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A56144 Canterburies doome, or, The first part of a compleat history of the commitment, charge, tryall, condemnation, execution of William Laud, late Arch-bishop of Canterbury containing the severall orders, articles, proceedings in Parliament against him, from his first accusation therein, till his tryall : together with the various evidences and proofs produced against him at the Lords Bar ... : wherein this Arch-prelates manifold trayterous artifices to usher in popery by degrees, are cleerly detected, and the ecclesiasticall history of our church-affaires, during his pontificall domination, faithfully presented to the publike view of the world / by William Prynne, of Lincolns Inne, Esquire ... Prynne, William, 1600-1669. 1646 (1646) Wing P3917; ESTC R19620 792,548 593

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blessed body two reverent adorations Doctor Laurence in his Sermon before the King resolves thus Page 17. 18. As I like not those that say he is bodily there so I like not those that say his body is not there because Christ saith t is there and Saint Paul saith 't is there and the Church of England saith 't is there and the Church of God ever said t is there and that truly and substantially essentially and that not only by way of representation or Commemoration and yet without either con sub or trans which the antient Church said not by a reall and neverthelesse a spirituall and mysticall and supernaturall presentation and exhibition For why should our Saviour bid us take what he would not have us receive We must beleeve t is there we must not know what is there our faith may see it our sence cannot t is a mistery they all say and t were no mystery if t were knowne his presence they determined the manner of his presence they determined not they say he is there end they say the Lord knowes how For why should we seeke him naturally in the Communion whom naturally we cannot finde in the Wombe of the Virgin Doctor Pocklington in his Altare Christianum writes thus Page 108. 153. The people were not so prophane and unchristian not to performe their most humble and lowly reverence towards the most holy and sacred Altar where Christ is most truly and really present in the blessed Sacrament c. Altars because they are the seates and Chaires of estate where the Lord vouchsafeth to place himselfe amongst us quid est enim Altare nisi sedes corporis et sanguinis Christi as Optatus speaks have bin in all ages so greatly honoured and regarded of the most wise learned and most blessed Saints of God Doctor Heylin in his Cole from the Altar affirmes Page 15. Bishop Ridley doth not only call it the Sacrament of the Altar affirming thus that in the Sacrament of the Altar is the naturall body and bloud of Christ c. The Archbishop of Canterbury in his Speech in Star-Chamber hath this strange Passage which did much amuse the VVorld Page 47. To Almighty God I doubt not but yet it is versus Altare towards his Altar as the greatest place of Gods residence on earth I say the greatest yea greater than the Pulpit For there t is Hoc est corpus meum This is my Body But in the Pulpit t is at most but Hoc est verbum meum This is my word and as many men use the matter Hoc est verbum Diaboli This is the word of the Devill And a greater reverence no doubt is due to the Body than to the VVord of the Lord and so in relation answerably to the Throne where his Body is usually present than to the Seat whence his Word useth to be proclaimed c. These words doe necessarily imply a reall presence of Christs Naturall Body on the Altar not of his Sacramentall only For this sentence The greatest place of Gods residence on earth I say the greatest yea greater than the Pulpit for there t is Hoc est corpus meum C. But in the Pulpit t is at most but hoc est verbum meum clearely demonstrates that he meanes this only of Christs very naturall body For first he speakes of that Body of Christ to which the Deity is hypostatically united and ever present with Secondly of that body which drawes along with it the greatest presence and residence of God Himselfe on earth Thirdly of that body of Christ which is farre more worthy and honourable than the word of Christ Fourthly of that body to which a greater reverence no doubt is due than to the word of the Lord and so by relation to the Throne wherin his body is usually present then to the Seat where his word useth to be proclaimed Now all these cannot be intended of any representative or Sacramentall Body of Christ but onely of his Naturall body Therfore his cleare meaning can be no other but that Christs very natural body is really present on the Altar in the consecrated bread when the Sacrament is there administred And to put this out of doubt these passages in his Conference with Fisher p. 286. 293 294 295 296. intimate or rather clearely expresse as much All sides agree in the truth with the Church of England That in the most blessed Sacrament the worthy Receiver is by his Faith made spiritually partaker of the true and reall body and bloud of Christ TRVLY and REALLY I would have no man troubled at the words TRVLY and REALLY c. Bellarmine saith Protestants doe often grant That the TRVE and REALL BODY OF CHRIST IS IN THE EVCHARIST and T IS MOST TRAVE For the Calvinists at least they which follow Calvin himselfe do not only beleive that the TRVE and REALL BODY of Christ is received in the Eucharist but THAT IT IS THERE and that we partake of it VERE ET REALITER Nor can that place by any art be shifted or by any violence wrested from Calvines true meaning of the presence of Christ IN and AT the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist And for the Church of Engl. nothing is more plaine than that it believes and teaches The true and reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist unlesse A. C. can make a body no body and bloud no bloud Nay Bishop Ridley addes yet further That in the Sacrament IS THE VERY TRVE and NATVRALL BODY and BLOVD OF CHRIST that which was borne of the Virgin Mary which ascendod into Heaven which sits at the Right hand of God the Father which shal come from thence to judge the quick and the dead c. All which compared with his Alterations and Additions made with his owne hand in the Booke of Common Prayer which he would have obtruded on the Church of Scotland recited at large in A Necessary Introduction to his Tryall pag. 158. to 164. so grosly Popish that hee durst not hazard the giving of them in evidence to this particular point but pleaded the Act of Pacification and Oblivion in barre thereof as soone as ever they were but mentioned will undoubtedly manifest him a meere Papist in this particular and a professed Patron of the Reall presence Transubstantiation and the Masse it selfe 7. That Crucifixes Images and Pictures of Christ God Saints may bee lawfully profitably used set up in Churches and ●ught not to be demolished or removed thence HOw zealous the Archbishop with his Confederates were in defence of Images and Crucifixes in Churches how forward to introduce and set them up in their Chappell 's Churches Cathedralls Houses confirming this Popish position by their practise contrary to our Homilies Statutes Writers and how extreamely violent hee was against such who did by word or deed oppose them hath beene already at large demonstrated in the premises especially in the cases of Master Sherfield and Mr. Workman We shall
