namely First an earnest desire to heare as Act. 13. 42. like one who having beene deafe desires the sense of hearing Secondly a renewed understanding when we heare as Mary did who pondered in her mind that which shee heard and this understanding of what we heare is so necessary that Chrysostome tels us that the Deacon prayed for the Catechumenoi that they might understand what they heard Thirdly a trembling and fearfull heart because we have offended our God and so long neglected to serve him and thereby have caused him to separate himselfe from us Fourthly joy and delight in the Word Act. 8. 38 39. 13. 48. Fifthly when the Word penetrates deep into the heart making therein deep furrowes Sixthly when we lay up what we hear as a treasure hoarding it up against the time of need Matth. 13. 52. never departing from the Word without some profit thereby and Seventhly meditating continually upon the Word of God Psal 119. 2. 3. Certainly if these things he in us in truth we may then assure our selves that Christ hath begun to cure the deafnesse of our soules 35. Passages purged out against Gods Hardning and Obduration of men THese clauses are expunged in Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew 11. ver 25. 26. Quest 2. Whom doth the Lord thus blind or harden Answ First he blinded or hardened Pharaoh Exod. 7. and why first because he persecuted and oppressed the godly Exod. 5. and Secondly because he condemned and despised the Lord and his Message Exod. 5. 2. and Thirdly because he drove away and banisht Moses the Messenger of the Lord from him Exod. 10. 28. And secondly he hardened and blinded those who sought salvation by the Law and not by faith in Christ Rom. 9. 32. And thirdly those who defile themselves by wallowing in the filthy puddle of iuiquity Isa 59. 7. 9. Rom. 1. 24. 25. And fourthly those who are drowned in sleep and overvvhelmed in security Rom. 11. 8. And fifthly those vvho still retaine the vaile over their hearts and abide in vvilfull and affected ignorance 2 cor 3. 14. And therefore if vve desire that the Lord should discover the hidden mysteries of the Gospell unto us and not hide them from us then we must take heed of these things to wit First vve must take heed of persecuting or oppressing of the children of God and Secondly of concernning or despising either God or his Word and Thirdly of banishing or putting away from us his Ministers and Messengers and Fourthly of seeking salvation by vvorks and Fifthly of sinne security presumption and ignorance c. Ibidem vvritten copy page 214. The Lord is active in reprobates two manner of vvayes namely first Praedestinando by determining and appointing of them unto a just doeth but this is remote from our present purpose Secondly Obdurando c. And a little after before Quest 6. This last is most proper to our present purpose and institution for if it be demanded How doth the Lord blind the mind or harden the heart I answer by not giving a blessing unto his Word or not co-operating therewith or not enabling men to apprehend and conceive or understand the Gospell and the truths therein contained 36. Passages blotted out against Holy-dayes dedicated to Saints IN Master Wards Comentary on Matthew written copy page 358. this sentence is expunged The Papists hold that Holy-dayes may be dedicated unto Saints for their honour and worship as Christpromised this charitable work of Mary Magdalen wrought upon him should be recorded and remembred whereby say they we learne that the good works of Saints may be recorded to the Honour of Saints in the Church whereof arise their commemorations and Holy-dayes Rhemist annot Matth. 25. sect 1. First the good works of Saints may be remembred to the honour of God without their Holy-dayes and commemorations Christ instituted no holy-day of Mary Magdalen neither commanded any image of her fact to be made but onely a memory of her in the preaching of the Gospell Secondly we grant that christian solemnities may be kept as things indifferent which the Church may retaine or abrogate as it shall seem best for edification if they â—e not observed of necessity as a part of Gods worship neither consecrated to the honour of Saints seeing all divine worship is wholly to be reserved to God and not to be given to any other For times and seasons the Scripture saith the Lord hath put them only in his owne power therefore he only is to have the honour of them Thirdly what honour is due unto Saints Saint Augustine sheweth Colimus Martyres eo cultu dilectionis societatis que in hac vitacoluntur sancti homines Dei we doe honour Martyrs-with the service of love and fellowship as the holy men are honoured in this life but it is not lawfull to consecrate dayes and times to holy men living therefore neither to Saints departed for one and the same honour is due to them both c. 37. Clauses obliterated That we are Justified onely by Faith in Christ not by Workes That Justification may be lost and that Workes merit not IN Doctor Clarks Sermons page 282. l. 41. after that in Christ should be onely that in Christ onely we are justified but onely is blotted out c. Ibid. page 419. l. 29. after verse 8. should follow this excellent passage which was expunged by the Licenser Surely faith justifieth faith ONLY works have no doing in the worke in justification Rome cannot prove it non si se ruperit if shee disputes till Dooms-day but that sola fides is not solitaria faith never is alone true saving faith love is fast linkt unto her but in that act of Justification shee intermeddles not le ts faith work it alone Love is concomitant not co-operant faine would Rome wrest at least but this from us that works doe save if not justifie yet save needs will shee have them necessary to salvation we yeeld them not that neither some Lutherans doe but with that distinction as we may yeeld it too necessitate praesentiae not efficienciae works are where salvation is but they are not cause of salvation they are in salvando but have not vim salvandi all that are saved must have them but not any are saved by them c. Ibid. page 419. l. 3. after our conversation should follow these words as we doe out of the act of our Justification c. viz. exclude works Ibid. page 443. l. 10. after these words a farre off this clause is deleted Justification by works Saint James is flat for that ex operibus justificatur homo As for the distinction of declarative it was but some Calvmist that invented it c. Ibidem page 570. l. 15. these lines are expunged The other part of the spirit's exposition of the blessednesse of the dead is the reward of their faith for that is meant by these words and their works follow them Works as often elsewhere put by figure for
