his Consecrating of Churches and Chappels after the popish manner wherein the case stands briefly thus The Pope his Romish Prelates had in times of ignorance superstition for their own proper lucre introduced solemn consecrations of Churches Chappels with all furniture belonging to them appropriated these Fopperies to Bishops as a jurisdiction peculiar to them alone though we reade in Scripture that the Tabernacle all the furniture thereto belonging was consecrated only by Moses and the Temple at Jerusalem by King Solomon the chief temporall Magistrates not by Aaron or the High Priests as they were among the Romans by the Senate These formes of consecrations full of Ethnicall ridiculous superstitions exorcismes conjurations were contained only in Roman Pontificals Missals Ceremonials which were wholly abolished upon the reformation of Religion in King Edwards daies by the expresse statutes of 3 4 E. 6. cap. 1. 5. 5 6 E. 6. cap. 1. and after that by the statute of 1 Eliz. cap. 2. 8 Eliz. cap. 1. which abrogited all rites ceremonies and consecrations whatsoever but those comprised in the Books of Common Prayer and Ordination of Ministers where there is not one syllable to be found touching consecration of Churches or Chappels or Church-yards nor any forme of such consecrations reteined or prescribed which by these Acts were wholly discontinued abolished in our Church till this Papish Prelate to renue them and to assume a Papall power of making Churches Chappels Altars and their furniture holier then other places by his solemne consecrations of them as if the meere sequestring of them from a common or prophane to a sacred use were not a sufficient consecration of them without a Bishops Benediction and exercising of those creatures suspended thereunto We shall begin first with his consecration of Churches next of Chappels Anno 1630. St. Katherines Creed-church in London being repaired only by the parishioners not new built from the ground when Mountain was Bishop of London and the Church thought holy enough by him without any new consecration not requisite in such a case by the very Canon law this popish Prelate succeeding Mountaiue in the Bishoprick of London suspended this new repaired Church for a time from all Divine service Sermons and Sacraments till it was re-consecrated by himself of which he writ down this speciall memoriall with his own hand in his Diary read in the Lords House in manner following January 16. 1630. Sunday I consecrated S. Katherine creed-Creed-church in London In what a popish ridiculous bedlam manner was thus attested upon oath by M. Willingham a parishioner there who then took special Notes of all the passages in short-short-writing thinking some good use might be made thereof in after-times the particulars whereof he thus expressed That the Archbishop then of London on the 16 of January 1630. being the Lords day came in the morning about nine of the clock in a pompous manner to Creed-church accompanied with Sir Henry Martin Dr. Rive Dr. Duck and many other High-commissioners and Civillians there being a very great concourse of people to behold this novelty the Church doores were garded with many Halberders at the Bishops approaching near the West door of the Church the hangbies of the Bishop cryed out with a loud voyce Open open ye everlasting doores that the King of glory may enter in and presently as by miracle the doores flew open and the Bishop with three or four great Doctors and many other principall men entred in and as soon as they were in the Church the Bishop fell down upon his knees with his eyes lifted up and his hands and armes spread abroad uttering many words and saying This place is holy and this ground is holy In the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost I pronounce it holy and then he took up some of the earth or dust and threw it up into the aire as the frantick perseenting Jewes did when they were raging mad against Paul this was done in the great middle Isle several times as they came up Eastwards towards the Chancel which Chancel was then paved when they approached near to the Rayle and Lords Table unto which was an ascent of two or three steps the Bishop lowly ducked and bowed towards it some five or six times and returning went round about the Church in Procession on the inside thereof they saying the 100 Psalme and after that the 90 Psalme prescribed in the Roman Pontificall for this purpose p. 262. and then this Prayer Lord Jesu Christ who art the eternall Word of thy eternall Father God Almighty to be blessed for ever and diddest at first in the beginning of time create man out of the dust of the earth to restore and repair in him the ruine and fall of Angels and when as he by transgression had lost his originall state diddest according to thy threatning returne him againe unto his dust but so that he should not perish everlastingly but should in due time by an omnipotent power be raised againe out of the earth and therefore in assurance of the resurrection the bodies of men the work of thine own hands are in this place to be deposited in their sepulchres graves or vaults as in a repository or resting place untill the end of all things when that mighty Arch-angell shall sound his last Trumpet with Rise ye dead and come to judgement accept we beseech thee this our holy service who doe give and consecrate this beautifull Church unto thee and we separate it unto thee and thy Church AS HOLY GROVND not to be prophaned any more to common use this we beseech thee to accept at our hands for Christ Jesus sake c. Then was read aloud the 23 chapter of Genesis which being read then followed another prayer taken almost verbatim out of the Roman Pontificall beginning thus Merciful God the resurrection and the life of all that trust in thee wee most humbly intreat thee to vouchsafe us of thy grace that all those thy servants who from hence forth shall come into or be intered within the Circuit of this holy and sacred place now by our service HALLOWED unto thee may so lead their lives in thy feare that they may leave them in thy favour and that their bodies resting in their Sepulchres in this Church in peace untill thy comming unto Iudgment may rise again unto immortall life and live with thee for ever in those glorious mantions of eternity Heare us O Saviour for thy passion sake heare us O Father for thy Christs sake heare us O Sanctifying Spirit for thy comforts sake who livest and reignest one God c. Then The peace of God followed c. After all this the Bishop betook himselfe to sit under a cloath of State in an Isle of the chancell neare the Communion Table and taking a written book in his hand in imitation of the Roman Pontificall and the Councell of Trents Decrees therein cited pag. 247 c.
to omit Arch-bishop Parker and Gryndall likewise positively asserted and Doctor Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh in a Letter of his to this Arch-prelat expresly he writes that he did undoubtedly beleeve the Pope to be Antichrist which title Bishop Andrewes and Bishop Hall Bishop Morton and Bishop Downame doe likewise positively bestow upon the Pope in some of their authorized impressions Therefore it cannot be but a grand offence for this Arch-prelat and his agents contrary to the streame of all our Martyrs Writers Prelats to purge all passages out of these new-printed books against the Popes being Antichrist in which all Protestant Churches confessions Writers unanimously concurre together with our owne 7. Passages purged out against Altars that the Crosse is no Altar that a Sacrifice may be without an Altar MAster Ward in his Comentary on Matthew f. 248. lib. 2. p. 43. 44. Answ 2. But the Crosse is not an Altar properly so called for if it were then it must either First be such in its owne nature which cannot be the Crosse and the Altar differing c. Or else Secondly the Crosse is an Altar by a humane use or humane Ordination now this is not sufficient because so any thing may be made an Altar Ans 3. Thirdly we answer c. unto these words that there may be a Sacrifice without an Altar this appeares evidently thus First the offering up of Isaac Gen. 22. was a true Sacrifice for Isaac was a type of Christ both in his immolation or offering and in his death and in his life Christ dyed for us and so Isaac did as it were in a certaine figure according to that of the Apostle Heb. 11. 19. Abraham received Isaac from the dead in a figure and similitude Isaac lived againe from this death so Christ rose againe from the dead But yet in this sacrifice of Isaac there is no mention at all made of an Altar Gen. 22. Isaac verse 7. saith Behold the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt Offering where we see that he requires a Lambe but he requires not an Altar as if the one were necessary unto a Sacrifice not the other Secondly what is more necessary for a feast or banquent then a Table and yet a banquet may be without a Table whence the Martyrs when they were in prison celebrated the Lords Supper without a Table Now the Eucharist is a banquet yea moreover a memoriall of this one sacrifice of Christ in his death and is often called a Sacrifice by the Fathers and yet hath been celebrated often by many of the Fathers in prison without a Table as it is said of Lucian that he consecrated the bread of the Lord and celebrated the Supper of the Lord when he had scarce his hands at liberty using his owne breast instead of a Table and therefore it is evident that there may be a sacrifice without an Altar Thirdly what is more necessary for a Preacher when he is to preach then a Pulpit that is it is very requisite and decent and profitable for the people that the Minister should speak unto them out of the Pulpit as Ezra did Ezra 9. But yet it is not simply necessary unto the essence of a Sermon for a man may preach upon the plaine ground without a pulpit as it is said of Chrysostome who preached unto divers persons in his persecution standing not in a Pulpit but at the side of the Lords Table and therefore an Altar doth not appertaine unto the essence of a Sacrifice Answ 4. Fourthly we answer c. unto these words Christ himselfe being both the Knife Oblation Altar and Priest it is said Heb. 9. 14. that Christ by his eternall spirit offered up himselfe unto God whence it appeares that his eternall spirit was a Priest to himselfe and therefore might also be an Altar 8. Sentences expunged against the totall and finall Apostacy or falling away of the Saints from grace and their Perseverance in Grace IN Doctor Featly his Clavis Mystica page 15. 16. 17. No drop of this oyntment of the spirit is ever spilt no seed of true faith ever corrupteth no spark of divine grace ever dyeth once throughly regenerated and ever a new creature once graciously adopted and ever a sonne of God once effectually called and ever a true Beleever I grant that it is a very caste thing for them to slip that walk upon a Sea of glasse but being upheld on the one side by the promise of God I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me On the other side by Christs promise b Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not It is impossible that any child of God should fall irrecoverably or so dangerously that he dye of his fall The mortall enemy of our immortall spirits knowing well what stresse this conclusion beareth how many articles of Religion it supporteth hath in all ages set some hereticks on work to undermine it The first workman of note imployed herein was Basilides who left the whole work to Pelagius and he the halfe to the Semipelagians and they to the School-men Jesuits and other late Sectaries who labour with might and maine to overthrow it which if they could doe the whole frame in a manner of our Christian Faith would soon totter for take away perseverance in grace and certainty of salvation hath no ground take away certainty of salvation affiance in God by speciall faith hath no foundation take away this speciall faith in Christs merits for salvation the doctrine of Justification cannot stand take away the doctrine of Justification what will become of the Gospell The assurance of our salvation in particular is the staffe of our comfort the life of our hope and the anchor of our soules which is fastned to a three-fold Cable as Saint Bernard tearmeth it which can never be broken viz. 1. Charitas adoptionis 2. Veritas promissionis 3. Potestas redditionis God his love in adopting his truth in promising or the truth of his promises and his power in performance This three-fold Cable the Sectaries above named seek to cut asunder The first twist which is the speciall love of adoption by making that grace common to all The second which is the truth of Gods promises by suspending them upon uncertaine conditions The third which is God his power of performance by subjecting the efficacy of grace to the uncertaine turne of mans will Now the Cables of our Beliefe being thus cut the Anchor of our hope must needs be lost neither doe they onely as much as in them lyeth cut asunder Saint Bernards three-fold Cable but also loosen every link of Saint Pauls golden Chaine whom he did predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he
actions meerly civil before the Magistrate coÌ„trary to the received customs of this kingdom from the first conversion of this Nation they protest that in so doing be exerciseth a tyranny over the Clergie contrary unto the Canons of the Church and the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdome c. Most Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priests doe complain that the Illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis is accustomed to answer the Clergy complaining of their grievances to him If I doe you wrong you may goe to Rome to complaine In the meane time reporting himselfe so powerfull in the Court of Rome that be feares no adversary And of this that reverend Priest Father Patrick Caâ—ill Doctor of Divinity had experience who for a yeere treating of his injuries and grievances done unto himby the Arch-bishop of Dublin could by no meanes prevaile once to be admitted to the presence and audience of the most eminent Cardinall Ludovifius Vice-Chancellour of Rome which Cardinall notwithstanding is given by his Holinesse unto the Irish at the only Patron and Protector of the Irish Nation These things we may remember with griefe but amend them we cannot but we professe before Almighty God his Holinesse and all faithfull people that this is nothing else but to tyrannize over the Clergie to the dishonour of the Church and no small contempt to the See Apostolick For which and other causes besides to be alleaged and in their due time and place to be proved against the above named Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis we the aforesaid Priests and hereafter to be named doe set before your eyes most Illustrious and reverend Lords these our grievances as meet and honourable witnesses of this our deed writing and publike instrument and as far as is possible and lawfull for us by the Canons of holy Church declining the jurisdiction of our aforesaid Ordinary by this our present writing and from this time forth we appeale unto the See Apostolicke from all Ecclesiasticall censures hereafter to be inflicted upon us by the same Illustrious Arch-bishop Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis and in the meane time providing for our innocency and safety according to the example of Saint Paul and Saint Athanasius we doe invocate the ayde of the secular arme for our present remedy against the aforesaid Illustrious Arch-bishop Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis and all Regulars of what Order soever as well Monks as begging Fryars Abettars Counsellours and Participants with him in the premises as violators and contemners of all Lawes divine and humane and men by the Law excommuicate Humbly beseeching your Lordships in the bowels of the Crucified that you would be pleased to intimate with as much speed as may be this our Protestation and Appeale unto the See Apostolick and the God of peace and love long preserve your Reverend Lordships in safety Dated at Dublin May the third in the yeer of our Lord 1632. Peter Caddell Doctor of Divinity Paul Harris pr. Deacon of the University of Dublin From which Protestation we may observe these considerable particulars First that the Papists in Ireland had their owne popish Archbishops Bishops and a Vicar Apostolicall residing then amongst them as the title and body of this Protestation manifests Secondly that their Archbishop Flemming had a popish Clergy under him in his Province and did exceedingly tyrannize over them usurping jurisdiction even in temporall causes and over the Kings own Courts among the Catholikes of Ireland Thirdly that the popish Bishops in Ireland did usually conferre Orders and exercise all Episcopall jurisdiction there Fourthly that they had a speciall Cardinall at Rome Ludovifius given by the Pope unto the Irish as the onely Patron and Protector of the Irish Nation Fifthly that they were grown extraordinary bold and insolent there so as they openly published this their Protestation and Appeal in print both in Latin and English to all the world and avowed it under their hands subscribed to it Sixthly that they had then erected a popish University in Dublin it self of which Paul Harris professeth himself Deacon or Dean as Bishop Beadle stiles him even in print This Prelat though he knew all this yet for ought we find he never took any severe course at all to prevent the encrease and insolencies of the popish Prelats Priests Fryars Papists there but rather to foment them For first he promoted and sent over divers superstitious popish Clergy-men thither as young Mr. Croxton Doctor Bramball his principall Agent and Informer Chaplain to the Lord Deputy Master Chapple and others who set up sundry popish innovations and brcohed popish Doctrines there to the great encouragement of the Papists Secondly he sent over the Lord Wentworth his grand instrument and confederace to be Lord Deputy of that Kingdome who extraordinarily favoured the popish party there and at last proceeded so far as to make use of them even in Parliament to ballance the Protestants the better to conquer and enslave that Kingdome even by Parliaments witnesse this remarkable clause in A Duplicate of a Dispatch of this Lord Deputies to his Majesty Jan. 22. 1633. with this subscription For my Lords Grace of Canterbury found in his private Study at Lambeth thus endorsed with his own hand Rec. Mar. 2. 1633. Comp. Ang. Reasons for the present calling of a Parliament in Ireland Where thus he writes concerning the Parliament then intended to be there called I Shall endeavoour that the lower House may be so composed as that neither the Recusants nor yet the Protestants shall appear considerably more one then the other holding them as much as may be upon an equall ballance for they will prove thus easier to govern then if either party were absolute Then would I in private discourse shew the Recusant That the contribution ending in December next if your Majesties Army were not imployed some other way before the twelve pence a Sunday must of necessity be exacted upon them Shew the Protestant that your Majesty must not let goe the 20000li. contribution nor yet discontent the other in matter of Religion till the Army were some way else certainly provided for and convince them both that the present quarterly paiments are not so burthensome as they pretended them to be And that by the graces they have had already more benefit then their mony came to Thus poising one by the other which single might perchance prove more unhappy to deal with With this Machiavillian policy he then acquainted this Archbishop and acaccordingly pursued it which what desperate effects it hath of late produced in that Kingdom by making the Irish Papists able to over-master and almost extirpate the English-Irish Protestants and their Religion there we now experimentally feel to our greatest grief and danger Neither did the Archbishop only approve this hellish policy of the Lord Deputy but likewise in the late Scottish
sentire corpus quod suo simillimum videt c. Paulo post Plus valent simulaâ—hra ad curvandam infaelicâ—m animam quodos ooulos aures pedes habent quà m ad corrigendam quòd non lequuntur neque vident neque audiunt neque ambulant Haec sanè videtur causa esse cur Johannes non tantùm à simulachrorum cultu sod ab ipsis quoque simulachris cavere nos voluerit Et nos horribili insania quae ad totius ferè pietatis interituÌ„ orbem ante hac occupavit plus nimio sumus experti simulatque in templis collecantur imagines quasi signum idololatriae erigi quia sibi temperare non potest hominum stultitia quin protinus ad superstitiosos cultâ—m delabatur Quòd si nec tantum periculi immineret quam tumen expendo in quem usum destinata sint templa nescio quomodo indignum mihi videtur eorum sanctitate ut alias recipiant imagines quà m vivas illas iconicas quas verbo suo Dominiâ— consecravit Baptismum intelligo Coenam Domini â—um aliis ceremoniis quibus oculos nostros studiosius detineri vividius affici convenit quà m ut alias hominum ingenio fabrefactas requirant En incomperabile imaginum bonum quod nulla pensatione resarciri potest si Papistis creditur This Author hath many such like Passages in his other works and therefore the Archbishops citing of him to justifie his Chappel Images argues either extreme Ignorance or Falshood Sixthly Whereas he would pray in ayd from our Homilies to justifie the Historical use of these Images in his Chappel The Homilies are so point-blank against it as we have proved that Impudency it self would blush to cite them to such a purpose especially since the Third Part of the Homily against the Peril of Idolatry pag. 41 42 43. expresly resolves it unlawful to make the picture of Christ or any person in the Trinity much lesse to set them up in Churches Seventhly That the Primitive Christians approved of Images and had the picture of Christ in their Churches and engraven on their Chalices is a most notorious Falshood For Justine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Irenaeus Tertullian Minutius Felix Origen Arnobius Cyprian Lactantius Geegory Nyssan Athanasius Ambrose Epiphanius Eusebius Hierome Augustine Hilary Chrysostome Theodoret Theophylact and other Ancients unanimously agree That the Primitive Christians had no Images at all in their Churches together with the Councels of Eliberis Constantinople Toledo Francford and Constantine the Great Constantinus Caballinus Nicephorus Stauratius Philipicus Anthemius Theodosius the second Leo Armenus Valens Michael Balbus Theophylus Charls the Great with sundry other godly Emperors utterly demolished and cast them out of Churches as Ecclesiastical Authors our own Homilies Writers prove at large against the Papsts Lactantius and other Primitive Christians write expresly That without doubt there can be no Religion at all in that place wheresoever any Image is whereupon Epiphanius rent the Image of Christ or some other Saint which he found in a Church painted in cloth out of holy indignation as contrary to the Authority of the Scriptures In few words Our own Homilies against the peril of Idolatry part 2. p. 38. expresly resolve That when Images began to creep into the Church they were not onely spoken and written against by godly and learned Bishops Doctors and Clerks but also condemned by WHOLE COVNCELS OF LEARNED MEN assembled together yea the said Images by many Christian Emperors and Bishops were defaced broken and destroyed Which Mr. Calvin in the place objected by the Bishop affirms likewise And therefore it is a most desperate Impudency in the Archbishop thus falsly to affirm the contrary point-blank against our Homilies and his own subscription to them And whereas he cites Tertullian to prove that the Christians in his dayes had the picture of Christ upon their Chalices We Answer That if the Book de Pvdicitia be Tertullians own of which some doubt yet his words import no such thing which are these A parabolis licebit incipias ubi est evis perdita à Domino acquisita humeris ejus revecta Procedant ipsae PICTVRAE CALICVM VESTRORVM not nostrorum si volle nillis perlucebit interpretatio pecudis illius utrumne Christiano vel Ethnico peccateri de restitutione colliniet If this place intimate any thing it is onely this That the Phychici and other Hereticks against whom he writ this Book not the Orthodox Christians as this Prelate dreams had the picture of the lost sheep graven on their cups will it therefore follow hence Ergo The Orthodox Christians had Crucifixes and Images of Christ God the Father the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary in their Churches in their Chappelss as he hath set up in his Lambeth Chappel windows Certainly this is a grosse Nonsequitur Yet this is his learned Argument from this Authority rightly stated And that he hath most grosly abused Tertullian your Lordships and his Auditory in alleadging Tertullian for defence of Images and their use among the Primitive Christians certainly Tertullian is so far from any such opinion that he hath written a whole Book de Idololatria next before this de Pudicitia wherein he expresly condemns not onely the having but making of any Image or Picture for any use and the very Arts of carving and painting Images as contrary to the second Commandment as the * Jews Iosephus Philo and others did before him the very Turks and Persians at this day Take but this Sentence of his insted of many Omnis forma vel formula Idolum se dici exposcit Idolum TAM FIERI quam coli Deus prohibet Quanto praecedit ut fiat quod coli possit tantò prius est NE FIAT si coli non licet Propter hanc causam ad eradicandum scilicet materiam Idololatriae lex divina proclamat Ne feceris Idolum conjungens Neque similitudinem eorum quae in coelo sunt quae in terra quae in mari TOTO MVNDO EJVSMODI ARTIBVS INTERDIXIT SERVIS DEI. Artifices statuarum Imaginum DIABOLVS seculo notulit c. Which he prosecutes at large throughout this eloquent Book And therefore his Impudency and Sophistry in citing Tertullian for defence of Images in Churches who is thus point-blank against the making of any Image whatsoever even for civil uses is an intolerable inexcusable Boldnesse Eighthly Whereas he Answers That the setting up of these Glasse-Images is no High-Treason by the Statute We grant it not to be so simply in it self neither do we urge it to be so but as it tends to subvert our Religion Laws and set up Popery concurs with his other practises of this nature so it may and will prove High Treason The second Part of the Homily against the peril of Idolatry Page 37. assures us That the maintenance of Images hath brought in a sea of mischiefs horrible Schisms Rebellions TREASONS and his maintaining of them hath
Romans differed from our Church in some points of Doctrine touching the Kings Supremacy concurring therein with the Papists for which his Book was here publickly condemned burnt and likewise in some other points therefore it could not be properly said that their Religion and ours was the same in all particulars Secondly it seemed to determine a great controversie between Protestant Divines among themselves and likewise between them and the Church of Rome whether the Pope be Antichrist which was never yet determined by any Councell and of which there is great doubt and difference in opinion even among the learned Now I conceived it a very unfitting thing to determine such a doubtfull controversie definitively by Letters Patents under the great Seale which is not yet resolved in the Schooles Upon these grounds the King thought fit to revoke the Patent though it were under the Great Seale which I had no power to recall but the KING onely Thirdly I deny that I called in the Declaration of the Palsgraves Religion neither doe I rememeber any such thing Fourthly it is true that I questioned the Dutch and Walloone Churches but not for any ancient Priviledges but onely for their encroachments beyond their priviledges to the prejudice of our English Churches and Parishes wherein they lived yet my Injunctions and proceedings towards them in this kind were so faire and just that they rested satisfied with them and returned me speciall thanks for my favour towards them and their Congregations therefore I much mervaile that this my carriage should be so much blamed as to make it a CAPITALL CRIME and CHARGE against me To this was replyed in the generall that the premised proofes with his late military proceedings against the Scots for complying with those Churches in their Doctrine Discipline Government sufficiently evidence his enmity to his opposition against those forraigne Protestant Churches because they had no Bishops insomuch that he blamed Bishop Hall for dealing so mildly with them in his Book for Episcopacy which he submitted to his censure where on the contrary he is so zealous of the Popes honour that he could not but complaine to the King of some harsh passages in it bestowing the Title of Antichrist on his Holinesse and procured a speciall command from his Majesty to the Bishop to expunge them to gratifie the Pope yea his purging out the objected clause in the Kings Patent and suppressing of the Declaration of Palatinate Churches Faith and Religion argues little affection in him to those Churches and much inward rancour against them but a very high esteem of Rome As for his encouraging of Master Dury in his designe of reconciling the Calvinists and Lutherans Master Dury undertook this worke without his privity or advice and found so small encouragement from him that he oft complained thereof to his friends as we are credibly informed To the particulars we reply First that in his Conference with Fisher he doth not recite but misrecite and pervert Saint Jeroms words and opinion who dogmatically resolves in his very Epistle to Evagrius which this Archbishop quotes and elswhere That Bishops and Presbyters Jure Divino are both one and the same as well in Jurisdiction as Office and that Presbyters have the power of Ordination as well as Bishops Therefore his appropriating of the word Sacerdos and Jeroms saying Vbi non est Sacerdos non est Ecclesia to Diocesian Bishops which he cleerly meanes of Priests and Ministers in generall is a grosse perverting of Jeroms meaning and his inferene thence So even with him NO BISHOP and NO CHVRCH is only a Declaration of his owne private opinion not of Jeroms who held no such Prelaticall Paradox For Bishop Mountagues Book it was licensed by his Chaplaine presented to received approved by himselfe Bishop Hals Propositions were not onely interlined with but allowed under his owne hand as fit for a generall subscription and now he justifies them not onely by Bishop Bilsons opinion but likewise by Master Calvins as great an enemy to Bishops as Saint Jerome whose words he wilfully perverts as he did his in applying that to Diocesian Bishops which he spake onely of ordinary Ministers who succeeded the Apostles in their Ministeriall Function In briefe his owne Conference together with Mountagues Book and Bishop Hals Propositions approved by him doe necessarily unchurch all the reformed Protestant Curches un-minister all their Ministers and make them no Churches no Ministers of Christ whereas he averres the Church of Rome to be a true Church and her Priests to be true Ministers as we have formerly proved therefore he must needs be guilty of the extreamest malignity and anmity against them what ever he pretends to the contrary Secondly he denies and yet at last justifies and maintains what we charge him with to wit that he denies the Religion of forraign Protestant Churches to be the same with ours or to be true Religion he instanceth in the opinion of Paraeus whose Commentary on the Romans he caused to be burnt as erronious when as he writes no more then Bilson did before him whom himself hath cited in defence of Episcopacy other orthodox Writers of our Church have maintained publickly for truth before since As for the burning of Paraus his Book being of a forraign Nation and no Subject to our King without summoning him to defend himselfe it was an unjust rash inconsiderate action to say no more as his Son hath manifested to the world in print who hath justified his Fathers opinion to the full as orthodox However the extravagant opinion of one Palatinate Divine in point onely of the Kings Supremacy not about any Article of Faith cannot make the reformed Churches and ours to be of different Religions especially since he argues in his Star-chamber Speech that the Papists Religion and ours are both one though we differ in some private Tenets Yea his deniall of the Protestants Religion in forraigne parts to be the true Religion when as he contends that Rome is a true Church argues his virulency against the one and good affection to the other Thirdly the calling in of the Declaration of the Palsgraves Religion is directly and punctually proved to be his act its impudency therefore in him to deny it and policy not to remember it Fourthly for the purgation and revocation of the Letters-Patents he not onely confesseth but shamelesly justifies it most undutifully laying the blame the scandall of it on the King himselfe who did naught therein but by his instigation and that upon two false scandalous grounds First that the Religion of the forraigne Palatinate Churches and ours differ and are not the same then which falshood nothing can procure a greater scisme and juster ground of scandall between us and those Churches Secondly that no Councill had defined the Pope to be Antichrist of which there was great variety of opinions amongst Protestant Divines touching the same unfit to be decided by the Kings Letters-Patents Therefore
Throne whereon he was shortly to receive a Crown even the most glorious Crown of MARTYRDOME After which he stiles him A glorious Martyr his blood Innocent blood yea thou extols his Innocency and Canonizeth him for a Saint in a Poeticall Elegie especially in these ensuing lines Through the hand Of base detraction practise to defame Thy spotlesse Virtues yet impartiall fame Shall do thee all just honour and set forth To all succeeding times thy matchlesse worth No Annalls shall be writ but what relate Thy happy influence both on Church and State Thy zeal to publike Order thy great parts For all affairs of weight thy love to Arts And to our shame and his great glory tell For whose dear sake by whose vile hands he fell A death so full of Merits of such price To God and man so sweet a sacrifice As by good Church-Law may his name prefer To a fixt Rubrick in the Calender And let this silence the pure Sects complaint If they make Martyrs we may make a SAINT c. And not onely these Anonymous Pamphleters but King Charles himself who not long before had given him an ample Pardon as a Traytor under his great Seal of England forgetting what he had done herein doth in his own Letter to the Queen dated Jan. 14. 1644. cry up this headlesse Arch-bishop for a Martyr yea deems his blood so meritorious so Innocent that being totally the Parliaments he beleeves it no presumption hereafter to hope that Gods hand of Justice for the Parliaments just effusion of his blood must be thence-forth heavier upon them and lighter upon him and his Anti-parliamentary Partie looking now upon their cause having passed by their faults If his blood so lately shed by the axe of Justice be already become so meritorious as to ballance the scales of Gods Justice in this manner we may justly fear it will in few years more grow into as great esteem at Court as Thomas of Beckets his Trayterly predecessors blood did in former times among the Prelatical Popish party who attributed more efficacy to it then to Christs and therfore presumed most blasphemously to pray to Christ himselfe to save them by his own but this Arch-Traytors blood in this distick Tu per Thomae Sanguinem quem prote impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit But as the manifold glorious Victories miraculous Successes of the Parliaments Forces since his Execution have experimentally frustrated this his Majesties groundlesse Hope and Presumption that Gods hand of Iustice would be heavier upon the Parliaments Party but lighter upon him and his by reason of his crying blood it being never lifted up so extraordinarily so visibly for the Parliament before nor falling so heavily upon the King and his Partizans as since his beheading and the Kings overconfident relying on the Merits of the Blood of such a Traytot for successe in his warrs against the Parliament So I presume the setting forth of this History of his Tryall will soon Un-Martyr Un-Saint Uncrown this Arch-Imposter by presenting him in his Proper Colours stript of all Disguises and render him so desperately criminall so transcendently Trayterous in all respects especially in point of undermining the Protestant Religion wherein himself and his Parasites have endeavoured most of all to vindicate his Innocency that all Generations will unaminously pronounce him the Archest Enemy to the most active universall Underminer of the Protestant Religion established among us that ever breathed in English ayre and readily acknowledge that no Ecclesiasticall Annalls ever recorded his Paralell for multiplicity of desperate cunning Jesuiticall Stratagems secretly to subvert that Orthodox Reformed Religion which himselfe pretended to professe nay propagate and patronize It is far below the Magnanimity of my Spirit in the least measure maliciously to blast the Fame or revengefully to triumph over to trample upon the Ashes of a Vanquished Enemy whom I never dreaded or slandered all his life forgave and pittied both before and at his death the Memory of whose Capital crimes should have expired with his breath and been eternally buried in oblivion with his Corps by me had not Your Honors superiour Commânds necessitated me to revive record them to Posterity since his death as well as to give them in evidence at his Tryall for Vindication of Your untainted Justice and the Common Good to deter all others in future Ages from the like Trayterous Practises If any therefore deem my Expressions concerning him or his actions over-lavish malicious or revengefull let them impartially compare them with his Criminall Offences here recorded which they hardly equalize or fall far short of and then if they warrant not the harshest Epithites the blackest Characters here bestowed on him let me eternally bear the blame and shame but if they be scarce proportionate to his Treasons his grand Misdemeanors which must be blazoned and set forth in language suitable to their transcendent Hainousnesse not minced not extenuated by over-diminutive expressions I hope none will or can be so injurious as to charge me with Calumny much lesse Scurrility or Revenge who never yet particularly demanded received the least farthing Recompence from him or any of his for all the barbarous Cruelties Oppressions Imprisonments great Losses Dammages I sustained eight years space together onely for discovering opposing countermining to the utmost of my skill and power all Popish Plots Innovations Proceedings of this Arch-Prelate and his confederates to undermine our Religion re-establish Popery among us by degrees and set up an arbitrary Papall power the better to effect the same the onely reall cause of all my former sufferings Yet three things there are I foresee may possibly be objected against me by his complices which need some Answer to prevent their causelesse Calumnies The first is That in this History of his Tryall I have at large inserted some particular papers passages especially in the Catalogue of the Arminian Popish Errours vented in and of the clauses against them purged out of late new Printed Books which were not actually or at least fully read at the Lords Bar Therefore I am guilty of partiality and unfaithfulnesse in relating the Evidence given in against him at the Bar by these additions to it To which I answer First that all the Evidence Passages here at large recited with many more were prepared and ready by me at the Bar yea the effect of every Paper passage here recorded was in generall terms opened pressed at the tryall though not all fully read and particularly urged for want of time which I have here more largely inserted for clearing the truth and satisfying the Reader the most materiall passages being onely read at large the rest of like nature but briefly referred to in generall to avoyd prolixity and husband time Secondly that I have largely recorded none of these Passages here by way of New Additionall Evidence requiring answer but onely for illustration or corroboration of the old fully given
of that Court caused Execution upon the satd Judgment to be stayed and being moved therein and made acquainted with the bad life and conversation of the said Person he said that he had spoken to the Judges for him and that he would never suffer a Iudgment to passe against any Clergy-man by nihil dicit 5. That the said Archbishop about eight yeares last past being then also a privy Councellor to his Majesty for the end and purpose aforesaid caused Sir Iohn Corbet of Stoak in the County of Salop Baronet then a Iustice of peace of the said County to be committed to the Prison of the Fleet where he continued Prisoner for the space of halfe a yeare or more for no other cause but for calling for the Petition of Right causing it to be read at the Sessions of the peace for that County upon a just and necessary occasion And during the time of his said imprisonment the said Archbishop without any colour of right by a writing under the Seale of his Archbishopricke granted a way parcell of the Glebe land of the Church of Adderly in the said County whereof the said Sir Iohn Corbet was then patron unto Robert Vscount Kilmurrey without the consent of the said Sir Iohn or then the incumbent of the said Church which said Viscount Kilmurrey built a Chappel upon the said parcell of Glebe land to the great prejudice of the said Sir Iohn Corbet which hath caused great suits and dissentions betweene them And whereas the said Sir Iohn Corbet had a judgment against Sir Iames Stonehouse Knight in an action of Waste in his Majesties Court of Common Pleas at Westminster which was afterwards affirmed in a writ of Error in the Kings Bench and Execution thereupon awarded yet the said Sir Iohn by meanes of the said Archbishop could not have the effect thereof but was committed to Prison by the said Archbishop and others at the Councell Table untill he had submitted himselfe unto the order of the said Table whereby he lost the benefit of the said Judgment and Execution 6. That whereas divers gifts and dispositions of divers summes of money were heretofore made by divers charitable and well disposed persons for the buying in of divers Impropriations for the maintenance of preaching the word of God in severall Churches the said Archbishop about eight yeares last past wilfully and maliciously caused the said gifts feoffements and conveyances made to the uses aforefaid to be overthrowne in his Majesties Court of Exchequer contrary to Law as things dangerous to the Church and State under the specious pretence of buying in Appropriations whereby that pious worke was suppressed and trodden downe to the great dishonour of God and scandall of Religion 7. That the said Archbishop at severall times within these ten yeares last past at Westminster and else where within this Realme contrary to the knowne Lawes of this Land hath endeavoured to advance Popery and Superstition within the Realme And for that end and purpose hath wittingly and willingly received harboured and relieved divers popish Priests and Iesuits namely one called Sancta Clara alias Damport a dangerous Person and Franciscan Fryer who having written a Popish and seditious Booke intituled Deus natura gratia wherein the thirty nine Articles of the Church of England established by Act of Parliament were much traduced and scandalized The said Archbishop had divers conferences with him while he was in writing the said Booke and did also provide maintenance and entertainment for one Mounsieur St. Giles a Popish Priest at Oxford knowing him to be a Popish Priest 8. That the said Archbishop about foure yeares last past ut Westminster aforesaid said that there must be a blow given to the Church such as hath not beene yet given before it could be brought to conformity declaring thereby his intention to bee to shake and alter the true Protestant Religion established in the Church of England 9. That in or about the month of May 1641. presently after the dissolution of the last Parliament the said Archbishop for the ends and purposes aforesaid caused a Synod or Convocation of the Clergie to be held for the severall Provinces of Canterbury and Yorke wherein were made and established by his meanes and procurement diverse Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall contrary to the Lawes of this Realme the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty and propriety of the Subject tending also to seditior and of dangerous consequence And amongst other things the said Archbishop caused a most dangerous and illegall Oath to be therein made and contrived the tenor whereof followeth in these words That I A. B. doe sweare that I do approve the Doctrine and Discipline or Government established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to salvation And that I will not endeavour by my selfe or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish Doctrine contrary to that which is so established Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Archbishops Bishops Deanes and Arch-Deacons c. as it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand Nor yet ever to subject it to the usurpations and superstitions of the Sea of Rome And all these things I doe plainly and sincerely acknowledge and sweare according to the plaine and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mentall evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And this I do heartily willing and truely upon the saith of a Christian So helpe mee God in Jesus Christ Which Oath the said Archbishop himselfe did take and caused diverse other Ministers of the Church to take the same upon paine of suspension and deprivation of their livings and other severe penalties And did also cause Godfrey then Bishop of Gloucester to be committed to prison for refusing to subscribe to the said Canons and to take the said Oath and afterward the said Bishop submitting himselfe to take the said Oath he was set at liberty 10. That a little before the calling of the last Parliament Anro 1640. a Vote being then passed and a resolution taken at the Councell Table by the advice of the said Archbishop for assisting of the King in extraordinary wayes if the said Parliament should prove peevish and refuse to supply His Majestie the said Archbishop wickedly and malitiously advised His Majestie to dissolve the said Parliament and accordingly the same was dissolved And presently after the said Archbishop told his Majesty that now he was absolved from all rules of Government and left free to use extraordinary wayes for his supply For all which matters and things the said Commons assembled in Parliament in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England doe impeach the said Archbishop of Canterbury of high Treason and other crimes and misdemeanours tending to the subversion of our Religion Lawes and Liberties and to the utter ruine of this Church and Common-Wealth And