should write in defence of Episcopacie against the Scots To this Letter the Archbishop returned an Answer thereupon Bishop Hall acquaints him in his next Letter with the whole Platforme and Subject matter of his Booke which he submits to his judgement craving his direction therein as this Letter under his hand and seale will manifest Most Reverend and my most Honourable good Lord Notwithstanding the importunity of your Graces manifold occasions I received two dayes since two Letters from your Grace at once whereof the one signified his Majesties pleasure for the provision of a Benefice within my guift for one of our poore exild neighbours which I doe most willingly embrace as out of my owne true commiseration so much more out of my obedience to my Gracious Master but for the time as your Grace knowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the other I doe first meet with your Graces mercifull and Fatherly proceedings with one of my strayed Charge Master Cox I was in some hope of his relenting ere I left him if as I perceive the worke be perfected by your Graces effectuall councels it will be happy for him and great contentment to his friends in regard both of his former conformity and great Charge He is not yet come down an hearty Recantation will redeeme all In the next place I finde your Graces zealous care of the successe of this worke which upon your Graces motion I have heartily undertaken wherein for the not applying of so many hands I doe humbly rest in his Majesties most wise determination although the danger of varience might have received a prevention since the whole worke must have had one rule and have come under one rule and censure but this course is both more sure and no lesse effectuall For that which here concernes my selfe I acknowledge my self much bound to your Grace for your good opinion of my ability for so great a shocke which I shall deferre to improve to the utmost and whereas it is thought requisite that I should set downe those simple Propositions which I shall undertake to make good in this worke I doe most willingly entertaine it and therefore shall make bold to acquaint your Grace with the whole plot of my intendment in this service humbly yeelding it up to your Graces Censure or better advise And first my purpose is wherein I doe somewhat please my selfe if your Grace be so pleased to take my rise from the 8th Section of their last Synod of Edinborough wherein Master George Graham is said to come in and condemne Episcopacie and to professe his repentance which is there appointed to be recorded Hereupon I meane to take this Mr. George to taske and somewhat warmely to expostulate the matter with him and when I shall after a fervent preface have driven him from the refuge of conforming herein to other which I think I shall do to purpose I shall then deale with him alone and addresse my selfe to argue the case with him and the Faction whom I shall make my adversary the Faction and not the Church of Scotland And shall undertake to make good these two points as I conceive both full and proper for the occasion First That Episcopacie is a lawfull most Ancient holy and Divine Institution I meane that which is joyned with imparity and superiority of Jurisdiction and therefore where it hath through Gods providence obtained cannot by any humane power be abdicated without a manifest violation of Gods Ordinance Secondly That the Presbiterian Government how ever vindicated under the glorious names of Christs Kingdome and Ordinance hath no true footing either in Scripture or the practice of the Church in all Ages from Christs time till the present and that howsoever it may be of use in some such Cities or Territories as wherein Episcopall Government through iniquity of times cannot be had yet to obtrude it upon a Church otherwise setled under an acknowledged Monarchy is utterly uncongruous and unjustifiable Before the proofe of which two heads I purpose to lay downe certaine cleare and undenyable Postulata some 15. or 16 in number as the grounds of my following Arke such as these 1. That Government which was of Apostolicall Institution cannot be denied to be of Divine Institution 2. Not onely that Goverment which was directly commanded and enacted but also that which was practised and recommended by the Apostles to the Church must justly passe for an Apostolicall Institution 3. That which the Apostles by Divine inspiration instituted was not for the present time but for continuance 4. The Universall practise of the Church immediatly succeeding the Apostles is the best and surest Commentary upon the practise of the Apostles or of their expressions 5. We may not entertain so irreverent an opinion of the Saints and Fathers of the Primitive Church that they who were the immediate Successors of the Apostles would or durst set up a Government either faulty or of their owne heads 6. If they would have been so presumptuous yet they could not have diffused one uniforme order of Government through the whole world in so short a space 7. The Ancient Histories of the Church and Writings of the eldest Fathers are rather to be beleeved in the report of the Primitive of the Church Government then those of this last Age. 8. Those whom the Ancient Church of God and the holy and Orthodox Fathers condemned for Errors or Heresies are not fit to be followed as Authors of our opinion or practise for Church government 9 The accession of honourable Titles or Priviledges makes no difference in the substance of the Calling 10. Those Scriptures wherein any new forme of Government is grounded had need to bee very cleare and unquestionable and more evident then those whereon the former rejected Policy is raised 11. If that Order which they say Christ set for the government of his Church which they call the Kingdome and Ordinance of Christ be but one and undoubted then it would and should have beene ere this agreed upon against them what and which it is 12. If this which they pretend be the Kingdome and Ordinance of Christ then if any essentiall part of it be wanting Christs Kingdome is not in that Church erected 13. Christian policy requires no impossible or absurd thing 14. Those truths which are new and unheard off in all ages of the Church in many and essentiall points are well worthy to bee suspected 15. To depart from the practise of the universall Church of Christ ever from the Apostles times and to be take our selves voluntarily to a new forme lately taken up cannot but be odious and highly scandalous Upon these grounds laid I shall come to subsume and shall both convince the Faction in aberration from them and fully prove the two points intended After which with some observations and Queries I shall shut up in a vehement Exhortation both to them and to our owne if it may be for the reducing of the one if not
