violated for it doth consist in the unitie of faith not of opinions in the union of mens hearts by true charitie which easily tolerateth unnecessar differences Some points of religion are primitive articles essentiall in the obiect of Faith Dissension in these is pernitious and destroyeth unitie Other are secundary probable obscure and accidentall points Disputations in these are tolerable Unitie in these is very contingent and variable As in musicall consort a discord now and then so it bee in the discant and depart not from the ground sweetens the harmonie So the varitie of opinions and rites in divers parts of the Church doth rather commend then prejudice the unitie of the whole Montag Antigog page 14. Truth is of two sorts among men manifest and confessed truth or more obscure and involved truth Plainly delivered in Scripture are all these points which belong unto Faith and maners hope and charitie I know none of these contraverted inter partes The articles of our creed are confessed on both sides held plaine enough The contraverted points are of a larger and inferiour allay Of them a man may be ignorant without any danger of his soule at all A man may resolve or oppose this way or that way with out perrell of perishing Cant. relat about the end The coruptions of Rome materially and in the very kinde and nature are leaven drosse hay and stubble yet the Bishop thought that such as were misled by education or long custome or overvalving the Soveraignity of the Romane Church and did in simplicitie of heart imbrace them might by theyr generall repentance and Faith in the Merits of Christ attended with charitie and other verues finde mercie at Gods hands Shelfoord pag. 235. Though there bee some difference among us in ceremonies and expositions which destroy not yet still our head Christ by Baptisme stands upon our bodie and the substance of the Gospel is intire and whole among us by retaining the articles of the Faith the volume of the New-Testament and the practice there of by Faith and good workes ibid. page 239. There bee differences which hinder our agreement What then Among the Greekes there were divers Dialects and yet they had but one language they held together in the maine So though Papists have a letter more then wee and wee one letter for another yet wee hold together in the radix Paul could beare with differences expecting Gods reformation If you bee otherwise minded God shall revaile For the present let us bee patient and afterward God will shew where the errour lyeth Why should wee presume so much of our skill while wee are in our none-age and know but in part Have not better men then wee beene deceived Have not dissenting Fathers and slyding Schoolists been alwayes borne with in points of Religion Fiftly That a generall repenrance for all unknowne sinnes is sufficient to secure the salvation not only of these who have lived and died in the popish tenets before the councell of Trent but even to this day not only their people but their most learned Clergie Popes Cardinalls Iesuits living and dying in their bitter oppositions and persecutions of protestants are in no hazard of damnation though they never come to any particular acknowledgement of their sinfull opinions or practises following thereupon (b) Pottar page 77. Wee hope well of these holy soules who in former ages lived and died in the church of Rome for though they died in many sinfull errours yet because they did it ignorantly through unbeliefe not knowing them either to bee errours or sins and repented in generall for all their unknowne trespasses wee doubt not but they obtained pardon of all their ignorances Nay our charitie reacheth further to all these that this day who in simplicitie of heart believe the Romane religion and professe it But we understand only them who either have no sufficient meanes to finde the truth or else as after the use of the best meanes they can have all things considered finde no sufficient motives to convince their consciense of errours Chomley his defence of Hall I dare bee bold to say that the church of Rome had not for many hundreth yeares before the councel of Trent so good a forme of doctrine as the Tridentin catechisme doth containe Sixtlie They teach us that papists may not in reason be stiled either idolaters or hereticks or schismaticks His Grace in that great large folio set out the last yeare to declare to the world the fartherst that his minde could be drawen for to oppose poperie is not pleased to my memorie in his most verhement oppositions to lay to their charge any of these three cirmes neither doe I remember in all the search my poore lecture hath made that any of his favourits in their writtes these twelve yeares bygone hath layed to the charge of Rome in earnest either idolatrie heresie or shisme but by the contrary hath absolved them clearly in formall termes of al those three cirmes (c) Shelfoord p. 300 I am not in the minde that all images are idols but only when they are worshipped for gods This the word idolatria signifieth the wotshipping of images with latria that is divine worship as it is used by Divines Cant. relat pag. 299. They keepe close to that which is superstition and in the case of images come near to idolatrie Montag apar page 79. Et certè quamdiù palam non deficiunt à pietate cultu Dei proprio ad idolatriam etiam moribus impii vita contaminati tolerantur in Ecclesia non minus quam milvus corvus immunda animalierant in arca Ecclesia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singulari At nullus in arca erat idololatres quia Christianam pietatem quatenus Christianam idololatres execratur Montag pag. 309. Dei cultum latriam quam appellant nec possumus alicui creaturae nec debemus sive humanae sive angelicae quamvis excellentissimae impendere Hoc fatibitur Bullingerus Pontificius tota schola non insanientium adversariorum nolunt enim illi quovis modo cuicunque creaturae latriam nequidem cultu relativo exhiberi Montag Antigag page 319. You say that images must not have latria so we let your practice and doctrine goe together and wee agree Dow against Burton obiecteth that my lord Canterburie did raze out the publicke booke of fasts this sentence Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatrie wherein we were utterly drowned his chief answere is That men may bee good Protestants and yet not damne all their forefathers who lived before the reformation as hee must doe who saith of them they were wholly drowned in idolatrie which though M. Burton perhaps will not yet some men may thinke it to be a reason sufficient for the leaving out of that sentence Of idolatrie because they teach not the giving of latria to any image or any creature (d) Cant relat page 306. Non omnes error in his que fidei
the rest to our acerâ—st and sibbest sister of England as it were in a table divers of these errours which our partie first by craft and subtilitie but now by extreame violence of fire and Sword are labouring to bring upon us to the end that our deare Brethren understanding our sufferings in the defence of such a cause may bee the more willing at this time to contribute for our assistance from God the helpe of their earnest Prayers and for ever hereafter to condole with the more hearty compassion any misery which possibly may befall us in such a quarrell All our plea is but one cleare syllogisme Albeit truely our hopes are yet greater then our feares if we could become so happie as once to get our plea but entered before our Prince for we can hardlie conceave what in reason should hinder our full assurance of a favorable decision from that Sacred mouth whose naturall equitie the World knowes in all causes whereof hee is impartially informed since our whole action is â— uâ—ht but one formall argument whereof the Mâ—j r is â—he verdict of our judge the Minor shal be the open and â—â—â—wâ—d Testimonie of our partie need we feare thâ—â— either our judge or partie will bee so irrationall as to vâ—nture upon the denyall of a conclusion whereof both the premisses is their owne open profession Our Major is this The Major thereof VVho ever in the Kings Dominions spreads abroad Poperie or any Doctrine opposite to the Religion and Lawes of the Land now established ought not to bee countenanced but severely punished by the King This Major the King hath made certaine tâ— us in his frequent most solemne asseverations not onely at his coronation both here and in England in his proclamations both here and there (a) Neither shall we ever give way to the authorizing of any tâ—â—ng wherby any innovation many steal or creep into the Church but shall preserve that unitie of doctrine discâ—pline established â—n Q. Elizabeths reign wherby the Church of England have stood flouâ— sâ—ed since Proclam dissolving the Parl of England 1628. and therefore oâ—ce for all we have thought fit to declare and hereby to assure all our good people that we neitâ—er were are nor ever by the grace of God shall bee slained with popish superstition but by the conâ—tarie are resolved to maintain the true Protestant Christian religion already professed within this our ancient Kingdom We neither intend innovation in religion or lawes proclam â—une 8. 1638. to free al our good subjects of tâ—e least suâ—pition of any intent on in us to innovate any thing either in religion or lawes and to sati fie not onely their desires but even their doubts We have discharged c. proclam Septemb 22. 1638. and to give all his Maj. people full assurance that he never intended to admit any alâ—eration or change in the true religoÌ„ pofessed wiâ—â—in this kingdome and that they may be truely and fully satisfied of the realitie of his intentions and integritie of the same his Maj. hath been pleased to require command all his good Subjects to subscribe the confession of Faith formerly signed by his dear Father in anno 1580. and it is his Maj will that this be insert and registrat in the books of Assembly as a testimony to pâ—steritie not only of the sinceritie of his intentions to the said true religion but also of his resolution to maintaine and defend the same and his Subjects in the proâ—ession thereof proclam Decemb. 18. 1638. but also in his late large declaration oftimes giving out his resolution to live and die in the reformed protestant religion opposite to all Poperie to maintaine his established lawes and in nothing to permitt the enervating of them Yea this resolution of the king is so peremptor publickly avowed thâ—t Canterburie himselfe dare not but applaud thereto (b) If any Prelate would labour to bring in the superstitions of the Church of Rome I doe not onely leave him to Gods judgement but if his irreligious falshood can bee discovered also to shame and severe punishment from the State and in any just way no maÌ„s hands should bee sooner against him then mine in his Starre chamber speech who can seeme more foreward then he for the great equitie to punish condignlie all who would but mind to bring in any Poperie in this Isle or assay to make any innovation in Religion or Lawes Wee beleeve indeed that my Lord Canterburie doth but juggle with the world in his fair ambiguous generalities being content to invegh as much against poperie and innovation as we could wish upon hopes ever when it comes to any particular of the grossest poperie we can name by his subtile distinctions and disputations to slide out of our hands But wee are perswaded what ever may be the jugling of sophisticating Bishops yet the magnanimous ingenuitie the royall integritie of our gracious Soveraigne is not compatible with such fraudulent equivocations as to proclaime his detestation of poperie in generals and not thereby to give us a full assurance of his abhorring every particular which all the orthodox Preachers of this Isle since the reformation by Queene Elizabeth and King Iames allowance hath ever condemned as popish errours Our Major then wee trust may be past as unquestionable Wee subjoyne our Minor The Minor But so it is that Canterburie and his dependars men raised and yet maintained by him have openly in their printed bookes without any recantation or punishment to this day spread abroad in all the Kings Dominions doctrines opposite to our Religion and Lawes especially the most points of the grossest poperie In reason all our bickering ought to be here alone This Minor I offer to instruct and that by no other middes then the testimonie of their owne pens If J doe so to the full satisfaction of all who know what are the particular heads of the reformed Religion and what the Tenets of Poperie â—pposite thereto what are the Lawes standing in all the thrâ—e Dominions and what the contrarie maximes of the Turkish Empire wherewith Matchivelists this day every where are labouring to poyson the eares of all Christian Princes for enervating the Lawes and Liberties of their Kingdomes I hope that reason and justice which stand night and day attending on either side of King Charles Throne will not faile to perswade the chearfull embracement of the conclusion The conclusion which followes by a cleare and naturall necessitie from the forenamed premisses to witt that Canterburie and his dependars in all the three Dominions ought not to be countenanced by the King but severally punished Let be that for their pastime a bloodie hazardous warre should be raised in so unseasonable a time for the undoing of that countrie and church which God hath honoured with the birth and baptisme both of his Majesties owne person and of his renowned Father and to the which both of them as
all their hundreth and six glorious Predecessours are endebted before God and the VVorld all their Prerogatives both of nature grace and estate so much as any Princes were ever to their mother church native Countrie CHAP. II. The Canterburians avovved Arminianisme ARminianisme how great and dangerous an innâ—â—ation of the Reformed Religion it is Arminianisme â— great and dangerous innovation oâ— Religion wee m y learne by the late experiences of our neighâ—ours when that weed began to spread among 〈◊〉 The States of Holland have declared in many pâ—ssages of their Dordracen Synod that they found it a more readie meane to overthrow both their Church and State then all the engines Policies armes which the Pope and Spaniard in any bygan time had used â—gainst them The Church of France the other yeare when Amirâ—t and Testard and some few of their Divines were but surmised to incline a little towards some small twigs of one article of Arminius was so affrighted that they rested not till in a generall assembly at Paris they did runne together for the extinguishing of the first sparkes as it were of a common fire When Barrow in Cambridge began to run a little on this rock how careful was my Lord of Canterburie and the Bishops than in the meeting at Lambeth for the crushing of that Cokatrice in the egge when that Serpent againe in the same place began to sett up the nose in the writtes of Thomson how carefull were the Bishops then by the hand of their brother of Salisburie Doctor Abbots to cutt off the head of that monster But what speake wee of the Churches Reformed The very Synagogue of Rome whose conscience is enlarged as the Hell to swallow downe the vileâ—â— morsels of the most lewd errours that Antichrist can present yet did they stick much at this bone when the Iesuite Molina began to draw out these dreggs of Pelagianisme from the long neglected pitts of some obscure Schoolemen what clamours were raised there not onely by Alvarez and his followers but ulso by numbers of Prelates and some great Princes till the credit of the Iesuites in the Court of Rome and the wisedome of the Consistorie prognosticating a new Rent in their Church did procure from the Pope a peremptorie injunction of silence to both sides on all highest paines hoping if the Dominicans mouthes were once stopped that the Iesuites by their familiar arts and silent Policies would at last worke out their intended point which indeed since that time they have well neare by fully gained But to King Charles eye no evidence useth to bee so demonstrative as that which commeth from