from them the second Commandement that bewrayeth his impiety by a subtill sacriledge Had the Emporours subjects like wise knowne and beene of any understanding in Gods word would they at other times have rebelled against their Soveraigne Lord and by their rebellion have holpen to depose him onely for that the Bishop of Rome did beare them in hand that it was simony and heresie too for the Emperour to give any Ecclesiasticall dignities or promotions to his learned Chaplaines or other of his learned Clergy which all Christian Emperours before him had done without any controulement would they I say for that the Bishop of Rome bare them so in hand have rebelled by the space of more then forty yeares together against him with so much shedding of Christian bloud and murther of so many thousands of Christians and finally have deposed their Soveraigne Lord had they knowne and had in Gods word any understanding at all Specially had they knowne that they did all this to pluck from their Soveraigne Lord and his Successours for ever their ancient right of the Empire to give it unto the Romish Clergy and to the Bishop of Rome that hee might for the confirmation of one Archbishop and for the Romish ragge which hee called Paul scarce worth twelve pence receive many thousand crownes of gold and of other Bishops likewise great sums of mony for their Buls which is simony indeed Would I say Christian men and subjects by rebellion have spent so much Christian bloud and have deposed their naturall most noble and most valiant Prince to bring the matter finally to this passe had they knowne what they did or had any understanding in Gods word at all And as these ambitious usurpers the Bishops of Rome have overflowed all Italy and Germany with streames of Christian bloud shed by the rebellions of ignorant subjects against their naturall Lords and Emperours whom they have stirred thereunto by such false pretences so is there no Countrey in Christendome which by their like meanes and false pretences hath not beene over sprinkled with the bloud of subjects by rebellion against their naturall Soveraignes stirred by the same Bishops of Rome And to use one example of our owne Countrey The Bishop King Iohn of Rome did pick a quarrell with King Iohn of England about the election of Steven Langton to the Bishoprick of Canterbury wherein the King had ancient right being used by his Progenitours all Christian Kings of England before him the Bishops of Rome having no right but had begunne then to usurpe upon the Kings of England and all other Christian Kings as they had before done against their Soveraigne Lords the Emperours proceeding even by the same wayes and meanes and likewise cursing King Iohn and discharging his subjects of their oath of fidelity unto their Soveraigne Lord. Now had English-men at that time knowne their duty to their Prince set forth in Gods word would a great many of Nobles and other English-men naturall subjects for this forraigne Innocentius 2. and unnaturall usurper his vaine curse of the King and for his faigned discharging of them of their oath and fidelity to their naturall Lord upon so slender or no ground at all have rebelled against their Soveraigne Lord the King Would English subjects have taken part against the King of England and against English-men with the French King and French-men being incensed against this Realme by the Bishop of Rome Would they have sent for Phillip the French King Lew is Dolphin of France and received the Dolphin of France with a great Army of French-men into the Realme of England Would they have sworn fidelity to the Dolphin of France breaking their oath of fidelity to their naturall Lord the King of England and have stood under the Dolphins banner displayed against the King of England Would they have expelled their Soveraigne Lord the King of England out of London the chiefe City of England and out of the greatest part of England upon the South-side of Trent even unto Lincolne and out of Lincolne it selfe also and have delivered the possession thereof unto the Dolphin of France whereof hee kept the possession a great while Would they being English-men have procured so great shedding of English bloud and other infinite mischiefes and miseries unto England their naturall Countrey as did follow those cruell warres and trayterous rebellion the fruits of the Bishop of Romes blessings Would they have driven their naturall Soveraigne Lord the King of England to such extremity that hee was enforced to submit himselfe unto that forraigne false usurper the Bishop of Rome who compelled him to surrender up the Crown of England into the hands of his Legate who in token of possession kept it in his hands divers dayes and then delivered livered it againe to King Iohn upon that condition that the King and his Successours Kings of England should hold the Crowne and Kingdome of England of the Bishop of Rome and his Successours as the Vassals of the said Bishops of Rome for ever in token whereof the Kings of England should pay a yearely tribute to the said Bishop of Rome as his Vassals and Liege-men Would English-men have brought their Soveraigne Lord and naturall Country into this thraldom and subjection to a false forraign usurper had they knowne and had they any understanding in Gods word at all Out of the which most lamentable case and miserable tyranny raveny and spoyle of the most greedy Romish Wolves ensuing hereupon the Kings and Realme of England could not rid themselves by the