Canterburies doome, or, The first part of a compleat history of the commitment, charge, tryall, condemnation, execution of William Laud, late Arch-bishop of Canterbury containing the severall orders, articles, proceedings in Parliament against him, from his first accusation therein, till his tryall : together with the various evidences and proofs produced against him at the Lords Bar ... : wherein this Arch-prelates manifold trayterous artifices to usher in popery by degrees, are cleerly detected, and the ecclesiasticall history of our church-affaires, during his pontificall domination, faithfully presented to the publike view of the world / by William Prynne, of Lincolns Inne, Esquire ...

Canterburies doome, or, The first part of a compleat history of the commitment, charge, tryall, condemnation, execution of William Laud, late Arch-bishop of Canterbury containing the severall orders, articles, proceedings in Parliament against him, from his first accusation therein, till his tryall : together with the various evidences and proofs produced against him at the Lords Bar ... : wherein this Arch-prelates manifold trayterous artifices to usher in popery by degrees, are cleerly detected, and the ecclesiasticall history of our church-affaires, during his pontificall domination, faithfully presented to the publike view of the world / by William Prynne, of Lincolns Inne, Esquire ...

Canterburies doome, or, The first part of a compleat history of the commitment, charge, tryall, condemnation, execution of William Laud, late Arch-bishop of Canterbury containing the severall orders, articles, proceedings in Parliament against him, from his first accusation therein, till his tryall : together with the various evidences and proofs produced against him at the Lords Bar ... : wherein this Arch-prelates manifold trayterous artifices to usher in popery by degrees, are cleerly detected, and the ecclesiasticall history of our church-affaires, during his pontificall domination, faithfully presented to the publike view of the world / by William Prynne, of Lincolns Inne, Esquire ...

Table of contents

Title page

Die Martis 4▪ Martii. 1644.

TO The Right Honourable, the Lords and Commons In PARLIAMENT Aſſembled.

To the Chriſtian Reader.

A COMPLEAT HISTORY OF The Commitment, Charge, Tryall, Condemnation and Execution of WJLLJAM LAƲD, late Arch-Biſhop of CANTERBVRT.

The Generall Charge againſt the Archbiſhop, with the ſeverall branches thereof.

The firſt Specificall branch of the Charge againſt the Archbiſhop, touching his Trayterous endeavours to alter and ſubvert Gods true Religion by Law eſtabliſhed among us, to introduce Popiſh Superſtition and Idolatry in liew thereof, and to reconcile the Church of England, with the Church of Rome, by ſeverall ſtepps and practiſes; with the copious evidences produced to manifeſt the ſame at his Tryall.

The evidence to prove the firſt generall branch of his Charge, concerning the alteration, ub verſion of Religion.

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1. Purgations of ſundry notable paſſages againſt Popery it ſelfe in generall, which muſt not paſſe the Preſſe upon any termes, but have a ſpeciall deleatur drawne over them.

2 Paſſages expunged out of bookes tendred to licenſe, againſt the Papacy, Rome, the Popes Supremacy, Pride, Tyranny, Cruelty, Treaſons, murthering and depoſing Princes: Popes vicious lives, practiſes, and being Antichriſt, that man of ſinne, &c.

3. Paſſages purged out of new licenſed Books, againſt ſeducing traiterous Papists, Popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits, Monks, Arminians; our toleration of, and remiſneſſe in executing Lawes againſt them, and revolting to Popery.

4. That the Abſolution of Prieſts is but declarative; and that they cannot bind and looſe men at their pleaſures againſt Gods Word, as the Papiſts hold their Prieſts can doe.

5. Clauſes againſt adoring the Euchariſt, and conſecrated Bread in the Sacrament, expunged.

6. Paſſages expunged, averring, That the Pope is Antichriſt: of which ſee Section 2. before.

7. Paſſages purged out againſt Altars, that the Croſſe is no Altar, that a Sacrifice may be without an Altar.

8. Sentences expunged againſt the totall and finall Apostacy, or falling away of the Saints from grace, and their Perſeverance in Grace.

9. Paſſages expunged againſt Arminians, Semi-pelagians and Arminianiſme.

10. Paſſages deleted, That men may be Aſſured of their ſalvation, and that Aſſurance of it is attainable in this life.

11. Paſſages deleted againſt Auricular Confeſſion of our Sinnes to Popiſh Priests.

12. Paſſages deleted againſt the Arbitrary, Tyrannicall power of Kings; diſobedience to their unjuſt, popiſh and wicked commands, reſiſting their tyranny; and the mortality of Kings.

13. Paſſages deleted againſt Popiſh Blind Obedience.

14. Paſſages expunged againſt the Papiſts; that Baptiſme onely binds us to obſerve Gods Will and Commandements, and that it abſolves not men from all ſinnes.

15. Paſſages deleted againſt Becket, Gardener, with other Popiſh Saints, Prelats, Writers, and in defence of Calvin and Luther.

16. Paſſages deleted concerning Biſhops.

17. Paſſages expunged againſt the Blindneſſe, Superſtition, Idolatrous, Pompous worſhip and Adoration of Papiſts, prophane perſons, Popiſh Saints, Reliques.

18. Paſſages deleted againſt Superstitious, Popiſh Ceremonies, and the abolition of them.

19. Paſſages purged out, That the Church is not alwnyes viſible.

20. Paſſages deleted, That wicked men are no true members of the true Church and mysticall Body of Chriſt.

21. Paſſages deleted againſt building Churches Eaſt and Weſt, and the ſuperstitious adorning of them with Images and ſuch like popiſh Furniture.

22. Paſſages expunged againſt evangelicall Councels, tending unto Perfection, Merit, Superogation, and againſt popiſh Vowes.

23. Paſſages expunged againſt Popiſh evill Councellours, and the vices of Princes Courts.

24. Paſſages deleted, That all things are decreed, and nothing uncertaine to God.

25. Paſſages deleted concerning Election, that it is not of foreſeen workes or faith, but onely from Gods free grace: That there is no Ʋniverſall Election, &c.

26. Paſſages againſt Equivocation and Popiſh Writers, expunged.

27. Paſſages expunged againſt labouring to encreaſe Faith.

28. Paſſages deleted againſt popiſh Fasting.

29. Paſſages purged out againſt carnall and unchristian Feares and Popiſh Contrition.

30. Paſſages deleted againſt Free-will, Reſisting grace, &c.

31. A Clauſe expunged againſt Flagellant Fryars.

32. That God is not the Author of ſinne, deleted.

33. Clauſes deleted and altered againſt Ʋniverſall grace, Ʋniverſall Redemption and Election, and reſisting Grace.

34. Paſſages deleted concerning hearing Gods word.

35. Paſſages purged out againſt Gods Hardning and Obduration of men.

36. Paſſages blotted out againſt Holy-dayes dedicated to Saints.

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.

38. A Paſſage expunged againſt the Churches Infallibility.

39. Paſſages deleted againſt the Impoſitions, Tyranny and Diſſimulation of Kings (ſee Arbitrary power, &c. page 289.)

40. Paſſages deleted, that the Law of God is poſſible to be fulfilled by men, as the Papists hold; and That men are damned for Originall ſinne as well as Actuall.

41. Paſſages deleted againſt the Constancy of Gods Love and friendſhip to his Children.

42. Paſſages expunged againſt the Popiſh Maſſe, Tranſubstantiation, adoring the Hoast.

43. Paſſages blotted out in defence of Priests marriage.

44. Paſſages daſhed out, that the Virgin Mary was not without ſinne, originall and actuall: brake not the Serpents head: is not to be prayed to, &c.

45. Paſſages expunged againſt Popiſh Monkery Vowes, Stewes, and Incontinency of their Monks and Clergy.

46. A Paſſage croſſed out againſt mixing the Sacramentall wine with water.

47. Paſſages purged out concerning the Ministers doing their duty in Praying, frequent Preaching of the Word, the peoples diligent hearing of the Word preached, &c.

48. Paſſages deleted againſt Murther in Magistrates, Princes, and others.

49. That Chriſt is our ſole Mediatour, not Saints and Angels, and againſt prayer to Saints, deleted.

50. That Nature uſed well and improved, is a meanes to obtaine Grace, and greater graces then before. Expunged.

51. Paſſages deleated concerning Originall Sin.

52. Deleted clauſes againſt the Oath ex Officio and forced Oaths.

53. A Paſſage obliterated againſt popiſh Pardons, Indulgences and Purgatory.

54. The very name of Papiſts expunged, with a paſſage againſt the Popes power.

55. A Clauſe expunged againſt Popiſh Penance.

56. Paſſages expunged againſt Perſeverance in Grace.

57. Paſſages purged out againſt the Popiſh Pyx and Tranſubstantiation.

59. Paſſages deleted againſt Prayer to Saints; Popiſh Prayers; the Merit of Prayer; praying firſt for spirituall things; and praying towards the Eaſt.

60. Paſſages obliterated concerning Predeſtination, Gods Decree and Reprobation. See Election, page 303.

61. Paſſages purged out againſt popiſh Purgations of ſinne by other meanes then Chriſts blood, and againſt Purgatory.

62. Paſſages obliterated concerning preaching, its end and frequency.

63. A Paſſage deleted againſt Ministers Reading their Sermons.

64. Paſſages blotted out concerning the Sabbaths morality, perpetuity, ſtrict ſanctification, and againſt the prophanation of it.

65. Paſſages deleted, that the Sacraments Ex Opere Operato conferre Grace; and concerning the Sacrament of Baptiſme.

66. Paſſages deleted, that the Euchariſt and Maſſe are no Propitiatory Sacrifice. (See Maſſe before.)

67. Clauſes deleted againſt Popiſh Satisfaction.

68. Scripture Texts themſelves and their very words alone deleted.

69. Paſſages expunged, that the Scriptures are light, not hard to be underſtood, and to be read by the common people.

70. Paſſages blotted out againſt Tranſubſtantiation; and Christs Corporall preſence in the Euchariſt.

71. A notable clauſe deleted concerning the Toleration of Popiſh Prieſts, and Divines preaching againſt it.

72. Paſſages expunged againſt Veniall ſinnes.

73. Paſſages raſed out concerning our effectuall Vocation.

74. Clauſes obliterated againſt Wil-worſhip.

75. Paſſageo deleted concerning the loving, prizing and hearing of Gods Word.

76. Paſſages deleted concerning good works, their end; and againſt the Merit of Works, and Works of Supererogation.

Paſſages expunged againſt Prophaneneſſe, Libertiniſme, and living, ending in ſinne.

The fifth particular branch of the Evidence to prove the first Generall Charge againſt the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury.

The ſixth Branch of the Commons Evidence to make good their firſt Generall Charge of the Archbishops endeavours to ſubvert our Religion and introduce Popery.

The ſecond BRANCH of the firſt generall CHARGE concerning the ARCH-BISHOPS endeavours to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of ROME.

The Archbiſhops ſeveral ANSVVERS To the Proofs and Evidence produced to make good the firſt Branch of his CHARGE, with the Commons Replyes, and Rejoynders thereunto.

The Archbiſhops Defence and Anſwers to the COMMONS Evidence in the maintenance of the Second Branch of their firſt Generall Charge, touching his Endevours to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome, and the Commons Reply thereunto.

THE TABLE OF THE Principal matters contained in this Hiſtory, ſome Pages whereof being over-caſt and twice ſet, others miſprinted; wherethey are twice paged, thou ſhalt finde that in the later which is not in the former; and the other in the corrected, that is not in the miſtaken pages.

Courteous Reader, I ſhall deſire thee to correct theſe enſuing Errataes, which through the Printers negligence have eſcaped the PRESSE.

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⟨C⟩anterburies Doome. OR ⟨TH⟩E FIRST PART OF A COMPLEAT HISTORY OF The Commitment, Charge, Tryall, Condemnation, Execution of WILLIAM LAVD Late Arch-Biſhop of CANTERBURY. Containing the ſeverall Orders, Articles, Proceedings in PARLIAMENT againſt him, from his firſt Accuſation therein, till his Tryall: Together with the Various Evidences and Proofs produced againſt him at the LORDS Bar, in juſtification of the firſt branch of the COMMONS Charge againſt him; to wit, His Trayterous Endeavours to Alter and Subvert Gods True Religion, by Law eſtabliſhed among us; to introduce and ſet up Popiſh Superſtition and Idolatry in liew thereof, by inſenſible Degrees; and to Reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome, by ſundry Jeſuiticall Pollices, Practiſes: with his ſeverall Anſwers to thoſe Evidences, Proofs, and the COMMONS Reply thereunto. Wherein this Arch-Prelates manifold Trayterous Artifices to Uſher in Popery by Degrees, are cleerly detected, and the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory of our Church-affaires, during his Pontificall Domination, faithfully preſented to the publike View of the World. By WILLIAM PRYNNE, of Lincolns Inne, Eſquire; Specially deputed to this publike Service, by the Houſe of Commons Order; Dated 4 Martii. 1644.

PSAL. 7. 14, 15, 16.

Behold he travelleth with Iniquity, and hath conceived Miſchiefe, and brought forth Falſhood: He made a pit and digged it, and is fallen into the Pit that he digged: His Miſchiefe ſhall return upon his own Head, and his Violent dealing ſhall come down upon his own Pate.

PSAL. 9. 16.

The Lord is known by the Judgement which he executeth; the Wicked is ſnared in the worke of his own hands.

LONDON, Printed by John Macock, for Michael Spark ſenior, at the ſign of the Blue Bible in Green Arbour. 1646.

Die Martis 4▪ Martii. 1644.

[Page]

ORdered by the Commons Aſſembled in Parliament, that Maſter Prynne be deſired to Print and publiſh all the Proceedings concerning the Archbiſhop of Canterburies Triall, with the approbation of the Committee that managed the Evidence at the ſaid Tryall. And Maſter Prynne hath power to View and ſend for Writings, Papers, Orders, and Records, and to take Coppies thereof as he ſees cauſe.

H. Elſynge Cler. Parl. D. Com.

TO The Right Honourable, the Lords and Commons In PARLIAMENT Aſſembled.

[Page]

YOUR HONOURS earneſt deſires expreſſed in the premiſed Order, inevitably engaging me to compile and publiſh to the World, A compleat Hiſtory of the famous Tryall, of the late decapitated Archbiſhop of Canterbury; I have, without other motives, in Obedience thereunto (with as much Expedition as my many other distracting Occaſions, and the Vastneſſe of the Work would permit) finiſhed the First Part thereof; (which I here humbly tender to Your Honourable Patronage and Acceptance) compriſing, The ſeverall Orders, Articles, and Parliamentary Proceedings againſt him, from his Originall Impeachment till his Triall; together with, the Commons Various Evidence; his ſeverall Anſwers to it; and their Replies upon them, in maintenance of the Firſt Generall Branch of their Charge of High Treaſon againſt him: to wit; His Trayterous Endeavours to alter, & ſubvert Gods true Religion by Law eſtabliſhed among us; to introduce Popiſh Superſtition and Idolatry in liew thereof; and to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome, by ſundry Jeſuiticall Stratagems: The guilt of which black Execrable Charge (wherein he moſt of all proteſted, and endeavoured to clear his pretended Innocency, both during his Triall at the Bar, and at his Death on the Scaffold, as that which did moſt nearly concern him in his function as an Arch-Prelate, and in his Religion as a Proteſtant,) was ſo abundantly evidenced, ſo firmly fixed upon his White Rochet by a various multiplicity of unavoydable proofs, impregnable Demonſtrations, (which all his Sophistry, Oratory, Subtilty, Protestations, could no wayes enervate or evade,) that it will ſtick faſt upon him for Eternity, maugre all his own verball Apologies, during his life, or the Malignant Panegyricks, the ſcandalous Relations of any Anti-parliamentall, or Prelaticall Sycophants ſince his death: Who in open affront of Your moſt memorable Exemplary Juſtice, upon this Arch-Traytor, (the very Sourſe and Compendium of all our late miſeries) have proclaimed him to Poſterity, in their late lying Legends of his death, A most Glorious Martyr, (as the Papists did his moſt Trayterous Predeceſsor, Joannis de Aton. Conſtit. fol 149. 150. Antiquicates Eccleſiae Brit. and Godwin in his life, M. Fox Act, & Monuments, p 2. 205. Becket) and already canonized him for A SAINT: perchance, becauſe beheaded on Jan. 10. Les plus Grands du Berray rapporterent au Roy, qu'il troubloit le repoſe du publie, & qu'il S'emparoit contre toute la Juſtice de ſon domaine, &c. Il depublia la Bulledecernee par le Pape pour faire la guerre aux Albegiois auec tant de zele & de fruict, que pluſieurs a ſa parole S'y cro [...]ſerent courageuſement. La gu [...]rre eut une iſſue houreuſe, car les Heretiques furent tellement deconfits qu'ils ne purrent depuis ſeremetter on campagne, &c. Ribadeniera Flures des Vies des Saincts p. 124. Saint Williams day, the Popiſh Archbiſhop of Bourges in France; as great a diſturber in his time, of that Kingdomes publike peace, and courſe of Justice; yea, as grand an Incendiary of the bloody Wars againſt the Albigenſes & French Proteſtants, as this Archbiſhop was of our Kingdoms tranquility, its publike Juſtice; and ſtirrer up of [Page] the War againſt the Scots; yet for all this enrolled in the Red Calender of Romiſh Saints.

There have lately come unto my hands two Oxford Pamphlets; the one intituled: A true Relation of the Death of the moſt Reverend Father in God, William Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, upon Tower hill, January, 10. 1644. (Firſt Printed at Oxford, and ſince at Bristol, Anno 1644.) Which begins thus:

On Fryday, Jan. 10. THE REBELS MARTYRED the moſt Reverend Father in God, William Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury upon Tower hill, after they had kept him priſoner above four years: And then relating his ſpeech and Prayer on the Scaffold, it concludes in theſe words: Thus dyed the KINGS, and the CHURCHES Note. MARTYR; a man of ſuch Integrity, Learning, Devotion, and Courage, as had he lived in the Primitive times, they would have given him another name: whom though the cheated multitude were taught to miſconceive, (for theſe honoured him) yet impartiall posterity will know how to value him, when they hear the Rebels ſentenced him the very ſame houre that they voted down the Liturgy of the Church of England; whoſe innocency cryes to heaven for Vengeance, upon the heads of theſe deſtroyers, who pile MURTHER upon Murther to fortifie their Covenant, that upon this generation may come all the RIGHTEOUS BLOOD, from him whoſe blood was first ſhed, to the pulling down this great Pillar of our Church; which if you conſider, is THE MOST GROUNDLES, MALITIOUS, SOLEMNE STUDIED MURTHER THAT EVER WAS COMMITTED IN THIS WRETCHED Note. ISLAND.

The later Pamphlet Imprinted at Oxford, of the ſame Subject, dated as the former, (inſcribed; A briefe Relation of the Death, and Sufferings of the most Reverend and Renouned Prelate, the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, with a more perfect Coppy of his Speech and other paſſages [...]n the Scaffold, than hath been hitherto Imprinted;) thus blazons this Archtraytors Innocency, merits, ſufferings. Page 14. 15. 25. He that had ſo long lived a Confeſſer (a Popiſh Confeſſor if he pleaſe to the Duke of Buckingham and others) could not but think it releaſe of miſery to be made a MARTYR. He aſcended the Scaffold with ſo brave a courage, ſuch a cheerfull countenance, as if he had mounted rather to behold a Triumph than to be made a Sacrifice, and came not there to dye, but to be tranſlated; and to ſay truth, it was no Scaffold but a Throne; a Throne whereon he was ſhortly to receive a Crown, even the most glorious Crown of MARTYRDOME: After which he ſtiles him, A glorious Martyr; his blood, Innocent blood; yea, thou extols his Innocency, and Canonizeth him for a Saint in a Poeticall Elegie, eſpecially in theſe enſuing lines.

—Through the hand

Of baſe detraction practiſe to defame

Thy ſpotleſſe Virtues, yet impartiall fame

Shall do thee all just honour, and ſet forth

To all ſucceeding times thy matchleſſe worth;

[Page] No Annalls ſhall be writ, but what relate

Thy happy influence, both on Church and State;

Thy zeal to publike Order, thy great parts

For all affairs of weight; thy love to Arts;

And to our ſhame and his great glory tell,

For whoſe dear ſake, by whoſe vile hands he fell.

A death ſo full of Merits, of ſuch price,

To God and man ſo ſweet a ſacrifice,

As by good Church-Law may his name prefer,

To a fixt Rubrick in the Calender.

And let this ſilence the pure Sects complaint,

Note.

If they make Martyrs, we may make a SAINT, &c.

And not onely theſe Anonymous Pamphleters, but King Charles himſelf, who not long before had given him an ample Pardon, as a Traytor, under his great Seal of England, forgetting what he had done herein, doth in his own See the Kings Cabinet opened. Letter to the Queen, dated Jan. 14. 1644. cry up this headleſſe Arch-biſhop for a Martyr; yea, deems his blood ſo meritorious, ſo Innocent; that being totally the Parliaments, he beleeves it no preſumption, hereafter to hope that Gods hand of Justice, (for the Parliaments juſt effuſion of his blood) must be (thence-forth) heavier upon them and lighter upon him and his Anti-parliamentary Partie, looking now upon their cauſe having paſſed by their faults. If his blood ſo lately ſhed by the axe of Juſtice be already become ſo meritorious, as to ballance the ſcales of Gods Juſtice in this manner; we may juſtly fear it will in few years more grow into as great eſteem at Court, as Thomas of Beckets his Trayterly predeceſſors blood, did in former times among the Prelatical Popiſh party; who attributed more efficacy to it then to Chriſts, and therfore preſumed moſt blaſphemouſly to pray to Chriſt himſelfe to ſave them, by his own, but this Arch-Traytors blood, in this diſtick.

Officium Beatae Mariae ſecundum Vſum Sarum, Pariſtis 1919. p. 12. Biſhop Jewels Defence of the Apology, part 2. c. 18. Diviſ. 1. p. 295. 296.

Tu per Thomae Sanguinem quem prote impendit

Fac nos Chriſte ſcandere quo Thomas aſcendit.

But as the manifold glorious Victories, miraculous Succeſſes of the Parliaments Forces ſince his Execution, have experimentally fruſtrated this his Majeſties groundleſſe Hope and Preſumption, that Gods hand of Iuſtice would be heavier upon the Parliaments Party, but lighter upon him and his, by reaſon of his crying blood, it being never lifted up ſo extraordinarily, ſo viſibly for the Parliament before, nor falling ſo heavily upon the King and his Partizans; as ſince his beheading, and the Kings overconfident relying on the Merits of the Blood of ſuch a Traytot for ſucceſſe in his warrs againſt the Parliament; So, I preſume, the ſetting forth of this Hiſtory of his Tryall, will ſoon Un-Martyr, Un-Saint, Uncrown this Arch-Impoſter, by preſenting him in his Proper Colours, ſtript of all Diſguiſes, and render him ſo deſperately criminall, ſo tranſcendently Trayterous in all reſpects, eſpecially in point of undermining the Proteſtant Religion, wherein himſelf and his Paraſites have endeavoured moſt of all to vindicate his Innocency, that all Generations will unaminouſly pronounce [Page] him, the Archeſt Enemy to, the moſt active univerſall Underminer of the Protestant Religion eſtabliſhed among us, that ever breathed in Engliſh ayre; and readily acknowledge, that no Eccleſiaſticall Annalls ever recorded his Paralell, for multiplicity of deſperate cunning Jeſuiticall Stratagems ſecretly to ſubvert that Orthodox Reformed Religion which himſelfe pretended to profeſſe; nay, propagate and patronize.

It is far below the Magnanimity of my Spirit in the leaſt meaſure maliciouſly to blaſt the Fame, or revengefully to triumph over, to trample upon the Aſhes of a Vanquiſhed Enemy, whom I never dreaded, or ſlandered all his life, forgave and pittied both before and at his death; the Memory of whoſe Capital crimes ſhould have expired with his breath, and been eternally buried in oblivion with his Corps, by me, had not Your Honors ſuperiour Commânds neceſſitated me to revive, record them to Poſterity ſince his death (as well as to give them in evidence at his Tryall,) for Vindication of Your untainted Justice, and the Common Good, to deter all others in future Ages from the like Trayterous Practiſes. If any therefore deem my Expreſsions, concerning him or his actions, over-laviſh, malicious, or revengefull, let them impartially compare them with his Criminall Offences here recorded, (which they hardly equalize, or fall far ſhort of) and then if they warrant not the harſheſt Epithites, the blackeſt Characters here beſtowed on him, let me eternally bear the blame and ſhame: but if they be ſcarce proportionate to his Treaſons, his grand Miſdemeanors, (which muſt be blazoned and ſet forth in language ſuitable to their tranſcendent Hainouſneſse, not minced, not extenuated by over-diminutive expreſſions) I hope none will or can be ſo injurious, as to charge me with Calumny, much leſſe Scurrility or Revenge, who never yet particularly demanded, received the leaſt farthing Recompence from him or any of his, for all the barbarous Cruelties, Oppreſsions, Impriſonments great Loſſes, Dammages I ſuſtained, eight years ſpace together, onely for diſcovering, oppoſing, countermining (to the utmoſt of my skill and power) all Popiſh Plots, Innovations, Proceedings of this Arch-Prelate and his confederates to undermine our Religion, re-eſtabliſh Popery among us by degrees, and ſet up an arbitrary Papall power, the better to effect the ſame: the onely reall cauſe of all my former ſufferings.

Yet three things there are, I foreſee may poſſibly be objected againſt me by his complices, which need ſome Anſwer to prevent their cauſeleſſe Calumnies.

The firſt is, That in this Hiſtory of his Tryall, I have at large inſerted ſome particular papers, paſſages, (eſpecially in the Catalogue of the Arminian, Object. 1. Popiſh Errours, vented in, and of the clauſes againſt them purged out of late new Printed Books) which were not actually, or at leaſt fully read at the Lords Bar; Therefore I am guilty of partiality and unfaithfulneſſe in relating the Evidence given in againſt him at the Bar, by theſe additions to it.

To which I anſwer. Firſt, that all the Evidence, Paſſages here at large recited (with many more) were prepared and ready by me at the Bar; yea Anſw. 1. the effect of every Paper, paſſage here recorded, was in generall terms opened, preſſed at the tryall, though not all fully read and particularly urged [Page] for want of time: which I have here more largely inſerted for clearing the truth, and ſatisfying the Reader, the moſt materiall paſſages being onely read at large, the reſt of like nature but briefly referred to in generall to avoyd prolixity, and husband time.

Secondly, that I have largely recorded none of theſe Paſſages here by way of New Additionall Evidence, requiring anſwer, but onely for illuſtration or corroboration of the old, fully given in and read.

Thirdly, the Catalogue of new licenſed Popiſh Doctrines, and of the Purgations of Paſſages againſt Popery, Arminianiſme, arbytrary government, Prophaneſſe, &c. wherein moſt of the new Additions, not fully read, are inſerted, make but one intire charge, not divers; and had but one generall Anſwer, defence given to them by the Arch-biſhop; to wit, that they were not licenſed nor purged out by himſelf, but only by his and the Biſhop of Londons Chaplains, who muſt anſwer for them, and that they concerned not him: therefore theſe Additions making no new charge, and receiving all the ſelfe ſame Anſwer & defence, no indifferent perſons can juſtly taxe me with partiality or injuſtice for inſerting them into this Hiſtory, for the fuller diſcovery of his Popiſh intentions in this kinde, (which want of time prevented us to diſplay ſo fully at the Bar, as was deſired, where we had each particular ready in writing proved upon oath) it being not onely excuſable, but juſtifiable, yea neceſſary in a Hiſtory of this nature, which ſo much concernes Religion and the publick.

The ſecond thing, which perchance will be alleadged againſt me, is; Object. 2. That I have not ſo fully, ſo punctually related the Arch-biſhops ſeverall Anſwers and Replyes to all the particulars of his charge as he uttered them viva voce at the Bar in his particular and generall Defences (who ſpake as much for himſelfe as the wit of man could invent, in ſo bad a cauſe) and that I have made ſome few Additions to the Commons ſodain Replications to his Anſwers.

To this I anſwer: Firſt, that I uſed all poſſible diligence, both by friendly Anſw. 1. intreaty and the power of Authory, to procure the Archbiſhops own Notes of his Anſwers and Defences to the Commons charge, or authentick Coppies of them, from Mr. Dell his Secretary and others; that ſo I might Print them verbatim to avoyd all calumnies; but I could obtain neither from them; M Dell proteſting, that neither he, nor any other to his knowledge, had the originalls nor any coppyes of them; and that he beleeved, his Lord did burn all the Notes of his anſwers and defence before his death, of purpoſe to prevent their publication after it. So that if I have caſually omitted or miſtaken any part of his Anſwers or Defence, himſelf or his own creatures muſt beare the blame, not I; who have as faithfully, as exactly as I could ſupplyed this defect of his own Papers, out of the Notes of others and mind own fragill memory, relating all his Anſwers, Defences, as neer as poſſible in his own termes, and preſſing them fully for his beſt advantage, without the leaſt wilfull omiſſion or diminution of any one particular of moment.

Secondly, For the Commons ſubitane Replyes to his Anſwers, I have rehearſed them as neer as I could in their own termes; and made no Additions thereunto, but onely of ſome Authors teſtimonies concerning the [Page] unlawfulneſs of Images, Crucifixes, Altars, the placing and rayling in Altars and Lords Ta [...]l [...]s altarwiſe againſt the Eaſtwall, & the conſecration of Churches and Chapples; wherein the Archbiſhop much abuſed his Auditory with empty flaſhes and confident pretences of antiquity, which Mr Serjeant Wilde at large refuted by the Teſtimony of Fathers & other orthodox Writers, and Mr Nicholus too, as far as the ſhortneſſe of time permitted; to the ſubſtance of whoſe replies in theſe particulars I have added very little, but only for learning ſake and the fuller clearing of the truth.

If any ſhall further object, that J have related his Charge intirely together in one continued Diſcourſe, but his Anſwers & the Commons Replies Object. 3. thereto in fractions; not in one continued Diſcourſe, as they were delivered each day ſeverally at the Bar, and ſummed up at laſt in the Lords and Commons Houſe.

I anſwer, it is truth: and I did it for theſe Reaſons. Firſt, to avoyde Prolixity, & tedious Repetitions of the ſelf-ſamethings: For had I recited Anſw. his ſeverall Anſwers, Defences & the Cōmons Replies to them as they were made at the Bar each day by themſelves; and then repeated his generall Anſwers, Defences in the Lords and Commons Houſe, and Mr Brownes Reply thereto diſtinctly by themſelves, I ſhould have repeated the ſelfe-ſamethings, with very little variation, three or four times over to no purpoſe; whereas now I have contracted the ſumme of all his Anſwers, Defences to each particular Charg & Proof with the Comons Replies thereto into one, to eſchew Prolixity and Tautologies: 2ly, I did it to prevent confuſion; and for clearer Diſcovery of the truth, the pertinency of the evidence given in againſt him in each Particular: For had I contracted all his Anſwers, Defences into one, and repreſented them in one intire continued Diſcourſe by themſelves; and then have ſubjoyned the Commons Replies unto them intirely together, the Reader could never have clearly diſcovered the frivilouſnes, falſenes, or impertinency of his ſeverall Anſwers to each particular charge, or the ſtrength of the Commons Replies thereto; nor yet ſo well have obſerved, to what particulars he gave anſwer, to what not; whereas now by this Perſpicuous Method I have followed, in reciting his Particular Anſwers and Defence diſtinctly to each Branch of his Charge and the Evidence brought to prove it, and then annexing the Commons Replies thereunto; the Readers may with eaſe and delight (by comparing the Charge, Proofes, Anſwers, Defence and Replies together) moſt clearly diſcover the truth, weight of each Charge and Proof; the weakneſſe, falſeneſſe, defects, and inſufficiency of all his Anſwers; the ſatisfactorines of the Commons Replies, and his undoubted Guiltineſſe of all the particulars charged on him. Thirdly, the Archbiſhop alledged ſundry things in his particular Anſwers and Defences each day, which he omitted in his generall Defences in both Houſes; and added ſome things in his Generall Defences, which he omitted in his particular; by reaſon whereof I was neceſſitated to collect all his ſcattered Anſwers, Defences to each particular Charge into one, for his better advantage, and the Commons Replies thereto. Which being thus compacted together, without interpoſition [Page] of any heterogenius matter in their proper places, for the premiſed reaſons neceſſitating me to this method; no rationall man can juſtly taxe me for it, as being no wayes injurious to the Archbiſhops cauſe, nor tending to his diſadvantage.

Theſe Objections from the Arch-biſhops Prelaticall partie being removed, there are two things more, wherein Your Honours and the World may juſtly demand ſome ſatisfaction, to exempt me from all cauſleſſe cenſures.

Firſt, you may juſtly inquire the Reaſons; why this Hiſtory of the Arch-biſhops Tryall, hath ſtuck ſo long in my hands before its publication, ſeeing it was expected many moneths ſince?

Secondly, why it comes forth by parcels onely, not compleat and intire, after ſo long an expectation of the whole tryall and proceedings?

To the former demand, I anſwer: Firſt, that this task was by ſpeciall Order, originally impoſed upon thoſe Members of the Commons Houſe, that managed the Evidence, not on me: who totally declining it, ſome four Moneths after the Triall and above 2 Moneths after the Execution, this work was delegated by the Commons unto me; at which time moſt of the Papers, Notes, Books, Evidences, uſed at his tryall, were laid aſide and diſperſed into ſeverall mens hands: whereby much time was ſpent before I could recollect and marſhall them into Order, to digeſt this Hiſtory out of them. Secondly, ſince the aſſignment of this task unto my care, I have been almoſt every day taken up with publike imployments for the State, at the Committee of Accounts, and elſewhere, beſides the dayly avocations of my particular calling (my onely ſupport ſince our unhappy Wars) ſo as I have had few vacant hours to compile it, but thoſe I have borrowed from my naturall reſt, whiles others have bin ſleeping. Thirdly, I have ſince this undertaking, been neceſſitated to write & publiſh ſundry other Impreſſions (uncapable of delay) in defence of the Eccleſiaſticall Iuriſdiction of Parliaments, Civill Magiſtrates; and concerning Eccleſiaſticall Cenſures and Church-Government, againſt Independents, Anabaptiſts, others; yea to Vindicate the Parliaments juſt Proceedings, with mine own Innocency, againſt the ſeditious Anti-parliamentary Libels, of that notorious impudent Libeller and Lyat, L. Col. Lilburn, who ſtill See his late Libell intituled, Innocency and Truth Juſtified. perſevers in his treſpaſſes, to the diſhonour and ſcandall of publike juſtice. All which conſidered, I ſuppoſe Your Honours and others will eaſily beleeve, I wanted no diligence, but leiſure onely for the ſpeedier accompliſhment of this work: wherein notwithſtanding I have not been negligent, witneſſe my publication of the Breviate of the Archbiſhops life, and of A neceſſary Introduction of his Tryall, (amounting to a large Volume) ſufficient to aſſoyle me from the leaſt imputation of idleneſſe or negligence in this very ſubject. Fourthly, Adde hereunto the voluminouſneſſe of this Firſt Part of the Archbiſhops Tryal onely, with the variety of the matter, charges therein conteined; the trouble I had in digeſting, the Labour in compiling, writing, reveiwing, fitting it for and Correcting, Reviſing it at the Preſſe, with the [Page] coldneſſe of this laſt winters Vacation, when neither pen, nor Preſſe could worke, for ſundry weekes together: and compare this with the former reaſons (and the Printers ſlackneſſe which hath delayed it very much) and then I doubt not but your Honours and all others will rather wonder, how I could poſſibly compleat this Voluminous Part ſo ſpeedily, then queſtion or quarrell with me, why it comes forth ſo ſlowly? it being work enough to have ſwallowed up all my time ſince the Order, had I had no other imployments to divert me.

To the ſecond demand, I muſt returne this Anſwer: Firſt, that I Anſw. 2. publiſhed this Hiſtory thus in parcells, for want of time to compleat and print it all together in due ſeaſon. Secondly, that the long expectation of this Tryall, and mens calling for it every day, induced me to ſatisfie their longing appetites, with theſe Firſt-fruits of it, concerning Religion; (the thing moſt looked, moſt inquired after, both at home and abroad) till the full crop be ripened for the harveſt, which will require ſome warmer moneths to concoct it, ere it can attain to maturity. Thirdly, The great Charge of the Stationer in Printing this firſt Part, (the voluminouſneſſe and price whereof hath, I fear, out-ſwelled moſt Chapments purſes in theſe Indegent times) with the ſerious conſideration of the incertainty of my life and future opportunity, in theſe dayes of War and mortality, to finiſh the remainder of this Worke (which God willing I intend to compleat and publiſh with all convenient ſpeed) have induced me, rather to gratifie your Honours and the World with theſe Firſt fruits for the preſent, then to hazard the depriving you of it, or the whole Hiſtory, if deferred till all were compleated.

Having anſwered theſe demands, I ſhall now crave liberty and your Noble Patience to raiſe ſome profitable Obſervations from the Subject matter of this Hiſtory, not unworthy your Honours ſaddeſt thoughts.

If you conſider the meane obſcure Parentage of this Arch-Prelate, his grand Preferments, the great miſchiefes he did in Church, State, and his Execution after all; it may ſuggeſt theſe profitable contemplations to your minds.

Firſt, That God by his power and all-diſpoſing providence can raiſe up Perſons of the loweſt place or Parentage, to the higheſt Pinacles of worldly Honour: according to that in the 1 Sam. 2. 8. and Pſal. 118. 7, 8. He raiſeth up the Poor out of the duſt, and lifteth up the Beggar from the dunghill, to ſet them among the Princes, and make them inherite the Throne of glory.

2. That God can make the moſt vile and deſpicable perſons in the world, grand Peſts or Puniſhments to whole Kingdomes, Nations, when he pleaſeth; Dan. 11. 21, 22. 1 Kings 11. 26. c. 12. 2. &c. c. 13. & 14. (even as he made Frogs, Lice, Caterpillers (the vileſt creatures) a very ſore plague to King Pharaoh and the whole Kingdome of Egypt, Exod. c. 7. 8. and 9.

3. That perſons ſodainly advanced from the loweſt degree of men, to the higheſt pitch of honour, proove commonly the moſt inſolent, violent, domineering, imperious, tyrannicall, and miſchievous of all [Page] ſuch preferments, being unable to weld or mannage the greatneſſe of their fortune. See Mat. 24. 48. to the end, 2 Chro. 10. 8. to 16. Eccleſ. 10. 1. 6, 7. Pſal. 73. 6. to 13. Iob. 21. 7. to 20.

Fourthly, That grand preferments without great grace to mannage, improve them to Gods glory, and the common good, are greater judgements than bleſſings, and for the moſt part, the immediate occaſions of mens greateſt ruin by their evill Councells, or ill managing of their greatneſſe to the publike prejudice, Pſ. 73. 3. to 21. Iob 21. 7. &c. Pſal. 37. 1. 2. Eſter c. 3. to 8.

Fifthly, That miſchievous Councellours and wicked Inſtruments in Church, State; though never ſo great in power or Favour with their Princes for a ſeaſon, ſeldome eſcape condigne exemplary puniſhment at the laſt: and that no greatneſſe whatſoever is able finally to protect miſchevous Grandees, from the hand of publike juſtice: Eſter 7. 1 Kings 2. 28. to 35.

Let all great ones then ſeriouſly conſider this, and remember Canterbury, leſt they dye and fall like him.

If we again obſerve his Preferments, Actions, Proceedings and miſerable end as a Clergy man, we may raiſe theſe profitable obſervations from this Hiſtory of his Tryall, which all Prelates, Clergy men may do well to conſider, is oft as they thinke of Canterbury.

Firſt, that when Clergy men caſt aſide or neglect their callings, and turne meer Stateſmen, they commonly prove the very worſt and moſt oppreſſive Perſons of all others. Matth. 5. 13. 2. Theſſ. 2. 3.

Secondly, That one over potent Prelate backed with a Kings Royall power and favour, is able to unſetleReligion where it is beſt eſtabliſhed, and embroyle, ruine the moſt flouriſhing Churches, Kingdomes in few yeares ſpace. 2 Theſſ. 2. 4. 9, 10, 11, 12. Revel. 13. 2. to 18.

Thirdly, That there are no ſuch deſperate underminers, perſecutors, ſuppreſſors of Gods true Religion, Saints, people, as over potent wicked Prelates: And that diſſembling Potent Proteſtant Prelates, Clergymen are greater Enemies to the Proteſtant Religion for the moſt part, then profeſſed Papiſts: 2 Theſſ. 2. 4. 9, 10, 11, 12. Revel. 13. Matth. 24. 5. 11. 24. Acts 20. 22. 30. Iohn 6. 70, 71.

Fourthly, That the fouleſt Practiſes, Conſpiracies againſt the Proteſtant Religion may be and uſually are guilded over with the moſt ſpecious pretences for its Advancement. And therefore it concernes us alwayes to weigh and judge of men by their Actions, not their Proteſtations: Matth. 7. 15. Rev. 13. 2. to 18.

Fifthly, That the moſt hopefull deſignes, the moſt ſucceſſefull Plots, Proceedings againſt the true Religion and Saints of God, do alwayes prove abortive in concluſion; and that the prevailing contrivances, ſucceſſes of many yeares travell in this kinde are uſually, by a divine over-ruling providence, oft times, like ſo many Cobwebs, ſwept down, daſhed in pieces, and wholy diſappointed in a moment, when they are neareſt accompliſhment in all humane probability Pſ. 73. 18, 19, 20. Pſal. 21. 11, 12. Gen. 11. 3. &c. Exod. 14. 19 to 31. Eſay. 8. 9. 10.

Sixtly, That God in his infinite wiſedome and juſtice can turne all the Plots, Coutrivances of wicked men to ruine his truth, Church, people, [Page] to be the proper immediate inſtruments of their contrivers ruine. (He taketh the wiſe in their own craftineſſe, &c. Job. 5. 12, 13, 14.) and to the advancement of his Goſpel, Cauſe, people, as he did in the caſes of Ioſeph, and Mordecay.

Seventhly, That great Eccleſiaſticall or temporall Preferments and Court Favours, ſeldome make men better but worſer then before: Deut. 6. 10, 11, 12. c. 8. 10. 19. 2 Chron. 26. 16. c. 31. 25, 26.

Eightly, That thoſe who are Superſtitious or Preſumptuous in their life time, are ſeldome penitent, but for the moſt part obſtinate, ſenſleſſe or deſperate at their deaths; and have commonly a greater care to ſupport their crackt credits, by juſtifying or denying their evill actions, then to ſave their ſouls, by confeſſing or bewailing their guilt.

This was the condition of this Arch-Prelate who lived to ſurvive and behold the downfall of all his Popiſh Plots, Innovations, Superſtitions, Canons, the High Commiſſion and Prelacy it ſelfe, the grand Idolls he endeavoured to ſet up and perpetuate among us; Yet all the Superſtitions, Idolatries, Romiſh Errors, Tyrannous oppreſſions he had maintained, practiſed in his life, he moſt obſtinately juſtified, without the leaſt remorſe, or acknowledgment of guilt, of error, both at his Tryall and Death. Yea though he were ſo conſcious to himſelfe of all the crimes wherewith he was charged, that he procured a Pardon from Oxford under the Kings own hand and great Seale, ſoon after the beginning of his Tryall (which made him ſo bold, ſo peremptory at the Barr;) yet leſt it ſhould imply or argue a guiltineſſe in him, he choſe rather to conceal this Pardon, and ſtand upon his plenary juſtification, till after his condemnation, then produce or plead it; not ſending it to your Honors till he was ordered to be hanged at Tyburne: upon which occaſion he acquainted both Houſes with it, to deprecate and exchange that puniſhment for a more Honourable kind of execution on the Scaffold at Tower hill, where his head was chopped off, inſtead of a Hanging at Tyburne. And although all ingenious men would have imagined, that the blood of the many Soules he had ſtarved, ſeduced, deſtroyed all his time by ſuppreſſing preaching, ſuſpending, ſilencing, cenſuring, baniſhing godly Miniſters, Lecturers without any reall Cauſe, preſſing the Booke of Sports, introducing Popiſh, Arminian Soul-deſtroying Errors, Superſtitions, Innovations, Prophanations; with the blood of the bodies of divers thouſands ſhed in England, Scotland, Ireland, by our unhappy Warrs (originally occaſioned and ſtirred up by him) might have been prevalent enough to relent his Adamantine heart, and draw forth teares of repentance, of compunction from his eyes and ſoule, yet ſuch was his deſperate Obſtinacy & Impenitency on the ſcaffold, that he never ſo much as confeſſed or bewayled at his death theſe bloody crimes, nor any of thoſe Trayterous Offences for which he was juſtly condemned; but with a brow of braſſe and heart of ſtone, impudently juſtified his Innocency, nay Crimes to the utmoſt, without demanding Pardon of them from God or Man, though he tooke this enſuing Pardon from the King (a ſufficient evidence of his guilt) which I have Verbatim tranſcribed out of the Originall paſſed under the Great Seale at Oxford.

[Page] CHARLES R.

CAROLVS dei gratia Angliae, Scotiae, Franciae & Hiberniae Rex fidei Defenſor, &c. Omnibus ad quos praeſentes Literae pervenerint ſalutem. Sciatis quod Nos pietate moti, de gratia Noſtra ſpeciali ac ex certa ſcientia & mero motu Noſtris, Pardonavimus, remiſimus & relaxavimus, ac per praeſentes Nobis, Haeredibus & Succeſſoribus Noſtris pardonamus, remittimus & relaxamus Willielmo Laud, Clerico, Archiepiſcopo Cantuarienſi, ſeu quocunque alio nomine, cognomine, titulo, cognitione ſive additione nominis, artis, loci, vel locorum praefatus Williamus Laud cenſetur, vocetur, nuncupetur, ſive cognoſcatur, aut nuper aut ante hac cenſebatur, nuncupabatur, ſive cognitus fuit, Omnes & omnimodas PRODITIONES, tam majores quam minores, & Note. crimina leſae Majeſtatis quaecunque; & omnes & omnimodas Miſpriſiones et concelamenta Proditionum quarumcunque, per praefatum Willielmum Laud ſolum, vel cum aliquo alio, ſive aliquibus aliis, qualicunque aut vbicunque, aut in aliquo modo vel in tempore factus, perpetratas vel commiſſas, nec non omnes & omnimodas Felonias quaſcunque, tam per vel contra Communem Legem Regni Noſtri, quam per vel contra quaecunque Statuta, Actus, Ordinationes ſive Proviſiones ejuſdem Regni Noſtri, et acceſſaria quarumcunque Feloniarum, & fugam & fugas ſuperinde factas, nec non omnes & omnimodias Subvertiones & enervationes Legum, et omnes & omnimodas Conſpirationes, Confederationes, Conſilia, Auiſamenta, Note. Offenſas & alia malefacta quecunque per praefatum Willielmum Laud ſolum, vel cum aliquo alio, ſive aliquibus aliis in Subuertione aut enervatione Legum, aut aſſumendo Regalem Poteſtatem aut Authoritatē aliqualiter aut vbicunque; aut in aliquo modo aut tempore habita, facta, da [...]a, commiſſa aut perpetrata: nec non omnes & omnimodas Offenſas, Crimina, Tranſgreſsiones & alia malefacta quaecunque de Praemunire, aut communiter vocata aut cognita per nomen de Praemunire, aut pro quo vel pro quibus judicium, executio, paena aut foriſtactura in caſu de Praemunire, ſive per aliquod Statutum de Proviſoribus factum & editum, reddenda, exequenda, infligenda aut incurrenda ſunt aut eſſent, aut fuerint per praefatum Willielmum Laud ſolum, vel cum aliquo alio ſive aliquibus aliis, vbicunque aut in aliquo modo aut tempore perpetrata, facta aut commiſſa, et acceſſaria praedictarum Offenſarum, Criminum, Tranſgreſſionum et Malefactorum, & eorum alicujus & aliquorum; Nec non omnes & omnimodas Confederationes, Conſpirationes illicitas, Convocationes & Aſſemblationes illicitas, verborum prolationes, miſpriſiones, Juriſdictionum uſurpationes & exercitia illicita, legum fractiones, illicitas Juramentorum impoſitiones, & miniſtrationes, contemptus, negligentias, legum violationes, mala & illicita Conſilia & aduiſamenta, & omnes alias offenſas, crimina, malefacta & tranſgreſsiones quaecunque per quodcunque nomen aut per quaecunque nomina idem vel eadem appellata, vocata & nuncupata ſunt, eſſent aut fuerint per praefatum Willielmum Laud ſolum, vel cum aliquo alio aut cum aliquibus aliis, qualicunque aut vbicunque, aut in aliquo modo aut in aliquo tempore habita, facta, perpetrata aut commiſſa; et omnia et ſingula eadem aut eorum aliquod vel aliqua tangentia vel concernentia, licet idem Willielmus Laud, de, aut pro praemiſſis, aut eorum aliquo vel aliquibus in Curia noſtra Parliamenti, aut in aliqua alia Curia, ſive aliquibus Note. [Page] Curiis, aut coram aliquo judice vel perſona, aut aliquibus judicibus aut perſonis, aut in aliquo modo aut aliqua via quibuſcunque impetitus, judicatus, rectatus, appellatus, adjudicatus, condemnatus, vtlagatus, convictus vel attinctus exiſtet aut non exiſtet, aut impetiri, judicari, rectari, appellari, adjudicari, condemnari, vtlagari, convinci, aut attingi contigerit in futuro. Et omnes & ſingulas utlagarias in aut verſus praefatum Willielmum Laud ratione vel occatione praemiſſorum vel eorum alicujus & aliquorum promulgatas aut promulgandas; Ac etiam omnia & ſingula judicia, executiones, paenas mortis, paenas corporales, impriſonamenta, paenalitates, foriſfacturas, infamias, irregularitates, defectus ſeu inhabilitates quaecunque in aut verſus praefatum Willielmum Laud ratione vel occatione praemiſſorum aut eorum aliquorum vel alicujus reddita, facta, habita, adjudicata, aut impoſita, aut impoſterum reddenda, fienda, habenda, adjudicanda, imponenda aut exequenda; Nec non omnes et omnimodas ſectas, querelas, impetitiones & demandas quaſcunque quae Nos verſus praefatum Willielmum Laud pro praemiſſis, ſive aliquo praemiſſorum habemus, habuimus, ſeu in futuro habere poterimus, aut Haeredes vel Succeſſores Noſtri verſus ipſum pro praemiſsis vel aliquo praemiſſorum habere poſſint in futuro; Ac Sectam pacis Noſtrae, quae ad Nos verſus praefatum Willielmum Laud ſpectat vel pertinet, ſive pertinere poterit, ratione praemiſſorum ſive eorum alicujus vel aliquorum, Et firmam Pacem eidem Willielmo Laud inde concedimus per praeſentes. Pardonamus etiam, remittimus & relaxamus per praeſentes pro Nobis Heredibus & Succeſſoribus noſtris praefato Willielmo Laud, omnia et ſingula deperdita & forisfacturas quorumcunque bonorum et catallorum, terrarum, poſſeſsionum tenementorum & hereditamentorum ſuorum Nobis occaſione praemiſſorum aut eorum alicujus qualicunque forisfacta, ſive deperdita, in quorumcunque ſive cujuscunque manibus aut poſſeſsionibus jam existent aut existere debent. Et eadem bona, catalla, terras, poſſeſſiones tenementa, et hereditamenta praefato Willielmo Laud damus & reſtituimus per praeſentes pro Nobis, Haeredibus et Succeſſoribus Noſtris; Habendum, tenendum, gaudendum & poſſidendum eidem Willielmo de dono Noſtro abſque Compoto, ſive aliquo alio inde Nobis, Haeredibus ſive Succeſſoribus Noſtris reddendo, ſolvendo, vel faciendo. Nolentes, quod idem Willielmus Laud per Nos, Juſticiarios, Eſcheatores, Vicecomites aut alios Ballivos, ſeu Miniſtros noſtros ratione vel occatione praemiſſorum ſive eorum alicujus moleſtetur, vexetur, perturbetur, in aliquo ſeu gravetur. Et ulterius de vberiori gratia Noſtra, ac ex certa ſcientia & mero motu Noſtris volumus, et per praeſentes pro Nobis, Haeredibus & Succeſſoribus Noſtris, concedimus, quod hae Literae nostrae Patentes, ac omnia & ſingula in eiſdem contenta, bonae, firmae, validae et in Lege effectuales ſtabunt et exiſtent, et abhinc nullo modo vacuae devenerint: Et quod allocabuntur omnibus Curiis Nostris, et alibi infra Regnum Noſtrum Angliae, abſque aliquo brevi ſeu vlteriori mandato ſeu warranto, licet idem Willielmus Laud bonam & ſufficientem ſecuritatem de ſe bene gerendo, juxta formam & effectum cujuſdam Actus in Parliamento Domini Edwardi tertii quondam Regis Angliae, Progenitoris Noſtri, anno Regni ſui decimo tertio editi, non invenerit; dicto Actu de Anno decimo tertio regni dicti Edwardi tertii in aliquo Nonobſtante. Et Non obſtante Statutis in annis ſecundo, quarto, decimoquarto & Viceſimo ſeptimo dicti Regis Edwardi tertii, & Statuto in anno decimo tertio Regis [Page] Ricardi ſecundi Praedeceſſoris Noſtri edito, aut aliquo alio Statuto, Actu, proviſione aut reſtrictione in contrarium praemiſſorum, aut eorum alicui quouiſmodo Nonobſtante. In cujus rei teſtimonium has literas Noſtras fieri fecimus Patentes. Teſte meipſo APUD OXON, duodecimo die Aprilis, Anno Regni Noſtri decimo nono.

By this Arch-Prelates embracing and the Kings granting of this large Univerſal Pardon, of all Treaſons &c. himſelf his Prelaticall Partie, together with his Majeſtie and his Adherents of all ſorts, are eternally concluded to plead his Innocency, proclaim him a Martyr, or Canonize him for a meritorious Saint, as they have done. Yea, his Majeſties Royall care and ſerious endeavour to reſcue ſuch an Arch Traytor as He (impeached of High Treaſon and other grand Crimes by two whole Kingdomes) from the hands of common Juſtice, and the Supremeſt Judicatory in Parliament, by this Regall Charter of Pardon, when as he could not effect it by his Army Royall and force of Armes, diſcovers both His own unhappineſſe and our Kingdomes too in this, that he hath hitherto affected not only Treaſon, but Traytors to our Church and State, more then his faithfuleſt Parliament, or most loyall Subjects: which dangerous Errour, I pray God his Majeſty after all his various miſcarriages, diſappointments, loſſes, by ſuch miſchevous perſons, may now at laſt diſcern, reject, and never henceforth favourany ſuch Traytors, ill Councellors, Prelates, or Archbiſhops more, whoſe extirpation root and branch, your Honours have already voted. And that no doubt upon juſt reaſons, ſince the very beſt and learnedeſt in all the whole pack of Prelates, even the Primate of Armagh, Biſhop Uſher, (of whom moſt men have hitherto had a very honorable opinion, though a great ſervant and Inſtrument of Canterburies in Ireland, as appeares by ſundry originall Letters to him under his hand) hath extreamly degenerated in his Chriſtian zeale for the Proteſtant Religion, even in his own bleeding Country ſince he turned Royaliſt and Cavalier; as appears by this teſtimony under the hand-writing of that valiant Noble Knight Sir Charles Coote; which for Poor dying Irelands ſake (See the Iriſh Cabinet. to corroborate the late admirable diſcoveries from thence by the Popiſh Archbiſhop of Tuams Papers and others, ſurpriſed by this Sir Charles) I dare not conceal.

I SIR Charles Coote do hereby teſtifie, that being at Oxford the laſt Summer as one of the Agents for the Proteſtants of Ireland, and finding the Iriſh Popiſh Agents then to be very prevalent there, and the Archbiſhop of Armagh to be often preſent at the Debates concerning the buſineſse of Ireland, and conceiving him to have ſome power with his Majesty, I addreſſed my ſelfe to the ſaid Archbiſhop, and beſought him, that he would interpoſe his power with his Majeſty in the behalfe of the Proteſtants; for if the Iriſh Agents obtained their deſires, the Proteſtants in Ireland were deſtroyed and Popery would be introduced: to which the Arch-Biſhop replyed; That was the intention, which he knew better then I did, and ſaid, Note. WE MUST SUBMIT: Dated this 14. of Aprill. 1645.

CHARLES COOTE.

A very ſtrange ſpeech of a Saint-ſeeming Proteſtant Arch-Prelate. What? muſt we ſubmit to the destruction of the Protestants in Ireland, and the introduction of Popery there, and not once oppoſe it? and will ſuch an Arch-Prelate as he refuſe to uſe his utmoſt intereſt in the Kings favour to withſtand it, when deſired? If this be the Doctrine of the zealous Lord [Page] Primate of Ireland, that we muſt ſubmit to the introducing of Popery there, (the projected deſign of the Primate and Metropolitan of all England and Ireland too, the better to accompliſh it in England, as we have here and elſwhere manifeſted) the God of heaven for ever deliver us from ſuch an hypocriticall falſe Archiepiſcopall generation of Vipers, whoſe heads and hopes of ſucceſſion in both Kingdomes, we truſt Your Honours have for ever cut off in the decapitation of this Archbiſhop of Canterbury, the very worſt of al his Trayterous Predeceſsors, their crimes being all concentred in him; whoſe famous Triall, Judgement, Execution, ſhall eternize Your memorable Juſtice to poſterity, and deter all other ambitious pragmaticall Clergy men, from treading in his fatall foot-ſteps: the ſign of the Arch-biſhops head, when ſeriouſly beheld, being as good, a Memento for wicked Prelates, Councellors, to ſcare them from his trayterous practiſes, as the ſight of a corrupt Judges skin in Herodotus, nayled to the Tribunall, was to his ſucceſſors, to deter them from bribery and injuſtice.

If I have done any acceptable ſervice for Your Honourable Aſſembly and the Church of God, in pubilſhing theſe first Fruits of my Obedience to Your juſt Deſires, the favourable Acceptance of what I have already compoſed with much difficulty and leſſe exactneſſe then I deſired, will be an incouragement to me (if God ſend life and leiſure) to preſent Your Honours in due ſeaſon with the remainder of this History. In the mean time I ſhall become a dayly Orator to the Throne of Grace, to make and continue Your Honourable Houſes and Committees, a Jer. 31. 23. c. 50. 7. mountain of holineſſe, an habitation of Justice; to Deut. 33. 21. execute the Juſtice of the Lord, Pſal. 82. 3. to do Juſtice to the afflicted and needy, in ridding them out of the hands of the wicked; and to diſtribute equall ſpeedy judgement to all oppreſſed ones who complain unto, and on all Delinquents juſtly convicted before Your Honours, without any reſpect of perſons, or byaſſe of intereſt or affections, according to the old inflexible rules of Law and Justice; that ſo no perſon whatſoever may have any occaſion to take up the Prophets complaint againſt You, (as Iohn Lilburn in his late Libels; Englands Birth-right, with others. ſome have cauſleſly done) That Iſa. 59. 4. 9. 14 Judgement is turned away backward, justice ſtandeth a far off, and equity cannot enter, there is no judgement in their goings. I ſay 5. 7. We looked for judgement but behold oppreſſion; for righteouſneſſe but behold a cry: Eccl 3. 16. Moreover we ſaw under the ſun the place of judgement, that wickedneſſe was there; and the place of righteouſneſſe, that iniquity was there: Iſa. 1 21. It was full of Judgement, righteouſneſſe lodged in it heretofore, but now murderers and oppreſſers: Ier. 9. 22. Is there no Balm in Gilead? is there no Phyſitian there? why then is not the health of the daughter of our people recovered? But that al ſuch falſ clamours being wholly ſilenced by Your care and juſtice, our whole Nation may unanimouſly trumpet forth theſe worthy prayſes of your Houſes, Committees, that Justice and Judgment are the Habitation of Your Throne (as they are of Ier. 9. 22. Gods) and that, like good King David, you all 2 Sam. 8. 15. do execute juſtice and judgment to all the people; judging them with juſt judgment, without wreſting, perverting juſtice or reſpect of perſons, and that which is altogether juſt do you (r) Deut. 16. 18. 19. 20. follow, Which will be Your Honours brighteſt Crown of glory, our Kingdomes greateſt ſecurity, our peoples moſt deſireable Felicity; yea, is and ſhall be the Vote, the Prayer of

Your Honours moſt devoted Servant, WILLIAM PRYNNE.

Lincolns Inne, Aprill 20, 1646.

To the Chriſtian Reader.

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CHriſtian Reader, that experimentall Obſervation of the naturall Hiſtorian, Plin. Nat. Hiſt. lib. 10. c. 63. Quo majus eſt animal, tanto diutius formatur in utero, &c. Singulos gignunt Elephanti, Acanthis (auis minima) duodenas. Ocyſſime pariunt qui plurimos gignunt: may be a ſatisfactory Apology for the Slowneſſe, the Singleneſſe of this long-expected Birth: Elephants are much longer forming, ripening in the Wombe, then Mice: and Cathedrall Hiſtories, as well as Churches, require more time to finiſh them, then Pettie Relations. We read John 2. 20. that the later Temple of Ieruſalem was 46. yeares in building yet this large folio Edifice hath been compiled, compleated within the compaſſe of ſo many Weekes, notwithſtanding my many other dayly interruptions, Avocations, publike and private; in ſo much that none can juſtly tax me with Sloathfulneſſe or Negligence in this publike Service; the toyleſomneſſe whereof hath deterred all others from undertaking it, and devolved it wholly upon me; who in regard of my few Vacant Minutes for ſuch a vaſt Ʋndertaking, muſt humbly crave thy pardon for all Defects, Errataes, Overſights either in the penning or printing.

In this part of the Archbiſhops Tryall, thou maieſt clearly diſcerne, not onely his Popiſh Spirit, together with his Activity, and Jeſuiticall Practiſes to undermine our eſtabliſhed Religion, introduce Popery among us by degrees, and reduce us back to our ancient Vaſſallage to Rome; but likewiſe read over a true Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory of our Church during all the time of his domination: and from the reſult of all; I ſhall deſire thee, like the induſtrious ſagacious Bee, which extracts hony out of poyſonous Herbs, to collect ſome profitable Meditations for thy ſpirituall advantage: Some whereof I have already hinted in the Epiſtle Dedicatory, and ſhall here but lightly touch.

Firſt, here thou mayeſt ſee, that of the Pſalmiſt ſo experimentally verified, that thou mayeſt take up his very words Pſ. 37. 35, 36, 38. I have ſeen the wicked in great power, and ſpreading himſelf like a green bay tree: Yet he paſſed away and loe he was not; yea I ſought him but he could not be found. The tranſgreſſors ſhall be deſtroyed together, the end of the wicked ſhall be cut off. And though for a time, they are not in trouble neither are they plagued like other men; Therefore pride compaſſeth them about as a chaine, violence covereth them as a garment &c. Yet if thou obſerve their endes, thou muſt needes conclude with the ſame Pſalmiſt Pſ. 73. 18. 19 20, Surely thou didſt ſet them in ſlippery places, thou caſtedſt them down into deſtruction: How are they brought into deſolation, as in a moment? they are utterly conſumed with Terrors: As a dreame when one awaketh, ſo O Lord, when thou awakeſt thou ſhalt deſpiſe their image. That of Zophar being really verified in this Arch Prelate Job. 20. 5. to 10. The triumphing of the Wicked is ſhort, and the joy of an hypocrite but for a moment: Though his excellency mount unto the Heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; Yet he ſhall periſh for ever like his own dung; they which have ſeen him ſhall ſay, Where is he? He ſhall fly away as a dreame and ſhall not be found; The eye which ſaw him ſhall ſee him no more, neither ſhall his place any more behold him.

[Page] Secondly, hence thou maieſt learne the truth of Solomons Obſervation, Prov. 21. 30. There is no wiſdome, nor underſtanding, nor counſell againſt the Lord. Certainly all ſuch wiſdome, counſell as this imployed againſt God, his Ordinances, Goſpell, people, though never ſo accurately managed, ſo politickly contrived, ſo powerfully backed, ſo ſucceſſefully advanced for a time will in concluſion be brought to nought, and made of none effect, Pſ. 33. 10. Acts 5. 38. Iſay 19. 11, 12, 13. c. 8, 9. 10. Job 9. 4. Whereas the counſell cauſe, and Church of God, maugre all oppoſition, ſhall ſtand for ever, and cannot be overthrown. Pſ. 33. 11. Acts 5. 39. Iſay 46. 10.

Thirdly, Let all Gods people learne from hence, never to fear the force, threats or power of the greateſt Perſecutors breathing, ſince they are but mortall men, who ſhall themſelves be troden down and brought to Judgement in Gods due time: During my many yeares heavy preſſures under this Arch-Prelates Tyranny, my ſpirit was exceedingly elevated even to a magnanimous contempt, and holy ſlighting of all his overſwaying power, menaces, proceedings, as moſt deſpicable, with the conſideration of theſe two Scriptures, which were ever freſh in my thoughts. Iſay. 51. 12. 13. I, even I am he that comforteth you, who art thou that thou ſhouldeſt be afraid of a man that ſhall dye, or of the ſonne of man that ſhall be made as graſſe? And forgetteſt the Lord thy maker, who ſtretched forth the Heavens, and laid the foundations of the Earth: and haſt feared continually every day, becauſe of the fury of the oppreſſour, as if he were ready to deſtroy; and where is the fury of the oppreſſour? And Pſ. 92. 7 8, 9. When the wicked spring as the graſſe, and all the Workers of iniquity do flouriſh: it is, that they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever. But thou O Lord art moſt high for evermore: For loe thine enemies, O Lord, loe thine enemies ſhall periſh: and all the Workers of iniquity shall be ſcattered. Certainly he who beleeves theſe ſacred Texts and meditates ſeriouſly on them, will never dread the potency, t [...]ra [...]ny, or menaces of any mortall, in a good cauſe or quarrell.

Fourthly, Meditate from hence, the vanity, inſtability and danger of greatneſs without goodneſſe: the impotency of the greateſt humane power, honour, favour, to exempt or ſecure evil Counſellors, or publike Malefactors from the ſword of Juſtice; The unhappy fatall ends of Wicked Royall Favourites, who by humouring their Princes in unjuſt oppreſſive courſes, uſually in the concluſion, do but deſtroy themſelves, and prejudice their Princes moſt of any, as this Arch-Prelate hath done: The certain ruine of all bloody Perſecutors of Gods people: together with the infinite wiſdome and power of Almighty God, who can wiſely order, overrule the miſchievous Plots, & malicious contrivances of his moſt deſperate Enemies to advance his own Honour, Cauſe, Goſpell, People; to effect the quite contrary to what they intended, and to bring about his own ends and their downfalls.

Many ſuch cordiall meditations, and ſweet contemplations will this Hiſtory afford thee for thy comfort, thy incouragement in thy conſtant Chriſtian profeſſion in times of greateſt danger and hotteſt perſecution. The good Lord ſo ſanctifie it and them to thy Soul, that this Archbiſhop, who by his Life and Doctrine wrought ſo much miſchiefe and ſorrow to our Church for a ſeaſon, but no preſent good at all; may bring much conſolation, Edification to it, and thee, by this his Triall and Death:

Farewell.

A COMPLEAT HISTORY OF The Commitment, Charge, Tryall, Condemnation and Execution of WJLLJAM LAƲD, late Arch-Biſhop of CANTERBVRT.

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VVIlliam Laud borne in See the Breviate of his Life: p. 1. 2. 3. Reading of obſcure Parents, having through flattery and other ſiniſter meanes, by ſeverall gradations inſinuated himſelfe into high favour at Court, and climbed up to divers Eccleſiaſticall promotions in our Church, till at laſt he mounted to the very Pinacle of his ambition, the Archbiſhoprick of Canterbury (whereby he became Primate and Metropolitan of all England.) and to a Se his Conference with Fiſher, p. 171. A neceſſary Introduction, to his Tryall p. 148. 149. Patriarch-ſhip or kinde of univerſal Papacy over all his Majeſties Realmes, (who ſteerd their Eccleſiaſticall affaires by his Compaſſe adoring him as their only Oraele) and having likewiſe out of his inſatiable ambition pragmatically intruded himſelfe into all kind of ſecular Negociations (inconſiſtent with his ſpirituall function) ſo farre as to ſway all State, as well as Church-affaires, according to the pleaſure of his owne exorbitant will; hereupon (unable to mannage ſo great an Authority with that moderation as beſeemed a Perſon of his profeſſion he became ſo intollerably inſolent, violent, extravagant in all his proceedings in Church and Republicke, that no Pope nor Prelate whatſoever, advanced from the loweſt fortune to the hight of honour, more really verified, that Adagie of Claudian the Poet (no not William Longchampe Biſhop of Ely, to whom Annaliu [...]. Pars poſterior p. 680. Roger, Houeden, our Hiſtorian, particularly applyed theſe lines of his long ſince.)

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Claudian in Eutropium, l. 1. p. 67.

Aſperius [...].

C [...]cta ferit [...].

Vt ſe p [...]ſſe [...]

Quam ſ [...]r vi nobiis in [...].

Agnoſcit ge [...]itus, et [...] neſcit.

In ſo much as that Caracter which Rerum Ang. licarum l. 4. c. 14. Gulielmus Nubrigenſis gives us of our proud Prelate Longchamp and his tyrannicall oppreſſive deportment in Church, in State, (by reaſon of his Eccleſiaſticall and temporall united juriſdictions) in the Raign of King Richard the firſt, ſeemes purpoſely recorded to paint out the Cariage of this Arch-Prelate during all the yeares of his domineering Authority in the Raigne of Charles the firſt. Ille ſublato omni [...] obſtaculo, quo minus ambularet, in magnis & mirabilibus ſupra ſe, fratus DVPLCIS id eſt APOSTOLIC A SIMVL ET [...] A POTEST ATE, CLERO [...] AR [...]TER E [...] POPVLO [...] ARROGANT [...] [...], Et [...]cut [...] quodam [...]criptune eſt, [...] pro dextera; ſic et ille, ad faciliorum molicionum ſuarum efficatiam, utra (que) poteſtate utebatur pro altera. Ad [...] vel exer cendos potentes Laicos ſi quid fortè ex ſeculari potentia minus poterat, Apoſtolic [...] id ipſum poteſtatis cenſura ſupplebat. Si autem ex Clero forte quiſpiam voluntati ejus obſiſteret, hunc procul dubio fruſtra pro ſe ſecundum Canones [...] oppreſſund p [...]centia, [...]. Non [...] at qu [...] ſe abſconderet à calore ejus, cum et ſecularis in eo virgam, vel gladium Apoſtolicae poteſtatis timeret; & eccleſiaſticus nulla ſe, [...] vel auctoritate [...] regiam tueri valeat. Denique ipſum ille tempore in Anglia, ET PLVSQVAM REGEM experti ſunt LAICI, & PLVS QV AM SV M [...]VM PONTIFICE MCLE [...]ICI; utrique vero, TYR ANNVM INTOLERABILEM: Quippe DVPLICIS OCCASIONE POTEST [...] ANNVM, ſolis complicibus et cooperatoribus ſuis innoxius, ceteris indifferenter, non tantum pecuniarum ambitu, verum etiam dominandi voluptate [...] Regius erat, &c. This Archbiſhop, having [...] into his hands, as Primat & Metropolitan of [...], but likewiſe all temporall juriſdiction as a Privy Councellor, an Aſſiſtant in the Star-Chamber, a Commiſſioner for the Treaſury, for all kindes of Monopolies, projects to raiſe monies without a Parliament, and as the chiefe Royall Favourite at Court, & having moſt preferments, officers, Judges (and by conſequence moſt Courts of Juſtice, Civill, or Eccleſiaſticall, at his devotion, did extreamly [...]e [...], perſecute and trample upon both the Laity & Clergie that oppoſed any of his Innovations or Projects at his pleaſure, and thoſe whom he could not conquer by his Epiſcopall, hee would bee ſure to overtop and cruſh by his temporall Authority; So as the Laity upon all occaſions found him more then a King, and the Clergie more then a Pope, both of them (except his owne Creatures and Confederates only) an into [...]eiable, yea double Tyrant by reaſon of his duplicated [...] by thouſands of Godly Chriſtians and Miniſters were enforced to [...] in avoyd his [...]ry, and hundreds in the Starre-Chamber, High Commiſſion, and Councell-Chamber oppreſſed, cloſe impriſoned, fined, baniſhed, pillored, ſtigmatized, ſpoyled of their eares, freeholds, callings, liberties, deprived, degraded and quite undone by his oppreſon, hee being commonly more exceſſive, extravagant, violent, in his publike Cenſures, and Speeches, then any other whatſoever; having quite forgotten theſe Divine qualifications which the Apoſtle requireth in an EVANGELICALL BISHOP; 1 Tim. 3. [...]ir. 1. 7, 8. A Biſhop muſt bee blameleſſe, as the Steward of God; not ſelfe-willed, not ſoone angry, no ſtriker, not a brawler, not lifted up with pride; but, a lover of good men, ſober, juſt, holy, temperate, gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in m [...]keneſſe inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves; And utterly abhorred [Page] that memorable precept of our moſt milde Saviour, as Apocryphan, or unmeer for his imitation: Luke 6. 36. Bee you therefore mercifull, as your heavenly Father is mercifull.

This ambitious Ovid Metam. l. 2. Phaeton having thus mounted himſelfe aloft in Phebus Chariot did drive it on with ſuch fury and violence, for ſundry years that at laſt he ſet all our Churches and Realmes in a flaming fire, which could not bee quenched by any other meanes but by wreſting the reines of Government out of his uſurping hand, through the power and juſtice of our preſent Parliament (which he held faſt for ſundry yeares in deſpite of all former Parliamentary or popular oppoſitions) and precipitating him from his Chariot, with a breake-neck blow, by that Axe of publike Juſtice, which lately ſevered his head from his ſhoulders, in the view of thouſands: with which ſpectacle of juſtice Phebus himſelfe was ſo well pleaſed that his clouded rayes immediately brake out moſt gloriouſly upon the place of execution, and his radiant ſmiles expreſſed his well-pleaſednes with this laudable Act of his execution, for the ſeverall high Treaſons and capitall Crimes not onely objected, but proved againſt him at his Tryall; the Hiſtory whereof and all proceedings relating thereunto, I ſhall here repreſent unto the world with as much brevity and ſincerity as poſſible; not in the ſelfe ſame manner and method (according to the order of the Articles) as the Commons proceeded againſt him at the bar, being more [...] intricare; but in that more methodicall way, as the firſt Breviate of the proofes againſt him was contrived, and his evidence repeated and ſummed up at laſt both in the Lords and Commons Houſe by Maſter Samuell Brown, under thoſe diſtinct generall heads, to which all his charge and the proofes thereof were reduced.

I ſhall begin ab ovo, with the very firſt proceedings againſt him in Parliament, next proceed in order to his Tryall then to his Iudgment and Execution.

On the See the Breviate of his life, pag. 22. and Diurnall Occurrences, pag. 13. and 14. the Commons Journall 16. of Decem. 1640. Vpon the condemnation of the New Canons in the Houſe of Commons, as being againſt the Kings Prerogative, the fundamentall Laws of the Realme, the liberty and property of the Subject and conteining diverſe things tending to ſedition, and of dangerous conſequence; The Arch-biſhop of Canterbury was there accuſed to be the Author of, the chiefe Actor in them & impeached likewiſe of High Treaſon: whereupon a ſpeciall Committee was appointed to inquire into all his actions, and prepare a charge againſt him; which I finde thus expreſſed in the Commons Journall.

16. December 1640.

THis Committee is to prepare the ſeverall Votes concerning the New-Canons and to make them ready for this Houſe to preſent the ſame to the Lords, and to conſider and examine who were the promoters of theſe new Canons, and who the principle Actors, and what execution hath been made upon them and by whom; and to conſider how farre the Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, hath beene an Actor in all the proceedings of them, and further to examine how farre he hath beene an Actor in the great deſigne of the ſubvertion of the Lawes of the Realme, and of the Religion, and to prepare and draw up a charge againſt him and ſuch others as ſhall appeare offendors in theſe particulars, and have power to ſend for parties, witneſſes, Papers, Bookes, Records, and to doe any other act, which they in their judgements ſhall thinke fit to conduce to the buſineſſe, and are to meete at foure a Clocke this afternoone in the Star-Chamber.

The very ſame morning in the Lords Houſe, Hee was accuſed by the Scottiſh Commiſſioners for an Incendiary betweene both Kingdomes who promiſed to draw up and exhibite a complaint in writing againſt him the next morning, which they accordingly performed. Whereupon at a Conference of both Houſes the Scots charge againſt him (hereafter regiſtred) was the ſame morning read by the Lord Paget, and after that reported to the Commons Houſe.

[Page] On Friday the 18. of the ſame December, the Arch-Biſhop was impeached in the houſe of Commons of high Treaſon, and Voted by the whole houſe to be a Traytor, thus entred in their Iournall.

18. December 1640.

REſolved upon the Queſtion, that a Meſſage ſhall be ſent from this Houſe to the Lords to accuſe William Land Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury of High-Treaſon in name of this Houſe, and of all the Commons of England, and to deſire, that hee may bee forthwith ſequeſtred from Parliament and be committed, and that within ſome convenient time, this Houſe will reſort to their Lordſhips with particular acſations and Articles againſt him.

Mr. Hollis is appointed to goe up to the Lords with this Meſſage:

Vpon this his accuſation, diverſe notable Speeches were made againſt him in the Commons Houſe; among others, one by Maſter Grymſtone, publiſhed ſoone after in print, which I ſhall here ſubjoyne.

Maſter Grymſtones Speech IN PARLIAMENT, Vpon the Accuſation and Impeachment of William Laud, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, of High TREASON.

Mr. Speaker;

THere hath beene preſented to the Houſe, a moſt faithfull and exact Report of the conference wee had with the Lords Yeſterday, together with the opinion of the Committees, that were imployed in that ſervice.

That they conceived it fit, the Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury ſhould hee ſequeſtred.

I muſt ſecond the motion, and with the favour of the Houſe, I ſhall bee hold to offer my reaſons, why I conceive it most neceſſary, wee ſhould proceed a little further, than the deſire of above ſequeſtration. Maſter Speaker, long introductions are not ſutable to weighty buſineſſes, we are [Page] falne upon the great man, the Archbiſhop of Canterbury; Looke upon him as hee is in his Highneſſe, and hee is the ſtye of all pestilent filth, that hath infected the State, and Government of the Church and Common Wealth: looke upon him in his dependanties, and hee is the man, the onely man that hath raiſed and advanced all thoſe (that together with himſelfe) have beene the Authors and cauſers of all the NOTE. raines, miſeries and calemities, we now groane under.

Who is it but he onely, that hath brought the Earle of Strafford to all his great place and imployments, a fit instrument and ſpirit to act and execute all his blouay deſignes in theſe Kingdomes?

Who is it but he onely that brought in Secretary Windebanke into the place of Secretary and truſt, the very Broker and Pander to the Whore of Babylon?