the learned hand of his blessed Father VVould wee know how gracious a Plant Arminianisme and the dressers of it will prove in England or any where else advise with King Iames King Iames judgement of Arminianisme who after full triall and long consultation about this emergent with the Divines of his Court especially the late archbishop Abbots gave out at last his Decreet in print and that in Latine not onely for a present declaration to the States of Holland of his minde against Vorstius and a cleare Confession of his Faith in those points to the Christian VVorld but above all to remaine a perpetuall Register for his heirs and successours of his faithfull advise if after his death their Kingdomes should be ever in danger to bee pestered with that wicked seed In that treatise his Majestie doth first (a) Declarat contr Vorst pag. 15. Non erubescit ita crasse mentiri ut affirmet haereses libro suo expressas á professione Ecclesiae Anglicanae non dissentire avow all them to be grosse lyers who doe not blush to affirme that any of the Arminian articles even that most plausable one of the Saints apostasie are consonant with the Doctrine or articles of the Church of England (b) Ibid. pag. 12. Gnaviter impudens ferreioris Hee stileth Bertius for such a slander a very impudent and brazen faced man 2. (c) Ibid. pag. 18 Detestandae haereses novitor exortae maturè exstingueÌ„dae ad usque inferos unde manarunt relegandae He pronounceth these Doctrines of Arminius to be heresies lately revived and damnable to the hells from whence they come 3. (d) Ibid. pag 12. Sola inscriptio clamat igni damnandum That Bertius for the very title of his booke The Saints apostacie deserved burning 4. (e) Ibid. pag. 14. Inimicus Deo Arminius cujus discipuli pestes arrogantes haeritici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sectarij That Aâ—minius and his Schollers were to be reputed pests enemies to God proud schismaticall hereticall Atheists 5. (f) Ibid. pag. 15. A Deo maledictionem apud Ecclesias omnes infamiam in Republicam perpetuam distractionem The great increase of Arminians in Scotland by Canterburies meanes Hee affirmeth that their tolleration would not faile to bring upon the heads of their toleraters let be favourers Gods malediction an evill report slander and infamie with all the Churches abroad and certaine Schisme division and tumults at home Shall wee then make any doubt of King Charles full contentment that we avow Arminianisme to bee such a dangerous innovation in our Religion as the Reformed Churches abroad and his Father at home hath taught us to count it where ever it is found Notwithstanding this bitter roote amongst us was setting up the head of late very boldly in all the prime plâ—ces of our Kingdome wee have had since the reformation many bickerings about the Church government and Ceremonies but in matters of Doctrine never any controversie was knowne till some yeares agoe a favourable aire from the mouth of Doctor Laud at Court began to blow upon these unhappie seeds of Arminius No sooner was those south-winds sensible in our climate but at once in S. Andrews Edinburgh Aberdeen and about Glasgow that weed began to spring amaine Doctour Wederburne in the new Colledge of S. Andrews did stuffe his dictates to the younge Students in Divinitie with these errours This man upon the feares of our Churches censure having fled the Countrie was very tenderly embraced by his Grace at Court and well rewarded with a faire Benefice in England for his labours But to the end his talents should not lye hid although a man very unmeete either for preaching or government hee was at once sent downe to us without knowledge of our Kirk by Canterburies onely favour to be Bishop of Dumblane for this purpose mainly that in the Royall Chappell whereof that Bishop is alwayes Dean hee might in despite of all our Presbyteries weive out the webbe hee had begun in S. Andrews So at once there was erected a society of twentie foure Royall Chapplains who were thought fittest of the whole Cleargie of the Kingdome to be allured with hopes of favour from Court to preach to the State the Deans Armiminian tenets In Edinburgh M. Sydserfe did partly play his part and for the
invention are these privie articles which his Creature my Lord of Derry presents to diverse who take Orders from his holy hands We will passe these and such other effects which the remote rayes of his Graces countenance doe produce in so great a distance Onely behold How great an increase that unhappie plant hath made there in England where his eye is neerer to view and his hand to water it The Canterburians in England teach the first and second article of Arminianisme In the 25. yeare at the very instant of King James death D. Montagu with D. Whites approbation did put to the presse all the articles of Arminius in the same fearmes with the same arguments and most injurious calumniations of the Orthodox doctrine as Spalato and the Remonstrants had done a little before but with this difference that where those had dipped their pennes in inke D. Montagu doth write with venegar gall in every other line casting out the venome of his bitter Spirit on all that cometh in his way except they be fowles of his own feather for oft when he speakes of Iesuites Cardinals Popes hee annoynts his lips with the sweetest honey and perfumes his breath with the most cordiall tablets If any doe doubt of his full Arminianisme let them cast up his Appeale and see it clearly (k) Appeal p. 60. I professe my through sincere dissent from the faction of novellizing Puritans but in no point more theÌ„ in the doctrine of desperate predestination Ibid. p. 70. I see no reason why any of the divines of our Church present at the Synod of Dort should take any offence at my dissenting who had no authoritie that J know of to conclude me more then I doe at them for dâ—ffering from me in their judgment quisque abundet in suo sensu Ibid. pag. 71. I am sure the Church of England never so determined in her doctrine Ibid. pag. 72 at the conference of Hamptoun-court before his Majestie by D. Bancroft that doctrine of irrespective predestination was stiled against the articles of Lambeth then urged by the Purâ—tans a desperate doctrine without reproof or taxation of any Ibid. pag. 50 your absolute necessarie determined irresistible irrespective decree of God to call save and glorifie S. Peter for instance infalliblie without any consideration had off or regard unto his faith obedience repentance J say it truely it is the fancie of some particular men in the first and second Article of Election and Redemption he avoweth his aversnesse from the Doctrine of Lambeth and Dort which teacheth that God from eternitie did elect us to grace salvation not for any consideration of our faith workes or any thing in us as causes respects or conditions antecedent to that decree but onely of his meere mercy And that from this Election all our faith workes and perseverance doe flow as effects Hee calleth this the private fansie of the Divines of Dort opposite to the Doctrine of the Church of England For this assertion he slandereth the Synod of Lâ—mbeth as teachers of desperate doctrine and would father this foule imputation but very falsly on the Conference at Hamptoun Court (l) Ibid. pag. 61 64. I shall as I can briefly set downe what I conceive of this of Gods decree of predestination seâ—ting by all execution of purpose this farre we have gone and no word yet of predestination for how could it be in a paritie Tâ—ere must â—e first conceived a disproportion before there can be conceived an Election or dereliction God had compassion of men in the masse of perdition upon singulos generum genera singulorum and out of his love motu mero no oâ—herwise stretched out to them deliverance in a Mediator the Man Iesus Christ and drew them out that tooke hold of mercie leaveing them there that would none of him Againe he avoweth positively that faith goeth before Election and that to all the lost race of Adam alike Gods mercie in Christ is propounded till the parties free-will by beleeving or mis-beleeving make the disproportion antecedent to any divine either election or reprobation One of the reasons why King Iames stiled Arminius disciples Aâ—heists Why King Iames stiled them Atheists was because their first article of condiâ—ionall Election did draw them by an inevitable necessitie to the maintenance of Vorstian impiety For make me once Gods eternall decree posterior and dependant from faith repentance perseverance and such works which they make flow from the free-will of changeable men that decree of God will bee changeable it will be a separable accident in him God will be a composed substance of subject true accidents no more an absolute simple essence and so no more God Vorstius ingenuitie in professing this composition is not misliked by the most learned of the Belgick Arminians who use not as many of the English to deny the clear consequeÌ„ces of their doctrine if they be necessary though never so absurd However in this very place Montagu maintaines very Vorstian Atheisme as expresly as any can doe making the divine essence to be finite his omnipresence not to bee in substance but in providence (m) Appeale p. 49. the Stoicks among others held that paradox of old Deum ire per omne terras tractusmaris coelumque profundum They meant it substâ—ntially and so impiously Christians doe hold it too but disposively in his providence and so making God to be no Gâ—d This though long agoe by learned Featlie objected in print to Montagu lyes still upon him without any clearing Certainly our Arminians in Scotland were begun both in word and writt to undertake the dispute for all that Vorstius had printed I speake what I know and have felt oft to my great paines Arminianisme is a chaine any one linck wherof but specially the first will draw all the rest yet see the other also expressed by Montagu In the articles of grace and freewill They teach the third and fourth article not onelie he goes cleare with the Arminians teaching that mans will hath ever a facultie to resist and oftimes according to the Doctrine of the Church of England actually doth resist reject frustrate and overcoms the most powerfull acts of the spirit and grace of God even those which are employed about regeneration sanctification justification perseverance (n) Appeal p. 89. S. Steven in terminis hath the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you resist nay fall crosse with the holy Ghost not suffering him to worke grace in you If the Counsell meaned it de gratia excitante praeveniente operante I think no man will deny it de gratia adiuvante subsequente cooperante there is without question in the naturall will of a regenerate man so much carnal concupiscence as may make him resist and rebell against the Law of the Spirit And if a man justified may fall away from grace which is the doctrine of the Church of England then without question your selves being
was consonant with the articles of England must be throwne backe from Bertius on the Kings face and that in as disgracefull a way as it was first given Montagew and Whitâ— with his Graces permission did give that venerable Prince long agoe the lye at home in English affirming the perfect agreeance of the Arminian Apostasie with the doctrine of England But this affront contents not his Grace except this barbarous medecine under the shelter of his Archiepiscopall name be lie his Majestie over-sea and over the whole world where the Latine is understood Beside this shamefull inconvenience another dangerous evill will necessarily follow from this Apologie to wit That the Arminian Doctrine may not onely be tolerated in England which yet if King Iames may be trusted cannot faile to draw downe upon England a curse from God shame from abroad horrible shisme at home but also since their grossest articles are declared in print and in Latine under the shaddow of Canterburies name to be fully consonant to the very litterall sense of the Articles of England all the members of that Church may be compelled presently without more delay to embrace those doctrines and that any man is permitted in England to beleeve in peace the Antiarminian Articles wherein Queene Elizabeth and King Iames did live and dye it is of meere favour and the Princes mercie who readily by the Archbishops intercession is diverted from pressing the profession of those articles according to the first and most litterall sense which now is clearely avowed to bee after Arminius yea Molina his minde CHAP. III. The Canterburians professed affection towards the Pope Poperie in grosse The faction once suspected of Lutherianisme IT was the opinion of many among us for a long time that the innovating faction did minde no more then Arminianism But at once those who touched their pulse neerer did finde a more high humour working in their veynes With Arminius errours they began incontinent to publish other Tenets which to all meere Arminians were ridiculous follies The Elements of the Lords Supper began by them to be magnified above the common phrase of Protestant Divines a corporall presence of Christs humanity in and about the Elements to be glanced at a kinde of omnipresence of Christs flesh to be preached a number of adorations before those Elements and all that was neere them both the Altar Bason Challice and Chancell to be urged many new Ceremonies which for many yeares had beene out of use to bee taken in a great bitternesse of spirit against all who ran not after these new guyses to appeare This made us thinke they intended to steppe over from Arminius to Luther In this conception wee were somewhat confirmed considering their earnest recommendation to the reading of young Students the late Lutheran Divines such as Hutter Meisner Gerard with their crying downe both in private and publick of Calvine BeZa Martyr Bucer and the rest of the famous writers both ancient and late of the French Belgick Churches Their giving it out also that their martyred Reformers Crammer Ridley Latimer were of Luthers Schoole from him had learned those things wherin the English church did differ froÌ„ the other reformed of Calvins framing But most of al by my lord of Canterburies great diligence under hand to promove and reward that late negotiation of M. Duries with the Churches over Seâ— for the extenuating of the Lutheran errours and procuring with their Churches not onely a Syncretisme which all good men did ever pant for but also a full peace in tearmes so generall so ambiguous so flidderie that were very suspitious to many otherwise very peaceable mindes But at last Popery was found their mark Those considerations moved us to thinke that the factious motion might possibly end at Lutheranisme without any further progresse But it was not long while every common eye did observe their bowle to roll much beyond that marke They published incontinent a number of the Romish errours which to the very Lutherans were ever esteemed deadly poyson the Popish Faith the Tridentine justification merit of workes workes of Supererogation doctrinall traditions Limbus Patrum the Sacrifice of the Masse adoration of images monastick vowes Abbeyes and Nunries the Authoritie of the Pope a reunion with Rome as shee stands Finding it so we were driven to this conclusion that as ordinarily the Spirit of defection doth not permit any Apostates to rest in any middle tearme but carrieth them along to the extreames of some palpable madnesse to some strong delusion for the recompence of the first degrees of their fall from the love of the Trueth so also our Faction was carried quite beyond the bounds both of Arminiuâ— and Luther yea of their owne so much once beloved Cassander and Spalato and all the lists of that which they were wont to call moderation to drinke of the vilest abominations and the lowest dregs of the golden Cup of that Romish Whoore For now my Lord Canterburie and his followers are not ashamed to proclaime in print their affection to Poperie both in grosse and retaile Let no man in this cast up to me any slander till he have heard and considered the probation of my allegations Poperie is a body of parts if not innumerable To make way for their designes they cry downe the Popes Antichristianisme yet exceeding many There is scarce any member great or small in this monster whereto the faction hath not kythed too passionate a love But for shortnesse I will shew first their affection to the whole Masse of popish errours their respect to the Church of Rome and to the Pope the Head thereof than in particular to the most principâ—ll and abominable parts of that Chaos As for the whole of that confused lump that they may winne the more easily to the embracement of it they cast downe in the entry the chiefe wall they remove the maine impediment whereby Protestants were ever kept therefrom What ever wee speake of some very few private men yet all Protestant Churches without exception made ever the Popes Antichristianisme their chiefe bulwark to keepe all their people from looking back towards that Babilonish Whoore. No Church did make greater state of that fort then the English no man in that church more thâ—n King Charles blessed Father Hee was not content himselfe to beleeve and avow the Pope that great Antichrist but also with arguments invincible drawn mainely from some passages of the Revelation cleared now as light by the Commentary of the Popes practises to demonstrate to all Neighbour Princes and States of Christendome in a monitorie Treatise this his beliefe for that expresse end that from this truth clearly proved they might not onely see the necessitie he had to keep himselfe and his Subjects for evermore from returning to Rome but they also by this one argument might be forced to cast â—ff the yoake of the Pope when they saw him cloathed with the garments of Antichrist
