you where it is said what Law what Statute so resolves it that no Prelate or other person hath any power to visit Ecclesiasticall persons c. but he must have it immediatly from the King and confirmed by Letters patents under the great Seale of England None of the Acts of Parliament made by King Henry the eight King Edward the sixt or Queene Elizabeth speake one word that way The act of the Submission of the Clergie 25. Hen. 8. cap. 19. on which your fond conceipt is grounded if it hath any ground at all saith not as you would have it say the Clergie shall not put in ure c. any constitutions of what sort soever without the Kings royall assent and authority in that behalfe but that without the Kings royall assent and authority in that behalfe first had they should not enact or put in ure any new Canons by them made in their Convocations as they had done formerly This law observed still by the Clergy to this very day not meeting in their Convocation untill they are assembled by his Majesties writ directed to the Archbishop of either Province nor when assembled treating of or making any Canons without the Kings leave first obteined nor putting any of them in execution before they are confirmed by his sacred Majestie under the broad Seale of England Is there no difference gentle brother betweene enacting new Canons at their owne discretion and executing those which custome and long continuance of time have confirmed and ratified If you should bee so simple as so to thinke as I have no great confidence either in your law or wisedome you may be pleased to understand that by the very selfe same statute All Canons which be not contrariant nor repugnant to the Lawes statutes and customes of the Realme nor to the damage or hurt of the Kings prerogative Royall shall be now still executed and used as they were before the making of that act till the said Canons should be viewed by the 32. Commissioners in the same appointed which not being done as yet although the said Commission was revived by Parliament 3 4. to Edw. 6. c. 11. all the old Canons quallified as before is said are still in force So that for exercise of any Episcopall jurisdiction founded upon the said old Canons or any of the new which have beene since confirmed by the King or his predecessours there 's no necessity of speciall Letters Patents under the broad Seale of England as you faine would have it There was another Statute of King Henry the eight concerning the Kings highnesse to bee the supreame head of the Church of England and to have authority to reforme all errors heresies and abuses in the same But whatsoever power was therein declared as due and proper to the King is not now materiall the whole act being repealed A. 1. 2. Ph. and M. c. 8. and not restored in the reviver of Qu. Eliz. 1. Eliz. c. 1. in which you instance in your Margin Nor can you finde much comfort by that Statute 1. Eliz c. 1. wherein you instance if you consider it and the intention of the same as you ought to doe You may conjecture by the title of it what the meaning is For it 's intituled An act restoring to the Crowne the antient jurisdiction over the state Ecclesiasticall and spirituall and abolishing all forreine power repugnant to the same The preamble unto the act makes it yet more plaine Where it is sayd that in the time of King Henry the eight divers good Lawes and Statutes were made and established aswell for the utter extinguishment and putting away of all usurped and forreine powers and authorities out of this Realme c. as also for the restoring and uniting to the imperiall Crowne thereof the antient jurisdictions authorities superiorities and preheminences to the same of right belonging and apperteining by meanes whereof the subjects were disburdened of divers great and intollerable charges and exactions before that time unlawfully taken and exacted by such forreine power and authority as before that was usurped Which makes it manifest that there was no intent in the Queene or Parliament to alter any thing in the ordinary power Episcopall which was then and had long before beene here established but to extinguish that usurped and forreine power which had before beene chalenged by the See of Rome and was so burdensome unto the subject The body of the Act is most plaine of all For presently on the abolishment of all forreine power and jurisdiction spirituall and Ecclesiasticall heretofore used within this Realme there followeth a declaration of all such jurisdictions c. as by any spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power and authority hath heretofore or may lawfully be exercised or used for the visitation of the Ecclesiasticall state and persons and for reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner errours heresies schismes c. to bee for ever united and annexed to the imperiall crowne of this Realme Then in the next words followeth the establishment of the High Commission it being then and there enacted that the Queenes highnesse her heires and successours shall have full power and authority by vertue of the said act by letters Patents under the great Seale of England to assigne name and authorise c. such person or persons being naturall borne subjects to her highnesse her heires and successours as her Majestie shall thinke meete to exercise use occupie and execute under her highnesse her heires and successours all manner of Iurisdictions priviledges and preheminences within these her Realmes of England c. and to visit reforme order redresse correct and amend all such errours heresies schismes abuses offences contempts enormities whatsoever which by any manner Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power authority or jurisdiction can or may be lawfully reformed c. Plainely in all this act there is nothing contrary to that ordinary jurisdiction which is and hath beene claimed and exercised by Episcopall authority in the Church of England nothing at all which doth concerne the purchasing or procuring of Letters Patents for their keeping Courts and Visitations as you seduced by your learned Counsaile beare the world in hand My reason is because whatever jurisdiction was here declared to be annexed unto the crowne is called a restoring of the antient jurisdiction unto the same and certainely the ordinary Episcopall power of ordination excommunication and such like Ecclesiasticall censures were never in the crowne in fact nor of right could be and therefore could not be restored And secondly because whatever power is here declared to be in the Queene her heires and uccessours shee is inabled to transferre upon such Commissioners as shee or they shall authorise under the great Seale of England for execution of the same Now we know well that there is no authority in the high Commission which is established on this clause derogating from the ordinary Episcopall power and therefore there was none supposed in
granting that all authority of jurisdiction spirituall is derived from the King as supreme head of the Church of England although that title by that name be not now assumed in the stile Imperiall and that all Courts Ecclesiasticall within this Realme be kept by no other authoritie either forreine or within this Realme but by authority of the kings most excellent majestie as is averred in the sayd Preamble of King Edwards statute yet this if rightly understood would never hurt the Bishops or advantage you But my reason is because that whensoever the king grants out his Conge d' peslier for the election of a Bishop and afterwards doth passe his royall assent to the said election send his Mandate to the Metropolitan for consecration of the party which is so elected he doth withall conferre upon him a power to exercise that jurisdiction which by his consecration done by the kings especiall Mandate he hath atteined to And this may also serve for answere to your other cavill but that Bishops may not hold their courts or visitations without letters Patents from the king For were there such a law as there is no such yet were the Prelates safe enough from your Praemunire because the Royall assent to the election and Mandat for the consecration passing by broad seale as the custome is inable them once consecrated to exercise what ever jurisdiction is by the Canon incident to Episcopall power No neede of speciall letters Parents for every