shall do for two reasons 1 That every man who will may see That his Deeds and his Words do stand at an eternall Distance and can possibly be reconciled no more than Life and Death can 2 That he who has read his Death his Funerall Sermon there A meer mockery of God and good men the Religion of God and Reformation of men a meer scorn to all these And findes it a snare to his Perdition for he blesseth the man and His fare-well to the world May also read his life and consider well on it lest rising early and blessing his friend because of some light expressions which fell from his mouth at his Death it proves a snare to his soul now and it be counted a curse unto him hereafter I know I shall be envied for this I know not of how many Of none but Malignants sure whose envie I would rather have than their favour Some good men may blame me too I cannot believe that They will blame them rather who were so bold To tell all the world what he said at the point of his departure out of the World thereby to argue his piety towards God and his Righteousnesse towards men And hold the world in ignorance of all he did all his life long which argued him a mighty sinner before the Lord as was the unjust Judge who neither feared God nor reverenced man I but I shall be judged very uncharitable now and censorious of a dying mans words A short Apologie for this 1 I appeal to God that I think I looked with as pittifull an eye upon his departing soul as the best friend he had upon the Scaffold 2 That I shall not judge him or his dying words No I would have the Reader to leave that to God I would help the Reader well to understand what he said at his death by what he did all his life long 3 To undeceive the ignorant at this high point That they may not think to live as he did and so to die without making any confession at all or the least show of Repentance so giving Glory to God and yet die in the Lord the death of the Righteous For these Reasons I have written the History of his Life which I shall pen-up into the narrowest compasse for two reasons also 1 That the common Reader may be at as little cost of time and purse in reading the History of his Life as he he was at for reading his Death 2 Because all the proceedings throughout his whole Arraignment and in Reference to that Crime he pleaded even to his last not Guilty shall be clearly and fully set down to the fullest satisfaction of all the world even those that are the most prejudiced Readers The History of his Life begins from that time 1608. whereof I can write what my eyes saw and what my ears heard concerning him five years after he was Proctor of the Vniversity in Oxford which was in the same year King James came to the Crown of England 1603. Quickly after and to make the more haste he went out Doctor of the Civill Law and was chosen President over the Colledge called Saint Johns I may mistake somewhat in the Account of this time because I was then yong and carelesse to remember it and came my selfe in that year unto the same Vniversitie and to the Colledge at that time next adjoyning to his Colledge I shall note here as an eye and an ear witnesse First 1. That he Doctor Lawd then Arch-Bishop at last and Doctor Howson afterward Bishop of Durham did as their turnes were to preach in Saint Maries Church and Christ-Church there scatter the seeds of evill Doctrines for the suppression whereof and keeping them from taking root Doctor Abbots both and other eminent Divines bestirred themselves and appeared the very next Lords day in opposition to those Doctrines whereunto they would not give place for an hour He went on and declared to all the Christian world 1. His zeale to Formes of Religion and envy to the Power 2. His love and liking to the Shadowes and hatred to the Substance 3. His approbation of Pictures and Images even that abomination the picture of God the Father and furious rage against the Image of God stamped upon and framed in His holy-ones 4. His zeale to builde and beautifie dead Temples made with hands and even mad with rage against the Temples of the Holy Ghost to deface spoile and destroy those living temples 5. His zeale seething hot against the Lord and His Day His pure worship and worshippers His zeale against all these and for all detestable things Crosses Crucifixes and Altars all which the soule of the Lord does hate and yet we know his zeale for all these was notorious all over the Christian world II. All men that know him observed his maner will witnes with me that he labourd to be accepted of greatmen able to lift-him-up in the world as earnestly as Paul laboured to be accepted of the Lord Pauls labour was as his and other his Bishops was to ascend unto the highest Pinacle of honour O with what earnestnesse did he embrace the world And what havock he made of faith and a good conscience all the world knowes But you will say this might not be so he might serve his owne ends and as he said at his death Serve God too seek himselfe first and Gods glory at last No not possible No man can serve two Masters Cardinall Wolsey speakes sadly to this O that I had served God as I served my King then God had not left me as now he has said the Cardinall when he was departing the world This serving the creature more than the Creator If it might be charged upon any man in the world it might be charged upon this Man And this also Minding earthly things Honour from men and Glory from the world We cannot minde earthly things heartily and heavenly things too no more then we can give forth the Male of our flock the strength of our affections to two masters Nor can we beleeve when wee receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God onely These Scriptures well thought on would stop us in our eager pursuite after the World or tell our selves what we are The Male of our flock the first borne or strength of our Affections can be given but to one Master Love of the present world argues an heart forsaking the Communion of Saints and carelesse of future Glory I proceed His labour was to be accepted of man and of man he was accepted and advanced after some length of time which I must step over his rising by degrees from one 〈◊〉 to another till at length he had Clambered up to the pinnacle hee aspired unto and there sate down in his Throne as one of his flatterers calls it Arch Bishop of Canterbury Then he was supreame Judge in the High-Commission Court
