there is betwixt vs and you How many hundred errors how many damnable heresies haue we euinced with you in that so compounded Church shew vs but one mis-opinion in our Church that you can proue within the ken of the foundation Counterp p. 171. Let not zeale make you impudent Your Doctor could say ingenuously sure that in the Doctrines which she professeth she is far better and purer than the Whore Mother of Rome and your last Martyr yet better If you meane saith he by a Church as the most doe that publike profession whereby men doe professe saluation to be had by the death and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ I am free from denying any Church of Christ to be in this Land 1. Penry Exam. before M Fanshaw and Iust Young Fr. Iun. l. de Eccles M. Hooker Eccles pol. Du Plesses l. de Eccl. Iacob Armin. disput D Reynolds Thess D. Feild of the Church Reuel 3. 2. for I know the doctrine touching the holy Trinity the natures and offices of the Lord Iesus free iustification by him both the Sacraments c. published by her Maiesties authority and commanded by her lawes to bee the Lords blessed and vndoubted Truths without the knowledge and profession whereof no saluation is to be had Thus hee with some honesty though little sense If therefore your will doe not stand in your light you may well see why we should thus forsake their Communion and yet not you ours Yet though their corruptions be incomparably more we haue not dared to separate so farre from them as you haue done from vs for lesse Still we hold them euen a visible Church but vnsound sicke dying sicke not of a consumption onely but of a leprosie or plague so is the Papacie to the Church diseases not more deadly than infectious If they be not rather in Sardies taking of whom the spirit of God saith thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead and yet in the next words bids them awake and strengthen the things which are ready to die And though our iudgement and practise haue forsaken their erronious doctrines and seruice yet our charity if you take that former distinction hath not vtterly forsaken and condemned their persons This is not our coolenesse but equality your reprobation of vs for them hath not more zeale than headstrong vncharitablenesse SEP And were not Luther Zuinglius Cranmer Latimer and the rest begot to the Lord in the Wombe of the Romish Church did they not receiue the knowledge of his truth when they stood actuall members of it whom notwithstanding afterwards they forsooke and that iustly for her fornication SECTION XXIV BVT how could you without blushing once name Cranmer Latimer The separation made by our holy Martyrs and those other holy Martyrs which haue beene so oft obiected to the conuiction of your Schisme Those Saints so forsooke the Romish Church as we haue done died witnesses of Gods Truth in that Church from which you are separated liued preached gouerned shed their bloud in the communion of the Church of England which you disclaime and condemne as no Church of God as meerely Antichristian Either of necessity they were no Martyrs yea no Christians or else your Separations and Censures of vs are wicked Chuse whether you will They were in the same case with vs we are in the same case with them no difference but in the time either their bloud will be vpon your heads or your owne this Church had then the same constitution the same confusion the same worship the same Ministerie the same gouernment which you brand with Antichristianisme swayed by the holy hands of these men of God condemne them or allow vs. For their Separation They found many maine errors of doctrine in the Church of Rome in the Papacie nothing but errors worth dying for shew vs one such in ours and we will not only approue your Separation but imitate it SEP But here in the name of the Church of England you wash your hands of all Babylonish abominations which you pretend you haue forsaken and her for them And in this regard you speake thus The Reformation you haue made of the many and maine corruptions of the Romish Church we doe ingenuously acknowledge and doe withall imbrace with you all the truths which to our knowledge you haue receiued instead of them But Rome was not built all in a day The mysterie of iniquitie did aduance it selfe by degrees and as the rise was so must the fall be That Man of Sinne and Lawlesse man must languish and die away of a consumption 2 Thess 2.8 And what though many of the highest Towers of Babel and of the strongest Pillars also beâ— demolished and pulled downe yet may the building stand still though tottering to and fro as it doth and onely vnderpropped and vpheld with the shoulder and arme of flesh without which in a very moment it would fall flat vpon and lie leuell with the earth SECTION XXV THE Church of England doth not now wash her hands of Babylonish abominations but rather shewes they are cleane What separation England hath made Would God they were no more foule with your slander than her owne Antichristianisme Here will be found not pretences but proofes of our forsaking Babylon of your forsaking vs not so much as well-coloured pretences You begin to be ingenuous while you confesse a reformation in the Church of England not of some corruptions but many and those many not slight but maine The gifts of Aduersaries are thanklesse As Ierome said of his Ruffinus so may wee of you that you wrong vs with praises This is no more praise than your next page giues to Antichrist himselfe Leaue out many and though your commendations bee more vncertaine we shall accept it so your indefinite proposition shall sound to vs as generall That wee haue reformed the maine corruptions of the Romish Church None therefore remaine vpon vs but slight and superficiall blemishes So you haue forsaken a Church of foule skin but of a sound heart for want of beautie not of truth But you say many not All that if you can picke a quarrell with one you might reiect all yet shew vs that one maine and substantiall error which wee haue not reformed and you doe not more embrace those truths with vs which we haue receiued than wee will condemne that falshood which you haue reiected and embrace the truth of that Separation which you haue practised The degrees whereby that strumpet of Babylon got on Horse-backe you haue learned of vs who haue both learned and taught that as Christ came not abruptly into the world but with many presages and prefigurations The day was long dawning ere this Sunne arose so his aduersarie that Antichrist breaks not suddenly vpon the Church but comes with much preparation and long expectance and as his rise so his fall must be graduall and leisurely Why say you then that the whole Church euery
Father Let vs not number but weigh your texts The rather for that I finde these as your Master-proofes set as Challengers in euery of your defences In Genes 4.13 CAIN a bloudy Fratricide is excommunicated In Genes 6.1 2. The sonnes of God married the daughters of men In Genes 7.1 7. NOAHS time is approued as righteous and enters the Arke In 1 Pet. 3.20 21. The rest in NOAHS time were disobedient and perished What of all this Alas what mockage is this of the Reader and Scriptures Surely you euen ioyne Scriptures as you separate your selues This is right as your Pastor to proue all members of the visible Church elect and precious stones cites 1 King 7.9 where is speech onely of Salomons house in the Forrest of Lebanon his Porch for his Throne his Hall his Palace for Pharaohs daughter and when he comes to describe the office of his imaginarie Doctor thwacks fourteene Scriptures into the margent whereof not any one hath any iust colour of inference to his purpose and in this discourse of the power of the Church that he might seeme to honour his margent with shew of texts hath repeated six places twice ouer in the space of six lines For these of yours you might obiect the first to the Cainites not to vs Cain was cast out worthily Doe we either denie or vtterly forbeare this censure Take heed you follow him not in your voluntarie exile to the land of Nod. The second you might obiect to those mungrell Christians that match with Turkes and Pagans There are sonnes of God that is members of the visible Church and daughters of men which are without the bounds meere Infidels it is sinne for those sonnes to yoke themselues with those daughters What is this to vs Noah was righteous the multitude disobedient Who denies it yet Noah separated not from the corrupted Church till the floud separated him from the earth but continued an ancient Preacher of righteousnesse euen to that peruerse and rebellious Generation But it sufficeth you that Cain and the Giants were separated from the rest We yeeld it what will follow hence saue onely that notorious Malefactors must bee cast out and professed Heathen not let into the Church We hold and wish no lesse your places euince no more These before the Law In Leuit. 20.24.26 God chose our Israel from other people This was Gods act not theirs a sequestring of his Israelites from the Gentiles not of Israel from it selfe yours is your owne and from men in all maine points of your owne profession But therefore Israel must be holy If any man denie holinesse to be required of euery Christian let him feele your Maranatha In Nehem. 9.2 The Israelites separated themselues from the strangers which were Infidels whether in their marriage or deuotion Neither Gods seruice nor an Israelites bed was for Heathens This was not the constituting of a new Church but reforming of the old If therefore you can parallel vs with Pagans and your selues will be Iewes this place fits you Lastly what if there be an hatred betwixt the World and Christs true Disciples Ioh. 17.14.16 what if PETER charged his Auditors to saue themselues from the errors and practise of that froward Generation whose hands were yet freshly imbrewed with the bloud of Christ Act. 2.40 What if the same which PETER taught PAVL practised in separating his followers from hearing some obstinate and blasphemous Iewes Act. 19.9 What if the Church of Corinth were Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 and therefore must be separated from the yoke of Infidels 2.6.17 Are these your patternes Are these fit matches for your brethren baptized in the same water and name professing euery point of the same true faith vsing for substance the same worship with you He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse 1 Ioh. 2.9 SEP Which separation the Church of England neither hath made nor doth make but stands actually one with all that part of the World within the Kingdome without separation for which cause amongst others we haue chosen by the grace of God rather to separate our selues to the Lord from it than with it from him in the visible constitution of it SECTION VI. BVT all these examples perhaps are not so much to warrant what you haue done What separation is to bee made by churches in their planting or restauration In his Preface to the Reader and in his causes of separation defended pag. 4. Eiusdem p. 10. Refutat of M. Gyff p. 22. 2. Transgress p. 51. 52. 55. 66. 70. 85. 86. c. Inconstance of Browne p. 110. Inquiry into M White confessed by Fr. Iohnson pag. 63. Passage twixt Clifton and Smith And concerning the constitution of the Churches c. But the constituting of Churches now after the defection of Antichrist may more properly be called a repairing than a constitution c. as to condemne the Church of England for what shee hath not done for such a separation shee neither hath made nor doth make but stands actually one with all that part of the World within the Kingdome without separation Loe here the maine ground of this Schisme which your Proto-Martyr BARROVV hammers vpon in euery page an ill constitution Thus hee comments vpon your words For where such prophane confuse multitudes without any exception separation or choice were all of them from publike Idolatry at one instant receiued or rather compelled to bee members of the Church in some Parish or other where they inhabited without any due calling to the faith by the preaching of the Gospel going before or orderly ioyning together in the faith there being no voluntarie or particular confession of their owne faith and duties made or required of any and lastly no holy walking in the faith amongst them who can say that these Churches consisting of this people were euer rightly gathered or built according to the rule of Christs Testament In his words and yours I finde both a miscollection and a wrong charge For the former the want of noting one poore distinction breeds all this confusion of Doctrine and separation of men for there is one case of a new Church to be called from Heathenisme to Christianitie another of a former Church to be reformed from errors to more sincere Christianitie In the first of these is required indeed a solemne initiation by Baptisme and before that a voluntarie and particular confession of faith and therefore a cleare separation and exception of the Christian from the Infidell In the latter neither is new Baptisme lawfull though some of you belike of old were in hand with a rebaptization which not then speeding succeedeth now to your shame nor a new voluntarie and particular confession of Faith besides that in Baptisme though very commendable will euer be proued simply necessarie to the being of a Church so long as the erring parties doe actually renounce their doctrines and in open profession
where must at once vtterly fall off from that Church where that Man of Sinne sitteth His fall depends on the fall of others or rather their rising from vnder him If neither of these must be sudden why is your haste But this must not be yet ought as there must be heresies yet there ought not It is one thing what God hath secretly decreed another what must be desired of vs If we could pull that Harlot from her seat and put her to Iesabels death it were happy Haue wee not endeuored it What speake you of the highest Towers and strongest pillars or tottering remainders of Babylon wee shew you all her roofes bare her walles razed her vaults digged vp her Monuments defaced her Altars sacrificed to desolation Shortly all her buildings demolished not a stone vpon a stone saue in rude heapes to tell that here once was Babylon Your strife goes about to build againe that her tower of confusion God diuides your languages It will be well if yet you build not more than we haue reserued SEP You haue renounced many false doctrines in Poperie and in their places embraced the truth But what if this truth be taught vnder the same hatefull Prelacie in the same deuised office of Ministerie and confused communion of the prophane multitude and that mingled with many errors SECTION XXVI THe maine grounds of Separation YOu will now bee free both in your profession and gift You giue vs to haue renounced many false doctrines in Popery and to haue embraced so many truths we take it vntill more You professe where you sticke what you mislike In these foure famous heads which you haue learned by heart from all your predecessors An hatefull Prelacie Barr. and Gr. against Gyffe Confer Exam passim Penry in his Exam. Exo. 1.2 3 c. Ierem. 20.1 Ierem. 5. vlt. A deuised Ministerie a confused and profane communion and lastly the intermixture of grieuous errors What if this truth were taught vnder a hatefull Prelacie Suppose it were so Must I not imbrace the truth because I hate the Prelacie What if Israel liue vnder the hatefull Aegyptians What if Ieremie liue vnder hatefull Pashur What if the Iewes liue vnder an hatefull Priesthood What if the Disciples liue vnder hatefull Scribes What are others persons to my profession If I may be freely allowed to bee a true professed Christian what care I vnder whose hands But why is our Prelacie hatefull Actiuely to you or passiuely from you In that it hates you Would God you were not more your owne enemies Or rather because you hate it your hatred is neither any newes nor paine Who or what of ours is not hatefull to you Our Churches Bells Clothes Sacraments Preachings Prayers Singings Catechismes Courts Meetings Burials Marriages It is maruell that our aire infects not and that our heauen and earth as Optatus said of the Donatists escape your hatred Iohns praef to his 7. Reas Not the forwardest of our Preachers as you terme them haue found any other entertainment no enemie could bee more spightfull I spsake it to your shame Rome it selfe in diuers controuersarie discourses hath bewrayed lesse gall than Amsterdam the better they are to others you professe they are the worse Iohns 7. Reas p. 66. Tit. 3.4 yea would to God that of Paul were not verified of you hatefull and hating one another but we haue learned that of wise Christians not the measure of hatred should be respected Psal 69.4 but the desert Dauid is hated for no cause Michaiab for a good cause Your causes shall be examined in their places onwards It were happy if you hated your owne sinnes more and peace lesse our Prelacie would trouble you lesse and you the Church SECTION XXVII FOr our deuised office of Ministery you haue giuen it a true title The truth and warrant of the Ministery of England Mat. 28.19 Ephes 4.11 â— Tim. 2.2 1 Tim. 3.1 Act. 13. 1 Tim. 3.6 1 Tim. 5.22 1 Tim. 2.15 Discourse of the trouble and Excom at Amst It was deuised indeed by our Sauiour when he said Goe teach all Nations and baptize and performed in continuance when he gaue some to be Pastors and Teachers and not onely the Office of Ministery in generall but ours whom he hath made able to teach and desirous separated vs for this cause to the work vpon due triall admitted vs ordained vs by imposition of hands of the Eldership and praier directed vs in the right diuision of the Word committed a charge to vs followed our Ministery with power and blessed our labours with gracious successe euen in the hearts of those whose tongues are thus busie to deny the truth of our vocation Behold here the deuised Office of our Ministery What can you deuise against this Your Pastor who as his brother writes hopes to worke wonders by his Logicall skill hath killed vs with seuen Arguments which he professeth the quintessence of his owne and Penries extractions whereto your Doctor refers vs as absolute I would it were not tedious or worth a Readers labour to see them scanned I protest before God and the world I neuer read more grosse stuffe so boldly and peremptorily faced out so full of Tautologies and beggings of the Question neuer to be yeelded Let me mention the maine heads of them and for the rest be sorry that I may not be endlesse To proue therefore that no communion may be had with the Ministery of the Church of England he vses these seuen demonstrations First Certaine Arg. against the Minist of England Counterpoys Because it is not that Ministery which Christ gaue and set in his Church Secondly Because it is the Ministery of Antichrists Apostasie Thirdly Because none can communicate with the Ministery of England but he worships the Beasts image and yeeldeth spirituall subiection to Antichrist Fourthly Because this Ministery deriueth not their power and function from Christ Fiftly Because they minister the holy things of God by vertue of a false spirituall calling Sixtly Because it is a strange Ministery not appointed by God in his word Seuenthly Because it is not from Heauen but from Men. Now I beseech thee Christian Reader iudge whether that which this man was wont so oft to obiect to his brother a crackt braine appeare not plainely in this goodly equipage of reasons For what is all this but one and the same thing tumbled seuen times ouer which yet with seuen thousand times babbling shall neuer be the more probable That our Ministery was not giuen and set in the Church by Christ but Antichristian what is it else to be from men to be strange to be a false spirituall calling not to be deriued from Christ to worship the image of the Beast So this great challenger that hath abridged his nine arguments to seuen might aswell haue abridged his seuen to one a halfe Here would haue beene as much substance but lesse glory As for his maine defence First
so Romish as our Baptisme If therefore Romish because they came thence we haue disproued it If therefore Romish because they haue beene vsed there wee grant and iustifie it That ancient confession of their faith which was famous through the world wee receiue with them If they hold one God one Baptisme one Heauen one CHRIST shall we renounce it Why should we not cast off our Christendome and humanitie because the Romans had both How much Rome can either challenge or hope to gaine in our Clergie and Ministration is well witnessed by the bloud of those Martyrs eminent in the Prelacie which in the fresh memories of many was shed for God against that Harlot and by the excellent labours of others both Bishops and Doctors whose learned pens haue pulled downe more of the walls of Rome than all the corner-creeping Brownists in the world shall euer be able to doe while Amsterdam standeth It is you that furnish these Aduersaries with aduantages through your wilfull diuisions Take Scilurus his arrowes single out of the sheafe the least finger breakes them while the whole bundle feares no stresse wee know well where the blame is our deseruings can be no protection to you you went from vs not we from you Plead not our constraint you should not haue beene compelled to forsake vs while CHRIST is with vs But who compells you not to call vs brethren to denie vs Christians your zeale is so far from iustifying the wicked that it condemnes the righteous SEP And for the suspition of the rude multitude you need not much feare it They will suspect nothing that comes vnder the Kings broad seale They are ignorant of this fault Though it â—ere the Masse that came with authoritie of the Magistrate they for the most part would bâ— witâ— out suspition of it so ignorant and profane are they in the most places 1 Sam. 10.10 It is the wise hearted amongst you that suspect your dealings who will also suspect you yeâ— more in your vnfound dealing shall be further discouered SECTION LVIII The Brownists scornefull opinioo of our people HOw scornefully doe you turne ouer our pooâ—e rude multitude as if they were beasts not men or if men not rude but sauage This contempt needed not These sonnes of the earth may goe before you to Heauen Indeed it was of old said that all Aegyptians were Physitians So may it now of you All Brownists are Diuines no Separatist cannot prophesie No sooner can they loose at the skirts of this hill but they are rapt from the ordinarie pitch of men Either this change is perhaps by some strange illumination or else your learned paucitie got their skill amongst our profane and rude multitude we haue still many in our rude multitude whom wee dare compare with your Teachers neither is there any so lewd and profane that can not pretend a scandall from your separation Euen these soules must bee regarded tho not by you Such were some of you but yee are washed c. The wise-hearted amongst vs doe more than suspect finde out our weaknesses and bewaile them yet doe they not more discouer our imperfections than acknowledge our truth If they be truely wise wee cannot suspect them they cannot forsake vs Their charitie will couer more than their wisdome can discouer SEP Lastly the terrible threat you vtter against vs that euen whoredomes and murders shall abide an easier answer than separation would certainely fall heavy vpon vs if this answer were to be made in your Consistorie Courts or before any of your Ecclesiasticall Iudges but because we know that not Antichrist but Christ shall be our Iudge we are bold vpon the warrant of his Word and Testament which being sealed with his bloud may not be altered to proclaime to all the world Separation from whatsoeuer riseth vp rebelliously against the Scepter of his Kingdome as we are vndoubtedly perswaded the Communion Gouernment Ministerie and worship of the Church of England doe SECTION LIX The Conclusion from the fearefull answ of Separation Troub and excom at Amst G. Ions professes he found better dealing in the Bishops Consistories might haue found better in the Inqusition Ierom. Cypr. de simplit praelat Ad pacis praemium venire non poterunt qui pacem Domini discordiae furâ—re ruperunt Ibid. Inexpiaebilis grauis culpa discordâ—a nec passione purgatur MY last threat of the easier answers of whoredomes and adulteries than Separation you thinke to scoffe out of countenance I feare your conscience will not alwayes allow this mirth Our Consistories haue spared you enough let those which haue tryed say whether your corrupt Eldership be more safe Iudges If ours imprison iustly yours excommunicate vniustly To be in custodie is lesse grieuous than out of the Church at least if your censures were worth any thing but contempt As Ierome said of the like it is well that malice hath not so great power as will you shall one day I feare finde the Consistorie of Heauen more rigorous if you wash not this wrong with your teares That Tribunall shall finde your confidence presumption your zeale furie You are bold surely more than wise to proclaime wee haue no need of such cries doubtlesse your head hath made Proclamations long now you hand beginnes What proclaime you Separation from the Communion Gouernment Ministery and worship of the Church of England what need it Your act might haue saued your voice what should our eyes and eares be troubled with one 〈…〉 But 〈◊〉 â—eparate you from these Because they rise vp rebelliously against the Scepter of Christ The Scepter of Christ is his Word he holds it out we 〈◊〉 and â—sse it That one sentence of it doe we wilfully oppose Away with these follish 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 into your Sauiours hand and say Haile King of the Iewes and will needs perswade vs none but this is his rod of yron Lastly vpon what warrant Of his will and Testament You may wrong vs But how dare you fasten your lies vpon your Redeemer and Iudge What clause of his hath bid you separate We haue the true Copies As we hope or desire to be saued we can finde no sentence that soundeth toward the fauour of this your act Must God be accused of your wilfulnesse Before that God and his blessed Angels and Saints we feare not to protest that we are vndoubtedly perswaded that whosoeuer wilfully forsakes the Communion Gouernment Ministery or worship of the Church of England are enemies to the Scepter of Christ and Rebels against his Church and Anointed neither doubt we to say that the Mastership of the Hospitall at Norwich or a lease from that City sued for with repulse might haue procured that this separation from the Communion Gouernment and worship of the Church of England should not haue beene made by IOHN ROBINSON FJNJS A TABLE OF ALL THE SECTIONS CONTAINED in this BOOKE THE entrance into the Worke. 549 The Answerers Preamble 550 The
remit somewhat and both meet in the midst Thus I haue endeauored to doe with sincere intent of their good rather then my own applause For it had beene easie to haue reached to an higher straine but I durst not whether for the graue Maiesty of the subiect or benefit of the simplest reader You shal still note that I haue laboured to keepe Dauids entire sense with numbers neither lofty nor slubbered which mean is so much more difficult to find as the businesse is more sacred and the liberty lesse Many great wits haue vndertaken this task which yet haue either not effected it or haue smothered it in their priuate deskes and denied it the common light Amongst the rest were those two rare spirits of the Sidnyes to whom Poesie was as naturall as it is affected of others and our worthy friend M. Syluester hath shewed me how happily he hath sometimes turned from his Bartas to the sweet singer of Israel It could not be that in such abundant plenty of Poesie this work should haue past vnattempted would God I might liue to see it perfected either by my own hand or a better In the meane time let me expect your impartiall sentence both concerning the forme and sense Lay aside your loue for a while which too oft blindes iudgement And as it vses to be done in most equall proceedings of iustice shut me out of doores while my verse is discussed yea let me receiue not your censure onely but others by you this once as you loue mee play both the Informer and the Iudge Whether you allow it you shall encourage me or correct you shall amend me Either your starres or your spits Asteriscus Veru that I may vse Origens notes shall bee welcome to my margent It shall be happy for vs if God shall make our poore labours any way seruiceable to his Name and Church To M. Samuel Sotheby EP. VI. A Preface to his Relation of the Russian affaires TRauell perfiteth wisedome and obseruation giues perfection to trauell without which a man may please his eyes not feed his braine and after much earth measured shall returne with a weary body and an empty minde Home is more safe more pleasant but lesse fruitfull of experience But to a mind not working and discursiue all heauens all earths are alike And as the end of trauell is obseruation so the end of obseruation is the enforming of others for what is our knowledge if smothered in our selues so as it is not knowne to more Such secret delight can content none but an enuious nature You haue breathed many and cold ayres gone farre seene much heard more obserued all These two yeares you haue spent in imitation of Nabuchadnezzars seuen conuersing with such creatures as Paul fought with at Ephesus Alas what a face yea what a backe of a Church haue you seene what manners what people Amongst whom ignorant superstition striues with close Atheisme treachery with cruelty one Deuill with another while Truth and Vertue doe not so much as giue any chalenge of resistance Returning once to our England after this experience I imagine you doubted whether you were on earth or in heauen Now then if you will heare me whom you were wont as you haue obserued what you haue seene and written what you haue obserued so publish what you haue written It shall bee a gratefull labour to vs to posterity I am deceiued if the ficklenesse of the Russian state haue not yeelded more memorable matter of history then any other in our age or perhaps many centuries of our predecessors How shall I think but that God sent you thither before these broiles to be the witnesse the register of so famous mutations He loues to haue those iust euils which hee doth in one part of the world knowne to the whole and those euils which men doe in the night of their secrecy brought forth into the Theater of the World that the euill of mens sinne being compared with the euill of his punishment may iustifie his proceedings and condemne theirs Your worke shall thus honor him besides your second seruice in the benefit of the Church For whiles you discourse of the open tyranny of that Russian Nero Iohn Basilius the more secret no lesse bloody plots of Boris the ill successe of a stolne Crowne tho set vpon the head of an harmelesse Sonne the bold attempts and miserable end of a false yet aspiring chalenge the perfidiousnesse of a seruile people vnworthy of better gouernors the miscariage of wicked gouernors vnworthy of better subiects the vniust vsurpations of men iust tho late reuenges of God cruelty rewarded with blood wrong claimes with ouerthrow treachery with bondage the Reader with some secret horror shall draw-in delight and with delight instruction Neither know I any Relation whence hee shall take out a more easie lesson of iustice of loyalty of thankfulnesse But aboue all let the world see and commiserate the hard estate of that worthy and noble Secretary Buchinski Poore gentleman his distresse recals euer to my thoughts Aesops Storke taken amongst the Cranes He now nourishes his haire vnder the displeasure of a forraine Prince At once in durance and banishment He serued an ill master but with an honest heart with cleane hands The masters iniustice doth no more infect a good seruant then the truth of the seruant can iustifie his ill master A bad worke-man may vse a good instrument and oft-times a cleane napkin wipeth a foule mouth It ioyes me yet to thinke that his piety as it euer beld friendship in heauen so now it wins him friends in this our other world Lo euen from our Iland vnexpected deliuerance takes a long flight and blesseth him beyond hope yea rather from heauen by vs. That God whom he serues will bee knowne to those rude and scarce humane Christians for a protector of innocence a fauourer of truth a rewarder of piety The mercy of our gracious King the compassion of an honourable Councellor the loue of a true friend and which wrought all and set all on worke the grace of our good God shall now loose those bonds and giue a glad welcome to his liberty and a willing farewell to his distresse He shall I hope liue to acknowledge this in the meane time I doe for him Those Russian affaires are not more worthy of your records then your loue to this friend is worthy of mine For neither could this large sea drowne or quench it nor time and absence which are wont to breed a lingring consumption of friendship abate the heat of that affection which his kindnesse bred religion nourished Both rarenesse and worth shall commend this true-loue which to say true hath been now long out of fashion Neuer times yeelded more loue but not more subtle For euery man loues himselfe in another loues the estate in the person Hope of aduantage is the loadstone that drawes the iron hearts of men not vertue not desert No age afforded more
tarry in the suburbs Grant that these were as ill as an enemy can make them or can pretend them You are deceiued if you thinke the walles of Babylon stand vpon Ceremonies Substantiall errors are both her foundation and frame These rituall obseruations are not so much as Tile and Reede rather like to some Fane vpon the roofe for ornament more then vse Not parts of the building but not necessarie appeadances If you take them otherwise you wrong the Church if thus and yet depart you wrong it and your selfe As if you would haue perswaded righteous Lot not to stay is Zoar because it was so neere Sodome I feare if you had seene the money-changers in the Temple how euer you would haue prayed or taught there Christ did it not forsaking the place but scourging the offenders And this is the valour of Christian teachers To oppose abuses not to runne away from them Where shall you not thus finde Babylon Would you haue runne from Geneua because of her wafers Or from Corinth for her disordered loue-feasts Either runne out of the world or your flight is in vaine If experience of change teach you not that you shall finde your Babylon euery where returne not Compare the place you haue left with that you haue chosen let not feare of seeming to repent ouer-soone make you partiall Loe there a common harbour of all opinions of all heresies if not a mixture Here you drew in the free and cleare aire of the Gospel without that odious composition of Iudaisme Arrianisme Anabaptisme There you liue in the stench of these and more You are vnworthy of pitie if you will approue your misery Say if you can that the Church of England if shee were not yours is not an heauen to Amsterdam How is it then that our gnats are harder to swallow then their camels and that whiles all Christendome magnifies our happinesse and applauds it your handfull alone so detests our enormities that you despise our graces See whether in this you make not God a loser The thanke of all his fauours is lost because you want more and in the meane time who gaines by this sequestration but Rome and Hell How doe they insult in this aduantage that our mothers owne children condemne her for vncleane that we are dayly weakened by our diuisions that the rude multitude hath so palpable a motiue to distrust vs Sure you intended it not but if you had been their hired Agent you could not haue done our enemies greater seruice The God of heauen open your eyes that you may see the vniustice of that zeale which hath transported you and turne your heart to an endeuour of all Christian satisfaction Otherwise your soules shall finde too late that it had beene a thousand times better to swallow a Ceremonie then to rend a Church yea that euen wheredomes and murders shall abide an easier answer then separation I haue done if onely I haue aduised you of that fearfull threatning of the Wise-man The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the gouernment of his mother the Rauens of the valley shall picke it out and the yong Eagles eate it To Sir ANDREW ASTELEY EP. II. A discourse of our due preparation for death and the meanes to sweeten it to vs. SInce I saw you I saw my father die How boldly and merrily did hee passe thorow the gates of death as if they had no terrour but much pleasure Oh that I could as easily imitate as not forget him We know wee must tread the same way how happy if with the same minde Our life as it giues way to death so must make way for it It will be though we will not it will not bee happy without our will without our preparation It is the best and longest lesson to learne how to die and of surest vse which alone if we take not out it were better not to haue liued Oh vaine studies of men how to walke thorough Rome streets al day in the shade how to square cirles how to salue vp the celestiall motions how to correct mis-written copies to fetch vp old words from forgetfulnesse and a thousand other like points of idle skill whiles the maine care of life and death is neglected There is an Art of this infallible eternall both in truth and vse for though the meanes bee diuers yet the last act is still the same and the disposition of the soule need not be other it is all one whether a feuer bring it or a sword wherein yet after long profession of other sciences I am still why should I shame to confesse a learner and shall be I hope whilest I am yet it shall not repent vs as diligēt schollers repeat their parts vnto each other to be more perfect so mutually to recall some of our rules of well-dying The first whereof is a conscionable life The next a right apprehension of life and death I tread in the beaten path doe you follow me To liue holily is the way to die safely happily If death be terrible yet innocence is bold and will neither feare it selfe nor let vs feare where contrariwise wickednesse is cowardly and cannot abide either any glimpse of light or shew of danger Hope doth not more draw our eyes forward then conscience turnes them backward and forces vs to looke behinde vs affrighting vs euen without past euils Besides the paine of death euery sinne is a new Fury to torment the soule and to make it loth to part How can it chuse when it sees on the one side what euill it hath done on the other vvhat euill it must suffer it vvas a cleare heart what else could doe it that gaue so bold a forehead to that holy Bishop who durst on his death-bed professe I haue so liued as I neither feare to die nor shame to liue What care we when be found if well-doing What care we how suddenly vvhen our preparation is perpetuall What care we how violently vvhen so many inward friends such are our good actions giue vs secret comfort There is no good Steward but is glad of his Audit his straight accounts desire nothing more then a discharge onely the doubtfull and vntrustie feares of his reckoning Neither onely doth the vvant of integritie make vs timorous but of wisedome in that our ignorance cannot equally value either the life which vve leaue or the death vve expect Wee haue long conuersed vvith this life and yet are vnacquainted how should wee then know that death we neuer saw or that life vvhich followes that death These cottages haue been ruinous and wee haue not thought of their fall our way hath beene deepe and we haue not looked for our rest Shew mee euer any man that knew vvhat life vvas and vvas loth to leaue it I vvill shew you a prisoner that would dwell in his Goale a slaue that likes to be chained to his Galley What is there here but darknesse of ignorance discomfort of euents impotency of
