in whom there is no darknesse For the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2. Peter chapter 1. verse 21. We have also a more sure word of Prophesie saith the same Apostle whereunto you doe well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place verse 19. So that the Scriptures were of purpose penned by holy men inspired by God himselfe for a direction and light to the Saints to be guided by and so they are termed by the holy Ghost So that as Peter said unto Christ in the sixth of Iohn when he asked his twelve Disciples if they also would goe away To whom shall we go saith he Thou hast the Words of eternall life Even so we may truly say whither shall we goe for light and direction to get to heaven but to the Holy Scriptures for they have the Words of eternall life in them and this saith Christ and his Apostles and yet notwithstanding all this excellent light that shineth in the Scripture the Prelates everre they are but blinde guides and preferre humane darknesse before the splendour of these sacred Oracles the Scriptures and say without the interpretation of the Fathers they cannot be knowne which is unsupportable blasphemy and as much as to tell the everliving God and truth it selfe he lies It is most veritable that they see not the light of the Scripture the eyes of whose mindes are blinded neither do they see the light of the Sun whose eyes are plucked out If our Gospel be hid saith Saint Paul it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their mindes that is in Infidels lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should shine upon them 2 Corinth chap. 4. verse 3 4. every one knoweth the voice of that man with whom he is acquainted as soone as the sound of it commeth to his eares and shall we not know the voice of God so clearly and perspicuously speaking unto us in the Scriptures Those that are taught of God know it the true worshippers of him know and understand it those that have any familiar commerce with heaven and in heavenly things But worldly men and those that are given to the love of the same and are carelesse of heaven and happinesse they understand not the divine language nor heavenly voice Can any heare the voice of God and not assent unto it without the aid and authority of the Fathers What a contumely is this to holy Scripture Shall God have lesse authority and credit among men then the Fathers Shall we not beleeve God speaking unto us and shall we beleeve the Fathers Shall we not give credit to Gods Word and shall we beleeve men Let the dishonour of so great a contumacie against God be farre from Christian obedience Truly the Fathers being conscious of their owne imbecility and weaknesse never thought themselves worthy of so great dignity as to suppose that any honour came unto the Scriptures from their Interpretations and Expositions who in their Writings frequently exhort their Readers not to listen what they say but what the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles speake in them and no farther to receive their authority and doctrine then it is grounded upon the holy Scriptures and expressions to this purpose the Defendant saith he could accumulate infinite out of the Fathers which for brevity he omitteth fearing to be over tedious though it be a matter of greatest importance Such was the modestie of the Fathers fearing to be wise above that which was written ever-making the holy Scripture the rule and measure to be guided by And in this moderation the Fathers imitated Christ the Prophets and Apostles who ever fetch the proofe and testimony of their Doctrine from the Scriptures and not as now the Prelates do preposterously bringing authority to the Scriptures from the interpretation of the Fathers according to their owne sense To the Law and to the Prophets saith Esay chapter 8. verse 20. whosoever speaketh not according to that hath no light in him And Iosua that great Commander is injoyned by God to order and governe himselfe and the people and the whole Common-wealth according to the rule of the Scripture Iosua chapter 1. verse 7 8. Onely be thou strong and very couragious that thou mayest observe to do according to all the Law which Moses my servant commanded thee turne not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest This Booke of the Law shall not go out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good successe And in the 23. chapter verse 6. he saith Be ye therefore very couragious to keepe and to do all that is written in the Booke of the Law of Moses that you turne not aside therefrom to the right hand nor to the left And Christ himselfe our great Master saith Iohn 5. verse 38. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke to have eternall life and they testifie of me And in the third of the Acts verse 22 23. Saint Peter brings all men unto Christ to be taught by him not in somethings onely but that Prophet must be heard in all things and no other in Gods matters must be listened unto the words are these For Moses truly said unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you heare in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shall come to passe that every soule which will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people And in the 12. of Iohn verse 48. our Saviour saith He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my Words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spake the same shall judge him in the last day And therefore doth it not stand with all good reason that we should guide and square our lives and actions by that word and rule onely by which we shall at the last day be judged Paul in the 2. of the Rom. verse 16. saith That the secrets of mens hearts shall at that day be judged according to his Gospel and shall not all our doctrines yea and our whole Religion be squared and regulated by the same all good reason would dictate so They have Moses and the Prophets saith Abraham let them hear him saith he Luke 16. verse 29. We have Christ and his Apostles we are onely to heare them in all things not the Fathers not the traditions of the Elders not the use and customes of former ages if they dissent from the holy Scriptures and written word of God For the great doctor of his Church telleth