to presse us to this Christian duty Pride of life was notorous in him and he was so farre from shewing any care to mortifie that lust that he did all to give life and 〈◊〉 unto it And see how that lust served him It was a meanes to put him to open shame and what wrath may lie under to all eternity I have not a tongue to expresse only the thought of the misery an unmortified lust whereof we commonly say is not a little one may bring upon us a matter of great fear and should engage us to the worke of mortification and to speed that work And surely this which has been said is of the same use to me and to thee Reader as it is to him or them in whom the pride of life is so predominant that they will whether God will or no be Arch-Bishops and Lord Bishops still minding their throne and forgetting the Scaffold But fear we every unmortified lust in us and use we in the fear of the Lord all meanes to mortifie the same for mighty men have fallen and shall fall thereby they that made the earth to tremble and did shake Kingdomes We must lead our lust captive throw it down from its dominion casting it-out of our hearts from having place there in our affections else it will throw us downe and expose us to a throwing-out like unsavourie salt Feare we an unmortified lust we little know how far it may carry-us nor to what shame it may expose us to 2 Here is matter of bitter mourning and lamentation certainly if good Bradford had beene alive and had 〈◊〉 what our eyes saw hee would have mourned bitterly over the hardnesse of his heart and then hee would have come home to his owne heart my heart said he as hard as a stone But it was not so for his 〈◊〉 was felt and bitterly mourned over Indeed this hardnesse this rockinesse of heart is matter of bitter mourning The heart is as a stone when it first comes into the world and that is a naturall hardnesse There is an hardnesse which man by severall acts can contract to render his heart like a rock or nether 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 And O what a judgement is this 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Egypt for a rocky heart was one of them and the greatest amongst them all A Rocky heart Nothing makes any more impression upon it than our hand does upon a rock Mercies may be shewred-down upon this heart they run-off againe as waters off a stone Iudgements may be pow ed downe upon this rocky heart The fury of Gods anger and the strength of battle the Lord sets this man on fire round about And what then yet he knowes it not It burned him yet he laid it not to heart i. e Though the 〈◊〉 of Gods wrath was very scorching upon him yet his heart melted not for it is a rock The innocent blood that he has shed is found-out God at present is requiring it The sights and groanes of His poore God has now heard and He is now a foot to avenge his poore servants And this murtherer has received the sentence of Death and yet so rocky is his heart he sayes I le eat and drinke to morrow I shall die Ah Lord has the man a rocky heart He has Then he will set his face like a flint and drive-on furiously against the Lord and His hidden-ones and upon the Drawn Sword in His way more blinde than the Beast he rides upon And while he breaths-forth threatnings against the Lord and is mad with rage aginst those the Lord has set His heart upon hee may thinke that all this while he does the Lord good service A rocky heart All the incomes of pleasures and profits out of all those sweets the world affords he drawes poyson To be brief in so cleare a case Has the man a rocky heart Then hee will workeout his destruction with both hands by all meanes all waies both by his Graces and sinnes He doth cleane contrary to that a man of a soft and melting heart doth doe for he doth worke out his Salvation by all meanes all waies An heart like a rock A man had better be possessed of a Legion of Devills than to have such an heart within him It renders him Spiritually dumbe and deafe It throwes a man into the fire and into the water and yet he knew it not It dasheth him upon this Rocke and that and yet he feels himselfe nor hurt by it he is as a man asleepe upon the top of a Mast the seas work and waters roare round about him but he hears not What shall I say But a word more A rocky heart It renders a man even his graces shall I say uselesse 〈◊〉 Destructive to himselfe and others Of all this this man late Arch Bishop was a very great example Therefore I said as sad an object he was as ever was looked upon For his heart was a rocke and that is matter of bitter mourning 3 It is matter of rejoycing too even to the whole city of God For when it goes ill with the wicked it goes well with the Righteous and then the city rejoyceth That there may bee no mistakes I will briefly propose two Questions and answer them as briefly 1. What is the force and emphasis of this word Rej yceth It is the lifting-up or rather a leaping of the heart for ioy 2. Why is this leaping for Joy Not because the blood of a man is spilt not because a man made in Gods Image and beautified with graces where of he had great store but wanted the chief Grace vvhich teacheth to make use of all is taken avvay not for this The city rejoceth at no mans 〈◊〉 or misery It is a matter of sorrovv to the City to see a person vvhich God has made or the graces vvhich God has given all destroyed in a moment of time This is matter of sorrovv But this of joy of leaping for ioy that that head is chopped off which plotted and contrived the 〈◊〉 of Christs Kingdom That those lights are both put out in darknesse that would have put out the light of Israel That that tongue is Silent in darknesse which silenced or would so have done all the faithfull ministers in all three Kingdomes Cause of leaping for ioy That his day is past and his night come who darkned the Lords Day more than any day and vvould have it prophaned by a law Cause to leap for joy that we saw his head drunke in his owne blood who burned against Iacob the Church of God like a flame which devoureth round about and powred out his fury like fire upon three Kingdomes that they might burne together in the fire of their owne rage and wallow in their owne blood Cause to leap for joy that we saw this mans head lie drunke in his owne blood and himselfe consumed in the fire hee had kindled It goes well with the Righteous the City rejoyceth I
