers though they haue the name and supplie the place of ministers are not ministers in deed And not being in deed ministers it is not left vnto me as a thing indifferent by christian libertie whether I will communicate with thē or no Because that of necessity I am bound to com for the sacraments vnto the ordinaunce of a Math. 21.25 11.11 1. cor 12.4.11 God that is vnto a minister and not vnto the ordinance of the church neither haue I any liberty to attempt the contrarie And as before hath bene prooued euery minister is the ordinaunce of b 1. Cor. 12.5.28 ephes 4.7.11 God not the ordinance of the Church ordained when our sauiour Christe led captiuitie c Ephes 4.8 math 28.19 captiue and not since Nowe our readers being but the ordinance of the Church ordained since that time and the Church hauing no libertie to ordaine sacramentes I haue also no libertie no not in the time of necessitie to come vnto the ordinance of the Church for the sacramentes because there I can haue no more for any thing I know then the Church whence the ordinance is hath power to giue And I pray you what sacrament is that which the bare ordinance of the Church can deliuer These be some of the reasons and I take no delight in the nomber of them wherevpon as on the infallible trueth of Gods sacred word I dare boldly conclude the most within wales supplying the places of ministers to be no ministers in deed and to haue nothing in them that giueth life vnto a minister good or bad And therevpon I dare as boldly affirme the course to bee a wicked and sismatticall course which they take that seperate them selues from the publike assemblies where the word preached is truly taught in this land as from those who serue the true God after a false maner In the examination of whiche reasons I protest with a good conscience that I haue so laboured both at the first edition of the booke some reasons then moouing me to deale more timorouslie in the action since that time especialle as I haue not suffered my selfe to be deceiued by any sophisme or fallation And I prorest before the Lord that vpon these grounds I both assuredly know their course of whome I haue spoken to be dangerous and detestable and am also as surely perswaded that menne not ordained of God for the gathering of the saints are no ministers whatsoeuer calling they haue in the Church as I beleeue the blessed apostle Paule to haue beene an apostle sent from God And bicause I am one daye to bee reckonad with before the iudgement seat of Iesus Christe of my sinceare dealing in both those points and liue now in the church of God the least member whereof Woe be vnto me if I offende because also I liue vnder hir highnes a Christian Magistrate whose sacred ancthoritie I subiect my selfe vnto reuerence as the royall ordinance of gods owne maiestie and whose positiue lawes and proccdings as far as I may with a good conscience tollerate their imperfections I dare not gain-saye because likewise what I haue written shal be recorded and called in question in the church of God when I am gone the way of all flesh vnto whome I am afraide to commend my name as a brocher of newe doctrines therefore I haue beene carefull to sette down nothing but that which will abide the triall of all whosoeuer and abide firme against all If any of my godly teuerēd lerned brethren of the church of Englande will doe me the fauour which thing I earnestly request at their hands in short syllogisms to communicate with mee in writing their reasons for the ministerie of these ignoraunt men I shall haue cause to praise the Lord and thanke them for their loue towards me in this point also and the easier satisfie whatsoeuer may be sayd on the behalf of this vnlearned I woulde vnknowen ministerie I greatlye reuerence many godlye and learned that are contrary minded vnto me in this cause I know my yeares to bee subiect vnto that bolde temerity hoat and heady rashnes which blessed Timothy in a 1. Tim. 2.22 consideration of his age was bidden by the Apostle to auoide notwithstanding in regarde of the cause in humilitie before the Lord his elect angels and children bee it spoken I may iustly for beit I should contemne and despise almost not vouchesafe to answer whatsoeuer man or angell can bring against it And I dare arest and attaint of high treason against the maiestie of the highest all those both men and aungels who either defend the communicating with them lawfull communicate with them or tollerate them as ministers vnder their gouernement TO THE LL. OF THE COVNSEL ANd for asmuch as both in this place for tollerating the dumb ministerie and in the book page 36 for suffering non-residents and the papall Lordships of our 4. L. Bb. in Wales I affirm our gouerriours to be guiltie of fearefull sinnes before the Maiestie of God I am with all the humilitie reuerence and submission my heart can conceiue to vse a speach vnto your HH my Lordes of her maiesties priuy Coūsel The cause that moueth me heerevnto is the discharge of my dutie towards the Lorde my God towards his Church towardes my natiue Countrey and towardes your Honours which could not stand with my silence in this point concerning the Lord because I am a poore wretched sinner vppon whome he hath shewed