space of many yeares after the Bishop of Rome by his Ministers continually not onely spoyling the Realme and Kings of England of infinite treasure but also with the same mony hyring and maintaining forraigne enemies against the Realme and Kings of England to keepe them in such his subjection that they should not refuse to pay whatsoever those unsatiable Wolves did greedily gape for and suffer whatsoever those most cruell Tyrants would lay upon them Would English-men have suffered this Would they by rebellion have caused this trow you and all for the Bishop of Romes causelesse curse had they in those dayes knowne and understood that God doth curse the blessings and blesse the cursings of such wicked usurping Bishops and Tyrants as it appeareth afterward in King Henry the eighth his dayes and King Edward the sixt and in our gracious Soveraignes dayes that now is where neither the Popes curses nor Gods manifold blessings are wanting But in King Iohns time the Bishop of Rome understanding the brute blindnesse ignorance of Gods word superstition of English-men and how much they were enclined to worship the Babylonicall beast of Rome and to feare all his threatnings and causelesse curses hee abused them thus and by their rebellion brought this noble Realme and Kings of England under his most cruell tyranny and to bee a spoyle of his most vile and unsatiable covetousnesse and raveny for a long and a great deale
sometime the most flowrishing part of Christiandâ—me into the hands of the Turkes The lamentable deminishing decay and ruine of Christian religion the dreadfull encrease of Paganisme and power of the Infidells and miscroants and all by the practise and procurement of the Bishop of Rome chiefely as in the Histories and Chronicles written by the Bishop of Romes owne favourers and friends is to be seene and as well knowne unto all such as are acquainted with the said Histories The ambituous intents and most subtill drifts of the Bishops of Rome in these their practises appeared evidently by their bold attempts in spoyling and robbing the Emperours of their Townes Cities Dominions and Kingdomes in Italy Lombardie and Cisily of ancient right belonging unto the Empire and by joyning of them unto their Bishopricke of Rome or else giving them unto strangers to hold them of the Church and Bishop of Rome as in Capito and as of the chiefe Lords thereof in which tenure they hold the most part thereof even at this day by these ambitious and indeede trayterous meanes and spoyling of their Soveraigne Lords the Bishops of Rome of Priests and none other by right then the Bishops of one City and Diocesse are by false usurpation become great Lord of many Dominions mighty Princes yea or Emperours rather as claiming to have divers Princes and Kings to be their vassalls leigemen and subjects as in the same Histories written by their owne Familiars and Courtiers is to be seene And indeede since the time that the Bishops of Rome by ambition treason and usurpation archieved and attained to this height and greatnesse they behaved themselves more like Princes Kings and Emperours in all things then remained like Priests Bishops and Ecclesiasticall or as they would be called spirituall persons in any one thing at all For after this rate they have handled other Kings and Princes of other Realmes throughout Christendome as well as their Soveraigne Lords the Emperours usually discharging their subjects of their oath of fidelitie and so stirring them up to Rebellion against their naturall Prince whereof some examples shall in the last part hereof be notified unto you Wherefore let all good subjects knowing these the speciall instruments and ministers of the devill to the stirring up of all rebellions avoyd and flee them and the pestilent sugestions of such forraigne usurpers and their adherents and embrace all obedience to God and their naturall Princes and Soveraignes that they may enjoy Gods blessing and their Princes favour all peace quietnesse and security in this World and finally attaine through CHRIST our Saviour life everlasting in the World to come Which God the Father for the same our Saviour IESUS CHRIST his sake grant unto us all to whom with the holy Ghost bee all honour and glory World without end Amen The sixth SERMON NOw whereas the injuries oppressions raveny and tyranny of the Bishops of Rome usurping as well against their naturall Lords the Emperours as against all other Christian Kings and Kingdomes and their continuall stirring of subjects unto rebellions against their Soveraigne Lords whereof I have partly admonished you before were intollerable and it may seeme more than marvaile that any subjects would after such sort hold with unnaturall forraigne usurpers against their owne Soveraigne Lords and naturall Countrey It remaineth that I doe declare the meanes whereby they compassed these matters and so conclude this whole Treaty of due obedience and against disobedience and wilfull Rebellion You shall understand that by ignorance of Gods word wherein they kept all men specially the common people they wrought and brought to passe all these things making them beleeve that all that they said was true all that they did was good and godly and that to hold with them in all things against Father Mother Prince Countrey and all men was most meritorious And indeed what mischiefe will not blind ignorance lead simple men unto By ignorance the Jewish Clergy induced the common people to aske the delivery of Barrabas the