to tell him what harme this example might doe and how much hereby the secret Papists would be stirred up to rejoyce hoping for that which they have long looked for now to be neere at hand Was there no man had any sparke of Elias spirit to speake a word in Gods behalfe O lamenrable times in which we live that these things are swallowed downe by your Preachers in silence I forbeare to say much till I bee certified from you the truth of all matters I hope it is not so for I cannot thinke your Prebends would be so fainte hearted having also the Law of the Land on their side that it ought not to stand there where the Altar stood as to shrink at the first wetting without any pressing Speedily send me word I pray you and so with my hearty commendations I end Your loving Friend Iohn White Winchcombe 12th of Feb. 1616. A Copy of this Letter which this Archbishop stiled a Lible was soone after found in the Pulpit of Saint Michaels Church and sent up to the Deanes own hands who made much stir at Gloucester and the Court about it as appeares by these three Letters sound in his Study by Master Prynne and endorsed with his owne hand The first is a Letter sent by two of the Prehends to the Now Archbishop when he was Deane of Glocester upon this occasion Right Worshipfull OUr dutifull love remembred Wee have heard somewhat within these two or three dayes and this day more certainly of a certaine Libell or scandalous writing found in the Pulpit of Saint Michaells within the Citie of Gloucester upon the 14th of this instant Februarie about seaven of the Clocke in the morning when the Parish Clarke there did lay the Pulpit Cloth for Master Prior who was then to preach this scandalous writing was taken up by John Wells Curate there and by Thomas Smith the Clarke and by them read and by their meanes divulged so that all in the Citie well neare doe new speake of it The effect of the writing was as we learne a dislike for the Removing of the Communion Table within our Cathedrall Church affirming untruly that it tended to the animating of the Papists that it savoured of superstition that it was translated from a Communion Table to an High Altar and that Worship and obeysance were made unto it The Libeller marveileth that it is suffered as now it standeth and that there is not one Elias amongst us to reforme it Master John Jones one of our Aldermen and Justice of Peace hath examined some of them and they answer that they are advised by their Counsell not to confesse the effect of that Libell if they give not this day a better answer hee saith his purpose is to binds them ever to answer before the Judges at the next Assizes Master Jones his opinion is that it is very fit that there bee a Commission speedily procured from His Majesties High Commissioners for the examining of this matter and directed to some of the Clergie here and to sence Justies of Peace here provided alwayes that there be none such in that Commission of what degree or dignitie so ever they be that favour that schismaticall faction of the Puritans But now we learne that this Libell was presently delivered by the Curate or Clark unto our now Master Sub-Deane and therefore we assure our selves you are enformed of it by him and Master Robinson 5. or 6. dayes before this day If there be not a speedy course taken for the supressing of this their malicious and scandalous dealing it will in short time breed no small inconvenience within this plâ—â—â— c. Assuredly these zealous people are our Precisians the number whereof is great in this place Thus being bold to manifest unto you our love and dutie as we take it in this behalfe We humbly take our leave with our prayers unto God for Your health and welfare and rest Your Worships assuredly at Command Henry Aisgill Elias Wrench Gloucester Febr 21. 1616. The second is a Letter writ by him on this occasion to the Bishop of Glocester to this effect My Lord MY love and service remembered unto your Lordship when I came to doe my duty to his Majesty at Christmas it seemed by the speech he uttered to me that some body had done the poore Church of Glocester no very good office For his Majesty was graciously pleased to tell me He was informed that there was scarce ever a Church in England so ill govern'd and so much out of order And withall required me in generall to reforme and set in order what I there found amisse Hereupon at my being at Glocester I acquainted the Chapter with that which his Majesty had said to me and required at my hands And tooke as good order as in so short a space I could both for repaire of some parts of the edifice of the Church and for redresse of other things amisse Among the rest not rashly and of my selfe but by a Chapter Act I removed the Communion Table from the middle of the Quier to the upper end the place appointed to it both by the Injunctions of this Church and by the practise of all the Kings Majesties Chappell 's and all other Cathedrall Churches in the Kingdome which I have seene This Act since my comming thence as I am by letters informed is very much traduced by some in the City and a libell against it layd in the Pulpit of St. Michaells where Master Subdeane preaches to the great scandall of the Church and the Lawes established Good my Lord let me desire this favour in enquity at your Lordships hands that these things may be ordered and that your Lordship will joyne to reforme such tongues and penns as know not how to submit to any Law but their owne I must upon this of force have his gracious Majesty acquainted both with the thing it selfe and the entertainment which it hath found among turbulent Spirits And I presume his Majesty will be well pleased to heare that your Lordship as in other things so in this is carefull to preserve order and peace after it in the Church Thus not doubting but your Lordship will be carefull to rectifie what is amisse I for this time being full of my businesse for Scotland humbly take my leave and shall ever rest Your Lordships in all love and service WILLIAM LAVD Saint Iohns Feb. 27. 1616. The third was a letter writ by him to the Bishop of Lincolne Dr. Neale his great Patron then at Court MY humble duty and service remembered unto your Lordship c. When I was at London at Christmas to doe my duty unto his Majesty he was pleased very graciously to tell me that the Church of Glocester as his Majesty had been informed was more or as much out of order as any Church in England and to require me to order such things as I there found amisse upon this admonition of his gratious Majesty
to me when I came to Glocester I passed with the consent of the Chapter two Acts One for the repaire of the Edifice of the Church which is extreamely decayed in the fairest places The other for the remove of the Communion Table which stood almost in the midest of the Quier and I with the generall consent of all the Prebends present after the Act made removed it and plac'd it as it stands in his Majesties Chappell 's and all well ordered Cathedrall Churches and thus much I signified to your Lordship from Gloucester since which time there hath beene a letter or Lybell found in a Pulpit of one of the Churches in the City against both me and that Act in which the Author as yet not knowne wonders that the Prebends would not resist me and complaines that there was in none of them the spirit of Elias c. To prevent further stir in the City some thinke it very fit that the High Commission would take some speedy order about it to send a Commission downe or otherwise as they in their wisedome thinke fit The Circumstances because they are many I will omit and instead of them I have herein sent your Lorship a Copy of the Libelling letter as it was sent to me and a Coppy of a letter sent to me subscribed by two of the Prebends and a Coppy of so much of a letter as concernes this businesse sent by Master Pryor now Sub-Deane that so your Lordship may see the whole sum of the busines Vpon the receipt of these letters I writ unto my Lord of Gloucester but what course for redresse of these things his Lordship will take I knowe not I beseech your Lordship let me have your lawfull assistance that so long as I do nothing but that which is established and practis'd in our Church I may not be brought in contempt at my first entrace upon that place by any turbulent spirits and so disinabl'd to do that good service which I owe to the Church of God And if it stand with your Lordships liking I will humbly desire that his gracious Majesty might know what successes I have in beginning to reforme what J found most ancisse in that place In the close of our Sub-Deanes letter your Lordship shall see a strange Monster lately home in that City of Glocester I pray God the Puritanes which swarme in those parts doe not say it was one of Gods judgments for turning the Communion Table into an Altar I would have waited upon your Lordship for all my businesse and have brought these papers my selfe but that I am unable at this time by sicknesse to come out of my Chamber Therefore I take my leave and shall ever rest Your Lordships in all love and duty WILLIAM LAVD St. Johns Colledge upon March 3. 1616. So soone did this Prelate begin to introduce these Popish Innovations into our Cathedralls only at first against Law to the great scandall of well affected Protestants and encouragment of Papists In the Yeares 1626 and 1627. Master Iohn Cosens a great acquaintance and Camrade of this Archbishops set up a goodly stone Altar rayled in Altarwise adorned with Pictures Candlesticks Tapers Basons Altarcloths having superstitious Images upon them instead of a Communion Table bowed constantly to it repaiting and erecting diverse unlawfull Images some of Christ Himselfe in that Cathedrall where the likewise introduced Copes and Chalices having Crucifixes and Pictures of the HOLY GHOST upon them together with many other Popish trinkets setting up a multitude of Candles Tapers in that Church on Candlemasseday after the Popish manner Against which Innovations Master Peter Smart the ancientest Prebend of that Church preaching openly in the Cathedrall and then complaining in Parliament Anno 1628. after the dissolution of that Parliament by this Arch-Innovators means as appeares by sundry Letters concerning this businesse between Dr. Coseus and him found in the Archbishops Study he was successively brought into the High Commission Courts both a Durham Lambeth and Luke for vexation and at last there most unjustly deprived of all his Ecclesiasticall livings fined imprisoned diverse yeares and his livings conferred upon others by this Arch-Prelates meanes as his owne Letters manifest All which particulars having beene lately heard proved by sundry depositions before the Commons and Lords and published in Print to the World by Master Smart himselfe in his Catalogue of Superstitious Innovations brought into Durham Cathedrall London 1642. and in his Cantus Epithalamicus were onely mentioned not insisted on by the Commons as were his severall Innovations in the Cathedrall of Pauls whiles he was Bishop of London as notoriously visible to most as his very repairing of Pauls at other mens costs These Innovations in these 3. Cathedralls were introduced somented by him before his advancement to the Archi-Episcopal Sea of Canterbury after which hee became more bold and violent enforcing them by new Injunctions Statutes Oathes upon all or most Cathedralls of which the ensuing Instances were produced insteed of many more No sooner was this active Prelate promoted to the Archbishop ricke of Canterburie but presently he began to pollute the Cathedrall of Canterbury with his popish Innovations First hee caused an Altar to be there erected by the Deane and Chapter and much monies to bee expended by them upon Basons Candlesticks Altar-Cloaths and other furniture to adorne it as appeares by a Letter written to him from the Deane and Chapter of Canterbury found in his study by Master Prynne under their hand and Seale dated the 4. Iuly 1634. wherein among other things they write thus 5ly We have obeyed Your Graces directions in pulling down the exorbitant States within our Quire whereby the Church is very much beautified Lastly wee most humbly beseech Your Grace to take notice that many and most necessary have beene the occasions of extraordinary expences this Yeare FOR ORNAMENTS OF THE ALTAR c. Your Graces most humble SERVANTS Isaue Bargrave Iohn Warner Thomas Iackson Thomas Paske Merie Casâ—uâ—on Iohn Iefferay Humfrey Peake Thomas Blechonden Christ-Church Canterb 8 Iuly 1634. After this new Altar was thus erected and furnished some of the Prebends and other Officers belonging to this Church had private instructions given them to how unto it but this not sufficing that this Ceremony might bee there perpetually observed under paine of Perjury in the Yeare 1634 the Archbishop compiled New Statutes for the Government of that Cathedrall which were sent thither under the Great Seale with his owne hand subscribed to every leafe wherein there was this Statute among others which the Prebends Chapter and Officers there were bound by Oath to observe that they should SUMMA REVERENTIA ADORARE DEUM VERSVS ALTARE as was manifest by the Statutes themselves and attested upon Oath by Doctor Thomas Blechenden one of the Prebends there at the Lords Barre who confessed hee was sworne to observe all the statutes of that Cathedrall and this among the rest
and the Silver extrasted put into the Treasurie of the Church 14. The Kings Schollers being 40. usually coming tumultuously into the Chore ordered to come in bimatim and to doe reverence towards the Altar Moreover the Archbishop in his Injunctions to the Dean Chapter of the Cathedrall Church of Chicester made in his Metropoliticall Visitation there An. 1635. orders thus in his 6. Injunction Item That you provide Copes fitting for the service of your Cathedrall by one a year untill you be sufficiently furnished with them as was proved by the Injunctions found in his own Study attested by Mr. Prynne an Altar with all its furniture and adorations towards it being there likewise provided and used The like Innovations were introduced and prescribed by his Injunctions and new statutes in all or most Cathedralls in England and Wales to the great rejoycing of the Popish Party and scandall of all true zealous Protestants and any default in them was reputed a crime presentable as appeared by this Passage of an Abstract of the Abuses in the Diocesse of Lincolne 1634. in my Metropoliticall visitation endorsed with the Archbishops hand and found in his study Lincolne August 9. 1634. The Communion Table is not very decent and the Raile before it is worse the Organs old and naught The Copes and Vestments are embeselled and none remaine c. And in another Abstract concerning his Metropoliticall Visitation in other Diocesses particulars concerning the same indorsed likewise with his own hand there are these passages Norwich the hangings of the Quire are naught the Copes are fair but want mending In the Cathedrall as Worcester they have no Copes but are ordered to buy some before the feast of the Annuntiation In the Cathedrall at Gloucester many things amisse No Copes c. in Winchester Cathedrall they have no Copes some do not bow when they come into the Quire nor at the blessed name of Iesus Litchfield the furniture of the Altar c. very meane Therefore care must be taken for more costly furniture Whence this Archbishop took his Commission and president for adorning our Cathedrall and Collegeat Churches thus above others with these Romish Ornaments superstitious Innovations which in truth defiled them is worthy our speciall observation it being in taken from the very Roman Ceremoniall set forth reformed by the Command of Pope Clement the 8. lib. 1. cap. 12. De ornatu Ecclesiae p. 64. which prescribes thus Sic MAJOR ETIAM â—VRA adhibenda erit IN ORNATV ECCLESIAE CATHEDRALJS AVT COLLEGJATAE quae numerosum clerum habeat supellectilem amplam que congrué situata suis partibus apté distincta COMMODJOREM ORNANDI PRAEâ—EAT FACVLTATEM after which it prescribes Altars Altar-clothes Candlestickes Tapers Crucifixes Jmages Copes Rich hangings for the Altar and Quire with Jmages of Christ our Lady and Saints bowing to the Altar and Crucifix and that all Altars should have at least two Candlestickes with Tapers and a Crosse of Silver or of some other mettall placed on the midst of the Altar with the Image of Christ crucified on it as you may there read at large This Arch Prelate not content to propagate these Innovations in England like an Vniversall Patriarch over all his Majesties Realms endeavoured the introducing of them with an high hand into all the Cathedralls Churches and Chappell 's in Ireland by the then Lord Deputy Wentworthes power his great Creature of which we shall give you this briefe accompt Dr. Bramhall Chaplaine to this Lord Deputy by his Command August 10. 1633. sent over an Account of the state of the Church of Jreland to this Prelate as he found it and what Alterations hee had already made in it seized in the Archbishops study by Mr. Prynne wherein are these observable clauses RIght Reverend Father My most honoured Lord presuming partly upon your licence but especially directed by my Lord Deputies commandes I am to give your Father-hood a briefe account of the present state of the poore Church of Ireland such as our short Intelligence here and your Lordship weightier imployments there will permit c. In Christ Church the principall Church in Ireland withor the Lord Deputy and Councell repaire every Sunday the Table used for administration of the blessed Sacrament in the MIDST OF THE QVIRE is made an ordinary seat for Maidons and Apprentices J cannot omitte the glorious Tombe in the other Cathedrall Church of saint Patrike in the proper place of the Altar just opposite to his Majesties seat having his Fathers name subscribed upon it as if it were contrived on purpose to gaine that worship and reverence which the Chapter and whole Church are bound by speciall statute to give towards the East and either the soyle it selfe or a Licence to build and bury and make a Vault in the place of the Altar under Sealetant which is tantamount is passed to the Earle and his heires Credimus esse Deos. This being the case in Dublin your Lordship will Judge what we may expect in the Country The Earle of Corke holdes the whole Bishopricke of Lismore at the Rate of fortie shillings or five markes by the yeare For the remedying of these evills next to God and his sacred Majesty I know my Lord depends upon your Fatherhoods wisedom and zeale for the Church my duty binds me to pray for a blessing upon both your good endeavours for the present my Lord hath pulled down the Deputies seat in his owne Chapell and restored the Altar 〈◊〉 ancient place which was thrust out of dores the like is done in Christs Church This testimony I must give of his care that it is not possible for the intentions of a mortall man to be more serious and sincere then his in those things that concerne the good of this poore Church Your Lordships daily â—â—â—dsman and devoted servant Iohn Bramhall Dublin Castle Aug. 10. 1643. Vpon this Information the Archbishop signifyed his dislike of erecting this Monument by the Earle of Corke in the place where the High Altar as was misinformed anciently stood and gave some directions for removing it Whereupon the Earle of Corks and Archbishop of Dublin writ these ensuing Letters to satisfie his Grace in this particular which were seconded with other Letters from Archbishop Vsher and the Deane and Prebends of Saint Patrickes Church to like effect over-tedious to recite My Gracious Lord. I Vnderstand that upon suggestions made unto your Grace you conceive that a Tombe which I have lately caused to be erected in Saint Patrickes Church neere Dublin is prejuditiall to the lights of the Chancell and seated in the place where the High Altar stood And as I have alwayes by my best desires and actions endeavored to invest my selfe in your Graces good opinion and have not willingly done any act that might prejudice me therein So in this particular I make humbly bold to deliver my justification to your Grace as followeth which I
skrine the Decalogue shal befairely painted and the Communion Table shall bee placed close to the same more decently then it hath beene which being performed the Quire will be much beautified and the celebration of divine service for sight and audience better accommodated then heretofore That Quire to omit the example of Christ-Church the other Cathedrall Church in this Citie and of Saint Paule in London if I bee not mistaken representing in a lesser modell the patterne of Westminster Abbey where there is a skrine enclosing some monuments and a way on each hand to the Chappell adjoying Your Grace may bee pleased also to understand that the Earle obtained Licence to erect his Monument in that place by the unanimous consent of the Deane and Chapter of that Church and that they are Honourable personages whose memory is preserved in that monument the one being Lord Iustice and Lord Chancellour of this Kingdome the other principall Secretary of State both Ancestors to his most pious and Vertuous Lady lately deceased And finally Your Grace is intreated to take Your consideration the meritts of this Noble Earle his zeale for the advancement of true Religion declared by his suppressing forreign jurisdictions and presumptions by building of Churches in severall places and erecting Schoole-houses and Almeshouses at his owne charge besides his publike workes for the common-Wealth raising structures of great strength and expence in places of importance and planting of English Colonyes to the great security and settlement of Peace and civility within those parts all which considered hee may be justly deemed worthy of Honourable memory in the Church Thus much by opening the truth I have written at the Earles request who is exceeding desirous to purge himselfe to Your Grace from giving any scandall to the Church whereupon he hopeth to gaine Your Graces approbation of his blamelesse carriage which I also humbly beseech on his behalfe ever remaining To doe Your Grace Service La Dubline Talloch 17. Feb 1633. To which Letter of the Archbishop of Dublin this Arch-Prelate returned this waspish insolent answer writ with Master Dells but endorsed with his owne hand found in his Study with the former Originalls in the very beginning whereof you may discerne his most palpable dissimulation and falshood S. in Christo My very good Lord IT is most true that I have taken offence at a Tombe erected by the Earle of Corke in the Cathedrall of Saint Patrick but I did not take that Offence lately onely but before ever my Lord Deputy that now is was named to the place And I took that offence by a complaint thence sent unto me for I was never there though I cannot recall who it was that complaind And I am sure the complaint came then unto mee with a full cry that it was built in the place where the High-Altar first stood and the Communion Table afterwards Your Lordship at the Earles entreaty hath signified to me your knowledge for so you say that the Tombe stands in a great Arch at the end of the Quire which was plaistered up to keepe out the Winde and that the High Altar stood at the end of the Lady Maries Chappell which is beyond it and that the East Window is at the top of the Arch and not darkened My Lord it will be hard for mee to speake any thing contrary to Your Lordship who hath beene so often upon that place where I never was yet I shall deale freely and tell Your Lordship what I thinke And first my Lord I am satisfied that the Tombe darkens none of the East-Window But I am no way satisfied that the Altar stood at the upper end of the Lady Maries Chappell That an Altar stood there I easily grant for in those times there were diverse Altars in one Cathedrall and every by Chappell had one at least But that the High-Altar did ever stand in any Cathedrall in other place then the East end of the Quire is quite out of my knowledge nor did I ever heare it till now by Your Lordships Letters That the place before the Arch was an earthen Floore and often troubled with a fresh I doe againe really believe Your Lordship And the Earle hath done very well to raise it and pave it with stone But that the swelling of the Tombe The Iron Grate before it The taking in of some ancient Monuments on either side The erecting of a Skrine before which you say the Communion Table should stand would take off little or no Roome from the Quire that I must confesse I doe not very well understand Your Lordship addes that when the Skrine is built and the Communion Table placed before it it will much beautifie the Quire and be like other Cathedralls To that I can say nothing but must leave it to their eye-sight and judgement that are upon the place And whereas Your Lordship sayes that my Lord had leave of the Deane and Chapter with their unanimous consent to erect a Monument in that place if the place be fit for a Monument the consent was very well askt and given But if it appeare the place were inconvenient then my Lord of Corke did not very well to aske a consent and the Deane and Chapter did very ill to grant it and the more unanimous the consent was the worse And whereas you write that there are other Honourable Personages whose memory is preserved in that Monument to that I say if the Monument stand where it ought God forbid it should be toucht If it stand where it ought not it may be fairely and decently removed and set up in some convenient place upon the side of the Quire or elsewhere where it will as well preserve the memory of those Honourable Personages which you mention as now it doth And God forbid any violence should be offered to that in any kinde And last of all whereas Your Lordship desires I should take into consideration the merits of that Noble Earle I am very willing to doe that And first I am very glad to heare from Your Lordship his zeale for the advancement of true Religion but I may not conceale from Your Lordship that I have likewise heard from others and that some yeares since that hee hath gotten into his hands no small proportion of the Churches meanes And if that be so any man may see his end in advancing true Religion But such a Zeale that poore Church hath little need of and God blesse every part of the Church from it As for his Lordships building of Churches Schooles and Hospitalls I know nothing of that and can say as little to it Only this I can say that if he take from the Church in one place to build Church Schoole or Hospitall in another t is no zeale nor the way which Christian bounty uses to tread And if his Lordship hath done any Publike worke for strength and fortification to the Kingdom I pray God that bee not done with the Churches
His Majesty sitting in Councell the question and difference which grew about the removing of the Communion Table in St. Gregories Church neere the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end and there placed Altar-wise in such manner as it standeth in the said Cathedrall and Mother Church as also in all other Cathedralls and in His Majesties own Chappell and as it is consonant to the practise of approved Antiquity which removall and placing of it in that sort was done by order from the Deane and Chapter of St. Pauls who are Ordinaries thereof as was avowed before His Majesty by Doctor King and Doctor Montfort two of the Prebends there yet some few of the Parishioners being but five in number did complaine of this Act by Appeale to the Court of Arches pretending that the Booke of Common Prayer and the 82 Canon do give permission to place the Communion Table where it may stand with most fitnesse and couveniencie Now His Majesty having heard a particular Relation made by the Counsell of both parties of all the carriage and proceedings in this Cause was pleased to declare His dislike of all Innovation and receding from ancient Constitutions grounded upon just and warrantable Reasons especially in matters concerning Ecclesiasticall order and Government knowing how easily men are drawne to affect Novelties and how soone weake judgments in such cases may be overtaken and abused And He was also pleased to observe that if these few Parishioners might have their wills the difference thereby from the foresaid Cathedrall Mother Church by which all other Churches depending thereon ought to be guided would be the more notorious and give more subject of Discourse and Disputes that might be spared by reason of S. Gregories standing close to the wall thereof And likewise for so much as concerns the liberty given by the sayd Communion Book or Canon for placing the Communion Table in any Church or Chappell with most conveniency that liberty is not so to be understood as if it were ever left to the discretion of the Parish much lesse to the particular phansie of any humorous Person but to the Iudgment of the Ordinary to whose place and function it doth properly belong to give direction in that point both for the thing it selfe and for the time when and how long as he may finde cause Vpon which consideration his Majesty deciared himselfe That he well approved and confirmed the Act of the said Ordinary and also gave Command that if those few Perishioners before mentioned doe proceed in their said Appeale then the Deane of the Arches who was then attending at the hearing of the cause shall confirme the said Order of the aforesaid Deane and Chapter This Order being thus obtained and afterwards published in Print by Doctor Heylyn in his Coale from the Altar and Antidotum Lincolniense the designe of removing rayling in and turning Communion Tables into Altars in Parcohiall Churches Chappell 's was much promoted by coulor of it of the reason of conformity to Cathedrall Mother Churches expressed in it And to hasten this worke the more to which the people and Church-wardens in many places were very averse the Archbishop being to keep a Metropoliticall Visitation in all Diocesses and places exempt and not exempt with in the Province of Canterbury by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall others his Commissioners though he made no mention in his printed Visitation Articles of removing and rayling in Communion Tables Altar wise to avoyd the peoples clamours against him yet hee writ a private Letter to Sir Nathaniell Brent after his departure hence to enjoyne him to remove and raile in the Communion Tables in all Parish Churches and gave him order to see it executed With which practise the Archbishop being charged at the Lords Barre by Serjeant Wilde who mannaged this part of the evidence he peremptorily denied it and protested solemnly before the Lords that he never gave Sir Nathaniell Brent any such order or directions by letter or otherwise and that he could prove by sufficient testimonies Sir Nathaniell had openly acknowledged that this Alteration was made by Sir Nath. himselfe of his own head without any order from him adding that he cold not be so unworthy as to deny it Wherupon he desired Sir Nath. might be called to testify the truth upon his Oath who appearing at the Lords Bar for this purpose the Archbishop demanded of him whether ever hee gave him any command or direction by word or writing in his Metropoliticall Visitation to remove or raile in Communion Tables at the East end of the Chauncell telling him hee was now upon his Oath and wishing him to speake nothing but the truth herein whereunto Sir Nathaniell answered My Lords upon the Oath I have taken I received an expresse direction command from the Archbishop himselfe to do what ever I did in this or any other kind else I durst not have don it To which the Archbishop confidently replyed My Lords I protest I never gave him any such command or directions I wonder Sir Nathaniell dares be so bold unworthy as to affirm it here upon Oath since I can prove he hath formerly denied it To which Sir Nathaniell replyed My Lords since the Archbishop so confidently denies that he ever gave me any such command and directions I shall humbly desire that this Letter of his sent unto me when I was visiting at Maidstonin Kent signed with his own hand may be read which will end the controversie and manifest by whose Authority and command I did it whereupon a Letter under the Arch Bishops owne hand directed to Sir Nathaniell was delivered to the Clarke and openly read to the Arch-Bishops great shame and disparagment of all his Protestations which after this some other passages wherein he was taken tripping in like manner were reputed meere vaporing impostures to delude the vulgar voyd of truth and credit The Letter was to this effect Sir I require you to command the Communion Table at Maidston to be placed at the East or upper end of the Chauncell and there railed in and that the Communicants there shall come up to the Raile to receive the blessed Sacrament and the like you are required to doe in all Churches in all other placse where you are to visit Metropolitically c. W. Cant. This letter being read much daunted discredited the Arch-Bishop in the opinion of all the Auditors he having nothing to reply but that he had forgotten he writ him any such letter Vpon the receipt whereof Sir Nathaniell Brent confessed he did give order throughout his Metropoliticall Visitation that all the Communion Tables should be removed and railed in at the upper end of the Chauncell in all Parish Churches and all seates above the Table or equall with it in any Chancell pulled downe and that the Communicants should goe up to the Raile and there receive the Sacrament kneeling which he
pressed as spatingly as he might it being against his owne judgment and thereupon obedience was yeelded in most places and such as refused to Raile in their Tables were questioned and proceeded against by others but as for himselfe he never troubled any for it That the Archbishop himselfe gave both command and approbation for these Innovations was proved by this ensuing Petition to which an Answer was underwriten by Master Dell subscribed with the Archbishops owne hand found among Sir Iohn Lambes sequested Papers by Master Prynne To the right Reverend Father in God William Lord Archbishop of Cant. his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitan The Petition of Philip Davies Clerke Hunry Demery and Abrah am Cobb Churchwardens of the Parish Church of Hill alias Hull in the Dioces of Glocester Humbly sheweth THat your Petitioners in obedience to your Graces special directions in your Graces Metropolitan Visitation did take care and order for the raysing of the Chancell and Rayling in the High Altar or Communion Table in the said Church for the doing of which with the necessary beautifying of the said Church there were divers rates made by the Churchwardens for the time being and major part of the Inhabitants of that Church for to defray the Charge thereof In which assesements one Henry Heathfield who was and is commonly reputed and taken to be of that Parish was rated after the usuall manner as he and his Predecessors had alwayes beene his divers rates amounting to 28. shillings six pence To avoyd the payment of which the said Henry Heathfield appealed to your Graces Court of the Arches where the cause hath depended for these eleven Monethes last past to your Petitioners great Charge and hinderance May it therefore please your Grace for the better incouragement of your Petitioners in performing your Graces Commands which we have hitherto done in preserving the decency and ornaments of the said Church as much as in us lyes to give order that the said Cause may be speedily determined and that your Petitioners may not be unnecessarily vexed and molested for endeavouring to performe what in your Graces Visitation was publikely enjoyned but so farre as truth shall appears we may shroud our selves under your Graces Protection And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. I desire Sir John Lambe in case he finde the Suggestions true to take care that this Cause may come to hearing with all convenient speed possible Febr. 9. 1637. W. CANT By answering of which Petition the Archbishop acknowledgeth that the rayling in of Communion Tables and imposing illegall Rates for the same was done by HIS GRACES SPECIALL DIRECTION in his Metropoliticall Visitation and thereupon he thus desired Sir John Lambe to expedite the hearing of the Cause yet he had so Little Grace as openly to deny it with solemne protestations The falsity whereof was further evidenced by this Copy of Injunctions given in his Metropoliticall Visitation to the Cathedrall Church of Winchester 19. July An. 1635. by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall found in his owne Study at Lambheth so as he could not be ignorant of them attested by Master Prynne the last whereof was this Deinde Dominus injuaxit Gardianis Ecclesiae parochialis sancti Mauritij infra Civitatem Wintoniae quod duo sedilia ex utraque parte Cancellorum ibidem removeantur quod nullum sedile ibidem collocatur aut erigatur Distuque Dominus ad Petitionem Willielmi Newton unius Parochianorum praefatae Ecclesiae Parochialis decrevit Mensam sacram Eucharistiae decenter circum-sepiendam viz. TO BEE RAYLED ABOVT IN DECENT MANNER citra festum Omnium Sanctorum proximè sequens Moreover A paper of Informations of divers Abuses in the City and Diocesse of London was found in the Archbishops Study attested by Master Prynne whereof this was one There are many Communion Tables in severall Churches of the City of London that are not rayled in and some of them are placed in the middle of the Church when as they may be placed more conveniently at the East end thereof At the Chappel at Highgate the Boyes use to leane on the Communion Table in the time of Divine service under which Mr. Dell the Archbishops Secretary Writ this direction to Sir Nathaniel Brent his Visiter subscribed with the Archbishops owne hand I require you that besides my other Instructions you give me an account of all particulars within named Whereupon an Account was given to him in writing accordingly thus entituled An Account of the Metropoliticall Visitation of the Diocesse of London Aano 1636. found in his Study with the foresaid Informations and indorsed thus with his owne hand 1636. March The Course of my Visitation in London Diocese Wherein are these Particular Passage touching the railing in of Communion Tables Mr. Rogers of Massing mentioned in your Graces Paper came not to me for an order for the setting up of a Raile about his Communion Table But I GAVE A GENERALL ORDER FOR IT BOTH THERE AND IN ALL OTHER PLACES WHERE I PASSED The Communion Table in the Chappell of Highgate mentioned in your Graces paper is already placed at the upper end of the Quire and a decent Raile made about it as J am informed by divers To which the Archbishop with his owne hand adds this Note in the Margin See it be don In the Parish Church of Edmonton a fair Monument is set at the upper end of the Chancell which I have ordered to be taken downe without delay and the Communion Table to be set in the place of it with a comely raile about it Yet had this Archbishop the Impudency to protest to the Lords he never gave any order to Sir Nathaniell Brent for removing or railing in Communion Tables that it was done without his Privity or direction O portet mendacem esse memorem Adde to this that in an Abstract of this Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation endorsed by himselfe and found among his papers there were these observable informations given to him by his Visitor Sir Nathaniel Brent July 16. 1635. At Lyn in the principall Church called St. Margarets the Communion Table wanted a rayle which I have ordered At Northampton no man boweth at the pronouncing of the name of Iesus in all the Churches in Shrewsbury many things were out of Order especially about the Communion Table But the Officers in every Parish Church most willingly submitted to what I ordered Mr. Speed of Saint Pancrosse in Chicester is very willing the Gallery in his Church should be pulled down which was built to receive strangers as also to remove the seates which stand even with the Altar Besides it appeares by a letter of Wil. Kingsley Arch-deacon of Cant. to this Archbishop dated Aprill 13 16 6. that he gave him order to survay all the Churches in Canterbury and to certine him what Monuments placed the Eastland Galleres were in them to the end they might be removed who gave him this account thereof in writing found
