Foure Queries Resolved, Toching the late ARCH-BISHOP.
TO Preface a little; I have set forth to the World a Breviate of the late Arch-Bishops doings in his life: and made a faitfull comment on his sayings at his death. So much haste was desired in it, and such Brevity in all, That truly some lines were omitted, which were prepared. And as his expressions were darke and involved touching his Religion: so I was not so clear and full at that point to the Readers satisfaction as now I shall be. And at one great point about the Church of England, I mistooke the Preacher, Blasphemer rather, altogether: for running over that point hastily, I understood not the incoherence of his words, as now I do, so I took the word Church in our sence for the Church indeed: when as he meant the Bishops, the church in name, or of Rome for under that notion (Church) has been meant these three hundred yeers and more. It shall be called by that name no more, unlesse with this addition, the Malignant Church. I took but halfe his confession neither: And for that the Malignants may say, I have done him wrong. Ile make them amends now in clearing before their eyes if they would see (but some will not see, and other-some cannot see, now, having shut-out light so long;
1. What his Religion was. 2. What is the church he so bemoanes. 3. What his confession 4. And prayer: And that these foure, are four abominations before the Lord God, and all good men: And shall be acknowledged by Malignants themselves so to be, an abomination all foure, if their eyes be not quite shut up; Their hearts void of all grace, and their consciences past all feeling.
[Page 4] It will be said.
Why do I trouble the dead, raking, as it were, in his ashes; he is now lanched forth into the Ocean of Eternity, entred into his unchangeable condititon; Whether at rest there or restlesse, is not to be disputed; his judgement is from the Lord, let the tongues of men and their pens suffer him to rest now from all uncharitable Sensures, whereever he is. I answer. (1.) I have not formerly, I do not now meddle with the dead. But for the sake of the living, ever-living Soules, I deale in those matters, which live, and spread, eat and consume like a canker, to the utter destruction of the unwise and ignorant (viz.) The conceit vain men have, they are no other, of this late and last Arch-Bishops Religon, Church, Repentance, Prayer; of high esteem with vain men, but abominations all foure, as we said, before the Lord God, and his faitfull servants. This was one mighty motive with me to do as I have done, not censuring the dead, but condemning a Dead Religion, A false Church, An unsound Repentance; A Confession of sin, and prayer forgivenes more abominable then any of the former; That these may not be received, & approved, to the condemnation & destruction of the living. (2.) Because the late Arch. B. Sermon, as Malignants will call it (though as cunning a piece of Blasphemie, as by the helpe of the Devill, was contrived this hundred yeers, all the reason why the Devils first-borne sonnes, the Malignants, like it so well) is posted over the Seas, there to speak Dutch, and French, (Italian it speaks already pretty treatably) so to perswade all who meet with it, That, what ever this late Arch-Bishop was all his life long, yet he was an angell at his death; which vain opinion may amuse and abuse the simple reader infinitely, it may make him beleev that he may be the Devills servant, doe the Devills worke all his life long: and die as a servant of the Lord dies, the death of the Righteous. That I may prevent this dreadfull mistake, I assure thee readed, ile set downe these matters (omitted before through too much haste) faithfully as the Truth is, So helpe me God, the God of Truth, and leader into all Truth. And when I have so done, ile post it over beyond sea also as fast as I can, in full assurance, that if this paper happen into a wise mans hand, who hath read the said Sermon, he will finde truth here, and there a Bishops Sermon indeed, if not as full of Blasphemies as of leaves. Yet as full of falshods as of lines.
One word more before I come to the Resolves, I must in duty, & ought in manners, forbear, as before, to set down how he quits his Judges, he chargheth nothing in the least degree upon them, he said, not considering what he said: for if there be any guilt in his Condemnation it must [Page 5] ly upon his Judges: But he doth indeed in a full and cleer expression acquit his Judges, saying, They proceeded by the clearest proofe. He cleared his witnesses too, saying; They were valuable witnesses: Yet most unwillingly did hee doe all this, as a man, who could not give Glory to God, nor Honour to men. But his Judges and witnesses all, are now acquitted indeed, as before in their owne Consciences, and in the Court of Heaven: so also before all the world, who will be at the cost and paines to read their equitable proceedings throughout his whole Arainment: And they that cannot bee at that charges (as few can for our sins and the Bishops warres have emptied our purses very much) will be so gracious, I hope, as to conclude, That the Iudge of all the world (whose Almighny Arme brought this mighty adversarie to the block) will do Right: and so charitable they will be I hope, as to conclude also, That all the gods, the Lords under judges here on earth, whom He hath called together so unexpectedly, preserved to this time so wonderfully, delivered so miraculously, as fire Brands out of the fire, That these Judges, the highest one Earth, will do right also: So I proced to the Resolves in Order, but beginning brokenly, because of the Reference it makes to the Printed Coppie.