autâ—m dicit author ille tuus dans gloriam Deo 8 That the temporall principalities which the Pope enjoyeth this day in Italie or elswhere are but his just possessions which none ought to invy him (p) Montag antid pag. 95. Habeat ille suas sibi opes facultates fundos habeat latifundia principatum dominium per Ecclesia terras Petri possessiones obtineat dummode contentus vetuctiorum principum liberalitate alienam non invadat possessionem 9. That the restitution of the Popes ancient authority in England and yeelding unto him all the power that this day he hath in Spaine or France would be many wayes advantageous and in nothing prejudiciall to the King (q) Cant. relat pag. 202 Hee that is not blinde may see if hee wil of what little value the popes power in France and Spaine is this day further then to serve the turns of their Kings therewith which they doe to their great advantage 10 The old constitution of the Emperour whereby all the westerne clergie is so farre subjected to the Bishop of Rome that without him they are disabled to make any Ecclesiasticall law and obliged to receave for lawes what he doth enjoyne was very reasonable Yea if the King would be pleased to command all the church men in his dominions to be that far subject to the Pope they would be unreasonable to refuse present obedience (r) Montag antid pag. 156. Quod è codice allegatur Theodosiano decernimus ne quid tam Episcopis Gallicanis quaÌ„ aliarum provinciarum contra consuetudinem veterem liceat sine viri venerabilis Papae urbis alternae authoritate tentare sed illis omnibusque legis loco sit quicquid sanxit sanxeritve sedis apostolicae authoritas Quicquid hic pontifici sayeth Montagow arrogatur id totum edicto debetur Theodosiano vel vetustae consuetudini quicquid autem per rescriptum tribuitur imperatoris ad occidentales credo solos pertinebat nec omnes quibus juxta veterem consuetudinem Pontifex praesidebat ut Patriarcha Decernat imperator de Gâ—rmanis episcopis Rex Angliâ— de Britannis suis Francorum de Gallicanis quod olim Theodosius decrevit dicto erunt omnes obedientes Onely by all meanes my Lord of Canterburies prerogative behoved to bee secured his ancient right to the patriarchat of the whole Isle of Britaine behoved to be made cleare that to his rod the whole clergie of the Isle might submit their shoulders as to their spirituall head and Monarch from whom to Rome there could bee no appeale (Å¿) Cant. relat pag. 171. It is plaine that in these ancient times in the Church government Britaine was neever subject to the Sea of Rome for it was one of the six diocies of the West Empire and had a pâ—â—mat of its own Nay Iohn Capgraw and William Mabinnesburrie tell us that Pope Vrbâ—n the second in the Councel at Bari in Apuleia accounâ—ed my worthie predecessor S. Anselme as his owne Compeer and said Hee was as the patriarch and apostolick of the other world quasi comparem veluti Apostolicum alterius orbis Patriarcham Now the Britains having a primate of their own which is greater then a Metropolitan yea a patriarch if yee wil he could not be appealed from to Rome in any cause which concerned onely the churches of the Kings dominions for in causes more universall of the whole catholicke Church willingly they are contented that the Patriarch of Britaine and all others should submit to their grand Apostolicke father of Rome (t) Montag Antid pag. 57. Rectè cautum erat olim per canones vetustae Ecclesiae ut Romanus ille primus Episcoporum cui tot per occidentem suffraganei adherebant suam sententiam rogatus adhiberet ubi fidei Ecclesiae universalis vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rebus ad politiam spectantibus agitabatur supra Everie one of these pontificall positions since the midst of Henrie rhe eights raigne would have beene counted in England great paradoxes yet now all of them are avowed by Canterbuerie himself in that verie booke which the last yeare at the Kings direction hee set forth for to satisfie the world anent their suspition of his Poperie or else by D. Montagu in his books yet unrepealed and cleanged of all suspition of Poperie by M. Dow under the seal of his Graces licencing servant This much for the Pope About the Cardinalls they tell us that their office is an high and eminent dignitie in the Church of God Their minde to the Cardinalat for the which their persons are to be handled with great reverence and honour (w) Montag ap pag. 56 Penitere non potuit Baronium eruditissimuÌ„ laboriosissimum virum industriae suae ac deligentiae Cardinalitiame niminde merito quidem suo adeptus suscepit dignitateÌ„ ibid. pag. 75. Virum illustri adeo nominis celebritate eminentissima dignitate coÌ„stitutum honestum probum preterea in vita privata rigidem severum ac tantum non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nusquam nisi honorificentissime compellavi that their office is a reward due to high graces and vertues that some of them though the greatest enemies that ever the reformed Churches have felt such as Baronius that spent all his time in opposing the trueth and advancing Antichristianisme and Barromaeus (x) Pokling Alt. pag. 34. The Linchonshire Minister it his jearing veine flouteth Cardinal Baromaeus whereas if he list to read his life he may not be ignorant that the Cardinall was a man of exemplarie holinesse and spent the greatest part of his life in fasting prayer almes-deeds preaching exhoration and doctrine and did detest both impietie and vanitie both in word and deed Me thinkes his conscience should checke him for his scornfull usage of a man who had the report of so vertuous and pious a Bishop a bloudy persecutor of our religion and one of the fathers of Trent that even such men are so full of grace and pietie that it is a great fault in any protestant to break so much as a jest on their red hattes Where the head and shoulders are so much affected it is hard to restraine charitie from the rest of the bodie These good men vent their passion no lesse towards the bodie of the present Church of Rome then towards the Pope and the Cardinalls Foâ— first his grace avowes over and over againe that the Papists and wee are of one and the same religion They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands that to speak otherwayes as the Liturgie of England did all King Iames dayes were a matter of very dangerous consequent and therefore he confesseth his helping that part of the liturgie which puts a note of infamie upon the popish religion least that note should fall upon our owne religion which with the popish is but all one (y) Cant. relat p 36 The Church of Rome
Protestants set not up a differeÌ„t ReligioÌ„ for the christian Religion is the same to both but they differ in the same Religion and the difference is in certain grosse corruptions to the very endangering of salvation which each side saith the other is guiltie of Star-chamber speach pag. 36. My second reason is That the learned make but three Religions to have beene of old in the world Paganisme Iudaisme and Christianitie and now they have added a fourth which is Turcisme Now if this ground of theirs be true as it is generally neceived perhaps it will be of dangerous consequence sadly to avow that the popish religion is rebellion though this clause passed in the â—iturgie through inadvertrance in King Iames time this reason well weighed is taken from the very foundation of Religion it selfe ibid. pag. 34. His Majesty expresly commanded mee to make the alteration and to see it printed 2 They will have us to understand though wee the papists differ in some things yet that this very day their is no schisme betwixt papists and Protestants that protestants keep union and communion with the Church of Rome in all things required for the essence of a true Church necessarie for salvation that though they communicate not with some of her doctrines and practices yet this marres not the true union and communion of the two Churches both in faith and charitie That these who passe harder censures upon Rome are but zelots in whom too much zeale hath burnt up all wisedome and charitie (z) Pottar p. 3. 66. Wee darre not communicat with Rome either in her publicke Liturgie which is manifestly polluted with grosse superstition or in these corrupt and ungrounded opinions which she hath added to the faith These make up the poperie but not the Church of Rome In them our communion is dissolved but wee have still a true and reall union with that and all other members of the Church universall in faith and charitie ibid. pag. 74. To depart from the Church of Rome in some doctrines and practices wee had just necessarie cause though the Church of Rome wanted nothing necessarie to salvation There is great difference betwixt shisme from them and reformation of our selfe It is one thing to leave communion with the Church of Rome and another to leave communicating with her erros whosoever professeth himselfe to forsake the communion of any one member of Christs bodie must confesse himself consequently to forsake the whole And therefore wee forsake not Romes communion more nor the body of Christ whereof wee acknowledge the Church of Rome to bee a member though corrupted If any Zelots hath proceeded among us to heavier censures their zeal may bee excused but their charitie and wisedome can not hee iustified Cant. relat p. 192. The Protestants have not left the Church of Rome in her essence but in her errors not in things which constitute a Church but only in such abuses and corruptions which worke toward the dessolution of a Church 3 Thar the points wherein the two Churches doe differ are such as prejudge not the Salvation of either partie that they are not foundamentall and albeit they were so yet the truths that the papists doe maintaine are of force to hinder all the evil that can coÌ„me from their errours (†) Cant. relate pag. 249. The foundation is and remaineth whole in the mids of their superstitions Heylens answere pag. 124. Suppose a great Prelat in the high Commission Court had said openly That wee and the Church of Rome differed not in fundamentalibus yet how commeth this to be an innovation in the doctrine of England For that church telleth us in the 19. article That Rome doth erre in matters of Faith but it hath not told us that she doth erre in fundamentalibus Halls old religion after the beginning It is the charitable profession of zealous Luther that under the poperie there is much Christian good yea all that under the papacie there is true Christianity yea the kernell of Christianitie Neither doe wee censure that Church for what it hath not but for what it hath Fundamentall truth is like the Maronian wine which if it bee mixed with twentie times so much water holds his strength Rome as it is Babylon wee must come out of it but as it is an outward visible Church wee neither did nor would Butterfields Maskell Poperie is poyson but fundâ—mentall truch is an antidot A little quantitie of antidot that is soveraigne will destroy much poyson Pottar pag. 62. The most necessarie and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned ibid. By fundamentall points of Faith wee understand these prime and capitall doctrines of Religion which make up the holy Catholick Faith which essentially constitutes a true Church and a true Christian The Apostles Creed taken in a Catholicke sense that is as it was further opened in some parts by occasion of emergent heresies in the other catholicke creed of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and Athanasius is said generally by the Scholemen Fathers to comprehend a perfect catalogue of fundamentall truths to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies ibid. pag. 109. It semeed to some men of great learning and judgement such as Hooker and Morton that all who professe to love the Lord Iesus are brethren and may be saved though with erros even fundamentall truths to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies ibid. p. 109 It seemed to some men of great learning and judgement such as Hooker and Morton that all who professe to love the Lord Iesus are brethren and may be saved though with errors even fundamentall Heretickes doe imbrace the principles of Christianitie and erre only by misconstruction Whereupon their opinions albeit repugnant indeed to Faith yet are held other wise by them and maintained as consonant to the Faith 4 That the popish errours let bee to bee fundamentall are of so small importance as they doe not prejudge either faith hope or charitie let be salvation (a) Cant relat pag. 361 Holcat Non omnis error in his quae fidei sunt est aut infidelitas aut haeresis In things not necessarie though they bee divine truths if about them men differ it is no more then they have done more or lesse in all ages and they may differ and yet preserve that one necessary Faith intire and charitie also if they be so well minded for opinions which flattereth about that one souls saving Faith there are dangerous differences this day Pottar pag. 38. It is a great vanitie to hope or expect that all learned men in this life should absolutely consent in all the particles of the divine truth so long as the Faith once delivered to the Saints and that common faith containing all necessary verities is keeped So long as men walke charitably according to this rule though in other things they be otherwise minded the unitie of the Church is no wise