defendant there said if they commanded nothing contrary to the will and Word of God that he for his part out of the reverence duty and loyalty to his Prince would obey it The Words in the Originall are these Verum de Episcoporum autoritate locutus à bonis bene intelligi cupio Non enim litis litem moveo quatenus ab Imperatoribus Regibus Principibus Terrae quorum interest salutem civium tueri potestate Ius Imperiii in socios totumque Dei gregem adepti sunt Nam si Romani Episcopi immensam illam nullus limitibus circumscriptā autoritatē indulgentiae Principū acceptā ferrem voluntati Episcopali nihil voluntati divinae inimicum jubenti obtemperandū putem ob reverentiam Principi si volenti debitam c. So that the Defendant having thus plainly set down his minde before and knowing that all the jurisdiction that the Bishops in England now exercise over others is from the King he thought himself not onely secure from danger but expected favour at least from the Bishops and their helping hand especially when the opposing the Popes Authority in England is a thing that the King and State have ever so well allowed of And that this honourable Court may yet be farther informed of the speciall cause for which the Prelates are so displeased with the Defendant it was for the truely and narrowly disputing and discussing of the second question to wit whether the Pope of Rome if he be a Bishop as he is a Bishop have Authority and Jurisdiction not onely over his fellow brethren but over Kings and Emperours which the Defendant there denyed for many warrantable Arguments the summe of which he desireth here to relate unto this honourable Court for his just and necessary defence and justification For by the very light of nature and unanswerable reason it is evident and manifest that where there is an equality parity amongst men there the one doth not exceed the other in power or Dominion Paris enim in Parem non esse imperium inter Naturae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Now Divine constitution hath made Bishops and Presbyters or Elders a like and equall which that it might the better appeare the Defendant propounded three things to be proved The first was that Bishops and Presbyters were by the Word of God one and the same Secondly That Presbyters had equall Authority of Government Ordination Excommunication with Bishops wherein only consists their preheminency and Authority above their brethren which things being proved it will necessarily follow That the Pope of Rome as he is Bishop doth no way exceed other Bishops and Presbyters they being in all things alike and equall unto him much lesse hath any Authority and power over Kings and Emperours And for the proofe of the first position the words Presbyter and Bishop do sufficiently evince it which is holy Scripture though diverse in sound signifie one and the same thing as not to cite the words themselves which would be large The Apostle Paul to Titus in the first Chapter doth sufficiently shew where the words Bishop and Presbyter are confounded And likewise in the first Epistle of Peter and the fift Chapter there Presbyter and Bishop signifie one and the same thing And the Epistle to the Philippians the first Chapter and the first verse doth apparently demonstrate it and divers other places might be produced dilucidating the same thing But the 20. of the Acts puts all out of controversie where Presbyter and Bishop signifie one and the same thing for office honour and function so that the idenity of their office is signifyed by those two expressions Neither is there a confusion of their names with a difference still of their functions and administrations as some would cavill for in these places where Presbyters are called Bishops the disputation is not about the title but about the office signified and specified by the title For when Saint Paul exhorts the Presbyters to have an eye to their duty and charge he useth this reason that the Holy Ghost hath made them Bishops and the truth of this is so evident that the Rhemists themselves as learned men as any Bishops in England and as able to maintaine an error are forced ingeniously to confesse it saying in expresse words in their Notes upon the 28. vers of that Chapter That in the Apostles times there was no difference between Presbyter and Bishop so that for the first position it is not onely by the Word of God clearly evident but by the very confession of the adversaries of the truth granted as a thing without controversie Now for proofe of the second position that Presbyters as well as the Bishop of Rome have the power and right of Government Ordination and Excommunication by which in these times Bishops onely exceed Presbyters the Defendant will here briefly demonstrate it referring those of this honourable Court that have a desire to search into the full truth of it to his book And for the proofe that the Government was committed unto them and that they exercised the same it is most perspicuous out of the first of Timothie 5. where the Apostle saith the Presbyters that rule well are worthy of double honour especially those that labour in Word and Doctrine By this