among the Archbishops Papers To the most Reverend Father in God the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury His Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitan one of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Councell My very good Lord. May it please Your Grace I Have according to Your Graces direction survayed the Churches of Your Graces Arch-Deaconry in the Citie of Canterbury In some of which I find Galleries and seates raised from the ground three or foure ascents as likewise monuments with diverse Inscriptions erected without authority at the East-end of the Chancells And in Saint Gregories Church of the same City one other Monument in which is described the Gunpowder Treason with this Motto or Inscription in Capitall letters IN PERPETVAM PAPISTARVM INFAMIAM This he held him selfe in all humility bound to acquaint Your Grace withall who is ready to execute what Your Grace shall Command for the ordering of these particulars or any other thing Your Grace shall be pleased to enjoyne him and never ceaseth to pray for Your Graces prosperitie and welfare Resting Your Graces most humble Servant VVilliam Kingsley April 13. 1636. To which Letter the Archbishop returned this answer sound in his study thus endorsed The Copy of my Letters to the Arch-Deacon of Canterbury Aprill 29. 1636. concerning the taking downe of Galleries and Monuments in some Churches of Canterbury c. S. in Christo SIR YOur Letters of Aprill 13. I have received and I thanke you for your care and paines in Visiting the Churches of your Arch-Deaconry within the City of Canterbury in which I have often heard there are some things amisse and finde by your report that the Information given me was true And because you certifie me of some things of greater moment then ordinary I thought it very fit to acquaint His Majestie with all the contents of your Letter and did so By which meanes I shall with more freedome give you the fuller answer to the three particulars mentioned by you For the first which is the raising of Galleries and Seates from the ground three or foure ascents His Majestie hath commanded mee to write unto you that they be taken down and the Seates left orderly in the Church But you are to take care to acquaint the Minister and Church-wardens with it and to see it done in a faire and peaceable manner The like Course you are to take with the second for it is no way fit that any Monument whatsoever should be set up at the East end of the Chancell thereby standing equall at least if not above the Communion Table and fit for nothing but to cast it out of its proper place Therefore if any such be in any Church within your jurisdiction you are to speake with them that are next of Kinne or whom such Monuments may most concerne And if they will remove them and set them up in any other place on the sides of the Church you are to give them leave so to do but if they will not you are then to take them downe in an orderly way and not to suffer any to stand at the East end of the Chancell Your third businesse is of greater consequence it is that there is another Monument in Saint Georges Church in which there is described in Capitall Letters the GUN-POUDER TREASON with this motto In perpetuam Papistarum infamiam c. I hope this stands not at the East end of the Chancell for if it doe you must see it removed to some other place but if it stand upon any side of either Chancell or Church then you are with the knowledge of the Minister and the Church-Wardens or any other whom that Monument may concerne to take some Painter to you and cause him to put out of the Monument all that concernes the Fleet in 88. because that belongs to a Forreigne Nation And though your Letters make no mention of 88. yet the Picture of the Monument which you sent me up doth which I shewed His Majestie as well as Your Letter So having here given you a cleare direction in all your three particulars I shall expect your care in the execution of them according to it So I leave you to the grace of God and rest Your very loving Friend Will Cant By these two Letters it is apparent that the Archbishop gave speciall directions not only to Sir Nathaniell Brent but to the Arch-Deacon of Canterbury to take down Galleries and Monuments at the East end of Chancells neare the Communeon-Tables and to place the Tables there at in their proper place as likewise to obliterate the memoriall of our happy deliverance from the Spanish Armado in 88. out of that Church where it had long continued Finally it was proved by the testimony of Master Sutton Master Browne and others that in the yeare 1640. in the new Chappell at WEST MINSTER the Kings Armes were set up in the East Window which was first glased with white Glasse afterward the Archbishop promising to bestow a new window instead of it the Kings Armes were thereupon taken downe by direction of Doctor Haywood the Archbishops Chaplaine and Browne this Joyner and placed in another obscure window and the Archbishops Arms supported by Seraphins put up in its place to signifie that hee was the sole donor of this new Window where instead of the white Glasse there was set up in coloured glasse the Picture of the Holy Ghost in form of a Dove with the Images of the Virgin Mary Christ Angells and Ceraphins for which the Glasier was payd since the Archbishops commitment to the Tower by the Archbishops direction as the Glasier verily believed this new painted Window being set up about the beginning of this Parliament but since demolished by order of Parliament which manifests the Archbishops perseverance in his Popish Innovations notwithstanding the Scotish troubles and the many late complaints against them in the last dissolved and present Parliament When this Arch-Prelate had in his Metropoliticall Visitation by private instructions only to his Vicar Generall and other Agents set on these Innovations and introduced them into many Parish-Churches in most Diocesse hee then by his subordinate Suffragans and Creatures began to enforce them universally upon all Ministers Church-Wardens Parishes by Visitation Oaths and Articles upon which such Ministers Church-Wardens and others who opposed them were presented yea prosecuted as Delinquents Among others Dr. Pierce Bish of Bath and Wells Mathew Wren Bish of Norwich Bish Lindsy of Peterborough Bish Mountague of Chichester and Skinner Bishop of Bristall were the chiefe promoters of his Innovations especially of rayling in Communion Tables Altarwise bowing to and towards them saying second service at them and comming up to the new rayles to receive the Sacrament prescribing these particulars in their severall Visitation Articles Witnesse Rich Mountague Bishop of Chichester his printed Visitation Articles there 1635. which after his translation to Norwich he enlarged with some printed additions for that Diocesse Anno 1638. of which
reverence come to the Lords-Table when they are to receive the Holy Communion and not after the most contemptuous and un-holy usage of some if men do rightly consider sit still in their Seats or Pewes to have the blessed Body and Bloud of our Saviour go up and downe to seeke them all the Church over Tit. 9. Of Clerks Sextons Church-wardens and Sidemen 5. Doe you or have any of you medled with setting placing displacing removing the Communion-Table up and downe of your owne heads without the Minister or with him not by order from the Bishop 6. Doe you know of any Parishioner or Forreiner who hath committed or attempted such an Act If you can learne them Present their names Tit. Sect. 10. Distinct and punctuall Answer must be made to every one of these Articles On all which Articles Church-wardens and Sidemen were obliged to present Non-conformists to them by this strict ensuing Oath The Tenour of the Oath to be administred unto and taken by the Church-wardens and Sidemen SWeare you shall that you shall duly consider and diligently enquire of all and every one of these Articles given you in charge and tendered unto you and that all affection favour malice hatred hope of reward gain displeasure of great men malice or other sinister respect set aside you shall faithfully discharge your duty and truly present all and every such person of and in your Parish as hath made any default or committed any offence in or against these ensuing Acticles or that be vehemently suspected or defamed of any such offence or crime wherein you shall deale uprightly truly and fully presenting all the truth and nothing but the truth without partiality having God before your eyes and an earnest Christian zeale to maintain truth order and Religion and to suppresse the contrary So helpe you God and the holy contents of this Booke Matthew Wren Bishop of Norwich in his first Visitation of that Diocesse among other Articles to be enquired of within that Diocesse prescribed these ensuing Articles upon Oath printed by Richard Baiger 1636. concurring in substance with Bishop Mountagues Chap. 3. Sect. 2. Have you ïn your Church or Chappell a Font of stone set in the ancient usuall place whole and cleane and fit to hold water a conuenient and decent Communion-Table with a Carpet of silke or some other decent stuffe continually layd upon the Table at the time of Divine Service and a faire linnen cloth thereon layd at the time of Administring the Communion and is the same Table placed conveniently so as the Minister may best be heard in his Administration and the greatest number may reverently communicate to that end doth it ordinarily stand up at the East end of the Chancell where the Altar in former times stood the ends thereof being placed North and South is it any time used unreverently by leauing or sitting on it throwing hats or any thing else upon it or writing on it or is it abused to any other prophane or common use and are the Ten Commandements set up in your Church or Chappell where the people may see and read them and other chosen sentences also written upon the walls in your said Church or Chappell in places convenient for the same purpose Sect. 12. Are all the Pewes and Seats in the Church so ordered that they which are in them may all conveniently kneele downe in the time of Prayer and have their faces up East-ward toward the holy Table Are there also any kinde of Seats at the East-end of the Chancell above the Communion-table or on either side even with it Sect. 14. Hath any in your Parish defaced or caused to be defaced or purloined any Monumenâ—s that is Crucifixes and old Images or Ornaments in the Church Chap. 4. Sect. 7. Doth every Priest and Deacon in your Parish daily say the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly Doth the Curate say the same daily in the Church or Chappell with the tolling of a Bell before he begins At the end of every Psalme doe they stand and say Glory be to the Father c. Chap. 4. Sect. 8. Doth your Minister and Curate at all times as well in Preaching or Reading the Homilies as in reading the Prayers and Lerany in Administring the holy Sacraments Solemnization of Marriage Burying the Dead Churching of Women and all other Offices of the Church duly observe the Rites prescribed without omission alteration or addition of any thing And doth he in performing all and every of these weare the Surplice duly and NEVER OMIT THE WEARING OF THE SAME nor of his Hood if he be a Graduate Chap. 7. Sect. 4. Have you in your Parish that doe not reverently behave themselves entring into the Church that is by bowing towards the Altar Doe all use due and lowly reverence when the blessed name of the Lord Jesus is mentioned and stand up when the Articles of the Creed are read Sect. 17. Doe all your Parishioners of what sort soever according as the Church expresly them commandeth draw neere and with all Christian humility and reverence come to the Lords-Table when they are to receive the holy Communion and not after the most contemptuous and unholy usage of some if men did rightly consider sit still in their Seats or Pewes to have the blessed Body and bloud of our Saviour go up and down to seeke them all the Church over Chap. 9. Sect. 11. Were there any particular or speciall Injunctions given as you know or have heard by the Vicar Generall or any other Commissioner at the last Metropoliticall Visitation of the most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace and how have the same beene performed or observed by the Minister or any other of the Parish whom they concern Sect. 12. Lastly have you and every of you by your selves read or have caused to be read to you all these Articles have you well examined and inquired into every particular therein intended have you sincerely uprightly and without any partiall affection or concealement presented and made known all and every of the offenders in any of the particulars either as they are taken in truth to be or by common fame reported To these Articles this Bishop annexed divers particular Injunctions prescribing Rayling in of Communion-Tables Altar-wise bowing towards them reading second Service at them that every Combination Lecturer should in his Surplice and Hood begin the second Service at the Communion Table before he went up into the Pulpit into which he should ascend after the reading of the Nicene Creed using no other prayer than that prescribed in the 55. Canon nor Preaching above one houre that hee should not give the blessing out of the Pulpit but should descend againe to the Table and read the Prayer for the universall Church and so dismisse the Congregation with the Peace of God c. That all Communicants should come up by files and receive the Sacrament at the new Rayles kneeling
subscribed to these presents And the like pennance is further to be performed by the said James Wheeler and John Fry for the same offence in the Parish-church of S. Peter and Pauls in Bathe within the Dioces above mentioned upon Sunday the ninth day of Iuly above written and certificate is to be made accordingly the 11 day of July aforesaid Ja. Huishe Reg. This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry and Ja. Wheeler of the Parish of Beckington was accordingly performed by them in the parish-Parish-church there the 25 day of Iune 1637. Alexander Huishe Rect. ibid. The mark of Richard Bâ—â—t Churchwarden Alexander Webb This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry and Ja. Wheeler of the Parish of Beckington was accordingly performed by them in the Parish Church of Froomfelwod the 2 day of Iuly 1637. John Beaument Curat ibid. Thomas Albyn John Norfolke Churchwardens William Cooke This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry and Ja. Wheeler of the Parish of Beckington was accordingly performed by them in the Parish-church of the said S. Peter and Paul in Bathe the 9 Iuly 1637. Theoph. Webbe Rector ibid. Richard Duace Thomas Parcker Churchwardens Henry Gaye The 〈…〉 submission made against these poor mens consciences did so afflict them that they never enjoyed themselves afterwards Iames Wheeler falling presently after sick and dying professing often on his death bed that this pennance and submisson so much against his conscience had broken his heart was the only cause of his sicknesse and death The Bishop of Bathe and Wels pretested that he did nothing herein but by the Archbishops direction with which Mr. Iohn Ash acquainting the Archbishop since his commitment to the Tower heacknowledged it to be 〈◊〉 and that â—e did herein like an obedient Diocesâ—â— to his Metropolitan What further tyrannicall and 〈◊〉 of proceedings were afterwards used by this 〈…〉 the Churchwardens and some of other Parishioners of Beckington for opposing Mr. Huish their Minister in rayling in the Communion Table and raising a new Mount at the East end of the Chancel in a peaceable manner we shall further give in evidence in a more proper charge The next example we shall instance in is the case of Ferdinando Adams one of the Churchwardens of S. Mary Towre Church in Ipswich who together with his fellow Church-warden Titus Camplin was excommunicated by Henry Dade one of the Archbishops Substitutes in his Metropoliticall Visitation and Surrogate to Sir Nathaniel Brent in the Archbishops own name For not taking downe the seates standing above the Communion Table in this Church and railing in the Table Altar-wise against the wall as he was injoyned by Sir Nathaniel Brent the Archbishops Vicar-generall in his Metropoliticall Visitation This was proved by the Excommunication it self read in the Lords House in these following words Gulielmus providentia divina Cant. Archeipise totius Angliae Primas Metropolitanus ad quem omnis omnimoda Iurisdictio spiritualis Ecclesiastica ad Episcopum Norwiscens spectan pertinent ratione Visitationis nostrae Metropoliticae infra Dioces Norwic. modo exercit notoriè dignoscitur pertinere Vniversis singulis Restoribus c. salutem Cum dilectus noster Magister Henricus Dade omnes singulas personas utriusque sexus quorum nomina cognomina inferius subscribuntur recitantur c. Excommunicandos fore decreuit c. Vobis igitur firmiter injungendo mandamus quatenus praefatas personas in prescriptis sic ut praefatur authoritate nostra excommunicaetas pro sic excommunicatis in Ecclesiis vestris parochialibus diebus Dominicis ac Festivis post receptionem praesentium immediatè sequentibus tempore divinorum dum major in ijsdem ad divina audienda ad fuerit populi multitudo palam publicè denuncietis declaretis cum effectu sub poena juris c. Datum sub sigillo quo in haec parte utimur decimo dic mensis Iulij An. Dom. 1635. sanctae Mariae ad Turrim Gipwici Ferdinando Adams Titum Camplin Gardianos ibidem in non removendo sedilia ab Orientali muro infra Cancellum Ecclesiae in non stâ—â—endo Mensam Dominicam in supremo loco juxta murum praedictum secundum monitionem judicialem Dom. Nathanialis Brent Militis Domini Archiepiscopi Vicaerii in spiritualibus generalis judicialiter factam Ferdinando Adams being thus excommunicated sought to avoid this Excommunication by an Appeale but could procure no release and being laid in wait for by Pursevants out of the High-commission for suing Dade in the Star-chamber where this Excommunication was pleaded in Bar against him he was enforced to leave the Kingdom flye into New England till this Parliament almost to his utter undoing as he attested upon oath and shall be hereafter more fully proved in another charge To this we shall subjoyne the case of Iohn Premly one of the Church-wardens of Lewis in Sussex who was prosecuted in the High-commission Court and there on the 8 of May 1638. censured fined imprisoned condemned in costs of suit and ordered to make a submission for that when as Sir Nathaniel Brent in the Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation by injunction from the said Archbishop had ordered the Communion Table in the Church of Lewis to be placed North and South at the upper end of the Chancel and there rayled in which was done accordingly Premly in a contemptuous manner had removed it from thence unto the place where it formerly stood whereupon Dr. Nevel himself replacing it at the East end of the Chancell North and South according to the said Archbishops Injunction he presumed againe to remove and bring it down to its ancient place to the great affront of his Graces Injunctions and the ill example of others All which was manifested by the very sentence it self recorded in the High-commission Register-book which was read in the House of Peers to the effect aforesaid The Committee of the Commons house alleaged that sundry other examples of like nature and of excommunicating hundreds of consciencious people for refusing to receive the Sacrament at the new rayles might be produced in most Diocesse of Englsand but they would content themselves with these alone and that of Mr. Samuel Burroughâ— of Colchester which they should make use of upon another occasion and proceed to such who had been grievously censured in the Star-chamber High-commission by the Archbishops means for opposing defacing or preaching against the use or setting up idolatrous Pictures of God the Father Christ Saints in Churches in direct opposition to our Homilies against the perill of idolatry confirmed by the 39 Articles and contrary to our Statutes Injunctions Canons and the current of all our Orthodox writers The first president of this nature instanced in was the case of Mr. Henry Sherfield a Bencher of Lincolns-Inne the true state whereof was briefly this M. Sherfield being Recorder of Sarum a
to the Church either for that they are so sore blinded that they understand nothing of God godlinesse and care not with divelish example to offend their neighbours or else for that they see the Church altogether scowred of such gay-gazing sights as their grosse phantasie was greatly delighted with because they see the false religion abandoned and the true restored which seemeth an unsavoury thing to their unsavoury taste as may appear by this that a woman said to her neighbour Alas Gossip what should we now do at Church since all the Saints are taken away since all the goodly sights wee were wont to have are gone since wee cannot hear the like piping singing chaunting and playing upon the Organs that we could before But dearly beloved we ought greatly to rejoyce and give God thanks that our Churches are delivered out of all those things which displeased God so sore and filthily defiled his holy House and his place of prayer for the which he hath justly destroyed many Nations according to the saying of Saint Paul If any man defile the Temple of God God will him destroy And this ought we greatly to praise God for that such superstitious and idolatious manners as were utterly naught and defaced Gods glory are utterly abolished as they most justly deserved and yet those things that either God was honoured with or his people edified are decently retained and in our Churches comely practised c. Mr. Workman by all these and such other passages in our Homilies ratified and subscribed unto by all our Ministers in the 35 Article of our Church as containing a godly and wholesome doctrine necessary for these times and established by the statute of 13 Eliz. ca. 12. which confirmes the Articles justifyed every syllable in his Sermons against Images in which he used only the words of our Homilies yet notwithstanding by the Archbishops violence against him who went highest in his sentence on the 25 of April 1635. in the High Commission held at Lambeth was Suspended from the execution of his office and function in the Ministery excommunicated ordered to make his submission and recantation of his eronious and scandalous doctrine at Lambeth the next Court day in such manner and forme as should be set down by the Commissioners and delivered to him in writing under the Registers hand of the Court and after this submission made publickly in Court the same to be sent down to Glocester and there openly published in the Cathedrall Church of Glocester and in the Church of S. Michaels immediately after Divine Service ended when as the Congregation shall be then and there assembled and condemned in costs of suit to be taxed the next Court day and likewise imprisoned Which sentence of his for the cause a foresaid was proved by the Register-Book of the High Commission out of which it was read at the Lords Barre by the testimonies of Mr. Thomas Pury a Member of the House of Commons and of Mr. John Langley late Schoole master of Glocester and now of Pauls-Schoole in London who further witnessed upon oath That Mr. Workman having been a most painfull diligent Preacher of Gods Word in the City of Glocester for above 15 years and a man of singular piety learning wisdome and moderation as the Archbishop himself confessed the Corporation of Glocester to help support his great charge of children in consideration of his great paines in preaching and visiting the sick about September 1633. granted him an Annuity of 20 l. per annum under their Common Seale with one unanimous consent a little before his troubles in the High Commission For which act of justice and charity Iohn Buckston the then Mayor Master Wise the Town Clerk and some other of the Aldermen of that City were by the Archbishops procurement sent for by a Pursevant to appear before the Counsell Table as Delinquents where they appearing were fully heard concerning the granting of this Annuity before the King himselfe and his Councell who seemed fully satisfied approving of their grant and were ready to dismisse them from thence as seeing no just cause for their molestation Whereupon the Archbishop moved that they might be transmitted from thence to the High Commission which by his means was ordered accordingly After which in January following Mr. Pury himself together with M. Henry Browne Mr. William Prise Aldermen Mr. Anthony Edwards and others were arrested by a Messenger out of the High Commission who exacted and received 20 Marks in Fees from them to whom they gave bonds to appear in that Court the Terme following which they did Where they were then articled against for consenting to the grant of the said Annuity to Mr. Workman to which Articles they answered and the cause being brought to hearing not long after their Counsell alleaged That the said grant of 20 l. per annū to M. Workman ought first to be proved illegall or obtained by illegal practise and the whole Corporation whose act it was under whose Seal it was granted to be made parties to the suit before these Defendants sued only as private men ought as they conceived to be censured for consenting thereunto or the said deed made void and cancelled yet notwithstanding the said Mr. Edwards one M. Nelme for consenting to this grant only were fined 10 l. a piece and the grant ordered to be cancelled which was done accordingly and thereupon a 100. l. expence the rest were dismissed the Court and M. Workman deprived of his Annuity After which M. Workman himself being censured and put from his Ministery and imprisoned by the High-Commission for Preaching against making and setting up the Images of the Trinity and of Christ and Saints in Churches having after some moneths Imprisonment with much solicitation obtained his Liberty to support himself his wife and many small children from perishing was necessitated to teach children in private having no other livelihood left him after his former Annuity granted him by the City of Glocester was by the Arch-bishops potency unjustly wrested from him of which the Arch-bishop being informed inhibited him to teach any children at all in publike or private as he would answer the contrary at his perill whereupon he fell to practise Physicke for his necessary support which being informed of to the Arch-bishop he thereupon prohibited him likewise to practise Physick Whereupon he having no meanes of subsistance left and being debarred to Preach teach School or administer Physick to maintain himself and his charge was so afflicted with these tyrannicall and unjust pressures of which he oft complained to Master Langley and others that they drew on crasinesse and sicknesse of body upon him and as his most intimate friends were verily perswaded shortned his dayes and precured his death to the great griefe and losse of that City So zealous was this Arch-Prelate in defence of Idolatrous Images as thus most unjustly and tyrannically to ruine a most godly painfull Minister with his family and destroy this
promises as they be generally set forth to Vs in the holy Scriptures and the Generall meaning of the Articles of the Church of England according to them And that no man hereafter shall either print or preach to draw the Article aside any way but shall submit to it in the plaine and full meaning thereof and shall not put his owne sense or Comment to be the meaning of the Article but shall take it in the litterall and Grammaticall sense That if any publike Reader in either our Universities or any Head or Master of a Colledge or any other person respectively in either of them shall affix any new sense to any Article or shall publikely read determine or hold any publike disputation or suffer any such to be held EITHER WAY in either the Vniversities or Colledges respectively or if any Divine in the Vniversities shall preach or print any thing EITHER WAY other then is already established in Convocation with our Royall Assent He or they the Offenders shall be lyable to Our displeasure and the Churches censure in our Commission Ecclesiasticall as wel as any other We will see there shal be due execution upon them c. That this Declaration was made by this Bishops instigation procurement and so generally reputed not only at home but abroad is evident by this passage of Doctor Barons Letter of Aberdean concerning the pacifying of the 5. Articles sent to this Arch-Bishop and found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand dated the 20. of Aprill 1634. Piam hanc Ampl tuae de Pace Ecclesiae tuenda conservanda sollicitudinem illustri specimine JAMPRIDEM NOTAMOMNIBVSET TESTATAM fecisti cum Majestas Regia TE AVTHORE ET SVASORE exitialiisti dissidio de Praedestinatione annexis Articulis quo or bis hic Britannicus fere collidebatur sua authoritate finem imposuit impetuosas exulceratorum animorum motus ita compescuit ut dispersis dissipatis rixarum indies gliscentium nebulis nunc optato pacis sudo fruamur c. By coulour of this Declaration and pretended Amnestie of silencing both sides the Anti-Arminian truths and received Doctrines of our Church came to be totally silenced suppressed in Presse Pulpit Schooles Vniversities and the Arminian Errors found free passage in them all without any or very little opposition this being the highest conquest the Arminian faction could aspire to yea more then they could hope for in so short a space Hereupon their prevailing party having greatest power at Court and in the High Commission Archbishop Abbot being then by their power and policy sequestred from both and from his Archiepiscopall authority delegated to Bishop Land and others of the Arminian combination by colour and abuse of this Declaration all Bookes against the Arminians were suppressed the Authors prosecuted in the High Commission those who preached or disputed against them in the Vniversities City Court or Country silenced suspended banished imprisoned enforced to recant or ruined at least kept from all preferments on the contrary those of the Arminian confederacy were advanced applauded countenanced protected and freely tolerated to vent their Erronious Tenets every where in Presse Pulpit Court both Vniversities without any reall convention or suspention as we shall prove anon And to set on this designe with greater advantage to the Arminian party His Majestie being pressed to publish a Proclamation for the calling in of Bishop Mountagues Booke no lesse than three yeares after its publication upon sundry complaints made against it in 3. successive Parliaments after all the books dispersed vented and out of all danger of seisure hee so ordered the matter that there was no execution of it in regard of the Booke this Proclamation was so cunningly and partially penned that Mountagues Popish and Arminians opinions were no wayes censured nor his Books condemned to the fire by it for feare of hindering the project then in hand so that all intelligent men might at first view discerne the main end of it was not to suppresse and call in the Book or discredit the Author who was then advanced to a Bishopricke for his paines by Lauds recommendations but meerly to suppresse all Bookes in answer of it and silence all preaching writing disputes against the Arminian Errors as unnecessary questions and needlesse controversies which appeares by the Proclamation it selfe thus endorsed with the Archbishops owne hand who had the penning or correcting of it Janu. 17. 1628. A Proclamation for calling in Bishop Mountagues Booke A Proclamation for the suppressing of a Booke INTITVLED Appello Caesarem or An Appeale to Caesar WHereas Wee out of Our care to conserve and maintaine the Church committed to Our Charge in the unity of true Religion and the bond of Peace and not to suffer unnecessary disputes which may trouble the quiet both of Church and State have lately caused the Articles of Religion to be reprinted as a rule for avoiding of diversities of opinion and for the establishing of consent in true Religion We continuing Our desire to compasse this wished effect and considering that the Book written by Richard Mountague now Bishop of Chichester then but Batechelor of Divinity intituled Appello Caesarem or an Appeale to Caesar and published in the Yeare 1625. was the first cause of those disputes differences which have sithence much troubled the quiet of the Church have thought it fitting to take away the occasion by calling in the said Booke And therefore We do hereby will and straightly command all and singular persons whatsoever who have or shall have any of them in their hands or custody that upon paine of Our high displeasure and the consequence thereof they doe deliver the same presently upon this publication to the Lord Bishop of the Diocesse or his Chancellor if it bee out of the Universities or if it be in either of the two Universities to the Chancellour or Vice-Chancellor there whom We straightly command to suppresse the same hoping thereby that men will no more trouble themselves with these unnecessary questions the first occasion being taken away But if We shall be deceived in this Our expectation and that by reading preaching or making Bookes either pro or contra concerning these differences men begin a new to dispute We shall take such Order with them and those Books that they shall with they had never thought upon these needlesse Controversies Given at Our Court at White-Hall The seventeenth day of Ianuary in the fourth Yeare of Our Reigne of Great Britaine France and Ireland The Commons then Assembled in Parliament discovering both the sinister end and abuse of this His Majesties Declaration and Proclamation in favour of the Arminians drew up a notable Declaration to His Majestie concerning the increase of Popery and spreading of Arminianisme c. concerning the latter whereof they made this following complaint wherein they charged this Prelate then Bishop of Bath and Wells with favouring Arminians and their opinions As our feare concerning
Change or Subversion of RELIGION is grounded upon the daily increase of Papists the only professed Enemies thereof for the reasons formerly mentioned so are the hearts of Your Subjects no lesse perplexed when with sorrow they behold a daily growth and spreading of the faction of the Arminians that being as Your Majestie well knowes but a cunning way to bring in Popery and the professors of those opinions the common disturbers of the Protestant Churches and Incendiaries of those States wherein they have gotten any head being Protestants in shew but Jesuites in Opinion and practise which caused Your Royall Father with so much pious wisdome and ardent zeale to endeavour the suppressing of them as well at home as in our Neighbouring Countries and Your Gratious Majestie inimating his most worthy example have openly and by your Proclamations declared your mislike of those persons and of their opinions who notwithstanding are much favoured and advanced not wanting friends even of the Clergie neere to Your Majestie namely Doctor Neale Bishop of Winchester and Doctor Laud Bishop of Bath and VVells who are justly suspected to bee unsound in their opinions that way And it being now generally the way to preferment and promotion in the Church many Schollers do bend their Studies to maintaine these Errours their Bookes and opinions are suffered to be printed and published and on the other side the impressions of such as are written against them and in defence of the Orthodox Religion are hindered and prohibited and which is a boldnesse most incredible this restraint of Orthodox Bookes is made under colour of Your Majesties formerly mentioned Proclamation the intent and meaning whereof we know was quite contrary c. To which Declaration Bishop Laud returned a Peremptory answer in His Majesties Name written and endorsed with his owne hand the Originall whereof attested by Master Prynne was reade at the LORDS Barre in these following words so farre as concerned the charge of Arminianisme THe next feare is the daily growth and spreading of the Arminian faction called a cunning way to bring in Popery But We hold this charge as great a wrong to Our selfe and Our Government as the former For our People must not bee taught by a Parliament Remonstrance or any other way that We are so ignorant of Truth or so carelesse of the profession of it that any opinion or faction or what ever it be called should thrust it selfe so far so fast into Our Kingdomes without Our knowledge of it This is a meere dreame of them that wake and would make Our Loyall and loving People thinke We sleepe the while In this charge there is great wrong done to two eminent Prelates that attend Our Person for they are accused without producing any the least shew or shaddow of proofe against them and should they or any other attempt Innovation of Religion either by that open or any cunning way we should quickly take other order with them and not stay for Your Remonstrance To helpe on this Our People are made believe there is a restraint of Bookes Orthodoxall But wee are sure since the late Parliament began some whom the Remonstrance calls Orthodox have assumed to themselves an unsufferable liberty in printing Our Proclamation commanded a restraint on both sides till the passions of men might subside and calme and had this beene obeyed as it ought wee had not now been tossed in this tempest As for any distressing or discountenancing of good Preachers Wee know there is none if they be as they are called good But Our good people shall never want that spirituall comfort which is due unto them And for the preferments which VVee bestow Wee have ever made it our great care to give them as rewards of desert and paines but as the preferments are ours so will wee bee Judge of the desert our selfe and not bee taught by a Remonstrance After which the Commons in pursuance of their Opposition against the growing Arminian Faction On the 28. of January 1628. but 11. dayes after the forementioned Proclamation concerning Mountagues Booke and prohibiting books against it passed this notable Vote in Parliament after a large debate which the Archbishop in his indorsment on it stiles The Challenge of the lower House in matters of Religion An Order made by the lower House of PARLIAMENT the 28th of IANVARY 1628. WEE the Commons now Assembled in Parliament doe claime professe and avow for Truth the sence of the Articles of Religion which were established in Parliament the thirteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth which by the publike Acts of the Church of England and the generall and currant exposition of the Writers of our Church have beene delivered unto Vs and we reject the sence of the Iesuites Arminians and all others wherein they doe differ from Vs. To which Challenge of theirs this pragmaticall Bishop then returned this bold peremptory answer written with his owne hand produced attested by Master Pryn and read at the Lords Barre in Evidence against him 1. The publique Acts of the Church in matters of Doctrine are Canons and Acts of Councells as well for expounding as determining the Acts of the High Commission are not in this sence publike Acts of the Church not the meeting of few or more Bishops Extra Concilium unlesse they be by lawfull Authority called to that worke and their decision approved by the Church 2. The Currant exposition of writers is a strong probable Argument de sensu Canâ—nis Ecclesiae vel Articuli yet but probable The Currant exposition of the Fathers themselves hath sometimes missed sensum Ecclesiae 3. Will ye reject all sence of lesuit or Arminian may not some be true may not some be agreeable to our writers and yet in a way that is stronger then ours to confirme the Article 4. Is there by this Act any Interpretation made or declared of the Articles or not If none to what end the Act If a sence or Interpretation be declared what authority have lay-men to make it for Interpretation of an Article belongs to them only that have power to make it 5. T is manifest there is a sence declared by the House of Commons the Act sayes it wee avow the Article and in that sence and all other that agree not with us in the aforesaid sence wee reject these and these goe about misinterpretation of a sence Ergo there is a Declaration of a sence yea but it is not a new sence declared by them but they avow the old sence declared by the Church The publike authenticke Acts of the Church c. yea but if there be no such publique authenticke Acts of the Church then here 's a sence of their owne declared under pretence of it 6. It seemes against the Kings Declaration 1. That sayes we shall take the generall meaning of the Articles this Act restraines them to consent of VVrighters 2. That sayes the Article shall not be drawne
therefore some publike censure ought to passe upon them the Books thus seized to be openly burnt else they would in a few monthes be sold openly againe to corrupt the people and no satisfaction at all given for this foule offence to the Church of England which Archbishop Abbot confessed to be true and said he would take some Order in it but by this Bishops power there was nothing more done against the Licenser Compiler or Booke which soone after was as publikely sold as if it had neverbeene called in to the perverting of many in their judgments who knew not of this grand Imposture now publikly discovered at the Lords Barre by all the forementioned books themselves there produced and the testimony of Master Prynne upon Oath seconded by the Stationers booke of entries and the testimonies of Master Sparke and Master Walley Doctor Martin for this good service was presently after by this Bishop advanced to a great living and likewise to the headship of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge instead of other punishment Master Prynne for his paines in derecting this fraudulent dealing of the Bishop and his Chaplaine by way of revenge was soone after by this Bishops meanes imprisoned in the Tower and most severely censured in the Starre-Chamber for his Booke called Histrianastix though Licensed by Authority in which he made some mention of this imposture concealed from the most so fatall was it in those times for any man out of Conscience or publike ends to oppose the Bishops Arminian designes such a Stirrop to mount up to preferments to advance them After this the Archbishops Chaplaine Doctor Haywood on the 26. of August 1634 licensed Booke intituled Collectiones Theologica writ by Thomas Chune and Dedicated to the Archbishop of Canterbury himselfe in which hee justified the Arminian Errors and the Church of Rome to be a true Church whereof there were two Impressions in one yeare yet neither the Author nor Booke once questioned though publikely complained of by Doctor Bastwicke at his Censure in the High-Commission where the Archb. openly justified it In the yeares 1636. and 1639. the Arminian Errors were defended by Bishop Mountague in print in his Pars. 1. 2. Originum Ecclesiasticarum Gods Love to mankinde and by sundry others without controle On the contrary Doctor Twisse his Booke in answer of Arminius though writ in Latine was refused License by the Bishop and his Arminian Chaplaines Bray and Baker and his answers to Doctor Jackson and the Arminian Pamphlet intituled Gods love to Mankind suppressed some Lectures of Bish Davenant and Sermons of Doctor Clerke against the Arminians were likewise stopped at the Presse and not suffered to be printed with their other Lectures and Sermons What Bookes against Mountague and the Arminians were called in suppressed and the Authors Printers Dispersers of them severely prosecuted in the High-Commission in the Yeares 1628. and 1629 Wee have already evidenced Only wee shall informe you or one or two Presidents more of later date Doctor George Downham Bishop of Derry in Ireland publishing a Booke in that Kingdome against the Arminians and the Totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints from Grace about the Yeare 1630. Some of them comming over into England Bishop Laud caused a strict Letter to be written in his Majesties name to Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury for the calling in and suppressing it within the Realme of England where it was accordingly seized on and another Letter to Doctor Vsher Archbishop of Armagh for the suppressing and seizing thereof in the Realme of Ireland Which was manifested by the Docket Booke in the signet Office where entreyes of those Letters are made in Aug. 1631. and by this Letter of Bishop Vsher to Bishop Laud found in his study at Lambheth indorsed with his owne hand and arrested by Master Prynne which fully discovers that hee was the sole or principall occasion of his Majestices Letters for calling in this Booke which hee seconded with his owne Letter to Bishop Vsher for that purpose who returned this answer to him My most honoured Lord THe 8th of October I received your Letters of the 22. of August c. The last part of your Lordships Letter concerneth the Bishop of Derryes Book for the calling in whereof the 15th day of October I received His Majesties Letters dated at Woodstocke the 24. of August whereupon I presently sent out warrants and caused all the Bookes that were left unsent into England to be seized upon What did passe heretofore in the Presse at Dublin I had no eye unto because it was out of my province and the care J supposed did more properly belong unto my brother of Dublin But seeing His Majestic hath been pleased to impose that charge upon me I will God willing take order that nothing hereafter shall be published contrary unto His Majesties sacred direction It seemeth Your Lordship did conceive that my Lord of Derryes booke came out since the Historie of Gotteschalchus whereas it was published above halfe a yeare before whereby it came to passe that all the Coppies almost both in Ireland and England were dispersed before the Prohibition came forth The matter is not new as Your Lordship hath rightly observed but was long since preached in Saint Pauls Church when Doctor Bancroft was your Lordships Predecessour in that See at which time the Treatise of Perseverance was to have beene published with Doctor Downams Lectures upon the 15th Psalme at as the very end of that Booke is partly intimated And in the History of Gotteschalchus Your Lordship may see your owne observation fully verefied that after Prelates had written against Prelates and Synods against Synods these things could have no end untill both sides became weary of contending But sure I am I have made Your Lordship weary longere this and therefore it is high time now to end Therefore craving pardon for that prolixitie I humbly take leave and rest Your Honours faithfull Servant Iace Armachanus Droghe da Novemb. 8. 1631. By this Letter it is apparent that this Prelate whiles Bishop of London exercised a kind of Patriarchicall Jurisdiction for suppressing all Orthodox Bookes against the Arminians both in England and Ireland and that his commands in this kinde were punctually executed by those Archbishops in both Kingdomes who should have most stoutly opposed his Arminian Innovations About the Palsgraves first comming into Engl. An. 1635. there was a Book printed intituled the Palsgraves Religion containing the sum of the Religion professed in the Palatinate Churches translated out of a printed Latine Coppy which Archbishop Laud caused to bee strictly called in and suppressed only because it glanced at the Arminian Errors and bowing at the Name of JESUS as not warranted by Phil. 29. 10. which was proved by the testimonies of Master Prynne Michaell Sparke Senior and others What policies besides the forementioned Royall Declaration and Proclamation this Arch-Prelate contrived and practised to suppresse all preaching against Armianisme in the