pressed as spatingly as he might it being against his owne judgment and thereupon obedience was yeelded in most places and such as refused to Raile in their Tables were questioned and proceeded against by others but as for himselfe he never troubled any for it That the Archbishop himselfe gave both command and approbation for these Innovations was proved by this ensuing Petition to which an Answer was underwriten by Master Dell subscribed with the Archbishops owne hand found among Sir Iohn Lambes sequested Papers by Master Prynne To the right Reverend Father in God William Lord Archbishop of Cant. his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitan The Petition of Philip Davies Clerke Hunry Demery and Abrah am Cobb Churchwardens of the Parish Church of Hill alias Hull in the Dioces of Glocester Humbly sheweth THat your Petitioners in obedience to your Graces special directions in your Graces Metropolitan Visitation did take care and order for the raysing of the Chancell and Rayling in the High Altar or Communion Table in the said Church for the doing of which with the necessary beautifying of the said Church there were divers rates made by the Churchwardens for the time being and major part of the Inhabitants of that Church for to defray the Charge thereof In which assesements one Henry Heathfield who was and is commonly reputed and taken to be of that Parish was rated after the usuall manner as he and his Predecessors had alwayes beene his divers rates amounting to 28. shillings six pence To avoyd the payment of which the said Henry Heathfield appealed to your Graces Court of the Arches where the cause hath depended for these eleven Monethes last past to your Petitioners great Charge and hinderance May it therefore please your Grace for the better incouragement of your Petitioners in performing your Graces Commands which we have hitherto done in preserving the decency and ornaments of the said Church as much as in us lyes to give order that the said Cause may be speedily determined and that your Petitioners may not be unnecessarily vexed and molested for endeavouring to performe what in your Graces Visitation was publikely enjoyned but so farre as truth shall appears we may shroud our selves under your Graces Protection And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. I desire Sir John Lambe in case he finde the Suggestions true to take care that this Cause may come to hearing with all convenient speed possible Febr. 9. 1637. W. CANT By answering of which Petition the Archbishop acknowledgeth that the rayling in of Communion Tables and imposing illegall Rates for the same was done by HIS GRACES SPECIALL DIRECTION in his Metropoliticall Visitation and thereupon he thus desired Sir John Lambe to expedite the hearing of the Cause yet he had so Little Grace as openly to deny it with solemne protestations The falsity whereof was further evidenced by this Copy of Injunctions given in his Metropoliticall Visitation to the Cathedrall Church of Winchester 19. July An. 1635. by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall found in his owne Study at Lambheth so as he could not be ignorant of them attested by Master Prynne the last whereof was this Deinde Dominus injuaxit Gardianis Ecclesiae parochialis sancti Mauritij infra Civitatem Wintoniae quod duo sedilia ex utraque parte Cancellorum ibidem removeantur quod nullum sedile ibidem collocatur aut erigatur Distuque Dominus ad Petitionem Willielmi Newton unius Parochianorum praefatae Ecclesiae Parochialis decrevit Mensam sacram Eucharistiae decenter circum-sepiendam viz. TO BEE RAYLED ABOVT IN DECENT MANNER citra festum Omnium Sanctorum proximè sequens Moreover A paper of Informations of divers Abuses in the City and Diocesse of London was found in the Archbishops Study attested by Master Prynne whereof this was one There are many Communion Tables in severall Churches of the City of London that are not rayled in and some of them are placed in the middle of the Church when as they may be placed more conveniently at the East end thereof At the Chappel at Highgate the Boyes use to leane on the Communion Table in the time of Divine service under which Mr. Dell the Archbishops Secretary Writ this direction to Sir Nathaniel Brent his Visiter subscribed with the Archbishops owne hand I require you that besides my other Instructions you give me an account of all particulars within named Whereupon an Account was given to him in writing accordingly thus entituled An Account of the Metropoliticall Visitation of the Diocesse of London Aano 1636. found in his Study with the foresaid Informations and indorsed thus with his owne hand 1636. March The Course of my Visitation in London Diocese Wherein are these Particular Passage touching the railing in of Communion Tables Mr. Rogers of Massing mentioned in your Graces Paper came not to me for an order for the setting up of a Raile about his Communion Table But I GAVE A GENERALL ORDER FOR IT BOTH THERE AND IN ALL OTHER PLACES WHERE I PASSED The Communion Table in the Chappell of Highgate mentioned in your Graces paper is already placed at the upper end of the Quire and a decent Raile made about it as J am informed by divers To which the Archbishop with his owne hand adds this Note in the Margin See it be don In the Parish Church of Edmonton a fair Monument is set at the upper end of the Chancell which I have ordered to be taken downe without delay and the Communion Table to be set in the place of it with a comely raile about it Yet had this Archbishop the Impudency to protest to the Lords he never gave any order to Sir Nathaniell Brent for removing or railing in Communion Tables that it was done without his Privity or direction O portet mendacem esse memorem Adde to this that in an Abstract of this Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation endorsed by himselfe and found among his papers there were these observable informations given to him by his Visitor Sir Nathaniel Brent July 16. 1635. At Lyn in the principall Church called St. Margarets the Communion Table wanted a rayle which I have ordered At Northampton no man boweth at the pronouncing of the name of Iesus in all the Churches in Shrewsbury many things were out of Order especially about the Communion Table But the Officers in every Parish Church most willingly submitted to what I ordered Mr. Speed of Saint Pancrosse in Chicester is very willing the Gallery in his Church should be pulled down which was built to receive strangers as also to remove the seates which stand even with the Altar Besides it appeares by a letter of Wil. Kingsley Arch-deacon of Cant. to this Archbishop dated Aprill 13 16 6. that he gave him order to survay all the Churches in Canterbury and to certine him what Monuments placed the Eastland Galleres were in them to the end they might be removed who gave him this account thereof in writing found