Act of jurisdiction as you idly dreame No more than if a man being made a Iustice of the Peace under the broad seale of England and having tooke his oath as the law requires should neede for every speciall Act some speciall warrant or any other kinde of warrant than what was given him in the generall when first made a Iustice And yet I trow the King is the immediate fountaine also of all temporall power and no man dare execute authority but from and by him Touching his Majesties supremacie more than in answere to your clamours I shall say nothing at this present as neither of this place nor purpose It is an Argument of great weight fit rather for a speciall treatise than an occasionall replication Only I will be bold to tell you that if the kings supremacy were not more truely and sincerely without any colour or dissimulation as the Canon hath it defended by my Lords the Bishops than by such as you it would be at a losse ere long and setled on the vestrie wherein you preside For wot you what King Iames replied on the like occasion When Dr. Reynolds in the Conference at Hampton Court came in unseasonably once or twice with the Kings Supremacie Dr. Reynolds quoth the King you have often spoken for my supremacie and it is well But know you any here or any elsewhere who like of the present Government Ecclesiasticall that finde fault or dislike with my supremacie And shortly after putting his hand unto his hat his Matie sayd My Lords the Bishops I may thanke you that these men doe thus pleade for my Supremacie They thinke they cannot make their party good against you but by appealing unto it as if you or some that adhere unto you were not well affected towards it But if once you were out and they in place I know what would become of my supremacie No Bishop no King as before I sayd How like you this Mass Burton is not this your case Mutato nomine de ie fabula narratur You plead indeed for the Kings supremacie but intend your owne The next great crime you have to charge upon the Bishops is that they doe oppresse the kings Leige people against law and conscience How so Because as you informe us Prohibitions are not got so easily from the Courts of Iustice as they have beene formerly and being gotten finde not such entertainement and obedience as before they did This you conceive to be their fault and charge them that by stopping the ordinary course of law the Kings people are cut off from the benefit of the Kings good lawes so as it is become very geason and a rare matter to obteine a Prohibition against their illegall practises in vexing and oppressing the kings good subjects Nay they are growne so formidable of late as if they were some new generation of Giants that the very motion of a Prohibition against a Prelate or their proceedings in the high Commission makes the Courts of Iustice startle so as good causes are lost and Innocents condemned because none dare pleade and judge their cause according to the Kings Lawes whereby wee ought all to be governed p. 69.70 My Masters of the Law and my Lords the Iudges will conne you little thankes for so soule a slander greater then which cannot be laid on the profession or the Courts of Iustice What none dare pleade nor none dare judge according to the Lawes So you say indeed And more then so in your addresse unto the Iudges What meane's say you that difficulty of obtaining prohibitions now adayes whereby the Kings innocent Subjects you are an innocent indeed God helpe you should be relieved against their unjust molestations and oppressions in the Ecclesiastical Courts and high Commission What meaneth that consternation of spirit among Lawyers that few or none can be found to pleade a cause be it never so just against an oppressing Prelate and are either menaced or imprisoned if they doe p. 29. Hoc est quod palles Is this the thing that so offends you that prohibitions are restrained or not sent out so frequently from the Courts of Law as of late they were to the diminishing if not annulling the authority of the Court Christian I trow you are the onely Clergie-man that complaines of this Or if there be more such they be such as you who onely make a property of the civill Courts by them to scape their censures in the Ecclesiasticall Were you so innocent as you would have us thinke you rather should rejoyce for the Churches sake that Prohibitions flie not out so thicke as they have done formely to the great oppression of the Clergie in their suites and businesses especially in those which did concerne the Patrimony of the Church their tithes And if my Lords the Iudges are with more difficulty mooved to send abroad their Prohibitions then were their predecessours in the place before them it is a pregnant evidence of their great love to justice Nor can it but be counted an honour to them to leave every Court to that which is proper to it and for the which it was established And God forbid the Church should aske or doe any thing that should incroach upon them or invade any of their rights What doth this greeve your conscience also Good Sir consider with your selfe what mischiefes Clergie-men were put to when they could scarce commence a suite but prohibitione cautio est a Prohibition was sent out to stop the course of his proceedings
reach you may see in the first of Sam. and 8 chap. though in concreto a just Prince will not breake those lawes which he hath promised to observe Princes are debtors to their subjects as God to man non aliquid a nobis accipiendo sed omnia nobis promittendo as S. Austine hath it And we may say of them in S. Bernards words Promissum quidem ex misericordia sed ex justitia persolvendum that they have promised to observe the lawes was of speciall grace and its agreeable to their justice to observe their promise Otherwise we may say of kings as the Apostle of the just Iusto lex non est posita saith the Apostle and Principi lexnon est posita saith the law of nature Doe you expect more proofe than you use to give Plutarch affirmes it of some kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they did not governe onely by the law but were above it The like saith Dion of Augustus Caesar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was sure and had an absolute authoritie aswell upon his lawes as upon himselfe Besides in case the power of kings were restrained by law after the manner that you would have it yet should the king neglect those lawes whereby you apprehend that his power is limited how would you helpe your selfe by this limited power I hope you would not call a Consistorie and convent him there or arme the people to assert their pretended liberties though as before I said the Puritan tenet is that you may doe both Your learned Councell might have told you out of Bracton an ancient Lawyer of this kingdome omnem esse sub Rege ipsum sub nullo sed tantum sub Deo And Horace could have told you that kings are under none but God Reges in ipsos imperium est Iovis as he there hath it You may moreover please to know what Gregorie of Tours said once to a king of France Si quis e nobis O Rex justitiae tramites transcendere voluerit a te corripi potest si vero tu excesseris quis te corripiet c. If any of us O king offend against the rules of justice thou hast power to punish him but if thou breake those rules who hath power to doe it We tell you of it and when you list you please to heare us but when you will not who shall judge you but he that tels us of himselfe that he is justice This was you see the ancient doctrine touching the power and right of kings not onely amongst Iewes and Christians but in heathen states what ever new opinion of a limited power you have pleased to raise But you goe further yet and tell us of some things the king cannot do and that there is a power which the king hath not what is it say you that the king cannot doe Marry you say he cannot institute new rites and ceremonies with the advise of his Commissioners Ecclesiasticall or the Metropolitan according as some pleade from the Act of Parliament before the Communion booke pag. 65. Why so Because according to your law this clause of the Act is limited to Queene Elizabeth and not extended to her successours of the Crowne This you affirme indeede but you bring no proofe onely it seemes you heard so from your learned councell You are I see of Calvins minde who tels us in his