Vniversities and elsewhere wee shall next discover and make good by evidences under his owne hand In the yeare 1629. soone after the dissolution of the Parliament Bishop Laud presents to His Majestie a Paper written with his owne hand the originall whereof was seized on in his Study at Lambeth by Master Prynne and produced at the Barre thus intituled by him Considerations for the better settling of the Church Government whereof the third consideration was this That His Majestie would be Graciously pleased to command the Lords the Bishops that they give charge in their Trieniall Visitations and at other times both by themselves and by the Arch-Deacons that the Declaration for setling the Questions in difference bee strictly observed And that His Majestie would bee Gratiously pleased once in halfe a yeare to call for an account of all or so many of these as in Wisedome shall thinke fit These considerations were immediately after published sent to every Archbishop and Bishops to be strictly put in execution as his Majesties own Instructions when as in truth they were no other but the Bishops contrived by him alone as the originall Coppie written and another Coppie corrected afterwards with his owne hand together with the Bishop of Bristolls Letter to him dated Febr. 9. 1629. to resolve some Queries touching these Instructions concerning the Lecturers in Bristoll infallibly manifest So that His Majesty was here the Bishops meere Instrument to promote his Arminian and popish designes These Instructions were published in most Diocesse by the Bishops but more solemnly in London-Diocesse by this Bishop who summoning all the Ministers and Lecturers about the City of London to London house made a solemn Oration to them wherein he pressed the necessity of these Instructions of his Majesty for the good of the Church and their chearefull obedience to them and withall sent letters to every Archdeacon in his Diocesse to publish them to all the Clergy and to give an exact account to him how they were observed at the end of their severall Visitations especially the third Instruction For keeping the Kings Declaration that so differences and questions may cease inserted into these Letters with his owne hand as appeared by the Originall Copy found in his Study Soone after this Mr. Mady the Lecturer at Christ-Church in London delivering this Doctrine in a Sermon there That Election was not Vniversall and Common but speciall and peculiar belonging to some And That the Principall and efficient cause of Election was the will and Love of God and not any merit or foreseene faith or workes of man which he manifested by some Scriptures Fathers this Bishop upon information hereof convented him before him for this Orthodox Doctrine the 10. of March 1630. for that contrary to the Kings Proclamation he had treated of Predestination and the forementioned points Whereupon the Bishop by an Act of Court found among his other Papers by Mr. Prynne prohibited him to Preach any more within his Diocesse and admonished him to obey this his Lordships Order And Doctor Cornelius Burges about the same time for using only this Passage in a Sermon on Col. 2. 7. Jf your Minister preach Popery or ARMINIANISME you may change your dwellings and not trouble the Peace and Order of the Church was convented before the Bishop enforced to deliver in the Copy of his Sermon and much molested and Mr. White with sundry others suspended for lightly touching upon some points relating to Arminianisme though agreeable to the Scriptures and 17. Article of our Church As he thus proceeded in his Diocesse so he was farre more violent in this kind in our Vniversities especially in Oxford where he was Chauncellor of which we shall give you these few instances One Mr. Thomas Hill of Hart-hall in Oxford on the 24. of May 1631. Preaching at Saint Maryes Church there on James 1. 16. let fall these Passages in his Sermon And here were my time and learning parallel to my Zeale what a tempting doth present it selfe to shew how rashly that I say not cruelly our Pelagian Votaries have handled the Decrees and Statutes of the King of Heaven But they are to be mischieved into honour but no matter how which tempts them to disrelish sound Doctrine on no other ground then did David because the Lords doe not favour it 1. Sam. 29. 6. Scriptures they use worse then the Turkes do Christians at Tunis enslave it to the vassallage of the foulest error and according to their most current garbe employ it to defend Popery or as bad PELAGIANISME c. Popish Darts whet a freshon a Dutch Grinston have peirced deep and without speedy succor will prove mortall I am perswaded these late transmarine Tâ—nets had not beene so iolly and briefe among us nor the opposite truth so Diametrally condemned by many had they first made proofe of these points in their owne retired and serious contemplations For these slight glances against the Arminians the Copy whereof was sent up to Bishop Laud seised among his Papers and endorsed with his hand by his procurement Mr. Hill was conuented before the Vice-Chancellor heads of Houses and enforced to make a publike submissive Recantation upon his knees in a full Convocation held the 16. of Iuly 1631. recorded in the Vniversity Register f. 35. to this effect I Thomas Hill doe freely and sincerely acknowledge before this Venerable Assembly of Convocation that in a Sermon lately by me Preached in Saint Maries I did let fall divers scandalous speeches partly in opposition to his Majesties Jnjunctions by odious justling together of certaine factions in the Church and imputing Pelagianisme and Popery to the one side Partly in disparagement of the present Government of State and Church by making foule and erronious Opinions the rediest way now adayes to preferment c. All which passages in my Sermon I confesse to have given just offence to the Vniversitie and to deserve the sharpest of Censures Wherefore with all humble submission I beseech the whole Vniversitie represented in this Venerable House to passe by this my woefull error undiscreet and misguided zeale And doe faithfully promise hence forward to abstaine from all such scandalous aspertions and intimations as tending only to the disparagment of our Church and the distraction and detrement of the Vniversity And this my submission I humbly crave may be accepted which I do here make willingly and from my heart with true sorrow for what is past Thomas Hill Upon this submission and Recantation the Arminian faction in Oxford grew very bold and having the both Chauncellor and Vice-Chauncellor of their party vented their errors publikly both in the Pulpit Schooles without any publique check whereupon one Mr. Thomas Forde of Magdalen Hall Mr. Giles Thorne of Bailioll Colledge and Mr. Giles Hodges of Exeter Colledge moved with a pious zeale and indignation against their insolences in Iune and Iuly 1631. in their Sermons at Sr. Maryes used
acquitted by the Court. 3ly That when he could not have his will of this innocent Gentleman one way he meditared present revenge another way proclamed it in open Court charging him with raising a Faction in the High-Commission Court when as his fellow Commissioners would not concur with him in his Factious prosecution to gratifie the Papists 4ly That hee bare an extraordinary affection to Popish but an extreame inveterate malice to true Protestant Saints and Martyers because hee was so farre incensed against Mr. Gillibrand and his Almanacke onely for omitting the names of false Popish Saints and Martyres and placing the names of our reall Protestant Martyres in their stead the truth whereof was then further manifested at the Bar by a memorable Passage in Doctor John Pocklingtons Altare Christianum licenced by Doctor Bray the Archbishops owne houshold Chaplaine as appeares by the printed Approbation prefixed to it and perused by the Archbishop himselfe who ordered it to be printed of which booke there being two editions Mr Pryn found both of them curiously guilded and bound up in the Archbishops Study at Lambheth in both of which this Passage remained uncorrected unexpunged wherein the Calender before the Booke of Martyres which Mr. Gellibrand imitated with our Godly Martyres are most grosly railed against censured traduced as Traytors Murderers Rebells Heretickes and the Popish Saints in whose places they were inserted proclaimed to be the holy Martyres and Confessors of Iesus Christ whose names are written in heaven in these very tearmes which you may find in the first Edition Pag. 92. and Edit 2. Pag. 114. This was the holy and profitable use of these Diptickes much like the List of persons CENSVRED BY HOLY CHVRCH called WITH SOME REPROACH OF TRVTH AND CHRISTIAN RELIGION Catalogus testium Veritatis collected into one volume by Flacius Illericus and enlarged since by others And as unlike a KALENDER that I have seene to wit that before Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments wherein THE HOLY MARTYRS AND CONFESSORS OF JESVS CHRJST who had not only place sometimes in these Dipticks but WHOSE NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN ARE RASED OVT AND TRAITORS MVRDERERS REBELS AND HERETICKS SET IN THEIR ROOMES so as if Penry Hacket or Legat had come in time they might have challenged as orient and scarlet a dye as some of them Certainly more venome and malice could never have beene couched or Vented in fewer words against Mr. Fox his authorized Kalender to his Acts Monuments against our own English Martyres the Professors of the Protestant Religion in all ages so by consequence against our Religion it selfe then is comprised vented in these lines twice published in print in these Editions by this Arch-Prelates his Chaplaines speciall approbation without the least retractation of purpose to please the Popish party offended with Mr. Gellebrands Almanacke which this Bishop would have Martyred and burned for an Hereticke as our Martyres were to gratifie the Popish party much offended at it by which the whole World may clearely discerne his strong inclination his cordiall affection to them and their his palpable disaffection to us and our Religion We shall now proceed to other evidence About the latter end of the yeare 1636. Master Prynne being certainly informed of the Archbishops intention to procure a Decree in Starchamber prohibiting the reprinting of all old Bookes of Divinity unlesse they were first reviewed purged new Licenced by his Chaplaines or Agents before this Decree was ratified sent for Michael Spark Senior and perswaded him to reprint some three or foure old Bookes of speciall use against Popery ere this Decree should passe by name Thomas Beacons Display of the Popish Masse and his Reliques of Rome as being then most seasonable opposite to the Archbishops Romish designes formerly printed cum privilegio in Queen Elizabeths Reigne An. 1560. yea dedicated to all the Bishops of England and highly approved by them Hereupon he caused Mistresse Anne Griffin to begge leave of the Company of Stationers who were owners of those Coppies to reprint these Bookes which being granted she printed off his Display of the Popish Masse and began to Print his Reliques of Rome No sooner was the first of them published abroad but a Papist seeing one of them newly printed lying to be sold in a Book-sellers shop in Paules Church-yeard reading the Title thereof grew very angry at the Booke being a very solid learned Treatise against the Popish Masse with the Ceremonies accompaning it and said hee wondered much that the Archbishop would suffer such Bookes to be Printed in this Age adding that perchance he knew not of it and therefore he would goe over to Lambheth and informe him thereof to the end it might be suddainly called in ere it were dispersed which it seemes he performed accordingly for the very next morning the Archbishop called in this Booke very strictly sending his Pursevants and Officers to seize on all of them they could meete with and understanding that Mistresse Griffin printed it he sent for her to Lambheth where he in a very angry manner demanded of her why she did reprint this book against the Masse NOW above all other times whether she could find no other time but this to print it To which she answered she did it for want of other work to imploy her servants who else must sit still seeing they could get no good New bookes Licenced Then he demanded of her how shee durst reprint it without a new License she answered She did it by leave of the Company of Stationers and knew of no order to the contrary After which he threatned her with the high Commission and told her that if she printed any more old Books though formerly licensed without a review and new licensing of them by his Chaplaines he would put downe her printing House and she should never print againe though there was then no Order to the contrary whereupon she durst not proceed to print his Reliques of Rome but gave it over All which was fully proved by the severall Oathes of Mr. Prynne Michaell Spark senior Anne Griffin such an Arch-favourer of Popery was this Prelate then grown that he would not permit this Treatise against the verry Popish Masse it selfe to be reprinted though formerly oft printed cum Privilegio growes angry at the printing of it causeth it presently to be suppressed upon a Papiste Information and thus checks the Printer Was not Popery grown to a strong head among us when not so much as one small old Booke against the Masse and Idolatry of it might passe the Presse but it must presently be suppressed by this Arch bishops speciall command and the Printer thus threatned for it Yet he forsooth if wee dare believe his Protestations was then as averse from as great an Enemy to Popery as any mortall breathing About the same time a Booke intituled The Palsegraves Religion containing the Faith and Confession of the Churches of the Palatinate formerly
printed in Latine and then reprinted in English was called in and suppressed by this Archbishops order because it over-boldly refuted some points of Popery and Arminianisme as was Attested by the Oathes of Master Pryune and Michaell Sparke Senior Master Walley Clerke of Stationers Hall and Master Downes deposed that after the Decree for printing was made there were divers old Bookes against Popery formerly Licenced as the Booke of Martyres Bishop Jewells Workes some parts of Doctor Willets Workes and others which the Archbishops and Bishop of Londons Chaplaines refused to new License where upon they repaired to Sir Iohn Bramston then Lord chiefe Justice and desired leave from him that good Bookes formerly licenced and printed might be reprinted without new Licence else they should be undone for want of Bookes seeing they could not procure these Chaplaines to License any good Bookes whether old or new Who answered them that he could do nothing in it but they must go and attend the Archbishop who had the chiefe hand in making this Decree Mr. John Vicars Schoole-Master of Christ-Church soone after this Decree repaired to Doctor Baker the Archbishops great Creature House-hold Chaplaine to the Bishop of London for a New license of his History of the Gunpouder Treason formerly printed by License which he had since enlarged with some pertinent Additions But Doctor Baker absolutely refused to Licence it Master Vicars admiring at it demanded of him the reason why he would not license a Booke of such a subject as this against the Gun-pouder Treason an act so odious and detestable who answered him that we were not so angry with the Papists now as we were about 20. yeares since and that there was no need of any such Bookes as these to exasperate them there being now an endeavour to winne them to us by fairenesse and mildnesse By these with sundry other instances of this kinde which we pretermit we conceive it is most apparent that one principall end of the Archbishops usurping the power of Licensing Bookes and publishing this Decree concerning the restraint of reprinting any Old Licensed books against Popery and the grossest errors in it was that Popery might againe creep in among us by degrees without the least opposition or impeachment Secondly As he and his instruments prohibited the reprinting of old Orthodox Bookes so they refused to Licence sundry new ones especially against Popery and Arminianisme suppressing them when printed by Licence of others This was evidenced by the forecited Remonstrance of the Commons in Parliament Anno 1628 by the forementioned Bookes against the Arminians suppressed and called in by this Archbishops means and by these ensuing Depositions Master Prynne deposed that in the Yeare 1627. Doctor Cosen 's published a Booke intituled A Collection of private Devotions Or the houres of Prayer fraught with Popery and Popish Superstitions which gave great offence whereupon at the importunity of diverse well'-affected persons he Writ a Refutation thereof intituled A Briefe Survey and Censure of Master Cosens his Cosening Devotions which by this Bishops meanes and his Confederates was refused License at London House but afterwards licenced at Lambeth House by Doctor Featly and printed sitting the Parliament in the Yeare 1628. for writing which Booke only against Doctor Cosens his Popery hee was immediately after the Parliament ended questioned in the High-Commission by this Bishops procurement and thence delivered by a Prohibition to the Bishops great griefe Master Henry Burton deposed That he writ a Book against Cosens his Devotions which was called in by the Bishops meanes after which he compiled and published another Booke intituled The Bayting of the Popes Bull licensed by Doctor Goade for which hee was called before the Councell Table by this Archbishops instigation who was then present spake much against the Booke and called it a Libell although penned and written only against the Pope and his seditious dangerous Bull. That he printed by lycence a Book called A Plea to an Appeale in refutation of diverse Popish and Arminian Errors broached by Mountague in his Appello Casarem which Book though licensed was yet called in and suppressed by this Bishops procurement After which he writ another Booke against Popery Intituled The pouring out of the 7. Vialls for which hee was called into the High Commission Court by the Bishop and the Booke suppressed That hee likewise writ another Booke called Babell no Bethell wherin he proved the Church of Rome no true visible Church for which book this Prelate being then Bishop of London sent for him by a Pursevant committed him immediately to prison in the Fleet contrary to the Petition of Right then newly passed refusing to accept any bayle which he tendred suspended him from his living prosecuted him in the High Commission and suppressed the Book Michaell Sparke Senior deposed That himselfe together with William Iones Nathantell Butter Mr. Bowler and others were committed to prison and vexed severall times in the High Commission by this Archbishops means only for printing Bookes against the Papists and Arminians that the Bishop and his Chaplaines refused to License diverse Bookes against Popery tendred to them and purged sundry others of the chiefe Passages against Popery as we shal prove anon in so much that the Stationers and Printers generally complained that they could get no good Orthodox Bookes but only Popish and Superstitious ones licensed so as they were like to bee undone for want of trading and that this was the generall complaint of the whole Company which other Stationers likewise affirmed Particularly the Bishop though he pretended much friendship to Sir Humfrey Linde that learned Knight the Author of Via Tuta and Via Deuia which were answered by a Jesuite in a scurrilous rayling manner yet he absolutely refused to license his elaborate Reply thereunto Intituled A Case for the Spectacles upon no other pretence but that Sir Humfrey was a Lay-man but in verity because hee was unwilling to have him vindicate himselfe and the truth against a rayling Jesuite of which Injustice Sir Humfrey oft complained to Mr. Pryn Dr. Featly and others of his friends Yet his Chaplaine could license Chunaeus his Collectiones Theologicae Dedicated to the Archbishop himselfe though compiled by a Layman of much instriot parts and learning to Sir Humfrey in justification of Popery A minianisme and the Church of Rome Thirdly He with his Chaplaines Agents by his instigation or command compiled Authorized imprinted published diverse Bookes Treatises Sermons in defence of Popish Errors Superstitious Ceremonies practises almost to the totall corruption and subversion of our Religion Of which we shall give you a briefe Catalogue and then proceed to the Popish Passages errors broached justified authorized in and propagated by them The BOOKES are these The Archbishops own SPEECH in Star-Chamber Printed at Lond. An 1637. The Book of Common Prayer for the use of the Church of Scotland printed at Edinburgh 1637. Richard Mountague his New Gagge for an old Goose London
speciall Letter of all his proceedings herein wherein he thanks God for enabling him in some good measure to effect that there which other able men had only sufficiently spoken of but not accomplished elsewhere likewise boasts of his solitary opposition of the Archbishop of Armagh and the whole Convocation at Dublin in the points of Election and Gods Decree when the Articles of Ireland were in a violent manner suppressed and called in by his Graces procurement making the signe of the Crosse in the frontispeece of his Letter as the Popish Priests and Jesuites use to doe in all their Letters one to another Which Letter sound in this Arch-bishops Study at Lambeth and attested by Master Prynne was openly read at the Lords Barre in forme ensuing My LORD IN humblest manner I begge your gratious acceptance of this just as necessary duty whillst I make an unquestionable relation of that which so nearely concernes my selfe To provide the best J could for the more worthy receiving of the holy Communion this last Easter J have I thanke God for it beene able in some measure to do that here which able men have sufficiently spoken of else-where I have Sacramentally heard the Confessions of the people Committed to my Charge in Goran a certaine through-fare towne in the County of Kilkenye in the Chancell they kneeling before the Altar This is every where now counted a most strange Act without all warrant sayes bold ignorance there is no president for it saies the Divill Envie and double blinded malice t is as voyd of Law as full of singularity So unbidden so unled did I once protest against that horrible decree obtruded as it was received from Calvine by the Archbishop of Armagh and the whole body of this Kingdomes Clergy then Assembled in the Convocation at Dubline that I stood then alone that no man then stood by me when I made that Protestation I appeale to the not yet forgotten so eloquent so godly so very leaud railing cursing Censure upon that occasion publikely delivered by one that was then called Chancelllor Sing since Deane of Drummore the Lord Bishop of Derrie and Master of the Rolls were not many houres ignorant of the very words by the then Chancellor and now Deane then and there uttered The luckie opportunity of a trustie Messenger a servant to the Earle of Ormond and Chirurgian to his Troop by name Michaell Oxenbridge with the just conscience of my dutie on this behalfe emboldens me thus humbly to pray for such acceptance in a Cause most acceptable as may yet make the person of the poore receiver more worthy to be accepted Goran Aprill 18. 1638. Your Graces most devoted Iames Croxton To the most Reverend Father in God William by the Divine providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Primate and Metropolitan of all England This Letter was thus endorsed with the Archbishops owne hand Received July 6. 1638. Mr. Croxton his receiving of Confession BY which it is most apparent that the introducing of Auricular Confession was a speciall designe of the Archbishops prosecuted by his Emissaries and Creatures in all places who gave him exact accounts of their proceedings herein the more to endeare themselves in his favour To what end these Doctrines and practises of Auricular Confession and Priests absolution were thus urged Master VVilliam Tyndall in his Practise of Popish Prelates and Obedience of a Christian man with other Protestant VVriters will informe us to wit to enslave the Laity to the Clergie to advance the Priest above the King the Myter above the Scepter the Ecclesiasticall Tribunall above the Secular to fish out all mens secrets to awe and keepe them under bondage and accomplish all their owne designes upon them with more facility as they doe in Popish Kingdomes where such Confessions and Absolutions are in use Having thus done with this Arch-Priests Master-Peece Confession and the power of Priests to remit sinnes confessed wee shall proceed to that which depends upon it and must have necessarily followed on it to the great oppression of the ignorant seduced people that is 2. The use of Popish Penances as wearing of haire-cloth and such like corporall punishments enjoyned by Priests for sinnes Confessed with intention to satisfie God thereby for the sinnes confessed lately pressed as lawfull profitable commendable THe use and lawfulnesse hereof never heard of nor maintained in our Church since Reformation till this Archbishops Domination is thus pressed justified commended in these ensuing authorized bookes Christs Epistls to a Devout soule pag. 252. Enjoyne thy selfe for thy Pennance to say some devout prayer or to doe some greater Pennance as thou and thy spirituall Director shall thinke fit Franeis Sales his Introduction to a Devout Life pag. 131. Recompence this losse at least by multiplying Jaculatory prayers and by reading some books of Devotion with some voluntary Pennance or other for committing this fault Pag. 209. The soveraigne balsome of Confession or pennance Pag. 428. Disciplying the body likewise hath a marvellous efficacy to stir up in us desire of devotion when it is moderately used Haire-Cloath tameth the flesh very much upon the principall dayes of pennance one may well use it with the advise of a discreet Confessor Dr. Pocklingtons Altare Christianum p. 42. writes thus The first Room is called the Church-Porch where penitents used to stand or rather to cast themselves downe and in humble manner to desire the faithfull to pray for them as they went into the Church after Delinquents had perfectly fulfilled their penance they were reconciled to the Sacraments and communicated This distinction of places in the Church is very ancient and observed even from the Apostles times Pag. 44. This man after penance done for this fault was admitted into the Church againe Pag. 52. Cap. 10. Of dayes of pennance and absolution Citizens pennance P. 54. None that had fallen into any notorious crime were admitted againe into the Church before they had done open penance in Sack-cloth and Ashes Cerdon was not received into the Church before he had performed his penance Exomologesin faciens Pag. 55. In what sort penitents performed their penance and made Confession the Act it selfe will discover This Exomologesis giveth law both to our food and rayment sacco cinere incubare and ordereth men to lye in Sack-Cloth and Ashes to humble your selves before the Priest and to fall downe upon the knees before Gods Altars to sue unto all Brethren for their prayers in their behalfe Haec omnia exomologesis penance worketh all this P. 56. Feeling nothing but rough Sack-Cloth galling the sides seeing nothing but head hands face cloaths covered over with ashes have nothing to be seene but a pale face thinne cheekes and a meagre looke and this continued two three sometimes foure yeares together before perfectionem suam reciperent P. 57. Hereupon the Bishops made an addition to the Ecclesiastcall Canon that in every Church a Penitentiary shold be appointed to admit
their reverence to God on this wise both at their entry and return wherefore to follow their good and holy Patterne we also are to doe the like both at our first comming into Gods house and at our going out c. Sundry such Passages are to be found in many other new printed Pamphlets These Popish impious Innovations and practises being complained against by Mr. Burton and others in their Writings this Archbishop not only justifies them in privat but in open Court in a premeditated printed Speech at the censure of Doctor Bastwick Mr. Burton and Mr. Prynu in Star-Chamber the 14. of June 1637. there most inhumanly censured only for opposing these and other Popish Innovasions In which Speech of his P. 34. c. he writes thus One thing sticks much in their Stomacks and they call it an Jnnovation too And that is bowing or doing Reverence at our first comming in to the Church or at our nearer approaches to the holy table or the ALTAR call it whether you will In which they will needs have it that we worship the Holy Table or God knowes what To this I answer that if to worship God when we enter into his House or approach his Altar be an Innovation t is a very Oldone For Moses did Reverence at the very Doore of the Tabernacle c. For my own part I take my selfe bound to Worship with Body as well as in Soule when ever I come where God is worshiped And were this Kingdome such as would allow no Holy Table standing in its proper place and such places some there are yet I would worship God when I came into his House And were the Times such as should beat downe Churches and all the curious carved worke thereof with Axes and Hammers as in Psal 74. and such times have beene yet would I Worship in what place soever I came to pray though there was not so much as a stone laid for Bethell but this is the misery t is Superstition now adayes for any man to come with more Reverence into a Church than a Tinker and his Bitch come into an Ale-house the Comparison is too homely but my just indignation at the Profanenesse of the times makes me speake it And you my Honourable Lords of the Garter in your greater solemnities you do your * Reverence unto Almighty God I doubt not but yet it is versus Altare towards his Altar as the greatest place of Gods Residence upon earth I say the greatest yea greater then the Pulpit For there t is Hoc est Corpusmenm this is my Body but in the Pulpit t is at most but Hoc est verbum meum this is my Word And a greater Reverence no doubt is due to the Body than to the word of our Lord and so iâ— Relation Answerable to the Throne where his body is usually present than to the Seat where his Word useth to be proclaimed and God hold it there at his word for as too many men use the matter t is Hocest verbum Diabolt this is the word of the Devill in too many places Witnesse sedition and the like to it And this Reverence ye do when ye enter the Chapell and when you approach nearer to offer and this is no Innovation for you are bound to it by your order and that 's not new And Idolatry it is not to worship God towards his holy Table for if it had beene Idolatry I presume Queene Elizabeth and King James would not have practised it no not in those solemnities being not Idolatry but true Divine worship you will I hope give a poore Prjest leave to worship God as your selves do for if it be Gods worship I ought to do it as well as you and if it be Idolatry * you ought not to do it more then I. I say againe I hope a poore Priest may worship God with as lowly Reverence as you do since you are bound by your Order by your Oathes according to a constitution of Hen. the 5. as appeares to give due honour and Reverence Domino Deo Altari ejus in modum virorum Ecclesiasticorum that is to the Lord your God and to his Altar for there is a Reverence due to that too though such as comes farre short of Divine Worship and this in that manner as Ecclesiasticall persons both worship and do reverence The story which led in this Decree is this King Hen the 5th that Noble and Victorius Prince returning gloriously out of France sat at this solemnity and finding the Knights of the Order scarce bow to God or but sleightly and then bow towards him and his seat startled at it being a Prince then growne as Religious as he was before Victorious and after asking the Reason for till then the Knights of the Order never bowed towards the King or his Seat the Duke of Bedford Answered it was settled by a Chapter Act three yeares before hereupon the great King replyed No I le none of this till you the Knights do it satis bene welenough and with due performance to Almighty God And hereupon the forenamed Act proceeded that they should doe this dutie to Almighty God not sleightly but ad modum virorum Ecclesiasticorum as low as well as decently as Clergy-men use to doe it Now if you will turne this off and say it was the superstition of that age so to do Bishop Iewell will come in to helpe me there for where Harding names divers Ceremonies and particularly bowing themselves and adoring at the Sacrament I say Adoring at the Sacrament not adoring the Sacrament there Bishop Jewell that learned painfull and Reverend Prelate approves all both the kneeling and the bowing and the standing up at the Gospell which as ancient as it is in the Church and a common Custome is yet fondly made another of their Jnnovations And further the Bishop addes That they are all Commendable gestnres and tokens of Devotion so long as the people understand what they meane and apply them unto God Now with us the People did ever understand them fully and apply them to God and to none but God till these factious Spirits and their like to the great disservice of God and his Church went about to perswade them that they are Superstitious if not Idolatrous gestures as they make every thing else to be where God is not served slovenly This raliacious ridiculous discourse and practise of Altar Bowing being fully answered resuted in the Quench-Cole in a Pleasant purge for a Roman Catholike in the Marginall Annotations and here formerly proved to be derived from the Papists pag. 63. 64. we shall proceed to other Doctrines of this Nature 5. That Iesus Christ and his Passion are offered up to God as a sacrifice in the Sacrament of the Altar and that it is a Sacrifice as well as a Sacrament VVEE shall begin with Bishop Mountagnos Visitation Articles printed both at London
non a loramus Tantummodo taxamus in imaginibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usum utilitatem non sollicitamus ullo pacto Christiani omnes adoramus Christum Imagine Simulacro An verò ad intuitum Invitationem constituerentur in lccis Sacris Sacratis conventibus destinatis sunt qui negant ex Origine Arnobio Minutio Faelice sed non persuadent Sir Tho. Ridley in his View of the Civill Law printed at Oxf. with Annotations 1634 p. 52. and 192. Hath these passages added in the Margin concerning the erecting of Crucifixes in Churches That which followeth in the Euchologe discovereth the forme manner of setting up the Crucifix which the Law called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Crucifix must bee sent to the place where the Church is to be erected and there the Bishop by whom it is conveied saith the forenamed service and when he maketh the Consecration the Crosse must be set up behinde the holy Altar c. Doctor John Pocklington in his Altare Christianum licensed by the Archbishops Chaplaine by his owne speciall direction hath these passages justifying the placing of Crucifixes upon the Altar and against demolishing Images pag. 143. The Crosse of Christ alwayes used to stand upon the Altar Christians had no other Images in their Churches Preter quam Crucis signum super Aram ad Ortentem versum erigerent ut mentem oculosque in caelum ubi Pater est omnium expinsis manibus but only the Crosse of Christ which stood upon the Altar And it is not also said that the Altar which stood in former Princes times continued in Q. Elizabeths Chapell with the Crosse upon it Pag. 87. Besides the Altar so furnished there are to be seene many goodly Pictures which cannot but strike the beholders with thoughts of Piety and devotion at their entrance into so holy a place as the Picture of the Passion and likewise of the holy Apostles together with a faire Crucifix and our blessed Lady and St. Iohn set up in painted Glasse in the East Window just over the holy Table or sacred Altar so that I must needs say as I think all good men besides will that who so lives in his Lordships Diocesse must be condemned of great impiety that wil desert his Lord and not follow him usque ad Aras Pag. 139. The Magistrate may proceed against Delinquents that Violate the Lords Table standing Altarwise or breake or deface the Picture of Christ or of the Saints in Church-Windowes or Crosses and the like upon the Statute if any should so offend which God forbid I shall close up this with Francis Sales his Introduction to a devout life where he intimates to us what use we ought to make of Pictures and Crucifixes P. 158. Sometimes kisse reverently his blessed Image and say unto him these words of Jacob I will not leave thee untill thou give me thy blessing Pag. 159. Stirre up thy heart with corporall gestures of outward devotion and prostrating thy selfe upon the ground laying thy Armes a Crosse before thy brest Imbracing his Image c. 8. That the Pope or Papacy is not Anti-Christ nor Anti-Christ yet come BIshop Mountague in his Appello Caesarem determines thus Page 140. 141. That hee the Pope is Magnus ille Antichristus is neither determined by the publique Doctrine of the Church nor proceed by any good Argument of private men I professe ingeniously I am not of opinion that the Bishop of Rome personally is that Anti-christ nor yet the Bishops of Rome successively are that Anti-christ Doctor Heylyn in his Moderat answer to Henry Burton thus seconds him page 126. The Pope not Antichrist for any thing resolved by the Church of England Page 127. 128. 129. You tell us that by the Doctrine of our Church in the Homilies and else where it is resolved that the Pope is Antichrist Your elsewhere I am sure is no where Saint Iohn hath given it for a Rule that every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard c. So that unlesse you can make it good as I thinke you cannot that the Pope of Rome confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh you have no reason to conclude that hee is Antichrist Christopher Dowe in his Jnnovations unjustly charged writes thus Page 53. To the third That the Pope is not Antichrist I answere that though many of the learned of our Church especially at the beginning of our Reformation when the greatest heat was stricken betweene us and Rome have affirmed the Pope to be Antichrist and his whole Religion to be Antichristian and that some Bookes exceeding the bounds of Moderation in this point have passed a broad that with the license of Authority yet to them that calmely and seriously consider it it may not without good reason be disputed as doubtfull whether the Popes or any of them in his Person or the Papall Hierarchy be that great Antichrist which is so much spoken of Robert Shelford in his five Treatises resolves thus Page 284. That Rome at this day is not the Beast is manifest because the Pope there now sheddeth no bloud Page 293. That the Pope is not to beheld for Antichrist I prove from Saint Iohns description Who soever is not of Antichrists spirit cannot bee Anti-christ But the Pope is not of Anti-Christs Spirit therefore he cannot bee Anti-Christ Page 297. The Church hitherto hath neither declared the Pope nor any other to be the great Antichrist Therefore as yet he is to come 299. And were there no other Argument to free the Pope from being the Antichrist among the Fathers this is sufficient for that he maintaineth Images Yea the very subject matter of his largest Treatise is this and thus intituled That the Pope is not Antichrist and that Antichrist is not yet come One of his Bookes of this Subject he presented to the Archhishop who received yea reserved it in his Study without check or contradiction and was so farre from disliking this Opinion that he gave speciall Command to purge all passages out of old and new printed Bookes which either directly J tearmed or intimated the Pope to be Antichrist or that man of sinne and repealed the Articles of Reland for defining him to be so as we shall hereafter manifest 9. That there is a Purgatory and Limbus Patrum CHrists Epistle to a Devout Soule P. 130. But when thou art come to perfection and prayest lying prostrate at the feete of my Majesty thou shalt desire to satisfie my Justice with that small ability which resteth in thee and shalt offer thy selfe for my Glory unto PVRGATORY and to suffer for the fulfilling of my will whatsoever it shall be my will to lay upon thee and the fulfilling of my will shall please thee more then the escape of Pudgatory Mountague his Gagge Page 176. They Quarter out Hell into foure Regions Hell of
in orbem redeuntes in Sancto Stephano Proto-Martyre honoramus eorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exosculamur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Reliquias ipsorum lipsana cimaelia deposita si quae sint quaead nostram notitiam pervenerint Si quae nancisci poterimus genuiua non fucata libenter suscipimus veneratione sua debita congrua honeramus Imprimis autem de Martyribus ubi non constat veritas disquisitionem censemus instituendam Pag. 40. Repraesenta mihi fase as illas Seruatoris Dâ—ce certissimo illas ipsas etiam numextare quibus Infans sacratissimus involvebatur Ego quod ad me attinâ—t libens merito cum summâ— gandio gratulatione reverentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accurram suscipiam ultra omnia quae vocant Barbari Jocalia Cimelia lapides preciosos aurum astimaâ—â— And in his Antidiatr p. 17. Ossa Sanctorum Cineres Reliquias vase aureo velamine precioso convolvebant Ego certè cum Constantino illas reliquias fascijs involvam auro includam circumge standas admovebo labijs ac collo suspensos manibus oculisque crebrò usurpatat intuebor vel in apothecas condam recludam inter preciocissima cemelia censendas 17. That vowed Poverty Virginity a Monasticall life and Monasteries are lawfull usefull Popish Votaries Saints Orders to be imitated applauded CHrists Epistle to a Devout soule p. 86. 87. 88. 89. brings in Christ thus speaking to Christians I Was driven into banishment brought up by the labour of my mother and fed by Almes at other Folkes cost having neither house nor lodging of mine owne withered often in the mountaines how was I spoiled of all my garments at the time of my passion c. Looke therefore upon my poverty and leave to be sad why art thou not grieved like a good Emulatresse if thou see any man poorer then thy selfe as Saint Francis was if thou perceivest any man more agreeable to my life and poverty then thy selfe this indeed should bee a kinde of emulation Embrace with mee the crosse of Poverty c. Determine therefore now and make a firme resolution from the bottome of thy heart to contemne all things for the love of mee and be unwilling to possesse any thing but even such as of necessity thou art inforced to use delighting in all Poverty contempt and penury that thou maist be worthy to enjoy mee Francis Sales His Introduction to a devout life page 19. True it is that the Devotion altogether contemplative Monasticall and Religious cannot be exercised in these Vocations of Artificers c. yet are there many other degrees of devotions Page 200. The solitarines of Saint Paul the first Hermit is imitated in some sort by the spirituall retreates of which we have spoken and the extreame poverty of St. Francis may be imitated by those practises and exercises of spirituall poverty which we will hereafter set downe Page 354 Charity only placeth us in the heigth of perfection but Obedience Chastity and Poverty are excellent Instruments to attaine unto it I will not say any thing of these three vertues as they are vowed solemnly for so they appertaine to Religious persons Page 335. When they are vowed solemnely they place a man in the way and state of perfection Henry Stafford his Female Glory page 23. Let us then imagine that this holy Recluise confined her body to this sacred solitude c. Page 28. The bonds of her Matrimony were askt in heaven and no impediment found why shee might not wed God himselfe yet at the earnest solicitation of the Reverend Priests saith Mantuan she was content to bee betrothed to Joseph not that he should doe the Office of an Husband but serve as a barre to the importuninity of other suitors that so she might the more freely enjoy the inconceivable pleasure she tooke in her Vowed Virginity Page 148. You who have vowed Virginity Mentall and Corporall you shall not only have ingresse here but welcome Approach with comfort and kneele downe before the grand white Immaculate Abbesse of your snowey Nunneries Page 235. My Arithmeticke will not serve mee to number all those who have registred their names in the sodality of the Rosary of this our blessed Lady c. All which are Canonized for Saints Bishop Mount Orig. page 303. Quantum detrimenti Regijs accesserit vectigali busper illam desolationem Monasterijs invectam per importunum Henrici Octavi rigorem per Parliamentarias Impropriationes c. Page 382. Ejusmodi vitae genere Ioannem jecisse fundamenta Monasticae vitae hoc est Anacoreticae et Ascetica cum illustrissimo Baronio non abnuerim c. 18. That there are written Traditions which we must observe and are of equall Authority with the word BIshop Mountague in his Gagge page 30. There are Traditions written and unwritten you meane not here Traditions written I know it no more doe wee Page 31. Traditions instituted by our Saviour even in points of beleife and Faith have divine Authority as his written word hath Traditions derived from the Apostles have equall authority with their preachings and their writings Traditions of the Church have such authority as the Church hath all binde and oblige as they were intended and as their extent is For they must be considered not only from the Author but from the end some were intended to be permanent others only to be transient for a time only or else for ever some Vniversall some onely Partiall for the Catholike or else a private Church such variety and difference is in Traditions We do grant it in every kinde that either there are or have beene Traditions of Christ his Apostles the Church privat men Pag. 37. Quae universa tenet Ecclesia ab Apostolis praecepta benè traduntur quanquam scripta non reperiantur said Saint Augustine and I subscribe unto it Omni modo bind they unto Obedience so long in such sort so farre forth as the Authors did intend till the same Authority disavow them which gave unto them being at the first In the 34. Articie to this purpose we read of and concerning Ecclesiasticall Traditions Loe Traditions not only avowed but maintained Page 41. No Protestant living in his right wit will deny this that the Apostles spake much more then is written Therefore the Traditions of the Apostles and of the Church is without all question of good credit and esteeme and so much we professe Art 34. I grant it hath displeased some which is said It is Tradition which avoweth it seeke no further I see no reason why any should be displeased therewith Doctor Pocklintons Altare Christianum Page 48. None of all these Heretikes can derive their succession from the Apostles nor shew how their Doctrines were received by Tradition from them Page 49. According to Apostolicall Tradition Page 50. Those that deprive us of the benefit of this Apostolicall Tradition Page 180. Traditions of holy Church of absolute Authority The Archbishop himselfe in his Reply to Fisher determines