to tell him what harme this example might doe and how much hereby the secret Papists would be stirred up to rejoyce hoping for that which they have long looked for now to be neere at hand Was there no man had any sparke of Elias spirit to speake a word in Gods behalfe O lamenrable times in which we live that these things are swallowed downe by your Preachers in silence I forbeare to say much till I bee certified from you the truth of all matters I hope it is not so for I cannot thinke your Prebends would be so fainte hearted having also the Law of the Land on their side that it ought not to stand there where the Altar stood as to shrink at the first wetting without any pressing Speedily send me word I pray you and so with my hearty commendations I end Your loving Friend Iohn White Winchcombe 12th of Feb. 1616. A Copy of this Letter which this Archbishop stiled a Lible was soone after found in the Pulpit of Saint Michaels Church and sent up to the Deanes own hands who made much stir at Gloucester and the Court about it as appeares by these three Letters sound in his Study by Master Prynne and endorsed with his owne hand The first is a Letter sent by two of the Prehends to the Now Archbishop when he was Deane of Glocester upon this occasion Right Worshipfull OUr dutifull love remembred Wee have heard somewhat within these two or three dayes and this day more certainly of a certaine Libell or scandalous writing found in the Pulpit of Saint Michaells within the Citie of Gloucester upon the 14th of this instant Februarie about seaven of the Clocke in the morning when the Parish Clarke there did lay the Pulpit Cloth for Master Prior who was then to preach this scandalous writing was taken up by John Wells Curate there and by Thomas Smith the Clarke and by them read and by their meanes divulged so that all in the Citie well neare doe new speake of it The effect of the writing was as we learne a dislike for the Removing of the Communion Table within our Cathedrall Church affirming untruly that it tended to the animating of the Papists that it savoured of superstition that it was translated from a Communion Table to an High Altar and that Worship and obeysance were made unto it The Libeller marveileth that it is suffered as now it standeth and that there is not one Elias amongst us to reforme it Master John Jones one of our Aldermen and Justice of Peace hath examined some of them and they answer that they are advised by their Counsell not to confesse the effect of that Libell if they give not this day a better answer hee saith his purpose is to binds them ever to answer before the Judges at the next Assizes Master Jones his opinion is that it is very fit that there bee a Commission speedily procured from His Majesties High Commissioners for the examining of this matter and directed to some of the Clergie here and to sence Justies of Peace here provided alwayes that there be none such in that Commission of what degree or dignitie so ever they be that favour that schismaticall faction of the Puritans But now we learne that this Libell was presently delivered by the Curate or Clark unto our now Master Sub-Deane and therefore we assure our selves you are enformed of it by him and Master Robinson 5. or 6. dayes before this day If there be not a speedy course taken for the supressing of this their malicious and scandalous dealing it will in short time breed no small inconvenience within this plâ—â—â— c. Assuredly these zealous people are our Precisians the number whereof is great in this place Thus being bold to manifest unto you our love and dutie as we take it in this behalfe We humbly take our leave with our prayers unto God for Your health and welfare and rest Your Worships assuredly at Command Henry Aisgill Elias Wrench Gloucester Febr 21. 1616. The second is a Letter writ by him on this occasion to the Bishop of Glocester to this effect My Lord MY love and service remembered unto your Lordship when I came to doe my duty to his Majesty at Christmas it seemed by the speech he uttered to me that some body had done the poore Church of Glocester no very good office For his Majesty was graciously pleased to tell me He was informed that there was scarce ever a Church in England so ill govern'd and so much out of order And withall required me in generall to reforme and set in order what I there found amisse Hereupon at my being at Glocester I acquainted the Chapter with that which his Majesty had said to me and required at my hands And tooke as good order as in so short a space I could both for repaire of some parts of the edifice of the Church and for redresse of other things amisse Among the rest not rashly and of my selfe but by a Chapter Act I removed the Communion Table from the middle of the Quier to the upper end the place appointed to it both by the Injunctions of this Church and by the practise of all the Kings Majesties Chappell 's and all other Cathedrall Churches in the Kingdome which I have seene This Act since my comming thence as I am by letters informed is very much traduced by some in the City and a libell against it layd in the Pulpit of St. Michaells where Master Subdeane preaches to the great scandall of the Church and the Lawes established Good my Lord let me desire this favour in enquity at your Lordships hands that these things may be ordered and that your Lordship will joyne to reforme such tongues and penns as know not how to submit to any Law but their owne I must upon this of force have his gracious Majesty acquainted both with the thing it selfe and the entertainment which it hath found among turbulent Spirits And I presume his Majesty will be well pleased to heare that your Lordship as in other things so in this is carefull to preserve order and peace after it in the Church Thus not doubting but your Lordship will be carefull to rectifie what is amisse I for this time being full of my businesse for Scotland humbly take my leave and shall ever rest Your Lordships in all love and service WILLIAM LAVD Saint Iohns Feb. 27. 1616. The third was a letter writ by him to the Bishop of Lincolne Dr. Neale his great Patron then at Court MY humble duty and service remembered unto your Lordship c. When I was at London at Christmas to doe my duty unto his Majesty he was pleased very graciously to tell me that the Church of Glocester as his Majesty had been informed was more or as much out of order as any Church in England and to require me to order such things as I there found amisse upon this admonition of his gratious Majesty
His Majesty sitting in Councell the question and difference which grew about the removing of the Communion Table in St. Gregories Church neere the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end and there placed Altar-wise in such manner as it standeth in the said Cathedrall and Mother Church as also in all other Cathedralls and in His Majesties own Chappell and as it is consonant to the practise of approved Antiquity which removall and placing of it in that sort was done by order from the Deane and Chapter of St. Pauls who are Ordinaries thereof as was avowed before His Majesty by Doctor King and Doctor Montfort two of the Prebends there yet some few of the Parishioners being but five in number did complaine of this Act by Appeale to the Court of Arches pretending that the Booke of Common Prayer and the 82 Canon do give permission to place the Communion Table where it may stand with most fitnesse and couveniencie Now His Majesty having heard a particular Relation made by the Counsell of both parties of all the carriage and proceedings in this Cause was pleased to declare His dislike of all Innovation and receding from ancient Constitutions grounded upon just and warrantable Reasons especially in matters concerning Ecclesiasticall order and Government knowing how easily men are drawne to affect Novelties and how soone weake judgments in such cases may be overtaken and abused And He was also pleased to observe that if these few Parishioners might have their wills the difference thereby from the foresaid Cathedrall Mother Church by which all other Churches depending thereon ought to be guided would be the more notorious and give more subject of Discourse and Disputes that might be spared by reason of S. Gregories standing close to the wall thereof And likewise for so much as concerns the liberty given by the sayd Communion Book or Canon for placing the Communion Table in any Church or Chappell with most conveniency that liberty is not