supreame head but him no other rule of faith but his word no other propitiatory sacrifice but his death no purgatory but his blood no other merit but his obedience Nemo super hoc fundamento aliud ponat quam quod positum est 2. Cor. 3.11 To this Church doth belong the couenant the promises of Peace of Loue of Saluation of the presence of God of his graces power protection We haue that Catholike Church which is founded vpon and agreeth with the trueth of the Scripture that antiquitie which agreeth with the verity of the Scripture that number which worship God according to the rules of the Scripture so farre as human infirmity can reach we haue that succession which succeedeth in the trueth of doctrine deliuered in the Scripture that vnitie which beleeues the trinitie taught in Scripture that visible congregation which is seene to God as he hath reuealed himselfe in the Scripture Our ceremonies virulently opposed by the schismaticall dregs of our owne separatists other braine-sicke sectaries or prophane hypocrites are few but Minister many instructions neither burthning the Church with the multitude or blemishing her face with the superstition of externall rites in all which shee followeth her doctrine as the beames the Sunne a shadow the body or a line the Center As in our Church the word is truly preached so in euery circumstance of policie and discipline there is no repugnancie to that doctrine or to that decency commanded by the Apostles In the whole frame of our externall gouernment God hath his true worship Princes lawfull obedience the lawes due respect and Pastors beseeming reuerence All our policy tends to the pure preaching of the word right administration of the Sacraments to the lawfull vocation of Pastors charitable supplying of the poore to the sedulous correction of manners carefull remouall of scandall and to the cherishing of Christian vnitie Thus hath our Church all the notes by which shee may safely walke in this doubtfull way of mortalitie if some personall infirmities or abuse of good Lawes somtimes eclipse the dignity of offendors as they haue done in the most pure Church is that euer was or shall be in the Church militant they are by priuate weakenesse or omission but not by generall institution and allowance In one word our Church is euery way happy if with all other blessings her children may bee conioyned in Feare Ephes 4.5 Loue and obedience as they are in one Lord in one Faith and in one Baptisme that as the loue of Christ combineth them one way so the communion of Saints may vnite them another way For what Aesculapius can cure that state wherein euery singular spirit factious fondling or malecontented humorist neither regard the face of Maiestie the wisdome of Councels nor their obedience to Lawes but on the contrary magnifie nothing but the obortiue births and firy oppositions of their fond conceptions measuring all things according to the wilde and giddy apprehensions of their owne crazy braines as if the sole skill of good gouernment had left her publike habitation to dwell retired with some few of a partie cullored liuery some of whom doe not blush to perswade their ouer capable auditors of such pleasing errors that it is the speciall illuminatiō of the Holy Ghost whereby they discerne in the Scripture euery circumstance of their discipline or other position which others cannot but such men would doe better not to trust to euery spirit Epist Ioh. 4.1 because there are but two wayes whereby the spirit leadeth men vnto all truth the one extraordinary extending it selfe but to some few and is now ceased the other common vnto all that are of God The first by a speciall diuine excellency we call reuelation and the second way is called reason If the spirit by reuelation hath discouered vnto the separatists the secrets of their discipline and liberty of their lauish tongues and lawlesse pens Tertul. de prescrip c. 30. which are the trumpets of sedition disobedience malice and scandall they must man and wife professe themselues Prophets or if reason led by the hād of that spirit they must for euery inuectiue and article which they disperse and hold shew some reason as strong as their Satirs are bitter or their perswasion earnest It is not the fire of railing or the feruency of perswasion incensed by malice or passion but the soundnesse of reason which must declare opinions to proceed from the Holy Ghost and not from fraud of that spirit who is strong in illusions They that take vpon them to impugne authority are to found themselues and examine whether they be puft vp with pride making their imaginations Idols 