yet to the setling of the other If your Grace shall approve of this Plot-forme I shall accordingly prosecute it if your Grace shall thinke fit to alter or detract or adde ought I am as ready to submit with pardon craved for this length and the unfained vowes of my hearty prayers I take leave and am Your Graces in all officious observance to command JOS EXON Exon. Pal. Oct. 28. Which Letter was thus indorsed with the Archbishops owne hand Received November 1. 1639. The Bishop of Exeter his account of the Heads of his booke Intended for Episcopacy against the Scots To this Letter the Archbishop returned this ensuing Answer under his own hand wherein he fully expresseth his opinion both concerning Episcopacy and Presbytery THe rest of your Lordships Letter is fitter to be answered by my own hand and so you have it And since you are pleased so worthyly and brother-like to acquaint me with the whole plot of your intended worke and to yeeld it up to my censure and better advice so you are pleased to write I doe not onely thanke you heartily for it but shall in the same Brotherly way and with equall freedome put some few Animad versions such as occure on the sudden to your further Consideration aiming at nothing but what you doe the perfection of the worke in which so much is concerned And first for Mr. George Graham I leave you free to worke upon his basenesse and his ignorance as you please assuring my self that you will not depart from the gravity of your selfe or the cause therein Next you say in the first head That Episcopacy is an ancient Holy and Divine institution It must needs be ancient and holy if divine would it not be more full went it thus So ancient as that it is of divine Institution There you define Episcopacy by being joyn'd with imparity and superiority of Jurisdiction This seemes short for every Arch-Presbyters or Arch-Deacons place is so yea and so was Mr. Henderson in his Chaire at Glasgow unlesse you will define it by a distinction of Order I draw the superiority not from that Jurisdiction which is attributed to Bishops Jure Positivo in their Audience of Ecclesiasticall matters but from that which is Intrinsicall and originall in the power of Excommunication Againe you say in that first point That where Episcopacy hath obtained it cannot be abdicated without violation of Gods Ordinance This proposition I conceive est inter minus habentes for never was there any Church yet where it hath not obtained the Christian faith was never yet planted any where but the very first feature of the body of a Church was by or with Episcopacy and wheresoever now Episcopacy is not suffered to be it is by such an abdication for certainely there it was a Principio In your second head you grant that the Presbyterian Government may be of use where Episcopacy may not be had First I pray you consider whether this Concession be not needlesse here and in it selfe of a dangerous consequence Next I conceive there is no place where Episcopacy may not be had if there be a Church more then in title onely Thirdly since they challenge their Presbyterian fiction to be Christs Kingdome and Ordinance as your selfe expresseth and cast out Episcopacy as opposite to it wee must not use any minsing termes but unmaske them plainely nor shall I ever give way to hamper our selves for feare of speaking plain truth though it be against Amsterdam or Geneva and this must be sadly thought on concerning your Postulata I shall pray you to allow me the like freedome among which the two first are true but as exprest too restrictive For Episcopacy is not so to be asserted to Apostolicall Institution as to barre it from looking higher and from fetching it Materially and originally in the ground and intention of it from Christ himselfe though perhaps the Apostles formerlyzed it And here give me leave a litle to inlarge The Adversaries of Episcopacy are not onely the furious Aerian Hereticks out of which are now raised Prynne Bastwicke and our Scottish masters but some also of a milder and subtiller Alloy both in the Genevean and the Roman faction And it will become the Church of England so to vindicate it against the furious Puritans as that we lay it not open to be wounded by either of the other two more cunning and more learned Adversaries Not to the Roman faction for that will be content it shall be Iuris Divini Mediati by from for and under the Pope that so the Government of the Church may be Monarchicall in him but not Immediati which makes the Church Aristocraticall in the Bishops This is the Italian Rocke not the Genevean For that will not deny Episcopacy to be Iuris Divini so you will take it vt suadentis vel approbantis but not Imperantis for then they may take and leave as they will which is that they would be at Nay if I much forget not Beza himselfe is said to have acknowledg'd Episcopacy to be Iuris Divini Imperantis so you will not take it as Vniversalitèr imperantis for then Geneva might escape et citra considerationem Durationis for then thought they had it before yet now upon wiser thoughts they may be without it which Scotland sayes now and who will may say it after if this be good Divinity And then all in that time shall bee Democraticall I am bold to adde this because I find in your second Postulatum that Episcopacy is directly commanded but you goe not so farre as to meete with this subtilty of Beza which is the great Rocke in the Lake of Geneva In your 9. Postulatum that the accession of Honourable Titles or Priviledges makes no difference in the substance of the calling If you meane the Titles of Archbishops Primates Metropolitanes Patriarkes c. 't is well And I presume you doe so But then in any case take heed you assert it so as that the faction lay not hold of it as if the Bishops were but the Title of honour and the same Calling with a Priest for that they all ayme at c. The 11. Postulatum is large and I shall not repeate it because I am sure you retaine a Coppy of what you writ to me being the ribbs of your worke nor shall I say more to it then that it must be warily handled for feare of a saucy answer which is more ready a great deale with them then a learned one I presume I am pardoned already for this freedome by your submission of all to me And now I heartily pray you be pleased to send me up keeping a Coppy to your selfe against the accidents of carriage not the whole worke together but each particular Head or Postulatum as you finish it that so wee here may be the better able to consider of it and the worke come on the faster So to Gods b. protection c. Wil. Cant. Lambeth