The first of the foure queries Resolved.
Honour (Adde) H would crouch downe to the foot of that great Pag. 4. l. 19. Lord, Kisse his hande, licke the spittle from his mouth (the manner of all Lord Bishops would-bee) who had power to lift-him up towards that Pinacle, and to shew him the Glory of the world there: Hee was this great mans Gregorie indeed, as the complement was, a Servant of Servants, to his Lord and Masters Lusts; he was this Lords Vassall; his willing Slave, his any thing that his great Lord was, or would have him to be.
I must here resolve a question, which some make, Touching this I. mans Religion, and other such like Lord-wouldbees as was hee; I. What Religion was he of? What Faith did be professe? What Law did he hold to? What Gospel did he preach or cause to be preached? What was his opinion touching Peace with those, against whom the Lord God hath sworne, He will have warre for ever: Or what was his opinion of War against those, with whom the Lord hath sworne, and will not repent, That He will have peace for ever & ever; What was his opinion touching this Warre and this Pease? All these questions were resolved in the breast of his Great Lord and Master one earth; As this [Page 6] Little-man yet could resolve what his great Lord thought, so thought he: for what his great Lord was, such was he, of his Lords Religion; of the same Faith with him; held fast to the same Law, for liberty of Sports on the Lords-Day (though a law of Sin and death) and the Same Gospel also; was of the same Iudgement his great Lord was of, both as touching Peace and War. Indeed, and all the Christian world knowes it to he so. This man moulded Religion, Faith, Law, Gospel, Warre, Peace, all to the fashion of the times; as his great Lord did so did hee, and it was his glory so to doe: he could step out of one way into another, no matter what way though the way of Death, so it was the way of preferment, and lay in a direct line to the pinacle he aspired unto.
For further confirmation hereof, and clearersatisfaction to the foregoing questions, let us resolve our selves (1.) What his Court-Chaplaines were. (2.) What his Civilians were, I meane, his Doctors, Proctors &c. in the Civill Law. (3.) And all the Schollers in both Universities, I mean all and none other but those all Bishop-would-bees, all that gaped after preferment by his meanes, and to come through his hands:
(1.) What were these Court-chaplaines? The same this late Arch-Bishop was, when he was a Court-Chaplaine himself; of the very same Religion, Faith, Gospel, Iudgement also, touching the law for Warre, and Peace. God, Angels and men will witnesse with mee, That Such they were, as he was. These Chaplaines moulded their Sacred Texts, so they doe now, like a nose of Waxe, to the minde of their Lord, and fashion of the times, and then forced themselves to speake scarce not more words than blasphemies against God, and His Holy Ones; Which Chaplaines and Doctrines this man had opposed with the same zeale, as Paul and Barnabas shewed at the hearing of Act. 14. the like Insidels, had he had the least sparke of love, or heat of that, in his breast, wee call true zeal for God, His Religion, His Faith, His Law, His Gospel.
2 And for his Civilians, those that served his lusts, as I thinke the most did; What they are now I cannot tell, for I know not where they are: But all the Kingdomes knowes what they were, as arrand — Ile say no more touching persons so notoriously knowne all over the land, burdens of the earth, plagues and pests there.