testimony it is evident that they had rule and government in their hands And that they had power also of Ordination and imposition of hands it is likewise apparent out of the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy the first Chapter For the Apostle speaking to Timothy saith Do not neglect the gift that is in thee which is given thee for prophesie by the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery Here also the Presbyters had the right of imposition of hands And that they had the power of Excommunication and Absolution it is likewise manifest from the fifth of the 1. of the Corinthians and the second Chapter of the second Epistle where the Apostle gives them the power of casting the incestrous person out and upon his repentance receiving of him in againe By all which Authorities of Sacred Writ it is sufficiently cleare and evident That the Presbyters had the Authority and power of Government and rule in the Church with the faculty also and ability of Ordination and Excommunication and all this by Divine institution and expresse words of holy Scripture howsoever this right and their due was through the fraud and deceit of the Bishop of Rome and Romish Bishops afterwards taken away from the Presbyters Wherefore the Defendant concluded That if there were any difference between Presbyters and the Bishop of Rome which he denied that then the Presbyters in dignity and honour exceeded and that greatly the Bishop of Rome and Romish Bishops for all these Priviledges of government Ordination and Excommunication are in formall words given unto the Presbyters and no where granted unto the Bishops And for farther illustration and proofe of this the Defendant
the Saduces saying Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures Matth. 12. verse 24. and indeed from the ignorance of the Scriptures commeth all error they that follow the Scripture for their guide can never stray or straggle from the right way neither have they need to borrow the candle of the Fathers to be directed by so long as the glorious Sun of the word shineth so clearly and it was the eternall praise and commendations of the more Noble Bereans that they did dayly search the Scriptures whether the things the Apostles taught were so or no. Acts 17. verse 11. and Paul is greatly honoured with this applause in the 26. of the Acts verse 22. that he taught no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come to passe And so Christ taught his Apostles Luke 24. that all things ought to be fulfilled concerning him which were writ in Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes So that the Scriptures alone are the Foundation of all our religion and to say that the meaning of the Scriptures cannot be known without the Fathers is an unsufferable wickednesse done unto that holy booke and an infinite contempt and disgrace of it to say it hath need of the aid of man to support it Christ vanquished the Devill by the Scriptures Matth. 4. drove away the Saduces Matth. 22. and Saint Iames by the Scriptures put an end unto the great controversie of the Churches at Jerusalem and set the Churches of the Gentiles free for ever from all Ceremonies whatsoever but those God himselfe had appointed Acts 15. and onely by the Scriptures did Paul resolve all questions So that according to Gods owne instruction and direction which must ever be obeyed and listened unto the Scriptures onely and solely must be the Judge Law Square and Rule of all our Religion Words and actions Not the authority of the Fathers not the traditions of men not the practice and custome of the ancient and the name of Antiquity For they that shall preferre those things before the Word of God or at least affirme that these holy Oracles divine Records cannot be understood without the Fathers do not onely blasphemously disgrace and contemne the holy Scriptures but neglect the great Prophet whom we ought to heare in all things so that listening unto the voice of men before the words of this great Prophet and accusing the Scriptures of obscurity and saying they are the refuge of all Schismatickes and Heretickes is great impiety against God and most injurious to the holy Scriptures All which the Prelates being so highly guilty of the Defendant will never be afraid to charge them with it that they are disgracers and contemners of holy Scripture withall that they are very ungratefull to the King their Master and invaders of his Prerogative Royall all which he shall make also evidently appeare to this honourable Court and how unworthily yea prophanely they have abused not onely the King their now Soveraign but his Most excellent Father of pious memory And that they are invaders of his Prerogative it is most certaine not onely by the Statutes and Lawes of the Kingdome but by this very information For by the Lawes and Statutes specified before with many others it in solemnly inacted That whatsoever Authority is here exercised under the King in his Dominions whether it be Spirituall or Temporall whether by Archbishops Bishops or any other Ecclesiasticall men it is meerly in by and from the King and so ought to be acknowledged and that all jurisdictions superiorities all priviledges and preeminencies spirituall and Ecclesicall are annexed unto the Imperiall Crowne and so to be acknowledged And whosoever doth not acknowledge that all jurisdicton and Authority both Spirituall and Temporall is derived and doth flow immediately from the Kings Majestie as Supreme head under Christ in these Churches and in his Kingdomes as the Statutes declare at large is ipso facto in a praemunire and under his Majesties high displeasure For it is the Prerogative of Princes and the priviledge