Burtoun he was rewarded with the losse of his eares and perpetuall prison The booke which he inveighed against let bee to bee recalled is openly excused in print at his Graces direction as containing no evill but only innocent retorications (n) Heylens answer page 123. As for the book in tituled the Femal glory you finde not in it that I see by your collections any thing positively or dogmatickly delivered contrarie unto any point of doctrine estabished and received in the Church of England Some swelling language there is into it and some Apostrophees I perceive by you to the virgin Mary which if you take for invocations you mistake his meaning no invocation hitherto in point of doctrine Yea M. Dow with his Graces licence pronounceth that book to bee free of all poperie and that upon this reason because the author professeth his tracing the steps of Doctor Montagow whom all England must know to be above all suspition of poperie (o) M. Dow page 54. In all these panegyrick straines of Rhetorick for such for the most part they seem rather than positive assertions Stafford hath not deviat so much to the one extreame as M. Burtouns marginall hath to the other in scoffing and calling her the new great goddesse Diana And if it bee true that he hath not digressed in any particular from D. Montagu the B of Chichester as M. Burtoun makes him affirme I dare boldly say M. Burtoun will never be able too finde the least point of Poperie in it For it is well know that Bishop hath approved him self such a champion against Rome that they who have tryed his strength durst never yet come to a second encounter CHAP. V. The Canterburians avovv their embracing of the popish heresies and grossest errours THE nature of heresie is so subtilized by our faction that so farre as in hew lyes it is now quite evanished in the aire and no mo heresies are to be found on the earth With the Socinian Remonstrants they exeeme all tenets controverted this day among any Christians from being the Subject of heresie For they tell us that the belief of the doctrines uncontraverted by all is sufficent for salvation (a) Pottar cites from Causabon these words Put by controversies these things wherein al sects universally doe agree are sufficient for salvation And howsoever some of them will be content to count the Sociniam Arianisme and Macedoniansme to bee true heresies yet as wee shew before all of them do cleare the Popish errours of this imputation Alwayes not to strive for words our assertion is that the grossest of the Roman errours which in the common stile of Protestants wont to go for heresies are maintained by the Canterburians for catholicke trueth For to cleare this cast over the books of Bellarmine and see if his grossest tenets be not by them embraced In his first tome his errours about the Scriptures imperfection and doctrinall traditions seemes to be most weightie In his second beside these alreadie named his defence of the monastick vowes of Limbus Patrum and Purgatorie are verie palpable In the third his ascribing too little too the Sacramenst of the Old Testament and too much too the Sacraments of the New his making all infants in baptisme too be regenerat and all non-baptized too bee damned his corporall presence of Christs bodie on the altar his sacrifice of the Masse auricular confessiō extreame unction are very grosse corruptions In the last tome his errours about faith justification merit free-will are among the chiefe In all those consider how farre our partie is long agoe declined to the left hand Begin with Scripture and traditions The reformed churches in the harmonie of their confessions lay all down one common ground They joine with Rome in setting up traditions in prejudice of Scripture for their mutuall consent the Scriptures absolute perfection wiehout the help of any doctrinall tradition Hold me once this piller the whole edifice of the reformation must fall To batter downe this fort the Papists plant two engines One that there is diverse Apostolicke and ancient traditions both rituall and dogmaticall which beside Scripture with a divine faith must be firmely beleeved An other that Scripture must not be taken in any sense by us but that wherein the ancient fathers of the church have understood it or the present church do take it In both these very dangerous corruptions our partie joynes with Rome They glorie (b) Heylens antid Lincoln page 8◠sect 2. Things that have beene generally in the Church of Christ are generally conceaved to have been derived-from Apostolical tradion without any speciall mandat left in Scripture for the doing of them Praying directlie towards the East is conceaved to bee of that condition why may wee not conclude the like of setting up the altar along the wall Many things come into our minde by a successionall tradition for which wee can not finde an expresse command wich yet we ought to entertaine ex vi Catholicae consuetudinis of which traditions there are many which still retaine their force among us in England This Church the Lord bee thanked for it hath stood more firme for apostolical traditions than any other whatsoever of the reformation Samuel Hoards sermon page 15. Wee yeeld that there are apostolical traditions rituall and dogmaticall which are no where mentioned or enjoined in the Scriptures but delivered by the word of mouth by the apostles to their followers for some of which these are reputed the number of Canonciall books The Apostles creed the baptisme of infants the fast of Lent the Lords day the great feastivals of Easter and Whitson day beside these we confesse there are and have bene many ancient Ecclesiastick traditions from which as foundations grew those noted practices of not fasting on the Sunday of adoring towards the East prostration before the altar of signing the baptized with the crosse of exorcifing the partie baptised and putting a white garment upon them of receiving the Eucharist fasting of mixing water with the wine of sending it to such as were absent of eating the consecrat bread in the Church or carrying it home of crossing themselve◠when they went out or when they went in when they went to bed or whe◠theyr ose when they sat down to meat when they lighted Candles or had any businesse of moment to doe that ceremonies and rites of this nature are unde◠the power of the Church to ordaine we generally grant to our adversaries White on the Sabboth page 97. The reformed Churches reject not all traditions but such as are spurious superstitious and no consonant to the holy Scripture but genuine traditious agreeablee to the rule of faith derived from the apostolicall times by a successive current and which have the uniforme testimonie of poins of antiquitie are received and honourd by us Now such are these which follow the historicall tradition concering the number integritie dignitie and perfection of the
books of Canonicall Scripture the Catholick exposition of many sentences of Scripture the apostles creed the baptisme of infants the observation of the Lords day and some other feastivals as Easter Pentecost c. baptizing and administration of the Supper in holy assemblies the service of the Church in a knowne language the delivering of the Communion to the people in both kindes the superioritie of Bishops over Priest and Deacons in Iurisdiction and power of ordination and triumph above all other reformed churches that they do embrace doctrinall traditions for which in Scripture there is no ground And of this kinde they reckon out some of great importance such as are the baptisme of infants the sanctifying of the Sabbath the Apostles Creede the giving of the cup to the people praying in a known tongue our knowledge of Scripture to be Scripture the names and number of the Canonicall Bookes and their distinction from Apocrypha of this kinde they maintaine large as many as Rome For at the first word theâ— speake to us of six hundreth (c) Montag orig pa. 396. Vbi iubentur in Scripturis infantes baptizori aut in coena Domini sub utraque specie communicantes participare 600. sunt ejusmodi in rebus sacris à deo institutis ecclesiae mandatis usurpaatis ab ecclesia de quibus possumus profiteri nihil tale docet Scriptura Scriptura haec non praedicat among these traditions which we must embrace with an undoubted faith They reackon up the authoritie of the Bishopes above the Priests prostration before the altars worshipping towards the East crosse iâ— Baptisme crossing of our faces at all occasions the standing of a crucifix upon the altar and whaâ— else they please to urge for which they can get no Scripture warrant To this head they referre the verie customes of the Popish church in latter times for which they have no scribe in any writeâ— let be in any Father (d) Montag orig page 276. Nihil est memoriae proditum quod ego quidem sciam hac dei apud vetustiores sive historicos sive patres prohabile tamen est hanc receptam ecclesiae consuetudinem de traditione vetustiore an t scriptis etiam patrum vetustioribâ— nunc deperditis dimanasse Montag apar page 389. Ad me quod attinet quid à sanctis patribus per illa tempora inventum primo usurpatum nulla traditione priore commendatum nullo usu veterum ne quidem vestigiis leviter impressis consignatum per tot aunorum decursum ad nostra usque tempora sine contradictione descenderit non video cur non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vim suam obtineat authoritatem Absit enim ut universalis ecclesia vel in rebus de facto ecclesiasticis ritibus tam diu aberraverit Ibid. page 382. Meminerimus Tertullianum olim statuisse cum applausu de hujusmodi consuetudinibus si legem expostules scriptam nullam invenies sed traditio a praetenditur auctrix consuetudo confirmatrix fides observatrix Et Irenaeus quid autem si neque Apostoli reliquissâ—nt nobis Scripturas nonne oporteret ordinem sequi traditsonis Idem antig page 42. That author sayes no more then is justifiable touching traditions for thus hee sayes The doctrine of the Church is two wayes delivered unto us first by writing then by tradition from hand to hand Both are of alike value of force unto pietie Yea all the injunctions of the Bishopes must be Ecclesiastick traditions whereto the conscience must submit no lesse then to the precepts of God (e) White in his examination of the dialogue presseth not only this testimonie of Austine Etiamsi Scripturae authoritas non subesset totius tamen orbis in hanc partem consensus instar precepti contineat nam alia multa quae per traditionem in Ecclesiis observantur authoritatem sibi scriptae legis usurpaverunt but also that of Eusebius Quicquid in sanctis Episcoporum consiliis decernitur id universum divinae voluntati debet attribui And this of Bernards Sive Deus sive homo vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profecto obsequendum est cura pari reverentia suscipiendum ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecepit homo In the meane time Scripture must bee stiled the booke of hereticks (f) Montag orig page 353. Eusebius de Severianis hereticis loquens ait Hilege Prophetis Euangâ—liis utantur socrarum Scripturarum sensus sententias ut nostri salent purtani novatores pro suo arbitratu interpretantur Chounaei Colect page 31. Sensum Scripturarum ex patribus ecclesiae deductum traditum conseruatum in ecclesia approbatum quidni pro tali traditione agnoscamus in cujus veritate acquiescendum à qua minimè discendendum sit Montag orig page 318. Neque enim insanire solent sine Scripturis haeretici mirificè easdem ad suos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solent applicare defendendos persuadendosque a Lesbian rule (g) Montag apar page 382. Non ut nostri novatores deâ—dirant quibus quicquid est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideo refigendum est â— vel ut amant loqui reformandum ad Dei verbum hoc est ad Lesbiam plane regulam â—ipsorum cerebrositatem amussitandum In no controversies no not in Sermons any use may bee made of it except so farre as we can backe our deductions from Scripture by consent of the ancient Fathers or present church (h) Pocklingtoun altare page 129. The godlie and learned Fathers of our church give strict charge to private preachers that they preach nothing in their preachings which they would have the people religiously to believe and observe but that which is agreeable to the doctrine of the old and new Testament and that which the catholick fathers and ancient bishops have formerly taught and collected from thence White upon the Sabboth page 12. The holy Scripture is the fountaine and living spring containing in all sufficiencie and aboundance whatsoever is necessarie to make Gods people wise unto salvation The consentient and unanimous testimonie of the true Church of Christ in the primative ages thereof is the canalis or a conduit pipe to derive and convoy to succeding generations the celestiall water contained in the holy Scripture Ibid. From Meisnerus hee sayeth Iniuriam nobis facit Beeanus scribendo nos docere solam Scripturam esse normam iudicem contraversiarum fidei imò spiritum sanctum seu judicem supremum praesupponimus ecclesiam ceu iudicem inferiorem libenter admittimus ideoque soli Scripturae officium iudicandi absque omni distinctione non assignamus Idem page 14. The ecclesiasticall storie reporterh of Nazianzen and Basille that in their studying the holy Scriptures they collected the sense of them not from their owne judgement or presumption but from the testimonie and authoritie of the
the expresse words of that Apostle may not without aspersion of poperie be even openly and publickely maintained if there be no sense obtruded upon them which may crosse S. Pauls doctrine which M. Burtoun can never prove that they did whom he charged with that assertion but rather by swetning all with excuses seeme to vent their desire to have all swalllowed downe In the doctrine of the Sacraments In the doctrine of the Sacraments see their Poperie from Bellarmins third tombe they tell us first that the sacraments of the old testament differ from the new that the one confers grace the other fore-signifies grace to be conferred that the same distinction must be holden betwixt Iohns and Christs baptisme (ſ) Montag orig p. 72. de circumcisione quae ritur quam gratiam conferat primo ponitur non eo quod sit verum sacramentum veteris politiae in statu legis naturae ideo esse operativū illius gratiae qua ab luuntur peccata ut sit in baptismo novae legis 2 Si quaeratur an ut baptismus sic circumcisto quae figurat baptismum olim peccata visua sacramentali ex instituto divino opere operato vel opere operantis aut alio quovis modo abolere mundare poterat qua de resunt diversae sententiae Hereafter he hath brought at length the Fathers to prove that Sacramenta veteris testamenti non causabant gratiam sed eamsolum per passionem Christi dandam esse significabant nostra vero gratiam continent digne suscipientibus conserunt he closes manes sunt illa disputiones acerba contentiones nonnullorum qua apud scholasticos doctores nonnullos ventilantur quas sopitas optamus nos Ibem p. 390. Baptismus Ioannis rudimentarius ait Damascenus imperfectus isagogicus Cyrillus ut lex vetus itaque novum baptisma post illud necessarium inquit Augustinus post Iohannem baptizabat Paulus post haereticos non baptizat Ecclesia Christi baptismo actu remittebantur peccata non remittebantur actu post Iohannis Then in his own words quid ergo An dabat gratiam baptismus ille sic visum non nullis perperam omino nam ubi tum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptismatis Christi Sacramentorum novifederu quibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratiam conferre quam significant preparatiore hoc agebat non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in spectantum cum re ipsa in Domini baptismo illud fiat ab hac sententia quae est communis omnium antiquorum si Calvinus recesserit cum sequacibus aetatem habent ipsi respondeant privati cujuscunque hominis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non est communi protestantium sententiae ascribendum Obtineat ergo per me Tridentinae synodi canon primus sessionis septimae Si quis dixerit baptismum Iohannis habuisse eandem vim cum baptismo Christi anathemasit 2. They tell us that all baptised infants as well reprobat as elect are in baptisme truely regenerat sanctified justified and put in that state wherein if those who are reprobat and there after damned should die they would be infalliblie saved (t) Montag apeal p. 35. We are taught in the Liturgi earnestly to beleeve Iest it should be left to mens charity that Christ hath received favourably these infants that are baptised And to make this doctrine the more sure against novellists it is again repeated in the Catechisme that it is certainly true by the word of God that children being baptised have all things necessarie for salvation and if they die before actuall sin shall be undoubtedly saved according whereunto all antiquity hath also taught us Let this therefore be acknowledged to be the doctrine of our Church Whit against the dialogue p. 95. avowes it as the doctrine of England that all