William Laud Arch-B of Canterbury Prymat of England was beheaded on Tower hill Ian 10th 1644 W. AL Sculp The Life and Death OF VVILLIAM LAWD late Archbishop of CANTERBURIE Beheaded on Tower-Hill Friday the 10. of January 1644. I. Here is a brief Narration of his Doings all his life long faithfully given-out First That his sayings at his Death may not be a snare to the perdition of souls II. His Doings and Sayings being compared and weighed together his Sayings are found infinitely too light Yet of weight sufficient to presse every man to make a Threefold use from All of infinite concernment to his eternall soul By E.W. who was acquainted with his Proceedings in Oxford was an eye and eare witnesse of his Doings and Sayings in his Courts here at London and other places under his dominion REVEL. 9. 20 21. Yet they repented not of the works of their hands neither of their murthers nor of their sorceries nor of their fornication nor of their Thefts PROVERBS 28. 15. As a roaring Lion and a ranging Bear So is a wicked Ruler over the poor people Audacia est stuper quidam sensus cum malitia voluntatis Verul. Non saepius Phebotomiae necessariae sunt in curationibus quam caedes in Civilibus Ibid. LONDON Printed for Iohn Hancock dwelling in Popes-head Ally 1645. To the Reader IT is the manner to adresse a few words to thee at the entrance to a Discourse which are these I was an eye witnesse of this mans Doings in his life an 〈◊〉 ear-witnesse of his sayings at his Death yet had I not a thought for I thought it needlesse to tell the world what his Doings were no not then when I saw his 〈◊〉 boldly published to the world to make gaine of money thereby though with the hazard of souls till the 〈◊〉 fornight after he suffered Death for the 〈◊〉 On that Day a worthy Minister my dear friend came to me told me that they who were thought the fittest men for the worke had no purpose to doe it there was a mistake for the fittest of Many hath done it then moved me about it by such arguments as might have commanded me and so did though not at that time yet some hours after Then I girded my self to the service To give a Breviate of his Doings first The Reader could expect no other in such scantnesse of time and roome different from that is extant as I thought also the time and place did require Of his saying after that his Doings and sayings being laid together the one may interpret and explaine the other And the scriptures of God may warrant the Reader to be judge of both I have made hast here as I was desired to do and as a man hasteneth to take an Anti-dote to expell the poison he hath unadvisedly drunk down Yet this 〈◊〉 is not of that Nature as to cause Repentance But er ours it may have caused not a few which the Author and the Printer may lovingly divide 〈◊〉 them and be at no losse For the Reader must take all in good part for these reasons 1 Because he may make a great gain by this to his 〈◊〉 He may learn by this how to live order all his doings all his life long How As the righteous Gods faithfull servants do and then he may be sure his 〈◊〉 shall bee like theirs and the comfort of his sayings then answerable to his doings I have through 〈◊〉 Grace strengthening me done all Thy wills Lord I have kept Thy word Come Lord Jesus Come quickly I commend my soul unto Thee For thou hast 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 God of Truth 2. The Reader may be informed hereby touching the Religion we without mentall Reservations call 〈◊〉 That it is not like our garments still 〈◊〉 after the fashion of the Times nor like the 〈◊〉 neither now 〈◊〉 and then waining as shee 〈◊〉 to us But Religion is as the Sun a perpetuall and 〈◊〉 Ordinance in heaven 3. Touching the warre about Religion who they are who so venter far and freely in this warre who fight indeed the Battells of the Lamb Truly Reader The old Serpent the Devill speaking through a Dying man as audibly in the eares of a great People as once he spake in the eares of our Grand-mother Eve would have beguiled all the Christian world touching this matter It was my great Care to undeceive thee at this great Point to Discover that Grand 〈◊〉 to thee which I have done but not indeed so fully as I would 〈◊〉 could but yet faithfully not daring for my life to doe otherwise in a matter which did so highly concerne The High God His Christ His Church and His Parliament now fighting the Lords Battells against the 〈◊〉 and His Angells Indeed the Scripture calls the Adversary and enemy row not the Dragon but the Beast And hee would seem the tamest of Beasts a Lamb and make the world beleive he would That 〈◊〉 fights the Lords Battels venters as farre and as freely for the Religion and Faith of Christ as any in all the world Now what see wee For wee may behold now as 〈◊〉 Iohn did in a vision A Beast like a Lamb But how 〈◊〉 he he spake as a Dragon How 〈◊〉 hee As a Dragon wee may be sure And it is as 〈◊〉 before our eyes by his 〈◊〉 and Sayings That though he be a 〈◊〉 in shew he is a Dragon indeed for Dragons 〈◊〉 are never 〈◊〉 then are his words And hence Reader Thou art taught a great Lesson Not To trust the Dragon though in 〈◊〉 like a Lamb and may speak like a Lamb So he 〈◊〉 speak for advantage that hee may Act anon 〈◊〉 a Dragon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as all the faithfull servants in the world 〈◊〉 now They send their Embassadour to heaven their prayers thither through the Mediation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and only Friend to make peace that is the peace they breath-after Peace and Holinesse Peace and Righteousnesse Truth and Peace They hearken not what the Dragon saith nor what the Beast saith nor what the Lamb saith which is but like a Lamb they hearken what their Lord saith for He speakes Peace A Peace of their Freinds making and their Gods giving Surely their expectation is from God a peace of his speaking giving And in the world they expect trouble and with the Dragon War while he and the Saints are together in the world These things the Lord hath spoken That which makes amends for all the Dragon can doe or say in Mee yee might have Peace In the world ye shall have Tribulation But bee of good cheer I have overcome the world So saith the faithfull and true witnesse The Amen The Life and Death of VVilliam Lawd late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Briefly related I Will begin in order with his Life first and his Death after I le set down faithfully and as narrowly as I can his Doings all his life long and his Sayings at his death And this I
