autâ—m dicit author ille tuus dans gloriam Deo 8 That the temporall principalities which the Pope enjoyeth this day in Italie or elswhere are but his just possessions which none ought to invy him (p) Montag antid pag. 95. Habeat ille suas sibi opes facultates fundos habeat latifundia principatum dominium per Ecclesia terras Petri possessiones obtineat dummode contentus vetuctiorum principum liberalitate alienam non invadat possessionem 9. That the restitution of the Popes ancient authority in England and yeelding unto him all the power that this day he hath in Spaine or France would be many wayes advantageous and in nothing prejudiciall to the King (q) Cant. relat pag. 202 Hee that is not blinde may see if hee wil of what little value the popes power in France and Spaine is this day further then to serve the turns of their Kings therewith which they doe to their great advantage 10 The old constitution of the Emperour whereby all the westerne clergie is so farre subjected to the Bishop of Rome that without him they are disabled to make any Ecclesiasticall law and obliged to receave for lawes what he doth enjoyne was very reasonable Yea if the King would be pleased to command all the church men in his dominions to be that far subject to the Pope they would be unreasonable to refuse present obedience (r) Montag antid pag. 156. Quod è codice allegatur Theodosiano decernimus ne quid tam Episcopis Gallicanis quaÌ„ aliarum provinciarum contra consuetudinem veterem liceat sine viri venerabilis Papae urbis alternae authoritate tentare sed illis omnibusque legis loco sit quicquid sanxit sanxeritve sedis apostolicae authoritas Quicquid hic pontifici sayeth Montagow arrogatur id totum edicto debetur Theodosiano vel vetustae consuetudini quicquid autem per rescriptum tribuitur imperatoris ad occidentales credo solos pertinebat nec omnes quibus juxta veterem consuetudinem Pontifex praesidebat ut Patriarcha Decernat imperator de Gâ—rmanis episcopis Rex Angliâ— de Britannis suis Francorum de Gallicanis quod olim Theodosius decrevit dicto erunt omnes obedientes Onely by all meanes my Lord of Canterburies prerogative behoved to bee secured his ancient right to the patriarchat of the whole Isle of Britaine behoved to be made cleare that to his rod the whole clergie of the Isle might submit their shoulders as to their spirituall head and Monarch from whom to Rome there could bee no appeale (Å¿) Cant. relat pag. 171. It is plaine that in these ancient times in the Church government Britaine was neever subject to the Sea of Rome for it was one of the six diocies of the West Empire and had a pâ—â—mat of its own Nay Iohn Capgraw and William Mabinnesburrie tell us that Pope Vrbâ—n the second in the Councel at Bari in Apuleia accounâ—ed my worthie predecessor S. Anselme as his owne Compeer and said Hee was as the patriarch and apostolick of the other world quasi comparem veluti Apostolicum alterius orbis Patriarcham Now the Britains having a primate of their own which is greater then a Metropolitan yea a patriarch if yee wil he could not be appealed from to Rome in any cause which concerned onely the churches of the Kings dominions for in causes more universall of the whole catholicke Church willingly they are contented that the Patriarch of Britaine and all others should submit to their grand Apostolicke father of Rome (t) Montag Antid pag. 57. Rectè cautum erat olim per canones vetustae Ecclesiae ut Romanus ille primus Episcoporum cui tot per occidentem suffraganei adherebant suam sententiam rogatus adhiberet ubi fidei Ecclesiae universalis vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rebus ad politiam spectantibus agitabatur supra Everie one of these pontificall positions since the midst of Henrie rhe eights raigne would have beene counted in England great paradoxes yet now all of them are avowed by Canterbuerie himself in that verie booke which the last yeare at the Kings direction hee set forth for to satisfie the world anent their suspition of his Poperie or else by D. Montagu in his books yet unrepealed and cleanged of all suspition of Poperie by M. Dow under the seal of his Graces licencing servant This much for the Pope About the Cardinalls they tell us that their office is an high and eminent dignitie in the Church of God Their minde to the Cardinalat for the which their persons are to be handled with great reverence and honour (w) Montag ap pag. 56 Penitere non potuit Baronium eruditissimuÌ„ laboriosissimum virum industriae suae ac