Liturgy and Her Ecclesiastical Constitutions Her Avouched Doctrine is declared in the 39 Articles From the Doctrine of the Church in the Articles and Homilies and the Book of Homilies set forth by Authority exactly consonant to them These she acknowledgeth next to the Scriptures as the Measure of her Faith and the Rule for her Practice And because they are no Novel Inventions nor the Products of any particular brain but the first agreed upon by the whole Convocation the Clergies Representative and the Other compiled by able Persons appointed to that employment we see they are of age and shall speak Aâ—t 37. for themselves The Queens Majesty so it was 1562. now the Kings hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and other Her His Majesties Dominions unto whom the Government of All Estates in this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in All Causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any forreign Jurisdiction Thus much declared in general terms the Explanation follows presently after Where we attribute to the Queens Kings Majesty the Chief Government we understand that only Prerogative which we see to have been given alwayes to all godly Princes in Holy Scripture by God himself i. e. that they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their charge whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword the stubborn and evil doers Then is there particularly added The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England Upon which passage a motion was made in the Hampton-Court Conference for inserting Nor ought to have but King James in his wisdom rejected it with this answer habemus jure quod habemus intimating that the Actual asserting that Priviledge argued a legal title to it And it may be worth your observation that the Title-page of the Articles tells you they were agreed upon for avoiding diversities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion What these speak more concisely the Homilies teach more fully I refer you to the six Sermons against Rebellion proving the greatness of that sin from Scripture and the remarkable Examples of Gods vengeance upon persons guilty of it and proceeding in a method of close and strong arguing so that the perusal of them will be a good improvement of your time and pains Onely towards the latter end of one there is this Exhortation which I could not well omit Let us as the Children of Obedience fear the dreadful 〈◊〉 3. Execution of God and live in quiet obedience to be the Children of Everlasting Salvation For as Heaven is the place of good obedient Subjects and Hell the Prison and Dungeon of Rebels against God and their Prince so is that Realm happy where most obedience of Subjects doth appear being the very figure of Heaven and contrariwise where most Rebellions and Rebels be there is the express similitude of Hell and the Rebels themselves are the very sigures of Fiends and Devils and their Captain the ungrateful Pattern of Lucifer and Satan the Prince of darkness With an exact agreement to this Doctrine is her From â—he Liturgy Liturgy composed And because according to the Apostles Exhortation first of all as a duty never to be neglected supplications and prayers and intercessions 1 Tim 2. 12. and giving of thanks are to be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority there are none of Her Services of daily or weekly use wherein her Prince is not particularly remembred and the Almighty Protection of Heaven earnestly desired to be his continual defence Nay all the blessings in the world but especially what concern his Place and Station are the matter of his Subjects prayers a a Second Prayer before the Communiâ—n and the Prayer for the Church Mâ—litanâ— That He may be instructed for Government b b Versicle after the Câ—â—ed Preserved in His Person c c Dâ—iâ—y Prayer Replenished with Heavenly Graces d d Liâ—any Service Prove victorious over his Enemies And as Two of these fall within the compass of Her constant Morning and Evening Devotions so a Third is added three times in the week and all of them used every Sunday and Holiday A piece of duty which with some instead of a just applause hath met with severe censures and been cavelled at like Maries Box of oyntment by Judas To what purpose was this Matt. 26. 