Rulers in Christ's time were notoriously couetous proud oppressing cruell superstitious our Sauiour feared not polluting in ioyning with them and was so farre from separating himselfe that hee called and sent others to them But a little Leauen leauens the whole lumpe it is true by the infection of it sinne where it is vnpunished spreadeth it sowreth all those whose hands are in it not others If we dislike it detest desist reproue and mourne for it we cannot bee tainted the Corinthian loue-feasts had grosse and sinfull disorder yet you heare not Paul say Abstaine from the Sacrament till these be reformed Rather he enioynes the act and controules the abuse God hath bidden you heare and receiue shew me where he hath said except others be sinfull Their vncleannesse can no more defile you then your holinesse can excuse them But while I communicate you say I consent God forbid It is sinne not to cast out the deseruing but not yours vvho made you a Ruler and a Iudge The vncleane must bee separated not by the people Would you haue no distinction betwixt priuate and publike persons What strange confusion is this And what other then the old note of Corah and his company Yee take too much vpon you seeing all the Congregation is holy euery one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye vp your selues aboue the Congregation of the Lord What is if this be not to make a Monster of Christs body hee is the head his Church the body consisting of diuers limbes All haue their seuerall faculties and imployments not euery one all vvho would imagine any man so absurd as to say that this bodie should be all tongue or all hands euery man a Teacher euery man a Ruler As Christ had said to euery man Goe teach and whose sinnes yee remit How senselesse are these two extreames Of the Papists that one man hath the Keyes Of the Brownists that euery man hath them But these priuiledges and charges are giuen to the Church True to be executed by her Gouernors the facultie of speech is giuen to the vvhole man but the vse of it to the proper instrument Man speaketh but by his tongue if a voice should be heard from his hand eare foot it were vnnaturall Now if the tongue speake not when it ought shall we bee so foolish as to blame the hand But you say if the tongue speake not or speake ill the whole man smarteth the man sinneth I grant it but you shall set the naturall body on too hard a rack if you straine it in all things to the likenesse of the spirituall or ciuill The members of that being quickned by the same soule haue charge of each other and therefore either stand or fall together It is not so in these If then notwithstanding vnpunished sinnes we may ioyne with the true Church Whether is ours such You doubt and your solicitors deny surely if we haue many enormities yet none worse then rash and cruell iudgement let them make this a colour to depart from themselues there is no lesse woe to them that call good euill To iudge one man is bold and dangerous Iudge then vvhat it is to condemn a vvhole Church God knowes as much vvithout cause as without shame Vaine men may libell against the Spouse of Christ her husband neuer diuorced her No his loue is still aboue their hatred his blessings aboue their censures Do but aske them were we euer the true Church of God If they deny it Who then were so Had God neuer Church vpon earth since the Apostles time till Barrow and Greenwood arose And euen then scarce a number nay when or where vvas euer any man in the vvorld except in the schooles perhaps of Donatus or Nouatus that taught their doctrine and now still hath he none but in a blind lane at Amsterdam Can you thinke this probable If they affirme it when ceased we Are not the points controuerted still the same The same gouernment the same doctrine Their minds are changed not our estate Who hath admonished euinced excommunicated vs and when All these must be done Will it not be a shame to say that Francis Iohnson as he tooke power to excommunicate his Brother and Father so had power to excommunicate his Mother the Church How base and idle are these conceits Are wee then Heretikes condemned in our selues Wherein ouerthrow wee the foundation What other God Sauiour Scriptures Iustification Sacraments Heauen do they teach besides vs Can all the Masters of Separation yea can all the Churches in Christendome set forth a more exquisite and worthy confession of faith then is contained in the Articles of the Church of England Who can hold these and bee hereticall Or from which of these are we reuolted But to make this good they haue taught you to say that euery truth in Scripture is fundamentall so fruitfull is errour of absurdities Whereof still one breeds another more deformed then it selfe That Trophimus vvas left at Miletum sicke that Pauls Cloake was left at Troas that Gaius Pauls hoast saluted the Romanes that Nabal was drunke or that Thamar baked Cakes and a thousand of this nature are fundamentall how large is the Separatists Creed that hath all these Articles If they say all Scripture is of the same Author of the same authoritie so say we but not of the same vse is it as necessarie for a Christian to know that Peter hosted with one Simon a Tanner in Ioppa as that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God vvas borne of the Virgin Mary What a monster is this of an opinion that all truths are equall that this spirituall house should be all foundation no walls no roofe Can no man be saued but he that knowes euery thing in Scripture Then both they and vvee are excluded heauen would not haue so many as their Parlor at Amsterdam Can any man be saued that knowes nothing in Scripture It is farre from them to be so ouercharitable to affirme it you see then that both all truths must not of necessitie bee knowne and some must and these we iustly call fundamentall which who so holdeth all his hay and stubble through the mercy of God condemne him not stil he hath right to the Church on earth and hope in heauen but whether euery truth bee fundamentall or necessarie discipline you say is so indeed necessarie to the well-being of a Church no more it may be true without it not perfect Christ compares his Spouse to an Army with banners as order is to an Armie so is discipline to the Church if the troopes be not well marshalled in their seuerall rankes and moue not forward according to the discipline of warre it is an Armie still confusion may hinder their successe it cannot bereaue them of their name it is as beautifull proportion to the bodie an hedge to a vineyard a wall to a City an hem to a garment feeling to an house It may be a body vineyard
bosome a shrine of God 2 Cor. 12. Know yee not that Christ Iesus is in you saith S. Paul Wheresoeuer God dwels there is his Temple Wilt thou pray in the Temple pray in thy selfe saith Austen Here is the Altar of a cleane heart from which the sweet incense of our praiers as a pleasant perfume is sent vp into the nostrils of God Here are the pure candles of our faith euer burning before God night and day neuer to be extinguished Here is the spirituall Shew-bread the bread of life standing euer ready vpon the Table of the soule Here doth the Arke of the heart in the inwardest of the breast keepe the law of God and that Manna that came downe from heauen Here God dwels and here he is worshipped Behold what need wee care whither we goe while we carry the God of heaven with vs He is with vs as our companion as our guide as our guest No impotency of person no crosse of estate no distance of place no opposition of men no gates of hell can separate him from vs Hee hath said it I will not leaue nor forsake thee We are all now parting one from another and now is loosing a knot of the most louing and entire fellowship that euer met in the Court of any Prince our sweet Master that was compounded of all louelinesse infused this gracious harmony into our hearts now we are saluting our last and euery one is with sorrow enough taking his owne way how safe how happy shall we be if each of vs shall haue God to go with him Certainly my deare fellowes we shall neuer complaine of the want of Masters of friends while we finde our selues sure of him nothing can make vs miserable while we are furnished with him Shall wee thinke hee cannot fare ill that hath money in his purse and shall we thinke he can miscarry that hath God in his heart How shall not all comfort all happinesse accompany that God whose presence is the cause of all blessednesse He shall counsell vs in our doubts direct vs in our resolutions dispose of vs in our estates cheere vs in our distresses prosper vs in our liues and in our deaths crowne vs. And if such felicity follow vpon Gods dwelling with vs in these smokie cottages of our mortality where we through our vnquiet corruptions will not suffer our selues to haue a full fruition of God what happinesse shall there be in our dwelling with God in those eternall Tabernacles of rest and glory Beloued there is no losse no miserie which the meditation of heauen cannot digest we haue liued in the eye of a Prince whose countenance was able to put life into any beholder How oft hath that face shined vpon vs and we haue found our heart warme with those comfortable beames Behold we shall liue with that God in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy wee haue liued in the soeciety of worthy men yet but men subiect to all passions infirmities self-respects which of vs all can haue escaped without some vnkindnesses detractions emulations Earthly Courts can be no more without these than these can be without corruption there we shall liue in the company of innumerable Angels and the spirits of iust and perfect men Reuel 19.3 neither can there be any iar in these Halleluiahs which we shall all sing to God We haue liued to see the magnificence of earthly Princes and to partake of it in their buildings furnitures feasts triumphs in their wealth pompe pleasures But open your eyes and see the new Ierusalem the City of the great King of Saints and all these sublunary vanities shall bee contemned Here you shall see a foure-square Citie the wals of Iasper the foundations garnished with all precious stones Twelue gates of twelue pearles The houses and streets of pure gold like shining glasse A Chrystall riuer runs in the midst of it and on the banks of it growes the tree of life euer greene euer fruitfull this is for the eye The eare shall be filled with the melody of Angels euer singing Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty The taste shall be satisfied with Manna the food of Angels with the fruit of the tree of life with that new wine which our Sauiour hath promised to drinke with vs in his Kingdome These are the dimme shadowes of our future blessednesse At thy right hand ô God are pleasures for euermore and such pleasures as if they could be expressed or conceiued were not worthy of our longings nor able to satisfie vs Oh that wee could so much the more long to enioy them by how much lesse we are able to comprehend them When S. Paul made his Farewell-Sermon to the Ephesians he fetcht teares from the eyes of his auditors so full of holy passion was his speech especially with that one clause And now behold I know Act. 20.25 that henceforth you all through whom I haue gone preaching the kingdome of God shall see my face no more A sad clause indeed You shall see my face no more The minde of man cannot endure to take a finall leaue of any thing that offends it not but the face of a friend of a companion hath so much pleasure in it that we cannot without much sorrow thinke of seeing it our last But what if we shall meet here no more what if we shall no more see one anothers face Brethren we shall once meet together aboue we shall once see the glorious face of God and neuer looke off againe Let it not ouer-grieue vs to leaue these Tabernacles of stone since wee must shortly lay downe these Tabernacles of clay and enter into Tabernacles not made with hands eternall in the heauens Till then farewell my deare brethren farewell in the Lord Goe in peace and liue as those that haue lost such a Master and as those that serue a Master whom they cannot lose And the God of peace goe with you and prosper you in all your wayes and so fix this Tabernacle in you vpon earth that you may be receiued into those Tabernacles of the new Ierusalem and dwell with him for euer in that glory which he hath prouided for all that loue him AMEN FINIS NOAH'S DOVE BRINGING AN OLIVE OF PEACE TO THE TOSSED ARKE OF CHRISTS CHVRCH A SERMON PREACH'T IN LATINE IN THE CONVOCATION HELD IN SAINT PAVLES CHVRCH TO THE CLERGIE OF ENGLAND AND ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBVRIE By IOS HALL Deane of Worcester Done into English by R. H. SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON ¶ Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for HANNA BARRET 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD EDVVARD Lord DENNY Baron of WALTHAM all health and Happinesse RIGHT HONOVRABLE I Might well perceiue by the Author that this Sermon was neuer intended to be published in any other Language than that wherein it was first spoken being in respect of the matter in a sort appropriate to that Auditory wherein it was
of Alexandria should be ouer Egypt Libya Penâ—â—polis as the Bishop of Rome was ouer his Suburbitarie Churches Doe but beare Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus an old man of aboue threescore solemnly protesting that hee succeeded his Grandfathers and great-grandfathers for seuen successiue generations in the same Episcopall chaire Heare but Irenaus Tertullian Clement Dorotheus Eusebius describing and recording the Bishops of Antioch Alexandria Hierusalem Rome in the vndoubted order of their successions not onely by their numbers but by their names also Certainly neuer day lookt forth since the age of the Apostles wherein the Spouse of Christ wanted the attendance of these Bride-men But what doe I vrge this The Sun is in the heauen and shines there Euen Ierome himselfe though but a Presbyter and a stout Champion of his owne order yet deduceth this difference of degrees from the cradle of the first Schisme from the common decree of the first Church from tradition Apostolicall yea when Saint Paul wrote this to his Corinthians that iarring word had sounded in the Church I am Pauls I am Apolloes I am Cephaes and therefore euen then had these differences beene Differences perhaps in Order you will say not in Degree Yes both in Order and in Power too There were those whom Saint Paul calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presidents and Rulers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I whom Ignatius calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernors Dionysius Hierarchs Cypriâ—â— Ouerseers to whom Saint Paul attributes Power of reformation and correctioâ— to whom the Canons of the Apostles giue the power of sentence or constitution Ignatius chiefely and authority Eusebius out of Egesippus the throne of Episcopality Cyprian the vigor and authority of the Chaire Origen the highest pitch of the Church Ierome a peerelesse and eminent power The Councell of Sardis the height of gouernment and lastly Epiphanius an Order generatiue of Fathers But what doe I gleaning after the haruest of so great Authors as haue discussed this point Oh how oft and with what deepe sighes hath this most flourishing and happy Church of England wisht that shee might with some of her owne bloud haue puâ—â—â—ased vnto her dearest Sisters abroad the retention of this most ancient and euery way best forme of gouernment Which might happily 〈◊〉 so haue taken place if they had met with such a Monarchicall reformation as through the blessing of God waâ— designed vnto vs Now they are faine to vndergoe â—hat administration Prouisionally onely if we may beleeue wise and learned Fregeâ—ill which the necessity of their condition doth for the time cast vpon them The God of heauen raise them vp Queenes for their nurses and Kings for their nursing fathers that they may once enioy with vs this happy blessing of the sequence and subordination of degrees In the meane time I dare with Ignatius professe to put my soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in pawne for the safe obseruation of this excellent order Which if it haue euer not happily succeeded to any region or Church it is the fault of the person not of the institution it selfe which cannot iustly be deemed other than wholsome holy diuine But remember I beseech you in the meane while Reuerend Fathers that these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministeries a word raked out of the very dust lest it should not imply humility enough Yee are graced with Honors by the pious munificence of Princes But our Lord Iesus Christ ye know vses to measure your honours by your seruices Ye are Fathers of the Church but Sons of the Bride-chamber Peeres of the State but seruants of the Church Generalls of this warfare but with S. Paul fellow-souldiers Rulers in Gods house but withall fellow-seruants Intreat your Clergie kindly vse them familiarly as knowing your selues to be Fathers in dignity brethren in seruice Ye know the counsell of Saint Ambrose Let those of the Clergy within your charge be as limmes of your owne body God hath called you Starres and Angels Imitate ye the Starres which the higher they are the lesser they are wont to appeare Imitate ye the Angels who though Peeres of heauen yet are wont to approue themselues ministring spirits for the poorest of Gods Saints No spectacle can be more odious than a proud Prelate But heare mee also O yee Laicks take heed of contemning this sacred function These are ministeries indeed but glorious and honourable To serue God is to rule and command And what is it euen to serue you Surely those heauenly Spirits those principalities and powers doe the very same to vs continually whom yet their loue and seruice hath neuer drawne into contempt We beseech you Brethren that you know them which labour amongst you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you and hold them deare for their works sake We haue dispatched the Diuersities of Ministeries now followes that of Operations God hath not ordained to himselfe idle seruices but busie and painfull One gouernes another teaches a third doth both teach and gouerne worthy therefore of double honour for his rule for his labour And hee that gouernes sometimes must strike with the rod sometimes with the sword One while hee must kindly allure another while he must sharply punish he must vphold the falling retaine the wauering reduce the wandring And for him that teaches it is not onely the charge of doctrine that lies vpon him but of reproofe of correction of instruction in righteousnesse One while he directs with counsels then he erects with promises then againe he deiects with threatnings he wounds the whole salues the wounded workes alwaies The office of a Bishop is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worthy worke Whosoeuer playes in this holy Chaire shall once waile in hell Saint Bernard said well in that famous Epistle of his to Henricus Senonensis Many would not so eagerly run to honours if they could thinke them burdens Certainly they would feare to bee crushed with this weight neither would with so much paine and perill gape for euery promotion Thus he But will it please you withall to heare what that pious Censor casts in the teeth of his owne times Sola attenditur gloria non poena Curritur in clero passim c. The dignity only is cared for not the duty Men of all Ages and ranks in the Clergy learned and vnlearned run to spirituall Cures as if they might liue for euer Sine curis when once they haue gotten Cures of soules Doe you marke well this Prophesie for such it might seeme of the Oracle of Clarenall Would to God this were not the very disease of our times There be some delicate peeces that thrust themselues into fat benefices onely that they may make much of one and giue themselues ouer to their pleasure and ease Euen of those mouthes which are sacred to God there want not some which out of a wanton custome sauour of nothing but Indian soot and take more pleasure to put forth a cloud of smoke than
say they be vitious they are but hay and stubble which nothing appertaine to the foundation of this euerlasting frame The Church may bee either more sound or more corrupt for them It cannot be more or lesse a Church The beauty or deformity of a Church may consist in them the strength the welfare of it doth not Surely whosoeuer willingly subscribes to the Word of God signed in the euerlasting monuments of Scripture to the ancient Creeds to the foure Generall Councells to the common consent of the Fathers for six hundred yeeres after Christ which we of the reformed Church religiously professe to doe if he may erre in small points yet he cannot be an Heretick Some particular Church may easily offend by imputing heresie to an vndeserued opinion whether perhaps true or lightly erroneous but neither soule nor Church can greatly erre while it treads in the steps of the most ancient and vniuersall Must hee therefore of necessity die a Romanist that would die a Catholick This is an idle fancy and worthy of no lesse than Bedlam Giue me leaue ye Reuerend Fathers The blessed Ghost of the most holy and latest Bishop of this See interrupts my speech and charges me not to suffer his ashes so shamefully to be wronged I can neither be silent for indignation nor speake for anger It was not onely rumor'd but bookes were cast abroad ouer the world concerning the reuolt of this worthy and excellent Prelate reporting that at his death hee reconciled himselfe to the Church of Rome and with many sighes renounced the Heresies of the Church of England and at last being absolued by a Popish Priest sweetly slept in the faith of the Church of Rome Neither did his departed soule want somewhere as is reported suffrages and oblations of Massmongers in this behalfe Oh immortall God! what blasphemy is here Can impudencie it selfe so cast off all shame as to raise so slanderous a lie thus boldly against the credit of so many witnesses against the solemne detestation of their owne Priest against the religious othes of his neerest friends and domestique seruants against the Sermon and publique writings of his Learned Sonne a sonne well worthy of such a Father Other lies haue some colour to plead for their credit This besides boldnesse hath none at all How many of vs sate by that faithfull Pastor of ours then breathing toward his last and receiued from his dying lips words of most constant piety And some of you reuerend Fathers deuoutly receiued with him that sacred Vinticum the last bread that euer hee tasted euen the bread of the Lord and were witnesses of the last motions of his soule then ready to depart and breathing toward his heauen Ours he liued Ours hee died and now as ours is crowned in heauen Goe on now yea mis-zealous spirits goe on to lie stoutly somewhat will alwaies stick fast to the accusers But in the meane time It cannot be truth that needs the props of lies Onely this by the way Let the boldest Sophister of the Romish Schoole come forth now and if hee can for shame let him vndertake to proue that those most noted additions of the Tridentine Faith which onely we reiect were receiued of all the Church in all Ages for necessary heads of Religion or let him confesse as he needs must that we haue still constantly persisted in the Communion of One Holy Catholick Church and faith Hee shall easily bewray his owne nouelty but neuer shall euince any Heresie of ours It is a golden saying of Cardinall Contarenus Harken I beseech you if any ingenuous spirit of you all be a friend to Rome Non opus est concilio non syllogismis ad sedandas hasce Lutheraâ—â—â—um turbas c. There needs no Councell saith he no Syllogismes to allay these broyles of the Lutherans but onely charity humility and a sincere minde that being void of all selfe-loue we may be perswaded to correct and reforme those things wherein we haue manifestly transgressed Thus he Thou art wise indeed O Contarenus would to God thy fellowes were so also But we forsooth are the disobedient and rebellious children of our mother the Church whose commands while wee disdaine to receiue and obey and reuerence her decrees we are enwrapped in a shamefull schisme and stricken with the curses of an angry Mother Surely this were an odious contumely But for vs wee haue not acknowledg'd her a Mother a Sister wee haue But grant wee were Sons yet wee are no slaues To forge a new faith and imperiously thrust it vpon her owne is not the part of an indulgent parent but of a Tyrant This lawlesse liberty we confesse we could neuer endure and therefore are wee openly thunder-stricken with more than one Anathema Neither haue they otherwise dealt with vs than that foolish fellow in Gerson who being very busie to driue away a fly from his neighbours forehead braind the man But lament ye with me my brethren the wofull case of that Church that hath learned to fit her faith to the Times and is more impatient of a remedy than of the disease Whilst they so eagerly persecute vs let vs heartily pitty them And let vs still wish to them that which they enuie and denie to vs Saluation Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Our prayers our teares our admonitions must not bee wanting Returne to your selues now at last oh ye Christian soules Returne from whence you haue sensibly declined Recouer your first loue your first workes Suffer not your selues any longer to be mocked with the glorious title of a Church Frame your selues to that holy Vnity which hitherto you haue so stifly resisted which oh if once we might liue to see effected you should well finde as it runs in the law of the twelue Tables that the recouered should with vs haue the same priuileges with the healthfull Behold wee are ready as our gracious and peaceable King Iames piously vndertooke to meet you halfe way But if they shall still obstinately cast off all hope of Vnity and being set on fire with the hatred of peace shall goe on to delight themselues onely in the alarum of their sacred Trumpet as they call it why should not wee religiously and entirely keepe peace among our selues I speake to all the Sonnes of the purer Church wheresoeuer dispersed we professe this Church of ours by Gods grace reformed Reformed I say not new made as some emulous spirits spightfully slander vs. For me I am ready to forke to the very ground when I heare that hedge-row reproach Where was your Religion before Luther Where was your Church Heare oh ye ignorant Heare oh ye enuious Cauillers we desired the reformation of an old Religion not the formation of a new The Church accordingly was reform'd not new wrought It remaines therefore the same Church it was before but onely purged from some superfluous and pernitions additaments of error Is it a new face that was lately washed a new
Religion leade all our proiects not follow them let our liues be led in a conscionable obedience to all the Lawes of our Maker Farre be all blasphemies curses and obscenities from our tongues all outrages and violences from our hands all presumptuous rebellious thoughts from our hearts Let our hearts hands tongues liues bodies and soules be sincerely deuoted to him Then for men let vs giue Caesar his owne Tribute feare subiection loyalty and if he need our liues Let the Nobility haue honour obeisance obseruation Let the Clergy haue their dues and our reuerence Let the commons haue truth loue fidelity in all their transactions Let there be trutinae iustae Leu. 19.36 Iust balances iust weights pondera iusta Let there be no grinding of faces no trampling on the poore Amos 5.11 no swallowing of widdowes houses no force no fraud no periury no perfidiousnesse Finally for our selues let euery man possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour framing himselfe to all Christian and heauenly temper in all wisdome sobriety chastity meeknesse constancy moderation patience and sweet contentation so shall the worke of our righteousnesse be peace of heart peace of state priuate and publike peace Peace with our selues peace with the world peace with God temporal peace here eternall peace and glory aboue vnto the fruition wherof he who hath ordained vs mercifully bring vs for the sake of him who is the Prince of Peace Iesus Christ the righteous A COMMON APOLOGIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND AGAINST THE VNIVST CHALLENGES OF THE OVER-IVST SECT COMMONLY called BROWNISTS WHEREIN THE GROVNDS AND DEFENCES OF THE SEPARATION are largely discussed Occasioned by a late Pamphlet published vnder the name of AN ANSWER TO A CENSORIOVS EPISTLE Which the Reader shall finde prefixed to the seuerall SECTIONS By IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO OVR GRATIOVS AND BLESSED MOTHER THE Church of England THE MEANEST OF HER CHILDREN DEDICATES THIS HER APOLOGIE AND WISHETH ALL PEACE AND HAPPINESSE NO lesse than a yeere and a halfe is past Reuerend Deare and Holy Mother since J wrote a louing monitorie Letter to * * Smith and Robinson two of thine vnworthy Sons which I heard were fled from thee in person in affection and somewhat in opinion Supposing them yet thine in the maine substance though in some circumstances their owne Since which one of them hath washt off thy Font-water as vncleane and hath written desperatly both against Thee and his owne fellowes From the other J receiued not two moneths since a stomack-full Pamphlet besides the priuate iniuries to the Monitor casting vpon thine honourable Name blasphemous imputations of Apostasie Antichristianisme Whoredome Rebellion Mine owne wrongs I could haue contemned in silence Meam iniuriam patienter tuli impietatem contra Sponsam Christi ferre non potui Hieron ad Vigilant but For Sions sake J cannot hold my peace Jf I remember not thee O Ierusalem let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth It were a shame and sinne for me that my zeale should be lesse hot for thine innocencie than theirs to thy false disgrace How haue J hastened therefore to let the World see thy sincere Truth and their peruerse slanders Vnto thy sacred Name then whereto J haue in all pietie deuoted my selfe I humbly present this my speedie and dutifull labour whereby I hope thy weake Sonnes may bee confirmed the strong encouraged the rebellious shamed And if any shall still obstinatly accurse thee I refer their reuenge vnto thy Glorious Head who hath espoused thee to himselfe in Truth and righteousnesse Let him whose thou art right thee In the meane time we thy true sonnes shall not only defend but magnifie thee Thou maist be blacke but thou art comely the Daughters haue seene thee and counted thee blessed euen the Queene and the Concubines and they haue praised thee thou art thy Welbeloueds and his desire is towards thee So let it be and so let thine be towards him for euer and mine towards you both who am the least of all thy little Ones IOS HALL A COMMON APOLOGIE AGAINST THE BROWNISTS SECTION I. IF TRVTH and PEACE Zacharies two Companions had met in our loue this Controuersie had neuer bin The Entrance into the worke Zach. 8.29 the seuering of these two hath caused this separation for while some vnquiet mindes haue sought Truth without Peace they haue at once lost Truth Peace Loue vs and themselues God knowes how vnwillingly I put my hand to this vnkinde quarrell Nothing so much abates the courage of a Christian as to call his Brother Aduersarie We must doe it Math. 18.7 woe be the men by whom this offence commeth Yet by how much the insultation of a brotherly enemie is more intolerable and the griefe of our blessed Mother greater for the wrong of her owne So much more cause I see to breake this silence If they will haue the last words they may not haue all For our carriage to them They say when Fire Otho Frising ex Philem. Vâ— Chaldeâ—â—â— Ruffin Eccles Hist l. 2. cap. 26. the god of the Chaldees had deuoured all the other woodden Deities that Canopis set vpon him a Caldron full of water whose bottome was deuised with holes stopt with waxe which no sooner felt the flame but gaue way to the quenching of that furious Idoll If the fire of inordinate zeale conceit contention haue consumed al other parts in the separation and cast forth more than Nebuchadnezzars Furnace from their Amsterdam hither Dan. 3. it were well if the waters of our moderation and reason could vanquish yea abate it This little Hin of mine shall be spent that way wee may try and wish but not hope it The spirits of these men are too well knowne to admit any expectation of yeeldâ—nce Since yet both for preuention and necessary defence this taske must be vndertaken * * id Treatis of certaine godly Minist against Bar. I craue nothing of my Reader but patience and iustice of God victory to the Truth as for fauour I wish no more than an enemie would giue against himselfe With this confidence I enter into these lists and turne my pen to an Aduersarie God knowes whether more proud or weake SEP IT is an hard thing euen for sober-minded men in cases of controuersie to vse soberly the aduantages of the times vpon which whilest men are mounted on high they vse to behold such as they oppose too ouerlie and not without contempt and so are oft-times emboldned to roule vpon them as from aloft very weake and weightlesse discourses thinking any sleight and slender opposition sufficient to oppresse those vnderlings whom they haue as they suppose at so great an aduantage Vpon this very presumption it commeth to passe that this Author vndertaketh thus solemnely and seuerely to censure a cause whereof as appeareth in the sequele of the discourse he is vtterly ignorant which had he been
eyes of all them from whom it is made as euermore casting vpon them the imputation of euill whereof all men are impatient And hence it commeth to passe that the Church of England can better brooke the vilest persons continuing communion with it than any whomsoeuer separating from it though vpon neuer so iust and well grounded reasons SECTION III. I Wrote not to you alone what is become of your partner yea your Guide The pardon I written to and their 〈◊〉 To M. Smith and M. 〈◊〉 Ringe-leaders of the late separation at Amsterdam Charact of the Beast written by M. Smith Pref. Be it knowne therefore to all the separation that we account them in respect of their constitution to be as very an Harlot as either her Mother the Church of England or her Grandmother Rome is c. Iterato baptizâ—us scienter iterato Dominum cruciâ—git De consecr dist 4. Quivis c. Woe is me he hath renounced our Christendome with our Church and hath washe off his former water with new and now condemnes you all for not separating further no lesse than wee condemne you for separating so farre As if you could not bee enough out of Babylon vnlesse you be out of your selues Alas miserable Countreymen whither runne you Religion hath but his height beyond which is error and madnesse hee tells you true your station is vnsafe either you must forward to him or backe to vs. * * The crime of the separation how great M. Perry in his Disc of this subiect I obiected separation to you yet not so extreme as your answer bewrayes a late separation not the first my charity hoped you lesse ill than you will needs deserue you grant it odious because it casts imputation of euill vpon the forsaken Of euill Yea of the worst an estate incurable desperate He is an il Physitian that wil leaue his Patient vpon euery disteÌ„per his departure argues the disease helples were we but faulty as your Land-Lord Churches your own rules would not abide your flight Vid. IOHNSON Preface to his Inquirie Esay 5.20 Hence the Church of England iustly matches Separatists with the vilest persons God himselfe doth so who are more vile than Patrons of euill yet no greater woe is to them that speake good of euill than those that speake euill of good So wise Generals punish mutinous persons worse than Robbers or Adulterers Num. 16.31 Exod. 32.30 So Corah and his company a Story cunningly turned vpon vs by your Martyr for their opposition to Moses were more fearefully plagued than the Idolatrous Israelites These sinnes are more directly against common society the other more personall and if both haue like iniquity yet the former haue both more offence and more danger And if not so yet who cannot rather brooke a lewd seruant than an vndutifull sonne though pretending faire colours for his disobedience At least you thinke the Church of England thinks her selfe Gods Church as well as your Saints of Amsterdam You that so accurse Apostasie in others could yee expect shee should brooke it in you Prov. 21. â— But your reasons are iust and well grounded euery way of a man is right in his own eyes Said we not well that thou ar a Samaritane and hast a Deuill say the Iewes What Schisme euer did not thinke well of it selfe For vs we call Heauen and earth to record your cause hath no more Iustice than your selues haue charity SEP And yet separation from the World and so from the men of the World and so from the Prince of the World that reigneth in them and so from whatsoeuer is contrary to God is the first step to our communion with God and Angels and good men as the first step to a ladder is to leaue the earth SECTION IIII. The kinds of the Separation and which is iust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 YET there is a commendable and happy separation from the World from the Prince and men of the World and whatsoeuer is contrary to God who doubts it There were no Heauen for vs without this no Church which hath her name giuen by her Father and Husband of calling out from other Out of the Aegypt of the World doth God call his sonnes But this separation is into the visible Church from the World not as yours out of the Church because of some particular mixtures with the World or if you had rather take it of profession out of the World of Pagans and Infidels into the visible Church not out of the World of true though faulty Christians into a purer Church That I may here at once for all giue light to this point of separation we finde in Scripture a separation either to good or from euill To good Num. 8 1â— Num. 16.9 Deut. â— 1â— Exod. 1â— 12 Leuit. 15. â—1 Deut. 1.41 Rom. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Leuites were separated from among the children of Israel to beare the Arke and to minister so the first borne first fruits and Cities of refuge So Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separated which some would haue allude to his Pharisaisme but hath plaine reference to Gods owne words Acts 13.2 Separate mee Barnabas and Saul Though this is rather a destination to some worthy purpose than a properly called separation From euill whether sinne or sinners From sinne so euery soule must eschew euill whether of doctrine or manners and disclaime all fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse 1 Thess vlt. ad fin Ier. 15.19 Vide Tremel Tiâ— whether in himselfe or others So S. Paul charges vs to hold that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill so Ieremie is charged to separate the precious doctrine or practise from the vile From sinners not onely practised by God himselfe to omit his eternall and secret Decree Num. 16. Mat. 15. ad fin 2 Chron. 19.2 1. Cor. 6. ad fin Nulla cum malis conviuia vel colloquia misceantur simusque abijs tâ—m Separati quam sunt illi ab ecclesia Dei profugi Cypr. l. 1. epist ad Corn. 2. whereby the Elect are separated from the Reprobate both in his gracious vocation sequestring them from nature and sinne as also in his excecution of iudgement whether particular as of the Israelites from the Tabernacles of Corah or vniuersall and finall of the Sheepe from the Goats But also inioyned from God to men in respect either of our affection or of our yoke and familiar society whereof Saint PAVL Bee not vnequally yoked with Infidels Come out from among them and separate your selues In all this wee agree In the latitude of this last onely wee differ I finde you call for a double separation A fast separation in the gathering of the Church A second in the menaging of it The first at our entrance into the Church the second in our continuance The first of the Church from Pagans and Worldlings an initiatorie profession The second of