infants baptised have the holy Spirit and are made the children of God by adoption pressing that of S. Austine of all infants baptised Quid dicturus est de infantibus parvulis qui plerique accepto in illa aetate gratiae sacramento qui sine dubio partinerent ad vitam aeternam regnumque coelorum si continuo ex hac vita emigrarent sinuntur crescere nonnulli etiam apostatae sunt Albeit this same Whyt makes this tenet in his conference with Fisher to be the judgement only of Papists and Lutherans p. 176. They differ from Lutherans and Pontificians first in that they restraine the grace of sanctification only the elect 2. In that they deny externall baptisme to be alwayes effectuall at the very instant time when it is administrate And on the other hand they avow that all those who die in their infancie without baptisme by whatsoever misse by whosoevers fault are certainly damned so far as men can judge For baptisme is the only ordinary meane which God hath appointed for their salvation which failing salvation must be lost except we would dreame of extraordinarie miracles of the which we have no warrand (w) Cant. relat p. 56. That baptisme is necessare to the salvation of infants in the ordinare way of the church without binding God too the use and means of that Sacrament to which hee hath bund us it is expresse in Saint Iohn chap. 3. Except a man be born againe by water he cannot enter no baptisme no entrance nor can infants creep in any other ordinary way And this is the received opinion of all the ancient Church infants are to be baptised that their salvation may be certain for they which can not help themselves must not be left only to extraordinary helps of which we have no assurance and for which we have no assurance and for which we have no warrant at all in scripture Shelfoord p. 66. I can shew you of none saved ordinarly without the sacraments in regard of our Saviours exception in the 3 of Iohn Except a man be born again of the water and the spirit he can not enter into the kingdome of heaven Montag orig p. 397. Adeo huic usui inserviunt aquae ut si tollatur lavacrum aquae alieni a Deo faedere promissionis aeternae excludantur illi in tenebras exteriores cum edicto divino statutum sit nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu sancto non introibit in regnum coelorum Scio hoc elusum à novatoribus sed Christi divinitatem ab haereticis negatam scio utrumque in contemptum Dei dispendium animarum 3. That the manifold ceremonies of papists in baptisme and all other sacraments are either to be embraced as pious ancient rites or not to be stood upon as being only ceremoniall toyes (x) Samuel Hoards sermon supra puts crosse in baptisme and sundrie other ceremonies of it among his rituall traditions Montag antid p. 16. vestis alb aoleum sal lac chrisma additamenta quaedam sunt ornatus causa Ib. p. 15. Cum concilio quodam nupero non veremur profiteri
is mention made of the dedication of churches under Euaristus anno 112. under Hyginus 154. under Calixtus 221. And before them all in S. Clemence his epistles These testimonies of Romane Bishops the Centurists do suspect Where the doctrine and decrees of Popes and those in the first and best times are confirmed by the doctrine and constant practice of the holy catholicke church it seemeth great boldnesse in trhee or foure men to condemne and to brand their authoritie with the misterie of iniquitie Which diverse of the papists themselves acknowledge to be supposititions yet our men will defend them all and with them the Canons of the apostles the constitutions of Clemence and all such trash (d) Laurence Sermon p. 18. the Apostles in their Canons and these to which are undoubtedly theirs Montag apar p. 390. Ex antiquissimis illum facile principem primariae authoritatis quia erat Apostolorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clementem nimirim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non preteribo quem licet delicatuli nescio qui ex utraque parte contendentium falsi postulant tanquam falsarium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nos tamen ipsius tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra quosvis suscipere patrocinium audemus post doctissimum virum Turrianum In the sacrament of pennance they teach first that auricular confession was evil abolished and was verie expedient to be restored (e) White on the Sabbath in the preface There might also my reverend good Lord be a verie profitable use of some private forme of pasturall collation with their flock for their direction and information in particular spirituall duties such as was privat confession in the ancient Church Now the Presbyterian censures by their paralogisme taken from abuse have with such loud and impetuous declamations filled the eares and prepossessed the mindes of many people that they are exceeding averse from this soveraigne and ancient medicine of consolation prevention and curing of the maledies of the soule He approveth that of Gerardus Privata coram Ecclesiae ministro confessio quam auricularem vocant quamvis non habeat expressum peculiare mandatum ac proinde non fit absolutae necessitatis tamen cum plurimas praestet utilitates disciplinae Ecclesiasticae pars sit non postrema publico Ecclesiae consensu recepta ideo nequaquam temere vel negligenda vel abolenda sed piè in vero Dei timore praesertim ab illis qui ad sacram synaxin accedunt usurpanda M. Sp Sermon printed with approbation p. 18. Confesse as the church directs confesse to God confesse also to the Priest if not privat in the eare since that is out of use Male aboletur sayeth a devout Bishop it is almost quite lost the more pitie 2. That God hath given a judicial power of absolution to every priest which every one of the people is obliged to make use of especially before the communion by confessing to the priest all their sins without the reconcilement of any (f) Dow p. 35. It can not bee denyed but that the Church of England did ever allow the private confession of sinnes to the Priest it were very strange if our church ordaining Priests and giving them power of absolution and prescribing the forme to bee used for the exercise of that power upon confession should not also allow of that private confession M. Sp. Sermon p. 16. Since the Priest can in the name of God forgive us our sinnes good reason we should make our confession to him Surelie God never gave the Priest this power in vaine he expects we should make the best use of it we can He requires we should use the meanes we can to obtaine that blessing now the onely meanes to obtaine this absolution is our confession to him Ib. p. 19 If we confesse in humilitie with griefe and sorrow for them if we confesse them faithfully not concealing any 3. That God in the heaven will certainly follow the sentence of the priest absolving on earth (g) Ib. pag. 15. There is another confessiō that would not be neglected Hee that would be sure of pardon let him seek out a priest make his humble confession to him for God who alone hath the prime and originall right of forgiving sins hath delegat the priests heere upon earth his judges hath given them the power of absolution so that they can in Gods name forgive the sinnes of those that confesse to them But is not this poperie would some say Now take the counsell that is given in the eight of Iob Aske the Fathers and they shall tell thee aske then S. Chrysostome on Esay and hee will tell thee that heaven waites and expects the priests sentence heere on earth For the priests sits judge on earth and the Lord followes the servant and when the servant bindes or louses heere on earth clave non errante the Lord confirmes it in heaven words sayes hee so cleare for the judiciall and formall absolution of the priest that nothing can be said more plaine 4. Beside a private confessor it were very expedient to have in every congregation a publik penitentiarie who in the beginning of Lent on ashe-wednesday might in the Kirk sit in his reclinatorie and sprinkling dust on the head of every parishioner enjoyn them their lent-pennance whereby they may truly satisfie Gods judgement for their sins in the end of lent or Shrif-thursday before Pasche give his absolution to those who have fully satisfied (h) Pockl. alt pag. 57. The bishops made an addition to the ecclesiastick canon that in every church a penitentiarie should bee appointed to remit penitents in the church after they have done publick pennance This kinde of confession Nectarius abolished in the church of Constantinople howbeit the confession whereof Tertullian and Cyprian speaks was never abolished but did ever continue in the Greek church and in the Latine likewise And to this purpose a solemn day was set apart for taking of publick pennance for open faults by imposition of hands and sprinkling of ashes namely Ashwednesday This is the godly discipline whereof our church speaketh and wisheth that it might be restored And as Ashwednesday was appointed for putting notorious sinners to open pennance so Thursday before Easter is appointed for penitents to receive absolution This absolution they took upon their knees by the imposition of the priests hands Ib. p. 63 67. The Competents beginning on Ashwednesday in sackcloth ashes to humble themselves they were all Lent long purged with fasting and prayer They were to stand barefoot on sackcloth and watch on good Fryday all night Howfond a thing it is sayeth Tertullian to think to carrie away with us the pardon of sin not first of all to pay for our commoditie The merchant before he deliver his wares will look to your coyne ne sculptilis ne rafus that it be neither washed nor shaved and doe not
in this as well as in that other quarrell you have against him 6. That who ever in the publick prayers hath their face toward the North South and West must be publickly called upon to turn themselves ever towards the East (k) Vide supra cap. 5. B. 7. That in the Church not only in the time of prayer but at the reading of the ten commands all must fal on their knees but when the creed is read all must stand upright on their feet wheÌ„ the epistle commeth all may sit down but when the gospel begineth all must again arise during the time of sermon all must stand uncovered That to these and all such pious practises we are oblidged by the sole example of the bishops or some few of them even before the inacting of any law either of Church or state (l) Edward Bugheus serm pag. 9. We may not think it enough that we stand at the Creed except we say it also with the Minister audibly with a lowd voice nor is it enough for us to stand up at the gospel but we must also bow at the name of Iesus not as if we were ashamed of what we did but with due and lowly reverence neither is it sufficient to be bare in time of divine service except we also reverently kneell on out knees when the commands and letanie are read Shelfoord p 20. Let us learn of our Cathedrall Churches for there our reverend Fathers the prelats make their reverence to God in this wise both at their entry and their returne wherefore to follow their good and holy paterne we are to do the like both at our comming in to Gods house and at our going out Ibid p. 22. The fifth office of holinesse is to rise up from our seats when the articles of our faith are read we also do more reverently to stand up at the reading of the psalmes before after and behind the holy lessons We are also to stand at the reading of the gospell The reason that the old Lytargick writters gives of this superstitious standing at the Creed and gospel more then at the reading of the lessons and epistles is because these epistles among which they put the revelation the penteteuch and sundry other parts of the old testament containes more base doctrine then the gospel which comes behind them as the Master comes after his servant which goes before to make way 8. That the conscience is oblidged not only to keep religiously the greater festivities of Yule pasch pentecost the rest which are immediatly referred to the honour of the Trinitie but also a number of the festivals of the blessed Virgin of the Saints and Angels Those must not be polluted with any work or seculare affaire as we desire to bee helped by these glorified persons intercession (m) Cousins devotions they offend against the fifth command that obeyes not the precepts of the ecclesiastick governours The precepts of the Church are first to observe the feastivals and holy dayes appointed in the Church calendar vide supra cap. Yet Christs Sunday must bee no Sabbath bowling balling and other such games may well consist with all the holinesse it hath yea no law of God no ancient Canon of the Church doth discharge shearing of corne taking of fish or much other husband labour upon that day but by the contrary acts both of church State do warraÌ„d such labour yea there is so great Iewish superstition in the land about Christs Sunday that all preachers must be oblidged in their very pulpits to proclame the new book of sports for incouragment of the people to their gaming 's when the short houre of divine service is ended and that under no lesse paine than ejection from the Ministere (n) Whits examinat p. 118. The injunction maketh no difference betwixt Sunday and the other holy dayes concerning working in harvest no speciall priviledge is given it more then the rest For King Edwards statute repeated by Queen Elizabeth saith It shall be lawfull to every husband man labourer fisher-man c. upon the holy dayes aforesaid in harvest or at any other time of the yeare when necessity shall require to labour ride fish or work any kinde of work at their free wils and pleasure Ibid. on the Sabbath p. 217. In the new testament we read of no prohibition concerning abstinence from secular actions upon the Lord day more then upon other dayes Et quod non prohibetur ultro permissum est The Catholick Church for more than 6â—0 year after Christ gave licence to many Christian people to work upon the Lords day at such houres as they were not commanded to be present at the publick service by the precept of the Church In S. Ieromes dayes the devotest Christians did ordinarly work upon the Lord-day In Gregorie the greats time it was reputed antichristian doctrine to make it a sin to work on the Lords day Helens answer p 111. His Majestie having published his declararion about lawfull pastimes on the Sunday gives order to his bishops that publication thereof be made in all their severall diocesses the bishops hereupon appoint the incumbent of every Church to read the declaration to the people and finding opposition to the said appointment presse them to the performance of it by vertue of that Canonicall obedience which by their severall oaths they were bound to yeeld unto their ordinaries but seeing nothing but contempt upon contempt after much patience and long suffering some of the most perverse have been suspended as well a beneficio as officio for an example to the rest 9. Pilgramages to Sants reliques and barefooted processions to their Churches are preached and printed (o) Vide supra caput 5. w. Those throats which are so wide as to swallow down all these it seemes they will not make great bones in all the other trash which in the Romish Church we challenge as superstitious CHAP. VII The Canterburians embrace the Masse it selfe OF all the pieces of Poperie there is none so much beloved by Papists nor so much hated by Protestants as the Masse since the reformation of Religion the Masse hath ever beene counted the great wall of division keeping the parties asunder who ever could free that ditch whose stomack could digest that morsell no man of either side was wont to make any doubt of his name but that with consent of all hee might passe for a true Papist and no wayes in any reason stand for a moment longer in the catalogue of Protestants If then I bee able to demonstrate the Canterburians minde to be for the Masse I hope no man of any understanding and equitie will require of me any further proofe of their popery but with good leave of all I may end my taske having set upon the head thereof this cape-stone In the mouth of both sides reformed and Romish preaching and the Masse go for reall opposites the affection of Papists to their Masse maketh