so to be understood as if it were ever left to the discretion of the Parish much lesse to the particular phansie of any humorous Person but to the Iudgment of the Ordinary to whose place and function it doth properly belong to give direction in that point both for the thing it selfe and for the time when and how long as he may finde cause Vpon which consideration his Majesty deciared himselfe That he well approved and confirmed the Act of the said Ordinary and also gave Command that if those few Perishioners before mentioned doe proceed in their said Appeale then the Deane of the Arches who was then attending at the hearing of the cause shall confirme the said Order of the aforesaid Deane and Chapter This Order being thus obtained and afterwards published in Print by Doctor Heylyn in his Coale from the Altar and Antidotum Lincolniense the designe of removing rayling in and turning Communion Tables into Altars in Parcohiall Churches Chappell 's was much promoted by coulor of it of the reason of conformity to Cathedrall Mother Churches expressed in it And to hasten this worke the more to which the people and Church-wardens in many places were very averse the Archbishop being to keep a Metropoliticall Visitation in all Diocesses and places exempt and not exempt with in the Province of Canterbury by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall others his Commissioners though he made no mention in his printed Visitation Articles of removing and rayling in Communion Tables Altar wise to avoyd the peoples clamours against him yet hee writ a private Letter to Sir Nathaniell Brent after his departure hence to enjoyne him to remove and raile in the Communion Tables in all Parish Churches and gave him order to see it executed With which practise the Archbishop being charged at the Lords Barre by Serjeant Wilde who mannaged this part of the evidence he peremptorily denied it and protested solemnly before the Lords that he never gave Sir Nathaniell Brent any such order or directions by letter or otherwise and that he could prove by sufficient testimonies Sir Nathaniell had openly acknowledged that this Alteration was made by Sir Nath. himselfe of his own head without any order from him adding that he cold not be so unworthy as to deny it Wherupon he desired Sir Nath. might be called to testify the truth upon his Oath who appearing at the Lords Bar for this purpose the Archbishop demanded of him whether ever hee gave him any command or direction by word or writing in his Metropoliticall Visitation to remove or raile in Communion Tables at the East end of the Chauncell telling him hee was now upon his Oath and wishing him to speake nothing but the truth herein whereunto Sir Nathaniell answered My Lords upon the Oath I have taken I received an expresse direction command from the Archbishop himselfe to do what ever I did in this or any other kind else I durst not have don it To which the Archbishop confidently replyed My Lords I protest I never gave him any such command or directions I wonder Sir Nathaniell dares be so bold unworthy as to affirm it here upon Oath since I can prove he hath formerly denied it To which Sir Nathaniell replyed My Lords since the Archbishop so confidently denies that he ever gave me any such command and directions I shall humbly desire that this Letter of his sent unto me when I was visiting at Maidstonin Kent signed with his own hand may be read which will end the controversie and manifest by whose Authority and command I did it whereupon a Letter under the Arch Bishops owne hand directed to Sir Nathaniell was delivered to the Clarke and openly read to the Arch-Bishops great shame and disparagment of all his Protestations which after this some other passages wherein he was taken tripping in like manner were reputed meere vaporing impostures to delude the vulgar voyd of truth and credit The Letter was to this effect Sir I require you to command the Communion Table at Maidston to be placed at the East or upper end of the Chauncell and there railed in and that the Communicants there shall come up to the Raile to receive the blessed Sacrament and the like you are required to doe in all Churches in all other placse where you are to visit Metropolitically c. W. Cant. This letter being read much daunted discredited the Arch-Bishop in the opinion of all the Auditors he having nothing to reply but that he had forgotten he writ him any such letter Vpon the receipt whereof Sir Nathaniell Brent confessed he did give order throughout his Metropoliticall Visitation that all the Communion Tables should be removed and railed in at the upper end of the Chauncell in all Parish Churches and all seates above the Table or equall with it in any Chancell pulled downe and that the Communicants should goe up to the Raile and there receive the Sacrament kneeling which he
constant care to uphold and maintaine the Religion prefessed in the Church of England in its purity without Error or Corruption Doth therefore hereby declare His Royall Will and pleasure to be and doth straightly Charge and Command all persons of what degree quality or condition soever to whose hands any of the said Bookes are or shall come that without delay they deliver or send them to the Bishop or Chancellor of the Diocesse whom His Majestie requireth to cause the same to be publikly burnt as such of them as have beene already seized on have beene by His Majesties expresse Commande And to this His Majesties Royall Pleasure he requireth all his loving Subjects to yeeld all doe Conformity and Obedience as they will avoid the censure of high Contempt God save the KING Given at Our Court at White-hall the fourteenth yeare of Our Reigne Vpon this Proclamation some few of these Bookes were seised and publikely burnt in Smithfield the poore Printer Oakes imprisoned divers Monthes almost to his utter undoing though he proved he complained of it to Doctor Haywood who commanded him to proceed but the Stationer was brought Ore tenus to the Star-Chamber and charged with the insertion of the Popish Passages after the Doctor had expunged them which he denied where the Archbishop made a Speech to cleare himselfe and his Chaplaine in which there was not one word of truth after which the Stationer was ordered to be committed to Prison and to find out the Translator which he affirming he could not do if he were imprisoned thereupon his imprisonment was respited and no further examination had of this foule businesse then to cleare the Archbishop and his Chaplaine by this devise in the meane time Mr. Prynnes Crosse Bill which truly related all the carriage of the businesse was suppressed that so the truth of it which he thou could would have manifested by sundry punctuall witnesses had he been permitted might never come to publike knowledge to the Archbishops and his Chaplaines shame who abused his Majesty and the People with false representations of this businesse which was now charged proved and testified against him at the Barre by Mr. Prynne Mistresse Oakes Michaell Sparke Senior and others to his shame The Epistle to a devout Soul written by a Friar then newly translated into English was licenced the selfe same day for the same Stationer that Sales book was being as full of Popery as it vvhich Mr. Prynne likewise charging in his Crosse Bill thereupon some of the Bookes were seized by the Stationers and the rest vented in private But Sales to make the Papists ammends was soone after reprinted here withall the Popery in it and sould publikely without restraint notwithstanding his Majesties Proclamation which was but a