K. himself Moreover in the Order for the Fast in the very last page of the book he purged out these words condemning the popish Doctrine of the meritorionsnesse of fasting viz. to avoyd the inconvenience that may grow by fasting some esteeming it a Meritorious Work others a good Work and Of itself acceptable to God without due regard of the end c. In briefe whatever in this Fast-book did in the least degree reflect upon popery or seemingly oppugne any errors of it this Arch-prelat out of his ardent zeal against Popery and fatherly care for the maintainance of our Protestant Religion did totally expunge it non obstante his Majesties Proclamation to the contrary For this Jesuiticall practice the Arch-bishop being justly taxed by the Author of News from Ipswitch and Master Henry Burton in his Humble Appeale to his Ma●esty page 3. and his Sermon on the fifth of November 1636. intituled For God and the King p. 141. to 149. He reputed the very dislike of these his Romish purgations such a crime that he arraigned these books and the Authors of them in Star-chamber as capitall malefactors procured the heaviest bloodiest unjustest sentence against them that ever was inflicted by that Court and had the impudency for onely to justifie these purges in print by his two popish Champiors Doctor Heylyn in his Moderate Answer to the seditious and scandalous Challenges of Henry Burton p. 157. to 16● and Christopher Dow in his Innovations unjustly charged upon the present Church and State p. 141. to 150. but even in open Court in a large and bitter speech at the sentence of his Accusers in Starte-chamber June 14. 1637. which he had the boldnesse afterwards to publish to all the world In which Speech though he cunningly omitted these expurged clauses which if recited at large had no colour of defence yet he justifies the expurging of them to be his owne voluntary act adding that it was lawfull for him and his brother Bishops notwithstanding the Kings Proclamation so altar what they thought fit And then renders this most absurd reason of blotting out the first recited clause Thirdly for the branch in the other which is the first Collect Though God did deliver our forefathers out of Romish superstition yet God be blessed for it we were never in And therefore that clanse being unfittingly expressed We thought fit to passe it over Which reason is altogether untrue First because there are many ancient people yet living among us who were totally drowned in popish superstition and idolatry in Queen Marie's dayes and the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reigne from which God hath graciously delivered them since brought them into the most clear and comfortable light of his holy word of later yeeres when preaching and godly preaching Ministers have been more frequent in most places of our Realm then in the beginning of Reformation when they were very rare scarce one or two in a whole County Secondly we our selves were utterly drowned in popish superstition and idolatry in our forefathers and delivered out of it in their deliverance from it otherwise we had continued drowned therein till this very day As therefore the sacred Scripture in direct and proper termes oft informed the Posterity of the Children of Israel whose Ancestors many generations before were bondslaves in delivered out of Egypt I brought YOU forth of Egypt and brought YOU forth of the house of bondage and have brought YOU to the Land which I sware unto your Fathers c. Judg. 2. 1. c. 6. 89. 2 Chro. 7. 22. Jer. 2. 6. 7. Hag. 2. 5. and as Daniel in his solemne prayer and fasting blessed God for this mercy in his days as if the deliverance had bin then wrought for that generation Dan. 9. 15. And NOW oh Lord our God thou hast brought thy people forth of the Land of Egypt by a mighty hand and hast gotten thee renowne AS AT THIS DAY and as God upbrayded the Israelites for their ingratitude to him for this mercy in Jeremiah's dayes as if this deliverance had then been wrought for that Generation Ier. 2. 6 7. Neither said they Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt and that led as through the Wildernesse through a Land of deserts and of pits through a Land of drought and of the shadow of death c. And I brought you into a plentifull Country to eat the fruit thereof and the goodnesse thereof but when ye entred ye defiled my Land and made mine heretage an abomination wherefore I will plead with you saith the Lord and with your childrens children will I plead So we by like congruity of reason and in proper Scripture phrase which this Arch-prelate stiles an unfitting expression though frequent in all Authors as well as in the sacred Text may as truly be said to be delivered from Popish superstition and idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and ought to blesse and prayse God for the deliverance of our forefathers out of it as if we our selves had been actually delivered their deliverance being in truth the cause of ours and an actuall deliverance unto us from this Egyptian Romish bondage and Antichristian deluge This excuse therefore of his is but a meere ridiculous pretence to delude the simple and the true reason of this expanction onely this His Grace-ship had conspired with Priests and Jesuits once more to drowne us utterly in Romish superstition and idolatry and to deprive us of the cleare and comfortable light of Gods holy Word by extinguishing silencing suppressing most godly lights Ministers preaching throughout the realme and to corrupt the true worship of God with superstitious Ceremonies and idolatrous Adorations if not to extirpate truth and verity from among us by introducing equivocations hypocrisie false accusers of the brethren in every place therefore this passage so contrary to his popish designes must not be tolerated in any wise but utterly deleated and He so impudent as to instifie it before all the world when he neitther saw not dreaded any superiour powers to draw him into question for this transcendent crime for which wet rust he shall now give an exact account to this supreame Tribunall The fourth purgation made by his speciall direction and advice was in the second Edition of Doctor Christopher Potter's Want of Charity justly charged London 1634. This Doctor being about to publish a second Edition of that booke of his writ thus unto his Lordship to send him directions to alter or correct any thing that should be offensive to his Grace My most honoured Lord c. THe Copies of my answer to the mistaker are most sold and a new Impression intended I am now reviewing it I shall be glad to receive from your Grace by your servant Master Dell or others any direction to alter or correct if any thing be therein offensive to you I humbly commend your Grace to the blessed protection of the Lord Almighty and will be