imbrace the truth and as generaly in the publike confession so particularly vpon good occasion giue iust testimonies of their repentance This is our case wee did not make a new Church but mended an old your CLIFTON is driuen to this hold by necessitie of Argument Otherwise he sees there is no auoiding of Anabaptisme Mended saith your Doctor and yet admitted the misceline rabble of the prophane Say now that such separation were not made Let some few be holy and the more part prophane Shall the lewdnesse of some disanull Gods Couenant with others This is your mercy Gods is more who still held Israel for his when but few held his pure seruice Let that Diuine Psalmist teach you how full the Tents of Israel were of mutinous Rebels in the Desart yet the Pillar by day and night forsooke them not and Moses was so farre from reiecting them that he would not endure God should reiect them to his owne aduantage Looke into the blacke censures and bitter complaints of all the Prophets and wonder that they separated not Looke into the increased masse of corruptions in that declined Church whereof the blessed eyes of our Sauiour were witnesses and maruell at his silent and sociable incuriousnesse yea his charge of not separating Yee know not of what spirit you are Mat. 23. Now you flie to constitution as if notorious euils were more tolerable in continuance than in the collection of Assemblies Sardi had but a few names that had not defiled their garments Reuel 3.4 God praises these bids them not separate from the rest Thyatira suffers a false prophetesse the rest that haue not this learning Reuel 2.24 yet are bidden but to hold their owne not to separate from the Angell which hath not separated IEzABEL from the Church SECTION VII What separation the Church of England hath made Bar. p. 22. 55. Fr. Iohns against M. H. Act. Mon. possâ—â— YOVR charge is no lesse iniurious that the Church of England hath made no separation Concerning which you haue learned of your Martyr and ouer-seers so to speake as if before her late disclamation of poperie in Queene ELIzABETHS time she had not beene Her monuments could haue taught you better and haue lead you to her ancient Pedigree not much below the Apostolike dayes and in many descents haue shewed you not a few worthy witnesses and patrons of Truth all which with their holy and constant off-spring it might haue pleased you to haue separated from this imputation of not separating Will you know therefore how the Church of England hath separated In her first conuersion shee separated her selfe from Pagans in her continuance shee separated her selfe from grosse heretiques and sealed her separation with bloud in her reformation shee separated her selfe from wilfull Papists by her publike profession of Truth and proclaimed hatred of error and shee daily doth separate the notoriously euill by suspensions by excommunications though not so many as yours Troubl excom p. 191. M Spr. p 1. Besides the particular separations of many from the acknowledged corruptions in iudgement profession practise All these will bee auowed in spight of all contradiction with what forhead then can you say The whole Church of England hath not at all separated After all your shifts and idle tales of constitution you haue separated from this Church against the Lord not with the Lord from it If there bee Christ with vs if the Spirit of God in vs F Iun. lib. de Eccles if Assemblies if calling by the word whatsoeuer is or is not else in the Constitution there is whatsoeuer is required to the essence of a Church No corruption either in gathering or continuance can destroy the truth of being but the grace of being well If Christ haue taken away his word and spirit you haue iustly subduced else you haue gone from him in vs. And when you haue all done the Separatists Idol visible Constitution will proue but an appendance of an externall forme no part of the essence of a true Church and therefore your separation no lesse vaine than the ground than the Authors Lastly if our bountie should which it cannot grant that our collection was at first deeply faultie Ratibabitio retrahi c. Subsequens consensus Iacobi in Leam fecit eos coniuges d. 29. q. 1. S. sed obijcitur Barrow against Gyff cannot the Ratibabition as the Lawyers speake be drawne backe may not an after-allowance rectifie and confirme it In contracts your owne similitude a following consent iustifies an act done before consent and why not in the contract betwixt God and his visible Church Lo he hath confirmed it by his gratious benedictions and as much as may be in silence giuen vs abundant proofes of his acceptation That after-act which makes your Baptisme lawfull why can it not make our Church SECT VIII BVT for as much as Constitution is the very state of Brownisme Constitution of a Church Let vs I beseech you inquire a little into the complexion of your Constitution Whether Physicke or Law or Architecture haue lent you it sure I am it is in this vse Apocryphall Neuer man vsed it this scrupulously till your times Though what need you the helpe of Fathers or Schooles new words must expresse new Paradoxes It is no treason to come termes What then is Constitution Your Doctor can best tell vs As the Constitution of a Common-wealth or of a City H. Answorth Counterp p. 170. is a gathering or vniting of a people together into a ciuill Politie So saith he the Constitution of the Common-wealth of Israel and of the City of God the new Ierusalem is a gathering and vniting of people into a diuine Politie The forme of which Polity is Order which Order is requisite in all actions and Administrations of the Church as the Apostle sheweth and specially in the Constitution thereof So that next vnto faith in God it is to be esteemed most necessary for all holy societies Coloss 2.5 Hence Paul reioyced in the Colossians Order and Faith To this Constitution therefore belong a people as the matter secondly a calling or gathering together as the forme whereof the Church consisteth The Constitution of the Church of England is false in both Why so Haue we not a people Are not those people called together To preuent this you say our Constitution is false not none Why false Because those people haue neither Faith nor Order For Faith first Who are you that dare thus boldly breake into the closets of God Tertull. de Praescript Tu vt homo extrinsecus vnumquemque nosti putas quod vides vides autem quousque oculos habes sed oculi Domini sunt alti Homo in faciem Deus in praecordia contemplatur Principles and inferences concerning the visible Church Anno 1607. p. 13. the hearts of men and condemne them to want that which cannot bee seene by any but diuine eyes how dare you
not to eat when they are come Compelled not by perswasions for these were the first inuitations therefore by further meanes Though this conceit hath no place with vs where men are vrged not to receiue a new faith but to performe the old to abandon that wicked Idolatry which had defiled them and to entertaine but that truth which the very power of their Baptisme challenged at their hand But this was the old song of the Donatists Farre bee it from our conscience to compell any man to the faith If God did not draw vs and by a sweet violence bend our wils to his when should wee follow him Either you haue not read or not cared for the practise of the ancient Church and Augustines resolution concerning the sharp penalties imposed vpon the Donatists would God none of your kindred in his time with his excellent defences of these proceedings SECT XI BVT tell vs then what should haue beene done The Gospell should haue beene euery where preached All conuerts should haue beene singled out Constitution of the Church of England Barrow and Greenew passim and haue giuen a voluntary and particular confession of their Faith and Repentance I answer you The Gospell was long and worthily preached in the daies of King Edward enough to yeeld both Martyrs to the stake and Professors to the succeeding times Were their holy Sermons their learned writings and their precious bloud which was no lesse vocall of no force Afterwards in the beginning of Famous Queene Elizabeths reparation what confluence was there of zealous Confessors returning now from their late exile How painfully and diuinely did they labour in this Vineyard of God How did they with their many holy Partners which had shrowded themselues during that storme of persecution in a dangerous secrecie spread themselues ouer this Land and each-where drew stockes of hearers to them and with them Is all this nothing to their ingratefull Posteritie If you murmure that there were no more take heed lest you forget there were so many for vs we doe seriously blesse God for these and triumph in them All this premised now comes a Christian Edict from the State that euery man shall yeeld obedience to this Truth wherein they had beene thus instructed It was performed by the most whose submission what was it but an actuall profession of their faith and repentance And since such was their face who dares iudge of their hearts More than this if euer can be shewed absolutely necessary in such a State of the Church to the very constitution and repaired being thereof I doe here vow neuer to take the Church of England for my Mother Wee know and grieue to see how scornfully your whole Sect H. Answ Coūterp and amongst the rest your resolute Doctor turnes ouer these gracious entrances proceedings of these two Royall and blessed Reformers and whom should hee finde to raise his scoffes vpon but that Saint-like Historian M. Fox Act. Monu Edit 5. p. 1180. Now saies Master Fox a new face of things began to appeare as it were in a Stage new Players comming in the old thrust out Now saith your Doctors Comment new Bishops came in Counterp 226. as Players vpon the old stage of the Popish Church as if the Church were no whit altered but the men Shall we say this is too much malice or too little wit and conscience Euen in the Lord Protectors daies that holy man reports that after the Scriptures restored and Masses abolished greater things followed these softer beginnings in the reformation of the Churches P. Martyr P. Fagius Bucer c. Learned and godly Diuines were called for from forraine parts a separation was made though not so much willing as wilfull of open and manifest Aduersaries from Professors whether true or dissembled Commissioners were appointed to visit euery seuerall Diocesse Euery Bench of them had seuerall godly and learned Preachers to instruct the people in the truth and to disswade them from Idolatry and Superstition The Popes Supremacy not thrust but taught downe All wil-worship whatsoeuer oppugned by publike Sermons Images destroyed Pilgrimages forbidden the Sacraments inioyned to be reuerently and holily ministred Ecclesiasticall persons reformed in life in Doctrine Processions laid downe Presence and attendance vpon Gods word commanded the holy expending of Sabbath daies appointed due preparation to Gods table called for set times of teaching inioyned to Bishops and other Ministers all Shrines and Monuments of Idolatry required to bee vtterly taken from publike and priuate houses All this before his Parliament By that Six Articles 1547. Pag. 1182. Col. 2.60 all bloody lawes against Gods truth were repealed zealous Preachers encouraged so as saith that worthy Historian God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified What need I goe further than this first yeere Heare this and be ashamed and assure your selues that no man can euer reade those holy Monuments of the Church but must needs spet at your separation After that sweet and hopefull Prince what his Renowned Sister Queene ELIzABETH did the present times doe speake and the future shall speake when all these Murmurers shall sleepe in the dust The publike Disputations zealous preachings restaurations of banished Religion and men Extirpations of Idolatry Christian Lawes wise and holy proceedings and renewed couenants with God are still fresh in the memories of some and in the eares of all so as all the World will iustly say you haue lost shame with Truth in denying it Yea to fetch the matter yet further If the Reader shall looke backe to the dayes of their puissant Father King HENRY the Eighth Act Monu p. 999. 1000. he cannot but acknowledge especially during the time of Queene ANNE and before those six bloudie Articles a true face of a Church though ouer-spred with some Morphue of corruptions and some commendable forwardnesse of Reformation for both the Popes Supremacie was abrogated the true Doctrine of Iustification commonly taught confidence in Saints vntaught the vanity of Pardons declared worship of Images and Pilgrimages forbidden learned and godly Ministers required their absences mis-demeanors inhibited the Scriptures translated publikely and priuately inioyned to be read and receiued the Word of God commanded to be sincerely and carefully preached Act. Monu Edit 5. p. 1002. and to all this Holy Master Fox addeth for my conclusion such a vigilant care was then in the King and his Councell how by all wayes and meanes to redresse Religion to reforme errours to correct corrupt customes to helpe ignorance and to reduce the mis-leading of Christs Flocke drowned in blind Poperie Superstitious Customes and Idolatry to some better forme of Reformation whereunto he prouided not onely these Articles Barr. against Gyff Conference with Sperin and Master Egerton Greenw Barr. Arg. to Master Cartwr Master Trauers Master Clark Browne Reformation without tarrying Precepts Iniunctions aboue specified to informe the rude people but
also procured the Bishops to helpe forward the same cause of decayed Doctrine with their diligent preaching and teaching of the people Goe now and say that suddenly in one day by Queene Elizabeths Trumpet or by the sound of a Bell in the name of Antichrist all were called to the Church Goe say with your Patriarch that we erect Religions by Proclamations and Parliaments Vpon these premises I dare conclude and doubt not to maintaine against all Separatists in the World that England to goe no higher had in the dayes of King Henry the Eighth a true visible Church of God and so by consequent their succeeding seed was by true Baptisme iustly admitted into the bosome thereof and therefore that euen of them without any further profession Gods Church was truly constituted If you shall say that the following idolatry of some of them in Queene Maries daies excluded them Consider how hard it wil be to proue that Gods couenant with any people is presently disanulled by the sinnes of the most whether of ignorance or weaknesse and if they had herein renounced God yet that God also mutually renounced them To shut vp your Constitution then Master Smith against R. Clifton Principl and Infer pag. 11. There is no remedie Either you must goe forward to Anabaptisme or come backe to vs. All your Rabbines cannot answer that charge of your rebaptized brother If we be a true Church you must returne if wee be not as a false Church is no Church of God you must rebaptize If our Baptisme bee good then is our constitution good Thus your owne Principles teach The outward part of a true visible Church is a Vow Promise Oath or Couenant betwixt God and the Saints Now I aske Is this made by vs in Baptisme or no If it be then we haue by your confession for so much as is outwardly required a true visible Church so your separation is vniust If it be not then you must rebaptize for the first Baptisme is a nullitie and if ours be not you were neuer thereby as yet entred into any visible Church SEP To the title of a Ring-leader wherewith it pleaseth this Pistler to stile me I answer that if the thing I haue done bee good it is good and commendable to haue beene forward in it if it bee euill let it be reproued by the light of Gods Word and that God to whom I haue done that I haue done will I doubt not giue me both to see and to heale mine errour by speedie Repentance if I haue fled away on foot I shall returne on Horse-backe But as I durst neuer set foot into this way but vpon a most sound and vnresistable conuiction of Conscience by the Word of God as I was perswaded so must my retiring bee wrought by more solid reasons from the same word than are to be found in a thousand such prettie Pamphlets and formall flourishes as this is SECTION XII AS For the title of Ring-leader wherewith I stiled this Pamphleter The answerers title if I haue giuen him too much honor in his Sect I am sorry Perhaps I should haue put him pardon an homely but in this sense not vnusuall word in the taile of this Traine Perhaps I should haue endorsed my Letter to Master Smith and his shadow So I perceiue he was Whatsoeuer whether he leade or follow God meets with him If he leade Behold Ier. 13.32 I will come against them that prophesie false dreames saith the Lord and doe tell them and cense my people to erre by their lyes If he come hehinde Thou shalt not follow a multitude in euill saith God If either or both or neither If hee will goe alone Woe vnto the foolish Prophets saith the Lord which follow their owne Spirits Ezech. 13.2 and haue seene nothing Howsoeuer your euill shall be reproued by the light of Gods word Your coniunction I cannot promise your reproofe I dare If thereupon you finde grace to see and heale your errours we should with all brotherly humblenesse attend on foot vpon your returne on Horse-backe but if the sway of your mis-resolued conscience be headie and vnresistable and your retiring hopelesse these not solide reasons these prettie Pamphlets these formall flourishes shall one day be fearefull and material euidences against you before that awefull Iudge which hath alreadie said Pro. 19.21 That iudgements are prepared for the Scorners and stripes for the backe of Fooles SEP Your pittying of vs and sorrowing for vs especially for the wrong done by vs were in you commendable affections if by vs iustly occasioned but if your Church be deeply drencht in Apostasie and you cry Peace Peace when suddaine and certaine desolation is at hand it is you that doe wrong though you make the complaint and so being cruell towards your selues and your own whom you flatter you cannot be truly pittifull towards others whom you bewaile But I will not discourage you in this affection lest we finde few in the same fault the most in stead of pittie and compassion affording vs nothing but furie and indignation SECTION XIII I PROFESSED to bestow pittie and sorrow vpon you and your wrong The Apostasie of the Church of England You entertaine both harshly and with a churlish repulse What should a man doe with such dispositions Let him stroke them on the backe they snarle at him and shew their teeth Let him shew them a Cudgell they flie in his face You allow not our actions and returne our wrong Ours is both the iniurie and complaint How can this bee You are the Agents we sit still and suffer in this rent Yet since the cause makes the Schisme let vs inquire not whose the action is but whos 's the desert Our Church is deepe drencht in Apostasie and we cry Peace Peace No lesse than a whole Church at once and that not sprinkled or wetshod but drencht in apostasie What did wee fall off from you or you from vs Tell me were we euer the true Church of God and were we then yours We cannot fall vnlesse we once stood Was your Church before this Apostasie Shew vs your Ancestors in opinion Name me but one that euer taught as you doe and I vow to separate Was it not Then we fell not from you Euery Apostasie of the Church must needs be from the true Church A true Church and not yours And yet can there be but one true See now whether in branding vs with Apostasie you haue not proued yours to be no true Church Still I am ignorant A Treatise of the Ministery of England against M. H. pag. 125. Queene Maries dayes you say had a true Church which separated from Poperie chose them Ministers serued God holily from thence was our Apostasie But were not the same also for the most part Christians in King Edwards dayes Did they then in that confused allowance of the Gospell separate Or I pray you were Cranmer Latimer Ridley Hooper and the rest
making else-where this sinner worse than the Infidell And the old vulgar can giue no worse terme to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he findes it yea to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebels themselues What doth this brand to a Church not Christian onely though you denie it but famous Of whom is truly verified after all your spleene that which the Spirit writes to the Angell of Ephesus Laborasti non Defecisti Say if you can what Article of the Christian and Apostolike faith haue we renounced What Heresie maintaine we Wherein haue we runne from the Tents of Christ What hold we that may not stand with life in Christ and saluation We challenge all men and Deuils in this point for our innocence Distinguish for starke shame of so foule a word or which is better eat it whole and let not this blemish be left vpon your soule and name in the Records of God and the world that you once said of a Church too good for yours Drencht in Apostasie If wee crie Peace whiles you crie Apostasie surely we flatter whiles you raile betwixt these two dangerous extremes we know an wholsome meane so to approue that we foster not securitie so to censure that we neither reuile nor separate and in one word to doe that which your Pastor could exhort the Separators from your Separation for euen this Schisme hath Schismes If we should mislike yet to rest in our differences of iudgement and notwithstanding peaceably to continue with the Church Had you taken this course you should neither haue needed to expect our pittie nor to complaine of our crueltie Surely whether our loue be cruell or not your hatred is whereof take heed lest you heare from old IACOB Cursed bee their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell How can you expect compassion when you breath fire and write gall Neuer mention the fury of others indignation till the venomous and desperate writings of Barrow and Greenwood be either worne out with time or by the Thunderbolts of your not rare censures be strucke downe to Hell whence their maliciousnesse came I forbeare to recapitulate how much rather had I helpe to burie than to reuiue such vnchristian exprobrations SEP The first action laid against vs is of vnnaturalnesse and ingratitude towards our Mother the Church of England for our causelesse separation from her to which vniust accusation and triuiall querimonie our most iust defence hath beene and is that to our knowledge wee haue done her no wrong we doe freely and with all thankfulnesse acknowledge euery good thing shee hath and which our selues haue there receiued SECTION XIIII INGRATITVDE and vnnaturalnesse to your mother is obiected The Separatists acknowledgements of the graces of the Church of England in that you flie from her yea now woe is me that you spet in her face and marke her for an Harlot Would God the accusation were as far from being iust as from being triuiall Yet perhaps you intend it not in the lightnesse of this charge but the commonnesse you haue caused me to smart for my charitie yet I forbeare it not What is your defence That you haue done her no wrong to your knowledge Modestly spoken that doubtfully we know your wrong but we know not your knowledge it is well if your wrong bee not wilfull an ignorant wrong is both in more hope of amends and of mercie But is not this caution added rather for that you thinke no hard measure can possibly be a wrong to so vile a Church I aske and would bee denied No you doe freely and with all thankfulnes acknowledge euery good thing shee hath Whatsoeuer you doe to vs I will not any more in fauour of you wilfully wrong my selfe you haue bidden me now to take you as a complete Separatist and speake this for your selfe and yours Let the Reader now iudge whether the wrong of your Sect be wilfull and acknowledgment of our good H. Barr. Praef. to the separ defended Causes of separ def p. 12. Confer with Doctor Andr. free and thankfull Your first false-named Martyr shall giue the first witnesse of the titles of our Church Who saith he that were not drunke and intoxicate with the Whores Cup could affirme this confuse Babel these cages of vncleane Birds these Prisons of foule and hatefull Spirits to be the Spouse of Christ And else-where he calls the people of our Church Goats and Swine Is this any wrong to your knowledge The same Author They haue not saith he in their Churches any one thing in their practise proceedings not one pin naile or hooke according to the true patterne Pref. to separ def Do you not now freely and thankfully acknowledge our Churches good things What is more ordinarie with him and his brother in euill Iohn Greenwood than to call our Ministers Baals Priests Cainites the marked seruants of Antichrist Sellers of the Whores wares Worshippers of the Beast Is this yet any wrong to your knowledge Pastor Iohnson sticks not to say that the Ministerie Worship of the Church of England were taken out of the Whores Cup Gyff refuted touch Donat. Obseruat of M. H. Bar. p. 239. Fr. Iohns Reason 9. against M. Iac. p. 74. Iohns against M. Iac. Excep 3. Nota Bene. and plainly stiles our Church as which of you doe not Daughter of the great Babylon that mother of Whoredomes and abominations of the earth yet more That Hierarchie Worship Constitution and Gouernment which they professe and practise being directly Antichristian do vtterly destroy true Christianity so as their people and Churches cannot in that estate be iudged true Christians Do you not now freely and thankfully acknowledge our good things What can any Deuill of Hell say worse against vs than this That we are no Christians Or what good can there be in vs if no true Christianitie If we denied euery Article of the Christian Creed if we were Mahumetans as your good Pastor sticks not to compare vs if the most damned Heretiques vnder Heauen Ibid. what could he say but no Christians Your Teacher and Pastor which is a wonder agree For your Doctor Ainsworth makes this one head of his poysonous Counterpoyson that Christ is not the Head Mediator Counterpoys p. 127. 131. Prophet Priest King of the Church of England You their Disciple are not yet promoted to this height of immodestie yet what are your good things Euen to you we are Apostates Traytors Rebels Babylonish this is well for a Learner Hereafter if you will heare me keepe our good things to your selfe and report our euill Yea that your vncharitablenesse may be aboue all examples monstrous You do not onely denie vs any interest in the Church of Christ but exclude vs what you may from all hope and possibilitie of attaining the honor of Christendome For when a godly Minister protested to Master Barrow Barr. Conference with M. Sperin as Barr. himselfe hath
written p. 9 the truth of his Ministerie vpon the approbation also of his people he receiued this answer from him Though you had such allowance it could nothing auaile but rather ouerthrow your Ministerie they being as yet vngathered to Christ and therefore neither may not in this estate chuse them a Minister nor any exercise a Ministerie vnto them without hainous sacrilege O desperate iudgment we neither are Christians nor can be No Christianitie without Faith no Faith without the Ministerie of the Word Fr. Iohns seuen Reas against Iac. p. 46. G. Iohns Pref. to the Pastor no Word to vs without Sacrilege What are we that the very offer of bringing vs to God should bee criminall These are your acknowledgements of our good who haue learned of your Pastor to kisse and kill all at once to blesse and curse with one breath your mercies are cruell SECTION XV. The vnnaturalnesse of some principal Separatists Ruffin l. 2. Eccles Hist c. 3. Aug. ep Posid in vita Aug. BVT who can wonder at your vnnaturalnesse to the Church that heares what measure you mete to your owne Error is commonly ioyned with crueltie The outragious demenors of the Circumcelliones in Augustines time and more than barbarous tyrannie of the Arrians before him are well knowne by all Histories and not enough by any God forbid that I should compare you to these Heare rather of Nonatus the father of a not vnlike Sect of whom Cyprian reports Euseb Hist Eccl. Dâ—mnis grauissimis caedibus afficiebant armati diuersis telis Socrat. l. 2. c. 22. 30. Cyprian l. 2. epist 8. Nouati pater in vicâ— fame mortuus nec postea ab ille sepultus Sic Optat. lib. 1. Purpurius Donatista occidit seroris filios c. that hee would neither bestow bread on his father aliue nor burial on him dead but suffered him both to starue and stinke in the street and for his wife lest he should be mercifull to any he spurned her with his heele and slew his owne childe in her body What neede I seeke so farre I grieue to thinke and report that your owne Pastor hath paralleld this cruelty His owne brother which is no lesse sauage though one of your Sect is the publike accuser and condemner of him in this crime to all the World who after a pitifull relation of his eight yeeres quarrells with him and foure yeeres Excommunication in his Epistle before a large Volume to this purpose writes thus After all these hath not our kinde carefull and olde Father come a long iourney to make Peace Hath he not laboured with you the Elders and the Church to bring you to peace Hath he not vsed the helpe and counsell of the Reformed Churches herein Yet will you not be reclaimed but adding that sinne aboue all * * G. Iohns Discourse of troubles excommunications at Amsterdam printed 1603. Ibid. p. 5. haue also monstrously excommunicated your Father the Peace-seeker c. And straight How oft desired he you as if hee had beene the sonne and you the father euen with teares that you would repent In a word how came He and I to your doore shewing you that it might be vpon his departing you should see his face no more c. Yet you forced him by your ill dealing still to leaue vpon you his Curse and all the Curses written in Gods Booke against vnthankfull and disobedient children Thus farr a brother concerning a brother against father and brother Other strangely-vnkinde vsages of both I had rather leaue to the discouery of Master White and this miserable Plaintife Discouery of Brownisme Vid. G. Iohns Booke who haue written enough to make an enemie ashamed But wherevpon was all this fearefull broyle in a pure Church For nothing but a little lace and Whale-bone in his wiues sleeue The Troiane war could not bee slandered with so weighty a beginning As for your Elder Daniel Studly whom your Pastor so much extolleth if Master Whites Apostasie may be your shift against his Relation Inq into Th. Whites Discou let him speake who should haue beene a Fellow-Elder with him banished for your truth though eiected by your censure Marke saith G. Iohns of this Studly how the Lord hath iudged him with vnnaturalnesse to his owne children suffering them to lye at other mens feet and hang on other mens hands Same Epist 15. whiles he his wife and her daughter fared daintily and went prankingly in apparell They say Filia Sponsae Mihi accusatio etiam vera contra fratrem displacet Hieron aduersus Ruffin euen in this place of banishment It is no ioy to me to blazon these or your other sins would God they were fewer and lesse in vs all Onely it was fit the World should know as how vndutifull you are to your common Parent so that Father Brother Children beare part with your Mother in these your cruelties SEP The superabundant grace of God couering passing by the manifold enormities in that Church wherewith these good things are inseparably commingled and wherein we also through ignorance and infirmity were inwrapped But what then should we still haue continued in sinne that grace might haue abounded If God haue caused a further truth like a light in a darke place to shine in our hearts should we still haue mingled that light with darknesse contrary to the Lords owne practise Genes 1.4 and expresse precept 2 Cor. 6.14 What the Separatists thinke themselues beholden to the Church of England for Bar. Exam. before the Archbishop and L. Anderson Browne state of Christians p. 39 Qui non habet quod dei quâ—â— dâ— dei vox Donat Opt. lib. 1. SECTION XVI IF then such be the good things of our Church What good can you acknowledge to haue receiued from her Nothing giues what it hath not A Baptisme perhaps Alas but no true Sacrament you say yea the seale of gracelesnes and mischiefe As little are you beholden to the Church for that as the Church to you for your good acceptation Why are you not rebaptized You that cannot abide a false Church why doe you content your selues with a false Sacrament especially since our Church being not yet gathered to Christ is no Church and therefore her baptisme a nullitie What else doe you owe to the liberality of this Step-dame You are close your Pastor is lauish for you both who thus speaks of himselfe and you and vs I confesse that whiles I was Minister in your Church of EnglaÌ„d Bar. supra Fr. Iohn against M. Iacob p. 41. Exc. 2. I stood in an Antichristian estate yet doubt I not but euen then being of the Elect of God I was partaker through faith of the mercy of God in Christ to saluation but as for you Ma. IACOB his fellow-Christians whiles you thus remaine you cannot in that estate approue your selues to haue the promise of saluation Behold here the Church of England gaue you but
an Antichristian estate if God giue secret mercie what is that to her Gods superaboundant grace doth neither abate ought of her Antichristianisme nor moue you to follow him in couering and passing by the manifold enormities in our Church wherewith those good things are inseparably commingled Your owne mouth shall condemne you Doth God passe ouer our enormities and doe you sticke yea separate Doth his grace couer them and doe you display them Haue you learned to be more iust than your Maker Or if you be not aboue his iustice why are you against his mercy God hath not disclaimed vs by your owne confession you haue preuented him If Princes leasurees may not be stayed in reforming yet shall not Gods in reiecting Your ignorance enwrapped you in your errors his infinite wisedome sees them and yet his infinite mercy forbeares them so might you at once haue seene disliked stayed If you did not herein goe contrary to the courses of our common God how happy should both sides haue beene yea how should there be no sides How should we be more inseparably commingled than our good and euill But should you haue continued still in sinne that grace might haue abounded God forbid you might haue continued here without sinne saue your owne and then grace would no lesse haue abounded to you than now your sin abounds in not continuing What neede you to surfet of another mans Trencher Other sinnes need no more to infect you than your graces can sanctifie them As for your further light suspect it not of God suspect it to bee meere darknesse and if the light in you bee darknesse how great is that darknesse What so true and glorious a light of God and neuer seene till now No Worlds Times Churches Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Fathers Doctors Gen. 1.2 Esa 5.20 Woe to them that put darknesse for light Esa 59.9 Christians euer saw this truth looke forth besides you vntill you Externall light was Gods first creature and shall this spirituall light whereby all Churches should be discerned come thus late Mistrust therefore your eyes and your light and feare Esayes woe and the Iewes miserable disappointment we wait for light but loe it is darknesse for brightnesse but we walke in obscuritie SEP But the Church of England say you is our Mother and so ought not to be auoyded But say I we must not so cleaue to holy Mother Church as we neglect our Heauenly Father and his Commandements which we know in that estate we could not but transgresse and that hainously and against our consciences not onely in the want of many Christian Ordinances to which we are most straightly bound both by Gods Word and our owne necessities SECTION XVII THE Church of England is your Mother to her small comfort she hath borne you The Motherhood of the Church of England how far it obligeth vs. Deut. 21 22 23. and repented Alas you haue giuen her cause to powre out Iobs curses vpon your Birth-day by your not onely forsaking but cursing her Stand not vpon her faults which you shall neuer proue capitall Not onely the best Parent might haue brought forth a rebellious sonne to be stoned What then Doe we prefer dutie to piety and so plead for our Holy Mother Church that we neglect our Heauenly Father yea offend him See what you say it must needs be an Holy Mother that cannot be pleased without the displeasure of God A good wife that opposes such an husband a good sonne that vpbraids this vniustly Therefore is shee a Church your Mother holy Mater Ecclesia Mater est etiam Matris nostrae Aug. Epist 38. because shee bred you to God cleaues to him obeyes his commandements and commands them And so farre is shee from this desperate contradiction that shee voweth not to hold you for her sonne vnlesse you honour God as a Father It is a wilfull slander that you could not but hainously transgresse vnder her I dare take it vpon my soule that all your transgression which you should necessarily haue incurred by her obedience is nothing so hainous as your vncharitablenesse in your censures and disobedience Conscience is a common plea euen to those you hate we inquire not how strong it is but how well informed not whether it suggest this but whereupon To go against the conscience is sinne to follow a mis-informed conscience is sinne also If you do not the first we know you are faultie in the second He that is greater than the conscience will not take this for an excuse But wherein should haue beene this transgression so vnauoidable hainous against conscience First in the want of many Ordinances to which we are most strictly bound both by Gods Word and our owne necessities SECTION XVIII CAn you thinke this hangs well together The want of pretended Ordinances of God whether sinfull to vs and whether they are to bee set vp without Princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—m per exteriorem viâ—lâ—â—tiaÌ„ corâ—â—pitur si interior innocentia custodiatâ—r cap. 114. 3. Custodi c. Ad docendum populum Israelâ—ticum omnipotens Deus Prophetis praeconium dedit non Regibus imperauit Aug. l. 2. contra Gau. c. 11. Barr. causes of separat def p. 6. Barr. Reformation without tarrying Aug. contra Petilian l. 2. Optatus Mileuit lib. 30. Bar. second Examination before the Lord Archbishop and Lord Chiefe-Iustice compar with his reply to M. Gyff Art 5. You should here want many of Gods Ordinances why should you want them Because you are not suffered to enioy them who hinders it Superior powers Did euer man wilfully and hainously offend for wanting of that which he could not haue What hath conscience to doe with that which is out of our power Is necessity with you become a sinne and that hainous Dauid is driuen to lurke in the wildernesse and forced to want the vse of many diuine Ordinances It was his sorrow not his transgression Hee complaines of this but doth he accuse himselfe of sinne Not to desire them had beene sinne no sinne to be debarred them Well might this be Sauls sinne but not his Haue you not sinnes enow of your owne that you must needs borrow of others But I see your ground You are bound to haue these Ordinances and therefore without Princes yea against them so it is your transgression to want them in spight of Magistrates Gaudentius the Donatist taught you this of old And this is one of the Hebrew Songs which Master Barrow sings to vs in Babylon that we care not to make Christ attend vpon Princes and to be subiect to their Lawes and Gouernment and his Predecessor the root of your Sect tels vs in this sense the Kingdome of Heauen must suffer violence and that it comes not with obseruation that men may say Loe the Parliament or loe the Bishops decrees and in the same Treatise The Lords Kingdome must wait on your policy forsooth and