meere Pageâ—â—â— and devise of the Archbishops to cleare himselfe and his Chaplaine Having thus given you a summary Catalogue of the Popish Bookes Sermons licenced and published by him his Chaplaines and Agents we shall next present you with a List or Extract of the severall Popish Errors Doctrines Positions Paradoxes authorized and maintained in them most of them so grosse so execrable that they never durst appeare in any of our Impressions from the infancy of Reformation till this Arch-Prelate became their Patriot We shall begin with Auricular Confession and the power of Priests to remit sinnes the summe whereof is this 1. That Priests have not only a Ministeriall but an Authoritative and Juditiall Power to râ—mit sine confessed And that we ought frequently to confesse our sins to our Priests and Confessors at least once every Month especially in Lent We read in the Popes Nuntio compiled by the Venetian Ambassador concerning the Negotiation of Signior Panzanioes p. 12. That an English Doctor told Panzanioes friend that the King did approve of Auricular Confession was willing to introduce it and would use force to make it received were it not for feare of Sedition amongst the people Certainly all who shall read these ensuing authorized passages touching Auricular confession of Sins to Priests Confessors of Priests not only Ministeriall but Iuditiall Power to remit sinnes will undoubtedly beleive that at least our Popish Priests Prelates and this Archbishop in particular had a plotted resolution to introduce Auricular confession and set up an Authoritative Iuditiall power in Priests to receive confessions and remit sinnes confessed in all his Majesties Dominions The Passages to this purpose are these Mountagues Gagge p. 78. 83. 84. It is confessed that all Priests and none but Priests have power to forgive sinnes It is confessed that private confession unto a Priest is of very ancient practise in the Church we urge it and perswade it in extremis ut supra we require it in case of perplexity and likewise before the receiving of the Lords Supper according to which Doctrine and Injunction our Bishops do or should enquire of it in their Visitations touching the use and neglect of this so good an order VVhich he thus seconds in his Appeale p. 299. My words are It is confessed that private confession unto a Priest is of very Ancient practise in the Church of excellent use and benefit being discrectly handled We refuse it to none if men require it if need be to have it we urge and perswade it in extremis Wee require it in case of perplexity for the quieting of men disturbed in their consciences This is my Popery per partes for wariant whereof I bring my witnesse and authority the Injunction direction and practise of the Church and of the Bishops accordingly in the Church that which their Mother holy Church hath commanded in that sort and case to be observed pag. 312. Priests have power not only to pronounce but to give remission of sinnes which seemeth to be the Doctrine of the Communion Book in the Visitation of the sicke where the Priest saith And by his Authority committed unto me I absolve thee from all thy sinnes It is Justifiable it is the Doctrine and practise of the Church of England Pag. 315. 316. Informers it is confessed that all Priests and none but Priests have power to forgive sinnes And is it not so confessed when by publique warrant in ordination that power is given unto all Priests to doe soe in those solemne words of Ordination whose sinnes you forgive they are forgiven c. But with you Puritans this Doctrine and practice of the Church is held to bee Popery And here you inferre that Priests have no more power to do this than Laymen here you cast confession upon both one and other and Laymen may heare it aswell as a Priest and therefore it is probable you will not be very precise for Absolution to conferre it on a Layman as well as on a Priest But such absolution is a part of that Priestly power which could not be given by men or Angels but onely and immediatly by Almighty God himselfe a part of that Paramount power which the
dishonourable scandalous and offensive act which would scandalize and disgust all his wel-affected protestant Subjects dishonour his owne royall Father King James our Parliaments Church State who all authorized approved used this prayer for thirty yeeres space together encourage Papists Priests Jesuits to such like horrid treasons and exceedingly animate elevate the popish faction causing them to deride if not to insult over the Protestants and our Church which must now alter retract her own approved Collects to gratifie them and their Antichristian Religion But so farre is he from this that he readily obeyes the first command without the lest disswasion resistance without advising with or giving notice thereof to any other of his Brethren the Privy-Counsell Judges and other publike persons as much concerned in it as himselfe to whom he ought to have given notice and asked their leave at least opinions herein ere he obeyed the King though not Master Burtons and Master Prynnes being more ready to obey than his Majesty to command them Finally admit his Majesty had commanded him to make these alterations yet for him in his owne cause in an open Court of Justice where by Law he ought not to have been present or spoken as a Judge to lay all the Odium of these alterations with all his other Innovations in Religion only on his Majesty to render him odious to his people to cloke his own shame extenuate his own guilt and then to publish it in print to all the World to his perpetuall dishonour when there was no necessity and that by pretext of his Majesties speciall command was such a disloyalty and transcendent aggravation of his crime as no age can paralell no punishment expiate but that which the Gunpowder Traytors justly suffered Besides this after the publication of his â—peech in Star-chamber he specially imployed Doctor Heylin to iustifie these alterations to the world in print in his Moderate Answer to the seditious and scandalous chalenges of Henry Burton as he stiles them written by his * speciall command and licensed by his Chaplaine p. 150. to 157. and ordered Christopher Dowe to second him herein in his Innovations unjustly charged upon the present Church and State p. 136 to 14â— where thus he writes Secondly I say that the alteration of those Prayers being done by the same authority that first set them forth it is neither for him nor me nor anyother of inferiour ranke to question them but with humble reverence to submit to their judgements and to think them wiser and farre more fit to order those things that belong to then places than we whom it neither concernes nor indeed can know the reasons that move them either to doe or alter anything But more particularly that which he objecteth against the former is that they would not hereby have all Jesuits and Papists termed a Babylonish and Antichristian Sect but restraine it to some few of them and mentally transferre it to those Puritanes who cry downe with Babylon that is popery But what then what if out of a charitable respect to those which in that Religion are peaceable and honest men as no doubt but some of them whatsoever Master B. beleeves of them are such they are not willing nor think it fit to pray for the rooting up and confusion of all Papists indiscriminatim under those harsh termes surely charitably minded Christians cannot but approve such an alteration if there were no other ground than that for it As for any mans transferring it to Puritanes that is as meer a surmise as it