VVho is it, Maſter Speaker, but hee onely that hath advanced all Popiſh Biſhops? I ſhall name ſome of them, Biſhop Manwaring, the Biſhop of Bath and Wells, the Biſhop of Oxford, and Biſhop Wren, the leaſt of all, but the most uncleane one.

Theſe are men that ſhould have ſed Chriſts Flocke, but they are the Wolves that devoured them; the Sheepe ſhould have fed upon the Mountaines, but the Mountaines have eaten up the Sheepe. It was the happineſſe of the Church, when the zeale of Gods Houſe did eate up the Biſhops, glorious and brave Martyrs, that went to the flaks, in defence of the Protestant Religion; but the zeale of theſe Biſhops hath beene to eate up and perſecute the Church.

VVho is it Maſter Speaker, but the great Archbiſhop of Canterbury, that hath ſet at the Helme to guide and ſteere them to all the managing of their Projects that have beene ſit on foote in this Kingdome theſe tenne yeares laſt paſt, and rather than hee would ſtand out, hee hath moſt unworthily trucked and chaffered in the meaneſt of them? As for inſtance, that of Tobacco, wherein thouſands of poore people have beene ſtripped and turned out of their Trades, for which they have ſerved as Apprentiſes; wee all know hee was the Compounder, and contractor with them for the Licences, putting them to pay Fines, and Fee-Farme rents to uſe their Trades.

Certainely, Maſter Speaker, hee might have ſpent his time better (and more for his Grace, in the Pulpit; then thus ſharking and raking in the Tobacco ſhoppe.

Mr. Speaker, we all know what he hath beene charged withall heere in this Houſe, Crimes of a dangerous conſequence, and of tranſcendent nature, no leſſe than the ſubverſion of the Government of this Kingdome, and the alteration of the Proteſtant Religion, and this not upon bare information onely, but much of it comes before us already, upon cleare and manifest proofes, and there is ſcarce any buſineſſe, Grievance, or Complaint, come before us in this place, wherein we doe not finde him intermingled and as it were twiſted into it, like a buſie and angry Waſpe, his ſting is in the taile of every thing.

VVe have this day heard the report of the Conference yesterday; and in it the Accuſations which the Scottiſh Nation hath charged him with all: And we doe all know he is guilty of the ſame (if not more) in this Kingdome.

Mr. Speaker, he hath beene, and is the common enemy to all goodnes and good men, and it is not ſafe, that ſuch a Viper ſhall be neere to his Majeſties perſon, to diſtill his poyſon into his ſacred eares, nor is it ſafe for the Common-wealth that hee ſhould ſit [Page] in ſo eminent place of government being thus accuſed; We know what we did in the Earle of Straffords caſe. This man is the corrupt Fountaine that hath infected all the ſtreames, and till the Fountaine be purged, we cannot expect to have any cleare Channels. I ſhall be bold therefore to offer my opinion, and if I erre, it is the error of my Iudgment, and not my want of zeale and affection to the publicke good.

I conceive it moſt neceſſary and fit, that we ſhould now take up a Reſolution to doe ſomewhat, to ſtrike whilſt the Iron is hot; And goe up to the Lords in the name of this Houſe, and in the, name of the Commons of England, and to accuſe him of high Treaſon, and to deſire their Lordſhips his perſon may be ſequeſtred, and that in convenient time we may bring up the Charge.

After the Houſe had this day voted the Arch Biſhop a Traitor, Mr. Hollis the ſame day was ſent up to the Lords to accuſe him of High Treaſon, which he did immediatly, in the generall, without any particular charge, aſſuring the Lords, that in convenient time there ſhould be a particular charge exhibited againſt him by the Commons to make good the accuſation: Wherefore he deſired the Lords, that the Arch Biſhop might be ſequeſtred from the Houſe and committed; hereupon he was forthwith committed to the Gentleman Vſher, but yet permitted to goe in his company to Lambeth for ſome books to read in, and ſuch Papers as pertained to his defence againſt the Scotts charge; And what papers of greateſt conſequence he then conveyed away thence, burned, or defaced, is worthy inquiry.

Maſter Hollis his report from the Lords I finde thus entred in the Commons Iournall.

18. December 1640.

Maſter Hollis reported, that according to the command of this Houſe, hee had delivered to their Lordſhips the Meſſage; that my Lord Keeper ſaid, Their Lordſhips had conſidered of the Meſſage, and accordingly they had ſequeſtred the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury from Parliament, and had committed him in ſafe cuſtody to the Gentleman Vſher of their Houſe.

The Lords Order for his commitment is thus entered in their Journall.

18. December 1640.

It is this day Ordered, that the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury (being accuſed of high Treaſon by the houſe of Commons in their owne names, and in the name of the whole Kingdome of England) be committed to the ſafe cuſtody of the Gentleman Vſher attending this high Court, and that he be ſequeſtred from the ſaid Houſe, untill his Grace ſhall cleare himſelfe of the Accuſations that ſhall be laid againſt him by the ſaid Houſe.

This proud imperious Arch-Prelate, who had cloſe-impriſoned others for ſundry yeares in remote Caſtles in forraigne Iſlands, meerely for oppoſing his Tyranny and Innovations, excluding not only their Friends, but Wives, Children from the leaſt acceſſe unto their Priſons, or the Iſles wherein they were exiled, for their comfort or reliefe; was yet ſo impatient of reſtraint himſelfe, that immediatly after his Commitment to Maſter Maxwels houſe at Chearing, Croſſe, though he had convenient lodgings, more liberty by farre then he demerited, and all his friends free acceſſe to viſit him, yet hee became an humble ſuiter to the Houſe of Peers (even in the wet cold winter ſeaſon, when a warme lodging in moſt mens judgment was more wholeſome for him, then cold moiſt walkes, that he might have liberty to goe abroad with his Keeper to take the Ayre, [Page] which liberty himſelfe would never indulge to any Priſoner committed by him, for the leaſt offence, eſpecially under the Notion of a Puritan: O ſtrange impatience, worthy admiration that he who had cloſe Impriſoned many Godly Chriſtians, Miniſters, mobſcure holes and Dungeons, without the leaſt pity or indulgence, divers yeares; even for well doing, or petty offences againſt himſelfe, ſhould not be able to endure a few weekes impriſonment, (when charged with high Treaſon it ſelfe, againſt the King and Kingdome,) without Petitioning for liberty to take the Ayre. A requeſt ſo unſeaſonable, that no wiſe Man in his condition would have demanded it, and the Parliament in Juſtice or Honour could not condeſcend to it. But this ſuit of his being deemed unſeaſonable, was rejected.

And here behold the common Genius of Tyrannicall domineering ſpirits, none ſo inexorable, mercileſſe, inſenſible of others unjuſt oppreſſions as they in the ruffe of their proſperity, none more degenerous, puſilanimous, querulous, impatient, or ſordidly baſe then they in the ſtormes of adverſity. Let this Arch-Prelates ſuddaine downe-fall from the Pinnacle of Honour, Power, into a reſtrained deſpicable condition, and his impatience under it, be a future admonition to all Lording Prelates, and Tyr [...]nizing Grandees, to carry themſelves with all moderation in their places, and to learne this good leſſon from an heathen Poet, which moſt men in the hight of their felicity are over-apt to forget.

Clandian in Rufinum I. 2. p.

Deſinat elatis quiſquam confidere rebus,

Jnſtabileſque Deos, et Lubrica Numina diſcat.

Illa manus, quoe ſceptra ſibi geſtanda parabat,

Cuius ſe toties ſubmiſit ad oſcula ſupplex

Nobilitas, digitos ductis inflectere nervis Cogitur, &c.

Aſpiciat, ne quis nimium ſublata ſecundis Colla gerat.

What occurrences happened betweene the Archbiſhops reſtraint and his commitment to the Tower, you may read in his Diary, and in the Pag. 23. 24. [...]roviat of his life.

On the 22. of February 1640. the Houſe of Commons Ordered, that to morrow morning, the Report concerning the Articles against the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, be firſt reade if it be ready.

On February 23. they further Ordered Mr. Pym to make the report of the Articles against the Archbiſhop of Cant. the next morning.

February 24. Mr. Pym preſented from the Committee appointed for that purpoſe the Articles againſt the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, The Title to the Articles, the Articles themſelves, and the concluſion to them were all ſeverally twice read, and all ſeverally voted, and paſt upon the queſtion, and afterwards by reſolution upon the Question, it was ordered that theſe Articles ſo read and voted ſhould be ingroſſed.

[Page] February 26. The Articles againſt the Archbiſhop of Canterbury which were formerly ordered to be ingroſſed, were now read, and it was reſolved upon the question, that the Articles thus ingroſſed and read ſhould be ſent up to the Lords in maintenance of the Charge against the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, whereby he ſtands charged of high Treaſon, Mr. Pymme, Mr. Hampden, and Mr. Maynard, went up with the Articles according to the former Order.

Vpon the reading of theſe Articles the Lords made this Order for his the Archbiſhops commitment to the Tower.

26. February 1640.

ORdered by the Lords in Parliament, that the Lord Archbiſhop of Cant. his Grace, ſhal stand comitted to the Tower of London. But the pleaſure of this houſe is, that he continue ſtill in the ſafe custody of the Gentleman Vſher of this Houſe till M [...]nday the firſt of March 1640 and then that the Letutenant receive his Grace into his ſafe Cuſtody, until the pleaſure of this Houſe he further known, and in the meane time Mr. Maxwell is to be reſponſible for him, and not to permit him to goe abroad, and that the Archbiſhop oſ Canterbury, and the Earle of Strafford ſhall not come together.

Mr. Pym returnes and acquaints the Houſe, that according to his Abilities he had performed their commands, and it was ordered, that thankes ſhold be given him for the good ſervice he had therein done this Houſe.

Thus the Commons Iournall relates the times and manner of theſe proceedings and Articles againſt Canterbury, unanimouſly voted by all when both Houſes were fulleſt, with the concurring ſuffrages of all thoſe Members who have ſince deſerted the Parliament, and repaired, to Oxford, ſome of whom made bitter Invectives againſt him, whoſe mouths muſt be for ever ſtopped, by their own ſuffrages in full Parliament, from uttering any thing in luſtification of this Arch-Traitor, or in derogation of the Iudgment & execution paſſed againſt him upon the ſeveral Articles of his Impeachment, which I ſhall here Preſent you with altogether, beginning with the Originall Articles of the Houſe of Commons, (carried up by Maſter Pym and others, whoſe ſpeech at their delivery I have here annexed to them as they were printed by order of the houſe long ſince, next adioyning the Scottiſh Commiſsioners Charge againſt him, and then the Commons Additionall Articles.

ARTICLES OF The COMMONS Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT: In maintenance of their Accuſation againſt WJLLJAM LAƲD, Arch-Biſhop of CANTERBVRY: whereby he ſtands Charged with High Treaſon, Preſented and carryed up to the LORDS, by Mr. John Pym, Febr. 26. 1640.

[Page]

Mr. Pym comming to the Lords barre to preſent the Articles, ſpake as followeth,

My LORDS;

I Am commanded by the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes now aſſembled for the Maſter Pyme Speech. Commons in Parliament; to deliver to your Lordſhips theſe Articles, in maintenance of their Charge againſt the Archbiſhop of Canterbury. Their deſire is, that firſt your Lordſhips would be pleaſed to heare the Articles read, and then I ſhall endeavour to preſent to you the ſenſe of the Commons, concerning the nature of the Charge, and the order of their proceedings.

FIRST;

THat he hath traiterouſly endeavoured to ſubvert the Fundamentall Lawes, and government of this Kingdome of England, and inſtead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary, and tyrannicall Government againſt law; and to that end, hath wickedly and traiterouſly adviſed His Majeſtie, that he might at his owne will and pleaſure, leavie, and take money of his Subjects, without their conſent in Parliament; and this hee affirmed was warrantable by the Law of God.

2. Hee hath for the better accompliſhment of that his traiterous deſigne, adviſed and procured Sermons, and other diſcourſes to be preached, printed, and publiſhed, in which the Authoritie of Parliaments, and the force of the Lawes of this Kingdome, have beene denyed; and abſolute and unlimited power over the perſons and eſtates of His Majeſties ſubjects maintained and defended, not onely in the King, but in himſelfe, and other Biſhops, againſt the Law: And he hath beene a great protector, ſavourer, and promoter of the publiſhers of ſuch falſe and pernicious opinions.

[Page] 3. Hee hath by Letters, Meſſages, Threats, and promiſes, and by diverſe other wayes to Judges, and other Miniſters of juſtice, interrupted and perverted, and at other times by meanes aforeſaid, hath endeavoured to interrupt, and pervert the courſe of Juſtice in His Majeſties Courts at Weſtminſter, and other Courts, to the ſubverſion of the Lawes of this Kingdome, whereby ſundry of His Majeſties Subjects have been ſtopt in their juſt ſuits, deprived of their lawfull righte, and ſubjected to his tyrannicall will to their ruine, and deſtruction.

4. That the ſaid Archbiſhop hath traiterouſly and corruptly told uſtice to thoſe who have had cauſes depending before him, by colour of his Eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction, as Archbiſhop, High Commiſſioner, Referree, or otherwiſe, and hath taken unlawfull gifts, and bribes of His Majeſties Subjects, (and hath as much as in him lies) endeavoured to corrupt the other Courts of juſtice, by adviſing and procuring His Majeſtie to ſell places of Judicature, and other Offices contrary to the Laws and Statutes in that behalfe.

5. He hath traiterouſly cauſed a booke of Canons to be compoſed, and publiſhed without any lawfull warrant, and authoritie in that behalfe; in which pretended Canons, many matters are contained contrary to the Kings Prerogative, to the fundamentall Lawes, and Statutes of this Realme, to the right of Parliament, to the propriety, and libertie of the Subject, and matters tending to ſedition, and of dangerous conſequence, and to the eſtabliſhment of a paſt, unlawfull, and preſumptuous power in himſelfe, and his ſucceſſors: many of which Canons, by the practiſe of the ſaid Archbiſhop were ſurreptitiouſly paſſed in the late Convocation, without due conſideration and debate: others by feare and compulſion were ſubſcribed by the Prelates, and Clerkes there aſſembled, which had never beene voted, and paſſed in the Convocation as they ought to have beene. And the ſaid Archbiſhop hath contrived, and endeavoured to aſſure and confirme the unlawfull and exorbitant power, which he hath uſurped and exerciſed over His Majeſties Subjects, by a wicked and ungodly oath in one of the ſaid pretended Canons, injoyned to be taken by all the Clergie, and many of the Laitie of this Kingdome.

6. He hath trayterouſly aſſumed to himſelfe a papall and tyrannicall power, both in Eccleſiaſticall, and Temporall matters, over his Majeſties Subjects in this Realme of England, and in other places, to the diſheriſon of the Crowne, diſhonour of His Majeſtie, and derogation of his ſupreme authoritie in Eccleſiaſticall matters; And the ſaid Archbiſhop claimes the Kings Eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction, as incident to his Epiſcopall Office, and Archiepiſcopall in this Kingdome and doth deny the ſame to bee derived from the Crowne of England, which he hath accordingly exerciſed, to the high contempt of his Royall Majeſtie, and to the deſtruction of divers of the Kings liege people, in their perſons, and eſtates.

7. That he hath traiterouſly indeavoured to alter and ſubvert Gods true Religion, by Law eſtabliſhed in this Realme, and in ſtead thereof to ſet up Popiſh ſuperſtition, and Idolatrie. And to that end, hath declared and maintained in Speeches, and printed books, diverſe popiſh doctrines, and opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion eſtabliſhed by Law. Hee hath urged and injoyned diverſe popiſh, and ſuperſtitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law, and hath cruelly perſecuted thoſe who have oppoſed the ſame, by corporall puniſhments, and Impriſonments; and moſt unjuſtly vexed others, who refuſed to conforme thereunto, by Eccleſiaſticall cenſures of Excommunication, Suſpenſion, Deprivation and Degradation, contrary to the Lawes of this Kingdome.

8. That for the better advancing of his traiterous purpoſe and deſigne, he did abuſe the great power, and truſt His Majeſtie repoſed in him, and did intrude upon the places of diverſe great Officers, and upon the right of other His Majeſties Subjects, whereby he did procure to himſelfe the nomination of ſundry perſons to Eccleſiaſticall Dignities, Promotions, and benefices, belonging to His Majeſtie, and divers of the Nobilitie, Clergie, and others; and hath taken upon him the commendation of Chaplaines to the King; by which meanes he hath preferred to His Majeſties [Page] ſervice, and to other great promotions in the Church, ſuch as have been Popiſhly affected, or otherwiſe unſound, and corrupt both in doctrine and manners.

9. Hee hath for the ſame trayterous, and wicked intent, choſen and imployed, ſuch men to be his owne Domeſticall Chaplaines, whom he knew to be notoriouſly disaffected to the reformed Religion, groſly addicted to popiſh ſuperſtition, and erroneous, and unſound both in judgement and practiſe, and to them or ſome of them hath he committed the Licenſing of Bookes to be printed, by which meanes divers falſe and ſuperſtitious bookes have beene publiſhed, to the great ſcandall of Religion, and to the ſeducing of many His Majeſties Subjects.

10. Hee hath traiterouſly and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome; and for the effecting thereof hath conſorted, and confederated with diverſe Popiſh Prieſts, and Jeſuites; and hath kept ſecret intelligence with the Pope of Rome, and by himſelfe his Agents and inſtruments, treated with ſuch as have from thence received authoritie, and inſtruction, hee hath permitted, and countenanced a Popiſh Hierarchie, or Eccleſiaſticall government to bee eſtabliſhed in this Kingdome: by all which trayterous and malicious practiſes this Church and Kingdome hath beene exceedingly indangered, and like to fall under the Tyrannie of the Roman See.

11. He in his owne perſon, and his Suffragans, Viſitors, Surrogates, Chancellors and other Officers, by his command, have cauſed divers learned pious, and Orthodox Miniſters of Gods Word to be ſilenced, ſuſpended, deprived, degraded, excommunicated, and otherwiſe grieved, without any juſt and lawfull cauſe: and by diverſe other meanes he hath hindered the preaching of Gods Word, cauſed divers of His Majeſties loyall Subjects to forſake the Kingdome, and increaſed, and cheriſhed Ignorance, and profaneneſſe amongſt the people, that ſo hee might the better facilitate the way to the effecting of his owne wicked and traiterous deſigne, of altering, and corrupting the true religion here eſtabliſhed.

12. He hath traiterouſly endeavoured to cauſe diviſion, and diſcord betwixt the Church of England, and other reformed Churches; and to that end hath ſuppreſt, See the Charge of the Scottiſh Commiſsioners againſt Canterbury. and abrogated the Priviledges, and Jmmunities, which have beene by His Majeſtie and his Royall Anceſters granted to the Dutch, and French Churches, in this kingdome: And divers other wayes hath expreſſed his malice, and diſaffection to theſe Churches, that ſo by ſuch diſunion, the Papiſts might have more advantage for the overthrow, and extirpation of both.

13. Hee hath malitiouſly and traiterouſly plotted, and endeavoured to ſtirre up warre and enmity betwixt his Majeſties two Kingdomes of England and Scotland, and to that purpoſe hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdome of Scotland divers Innovations both in Religion, and Government all or the moſt part of them tending to Popery, and ſuperſtition, to the great grievance, and diſcontent of his Majeſties Subjects of that Nation: and for their refuſing to ſubmit to ſuch Innovations, hee did trayterouſly adviſe his Majeſty to ſubdue them by force of Armes, and by his owne Authority and Power contrary to Law did procure ſundry of his Majeſtyes, Subjects & inforced the Clergie of this Kingdome to contribute towards the maintenance of Which Doctor Pierce Biſhop of Bath and Wels in his ſpeech to his Clergy to ſet on this contribution, ſtiled Bellum Epiſcopale; adding, that what ever his Majeſty had expreſſed in his Declarations to be the cauſe of this warre, yet in truth this warre is FOR VS, Biſhops. that war: And when his Majeſty with much wiſdom & Juſtice had made a Pacification betwixt the two Kingdomes, the ſaid Archbiſhop did preſumptuouſly cenſure that pacification, as diſhonourable to his Majeſty, and by his councells and endeavours, ſo incenſed his Majeſty againſt his ſaid Subjects of Scotland, that he did thereupon (by advice of the ſaid Archbiſhop) enter into an offenſive warre againſt them, to the great hazard of his Majeſties perſon, and his Subjects of both Kingdomes.

14. That to preſerve himſelfe from being queſtioned for theſe, and other his trayterous courſes, he hath laboured to ſubvert the rights of Parliament and the ancient courſe of Parliamentary proceeding, and by falſe and malitious ſlanders to incenſe his Majeſty againſt Parliaments.

By which words, counſels and actions, he hath traiterouſly, and contrary to his [Page] allegiance laboured to alienate the hearts of the Kings liege people from his Majeſty, and to ſet a deviſion betweene them, and to ruine and deſtroy his Majeſties Kingdomes; for which they doe impeach him of High Treaſon, againſt our Soveraigne Lord the King, his Crowne and Dignity.

The ſaid Commons do further averre, that the ſaid William Archbiſhop of Canterbury, during the times that the crimes aforementioned were done, and committed hath beene a Biſhop or Archbiſhop of this Realme of England, one of the Kings Commiſſioners for Eccleſiaſticall matters; and one of his Majeſties moſt honourable Privie Councell, and hath taken an oath for his faithfull diſcharge of the ſaid Office of Councellor, and hath likewiſe taken an oath of ſupremacy and Allegeance.

And the ſaid Commons by proteſtation, ſaving to themſelves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter, any other accuſation or impeachment againſt the ſaid Archbiſhop, and alſo of replying to the Anſwers, that the ſaid Archbiſhop ſhall make unto the ſaid Articles, or to any of them, and of offering further proofe alſo of the Premiſes or any of them, or of any other impeachment, or accuſation that ſhall be exhibited by them, as the cauſe ſhall, according to the courſe of Parliament require, do pray, that the ſaid Archbiſhop may be put to anſwer to all and every the premiſes, and that ſuch proceedings, examination, tryall, and Judgment may be upon every of them had and uſed, as is agreeable to Law and Juſtice.

The Articles being read Mr. PYMME proceeded in his Specch as followeth.

My Lords,

THere is an expreſſion in the Scripture, which I will not preſume either to underſtand, or to interpret; yet to a vulgar eye it ſeemes to have an aſpect ſomething ſutable to the Perſon and Cauſe before you: It is a deſcription of the evill Spirits, wherein they are ſaid to be ſpirituall wickedneſſes in high places. Crimes acted by the ſpirituall faculties of the Soule, the Will and the Vnderſtanding, exerciſed about ſpirituall matters, concerning Gods Worſhip, and the Salvation of Man; ſeconded with power, authority learning, and many other advantages, do make the party who commits them, very ſutable to that deſcription, Spirituall wickedneſſes in high places.

Theſe crimes (My Lords) are various in their Nature, heynous in their quality, and univerſall in their extent. If you examine them Theologically, as they ſtand in oppoſition to the truth of God, they will be found to be againſt the rule of Faith, againſt the power of godlineſſe, againſt the meanes of Salvation.

If you examine them Morally, as they ſtand in oppoſition to the light of Nature, to right reaſon, and the principles of humane ſociety, you will then perceive pride without any moderation: ſuch a Pride as that is which exalts it ſelfe above all that is called God. Malice without any provocation; Malice againſt vertue, againſt innocencie, againſt piety, injuſtice without any meanes of reſtitution, even ſuch injuſtice as doth robbe the preſent times of their poſſeſſions; the future, of their poſſibilities.

If they be examined (My Lords) by Legall Rules in a Civill way, as they ſtand in oppoſition to the Publique Good, and to the Lawes of the Land; Hee will be found to be a Traytor againſt his Majeſties Crown, an Incendiary againſt the Peace of the State; he will be found to be the higheſt, the boldeſt, the moſt impudent Oppreſſour, that ever was; an Oppreſſor both of King and People.

This Charge (my Lords) is diſtributed and conveyed into 14. ſeverall Articles, as you have heard; and thoſe Articles are only generall: It being the intention of the Houſe of Commons (which they have commanded me to declare) to make them more certaine and particuler by preparatory Examinations to be taken with the helpe of your Lordſhips houſe, as in the Caſe of my Lord of Strafford.

I ſhall now runne through them with a light touch, only marking in every of them ſome ſpeciall point of venome, virulency and malignity.

1. The firſt Article (my Lords) doth containe his endeavour to introduce into this [Page] Kingdome an Arbitrary power of Government, without any limitations or Rules of Law. This (my Lords) is againſt the ſafety of the Kings Perſon, the honour of his Crowne, and moſt deſtructive to his people.

Thoſe Cauſes which are moſt perfect have not only a power to produce effects, but to conſerve and cheriſh them. The Seminary vertue, and the Nutritive vertue in vegetables, do produce from the ſame principles. It was the defect of juſtice, the reſtraining of oppreſſion and violence that firſt brought Government into the World, and ſet up Kings, the moſt excellent way of Government. And by the maintenance of juſtice all kinds of Government receive a ſure foundation and eſtabliſhment. It is this that hath in it an ability to preſerve, and ſecure the Royall power of Kings, yea, to adorne and encreaſe it.

2. In the ſecond Article, your Lordſhips may obſerve, abſolute and unlimited power, defended by Preaching, by Sermons, and other diſcourſes, printed and publiſhed upon that ſubject. And truly (my Lords) it ſeemes to be a prodigious crime, that the truth of God, and his holy Law ſhould be perverted to defend the lawleſneſſe of men. That the holy and ſacred function of the Miniſtry, which was ordained for inſtruction of mens ſoules in the wayes of God, ſhould be ſo abuſed, that the Miniſters are become the Trumpets of Sedition, the promoters and defenders of violence and oppreſſion.

3. In the third Article (my Lords) you have the Judges, who under his Majeſty are the diſperſers and diſtributers of Juſtice, frequently corrupted by feare, and ſolicitation; you have the courſe of Juſtice in the execution of it, ſhamefully obſtructed And if a wilfull Act of in juſtice in a Iudge be ſo high a crime in the eſtimate of the Law, as to deſerve death, under what burthen of guilt doth this man lye, who hath been the cauſe of great numbers of ſuch voluntary and wilfull acts of injuſtice?

4. In the fourth Article, hee will be found in his owne perſon to have ſold juſtice in Cauſes depending before him. And by his wicked councell endeavouring to make his Majeſty a Merchant of the ſame commodity, only with this difference, that the King by taking money for places of judicature, ſhould ſell it in groſſe; whereas the Archbiſhop ſold it by retaile.

5. In the fift Article there appeares a power uſurped of making Canons, of laying obligations on the Subjects in the nature of Law, and this power abuſed to the making of ſuch Canons as are in the matter of them very pernitious, being directly contrary to the prerogative of the King, and the liberty of the people. In the manner of preſſing of them, may be found fraud and ſhuffling, in the concluſion violence and conſtraint; men being forced by terrour and threatning to ſubſcribe to all: which power thus wickedly gotten, they labour to eſtabliſh by perjury, injoyning ſuch an Oath for the maintenance of it, as can neither be taken nor kept with a good conſcience.

6. In the ſixth Article, you have the King robbed of his Supremacy: you have a Papall power exerciſed over his Majeſties Subjects in their conſciences, and in their perſons: You have Eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction claimed by an Incident right, which the Law declares to proceed from the Crowne.

And herein your Lordſhips may obſerve that thoſe who labour in civill matters to ſet up the King above the Lawes of the Kingdome, doe yet in Eccleſiaſticall matters endeavour to ſet up themſelves above the King. This was firſt procured by the Arch-biſhop to be extrajudicially declared by the Judges, and then to be publiſhed in a Proclamation. In doing whereof he hath made the Kings Throne but a footſtoole for his owne and their pride.

7. You have (my Lords) in the ſeventh Article, Religion undermined and ſubverted: you have Popery cheriſhed and defended: you have this ſeconded with power and violence, by ſevere puniſhment upon thoſe which have oppoſed this miſchievous intention: and by the ſubtile and eager proſecution of theſe men, hath the power of Eccleſiaſticall Commiſſioners, of the Starre-Chamber and Councell Table beene often made ſubſervient to his wicked deſigne.

[Page] My Lords,

8. You may obſerve in the eighth Article, great care taken to get into his owne hand the power of nominating to Eccleſiaſticall Livings and promotions: you have as much miſcheivous, as much wicked care taken in the diſpoſing of theſe preferments, to the hinderance and corruption of Religion. And by this meanes (my Lords) the Kings ſacred Majeſtie, inſtead of Sermons, fit for ſpirituall inſtructours, hath often had invectives againſt his people, incouragement to injuſtice, or to the overthrow of the Lawes. Such Chaplaines have beene brought into his ſervice, as have as much as may be, laboured to corrupt his owne houſhold and beene eminent examples of corruption to others, which hath ſo farre prevailed, as that it hath exceedingly tainted the Vniverſities, and beene generally diſperſt to all the chiefe Cities, the greateſt Townes and Auditories of the Kingdome. The grievous effects whereof is moſt manifeſt to the Commons Houſe, there being diverſe hundred complaints there depending in the Houſe againſt ſcandalous Miniſters, and yet (I believe) the hundred part of them is not yet brought in.

9. The ninth Article ſets out the like care to have Chaplaines of his owne, that might bee promoters of this wicked and trayterous deſigne: Men of corrupt judgments, of corrupt practice, extreamely addicted to ſuperſtition: and to ſuch mens cares hath been committed the Licencing of Bookes to the Preſſe; by meanes whereof many have beene publiſhed that are full of falſhood, of ſcandals; ſuch as have beene more worthy to be burnt by the hand of the Hangman in Smithfield (as I thinke one of them was) than to be admitted to come into the hands of the Kings people.

10. In the tenth Article it will appeare, how he having made theſe approaches to Popery, comes now to cloſe and joyne more neerely with it; he confederates with Prieſts and Jeſuites. He, by his inſtruments negotiates with the Pope at Rome, and hath correſpondence with them that he authorized from Rome here. He hath permitted a Roman Hierachie to be ſet up in this Kingdome. And though he hath bin ſo carefull that a poore man could not goe to the neighbour Pariſh to heare a Sermon, when he had none at home, could not have a Sermon repeated, nor prayer uſed in his own Family, but he was a fit ſubject for the High Commiſſion Court; yet the other hath beene done in all parts of the Realme and no notice taken of it, by any Eccleſiaſticall Judges or Courts.

My Lords;

11. You may perceive preaching ſuppreſſed in the eleventh, divers godly and Orthodox Miniſters oppreſſed in their perſons and Eſtates; you have the Kings loyall ſubjects baniſhed out of the Kingdome, not as Elimelecke to ſeeke for bread in forraigne Countries, by reaſon of the great ſcarcity which was in Jſrael; but travelling abroad for the bread of life, becauſe they could not have it at home, by reaſon of the ſpirituall Famine of Gods Word, cauſed by this man and his partakers. And by this meanes you have had the trade, the Manufactury, the induſtry of many thouſands of his Majeſties ſubjects carried out of the Land.

It is a miſerable abuſe of the ſpirituall Keyes to ſhut up the doores of heaven, and to open the gates of Hell, to let in prophaneneſſe, ignorance, ſuperſtition, and errour. I ſhall neede ſay no more: Theſe things are evident, and abundantly knowne to all.

12. In the twelfth Article (my Lords) you have a diviſion endeavoured betweene this and the forraine reformed Churches. The Church of Chriſt is one body, and the Members of Chriſt have a mutuall relation, as members of the ſame body, Vnity with Gods true Church every where is not only the beauty, but the ſtrength of Religion: of which beauty and ſtrength he hath ſought to deprive this Church by his manifold attempts to breake this union. To which purpoſe hee hath ſuppreſſed the priviledges granted to the Dutch and French Churches. He hath denyed them to be of the ſame Faith and Religion with us, and many other wayes hath he declared his malice to thoſe Churches.

[Page] 13. In the thirteenth Article, as he hath ſought to make an Eccleſiaſticall diviſion or religious difference betweene us and forraine Nations, ſo he hath ſought to make a Civill difference betweene us and his Majeſties ſubjects of the Kingdome of Scotland. And theis he hath promoted by many innovations, there preſt, by himſelfe and his owne authority, when they were uncapable of ſuch alterations, He adviſed his Majeſty to uſe violence. He hath made private and publique Collections towards the maintenance of the Warre, which he might juſtly call his owne warre. And with all impudent boldneſſe, hath ſtruck Tallies in the Exchequer for divers ſummes of money procured by himſelfe, Pro defenſione Regni; when by his Counſels the King was drawne to undertake not a Defenſive, but an Offenſive Warre.

14. He hath laſtly, thought to ſecure himſelfe and his party by ſeeking to undermine Parliaments, and thereby hath laboured to bereave this Kingdome of the Legiſlative power, which can only be uſed in Parliaments: and that we ſhould be left a Kingdome without that which indeed makes and conſtitutes a Kingdome; and is the only Meanes to preſerve and reſtore it from diſtempers and decayes. He hath hereby endeavoured to bereave us of the higheſt Judicatory, ſuch a Judicatory, as is neceſſary and eſſentiall to our government. Some Caſes of Treaſon, and others concerning the Prerogative of the Crowne, and liberty of the People. It is the ſupreame Judicatory to which all difficult Caſes reſort from other Courts. He hath fought to deprive the King of the Love and Counſell of his People, of that aſſiſtance which he might have from them, and likewiſe to deprive the People of that reliefe of grievances which they moſt humbly expect from his Majeſtie.

My Lords,

The Parliament is the Cabinet wherein the chiefeſt Jewells both of the Crowne and Kingdome are depoſited. The great Prerogative of the King, and libertie of the People are moſt effectually exerciſed and maintained by Parliaments. Here (my Lords) you cannot paſſe by this occaſion of great thankes to God and His Majeſty for paſſing the Bill, whereby the frequent courſe of Parliaments is eſtablished; which I aſſure my ſelfe, he will by experience finde to bee a ſtrong foundation both of his honour, and of his Crowne.

This is all (my Lords) I have to ſay to the particulars of the Charge. The Commons deſire your Lordſhips that they may have the ſame way of Examination that they had in the caſe of the Earle of Strafford: That is, to examine members of all kindes, of your Lordſhips Houſe and their owne, and others, as they ſhall ſee cauſe. And thoſe examinations to be kept ſecret and private, that they may with more advantage be made uſe of when the matter comes to tryall.

They have declared that they reſerve to themſelves the power of making Additionall Articles, by which they intend to reduce his Charge to be more particular and certaine, in reſpect of the ſeverall times, occaſion, and other circumſtances of the offences therein Charged. And that your Lordſhips would bee pleaſed to put this cauſe in ſuch a quicke way of proceeding, that theſe great and dangerous crimes together with the offendors may be brought to a juſt judgment.

The Charge of the Scottiſh Commiſſioners againſt the Prelate of Canterburie.

NOvations in Religion, which are Vniverſally acknowledged to bee the maine cauſe of commotions in Kingdomes and ſtates, and are knowne to be the true cauſe of our preſent troubles, were many and great, beſide the bookes of Ordination, and Homilies, 1. Some particular alterations in matters of Religion, preſſed upon us without order and againſt Law, contrary to the forme eſtabliſhed in our Kirk. 2. A new booke of Canons and Conſtitutions Eccleſiaſticall. 3. A Liturgie or booke of Common-Prayer, which did alſo carrie with them many dangerous errours in matters of Doctrine. Of all which we challenge the Prelate of Canterburie, as the prime cauſe on earth.

And firſt, that this Prelate was the Author and urger of ſome particular changes, [Page] which made great diſturbance amongſt us, we make manifeſt: 1. By fourteene letters ſubſcribed, William Cant. in the ſpace of two yeares, to one of our pretended Biſhops, Bannatine, wherein he often enjoyneth him and other pretended Biſhops, to appeare in the Chappell in their Whites, contrary to the cuſtome of our Kirke, and to his promiſe made to the pretended Biſhop of Edenburgh, at the Coronation, that none of them after that time, ſhould be preſſed to weare theſe garments, there, by moving him againſt his will to put them on for that time, wherein he directeth him to give order for ſaying the Engliſh Service in the Chappell twice a day, for his neglect, ſhewing him that he was diſappointed of the Biſhopricke of Edenburgh, promiſing him upon the greater care of theſe novations, advancement to a better Biſhopricke, taxing him for his boldneſſe in preaching the ſound Doctrine of the reformed Kirkes, againſt Maſter Mitchell, who had taught the errours of Arminius in the point of the extent of the merit of Chriſt, bidding him ſend up a liſt of the names of Councellours and Senatours of the Colledge of Juſtice, who did not communicate in the Chappell in a forme which was not received in our Kirke, commending him when he found him obſequious to theſe his commands, telling him that he had moved the King the ſecond time for the puniſhment of ſuch as had not received in the Chappell: and wherein he upbraideth him bitterly, that in his firſt Synod at Aberdein, he had only diſputed againſt our Cuſtome of Scotland, of faſting ſometimes on the Lords Day, and preſumptuouſly cenſuring our Kirke, that in this wee were oppoſite to Chriſtianitie it ſelfe; and that amongſt us there were no Canons at all. More of this ſtuffe may be ſeene in the Letters themſelves.

Secondly, by two papers of memoirs and inſtructions from the pretended Biſhop of Saint Androis, to the pretended Biſhop of Roſſe, comming to this Prelate, for ordering the affaires of the Kirke and Kingdome of Scotland, as not only to obtaine Warrants, to order the Exchequer, the Privie Counſell, the great Commiſſion of Surrenders, the mater of Balmerino's proceſſe, as might pleaſe our Prelates, but warrants alſo for ſitting of the High Commiſſion Court once a weeke in Edenburgh, and to gaine from the Noblemen, for the benefit of Prelates, and their adherents, the Abbacies of Kelſo, Arbroith, St. Androis, and Lindors, and in the ſmalleſt matters to receive his Commands, as for taking downe Galleries, and ſtone-walls, in the Kirks of Edenburgh and Saint Androis, for no other end but to make way for Altars, and adoration towards the Eaſt: which beſides other evills made no ſmall noyſe, and diſturbance amongſt the people deprived hereby of their ordinary accommodation for publike worſhip.

The ſecond Novation which troubled our peace, was a booke of Canons, and conſtitutions Eccleſiaſticall, obtruded upon our Kirke, found by our Generall Aſſembly to be deviſed for eſtabliſhing a tyrannicall power, in the perſons of our Prelates, over the Worſhip of God, over the Conſciences, Liberties, and goods of the People, and for aboliſhing the whole diſcipline and government of our Kirke, by generall and provinciall Aſſemblies, Presbyteries, and Kirke Seſſions, which was ſetled by Law, and in continuall practiſe ſince the time of Reformation; that Canterburie was Maſter of this Worke is manifeſt.

By a Book of Canons ſent to him, written upon the one ſide only, with the other ſide blank, for corrections additions, and putting all in better Order at his pleaſure, which accordingly was done, as may appeare by interlinings, marginalls, and filling up of the blanke page with directions ſent to our Prelates; and that it was don by no other than Canterbury, is evident by his Magiſteriall way of preſcribing, and by a new copy of theſe Canons all written with Saint Androis owne hand, preciſely to a Letter, according to the former caſtigations ſent backe for procuring the Kings warrant unto it, which accordingly was obtained, but with an addition of ſome other Canons, and a Paper of ſome other corrections: According to which the Booke of Canons thus compoſed, was publiſhed in Print, the inſpection of the Bookes, Inſtructions; and his Letters of joy, for the ſucceſſe of the worke and of others Letters of the Prelate of London, and the Lord Sterling, to the ſame purpoſe, [Page] all which we are ready to exhibite, will put the mater out of all debate.

Beſides this generall, there be ſome things more ſpeciall worthy to be adverted unto, for diſcovering his Spirit. 1. The fourth Canon of Cap. 8. Foraſmuch as no Reformation in Doctrine or Diſcipline can be made perfect at once in any Church; therefore it ſhall, and may be lawfull for the Church of Scotland at any time to make remonſtrance to his Majeſty, or his ſucceſſours, &c. Becauſe this Canon holdeth the doore open to more Innovations, he writeth to the Prelate of Roſſe his privy Agent in all this Worke, of his great gladneſſe, that this Canon did ſtand behinde the Curtaine, and his great deſire, that this Canon may be Printed fully, as one that was to be moſt uſefull. Secondly, The title prefixed to theſe Canons by our Prelates, Canons agreed upon to be proponed to the ſeverall Synods of the Kirke of Scotland, is thus changed by Canterbury; Canons and Conſtitutions Eccleſiaſticall, &c. ordained to be obſerved by the Clergy. He will not have Canons come from the Authority of Synods, but from the power of Prelates, or from the Kings Prerogative. Thirdly, the formidable Canon, Cap. 1. 3. threatning no leſſe than Excommunication againſt all ſuch perſons, whoſoever ſhall open their mouthes againſt any of theſe Bookes, proceeded not from our Prelates, nor is to be found in the Copy ſent from them, but is a thunder-bolt forged in Canterburies owne fire. Our Prelates in divers places witneſſe their diſlike of Papiſts. A Miniſter ſhall be depoſed, if he be found negligent to convert Papiſts, Chap. 18. 15. The adoration of the Bread is a ſuperſtition to be condemned, Cap. 6. 6. They call the abſolute neceſſity of Baptiſme an errour of Popery. Cap. 6. 2. But in Canterburies Edition, the name of Papiſts and Popery is not ſo much as mentioned. 5. Our Prelates have not the boldneſſe to trouble us in their Canons, with Altars, Fonts, Chancels, reading of a long Liturgy before Sermon, &c. But Canterbury is punctuall, and peremptory in all theſe. Although the words of the tenth Canon Chap. 3. be faire. yet the wicked intentions of Canterbury and Roſſe, may be ſeene in the poynt of juſtification of a ſinner before God, by comparing the Canon as it came from the Prelates, and as it was returned from Canterbury, and Printed; our Prelates ſay thus: Jt is manifeſt, that the ſuperſtition of former ages, hath turned into a great prophaneneſſe, and that people are growne cold for the moſt part in doing any good, thinking there is no place to good workes, becauſe they are excluded from juſtification. Therefore ſhall all Miniſtere, as their Text giveth occaſion, urge the neceſſity of good workes, as they would be ſaved, and remember that they are Via Regni, the way to the Kingdome of Heaven, though not cauſa regnandi, how be it they be not the cauſe of Salvation. Here Roſſe giveth his judgment, that he would have this Canon ſimply commanding good workes, to be Preached, and no mention made, what place they have, or have not in juſtification. Vpon this motion, ſo agreeable to Canterburies mind, the Canon is ſet downe as it ſtandeth, without the diſtinction of Via Regni, or cauſa Regnandi, or any word ſounding that way, urging only the neceſſity of good workes. 7. By comparing Canterburie 9. Cap. 18. As it was ſent in writing from our Prelates, and as it is Printed at Canterburies command, may be alſo manifeſt, that he went about to eſtabliſh Auricular confeſſion, and Popiſh Abſolution. 8. Our Prelates were not acquainted with Canons for afflicting of Arbritrary penalties: But in Canterburies Booke whereſoever there is no penalty expreſly ſet downe, it is provided that it ſhall be arbitrary, as the ordinary ſhall thinke fitteſt By theſe and many other the like, it is apparent, that tyranicall power he went about to eſtabliſh in the hands, of our Prelates, over the worſhip, and the ſoules and goods of men, overturning from the foundation, the whole order of our Kirke, what ſeeds of Popery he did ſow in our Kirke, and how large an entry hee did make for the groſſeſt novations afterward, which hath beene a maine cauſe of all their combuſtion.

The third and great novation was the Booke of Common Prayer, Adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and other parts of Divine ſervice, brought in without warrant from our Kirke, to be univerſally received, as the onely forme of divine Service, under all higheſt paines both civill and Eccleſiaſticall; which is found by our nationall aſſembly, beſides the Popiſh freme, and formes in divine worſhip, to containe many Popiſh [Page] errors, and ceremonies, and the ſeeds of manifold and groſſe ſuperſtitions, and Idolatries, and to be repugnant to the Doctrine, Diſcipline, and order of our reformation, to the confeſſion of Faith, conſtitutions of generall Aſſemblies, and Acts of Parliament, eſtabliſhing the true Religion: that this alſo was Canterburies worke we make manifeſt.

By the memories, and inſtruction ſent unto him from our Prelates; wherein they gave a ſpeciall account of the diligence they had uſed, to doe all which herein they were enjoyned, by the approbation of the Service Booke ſent to them; and of all the marginall correction, wherein it varieth from the Engliſh Booke, ſhewing their deſire to have ſome few things changed in it, which notwithſtanding was not granted: This we finde written by Saint Androis owne hand, and ſubſcribed by him, and nine other of our Prelates.

By Canterburies owne Letters, witneſſes of his joy, when the Booke was ready for the Preſſe, of his prayers that God would ſpeed the worke, of the hope to ſee that ſervice ſet up in Scotland, of his diligence to ſend for the Printer, and directing him to prepare a blacke letter, and to ſend it to his ſervants at Edenburgh, for Printing this booke. Of his approbation of his proofes ſent from the Preſſe. Of his feare of delay, in bringing the worke ſpeedily to an end, for the great good, (not of that Church,) but of the Church. Of his encouraging Roſſe, who was entruſted with the Preſſe, to goe on in this peece of Service without feare of Enemies, All which may be ſeene in the Autographs; and by letters, ſent from the Prelate of London, to Roſſe, wherein as he rejoyceth at the ſight of the Scottiſh Canons; which although they ſhould make ſome noyſe at the beginning, yet they would be more for the good of the Kirke, than the Canons of Edenburgh, for the good of the Kingdome. So concerning the Liturgy he ſheweth, that Roſſe had ſent to him, to have an explanation from Canterbury, of ſome paſſage of the Service Booke, and that the Preſſe behoved to ſtand till the explanation come to Edenburgh, which therefore he had in haſt, obtained from his Grace, and ſent the diſpatch away by Canterburies owne conueyance.

But the Booke it ſelfe, as it ſtandeth interlined, margined, and patcht up, is much more than all that is expreſſed in his Letters, and the changes and ſupplements themſelves, taken from the Maſſe Booke, and other Romiſh Ritualls by which he maketh it to vary from the Booke of England, and are pregnant teſtimonies of his Popiſh ſpirit, and wicked intentions which he would have put in execution upon us, then can be denyed. The large declaration profeſſeth, that all the variation of our Booke, from the Booke of England, that ever the King underſtood, was in ſuch things as the Scottiſh humour would better comply with, than with that which ſtood in the Engliſh ſervice. Theſe Popiſh innovaſions therefore have beene ſurreptitiouſly inſerted by him without the Kings knowledge, and againſt his purpoſe. Our Scottiſh Prelates doe petition that, ſomething may be abated of the Engliſh ceremonies, as the Croſſe in Baptiſme, the Ring in marriage, and ſome other things. But Canterburie will not only have theſe kept, but a great many more, and worſe ſuperadded, which was nothing elſe, but the adding of fewell to the fire. To expreſſe and diſcover all, would require a whole booke, we ſhall only touch ſome few in the matter of the Communion.

This Booke inverteth the order of the Communion in the Booke of England, as may be ſeene by the numbers, ſetting downe the orders of this new Communion, 1. 5. 2. 6. 7. 3. 4. 8. 9. 10. 15. Of the divers ſecret reaſons of this change, we mention one onely; In joyning the ſpirituall praiſe and thankſgiving, which is in the Booke of England, pertinently after the Communion, with the Prayer of Conſecration before the Communion, and that under the name of Memoriall, or Oblation, for no other end, but that the memoriall and Sacrifice of Praiſe mentioned in it, may be underſtood according to the Popiſh meaning. Bellar. de Miſſa, lib. 2. cap. 21. Not of the ſpirituall ſacrifice, but of the oblation of the body of the Lord.

It ſeemeth to be no great matter, that without warrant of the Booke of England, the Presbyter going from the North-end of the Table, ſhall ſtand during the time of conſecration, at ſuch a part of the Table, where he may with the more eaſe and decency [Page] uſe both hands; yet being tryed, it importeth much, as, that he muſt ſtand with his hinder parts to the People, repreſenting (ſaith Durand) that which the Lord ſaid of Moſes, Thou ſhalt ſee my hinder parts. He muſt have the uſe of both his hands, not for any thing he hath to doe about the Bread and Wine, for that may be done at the North end of the Table, and be better ſeene of the people: but (as we are taught by the Rationaliſts) that he may by ſtretching forth his Armes, to repreſent the extenſion of Chriſt on the Croſſe, and that he may the more conveniently lift up the Bread and Wine above his head, to be ſeen and adored of the people: who in the Rubricke of the generall confeſſion, a little before, are directed to kneele humbly on their knees, that the Prieſts elevation ſo magnified in the Maſſe, and the peoples adoration may goe together. That in this poſture, ſpeaking with a low voyce, and muttering (for ſometimes he is commanded to ſpeake with a loud voyce, and diſtinctly) he be not heard by the people, which is no leſſe a mocking of God, and his people, then if the words were ſpoken in an unknowne language. As there is no word of all this in the Engliſh Service; ſo doth the Booke in King Edwards time give to every Presbyter his liberty of geſture, which yet gave ſuch offence to Bucer, (the cenſurer of the Booke and even in Caſſanders owne judgment, a man of great moderation in matters of this kind) that he calleth them, Nunquam ſatis execrandos Miſſa geſtus, and would have them to be abhorred, becauſe they confirme to the ſimple and ſuperſtitious ter impiam & exitialem Miſſae fiduciam.

The corporall preſence of Chriſts body in the Sacrament is alſo to be found here: for the words of the Maſſe-booke ſerving to this purpoſe, which are ſharpely cenſured by Bucer, in King Edwards Liturgy, and are not to be found in the Booke of England, are taken in here; Almighty God is in called, that of his Almighty Goodneſſe he may vouchſafe ſo to bleſſe and ſanctifie with his Word and Spirit, theſe gifts of Bread and Wine, that they may bee unto us the body and blood of Chriſt.

The change here is made a worke of Gods Omnipotency: the words of the Maſſe, ut fiant nobis, are tranſlated in King Edwards Booke, That they be unto us, which are againe turned into Latine by Aleſius, Vt fiant nobis On the other part, the expreſſions of the Booke of England, at the delivery of the Elements of feeding on Chriſt by faith, and of Eating and drinking in remembrance that Chriſt dyed for thee, are utterly deleared. Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion, of the bodily Preſence of Chriſt, very agreeable to the Doctrines taught by his Sectaries, which this paper cannot containe. They teach us that Chriſt is received in the Sacrament, Corporaliter, both objective and ſubjective, Corpus Chriſti eſt objectum quod recipitur, & corpus noſtrum ſubjectum quo recipitur.

The Booke of England aboliſheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloody Sacrifice, but here we have beſides the preparatory oblation of the Elements, which is neither to be found in the Booke of England now, nor in King Edwards Booke of old the oblation of the body and blood of Chriſt, which Bellarmine calleth, Sacrificium Laudis, quia Deus per illud magnopere laudatur. This alſo agreeth well with their late doctrine. We are ready when it ſhall be judged convenient and we ſhall be deſired, to diſcover much more matters of this kind as grounds laid for miſſa ſicca, or the halfe Meſſe, the privat Meſſe without the people of communicating in one kinde, of the conſumption by the Prieſt, and conſummation of the Sacrifice, of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth, and not in the hand, &c.

Our ſupplications were many againſt theſe Bookes, but Canterbury procured them to be anſwered with terrible Proclamations. We were conſtrained to uſe the remedy of Proteſtation; but for our Proteſtations, and other lawfull meanes, which we uſed for our deliverance, Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebells and Traitors, in all Pariſh Kirkes of England: when we were ſeeking to poſſeſſe our Religion in peace, againſt theſe devices, and novations Canterbury kindleth warre againſt us. In all theſe it is knowne that he was, although not the ſole, yet the principall Agent and adviſer.

When by the Pacification at Barwicke, both Kingdomes looked for Peace and [Page] quietneſſe, hee ſpared not openly in the hearing of many, often before the King, and privately at the Counſell Table, and the Privy Jointo, to ſpeake of us as Rebells and Traitors, and to ſpeake againſt the Pacification as diſhonourable, and meere to be broken. Neither did his malignancy and bitterneſſe ever ſuffer him to reſt, till a new war was entred upon, and all things prepared for our deſtruction.

By him was it that our Covenant, approven by National Aſſemblies, ſubſcribed by His Majeſties Commiſſioner, and by the Lords of his Majeſties Counſell, and by them commanded to be ſubſcribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome, as a Teſtimony of our duty to God, and the King, by him was it ſtill called ungodly, damnable, Treaſonable; by him were Oaths invented, and preſſed upon diverſe of our poore Country men, upon the paine of impriſonment, and many miſeries, which were unwarrantable by Law, and contrary to their Nationall Oath.

When our Commiſſioners did appeare to render the reaſons of our demands, hee ſpared not in the preſence of the King, and Committee, to raile againſt our Nationall Aſſembly, as not daring to appeare before the World, and Kirkes abroad; where himſelfe and his actions were able to endure tryall; and againſt our juſt and neceſſary defence, as the moſt malicious and Treaſonable Contempt of Monarchicall Government that any bygone age heard of: His hand alſo was at the Warrant for the reſtraint and impriſonment of Our Commiſſioners, ſent from the Parliament, warranted by the King, and ſeeking the peace of the Kingdomes.

When we had by our Declarations, Remonſtrances, and Repreſentations, manifeſted the truth of our intentions, and lawfulneſſe of our actions, to all the good Subjects of the Kingdome of England, when the late Parliament could not be moved to aſſiſt, or enter in Warre againſt us, maintaining our Religion, and Liberties, Canterbury did not only adviſe the breaking up of that high and honourable Court, to the great griefe and hazard of the Kingdome, but (which is without example) did ſit ſtill in the Convocation, and make Canons and Conſtitutions againſt us, and our juſt and neceſſary defence; ordaining under all higheſt paines, that hereafter the Clergie ſhall preach foure times in the yeare, ſuch doctrine as is contrary not onely to our proceedings, but to the doctrine and proceedings of other Reformed Kirkes, to the judgment of all ſound Divines, and Politiques, and tending to the utter ſlavery and ruining of all Eſtates and Kingdomes, and to the diſhonour of Kings and Monarchs. And as if this had not beene ſufficient, he procured, ſix Subſedies to be lifted of the Clergie, under paire of deprivation to all that ſhould refuſe. And which is yet worſe, and above which Malice it ſelfe cannot aſcend, by his meanes a Prayer is framed, Printed, and ſent through all Paroches of England, to be ſaid in all Churches in time of Divine Service, next after the Prayer for the Queen, and Royall Progeny, againſt our Nation by name of trayterous Subjects, having caſt off all Obedience to Our Annoynted Soveraigne, and comming in all rebellious manner to invade England, that ſhame may cover our faces, as Enemies to God and the King.

Whoſoever ſhall impartially examine what hath proceeded from himſelfe, in theſe Books of Canons and common Prayer, what Doctrine hath beene publiſhed and printed theſe yeares by-paſt in England, by his Diſciples and Emiſſaries, what groſſe Popery in the moſt materiall points we have found, and are ready to ſhew in the poſthume writings of the Prelate at Edenburgh, and Dublane, his owne creatures, his neereſt familiars, and moſt willing inſtruments to advance his counſells, and projects, ſhall perceive, that his intentions were deepe and large againſt all the reformed Kirkes, and Reformation of Religion, which in his Majeſties dominions was panting, and by this time had rendred up the Ghoſt, if God had not in a wonderfull way of mercy prevented us; And that if the Pope himſelfe had beene in his place, he could not have beene more Popiſh, nor could he more zealouſly have negotiated for Rome, againſt the Reformed Kirkes, to reduce them to the Hereſies in doctrine; the Superſtitions and Idolatty in worſhip, and the tyranny in Government, which are in that See, and for which the Reformed Kirkes did ſeparate from it, and come forth of Babell. From him certainly hath iſſued all this deluge, which almoſt hath overturned all. We are therefore [Page] confident that your Lordſhips will by your meanes deale effectually with the Parliament, that this great firebrand be preſently removed from his Majeſties preſence, and that he may be put to tryall, and put to his deſerved cenſure, according to the Lawes of the Kingdome; which ſhall be good ſervice to God, honour to the King and Parliament, terrour to the wicked, and comfort to all good men, and to us in ſpeciall who by his meanes principally, have been put to ſo many and grievous aflictions, wherein we had periſhed, if God had not beene with us.

Wee doe indeed confeſſe that the Prelates of England have beene of very different humours, ſome of them of a more moderate temper, ſome of them more, and ſome of them leſſe inclinable to Popery: yet what knowne truth, and conſtant experience hath made undenyable, we muſt at this opportunity profeſſe, that from the firſt time of Reformation of the Kirke of Scotland, not only after the comming of King James of happy memory into England, but before, the Prelates of England have bin by all means unceſſantly working the overthrow of our diſcipline and Government. And it hath come to paſſe of late, that the Prelates of England having prevailed, and brought us to ſubjection in the point of Government, and finding their long waited for opportunity and a rare congruitie of many ſpirits and powers, ready to co-operate for their ends, have made a ſtrong aſſault upon the whole externall worſhip, and doctrine of our Kirk. By which their doing they did not aime to make us conforme to England, but to make Scotland firſt (whoſe weakneſſe in reſiſting they had before experienced, in the Novations of Government, and of ſome points of worſhip) and thereafter England conform to Rome, even in theſe matters, wherein England had ſeparated from Rome, ever ſince the time of Reformatior. An evill therefore which hath iſſued, not ſo much from the perſonall diſpoſition of the Prelates themſelves, as from the innate quality and nature of their Office, and Prelaticall Hierarchie, which did bring forth the Pope in Ancient times, and never ceaſeth till it bringeth forth popiſh Doctrine and worſhip, where it is once rooted, and the Principles thereof ſomented and conſtantly followed. And from that antipathy and inconſiſtency, of the two formes of Eccleſiaſticall Government, which they conceived, and not without cauſe, that one Iſland united alſo under one head, and Monarch, was not able to beare: the one being the ſame in all the parts and powers, which it was in times of Popery, and now is in the Roman Church: The other being the forme of Government, received, maintained and practiſed by all the Reformed Kirks wherein by their owne teſtimonies, and confeſſions, the Kirks of Scotland had amongſt them no ſmall eminencie. This alſo we repreſent to Your Lordſhips moſt ſerious conſideration, that not only the fire-brands may be removed, but that the fire may be provided againſt, that there be no more combuſtion after this.

This charge of the Scots againſt the Arch-Biſhop was uſherd in with this Introduction, in the Scotiſh Treatie, which clearely manifeſts him to be excepted by name out of the Act of Pacification, and Oblivion; by the fourth clauſe thereof.

An Introduction to the accuſation againſt Canterbury, and the Leiutenant. of IRELAND.

SEeing His Majeſtie hath beene Gratiouſly pleaſed concerning out fourth demand to declare, that all his ſubjects ſhall be lyable to the tryall and ſentence of the Parhament reſpective; And ſeeing the Incendiaries are of two ſorts, either of the Engliſh or Scottiſh Nation, to bee tryed here or there, of the Scottiſh wee ſhall ſpeake afterward, And for the preſent we ſhall deliver to your Lordſhips, the grounds of our complaint againſt the Prelate of Canterbury, and the Leiutenant of Ireland, whom the Kingdome of Scotland have conceived and expreſſed to have beene prime Incendiaries, that they may be fully preſented to your Lordſhipps, to the Kings Majeſty and to the Parliament, without prejudice alwayes unto us to adde hereafter what we ſhall find neceſſarie. And although we do not preſently verefie every point [Page] therein, yet our preſent proofs of ſome principall points & our probable preſumptions of the reſt, which are annexed therewith, are ſufficient ground, cum conſtat de incendio, to one Nation, to deſire another to put them, per viam tranſitionis, to a tryall, and to examine all the Councellors, and others here, who may be conceived to have beene eye or eare witneſſes, of any of the Councells, ſpeeches or Actions lyable to the Charge, and for ſaving unneceſſarie charges and travell to the ſubjects to direct Commiſſions and all other Warrants, requiſite to ſuch as his Majeſty and the Parliament ſhall think fit, for examining all ſuch perſons, as may be apprehended to have knowledge of any of theſe Councells, Speeches or Actions, which are alleadged to have beene in Ireland, and that upon ſuch Interrogatories as we ſhall give unto the Parliament, & ſhall be pleaſed to adde for triall. All which we earneſtly crave of his Majeſty, and the Parliament, as we deſire that his Majeſty may be pleaſed to ſend Warrant to the Committee of at Eſr: like, or to the Sheriffes of Shires for examining witneſſe anent the oath preſſed upon any of our Country men, and other wrongs contained in the complaint if they be not ſufficiently proved here. 14. December. 1640.

After theſe Originall Articles exhibited againſt the Archbiſhop, both by the Scottiſh Commiſsioners and Houſe of Commons to the Houſe of Peeres, the Archbiſhop delaying to plead unto them; and the Parliament being taken up with many emergent weighty affaires for their owne and the Kingdomes neceſſary preſervation, by reaſon of the unnaturall bloody Rebellion in Ireland, and Warres in England ſo reploted, and raiſed by the popiſh party, the proceedings againſt him were reſpited neare two yeares ſpace: And then the Commons intending to bring him to a ſpeedy triall, exhibited theſe enſuing. Additionall Articles againſt him, not much different from the Originall, except in ſome particulars.

Further Articles of Impeachment by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament againſt William Laud Archbiſhop of CANTERBVRY, of high Treaſon and divers high Crimes and Miſdemeanours, as followeth.

1. THat the ſaid Archbiſhop of Canterbury, to introduce an Arbitrary Government within this Realme, and to deſtroy Parliaments, in the third and fourth yeares of his Majeſties reigne that now is, a Parliament being then called, and ſitting at Weſtminſter, traiterouſly and maliciouſly cauſed the ſaid Parliament to be diſſolved, to the great grievance of his Majeſties ſubjects, and prejudice of this Commonwealth: And ſoone after the diſſolution thereof, gave divers Propoſitions under his hand, to George then Duke of Buckingham, caſting therein many falſe aſperſions upon the ſaid Parliament, calling it a factious Parliament, and falſly affirming, that it had caſt many ſcandalls upon his Majeſty, and had uſed him like a child in his minority, ſtiling them Puritans, and commending the Papiſts for harmleſſe and peaceable ſubjects.

2. That within the ſpace of ten yeares laſt paſt, the ſaid Archbiſhop hath treacherouſly endeavoured to ſubvert the fundamentall Lawes of this Realme; and to that end hath in like manner endeavoured, to advance the power of the Councell Table, the Canons of the Church, and the Kings Prerogative, above the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme. And for manifeſtation thereof, about ſix yeares laſt paſt, being then a Privy Councellor to his Majeſty, and ſitting at the Councell Table, he ſaid, that as long as he ſate there, they ſhould know, that an Order of that Board ſhould be of equall force with a law or Act of Parliament. And at another time uſed theſe words, That he hoped ere long that the Canons of the Church, and the Kings Prerogative ſhould be of as great power as an Act of Parliament. And at another time ſaid, that thoſe that would not yeeld to the Kings power, hee would cruſh them to peeces.

[Page] 3. That the ſaid Archbiſhop, to advance the Canons of the Church, and power Eccleſiaſticall above the law of the Land, and to pervert and hinder the courſe of Iuſtice, hath at divers times within the ſaid time, by his letters, and other undue meanes and ſolicitations, uſed to Iudges, oppoſed and ſtopped the granting of his Majeſties Writs of Prohibition, where the ſame ought to have beene granted, for ſtay ef proceedings in the Eccleſiaſticall Court, whereby juſtice hath beene delayed and hindered, and the Iudges diverted from doing their duties.

4. That for the end and purpoſe aforeſaid, about ſeaven yeares laſt paſt, a Iudgment being given in his Majeſties Court of Kings Bench againſt one Burley a Perſon, being a man of bad life and converſation, in an Information upon the Statute of 21. Hen. 8. for wilfull Non-reſidency the ſaid Archbiſhop by ſolicitations and other undue meanes uſed to the Iudges of that Court, cauſed Execution upon the ſatd Judgment to be ſtayed: and being moved therein, and made acquainted with the bad life and converſation of the ſaid Perſon, he ſaid, that he had ſpoken to the Judges for him, and that he would never ſuffer a Iudgment to paſſe againſt any Clergy-man by nihil dicit.

5. That the ſaid Archbiſhop, about eight yeares laſt paſt, being then alſo a privy Councellor to his Majeſty, for the end and purpoſe aforeſaid, cauſed Sir Iohn Corbet of Stoak in the County of Salop Baronet, then a Iuſtice of peace of the ſaid County, to be committed to the Priſon of the Fleet, where he continued Priſoner for the ſpace of halfe a yeare, or more for no other cauſe, but for calling for the Petition of Right, & cauſing it to be read at the Seſſions of the peace for that County, upon a juſt and neceſſary occaſion. And during the time of his ſaid impriſonment the ſaid Archbiſhop, without any colour of right, by a writing under the Seale of his Archbiſhopricke, granted a way parcell of the Glebe land of the Church of Adderly in the ſaid County, whereof the ſaid Sir Iohn Corbet was then patron, unto Robert Vſcount Kilmurrey, without the conſent of the ſaid Sir Iohn, or then the incumbent of the ſaid Church, which ſaid Viſcount Kilmurrey built a Chappel upon the ſaid parcell of Glebe land, to the great prejudice of the ſaid Sir Iohn Corbet, which hath cauſed great ſuits and diſſentions betweene them. And whereas the ſaid Sir Iohn Corbet had a judgment againſt Sir Iames Stonehouſe Knight, in an action of Waſte, in his Majeſties Court of Common Pleas at Weſtminſter, which was afterwards affirmed in a writ of Error in the Kings Bench, and Execution thereupon awarded: yet the ſaid Sir Iohn, by meanes of the ſaid Archbiſhop could not have the effect thereof, but was committed to Priſon by the ſaid Archbiſhop and others at the Councell Table, untill he had ſubmitted himſelfe unto the order of the ſaid Table, whereby he loſt the benefit of the ſaid Judgment and Execution.

6. That whereas divers gifts and diſpoſitions of divers ſummes of money were heretofore made by divers charitable and well dispoſed perſons, for the buying in of divers Impropriations for the maintenance of preaching the word of God in ſeverall Churches, the ſaid Archbiſhop about eight yeares laſt paſt, wilfully and maliciouſly cauſed the ſaid gifts, feoffements and conveyances made to the uſes aforefaid, to be overthrowne in his Majeſties Court of Exchequer, contrary to Law, as things dangerous to the Church and State, under the ſpecious pretence of buying in Appropriations: whereby that pious worke was ſuppreſſed and trodden downe, to the great diſhonour of God, and ſcandall of Religion.

7. That the ſaid Archbiſhop at ſeverall times, within theſe ten yeares laſt paſt, at Weſtminſter and elſe where within this Realme, contrary to the knowne Lawes of this Land, hath endeavoured to advance Popery and Superſtition within the Realme: And for that end and purpoſe hath wittingly and willingly received, harboured and relieved divers popiſh Prieſts and Ieſuits, namely one called Sancta Clara, alias Damport, a dangerous Perſon, and Franciſcan Fryer, who having written a Popiſh and ſeditious Booke, intituled Deus natura gratia, wherein the thirty nine Articles of the Church of England, eſtabliſhed by Act of Parliament, were much traduced and ſcandalized: The ſaid Archbiſhop had divers conferences with him, while he was in writing the ſaid Booke; and did alſo provide maintenance and entertainment for one Mounſieur St. Giles a Popiſh Prieſt at Oxford, knowing him to be a Popiſh Prieſt.

8. That the ſaid Archbiſhop, about foure yeares laſt paſt, ut Weſtminſter aforeſaid ſaid [Page] that there muſt be a blow given to the Church, ſuch as hath not beene yet given, before it could be brought to conformity; declaring thereby his intention to bee, to ſhake and alter the true Proteſtant Religion eſtabliſhed in the Church of England.

9. That in, or about the month of May, 1641. preſently after the diſſolution of the laſt Parliament, the ſaid Archbiſhop for the ends and purpoſes aforeſaid, cauſed a Synod or Convocation of the Clergie, to be held for the ſeverall Provinces of Canterbury and Yorke; wherein were made and eſtabliſhed by his meanes and procurement, diverſe Canons and Conſtitutions Eccleſiaſticall; contrary to the Lawes of this Realme, the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament, the Liberty and propriety of the Subject, tending alſo to ſeditior, and of dangerous conſequence: And amongſt other things, the ſaid Archbiſhop cauſed a moſt dangerous and illegall Oath to be therein made and contrived, the tenor whereof followeth in theſe words. That I A. B. doe ſweare that I do approve the Doctrine and Diſcipline or Government eſtabliſhed in the Church of England, as containing all things neceſſary to ſalvation; And that I will not endeavour by my ſelfe or any other, directly or indirectly to bring in any Popiſh Doctrine, contrary to that which is ſo eſtabliſhed: Nor will I ever give my conſent to alter the Government of this Church by Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Deanes, and Arch-Deacons, &c. as it ſtands now eſtabliſhed, and as by right it ought to ſtand: Nor yet ever to ſubject it to the uſurpations and ſuperſtitions of the Sea of Rome. And all theſe things I doe plainly and ſincerely acknowledge and ſweare, according to the plaine and common ſenſe, and underſtanding of the ſame words, without any equivocation, or mentall evaſion, or ſecret reſervation whatſoever. And this I do heartily, willing and truely, upon the ſaith of a Chriſtian: So helpe mee God in Jeſus Chriſt. Which Oath the ſaid Archbiſhop himſelfe did take, and cauſed diverſe other Miniſters of the Church to take the ſame, upon paine of ſuſpenſion and deprivation of their livings, and other ſevere penalties: And did alſo cauſe Godfrey, then Biſhop of Glouceſter, to be committed to priſon for refuſing to ſubſcribe to the ſaid Canons, and to take the ſaid Oath: and afterward, the ſaid Biſhop ſubmitting himſelfe to take the ſaid Oath, he was ſet at liberty.

10. That a little before the calling of the laſt Parliament, Anro 1640. a Vote being then paſſed, and a reſolution taken at the Councell Table, by the advice of the ſaid Archbiſhop, for aſſiſting of the King in extraordinary wayes, if the ſaid Parliament ſhould prove peeviſh, and refuſe to ſupply His Majeſtie: the ſaid Archbiſhop wickedly and malitiouſly adviſed His Majeſtie to diſſolve the ſaid Parliament, and accordingly the ſame was diſſolved: And preſently after, the ſaid Archbiſhop told his Majeſty, that now he was abſolved from all rules of Government, and left free to uſe extraordinary wayes for his ſupply.

For all which matters and things the ſaid Commons aſſembled in Parliament, in the name of themſelves, and of all the Commons of England doe impeach the ſaid Archbiſhop of Canterbury of high Treaſon, and other crimes and miſdemeanours tending to the ſubverſion of our Religion, Lawes, and Liberties, and to the utter ruine of this Church and Common-Wealth.

And the ſaid Commons, by Proteſtation ſaving to themſelves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter, any further, or other accuſation or impeachment againſt the ſaid Wil. Laud Archbiſhop of Canterburie, and alſo of replying to the anſwer that he ſhall make unto the ſaid Articles, or any of them: Or offering proofe of the premiſſes, or any other impeachments or accuſations that ſhall be exhibited by them, as the cauſe ſhall (according to the courſe of Parliaments) require; do pray that he, the ſaid Wil. Laud Archbiſhop of Canterbury, may be called to anſwer the ſaid ſeverall crimes and miſdemeanors, and receive ſuch condigne puniſhment as the ſame ſhall deſerve: and that ſuch further proceedings may bee upon every of them had, and uſed againſt him as is agreeable to Law and Juſtice.

[Page] Theſe additionall Articles were ſent up from the Commons to the Lords Houſe by Maſter Serjeant Wilde the 23. of October. 1643. Whereupon the Lords made this enſuing Order.

§

Die Luna 23. Octob. 1643.

ORdered, &c. That the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury ſhall put in his Anſwer in writing into this Houſe by the thirtieth day of this inſtant October, unto the particular Articles in maintenance of their former impeachment of High Treaſon and diverſe High Crimes and miſdemeanours brought up from the Houſe of Commons againſt him and remaining now before the Lords in Parliament.

The Arch-biſhop being ſerved with this Order the ſame day, the next morning ſent this Petition (written with his owne hand) to the Lords.

To the Honourable the Lords aſſembled in the High Court of PARLIAMENT.
The humble Petition of William Laud Archbiſhop of Canterbury.

Humbly Sheweth;

THat he hath received your Lordſhips Order of October 23. 1643. with a Coppie of the Articles charged againſt him, and requiring him to make anſwer.

Moſt humbly prayeth that according to an Order of that Honourable Houſe, he may have Councell aſſigned him, and that Maſter Hearne, and Maſter Chute may bee his Councell, and have free liberty to come unto him, and that he may have ſome money out of his eſtate to fee his Councell, and defray his other charges, he having beene for this last whole yeare very burdenſome to his friends. And further that he may have all his papers and bookes, moſt of which belong to his defence, which Maſter Prynne tooke from him by Order from the Lords, delivered unto him, that he may be able to anſwer for himſelfe. That alſo he may have time and means to ſend for his witneſſes, which can hardly be done in the time limited. And that he may have his ſervants about him to ſend about his neceſſary occaſions, And laſtly, that he may have * longer time the Articles being large and many, And he ſhall ever pray, &c. NOTE

William Cant.

Which Petition being read in the Lords Houſe, October 24. 1643. thereupon this Order was framed.

§

Die Martis 24. October 1643.

VPon the reading of the Petition of the Lord Arch-Biſhop of CANTERBURY, this day in the Houſe. It is Ordered, &c. That time is given him untill munday the ſixth of November next for the putting in his anſwer in writing into this Houſe unto particular Articles brought up from the Houſe of Commons in maintenance of their former impeachment of High Treaſon, and diverſe high Crimes and miſdemeanours againſt him. That Maſter Heron, and Maſter Chute are hereby aſſigned of Councell for the drawing up of his Anſwer, who are to bee permitted to have free acceſſe in and out to him. That this Houſe doth hereby recommend to the Committee of Sequeſtrations, that the ſaid Lord Arch-Biſhop ſhall have ſuch meanes aforded him out of his eſtate, as will enable him to pay his Councell, and defray his other charges. That when his Lordſhip ſhall ſet down particularly what papers & writings are neceſſary for his defence that ſhould be reſtored unto him, their Lordſhips will take it into conſideration, That upon his Lordſhips nominating who ſhall be his Solicitor, the Lords will returne their anſwer. And for the witneſſes when a day ſhall be appointed for his Lordſhips tryall, this Houſe will give ſuch directions therein as ſhall be juſt.

§

[Page]

* Die Sabbati 28. October 1643.

ORdered, &c. That Maſter Hales is hereby appointed to be of Councell with the Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, with his other Councell already appointed for the drawing of his anſwer to the charge of the Houſe of Commons againſt him, And that Maſter W. Dell, Maſter Richard Cobb, and Maſter George Smith, his Lordſhips ſervants, ſhall have liberty to attend the ſaid Archbiſhops ſeverall affaires and be permitted to come in and out unto him as there ſhall be occaſion.

After which October 31. hee exhibited this Petition to the Lords.

To the Right Honourable the Lords Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
The Humble Petition of William, Archbiſhop of Canterbury.

Moſt humbly Seweth;

THat Your Petitioner having preſented againſt him by the honourable Houſe of Commons to Your Lordſhips an impeachment, Intituled, farther Articles of impeachment, by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, of high Treaſon and divers high crimes and miſdeamenours, to which by your Honorable Order of the twentie fourth of October, annexed, he is directed to put in his anſwer in writing by Munday the ſixth of November, and hath thereby Councell aſſigned him to draw up the ſame.

That Your Petitioners Councell upon reading of the Articles, finding that as well in the frame as the concluſion thereof, the matters of Crime and miſdemeanours, are ſo interwoven with references to the matters thereby charged as Treaſon, as they cannot take upon them to distinguiſh them, and conceiving it not to have bin your Lordſhips intention by their aſſignments they ſhould adviſe an anſwer to any part of the impeachment charged againſt your Petitioner as Treaſon; doe forbeare to adviſe your Petitioners anſwer to the ſaid Articles without ſome declaration firſt had, which of the ſaid Articles are intended to be a charge of high Treaſon, and which of them of Crimes and miſdemeanours, without which your Petitioner, is like to be deprived of the aſſiſtance of Councell granted by your Lordſhips Order.

Your Petitioner humbly beſeecheth Your Lordſhips in this ſo heavy a charge upon him, from ſo great and Honourable a body in ſuch a ſtraight of time, that it may be declared, which of the ſaid Articles are intended to be charges of Crimes and miſdemeanours only in which Your Petitioner may have the aſſiſtance of His Councell aſſigned him to adviſe him in his Anſwer thereunto; And that your Lordſhips will be further Honourably pleaſed to NOTE. inlarge your Petitioner in the time allotted for his Anſwer,

And Your Petitioner ſhall pray, &c. William Cant.

Vpon which Petition this Order was formed.

§

Die Martis 31. October.

Ordered, &c. That the Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury ſhall have time to put in his anſwer to the impeachment of the Houſe of Commons untill Munday the thirteenth of October next, And that this Houſe doth forbeare to declare any opinion concerning the ſeverall Articles of the ſaid Impeachment, But leaves it to his Councell, to doe and adviſe, as his Councell ſhall thinke moſt fitting.

Day being given him by this Order to put in his anſwer till the 13th. of Novenmber following, this Order was made in purſuance thereof.

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[Page]

Die Veueris 10. November. 1643.

Ordered that the Leiutenant of the Tower of London, or his Deputie ſhall bring in ſafety the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury before their Lordſhips on Munday the 13th. of this inſtant November, by ten of the Clock in the morning, to put in his Anſwer into the Houſe to the impeachment of the Houſe Commons remaining now before the Lords in Parliament, and this to be a ſufficient warrant, in that behalfe.

To the Gentleman Vſher. &c.

On the 13. of November, the Archbiſhop appearing at the Lords Barre in perſon, put in this following Anſwer to the Additionall Articles exhibited againſt him.

The humble Anſwer of William Archbiſhop of Cant. to the further Articles of Impeachment of high Treaſon and divers high Crimes and miſdeameanours exhibited againſt him by the Honourable Houſe of Commons, according to direction of an Order of this Honourable Houſe of the 13. of October laſt.

All advantages of exception to the ſaid Articles of Impeachment to this Defendant, ſaved and reſerved, this Defendant humbly ſaith, that he is not guilty of all or any the matters by the ſaid Impeachment charged, in ſuch manner and forme as the ſame are by the ſaid Articles of impeachment charged.

Vpon his motion the ſame day to the Lords, this order was made in favour of him.

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Die Lunae 13. Novemb. 1643.

Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Councell ſhall provide themſelves to adviſe him in point of Law, in all the Articles of the whole Charge; And for the matter of Fact, when the Cauſe comes to be preſented by the Houſe of Commons, as there ſhall be need, their Lordſhips will give further directions in due time.

On the 1 [...]. of December, 1643. The Houſe of Commons being deſirous to bring the Archbiſhop to a ſpeedy tryall, made this enſuing Order.

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11 December 1643.

Ordered, that the Committee for the Tyrall of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury doe meete this afternoone at 2. of the Clock in the Starchamber, to prepare the evidence againſt the Archbiſhop of Cant. and to ſummon ſuch witneſſes as are need full, and prepare the buſineſſe fit for Tryall, and to acquaint the Houſe when they are ready, and this they are to doe with all the convenient ſpeed they can, and have power to ſend for parties, witneſſes, Papers, Records, &c. And the care thereof, is particularly committed unto Serjeant Wild. Here upon the Committee met ſundry times to prepare their evidence.

3. January following, the Lords intending to expedite the Archbiſhops Tryall, according to the Commons deſire, made this Order.

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Die Mercurii, 3. Ian. 1643.

It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that this Houſe will proceed againſt William Laud Archbiſhop of Canterbury upon the Impeachment brought up from the Houſe of Commons for High Crimes and miſdemeanours on Munday morning next it ten of the Clock, being the eight of this inſtant Ianuary, 1643 At which time the ſaid Archbiſhop is to prepare himſelfe for his defence.

To the Gentleman Vſher attending this Houſe or his Deputie, to be delivered to the Leiutenant of the Tower, or his deputie, for the Archbiſhop.

[Page] Whereupon the Lords the ſame day ſent downe this Meſſage to the Commons, thus entred in their Iournall.

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31 Ianuary 1642.

A Meſſage ſent from the Lords by Sir Robert Rich, and Mr. Page; The Lords commanded us to put you in minde, that the Archbiſhop of Canterbury hath put in his Plea to the Impeachment of this Houſe ſent up to the Lords ſometimes ſince, which they deſire you to take into conſideration, what is fit to be done in it.

5. Ianuary, The Houſe of Commons deſired the Lords to appoint a Committee to examine ſome witneſſes upon Oath againſt the Archbiſhop, in the preſence of the Committee of the Commons; which being granted, the Commons made this Order.

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5. Ian. 1643.

Ordered, that the Committee of this Houſe formerly appointed for the buſines of the Archbiſhop of Cant. ſhall be the Committee in the preſence of whom the witneſſes in the caſe of the Biſhop of Cant are to be examined upon Oath by the Committee of Lords.

On the 6. of Ianuary the Archbiſhop preferred this Petition to the Lords for the deferring of his Tryall, to ſome longer time, written with Mr. Dells hand, and ſubſcribed, with his owne.

To the Right Honourable the Lords Aſſembled in the high Court of Parliament.
The humble Petition of William Laud Arch-biſhop of Cant. Priſoner in the T [...]wer.

Humbly ſheweth.

THat your Petitioner having received your Lordſhips command by your honourable Order of the 3. of this inſtant Ianuary, annexed; to attend and Anſwer the Impeachment againſt your Petitioner, from the honourable Houſe of Commons on Munday the eight of this inſtant January which is but five dayes diſtance, and at a time, when 2. of his, 3. Councell aſſigned [...] of Towne and your Petitioner witneſſes; reſiding in ſeverall remite places cannot be ſummoned in ſo ſhort a time, nor willing happily to came up in their ſummons with out warrant from your Lordſhips.

Your Petitioners most humble ſuit to your Lordſhips is that you will honourably vouchſafe him ſome more convenient time to ſend for his Councell, and witneſſes to NOTE. teſtifie in the matters of fact Charged againſt him, and withall to grant the Petitioner your honourable Order, to command the witneſſes ſummoned to attend at the time by your Lordſhips to be appointed: which his humble request, your Petitioner had ſooner preſented to your Lordſhips, but that no ſitting hath beene (as your Petitioner is Informed) untill this day, ſithence your honourable order, in this behalfe made knowne to him.

And your Petitioner ſhall pray, &c W. Cant.

Vpon reading whereof; the Lords made this Order in his favour, to out him of all excuſes, and prevent all clamons of a ſurp [...]iſall.

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Sabbati. 6. Ian. 1643.

Whereas the Houſe formerly appointed Munday being the 8th. of this inſtant Ianuary 1643. to proceed againſt William Laud Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, upon the impeachments brought up againſt him from the Houſe of Commons for High Treaſon, and high Crimes and miſdemeanours; Vpon reading the Petition of the ſaid Archbiſhop, it is this day ordered by the Lords in Parliament to the end [Page] the Councell and Witneſſes of the ſaid Archbiſhop may have competent time to attend the hearing of the Cauſe, that this Houſe will reſpit the proceedings againſt the ſaid Archbiſhop upon the ſaid impeachments untill Tueſday the 16. of this inſtant Ianuary 1643. at ten of the Clock in the morning; at which time the ſaid Archbiſhop is peremprorily appointed to provide his Witneſſes, and prepare his defence unto the ſaid impeachments.

To the Gentleman Vſher, &c.

In purſuance whereof this Order was afterwards made and entred.

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Die Lune 15. Ian. 1643.

It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that the Leiutenant of the Tower of London or his Deputie ſhall bring in ſafty the Archbiſhop of Cant before their Lordſhips on Tueſday the 16. of this inſtant Ianuary by one of the Clock in the afternoone. At which time this houſe will proceed againſt the ſaid Archbiſhop, upon the impeachments brought up from the Houſe of Commons againſt him for might Treaſon, and high Crimes and miſdeameanours, and this to be a ſufficient Warrant in that behalfe.

To the Gentleman Vſher, &c.

The next day the Archbiſhop being brought to the Lords Houſe at the time appointed; about 3. of the Clock that afternoone the Lords ſent downe this Meſſage to the Houſe of Commons, thus entered in their Iournall.

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16. Ianuary 1643.

A Meſſage from the Lords by Sir Robert Rich, and Mr. Page, to acquaint the Houſe, that they are ready to heare the Charge upon the impeachment againſt the Biſhop of Canterbury.

Vpon this Meſſage the Committee of the Houſe of Commons appointed to mannage the evidence againſt him, went up to the Lords Houſe, and then the Archbiſhop being brought to the Barre, after he had there kneeled a little ſpace, was commanded to ſtand up: which ceremony ended, Mr, Maynard, one of the Committee, deſired the Lords: that the originall & additional Articles of impeachment againſt the Archbiſhop might be read: Which being read accordingly by the Clerke, he then prayed, that the Archbiſhops ſeveral Anſwers, to theſe Articles might likewiſe be read; whereupon the Speaker of the Lords Houſe commanding them to be read, the Clerk read only his forementioned Anſwer to the Additionall Articles, but noe anſwer at all to the Originall, there being never any Anſwer put in unto them; the Archbiſhop having not in al the time of his reſtraint from the 26. of Feb. 1640. till that houre, ſo much as tendered or put in any Anſwer to his Originall Articles (which was his owne meere default) and never ſo much as once Petitioned in all that ſpace to be brought to his Tryall, notwithſtanding his frequent complaints of his long Impriſonment, & the delay of his hearing, occaſioned by his owne neglect, and by his Petitioning for longer time when the Commons haſtned his Tryall.

Hereupon Mr. Maynard ſpake to the Lords to this effect.

My Lords, it new appeares to your Lordſhips, how unwilling the Archbiſhop is (out of a conſciouſneſſe of his owne guilt) to come to his Tryall, that in all this ſpace from his firſt impeachment, he hath not ſo much as put in any Anſwer to the Originall Articles, though he had long ſince Councell aſſigned him for that purpoſe: My Lords, this is none of the Commons fault, but his owne; for your Lordſhips well know, that the Commons can take no notice what is done in the Houſe of Peeres in a Parliamentary way, but by a Meſſag from your Lordſhips, who after our Articls exhibited, were to cal upon the Archbiſhop for an anſwer to them; & your Lordſhips ſending us ſeveral Meſſages heretofore that the Archbiſhop had put in his Anſwer to the Articls, & that you were ready to heare our Charge against him, and appointing this day for his Tryall, the Commons thereupon conceived [Page] that he had formerly put in his Plea & anſwer, in due forme to all [...] Articles, but the contrary now appearing both to your Lordſhips and as it is impoſſible for us to proceed at this time in his tryall, there being no iſſue Ioyned upon the Originall Articles for want of an anſwer to them & to [...] upon the Additionalls before my anſwer given, to the originalls will be very prepoſterous [...] therefore [...]e humbly prey your Lordſhips to Order, that the Archbiſhop may forthwith put in his Anſwer [...]th to the Originall, and Additionall Articles by the advice of his Councill, or otherwiſe, in ſuch ſort as he will stand to it; and then he ſhall without any delay joyne [...] with him, proceed on in his Tryall, and evidence againſt him when your Lordſhips ſhall appoint.

The Archbiſhop having little to reply hereunto, deſire the Lords, that he might adviſe with his Councell, whether the Articles were certaine and particular enough to be anſwered unto; and that if their Lordſhips ſhould over-rule him to put in his Anſwer to them, he might have convenient time to do it.

Vpon this all being commanded to withdraw, the Lords after ſome ſhort debate among themſelves, and upon reading the Archbiſhops Petition to have Mr. Gor [...]rd of Grayes-Inne aſſigned for his Councell, to joyne with thoſe formerly aſſigned him, made this enſuing Order.

§

Die Martis 16. Ian. 1643.

Vpon the reading the Petition of William Archbiſhop of Cant. It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that Mr. Richard Gerrard of Grayes-Inne, be added to the former Councell Aſſigned to the ſaid Archbiſhop, to be likewiſe of his Councell.

It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that William Arch-biſhop of Cant. ſhall put in his Anſwer in writing into this Houſe, to the firſt and further Articles of Impeachment brought up from the Houſe of Commons againſt him by Munday morning next peremptorily, and that the ſame Councell formerly Aſſigned him ſhall be of Councell with him.

On the 19. of Ianuary, the Archbiſhop ſent this Petition to the Lords.

To the Right Honourable the Lords aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
The humble Petition of William, Archbiſhop of Cant; Priſoner in the T [...]wer.

Sheweth,

THat whereas your Petitioner having formerly anſwered the particular Articles exhibited againſt him by the Honourable Houſe of Commons, and now by your Lordſhips Order of the 16th. of this inſtant is commanded to put in his Anſwer to the firſt and further Articles of Impeachment brought up againſt him by Munday morning next, for doing whereof his former Councell is aſſigned him.

That your Petitioner having adviſed with his Councell concerning the firſt Articles, which were exhibited new almoſt three yeares ſithence, finding upon peruſall and debate of the ſame that the ſaid former Articles are ſuch, that no anſwer can be made thereunto, nor your Petitioner in my wiſe enabled to prepare for his defence to the ſame, as they now ſtand.

That for as much as the ſaid Articles of Impeachment import no leſſe than a Charge of High treaſon, and for as much as your Petitioner is by his Councell [...] that eſpecially [Page] in Caſes of life, the Defendant is allowed to offer to the Court where the ſame depends his exceptions by his Councell before any Plea pleaded.

Your Petitioner moſt humbly beſeecheth your Lordſhips, to appoint a day for the hearing of your Petitioners Councell concerning the ſame

And your Petitioner ſhall pray, &c. VV. CANT.

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Die Sabbati 20. Ian. 1643.

It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that the Leiutenant of the Tower of London, or his Deputie ſhall bring in ſafety William Archbiſhop of Cant. before their Lordſhips on Munday the 22th. of this inſtant Ianuary by ten of the clock in the morning to put in his anſwer to the Articles of Impeachment brought up from the Houſe of Commons againſt him according to the former Order of this Houſe, of the 16. of this Inſtant Ianuary.

To the Gentleman Vſher, &c.

On the 22. of Ianuary the Archbiſhop perſonally appearing at the Lords Barre according to the former Orders, did then put in this following Anſwer both to the Commons Originall and Additionall Articles.

The Anſwer of the Archbiſhop of Cant. to the firſt and further Articles of the Houſe of Commons dilivered in the 22th. January, 1643.

The humble Anſwer of William Archbiſhop of Cant. to the firſt and farther Articles of Impeachment, brought up by the Honourable Houſe of Commons againſt him, and by Order of the right honourable the Lords in Parliament of the 16. of this Inſtant directed to be put in.

As to the 13. Article of the ſaid firſt Articles and the matters therein Charged, & allmatters or things in the ſame or any of the reſt of the ſaid Articles contained, which concern any Act of Hoſtility, whether between the King & his Subjects, or between Subject & Subject, or which may be conceived to ariſe upon the comming of any Engliſh Army againſt Scotland, or the comming of the Scotiſh Army into England or upon any Action, attempt, aſſiſtance, Councell or deviſe having relation thereunto, and falling out by the occaſion of the late troubles proceding the late Concluſion of the Treaty, and returne of the Scottiſh Army into Scotland, this Defendant ſaith, that it is enacted by an Act made during the ſitting of this preſent Parliament, that the ſame, and whatſoever hath enſued thereupon, whether treuching upon the Lawes, and Liberties of the Church and Kingdome, or upon his Majeſties Honour and Authority, in no time hereafter may be called in Queſtion, or reſented as a wrong, Nationall or Perſonall, and that no mention be made thereof in time comming, neither in Judgement nor out of Judgement, but that it be held and reputed as though never ſuch things had beene thought or wrought, as by the ſaid Act may more at large appeare, with this that this Defendant doth averre, that he is none of the perſons excepted by the ſaid Act; or the ſaid offences charged upon this Defendant any of the offences excepted by the ſaid Act.

And as to all the reſt of the ſaid firſt and further Articles, this Defendant, ſaving to himſelfe all advantages of exception to the ſaid Articles, humbly ſaith, he is not Guilty of all or any the matters by the ſaid Articles charged, in ſuch manner and forme us the ſame are by the ſaid Articles charged againſt him.

VV. Cant.

The ſame day I find this entry in the Commons Iournall; to wit, on the 22. Jan. 1643.

‘The Lords by Sir Robert Rich and Mr. Page, ſent downe the Anſwer of William Archbiſhop of Cant. to the firſt and further Articles of impeachment brought up by this Houſe againſt him, which was read and ordered to be referred to the Commitmittee [Page] appointed to manage the evidence againſt the Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, and accordingly delivered to Serjeant Wilde.’

After this the Houſe of Commons to expedite his Tryall on the 22. February 1643.

‘ORdered, that the Committee appointed to mannage the evidence at the Tryall of the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, doe peremptorily meete this afternoone, at three of the Clocke in the Court of Wards, upon the diſtribution of the parts of the evidence.’

The Commons and Lords being all ready for his Tryall, and having given him as much convenient time to prepare himſelfe and his witneſſes as he could deſire, to prevent all clamours of the Prelaticall and Canterburian party, began now to thinke of a peremptory day for his Tryall; and thereupon I finde this Order entred in the Commons Journall.

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4. Marcii 1643.

A Meſſage to be ſent to the Lords, to deſire them to appoint a day for the Tryall of the Biſhop of Canterbury: Maſter Serjeant Wilde, went up to the Lords to appoint a day for the Tryall of the Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury: Serjeant Wilde brings anſwer, that the Lords have appointed to morrow ſenight for the tryall of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury.

For which purpoſe the Lords made this following Order.

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Die Lunae 4. Marcii 1644.

Ordered, that the Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury ſhall appeare before their Lordſhips on Tueſday the 12th of this inſtant March at nine of the Clock in the morning, At which time this Houſe will proceed againſt the Arch-Biſhop, upon the firſt and further Articles of Impeachment brought up from the houſe of Commons againſt him, for high Treaſon, and high Crimes and miſdemeanours; whereof the ſaid Arch-Biſhop is hereby to take notice and provide himſelfe accordingly.

After this the Arch-Biſhop Petitioning the Commons Houſe, that Sir Henry Midmay a Member thereof might bee examined as a witneſſe for him at his tryall, this Order was thereupon conceived.

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9. Marcii 1644.

The humble Petition of William Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, deſiring that Sir Henry Mildmay may be examined as a witneſſe, in his buſineſſe, he being to come to his tryal on Tueſday next, was this day read, And it is Ordered according to his Petition, that he ſhall be examined as a witneſſe at the tryall of the ſaid Biſhop accordingly. It was likewiſe then ordered that diverſe Members of the Houſe of Commons ſhal be examined as witneſſes againſt him, And that the Lords be moved by Serjeant Wilde, that ſome Members and Attendants of the Lords Houſe be examined at the Arch-Biſhops Tryall. And that it be referred to the Committee of Sequeſtrations, to conſider of ſome convenient recompence, for ſuch Clerks, Sollicitors and others as have been or ſhall bee imployed in the transſcribing of breviats and other ſervices done by them to the Committee for the Biſhop of Canterbury his tryall.

On the 12. of March his Tryall, according to the former Order, was entred upon, of which I ſhall give you this ſummary account.

Never was there in any age ſuch a deliberate, ſolemne, patient, impartiall hearing of any caſe in the High Court of Parliament (nor in any Court of Juſtice elſe in our own or any other Kingdom whatſoever) as there was of this Archbiſhops; The firſt day of his Tryall began the twelfth of March, 1643. wherein the whole time was ſpent in reading the Articles of Impeachment, his anſwers to them, and introductory [Page] Speeches to the charge and evidence againſt him, made by Serjeant Wilde, and the Arch-biſhop himſelfe: The firſt part of the evidence upon the 1, 2, 3, 4. Originall, and 2, 3, 4, 10. Additionall Articles, was managed by Iohn Maynard Eſquire, one of the Commons Houſe, wherein foure whole dayes (namely March 13. 16. 18. Anno 1643. and March 28. 1644.) were ſpent; the forenoons of them in the evidence and proofs, the after-noons in the Arch-biſhops Anſwers, and Maſter Maynards replyes unto them. The ſecond part of the evidence, was proſecuted by Robert Nicholas Eſquire, a Member of the Houſe of Commons; which took up three whole dayes, viz. Aprill 16. and May 4. 16. morning and evening in proof of the fifth and ſixth Originall, and ninth Additionall Articles; and in the Anſwers and replyes upon them. The third part touching Religion, (contained in the 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Originall, and 6, and 7, Additionall Articles) was carried on and managed by Iohn Wilde Serjeant at Law, of the Commons Houſe, for 4 whole dayes, (to wit, May 20, 27. Iune 6. 11.) and then by reaſon of Mr. Serjeants ſickneſſe and infirmity, purſued by Maſter Nicholas 5 intire dayes more, (viz. Iune 17. 20, 27. Iuly 20, 24.) The fourth and laſt part of the evidence, (in proof of the 14 Originall and 1 and 10 Additionall Articles) was given in by Maſter Nicholas, on the 29 of Iuly, and concluded the ſame day. So as the very evidence it ſelf (which was excellently well preſſed by theſe learned Gentlemen) took up ſeventeen whole days, morning and evening: beſides 12 dayes attendance more, whereon other preſſing publike affaires enforced the Lords to adjorn the tryall, when both the Committee of Commons were ready with their witneſſes, and the Arch-biſhop preſent with his Councell, ready to receive his charge.

After all the evidence anſwers and replyes thereto fully given, the Arch-biſhop had liberty granted to make a Recapitulation of his whol defence before the Lords, which accordingly performed on the ſecond of September 1644. To which Samuel Brown Eſquire, a member of the Houſe of Commons, replyed, on the 11 of September, ſumming up the principall parts of the evidence given againſt him at the Lords Bar. On the 11 of Octob. 1644. the Arch-Biſhops Councell were heard at the Lords Bar, on this point of Law, to which they were formerly directed to ſpeak; Whether in all or any of the Articles charged againſt him, there were any Treaſon contained? Which Mr. Iohn Hern onely argued as the mouth of the reſt of his Councell. Soon after the Commons having drawn an Ordnance of Attainder of high Treaſon againſt the Archbiſhop, upon the Evidence given in againſt him: on the ſecond of Novemb. following the Arch-biſhop (after its ſecond reading) was brought to the Commons Bar, where Mr. Sam. Brown in his preſence ſummed up the evidence given in againſt him before the Lords: to which the Archbiſhop by order gave his anſwer Vivâ voce at the Commons Bar, Nov. 11th: whereunto Mr Brown replyed, the 13th. of the ſame Novemb. after which the very ſame day the Ordinance for his attainder of High Treaſon paſſed the Commons Houſe, without any diſſenting voyce but one, and that not upon the matter of his charge High Treaſon, of which all Voted him guilty, but manner of proceeding onely. This Ordinance being tranſmitted to the Houſe of Peeres, becauſe ſome of the Lords were not preſent at all the evidence given in againſt him during his long Tryall, thereupon Decemb. 4. 1644. they Ordered, That all Books, Writings, Docquets, and evidences concerning the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury his tryall before the Lords in Parliament, ſhould be brought in to the Clerk of the Parliament by 9 of the Clock in the morning, on Saturday next: which being done accordingly, the Lords among themſelves, ſeriouſly re-examined all the heads and principall parts of the evidence formerly urged againſt him at the Bar, debating, weighing, and then voting each particular as they went; after this moſt ſerious review, their Lordſhips upon moſt mature deliberation voted him guilty of all the Articles and matters of fact charged againſt him, and alſo that of High Treaſon to (notwithſtanding the argument of the Archbiſhops Councel) upon a conference with the Houſe of Commons, which ſatisfied them in the point of Law. Whereupon they paſſed the Ordinance for his Attainder of high Treaſon; by vertue whereof he was ſoon after executed, whereof more fully in its due place. Thus you have the ſumme of the Lords and Commons [Page] moſt deliberate, fair, moderate juſt, (though tedious) proceedings againſt this Arch-Traytor, (not to be preſidented in any preceding Age, nor fit to be imitated for the future in regard of length and expence of time) againſt which calumny and malice it ſelfe can take no juſt exceptions on his behalfe; the rather, becauſe himſelfe would have tried, condemned, executed above an hundred Paritans in halfe the time wherein he was but trying, without the leaſt mercy or moderation, had they beene brought before his Tribunall, for farre more pettie Treaſons then thoſe of which hee was attainted and voted guilty, upon moſt full and pregnant evidence. Having given the world this briefe account of the fairenes and deliberateneſſe of his Tryall ſo long delayed, partly by his own neglect in not pleading to his Articles of impeachment, and not once petitioning to be brought to Tryall during all the time of his reſtraine; partly by his owne forementioned Petitions to the Lords for longer time, when the Commons preſſed to expedite his hearing; partly by the death of Mr John Pym, and ſome other Members of the Commons Houſe, who were truſted to prepare and mannage the evidence againſt him, part whereof miſcarryed by their deceaſe; but principally by reaſon of the great intervening urgent affaires, diſtractions, and bloody Wars in the Kingdomes of Ireland and England, occaſioned by his Majeſties deſerting the Parliament, and this Arch-Prelates plots to ſet up Popery; not through any neglect or default in the Lords or Commons: We ſhall next endeavour to yeeld you a full, ſatisfactory, true account of the proceedings and evidence given in againſt him at his Tryall, which will really render him the Archeſt Traytor, the moſt peſtilent Malefactor in all kindes of Villany, Tyranny, Oppreſſion, Miſchiefe, that was ever arraigned, condemned in any Parliament; Pierce Graveſtons, Archbiſhop Arundles, Cardinall Wolſes, Empſons, Dudlies, and the Earle of Straffords Treaſons, Conſpiracies, Oppreſſions and grand Miſdemeanours, layd together, being far inferiour to his, both in he inouſneſſe, multiplicity, and variety, as ſhall be undeniably demonſtrated to all the world, by ſubſtantiall proofes.

On Thurſday the 12. of March, 1643. (the day deſigned for the comencement of this great Tryall) about three of the Clocke in the afternoon, the Arch-biſhop was brought Priſoner by the Lieutenant of the Tower of London, and Uſher of the blacke Rod, to the Bar in the Lords Houſe: where, after he had kneeled down on his knees for a litle ſpace, the Lord Gray of Warke, then Speaker of that honourable Houſe, commanded him to riſe up; which done, the Committee of the Houſe of Commons appointed to mannage the evidence at his Tryall demanded, that the ſeverall Articles of their Impeachment againſt him might be read: whereupon one of the Clerkes of the Lords Houſe, read both the Originall and Additionall Articles fore-mentioned; and after that his Anſwer, Plea, and Demurrer to them.

All which being read, the Archbiſhop then deſired the Lords, that the Houſe of Commons might give in all their Charge and Evidence to all the Articles againſt him together, before he ſhould be put to give his Anſwer to any particular Charge, becauſe he was ancient, his memory very ſhort, and the Articles Generall; and that he might anſwer all his Charge together, not each dayes Evidence by Peece-meale.

To which Maſter Maynard, in the behalfe of the Commons, anſwered: 1. That if the Archbiſhops memory were ſo bad as he pretended, it would be far worſe for him to charge it with anſwering many particulars and the whole evidence againſt him together, then to anſwer every particular Charge each day, as it ſhould be given in againſt him whiles it was freſh in memory. 2ly. That it might and would be a great inconvenience to have witneſſes croſſe-examined, upon other dayes then thoſe, whereon they gave in their teſtimony againſt the Priſoner. 3ly. That the Lords themſelves would finde it difficult to paſſe their judgements upon all the Charge together without hearing his punctuall anſwer to every particular proof as it ſhould be given in evidence, whiles it was freſh in their memories. 4ly. Becauſe elſe all the witneſſes, which were very many, muſt of neceſſity attend, and be kept in Town from the firſt to the laſt day of his Tryall; which would be a very great Charge and inconvenience. 5ly. In the Earle of Straffords caſe, this very Parliament, he was put to anſwer every day, to the particular Evidence given againſt him on the ſame day; Upon wch reaſons the Houſe of Peers ordered, that the Archbiſhop ſhould make his particular Anſwer to [Page] every particular Charge on the ſame day it was given in againſt him.

Then the Archbiſhop deſired, that the Houſe of Commons would ſever the Articles which were Treaſon, from thoſe other Articles which were matters of crime, and Miſdemeanour only, but not Treaſon; that ſo he might know which of them were Treaſon and which not.

To which Maſter Maynard anſwered, That this they might not doe, becauſe they were now onely to try the matters of fact, not Lavv, and becauſe all the Articles taken together, not each or any particular Article by it ſelf made up the Treaſon, wherewith he was charged; to wit, his endeavours to ſubvert and deſtroy Religion, the fundamentall Lawes of the Land and government of the Realme, and to bring in Popery, and an arbitrary tyrannicall Government againſt Law.

After which Maſter Serjeant Wilde (by way of Introduction to the Archbiſhops charge) with abundance of elegancy and zeale, related the Heads of his Offences to the Houſe of Peeres in theſe enſuing ſtraines.

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My LORDS;

THis great cauſe of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, after a long and painefull tra [...]aiſe, is now come to the Birth: of which it may be truly ſaid, as it was in a like caſe: R [...]pertum eſt hodierno die facinus, quod nec Poeta fingere, nec Hiſtrio ſonare, nec Mimus imitare potuerit.

For if all the oppreſſions, all the pernitious practiſes and machinations, which have beene in each time to ruinate our Religion, Lawes and Liberties were loſt; I thinke here they might bee found and drawne out againe to the life. So that your Lordſhips who have beene the great Aſſertors of our Liberties, and ſtood ſo faſt to the rules and principles of your Noble Progenitors (which others have ignobly deſerted) may after a long conflict with ſo many great and marchieſſe difficulties, ſay now as a great Commander once did upon an extraordinary danger, Tandem par animo meo periculum video. Here is a cauſe proportionable to your ſelves, apt and proper for the juſtice and power of this honourable Court.

Had they beene faults of common frailty, error or incogitancy, which this man hath committed, wee ſhould gladly have ſtepped backe, and caſt a Cloake over them; but being ſo wilfull, ſo univerſall, ſo diſtructive to the Lawes of God and man, ſo comprehenſive of all the evills and miſeries which now we ſuffer; the ſin would lye upon our owne heads, if wee ſhould not call for juſtice: which that it hath beene ſo long uncalled for, (not deferred or delayed) I ſuppoſe no man will thinke ſtrange who conſiders the preſent diſtractions, the death and diſperſion of our witneſſes, the loſſe of ſome of our Members who have beene imployed and taken paines in this buſineſſe; the multitude of diverſions which we have had, and have daily occaſioned by the Acts and influences of this Meteor.

But the truth ſurvives, and matter enough ſurvives, ſo copious and ſo full of variety, that if all the particulars ſhould be examined, for his three yeares impriſonment which he complaines off there would be three yeares time of tryall and hearing of the heavy charge that lyes againſt him. A charge of High Treaſon: Treaſon in all and every part: Treaſon in the higheſt pitch and altitude: for what greater Treaſon can there be then to betray the whole Realme, and to ſubvert the very foundations, leaving nothing for poſterity, but a curſe upon him that ſhall goe about to build again?

That which of it ſelfe is ſo haynous, is much more enhanced and aggravated by the quality of the perſon: A Church-man; a great Prelate; a man in great truſt, place and Authority in Church and Common-wealth.

A man indued with ſo great guifts of nature, and ſo many of grace and favour from His Majeſty, and for al theſe to be perverted to a contrary end, even to the deſtruction of the publike, and the ruine of the Wombe that bare him, how deepe a dye, doe theſe impoſe upon this foule crime?

How Church-men in all ages (as hath beene often obſerved) ſhould come to be: [Page] the Archeſt Seedſmen of miſchiefe, and principall Actors in all the great diſtractions and alterations that have hapned, is a deſtinie that may ſeeme ſtrange. But the reaſon is, (ex bono Thealogo, malus Medicus) their intermedling with temporall things, and matters hererogeneall to their calling; wherein God is pleaſed to finite them with blindneſſe, and to infatuate their Councell; whereof a perfect patterne wee have in this great Prelate; who by abuſing his profeſſion, and making the buſineſſe of State the cuſtomary ſubject of all his endeavours, became the Author of all the illegall and Tyrannicall proceedings in the Starre-Chamber, High Commiſſion Court, and other Courts; of all the Innovations in Doctrine and Diſcipline, of the ſuppreſſing of godly Miniſters and preaching; of the advancing of others who were the promoters of Popery and Arbitrary power, and indeed of all the concuſſions and diſtractions in Church and State, whereby Religion hath beene juſ [...]ed out, Lawes and Parliaments trodden downe with contempt.

For matter of Religion, ſurely thoſe times were happy when by the magnanimity of Princes, and the wiſdome and piety of our Predeceſſors, that Antichriſtian Yoke of Popery was ſhaken off.

And now after ſo many bloudy Maſſacres in France, ſuch fiery perſecutions here in Queene Maries dayes, ſo many treacherous conſpiracies in time of Queen Elizabeth, that execrable and horrid Powder-Plot in the late time of King James, ſuch ſtreames and Rivers of bloud in Germany and Ireland, and other parts of the Chriſtian world ever ſince, by thoſe reſtleſſe and cruell fire-brands of all miſchiefe, for any man now to goe about to rebuild theſe walls of Iericho, and to reduce us to thoſe rotten principells of Error and Darkneſſe, how can it be expected better, then that the people ſhould be even ready to ſtone him, as they did him that did but Act the part of Bellerophon in Rome? But to avoyde this danger, he conveyes in this poyſon in a guilded Pill, with baites and pretences of Reconciliation; a pleaſing ſnare, Laqueus Diaboli ad miſerorum animas ad infernum detrudendas.

A beade Roll of particulars might be recited, wherein this Reconcilement was to be wrought in points of Free-will, Merits, Juſtification, Vniverſall grace, Purgatory, and in effect, all the reſt.

To draw on theſe, there muſt be an introducing of Popiſh Ceremonies in all the particulars contained in the Maſſe-Bookes, and Pontificalls themſelves: and to make way for theſe, the Booke of Sports muſt bee publiſhed and preſſed beyond the Kings intention or Declaration, which was but a civill Command: but hee ſubjoynes Eccleſiaſticall penalties, even the ſharpeſt; ſuſpention, deprivation and the like, theſe executed on diverſe good and godly men with a high hand; Thus a liberty proclaimed not to Captives, but to profane Caitifes; this day ſet a part by God, ab eterno, expoſed and proſtituted to all looſeneſſe and irreligion, and that by a Law: This Lambe taken out of his boſome.

Iehoſaphat ſends Prieſts & Levites into all the Cities & Tribes to inſtruct them; This Prelate ſends Declarations and Injunctions to corrupt them, and to extinguiſh the Lamp and light of Religion: in the former Acts he deſtroyes the Proteſtant, in this Religion it ſelfe: In the one, he leaves Superstition; in the other, nothing but Atheiſme, and Profaneneſſe: in the one he deſtroyes Preſbyteros, as did Diocleſian, in the other Preſbyterium, as did the Apoſtate Julian; Yet to ſhew his love to Religion, (the Popes only.) he holds correſpondency with thoſe of Rome, Cardinall Barbarino, Panzani, Con, Roſetti, the Popes Nuntioes, Sir Toby Mathewes, Saint Clara, Saint Gyles, the moſt dangerous and deſperate Jeſuites, and many others ejuſdem farina. And by all theſe ſteps and rounds he makes a Ladder for himſelfe to clime up to the Papall dignity, in example of Anſelme, whom (though famous, for his Contumacy and Rebellion) yet he calls him, His worthy Predeceſſor, (as was Becket alſo,) and is contented to take upon him the Plenitude of power, the title of holineſſe, of Arch-Angell of this Church, the lineall Succeſſor of Gregory the firſt (rather of Gregory the ſeventh;) and for all this was well worthy to have thoſe two great offers made him, recorded in his owne Memorialls, by theſe that had ability to performe [Page] it, viz. A Cardinalls Capp; but ſuch was his modeſty to forbeare it, becauſe though Rome be a true viſible Church in his opinion, yet ſomething dwelt with him, that hindered it, for a time, to wit, I ſuppoſe, his dwelling here.

For his attempts againſt the Laws, the Subjects birth-right, and the rights of Parliaments, their chiefe ſupport, and refuge, how little regard he had to them, how much he did diſpiſe and abhor them, making it his Ambition to preferre the contemners and abuſers of them, and to ſet up his own Canons and Conſtitutions above them, impoſing of unjuſt and unlawful Oathes, Exactions, Monopolies, all ſorts of oppreſſions, ſtopping of Prohibitions & courſe of Juſtice, reſcinding of Acts of Parliament, advancing of Proclamations, and all kinde of Arbitrary power above the Lawes of God or man, is fully expreſſed in the Articles, and will more fully appeare in the evidence. To conclude, Naaman was a great man, but he was a Leaper. This mans Leaproſy hath ſo infectted all, as there remaines no other cure but the ſword of Juſtice; which we doubt not but your Lordſhip will ſo apply, that the Commonwealth ſhall yet live againe and floriſh.

When Serjeant Wilde, had concluded his ſpeech, the Archbiſhop humbly deſired the Lords, that he might have liberty to ſpeake a few words to wipe of that dirt which had injuriouſly bin caſt upon him, that ſo he might not depart thence ſo foule a perſon as he had been rendered to their Lordſhips by the Articles. Which liberty being granted, he made a long premeditated Oration, which hee held written in his hand. A true extract whereof (communicated by him in writing to divers of his freinds) you have heere ſubjoyned.

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My Lords;

MY being in this place in this condition, recalls to my memory that wch I long ſince read in Seneca, ‘Tormentum eſt, etiamſi abſolutus quis fuerit cauſam dixiſſe’ (6 de Benef. c. 28.) Tis not a griefe, only, no; tis no leſſe than a torment, for an ingenuous man to plead Capitally or Criminally, though it ſhould ſo fall out that he be abſolved. The great truth of this I finde at preſent in my ſelfe; and ſo much the more, becauſe I am a Chriſtian; and not that onely, but in Holy-orders; and not ſo only, but by Gods Grace and goodnes, preferred to the greateſt place this Church affords; and yet brought Cauſam dicere, to plead for my ſelfe at this great Barre.

And whatſoever the world think of me (and they have bin taught to think much more ill of me, then, I humbly thank Chriſt for it, I was ever acquainted with,) yet, my Lords, this I finde, Tormentum eſt, tis no leſſe than a torment to me, to appeare in this place

Nay my Lords, give me leave to ſpeake plain truth; No ſenrence that can juſtly paſſe upon me (and other I will never feare from your Lordſhips) can go ſo neere me, as Cauſam dicere, to plead for my ſelfe upon this occaſion, and in this place.

For as for the Sentence, be it what it ſhall, I thanke God for it; I am for it at Saint Pauls ward (Acts 25. 11.) If I have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuſe not to dye: For I thanke God, I have ſo lived, as that I am neither afraid to dye not aſhamed to live. But ſeeing the Malignity which hath been raiſed againſt me by ſome men, I have carried my very life in my hands theſe divers yeares paſt, But yet, my Lords, if there be none of theſe things whereof they accuſe me, though I may not in this Caſe, and from this Barre appeale unto Caeſar, yet to your Lordſhips Iustice and Integrity, I both may, and do; not doubting, but that God of his goodneſſe will preſerve my innocency.

And as Iob in the midſt of his affliction ſaid to his miſtaken Friends, ſo ſhall I to my Accuſers; God forbid I ſhould juſtifie you; till I die I will not remove my Integrity from me, I will hold it faſt and not let it go, my heart ſhall not reproach me as long as I live, Iob 22. 5.

My Lords, the Charge againſt me is brought up in ten Articles, but, the maine heads are two: An endeavour to ſubvert the Lawes of the Land, and the Religion eſtabliſhed; [Page] Six Articles, (the five, firſt and the laſt) concerne the Lawes, and the other 4. Religion.

For the Lawes, firſt, I thinke I may ſafely ſay, I have beene, to my underſtanding, as ſtrict an obſerver of them all the dayes of my life, ſo farre as they concerne me as any man hath; and ſince I came into place, I have followed them, and byn as much guided by them as any man that ſate where I had the honour to ſitte. And of this I am ſory I have loſt the teſtimony of the Lord Keeper Coventry, and other Perſons of Honour ſince dead.

And the Councell which attended at the Councell Board can witneſſe, ſome of them here preſent, that in all references to the Board, or debates ariſing at the Board, I was for that part of the cauſe, where I found Law to be: and if the Councell deſired to have the cauſe left to the Law, well I might move in ſome caſes, Charity or Conſcience to them; but I left them to the Law, if thither they would goe; And how ſuch a carriage as this through the whole courſe of my life in private and publique, can ſtand, with an intention to overthrow the Lawes, I cannot yet ſee.

Nay more, I have ever beene of opinion, That Lawes binde the conſcience, and have accordingly made conſcience of obſerving them: and this doctrine I have conſtantly preached as occaſion hath beene offered me; and how is it poſſible, I ſhould ſeek to overthrow thoſe Lawes which I held my ſelfe bound in conſcience to keep and obſerve?

As for Religion I was borne and bred up in and under the Church of England as it ſtands eſtabliſhed by Law; I have, by Gods bleſſing, growne up in it to the yeares which are now upon me, and to the place of preferment which I now beare.

I have ever ſince I have underſtood ought in my profeſſion, kept one conſtant tenor in this my profeſſion, with out variation or ſhifting from one opinion to another, for any worldly ends: And if my conſcience would have ſuffered me to doe ſo, I could eaſely have ſlid through all the difficulties which I have preſt upon me in this kinde, But of all diſeaſes I have ever held a Palſey in Religion moſt dangerous; well knowing and remembring, that diſeaſe often ends in a dead Palſie.

Ever ſince I came in place, I have laboured nothing more then that the externall publique worſhip of God (ſo much ſlighted in divers parts of this Kingdome) might be preſerved & that with as much decency & uniformity as might be: for I evidently ſaw, that the publique neglect of Gods ſervice in the outward face of it, and the naſty lyeing of many places dedicated to that ſervice, had almoſt caſt a dampe upon the true and inward worſhip of God, which while we live in the body needs exteriall helps, and all little enough to keepe it in any vigor. And this I did to the uttermoſt of my knowledge, according both to Law and Canon, and with the conſent and likeing of the people; nor did any command iſſue out from mee againſt the one, or without the other.

Further my Lords, give me leave, I beſeech you, to acquaint you with this alſo, that I have as little acquaintance with Recuſants, as I beleeve, any man of my place of England hath, or ever had ſithence the Reformation; and for my kindred, no one of them was ever a Recuſant, but Sir William Web, grandchild to my Vnkle Sir VVilliam VVeb, ſometimes Lord Major of London, and ſince which ſome of his Children I reduced back againe to the Church of England.

On this, one thing more I humbly deſire may be thought on, That I am fallen into a great deale of obloquie in matter of Religion, and that ſo farre (as appeares by the Articles againſt me) that I have indeavored to advance and bring in Popery: Perhaps my Lords, I am not ignorant what party of men have raiſed theſe ſcandalls upon me, nor for what end, nor perhapps by whom ſet on; but howſoever, I would faine have a good reaſon given me, if my conſcience ſtood that way and that with my conſcience I could ſubſcribe to the Church of Rome, what ſhould have kept me heere before my impriſonment to indure the libelling, and the ſlaunder, and the baſe uſage that hath beene put upon me, and theſe to end in this queſtion for my life? I ſay, I would know a good reaſon for this.

[Page] Firſt, my Lords, is it becauſe of any pledges I have in the world to ſway me againſt my conſcience? No ſure, for I have neither Therefore the fitter to make a Popiſh Prieſt, Prelate, Cardinall. Wife nor Children to cry out upon me to ſtay with them; And if I had, I hope the calling of my conſcience ſhould be heard above them.

Is it becauſe I was loth to leave the honour and profit of the place I was riſen too? Surely no, for I deſire your Lordſhips and all the world ſhould know, I do much ſcorn the one and the other, in compariſon of my conſcience. Beſides, it cannot be imagined by any man, but that if I ſhould have gone He knew he could not have done them half the ſervice by going over from hence to Rome as by ſtaying here to promote their deſignes; and that made him ſtay. over to them, I ſhould not have wanted both honour and profit; and ſuppoſe not ſo great as this I have here, yet ſure would my conſcience have ſerved my ſelf of either, leſſe with my conſcience would have prevailed with me, more than greater againſt my conſcience.

Is it, becauſe I lived here at eaſe, and was loth to venture the loſſe of that? not ſo neither; for whatſoever the world may be pleaſed to think of me, I have led a very In ſecular imployments inconſiſtent with, not in preaching and paines in his Calling. Note this impudent aſſeveration here abundantly refuted. painfull life, and ſuch as I would have been content to change, had I well known how; and would my conſcience have ſerved me that way, I am ſure I might have lived at far more eaſe, and either have avoyded the barbarous Libelling and other bitter grievous ſcornes which have been put upon me, or at leaſt been out of the hearing of them.

Not to trouble your Lordſhips too long, I am ſo innocent in the buſineſſe of Religion, ſo free from all practiſe, or ſo much as thought of practiſe for any alteration unto Popery, or any blemiſhing the true Proteſtant Religion eſtabliſhed in England, as I was when my In ſecular imployments inconſiſtent with, not in preaching and paines in his Calling. Note this impudent aſſeveration here abundantly refuted. mother firſt bore me into the world; And let nothing be ſpoken but truth, and I do here challenge whatſoever is between Heaven or Hell, that can be ſaid against me in point of my Religion, in which I have ever hated diſſimulation. And had I not hated it, perhaps I might have been better for worldly ſafety then now I am: but it can no way become a Chriſtian Biſhop to halt with God.

Laſtly, if I had any purpoſe to blaſt the true Religion eſtabliſhed in the Church of England, and to introduce Popery, ſure I took a wrong way to it; for, my Lords, I have ſtaid more Belike he was born a Popeling. going to Rome and reduced more that were already gone, then, I believe any Biſhop or Divine in this Kingdome hath done; and It was onely by bringing Rome home to them; or meeting them more then halfe way in their journey thither. ſome of them, men of great abilities, and ſome perſons of great place; and is this the way to introduce Popery? My Lords, if I had blemiſhed the true Proteſtant Religion, how could I have brought theſe men to it? And if I had promiſed to introduce Popery, I would never have reduced theſe men from it.

And that it may appear unto Your Lordſhips how many, and of what condition the perſons are, which by Gods bleſſing upon my labours, I have ſetled in the true Proteſtant Religion eſtabliſhed in England: I ſhall briefely name ſome of them, though I cannot do it in order of time, as I converted them.

Henry Berkinſtead of Trinity Colledge Oxon, ſeduced by a Jeſuite and brought to London. (The Lords and others conceiving him to be Berchinhead the Author of all the Libellous Popiſh Oxford Aulicuſſes, againſt the Parliament, at the naming of him ſmiled: which the Archbiſhop perceiving, ſaid, My Lords I mean not Berchinhead the Author of Oxford Aulicus, but another.)

Two Daughters of Sir Richard Lechford, in Surry, ſent towards a NVNNERIE.

Two Schollers of Saint Johns Colledge Cambridge, Toppin and Aſhton; who had got the French Ambaſſadors paſſe, and after this I allowed means to Toppin, and then procured him a fellowſhip in Saint Johns: And he is at this preſent as hopefull a young man as any of his time, and a Divine.

Sir William Webbe, my kinſman, and two of his Daughters; And his ſon I took from him, and his Father being utterly decayed, I bred him at my own charge, and he is a very good Proteſtant.

A Gentleman brought to me by Maſter Chesford, his Majeſties ſervant, but I cannot recall his name.

The Lord A great Actor in the late Iriſh Rebellion againſt the Proteſtants. Mayo of Ireland, brought to me alſo by Maſter Chesford.

[Page] The Right Honourable the Lord. All know what a good Proteſtant he lived and died. Duke of Buckingham, almoſt quite gone between the Lady his Mother, and Siſter.

The Lady Marqueſſe Hamilton; was ſetled by my direction, and ſhee dyed very religiouſly and a Proteſtant.

Maſter Digby, who was a Prieſt.

Maſter James, a Gentleman brought to mee by a Miniſter in Buckinghamſhire, as I remember.

Doctor Heart the Civilian, my neighbours ſonne at Fulham.

Maſter Chriſtopher Seaburne, a Gentleman of an ancient family in Herefordſhire.

The Right Honourable the Counteſſe of Buckingham.

Sir William Spencer of Parnton.

Maſter Both deſperate Apoſtate Papiſts. Shillingworth.

The ſonnes and heires of Maſter Winchcombe, and Maſter Wolleſcott, whom I ſent with their friends liking to Wadham Colledge, Oxford; and received a Certificate Anno 1638. of their continuing in conformity to the Church of England. Nor did Mr Chainels Sermon at his Funerall, informe us, how good a Proteſtant he lived and dyed. ever any one of theſe named relapſe againe, but only the Counteſſe of Buckingham, and Sir William Spencer; it being only in Gods power, not mine, to preſerve them from relapſe.

And now let any Clergy man of England come forth, and give a better accompt of his zeale to the Church.

This ſpeech being ended, all were commanded to withdraw: In the withdrawing Maſter Hugh Peters, who ſtood near the Archbiſhop, demanded of him, whether he was not aſhamed to make ſuch a bold challenge in ſo honourable an Auditory, as he had made in the cloſe of his Speech, In bidding any Clergy man of the Church of England to come forth, and give a better account of his zeal to the Church, and converſion of Papiſts to our Religion then he had done? Adding, that himſelf the unworthieſt of many hundred Miniſters in England was there ready to anſwer his challenge, and to produce a Catalogue not of 22. but of above 120. Papiſts, which he (through Gods bleſſing) had converted to our Religion, and brought home to God beſides, making them other manner of Converts then any in his recited Bead-Rol, who were made neither good Proteſtants, nor good Chriſtians by him: Adding, that he and many other Miniſters in England were able to produce hundreds of reall Converts to Chriſt, for every of his pretended ones, ſome wherof by his own confeſſion ſoon turned Apoſtates, and the reſt but litle better. At which ſpeech of his, the Archbiſhop ſeemed much offended, and ſome of his friends there preſent taxing Maſter Peters as an unmannerly ſawcy fellow for uſing ſuch language to him in this his afflicted condition, deſired him to trouble his Grace no further with ſuch rude diſcourſe; whereupon they parted without more words.

If we ſurvey this Oration of the Arch-biſhop with an impartiall eye, we may diſcover abundance of ſhameleſſe Impudency, and Phariſaicall ſelfe-juſtification, beyond all bounds of Modeſty, or Verity, broached in it; ſo apparently contradicted by his manifold, unjuſt oppreſſive violent actions, and Popiſh Innovations of all ſorts, viſible to the eyes of all men, and ſo diametrally refuted by the ſubſequent evidence produced againſt him during his ſeventeen dayes tryall, that had not his brow been made of braſſe, and his face of Adamant, he could not have justified ſo many groſſe untruths of him ſelfe, before ſuch an honourable publike Auditory, and the ſupreame Judicatory of the Realme, with ſo much ſhameleſſe impudency as hee did: But tis the common practiſe of obdurate ſinners, and cauterized Delinquents.

Fortem animum praeſtant rebus quas turpitèr audent.

Like the adulterous woman, Pro. 30. 20. Who eateth and wipeth her mouth, and ſaith. I HAVE DONE NO WICKEDNES.

This Evening, the Lords Ordered the Arch-biſhop to appear at their Bar the next morning by 9 of the Clocke, at which time they would proceed in his Tryall; Whereupon all departing for that time appeared the next day at the appointed houre in the Lords Houſe, where the Commons entring upon their evidence, proved the Articles in their Order. I ſhall preſent you with the ſumme and ſeverall branches of his charge; and then proſecute them in the enſuing method.

The Generall Charge againſt the Archbiſhop, with the ſeverall branches thereof.

[Page]

THe Charge againſt this Arch-Malefactor, conſiſting of many various particular Crimes of high nature, is reducible to one generall head, to wit, High Treaſon againſt the King and Kingdome, thus expreſſed in the 1. Originall, and 2. Additionall Articles.

That he hath Trayterouſly endeavoured to ſubvert the fundamentall Lawes and Government of the Kingdome of England, and inſtead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyranicall Government.

This Generall is diſtributed into foure Speciall branches in the Articles of his Impeachment, under which all the particular Capitall Offences, and grand Miſdemenours given in evidence againſt him, at his Tryall, are comprehenſible.

1. His Trayterous endeavours and practiſes to alter and ſubvert Gods true Religion by Law eſtabliſhed in this Realme, and inſtead thereof, to ſet up Popiſh Superſtition and Idolatry, and reconcile us to the Church of Rome, the particulars whereof are ſpecified in the 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Originall, and 6. 7. 8. 9. Additionall Articles.

2. His Trayterous uſurpation of a Papall and Tyranicall power in the Church of England, in all Eccleſiaſticall affaires, in prejudice, and derogation of his Majeſties Royall Prerogative and the Subjects liberties: compriſed in the ſixt originall Article.

3. His Trayterous attempts and endeavours to ſubvert the fundamentall temporall Lawes, Government and Liberties of the Realme and Subjects of England, and inſtead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyranicall Government againſt the Law and Subjects liberties; expreſſed in the 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 13: Originall, and 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 10. Additionall Articles.

4. His Trayterous endeavours to ſubvert the rights of Parliament, and auncient Courſe of Parliamentary proceedings, and by falſe and malicious ſlanders to incenſe his Majeſty againſt Parliaments; contained in the 14. Originall, and 1. 9. 10. Additionall Articles.

The firſt Specificall branch of the Charge againſt the Archbiſhop, touching his Trayterous endeavours to alter and ſubvert Gods true Religion by Law eſtabliſhed among us, to introduce Popiſh Superſtition and Idolatry in liew thereof, and to reconcile the Church of England, with the Church of Rome, by ſeverall ſtepps and practiſes; with the copious evidences produced to manifeſt the ſame at his Tryall.

THE true Religion by Law eſtabliſhed, being that which is moſt pretious, claiming proceedency of all other ſublunary things in reſpect of its owne intrinſicall Excellency, that which is neareſt and deareſt to every conſcientious Chriſtian, the undermining and alterations where of, doth moſt concern and reflect upon the Archbiſhop in reſpect of his calling, as a Miniſter, of his Eccleſiaſticall dignity, as an Archbiſhop of Canterbury, & Primate and Metropolitan of all England, and of the ſpeciall truſt repoſed in him by his Majeſty (who wholly committed the care of Religion, of all Church affaires within his Dominions [Page] to this Arch-Prelates Care, mannaging,) and his Charge concerning the Alteration and ſubverſion of it, being that which he moſt of all openly proteſted againſt, both in the beginning, proceeding, concluſion of his long Tryall, and on the very Scaffold at his death, we ſhall begin with the Commons evidence given in againſt him concerning his endeavours, practiſes to alter and ſubvert the ſame, and introduce Popiſh ſuperſtition and Idolatry into our Church. Wherein notwithſtanding all his ſpecious pretences, confident Proteſtations, reiterated deep Aſſeverations of his Innocency, & of his cordiall ſyncerity to the true Protſtant Religion, (wherewith he hath deceived many over-credulous people) we doubt not but upon the peruſall of the various evidences againſt him in this particular, he will appeare the moſt deſperat, cunning, violent, palpable underminer, corrupter, alterer, ſubverter of the true reformed Religion by Law eſtabliſhed in our Churches, of one who profeſſed himſelfe a reall Proteſtant, and zealous maintainer of the ſame, that ever was yet heard of in the Chriſtian world.

Cambdens Britannias p. 229.

Priſca parem neſcit, aequalem poſter a nullum

Exhibitura dies.

He alone by his policies and power corrupting, undermining our Religion, advancing Popery more in the few yeares of his Predominency, then the Pope with all his Conſederates both at home and abroad could doe in almoſt foureſcore yeares before, by all their Plots and Potency, as ſhall be irrefragaly demonſtrated by his Actions, which cry louder and give in ſtronger evidence againſt him, then all his fraudulent verball proteſtations, or printed, funerall Orations can doe for him.

His Charge concerning the Alteration and ſubvertion of Religion, laid downe in the Articles, conſiſts of theſe two generall Members.

Firſt, Artit Orig. 7. Additionall. 7. That he hath Trayterouſly endeavoured to ſubvert Gods true Religion by Law Eſtabliſhed in this Realme, and inſtead thereof to ſet up Popiſh Superſtition and Jdolatry.

Secondly, Artit Orig. 210. That he hath Trayterouſly and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome.

The latter of theſe is but the iſſue of the former, the firſt in projection, but the laſt in execution, and the proofe of the one, an indubitable evidence of the other; which ſhall be proſecuted in their Order.

The evidence to prove the firſt generall branch of his Charge, concerning the alteration, ub verſion of Religion.

THe Archbiſhop in his Speech in Juſtification of his Innocency and ſincerity in matters of Religion, made at the Lords Barre at the entrance of his Tryall, moſt peremptorily, challenged all that was betweene Heaven and Hell juſtly to tax him in any one particular, ſavoring either of Popiſh ſuperſtition or Idolatry; But on the contrary, the Committee of the Houſe of Commons might more juſtly have challenged him in their entring upon his Charge, to nominate any perſon, whether Prelate, Miniſter, or Laick in any age, profeſſing himſelfe a Proteſtant, who during his aboad on earth twixt Heaven and Hell, was ſo guilty, ſo peccant in this nature as they ſhold undeniably manifeſt him to be: wherefore if they allotted him any place at or after his death, but Hell it ſelfe, it muſt be either a Popiſh Purgatory, or ſuch a middle place as ſome Papiſts aſſigne to that Newter Eraſmus, betwixt Heaven and Hell, perchance ſome loſty Gibbet or Pinacle in the Ayre, whereon his Head and Quarters might be hanged up for a laſting Monument of his Treaſon in this kind: which they manifeſted him to be guilty of by theſe enſuing particular evidences.

Firſt, by his endeavours to ſet up and introduce all kind of Popiſh ſuperſtitious Idolatrous ornaments, furniture, ceremonies in our church formerly caſt out of it upon the reformation: 1. In purſuit whereof, they firſt trailed this Romiſh Fox to his own Kennel at Lambeth, where having unkenneled, they chaſed him from thence by his hot Popiſh ſent, to the Kings own royall Chapel at Whitehal & Weſtminſter Abby, from thence [Page] to the Vniverſities of Oxford and Cambridge; from thence to Canterbury, Wincheſter, and moſt other Cathedralls in England; and from them to our Pariſh Churches and Chapels, all which he miſerably defiled, corrupted with Popiſh ſuperſtitious Crucifixes, Altars, Bowings, Ceremonies, Tapers, Copes, and other Innovations.

To begin with his owne Kennel at Lambeth: We ſhall firſt lead you by the hand His Popiſh & ſuperſtitious Innovations in Lambheth Chappell. into his publike Chapell there, a place devoted to Gods worſhip, and evidence what Popiſh Superſtitious, Pictures, Vtenſils, Veſtments, Ceremonies, Innovations he there introduced, and conſtantly practiſed ſince his inſtalment in the Archbiſhopricke of Canterburie, never heard off in any his Predeceſſors dayes ſince the beginning of reformation in King Edward the 6th. and Queene Elizabeths reignes.

Firſt, we ſhall manifeſt what Idolatrous, ſuperſtitious Popiſh Pictures were there newly repaired, furbiſhed, erected by him in this Chappell, to the great ſcandall of our Religion, and encouragement of Papiſts in their Idolatry, contrary to our Statutes, Articles of Religion, Homilies, Jnjunctions, Biſhop Iewels his defence of the Apology of the Church of England. 5. Part c. 5. Diuiſ. 1. to 3 p. 551. &c. Reply to Harding Artit. 14. p. 496. to 518. Thomas Becons Reliques of Rome & Catechiſme on the ſecond commandement. Mr. Fox Acts & Monuments vol. 1. p. 167. 168. 255. vol 2. p. 388. 389. 394. 658. 669. 409. 410. vol 3. p. 992. to 993. with infinit others. Writer [...], & the eſtabliſhed Doctrine of our Church, wherein the matter of fact ſtands thus: In the beginning of Reformation by vertue of the Statute of 3. and 4. Ed. 6. c. 10. for the aboliſhing, defacing, and putting away of divers Bookes and Jmages then ſtanding in any Church or Chapell; of the ſeverall Homilies againſt the Perill of Jdolatry, then publiſhed by Authority, & of Queen Elizabeths ſubſequent Jnjunctions (given by her as well to the Clergy as Laity of this Realme, by the adviſe of her moſt honourable Councell in the firſt yeare of her Raigne, for the advancement of the honour of Almighty God, and ſuppreſſion of ſuperſtition throughout her Realmes, Injunction, 2. 3. 23. 25. and Articles of inquiry thereon: Artic. 2. 45. which enjoyned, All Pictures, Paintings, Images, and other monuments of Idolatry, and ſuperſtition to be utterly extinct, removed, aboliſhed and diſtroyed, ſo that there remaine no memory of the ſame in Walls, Glaſſewindows, or elſe where within any Churches or Houſes: the Idolatrous ſuperſtitious Pictures ſet up in times of Popery in the Glaſſewindowes of the Chapell at Lambeth houſe, were among others defaced, demoliſhed in ſuch ſort, that nought but a few broken imperfect fragments of them remained, peeced up with white incoherent Glaſſe, and ſo continued altogether unrepaired, unfurbiſhed, and utterly neglected, till this ſuperſtitious Arch Prelate was tranſlated to the See of Canterbury after the death of Dr. Georg Abbot, as was atteſted by Sir Nathaniel Brent, Vicar Generall, Dr. Daniel Featly houſehold Chaplin to Archbiſhop Abbot, and Mr. Pryn, who had beene out in that Chappel, & exactly viewed it in Abbots dayes and ſince: But no ſooner was the Priſouer at the Bar, W. Laud tranſlated from London to Lambeth, but with all expedition & care, to his great coſt [as appeares by the Glaſiers Bills] he cauſed theſe demoliſhed ſuperſtitious Pictures in the Glaſſewindowes to be repaired, furbiſhed, beautified, and made more compleat and accurate with new painted Glaſſe, then ever before, ſetting them up againe in freſh lively colours, according to the very Patterne in the great Roman Miſſall, or Maſſe Book (which he had diligently noted with his own hand almoſt in every Page) ſo as no Chappel in Rome could be more Idolatrous, Popiſh, ſuperſtitious in regard of ſuch offenſive Pictures, then his at Lambeth, the particulars whereof, after (a late double ſerious view) were thus atteſted before the Lords upon Oath, by Mr. William Pryn, Mr. Pember (the Glaſier who helped to repaire and ſet them up) Mr. Dell the Archbiſhops owne ſecretary: Mr. Browne (his Ioyner) Sir Nathaniel Brent, and Dr. Featley.

That in the Eaſt Window of the Archbiſhops Chappel at Lambheth juſt over the high Altar (there newly erected) conſiſting of five ſeverall Panes, there was in the middle pane in painted Glaſſe, a large Crucifix, or Picture of our Saviour Chriſt hanging on the Croſſe, under which were the Picturs of a Scul, & of dead mens bones, with a Baskit full of Tooles, Nailes, and Round about the Crucifix were the High Prieſts with their Officers an horſebacke, and ſome Souldiers with others who crucified Chriſt, & the 2. theeves ſtanding on foot; which portrature was taken out of the very expreſſe patterne thereof in the Archbiſhops owne Roman Miſſall [Page] printed Salamanticae 1589. p. 304. Vnder this Pane there were theſe latin verſes in the Glaſſe.

Ecce Pater Myſtes, ubi Natus victimatriſtis,

Certaque mer [...]orum Serpens Medicina Delorum,

Defignant Ieſum mundi pro crimine caſum.

In the two next panes, were the two Theeves hanging on two Croſſes on either ſide of the Crucifix, ſtanding in the midſt: Vnder one was written in the Glaſſe, Domine memento mei, 1634. Vnder the other: Deſcendat de Cruce, 1634. ſignifying the yeare when the Window was repaired; to wit, the very firſt yeare after his tranſlation from London to Canterbury: In the two outtermoſt panes of this Window, there were the pictures of Abraham offering up his Sonne Iſaac, and of the Brazen Serpent elevated on a Pole in the Wilderneſſe.

In the uppermoſt Window on the South-ſide of the Chappell, conſiſting of three panes of painted Glaſſe newly repaired, there was the picture of Chriſt riſing out of his grave, in the middle Pane, directly taken out of the portraiture of it in his forementioned Roman Miſſall, p. 326. with the Picture of Ionah, comming forth of the Whales belly, and of Sampſon carrying away the Gates of Gaza, in the other Panes.

In the ſecond Window on the South ſide having three panes, there was in the middlemoſt of them, the Picture of Christ, in freſh glorious Colours, aſcending up into Heaven, with his Diſciples and others kneeling downe on their knees and praying to him: the patterne whereof was borrowed from this Miſſale Romanum, pag. 352. where you may view it to the life. In the two other panes was the picture of Enoch tranſlated, and of Elias aſcending up into Heaven in a fiery Chariot.

In the third Window on the South ſide, conſiſting of three panes, in the midlemoſt was a glorious radiant Picture of the Holy Ghoſt in forme of a Dove, deſcending on the Apoſtles in cloven tongues; the exact Idaea whereof you may view at your leiſure in his foreſaid Roman Miſſall, pag. 360. whence he tooke this patterne. In the other two adjoyning Panes were the Pictures of Gods giving the Law to Moſes in Mount Sinai; and of fire deſcending from Heaven, at the prayer of Eliſha.

In the fourth Southerne Window of three Panes, ſtanding without the Skreene of the Chappell (for no ſeates of Civill Iudicature, and ſo not Chriſts tribunall, but only Eccleſiaſticall baudy Courts by this Arch-Prelates Canons muſt bee kept within the body of any Church, under paine of an High-Commiſſion Cenſure) was the Picture of Chriſt, with his twelve Apoſtles, ſitting on his judgment ſeate, and judging the world, with ſundry perſons kneeling and adoring before him, at the Papists uſe to paint the ſame; under which there were theſe latine verſes written.

Munde miſer, plora, Iudex est Chriſtus, odora,

Serve Dei gaude, Chriſto ſub Iudice plaude.

In the two outward panes were the Picture of King Salomon in his throne, diſciding the controverſie betweene the two Harlots, who was the true Mother of the living Child; and of David paſſing ſentence against the Amalekite, who brought him tydings that he had ſlaine King Saul.

In the uppermoſt window on the North ſide of the Chappell, having three Panes, there was the Picture of Chriſt raiſing up Lazarus out of his Grave, and of God Himſelfe raining downe Manna from Heaven: Extracted out of the Popiſh Booke of Pictures found in the Arch-Biſhops private ſtudy, intituled, Imagines Vitae, Paſſionis & Mortis, D. N. Ieſu Christi, Printed by Boetius a Bolſwert: Anno 1623. With the Picture and ſtory of Elias raiſing the Widdowes, and Eliſha the Shunamites Son.

In the ſecond North Window, was the Picture of the Virgin Mary, with Chriſt a ſucking Babe in her Armes, and the Wiſe-men comming to and adoring Chriſt; borrowed from the Roman Miſſall, pag. 39. under which was this Inſcription in the Glaſſe, Omnes genetes quaſcunque fecisti venicut & adorabunt: In the outward panes [Page] were the Portraictures of the Queene of Sheba comming to viſit Solomon, and of the Tribes of Iſraell comming up to Hebron to Crowne David King with the Picture of Chriſt adminiſtring his laſt Supper to his Diſciples, (which portraiture was derived from the Roman Miſſall, p. 181.) And the picture of an old man, with a glory round about his head, repreſenting God the Father, ſtriking Miriam with Leproſie.

In the third North window, there was the Hiſtory of the Annuntiation, gloriouſly painted, the Picture of the Virgin Mary, and of the Holy Ghost, overſhadowing her, and the Angell ſaluting her, together with the Hiſtory and Picture of the birth of Chriſt, both taken out of the Roman Miſſall; pag. 16. 36, 39. Wherein were likewiſe the Pictures of the burning-buſh, and of Gedeons Fleece. All theſe Idolatrous ſuperſtitious Popiſh Pictures, (lately broken and defaced by the Souldiers placed in Gariſon in Lambeth Houſe by reaſon of the great ſcandall they gave unto them,) were thus repaired and ſet up as new by the Arch-Biſhops owne ſpeciall direction, at his proper charges, in his Chappell at Lambeth in the Yeare 1634. as appeares by the Glaſiers Bills found in his owne Study at Lambeth, indorſed with the word, Payd. Maſter Pember the Glaſier depoſed, that the Archbiſhop cauſed his Maſter to repaire the ſaid Chappell Windowes, and ſet up all thoſe Pictures, paying him for that worke: Mr. Dell the Archbiſhops Secretary at teſted, that the Archbiſhop thought fit to repaire them, they being formerly defaced, and thereupon gave order for their reparation; And the Archbiſh. himſelfe in anſwering this charge, confeſſed & juſtified the fact; alleaging, that the Chappell at his comming to Lambeth lay ſo naſtily, and the Windowes were ſo peeced, and quite out of Order and reparation, that it grieved his very heart to ſee it in ſuch a condition, ſo as he could not reſort unto it to worſhip God with any comfort; whereupon hee gave Order for repairing, renewing theſe Glaſſewindowes, and out of his fragments of the old painted Glaſſe remaining in them, (not by the help of the Pictures in his printed Maſſe-Booke) he made a ſhift as well as he could, to make up the ſtories and repreſentations formerly defaced, without any addition, but only of New-Glaſſe in leiu of the old that was demoliſhed.

Beſides, Browne his Joyner being examined at the Lords Barre againſt his will, confeſſed upon his Oath, that in the Chappell at Croyden, there was an old broken Crucifix in the Window, which he by the Archbiſhops direction cauſed to bee repaired, and made compleate; which Picture was there remaining very lately; for which worke Maſter Pryn found the Glafiers Bill diſcharged by the Archbiſhop himſelfe among other of his Papers.

Now that this Archbiſhop being by his place Primate and Metropolitan of all Engl. principally intruſted with the care of Religion, who ſhould of all other men be moſt vigilant againſt all Popiſh Idolatrous Innovations, even in his owne principall Chappell at Lambeth, (whether many of the Nobility, Judges, Clergy, and perſons of all ſorts, as well ſtrangers as Natives, uſually reſorted, and where moſt of our New Biſhop [...] were commonly Conſecrated,) ſhould thus ſtuduouſly and profeſſedly repaire, adore, and ſet up a freſh thoſe Idolatrous, Superſtitious, Blaſphemous Romiſh Pictures, which were by vertue of our Statutes, Homilies, Injunctions purpoſly defaced and broken down, as Monuments of Popiſh Superſtition & Idolatry, contrary to the Word of God, and the eſtabliſhed Doctrine of our Church in the very beginning of Reformation, which had thus continued defaced during all his Proteſtant Predeceſſors times without the leaſt renovation, reſtauration, and that by the helpe and preſident of the very Maſſe-Booke, making the Pictures in it the very Patterne to ſhape his Chappell windowes by, (even after ſundry complaints againſt ſuch practiſes in and by ſundry late Parliaments, and one Remonſtrance in Parliament of this kinde againſt himſelfe, Anno 1628.) in open affront of our Lawes, Homilies, Articles, Injunctions, Parliaments, Writers, to the great incouragement of Papiſts, the infinite ſcandall of all ſincere Proteſtants, and ill example of diverſe others, both Clergy and Laity, (who generally imitated his example in repairing or new erecting in their Churches, Chappells, Colledges, Houſes, the like unlawfull Popiſh Idolatrous Images,) it can doubtleſſe proceed from no [Page] other roote, but a rotten Idolatrous Romiſh heart, and Traiterous endeavour to alter or ſubvert oun eſtabliſhd Proteſtant Religion in a more audacious open way, then ever any Proteſtant Prelate before him durſt attempt.

But was this all the Popiſh ſuperſtition and furniture in this Archbiſhops Chappell? Truly no, all other parts of it muſt bee ſutable to the windowes, elſe there would neither be uniformity nor decency in it, according to his corrupt opinion; Wherefore,

2ly. As he new moulded his Chappell Windowes; ſo he likewiſe altered the ancient Communion Table; ſtanding with the ends Eaſt and Weſt, ſome diſtance from the Wall Table-wiſe, even from the beginning of Reformation till his comming to the Arch-Biſhopricke without any Rayle about it, into a New Altar placed Altarwiſe againſt the Wall, with the ends North and South, hedged in with a new coſtly Raile. Atteſted by Doctor Featly, Sir Nathaniell Brent, and Maſter Pryn.

3ly. Vpon this new Altar he had much ſuperſtitious Romiſh furniture never uſed in his Predeceſſors dayes, as namely, two great Silver Candleſtickes, with Tapers in them, beſides Baſons and other Silver Veſſels (with a coſtly Common Prayer-Bocke, ſtanding on the Altar, which as ſome ſay had a Crucifixe on the boſſes) with the Picture of Chriſt receiving his laſt Supper with his Diſciples in a peece of Arras, hanging juſt behind the midſt of the Altar, and a Crucifix in the Window directly over it; expreſly taken out of the very Caremoniale Romanum (found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy, who was very well verſed in it,) reformed by Pope Clement the 8. Pariſijs 1633. l. 1. c. 12. p. 69. 60. which preſcribes thus; Supra vero in planitie Altaris adſunt Candelabra argentea, ſi haberi poſſunt, ſin minus ex Aurichalco, aut Cupro aurato pulchre fabricata, &c. Et ſuper illis Cerei albi, in quorum medio locabitur Crux ex eodem Metallo, & opere praealta, ita ut pes Crucis aequet altitudinem vicinorum candelabrarum, & Crux ipſa tota Candelabris ſuperemineat cum imagine ſanctiſſimi Crucifixi, verſa ad anteriorem Altaris faciem. Quod ſi Altare parieti adhareat, applicari poterit ipſi Parieti ſupra Altare pannus aliquis caeteris nobilior & ſpecioſior, ubi intextae ſint DOMINI NOSTRI JESU CHRISTI, aut glorioſae Virginis, vel Sanctorum IMAGINES, niſi jam in ipſo pariete eſſent depictae, & decenter ornatae, Pag. 71. Habeant quaelibet Altaria DUO CANDELABRA CUM CEREIS, & in medio, CRUCEM, CUM IMAGINE CRUCIFIXI, &c. Out of Pontificale Romanum: ſet forth by Pope Clement the 8. Antuerpiae, 1626. pag. 57. In the Rubricke, De Conſecratione Electi in Epiſcopum. Paratur Altare cum Cruce, & duobus Candelabris, & ſuper illud Miſſale, & Pontificale, & pluviale album, &c. Page 280. 281. Vestiunt Altare tobaleis, & ornamentis benedictis, ponentes deſuper Crucem & alia Ornamenta. And out of the Canons of the Popiſh Councell of Aix, An 1583. (The only Canon I have met with for railing in Altars, from which the Archbiſhop borrowed both the Railes and furniturne of his Newerected Altar) which preſcribes thus, (Bochellus Decreta Eccleſiae Gallicanae, lib. 4. Tit. 1. c. 80. p. 556. 557) Unumquoa (que) Altare, ubi Commode Epiſcopus fieri poſſe judicarit, SEPI ATUR OMNINO ſepto ferreo, vel lapideo, vel ſaltem LIGNEO, Quod ſeptum ab Altari diſtet ſaltem polices ſeptem. Nec vero ſeptum illud Laicus ingrediatur, dum Miſſae ſacrificium fit. Habeat unumquodque Altare propriam ſuperlectilem, & ornamenta decentia, tum ad ejus cultum & uſum, tum ad Miſſae ſacrificium in eo Religioſe decenterque peragendum: Altaria ſingula ornata ſint Cruce in medio collocata, niſi aliquae ſit Imago, & CANDELABRIS DUOBUS AD MINUS, uno a dextra, Altero a ſiniſtra parte poſito. Hee who would thus regulate and adorne his Altar, Chappell by the very Roman Ceremoniall. Pontificall, and this Popiſh Councell, contrary to our Statutes, Homilies, Injunctions, Canons, Writers, condemning Altars, Tapers Crucifixes, muſt certainly be a Papiſt, both in judgment, and practiſe, yea, a profeſſed introducer of Popiſh ſuperſtition and Idolatry. This new Altar furniture of his, was proved and atteſted upon Oath by Sir Nathaniell Brent, Doctor Featly, Doctor Haywood (his owne Popiſh Chaplaine) who juſtified his Lord, that he did it in imitation of the Kings Chappell at White-Hall, where hee had ſeene not onely Tapers and Candleſtickes ſtandding, [Page] but likewiſe burnnig (in the day time) on the Altar.

Fourthly, As this Archbiſhop introduced an Altar, ſo likewiſe, a Credentia, or ſide-Table into his Chappell, covered with a large Towel or Linnin Cloth, never ſeene, nor heard of there before his time, whereon the bread & wine intended to be conſecrated at the Sacrament were firſt placed with a great deal of ſolemnity, before they were brought up to the Altar: After which the Archbiſhops Chaplaines being about to Conſecrate the Elements uſually repaired to this Credentia, and taking them from thence into their hands, made three low bowings or Genuflections to the Altar, and comming up unto it, offered up the Bread and Wine thereat upon their knees, & then layd them on the Altar; which Ceremonies were there uſed in the Archbiſhops preſence ſundry times when the Sacrament was adminiſtred if not by his ſpeciall Direction, yet certainly with his approbation, and without the leaſt reprehenſion, as was proved by the ſeverall Oathes of Sir Nathaniell Brent, Dr. Featley, Mr. Cordwell (once ſervant to the Archbiſhop) Dr. Haywood alſo confeſſing he uſed this forme of celebrating the Communion, and Conſecrating the Elements in the Archbiſhops preſence. Now this Credentia (the very Name his owne Chaplaines gave it) or diminutive preparatory Altar, whereon the Bread, wine, Paten & Chalice muſt firſt be ſolemnly placed, & from thence removed advanced to & offerred up at the high Altar, is a meere Popiſh Vtenſill, never heard of in any Proteſtant Church, nor in the Church of England ſince reformation; the very Name and Thing being preſcribed and frequently mentioned in the Roman Caeremoniall, Pontificall, and Miſſall, but ſeldom or never in any other Authors; Witnes this diſcription of it. Caeremoniale Epiſcoporum l. 1. c. 12. p. 72. 73. 74. Restat ut de Menſa, ſeu Abaco, quam CREDENTIAM vocant pauca ſubijciamus. Ea vero IN MISSIS NOTE TANIVM SOLENNIBVS PREPARARI SOLET, a larere Epiſtolae in plano Presbiterij, atque a periete parumper diſjuncta, &c. Eius menſura regulariter erit palmarum octo in longitudine, in latitudine, quatuor vel circa, in altitudine quinque, vel modicum ultra, lineogue mantuli mundo ſuperſtrato uſque ad terram circumcirca pendenti, contegetur. Super ea ponentur duo Candelabra cum cereis albis, & in ipſius medio Calix, cum Patena, Palla, purificatorio, & burſa corporalia continens, at que ibi proxince Hoſtiaria cum hoſtijs, & pelvicula cum ampullis vini & aquae. Pontiſtcale Romanum p. 75. Et propè Altare CREDENTIA p. 566. Parabitur Eccleſia, & Capellae, CREDENTIA, &c, and Miſſale Romanum, Ritus Celebrandi Miſſam, p. 15. Diaconus amouet Calicem, ſi eſt in Altari, vel ſi eſt in CREDENTIA, ut magis decet, &c. Now who but a profeſſed Papiſt in heart and affection durſt ever introduce ſuch a groſſe Popiſh innovation into his owne Chapell, not uſed in any other place but it, except in Popiſh Churches in forraigne parts, ot the Queenes See Ribadeniera Flevers des vies des Sainctes pars, [...]ap. 104. Apres Compline et Matines, il viſi oit, tous les Rutols de [...] Eglile, faiſant a chacun vne Proſtration et reverence. own Chapel here, & that by direction of the Roman Ceremoniall, Pontificall, Miſſall?

5ly. This Archbiſhop not content to introduce theſe former innovations, himſelfe & his Chaplains in their ingreſſe and egres uſed very low incurvations to the Altar, and at their approaches to it to Celebrate the holy Sacrament, or Conſecrate Biſhops, & in their returnes down from it, they uſed three very low bowings or duckings of their heads and bodyes to the Altar, never uſed in his Predeceſſors dayes, as was proved by the Oathes of Sir Nathaniell Brent, Dr. Peatl [...]y, Mr. Cordwell, and acknowledged by D. Haywood, the Archbiſhops Popiſh Houſehold Chapline, a conſtant practiſſer of theſe Ceremonious incurvations; directly derived from Popiſh Biſhops, Prieſts Munks, Miſſalls Ceremonials. Pontificalls as is moſt apparent.

Firſt, by Fryet Raymond of Rochfort, (one of the firſt inventers and practitioners of theſe (Apud Bochellum Decreta Eccleſ, Gal. l. 4, Tit. 1. c. 81. p. 558.) Altar-Adorations that I have read off,) who in his Summula f. 142. writing of the forme of the Prieſts celebrating the Maſſe at the Altar preſcribes thus.

—Caliciquoque Vinnm

Infundas, & aquam; tunc te CVRVABIS AD ARAM.

id eſt, inclinabis Altari; writes the interliniarie Gloſſe thereon.