(3.) And for the Doctors, Proctors and Schollers all I meane all, who loved the wages of iniquity, hunted after preferment; Ah Lord, how did these mould and fashion themselves to the formes and [Page 7] fashions of this great-man! Very Apes they were, they would imitate him as they could; What he speak, they would speak; What he did in point of service to the Church, they whould doe; his religion was theirs; his faith theirs; his law theirs; his Gospel theirs; his gods theirs, of the very same zize and making! And as stout and stiffe in maintenance of those gods, and service to them Divels, I should say, (such they are in Gods sight,) as he their Lord was. Indeed these all were and still are, as firme and fast to this late Arch-Bishop, as (if I might compare persons so contrary) Ruth was to Naomie, as fast to his Formes, to the Lawes of his house; to his gods; to his services: They were fast friends, and walked together, being of the same minde, and Judgement, in all matters till the last: onely there they differed; For where hee died they would not die; nor would they there be buried; which had been with the Buriall of an Asse, had he had the buriall his life deserved; I had spoken more to this, but that the present state and face of things speake the fullest answers to the forgoing questions, yet for the satisfaction of all that are not willingly ignorant, so much I have said: I proceed now to a conclusion of what I was saying, and all that knew him will conclude with mee: That hee breathed after Preferment, moulded and fashioned himselfe, words and Actions, Religion, Faith, Gospel, all to the Times; and most compendious waies, bearing-up towads that Pinacle, He did as a man that Loveth the world, and deifies, makes a god of its Glory; And what havocke he made of Faith and a good conscience, all wise men know. You will say, &c. p. 4. l. 21.
Died with a Iest in their mouthes; other some with an Oath there, others with a Blasphemie there: And other died as he died with an, &c. l. 2. l. 21. All wise men will.
The Seconnd Quere Resolved.
II. The Church of England is now in a Storme her selfe, and God knowes, whether or how it shall get out? This must have a twofold answer, for Church has a twofold acceptation, the one in the Bishops sence, the other in ours; Church in the Bishops acceptation is themselves; Arch-Bishops and Lord Bishops are the Church, the poor Church of England indeed. Doubtlesse that was his meaning, and thus he bemoaned themselves. The Poore Charch of England is now in a Storme. Indeed it is, and not one man that is a member of the true Church can be sorry for that. And God knowes whether or how it shall get out; He knowes indeed and He hath assured His faithfull servants that the Bishops shall never weather it out: Their Seas shall work so High, and the Storme shall [Page 8] lie so long upon them, till their Lordships shall be able to bear-up no longer: but sink they must like a Milstone into the great waters. The men may finde mercy, and God grant they may, but their Lordships none at all. And this Poore Church (the Bishops) is now fallen into a great deal of danger by her own. We grant this also; The Arch-Bishops and Bishops have more than endangered themselves, they have done that which the Parliament, and all the Faithfull servants in all the world could not doe against that cursed Hierarchy for the casting of it forth; what the faithfull could not do, they have done against themselves; ruined themselves they have with their own hands; Their villanies, Their out-Rages, their Horrable Impieties, iniquities, Blasphemies against God and man; by all these they have ruined themselves They Intraduced such prophanenesse and irreligion, cloked all this While with the name of imaginary Religion; They dwelt so much upon shadowes that they have quite lost the substance. These are his Pag. 12. line 7. words and they must be understood of his Church, and no other, so he betrayed himselfe with his owne Tokens, and beat himself with his own staff: for as it followes; They were so fixed upon their opinion, a conceit only, so fixed I say, and so fully perswaded, That they the (Malignant) Church Should abide Queen for ever; Their mountain was so strong, and they so strong upon it, That they thought they should never be moved, Then they advanced their throne above the Stars of God, and so ruined themselves, and their thrones for ever. He must mean themselues under this notion Church, for his words are inconsistent with any other Church but their own. Only these words clest as under as With wedges cannot agree with their Church. Indeed on heed of that monstrous Church, which has two, is cleft asunder from the body by the Death-mans Axe, as was Goliahs head by the sword in Davids hand: But the Bulkly body of that Church, and members of the same are intire: and platted together they are all like thornes, in a fast confederacy with the King of the bottomles pit: These Adversaries are, as is said of the Leviathans scales, shut up together lob. 41 16 as with a close seal one so near to another that no Ayre-can come between them; They are joyned one to another, they stick together that they can not be sundred: so here his old memory failed him. But though here are the turnings and windings of the crooked Serpent; though hee Doubles here, loving, as some Beasts do, confus a vestigia, that we might not track him, or finde him out, yet we understood him very well, That he could bemoane none other Church but his own; hee could not bemoane the True Church at his death, whom he persecuted heartily with his tongue and hand all his life long. He bemoaned [Page 9] his own Church, whereof he was head; for thereunto his own words all along do agree, congruous and consistent with that Church, and no other, the enemies themselves being Judges; or if not they we indite them before the Iudge of all the word, in their ArchB, words, 1 That they, the Bishops, have introduced irreligion, and prophanenesse, cloked under the guise or name of Imaginary religion; 2 That they and only they, have quite lost the substance, while they dwelt too much a great deal upon shadowes (in opinion) so that God would be served against this command, and expresse will touching the way of His worship. And so it was of the Lord, That their Church is in a storme indeed, and fallen into a great deal of danger by her own; nay tuined now by their own hands, that sureiy the Prince of Devills sate in councell with them, when time was, else they could not have consulted such shame to their own house, nor have taken such a ready way to ruine themselves, and their thrones. I will conclude this mighty ruine of these mighty Adversaries, once the Lords of the world, as Ioshua doth the ruine of those mighty Kings: For it was of the Lord to hearden their heart, that they should come against Israel in battle: and that they might hawe no favour, Iosh. 11. 20.