8. waste a thing whereof our blessed Martyr took especial notice as a reason why so many Zealots of the times were eagerly bent against the Publick Service One of the greatest faults some men found with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Prayer Book I believe was This that it taught them to pray so oft for me to which Petitions they had not loyalty enough to say Amen Not doth the Church onely teach us to pray for the King but to do it with an acknowledgment of His Soveraign Authority and subjection to none but God himself whom therefore she stiles The only Ruler of Princes To all this may be added that in some of those Prayers made for Him we are also enjoyned to implore Gods mercy for the keeping his People in their Allegeance that they may obey him as the Almighties Vicegerent a a First Prayer before the Commuâ—ion That we and all his subjects duly considering whose authority he hath may faithfully serve honour and humbly obey him in Thee and for Thee In a word our Prayers for their fulness loyalty seem excellently framed after the Pattern of the Primitive Church as owned by Tertullian b b Precati sumus semper pro omnibus Imperatoribus vitam illis prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus forâ—es senatum fidelem orbem quiecuâ— quaecunque hominis Caesaris vota sunt Tertul. Apolog. cap 30 We pray at all times for all Emperors that they may have Long Life a Secure Empire a Safe Palace Valiant Armies a Faithful Senate an Honest People a Quiet World and whatsoever each of them can desire either as a Man or a Prince Pass we now from her Liturgy to her Ecclesiastical From the Canons of the Church Constitutions agreed upon in a full Convocation 1603 and then ratified by Royal Authority where the first thing determined is this very Particular All Ecclesiastical Can. 1 persons having cure of Souls shall to the uttermost of their Wit Knowledge and Learning purely and sincerely Teach Manifest Open and Declare four times a year at the least in their Sermons That the Kings Power within his Realms is the highest Power under God to whom all men do by Gods Law owe most Loyalty and Obedience Afore and Above all other Power and Potentates in the Earth Now certainly if the Incumbents are obliged thus to Preach it is an argument this is the received Doctrine of the Church and the design of this Duty imposed
being at that time and upon that very Errand sent from Rome into England under several Disguises some pretending to be Gentlemen some Merchants c. And so extremely incensed they were at the King for not granting them A Toleration of Religion which they verily expected and by declaring that expectation made the ordinary people of this Kingdom fear it and by their fearing it to express their Discontents at the Apprehensions of it the greatest occasion of so much Bloudshed for many years after so incensed I say they were that in the Cabal at Rome it was resolved since the King of England would not favour their Profession they would disturb his Peace and endeavour the Ruine both of himself and his Kingdoms And however for the more effectual managing their business they did in outward appearance side with the Royal Interest yet when their Ends were obteined they openly acknowledged how All Affairs had passed through their hands and were carried on by their Contrivance That grave Seignior delivered it ex Cathedrâ when News of his Majesties Death reached Roan The King of England saith Dr. Moulin's Vindication of the Protestaâ—t Religion p 58. he at his Marriage had promised us the Re-establishing the Catholic Religion No wonder that a Lie drops from a Jesuites mouth and when he delayed to fulfil his Promise we summoned him from time to time to perform it We came so far as to tell him that if he would not do it we should be forced to take those Courses which would bring him to his Destruction We have given him lawful warning and when no warning would serve we have kept our word to him since he would not keep his word to us Another Piece of Service wherein they were mainly employed was the Vnhinging our Government not only in the State but in the Church bringing the Episcopal Order into Contempt and raising a Scandal upon the Public Liturgy For they were so well read in Politics as without much study to divine that when a Multitude is once left at Liberty without any Coercive Power to keep Order when the ordinary sort have no prescribed Rules for their Devotions nor the Articles of their Christian Faith by frequent Repetitions riveted in their memory they mey easily be perverted by the crafty Insinuations of cunning Seducers and having no Platform of Religion that is good be quickly drawn to embrace one that is bad To this purpose let me give you the following Story from a very Reverend Prelate lately deceased of a Gentleman who Bishop Nicolson's Apology Part 3. Sect. 2. p. 154 being reconciled to Rome by one Meredith an antient and learned Jesuite though afterwards turning Protestant and proffering to avouch the Truth of this Relation upon Oath This Meredith told him that in England they had been long and industrious about their work of Conversion but it went on slowly and so would till they took a wiser course Two things there were must be done before they should bring their business to a full effect They must first find a way to remove the Bishops and Ministers in whose room they must bring it so about All should have Liberty to Preach Then secondly they must get down the Common-Prayer Book and suffer every man to use what Prayer he list Now if these were not the main things stickled about in the beginning of the Troubles All the Books of that time