2ly. By Odo Pariſienſis in a Popiſh Synod, (the only Councell I have, met with preſcribing this Ceremony. * Summareverentia & honor inaximus ſacris Altaribus exhibiatur, [Page] & maxime vbi ſacroſanctum Corpus Domini reſervatur, & Miſſa celebratur.

3ly. By Miſſale Romanum, Ritus celebrandi Miſſam; where I finde theſe clauſes, De ingreſſu Sacerdotis ad Altare: Sacerdos ſi contigorit eum tranſire ante Altare majus, Salamantinae 1588. 8. 9. 21. capite cooperto faciat ad illud reverentiam; ſi ante locum ſacramenti, genuflectat; cum pervenerit ad Altare, ſtans ante illud in infimo gradis, Altari, ſeu Imagini Crucifixi deſuper poſito PROFVNDE INCLIN AT. Si autem in eo ſit Tabernaculum ſanctiſſimi ſacramenti, genuflectens debitam facit reverentiam. De principio Miſſae, We have this further Directory, Sacerdos quam primum deſcenderit ad infimum gradum Altaris, convertit ſe ad ipſum Altare, ubi ſtans ante illud junctis manibus ante pectus, detecto capite, facta prius CRVCIVEL ALTARI REVERENTIA, erectus incipit Miſſam: Deinde caput ſeque profunde ALTARI INCLINANS, dicit, confiteor Deo, &c. Subdiaconus retro post celebrantem facta ALTARI GENV [...]LECTIONE, &c. And Ordinarium Miſſa, p. 256. Sacerdos cum ingreditur INCLINAT CAPVT AD ALTARE.

4ly. By Caeremoniale Romanum, p. 203. Facta prius Altari reverentia, l. 2. c. 17. p. 257. Diaconus celebraturns cum Miniſtris, & facta reverentia Altari cum genuflexione, ſi ibi aderit ſanctiſſimum ſacramentum, ſin minus, cum profunda capitis inclinatione &c. aſcendet ad Altare. And p. 67. ante altare majus Caput Cruci profunde inclibit. &c.

5ly, By Miſſale paruum pro Sacerdotibus in Anglia itinerantibus, Printed Anno. 1623. Ordo Miſſae, p. 19. Sacerdos paratus cum ingreditur ad Altare, facta illi debita Reverentia, p. 29. Profunde inclinatus ante Altare, &c.

6ly. By the ancient Roman Order, publiſhed by George Caſſander in his Workes, p. 118. to 130. where I finde theſe frequent expreſſions, Pontifex inclinans ſe paululum AD ALTARE: Altari inclinans: Adorato Altare: pertranſit Pontifex in caput Schole, & in gradu ſuperiore inclinato capite ad Altare: & ſalutat Altare. Sacerdos quando dicit, ſupplices te rogamus; humiliato capite inclinat ſe ante Altare. Subdiaconi ad Altare progredientes ſimul ſe inclinant coram eo, &c.

Theſe, with the See the Archbiſhops ſpeech in Star chamber. p. 47. 48, 49. Black Booke of Windfor, made in the darkeſt time of Popiſh ſuperſtition and Idolatry, were the ſeverall preſidents and Authorities whence this Arch-Prelate borrowed this Idolatrous Ceremony of bowing to his New erected Altar, and the Crucifix on, or over it in the Glaſſe windowe, never uſed nor enjoyned before his time in any Proteſtant Church, nor approved by any ancient Proteſtant Author that can be produced, (De Hey Iyns Cole from the Altar and Antidonum Lincolnienſe. Dr. Pocklington, Reeue, Shelford and others.) but ſome late Creatures of his owne, whom he ſet on worke to juſtifie it in Print, though condemned by many as Popiſh and Idolatrous.

7ly. He likewiſe introduced Gaudy Romiſh Copes into his Chappell (never uſed in any his Proteſtant Prodeceſſors times,) wherein his Chaplins uſuall Conſecrated and Celebrated the Sacrament there, wearing them likewiſe at the ſolemne conſecration of Biſhops, as was witneſſed upon Oath, by Sir Nathaniell Brent, Dr. Featley, and Maſter Cordwell; Dr. Haywood the Archbiſhops Chaplin confeſsing at the Lords Barre, that himſelfe did uſually celebrate the Sacrament in Lambheth Chappell in a Cope; Now theſe Gaudy Copes were directly derived from the Papiſts Wardrobes as well as his other Chapell furniture, witneſſe Caeremoniale Romanum, l. 1. c. 16. p. 85. 87. Pontificale Romanum, p. 357. 358. De Benedictione ſacerdotalium Iudumentorum and Thomas Beacons Reliques of Rome.

8ly. This Archbiſhop brought in Standing up, at every recitall of, Glory be to the Father, &c. after every Pſalme and repetition of it, together with, Very lowly bowing of the head and knee at every recitall of the name of Ieſus, never there practiſed in his Predeceſſors dayes, as Dr Featley, and Sir Nathaniel Brent depoſed. The firſt of theſe was derived from Ordo Romanus, de Officio Miſſae: apud Georgij Caſſandri Opera Pariſijs 1616. p. 98. The latter (See Lame. Giles his Haultings: Anti-Armianiſme p. 191, Appendix, and Queeres concerning Bowing at the name of Ieſus.) of bowing at the name of Ieſus from, Pope Gregory the tenth. who firſt introduced and preſcribed it, Sexti Decretalia lib. 2. Tit. 3. c. 2. from the Popiſh Laurentius Surius concil Tom. 3 p. 6. 741. 810. Councils of Baſil, Sennes, Auguſta, with others, which enjoyne the uſe of it, and from Caeremoniale Romanum, l. 2. c. 8. p. 206. which directs and preſcribes thus, Diaconus proſequitur Evangelim, & cum profert Nomen Ieſu, vel [Page] Mariae INCLINAT SE, ſed profundius cum dicit, Ieſus; quod ET OMNES FACIVNT.

8ly. He erected a new beautifull paire of Organs in this Chappell, which had none before: atteſted by Dr. Featley, and Mr. Pryune, (now Organs were firſt brought into Churches by (Platina in vita ejus, Volateran Thomas Beacons Reliques of Rome, ch. Of the Ornaments of the Church: Of plain-ſong, Prick-ſong, Organs, and ſinging in Churches. Hiſtriomaſtix p. 283. to 287.) Pope Vitalian, and promoted by other Popiſh Prelates;) and withall he brought in ſuch chaunting to them as is expreſly preſcribed is Caeremoniale Epiſcoporum, ſet forth by Pope Clement the 8. lib. 1. c 28. De Organo, Organiſtis, & Muſicis ſeu Cantoribus, & omnia per eos ſervandain divinis; the only Directory by which his Chappell with all our Cathedrall Organ-playing and Chaunting were regulated; as thoſe who will peruſe that Chapter, and compare it, with our late Cathedrall Muſike, will at firſt acknowledge.

Finally this Arch Prelate brought in all manner of Popiſh Conſecrations into his Chappell, never heard off, nor uſed in his Predeceſſors dayes; as Conſecrations of all ſorts of Altar-furniture, Veſtments, Flagons, Chalices, which himſelfe (arayed in a Gaudy Cope) there ſolemnly Conſecrated; atteſted upon Oath by Mr. Samuel Bordman a reverend Miniſter; who depoſed at the Bar to this effect. That he having privat intelligence of an extraordinary ſolemne Conſecration of ſome Flagons and Chalices brought from other Churches, intended to be Conſecrated by the Archbiſhop at Lambheth Chappell, repaired thither to ſee the manner of it, being new and ſtrange to him, which was performed in this manner. Jn the midest of divine ſervice the Archbiſhop and his two Chaplines in their Surplices, coming out of their ſeates, and bowing very low, ſeverall times one after another to the Altar, went up unto it; where the Archbiſhop putting on a very gorgeous rich Cope, and bowing ſeverall times with his Chaplaines to the Altar, read thereat a parcel of ſcripture, uſed at the Conſecration of the Temple; which done, there were divers Flagons and Cups delivered to the Archbiſhop; who ſetting them downe upon the Altar, uſed a forme of prayer, wherein he deſired God to bleſſe and accept of theſe Veſſells; which he ſeverally touched, and elevated, offering them up to God. Now this forme of Conſecrating Chalices, Flagons, Altar-clothes, and other furniture of the Altar, is expreſly preſcribed, in and taken out of the Miſſale Paruum pro Sacerdotibus in Anglia Jtinerantibus, p. 145. to 152. & Pontificale Romanum p. 355. to 376. in both which there are particular Chapters and ſetformes, De Benedictione ſacrorum vaſorum, & aliorum Ornamentorum in genere; De Patenae & Calicis Conſecratione: with ſundry ſolemne conſecration prayers, and theſe two ſpeciall Collects among others for that purpoſe, which it is likely the Archbiſhop then uſed at this conſecration.

Exaude, Domine Pater clementiſſime, precos noſtras, & haec purificanda vaſa & Ornamenta ſacri Altaris, atque Eccleſiae tuae ſacri miniſterij uſui praeparata, benedicere & ſanctificare digneris; Per Chriſtum Dominum nostrum, Amen.

Omnipotens ſempiterne Deus, I quo omnia immunda purgantur, & in quo omnia purgata clare ſcunt, ſupplices Omnipotentiam tuam invocamus, ut ab his vaſis & ornamentis quae tibi offerunt famuli tui, omnis ſpiritus immundus confuſus longè diſcedat, & per tuam benedictionem ad uſum & miniſterium ſancti Altaris, & Eccleſiae tua, ſanctificata permaneant, per Chriſtum Dominum noſtrum, Amen.

All theſe moſt palpable Idolatrous, Romiſh ſuperſtitions, Innovations, did this Archbiſhop publikely introduce and practiſe in his owne Chappell at Lambheth, to the great triumphing of the Popiſh, the vexation, ſcandall of the Proteſtant party, though all directly taken out of the Roman Miſſall, Caremoniall, Pontificall, the Decrees of Popes, of Popiſh Councells; and how ſoon he would have there introduced the very Maſſe it ſelfe, had not the Scotiſh troubles interrupted his deſignes, his owne Notes of approbation written in the Maſſe booke, his framing the Scottiſh See A Neceſſary Introduction to his Tryall. p. 15 [...]. to 164. new Liturgy by it, with the enſuing particulars, will abundantly evidence un to all the world, to his moſt juſt condemnation and eternall infamy.

At how great coſt he was to make theſe Innovations & Alterations in his Chappell, will be moſt clearely evident by the Glaſiers, Ioyners, Painters, ſeverall Bills, ſeiſed, in his Study al Lambeth; It appearing by Mr. Butler, the Glaſiers Bil that the [Page] mending and new painted Glatte of the Eaſt window wherein the Crucifix was, amounted to 40. l. 8. s. 6. d. the mending and repairing of two other Windowes in the North and South ſide of the Chappel, to 72. l. 7. s. 6. d. & of two other Windowes 35. l. 11. [...]. By Mr. Brownes the Ioyners Bill, that the Altar Table in the Chappell coſt him 1. l. and the Raile about it, 15. l. By Mr. Bab the Painters Bill, that the Guilding and Painting of his new Organs there, & of the ledg over the Altar, coſt him no leſſe then 17. l. 15. s. beſides all the reſt of his Altar Furniture, Copes, Hangings, Organ-pipes; ſo devoted was he to his ſuperſtitions, that he would ſpare no Coſts to promote them.

2ly. We ſhall purſue and trace this Romiſh Fox from his Chappell and publicke, to his Study and private devotions: Mr. William Pryn, and Mr. William Bendy of Lincolneſ-Inne depoſed, that they being imployed to ſearch the Archbiſhops ſtudy, and private Cloſet at Lambeth; found theſe obſervable particulars therein.

Firſt, An Engliſh Bible of the laſt tranſlation in Quarto, with a rich embroydered Coverlying on his Study Table; having a goodly embroydered Crucifixe on the Cover thereof; a fit object for his ſuperſtitious eyes, but very incongruouſly fixed on this ſacred Booke, which ſo frequently in the * Old and New-Teſtament condemnes all Exod. 20, 4, 5 Lev. 26. 1. Deut 4. 14. to 25. 1. 5. 8, 9. Iſay 2. 20, &c. 30. 27. c. 31. 7. c. 44. 9. &c. Hoſes 14. 8. Rom. 1. 23. 24, 25. 1 Iohn 5. 21. Images and Crutifixes.

Secondly, A Popiſh Book neatly bound up in Turky Leather with guilt leaves, intituled, Imagines Vitae, Paſſionis & Mortis, D. N. Jeſu Chriſti, printed by Boetius a Bolſwert, 1623. Cum gratia & Privilegio: beginning with the Picture of the Annuntiation, and concluding with the Aſſumption of the bleſſed Virgin containing in all 74. Idolatrous ſuperſtitious Pictures of Chriſt, and the Virgin Mary (all which were licenſed by the Archbiſhops Chaplaine, yea bound up in our Engliſh Bible, and New Teſtaments by this Archbiſhops privity and conſent, as ſhall be hereafter atteſted in its place:) Betweene the leaves of this Booke, there were 12. ſeverall looſe Pictures in fine Vellom, about the bigneſſe of playing Cards of the largeſt ſize, gloriouſly and curiouſly guilded, and ſet forth with moſt exquiſite colours, ſome having one, others, two or three Pictures a peece in them of Chriſt and the Virgin Mary in ſeverall ſhapes and formes, with glories about their heads, and ſometimes Croſſes on their backs, and the Holy Ghost in form of a Dove; prettie Babies for young children to play with, but moſt inſufferable Puppets, for an Old childiſh ſuperſtitious Archbiſhop ſeriouſly to dote on, if not to reverence, adore, and kindle his private devotions by.

Thirdly, two great Folio Roman Miſſalls, or Maſſe-Bookes of the largeſt ſize neatly guilt and bound up: the one of them printed Antuerpiae 1630. having two guilded Crucifixes on the outſide of the Cover, with many Idolatrous Pictures of Chriſt, Crucifixes, &c. printed within it accurately cut, in Copper peeces; The other printed Salamanticae: 1589. with a Gregorian Kalender. Which Kalender of this Roman Miſſall, the Archbiſhop had much noted with his own hand, adding diverſe new Saints-days unto each month out of Caluifius his Chronicle; to which he likewiſe referred the times of his own advancement, of King Charles his voyage into Spaine, and his return from thence: Noting almoſt every page of his Roman Miſſall with his owne hand, and quoting Micrologus to it by way of approbation, obſerving wherein they accorded or varied; no Booke in his Study, being ſo diligently noted with his own hand as it; A ſufficient manifeſtation of his good affection to and approbation of it. A grand Encomium for a Proteſtant Archbiſhop.

Fourthly, A Pontificale Romanum, in a large Folio Volume, Clementis 8. Pontificis Maxims juſſu reſtitutum at que editam, Antuerpiae 1627. curiouſly guilt and bound up in Turky Leather: and a Caremoniale Epiſcoporum, Juſſu Clementis 8. Pontificis Maximi reformatum, in a large Folio, neatly bound, printed Pariſijs 1633. out of which two Bookes and Miſſalls the Archbiſhop borrowed all his late Popiſh ſuperſtitious Pictures, Ceremonies, Innovations, imitating their directions to an haires breadth, as his principall Canons and directories.

Fifthly, twentie two ſmall Popiſh Houres of our Lady, Breviaries, Manualls, and Prayer Bookes, ſtanding all together in a blinde corner of his ſtudy, many of [Page] them curiouſly bo [...]d and guilt with Crucifixes on their Covers: anſwering the exact number of h [...] 22. pretended Converts to our Religion, who for their owne private advantage could eaſily cloſe with ſuch a Romiſh Prelate; who came ſo neare unto them [...]n all the forementioned and ſubſequent particulars.

Sixthly, A B [...] of his owne private prayers and devotions, all writ with his owne hand, many of them extracted out of the Roman Miſſall; Breviary and Howers of our Lady, all of [...]em reduced under Canonicall Howers of Prayer, after the Romiſh Garbe, witneſſe [...]ge 1. to 8. thus intituled over head: Officium quotidianum; and Hora prima; [...]ra tertia, Hora ſexta, Horanona, Veſpers, Completorium, Bed-time, & Nocte ſi Vig [...]s, pag. 8. to 104. (ſeaven times over a peece, for every day of the weeke:) his p [...]yer for the ſicke, p. 210. 114. Noted by him to be In miſſa pro infirmis, page 88. His prayer at the laying of the firſt ſtone in a Chappell, pag. 220. His prayer at the Altar when he Conſecrated Prieſts, page 155. Another prayer, Dum Altari adſto, a [...] the Sacrament; and whiles hee fell downe and lay proſtrate before it, with others o [...] this nature.

All theſe compared together are a ſufficient demonſtration that this Archbiſhop Studies, affections, intentions, devotions, were altogether ſuperſtitious, Romiſh, Idolatrous, f [...]ly ſymbolizing with the Church of Rome, but wholly diſcrepant from out owne a [...] all other reformed Churches.

Thirdly We ſhall follow him from his ſtudy and private Cloſet unto his publike Gallery, wherein, among others, there were theſe three ſuperſtitious Pictures, ſeized and brought into the Lords Houſe, atteſted by Mr. Pryn, and Maſter Vaughan, who found them in his Gallery. Firſt, a glorious coſtly Picture in a very large frame of the four Fathers of the Church, Saint Ambroſe, Saint Chryſoſtome, Saint Auſtin and St. Herom, all in their Pontificalibus, with the Picture of the Holy Ghoſt in form of a Love, hovering over their heads, and from his beake diſtilling the rayes ſtreames, and influences of his graces ſeverally upon them.

Secondly, The Picture of the Croſſe, and of our Saviour Chriſt all bloudy, newly taken downe from his Croſſe, with many ſhaven-Crowne Fryars, and Nunnes in their Habits ſtanding and kneeling round about him.

Thirdly, Another Picture of Chriſt on a Ladder, with Prieſts, Munkes and Popiſh Prelates about him.

In few words, He who had ſo much Popiſh Idolatry and Superſtition of all ſorts in his Chappell, Study, Gallery, as all theſe forementioned particulars amount unto, muſt doubtleſſe have not only ſome ſparkes but flames of Popery, and Romiſh affections, intentions in his heart.

2. His Popiſh Innovations in his Majeſties Chapell at White-Hall.Secondly, Having hunted this Popiſh Vermin from place to place in his owne Kennell, and bolted him out thence, we ſhall next purſue him from Lamb croſſe the Thames, to the Kings own Royall Chapell at White-Hall; where upon his comming to be D [...]e of his Majeſties Chapell, and after that Archb. of Canterbury, he introduced, bowing to the Altar, himſelfe there conſtantly practiſing this Ceremony, at his ingreſſe, egreſſe, (a Lane being made for him to ſee the Altar, and do his Reverence to it) and at all his approaches towards or to the Altar; which bowing and Veneration his Majeſties Chaplaines were there likewiſe enjoyned by him to practiſe: and by his means in Paſſion week in the years 1636. 1637. &c. a rich large Crucifix, imbroydered with Gold & Silver, in a faire peece of Arras, was hung up in his Majeſties Chappell over the Altar, to the great ſcandall and offence of many. For proofe whereof (ſo experimentally known to moſt of the Lords and Courtiers, who were eye-witneſſes of and diſliked it,) Sir Henry Mildmay, Knight, a Member of the Houſe of Commons, and Maſter of the Jouell Houſe, was produced; who depoſed as followeth.

That before the Archbiſhop came to be Deane of his Majeſties Chappell, there was little or no bowing at all uſed by any to or towards the Altar, except only at St. George his Peaſt, when the Knights of the Gartor, going up to offer at it, made a civill kinde of [Page] obeyſance towards it, not out of any religious respect, but at a [...] Ceremony anciently uſed by them only at this ſolemnity, and by thoſe of the Garter [...]: But after hee came to be Deane of the Chappell, he constantly uſed bowing to the [...] at his ingreſſe, egreſſe, and approaches to the Altar, cauſing his owne and His Maſties Chaplaines to doe the like: That after he become Deane of the Chappell, for two three yeares togegether or more, there was in Paſſim worke a peece of Arras with a [...] embroidered Crucifixe, the full length of a man, hanged over the Altar on [...] Chappell at White-Hall, which was never done before in his memory, nor in the memory of any Courtier that he could heare of which Crucifixe he believed was never ther [...] uſed ſince King H. the 8. his Reigne, till of late, That this groſſe notorious Innovation [...]ave great ſcandull and generall offence to many well-affected Courtiers, who ſpake mu [...] againſt it, and to himſelfe in particular, who openly complained of it to the King, and ſp [...]ke to the Archbiſhop himſelfe about it; yet it continued there ſundry Paſſion weekes. And to manifeſt the truth hereof more clearely to all the world, the very Crucifixe it ſelfe was by ſpeciall order ſent for, and brought into the Lords Houſe by the [...]erjeant of the Vestry at White-Hall; who likewiſe atteſted the hanging of it up [...]ver the Altar in His Majeſties Chappell in the Paſſion Weekes; It was very large rich, naked, ſcandalous, offenſive, never uſed ſince the Reformation, but onely in ti [...]es of Popery; yet this moſt ſcandalous Idoll did this Arch-Prelate cauſe to be tha [...] hanged up in His Majeſties Chappell as a patterne of imitation for all others, well nowing the ancient Proverbe to bean experimentall truth.

Claudian.

Regis ad exemplum [...] componitur orbis, &c.

When he hath thus introduced theſe Romiſh Innovations into hs Majeſties Chappel; then the Altar, Crucifix, & other Innovations in his Royal Cha [...]el muſt be made the Canon whereby to regulate all Cathedrall and Parochiall Churches, and ſo declared publikely in print, by himſelfe & his Confederates both in an Order made at the Councell Table concerning the placing of the Table in Saint Gregonies Church Altarwiſe, 3. Novemberis 1633. by this Archbiſhops owne procurement, (publiſhed by Doctor Heylen his Greature, in his C [...]ale from the Altar, page 62. and Antidotum Lincolnienſe, cap. 2. page 62, 63.) by Peter Heylyn in his Coale p. 27. Antidotum Lincolni: cap. 2. p. 29. to 67. his Moderate anſwer to Henry Burton p. 57. 176. by Chriſtopher Dewe in his anſwer to Mr. Henry Burton cap 20. p. 191. & the New Canons 1640. can. 7. Now what a capital tranſcendent offence this was in this Arch-Prelate (principally intruſted with the care of Religion,) contrary to his truſt and dutie to introduce theſe ſcandalous Innovations into His Majeſties owne Royall Chappell will appeare by theſe particulare. Firſt, that hereby he made the world believe. His Majeſty was a publike countenancer of theſe Popiſh Innovations and [...], making him a Royall open Patron of them, as much as in him lay: contrary to his owne printed Declarations to all his loyall Subjects before the 39. Articles, and after the diſſolution of the Parliament, Anno 16 [...]8, Wherein he profeſſed, he would neuer [...] in the leaſt degree to Popery, or ſuperſtition. Secondly, That he hereby give juſt occaſion both to Proteſtants and Papiſts at home and in forraigne parts, openly to report and believe that wee were now relapſing to thoſe ancient Romiſh ſuperſtitions, Idolatries, corruptions we had formerly ſpired one. 3ly. That hereby he endeavoured to corrupt his Majeſty; his Nobles, Courtiers, Chaplaine, and by conſequence all his dominions in their Religion, Fourthly, That by this meanes he perverted, ſeduced many thouſands of His Majeſties ſubjects, who from this patterne fell to a ſtudious practiſe of bowing to Altars. [...]erecting; Altari [...] in moſt Chappells Churches by degrees. Fifthly, That hereby hee ſcandalited, diſcouraged, grieved the well affected Proteſtants, both at home and abroad; encouraged, hardned Papiſts in their ſuperſtitions, and gave them great hopes of a ſpeedy alteration of religion, [...] they ſeconded with al their power and pollicy: Sixthly, That by this practiſe he ingendred great diſcontents, [...] miſunderſtanding [...] [...]is Majeſtie and his ſubjects; which could [Page] never yet be, cordially reconciled ſince that time, but have grown wider every day almoſt to the utter ruine of our three whole kingdomes.

To the former evidence, this further memorable teſtimony was ſubjoyned by way of corroboration and aggravation.

Miſtres Charnock (a Gentlewoman of good quality) and her Daughter joyntly depoſed before the Lords, that on Maundy Thurſday, about 6. yeares ſince, they being at Whitehall with ſome other of their friends, whereof one was a Papiſt, went into the Kings Chapell there to ſee it, where they ſaw an Altar with Tapers, & other Furniture, on it, & a Crucifix over it: whiles they were in the Chappell Dr. Browne of Saint Faiths Church under Paules, (then a Deane, & one of the King's Chaplaines,) with his Curate came together into the Chappell, and bowed three ſeverall times almoſt to the ground, to the Altar and Crucifix, as they all conceived, and then kneeled down on their knees before them. A little after there came two Semenary Prieſts into the Chappell, and bowed downe very low three ſeverall times to the Altar and Crucifix over it (as they apprehended) juſt in the very ſame manner as Dr. Browne and his Curate did, and then kneeled downe before the Altar and Crucifix, for a little ſpace, as they had done. At which ſtrange ſight, Miſtreſſe Charnocke very much admiring, ſaid to thoſe in her company; J never thought to have ſeene ſuch a ſight, that our owne Miniſters and Popiſh Prieſts ſhould thus repaire one after another into the Kings Chappell, and uſe the ſelfe-ſame bowings, geſtures to the Altar and Crucifix, as if they were both agreed: Whereunto the Papiſt preſently anſwered, there is no ſuch odds and difference betweene you and us as is conceived; which one of the Semenary Prieſts over-hearing, uſed the like words; adding further, Gentlewoman, you need not wonder at our bowing and kuteling, (to the Altar and Crucifix) for you ſee that Miniſters of your owne Coate and Religion doe the like: and ſo they departed.

Now what a Capitall Crime, & Treaſon this is for an Archbiſhop, intruſted with the care of Religion, to bring in ſuch Crucifixes, Ceremonies, Innovations into his Majeſties owne royall Chapell, as ſhould invite even his Majeſties Chaplaines, and Popiſh Semenary Prieſts thus openly and promiſcouſly to reſort into it to commit Idolatry with them; and there to uſe the very ſelfe ſame bowings, adorations to the Altar, Crucifix, as Prieſts themſelves uſually exerciſed, and openly upbraid us with, to the great offence and ſcandall of his Majeſties Proteſtant Subjects, was humbly ſubmitted to the ſaddeſt conſideration of his Iudges, and all that heard this evidence,

3. ly. We ſhall next follow this Romiſh Fox from White-Hall to Weſtminſter Abby; where in Ianuary 1625. he exerciſed the Office of Doane of Weſtminſter at his Maieſties Coronation His Popiſts Innovations at Weſtminſter Abbey at his Majeſties Coronation. putting Biſhop Williams (then reall Dean thereof) from this Royall ſervice incident to his place. In this ſolemnity of high concernment, we ſhall give you a ſhort information what he did with reference only to Popiſh ſuperſtition and Innovation: In generall, he compiled the forme of his Majeſties Coronation different from that of K. Edward the 6th. and King Iames: inſerting ſome prayers & Ceremonies into it out of the Roman Pontificall. That himſelfe compiled it, appeares by See the Breviat of his life p. 7. his owne Diary, and the originall Coppy corrected with his owne hand, of which hereafter in its proper place: In particular.

Firſt, he cauſed all the R [...]brickes in this New forme of Coronation to be written in red Letters, as they are in the Roman Pontificall para 1. p. 163. &c. whereas all formet, manuſcripts of Coronations, found in his Study, were written onely with black Inke, as appeared by the Bookes themſelves, (writ in times of Popery & ſince) and by Maſter Prynnes atteſtation, who peruſed them all.

2ly. He ſpecially inſerted this Note into the Margin of the Coronation Booke. All this Vnction was performed IN FORMA CRVCIS, AND THE OLD CRVCIFIX among the Regalia, STOOD ON THE ALTAR of which no mention [...] made in the Coronation of K. Edward the 6th. or King James: Which forme of anointing the King after the forme of a Croſſe, is directly taken out of the Roman Pontificall. parts. De Benedictione & Coronatione Regis: p. 167. Poſt hoc Metropolitanus intinget pollic [...] dextrea manus in [...] & INVNGIT [Page] IN MODVM CRVCIS illius brachium dexterum, &c. And that the old Croſſe, uſed only in times of Popery, ſhould it this royall ſolemnity be placed on the high Altar, among the Kings Regalia (as its uſuall in forraigne Popiſh Cathedralls and Altars if we may credit, Page 69. 70. 9. 43. 78. 110. 157, 162. 165. Ceremoniale Epiſcoporum, and the ſeverall Portraitures in it) was a ſad Omen at the conſecration of a Proteſtant King, to inure, if not enamor him with ſuch Popiſh ſuperſtitions in the very begining of his reigne.

3ly. The Oyle wherewith he was anointed (as appeares by the marginall Notes) was ſolemnly conſecrated by a Biſhop: which Conſecration of the Oyle is a meere Popiſh Relique, as appeares by Pontificale Roman [...] de Benedictione & Coronatione Pegis; Thomas Beacons, Reliques of Rome, Bochellus, Decreta, Eccleſ. Gal. l. 5. Tit. 2. & l. 2. Tit. 6.

4ly. He inſerted divers Prayers into the forme of the Kings Coronation taken verbatim out of the Roman Pontificall; Among others, this enſuing Prayer (which you ſhall finde in Latine in the Roman Pontificall. p. 171.) uſed at the Kings inthronization after his unction, tending to the advancing of the Biſhops and Clergy above the Laity.

‘Stand and hould faſt from henceforth, the place to which you have beene heire by the ſucceſſion of your Forefathers, being now delivered unto you by the Authority of the Almighty God, and by the hands of us, and all the Biſhops and ſervants of God; and as you ſee the Clergy to come nearer to the Altar then others, ſo remember that in places convenient you give them greater Honour; That the mediatour of God and man, may eſtabliſh you in the Kingly Throne, to be the mediator betwixt the Clergy & the Laitie and that you may reigne for ever, with Ieſus Chriſt the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who with the Father & the holy Ghoſt liveth & reigneth for ever, Amen.’

4ly. Popiſh Maſter Iohn Coſens (as appeares by the Marginall Notes) when the Prayers appointed for the Coronation, were there read, kneeled behinde the Biſhops, giving direction to the Quire when to anſwer: acting the Office of the Maſter of Eccleſiasticall Ceremonies; whoſe Office you may read at large deſcribed in Caeremeniale Epeſcoporum: Lib. 1. c. 5. p. 19. De Officio Magiſtrarum Caremoniarum.

5ly. After the Coronation ended, this Archbiſhop voluntarily of his own accord offered the Kings Regalia on the Altar in a Popiſh manne, without any Rubricke or direction, as appeares by this paſſage in his Diary written with his owne hand Feb. 2. 1625. Solemnbus fiuitis in [...]ield magis Weſt [...]con. quum tradidit mihi in manus Regalia quae in Eccleſia B. Petri Weſt [...]on ſervantur: de novo dedis Gladium Cortanam dictum, & duos alos qui coram Ree [...] eo die deferbantur ut ſervar [...]utur cum reliquis infignibus; in Eccleſiam Redij, ET, AD ALTARE SOLENNITER O [...]TVLI NOMINE REGIS, & cum alijs repoſui.

Certainly had this Archprelate beene inflamed with any ſuch extraordinary reale to the Proteſtant Religion, as he pretended, he would not have introduced ſo many Popiſh Caeremonies out of the Roman Pontificall, into his Majeſties ſolemne Coronation, but utterly excluded them out of the form of Coronation he then compiled: Ex Cauda Draconem you may take a ſcanding of this Dragon by his Taile, who endeavoured to poyſon his Majeſty as much as in him lay, with Romiſh ſuperſtitions in his very Inauguration to his Crowne the ſad effects whereof, we have ſince experimentally diſcerned to our ſorow and greateſt griefe.

4ly. We ſhall in the next place follow this little Fox in his Romiſh Proceſsion, 4 His Popiſh Innovations in the Vniverſities of Oxford and Cambridge. from Weſtminſter, to our two famous Vniverſities of Oxford and Cambridge, whoſe Chriſtall Fountaines he extraordinarily poyſoned with Popiſh ſuperſtitions, Innovations, Caeremonies of all [...], and in them our Church and State.

Before this pragmaticall Arch-Prelates advancement to be a Prime Favorite in Court and ſupreame, Comptroller of all Eccleſiaſticall affaires in our Church, our Univerſities had neither Crucifixes, nor Jmages, nor Altars, nor bowing to Altars, nor Copes, nor Latine ſervice, nor any ſuch Reliques of Rome to pollute them, or corupt young Schollars with the ſuperſtitious Rites and Caeremonies of the Babiloniſh Strumpet; but no ſooner was he becom a Royal favorite, Privy Councellor of ſtate, [Page] and Dominus factetum in Church and Republik, but by his peſtiferous influence, practiſes, and example theſe Popiſh weeds ſprung up a pace by degrees in theſe choyceſt Seminaries of Piety and literature, till they quite over-ſpread them at the laſt.

We ſhall begin with the Univerſity of Oxford, whereof by indirect meanes this Prelate procured himſelfe to bee elected Chancellour, upon the death of the Right Honourable Will. Earle of Pembrooke, in Apr. 1630. whoſe Noble brother (now Chancellour thereof) was then really elected by moſt voyces, though miſcalculated by practiſe in the ſcrutiny by this Prelates Creatures. What alterations were there made upon his advancement, and Chancellorſhip, will appeare by theſe ſubſequent depoſitions given viva voce againſt him at the Lords Barre.

Sir Nathaniell Brent depoſed; that before this Archbiſhop came to have power in this Univerſitie and to bee Chancellour thereof, there were no Copes, Altars, nor Communion Tables turned and rayled about Altarwiſe in Churches or Colledges, nor any bowing to or towards the Altar, nor any Crucifixes but ſuch as were either defaced, or covered over with duſt, and quite neglected; but ſince his being Chancellour the Tables in al or moſt Churches, Colledges were turned into Altars, or rayled in Altarwiſe, and uſually bowed unto; the old Crucifixes repaired, adored, and new Crucifixes ſet up where there were none before; yet he never heard that the Archb. diſliked or reproved the ſame, though he was Chancellour, and ſaw theſe Innovations, but liked them very well: That ſince the Archb. was Chancellour there was a New Church-Porch built to St. Maries Church, (at the charge of Dr. Owen, ſince made a Biſhop;) where was none before, ſtanding in the very heart of the Vniverſity towards the ſtreet, to which Church all the Univerſity reſorted; in the front of which Porch was a ſtatue of the Virgin Mary cut in ſtone, with the Picture of a child in her Armes, commonly taken to be the Picture of Chriſt.

Maſter Corbet, a Fellow of Merton Colledge depoſed; that in the Yeare 1638. the Arch-Biſhop being Viſitor of that Colledge began his Viſitation there, by Sir Iohn Lambe his Deputy that one Article propounded to the Warden and Fellows was this; Whether they made due Reverence (by bowing towards the Altar or Communion Table,) when they came into the Chappell? That himſelfe and Maſter Channell were injoyned by the Viſitors and Commiſſioners to uſe this Ceremonie; but they refuſed to do it: Whereupon Sir Iohn Lamb preſſed them very much to practiſe it; but they ſtill refuſed, propounding their reaſons againſt it; then he threatned him for it in particular. After this Dr. Frewin Vice-Chancellour of the Vniverſity told him, that he was ſent to him from the Archb. he being then Proctor, preſſing and requiring him as from the Archb. to uſe this Ceremony in regard of his place elſe it would be ill taken. Afterwards the Archb. ſent injunctions to Merton Colledge whereof this was one: Habeant debitam Reverentiam ad menſam Domini; where by hee meant this bowing to the Altar, as the Viſitors and common practiſe expounded it: the Viſitors afterwards queſtioning thoſe who bowed not; That this courſe continued till this preſent Parliament, and was generally practiſed at Saint Maries, and throughout the Vniverſitie. He further teſtified, that in Magdalen Colledge, there was a Crucifix placed over the Communion Table, and Pictures in the Windowes; and a new Crucifixe ſet up in Chriſt-Church; none of which Innovations were there heard of before this Archbiſhops time.

Maſter William Bendy, witneſſed upon Oath, that in the Yeare 1637. Since the Archbiſhop was Chancellour of Oxford, there was a ſtatue of the Virgin Mary With a Child in her Armes, ſet up in the front of Saint Maries Church-Porch towards the open ſtreete; which gave great offence to many: That there was a Crucifix ſet up in Lincolne Colledge and a Picture of the Holy Ghoſt another Crucifixe in Chriſt-Church; another in New-Colledge, and the like in diverſe other Colledges, That Latine Prayers were injoyned to be uſed in Lent, and Studients to be preſent at them: That the Tables in moſt Churches, Colledges were turned into Altars railed in Altarwiſe and bowed to: That in ſome Colledges they uſed Copes, and hee heard a ſtranger who had bin a Travailer ſay, that one of the Copes he ſaw at Oxford [Page] was juſt like that he had ſeene at ROME on the POPES backe.

Maſter Nixon one of the Aldermen of Oxford depoſed viva voce, that there was a Picture of Stone ſet up in the New-Church porch at Saint Maries Church towards the high Street, of a Woman holding a Babe in her Armes, which they cald the Picture of the Virgin Mary and Chriſt, (ſtanding almoſt oppoſit to his Houſe) which was very ſcandalous, offenſive both to him & others: that himſelfe had ſeene ſome paſſengers as they rode along by it, to bow very low to their Horſes manes, and put off their Hats unto it: that hee obſerved one Paſſenger, both going and returning to bow thus unto it, and put off his Hat, who (as he heard) belonged to the Portugall Embaſſador, and was a Papiſt; that there was one who kneeled downe before this Image, and held up his hands as if he prayed unto it. He further depoſed, that not only in ſundry Colledges, but in the Pariſh Church of Carfolks. (the principall Church for the City, whether the Major and Aldermen reſorted;) there was a great large Crucifix with the Picture of Chriſt upon it, ſet up in the Window by Giles Widdowes who was Parſon there, and one whom the Archbiſhop countenanced.

That this Archbiſhop was both the Author, and encourager of all theſe innovations not heard of there ſince the Reformation; is evident: becauſe they ſprung up there in the time of his Chancellorſhip, and were introduced, by thoſe who were his greateſt Creatures, enjoyned by his Viſiters (as you heard before) and moſt of them preſcribed in the Vniverſity Statutes, made by himſelfe, which all were bound by Oath to obſerve. To cleare this we ſhall produce this Memorable paſſage. Sect 1. paragr. 2. De Precibus ſolennibus, & Oblationibus in Die Comitiorum. (which you may finde in the ſelect Statutes of Oxford, there printed in a ſmall volume, Anno 1638. p. 79.) In die Comitiorum Moris eſt, ut poſt pulſationem parvae campanae, circa hor am nonam matutinam, omnes Inceptores in qualibet facultate, per Bedellos ſuae Facultatis à Collegijs & Aulis deducti, in Capella orientali Eccleſiae B. Mariae Virginis unà conveniant, ijſque ſic congregatis, preces Divinae ab ejuſdem Eccleſiae paraecialis Vicario aut illius Deputato ſolenniter habeautur. Quibus peractis, primum Vice-Cancellarius, poſteà ſinguli Inceptores in Facultatibus, deinde Procuratores, Bedellis praecuntibus, ad Menſam Euchariſtiae ſacram, CVM DEBITA REVERENTIA (which they by words and practiſe interpreted to be a lowly bowing to, or towards it) OBLATIONES FACIANT. Quod ſi quis I Precibus ſole nuibus & OBLATIONIBVS abſens fuerit, aut praeſens CUM DEBIT A REUERENTIA AD MENS AM EUCHARISTIAAE SACRAM accedere recuſaverit, puniatur pro arbitrio Vice-Cancellarij, ac inſuper mulctetur. 5s.

Here we have bowing to the Table or Altar preſcribed by a Law, as a REVERENC DVE VNTO IT, AND OBLATIONS at it enjoyned to all Graduates whatſoever of any kind of faculty, to be acted ſolemnly in the Vniverſity Church of St. Maries in the Act time under pain of ſuch arbittary puniſhments, as the Vice-Chancellour ſhould inflict, & 5. s. Fine, upon ſuch who refuſed or neglected this ſolemne oblation at or bowing to the Altar, both which they were bound by Oath, to perform and obſerve, being one of the Statutes of the Vniverſity, to which (Dabis fidem ad obſervandum ſtatuta iſtius Vniverſitatis, &c. Statuta ſelectae Corpore ſtatutum Vniverſitatis Oxon Tit. 9. Sect. 6. Paragr. 1. p. 114.) all Graduates ſwore obedience: Yea this their ceremony of bowing to, and proſtration before the Altar, was ſo well pleaſing, & well known to the Archbiſhop himſelfe, that in one of his letters ſent to the Vniverſity of Oxford, (Dated at Lambheth 28. Ianuary 1639. recorded in their Publique Register: f. 166.) he importunes them to pray for him, as oft as they ſhould proſtrate themſelves before the Altar, in theſe very termes, Quoties CORAM ALTARE DEI & Chriſti ejus PROCIDATIS, videte ſitis inter orandum memores mei Peccatoris: ſed & Amici & Cancellarij veſtri, W. Cant. Whence the Archbiſhop took his Patterne for enjoyning Graduates thus by new Vniverſity Statutes, and the Fellowes, Schollers of Merton Colledge, by his Viſiters, to bow, and yeeld due Reverence to the Altar, is worthy ſpeciall obſervation: doubtleſſe it was from none other but his owne Popiſh Predeceſſor. Cardinall Poole, Archbiſhop of Canterbury in Queene Maries dayes, who reduced reconciled our Kingdomes of England and Ireland to the Popes obedience and ſuperſtitions which they had formerly [Page] caſt off in King Edwards dayes. For this Cardinall Archbiſhop. Viſiting the Vniverſity of Cambridg by his ſubſtitutes [whereof Ormanet the Popes Datary was one] among other Lawes and Injunctions, (as Mr. Acts and Monuments Edit. 16. 40. [...] vol. 3. p. 773. Edit. 1610. p. 1781. Jo. Fox Records) preſcribed every Scholler there AFTER WHAT SORT HE SHOVLD BOW HIMSELFE TO THE ALTAR: there being no other ancient preſident extant in any of our owne Vniverſities Statutes (nor for ought I finde in forraign Academies) preſcribing bowing to the Altar, unto any Academians, but this of Cardinal Poole alone. And muſt not he be a meere Popiſh Prelat, and Chancellor in good earneſt, who thus makes his Popiſh Cardinall Predeceſſors Injunctions in Queen Maries bloody Reigne, the ſole Rule whereby to reform the Vniverſity of Oxford in King Charles his dayes?

Finally, this Archbiſhop, in hope that ſolemne Popiſh Proceſſions might in ſhort time creepe up into uſe againe, in our Vniverſities, as well as Crucifixes, Copes, Latine ſervice, and bowing to Altars, among other his new Oxford Statutes, continued, and revived this, whereby all Regent Maſters were bound to read and ſing in ſolemne Proceſſions, as the Proctors ſhould aſſigne them, be it right or wrong: witneſſe this Clauſe in the large Leger Parchment Booke of this Vniverſities new Statutes. Tit. 9. Sect. 1. paragr. 5. Iurabis, quod Leges & Cantabis IN SOLENNIBVS PROCESSIONIBVS ſecundum aſsignationem & diſpoſitionem Procuratorum, vel ſi recuſaveris, ſolves Vs. in uſum Vniverſitatis, per Procuratores exigendos: Reſp. Iuro. which was read.

Now thus to oblige men by Oath to read and Chaunt in Proceſſions, what the Proctors ſhould appoint, (be it the very Maſſe it ſelfe, or a Popiſh hymme or prayer taken out of the Roman Miſſall, Caeremoniall or Pontificall) how farre it trencheth upon the liberty of mens conſciences, extends to the Alteration of Religion, and conduced to corrupt the Vniverſitie, was humbly ſubmitted to the ſerious conſiderations of the Lords, and all others.

We have thus given you a briefe account of this Arch-Prelates, Popiſh Innovations in the Vniverſity of Oxford, where he was then a reall Chancellor, and ought in duty to have ſuppreſſed them; the ſumme whereof is this; that in moſt Churches Colledges, Chappells both in this Vniverſity and City, during the time of his Government, Communion Tables were turned, railed in Altarwiſe, changed into Altars; ſchollers of all ſorts and degrees injoyned by Statutes and Oathes, (eſpecically in the puplique Act ſolemnities) to bow themſelves downe and yeeld due reverence to the Altar, to preſent their oblations thereat, which they muſt neither refuſe nor neglect under paine of 5. s. fine and other Arbitrary puniſhments; Latine ſervice with the Chaunting of it, and ſolemne Preceſſions, introduced, enjoyned; Copes uſed, Crucifixes repaired, beautified where formerly defaced, and new erected where none were before: a New Statue of the Virgin Mary with Chriſt a babe in her Armes ſet up in the moſt publike noted place of all the Vniverſity, where all paſſengers might behold it; yea publike adoration, Capping, bowing, kneeling yeelded to it, without the leaſt checke, diſlike, yea with the higheſt approbation of this pretended zealous Proteſtant Chauncellor, to the poyſoning of many Graduates, Students in this moſt famous Academy. What Romiſh Alterations, Innovations of like nature hee by his Inſtruments, Favorites, Chaplins brought into the Vniverſity of Cambridge, (of which he was more then halfe Chauncellor in reality, though the Earle of Holland had the Title, and afterwards ſole Viſitor by a Decree at Councell Table, as meere Archbiſhop of Canterbury;) we ſhall in the next place evidence by ſubſtantiall Proofes.

In the Vniverſity of Cambridge, the Archbiſhop ſince his greatneſſe by his extraordinary His Popiſh Innovations in the Vniverſity of Cambridge. power brought in divers of his Creatures, Chaplaines to be heads of houſes and Vice-Chauncellors (as Dr. Martin, Dr. Coſins, Dr. Beale, Dr. Laney, with others Popiſhly affected) who within the ſpace of ten yeares introduced the ſeverall Popiſh Innovations, Ceremonies, ſpecified in the following depoſitions

Mr. Wallis a Scholler and Graduate of this Vniverſity, depoſed: That Altars, Pictures, Crucifixes were there of late ſet up in moſt Colledge Chappells, and in ſome Churches; particularly, that in Peter houſe Chappel there was a glorious new Altar ſet up, & mounted on ſteps, to which the Maſter, Fellowes, Schollers bowed, & were [Page] enjoyned to bow by Doctor Coſens the Maſter, who ſet it up; that there were Baſons. Candleſtickes, Tapers ſtanding on it, and a great Crucifix hanging over it. That in the Vniverſity Church of St. Maries there was an Altar raiſed in, to which the Doctors, Schollers and others uſually bowed: That theſe Altars, Crucifixes, Candleſtickes, Tapers, and bowing to Altars, continued till after this Parliament, and were brought in ſince the Archbiſhops time by meanes of Biſhop Wren, Doctor Coſens, Dr. Martin and others, all Canterburies great fauorites.

Maſter Nicholas le Greiſe, (late Student in Cambridge) witneſſed upon Oath [...] that in St Iohns Colledge, Kings Colledge, Trinity Colledge, and Peter houſe there were Altars, Candleſtickes, Tapers, and Crucifixes, newly ſet up: That in St. Iohns, and Peter Houſe Chappells, there were Pictures of the Holy Ghoſt in forme of a Dove; that in Peter Houſe there was likewiſe a carved Croſſe at the end of every ſeat, and on the Altar a Pot, which they uſually called the incenſe pot: that the Maſter, Fellows, and Schollers of that houſe at their entring into, & going out of the Chappell, made a low obeyſance to the Altar, being enjoyned by Doctor Coſens under a penalty (as they reported) to doe it; and none of them might tume their backs towards the Altar going in nor out of the Chappell: That divers Schollers of other houſes uſually reſorted thither, ſome out of Curioſity only to behold, others to learne and practiſe the Popiſh Ceremonies and Orders uſed in that Chappell: and the common report both among the Schollers of that Houſe and others, was, that none might approach to the Altar in Peter houſe but in Sandalls and that there was a ſpeciall conſecrated Knife there kept upon the Altar, to cut the ſacramental bread that was to be conſecrated.

Maſter Lazarus Seman depoſed, that he left the Vniverſity of Cambridge about ten yeares ſince, and that in his time none of the forementioned Innovations were ſo much as known or uſed there; but of late times they have all beene introduced.

Many more witneſſes were ready to depoſe the like, and more then this, but the Innovations of this kinde were ſo notoriouſly knowne to all, and ſo fully proved before the Parliament in Maſter Peter Smarts Articles againſt Doctor Coſins, that the Commons thought to produce more witneſſes herein, would bee a meere miſpence of time to no purpoſe, but to tyre out the Lords and Auditory.

But perchance the Archbiſhop will object; what are theſe Innovations in the Vniverſity Object. of Cambridge unto me, who was neither Chancellor there to councell, or countenance them, nor immediatly introduced them? Anſwer.

To which was Anſwered, 1. That his publike example and practiſe in his own Chappell at Lambheth (formerly manifeſted) was both a preſident, precept for this their imitation and one chiefe cauſe of theſe Innovations. It was a true rule of De ſummo Bono, l. 2. c. 20. Iſiodor Hiſpalenſis; Dupliciter reus eſt qui apertè delinquit quia & agit & docet. And a juſt verdict of the Roman Orator Cicero de legibus. l. 3. Pernicioſius de Republica merentur vitiofi Rectores, quod non ſolum vitia concipiunt ipſi, ſed ea infundunt in Civitatem; neque ſolum obſunt quod illi ipſi corumpuntur ſed etiam quod corumpunt. Since then his own preceeding Innovations, were the occaſions of theſe Corruptions in this Vniverſity, they muſt be laid upon his ſcore. 2ly. His owne Introduction of the ſelfeſame Popiſh Innovations into the Vniverſity of Oxford, by Lawes and Injunctions, at the ſelfe-ſame time, or a little before theſe ſprung up in Cambridge is a ſtrong preſumption, that both of them iſſued from the very ſame roote. 3ly. His owne chiefe Favorites, Chaplaines, Creatures, who were moſt intimate, frequent with him at London, and advanced to Headſhips in Colledges by his meanes, were the only active Inſtruments to bring in and promote theſe Corruptions; therefore queſtionleſſe they had directions, at leaſt incouragment from him for their proceedings in this kinde. 4ly. His not being Chauncellor of this Vniverſity, was rather an obſtacle to the ſpeedy Introduction of theſe Innovations then otherwiſe, as appeares by Oxford where he preſcribed them by publique Laws and Injunctions, which was not done in Cambridge, becauſe he was not Chauncellor; yet he would needs be their Immediate Viſitor, as Archbiſhop of Canterbury, conteſting with them for this Authority before his Majeſtic [Page] and Privie Councell, where hee obtained a Decree and Patent to him and his Succeſſors to be their Viſitors; in regard of which Juriſdiction over this Vniverſity as their Viſitor, and likewiſe as an High Commiſſioner, hee wanted no authority but only will to prohibit, ſuppreſſe theſe Popiſh Novelties, and puniſh the promotors of them; but this, for certaine, he never did, but countenanced, advanced them all hee could (as ſhall be manifeſted in due place:) Therefore, if the old Maxime of Law may take place: Gratian diſtinct. 86. Qui non vetat peccare cum poſſet, jubet, he muſt bee really guilty of all theſe Anti-Chriſtian Innovations in both our Vniverſities, whom he thus miſerably corrupted to the unſpeakeable prejudice of Church and State, ſince from theſe two Fountaines theſe Popiſh ſuperſtitions, corruptions, diffuſed themſelves over all our Dominions, like a moſt contagious Leproſie. Foutes venero inficere, eſt non tantum contra morem Majorum, ſed etiam contra fas Deorum. Florus Hiſtoriae lib. 1. Grotius de Iure Belli. lib. 3. c. 4. Sect. 16. p. 444. See 22. H. 8. c. 10. It hath alwayes been a Capitall crime, and an offence againſt the Law of God, of Nations, to poyſon common Naturall fountaines; how much more then theſe two publike Fountaines of more tranſcendent, uſe and excellency.

From our Vniverſities wee ſhall in the next place purſue this Romiſh Reinold 5. His Popiſh Innovations and ſuperſtitions in Cathedrall Churches. unto our Cathedrall Churches, where hee began his Popiſh Innovations very early.

Maſter Iohn Laugly, late Schoole-Maſter of the City Gloceſter, but now of Pauls Schoole, depoſed, that in the yeare 1616. the now Archb. being made Deane of Gloceſter, and comming downe to the Cathedrall there, intended to turne the Communion Table into an Altar; and place it Altarwiſe at the Eaſt end of the Quire, removing it from its former ſtation in the midſt; Doctor Smith then Biſhop of GLOCESTER oppoſed it with much earneſtneſſe; and ſeriouſly proteſted to the DEANE and the Prebends, that if the Communion Table were removed, or any ſuch Innovations brought into that Cathedrall as this Deane intended to introduce, hee would never come within the Walls of the Cathedrall more: yet notwithſtanding the Deane was then ſo violent, that in deſpite of the Biſhops direction and oppoſition, hee cauſed the Lords Table to be removed, and placed Altarwiſe at the Eaſt end of the Quire cloſe under the Wall, with the ends North and South, with Popiſh furniture upon it, bowed towards it himſelfe, and commanded the ſinging-men, Choriſters, and other Officers of the Church to make like obeyſance to it: Whereat the Biſhop was ſo much offended, that hee made good his proteſtation, and never came more within the Cathedrall till his dying day; This ſingle teſtimony of Mr. Langlies we finde ſeconded with a Letter of this Biſhops Chaplaine to the Chancellour at Gloceſter; thus indorſed with the Archbiſhops owne hand, and found at Lambeth among his Papers by Maſter Prynne.

Febr. 12. 1616. A Coppy of the Libell againſt the removing of the Communion Table in the Church of Gloceſter.

MAſter Chancellour, I pray you certifie me how things ſtand at Gloucester, wee heare ſtrange things of late here with us, that ſeeme almoſt incredible. It is reported here for a truth, that the Communion Table in your Cathedrall Church is removed by your new Deane, and put up cloſe at the upper end in the place where the high Altar heretofore ſtood, and that they make low obeyſance to it with great Reverence, as NOTE. if Chriſt were there upon it, and that this hath much offended the whole Citie almoſt, And yet that not any one of the Prebends did ſo much as offer by word or deed to reſiſt him, or 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 [Page] 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 NOTE. 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 NOTE. 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 pl [...], &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.

[Page] 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 Chappells, and This was then a groſſe untruth, for it then ſtood not ſo in any Cathedralls. 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 NOTE. 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 to me, when I came to Glocester, I paſſed with the conſent of the Chapter two Acts; One for the repaire of the Edifice of the Church, which is extreamely decayed in the faireſt places. The other for the remove of the Communion Table, which ſtood almoſt in the mideſt of the Quier, and I with the generall conſent of all the Prebends preſent, after the Act made removed it, and plac'd it, as it NOTE. ſtands in his Majeſties Chappells, and all well ordered Cathedrall Churches, and thus much I ſignified to your Lordſhip from Glouceſter: ſince which time there hath beene a letter or Lybell found in a Pulpit of one of the Churches in the City, againſt both me and that Act, in which the Author (as yet not knowne) wonders that the Prebends would not reſiſt me, and complaines, that there was in none of them the ſpirit of Elias, &c. To prevent further ſtir in the City, ſome thinke it very fit that the High Commiſſion would take ſome ſpeedy order about it, to ſend a NOTE. Commiſſion downe, or otherwiſe, as they in their wiſedome thinke fit. The Circumſtances becauſe they are many I will omit, and inſtead of them, I have herein [Page] ſent your Lorſhip a Copy of the Libelling letter as it was ſent to me and a Coppy of a letter ſent to me ſubſcribed by two of the Prebends, and a Coppy of ſo much of a letter as concernes this buſineſſe ſent by Maſter Pryor, now Sub-Deane, that ſo your Lordſhip may ſee the whole ſum of the buſines. Vpon the receipt of theſe letters, I writ unto my Lord of Glouceſter, but what courſe for redreſſe of theſe things his Lordſhip will take I knowe not. I beſeech your Lordſhip let me have your lawfull aſſiſtance, that ſo long as I do nothing but that which is eſtabliſhed and practiſ'd in our Church, I may not be brought in contempt at my firſt entrace upon that place, by any turbulent ſpirits, and ſo diſinabl'd, to do that good ſervice which I owe to the Church of God. And if it ſtand with your Lordſhips liking, I will humbly deſire that his gracious Majeſty might know, what ſucceſſes I have in beginning NOTE. to reforme, what J found moſt anciſſe in that place. In the cloſe of our Sub-Deanes letter, your Lordſhip ſhall ſee a ſtrange Monſter lately home in that City of Gloceſter. I pray God the Puritanes, which ſwarme in thoſe parts, doe not ſay, it was one of Gods judgments, for turning the Communion Table into an Altar. I would NOTE. have waited upon your Lordſhip for all my buſineſſe, and have brought theſe papers my ſelfe, but that I am unable at this time by ſickneſſe to come out of my Chamber. Therefore I take my leave and ſhall ever reſt.

Your Lordſhips in all love and duty. WILLIAM LAVD.

St. Johns Colledge, upon March 3. 1616.

So ſoone did this Prelate begin to introduce theſe Popiſh Innovations into our Cathedralls only at firſt, againſt Law, to the great ſcandall of well affected Proteſtants, and encouragment of Papiſts.

In the Yeares 1626: and 1627. Maſter Iohn Coſens a great acquaintance and Camrade of this Archbiſhops, ſet up a goodly ſtone Altar (rayled in Altarwiſe, adorned with Pictures, Candleſticks, Tapers, Baſons, Altarcloths having ſuperſtitious Images upon them) inſtead of a Communion Table, & bowed conſtantly to it; repaiting and erecting diverſe unlawfull Images (ſome of Chriſt Himſelfe) in that Cathedrall; where the likewiſe introduced Copes and Chalices (having Crucifixes and Pictures of the HOLY GHOST upon them,) together with many other Popiſh trinkets, ſetting up a multitude of Candles & Tapers in that Church on Candlemaſſeday, after the Popiſh manner. Againſt which Innovations Maſter Peter Smart, (the ancienteſt Prebend of that Church) preaching openly in the Cathedrall, and then complaining in Parliament, Anno 1628. after the diſſolution of that Parliament, by this Arch-Innovators means (as appeares by ſundry Letters concerning this buſineſſe between Dr. Coſeus and him found in the Archbiſhops Study) he was ſucceſſively brought into the High Commiſſion Courts, both a Durham, Lambeth, and Luke, for vexation; and at laſt there moſt unjuſtly deprived of all his Eccleſiaſticall livings, fined impriſoned diverſe yeares, and his livings conferred upon others by this Arch-Prelates meanes, as his owne Letters manifeſt. All which particulars having beene lately heard, proved by ſundry depoſitions before the Commons and Lords; and publiſhed in See Maſter Francis Rouſe his printed Speech at the Tranſmiſſion of Maſter Smarts cauſe to the Lords. Print to the World by Maſter Smart himſelfe, in his Catalogue of Superſtitious Innovations brought into Durham Cathedrall. London 1642. and in his Cantus Epithalamicus) were onely mentioned not inſiſted on, by the Commons; as were his ſeverall Innovations in the Cathedrall of Pauls whiles he was Biſhop of London as notoriouſly viſible to moſt, as his very repairing of Pauls, at other mens coſts.

Theſe Innovations in theſe 3. Cathedralls were introduced, ſomented by him, before his advancement to the Archi-Epiſcopal Sea of Canterbury, after which hee became more bold and violent, enforcing them by new Injunctions, Statutes, Oathes, upon all or moſt Cathedralls; of which the enſuing Inſtances were produced, inſteed of many more.

No ſooner was this active Prelate promoted to the Archbiſhop ricke of Canterburie, but preſently he began to pollute the Cathedrall of Canterbury with his popiſh Innovations in Canterbury Cathedrall. Innovations; Firſt hee cauſed an Altar to be there erected by the Deane and Chapter, and much monies to bee expended by them upon Baſons, Candleſticks, Altar-Cloaths, [Page] and other furniture to adorne it, as appeares by a Letter written to him from the Deane and Chapter of Canterbury (found in his ſtudy by Maſter Prynne) under their hand and Seale, dated the 4. Iuly 1634. wherein among other things they write thus:

5ly. We have obeyed Your Graces directions in pulling down the exorbitant States within our Quire, whereby the Church is very much beautified. Laſtly, wee moſt humbly beſeech Your Grace to take notice, that many and moſt neceſſary have beene the occaſions of extraordinary expences this Yeare, FOR ORNAMENTS OF THE ALTAR, &c.

Your Graces moſt humble SERVANTS,

Iſaue Bargrave,

Iohn Warner,

Thomas Iackſon,

Thomas Paske,

Merie Caſ [...]u [...]on,

Iohn Iefferay,

Humfrey Peake,

Thomas Blechonden,

Chriſt-Church Canterb: 8, Iuly 1634.

After this new Altar was thus erected, and furniſhed, ſome of the Prebends and other Officers belonging to this Church, had private inſtructions given them to how unto it: but this not ſufficing, that this Ceremony might bee there perpetually obſerved under paine of Perjury, in the Yeare 1634 the Archbiſhop compiled New Statutes for the Government of that Cathedrall, which were ſent thither under the Great Seale, with his owne hand ſubſcribed to every leafe, wherein there was this Statute among others, wch the Prebends, Chapter and Officers there were bound by Oath to obſerve, that they ſhould, SUMMA REVERENTIA ADORARE DEUM VERSVS ALTARE: as was manifeſt by the Statutes themſelves; and atteſted upon Oath by Doctor Thomas Blechenden one of the Prebends there, at the Lords Barre; who confeſſed hee was ſworne to obſerve all the ſtatutes of that Cathedrall, and this among the reſt; that himſelfe uſed this kind of Adoration, which he ſaid was practiſed there before theſe Statutes.

Doctor Thomas Jackſon, the ancienteſt Prebend of this Cathedrall, witneſſed upon Oath, viva Voce, That this Archbiſhop of Canterbury ſent downe Statutes to their Cathedrall, ſubſcribed with his owne hand, to the obſervation of which they were all ſworne; that by one of theſe Statutes they were enjoyned to bow unto the Altar at their comming in, and going out of the Quite, and approaches to the Altar; the words were, that they ſhould ADORARE VERSVS ALTARE: That this bowing was there of late conſtantly practiſed by the Prebends, among others by himſelf; wch he hath left ſince better information, it being a great griefe to his ſoule, & giving much ſcandall; for which he was heartily ſorrowful, and deſired God to forgive him; That theſe Statutes were made about ſeven yeares ſince and that before this Archbiſhops time, there was no ſuch bowing to the Altar uſed in that Cathedrall.

What a Glorious Altar-Cloth with other furniture was provided for this New Altar of late times by Doctor Brayes (the Archbiſhops Chaplaines) direction, what Popiſh Images, Crucifixes, and Reliques of Superſtition, were lately ſtanding in Canterbury Cathedrall, till demoliſhed by Order of Parliament (not given in evidence to husband time,) is at large related by Maſter Culmer, in his Cathedrall newes from Canterbury; to which the Reader may repaire for ſatisfaction.

From Canterbury, we ſhall next hunt this Romiſh Fox to the Cathedrall of Wincheſter, where keeping a Viſitation in the Yeare 1635. by Sir Nathaniell Brent, his Innovations in VVincheſter Cathedrall., Vicar Generall; he did by his Injunctions under Seale, enjoyne them to provide foure Copes, to Rayle in the Communion Table, and place it Altarwiſe, to bow unto it, and dayly to read the Epiſtles and Gospells at it: This was atteſted by Sir Nathaniell Brent himſelfe; manifeſted by his owne Injunctions to that Church, and by his Articles propoſed to the Colledge of Winchester, produced and reade in the Lords Houſe.

The Iniunctions were theſe, Iniunctiones in Viſitatione Metropolitica Reverendiſsimi in Christo Patris Domini Domini Gulielmi, Providentia divina Cantuarienſis Archiepiſcopi [...] Angliae Primatis & Metropolitani, tenta in domo Capitulari Eccleſiae Cathed: Sanctae Trinitatis Winton. Die veueris decimo non, viz. die menſio Iunii Anno Domini Milleſimo Sexcenteſimo Triceſimo quinto, per Venerabilem virum Diminum Nathaniel: Brent, Legum Doctorem ac Militem Vicarium Dicti Reverandiſsimi Patris in ſpiritualibus generalem, ac Commiſſarium ſpectaum in hac parte legitime conſtitut; in praeſentia mei Edwardi Cole, ſenioris Notario publici, deputat Will. Shereman Notarii publici dicti Domini Archiepiſcopi Registrarii, principal Actuarii.

[Page]

1. IN premis praefatus Dominus Dominus Commiſſarius injunxit venerabili viro Johanni Young, Sacrae Theologia profeſſori, Decano & Capitulo dictae Eccleſiae Cathedralis Sanctae Trinitatis, Winton. ad providex: quatuor veſt [...]s Sacerdotales, Anglice, FOVRE COPES, viz. Duas corum hoc Anno Domini milleſimo ſexcenteſi: NOTE. Triceſimo quinto, & alias duas voſtos ſacerdotales proximo Anno ſequenti; viz. milleſimo ſexconteſimo, Triceſimo ſexto.

2. Item Dominus injunxit, venerabili Decano & Prebendarijs, omnibuſque & ſingulis alijs quibuſcunque, ab majorem reverentiam in ingreſſu ad chorum & egreſſu genu-flectere & conſtanter ſtare tempore lectionis ſymbolorum.

3. Item Dominus injunxit, quod nullus dicti Chori praeſumat legere Epiſt las ſive Evangelium, niſi prins ſit in ſacris ordinibus conſtitutus; dictaſque Epiſtolas & Evangelium indies legendum fore ad ſacram Menſam Euchariſtiae.

4. Item Dominus injunxit praefato Decano & Capitulo, quod majoribus feſtis & ſolennibus ipſe Decanus & Praebendarij ſeriatim in perſonis ſuis proprijs ſacrae peragent dictaſque Epistolas & Evangelium perlegant ad ſacram Menſam Euchariſtiae praedict.

In this Cathedrall theſe Injunctions were not only obeyed, Copes provided, an Altar with all Popiſh furniture erected, bowed to, and ſecond ſervice read thereat, but likewiſe a large naked Crucifixe ſet up over it, to the great ſcandall of many, by Doctor Lewis Maſter of Saint Croſſe, and a Prebend there, the Arch-Prelates Minion and Creature. The like was done at the Cathedrall at Litchfield, where a very large Crucifixe, with a Picture of Chriſt on it almoſt as big as a Gyant, was hanged Innovations in Litchfield Cathedrall. over the High-Altar, with the Pictures of men and women kneeling down before it and praying to it: atteſted by Maſter Prynne, for ſpeaking and writing againſt which moſt ſcandalous Idoll, the Lady Davis was committed to priſon diverſe yeare, and ordered to be ſent to Bedlam.

In 12. Caroli new Statutes made by the Archbiſhop of Canterbury ſubſcribed with his owne hand in every page, were ſent downe by him under the Kings broad ſeale, Innovations at Hereford. to the Cathedrall Church at Hereford to be there ſworne to and obſerved, which enjoyned theſe following Ceremonies, not required by the old Statutes, nor there practiſed till the receiving of theſe new ones and then ſtrictly put in uſe.

1. Every Reſidentiary is bound to officiate twice every yeare himſelfe under the paine of paying 40s. to bee layd out upon the Ornaments of the Church: Cap. 7. qui vero.

2. That they ſhall officiate on Sundayes and Holydayes in their Copes Cap. eodem praecipue.

3. That they are to ſtand no at the Creeds, and the Goſpell, and doxologies, and to bow ſo as often as the name of Jeſus is mentioned, and that no man bee covered in the Church, cap. eodem, Litania.

[Page] 4. That every one is to bow verſus Altare, Cap. eodem, ſinguli vero.

5. Prayer before Sermons injoyned according to the 55th. Can. Cap. 9. Huic autem.

The like Statutes were ſent to moſt other Cathedralls, and put in practiſe with al diligence by this Archbiſhops meanes.

What Innovations were made in the Cathedrall Church of Worceſter, and by whom, will appeare by this accompt of Doctor Manwaring, Dean thereof, under his hand, given to the Archbiſhop, of the alterations there made, endorſed with the Arch-Biſhops owne hand thus, Recepi September 24. 1635. Concerning the Church of Worceſter; from Doctor Manwaring Deane there; and his SERVICES done there, (found in his ſtudy, and atteſted by Maſter Prynne.)

1635. An accompt given of what ſervice the Deane of Worceſter, did at his Maieſties Cathedrall there, what time he firſt came thither, in NOVEMBER laſt, 1634.

1. AN Altar-stone of Marbell erected and ſet upon foure Columnes. NOTE.

2. The wall behind the Altar covered with Azure coloured ſtuffe with a white ſilke lace downe each ſeame.

3. The Altar it ſelfe adorned with a pall, an upper, and lower front.

5. A perfect Inventory taken of all Ornaments, Vestments and implements of the Church, as well ſacra, as focalia.

Divers veſtments and other Ornaments of the Church, as Copes, Carpets, and fronts, NOTE. being turned into Players Capps, Coates, and imployed to that uſe by the direction of Mr. Nath. Tompkins, I cauſed to be burned, and the Silver extrasted put into the Treaſurie of the Church.

14. The Kings Schollers being 40. uſually coming tumultuouſly into the Chore, ordered NOTE. to come in bimatim, and to doe reverence towards the Altar.

Moreover the Archbiſhop in his Injunctions to the Dean & Chapter of the Cathedrall Church of Chicester, made in his Metropoliticall Viſitation there, An. 1635. orders thus in his 6. Injunction; Item, That you provide Copes fitting for the ſervice of your Cathedrall, by one a year, untill you be ſufficiently furniſhed with them, as was proved by the Injunctions found in his own Study, atteſted by Mr. Prynne, an Altar with all its furniture and adorations towards it, being there likewiſe provided and uſed.

The like Innovations were introduced and preſcribed by his Injunctions, and new ſtatutes in all or moſt Cathedralls in England and Wales, to the great rejoycing of the Popiſh Party, and ſcandall of all true zealous Proteſtants, and any default in them was reputed a crime preſentable, as appeared by this Paſſage of an Abſtract of the Abuſes in the Dioceſſe of Lincolne, 1634. in my Metropoliticall viſitation, endorſed with the Archbiſhops hand and found in his ſtudy. Lincolne Auguſt 9. 1634. The Communion Table is not very decent, and the Raile before it is worſe: the Organs old and naught, The Copes and Veſtments are embeſelled, and none remaine, &c. And in another Abſtract concerning his Metropoliticall Viſitation in other Dioceſſes, & particulars concerning the ſame, indorſed likewiſe with his own hand, there are theſe paſſages. Norwich, the hangings of the Quire are naught, the Copes are fair, but want mending. In the Cathedrall as Worceſter they have no Copes, but are ordered to buy ſome before the feast of the Annuntiation. In the Cathedrall at Glouceſter many things amiſſe. No Copes &c. in Wincheſter Cathedrall they have no Copes: ſome do not bow when they come into the Quire, nor at the bleſſed name of Ieſus. Litchfield, the furniture of the Altar &c. very meane; Therefore care muſt be taken for more coſtly furniture.

Whence this Archbiſhop took his Commiſſion and preſident for adorning our Cathedrall and Collegeat Churches thus above others with theſe Romiſh Ornaments, & ſuperſtitious Innovations, which in truth defiled them, is worthy our ſpeciall obſervation, it being in taken from the very Roman Ceremoniall ſet forth & reformed by [Page] the Command of Pope Clement the 8. lib. 1. cap. 12. De ornatu Eccleſiae, p. 64. which preſcribes thus: Sic MAJOR ETIAM [...]VRA adhibenda erit IN ORNATV ECCLESIAE CATHEDRALJS, AVT COLLEGJATAE, quae & numeroſum clerum habeat, & ſupellectilem amplam, que congrué ſituata, & ſuis partibus apté diſtincta COMMODJOREM ORNANDI PRAE [...]EAT FACVLTATEM: after which it preſcribes Altars, Altar-clothes, Candleſtickes, Tapers, Crucifixes, Jmages, Copes, Rich hangings for the Altar and Quire, with Jmages of Chriſt, our Lady, and Saints; bowing to the Altar and Crucifix; and that all Altars ſhould have at leaſt two Candleſtickes with Tapers, and a Croſſe of Silver, or of ſome other mettall placed on the midſt of the Altar, with the Image of Christ crucified on it, as you may there read at large.

This Arch Prelate not content to propagate theſe Innovations in England, like an Vniverſall Patriarch over all his Majeſties Realms endeavoured the introducing of them with an high hand into all the Cathedralls, Churches and Chappells in Ireland, by the then Lord Deputy Wentworthes power, (his great Creature) of which we ſhall give you this briefe accompt.

Dr. Bramhall Chaplaine to this Lord Deputy, by his Command, Auguſt 10. 1633. ſent over an Account of the ſtate of the Church of Jreland to this Prelate, as he found it, and what Alterations hee had already made in it (ſeized in the Archbiſhops ſtudy by Mr. Prynne) wherein are theſe obſervable clauſes.

RIght Reverend Father,

My moſt honoured Lord, preſuming partly upon your licence, but eſpecially directed by my Lord Deputies commandes, I am to give your Father-hood a briefe account of the preſent ſtate of the poore Church of Ireland, ſuch as our ſhort Intelligence here, and your Lordſhip: weightier imployments there will permit, &c. In Chriſt Church, the principall Church in Ireland, withor the Lord Deputy and Councell repaire every Sunday, the Table uſed for adminiſtration of the bleſſed Sacrament in the MIDST OF THE QVIRE, is made an ordinary ſeat for Maidons, and Apprentices. J cannot omitte the glorious Tombe in the other Cathedrall Church NOTE. of ſaint Patrike in the proper place of the Altar, juſt oppoſite to his Majesties ſeat, having his Fathers name ſubſcribed upon it, as if it were contrived on purpoſe to gaine that worſhip and reverence which the Chapter and whole Church are bound by ſpeciall ſtatute to give towards the Eaſt, and either the ſoyle it ſelfe, or a Licence to build, and bury, NOTE. and make a Vault, in the place of the Altar, under Sealetant, which is tantamount, is paſſed to the Earle and his heires (Credimus eſſe Deos.) This being the caſe in Dublin, your Lordſhip will Judge what we may expect in the Country.

The Earle of Corke holdes the whole Biſhopricke of Liſmore, at the Rate of fortie ſhillings or five markes by the yeare.

For the remedying of theſe evills, next to God and his ſacred Majeſty, I know my Lord depends upon your Fatherhoods wiſedom and zeale for the Church; my duty binds me to pray for a bleſſing upon both your good endeavours: for the preſent, my Lord hath pulled down the Deputies ſeat in his owne Chapell, and reſtored the Altar [...] ancient place, NOTE. which was thruſt out of dores, the like is done in Chriſts Church.

This teſtimony I muſt give of his care, that it is not poſſible for the intentions of a mortall man, to be more ſerious and ſincere then his, in thoſe things that concerne the good of this poore Church.

Your Lordſhips▪ daily [...]dſman and devoted ſervant. Iohn Bramhall.

Dublin Caſtle, Aug. 10. 1643. NOTE.

Vpon this Information, the Archbiſhop ſignifyed his diſlike of erecting this Monument by the Earle of Corke, in the place where the High Altar (as was miſinformed) anciently ſtood, and gave ſome directions for removing it: Whereupon the Earle of Corks, and Archbiſhop of Dublin writ theſe enſuing Letters to ſatisfie his [Page] Grace in this particular, (which were ſeconded with other Letters from Archbiſhop Vſher, and the Deane and Prebends of Saint Patrickes Church, to like effect, overtedious to recite.)

My Gracious Lord.

I Vnderſtand that upon ſuggeſtions made unto your Grace, you conceive that a Tombe which I have lately cauſed to be erected in Saint Patrickes Church neere Dublin, is prejuditiall to the lights of the Chancell, and ſeated in the place where the NOTE. High Altar ſtood; And as I have alwayes by my beſt deſires and actions endeavored to inveſt my ſelfe in your Graces good opinion, and have not willingly done any act that might prejudice me therein; So in this particular I make humbly bold to deliver my juſtification to your Grace as followeth, which I beſeech you take into your Religious conſideration, and vouchſafe me ſuch a favourable reſolution, as the meritts of the cauſe requireth.

It is ſo that Doctor Robert Weſton, ſometimes one of the Lords Juſtices for the Government of Ireland, and Lord Chancellor of the ſame Realme, Grandfather to my deceaſed Wife, and great Vncle to the now Lord Treaſurer of England, whoſe memory yet lives by being ſtiled the good Lord Chancellor of Ireland, was buried in the upper end of the Chancell in Saint Patrickes Church, whoſe Daughter Sir Iefferey Fenton maried, he having beene principall Secretary of State to Queene Elizabeth and King Iames for many yeares, and lived and died in great honour, whoſe onely Daughter I tooke to Wife, and hee was buryed in the ſame grave; My Wife drawing towards her end, made her laſt requeſt unto me, that her Grandfather, her Father, and her ſelfe might be buried together, and that I would be at the charge to erect ſome Monument in memoriall of them all; Whereupon in accompliſhment of her dying deſire, who was the Mother of my fifteene Children, I propounded unto the Lord Archbiſhop of Dublin, and to the Deane and Chapter of Saint Patricks, to purchaſe a place where I might erect a Tombe over them, And they aſſigned me the ground under an Arch to make a Seller or Vault in, to receive dead bodies, and three foote of the Chancell adjoyning to the Grave where the Lord Chancellor, and Sir Iefferey Fenton had beene buried, for which I payd them a Fyne, with Rent and other reſervations towards the reparation of the Church, and by their unanimous conſent have a Deed in due forme of Law, perfected under their Chapter Seale, and ſo being by generall conſent legally intereſted therein, I made a Vault of hewed ſtone under ground, with conveighances therein, to free the Church from the waters, with which floods, and great raynes it was before often anoyed withall, and where there was then but an earthen flower at the upper end of the Chancell, which was often overflowne, I rayſed the ſame three ſteps higher, making the Staires of hewen ſtone, and paving the ſame through out of the ſame, whereon the Communion Table now ſtands very dry and gracefully. In that Seller I have placed the Corps of my Wives Grandfather, her Father, and her ſelfe with a Daughter of mine ſince deceaſed, that was married to the Lord Digbie, and over the Vault I have cauſed a Tombe of foure ſtoryes to be erected, which reacheth two and thirtie foot from the ground, which hath coſt me a thouſand pounds at the leaſt, and is the greateſt ornament and beautie to that Church that ever was placed therein, that being ſeated under an Arch, that in former time was only a paſſage into the Saint Mary Chappell, at the Eaſt end of which Chappell the high Altar ſtood; and when that Chappell (which hath two other wayes into it, the one on the right hand, the other on the left) fell into ruine, that Arch wherein the Tombe is placed to keepe the winde and weather out of the Chancell, was made up with ſlight timber and lathes, and plaiſtred with Clay white lymed over, whereon the Commandements were lately written. It is three yeares ſince this my worke was finiſhed, and neither during the time of the worke, nor ſince, till now of late, did I ever heare of any mouth opened againſt it, but many in commendations of it, as a great beautie and ornament to that Chancell, neither [Page] doth it take away, or hide any of the lights of the Chancell, for they are all above this Fabricke, Neither is there any remembrance, nor can the oldeſt man living ſay, that there ever was any Altar placed neere this paſſage: Yet of late it hath pleaſed my honourable Lord, the Lord Deputy, to command me to give Your Grace ſatisfaction herein, or elſe to declare, that the Tombe muſt be defaced, which to have done, would bee the greateſt diſhonour and affliction that could bee layed upon me. And the more, for that before I heard any thing of Your Graces diſtant thereof. I had in the preſence of the Lord Prymate, given order to the Deane at my ovvne charges for a ſtately Skrene to be erected within the Quire, and upon the pavement raiſed by my ſelfe, upon which the tenne Commandements are to bee engraven, to the great beautifying of Gods Houſe; Vpon that notice from the Lord Deputy, I made ſuite to the Lord Prymate, and the Lord Archbiſhop of Dublin to view the place, which they vouchſafed together with the Deane and Chapter to doe. And doe humbly offer to your Grace their opinions herein, which I beſeech Your pious conſideration of, and that you will be pleaſed to returne me ſuch an anſwer, as may encourage me to proceed herein, and in other like building and charitable workes, wherein I ſpend a great part of my eſtate and time, as all that know me and my actions, [...]an teſtifie. The great God of Heaven bleſſe Your Grace with a long and happie life in this world, and everlaſting glory in the world to come, vvhich is, and ever ſhall be the prayer of

Your Graces moſt humble and faithfull Servant, R. Ca [...]he.