and next to the Supreame in the Star-Chamber I speak now as an eye and ear witnesse But what am I or my witnesse God Angels and men I know not how many thousands to whom he directed his dying words will witnesse with me That now having the power in his hand he did execute it to the largest extent thereof turning judgement into wormewood and Righteousnesse into gall grinding the faces of the Righteous perverting the wholesome lawes of the Kingdome forcing the Judges they should rather have suffered the extreamest injuries from Great men that to be so injurious to mean men as to suffer themselves to do as he commanded and would have done to pervert Judgement and Justice which being kept-unto and executed according to Gods commands sets the crowne fast upon the Kings head and establisheth the Throne in Righteousnesse Indeed now hee was strong his heart was lifted up and his minde hardened in pride whome he would he slew whom he would he kept alive whom he would he set up and whom he would he put down His will stood for a Law and his will was to breake through the Lawes of God and man and such power he had he could do it as easily as through a spiders Webbe So he brake through the Lawes of God The law of his worship The Law of His 〈◊〉 there he began with the House of God profaning that House Then with His Worship defiling that Then with his day setting his foot thereon It is not utterable how he marred the Lords Day more than any day In brief He offered violence to the Law and Gospell and was mad with rage against those that used the Law 〈◊〉 and preached the Gospel as the Gospell of Christ c. For I forbeare in matters so notoriously knowne how he oppressed the Gospellers i.e. The true worshippers of God Indeed had hee had an Arme like God he thought he had he had not left one Faithfull Minister in in all three Kingdomes But the Lord had him as he has the Devill in Chaines Thus he dealt with the Lawes and ordinances of God and those that were zealous for them I need not say how Imperiously hee dealt with the Lawes of men yet sith I have undertaken to tell what his doings were I must proceede with the same brevity saying this onely and conncluding all in it That his will was Law What he had a Will to do he did if God restrained him not Oh how favourable was he to evill men How fierce against the Good These men good men I mean The evill men the Blasphemers who had pierced and torne the Name of God by execrable Oathes And vile Treacherous Priests who by their lewdnesse made the Sacrifices of the Lord to be abhored these men I have seen tried before his Court and quitted But the good and pretious these were delivered as their Lord and Master was to their Will So these To his Will not to the Justice of the Law but to the 〈◊〉 and Rigour of his Will And how his wil was to deale with them is notorious through all the Christian World For aske from one end of his Courts to the other of all the Standers-by there whether he has suffered any Sentence to passe which crossed his Will though never so agreeable to Gods Will mans Law and right Reason Time would faile me to tell what he did and spake against the soules of the Righteous to whom he said Bow downe that we may goe over And by the Power in his hand he bowed down the Bodies of the Saints and laid them as the ground and as the street to them them that went over All this and much more his hand and tongue have made so legible That he who runnes may read it what havock he made in the Churches of God how he breathed-forth threatnings reached-forth the hand of Violence against those who protested against his mateing of Gods Worship with his Follies setting up his Thresholds by the Lords Threshold as the Lord himselfe is pleased to expresse that horrible impiety of joyning mans Traditions with His Worship whereby the place of My Throne saith the Lord and the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of my people for ever and My Name have been Defiled And Because of which abominations I have consumed my people in my Anger as it is at this Day To summe-up all in two words he set his foot upon the Lawes of God and Mans Lawes These were in his hand like 〈◊〉 knots fast or loose at his pleasure He exalted and magnified himselfe above every god and according to his Will so things must be And he thought he might adventure upon the Holy lawes too for hee spake marvellous things against the God of gods magnifying himselfe aboue all and prospering till the time of indignation was almost accomplished He polluted the Sanctuary of strenghth and almost took away that which was called the daily Sacrifice wee call Praying and preaching And in the place thereof he placed the Abomination that maketh Desolate These were his Actings or Doings in the Kingdomes of God against the Gospell of God The Name of God The House and Houshold of God The Lawes of God there and all the known Lawes of all three Kingdomes How he walked in his own House how crosse to his Rule after the manner of Bishops but most unlike a Bishop indeed and to their course whose praise is in the Gospell All this had been fully declared unto him by one who in former time lived in the house with him two dayes before his Death But that servant of the Lord with two more who in a dear affection to his departing soul went to visit him could not bee admitted Dr. Heywood Dr. Martin and Dr. Stern were the men with whom he craved leave to advise For they would absolve him after their manner and like to like he would admit of no other But had the three the faithfull of the Lord been admitted to his presence he had been then told in meeknesse of spirit how he starved his houshold commanded prayers for the Dead had the picture of God the Father in his House Indeed his horrible impieties iniquities blasphemies might have been in part sweetly opened before him by those who thirsted after his Repentings but he would not be troubled And indeed it seemed to be a trouble in vain for he had gone against his light so long that now he was as a man in a Dungeon And he had forced his conscience so often that surely now he had no conscience at all Or if any in his sense then seared and past feeling in ours All this appeared at the hour of his suffering for his horrible sins which he should have confessed there before all the people so giving Glory to God and taking shame to himself But he did contrary he took Glory to himself even of Martyrdome which turned to his greater shame and rising now when he