deligentiae Cardinalitiame niminde merito quidem suo adeptus suscepit dignitateÌ„ ibid. pag. 75. Virum illustri adeo nominis celebritate eminentissima dignitate coÌ„stitutum honestum probum preterea in vita privata rigidem severum ac tantum non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nusquam nisi honorificentissime compellavi that their office is a reward due to high graces and vertues that some of them though the greatest enemies that ever the reformed Churches have felt such as Baronius that spent all his time in opposing the trueth and advancing Antichristianisme and Barromaeus (x) Pokling Alt. pag. 34. The Linchonshire Minister it his jearing veine flouteth Cardinal Baromaeus whereas if he list to read his life he may not be ignorant that the Cardinall was a man of exemplarie holinesse and spent the greatest part of his life in fasting prayer almes-deeds preaching exhoration and doctrine and did detest both impietie and vanitie both in word and deed Me thinkes his conscience should checke him for his scornfull usage of a man who had the report of so vertuous and pious a Bishop a bloudy persecutor of our religion and one of the fathers of Trent that even such men are so full of grace and pietie that it is a great fault in any protestant to break so much as a jest on their red hattes Where the head and shoulders are so much affected it is hard to restraine charitie from the rest of the bodie These good men vent their passion no lesse towards the bodie of the present Church of Rome then towards the Pope and the Cardinalls Foâ— first his grace avowes over and over againe that the Papists and wee are of one and the same religion They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands that to speak otherwayes as the Liturgie of England did all King Iames dayes were a matter of very dangerous consequent and therefore he confesseth his helping that part of the liturgie which puts a note of infamie upon the popish religion least that note should fall upon our owne religion which with the popish is but all one (y) Cant. relat p 36 The Church of Rome
become intolerable but the Prince setled in the full strength of his authoritie which for a time the cloud of these grassehoppers did eclipse in the hearts of his people The third point wherein ye joyne us with the Iesuites is our denying to the King the government of the Church In this ye doe us wrong as in all the rest for we reiect the Popish doctrine here They make Princes meer sheep they command them to follow the Pope their pastor where ever he leads were it to the bottome of Hell without asking so much as Domine quid facis but we esteeme it to be a chiefe part of the Magistrates office to command all Church-men to doe their dutie and when they will not be perswaded with cleare reasons to compell them by force to reforms the corruptions in the worship of God But ye skift out here much further to an extravagance wherein ye have no approved divine to be your patron Yee teach that all Soveraignes are the true heads of the Churches in their Dominions Such styles the Bishops of England since the beginning of Queene EliZabeths reigne have ever denyed to their Princes with their owne contentment Ye will have not only the Magistrate to command that which is right in the service of God as Austine and wee doe gladly grant but also ye make it his right were he a professed heretick or Pagan to give what lawes he will to the Church without her consent or so much as advice Ye give to the Prince much more then the Iesuites will grant to the Pope to doe in the Church even without a Counsell what he thinkes meetest and if it be his pleasure to call a Counsell ye make it his only right to call either of the laitie or the Cleargie whom he will to be members thereof and when these members are conveened ye give to the Prince alone the power of judging and deciding and to all others but of meere advice Except so farre as the Prince is pleased to communicate to so many of them as he thinkes meete his owne decisive voice In such a Counsell or without it ye make it the Princes right to destroy at his pleasure all Church-Canons Church-judicatories and formes of divine worship which by Lawes and long customes have been established and to impose new Confessions of Faith new Ecclesiasticke judicatories new Bookes of Canons Leiturgie Ordination Homilies Psalmes by meere authoritie All this by your perswasion yee moved our Prince to assay but upon better information his royall justice is now pleased