Commentarie on the 7 of Amos what had beene sayd by Doctor Gardiner after Bishop of Winchester and then Ambassadour in Germany touching the headship or Supremacie of the king his master and closeth up the storie with this short note inconsiderati homines sunt qui faciunt eos nimis spirituales that it was unadvisedly done to give kings such authority in spirituall matters But sir I hope you may afford the king that power which you take your selves or which your brethren at the least have tooke before you who in Queene Elizabeths time had their Classicall meetings without leave or licence and therein did ordeine new rites new Canons and new formes of service This you may doe it seemes though the kings hands are bound that he may not doe it And there 's a power too as you tell us that the king neither hath nor may give to others Not give to others certainely if he have it not for nemo dat quod non habet as the saying is But what is this you first suppose and take for granted that the Bishops make foule havocke in the Church of God and persecute his faithfull servants and then suppose which yet you say is not to be supposed that they have procured a grant from the king to doe all those things which of late they have done tending to the utter overthrow of religion by law established And on these suppositions you doe thus proceede Yet whatsoever colour pretext or shew they make for this the king to speake with all humble reverence cannot give that power to others which hee hath not himselfe For the power that is in the king is given him by God and confirmed by the lawes of the kingdome Now neither God in his law nor the lawes of the land doe allow the king a power to alter the state of religion or to oppresse and suppresse the faithfull ministers of the Gospell against both law and conscience For kings are the ministers of God for the good of his people as wee shewed before p. 72.73 So you and it was bravely said like a valiant man The Brethren now may follow after their owne inventions with a full securitie for since you have proclaimed them to be faithfull ministers no king nor Keisar dares suppresse them or if he should the lawes of God and the law of the land to boote would rise in judgement to condemne him for usurpation of a power which they have not given him But take me with you brother Bâ—â— and I perhaps may tell you somewhat that is worth your knowledge And I will tell you sir if you please to hearken that whatsoever power is in the king is from God alone and founded on the law of nature The positive lawes of the land as they conferre none on him so they confirme none to him Rather the kings of England have parted with their native royalties for the peoples good which being by their owne consent established for a positive law are now become the greatest part of the subjects liberties So that the liberties possessions and estates of the kings leige people are if you will confirmed by the lawes of the land not the kings authoritie As for the power of kings which is given by God and founded on the law of nature how farre it may extend in the true latitude thereof we have said already Whether to alter the state of religion none but a most seditious spirit such as yours would put unto the question his majesties pietie and zeale being too well knowne to give occasion to such quaeres Onely I needes must
did the like in the Councell of Seleucia called by Constantius an Arian Emperor who did therein suppresse by perpetuall Amnestie the mention of Homousios and Homoiousios that so they might coine a new faith and utterly extinguish that of the Councell of Nice p 115. This you ascribe indeed unto the Prelates as an Art of theirs but you must needs intend it of the King whose Act it was Nor doe you only misinterpret his Majesties most pious Act in an undutifull scandalous manner but you pervert both this and the other also to serve your turne and sometimes factiously retort them on His Majestie as if not observed What ever thing you challenge or except against that is forthwith proclaimed to be against his Majesties Declarations so solemnly set out and published for satisfaction of his people as Viz. in your two Epistles to his Sacred Majestie in your Apology p. 6. in your addresse to the Nobility p. 23.24 and to the Judges p. 28.30.31 and in your Pulpit Pasquill p. 51.52.54.64.65.67.72.146 and finally no lesse then thrice in the Newes from Ipswich As for example His Majestie intended by the first that before the Articles to silence those disputes which might nourish faction and in the other to nourish in his Subjects a good opinion of his constancie to the Religion here established but you and such as you will abuse them both You were convented as you tell us unto London house for Preaching on the point of Predestination and there it was objected to you that you had done therein contrary to his Majesties Declaration pag. 51. which in the Margin there you affirme to be A dangerous and false charge laid upon the King And thereupon you answered that you never took the Kings Declaration to be by him intended for the suppressing of any part of Gods trueth nor durst you ever conceive a thought so dishonourable to the King as to think him to be an instrument of suppressing Gods trueth No doubt you had good ground for so quick an answere and what was that His Majestie in his Declaration about the Parliament had profest as much p. 52. Here is the King against the King one Declaration against another both by you abused both made to serve your turne as occasion is But why do you thus construe his Majesties words Because say you it was no part of his Majesties meaning to prohibit Ministers to Preach of the saving Doctrines of Grace and Salvation without the which the very Gospel is destroyed p. 51. the ministery of the Gospel overthrowne and nothing but orations of moralitie to be taught the people And doth the whole ministerie of the Gospel the saving doctrines of Grace and Salvation depend alone upon those difficult and dangerous points of Gods secret counsells Are all the Doctrines of the Gospel matters of meere moralitie save those at which Saint Paul did stand astonished and cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth and heigth Cannot Christ Crucified profit us rather you and your disciples unlesse wee must be taught that the greatest part of mankind is cast off for ever without any regard had to their sinnes and all the promises of the Gospel made unto them of none effect Or do you think that Faith and an honest life will become unprofitable unlesse wee vexe poore people with the noise of doubtfull disputations which Saint Paul prohibited Take heed Sir I advise you as a speciall friend least that befall you which Saint Austin did once complaine of Viz. lest honest though unlearned men get heaven whilest you with all your subtilties are excluded thence Surgunt indocti et rapiunt coelum et nos cum doctrinis nostris sine corde ecce ubi volutamur in carne et sanguine But to what purpose do I seek to charme so deafe an Adder Be the Kings purposes never so sincere and pious yet you are bold to quarrell with his Declaration and to cry out vnto the people that the Doctrines of Gods Grace and mans salvation are husht and banished out of Citie and Countrie and that there 's not a Minister one amongst a thousand that dare cleerely and plainly according to the word of God and the Articles of our Church preach of these most comfortable doctrines to Gods people and so soundly and roundly confute the Arminian heresies as you call them repugnant thereunto p. 116. But so you will not leave the King he must heare more yet His Declaration about lawfull recreations on the Lords day is the next you quarell with In this you fall more fowly on him then you did before more then a civill honest man would or could probably have done upon his equall and yet you ground this too on his Declaration For thus you say No wise and honest man can ever imagine that the king would ever intend to command that which mainly tendeth to the dishonor of God and his word to the violation and annihilation of the holy Commandement touching the Sabbath and to the alteration of the doctrine of the Church of England How so Because say you this were against all those solemne Royall protestations of the King c. p. 56. Stay here a little I beseech you How doth this