let one of these necessities like two nailes driue out another So they haue done Nulla necessitâ—â— maior est charitate Hieron Apol. ad Ruff. Fr. Iun. de Eccl. Sed accidunt per saepe tempora quibus aut noua Ecclesia generatur aut altera pars interrumpitur scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tamen Ecclesia esse non definit forma nimirum essentiali adhuc permanente Act. 7. beg Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 9. Mem. nisse Diacom debent quoniam Apostolos id est Episcopos praepositos Dominus elega Diaconos autem post ascensum Domini in coelos Apostoli sibi constituerunt Episcopatus sui et Ecclesiae ministros Rom. 1.8 1 Cor. 1.5 1 Thes 1.7 Gal. 4.15 and your owne necessitie as the stronger hath preuailed for that other necessity might bee eluded by flight you haue sought and found else-where what the necessity of our lawes denied and the necessitie of your conscience required Beware lest vniustly Sinne is as strong bond to a good heart as impossibility Christians cannot doe what they ought not contrary to the lawes of your Prince and Country you haue fled not only from vs but from our Communion Either is disobedience no sin or might you doe this euill that good may come of it But what necessity is this simple and absolute or conditionall Is there no remedie but you must needs haue such Elders Pastors Doctors Releeuers such offices such executions Can there bee no Church no Christians without them What shall wee say of the families of the Patriarks of the Iewish congregations vnder the Law yea of Christ and his Apostles Either deny them to haue beene visible Churches or shew vs your distinct offices amongst them But as yet you say they were not Therefore God hath had a true Church thousands of yeeres without them Therefore they are not of the essence of the Church You call me to the times since Christ I demand then was there not a worthy Church of God in Ierusalem from the time of Christs Ascension till the election of the seuen Deacons Those hundred and twenty Disciples Act. 1.15 and three thousand Conuerts Act. 2.41 Those continuall Troupes that flocked to the Apostles were they no true Church Let the Apostles and Euangelists be Pastors and Doctors where were their Elders Deacons Releeuers Afterwards when Deacons were ordained yet what newes is there of Elders till Act. 11 yet that of Ierusalem was more forward than the rest We will not as you are wont argue from Scriptures negatiuely no proofe yet much probabilitie is in S. Pauls silence He writes to Rome Corinth and other Churches those his Diuine letters in a sweet Christian-ciuility salute euen ordinary Christians And would hee haue vtterly passed by all mention of these Church-officers amongst his so precise acknowledgement of lesser titles in others if they had beene ere this ordained yet all these more than true Churches famous some of them rich forward and exemplary Onely the Philippian Church is stiled with Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.2 but no Elders besides them The Churches of Christ since these if at least you will grant that Christ had any Church till now haue continued in a recorded succession through many hundreds of yeeres Search the Monuments of her Histories shew vs where euer in particular Congregations all these your necessary Offices as you describe them were either found or required It was therefore a new-no-necessitie that bound you to this course or if you had rather a necessitie of Fallibilitie If with these God may be well serued he may be well serued without them This is not that vâ—â—m necessariâ—â— that Christ commends in Marie you might haue sate still with lesse trouble and more thankes SEP But also in our most sinfull subiection to many Antichristian enormities which we are bound to eschue as hell SECTION XXI BVT besides that we ought to haue had somewhat which we want The enormities of the Church in common wee haue somewhat which we should haue wanted Some yea many Antichristian enormities To say we are absolute and neither want nor abound were the voyce of Laodicea or Tyrus in the Prophet Our Church as shee is true so humble and is as far from arrogating perfection as acknowledging falshood If she haue enormities yet not so many Fr. Iohns against M. Iacob Bar. Gyff refuted i. Transgress p. 28. or if many not Antichristian Your Cham hath espied ninetie one nakednesses in this his mother and glories to shew them All his malice cannot shew one fundamentall error and when the foule mouth of your false Martyr hath said all they are but some spots and blemishes not the old running issues and incurable botches of Aegypt the particulars shall plead for themselues These you eschew as hell While you goe on thus vncharitably both alike Doe you hate these more than Master Smith and his faction hates yours His Character shall be iudge So do we value your detestation as you his It were well for you if you eschewed these enormities lesse and hell more Your sinfull subiection to these vnchristian humors will proue more fearefull than to our Antichristian enormities SEP Shee is our mother so may shee be and yet not the Lords Wife euery mother of children is not a wife Ammi and Ruhamah were bidden to plead with their mother Apostat Israel and pleads that shee was not the Lords wife nor He her husband Ho. 2.1 2. And though you forbid vs a thousand times yet must we plead not to excuse our fault but to iustifie our innocencie and that not onely not so much in respect of our selues as of the truth which without sacrilege wee may not suffer to bee condemned vnheard And if you yet heare her not rather blame your selues as deafe than vs as dumbe Hierom. ad Eustoch Epitaph Paulae ex Psal 67. SECTION XXII The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ Cypr. de simplic Praelator Adulterari non potest spâ—â—sa Christi incorrupta est pudica 1 King 12.29 Hos 2.16.2.13 SHE may be your Mother you say and not the Lords Wife It is a good Mother that hath Children and no Husband Why did you not call her plaine Where Your old Embleme is As is the mother so is the Daughter These are the modest circumlocutions of a good Sonne who cares not to proue himselfe a Bastard that his Mother may be markt for an Harlot be you a true Lo-ammi but England shall neuer I hope proue an Apostate Israel We haue no Calues in our Dan and Bethel none of Ieroboams Idolatrie We haue still called God ISHI and neuer burnt incense to Baaliâ— It is your Synagogue that hath fallen away from vs as Israel from Iuda But these Children were bidden to plead Gods command shields them from the note of vngracious Abraham must sacrifice his Sonne and this Sonne must condemne his Mother shew vs either our equall desert or your equall warrant Where hath
God proclaimed our Church not his By whose hand hath he published her diuorce You haue shamed her wombe not she her bed not God her demeanour Your tongues are your owne who can forbid you We know you will plead and excuse and censure and defend till all the world be weary we may pray with Hierom to this sense that of the Psalmist Increpa Domine Bestiaes Calami yet we see your Pens Tongues and Presses busie and violent I will not applie to you that which Augustine of his Donatists Aug. cont Epist Parmen l. 1. Though truth compell you to be dumbe yet iniquitie will not suffer you to be silent But if you write whole Marts and worlds of Volumes you shall neuer be able either to iustifie your Innocence or excuse your fault In the meane time the noyse of your contentions is so great that your truth cannot be heard Learned Iunius and our learnedst Diuines and neighbour Churches haue oft heard your clamors neuer your truth Epist Iunij ad Separ So little haue you of this and so much of the other that wee are ready to wish as he of old either ourselues deafe or you dumbe SEP Is not Babylon the Mother of Gods people whom he therefore commandeth to depart out of her lest being partakers of her sinnes they also partake of her plagues And to conclude what say you more against vs for your Mother the Church of England than the Papists doe for their Mother and your Mothers Mother the Church of Rome against you whom they condemne as vnnaturall Bastards and impious Patricides in your separation from her SECTION XXIII THE spirit of your Proto-Martyr would hardly haue digested this title of Babylon Mother of Gods people a murdering Step-mother rather How the Church of England hath separated from Babylon Gyff refut 2. transg Reuel 18.2 Ans fore-speech to Counterpoyse Shee cannot be a Mother of Children to God and no Church of God Notwithstanding Gods people would he say may be in her not of her So Babylon bore them not but Sion in Babylon But I feare not your excesse of charitie You flye to your Doctors challenge and aske what we say against you for vs which Rome will not say for her selfe against vs Will you iustifie this Plea of Rome or not If you will why doe you reuile her If you will not why doe you obiect it Heare then what wee say both to you and them our enemies both and yet the enemies of our enemies First wee disclaime and defie your Pedigree and theirs The Church of Rome was neuer our Mothers Mother Our Christian faith came not from the seuen-hilles Neither was deriued either from Augustine the Monke A Simone Zelota Niceph. Alij à Ios Arimath cuius hic sepulchrum cernitur Angli Pascha Graeco more celebrarunt Iacob Armin. Disp Cant. 8.8 Fr. Iun. l. sing de Eccle. or Pope Gregorie Britanie had a worthy Church before either of them lookt into the world It is true that the ancient Romane Church was sister to ours heere was neere kindred no dependance And not more consanguinity than while she continued faithfull Christian loue Now she is gone a whoring her chaste sister iustly spitteth at her yet euen still if you distinguish as your learned Antagonist hath taught you betwixt the Church and Papacie she acknowledges her Sisterhood though she refraines her conuersation as she hath many slauish factious abettors of her knowne and grosse errors to whom we deny this title affirming them the body whereof Antichrist is the head the great Whore and Mother of abominations so againe how many thousands hath she which retaining the foundation according to their knowledge as our learned Whitakers had wont to say of Bernard follow Absolom with a simple heart all which to reiect from Gods Church were no better than presumptuous cruelty It were well for you before God and the world if you could as easily wash your hands of vnnaturall impiety and trecherousnesse as we of Bastardy and vniust sequestration There can be no Bastardy where was neuer any Motherhood we were nephewes to that Church neuer sonnes vnlesse as Rome was the mother City of the world so by humane institution we suffered our selues to bee ranged vnder her Patriarchall authoritie as being the most famous Church of the West a matter of courtesie and pretended Order no necessity no spirituall obligation As for our sequestration your mouth and theirs may bee stopt with this Answer As all corrupted Churches so some things the Church of Rome still holds a right a true God in three persons true Scriptures though with addition a true Christ though mangled with foule and erroneous consequences true Baptisme though shamefully deformed with rotten Traditions and many other vndeniable truths of God some other things and too many her wicked Apostasie hath deuised and maintained abhominably amisse the body of her Antichristianisme grosse errors and by iust sequell heresies their Popes Supremacie infallibility Illimitation Transubstantiation Idolatrous and superstitious worship and a thousand other of this branne In regard of all these latter wee professe to the world a iust and ancient separation from this false faith and deuotion of the Romish Church which neither you will say nor they shall euer proue faulty yea rather they haue in all these separated from vs who still irrefragably professe to hold with the ancient from whom they are departed In regard of the other wee are still with them holding and embracing with them what they hold with Christ neither will you I thinke euer prooue that in these we should differ As for our communion they haue separated vs by their proud and foolish excommunications if they had not wee would iustly haue begun from their Tyranny and Antichristianisme from their miserable Idolatry but as for the body of their poore seduced Christians which remaine amongst them vpon the true foundation as doubtlesse there are thousands of them which laugh at their Pardons Miracles Superstitions and their trust in merits reposing onely vpon Christ we adhere to them in loue and pittie and haue testified our affection by our bloud ready vpon any iust call to doe it more Phil. Morn du Plesses Lib. de Eccle. cap. 10. neither would feare to ioyne with them in any true seruice of our common God But the full discourse of this point that honourable and learned Plesses hath so forestalled that whatsoeuer I say would seeme but borrowed Vnto his rich Treatise I referre my Reader for full satisfaction Would God this point were thorowly knowne and well weighed on all parts The neglect or ignorance whereof hath both bred and nursed your separation and driuen the weake and inconsiderate into strange extremities This say wee of our selues in no more Charity than Truth But for you how dare you make this shamelesse comparison Can your heart suffer your tongue to say that there is no more difference betwixt Rome and vs than
Christs descent into Hell except he had ouer-reached not that Call you our Doctrines some generall truths Looke into our Confessions Apologies Articles and compare them with any with all other Churches and if you finde a more particular sound Christian absolute profession of all fundamentall truths in any Church since Christ ascended into Heauen renounce vs as you do we will separate vnto you But these truths are not soundly practised Let your Pastor teach you Inquir into M. Wâ—â—te p. 35. Mat. 13.33 that if errors of practise should bee stood vpon there could bee no true Church vpon earth Pull out your owne beame first wee willingly yeeld this to bee one of your truths that no truth can sanctifie error That one heresie makes an Heretike but learne withall that euery error doth not pollute all truths That rhere is hay and stubble which may burne yet both the foundation stand and the builder bee saued Such is ours at the worst why doe you condemne where God will saue No Scripture is more worne with your Tongues and Pens than that of the Leauen 1 Cor. 5.6 If you would compare Christs Leauen with Pauls you should satisfie your selfe Christ sayes The Kingdome of Heauen is as Leauen Paul sayes A grosse sinne is Leauen Both leauens the whole lumpe neither may be taken precisely but in resemblance not of equalitie M. Bredwell as he said well but of qualitie For notwithstanding the Leauen of the Kingdome some part you grant is vnsanctified So notwithstanding the Leauen of sinne some which haue striuen against it to their vtmost are not sowred The leauening in both places must extend onely to whom it is extended the subiects of regeneration in the one the partners of sinne in the other So our Sauiour saith Yee are the salt of the earth Yet too much of the earth is vnseasoned The truth of the effect must bee regarded in these speeches not the quantitie It was enough for S. Paul to shew them by this similitude that grosse sinnes where they are tolerated haue a power to infect others whether it be as Hierome interprets it by ill example or by procurement of iudgements Hierom. In hoc ignoratis quia malo exemplo possunt plurimi interire Sed peâ— vntus delictuÌ„ in omnâ—â— populuÌ„ Iudaeorum â—am Dei legimus advenisse and therevpon the incestuous must bee cast out All this tends to the excommunicating of the euill not to the separating of the good Did euer Paul say If the incestuous bee not cast out separate from the Church Shew vs this and we are yours Else it is a shame for you that you are not ours If Antichrist hold many truths and wee but many wee must needs be proud of your praises We hold all his truths and haue shewed you how we hate all his forgeries no lesse than you hate vs Yet the mysterie of iniquitie is still spun in the Church of England but with a finer threed So fine that the very eyes of your malice cannot see it yet none of our least Motes haue escaped you Thanks bee to our good God 1 Tim. 3.16 we haue the great mysterie of godlinesse so fairely and happily spun amongst vs as all but you blesse God with vs and for vs As soone shall yee finde Charitie and Peace in your English Church as heresie in our Church of England SEP Where say you are those proud Towers of their vniuersall Hierarchie One in Lambeth another in Fulham and wheresoeuer a Pontificall Prelate is or his Chancellor Commissarie or other Subordinate there is a Tower of Babel vnruinated To this and I desire to know of you whether the office of Archbishops Bishops and the rest of that ranke were not parts of that accursed Hierarchie in Queene MARIES dayes and members of that Man of sin If they were then as shoulders armes vnder that head the Pope and ouer the inferiour members and haue now the same Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction deriued and continued vpon them whereof they were possessed in the time of Popery as it is plaine they haue by the first Parliament of Queene ELIzABETH why are they not still members of that bodie though the head the Pope be cut off SECTION XXX Whether our Prelacie be Antichristian Seuen Argu. first Answ Counterpoys TO the particular instances I aske where are the proud Towers of their Vniuersall Hierarchie You answer roundly One in Lambeth another in Fulham c. What Vniuersall Did euer any of our Prelates challenge all the World as his Diocesse Is this simplicitie or malice If your Pastor tell vs that as well a World as a Prouince Let me returne it If hee may be Pastor ouer a Parlour-full Why not of a Citie And if of a Citie why not of a Nation But these you will proue vnruinated Towers of that Babel You aske therefore whether the Office of Archbishops Bishops and the rest of that ranke were not in Queene MARIES dayes parts of that accursed Hierarchie and members of that Man of sinne Doubtlesse they were Who can denie it But now say you they haue the same Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction continued This is your miserable Sophistrie Those Popish Archbishops Bishops and Clergie were members of Antichrist not as Church-Gouernours but as Popish while they swore subiection to him while they defended him whiles they worshipâ— him aboue all that is called God and extorted this homage from others how could they be other but limmes of that Man of sinne shall others therefore which defie him resist trample vpon him spend their liues and labours in oppugnation of him bee necessarily in the same case because in the same roome Let mee helpe your Anabaptists with a sound Argument The Princes Peeres and Magistrates of the Land in Queene MARIES dayes were shoulders and armes of Antichrist their calling is still the same therefore now they are such Your Master Smith vpon no other ground disclaymeth Infants Baptisme Character of the Beast against R. Clifton crying out that this is the maine relique of Antichristianisme But see how like a wise Master you confute your selfe They are still members of the bodie though the head the Pope be cut off The head is Antichrist therefore the bodie without the head is no part of Antichrist He that is without the head Christ is no member of Christ so contrarily I heare you say the very Iurisdiction and Office is here Antichristian not the abuse What in them and not in all Bishops since and in the Apostles times Alas who are you that you should oppose all Churches and times Ignorance of Church-storie and not distinguishing betwixt substances and appendances personall abuses and callings hath led you to this errour Yet since you haue reckoned vp so many Popes let mee helpe you with more Was there not one in Lambeth when Doctor Cranmer was there One in Fulham when Ridley was there One in Worcester when Latimer was there One at Winchester when Philpot was
there Wee will goe higher Arch Deacon Was not Hilarius at Arles Paulinus at Nola Primasius at Vtica Eucherius at Lyons Cyril at Alexandria Chrysostome at Constantinople Augustine at Hippo Ambrose at Millame Beatissimus Papa passim in Epist Ignat. ad Trallian Euseb l 3. Ex Euseb Hier. Catalog Scrip. Epaphanio c. What should I be infinite Was not Cyprian at Carthage Euodius and after him Ignatius in Saint Iohns time at Antioch Polycarpus at Smyrna Philip at Caesarea Iames and Simeon and Cleophas at Hierusalem and by much consent of Antiquitie Titus in Creet Timothie at Ephesus Marke at Alexandria yea to be short was there not euery where in all Ages an allowed Superioritie of Church-Gouernours vnder this title Looke into the frequent Subscriptions of all Councels and their Canons Looke into the Registers of all times and finde your selfe answered Let Reuerend Caluin be our Aduocate I would desire no other words to confute you but his Caluin Instit l. 4. Hieron Huâ—gric Heming Potest Eccles clas 3. cap. 10. Hinc Ecclesia pâ—rior seâ—â—ta teÌ„pera ApostoloruÌ„ fecit alios Patriarâ—â—â— quorum erat curate vt Ep scopi cuiâ—sque Dioceseosrite eligerentur vt suuÌ„ munus Episcopi singuli probe administrarem c. Arist Pâ—l 7. Potentia diuitiarum peâ—pertatis homilitas vel humiliorem vel inferiâ—rem Episcopâ—m non facit Hieron Euagr. Hee shall tell you that euen in the Primitiue Church the Presbyters chose one out of their number in euery Citie whom they titled their Bishop lest dissension should arise from equalitie Let Hemingius teach you that this was the practise of the purest Church Thus it was euer and if Princes haue pleased to annex either large maintenances or stiles of higher dignitie and respect vnto these doe their additions annihilate them Hath their double honour made voyd their callings Why more than extreme needinesse If Aristotle would not allow a Priest to be a Tradesman yet Paul could yeeld to homely Tent-making if your Elders grow rich or noble doe they cease to be or begin to be vnlawfull But in how many Volumes hath this point beene fully discussed I lift not to gleane after their full carts SEP And so doe all the Reformed Churches in the World of whose testimonie you boast so loud renounce the Prelacie of England as part of that Pseudo-Clergie and Antichristian Hierarchie deriued from Rome SECTION XXXI FRom your owne Verdict you descend to the testimonies of all Reformed Churches I blush to see so wilfull a slander fall from the pen of a Christian The iudgment and practise of other reformed Churches That all Reformed Churches renounce our Prelacie as Antichristian what one hath done it Yea what one forraine Diuine of note hath not giuen to our Clergie the right hand of Fellowship so farre is it from this that I. Alasco was the allowed Bishop of our first Reformed strangers in this Land so far that when your Doctor found himselfe vrged by M. Spr. with a cloud of witnesses for our Church and Ministerie as Bucer Martyr Fagius Alasco Caluin Beza Bullinger Gualter Simler Zanchius Iunius Rollocus and others Answ Counterpoys third Consid Psal 20.7 he had nothing to say for himselfe but Though you come against vs with Horse-men and Chariots yet we will remember the name of the Lord our God and turnes it off with the accusation of a Popish plea and reference to the practise of the Reformed And if therefore they haue so renounced it because their practise receiues it not Why like a true Make-bate doe you not say that our Churches haue so renounced their Gouernment These sisters haue learned to differ and yet to loue and reuerence each other and in these cases to enioy their owne formes without prescription of necessitie or censure Let Reuerend Beza be the Trumpet of all the rest who tells you that the Reformed English Churches continue vpheld by the authoritie of Bishops Archbishops Bez. de Ministr Euang. cap. 18. Cited also by D. D wn p. 29. Hemingius Iudicat caeteros Ministros suis Episcopis obtemperare debere Potest Eccl. c. 10. that they haue had men of that Ranke both famous Martyrs and worthy Pastors and Doctors and lastly congratulates this blessing to our Church or let Hemingius tell you the iudgement of the Dâ—nish Church Iudicat caeteros Ministros c. it iudgeth saith he that other Ministers should obey their Bishops in all things which make to the edification of the Church c. But what doe I oppose any to his name-lesse All his owne silence confutes him enough in my silence SEP It seemes the sacred so called Synod assumeth little lesse vnto her selfe in her determinations otherwise how durst shee decree so absolutely as shee doth touching things reputed indifferent viz. that all men in all places must submit vnto them without exception or limitation Except shee could infallibly determine that these her Ceremonies thus absolutely imposed should edifie all men at all times how durst shee thus impose them To exact obedience in and vnto them whether they offend or offend not whether they edifie or destroy were intolerable presumption SECTION XXXII Our Synods determination of things indiffere t. Article 11. THERE was neuer a more idle and beggerly cauill than your next your Christian Reader must needs think you hard driuen for quarrels when you are faine to fetch the Popes infallibility out of our Synod whose flat Decree it was of olde That euen generall Councels may erre and haue erred But wherein doth our sacred Synod assume this infallibilitie in her determinations Wherefore is a Synod if not to determine But of things reputed indifferent What else are subiect to the constitutions of men Good and euill are either directly or by necessarie sequell ordred by God these are aboue humane power What haue men to doe if not with things indifferent All necessary things are determined by God indifferent by men from God Obligatio sineâ— coertione nulla Reg. Iur. Non iura dicenda sunt c. de Ciuit. l. b. 19 Answ to the Admon p. 279. cited also by D. Sparkes p. 14 which are as so many particulars extracts from the generals of God These things saith learned Caluin are indifferent and in the power of the Church Either you must allow the Church this or nothing But these decrees are absolute what lawes can be without a command The Law that tyes not is no Law No more than that saith Austen which ties vs to euill But for all men and all times How for all For none I hope but our owne And why not for them but without exception and limitation Doe not thus wrong our Church our late Arch-bishop if it were not piacular for you to read ought of his could haue taught you in his publike writings these fiue limitations of inioyned ceremonies First that they be not against the Word of God Secondly that Iustification or Remission of
it long since a zealous and learned Sermon dedicated to our present Lord Archbishop by his owne Chaplaine hath no lesse taxed this abuse whether of insufficiencie or negligence though with more discretion than can bee expected from your malicious Pen. Learne henceforth not to diffuse crimes to the innocent For the rest your Baal in our Dispensations for Pluralities would thus plead for himselfe First he would bid you learne of your Doctor to distinguish of sinnes sinnes saith hee are either controuertible or manifest if controuertible or doubtfull men ought to beare one with anothers different iudgement if they doe not c. they sinne such is this if some be resolued others doubt and in whole Volumes plead whether conuenience or necessity how could your charitie compare these with sinnes euicted Secondly Propâ—suit secundum plenitudirem pâ—testatis de iure posâ—â—mus supra iuâ— d spensare Glossâ— pâ—ulo infra Papa coÌ„tra Apostolum dispensat c. SuÌ„ confer p. 52. M. Wâ—ites disco hee would tell you that these Dispensations are intended and directed not against the offence of God but the danger of Humane Lawes not securing from sinne but from losse But for both these points of Non-residence and insufficiencie if you sought not rather strife than satisfaction his Maiesties Speech in the Conference at Hampton Court might haue stayed the course of your quarrellous Pen No reasonable minde but would rest in that Gracious and royall determination Lastly Why looke you not to your owne Elders at home euen your handfull hath not auoided this crime of Non-residency What wonder is it if our world of men haue not escaped SEP You are wiser and I hope honester than thus to attempt though that receiued Maxime amongst you No Ceremony no Bishop no Bishop no King sauours too strongly of that Weed But what though you be loyall to earthly Kings and their Crownes and Kingdomes yet if you bee Traytâ—â—â— and Rebels agains the King of his Church Iesus Christ and the Scepter of his Kingdome not suffering him by his Lawes and officers to reigne ouer you but in stead of them doe stâ—â—p to Antichrist in his offices and Ordinances shall your loyaltie towards men excuse your Treasons against the Lord though you now cry neuer folowd Wee haue no King but Caesar Iohn 19.15 yet is there another King one Iesus which shall returne and passe a heauy doome vpon the Rebellion Luke 19.27 These enemies which would not haue me reigne ouer them bring them and slay them before me SECTION XXXIIII Our Loyaltie to Princes cleered theirs questioned Bar. against Gyfford Inconst of Brown p. 113. YOv that confesse our wisedome and honesty must now plead for your owne your hope is not more of vs than our feare of you To depose Kings dispose Kingdomes is a proud worke you want power but what is our will For Excommunication it is cleere enough While you fully hold that euery priuate man hath as much power in this censure as the Pastor and that Princes must be equally subiect with them to these their censures Let any man now deuise if the Brownists could haue a King how that King could stand one day vnexcommunicated Or if this censure meddle onely with his soule not with his Scepter How more than credible is it that some of your Assemblies in Queene ELIzABETHS dayes concluded Ibid. that shee was not euen in our sense Supreme Head of the Church neither had authority to make Lawes Ecclesiasticall in the Church Inquiry into Th. White It is well if you will disclaime it But you know your receiued position That no one Church is Superiour to other No authoritie therefore can reuerse this Decree your will may doe it yea what better than Rebellion appears in your next clause While you accuse our Loyaltie to an earthly King as treasonable to the King of the Church Christ Iesus If our Loyalty be a sinne where is yours If we be Traytors in our obedience what doe you make of him that commands it Pag. 36. Whether you would haue vs each man to play the Rex and erect a new Gouernment or whether you accuse vs as Rebels to Christ in obeying the old GOD blesse King IAMES from such Subiects But whose is that so vnsauourie weed No Bishop no King Know you whom you accuse let me shew you your Aduersarie it is King IAMES himselfe in his Hampton Conference is there not now suspition in the word surely you had cause to feare that the King would proue no good subiect Belike not to Christ What doe you else in the next but proclaime his opposition to the King of Kings or ours in not opposing his Esa 26.13 As if we might say with the Israelites O Lord our God other Lords besides thee haue ruled vs If we would admit each of your Elders to be so many Kings in the Church wee should stoope vnder Christs Ordinances Shew vs your Commission and let it appeare whether we be Enemies or you Vsurpers Alas you both refuse the rule of this true Deputie and set vp false Let this fearefull doome of Christ light where it is most due Euen so let thine enemies perish O Lord. SEP Not to speake of the errour of vniuersall Grace and consequently of Free-will that groweth on â—pace amongst you what doe you else but put in for a part with God inconuersion though not through freedome of will yet in a deuised Ministery the meanes of conuersion it being the Lords peculiar as well to appoint the outward Ministery of conuersion as to giue the inward grace SECTION XXXV GOe on to slander Euen that which you say you will not speake you do speake with much spight and no truth Errors of Free-will c. fained vpon the Church of England What hath our Church to doe with errors of vniuersall grace or Free-will Errors which her Articles doe flatly oppose what shamelesnesse is this Is shee guilty euen of that which shee condemnes If some few priuate iudgements shall conceiue or bring forth an error shall the whole Church doe penance Would God that wicked and hereticall Anabaptisme did not more grow vpon you than those errours vpon vs you had more neede to defend than accuse But see Christian Reader how this man draggs in crimes vpon vs as Cacus did his 〈◊〉 We doe forsooth part stakes with God in our conuersion wherein in a deuised Ministerie the meanes of conuersion well fetcht about There may bee a Ministerie without a conuersion and è conuerso There may be a conuersion without a Ministery Where now are the stakes parted 1 Cor. 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet thus we part stakes with the Apostle that wee are Gods Fellow-labourers in this great worke He hath separated vs to it and ioyned vs with him in it it is he as we haue proued that hath deuised our Ministerie yea your selfe shall proue it it is his peculiar to appoint the outward Ministery