to reiect all such your designes for his Majestie hath given to us assurance not only at his Campe but by his Commissioner in our last Assemblie and we hope also that at once this assurance shall be confirmed in Parliament that no ecclesiastick novation shal over be required by his Maj but that wherto a free generall Assemblie shall give their full assent In this point therefore betwixt us and our Prince there is no discrepance neither here had wee ever any difference with any reformed Divine 4. Paralell About convocation of Synods we have no questioÌ„ with the king Your fourth challenge that we deny to the King power to convocate Assemblies yet know the contrarie that we give to all Christian Soveraignes so much interesse in the affaires of the Church as to convocate Assemblies where and whensoever they please But we grant that we are no wayes of your minde in this point that the Church may never lawfully meere in any case though Heresie and Schisme were eating up her life and drinking her heart bloud without the call of the Magistrate that no Church meeting at all is lawfull no not for prayer or Sacraments without the Magistrates permission That all Churches must lye under an interdict and no publick meeting in them must bee till the Magistrates licence bee first obtained Is all opposition to you in these things Iesuitisme what ever difference we have here with you yet with our Prince in this point we are fully agreed Your gratious Brethren and Fathers when we had beene in possession continually after the reformation for common of two generall Assemblies yearlie by their wicked dealing spoiled us of all that Libertie so that for 38 Yeares space wee had no generall Assemblie to count of but two both which were thrust upon us against our heart for the advancement alone of their evill purposes Yet now thankes be to God our Prince being wel informed of the mischivous wrong your partie did to us in this matter hath granted our reasonable desires if so be the like of you make not this grant fruitlesse unto us as ye truely intend The old act of Parliament for yearlie generall Assemblies and ofter pro re nata is acknowledged by the Kings Commissioner to be very reasonable and with his consent hath past the articles of our late Parliament so that our Prince now is very well content that from the generall Assemblie the highest Ecclesiastick Court being so frequently to bee keept should come no appeale at all to him Your fift and sixt parallell are cast together The 5. 6. Paralell We have no question with our Prince about his presidencie and supremacie in counsels the Kings Presidencie in generall Assemblies Supremacie in Ecclesiastick affaires yee handle these so confusedlie with so many wicked scoffings and scurrilous abusing of scripture that your meaning can scarce be understood Wee are so faâ—re from denying to the Prince the place of royall presidencie and moderation in our Assemblies as Constantine used it at Nâ—oâ— and King Iames oft in Scotland that it is one of the things our hearts mâ—st desire to see King Charles possessing in his owne person that priviledge His royall Sâ—premacie we willingly yeel◠〈◊〉 so farre as the fundamentall Lawes of our Câ—urch and Kingdome extend it yea we make no question that in that sense Bilson and the old Bishops of England understood it But your late Commentarie of the Kâ—ngs Supremacie whereby ye ascrive to every Soveraigne much more then any Iesuite ever gave to the Pope wee doe reject it with the Kings good leave as before was said Your repeated cavills at our Elders Sessions Presbyteries and Assemblies is not worth the answering The frame of our Discipline established by the Lawes of our Church and State in Holland France practized peaceably in the happiest times of our Church and in daily use since the first reformation without any quarrell is now ratified by our Prince 7. Paralel We are much for ther then our opposites from the doctrine of the churches infallibilitie So your mouth should bee stopped and your tongue silent what ever boyling be in your breast In your seventh parallell ye lay upon the Iesuites and our back that which is your owne burden ye might have knowne that the Iesuites ascrive to no Counsell any infallibilitie without many distinctions And as for us none is ignorant that we beleeve all meetings of men since