is a false slander that any of those whom he intimates doe call Rome Jerurusalem or Popery the true Catholique Religion Yet I know not why such furious cryers downe of popery as Master B. hath shewed himselfe may not be accounted of a Baby lonish and Antichristian Sect as well as any Jesuit in the world nor why we may not pray and that with better reason than Master B. would have men to doe and under those titles against the Hierarchy of our church that God would root them out of the Land c. Wherein he makes zealous opposers of popery those the world then stiled Puritanes more dangerous persons and fitter to be rooted out of the Land as a Babylonish Antichristian Sect than papists or Jesuits Now thus to justifie this alteration in so daring impudent a manner in favour of popery priests Papists Jesuits what a transcendent crime it is and of what a rotten popish spirit it savours let all impartiall persons determine The third purgation made by himselfe discovering the hidden popery of his heart is his purging out this notable clause against popery in the first Collect of the publike book of prayers appointed at the generall Fast for ceasing the Plague in the yeere 1636. Thou hast delivered us from Superstition and Idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and hast brought us into the most cleare and confortable light of thy blessed Word by which we are taught how to serve and honouor thee and how to live orderly with our Neighbours in truth and verity The King by his Proclamation Anno 1636. commanded that the Booke of prayers for the Fast formerly set forth by authority should be reprinted re-published and likewise used in all Churches and places at the publike meetings during this Fast The Arch-bishop instead of re-printing the book formerly set forth by authority purgeth this clause out of it in the new impression though used in the Fast-books upon like occasions in Queen Elizabeths and King James their severall reignes and in that of 1. Caroli and that upon these very grounds which should have moved him to retaine it still had his heart been upright or sincere to God and our Religion because it layes a just censure and blemish upon popery by stiling it superstition and idolatry and thankfully recites Gods goodnesse to us in delivering us from Popish superstition and idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and bringing us into the most cleare and comfortable light of his holy Word by which we are taught how to serve and honour him c. A clause so pious so just and equitable that it is almost a miracle how any but a most inveterate Papist could except against it yet this Arch bishop is so irreconcileably angry with it that it must be wholy obliterated and quite omitted out of this new impression and that without any speciall order or command from his Majesty which he pleaded for the former alterations in the Gunpowder-treason book or any suggestion from Papists Priests or Jesuits who were scandalized with it for he doth not so much as pretend any such thing in his justification of this purge but by his owne papall authority contrary to his Majesties Proclamation out of his own metro popish genius which perswades us that the former alcerations in the book for the fift of Novem. proceeded originally from himself too as well as this however he would translate it to the
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 Maâ—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 16â— 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
in heaven in this verse and in John 20. 23. Remist Annot. John 20. 23. These places are not so to be understood as though God were bound to ratifie every decree of men upon earth For First this power is given to all lawfull Pastors who maintaine and hold the Apostolike faith and not to idolatrous ignorant and blasphemous Priests such as most if not all the popish Priests are Secondly they must decree in the earth according to Gods will and therefore John 20. 22. out Saviour dotb first breath his Spirit upon his Apostles and then giveth them their Commission signifying thereby that they must execute this power as they shall be directed by Gods Spirit yea hence Matth. 18. 20. it followeth that they must be assembled in the name of Christ that is according to Christs rule and the direction of his Word they must bind and loose and not at their owne discretion There are divers other purgations of this nature which brevity enforceth as to omit 5. Clauses against adoring the Eucharist and consecrated Bread in the Sacrament expunged MAster Ward in his Comentary on Matthew had this memorable clause against Papists adoring the Eucharist purged out by the Licenser Object The Eucharist is to be adored because Christ is very God Answ He should have assumed the Eucharist is very God which is blasphemy to say and therefore not to be uttered by any but by Babylons brood unto whose Prince and head is given the name of Blasphemy Revel 13. 1. yea a mouth speaketh blasphemies verse 5. even against the most high God verse 6. and therefore we leave this opinion to the Papists to whom properly it belongs The Licenser it seems would have Protestants embrace this opinion as well as Papists and therefore purged out this clause as heterodox Doctor Jones in his Comentary on the Hebrewes had the like purgation page 20. Then how sharply are the Papists to be reproved that worship a peece of bread in the Sacrament Strange that such a passage should be deleted but that our bowing to and toward the Altar because there 't is hoc est corpus meum tended to introduce the selfe same adoration of the Eucharisticall Bread among us by degrees 6. Passages expunged averring That the Pope is Antichrist of which see Section 2. before YOU have already heard of sundry purgations of this nature in the premises we shall present you with others not formerly remembred Doctor Clerke in his sixth Sermon of the Nativity page 53. line ult had this clause But the Pops is the Antichrist which the Licenser thus transformes but one is Anchrinst easing the Pope of this title Master Ward in his Comentary upon Matthew page 303. had this whole discourse concerning Antichrist expunged by the Licenser How many wayes is this name Antichrist taken in the Scriptures that our Saviour saith many shall come in his name affirming that they are Christs First it is taken somtimes commonly and thus his name Antichrist belongeth to all who are enemies to Christ and these are either 1. open professed enemies as the Iews Turks and Infidels in which sense the word is not used in Scripture or 2. covert and close enemies who professe themselves christians and under the name and profession of Christ oppugne Christ and his truth and thus it is taken either 1. more largely to signifie the whole body of hereticks as 1 John 2. 18. 22. or 2. more strictly and so it signifies the society of them who having made an Apostacy from Christ have received the marke of the Beast and these we hold to be the Apostaticall Church of Rome Secondly this name Antichrist is sometimes taken properly or rather peculiarly and so it belongeth to the man of sinne and the sonne of perdirion a Thes 2. 3. who after a more generall manner is the head of all hereticks and more specially of that society which hath the mark number and the name of the Beast Revel 13. 