great mercie in calling mee to the knowledge of his son and pardoning my dreadfull sinnes I haue taken a bond of my selfe by his grace to be come an enemy vnto sinne in my selfe especially and in all others as far as my calling will permitte without respect of persons time place estate or condicion of life whatsoeuer And therfore your Hh. are not to marueile if I seeke the ouerthrowe of these places callings and corruptions L. Bishops readers and non-residents I mean whose continuance standeth with the lords most notable dishonour and detest sinne euen in your Hh. whose aucthority good name credit estimation and high places next vnto her royall Maiesties I ought and by the grace of God will defende against all the detractours there of with the losse of my life when it shall be needfull As for the Church of God wherevnto I haue bene begotten through the word preached by means of my abode
miserable if being warned of your estate you be hardened still in this securitie But this is not all Secondly therefore the Lords wrath hangeth ouer your heads for tollerating in Wales the dumb ministery the vsurped and Antichristian seates of Lorde Byshops and other Romish offices there remaining and so tollerated as by your consente and authoritie they are in force If Moses by a positiue law should haue allowed the offring of strange fire by Nadab and Abihu tollerated the ministerie of c Leui 20.18 23 blemished and deformed Leuites enacted that one not being of the line of Aaron might presse before the Altar d Nom. 16.10 18.7 to offer the breade of his God if Dauid had made it lawfull for Huzza to lay his hand vpon the Arke if Iosiah or any of the godly rulers had giuen leaue vnto the cursed shepherds in their daies to place others in their steed e Ezek. 44.8 to take the ouersight of the Sanctuarie briefly had established any thing contrary to the commandement in the Churche-gouernment prescribed by Moses had they not bin in danger of Gods wrath questionles they had And shal your HH be dispenced with being guilty of tollerating and establishing greater thinges amongst your people in Wales in stead of the gouernement prescribed by Iesus Christ assure your selues no. I do therefore in this point for the discharge of my conscience and dutie towards the Lord his church my Countrey and your Hh. taking my life in my hand testifie vnto you before the eternall GOD and his church that our vnlearned ministerie is no ministerie in deede that the calling of our L. Bb. Archdeacons Commissaries somoners and al other the excrements of the Romishe vomit as non-residents c remaining in Wales are intolerable before the Lorde and that it is not likely that euer your Hh. tollerating these things any longer shall escape the reuenging hand of God The truth hereof I make knowne briefly bicause I would not be tedious vnto your Hh. by the reasons following and offer to prooue these things more at large vppon the perill of my life and by the grace of God will against our 4. L. Bb. all their Chapleins retainers fauourers and welwillers whether in either of the two vniuersities in this lande or in anye place els in earth or in hell for in heauen I knowe they haue no fautors These things I offer to prooue against D. Bridges who lately in a booke of 7. shillings price hath vnder-taken their defence wherein besides the wrong done vnto the Church of God he hath offered her Maiestie and your Hh. most vndutifull iniurye by going about for the defence of his bellye and the bellies of the rest of his coate to ouerthrowe her Maiesties title of soueraigne preheminence and to alienate the heartes of the loyallest subiectes in the land from their most louing and carefull Prince gouernours As though her Maiestie and your Hh. ment to turne the edge of the sword against them who indeed deserue not to be smitten with the scabard And I will prooue that he hath crammed into this gorge as plaine poperie for the defence of our prelates as euer Belarmin Turrian Harding Saunders or any other the fierbrands and ensign-bearers of Romishe treason against her Maiesties crowne haue brought for the title of the popes supremacy Although he hath bene and I doubt not shal be sufficiently answered by those whose bookes hee is not worthie to beare yet in asmuch as hee in this booke hath shewed him selfe to bee an Ammonitish Tobiah against the building of Ierusalem in Wales by desending alasse reliquias Danaum the very breaches and ruines of the Babylonish ouerthrow which by the iust iudgement of God vnder poperie we haue sustained to be the perfectest building that Syon can be brought vnto and so by this slaunder withstandeth the saluation which I doubt not her Maiestie and your Hh. wishe vnto my Countrey I haue so framed my reasons folowing as they ouerthrowe the verye foundation and whole frame of that wicked booke And on the condicion that his cause maye fals If I besides that which others wil do ouerthrow him his cause I offer before your Hh. to lie in irons eat the bread of affliction vntill in a twise 7. pennie booke I disprooue by the worde make an vtter spoyle ruine ouerthrow of whatsoeuer he hath brought for the defence of that whiche in the gouernement is oppugned according to the woorde by the learned