seditious murtherer and to sue for the cruell crucifying of our Saviour CHRST for that he rebuked the ambition superstition and other vices of the High Priests and Clergy For as our Saviour CHRIST testified that those who crucified him wist not what they did so doth the holy Apostle Saint Paul say If they had knowne if they had not beene ignorant they would never have crucified the Lord of glory but they knew not what they did Our Saviour CHRIST himselfe also foreshewed that it should come to passe by ignorance that those who should persecute and murther his true Apostles and Disciples should thinke they did God acceptable sacrifice and good service as it al o is verified even at this day And in this ignorance have the Bishops of Rome kept the people of God specially the common sort by no meanes so much as by withdrawing of the word of God from them and by keeping it under the vaile of an unknowne strange tongue For as it served the ambitious humour of the Bishops of Rome to compell all Nations to use the naturall language of the City of Rome where they were Bishops which shewed a certaine acknowledging of subjection unto them so yet served it much more their crafty purpose thereby to keepe all people so blind that they not knowing what they prayed what they beleeved what they were commanded by God might take all their commandements for Gods For as they would not suffer the holy Scriptures of Church-service to bee used or had in any other language then the Latine so were very few eyen of the most simple people taught the Lords prayer the articles of the faith and the tenne Commandements otherwise then in Latine which they understood not by which universall ignorance all men were ready to beleeve whatsoever they said and to doe whatsoever they commanded For to imitate the Apostles phrase If the Emperours subâ—ects had knowne out of Gods word their duty to their Prince they would not have suffered the Bishop of Rome to perswade them to forsake their Soveraigne Lord the Emperour against their oath of fidelity and to rebell against him onely for that hee cast Images unto the which Idolatry was committed out of the Churches which the Bishop of Rome bare them in band to bee heresie If they had knowne of Gods word but as much as the tenne Commandements they should have found that the Bishop of Rome was not onely a Traytour to the Emperour his liege Lord but to God also and an horrible blasphemer of his Majesty in calling his Holy word and Commandement heresie and that which the Bishop of Româ— tooke for a just cause to rebell against his lawfull Prince they might have knowne to bee a doubling and trebling of his most haynous wickednesse heaped with horrible impiety and blasphemy But lest the poore people should know too much hee would not let them have as much of Gods word as the tenne Commandements wholy and perfectly withdrawing
THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND Established by PARLIAMENT against Disobedience and wilfull Rebellion Published by G. I. for satisfaction to his Parishioners of WATTON in the County of Hartford Printed for William Sheares at the signe of the Bible in Coven Garden 1642. TO His loving Neighbours of WATTON in the County of Hartford Brethren BE loved in the bloud of JESUS for preaching obedience to God and the King I am and have beene more then a mouth a prisoner and cannot get my liberty unlesse I would promise to forbeare preaching to you as I have done and yet I have promised to preach nothing to you but what I shall prove plainely from the word of God the doctrine of the Church of England the oath of Supremacy the oath of Allegiance and our late Protestation all which I have published for your satisfaction If you will read those oaths and these Sermons in my absence you shall find that I have dealt faithfully with you and am ready to seale my doctrine with my dearest bloud if God shall call so great a sinner to so great an honour Neither Living nor Liberty nor Life is precious to mee when I should sacrifice them all to the glory of my great good God the service of my gracious Soveraigne and the discharge of a good conscience towards my selfe and you I told you before how sensible I was of danger for this my fidelity but for Zions sake I could not I cannot hold my peace God will imprison mee to Hell if I imprison his truths Feare God Honour the King is both Law and Gospell and my prayer is that you all may live and dye good Christians and good Subjects and as the Church prayed for Saint Peter in prison so doe you for your affectionate Pastour in prison for his God his King his Conscience regulated by the word of God the Doctrine of the Church of ENGLAND and his Oaths G. I. Decemb. 3. 