1. Tim. 5.4 or whether they can proue their vocation as Moyses and Elias did that hee that called them to so high a dignitie may giue them power to approue their vocation and induce the world to honour and reuerence them for their extraordinary workes and supernaturall vertues But if Didoclauius the Patriarch of Pseudo-Puritanisme and other separatists of his profession show not their vocation by other miracles and better reason then by accursed scandall prophane censure and seditious lybels quae in verecundae frontis nebulones olent We must not take Brightmans Apocalipsis Apocalipseos the altar of Damascus and other the like Chimeraes of distraction or melancholie and malecontented meditations for warrant Because all the gifts of Gods spirit doe so naturally tend to brotherly loue and common peace that we haue iust cause to suspect that if such doctrine did proceed from Gods spirit it should bee deliuered in sober calme and peaceable manner according to the inspiration of Gods spirit and not in bitternesse of railing and lybelling Melle prius quam felle tentandae sunt euangelicae curationes Other Simbols of pastorall vocation there be as perfect zeale right knoledge a good conscience not to bee railors contentious and authours of diuision to be patient in persecution louing the vnitie of brotherhood and deputed to death If with any part of the former and this ballance of the sanctuary the life doctrine and pretended zeal of our Separatists agree let al of sound iudgement follow or fauour them as they finde cause I haue not swerued from the trueth in the least circumstance thereof or if I would the recent actions which I oppose will not suffer me to belye the authors If I haue exceeded my intended breuitie the intricacie of the subiect will free mee If I haue beene constrained rudely and disorderly to heape together this discourse in a shorter scantling then the multiplicitie of aduerse calumnies require I hope I shall finde a time to supply that necessitous escape If my rough hewne discourse seeme somewhat harsh to the delicate eares of separation Saint Ierome will answer for me That against schismaticall insolencie no censure can bee too strict or expostulation too seuere If all that I haue sayd bee conferred with the least impudent personall aspersion
VOX VERA OR OBSERVATIONS FROM AMSTERDAM Examining The late Insolencies of some PSEVDO-PVRITANS Separatists from the Church of GREAT BRITTAINE And Closed vp with a serious three-fold Aduertisement for the generall vse of euery good Subiect within his Maiesties Dominions but more especially of those in the Kingdome of SCOTLAND By PATRICKE SCOT North-Brittaine STOB SERM. 44. Quae nascentia mala sunt ea crescentia peiora LONDON Printed by BERNARD ALSOP 1625. OT THE GENEROVS READER IF as is wittily moralized infants at their first entry into the world bewaile the fall of our first Parents I finde no reason why those that are of full age may not vera voce condole either priuate distempers or publike calamities or that I should not publish this abortiue birth expostulating against those Empiricks and firebrands that labour to enflame the Church and incense the state that thereby a plurisie of troubles and generall combustion might ensue indangering the peace of the one or troubling the calme of other As my stile is dull plaine without affectation rather to deliuer trueth then shew art so are my aimes sincere and free of all squint-eyed inducements My dutie to the Church allegeance to my Soueraigne and danger of schismaticall praesidents are the fires that haue tempered this Telamonian shield vnder whose shelter this Shepheard-like subiect opposeth the naked simplicitie of trueth against the enraged Goliahs of this age armed with glistring shows of finest forgery One fauour I craue that thy misprision wrong me not as if I did not distinguish such graue sober and peaceable spirits in the Clergie or Laitie at home or abroad that though different in opinioÌ„ in some points of externall discipline and policie containe themselues within the precinct of that vnity and modesty prescribed by the Apostles in like cases As I esteeme it sacriledge to detract from the least desert of any sober Christian so hold I it Religion to vnmaske the viperous brood of Parricidos whose inuenomed shafts I passe by with contempt neglecting whether such dogs barke snarle or fawne Dum conscientiae satisfacio nihil in famam laboro sequatur vel mala dum bene mereor darke shadowes doe no lesse attend beautifull then deformed bodies in brightest Sunshine If I should labor other satisfaction it were an effect of frenzy