So much to his first acceptation of this word church, in the Bishops construction, themselves, a poore church indeed,
3. Now, as we understand the Church andin true construction the True church: he would seeme to bemoane it thus, The poore church of England is now in a storme her self. And God knowes whether or how it shall get out. God knowes indeed. But yet, blessed be his great Name, He has not left the case doubtfull, much lesse desperate, or hopelesse, The Church hath a promise, page 27. line 13.
Confessing his sinne (Adde) He acknowledgeth his sinnes great Pag. 33. line 29. and many in the lumpe, but for his transgressions in perticular hee confesseth nothing at all, but that all he did was for the honour of God. If he did worry any of the sheep of Gods pasture almost to death, he did in his zeal to bring the sheep home unto his fold. And all the detestable things; hee kept-in or brought-in to his Churches, hee did all to keep as uniformity in the externall service of God there. This an humble confession! The Lord knowes it is a proud confession, and which His soul abominates, But that is his confession to God, no marvaile he confesseth not any wrong he has done to man; But if any mandoes but conceive that I have offended him, I beg forgivenesse of him: So he saith; If the faithfulest servants of the Lord, thrust-out of Gods house by this Arch-Bishops roughest hand, because they would not [Page 10] blaspheme God, and His name, and His day, in that very house; If they did but conceive he had offended them in this roughest and most violent dealing with them, then he begs forgivenesse of them, 2. If these servants of the Lord thrust-out of their house with their wives and children; and turned into a wildernesse to seeke their bread there amongst wilde beasts, and salvages (whom the servants of the Lord found more gentle than was his Lord-ship) if he had offended them by this hard dealing, than he begs forgiueuesse of them, 3. If by taking away that the Scripture meanes by the Quicquid hominis vitam ex necessitate tolerat Deut 24. 6 milstone, mens livelihoods, be an offence to any he begs forgivenesse of them, 4 If his dealing with the most faithfull servants of the Lord, as with the vilest persons on earth; If degrading defacing, &c. if dealing with the pretious and honourable of the Lord, if dealing with these, as a mastiffe with swine, if this, be an offence, then he asketh forgivenesse; [if an offence!] But I forbear, that I may conclude his confession; If he had offended any by ungodly deeds, which he had ungodly committed: or by hard speeches, which he (a most ungodly sinner) had spoken against the Righteous, then he asked them forgivenes, if they did but conceive he had so done. Reader, this is the proudest acknowledgement that ever was heard of in the world. Cain, A truer penitent by farre, and Gen. 4 13. and a more free acknowledgment he makes, though but of his punishment; It is greater then I can bear: This man sayes, though the weight of the sentence lieth very heavie upon me, yet I am as quiet within, as ever I was in my life: A cursed peace, and that was but of an hours lasting. Through the efficacious and high working of a cordiall potion he dranke, they say, immediately before he went forth to the Scaffold, after the manner of the Divels Martyrs. But read Iudas his confession, he confesseth his sin without any if there, and he makes Restitution also: This man cannot tell whether he has offended or not. I conclude, That he did not humbly desire forgivenesse, for he did not humbly ask forgivenesse of sins; But the contrary he did, as the proudest of sinners, Irish Rebels, brethren in iniquity, whose rage the Lord God has cursed, and now, by his Judges on earth, commanded to be cut asunder, and then hanged-up before the Sun: So did he confesse, as such sinners use to do, &c. Pag. 33. last line but one.