businesse of the Sabbath touch the Declaration about dissolving of the Parliament which is cited by you Yes in a very high degree because say you it is a mighty Innovation in the doctrine of the Sabbath which hath beene ever since the Reformation and so from the Reigne of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory constantly universally and unanimously maintained in the Church of England pag. 57. Qui semel verecundiae limites c. And if you proceed on a little you will shortly blush at nothing For the point in hand Men of farre more credit then I trow you are assure us that your new doctrine of the Sabbath was never known in England untill the yeere 1596 and being made known then not before was neither universally nor unanimously received as you informe as For had it beene a Doctrine constantly maintained ever since the Reformation as you falsly say assuredly Arch Bp. Whitgift had never called in those Books which maintained that argument as it 's well knowne he did in his visitation Anno 1599. nor had Judge Popham done the like at the Assises in Saint Edmonds bury in the yeere 600. You must tell likelier tales then this or all the old wives in your Parish will beshrew you for it who cannot but remember with what harmelesse freedom they used to behave themselves that day in their yonger times You stay not here but as before you set the King against himselfe one Declaration of the Kings against another so next you set the King against the Parliament and tell us that the prophanation of the Sabbath or Lords day which the Books seemes to give allowance to as in sundry sports here specified is contrary unto the Statute 1. Caroli in which all unlawfull Exercises and
roborat was the Fathers Maxime I never read of Fast and preach till you made the Canon at least till you first brought it hither if you made it not And yet because of this and such like terrible Innovations as this you flie out extremely First unto Gods most secret Counsailes affirming most unchristianly and withall most shamelesly that this restraint of preaching in infected places was the occasion that the plague increased double to any weeke since the Sicknesse beganne p. 144. that it brought with it a double increase of the plague p. 50. an extraordinary increase the very first week of the fast together with most hideous stormes c. p. 148. Sir you forget that which was taught you by the Prophet Abscondita Domino Deo nostro that secret things belong to God and wee may aske this question of you out of holy Scripture What man hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counseller Surely untill you usurped that honor by reason of that extraordinary calling which you so much brag of no man ever did Yet since you are so curious in the search of causes wil needs tell us what occasioned so great a sicknes look in the last words of the second homily of Obedience and you will find that nothing drawes down greater plagues from almighty God then murmuring rebellion against Gods Annointed Next you fall foule upon his Majesty and tell him plainly in effect but cunningly as you imagine that if he look not better to his Protestations the beauty of his royall name will bee blasted in the Annals delivered to posterity and that in them it will be said This King had no regard to sacred vowes and solemne protestations I see what Chronicles we shall have when you come to write them Caesarum contumeliis referta there 's no question of it From pulling downe of Preaching proceed wee next to setting up Idolatry which how you charge the King withall must next be shewed You tell us that the Prelates to justifie themselves in those Innovations which you unjustly lay upon them do plead the whole equipage furniture and fashion of the Kings Chappell as a pattern for all Churches in which there is an Altar and bowing towards it Crucifixes Jmages and other guises And why should Subjects be wiser then their King p. 165. To this you answer that the worship and service of God and of Christ you wil needs separate Christ from God do I what I can is not bee regulated by humane examples but by the divine rule of the Scriptures In vaine do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men p. 165. Well said the service in the Kings Chappell and that which is conforme unto it is a â—aine worship in the first place And what follows next The three Children would not bow to the Kings goodly golden Image The old Christians would not so much as offer incense in the presence of Julian the Emperour at his Altar nor at his command though he propounded golden rewards to the doers and fiery punishment to the denyers p. 166. This is plaine enough Here 's the Kings Chappell and the furniture thereof compared to Nebuchadnezars golden Image and Julians Altar by consequence the King resembled â—o those wicked tyrants I now perceive what 't was you meant when you extoll'd so highly that Parrhesia which you conceive so necessary in a child of God p. 26.27 instancing there as here in the three Children Who feared neither the Kings big looks nor furious threats and Maris Bishop of Chalcedon who comming before Julian the Apostata called him Atheist Apostata and a desertor of the faith As in Elias when he retorted King Ahabs words upon him and the stout answer which Elisha made to the King of Israel adding for close of all that it were endlesse to recite examples in this kind except to convince the cowardice of these times You would have every man it seemes as bold a Bravo as your selfe to bid defiance to the King at least to stand it out against all authority For for the proof of that brave Parrhesia which you so extoll you instance chiefly in such opposition as was made to Kings and therefore all your uses must be construed to reflect that way now your fourth use is this This makes for exceeding consolation to the Church of God especially in declining times of Apostacie in these dayes of lukewarmnesse and Apostacie in the proposall of your uses p. 128. and when the truth is openly persecuted and oppressed and idolatry and superstition obtruded in stead thereof when notwithstanding we see many Ministers of Iesus Christ to stand stoutly to their tacklings and rather then they will betray any part of Gods truth and a good conscience they will part with their ministerie liberty lively-hood and life too if need were This is that which keeps Christs cause in life This gives Gods people cause of rejoycing that they see their Captains to keep their ground and not to flie the field or forsake their colours or basely yeeld themselves to the enemie c. p. 31. They are your own words one of the pious uses which you make of your so celebrated Parrhesia that freedome and liberty of speech against Kings and Princes or whatsoever is called God which you so specially commend unto your disciples Well then here 's superstition and idolatry but is there not a feare of the Masse also Sure it seemes there is For thus you close your answer touching the equipage as you call it of the Kings chappell the fashion and furniture thereof Lastly suppose which we trust never to see and which our hearts abhorre once to imagine Masse were set up in the Kings Chappell is this a good argument why it should be admitted in all the Churches throughout the Realm of England p. 166 Why how now zealous sir what Suppositions Ifs And 's in such an odious intimation as setting up of Masse in the Kings Chappell I will not tell you any thing of my opinion in this place but keepe it till I meet you at the halfe turne in the close of all Onely I needs must tell you here you might have dealt more curteously with your Soveraigne and Patron as you stile him had you the least part of that piety which you pretend to seeing so manifestly that in Seneca's words Jllius vigilia omnium domos illius labor omnium otia illius industria omnium delicias illius occupatio omnium vacationem tueatur The Kings great care to keepe his people in wealth peace and godlinesse if considered rightly might make the vilest of us all to serve honour and humbly obey him according to Gods holy word and Ordinance But you and such as you have a speciall priviledge which I much muse you did not plead when you were questioned publickely for your misdemeanours CHAP. IV. A plaine discoverie of H. B. quarrells against the Bishops in reference to their calling and