besides some of our own Observations do very much deceive us So that the Presbyterian was but the Jesuites Agent and did that work for him which he could not do for himself Well when the War had continued some time and the Independent Faction began Dr. Moulin's Vindic. p. 60. to prevail then the Romish Emissaries crept into that Part of the Army about thirty of them being met by a Protestant Gentleman between Roan and Diep who professed their Design was to be Agitators There they struck in with those bloudy Villains in that unparallel'd piece of Wickedness The Murder of King Charles A Reverend Person still alive hath proffered to justifie D. Moulin p. 59. whensoever Authority shall require it that the year before the Death of our Royal Martyr a select Number of English Jesuites were sent from their whole Party in England first to Paris to consult with the Faculty of Sorbonne to whom they put this Question in Writing That seeing the State of England was in a likely posture to change Government whether it was lawful for the Catholics to work that Change for the Advancing and Securing the Catholic Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his Heresie And it was answered Affirmatively This very Question was afterwards debated at Rome where both Pope and Council declared it not only Lawful but Expedient for the Men of their Religion to promote that Alteration of State And though when all people cried out of that Hellish Act whereupon a Command was given for all the Papers concerning that Subject to be gathered together and burnt yet one Gentleman in Paris kept his shewed it to a Protestant Friend and with a great Abhorrency related the whole Carriage of that Negotiation If you be not yet satisfied in the Loyalty of the Papists you shall have a few more Discoveries Was it not a fair Argument of great Affection to the King to be present at his Murder with a great many Demonstrations of Joy Yet there are several Persons who could name you the Priest and whose Confessor he was who when he saw that Royal Head struck off Flourished with his Sword for he mounted the Scaffold in the Habit of a Soldier with words to this purpose This Blow hath dispatched the greatest Enemy we had in the world Mr Prynne I think was the first Publisher of this Story and if there be occasion it will quickly be verified In the mean while do but reflect upon the sad condition of that Blessed Prince The Sectaries branded and rebelled against him for Endeavours to introduce Popery and the Romanists brought him to the Block as the greatest Opposer of Popery in the World There are some more Stories of this nature which you may read and worth the reading they be in that excellent Book of Dr. Moulin's Two parts of my charge are by this time plainly proved the Third will not require much Trouble How finely did they afterwards wheadle the Rump-Parliament promising what dutiful Subjects they would be to that usurped Power in case they might but enjoy their Liberty bitterly inveighing against the Severities exercised upon them in the Kings time If the Rigour of the Laws were qualified Christian Moderator part 1. pag. 16. to a Temper of Mercy that the Catholics might enjoy but half the Liberties to which they were born they would be the most quiet and useful Subjects of England since their (1) (1) Reconcile this with the former Relations Religion obligeth them to obey the lawful Commands
than Christians What King would be a Christian where his People shall obey or not obey according to the Popes Beck and Command And now according to our former Method let us IV. From the practices of the Romanists pass from their Principles to their Practices which have in all both Places and Ages been exceedingly troublesome tending to the disturbance of each Kingdoms Tranquility and the injury of so many Kings as either they could or had occasion to deal with Not to stir out of our own Nation nor run so far back as King John who was miserably vexed with an Imperious Legate proudly keeping the Crown in his possession four dayes after it was tendred him by laying it at his feet and as many Authors report afterwards poisoned by Simon a Monk of Swinsted Abbey I would only desire you to reflect upon what hath happened since the Reformation When that incomparable Queen Elizabeth began to reign Pius the Fourth sent a gentle admonitory Letter to perswade her into an Agreement with the Romish Church and an invitation to send her Clerks to the Council of Trent an Assembly so packed and the Affairs of it so managed that no good issue could ever be expected from it but these not working the effects he desired that holy Father proceeds to his severities Out comes a Bull of Excommunication long threatned wherein by the Papal Authority she is deprived of all her Dominion and Dignity Her Nobles Subjects and People throughout the Kingdom are absolved from whatsoever Oath of fidelity they had taken so as it should not lay any Obligation upon them But to make all sure