the possibility of the Apostacy of Saints for it is confessed on all hands that these vvords are spoken in generall to all elect as vvell as reprobate and they are of singular use to stirre them up to watchfulnesse over their wayes and diligence and constancy in the use of all such means as by Gods grace may keep them from backsliding and dangerous relapses yet the elect as they themselves freely grant who are predestinated to eternall life are in no danger of losing it this Commination therefore maketh nothing against the perseverance of Saints Thirdly yet because he is cleansed but in part and hath but a temporary faith and some flashes of heavenly light it is possible for him with Demas to forsake the Gospel and embrace this present world with Hymeneus and Philetus to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience with Julian to become an Apostate and a persecuter of the truth in a word he may depart from the seeming righteousnesse which he hath in the eyes of men but not in the sight of God as Saint Gregory speaketh or from the true righteousnesse which he had in part and that measure of sanctification which before he received Fourthly no man ever made question but that a truly regenerate man may depart from his actuall righteousnesse and commit inquity and doe according to all the abominations that the wicked doth and that if he should dye without repentance that his former righteousnesse should stand him in no stead but that he should suffer the pains of eternall death which is all that the letter of this Text enforceth our assent unto Page 770. although it be most true that an elect child of God can never fall quite out of Gods favour yet doth not the light of his countenance at all times shine equally upon him sometimes he substracteth his grace from him for the abuse thereof and hence it commeth to passe that he falleth often and sometimes dangerously the wise man saith the righteous falleth seven times a day and therefore more then seventy times seven times in all his life whereupon Saint Jerome maketh a witty quere If he fall how is he righteous if righteous how doth he fall and gives us the solutian of it in a word he loseth not the appellation of a righteous man who riseth alwayes by repentance his meaning is that though the righteous fall dangerously and greivously hurteth himselfe yet he never dyeth of his fall but his limbs are recovered by grace and he riseth againe by repentance and ever after walketh more circumspectly in the paths of Gods Commandements Fifthly the Prononne his giveth some light to cleare the meaning for the Prophet saith not simply when the righteous turneth away from righteousnesse but from his righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse of his owne works or his inherent righteousnesse not the imputed righteousnesse of Christ for that is not his owne That I may be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Admit Christs righteousnesse by which every true beleever is justified cannot be lost yet he may lose his owne righteousnesse that is it is very possible and daily experience verefieth it that he may give over his strict observance of the duties of the first and second Table he may let loose the reines to sensuall desires and he may follow the gainfull or ambitions or voluptuous courses of the world for the way to Heaven is up-hill but the way to hell is down-hill and thither the weight of our sinfull flesh sorcibly tendeth All these purgations we have in Doctor Featlyes Sermons There are these ensuing purgations made in Master Ward his Comentary on Matthew fol. 300. part 1. page 33. There are two sorts of evill to wit First some are onely precedent which being once taken away returne no more now these hinder the foundation but not the edifice and are taken away by God in the elect as for example First the death of the soule in good things Secondly the captivity and slavery they are in under finne Thirdly the generall and totall pollution which is in them by reason of sinne and the like Secondly some are succedent which hinder the encrease as thorns in the wheat hinder the corne from growing now these are daily to be taken away and must be taken away after the plantation of grace as sinne daily springs up so it is daily to be rooted out Page 67. Ob. Bellarmine here objects the love of many shall wax cold and therefore all righteous men shall not presevere in faith and consequently all shall not be saved An. The Cardinal here proves nothing against us except he will prove that those who fall from the Lord or whose charity waxeth cold were such as were righteous before God by a true faith or who had the love and faith of the elect of God whereof mention is made Titus 1. 1. now that these were not such is cleare from verse 24 of this Chapt. they would seduce if it were possible the very elect and from Saint Augustine Charitas quae desert potest nunquam ver a fuit that love which falleth away was never any true love or charity which may be forsaken was never true Charity In the printed book fol. 334. but in the Abridgement of purgations page 83. it is questioned between us and the Papists whether Election or Predestination to life eternall be from Gods free grace or a fore-sight of mans good workes and faith First it is agreed upon betwixt us and them that there are some elected and predestinated and this is cleare from Matth. 20. 16. 22. 14. 24. 31. Rom. 8. 30. Eph. 1. 4. and Secondly it is agreed betwixt us also that those who are elected and predestinated are elected unto an eternall Kingdome as is plaine from Luke 12. 32. And Thirdly it is likewise agreed upon betwixt us that those who are elected unto life eternall shall infallibly and certainly be saved and this is proved from Mat. 24. 22. 24. John 6. 29. 10. 28 29. 11. 29. This was assented unto by the best esteemed Divines in the Councell of Trent and thought to be Catholike because it was consonant to the opinions both of Thomas Scotus and the most School-writers and also to the doctrine of Saint Paul and Catharinus himselfe could not deny it Read the History of the Councel of Trent lib. 2. p. 211. 