owned for hers by the Church of England Of whom wee may affirme what the historian saith of the Athenians when besieged by Sylla animos extra moenia corpora necessitati servientes intra muros habuerunt Geneva had their hearts we their bodies onely I hope you doe not here expect that I should show you what precedencie or superioritie our Saviour gave the twelve Apostles before and over all the Seaventie or how the Apostles in their owne persons exercised authority over other Pastors or how they setled severall Bishops in convenient places as Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Crete with power of ordination Tit. 1.5 and power of Ecclesiasticall censure 1 Tim. 5.19 or finally what successours they left behind them in those particular Sees where they most resided This were but actum agere to sing our old songs over as you use to doe and therefore I referre you to the writings of those worthies before remembred our Divines indeed Nor had I said thus much but to let you see that neither the claime is new devised but yesterday nor by all our Divines disclaimed since the reformation both which with shame enough you are bold to say The next thing that offends you and you clamour of is that they claime a visible and perpetuall succession downe from S. Peter to Pope Gregory from him by Austin the Monke first Arch Bishop of Canterbury unto his Grace now being and Sic de coeteris For by this meanes you say they make themselves the very limbes of the Pope the true-bred sonnes of the Roman Antichrist and consequently our Church a member of that Romish Synagogue Who would have thought but this had pleased you For if the Bishops bee the sonnes of the Roman Antichrist and the Church a member of the Romish Synagogue then are you acquitted and all your clamours raylings and opposition aswell against the one as the other may be fairely justified But let your inference alone till another time what is it that you quarrell in the ground thereof Is it that Saint Peter was at Rome or was Bishop there whether for 25. yeares as Eusebius tell 's us we will not dispute you may remember it is granted or rather not denyed by Calvin HOwever his minde served him to have made a question of it yet propter Scriptorum consensum non pugno the evidence was so strong hee could not deny it Is it that Gregory Pope of Rome sirnamed Magnus after a long descent succeeded him The Tables of succession in the Church of Rome make that cleare enough and Irenaeus brings downe the succession till his owne time during which time the lineall succession in that Church by reason of the many persecutions under which it suffered might be made most questionable That Gregory sent this Austin into England to convert the Saxons and made him having before beene consecrated by the Archbishop of Arles the first Archbishop of the English is generally delivered by all our writers from Venerable Bede to these present times as by those also which have writ the life of the sayd Pope Gregory Finally that my Lord the Archbishop that now is is lineally descended in a most faire and constant tenour of succession you shall easily finde if you consult the learned labours of Mr. Francis Mason de ministerio Angâ—icano The Papists would extremely thanke you and thinke you borne into the world for their speciall comfort could you but tell them how to disprove that lineall succession of our Prelates which is there laid downe A thing by them much studied but conatu irrito and never cast upon our Prelates as a staine or scandall that they could prove their Pedegree from the holy Apostles till you found it out Whatever you conceive hereof you cannot choose but know that the succession of the Prelates in the purest times was used as an especiall argument against those Sects and heresies which were then on foote And since you challenge Dr. Pocklington for the succession of the Bishops in the Church of England I will send you to him for three instances which might have satisfied you in that point if you will be satisfied the first from Irenaeus l. 3. cap. 3 4 5. the second from Tertullian de praescript cap. 11. and the last from S. Austin contra Petil. l. 2. c. 51. In all of which it is apparant and see them you must needs being the occasion of his instance in the Church of England that the succession of the Bishops in their severall Churches ita ut primus sit aliquis ex Apostolis beginning their discent from some one or other of the holy Apostles hath beene a speciall meanes to confound those hereticks which tooke up armes against the Church as some men doe now Now for your instance you pleade that if this rule of succession hold our Bishops are the true-bred sonnes of the Roman Antichrist and tell me then I pray you Sir whose sonne are you that had your ordination and received your Ministrie from those Bishops which were so discended you must needes be a limb of the Pope also like it as you list But never feare it Sir there is no such danger as you dreame of either that any Priest or Prelate in the Church of England should therefore bee a sonne of the Roman Antichrist or that the Church should be a member of that Romish Synagogue because wee claime by and from them a visible succession of and in the sacred Hierarchie Wee may receive our orders from them and chalenge a succession by them from the blessed Apostles and yet not bee partakers with them in their corruptions When Hezekiah purged the temple and set all things right which had beene formerly amisse in the Iewish Church thinke you that the High-Priests which followed after thought it a shame to fetch their Pedegree from Aaron Or doe you finde it was objected against them that did that because some of those from and by whom they claimed it had misbehaved themselves in so great an office and possibly advanced Idolatry in that tottering state therefore all those that followed them and descended from them were also guilty of the same crimes Or to come nearer to your selfe thinke you your ministery the worse because you did receive it from the hands of them whom you accuse for true borne sonnes of the Roman Antichrist and that your brethren in New England will not thinke themselves the purest and most perfect Church in the Christian world although they once were members of that here established which they have forsaken T' was not the purpose of those holy men in King Edwards time to make a new Church but reforme the old and onely to pare off those superfluities which had in tract of time beene added to Gods publicke service In which regard they kept on foote the Priesthood and Episcopate which they had received with many of those rites and ceremonies to which they were before accustomed not taking either
hath declaimed against them Regâ—um est cum bene feceris male audire And it is very well observed by our incomparable Hooker to be the lot of all that deale in publicke affaires whether of Church or Commonwealth that what men list to surmise of their doings be it good or ill they must before hand patiently arme their mindes to endure Besides being placed on high as a watch-tower they know full well how many an envious eie will be cast upon them especially amongst such men as brother B. to whom great eminences are farre more dreadfull then great vices and a good name as dangerous as a bad Sinistra erga eminentes interpretatio nec minus periculum ex magna fama quam ex mala And herein they may comfort and rejoyce their hearts that whatsoever sinister and malicious censures are now passed upon them yet there will one day come a time in which all hearts shall be open all desires made knowne and when no counsels shall be hid and then the Lord shall make it knowne who were indeed on his side and who against him In the meane time suspence of censure and exercise of charity were farre more sit and seemely for a Christian man then the pursuite of those uncharitable and most impious courses whereby you goe about to bring the Church of God and the Rulers of it into discredit and contempt I know assuredly how gloriously soever you conceive of your owne deere selfe that you are no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no searcher of the heart nor no discerner of the spirits And therefore I am bold to tell you what I have learned from Venerable Bede viz. ut ea facta quae dubium est quo animo fiant in meliorem partem interpretemur that