was falling into the pit himself had digged to the height of arrogancie impudencie c He laid the shame upon the Worthies of the Lord whom he calls the people that he might call them Egyptians and might be believed That the people hurried him into the Red Sea of bloud as once the Egiptians did the Israel of God But I prevent my self I have concluded too briefly the History of his Life what his Doings were all along Now I come to his sayings at the houre of his Death which every man has heard or read and some are 〈◊〉 by it to the perdition of their soule Simple men indeed and very ignorant who can be taken with such sayings which argue nothing but impudencie and arrogancie with eyes and eares and an heart shut-up and a conscience scared all which will appear presently through-out his whole Speech when wee have pondered it in our own hearts But I must tell you as my eares told me what the simple and ignorant people said at the hearing of his words and satisfie them if I can They say A. 1 They will believe a Dying man addressing himselfe to give-up his Account to God He will be serious now and lay-open his conscience before the world which he must open presently before the Lord God Almighty B. 1 Probable so and but probable for certain it is some men not serious have died as he died with an horrible lye on his tongue It is a serious thing to die for then the soul lancheth forth into the Ocean of Eternity and if the thread of life be cut off in wrath life runnes forth into an everlasting bottome there to abide under Wrath for ever And yet all men are not serious at the point of death Nor could this man be so who all his life long was serious in this how he might cast dishonors upon God and good men And secondly 2 For his conscience we heard what that was pastfeeling But let this be remembred too 1 That it is the manner of a stout and proud sinner such was he so to tender his honour with men and his name that it may not Rot and be left to posteritie for a curse as to justifie himself to the death that men may not say he died as a foole dies Though now so they will say indeed And so I could retort his own words he spake to another purpose veniunt Romani for that which he feared and would have prevented is come upon him 2 That it is the glory of the Divell to hold fast and full possession of a man to the last period of his time and render his faithfull servant as he can himselfe a seeming Angell of light at his Death Such like proud sinners were Becket an Arch-Bishop or rather as this was an Arch-Traitor And Garnet an Arch-Traitor too against God and His King for he was a Iesuit A. 2 It is said The man is faln now to his own Master let the Dead alone and his words die with him B. It were more than injustice so to do it were impiety To let such words die which fret and corrupt like a Gangrene Besides it is impossible for as our doings are as seeds cast into the ground which dye not there but to live again and we must look upon them and these look us in the face in after time So our Actions or doings and so our words or sayings also these cannot dye specially not the words of a Dying man his Death gives them life so as they have the quickest touch upon the Ear and the more quickening power in the heart because he that now speakes shall speak no more for ever And this the Dying man knew very well and accordingly had prepared himself probably more at that time to preach after his manner than to die I was an eare witnesse how effectually That dying mans Sermon as we call it wrought upon the hearers who counted themselves Discreet men But sure I am in such a concourse of people the greatest number are not so discreet And for their sakes as I have set down his Doings so shall I his sayings that the Reader with me may ponder them together and may not be deceived in a matter of so high concernment relating to an eternall condition either of happinesse or woe forever I know some looked upon upon him as the saddest object that ever they beheld And truly I think my selfe was one And some looked him as an humble penitent for no other reason but because he said so and so they were infinitely mistaken as will appear by and by These things premised I come to his speech which some mis-call a sermon Call it so if they will a Bishops sermon Such as I have ordinarily heard at the Court not a word to the Text but after the old manner turning head upon the Scriptures of God This strikes terrour to the hearts of Court-Parasites Preachers I must not call them whose manner is to chuse a Text and then abuse it fearefully as this Arch-Bishop did at Court I know not how often But looke upon his Text now it is his Text and his Pulpit and the Preacher too and with all these Remember O thou Amaziah thou living man who hast taught thy mouth to flatter and Blaspheme so did this Arch-Bishop at the Court And so he did upon the Scaffold taking this Text of Scripture Heb. 12. 1 2. And making it a Paralel that the standers-by might beleeve that hee had the same ground of comfort his Lord-Christ had in induring the Crosse and might as his Lord did despise the shame for the joy was set before him An horrible presuption The like cannot be paraleld in any story Proceeded to the context Iesus despised the shame for me God forbid but I should despise the shame for Him For him Reade his life he was put to that open shame and yet not shame enough for his horrible sinnes impieties and iniquities and Blasphemies against God and good men Notwithstanding read his confidence My God whom I serve It was Pauls confidence upon the great waters that the mighty flood should not hurt him It was this mans confidence also in appearance That he should be delivered from this sea of blood whrerinto he hurried himselfe for God is his God and Him he served saies he Reader that you may not be mistaken read his life now and how he served God Then enquire of every man you meet whether he can tell you any piece of good service which he did to God or his Church all his life time What discervices he did every man can tell Reader though I passeon yet stay thou upon these words My God whom I serve These will be thy Stay and thy Staffe when thou art falling into thy grave and addressing thy self to make thy appearance before the judge of all the world These words will bear up thy Fainting spirit then as upon the wings of an Eagle else nothing