1642. A SERMON against Disobedience and wilfull Rebellion The first SERMON AS GOD the Creatour and Lord of all things appointed his Angels and Heavenly Creatures in all obedience to serve and honour his Majesty so was it his will that man his chiefe creature upon the earth should live under the obedience of his Creatour and Lord. And for that cause God assoone as hee had created man give unto him a certaine Precept and Law which hee being yet in the state of innocency and remaining in Paradise should observe as a pledge and token of his due and bounden obedlence which denunciation of death if hee did transgresse and breake the said Law and Commandement And as God would have man to be his obedient subject so did hee make all earthly creatures subject unto man who kept their due obedience unto man so long as man remained in his obedience unto God in which obedience if man had continued still there had beene no poverty no diseases no sicknesse no death nor other miseries where with mankind is now infinitely and most miserably afflicted and oppressed so here appeareth the originall Kingdome of God over Angels and Man and universally over all things and of Man over earthly Creatures which God had made subject unto him and withall all the felicity and blessed estate which Angels Man and Creatures had remained in had they continued in due obedience unto God their King For as long as in this first Kingdome the Subjects continued in due obedience to God their King so long did God embrace all his Subjects with his love favour and grace which to enjoy is perfect felicity whereby it is evident that obedience is the principall vertue of all vertues and indeed the very Root of all vertues and the cause of all felicity But as all felicity and blessednesse should have continued with the continuance of obedience so with the breach of obedience and breaking in of rebellion all vices and miseries did withall breake in and over-whelme the World The first Authour of which rebellion the Roote of all vices and Mother of all mischeifes was Lucifer First Gods most excellent creature and most bounden subject who by rebelling against the Majesty of God of the Brightest and most glorious Angell is become the blackest and most foule fiend and Devill and from the height of Heaven is fallen into the pit and bottome of Hell Here you may see the first authour and founder of rebellion and the reward thereof Here you may see the grand Captaine and Father of rebels who perswading the following of his rebellion against God their Creatour Lord unto our first Parents Adam and Eve brought them in high displeasure with God wrought their exile and banishment out of Paradise a place of all pleasure and goodnesse into this wretched earth and vale of misery procured unto them sorrowes of minds mischeifes sicknes diseases death of their bodies and which is farre more horrible then all worldly and bodily mischiefes hee had wrought thereby their eternall and everlasting death and damnation had not God by the obedience of his Sonne IESUS CHRIST repaired that which man by disobedience and rebellion had destroyed and so of his mercy had pardoned and forgiven him of which all and singular the premises the Holy Scriptures doe beare record in sundry places Thus doe you see that neither Heaven nor Paradise could suffer any rebellion in them neither bee places for any Rebels to remaine in Thus became rebellion as you see both the first and the greatest and the very roote of all other sinnes and the first and principall cause both of all worldly and bodily miseries sorrowes diseases sicknesses and deaths And which is infinitely worse then all these as is said the very cause of death and damnation eternall also After this breach of obedience to God and rebellion against his Majesty all mischeifes and miseries breaking in therewith and overslowing the World least all things should come to confusion and utter ruine God forthwith by lawes given to mankind repayred againe the rule and order of obedience thus by rebellion overthrowne and besides the obedience due to his Majesty hee not onely ordained that in Families and Househoulds the Wife should bee obedient to her Husband the Children unto their Parents the Servants unto their Masters but also when mankind inceased and spread it selfe more largely over the World hee by his holy word did constitute and ordaine in Citties and Countries severall and speciall Governours and Rulers unto whom the residue of his people should be obedient As in reading of holy Scriptures wee shall find in very many and almost infinite places as well of the old Testament as of the new that Kings and Princes as well the evill as the good doe raigne by Gods ordinance and that Subjects are bounden to obey them that God doth give Princes wisedome great power and authority that God defendeth them against their enemies and destroyeth their enemies horribly that the anger and displeasure of the Prince is as the
Prophet Baruch saith unto Gods people being in this captivity Bar. 1.11 Pray you saith the Prophet for the life of Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon and for the life of Balthasar his Sonne that their dayes may bee as the dayes of Heaven upon the Earth that God also may give us strength and lighten our eyes that wee may live under the defence of Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon and under the protection of Balthasar his Sonne that wee may long doe them service and find favour in their sight Pray for us also unto the Lord our God for wee have sinned against the Lord our God Thus farre the Prophet Baruch his words which are spoken by him unto the people of God of that King who was an Heathen a Tyrant and cruell Oppressour of them and had beene a Murtherer of many thousands of their Nation and a Destroyer of their Countrey with a confession that their sinnes had deserved such a Prince to raigne over them And shall the old Christians by Saint Pauls exhortation pray for Caligula Claudius or Nero Shall the Jewes pray for Nabuchodonosor these Emperours and Kings being strangers to them being Pagans and Infidels being Murtherers Tyrants and cruell Oppressours of them and Destroyers of their Countrey Countrey-men and Kinsmen the Burners of their Villages Townes Cities