17. and this we hold to be the Pope of Rome as is abundantly proved by Davaeus Bishop Downame and Master Squire and that not onely because he is the head of the Antichristian body but also because he being in profession the Vicar of Christ is indeede Aemulus Christi i. e. an enemy opposed to Christ in emulation of like honour as if we should say a counter-Christ as the word Antichrist doth also signifie How doth it appeare that there are many Antichrists for although Christ saith here that many shall come in his name yet many deny this affirming that the Antichrist shall be but one particular person and consequently that there shall not be many Antichrists but one onely That Antichrist is not one singular man but a whole state and succession of men and consequently that there shall be many Antichrists pecularly or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called will appeare by these Arguments First if Antichrist were in the Apostles time and was to remaine untill the second comming of Christ then Antichrist is not one singular man but a succession of men but Antichrist was in the Apostles time and is to continue untill the second comming of Christ as both Saint Paul 2 Thes 2. and John 1 cap. 2. 18. 4. 3. 2 John 7. testifie Therefore Antichrist is not one singular man but a succession of men Secondly that in the 7. and 11. of Daniel and in 13. and 17. of the Revelations is described under the name and figure of a Beast is not one singular thing or person but a whole state or succession But Antichrist in these places is described under the name and figure of a Beast Therefore Antichrist is not one singular person but a whole state or succession Thirdly the seven heads of that Beast which signifieth the Roman state are not so many persons but so many heads or states of Government whereby the Common-wealth of the Romans hath been at divers times governed the sixth head was the state of Emperours the seventh Antichrist as the Papists confesse the eighth which is also one of the seventh the state of Emperours revived whereby it evidently appeareth not onely that Antichrist is not one man but also that the Pope who is the seventh head is Antichrist if the Reader would see the two former Arguments enlarged and another added not here mentioned then let him read Bishop Downame de Antichristo lib. 2. cap. 20. to 32. Page 16. this clause is deleted Ob. Antichrists name shall not be knowne untill he come c. Answ 2. Secondly Antichrist is already come yea the Pope of Rome is this Antichrist as is abundantly proved by many of our Divines and therefore his rise seat and name are knowne well enough page 14. Ob. 5. Whosoever shall put away his wife the Pope is called the adversary or he who opposeth himselfe against Christ 2 Thes 2. 11. and is justly so called because he and his Divines doe maintaine assertions directly contrary to
reward the reward of our faith is the salvation of our soules not that faith merits reward for faith too is a work and works merit not Christ sayes the Kingdome of Heaven is a gift Luke 12. 31. and we have it not ex facto but ex pacto not of doing ought but of the Covenant God hath promised it on his gracious promise faith only is enabled to lay hold and because it is the nature of faith to be operative to bring forth fruits which are good works it pleased the holy Ghost in his place and many other to use the phrase here It is c. In Doctor Featlies Clavis Mystica these clauses and distinctions were deleted page 444. In this argument this grave and learned Divine expatiated through his whole discourse of which I may say as Saint Peter doth of Saint Paule's Epistles our beloved brother according to the wisdome given unto him thus spake of these things in divers passages of his Sermon in which some things are heard to be understood which that the unlearned and unstable might not wrest as they doe the sayings of the most orthodox Divines I hold it requisite partly out of the writings of this most learned speaker partly out of his owne words in his private conference with me thus to illustrate his meaning and to cleer the truth good works may be considered First in regard of the person who is either first in state of grace secondly or out of it Secondly in regard of the cause First principall the Spirit of God Secondly instrumentall the faculties of the soule and organt of the body Thirdly in regard of their adjunct First either as they are considered alone by themselves Secondly or together with the merits and intercession of Christ Secondly when we speak of the appeasing of Gods wrath God may be considered either first as a Judge secondly as a Father Thirdly wrath may be appeased two manner of wayes First negatively by subtracting the fuell thereof Secondly positively by extinguishing as it were the flame thereof with something else cast upon it According to these distinctions the truth in this point may be delivered in these succeeding insertions First no work done by any person out of the state of grace produceth any of the effects above mentioned Secondly works done by men in state of grace as they proceed from themselves are not without some flaine nor are they simply approved of God but in some respect onely Thirdly the good works wrought through the help of grace if they be considered by themselves without relation to Christs merits and intercession which covereth their imperfection and giveth them efficacy and a prevailing power with God produce none of the above named effects Fourthly works done by men in grace as they proceed from Gods Spirit and are improved by the merits and intercession of Christ are the meanes and secondary causes of procuring unto us temporall and spirituall blessings Fifthly God's wrath as he is an angry Judge can be appeased by nothing but by the blood of Christ and his infinite sacrifice which alone satisfieth his justice Sixthly the anger of God as he is a Father and sometimes severely chasteneth his children for their unthankfulnesse and other sianes may be so farre appeased by them that he will take his scourage from them and bestow new favours upon them this anger may be appeased both privately by breaking off their sinnes and thereby taking away the cause of his displeasure and also positively by fasting prayer and Almes-deeds to conclude as the flye in Martial upon which there fell a drop of Amber and inclosed it grew to be precious and was sold at a high rate not for the flyes sake but for the Ambers so the good works of Gods children which of themselves especially so farre as they proceed from them are of little worth yet confidered quatincta sanguine Christi as Beza speaketh as dyed with Christs blood and covered all over and melosed in the Amber of his merits become precious in the eyes of God and are in a faire sense and construction both placatoria and improtatoria In Master Wards Comentary upon Matthew written copy page 259. this passage is expunged Matth. 13. 20. 21. The stony ground c. Obj. Bellarmine de justif lib. 3. cap. 14. produceth these two verses to prove that faith and the grace of justification may be lost arguing thus these receive the word with joy but they have no root yea for a while beleeve but in the time of temptation fall away and therefore faith may be lost for they had faith because they beleeved they beleeved the Word of God and yet fell away Answ The Text expounds it selfe they had no root and they beleeved but for a while therefore they had no true faith for true faith is not without root as appeares by Saint Paul's prayer for the Ephesians 3. 17. I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that being rooted and grounded in faith c. and therefore true faith hath a root Ibidem on Matth 5. 7. written copy page 60. 69. this sentence is dashed out Qu. Why may not we ascribe some merit unto our works Answ Because that were to derogate from God and his good will who so graciously invites us to come and buy grace of him without mony or mony worth Isa 55. 