not of hope since it is no trueth but opinion which trauelleth the Coasts without pasport that I am to suruey If thou read iudiciously without partiality I expect thy fauorable censure of this task meditated wheÌ„ the raging waues of stormy Seas incensed with thundring winds aduanced deaths pale colours to the terrour as well of Mariners as Passengers penned after my safe exposall vpon a forraigne shore when the sad remeÌ„brance of some of my friends familiars lately sunke into the vnsatiable belly of the vast Ocean much distempered my braine and confused my memory now published to the praise of that supreame Maiestie by whose grace I hope hereafter in a more calme aire to erect a thankfull memoriall of so great a deliuery Farewell P. S. VOX VERA IT is the humour of ambitious seditious and scismatiticall spirits in the entry of their designes to studie popularitie Fauor in apud Stob. and being drunke with vulgar applause the vaine glory thereof raiseth their conceits many strains higher then really they are as if Greatnesse and Wisdome ingrauen in their forehead by open force or subtill perswasion might surprize both enemies and friends Lact. lib. 3. Philost when in true portraiture they resemble the rearers vp of Babel the Furies that most torment the world and that Cerberus that sets open hell gates to let loose such spirits as fill the world with imposture in this period or rather dregs of decaying time 2. Tim. cap. 3. v. 2.3.4.5 wherein the imperious nature of domination in irregular minds cannot indure limitation but must and will range abroad in the wide wilde-field of humours and draw attentiue Auditors to the Prologue of such Tragedies as are embellished with showes of great matters or rather false hopes to conquer the world with the Sword of the Spirit as if all others were possessed with a Lethargie or Frensie extreme diseases that cannot bee cured with Manna and gentle remedies and that such Quacksaluers are onely the Phisitians to cure the world so deadly distempered Euâ— histor Eccles Thus from the beginning hath God left some remnants of Cananites to proue Israel by them to teach them ware that did not know it before thereby trying the faith and patience of his Church which neuer wanteth Seminaries of Atheisme and brochers of lewd libertie who vnder religious habit are the sole enemies to all religion Floren. Schon Sub hoc mantili euerriculo multarum fraudum ferâ—â—da ingenia violentiam naturae aut profundam ambitionem velare student The time allotted to these ensuing obseruatioÌ„s should run out The Induction before I brought to the view of the Reader the least part of those instances of this kind wherwith both Churches and States haue been infected or poysoned all which I will leaue and onely bring to the Stage some few of the most recent disloyall practises and selfe conceited scismaticall opinions of home-bred pharisaicall hypocrites that blush not to assume the face of an harlot surrepticiously chalenge the title of the Church send abroad such positions as labor to draw soueraigntie into contempt annihilate iust lawes taint superiour powers with disgracefull notes and erect democracie or orderlesse confusion in both Church and State if the most deuouring stomach of ambition or singularitie could swallow such choking morsels before it come at them Ludit in humanis deuina potentia rebus He that made the world can make such learn by their errors Plus est in artifice quam in arte Would to God I could saile by some other point of the Compasse then by that which directeth my course against those rockes of diuision or sinking shallowes of disloyaltie whereupon it is likely some Separatists from the Church of great Britaine are already ship-broken and that others yet tossed with scismaticall stormes are like to be cast vpon the same Coast Let it not then seeme strange to the eye of preiudicate opinion that the common obligation of euery good subiect tieth me to expostulate against the malitious forgeries of such enemies to peace as vncouer these Trophes of disgrace which they haue erected to tell their shame to posteritie and to sound the depth of these riotous misdemeanours which in my late suruey of the vnited Prouinces I haue seene at Amsterdam and other places where dispersing of infamous Libels might either curry fauour in the eye of licentious Libertines malecontented Fugitiues or professed Enemies There I did behold euery Bookesellers shop and most Pedlers stalles loaden with the nullitie of Perthes assembly the Altar of Damaseus the Dialogue betwixt Theophilus and Cosmophilus the Speech of the Church of Scotland to