in this Lande I speake not more confidentlye then I should do for I know the cause to be a most confident and sure cause and therefore not timorouslye to be dealt in but in the feare of God with all boldnes to be stood too and aduouched Nowe that our dumbe ministers non-residents L. Bb. Arch-deacons c are nothing els but an increase a Nom. 22.14 of sinfull men risen vppe in stead of their fathers the Idolatrous monks and fryers stil to augment the fierce wrath of God against this land and you our gouernours and that this booke of D. Bridges and whatsoeuer els hath bene written for their defence are nothing els but edicts traitors against God and slaunderers to your sacred gouernement to defend the sale and exchange of church goods and the verye distruction of soules to speake all in a word that both these cortuptions and their defences are condemded by the Lords reuealed will as things directly against his will and the lawes of his maiestie expressed in his written word and therfore not to be tollerated by your Hh. vnlesse you thinke you may tollerate sinne by law nor yet once to bee spoken for or countenannced vnlesse you woulde plead for b Iudg. 6.31 Baall I prooue by these reasons That forme of Church-gouernment which maketh Iesus Christ to bee inferiour vnto Moses is an vngodly gouernement flat contrary to the c Heb. 3.6 nom 12 7. worde and therefore in no case to bee tollerated and the booke or bookes defending the same are vngodlye wicked and lying bookes But our Church-gouernment in Wales by L. Bb. Arch-deacons dumbeministers and other ecclesiastical officers there as for non-residents let this one reason for all serue against them they in asmuch as in them lyeth bereaue the people ouer whome they thrust themselues of the onely ordinarye meanes to saluation which is the d Rom. 10.14 1. cor 1.21 1. pet 1.21 word preached is such a gouernment as maketh the Lord of life Iesus Christ inferior vnto Moses and this book of Doctor Bridges doth the same therfore this gouernement in a gouernement not to be tollerated by law in any state vnlesse men would feele gods heauie iudgements for the same and therefore also a gouernement most pernitious and daungerous vnto the ciuill magistrate where it is established and this booke or bookes defending the same are vngodly wicked and lying books traiterous against the Maiestie of Iesus Christ crying for the importable vengeaunce of
this superioritie ouer her Maiestie as being within the bodie of the churche or no they leaue it to the consideration of others the instance woulde bee as much as their life were worth And what shold they endanger their liues by vttering that in particular which in generall belike may be affirmed with safetie The generall assertion that a priest may haue a lawfull superior authoritie ouer the vniuersall body of the church being true and voide of treason why shall not the particular instance that the pope may be this priest which may haue this superiour authoritie ouer hir Maiestie as being included within the vniuersall bodie of the church be so to if one priest may haue this authoritie what shall hinder whie the pope may not be this priest though hee be not his idolatrie he may leaue his pride he may leaue his triple crowne he may leaue his name of pope he may leaue and whie then may not he somtimes though not alwayes be capable of this lawfull superiour authoritie Many of the Popes themselues neuer sat at Rome but either at Lions Arminia or Avinion looke Platina Baâ—e Pantal. c. as well as some other priest yea but this priest must not haue his scare at Rome TheÌ„ he will remooue his chaire vnto Rauenna or Canterburie and so there shal be no difference between him and this priest wherof D. Bridges speaketh And by this good diuinitie Sixtus the fifth now pope of Rome being no idolater void of pride abandoning his triple crowne and name of pope remoouing also his seate vnto LAMBETH might bee that one priest among the residue that might haue a lawfull superionr authoritie ouer the vniuersall bodie of the church as D. Bridges without blushing hath affirmed Let him nowe go and barke at the godly ministers in this land as he doth slaunderously in the preface of his prophane booke The intentes of vndermining the cinill gouernment are found in the vndutifull casket of his own bosome whereof their clothes are not once priuie What shoulde I at this time lay open any more of his vndutifull positions his booke I will at all times prooue to bee nothing els but a popish quilt let him challenge me of mine offer when he wil. This matter concerning her Maiesties supremacie being too too haynous of it selfe I meane not to agrauate and make more odious Your Hh. may see how pestilent and pernicious this wicked gouernment of our prelats is euen vnto hir Maiesties supreame and superiour authority which neuer any sincerelie seeking for reformation at any time eyther denied or diminished the same being rightly vnderstood according to the meaning of the statute And whatsoeuer hee hath saide of the godly learned ministers you see that it is he his fathers house with the gouernment thereof that go about to tread vnder foot the Lords annointed And this is the good diuinity that this Balaam for