and discerning unto men to see unto this misgovernment and has made them resolve upon this question That this misgovernment in and over the churches of God shall be no more no more Arch-Bishops and Lord Bishops For God is above them who would hold-up that Misgovernment still Blessed be God for this for ever and ever That this Misgovernment clean opposite to the Government of Christ is taken away Salvation and Glory and Dominion be ascribed to our God for this Amen He has almost done so have I He has one Desire to put up to the Throne of Grace and that is a great one It is That God would forgive him I humbly desire to be forgiven first of God and then of every man a great desire indeed to be for given of God If that Desire be granted then come life come Death nothing comes amisse All that comes whether fire or sword all is welcome Oh this desire must be well thought-on managed and ordered every day early and late there that it may be heard and answered at the last when we are breathing it-forth last of all and with it our soul God knowes who knowes the heart That I joyned with him as I could But to speak the Truth Though my soul went forth affectionably towards him yet my spirit could not go out with one word in his Petition 1 His desire I could not close with that because the Lord has said The Desire of the wicked shall perish 2 To bee forgiven I could not heartily close with that neither for I remembred what we read The great man humbled himself before Wood and Stone therefore forgive him not Oh terrible words Forgive them not Many a man you will say has done so and God has forgiven him for so doing Yes for nothing is so free as Grace And nothing not sin it self can be so multiplied as Gods pardons are to poor humble sinners We must not limit Gods infinite Mercie No we do not But we must take all together Great sinners have been forgiven the very Argument that David useth Forgive my sin for it is great The most 〈◊〉 Idolaters these have been forgiven But they have been indeed poore penitent greatly humbled before the Lord for humbling themselves before the crature the workes of their hands or imaginations of their hearts Wee cannot tell where to read this man a poore penitent indeed We reade him indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgivenesse of sin but no where do we read or observe him humbly confessing his sin But the contrary we 〈◊〉 And therefore so 〈◊〉 as God hath communicated His minde to His servants touching this mans 〈◊〉 and his prayer at the foot of his Sermon So farre they may declare it That this mans desire and his prayer both the one and the other was an abhomination to the Lord Secret things belong unto the Lord our God But things revealed unto us and to our children His prayer at the foot of his Sermon takes with a world of people as his sermon did Indeed we are very prone to make an Idoll of our last prayer we hope we may flie unto it when we are slaying as Ioab did unto his Sanctuary God will hear our last words think we though we regarded not to hear His words all our life long This is but a conceit a false hope and will deceive us as it did Ioab and as it has deceived all the wicked in the world Who cried but there was none to help even to the Lord but He answered not And when this great confidence in this last prayer was rejected then will follow as then a treading down and a casting forth for ever This gives fair warnings 1 That we do not dare to turn away our eare from hearing Gods Law For then when we would turn to God as at the point of Death certainly we would then will He turn from us And our prayer then will be as for ought we can know this mans prayer was an abhomination 2 Beware of such a prayer which thine hand has formed and thine eye onely prompts unto thee so teaching thee to pray I dare not censure that which learned men do approve But I am perswaded That the soul shall find as little comfort in the time of need from his prayer so formed and so suggested unto him as his pallate findes relish now in the white of an Egge 3 Beware of having an hand or voice in restraining prayer or binding it to Formes Thou art no more able to do this then thou canst restrain the sweet influences of Pleiades or binde the Sun beames But beware of having a minde or purpose in thy heart to do it as this late Archbishop had and these Lords of the World have at this day Remember how it fared with this man how pent-up and restrained his spirit was at his Death He was putting-up a Prayer then which he hoped would pierce the heavens and reach the bosome of his Father there A miserable Deceit he had no help to forme his prayer but his hand nor to suggest or promp or teach him how to pray but his eye Ah Lord A prayer so formed so taught and suggested can no more reach heaven than you can the highest star with the shortest finger And yet the Adversary and Enemy will have his Service-Book brought into the Churches again God shall be served after their manner with formes the hand has framed and with prayers the eye hath taught Well we shall see whose Word shall prevail Mans or Gods and how the Lord will recompence these proud men I have done with the Sermon and the Prayer 〈◊〉 draw to a conclusion This man is faln and the lower the higher his pinacle was The Lord 〈◊〉 this our Brothers fall unto us that it may be for our 〈◊〉 and looking well to our standing when we are up There is matter of infinite Vse in all that we have read hitherto It shall be threefold For here is matter 1 of great feare 2 Of bitter lamentation And yet 3 of exceeding joy with that we will end sure But in order and very briefly giving but the hints of things three words to these three uses 1 Here is matter of great fear to thee and to me we are lost in generalls is there a lust in us and bearing rule there which is not mortified nor by our will shall it be Here is matter of great feare That this lust whether of the flesh or of the eye or of life will undoe us will put us to open shame here or which is worse seal us under wrath for ever It is the manner for an unmortified lust so to do especially where there is no care at all taken about it to mortifie the same I do abound with terrible examples out of Gods Book and the Churches book of dayes all commanding our speedy care and zeal for the mortifying of every lust But this man we have spoken of is sufficient alone