212. Yea Belarmine himselfe doth affirme as much plainly De grat Lib. Arbit lib. 2. cap. 10. which is worth observing because elswhere he contradicts himselfe teaching That the elect may fall from faith and salvation and utterly and eternaly lose both Fourthly the Papists affirme that faith and works foreseen were the impulsive and moving cause of the decree of election unto life everlasting Fifthly we say that the impulsive and moving cause of the decree of election is only that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of our reducement to Rome yea the discovery of Andreas ab Habernfield to the Archbishop informes both him and ns That one of Endimion Porters Sonnes of the Bed-chamber now in armes against the Parliament was promised a Cardinals Hat if this designe succeeded well and that Sir Kenelme Digby Master Walter Mountague and other active Instruments who promoted that designe among us attended the sixteen Cardinals Caps that were vacant which were therefore detained vacant for some yeers to impose a vaine hope on those who expected them And Master Widford in his Letters from Rome to Secretary Windebank Novemb. 10. 1640. informes him that Master Sommerset and Master Brudenell were come to Florence aiming at our English Cardinals Caps which then by reason of the Popes Catarre were like to be disposed of All which particulars are a most cleere demonstration of the Pope and his Conclaves endeavours to reduce us back to Rome and of this Archbishops privity to if not assistance in it The sixth Evidence we shall mention to prove the Archbishops not onely intelligence of but compliance with the Popes and his Instruments Plots and proceedings to usher in Popery and reduce our Kingdomes to the Antichristian Religion and Church of Rome is his conusance and furtherance of this their design in Ireland which we shall thus demonstrate The House of Commons June 11. 1628. presented a Remonstrance to the King concerning the extraordinary encrease and growth of Popery of Papists both in England and Ireland and the extraordinary favour which they found from some great persons in his Court wherein they had this notable clause concerning Ireland IT doth not a little also encrease our dangers and feares this way to understand the miserable condition of your Kingdome of Ireland where without controle the Popish Religion is openly professed and practised in every part thereof Popish jurisdiction being generally exercised and avowed Monasteries Nunneries and other superstitious houses newly erected re-edified replenished with men and women of severall Orders and in a plentifull manner maintained in Dublin and most of the great Townes and divers other places of that Kingdome Which of what ill consequence it may prove if not seasonably repressed we leave to your Majesties wisdome to judge But most heartily beseech you as we assure our selves you doe to lay the serious consideration thereof to your Royall pious heart AND THAT SOME TIMELY COURSE MAY BE TAKEN FOR REDRESSE HEREIN Had this pious prudent timely advice been then harkned to and followed to purpose it might no doubt through Gods concurrence with it have prevented that horrid Rebellion those bloody Massacres of some hundred thousands of poor English Protestants in and devastation of that distressed Kingdom which have broken forth and been perpetrated there of late almost to the utter extirpation of the English and Irish Protestants the ruine of that Kingdome and infinite losse yea eminent danger of this our Realme to boot But this Popish Prelate though he then certainly knew this Remonstrance to be most true out of an inveterate hatred to the Parliament and a desire to promote the Catholikes designes there instead of perswading his Majesty to hearken to this true information and wholesome advice of his faithfull Commons drew up a most pernitious malepert Answer with his owne hand in his Majesties name against this Remonstrance which he presented to his Majesty wherein he incensed him against the Commons charging them not onely with misinforming but traducing his Majesties government by this clause concerning Ireland in this dishonourable language produced and read under his owne hand out of the Originall draught attested by Master Prynne FOR Ireland We think in case of Religion 't is not worse then Queen Elizabeth left it and for other affaires 't is as good as we found it nay perhaps better and We take it a great disparagement of Our government that it should be urged that new Monasteries Nunneries and other superstitious houses are erected and replenished in Dublin and other great Townes in this Our Kingdome for we assure Our Selves Our Deputy and Our Counsell there will not suffer God and Our government so to be dishonoured but We should have had some account of it from them and We may not endure thus to have Our good People misled with shewes Which in plaine tearmes is but a giving the House of Commons the Lye and a slandering of them as false Informers both to the King and people By which wicked practice their Remonstrance was rejected as a slanderous Libell and their Councell not pursued the dolefull effects whereof we now experimentally feele and rue That this Prelate when he made this Answer certainly knew of the grand encrease of the Papists in Ireland and that they had then upon the matter obtained a publike toleration will appeare by a paper found in his Study produced at the Barre thus endorsed with this Archbishops own hand 1626. The Bishops of Ireland about a Toleration feared The Judgement of the Arch-bishops and Bishops of Ireland concerning toleration of the Papish Religion by publike Protestation THE Religion of Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous their Faith and Doctrine erronious and hereticall their Church in respect of both Apostaticall to give them therefore a toleration of Religion or to consent that they may-freely exercise their Religion and professe their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sinne and that in two respects First it is to make our selves accessary to their superstitious Idolaries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the deluge of the Catholike Apostacy Secondly to grant them a toleration in respect of any money to be given or contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it the soules of the people whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious blood And as it is a great sinne so it is a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we leave to the wise and judicions beseeching the zealous God of truth to make those who are in authority zealous of Gods glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery Superstition and Idolatry There were likely to be granted to the Papists in Ireland many priviledges and withall a toleration for their Religion in the consideration of the payment of a great summe of mony This Easter tearme 1626. there was a great meeting of all the chiefest of the whole Kingdome and the Archbishops and Bishops c. and it was likely to be concluded Doctor D●wanm Bishop of London-Derry April 11. preached at Dublin before the Lord Deputy and the State his Text was Luke 1. at the 79. In the midst of his Sermon he openly read this Protestation above written subscribed by the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland and at the end he boldly said And