all mens actions whereof we know not the intent should be interpreted to the better How much the rather should this rule be in use amongst us in points of counsell the hearts of Kings for he hath had his share in the declamation being unsearchable in themselves and unseene to us the resolutions of the Church grounded on just and weighty reasons being to be obeyed and not disputed much lesse rashly censured This counsell if it come too late to you may yet come soone enough to others and to them I leave it CHAP. V. An Answer to the quarrells of H. B. against the Bishops in reference to their Iurisdiction and Episcopall government H.B. endites the Bishops in a Premunire for exercising such a jurisdiction as is not warrantable by the Lawes The Bishops not in danger of any Statute made by King Henry the eight The true intention of the Statute 1. Eliz. c. 1. The Court of High-Commission in the same established The Statute 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. on what ground enacted repealed by Qu. Mary and so still continueth The use of excommunication taken away by that statute of King Edward A finall answer to the cavills about the exercise of Episcopall jurisdiction Why H. B. and the Brethren doe seeme to pleade so hard for the Kings supremacie the Bishops chalenged for oppressing the Kings leige people the Iudges for not sending out their Prohibitions to reteine them H. B. the onely Clergie man that stands for Prohibitions King Iames his order in that case The quality of their offence who are suspended by their ordinaries for not publishing the book for sports The Bishops charged with persecuting Gods faithfull Ministers and how deservedly HAving made knowne your good affections unto the calling and the persons we must now see what you have to say against the proceedings of the Bishops in their place and calling For sure you would not have it thought that you have lifted up your voyce so like a Trumpet to startle and awaken the drowzie world and that there was no cause to provoke you to it No there was cause enough you say such as no pure and pious soule could endure with patience their whole behaviour both in the consistory and the Church being so unwarrantable For in their consistory they usurpe a power peculiar to the supreme majestie and grievously oppresse the subject against law and conscience and â—n the Church they have indeavoured to erect a throne for Antichrist obtruded on it many a dangerous innovation and furiously persecuted the Lords faithfull servants for not submitting thereunâ—o Therefore no wonder to be made if being called forth by Christ who hath found you faithfull to stand in his cause and witnesse it unto the world you persecute the Prelacie with fire and halter and charge them with those usurpations oppressions innovations and persecutions which you have brought in readinesse to make good against them hoping in very little time to see their honour in the dust and the whole government of the Church committed to the holy Elders whereof you are chiefe In case you cannot prove what you undertake you are contented to submit to the old Law amongst the Locrians let the Executioner do his office I take you at your word and expect your evidence first that the Prelates have usurped a power peculiar to his sacred Majestie which is the first part of your charge How prove you that Marry say you because of sundry statutes as in King Henry the eight King Edward the sixt and Queene Elizabeths time which doe annex all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction unto the Crowne of England so as no Prelate or other person hath any power to visit Ecclesiasticall persons c. but he must have it immediatly from the King and confirmed by Letters Patents under the great Seale of England pag. 68. So farre the tenor of the Law if you tell us true or rather if your learned Counsell rightly informed Dr. Bastwicke in it from whose mouth you tooke it Now for the practise of our Prelates you tell us that they neither have at any time nor never sought to have any the Kings Letters patents under the great Seale of England for their keeping Courts and Visitations But doe all in their owne names and under their owne Seales contrary to the Law in that behalfe pag. 69. There be your Major and your Minor The conclusion followes So as being a power not derived from the King as the immediate fountaine of it it proves to bee at least a branch of that forreine power altogether excluded in the Statute 1. Eliz. c. 1. And it is flatly against the oath of supremacie in the same statute which all Prelates take wherein they professe and promise faith and true allegiance to the Queenes highnesse her heires and lawfull successors and to their power to defend all jurisdictions priviledges c. granted to the Queenes highnesse her heires c. p. 70.71 In fine you bring them all in a premunire leave them to the learned in the law of which if you were one or that your learned Counsell might sit Iudge to decide the controversie Lord have mercy upon them For answer hereunto wee would faine know of
the act it selfe to be invested in the Queene the said Episcopall authority remaining as it did and standing on the selfe same grounds as it had done formerly Which said the last part of the Argument touching the oath of supremacie taken and to be taken by every Bishop that 's already answered in the Premisses the said oath being onely framed for the abolishment of all forreine and extraordinary power not for the altering of the ordinary and domesticall jurisdiction if I so may call it in this Church established I hope the Prelates are now out of danger of the Premunire which you threatned them though you not out of danger of the Locrian law And if K. Edward the 6. helpe you not I know no remedie but that according to your owne conditions the executioner may be sent for to doe his office Now for K. Edward the 6. the case stood thus King Edward being a Minor about nine yeares old at his first comming to the crowne there was much heaving at the Church by some great men which were about him who purposed to inrich themselves with the spoyles thereof For the effecting of which purpose it was thought expedient to lessen the authoritie of those Bishops which were then in place and make all those that were to come the more obnoxious to the Court upon this ground there passed a statute 1 0 of this King consisting of two principall branches whereof the first tooke off all manner of elections and writs of Conge d'peslier formerly in use the other did if not take off yet very much abate the edge of Ecclesiasticall censures In the first branch it was enacted that from thenceforth no writ of Conge d' peslier be granted nor election of any Archbishop or Bishop by Deane and Chapter made but that the king may by his letters Patents at all times when any Arch-bishopricke or Bishopricke is voyde conferre the same on any whom the king shall thinke meete The second clause concerned the manner of proceeding from that time to be used in spirituall courts viz. that all summons Citations and other processe Ecclesiasticall in all suites and causes of instance and all causes of correction and all causes of bastardie or bigamie or de jure patronatus Probates of Testaments and Commissions of administrations of persons deceased c. be made with in the name and with the stile of the king as it is in writs Originall or Iudiciall at the Common Law c. As also that no manner of person or persons who hath the exercise of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction use other seale of jurisdiction but wherein his majesties Armes bee ingraven c. on penaltie of running in his Majesties displeasure and indignation and suffering imprisonment at his will and pleasure The reason of this order is thus delivered in the Preamble To the second branch viz. because that all authoritie of jurisdiction spirituall and temporall is derived and deducted from the kings Majestie as supreame head of these Churches and Realmes of England and Ireland c. and that all Courts Ecclesiasticall within the said two realmes bee kept by no other power or authoritie either forreine or within the Realme but by the authoritie of the kings most excellent Majestie Which Act with every branch and clause thereof was afterwards repealed 1 of Queene Marie cap. 2. and hath stood so repealed