professed Is there a more palpable errour then to receiue euery article of externall discipline with the like reuerence honour them with the like regard and defend them with the like tenacitie as if they were matters of faith commanded by canonicall Scripture The Apostles and sacred writ haue deliuered vnto vs no other precepts concerning the externall gouernment of the Church then that all things in the Church may be done decently and in order But on the contrary â— Cor. 14.4 our Didoclauius and his followers charge vs at no lesse perill then our soules that we marre all decency ouerturne all order by disparaging the state with contempt and making that honourable Title of true Catholike euer lyable to scandall if not to scissure so long as phantasticall suggestion prates that the Church cannot stand except tyed to euery circumstance of pollicy and discipline when indeed such designes are onely to erect democratie and bring confused paritie into the house of God by men who professe they know God but by their workes they deny him 2. Tim. 3.5 Flor. Scen. Religio passim in ore improbitas in corde liuor honesti zelo personatur malidicentia fucat morbum titulo libertatis tam callide haec imponunt vt nosci nisi difficulter non queant porro quia vinenum quò dulcius eò periculosius est We are now become Saints in show but Scithians in substance it suffiseth if we can prate of our externall knowledge boast of our verball speculation inforce a sophisticated dispute disprouing our obedience to those whom God hath set ouer vs. Tandem eo dementiae deuenimus vt gloriemus iis quibus erubescere oportebat quod vnum habemus in malis bonum perdimus peccandi verecundiam Let vs looke with impartiall eies vpon the late proceedings of our owne Separatisis and vpon what reasons their fained griefes are grounded and we shall easily perceiue whether the Church their Mother if they disclaime her not as some already haue done hath left her motherly care or his Maiesty vnto whom they owe obedience if they haue any conscience which is to be doubted hath exceeded the extent of Soueraigntie or they their Ministeriall function or dutifull allegeance in impugning either the one or the other That I may cleare this the better and shew Hercules by his foot I will leaue generals and descend to my particular obseruations picked out of a short view of some few passages contained in the huge Chaos of those infamous libels which I haue already mentioned whether they goe current vnder the name of Didoclauius Philadelphus Anonimus or other titles rather distinguishing audacious attempts then persons In the Epistle to the Altar of Damascus censuring his Maiesties learned and Princely Basilicon doron these be the words of Didoclauius Auaite hostem nobis infestissimum regem Brittanniae c. A little after in that same Epistle Pro principe Apostata non orandum docet Apostolus ordines in ordinem redigere posse tirannum gladium e furiosi manibus extorquere verisimile est aliquos censuisse nam id sentiunt viri docti Thirdly in that Epistle he is not ashamed to proclaime an impudent knowne vntruth in these words Anno secundo post regis in Angliam aduentum 300. Ministri vel libertate concionandi mulctati vâ—â— beneficio priuati vel excommunicationis fulmine icti vel in carcerem coniecti vel solum vertere coacti c. superiorum temporum annales replicanti reperire non est grauiorem sub vllo principe fidem orthodoxam profitente persecutionem In the course of conformitie page 88. these be the words of the same authour the Idolatry of Ieroboam saith he might haue as well beene defended by the authority and kirke of that age as Idolatry of this age by the State and Clergy now ioyne all these together and you shall the better without comment vnderstand the one by the other and by what spirit a priuate man impudently taxing King Clergy and Gouernment to which hee ought obedience preferreth such doctrine to which hee is ashamed otherwise to affixe his name then by anagrammatizing Dauidis Calderwodi into Edwardi Didoclauii as if none but the brethren of his owne language could dissolue such a Gordian knot explaine this subtill Hierogliphicke extricate this labyrinthian riddle or finde out a Woodcocke by the eye To come from the Title to the Subiect there was neuer Christian pen that did blot paper with so barbarous Aphorismes scandalous comparisons and dishonourable reproches all which vntruthes from the mouth of a shamelesse lybeller are honorable badges to vertues Miriam was branded with leprosie Num. 12.10 because in bitternesse she once reproued Moses for his Aethiopian wife 2. Sam. 16.5 