Touching his prayer, I have spoken already, briefly, what the sacred IV. Scripture gave me warrant to speak. I have not space to enlarge now; I adde this onely; That his prayer is the highest provocation of all that went before, and the greatest abhomination. He prayes for an heart to dye (1) for Gods honour, whom he had dishonoured all his [Page 11] life long; and now most presumptuously at his death, giving no glory to Him at all. (2) For the Kings happinesse, Whom, by his wicked counsels, he hath helpt to make the most unhappie and unglorious King, that now lives upon the face of the earth. (3) And this Churches preservation. I grant This, in his meaning, not in his intent and purpose, but by Gods gracious dispensation, preserving His Churches by ruining This Church, the Bishops, and this Archbishop, Gods, and His Churches Arch-Adversary, the Head of the same. So let all Thine Enemies perish, O Lord, But let them that love Him, be as the Sun, when Judg. 5 21 he goeth forth in his might.
To conclude, we understand now what this mans Religion was. 2 What his Church is. 3 And we have read his Confession and Prayer full out. There is not one truly wise man in the world, but sayes, all these four are so many abominations. Yet there be some who would passe for wise men, but so they cannot do: And would not be accounted Malignants neither (that cannot be) who praise his doings and sayings, specially all he did and said at his death. Is it possible that men will not remember themselves and shew themselves men? If they will not, I will resolve what they are also; They are of the Bishops Religion; of his Church; and they verily think, that such 2 Confession of sinne, and such a Prayer for forgivenesse, the late Archbishop made at his death, will serve their turn too at that dreadfull time. If they think so, and that be their hopes, then they may hope well of Iudas, in reference to his Confession, for it is full and free, and no if there. And if this mans acknowledgement of his Doings may be thought free and ingenuous, they may say as much and more of the Divels acknowledgement of his wayes before the Lord; Whence commest thou, Satan, said the Lord? Iob 17. The great Peripatetick of the world acknowledgeth, saying, sroin going to and fro in the Earth, seeking whom to seduce, and to destroy there. The Divell is summoned again, and he is before the Throne of the Lord; and the Lord said, Who shall perswade the King, that he may go up to warre, and fall there? I will layes the Divell; And the Lord said unto him, wherewith? With a lye sayes he, which I will put into 1 King. 22. the mouth of all the Kings Prophets: give me but power, I have will enough, and the King has Prophets enough, who will speak what I will: I will perswade them, and they will perswade the King to his destruction. A very ingenious acknowledgment of what he had a will to do; he was before the Lord, and then alwayes he speaks the Truth; he is as he is, no Angell of light then; He was a lying-Spirit, from the beginning; he is the same still; and if he might have power to [Page 16] his will, so and so he would do; power was given him, and so he did perswade to his will.
This man was before the Lord too, as he said himselfe, before all His holy Angels and men: but whether his acknowledgement of his wayes before the Lord, be full, and ingenuous, as the Devills was, let the Reader Judge. I could make these words very paralell with the Bishops doings; But I will forbear there, and to make any conclusion from thence. Nor shall I so much as look towards Gods decree; The quickest sight therein is but blindnesse: Nor dare I thrust him into the pit of hell, whom I saw Sometimes walking on the brinke thereof: Nor set limits to infinite Grace, and Mercy, which may intervene and come-in, inter pontem & fontem as we use to say.
But this I have cleare warrant from the Sacred scripture to say.
(1) That JUDAS his Confession was more full and free than this mans was: And that the Devils acknowledgment of his waies before the Lord exceeded this mans acknowledgement also.
(2) And that we have not a word, no not one word in the Sacred Scripture, wherefrom to conclude the salvation of this man so Confessing his sin, and praying forgivenesse of the same: And yet I deragate nothig at all from the Height, Depth, Length, Breadth, of free mercy through the Lord Jesus Christ; And let him that reads this consider on it if he will, and tremble if he can; Tremble he shall one day, if he be perswaded in his heart, & to die in that perswasion, That such a Religion, this late and last Arch-Bishop was of, such a CHVRCH, such a CONFESSION of sin, such a PRAYER for forgivenesse will serve the turne at that dreadfull time.
It is spoken with a deare respect to thy dying, rather dead body, (the body is dead because of sin) and never dying Soul.