them value our preaching at the lesser rate They cry downe so far as they can all preaching the affection of Protestans to preaching maketh the Masse to them the lesse lovely Our faction to make rowme for the Masse so far as they dare so fast as they can are crying downe preaching They tell us first that much of the preaching which now is at London and over England is not the Word of God but of the Divell (a) Cant Starchamber speach pag. 47. But in the pulpit it is at most Hoc est verbum meum God hold it there at his word for as too many men use the matter it is Hoc est verbum diaboli this is the word of the divel in many places witnesse sedition and the like to it because indeed the best and most zealous preachers in their sermons do oft taxe Arminianisme and Poperie and the wayes whereby his Grace is in use to advanee both This to him and his followers is doctrinall Puritanisme much worse than disciplinary yea it is sedition taught by the Divell 2. They tell us that the most of preachers though voyd of the former fault are so ignorant idle impertinent clamorous fellowes that their silence were much more to be wisht than their speach (b) And posthuma pag. 32. Ex quo nuper hic apud nos vapularunt canes muti exclusi sunt clamatores isti odiosi ac molesti ex quo pessimus iste mos invaluit ex quo pruriginoso cuipue odious patefactus hic quicquid libet effutiendi Ecclesia in tonstrinam versa est non plus ibi ineptiâ—rum quam hic Theologia in battologiam banes non latrantes mutari in catulos oblatrantes haud ferè scias quid optandum sit illud ne si lentium an hilatratus absoni illud ne jâ—junium an haec nausea Because indeed grave and gratious Ministers are not either able or willing to stuffe their sermons with secular learning and imploy extraordinar paines for to gather together a Masse of tinkling words as Andrewes was and his admirers are wont to do for to spoile preaching of that life spirit and power which ought to shine into it 3. That the preaching which them selves approve praises is but sermonizing in pulpits no necessar part of the Ministeriall charge but a practice to be used of some few of singular learning eloquence and that only at rare and extraordinar times as the Bishop or the Star-chamber-court shall be pleased to give licence (c) Shelfoord pag. 91. Beside these ten kinds of preaching which are able to stop the mouth of all itching eared professors there is yet another kinde of preaching not fit for every Minister but for extraordinarie and excellent men called by God and the Church to reforme errors and abuses to promulge to the world new Lawes and Canons And as this kinde is to be performed by extraordinarie men so it is not alwayes so needfull but when necessitie required for when things are setled there needs no more setling but only preserving Wee ought not to have many Moseses or many Euangelists nor many Apostles Were people now to bee called and converted to the Gospel then not only this kinde of preaching but miracles also were needfull when much needlesse and some unsound teaching by tract of time had sued into the ark of Christs Church by the Prelats and Priests therof Then in the 19. year of King Henrie the eight began licences to be granted by the Court of Starchamber to preach against the corruptions of the time but now the corruptions are removed the ancient and true doctrine of the primitive Church by setled articles is restored Therefore this extraordinarie kinde is not now so necessarie except it bee upon some notorious crimes breaking foorth among people 4. That the only ordinar profitable and necessar preaching which God hath appointed and the Church laid upon the back of Pastours as their charge for which their tithes and stipends is due to them is nothing but the distinct and cleare reading of the Service Booke (d) Shelf p. 35. The principall part of the Ministers office is the true understanding distinct reading deceÌ„t Ministrie of the Church service contained in the book of CommoÌ„ Prayer This is the pith of godlinesse the heart of religion the spina or vertebrae the backbone of all holy faculties of the ChristiaÌ„ body Ib. p. 39. VVere these read as the Canons directs aptly that is by just distinctions and by a sensible Reâ—der observing all the rules of reading with pronunciation fit for the matter and with due attention of the hearer there would bee much profite and edifying Ibid. pag 76. Gods Minister is thy Preacher â—nd the divine service of the church Book is his sermon In this service this sermon is contained whatsoever is necessar for salvation Ibid p. 78. The very reading is preaching yea a lively and effectuall kinde of preaching As for sermonizing in pulpits when so it is permitted it ought to be very short and after the popish form without any prayer at all either before or after That the custome of English preachers who before Sermon pray for the help of the Spirit of God to themselves and their hearers or after Sermon crave grace to practice what hath beene spoken is all but idle yea intollerable novations to be abolished (e) Heylans answere pag. 165. VVhereas formerly you used to mangle and cut short the service that you might bring the whole worship of God to your extemporarie prayers and sermons now you are brought againe to the ancient usage of reading the whole prayers without any diminishing in regard of preaching As for your other cavils about the using of no prayer at all after Sermon the innovation here is on your part who have offended all this while not only against the Canon but act of Parliament by bringing in new formes of your owne divising As for the forbidding of any prayer before the Sermon if any such be it is but agreeable unto the Canon which hath determined so of it long ago The Preachers in King Edwards dayes used no forme of prayers but that exhorting which is now required in the Canon Neither this onely but that the most able Pastours are not to be suffered so much as in their private studies to recommend their Souls to God in their owne words but in their very private prayers are to be tyed precisely to the words of the Service Booke (f) Couzins devotions in the preface Let no prayers bee used but these which are allowed by the Church what prayers so ever any man had framed for himselfe let him first acquaint these that are wise and learned with them before hee presume to use them and that men may not think those rules are to be applyed to publick prayers only and not to private let them weigh those words in the councell of Carthage Quascunque sibi preces c VVhen wee
without all occasion to keepe your selfe off the Irish oath â—ff these Scottish Ministers whom yee did banish from Ireland off the excessive praises of your patron the Deputie These and such other passages of your booke lift up your maske and lead any who will under the shaddow of the Jesuites hart to behold D. Leslies head that upon it without mistaking may be cast all the garlants of honour which the penning of so brave a piece in so necessary a time doth deserve But whoever you bee whether Leslie or Maxwell or Michell The laÌ„ds griefe is the CanterburiaÌ„s joy or who else of the faction certainly yee are a mirrie man in a very unseasonable time When the whole Yle is in sadnesse and dule in feare and trembling ye are upon your congratularie Epistles And why not These are the dayes yee have panted long for fire and Sword is your Element rather then Episcopall honour should lye in the dust fire water heaveÌ„ hel must all goe thorow other yet who knoweth but your singing in so foule weather may end in mourning to you and jot to all those who now are weeping for that black storme which ye his Grace your Prince have raised in our clemat If wee in one point our adversaries in an hundreth are Iesuited The onely point wherein yee make Covenanters draw neare to Iesuitisme is in their doctrine of the civill Magistrate which ye branch out in 16 particulars Is it not then your mind that whoever leaveth the Protestants in one head of doctrine doth give to the Iesuites matter of congratulation and a good ground to expect their totall apostasie to the popish religion This is the onely scope of your whole booke What then doe you thinke of your fellowes whom I have assayed to convince by their owne testimonies of a defection from the Protestantâ— to the worst of the Iesuites not in one head but so exceeding many that very few contraverted heads doe remaine wherein they are not joyned long agoe with the Jesuites Shall partialitie so farre predomine with you that we Covenanters for conformitie with Jesuites in one point alone must be reputed Apostates from the reformed church of Rome yet ye Canterburians though ye declare your conformitie with Rome in twentie in an hundreth yea well neare in all the contraverted heads of Doctrine yet no man without a great dash to a charitie may begin so much as to doubt of your full Protestanisme That one point wherein ye make us Iesuited is the doctrine of the Magistrate This to you is the head of the Protestant Faith and all their other teners but members following that head your practice is very consonant to this your profession for your new doctrine of the Magistrate is the first and most beloved article of your Creed which above all other ye preach and presse with extreame violence Your new stamped oath of alleadgeance and Supremacie whereby yee would set up the King in a place so farre above the ty of all Lawes divine and humane as his royall heart hath ever abhorred to be maâ—e such an idol Good Princes in this are like the Saints in glory all which giveth to them a degree of honour exceeding the Sphere of man and entrenshing upon Gods proper glorie they esteeme them as they are indeed nothing but flattering effronters of their sacred persons That which ye call the head of all Protestant Religion The bounds of Princes power and peoples subiectioÌ„ are points of state not oâ— Religion readily doth not concerne Religion at all Religion indeed doth oblige the conscience to give unto all Magistrates their due honour and obedience but the bounds and limits of that obedience which is the onely point ye speake off Religion meddleth not with them till the civill Lawes of States Empires have clearly defined them No Religion will oblige a Spaniard to be so farre subject to King Philip as a Grecian slave must be to the Great Turke neither doth any Religion equall the Polonish Subjection to their King with the Spanish to theirs Doth any Religion oblige the Electours of Germanie to be so much subiect to their Emperour as the Nobles in Pole are to their King or so little subject as the Venetian Senate is to their Duke or the States of Holland is to the Prince of Orange The civill Lawes and Customes set downe the limites both of the Soveraignes commanding and the subjects obedience Religion causeth these march-stones conscienciously to bee kept when once Policie hath fixed them It seemeth ye intend to make England quit their Priviledgâ— and burn their magna charta to make Scotland bury their Assemblies Parliaments that a blank may be put in Canterburies hand to write down what Lawes he will for the Church and State of both the Nations But thankes be to God that King Charles doth live to be judge betwixt you and us in so materiall a question Yee tell us further in your preambles The present danger of this Yle to fall in hands of the Pope Spaniard before ye come to your first paralell of Pope Vrbans hope to make Scotland return to Rome yee might have told us further from your companion Con who is more acquainted with Vrbans secrets then other men that the Pope hath a pretty confidence to joyne England to Scotland that so the reduction of the whole Yle your Iâ—eland with it to the Sea of Rome may be set up as an eternall trophee to the honour of this pâ—pes family Surely the ground-stones of this hope are laid on so deepe plots that except the hand of God and the king in this present Parliament pull them up Pope Vrban for all his age may yet live to putt the triumphall cope stone upon that building We grant you also that the Pope and Jesuites as yee say â—re hovering above the head of us all to fall upon the prey of â—ll Britaine when both parties which your mallice will compell to fight are wearied with mutuall wounds in this prophecie we thinke you but too true divines specially if ye will adde which all without the gift of prophecie may see to be consequent that when the Pope hath gotten the soules of those who out-live this warre for his part his Sons the French or Catholik King will not be quiet except for their share they gett the bodies The most hated of the covenanters proceedings their covenant it self is approved by the king the goods and liberties of all this poore Yle Your other gybes at the Covenanters proceedings yee might have holden in if the honour of the King had any wayes been deare unto you the worst of all our actions even that which ye were wont to proclaime our most vile and hellish rebellion Sedition Treason and what else ye could devise is now by our gracious Prince after a full search of it to the very bottome not onely absolved of all crime but so farre approved that by act of Assembly Counsell
become intolerable but the Prince setled in the full strength of his authoritie which for a time the cloud of these grassehoppers did eclipse in the hearts of his people The third point wherein ye joyne us with the Iesuites is our denying to the King the government of the Church In this ye doe us wrong as in all the rest for we reiect the Popish doctrine here They make Princes meer sheep they command them to follow the Pope their pastor where ever he leads were it to the bottome of Hell without asking so much as Domine quid facis but we esteeme it to be a chiefe part of the Magistrates office to command all Church-men to doe their dutie and when they will not be perswaded with cleare reasons to compell them by force to reforms the corruptions in the worship of God But ye skift out here much further to an extravagance wherein ye have no approved divine to be your patron Yee teach that all Soveraignes are the true heads of the Churches in their Dominions Such styles the Bishops of England since the beginning of Queene EliZabeths reigne have ever denyed to their Princes with their owne contentment Ye will have not only the Magistrate to command that which is right in the service of God as Austine and wee doe gladly grant but also ye make it his right were he a professed heretick or Pagan to give what lawes he will to the Church without her consent or so much as advice Ye give to the Prince much more then the Iesuites will grant to the Pope to doe in the Church even without a Counsell what he thinkes meetest and if it be his pleasure to call a Counsell ye make it his only right to call either of the laitie or the Cleargie whom he will to be members thereof and when these members are conveened ye give to the Prince alone the power of judging and deciding and to all others but of meere advice Except so farre as the Prince is pleased to communicate to so many of them as he thinkes meete his owne decisive voice In such a Counsell or without it ye make it the Princes right to destroy at his pleasure all Church-Canons Church-judicatories and formes of divine worship which by Lawes and long customes have been established and to impose new Confessions of Faith new Ecclesiasticke judicatories new Bookes of Canons Leiturgie Ordination Homilies Psalmes by meere authoritie All this by your perswasion yee moved our Prince to assay but upon better information his royall justice is now pleased to reiect all such your designes for his Majestie hath given to us assurance not only at his Campe but by his Commissioner in our last Assemblie and we hope also that at once this assurance shall be confirmed in Parliament that no ecclesiastick novation shal over be required by his Maj but that wherto a free generall Assemblie shall give their full assent In this point therefore betwixt us and our Prince there is no discrepance neither here had wee ever any difference with any reformed Divine 4. Paralell About convocation of Synods we have no questioÌ„ with the king Your fourth challenge that we deny to the King power to convocate Assemblies yet know the contrarie that we give to all Christian Soveraignes so much interesse in the affaires of the Church as to convocate Assemblies where and whensoever they please But we grant that we are no wayes of your minde in this point that the Church may never lawfully meere in any case though Heresie and Schisme were eating up her life and drinking her heart bloud without the call of the Magistrate that no Church meeting at all is lawfull no not for prayer or Sacraments without the Magistrates permission That all Churches must lye under an interdict and no publick meeting in them must bee till the Magistrates licence bee first obtained Is all opposition to you in these things Iesuitisme what ever difference we have here with you yet with our Prince in this point we are fully agreed Your gratious Brethren and Fathers when we had beene in possession continually after the reformation for common of two generall Assemblies yearlie by their wicked dealing spoiled us of all that Libertie so that for 38 Yeares space wee had no generall Assemblie to count of but two both which were thrust upon us against our heart for the advancement alone of their evill purposes Yet now thankes be to God our Prince being wel informed of the mischivous wrong your partie did to us in this matter hath granted our reasonable desires if so be the like of you make not this grant fruitlesse unto us as ye truely intend The old act of Parliament for yearlie generall Assemblies and ofter pro re nata is acknowledged by the Kings Commissioner to be very reasonable and with his consent hath past the articles of our late Parliament so that our Prince now is very well content that from the generall Assemblie the highest Ecclesiastick Court being so frequently to bee keept should come no appeale at all to him Your fift and sixt parallell are cast together The 5. 