that onely agrees to Kings and Potentates to be absolute in their Dominions and that all other jurisdictions and superiorityes exercised by any other in their Kingdoms are derived from them and that of themselves they have none but as from the Kings So that it is arbitrary and in the Princes power to have or not to have such jurisdictions and preeminencies under them And that they may abdicate or annihilate them when they please And whosoever shall deny this or claime any right of Government to themselves in Princes Dominions jure Divino are Delinquents against their Kings and Masters and by our Lawes and Statutes they are proclaimed enemies of the King and his Prerogative Royall and that is true the mouth of the Law hath spake it And therefore the Defendants book cannot be called a Libell without the Lawes first be proclaimed such for the Lawes say That all such persons as shall challenge any Authority to themselves in his Majesties Dominions but from the King are Delinquents against his Majestie and invaders of his prerogative Royall and his Highnesses enemies and so they are Now that the Prelates are such they sufficiently declared it in the censure of the Defendant For he reading the Statutes at the Bar they notwithstanding affirmed that they had not their Authority and jurisdiction from the King but that Jesus Christ made them Bishops and bestowed their Authority upon them and that they were jure Divino and that they were before Christian Kings and held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads for no Bishop no King and all this in a publick Court of Judicature and in a most crouded assembly So that it seemeth the King is beholding to them and not they to his Majestie And if this be not to invade the Prerogative and to be enemies of it and to be ungratefull unto his Highnesse the Defendant knoweth not what it is to be enemies of the prerogative The Lawes say it and therefore if the Defendant hath erred the Lawes have brought him into this error Neither did the Prelates own words at the Bar onely declare their disloyalty to the King and their independency on him but this very information which comes from the Prelates in the name of the Attorney Generall sufficiently demonstrates it For in it the Defendant is accused as guilty of a great crime for writing against the Hierarchy and preferring a Presbyterian parity before the Sacred Orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons What the Defendant hath writ and the occasion of it concerning the Presbytery the honourable Court hath been informed in part and withall if so writing be libellous and the Defendant have erred in it the Holy Scripture is also libellous which were impiety to thinke and hath been the cause of it from which he varied nothing at all in that discourse and further the Defendant resolveth to live and die in that error concerning the parity of Ministers and Presbyters which
A DECLARATION DEMONSTRATING AND INFALLIBLY PROVING That all Malignants whether they be Prelates Popish-Cavaleers with all other ill-affected Persons are enemies to GOD and the KING Who desire the suppression of the Gospel the advancement of superstition the diminution of the Kings Prerogative and Authority with the oppression of the Subject All which is evinced by strong Proofes and sufficient Reasons By John Bastwick Dr. of Physick LONDON Printed in the Yeare MDCXLIII The simply Portrareture of Mr John Bastwick Dr of Phisick sate Captayne of a foote Company A Declaration of Iohn Bastwick Doctor of Physick infallibly proving that all who desire the suppression of the Gospel the advancement of superstition c. are enemies to God and the King THe said Defendant saving and reserving to himselfe now and at all times hereafter all advantages and benefits of exceptions to the incertainty and insufficiencie and other imperfections of the said Information For answer thereunto so far forth as concernes the said Defendant he saith He doth with all thankfulnesse acknowledge his Majesties great care and zeale at all times for the maintenance and defence of the true Christian faith and Religion and the service of Almighty God love charity and concord among his Subjects and withall that his people and all loyall Subjects have great cause daily to praise God for the happy government they have under him and for that they may for futurity promise unto themselves under his Royalty and Principality especially when he hath so graciously made knowne his pious intentions for the good and welfare of Church and State in that his Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects of the causes which made him dissolve the last Parliament published by his Majesties speciall command in which Declaration pag. 21. his Majestie thus speakes For we call God to record before whom we stand That it is and alwayes hath beene our hearts desire to be found worthy of that Title which we account the most glorious in all our Crowne Defender of the Faith Neither shall we ever give way to the authorizing of any thing whereby innovation may steale or creepe into the Church but preserve that unity of Doctrine and Discipline established in the time of Queene Elizabeth whereby the Church of England hath stood and flourished ever since c. These words and solemne protestations of our most pious King cannot but stirre up the hearts loves and affections of all his true loyall Subjects both incessantly to pray for his happy life reign and preservation and also to the utmost of their powers to yeeld all subjection obedience yea and their lives and liberties for the honour of his Crowne and Dignity in the number of which Subjects the said Defendant professeth himselfe to be being willing