Gen. 9.22 Schemei rayled but once against the Lords annoynted and yet had his reward C ham but once mocked his fathers drunken nakednesse and yet had his fathers curse but this cursed Schemei and vnnaturall Cham neuer ceaseth to curse both Prince Prophet and Priest and vpbrayd the comely clothed sobrietie of his parents and yet looketh to be honoured as an Oracle or canonized Saint How dareth this Cirian Wolfe barke against that Moone Stob. apud Plin. whose light borrowed from the great eye of Heauen dissipates the Cimerian darkenesse of that night in whose obscuritie hee thirsteth to prey vpon the innocencie of vnwarie sheepe or thinketh this bastardly brat that his Maiestie hath not thousands the least scratch of whose pens is able to brand his face with blacke infamie if they wold interrupt more profitable studies by honoring a factious libeller with answer to beggerly collections borrowed as well from the dregs of scismaticall opinions as from the corrupt pudles of some double tongd Lawyers and informatory papers of the seditious brethren of his owne profession Chilon optimam pronuntiauit Remp. quae maximè leges minime autem Rhetoris audiat Sto. Ser. 41. Non est opus quoties libet ogganire eadem conuitia resellere vind Phil. pag 951. euery materiall point whereof is so fully already answered and conuinced by men learned truly religious and Church Councels confirmed by Parliament the representatiue body of the State that if truth might haue trust or reason place the chiefe maintainers of that orderlesse frame might be satisfied or giue sentence against themselues to be thrust out of the Church for such irregular rude and intemperate passions as in bitternes of gall makes a scissure in the vnitie of the Church and exposeth the sacred name of Soueraigntie to contempt or rather annihilates it But lest it be thought that rather passion then reason thus transports me I will first examine the suggested degrees of persecution whereupon this trumpet of sedition buildeth his reasonlesse railing and then the dignitie of the gouernment whereof he so much boasted To come to the first he aggrauates the persecution by the number persecuted viz 300. then discending to the persons of some
contra Donat. Both diuine and human lawes enable Princes to preuent confusion of opinions and scismes that infect the world with Atheisme and ouershadow the face of Christian simplicitie with selfe-conceit Tim. 6.20 schoole subtleties vaine babling and opposition of science falsly so called It is a fond arrogant presumption to intrude euery singular conception vpon the Church by railing and malitious aspersions and not by modesty and reason by which only diuine trueth will issue and be brought to light All contrary factious practises tumultuary motions and virulent inuectiues haue euer been condemned as arch policies to animate sedition and giue the vulgar people heartning to make God the authour of rebellion and themselues his deputies in the execution This assumed liberty dayly beaten in popular eares is onely a Circean song rather beseeming the hoords of Tartarians then commonwealth of Christians a paradoxe in which all Princes haue interest and an insolency incredible to posteritie if euery Aristarchus may censure euery Gracchus giue sentence or euery subiect sit in iudgement against soueraigntie They are bad States-men that vniustly take from the subiect to add to the prerogatiues or reuenues of Kings thereby they weaken soueraigntie depriue it of the loue of the people make the life of it troublesome and subiect to diseases but you like worse Statesmen touch the string of soueraignty with too rough a hand or rather breake it in pulling the natural feathers from it to enlarge popular libertie In aduancing this Anarchy you open a dore to all manner of euils which with licentiousnesse and disobedience rush into the commonwealth and make the great frame of soueraigne Empire vnproportionable vncomely and altogether vnseruiceable either for restraint of vice aduancement of vertue or for vniting of inward power against forraine force which are the main ends of royall institution The large and sure point of mediocrity is lost in the narrow compasse of your singularitie wherein few or none haue euer found it for if affaires bee not euenly ballanced without approach to extreames Church or State gouernment may erre vpon either hand and so fall into an anarchy or tyranny Fata si liceret mihi Fingere arbitrio meo Temperem Zephiro leui Vela ne pressae graui Strepitu antennae tremant Tuta me media vehat Vita decurrens via Quicquid excessit modum Pendet instabili loco