you thus Why doth the same Prayer written adde to the Word which spoken addeth not Because conceiued Prayer is commanded not the other But first not your particular Prayer Secondly without mention either of conception or memorie God commands vs to pray in spirit and with the heart These circumstances onely as they are deduced from his Generals so are ours But whence soeuer it please you to fetch our Booke of publike Prayer from Rome or Hell or to what Image soeuer you please to resemble it Let moderate spirits heare what the pretious IEVVEL of England saith of it We haue come as neere as we could to the Church of the Apostles Apolog. p. 170. Accessimus c. H. Burr against Gyfford c. neither onely haue we framed our Doctrine but also our Sacraments and the forme of publike Prayers according to their Rites and Institutions Let no Iew now obiect Swines-flesh to vs He is no iudicious man that I may omit the mention of Cranmer Bucer Ridley Taylor c. some of whose hands were in it all whose voyces were for it with whom one IEWEL will not ouer-weigh ten thousand Separatists SEP The number of Sacraments seemes greater amongst you by one at the least than Christ hath left in his Testament and that is Marriage which howsoeuer you doe not in expresse termes call a Sacrament no more did Christ and the Apostles call Baptisme and the Supper Sacraments yet doe you in truth create it a Sacrament in the administration and vse of it There are the parties to bee married and their marriage representing Christ and his Church and their spirituall vnion to which mysterie saith the Oracle of your Seruice-Booke expresly God hath consecrated them there is the Ring hallowed by the said Seruice-Booke whereon it must bee laid for the Element there are the words of consecration In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost there is the place the Church the time vsually the Lords day the Minister the Parish Priest And being made as it is a part of Gods Worship and of the Ministers office what is it if it be not a Sacrament It is a part of Prayer or preaching and with a Sacrament it hath the greatest consimilitude but an Idoll I am sure it is in the celebration of it being made a Ministeriall duty and part of Gods worship without warrant call it by what name you will SECTION XXXVIII HOw did Confirmation escape this number how did Ordination Marriage not made a Sacrament by the Church of England it was your ouer-sight I feare not your charitie some things seeme and are not such is this your number of our Sacraments you will needs haue vs take-in marriage into this ranke why so wee doe not you confesse call it a Sacrament as the vulgar misinterpreting Pauls Mysterium Eph. 5. why should we not if we so esteemed it wherfore â—erue names but to denotate the nature of things if wee were not ashamed of the opinion we could not be ashamed of the word No more say you did Christ and his Apostles call Baptisme and the Supper Sacraments but we doe and you with vs See now whether this clause doe not confute your last where hath Christ euer said There are two Sacraments Yet you dare say so what is this but in your sense an addition to the word yea we say flatly there are but two yet we doe you say in truth create it a Sacrament how oft and how resolutely hath our Church maintained against Rome that none but Christ immediately can create Sacraments If they had this aduantage against vs how could we stand How wrongfull is this force to fasten an opinion vpon our Church which she hath condemned But wherein stands this our creation It is true the parties to bee married and their marriage represent Christ and his Church and their spirituall vnion Beware lest you strike God through our sides what hath Gods Spirit said either lesse or other then this Eph. 5.25 26 27 32. Doth he not make Christ the husband the Church his Spouse Doth he not from that sweete coniunction and the effects of it argue the deare respects that should bee in marriage Or what doth the Apostle aâ—â—nde else-where vnto when hee saies as Moses of Eue wee are flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone And how famous amongst the ancient is that resemblance of Eue taken out of Adams side sleeping to the Church taken out of Christs side sleeping on the Crosse Since marriage therefore so clearely represents this mysterie and this vse is holy and sacred what error is it to say that marriage is consecrated to this mysterie But what is the Element The Ring These things agree not you had before made the two parties to bee the matter of this sacrament What is the matter of the Sacrament but the Element If they be the matter they are the Element and so not the Ring both cannot be If you will make the two parties to be but the receiuers how doth all the mysterie lie in their representation Or if the Ring be the Element then all the mysterie must be in the Ring not in the parties Labor to bee more perfect ere you make any more new Sacraments but this Ring is laid vpon the Seruice-booke why not For readinesse not for holinesse Nay but it is hallowed you say by the booke If it bee a Sacramentall Element it rather hallowes the booke than the booke it you are not mindfull enough for this trade But what exorcismes are vsed in this hallowing Or who euer held it any other than a ciuill pledge of fidelitie Then follow the words of Consecration I pray you what difference is there betwixt hallowing and consecration The Ring was hallowed before the booke now it must be consecrated How iâ—ely By what words In the name of the Father c. These words you know are spoken after the Ring is put on was it euer heard of that a SacrameÌ„tall Element was consecrated after it was applied See how-il your slanders are digested by you The place is the Church the time is the Lords day the Minister is the actor and is it not thus in all â—â—her reformed Churches aswell as ours Behold wee are not alone all Churches in the world if this will doe it are guiltie of three Sacraments Tell me would you not haue marriage solemnized publikely You cannot mislike though your founder seemes to require nothing heere but notice giuen to witnesses then to bed Well if publike Brâ— state of Christians 17â— you account it withall a graue and weighty businesse therefore such as must be sanctified by publike praier What place is fitter for publike praier than the Church Who is fitter to offer vp the publike prayer than the Minister who should rather ioyne the parties in Mariage than the publike deputy of that God who solemnly ioyned the first couple who rather than hee which in the
name of God may blesse them The prayers which accompany this solemnitie are parts of Gods worship not the contract it selfe This is a mixt action therefore compounded of Ecclesiasticall and ciuill imposed on the Minister not vpon necessity but expedience neither essential to him but accidentally annexed for greater conuenience These two friuolous grounds haue made your cauill either very simple or very wilfull SEP Your Court of faculties from whence your dispensations and tolerations for Non-residency and Plurality of Benefices are had together with your commuting of Penances and absoluing one man for another Take away this power from the Prelates and you maime the Beast in a limme SECTION XXXIX SEE if this man be not hard driuen for accusations when he is faine to repeate ouer the very same crime Commutation of Penance in our Church which he had largely vrged before All the world will know that you want variety when you send in these twice-sod Coleworts Somewhat yet we finde new Commutation of Penance Our Courts would tell you that here is nothing dispenced with but some ceremony of shame in the confession which in the greater sort is exchanged for a common benefit of the poore into a pecuniary mulct yet say they not so as to abridge the Church of her satisfaction by the confession of the offender and if you grant the Ceremony deuised by them why doe you finde fault that it is altered or commuted by them As for Absolution you haue a spite at it because you sought it and were repulsed If the censures be but their owne so you hold why blame you the managing of them in what maner seemes best to the authors This power is no more a limme of the Prelacy than our Prelacy is that Beast in the Reuelation and our Prelacy holds it selfe no more S. Iohns beast then it holds you S. Pauls beast Phil. 3.2 Sep. In your High Commission Court very absolute where by the Oath Ex Officio men are constrained to accuse themselues of such things as whereof no man will or can accuse them what necessity is laid vpon men in this case let your prisons witnesse SECTION XL. Oath Ex officio I Aske of Auricular Confession you send me to our High Commission Court these two are much alike But here is also very absolute necessity of confession True but as in a case of iustice not of shrift to cleare a truth not to obtaine absolution to a bench of Iudges not to a Priests eare Here are too many ghostly Fathers for an auricular confession But you will mistake it is enough against vs that men are constrained in these courts to confesse against themselues why name you these courts onely Euen in others also oathes are vrged not onely ex officio mercenario but noâ—ili The honorablest Court of Star-chamber giues an oath in a criminall case to the defendant So doth the Chancery and Court of Requests Shortly to omit forraine examples how many instances haue you of this like proceeding in the common Lawes of this Land But withall you might learne that no Enquiry Ex officio may be thus made but vpon good grounds D. Cosâ—â—s his Apol. as Fame Scandall vehement presumption c. going before and giuing iust cause of suspicion Secondly D. Auâ—r determ de Iurâ—â—â—rando 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 5.12 Icsh 7.19 1 Sam. 14 43. G. Iohns M. Crud Trouble at Amsterd p. 132. Non potest quis in vna causa eodem momâ—nto duas portarepersonas vt in eodem iudicio accusator sit iudâ—â— Optat. 〈◊〉 7. that this proceeding is not allowed in any case of crime whereby the life or limmes of the examined party may be indangered nor yet where there is a iust suspition of future periury vpon such enforcement Thus is the suspected wife vrged to cleare hâ—â— honesty by oath Thus the Master of the house must cleare his truth Exod. â—â— 8 Thus Aâ—â—an and Ionathan were vrged to be their owne accusers though not by oath But if perhap◠〈…〉 Iusticer in their proceedings must this b◠〈…〉 petty-Courts at ho◠〈…〉 onely to the Commission Court of England but to the Inquisition of Spaine See 〈◊〉 your Pastor defending himselfe to be both an accuser and Iudge in the same cause See their proceedings Ex Officio without commission and if your prisons cannot witnesse it your excommunications may SEP Though you haue lost the Shrines of Saints yet you retaine their daâ—es and those holy as the Lords day and that with good profit to your spirituall carnall Courts from such as pâ—â—fane them with the least and most lawfull 〈◊〉 notwithstanding the liberty of the siâ— dayes labour which the Lord hath giuen and as much would the Masters of these Courts bee stirred at the Casting of these Saints dayes out of the Calender 〈◊〉 were the Masters of the possessed maid when the Spirit of diuination was cast out of her Act. 1â— 19 SECTION XLI WEe haue not lost but cast away the Idolatrous shrines of Saints Holy-dayes how obserued in the Church of England their daies we retaine theirs not for worship of them which our Church condemneth but partly for â—ommoâ— oration of their high deserts and excellent examples partly for distinction indeed therefore Gods dayes and not theirs their praises redound to him shew vs where we implore them where wee consecrate daies to their seruice The maine end of Holy-daies is for the seruice of God and some Socr. l. 5. c. 21. Est 9.17 Nehe. 12.27 1 Mac. 4.29 Iohn 10.13 Aug. Ep. 44. Scias à Christianis Catholicis nullum coli mortuorum nihil denique vt numen adâ—rari quod fit factum condituâ—â— Ã Deo Quae tolo orbe terrarum c. sicuti quoque Domini passio resurrectio in coelum ascensus aduentus Spiritus sancti anniuersar à solemnitate câ—â—ebrantur Aug. Epist 118. Churches of France and Flanders in Harâ— confess Th Whites Discouer p. 1â— as Socrates sets downe of old quo se à láborum conteâ—â—ione relaxâ—â—â— for relaxation from labour and if such daies may be appointed by the Church as were the Holy daies of Pâ—rim of the dedication of the wall of Ierusalem the dedication of the Temple whose names should they rather beare though but for meere distinction than the blessed Apostles of Christ But his is a colour onely for you equally condemne those dayes of Christs Birth Ascension Circumcision Resurrection Anunciation which the Church hath beyond all memory celebrated what then is our fault Wee keepe these holy as the Lords day in the same manner though not in the same degree Indeed we come to the Church and worship the God of the Martyrs and Saints is this yet our offence No but we abstaine from our most lawfull labour in them True yet not in conscience of the day but in obedience to the Church If the Church shall indict a solemne Fast doe you not hold
it contemptuous to spend that day iâ— lawfull labour notwithstanding that liberty of the six dayes which God hath giuen Why shall that be lawfull in a case of deiection which may not in praise and exultation If you had not loued to cauill you would rather haue accepted the Apology or excuse of our sister Churches in this behalfe than aggrauated these uncharitable pleas of your owne yet euen in this your owne Synagogue at Amsterdam if we may beleeue your owne is not altogether guiltlesse your hands are still and your shops shut vpon festiuall dayes But we accuse you not would God this were your worst The Masters of our Courts would tell you they would not care so much for this dispossession as that it should be done by such coniurers as your selfe SEP If an ignorant and vnpreaching Ministery be approued amongst you and the people constrained by all kinde of violence to submit vnto it and therewith to rest as what a more vsuall throughout the whole kingdome then let no modest man once open his mouth to deny that ignorance is constrained and approued amongst you If the seruice said or sung in the Parish Church may be called deuotion then faâ—e there is good store of vnknowne deuotion the greatest part in most parishes neither knowing nor regarding what is said nor wherefore SECTION XLII Our approbation of an vnlearned Ministery disproued YOur want of quarrels makes you still runne ouer the same complaints which if you redouble a thousand times wil not become iust may become tedious God knowes how far we are from approuing an vnlearned Ministery The protestations of our gracious King our Bishops our greatest Patrons of conformity in their publike writings might make you ashamed of this bold assertion we doe not allow that it should be we bewaile that it will be our number of Parishes compared with our number of Diuines will soone shew that either many Parishes must haue none or some Diuines must haue many Congregations or too many Congregations must haue scarce Diuine-Incumbents Confer at Hampt Our deare Souereigne hath promised a medecine for this disease But withall tels you that Ierusalem was not built all on a day The violence you speake of is commonly in case of wilfull contempt not of honest and peaceable desired further instruction or in supposall of some tolerable ability in the Ministery forsaken we do heartily pray for labourers into this haruest we do wish that all Israel could prophesie we publish the Scriptures we Preach Catechise Write and Lord thou knowest how many of vs would doe more if wee knew what more could bee done for the information of thy people and remedy of this ignorance which this aduersary reproues vs to approue We doubt not but the seruice said in our Parish-Churches is as good a seruice to God as the extemporary deuotions in your Parlours But It is an vnknowne deuotion you say Through whose fault The Readers or the Hearers or the Matter Distinct reading you cannot deny â—o the most Parishes the matter is easie Prayers and English Scriptures if the hearers be regardlesse or in some things dull of conceit lay the fault from the Seruice to the men All yours are free from ignorance free from wandering conceits we enuy you not some knowledge is no better than some ignorance and carelesnesse is no worse than mis-regard SEP What are your sheet-penances for adultery and all your purse-penances for all other sinnes than which though some worse in Popery yet none more common SECTION XLIII Penances inioyned in the Church of England COmming now to the Vaults of Popery I aske for their Penances and Purgatory those Popish Penances which presumptuous Confessors enioyned as satisfactory and meritorious vpon their bold absolutions You send me to Sheeâ—-penances and Purse-penances the one ceremonious corrections of shame enioyned and adioyned to publike Confessions of vncleannesse Saccâ— cinâ—ri incubare corpâ—â— fordibus â—bscurareÌ„ presbyteris aduoluâ— aris Dei adgeniculari Tert. de penit for the abasing of the offender and hate of the sin such like as the ancient Church thought good to vse for this purpose Hence they were appointed as Tertullian speaketh in sackcloth and ashes to craue the prayers of the Church to besmeare their body with filthinesse to throw themselues down before Gods minister Altar not to mention other more hard perhaps no lesse ancient Rites and hence were those fiue stations of the Penitent whereby he was at last receiued into the body of his wonted Communion Canon Greg. Neocaesar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the other a pecuniarie mulct imposed vpon some not all you foulely slander vs lesse hainous offences as a penalty not as a penance I hope you deny not Sodomy Murder Robbery and which you would not Theft it selfe is more deeply auenged But did euer any of ours vrge either sheet or puse as the remedy of Purgatory or enioyne them to auoid those infernall paines vnlesse we do so our Penances are not Popish our Answerer is idle SEP Touching Purgatory though you deny the doctrine of it and teach the contrary yet how well your practise sutes with it let it be considered in these particulars Your absoluing of men dying excommunicate after they be dead and before they may haue Christian buriall Your Christian buriall in holy ground if the party will be at the charges your ringing of hallowed bels for the soule your singing the Corps to the graue from the Church stile your praying ouer or for the dead especially in these words That God would hasten his Kingdome that wee with this our Brother though his life were neuer so wretched and death desperate and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy Name may haue our perfect consummation both in body and soule Your generall doctrines and your particular practises agree in this as in the most other things like Harpe and Harrow In word you professe many truths which in deed you deny These and many moe Popish deuices by others at large discouered to the world both for pompe and profit are not onely not raâ—ed and buried in the dust but are aduanced amongst you aboue all that is called God SECTION XLIV YOur next accusation is more ingeniously malicious The practises of the Church of England coÌ„cerning the funerals of the Dead our Doctrine you grant contrary to Purgatory but you will fetch it out of our practise that we may build that which we destroy Let vs therfore purge our selues from your Purgatory We absolue men dying excommunicate a rare practise and which yet I haue not liued to see but if Law-makers contemne rare occurrents surely accusers doe not Once is too much of an euill Marke then Doe we absolue his Soule after the departure No what hath the body to doe with Purgatory Yet for the body doe we by any absolution seeke to quit it from sinne Nothing lesse reason it selfe giues vs that
it is vncapable either of sinne or pardon To lie vnburied or to be buried vnseemly is so much a punishment that the Heathens obiected it though vpon the hauocke and fury of Warre to the Christians as an argument of Gods neglect All that Authoritie can doe to the dead Rebell is to put his carcasse to shame and deny him the honour of seemely sepulture Thus doth the Church to those that will die in wilfull contempt Those Grecian virgins that feared not death Aug. de Ciu. l. 2. Athenienses decreuerunt ne siquis se interfecisset sepeliretur in agro attico c. were yet refrained with the feare of shame â—â—ter death it was a reall not imaginary curse of Iezabel The dogs shall eat Iezabel Now the absolution as you call it by an vnproper but malicious name is nothing else but a liberty giuen by the Church vpon repentance signified of the fault of the late offender of all those externall Rites of decent Funerall Death it selfe is capable of inequality and vnseemelinesse Suppose a iust Excommunication What reason is it that he which in his life and death would be as a Pagan should be as a Christiaâ— in his buriall What is any or all this to Purgatory The next intimation of our Purgatory is our Christian buriall in the place in the manner The place holy ground the Church Churchyard c. The manner Ringing Singing Praying ouer the corps Thus therefore you argue We bury the body in the Church or Churchyard c. therefore we hold a Purgatory of the Soule a proofe not lesse strange than the opinion We doe neither scorne the carcasses of our friends as the old Troglodites nor with the old Aegyptians respect them more than when they were enformed with a liuing soule but we keepe a meane course betwixt both vsing them as the remainders of dead men Sleeping-places Coemiteria Euseb l. 7. c. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Splendidissimae sepulturae tradidit Eus l. 7. c. 15 Curatio funeris conditio sepulturae pâ—â—npa exequiarum magis sunt viuâ—rum solatia quam subsidia mortuorum Aug. de ciuit l. 1. c. 12. Si enim paterna vestis annulus tanto charaest posteris nullo modo ipsa spernenda sunt corpora Aug. de Ciu. l. 1. c. 13. Orig. cont Cels l. 8. Rationalem animam honorare didicimus c. yet as dead Christians and as those which we hope one day to see glorious We haue learned to call no place holy in it selfe since the Temple but some more holy in their vse than others The old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Christians wherein their bodies slept in peace were not lesse esteemed of them than they are scorned of you Galienus thought he did them a great fauour and so they tooke it when he gaue them the liberty not only of their Churches but of their former burying places In the same booke Eusebius commends Astirius a noble Senator for his care and cost of Marinus his buriall Of all these rites of Funerall and choice of place we professe to hold with Augustine that they are onely the comforts of the liuing not helpes of the dead yet as Origen also teacheth vs wee haue learned to honour a reasonable much more a Christian soule and to commit the instrument or case of it honourably to the graue All this might haue taught our Answerer that we make account of an heauen of a resurrection not of a Purgatory But we ring hallowed bells for the Soule Doe not those bells hang in hallowed Steeples too and doe wee not ring them with hallowed ropes what fancie is this If Papists were so fond of old their folly and their belles for the most part are both out of date wee call them soule-belles for that they signifie the departure of the soule not for that they help the passage of the soule This is meere Boyes-play But we pray ouer or for the dead Doe we not sing to him also Pardon me I must needâ— tell you here is much spite and little wit To pray for the confâ—â—mation of the glory of all Gods elect What is it but Thy kingdome come How vainly doe you seeke a knot in a rush while you cauill at so holy a Petition Goe and learne how much better it is to call them our Brothers which are not in an harmelesse ouer-weening and ouer-hoping of charity than to call them no brothers which are in a proud censorious vncharitablenes you cannot be content to tell an vntruth but you must face it out Let any Reader iudge how farre our practice in this dissented from our doctrine would to God in nothing more Yes saith this good friend in the most other things our words professe our deeds denie at once you make vs hypocrites and your selues Pharises Let all the world know that the English Church at Amsterdam professeth nothing which it practiseth not we may not be so holy or so happy Generality is a notable shelter of vntruth Many mo you say Popish deuices yet name none No you cannot Aduanced aboue all that is called God surely this is a paradoxe of slanders you meant at once to shame vs with falshood and to appose vs with Riddles we say to the Highest Whom haue we in Heauen but thee and for earth your selfe haue granted we giue too much to Princes which are earthen Gods may come vnder Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either name our Deitie or craue mercie for your wrong certainly though you haue not remorse yet you shall haue shame SEP You are far from doing to the Romish Idols as was done to the Aegyptian Idols MITHâ—â— and SERAPIS whose Priests were expelled their Ministerie and Monuments exposeâ—â—â— vtter scorne and desolation their Temples demolished and raced to the very foundation SECTION XLV The Churches still retained in England Socrat. Hist Ec. l. 5. c. 16.17 Bed hist Eccl. l. 1. Cit. Gregor Ep. Aug. suo c. 30. Edilâ—â—rto regi c. 32. Contra sibi c. Sed Haereticorum templa veâ—â—ata à Constantinâ— Eused l. 3. c. 63. THE Maiestie of Romish Petti-gods I truely told you was long agone with Mithra and Serapis exposed to the laughter of the vulgar you straine the comparison too farre yet we follow you Their Priests were expelled for as your Doctor yeeldeth other Actors came vpon the same stage others in religion else it had beene no change Their Ministerie and Monuments exposed to vtter scornâ— Their Masses their oblations their adorations their invocations their anoylings their exorcizings their sâ—rift their absolutions their Images Rood-lofts and whatsoeuer else of this kinde But the Temples of those olde Heathens were demolished and razâ—d Here is the quarrell ours stand still in their proud Maiestie Can you see no difference betwixt our Churches and their Temples Aug. de Ciuit. l. 8 c. 27. Hoâ—ker 5. b. c. 13. Id. Aug. coner Maximin Arrian Nonne si templum c. Optat. MileuitaÌ„ l.
onely by gesse hauing neuer so much as read ouer one Treatise published in our defence and yet sticke not to passe this your censorious dooâ—e both vpon vs and it I leaue it to the Reader to iudge whether you haue beene more lauish of your censure or credit Most vniust is the censure of a cause vnknowne though in it selfe neuer so blame-worthy which neuerthelesse may be praise-worthy for ought he knowes that censures it SECTION XLVII On what ground Separation or Ceremonies were obiected HEE that leaues the whole Church in a grosse and wilfull errour is an Heretike he that leaues a particular Church for appendances is a Schismaticke such are you both in the action and cause The act is yelded the cause hath beene in part scanned shall be more This I vainely pretended to be our consorting in Ceremonies with the Papists Behold here the ground of your lowd challenge of my ignorance Ignorance of your Iudgement and practice Here is my abuse of you of my Reader and how durst I Good words M. R. What I haue erred I will confesse I haue wronged you indeed but in my charitie I knew the cause of Brownisme but I knew not you For to say ingenuously I had heard and hoped that your cause had beene lesse desperate My intelligence was that in dislike of these Ceremonies obtruded and an hopelesnesse of future libertie you and your fellows had made a secession rather than a separation from our Church to a place where you might haue scope to professe and opportunitie to enioy your owne conceits whence it was that I termed you Ring-leaders of the late separation not followers of the first and made your plea against our Church imperfection not falshood I hoped you as not ours so not theirs not ours in place Inq. into M. White so not quite theirs in peeuish opinion I knew it to bee no new thing for men inclin ng to these fancies to beginne new Churches at Amsterdam seuerall from the rest witnesse the letters of some sometimes yours cited by your own Pastor I knew the former separation and hated it I hoped better of the later separation and pittied it My knowledge both of * * Which vpon the Loâ—ds Praye hath â—â—nfuted some 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 M. Smith whom you followed and your selfe would not let me thinke of you as you deserued How durst I charge you with that which perhaps you might disauow It was my charity therefore that made my accusations easie it is your vncharitablenesse that accuses them of ignorance I knew why a Brownist is a true Schismaticke I knew not you were so true a Brownist But why then did I write Taking your separation at best I knew how iustly I might take occasion by it to disswade from separation to others good though not to yours Now I know you better or worse rather I thinke you heare more Forgiue mee my charity and make the worst of my ignorance I knew that this separation which now I know yours stands vpon foure grounds as some beasts vpon foure feet First God worshipped after a false manner Barr. and Grâ—en passim Penr Exam. Secondly Profane multitude receiued Thirdly Antichristian Ministery imposed Fourthly Subiection to Antichristian Gouernment The Ceremonies are but as some one paw in euery foot yet if we extend the word to the largest vse diuiding all Religion into Ceremony and Substance I may yet and doe auerre that your separation is meerely grounded vpon Ceremonies SEP And touching the ceremonies here spoken of howsoeuer we haue formerly refused them submitting as all others did and doe to the Prelates spirituall Iurisdiction herein through ignorance straining at Gnats and swallowing Camels yet are we verily perswaded of them and so were before we separated that they are but as leaues of that tree and as badges of that Man of sinne whereof the Pope is head and the Prelates shoulders And sowe for our parts see no reason why any of the Bishops sworne seruants as all the Ministers in the Church of England are Canonically should make nice to weare their Lords liueries Which Ceremonies notwithstanding we know well enough howsoeuer you for aduantage extenuate and debase them vnto vs to be aduanced and preferred in your Church before the preaching of the Gospell It is much that they being not so much as Reed nor any part of the building as you pretend should ouerturne the best builders amongst you as they doe The proportion betwixt Zoar and them holds well Zoar was a neighbour vnto Sodome both in place and sinne and obnoxious to the same destruction with it and it was Lots errour to desire to haue it spared Gen. 19.15 18 19 20. and so he neuer found rest nor peace in it but forsooke it for feare of the same iust iudgement which had ouertaken the rest of the Cities verse 30. The application of this to your Ceremonies I leaue to your selfe and them to that destruction to which they are deuoted by the Lord. SECTION XLVIII ANd touching Ceremonies you refused them formerly but not long Estimation of Ceremonies and subiection to the Prelates and when you did refuse them you knew not wherefore for immediately before your suspension you acknowledged them to be things indifferent and for matter of scandall by them you had not informed your selfe by your owne confession of a whole quarter of a yeere after Why refused you then but as the Poet made his playes to please the people or as Simon Magus was baptized for company But refusing them you submitted to the Prelates spirituall Iurisdiction there was your crime this was your Camell the other your Gnats Did euer any Prelate challenge spirituall rule ouer your conscience This they all appropriate to the great Bishop of our soules and if other grant them as your malice faineth what sinne is it to be the subiect of a Tyrant now vpon more grace refusing the Prelacy you haue branded the Ceremonies So you did before your separation Tell vs how long was it after your suspension and before your departure that you could haue beene content vpon condition to haue worne this linnen badge of your Man of sinne Was not this your resolution when you went from Norwich to Lincolneshire after your suspension Deny it not my witnesses are too strong But let vs take you as you are these Ceremonies though too vile for you yet are good enough for our Ministers of England As if you said Lord I thanke thee I am not as this Publican Why for our Ministers Because those are the Liueries and these the sworne seruants of the Antichristian Bishops 1 Cor. 4.1 Ier. in Psal 44. Heming Class 3. Potest Eccl. c. 10. Vt cuique suus clirus sua plebs in bis quae Domini sunt pie obsequerentur We haue indeed sworne obedience to our Ordinary in honest and lawfull Commandements but seruice to Christ But doth all obedience imply seruitude This obedience is as to spirituall
common opinion of Swaggerers blame the peaceable of cowardise and accuse them of suffering Behold a new crime That they suffer themselues to be driuen out What should they haue done Should they haue taken armes and cry The sword of God and Gedeon You that will not allow a Prince to compell Subiects will you allow Subiects to compell Princes God forbid This were high Treason against Gods Anointed what then Should they approue the Ceremonies by subscription by practise This you exclaime vpon as high Treason against the Highest What yet more Should they haue preached with their mouthes stopâ—â— This is it which you haue learned of your Founder and through not many hands receiued and required with no lesse violence Clamour and tumults is that you desire Brow Reforma without Tar. still let our sinne be peaceable obedience yours fury and opposition Your head-strong conceit is that it is a sinne to be silenced Men must preach euen when they may not all times before you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We charge him not to serue any more So Can. 15. Can. 25. Cum compertum fuerit deponatur Can. 10. De Clericatus bonore pericliâ—abitur Can. 2. E Clero deponatur sit alienus à Canone Can. 17. Can. 18. A Ministerio cessare debuerit Concil Sardic c. 4. Concil Carth. 4. c. 48. 56 57. Leo Ep. 1 Sect. 5. Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 9. Socr. l. 2. c. 21. would haue wondred at this Paradox For howeuer the Apostles which had not their calling from men would not be silenced by men yet we find that all their successors held that those hands which were laid vpon their heads might be laid vpon their mouthes looke into all Histories Those Constitutions which though not Apostolike yet were ancient in the seuenth Canon punish a Bishop or Presbyter that vpon pretence of Religion separates from is wife with deposition and if any Presbyter shall shift his charge without licence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lastly inflicts the same penalty vpon Fornication Adultery Periury The great Nicene Councell takes the same order with some misliked Bishops and Presbyters in diuers Canons Gaudentius in the Councell of Sardi takes it for granted that a Bishop may by Bishops be deposed so the second Councell of Carthage Can. 13. so the fourth Councell of Carthage more than once imposes degradation so Leo the first threats to put some offending persons from the office of their Ministery so that I may not be endlesse blessed Cyprian aduises Rogatianus a good old Bishop which was abused by a malapert Deacon by the authority of his Chaire to right himselfe and either to depose or suspend the offender Leontius in Socrates is depriued of his Priesthood yea what Councell or Father giues not both rules and instances of this practice See how farre the ancient Church was from these tumultuous fancies No no M. R. we well finde it is doing that vndoes the Church not suffering If your fellowes could haue suffered more and done lesse the Church had beene happy As for our Church-Officers you may raile vpon them with a lawlesse safety there is a great Ditch betwixt you and them else you might pay deare for this sinne of slandering them with their cheape peny-worths How idly doe you insult ouer those whom your mony-changers haue driuen out of their Pulpits When you confesse after all your valour that they haue driuen you both out of Church and Country who can pitty a miserable insulter SEP For the Wafers in Geneua and disorders in Corinth they were corruptions which may and doe or the like vnto them creepe into the purest Churches in the World for the Reformation whereof Christ hath giuen his power vnto his Church that such euils as are brought in by humane frailty may by diuine authority bee purged out This power and presence of Christ you want holding all by homage or rather by villanage vnder the Prelates vnto whose sinfull yoke you stoope in more than Babylonish bondage bearing and approuing by personall communion infinite and abominations And in these two last respects principally your Babylonish confusion of all sorts of people in the body of your Church without separation and your Babylonish bondage vnder your spirituall Lords the Prelates we account you Babylon and flie from you SECTION LI. Power of Reforming abuses giuen to the Church and the issue of the neglect of it YOu that can grant there will be corruptions in all other Churches will endure none in ours If England should haue either vnleauened Wafers or drunken Loue-feasts though no other blemishes shee could not but bee Babylon We enuy not your fauours These or whatsoeuer like enormities Christ hath giuen power vnto his Church to reforme but what if the Church neglect to vse it What if those euils which are brought in by humane frailty will not by diuine authority be purged out Barr. against Gyff p. 27. 88. Now the errour by your doctrine is growne fundamentall so Christ is lost and the foundation razed if we shall then assume against our friends to conuince our enemies The Church of Geneua hath beene seriously dealt with in this corruption and disswaded by vehement importunity yet still persisteth How can you free them and charge vs see how we loue to be miserable with company This power to purge out all corruptions Christ hath not giuen vs if he hath giuen it you you must first beginne to purge out your selues you haue done it but still there remaine some Troubles and Excommunications at Amsterdam An tu suâ—â—s Ecclesia esâ— Et qui te offenderit à Christo excluâ—â—tur Hieron Epiphan Cypr. Solus in coelum ascend Pupâ—anus Et ad Acesuâ—m Nouatianum Constan Erigita tibi scalam Acesi ad coelum solus ascendito Socr. l. 1. c. 7. would God we had as much execution as power Our Church should be as cleane as yours is Schismaticall If you should measure faculties by their exercise Naturall rest should be the greatest enemy to â—ertue and the solitary Christian should be miserable This power of ours is not dâ—ad but sleepeth When it awaketh vnto more frequent vse which we earnestly pray for looke you for the first handsell of it None can bee more worthy as it is we offend not more in defect than you in excesse Of whom that your Laxarello of Amsterdam G. I. could say that you haue Excommunication as ready as a Prelâ—â—e hath a Prison Christ is in many that feele him not but we want not the power oney but the presence of Christ How so he was with vs while you were here Did he depart with you will the Separatists ingrosse our Sauiour to themselues and as Cyprian said of Popianus goe to Heauen alone yea confine the God of Heauen to Amsterdam What insolence is this we haue him in his Word we haue him in his Sacraments we haue him in our hearts we haue him in our profession yet this enemy