and ready at all times and upon all occasions not onely to lose his liberty livelihood and estate but millions of lives if he had them in defence of his Empire and Prerogative Royall and doth againe and againe acknowledge and that with the thankfulnesse his renowned Highnesses zeal and care for the maintenance of the true Religion love charity and concord amongst his Subjects and beseech the King of kings and Lord of lords long to continue him among us and to put into his royall heart to remove all scandals in Church and State which have beene such hinderances of the propagation of the Christian Faith and true Religion established in his Majesties kingdoms of the which he is Defender in his dominions and the right instruction of the people in the same who alone are most of the Prelates in generall and the Arch-Prelates in speciall being so farre from seeking the right and due instruction of the people in the true Christian Faith and Religion as the Information would infer as they spend their whole endeavours to take away all the possibility and meanes of instruction which is the preaching of the word that is onely able to save our soules and without which no man can beleeve or come to life eternall as thousand places in sacred Writ witnesse and among other that in the 26. of the Acts where Christ saith unto Paul Rise and stand upon thy feet For I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister and witnesse both of the things which thou hast seene and of those things in which I will appeare unto thee delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and to turne them from darknesse unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith which is in me And Paul was not disobedient to this heavenly vision but preached unto all men that they should repent and turne to God and do workes meet for repentance And this was and is the onely way that God hath appointed to save our soules by for Faith commeth onely by hearing and this preaching was all that Paul did I came not to baptise saith he but to preach the Gospel so that preaching is the effect of all the ordinances and in another place he saith Wo be me if I preach not the Gospel And in the sixth of the Acts the Apostles told the Church That it was not reason that they should leave the word of God and serve tables and therefore they resolved continually to give themselves to prayer and to the ministery of the Word And in the 4. of the Acts when the Rulers commanded Peter and John not to speak nor teach in the Name of Jesus They answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye for we cannot but speake the things which we have heard Here we see the whole office and care of the Apostles was to preach the Gospel and this is onely the work taske and duty of Ministers to publish the same word of life And Paul set his owne example before them for his sedulity in preaching day and night and commands them to follow him in that and chargeth Timothie and Titus and all Ministers in them to be instant in season and out of season in preaching the Word and they that neglect that duty are no Ministers of Christ nor of the Gospell Yea the Bishops themselves and all their Priests as they call them as we may see in the Booke of Ordinations solemnely promise before God and the Church that they will be diligent in the preaching of the Word of God and publishing of the Gospel And for the better stirring of them up to that Duty and Office they reade the 20. Chapter of the Acts concerning the charge that was given the Elders and Bishops of Ephesus for their diligent preaching of the Gospel And in most of all their Prayers before their Sermons they beseech God to blesse the two fountaines of all learning in this kingdome and that he would
with many other arguments proved that Presbyters were better men then the Bishop of Rome if there were any difference The sum of which he desireth this honourable Court to take notice of that they may more ponderously weigh the businesse in hand and see the vanity of the Information And for the arguments in brief they are these They who are most obedient to the Precepts Commands and Prohibitions of Christ and do most diligently obey the Apostles admonitions they are and so ought to be esteemed more worthy and excellent thou such as regard neither of both But the Presbyters are more obedient to the commands of Christ do more diligently obey the Apostles admonitions then the Romish Bishops Therefore they are more worthy and excellent For the major no man can deny that knows loyall and obedient Subjects to their Prince his Officers just commands are to be preferred before Rebels and them that regard neither of both Now Christ and his Apostles have commanded That all Ministers should feed the stock of Christ diligently in preaching the word and administration of the Sacraments and that they should not be Lords over his inheritance Both which precepts and prohibitions the Presbyters do more exactly observe then Romish Bishops for they neither preach themselves nor will let others and are Lords over Christs inheritance which the Lord Jesus and his Apostles have peremptorily forbid Ergo the Presbyters are more worthy then Romish Bishops Againe That name which is and hath ever been a name and title of dignity and honour is to be preferred before that which is a name of pain labour sollicitude But the name of Presbyter or Senior is and hath been ever a name of honour and dignity and a title of mighty Emperours and Princes and the name of Bishop is a name and title of labour and travell Ergo the title and name of Presbyter is to be preferred before that of the Romish Bishops For the major none that are truly noble and learned can