confirmer of the good and a reformer of the Reprobate all her visitants were but so many converts whose bad affections and erronious opinions the sweetnes of her discourse had rectefied the Leprosie of sin was her daily cure and they whom vice had blinded were by her restored to their inward light and their prostrate Soules adored Divine Majesticall vertue residing in this sacred Temple the knowledge of her humbled the most 〈…〉 Natures for the lustre of her merits rendered their owne obscure And in his Epistle to the Masculine Reader But this I will say that though I impute not the late troubles and afflictions of the Protestant party in Germany to the small Reverence there paid her many of Gods judgments according to Saint Augustine being secret none unjust yet truly I beleeve that the under-valuing of one so great and deare in Christs esteeme as his Mother cannot but bee displeasing to him and that the more we ascribe to her setting Invocation a part the more gracious we appeare in his sight He concludes it thus I will only adde this that since the finishing of this story I have read a Booke of the now Bishop of Chicester intituled Apparacus c. And I am glad to finde that I have not digressed from him in any one particular Soe he Loe therefore what a Metomorphosis of our Religion is here Here is a new Goddesse brought in among us the Virgin Mary adorned extolled deified with Titles Courtships Encomium Hymnes taken out of Popish Missalis Houres Breviaries Poems The Author glorieth that he is the first who hath written as he saith in our Vulgar tongue on this our blessed Virgin And God grant he be the last But he beares himselfe in all this upon the Church of England where wee pray you at last wee perceive this Church of England is the then Bishop of Chihester Mountague in his Apparatus from whom hee hath not digressed in any particular This Booke of Staffords giving very great scandall to Protestants and encouragement to Papists Mr. Henry Burton in his Sermon intituled For God and the King page 123. 124. 125. discovered censured these extravagant Popish Passages in it advising the people to beware of it For which among other things he was brought into the Star-Chamber and there censured But on the contrary this Popish Booke of Staffords with the forementioned scandalous Passages in it were by the Archbishops speciall direction professedly justified both by Doctor Heylin in his Moderate Answer to Mr. Burton licensed by the Arch-bishops owne Chaplaine and written by his command pag. 123. 124. and by Christopher Dow in his Innovations unjustly charged page 51. 54. and this Booke neither called in nor corrected so audatiously Popishwas he growne in this particular among many others 20. That the Church is alwayes Visible Bishop Mountague his Appeale Page 139. The Church of Rome hath ever beene visible The Church of Rome is and ever was a true Church since it was a Church Therfore the true Church hath ever bin visible Which he thus seconds Orig. Ecclesiasticarum Tomi prio pars poster page 463. Sanctè credimus defendimus c. Ecclesiam nullis interceptam intercisam intercapedinibus perpetuô extantem alicubi visibilem oculis usurpandam in eum finem et eo modo ut intelligere possint quibus curae illud est apud quos habeatur verbum vitae c. 21. That Churches Altars Chalices Church-yards c. ought to bee Consecrated by the Bishop and that his Consecration puts an inherent holinesse into them That one part of the Church or Chappell is holier then another That the place within the new Railes where the Altar stands is Sanctum Sanctorum into which none but Priests ought to enter yea Christs Throne and Mercy seat DOctor Pocklingtons Altare Christianum page 51. Dedication and Consecration of Churches used by Godly Bishops and taxed by the Centurists for the mystery of Iniquity I will passe from the placing of the Bishops Chaire to the dedication of his Church where it was set The dedication of Churches within two hundred yeares after Christ shewes cleerely 〈…〉 were Churches Saint Clemens his Command both for building and Consecrating of Churches makes it apparent page 80. At the upper end of the Chancell was a place inclosed and Railed in from the rest of the Chancell whereunto none neither Priests that were Penitents nor Deacons were permitted to enter and there to communicate and officiat in the Consecration of the Eucharist or in the administration thereof unto Priests but they themselves This place was called Sacrarium here stood the Altar or Lords Table and hitherto none might approach but the Priests themselves The Canon is cleare for it no Lay-man may come within the Altar Page 83. Prayer for Kings for Bishops for the whole Church and the Lords Prayer was then only said at the Altar by the Priest in the holy of holies Hee deserves not to be named in the Priests prayer at the Altar that is an occasion to withdraw Priests from the Altar page 108. They had shut up the Doore of the holy of holies whereunto he was entred to doe his reverence to the holy Altar Page 141. A man may as lawfully and Christianly administer the blessed Sacrament in a Barne or Towne-hall as in any place that is not Consecrated to such holy uses And when the Church was Consecrated was not the Altar the chiefest place which with most Ceremony and devotion was hallowed when it was hallowed was it not kept more carefully from Prophanation then any other part of the Church was there not a Feast annually kept in a joyfull remembrance of the Dedication of every Church and did not the consecration of the Altar carry the name of the Feast page 142. Was not the Altar set in Sacrario or sancto sanctorum in the highest place of all whereunto the Priest ascended by steppes and degrees and when they so assended were there not said Psalmes of degrees This holy Altar is in his owne nature but a stone but being consecrated and dedicated benedictionem accipit Shelfords five Treatises page 2. From hence appeareth that the Altar is the principall part of Gods House as being the cause and Originall of all the rest c. Doctor Ridley his view of the Civill Law reprinted at Oxford 1634. in the marginall Annotations newly added to it page 52. The Bishop of the place shall come lift up his hands to Heaven and consecrate the place to God P. 191. For that which concernes foundation and erection All that the Patron had free to himselfe was but the thought hee might thinke where he would designe the ground c. but this was nothing without execution and to this the Diocesan vvas to be required as the most principall and most effectuall agent If the Patron built a Church upon his ovvne ground vvithout the Bishops consent the Bishop might pull it dovvne vvithout the Patrons consent page 192. When he
makes the consecration the Crosse must bee set up behinde the holy Altar word being brought to the Patriarch concerning the Church that is to be built letters are directed either to the Exarch or to some of the Bishops to request that the Church may be founded Consecrated and entituled to the Patriarchs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Consecrated in the Name of such a Saint page 193. Things for the most part were altogether disposed by but nothing at all without the Bishops Jurisdiction That the Patriarch or Bishop should challenge this Jurisdiction over the new Church c. it seemes most reasonable For what did the lay Patron more do then a man of Israell who brought a Lambe but the Priest made it an Offering and an Attonement The Patron parhaps might chuse the place but till the Prelate came and sanctified the Ground it might be as well a Denne of Theeves as a House of Prayer The Patron might bring the Stones the Bishop made it a Church till then nothing was but the breathlesse body of a Temple the soule being yet to come from a Diviner influence of the Diocesan therefore the priviledge of a new Church followed not the building but the consecration of it c. Richard Tedder in his Visitation Sermon Licensed by Doctor Samuell Baker Feb. 6. 1636. Printed at London 1637. It is the Consecration that makes Churches holy and makes God esteeme them so which though they be not capable of Grace yet they receive by their Consecration a spirituall power whereby they are made fit for Divine Service and being consecrated there is no danger in aseribing a holinesie unto them 21. Totall and finall Apostacy from Grace Predestination a desperate Doctrine Resisting of Grace BIshop Mountague in his Appeale pag. 29. 30 31. Ex Artic. 16. After that wee have received the Holy Ghost we may depart away from Grace Till the Church expound otherwise it is as free for me to take it according to the Letter as for you to devise a figure The Article insisteth on men justified after Grace received challenged it was in this sense as unsound at the Conference at Hampton Court but defended maintained avowed averred for true ancient justifiable good and Catholike by the greatest Bishops and Learnedst Divines then living in this Church against that absolute irrespective necessitating and fatall decree of your new Predestination stiled then and there by Bishop Bancroft in publike audience with much vehemency without any Checke dislike distast dissent for we reade of none a desperate doctrine of Predestination At what time also that Reverend Prelate and most accomplisht Divine Dr. Overall Bish of Norwich c. said That a justified man might fall away from Grace and so ipso facto incurre Gods wrath and was in state of wrath and damnation untill he did recover againe Pag. 33. Can your Learning and understanding make any other Construction of these words then That a man may fall away from Grace and become no Child of God at all This is spoken and meant Not only of totall lapse for a time but also of finall separation and for ever Pag. 37. I see no reason why I might not have beene as confident in maintaining falling away from Grace as you and your Divines are upon weaker grounds in defending the contrary Pag. 60. I must confesse my dissent through and sincere from the faction of Novelizing Puritans but in no one point more than in this their desperate Doctrine of Predestination Vide pag. 50. and 70. 71. c. to like purpose Pag. 72. Id. It is not in reason probable that you should have the doctrin of the Church on your side against Master Mountague For the Church holdeth and teacheth punctually and that against the Opinion and with the dislike of the Learnedest of your side that Faith true justifying Faith once had may be lost and recovered againe that a man endued with Gods holy Spirit and enlightened with the heavenly light may loose that holy Spirit have that light put out become like unto Saul and Iudas Pag. 89. If a man justified may fall away from Grace which is the Doctrine of the Church of England then without question hee may resist the grace of God offered Pag. 214. It is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of your other singularity That Faith once had cannot be lost totally and for ever Edmond Reeve pag. 13. Mar. The Church signifyeth that it is possible for such as are made the Members of Christ to become the members of the Devill if they take not due care Pag. 64. Seeing then that some have perished which have beene pronounced to have beene in the number of Gods Elect. Shelfords five Treatises pag. 187. Such as shall fall double from lesse and from greater grace and never rise for such Justice hath a double due a naturall and a supernaturall death seated not only in paenâ damni but in paenâ sensus which the torments of hell fire afford 22. That there is universall Grace and Redemption and no absolute Reprobation THis having beene formerly touched in the Evidence concerning Arminianisme wee shall bee the briefer in it here Edmond Reeve writes thus page 19. 20. Whereby doth God the Father draw all mankind unto Christ Ans Holy Church doth signifie it unto us where it saith that Almighty God doth shew unto all that be in error the light of his truth to the intent they may returne into the way of Righteousnesse St. Iohn saith Christ is the light that lighteth every man which commeth into the world Many Scriptures more declare that God is mercifull to universall mankinde not willing the death of a sinner c. as the Divine service teacheth and informeth us The which Doctrine of hers as sundry more though we in our youngnesse of Christian knowledge do not understand yet are we to believe also to know that the Fathers which set forth the divine service did perfectly understand like as also we are to beleive that the Fathers of the Church now and alwayes doe in the great Mystery of Godlinesse comprehend many things which the Common people doe not yea also some things which Ministers of the inferrior Order as Priests Pastors and Teachers do not apprehend who are therefore to bee guided in Divinity by those most reverend and right reverend Fathers in God and not to say that such and such sayings in the Communion Booke are untrue because they understand them not Page 60. Saint Paul saith That he gave himselfe a ransome for all hee died for universall mankind Againe the death of Christ is available for the redemption of all the world Page 61. Whereas it is said by some that Christ died not for Vniversall mankind efficiently or effectually namely for such as perish they consider not what the Scripture signifieth Christ to have done yet hee did it not in phantasy but in reality in every deed Page 66. 67. How could the Church ordaine and require for to
be said unto every particular member of hers in the Communion The Body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was given for thee c. if any one of them were absolutely reprobated 1. c. from all eternity unconditionally decreed to bee damned in Hell fire everlastingly The Booke intituled Gods love to mankind and Doctor Jack sons Divine Essence and Attributes part 1. are professedly written to justifie universall Grace and Redemption 23. That the Personall succession of Bishops is a true note of the Church and necessary That Peters Chaire was at Rome and he sate Bishop there and that it is the honour and happinesse of our Church that this Archbishop of Cant. that now is with our other Bishops and Ministers can derive them personall succession and Ordination from the Sea and Popes of Rome Dr. Pocklingtons Sunday no Sabbath P. 2. Ouâ— Diocesan can derive himselfe the successor of an Apostle it is Saint Austins resolution Successio Episcoporum ab ipsa sede Petri is that which among other things by him named keepes us in gremio Ecclesiae and Subjects us to our Bishops Jurisdiction Page 47. Their vanity may appeare that against all Antiquity make fooles beleeve Saint Peter was never at Rome making the succession of Bishops and truth of the Latin Churches as questionable as the Centurists orders Page 48. Reckon up your Priests who succeded one another after Saint Peter in his Chaire if you will bee esteemed Members of the Church Hereby we may by Gods mercy make good the truth of our Church For wee are able lineally to set downe the succession of our Bishops from Saint Peter to Saint Gregory and from him to our first Archbishop Saint Austin our English Apostle as Bishop Goodwin calls him downeward to his Grace NOW that sits in his Chaire Primate of all England and Metropolitan Which hee thus seconds in his Altare Christianum Page 45. Saint Peters Chaire in Rome succession of Bishops in the Church of England c. Page 47. Though saith Saint Austin you slanderously call the Chaire in other Churches Cathedram Pestilentiâ—ae what cause hath the Church of Rome giuen you to say so of it In qua Petrus sedet et in quâ hodie Anastasius sedet The very note whereby Heritickes were knowne from Catholikes was that Catholikes could shew their Churches and the very Chaires in them wherein there was not only a morrall succession in purity of Faith and manners but a locall succession of Bishops continued even from the Apostles times which Heretickes could not shew and therefore were hereby convinced to bee such and so put to shame and confounded Page 48. Hee recons up those that had succeded the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the Church of Rome Page 49. Novatian is neither Bishop nor Member of the Church saith Saint Cyprian because hee cannot prove his succession according to Apostolicall Tradition If in all this time there were no materiall Churches then there could be no materiall Chaire wherein their Bishops were enthronized and if no Chaire then no reall Inthronization then no personall succession from the Apostles whereby the right faith was derived from God the Father to his Son nor from the Sonne to his Apostles nor from the Apostles to succeding Bishops Those that deprive us of the benefit of this Apostolicall Tradition pluck one speciall staffe out of our hands whereby we stay our selves from falling from the true Catholicke Church and beat all Heretickes out of our Communion Miserable were we if hee that NOW sitteth Arch Bishop of CANTERBVRY could not derive his succession from Saint Augustine St. Augustine from Saint Gregory Saint Gregory from Saint Peter for hee that remembreth whom he succeeds will doubtlesse endeavour and pray to be heire to their vertues as well as possessor to their places What a comfort is this to his Grace and to all those that receive consecration from him and to all those that they shall ordaine Page 51. Tell us when and from whence you come and what you make your selves to do in the Church that are no Sons of the Church We can with Saint Iraeneus point you to the time of your comming in You Cartwright and your brood came in as most Sabbatarians did under Archbishop Whitgift and your Ames and Brightman with your Laodiceans came in under Archbishop Bancroft and you Vicars and our Cotton with his fugitives came in or rather went out under Archbishop Abbot Page 144. I shall begin with my selfe I had my Ordination from Bishop Dove he had his Consecration from Archbishop Whitgift and the Archbishop his from the undoubted successours of Saint Peter Doctor Heylin his Moderat Answer to Mr. Burton Page 72. Write If you have any other Pedegree as perhaps you have from Wickliffe Hus the Albigâ—enses and the rest which you use to boast of keepe it to your selfe non tali auxilio the Church of England hath not need of so poore a shift Page 68. The next thing that offends you and you clamour as if that they claime a visible and perpetuall succession down from St. Peter to Pope Gregory from him by Austin the Monk first Archbishop of Cant. unto his Grace now being and sic de caeteris That Gregory sent Austin into England to convert the Saxons and made him first Archbishop of the English is generally delivered by all our writers Finally that my Lord the Archbishop that now is is lineally descended in a most faire and constant tenor of succession you shall easily finde if you consult the learned labours of Master Francis Mason de Ministerio Anglicano The Papists would extreamely thank you and think you borne into the World for their speciall comfort could you but tell him how to disprove that lineall succession of our Prelates which is there laid dowe By Mountague his Gagge page 49. The Church hath ever beene visibe In England especially how can this fellow impute invisibility to us who claime and prove a succession 25. That Sunday is no Sabbath nor of divine institution that the strict sanctification of it is Iewish superstitious and Rabbinicall That May-games Wakes Revells Dancing Interludes with other sports and pastimes are not only lawfull but convenient and necessary thereon not to be restrained but incouraged and the Kings Declaration to that purpose most pious and Religious That two houres only of it viz. The time of publik service and sermons are to be kept holy and that the residue may be spent in Recreations or ordinary workes of our calling That the Lords day Sabbath was never heard of in the world till Dr. Bounds daies That the Sabbath is not morrall THis is the subject matter of many whole late printed Books against the morallity and strict observation of the Lords-day Sabbath wee shall instance only in some few beginning with Doctor Pocklington in his Sunday no Sabbath where thus he most scandalously and prophanely writes page 6. What shall wee think then of Knox and Whittingham and their
fellowes that in their letter to Calvin depart from the constitution Ordinance and practice of the Apostles and Apostolicke men and call not this day the Lords day or Sunday but with the piety of Jeroboam make such a day of it as they have devised in their owne hearts to serve their owne turne and Anabaptising of it after the minde of some Iew hired to be the God Father therefore call it the Sabbath page 7. This name Sabbath is not a bare name or like a spot in their foreheades to know Labans sheep from Iacobs but indeed it is a Mistery of Iniquity intended against the Church c. page 13. But what doe I speake de integro die of a whole day do but that in keeping the Lords day which the Widdow did in her Almes that gave two mites sic tu duas horas so give the Lord two houres this if you do not beware you lose not integroru mannorum labores the Labours of many whole yeares Page 20. Others also for the Plots sake must uphold the name of Sabbath that stalking behinde it they may shoot against the services appointed for the Lords day Hence it is that some for want of witte too much adore the Sabbath as an Image dropt downe from Iupiter and cry before it as they did before the Golden Calfe This is an holy day unto the Lord whereas it is indeed the great Diana of the Ephesians as they use it whereby the mindes of their Proselites are so perplexed and bewitched that they cannot resolve whether the sinne be greater to bowle shoote or dance on their Sabbath then to commit Murder or the Father to cut the throat of his owne child All which doubts would soon be resolved by plucking of the Vizard of the Sabbath from the face of the Lords day which doth as well and truly become it as the Crowne of Thorns did the Lord himselfe This was plotted to expose him to damnable dirision and that was plotted to impose on it detestable superstition yet to die for it they will call it a Sabbath presuming in their zealous ignorance of guiltfull zeale to be thought to speake the Scripture phrase when indeed the Dregs of Ashdod flow from their Mouthes p. 21. With us the Sabbath is Saturday and no day else no ancient Father nay no learned man Heathen or Christian took it otherwise from the beginning of the world till the beginning of their Schisme in 1554. page 22. Many that see so little benefit will be suckt out of the constitutions of the Apostles practise and tradition of holy Church Doctrine of Godly and learned Fathers that they have got themselves heapes of Teachers that to serve their owne turnes will call and keepe the Lords day as a Sabbath and so prophane it with such outcries that the voyce of truth will become silent but with Moses liberavi animam meam Doctor Peter Heylin in his History of the Sabbath dedicated to his Majesty and printed by the Archbishops speciall approbation is every way as prophane and bitter against the morality and strict observation of the Lords-day Sabbath as Pocklinton we shall instance but in a Passage or two The first is in his Epistle to the Reader before the second Booke of his History in these termes And this part we have called the History of the Sabbath too although the institution of the Lords day and entertainment of the same in all times and ages since that Institution be the chiefe thing whereof it treateth for being it is said by some that the Lords Day succeeded by the Lords appointment into the place and rights of the Jewish Sabbath this booke was wholly to be spent in the search therof whether in all or any Ages of the Church either such doctrine had beene preached or such practise pressed upon the Consciences of Gods people And search indeed we did with all care and diligence to see if we could finde a Sabbath in any evidence of Scripture or writing of the holy Fathers or edicts of Emperours or decrees of Councells or finally in any of the publike Acts and Monuments of the Christian Church but after severall searches made upon the Alias and the Pluries wee still returne Non est inventus and thereupon resolve in the Poets language Et quod non invenit usquam esse putet nusquam that which is no where to be found may very strongly bee concluded not to be at all Buxdorfius in the eleventh Chapter of his Synagoga Judaica out of Antonius Margarita tells of the Jewes Quod die Sabbatino praeter animam consuetam praediti sunt alia that on the Sabbath day they are perswaded that they have an extraordinary soule infused into them which doth enlarge their hearts and rouse up their spirits Ut Sabbatum multo honorabilius peragere possint that they may celebrate the Sabbath with the greater honour And though this Sabbatharie soule may by a Pythagoricall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeme to have transimigrated from the Jewes into the bodyes of some Christians in these latter dayes yet I am able to give my selfe good hopes that by presenting to their view the constant practise of Gods Church in al times before and the consent of all Gods Churches at this present they may be dispossesed thereof without great difficulties It is but anima superflua as Buxdorfius calls it and may bee better spared then kept because superfluous To which wee shall annex these passages in the eight Chapter of this his second Booke Sect. 7. pag. 249. c. Thus upon search made and full examination of all parties wee finde no Lords Day-Sabbath in the Booke of Homilies no nor in any writings of particular men in more then thirty three yeares after the Homilies were published Then reciting Doctor Bounds opinion in his book of the Sabbath pag. 211. All lawfull pleasures and honest Recreations as Shooting Fencing Bowling which are permitted on other dayes were on this day to bee forborne No man to speake or talke of pleasures or any worldly matter he saith Most Magisterially determined more like a Iewish Rabbi then a Christian Doctor Yet Romish and Rabbinicall though this doctrine were it carried a faire face and shew of Piety at least in the opinion of the Common people c. Sect. 8. p. 255. 256. We may perceive by this that their intent from the beginning was to cry downe the Holy Dayes as superstitious Popish Ordinances that their new found Sabbath being placed alone and Sabbath now it must be called might become more eminent Nor were the other though more private effects thereof of lesse dangerous nature the people being so insnared with these new devices and pressed with rigour more then Jewish that certainly they are in as bad a condition as were the Israelites of old when they were captivated and kept under by the Scribes and Pharises Some I have knowne for in this point I will say nothing without good assurance who in a furious
Dedicated to the Archbishop and Licensed by Heywood his Chaplain August 26. 1634. cap. 16. p. 45. 46. determines thus Quaenam sit Romana Ecclesia Cum constet Romanam Ecclesiam in primariis temporibuss velut inter ignes Luna Minores caeteris Ecclesiis praeluxisse caeterisque Maechantibus castam pudicam veritatis conservatricem extitisse nec in pessimis usque eo degenerasse censemus ut in primariis fundamentalibus Religionis capitibus aberrasse videatur quidniquamvis in caeteris forsan vitiatam temeratam Ecclesiae tamen nomine honestandam censeam c. This passage Doctor Bastwick taking exception against at his censure in the High-Commission read it openly in Court where the Arch-bishop publikely justified it in his speech affirming That the Church of Rome was a true Church and that it never erred in fundamentalls in which we differ not but onely circa fundamentalia This distinction of his was afterwards thus justified in Print by Christopher Dome in his Innovations unjustly charged pag. 48. Nor is it an absurd distinction as he unreverendly and absurdly termed it that a great Prelate used in the High-Commission at the censure of Doctor Bastwick when he said That we and the Church of Rome differ not in fundamentalibus but circa fundamentalia pag. 49. The distinction is not absurd but it may most truely and fitly be said that we may and do differ about and not in fundamentals which Doctor Heylin likewise seconds in his Moderate Answer to Henry Burton p. 6. 124. 125. No difference between the Church of Rome and England in fundamentalls Suppose a great Prelate in the High-Commission 〈…〉 had said openly that we and the Church of Rome differ not in â—â—â—â—amentalibus yet how comes this to be an Innovation c. The Church of Rome hath done more against the Heretickes of this age than you or any of your Divines be he whom he will But for the Church of Rome it is a true Church and that we differ not from them in fundamentalls see the Reconciler Doctor Potter in his booke which he submitted to the Arch-bishops censure concludes thus pag. 62. 77. The most necessary and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned We hope well of those holy souls who in former ages lived and dyed in the Church of Rome c. Nay our charity reacheth further to all those this day who in simplicity of heart beleeve the Roman Religion and professe it Doctor Pocklingtons Altare Christianum pag. 114. Termes Rome by the name of Holy Church and applauds her canonized Popish Saints stiling them The Holy Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Christ whose names are written in heaven And our Protestant Martyrs Traytors Murderers Rebels and Hereticks The Archbishop himselfe was a professed maintainer of the truth and visibility of the faith and Church of Rome not only in his Speech in the high Commission at Doctor Bastwicks censure there and in his Speech in Star-chamber pag. 36. but likewise in his late Reply to Fisher Epist Ded. p. 16. And were not this so we should never be troubled with that idle and impertinent question of theirs Where was your Church before Luther For it was just there where theirs is now One and the same Church still no doubt of that one in substance but not one in condition of State and purity Their part of the same Church remaining in corruption and our part of the same Church under Reformation In the Reply it selfe pag. 370. 371. Rome but with all particular Churches and no more than other Patriarchall Churches was and is radix existentiae the roote of the Churches existence The Church of Rome and every other particular Church c. Indeed Apostolike she is as being the See of one and he a prime Apostle but not the onely Apostolike Visible I may not deny God hath hitherto preserved her And p. 376. Secondly if the Religion of the Protestants be in conscience a known false Religion then the Romanists Religion is so too for their Religion is the same Nor do the Church of Rome and the Protestants set up a different Religion for the Christian Religion is the same to both but they differ in the same Religion and their difference is in certain grosse corruptions I shall close up this with a publike Recantation drawn up and prescribed by Godfry Goodman Bishop of Glocester to one Mr. Ridler Minister of Little Deane about 7. miles from that City who having many Papists in his Parish and preaching in a Sermon there That Papists as Papists were damned and that the true Protestant Religion was the onely true and safe way to Salvation he was upon the complaint of some Papists convicted before this Bishop and by him enjoyned to make this following Recantation prescribed to him in writing in the Cathedrall Church at Glocester on Jan. 2. 1636. and for refusing to make it he was afterwards on the 5. of March next following suspended from his living IHS IN the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Whereas I did deliver in a Sermon lately preacht in this Diocesse That if we are saved the Papists are damned I am right heartily sorry that I should deliver any such doctrine wherein I must acknowledge mine owne errour and my great fault and offence First against his Majesties Instructions thus rashly and unadvisedly to affirme That Papists are damned Secondly it is an offence against the laws of the Kingdome For in the eye of the Law we are still one with the same Catholike Church for were we of a distinct or severall Church Then our Church could claim no right or Title to those Priviledges Charters Foundations and Revenues which it enjoyes at this day for these were granted to Papists and for many hundred yeares possessed by them and since there hath beene no new Law for transferring them upon a different or contrary Church But this is made much more manifest by the expresse words of the Statute as it appeares by the Act of Parliament which was made upon the first breach with the Papists the words are these That they do not thereby intend to seperate themselves from Gods Catholike Church but onely for some politicall respects to preserve the Kingdome from Ruine This was made the 25. of Hen. 8. and it is in force at this day so that to make such a difference between these two Churches as is between damnation and salvation certainly is against the Common Lawes and the Statute Law of this Kingdome besides many acts of State which being above my element I will not presume to touch upon Thirdly against the Church of England It is imposible there should be any greater offence in regard of the affinity that is between both Churches for we have the same Holy Orders the same Church Service the same Ceremonies the same Fasts the same Festivals and we have generally the same Canon Lawes and therefore
dishonourable scandalous and offensive act which would scandalize and disgust all his wel-affected protestant Subjects dishonour his owne royall Father King James our Parliaments Church State who all authorized approved used this prayer for thirty yeeres space together encourage Papists Priests Jesuits to such like horrid treasons and exceedingly animate elevate the popish faction causing them to deride if not to insult over the Protestants and our Church which must now alter retract her own approved Collects to gratifie them and their Antichristian Religion But so farre is he from this that he readily obeyes the first command without the lest disswasion resistance without advising with or giving notice thereof to any other of his Brethren the Privy-Counsell Judges and other publike persons as much concerned in it as himselfe to whom he ought to have given notice and asked their leave at least opinions herein ere he obeyed the King though not Master Burtons and Master Prynnes being more ready to obey than his Majesty to command them Finally admit his Majesty had commanded him to make these alterations yet for him in his owne cause in an open Court of Justice where by Law he ought not to have been present or spoken as a Judge to lay all the Odium of these alterations with all his other Innovations in Religion only on his Majesty to render him odious to his people to cloke his own shame extenuate his own guilt and then to publish it in print to all the World to his perpetuall dishonour when there was no necessity and that by pretext of his Majesties speciall command was such a disloyalty and transcendent aggravation of his crime as no age can paralell no punishment expiate but that which the Gunpowder Traytors justly suffered Besides this after the publication of his â—peech in Star-chamber he specially imployed Doctor Heylin to iustifie these alterations to the world in print in his Moderate Answer to the seditious and scandalous chalenges of Henry Burton as he stiles them written by his * speciall command and licensed by his Chaplaine p. 150. to 157. and ordered Christopher Dowe to second him herein in his Innovations unjustly charged upon the present Church and State p. 136 to 14â— where thus he writes Secondly I say that the alteration of those Prayers being done by the same authority that first set them forth it is neither for him nor me nor anyother of inferiour ranke to question them but with humble reverence to submit to their judgements and to think them wiser and farre more fit to order those things that belong to then places than we whom it neither concernes nor indeed can know the reasons that move them either to doe or alter anything But more particularly that which he objecteth against the former is that they would not hereby have all Jesuits and Papists termed a Babylonish and Antichristian Sect but restraine it to some few of them and mentally transferre it to those Puritanes who cry downe with Babylon that is popery But what then what if out of a charitable respect to those which in that Religion are peaceable and honest men as no doubt but some of them whatsoever Master B. beleeves of them are such they are not willing nor think it fit to pray for the rooting up and confusion of all Papists indiscriminatim under those harsh termes surely charitably minded Christians cannot but approve such an alteration if there were no other ground than that for it As for any mans transferring it to Puritanes that is as meer a surmise as it is a false slander that any of those whom he intimates doe call Rome Jerurusalem or Popery the true Catholique Religion Yet I know not why such furious cryers downe of popery as Master B. hath shewed himselfe may not be accounted of a Baby lonish and Antichristian Sect as well as any Jesuit in the world nor why we may not pray and that with better reason than Master B. would have men to doe and under those titles against the Hierarchy of our church that God would root them out of the Land c. Wherein he makes zealous opposers of popery those the world then stiled Puritanes more dangerous persons and fitter to be rooted out of the Land as a Babylonish Antichristian Sect than papists or Jesuits Now thus to justifie this alteration in so daring impudent a manner in favour of popery priests Papists Jesuits what a transcendent crime it is and of what a rotten popish spirit it savours let all impartiall persons determine The third purgation made by himselfe discovering the hidden popery of his heart is his purging out this notable clause against popery in the first Collect of the publike book of prayers appointed at the generall Fast for ceasing the Plague in the yeere 1636. Thou hast delivered us from Superstition and Idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and hast brought us into the most cleare and confortable light of thy blessed Word by which we are taught how to serve and honouor thee and how to live orderly with our Neighbours in truth and verity The King by his Proclamation Anno 1636. commanded that the Booke of prayers for the Fast formerly set forth by authority should be reprinted re-published and likewise used in all Churches and places at the publike meetings during this Fast The Arch-bishop instead of re-printing the book formerly set forth by authority purgeth this clause out of it in the new impression though used in the Fast-books upon like occasions in Queen Elizabeths and King James their severall reignes and in that of 1. Caroli and that upon these very grounds which should have moved him to retaine it still had his heart been upright or sincere to God and our Religion because it layes a just censure and blemish upon popery by stiling it superstition and idolatry and thankfully recites Gods goodnesse to us in delivering us from Popish superstition and idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and bringing us into the most cleare and comfortable light of his holy Word by which we are taught how to serve and honour him c. A clause so pious so just and equitable that it is almost a miracle how any but a most inveterate Papist could except against it yet this Arch bishop is so irreconcileably angry with it that it must be wholy obliterated and quite omitted out of this new impression and that without any speciall order or command from his Majesty which he pleaded for the former alterations in the Gunpowder-treason book or any suggestion from Papists Priests or Jesuits who were scandalized with it for he doth not so much as pretend any such thing in his justification of this purge but by his owne papall authority contrary to his Majesties Proclamation out of his own metro popish genius which perswades us that the former alcerations in the book for the fift of Novem. proceeded originally from himself too as well as this however he would translate it to the
ever your Graces in all humility CHR. POTTER Octob. 6. 1634. Queens Coll. To which the Arch-bishop returned this answer as was manifested by the Letter it selfe thus indorsed with his owne hand found in his Study and attested by Master Prynne Octob. 18. 1633. Doctor Potter A second Impression of his booke and my Answer to it BUt to the last clause of your Letter about the re-printing of your booke I have done that which you so have desired as you will see by this inclosed paper they are but a few scattered phrases and I put them to your consideration as much for conveniency and charitable expression as for truth Doo what you will with them so you mistake not me in that which your selfe have caused me to doe but in that place page 26. where you say it may viz. Mat. 11. 17. be understood of any Assembly as well civill as Ecclesiasticall doe you not thereby give as much power to the Parliament as to the Church in Church affaires I read in haste and it may be a mistake but you shall doe very well to consider it so in haste I leave you to the grace of God c. WIL. CANT The principall purgations mentioned in the inclosed paper appeare to be these written with the Arch-bishops owne hand which was produced Page 4. beleeve in the Pope the Idol of Rome page 15. onely in the Catholique Church page 26. that in Saint Matthew c. 18. v. 17. tell the Church which may be understood of any Assembly as well civill as Ecclesiasticall page 97. never any Church so farre as Rome page 2. page 8. the Scripture by its owne light c. all which were left out in the second Edition as that notable passage in Theodoret concerning Lay-mens reading the Scriptures in the first Edition of this Doctors Sermon at the consecration of the Bishop of Carlile London 1629. was quite expunged out of the second Impression belike by this Prelate direction as well as these forementioned The fifth purgations and alterations of highest consequence for the introducing of sundry Popish doctrines ceremonies Transubstantiation and the Masse it selfe were by this Arch-prelat made in that Common-prayer-booke which he endeavoured to inforce upon the Church of Scotland all written with his owne hand already mentioned at large in A necessary Introduction to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury his Tryall page 156. to 164. to which the Reader may resort for satisfaction herein which are so palpably popish and destructive to our Religion that this Prelate had no other plea or fence against them when they began to be pressed upon him but onely the Act of Pacification and Oblivion which he peremptorily insisted on though the Committee of the Commons House who managed the Evidence alleadged that they were cleerly without this Act that they insisted on them only as Evidences to prove his endeavours to introduce Popery and his good affection thereunto in maitainance of the seventh and tenth originall Articles of his impeachment not to prove him an Incendiary between both Kingdomes in justification of the twelfth originall Article to which he onely pleaded the Act of Oblivion We shall next proceed to other purgations made by his Chaplaines and Creatures no doubt by his speciall direction Beginning first with a booke written by Sir Anthony Hungerford who being a Papist in his younger dayes and afterwards upon better consideration converted to our Religion did thereupon write a Treatise to his Mother then a Roman Catholike to disswade her from that Religion intituled The Advice of a Sonne professing the Religion established in the present Church of England to his deare Mother a Roman Catholike containing an acknowledgement of God his great mercy in bringing him to the profession of the true religion established in the Church of England and advising exhorting his children to persevere therein Sir Edward Hungerford his Sonne a Member of the House of Commons deposed upon Oath that about the yeere 1635. he carried this Book writ by his Father Sir Anthony to the Arch-bishops Chaplaine Doctor Bray to license for the Presse for the satisfaction and conversion of other seduced Romanists who perusing the same took exceptions at some harsh passages as he termed them against Popes and Popery in the 8. 14. 15. 17. and 62. pages thereof which he told him must be quite expurged or else the Treatise must not passe the Presse The passages were these p. 8 Yet even those truths they recommended unto us upon as perilous and false a ground as if a man should therefore beleeve Christ Jesus to be the sonne of the living God because the devil did confesse it page 14. 15. They will acknowledge that the Pope may be as wicked a man in life as any other in the world and by experience it hath been found that sundry of them have scarce had matches in this kind as for instance of one Pope Alexander the sixth whom Guicciardine though himselfe a Papist doth thus decipher His manner and customes were dishonest little sincerity in his Administrations no shame in his face small truth in his words little faith in his heart and lesse religion in his opinions all his actions were defaced with unsatiable covetousnesse immoderate ambition barbarous cruelty he was not ashamed contrary to the custome of former Popes who to cast some colour over their infamy were went to call them their Nephewes to call his sonnes his children and for such to expresse them to the world The bruit went that in the love of his daughter Lucretia were concurrent not onely his two sonnes the Duke of Candy and the Cardinall of Valence but himselfe also that was her Father who as soone as he was chosen Pope tooke her from her husband and married her to the Lord of Pesare but not able to suffer her husband to be his corrivall he dissolved that marriage also and tooke her to himselfe by vertue of Saint Peters Keyes and it was amongst other graces his naturall custome to use poysonings not onely to be avenged of his enemies but also to dispoyle the wealthy Cardinals of their riches and this he spared not to doe against his dearest friend till at the last having a purpose at a Banquet to poyson divers Cardinals and for that end appointed his Cup-bearer to give attendance with Wine made ready for the nonce who mistaking the bottle gave the poysoned cup to him was thus himselffe dispatched by the just judgement of God that purposed to murther his friends that he might be their Heir Thus farre the Historian page 17. I dare presume it shall be made evidently to appeare unto you in the presence of any that would oppose it that their principle concerning the Popes infallibility being the maine supporter of all Religion at this day in the Church of Rome is not so ancient by so many ages in the world as is the Alcoran of that accursed Mahomet if the foundation be proved new what rule can they propose to