6. Paralell We have no question with our Prince about his presidencie and supremacie in counsels the Kings Presidencie in generall Assemblies Supremacie in Ecclesiastick affaires yee handle these so confusedlie with so many wicked scoffings and scurrilous abusing of scripture that your meaning can scarce be understood Wee are so faâ—re from denying to the Prince the place of royall presidencie and moderation in our Assemblies as Constantine used it at Nâ—oâ— and King Iames oft in Scotland that it is one of the things our hearts mâ—st desire to see King Charles possessing in his owne person that priviledge His royall Sâ—premacie we willingly yeel◠〈◊〉 so farre as the fundamentall Lawes of our Câ—urch and Kingdome extend it yea we make no question that in that sense Bilson and the old Bishops of England understood it But your late Commentarie of the Kâ—ngs Supremacie whereby ye ascrive to every Soveraigne much more then any Iesuite ever gave to the Pope wee doe reject it with the Kings good leave as before was said Your repeated cavills at our Elders Sessions Presbyteries and Assemblies is not worth the answering The frame of our Discipline established by the Lawes of our Church and State in Holland France practized peaceably in the happiest times of our Church and in daily use since the first reformation without any quarrell is now ratified by our Prince 7. Paralel We are much for ther then our opposites from the doctrine of the churches infallibilitie So your mouth should bee stopped and your tongue silent what ever boyling be in your breast In your seventh parallell ye lay upon the Iesuites and our back that which is your owne burden ye might have knowne that the Iesuites ascrive to no Counsell any infallibilitie without many distinctions And as for us none is ignorant that we beleeve all meetings of men since
to others who by their flattering service and wicked perswasions moved them to take up their unjust armes Ye doe well by the passages of King James writs which hee let fall in passion against some few persons as himselfe professeth to incite King Charles to destroy the whole generation of your opposits For that equivocation which ye obiect to some in their subscribing of the Covenant at the Commissioners and Counsels direction sufficient satisfaction is given long agoe to all reasonable men by published writs The matter shortly was this one of your factious ingines to draw us subtilie from that Covenant wherein we did abiure Bishops Bookes and the rest of your novations which were contrarie to the doctrine and discipline of our Church was a new subscription to the first part of this Covenant as it was first set downe in the yeare 1580 without our late addition wherein it was applyed to your newly obtruded novations Upon hope by this new subscription that not only the formerly subscribed addition and abjuration of these novelties expressed in that addition should be forgotten but also that meanes should be gotten to perswade that these once abiured novations were in nothing contrary to the Kings Covenant yea that all of them were so much conforme to it and virtually contained therein that all the subscrivers should finde themselves oblidged by that oath and subscription to embrace the articles of Perth the Canons the Leiturgie and all the intended novations at least without all doubt Episcopacie the Fountaine whence the rest had proceeded and from which they knew they would flow againe in due time if it alone could be gotten preserved This was the true intention of the Commissioner in pressing that new subscription as his Grace did publish thereafter in print but in the first proposition of that new oath all such designe was carefully concealed yet wise men among us fearing and foreseing the plot did carefully diswade that new subscription as a dangerous master piece invented for the utter destruction of the true sense of our first subscribed Covenant Their advice was heard by the most part who thereupon refused that new subscription yet some knowing perfectly well that the Covenant in the 1581 did not include Episcopacie or any of the late novations but clearely enough excluded them Since the Commissioner his Grace in the proponing that subscription did make no declaration at all neither of his owne nor of his Master the Kings minde to have Episcopacie or any of these novations included in that Covenant they were content at his desire to subscribe it but with this expresse declaration which they required and obtained to be acted in the Counsell Bookes so farre were they from any Equivocation that they did subscribe that Covenant in that same sense and no other wherein it was understood at the first framing in the 1580. What that sense was we had for a time too much dispute but at last the Registers of our Church in the generall Assembly being carefully cast over it was found that the doctrine and discipline of our Church in that 80. yeare did runne so crosse to Episcopacie to Perth articles to the Leiturgie and all the rest of our troublesome novelties that whosoever did heartily subscribe the Covenant of our Church in that sense it behoved to have in the yeare of his first framing did stand no lesse oblidged thereby to renounce the posteriour novations then those who had subscribed the other Covenant with the addition wherein all these novations were expressely named It was found even in our last Assembly whereto Traquaire according to his commission from the King did consent that both these Covenants that with the application and that without the application were but both one So that your equivocation whereupon your brethren also have too much tinkled is cleared without the disgrace of any but the like of you who were the authours of all the mistake that for a time was in this matter 15. Paralell The fifteenth paralell of your piae fraudes is but like the rest the ground of this great commotion could not be the malcontentment of any man for losse of what they possessed in the tyths or any thing else of the Church patrimonie or for want of such favour they desired to have with their Prince All these are but sillie fables These whose hand hath beene prime in this high affaire from the beginning hath had very little or no entresse at all in any part of the Church patrimonie ye may know that the most of the tithes were in the hands of the not covenanting Lords and that the small portion which remained with Covenanters was made so sure to them as the King and his Lawes were able to make it Also it is very well knowne that the chiefe in the Covenant had so much favour of their Prince as their heart could wish which they constantly did brook till their zeale unto this cause did crack their credit Yee are exceedingly injurious to say that we did ever slander our King with any idolatrie with any poperie Our thoughts of that gracious Princeâ— are farre more considerate and our words of so sacred person more full of due regard But indeed though we both say preach and print that so long as the like of you gett leave to possesse his eare we can have little hope that any true Protestant so farre as ye are able shall ever gett living in quiet in this I le and though we avow that by the Service-booke and other novations yee intended to make us all trot backe againe unto Rome believe us that in those Speeches we wrong not our minde that we speake no other then we thinke and we hope now have given tolerable evidence for these our thoughts and Speeches though ye and the Pope both should laugh in the Sardonian fashion when ye are like to lose your game In your last paralell The last paralell The paterne of a perfect Iesuite your motion that it may appeare to be naturall is swifter then at the beginning ye â—ere overcome your very selfe any Iesuite J have ever read in vilenesse of lies slanders filthie Speeches railings scâ—ffings and blasphemous abuse of the holy Scripture to all this stuffe Ye prove a good Scholler to your Masters Petroneus Arbiter Lucian Rabelais none that come in your way whether men or wâ—men whether living or dead Nobles Pastors Commanders People may escape the fire and filth of your envenomed tongue All your opposites if the King can be perswaded to follow your advice must quickly be packing out of these dominions as the vilest straitours but to our nobles and leaders ye will not shew such favour they as ye tel us with Râ—villiack Coppinger must be hanged drawen quartered and buried with the buriall of an asse That Jesuite Abernethy should have become Protestant ye can not abide with patience for so is the doctrine of your Society that separation from Rome is needlesse That
noble gentle-man Generall Leslie Generall Leslies vindication cannot escape the scrapes of your empoysoned peâ— Ye are on a stage playing the part of a Fuâ—ioso who ever commeth in your way the first dirt and stones ye can grip must flie at their faces When ye have searched that great personage from his birth to his old age nothing can yee espy in all his life whereupon to fasten your tuske but that which among all Nations as well barbarous as civill hath ever beene reputed a marke of honour and matter of gloriation When ye have curiously eyed that excellent piece from top to toe your malice can espy no blemish but a skar of an old most honourable wound which maketh him the more glorious with all who understand the tearmes of true honour and the dearer to every one who hath any spark of affection toward that service wherin that wound among many more was received by him But ye your like cannot hold in the passion of your soule but must vent your hatred malice your disdainfull indignation against all the valarous acts of any in the reformed religion against the popish partie whether in these dayes or the dayes of our forfathers Ye cannot dissemble your passionate affection to the side of Q. Marie at our first reformation rather ere your loyal heart had played the pranks of the rebellion the treason and what not of our ancestours ye would have joyned with the enemies of our Churcâ— State for the cutting off of the blessed root of King Charles race for the setling upon the throne of Britaine after the dispatch of Q. Elizabeth K. Iames these hereticall Schismaticks the posteritie of Iohn of Austria of the Duke of Northfolke or of any whom it should have pleased the Pope the Catholick King the Duke of Guise to have matched with Q Marie Thus dâ—e ye and your faction stand affected toward the former age neither is your minde any better toward this present The Dâ—tch Princes the head of their league that true Heroâ— â—hat wonder of the world the K. of Swaine must all be to you but villanes traitours who for their zeale to the reformed Religion Liberties of Germanie durst be so peart as to lift up armes to stop that very far advanced reformation of Ferdinand The wounds that famous Leslâ—e did get in this cause must be slandered and made a matter of reproach to you your like but it is good that men of honour doe think of you your language as it is Who is acquainted with the world abroad they know full well that Leslies most valarous very wise happie deportments in the wars over Sea have brought more true glorie to our NatioÌ„ then the cariage of any man who went out of our Land these manie ages Certainly this brave Souldiers late conduct of our Nation in the time of the greatest danger that our land did see this hundreth yeares was so full of wisedome stoutnesse moderation successe that his memory will be fragrant blessed in all generations to our posteritie This sight of that mans vertues did draw to him so much love from all that followed his Campe so much honour from all the English Nobilitie that served in the opposite armie that we may say truely There liveth not in this Yle a gentle-man of comparable reputation with all sorts of men except alone of you in the faction by whose hearts to be hated by whose pens to be defamed it is an increase of contentment praile of all honest men But being unable to stand any longer upon your dung hill least I be suffocat with the stink therof I must turn my back flie leaving you to dwell upon these your excrements if so be ye cannot be drawn from them to die be buried therin only my parting a little of one purpose which so oft in your whole writ ye inculcate Ye will have us in the doctrine of Episcopacie we agree in our Tenets of Episcopacie with all the reformed abroad to differ from all other reformed Churches yet it will appeare to those who goe not beyond the very passages your selfe doth bring in this matter that betwixt us any reformed Church there is no discrepance at all For that Episcopacie which ye maintaine beside the manifold unhappy accidents that use to hang both upoÌ„ the persons and office which your selfe will scarce defend hath into it essentially the power of ordination all Ecclesiastick jâ—risdiction annexed that by a divine right to the person of one man in a whole diocesse that ever any reformed divine except some few that but lately in England did approve let be commend such an office it is so false as any thing can be That kind of episcopacie wherof the divines ye alleadge speak off is so farre from the present English and late Scotish one as light is from darknesse as reformed doctrine from grosse Poperie contrarie both to the word of God all sound antiquitie Beside even that kinde of Episcopacie which they seem not much to oppose is such an office as they make to be no way necessary in any Church but removeable out of all to which they thought never meet to give any footing in their own churches but at the beginning did cast it out and to this day have carefullie holden it at the doore This ye cannot be ignorant is the known practice let be the doctrin of al the reformed churches over Sea of all their divines without the exception of one man Doe ye think that any of them will be offended with us for following their owne example for casting out that which they have rejâ—cted before us upon lesse occasions For it is certain that Episcopacie is no way so