The Subjects of her Kingdom are severely interdicted from paying Any Obedience to Her Her Lawes or Commands and whosoever should fail in the due observance of these Injunctions must look to be fettered in the same Dreadful Anathema with her self This was no sooner come out and no sooner did it come then Felton an audacious fellow fastned it upon the Bishop of London's Palace Gates but one after another fell busily to work creating the Queen a great deal of vexatious trouble Abroad the Pope and King of Spain were very busie the former desirous to make England a Portion for his Nephew the Marquis Vincolo the latter to make it an Addittament to his own large Dominions At home Parsons and Campian talked loudly and wrote seditiously Somervile threatens to kill the Queen with his own hand Parry undertakes as much being encouraged with the Promise of a Plenary Indulgence from the Pope Savage with whom Babington joyned was drawn into a Treason by Giffords Doctrin who taught it was a meritorious work to destroy Her being a Prince already excommunicated By these means used to some and the promise of Gratuities to others were Lopez and York and Williams all of them cajoled and Squire afterwards who practised more cunningly to kill the Queen by poisoning the pommel of her Saddle How active the men of this perswasion were in the Spanish Invasion every Chronicle will tell you But lest they should pretend That Business was only managed by Foreigners or Renegadoes it is certain they cannot so easily acquit themselves of that horrible Gun-powder Plot for the utter destroying King Lords and Commons in Parliament the Alteration of Religion and Subversion of the Government a piece of wickedness so detestable as nothing before that time could ever match it and which when once effected as no doubt was made but the design would take the whole blame should be laid upon the Puritans The particulars are to be found almost every where Now when upon such disloyal practices the Parliament did more strictly urge the Oath of Allegeance Pope Paul the Fifth sent his Admonitory into England advising all his dutiful Children that they should diligently beware of that and all such kind of Oaths that they were not at all to be regarded concluding with this phrase Haec est mera pura integraque voluntas nostra This is our plain and direct will and pleasure Herein also he was followed by his Successor Vrban VIII at the beginning of King Charles his Reign Adhaereat faucibus vestris lingua vestra priusquam Authoritatem Beati Petri ea jurisjurandi formula imminutam detis Let your tongues cleave to the roof of your mouths before you diminish the Authority of the Apostolick Sea by submitting to such an Oath Hence you may follow these good Subjects to the Irish Rebellion and there behold their so much boasted loyalty in the slaughter of many thousands and turning that Kingdom into an Aceldama Men Women and Children murdered with an unparallell'd cruelty in a months time to a prodigious number the same fate awaiting all the Protestants and English who should refuse to joyn with them A sad beginner of our unhappy Troubles at home Well but notwithstanding all that hath been said The Papists Plea of loyalty in the late times the Papists have one Plea for themselves and all objections against them are presently answered with their Loyalty to King Charles the First in his distresses and the hazards they run both of life and fortune to defend his Interest This I confess Sir seems very plausible at first sight Answered and I really believe hath had a greater influence upon you than all the Arguments they have mustered up to gain you their Proselyte It is possible you will think me strangely disposed whilest with one breath I both Acquit and Accuse Commend and Condemn them in this particular That there were a great many noble brave loyal spirits of the Romish Perswasion who did with the greatest integrity and without any other designs than the satisfying conscience adventure their lives in the War and leave their bodies in the field for the Kings service is a Truth beyond all question and that several if not All of these were men of such generous souls that the greatest temptations in the world could not have perverted or made them desert their King in the height of his miseries but we know there is no arguing from Particulars nor did their Religion as Romish oblige them to this duty since it hath in part and will every day more appear to the world that the Grandees of that Church had the greatest hand in our intestine broils were the main Contrivers of the Kings death and after his Head was cut off did caress that Piece of a Parliament which then had usurped the supreme power with all the flatteries which a Jesuitical Cunning could possibly invent Heavy charges indeed but soon prov'd the Truth of them is but too evident and then Sir be your own Judge whether these Persons were the Kings Friends or no. That they had the greatest hand in our intestine Broils and were mainly instrumental to cherish the Vnnatural Rebellion which broke forth among us appears by their constant endeavours to create Jealousies in the Peoples minds against the King and his Ministers of State Scores of active persons