dare say wee want him Wherein I suppose in our censures Wee haue Peters keyes as his true successors both in office and doctrine our fault is that we vse them not as you would What Church doth so your first Martyr doth as zealously inueigh against the practise of Geneua Bar. Gyff ref So some of their owne haue termed their Excommunication Confess by M. Iohns Inquirie pag. 65. and all other Reformed Congregations in this point as against vs both for the woodden Dagger as he termes it of suspension and for their Consistoriall Excommunication Woe were to all the World if Christ should limit his presence onely to your fashions Here you found him and here you left him Would to God we did no more grieue him with our sins than you please him in your presumptuous censures in the rest you raile against our Prelates and vs Can any man thinke that Christ hath left peaceable spirits to goe dwell with Railers Indeed yours is free-hold so you would haue it free from subiection free from obedience This is loosenesse more than liberty You haue broken the bonds and cast the cords from you but you mis-call ouâ— tenure Wee hate villenage no lesse than you hate peace and hold in capite of him that is the head of his body Coloss 1.18 the Churchâ— vnder whose easie yoke wee doe willingly stoope in a sweet Christian freedome abhorring and reprouing and therefore notwithstanding our personall Communion auoiding all abominations In these two respects therefore of our confusion and bondage wee haue well seene in this Discourse how iustly your Sion accounts vs Babylon since it is apparent for the one that here is neither confusion nor Babylonish nor without separation For the other no bondage no seruility Our Prelates being our Fathers Amari Parens Episcopus debet non timeri Hier. ad Theophilum not our Masters and if Lords for their externall dignity yet not Lords of our Faith and if both these your respects were so yet so long as we doe inuiolably hold the foundation both directly and by necessary sequell any Railer may terme vs but no Separatist shall proue vs Babylon you may flie whither you lift would God yet further vnlesse you had more loue SEP Master H. hauing formerly expostulated with vs our supposed impietie in forsaking a ceremonious Babylon in England proceeds in the next place to lay downe our madnesse in chusing a substantiall Babylon in Amsterdam and if it be so found by due triall as he suggesteth it is hard to say whether our impietie or madnesse bee the greater Belike Master H. thinkes wee gather Churches here by towne-rowes as they doe in England and that all within the Parish Procession are of the same Church Wherfore else tels he vs of Iewes Arrians and Anabaptists with whom we haue nothing common but the Streets and Market place It is the condition of the Church to liue in the World and to haue ciuill society with the men of his World 1 Cor. 5.10 Ioh. 17.13 But what is this to the spirituall Communion of the Saints in the fellowship of the Gospell wherein they are separated and sanctified from the World vnto the Lord Ioh. 17.16 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 6.17 18. SECTION LII I Need no better Analyser than your selfe saue that you doe not onely resolue my parts The veiw of the sinnes and disorders of others whereupon obiected and how far it should affect vs. but adde more whereas euery motion hath a double terme from whence and whither both these could not but all into our discourse Hauing therefore formerly expostulated with you for your since you will so terme it impietie in forsaking a ceremonious Babylon of your owne making in England I thought it not vnfit to compare your choice with your refusall England with Amsterdam which it pleaseth you to intitle a substantiall Babylon impiety and madnesse are titles of your owne choice let your guiltinesse be your owne accuser The truth is my charity and your vncharitablenesse haue caused vs to mistake each other My charity thus Hearing both at Middleburgh and here that certaine companies from the parts of Nottingham and Lincolne which Harbinger had beene newly in Zeland before me meant to retire themselues to Amsterdam for their full liberty not for the full approbation of your Church not fauouring your maine opinions but emulating your freedome in too much hate of our Ceremonies and too much accordance to some grounds of your hatred I hoped you had beene one of their Guides both because Lincolneshire was your Countrey and Master Smith your Oracle and Generall Not daring therefore to charge you with perfect Brownisme what could I thinke might bee a greater motiue to this your supposed change than the view of our so oft proclaimed wickednesse and the hope of lesse cause of offence in those forraine parts this I vrged fearing to goe deeper than I might be sure to warrant Now comes my charitable Answerer and imputes this easinesse of my challenge to my ignorance and therefore will needes perswade his Christian Reader that I knew nothing of the first separation because I obiected so little to the second It were strange if I should thinke you gather Churches there by Towne-rowes as wee in England who know that some one Prison might hold all your refined Flocke you gathered here by Hedge-rowes but there it is easier to tell how you diuide than how you gather let your Church be an intire body inioying her owne spirituall Communion yet if it be not a corrosiue to your heart to conuerse in the same streets and to bee ranged in the same Towne-rowes with Iewes Arrians Anabaptists c. you are to whit of kinne to him that vexed his righteous soule with the vncleannesses of foule Sodme That good man had nothing but ciuill societie with those impure Neighbours hee differed from them in Religion in practise yet could he not so carelesly turne off this torment His house was Gods Church wherein they had the spirituall Communion of the Saints yet whiles the Citie was so vncleane his heart was vnquiet Separation from the world how required Iohn 17.16 We may you grant haue ciuill societie with ill men spirituall Communion onely with Saints Those must be accounted the world these onely the Church your owne allegations shall condemne you They are not of the World saith Christ as I am not of the World Both Christ and they were parts of the Iewish Church The Iewish Church was not so sanctified but the most were extremely vncleane therefore wee may bee parts of a Visible vnsanctified Church and yet bee separate from the World 1 Cor. 1.2 Saint Paul writes to his Corinthians sanctified in Christ Saints by calling True 1 Cor. 3.3 but not long after he can say Ye are yet carnall In his second Epistle Come out saith he from among them But from whom From Infidels by profession not corrupted Christians SEP Wee indeed
haue much wickednesse in the City where wee liue you in the Church But in earnest doe you imagine wee account the Kingdome of England Babylon or the Citie of Amsterdam Sion It is the Church of England or State Ecclesiasticall which wee account Babylon and from which we withdraw in spirituall Communion but for the Common-Wealth and Kingdome as we honour it aboue all the States in the World so would we thankfully imbrace the meanest corner in it at the extremest conditions of any people in the Kingdome The hellish impieties in the Citie of Amsterdam doe no more preiudice our Heauenly Communion in the Church of Christ than the Frogs Lice Moraine and other plagues ouer-spreading Aegypt did the Israelites when Goshen the portion of their inheritance was free Exod. 8.19 nor than the Deluge wherewith the whole World was couered did NOAH when he and his Familie were safe in the ARke Genes 7. nor than Satans throne did the Church of Pergamus being established in the same Citie with it Reuel 2.12 13. SECTION LIII THe Church and State if they bee two yet they are twins and that so The neerenesse of the State Church the great errours found by the Separatists in the French and Dutch Churches as eithers euill proues mutuall the sinnes of the Citie not reformed blemish the Church where the Church hath power and in a sort comprehends the State shee cannot wash her hands of tolerated disorders in the Common-Wealth hence is my comparison of the Church if you could haue seene it not the Kingdome of England with that of Amsterdam I doubt not but you could bee content to sing the old song of vs Bona terra mala gens Our Land you could like well if you might bee Lords alone Thanks be to God it likes not you and iustly thinks the meanest corner too good for so mutinous a generation when it is weary of Peace it will recall you you that neither in Prison nor on the Seas nor in the Coasts of Virginia nor in your way nor in Netherland could liue in Peace What shall wee hope of your ease at home Where yee are all you thankfull Tenants cannot in a powerfull Christian state moue God to distinguish betwixt the knowne sinnes of the Citie and the Church How oft hath our Gracious Soueraigne and how importunately beene sollicited for a Toleration of Religions It is pittie that the Papists hyred not your Advocation who in this point are those true Cassanders Cassand de Offic. boni viri which Reuerend Caluin long since confuted Their wishes herein are yours To our shame and their excuse his Christian heart held that Toleration vnchristian and intollerable which you either neglect or magnifie Good Constantine winkt at it in his beginning Bellar. de Laicis Euseb in vita Const but as Dauid at the house of Zeruiahâ— Succeeding times found these Canaanites to bee prickes and thornes and therefore both by Mulcts and banishments sought either their yeeldance or voydance If your Magistrates hauing once giuen their names to the Church indeuour not to purge this Augean Stable how can you preferre their Communion to ours But howsoeuer now lest wee should thinke your Land-lords haue too iust cause to packe you away for Wranglers you turne ouer all the blame from the Church to the Citie yet your Pastor and Church haue so found the Citie in the Church and branded it with so blacke markes as that all your smooth extenuations cannot make it a lesse Babylon than the Church of England Behold now by your owne Confessions either Amsterdam shall be or England shall not be Babylon These eleuen crimes you haue found and proclaimed in those Dutch and French Churches Fr. Iohns Artic. against the French and Dutch Churches FIRST That the Assemblies are so contriued that the whole Church comes not together in one So that the Ministers cannot together with the Flocke sanctifie the Lords day the presence of the members of the Church cannot be knowne and finally no publike action whether Excommunication or any other can rightly be performed Could you say worse of vs Where neither Sabbath can bee rightly sanctified nor presence or absence knowne nor any holy action rightly performed what can there be but meere confusion SECONDLY That they baptize the seede of them who are no members of any Visible Church of whom moreouer they haue not care as of members neither admit their Parents to the Lords Supper Meere Babylonisme and sinne in constitution yea the same that makes vs no Church for what separation can there bee in such admittance what other but a sinfull commixture How is the Church of Amsterdam now gathered from the World THIRDLY That in the publike worship of God they haue deuised and vsed another forme of Prayer besides that which Christ our Lord hath prescribed Matth. 6. reading out of a Booke certaine Prayers inuented and imposed by man Behold here our fellow-Idolaters and as followes a daily Sacrifice of a set Seruice-Booke which in stead of the sweet Incense of spirituall Praiers is offered to God very Swines-flesh Barr. against Gâ—ff a new Portuise and an equall participation with vs of the Curse of addition to the Word FOVRTHLY That rule and commandement of Christ Matth. 18.15 they neither obserue nor suffer rightly to bee obserued among them How oft haue you said that there can bee no sound Church without this course because no separation Behold the maine blemish of England in the face of Amsterdam FIFTHLY That they worship God in the Idoll Temples of Antichrist so the Wine is marr'd with the Vessell their seruice abomination with ours neither doe these Antichristian stones want all glorious ornaments of the Romish Harlot yet more SIXTLY That their Ministers haue their set maintenance in another manner than Christ hath ordained 1 Chron. 14. and that also such as by which any Ministerie at all whether Popish or other might be maintained Either Tythes or as ill Behold one of the maine Arguments whereby our Ministerie is condemned as false and Antichristian falling heauy vpon our Neighbours SEVENTHLY That their Elders change yeerely and doe not continue in their Office according to the Doctrine of the Apostles and practise of the Primitiue Church What can our Church haue worse than false Gouernors Both annuall and perpetuall they cannot be What is if not this a wrong in Constitution EIGHTLY That they celebrate marriage in the Church as if it were a part of the Ecclesiasticall Administration a foule shame and sinne and what better than our third Sacrament NINTHLY That they vse a new censure of suspension which Christ hath not appointed no lesse than English presumption TENTHLY That they obserue daies and times consecrating certaine daies in the yeere to the Natiuitie Resurrection Ascension of Christ Behold their Calendar as truely possessed Two Commandements solemnly broken at once and we not Idolaters alone ELEVENTHLY which is last and worst that they receiue vnrepentant Excommunicates
to bee members of their Church which by this meanes becomes one bodie with such as bee deliuered vnto Satan therefore none of Christs bodie England can bee but a miscelline rabble of prophane men H. Ainsworth in his Counterpoyson The Dutch and French Churches are belike no better who can be worse than an vnrepentant Excommunicate Goe now and say It is the Apostasie of Antichrist to haue communion with the World in the holy things of God which are the peculiars of the Church and cannot without Sacriledge bee so prostituted and prophaned Goe say that the Plaguy-spirituall-leprosie of sinne rising vp in the foreheads of many in that Church vnshut vp vncouered yea wilfully let loose infects all both persons and things amongst them Goe now and flie out of this Babylon also as the He-Goates before the flocke or returne to ours But how-euer these errors be grosse perhaps they are tractable Not the sinne vndoes the Church but obstinacie here is no euasion For behold you doe no more accuse those Churches of corruption than of wilfulnesse for diuers times haue you dealt with them about these fearefull enormities yea you haue often desired that knowledge thereof might bee by themselues giuen to the whole bodie of their Church or that at least they would take order it might be done by you They haue refused both What remaines but they bee our fellow-Heathens and Publicans And not they alone but all Reformed Churches beside in Christendome which doe ioyntly partake in all these except one or two personall abominations will you neuer leaue till you haue wrangled your selues out of the world But now I feare I haue drawne you to say that the Hellish impieties both in the Citie and Church of Amsterdam arâ— but Frogs Lice Flies Murraine and other Aegyptian plagues not preiudicing your Goshen Say so if you dare I feare they would soone make the Ocean your Red Sea and Virginia your Wildernesse The Church is Noahs Arke which gaue safety to her Guests whereof ye are part but remember that it had vncleane beasts also and some sauage If the waues drowne you not yet me thinkes you should complaine of noisome societie Satans throne could not preiudice the Church of Pergamus but did not the Balaamites the Nicolaitans Yet their heauenly Communion stood and the Angell is sent away with but threats SEP It is the will of God and of Christ that his Church should abide in the world and conuerse with it in the affaires thereof which are common to both But it is the Apostasie of Antichrist to haue Câ—â—â—â—nion wiâ—h the World in the holy things of God which are the peculiars of the Church and 〈◊〉 without great sacriledge be so prostituteâ— and prophaned SECTION LIV. AS it were madnesse to deny that the Church should conuerse with the World in the affaires thereof So to deny her Communion in Gods Holy things Conuersation with the World with any of those of the World which professe Christianity as yet vnconsuted is a point of Anâ—baptisticall Apostasie such â—f the World are still of the Church As my censure cannot eiect them so their sinne after my priuate endeuour of redresse cannot defile me I speake of priuate Communicants If an vnbidden Guest come with a râ—gged garment and vnwashen hands shall I forbeare Gods heauenly dainties The Master of the Feast can say Friend how camest thou in hither not Friends why came you hither with such a Guest God bids mee come Hee hath imposed this necessity neuer allowed this excuse Duobus nodis non te maculat malus videlicet si non consentis si redâ—â—guis d. 23. q. 4. à maliâ— My teeth shall not beset on edge with the fowre Grapes of others If the Church cast not out the knowne vnworthy the sinne is hers If a man will come vnworthy the sinne is his But if I come not because he comes the sinne is mine I shall not answer for that others sinne I shall answer for mine owne neglect Another mans fault cannot dispense with my duty SEP The aire of the Gospell which you draw in is nothing so free and cleare as you make shew it is onely because you are vsed to it that makes you so iudge The thicke smoke of your Canons especially of such as are planted against the Kingdome of Christ the visible Church and the administration of it doe both obscure and poison the aire which you all draw in and wherein you breathe The plâ—gâ—y spirituall 〈◊〉 of seâ— rising vp in the forthâ—â—ds of so many thousands in the Church vnshut vp vncouered infects all both persons and things amongst you Leuit 13.45 46 47. 2 Cor. 6.17 The blasting Hierarchie suffers no good thing to grow or prosper but withers all both bud and branch The daily sacrifice of the Seruice-booke which in stead of spirituall Prayer sweâ—â— as Incense you offer vp Morning and Euening smels so stronâ— of the Popes Portuise as it makes many hundreds amongst your selues stop their noses as it and yet you boast of the free and cleere aire of the Gospell wherein you breathe SECTION LV. The impure mixtures of the Church of England AS there is no Element which is not through many mixtures departed from the first simplicity So no Church euer breathed in so pure an aire as that it might not iustly complaine of some thicke and vnwholsome euaporations of errour and sinne If you challenge an immunitie you are herein the true broode of the ancient Puritanes But if too many sinnes in practise haue thickned the aire of our Church yet not one Heresie that smoke of the bottomlesse pit hath neuer corrupted it and therefore iustly may I auerre that here you might draw in the cleare aire of the Gospell No where vpon earth more freely And if this be but the opinion of custome you whom absence hath helped with a more nice and dainty sent speake your worst Shew vs our Heresies and shame vs you haue done it and behold foure maine infections of our English aire 1. Canons The first the smoke of our Canons Wittily I feare the great Ordinances of the Church haue troubled you more with the blow than the smoke For you tell vs of their Plantation against the Kingdome of Christ What Kingdome The visible Church Which is that Not the Reformedst peece of ours whose best are but Goats and Swine Not the close Nicodemians of your owne Sect amongst vs which would be loth to be visible Not forrainers to them they extend not None therefore in all the World but the English Parlour-full at Amsterdam Can there be any truer Donatisme Cry you still out of their poysoning the aire We hold it the best cleansed by the batteries of your idle fancies by ridding you from our aire and by making this your Church inuisible to vs smart you thus till we complaine 2. Sinne vncensured The second is the plague or leprosie of sin vnshut vp and vncouered We know that
sinne is as ill as the Deuill can make it a most loathsome thing in the eyes of God and his Angels and Saints and we grant to our griefe that among so many millions of men there may be found some thousands of Lepers Good Lawes and censures meet with some others escape It is not so much our fault as our griefe But that this Leprosie infects all persons and things is shamefully ouer-reacht Plague and Leprosie haue their limits beyond which is no contagion If a man come not neere them Certè nullius crimen inaculat nescientem Aug. Epist 48. if he take the wind in an open aire they infect not such is sinne It can infect none but the guilty Those which act or assent to or beare with it or detest it not are in this pollution But those which can mourne for it and cannot redresse it are free from infection How many foule Lepers spiritually did our Sauiour see in the publike aire of the Iewish Church wherewith yet hee ioyned and his not fearing infection so much as gracing the remnants of their ruinous Church Were those seuen thousand Israelites 1 Reg. 19.18 whose knees bowed not to BAAL infected with the Idolatry of their Neighbours yet continued they still parts of the same Church 3. Hierarchie But this yet exceeds Not onely all persons but all things What Our Gospell Our Heauen Earth Sea Our Bookes Coyne Commodities Behold you see the same Heauen with vs you haue no Bibles but ours our aire in his circular motion comes to be yours the water that washeth our Iland perhaps washeth your hands Our vncleane Siluer I feare maintaines you Our commodities in part in rich your Land-Lords and yet all things amongst vs infected you are content to take some euill from your neighbours The third is our blasting Hierarchie which suffers no good thing that is no Brownist no singular fancy for what good things haue we but yours to grow or prosper amongst vs but withers all both bud and branch would to God the root also The last 4. Seruice-booke is a daily Sacrifice of a Seruice-booke an Incense how euer vnsauoury to you yet such as all Churches in Christendome hold sweet and offer vp as fit for the nostrils of the Almighty we are not alone thus tainted all Christian Churches that are or haue beene present the same Censers vnto God But ours smels strong of the Popes Portuise See whether this be any better than triuiall cauilling If â—ither an ill man or a Deuil shal speake that which is good may not a good man if it If a good Angell Patres nostri non selum ante Cyprianum vel Agâ—â—ppinum sed pâ—stea salubeâ—rimam consuetudinem tenueâ—unt vt quicquâ—d diu nil atque legitimum in aliquâ— haeresi vel si bismate inâ—egruÌ„ reperâ—ent â—pprobent potius quà m negarent August or man shall speake that which is euill is it euer the better for the Deliuerer If Satan himselfe shall say of Christ Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God shall I feare to repeat it Not the Author but the matter in these things is worthy of regard As Ierome speakes of the poysoned Workes of Origen and other dangerous Treatisors Good things may bee receiued from ill hands If the matter of any Prayer be Popish fault it for what it containes not for whence it came what say you against vs in this more than Master Smith your from Anabaptist saith of our baptizing of Infants Both of them equally condemned for Antichristian Still therefore we bâ—ast of the fâ—ce and cleere aire of the Gospell if it bee annoyed with some practicall euills we may be foule the Gospell is it selfe and our profession holy neither can we complaine of all euills while we want you SEP That all Christendome should so magnifie your happinesse as you say is much and yet your selues and the best amongst you complaine so much both in word and writing of your miserable condition vnder the imperious and superstitious impositions of the Prelates yea and suffer so much also vnder them as at this day you doe for seeking the same Church Gouernment and Ministerie which is in vse in all other Churches saue your owne The truth is you are best liked where you are worst knowne Your next neighbours of Scotland know your Bishops Gouernment so well as they rather chuse to vndergoe all the miserie of bonds and banishment than to partake with you in your happinesse this way so highly doe they magnifie and applaud the same Which choice I doubt not other Churches also would make if the same necessitie were laid vpon them And for your graces we despise them not nor any good thing amongst you no more than you doe such graces and good things as are to be found in the Church of Rome from which you separate notwithstanding We haue by Gods mercy the pure and right vse of the good gifts and graces of God in Christs Ordinance which you want Neither the Lords people nor the holy Vessels could make Babylon Sion though both the one and the other were captiued for a time SECTION LVI THat which followeth is but words a short answer is too much The iudgment of our owne and our neighbours of our Church Socrat. l b. 1. c. 4. Constant Alex. Ario. Ac tamet si vos inter vos vicissim dere quapâ—am mâ—mini momenti dissentuis siquidem neque omnes de omnibus rebus idem sâ—ntimus nihilominus tamen fieri poterit vt eximia concordia sincere inter vos integreque seruetur vna inter omnes communio consocâ—atio custoâ—atur That all Christendome magnifies the worthinesse of our Church in so cleare euidences of their owne voices you cannot denie and now when you see such testimonies abroad lest you should say nothing you fetch cauills from home Those men which you say complaine so much of their miserable condition vnder the Prelates impositions haue notwithstanding with the fame pens and tongues not onely iustified our Church but extold it you haue found no sharper aduersaries in this very accusation for which you maliciously cite them How freely how fully haue they euinced the truth yea the happinesse of the Church of England against your false challenges and yet your forehead dare challenge them for Authors So hath their moderation opposed some appendances that they haue both acknowledged and defended the substance with equall vehemence to your opposition neither doe they suffer as you traduce them for seeking another Church gouernment looke into the Millenaries petition the common voice of that part I am deceiued if ought of their complaints sound that way much lesse of their sufferings deformitie in practise is obiected to them not indeauour of innouation That quarrell hath beene long silent your motion cannot reuiue it would God you could as much follow those men in moderate and charitable carriage as you haue out-run them in complaint It pleaseth you to deuise vs
parties written to and their crime 551 The Kindes of separation and which is iust 552 The Antiquity and examples of separation 553 What separation is to be made by Churches in their planting c 555 What separation the Church of England hath made 556 Consititution of a Church 557 Order 2. Part of constitution how farre requisite c. ibid. Constraint requisite 558 Constitution of the Church of England 559 The Answerers Title 561 The Apostasie of the Church of England ibid. The Separatists acknowledgements of the graces of the Church of England 564 The vnnaturalnesse of some principall Separatists 565 What the Separatists thinke themselues beholden to the church of England for ibid. The motherhood of the Church of England how farre it obligeth vs. 566 The want of pretended Ordinances of God whether sinfull to vs c. 567 The bonds of Gods word vniustly pleaded by the Separatists 568 The necessity of their pretended Ordinances 569 The enormities of the Church in common ibid. The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ 570 How the Church of England hath separated from Babylon 571 The separation made by our holy Martyrs 573 What separation England hath made ibid. The maine grounds of separation 574 The truth and warrant of the Ministery of England 575 Confused Communion of the profane 576 Our Errors intermingled with Truth 577 Whether our Prelacy be Antichristian 578 The iudgement and practise of other Reformed Churches 579 Our Synods determination of things indifferent 580 Sinnes sold in our Courts 581 Our loyalty to Princes cleered theirs questioned 582 Erros of free-will c. fained vpon the Church of England 583 Kneeling at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 583 Whether our Ordinarie and Seruice-booke be made Idols by vs. 584 Marriage not made a Sacrament by the Church of England 587 Commutation of Penance in our Church 588 Oath ex Officio ibid. Holy-dayes how obserued in the Church of England 589 Our approbation of an vnlearned Ministerie disproued 590 Penances inioyned in the Church of England ibid. The practises of the Church of England concerning the Funerals of the Dead 591 The Churches still retained in England 592 The Founders and Furnitures of our Churches 593 On what ground Separation or Ceremonies was obiected 594 Estimation of Ceremonies and subiection to the Prelates 595 The state of the Temple and of our Church in resemblance 597 Whether Ministers should endure themselues silenced ibid. Power of reforming abuses giuen to the Church and the issue of the neglect of it 598 The view of the sinnes and disorders of others wherevpon obiected and how farre it should affect vs. 600 The neerenesse of the State and Church and the great errors found by the Separatists in the French and Dutch Churches 601 Conuersation with the World 603 The impure mixtures of the Church of England 604 The iudgement of our owne and our neighbours of our Church 605 The issue of Separation 607 The Brownists scornefull opinion of our people 608 The Conclusion from the fearefull answer of Separation ibid. A SERIOVS DISSWASIVE FROM POPERIE To W. D. Revolted c. YOV challenged me for my bold assertion of your manifold diuisions I doe here make it good with vsurie Those mouthes that say they teach you the truth say also and you haue beleeued them that they all teach the same As you finde them true in this so trust them in the other For me I cannot without indignation see that in this light of the Gospell God and his truth should thus bee losers by you and that a miserable soule should suffer it selfe thus grossely cozened of it selfe and glory Many can write to you with more profoundnesse none with more sincere feruencie and desire to saue you I call heauen and earth to record against you this day that if you relent or answer not your perishing is wilfull Wee may pittie your weaknesse but God shall plague your Apostasie if you had bin bred in blindnesse your ignorance had bin but lamentable now your choice and loue of darknes is fearefull and desperate Alas you cannot be condemned without our sorrow and shame What should we doe We can but intreat perswade protest mourne and gage our soules for yours if these auaile not who can remedie that which will perish Here this yet you weake Revolter if there be any care left in you of that soule which you haue thus prostituted to error if you haue any regard to that God whose simple truth you haue contemned and forsken what is this that hath driuen you from vs allured you to them For Gods sake let me but expostulate a little ere my silence Either be conuicted or inexcusable Our bad liues haue set you off Woe is me that they are no holier I bewaile our wickednes I defend it not Onely aske how they liue in Italie if they be not for the more part filths to the worst of ours goe with them and prosper Let all indifferent tongues say whether that very See whereon your faith depends euen within the smoke of his Holinesse be not for vitiousnes the sin be of the world we may condemne our selues their liues shal iustifie vs But you list not to looke so farre you see their liues at home you see ours The comparison is not equall They take this for the time of their persecution we of our prosperitie The stubbornest Israelite and the most godlesse Mariner could call vpon God in his trouble we are all worse with liberty Looke backe and see how they liued in former times while they prospered No Turkes saith ERASMVS more abominably though now as the worsâ— how 〈…〉 profeâ— might you 〈…〉 which would scorne that the most 〈…〉 should goe before them in a gracious life and in true 〈…〉 amon◠〈◊〉 there will be one Deuill I wish they were so good that wee â—gâ—ulate them but for my part I neuer yet could know that Papist which made conscience of all Gods ten morrall lawes Shortly whatsoeuer is vpraided to vs the truth is pure though men be vnholy and God is where he was whatsoeuer becomes of men For you if you had not fallen to coole affections and a loose life you had beene still ours It is iust with God to punish your secure negligence with error and delusion and to suffer you thus to lose the truth who had lost your care of obedience and first loue And now you doe well to shift off this blame to others sins which haue most cause to accuse your owne From maners to looke towards our doctrine the noueltie of our Religion you say hath discouraged you theirs hath drawne you with reuerence of her age It is a free challenge betwixt vs let the elder haue vs both if there be any point of our Religion yonger than the Patriarchs and Prophets CHRIST and his Apostles the Fathers and Doctors of the Primitiue Church let it be accursed and condemned for an vpstart shew vs euidence of more credit and age and
of the Romish Church will not admit Reconciliation SECTION VII The Romish Heresie concerning Iustification SECTION VIII Concerning Free-will SECTION IX Concerning Merits SECTION X. Concerning Satisfaction SECTION XI Concerning Purgatorie SECTION XII Concerning Pardons SECTION XIII Concerning the distinction of Mortall and Veniall sinne SECTION XIV Concerning the Canon of the Scripture SECTION XV. Concerning the insufficiencie of Scripture SECTION XVI Concerning the authoritie of Scripture SECTION XVII Concerning Transsubstantiation SECTION XVIII Concerning the Multi-presence of Christs bodie SECTION XIX Concerning the sacrifice of the Masse SECTION XX. Concerning the number of Mediators and the Inuocation of Saints SECTION XXI Concerning the Superstitious Heathenish and ridiculous worship of the Papists SECTION XXII Concerning the impossibilitie of the meanes of Reconciliation THE OPINION OF George Cassander A LEARNED PAPIST AND GRAVE DIVINE That by two seuerall Emperors FERDINAND and MAXIMILIAN was set on worke to compose these quarrels of the CHVRCH In his consultation pag. 56. 57. YEt J cannot denie but that in the beginning many out of a godly zeale and care were driuen to a sharpe and seuere reproofe of certaine manifest abuses and that the principall cause of this calamitie and distraction of the Church is to bee laid vpon those which being puffed vp with a vaine insolent conceit of their Ecclesiasticall power proudly and scornefully contemned and reiected them which did rightly and modestly admonish their reformation Wherefore my opinion is that the Church can neuer hope for any firme Peace vnlesse they make the beginning which haue giuen the cause of the distraction that is vnlesse those which are in place of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment will bee content to remit something of their too much rigor and yeeld somewhat to the Peace of the Church and hearkening vnto the earnest Prayers and Admonitions of many godly men will set themselues to correct manifest abuses according to the rule of Diuine Scriptures and of the ancient Church from which they haue swarued NO PEACE WITH ROME SECT I. The state of the now-Roman Church THERE is no one question doth so racke the mindes of men G. Cassand l. de Consult Art 7. Ex articulo hoc de Ecclesia omnis haec distractio quae hodie est in republica Christiana originem ducit at this day as this of the Church The infancy of the Church was sore and long vexed with heresies of an higher nature concerning God concerning Christ which stil strook at the head but her vigorous hoary age is exercised with a slighter quarrell concerning our selues which yet raiseth vp the greater broyles euery where by how much euery man naturally loues himselfe more than God Not to meddle with any forraine questions of this nature Too many seeme vnto me to mis-conceiue the state of our Church the Romish as if they had beene alwaies two as if from their first foundations they had been sensibly seuered in time and place like to Babylon and Hierusalem Aug. de Ciuit. or those two famous Cities opposed in S. Austens learned discourse Hence are those idle demands of some smattering questionists Where our Church hath thus long hid it selfe What yeere and day it came to light in which age that other Church lost it selfe Why we haue withdrawne our selues no further from them What is become of our sorefathers Which was the religion of the former world From hence haue those sharpe and rigorous censures passed on both sides whether of nouelty or of the desperate condition of those soules which haue departed out of our owne way Alas what monsters both of opinions and questions haue risen hence and haue vexed not their owne Authors onely for the Delphick Oracle said well It is fit a man should haue as he doth Iulian Caes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudicum si quis quae secit perferat aequum est but together with them the whole Church of God How many silly soules haue splitted vpon this rocke which had neuer needed any votiue monument of their wracke if they had but learned to hold no other difference betwixt vs and Rome than must needs be granted betwixt a Church miserably corrupted and happily purged betwixt a sickly languished and dying Church and one that is healthfull strong and flourishing Neither therefore did that Valdus of France nor Wickliffe of England nor Hierom of Prague Anno. Do. 1160. nor Luther of Germany euer goe about to frame a new Church to themselues which was not but onely endeuoured not without happy successe to cleanse scoure restore reforme that Church which was from that filthy soyle both of disorder errors wherewith it was shamefully blemished Al these rather desired to be accounted Physitians to heale than parents to beget a Church And the same haue we carefully done euer since do seriously and ingenuously professe of our selues this day Rome is alike to vs as it was of old to Hierome with Eugubium Rhegium Alexandria saue that this citie is both more famous Hierom. Epist ad Euagr. more neere vs Places do not varie either faith or title What Church soeuer God shall call daughter wee will call sister and so we safely may How many honest and chaste matrons haue we knowne that haue beene ashamed of a lewd sister and haue abhorred filthinesse in one of their owne bloud So it fareth now with vs Rome is ouergone with heresie with Idolatrie Let her practise her whoredome at home by her selfe It was not for vs with the safegard of our honestie to dwell with such a partner Not onely her wickednesse hath thrust vs out but her violence We yeeld therefore and sorrowfully complaine with the Prophet Esa 21.22 How is the faithfull citie become an harlot It was full of iudgement and iustice lodged therein but now it is full of murderers Thy siluer is become drosse and thy wine is brewed with water Away with the imperious name of a mother Wee are all the same Church by the virtue of our outward vocation whosoeuer all the world ouer worship Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world and professe the same common Creed some of vs doe this more purely Iren. l. 1. c. 2.3 others more corruptly In the meane time we are all Christians but sound Christians wee are not But how harslhly doth this sound to a weake Reader and more than seemes to need reconciliation with it selfe that the Church should be one and yet cannot be reconciled certainly yet so it is The dignitie of the outward forme which comprehends this vnitie in it selfe auailes nothing to grace nothing to saluation nothing to the soundnesse of doctrine The net doth not straight make all to bee fish that it hath dragged together ye shall finde in it vile weeds and whatsoeuer else that deuouring Element hath disgorged The Church is at once One in respect of the common principles of faith and yet in respect of consequences Cyp.l. 3.