opposite to the discipline of any reformed church as to that discipline which many Assemblies Parliaments have setled in our land it is certain that no church over Sea hath ever been halfe so much grieved with that unhappie office as ours oft times hath beene we all know that from it alone hath flowed all the miseries schisms dangers wherwith our church since the reformation hath been vexed none of us is ignorant that this â—ffice was the only horse wherupon our later novations of Perth articles high CoÌ„mission Leiturgie Canons came riding unto us And now the world may see that it is only Bishops that threaten this whole Yle with the danger of the most cruell warre it saw these 500 yeares That any reasonable man will blame us for our firm resolution to oppose their re-entrie among us for ever we doe not â—ear for beside that our whole land is al utterly impatient of their but theÌ„ our last two generall Assemblies articles of our late Pâ—rliament with our Princes approbatioÌ„ have ordained their office to be abjured by our whole nation with solemne oaâ—h subscriptioÌ„ As for our neighbour churches in Engâ—aÌ„d Ireâ—aÌ„d though hitherto we have been mâ—st sparing to meddle with any thing which concerneth them yet now since ye put us so hardly to it we canÌ„ot dissemble any loÌ„ger our hearty wishes that since the bishops there beside the manifold evils that is in tâ—e â—ffice which they doe use defend the needlesnes of iâ— since I say their bishops have been the first fountain of all our churches trouble since they are the prime instrumeÌ„ts which now infect this Yle with Arminianisme popery since they have raised yet doe further so hot a persecutioÌ„ against our whole natâ—oÌ„ in Iâ—land as no reformed church to this day hath ever beeÌ„ acquainted with since after our full agreemeÌ„t with our gratious king neighbour natioÌ„ of Eng aÌ„d they without any cause that yet we know or can hear tel of have been the bellows to kindle the wrath of our king against us to stir up a most blodie war for the undoing if God prevent it not first of the most flourishing churches in these dominioÌ„s theÌ„ of the whole reformed elâ—where we professe it our wish to God that the king his present parliameÌ„t might seriously coÌ„sider if it were not for the good of the crown for the welfare of their natioÌ„ for the peace of their church that EnglaÌ„d after the exaÌ„ple of all the reformed should rid theÌ„selvs at least of their bishops trouble as they did of old without any repentance to this day of their Abbots Monks This we conceive would much increase the joy and prosperitie of all the three Dominions FINIS
judges he may resist the grace of God offered Not onely doeth he thus farre proceed but also he avowes that all the difference which is betwixt the Church of England Rome in this head of freewill to be in nothing materiall a reallie long agoe to be ended and agreed amongst the most judicious and sober of both the sides (o) Ibid. p. 95. Thus having with as great diligence as I could examined this question inter partes of free-will I doe ingenuously confesse that I can not finde any such materiall difference betweene the Pontificians at least of better temper and our Church For the fifth Also the fifth of perseverance he is as grosse as any other Remonstrant or Molinean Iesuite professing that no man in this life can have more assurance not to fall away both totally and finally from all the grace he gets then the divels (p) Antigag p. 161. Man is not likely in the State of grace to be of an higher alloy then angels were in the state of glory then Adam was in the state of innocencie Now if Adam in paradise and Lucifer in heaven did fall and losse their originall estate the one totally the other eternally what greater assuraÌ„ce hath any man in the state of proficiencie not of consumatioÌ„ had once in heaven and Adam once in paradise Behold the Arminian ensigne fairly now displayed in England by the the hands of Montagu and White under the conduct of D. Laud Bishop of S. Davids even then the President and chiefe of Ecclesiasticall affaires of the Duke of Buckinghames secret Counsel At the first sight of this black banner a number of brave Champions got to their armes pulpits over all England rang presses swat against the boldnesse of that but small hand full then of courtizing Divines Their craftie leader seeing the spight of opposition and finding it meet for a little to hold in and fold up his displayed colours did by the Duke his Patron perswade the expediency of that pollicie which the Iesuites had immediately before for that same very designe moved the Roman consistorie to practise He obtained a Proclamation commanding silence to both sides Silence by proclamation injoyned to both sides discharging all preaching all printing in these controversies a stricting to the cleare plaine and very grammaticall sense of the articles of England in these points without all further deductions By this means his intentioÌ„s were much promoved opeÌ„ avowers of Arminianisme were by publicke authority so exâ—emed from any censure a reall Libertie was thus proclaimed over all the Land for any who pleased to embrace Arminianisme without opposition Hereby in two or three yeares the infection spread so farre and broad that the Parliament was forced in the 28. to make the encrease of Arminianisme The Arminians in England advanced their chiefe grievance to his Majestie But at that time D. Laud was growne greater He had mounted up from the Bath to London and to make a shew there in Parliament of his power in the eye of all the complainers hee raised up Montagu to the Episcopall Chaire of his owne Diocesan D. Carletoun who had lately chastised him in print for his Arminian appeal D. White his other chiftane that all great spirits might be encouraged to run the wayes which D. Laud pointed out to them in despight of these Parliamentarie Remonstrants was advanced from Bishoprick to Bishoprick till death at the step of Elie did interrupt the course of his promotion that to Wren a third violent follower of his Arminian Tenets way might be made for to climb up the remaining steps of the Ladder of his Honours Now to the end that the world may know that my lord of Canterburie doth nothing blush at the advancement of such men heare what a publicke Testimony of huge worth and deserving hee caused his Herauld Peter Heylen to proclaime to that Triumvirat not onely at his owne directions for that moderate answer of Heylens is the Iusto volumine which his G. did promise to the World in his Starre Chamber-speach but also in name of Authoritie If Heylen lye not who sayes Hee writes that booke at the commandement of the state There after the cryasse of Canterburies owne extraordinarie praises (q) A moderate answer pag. 78. you will be troubled to finde Canterburies equall in our Church since K. Edwards reformation whether yee look to his publick or prâ—vate demeanours the renown of his three underleaders is loudly sounded as of plaine non-suches (r) Ibid. pag 84. White Montagu and Wren whom you so abuse are such who for their endeavours for this Churches honour fidelitie in their service to the King full abilities in learning have had no equals in this Church since the Reformation All these his Graces favours to his followers Their opposites disgraced and persecuted would have beene the more tolerable if hee would have permitted his orthodox opposites to have had some share in their Princes affection or at least have lived in peace in their owne places But behold all that crosses his way must downe were they the greatest Bishops in the Dominions For who else wrought the late Arch-bishop so farre out of the Kings grace that he remained some yeares before his death well near confined to his house at Lambeth Who hath caused to be caged up in the tower that great learned Bishop of Lincolne what ever else may bee in the man What fray makes that worthie Primate Vsher to foretell oft to his friends his expectation to bee sent over Sea to dye a pedant teaching boyes for his bread by the persecution of this faction whose wayes he avowes to many doth tend to manifest Arminianisme and Poperie This their resolution to persecute with all extremitie every one who shall mint to print or preach any thing against Arminianisme they avow it openly not onely by deeds for why else was poore Butter cast by Canterburie in the Fleet for printing of B. Davenants letter to B. Hall against some passage of Aâ—minianisme at the Authours direction as we see it set downe by Huntly in his Breviate but even in open print for when Burton complaines to the King that he was silenced by Canterburie for expounding of his ordinary text Rom. 8 Whom God had predestinate those he hath called and applying it to the present Pelagianisme and Poperie of the Arminians Christopher Dow (s) Chr. Dow. Answer to Burton Mr. Burton did preach on the highest point of predestination in a controverted way with disputes and clamarous invectives against those who dissented froÌ„ him in opinion his questioning suspending for this cause was nothing contrary to his Majesties declarations Ibid. pag. 40. Bee it so that the doctrine of election effectuall vocation assurance oâ— perseverance are by the Kings declaration suppressâ—d rather then the peace of the Church should be disturbed we might truely say of that time when his Majesties declaration was published that men
were uncapable of these doctrines when men began to chyde and to count each other Anathema as it was with our neighbours it began to be with us was it not time to enjoyne both sides silence By this meanes you say there is no Minister not one among thousand that dare clearely preach of these most comfortable doctrines and so soundly confute the Arminian heresie Blessed be God that there are so few who dare and I wish those few who dare had shewed more obedience to his Majestie approven by Canterburies Chaplane P. Helen directed to speake for Canterburie himselfe doth not stand to affirme that this was a cause well deserving all the sufferings he complained off Canterburie his followers contrary to the proclamation goe on still to print let be to preach their Tenets Could any here but expect of his Graces wisdome and loyaltie when his sollicitude appeareth to disgrace and punish without respect of persons all who in contempt as hee saith of the Kings proclamation will not desist from the publick oppugning of Arminianisme that on the other hand the preachers printers for Arminianisme according to that same proclamation should be put to some order yet this is so far neglected that all who are so affected Cousins Colinâ—s Beel in Cambridge Potter and Iackson in Oxfoord and many more prime Doctours in both Universities in the cittie in the Court and over all the Land boldly give out their minde to all they meete with for the advancement of the new way yea boldnesse in running those pathes hath beene knowne to have beene the high way in all the three Dominions these yeares bygone to certaine promotion in many men who to the worlds eyes had no other singular eminencie of any good parts But that his Graces tramping upon the Kings Proclamation may be yet the more evident behold how he doth dayly dispense both with his owne pen and those also of his friends to write and print for Arminianisme what they please White being taxed by Burtoun for his subscription to Montagous appeal is so far from the least retractation that the fift article of Apostacie uncertaintie of salvation which Burton did single out of all Montagous errours as most opposite to Christian comfort he maintaines it in his owne answer to the Dialogue but as the custome now is under the covert of some Fathers name at great length with much bitternesse and casts out without provocation in his Treatise of the Sabboth the first and second article (t) P. 82. The benefitt of redemption by the antecedent will of Christ is intended to all men living though all men by reason of their own demerits doe not actually receive the Fruit of it Voluntas antecedens est voluntas primaria beneplacitum Dei ex eius nativa propensione existens nullamque sumans occasionem ex nobis Mr. Dow and Schelfoord use the same plainesse Yea in the 31. yeare that faction was so malapeart as to set out the historicall narration by one M. A. Ileward wherein all the Articles of Arminius at length with these false and bitter calumniations of our doctrine Which are usually chanted and rechanted by the Remonstrants are not onely sett downe as truths but also fathered upon the first reformers Martyrs of England That booke when it had beene out a while was called in not because the Doctrines were false not because the storie was forged as that learned Knight S. Vmphrey Lyne by the ocular inspection of the originall manuscript did since demonstrate but the only reason of the calling of it backe as his Grace makes Heylen declare to us was the dinne and clamour which Burtown then one of the Ministers of London made against it (w) Moderat answer p. 121. The Historicall narration was called in also for your pleasure Canterburie himselfe is nothing afrayed to lend his own hand to pull downe any thing that seemes crosse to Arminianisme The certainty of salvation the assurance of election is such an eyesore that to have it away hee stands not with his owne hand to cutt and mangle the very Lyturgie of the Church otherwise a sacred peace and a noli me tangere in England in the smallest points were they never so much by any censured of errour Yet if any clause crosse Arminianisme or Poperie his Grace doth not spare without dinne to expurge it did it stand in the most eminent places thereof in the very morning prayers for the Kings person Here there was this clause fixed since the reformation who art the Father of thine Elect and their Seed this seemed to be a publike profession that it was not unlawfull for King Charles to avow his certainty and perswasion that God was his Father and hee his adopted Childe elect to salvation His Grace could not endure any longer such a scandalous speach to beâ— uttered but with his owne hand scrappeth it out Beeing challenged for it by Burtoun and the out-cryes of the people hee confesseth the Fact Onely for excuse bringeth three reasons of which you may judge (x) Star-chamber speach p. 28 It was put out at the Ks. direction in my predecessours time when the king had no children First hee saith It was done in his predecessours time Doth not this make his presumption the more intollerable that any inferiour Bishopp living at the very lugge of the Archbishop should mint to expurge the Lyturgie Secondly Hee pretends the Kings command for his doing Doth not this encrease his guiltinesse that he and his followers are become so wicked and irrespective as to make it an ordinare pranke to cast their owne misdeeds upon the broad back of the Prince Dare hee say that the King commanded any such thing motu proprio Did hee command that expunction without any information without any mans advise Did any King of England ever assay to expurge the publike Bookes of the Church without the advice of his Cleargie Did ever King Charles medle in any Church matters of farre lesse importance without D. Lauds counsell The third excuse That the King then had no Seed How is this pertinent May not a childlesse man say in his prayers that God is the Father of the Elect and of their Seed though himselfe as yet have no Seed But the true cause of his anger against this passage of the Leiturgie seemeth to have beene none other then this Arminian conclusioÌ„ that all faith of election in particular of personall adoption or salvation is nought but presumption That this is his Graces faith may appeare by his Chaplans hand at that base and false storie of Ap-Evan by Studly wherin are bitter invectives against all such perswasions as puritanik delusions (y) Satan like an Angell of Light stirring up in the heart of immortified persons a spirituall pride in a high conceit of their gifts the assurance of their Election illumination conversioÌ„ imaginarie sense of their adoptioÌ„ c. yea he is contented that Chounaeus