of their Superiors not only for Fear but Conscience Nor did ever the very worst of them stir in any Sedition when they were admitted but to half the Rights of English-men Nor were they many that ever attempted their own Relief by Endangering their Countries Peace all the rest sitting Quietly and Patiently under the Burdens which the heavy Hand of those Times continually heaped upon them When Cromwel had engrossed all into his own hands then comes out a Book called The Grounds of Obedience and Government full fraught with the most pernicious Principles that can be devised against the Interest of our Sovereign then in Exile and for the Encouragement of that Tyranny the rebellious Party had introduced much like another Entituled The Holy Common-wealth though written by a Person of a different Persuasion from the former And had both those Books been burnt by the common Hangman the Kingdom had susteined no great Loss Then who but Oliver because he was in possession and it was for the Common Good to submit unto him Nay the very dispossessed Prince was obliged to renounce all Claim to his Government else he would make himself worse than an Infidel Here was excellent Doctrin for Loyal Subjects to disperse among the infatuated Rabble and what could the Design of it be but to make them stark mad who were but too mad before It will perhaps be pretended that these were onely the Miscarriages of some particular persons but why then were not those persons discouraged by the rest of their own Party why were not their Writings protested against and Themselves Censured by their Superiors Had this course been been taken the Church of Rome had proceeded fairly to her vindication and we neither should nor in reason could have blamed her But there is not the least ground to believe such a thing was ever attempted considering how serviceable those destructive Positions were in that juncture of time to their grand Interest And now to dismiss you from your trouble for a The Conclusiâ—n conclusion of the whole I appeal to your own serious thoughts whether it be not the Honor and Happiness of all the People of England that they profess so excellent a Religion which secures the King in his Throne and teacheth his People a consciencious Obedience to his Commands Which instructs them so clearly in their Allegeance and renders them inexcusable if at any time they deviate from it Which in the greatest extremities allows them no other weapons against their Sovereign but those of the Primitive Church Prayers and Tears Which discourageth Rebellion though upon never such plausible pretences and in case of miscarriages by Him who sits upon the Throne looks upon him as unaccountable to any Earthly Power and leaves him to the Judgment of that God who alone hath an absolute Authority over Him Nor will it only appear the Subjects Happiness to be Educated in it but the Princes Concern to Defend this Religion and encourage all the faithful Adherers to it We obey out of a Principle of Piety not out of any particular Interest and discharge all our Duties to the King in compliance with his Command By whom Kings reign Which makes me very confident that though we are now fallen to a low Ebb he will bring us to High-water again and This Church thus firmly established upon the Principles of Religion and Loyalty will be so far The Object of Gods particular Care that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it that our Lord the King who is wise according to the wisedom of an Angel of God will be a Nursing-Father to the true Protestant Profession among us as the surest support of his Honour and Dignity Let thine Hand therefore O God be upon that Psal 80. 18. Man of thy right hand and that Son of Man of that Blessed Prince that Royal Martyr that Prodigious Example of Piety and Patience whom maugre the spite of his Enemies thou hast now made strong for thy self You see Sir how freely I have discovered my Thoughts concerning our last Discourse What Satisfaction you may reap from them depends upon the Almighties Blessing Only I assure you with all faithfulness they convince me of the Reasonableness Goodness and Divinity of my Religion and furnish me with Grounds of unexpressible Gratitude to God for my Birth and Education in the Church of England out of whose Arms I hope the Cunning Devices of Jesuitical Impostors shall never be able to snatch you to the endangering your Souls Eternal Happiness or the robbing your Sovereign of so good a Subject as your Quality and Faculties capacitate you to be And if these Papers may be in the least Instrumental to keep you stedfast in our Holy Communion I shall infinitely rejoyce at so fair an Occasion of manifesting my self SIR Your very faithful Servant FINIS