LADENSIVM ἈΥΤΟΚΑΤΑΚΡΙΣΙS THE CANTERBVRIANS SELF-CONVICTION OR An evident demonstration of the avowed Arminianisme Poperie and tyrannie of that Faction by their owne confessions With a Post-script to the Personate Jesuite Lysimachus Nicanor a prime Canterburian Written in March and printed in April 1640 COR VNVM VIA VNA Summa Capitum THE Preface showeth the unreasonablenesse of this new warre That we have committed nothing against the late pacification That compassion hope and all reason call now for peace at home that at last we may get some order of our enemies abroad That the Canterburian faction deserveâ— not so well of England that armes in their favour ought to be taken against Scotland VVe offer to instruct their insupportable crimes by their owne writs If armes be needlesly taken in so evill a cause they cannot but end in an untimous repentance In this nicke of time very poore wits without presumption may venture to speake even to Parliaments The obstinate silence of the English Divines is prodigious CHAP. I. The delineation of the vvhole subsequent Treatise OUR Adversaries decline to answer our first and chiefe challenge The scope of this writt All our plea is but one cleare syllogisme the Major whereof is the sentence of our Iudge the Minor the confession of our partie the conclusion a cleare and necessary consequence from these two premisses CHAP. II. The Canterburians avovved Arminianisme ARminianisme is a great dangerous innovation of our Religion King Iames his judgment thereof The great increase of Arminianisme in Scotland by Canterburies meanes King Charles his name stolne by Canterburie to the defence of Arminianisme The Irish Church infected with Arminianisme by Canterburie The Canterburians in England teach the first second article of Arminius Why King James stiled Arminians Atheists They teach the third fourth article also the fifth The Arminians in England advanced Their opposites disgraced and persecuted Canterburie and his fellowes contrary to the Kings Proclamation goe on boldly to print let be to preach Arminian tenets A demonstration of Canterburies Arminianisme in the highest degree They make Arminianisme consonant to the articles of England and so not contrary to the Proclamation CHAP. III. The Canterburians professed affection towards the Pope Poperie in grosse ONce they were suspected of Lutheranisme but at last Poperie was found their marke To make way for their designes they cry down the Popes Antichristianisme they are content to have the Popes authoritie set up againe in England Their minde to the Cardinalat They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands CHAP. IV. The Canterburians Ioyne vvith Rome in her grossest Idolatrie IN the middes of their denyalls yet they avow their giving of religious adoration to the very stock or stone of the altar As much adoration of the Elements they grant as the Papists require In the matter of Images their full agreement with Rome About relicts they agree with Papists They come neere to the invocation of Saints CHAP. V. The Canterburians avovv their embracing of the Popish heresies and grossest errours THey joyne with Rome in setting up traditions in prejudice of Scripture In the doctrine of faith Justification fulfilling of the Law merit they are fully Popish In the doctrine of the Sacraments behold their Poperie They are for the reerection of Monasteries and placing of Monkes and Nunnes therein as of old How neere they approach to Purgatory and prayer for the dead CHAP. VI. Anent their Superstitions FEW of all Romes superstitions are against their stomack They embrace the grossest not onely of their privat but also of their publick superstitions CHAP. II. The Canterburians embrace the Masse it selfe THey cry down so farre as they can all preaching They approve the Masse both for word matter The Scotish Leiturgie is much worse then English Many alterations into the Scotish specially about the offertorie the consecration the sacrifice the Communion CHAP. ULT. The Canterburians maximes of tyranny THE tyrannous usurpation of the Canterburians are as many and heavie as these of the Romish Clergie King Charles hates all tyrannie The Canterburians flatter him in much more power then ever he will take They enable the Prince without advice of the church to doe in all Eccelesiasticall affaires what he thinks meet They give to the King power to doe in the State what ever be will without the advice of his Parliament In no imaginable case they will have the greatest tyrants resisted What they give to Kings is not for any respect they have to Majestie but for their own ambitious covetous ends The Chiefe vvitnesses vvhich