to this very time For howsoever you pretend and all your fellow libellers insist upon it that the said statute was revived in the first yeare of K. Iames of blessed memorie and therefore that you are yet safe from the Locrian law yet this pretence will little helpe you That their assertion or pretences if examined rightly will proove to be a very poore surmise invented onely by such boutefeus as you and your Accomplices to draw the Prelates into obloquy with the common people and make your Proselytes beleeve that they usurpe a power peculiar to his sacred Majestie it being positively delivered by my Lords the Iudges with an unanimous consent and so declared by my Lords chiefe Iustices in the Starre-chamber the 14 of May now last past that the sayd Act of Repeale 1 of Queene Mary doth still stand in force as unto that particular statute by you so much pressed your desperate clamours unto the contrary notwithstanding Nor doth there want good reason why the said Statute of K. Edward was at first repealed or why the said Repeale should bee still in force For being it was enacted in that Statute that from thenceforth all Ecclesiasticall processe should bee made in the kings name and stile not onely in all suites or causes of instance bastardy bigamie Probates of Testaments c. which have much in them of a civill or a mixt nature at the lest but in all causes of correction also it came to passe that excommunication and other censures of the Church which are spirituall meerely in no sort civill were therby either quite abolished or of none effect And it continued so all King Edwards reigne to the no small increase of vice because it nourished a presumption of impunitie in the vicious person This Father Latimer complaineth of in his sermon preached before that King at Westminster Anno 1550. thus Lecherie is used throughout England and such Lechery as is used in none other place of the world And yet it is made a matter of sport a matter of nothing a laughing matter and a trifle not to be passed on nor reformed c. Well I trust it will one day be amended c. And here I will make a suite to your highnesse to restore unto the Church the discipline of Christ in excommunicating such as be notable offenders nor never devise any other way For no man is able to devise any better way than that God hath done with excommunication to put them from the congregation till they bee confounded Therefore restore Christs discipline for excommunication And that shall be a meane both to pacifie Gods wrath and indignation and also that lesse abomination shall be used than in times past hath beene and is at this day I speake this of a Conscience and I meane to move it of a will to your Grace and your Realme Bring into the Church of England open discipline of Excommunication that open sinnes may be stricken withall So farre Father Latimer What thinke you sir of this See you not reason for it now why your sayd Statute was repealed and why the sayd repeale should continue still Put all that hath beene sayd together and I can see no hopes you have to scape the penaltie of the Law by your selfe proposed but that you cry peccavi and repent your follies So farre in answere to your Cavils for Arguments I cannot call them I have beene bold to justifie the proceedings of the Bishops in their Courts Episcopall wherein there is not any thing that they usurpe upon the King or that authoritie which is inseparably annexed to the Regall diademe For
and such as you the Innovators and Novatians of the present times complaine of other men for that very fault of which your selves are onely guilty Quis tulerit Gracchos But to goe with you point per point what Innovations have you to complaine of in point of doctrine Marry say you There was an order procured from King Iames of famous memory to the Universities that young Students should not reade our moderne learned writers as Calvin Beza and others of the reformed Churches but the Fathers and School-men p. 111. Quid hoc ad Ithycli boves What have the Bishops now alive to do with any act of King James his time or how can this direction of that learned Prince bee brought within the compasse of Innovations in point of doctrine Directions to young Students how to order and dispose their studies are no points of doctrine nor doe I finde it in the Articles of the Church of England that Calvin or Beza are 〈◊〉 bee preferred before Saint Austin or Aquinas But doe you know the reason of the said direction or if you do not will you learne Then I will tell you There was one Knight a young Divine that preached about that time at Saint Peters in Oxford and in his Sermon fell upon a dangerous point though such perhaps as you like well of viz. that the inferiour Magistrate had a lawfull power to order and correct the King if he did amisse using this speech of Trajans unto the Captaine of his Guard Accipe hunc gladium quem pro me si bene imperavero distringes sin minus contra me For this being called in question both in the University and before the King he layed the fault of all upon some late Divines of forraigne Churches who had misguided him in that point especially on Paraeus who in his Comment on the Romans had so stated it and in the which he found that saying of the Emperour Trajan On this confession Paraeus Comment on that Epistle was publickly and solemnly burnt at Oxford Cambridge and Saint Pauls Crosse London And shortly after came out that order of King James prohibiting young ungrounded Students to beginne their studies in Divinity with such books as those in whom there were such dangerous positions tending so manifestly to Anarchy and disobedience but that they should beginne with the holy Scriptures so descendendo to the Fathers and the School men and by degrees to those Divines you so much magnifie Whâ—â— hurt in this good sir but that it seemes you are possessed with your old feare that by this means the Kings may come to have an unlimited power and absolute obedience will be pressed more throughly on the subjects conscience Besides you cannot but well know that generally those divines of forraigne Churches are contrary in the point of discipline unto the Hierarchy and rites of the Church of England which some implicitely and some explicitely have opposed and quarrelled Which as it is the onely reason why you would have them studied in the first place that so young students might be seasoned with your Puritan principles so might it be another motive why by the Kings direction they should come in last that Students finding in the Fathers Councels and Ecclesiasticall historians what was the true and ancient kinde of governement in the Church of Christ might judge the better of the modernes when they came to reade them Nor was this any new direction neither it being ordered by the Canons of the yeere 1571. Cap. de Concionatoribus that nothing should bee preached unto the people but what was consonant unto the doctrine of the old and new Testament quodque ex illa ipsâ doctrina Catholici Patres veteres Episcopi collegerint and had beene thence collected by the Orthodox Fathers and ancient Bishops As for your dealing with the Fathers of whom you say as Virgil said of Ennius that they which reade them must margaritas e Coeno legere gather pearles out of the mud p. 112. that's but a tast of your good manners Nor would you slight them so I take it but that the most of them were Bishops But whatsoever you thinke of them a wiser man then you hath told us qui omnem Patribus adimit authoritatem nullam relinquet sibi Your second Innovation in point of doctrine is so like the first that one would sweare they were of one mans observation and that is the procuring of another order in King James his naâ—â— inhibiting young Ministers to preach of the doctrines of election and reprobation and that none but Bishops and Deanes should handle those points Good Sir what hurt in this Are those deepe mysteries of Gods secret Counsailes fit argument for young unexperienced Preachers wherein calores juveniles excercere to trie their manhood and give the first assay of their abilities or call you this an Innovacion in point of doctrine when as for ought you have to say the doctrine in those points continued as before it did onely the handling of the same was limited and restrained to graver heads The like complaint you make of his Majesties