soyle of our owne Vniuersities and Innes of Court nothing is more preiudiciall than speed Perfection is the childe of Time neither was there euer any thing excellent that required not meet leisure but besides how commonly it is seene that those which had wont to swimme onely with bladders sinke when they come first to trust to their owne armes These Lap-wings that goe from vnder the wing of their damme with the shell on their heads runne wilde If Tutors bee neuer so carefull of their early charge much must bee left to their owne disposition which if it leade them not to good not onely the hopes of their youth but the proofe of their age lies bleeding It is true that as the French Lawyers say merrily of the Normans which by a speciall priuilege are reputed of full age at 21. yeares whereas the other French stay for their fiue and twentieth that Malitia supplet atatem so may I say of the younglings of our time that Precocitie of vnderstanding supplieth age statute but as it is commonly seene that those blossomes which ouer-runne the spring and will be looking forth vpon a February-Sunne are nipped soone after with an Aprill frost when they should come to the knitting so is it no lesse ordinary that these rathe-ripe wits preuent their owne perfection and after a vaine wonder of their haste end either in shame or obscuritie And as it thus falls out euen in our Vniuersities the most absolute famous Seminaries of the world where the Tutors eye supplies the Parents so must it needs much more in those free and honourable Innes as they are called for their libertie Colleges for their vse of our English Gentry wherein each one is his owne master in respect of his priuate study and gouernment Where there are many pots boyling there cannot but be much scumme the concourse of a populous citie affords many brokers of villany which liue vpon the spoyles of young hopes whose very acquaintance is destruction How can these nouices that are turned loose into the maine ere they know either coast or compasse auoid these rockes and shelues vpon which both their estates and soules are miserably wracked How commonly doe they learne to roare in stead of pleading and in stead of knowing the lawes learne how to contemne them Wee see and rue this mischiefe and yet I know not how carelesse we are in preuenting it How much more desperate must it then needs be to send forth our children into those places which are professedly infectious whose very goodnes is either impietie or superstitiō If we desired to haue sons poysoned with misbeleefe what could we doe otherwise Or what else doe those Parents which haue bequeathed their children to Antichristianisme Our late iourney into France informed me of some ordinary factors of Rome whose trade is the transporting and placing of our popish nouices beyond the seas one whereof whose name I noted hath bin obserued to carry ouer six seuerall charges in one yeare Are we so foolish to go their way whiles we intend a contrary period Doe we send our sonnes to learne to be chaste in the midst of Sodome The world is wide and open but our ordinary trauell is southward into the iawes of danger for so far hath Satans policie preuailed that those parts which are only thought worth our viewing are most contagious and wil not part with either pleasure or information without some tang of wickednes What can we plead for our confidence but that there is an boushold of righteous Lot in the midst of that impure Citie that there are houses in this Iericho which haue scarlet threds shining in their windowes that in the most corrupted aire of Poperie some well reformed Christians draw their breath and sweeten it with their respiration Blessed be God that hath reared vp the towers of his Sion in the midst of Babylon We must acknowledge not without much gratulation to the Gospell of Christ that in the very hottest climates of opposition it findes many clients but more friends and in those places where authority hath pleased to giue more aire to the truth world haue had many more if the Reformed part had happily continued that correspondence in some circumstances with the Roman Church which the Church of England bath hitherto maintained God is my record how free my heart is both from partialitie and preiudice Mine eies and eares can witnesse with what approofe and applause diuers of the Catholiques Royall as they are tearmed entertained the new-translated Liturgy of our Church as maruelling to see such order and regular deuotion in them whom they were taught to condemne for hereticall Whose allowances I well saw might with a little helpe haue been raised higher from the practise of our Church to some points of our iudgement But if true religion were in those parts yet better attended and our young Traueller could find more abetters and examples of pietie on whom we might relie yet how safe can it bee to trust young eies with the view and censure of truth or falshood in religion especially when truth brings nothing to this barre but extreme simplicity and contrarily falshood a gawdy magnificence and proud maiesty of pompous ceremonies wherewith the hearts of children and foolts are easily taken That Curtizan of Rome according to the manner of that profession sets out her selfe to sale in the most tempting fashion here want no colours no perfumes no wanton dresses whereas the poore Spouse of Christ can onely say of her selfe I am blacke but comely When on the one side they shall see such rich shrines garish Altars stately Processions when they shall see a Pope adored of Emperors Cardinals preferd to Kings Confessors made Saints little children made Angels in a word nothing not outwardly glorious on the other side a seruice without welt or gard whose maiestie is all in the heart none in the face how easily may they incline to the conceit of that Parisian dame who seeing the procession of S. Genoueisue goe by the streets could say O que belle c. How fine a religion is ours in comparison of the Hugenoes Whereto must be added that supposing they doe not carry with them but rather go to fetch the language of the place some long time needs be spent ere they can receiue any helpe to their deuotion whiles in the meane season their vnthriuing intermission is assailed with a thousand suggestions And who sees not that this lucrumcessans as the Ciuilians terme it offers an open aduantage to a busie aduersarie SECT VI. IN a word it hath beene the old praise of early rising that it makes a man healthfull holy and rich whereof the first respects the body the second the soule the third the estate all fals out contrary in an early trauell For health The wise prouidence of God hath so contriued his earth and vs that he hath fitted our bodies to our clime and the natiue sustenance of the place vnto
with these that it could not stay the time of the common deliuerie Needs must they be notorious falshoods that are thus singled out from the rest Let them appeare in their owne shapes vgly doubtlesse and prodigious The first is Ex Decad. Ep. 3. Epist 5. Reckoned out of Pappus his Enumeration My peace of Rome makes vp 103. That most shamelesse assertion that Bellarmine vnder his owne hand acknowledges 237. Contrarieties of Doctrine amongst his Catholikes Could the man but haue patience he should finde aboue three hundred What sayes my Detector to this He hath not seene the seuerals yet like a braue man at Armes he professes to kill his enemie ere he can appeare and tels vs those 237 Contrarieties are nothing but 237 lyes in one assertion That there are in them so many vntruths I easily grant for in Contradictions one part must needs be false And Truth is but single They are vntruths then lyes are too broad a word but their owne My assertion shall onely iustifie that they are told let him take care for the rest Obiect But they are not in points belonging to Faith and Religion only in matters vndecided and disputable The sequell shall try that shift Why doe wee forestall our Reader Sol. Who knowes not that there cannot be so many points fundamentall Let him take them as they are I aggrauate nothing It is but onely in such light chaffe as this In the number and extent of Bookes Canonicall wherein Driedo Erasmus Genebrard Caietan Sixtus Senensis are acknowledged to oppose the rest In the Popes infallibilitie of iudgement wherein Gerson Almayne Pope Adrian Eckius Hosius Pichius Waldensis are at quarrell In the reach and originall of spirituall iurisdiction wherein Abulensis Turrecremata Fran. à Victoria Alphonsus de Castro c. proclaime to differ what should I instance in more It is but in the Popes power in Temporalities in the inerrablenesse of Councels whether particular confirmed by the Pope or Generall in the authoritie of Councels aboue Popes in the force of Vowes in the worship due to Images and the like These and such other are the slight Trifles since all cannot be weightie impertinent to faith wherein the Romish Doctors varie Neither doth my assertion of their discord gall him more then of our Vnity O the forehead of Heretikes I said that we in our Church differ onely in Ceremonies they in substance Let him giue leaue to the contra-diuision of these two and I will take leaue to maintaine the indiuision of the Church of England in the dogmaticall points of Faith This boldnesse together with my eminent ignorance makes him admire the scarcitie of learned men in our Countrey that could finde no better Doctors to send to Dort-Conference then Master HALL To your griefe Sir it was a Synode and that noble and celebrious Neither was it out of want that your silly Aduersarie was sent thither This happy Iland which hath no blemish but that it yeelds such Vipers as your selfe abounds as you too well know with store of incomparable Diuines such as may set your Rome to schoole So as the Messenger of Pyrrhus long since called your Italy a Countrey of Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Egypt was wont to be called the Countrey of Physicians so may this blessed Iland of ours iustly merit the title of The Region of DIVINES For me I can bee content to bee base enough in mine owne eyes but if my disparagement shall redound to my betters I dare tell him it is my comfort that I was sent thither by a iudgement no lesse infallible then of Paul the Fift Let himselfe or any of his Eaues-dropping companions to whom that place stood open say wherein I shamed those that sent me It was my iust griefe that the necessitie of my health Necessitate propellente proditie est ea tacere quae quis fluâ—â—â—e perfecerit Chrysost in ill vtinam toter assetis c. yea of my life called me off immaturely but since either death or departure must be yeelded to others shall iudge whether I went away more laden with infirmitie then how-euer vnworthy with approbation But that second lye of mine is so loud that all my Brethren of Dort must heare it and they which were lately the Witnesses of my sinceritie gracing mee with the deare Testimonie of their approofe are now made the Iudges of my impudencie What monster of falshood will come forth In my censure of Trauell glancing at the Iesuiticall bragge of their Indian Miracles whereat their very friends make sport I charge Cardinall Bellarmine for an auoucher of these Cozenages who dares auerre that his fellow Xauier not onely healed the Deafe Dumbe and Blinde but raised the Dead to which I adde whiles his Brother Acosta after many yeares spent in those parts can pull him by the sleeue and tell him in his eare so loud that all the World may heare Prodigia nulla producimus This is my Indictment Let me come to my Tryall Cast me if ye can ye reuerend heads I craue no fauour Where lyes this so lewd lye and malicious abuse That Bellarmine sayes thus of the Iesuite Xauier is not denyed That Acosta sayes thus of himselfe and his fellow Iesuites is granted The first lye yet is Acosta was neuer in the East-Indies at all nor Xauier in the West and how then could Acosta spend many yeares in those parts A perilous Plea Who euer I beseech you mentioned either East or West I spake of the Indies in common Bell de notis Eccles l. 4. c. 14. so did his Bellarmine from whom I cited this Claruit etiam in Indiis omni genere miraculorum c. Here is not one of the Indies mentioned but both or either If both liued in the Indies though not in one Towne in one Country in one Indie wherein haue I offended whiles speaking of the Indies in generall I said that Xauier and Acosta liued there Yet this is one lye he saith and that so long a one as that it reacheth as farre as it is from the East to the West from the Artick to the Antarctick Pole wherein I doubt not but your reuerences wil easily marke the skill of this learned Cosmographer Some parts of those instanced Indies differ not so farre not to speake of the small strait of Anian the mentioned Region of Mexico is not aboue fourescore degrees from Iapan Either your construction must fauour him or else this must goe into the Booke of ouer-sights The second lye is that Acosta pulled Bellarmine by the sleeue in this assertion as if hee denyed those Easterne Miracles which he elsewhere confesseth Indeed this sawcinesse were dangerous The red Hat you say is fellow to a Crowne But shall I confesse where I erred My dull head could not conceiue that God should be the God of the Mountains and not of the Valleys Of the East Indies not of the West and yet be the Iesuites God in both
Father said Neque opus passeri fugere ad montem In them as Chrysostome said long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The grace of Virginitie is lost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The world make sport with such Maiden-head For the rest The God of Heauen iudge betwixt vs and our enemies To him we appeale how vvee desire to serue him in chaste Wedlocke whom they dishonour with vncleane and false Virginitie Not to put my Detector in mind how honorably he now speakes of mariage how dares he talke of our fleshlinesse and their chastity as if hee had to doe with a world that were both deafe and blind Do not their owne Records fly in their faces and tell him there are but a few of them honest Did not their own t t Concil Delect Cardin. Paul 3. Exhib Alius busiâ—â— turbat populum Christianum in Monialibus c. Vbi in plarisque monasteriis fiunt publica sacrilegia cum maximo omnium scandalo select Cardinals complaine that the most of their Nunneries were iustly scandalized with sacrilegious incontinencies Do not our u u Mat. Paris Hist Angl. Hen 3. p. â—085 Et quâ—d indignum est scribi ad domâ—s religiosarum veniens facit exprimi mammillas earundem vt sic physice c. Histories tell vs that in the raigne of Henry the third Robert Grosthead the famous Bishop of Lincolne in his Visitation was faine to explore the virginity of their Nuns by nipping off their dugs indignum scribi as Matth. Paris Doe not the x x In haâ— etiam vrbe meretrices c. Concil del Card. Prius est quà m mechari continentiam ducere criminosam de singul cler Refut 88. forenamed Cardinals find it a common greeuance that their Curtezans rode in state thorow Rome it selfe attended euen at noone day with the retinue of their Cardinals and with their Clergy-men Doth he finde the Church of England to maintaine Stewes and to raise rents from professed filthinesse Can hee deny the vnnaturall beastlinesse that raignes in his Italy But what doe I stirre this puddle Let mee heare no more brags of their chastitie no more exprobrations of our lasciuiousnesse SECT XVI AS if my Refuter had vowed to write no true word he challenges me for translating Isidores Turpe votum a filthy Vow I turne to my Epistle and finde it not englished by me at all His own conscience belike so construes it or if some former Impression of mine which I beleeue not had so turned it here is neither ignorance nor vnfaithfulnesse Wheresoeuer is sinne there is filthinesse And if a lawfull vow bee properly de meliore bono can there not therefore be an vnlawfull vow What was that of Iepthaes or that of S. Pauls forty Conspirators But the word there saith he signifies a promise As if euery vow were not a promise and if Isidore takes votum for promissum y y Dist 28. Greg. Petro. Diac. l. 1. Ep. 42. Gregorie takes by his construction promissum for votum in this very case we haue in hand This vow of theirs therefore is metonymically filthy because it makes them such In one word that he may raue no more of Epicures Turks Pagans Their vow is in profession glorious filthy in effect And now for a conclusion of this point I must out of all these grosse and ignorant passages of his though vnproperly yet truely vow to the world that a truer Bayard did neuer stumble forth in the Presse SECT XVII HEe hath done with their owne vowes and now descends to vs whom hee confesses vowlesse His scorne cannot strip vs of the benefit of that Truth which hee confesseth Thus then hee writes I freely with other Catholikes grant Refut p. 89. that our English Ministers according to their calling make no vowes I grant their mariage to be lawfull I grant that euery one of them may bee the Husband of one Wife c. And why did not this liberalitie of my wise Detector tye vp his Tongue in his purse all this while No more was required no lesse is yeelded whereto is all this iangling But that his grant may proue worse then a deniall thus hee proceeds But wee deny them to bee truely Clergie-men or to haue any more authoritie in the Church then their wiues or daughters haue and this because they want all true calling and Ordination For they entred not in at the doore like true Pastors but stole in at the window like theeues We deny their ministerie I say to be lawfull because they did runne before they were sent tooke their places by intrusion c. Let Master Hall disproue this and I will say Tu Phyllidasolus habeto Thus he A deep crimination and such as if it could be proued would rob our question of the State and vs of our duely challenged honour Reader this vehemency shewes thee where his shoo wrings him It is the gall of Romish hearts that we prosper and are not theirs Where they haue presumed vpon credulitie they haue not stucke to say we are not men like others but more frequently and boldly that wee are no Christian men and here most peremptorily that we are no Clergie-men There is no Church no Christianitie no Clergie not theirs Neither can we be in Orders whiles we are out of Babylon The man dreames of the Nags-head in Cheape-side where his lying Oracle Tradition hath not shamed to report Iewel Sands Horne Scory Grindall and others in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths time being disappointed of the Catholike Bishop of Landaffe to haue laid hands mutually on each other and that from hence haue flowed our pretended Orders This our shameless * * Alias Halywell the Iesuite Sacrobosco heard of some good old folks they had it of one Neale Professor Ebrius in Oxford Kellison took it of Sacrobosco and C. E. of him Concordat cum Originali Diabolus est mendax pater eius And is not this a worthy engine to batter down the wals of a whole Church to blow vp all our ordination Is it possible that any Christian face should be so gracelesse as to beare out such an apparent and ridiculous falshood against so many thousands of witnesses against the euidence of authenticall Records against reason and sense it selfe For can they hope to perswade any liuing man that these hauing at that time a lawfull Archbishop of their owne religion legally established in the Metropoliticall chaire by an acknowledged authority the sway of the times openly fauoring them when all Churches all Chappels gladly opened to them that they would bee so mad as to goe and ordaine themselues in a Tauerne He that would beleeue this may be perswaded that their adored blocks can weepe and speake and moue that their Cake is God Neuer truth could be cleared if not this No lesse then the whole Kingdome knew that Q. Mary dyed in the yeare 1558 Nouember 17 and her Cardinal then Archb. of Canterbury accompanied her
soule in death the same day The same day was Q. Elizabeths Initium Regni her Coronation Ianuary 15 following That leasure enough might be taken in these great affaires the See of Canterbury continued void aboue a yeare At last in the second yeare of Q. Elizabeth 1559 December 17 was Matthew Parker legally consecrated Archb. of Canterbury by foure Bishops William Barlow formerly Bishop of Bathe then elect of Chichester Iohn Scory before of Chichester now elect of Hereford Miles Couerdale Bishop of Exeter Iohn Hodgeskins Suffragan of Bedford Mathew Parker thus irrefragably setled in the Archiepiscopall See with three other Bishops in the same Moneth of December solemnely consecrated Edmund Grindall and Edwin Sands The publike Records are euident and particular relating the Time Sunday morning after Prayers The place Lambeth-Chappell The manner Imposition of hands The consecrators Mathew Cant. William Chichester Iohn Hereford Iohn Bedford The Preacher at the Consecration Alexander Nowell afterwards the worthy Deane of Pauls The Text Take heed to your selves and to all the flocke c. The Communion lastly administred by the Archbishop For Bishop Iewel he was consecrated the Moneth following in the same forme by Mathew Cant. Edmund London Richard Ely Iohn Bedford Lastly for Bishop Horne he was consecrated a whole yeare after this by Mathew Cant. Thomas S. Dauids Edmund London Thomas Couentry and Lichfield The circumstances Time Place Form Preacher Text seuerally recorded The particulars whereof I referre to the faithfull and cleare relation of Master Francis Mason whose learned and full discourse of this subiect might haue satisfied all eyes and stopped all mouthes What incredible impudency is this then for those which pretend not Christianitie onely but the Consecration of God wilfully to raise such shamefull slanders from the pit of Hell to the disgrace of Truth to the disparagement of our holy calling Let me therefore challenge my Detector in this so important a point wherein his zeale hath so farre out-run his wit and with him all the Brats of that proud Harlot that no Church vnder Heauen can shew a more cleere eeuen vncontrolable vntroubled line of the iust succession of her Sacred Orders then this of ours if his Rome for her tyrannous Primacie could bring forth but such Cards the world vvould bee too straight for her He shall maugre be forced to confesse that either there were neuer true Orders in the Church of England which he dares not say or else that they are still Ours The Bishops in the time of King Henry the eight were vndoubted If they left Rome in some corrected opinions their Character was yet by confession a a Quis ignorat Cathol c. similiter Ordinatos verè esse Ordinatos quando Ordinator verè Episcopus fuerat adhuc erat saltem quantum ad characterem Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 10. indeleble They laid their hands according to Ecclesiasticall constitution vpon the Bishops in King Edwards dayes And they both vpon the Bishops in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths They againe vpon the succeeding Inheritors of their holy Sees and they lastly vpon vs so as neuer man could shew a more certaine and exquisite Pedigree from his great Grand-father then wee can from the acknowledged Bishops of King Henries time and thence vpwards to hundreds of Generations I confesse indeed our Archbishops and Bishops haue wanted some Aaronicall accustrements Gloues Rings Sandals Miters and Pall and such other trash and our inferiours Orders haue wanted Gâ—eazing and Shauing and some other pelting Ceremonies But let C. E. proue these essentiall which we want or those Acts and Formes not essentiall vvhich we haue Et Phyllida solus habeto In the meane time the Church of England is blessed with a true Clergy and glorious and such a one as his Italian generation may impotently enuy and snarle at shall neuer presume to compete vvith in worthinesse and honour And as Doctor Taylor that couragious Martyr said at his parting Blessed bee God for holy Matrimonie SECT XVIII MY Cauiller purposely mistakes my rule of Basil the Great Refut p. 90. 91. and my Text of the Great Apostle whiles from both I resolue thus I passe not what I heare Men or Angels say while I heare God say Let him be the Husband of one Wife he wil needs so construe it as if I tooke this of S. Pauls for a command not for an allowance As if I meant to imply from hence that euery Bishop is bound to haue a Wife Who is so blind as the wilfull Their Leo b b Leo ep 87. abaâ— 85. Tam sacra semper est habita ista Praeceptio calls these words a Preception I did not If hee knew any thing he could not be ignorant that this sense is against the streame of our Church and no lesse then a Grecian errour Who knowes not the extreames of Greece and Rome and the Track of Truth betwixt them both The Greeke Church saith Hee cannot be in holy Orders that is not maried The Romish Church saith He cannot bee in holy Orders that is maried The Church Reformed sayes Hee may bee in holy Orders that is maried and conuertibly Some good friends vvould needs fetch vs into this idle Grecisme and to the societie of the old Frisons c c Espenc lib. 1. de Contin c. 1. and if Saint Ierome take it aright of Vigilantius Espencaeus and Bellarmine and our Rhemists free vs. There is no lesse difference betwixt them and vs then betwixt May and Must Libertie and Necessitie If then Let him be the Husband of one Wife argue that a Bishop may bee a maried man I haue vvhat I would and passe not for the contrarie from Men and Angels We willingly grant vvith Luther that this charge is negatiue Refut p. 91 92. Non velut sanciens dicit saith Chrysostome But this negatiue charge implyes an affirmatiue allowance we seeke for no more As for the authorities which my Detector hath borrowed of his Vncles of Rhemes they might haue beene well spared He tels vs Saint Ierom sayes Qui vâ—am habuerit non habeat He who hath had one Wife not hee that hath one I tell him Saint Paul saith d d Tit. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man be the Husband of one Wife not If hee haue beene Let e e Chrysost in 1. Tit. homil 2. Saint Chrysostome therein answer Hierome and Epiphanius and all other pretended opposites Obstruere prorsus intendit haereticorum era qui nuptias damnaâ—t c. He purpos'd in this to stop the mouthes of Heretikes that condemned mariage shewing that that estate is faultlesse yea so precious that with it a man might bee aduanced to the holy Episcopall Chaire Thus he whom their learned f f Esp vbi supra Bishop Espencaeus seconds and by the true force of the Text cleareth this sense against all contradiction Nec enim Paulini de Episcopis c. For
euer they finde with this Italianate generation In Tomis Conciliorum prorsus expunxerunt omiserunt hunc Canonem y y Chemnit hist de Coelib Sacerd. p. 65. In the Tomes of the Councels they haue altogether wip't out and omitted this Canon So as if wee had those blurred Copies which he saw bleeding from the hand of the Inquisitors there could be no fence for this charge but that which serues for all impudent denyals Neither needed my Refuter to take it so highly Refut p. 196. that I obiected to them the tearing blemishing and defacing of this and other Records against them Ere long the World shall see to the foule shame of these selfe-condemned Impostors Erasm Lang. in Niceph. Io Neuizan D. Venatorius P. Crinitus I de solas Polyd. Virg. â—olewinch Thuavus Ignat. Sigebert c. that in the Writings both of ancient and later Authors they haue blotted out more then an hundred places some of them containing aboue two sheetes apiece concerning this very point which we haue in hand This is no newes therefore neither needed my Detector to make it so dainty SECT XIV Refut p. 198. vsque ad 203. I Cited from Gratian the free confession of Pope Steuen the Second acknowledging the open liberty of Mariage to the Clergie of the Easterne Church Matrimonio copulantur They are ioyned in Mariage A place truely irrefragable My Refuter first excepts against the number telling vs that Steuen the Second liued but three or foure dayes at the most and therefore he could not be the man what spirit of Cauillation possesses this Masse-Priest Hee cannot but know that his own Sigebertus ascribes fiue yeares to this Steuen Hermannus Se also Funccius in his Chronol six But fiue is the least And his Binius tels him that the Steuen he speakes of fitting but two dayes exclusiuely z z Bin. Steph. 2. A pluribus è Serie Rom. Pontificum dimittitur is by the most omitted in the Catalogue of the Romane Bishops whence it is that the Chronicle names not two Steuens betwixt the first the fourth But this man he saith called no Councell what is that to me Gratian affirmes it I do not Let him fal out for this with his friends And now according to the old wont after he hath tryed to shift off Matrimonio copulantur with the sleeuelesse euasion of a false glosse i. vtuntur which Cajetan hath sufficiently confuted for vs hee fals to a flat reiection of Gratian Caiet Opus Castit and tels vs out of Bellarmine That Canon to bee perhaps of no authoritie but an errour of the Collectors Good God! what face haue these men That none of their receiued Authors can be produced against them Refut p. 203. but they are straight counterfeit and yet the very same where they speake for them canonicall Their Clyents if they might but know these tricks would be ashamed of their Patrons Refut p. 204. That the Clergie not onely of the East might Matrimonio copulari but of the West also might Matrimonium contrahere which are the words they are vnwilling to know in their owne Canon Law shew sufficiently that they not onely were maried of old but might marry But for the Easterne Clergie it is freely granted by all ingenuous spirits insomuch as Espencaeus tels vs that neuer Author either old or new imputed this for a fault vnto the Greeke Church that their Clergie was maried Refut p. 206 207. What shall we say then to this bold Bayard that compares this toleration of Mariage in the Greeke Church with Mosesses permission of the Bill of Diuorce vnto the Iewes As if Mariage had been onely tolerated not allowed as if vniust Diuorce were a fit match for lawfull Wedlocke whiles he here talkes of Duritia cordis well may we talke of his Duritia frontis It is true euery Church euery Country hath their Customes and Fashions which Ioannes Maior pleads against Beda's Censure of the English and Scottish and Brittish obseruation of Easter and may bee as iustly in this case pleaded for vs This was of old no lesse ours then the Greekes And if any Church will be prescribing against God we haue no such Custom nor the Church of God But what a ridiculous insinuation is iâ— that the Greeke Priests are dispensed with by supreme authoritie Ecclesiasticall Refut p. 207 208. Forsooth by the Pope of Rome Faine would I learne when vpon what termes at what rate the Graecians purchased in the Court of Rome Dispensation for their Mariages I would my Refuter had the Office appointed him to shuffle ouer all the Records of the Apostolike Chamber till he find such a grant made propter duritiem cordis then should a great deale of good Paper escape the misery of being besmeared by his Pen. What strange fantastike Dreames are put vpon the World Where the Papacy cannot preuaile there forsooth his Holinesse dispenseth The Greeke Church admitteth maried Priests the Pope dispenseth with them They deny and defie the Popes Supremacie I trow he dispenseth with them for that too and why not with the Church of England We pay no Peter-pence wee runne not to Rome-market to buy trash I hope his Holinesse dispenseth with vs for these Peccadillo's wee take libertie here to marry rather then to burne why should wee not hope to receiue that Dispensation whereof we heard the newes of late from a poore Bankrupt Carier Ad populum phaleras SECT XV. AS for the contradiction which his sagacitie findes not without much scorne in the two Parliamentall Lawes of the Father and the Sonne Refut p. 209. usque ad 214. King Henry the Eight and King Edward the Sixt whereof the one forbids the other allowes the Mariage of Ecclesiastiques it needed not haue beene any wonder to a learned Priest which might haue knowne Councels enow diametrally opposite to each other what fault was it in the recouer'd blind man that he first saw men vvalk like Trees and after like men Euen the best man may correct himselfe Neither was there here any contradiction King Henry spake with the Romane Church whose one halfe of him then was King Edward spake vvith the Scriptures and purer antiquitie King Henry neuer said God disallowed these Mariages King Edward neuer said they were allowed by the Romish Church And vvhy may not vvee draw out the like absurditie out of Queene Maries Parliaments vvherein shee reuersed many things established by King Edward as in this very case concerning Mariage of Priests May nor vvee herevpon aske What vvill you say to such Parliaments vvherein the Brother is thwarted by the Sister and that vvith the consent of the most of the same Parliament-men enacting in a few yeares contrarily Or as if it were any newes with Popes rescindere acta praedecessorum euen of those vvhich immediately preceded them Who knowes not the Story of Pope Formosus and Stephanus and the
on the Church of England 551 As of Apostacy 561 Notably confuted 562 The Brownists acknowledgment of the graces of the Church of England 563 Instances of their horrible railings 564 Their vnnaturalnesse ibid. and 565 What they think themselues beholding to the Church of England for 565 Our Church iustified by theÌ„ against their wills 552 And that in instancing some particular men whom they acknowledge Martyrs 573 The four pillars of Brownists 595 Their wronging of vs about Ceremonies 596 An eleuen crimes that they haue laid on the French and Dutch Church 601 Their imputation of our impure mixtures 604 Their scorne of our people 608 Buriall Of decent buriall 1326 Bush The burning Bush a perfect Embleme of the Church 870 Busie-bodies His Character 188 Buying A rule in buying and selling 697 C CAlfe Of the golden Calfe 899 Calling remedies against dulnesse in it 375 Honest men may not bee ashamed of their lawfull Callings 869 When God finds vs in our calling we shall finde him in his mercy 870 Grosse sinnes cannot preiudice the calling of God 900 The peoples assurance of the Ministers calling very materiall 927 The approbation of our calling is by the fruit ibid. An honest mans heart is where his calling is 1017 Neuer any calling of God was so conspicuous as not to find some opposites 1119 Our deuotions attended without neglect of our calling 1186 Diligence in our calling makes vs capable of blessednesse 1200 Cana The mariage in Cana. 1202 Canaan Of its Searchers 916 Cappucine prettily painted out 282 Carelesnesse Of an holy carelesnesse 64 Carnall A carnall heart cannot forgoe that wherein hee delights 1009 Cares Of taking cares on a mans selfe 48 Worldly cares fitly compared to thornes 142 Censure The conscionable somtimes too forward in censuring 1030 There must bee discretion there may not bee partialitie in our censures of the greatest 1063 Centurion Of the good Centurion 1205 His humilitie 1206 His faith 1207 Christ maruels at him ibid. Ceremonies some are typicall some of order and decencie 426 A passionate speech concerning our diuisions about ceremonies 426 427 Ceremonies must giue place to substance 1092 Challenges Whence they came 1081 Charitie vid. Loue not suspitious 1088 Cheerefulnesse an excitation to Christian cheerefulnesse 306 and in our labour 375 Nothing more acceptable then cheerefulnesse in the seruice of God 1028 Children an excellent child of an excellent parent a rare sight and why 135 What they owe their parents 242 A good note for children which couer their parents shame 828 It is both vncharitable iniurious to iudge of the childs dispositioÌ„ by the Father 867 Iepthâ—'s daughter a notable patterne for our children towards their parents 994 Childrens contempt of their parents for pottery censured 1025 Of our ouer loue to our children 1028 What children are most like to proue blessings 1031 A caueat for mocking children 1374 Christ his Annunciation 1164 Hee hath nothing in the whole work of our Redemption ordinarie 1162 No man may search into that wonder of his Conception 1166 Of his birth 1167 Of his lodging Cradle c. 1169 The vse of this his abasement ibid. how found of the Wise men 1172 Of his flight from Egypt and the vse of it 1177 His being among the Doctors 1185 His Baptisme 1 89 His temptation 1191 Hee is caried vp to a pinacle of the Temple 1195 Christian and Christianitie how a Christian should be both a Lambe and a Lyon 6 7. His happinesse 13 He is a little Church with n himselfe ibid. More difference betweene a naturall man and a right Christian then betwixt a man and a Beast 27 A wise Christian hath no enemies 47 An halfe Christian liues most miserably 62 A Christian compared to a Vine ibid. There is more in a Christian then any can see 66 A Christian man in all his wayes must haue three guides First Truth Secondly Charitie Thirdly Wisedome 137 Christianitie both an easie and hard yoake 143 The estate of a true though but a weake Christian 293 The difficultie of it 323 His description difference from a worldling 366 A conscionable Christian in sorrow sweetly described 493 Church That Churches happinesse wherein Truth and Peace meet together p. 6 A Christian is a little Church within himselfe p. 13 An excellent rule for our cariage in Church-dissentions 29 Church Schismes how bred fostered and confirmed 29 30 The needlesnesse of our conformitie to ancient Churches in all things 364 The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ 570 How it hath separated from Babylon 571 Why our Churches may stand 593 It is good coÌ„ming to Church for what end soeuer 870 The way to haue a blessing at home is to be deuout at Church 1031 What institutes a Church 1159 Cold When all hearts are cold and dead it is signe of an intended destruction 1059 Combats of single combats 338. 339 The censure of it 1120 Comforts the intermission of them what they doe 857 Commendations the commendation of diuers good men with the vse of imitation 287 Communitie care of it a signe of bâ—ing spirituall indeed 902 Companie the euill of euill company discyphered 2 What company we should delight in 4 A rule in choice of our companions 140 Company in sinne how it infects a sinner 901 And how it brings punishment on him 921 The intirenesse with wicked consorts is one of the strongest chaines of hell 931 Companie in the Church what it doth 1186 Compassion vide Mercy how it must be ruled 1103 Compellations sweet compellation how helpfull for the entertainment of good admonitions 956 Concord is the way to conquest 1136. vide Peace Concubine of the Leuites Concubine 1015 Confidence what maketh it 141 Described 226 A presumptuous confidence commonly goes bleeding home when as an humble feare returnes in triumph 1062 Confession how much it honors God 956 how he is pleased w th it 1009 Dauids confession 1142 Confession how hardly gotten out of vs. 1143 Conscience a good conscience keepes alwaies good cheere 46 The torment of an euill conscience 76 The ioy of such but dissembled ibid. The remedy of an vnquiet conscience 77 our peace of conscience comes by faith 78 79 The vaine shifts of the guilty conscience 79 Crosses a main enemy to the peace of conscience 80 A second ranke of enemies to peace of conscience 87 88 89. The Shipwracke of a good conscience is the casting away of all other excellencies 148 A wide conscience will swallow any sin 1006 Trust him in nothing that hath not a conscience of euery thing 1006 When we may look to haue rest to our Conscience 1031 A good conscience will make a man bold 1060 None can be sure of him that hath no conscience 1089 The power of conscience 1359 Conspiracy Corahs conspiracy 919 Constancy Of it 109 An encouragement vnto it 399 It must be like fire 911 One act is nought without constancy 919 Constâ—â—â—tion what it is 557 Constraint Whether constraint may haue place
in the lawfull reformation of a Church 558 Contemplation a discourse of the study of it 341 Contemplation of the creation of the World 809 Of Man 812 Of Paradise 815 Of Cain and Abel 817 Of the Deluge 819 Of Noah 827 Of Babel 829 c. Content an inducement to contentment in want 3 A reason to be so 4 Earth yeelds no contentment 12 How to prouoke a mans selfe to contentation 28 What brings contentment in earthly things 58 Pretty enducements to bee content with our present estates 95 96. None liue so ill but that they content themselues in somewhat 136 Contentation a rare blessing 886 It oft fals out that those times which promise most content proue most dolefull in the issue 993 Contention a right behauiour in contention 10 Contention what it doth 219 Continencie what with its contraries 225 Conuersation of hauing it in the world 603 Conuert of his welcome home 965 Corah his conspiracy 919 Corruption the best thing corrupted is worst 147 Cost the Israelites cost to a calfe shall iudge vs in our want of it for true Religion 901 Councellor and counsell for soule and state 231 What is required in a Councellor ibid. It is sign of a desperate cause when once we seek to make Satan our counsellor 931 Counsell good and ill whereto compared 1145 Countenance dishonesty growes bold when it is countenanced by greatnesse 1138 Courtier sixe qualities of a Courtier 233 Two mischiefes of the Court Flatterie and Trecherie 280 The description of a good faithfull Courtier 331 Couetousnesse hath a great resemblance with Drunkennesse 8 A base thing to get goods onely to keepe them 24 25. The couetous like a spider 55 The couetous character 193 The couetous described 221 The couetous restlesse 933 934 Creation of our contemplation therein 809 The head of our creation is Heauen 811 The wonderfulnesse of it seene in man 813 Creatures how they al fight for God 531 872 c. 929 How obseruant they are to him that made them 949 950 The power of nourishment is not in the creature but in the Maker 996 God would rather haue his creatures perish any way then to serue for the vse of the wicked 1003 There is a speciall prouideÌ„ce in their motion 1049 Creed the confession of the same creed is not sufficient with Rome for peace 637 Credulitie it is the daughter of Folly 1102 Crosses of them 80 of such as arise from conceit and of true and reall crosses 80 81 Remedies of crosses before they come 81 And when they are come 83 against sorrow for worldly crosses 309 Crucifie excellent things of our crucifying Christ a new 431 432 Crueltie it is commonly ioyned with error 564 God will call vs to account for our cruelty against dumbe beasts 935 sudden cruelty stands not with religion 969 Yet sometimes a vertue 996 It is no thanks to themselues that wicked men cannot bee cruell 1003 The mercies of God in turning the cruelty of the wicked to the aduantage of the godly 1004 Insultation in the rigour of Iustice argueth cruelty 1020 Curious A censure of the curious in diet and apparell that are negligent or indifferent in Gods businesse 1110 Curse a causelesse curse whom it hurts 1009 Of Shemei his curse 1231 Custome It shall bee no plea for sinne or errour 38 Custome in sinne will so flesh vs as to deny or forsweare any thing 1009 D DAnger there should wee bend our greatest care where we finde our greatest danger 1193 Dancing allowed described and censured 677 In a case disallowed 1021 Dauid his choice or Election 1076 Called to the Court. 1079 Of him and Goliah 1080 Dauids reproach by his brother 1081 His preparation to the Combate 1084 An excellent vse of it ibid. His deliuerance out at a window 1089 Of Samuels harbouring him 1090 Of Dauid and Abimetech 1091 A notable demonstration of his royaltie 1101 A description of Dauids and his peoples perplexitie 1113 Dauid a type of Christ in his warres ibid. His too much credulitie 1133 Dauid a spectacle of infirmitie 1137 What in warre and what in peace 1137 An expostulation with Dauid about his sinne 1138 Of Dauid and Nathan 1141 His confession 1142 Obseruations of Dauids childs death 1143 Dauid is not more sure of forgiuenesse then of smart 1144 The relation of his particular pay ibid. His cariage in Shemeies curse 1232 His patience drawes on his impudencie 1233 Of his numbring the people 1246 His admirable charity 1249 His honour in welcoming the Prophets 1257 Dauids end 1258 Day That al daies are Gods but some more specially 441 442 Holy dayes how obserued in the Church of England 589 Death It hath three messengers p. 4 The wicked therein hath three terrible spectacles 7 Its desire how lawfull â—5 Mans vnwillingnesse to die 53 To bee vnwilling is signe of being in a bad case 61 Of the importunitie and terrour of death 84 The grounds of the feare of death 85 The remedy of the last and greatest breach of peace arising from death 86 A meditation of death 126 Of that Epicurean resolution Let vs eate and drinke for c. 1 Cor. 15.32 139 140 What resolutenesse doth to death 148 An Epistle against the feare of death 291 Of immoderate mourning for the dead 307 A discourse of due preparation for death and the meanes to sweeten it 317 An effectuall preparation of a murtherer to his death 379 Sweet comforts in the meditation of Christs death 434 A pretty item in mourning for the dead 913 Euery circumstance of our dissolutioÌ„ is determined 939 The difference of a godly and wicked mans death ibid. How God forewarnes vs of death 940 Dead bodies are not lost but laid vp 942 T is iust with God that hee that liues without grace should dye without comfort 1105 Death is not partiall 1116 Deceit Its kinds and iudgements 218 219 The hearts deceit in its faculties and affections largely described 504 c. A pretty description of deceiuing others 506 and of the deuils deceit ibid. Described by its effects 507 Oh the deceit of sinne 1140 Decree It is in vaine to striue against Gods decree when we know it 1057 Delay An argument not to delay our repentance till the last day 63 Delay dangerous 948 Desire A man besotted with euill desires is made fit for any villany 937 Where God sees feruent desire he stayes not for words 977 Despaire Then it no greater wrong to God p. 35 Excellent examples against it 946 To what mad shifts men are driuen to in despaire 1210 Detraction or detractor our behauiour with or against such p. 2 A sweet resolution against detraction 3 Deuill He â—ill we haue sinned is a Parasite but when wee haue sinned he is a Tyrant 1112 Hee is no lesse vigilant then malicious 1103 The dumbe deuill eiected 1285 Sinne giues him possession 1286 There is the deuill most tyrannous where hee is most obeyed 1293 There is no time wherein the deuill is not