reduced all things contained in them both to some few heads and a most compendious Index by which as in a glasse your honours may quickly take a view of them all and readily turne to any thing you please to peruse If you should desire that I should referre your Honours to some particular places and passages then I humbly beseech yea to be pleased to cast your eyes upon these which follow wherein you shall find notable things expunged and things not altogether unworthy of your pious paines and consideration viz. In the greater of these two Manuscripts these page 5. 11. 25. 27. 28. 65. 91. 93. 99. 102. 105. 109. 115. 125. 134. 137. 138. c. that the fulfilling of the Law is impossible pag. 43. Quest 1. and 57. Quest 1. and 58. Quest 2. and 59. Object and 128. that Election is not from a fore-sight of works pag. 75. 81. 83. In the lesser of these two Manuscripts these pag. 1. a. and 2. a. c. and 4. c. and 5. ll and 6. d. and 8. a. c. and 10. b. and 12. a. and 14. a. and 16. b. and 18. b. c. and 25. b. c. and 29. f. and 39. c. and 41. g. and 42. c. and 48. d. and 58. b. the things which were wholy expunged by the Licenser may be reduced to these few heads namely First things charged upon the Papists in the greater book pag. 5. and 71. twice and 109. 110. in the lesser book pag. 4. c. and 25. b. c. and 40. b. Secondly poynts and passages tending to the overthrow of some Popish Tenents in the greater book pag. 1. 2. 19. five and 20. 27. In the lesser book pag. 1. f. and 2. b. and 5. m. and 6. b. and 10. a. and 12. c. and 14. b. and 15. c. and 17. h. and 18. a. and 36. b. and 40. d. and 52. d. e. Thirdly passages tending to the blemishing of seme Popish writers and the disgrace of Popery and the unwarrantable practice of Popish people and people Popishly affected in the lesser book page 1. a. and 2. a. b. c. and 5. h. i. l. and 6. a. and 8. a. and 9. e. and 17. g. and 44. a. Fourthly poyms mainly and Interminis controverted between us and the Papists in the great book page 11. 15. 17. 19. 23. 25. 26. 43. his 57. 58. 59. 62. 63. his 65. 67. 73. 75. 77. 81. 83. 85. 87. 89. 91. 93. 101. 121. 123. 124. 127. 131. Fifthly poynts and passages tending to the overthrow of Pelagainisme and Arminianisme or the Remonstrants tenents in the greater book page 31. 33. 35. 37. 43. 53. 54. 62. 79. 97. 125. 130. 132. 138. 139. 140. in the lesser book page 1. d. and 4. a. b. d. e. and 9. g. and 18. e. f. and 19. g. and 25. a. and 28. c. and 29. d. and 40. a. e. and 51. a. Sixthly things not at all in controversie viz. in the greater book page 7. 9 39. 41. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 99. 105. 115. 123. 134. 135. in the lesser book page 5. k. and 6. e. and 8. e. and 9. d. and 10. d. e. and 11. f. g. and 17. c. and 21. a. and 30. b. and 48. b. c. and 53. g. h. and 57. c. Seventhly passages tending to reprove the vices and evill customes of some great ones in the greater book page 50. 51. and in the lesser page 4. f. and 42. e. and 43. f. Eighthly passages and poynts obliterated tending highly to the honour and glory of God in the lesser book page 7. i. and 8. b. and 19. h. and 28. c. and of Christ page 57. a. and Diety of the holy Ghost page 58. d. Ninthly the very sentences of Scripture expunged in the lesser book page 7. b. and 21. b. c. and 23. a. and 27. f. and 58. d. Thus I have made bold to make this godly and grave Senate acquainted with the intolerable wrong which my weak labours have suffered by these obliterations and of the disgrace and discredit which bath reflected upon my selfe also thereby for those who are ignorant of the abuses done by the Licenser must needs impute all the absurdities and non sense and lame and imperfect passages either to the ignorance or negligence of the Author this work being my first and I my selfe but little knowne in the world when I put it forth And therefore I humbly sue to this honourable Assembly that you would be pleased to license for the Presse these notes contained in these two Manuscripts which were expunged by the Licenser that thereby I may have power to re-print and perfect my now most imperfect books And your humble Petitioner shall be alwayes bound to pray to the Lord of glory and fountaine of all grace for a blessing upon your proceedings persons estates lives soules and all than concernes you Rich. Ward Many such like purgations in other new books might be produced but we will insist on these alone reducing the severall passages purged out of them under distinct heads which will infallibly evidence and most perspicuously demonstrate his Jesuiticall intentions to usher the whole body of popery into our Church by degrees without the least publike opposition We shall begin with 1. Purgations of sundry notable passages against Popery it selfe in generall which must not passe the Presse upon any termes but have a speciall deleatur drawne over them In Doctor Clarkes Sermons page 431. Sermon 19. l. 10. in the printed copy Dr. Haywood the Licenser the Arch-bishops own Chaplaine purged out this clause against popery God there expounds himselfe least some Papists say 't is but my glosse POPERY IS IDOLATRY by God's owne censure there that prayes unto Images It seems this practice and popery must not now be called Idolatry as our Homilies against the perill of Idolatry and all our writers formerly use to stile it for that would scandalize the papists and make people to abhorre popery so as never to embrace it Ibidem Sermon 20. page 443. l. 6. Popery a patchery and meer medley of moldy heresies are deleted by the Licenser It must have the honourable title of the old Religion still these two down-right Epithites will overmuch disgrace it Ibidem Sermon 20. page 451. 452. this passage is expunged as scandalous to the Roman Religion When he the Pope or Priest preacheth it is lightly of legendary lyes all Romes Religion is almost lyes If I shall say the Clergy-men lye not I shall lye too not lightly in his Doctrine though the Romanists doe that write and preach lyes Master Richard Ward in his Comentary upon Matthew had these passages obliterated among sundry others We may justly feare that our Church shall have her period when the Word shall depart from us to some other Nation that hath not enjoyed it by a relapse into Popery as we did in Queen Maries time or that we shall be overwhelmed by Atheisme and as Rome doth now onely retaine a false shew of a Church being drowned either with
doe not preferre the advancement of Religion and prâ—pagation of the Gospel before all humane things If the Reader desire to see theâ— answers and particulars amplified and much enlarged let him read Chemuit Harâ— fol. 893. Ibidem page 38. this is deleted Thirdly as the fish gaine nothing except they be taken with the hooke so preaching profits not the hearers except thaâ— obey what is preched and therefore great is their misery who neglect the preaching of the Word for first from such the Vineyard shall be taken away and secondly thâ— wrath of God shall abide upon and remaine with them yea thirdly the Word preached and the empty feats will rise up in judgement at the last day and therefore man had better neglect pleasure riches honour meat health yea life it selfe thaâ— the preaching of the Word for what will momentary pleasure or uncertaine rices or vvorldly honour or food or health or life profit us if vve lose our precious soulâ— of more vvorth then all these eternally In fishers vve must consider besides thâ—â— knovvledge and diligence these tvvo things to wit the place and maine scope Firsâ— the place vvhere they fish and herein vve may observe first that they must be in many places for sometimes fishers are in one place or part of the sea sometimes in another as vve see in Christ and his Apostles Mark 1. 38. Secondly there are fisher◠〈…〉 in the uttermost parts of the vvorld so Ministers must follovv Gods calâ— though 〈…〉 to goe to forraigne parts their line vvent through all the vvorld Thirdly 〈◊〉 make long journeys goe much ground faile farre in the sea for a fevv fishes â— Ministers preach long for the vvinning of a fevv soules Secondly in fishes vve may 〈…〉 the maine scope vvherein note that servants fish not for themselves but for their Masters so Ministers must wooemen for God not for themselves and labour to gaine soules that they may be presented as pure and chast Virgins unto the Lord 2 cor 11. 2. as Eleazer vvooed Rebecca for Isaac not for himselfe and continued soliciting her untill shee consented to goe with him so the Ministers of God must first labour not for an hour but untill they have gained some soules unto the Lord their Master and secondly they must labour not for their owne sakes but for their peoples yea for Gods sake that is for Gods glory and their salvation and thirdly the Ministers may be said to labour for their owne sakes too for it is true yee are my Crown and my glory as the Apostle saith Phil. 4. 1. 1 Thes 4. 19. 20. yea the Epistle which is written in our heart 2 Cor. 3. 2. and if you stand fast then we live 1 Thes 3. 8. Ibidem page 40. The Church of God is sometimes compared to the Sea and then the Ministers are the Pilots of the Ship and the fishers in that Sea and therefore if our names imply labour and cur calling import industry then Non-residents are not to be commended if they absent themselves from their flocks for their lucre or ease-sake and not upon some urgent and weighty affaires for a time which may be as profitable for the Church of God Paul laboured night and day and Christ prayed not that drones and idle persons but that labourers might be sent into his harvest Ibidem page 328. Answ 2. Christ here onely reproveth the ambitions affectation of the Pharises who delighted much to be called Fathers when the Pharises sate in Moses Chaire then they might call them fathers that is so long as they taught the truth but when they were not directly subordinate unto God and affected that which was due onely to him then they were not to be counted as Fathers mark here the opposition call no man your Father for one is your Father in Heaven If the earthly Father be subordinate to the Heavenly then ye may call them father but when they affect that which is due to the heavenly Father to whom belongeth the Kingdome the power and the glory then call them not Fathers Ibidem printed book fol. 170. written copy fol. 82. They mis-apply the Word who first sow pillowes under mens elbowes secondly but principally they who make sad the hearts of those by their preaching whom God hath not made sad such are those at this day who have smooth tongues in respect of sinne and yet are full of bitter invectives against the better sort some hate the preaching of the Word and therefore hate and abuse the Preachers thereof whence it comes to passe first that some Ministers are partly fearfull and so forbeare preaching that by so doing they may decline hatred persecution and reviling speeches Secondly some are partly weary c. Ibidem printed booke fol. 178. written copy fol. 79. Quest. How must we so preach that God may gaine glory thereby Answ It is done three manner of wayes viz. either first by preaching the glorious works of God and that either first his eternall works or decrees which were from all eternity as namely first the creation of the Universe secondly the predestinating of some unto salvation from the corrupt masse of man-kind fallen in Adam thirdly our redemption by Christ fourthly the preparation of celestiall glory Secondly his works done in time which are either first temporall as first the preservation of the whole world secondly the protection of man least he should lack any good thing or be harmed by any evill thing c. Ibidem printed book fol. 490. written copy fol. 298. A knowing Minister can better direct people to come out of their sinnes c. Page 29. book fol. 9. written copy 262. They being converted must convert their brethren the Gentiles Answ 8. The finall cause why the Apostles were sent unto Israel was that so their obstinacy and hard-heartednesse might be perfected and ripened unto judgement and therefore although the Samaritanes were more ready to hear and embrace the Gospell then the Jewes as appeares by John 4. Act. 8 yet Christ sends it to those who are most backward and difficultly perswaded yea who will not be perswaded to embrace it that so their sinnes may be full and mature unto harvest Hence observe that the preaching of the Word is often sent unto many for their destruction this evidently appeares thus to wit first from these places Jer. 7. 27. Ezek. 2. 35. 3. 6. c. Matth. 24. 34. John 15. 22. 24. Act. 13 46. 7. 22. 1 Thes 2. 15. Secondly because thus the justice and anger of God is justified 2 hron 36. 16. Rom. 10. 21. Prov. 1. 24. Thirdly because it is the nature of the Word to harden as well as soften like the Sunne which hardens mire as well as softens wax for the Word is a light and therefore where that shines men cannot sinne in darknesse and when men sinne against light and conscience then judgement is neer even at the doore c. 48. Passages deleted against Murther
parte intererit salutem Cum vacante â—uper sede Episcopi Cicestren per mortem naturalem vltimi Episcopi ejusdem ad humilem petitionem Decani Capituli Ecclesiae nostrae Cathedralis Cicestr per Literas Nostras petendi licentiam concesserimus alium sibi eligendum in Episcopum pastorem sedis pradicti iidem Decanus Capitulum vigore obtentu licentiae nostrae perdilectum nobis in Christo Richardum Mountague sacrae Theologia Baccalaurum sibi et Ecclesia praedicta elegerunt in Episcopum pastorem prout per literas suas sigillo corum communi sigillatas Nobis inde direstas plenius liquet apparet Nos electionem illam acceptantes eidem electioni Regium nostrum assensum adhibuimus pariter et faverem et hoc vobis tenore praesentium significamus Rogantes ac in side et dilectione quibus Nobis tenemini firmiter precipiendo mandautes quatenus vos eundum Richardum Mountague in Episcopum et pastorem Ecclesiae Cathedralis nostrae Cicestren pradictae fie vt praefertur electum electionemque praedict confirmare et cundem Episcopum et pastorem Ecelesiae Cathedralis predictae consecrare ceteraque omnia et singula peragere quae vestro in hac parte incumbunt officio pastorali juxta formam statutorum et legum Regni nostri Angliae in hac parte editâ— et provis velitis cum diligentia favere effectu In cujus rei c. This conteineth your Majesties Royall Assent for Richard Mountague Batchelar in Divinity to be Bishop of Chichester voyde by the death of the last Incumbent By order of the Lord Bishop of London After this he so far honoured him as to be present at his consecration Witnesse this passage in his Diary penned with his own-hand August 23. 24. 1628. Saturday Saint Bartholmeus Eve the Duke of Buckingham slain at Portsmouth by one Lieutenant Felton about 9. in the morning the Newes of his death came to Croydon where it found my selfe and the Bishops of Winchester Ely and Carlisle at the consecration of Bishop Mountague for Chichester with my Lords Grace In the year 1638. upon the Translation of Bishop Wren to Ely this Archbishop preferred him to the See of Norwich witnesse Bishop Mountagues Letter to the Archbishop thus endorsed with his own hand Rec. Martii 29. 1638. Bishop of Ghichesters submission of his Bookes to me c. Found in his Study at Lambeth and attested by Master Prynne May it please your Grace By Mr Bray I sent your Grace another part of my Altar Relations as my between-times of sicknesse would give me leave to transcribe the rest as I can dispatch it I will send after with Gods helpe In the last there is much of the Churches sacrifice faithfully related out of Antiquity not positively by me asserted I am but a Narrator and so the lesse offensive Howsoever I give your Grace Power to dispose of what I write as will fit the Church and State For we are I know of the same Religion drive to the same end though not the same way So much I related to Master Bray and Mr Deane of Christ-Church The remaynes of my Ague are worse then the Ague it selfe so that I cannot waite upon your Grace as I would Yesterday I took a Purgation which I hope will doe me good but hath much weakened mee and Phisitians in expelling the remaynes and restoring health unto the castle of strength say they must tuto pede movere I cannot learn that my Lord of Norwich is yet fully translated till when I suppose there is no issuing of my Conge D'esleer I must humbly intreat your Grace that you would be pleased to informe me when and what I should doe in both which I am so ignorant God make me profitable to his Church to which I can bring nothing but honesty and Industry which I will promise and to your Grace thankefullnesse for your long-continued extraordinary Favours in which vote I rest Your Graces poor Servant and Brother Rich. Cicist For the most Reverend my Lord of Canterbury his Grace this By this Letter it is most apparent First that Bishop Mountague made the Archbishop acquainted with his Bookes before he printed them and submitted them to his censure and how full of Popery they are you have already heard Yea after they were printed he presented him with printed Coppies of them curiously bound up and guilded produced and read formerly at the Lords Barre Secondly That Canterbury and he were of the same religion and did drive at the same end and what was that but the erecting of Altars the introducing of Popery and reconciling us to Rome as this Letter and the foregoing evidence manifest Thirdly That his promotions were by the Archbishops long-continued extraordinary favours for which he returnes him thankes in this Letter And no wonder was it that Bishop Mountague was his speciall Favourite for if we beleeve the Pamphlet intituled The Popes Nuncio p. 11. 14. 16. first published in Italian by the Venetian Embassadour this great confident of the Archbishop was very intimate with Panzain the Popes first Legate frequently visited him and very passionately desired a Reconciliation of us and the Church of Rome Yea Godfrey Goodman Bishop of Glocester in his Letter to the Archbishop whiles they were both prisoners in the Tower dated August 30. 1642. the originall whereof was seised on by M. Prynne writes That at that instant when he dissented from the New Canons by Bishop Mountagues encouragement An. 1640. he could have proved how that in his person he did visit and held correspondency with the Popes Agent and received his Letters in behalfe of his Sonne who was then travelling to Rome who by his Letters he had extraordinary entertainment there This Bishop Mountague would ascribe to the favour and credit which he had gotten by his writings If so it seemes they were very well approved of at Rome And this is not onely probable but reall as appeares by an originall Letter under Bishop Mountagues own hand to Secretary Windebanke dated from Aldingburne Jan. 26. wherein he desires this Popish Secretary to give his son leave to goe to Rome in his travell which he is desireous to do and I writes he AM DESIROVS HE SHOVLD desiring him to acquaint his GRACE therewith and remember his duty to him His Graces advancement then of such an Arminian and Romish Prelate so intimate with the Popes Legate and much favoured at Rome must certainly favour of a Romish designe to corrupt our Church subvert our Religion set up Popery and reduce us back to Rome Doctor Roger Manwaring Vicar of Saint Giles in the fields a man very Popishly affected and intimate with Papists who abounded in his Parish upon a complaint and Impeachment of the Commons in Parliament for two Sermons preached before his Majestie the third year of his reigne in Justification of the Lawfulnesse of the Kings imposing Loues and Taxes on his People without consent
Popery and Arminianisme which this Bishops creatures excepted against and speedily informed him off Dr T. Cumber then Vice-Chancellor informs him of this Sermon in a Letter of his May 22. 1632. wherein he writes in this manner I cannot but further advertise your Lordship in a word that here was one Mr Bernard a discontinuer and a Preacher as I hear about London who uttered some offensive words concerning some Ceremonies and Rites used in some Churches in a Sermon of his at Saint Maries and as I have heard in some other Church before I gave a decree to the Beadle to convent him but he could not be found To which the Bishop returned this answer written with Mr Dells hand and thus endorsed May 27. 1630. A clause of my Letter to Dr Cumber concerning Mr Bernard c. I AM sorry you have been troubled at Cambridge with the distempered speeches of any men in the Pulpit And I must confesse I heard of both the particulars you mention before I received your Letter That in St. Johns it seemes they have punished and you doe very worthily to joyn with them in case any thing for the publique shall be further requisite And as for Mr Bernard I am the more sorry for him because he is in London within my Charge Neverthelesse if he have done unworthily I shall be very ready to assist you and the Vniversity in what I may be able And since you gave a Decree to the Beadle to convent him and he slipt away the while I will do the best I can to send him backe there to be answerable to the Government against which he hath offended And if he shall refuse so to do without giving better reason then I thinke he can I shall certainly suspend him till hee do it So in hast I leave you c. W. London Before this Doctors Letter the Bishop had received an information of the heads of his Sermon from others thus endorsed with his own hand May 6. 1932. Notes of Mr Bernards Sermon at Cambridge the particulars whereof are hereafter expressed more at large in his own words Soone after Mr Bernard by this Bishops prosecution was brought into the High Commission Court and forced to deliver in a Copy of his Sermon to the Bishop which he did who excepted against these Passages in it for which he was articled against Gods Ordinances for his publike Worship are the glory of any Nation By Gods Ordinances here I understand chiefly the Word Sacraments and Prayer which if blended and adulterated with any Superstitious Innovations of men cease to bee Gods Ordinances and he ownes them no longer It is not the single having of Gods Ordinances for his publike Worship but the having of them in their purity and integrity that dignifies a Nation Gods Ordinances for his publike Worship in their Purity and Integrity are a sure shield between a Nation and publike ruine and desolation For proofe whereof I challenge all Recordes both divine and humane to produce one instance wherein God punished any part of his Church with any Nationall ruine and destruction before they had either departed from or corrupted his Ordinances The Apostle Rom. 1. 16. affirmeth of the preaching of the Word that it is the power of God to salvation It is the meanes by which God manifesteth his omnipotent and irresistible power in the conversion and salvation of all those who from eternity were ordained thereunto by Gods absolute and immutable Decree This seemes to confute their errour who think meanly and basely of these Ordinances of God which we have proved to be the glory of that Nation where they are in their purity and integrity These men turn their glory into shame for is there not a generation of prophane men among us who are afraide and ashamed to preach twice on the Lords day to preach plainly powerfully and spiritually to the soules and consciences of their people least they should be accounted Puritans Many who are afraide to hear too often especially on the weeke dayes least they should be accounted Bible-bearers and gadders after Sermons Many who are as much afraide to performe holy duties in their families and to speake like Christians as Peter was who that his speech might not betray him began to curse and swear Many who complain that there is too much preaching and that it was never merry since Many who esteem very meanly of prayer especially of the publike prayers of the Church Some that have scorufully called the sirging of a Psalme a Geneva Iigge But the principall exception was for this ensuing Discourse in the close of his Sermon Further I will not deny that God hath his true invisible Church among those Nations as he had in Israel in the dayes of Ahab and Eliah nay I see no reason why in a large yet true sence we may not call the Church of Rome Italy or Spain a particular visible Church of Christ as Israel in the Reign of Jeroboem was a Church of God though Idolatrous and Apostaticall Yet I say that it is imposible that any should be saved living or dying without repentance in the doctrine and Idolatrous worship of the Church of Rome as the late Tridentine Councell hath decreed it My reason is this Hee that thinkes to go to heaven any other way then by faith in Christ onely shall never come there But he that dyes without repentance in the Doctrine of the Church of Rome as the Councell of Trent hath decreed it thinkes to go to heaven another way then by faith in Christ onely as namely by the merits of his own workes Ergo such a one shall never come there Thirdly if Gods Ordinances for his publike worship in their purity are the glory of a nation then it followes that they who go about to deprive a Nation of any of Gods Ordinances for his publike Worship either in whole or in the best part of them idest in their purity and integrity they go about to make that Nation base and inglorious and if so then are they enemies to that Nation and Traytors to it if it be their own Nation for Treason is not limited to the royall blood as if he only could be a Traitor who plotteth and attempteth the dishonour and shedding thereof but may be and is too oft committed against the whole Church and nation which last is by so much the worst of them two by how much the end is better then the meanes and the whole of greater consequence then any other part alone Whereby we may learn what to account of those among our selves if any such be which is better known to you then to mee who endeavour to quench the light and abate the glory of our Israel by bringing in their Pelagian errours into the Doctrine of our Church established by Law and the Superstitions of the Church of Rome into our warship of God as high Altars Crucifixes and bowing to them id est in plain English
the year 1626. some godly Persons in and about London to promote the preaching of the Gospel and set up a Preaching Ministry to instruct the people in divers great Towns and Parishes impropriate where they wanted means to maintain Preaching of which they had long been destitute in former times resolved to lay their purses together and chuse out of themselves four Divines four Common Lawyers and four Citizens of note who should be Feoffees in trust to purchase in these Impropriations and with the profits of them to set up and maintain a constant preaching Ministery in places of greatest need and eminency whereupon they made choice of Dr W. Gouge Dr R. Sibbs C. Ofspring I. Davenport Divines Ralph Eyre S. Brown of Lincolas Inne C. Sherland of Greyes Inne J. White of middle Temple Esquires Common Lawyers Iohn Geering Richard Davis George Harwood and Francis Bridges Citizens to be Feoffees for this purpose who with their own monyes and the contributions of other well-affected persons in 2 or 3 years space purchased in the Impropriations of Hartford Dunstable Cirencester with others and set up able preaching conformable Ministers authorized by the Bishops of the Diocesse there in many other places where they had never any before as likewise at Bridgenorth Clarely and had they not been interrupted in this good work would in very few years in all probability have purchased in most of the great Towns noted Parishes Impropriations of England in Lay-mens hands where Preaching was most wanting and meanes to maintain it No sooner had this Malignant Prelate notice of this pious religious work but out of his enmity to Preaching and the good of ignorant peoples souls whom he would rather have still keept in blindnesse and the chaines of Sathan then instructed with the Gospels light and brought under the Scepter of Jesus Christ he presently projects not only the obstruction but utter subvertion of this pious designe which none but a Devill incarnate or Enemy of all goodnesse could dislike many even of the worser sort of Bishops yea Courtiers applauding it as a very necessary and godly work That he himself projected the overthrow of these Feoffees was proved out of his own Diary where thus he writes in the close of it Things which I have projected to do if Godblesse me in them the third whereof is this To overthrow the Feofment dangerous both to Church and State going under the specious pretence of buying in Impropriations Over against which he writes in the Margin DONE which fights point-blanke with his very next project of a quite contrary nature justifying these Feoffees acts namely To procure King CHARLES to give all the Impropriations yet remaining in the Crown within the Realme of Ireland to that poor Church Against which he writes in the Margin Done and settled there though to the impairing of that Crownes revenues and that by power of the Councell Table in an arbitrary forcible and illegall way to the undoing of many as appears by sundry Originall Letters thence whereas the Feoffees buying in Impropriations did no wayes lessen the Kings revenues and was done in a just and legall way To overthrow this pious work he caused Mr Noy the Kings Atturney Generall by the Kings command to exhibit a Bill against these Feoffees in the Eschequer Chamber to confiscate their purchased Impropriations to the King by a Decree of that Court and so dissolve all they had done which Bill was prosecuted with all violence To set on the prosecution with more edge he suborned his flattering creatures to declaime against these Feoffees and their design in the Pulpit both at Court and elsewhere Among others his great Minion Peter Heylin preaching at Saint Maryes in Oxford before the whole Vniversity at the publike Act there on Sunday in the afternoon the 11th of July 1630. discharged his venome against Lecturers and these Feoffees in these bitter Invectives p. 38 39 Planting of Pensionary Lectures in so many places where it needs not and upon dayes of common labour will at the last bringing forth of fruites appear to be a tare indeed though now no wheat be counted fairer c. Wee will proceed a little further in the proposall of some things to be considered The Corporation of Feoffees for buying in Impropriations to the Church Doth it not seeme in the appearance to be an excellent peece of Wheat A noble and gracious point of Piety Is not this Templum Domini Templum Domini But blessed God that men should thus draw near unto thee with their mouths yet be far from thee in their hearts For what are those intrusted in the managing of this great businesse Are they not the most of them the most active and the best affected men in the whole cause et magna partis momenta chiefe Patrons of the faction And what are those whom they prefer Are they not most of them such as must be serviceable to their dangerous Innovations And will they not in time have more preferments to bestow and therefore more dependances then all the Prelates in the Kingdome c. Yet all this while we sleep and slumber and fold our hands in sloath and see perhaps but dare not note it This Sermon he presented to this Bishop in writing bound up in Velome who thus endorsed it with his own hand S. Mat. 13 25. Master Peter Heylin and reserved it as a monument in his study where it was seised by Mr Pryn and Mr Bendy who produced and attested it Feb. 13. 1632. this cause came to hearing and sentence in the Exchequer Chamber where the Feoffees and their good designe were utterly overthrowne of which the Bishop made this speciall Memento in his Diary in these termes Feb. 13. 1632. Wednesday the Feoffees that pretended to buy in Impropriations were dissolved in the Chequer Chamber They were the main Instruments for the Puritane faction to undoe the Church The Criminall part reserved John White of the Middle Temple Esquire a member of the House of Commons deposed at the Lords Barre that he attending this Archbishop then of London at London House as a Councellour about a right of Patronage to Chingford in Essex after the hearing of the businesse the Bishop demanded of him Whether he were not one of the Feoffees for buying in Impropriations to which he answered he was whereupon the Bishop fell upon him with much bitternesse of spirit calling him An enemy of the Church an underminer of Religion and vehemently affirmed that this worke of his and his fellow-Feoffees was mischeivous to the Church and destructive to Religion and that he would see him and his fellows shortly called to an Account for it and stop them from proceeding in that work That some few dayes after he attended this Bishop again at Fulham upon the former cause where he took occasion to discourse with him at large about the Feoffees proceedings enforming him that their onely ayme and end in purchasing in Impropriations was for the
Imprisonment by them voted Illegall there being all this while no proceedings against him nor any crime objected to him in any Court of Justice By means of which Imprisonment he was much prejudiced and undone in his Estate and his wife with four small children exposed to Pennury and Beggery Such a spite did He bear this witnesse for his Activity in the businesse of Impropriations Mr William Kendall Mr Iohn Lane and Mr Tempest Miller severally deposed at the Lords Bar that the Archbishop in the presence of them and divers others speaking of the Feoffees of Impropriations said that they were the bane of the Church and then uttered these words in a vaunting manner I was the man that did set my self against them and then clapping his hand upon his brest said I thank God I have destroyed this work So as he did not only subvert this pious project to propagate the preaching of the Gospell but boasted of it and had so much shamelesse Impiety as to thanke God himselfe for effecting it who hath now in justice brought him into judgement for it and made it one part of that Charge and Evidence which we conceive will most justly destroy him The seventh and next stratagem he used to subvert the Protestant Religion which he had almost totally suppressed corrupted with Popish Errours Superstitions Innovations in our English Churches was his endeavours to undermine and suppresse it in these few Duth and French Churches planted here among us who enjoyed their owne Government Priviledges Discipline without any interruption by any of his Predecessors or other English Prelates in all our Protestant Princes reignes from King Edward the sixth his reigne till this Archprelates molestation of and attempts against them thus laid down in the twelfth Originall Article of his Impeachment He hath Traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord between the Church of England and other Reformed Churches and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the Priviledges and Immunities which have been by his Majesty and his Royall Ancestors granted to the Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdom And divers other wayes hath expressed his malice and disaffection to these Churches that so by such dis-union the Papists might have more advantage for the overthrow and extirpation of both To make good this Article we could produce many Letters Papers Instructions Orders under the Archbishops own hand or indorsed by him found in his own study here ready at the Barre but for brevity sake we shall instance only in some few particulars of more speciall note The first is that this Arch-prelate though he beares so good an affection and honourable respect to the Church of Rome as to justifie her to be a true visible Apostolike Church which never erred in fundamentals and wherein men may be saved and that we and she are one and the same Church still no doubt of that both one as we have formerly proved Yet he is so maliciously despitefull to the Protestant Churches in forraign parts and at home that he reputes them not only no true Churches but even no Churches at all because they have no Lord-bishops different in Order and Degree from ordinary Ministers This opinion of his we shall manifest not only by his Divinity Questions when he was to proceed Batchelor and Doctor of Divinity for which Dr Holland publickly checkt and turned him out of the Schools with disgrace as a sower of discord between Brethren to wit the Church of England and other reformed Churches but by his own late reprinted Book An 1639. entituled A Relation of the Conference between William Laud then Lord Bishop of St. Davids now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Mr Fisher the Jesuite c. p. 175 176. where thus he writes in justification of his former Theses in the Divinity Schools For the calling and Authority of Bishops over the inferiour Clergy that was a thing of known use and benefit for preservation of Truth and Peace in the Church And so much St Ierom tels us though being none himselfe he was no great friend to Bishops And this was so setled in the mindes of men from the very infancy of the Christian Church as that it had not been till that time contradicted by any So that then there was no controversie about the calling all agreed upon it Then citing Jeroms words in the margin he thus comments upon them So even according to St. Ierom Bishops had a very ancient and honourable descent in the Church from St. Mark the Evangelist And about the end of the same Epistle he acknowledgeth it Traditionem esse Apostolicam Nay more then so he affirmes plainly That ubi non est Sacerdos NON EST ECCLESIA St. Ierom advers Luciferianos And in that place most manifest it is that St. Ierom by Sacerdos meanes a Bishop for he speaks de Sacerdote qui potestatem habet Ordinandi which in St. Ieroms owne judgement no meere Priest had but a Bishop only St. Ierom Epist. ad Evagrium so even with him NO BISHOP NO CHURCH Which being his own positive judgement the Dutch and French Protestant Churches both at home and abroad must needs be no Church at all in his opinion because they have no such Bishops and so are in farre worse condition then the Church of Rome in his repute To make this more apparent we shall desire you to take notice that in Decemb. 1639. there was a plot between this Archbishop and others of our Prelates to obtrude upon all our Ministers this subscription as the received Doctrine of the Church of England to wit that there could be no Church of Christ without Diocesan Lord Bishops which clearly appeares by the forementioned propositions of Bishop Hall which the Archbishop thought fit for the subscription of others but especially by the 1. 12. and 13. propositions viz. God had never any Church on earth that was ruled by a Parity There was NO CHVRCH OF CHRIST VPON EARTH ever since the times of the Apostles governed any otherwise then by Bishops This course of government thus set by the Apostles in their life time by the speciall direction of the holy Spirit is unalterable by any humane Authority but OVGHT to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world From whence it inevitably followes that the reformed forraign Churches having no such imparity of Governours nor Lordly Bishops in them are in this Arch-Prelates and his Confederates judgements No Churches of God or Christ at all and if the designe of subscribing these Propositions had succeeded as it did in the Etcetera Oath for a time he would have engaged the whole Church of England with all our Ministers by a publike subscription in this most unchristian and uncharitable opinion which not prevailing was yet soone after thus seconded in print by his grand Favourite Bishop Mountague whom he advanced to two Bishopricks in his Originum Ecclesiasticarum Tomi prioris Pars posterior p. 464 published with his approbation
Preacher shall bring any other Minister to preach for him in time of his sicknesse absence or other necessary employment but such as for whose Conformity to the Church and Government here he will be answerable 7. That if any Minister being a Subject of the Kings in the Low-Countreys or any other place beyond the Seas shall in any other Auditory as well as before the Regiments or the Merchants preach or publish or in any other way by publike Speech Writing or Printing divulge any thing derogatory to the Doctrine or Discipline established in the Church of England or otherwise prejudiciall to the Temporall State and Government His Majesties Agent there shall use the best meanes he can to discover him or them so offending and having found them shall presently certifie the State here that so they may be recalled by Privy Seale to answer it And if they then refuse to come that the Law in that case passe upon them 8. That no man shall be chosen or sent over by the Merchants here either to Delf or any other place of their residence beyond the Seas whensoever any such place or places shall become voyd but such a man as is conformable to the Church of England both in Doctrine and Discipline and such as will be carefull to see that they which are under his Governments shall observe all such Church Duties as are expressed and required in any the former Articles And that some of the chiefe Merchant-Adventurers here be sent for to the Board and be made acquainted with this Article And farther that at every time and times that they send a new Deputy Governour to any place of their Residence they present the said Deputy to the Lords and give them assurance of his fitnesse and sufficiency for that Charge At which time the said Deputy may have such Directions given him by their Lordships as the present times and occasions require And that there be like care taken for other good Officers there as for the Deputy Governour himselfe 9. That whensoever the Merchant-Adventurers shall become suitors to His Majesty to renew or confirme their Patent as in most Kings times it is usuall so to doe that then there be a Clause inserted into their Patent to binde them to the observance of all or so much of these Instructions as shall bee thought fit by his Majesty and the Lords 10. That the present Agent as also all others that shall succeed in that employment have these Instructions given them in Charge and that once a yeare they be required to give the Board an Account what the Proceed of the businesse is That so His Majesties Subjects aswell abroad as at home may be kept in orderly obedience to the Honour of His Majesties Government and the better uniting of the hearts of his People to God His Majesty and one to another In which will consist the strength as well as the Honour of the Kingdom 11. I conceive it no way fit that the Ministers which are His Majesties Subjects in Holland should have any Classicall Meetings allowed them as it seemes they pretend some grant since the yeare 1622. especially that they be not suffered to assume power of Ordination for then it will be a perpetuall Seminary to breed and transplant men ill-affected to the Government into this Kingdom It is to be observed that the French and High Germane Congregations in the Low-Countreys doe all observe the Liturgy of their own Mother Churches only the English observe neither their owne nor any other uniformity Concerning the second that is the French and Dutch Churches as they now stand in many parts of this Kingdom I as humbly represent first the Danger then the probable Remedy For the Dangers I humbly submit but conceive as followeth 1. It was Honour and Piety in this State when at the first way was given for those Churches both in London and some other parts of this Kingdome Because at that time there was persecution upon them in their owne Countreys And the Peace with which God then blessed this Kingdom was their safety 2. I conceive it was never the meaning and purpose of this State then or at any other time that they living and continuing here marrying and having wives and children and many of them plentifull fortunes and Lands And their children and childrens children being now Natives and his Majesties borne Subjects should live like an absolute divided Body from the Church of England established which must needs work upon their affections and alienate them from the State or at least make them ready for any Innovation that may sort better with their humour 3. It is likewise considerable what an entire and divided body they keep themselves For few or none of them marry with any of us but only one with another Upon which it must needs follow that as they encrease and multiply they which are now a Church within a Church will in time grow to be a kinde of another Common-wealth within this and so ready for that which I hold not fit to expresse any farther 4. It is likewise of great consequence that these men living with their entire Families divided from the present Government of Church and Common-wealth are many and have got their Residence and settlement in all or most of the Haven Townes especially such as lie fittest for France and the Low-Countreys And were occasion offered God knowes what advantage they may take to themselves or make for others 5. Their Example is of ill consequence in Church affaires especially to the Subject of England For many are confirmed in their stubborne wayes of disobedience to the Church-Government seeing them so freely suffered in this great and populous City 6. Last of all I think it very just not to suffer French or Dutch Church differing from us in Discipline to be otherwise or longer tolerated in any part of this Realme then the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England shall among the Subjects of this Crowne be tolerated in those severall parts beyond the Seas whither they have cause to resort and abide For the Remedies likewise I humbly submit but conceive they may be these 1. I think it fit their Number in all places of this Kingdome bee made knowne as fully as may be that your Lordships may the better judge both of them and the way to reduce them into one Body with this Kingdome in which they are borne Subjects 2. I conceive the best way to know their Number is by a Command from the State it selfe and to have it avowedly taken in all places where they reside with a Certificat either presently or when your Lordships shall think fit which are the men of Credit and Wealth among them And this may be done really for their good and so sweetned as that they may apprehend it for a benefit as indeed it is 3. It is fit if they will continue as a divided Body from both State and Church that they be used as