deny And for the minor to omit many other places it will evidently appeare to any that will look upon 1 Tim. 5. There the Apostle saith The Presbyters that rule well are worthy of double honour So that it is apparent enough That honour and dignity is contained in that name which deserveth both reward reverence and respect And in the same Epistle the Apostle saith Rebuke not a Presbyter but honour him as a Father and speaking of Bishops he saith He that desireth the Office of a Bishop desireth a good work He saith indeed a good work but a work notwithstanding full of care watchfulnesse toile and labour From all which it is ratified That the name and title of Presbyter is a name full of dignity honour and splendour and the title of Bishop a compellation or name full of labour anhelation and solicitude and therefore to be preferred before the title of Bishop being far more excellent Again That name which whensoever it is joyned with the name of Bishop hath alwayes the first place and precedencie that name is most excellent But the name of Presbyter when it is joyned with the title of Bishop hath ever the precedencie Ergo it is to be preferred before it For the major the adversaries cannot deny it For they conclude and the precedencie and preeminencie of Peter before the other Apostles because he is often first named And for the minor the word of God declares it illustriously as may be seene in the 20. of the Acts and the first of Titus and the fifth Chapter of the first of Peter In all which places the names of Presbyter and Bishop being joyned together Presbyter is ever first named To all this Peter calls himselfe a Presbyter The same doth Saint John as if all Ecclesiasticall dignity were placed in that name But there are many Arguments yet remaining to prove the dignity of Presbyters to be above that of Bishops if there be any difference between them For They to whom in the most difficult controversies of the Church and greatest dissentions the Primitive Christians had ever recourse and who the Spirit of God did in a speciall manner assist and who made Decrees by which the Church of God to this day is to be regulated and governed and who the Apostles themselves made their sociates and companions in both Generall and Provinciall Councels and the which had the next place unto the Apostles in their Assemblies they are more worthy and to be had in greater honour and veneration thou the other Ministers of the Church which are neither by name nor place knowne in those holy meetings But the Presbyters are such and Therefore the Presbyters are more worthy and excellent then Bishops As for the major the adversaries cannot doubt of that which bestow dignity and honour upon their Bishops according to the place and degree they had in the first Councels And for the minor none can doubt of it who hath read Acts 15. and Acts 20. But they that desire to be satisfied concerning this Argument at large the Defendant desireth would read any of his books Lastly That the dignity of the Presbyters may yet appear above the title of Bishops it is thus evident Those to whom the keys of the Kingdom of heaven by name are committed those are more worthy and honourable then those that have not that privilege But for the Presbyters they have the privilege of the keys granted unto them by name Ergo the Presbyters are more honourable then Bishops For the major no good Christian will or rationall man can deny it And for the minor he that readeth the last of Iames shall finde it manifestly enough confirmed and proved By all which arguments the Defendant did sufficiently beat down the Bishop of Romes authority and by the very light of reason overthrew it For if that every Presbyter be by the word of God as good a man as the Bishop of Rome if not better and withall if the Presbyters neither can nor may usurp authority over their fellow brethren much lesse may they do it over Kings and Emperours and by consequence and necessity of reason it followeth that the Bishop of Rome hath no cause to arrogate such authority to himselfe over the whole Church as he doth and therefore that his rule and government is a meer usurpation and an abominable tyranny over the whole Church of God and ought of all men to be defied abominated and abhorred with all his complices as impious and blasphemous against God injurious to Kings and Princes and nocent to all the faithfull members of Jesus Christ The recapitulation of all the which Arguments this Defendant thought sit to make knowne to this honourable Court that their illustricities might in every respect see his innocency who first exempted all Bishops that acknowledge their authorities from Kings and Emperours out of the number of those against which he disputed and secondly never by name fought against any other but Romish
upon his head and with all his State and Magnificence and his Nobles in their service with the reverence that is yeelded unto him then he beleeveth no longer because the Servant told him that it was the King but because by his own reason he is evinced of it knowing that such attendance and such a guard and so great pompe dignity and State belongeth to none but Kings And it would be thought not madnesse onely but treason to say if one had not told him that it was the King otherwise the King could not be known or that he that told him was greater then the King or his Authority greater The same may be said of the Holy and ever blessed Word of God that it is a great madnesse and impiety to conclude That the Holy Scripture cannot be known to be the Word of God without the Authority of the Fathers or Church or that the Authority of either is greater then the Scriptures which to affirme is without