Dublin 20. Febr. 1633.

May is pleaſe Your Grace;

VNderſtanding from the Earle of Corke, that Your Grace hath intimated unto the Right Honourable the Lord Deputie your offence taken againſt a Tombe, lately built by his Lordſhip in the quire of Saint Patrikes Church neere this Citie NOTE. of Dublin, being informed that it ſhould be ſituate in the place, where the High-Altar anciently ſtood, and that it ſhould darken the Eaſt Window of the Quire: upon his Lordſhips earneſt requeſt unto mee, I have made bold to declare unto your Grace my knowledge thereabouts: which is, that the place where the Tombe is erected, is a ſpatious Arch, which in former times, as I conceive, ſerved for a paſſage into the Marie Chappell adjoyning, at the Eaſt end vvhereof the High Altar ſtood. This Arch was cloſed up and plaſtered, to keepe the winde, as I imagine, out of the Quire, Saint Marie Chapell being ſomevvhat decaied: upon the plaiſtering the Declalogue was fairely painted: theſe vvere done before my promotion to this See, or comming into this Kingdome. The windovves, which were of old ſomevvhat high over the Arch, are no way darkened by his Lordſhips monument, but remaine as they were formerly; and the monument is ſo wrought and contrived what in the Arch and the Wall, that vvith the grate before it, it doth not much diminiſh the length of the Quire. The Earle hath raiſed that end of the Quire three-ſteppes higher then it vvas, and hath paved it with faire hevven ſtones, being formerly a floore of earth, many times upon a freſh drovvned vvith water, where novv the Communion Table i [...] placed vvith more decency then in former times: And his Lordſhip is in hand to ſet up a faire skrine of timber, ſomewhat diſtant from the monument, ſo that it may take in ſome other monuments heretofore erected on either ſide in the which skrine the Decalogue ſhal befairely painted, and the Communion Table ſhall bee placed cloſe to the ſame, more decently then it hath beene: which being performed, the Quire will be much beautified, and the celebration of divine ſervice for ſight and audience better accommodated then heretofore: That Quire, (to omit the example of Chriſt-Church, the other Cathedrall Church in this Citie, and of Saint Paule,in London, if I bee not miſtaken) [Page] repreſenting in a leſſer modell the patterne of Weſtminſter Abbey, where there is a skrine encloſing ſome monuments, and a way on each hand to the Chappell adjoying. Your Grace may bee pleaſed alſo to underſtand, that the Earle obtained Licence to erect his Monument in that place by the unanimous conſent of the Deane and Chapter of that Church; and that they are Honourable perſonages whoſe memory is preſerved in that monument, the one being Lord Iuſtice, and Lord Chancellour of this Kingdome, the other principall Secretary of State, both Anceſtors to his moſt pious and Vertuous Lady lately deceaſed. And finally, Your Grace is intreated to take Your conſideration the meritts of this Noble Earle, his zeale for the advancement of true Religion, declared by his ſuppreſſing forreign juriſdictions and preſumptions, by building of Churches in ſeverall places, and erecting Schoole-houſes, and Almeſhouſes at his owne charge, beſides his publike workes for the common-Wealth, raiſing ſtructures of great ſtrength and expence in places of importance, and planting of Engliſh Colonyes, to the great ſecurity and ſettlement of Peace and civility within thoſe parts; all which conſidered hee may be juſtly deemed worthy of Honourable memory in the Church. Thus much, by opening the truth, I have written at the Earles requeſt, who is exceeding deſirous to purge himſelfe to Your Grace from giving any ſcandall to the Church, whereupon he hopeth to gaine Your Graces approbation of his blameleſſe carriage, which I alſo humbly beſeech on his behalfe, ever remaining,

To doe Your Grace Service La: Dubline.

Talloch 17. Feb: 1633.

To which Letter of the Archbiſhop of Dublin, this Arch-Prelate returned this waſpiſh inſolent anſwer, writ with Maſter Dells, but endorſed with his owne hand, found in his Study with the former Originalls, in the very beginning whereof you may diſcerne his moſt palpable diſſimulation and falſhood.

S. in Chriſto:

My very good Lord;

IT is moſt true, that I have taken offence at a Tombe erected by the Earle of Corke, in the Cathedrall of Saint Patrick, but I did not take that Offence A notorious untruth of an Arch-Prelate. lately onely, but before ever my Lord Deputy that now is, was named to the place, And I took that offence by a complaint thence ſent unto me (for I was never there) though I cannot recall who it was that complaind. And I am ſure the complaint came then unto mee with a full cry, that it was built in the place where the High-Altar firſt NOTE. ſtood, and the Communion Table afterwards.

Your Lordſhip at the Earles entreaty hath ſignified to me your knowledge (for ſo you ſay) that the Tombe ſtands in a great Arch at the end of the Quire, which was plaiſtered up to keepe out the Winde, and that the High Altar ſtood at the end of the Lady Maries Chappell, which is beyond it, and that the Eaſt Window is at the top of the Arch, and not darkened. My Lord it will be hard for mee to ſpeake any thing contrary to Your Lordſhip, who hath beene ſo often upon that place where I never was; yet I ſhall deale freely, and tell Your Lordſhip what I thinke.

And firſt my Lord, I am ſatisfied that the Tombe darkens none of the Eaſt-Window. But I am no way ſatisfied that the Altar ſtood at the upper end of the Lady Maries Chappell. That an Altar ſtood there I eaſily grant, for in thoſe times, there were NOTE. diverſe Altars in one Cathedrall, and every by Chappell had one at least. But that the High-Altar did ever ſtand in any Cathedrall in other place then the Eaſt end of the Quire, is quite out of my knowledge, nor did I ever heare it till now by Your Lordſhips Letters.

That the place before the Arch was an earthen Floore, and often troubled with a [Page] freſh, I doe againe really believe Your Lordſhip. And the Earle hath done very well to raiſe it, and pave it with ſtone. But that the ſwelling of the Tombe: The Iron Grate before it: The taking in of ſome ancient Monuments on either ſide: The erecting of a Skrine, before which you ſay the Communion Table ſhould ſtand, would take off little or no Roome from the Quire; that I muſt confeſſe, I doe not very well underſtand.

Your Lordſhip addes, that when the Skrine is built, and the Communion Table placed before it, it will much beautifie the Quire, and be like other Cathedralls. To that I can ſay nothing, but muſt leave it to their eye-ſight and judgement that are upon the place. And whereas Your Lordſhip ſayes that my Lord had leave of the Deane and Chapter, with their unanimous conſent to erect a Monument in that place, if the place be fit for a Monument; the conſent was very well askt, and given. But if it appeare the place were inconvenient, then my Lord of Corke did not very well to aske a conſent, and the Deane and Chapter did very ill to grant it; and the more unanimous the conſent was, the worſe. And whereas you write that there are other Honourable Perſonages whoſe memory is preſerved in that Monument; to that I ſay, if the Monument ſtand where it ought, God forbid it ſhould be toucht. If it ſtand where it ought not, it may be fairely and decently removed, and ſet up in ſome convenient place upon the ſide of the Quire, or elſewhere, where it will as well preſerve the memory of thoſe Honourable Perſonages which you mention, as now it doth, And God forbid any violence ſhould be offered to that, in any kinde.

And laſt of all, whereas Your Lordſhip deſires I ſhould take into conſideration the merits of that Noble Earle, I am very willing to doe that, And firſt I am very glad to heare from Your Lordſhip his zeale for the advancement of true Religion: but I may not conceale from Your Lordſhip, that I have likewiſe heard from others and that ſome yeares ſince, that hee hath gotten into his hands no ſmall proportion of the Churches meanes. And if that be ſo, any man may ſee his end in advancing true Religion, But ſuch a Zeale that poore Church hath little need of, and God bleſſe every part of the Church from it. As for his Lordſhips building of Churches, Schooles, and Hoſpitalls, I know nothing of that, and can ſay as little to it. Only this I can ſay, that if he take from the Church in one place, to build Church, Schoole, or Hoſpitall in another, tis no zeale, nor the way which Chriſtian bounty uſes to tread. And if his Lordſhip hath done any Publike worke for ſtrength and fortification to the Kingdom, I pray God that bee not done with the Churches money too. But howſoever his Lordſhip hath get a very full eſtate in that Kingdome and hee doth very wiſely to fortifie it as well as hee can. But beſides theſe I have long ſince heard, though you now mention it not, that his Lordſhip hath done greater ſervice to the Church in ſome other particulars; as namely to the Biſhoprick of Liſmore, and the Colledge of Yong-Hall, for which it is great pitty, but that his Lordſhips memory, ſhould bee preſerved in the Church.

Thus I have given Your Grace a diſtinct anſwer to all the Particulars in Your Letter. But for the Tombe which occaſioned all the reſt, I will not take upon mee to judge (unleſſe I were upon the place) how fitly, or unfitly it ſtands there, but ſhall wholly leave it to the view, and reſolution which ſhall thereupon bee taken in that place. So I leave you to the Grace of God, and reſt,

Your Lordſhips very loving friend and Brother. Will: Cant.

Lamb. March. 1633.

But ſome may perchance inquire, what was the ground of this Archbiſhops introduction of theſe Innovations firſt of all into Cathedrall Churches? Certainly one principall cauſe of this his method was to make theſe Mother Churches (as he ſtiled them) patterns of imitation for all Daughter Churches and Chapells within the [Page] the whole Dioceſſe, that ſo the Proverbe in Ezech. 16. v. 44. 45. might be verified of them: Behold every one tht uſeth Proverbes, ſhall uſe this Proverbe againſt thee, ſaying, AS IS THE MOTHER, SO IS HER DAVGHTER: Thou art thy Mothers Daughter.

That this was one chiefe end of his, to corrupt all Pariſh Churches and Chappells by theſe Cathedralls examples; was infallibly manifeſted; Firſt by the very words of the Order, made at the Councell Table at White Hall the third of November, 1633 concerning the ſtanding of the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church neere Paules, printed in Dr. Heylins, Coale from the Altar, and in his Antidotum Lincolnienſe. Sect. 1. c. 2. p. 62. (which order was thus printed by the Archbiſhops direction, the chiefe ſtickler in the procuring and prime Clerke in the penning of it;) wherein it is poſitively reſolved; That all other Churches ought to be guided by the Cathedrall Mother Church, whereon they depend, and that the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church, removed from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end, and there placed Altar-wiſe, in ſuch manner as it ſtandeth in the Cathedrall and Mother Church of St. Paul, ſhould ſo continue, that ſo there might be no difference betweene it and the ſaid Cathedrall Mother Church. Secondly, by diverſe bookes publiſhed in print by the Arch-Biſhops ſpeciall direction and app obation, expreſly averring Doctor Heylyns Antidotum Lincolnienſe: pag. 37. 39. 65. &c. his Coale from the Altar, p. 26 27. with Pocklington, Dow, Reeve, Shelford, Biſhop Pierce and others. Innovations in Pariſh Churches & Chappells. The caſe of St. Gregories Church. That all Parochiall Churches ought to be guided by the patterne of the Mother Church, upon the which they doe depend: The Arch-Biſhop himſelfe in his diſcourſes, and theſe creatures of his in their Bookes, applying and urging this leaden rule of theirs in particular, for the rayling in of Communion Tables, placing them Altarwiſe againſt the Eaſt end of the Quire, and bowing unto them, in all Pariſh Churches becauſe this was done and practiſed in all Cathedrall Churches, by vertue of his New Statutes and Injunctions, though not in former times.

This foundation being layd in our Cathedralls, for the like Popiſh Innovations, in all Parochiall Churches, wee ſhall in the next place proſecute this purſuite of his Innovations, from our Cathedralls to Parochiall Churches and Chappells. Wee ſhall begin with Saint Gregories Church neare Paules; where the caſe was thus.

About tenne yeares ſince, this Church was repaired by the Pariſhoners to their great coſt, at which time the Deane and Chapter of Pauls under whoſe juriſdiction it is cauſed the Picture of Saint Gregory to bee ſet up in the Church, and the Communion Table to bee removed, rayled about and ſet Altarwiſe againſt the Eaſt-end of the Chancell, Whereupon Maſter Wyan, and diverſe of the Pariſhioners being offended at it, appealed from the Deans and Chapters Order, as being againſt Law, to the Arches; upon which by the Archbiſhops means, an Order came from Secretary Windebank, to call the Pariſhioners to the Councell Table concernning this Appeale & the removing of the Table; where they appeared at the appointed time with their Councell: The King himſelfe, the Arch-Biſhop and many of the Lords were then preſent, where the buſineſſe being debated before them, the Archbiſhop ſtood up, and with great earneſtneſſe (more like an Advocate then Judge) juſtified, maintained this removing and rayling in the Table, reading Queene Elizabeths Injunctions to warrant it; but left out this moſt materiall clauſe, NOTE. that made quite againſt him: Saving when the Communion of the Sacrament is to be adminiſtred: at which time the ſame ſhall be ſo placed in good ſort within the Chancell as whereby the Miniſter may bee more conveniently heard of the Communicants, in his prayer and miniſtration, and the Communicants alſo more conveniently, and in greater number communicate with the ſaid Miniſter, And after the Communion done, from time to time, the ſaid holy Table to be placed where it ſtood before, The King ſaid, hee liked it well, that the Table ſhould ſtand as it uſed to do heretofore: to which the Archbiſhop anſwered, that if it ſtood ſo, the Miniſter could not ſo well ſee who kneeled at the Sacrament, and who kneeled not: To which the King replied, then let the ſeates bee pulled downe, Then the Councell for the Pariſh alleadged, that Biſhop Jewell in his Reply to Harding, Artic. 3. Diuiſ. 26. and Artic. 13. Diuiſ. 6. and Maſter John Fox in his Acts and Monuments, Edit. 1610. pag. 1211. 1212. [Page] (both which Books were enjoyned to be kept in every Church for the people to read in as containing the Doctrine and Diſcipline of the Church of England, and nought repugnant thereunto) maintained and aſſerted, That the Communion Table ought to ſtand in the MIDST OF THE CHVRCH AMONG THE PEOPLE, and not Altar-wiſe againſt the wall. Hereupon the Archbiſhop ſtood up in an angry manner, and ſayd, If this be the uſe they make of theſe Books Jewell & Fox, I deſire they may be taken out of Churches; and Sir Henry Martin ſaying merrily, that this Table NOTE. placed cloſe along the wall, would make a good Court-cupboord: The Archbiſhop therupon replied, that Sir Henry was a ſtigmaticall Puritan in his boſome. All which particulars were proved upon oath by Maſter Wyan, Mr. Clearke, and Captain Stackhouſe. Wherupon by the Archbiſhops violence this Order was then made againſt the Pariſhioners for the ſtanding of that Table Altar-wiſe, as it was ſituated by the Deanes and Chapters Order and appointment.

§

At Whitehall the third day of Novemb: 1633.

Preſent, the KINGS moſt Excellent Maiestie.

Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury,

Lord Keeper,

Lord Archbiſhop of Yorke,

Lord Treaſurer,

Lord Privy Seale,

Lord Duke of Lenox,

Lord Chamberlaine,

Earle of Bridgwater,

Earle of Carlile,

Lord Cottington,

Maſter Treaſurer,

Master Comptroller,

Lord High Chamberlain,

Earle Marſhall,

Maſter Secretary Cooke,

Master Secretary Windebanke.

THis Day was Debated before 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 NOTE. 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 NOTE. 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 NOTE. 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 [Page] 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, Chappells, 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 [Page] 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 preſſed as ſpatingly as he might, it being againſt his owne judgment; and thereupon obedience was yeelded in moſt places, and ſuch as refuſed to Raile in their Tables, were queſtioned and proceeded againſt by others, but as for himſelfe he never troubled any for it.

That the Archbiſhop himſelfe gave both command and approbation for theſe Innovations, was proved by this enſuing Petition, to which an Anſwer was underwriten by Maſter Dell, ſubſcribed with the Archbiſhops owne hand, found among Sir Iohn Lambes ſequeſted Papers, by Maſter Prynne.

To the right Reverend Father in God William Lord Archbiſhop of Cant. his Grace, Primate of all England and Metropolitan.
The Petition of Philip Davies Clerke, Hunry Demery, and Abrah am Cobb, Churchwardens of the Pariſh Church of Hill, alias Hull, in the Dioces of Glocester.

Humbly ſheweth,

THat your Petitioners in obedience to your Graces ſpecial directions in your Graces Metropolitan Viſitation, did take care and order for the rayſing of the Chancell NOTE. and Rayling in the High Altar or Communion Table in the ſaid Church, for the doing of which with the neceſſary beautifying of the ſaid Church, there were divers rates made by the Churchwardens for the time being and major part of the Inhabitants of that Church for to defray the Charge thereof. In which aſſeſements one Henry Heathfield who was, and is commonly reputed and taken to be of that Pariſh, was rated after the uſuall manner as he and his Predeceſſors had alwayes beene, his divers rates amounting to 28. ſhillings ſix pence. To avoyd the payment of which the ſaid. Henry Heathfield appealed to your Graces Court of the Arches, where the cauſe hath depended for theſe eleven Monethes laſt paſt, to your Petitioners great Charge and hinderance.

May it therefore pleaſe your Grace (for the better incouragement of your Petitioners in performing your Graces Commands, which we have hitherto done in preſerving the decency and ornaments of the ſaid Church as much as in us lyes) to give order, that the ſaid Cauſe may be ſpeedily determined, and that your Petitioners may not be unneceſſarily vexed and moleſted for endeavouring to performe what in your Graces Viſitation was publikely enjoyned, but ſo farre as truth ſhall appears, we may ſhroud our ſelves under your Graces Protection.

And your Petitioners ſhall ever pray, &c.

§

I deſire Sir John Lambe, in caſe he finde the Suggeſtions true, to take care that this Cauſe may come to hearing with all convenient ſpeed poſſible.

Febr. 9. 1637.

W. CANT.

By anſwering of which Petition, the Archbiſhop acknowledgeth, that the rayling in of Communion Tables, and impoſing illegall Rates for the ſame, was done by HIS GRACES SPECIALL DIRECTION in his Metropoliticall Viſitation; and thereupon he thus deſired Sir John Lambe, to expedite the hearing of the Cauſe; yet he had ſo Little Grace as openly to deny it with ſolemne proteſtations: The falſity whereof was further evidenced by this Copy of Injunctions given in his Metropoliticall Viſitation to the Cathedrall Church of Wincheſter, 19. July An. 1635. [Page] by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall; found in his owne Study at Lambheth, (ſo as he could not be ignorant of them) & atteſted by Maſter Prynne; the laſt whereof was this. Deinde Dominus injuaxit Gardianis Eccleſiae parochialis ſancti Mauritij infra Civitatem Wintoniae, quod duo ſedilia ex utraque parte Cancellorum ibidem removeantur; & quod nullum ſedile ibidem collocatur aut erigatur. Distu (que) Dominus ad Petitionem Willielmi Newton, unius Parochianorum praefatae Eccleſiae Parochialis decrevit Menſam ſacram Euchariſtiae decenter circum-ſepiendam, viz. TO BEE RAYLED ABOVT IN DECENT MANNER, citra festum Omnium Sanctorum proximè ſequens.

Moreover, A paper of Informations of divers Abuſes in the City and Dioceſſe of London, was found in the Archbiſhops Study, atteſted by Maſter Prynne, whereof this was one. There are many Communion Tables in ſeverall Churches of the City of London that are not rayled in, and ſome of them are placed in the middle of the Church, when as they may be placed more conveniently at the Eaſt end thereof. At the Chappel at Highgate, the Boyes uſe to leane on the Communion Table in the time of Divine ſervice: under which Mr. Dell the Archbiſhops Secretary Writ this direction to Sir Nathaniel Brent, his Viſiter, ſubſcribed with the Archbiſhops owne hand.

I require you that (beſides my other Instructions) you give me an account of all particulars within named. Whereupon an Account was given to him in writing accordingly, thus entituled. An Account of the Metropoliticall Viſitation of the Dioceſſe of London, Aano. 1636. found in his Study with the foreſaid Informations, and indorſed thus with his owne hand: 1636. March, The Courſe of my Viſitation in London Dioceſe: Wherein are theſe Particular Paſſage, touching the railing in of Communion Tables. Mr. Rogers of Maſſing (mentioned in your Graces Paper) came not to me for an order for the ſetting up of a Raile about his Communion Table: But I GAVE A GENERALL ORDER FOR IT BOTH THERE AND IN ALL OTHER PLACES WHERE I PASSED. The Communion Table in the Chappell of Highgate (mentioned in your Graces paper) is already placed at the upper end of the Quire, and a decent Raile made about it, as J am informed by divers, (To which the Archbiſhop with his owne hand adds this Note in the Margin; See it be don:) In the Pariſh Church of Edmonton, a fair Monument is ſet at the upper end of the Chancell, which I have ordered to be taken downe without delay, and the Communion Table to be ſet in the place of it, with a comely raile about it. Yet had this Archbiſhop the Impudency to proteſt to the Lords he never gave any order to Sir Nathaniell Brent, for removing or railing in Communion Tables; that it was done without his Privity or direction. O portet mendacem eſſe memorem. Adde to this, that in an Abſtract of this Archbiſhops Metropoliticall Viſitation endorſed by himſelfe and found among his papers; there were theſe obſervable informations given to him by his Viſitor, Sir Nathaniel Brent July 16. 1635. At Lyn in the principall Church called St. Margarets, the Communion Table wanted a rayle, which I have ordered. At Northampton, no man boweth at the pronouncing of the name of Ieſus; in all the Churches in Shrewsbury many things were out of Order, eſpecially about the Communion Table: But the Officers in every Pariſh Church moſt willingly ſubmitted to what I ordered Mr. Speed of Saint Pancroſſe in Chiceſter is very willing the Gallery in his Church ſhould be pulled down which was built to receive strangers, as alſo to remove the ſeates which ſtand even with the Altar. Beſides, it appeares by a letter of Wil. Kingſley Arch-deacon of Cant. to this Archbiſhop, dated Aprill 13 16 6. that he gave him order to ſurvay all the Churches in Canterbury, and to certine him, what Monuments placed the Eaſtland Galleres were in them, to the end they might be removed; who gave him this account thereof in writing, found among the Archbiſhops Papers.

[Page]

To the moſt Reverend Father in God, the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, His Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, one of His Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Councell, My very good Lord.

May it pleaſe Your Grace;

I Have according to Your Graces direction ſurvayed the Churches of Your Graces Arch-Deaconry in the Citie of Canterbury, In ſome of which I find Galleries and ſeates raiſed from the ground three or foure aſcents; as likewiſe monuments with diverſe Inſcriptions, erected without authority at the Eaſt-end of the Chancells, And in Saint Gregories Church of the ſame City, one other Monument in which is deſcribed the Gunpowder Treaſon, with this Motto or Inſcription in Capitall letters, IN PERPETVAM PAPISTARVM INFAMIAM. This he held him ſelfe in all humility bound to acquaint Your Grace withall, who is ready to execute what Your Grace ſhall Command for the ordering of theſe particulars, or any other thing Your Grace ſhall be pleaſed to enjoyne him, and never ceaſeth to pray for Your Graces prosperitie and welfare, Resting,

Your Graces moſt humble Servant, VVilliam Kingſley.

April 13. 1636.

To which Letter the Archbiſhop returned this anſwer, ſound in his ſtudy thus endorſed, The Copy of my Letters to the Arch-Deacon of Canterbury, Aprill 29. 1636. concerning the taking downe of Galleries, and Monuments in ſome Churches of Canterbury, &c.

S. in Chriſto.

SIR;

YOur Letters of Aprill 13. I have received, and I thanke you for your care and paines in Viſiting the Churches of your Arch-Deaconry within the City of Canterbury, in which I have often heard there are ſome things amiſſe, and finde by your report, that the Information given me was true. And becauſe you certifie me of ſome things of greater moment then ordinary, I thought it very fit to acquaint His Majeſtie with all the contents of your Letter, and did ſo: By which NOTE. meanes, I ſhall with more freedome give you the fuller anſwer to the three particulars mentioned by you.

For the firſt, which is the raiſing of Galleries and Seates from the ground three or foure aſcents, His Majeſtie hath commanded mee to write unto you, that they be taken down, and the Seates left orderly in the Church. But you are to take care to acquaint the Miniſter and Church-wardens with it, and to ſee it done, in a faire, and peaceable manner. The like Courſe you are to take with the ſecond, for it is no way fit that any Monument whatſoever, ſhould be ſet up at the East end of the Chancell, thereby, ſtanding equall at leaſt, if not above the Communion Table, and fit for nothing but to caſt it out of its proper place. Therefore if any ſuch be in any Church within your juriſdiction, you are to ſpeake with them that are next of Kinne, or NOTE. [Page] whom ſuch Monuments may moſt concerne. And if they will remove them, and ſet them up in any other place, on the ſides of the Church, you are to give them leave ſo to do; but if they will not, you are then to take them downe, in an orderly way, and not to ſuffer any to ſtand at the Eaſt end of the Chancell.

Your third buſineſſe, is of greater conſequence, it is, that there is another Monument in Saint Georges Church, in which there is deſcribed in Capitall Letters, the GUN-POUDER TREASON, with this motto, In perpetuam Papiſtarum infamiam, &c. I hope this ſtands not at the Eaſt end of the Chancell, for if it doe, you muſt ſee it removed to ſome other place, but if it ſtand upon any ſide of either Chancell, or Church, then you are with the knowledge of the Miniſter and the Church-Wardens, or any other whom that Monument may concerne, to take ſome Painter to you and cauſe him to put out of the Monument, all that NOTE. concernes the Fleet in 88. becauſe that belongs to a Forreigne Nation: And though your Letters make no mention of 88. yet the Picture of the Monument, which you ſent me up doth, which I ſhewed His Majeſtie as well as Your Letter. So having here given you a cleare direction in all your three particulars, I ſhall expect your care in the execution of them according to it, So I leave you to the grace of God, and reſt,

Your very loving Friend. Will: Cant,

By theſe two Letters it is apparent, that the Archbiſhop gave ſpeciall directions not only to Sir Nathaniell Brent, but to the Arch-Deacon of Canterbury to take down Galleries and Monuments at the Eaſt end of Chancells neare the Communeon-Tables; and to place the Tables there, at in their proper place; as likewiſe to obliterate the memoriall of our happy deliverance from the Spaniſh Armado in 88. out of that Church, where it had long continued.

Finally, it was proved by the teſtimony of Maſter Sutton, Maſter Browne, and others, that in the yeare 1640. in the new Chappell at WEST MINSTER, the Kings Armes were ſet up in the Eaſt Window, which was firſt glaſed with white Glaſſe; afterward the Archbiſhop promiſing to beſtow a new window inſtead of it, the Kings Armes were thereupon taken downe by direction of Doctor Haywood, the Archbiſhops Chaplaine, and Browne this Joyner, and placed in another obſcure window, and the Archbiſhops Arms (ſupported by Seraphins) put up in its place to ſignifie, that hee was the ſole donor of this new Window, where inſtead of the white Glaſſe, there was ſet up in coloured glaſſe, the Picture of the Holy Ghost in form of a Dove, with the Images of the Virgin Mary, Chriſt, Angells, and Ceraphins, for which the Glaſier was payd ſince the Archbiſhops commitment to the Tower by the Archbiſhops direction (as the Glaſier verily believed,) this new painted Window being ſet up about the beginning of this Parliament, but ſince demoliſhed by order of Parliament; which manifeſts the Archbiſhops perſeverance in his Popiſh Innovations notwithſtanding the Scotiſh troubles, and the many late complaints againſt them in the laſt diſſolved and preſent Parliament.

When this Arch-Prelate had in his Metropoliticall Viſitation by private inſtructions only to his Vicar Generall and other Agents, ſet on theſe Innovations, and introduced them into many Pariſh-Churches in moſt Dioceſſe, hee then by his ſubordinate Suffragans and Creatures, began to enforce them univerſally upon all Miniſters Church-Wardens, Pariſhes, by Viſitation Oaths and Articles, upon which ſuch Miniſters, Church-Wardens and others who oppoſed them were preſented yea proſecuted as Delinquents. Among others Dr. Pierce Biſh. of Bath and Wells, Mathew Wren, Biſh. of Norwich, Biſh. Lindſy of Peterborough, Biſh. Mountague of Chicheſter and Skinner, Biſhop of Briſtall, were the chiefe promoters of his Innovations eſpecially of rayling in Communion Tables Altarwiſe, bowing to and towards them, ſaying ſecond ſervice at them, and comming up to the new rayles to receive the Sacrament, preſcribing [Page] theſe particulars in their ſeverall Viſitation Articles: Witneſſe Rich: Mountague Biſhop of Chicheſter, his printed Viſitation Articles there, 1635. which after his tranſlation to Norwich, he enlarged with ſome printed additions for that Dioceſſe Anno 1638. of which there were two impreſſions.

§

Tit. 1. Section 8.

IS your Chancell divided from the Nave or body of your Church, with a partition of Stone, Boards, Wainſcot, Grates, or otherwiſe? wherein is there a ſtrong dore, to open and ſhut, (as occaſion ferveth) with lockes and keyes, to keepe out boyes, and girles, or unreverent men and women? and are dogs kept from comming to bee ſoyle or prophane the Lords Table?

9. Is your Chancell well paved, &c? doth it altogether lye upon a flat, or hath NOTE. it aſcents up unto the ALTAR?

10. Is your Church ſcaffolded every where or in part? do theſe ſcaffolds ſo made annoy any mans feat, or hinder the lights of any Window in the Church? Is your Chancell ſurrounded with ſeates, wherein your Pariſhioners commonly uſe to ſit, which take up the roome to much, and encroach upon the propriety of the Miniſter?

Tit. 3. Of ſacred Utenſills, Church-ornaments, &c. Sect. 4. Have you two faire large Surpleſſes for your Miniſter to Officiate Divine Service in, that the one may be for change, when the other is at waſhing? and alſo ſerve for him, that at Communion aſſiſteth the chiefe Miniſter, that no point of Divine ſervice may be done, but with and in Miniſteriall veſtments?

5. Of what aſſiſe be the Surplices, large or ſcantting? Of what Cloth, courſe or fine? What are they worth if they were to be ſold? for not cheapneſſe, but decentneſſe, is to reſpected in the ſervice of God.

7. Is your Communion Table, OR ALTAR of Stone, Wainſcot, Joyners worke ſtrong, faire and decent? What is it worth in your opinion were it to NOTE. bee ſold?

8. Have you a covering or Carpet of Silke, Sattin, Damaske, or ſome more then ordinary ſtuffe, to cover the Table with at all times, and a faire, cleane, and fine linen covering at time of adminiſtring the Sacrament?

9. Have you a Chalice or Communion-Cup with a cover, of ſilver, and a Flagon or Silver or Pe [...]ter, (but rather of ſilver) to put the Wine in? which is to bee conſecrated, and not to be brought into the Church, and ſet on the Table in Leather or Wicker-bottles, or Taverne wine-potts, which being of vulgar, common and prophane imployments, ought not to be preſented in the Church, or at the LORDS TABLE.

10. Have you a plate or patten faire and deepe, of the ſame materialls, for the bread? As alſo a Corporas Cloth or Napkin of fine Linnen, to cover the Bread conſecuted, (which cannot all at once be contained in the Patten) and to fold up what is not uſed at Communions? are all theſe ſacred Vtenſills, cleane kept, waſhed, ſcowred, as often as neede or conveniency requireth?

11. Is your Communion-Table, encloſed and ranged about with a raile of Joyners and Turners worke, cloſe enough to keepe out dogges from going in and prophaning NOTE. that holy place, from piſſing againſt it, or worſe? and is there a dore of the ſame worke to open and ſhut? doe any perſons preſume to enter thereinto, except ſuch as be in holy orders?

12 Is the Communion Table fixedly ſet, in ſuch convenient ſort and place within the Chancell, as hath beene appointed by authority, according to the practiſe of the Ancient Church; that is, at the Eaſt end of the Chancell, cloſe unto the Wall, upon an aſſcent or higher ground, that the officiating Prieſt, may be beſt ſeene and NOTE. heard of the Communicants, in that ſacred action?

[Page] 13. Whether is the Communion-Table removed downe at any time, either for or without Communion, into the lower part of the Chancell, or body of the Church? by whom, at whoſe inſtance, direction or command is it done?

Doe your Pariſhoners at their entrance within the Church doores uſe that comely and decent deportment which is fitting for Gods houſe, where God, whom Heaven and earth cannot contain, is ſaid to dwell, and doth manifeſt his goodneſſe and mercy to man out of his word? do they uncover their heads, ſit bare all ſervice time, kneele downe in their ſeates, bowing towards NOTE. the Chancell, and Communion-Table, and uſe thoſe ſeverall poſtures which fit the ſeverall acts and parts of Divine Service?

14. That is, Do they reverently kneele at Confeſſion, Abſolution, the Lords-Prayer, the Church Prayers and Petitions or Collects, as becometh ſuiters unto God? Do they ſtand at the Creed, as avowing their beliefe in the face of Heaven and earth, men and Angels; at the Hymnes and Doxologie, or Glory be to the Father, &c. againſt the oppugners of the Trinity, (which in the Primitive Church was repeated at the end of every Pſalme, and ought ſo to be in ours.) Do they ſtand alſo at the reading of the Goſpel, and bend or bow at the glorious ſacred and ſweet name of Jeſus, pronounced out NOTE. of the Goſpel read?

20. Doth he upon Wedneſdayes and Fridayes ordinarily and at other extraordinary times appointed by the Ordinary, read and pray the Letanie? and doth he eſpecially on Sundayes, read the ſecond or latter Service at the Communion-Table (as the ancient tradition of the Church was to do, after the diſmiſſion or miſſa of the Catechumoni, Euergumeni and Paenitentes) and not NOTE. in his Pewe, or Reading-ſeate, though there be no Communion, and this as well before as after the Sermon?

Tit. 6. Sect. 27. Is the Grave made Eaſt and Weſt? Is the body buried with the head to the Weſt? NOTE.

Tit. 7. Sect. 12. And whereas it offendeth many, that we ſometimes call the Lords-Table an Altar, and diſpoſe of it Altar-wiſe, that we uſe the phraſe of Sacrament of the Altar, in oppugning whereof, it hath been charged with Popery, and conſtantly (but ignorantly) affirmed, that in the Primitive NOTE. Church it was not named an Altar for three hundred yeares after Chriſt: to give ſatisfaction herein, and hereabout, both to Prieſts and people, I avow upon certain knowledge out of my poore reading, That for all the time articulate, the word Table is not above thrice uſed, but ever Altar, and of Eccleſiaſticall Writers within that time, onely Dionyſius Areopagita hath it, and that but once, and occaſionally; which aſſertion (I am ſure) cannot bee refelled: and therefore if we will (as we profeſſe to doe) follow the courſe and practiſe of the Ancient Primitive, Apoſtolicall Church, wee ought not NOTE. to traduce or be offended at the name, thing, or uſe of Altar, whereat a manifold Sacrifice is offered to God.

Tit. 8. Sect. 9. Touching Pariſhioners. Doth any married woman within your Pariſh after child-birth neglect to come to Church, according to the booke of Common-Prayer, to give thanks to God for her ſafe deliverance, vayled in a decent manner, as hath beene anciently accuſtomed? and doth ſhe then kneele in ſome convenient place nigh to the Communion-Table, while the Prieſt (ſtanding by her) giveth thankes to God for her; and if there bee a Communion doth ſhee then offer her accuſtomed offerings, and receive the holy Communion?

11. Do all your Pariſhioners of what ſort ſoever, according as the Church expreſly them commandeth, draw neere, and with all Chriſtian humility and [Page] reverence come to the Lords-Table, when they are to receive the Holy Communion; and not (after the moſt contemptuous and un-holy uſage of ſome, if men do rightly conſider) ſit ſtill in their Seats or Pewes, to have the bleſſed Body and Bloud of our Saviour, go up and downe to ſeeke them all the Church over.

Tit. 9. Of Clerks, Sextons, Church-wardens, and Sidemen.

5. Doe you, or have any of you medled with ſetting, placing, diſplacing, removing the Communion-Table up and downe, of your owne heads, without NOTE. the Miniſter, or with him, not by order from the Biſhop?

6. Doe you know of any Pariſhioner or Forreiner, who hath committed or attempted ſuch an Act? If you can learne them, Preſent their names.

Tit. Sect. 10. Diſtinct and punctuall Anſwer muſt be made to every one of theſe Articles.

On all which Articles Church-wardens and Sidemen were obliged to preſent Non-conformiſts to them, by this ſtrict enſuing Oath.

The Tenour of the Oath to be adminiſtred unto, and taken by the Church-wardens, and Sidemen.

SWeare you ſhall, that you ſhall duly conſider, and diligently enquire of all and every one of theſe Articles given you in charge, and tendered unto you; and that all affection, favour, malice, hatred, hope of reward, gain, diſpleaſure of great men, malice, or other ſinister reſpect ſet aſide; you ſhall faithfully diſcharge your duty, and truly preſent all and every ſuch perſon of and in your Pariſh, as hath made any default, or committed any offence in or NOTE. againſt theſe enſuing Acticles, or that be vehemently ſuſpected, or defamed of any ſuch offence, or crime; wherein you ſhall deale uprightly, truly, and fully, preſenting all the truth, and nothing but the truth, without partiality, having God before your eyes, and an earneſt Christian zeale to maintain truth, order, and Religion, and to ſuppreſſe the contrary: So helpe you God, and the holy contents of this Booke.

Matthew Wren Biſhop of Norwich, in his firſt Viſitation of that Dioceſſe among other Articles to be enquired of within that Dioceſſe, preſcribed theſe enſuing Articles upon Oath, printed by Richard Baiger 1636. concurring in ſubſtance with Biſhop Mountagues.

§

Chap. 3. Sect. 2. Have you ïn your Church or Chappell a Font of ſtone ſet in the ancient uſuall place, whole and cleane, and fit to hold water? a conuenient and decent Communion-Table, with a Carpet of ſilke, or ſome other decent ſtuffe continually layd upon the Table, at the time of Divine Service, and a faire linnen cloth thereon layd, at the time of Adminiſtring the Communion? and is the ſame Table placed conveniently ſo as the Miniſter may beſt be heard in his Adminiſtration, and the greateſt number may reverently communicate? to that end, doth it ordinarily ſtand up at the Eaſt end of the Chancell, where the Altar in former times ſtood, the ends thereof being placed NOTE. North and South? is it any time uſed unreverently,, by leauing or ſitting on it, throwing hats or any thing elſe upon it, or writing on it? or is it abuſed to any other prophane or common uſe? and are the Ten Commandements ſet up in your Church or Chappell, where the people may ſee and read them, and other choſen ſentences alſo written upon the walls in your ſaid Church or Chappell, in places convenient for the ſame purpoſe?

[Page] Sect. 12. Are all the Pewes and Seats in the Church ſo ordered, that they which are in them, may all conveniently kneele downe in the time of Prayer, and have their faces up Eaſt-ward toward the holy Table? Are there alſo any kinde of Seats at the Eaſt-end of the Chancell, above the Communion-table, NOTE. or on either ſide even with it?

Sect. 14. Hath any in your Pariſh defaced, or cauſed to be defaced, or purloined any Monumen [...]s, (that is Crucifixes and old Images) or Ornaments in the Church.

Chap. 4. Sect. 7. Doth every Prieſt and Deacon in your Pariſh daily ſay the Morning and Evening Prayer, either privately, or openly? Doth the Curate ſay the ſame daily in the Church or Chappell, with the tolling of a Bell before he begins? At the end of every Pſalme, doe they ſtand and ſay, Glory be to the Father, &c.

Chap. 4. Sect. 8. Doth your Miniſter and Curate at all times, as well in Preaching or Reading the Homilies, as in reading the Prayers and Lerany, in Adminiſtring the holy Sacraments, Solemnization of Marriage, Burying the Dead, Churching of Women, and all other Offices of the Church, duly obſerve the Rites preſcribed, without omiſſion, alteration, or addition of any thing? And doth he in performing all and every of theſe, weare the Surplice duly, and NEVER OMIT THE WEARING OF THE SAME nor of his Hood, if he be a Graduate?

Chap. 7. Sect. 4. Have you in your Pariſh, that doe not reverently behave themſelves, entring into the Church? (that is, by bowing towards the Altar) Doe all uſe due and lowly reverence, when the bleſſed name of the Lord Jeſus is mentioned, and ſtand up when the Articles of the Creed are read?

Sect. 17. Doe all your Pariſhioners of what ſort ſoever, according as the Church expreſly them commandeth, draw neere, and with all Chriſtian humility and reverence, come to the Lords-Table, when they are to receive the holy Communion? and not (after the moſt contemptuous and unholy uſage of ſome, if men did rightly conſider) ſit ſtill in their Seats or Pewes, to have the bleſſed Body and bloud of our Saviour, go up and down to ſeeke them all the Church over.

Chap. 9. Sect. 11. Were there any particular or ſpeciall Injunctions given (as you know, or have heard) by the Vicar Generall, or any other Commiſſioner, at the laſt Metropoliticall Viſitation of the moſt Reverend the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Grace? and how have the ſame beene performed or obſerved by the Miniſter, or any other of the Pariſh, whom they concern?

Sect. 12. Laſtly, have you, and every of you, by your ſelves read, or have cauſed to be read to you all theſe Articles? have you well examined and inquired into every particular therein intended? have you ſincerely, uprightly, and without any partiall affection or concealement, preſented and made known all and every of the offenders, in any of the particulars, either as they are taken in truth, to be, or by common fame reported?

To theſe Articles, this Biſhop annexed divers particular Injunctions, preſcribing, Rayling in of Communion-Tables Altar-wiſe, bowing towards them, reading ſecond Service at them, that every Combination Lecturer, ſhould in his Surplice and Hood, begin the ſecond Service at the Communion Table before he went up into the Pulpit, into which he ſhould aſcend, after the reading of the Nicene Creed, uſing no other prayer than that preſcribed in the 55. Canon, nor Preaching above one houre; that hee ſhould not give the bleſſing out of the Pulpit, but ſhould deſcend againe to the Table, and read the Prayer for the univerſall Church, and ſo diſmiſſe the Congregation with the Peace of God, &c. That all Communicants ſhould come up by files, and receive the Sacrament at the new Rayles, kneeling, &c. [Page] As appears by his Injunctions, annexed to his Articles in writing, and his Account to the Archbiſhop, for the yeare 1636. both found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy, and atteſted by Mr. Prynne.

In this Dioceſſe of Norwich (by meanes of theſe Viſitation Articles.) Biſhop Mountague, in his Account to the Archbiſhop for the yeare, 1638. informes him under his owne hand, That all Courches were furniſhed with the ALTAR, ſtanding cloſe to the East-wall, all Rayled about the Altar: But withall he certifies him, that many of the people complained they were troubled, and Excommunicated by his Predeceſſor (Biſhop Wren) for not comming up to receive at the Rayls, about the Altar, in this manner. ‘19.As many as can well kneele cloſe unto the Rayles, come up out of the Church, and then upon their knees receive from the Prieſt ſtanding within the Rayles, the Bread and Wine, who being thus Communicated, riſe and depart into the Church, and as many moe as can likewiſe kneele, ſucceed, and being Communicated, likewiſe depart, which courſe is obſerved till all have received. Againſt this, they ſay, it is a new, un-neceſſary troubleſome courſe, not enjoyned by Law, not required by Canon, nor impoſed by His Majeſty, or my Lord of Canterbury, whoſe Injunctions they profeſſe they will obey; nor in the Articles or Injunctions of any Biſhop.’

20.This, as it perplexeth them, ſo I muſt profeſſe, it troubleth me, wherein I deſire reſolution and direction. For if this be the caſe as they pretend, in my poore opinion, it is inter minutiora Legis, to make the beſt of it, and happily in theſe times of oppoſition; it were not amiſſe to follow that wiſe direction of the greateſt Councel of Chriſtendom, the firſt of Nice, Let ancient cuſtoms be obſerved.

21.If I may be bold to deliver my owne poore private opinion concerning this caſe, as they relate it, not otherwiſe; I hold it a meere un-neceſſary, inconvenient, comberſome, or irregular courſe. I know it hath no velam nor veſtigum NOTE. in Antiquity, who as it appeares by Saint Chriſostome, communicated Communicants kneeling in the Chancell in their diſtinct rankes, the doores ſhut, none permitted to depart till the bleſſing pronounced, and Ite in peace.

22.I know of no Law, Articles, Advertiſements, Canons, Injunctions, that require it; I cannot tell where, when, by whom it came up: This I know, it is NOTE. the practiſe of the Roman Church; at leaſt in Italy and Rome, and yet drawes neere upon the Lees of the Geneva Diſcipline, in their running Banquet, as it is rightly named.

23.I humbly crave pardon, for this my free, but private opinion of that courſe upon which ſo many in my Dioceſſe doe ſtand,24. who otherwiſe do profeſſe all obedience to the Church orders; and I doubt not but to bring them thereto, and ſettle them therein, almoſt I durſt undertake it.

This Account of Biſhop Mountague being ſhewed Biſhop Wren, by the Arch-Biſhop, he returned this Anſwer in writing thereunto, which hee delivered to the Archbiſhop, in whoſe Study Mr. Prynne ſeized it.

18.The number of them that ſtood excommunicated for this which is alleadged, were not 13, in above 1300. Pariſhes.

19.When they had received both the bread and wine (two rankes of them) they quietly withdrew, and remained in the Chancell (if it would hold them) and others kneeled downe in their roomes.

20.No marvell if it like not thoſe, that will pronounce it new, unneceſſary and troubleſome. The Service booke enjoynes it, by requiring all to draw neer. The King Himſelfe does it, and His whole Houſhold in effect.

21.It had bin neither perplexity nor trouble in that Dioceſſe ere now, if it had not (unawares) bin declaimed againſt by his Lordſhip, before hee came into [Page] the Dioceſſe. Many of his Faction prickt up their eares at that, and then his Lordſhip had plunged himſelfe to openly to get back hanſomely. Now hee is come into the Dioceſſe, and findes it ſo generally practiſed and deſired by the beſt of all ſorts; It is hoped that upon this private narration, either my Lords Grace, of the King will gain-ſay it. 21.

It were fit, that what he reputed an irregular cuſtome had bin expreſt, And whether to carry the holy Sacrament up and down to their Seats be it? Where the Chancells will not receive all the Communicants, what more trouble, of ſucceſſive comming before the Rayle, then into the Chancell? Many Chancells are ſo ſeated, that it cannot appeare how the Communicants kneels and for this (in truth) the Faction hath the greateſt ſticke at it: Many Pariſhes are populous, and the Chancels large, but the Chalices very ſmall, while the Prieſt then goes to and againe, ſo far to renew the Cup, much time and labour is loſt.

22.This ſuppoſition holds not, for very many Chancells will not hold all the Communicants, much leſſe to kneele conveniently all at once: To come before the Rayle hath more analogy with Antiquity, then ſome men have ſeene, or others will. In England they came but to the Chancell doores, till our Lawes brought them into the Chancell. So now the Rayle ſerves to diſtinguiſh the Presbyterian from the Chorus, and that place in Saint Chryſoſtome, (I believe) will otherwiſe prove to be miſtaken.

23. That it is like the practiſe of the Roman Church, I ſuppoſe is the better, ſeeing NOTE. we never found fault with them for it till now. As for Geneva, tis not ſo like to theirs, or theirs to it, as an Ape is to a man; and yet is farre enough from being a man.

This is ſpoken unto in the precedents. 24.

After which, Biſhop Mountague in a Synod at Ipſwitch, Octob. 8. 1639. gave theſe enſuing directions to his Clergie, concerning the peoples comming up to the Rayles to receive. A Copy whereof he ſent to the Archbiſhop, who received it the 21th. of the ſame Moneth, as appeares by his endorſement thereof.

When I came firſt into this Dioceſſe, I was much and often troubled by many in many parts thereof, about comming up to the Rayles, as they called it, in time of the holy Communion.

This was a novelty unto me as it ſeemed it was in it ſelfe; for I had never NOTE. heard of it, nor did I know what it meant. But I underſtood at length it was this; Thoſe that intend to receive the holy Sacrament, are to come up out of the Church, and to draw neere unto the Rayles, which incloſe the Altar, or Communion Table, and there to kneele as many as can, and to receive in both kindes at the Miniſters hands; when this company at the Rayles have received in both kindes, they are to riſe up, to withdraw, and another company to ſucceed in their places; and after them, a third, and ſo till all bee in that ſort Communicated.

In this courſe thus obſerved, I do not underſtand whether all at once that intend to Communicate, do together come up out of the Church into the Chancell, and being there diſpoſed, ſitting or ſtanding, doe in courſe repaire unto the Rayles, and returne from thence; Or whether onely ſo many doe together come up out of the Church, as can kneele at the Rayles, the other remaining in the Church behinde, untill their courſe come to goe up? Nor do I know, whether they repaire, being riſen from the Rayles, whether into ſome place in the Chancell, or out of the Chancell into the Church, which may bee comberſome, and is inconvenient, it being for any thing I [Page] know to the contrary, an ancient Tradition of the Church, for no man to go out of the Chancel, or from his place, having received it untill the Ite miſſa or diſmiſſive bleſſing upon them, which we call the Peace of God. Therefore to give that ſatisfaction which I can in this cauſe; becauſe yet never any Recuſant of comming up to the Rayles, did unto mee refuſe to come into the Chancell, to receive upon their knees, to obſerve the Service Booke in all points, onely they cannot digeſt the going up, and comming downe, and diſquieting the Aſſembly, which neither doe I my ſelfe approve of, untill His Majeſty, or my Lords Grace of Canterbury appoint otherwiſe; to whom I NOTE. doe, and they muſt, and I hope will ſubmit themſelves. Theſe orders I have thought good for quiet, peace and conformity to direct.

Firſt, after the words or Exhortation pronounced aloud by the Miniſter, ſtanding at the Communion-Table, to the Pariſhioners as yet in the Church, draw neere, &c.

All intending to Communicate, are to come up out of the Church into the Chancell; and as in courſe of Civility and good order, it is ſeemely the beſt in the Pariſh to come up firſt.

All being come in, the Chancell doore is to be ſhut, and not to be opened till the Communion is done; that no Communicant departtill the dimiſſion, no non-Communicant come in amongſt them, no Boyes, Girles or gaſers be ſuffered to looke in as to a Play.

The Communicants being entred, to be diſpoſed into ſeverall ſtations, rankes, or formes; the firſt ranke to ſtand, ſit, or kneele, neere or cloſe unto the Rayles, which being the moſt eminent place, the beſt in the Pariſh may fitly be diſpoſed there.

And for order and decency though all bee Communicants alike, in that holy Communion, yet confuſion is to bee avoyded.

The firſt ranke being thus diſpoſed, behinde them a ſecond, behinde them a third ranke may be diſpoſed, leaving a ſufficient ſpace for the Prieſt to goe betweene, in giving firſt the Bread to all the ſeverall Communicants, and then the Wine afterwards, if he be ſole, and if he have an aſſiſtant, the chiefe Miniſter to give the Bread, and the Aſſiſtant to follow him with the Cup, or Challice, both going out from the Altar, when the firſt ranke is ſerved; and whereas in many Chancells, if not in all, there be Seats built up, the more is the pitty, to peſter the Chancell; it is not fit that any ſhould go into them, untill the ſeverall rankes have filled the whole Chancell.

But becauſe peradventure ſome out of zeale without knowledge or diſcretion, have ſtubbornly refuſed to come unto the Rayles neere them, as if it were impious, at leaſt ſuperſtitious to come there, as by name one Mr. Daye of Ipſwich; I doe require him to receive at the Rayles, the next Communion, ſub paena juris, and for the reſt of the refuſers, who have promiſed conformity in all things, but in riſing up, and going up and downe, which I neither will, nor do require of them; let them manifeſt their conformity by once coming up, and afterwards as it happeneth, diſpoſe themſelves in the Chancell.

As theſe Popiſh Innovations, Ceremonies were thus ſet on and preſcribed in the Dioceſſe of Chicheſter, and Norwich, by Mountague, and Wren: ſo were they by Doctor Divenant Biſhop of Salisbury, (of whoſe direction and determination concerning the placing of the Communion Table, the Archbiſhop tooke much advantage in his Star-chamber ſpeech, pag. 13, 14.) by the Biſhop of Lincolne, Williams, and his Officers in his Dioceſſe, notwithſtanding he ſeemed afterwards to oppoſe them, and Canterburies proceedings herein, in his Holy Table, name, and thing.

[Page] This is undeniably evident by the enſuing Acts, for railing in all Lords Tables in every Church and Chappel made, in his Viſitation, 1635.

Acta habita facta, &c. in Eccleſia Parochiali Beatae Mariae Leic' die Martis. 25. Aug. 1635. per reverend. in Christo Patrē & Dom: Dom. Johannē Providentia Divina Lincoln. Epiſc. pro tribunali ſedentem tunc & ibid. in Viſitatione ſua triennali, praeſente me Edwardo Lake in legibus Bac. & Notario publico Regiſt. ſuo in hac parte aſſumpt.

Quibus, &c. Dict. Reverend. Pater palam & publicè enjunnie & admonuit omnes & ſingulos gardianos corumque aſſiſtent. infra Decanat. de Goodlaxton, Akley & villam Leiceſtr. infra Arch. Leiceſt. una cum gard. ſanctae Margaretae infra villam Leic. quatenus Menſam illam ſacram pro ſanctae Euchariſtiae adminiſtratione in qualibet Eccleſia et Capella infra Decanat. et loca praerecitat. reſpectivè vacerris vel C [...]ncellis decenter muniri procurarent, et inde ad proximam Viſitationem dom. Archidiaconi Note. Leic. pro Decanat. et locis pred. infra Arch. Leic. pred. tenend. debitè certificand.

Similiter in omnibus acta &c. die Mercurii 26 Auguſt. 1635. in Eccleſia beate Mariae Leic. praed. quoad Menſas ſacras, &c. infra Docanat. de Sparken hoc et Gartrie Arch. Leic. praed.

Similiter in omnibus acta, &c. die Jovis 27. die. Auguſti 1635. in Eccleſia de Meltonmobrey infra Archidiac. Leic. pred. quoad Menſas ſaeras, &c. infra Decanat. de Frū landet Goſcot Archidiac. Leic. pred.

Acta habita, &c. in Synodo fine Viſitatatione veneralis viri Willielmi Warye ſacrae Theologiae profeſs. Archidiac. Leic. tent [...]in Capella in Markatharborow die Martis 13. Octobris 1635. per Magistrum Reginald Burdin, Clericum in artibus Magiſtrum Surrogatū venerabilis viri Johannis Farmeris legū Dacteris praefati Reverend. P [...]ris Dom. Epiſcopi Lincolnien. Vicarij generalis, &c. preſente me Edwarde Lake Regiſt. antedicio.

Quibus, &c. dictus magiſter Burdin Com. Certificat [...] pro omnibus Gard. et aſſiſtent infra Decanat. de Gartree et Goodlaxton quoad ſepta Menſarum ſacrarum, &c. [...] vacerris juxta monitionē reverend. Pairi [...]dom. Epiſc. [...]irdolnien. pred in prox. poſt feſtum Omnium Sanctorum, prox. futur. pro Commiſſ. or offic. Archid. Leic. in Ecclaeſia beata Mariae Leic. tenend.

Similiter in omnibus acta, &c. dis Jovis 14 Octobris 1635. in Ecclaeſia paroch. de Meltonmowbrey quoad Menſas facrat, &c. infra Decanat. Framland et Goſcot.

Similiter in omnibus acta, &c. die Veueris 15▪ Octobris 1635. in Ecclaeſia beata Mariae Leiceſt. quoad Menſat ſacras, &c. infra [...] Sparken hoc, Akley et Ʋillae Leiceſt.

Concord. [...] original. penes reg. reman [...]d. facta collatione per me Jo. Fowler Notar publicum Regiſt. deput,

And by Articles to be enquired of within the Archdeaconry of Buckingham, (in the Dioceſſe of Lincolne) at the Viſitation of the Archdeacon there, this preſent year 1637. Printed at London 1637.

Artic. 5. Have you ad [...]cent Table, on a frame for the holy Communion, placed at the Note. Eaſt end of the Chancell? Is it rayled in or incloſed, ſo as Men or Boyes cannot ſit upon it, or throw their hats upon it? Is the ſaid raile or [...] with ſ [...]ttles or kneeling h [...]nches, at [...] or bottome thereof, no the Communicants way fitly kneele there at the receiving of the holy Communion?

Artic. 38. Whether any in your Pariſh have covered his head in time of Divine Service, contrary to the [...] Canon; any that do not kneele at the ſaying of the generall Confeſſion, Letany, ten Commandements, and other prayers read in the ſaid Church [...] any that do not ſtand up at the ſaying the Beliefe, or not how or uſe reverenc [...] when (in time of Divine ſervice) the name of Ieſus is read or [...]? &c.

[Page] Moreover Dr. Pierce Biſhop of Bath and Wels, not only preſcribes the rayling in of Communion Tables Altarwiſe, under penalties and fines in his Viſitation Articles and Courts, but likewiſe appoints Miniſters in every Diviſion to ſee it executed, and preſents theſe reaſons for it to the Archbiſhop, who endorſed them thus with his own hand. Recepi. March 9. 1633. L. Biſhop of Bath and Wels about placing the Communion Table.

Reaſons why the Communion Table in every Church ſhould be ſet cloſe under the Eaſt-window or wall, with the ends North and South, and be rayled in.

1. It was ordered in Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, That the Communion Table ſhould ſtand where the Altar did.

2. There ſhould be ſome difference between the placing of the Lords Table in the Church, and the placing of a mans Table in his houſe.

3. It is not ſit the people ſhould ſit above Gods Table, or he above the Prieſt when he conſecrateth.

4. If it ſtand not thus, and he not rayled in, it will be ſubject to many prophanations and abuſes; Church-wardens will keep their accounts at the Lords Table, Pariſhioners will ſit round about it, and talk of their Pariſh buſineſſes (whereas the Lords Table is for no other uſe but only for the Communion; and the ſervice and prayers of the Church) Schoolmaſters will teach their Boyes to write upon this Table, and the Boyes will [...]ay their Hats, Sachels, and Books upon it, and in their Maſters abſence ſit upon the ſame; and many will ſit or learn irreverently againſt the Lords Table in Sermon time. Glaſiers will knock it full of mile holes (as it is found by experience they have done in many places) and Dogs will defile the Lords Table.

5. When the Communion Table ſtands thus, the Chancell is the fairer, and there [...] more [...] for the Communicants.

6. Where the Communion Table ſtands thus, the face of the Prieſt is ſeen of all, and his voice is [...] heard of all which ſit on the North ſide of the Chancel.

7. It is ſit the Daughters ſhould be like their Mother, the Patochiall Churches ſhould be [...] the C [...]thedrall Churches, that ſo there may be an uniformity in this reſpect Note. in every Church.

At Coventry [...] Biſhop of that Dioceſſe by his Chancellour preſcribed theſe Innovations following in the Churches of that City.

Thurſday the 15 of August 1636. at Coventry.

It is ordered by Mr. Chancellour in the preſence of me Henry Archbold, principall Regiſter, being [...] by my Lord Biſhop to that purpoſe.

1. That the Communion Tables with in S. Michaels and Trinity Churches, ſhould be removed up [...] of the Chancels.

2. That the ground at the upper end of the Chancels be handſomely raiſed by three ſteps, that the [...] be conſpicuous to all the Church.

3. That in [...] which almoſt ſtopped up the middle Ile, be removed according [...] the Church-wardens in preſence.

4. That in both Churches, all new additions of Seats in the Chancels be taken away, [...] be to the ancient forme.

5. [...] the [...] of Trinity ſhall hereafter have any Seat to himſelf within the Church of S. Michael, nor any pariſhioner of S. Michael have any [...] ſuch no have ſufficient intereſt by Land in the other [...].

6. [...] the Churchyard of S. Trinity may be [...] reſtored to the Churchyard. And the doores opening into the Churchyard be ſt [...]pped up, and the ſink and other [...].

7. That the [...] wives being in both Churches ſufficiently accommodated [...] hence forth content themſelves [...] [...]e diſpoſed of to theſe Gentlemen of quality within [...].

[Page] The Church-wardens of both Pariſhes are admoniſhed to certifie the performance of the precedent Articles to M. Chancelour, by the next Court-day at Lichfield, being the 27 of September next.

And that the Desk in the Chancell in Trinity Church whereon the Books lye, be removed to the upper end of the North Iſle next the Chancell; and a Rayle made with a door in the middle thereof to keep out children from tearing the Books.

Charles Twysden.

Henry Archbold, Regiſters.

After which, this Biſhop in a better mood, Ordering the Communion Table only at the time of adminiſtring the Sacrament to be brought into the midſt of the Chancell (being large) without the precincts of its impounding rayles, thereupon the Archbiſhops Creatures gave preſent ſecret notice thereof by way of complaint to Sir Iohn Lambe, and he to the Archbiſhop in theſe enſuing Letters (found among Sir Iohn Lambs papers by Mr. Prynne) endorſed with Mr. Dels, the Archbiſhops Secretaries hand upon the Archbiſhops peruſall of them. The firſt was this Letter from Mr. Bird to Mr. Latham.

Good Maſter Latham,

Being at Mr. Leſſons my Lord Biſhops accuſtomed Inne, I was there called and ſent for to a private room before Mr. Major, and ſome others of the Fraternity; the buſineſſe was concerning the removall of the Communion Table fromits aſcent of 3 ſteps, Note. unto the body of the Chancel, during the adminiſtration of that bleſſed Sacrament: and they fearing me and my thwarting it, moved my Lord to command me from either troubling them, or altering that. But how this can be effected, without a great deale of inconveniency both to Miniſter and people, I know not; the Table and all other ceremonies neceſſary then to be uſed, being by this means obſcured, and taken away from the eares and eyes of the people. This is all (except his Sermon) that his Lordſhip hath done here, and ſo much I thought good to certifie you; deſiring you to make what uſe you can of it, provided you ever conceale the name of

Your aſſured loving friend Tho. Byrd.

Covent. 21 March. juxta compt. Aug. 1636.

The ſecond, this Letter from Mr. Latham to Sir Iohn Lambe.

Moſt worthy Sir,

Our Lord Biſhop at his departure from hence left ſuch a terrible noiſe behind him of threatning, againſt his Chancelour, Mr. Ieffraye Archdeacon of Salop, and my Selfe, as would make men that were any thing obnoxious, much afraid; but for mine own part I thank God I fear him not, but will and ſhall be ready to juſtifie my ſelfe in any thing I have done, and whatſoever hath paſſed betwixt your worſhip and my ſelf concerning his Lordſhip, can well prove if need require, with much more; which upon the leaſt notice, I will be ready to wait upon my Lords Grace and yourſelfe to Note. perform. S. Michaels in Coventry have rayſed their ſteps up to the Altar with curious workmanſhip and ſtone, and have been at great charge in making a Septum about the Table; yet hath his Lordſhip, as you may perceive by this incloſed Letter, commanded the Table to be brought down into the middle of the Chancel for this holy time; perhaps his Lordſhip will ſay, the Cancels are not fully finiſhed, but they were ſo much up at his being at Coventry, as that they might well come up and receive the holy Communion, and are now finiſhed, and the Table hath been at the upper end ever ſince his Majeſties commands. Mr. Byrd would not be knowne of this if it may be, yet he will juſtifie it, and others alſo if it muſt be.

Your Worſhips to be commanded ever, Edward Latham.

Lichf. 27 Martii 1637.

By this it appears, the Archbiſhop had his Spies and Informers in all places to certifie him of the very leaſt oppoſitions againſt his Innovations, by Biſhops or others: which will be further manifeſted by three other Letters. The firſt is a Copy of the Biſhop of Lincolns Letter to his Surrogate Mr. Burdin, about S. Martins Communion [Page] Table in Leiceſter, and the placing of it; the copie whereof was preſently ſent to Sir Iohn Lambe, and by him conveyed to the Archbiſhop, who endorſed it with his own hand.

After my very heartieſt commendations unto you,

Whereas I have appointed the pariſhioners of S. Martins in Leiceſter to remove their common Library from the Quire of their Church into another room, provided by the Major, Aldermen, and Corporation of Leiceſter for that purpoſe, and have perſwaded them to trim up and prepare their foreſaid Quire with Railes and other ornaments to place therein their Communion Table, all the which they have accordingly performed. And whereas upon a Certificate made unto me by the Vicar, the Churchwardens, divers of the Aldermen, and others the better ſort of that Pariſh, That the place where their Table ſtood before is far more fit, by the reaſon of the more capacity to receive the Communicants, & the more audibleneſſe of the Miniſters voice, & the proximity to that place where Morning and Evening prayer are appointed to be ſaid, then this Chancell is. I have therefore, according to the Lyturgie confirmed by Act of Parliament, the ſeverall Injunctions of our Princes heretofore, & the 82 Canon now Note in force (as I hope I ſhould as rightly underſtand them as any of my ſaid ſubordinate Officers can do) given the ſaid Vicar, Churchwardens, and pariſhioners, leave to remove the ſaid Communion Table to the aforeſaid place where it formerly ſtood, at ſuch times as they are to receive the Communiō. Theſe are to require you not to be troubleſome or moleſtfull to the ſaid parties in any thing concerning the premiſes, untill you ſhall legally diſprove unto me the truth of the aforeſaid Certificate; and ſo I commend you to God, and am

Your very loving friend and Biſhop, Ioh. Lincolne.

Buckden this 19 of December, 1633.

The ſecond, is a clauſe in Dr. Aylets Letter to Sir Iohn Lambe, about rayling in Communion Tables.

Good Sir, &c. I have cauſed many of the Communion Tables within my Officiary to be rayled in, and the people to come up and kneel and receive at the Rayle, (though with much oppoſition, eſpecially in great clothing Townes, becauſe they ſee no ſuch thing, as they ſay in the Churches of London;) but ſince our Article Books for the Metropoliticall viſitation were delivered, they have found an Article, which as they conceive, gives them leave to remove their Table at the time of celebration, and place it as it may be moſt convenient for the pariſhioners to come about it and receive; wth in ſome places where the Miniſter is willing to pleaſe his people, undoes all which I have done, and layes on me an imputation, as if it were mine own invention, croſſing that Article delivered by his Graces Viſitor in his ſeverall Viſitations: Note. for this I humbly deſire to know his Graces pleaſure and your beſt direction. You will be pleaſed to excuſe the length of my ſeldome Letters, and to remember my humble ſervice to his Grace.

Your ever obliged ſervant and affectionate Kinſman, Robert Aylet.

Farly 29 June 1636.

Here we ſee the Archbiſhop made the only common rule and directory of all theſe Innovations.

The third is a clauſe in D. Clerks Letter to Sir Iohn Lambe concerning the removall of the Rayle and Communion Table at Northampton during the plague there.

Worthy Sir, &c. They now do what they liſt in the Church ſervice at All-Saints in Northampton, and ſome very lately have (as I am informed) cut the Raile or Cancel that was about the Lords Board in Pieces, and have brought down the Lords Table into the middle of the Church: I long ſince adviſed the Mayor and ſome of his diſcreet Brethren, that the Tueſday Lecture and Sermon on Sundayes in the afternoon ſhould be forborne in theſe infections and dangerous times; they then raiſed a report of me, that I went about to ſtarve their ſoules: you may do well to acquaint my Lords Grace with ſo much of this as you pleaſe. The ſchiſmaticall Puritans now Note. [Page] bring their Appeals from the Audience, as namely the Churchwardens of Towceſter, who are queſtioned for not preſenting ſome 80 or an hundred of their Pariſh who refuſed to receive the bleſſed Sacrament at the CANCEL at Eaſter laſt, &c.

Yours unfeined to love and ſerve you, Sam. Clerke.

Kingsth 17 June 1638.

This Archbiſhop having thus introduced by ſucceſſive degrees theſe ſeverall popiſh Innovations, ſo far as to inforce them generally upon all Miniſters, Churchwardens, Pariſhioners, Cathedrals, Pariſh-Churches, Chappels, and to receive Informations againſt thoſe who were oppoſite to his deſignes herein; proceeded at laſt to the higheſt pitch of tyranny and arbitrary government in this kinde, even to queſtion, perſecute, cenſure, ruine Miniſters, Churchwardens, and others in the High-Commiſſion, Star-chamber, and elſewhere; who out of conſcience refuſed to ſubmit, or adventured to oppoſe theſe his illegall Romiſh Innovations; for proof whereof were produced ſeverall ſad and tragicall inſtances, not to be paralleld in any age. We ſhall begin with Preſidents in the High Commiſſion.

The firſt in this kinde, which we ſhall but name (becauſe ſo publickly knowne and fully proved before both Houſes this preſent Parliament) is the caſe of Maſter Peter Smart, the ancienteſt Prebend in the Cathedrall at Durham; who for preaching a Sermon in that Cathedral againſt the ſeverall popiſh Innovations brought into that Church by Dr. Coſens and his confederates, as Images, Copes, Tapers, Crucifixes, bowing to the Altar, praying towards the Eaſt, turning the Cōmunion Table of wood ſtanding in the middeſt of the Quire into an Altar of ſtone, rayled in at the Eaſt end of the Quire Altarwiſe, & adorned after the popiſh manner with all kind of Romiſh furniture, was by this Archbiſhops means (as appears by divers letters between D. Coſens and him found in his Study at Lambeth) firſt queſtioned in the High-commiſſion Court at Durham, then brought into the High-commiſſion Court at Lambeth; after that tranſmitted thence to the High-commiſſion at York; and there for this Sermon of his alone againſt theſe illegall Innovations, though a reverend grave Divine, every way conformable to the eſtabliſhed doctrine and ceremonies of the Church, deprived of his Prebendary Benefice in Durham, and all his Eccleſiaſticall preferments, degraded from his Miniſtery, fined 500 li. and impriſoned divers years, till this preſent Parliament, to his utter ruine, and above ten thouſand pound dammage, the Archbiſhop diſpoſing of his Livings to his own Creatures.

This ſentence of his in the High-commiſſion at York, was ſeconded with another (though not of ſo high a nature) in the High-commiſſion at Lambeth.

Mr. Charles Chaucy, Miniſter of Ware in Hertfordſhire, within the Dioceſſe of London, was articled againſt in the High-commiſſion by the Archbiſhops procurement (when Biſhop of London) together wth one Humphrey Parker, only for oppoſing the rayling in of the Communion Table at Ware, and ſpeaking againſt it as an innovation. Mr. Gellibrand teſtified upon his oath, that at the hearing of this cauſe, Doctor Merick of councell with Mr. Chaucy, endeavoured to excuſe and juſtifie this his oppoſition, & diſlike of the new Rayle, becauſe it was firſt ſet up by ſome few of the pariſhioners without any warrant from the Biſhop of the Dioces or his Chancellour, as was proved: whereupon the Archbiſhop grew exceeding angry, and threatned to ſuſpend the Doctor from his practiſe, for pleading thus in his Cliants behalfe: whereupon the Doctor not daring to make any further defence, Mr. Chaucey was ſuſpended from his Miniſtery, & both he and Parker ſentenced to make a publick ſubmiſſion and recantation in open Court, condemned in coſts of ſuit (taxed at 40 li.) which they were enforced to pay, & impriſoned till they had performed the order of the Court, or put in bond to do it. This was further manifeſted by the ſentence and recantation it ſelfe, 4 Ian. 1635. recorded in the High Commiſſion Regiſter, Lib. A. f. 264. 266. 331. & lib. C. which ſentence was read at the Lords Barre, in forme enſuing.

Officium Dominorū cont. Carolum Chauncy Clericum, nuper Vicarium de Ware in Com. Hertford. & Humphridum Parker Y [...]oman. Do. Ryves.

[Page]

Die Iovis viz. 26 Novemb. 1635 aoram Commiſ. Regis apud Lambeth.

At which day and place, the ſaid Chauncy and Parker being publickly called for, appeared perſonally, in whoſe preſence the proofs taken and made in this cauſe againſt them, were there publickly read; which done, Dr. Ryves his Majeſties Advocate, and Dr. Parry of councell for the Office, enforced the proofes made againſt them; and after that Dr. Zouch, Dr. Merrick, and D. Lewyu, being of Counſell for the defendants, enforced the proofs made for their defence: upon conſideration whereof it evidently appeared to the Court out of the proofs had and made in this cauſe, that for three or two years next before the year of our Lord 1633. the ſaid Charles Chauncy was Vicar of Ware, articulate within which time the Church wardens of the Pariſh of Ware, for the avoiding of confuſion and diſorder, at the time of adminiſtration of the holy Communion (becauſe ſome were conceived to receive it ſitting or leaning in their ſeats) at a generall meeting of the pariſhioners; and with the conſent of the greater part of them, agreed that the Communion Table ſhould be placed in the Chancell of the pariſh-Church of Ware, and a Rayle ſet round about it with a bench thereunto affixed, whereon the communicants might kneele: that accordingly a Rayle with ſuch a bench was ſet afterwards about the Communion Table in the middle of the Chancell of the ſaid Church of Ware; and the ſame was approved of and confirmed by the Lord Biſhop of London, Ordinary of the place, and M. Doct. Duck his Chancelour: but the foreſaid rayle and bench was not ſet up, untill an Order came from the Ordinary for the erecting thereof. That M. Chauncey ſtrongly oppoſed the ſetting up of the rayle and bench about the Communion Table, and profeſſed thereupon that he would leave the place, or to that effect; and further gave out in ſpeeches, that the pariſhioners had ſet up that rayle and bench of purpoſe to drive him away; with many other indiſcreet ſpeeches, expreſſing his great diſlike thereof. That the ſaid M. Chauncey and Humphry Parker laboured to divert the pariſhioners of Ware, from making and ſetting up of a rayle and bench about the Communion Table. And that the ſaid H. Parker for his part, when the rayle and bench were ſet up about the Communion Table, and the Communion there celebrated by M. Craven, the now Miniſter; and when as M. Craven had perſwaded the communicants there to come up to the Chancell to receive the holy Communion, refuſed ſo to do; that the ſaid Humphry Parker made a journy the time articulate from Ware to Marſten Lawrence in Northamptonſhire, to the dwellinghouſe of M. Chauncey, being near fifty miles diſtant from Ware, to ſpeak with M. Chauncey; at which time M. Chauncey upon conference had with Humphry Parker, promiſed to come to Ware, and accordingly did ſo, & lodged at the houſe of the ſaid Humphry Parker. That the ſaid M. Chauncey as well at his return to Ware, in the ſaid Parkers houſe, as at other times in other places, in preſence of divers of the pariſhioners of Ware, uſed many reproachfull ſpeeches againſt the ſetting up of the ſaid rayle and bench, in contempt of the juſt proceedings of his Ordinary, and the lawfulneſſe thereof, as the Court conceived and pronounced, (viz.) the ſaid M. Parker then and there ſpeaking of the ſetting up of the ſaid rayle and bench, affirmed, Note that it was an Innovation, a ſnare to mens conſciences, ſuperſtitious, a breach of the ſecond Commandement, an addition to Gods worſhip, and a block in M. Cravens way, meaning and ſpeaking of M. Craven now Vicar of Ware, who is a learned and conformable Miniſter: and that the ſaid M. Chauncey after the ſetting up of the ſaid rayle and bench, took it in ſuch ill part, that he never miniſtred the holy Communion more there. That M. Parker derided the ſame rayle and kneeling bench thereunto affixed, and ſcoffed at the ſetting up thereof, ſaying, it would ſerve far [Page] better purpoſe in his Garden, or to be ſet up in his Garden, or to ſuch like effect. All which the premiſes being well weighed and conſidered of; and after mature the liberation had of all that was there ſaid, and enforced by the counſell of either ſide; the ſaid M. Chauncey and Humphry Parker were both of them pronounced guilty of a contempt againſt their Ordinary and juriſdiction Eccleſiaſticall, and of raiſing a Schiſme and diſtraction in the Pariſh of Ware, being a great and populous pariſh, by their oppoſition of the laudable geſture of receiving the holy Communion kneeling, and their envying againſt the Rayle and bench, ſet up by ſufficient authority for that purpoſe about the Communion Table in the Chancel, for maintaining of good order and conformity in the Church there, as may well appear, by M. Chaunceys inveighing againſt the ſame, and his refuſing to adminiſter the holy Communion there whileſt he continued Vicar of Ware; for the which the ſaid M. Chauncey in partem p [...]nae, was by the Court ſuſpended from the execution of his Miniſteriall function, and every part thereof, and ordered ſo to ſtand, untill by his ſubmiſſion and acknowledgement Note. of his error, in broaching the ſaid opinions tending to ſchiſme and faction, this Court ſhall ſee cauſe to releaſe him: which his ſubmiſſion and his acknowledgement is to be ſet down preſcriptis verbis, by the Commiſsioners at Informations, and to be delivered unto him under the Regiſters hand of this Court, and to be by him read and performed here in open Court, and then to be intimated and made known in the pariſh Church of Ware, where he hath given ſuch cauſe of ſcandall and offence. He was further condemned in expences or coſts of fuit which are to be moderately taxed by the Commiſsioners at Informations. And the ſaid Humphry Parker was likewiſe condemned in moderate charges or expences, and to make his ſubmiſsion in like manner, conceptis verbis, as this Court ſhall appoint. Laſtly, they were both ordered to ſtand committed till they ſhall give ſufficient bond in a 100 li. a piece to his Majeſties uſe, for the performance of the order of the Court. And becauſe it was alleaged and pretended on M. Chauncies behalfe, that ſince his comming to be Perſon of Marsten-Lawrence in Northamptonſhire, he had in teſtofocation of his conformity, ſet up, or cauſed to be ſet up ſuch a Rayle about the Communion Table in the Chancell of his pariſh Church there, the Court decreed Letters to be ſent from this Court to the Lord Biſhop of Peterborough, to deſire his Lordſhip to enquire of the truth of this allegation, and to certifie this Court of the truth thereof, the ſecond Seſsion of the next Tearm: As alſo how the ſaid Maſter Chauncey hath otherwiſe conformed himſelfe there to the orders of the Church of England, here by law eſtabliſhed.