evasions that this Picture was conceived to bee the picture of God the Father as Master Caryl deposed not a picture of him in truth It is a most childish evasion for the Scripture is expresse That God being a spirit an invisible infinite Essence can have no true pillure likenesse or similitude made of him by any corporall visible representation Isay 40. 18. to 27. c. 46. 5 6 Acts 17. 29. Rom. 1. 23. 24 25. whence every such Image of God is tearmed a lye in Scripture Isay 44. 20. Hab. 2. 18. Rom. 1. 25. c. And if ever any Image of God were a lye then certainly this as hath bin proved Now whereas he pretends it appeared not it was adored and idolozed till the hearing it is certaine it appeared to Mr. Sherfield long before the hearing or demolishing of it as he deposed in his answer and this appearing by witnesses upon Oath to the Bishop and whole Court when the cause was heard made his unjust and heavy censure farre more abominable to God and man Eghtly Mr. Workman was principally censured for his preaching against Images though his expressions were the very words of our Homilies The other particulars vvere all justifiable true no wayes censurable except the sixt which was pretended but not proved Therefore his censure most unjust and his censuring of some of those of Gloucester that joyned in a grant of Annuity to him under the City Seale though the Fine was but small and afterwards remitted was far more unjust 1. Because the grant of this Anpuity was not only an act of Charity but justice and equity punishable by no Law and highly to bee commended 2ly Because they were censured in their privat naturall Capacity for what they acted only in their politique as Members of the Corporation under their Common Seale wherein the whole City were engaged as much as they 3ly Because they damned this grant of which they had no cognisance to starve a faithfull Minister and his Family who had no other Livelyhood As for his prohibiting him to teach Schoole to practise Phisick when he had put him from his Ministry without any just cause it was a treble tyrany and oppression he being enforced to take this course only to supply himselfe and his family for which the Law of God and nature enjoynes him to provide unlesse he will be worse then an Infidell and doubtlesse he must needs be worse then any Infidell who had the heart to do it upon such a poore pretence that he might infect others with his opinions to wit of the unlawfullnesse of Images in Churchs or private houses the very approved resolved Doctrine of our Statutes Homilies Injunctions Writers Church 9ly For that he alleageth by way of justification and excuse touching the most barbarous censures of Mr. Prynne Mr. Burton Dr. Bastwick We reply 1. That his hand was to all the Warrants for their Illegall commitments crose imprisenments before their censures That the Books for which they were questioned were neither scandalous Seditious nor Schismaticall but necessary Apologies Pleas against his unjust tyrannicall proceedings in the High Commission and Popish Innovations in the Church to subvert our Religion That himselfe in his Starchamber Speech and Heylin and Dove after him confesseth justifieth the truth of these Innovations wherewith those Bookes did charge him all which the former and this present Parliament have unanimously complained off and voted to be illegall Popish destructive to our Religion Therewere these Bookes were neither Scandalous nor Libellous 3ly Both the proceedings and sentence against them are voted adjudged by both Houses to be altogether illegall unjust barbarous contrary to Magna Charta the Lawes of the Land and liberty of the Subject and unparralel'd in any age therefore ordered to be utterly rased and taken off the file as unfit to remaine upon record to prejudice posterity 4ly Their prosecution proceeded principally from him the Orders for shutting them up close prisoners denying them pen inke paper and speech with one another were procured by him The Orders for denying them liberty to put in their Answers under their owne hands taking them pro confesso were made when himselfe sate and Voted in Court being both prosecutor party and Iudge the sentence was given He sitting in Court though particularly excepted against though he gave no Vote in the Censure it selfe yet al knowe he was the cause and contriver of it before it was given yea he approved and thanked the Lord for it in his Speech when it was given caused it to he most seveerly executed when given against the will of those that gave it instigating his Majesty to the bloudy execution of it afterwards when executed denyed Mr. Pryns servant liberty upon Rayle to attend him during his wounds set his hand first to all the Warrants for sending them to and close imprisoning them in remote Castles and after that for banishing them into forraigne Islands where they were so strictly mewed up that neither freind Wife Children could have the least accesse unto them for their releife nor they procure liberty of pen inke or paper to write unto them for necessaries Yea had not he ingaged his extraordinary power and malice in their prosecution neither the Court Iudges Officers nor Lords had bin so extravagant so unjust in their proceedings Censures Executions against them nor their Councell so over-awed as they were nor they denyed liberty to answer for themselves and to impeach their Opposites by a Crosse Bil which if admitted as it ought of right and justice it would have prevented their heavy Censure elsewhere which probably would have falne short of this he is now likely to incurre All which considered this part of the charge stickes fast upon him in each particular 7ly Himselfe sent for Dr. Featly and commanded him to carry his Sermons to his Chaplin to peruse who thereupon expunged this and other passages out of them after they were printed to please his Lord and his Chaplains Act in this case is his own And though other passages against Images remained yet no reason can be given for expunging this being the direct words of the Homily but his complyancy with the Papists Yea Dr. Featlie sweares expresly that he did complaine of it to Sir Edmond Scot who told him it would bee bootlesse to complaine to the Archbishop who would undoe nothing his Chaplaine had altered 8ly For the Popish pictures we have proved them printed in London by the Archbishops own authority and direction that himselfe saw and approved them whiles in printing being the very same with those his Chapell windowes the Masse-Booke and Boetius a Bolswort found in his study That they were ordinarily bound up in Bibles and sold in shops of which the Stationers complaining to him he thereupon gave them the foresaid answer himselfe But that the Lords of the Counsel gave any such order he produceth no proofe at all In few words if the pictures were lawfull to bee