1. and therefore we must not expect nor exact the reward of glory as a due debt unto â—s from God for our works as Saint Elzearâ—us did Staplet aestist fol. 141. initio who upon a certaine day refusing to accept of a Scarlet robe and an 〈◊〉 of gold which were offered unto him when he entred into his chamber powred forth this pharisaicall prayer unto God Ta mihi Domine Deus in paradiso debes contum auriuncias duos pannos coxincos O Lord remember how thou art indebted unto me when I come into Heaven two Scarlet robes and one hundred ounces of gold Thus Papists proudly arrogate much unto themselves and derogate greatly from God both in their prayers and opinions but let the opinion of the Protestants be that blessednesse is derived unto them from the meere mâ—rcy and free favour of God and let their prayers be that the Lord would be graciously pleased to count them worthy of this blessednesse 2 Thes 1. 11. and that they may find mercy of the Lord at the last day 2 Tim. 1. 18. Obj. Will not this hinder and discourage men from working to remember that all their works merit nothing at Gods hands at all Answ It is so farre from hindring that it furthers so farre from discouraging that it encourages so farre from lestening that it encreases and so farre from extinguishing that it enflames our desires and endeavours to be rich in good works c. Ibidem on Matth. 5. 18. page 96. this is castrated Your good works The Papists produce this place to prove the works of the righteous to be perfect and
and yet have saved all for Christ who satisfied his Father for the Elect might also have so done had he pleased for the Reprobates Alas besides why made God choice of thee and not of me I must answer with Saint Paul O homo tu quis est Who art thou O man that presumest to plead with God hath not the Potter power to make vessels of his clay to what use himselfe listeth As clay is to the Potter so is man to God he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy This project of Gods gracious love hath caused the Scripture by elegant Antonomosie to cast the name of it upon the meanes of it Christ called not onely a Saviour but salvation Mine eyes saith old Simeon have seen my salvation yea not Christ onely that procured it but the Gospel also that proclaimes it it is called Gods salvation Acts 28. 28. for the Gospell is the word of it Paul cals it so and Christ is the horne of it old Zachary cals him so a project worthy c. 61. Passages purged out against popish Purgations of sinne by other meanes then Christs blood and against Purgatory IN Doctor Clerkes Sermons page 23. l. 13. After these words Gregory Naz. the Lycenser hath expunged these lines following Satisfaction 's a Purgation too a Popish one the Almes of the living effectually purge for the sinnes of the dead The Saints intercession I thinke another too the prayers of the dead for the sinnes of the living and why not their blood too as well as Christs Tu per Thomae sanguinem Beckets blood is not so dry a drug as Christs happily it will worke better Indulgences are another the Popes too he hath a great facility in that kinde of physicke The Masse another a strong purgative Paul said all purging is by blood the Masse hath none t is incruenta hostea themselves so tearme it an oblation without blood A suppe of the Chalice or a kisse of the Pax offering to an Image or creeping to a Crosse Pilgrimage Oyle Holy-water purgers of sinne all I thinke all Popery is a purge What meane the Priers flagellant who whip their bodies but to purge their sinnes with their own blood set scourgers to be selfe purgers happily they will not be beholding unto Christs The Prophet sayes By his stripes we are healed but they thinke they are by theirs shall I presse these purgers with this fourth tearme of my Text per simetipsum by himselfe they will flye unto the second and say Paul said not he had purged All say sins before Baptisme are purged by him but those we act after it must be purged by others by the Pope the Priests our friends or our selves by pardons penance Masse good works New Romanists old Montanistes even Aquinas himselfe puts but Originall sin onely to Christs purging Actuall to the Masse But you heard what point before that Saint John was Paul's Paraphrast 1 John 1. 7. he saies The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sinne but yet that Almes purge sinne they find in Tobia's History whence they may ground good manners but not faith but Solomon sayes it too Prov. 15. 21. and that book is canonicall that book but not this verse it is a bastard Scripture foisted in by some forgery the Hebrew Text hath it not Ibid. page 200. l. 16. after unworthy of Christs presence these words are put out they will rather goe to Purgatory 62. Passages obliterated concerning preaching its end and frequency IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew these clauses are deleted written copy fol. 239. Observ 3. The Apostles gently perswade and admonish that so Christ may be planted in our hearts Object There is a double scope of the preaching of the word viz. a declaration of the mercy and anger of God Rom. 9. 22 23. and therefore the end and scope of all preaching is not to call men unto salvation An. Certainly it is most true that there is a double scope of preaching but the difference is in the Object these differing in the Event not in the first scope of God for the Lords scope is that all should be saved Ezek. 18. 8. 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. but his will is that those who will not be saved should be damned and therefore the Ministers of the Word of God in the preaching thereof declare pronounce and publish the wrath and anger of God against all those who will not accept of the tender of mercy offered by him in his Word Observ 5. Ministers are often calumniated for their zeale industry in the preaching of the Word Quest How doth the truth of this appeare Answ First naturall and simple men would not have them labour at all because a little preaching is too much for them But Secondly they are ashamed to confesse and acknowledge this and therefore they lay their fault either upon their Parsons or their manner of preaching It is according to the Proverb easie to find a staffe to beat a dogge and those who are ill affected to the Ministers of the Word will easily find something to tax them for as for example First for the person of the Minister be he rich or poore of noble or ignoble parentage old or young learned or illiterate or whatsoever something malice can find out to reproach him withall Secondly for the manner of preaching let him preach sweetly or sharply often or seldome out of the Word onely or else also out of the Fathers and humane Authors or howsoever yet some aspersion shall be cast upon him Thirdly for the manner of his life be he severe and more reserved as was John or humane affable and more familiar as was Christ yet he shall not goe without a censure but shall either be called a Devill or a friend of wicked men Page 32. Observ The most profitable preaching is to apply generall doctrines to particular persons c Quest Why is this manner of preaching most profitable Answ First because we regard not generals hearing them onely for forme as though we heard the scenes or acts of a stage-play Answ 2. Secondly because people are not able to apply generall Doctrines to themselves and therefore they had need be applyed unto them by the Ministers who are able to doe it Answ 3. Thirdly because if people be able to apply it yet for the most part they mis-apply it that is they apply what they heare to others not to themselves self-love so blinding their consciences that they cannot see their owne faults Luke 8. 11. John 9. 40. 41. Ibidem printed book fol. 92. written copy fol. 224. on Matth. 11. 15. 16. Thou hast hid these things from the wise Quest How doth it appeare that God hides the knowledge of the Gospell from those who swell great with humane wisdome Answ First it appeares thus because God takes away his helping hand from unworthy persons and that two manner of wayes to wit First sometimes outwardly by prohibiting the Pastors