his lucres sake is not ashamed to teache and your Hh. dread not to tollerate As though we hadde to little to answere before the Lorde for the Antichristian dominion of the pope in this lande hee must needs make a priest in the land which may fetch the plague from other nations to bee powred vppon vs. Rather then the madnes of suche a prophet should be vnrebuked the very dumbe asse speaking with a mans voice would gain-say the fury of such a philistian tongue I cannot thinke my Lordes but that the Lorde hath some memorable plagues reserued for you and vs vnder your gouernment if notwithstanding all these things you stil countenance such 〈◊〉 in Israell as beeing the very ornaments of the Lords tabernacle I haue set downe out of the infallible trueth of Gods eternall word the reasons whereby the holie ghost cutteth the throare of all the corruptions in our church and hath giuen a deaths wounde vnto the vitall parts of this popish ware-house of Doctor bridges And let me see who will dare to replie vpon them As for D. bridges him selfe his vnfauery and vnlearned stile his popishe reasons long since bannished out of the schooles of all sound deuines hys tranflation of other mens writings throughout hys whole booke his vngodly and abhominable a Page 655. praier that the preaching of the word may neuer bee had generally throughout the land his scripture b Page 287. being the subscription of the second epistle to c Page 562.349.560 Timothie his alleadging of writers as cleare against himselfe as blacke is to white as of Augustine Caluin Aretius c his d Page 44â— imperfect periodes without sence or sauour his a Page a 272. Bishop Iames Arch-bishops b Page 259.69 266 Tim. and Titus his translations of c Page 450. vos autem nolite vocari rabbi into will not you bee called rabbi with thousand other monumens of his prophane imprety sottish ignorance and want of learning euidently conuince that he was neuer as yet in Platonis Politia where any good learning grewe but hath wallowed him selfe all his life in Romuli fece whence learning hath ben long since bannished godlines neuer shone And therfore he of al others can disproue nothing vnlesse the question before hand be granted of his side Yet let him know that I wil either be answered or haue the cause granted at his hands For to omit that in 160. sheets of paper he hath don nothing but ouer thrown him selfe vtterly shamed his whoorishe cause by shewing the nakednes thereof translated other mens writings taught the reader howe to vnderstand the learned discoarse and added marginall notes so that if other men had neuer written he would haue said nothing this shal be found vndoubtedly true throughout the whole booke that he hath made a couenant before hand not to dispute vnlesse you graunt conclusion all and rather flatlie to be non plus then prooue any thing But our 4. bishops and their fautors are or would be accounted learned I desire no more against them al but to be iudicially heard according to the word if I bee disprooued in any one thing I haue written I will not desire to liue Hence it must needs followe your Hh. hauing regard vnto the state of your soules and bodies before the Lord and your good name amongst posterities that if these things set downe bee true if not bring vpon me deserued shame punishment you will either redresse the miserable estate of distressed Wales by erecting there a godly ministery and abbolishing of al Cananitish reliques or for the maintenance of a few vnconscionable and godlesse men aduenture to vndergo the fiery and flaming execution of the burning decree of Gods anger My LI. be not deceiued the Lord of heauen is angrie wyth you and his whole a Iosh 7.9.21 ezech 38.22 hoast for the Babilonish garments of these Achans Retaine them no longer if you woulde not fall before the enemie When the Lorde shall plead with you your wiues children families and
he cannot in iustice punishe you though your people bee not taught Bicause you haue seene al those wel bestowed whom he quallified for that calling so do now expect a blessing from him vpon your labours that you might send more The subterfudge will be but the couert of a net to aske as coÌ„monly our prelats do how there shoulde be possiblie founde as many learned men as Wales requireth seeing they who are founde are not placed there And doe you deale well with the lord that be cause al canot be brought at once to serue him as hee willeth therefore they that may shall not The same is to bee saide of the ministers liuings Remoue the dumb ministers nonfideÌ„ts the L. bb if you will not do this you go beside the word of God so there is no direction for you and there will be mo liuings void able to maintain godly ministers then shal be I feare me good men found to supplie the places And verely I maruaile what men persuade theÌ„selues the Lord to be wheras they thinke hee can be satisfied with suche sielie shifts is it not a strange matter to finde Church liuings in Wales for L. bb nonresideÌ„ts idoles to sin against God and starue soules withal and deny any to be there for godly ministers do honor God and work the saluation of his people The children must starue for want of breade because the dogs before their eies must be