The manner and form of M. Chauncies recantation the next court-day, for ſpeaking againſt the rayle, is thus recorded in the High Commiſsion Regiſter.

This day the ſaid Mr. Chauncey appeared perſonally, and with bended knees read his ſubmiſsion in Court, which followes.

§

Whereas I Charles Chauncey Clerk, late Vicar of Ware, in the County of Hertford, ſtand by ſentence of this honourable Court legally convicted, for oppoſing the Note. ſetting of a rayle about the Communion Table in the Chancell of the Pariſh-church of Ware, with a bench thereunto affixed, for the Communicants to reſort unto, and to receive the bleſſed Sacrament there, kneeling upon their knees, and for uſing invective ſpeeches againſt the ſaid rayle and bench, ſaying it was an Innovation, [...] ſnare to mens conſciences, and a breach of the ſecond Commandement, an addition to the Lords worſhip, and that which hath driven me out of Towne. I the ſaid Charles Chauncey do here before this honourable Court, acknowledge my great offence in uſing the ſaid invective words, and am heartily ſorry for the ſame. I proteſt, Note. and am ready to declare by vertue of mine Oath, that I now hold and am perſwaded in my conſcience, that kneeling at the receiving of the holy Communion is a lawfull and commendable geſture; and that a rayle ſet up in the Chancell of any [Page] Church by the authority of the Ordinary, with a bench thereunto affixed for the communicants, to repaire unto to receive the holy Communion kneeling, is a decent and convenient ornament for that purpoſe, and this Court conceiveth, that the rayle ſet up lately in the Pariſh-church of Ware, with the bench affixed, is ſuch an one. And I do further confeſſe, that I was much to blame for oppoſing the ſame, and do promiſe from henceforth, never by word or deed to oppoſe either that or any other the laudable rites and ceremonies preſcribed and commanded to be uſed in the Church of England.

Charles Chauncey.

‘Which ſubmiſſion being thus as aforeſaid read and ſubſcribed by the ſaid Maſter Chauncey, his Counſell moved that he might be diſmiſſed; but the Counſell for the Office deſired, that the ſaid M. Chauncey might here receive w judiciall admonition, which the Court conceiving very fit and requiſite, the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, in the name of the whole Court, did now judicially admoniſh the ſaid Charles Note Chauncey, from henceforth to carry himſelf peaceably and conformably to the doctrine and diſcipline, rites and ceremonies eſtabliſhed and commanded to be uſed in the Church of England; and neither by word nor deed to oppoſe or bring into diſeſteem any of them, with this intimation; That in caſe he were convented againe for any oppoſition or refractorineſſe touching the premiſes, that the Court intended to proceed againſt him with all ſeverity, and with this admonition the Court diſmiſſed him the ſaid M. Chauncey from any further attendance touching this cauſe, he firſt paying the charges of ſuit taxed againſt him, and the fees of his diſmiſſion.’

Theſe two leading caſes and cenſures in the High-commiſſions, at York and Lambeth, ſeconded with this enforced ſubmiſſion, ſtruck ſuch a terror into moſt Miniſters and Churchwardens in thoſe parts, that few or none durſt oppoſe thoſe Innovations; and gave ſuch encouragement to the Prelates and popiſh Clergie, that they proceeded vigorouſly in the preſſing, introducing of them every where; and if any man durſt oppoſe or vary from their injunctions, they were preſently brought into the High-commiſſion, and there proceeded againſt with utmoſt rigour.

This was manifeſted by the caſe of Mr. Miles Burkitt, one of the Vicars of Pateſhall M. Burdits caſe. in Northamptonſhire; who for delivering the Sacrament only to ſome who refuſed out of conſcience to come up to the new Rayle, and removing the Communion Table at the Sacrament time into the midſt of the Chancell without the rayle, according to the very Letter of Queen Elizabeths Injunctions and the 82 Canon, was apprehended by a Purſevant in the Year 1638, and thus Articled againſt in the High-commiſſion at Lambeth, by Sir John Lambes and the Archbiſhops meanes, among whoſe papers his Articles were found, and read at the Lords Barre, being atteſted by Maſter Prynne.

§

Inprimis, we Article and object to you the ſaid Miles Burkitt, that you doe not bow at the Name of JESUS in time of Divine Service.

Item, we Article and object, that you the ſaid Miles Burkitt, being enjoyned by the Ordinary or his Surrogates officiate for him, to keep within the rayles at the miniſtring of the Sacrament, and to give the Sacrament to none that will not come Note. up to the rayles; he the ſaid Miles Burkitt in contempt of his ſaid Ordinary, doth come forth out of the ſaid rayles, and doth adminiſter the Sacrament to many that will not come up to the ſaid rayles; Hocque fuit & eſt verum, &c.

Item, we Article and object, that you the ſaid Miles Burkite, did conſent, procure, and abet Paul Gardner one of the Churchwardens of Pateſhall in the County of Northampton aforeſaid, to remove and carry down forth of the rayles the Communion Table into the body of the Chancell, and there did miniſter the holy Sacrament Note. on Eaſterday laſt paſt, and other times, notwithſtanding the Articles of your Dioceſan to the contrary. Hocque fuit & eſt verum, &c.

[Page] Upon which Articles, this good Miniſter was for a long time vexed in the Highcommiſſion, and almoſt ruined.

From Miniſters thus perſecuted for oppoſing theſe Innovations of rayling in Communion Tables Altarwiſe, and adminiſtring the Sacrament at the Rayles, we ſhall proceed to Church-wardens ſeverally proſecuted, excommunicated, and undone, for not rayling in Communion Tables only, or removing them out of the rayles.

We ſhall begin with the Churchwardens of Beckington in the County of Somerſet, whoſe caſe, by the teſtimonies of Mr. John Aſh (a Member of the Houſe of Commons, The Churchwardens of Beckingtons caſe. and Lord of that Pariſh) of M. William Long, and M. George Long (who ſolicited the cauſe in the Churchwardens behalfe) was manifeſted to be thus. The Communion Table in the Pariſh-church of Beckington had for 70 years and more ſtood in the midſt of the Chancell, encloſed with a very decent Wainſcot-border, and a dore, with ſeats for the Communicants to receive in, round about it: In the year 1633. D. Pierce Biſhop of Bath and Wels (a great creature of Canterburies) appointed certaine Commiſſioners to view the Churches within his Dioceſſe, & certifie to him the defects thereof: who viewing the Church of Beckington certified among other things, that there was not a decent Communion Table in it, neither was it placed under the Eaſt window, nor railed in otherwiſe then with a Border about it, where Nota. the communicants kneel at the holy Communion, and that there were ſeats above the Communion Table. To which Certificate the Churchwardens and Sidemen of Beckington were ordered by the Biſhop to return an anſwer under their hands before Aſcenſion-day 1634. which they did accordingly. After which the Churchwardens were enjoyned by the Biſhop by word of mouth, to remove and rayle in their Communion Table Altarwiſe, againſt the Eaſt end of the Chancel: which they refuſing to doe, conceiving it to be againſt the Rubrick, Q. Elizabeths Injunctions, and the 82 Canon: thereupon Iames Wheeler, & Iohn Fry, Churchwardens, were on the 9 of June 1635. cited into the Biſhops Court at Wels, before William Hunt the Biſhops Surrogate, and D. Duck his Chancelour; for that the Communion Table in the Chancell of Beckington was not placed under the Eaſt window of the Chancel, nor rayled in otherwiſe then with a Border about it, and that there were ſeats above the ſaid Table; who admoniſhed them to repaire the ſaid defects, and to place the Lords Table againſt the Eaſt wall of the Chancell, with the ends of it North and South, as it ſtood in the Cathedrall Church at Wels, with a rayle about it; and to certifie that they had done all this by the 6 of October following; At which day they were excommunicated in open Court by the Biſhop himſelf, for refuſing to remove and rayle in the Table and pull down the ſaid ſeats. Whereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches for relief, where after much waiting and ſolicitation, they procured from Sir Iohn Lambe, Dean of the Arches, a Letter to the Biſhop to abſolve them for a time, wch he did only for 27 dayes, admoniſhing them to ſubmit to what he had formerly enjoyned them; for not doing whereof he excommunicated them againe in open Court on the 12 of January following. Hereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches the ſecond time, and petitioned the Archbiſhop for reliefe, to which Petition this Certificat under the hands of about one hundred of the Pariſhioners was annexed.

To the moſt Reverend Father in God, and Right Honourable, William by Gods providence, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan ever all England.

We the Inhabitants and pariſhioners of Beckington in the County of Somerſet, do humbly certifie, that the Communion Table of our Church of Beckington, hath and doth ſtand in the midſt of the Chancel, being the moſt convenienteſt place (time out of minde) and beyond the remembrance of any of our pariſhioners now living. And that near threeſcore years ſince the pavement of the ſaid Chancel, upon which the Communion Table ſtandeth, was new made, and in the new making [Page] thereof, raiſed about a foot above the reſt of the ground of the ſaid Chancell, and then alſo compaſſed about with a fair Wainſcot border, in which there is only one Wainſcot door to come into the ſaid Table, which door is kept faſt, and none doth enter in thereat, but the Miniſter and ſuch as he doth require; which ſaid Communion Table doth at the day of the date hereof, ſtand ſo conveniently and decently as aforeſaid. And we the ſaid pariſhioners, with an unanimous conſent do humbly pray, That it may ſo continue freed from all Innovation.

And ſo do humbly take our leaves,

dated this 19 day of December, Anno Dom, 1635.

But notwithſtanding this Petition and Certificate, the Archbiſhop refuſed to admit of their Appeal, threatned them with the High-commiſſion, and to lay their Solicitour by the heels, commanding them to ſubmit to and obey their Diocaeſan, who ſent up all the proceedings in this cauſe to the Archbiſhop, with ſeverall reaſons why this Table ſhould be removed, (found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy by Mr. Prynne, endorſed with his own hand:) Whereupon they were enforced to petition the King himſelf for reliefe; informing his Majeſty, ‘That the Communion Table had continued as then it ſtood, by the approbation of all the Archbiſhops & Biſhops of that Dioceſſe, during the reignes of Queen Elizabeth, King James, and even eleven years in his Majeſties reigne, as appeared by a Certificate under the hands of almoſt an hundred of the pariſhioners hands annexed to the Petition; deſiring the Table might not be removed:’but the Archbiſhop by his power hindred them from receiving any relief from his Majeſty: upon what grounds and reaſons, this Letter of the Biſhop of Bath and Wels to Sir Iohn Lambe, will beſt diſcover.

Good Maſter Deane,

According to my promiſe in my Letter to you the laſt week, I have now ſent unto you a copy of all my proceedings in the cauſe, concerning the Chancel of the Pariſhchurch of Beckington, and the placing of the Communion Table therein, together with my reaſons for the ſame, which I hope will give you full ſatisfaction in this buſineſſe; I have ſent likewiſe a copy to my Lords Grace of Canterbury; not that I think it worthy of his reading, or that he hath leiſure to peruſe it, but that it may lye by him; that when you ſpeak with his Grace about this, among other buſineſſes, his Grace may have recourſe to my papers, if he think fit.

There are in my Dioceſſe 469 Churches and Chappels, or thereabout, and the Communion Tables are placed already in above 140 of them, as the Communion Table is placed in our Cathedrall Church here: I have begun and proceeded herein Note. in a perſwaſive way; ſome pariſhes were no ſooner ſpoken to, but they obeyed; other Pariſhes refuſed at the firſt, but they were quickly ſatisfied, and then ſubmitted; only the Churchwardens of Beckington, being encouraged and back'd by divers of the pariſh, not ſo well affected to the government and rites of the Church as they ſhould be, are become obſtinate, and will have the Chancell ordered, and the Communion Table there placed as the pariſhioners ſhall think fit, who alſo bear the charges of theſe Churchwardens, as they have confeſſed unto me; which was the cauſe why they haſted ſo ſpeedily to London, and ſtayed ſo long there, about this buſineſſe.

If theſe men have their wils, the example will do a great deal of harme, for then many of the Pariſhes which have already conformed themſelves to the Cathedrall Note. will fall back, and other Pariſhes will never come on to this conformity, who are now at a ſtand to ſee what will be done in the Chancell of Beckington. I know your judgement and affection to the Church concurres with mine, and therefore I am aſſured you will do nothing herein, but that which ſhall be for the good of the Church and preſervation of authority in all things juſt and lawfull.

I pray, If D. Duck deſire to read the coppy of the proceedings and reaſons which I have ſent you, let him borrow it of you, for it is fit my Chancelour ſhould be acquainted [Page] with theſe things, whoſe counſell and aſſiſtance muſt be uſed therein. And ſo with remembrance of my true love, and beſt wiſhes to you, I commend you to the grace of God, and reſt

Your very affectionate and faithfull friend, Guil. Bath and Wels.

Wels 2 Ian. 1635.

Hereupon the poor Churchwardens being deſtitute of all relief, continued excommunicated about a whole year, after which they were taken and impriſoned in the common Gaole, a long time, upon a Capias Excommunicatum: from whence at laſt they were releaſed by the Biſhop, upon this enſuing ſubmiſſion and pennance, worſe then any impriſonment.

A true Copy of the Pennance that Iames Wheeler and Iohn Frye were enjoyned unto by my Lord Biſhop of Bath and Wels, examined by thoſe whoſe names are underwritten; Thomas Iles, Iohn Bailly, George Long, William Webb.

Whereas the right reverend Father in God, William by Gods permiſſion Lord Biſhop of Bathe and Wels, hath heretofore lawfully required and commanded James Wheeler and John Frye, late Churchwardens of the Pariſh-church of Beckington, within the Dioces of Bathe and Wels aforeſaid, to remove the Communion Table in the Chancell of their ſaid pariſh-Church; and to place it cloſe under the Eaſt wall of the ſaid Chancell, in the ſame manner and forme as the Communion Table ſtandeth in the Cathedrall Church in Wells aforeſaid, and to remoue the ſeats placed above the ſaid Table. And Note. likewiſe whereas they the ſaid James Wheeler and John Frye, contemned and wilfully diſobeyed the command of the ſaid Reverend Father, and have in moſt contemptuous manner ſtood excommunicated for their ſaid contempt, for the ſpace of one whole yeare now laſt past, or there abouts, not regarding nor fearing the dreadfull Cenſure of the Church. And have likewiſe ſome dayes laſt paſt ſtood aggravated, and have been ſignified unto the Kings moſt excellent Majeſty for the apprehending their bodies, and committing them to the Common-gaole of the County of Somerſet, the rather to compell them to their due obedience to the lawfull command of the Church: now upon the earneſt requeſt and ſubmiſſion of the ſaid Wheeler and Fry, the ſaid Reverend Father hath abſolved them from the ſaid ſentences, and enjoyned unto them, that upon Sunday the 25 day of Iune, in the year of our Lord God, one thouſand ſix hundred thirty ſeven, they in their uſuall apparell ſhall stand, firſt in the middle Ally in the Pariſh-church of Beckington aforeſaid, and there immediately after the reading of the Goſpell, ſhall openly and penitently with an audible voice, make this acknowledgement following, repeating the ſame after the Miniſter, viz.

We James Wheeler and John Fry, do here before this Congregation aſſembled, acknowledge and confeſſe, that we have grievouſly offended the Divine Majeſty of Almighty Note God, and the lawes Eceleſiaſticall of this Realme of England, in that we have in contemptuous manner refuſed to remove the Communion Table in the Chancell of the Pariſh-church of Beckington, and to place it cloſe under the Eaſt wall of the ſaid Chancell, in the ſame manner and forme as the Communion Table ſtandeth in the Cathedrall Church in Wels, and to remove the ſeats placed above the ſaid Table, being thereunto lawfully and judicially moniſhed, and warned, by the right reverend Father in God the Lord Biſhop of Bath and Wels. And in that for our contempts and diſobediences, in not performing the ſaid lawfull command of the ſaid reverend Father, we have ſuffered our ſelves to be lawfully excommunicated, and ſo to stand for the ſpace of one whole yeare laſt paſt, or thereabouts, not fearing nor regarding the dreadfull cenſure of the Church. And in like or rather more contemptuous manner have ſuffered our ſelves to be lawfully aggravated and ſignified according to the laudable laws [...] ſtatutes of this Realm, thereby [Page] in a legall manner to compell us to our due obedience to the lawfull command of the Church. And we do hereby proteſt, that we are right heartily ſorry for the ſame, and we do faithfully promiſe, never from henceforth to offend in the like againe, but to demeane our ſelves as ſhall become good Chriſtians and dutifull ſubjects: and we doe ask God forgiveneſſe for this our ſinne and offence, and you all here preſent, for our evill example.

And we doe deſire you all to pray for us and with us to Almighty God, that it may pleaſe him of his infinite goodneſſe to forgive us of this our offence.

And then humbly and penitently kneeling downe, muſt devoutly rehearſe the Lords Prayer, and they muſt certifie hereof at Wels in writing, ſubſcribed to theſe preſents, under the hands of the Miniſter and Churchwardens of Beckington aforeſaid, on Tueſday the 27 day of Iune aforeſaid, together with this Schedule.

And the like pennance is to be performed by the within named James Wheeler and John Fry for the ſame offence in the Pariſh-church of Froom-felwood, within the Dioces aforeſaid, before the Pulpit or Ministers ſeat there, in manner and forme preſcribed, on Sunday the 2 day of Iuly Anno predict. And certificate muſt be made of the due performance thereof as aboveſaid, under the hands of the Miniſter and Churchwardens there, upon Tueſday the fourth day of Iuly aforeſaid, ſubſcribed to theſe preſents.

And the like pennance is further to be performed by the ſaid James Wheeler and John Fry for the ſame offence in the Pariſh-church of S. Peter and Pauls in Bathe, within the Dioces above mentioned, upon Sunday the ninth day of Iuly above written, and certificate is to be made accordingly, the 11 day of July aforeſaid.

Ja. Huiſhe Reg.

This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry and Ja. Wheeler, of the Pariſh of Beckington, was accordingly performed by them in the Pariſh-church there, the 25 day of Iune 1637.

Alexander Huiſhe Rect. ibid.

The mark of Richard B [...]t Churchwarden, Alexander Webb.

This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry and Ja. Wheeler, of the Pariſh of Beckington, was accordingly performed by them in the Pariſh Church of Froomfelwod, the 2 day of Iuly 1637.

John Beaument Curat, ibid.

Thomas Albyn

John Norfolke

Churchwardens.

William Cooke.

This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry, and Ja. Wheeler, of the Pariſh of Beckington was accordingly performed by them in the Pariſh-church of the ſaid S. Peter and Paul in Bathe, the 9 Iuly 1637.

Theoph. Webbe, Rector ibid.

Richard Duace

Thomas Parcker

Churchwardens.

Henry Gaye.

The [...] ſubmiſſion made againſt theſe poor mens conſciences did ſo afflict them, that they never enjoyed themſelves afterwards, Iames Wheeler falling preſently after ſick and dying, profeſſing often on his death bed, that this pennance and ſubmiſſon, ſo much againſt his conſcience, had broken his heart, & was the only cauſe of his ſickneſſe and death. The Biſhop of Bathe and Wels preteſted, that he did nothing herein but by the Archbiſhops direction, with which Mr. Iohn Aſh acquainting the Archbiſhop ſince his commitment to the Tower, heacknowledged it to be [...], and that [...]e did herein like an obedient Dioceſ [...] to his Metropolitan.

What further tyrannicall and [...] of proceedings were afterwards uſed by this [...] the Churchwardens and ſome of other Pariſhioners [Page] of Beckington for oppoſing Mr. Huiſh their Miniſter in rayling in the Communion Table, and raiſing a new Mount at the Eaſt end of the Chancel, in a peaceable manner, we ſhall further give in evidence in a more proper charge.

The next example we ſhall inſtance in, is the caſe of Ferdinando Adams, one of the Churchwardens of S. Mary Towre Church in Ipſwich, who together with his fellow Ferdinando Adams his caſe. Church-warden Titus Camplin, was excommunicated by Henry Dade (one of the Archbiſhops Subſtitutes in his Metropoliticall Viſitation, and Surrogate to Sir Nathaniel Brent) in the Archbiſhops own name, For not taking downe the ſeates ſtanding above the Communion Table in this Church, and railing in the Table Altarwiſe againſt the wall, as he was injoyned, by Sir Nathaniel Brent the Archbiſhops Vicargenerall, Note, in his Metropoliticall Viſitation. This was proved by the Excommunication it ſelf, read in the Lords Houſe in theſe following words.

‘Gulielmus providentia divina Cant. Archeipiſe. totius Angliae Primas & Metropolitanus, ad quem omnis & omnimoda Iuriſdictio ſpiritualis & Eccleſiaſtica, ad Epiſcopum Norwiſcenſ. ſpectan. & pertinent. ratione Viſitationis noſtrae Metropoliticae infra Dioceſ. Norwic. modo exercit. notoriè dignoſcitur pertinere; Vniverſis & ſingulis Restoribus, &c. ſalutem. Cum dilectus noſter Magiſter Henricus Dade, omnes & ſingulas perſonas utriuſque ſexus quorum nomina & cognomina inferius ſubſcribuntur & recitantur &c. Excommunicandos fore decreuit, &c. Vobis igitur firmiter injungendo mandamus, quatenus praefatas perſonas in preſcriptis ſic ut praefatur, authoritate noſtra excommunicaetas, pro ſic excommunicatis in Eccleſiis veſtris parochialibus diebus Dominicis ac Festivis poſt receptionem praeſentium immediatè ſequentibus tempore divinorum, dum major in ijſdem ad divina audienda ad fuerit populi multitudo, palam & publicè denuncietis & declaretis cum effectu, ſub poena juris, &c. Datum ſub ſigillo quo in haec parte utimur, decimo dic menſis Iulij An. Dom. 1635. ſanctae Mariae ad Turrim Gipwici, Ferdinando Adams, Titum Camplin Gardianos ibidem, in non removendo ſedilia ab Orientali muro infra Cancellum Eccleſiae, & in non ſt [...]endo Menſam Dominicam in ſupremo loco juxta murum, Nota. praedictum ſecundum monitionem judicialem Dom. Nathanialis Brent Militis, Domini Archiepiſcopi Vicaerii in ſpiritualibus generalis, judicialiter factam.’

Ferdinando Adams being thus excommunicated, ſought to avoid this Excommunication by an Appeale, but could procure no releaſe; and being laid in wait for by Purſevants out of the High-commiſſion for ſuing Dade in the Star-chamber, where this Excommunication was pleaded in Bar againſt him, he was enforced to leave the Kingdom, & flye into New England till this Parliament, almoſt to his utter undoing, as he atteſted upon oath, and ſhall be hereafter more fully proved in another charge.

To this we ſhall ſubjoyne the caſe of Iohn Premly one of the Church-wardens of Ioh. Premly his caſe. Lewis in Suſſex, who was proſecuted in the High-commiſſion Court, and there on the 8 of May 1638. cenſured fined, impriſoned, condemned in coſts of ſuit, and ordered to make a ſubmiſsion, for that when as Sir Nathaniel Brent in the Archbiſhops Metropoliticall Viſitation, by injunction from the ſaid Archbiſhop, had ordered the Communion Table in the Church of Lewis to be placed North and South at the upper end of the Chancel, and there rayled in, which was done accordingly, Premly in a contemptuous manner had removed it from thence, unto the place where it formerly ſtood; whereupon Dr. Nevel himſelf replacing it at the Eaſt end of the Chancell North and South, according to the ſaid Archbiſhops Injunction, he preſumed againe to remove and bring it down to its ancient place, to the great affront of his Graces Injunctions, and the ill example of others. All which was manifeſted by the very ſentence it ſelf recorded in the High-commiſsion Regiſter-book, which was read in the Houſe of Peers to the effect aforeſaid.

The Committee of the Commons houſe alleaged, that ſundry other examples of like nature, and of excommunicating hundreds of conſciencious people for refuſing to receive the Sacrament at the new rayles, might be produced in moſt Dioceſſe of Englsand, but they would content themſelves with theſe alone, and that of Mr. Samuel Burrough [...] of Colcheſter, which they ſhould make uſe of upon another occaſion; and [Page] proceed to ſuch who had been grievouſly cenſured in the Star-chamber & High-commiſſion by the Archbiſhops means for oppoſing, defacing, or preaching againſt the uſe or ſetting up idolatrous Pictures of God the Father, & Chriſt, & Saints in Churches, in direct oppoſition to our Homilies againſt the perill of idolatry, (confirmed by the 39 Articles) and contrary to our Statutes, Injunctions, Canons, and the current of all our Orthodox writers.

The firſt preſident of this nature inſtanced in, was the caſe of Mr. Henry Sherfield a Bencher of Lincolns-Inne, the true ſtate whereof was briefly this. M. Sherfield M. Hen. Sherfields caſe. being Recorder of Sarum, a Juſtice of peace within that City, and an inhabitant of S. Edmonds Pariſh there, took juſt offence at ſome pictures in one of the glaſſe-windows in that Church, near unto his ſeat, and ever in his eye: in which window was contained in old, rude, ruſty painted glaſſe, the Hiſtory of the Creation, not as it is related by Moſes in the firſt Chapter of Geneſis, but after the Painters fancy; who in this window (conſiſting only of four panes) had made no leſſe then ſeven picturs of God the Father, in form of a little old man clad in a blew and red coat, with a pouch by his ſide, about the bigneſſe of a Puppet; and prepoſterouſly placed the fourth daies work of creation before the third, and made that to be done on the fifth day, which was created on the ſixth: and in one place he had repreſented God the Father creating the Sunne and Moon, and ſquaring them out with a pair of compaſſes in his hand, as if he had formed them by ſome Geometricall rules, and the help of a Compaſſe. To theſe pictures M. Sherfield and others had ſeen Ema Browne and other old women make low curteſies, who being demanded why they made ſuch curteſies? anſwered, that they made them to their Lord God, and to God the Father in the Glaſſewindow, which was proved by divers Mr. Peter Thatcher Miniſter of the Pariſh, and three others. witneſſes upon oath: Wherupon M. Sherfield being perſwaded in point of conſcience, that theſe Idolatrous Pictures were directly forbidden by the ſecond Commandement, and many expreſſe Texts of Scripture, prohibiting any repreſentations of God the Father, condemned thus by the Homilies of our Church againſt the Perill of idolatry, Part. 3. [...]. 40. which determine that. The Image of God the Father, the Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, either ſeverally, or the images of the Trinity, be by the Scriptures expreſly forbidden and condemned, as appears by theſe places, Deut. 4. Iſay 40. Acts 17. Rom. 1. (there cited at large) By theſe and many other places of Scripture, it is evident, that no Image either ought or can be made to God. For how can God a most pure ſpirit, whom man never ſaw, he expreſſed by a groſſe body, or viſible ſimilitude? or how can the infinite Majeſty and greatneſſe of God incomprehenſible to mans minde, much more not able to be compaſſed with the ſenſe, be expreſſed in a SMAL and LITTLE IMAGE? (as this of God the Father was:) How can a dead and dumbe Image expreſſe the living God? &c. Wherefore an Image of God is not only a lye, but a double lye alſo. But the Devill is a lyar, and the Father of lyes. Wherefore the lying Images which he made of God, to his great diſhonour and horrible danger of his people, came from the Devill. Wherefore they be convict of fooliſhneſſe and wickedneſſe in making of Images of God or the Trinity; for no Image of God ought or can be made, yea, and once to deſire an Image of God, commeth of infidelity, thinking not God here preſent, except they ſee ſome ſigne or Image of him. And to be aboliſhed out of Churches, by the reſolution of Queen Elizabethe Injunctions, the Canons, and Oxthodox Writers of our Church, the Statutes of our Realme, and King James his own reſolution in ſundry of his Works, moved the Pariſh at a Veſtry where were ſix Juſtices of Peace preſent, that he might have liberty to take down this offenſive ſcandalous Window, being a burthen to his conſcience, an occaſion of much ſuperſtition and idolatry to ignorant people, and the Church it ſelf a Donative (as they conceived) belonging to the pariſhioners, and to ſet up a new window of white glaſſe in its place; whereupon it was unanimouſly ordered by the Veſtry, about January 1629. and the Order entred, that if M. Sherfield thought fit he might take downe the painted old glaſſe of this Window, and ſet up new. Whereupon not long after, he did with his ſtaffe breake or picke out ſome of thoſe peeces of glaſſe repreſenting God the Father, which amounted not to above the value of ſix pence (the [Page] whole glaſſe window not being worth forty ſhillings when it was new) intending to new glaze the ſame. Whereupon by the Archbiſhops means and inſtigation, an Information was exhibited againſt him in the Star-chamber, by the Kings Attorney Generall, for breaking theſe idolatrous pictures, and that in oppoſition of the Church-government eſtabliſhed by law among us. This cauſe was proſecuted with all rigour, and at laſt brought to a hearing on the 8 of February 1632. where this Archbiſhop, then Biſhop of London, (as was proved by the Oathes of Maſter Tomlins, a Barriſter of the Temple, M. Joſeph Caryll, Lecturer at Lincolnes Inne, and the teſtimony of M. Robert Nicholas a Member of the Commons Houſe, & a Commiſſioner in that cauſe) ſhewed himſelfe very violent againſt M. Sherfield, made a long ſpeech in defence of Images in Churches, contrary to our Homilies, juſtified the picturing of God the Father in forme of an old man, out of that place of Daniel, where God is called, Dan. 9. The ancient of dayes, which the Earl of Dorſet refuted (being an expreſſion only of Gods eternity, declaring him to be before all times) and notwitſtanding it was proved by four witneſſes, that thoſe pictures were adored by divers perſons, yet the Archbiſhop was ſo violent against Mr. Sherfield, that for breaking of theſe idolatrous pictures (according to the doctrine of our Church in the Homilies againſt the perill of Idolatry, Queen Elizabeth Injunctions, and the ſtatute of 3 & 4 E. 6. ca. 10. which were pleaded for his juſtification) he agravated his offence to the utmoſt, from his Office, his Age, his profeſſion, and divers other circumſtances, inſtead of mittigating it, fined him a thouſand pound to the King, ſentenced him to be removed from his Recorderſhip in that City, to make a publick acknowledgement of his great fault in the Pariſh-church where this was done, and in the Cathedrall at Saliſbury, and to be bound to his good behaviour; ſome of the Temporall Lords excuſed his fact, ſpake much againſt Images; and thought it fit to impoſe no fine upon him. This Archbiſhop then concluded his ſpeech againſt M. Sherfield, in juſtification of Images, with theſe words, I have been the willinger to render this ancount at this time, becauſe ſome are ready to ſlander Ʋs, as maintainers of POPISH SƲPERSTITION, and I know not what. This ſentence gave great incouragement to the ſetting up of ſuperſtitious idolatrous Pictures, Images, and Crucifixes in our Churches, and diſcouraged moſt men from oppoſing the intended introducing of them, which followed thereupon in ſundry places.

To this we ſhall adde the Archbiſhops tyrannicall ſentence and proceedings againſt M. John Workeman a godly painfull Miniſter, Lecturer in the City of Gloceſter, for M. Iohn Workmans caſe. preaching againſt Images in Churches. This pious Miniſter being Lecturer in S. Stephens Church in that City, was proſecuted for preaching publickly in a Sermon there, That Pictures or Images were no more ornaments to a Church, then Stewes to a Common wealth: That for a man to have any Image of any Saint, eſpecially of our Saviour in his houſe, is unlawfull; and that if any man kept ſuch pictures in his houſe, if it were not flat Idolatry, yet it was little better. This was the maine charge againſt him: to which was added, that he uſed ſome harſh expreſſions againſt lacivious mixt dancing, eſpecially on the Lords day, citing only the words of the Hiſt. of the Waldenſ. par. 3. l. 2. c. 9. Waldenſes in their cenſure againſt Dancing, (borrowed frō Speculum morale, l. 3. p. 9. diſt. 9. Vincentius Belvacenſis, & Summa virtutum & vitiorum. tom 2. Tit. de luxuria. c. 3. Gulielmus Peraldus, two Popiſh Writers of great note; and juſtified by Biſhop Babington in his expoſition upon the ſeventh Commandement) and that he prayed for the States of Holland the King of Sweden, and other Generals beyond the ſeas in his prayer, before he prayed for the King that now is over us; which was but according to the uſuall courſe of all or moſt Miniſters, who firſt prayed for the whole Catholick Church in generall, next for the Proteſtant Churches and Princes beyond the ſeas, and then for the Church and King of England, and agreeable to the forme of the very Common-prayer-book, in the prayer for the whole ſtate of Chriſts Church, &c. which runs thus, We beſeech thee alſo to ſave and defend all Chriſtian Kings, Princes and Governours, (which comprehends all foreine Princes in the firſt place) and especially thy ſervant Charles our King, &c. who is remembred laſt of all, but yet in a more ſpeciall manner. But theſe two laſt particulars, though mentioned in his ſentence, were no inducements to it, but only the firſt paſſage againſt Images, which M. Workman juſtified out of divers of our owne [Page] Engliſh Authors, and the very Homilies againſt the perill of Idolatry, Part. 3. p. 41. to 631. which determine thus: That no Jmage of God, or the Trinity, or of Chriſt, may or ought to be made; that ſuch Images are not only defects but lyes, and teach nothing of God or Chriſt, but lyes and errours. That Images placed publickly in Temples, cannot poſſibly be without danger of worſhipping and idolatry: wherefore they are not publickly to be, or ſuffered in Temples and Churches, &c.

We infer and ſay for the Adverſative, that all our Images of God, our Saviour Chriſt, and his Saints, publickly ſet up in Temples and Churches, places peculiarly appointed to the true worſhip of God, be not things indifferent nor tolerable, but againſt Gods law & commandment, taking their own interpretation and expoſition of it. Firſt, for that all Images ſo ſet up publickly, have bin worſhipped of the unlearned and ſimple ſort, ſhortly after they had been publickly ſo ſet up, and in concluſion of the wiſe and learned alſo. Secondly, for that they are worſhipped in ſundry places now in our time alſo. And thirdly, for that it is impoſſible that Images of God, Chriſt, or his Saints, can be ſuffered (eſpecially in Temples and Churches) any while or ſpace without worſhipping of them, and that Idolatry which is moſt abominable before God, cannot poſſibly be eſcaped and avoided, without the aboliſhing and deſtruction of Images and Pictures in Temples and Churches, for that Idolatry is to Images, ſpecially in Temples and Churches an inſeparable accident (as they tearm it) ſo that Images in Churches, and Idolatry, go alwayes both together, and that therefore the one cannot be avoided except the other (ſpecially in all publick places) be deſtroyed. Wherefore to make Images, and publickly to ſet them up in the Temples and Churches, places appointed peculiarly to the ſervice of God, is to make Images to the uſe of Religion, and not only againſt this precept, Thou ſhalt make us manner of Images, but againſt this alſo, Thou ſhalt not bow downe to them, nor worſhip them: for they being ſet up, have been, be, and ever will be worſhipped, &c. That it is not poſſible if Images be ſuffered in Churches and Temples, either by the preaching of Gods Word or by any other means to keep the people from worſhipping of them, and ſo to avoid idolatry, &c. What can we do, I ſay, or bring to paſſe to the ſtay of Idolatry, or worſhipping of Images, if they be allowed to ſtand publickly in Temples and Churches? And if ſo many, ſo mighty Emperours, by ſo ſevere Lawes and Proclamations, ſo rigorous and extreame puniſhments and executions, could not ſtay the people from ſetting up and worſhipping of Images, what will enſue thinke you, when men ſhall commend them as neceſſary books of the Laymen? Let us therefore of theſe latter dayes learn this leſſon of the experience of ancient Antiquity, That Idolatry cannot poſſibly be ſeparated from Images any long time, but that as an unſeparable accident, or as a ſhadow followeth the body when the Sunne ſhineth, ſo Idolatry followeth and cleaveth to the publick having of Images in Temples and Churches. And finally, as Idolatry is to be abhorred and avoided, ſo are Images which cannot be long without Idolatry, to be put away and deſtroyed. Beſides the which experiments and proof of time before, the very nature and origine of Images themſelves draweth to Idolatry moſt violently, and mens nature and inclination alſo is bent to Idolatry ſo vehemently, that it is not poſſible to ſever or part Images, nor keep men from Idolatry, if Images he ſuffered publickly, &c. For if the origine of Images and worſhipping of them, as it is recorded in the eight Chap. of the Book of Wiſdom, began of a blind love of a fond father, framing for his comfort an Image of his Sonne being dead; and ſo at the laſt men fell to the worſhipping of him whom they did know to be dead: how much more will men and women fall to the worſhipping of the Image of God, our Saviour Chriſt, and his Saints, if they be ſuffered to ſtand in Churches and Temples publickly. For the greater the opinion is of the majeſty and holineſſe of the perſon to whom an Image is made, the ſooner will the people fall to the worſhipping of the ſaid Image. Wherefore the Images of God, our Saviour Chriſt the Bleſſed Virgin Mary, the Apoſtles, Martyrs, and other of notable holineſſe, are of all other Images moſt dangerous for the perill of Idolatry, and therefore greateſt heed to be taken, that none of them be ſuffered Note. [Page] to ſtand publikely in Churches and Temples. For there is no great dread leaſt any ſhould fall to the worſhipping of Images of Annas, Caiphas, Pilate, or Judas the Traitor, if they were ſet up.

But to the other, it is already at full proved, That Idolatry hath been, is, and is moſt like continually to be committed. Now as the Nature of mari is none otherwiſe bent to worſhipping of Images (if he may have them and ſee them) then it 1 Cor. 6. 1 Cor. 4. Heb. 13. is bent to whordome and Idolatry in the company of an harlot. And as a man given to the luſt of the fleſh, ſeeing a wanton harlot, ſitting by her, and imbracing her, it profitteth little for one to ſay beware of fornication, God will condemne fornicators and adulterers: for neither will he, being overcome with greater intiſements of the ſtrumpet, give eare or take heed to ſuch godly admonition, and when he is left afterwards alone with the harlot, nothing can follow but wickedneſſe: Even ſo, ſuffer Images to be ſet in Churches and Temples, ye ſhall in 1 Joh. 5. 21. 1. Cor. 10. 14. vaine bid them beware of Images, as Saint John doth; and flee Idolatry as the Scriptures warn us: ye ſhall in vaine preach and teach againſt Idolatry. For a number will notwithſtanding fall headlong unto it, what by the nature of Images, and what by the Inclination of their own corrupt Nature.

Wherefore as for a man given to luſt, to ſit down by a ſtrumpet, is to tempt God. So is it likewiſe to erect an Idoll in this proneſſe of mans nature to Idolatry, nothing but a tempting. Now if any will ſay, that this ſimilitude proveth nothing, yet I pray them let the Word of God, out of the which the ſimilitude is taken, prove ſomething. Doth not the Word of God call Idolatry ſpirituall fornication? Doth it not call a gilt or a painted Idoll or Image, A ſtrumpet with a painted face? Levit. 17. & 10. Numb. 25. Deut. 31. Barach 6. Be not the Spirituall wickedneſſes of an Idols inticing, like the flatteries of a wanton Harlot? Be not men and women as prone to ſpirituall fornication (I mean Idolatry) as to carnall Fornication? If this be denyed let all Nations upon the earth which have been Idolaters (as by all ſtories appeareth) prove it true. Let the Jews and the people of God, which were ſo often and ſo earneſtly warned, ſo dreadfully threatned, concerning Images and Idolatry, and ſo extreamly puniſhed therefore, (and yet fell unto it) prove it to be true, as in almoſt all the books of the Old Teſtament, namely, the Kings, and the Chronicles and the Prophets, it appeareth moſt evidently. Let all Ages and times, and men of all ages and times, of all degrees and conditions, Wiſe-men, Learned-men, Princes, Ideots, unlearned and Commonalty prove it to be true. If you require Examples; for wiſe men you have the Egyptians, and the Indian Gymnoſophiſtes, for the wiſeſt men of the world, you have Solomon the wiſeſt of all other. For learned men the Greeks and namely the Athenians, exceeding all other Nations in ſuperſtition and Idolatry, Acts 17. Rom. 1. as in the Hiſtory of the Acts of the Apoſtles, Saint Paul chargeth them. For the Princes and Governours, you have the Romans the rulers of the roaſt, (as they ſay) you have the ſame ſornamed King Solomon, and all the Kings of Iſrael and Judah after him, ſaving David, Ezechias, and Joſiah, and one or two more. All theſe (I ſay) and infinite others, wiſe learned Princes and Governours, being all Idolaters, have you for examples and a proof of mens inclination to Idolatry. That I may paſſe over with ſilence in the mean time, infinite multitudes and millions of Idiots and unlearned, the ignorant and groſſe people, like unto horſes and mules, Pſal. 32. in whom is no underſtanding, whoſe perill and danger to fall on heapes to Idolatry by occaſion of Images, the Scriptures ſpecially fore-ſhew and give warning of. And indeed how ſhould the unlearned, ſimple, and fooliſh, ſcape the nets and ſnares of Idols and Images; in the which the wiſeſt and beſt learned have been ſo Wiſd. 13. 14. entangled, trapped and wrapped? Wherefore the Argument holdeth this ground ſure, that men be as inclined of their corrupt nature to ſpirituall fornication, as to carnall, which the wiſedome of God fore-ſeeing, to the Generall prohibition, that none ſhould make to themſelves any Image or ſimilitude; addeth a cauſe, depending of mans corrupt nature, leſt (ſaith God) thou being deceived with errour, honour Deut. 4, and worſhip them.

[Page] And of this ground of mans corrupt inclination, as well to ſpirituall fornication Deut. 4. as to carnall, it muſt needs follow, that as it is the duty of the godly Magiſtrate, loving honeſty and hating whoredome, to remove all Strumpets & Harlots, ſpecially out of places notoriouſly ſuſpected or reſorted unto of naughty perſons for the avoiding of carnall fornication; ſo it is the duty of the ſame godly Magiſtrate, after the example of the godly Kings, Ezekias and Joſias, to drive away all ſpirituall Harlots (I mean Idols and Images) eſpecially out of ſuſpected places, Churches, Aug. in Pſ. 36. & 113. & l. 4. c. 3. De ci vitate Dei. and Temples, dangerous for idolatry to be committed to Images placed there, as it were in the appointed place and height of honour and worſhip (as S. Auguſtine ſaith) where the living God only (and no dead ſtones and ſtocks) is to be worſhipped. It is (I ſay) the office of godly Magiſtrates likewiſe to avoid Images and Idols out of Churches and Temples, as ſpirituall Harlots out of ſuſpected places, for the avoiding of idolatry, which is ſpirituall fornication. And as he were the enemy to all honeſty that ſhould bring Strumpets and Harlots out of their ſecret corners into the publick Market place, there freely to dwell and practiſe their filthy merchandize; So is he the enemy of the true worſhipping of God, that bringeth Idols and Images into the Temple and Church, the Houſe of God, there openly to be worſhipped, and to rob the jealous God of his honour, who will not give it to any other, nor his glory to carved Images; who is as much forſaken, and the bond of love between man and him as much broken by Idolatry, which is ſpirituall Iſay 42. 8. fornication, as is the knot and bond of mariage broken by carnall fornication. Let all this be taken as a lye, if the Word of God enforce it not to be true; Curſed be the man ſaith God in Deuteronomy, That maketh a carved or molten Image, and placeth it in a ſecret corner. And all the people ſhall ſay, Amen. Thus Deut. 27. ſaith God, for at that time no man durſt have or worſhip Images openly, but in corners only: and the whole World being the great Temple of God, he that in any corner thereof robbeth God of his glory and giveth it to ſtocks and ſtones, is pronounced by Gods Word accurſed. Now he that will bring theſe ſpirituall Harlots out of their lurking corners into publick Churches and Temples, that ſpirituall fornication may there openly of all men and women without ſhame be committed with them, no doubt that perſon is accurſed of God, and twice curſed; and all good and godly men and women will ſay, Amen, and their Amen will take effect alſo. Which is thus ſeconded in the ſecond part of the Homily of the place and time of prayer, p. 130, 131. The Jewes in their time provoked juſtly the vengeance of God, for that partly they abuſed his holy Temple with the deteſtable idolatry of the Heathen, and ſuperſtitious vanities of their own inventions, contrary to Gods Commandement, &c. And have not the Chriſtians of late dayes, and even in our dayes alſo, in like manner, provoked the diſpleaſure and indignation of Almighty God? Partly becauſe they have prophaned & defiled their Churches with Heatheniſh and Jewiſh abuſes, with Images and Idols, with numbers of Altars too too ſuperſtitiouſly and intollerably abuſed, &c. Finally Gods vengeance hath been and is daily provoked, becauſe much wicked people paſſe nothing to reſort to the Church, either for that they are ſo ſore blinded that they underſtand nothing of God & godlineſſe; and care not with diveliſh example to offend their neighbours; or elſe for that they ſee the Church altogether ſcowred of ſuch gay-gazing ſights, as their groſſe phantaſie was greatly delighted with; becauſe they ſee the falſe religion abandoned, and the true reſtored; which ſeemeth an unſavoury thing to their unſavoury taſte, as may appear by this that a woman ſaid to her neighbour: Alas Goſſip, what ſhould we now do at Church, ſince all the Saints are taken away, ſince all the goodly ſights wee were wont to have are gone, ſince wee cannot hear the like piping, ſinging, chaunting, and playing upon the Organs that we could before? But (dearly beloved) we ought greatly to rejoyce and give God thanks, that our Churches are delivered out of all thoſe things which diſpleaſed God ſo ſore, and filthily defiled his holy Houſe, and his place of prayer, for the which he hath juſtly deſtroyed many Nations, according to the ſaying of [Page] Saint Paul, ‘ 1 Cor. 3.If any man defile the Temple of God, God will him deſtroy.’ And this ought we greatly to praiſe God for, that ſuch ſuperſtitious and idolatious manners as were utterly naught, and defaced Gods glory, are utterly aboliſhed; as they moſt juſtly deſerved: and yet thoſe things that either God was honoured with, or his people edified are decently retained, and in our Churches comely practiſed, &c.

Mr. Workman, by all theſe and ſuch other paſſages in our Homilies (ratified and ſubſcribed unto by all our Miniſters in the 35 Article of our Church, as containing a godly and wholeſome doctrine neceſſary for theſe times; and eſtabliſhed by the ſtatute of 13 Eliz. ca. 12. which confirmes the Articles) juſtifyed every ſyllable in his Sermons againſt Images (in which he uſed only the words of our Homilies) yet notwithſtanding by the Archbiſhops violence againſt him (who went higheſt in his ſentence) on the 25 of April 1635. in the High Commiſſion held at Lambeth, was Suſpended from the execution of his office and function in the Miniſtery, excommunicated, ordered to make his ſubmiſſion and recantation of his eronious and ſcandalous doctrine, at Lambeth the next Court day, in ſuch manner and forme as ſhould be ſet down by the Commiſſioners, and delivered to him in writing under the Registers hand of the Court; and after this ſubmiſſion made publickly in Court, the ſame to be ſent down to Gloceſter, and there openly publiſhed in the Cathedrall Church of Gloceſter, and in the Church of S. Michaels immediately after Divine Service ended, when as the Congregation ſhall be then and there aſſembled; and condemned in coſts of ſuit to be taxed the next Court day, and likewiſe impriſoned. Which ſentence of his for the cauſe a foreſaid, was proved by the Regiſter-Book of the High Commiſſion, out of which it was read at the Lords Barre; by the teſtimonies of Mr. Thomas Pury, a Member of the Houſe of Commons, and of Mr. John Langley, late Schoole maſter of Glocester, and now of Pauls-Schoole in London; who further witneſſed upon oath, That Mr. Workman having been a moſt painfull diligent Preacher of Gods Word in the City of Gloceſter for above 15 years, and a man of ſingular piety, learning, wiſdome, and moderation (as the Archbiſhop himſelf confeſſed) the Corporation of Gloceſter to help ſupport his great charge of children, in conſideration of his great paines in preaching and viſiting the ſick, about September, 1633. granted him an Annuity of 20 l. per annum, under their Common Seale with one unanimous conſent, a little before his troubles in the High Commiſſion. For which act of juſtice and charity, Iohn Buckston the then Mayor, Maſter Wiſe the Town Clerk, and ſome other of the Aldermen of that City, were by the Archbiſhops procurement ſent for by a Purſevant, to appear before the Counſell Table as Delinquents; where they appearing, were fully heard concerning the granting of this Annuity, before the King himſelfe and his Councell, who ſeemed fully ſatisfied, approving of their grant, and were ready to diſmiſſe them from thence, as ſeeing no juſt cauſe for their moleſtation: Whereupon the Archbiſhop moved, that they might be tranſmitted from thence to the High Commiſſion, which by his means was ordered accordingly. After which, in January following, Mr. Pury himſelf, together with M. Henry Browne, Mr. William Priſe, Aldermen, Mr. Anthony Edwards, and others were arreſted by a Meſſenger out of the High Commiſſion, who exacted and received 20 Marks in Fees from them, to whom they gave bonds to appear in that Court the Terme following, which they did: Where they were then articled againſt, for conſenting to the grant of the ſaid Annuity to Mr. Workman, to which Articles they anſwered; and the cauſe being brought to hearing not long after their Counſell alleaged: That the ſaid grant of 20 l. per annū to M. Workman ought firſt to be proved illegall, or obtained by illegal practiſe, and the whole Corporation, whoſe act it was, & under whoſe Seal it was granted to be made parties to the ſuit, before theſe Defendants, ſued only as private men, ought, as they conceived, to be cenſured for conſenting thereunto; or the ſaid deed, made void, and cancelled: yet notwithſtanding the ſaid Mr. Edwards & one M. Nelme for conſenting to this grant only, were fined 10 l. a piece, [Page] and the grant ordered to be cancelled, which was done accordingly; and thereupon a 100. l. expence the reſt were diſmiſſed the Court, and M. Workman deprived of his Annuity. After which M. Workman himſelf being cenſured and put from his Miniſtery, and impriſoned by the High-Commiſſion, for Preaching againſt making and ſetting up the Images of the Trinity, and of Chriſt and Saints in Churches; having after ſome moneths Impriſonment, with much ſolicitation obtained his Liberty, to ſupport himſelf his wife and many ſmall children from periſhing, was neceſſitated to teach children in private, having no other livelihood left him after his former Annuity, granted him by the City of Glocester, was by the Arch-biſhops potency, unjuſtly wreſted from him; of which the Arch-biſhop being informed, inhibited him to teach any children at all in publike or private, as he would anſwer the contrary at his perill; whereupon he fell to practiſe Phyſicke for his neceſſary ſupport: which being informed of to the Arch-biſhop, he thereupon prohibited him likewiſe to practiſe Phyſick: Whereupon he having no meanes of ſubſiſtance left; and being debarred to Preach, teach School, or adminiſter Phyſick to maintain himſelf and his charge, was ſo afflicted with theſe tyrannicall and unjuſt preſſures (of which he oft complained to Maſter Langley and others,) that they drew on craſineſſe and ſickneſſe of body upon him; and as his moſt intimate friends were verily perſwaded, ſhortned his dayes, and precured his death, to the great griefe and loſſe of that City. So zealous was this Arch-Prelate in defence of Idolatrous Images; as thus moſt unjuſtly and tyrannically to ruine a moſt godly painfull Miniſter with his family, and deſtroy this living ſpeaking Image of God and Chriſt, for preaching againſt dead, falſe, unlawfull, Images, and repreſentations of them according to our Homilies, and the eſtabliſhed Doctrine of our Church.

Moreover it was then fully proved at the Lords Bar, by the oathes of Doctor Featly, and Maſter Bourne, that the Arch-biſhop was ſo mad upon Images, Pictures, and their worſhip; That Doctor Featly having Printed by licenſe, 70. Sormons of his, preached upon ſeverall occaſions, in one whereof he had cited a paſſage againſt worſhipping Images, out of the Homily againſt the Perill of Idolatry, in refutation of the Papiſts; the Arch-biſhop ſending for the Doctor commanded him to carry his ſaid Sermons to Doctor Bray his Chaplaine to peruſe, before they were publiſhed, leaſt there ſhould beany offenſive paſſages vented in them; which he doing accordingly, the ſaid Doctor purged out of the 788. page thereof, this enſuing clauſe therein cited out of the very Homely againſt the perill of Idolatry, as ſcandalous, and heterodox, cauſing the whole ſheet to be new Printed, which expunction was openly read at the Bar by Doctor Featly himſelf in theſe following words.

And howſoever ſome of late mince the matter, and beare us in hand that the framing, drawing, carving, melting, gilding, erecting, clothing, and cenſing, bowing down, and praying before Images and Pictures, is but the excreſcencie of Romiſh devotion, and no proper fruit of Idolatry and ſuperſtition: yet they who laid the firſt ſtone in the happy Reformation of our Church of England and penned the Homilies appointed by Authority to be read in all Churches condemne theſe practiſes of the Romane Church, as no leſſe idolatrous than the like of the Heathen. Homily againſt the perill of Idolatry. Part. 3. The full proof of that which in the beginning in the firſt part of this Treatiſe was touched is here to be made good and performed, to wit, that our Images and the Idols of the Gentiles be all one, as well in the things themſelves, as alſo in that our Images have been before, be now, and ever will be worſhipped in like forme and manner, as the Idols of the Gentiles were, ſo long as they be ſuffered in Churches and Temples: whereupon it followeth, that our Images in Churches have been, he, and ever will be, no other but abominable Idols. And every of theſe parts ſhall be proved in order, as hereafter followeth. And firſt that our Images and the Idols of the Gentiles are all one concerning themſelves it is moſt evident, the matter of them being gold, ſilver, or other mettle, ſtone, wood, clay or plaiſter, as were the Idols of the Gentiles: and ſo being either melten or caſt, either carved, graven, hewer or otherwiſe formed and faſhioned, after the ſimilitude or likeneſſe of man or woman, they be dead and dumb works of mens hands; having [Page] mouthes and ſpeak not, eyes and ſee not, hands and feel not, feet and go not, and ſo as well in form as matter, be altogether like the Idols of the Gentiles: inſomuch that all the titles that be given to the Idols in the Scripture, may be verified of our Images. Wherefore no doubt but the like curſes which are mentioned in Scriptures, will light upon the makers and worſhippers of them both. Secondly, that they have been & be worſhipped in our time, in like forme and manner as were the Idols of the Gentiles, is now to be proved: and for that idolatry ſtandeth chiefly in the minde, (which ſhall in this part firſt be proved) that our Image-maintainers have had and have the ſame opinion and judgement of Saints, whoſe Images they have made and worſhipped, as the Gentile idolaters had of their Gods. And afterwards it ſhall be declared that our Imagemaintainers and worſhippers, have uſed and uſe the ſame outward rites and manner of honouring and worſhipping their Images, as the Gentiles did uſe before their Idols: and that therefore they commit idolatry, as well inwardly as outwardly, as did the wicked Gentile idolaters.

By theſe two evidences of the Archbiſhops perſecuting Maſter Workman, for Nota. uſing the very words and expreſſions of our eſtabliſhed Homilies againſt Images; and his Chaplaines purging out of Doctor Featlies printed authorized Sermons, this paſſage of our Homilies, againſt the worſhipping of Images (no doubt by his direction) it is moſt apparent, that his deſignes and intentions were to ſubvert the eſtabliſhed doctrine of our Church, againſt the ſetting up and adoration of Images, and to defile our Churches againe, not only with theſe Romiſh Idols, and Paganiſh inventions, but to make us all Idolaters in worſhipping and adoring them, as the Popiſh or Gentile Idolaters did their Idol-gods.

To put this out of queſtion, we ſhall only adde one irrefragable evidence more concerning Images and Pictures. We have proved formerly that the Archbiſhop had in his own private Study a Book of Popiſh pictures of the Life, Paſſion, and Death of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and of the Virgin Mary, printed by Boetius à Bolſwert in forein parts, Anno 1623. Theſe very Pictures were all licenſed by the Archbiſhops own Chaplain Doctor Bray; printed by his own printer and Kinſman Badger, in the year 1638. for one Peake a Stationer (now in armes againſt the Parliament) and publickly ſold and bound up in Bibles; as was teſtified by Mr. Walley Clerk of Stationers Hall, and Michael Sparke Senior. Maſter Willingham likewiſe atteſted upon oath concerning theſe Pictures and Crucifixes put into the Bibles: that Captain Peak at Holborne Cundit, Bookſeller, who printed theſe pictures for Bibles, did affirme, that he printed them with the good liking, and by the ſpeciall direction of the Archbiſhop, and his Chaplaine Dr. Bray: which Dr. Bray, as he ſaid, carried him divers times to the Archbiſhop, to ſhew him the prints thereof, as they were cut and finiſhed, who liked them all well, and gave his conſent for the binding them up in Bibles; ſaying, Note. That the Bibles wherein theſe pictures were bound up, they ſhould be called THE BISHOP OF CANTERBƲRIES BIBLES; (ſtiling them after his own name, ſo much did he owne this fact, not the Bibles and Book of God, who abhorres ſuch Images:) and further depoſed, That he found two Bibles bound up with theſe Pictures in them, the one among Secretary Windebanks, the other among Sir John Lambes and Dr. Ducks chiefe papers and treaſure (two of the Archbiſhops boſome friends and favourites) who highly eſteemed them: both of which Bibles ſeized by Mr. Willingham, and richly bound up with theſe pictures in them, were then Note. produced and ſhewed to the Lords. Maſter Walley further depoſed, that theſe pictures bound up in Bibles giving great offence and ſcandall to many well affected people, himſelfe with ſome other Stationers repaired to Lambeth to the Archbiſhop and complained againſt theſe pictures, and the binding of them up in Bibles, demanding his Graces direction therein; whether they ſhould ſeize ſuch Bibles with pictures which gave offence, or ſuffer them to be ſold? To which the Archbiſhop anſwered, That they might doe well not to lay them out publickly upon their ſtals to be ſold as yet, leſt they ſhould give offence; but if any come to ask for them or to buy them in your ſhops, in Gods name ſell them freely to them, without [Page] any ſcrupple; adding the ſecond time, ſell them to ſuch in Gods name, but lay them not upon your ſtals in publick view. Upon which teſtimony the Archbiſhop demanded of Mr. Walley, who it was that gave him this direction concerning the ſale of thoſe Bibles with pictures? To which he readily replyed; Your Grace with your own mouth, as you may well remember. Whereunto the Archbiſhop anſwered, it was true, he did ſo; but the pictures were printed & bound up with Bibles before he knew of it; and that the firſt time he ſaw one of theſe Bibles, was in a Ladies hand in the Chappell at Whitehall; which he looking upon, when he came to Lambeth, ſent for one of thoſe Bibles himſelf; after which, the Stationers comming unto him about the ſale of them, he gave them ſuch directions as aforeſaid, not to ſell them openly for fear of giving offence, but only privately in their ſhops to ſuch as asked for them: As moſt evident confeſſion of guiltineſſe. For if ſuch pictures in Bibles were good & uſefull, why ſhould they not be expoſed to open ſale, & the view of all men? if ill and unlawfull, why ſhould any of them be printed, or ſold to any in private, and not totally ſuppreſſed, demoliſhed, burnt? being contrary to our Statutes, Homilies, Writers, and the received Doctrine of our Church? Theſe directions then of his, ſhewes his good affection to popiſh and idolatrous pictures: he had polluted his own Engliſh Bible with an embroydred Crucifix on its cover, before theſe Pictures printed; and now he would corrupt, pollute all our Bibles and New Teſtaments with theſe Romiſh Images bound up in them, to which they are moſt repugnant. He would ſuffer no Engliſh Bibles to be printed or ſold with marginall Notes to inſtruct the people, all ſuch muſt be ſeized and burnt, as we ſhall prove anone: but himſelf gives ſpeciall approbation for the venting of Bibles with Popiſh pictures taken out of the very Maſſe book, to ſeduce the people to popery and idolatry.

The laſt caſe we ſhall inſtance in touching the Archbiſhops perſecuting of ſuch who oppoſed his Popiſh Innovations, is the caſes of Dr. Iohn Baſtwick a Phyſitian, Dr. Baſtwicks, Mr. Prynnes, and Mr. Burtons Caſes. and Mr. William Prynne a Lawyer, Mr. Henry Burton a Divine: who were all brought into the Star-chamber by this Archbiſhops proſecution, and there moſt inhumanely cenſured for oppoſing his popiſh Innovations, in Trinity Terme 1637. In which caſe all the injuſtice, oppreſſion, and cruelty that could be imagined, were combined both in the proceedings, ſentence, and execution, not to be parallel'd in any age, as will appear by the enſuing particulars, atteſted by the ſeverall oathes of M. Prynne, M. Burton, Sir William Belfore, M. Tomlins, M. Sappe, M. Wickins, Miſtreſſe Baſtwick and others; backed with the Orders and Decree of the Court it ſelf. Firſt M. Burtons houſe was broken open by force by a Serjeant at Armes, his Study ranſaked, his perſon appreheaded and committed cloſe Priſoners long before any in formation againſt him, contrary to Magna Charta, and the Petition of Right, & ſo continued without Baile, during all the time of the proſecution againſt him. Secondly, though the information againſt them three was joynt, and licenſe granted them to repaire to Counſell with their Keepers, by an Order of the whole Court; yet they were denied liberty to conferre one with another, even with their Counſell themſelves, or to make a joynt anſwer or defence, and ſoon after reſtrained all acceſſe to Counſell by a verball Order. Thirdly, the Counſell aſſigned to them were ſo terrified and threatned, that they durſt not draw or ſigne any anſwer for them: who thereupon petitioning the Court for liberty in their Counſels default to put in their anſwers under their own hands, according to former preſidents & orders of that Court, they were abſolutely denied this right and juſtice, contrary to law and preſidents. Dr. Baſtwicks anſwer under his own hand left at the Office, and another copy of it tendred and left in open Court rejected, and he taken pro confeſſo, for a pretended contempt in not putting in his anſwer under Counſels hand. Fourthly, Mr. Prynnes Chamber in the Towre, by a ſpeciall direction from the Archbiſhop, was ſearched by Mr. Nicholas Clerk of the Councell, and a Purſevant of the Archbiſhops, who ſuperviſed Mr. Nicholas, and was more active, peremptory then he, not leaving the very Cloſe-ſtoole unſearched; his inſtructions for his anſwer ſeiſed and carried away by them, himſelf ſhut up cloſe priſoner; pen, inke, and paper to [Page] draw either his anſwer or new inſtructions for his Counſell denied him; his Clerk that ſolicited his buſineſſe ſeized on by a Meſſenger, and kept cloſe priſoner, of purpoſe to hinder him from following his Maſters buſineſſe; examined frequently by the Kings Attorney & Sollicitour to pick out ſome crime or accuſation againſt his Maſter, and never admitted to returne unto him (though he tendred ſufficient baile for his forth-comming, and no accuſation was then pending againſt him) no not to attend him during his ſores after execution of the ſentence on him. Fiftly, M. Prynne was denied all acceſſe to Counſell; liberty to draw up and ſigne his own anſwer (though a Counſellor at Law) in default of Counſell; albeit he twice petitioned the Court to have leave to do it, producing ſundry reaſons and preſidents in that Court to warrant it; yea the very Clerk that writ but a Petition from his mouth by the Lieutenants permiſſion, that he might put in his anſwer under his own hand, was for this very cauſe ſeized on by a Purſevant, and moleſted divers weeks after. Sixthly, when Mr. Holt, (Mr. Prynnes aſſigned Counſell) had by direction of the Court taken his fee, drawne his anſwer, and given order for the engroſſing of it, promiſing to ſigne it the next morning, he was privately commanded not to ſigne it; & thereupon refuſed the ſigning of it, contrary to promiſe, alleaging that he had order given him to the contrary, and that he durſt not do it for an hundred pieces: After which M. Tomlins another of M. Prynnes Counſell ſigning his anſwer, it was refuſed both at the Star-chamber office & in open Court, where it was tendred, upon pretence it came too late, and Mr. Prynne taken pro confeſſo, for a ſuppoſed contemptuous refuſall to anſwer; when as they would neither permit him to put in an anſwer under his own hand; and ordered one of his aſſigned Counſell not to ſigne his anſwer when ingroſſed contrary to his promiſe, nor accept it, when ſigned by another of his Counſell, and twice tendred. Seventhly, Mr. Burtons Anſwer, when drawn, engroſſed, and ſubſcribed by M. Holt (his aſſigned Counſell) by order of the Court, and accepted at the Office without any exception againſt it, was after nine dayes ſpace, when peruſed by the Archbiſhop, pretended to be ſcandalous, and thereupon referred to the two chiefe Juſtices, Sir John Bramston and Sir John Finch, who gave it ſuch a purgation without calling M. Burton to it, or ſuffering his Counſell to defend it (whom Sir John Finch threatned with pulling his Gowne over his head and putting him from the Barre) as was never heard of in any Age; expunging no leſſe then 64 whole ſheets (containing his juſtification and defence) out of it, as ſcandalous, leaving only ſome three lines in the beginning of it, and two in the end, amounting to a generall not guilty, when as he confeſſed and juſtified all he was charged with: And becauſe Mr. Burton would not acknowledge this purged anſwer, directly contrary to that he put in upon oath, and anſwer to Interrogatories grounded on it, quite contrary to his anſwer as they had altered it, whereby he muſt of neceſſity have been perjured: therefore he was likewiſe taken pro confeſſo, and cenſured for a contempt in not anſwering, though he had an anſwer in Court. What the ſcandalous matter contained in, and expunged out of his anſwer by the Judges was, is very obſervable: truly it was no other then the very Oathes of Supremacy & Allegiance, preſcribed by ſeverall Acts of Parliament; (engaging the Defendants and others who had taken them againſt popery and popiſh Innovations;) his Majeſties Declarations before the 39 Articles, and to all his loving Subjects, printed Anno 1628. prohibiting all back-ſliding to Popery, or any Innovations or alterations in the Religion by law eſtabliſhed among us: The Petition of Right, and his Majeſties Anſwer thereunto, for preſervation of the Subjects rights and liberties; (extending as wel to ſecure them againſt theſe illegal popiſh Innovations which the Biſhops by an Arbitrary power would obtrude upon them and their conſciences by Suſpenſions, Excommunications, Fines, Impriſonments, and other vexatious courſes; as to the liberty of their perſons and eſtates of which they were deprived for oppoſing their Innovations): the ſtatute of 3 Iac. c. 1. intituled, An Act for a publick thanksgiving to Almighty God every year on the 5 of November, for the great deliverance of the King, Kingdome, State and Parliament, from the horrid Gunpowder [Page] Treaſon, (on which day Mr. Burton preached theſe two Sermons, againſt the ſeverall Popiſh Innovations and Doctrines mentioned in it, lately brought into the Church by the Archbiſhop and his confederates, for which he was queſtioned in the Star-chamber.) The ſtatute of 3 Jac. cap. 4. intituled, An Act for the better diſcovering and repreſſing of Popiſh Recuſants. The ſtatute of 1 Eliz. cap. 2. intituled, An Act for the uniformity of Common Prayer, and adminiſtration of the Sacraments; which excludes all new Ceremonies and Innovations in Gods ſervice, introduced by the Biſhops, not comprized in the Book of Common prayer; with an enumeration of thoſe ſeverall Innovations, in point of doctrine and ceremonies, (as ſetting up Altars inſtead of Communion Tables, removing Lords Tables from their ancient ſtations, and rayling them in Altarwiſe againſt the wall, bowing downe to them, reading ſecond Service at them; licenſing, printing Popiſh and Arminian Books, altering and purging the Books for the Gunpowder Treaſon, for the publick Faſt, Coronation, and Book of Common prayer, &c.) with other particulars ſpecified at large in his printed Sermons. All this was totally expunged as ſcandalous out of Mr. Burtons Anſwer, for feare the proof thereof ſhould have made the Biſhops ſcandalous. Eighthly, theſe Defendants, when they perceived they ſhould not have liberty to defend themſelves, nor to prove or juſtifie the Archbiſhops and his Confederates popiſh Innovations by their Anſwers, exhibited a croſſe Bill againſt them under their hands, which they offered to make good at their uttermoſt perils, Mr. Prynne tendring the ſame both to the Lord Keeper, and in open Court, defiring it might be admitted, being both for their own juſt defence, the honour of his Majeſty, and preſervation of our Religion, and that a Court of publick juſtice which ought to be as open for, as againſt them: yet this their Bill was twice refuſed without cauſe, and delivered over to Mr. Attourney Generall to draw up a Charge againſt the defendants out of it, if poſſible, and to queſtion them for their lives for exhibiting it. Ninthly, at the hearing, the Archbiſhop and Biſhop of London though chiefe proſecutions of this cauſe, in which they were ſpecially concerned, profeſſed enemies to the Defendants, and challenged in open Court by Mr. Prynne as unfit to ſit Judges there in their own cauſe, contrary to all law and preſidents, were yet admitted to ſit in Court as Judges; where the Archbiſhop himſelf in a tedious Oration of two houres long (larger then ever any Sermon he preached in the Pulpit) profeſſedly juſtified all the forementioned Innovations wherewith he was charged; as Setting up Altars, rayling in Communion Tables Altar-wiſe, reading ſecond-Service at them, bowing downe towards them, as the Monks and Popiſh Fryers did of old, becauſe there 'tis Hoc eſt corpus meum, &c. standing up at Glory be to the Father, bowing at the Name of Ieſus, altering and purging the Books for the Gunpowder Treaſon and the publick Faſt, in favour of Papiſts, the licenſing of Popiſh and Arminian Books, charged againſt him, &c. And yet reviled, condemned theſe Defendants, as Libellers, and thanked the Lords for their juſtice againſt them for falſely objecting theſe very Innovations to him, which himſelf in his Speech confeſſed himſelf guilty of, juſtified in open Court, and after that in print to all the World; dedicating this his Speech to his Majeſty, and making him the Patron of all theſe Innovations, contrary to his own royall Proteſtations. Tenthly, theſe Defendants, for oppoſing thoſe very popiſh Innovations which himſelf thus publickly confeſſed, defended, being deprived of their proofe and juſt defence by taking them all pro confeſſo, for a pretended contempt, in not anſwering the Information, (which they would not permit them to put in their Anſwers to, as you heard before) were without any proof or teſtimony at all produced to prove them guilty of ought objected againſt them, fined 5000 li. a peece unto his Majeſty, adjudged to ſtand in the Pillory at Weſtminſter, and there to loſe their Eares, which was accordingly executed, Mr. Burton was after deprived of his Living. degraded from his Miniſtery, Mr. Prynne ſtigmatized on both cheeks, though nothing at all was charged againſt him; and all of them deprived the liberty of pen, inke and paper; and before their wounds were healed, they were ſent away cloſe priſoners to the 3 remote Caſtles of Lanceston, Lancaſter, [Page] and Carnarvan, and there ſhut up cloſe priſoners, neither Wife, nor Childe, nor Brother, nor any other but their Keepers having any acceſſe unto them: and ſoone after by extraordinary Letters from the Councell Table (to which the Archbiſhops hand was firſt) ſent cloſe priſoners by Sea in the Winter-ſeaſon, to the hazzard of their lives into the Iſlands of Sylly, Garneſey and Iarſey, and there mued up cloſe priſoners without pen, inke, paper, or allowance of neceſſaries, their friends being prohibited al acceſſe unto them, & D. Baſtwicks & M. Burtons Wives eſpecially reſtrained ſo much as to ſet footing in the Iſlands where they were cloſe impriſoned, under paine of impriſonment: ſo penall and fatall was it for them to oppoſe the Archbiſhop in theſe his Innovations, who detained them thus cloſe priſoners in exile till they were releaſed by this preſent Parliament. That this proſecution was by the Archbiſhops inſtigation, was evidenced. Firſt, by the Teſtimony of Mr. John Cockſhute, then ſervant to Sir John Banks, his Majeſties Atturney Generall, to whom he committed the proſecution of all Star-chamber buſineſſes; who atteſted upon oath; that the Arch-biſhop gave him direction, for drawing the Information againſt Doctor Baſtwick, Mr. Burton, and Mr. Prynne, and that he was commanded to give an account to him of all the proceedings therein, which he did from time to time, either to himſelf in perſon, or to his Chaplains, by his direction. Secondly, by the Copies of Doctor Baſtwicks and Mr. Burtons Anſwers found in his ſtudy by Mr. Prynne, the firſt whereof was diſalowed and would not be admitted though twice tendred; the ſecond expunged by the Arch-biſhops direction, who had drawn a line with black lead under all that which ſhould ſtand in Mr. Burtons Anſwer, as appeared by the Coppy it ſelf produced at the Bar, giving Order to expunge the reſidue, which was done accordingly. Thirdly, by the whole Tenor of his ſpeech in Star-chamber, eſpecially this latter clauſe thereof, pag. 77. I humbly crave pardon of your Lordſhips, for this my neceſſary length, and give You hearty thanks for Your noble patience, and your juſt and honourable cenſure upon theſe men, and your unanimous diſlike of them, and defence of the Church. But becauſe the buſineſſe hath ſome reflection upon my ſelfe, I ſhall for beare to cenſure them, and leave them to Gods mercy, and the Kings Iustice. And by his enſuing Epiſtle to his Majeſty prefixed to this Speech. Fourthly by Subſequent Motions and Warrants under his hand, for their Exile and cloſe Impriſonment, in which he was onely active and inexorable.

What great encouragement and hope of a relapſe to Popery; the Archbiſhops introducing of Altars, Crucifixes, and other forementioned Innovations gave to Jeſuits, Papiſts, and what was his reall deſigne in promoting them, we ſhall evidence by two notable paſſages, in two late Engliſh Jeſuites printed books.

The firſt, intituled, A Paraphraſticall and devout Diſcourſe upon the Pſalme, Miſerere, written by Ch. M. (an Engliſh Jeſuite, as appears by the Jeſuites Badge in the Frontiſpiece of it) printed and licenſed at Doway 30 Maii 1635. wherein there is this paſſage in the Epiſtle to the Reader, Theſemy Paraphraſticall, Diſcourſes and pitifull lamentations of King David, ‘I intend for all ſinners in England, as well Catholicks as not Catholicks, of what religion ſoever, I being a debtor to all: and becauſe I would have them all peruſe theſe Diſcovrſes, I abſtaine from controverſies in religion, lest I ſhould avert any from the reading of them: only in paraphraſing the two laſt verſes of this Pſalme, occaſion being offered, I ſpeak of the unbloody and daily Sacrifice of the Altar, but ſo, that I rather touch it then handle it, mention it, then treat of it, ſuppoſe it, then prove it in that manner as I might; hoping that this doctrine NOW will not be diſtaſtfull (mark the Reaſon:) For ſeeing now in England in very many Churches, Altars, which heretofore were thrown down, are againe erected, according to the laudable example and pious uſe and cuſtome of the Note. Catholick and even Primitive Church, to averre a true Sacrifice will not be ill taken; becauſe to allow of Altars, is to allow of a true Sacrifice which uſeth to be offered on them; an Altar and a true proper Sacrifice being Co-Relatives, of which the one inferreth the other; and ſo the one cannot be averred without the other, nor the one denied without the other. Loe here we have the true reaſon why the Archbiſhop was ſo zealous for Altars; even to bring in the Papiſts unbloody and dayly ſacrifice of the Maſſe.’

[Page] The ſecond book was inſcribed, A direction to be obſerved by N. N. written by an Engliſh Jeſuit, and printed ſecretly by him in London (as was ſuppoſed) An. 1636. wherein, after ſome applauſes of the Archbiſhop, whom he propounded as a Pattern of imitation for all others in England, in prohibiting the ſale of books tending to Socinianiſme, p. 14. (which he p. 16. interprets to be Proteſtantiſme,) p. 20. 22. he proceeds thus: And to ſpeak the truth what learned judicious man can after unpartiall examination embrace Proteſtantiſme: ‘Which now waxeth weary of it ſelfe? Its profeſſors, (they eſpecially of greateſt worth, learning, and authority,) declare themſelves to love temper & moderation; allow of many things which ſome years agoe were uſually condemned as Superſtitious & Antichriſtian: and are at this time more unreſolved where to faſten, then in the infancy of their Church: For doe not the Proteſtant Churches begin to look with another face? their wals to ſpeak (by Images, Crucifixes, Laymens books,) with another language: their Preachers to uſe a ſweeter tone? their annuall publick Tenents in the Univerſities to be of another ſtile and matter? their books to appear with Titles and Arguments which once would have cauſed much ſcandall among the Brethren? their Doctrine to be altered in many things, and even in thoſe very points for which their progenitors forſook the then viſible Church of Chriſt? their 39 Articles, the Summe, the Confeſſion, and almoſt the Creed of their faith are patient: patient! that is they are ambitious of ſome ſenſe wherein they may ſeem to be Catholick, (that is of that Romiſh ſenſe wch Franciſcus à Sancta Clara, thrice printed in England, and preſented by the Archbiſhop to his Majeſty, hath put upon them in his Commentary on them:) to alleage wife, and children in theſe dayes, is but a weak plea for a maried Miniſter to compaſſe a Benefice: Firy Calviaiſme, once a Darling in England, is at length accounted Hereſie, yea, and little leſſe then Treaſon (by the Archbiſhop and his Brethren, in their cenſure of Dr. Baſtwick in the High Commiſſion:) Men in word & writing willingly uſe the once fearfull names of Prieſts and Altars: nay if one do but mutter againſt the placing of the Altar after the old faſhion, for a warning he ſhal be well warned with a Cole from the Altar; (over againſt which there is this marginall note, A little book ſo intituled, printed 1636.) Engliſh Protestants are now put in minde, that for expoſition of Scripture by Sunday no Sabbath, printed 1636. Canon, they are bound to follow the ancient Fathers: And to conclude all in one main point, The Proteſtant Church in England pofeſſeth ſo ſmall antiquity, and ſo weak ſubſiſtance in it ſelf, that they acknowledge no other viſible being for many Ages, but in the Church of His Innovations in conſecrating Churches & Chappels after the Popiſhmanner. Rome.’ Theſe were the advantages the Papiſts, Jeſuits, and Popiſh party made of the Archbiſhops Romiſh Innovations, formerly proved.