and Temples And shall not wee pray for the long prosperous and godly raigne of our naturall Prince No stranger which is observed as a great blessing in the Scriptures of our Christian our most gracious Soveraigne no Heathen nor Pagan Prince Shall wee not pray for the health of our most mercifull most loving Soveraigne the Preserver of us and our Countrey in so long peace quietnesse and security no cruell person no tyrant no spoyler of our goods no sheeder of blouds no burner and destroyer of our Townes Cities and Countries as were those for whom yet as yee have heard Christians being their subjects ought to pray Let us not commit so great ingratitude against God and our Soveraigne as not continually to thanke God for his Government and for his great and continuall benefits and blessings powred upon us by such government Let us not commit so great a sinne against God against our selves against our Countrey as not to pray continually unto God for the long continuance of so gracious a Ruler unto us and our Countrey Else shall wee bee unworthy any longer to enjoy those benefits and blessings of God which hitherto we have had by him shall bee most worthy to fall into all those mischiefes and miseries which wee and our Countrey have by Gods grace through his government hitherto escaped What shall wee say of those Subjects may wee call them by the name of subjects who neither bee thankefull nor make any prayer to God for so gratious a Soveraigne but also themselves take armour wickedly assemble companies and bands of Rebels to breake the publique peace so long continued and to make not warre but rebellion to endanger the person of such a gracious Soveraigne to hazard the estate of their Countrey for whose defence they should bee ready to spend their lives and being English-men to robbe spoyle destroy and burne in England English-men to kill and murther their owne Neighbours and kinsfolkes their owne Countrey-men to doe all evill and mischeife yea and more too then forraigne enemies would or could doe What shall wee say of these men who use themselves thus rebelliously against their gracious Soveraigne who if God for their wickednesse had given them an heathen Tyrant to raigne over them were by Gods word bound to obey him and to pray for him What may bee spoken of them so farre doth their unkindnesse unnaturalnesse wickednesse mischievousnesse in their doings passe and excell any thing and all things that can bee expressed and uttered by words Onely let us wish unto all such most speedy repentance and with so greivous sorrow of heart as such so horrible sinnes against the Majesty of God doe require who in most extreame unthankfulnesse doe rise not onely against their gracious Prince against their naturall Countrey but against all their Country-men Women Children against themselves their Wives Children and Kinsfolkes and by so wicked an example against all Christendome and against whole mankind of all manner of people throughout the wide World such repentance I say such sorrow of heart God grant unto all such whosoever rise of private and malicious purpose as is meet for such mischeifes attempted and wrought by them And unto us and all other subjects God of his mercy grant that wee may bee most unlike to all such and most like to good loving naturall and obedient subjects nay that wee may bee such indeed not onely shewing all obedience our selves but as many of us as bee able to the utmost of our power ability and understanding to stay and represse all Rebels and rebellions against God our gracious Prince and naturall Countrey at every occasion that is offered unto us And that which wee all are able to doe unlesse wee doe it wee shall bee most wicked and most worthy to feele in the end such extreame plagus as God hath ever powred upon Rebels Let us make continuall prayers unto Almighty God even from the bottome of our hearts that hee will give his grace power and strength unto our gracious King Charles to vanquish and subdue all as well Rebels at home as forraigne enemies that all domesticall rebellions being suppressed and pacified and all outward invasions repulsed and abandoned wee may not onely bee sure and long continue in all obedience to our gracious Soveraigne and in that peaceable and quiet life which hitherto wee have led under his Majesty with all security but also that both our gracious King Charles and wee his subjects may all together in all obedience unto God the King of Kings and unto his holy Lawes load our lives so in this World in all vertue and godlinesse that in the World to come wee may enjoy his everlasting Kingdome which I beseech God to grant as well to our gracious Soveraigne as unto us all for his Sonne our Saviour IESUS CHRIST sake to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost one God and King immortall bee all glory prayse and thankes giving World without end Amen The second SERMON AS in the first Sermon of this Treaty of obedience of subjects to their Princes and against disobedience and rebellion I have alleadged divers sentences out of the holy Scriptures for proofe so shall it bee good for the better declaration and confirmation of the said wholesome doctrine to alledge one example or two out of the holy Scriptures of the obedience of subjects not onely unto their good and gracious Governours but also to their evill and unkind Princes As King Saul was not of the best but rather of the worst sort of Princes as being out of Gods favour for his disobedience against God in sparing in a wrong pitty the King Agag whom