in at the eye 1198 F FAction How to quell it drawne from an order in the body and soule 55 Falshood where that is in any it makes vs to suspect others 1134 Fame the vanity of being caried away with the affectation of fame 66 Fame is alwaies a blabbe oftentimes a lyar 1270 Fashion an excellent description of a man of fashion 700 immodesty of outward fashion bewrayes ill desires 851 Of the fashions out-running modesty 1135 Fasting it merits not but it prepares for good 908 Fathers what they owe to their children 242 Fauour it makes vertues of vices 67 Extraordinary fauours to the wicked make way for iudgments and are forerunners of their ruine 876 The purpose of any fauour is more then the value 1088 Fauour not vsed aright doth iustly breake out into Indignation 1135 Faith sudden extremity is a notable tryall of faith 15 The bond of faith is the strongest bond 29 A discourse of the proofes and signes of true faith 348 Of sense and faith 437 Of the power of faith 704 A notable meanes to hearten our faith 894 No life to that of faith 908 A pretty obseruation of the difference of sense faith 916 1162 All our actions done in faith and charity shall bee sure of pay 953 Faith euer ouerlooks the difficulties in the way and hath eye to the end 972 The strongest faith hath euer some touch of infidelity 977 1106 Faith giues both heart and armes in Warre 1084 The weake apprehensions of our imperfect faith are not to be so much censured as pitied 1162 Where our faith is not wanting to God his care cannot be wanting to vs. 1331 Faithfulnesse a faithfull man hath three eyes Of sense of Reason of Faith 34 The Character of a faithfull man 174 175 Faithfulnesse in reproofe 216 None so valiant as the beleeuer 918 It is no smal happinesse to be interessed in the faithfull 1052 Faithlesse no charity binds vs to trust those whom we haue found faithlesse 1102 Feare Feare and seruice must goe together 474 Feare distinguished 474 It fits the minde for Loue. ibid. Loue and feare neuer goe asunder where they are true 475 Feare what it signifies in the originall ibid. Distinguished ibid. Defined ibid. Our feare must bee reduced to seruice 476 A notable encouragement against feare of all oppositions 531 Meere feare is not sinfull 892 Feare and familiaritie God loues in the vse of his Ordinances 897 The most secure heart hath its flashes of feares 951 A fearfull man can neuer be a true friend 1004 Boldnesse and feare are commonly mis-placed in the best hearts 1052 Where there is no place for holy feare there will be place for the seruile 1109 Feasts A checke for our new-found feastings 476 Fight How all the creatures fight for God 531 Fishing Of the Ministers being compared to Fisher-men 1201 Flatterer or flatterie Its character 192 His successe remedy 218 Fatterie what it doth 280 Flattery a sure token of a false teacher 920 A iust doome for false flatterers fully described in the Amalekite that brought tydings to Dauid of Sauls death 1117 1118 A flatterer most notably discouered 1132 1133 Flesh in the matters of God we must not consult with flesh and blood 835 Flight whether wee may fly in time of danger 1177 Follow neuer was seene so bad course but had some followers or applauders 138 Food the soule is fed as the body with milk strong meat 145. 146 Fooles three sorts 213 The successe of their follie ibid. All sinne hath power to befoole a man 1006 Force a pretty Embleme of force and wylinesse ioyned together to worke mischiefe 1002 Fortitude in generall and speciall 226 True ChristiaÌ„ fortitude what it teacheth 918 True Christian fortitude wades through all euills 1023. A note of true fortitude 1027 Forwardnesse It argues insufficience 871 Foâ—ce a pretty Embleme of the Foâ—ces tayes tyed together 1002 Freedome none free but Gods seruants 9 Freewill That errour foysted on the Church of England by the Parlour of Amsterdam 583 The Romish errour of free-will 645 Friend how to vse him 5 When knowne 25 Friendship Three grounds of friendship 29 What only should part frieÌ„ds 30 True friendship necessarily requireth patience ibid. No time lost that is bestowed on a true friend 31 The right behauiour of a true friend ibid. Of the losse of a friend 31 32 How to make men our frieÌ„ds perforce that will not be so in loue 47 A true friend the sweetest contentment in the world 53 How to deale with an offending friend 55 What we must doe in medling with friends faults 57 Rich men can hardly know their friends 59 The character of a true friend 177 A fearfull man can neuer be a true friend 1004 The fruition of friends a great comfort 1016 The purpose of any friendship is more then the value 1088 Fulke Doctor Fulke commended 287 Funerals Our Churches practice in them commendable 591 G GAderens Christ among their herds 1293 Why they besought Christs departure 1303 Gaine How many in feare of pouerty seâ—k to gaine vnconscionably and dye beggers 1003 No gaine so sweet as that of a robbed altar 1054 Gallant His description in his iollitie 493 Gamester hee is prettily deciphered 1001 Gergesens Christ among them 1293 Gesture vid. body Gibeonites Their wisdome but not falshood commended 958 Their smooth tale told for themselues ibid. The rescue of Gibeon 965 The Gibeonites reuenged 1243 Gideon His calling 957 His preparation victories 981 There is no greater example of modestie then in Gideon 985 Gifts or giuing God loues not either grudged or necessary gifts 39 Gods former gifts arguments of more 144 Speed in giuing how acceptable 966 In gifts intention is the fauour not the substance 972 God will find a time to make vse of any of his gifts bestowed on any man 991 We measure the loue of God by his gifts 1027 God loues not to haue his gifts lie dead where hee hath conferred them 1265 Glory Gods glory must bee the chiefe of all our actions and desires 902 God The vse of his presence p. 12 13 The absurd impiety of Israels desire of hauing other gods 899 A miserable god that wants helping 1044 With what securitie they walke that take their directions from God 1047 Godlinesse Neuer was any man a loser by true godlinesse 1129 Goliah Of him and Dauid 1080 How fitly he termes himselfe a dogge 1084 His end is a picture of the end of insolency and presumption 1085 Good Of doing good with an ill meaning 63 64 Of good ill vsed 64 All our best good is insensible 146 A good man wil euer be doing good 868 Good done but not out of conscience what they meet with 1090 Goodnesse Its power 7 No good man that mends not 8 It is of a winning qualitie 1023 Those men are worse then deuils that hate any for goodnesse ibid. Gospell The enioyment of it what a fauour it is 907 Its sweetnesse 929 Gouernours
vid. Kings and Princes How it pleaseth the people to heare the gouernors taxed 1920 Corrupt gouernours lose the comfort of their owne breast 921 A praying gouernour ibid. No small happinesse to an estate to haue their gouernors chosen by worthinesse 941 Gouernours must not respect their owne ends in publike actions 984 Grace It will grow p. 8. How chained 136 Patience is a good proofe of grace 913 The folly of them that refuse Gods graces because they are found in ill men 1000 It is iust with God that those that want grace should want wit too 1044 Grace is not tyed either to number or meanes 1050 Grace is by gift and not by inheritance 1052 An vnmannerly vngodlinesse not to say grace at meat 1055 Nothing but grace can make vs to make vse of others iudgements 1058 A speciall token of a gracious heart 1100 The graces of God how they should attract our Loue. 1109 Grace makes no differences of sexes 1160 Greatnesse Not respected of any but of man 1 There is an affable familiarity that becomes greatnesse 1055 Dishonestie growes bold when it is countenanced by greatnesse 1138 Setled greatnesse cannot endure change or partnership 1171 Guides A Christian must in all his wayes haue three guides First Truth Secondly Wisedome Thirdly Charitie 137 It is a great confirmation to any people to see God to bee their guide 883 No better guide then God in his Word Sacraments 948 949 Guiltinesse what feare there is in it 909 It needs no Prophet to assure vs of punishment 1035 Euery thing affrights the guilty 1171 H HAlfe an halfe Christian liues most miserably 62 Hanun Of him and Dauids Ambassadors 1133 Happinesse How to bee happy in despight of all the world 52 Who is happy enough 58 A happy mans Character 181 Wherein it is not 201 c. Wherein it is 209 The suddennesse of mans happinesse 515 A good heart cannot endure to be happy alone 867 Hardnesse or hardning How to keepe from it 329 Many hardned by the Word 836 Harlot Her deadly danger prettily described 1007 Hast Of making hast to bee good p. 2 Iust iealousie of being ouer hastily holy 33 Hatred Betweene the Christian and the world 61 62 Hearing a note for bearers that come for eloquence 62 An enducement to heare often 149 Heart How small how great 6 The heart tongues correspondence 38 A true signe of a false hart is to be nice in small matters and contrarie in great 147 How to keepe from hardnesse of heart 329 The heart hath many names 502 Deceitfull in euery faculty ibid. A mans inward disposition presageth his euent 948 A good heart can frame it selfe to all conditions 1080 Saul the very picture of a false heart 1087 The foulest heart doth oft enioy good motions 1089 No heart but sometimes will relent 1101 Our heart compared to a City enclosed 1243 Heauen its pleasure prettily described 5 811 Heauen compared to an hill 10 The way to heauen foule and thornie 37 Hell is not more obscure in comparison of the earth then the Earth in respect of Heauen 66 Heauenly and earthly things represented vnto vs by the two lights of Heauen the Sun and the Moone 68 the different degrees of heauens glory 326 Heauens ioyes prettily expressed 467 468 Heauen double Gloriae Ecclesiae 529 The three Heauens notably described 811 812 Neuer any enterd heauen with ease 1371 Heeles what the iniquity of ones heeles is 1101 Henry A lamentation for prince Henry 63 Heraldry its antiquity 443 Hereticks How farre t is lawfull to haue conuerse with them 330 Herod of his trouble about Christs birth 1171 His feare dissembled 1172 Of him the Infants 1176 His slaughter of the Infants 1178. Holy dayes how they are obserued in the Church of England 586 Holinesse Fearfully abusâ—d by the Pope 445 A double holinesse one for vse another for vertue 445 446 Our shame in the want of holinesse and a sharpe reproofe for it 446 Of whom it is reiected ibid. Who so holy as sinnes not example in Miriam and Aaron against Moses 914 Holinesse not tyed to any profession 1010 The Throne and the Pulpit chiefly call for holinesse 1060 Holy duties how regarded of the wicked 1066 No man brags so much of holinesse as hee that hath it not 1075 A little honesty worth much illumination 1320 No temptation so dangerous as that which comes vnder the vale of holinesse ibid. Honest or honesty its character 174 Honest actions neuer shame their doers 1110 Honor How honor and charge are of an inseparable connexion 48 An Epistle of true honor 278 They that are most vnworthy of it are in hottest chase for it 985 Honor is heauy wheÌ„ it comes on the best termes 1057 Honor will shew the man 1086 Hope It is not more necessary for men to bee cheeted with hopes then to be feared with dangers 1051 The description of an hopelesse man 1100 Hosts God stiled The God of Hosts an hundred and thirtie times by the Prophets with the vse thereof 531 Housholder His properties 239 Humiliation It is a right vse of affliction 1132 T is the way to glory ibid. Humilitie how God accepts of it 145 The character of an humble man 175 Humilitie with the contrarie vice 224 Humility is both a signe of following glory and the way vnto it 977 Humility is euer the way to honor 1026 True humility finds out the worst of himselfe 1207 Hunger Sweet comforts to the hungry soule 65 66 Husband how hee must cary himselfe 239 Hypocrite or Hypocrisie reasons why it is a very madnesse to be an hypocrite 4 A worldling is an hypocrite 6 The Hypocrites Character 185 A worthy caution for an hypocrite 416 Prettily described in the profession of holinesse 446 Hypocrites how contrary to Moses in the vailing his face 910 Hypocrisie gets this that it may doe euill vnsuspected 936 No meanes hath so inriched hell as beautifull faces 937 Hypocrits haue good tongues 1048 Hypocrites onely rest in formalities 1063 An Hypocrite wil sooner find out another mans sinne then his owne 1066 The folly and impudency of Hypocrysie descryed 1075. Saul the very character of hypocrisie 1067 1087 Hypocrites partial in their detestaâ—ions 1121 A special note of an hypocrite euen to make vse of God for his owne purposes 1121 Wicked Hypocrites care not how they play with God so they may mocke men 1150 What an idlenesse it is in Hypocrites to hope that they shall dance in a 〈◊〉 vnseene of heauen 1325 I IAel and Sisera 973 Of Iaels courtesie to Sisera 974 Iaels expostulations about Sisera's death ibid. Iacob The contemplation of Iacob and Esau 843 Idlenes It is very troublesome 34 The Idol man is the deuils Cushion 54 55. God neuer graceth the idle with visions 870 Idlenesse what it does 1137 Idols and Idolatry Things abused to it may bee imployed to Gods seruice 978 no trusting the honestie of an Idolater 1011 The obstinacie of Idolatry 1045 Ieptha 991
the whole life is exercised 25 To liue in God is the way not to liue a wearisome life 65 Of Gods being called The Liuing God with a sweet vse of it 705 Our course of life musâ— either allow or condemne vs 1327 Light It was created before the Sunne was 810 A sweet Contemplation of the light ibid. Little Of guiding a little well p. 46 Lot Of him and Sodom 835 Loue T is but base loue to loue for a benefit p. 9 A true note of selfe-loue ibid. It is both a misery and shame to bee a bankerout in loue 31 Three things that a man may loue without exception 51 Loue to God and men 219 Loues strength after reconcilement 856 857 Open defiance is better then false loue 1001 Loue procures truer seruitude then necessitie 1016 Loue cannot bee separated from a desire of fruition 1024 Loue must suffer both fire and Anvill ibid. T is a vaine ambition to seeke to be loued of all 1058 Ionathans loue 1086 A good note of true and false loue 1131 Lust It coÌ„monly ends in loathing 848 Lusts madnesse 854 Lust is quicke-sighted 1138 Lyar His fashion manifestation and punishment 217 Whether we may lie for the promotion of a good cause 946 Lyars behold their pedigree 1198 Lyon His rage against Sampson in that encounter prettily described 999 Where our strength lyes against that Lyon the Deuill 1000 A lesson of thankfulnesse learned from the Lyons carkasse ibid. M MAdnesse he is a rare man that hath not some kind of madnesse in him 143 Magicke It is through the permissioÌ„ of God powerfull 931 Magistrate The Character of a good Magistrate 179 What is required in a Magistrate 231 An excellent patterne for a Magistrate in a troublesome gouernment 919 A speciall note of a good Magistrate 920 A Magistrate his pace in punishment of offenders must be slow and sure 957 Maiestie An impression of Maiestie in lawfull authoritie 904 Malice vid. Enuy of smiling Malice 849 God will euer raise vp secret fauourers to his own among those that are most malicious 853 Malice witty 854 No sinne whose harbour is so vnsafe as that of malice 864 There is no looking for fauour at the hand of malice 893 Malice regards not the truth but the spight of an accusation 921 Malice cares not so much for safety as for conquest 931 Malice in a wicked heart is the King of passions 965 Their malice hastens their destruction ibid. Malicious wickednesse of all others shall neuer goe without paiment 1073 Truth and Iustice hath no protection against malice 1087 The malicious like him that hath the Iaundis 1089 Malice hid doth but lurke for opportunitie 1147 Malice will euer say the worst 1288 Man The contemplation of his Creation 813 The description of him ad partes ibid. By his internall parts ib. c. Manhood Of sinfull manhood 338 339 Marina Of it and Quailes 886 Marinaâ— how many wayes a Miracle 889 The difference betweene the true and typicall Manna ibid. Manoâ—h Many things of him 996 997. c. Marahâ— waters 883 Mariage An apologeticall discourse of the mariage of Ecclesiast call persons 297 A question of separation of a maried couple with ioynt-consent whether lawfull 377 Whether the Church of England maketh mariage a Sacrament 587 Of Ministers mariage whether lawfull 721 Those that are vnequally yoaked may not looke euer to draw one way 869 They seldome prosper 914 Sampsons mariage 998 Not without the consent of his Parents ibid. His Parents expostulation of his motion of mariage with a Philistim ibid. Of an euen cariage in the case of mariage both of the Parents and Children 999 another expostulation about the lawfulnesse of Sampsons mariage ibid. His woe that is maried to a Philistim or vnequally yoaked 1001 Slight occasions may not breake off the knot of mariage-loue 1002 Not by imaginations but by proofes ibid. Of disparietie of Religion in mariage 1021 God owes shame to such as will be making matches betwixt himselfe and Belial 1044 Mariage made a plot for mischiefe 1088 The bonds of mariage how strong they should be 1090 A picture of those mariages that are made for money not for the Man 1102 Those mariages were well made wherein vertues are matched and happinesse is mutuall 1106 The mariage in Cana. 1202. The happinesse of that wedding which Christ is at ibid. The mariage that wee are all inuited vnto 1203 Martyrs their vndauntednesse 436 Mary vid. Virgin 436 Masse concerning it 658 Masters what they must be 243 Matthew He is called 1290 Described 1291 Meanes It without God cannot helpe but God without it can p. 12 That a mans mind should be to his meanes expressed by sweet similies 59 Small and vnlikely meanes shall preuaile where God hath appointed an effect 847 The meanes must bee vsed with faith 889 To seeke the second meanes without the first is a token of a false faith 891 Prayer without meanes is but a mockery of God 894 Wee must not looke for immediate redresse from God but rather by meanes 901 Meanes can doe nothing without God 951 In humane things but not in diuine is good to looke to the meanes 972 Small meanes shal set forward that which God hath decreed 1080 The meanes nothing without Gods blessing 1194 Meat of milke and strong meat 145 146 Meditation It must bee continued p. 1 The benefit and vses of meditation 105 Its descriptions and kinds ibid. Of extemporall meditations 106 Cautions in them ibid. Of deliberate meditation 107 The hill of meditation may not be climbed with a prophane foot ibid. His qualities therefore are prescribed 108 109 Of other circumstances of meditation as the place and time 110 Gesture of the bodie and the subiect 111 Of its order entrance and proceeding 112 113 The Scale of meditation 114 with many excellent things a pag. 114 ad 125 A meditation of death 126 Or the heart inured to meditation 141 Three things wherein Gods mercie abundantly appeared to vs. ibid. c. Mediocritie That is safest and firmest 1107 Mephibosheth Of him Ziba 1131 His humilitie 1132 A pretty pitying of Mephibosheth ibid. Mercy vid. Compassion the infinite sweetnesse of Gods mercy shadowed 8 Mercy what it doth 220 Who offends against it ibid. Gods mercies to Israel and England exactly numbred and sweetly parallel'd 478 479 We can looke no way but that we shall meet with and behold and embrace mercie 706 Gods Maiestie seene of his sonnes in his mercy 871 Gods great mercy to murmurers set forth 887 The vse that Gods seruants should make of his mercies towards their his enemies the wicked 887 Mercie must not hearten vs to sinning 900 An excellent example of mercy that may keepe any from despaire 946 It is a curse mercy that opposeth Gods mercy 953 A true property of mercy to bee most fauourable to the weakest 1029 Mercy drawes more teares from Gods friends then iudgements doe from his enemies 1051 It is good to take all occasion of
renuing the remembrance of Gods mercies 1093 Merit Concerning it 647 Method A false method the bane of many hopefull endeuours 279 Micha His idolatry 1009 Michaiah The Prophet commended 1362 c. His sentence by Ahab 1363 Michal her wyle 1088 Her scorne and end 1130 Mildnesse This and fortitude must lodge together as in Moses 915 Minde Of tranquilitie of minde p. 32 Of doing good with an ill minde 63 64 Minister A pretty description of a bold minister without abilities p. 5 Of much ostentation with little learning in a minister p. 5 An apologie for the mariage of Ministers 297 c. Of the ministers great charge 344 c. Whether a minister vpon conceit of insufficiency may forsake his calling 379 A ministers wisdome in taking his time to speake 474 The truth and warrant of the ministery of the Church of England 575 Certaine arguments against it ibid. The censure of such as think that they can goe to heauen without the ministery of the Word 694 Of the Church of England approuing an vnlearned minister 590 Whether ministers should endure themselues silenced 597 Of ministers mariage whether lawfull 717 c. A meanes to make the ministerie effectuall 870 A pretty picture of the ministers portion among a discontented people 875 A note for ministers in reprouing 915 An excellent example for a minister among a troublesome people 919 Flatterie in a minister what 920 The ministerie will not grace the Man but the Man must grace the ministery 922 The regard that should bee vnto the ministerie 925 1017 Ministers must not stand on their owne perils in the coÌ„mon causes of the Church 926 The lawfulnesse of a ministers calling a thing very materiall 927 The approbation of our calling is by the fruit ibid. The worlds little care of the ministers blessings 932 The honour that Heathen gaue to the Prophets vvill iudge or shame our times towards their ministers 935 A note for ministers not to goe beyond their warrant 940 Another note for to enduce ministers to mildnesse in their admonitions 956 A good ministers losse is better seene in his losse then presence 970 Holy ministers a signe of happy reconciliation with God 973 It is no putting of trust in those men that neglect Gods ministers 974 Of not caring for a ministers doctrine that is of an euil life 1000 The ministers pouerty is religions decay 1010 A pretty censure of the good cheape minister 1011 The withdrawing the ministers meanes is the way to the vtter desolation of the Church 1012 Minister Mercy how well fitting a minister 1016 Where no respect is giuen to the minister there is no religion 1017 If ministers be prophane who shall be religious 1028 The ministerie not free of vncleannesse 1033 No ministers vnholinesse should bring the seruice of God in dislike ibid. The sinnes of Teachers are the teachers of sinne 1061 He is no true Israelite that is not distressed in the want of a minister of a Samuel 1062 1063 For ministers to heare religion scorned and be silent is not patience but want of zeale 1130 An excellent note for ministers ibid. A note for yong ministers 1187 Ministers called Fishers 1201 Of niggardlinesse to our ministers 1271 Of all others the sinne of a minâ—ster shall not goe vnreuenged 1321 There is nothing wherein the Lord is more tender then in the approuing of the truth of his ministers 1335 The ministers message is now counted euill it vnpleasant 1361 The departure of a faithfull minister worthy our lamentation 1371 1372 Miracles concerning the miracles of our time 284 285 The desiring a miracle without a cause is a tempting of God 967 Miracles are not purposed to silence and obscurity 1369 Miriam Of Aaron and Miriam 913 Mischiefe they that seeke it for others fall into it themselues 1099 Mockers their sinne iudgement and end seene in Michol 1130 A caueat for mockers 1374 Modestie with that which is contrary to it 224 What Christian modesty teacheth 910 Those that passe its bounds grow shamelesse in their sinnes 938 Monument What is a mans best monument 12 Those monuments would God haue remaine in his Church which cary in them the most manifest euidences of that which they import 928 Motions good motions make but a thorow-fare in wicked mens hearts 874 875 Labouring minds are the best receptacles for good motions 1017 The foulest heart oft-times entertaines good motions 1089 The wicked are the worse for good motions 1091 Good motioÌ„s in wicked mens hearts what like 1106 Mourning of immoderate mourning for the dead 307 A pretty item in mourning for the dead 913 Moses Or his birth and breeding 866 His mothers affection sweetly described ibid. The Contemplations of his killing the Hebrew 867 His calling 869 The hand of Moses lifted vp 893 Of his Vaile 907 Of his modesty 910 Mildnesse fortitude how they meet together in him 914 Two patternes of his meeknesse 916 An admirable pithy speech of his to Israel at their desire of going backe to Egypt 918 Moses death 939 What an example of meekenesse hee was in his death 941 Multitude the successe of dealing with an obstinate multitude 919 A multitude is a beast of many heads 1303 Murmurers Gods mercy to them 887 Musicke what good it doth to Saul in his deiection 1079 N NAaman Of him and Elisha 1383 Nabal and Abagail 1102 His churlish answer to Dauids seruants 1105 Naboth Of him and Ahab 1356 His deniall of Ahabs request censured 1317 Name A mans good name once tainted what compared to 16 A good name worth the striuing for 60 Obseruations of a good name 135 Of significant names 1031 Naomi and Ruth 1022 Nathan Of him and Dauid 1141 Nature Naturall more difference betwixt a naturall man and a Christian a then betweene a man and a beast 27 How ready nature is to ouerturne all good purposes 143 Nature and grace described in Cain and Abel 817 Nature not content except it might be its own caruer 929 Necessitie It will make vs to seeke for that which our wantonnesse hath despised 921 922 None to bee contemned for their necessitie 1103 Neere When we come too neere to God 870 Neutralitie Wherein odious wherein commendable 139 Hatefull to God in matters of Religion 1337 New God makes new 466 Wee must bee made so too ibid. A reproofe of our new things ibid. Oâ— our New-yeares gifts to God ibid. Newes Ill newes doth either runne or fly 1036 Noble The character of one truely noble 178 Nourishment The power of it is not in the creature but in the Maker 996 Number Of Dauids numbring the people 1246 His sinne therein ibid. O OAth Of the oath of allegeance and iust suffering of those that haue refused it 342 Of the oath Ex officio 988 How sacred and vnuiolable an oath should be 947 Oaths for conditions of Peace whether bound to be kept if they be fraudulent 959 The sequel of a breaking an oath ibid. Euen a iust oath may be rashly
taken 1020 What an oath requires ibid. Obedience All the creatures more obedience then Man 37 All our obedience cannot beare out one sin with God 940 Obedience is a fit entrance into soueraigntie 1053 Blind obedience when it doth well 1054 True obedience is euer ioyned with humilitie and feare 1075 The truth and heartinesse of our obedience respected of God in the meanest 1175 Obstinate Neither scourges nor fauours can worke with them 341 Occasion Hee that would bee free from the acts of sinne must auoid the occasions 853 How the Deuill watcheth his occasions to lay his temptations 1193 Old Nothing more odious the fruitlesse old age 9 Of Gods not acceptance of the dregges of our old age 140 One One sinne what it doth 954 Opinion Among diuersities of opinions how to carie our selues 15 Opportunitie It with conuenience is guilty of much theft 1356 Opposition No calling of God so conspicuous as not to find some opposition 1119 Ostentation Of great ostentation with little learning 5 Seldome a good end of ostentation 1085 Ordinances A sweet description of Gods ordinances 492 That God at once requires both familiaritie and feare in our approach to them 897 It is a dangerous thing to be too bold with the ordinances of God 949 A consideration of the poorenesse and weaknesse of Gods ordinances 933 With what securitie they walke that take their directions from God 1047 A fearfull thing to vse Gods ordinances with vnreuerent boldnesse 1049 Gods children cannot bee discouraged from Gods ordinances 1050 How well it goes with them that take God and his Ministers with them in his ordinances 1114 Outward The outward face or countenance makes commentary on the heart 61 Of outward preparation how necessarie 897 What may bee well said to such as vse outward deuotion more then sincere obedience 972 How to looke on outward priuiledges 991 No measuring Religion by outward glory 1044 When men are caried away with outward shewes it is a signe that God meanes them a delusion 1053 Owne What a man should account his owne 6 The conceit of owning hardens a man against many inconueniencies 56 Of both ouer-prizing neglecting that which is our own 67 P PArables They sped well with Dauid 1148 Paradise A contemplation of it 815 Satan euen in it 816 The place of Paradise whether to be sought for 817 Paine It shall humble them whom shame cannot 1045 Painting a notable inuectiue against our painted plaister-faced Iezebels 700 Papists Of popish deprauing Antiquity 349 The papists and the ancient Iewes paralleld 415 Their superstitious heathenish and ridiculous worship of Idols 661 No possible reconciliation with papists 663 They haue nothing but the outside of Religion 684 Pardons popish pardons censured 433 651 Pardons may well stand with temporall afflictions 1143 Parents A good note for them in the education of their children 996 Parents indulgence a patron of vanity 1015 Reuerence to Parents neuer goes vnrecompenced 1025 Parents that haue bad children what they must doe 1032 Indulgent parents cruell to themselues 1034 A good note for parents in the example of Sauls father 1053 The sanctity of the parent cannot beare out the sinne of the sonne 1128 Passion nothing so befooles a man as passion 81 Christs passion sweetly layd out 427 428. The application of it 431 How subiect the best are to passion 1103. Vnruly passions euer run into extremities 1146 Patience the character of a patient man 177 In Gods affaires and mans iniuries 226 How well gods children are paid for their patience 854 A forceable argument thereto 890 There is no greater token of grace then to smart patiently 913 Patrons Their epethites being euill 412 A serious exhortation to theÌ„ ibid. Peace The happinesse of that Church which hath Truth and peace kissing each other 6 Impossible for an inferior to liue at peace except hee hath learned to be contemned 35 A perswasion to a study of the common peace 395 An earnest perswasion to liue in peace 413 414 The price of peace 481 482 Peace what without religion 482 Of true and false peace 529 Where to seeke for peace 530 Who giues it ibid. How made betweene God and man 537 Who are not and who are indeed the true enemies vnto peace 542 543 The commodities and conditions of peace 625 As the wicked haue no peace with God so the godly haue no peace with them 847 Whether peace may bee held on oath which is made by fraudulent conditions 959 Nothing so worthy of pity as the sinners peace 1006 It is the safest policie to bee at peace with God 1062 It is an vnreasonable in equality to hope to finde God in trouble that would not regard him in peace 1110 Propension to peace becomes a Victorâ— 1120 When peace is a friend to religion 1127 Of the aboâ—e of peace ibid. Penitent The Character of a true penitent 280 Penance how enioyned in the Church of England 590 Penuel Succotlâ— their reuenge 989 Perfection the imperfectnesse of it expressed by our Creation 809 Perish those that perish are blinded c. 921 Perkins commended 287 Permission euen that in thing we may remedy makes vs no lesse actors then consent 966 Persecution a pitty description of it 482 Bloody persecution an argument of an euil cause and the reason 865 Person the person must be in fauour that will haue his work to prosper 950 One sinful person how pernicious 954 The person honors the place and not contrariwise 1162 Pharoah his Embleme 872 He is like a beast that grows mad in baiting 874 Pharisaisme What. 408 Whether an order or Profession ibid. An austere sect 409 Their imployment ibid. The difference between the Pharisees and Scribes ibid. Of the seuen kinds of Pharisees ibid. About their strictnesse ibid. The Iewes sottishnesse in beleeuing of the Scribes and Pharisees 410 How farre Christians are behind them 411 Phineas 936 His heroicall spirit and courage 938 Philosophy or Philosophers The censure of it and them 73 Piety vid godlinesse True piety is not vnciuill 997 A forced pietie is thanklesse 1110 There is no villany but hath some shew of pietie 1172 Pilgrims A very fit meditation for them 51 A pilgrims paine for heauen prettily paralleld 54 The misery of our pilgrimage in respect of our home 811 No perfume so sweet to a pilgrim as his owne smoake 1017 The perilous passage in our pilgrimage 1065 Pitie vid. Mercie Foolish pitie is humane and dangerous 970 Place It honours not the person as the person doth it 1162 Therefore must we not bee transported too much with the glory of places 1163 Plague Whether lawfull for Pastor or people to fly in time of the plague 350 Plausibilitie Not fit for regeneration 1189 Pleasure It must not be bought at too deare a rate 13 How to carie our selues in the enioyment of pleasure and paine 14 15 No worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it 25 A rule in taking of pleasure 139 A discourse of the vse
it bee easie or obscure 616 Whether all men may or must reade the scriptures 617 Whether the scriptures depend on the authority of the Church 618 Concerning the Cannon of scripture 653 Of its insufficiencie 654 And authoritie 655 They that wrest the scriptures see of what race they come 1197 Scornes They with taunts are the best answeres for serious Idolatry 1338 Sea Euery affection is the good mans Red Sea 883 Seasonablenesse It is best in all things 137 138 Secrets How to doe in holding and disclosing them 28 To whom to reueale a great secret ibid. et in finem Hee that doth not secret seruice with delight doth but counterfeit his publike 144 A note of sinnes secresie 954 The hope of secresie what it doth with sinners 955 Secresie the cause of corruption 970 Great mens sins are seldome secret 1140 Security secure mindes neuer startle till God comes home to their senses 931 The most secure heart hath its flashes of feares 951 Wee can neuer bee secure in the strongest places that are without God ibid. The worldlings security laid out in Iaels entertainment of Sisera 974 The close bordering of securitie and ruine 1005 Security and presumption euer attend at the threshold of ruine 1043 Sedition Pride is its ground 914 Selfe Men that cannot endure to examine themselues are like vnto the Elephant 23 None hurt vs so much as we doe our selues 37 Of condemning others in that of which wee are faultie our selues 58 Wee should know our selues ibid. Not to loue our selues before the publike-good 976 Selfe-loue doth sometimes borrow the face of true zeale 1121 Selfe-conceipt He that hath it is a foole 16 It makes a man vnreasonable 914 Selling A rule in buying and selling 697 Separation and Saparatists vide Brownists Their iniury to the Church and censure with aduice 315 A disswasion from separation 389 The kinds of separation and which is iust 552 The antiquity of separation 553 What separation is to be made in Churches in their planting or restauration 555 What separation the Church of England hath made 556 573 576 577 578 The maine grouÌ„ds of separation 574 Separation from the world how required 600 The issue of separation 607 Serpent he was seene in Paradise much more in our corruption 816 Of the brazen serpent 928 The application of that serpent 930 Seruant The freedome of Gods seruants 9 Many weare Gods cloth that are none of his seruants 50 Seruants what they must be 243 To bee Gods seruant is an high style 477 The happinesse of seruants that haue vertuous Masters 1110 A good thing to haue faithfull seruants 1386 Seruice The homeliest seruice in an honest calling with conscience to the commandement of God shal be crowned 137 He that doth not secret seruice with delight doth but counterfeit his publike 144 Feare and seruice must goe together 474 Our seruice must be grouÌ„ded on feare 476 What the life of seruice is ibid. Seruice briefly described ib. Sinne makes God to serue vs. 476 477 How men cozen themselues in doing seruice to Satan 477 Gods seruice must bee true and totall ibid. The voluntary seruice of the wicked is often more painfull then the duties enioined by God 1066 A religious seruice must partake of feare and ioy 1295 Seruice-booke Whether ours be made an Idol 584 Shamelesse they that once breake the bonds of modesty grow euen shamelesse in their sinnes 938 Sheba Of her Salomon 1270 Shebae His rebellion 1240 Shemei of him and his cursing 1231 His execution 1261 Shunamite of the Shunamitish woman 1378 Sight the sight or beholding of sinners how it infects 901 Silence Its prayse 63 Simon he is called 1199 His humility rewarded with an Apostleship 1201 Sinne its power 7 No sinne small 24 A most thanklesse office to be a man Pandor vnto sinne 49 Sinne hath commonly beene accounted to haue two roots Loue and feare 51 Since sinne came in wee are sent to the silliest to learne our duty 54 Sinne is sometimes an euill and a punishment 65 Sollicitations to sinne remedied 79 It is seldome seene that all affect all sinnes 136 Its vse 137 Remedies against sinne and meanes to auoyd it 386 Sinne makes God to serue vs. 476 477 It makes a forfeiture of all fauours 484 No sin but hath punishment ibid. 485 Of hiding and shifting off sinne 505 Of giuing foule sinnes fine names ibid. The distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes 652 Sinne paid home in its owne coyne 846 What difference God puts between sinnes of wilfulnesse and infirmitie 851 One sinne commonly made a vayle for another 853 He that would bee free from the acts of sinne must fly the occasions ibid. Sinnes shamelesnesse ibid. c. Grosse sinnes cannot preiudice the calling of God 900 Foule sinnes seeke faire pretences as is instanced in the Golden Calfe 901 No sinne so vnnaturall but that the best is subiect vnto without God 914 Behold a circle of sinnes and iudgements 925 Sinne is no lesse crafty then Satan 937 Wee must stop the beginnings of sinne ibid. As the sinnes of great men are exemplary so are their punishments 937 Those that haue once past the bounds of modesty they grow shamelesse in their sins 938 Whether wee may sinne for for the promotion of a good cause 946 A note for sinnes secresie 954 It is to no purpose to pray against punishment whilest the sinne remaines 955 Sinnes round circle 970 Gods iustice makes one sinne the punishment of another 971 Sinnes not afflictions argue Gods absence 977 Sinne is steepe and slipperie 1006 All sinnes haue power to befoole a man 1006 Sinnes wages 1018 Where it is suppressed it will rise but where it is encouraged it will tyrannize 1019 Our sinne doth not only strip vs of our hope in earth but heauen also 1064 Sinne beâ—ots the wisest 1075 Sinne a good heart how easily stayed from sinne and how glad to be crossed in ill purposes 1104 Sinne is not acted alone 1138 Sinnes deceit 1140 Great mens sins are seldome secret ibid. How easily wee get into it how hardly out of it 1143 In that that a man sinneth in that is he punished 1144 How God censures sinnes 1246 Where euer sinne is Satan is 1186 Sinner hee is like the Larke in stooping at a feather whilest he is caught of the Fouler 26 A sinner so foule as that hee is halfe a Beast halfe a Deuill 39 So is his Pandor 49 The sottishnesse of wilfull sinners 530 Sinners oft paid home in their owne coyne 846 One sinner how pernicious to thousands 954 Nothing so worthy of pitie as the sinners peace 1006 It must be a strong euidence that must make a sinner conuict himselfe 1061 Nothing but violence can perswade a resolued sinner 1146 Two chaines fit for outragious sinners 1294 Singularitie A disswasion from the affectation of it â—95 Sisera and Iael 973 Of Sisera's entertainment with Iael 974 Slandâ—rer His exercise and entertainment 217 Sloth Its character 192 The properties