We ſhall next proceed to other Innovations of this nature, ſomewhat different from the former, to wit, to his Conſecrating of Churches and Chappels after the popiſh manner, wherein the caſe ſtands briefly thus. The Pope & his Romiſh Prelates had in times of ignorance & ſuperſtition, for their own proper lucre, introduced ſolemn conſecrations of Churches, Chappels, with all furniture belonging to them, & appropriated theſe Fopperies to Biſhops, as a juriſdiction peculiar to them alone; though we reade in Scripture, that the Tabernacle & all the furniture thereto belonging was conſecrated only by Moſes, and the Temple at Jeruſalem by King Solomon, the chief temporall Magiſtrates; not by Aaron or the High Prieſts, as they were among the Romans by the Senate. Theſe formes of conſecrations, full of Ethnicall ridiculous ſuperſtitions, exorciſmes, & conjurations, were contained only in Roman Pontificals, Miſſals, Ceremonials, wch were wholly aboliſhed upon the reformation of Religion in King Edwards daies, by the expreſſe ſtatutes of 3 & 4 E. 6. cap. 1. 5. 5 & 6 E. 6. cap. 1. and after that by the ſtatute of 1 Eliz. cap. 2. 8 Eliz. cap. 1. which abrogited all rites, ceremonies, and conſecrations whatſoever, but thoſe compriſed in the Books of Common Prayer and Ordination of Miniſters; where there is not one ſyllable to be found touching conſecration of Churches or Chappels, or Church-yards, nor any forme of ſuch conſecrations reteined or preſcribed, which by theſe Acts were wholly diſcontinued & aboliſhed in our Church, till this Papiſh Prelate [Page] to renue them, and to aſſume a Papall power of making Churches, Chappels, Altars, and their furniture, holier then other places, by his ſolemne conſecrations of them; as if the meere ſequeſtring of them from a common or prophane, to a ſacred uſe, were not a ſufficient conſecration of them without a Biſhops Benediction, and exerciſing of thoſe creatures ſuſpended thereunto. The Arch-biſhops Innovations in conſecrating Churches and Chappels.

We ſhall begin firſt with his conſecration of Churches, next of Chappels, Anno 1630. St. Katherines Creed-church in London being repaired only by the pariſhioners, not new built from the ground, when Mountain was Biſhop of London, and the Church thought holy enough by him without any new conſecration, not requiſite in ſuch a caſe by the very Canon law; this popiſh Prelate ſucceeding Mountaiue in the Biſhoprick of London ſuſpended this new repaired Church for a time from all Divine ſervice, Sermons, and Sacraments, till it was re-conſecrated by himſelf; of which he writ down this ſpeciall memoriall with his own hand in his Diary, read in the Lords Houſe in manner following; January 16. 1630. Sunday I conſecrated S. Katherine Creed-church in London: In what a popiſh, ridiculous, bedlam manner, was thus atteſted upon oath by M. Willingham a pariſhioner there, who then took ſpecial Notes of all the paſſages in ſhort-writing, thinking ſome good uſe might be made thereof in after-times, the particulars whereof he thus expreſſed.

That the Archbiſhop (then of London) on the 16 of January 1630. being the Lords day, came in the morning about nine of the clock in a pompous manner to Creedchurch, accompanied with Sir Henry Martin, Dr. Rive, Dr. Duck, and many His manner of conſecrating Creed-Church. other High-commiſſioners and Civillians, there being a very great concourſe of people to behold this novelty: the Church doores were garded with many Halberders; at the Biſhops approaching near the Weſt door of the Church, the hangbies of the Biſhop cryed out with a loud voyce, Open, open, ye everlaſting doores, that the King of glory may enter in; and preſently (as by miracle) the doores flew open, and the Biſhop with three or four great Doctors and many other principall men entred in; and as ſoon as they were in the Church, the Biſhop fell down upon his knees with his eyes lifted up, and his hands and armes ſpread abroad, uttering many words, and ſaying, This place is holy, and this ground is holy: In the Note. name of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt I pronounce it holy; and then he took up ſome of the earth or duſt and threw it up into the aire (as the frantick perſeenting Jewes did, when they were raging mad againſt Paul): this was done in the great middle Iſle ſeveral times as they came up Eaſtwards towards the Chancel, which Chancel was then paved: when they approached near to the Rayle and Lords Table, unto which was an aſcent of two or three ſteps, the Biſhop lowly ducked and bowed towards it ſome five or ſix times; and returning, went round about the Church in Proceſſion on the inſide thereof, they ſaying the 100 Pſalme, and after that the 90 Pſalme, (preſcribed in the Roman Pontificall for this purpoſe, p. 262.) and then this Prayer.

Lord Jeſu Chriſt, who art the eternall Word, of thy eternall Father, God Almighty to be bleſſed for ever, and diddeſt at firſt in the beginning of time create man out of the duſt of the earth, to reſtore and repair in him the ruine and fall of Angels: and when as he by tranſgreſſion had loſt his originall ſtate, diddeſt according to thy threatning returne him againe unto his duſt, but ſo, that he ſhould not periſh everlastingly, but ſhould in due time by an omnipotent power be raiſed againe out of the earth; and therefore in aſſurance of the reſurrection, the bodies of men, the work of thine own hands, are in this place to be depoſited in their ſepulchres, graves, or vaults, as in a repoſitory or reſting place untill the end of all things, when that mighty Arch-angell ſhall ſound his laſt Trumpet, with, Riſe ye dead and come to judgement; accept we beſeech thee this our holy ſervice, who doe give and conſecrate this beautifull Church unto thee; and we ſeparate it unto thee and thy Church AS HOLY GROVND, not to be prophaned any more to common uſe; this we beſeech thee to accept at our hands for Chriſt Jeſus ſake, &c.

Then was read aloud the 23 chapter of Geneſis; which being read, then followed another prayer, taken almoſt verbatim out of the Roman Pontificall, beginning thus.

[Page] Merciful God, the reſurrection and the life of all that truſt in thee, wee moſt humbly intreat thee, to vouchſafe us of thy grace, that all thoſe thy ſervants who from hence forth ſhall come into, or be intered within the Circuit of this holy and ſacred place, now by our ſervice HALLOWED unto thee, may ſo lead their lives in thy feare, that they may leave them in thy favour; and that their bodies reſting in their Sepulchres in this Church in peace, untill thy comming unto Iudgment, may riſe again unto immortall life, and live with thee for ever in thoſe glorious mantions of eternity: Heare us O Saviour for thy paſſion ſake; heare us O Father for thy Chriſts ſake; heare us O Sanctifying Spirit for thy comforts ſake, who liveſt and reigneſt one God: &c. Then, The peace of God followed. &c.

After all this, the Biſhop betook himſelfe, to ſit under a cloath of State in an Iſle of the chancell neare the Communion Table, and taking a written book in his hand, (in imitation of the Roman Pontificall and the Councell of Trents Decrees therein cited pag. 247, &c.) He pronounced many curſes upon all thoſe which ſhould hereafter any way prophane that holy and ſacred place, by any Muſters of Souldiers, or keeping any Were not their ſpiritual Bawdy-courts commonly kept in Churches ſuch. prophane Law-courts, or carrying burdens through it; At the end of every curſe (which were ſome 20.: or 30. in number,) he bowed himſelfe lowly towards the Eaſt or Table (ſaying, Let all the people ſay, Amen). When the Curſes were ended, he then pronounced the like number of Bleſſings to all thoſe that had any hand in the culture, framing and building of that holy, ſacred and beautifull Church, and pronounced Bleſſings to all thoſe that had given any Challices, Plate, Ornaments, or Ʋtenſills, and that ſhould here-after give any. At the end of every Bleſſing hee alſo bowed downe himſelfe towards the Eaſt, Saying; Let all the people ſay, Amen.

After this followed the Sermon, which was worthily performed by Dr. Stephen Dennyſon, he taking for his theame the 19 of Luke 46. wherein he bitterly inveighed againſt ſetting up Pictures and Images in Churches; ſaying, it was Popiſh and heatheniſh Superſtition and Idolatry Which Sermon after-wards when Biſhop Laud came to the high chaire of Canterbury he remembred at Dr. Dennyſons cenſure in the high Commiſſion upon another occaſion, and paſſed a heavy Cenſure upon the ſaid Dr. under which he hath ever ſince groaned.

After the Sermon which was but ſhort, the Biſhop and two fat Doctors conſecrated and adminiſtred the Sacrament, with a number of bowings, duckings and cringeings; in manner following.

(As firſt) when the Biſhop approached neare the Communion Table, he bowed with his noſe very neare the ground ſome ſix or ſeven times; Then he came to one of the corners of the Table, and there bowed himſelfe three times; then to the ſecond, third and fourth corners, bowing at each corner three times; but, when he came to the ſide of the Table where the bread and wine was, he bowed himſelfe ſeven times, and then, after the reading of many praiers by himſelfe and his two fat chaplins (which were with him, and all this while were upon their knees by him, in their Sirpliſſes, Hoods and Tippits) he himſelf came neare the Bread, which was cut and laid in a fine napkin, and then he gently lifted up one of the corners of the ſaid napkin, and peeped into it till hee ſaw the bread, (like a boy that peeped after a bird-neſt in a buſh) and preſently clapped it downe againe, and flew backe a ſtep or two, and then bowed very low three times towards it and the Table: when he beheld the bread, then he came neare and opened the napkin againe, and bowed as before; then he laid his hand upon the gilt Cup which was full of wine, with a cover upon it; ſo ſoone as he had pul'd the Cupp a litle neerer to him, he lett the Cupp goe, flew backe, and bowed againe three times towards it: then hee came neere againe, and lifting up the cover of the Cupp peeped into it, and ſeeing the wine, he let fall the cover on it againe, and flew nimbly backe and bowed as before: After theſe and many other Apiſh Anticke Geſturs he himſelfe received, and then gave the Sacrament to ſome principall men onely they devoutly kneeling neere the Table, after which more praiers being ſaid, this Sceane and Enterlude ended.

[Page] Mr. Hope likewiſe depoſed the ſame that Mr. Willingham did, in all particulars touching the manner of the Archbiſhops conſecrating Creed-Church; at which conſecration he was preſent, and tooke ſpeciall notice thereof.

Upon which evidence the Committee of the houſe of Commons obſerved and urged before the Lords. Firſt, that it appeared by the praiers uſed by the Archbiſhop, that he conſecrated this Church rather for a Churchyard or a burying place, then for an Oratory or place of praier and preaching uſing the ſame praiers in ſubſtance as are preſcribed in the Roman Pontificall, at the conſecration of a Churchyard to inter dead bodies in. Secondly, that the conſecration of Churches after this ſort, is a meere Popiſh and Superſtitious Ceremony, preſcribed onely by Popes and Popiſh Councels, Canoniſts, for their owne gaines and luchre, and not by any Proteſtant Canons, Synodes, Authors: witneſſe Gratian, De Conſecratione Diſtinct. 1. and the Gloſſes on it, Summa Hoſtienſis. lib. 3. Tit. De Conſecratione Eccleſiae et Altaris; Angelus De Clavaſio, his Summa Angelica. Tit. Conſecratio Eccleſiae. Summa Roſella. Tit. Conſecratio. Iuo Carnotenſis Decretalium. pars. 3. De Eccleſia. C. 8. to. 38. Bochellus Decreta Eccleſiae Gallicanae. lib. 4. Tit. 1. Iohannis De Aton: Conſtitutiones Eccleſiaſticae. Tit. 1. De Conſecratione Eccleſiarum: with divers other Popiſh Canoniſts. Thirdly, that the forme and manner of conſecrating Churches, was no where to be found but in the Roman Pontificall, ſet out by the Popes authority, wherein it is at large deſcribed: P. 209. to 280. Cap. De Eccleſiae Dedicatione, ſeu Conſecratione; and not extant in the Booke of Common-praier, or of the Ordinition of Miniſters, or in any other Records or Rituals of our Church; which abolliſhed the Roman Pontificall, and Ceremony of conſecrating Churches by the Statutes of 2. & 3. E. 6. C. 1. 3. & 4. E. 6. C. 10. 1. Eliz. C. 1. 8. Eliz. C. 1. Fourthly, That the very forme the Archbiſhop uſed in conſecrating Creed-Church, was taken from the Roman Pontificall publiſhed by command of Pope Clement the eight, (found in this ſtudy:) P. 214. 217. 219. where the Biſhop comming to the doore of the Church he is to conſecrate Percutit illud ſemel cum inferiori parte baculi paſtoralis ſuper luminare, dicens intelligibili voce. Attollite portas, Principes, veſtras, et apperiamini portae aeternales, et introibit Rex gloriae &c. The very words the Archbiſhop now uſed: and then entring the Church pronouneeth it holy and bleſſed, in the name of the Father, Sonne & holy ghoſt. After which he uſeth many Praiers, Pſalmes, bowings, Ceremonies; and Ʋnus ex Miniſtris ſpargit cinerem per pavimentum, in modum crucis; as this Archbiſhop did; who followed the Roman Pontificall in all the particulars he there practiſed; exceeding it in his bleſſings and curſings (which are not ſo fully expreſſed in the Pontificall) and in his reconſecration of this Church, upon the repairing onely of the wals, in which caſe the forecited Canoniſts all accord, it is not to be reconſecrated but the wal onely to be exorciſed and ſprinkled with holy water. Fiftly, That our owne Proteſtant Biſhops and writers condemne the conſecration of Churches, Chappels and Church-yards by Biſhops, to make them holier then other places, as a meere Popiſh, Iewiſh, ridiculous, and abſurd practiſe.

The firſt, they inſtanced in, was reverend Dr. Pilkington (a fugitive for Religion in Queene Maries, and Biſhop of Durham in he beginning of Queene Elizabeth reigne) in his Expoſition of Aggens c. 1. v. 7. 8. & cap. 2. v. 2. 3. where he determines thus. ‘IT IS POPISH TO BELEEVE that which the Biſhops doe teach: That place to be more holy then the reſt which they have hallowed, as they ſay, with their conjured water, Croſſings, Cenſings, Proceſſions, &c. But bleſſed be that God our Lord which by the light of his Word doth confound all ſuch wicked and fond fantaſies, which they deviſe to fill their bellies and maintaine their Authority by. Although theſe Ceremonies in the old Law were given by Moſes, for the hardneſſe of the peoples hearts, & to keep thē exerciſed, that they fall not to the Idolatry, of the Gentiles, yet is there no mention of them in the New Teſtament, nor yet commanded now, either to us or them, but forbidden to be uſed of all both of us and them. We be no longer under ſhaddowes, but under the truth, Chriſt [Page] hath fulfilled all, and taken away all ſuch darke kind of Ceremonies and hath placed the cleare light of his Goſpell, in the Church, to continue to the end.’

‘The Popes Church, hath all things pleaſant in it to delight the people, but where the Goſpell is preached, they knowing that God is not pleaſed but onely with a pure heart, they are content with an honeſt place, appointed to reſort together in, though it were never hallowed by Biſhops at all. It is written; that God dwels not Note. Acts 17. 24. John 4. 23, 24. in Temples made with hands; nor is worſhipped with any worke of mens hands; but he is a ſpirit an inviſible ſubſtance, and will be worſhipped in ſpirit and truth; not in outward words onely of the lippes, but with the deepe ſighes and groanes of the heart, and the whole power of the mind, and earneſt hearty calling on him in praier, by faith. And therefore he doth not ſo much require of us to build him an houſe of ſtone and timber, but hath willed us, to pray in all places; and hath taken 1 Tim. 2. 8. away the Iewiſh, and Popiſh holyneſſe, which is thought to be more in one place then another. All the earth is the Lords and he is preſent in all places, hearing the Petitions of them that call upon him in faith. Therefore thoſe Biſhops, which thinke with their conjured water, to make one place more holy then the reſt, are no better then the Note. Jewes, deceiving the people and teaching that onely to be holy, which they have cenſed, croſſed, oyled, and breathed upon; for as Chriſt ſaid to the woman; thinking one place to be more holy to pray in then another, Woman, beleeve me, the time is come when yee ſhall worſhip neither at Jeruſalem, nor in this Hill; but the true worſhippers John 4. shall worship God in ſpirit and truth: So it is now ſaid, the place makes not the man holy, but the man makes the place holy: and ye shall not worship your Idols, Stocks, and Stones, neither at Wilſingham, Ipſwich, Canterbury, nor Sheen; for God chuſes not the people, for the places ſake, but the place for the people ſake; But if yee be in the midſt of the field God is as ready to heare your faithfull praiers, as in any Abbey, or Priory; yea, a thouſand times more, for the one place he hates, as defiled with Idolatry; and the other he loves, as undefiled and cleane. If the good man lie in priſon, tyed in Chaines, or at the ſtake burned, for Gods cauſe, That place is holy, for the holyneſſe of the man, and the preſence of the holy Ghoſt in him; as Tertullian ſaith; yet there ſhould be common places appointed for the people to Aſſemble and come together therein, to praiſe our God &c. Thoſe who in the Apoſtles times were buried in no Church or Church-yard, nor Chriſten-moldes, (as they be called) when it is not better then other earth, but rather worſe, for the conjuring that Biſhops uſe about it. It appeares in the Goſpell by the Legion living in graves, the Widdowes ſonne going to buriall, Chriſt buried without the Citty, &c. That they buried not in hallowed Churches by Biſhops, but in a ſeverall place appointed for the ſame purpoſe, without the Citty, which cuſtome remaineth to this day in many godly places, &c. A moſt expreſſe Authority againſt Biſhops Popiſh conſecrations of Churches and Church-yards, to make them holyer then other places.’

The ſecond Authority they produced was, Mathew Parker, Archbiſhop of Canterbury in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths reigne; who was of a quite contrary judgment to this his Popiſh Succeſſor, condemning this manner of conſecrating Churches, Altars, &c. as Superſtitious, Paganiſh, childiſh, ridiculous, in his Antiquitates Eccleſiae Brittannicae. p. 85. 86. 87. in theſe termes; Legat enim qui volet recentiores et noſtro praeſertim avo editos Pontificales ac Miſſales libros, reperiet eos, et Caeremoniarū multitudine, & peragendi difficultate atque taedio, et exorciſationis amentia priores illos longè ſuperare. Quibus enim non dicam verbis ſed portentis has et ejuſ modi a Pontiſiciis adhuc adjurantur, &c. Dedicatio recentis Eccleſiae, Altaria, vaſa, indumenta, Linteamina et ornamenta Eccleſiaſtica. Hac omnia, quam ſolemni ritu ſanctarum ſcripturarum ſententiis ad ſuas decantationes perperā adhibitis, Potificij peragunt paucis videamus, &c. In dedicatione Eccleſiae jam exſtructae Epiſcopus ter' circumiens, oſtium bacculo paſtorali ferit hoc Pſalmi carmine. Attollite Portas, Nota. &c. Cui Diaconus intus exiſtens reſpondet fere exanimatus. Quis eſt iſte Rex gloriae, &c. Deinde ingredicus Epiſcopus, in fundamento Eccleſiae Cineribus ſparſo. Alphabetum Gracum et Latinum bacculo deſcribit, tum variis multiſque Epiſcopi [Page] Clerique inceſsibus, rectis, obliquis, retrogradis & tranſuerſis parietes ac pavimenta aqua sparguntur: cruces in parietibus chriſmate cum dextro Epiſcopi pollice depinguntur: & infinitis penè completis caeremoniis ad extremum precatur, ut populus in ea conveniens, per ſacerdotum libamina caelesti ſanctificatione ſalvatus, animae ſalutem perpetuam conſequatur: & diſcedens portam his verbis Epiſcopus ungit chriſmate: porta ſis benedicta, ſanctificata, conſecrata, conſignata & Deo commendata, &c. Altaria autem innumeris hujus generis precibus conſecrantur, &c. Et ſane valde deflenda eſt hujus temporis conditio quod Eccleſiae Patres eadem mentis acie ab eccleſia reſecare has & hujuſmodi caeremonias, ſeu potius nugas, aut nolunt, aut non poſſunt, qua priora illa Ordalii vitia cernebant atque corrigebant, ſed illis ut ſuperſtitioſis damnatis & deletis, hac quae mordicus retinent Nota. quamvis puerilia & deliria ſint, ex illis tamen fabricantur atque ſtruunt. Quanto modernis Pontificibus aequior fuit Gregorius, qui ſcribit. Quomodo regulae ſanctorum Patrum pro tempore, loco, & perſona & negotio inſtante neceſſitate traditae ſunt. Hi autem nulla neque temporis, neque loci, neque negotii, neque perſonae, neque cujuſquàm rei quàm ſuae voluntatis atque gloriolae rationem habentes, ne puſillis in rebus veritate cedere volunt. A very good character of the Priſoner at the bar, and his proceedings in this kinde. To theſe two Prelates might be added M. William Tyndal, a learned Martyr, his Obedience of a Chriſtian man, p. 136. 152. William Wraughton, his Hunting and reſcuing of the Romiſh Fox; Iohn Bale, Biſhop of Oſyris in Ireland, in his Image of both Churches; Thomas Beacon, a Prebend of Canterbury, in his Reliques of Rome; M. Calfhill, in his book againſt Marſhal, f. 61, 92. 93. M. Fox his Acts and monuments, Edit. 1610. p. 210. 414. with ſundry other of our learned Writers, who expreſly cenſure the Conſecration of Churches and Church-yards, as ſuperſtitious, Iewiſh, Popish, Antichriſtian, ridiculous, ſtiling them rather a conjuration then a conſecration; invented only by and reſerved to Bishops for lucre ſake alone. And the Homily for repairing and keeping clean Churches, pag. 78, 79. reſolves thus, The Church or Temple is counted and called holy, yet not of it ſelfe, but becauſe Gods people reſorting thereunto are holy, and exerciſe themſelves in holy and heavenly things: Not becauſe it is hallowed by a Biſhop, of which the Homilies make no mention.

From theſe Authorities they concluded; the Arch-biſhops conſecration of Churches (eſpecially of this but newly repaired) to be both Popiſh and Superſtitious, by the received Doctrine, Writers of our Church, and Statutes of our Realm, which abandon and condemne the ſame.

Yet notwithſtanding this Arch-Biſhop was ſo zealouſly bent upon it, that he reſted not in the conſecration of Creed-Church, but proceeded further to conſecrate Saint Giles Church in the fields; where the caſe ſtood thus:

The Church of Saint Giles being in decay, was re-edified and part of it new built and finiſhed in Biſhop Mountaines time, Divine Service, Preaching, and Adminiſtration His Conſecration of Saint Giles Church. of the Sacraments after its repaire having been uſed therein for 3. or 4. yeares ſpace together without any exceptions: After which Biſhop Laud being advanced to the Biſhoprick of London, by a ſolemn proceſſe under his Epiſcopall ſeal interdicted this Church, and ſuſpended Divine Service, Sermons, and Sacraments in it for 2. or 3. weeks together, ſo as the Church doores were ſhut up even on Lords Dayes, and the Pariſhoners forced to repair to other Churches, onely becauſe the Church had not been re-conſecrated after its reparation: ſome of the Pariſh oppoſed the conſecration of it in reſpect of the charge and Fees, but at laſt they were inforced by the Biſhop to ſubmit, elſe they muſt have no Divine Service, Sermons, nor Sacraments in it, after all their coſts beſtowed thereon: Whereupon the Biſhop the very next Lords Day after he had conſecrated Creed Church, repaired to Saint Giles Church, and there conſecrated it in the ſelf-ſame manner, with the ſelf-ſame geſtures, bowings, prayers, ceremonies, as he conſecrated Creed Church: After which he likewiſe conſecrated the Church-yard, and a peece of ground which was bought and added to it; for conſecration whereof the Pariſh paid ten pound [Page] fees to the Biſhop himſelf, to wit, 5 l. for conſecrating the Church, and 5 l. for hallowing the Churchyard, beſides fees to his Officers, and a Dinner which coſt the Pariſh near 30 l. more; all which was atteſted upon oath, by Maſter Hope, and ſome others: and likewiſe proved by the Archbiſhops own Diary, wherein he regiſtred this ſpeciall memoriall of this Conſecration with his owne hand, Sunday January 20. 1630. I conſecrated the Church of S. Gyles in the Fields.

Upon which evidence the Committee of the Commons made theſe Obſervations. Firſt, That this Church was uſed three or four years together in B. Mountains time after its repair without any new Conſecration, and thought holy enough by him: but this Popiſh Prelate after all this ſpace was of another judgement, and muſt needs ſuſpend and re-conſecrate it, contrary to the very Canon law, and the reſolution of the fore-cited Canoniſts. Secondly, that he and his Officers extorted unreaſonable exceſſive fees from the Pariſh beſides their coſtly Dinner, for this pious work on the Lords day; himſelf taking no leſſe then 10 l. fees for conſecrating the Church and Churchyard, which is direct Symonie by the See Summa Angelica & Roſella. Tit. Symonia. Canon Law, and extortion by the Commonlaw, there being no fees due by either law for ſuch a Conſecration. Thirdly, that this Prelate was ſo wilfull and ſuperſtitious in this Innovation, that God muſt loſe his publick worſhip in this Church, and the whole Pariſh the uſe of it for the benefit of their ſoules, for two or three whole weeks during its interdiction, rather then this Prelate not enjoy his popiſh ends & exorbitant fees for the re-conſecration of it.

After this, Iuly 17. 1632. he conſecrated another Church in Middleſex, in the ſame manner as he had done the former two: of which he makes this ſpeciall Memento in his own Diary: Iuly 17. 1632. I conſecrated the Church at Stanmore Magna, in Middleſex, built by Sir John Wolſtenham.

As this Arch-prelate was thus ſuperſtitiouſly and popiſhly active in conſecrating Churches, ſo likewiſe in conſecrating Chappels, for which theſe inſtances were produced.

The firſt Chappel he conſecrated, was a Chappel built by himſelfe at Aberguilla in Wales, whiles he was Biſhop of S. Davids, dedicated by him to S. John Baptiſt, concerning which he regiſters this paſſage in his own Diary.

Auguſt 28. 1625. Dies erat Solis: conſecravi Capellam ſine Oratorium propriis ſumptibus extructum, in demo me a communiter vocata Aberguille-Houſe. Nomen indidi, Capella S. Joh. Baptiſtae, in gratam memoriam Collegii S. Joh. Baptiſtae, Oxon cujus primo ſocius, & dein Praeſes fui. Et hoc conſultò feci. Intervenit autem aliud non mali ominis ſpero (it ſeems he then little dreamed of his own beheading, or that the decollation of the Baptiſt, to whoſe memory he dedicated this Chappel could be any ill Omen of his own decapilation afterwards) de quo nunquam cogitavi, hoc fuit. Die Sabbati veſperi, immediatè praecedente conſecrationem celebrandam, dum procibus eram intentus, neſcio quàm violenter in mientem me am irruit, adeſſe diem DECOLLATIONIS S. JOHANNIS BAPTISTAE. Finitis precibus faſta conſului; reperio diem illum in diem Lunae, 29 ſcilicet Auguſti, non in diem Solis incidere. Optaſſem, diem ipſum; ſed gaviſus ſum me CONSECRATIONEM SOLENNEM peracturum VIGILIA SALTEM ILLIVS DIEI. Nam illa die Sereniſſimus Rex Jacobus, cauſam meam circâ electionem in Preſidentem Collegii S. Joh. Baptiſtae Oxon: per tres integras horas ad minimum audivit, & me è manu inimicorum potentum juſtiſſimè liberavit; No doubt to preſerve him to a [...]ar other doome and cenſure.

Mr. Prynne depoſed, that he found in the Archbiſhops Study this paper indorſed and corrected with his own hand, concerning the conſecration of this his Chappell.

The form of the Act, where a Biſhop conſecrates a Chappell of his own Dedication.

[Page] In Dei nomine Amen. Cum Nos Gulielmus permiſſione divina Menevenſis Epiſcopus, pia ac religioſa devotione ducti, hanc Capellam ſive Oratorium intra aedes noſtras communiter vocatas Aberguilli-houſe, infra Parochiam de Aberguillye in Com. Carmarthen noſtrarum Menevenſis Dioceſ. & Iuriſdictionis, continent. inter muros ejuſdem, in longitudine ab Oriente ad Occidentem 30 pedes, & in latitudine ab Aquilone verſus Auſtrum 17. pedes cum dimidio, ſuper terris noſtris, & cum propriis noſtris ſumptubus noviter erigi, & extrui procuraviſſimus; Eandemque ſuggeſto, menſa Sacra ſeu Altari, Sedilibus convenientibus, aliiſque neceſſariis ad divinum cultum decenter & ſufficienter ornaverimus. Ad Conſecrationē ejuſdem Capellae auctoritate noſtra ordinaria & Epiſcopali jam procedentes, eandem Capellam divino cultui, & divinorum celebrationi, ac tam ad Sacramenta, & Sacramentalia, tum Caenae Dominicae, tum etiam Baptiſmatis ſacri in eadem miniſtranda, & ad matrimonium ſolemnizandum, quam ad divinas preces Deo fundendas, & verbum Dei purè & ſincerè proponendum & predicandum, ac caetera omnia ſacra & divina perficienda in eadem quae de Iure divino, ac etiam legibus, ſanctionibus, & Constitutionibus Eccleſiae noſtrae Anglicanae in ea parte ſunt requiſita & neceſſaria, ac ſi ſigiſtatim eſſent in preſentibus ſpecificata, modo & forma in ſimilibus jam de Iure viſitatis in Dei honorem & uſum noſtrum & Succeſſorum noſtrorum, aliorumque nobiſcum in aedibus noſtris praedictic, ſive cum Succeſſoribus noſtris impoſterum ibidem commorantium ſive inhabitantiū conſecramus & dedicamus; pernomen Capellae Sancti Johannis Baptiſtae. Et ſic conſecratam, dedicatam & aſſignatam eſſe, & in futuris perpetuis temporibus remanere debere, palam & publicè pronuntiamus & declaramus; & pernomen predictum perpetuis futuris comporibus nominandum & appellandum fore decernimus & ſic nominamus. Privilegiis inſuper omnibus & ſingulis in ea parte uſitatis, & requiſitis & Capellis abantiquo fundatis competentibus hujuſmodi Capellam ſive Oratorium ad omnem Iuris effectum munitum eſſe volumus, & quantum in nobis eſt & de Iure poſſumus, ſic munimus & ſtabilimus per preſentes. Salvo ſemper Iure & intereſſe Matricis Eccleſiae in cujus Parochia dicta Capella ſive Oratorium predict ſcita, & ſcituata est, in omnibus & ſingulis decimis, oblationibus, vadiis, proficuis, privilegiis, Iuribus & emolumentis quibuſcumque ordinariis & extraordinariis ad dictam Eccleſiam matricem Iure vel conſuetudins quoquo modo debitis vel conſuetis, aut ſpectantibus ſive pertinentibus. Quae quidem omnia & ſingula praemiſſa quantumus in nobis eſt, & de Iure poſſumus, pro Nobis & Succeſſoribus noſtris ſic decernimus & ſtabilimus per praeſentes. In nomine Patris, & Filii, & Spiritus Sancti, Amen.

With this Inſtrument, he likewiſe found a note of the dimenſions of this Chappell, written with the Biſhops own hand,

My Chappell at Aberguilly is 5. yards and a halfe broad at the Eaſt end. MY ALTAR FRAME, beſides the thickneſſe of the Table, is a yard and 3. inches high. And the Table is a yard and three quarters long; and in breadth it wants three inches of a yard; the foot-pace is two yards broad.

This note was incloſed and wrapped up within theſe two following Papers found together with it, thus indorſed with the Arch-biſhops own hand. 1643. Chappell and furniture as it was in uſe by the right Reverend Father in God, Lancelot Andrews, Lord Biſhop then of Winton: From whom the Arch-Biſhop confeſſed at the Bar, he tooke his pattern of conſecrating and furniſhing Churches, Chappels, Altars. By which two papers publikely read and ſhewed in the Lords Houſe; the Popiſh furniture both of Biſhop Andrews and this Arch-biſhops Chappels at Aberguilly, London-houſe, and Lambeth, will moſt evidently appear to all the world.

The portraiture of the firſt of theſe two papers, with the Popiſh furniture of the Altar in the Arch-biſhops and Biſhop Andrews Chappells, is expreſſed to the life in the following Copper peece.

[Page]

1. The Alter 1 y• ¼ high 1 y• ¾ long 1 y• broad

α A cuſhion—

β β. Twoo Candlestickes with tapers

C. The baſon for Oblations—

γ. A Cushion for the ſervice booke

The dayly furniture for the [...]

A. The ſilver [...] guilt [...] for ye [...] like a wicker baſket & lined with [...] laced: B: ye Tonne vpon a cradle C: the C [...]alice haueing on the outſide of the boll Christ with the lost [...] in his ſhoulders on the top of the co [...] the wiſemens starr both engrauen it is couered with a linnon napkin (called the Aire) embrodered with colored ſilkes: D: D: Twoo patens ✚ the [...]rica: [...]nale being a round ball with a ſkrew couer where: out i [...] ſ [...]ue. 3 pipes, and is for the water of mixture

2. Aſier table on which before the Communion [...]: [...] lace of this writing ſhould haue been the Outward Chappell ſtand A & B vpon two napkins Eabaſon & Ever to [...]aſh before conſecration F [...] towell a [...]taining 3: 3 the Kneeling ſtooles couered and ſt [...]ffed 4 [...] footpace [...] three aſcents covered [...] a Turkey Carpott of firrboords [...]. [...]. G. Three Chaires vſed at Ordinations or prelates com [...]nicant 5 The Septum wt two aſcents 6 the pulpitt 7 the muſique table wt (A A A) three formes: E: a Triquertrall Cenſor wherein if Clarke putteth frankin cenſe at if reading of the firſt leſson H the [...]aricula like y• ke [...]le of a boat wt a halfe cover and a foot out of which the frank in cenſe is poured 8 a footpace with three aſcents on which the [...]ecteru ſtandeth couered & thereon ye great Bible 9. The Falds torte where at they Kneele to read ye litanie 10. is the Chaplins ſeate where he readeth ſervice. 11. a ſeate wt a Canopie ouer it for ye B. P. but at the Com [...]nion time he fitts on G. 3. 12. 12: two long formes for ye familie

[Page] Loe here in this Peece and Chappell, you have firſt AN ALTAR. Secondly, ſtrange Popiſh furniture on this Altar: viz. two ſilver Candleſtickes with Tapers in them, (expreſly prohibited by Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, Anno 1559. Injunct. 3. 23. which prohibit ſetting up of Candles; ordering all Candleſticks, Trindals, and Rols of Wax, to be taken aWay and extinct, as Monuments of ſuperſtition and Idolatry; by the Homily againſt the Perill of Idolatry, Part 3. pag. 50, 51. which condemnes the uſe of Tapers and Candle Religion, as fooliſh, ſuperſtitious Ethnicall and Idolatrous, and generally cenſured by all our Ormerod his Pagano Papiſ. ſemblance. 37. 123, 124, 125. Francis de c [...]y his firſt conformity, c. 25. Dr. Remolds his conference with Hart. c. 8. diviſ. 4. p 492. to 514. Artic. of Ireland, Artic. 52. Biſhop Latimer in ſundry of his Sermons. Orthodox Writers as Popiſh and Heatheniſh.) A Baſon for Oblations: a ſilver and gilt Candleſticke for WAFERS. A Chalice with the Picture of Chriſt engraven on it: An Aire; A Tricanale or pot with three pipes for the Water of mixture; (that is, for water to mix with the Wine, and for Holy-water.) A Credertia or ſide Table: a Baſon and Ewer, (for the polluted Prieſts and Prelates to waſh in) before conſecration, and a towell to wipe their unhollowed fingers: A Cenſor to burn Incenſe in, at the reading of the firſt Leſſon, as in the Popiſh Maſſe and Churches. A little Boate out of which the Frankincenſe is powred, &c. (which Doctor Coſens had made uſe of in Peter houſe, where he burned Incenſe:) Furniture directly borrowed from the Roman Ceremoniall, Miſſab, and Pontificall, no where to be found but in Popiſh Chappels and Churches. You may judge of this Prelates Chappell and Popiſh Inclination, by this Romiſh furniture thereto belonging: and that mentioned in this next enſuing, being an Inventory of his Chappell furniture and Plate, found with the former, atteſted by Maſter Prynne.

Furniture belonging to the Chappell.

BEhind the Altar: A peece of Hangings 11. foot deep, and 5. yards ¾ long. Another peece of Hangings. The ſtory of Abraham and Melchiſadeck; part of the ſtory of David.

A Table with a frame of deale uſed for the Altar, 1. yard ¼ high▪ 1. yard ¾ long 1. yard broad.

A Back-peece of Crimoſinand Violet Damaske paned. 1. yard ½ deep, 3. yards long.

A Front peece of the like. 1. yard ¼ deep, 3. yards long.

A Pall of Violet Damaske. 1. yard ¼ broad. 3. yards ¼ long.

A Cuſhion of Violet and Crimoſin Damaske. ½ yard broad, 1. yard long.

A Rail of Wainſcot banniſters before the Altar.

Two Traverſes of Taffeta Crimoſin and Violet paned 3. yards ¼ deep, 4. yards ¾. broad.

A foot-pace with two aſcents of Deal, underneath the Altar, 3. yards ¾ long, 1. yard 31\4 [...] broad.

A Turkey Carpet to it 4. yards ¾ long, 2 yards 11\4 [...] wide.

Two low ſtooles to kneel on at each end of the Altar, ſtuffed and covered with purple Bayes.

A ſquare Pulpit of wainſcot, 1 yard ¾ high, 1 yard ſquare.

A Pulpit cloath of Crimoſin and Violet damaske paned, 1. yard ¼ deepe, 3. yards long.

A Muſique Table of Deal.

3. Formes to it covered with purple Bayes.

A Carpet of purple Broad-cloath, 3. yards long.

A Carpet of purple Bayes. 3. yards long, and ¾ broad.

A foot-pace with three Aſcents, 2. yards ½ ſquare. And thereupon a Lectern with the Great Bible.

A cloth to the Lecterne of purple broad cloth, 3. yards long.

Another of purple Bayes. 3. yards long, 1. yard, ¾ broad.

[Page] A Faldſtory of wainſcot, 1. yard 1. neile high, 1. yard lacking a neile broad at top 1. yard lacking two nailes breadth below.

A cloath to it of purple broad-cloath, 2. yards, ¾ long, 1. yard ½ broad.

Another of Purple Bayes, 2. yards ¾ long, 1. yard, ¼ broad.

Over the Biſhops ſeate.

A Canopie of Crimoſin and Violet Damask paned, 2. yards 11/48 long. 2. bredth.

The Valens to it, 3. yards compaſſe 11/4 [...] deep.

A Cuſhion to it of Violet Damaske, 1. yard long, 11/28 yard broad.

A folding Table of wainſcot neer the Altar.

A Carpet of Bayes on it, 1. yard 1/ [...] wide, 1. yard 1/ [...] long.

4, Folding chaires of Leather.

Plate for the Chappell.

Two Candleſticks gilt for tapers | 60. ounces | at 5. s. | 6. d. the ounce.
A round Baſon for Offerings, gilt and chaſed | 31 ½ | 6. | 8.
A round Baſon for Almes gilt, and chaſed | 30. | 6. | 0.
An Ovall Baſon and Ewer, gilt and chaſed | 51. | 6. | 0.
Two Patens gilt | 36. | 10. | 0.
For cutting the figure 13. s. 4. d. |  |  |
A Chalice and cover gilt | 43. | 10. | 0.
For making the ſtar on the Challice | 3. s. |  |
A Tun gilt | 47. 3. d. weight. | 6. | 11.
A Cradle to it gilt | 18. ¾ | 6. | 11.
A Funnell to it gilt | 3. | 6. | 11.
A Caniſter gilt | 5 ¾ | 10. | 0.
A triquetrall Cenſor | 85. lack 6. d. | 7. | 0.
For gilding it at 16. d. the ounce. |  |  |
A Laton pan for it | 5. s. |  |
For making the knob of it | 2. s. |  |
A Crewet gilt with 3. ſpouts | 10. 11/28 | 7. s. | 9.
Another gilt with a Birds bill | 4. leſſe. 5. d. waight | 6. | 8.

Five Copes. Five Surplices.

Two Altar-cloathes.

Linnen,

Two Towels thereto.

A cloath to lay over the Chalice wrought with coloured ſilke called the Aire.

To which I ſhall onely adde this Paſſage of like nature of Doctor Wrens Propoſalls found in the Archbiſhops ſtuddy, thus indorſed with his own hand, and preſented by him to his Majeſty, touching the furniſhing of the Altar at Windſor Chappell.

Septemb. 22. 1628. Doctor Wren Deane of Windſor, his Propoſalls to his Sacred Majeſty, concerning that Church, and the Order of the Garter.

Touching the Divine Service in his Majeſties Chappell of Windſor.

‘Whereas alſo the Altar of the Chappell is not furniſhed according to the State and Magnificence of ſo great a Majeſtie; May it pleaſe his Sacred Majeſty to call to minde that at a Chapter of the Order held, Aprill 23. 1618. by King Iames of Bleſſed memory, It was decreed, Quod quilibet Militum offerret ac donaret pro Altari capellae ordinis in Windſor vas aliquod argenteum valoris (ad minimum) 20. l. And again at the Chapter held, Novemb. 24. 1625. Under his Sacred Majeſty that now is, it is thus Ordered; Primum propoſuit ſupremus, ut unuſquiſque Ordinis donaret aliquod vas Argenteum valoris, 20. l. in uſum capellae. Hic acclamatum eſt ab omnibus. The fulfilling of which Decrees would make a magnificent and worthy ſupply of all things neceſſary unto the ſervice of the ſaid Altar,’

[Page] To which the Arch-biſhop writ this Anſwer in the Margin with his own hand: Theſe and all that concern the Order are to be remembred at the next Chapter.

Certainely were there no other Evidence to prove this Archbiſhop a direct Papiſt in heart and practiſe, but the conſecration and Popiſh furniture of his Chappell with that forementioned in the windowes at Lambeth it were aboundantly ſufficient to ſatisfie all the world, and the greateſt Patriots of his ſincerity to the Proteſtant Religion; but we ſhall proceed to further proofes.

The next Chappell we finde the Archbiſhop conſecrated, was the Chappell at Hamer-Smith; of which there was this memoriall read out of his Dairy June. 7. 1631. Tueſday J conſecrated the Chappell of Hamer-Smith; It was done with like Popiſh Ceremonies as he uſed at Creed-Church; and Sr. Nicholas Criſpe ſetting two great ſilver Flagons with wine on the Communion Table when the Chappell was conſecrated, without any intent to beſtow them on the Chappell; the Archbiſhop told him after the conſecration they were now dedicated unto God, and it would be Sacriledge for him to commit them to his private uſe againe: and ſo enforced him to beſtow them on the Chappell.

There was great ſuite made to the Biſhop, and a compoſition with Dr. Cluet Miniſter of Fulham and his ſucceſſors, before way would be given by him, for the building of this Chappell of caſe. At laſt all parties being agreed, and proviſions made to build the Chappell; the Archbiſhop ſolemnly layd and conſecrated the firſt ſtone thereof, uſing the enſuing praier at its conſecration; as was proved by his Booke of Praiers written with his owne hand (ſeaſed by Mr. Prynne in his Chamber at the Tower) where page 220. was written in the Margent. Hamer-Smith Chappell March 11. 1629. with this ſuperſcription and Praier.

At the laying of the firſt ſtone in A Chappell.

‘O Lord Mercifull and gracious, theſe thy people are preparing to build a place Hammer-Smith Chappell. March 11. 1629. for thy ſervice. Accept I humbly beſeech thee, their preſent devotion, and make them perfect both in their preſent and future duty: That while thou giveſt them caſe to honour thee, they may with the greater Alacrity goe on in thy ſervice. And now O Lord I have by thy mercy and goodneſſe put to my hand to lay the firſt ſtone in this building. Tis a Corner ſtone, make it I beſeech thee a happy foundation, a durable building; Let it riſe up and be made and continue a houſe of praier and devotion through allages, that thy people may be taught to beleeve in Jeſus Ch. the true Corner ſtone, upon whom they and their ſoules may be built ſafe for ever. Grant this for the ſame Jeſus Chriſt our moſt bleſſed Lord and Saviour. To whom with the Father; and the Holy Spirit be aſcribed, all power majeſty and dominion this day and for ever, Amen.’

Now this Ceremony of conſecrating and laying the firſt ſtone of a Chappell or Church by the Biſhop, is expreſly taken out of the Roman Pontificall, pars 2. cap. De Benedictione & impoſitione primarij lapidis pro Eccleſia edificanda. p. 199. &c. Where all the ſolemnity of this conſecration is at large preſcribed, and the ſubſtance of the Prayer the Biſhop uſed upon this occaſion, thence derived.

This ceremony of conſecrating and laying the firſt ſtone of a Church or Chappell is ſeverely cenſured as ridiculous, Popiſh, Superſtitions, by Matthew Parker, his predeceſſor Archbiſhop of Canterbury, in his Antiquitates Eccleſia Britannicae, p. 85. Quibus enim non dicam verbis ſed portentis, haec & hujuſmodi à Pontificiis adorantur Q. Primarius lapis & caementum per Eccleſia aedificanda: Lapis cum caemento Epiſcopi manibus primum aqua benedicta ſparſus inſculpto Gracis ſigno his ſententiis in fundamento poſitus eſt, lapidem quem reprobaverunt aedifieantes, hic factus eſt in caput Anguli Devide, tu es Petrus, & ſuper hanc Petram, &c. poſtea precabantur, ut qui ad perficiendam, Eccleſiam auxilium dederunt, corporis & animae ſalutem conſequantur, &c. Yet notwithſtanding the Popiſh Prelate, in contempt of his Predeceſſors Judgement, needs muſt introduce this Popiſh Innovation, not [Page] onely at Hammerſmith, but even at the Cathedrall of Pauls it ſelfe; where he conſecrated and laid the firſt ſtone at its reparation, with many prayers and Ceremonies: And not content herewith cauſed a ſecond Edition of Sir Tho. Ridlyes View of the Civill and Eccleſiaſticall Law to be re-printed at Oxford, Anno 1634. Cum Privilegio, with ſome Marginall Additions added to it by J. G. Maſter of Arts p. 51. 52, 191, 192, 193. Wherein he juſtifies the conſecrating of Churches, Chappels, and the foundation-ſtone thereof, by the Biſhop in theſe words: The Biſhop with Prayer is to lay the firſt ſtone of a Church or Monaſtary, and lift up his hands to heaven, and conſecrate the place to God by prayer, and there erect the ſymbole of our Salvation, we mean the venerable and truely precious Rood. That this Ceremony of laying the firſt ſtone, hath been of ancient uſe in the Greeke Church, may be obſerved out of their Euchologue, where it is ſaid, That the Biſhop after ſome other Rites performed, ſtanding in the place where the holy Altar ſhall be ſet, ſaith a prayer, which being ended he giveth the Ita miſſa eſt, and then taking up one of the ſtones, and having cut a croſſe upon it himſelfe with his own hands layeth it upon the groundworke; then he pronounceth the, &c. and ſo the workemen begin the building. That which followeth in the Euchologue, diſcovereth the forme and manner of ſetting up the Crucifix which the Law calleth [...]. The like ceremonies are uſed in the Latine Church as this day, as may be ſeen in their Pontificall page 281. of that which Clement the 8. ſet out at Rome in the yeare 1565. The crucifix muſt be ſent to the place where the Church is to be erected; and there the Biſhop uſeth certaine prayers, fumeth the ground with his Incenſe circular-wiſe, croſſeth the corner ſtone, which he layeth for the foundation, and when he maketh the conſecration, the croſſe muſt he ſet up behinde the holy Altar, there being prepared for it ſome lofty ſtructure, &c. Which addition was patched to Doctor Ridley, meerly to countenance and juſtifie the Arch-biſhops conſecrations of this kinde; of which we ſhall produce ſome other Inſtances.

We read in his Diary under his own hand this Memoriall following, May 26. 1632. Saturday, Trinity Sunday Eve, I conſecrated the Lord Treaſurers Chappell at Roe-hampton: And in an Abſtract of the Arch-biſhops Metropoliticall Viſitation, Anno 1635. (found in his ſtuddy) we finde his Viſitor and Vicar Generall interdicted the Chappell of Buckſton and of Down in Derbyſhire. (though long uſed) for want of conſecration, and in ſome Articles to be inquired of in the Viſitation of the Arch-Deacon of Buckingham Anno 1625. Artic. 27. touching the Miniſtry. Viſitation Articles this inquiry made, Whether any Chaplaines did Preach or adminiſter the Sacrament in any Chappell not conſecrated?

In the year 1636. there was a great conteſtation between the Arch-biſhop and the Univerſity of Cambridge, heard before his Majeſty and his Privy Councell at Hampton Court, whether the Archbiſhop meerly as Metropolitan, or the King alone as King and founder of the Univerſity ſhould have the Viſitation thereof: where it was ruled for the Arch-biſhop, againſt the King and Univerſity. At which time the Arch-biſhop declared, that one principall cauſe why he deſired to viſit the Univerſity of Cambridge was, becauſe there were ſome Chappels belonging to Colledges where Divine Service had been uſed, and the Sacrament adminiſtred divers years, though they were never conſecrated by any Biſhop; as namely See Speeds Hiſt. of Great Britain. p. 1067 1068. Emanuel Colledge Chappell, built in the year, 1584. And Sidney Suſſex Colledge Chappell built in the year, 1598. And ever ſince uſed as Chappels without any Biſhops conſecration, no Archbiſhop or Biſhop, of the Dioceſſe taking any exceptions at it; yet now forſooth, the Archbiſhop as Metropolitan muſt become Viſitor to the Univerſity of Cambridge to conſecrate theſe Chappels; as if they were prophane before, and the holy Ordinances uſed in them not ſufficient to hallow them, without his Popiſh Epiſcopall conſecration-ceremonies, Expoſ. in Aggeus, c 1. and 2. Biſhop Pilkington, De Vita & Ob tu. Mar. Buceri. Walter Haddon, Acts and Monuments, Edit. 1610. p. 1777. to 1788. Mr. Fox, and others, much jeer and deride the madneſſe, folly, and ſuperſtition of Cardinall Poole, and his Deputy Viſitors of this very Univerſity of Cambridge, for digging up Mr. Bucers, and Paulus Fagius bones, out of S. Maries Church in Cambridge, 3. yeares after they were interred, and interdicting [Page] and new conſecrating the Church again, as prophaned by them for fear their Maſſes and Divine Service there uſed, ſhould be nothing worth, the place being made prophane and unholy by theſe heretickes funeralls as they judged them, when as the Church was holy enough to ſay Maſſe in for three yeares ſpace before; and all that would not heare it muſt be impriſoned, burned, although the parties lay there buried.

And is it not then a far greater madneſſe, ſuperſtition, and ridiculous frenzie for this domineering Arch-Prelate to deem theſe two Chappels prophane places, unfit to adminiſter the Sacraments, and celebrate divine Service in, becauſe never yet conſecrated by a Biſhop, not onely after three, but almoſt three-ſcore yeares uſe and practiſe of divine Service, Sermons, Sacraments in them? When as neither his predeceſſors Whitgift, Bancroft, and Abbot (men very ceremonious, and two of them much addicted to ſuperſtition) ever ſo much as moved any ſuch queſtion concerning the neceſſity of their conſecration: Eſpecially ſince there is no ſuch Canon, Law, to enforce the conſecration of them now, as was to juſtifie the re-hallowing of S. Maries Church in Queen Maries time, which the See Summa Angelica & Roſella. Tit. Conſecratio Eccleſiae. Popiſh Canon Law then approved, in the caſe of Bucer and Fagius. We read in the Eccleſiaſticall Conſtitutions of Otho, the Popes Legat, made in an Engliſh Synode in the Raigne of King Henry the third, that even in thoſe dark times of Popery, there were not only divers Pariſh Churches, but ſome Cathedrals in England, which were uſed as ſuch for many yeares, yet never conſecrated by a Biſhop, as appears by theſe words of the Conſtitution it ſelf; Joan. de Aten Conſtit. Dom. Othonis. De conſec [...]. Eccleſia. f. 5. Multas invenimus Eccleſias, & aliquas Cathedrales, quae licet fuer unt ab antiquo conſtructae, nondum tamen ſunt ſanctificationis Oleo conſecrate: Whereupon this Popiſh Legat for his own lucher, Enjoyned all Churches then built or to be built, to be conſecrated within two years ſpace, under pain of interdiction, from having Maſſe ſaid in them; unleſſe ſome reaſonable cauſe were ſhewed to the contrary. By colour of which Popiſh conſtitution, this Prelate (it ſeems) urged the conſecration of theſe ancient Chappels; there being no other ſhaddow of reaſon, Canon, or authority for it.

After this Archbiſhop had thus procured a power to himſelf to viſit the Ʋniverſity of Cambridge; Matthew Wren Biſhop of Ely, Decemb. 1. 1639. Sent him up an account ſigned with his own hand, of ſome things amiſſe within his Dioceſſe and that Univerſity, which he left to his Graces conſideration to amend: which account was ſeized by Maſter Prynne in his ſtudy at Lambeth, and thus indorſed with the Arch-biſhops own hand. My Lord of Elyes Account: 1639. In which there were theſe two Paſſages, concerning conſecration of Chappels. The firſt concerning a Chappell in Sir John Cuts houſe, in the town of Childerley; which Chappell the Knight ſaid, was conſecrated by Biſhop Heton, producing an Inſtrument under ſeal, purporting that on ſuch a day, at Childerſly, Biſhop Heton did conſecrate a Chappell, by ſaying Service there himſelfe, and having a Sermon: (this was all the Solemnity of its Conſecration) I questioning the whole matter have required him to waiteupon your Grace, to ſee whether that conſecration must be allowed of? The ſecond concerning ſome Chappels in Colledges never yet conſecrated; which is thus expreſſed in this Account: It was preſented unto me, That in the Colledges of Emanuel, Sidney, and Corpus Chriſti, there have been Roomes built within the memory of man, which are uſed for common Chappels, wherein they have dayly prayers and do Preach there, without any faculty or licenſe granted unto them ſo to do; And wherein alſo they ordinarily celebrate the holy Communion, The ſaid places never having been conſecrated thereunto.

Ma. Elie.

The Scottiſh troubles, it ſeems, prevented his conſecration of theſe Chappels, which were ſufficiently hallowed before by the Divine Duties exerciſed in them. The laſt Chappell we finde conſecrated, was that in Covent Garden, which [Page] was hallowed or rather prophaned with all Popiſh Ceremonies expreſſed in the Roman Pontificall, and far more than were uſed at Creed-Church.

The Arch-biſhop having thus far advanced his Popiſh deſignes in conſecrating Churches, Chappels, and Church-yards, proceeded one ſtep further, even to ſet up the exploded Annuall Baccanalian feaſts of Dedication, whereon Churches were hallowed, preſcribed at firſt onely by the Decrees of [...] Concil. Tom. 2. p. 382. Pope Felix, & Pope Gregory recorded by Gratian, De Conſecratione, Diſtinct 1. who Decreed thus: Solennitates Eccleſiarum dedicationem per ſingulos annos ſolemniter ſunt celebrandae. Thoſe Feaſts of Dedication, turned by the people into meer Bacchanals, were exceedingly declaimed againſt, as neceſſary to be ſuppreſſed by Nicholaus de Clemangiis in his Tract, De Novis Celebritatibus non inſtituendis; ſuppreſſed by the Injunctions of King Henry the S. An. 1536. As the occaſion of much idleneſſe, exceſſe, riot, Fox Acts and Monuments. and pernicious to the Souls of men; Whereupon they were all of them reſtrained to the firſt Sunday in the moneth of October, not to be kept on any other day; and afterwards totally aboliſhed by the ſtatute of 5. and 6. E. 6. c. 3. Of holy-dayes. Which being revived again by degrees, with their Baccanalian diſorders in ſundry places of this Realm, under the names of Wakes or Revels, and ſuppreſſed by ſome Judges in their Circuits and Juſtices of Peace in Seſſions: this Arch-biſhop in the year of our Lord 1633. by a Declaration compiled by himſelfe, but publiſhed in his Majeſties Name, intituled; The Kings Majeſties Declaration concerning Lawfull Sports to be uſed; revived and enjoyned the Obſervation of theſe Wakes and Feaſts of Dedication, never formerly eſtabliſhed by any Chriſtian Prince; together with the uſe of divers Sports and paſtimes on the Lords own Sacred day, after Divine Service ended; to the great Diſhonour of God, of his Majeſty, of our Religion, the diſturbance of the Civill Government, encreaſe of all Licenſiouſneſſe, prophaneneſſe, impiety, and great griefe of all godly peoples Souls. This Book he enjoyned all Miniſters to read and publiſh openly in the Church, in time of Divine Service, though not commanded by the King; and thoſe who out of conſcience refuſed to read it in this kinde, were by his means ſuſpended, excommunicated, proſecuted in the High-Commiſſion, Sequeſtred from their Livings, yea many of them enforced to deſert their Cures and depart the Kingdome; this book being made a ſnare onely to entrap or ſuppreſſe moſt of the painfull, godly, preaching Miniſters throughout the Realm, who were all more or leſſe proſecuted about it: Yet ſuch was this Arch-Prelates unparallel'd impiety, tranſcending all examples in former Ages, that he not onely cauſed his Inſtruments His Communion Book Chatechiſme expounded. Edmond Reeve, Hiſtory of the Sabbath: A Moderate Anſwer to H. Burton, p. 50. to 56.. 76. 80. 81. 110. 111. 112. Dr. Heylyn, Innovations unjuſtly charged, c. 10. 11. 12. p 73. 108. Christopher Dowe and others, to defend the Lawfulneſſe and uſefulneſſe of this prophane licentious Declaration, but alſo to juſtifie the perſecution, ſilencing, ſuſpending, depriving of thoſe Godly Miniſters who out of Conſcience refuſed to publiſh it, in ſundry Printed Books authorized by him and his Chaplaines, for the Preſſe. Quis talia fando, temperet à Lachrymis? at leaſtwiſe can refrain from the heavieſt cenſures againſt this prophane Arch-biſhop.

That this Declaration (ſince ordered to be publikely burnt by the common hangman, by Order of both Houſes of Parliament) was Printed publiſhed by the Archbiſhops procurement, and upon what Occaſion, was thus atteſted upon Oath The Declaration for ſports on the Lords Day, &c. New Printed, publiſhed, preſsed by the Archbiſhops procurement. by Maſter Edward Richardſon, and Maſter Prynne.

Sir Thomas Richardſon Lord chiefe Juſtice of England and Baron Denham, riding the Weſtern Circuit in the Lent Vacation, 7o Caroli, there being at the Aſſiſes in the County of Sommerſet, many perſons indicted for murthering Baſtard children begotten at Wakes and Revels, with ſundry other grand diſorders occaſioned by theſe intemperate meetings, the Juſtices of that County earneſtly importuned the Judges to make a ſevere Order for the ſuppreſſion of theſe diſorderly Wakes and Revels, as divers of their Predeceſſors had done, without which they could never keep the Country in good Order, nor prevent the multitude of Baſtards, murthers, bloodſheds, drunkenneſſe, quarrels, and other diſorders occaſioned by them; whereupon theſe Judges made this enſuing Order in the publike Aſſiſes.

An Order made by the Judges of the Aſsiſes for the ſuppreſsing of all Ales and Revels, the nineteenth day of March, Anno Regis Caroli nunc Ang. &c. Sept.

[Page]

WHereas divers Orders have been made heretofore by the Judges of the Aſsiſe for the ſuppreſsing of all Ales and Revels, the ſame Order is now confirmed at this Aſsiſes, and again Ordered by the Court, In regard of the infinite number of inconveniences dayly ariſing by means of Revels. That ſuch Revels, Church-Ales, Clerks-Ales, and all other publick Ales, be henceforth utterly ſuppreſſed; and if hereafter it ſhall be known to the Juſtices of the Peace within this County of ſuch to be ſet up hereafter to be uſed, That then the Juſtices of Peace within their ſeverall diviſions take courſe, as well for the ſpeedy apprehending and puniſhing of Idle and lewd perſons, drawing together at ſuch places, as alſo for the binding over of ſuch perſons uſing tipling, inflicting ſuch puniſhment upon all offenders in ſuch places as the Law doth inflict. And to the end this Order may be the better obſerved, it is further Ordered, That the Clerk of the Aſsiſes ſhall leave Coppies hereof with the under-Sheriffe, and from the under-Sheriffe every Conſtable of the hundred ſhall take a Coppy for his ſeverall Hundred and Liberty, and ſhall deliver a Coppy to the [Page] Minister of every Pariſh within his ſeverall Hundred and Liberty, and ſhall take a note of every Miniſter under his hand the day when he received it; and ſhall publiſh it yearly within the Pariſh Church, the firſt Sunday in February, and likewiſe the two Sundayes before Eaſter, yearly. And it is further Ordered, That every Conſtable every Lent-Aſsiſes, preſent unto the Judges of the Circuit, a note of the ſame Order under the hands of the ſaid Miniſters: And for the avoyding the concourſe of idle people, it is further Ordered, That Minſtrels, and ſuch other perſons as uſually carry up and down Bulls and Beares to bate (being Rogues by the Statute) ſhall be puniſhed as Rogues, for the further preventing of ſuch inconveniences as uſually hapneth at ſuch meetings.

This is a Copyy of the Order.

To Lawrence Muſgrave Conſtable.

The now Arch-Biſhop being informed of this good Order, was very much netled at it, both in regard of the ſubject matter of it, (the ſuppreſſion of Church-Ales, Wakes, Revels, commonly kept on the Lords Day) and likewiſe of the manner of publiſhing it, by the Miniſters in the Church, which he conceived to be an Ʋſurpation upon the Biſhops Eccleſiaſticall Juriſdiction, and an injury to the Church. Upon which grounds he had formerly quarrelled with Sir Nicholas Rainton when he was Lord Mayor of London, for prohibiting an Apple-woman to ſell Apples on the Lords Day within Pauls Church-yard, threatning to complaine of him to the King and his Councell for uſurping on his Juriſdiction; and telling him ſhe ſhould ſell Apples there on the Sunday, notwithſtanding his Command to the contrary, and let him puniſh her if he durſt; as he likewiſe excepted againſt this pious Order of Richard Deane, Lord Mayor of London, Anno 1629. (found in his ſtudy by Maſter Prynne) thus endorſed with his own hand, Aprill 20. 1629. The Lord Mayor of London his Warrant against breakers of the Sabbath, MY JVRISDICTION INTERESSED.

§

WHereas J am credibly informed that notwithſtanding divers good Laws provided Lond. ſs for the keeping of the Sabbath day holy, according [Page] to the expreſſe Commandement of Almighty God, divers Jnhabitants and other perſons of this City and other places, having no reſpect of duty towards God, and his Majeſty, or his Laws, but in contempt of them all, do commonly and of cuſtome greatly prophane the Sabbath day, in buying, ſelling, uttering, and venting their Wares and Commodities, upon that day for their private gain. Alſo Jnholders ſuffering Markets to be kept by Carriers in moſt rude and prophane manner, in ſelling Victuals to Hucſters, Chandlers, and all other commers: alſo Carriers, Carmen, Clothworkers, Water-bearers, and Porters carrying of burthens, and Watermen plying their Fares, and divers others working in their ordinary callings. And likewiſe that J am further informed that Vintners, Alehouſekeepers, Tobacco, and ſtrong Water ſellers, greatly prophane the Sabbath day, by ſuffering Company to ſit drinking and bibbing in their houſes on that day; And likewiſe divers by curſing and ſwearing and ſuch like behaviour, contrary to the expreſſe Commandement of Almighty God, his Majeſties Laws in that behalf and all good Government. For the Reformation whereof, J do hereby require, and in his Majeſties name ſtraightly Command all his Majeſties loving ſubjects whatſoever, and alſo all Conſtables, Headboroughs, Beadles, and all other Officers whatſoever to be ayding and aſſiſting to (I. S.) the bearer hereof, in finding out and apprehending all and every ſuch perſon and perſons, as ſhall be found to offend in any of theſe kinds; and them and every of them to bring before me or ſome other of his [Page] Majeſties Juſtices of the Peace, to anſwer to all ſuch matters as ſhall be objected againſt them, and to put in good ſecurity, for their good behaviour: whereof fail you not, as you or any of you will anſwer at your perill.

Dated Aprill 20. 1629.

To all Conſtables and other his Majesties Officers & Ministers whatſoever within the City of London and liberties thereof, and to every of them.

Rich. Deane Major.

The Arch-biſhop much vexed at the Judges forementioned Order againſt Ales and Revels, complained of the Judges and it to his Majeſtie (as he had formerly done of the Lord Mayor of London) and procured a Commiſſion to ſome Divines of that County, and Biſhop Pierce, to enquire of the manner of publiſhing this Order in Churches, and what was done therein, and of the Lord Chiefe Justice Richardſons carriage in this buſineſſe. Notwithſtanding which Commiſſion this chiefe Juſtice the next Aſſizes gave a ſtrict charge againſt theſe Ales, and Revels, required an Account of the publication and execution of the foreſaid Order, and puniſhed ſome diſorderly perſons for breach thereof: Wherewith the Archbiſhop (then of London) being acquainted by Sir Robert Philips and others, he thereupon complained again to the King of the Judges, and writ the enſuing letter to the Biſhop of Bath and Wels, to make the better way for the publike authorizing of Wakes and Revels, even on the Lords own Day, and his Majeſties ſubſequent Declaration for sports and Ales to be kept thereon: of which Chriſtopher Dowe his Champion, in his Innovations unjuſtly charged upon the preſent Church and State, or, An Anſwer to the moſt materiall paſſages of a Libellous Pamphlet made by Mr. Henry Burton, and Intituled, An Apology of an Appeal, &c. London, 1637. chap. 5. p. 75. writes thus: I beleeve his Grace holds it no diſhonour to be the meanes of procuring or urging obedience, to any Act, that ſo juſt, and religious a King ſhall avow to be His. Propounding and juſtifying theſe five Propoſitions at at large concerning this Declaration, and the urging of it, p. 77. &c.

1. That the Declaration is no inlet to prophanneſſe, or irreligion, or hinderance of the due Sanctification of the Lords Day.

2. That ehe ſports permitted by it to be uſed, are Lawfull, and are not prohibited either by Gods Law, or the Law of the Land.

3. That it is no means of breaking the fift Commandement, nor doth alow any contempt of Parents, or Maſters Authority over their children and ſervants.

4. That the reading of it by Miniſters, in their ſeverall Congregations, was injoyned and intended by his Majeſty, and that it is a thing that may lawfully be done by them.

5. That ſuch as refuſe to publiſh it accordingly, are juſtly puniſhed, and their puniſhment no cruelty or unjuſt perſecution.

The Extract of the Letter ſent to the Biſhop of Bath and Wels, was as followeth.

[Page]

S. in Chriſto.

My very good Lord, &c.

MY Buſineſſes concerning my Tranſlation are now almoſt over, and thoſe of Tearme ready to begin. And in the interim I am commanded by His Majeſty to put you to a little paines. There hath been of late ſome noyſe in Somerſetſhire about the Feasts NOTE. of the Dedications of Churches, commonly called the Wakes; and it ſeemes the Judges of Aſſiize formerly made an Order to prohibit them, and cauſed it to be publiſhed in ſome or moſt of the Churches there by the Miniſter, without my Lord the Biſhops conſent or privity. The pretence of this hath been, that ſome diſorders derogatory from Gods ſervice and the Government of the Common-wealth are committed at thoſe times: by which argument, any thing that is abuſed may be quite taken away. It ſeemes there hath been ſome heate ſtrucke in the Countrey about this, by the carriage of the Lord Chiefe Juſtice Richardſon, at the two laſt Aſſizes, especially the laſt, with which His Majeſty is not well pleaſed. And for the preventing of outrages, or diſorders at thoſe Feaſts, no man can be more carefull than His Majeſty; but He conceives, and that very rightly, that all theſe may and ought to be prevented by the care of the Juſtices of Peace, and not leave the Feaſts themſelves to be kept, for the Neighbourly meetings and Recreations of the people, of which he would not have them debarred under any frivilous pretences. And farther, His Majeſty hath been lately informed by men of good place in that Countrey, that the Humouriſts increaſe much in thoſe parts, and unite NOTE. themſelves by banding againſt the Feaſts; which courſe, as His Majeſty no way likes, ſo He hath been informed alſo for this laſt yeare, ſince warning was given, there have not been any noted diſorders at any of thoſe Feaſts kept in thoſe parts. Yet for His better ſatisfaction, He hath commanded me to require you (which I here do by theſe Letters) to ſend for ſome of the graveſt of your Clergy, and ſuch as ſtand best affected to the Church and Government in the ſeverall parts of your Dioceſſe, and by them to informe your ſelfe, how theſe Feaſts havs been ordered for this laſt yeare, and how free they have been from diſorders, and to ſend me up an accompt of it, ſuch as I may ſhew to His Majeſty, of which you muſt not fayle. And He doubts not, but that you will performe the ſame like a wiſe and a prvdent Governour. Thus leaving this buſineſſe to your care, and NOTE. deſiring you to make as much convenient haſte with it as you can I commend you to Gods Grace, and reſt,

Your Lordſhips very loving Friend, and Brother W. Cant.

Lambeth, Octob. 4. 1633.

To which Letter, the Biſhop of Bath and Wells, made this returne, thus endorſed with the Archbiſhops own hand. Rece November 11: 1633. My Lord of Bathes Certificate, about the Wakes and other Feaſts in Somerſetſhire, &c. found in his Study with his own forecited Letter.

MOſt Reverend Father in God, and my very Honourable good Lord, my humble ſervice preſented to your Grace. I received upon the 12th of October laſt, a Letter from your Grace, dated the 4th of the ſame Moneth; wherein your Grace hath required me by a commandment from His Majeſty, to ſend for ſome of the graveſt of my Clergie, and ſuch as ſtand beſt affected to the Church and Government, out of the ſeverall parts of my Dioceſſe, and by them to inform my ſelfe, how the annuall Feaſts of the Dedications of their Churches have beene kept within their ſeverall Pariſhes this laſt yeare, and how free they have beene from diſorders. Now according to His Majeſties pleaſure and Commandment herein, preſently after receipt of your Graces Letter, I ſent forth my Letters into all the ſeveral Deaneries within my Dioceſſe, for ſome of the better* ſort of Clergy out of every Diviſion, part and corner of Somerſetſhire to come unto me, and ſo They were the deboyſteſt and worſt in the Country; they did upon certaine dayes appointed by me; And I finde by the ſeverall Anſwers of threeſcore and twelve Miniſters, Benificed men, in whoſe Pariſhes theſe Feaſts are kept, as followeth. Firſt, that they have been kept not onely this laſt yeare, but alſo for many years before, as long as they have lived in their ſeverall Pariſhes, without any diſorders. Secondly, that upon the Feaſt dayes, (which are [Page] for the moſt part every where upon Sundayes) the Service of the Church hath bin more ſolemnly performed, and the Church hath bin better frequented, both in the Forenoons, and in the Afternoons, than upon any Sunday in the yeare. Thirdly, that they have not known or heard of any diſorders in the Neighbouring Towns, where the like Feaſts are kept. Fourthly, that the people do very much deſire the continuance of thoſe Feaſts. Laſtly, that all theſe Miniſters are of opinion, that it is fit and convenient theſe Feaſt dayes ſhould be continued, for a memoriall of the Dedications of their ſeverall Churches, for the civilizing of people, for their lawfull Recreations, for the compoſing of differences by occaſion of the meeting of friends, for the increaſe of love and unity, as being Feaſts of Charity, for the reliefe of the poore, the richer ſort keeping then in a manner open houſe, and for many other reaſons.

This is the ſumme of their ſeverall free and voluntary Anſwers, which I have in writing under their owne hands, and will be ready to ſhew if they be required: which courſe I tooke, becauſe it might not bee given our hereafter by thoſe who condemne theſe Feaſts, that I did miſtake either their words, or their meaning. And I doe verily believe, that if I had ſent for an hundred more of the Clergie within my Dioceſſe, I ſhould have received the ſame Anſwer from them all; becauſe not one of thoſe Miniſters who appeared before me (although they are almoſt all of them as yet ſtrangers unto mee, and moſt of them ſtrangers one to another) varied in the ſubſtance of his Anſwer from the reſt; nay moſt of them agree in their very phraſes and words, and yet all of them gave their Anſwers ſeverally. So that I may liken theſe ſeventy and two Miniſters in this matter, unto the Septuag [...]nt, or ſeventy two Interpreters, who agreed ſo ſoone in the Tranſlation NOTE. of the old Teſtament.

Now as I have made a true report of the Anſwers of theſe Miniſters, ſo I deſire to ſet downe ſome obſervations of mine owne, which I have collected out of their Anſwers.

I finde that throughout Somerſesſhire, there are not only Feaſts of Dedication, but alſo in many places Church-ales, Clerkes-ales, and Bid-ales. The Feaſts of Dedications are more generall and generally they are called Feaſt-dayes, but in divers places they are call'd Revell-dayes, they are not knowne amongſt the ignorant people by the name of Feaſts of Dedication; but all Schollers acknowledge them to be in the memory of their ſeverall Dedications, and ſome Miniſters of late have taught them ſo: Divers Churches here are Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and they are kept upon Trinity Sunday; but almoſt all thoſe Feaſts which are kept in memory of the Dedication of Churches unto Saints, are kept upon ſome Sundayes, either before or after the Saints dayes; becauſe (as I conceive) on the weeke dayes the people have not had leiſure to celebrate theſe Feaſts. And I finde that almoſt all the Feaſts of Dedication are kept in the Summer time, betweene our Lady-day and Michaelmas, becauſe that time of the yeare is moſt convenient for the meeting of Friends from all places; in ſome places they have ſolemne Sermons Preach't by Divines of good note, and alſo Communions upon their Feaſt dayes; and in one place in this County, the Pariſh holds Land by their Feaſt: And one Miniſter (who hath been a great Travailer) hath inſerted in his anſwer, that in ſome reformed Churches, namely in Switzerland, theſe Feaſts of Dedication are obſerved.

I finde alſo that the people generally would by no meanes have theſe Feaſts taken away, for when the Conſtables of ſome Pariſhes came from the Aſſizes about two years agoe, and told their neighbours that the Judges would put down theſe Feaſts, they anſwered, that it was very hard if they could not entertain their kindred and friends once in a yeare, to praiſe God for his Bleſſings, and to pray for the Kings Majeſty, under whoſe happy Government they enjoyed peace and quietneſſe; and they ſayd, they would endure the Judges penalties, father than they would breake off their Feaſt dayes. It is found alſo true by experience, that many [Page] Suits in Law have bin taken up at theſe Feaſts by mediation of friends, which could not have bin ſo ſoone ended in Weſtminster Hall.

Moreover, I finde that the chiefeſt cauſe of the diſlike of theſe Feaſts amongſt the Preciſer ſort is, becaoſe they are kept upon Sundayes, which they never call but Sabbath dayes, upon which they would have no manner of Recreation, nay, NOTE. neither Roſt, nor Sod: And ſome of the Miniſters who were with me have ingenuouſly confeſſed, that if the people ſhould not have their honeſt and lawfull Recreations upon Sundayes after evening Prayer, they would go either into tipling houſes, and there upon their Ale-benches talke of matters of the Church or State, or elſe into Conventicles.

Concerning Church-ales, I finde, that in ſome places the people have bin perſwaded to leave them off, in other places they have bin put down by the Judges NOTE. and Juſtices, ſo that now there are very few of them left: but yet I finde, that by Church-ales heretofore many poore Pariſhes have caſt their Bells, repaired their Towers, beautified their Churches, and raiſed ſtocks for the poore; and not by the ſins of the people (as ſome Humouriſts have ſayd:) but by the Benevolence of people at their honeſt and harmleſſe ſports and paſtimes; at which there hath not bin obſerved ſo much diſorder, as is commonly at Fairs and Markets.

Touching Clerke-ales (which are leſſer Church-ales) for the better maintenance of Pariſh Clerks, they have bin uſed (untill of late) in divers places, and there was great reaſon for them; for in poore Countrey Pariſhes, where the wages of the Clerke is very ſmall, the people thinking it unfit that the Clerke ſhould duly attend at Church, and loſe by his office, were wont to ſend him in Proviſion, and then feaſt with him, and give him more liberality then their quarterly payments would amount unto in many years. And ſince theſe have bin put down, ſome Miniſters have complained unto me, that they are afrayd they ſhall have no Pariſh Clerks for want of maintenance for them.

There is another kinde of publique meeting call'd a Bid-ale, when an honeſt man decayed in his eſtate, is ſet up again by the liberall Benevolence and Contribution of friends at a Feaſt, but this is layd aſide almoſt in euery place.

But I feare I have wearied your Grace with this impertinent diſcourſe of Countrey Feaſts: yet while I am in this diſcourſe of Feaſts, I may not forget one thing wherein I have bin deſired by a grave and learned Divine dwelling neere Taunton to move your Grace, and that is, that your Grace would be a means that the Judges in their Lent Circuit might not ſit and condemne people on that great Feaſt day of the Annunciation.

And ſo having carefully endeavoured to performe His Majeſties Commaundement; I caſt my ſelfe down at His Majeſties feet, humbly begging His gracious pardon if I have erred in any point: And I deſire no longer to live, than I may be able to do God, and His Majeſty ſervice in the Church; which although other Biſhops can performe with greater abilities than my ſelfe, yet none ſhall perform the ſame with more readineſſe, diligence, and fidelity than I will doe: And ſo praying for the continance of your Graces health and happineſſe, I leave your Grace to Gods bleſſed Protection, and humbly reſt,

Your Graces ever to be Commanded, Guil. Bath and Wells.

Wells 5th Novemb. 1633.

The next Aſſizes after this Certificate, the Archbiſhop ſent for Chiefe Juſtice Richardſon, and commanded him to revoke the former Order made at the Aſſizes, againſt Wakes, telling him, it was His Majeſties pleaſure he ſhould reverſe it: But he having no ſuch command from the King Himſelfe, neglected to do it; whereupon the Archbiſhop made a new complaint to His Majeſty againſt the Judge; who thereupon ſent for the Judge, and commanded him publikely to Reverſe that Order the next Aſſizes, as he would anſwer the controay at his perill; notwithſtanding he alleaged, [Page] hee had done it at the requeſt of the Juſtices of Peace in the County, with the generall conſent of the whole Bench, and upon view of diverſe ancient preſidents in that kinde: Whereupon Judge Richardſon the next Sommer Aſſizes 1634. in his charge, informed the Juſtices, Grand-Jury, and Country; That hee at their Requeſt, together with his Brother Denham, had made a very good Order for ſuppreſſing unruly Wakes, and Revells, wherein he thought he had done God, the King and Country good ſervice; but ſome ill affected perſons had miſinformed His Majeſtie concerning this Order, who had given him an expreſſe command to reverſe it; which he conceived was hardly in his power to do becauſe it was no Order made by himſelfe, but by the joynt conſent of the whole Bench, and a meere confirmation and enlargment of diverſe Orders made by the Iudges and Iuſtices in that Circuit, in Queen Elizabeths, King James, and King Charles their Reignes, before ever he came into thoſe parts: for which he produced theſe following Preſidents.