meeting a Pupill of his at Paris in France when he waited on Sir Thomas Edmonds as his Chaplaine there which Pupill had turned a Papist discoursing with him concerning this Arch-bishop then resident in Saint John's Colledge in Oxford he told him that Doctor Laud his Tutor was against the Popes supremacy but did maintaine many Catholike points of their Religion The second is Sir Nathaniel Brent his owne Vicar-generall who deposed at the Barre that this Arch bishop while he continued in Oxford was there generally reputed to be popish that he and others conceived him so not upon any fained but upon very probable grounds one whereof then generally taken notice of was that when he did his exercise for Batchelour of Divinity he tooke his supposition almost verbation out of Bellarmine which he remembers the better because one Mr. Dale then Proctor his Opponent who took exceptions at it shewed him his supposition in Bellarmines Works concerning the necessity of Baptisme which was consonant to the tenent of Rome Another ground of this opinion of him was that he held acquaintance and most familiarly conversed with those in the University who were most addicted to Popery and reputed Papists and had sundry differences bickerings disputes with many sound Divines about points in Religion particularly he had very intimate acquaintance with and oft frequented the company of one Browne reputed a Papist in his life and found to be so after his death there being a manuscript writ with his owne hand and thought to be his owne found in his Study in defence of popery and maintaining among other things that one might be a Minister officiate and actually remaine in the Church of England and yet be actually reconciled to the Church of Rome This book King James hearing of sent for it which being brought to him when he had read this passage he said if this position of his were true he could not now tell whom to trust And that there was such a generall report of the Arch-bishop then he thought himselfe would not deny and for that he had seen that book of Browns a petition of this Bishops in a great mans hands to whom King James delivered them wherein healleaged that he was traduced to be a Papist but desired his Majesty not to think so of him To these testimomies we shall adde a notable passage in Doctor Abbot's Sermon at Saint Peters in Oxford on Easter-day Anno 1615. formerly touched on p. 155. on which you may reflect That some were partly ROMISH partly English as occasion served them that a man might say unto them Nosteres an adversariorum who under pretence of truth and preaching against the Puritan strike at the heart and root of the faith and Religion new established among us c. That they cannot plead they are ACCOUNTED PAPISTS because they speak against the puritan but because BEING INDEED PAPISTS they speak nothing against them If they doe at any time speak against the papists they doe but beat a little about the Bush and that but softly too for fear of waking and disquieting the birds that are in it they speak nothing but that wherein one Papist will speake against another as against Equivocation the Popes temporall authority and the like and perhaps some of their blasphemous speeches But in the point of Freewill Justification Concupiscence being a sinne after Baptisme inherent righteousnesse and certainty of salvation THE PAPISTS BEYOND THE SEAS CAN SAY THEY ARE WHOLLY THEIRS AND THE RECUSANTS AT HOME MAKE THEIR BRAGS OF THEM AND IN ALL THINGS THEY KEEP THEMSELVES SO NEERE THE BRINK THAT UPON ANY OCCASION THEY MAY STEP OVER TO THEM Now for this speech that the Presbyterians are as bad as the Papists there is a sting in the speech which I wish had been left out for there are many churches beyond the seas which contend for the Religion established among us which yet have approved and admitted the presbytery and this is to make them as bad as the papists Besides there have lived among us many reverend and worthy men which have not rejected the presbytery taking it even for Lay-Elders and among the rest Doctor Nowell late Deane of Pauls in his Larger Catechisme pag. 29. 71. affirmeth that in every well-governed Church there was a Presbytery and yet this Catechisme by the late reverend Arch-bishop of Canterbury was commanded to be had in every Grammar Schoole Which surely he would not have done if the presbyterians were as daâ—rous or bad as the papists And now that I have cleered my selfe from this imputation of being for the presbytery it will lye upon them to CLEARE THRMSELVES IF THEY CAN FROM THEIR SUSPITION OF POPERY For as Saint Hierom speakes In crimine haereseos patientem esse non decet And for their speech of preferment it s not that I look for I make account I have lived to the end of a Students life and God forbid that now for the hope of a little preferment I should betray the cause of Christ I have been ever of this mind if there be no preferment on earth there is enough in Heaven And my desire is while I live here to walk in sincerity and truth If I should doe otherwise how should I look my Saviour in the face might he not say uto me what art thou ROMISH or English PAPIST or PROTESTANT or what art thou A MONGRELL OR COMPOUND OF BOTH A Protestant by Ordination A PAPIST in the point of Freewill inherent Righteousnesse and the like A Protestant in receiving the Sacrament A PAPIST in the Doctrine of the Sacrament What doe you thinke are there two Heavens If there be get you to the other and place your selves there for into this where I am yee shall not come These Notes of Doctor Abbots Sermon were found in this Arch-bishops Study written with his owne hand produced and attested by Master Prynne inclosed in a copy of a Letter of his to the then Bishop of Lincolne under his owne hand too thus indorsed by him April 18. 1615. The copy of a Letter which I sent to the Lord Bishop of Lincolne concerning a Sermon in which Doctor Abbot HAD WRONGED ME IN THE UNIVERSITY In which Letter he inclosed these Notes for his Lordship to peruse complaining thus therein I came time enough to be at the rehearsall of this Sermon upon much perswasion I went to Church where I was faine to sit patiently and heare my selfe abused almost an hour together yet I was pointed at as I sate for this present abuse I would have taken no notice of it but that THE WHOLE UNIVERSITY APPLIES IT TO ME and my owne friends tell me I shall sink my credit if I answer not Doctor Abbot in his own kind Neverthelesse in a businesse of this kind I will not be swayed from a patient course Onely I desire your Lordship to vouchsafe me some direction what to doe c. By which it is cleere
let all the people say Amen And suddenly all the whole Church almost shook with the sound that their loud Amen made c. The Lord Deputy called from the Bishop of Derry a Copy both of his Sermon and Protestation to send to the King The learned and couragious Bishop gave this Answer that there was nothing he either spake or read in the Pulpit but he would willingly justifie it before his Majesty and feared not who read or saw it So now by Gods mercy nothing may yet be done or will be till the Lord Deputy heare from the King That this information of the Commons to his Majesty was then most true reall and that this Bishop knew it to be so in every particular we shall manifest by this printed Proclamation found in his Study thus endorsed with his owne hand not long after his Answer to the Commons Remonstrance April 1. 1629. A Proclamation concerning the growth of Popery in Ireland c. which was read as followeth By the Lord DEPUTY and COVNSELL Henry Falkland FOrasmuch as We cannot but take notice that the late intermission of legall proceedings against popish pretended or titulary Archbishops Bishops Abbots Deanes Vicars generall Jesuits Fryars and others of that sort that derive their pretended Authority and Orders from the See of Rome hath bred such an extraordinary insolence and presumption in them as that they have dared here of late not onely to assemble themselves in publike places to celebrate their superstitious services in all parts of this Kingdome but also have erected houses and buildings called publike Oratories Colledges Masse-houses and convents of Fryars Monks and Nunnes in the eye and open view of the State and elsewhere and doe frequently exercise jurisdiction against his Majesties Subjects by authority derived from the See of Rome and by colour of teaching and keeping Schooles in their pretended Monasteries and Colledges doe train up the youth of this Kingdome in their superstitious Religion to the great derogation and contempt of his Majesties regall power and authority and great offence of many of his Majesties good Subjects contrary to the Lawes and Ecclesiasticall government of this Kingdome and the impoverishment of his Majesties Subjects in the same These are therefore to will and require and in his Majesties name straightly to charge and command all and all manner such pretended or titulary Archbishops Bishops Deanes Vicars generall Arch-deacons and others deriving any pretended authority power or jurisdiction from the See of Rome that they and every of them forbeare from henceforth to exercise any such power jurisdiction or authority within this Kingdome and that all such Abbots Pryors Jesuits Fryars Munks Nunnes and others of that sort as aforesaid doe forthwith break up their Convents in all houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries and other places wheresoever they are or shall be conventually or collegiatly assembled together within this Kingdome and to relinquish the same and to disperse and separate themselves And that all and every of the Orders before named and other Priests whatsoever doe from henceforth forbeare to preach teach or celebrate their Service in any Church Chappell or other publike Oratory or publike place or to teach any School in any place or places whatsoever within this Kingdome And We doe further straightly charge and command all and singular the owners of such houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries Schooles Oratories Masse-houses and Nunneries that they and every of them respectively in default of the persons before named their voluntary relinquishing of the said houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries Schooles Oratories Masse-houses and Nunneries doe forthwith expell and thrust forth all and singular such Fryars Jesuits and other Monasticall persons out of the same and to convert the same to other more lawfull uses upon paine to have their said houses seized to his Majesties use and both the one and the other to be proceeded against for their unlawfull assemblies and maintainance of such unlawfull Conventicles and corrupt nurture of children in the severest manner that by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome and Ecclesiasticall government of the same may be had or extended whereof they and every of them are to take notice and to veeld due obedience thereunto as they and every of them will avoid his Majesties high indignation and the consequence thereof Given at his Majesties Castle of Dublin the first day of Aprill 1629. Adam Loftus Canc. T. Baltinglasse Wil. Parsons Ja. Armachanus R. Dillon Rich. Bolton Hen. Valentia Ant. Midensis Dud. Norton Moâ—re Hen. Docwra Ad. Loftus Here we have a confitentem reum the Bi. himself under his own handwriting endorsed on this Proclamation justifying the Parlia Remonstrance to be true and his Answer to it a malicious slander to advance the Papists designes After which he had further intelligence from time to time by severall Letters and Papers out of Ireland elsewhere published at large of the dangerous growth encrease and insolencies of the Papists there notwithstanding this Proclamation and that there was a popish Hierarchy there exercised and University erected without controle We shall instance onely in two remarkable Letters written to him from Doctor Beadle Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand and read at the Lords Barre The first of them he thus endorseth April 1. 1630. From Doctor Beadle Lord Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh about the state of the Church in his Diocesse and the Papists in Ireland Who writes thus thereof Right Reverend Father my Honourable good Lord SInce my comming to this place which was a little before Michaelmas till which time the setling of the State of the Colledge and my Lord Primates visitation deferred my consecration I have not been unmindful of your Lordships commands to advertise you as my experience should informe of the state of this Church which I shall now the better doe because I have been about my Diocesses and can set downe out of my knowledge and view what I shall relate and shortly to speak much ill matter in a few words it is very miserable The Cathedrall Church of Ardagh one of the most ancient in Ireland and said to be built by Saint Patrick together with the Bishop's house there downe to the ground the Church here built but without Bell or Steeple Font or Chalice The Parish Churches all in a manner rained or unroofed and unrepaired the people saving a few British planters here and there which are not the tenth part of the remnant obstinate Recusants a Popish Clergy more numerous by farre then we and in the full exercise of all jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall by their Vicars-generall and Officials who are so confident as they excommunicate those that come to our Courts even in Matrimoniall causes which affront hath been offered my selfe by the popish Primates Vicar-generall for which I have begun a processe against him the Primate himselfe lives in my Parish within two mile of my house the Bishop
Papists and Protestants is one and the same Fourthly that men may be saved in the Church of Rome and Romish Religion therefore we need not pray for any Papists conversion no not for the Queens which he specially prohibited and questioned those who thus prayed for her Fifthly that the Pope is not Antichrist nor ought to have this title given him which he expunged both out of the publike Books of our Church and private mens impressions Sixtly that the Pope is supream head of the Church the first and greatest Patriarch and to make this doctrine passe more current he suffered the Popes own Titles of Sanctitatis Vestrae Sanctissime Pater Spiritus Sancti effusissime plenus Optimus Maximusque in terris Ille quo rectior non-stat Regula quo Prior est corrigenda Religio to be attributed to him successively in sundry Letters from the University of Oxford Master Croxton and others without controll and proclaims himself a Patriarch in his own book against Fisher pag. 171. Seventhly his own Chaplain Doctor Bray by his speciall direction in two Books of Doctor Pocklingtons severally printed and reprinted with authority proclaimed that he derived his lineall succession and Episcopacy from Pope Gregory and Saint Peters Chair at Rome and that our Church was miserable if he could not doe so which Doctor Heylen by his speciall command seconded in print which Bishop Mountague thus trebles in his Originum Ecclesiasticarum Tomi Priorus pars posterior pag. 465. In Pontificali seu libro quam vocamus Ordinationum Episcopus AB AUGUSTINO LEGITIME DERIVATA SUCCESSIONE ET GREGORIO ROMANO DEDUCTUS Sacros Ordines secundum veteris Ecclesiae Cannores conferens Ordinandum Sacerdotem sic affatur Accipe Spiritum Sanctum c. Deriving not only this Archbishop but all our other Bishops successions and Episcopacy from Augustine the Monk and Pope Gregory of Rome a goodly Romish pedegree to be much insisted on directly reducing us back to Rome from whence it was derived as to our Mother Church Fourthly he with his Instruments and Chaplains vented authorized not only in the Pulpit but Presse all manner of popish erronious doctrines never heard amongst us in former yeers comprizing the whole body of Papistry of purpose to reduce us back to Rome the particulars whereof you have heard refusing suppressing orthodox Books written against popish errours and purging the chiefest passages against the Church Pope Prests Jesuits and errours of Rome out of all old reprinted and new licensed books before they could passe the Presse as we have abundantly proved inserting popish pictures and a popish Index into our very Bibles the more easily to seduce men to Popery Fiftly he advanced the most corrupt popish superstitious persons of all sorts to Bishopricks Deaneries Prebendaries Head-ships of houses in the University Chaplains to the King and Prince and the greatest Benefices suppressed silenced deprived censured banished the most zealous preaching orthodox Ministers in all places and kept them from preferment the better to facilitate and effect this design Sixthly he caused sundry books tending to Reconciliation of us to Rome to be printed and published especially Bishop Mountague's Appeal and other Books since of which Sancta Clara took speciall notice and made bold to proclaim a peace and reconciliation in most points between us Seventhly he suppressed all Lectures and after-noon Sermons on the Lord's day in most places that the people through ignorance might be more easily seduced and instead of strict sanctification of the Lords day the principall means of encreasing piety knowledge and keeping men off from popery and prophannesse he caused a new Declaration to be printed and published in his Majesties name for the use of prophane sports and pastimes even on Gods own day and under pretext thereof caused hundreds of our most consciencious Ministers whom otherwise he could not tax or quarrell to be silenced suspended imprisoned yea driven out of the Realm to forreign Countries and Plantations that so these grand obstructions of our reconciliation with Rome being removed we might without any great difficulty or opposition be reduced reconciled to her and least any impediment should arise to crosse this Unity from the Dutch French or Walloon Churches in our Realms not any ways poysoned with his popish drugs and Romish innovations he attempted their extirpation too and had almost effected it All which particulars we have already proved We shall now proceed to some further evidence manifesting his compliancy intelligence and concurrence with the Pope and his Instruments in this hellish plot what evidence of this kind common fame and report both at home at Rome and elswhere hath given in against him Sir Henry Mildmay Master Anthony Mildmay Master Challoner and others have already attested what reall evidence we have yet remaining to make good this fame we shall now produce It had been too grosse too palpable an oversight in such a politician as this Archbishop was reputed and very prejudiciall to his designs considering the place he sustained his pretended profession of the Protestant Religion his dislike of Rome and the many vigilant eyes that were continually fixed on his actions to have held any open or immediate intelligence with the Pope or his known Agents here and therefore it can not reasonably be expected from us to produce direct proofs of any such grosse intelligence what then he could not act publikely and immediatly in person he contrived to effect more courtly and mediatly by fitting instruments who held strict correspondence with the Roman Pontife and his Negotiators The two trustiest persons he could call out for such a purpose were Master Francis Windebank a lay man and Richard Mountague a Divine who had other associates joyned with them to accomplish this reducement To enable them the better to carry on this work with more advantage to the Catholike cause he procured Mountague in despight of severall Parliaments opposition to be made a Bishop heaped sundry preferments on him in our Church of which he so ill deserved as we have already proved and shall not here insist on As for Windebank he advanced him to one of the greatest places of trust and secrecy in the Kingdom making him a principall Secretary of State to his Majesty which he thus expresseth with his own hand in his Diary June 15. 1632. Master Fancis Windebank MY OLD FRIEND was sworn Secretary of State WHICH PLACE I OBTAINED FOR HIM of my gracious Master King CHARLES so that he was a creature of his own advancing No sooner was he setled in this place of honour and trust but he presently fals to his designed work he protects releaseth popish Priests Jesuits Fryars and held familiar correspondency with them entertaining them in his house Study Coach Garden and feasting them at his Table imprisons molests reviles the Messengers who by office duty were bound to apprehend them suspends the execution of all penall laws against them and popish Recusants by his Letters and Warrants of
any already cited which are punctuall St. Augustine de verbo Domini secundum Ioannem Serm. 42 saith Christus quotidie pascit Mensa ipsius est illa IN MEDIO constituta Yea Durandus Rationale Divinorum l. 1. c. 2. num 15. writes thus By the Altar out heart is signified which is in the Middest of the body as the Altar is in the middest of the Church And lib. 5. he gives this reason why the Priest turneth himselfe about at the Altar to wit to fullfill this Scripture IN MEDIO ECCLESIAE aperui os meum Gentianus Hervetus Genebrard describing the manner of the Greek Church at this day expresseth it thus In Graecorum Templis unum tantum est Altare idque IN MEDIO CHORO aut Presbyterio From these and the forecited authorities both forraigne and our owne Domesticke Divines of chiefest note resolve expresly That the Lords Tables and Altars in the primitive times till privat Masses were lately introduced stood in the middest of the Quire Church People who came round about them not at the East end of the Quire as of late they were placed This is in terminis affirmed by Hospinian De Origine Altarium c. 6. p. 135. by learned Phillip de Marâ—ix Tableau des Differens part 5. c. 6. p. 307. by the incomperable Lord Mornay De Missa l. 2. c. 1. p. 177. by eminent Peter Du Moulin in his Nauvante du Papisme Contr. 11. c. 17. 18. p. 1022 1026. and sundry other forraigne Protestants with whom our owne Divines accord we shall â—ite some few of their words very briefly In the yeare 1533 There was a short Treatise concerning the Lords Supper written as is supposed by our learned Martyr Mr. William Tyndall printed with his workes cum privilegio p. 476. 477. wherein he prescribes that the Bread and Wine should be set before the People IN THE FACE OF THE CHVRCH upon the Lords Table and that the Congregation should sit ROVND ABOVT IT according to the pure use of the Sacrament in the Apostles times Learned Martin Bucer sometimes Regins Professor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Cambridge in King Edward the 6. his Raigne in his Censure of our English Liturgie writes thus Jt appeares by the formes of the most ancient Temples and Writings of the Fathers that the Clergy stood in the MIDDEST of the TEMPLES which were for the most part round and out of that place did so administer the Sacrament to the People that they might plainly heare and understand the things there recited by them Eminent Bishop Jewell one of Queen Elizabeths Visitors in the first yeare of her Raigne when the Jnjunctions were made who had a principall hand in abolishing our Altars and placing Communion Tables as they formerly stood in his Authorised workes enjoyned to bee had and read in every Church affirmes and proves at large in sundry places by pregnant Authorities and reasons That the Holy Table and Altar in and among the primitive Christians and Fathers was not made of stone but wood and stood Not at the end of the Quire but in the Middest of the Church among the People who came round about it that it ought to be so placed producing the Authorities of Eusebius Augustine Durand the Councell of Constantinople and others to prove it Doctor Gervase Babington Bishop of Worcester in his comfortable Notes upon Exodus c. 22. 27. p. 275 in his folio workes writes and proves expresly That the Apostles and Primitive Fathers and Christians had no Altars but Communion Tables only made not of Stone but boards and removeable SET IN THE MIDDEST OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT PLACED AGAINST A WALL Our laborious Dr. William Fulke in his Answer of a true Christian to a counterfeit Catholike London 1577. Article 15. p. 55. 56. in his Confutation of the Rhemish Testament Notes on 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 18. on Hebr. 13. Sect. 6. and in his Defence against Gregory Martin c. 17. affirmes in direct words that the Altar and Lords Table anciently stood In the middest of the Quire or Church so at the Ministers Deacons and people might Stand round about it and not against a Wall as your Popish Altars now stand as is easiy to prove and hath often times bin proved and it seemes you confesse as much But so they cannot stand about your Altars except some of them stand on the top of the Wall or in the Window and Mr. Cartwright in his Notes on the Rhemish Testament on the 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 18. writes That in the premitive Church the Lords Table was situated IN THE MIDDEST OF THE CHVRCH AND PEOPLE not against a Wall Dr. Andrew Willet in his Synopsis Papismi the 9th Generall controversie Quest 6. Error 53. p 496. expostulates thus with the Papists for placing their Altars at the end of the Quire contrary to Antiquity Why bring they not their Altars down to the BODY OF THE CHVRCH we see no reason why the Communion Table may not be set In the body of the Church as well as in the Chancell if the place be more convenient and fit to receive the Communicants Learned Bishop Morton in his Institution of the Sacrament Edit 2. London 1635. l. 6. c. 5 Sect. 15. p. 462 writes That the Table of the Lord anciently stood in the middest of the Chancell So that they might Compasse it round which he proves by Eusebius Dionysius Areopagita Chrysostome Athanasins Augustin Lindan and Dr. Fulke yea Dr. Williams late Bishop of Lincolne now of Yorke in his Holy Table Name and thing asserts and proves the same at large for which this Arch-Pre ate fell foule upon him in the latter end of his Speech in Star-chamber If then all these Testimonies may be credited before the Archbishops bare affirmation neither Altars nor Lords Tables anciently stood Altarwise North South against the East end of the Quire in our own or other Churches as he falsely avers they did 3ly We shall evidence this by Presidents abroad at home For forraiegn Presidents In the famous Church of Tyre which surpassed all others in Phaeniciâ— for its splendor built in the time of Constantine the Great the Altar was placed in the MIDDEST as Eusebius Ecclesia Hist. l. 10. c. 4. records in expresse termes Altarique denique tanquam Sancto Sanctorum IN MEDIO SANCTV ARII SITO c. It is storied by Socrates Scolasticus Ecclesiast Hist l. 5. c. 22 and Nicephorus Ecclesiast Hist l. 12. c. 34. That in the great Church of Antioch in Syria the Altar stood not to the East but towards the west part of the Church Sacra Ara non ad Orientem sed ad Occidentem versus collata fuerat And so not Altarwise as this Archbishop pretend Wâ—llafridus Strabus de Râ—bus Ecclesiastis l. 4. c. 19. records That in the Temples only built to God or clensed from the filthinesse of Idols the Altars were placed towards divers climates according to the conveniency of
the places there being no place where God is not present That in the great Church at Ierusalem built by Constantine the Great and his Mother over the Sepulchre of our Lord in a Round forme in the Pantheon at Rome dedicated by Pope Beniface to all Saints and in the Church of St. Peter Altars were placed not only towards the East part but likewise distributed into other parts and quarters of them Chemnitius in his Examen Concilij Trident. pars 4. avers and our opposites confesse it That in the Catacombe at Rome THE ALTAR STOOD IN THE MIDDLE and that in St. Peters Church it selfe in the Vatican the high Altar stands before the QVIRE to wit in the middle of the Church or Chancell as an Italian Author explaines it in his description of this Church Platina in the life of Pope Nicholas the third records That the Altar of St Mary in Rome through the great inundation of Tibur in this Popes dayes was surrounded with water ROTVNDE quatuor pedibus Therefore it stood not against a Wall Anastatius De vitis Rom. Pontif. p. 68. 69. writes that Pope Sergins in the yeare 694. made a foure-square vaile about the Altar in Saint Peters Church at Rome having 4. white and 4. Scarlet Curtaines JN CIRCVITV ALTARJS round about the Altar which stood not therefore against a wall In the great Cathedrall of Rome it selfe Anno Dom. 1547. as William Thomas an eye witnesse in his History of Italy and Thomas Beacon out of him f. 282. attest the Altar on Christmas day when the Pope him selfe and all his Cardinalls received the Sacrament STOOD IN THE MIDDEST OF THE CHAPELL OR QVIRE the Pope sitting in a Throne of wonderfull Majesty behinde it Sigismund the Monke in his Chronicon Augustinum Anno 1483. pars 1. c. 1. relates That in the Ancient Cathedrall Church of Augusta dedicated to Saint Afra there were two Quires and two Altars standing under two Arches That in the body of the Church were 4. Altars the chiefest of them was the Altar of St. Denys placed versus OCCIDENTEM in parte Septentrionali non juxta murum sed quasi IN MEDIO Alb. Crantzius Metrop l. 1. c 9. Hospinian de Orig. Altarium c. 6. writed that Witâ—kind found the face of Charls the Great full of alacrity after he approaches Mensam Templo Mediam the Lords Table placed in the Middest of the Church to receive the Sacrament at it And the same Hospinian in the same Chapter records that in the Reformation made at Zurick Anno 1523. The High Altar was placed where the Font had anciently stood neare to the West Doore not the East end of the Quire In briefe the very Roman Cerimonial l. 1. c 12. p. 70. informes us that even of late times many Popish Altars stood not against the wall but distant from it as these clauses prove Quod si Altare parieti adhaereat c. Si Altare sit A PARIETE SEIVNCTVM c. Therefore to rayle in all Altars Lords Tables and place them Altarwise against the East end of the Quire wall North and South as this Archbishop did is to be more Popish more Superstitious then the very Papists themselves even in forraigne parts To come to Presidents nearer home Our venerable Beda in his Eccles Hist l. 2. cap. 3. relates that the famous great Church of St. Augustins in Canterbury it selfe built by Augustin the first Archbishop of that Sea had an Altar standing almost in THE MIDDEST OF IT and that in the North Isle not East Habet haec Altare IN MEDIO PENE SUAE this was with in 700. years of Christ Yea Everden a Monke and Master Cambden out of him records That the Monkes of Saint Edmunds Bury in Suffolke whiles they layd the foundation of a new Chappell in the reigne of King Edward the first found the walls of an old Church built ROUND which we think was first built to Saint Edmonds service So as the Altar STOOD AS IT WERE IN THE MIDDEST In the Church of Carmarthen both the high Altar and Lords Table Anno 1555. Stood in the middest of the Church as Master Fox Acts and Monuments Edit 1610. pag. 1404. 1406. records and in Saint Patricks Church in Dublin the High Altar stood about the middest of the Quire under the first Crosse a Yard and more beneath the Arch where the E of Corks Tomb now stands and that on all solemne Feasting dayes they Went Round about the Altar as appeares by a Letter written from thence to this Archbishop himselfe endorsed with his owne hand by Master Benjamin Culme dated from Dublin Aprill 19. 1634. In fine learned Doctor Fulke informes us That the Altar usually stood in the MIDEST of the Church wherof some symptomes remain in our Cathedrall Churches Moreover if you marke the most part of our Churches in England you shall plainly see that the Chancels are but additions builded since the Churches in likelihood by the Parsons who disdained to have their places in the midest of the people as the old manner was Also you may see some Churches builded round as at London the Temple and another is at Cambridge of the same fashion and some Churches have the Steeple at the East end very unhansomly and the Rood loft Again many Churches have crosse Isles in which the people cannot see the Chancell when they were builded For such Churches as are late erected have the Churches and Chancells all of one building and are made of such fashion that one may see the High Altar in every part of them From all these reasons and authorities we may infallibly conclude that Altars and Lords Tables generally in all Christian Churches were alwayes placed in the midest of the Church or Quire not raiâ—ed in Altarwise as of late among us against the wall Therefore the Archbishops groundlesse surmise to the contrary and his maine Argument from the Queenes Jnjunctions founded on it is both false and frivolous Now whereas hee Objects that there can bee no Popery in placing Communion Tables Altarwise we answer that if we consider this situation of them simply in it selfe perchance it may be true But if we observe that Priests private Masses brought in this situation of Altars first of all into the Church of Rome and that the end of this new placing of them is to turne our Lords Tables into Altars to imitate the Papists and make way for private Masses as all other concurrent circumstances manifest then it favours of Popery in the highest degree Finally we shall observe the Archbishops jugling and falshood in this particular In his Speech in Starchamber he averreth pag. 53. 14. And yet here is nothing done either by violence or command to take off the Indifferency of the standing of the holy Table either way but onely by laying it fairely before men how fit it is there should be Order and uniformity And yet we have proved that hee by his special Jnjunctions under Seale and by
and his Brethren to be annually kept by the space of 8. dayes in the Month Caslâ—u 1 Mac. 4. 56 59. as Interpreters and the Margin of our Bibles resolve which being of no Divine Institution kept only by the Superstitious Jewes not by Christ or his Apostles who are not said to observe but only to be at Jerusalem when it was the Feast of Dedication Iohn 10. 22. It can be no warrant at all for the consecration of Altars much lesse of Churches now Finally wee answer that we find no mention in Scripture or Classicall Writers of any consecration of Iewish Synagogues to which our Churches properly succeed but only of their Tabernacle and Temple in such sort as you have heard with which our Churches Chapells have no proper Analogie That this Argument of the Archbishop drawne from the presidents in the Old Testament is borrowed from no Orthodox Ancient Father or Councell but only from the Popish Canonist Gratian De Consecratione Distinct 1. who thus concludes from these presidents Si enim Judai qui umbrae legis deserviebant hoc facicbant multo magis nos quibus veritas patefacta gratia per Iesum Christum data est Templa Domino aedificare pro ut melius possumus orare eaque DIVINJS PRECIBVS ET SANCTIS VNCTIONIBVS suis cum Altaribus vasis vestibus quoque Reliquijs ad divinum cultum explendum utensilibus DEVOTE ET SOLENNITER SACRARE non in alijs quam in Domino sacratis ab Episcopis non a Corepiscopis qui saâ—e prohibiti sune nisi summa exigente necessitate Missas celebrare nec sacrificia offerre debemus Domino You see out of what Popish quiver this Archbishop drew this leaden shaft of his To his pretended antiquity for the consecration of Churches Chappell 's Altars c. since Christs time we answer first that before the raigne of Constantine the Great there is no credible president or authority at all for dedication of any Churches And that Eusebius who De vita Constantini l. 3. c. 24. to 40. 45. 47. 49. 50. 51. lib. 4. c. 39 makes mention of Constantines and his Mother Helenaes building of divers stately Churches at Bethlehem in the Mount of Olives in Constantinople Nycomedia Mambre in Phaenicia and elsewhere by his Edicts enjoyned Christians to build Churches yet makes no mention of any Edicts for their hallowing True it is that De vita Constantini l. 4. c. 43. 45. 47. we read that Constantine summoned a General Councell of Bishops to Jerusalem to settle some differences in the Church and that at this meeting he thought best to consecrate and thereupon kept the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple which he had built at Jerusalem over our Saviours Sepulchre which the Priests then Consecrated but how with prayers disputations preachings expositions of Scripture and receiving the Sacrament as he expresly defines c. 45. But of any other particular Church then this thus consecrated by his appointment we finde no mention Indeed the same Eusebius in his Ecclesiast Historiae l. 10. c. 3. De Encauijs ubique locorum celebratis writes that Churches being reedified under Constantine Deinceps celebre spectaculum nobis omnibus optabile vehementer desideratum ante omnium occulis proponebatur Dedicationum scilicet festivitates per urbes singulas templorum nuper aedificà torum consecrationes which intimates that Churches then new built were solemnly dedicated to God in most places but what those Dedications of them were he informes us in the same Chapter That they were Panygericall Orations in praise of their founders c. of which he cites a memorable one made to Paulinus Bishop of Tyre in the next Chapter These Dedications therefore of Churches then were farre different from those used by the Papists and this Archbishop now We read not then of any consecration of their foundation stones any pompous processions to them any knocking at the doores by the Bishop crying with a loud voyce Open Open ye everlasting doores c a cleare perverting of Scripture of no flying open of the doores there-upon No falling downe upon the marrow bones and saying This place is holy c. No casting up of dust in the ayre no such prayers processions round about the Church bowings to the Altar pronouncing of cursings and blessings Peepings recoylings and other Antick tricks as this Bishop used at Creed Church and elsewhere no Hallowing of Altars Altar-clothes Vessells Vestments Churchyeards Chappell 's Therefore these Consecrations in Constantines dayes are no warrant at all for his the rather because not made by Bishops alone who now monopolize them After Constantines time there is very rare mention of any Consecration of Churches in Ecclesiasticall Histories or the genuine writings of the Fathers till Popery overspread the Church and Popes brought it in by forged decrees Gratian himselfe being unable to cite so much as one Fathers Authority for it Di Consecratione distinct 1. where he professedly handles this subject but only the forged Decrees of Popes and the Canons of two or three late Popish Councells there being no Canons concerning it in any ancient genuine Synods Yea the consecration of Churches was so much neglected even in the very darkest time a of Popery above a thousand yeares after Christ that Oâ—hobon the Popes Legat and the Synod held under him here in England in Henry the third his Raigne acknowledge that there were many Parish Churches and some Cathedralls then uncrusecrated although built long before Now to prove the consecration and meerly Popish as of late ages it hath beene used at least it is agreed by Gratian Platina the Centuryators Thomas Beacon and others that Pope Hyginus Gelasius Iohn Nicholas Clemens Sylvester Felix and Gregory whose spurious Decrees are cited by Gratian De Consecratione Distincti and Surius in his 1. and 2 Tome of Councells were the first inventors and prescribers of this Ceremony of Consecrating Churches and Altars prescribing 1. That no Church should be built or consecrated without the command Authority or consent of the Bishop of Rome 2ly That every Church should be consecrated with a Masse and no Masse said or Sacrament administred unlesso in case of absolute necessity but in a consecrated Church and at a consecrated Altar 3ly That these Priests should be deprived who said Masse or officiated in unhallowed places or at unconsecrated Altars 4ly That no Altars should be consecrated without the Reliques of Saints and if any Altars were consecrated without them they should be pulled downe 5ly That all Stone Altars should be anoynted and consecrated with Chrisme 6ly That no Church should be consecrated wherein a Pagan was interred unlesse his corps were first digged up and cast out of it 7ly That the Timber of a consecrated Church and Vestments once consecrated though worne out decayed should not be converted to any other good use but burnt to Ashes and these to be laid up safely in some place