doubt blasphemy in a High degree against Almighty God and his blessed revealed will and able to provoke his indignation upon us because it is an error against the very light of nature art and reason and the apparent Words of the Scripture where the Word of God is called the immortall seed 1. Peter chap. 1. verse 23. which liveth and abideth for ever Now all seed by its inward vertue sprouteth into a blade and is by it self and his owne fruits knowne to be what it is So is the Scripture of it selfe knowne to be the Word of God and as Paul saith in the 1. of the Corinthians chapter 2. verse 4. the Word of God is in the demonstration of the Spirit and in power and maketh the hearts of the beleevers burne within them as it did to those that went with Christ to Emmaus Luke the 24. verse 32. and as the Apostle saith in the first to the Thessalonians the 2. chapter verse 3. that they received the Word of God not as the word of man but as it is in the truth the Word of God which effectually worketh in those that beleeve and in the 4. of the Hebrews the 12. Paul saith that the word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then a two edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder the soule and Spirit and of the reines and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart So that by these testimonies and thousands more that might be produced it is sufficiently evident that the Scriptures of themselves are declaratory and by their own native and inbred splendor doe conciliate Authority and credit to themselves neither have they any need of help from man or the Fathers Authority to prove them the word of God For before there were any Fathers the Scriptures had their Authority and were knowne to be Divine Neither did the Fathers or Church make them Authentick or the Word of God no more then a Pillar maketh a Proclamation to be the Kings will and pleasure because it stands upon it but the Church or Fathers declared them so to be neither doth or can the very Synagogue of Rome deny this How impious then and blasphemous are the Prelates that they dare thus vilifie the holy Scriptures and make their authority nothing And can any man of judgement see any reason why one should beleeve the Fathers more then the Scriptures Or why one should beleeve that these are the workes of Augustine or Ambrose and should doubt that this is the Gospel of Luke John or that these are the Epistles of Paul Of these things the Defendant for his part can see no reason Neither can there any solid reason be yeelded why one should beleeve the Fathers more then the Scriptures themselves when the Fathers are not to be credited but as they accord with Scripture as the very Popish Canons and Papists themselves acknowledge for in the Canon Law thus speakes the Pope Patrum quantalibet doctrina sanctitate pollentium Scripta ex Canonivis sacris consideranda nec cum credâ—ndi necessitate sed cum judicandi libertate legenda sunt Neither is Baronius his opinion other concerning the authority of the Fathers as at large may be seene in his Annales ann 34. Sect. 213. and ann 44 Sect. 42. And for Bellarmine he is of the same minde in his 2. Booke concerning Councels in the 12. chapter in these words Sacra Scripta Patrum non sunt regulae nec habent autoritate obligandi And when the very adversaries do thus fully expresse themselves that whatsoever authority is in the Fathers Books and writings it is only as they harmonise and accord with the Scripture shal any man then think or suppose that there should yet be more authority in the writings of the Fathers or in the Decrees of Councels then there is in the holy Scriptures from whence as the fountaine those streams do issue very reason will confound the fatuity of this devilish doctrine for the streames and brooks are never so pure nor good as the fountain for it is ever the fountaine that gives authority of goodnesse and the name of excellency to the little sucking rivers as men know and they commend the waters ever from the fountaine they come so that the Spring hath ever the precedency and is of greatest Authority and without all controversie as it overthroweth all reason so it is exceedingly impious against our great God the fountaine of all good and the giver of every good and perfect gift and they that shall speak so contumeliously as the Bishops doe of these Fountaines of living waters the holy Scriptures is they did the Defendant will ever maintaine they are contemners and despisers of the Holy Scriptures and in this opinion he will live and die Neither did they lesse offend in saying that the Scriptures could not be knowne from the Apocrypha without the help and authority of the Fathers which point also the Defendant desireth this honourable Court to hear a little discussed it being a thing of so high nature concerning not onely the glory of God but the good of every mans soul the peace of the Church and the tranquility of the whole Kingdom And therefore he humbly craveth favour that he may agitate it here a little for the further Demonstration of the justnesse of his accusation he chargeth the Prelates with viz that they are disgracers and contemners of the holy Scriptures They say that the Scriptures cannot be distinguished from the Apocrypha but by the Fathers which assertion is against sense and reason it self and too impious for Prelates to speak Is not this an essentiall property of the Scriptures of the old Testament that they were written in the Hebrew tongue and that they did give witnesse of Christ and received Authority from him and that they were put into the hands and keeping of the elect and chosen people of God as a Treasury Now the Apocrypha had none of all this