Almighty God commanded to be slaine according to the Iustice of God against his sworne enemy and although Saul of a devotion meant to sacrifice such things as he spared of the Amalekites to the honour and service of God yet Saul was reproved for his wrong mercy and devotion and was told that obedience would more have pleased him then such lenity which sinnefull humanity saith holy Chrysostome is more cruell before God then any murther or shedding of bloud when it is commanded of God But yet how evill soever Saul the King was and out of Gods favour yet was he obeyed of his subject David the very best of all subjects and the most valiant in the service of his Prince and Countrey in the warres the most obedient and loving in peace and alwayes most true and faithfull to his Soveraigne and Lord and farthest off from all manner of rebellion For which his most painefull true and faithfull service King Saul yet rewarded him not onely with great unkindnesse but also sought his destruction and death by all meanes possible so that David was faine to save his life not by rebellion nor any resistance but by slight and hiding himselfe from the Kings sight Which notwithstanding when King Saul upon a time came alone into the Cave where David was so that David might easily have slaine him yet would he neither hurt him himselfe neither suffer any of his men to lay hands upon him Another time also David entring by night with one Abisai a valiant and feirce man into the Tent where King Saul did lie asleepe where also he might yet more easily have slain him yet would he neither hurt him himselfe nor suffer Abisai who was willing and ready to slay King Saul once to touch him Thus did David deale with Saul his Prince notwithstanding that King Saul continually sought his death and destruction It shall not be amisse unto these deeds of David to adde his words and to shew you what he spake unto such as encouraged him to take his opportunity 1 King 24.7 and advantage to slay King Saul as his mortall enemy when he might The Lord keepe mee saith David from doing that thing 1 King 26.9 and from laying hands upon my Lord Gods annointed For who can lay his hand upon the Lords aunointed and be guiltlesse As truly as the Lord liveth except that the Lord doe smite him or his day shall come to dye or that he goe downe to the warre and be slaine in battell the Lord bee mercifull unto mee that I lay not my hand upon the Lords annointed These be Davids words spoken at sundry times to divers of his servants provoking him to slay King Saul when opportunity served him thereunto Neither is it to bee omitted and left out how when an Amalekite had slaine King Saul even at Sauls owne bidding and commandement 1 King 24. for he would live no longer now for that hee had lost the field against his enemies the Philistines the said Amalekite making great hast to bring first word and newes thereof unto David as joyous unto him for the death of his mortall enemy bringing withall the Crowne that was upon King Sauls head and the bracelet that was about his arme both as a proofe of the truth of his newes and also as fit and pleasant presents unto David 2 King 1.12 being by God appointed to be King Saul his Successour in the Kingdome Yet was that faithfull and godly David so farre from rejoycing at these newes that he rent his cloathes wept mourned and fasted and so far off from thankes giving to the messenger either for his deed in killing the King though his deadly enemy 2 King 1.4 or for his message and newes or for his presents that hee brought that hee said unto him How happened it that thou wast not afraid to lay hands upon the Lords annoynted to kill him whereupon immediately he commanded one of his servants to kill the messenger and said Thy bloud be upon thine owne head for thine own mouth hath witnessed against thy selfe in confessing that thou hast slaine the Lords annoynted This example dearely beloved is notable and the circumstances thereof are well to bee considered for the better instruction of all subjects in their bounden duty of obedience and perpetuall fearing of them from attempting of any rebellion or hurt against their Prince On the one part David was not onely a good and true subject but also such a subject as both in peace and war had served 1 King 8.18 and saved his Princes honour and life and delivered his Countrey and Countreymen from great danger of Infidels forraigne and most cruell enemies horribly invading the King and his Countrey for which David was in singular favour withall the people so that hee might have had great numbers of them at his commandement 1 King 16. if he would have attempted any thing Besides this David was no common or absolute subject but heir apparent to the Crowne and Kingdome by God appointed to raigne after Saul which as it encreased the favour of the people that knew it towards David so did it make Davids cause and case much differing from the case of common and absolute subjects And which is most of all David was highly and singularly in the favour of God 2 King 15.11 On the contrary part King Saul was out of Gods favour for that cause which is before rehearsed he as it were Gods enemy 1 King 18.10 and therefore like in warre and peace to be hurtfull and pernicious unto the Common-wealth and that was knowne to many of his subjects for that he was openly rebuked of Samuel for his disobedience unto God which might make the people lesse to esteeme