fed therewith Good reason yea but the remouing of those men would be likelie to set the land on fire Marke how sutile the deuil is in the maintenance of his kingdome When godly ministers are deprined because they will not link theÌ„selues with wicked B. b to betraie the kingdonm of Christ and ouerthrow the lawes of this land there is no inconuenience sered But if satans messengers be once shoued at behold the land wil not be able to beare this losse I grant in deede my Ll. that men which make no conscience for gaine sake to break the law of the eternal and massaker soules as these do are dangerous subiectes and not to be trusted any further then they are fed The stay therefore must be either in regarde of these men or the common people These men are of 2. sorts some few haue gifts for the ministery those would be imploied that way and compelled to bee faithfull The most of them are vnsauerie salt notwithstanding far be it that they and their families should be turned vnto the wide world to seeke their liuings and therefore some part of that which now they possesse with sacriledge bestowed vpon them being out of the ministerie they might enioy with a good conscience And a small thing this way allotted vnto them woulde be blessed wheras whatsoeuer now they possesse is execrable For the people the stay for them is eyther in regard of the publike meetings on the Sabboth or the sacraments mariage and burial For the keeping of the Sabboth The word requireth they should if possibly they can resorte where preaching is vntill good ministers bee placed in euery parrish If the places be too farre as commonly our parrishes be very large and it is not likely in short time to plant preachers so neere together as the people may euery Sabboth resort to them they must be enioyned to meete togither in their parishe churches some discreet man from among themselues appointed to read the word and vse som forme of praiers as shal be thought meetest by the aduise of the godly learned Concerning the sacraments the word requireth they should resort vnto a preaching minister for them There is adulterie amongst the â—â—fidels therefore a minister is not essentially required in Matrimonle Ruth 4.10.11 not attempt to keepe their children vnbaptized any longer then they must of necessitie Marriage is most conueniently to be done by the minister But it is no proper essentiall worke of the a minister and therfore may be solemnised by others at the magistrats appointment Concerning buriall it is a worke of christian charitie and being the last dutie that we are to performe towards the departed we ought to accompanie them decently and orderly with all comlinesse vnto the graue The word mentioneth or includeth no forme of prayers vsed at burials therefore they ar superfluous nether is the minister as in an actioÌ„ belonginge to his office to haue any more to doe herein then any other of the brethren Thus haue I set downe vnto your Hh. the onelye course in regard of substance that the word waranteth to bee taken in such a deformed estate as ours is And now my Ll. let my counsell bee acceptable vnto you a Dan. 4.24 breake off your sinnes by rooting out these plants which the Lord neuer planted in hys vineyard and your iniquities by adoring the same as much as in you lyeth so there may be an healing of your former ouer-sight If not the lords face will be against you yours and the whole land for euill and not for good O my Ll. is it not a miserable case that meÌ„ shold so liue vnder your gouerment in this life as they canot possibly but liue in hel in the life to come O my Ll. heaen cannot be obtained when we are gone Oh my Ll. now is the time for the gospell to flowrish in Wales or neuer Oh my Ll. if her Maiestie and your Hh. whome from my very heart I wish the Lord to blesse should be gone the way of all the world for mine owne part the very staffe of my hope to see any good doone amongest my brethren should be broken Blame me not therefore if I deale earnestly in a cause of so great a moment and so vnlikely to be obtained of our wofull posterities whome my suit in a most nere sort concerneth Oh whye should they haue cause to saye the Lorde bee iudge betweene vs and the gouernours whiche were vnder Queene Elizabeth in the daies of our fathers for they might haue opened our eies and healed our wounds which now alasse are desperat and past recouerie It is now ful 29. yeares and vpward since Babilon hath bin ouerthrown in Wales rather by the voice of hir Maiesties good lawes whome good Lord forget not for this woorke then by the sound of anye trumpet from the mouthes of the sons of Aaron among vs. But alasse what shall we and our posteritie be the better for this if Syon bee not built And what comfort can Zerubabell or nehemiah haue to bring a people out of Babilon if they meane but to reaedifie Sbilo seeing it is the beautie of Syon wherin the Lord delighteth Wee haue cause indeede to thanke God that this wicked eitie hath bene by hir Maiestie in some sort broken downer but we are neuer the better seeing the walls of Sion lie euen with the ground Nowe for the space 28. yeares no man greatly labored to hir maiesty the Parliament your Hh. or to the people themselues either by