such shame thereupon They go a clean crosse way to him I hope Blessed be God for that As he to root-in Popery so they to root-it-out And veniant Romani let all the Papists in the world joyn hearts and hands as now they do to set up Popery again they shall not prevail so long as all the Assemblies do go as we hope they do clean crosse to this mans way all his life long For that is to go strait and levell to the Glory of God and advancing His Truths and Ordinances in their purity I must not passe over that which he deferred till afterwards I but perhaps a great clamour there is that I would have brought-in Poperie Perhaps It was as sure as he came-upon the 〈◊〉 to be cut a sunder And yet sayes he ye know that the Pharisees said against Christ himself If ye let him alone the Romans will come c. And so he makes application as was pointed at before So as indeed every word there is pointed with a blasphemie But for that which he said was clamoured against him that he would have brought in Popery hereto he said I shall answer more fully by and by He should have answered to that at that point of time he should have cleared himself of that Crime before he spake so largely of the King That upon his conseience he is as free from labouring to bring in Poperie as any man living And as sound a Protestant he held him to be as 〈◊〉 man in his Kingdome and would venture his life as farre and as freely for the Religion he calles Protestant Thus dishonourably he spake of his Lord and Master I say again dishonourably It is a mighty dishonour to his Master for 3. Reasons 1 Because as it is an honour indeed to be honoured by a person that is honourable indeed So is it a dishonour indeed to be honoured by a person infamous indeed 2 Because it will be so judged by all men That he who justifieth himself and his own wicked way will not condemn another 〈◊〉 on in the same way but commend it rather 3 And this will argue That he has spoken dishonourably indeed Because hitherto all the miscarriages or misgovernments in the Kingdome have been charged upon the Kings Counsellors not upon the King God forbid it He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God They are his Counsellors who have counselled the King to do wickedly to his own destruction To bring in Poperie To fight against the Holy Citie The Counsellors have perswaded all this and what is done against the very minde and end wherefore God made him King they have done it And so we blessed our selves and our King a good King but his Counsellors are all naught But now the chief of his Counsellors quits himself here before God Angels and men and affirmeth so may all his other Counsellors as truly even the worst of them all under the ear and eye of heaven That he had never a thought or Will to bring in 〈◊〉 and then he would never perswade the King unto it What shall we say to this As sure as the Daughter of a strange god is brought into the Land so sure Poperie is brought-in As sure as the Irish are brought into the Land so sure Poperie is brought-in As sure as Romish Priests are in Oxford so sure Poperie is there As sure as the Lord Christ is in Heaven so sure the Cannons-mouth is levelled against the very place where His Heart dwels on earth and the sword is pointed against the very Apple of His eye and yet the King is as sound a Protestant as any in the Kingdome and will venture his life for Christ and His Cause as farre and as freely as any man whosoever Well I wish heartily That any man but an Arch-Traitour or Rebell like himself had spoken this But sith an Arch-Bishop hath spoken thus putting all off from himself the Kings chief Counsellor and freeing the King also upon 〈◊〉 conscience of which he was going to give God a present Account and this heavie Charge must be charged somewhere either upon the King or his Counsellor For Popery is brought-in that is certain And there is a generation of men Risen-up in the Sun light who fight with God now as if they had an Arm like Him This is cleer also as the Sun when it shineth in his strength But the Kings Counsellor clears himselfe and the King his Master of all this And we have none else to charge but the Pope who is all one with all the Papists in the world which joyn themselves with the Kings councell now And though they may differ in many things yet they are faithfull to the Divell and made friends amongst themselves in the main the carying-on the designe against the Lord Christ and His Holy ones But do we well consider what a piece of Scripture we have read here from the mouth or pen of this dying man Surely the Debths and Wiles the Devices of Satan were in this man and vented themselves at his tongues ende Now his Memorie serves him very well to do by the helpe of the Devill such a peece of service for his Side and Partie as a greater has not been done since the Warre began nor is it Imaginable how a greater service Can be done to encourage the contrary party in their Cursed way and to advance their Cursed work For Gods sake and his Churches cause observe what he sayes 1. Popery is brought into the Land so we say and God Angels and men will witnesse to what we say But what saies he That neither the King nor his Counsel have ever endeavoured the bringing in of Popery 2 The Religion of God which we without any mentall reservations Call Protestant is protested against and persecuted with fire sword in both hands as God knows and all His most faithfull servants see and feele And yet the King and his Counsellers are all every one as Sound Protestants as any men in the Kingdome 3. The Bullet and the Speare are pointed now against the very Appel of Christs eye as every man sees that will see And yet The King and his Counsellours do beare so 〈◊〉 affection to Religion by Law established that they will venture their lives as farre and as freely for it as any men in all three Kingdomes Where then shall these impieties and horrible iniquities be charged There is no remedy upon the parliament sure 1. That they have brought in Popery By throwing down Jdolatrie and 〈◊〉 out those Idol services which the Bishops had brought-in and so have given the Pope fair hopes of an harvest in England shortly 2. That they are unsound Protestants Why Truly I cannot tell unlesse because they have avouched the Lord this Day to be their God and to walke in His waies and to heare his voice And the Lord hath avouched them to be His peculiar people therefore