him King Saul was also unto David a mortall and deadly enemy 1 King 15. and 22. and 26. though without Davids deserving who by his faithfull painefull profitable yea most necessary service had well deserved as of his Countrey so of his Prince But King Saul far otherwise the more was his unkindnesse hatred and cruelty towards such a good subject both odious and detestable Yet would David neither himselfe slay nor hurt such an enemy for that he was his Prince and Lord nor would suster any other to kill hurt or lay hand upon him when hee might have beene slaine without any stirre tumult or danger of any mans life Now let David answer to such demands The Demand as men desirous of rebellion doe use to make Shall not we especially being so good men as we are rise and rebell against a Prince hated of God and Gods enemy and therefore not like to prosper either in warre or peace but to bee hurtfull and pernicious to the Common-wealth The Answer No saith good and godly David Gods and such a Kings faithfull subject and so convicting such subjects as attempt any rebellion against such a King The Demand to bee neither good subjects nor
too long a time And to joyne unto the reports of Histories matters of latter memory Could the Bishop of Rome have raysed the late rebellions in the North and West Countries in the times of King Henry and Edward our gracious Soveraignes in their time but by abusing of the ignorant people Or is it not most evident that the Bishop of Rome hath of late attempted by his Irish Patriarkes and Bâ—shops sent from Rome with his Buls whereof some were apprehended to breake downe the barres and hedges of the publique peace in Ireland onely upon confidence easily to abuse the ignorance of the wilde Irishmen Or who seeth not that upon like confidence yet more lately hee hath likewise procured the breach of the publique peace in England with the long and blessed continuance whereof hee is sore grieved by the ministery of his disguised Chaplaines creeping in Lay mens apparell into their houses and whispering in the eares of certaine Northerne borderers being then most ignorant of their duty to God and to their Prince of all people of the Realme whom therefore as most meete and ready to execute his intended purpose he hath by the said ignorant Masse-priests as blind guides leading the blind brought those silly blind subjects into the deepe ditch of horrible rebellion damnable to themselves and very dangerous to the state of the Realme had not God of his mercy miraculously calmed that raging tempest not onely without any shipwrack of the Common-wealth but almost without any shedding of Christian and English bloud at all And it is yet much more to bee lamented that not onely common people but some other youthfull or unskilfull Princes also suffer themselves to bee abused by the Bishop of Rome his Cardinals and Bishops to oppressing of Christian men their faithfull subjects either themselves or else by procuring the force and strength of Christian men to bee conveyed out of one Countrey to oppresse true Christians in another Countrey and by these meanes open an entry unto Moores and Infidels into the possession of Christian Realmes and Countries other Christian Princes in the meane time by the Bishop of Romes procuring also being so occupied in civill warres or troubled with rebellions that they have neither leisure nor ability to conferre their common forces to the defence of their fellow Christians against such invasions of the common enemies of Christendom the Infidels and miscreants Would to God we might onely read and heare out of the histories of old and not also see and feele these new and present oppressions of Christians rebellions of subjects effusion of Christian bloud destruction of Christian men decay and ruine of Christendom increase of paganism most lamentable pittifull to behold being procured in these our dayes as well as in times past by the Bishop of Rome his Ministers abusing the ignorance of Gods Word yet remaining in some Christian Princes and people By which sorrow and bitter fruits of ignorance all men ought to be moved to give care and credit unto Gods Word shewing as most truely so most plainely how great a mischefe ignorance is and againe how great and how good a gift of God knowledge in Gods Word is And to begin with the Romish Clergie who though they doe bragge now as did sometimes the Jewish Clergie that they cannot lacke knowledge yet doth God by his holy Prophets both charge them with ignorance and threaten them also for that they have repelled the knowledge of Gods word and law from themselves and from his people that he will repell them that they shall be no more his Priests God likewise chargerh Princes as well shall be no more his Priests God likewise chargeth Princes aswell as Priests that they should endeavour themselves to get understanding and knowledge in his Word threatning his heavie wrath and destruction to them if they faile thereof And the wise man saith to all men universally Princes Priests and people where is no knowledge there is no good nor health to the soule and that all men bee vaine in whom is not the knowledge of God and his holy Word that they who walke in darkenesse wot not whither they goe and that the people that will not learne shall fall into great mischefes as did the people of Israel who for their ignorance in Gods Word were first led into captivitie and when by ignorance afterward they would not know the time of their visitation but