or I believe any man else It were a great folly for me to misreport or dissemble in things so publike and notorious as these 19. Much adoe you make about Chounes Booke where you begin with the License but mistake the Licenser whence I hope we may conclude you are over-apt to trust flying Report For had you used ocular inspection here we cannot but think you can read a printed Name Touching the Booke it selfe very eager you are to stretch all to the worst For he saith not Fides Resipiscentia Perseverantia Faith Repentance Perseverance are the Causes of Salvation as you alledge but Fidei Resipiscentiae Perseverantiae recta quae est ex Deo Ordinatio Kenne you no difference here betwixt mans act in believing repenting and persevering and Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ordaining faith repentance and perseverance to be the meanes of salvation But a dangerous matter it is to fall into the hands of a Man that is resolved to make the worst of every thing he meets with You tell us farther D. Bastwick in the Face of the Starre-Chamber charged my Lord of Canterbury with this Booke That he did not neither in the High Commission somewhat hee wrangled about Fundamentalls which truly was not worth the writing into Scotland But more than all this It wounds you say the Kings Monarchick Government at the very heart and transferres from the Crowne to the Miter one of its fairest Diamonds which the King and His Father before him did ever love most dearely You cite not the Words nor the place but in your Chapter of Tyrannie we cannot misse it sure There he is alleaged to say that * P. 113. Kings and Princes are accompted sonnes of the Church That Bishops make Canons which yet have their Vivacity or Act of life from Kings as the Heads This is all in effect he saith there I wonder much what designe M. Choune a Lay-Gentleman should have to transferre from the Crowne to the Miter this faire Diamond Supremacie in Causes Ecclesiasticall for that is it you meane And I wonder more to finde you so jealous of it But be content good Sir neither M. Choune nor the Bishops intend any such theft In the meane while Rom. 2.21 thou that teachest a man should not steale dost thou steale Doe not you with open face rob the Crowne of this Diamond and transferre it to your Ecclesiasticke Assemblies f Parall 4. Lysimachus Nicanor sayes you doe And in your Postscript-answer to him here durst you deny it so much as in one syllable Are you not faine to conclude the point with him thus Our Prince is very well content from the Generall Assembly the highest Ecclesiasticke Court should come no appeale at all to him Belike from other Sessions and Presbyteries lies Appeale thither but there you are at the top 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Looke no higher then though sure the top is ever the Kings by right Obediunt simul regnant saith Choune Princes obey the Church but rule and governe it withall but with you it is simply obediunt nay g Synodo intersint non ut regnent sed ut serviant c. Bez. conf c. 5. art 15. serviunt by no meanes regnant You may make Acts censure depose excommunicate and no Appeale lies from you Indeed you slide it over with a mannerly expression our Prince is very well content c. but should the Bishops build up such an independent Supremacie and be questioned for it would it suffice for them to answer Our Prince is very well content That personate Iesuite as you call him objects you deny Kings Power to convocate Assemblies whereto you answer * Postscr p. 14 he knowes the contrary that you give to all Christian Soveraignes so much interest in affaires of the Church as to convocate Assemblies when and where they please but withall you hold indeed that without them you may convocate your selves in some case So tender you are of preserving in the Crowne that faire Diamond And so much you indigne at Choune though very innocent thereof that hee should transferre it to the Miter the fault is he did not indeed transferre it to the Presbytery Where bee it knowne That Ecclesiastick power is not to bee lessened by the expulsion of Bishops now it is jurisdiction but then it shall bee discipline 21. In your third Chapter you * P. 31. taxe my Lord of Canterbury for promoving Master Duries Negotiation with the Churches beyond Sea This Durie is a Scottish Minister that hath much pained himselfe travelling up and downe Germany to solicit an Vnion betwixt the Churches of the Augustan confession and the rest My Lord of Canterbury found his Predecessour Archbishop Abbot imbarqued in this designe and thereupon inclined the rather to give encouragement to it but ever kept himselfe within the bounds which his Predecessour had set Now if this be a fault there be many partakers For wee are made beleeve few Ambassadours or Agents in those parts few Doctours or Professors of their Vniversities that have not intermedled more or lesse to promove this action But after all I doubt you need not much feare the successe A synctetisme you say all good men did ever pant for but not a full