As wisdome is the sacred worker of all things so is a modest carriage one of her chiefest effects arming the possessors with a wel composed orderly modestie as well to encounter the secret Ambuscados as open assaults of aduerse accidents Neither doth wisdome florish in any thing more then in the religious mutuall chast amplexures wherewith order vnitie and loue imbrace one another perfuming heauen and earth with a delicious fragrancy which shineth like a resplendent light in the firmament of the Church and common wealth Hieron ad Damasc Si quis in hac arca non fuerit peribit regnante diluuio si quis extra hanc domum agnum commederit prophanus est The sweetnesse of Musicke hath mastered mens fiercest affections and it is wittily emblem'd that harmony caused the stones of Thebes ioyne themselues in vniforme proportion of building If you picture or present to your selues the excellent blessings that will acrue to the cause of religion by the vnanimous ioynture of all true professors certainly you shall at once in the same measure graue in your hearts a religious reuerent respect towards that sacred bond of vnity and loue so much distracted by passionate distempers There is nothing more contrary to religion then that orderlesse anarchy sedition calumny strife enuy malice the rebels of heauen incensed by contention should be entertaind as most welcome guests to those who assume the sole title of purity But if you wil haue the world to be the Theater of your praises or dignifie your desert with so glorious titles consort your loue charitie wisdome and peaceable conuersation with those attributes wherewith now your actions show you but hood-winke the world In your long digging the barren desolate and vnfruitfull quarry of dissention you haue gotten nothing but vnseruiceable stones for the sanctuary and rubbidge of scandall for your selues but from the rich mines of obedience peace christian society you shall reap a golden haruest of those fruits of our faith which are onely able to direct vs towards heauenly Ierusalem O! then cal your actions to a reckoning examine the cause you haue taken in hand laying aside that bitternesse of gal wherewith hitherto you haue ouer-abounded and with meeknesse searching the trueth Thinke you are men and may erre Sift impartially your owne hearts whether it be force of reason or vehemency of passion that feedeth your opinions When you discouer the trueth seeke not to couer it with glosing delusions but acknowledge the greatnes thereof and thinke it your greatest victory when the same ouerruleth you Deceiue not your selues by thinking that staying 〈◊〉 our owne Countrey you may as well shake off your alleageance farre lesse inuest your selues in soueraigne Power which is a Note aboue Ela set to the Tune of Iohn Knox Geneuating in a wrong Diapason as some by running to Amsterdam make themselues Libertinos and Ciues alienae Reipublicae to their shame If others Separatists will follow their Sent or if perhaps their further contempt procure them a Mittimus or safe-conduct thither certainely the Church will be eased and the State disburthened of those vnquiet Spirits whose ensuing miserie will make them sensible of their vnaduised choyse in leauing Gods people committed to their charge and in prostituting themselues against eyther conscience or wisdome to bee slaues at least consorts to the impure Lusts of Iudaisme Sectaries or Schisme Neyther is it to be feared that the Nurseries and Schooles of Learning in Great Brittaine are so barren as Didoclauius impudently vpbraideth them that they cannot supply the Ministerie with Pastors euery way as able and in the point of conformitie to Gods Ordinances more fit to be Labourers in the Lords Haruest In your ordinarie discourse and in that poysonable Libell falsely entituled The Speech of the Kirke of Scotland you desire to haue a hearing that by reasoning matters in question may be determined and that the Lawes alreadie made may sleepe and haue no power ouer you till publikely you eyther confesse your error which is Aethiopem lauare or by sound reason draw others to your opinion If it might please his Maiestie vpon whose approbation the matter dependeth to condiscend so farre the cause of the Church maintained is such that it needeth not to shun any triall but rather appealeth to any solemne conference where in quiet orderly sort reason and not confused voyces of preiudicat opinions might haue place But certainly according to the reach of my slender iudgement your desire in this is but a glistring shew to dazle poreblind eyes and altogether dissonant from reason that