the hearing And whereas he pretends he was not present at his censure which he proves not we know he was vertually if not personally present thereat yea his unjust suppression of his tendred Answer and defence was the onely cause of his censure which if received were so learned solid satisfactory that prophanenesse and injustice it selfe could not have imposed such a censure on him Thirdly annuall Feasts of Dedication of Churches are not so ancient but that we know their Originall The Feast of Dedication of the Altar instituted by Judas Maccabeus was the first of this kind we read of Indeed Solomon kept a Feast for seven dayes space when the Temple was dedicated And Constantine the great with some others in his dayes when Churches were dedicated made a great Feast but that those Feasts continued annuall in perpetuity I find no mention in any approved Antiquity These annuall Feasts of dedication were first invented by the spurious popish Decrees of Pope Felix and Gregory thus recorded by Gratian Solennitates dedicationum Ecclesiarum Epissoporum Saterdotum per singulos annos sunt celebrandae Solennitates Ecclesiarum dedicationum Sacerdotum per singulos annos solenniter sunt celebrandae ipso Domino exemplum dante qui ad festum dedicationis Templi omnibus id faciendi dans formam cum reliquis populis eandem festevitatem celebraturus venit sicut scriptum est Facta sunt Encoenia in Hieru olymis hyems erat ambulabat Jesus in Temple in porticu Solomonis Quod autem octo diebus encaenia sint celebrando in libro Regum perfecta dedicatione Templi cernas Other Decrees then these of these two Popes the latter whereof is built upon cleer mistakes of Scripture cannot be produced These Bacanalian feasts are thus censured by Aretius Problem 126. Hodie verò Solennitates instituuntur tote die bibitur tote die luditur saltatur lascivi cantus audiuntur quae omnia magis spirant Bacchi quoddam festum à Maenadibus celebrandum quam piam Christianismi antiquitatem And were wholly abolished among us by the Injunctions of King Henry the eighth and Statute of 6 Edw. 6. c. 3. by reason of the idlenesse excesse and great mischiefes they produced to mens soules Yea many Judges riding the Westerne Circuit suppressed the Wakes and Revels kept upon them from time to time for these abuses and other weighty Reasons Yet this prophane Arch-prelate revives re-establisheth them by this DECLARATION causeth those Judges Orders to be reversed with a strong Hand by a Plot and Certificate from Bishop Pierce and others checks nay punisheth Chiefe Justice Richardson removes him from that Circuit and le ts loose the Reines to all Licentiousnesse prophanenesse whereby infinite mischiefs ensued as we have fully proved So that this whole Charge sticks still upon him Ninthly from these ceremoniall and practicall they proceed to doctrinall innovations in matters of Religion wherein I am charged First with an endeavour to introduce and propagate Arminianisme in our Church the rediest inlet to Popery and a part thereof though I knew it to be a plot of the Jesuits to subvert our Religion as appears by the Jesuits Letter and that principally First in being a common Patriot of Arminians together with their Books Tenets and a preferrer of such by name of Bishop Mountague and his Appeale complained of in Parliament Doctor Jackson and others for which I was taxed by a Declaration of the Commons in Parliament Secondly in censuring the Commons Declaration in Parliament against the Arminians and their Vote too Thirdly in calling in and suppressing Books against Arminianisme though licensed and questioning censuring the Authors Printers dispersers of them in the high Commission as Bishop Carltons and Bishop Downames Books Doctor Featlies Doctor Goads Master Rouses Doctor Sutcliffes Master Prynnes Master Burtons Books and others when as the Arminian Authors went unquestioned and their Books printed by authority as Doctor Jacksons Book and the Historicall Narration licensed by my owne Chaplaine Doctor Martin Fourthly In abusing his Majesties Proclamation his Declaration before the 39. Articles of our Church with the subsequent Instructions prohibiting controversies against the Article especially in the controverted points of Arminianisme to suppresse all preaching against Arminian errours and punish such as durst oppose them by silencing suspending censuring them in the high Commission or elswhere and conniving at the Arminians to vent and preach their errours freely under pretext thereof without restraint or opposition both in the University and City Fiftly for purging passages against Arminianisme and Arminians out of Books tendred to the Presse and particularly out of Bishop Hals and Bishop Davenants Letters with some other incident particulars which fall under these heads Sixtly in repealing the Articles of Ireland against Arminianisme which King James declaimed against as damnable heresie To this I answer in generall that I never endeavoured to introduce Arminianisme into our Church nor ever maintained any Arminian opinions For the Jesuits Letter it is nothing at all to me it layes nothing to my charge in particular and it was lawfull for me to read and keep it it containes many strange vile things in it against the Parliament which I approve not but detest To the particulars I answer First that I did neither protect nor countenance the Arminians persons books or tenets for Bishop Mountague I had no hand in his Book I countenanced it not it was suppressed and called in by Proclamation he was preferred by Sir Dudly Carltons meanes not mine who was then a stranger to me True is is I was in a Declaration of the Commons house taxed as a favourer advancer of Arminians and their opinions without any particular proofe at all which was a great slander to me Secondly I answer that being publickly traduced in that Declaration I did returne an answer to vindicate my owne innocency as was necessary for me to doe to free my selfe from that scandall without any derogation to the Parliaments authority Neither did I this till I was expresly commanded by the King himselfe as appeares by the endorsment whose command it was lawfull yea necessary for me to obey and I durst not have done it without such his Royall command After which I penned it with all due respect to the Parliament and it was never published For my answer to the Parliaments Vote it was onely a private paper kept in my Study and communicated to none written for my owne private satisfaction and derogating noting from the power of Parliaments it belonging properly to the Convocation and Church of England by the Lawes and Statutes of the Land to make Canons and settle controversies in Religion as the Statute of 25. Hen. 8. c. 19. 1. Eliz. c. 1. evidence Thirdly the calling in and suppressing of these Books and prosecuting the Authors Printers of them in the High Commission was the Courts act not mine For Bishop Carltons Book it was called
the Lawes concerning it meer Engines of State to draw reward for toleration dispensation and connivance c. his excuse is most miserable and ridiculous For first it is generally agreed by all Protestant Writers that Popery trencheth upon the first Commandement by advancing the Virgin Mary Pope to omit the Bredden Wafer into the very Throne of God himselfe and Deifying them both with divine Titles Adorations Attributes Epithites Orisons and the like therefore no reason to delete this clause that it trencheth on the first Commandement the rather because Paul himselfe affirmes it in direct termes 2 Thes 2. 3 4. as all orthodox Expositors resolve Secondly it s agreed by all Protestants yea by this Arch-Prelat himselfe in shew at least when his reputation seemed to be somewhat blasted as if he were devoted to Popery and expresly resolved by our Homilies against the perill of Idolatry that Popery expresly trencheth upon the second Commandement sundry wayes as by adoring Crucifixes Images Saints Angels Reliques Altars the consecrated Hoast yea by invocation of Saints departed and introduction of sundry Idolatrous Superstitious Rites Ceremonies formes of Worship invented by Popes Priests Fryars into the Worship of God Therefore had he deleted its intrenchment upon the first Commandement as dubious yet since there is no question of their transgressing the second in all these particulars his abolition thereof is inexcusable and displayes his popish disposition Thirdly however had he deleted this likewise yet his obliterating that which followes against connivance at and suspention of Lawes against Popery and Papists for luchre sake least God make the gaine gotten by this dividing betwixt him and Idols to be like that of Solomons which was recompenced with the losse and dividing of his Kingdome betwixt his Sonne and a Stranger c. the sad effects whereof we have lately felt with all other passages whatsoever against Popery especially at this juncture of time when all forraigne popish Princes had confederated to extirpate the Protestant Religion in forraigne parts as the first deleted passage informes us is such an unsufferable execrable crime in one who pretends himselfe a Protestant Bishop and had then no legall authority to correct or license Books for the Presse as deserves the highest censure yea displays to all the world the hidden Popery of his heart if not his secret correspondency with the Romish party to replant their false superstitious Religion and Idolatry in our Church and from this originall purgation of his we may visibly discover that all succeeding expunctions of this kind made by his owne chaplains and other Agents at Lambeth or London-house proceeded primarily from himself as the originall cause and Author of them The second Objection of this kind is my alterations of the Prayers appointed for the fift of November in some particular causes in the Impression of them Anno 1635. To this I answer First that these alterations were not made by me but the Prayers were sent unto me altered by the King himselfe who commanded me to see them printed according to those alterations and I have here the Books with his Majesties hand and Warrant to each of them for what I did Secondly that the expressions were somewhat overharsh and fit to be altered terming their very Religion Rebellion being but the Christian Religion and the same with Ours as I have proved at large in my Speech in Star-chamber to which I must referre where I have rendred reasons for it which gave generall satisfaction then and I hope will doe so to your Lordships now To which was replied First that the Archbishop shewes his great undutifulnesse here in casting this and other his unwarrantable popish actions on the King himselfe Secondly that for ought appeares he procured from the King this Warrant since the alterations were printed yea complained of and that by circumvention Thirdly that it had been his duty to have disswaded the King from giving way to such scandalous alterations in favour of Jesuits Papists Traitors and their bloody Religion Fourthly that himselfe in his Speech page 33 34. confesseth he made the Alterations himselfe by the Kings command Therefore the Book was not sent him altered by the King or any other as now he falsly pretends Fiftly as for the grounds of the most grosse alteration mentioned in his Speech we have already refuted them at large in the Charge therefore we shall not actum agere but refer you thereunto The third objected Purgation made by my selfe is of some clauses appointed in the Book for the Fast Anno 1636. To which I answer First that it is not proved that I made these Purgations Secondly that I have given a full answer to and shewed there was reason for the making of them in my SPEECH in Star-chamber where they were objected To this was replied First that himselfe doth both confesse and justifie thèse purgations in his said Speech to be made by himselfe and his confederated brethren to whom the care of this Fast was committed therefore he much forgets himselfe here in denying it to be proved when we undeniably evidenced it by his owne printed Confession Secondly we have already refuted his reasons for those purgations mentioned in his Speech discovering their absurdity and fully proving that they were made meerly in favour of Popery to which he hath not returned the least shadow of answer therefore we shall acquiesse therein without further reply The fourth objected alterations and purgations ascribed to my selfe are in Doctor Potters Book entituled Want of Charity c. the second Edition To which I answer First that he writ to me of his own accord to alter or correct any thing I thought meet in the second Impression of his Book and what I did therein was upon his owne request Secondly that the expressions I advised him to amend were either such as were very harsh as Beleeve in the Pope or somewhat obscure as The Idol of Rome c. Thirdly that his exposition of Matth. 18. 17 11. Dic Ecclesiae c. concernes not the Parliament but the Sanhedrin or Civill Court of the Jewes And whereas it is urged that I writ his Exposition of it seemes to give as much power to the Parliament as to the Church or Convocation in Church affaires which is a derogation to the Parliaments Jurisdiction I conceive it to be none since it appeares by the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 1. that the Parliament cannot determine any thing in matter of Religion without assent of the Clergy in their Convocation this Act providing That the High Commissioners shall not in any wise adjudge any matter to be Heresie but onely such as hath beene heretofore determined ordered or adjudged to be Heresie by the authority of the Canonicall Scriptures or by the first foure generall Councels or any of them c. or such as shall be hereafter ordered judged or determined to be Heresie by the high
Arminianisme who in King James his Reigne before his preferment to Winchester and York had been preferred to sundry Dignities Bishopricks and was in office and good esteem at Court both with King James and King Charles Fourthly For Bishop Wren when I first preferred him he was a worthy man who waited upon his Majesty when he was in Spaine and did good service there if he hath misdemeaned himselfe since it is his owne fault not mine he is still alive and must answer for himselfe to the charge and impeachment exhibited against him Fiftly Doctor Lindsey was a very great Scholler who deserved well neither did I know him to be an Arminian 't is true he was preferred to two Bishopricks successively but it was by Bishop Neale whose Chaplaine he was not by me there is no Oath nor cleaâ—â— evidence it was by my meanes the Docquet book being no sufficient 〈…〉 for it mentioned onely the Kings pleasure and order for it signified by 〈…〉 Signet to me as a servant but not that I was the author of his preferments the King may signifie his pleasure to the Signet Office by whom he pleaseth as for Master Smarts testimony of him there were some quarrels and differences at Durham between Master Smart and him which may cause him to speak the worse of him Master Walker saith onely he was reputed a great Arminian which is no Heresie Sixtly however these were affected yet none can charge me with any Popery or Arminianisme To this was replied First that we have as cleerly proved as the Sunne at noon day that Mountague was protected advanced by him and that in contempt of the Parliament by his owne Diary the Docquet Book Bishop Mountagues owne Letter of thanks to him for his favour and preferments which he hath no way answered as for his preferment that it was by Sir Dudly Carltons meanes it is but a bare surmise of his owne without proofe or colour and for his presence at his consecration it was meerly voluntary to countenance him not by command for ought appeares Secondly it appeares most cleerly by the Evidence given that Doctor Manwaring was advanced both to his Deanary and Bishoprick by his means recommendations alone for the disservice he had done the Kingdome by those Sermons for which he was justly sentenced in Parliament and the ill offices he had since done our Church by introducing Stone-Altars Copes with other Popish Reliques Ceremonies thereinto that he was thus advanced and consecrated a Bishop by him in direct affront of the Parliaments censure disabling him from all future preferments we have fully proved And whereas he layes the Odium of his preferments onely upon the King to excuse himselfe it is but his owne bare allegation without any shadow of proofe and that in his owne case for his owne defence therefore not to be credited But admit it true yet since himselfe was present at his censure in the Lords House upon the Commons impeachment of him recorded it in his Diary and was accused for having a finger in his Sermons and licensing them for the Presse it was his duty to have acquainted his Majesty with and minded him of this his censure disabling him for ever from all such preferments in our Church to have opposed his preferment and withstood his consecration and Mountagues too the rather because every man before any Bishops consecration hath free liberty to put in any just exceptions against him there being a publike Instrument solemnly posted up in the Arches at Bow before every Bishops consecration as a necessary formality giving publike notice That such a one is to be consecrated the Bishop of such a Diocesse such a day and signifying that if any person can take any just exceptions against him and shew good cause why he should not be consecrated he shall be heard In regard whereof this Archbishop ex Officio might yea ought to have shewed the Lords publike censure of Manwaring as a just legall Plea why he should not be consecrated a Bishop as Master Jones the Printer did in a legall way object Bishop Mountagues Popish and Arminian Books with the proceedings pending against him in Parliament for the same is a just cause why he should not be made a Bishop yet he could not be heard nor prevaile therein therefore the neglect of this his trust duty contrary to Law and his recommending consecrating him to be a Bishop in affront of the Parliaments Judgement which disabled him must needs be a transcendent crime no wayes mittigated but aggravated by his false disloyall excuses Thirdly for Bishop Neale he was ever reputed a Popish and Arminian Prelate a persecutor of all orthodox godly Ministers a preferrer of popish Arminian Clergy-men making choyce of such for his Chaplaines for such a one was he accused to his Majesty by the House of Commons in their Remonstrance Anno 1628. and complained of in sundry Parliaments before his advancement to Winchester or Yorke For his pretended worth all the Court knew very well he had little worth or learning in him being unable to preach write dispute not preaching once in a dozen yeers or more For his preferments and Court-offices they were gained maintained by flattery symony and his base temporizing servility he serving as a ready Instrument upon all occasions to introduce anypopish Innovasions in the Church and set on foot any oppressing projects in the State Therfore his preferment of such an ill Instrument who first advanced and brought this Arch-Prelat into favour at Court is no wayes excusable Fourthly Doctor Wren was before his advancement to a Bishoprick a professed Arminian a superstitious popish dissolute impious corrupt Clergy-man and so reputed by all therefore a fit Chaplaine to promote the Spanish Match and Designe to seduce his Majesty when in Spaine from our Religion and his tyrannicall superstitious popish proceedings since he was made Bishop have more fully discovered what he was before All or most of which being in pursuance of the Archbishops Instructions Injunctions to him as his Annuall Account of his proceedings to him evidence himselfe who promoted him and them must be more guilty of and responsible for them then Wren himselfe who yet may suffer for them in due time Fiftly Doctor Linseys schollership is not in question but his Arminian popish inclination and opinions which were so much the more dangerous by reason of his great reputed learning and schollership the greatest Schollers if unsound being the most pernicious seducers and unfittest to be preferred of all others That he was promoted by Bishop Neales meanes is a bare allegation of his owne without proofe that himselfe preferred him is cleere by the Docquet Booke how much he was tainted with Popery and Arminianisme Master Smart and Master Walker have deposed upon Oath and his presumption in bringing Sancta Clara to him even when he was about to publish his Book to acquaint him with his person and designe of reconciling us thereby to the Church
he purged it out because it intimated the Pope to be Antichrist and subjection to him an Antichristian Yoke of bondage both which compared with his Purgations out of Bishop Hals Book of Episcopacy to the same effect proves him a Papist with a witnesse and a speciall friend to the Popes Holinesse of whose honour among us he is extraordinary tender That the Pope is the Antichrist all Forraign Domestick Protestant Divines and some Papists too unanimously agree except Mountague and Shelford his creatures And whereas he pretends no Councill hath so determined We answer that the Synod of Gape in France Anno 1603. the whole Synod and Convocation in Ireland Ann. 1615. in the very Articles of their Religion Num. 80. with the whole Convocation and Parliament of England in the Act for the Subsidy of the Clergy 30 Jacobi to omit others define the Pope to be the Antichrist and Popery Antichristian more fully then those Letters-Patents and why these new Letters-Patents should not determine them to be such as well as the old ones both in King James and in King Charles their Reignes but must now be revoked after they had passed the great Seale of England because this Archbishop would have it so transcends any mans capacity to guesse at any other probable reason except onely this Prelats affection both to the Pope and Popery or enmity against the reformed Churches and their Religion For his incivilities to Master Ruly by reason of this clause our Witnesses testimoniall will outsway his bare deniall of them Fiftly the premises abundantly manifest to all that the Archbishop invaded diminished the ancient Immunities and Priviledges of the Dutch and Walloon Churches in all parts not their pretended encroachments onely upon our Churches Priviledges and that he was so farre from being their friend that they esteemed him then their greatest enemy If they formerly returned him any thanks by way of Court-complement for not taking away all their priviledges as well as some of them after many yeers hot contest we are certaine they justly complained of him ten times more for invading depriving them of sundry of their ancient Immunities which almost brought their Churches to utter ruine In few words his owne forecited Papers and Monsieur Bulteels Booke of the manifold troubles of those Churches by this Arch-Prelats prosecution will abundantly falsifie this his pretended friendship towards them and remaine as a lasting Record against him to Posterity All which considered the whole Bulk and every particle of all the proofs and evidences produced by us to make good the first branch of the Commons first generall Charge of High-treason against him remaine altogether unshaken unavoyded maugre all his sophisticall evasions protestations and shifting answers to them And so much for the first branch of his first generall Charge The Archbishops Defence and Answers to the COMMONS Evidence in the maintenance of the Second Branch of their first Generall Charge touching his Endevours to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome and the Commons Reply thereunto I Proceed now to the Archbishops Defence against the Second Branch of the Commons first Generall Charge to wit his Endevours to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome To this he gave some general Answers in his Generall Defence at the Lords Barre Septemb. 2. 1644. to this effect My Lords said he I am charged for endevouring to introduce Popery and reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome I shall recite the sum of the Evidence and Arguments given in for to prove it First I have in my first Speech nominated divers persons of Eminency whom I reduced from Popery to our Church And if this be so then the Argument against me is this I converted many from Popery Ergo I went about to bring in Popery and to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome Secondly I am charged to be the Author of the c. Oath in the New Canons parcell of which Oath is to abjure Popery and that I will not subject the Church of England to the Church of Rome A more strict Oath then ever was made against Popery in any age or Church And then the argument against me is this I made and tooke an Oath to abjure Popery and not to subject the Church of England to the Church of Rome Therefore I was inclinable to Popery and endeavoured to subject the Church of England to the Church of Rome Thirdly the third Canon of the late New ones was made by me which is against Popery and then the Argument is I made a Canon against Popery Ergo I was inclinable to and endevoured to introduce it Fourthly I was twice seriously offered a Cardinalship and I refused it because I would not be subject to the Pope and Church of Rome Ergo I was addicted to Popery and endevoured to reduce the Church of England into subjection to the Church of Rome Fiftly I writ a Booke against Popery in Answer to Fisher the Jesuit and then the Argument is this I writ a Book against Popery Ergo I am inclinable to Popery and laboured to introduce it Sixtly it is alledged I concealed and cherished the Plot of the Jesuits discovered by Habernfeild and therefore I intended to bring in Popery and reduce the Church of England to the Church of Rome I amswer either this Plot was not reall and if so then Romes Masterpeece is quite blowne up and published in vaine Or else it was reall then I was really in danger of my life for opposing Popery and this Plot. Then the Argument from it must be this I was in danger of my life for cherishing the Jesuites Plot of reducing the Church of England to the Church of Rome Ergo I cherished and endevoured to effect this Plot. Seventhly I laboured to make a reconciliation between the Lutherans and Calvinists Ergo I laboured to introduce Popery and make a reconciliation between the Church of England and the Church of Rome This generall defence and scoffing answer of his at the Lords Barre seemed very specious to some ignorant Auditors who took these feined objections of his owne forging to be the arguments and maine strength of the Commons Evidence produced to convict him of a serious endeavour to subvert the Protestant Religion introduce popery and reconcile the Church of England unto Rome when as the Commons made no such objections from the Evidence and proofs against him Wherupon they replyed that he did but fight with his owne shadow and absurd arguments of his owne framing as he did in his Sear-chamber Speech instead of repeating and answering their reall Objections and proofs against him transforming his owne defence into their Charge and Evidence a meer sophisticall Jesuiticall practice of which he made use throughout his Tryall to which we shall reply in order First the Commons never objected that ever he reduced any from popery but that many were seduced
Ireland that he knew of the great growth and power of Papists there even in the yeer 1626. two yeers before his Answer to the Commons Remonstrance which lyes on him substantially to prove that it was made by the Kings command as to this particular not yet attempted by him his owne bare endorsment being no proofe in his owne case The Letters Papers afterwards received by him from Ireland most cleerly manifest his exact intelligence of popish Priests and Papists dangerous encrease and proceedings there without the least opposition from him or complaint against them The smalnesse of their Monasteries Nunneries there erected is no extenuation of his guilt Small evils not suppressed will prove grand universall mischiefes in short time as those their Monasteries and Nunneries there have done For the Lord Deputies Letters it 's true he could not hinder the directing and sending of them to him but he might have hindered prevented the execution of his desperate popish project related in them and have crushed it in the shell which he never did To the seventh was answered that his extraordinary former power both with the King and Queen might and should have engaged him so farre as to prevent those Roman Nuncioes arrivall here and our Agents at Rome whom he never so much as once opposed for ought appeares but complied with by his Agents Bishop Mountague and Secretary Windebank as we have fully manifested when as he should rather have lost his Archbishoprick liberty life then have any way consented to it in the least degree and openly resisted it to his utmost power The third Objection against me is my compliance with the popish party and endeavours to introduce Popery advance the Papists Designes and reduce us back to Rome by seven particulars formerly insisted on and now onely recapitulated with reference to the former proofs To most of all these I have given full answers before and therefore shall be the briefer in giving further answers to them now The first second fourth fifth sixth and seventh instances I deny in the sense they are pressed and have acquitted my selfe from them in the premises To the third I shall give some further Answer First it is there objected that I maintaintained the Church of Rome to be a true Church and that she erred not in Fundamentals no not in the worst times bue onely Circa Fundamentalia And that I justified Chownaeus his Book who maintained the same I answer that I did doe maintain her to be a true Church Veritate entis not Moris though corrupt erronious in some points as a thief is a true man though a thiefe And in my Book against Fisher I charge her with some grosse corruptions errours to the very endangering of salvation and with superstition too Secondly I am charged that I did maintaine at Doctor Bastwicks censure that she erred not in Fundamentalibus but Circa Fundamentalia this distinction I shall still maintaine There is a great difference between Fundamentalia and Superstructoria and yet some circumstantials may destroy the foundation For example First Quid What it is a man beleeves if a man beleeves the Trinity without the Unity or the Unity without the Trinity this plucks up the Foundation Secondly Vbi the circumstance of place for if any should deny that Christ was borne or took his flesh in Judea this grates upon the very foundation Thirdly Quibus Auxiliis we beleeve convert and doe works of piety by nature or grace If by the strength of nature onely as the Pelagians held this endangers the foundation Fourthly Quando as to deny that Christ is not already come in the flesh this subverts the foundation though but a circumstance And it is a rule in the Schools Aliqua circumstantia dat speciem morali actioni and in this sense the Church of Rome doth erre about fundamentals Thirdly it is alleaged that I hold the Religion of the Church of England and Rome is both one Conference with Fisher page 576. I answer that it is one and the same Religion in the generall to wit the Christian Religion But yet I there write That we differ in the same Religion though we set not up a different Religion and the difference is in certaine grosse corruptions to the very endangering of salvation which each side sayes the other is guilty of Fourthly that I maintain people may be saved in the Roman Church and Religion I answer that other learned Protestants are of the same opinion not generally of all but of those among them who want meanes of better instruction yet I hold it is very dangerous to continue in that Church and Religion for any who have means to come out of them Fiftly that I hold the Pope is not the Antichrist and therefore I caused this Title given him to be expunged authorized received printed Books denying him to be Antichrist as Shelfords and others contrary to our Homilies Writers and the Articles of Ireland I answer that no man can charge me that I hold the Pope not to be Antichrist It is a great question even among learned Protestants whether he be so oâ— not The Church of England hath not positively resolved him to be so The Homilies define him not to be Antichrist and the Articles of Ireland binde not us here My expunging of this Title and others of that nature was upon other grounds However it is no such undoubted Article of Faith as Powell in his Booke De Antichristo with others make it As for the objected Books I neither Licensed nor approved them though I had them in my Study Sixtly it is objected that I hold the Pope to be supreame head of the Church Though Francis Sales and others stile him so they must answer for it it s nothing at all to me who hold it not As for his titles given me by Croxton the University of Oxford in their Letters it was without my privity I could not hinder it and the same Titles have been usually given to Bishops in former ages as appeares by the Epistles of Saint Cyprian Augustine and others Seventhly for Pocklingtons and Bishop Mountagues deriving my Succession from Augustin Gregory and Saint Peters Chaire at Rome it was without my privity It is no more then Master Mason hath proved long before my time and the Papists would give you harty thanks could you disprove this lineall Succession of our Bishops To this was replyed in generall that all the seven objected particulars prove a most apparant designe in him to introduce Popery and reconcile us to Rome and that all his Answers to them had been formerly disproved as false and impertinent In particular That the Church of Rome was no true Church at all but a false Antichristian as well as a corrupt Church for First it hath no true Foundation being not built upon the Apostles Prophets and Christ the corner-Stone Secondly no true Head Ordinances Sacraments Worship but a false adulterous head the
c. As appears by his Injunctions annexed to his Articles in writing and his Account to the Archbishop for the yeare 1636. both found in the Archbishops study and attested by Mr. Prynne In this Diocesse of Norwich by meanes of these Visitation Articles Bishop Mountague in his Account to the Archbishop for the yeare 1638. informes him under his owne hand That all Courches were furnished with the ALTAR standing close to the East-wall all Rayled about the Altar But withall he certifies him that many of the people complained they were troubled and Excommunicated by his Predecessor Bishop Wren for not comming up to receive at the Rayls about the Altar in this manner As many as can well kneele close unto the Rayles come up out of the Church and then upon their knees receive from the Priest standing within the Rayles the Bread and Wine who being thus Communicated rise and depart into the Church and as many moe as can likewise kneele succeed and being Communicated likewise depart which course is observed till all have received Against this they say it is a new un-necessary troublesome course not enjoyned by Law not required by Canon nor imposed by His Majesty or my Lord of Canterbury whose Injunctions they professe they will obey nor in the Articles or Injunctions of any Bishop This as it perplexeth them so I must professe it troubleth me wherein I desire resolution and direction For if this be the case as they pretend in my poore opinion it is inter minutiora Legis to make the best of it and happily in these times of opposition it were not amisse to follow that wise direction of the greatest Councel of Christendom the first of Nice Let ancient customs be observed If I may be bold to deliver my owne poore private opinion concerning this case as they relate it not otherwise I hold it a meere un-necessary inconvenient combersome or irregular course I know it hath no velam nor vestigum in Antiquity who as it appeares by Saint Chrisostome communicated Communicants kneeling in the Chancell in their distinct rankes the doores shut none permitted to depart till the blessing pronounced and Ite in peace I know of no Law Articles Advertisements Canons Injunctions that require it I cannot tell where when by whom it came up This I know it is the practise of the Roman Church at least in Italy and Rome and yet drawes neere upon the Lees of the Geneva Discipline in their running Banquet as it is rightly named I humbly crave pardon for this my free but private opinion of that course upon which so many in my Diocesse doe stand who otherwise do professe all obedience to the Church orders and I doubt not but to bring them thereto and settle them therein almost I durst undertake it This Account of Bishop Mountague being shewed Bishop Wren by the Arch-Bishop he returned this Answer in writing thereunto which hee delivered to the Archbishop in whose Study Mr. Prynne seized it The number of them that stood excommunicated for this which is alleadged were not 13 in above 1300. Parishes When they had received both the bread and wine two rankes of them they quietly withdrew and remained in the Chancell if it would hold them and others kneeled downe in their roomes No marvell if it like not those that will pronounce it new unnecessary and troublesome The Service booke enjoynes it by requiring all to draw neer The King Himselfe does it and His whole Houshold in effect It had bin neither perplexity nor trouble in that Diocesse ere now if it had not unawares bin declaimed against by his Lordship before hee came into the Diocesse Many of his Faction prickt up their eares at that and then his Lordship had plunged himselfe to openly to get back hansomely Now hee is come into the Diocesse and findes it so generally practised and desired by the best of all sorts It is hoped that upon this private narration either my Lords Grace of the King will gain-say it It were fit that what he reputed an irregular custome had bin exprest And whether to carry the holy Sacrament up and down to their Seats be it Where the Chancells will not receive all the Communicants what more trouble of successive comming before the Rayle then into the Chancell Many Chancells are so seated that it cannot appeare how the Communicants kneels and for this in truth the Faction hath the greatest sticke at it Many Parishes are populous and the Chancels large but the Chalices very small while the Priest then goes to and againe so far to renew the Cup much time and labour is lost This supposition holds not for very many Chancells will not hold all the Communicants much lesse to kneele conveniently all at once To come before the Rayle hath more analogy with Antiquity then some men have seene or others will In England they came but to the Chancell doores till our Lawes brought them into the Chancell So now the Rayle serves to distinguish the Presbyterian from the Chorus and that place in Saint Chrysostome I believe will otherwise prove to be mistaken That it is like the practise of the Roman Church I suppose is the better seeing we never found fault with them for it till now As for Geneva t is not so like to theirs or theirs to it as an Ape is to a man and yet is farre enough from being a man This is spoken unto in the precedents After which Bishop Mountague in a Synod at Ipswitch Octob. 8. 1639. gave these ensuing directions to his Clergie concerning the peoples comming up to the Rayles to receive A Copy whereof he sent to the Archbishop who received it the 21th of the same Moneth as appeares by his endorsement thereof When I came first into this Diocesse I was much and often troubled by many in many parts thereof about comming up to the Rayles as they called it in time of the holy Communion This was a novelty unto me as it seemed it was in it selfe for I had never heard of it nor did I know what it meant But I understood at length it was this Those that intend to receive the holy Sacrament are to come up out of the Church and to draw neere unto the Rayles which inclose the Altar or Communion Table and there to kneele as many as can and to receive in both kindes at the Ministers hands when this company at the Rayles have received in both kindes they are to rise up to withdraw and another company to succeed in their places and after them a third and so till all bee in that sort Communicated In this course thus observed I do not understand whether all at once that intend to Communicate do together come up out of the Church into the Chancell and being there disposed sitting or standing doe in course repaire unto the Rayles and returne from thence Or whether
of our reducement to Rome yea the discovery of Andreas ab Habernfield to the Archbishop informes both him and ns That one of Endimion Porters Sonnes of the Bed-chamber now in armes against the Parliament was promised a Cardinals Hat if this designe succeeded well and that Sir Kenelme Digby Master Walter Mountague and other active Instruments who promoted that designe among us attended the sixteen Cardinals Caps that were vacant which were therefore detained vacant for some yeers to impose a vaine hope on those who expected them And Master Widford in his Letters from Rome to Secretary Windebank Novemb. 10. 1640. informes him that Master Sommerset and Master Brudenell were come to Florence aiming at our English Cardinals Caps which then by reason of the Popes Catarre were like to be disposed of All which particulars are a most cleere demonstration of the Pope and his Conclaves endeavours to reduce us back to Rome and of this Archbishops privity to if not assistance in it The sixth Evidence we shall mention to prove the Archbishops not onely intelligence of but compliance with the Popes and his Instruments Plots and proceedings to usher in Popery and reduce our Kingdomes to the Antichristian Religion and Church of Rome is his conusance and furtherance of this their design in Ireland which we shall thus demonstrate The House of Commons June 11. 1628. presented a Remonstrance to the King concerning the extraordinary encrease and growth of Popery of Papists both in England and Ireland and the extraordinary favour which they found from some great persons in his Court wherein they had this notable clause concerning Ireland IT doth not a little also encrease our dangers and feares this way to understand the miserable condition of your Kingdome of Ireland where without controle the Popish Religion is openly professed and practised in every part thereof Popish jurisdiction being generally exercised and avowed Monasteries Nunneries and other superstitious houses newly erected re-edified replenished with men and women of severall Orders and in a plentifull manner maintained in Dublin and most of the great Townes and divers other places of that Kingdome Which of what ill consequence it may prove if not seasonably repressed we leave to your Majesties wisdome to judge But most heartily beseech you as we assure our selves you doe to lay the serious consideration thereof to your Royall pious heart AND THAT SOME TIMELY COURSE MAY BE TAKEN FOR REDRESSE HEREIN Had this pious prudent timely advice been then harkned to and followed to purpose it might no doubt through Gods concurrence with it have prevented that horrid Rebellion those bloody Massacres of some hundred thousands of poor English Protestants in and devastation of that distressed Kingdom which have broken forth and been perpetrated there of late almost to the utter extirpation of the English and Irish Protestants the ruine of that Kingdome and infinite losse yea eminent danger of this our Realme to boot But this Popish Prelate though he then certainly knew this Remonstrance to be most true out of an inveterate hatred to the Parliament and a desire to promote the Catholikes designes there instead of perswading his Majesty to hearken to this true information and wholesome advice of his faithfull Commons drew up a most pernitious malepert Answer with his owne hand in his Majesties name against this Remonstrance which he presented to his Majesty wherein he incensed him against the Commons charging them not onely with misinforming but traducing his Majesties government by this clause concerning Ireland in this dishonourable language produced and read under his owne hand out of the Originall draught attested by Master Prynne FOR Ireland We think in case of Religion 't is not worse then Queen Elizabeth left it and for other affaires 't is as good as we found it nay perhaps better and We take it a great disparagement of Our government that it should be urged that new Monasteries Nunneries and other superstitious houses are erected and replenished in Dublin and other great Townes in this Our Kingdome for we assure Our Selves Our Deputy and Our Counsell there will not suffer God and Our government so to be dishonoured but We should have had some account of it from them and We may not endure thus to have Our good People misled with shewes Which in plaine tearmes is but a giving the House of Commons the Lye and a slandering of them as false Informers both to the King and people By which wicked practice their Remonstrance was rejected as a slanderous Libell and their Councell not pursued the dolefull effects whereof we now experimentally feele and rue That this Prelate when he made this Answer certainly knew of the grand encrease of the Papists in Ireland and that they had then upon the matter obtained a publike toleration will appeare by a paper found in his Study produced at the Barre thus endorsed with this Archbishops own hand 1626. The Bishops of Ireland about a Toleration feared The Judgement of the Arch-bishops and Bishops of Ireland concerning toleration of the Papish Religion by publike Protestation THE Religion of Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous their Faith and Doctrine erronious and hereticall their Church in respect of both Apostaticall to give them therefore a toleration of Religion or to consent that they may-freely exercise their Religion and professe their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sinne and that in two respects First it is to make our selves accessary to their superstitious Idolaries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the deluge of the Catholike Apostacy Secondly to grant them a toleration in respect of any money to be given or contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it the soules of the people whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious blood And as it is a great sinne so it is a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we leave to the wise and judicions beseeching the zealous God of truth to make those who are in authority zealous of Gods glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery Superstition and Idolatry There were likely to be granted to the Papists in Ireland many priviledges and withall a toleration for their Religion in the consideration of the payment of a great summe of mony This Easter tearme 1626. there was a great meeting of all the chiefest of the whole Kingdome and the Archbishops and Bishops c. and it was likely to be concluded Doctor Dâ—wanm Bishop of London-Derry April 11. preached at Dublin before the Lord Deputy and the State his Text was Luke 1. at the 79. In the midst of his Sermon he openly read this Protestation above written subscribed by the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland and at the end he boldly said And