peace I suppose you meane they should combine against the common enemy but still keepe at oddes amongst themselves Yet a syncretisme being not every daies Word you might have done well to explaine your selfe better and the rather because the Cretians had an ill name you know for cheating and cozening that possibly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bee taken in a vicious sense to pack together for mischiefe And I thinke Beza uses it so in an Epistle of his to Bishop Grindall Quis porrò fuerit quorundam nuper adversus omnes harum Partium ac proinde etiam adversus Gallicas vestras quoque Ecclesias quas omnes nobiscum in omnibus doctriae capitibus consentire arbitramur conatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jam pridem ad vos usque perlatum esse Opinor Conatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I hope this is not the syncretisme you have long panted for But a syncretisme you would have not a full peace though otherwise a man very peaceably minded Now wee in England are taught to pray thus That God would inspire continually his universall Church with the spirit of truth unity and concord and grant that not onely These and Those but even all they that confesse his holy name may agree in the truth of his holy word and live in unity and godly love 22. And thus much of Fact now to matter of Doctrine or Opinion wherein all that is objected will be found as hitherto it hath been lighter then vanity it selfe But when such things as these are printed with Licence and informed of as matters of very great consequence wee trust it will bee excused if wee lose a little time to give some answer at least to
A Briefe Examination Of a Certaine Pamphlet lately Printed in Scotland and Intituled Ladensium Autocatacrisis c. 1. THere was written in Scotland and directed to the high Court of the Parliament of England at their last sitting a bitter and malicious Pamphlet intituled Ladensium Autocatacrisis The Canterburians selfe-conviction Or An evident Domonstration of the avowed Arminianisme Poperie and Tyrannie of that Faction by their owne Confessions The purpose of this Worke speakes it selfe in the Title namely to brand many particular Divines in this Church with Heterodoxie of Opinions and that under the name of a Faction and a Faction united in my Lo. of Canterbury as in their Common Head Which Accusation of Heterodoxie in Opinions will be here found false and frivolous and never a one of these Divines but will shake off this Pamphlet as S. Paul did the venemous Beast into the fire and feele himselfe never the worse for it But were it so that some men in their opinions and writings did depart from the established Doctrine of this Church yet to affirme they combine to doe it as a Faction and to ascribe the Conduct of that Faction to my Lo. of Canterbury without manifest and convincing Proofe is a meere Calumny and indeed but the spume of that Malice with which they prosecute him endeavouring through his sides to wound the Church of England and to draw one Line of Confusion over all Yet that the Matter may carry some Colour this Vndertaker whoever he be hath evesdropped all his Grace's Writings to see what he may possibly distort to any ill meaning Concerning which though we might briefly answer what a Ep. ad Neocaesar S. Basil speaks in like case for himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in effect A furious Zelot is no competent Iudge of the Writings of a well-affected Protestant Yet I shall endeavour to lay the Particulars before you very briefly and faithfully that so when you see the whole reckoning together you may judge whether on his Grace's part in any thing he hath written any just cause hath beene given of all this Clamour raised against him and all the unreverent Contumelies which are here cast upon him Archbishops were not wont to be thus handled but in this Age of the World it were a ridiculous thing to send these Men to the Councells of b Can. 6. Constantinople c Can. 8.11 Carthage or d Can. 21. Chalcedon to learne better manners in this behalfe Now is a time with them to hisse at all the Canons and Councels of the Christian World and instead of such superstitious and out-worne stuffe to idolize their owne new Bookes of Discipline which leave both their tongues and pens free Iud. 5.8 to despise Dominion and speake evill of dignities But whether these things proceed from hearts seasoned with the least tincture of Grace or any syncere Affection to Religion and true Piety a thing so much pretended and boasted now adayes whether it be Christian-like so barbarously and uncivilly to slander men of Place and Eminence in the face of a Kingdome wherein by Gods Ordinance and the established Lawes they are under the Kings Majesty appointed the chief Guides and Governours of the Church that any sort of men especially the meanest should be permitted such an unbridled licence against them whether I say it be Christian-like or befitting the honour of a Reformed Church though men may have forgotten to judge God will