gratifie the Queen and promote the Roman Catholick Cause therefore to shew his forwardnesse his hand must be first to this Priests discharge that so he might the more freely walk abroad to seduce his Majesties Subjects Seventhly for Panzanies Father Josephs Father Phillips with his sonnes and the Lord Scudamores Letters to Secretary Windebank though they are nothing to the Archbishop in point of charge simply considered in which sense we urge them not yet they are infallible evidences of Secretary Windebanks correspondency and intelligence with the Popes Nuncioes Priests Jesuits of Cardinall Barbarinoes and others respects to him and his Sonnes of his extraordinary protection of Priests Jesuits and that he was their instrument the onely end for which we produced them and being compared with his advancement of and intimacy with Windebank notwithstanding the frequent complaints to himselfe and the Counsell of his releasing protecting Priests Jesuits and with that generall good opinion the Priests and Papists had generally at Rome and in other forraigne parts of of the Archbishops owne reall endeavours to promote their Religion here and reduce us back to Rome testified by Sir Henry and Master Anthony Mildmay Master Challoner and others it will amount to a full proof of a confederacy between them to effect this dangerous Romish Designe notwithstanding all his evasions to accomplish which this Secretary was as active an instrument for him in the State as Mountague and other Prelats in the Church The fift thing objected to prove my reall intentions endeavours to introduce popery and reconcile us unto Rome is my intimacy and correspondency with divers dangerous Priests and Jesuits as Saint Giles Sir Toby Matthew Smith the Jesuit Leander Price the Bishop of Calcedon Doctor Smith and others one of which Saint Giles I am charged to have maintained in the University of Oxford sundry yeers to corrupt and seduce Schollers there my discouraging threatning and abusing Pursevants for their diligence in apprehending Priests and Jesuits my not committing Priests or discharging them when brought unto me by them my imprisoning Gray and calling him Priest-catching knave my connivance at the liberty that Priests and Jesuits had in the New-prison Clink and elswhere my causing many popish Books to be restored to the owners when seized contrary to the Statute that so they might be dispersed to seduce his Majesties Subjects some of which particulars are proved by papers under my owne hand seized by Master Prynne who ransackt my Study and Chamber others by the testimonies of Waddesworth Newton Deuxell Mayo Goldsmith Cooke Egerton Elizabeth Gray and Thatcher And out of my owne Book they alleage I never perswaded nor practised any persecution against popish Priests or Jesuits To this I answer in generall First that if the designe charged against me were onely to reconcile the Church of England and Rome together in a just and Cstristian way so farre as it might stand with truth and piety I hope no Christian can blame but rather commend me for such an enterprize Such a reconciliation between both Churches as this I confesse I have long desired endeavoured and published as much to the world in my Reply to Fisher p. 388. in these words I have with a faithfull and single heart laboured the meeting the blessed meeting of TRUTH AND PEACE in Christs Church which God I hope will in due time effect But other reconciliation then this to the prejudice of truth and piety I never attempted as my Epistle to that Book will manifest Secondly for my pretended intimacy correspondency with Priests and Jesuits I dare confidently affirme that never any man that sate in my place since the Reformation had lesse acquaintance familiarity correspondence with Priests and Jesuits then I some of my late Predecessors by name Archbishop Bancroft and Abbot never suspected of any inclination to popery have usually held intelligence with and received sundry Letters from Priests Jesuits in forraigne parts yea entertained some of them at their Tables and that no doubt for good purposes and the advancement of the Protestant Religion But I for my part never held correspondency nor received Letters from any of them and I blesse God for it for had I done it I must have suffered very deeply and my Chamber Study Closet being so diligently searched no doubt their Letters would have been seized and given in evidence by Master Prynne as well as others but no such Letters are or can be produced and to my knowledge I never entertained knowingly any Priest or Jesuit at my Table nor gave them any countenance though my Predecessors have usually done it to prove which I desire Master Dobson may be examined who being examined accordingly without Oath affirmed That he was an houshold servant to Archbishop Bancroft who received divers Letters of intelligence from Priests and Jesuits in forraigne parts and sometimes admitted them to his Table that he was after servant to Archbishop Abbot who for a moneth or two dieted one Julius Maria and another popish Priest as he taketh it the one a Spaniard the other an Italian at his Table in hopes of their conversion who faltered wish him in the end and were thereupon discarded That he was likewise a servant to this Archbishop and never saw Sir Toby Matthewes nor any other Priest or Jesuit to his knowledge at his Table Who being crosse interrogated Whether he knew Julius Maria and the other to be popish Priests He answered he did not certainly know them to be so but they were so reputed and professed Papists To which the Archbishop added That King James had conference with and extended favour to some Priests making good use thereof to set them at variance among themselves and induce them for to write one against another as Watson and Preston who wrote divers Books in defence of the Oath of Alleagiance and did good service therein whereupon my Predecessor Abbot granted Preston a kind of protection under his hand and Seale And why I might not doe as much as my predecessors in countenancing Sancta Clara were I guilty of it without any Guilt of TREASON or just Offence I yet know not any reason Thirdly I utterly deny that I held any correspondency with Sir Toby Matthew Smith Price Leander Sancta Clara or Saint Giles neither is there any cleer proofe thereof but admit I did yet there 's no proof at all that I knew them to be Seminary Priests and if I knew them not to be Priests no Law takes hold upon me though I harboured them which I never did Fourthly the witnesses produced to prove my intimacy with these Priests are persons of very meane condition against whom there have been many great complaints made heretofore at the Counsell-Table and against one or two of them of late for dishonest practises in seizing other mens goods and moneys under pretext of searching after Priests and Jesuits pretending the goods were theirs which complaints were referred to some Justices of Peace to