Declaration before the Articles by meanes whereof you say the doctrins of the Gospell must bee for ever husht and laied asleepe p. 114. what Sir are all the doctrines of the Gospel husht and laied asleepe because you are inhibited to preach of predestination and that not absolutely neither but that you may not wrest the Article in that point as you were accustomed This was the Devills plea to Eve and from him you learnt it that God had said to our first father hee should not eate of every or any tree in the Garden of Eden whereas he was restrained onely from the tree of knowledge of good and evill But hereof wee have spoke alreadie and referre you thither Hitherto also you reduce the publishing of certaine bookes most of the which were either answer'd or called in and therefore you have little reason to except against them My Lord of Chichesters appeale was as you say called 〈◊〉 by our gracious Soveraigne and had not other men free leave to print and publish a discourse in answere to it The Historicall narration you disliked and that was called in too to please you If Doctor Jacksons bookes were as you falsly tell us to maintaine Arminianisme I doubt not but you have in keeping a booke invisible to any but to such as you said to bee writ by Doctor Twisse as much against his person as against his argument For Doctor Cosens Private Devotions that still lieth heavy on your komacke as not yet digested though both your selfe and your learned Counsell disgorged your selves upon him in a furious manner Brownes prayer before his Sermon if you are agrieved at you may finde the verie clause verbatim in King Edwards first liturgie Anno 1549. which in that verie act of Parliament wherein the second was confirmed is said to bee a very Godly order agreeable to the word of God and
it then by a difficulty of obtaining Prohibitions from the Common Law And it is never more likely to be effected then when your selfe sit chiefe in your longed for Consistory with your Lay-elders round about you Then Kings and Queenes and whatsoever is called God must cast themselves before your foote-stoole as you your selves have told us in your publicke writings And as for businesse the Lawyers howsoever you count them now will have too little to maintaine them For this is reckoned by your Brethren amongst the excellencies of your discipline both for the wealth of the Realme and quiet of the subjects that thy Church is to censure those who are apparentle troublesome and contentious and without reasonable cause which you meane to judge of upon a meere will and stomacke doe vex and molest their brother and trouble the Country Where will your Civill government be then and who shall send out Prohibitions when that comes to passe CHAP. VII The foure last Innovations charged upon the Bishops examined severally and confuted The Alterations said to be in the Common Prayer-book Father of thine Elect and of their seede left out and why Of bowing in the name of Iesus The alterations said to be in the booke of Prayer for the fifth of November Prayers intended first against Recusants aswell appliable to the Puritans as some Lawes and Statutes The religion of and in the Church of Rome whether it may be said to be Rebellion and how the Prelates are chalenged in that respect The Arguments produced by H. B. to prove that the Religion of the Ch. of Rome is rebellion are either false or may be turned upon himselfe Of alterations in the Fast-booke The Letany of K. Edward altered because it gave offense and scandall to those which were affected to the Ch. of Rome Some prayers omitted in the Fast-booke and the reason why The Lady Eliz and her Children why left out in the present Collect. IN nova fert animus Your minde is still upon your Metamorphosis more changes yet and the next head of changes is altering the formēs of prayer particularly the booke of Common prayer that for the fifth of November and lastly that for the fast set forth by his Majesties appointment An. 1636. And first you say in the Communion booke set forth by Parliament and commanded to be read without any alteration and none other they have altered sundrie things p. 130. Ho there Who told you that the Common-prayer-booke was set forth by Parliament Thinke you the Knights and Burgesses of the house of Commons were busied in those times in making or in mending Prayer-bookes The Statute 2. 3. Edw. 6. c. 1. will tell you that the Common prayer booke was set forth in that very word by the Archbp. of Cant. and certaine of the most learned and discreete Bishops and other learned men of this Realme and being so set forth was by authority of Parliament confirmed and ratified as it related to the Subject Which course was after taken in the review of the said booke both in the fift and sixt of King Edward the sixt and in the first of Queene Elizabeth Being set forth then by the Clergie it was as you informe us commanded to be read without any alteration that was indeed done by authority of Parliament Doe you observe that ordinance do not you alter it and chop and change it every day at lest if you vouchsafe to reade it as perhaps you doe not And if it must be read without any alteration and none other why doe you quarrell at the reading of the second Service at the Communion Table before and after Sermon being there so ordered or use another forme of prayer then is there appointed Remember what you tell us here for you and I must talke about it in the next generall change Meane time what are the sundry things which you say are altered in the booke set forth by Parliament You tell us but of two and you talke of sundry How shall I credit you hereafter if you palter thus in the beginning But for those two what are they I beseech you Marry you say that in the Collect for the Queene and the Royall Progenie they have put out Father of thine elect and of their seede as it were excluding the King Queene and Seede Royall out of the number of Gods elect p. 130. This you have told us of in your Epistle to the King and in your Apologie and the Newes from Ipswich The Queene is more beholding to you then I thought shee had beene you take such speciall care for her Election But Sir a word before we part Who told you that this Collect was set forth with the booke allowed by Parliament I trow King Edward the sixt and Queene Elizabeth had no royall progenie so that this Collect could not bee then in Esse when the booke was made The first time it was made and used was at the happie entrance of King Iames on this Realme of England neither set forth nor ratified by any Parliament that hath beene since Now King Iames had at his first comming hither a royall seede but when his Majestie the King came unto the crowne he was then unmarried and after he was married had not children presently you know well enough Would you have had the collect passe as it did before Father of thine elect and of their seed when as the king whom you must needs meane by Elect in that place and prayer had no seede at all I hope you see your folly now your most zealous folly which made you in the Newes from Ipswich on the recitall of this supposed alteration to crye out O intollerable impietie affront and horred treason Most bravely clamoured The other alteration which you charge them with is that in all the common prayer bookes printed since the yeare 1619. in the Epistle for the Sunday before Easter they have turned in the Name of Iesus to at the name of Iesus to countenance as you say their forced bowing to the name of Iesus you are still for to it Such change there is indeede but yet no alteration from the booke or text The Bishops Bible as they call it out of the which the Epistles and Gospells were first taken readeth at the name and so doth Bishop Iewell too citing this very text in the place and passage noted to you in the last Chapter And if you looke into the Bible of the last translation you finde that it is therein also at the name of Iesus so that you have no reason to repine at this which is a restitution onely of the proper reading and no change at all The second booke which they have altered as you say is that appointed to bee read on the fifth day of November published by authority of Parliament p. 131. set forth by act of Parliament p. 41. in the Margent ordered by Parliament in the second p. of your apologie ordered set forth and published