surely remember 2. But before I meddle with matters of Opinion I must expostulate some things with this Authour which come rather to the nature of Fact and serve to make up a great part of the noyse Where first Sir what meane you by this Title or Frontispice Ladensium Autocatacrisis The Canterburians Selfe-conviction Expound you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Selfe-conviction Sure the word signifies Selfe-condemning and Selfe-convicting is not Selfe-condemning But not to detaine you in this slip Why Selfe-conviction Because they have written something out of which you think you can convict them But your Convicting them is not Selfe-convicting 3. And thirdly why a Demonstration by their owne Confessions Doe they confesse the Fact Indeed you have raked together many Sayings and Sentences out of their Bookes to prove them Arminians and Papists and Maintainers of Tyranny but doe they answer guilty to all this Sure your Purpose is but to fright the poore Men with this Mormo of your Title Otherwise we know an Accusation though taken from the Parties owne mouth does not presently inferre his owne Confession for words may be misapplied or misunderstood Nor to bee convicted by another man though out of his owne mouth is to be selfe-convicted nor to be so convicted even by himselfe is presently to be selfe-condemned This is such stuffe that the Parties concerned as e De Pallio Tertullian sayes of the Camaeleon Ridebunt illicò audaciam Graeciam Nominis 4. But in your * We offer to instruct to the full satisfaction of the whole world of free and inprejudicate mindes not by fleeing reports not by probable likelihoods not by the sentences of the gravest and most solemne Iuâ—icatories of this Land our two last generall Assemblies and late Parliament All there meanes of Probation wee shall set aside and take us alone to the Mouth of our very Adversaries Preface you tell us you could have used other Proofes beside their owne Bookes 1 Flying reports 2 Probable likelihoods 3 The sentences of the two last generall Assemblies and late Parliament in Scotland where the two first are if you marke it forsooth very strong proofs and though you seeme to passe them by yet you have trusted them as much as any But for the third if my Lord of Canterbury and these his Canterburians as you please to call them were then and there in your two Assemblies and Parliament condemned of Poperie being as they stand in your Index all English-men may they not reasonably plead what he doth in the Tragedie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A subject of one Countrey ought not to be judged in another Ne usurpata altarum partium sollicitudine Bellum inter se incitarent as S. Ambrose Spartam tibi quae contigit orna Nobis fuerint Cura Mycenae But the truth is it is enough with men of your Feather to call your Adversaries Papists or Arminians or what you please your Adherents will believe it upon your bare Word Do but you say it and all the Protestations Oathes Subscriptions all the art and industry they can use shall never sufficiently purge them of it So that if now ex superabundanti you will not say it onely but prove it too very good reason you should grace your performance with some extraordinary inscription Let it be therefore Autocatacrisis a very Selfe-conviction though it be indeed neither nor one of these the other Once more If you will needs mistake these men to be Arminians and Papists and
that he set himselfe about this Worke not out of any Love of Truth but out of a wicked purpose to doe Mischiefe They teach sayes he * P. 43. that not only the People but their most learned Clergie Popes Cardinals Iesuites living and dying in their bitter oppositions and persecutions of Protestants are in no hazard of Damnation though they never come to any particular Acknowledgement of their sinfull opinions and practices following thereupon as who should say for so the Words import though knowing them to be sinfull Opinions and practises yet never acknowledging them such never repenting nor asking God forgivenesse for them they are still in the way to heaven Belike these Canterburians would be content to save the Pope and his Cardinals though sinning against the Holy Ghost for truth is this were no lesse To make good this Accusation stand in his Margin this and such like sayings The Corruptions of Rome materially and in the very kind and Nature are leven drosse hay and stubble yet the Bishop thought that such as were misled by Education or long custom or over-valuing the Soveraigntie of the Romane Church and did in Simplicity of heart embrace them might by their generall Repentance and faith in the merits of Christ attended with Charity and other vertues finde Mercy at God's hands Reader how say you doth this come home to the Popes learned Clergie living and dying in bitter and unrepented Oppositions and persecutions of Protestants It was counted a Christian Speech that of * Euseb Hist L. 6. c. 45. Dionysius Alexandrinus to Novatus Thou oughtest to have endured any thing