in the follovving action are brought into depone WIlliam Laud Arch-bishop of Canterburie in his speech before the Starre-chamber in his relation of his Conference with Iesuite Fisher as it was the last yeare amplified and reprinted by the Kings direction In Andrewes opuscula posthuma set out by him and dedicated to the King B. VVhyte of Eli in his treatise upon the Sabbath and his answer to the lawlesse Dialogue B. Montagu of Chichester in his answer to the gagger in his appeale in his antidiatribae in his apparatus in his origenes B. Hall of Exeter in his ould Religion set out with his owne apologie and the apologies of his Friends M. Chomley and M. Butterfield In his remedie of profanesse Peter Heylen Chaplan in ordinary in his answer to Burton set out as he sayes by the command of authoritie as a full and onely Reply to bee expected against all â—he exceptions which commonly are taken at my Lord of Canterburie his actions in his antidotum Lincolinense subscribed by Canterburies Chaplane D. Pottar Chaplan in ordinary in his charitie mistaken as he prints at the command of authoritie D. Laurence Chaplan in ordinary in his Sermon preached before the King and printed at the command of authoritie D. Pocklingtoune in his Sunday no Sabbath in his Altare Christianum both subscribed by Canterburies Chaplane Christopher Dow in his answer to Burtoune subscribed by Canterburies Chaplane Couzine in his devotions the fourth Edition subscribed by the B. of London my Lord high Treasuror his owne hand Chounaeus in his Collectiones Theologicae dedicated to my Lord of Canterburie and subscribed by his Chaplane Shelfoord in his five pious Sermons printed at Cambridge by the direction of the Vice Chanceler D. Beel set out with a number of Epigrames Latine and English by diverse of the Vniversitie fellowes defended yet still by Heylene and Dow in their bookes which Canterbury hath approven Antonie Stafford in his female glory printed at London and notwithstanding of all the challenges made against it yet still defended by Heylene and Dow in their approven writs William Wats in his Sermon of apostolicall mortification Giles Widowes in his Schismaticall Puritan Edward Boughen in his sermon of order and decencie Mr. Sp. of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge in his sermon of Confession Samuel Hoards in his sermon at the metrapolecall visitation Mr.
It was the continuall song of all the Bishops and Clergie in England till D. Laud gott absolute credite with the Duke of Buckinghame that the Popes Antichristianisme was an engine of such efficacie as was able of it selfe alone if well manadged to overthrow the wals of Rome For this I give but two witnesses two late English Bishops both of them deponing before all England to King Iames and he accepting their testimonie (a) Caeterum agendo quam nihil agant ambitioso magnorum voluminum apparatu non nisi lituras scribaÌ„t disputatione ista de antichristo liquido constare poterit quia si causam hanc obtinuerimus esse romanum pontificem antichristum de reliquae contraversia dubitandi non erit relictus locus quia de Antichrists doctrina quin pernitiosa sit impia dubitari non potest Abbots of Salisburrie in his dedicatorie Epâ—stle to king Iames before his Treatise of Antichrist Downame of Derry in the first paragraph (b) Illa mihi imprimus questio quae est de antichristo dignissima semper est visa in qua decti determinandi omnes tum ingenij tum industriae nervos contenderent illa enim de veritate quam nos in hac causa singulari Dei benificio tenemus si inter omnes semel conveniret de reliquis statim contraversijs actum esset debellatumque neque aliquid in pâ—sterum periculi fores quemquam â—mnino Christianum cui sua caâ— esset salus detecto jam antichristo agnitoque adhesurum of his booke dedicated also to K. James upon that same subject Notwithstanding my lord of Canterburie For making the way to Rome more smooth spareth not to cause raze downe to the earth this fort Montagu White his non-such divines as we heard them stiled at his Graces direction by his Herauld Heylene will have the kings unanswerable arguments proponed by him even to forraine Princes not onely counted weake but plaine frensies This word doth Featlie cite from their Appeal (c) Pelag. redi v. 2 tab pag. 39. As for the Protestant arguments taken out of the Apocalypse to prove the pope to be the Antichrist Bellarmine calleth them deliramenta dotages And the appealer to show more zeal to the Popes cause straineth further