crucified Christ our Saviour persecuted his holy Apostles and were so ignorant and blinde that when they did most wickedly and cruelly they thought they did God good and acceptable Service as doe many by ignorance thinke even at this day finally through their ignorance and blindnesse their Countrey Townes Cities Ierusalem it selfe and the Temple of God were all most horribly destroyed the chiefest part of their people slaine and the rest led into most miserable captivitie for he that made them had no pitty upon them neither would spare them and all for their ignorance And the holy Scriptures doe teach that the people that will not see with their eyes nor heare with their eares to learne and to understand with their hearts cannot be coverted and saved And the wicked themselves being damned in hell shall confesse ignorance in Gods Word to have brought them thereto saying we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us and the Sunne of understanding hath not risen unto us we have wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and perdition and have walked cumbrous and crooked wayes but the way of the Lord have we not knowne And as well our Saviour himselfe as his Apostle Saint Paul doth teach that the ignorance of Gods Word commeth of the devill is the cause of all errour and mis-judging as falleth out with ignorant subjects who can rather espie a little moate in the eye of the Prince or a counseller then a great beame in their owne and universally it is the cause of all evill and finally of eternall damnation Gods judgement being severe towards those who when the light of Christs Gospell is come into the world doe delight more in darkenesse of ignorance then in the light of knowledge in Gods Word For all are commanded to read or heare to search and studdy the holy Scriptures and are promised understanding to be given them from God if they so doe all are charged not to beleeve any dead man nor if an Angell should speake from heaven much leste if the Pope doe speak from Rome against or contrary to the Word of God from the which we may not decline neither to the right hand nor to the left In Gods Word Princes must learne how to obey God and to governe men in Gods Word subjects must learne obedience both to God and their Princes old men and young rich and poore all men and women all States sexes and ages are taught their severall duties in the Word of God For the Word of God is bright giving light unto all mens eyes the shining lampe directing all mens pathes and steps let us therefore a wake from the sleepe and darkenesse of ignorance and openour eyes that we may see the light let us rise from the workes of darkenesse that we may escape eternall darkenesse the due reward thereof and let us walke in the light of Gods Word whilst we have light as becommeth the children of light so directing the steps of our lives in that way which leadeth to light and life everlasting that we may finally obtaine and enjoy the same which God the Father of lights who dwelleth in the light incomprehensible and inaccessible grant unto us through the light of the world our Saviour Jesus Christ unto whom with the holy Ghost one most glorious God be all honour praise and thankesgiving for ever and ever Amen The Prayer O Most mighty God the Lord of Hosts the governour of all creatures the onely giver of all victories who alone art able to strengthen the weake against the mighty and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enemies with the countenance of a few of thy servants calling upon thy Name and trusting in thee defend O Lord thy servant and our governour under thee our King Charles and all thy people committed to his charge O Lord withstand the cruelty of all those which be common enemies as well to the truth of thy eternall Word as to their owne Naturall Prince and Countrey and manifestly to this Crown and Realme of England which thou hast of thy divine Providence assigned in these our dayes to the government of thy servant our Soveraigne and gracious King O most mercifull Father if it be thy holy will make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those that doe exalt themselves against thy truth and seeke either to trouble the quiet of this Realme of England or to oppresse the crowne of the same and convert them to the knowledge of thy Son the only Saviour of the world Jesus Christ that we and they may joyntly glorifie thy mercies Lighten we beseech thee their ignorant hearts to embrace the truth of thy Word or else so abate their cruelty O most mighty Lord that this our Christian Realme with others that confesse thy holy Gospell may obtaine by thine ayd and strength surety from all enemies without shedding of Christian blood whereby all they which be oppressed with their tyrannie may be releived and they which be in feare of their crueltie may be comforted and finally that all Christian Realmes and specially this Realme of England may by thy defence and protection continue in the truth of the Gospell and enjoy perfect peace quietnesse and securitie and that we for these thy mercies joyntly altogether with one consonant heart and voyce may thankefully render to thee all Laud and praise that we knit in one godly concord and unity amongst our selves may continually magnifie thy glorious Name who with thy Sonne our Saviour Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost art one eternall Almighty and most mercifull God to whom be all Laud and praise world without end Amen FINIS