rather then to rent the Church of God To suffer for avoiding of Schisme is a Martyrdome never a whit lesse nay indeed more Glorious then for not sacrificing to Idols And S. Chrysostome cites this from the mouth of an holy man as he sayes That even Martyrdome will not satisfie for Schisme Now then what Spirit may we thinke guides these men that are so dearely affected to Division and Combustion that rather then faile to kindle a fire among us doe harden their faces to slander and in this bold Manner 37. Our Divines say there is a Difference in Case of Schisme or Heresie betwixt the Simple and the Learned the Misled and the misleaders They say A man may be a good Protestant and yet not damne all his forefathers They say we refuse Communion with Rome in her Publike Service being grosse and superstitious but in Charitie we hold Vnion with them and all the Church of Christ These and the like sayings are scored downe here in his Margin as foule and impious So that belike the Contradictory of them would have better become the Pens of Protestants They must say there is no difference betwixt Priest and people simple and learned Leaders and followers all are in a like Condition all must to hell alike They must say no man can be a good Protestant that lives in charitie with a Papist Nor can he be a good Protestant unlesse he damne all his Forefathers What Cause there may be to repent of that pious and prudent Way which hath hitherto beene insisted upon by this our Church in defence of the Truth and is most agreeable to Christian moderation and the practice of the most holy times I know not But if this keene zeale were the only Weapon left to destroy Poperie And the Bishops with their Adherents should wipe their Pens and give place to these fierie Champions What Fields of honour would be wonne by their devouring sword of damnation what accession made to the Protestant part wise men know well enough and time would teach the rest which is the best master to shew an errour but the worst to mend it 38. Hitherto you have stood upon Generalls you tell us now you will come up close to the Canterburians in particular points of Poperie and for that purpose you propound us foure heads * P 48. Their Idolatries their Heresies their Superstitions their abomination of Desolation the Masse In all which say you nay the grossest of which it shall appeare that the Canterburians joyne with Rome But having undertaken to present the Reader with such passages as are objected to my Lord of Canterbury from his owne pen which was to be expected would raise a great Cloud over him To see the ill luck of it my worke is done even where it should begin For except about the Matter of Altars in this next point of Idolatry I meet not with his Name cited above once or twice in all the residue of your Booke so that you are faine to give him over at the first loose only the word Canterburian runs through all but to keep the worke alive and your Reader in minde at what marke specially be it right or wrong he is to shoot This must be swallowed or els you have done just nothing that all these men whom you bring to the Barre for Canterburians wrote by his speciall encouragement and direction whereas some of them were his Elders and Antecessors in the Church as D. Andrewes and D. White 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of them were and are meere strangers and unknowne to him so much as de facie which is most true and will be avowed Yea and when this is swallowed yet you have done just nothing for let the indifferent Reader but use the helpe of your Margin to confute your Text not distracting his owne eyes with passion or prejudice and this quarrell is well nigh ended Though were it otherwise yet to affirme that the Archbishop of Canterbury long before he was Archbishop for these many yeares hath held the Pens of all that have written in England amisse and of none of them that have written right is such a wild Presumption as no man of any honesty can say and no man of Common Sense will believe 39. Concerning the holy Table or Altar your Accusation is Canterbury saith that Worship yea and divine Worship or Adoration is to be given to the Altar Let us see now whether your Allegations in the Margin will come home to this there we finde Great reverence is due to the Body and so to the Throne where this Body is usually present Marke you Reverence not Worship But you say he gives Venite Adoremus to the Altar and no man can suppose that to be lesse than Divine Adoration Let us to your Margin againe there we read thus Therefore according to the Service-Book of the Church of England in this Compellation Venite adoremus the Priest and the People both are called upon for externall and bodily Worship of God in his Church Marke you againe Worship of God not of the Altar Let the Reader peruse the whole Passage as it is set downe within the Bounds of a few short Pages in his Starre-Chamber Speech and see if his constant expression be not Reverence to the Throne Worship to God q St. Sp. p. 43. God forbid sayes his