tearmeth them apocalypticall phrensies Christopher Dow is licentiat by Canterburie to affirme that howsoever our Divines at the beginning of the Reformation in the heat of dispute did upbraid the Pope with Antichristianisme yet now that heat being cooled the matter to men in their sober blood appeares doubtfull (d) P. 53. Many learned in our church especially when the greatest heat was stricken betweene us and Rome have affirmed the Pope to be the Antichrist yet to them that calmely and seriously consider it it may not without good reason be disputed as doubtfull his Graces Herauld appointed to speake for his lord by the State doth correct this simple Dow and puts the matter out of all doubt assuring by good scripturall proofe by a text miserablie abused that the Pope is not was not and can not be Antichrist (e) Pag. 128. I have yet one thing more to say to you in this point S. Iohn hath given it for a rule that every spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but is that spirit of Antichrist whereof yee have heard So that unlesse you can make good as I thinke you can not that the pope of Rome confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh you have no reason to conclude that he is that Antichrist And that in this matter there may heereafter betwixt the Canterburians and Rome remaine no shaddow of Controversie their man Shelfoord comes home to Bellarmine well neere in omnibus making Antichrist one single man a Iew preaching formall blasphemies against Christ natures person three yeares and an half killing by his hands Enoch and Elias And least any footsteppe of this beliefe should ever appeare in the church of England Canterburie confesseth that the place of the publicke lyturgie wherein it was imported was changed by his own hand (g) Star-chamber speach pag. 32. the first place is changed thus from Root out that Babylonish and Antichristian sect which say of Ierusalem into this forme of words Root out that Romish and Balylonish sect of them which say This alteration is of so small consequence that it is not worthie the speaking or if there be any thing of moment in it it is answered in the next where the chiefe thing he sayes is that he was commanded to alter it by the King for to remove scandall from the Papists They are conteÌ„t to have the popes authoritie set up again in England This scarre-crow being set aside at once the Pope the Cardinals and all their Religion began to (f) His fifth sermon through the whole looke with a new face Anent the Pope they tell us first (h) Montag antigage pag. 41. Gens abium unaquaeque tandem suas sibi plumas repetendo surtivis coloribus denudatam propriis etiam quod non oportuit improbantque vehementer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumcisaÌ„ nudam ridendum exsibilandam corniculaÌ„ exposuerunt that the reformers did him pitifull wrong in spoyling him not only of those things he had usurped but of many priviledges which were his owne by due right and should have beene left to him untouched Againe they will have us to believe that the Sea of Rome was truelie Peters Apostolick chaire that Peter was truelie a Prince among the Apostles that the Pope is (i) Cant. relat of the confes pag. 183 A primacie of order was never denyed to S. Peter that Rome had potentioren principatum then other Churches the Protestants grant and that not only because the Roman Prelate was ordine primus first in order and degree which some one must be to avoide confusion but also c. Ibid. pag. 154. Austen sayeth indeed that in the Church of Rome there did ever flourish the principalitie of an Apostolick Chaire this no man denyes Ibid. pag. 133. No man of learning doubts but the Church of Rome had a powerfull principalitie within its owne patriarchat Montag Antigag pag 51. Damus à Petro ad aetatem Augustini in Ecclesia Romana Apostolicae cathedrae semper viguisse principatum Ibid. pag. 57. Quae ratio erat olim singulorum in suis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcoporum eadem erat in provinciis Metrapolitarum in terrarum orbe patriarcharum rectè autem quis negat consultum eratolim cautum per canones vetustae Ecclesiae ut Romanus ille primus nec hoc negatur Episcoporum cui tot per occidentem suffraganei adherebant suam sententiam rogatus adhiberet ubi fides Ecclesiae universalis aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rebus ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spectantibus agitabatur quicquid sanciretur suo suffragio confirmaret priusquam