unsound protestants they and there is all the reason that I can give or the adversary either 3. They will not venter their lives so far and so freely for Gods Cause as the King and his Counsellours will Now the Lord God of gods be judge here and shew whether of these two parties He hath chosen to fight his Battels Amen But these words shall not passe so Though I may not handle them as I would I will handle them as I may after this manner Sith the Counseller has discharged the King in all the three particulars fore mentioned I will charge the Counsellor with them all three And because the chief among them is gone to his owne place the burden of the Charge shall lie still upon those of the same Conspiracy with him who will say as much for them-selves as he did against the peace of their King and the Lords Kingdomes The first charge is That this late Archbishop sought by all meanes to bring in Popery And brougt it in what was not in before Our Allegations and prooss are upon everlasting record there let them remaine I will alleage onely that which was in every mans eye He has thrust at those and thrustthem-out of their places and out of the Kingdome who set themselves against the bringing in of 〈◊〉 Therefore thrusting-out these 〈◊〉 of the Lord he en-deauoured to bring-Poperie-in Nay he did not onely indeavour but brought in Poperie A strang-worship into the Church Therefore plain poperie in 〈◊〉 Hee brought altars into the church plaine Poperie That also He bended and cringed before Wood and stone The grosest Popery that And yet he said perhaps men have clamoured against me That I would have brought in Popery They do not clamour they will affirm it till they dye And which must needs follow 2. That he was not so sound a Protestant as any man living for some protestants there are who are Sound indeed and understand the word as it is generally understood without any mentall reservations as we thinke he did not And have better evidence for their Religion than that they were borne and baptized in the Church of England which was all the evidence the man brought that he was a Protestant in his sence and so he might be a papist in ours A sound What Truly I cannot tell Not Protestant sure not as the Lutherans understand protestant much lesse as we understand the word but as unsound according to the Religion by Gods Law established as any man in this Kingdom I do not except any now of the Kings Councell now the stinke of whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are engaged in a warre against the Lord 〈◊〉 is come up even to their owne Nostrils and hath 〈◊〉 a filthy savour over all the Churches of God spread over the face of the whole Earth Sound Protestants they No sound Athiests and Papists they enemies and Adversaries to all Righteousnesse It will be manifest thorowoat the next particular of the charge 3. Doubtlesse he would make the world beleeve that he also would venture his Life as farre and as freely for the Protestant Religion as the King would doe We may beleeve him with some Reservation what they were I guess and may in part examine anon who 〈◊〉 the King into a warre against the Kingdomes of Christ that hee might sheath his sword in his Subjects bowels Hee and and his fellow Counsellours venter their lives as far and as freely for Religion It is for the Pagan or Popish Religion then an Abominable Religion for under the heavens of God never were there found such enemies such fighters against God and Religion by Gods Law established as these Counsellours are who have adventured farre and freely indeed their honours their Estates their lives their soules I and the life of their lives their God His favour His protection they venter farre and freely indeed their God and all for a Religion by their own law established And yet sayes he he and his fellowes will venter as farre and as freely for Religion he would make us beleeve by Gods Law established as any men in this Kingdome So he sayes And so they doe And so the Devill and his Angels will say and doe too and so they did just as they doe now the Dragon and his Angels fought with Michael and His Angels Revelation 12. So farre and as freely these Counsellours venter themselves Here is now the third particuliar of the charge charged as indeed it ought to be upon the wicked Counsellors who are at this Day to the King their Master as Athaliah and the house of Ahab were to that unhappy King Ahaziah she his Counsellour to do wickedly They his Counsellours to his destruction And yet let my soul abhor to deal unfaithfully with God and His King against the good word and minde of God and the knowledge He has beene pleased to communicate unto His poor servant therein which is this That the Lord God chargeth all the Bloodshed in a Kingdom that which is openly shed with both hands or with an high Hand before all Israel and before the Sunne all this the Lord chargeth upon the King He has set over that Kingdome So doth he all Abominable Idolatries committed before the eyes of His Holinesse and under the looke of the King all these that Bloodshed and these Idolatries The Lord of lords and God of gods chargeth upon the King though wicked men were his Counsellers to doe wickedly against God and His poore People Now I proceed in the same Page and to Page following where first we read his blessing upon this great and Populous City God blesse it said he Amen And blessed be His name He doth Blesse it in all the Peoples sight And His Blessings are the more conspicuously visible upon the City the more Audible the Adversaries curses are against the Prosperity of the same For indeed all that this Bishop did in the time of his reigne and all his fellow Counsellours do now was and is to bring down a curse upon the City certainly their zeal is so fiery against the prosperity of it that they doe call downe for fire from from Heaven to consume it as Sodom was consumed O how gratious a God is our God! our fins call for a curse our enemies call for a curse Free-grace with holds it it shall not come while the City keeps close to God and to his cause and cannot beare them which are evil and for Christ and His Names-sake and His Churches sake hath laboured and hath not fainted The adversary and Enemy to all Righteousnesse calls for a curse upon the City day and night and had he an Arme like God he would raine-downe fire and Brimstone upon it God will not suffer it so to be He hath blessed it and it must be blessed Blessed be his Name Blesse it still Lord blesse it still even because thy adversaries do curse blesse Thou and let thy Friends see an encrease of thy