The firſt was an Order made at a Seſſions in Somerſetſhire in the 38. of Queene Elizabeth.

Orders made by the Iuſtices Aſſembled at Bridgwater Seſſions the 10th of September, Anno Reg: Elizabetica 38. &c.

THat no Church Ale, Clerkes Ale, Bid Ale, or tipling be ſuffered, And that ſuch only be ſuffered to tipple as be or ſhal be lawfully licenſed according to the Order made in this Seſſions.

SIGNED;

Iohn Popham

Alexander Popham

Iohn Court

Henry Waldron

Edward Hext.

George Sydenham,

Thomas Horner,

Iohn Colles,

Iohn May,

Iohn [...]odney.

The ſecond was this Order of Seſſions made at the ſame place, whereto he found the name of one Thomas Philips, ſubſcribed; but he knew not who he was (at which Sir Robert Philips, his Sonne, who ſticled for theſe Wakes, was much incenſed, as conceiving it a meere jeare againſt him.)

At the Seſſions at Bridgwater, the 28th of September 1594.

IT is is Ordered and agreed, that no Church-Ale be admitted to be kept within any part of this ſhiere. And that by the Juſtices of the Peace of the Lymits, notice thereof bee given to the ſeverall pariſhes within their Lymits, and that ſuch as ſhall offend in keeping any ſuch be duely puniſhed.

Iohn Popham, Lord [...]hiefe Iuſtice.

George Sidnam Knight,

Henry Barkley Knight.

George Speak

Henry Waldron,

Alexander Colles,

Iohn Frances,

Alexander Popham

Iohn Lancaſter,

Edward Hext,

Thomas Phillips.

The third was an Order of Seſſions made in the County of Devon, Anno 1599.

This Order was agreed on by all the Queenes Majeſties Iuſtices of the Peace at the Chapter Houſe Aſſembled the 10th day of January, 1599. Anno 41. Elizabethae.

ANd for as much as it appeareth that many enormities [that with modeſtie cannot be expreſſed] heretofore have hapned by Church Ales and Revells in this County of Devon: It is therefore Ordered that Church-Ales and Revells ſhall bee hence forth utterly ſuppreſſed. And if contrary wiſe in contempt of this Order preparation [Page] be made for any to be kept, any Juſtices of this County forthwith ſend for ſuch as make preparation, to admoniſh them to make ſtay thereof, and upon their refuſall in that behalfe, or proceeding therein, to bind them that make ſuch preparation to the good behaviour, and to appeare at the next Seſſions of the Peace to bee holden within this County of Devon, then and there to endure ſuch puniſhment as either by the Lawes of the Realme or Order of this Court ſhall bee inflicted upon them for their contempt and diſobeying this Order.

The fourth was this following Order made at the Aſſizes in Devonſhire, Anno 1615.

From the Aſſizes held at the Caſtle of Exeter, Iuly 24. 1615. Anno 13. Jacobi, &c. Sir Laurence Tanneld, and Serjeant Mountague, Juſtices of Aſſize, &c.

THe ſeverall Manſlaughters committed at two Church-ales within this County, ſince the begining of this preſent Moneth of Iuly, and further advertiſements given now unto the Court of the continuall prophanation of Gods Sabbath, at theſe and other ſuch like unlawfull meetings, miniſters unto this Court juſt occaſion NOTE. to recite an Order formerly ſet downe by the Reverend Judges of Aſſize, at the Aſſizes holden for this County, the 19th day of Iuly, in the yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of England, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c. the 11th, and of Scotland the 46th, that Order being as followeth, viz. It is Ordered by the Court, in regard of the infinite number of inconveniencies daily ariſing, by meanes of Revells, Church-Ales, and Bull-baitings, that all ſuch Revells, Church-ales, and Bull-baitings be from henceforth utterly ſuppreſſed; and if hereafter it ſhall be made known unto the Juſtices of the Peace of this County, of any ſuch to be ſet up, or hereafter uſed, that then the Juſtices of the Peace within their ſeverall Diviſions, take courſe, as well for the ſpeedy apprehending and puniſhment of idle and lewde people drawne together to ſuch places, as for the binding over of the Perſons uſing tipling, and for the inflicting of further puniſhment upon all offenders in ſuch places, as in their diſcretion ſhall be thought fit. And to the end that this Order may be the better obſerved; NOTE. It is Ordered, that this bee ſpeedily publiſhed in every Pariſh Church within this County.

The fift was an Order made in the ſame County, Anno 1627.

An Order made by Sir Iohn Walter Knight, Chiefe Baron of his Majeſties ⟨Exche⟩quer and Sir Iohn Denham Knight Juſtices of Aſſize for, &c. at the Caſtle of Exon the XXIII. of July 1627.

WHereas diverſe Orders have bin heretofore made by the Judges of Aſſize for the ſuppreſſion of all Ales and Revels, thoſe ſame Orders are now confirmed at this Aſſize, and again Ordered by the Court in regard of the infinite number of inconveniencies NOTE. daily ariſing by means of Revels, Church-Ales, Clerks-Ales and publike Ales that they be from henceforth utterly ſuppreſſed. And if hereafter it ſhall be made knowne to the Juſtices of Peace of this County of any ſuch to be kept or hereafter uſed, that then the Juſtices of the Peace within their ſeverall diviſions take courſe as well for the ſpeedy apprehending and puniſhment of idle vagrant people, drawne together to ſuch places, as for the binding over of the perſons uſing ſuch tipling, and for inflicting of ſuch puniſhment upon all Offendors in ſuch places as the Law doth inflict. And to the end that this Order may be the better obſerved, it is further Ordered that the Clerke of Aſſize ſhall leave a Copy hereof with the Clerk of the Peace, and the under Sherriffe, and from them or one of them, every Conſtable ſhall take a Copy for his ſeverall hundred and liberty, and ſhall particularly NOTE. deliver a Copy to the Miniſter of every Pariſh within his ſeverall hundred and libertie, and ſhall take a note of every Miniſter under his hand, of the day upon [Page] which hee received it from him; and that every Miniſter which ſo receiveth it ſhall publiſh it yearely in his Pariſh Church the firſt Sunday in February. And it is likewiſe further Ordered, that every Conſtable ſhall at every Lent Aſſize preſent to the Judges of this Circuit, a note of the receipt of the ſaid Order under the hands of the ſaid Miniſters. And for the further avoyding of the concourſe of idle people, it is further Ordered, that ſuch perſons as uſually carry up and downe Bulls and Beares to baite [being Rogues by Statute] ſhal be puniſhed as Rogues, for the further prevention of ſuch inconveniences as uſually happen upon ſuch meetings.

Per me Symon Spatchurſt Clericum Aſiiſor.

The 6. an Order made by Baron Denham at the Aſſizes in Somerſetſhire, Anno 1627. upon a Petition of divers Miniſters.

To the Honourable Sir John Denham Knight, one of the Barons of His Majeſties Exchequor, and Iuſtice of Aſſize for the County of SOMERSET.

The humble Petition of the Miniſters, whoſe names are ſubſcribed.

Sheweth;

THat whereas at the laſt Summer Aſſizes held for the County of Dorſet; there was an Order made for the ſuppreſſing of all Revells, Church-Ales, and other publike Ales [amongſt other things] as by the Copie of the ſaid Order hereunto annexed appeareth.

Your Petitioners therefore humbly deſire that Your Lordſhip would be pleaſed to grant the like Order at this Aſſizes for the ſuppreſſing of the like Ales and diſorders in this County of Somerſet.

So they ſhall alwayes pray for Your Lordſhips long health and proſperity,

Adam Abraham

Iohn Ford.

William [...]yllet.

Iohn Fathers.

Ralph Turner.

George Drake.

15. Marcii 1627.

Let the Clerke of the Aſſizes draw up the like [...] for his County.

Iohn Denham.

Which former Order being warranted by ſo many Preſidents, Iudge Richardſon ſaid, hee conceived hee had no power abſolutely to reverſe; but being commanded to do it, by His Majeſtie, he did as much as in him lay revoke it; but yet doubted not, that if the Iuſtices of Peace would truly informe His Majeſty of the grounds of the former Order, and of the great diſorders occaſioned by Wakes, and Churchales His Majeſty would give Order to revive it; but how ever, he muſt make this Order for the preſent, which he cauſed he Clerk of Aſſizes to enter.

VVHereas divers Orders have been heretofore made by the Judges of Aſſize, for the ſuppreſſing of Church-ales, Clerks-ales, Wakes, Revells and ſuch like within this County of Somerſet, which were formerly made by the Judges, by reaſon of many diſorders and miſdemeanours ariſing upon the meeting of multitudes of people out of other Pariſhes. It is now Ordered by his Lordſhip, that all former Orders heretofore made by any Judges or Iustices, for the ſuppreſſing of Church-ales, Clerks-ales, Wakes and Revells be revoked [as much as in him lyeth] and made utterly voyde. And that it may be lawfull for all perſons freely to uſe any lawfull Recreation or Exerciſe at [Page] ſuch meetings, but with this advice, that they be carefull that no outrages or miſdemeanours commonly ariſing at ſuch Church-ales, Clerk-ales, Wakes and Revells be done or committed.

Hereupon, all the Juſtices of Peace then preſent, immediately after they had dined, drew up this Petition to His Majeſty, which they Signed with all their hands, and then ſent it up to London by Iohn Harrington Eſquier, then Cuſtos Rotulorum in that County, with order to deliver it to the Right Honourable Earle of Pembrook, Lord Lievtenant of the County, to preſent it to His Majeſty. Who repairing to London accordingly, ſhewed the Petition to Maſter Prynne, and the Earle being then in the Country, whence he would not returne in twelve dayes ſpace, he adviſed with him what courſe to take for preſenting the Petition to His Majeſty in the mean time, leſt the Archbiſhop hearing of it, ſhould prevent the ſame: The Archbiſhop having notice of this Petition from Sir Robert Philips and Biſhop Pierce, to prevent the delivery and expected good effect thereof; preſently cauſed the Declaration for Sports publiſhed by King Iames, with ſome additions of his owne at the end concerning Wakes, and Feaſts of Dedication, relating the Order of Judg Richardſon for ſuppreſſing them, to be reprinted and publiſhed in His Majeſties Name, before the Petition delivered, the Copy whereof, is here ſubjoyned.

To the KINGS moſt Excellent Majeſtie.

The moſt humble Petition of the Iuſtices of the Peace, of the County of Somerſet.

MOſt humbly Shewing; That whereas heretofore there have bin from time to [...]e ſeverall good Orders made by the Iuſtices of Asſize, and Iuſtices of the Peace, for the County of Somerſet, for the restraining and ſuppresſing of certaine diſordered Aſſemblies in that County, called Church-ales, Clerkes-ales, Bid-ales, Wakes, and Revells, by reaſon of many diſorders inſeperably accompanying the ſame; wherby the ſaid Aſſemblies have for the moſt part for a long time beene forborne and not uſed, to the great good and quiet of the ſaid County.

Now ſo it is may pleaſe Your Majeſty, that by occaſion of a Declaration publiſhed the laſt Aſſizes by the Lord Chiefe Iuſtice of the Kings-Bench, for reſtoring of Wakes and Revells, and Revering of all Orders made againſt them, and by reaſon of a rumour thereof spread in the Countrey ſince the laſt Lent Aſſizes, not onely all the diſorders aforeſaid of Prophanation of the Lords Day, riotous tipling, contempt of NOTE. Authoritie, Quarrells, Murthers, &c. frequently over-flowing the ſaid Aſſemblies, have increaſed this Summer, but even the other diſorderly Aſſembliss of Church-Ales, Bid-Ales, Clerkes-Ales, condemned by the Lawes, have againe beene ſet up to the great prejudice of the Peace, plenty, and good Government of the County.

May it therefore pleaſe Your moſt Excellent Majeſtie, to grant us ſome more particular Declaration herein, That Your Majesties Command concerning Revells may not be thought to extend farther then to the upholding of Civill Feaſting betweene Neighbour and Neighbour in their Houſes, and the orderly and ſeaſonable uſe of manly Exerciſes and Activities, which we all ſhall be moſt ready to maintaine: And that we may have Your Majeſties Favour and Allowance to ſuppreſſe all the forementioned unlawfull Aſſemblies of Church-Ales, Clerks-Ales, and Bid-Ales, and to puniſh all the forementioned diſorders as heretofore we have done, Wherein Your Petitioners have no other end, than to do Your Majeſtie faithfull ſervice, and to preſerve the good Government of the County.

[Page]

John Lord Pawlet,

William Portman,

John Stowell,

Ralph Hopton,

John Symmes,

William Frauncis,

John Harrington,

Robert Cuffe,

Richard Cole,

Edward Powlet,

William Every,

Anthony Stocker,

William Capell,

George Powlett,

Francis Popham,

Edward Rodeney,

Francis Dodington,

John Horner,

William Baſſit,

John Windham,

Robert Hopton,

George Speke,

Thomas Lutterell,

William Walrond,

Gerrad Wood.

The delivery and good effect of this Petition, was prevented by the publiſhing of this Declaration by this Archbiſhops meanes; who to juſtify himſelfe herein, ex poſt facto procured this enſuing Warrant, without any Date at all, (written with his own hand, and found in his Study by Mr. Prynne, together with the Printed Declaration for Sports, endorſed with his owne pen) to be Signed by His Majeſty, to juſtifie NOTE. himſelfe, if queſtioned for it upon any future occaſion.

CHARLES. R.

CAnterbury, See that Our Declaration concerning Recreations on the Lords day after Evening Prayer, be Printed.

By all theſe Premiſed evidences, it is moſt apparent, that the Archbiſhop was the principall Actor in the publication of this Licentious Book, to Gods, and his Majeſties diſhonour, which we ſhal further evidence by this writing under his owne hand.

The Declaration concerning Lawfull ſports on the Lords day, His Majeſty Commanded me to ſe it Printed. The motives to it were, 1. A generall and ſuperſtitious opinion conceived of that day. 2. A Booke ſet out by Theophilus Brabourne, 1628. Iudaiſme upon Chriſtian principles, and perverted many. 3. A great diſtemper in Somerſet-ſhire, upon the forbiding of the wakes, in the ſowerneſſe of this opinion; an Act of a Iudge that rid that Circuit, March. 15. 1627. And followed by another. 1630. And his Majeſty troubled with Petitions, and motions by ſome cheife men of that county on both ſides. 4. His Royall Fathers example upon the like occaſions in Lancaſhire

After the publiſhing of this Declaration, the Lord Richardſon returning from his Circuit, was by the Archbiſhops means convented before the King and Lords at the Councell Table, about the forementioned Paſſages in his Charge, in juſtification of the order againſt Wakes, according to his duty, and for revoking it in ſuch a ſlight manner, as much as in him lay; for which he was ſo ſhaken up by the Archbiſhop, that comming very dejectedly with tears in his eyes out of the Councel Chamber, the Earle of Derſet ſeeing him in ſuch a ſad condition, and demaunding him how he did? he anſwered, Very ill my Lord for I am like to bee choaked with the Archbiſhops Lawn-ſleeves. And for this cauſe alone, (as he and others conceived) he was by the Archbiſhops means (to his great griefe and loſſe) put from Riding the Weſterne, and enforced to Ride the Eſſex Circuit, reputed the meaneſt of all others, which no Chiefe Iuſtice, but the puny Iudge, or Serjeants only uſed to Ride; notwithſtanding the Lord Cottington and others earneſtly moved His Majeſty, that he might ride ſome other Circuit.

After this, the Archbiſhop intending to make this Declaration for Sports, an Engine to inſnare; ſuſpend ſilence, and root out all conſcientious, preaching Miniſters throughout the Realm, by degrees the better to uſher in Popery, Ignorance, and prophaneſſe; enjoyned all Miniſters to read this Declaration perſonally in their Churches, in time of Divine Service; & ſuch who out of conſcience refuſed to read it were by the Archbiſhops own ſpeciall direction ſuſpended from their office and Benefice, Excommunicated, vexed in the High-commiſſion and ſome of them there ſentenced and deprived of their livings for this pretended crime, though againſt no Law or Canon of God or man; for proofe whereof, theſe enſuing teſtimonies were produced.

Firſt, Sir Nathaniell Brent atteſted upon Oath, that when he was appointed by the Archbiſhop as his Vicar Generall, to Viſit within the Dioceſſe of Canterbury, the Archbiſhop himſelfe gave him a ſpeciall charge to convent all Miniſters before him, who would not read the Booke for sports on the Lords day, and to ſuſpend [Page] them for it; and that he gave them particular order, by name to ſuſpend, Mr. Culmer, Maſter Player, and Mr. Hieron, three eminent preaching Miniſters in Kent, for not Mr. Culmers. Mr. Players, and Mr. Hierons caſes. reading the ſayd Booke of Sports: Whereupon, he did (much againſt his will and judgement) ſuſpend them all ab Officio, & Beneficio, and forced ſome of them to allow twenty pound a peice or more, to Officiate the Cure during their ſuſpenſion. After which, he received another ſpeciall command from the Archbiſhop, to ſuſpend Mr. Wilſon, for the ſelfe-ſame cauſe, whereupon he did accordingly ſuſpend him.

Maſter Richard Culmer, depoſed at the Lords Barre upon oath, that he being Miniſter of Goodneſton in the County of Kent, Mr. John Player Miniſter of Kennington, and Mr. Thomas Hieron Miniſter of Hornhill in the ſaid County, they were all three convented by the Archbiſhops direction before Sir Nathaniell Brent, for not reading the Booke for Lords-day ſports, and after that, all three of them ſuſpended from their Miniſtry and Livings in the Archbiſhops Conſiſtory, for the ſame. Whereupon, they ſoone after repaired to Lambeth to the Archbiſhop, and there joyntly Petitioned him for Abſolution from this unjuſt Suſpenſion; who reading their Petition, and underſtanding the cauſe of their ſuſpenſion, for not reading that unwarrantable Declaration, the Archbiſhop gave them this peremptory Anſwer; If you know not how to obey, I know not how to grant; whereupon they continued thus ſuſpended about three whole yeares and ſeven Moneths, not being permitted to preach or inſtruct their people, to their great griefe, and the profits of their Livings were ſequeſtred towards the maintenance of Deboiſt unedifying Curates, who ſeldome preached. And though this Deponent did divers times afterwards Petition the ſaid Archbiſhop to take off his ſuſpenſion, yet he refuſed to do it, calling him refractory fellow, and ſaying, it ſhould continue; and ſo it did, he being not only deprived of his Miniſtry, but alſo of all the profits of his Living, having himſelfe, his Wife, and 7. ſmall Children to provide for; which ſuſpenſion and ſequeſtration continued upon him till the Scotts comming in, and then the Archbiſhop Abſolved him, more out of feare of the Scots, than good will; ſo as hee might juſtly ſay, Gramercy good Scott, for his liberty.

Maſter Thomas Wilſon a godly learned Miniſter (now of the Aſſembly) depoſed Mr. Thomas VVilſons caſe. at the Barre; that the Archbiſhop himſelfe ſent for him to Lambeth, and demanded of him, whether he had publikely read the Booke of Sports in the Church? to which he anſwered, no; whereupon the Archbiſhop replied; I Suspend you for ever from your office and Benefice till you read it: whereupon hee was ſuſpended, and his Living ſequeſtred for foure years ſpace. After which, he was brought into the high-Commiſſion at Lambeth, by the Archbiſhops means, and there Articled againſt for not reading the ſaid Booke, to his great coſt and vexation.

Maſter Prynne atteſted, that Mr. Wrath, and M. Erbery, were brought up out of Wales, Mr. William Iones out of Gloceſterſhire, and divers others from other Mr VVraths. Mr. Erberies. and Mr. Iones caſes. parts into the High-Commiſſion at Lambeth, for not reading this Declaration for Paſtimes on the Lords day, and the keeping of Wakes, and Church-ales; and that hee found this following Petition concerning the ſame ſubject among Sir Iohn Lambs ſequeſtred papers, with an Anſwer to it under the Archbiſhops owne hand, manifeſting his owne direction for proſecuting of one Henry Page, a godly Vicar, in the high-Commiſſion, for refuſing to read this Declaration, and expreſſing his diſlike thereof.

To the moſt Reverend Father in God, William, Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate, &c.

The humble Petition of Francis Thompſon, Gent.

IN all Duty ſheweth, That whereas one Henry Page Vicar of Sedbury in the County of Hereford, having taken upon him the Cure of Soules, there hath many times uſed divers and ſundry ſcandalous and ignominious ſpeeches in the Pulpit [Page] and elſewhere, and more eſpecially upon the fourth Commandement: both by preaching, and otherwiſe, he hath in contempt of the Kings moſt Excellent Majestis Declaration, concerning the lawfulneſſe of Recreations upon Sundayes and holy-daies after time of Divine Service, and in deriſion and ſcorne of the Booke ſet forth by His Majeſty to that purpoſe, often amongſt other his opprobrious and diſgracefull ſpeeches, uttered theſe words following concerning the ſame, viz. Is it not as lawfull to plucke at a Cartrope upon the Sabbath day, as at a Bell-rope? Is it not as lawfull for a VVeaver to ſhoot his ſhuttle in the Sabbath day, as for a man to take his Bow to ſhoote? And is it not as lawfull for a VVoman to ſpinne at her wheele, or for a man to go to Plough or Cart, as for a man in the Sabbath day to dance that deviliſh round? All which words, and divers other of the like kind, your Petitioner will be bound to prove unto your Grace, and the honourable Court of high Commiſiion. May it therefore pleaſe your Grace for the Reformation of the ſayd Mr. Page, and ſatisfaction of his Pariſhioners conſciences, and other inhabitants there abouts, who daily flocke unto him, by reaſon of inveigling them with ſuch his Doctrine, to grant an Attachment or Letters Miſſive to iſſue out againſt him the ſayd Page, to bring him to Anſwer to ſuch Articles as ſhall bee exhibited into the ſaid Court against him. And your Petitioner as in duty, ſhall daily pray for your Graces long life and happineſſe.

NOTE.I deſire Dr. Merrick to conſider of the ſuggeſtions of this Petition, and take order for Letters Miſſive if he ſee cauſe.

Aug. 30. 1638.

W. Cant.

Among which Papers he likewiſe met with this Certificate, manifeſting that not only Sir Nathaniell Brent, but Sir Iohn Lambe in the Archbiſhops Metropoliticall Viſitation, did peremptorily enjoyne all miniſters in the Archbiſhops name to read this Declaration for ſports on the Lords Day to the people in Churches, to animate them to prophan it, though not preſcribed in his printed viſitation Articles.

To the Right VVorſhipfull Sir John Lambe, Knight, Doctor of Law, Commiſſary to the Lords Grace of Canterbury, for the Archdeaconry of Huntington, &c.

THeſe are to certifie, that Thomas Gibbs Maſter of Art, and Curate of Hitchin in Hartfordſhire, within the Archdeaconry of Huntington, according to your Injunction at the Viſitation there holden, did diſtinctly and treatably read upon the 29th of Aprill, being Sunday at Morning Prayer, after the reading of the firſt Leſſon, appointed for the day (moſt of the Pariſh then being preſent) the Book intituled, The Kings Maieſties Declaration to His Subiects, concerning lawfull ſports to be uſed.

William Lindall D. D.

Edward Radcliffe Eſ (que).

Iohn Skinner.

Edward Hurſt,

Thomas Draper,

William Hurſte

Churchwardens.

And with 3. Petitions of Mr. Valentines to the Archbiſhop, ſuſpended for not reading the Book of ſports, referred to Sir Iohn Lambe, who endorſed on one of them with his owne hand, that he had received incloſed therein A Bribe of five pound.

Beſides, in the Abſtract of the Archbiſhops Metropoliticall Viſitation, in the yeare 1635. found in his Study by Maſter Prynne, there are theſe Paſſages concerning the Booke of ſports. Maſter Fairfax Curate of Rumborough, Charged with inconformity, hath faithfully promiſed to read the Declaration for lawfull ſports. I ſuſpended NOTE. [Page] one Maſter Pegges of VVeeford, ex nunc pro ut ex tunc, in caſe he did not read the Kings Declaration for ſports on Sunday ſeven-night following. There are divers in Surrey that refuſe to read the Kings Declaration for lawfull ſports on Sundayes, beſides thoſe that ſtand ſuſpended for the fault. Doctor Howell a very worthy Divine, gave me a note of their Names; they are Maſter Whitfield of Ockly, Mr. Garth. of Wouerſh, Mr. Ward of Pepper-harrow, and Mr. Farroll of Purbright, all of them of the Lecture of Guilford, and ſome of them of the Lecture of Darking, who were afterwards proſecuted for it. All theſe are unfallible Evidences, that the Archbiſhop was the originall principall Author & enforcer of this Declaration upon Godly Miniſters againſt both Law and conſcience, himſelfe & his Servants playing ſome times at Boules upon the Lords own day, to give good example unto others, and perſecuting thoſe with infinit ſeverity to the ruing of their Flocks, Families, who out of conſcience durſt not publiſh it: Of which we ſhal produce one ſignal example more in the caſe of Mr. Lawrence Snelling a reverend, Godly, learned Miniſter deprived in the High Commiſſion, for not reading this Declaration. Mr. Snelling himſelfe Mr. Snellings Caſe. reſtified upon Oath, that he was ſuſpended from his Miniſtry, Living, excommunicated, and ſoone after that brought into the High Commiſſion at Lambheth, and there ſentenced to be deprived from his benefice, looſing the profits thereof, full foure yeares ſpace, only for refuſing to read this Declaration for ſports. That Hee there pleaded in his owne defence the Law of God & of the Realme, the Authorities of Councells, Fathers, and late Writers of all ſorts: That the Declaration it ſelfe appeared not to be his Majeſties, though publiſhed in his name, it being not enrolled in any Court, nor publiſhed under his great Seale as all Proclamations, & Briefes to be read in Churches are: that there was no command at all of the Kings it ſhould be read by any in Churches, much leſſe by Miniſters; no puniſhment threatned nor preſcribed for not reading it no authority given to Archbiſhops, Biſhops, High Commiſſioners, or any other perſons to queſtion, ſuſpend or puniſh any Miniſter for not reading it; and being a meere civill, not Eccleſiaſticall Declaration, not enjoyned by any Eccleſiaſticall Canon or Authority, but temporall only, no Eccleſiaſticall Iudges could take cogniſans of it, much leſſe inflict any eccleſiaſticall cenſure for it, eſpecially in the high Commiſſion, it being no offence with in the Statute of 1. Eliz. ch. 1. or the Kings Commiſſion Eccleſiasticall, whereby the High Commiſſioners ſit, & ſo not queſtionabl by them. Al which particulars he put into his anſwer & defence, but the Archbiſhop gave order not to accept his Anſwer or defence as he tendred them, ſaying openly in Court, That whoſoever ſhould make ſuch a Defence as he had don, it ſhould be burnt before his face, and he laid by the heeles for his paines; whereupon the Commiſſioners expunged what they pleaſed out of his Anſwer and defence, and then cenſured him: Mr. Gellibrand, depoſed the ſame with Mr. Snelling, whoſe cenſure was there produced out of the High-Commiſſion records, and here ſubjoyned.

Die Lunae, viz. nono Die menſis Februarii Anno Dom. 1637. coram Commiſsionariis Regiis ad cauſas Eccleſiaſticas apud Hoſpitium Advocatorum &c. Iudicial: ſeden. preſentibus Stephano Knight Deputato & Iohanne Greenhill Notarto publico.

Officium Dominorum con. Laurent Snelling Cleric. Rectorem de Paulſcrai in Com. Kantii; Dr. Ryues.

The Cauſe is to be informed in, and finally ſentenced out of the ſaid Maſter Snellings anſwer, and he is to appeare this day to heare and receive the finall order and judgement of the Court. at which day and place the ſaid Lawrence Snelling being publiquely called for, appeared perſonally in whoſe preſence the Articles in this cauſe exhibited againſt him with his anſwers made thereunto, were publiquely read, and then Mr. Doctor Ryues [Page] his Majeſties Advocate preſſed and enforced the proofes againſt the ſaid Maſter Snelling according as they appeared confeſſed out of his anſwers, and after that the ſaid Mr. Snelling was heard what he could ſay in his owne defence, and after a mature and deliberat hearing of this cauſe, it appeared to the Court;

That the ſaid Mr. Snelling was here charged, for that he being a Miniſter in holy orders of Prieſthood, conſtituted by the Authority of the Church for theſe 20. yeares laſt paſt and upwards, Rector of Paulſcray aforeſaid for all that time and upwards, was within theſe foure or five yeares laſt paſt made acquainted that a certaine Booke intituled, The Kings Majeſties Declaration for lawfull recreations after Evening Prayers on Sundayes and Holy dayes, was come forth and There was no ſuch command of his Majeſties. commanded by NOTE. his Majesty to be read by all Miniſters in their reſpective Pariſh Churches, and preſented to Mr. Doctor Wood Chauncellor of Rocheſter, his Ordinary, on the 20th. of November 1643. for refuſing to read and publiſh the ſame in his Pariſh Church of Paulſcray.

That upon the ſaid preſentment, he was by his ſaid Ordinary perſonally moniſhed to read the ſame within three weekes following, That on the eleventh of December, 1634. aforeſaid, he the ſaid Laurence Snelling being againe Convented before his ſaid ordinary, was primo, ſecundo, & tertio, perſonally and Judicially moniſhed in Court to read and publiſh the ſaid Booke in manner aforeſaid, which he refuſing, was ſuſpended ob officio & beneficio, and hath ſo continued untill this preſent, and doth ſo ſtill continue unreleaſed, that on the third of Aprill 1635. the ſaid Laurence Snelling being preſent in Court before his Ordinary was 10. 20. and 30. Judicially admoniſhed to read and publiſh the ſaid Booke for Lawfull recreations as aforeſaid, but did againe utterly refuſe to publiſh or read the ſame, & was thereupon then excommunicated by his ſaid Ordinary, and hath ſo continued NOTE. ever ſince & doth ſo ſtil continue excommunicated: that within the time articulate the ſaid Mr. Snelling hath divers times omitted to read the Lerany, and ſome other Theſe were but meere additements to his Charge, he being only queſtioned and excommunicated for not reading the Booke of Sports. parts of Divine ſervice, and to weare the Surplice, & further, that he hath not bowed his body, nor made any corporall obeyſance at the reading or hearing read the Bleſſed name of our Saviour Ieſus.

All which the premiſes appearing to be true in Subſtance and in effect out of the ſaid Mr. Snellings anſwers, the Court proceeded to the giving of their ſentence in this Cauſe, and for the preſent, did order, that unleſſe the ſaid Mr. Snelling ſhall conforme himſelfe to the aforeſaid requiſitions of his Ordinary, and read and publiſh the ſaid Booke for lawfull recreations, &c. and do all due obeyſance and Reverence at the bleſſed name of our Saviour Ieſus, betwixt this and the ſecond Court day of the next Terme, he ſhould be ex nunc, pro ut extunc, &c. deprived of his Rectory of Paulſcray aforeſaid, but pay no coſts of ſuit in caſe he be deprived; and to this end and purpoſe, he the ſaid Mr. Snelling being preſent in Court, was Juditially admoniſhed NOTE. to read and publiſh the ſaid Booke, and to make corporall reverence at the name of our Saviour Jeſus ſub pena Iuris, & deprivationis. And to the end that he may ſafely repaire to his Pariſh Church to practiſe, & certifie of his conformity in the premiſes in caſe he ſhall be willing to conform accordingly, it was by the Court referred to the foreſaid Ordinary Mr. Doctor Wood to abſolve the ſaid Maſter Snelling from the ſaid ſentence of Excommunication, under which he now ſtands, in caſe he ſhall come and deſire it of his ſaid Ordinary, and take his oath de parendo Iuri, & ſtando mandatis Eccleſia, &c. according to the forme in this caſe provided.

For not doing whereof, he was accordingly deprived; and continued ſequeſtred excommunicated, and deprived of his living divers yeares, to his intollerable oppreſſion and prejudice.

When the Archbiſhop had thus privily by ſecret Inſtructions to his Viſitors enjoyned the reading of this Book of ſports to Miniſters, and ſuſpended, cenſured, moleſted divers of them for not reading it, he then conſpiring together with many other popiſh Prelates, to ſuppreſſe all painful preaching Orthodox Miniſters by colour of it, encouraged, directed, if not enjoyned them and their Archdeacons to inſert this [Page] clauſe into their printed Viſitation Articles, to be inquired of, and preſented by Church-wardens upon Oath, Whether the Kings Declaration for ſports had beene read and publiſhed among them by the Miniſter? To prove this we ſhall inſtance only in the Viſitation Articles of Matthew Wren Biſhop of Norwich, printed at London, 1636. and in Richard Mountague his ſucceſſors Viſitation Articles for the ſame Dioceſſe, printed at Cambridg, 1638. both which preſcribe this following Interrogatory to be inquired of upon oath, the later clauſe whereof, contradictes the former, Sect 7. Do any in your Pariſhprophane any Sunday or holy-day by any unlawfull gaming, drinking or Tipling in Taverns, Innes, or Ale-houſes, in the time of Common Prayer or Sermon, or by Working or doing the worke of their Trades and occupations? Do any in your Pariſh buy or ſell, or keepe open their Shops, or ſet out any Wares to be ſould on Sundayes or holy dayes by themſelves, their Servants or Apprentiſes, or have they any other wayes Prophaned the ſaid dayes? And hath the Kings Declaration concerning the uſe of lawfull ſports and recreations been publiſhed among you, yea, or no? If ſo, when was it don, NOTE. in what manner, and by whom?

The like Interrogatories in effect, if not in terminis, we find in Biſhop Pierces, Biſhop Curles, Biſhop Skinners, the Arch-Deacons of Middleſex, with other Viſitation Articles, which for brevity we pretermit: How many hundred Godly Miniſters in theſe & other Biſhops Dioceſſe were ſuſpended from their Miniſtry, ſequeſtred driven from their Livings, excommunicated, Proſecuted in the High Commiſſion, and forced to leave the Kingdome upon theſe Articles, for not publiſhing this Declaration, is ſo experimentaly known to all, that We ſhal pretermit it without any enumeration of their names or caſes. Only we ſhal diſcover what hand and influence the Archbiſhop had in their ſeverall ſuſpentions, perſecutions, by theſe enſuing Accounts, given up to him by other Biſhops of their proceedings herein, found in his Study endorſed with his owne hand and witneſſed by Mr. Prynne who ſeized them. In Biſhop Wrens account to the Archbiſhop December 17. 1636. (which begin thus. In the name of God, Amen: An account touching the Royall Instructions given by the Kings moſt Excellent Majesty, to the moſt Reverend Father in God VVilliam Laud Archbiſhop of Cant. his Grace, Primat and Metropolitan of all England, concerning Orders to be obſerved by all the Biſhops of that Province. To the ſeverall Articles of which Jnſtructions, I Matthew Lord Biſhop of Norwich thus humbly make Anſwer and in Order,) VVe finde this obſervable Anſwer given.

To the 12. Article. That upon enquiry at my Viſitation, whether the Kings Majeſties Declaration for lawfull ſports had beene publiſhed? I found it had not beene done in NOTE. very many places of the Dioceſſe, having therefore about 60. Bookes at hand, I cauſed them to bee propoſed to ſuch perſons, as I had moſt doubt of, but many of them refuſed to publiſh the ſame, and were ſuſpended for their refuſall: yet divers of them preſently promiſed conformity, and ſo were abſolved. So that now in the whole Dioceſſe (conſiſting of about 1500. Clergie men) there are not paſſing twice 15. Excommunicated or ſuſpended; whereof, ſome ſo ſtand for contumacie in not appearing at the Viſitation and Synod, and ſtill refuſe to ſubmit, ſome for obſtinate denying to publiſh the Kings Declaration.

By the Title and anſwer of which it is moſt evident; That the Archbiſh. ſent ſeverall Articles of Inſtructions in his Majeſties name, though made by himſelfe, to all the Biſhops of his Province, who were to return an Annuall account of them unto him in writing; whereof this was one: That they ſhould inquire, whether the Declaration for ſports had beene publiſhed in every pariſh Church by the Miniſter? and directed them to excommunicate or ſuspend all ſuch who refuſed to read it. Which how barbarouſly and unchriſtianly▪ it was executed in moſt places, needs no further evidence then that already produced, and what all men know.

Now wee appeale to all Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories, from Chriſts Nativity till this inſtant, whether there was ever ſuch a monſtrous impiety or perſecution as this heard of in the Chriſtian world, that Archbiſhops, and Biſhops (who profeſſe themſelves the very Fathers of the Church, and Pillars of Religion,) ſhould thus impiouſly: Firſt of [Page] all abuſe a Chriſtian Prince ſo farre, as to publiſh a Declaration for the free uſe and encouragement of ſuch sports and Paſtimes on the Lords-Day, as are (ſome of them) unlawfull on any day, and conſtantly prohibited, condemned by Fathers, Councells, Imperiall Lawes, Edicts of moſt Chriſtian Emperors, Kings, Princes, States, and the whole torrent of Chriſtian Writers, as altogether unſufferable on the Lords Day. Secondly, to injoyne Bookes expreſly tending to the prophanation of the Lords day, by ſports and paſtimes, to be publikely read in Churches by the Miniſters to their Congregations on this very day, to encourage, authorize them (though over-prone thereto without any ſuch inſtigation) to prophane it. 3. To ſuſpend, ſequeſter, excommunicate, cenſure, perſecute, deprive, even hundreds of Godly Miniſters as capitall Offenders, for refuſing (meerely out of Conſcience towards God, and love to their owne and peoples ſoules,) to contribute their voyces or perſonal aſſiſtances to ſuch a publication, and againſt all Law, Juſtice, Piety, to ſilence Miniſters three or foure yeares together from preaching Gods Word to their people, for the ſalvation of their ſoules according to their duties becauſe they durſt not publiſh this Declaration for Lords-Day sports unto them to further the damnation of their ſoules, both againſt their duties and conſciences. Such a Monſter of moſt deſperate unparalled impiety, profaneneſſe, perſecution as this, was never borne in the Chriſtian world till this Ghoſtly Father, Archbiſhop Laud, begot and nouriſhed it in our Church: for which how well hee demerited the Popes Titles, of YOUR HOLINES and MOST HOLY FATHER, let the Vniverſity of Oxford, and Mr. Croxton ſeriouſly conſider, who beſtowed them on him ſeverall times. Doubtleſſe his more then Popiſh ſuperſtition in Conſecrating Churches, Church-Yards, Chappells, and prohibiting all prophannations of them by Enterludes, Dancing, Muſters, Leets, teaching of Schollers, and the like, might have leſſoned In his Metropoliticall Viſitation Articles him to have beene as zealous againſt prophaning Sacred dayes as places, with unholie Paſtimes, or ſecular Negotiations: But becauſe the Lords-Day Sabbath was not hallowed by Biſhops themſelves (as Churches, Chappells, or Church-Yards were according to the Modell of the Roman Pontificall) but by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, who never authorized Biſhops or any elſe to Conſecrate Churches, or other places in this ſort; they preſume to authorize men thus openly to prophane the one without check or puniſhment, but not the other, under the ſevereſt Anathema Maranatha. Enough eternally to ſtigmatize this Arch-Prelate with the blackeſt brand of Arrogancy and Impiety, who made but a meere ſport of prophaning Gods owne day with ſports, and ſilencing Godly Miniſters for not being ſo prophane in this kinde as himſelfe was, (who uſed to play at bowles on this very day, a pretty Archipiſcopall Sabbath Recreation) or ſo prophane as he would have them to be, againſt the dictate of their owne Conſciences.

We have given you in a very full and copious evidence of the Archbiſhops endeavours, practiſes to ſubvert our eſtabliſhed Proteſtant Religion, and uſher in Popery among us, by introducing ſeverall Popiſh Innovations, ſuperſtitious Ceremonies, Idolatrous impieties, practiſes and prophanations into our Church, being all meere matters of fact notoriouſly viſible to the world, and eyes of all men.

2

We ſhal now proceed in the ſecond place to diſcover his atempts, and manifeſt his proceedings in this kinde by bringing in Popiſh Tenents and doctrines by degrees; The Archbiſhops proceedings to ſubvert Religion, by introducing Doctrinall Points of Popery. wherein we ſhall ſo fully uncaſe this Romiſh Fox, as notwithſtanding all his ſhifts and ſubterfuges) to evidence him the moſt Peſtilent Jeſuiticall underminer, ſubverter of the eſtabliſhed doctrines of the Church of England, the Archeſt advancer of the Erroneous Poſitions of the Church of Rome, that ever breathed in our Engliſh Ayre. And here we meet not onely with a Narrow Epiſcopall See, but vaſt boundleſſe Ocean of evidence to ſaile in.

That there hath bin for many yeares last past, a ſecret plotted Conſpiracy, and ſerious endeavour between ſundry pretended members of the Church of England, and reall Sonnes of the Church of Rome, to extirpate the Proteſtant Religion, and inſtead therof to ſet up Popiſh ſuperſtition and Idolatry; hath beene already abundantly manifeſted [Page] to the World, in A neceſſary Introduction to the History of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Tryall, by ſundry forraigne and domeſtick evidences: how farre this Archbiſhop was an Arch-agent in promoting this conſpiracie in point of Doctrinall Popery, and by what Jeſuiticall Policies and degrees he proceeded in it, comes now in Order to bee proved; wherein wee ſhall ſteare the courſe of our evidence, according to the compaſſe and method of his proceedings.

It is the common Policy of all wiſe experienced Commanders, when they intend to undermine any ſtrong well-fortified defenſible Fortreſſe, not deſperately to begin their Mines at the very foundation of the Workes at firſt, for feare of diſcovery, danger, prevention, but at a competent diſtance, and then to make their approaches by inſenſible degrees, till at laſt they have undermined, or blowne up the very Walls and Workes themſelves; The ſelfe-ſame Policy was uſed by this Arch-Roman Ingineer to undermine and blow up our eſtabliſhed Religion: Hee had learnt from Abbot Bernard: A minimis incipiunt, qui in maxima proruunt; and from De Ordine Vitae lib. Chryſoſtome: Id certè moris eſt apud haereticos, ut adumbrant ſeipſos & occultent in principijs, quouſque majorem fiduciam capeant, & quodam favore multitudinis juventur: & tunc contagioſa * Homil. 47. in Matth. ſua venena intrepide effundunt. Wherefore he began his mines at ſome ſeeming diſtance, and ſet blindes before them, to prevent diſcovery. To this purpoſe combining with the Jeſuites, & proſecuting their very method to ruine our Religion, he firſt bent all his force & induſtry to introduce Arminianiſme (the moſt plauſible leſſe diſcernible NOTE. Doctrinall part of Popery, yet a ready Jeſuiticall Poſterne to let in all the reſt) and that under a ſpecious pretence of oppoſing Puritaniſme and Puritans onely, againſt whom he laboured to engage ſome Prelates, and the Duke of Buckingham firſt, then next His Majeſtie. This practiſe of his he began in Oxford in a Sermon preached by him on Shrove-Sunday, Anno 1614. for which he was then publikely (though not * Thus endorſed by him: April 18. 1615 The Copy of a Letter which I ſent to the Lord Biſhop of Lincolne, concerning a Sermon, in which Dr. Abbots had wronged me in the Vniverſity. by name) taxed by Learned Dr. Robert Abbot, Dr. of the Chaire in Oxford, in his Sermon all Saint Peters, on Eaſter day, 1615. as appeares by a † Letter, and Notes of this Sermon under his own hand, ſent by him to the then Biſhop of Lincoln his great Patron: ‘viz. That men under pretence of truth, & preaching againſt the Puritans, ſtrike at the heart and root of Faith and Religion now eſtabliſhed among us. That this preaching againſt the Puritans, was but the practiſe of Perſons, and Campions Councell, when they came into England to ſeduce young Students. And when many of them were afraid to looſe their places, if they ſhould profeſſedly be thus, the councell they then gave them was, that they ſhould ſpeake freely againſt the Puritans, and that ſhould ſuffice. And they cannot intend that they are accounted Papiſts, becauſe they ſpeak againſt the Puritans, but becauſe THEY INDEED ARE PAPISTS, they ſpeake nothing againſt them. If they do at any time ſpeake againſt NOTE. the Papiſts they do beat a little upon the buſh, & that ſoftly too for feare of troubling or diſquieting the Birds which are in it. They ſpeake of nothing, but that in which one Papiſt will ſpeake againſt another; as againſt Aequivocation, the Popes temporall Authority, and the like: and perhaps againſt ſome of their Blaſphemous ſpeeches: But in the point of Free-will, Juſtification, Concupiſcens being ſinne after Baptiſme, Inhaerent Righteouſneſſe, and certainty of Salvation, &c. (wherein Papiſts and Arminians concurre) the Papiſts beyond the Seas, can ſay; They ARE WHOLLY THEIRS, and the Recuſants at home make their braggs of them. And in all things they keepe themſelves ſo neare the brinke, that upon any occaſion they may ſtep over to them: &c.’ From this Paſſage of Doctor Abbot (which Laud then confeſſed in his Letter, the whole Vniverſity applyed unto him, as himſelfe did too) you may readily gueſſe both at his Popiſh Innovations and practiſes in the Vniverſity of Oxf. in thoſe dayes, wch he hath continued ever ſince. After this we find him taking ſpecial notice of Dr. Prideaux his queſtions againſt the Arminiaus, found in his Study thus endorſed with his own hand. An. 1617. Queſtions given to be diſputed of at Exeter Colledge of Oxon by Doctor Prideaux Rector and at that time appointed to Anſwer Barkleyes Pareneſis.

[Page]

Queſtiones Arminianae.

An. 1

1. Paulus ad Rom. cap. 7. loquatur in ſua Perſona de ſerenato? Af.

2. Analyſis Arminij 9. cap ad Rom. ſit probanda? Neg.

2.

1. Praeviſio fidelitatis & infidelitatis praecedat aeternum decretum praedeſtinationis? N.

2. Objectum Electionis ſit fidelis ad finem perſeveraturus? N.

3.

1. Juſticia originalis Adamo fuerit ante lapſum naturalis? A.

2. Lapſus Adami diverſo reſpectu dici poſſit, neceſſarius & contingens? A.

4.

1. Peccatum Originale infantes ſine actualibus peccatis morientes condemnet? A.

2. Homo poſt lapſum retinuer it liberum arbitrium ad bonum? N.

5.

1. Ponenda ſit in Deo ſcientia media de futuris conditionatis aſcientia ſimplicis intelligentiae & viſionis distincta? N.

2. Facienti quod in ſe eſt ex naturae viribus, dentur infallibiter auxilia ad ſalutem neceſſaria? N.

6.

1. Gratia ſufficiens ad ſalutem concedatur omnibus? N.

2. Gratia regenerationis ſit reſiſtibilis? N.

7.

1. To Credere ſine meritorum Chriſti imputatione nos juſtificet? N.

2. Aliquis poſſit à fide penitus excidere? N.

8.

1. Renatus poſſit & debeat eſſe certus de ſua ſalute? A.

2. Fideles poſſint in hac vita vivere ſine peccato? N.

9.

1. Deus author peccati ſtatuatur ex ſententia Orthodoxorum de praedestinatione?

2. Arminianiſmus ſit merè Semi-Pelagianiſmus? A

Theſe queſtione, it ſeemes did much diſpleaſe him, as croſſing his Jeſuiticall deſign of propagating Arminianiſme.

Beſides, we find in his own Diary theſe Paſſages under his own hand in purſuance of this deſigne,‘Dec. 23. 1624. The ſame day I delivered my L. Duke of Bucking a little tract ABOVT DOCTRINALL PVRJTANISME, in ſome ten Heades, which his Grace had ſpoken to me that I would draw for him, that he might be acquainted with them; in which he branded the Anti-Arminian Tenets, for Doctrinall Puritaniſme, that ſo the Arminian might be imbraced, as Orthodox.’

Immediatly after King Iames his death (a bitter Eenemy to the Arminians, whom he branded with the titles of Declaration againſt Vorſtins. Atheisticall Sectaries, and peſtilent Heriticks, who dare take upon them that Licentious Liberty, to fetch againe from Hell the ancient Hereſies long ſince condemned, or elſe to invent new of their owne braine, contrary to the beliefe of the true Catholick Church, Biſhop Laud to ingage the King and Duke againſt the Anti-Arminians, under the title of Putitans, and ingratiate the Arminians in their favour under the Title of Orkthodox Divines, preſented the Duke with a Catalogne of the names of Clergy men, who were Orthodox, (to wit Arminians,) and who Putitans, which he thus expreſſeth in his Diary.

Aprill 5. 1625. Die Martis, Schedulam exhibui Duci Buckinghamiae, in qua Nomina er ant omnium Eccleſiaſticorum ſub literis O. & P. (that is Orthodox and Puritans.) Nomina ut ſic digererem, juſſit ipſe Dux Buckinghamiae, traditurus ea (ut dixit) Regi Carolo.

Within foure dayes after, the Duke of Buckingham ſent this Prelate to Biſhop Andrews to conſult about the 5. Arminian Articles condemned in the Synod of Dort, to promote, and propagate them in our Church, and to returne his Anſwer to him, as is cleare by theſe Paſſages in his Diary, written with his owne hand.

April 9. 1625. Eodem die in mandatis accepiut Rever. Epiſc. Winton: adirem, & quid velit in cauſa Eccleſiae ſciſcitarem: Reſponſum referem: PRAECIPVE IN 5. ARTICVLIS, &c. April 10. die Solis, poſt concionem finitam adij Epiſcopum, que tum Camera ſua in Aulâ Regia erat; protuli qua accipi in mandatis; reſponſum dedit [Page] Aprill 13. die Mercurij. Retuli ad Ducem Buck quid reſponderit Epiſcopus Winton.

Theſe Biſhops of the Arminian & Popiſh party, after ſerious conſultation among themſelves, concluded, that for the better introducing, advancing of the Arminian and Popiſh Errors in our Church, Richard Mountague then Batchelor of Divinity, having the Repute of a great Scholler (being formerly engaged in this Quarrell by the complaints of Mr. Ward, and Mr. Yates againſt him for the Arminian & Popiſh Tenets broached in his Gagge,) ſhould in a new Book of his, intituled Appello Caeſarem (compiled by all their conſents, as appeared by their ſubſcriptions to it, which they afterwards cunningly with-drew when they had procured, Dr. Francis Whites approbation of it leaving him in the ſudds alone) as he oft complained, publikely broach, juſtify, maintaine all the Arminian Tenets condemned in the Synod of Dort, as the received Doctrines of the Church of England, and impaire the Reputation of that Synods determinations, as the privat opinions only of ſome few illiterate Puritans. This book of his was diſallowed by Dr. Abbot then Archbiſhop of Canterbury and his Chaplines, who ſtopped it at the Preſſe: but the now Archbiſhop by his owne and the Dukes power, procured it notwithſtanding, to be printed, and dedicated to his Majeſty in the very beginning of his Reigne, thereby to ingage him in the Actuall Patronage of the Arminian Points, and party, which Mountague impetrated at his hands in his Epiſtle Dedicatory.

This Book giving great and juſt offence to moſt men, Dr. Prideaux ſoon after upon a fitte occaſion, ſpake ſomewhat againſt it in the Scholes at Oxford; admoniſhing young Schollers, to be cautelous in reading it: of which there was preſent notice ſent to the Priſoner (then Biſhop of St. Davids) by way of complaint, as theſe two letters (found in his Study by Mr. Prynne) moſt clearly manifeſt.

My very good Lord.

I Received your Letter, The Coppy of the conſecration of the Chappell ſhall be ſent, according to your Lordſhips appointment. We had Diſputations in Divinity Schooles Wedneſday: one Mr. Damport, a great Preacher in London, but no Graduat, was Reſpondent. One of his Queſtions, this,

An Renati poſſint totaliter & finaliter excidere a Gratia?

His Opponent (one Mr. Palmer of Lincoln Colledge:) urged, out of Mr. Mountague his Appeale, the Article of our Church, The Homilies; The Booke of Common-prayer. The Doctor of the Chair handled the Appellator (ſo they termed Him) very courſly: putting it upon Him, that he is Merus Grammaticus; a Fellow that ſtudies Phraſes, more then matter: That He underſtands neither the Articles nor Homilies; or, at least, perverts NOTE. both. Jn anſwering one of the Arguments, He had a Digreſſion, to this purpoſe. So (quoth He) He attributes I know not what vertue to the externall ſign of the Croſſe, Dignus cruce, qui aſſerat. He concluded with an admonition to the Juniors (whereof there come good ſtore to that Exerciſe, and well furniſhed with Tablebookes, and to the Seniors too; That they would be cautelous in reading that, and the like Bookes: That they would Note. begin in the Study of Divinity, with ſome Syſtematicall Catechiſme (I ſuppoſe he meant Baſtingius, Fenner, &c.) and not to apply themſelves at firſt to the Fathers, &c.

Thus with my daily prayers for your Lordſhips health and happineſſe, I reſt.

Your Lordſhips in all humblneſſe of duty and ſervice. Thomas Turner.

St. Iohn, Oxon. May 23. 1625.

My Coſen Walker remembers his humble ſervice to your Lordſhip.

[Page]

My very good Lord,

WHat I wrote to your Lordſhip concerning Mr. Mountague, I have it by me; and before I ſent it, I conſulted with my Coſen Walker, who was preſent at the Exerciſe as well as I; and we both agree, that I wrote nothing but what is true in the ſubſtance; the very Termes we cannot recall. For my part, as I deſire not to be produced, ſo I am not afraid of it, if it might do: Mr. Mountague any pleaſure. Doctor Radcliffe was preſent NOTE. at the Diſputations, what other Doctors there were I know not. Thus wiſhing your health and happineſſe, I humbly take my leave, and remaine.

Your Lordſhips in all dutifull obligement Thomas Turner.

St. Io. Oxon. May 30. 1625.

This laſt letter intimates an intention to queſtion Dr. Prideaux for theſe Paſſages; but the Parliament following ſoone after, this Booke was publikly complained of in the Commons Houſe, and Mountague himſelfe there queſtioned for it, of which this Archbiſhop tooke ſpeciall notice, and thereupon gave all in couragment & protection he could to Mountagu, as his own Diary manifeſts in theſe folowing clauſes, Iulij. 7. 1625. Die Iovis R. Mount. inductus eſt in Domu [...] Parliament inferiorem, &c. Iulij 9. Die Saturni, placuit Sereniſſimo Regi CAROLO, intimare domui illi, SIBI NON PLACERE que de Montacutio, dicta ibi vel ſtatuta fuêre Se inconſulto, Iulij 13. Iter mihi eo facienti obviam caſu factus eſt R Montacutius; PRIMVS FVI qui cum certiorem fecide REGIS ERGA IPSVM GRATIA, &c. NOTE. A pregnant evidence under his owne hand. Firſt that himſelfe was a principall Patriot of Mountague and his Booke. 2. That he was the firſt that acquainted him of the Kings Royall favour towards him, for writing this Book, notwithſtanding the complaints againſt it in the Parliament, if not a procurer of the King to intimate his diſlike to the Commons Houſe of their proceedings againſt him; which being diſcontinued by the diſſolution of that Parliament at Oxford; were againe revived in the next Parliament; at which time the Biſhop procured the Duke to ſound his Majeſties opinion concerning Mountagues Cauſe and Booke; which to pleaſe the Parliament the King then ſeemed willing to leave to their cenſure, whereat the Biſhop was very much troubled, as this Paſſage in his Diary manifeſts.

Ianuary 29. 1625. Dies ſolis erat, intellexi quid D. Buck: collegit de Cauſa, Libro & opinionibus, Rich. Montacutij R. C. (King Charles) apud ſe ſtatuiſſet. Videor videre nubem ſurgentem & minantem Eccleſia Anglicana. Diſſipet pro Miſericordia NOTE. ſua Deus.

Soon after there were two Conferences held at York houſe, before the Duke, and divers Nobles about Mountagues Bookes and opinions, which were there opoſed, by Dr. Preſton, and Biſhop Morton, but defended by Doctor White, and Biſhop Laud, who records this memorial of theſe Conferences in his Diary, Feb. 11. 1625 Die Sabbati ad inſtantiam Comitis Warwicenſis Colloquium fuit in cauſa R. Mountacutij in adibus Ducis Buckinghamia, &c. Febr. 17. Die Veueris, Colloquium praedictum ſecundum habitum eſt, non paucis e Proceribus Regni praeſentibus, loco pradicto.

On the 18. of Aprill 1626. Mr. Pyne made a Report in the Commons Houſe from the Commitee of Religion concerning Mountagues Appeale, and his Arminian and Popiſh Tenents therein compriſed: whereupon it was voted in the Houſe.

1. That he had diſturbed the Peace of the Church by publiſhing Doctrine, contrary to the Articles of the Church of England, and the Booke of Homilies.

2. That there are divers Paſſages in his Booke (eſpecially againſt thoſe hee termeth Puritans,) apt to move ſedition betwixt the King and his Subjects, and between Subject and Subject.

3. That the whole frame and ſcope of his Booke is, to diſcourage the wellaffected in Religion NOTE. from the true Religion Eſtabliſhed in the Church, and to incline them, and as much as in him lay TO RECONCILE THEM TO POPERY.

[Page] This Report was no ſooner made, but this Biſhop (Mountagues great Patron who engaged him in this Popiſh ſervice) had a Coppy thereof, and of all other proceedings therein delivered to him, which he endorſed with his owne hand: but the Parliament being ſoone after diſolved, Mountague inſtead of a ſevere cenſure for the Arminian Popiſh Aſſertions in his book was puniſhed with the Biſhoprick of Chichester, to which he was advanced by this Prelates meanes, to affront the Parliament and his Predeceſſor Biſhop Carleton, who anſwered Mountagues Booke in print, during the Parl. which book was then likewiſe anſwered by Francis Rouſe Eſquier in a Booke called King James his Religion; No ſooner was the Parliament ended, but both theſe Bookes were ſuppreſſed by this Biſhops meanes, though recommended to the Preſſe by the Houſe of Commons order, and Mountagues offenſive Booke publikly ſold without reſtraint. Michaell Sparke the Elder depoſed, that Biſhop Carlton ſent for him, ſitting the Parliament, and deſired him to print his Book againſt Mountague; and to encourage him the more, granted him a protection under his owne hand; whereupon he printed it: After which Doctor Goad, Archbiſhop Abbots Chapline, Doctor Ward, and Dr. Belcankwell licenced it for the Preſſe, with a ſpecial recommendation, whereupon he reprinted it: yet notwithſtanding immediatly after the Parliament ended, by Biſhop Lauds meanes, this Licenſed booke was called in, ſeiſed on, and burned in private, and he queſtioned in the High Commiſſion for printing it. After which this Book of Mountagues, and his Arminian Popiſh Tenents were ſeverally anſwered by Dr. Featley and Doctor Goad (Chaplines to Archbiſhop Abbot) in their Paralells; by Mr. Henry Burton in his Plea, by M. Ward, Mr. Yates and Maſter Wotton, in ſeverall Tracts by Master Prynne in his Perpetuity, and by Doctor Sutclife; But theſe Bookes of theirs, though licenced by Archbiſhop Abbots Chaplines, were called in and ſuppreſſed by this Biſhops meere Arbitrary Power, & the Authors, Printers, ſellers of moſt of them, brought into the High Commiſſion (as Mr. Prynne, Mr. Burton, Mr. Sparkes, Mr. Jones, Mr. Bowler Mr. Bourn, with others, as was atteſted by the three firſt of them upon Oath, and manifeſted by the Articles in the High Commiſſion;) yet theſe their authoriſed orthodox bookes were all ſeized on, and ſome of them burnt in private, and Dr. Sutcliffes Booke againſt Mountague ſuppreſſed in the Preſſe, when foure ſheets thereof were printed, which printed ſheets Mr. Prynne found in this Archbiſhops Study, with this endorſment under his own hand, read at the Lords Barre, The beginning of Dr. Sutcliffes Cenſure upon Mr. Mountagues Appeale: It was prohibited in the Preſſe.

Here upon the Arminian party both in Court, our Vniverſities, and elſe where, grew very great bold, inſolent, & their opinions ſpread themſelves like a dangerous Leproſie, over the whole body of our Church, to the grand exultation & advantage of the Ieſuits, who firſt planted this ſoveraigne drugge of Arminianiſme among us, to reduce us backe to Rome, as appeares by theſe Paſſages in a See a neceſſary Introduction to the Archbiſhops triall, p. 89. 90. Jeſuites letter ſent to the Rector at Bruxels, a little before the Parliament wch begun at Weſtminſter the 17. of Mar. 1627. The Copy of which Letter, endorſed with the Archbiſhops own hand, was ſeized on in his Study at Lambheth, and atteſted before the Lords by M. Prynne.

Father Rector, &c. We have now many ſtrings to our Bow, and have ſtrongly fortified our faction; and have added two Bulworkes more; For when King Iames lived (we know) he was very violent againſt Arminianiſme; and interrupted with his Peſtilent wit, & deep learning our ſtrong deſignes in Holland, &c. NOW WE HAVE PLANTED THE SOVERAIGNE DRVGGE ARMINIANISME, which we hope will Note. purge the Proteſtants from their Hereſy: and it flouriſheth and beares fruit in due ſeaſon, &c. For the better prevention of the Puritans, the Arminians have already locked vp the Dukes eares, and we have thoſe of our Religion which stand continually at the Dukes Chamber to ſee who goes in and out. We cannot be too circumſpect and carefull in this regard. I cannot chuſe but laugh to ſee how ſome of our own rank have encountred themſelves; you would ſcarce know them if you ſaw them; and tis admirable, how in ſpeech and geſture they Act the Puritans. The Cambridge Schollers to their wofull experience ſhall ſee we can act the Puritan a little better then they have don the Ieſuits, [Page] I am at this time transported with joy to ſee how happily all inſtruments and meanes as well great a leſſer, co-operate unto our purpoſes, But to returne unto the maine Fabricke, OVR FOVNDATION IS ARMINIANISME: The Arminians affect mutation, this we ſecond and enforce by probable arguments, &c.

From which Letter was obſerved; NOTE.

1. That the Jeſuites were the Originall planters of Arminianiſme among us:

2. That they reputed it the foundation of their Romiſh Fabricke intended to bee here erected among Vs: the chiefe inſtrument to effect their Jeſuiticall purpoſe, and to purge out the Proteſtant Religion.

3. That the Arminians were but the Jeſuites Agents to promote their ends, & that both of them were very intimate with the Duke of Buckingham, at whoſe lodgings they uſually mette.

4. That this Archbiſhop knew all this, he receiving the Copy of this Letter upon the 27. of Mar. 1628. as appeares by his own endorſment of it; yet notwithſtanding hee promoted Arminians and propagated Arminianiſme all he could; but in a moſt cunning Jeſuiticall way: for perceiving the whole Parliament generally bent againſt Arminianiſme and Mountagues Booke, hereupon this Jeſuiticall Prelate abuſing both the Parliament and His Majeſty, to ſet up Arminianiſme more ſecurely projected a new way of advancing it, under a ſpecious pretence of ſilencing both ſides: by which policy hee inhibited all writing, preaching and diſputes againſt it, and quelled the oppoſite Anti-Arminian party. To which end he procured His Majeſtie by a printed Declaration prefixed to the 39. Articles, compiled by himſelfe and other Biſhops, of which the moſt part were Arminians (pretended principally to ſuppreſſe Arminianiſme, but intended really for advancing it) to prohibit all unneceſſarie disputations, altercations, or queſtions to be raiſed, which might nouriſh faction both in Church and Common-wealth. That in theſe both curious and unhappy differences, which ‘had for ſo many hundred yeares, in different times and places, exerciſed the Church of Chriſt, all further curious ſearch ſhould bee layd aſide, and theſe diſputes ſhut up in Gods promiſes, as they be generally ſet forth to Vs, in the holy Scriptures, and the Generall meaning of the Articles of the Church of England according to them. And that no man hereafter ſhall either print or preach, to draw the Article aſide any way, but ſhall ſubmit to it in the plaine and full meaning thereof: and ſhall not put his owne ſenſe or Comment to be the meaning of the Article, but ſhall take it in the litterall and Grammaticall ſenſe: That if any publike Reader in either our Univerſities, or any Head or Maſter of a Colledge, or any other perſon reſpectively in either of them, ſhall affix any new ſenſe to any Article, or ſhall publikely read, determine, or hold any publike diſputation, or ſuffer any ſuch to be held EITHER WAY, in either the Vniverſities or Colledges reſpectively: or if any Divine in the NOTE. Vniverſities ſhall preach or print any thing EITHER WAY, other then is already eſtabliſhed in Convocation with our Royall Aſſent; He, or they the Offenders, ſhall be lyable to Our diſpleaſure, and the Churches cenſure in our Commiſſion Eccleſiaſticall, as wel as any other; & We will ſee there ſhal be due execution upon them, &c.’

That this Declaration was made by this Biſhops inſtigation, procurement, and ſo generally reputed not only at home but abroad, is evident by this paſſage of Doctor Barons Letter of Aberdean; concerning the pacifying of the 5. Articles, ſent to this Arch-Biſhop, and found in his Study endorſed with his owne hand, dated the 20. of Aprill 1634. Piam hanc Ampl: tuae de Pace Eccleſiae tuenda & conſervanda, ſollicitudinem, illuſtri ſpecimine JAMPRIDEM NOTAMOMNIBVSET TESTATAM feciſti, cum Majeſtas Regia TE AVTHORE ET, SVASORE exitialiisti diſſidio de Praedestinatione & annexis Articulis, quo or bis hic Britannicus fere collidebatur, ſua authoritate finem impoſuit, & impetuoſas NOTE. exulceratorum animorum motus ita compeſcuit, ut diſperſis & diſſipatis rixarum indies gliſcentium nebulis, nunc optato pacis ſudo fruamur. &c.

By coulour of this Declaration and pretended Amnestie, of ſilencing both ſides [Page] the Anti-Arminian truths and received Doctrines of our Church came to be totally ſilenced, ſuppreſſed in Preſſe, Pulpit, Schooles, Vniverſities, and the Arminian Errors found free paſſage in them all without any or very little oppoſition; this being the higheſt conqueſt the Arminian faction could aſpire to, yea more then they could hope for in ſo ſhort a ſpace. Hereupon their prevailing party having greateſt power at Court, and in the High Commiſſion, (Archbiſhop Abbot being then by their power and policy ſequeſtred from both, and from his Archiepiſcopall authority, delegated to Biſhop Land, and others of the Arminian combination) by colour and abuſe of this Declaration all Bookes againſt the Arminians were ſuppreſſed, the Authors proſecuted in the High Commiſſion, thoſe who preached or diſputed againſt them in the Vniverſities, City, Court or Country, ſilenced, ſuſpended, baniſhed, impriſoned enforced to recant or ruined, at leaſt kept from all preferments: on the contrary thoſe of the Arminian confederacy were advanced, applauded, countenanced, protected, and freely tolerated to vent their Erronious Tenets every where in Preſſe, Pulpit, Court, both Vniverſities, without any reall convention or ſuſpention, as we ſhall prove anon.

And to ſet on this deſigne with greater advantage to the Arminian party, His Majeſtie being preſſed to publiſh a Proclamation for the calling in of Biſhop Mountagues Booke, (no leſſe than three yeares after its publication, upon ſundry complaints made againſt it in 3. ſucceſſive Parliaments, after all the books diſperſed, vented and out of all danger of ſeiſure) hee ſo ordered the matter, that there was no execution of it in regard of the Booke, this Proclamation was ſo cunningly and partially penned, that Mountagues Popiſh and Arminians opinions were no wayes cenſured, nor his Books condemned to the fire by it (for feare of hindering the project then in hand) ſo that all intelligent men might at firſt view diſcerne the main end of it, was not to ſuppreſſe and call in the Book, or diſcredit the Author (who was then advanced to a Biſhopricke for his paines by Lauds recommendations) but meerly to ſuppreſſe all Bookes in anſwer of it, and ſilence all preaching, writing, diſputes againſt the Arminian Errors, as unneceſſary questions, and needleſſe controverſies; which appeares by the Proclamation it ſelfe, thus endorſed with the Archbiſhops owne hand (who had the penning or correcting of it) Janu. 17. 1628. A Proclamation for calling in Biſhop Mountagues Booke.

A Proclamation, for the ſuppreſsing of a Booke, INTITVLED, Appello Caeſarem, or, An Appeale to Caeſar.

WHereas Wee, out of Our care to conſerve and maintaine the Church, committed to Our Charge, in the unity of true Religion and the bond of Peace and not to ſuffer unneceſſary diſputes, which may trouble the quiet both of Church and State, have lately cauſed the Articles of Religion to be reprinted, as a rule for avoiding of diverſities of opinion and for the eſtabliſhing of conſent in true Religion; We continuing Our deſire to compaſſe this wiſhed effect, and conſidering that the Book written by Richard Mountague, It was a very ſore puniſhment, to advance him from a Batche [...] lor of Divinity to be a Biſhop for Writing ſo ill a Booke. now Biſhop of Chicheſter, then but Batechelor of Divinity, intituled, (Appello Caeſarem, or, an Appeale to Caeſar,) and publiſhed in the Yeare (1625.) was the firſt cauſe of thoſe diſputes & differences, which have ſithence much troubled the quiet of the Church; have thought it fitting to take away the occaſion by calling in the ſaid Booke: And therefore, We do hereby will and ſtraightly command all and ſingular perſons whatſoever. who have, or ſhall have any of them in their hands or cuſtody, that upon paine of Our high diſpleaſure, and the conſequence thereof, they doe deliver the ſame preſently upon this publication, to the Lord Biſhop of the Dioceſſe, or his Chancellor, [Page] if it bee out of the Univerſities; or if it be in either of the two Univerſities, to the Chancellour or Vice-Chancellor there, whom We ſtraightly command to ſuppreſſe the ſame; hoping thereby, that men will no more trouble themſelves with theſe unneceſſary queſtions, the firſt occaſion being taken away: But if We ſhall be deceived in this Our expectation, and that by reading, preaching, or making Bookes, either pro or contra, concerning theſe differences, men begin a new to diſpute, We ſhall take NOTE. ſuch Order with them, and thoſe Books, that they ſhall with they had never thought upon theſe needleſſe Controverſies.

Given at Our Court at White-Hall, The ſeventeenth day of Ianuary, in the fourth Yeare of Our Reigne, of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

The Commons then Aſſembled in Parliament diſcovering both the ſiniſter end and abuſe of this His Majeſties Declaration and Proclamation, in favour of the Arminians, drew up a notable Declaration to His Majeſtie concerning the increaſe of Popery and ſpreading of Arminianiſme, &c. concerning the latter whereof, they made this following complaint, wherein they charged this Prelate, then Biſhop of Bath and Wells with favouring Arminians and their opinions:

As our feare concerning Change or Subverſion of RELIGION is grounded upon the daily increaſe of Papiſts, the only profeſſed Enemies thereof, for See a neceſſary Introduction to the Arch-Biſhops Tryall, pag. 90 to 94. the reaſons formerly mentioned; ſo are the hearts of Your Subjects no leſſe perplexed, when with ſorrow they behold a daily growth and ſpreading of the faction of the Arminians, that being, (as Your Majestie well knowes) but a cunning way to bring in Popery and the profeſſors of thoſe opinions, the common diſturbers of the Proteſtant Churches NOTE. and Incendiaries of thoſe States wherein they have gotten any head, being Proteſtants in ſhew, but Jeſuites in Opinion and practiſe: which cauſed Your Royall Father (with ſo much pious wiſdome and ardent zeale) to endeavour the ſuppreſſing of them as well at home as in our Neighbouring Countries: and Your Gratious Majeſtie inimating his moſt worthy example, have openly and by your Proclamations, declared your miſlike of thoſe perſons and of their opinions; who notwithſtanding are much favoured and advanced, not NOTE. wanting friends even of the Clergie neere to Your Majestie, namely Doctor Neale, Biſhop of Wincheſter, and Doctor Laud Biſhop of Bath and VVells, who are juſtly ſuſpected to bee unſound in their opinions that way; And it being now generally the way to preferment, and promotion in the Church, many Schollers do bend their Studies to maintaine theſe Errours; their Bookes and opinions are ſuffered to be printed and publiſhed, and on the other ſide the impreſſions of ſuch as are written againſt them, and in defence of the Orthodox Religion, are hindered, and prohibited, and (which is a boldneſſe most incredible) NOTE. this reſtraint of Orthodox Bookes is made under colour of Your Majeſties (formerly mentioned) Proclamation, the intent and meaning whereof we know was quite contrary, &c.

To which Declaration Biſhop Laud returned a Peremptory anſwer in His Majeſties Name, written and endorſed with his owne hand, the Originall whereof (atteſted by Maſter Prynne) was reade at the LORDS Barre in theſe following words, ſo farre as concerned the charge of Arminianiſme. See a neceſſary Introduction to the Arch-Biſhops Tryall, pag. 93 94, 95.

THe next feare is the daily growth and ſpreading of the Arminian faction, called, a cunning way to bring in Popery. But We hold this charge as great a wrong to Our ſelfe and Our Government, as the former: For our People muſt not bee taught by a Parliament Remonſtrance, or any other way, that We are ſo ignorant of Truth, or ſo careleſſe of the profeſſion of it, that any opinion, or faction, or what NOTE. ever it be called, ſhould thruſt it ſelfe ſo far & ſo faſt into Our Kingdomes, without Our knowledge of it: This is a meere dreame of them that wake, and would make Our Loyall and loving People thinke, We ſleepe the while. In this charge there is [Page] great wrong done to two eminent Prelates, that attend Our Perſon; for they are accuſed without producing any the leaſt ſhew or ſhaddow of proofe againſt them; and ſhould they or any other attempt Innovation of Religion, either by that open or any cunning way, we ſhould quickly take other order with them, and not ſtay for Your Remonſtrance.

To helpe on this, Our People are made believe there is a reſtraint of Bookes, Orthodoxall. But wee are ſure ſince the late Parliament began, ſome whom the Remonſtrance calls Orthodox, have aſſumed to themſelves an unſufferable liberty in printing. Our Proclamation commanded a reſtraint on both ſides, till the paſſions NOTE. of men might ſubſide and calme, and had this beene obeyed as it ought, wee had not now been toſſed in this tempeſt, As for any diſtreſſing or diſcountenancing of good Preachers, Wee know there is none, if they be, as they are called good: But Our good people ſhall never want that ſpirituall comfort which is due unto them, And for the preferments which VVee beſtow, Wee have ever made it our great care to give them as rewards of deſert and paines: but as the preferments are ours ſo will wee bee Judge of the deſert our ſelfe, and not bee taught by a Remonſtrance.

After which the Commons in purſuance of their Oppoſition againſt the growing Arminian Faction, On the 28. of January 1628. (but 11. dayes after the forementioned Proclamation concerning Mountagues Booke, and prohibiting books againſt it) paſſed this notable Vote in Parliament after a large debate; which the Archbiſhop in his indorſment on it ſtiles; The Challenge of the lower Houſe in matters of Religion.

An Order made by the lower Houſe of PARLIAMENT the 28th. of IANVARY 1628.

WEE the Commons now Aſſembled in Parliament doe claime, profeſſe and avow for Truth, the ſence of the Articles of Religion, which were eſtabliſhed NOTE. in Parliament the thirteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth, which by the publike Acts of the Church of England, and the generall and currant expoſition of the Writers of our Church have beene delivered unto Vs; and we reject the ſence of the Ieſuites, Arminians, and all others wherein they doe differ from Vs.

To which Challenge of theirs this pragmaticall Biſhop then returned this bold peremptory anſwer, written with his owne hand, produced, atteſted by Maſter Pryn, and read at the Lords Barre in Evidence againſt him.

1. The publique Acts of the Church in matters of Doctrine are Canons and Acts of Councells, as well for expounding as determining; the Acts of the High Commiſſion are not in this ſence publike Acts of the Church not the meeting of few or more Biſhops Extra Concilium, unleſſe they be by lawfull Authority called to that worke, and their deciſion approved by the Church.

2. The Currant expoſition of writers is a ſtrong probable Argument de ſenſu Can [...]nis Eccleſiae, vel Articuli, yet but probable: The Currant expoſition of the Fathers themſelves hath ſometimes miſſed ſenſum Eccleſiae.

3. Will ye reject all ſence of leſuit, or Arminian? may not ſome be true? may not ſome be agreeable to our writers, and yet in a way that is ſtronger then ours to NOTE. confirme the Article?

4. Is there by this Act any Interpretation made or declared of the Articles, or not? If none, to what end the Act? If a ſence or Interpretation be declared, what authority have lay-men to make it? for Interpretation of an Article belongs to NOTE. them only that have power to make it.

5. Tis manifeſt there is a ſence declared by the Houſe of Commons, the Act ſayes [Page] it, (wee avow the Article, and in that ſence, and all other that agree not with us in the aforeſaid ſence, wee reject; (theſe and theſe, goe about miſinterpretation of a ſence, Ergo there is a Declaration of a ſence, yea: but it is not a new ſence declared by them, but they avow the old ſence declared by the Church.) The publike authenticke Acts of the Church, &c. yea; but if there be no ſuch publique authenticke Acts of the Church, then heres a ſence of their owne declared under pretence of it.

6. It ſeemes againſt the Kings Declaration, 1. That ſayes, we ſhall take the generall NOTE. meaning of the Articles; this Act reſtraines them to conſent of VVrighters. 2. That ſayes, the Article ſhall not be drawne aſide any way, but that we ſhall take it in the Litterall and Gramaticall ſence: This Act tyes to conſent of VVrighters, which may; and perhaps do goe againſt the Litterall ſence; for heres no exception; ſo wee ſhall bee perplexed and our conſent required to things contrary.

7. All conſent in all Ages, as farre as I have obſerved, to an Article or Canon, is to it ſelfe, as it is layd downe in the body of it, and if it beare more ſences then one, it is lawfull for any man to chooſe what ſence his judgment directs him to, ſo that it be a ſence, ſecundum analogiam fidei, and that he hold it peaceably without diſtracting the Church, and this till the Church which made the Article determine a ſence: And the wiſdome of the Church hath beene in all ages or the moſt, to require conſent to Articles in generall as much as may be, becauſe thats the way of unity, and the Church in high points requiring aſſent to particulars, hath been rent, As de Tranſubſtantiatione, &c. So he, in affront of the Commons.

This Parliament alſo being ſoone after broken up in diſcontent by this Biſhops power and policy, the Arminian and Popiſh party grew more bould numerous, potent, and prevalent every where, ſo as the Pulpits at Whice-hall, Paules Croſſe, Oxford, Cambridge, and elſe where, ecchoed againe with Arminian Paradoxes, without reſtraint, and none could or durſt oppoſe them without exemplary puniſhment, if not all moſt certaine ruine: Bookes in defence of Arminianiſme, and Semi-plagianiſme were publiſhed, printed with publike allowance, and all impreſſions againſt them moſt diligently ſuppreſſed; the Recantations of Arminian Tenets in former times made in our Vniverſities, were embeſled as Barrets Recantation in Cambridge, May 10. 1595.) and new Recantations enjoyned to and regiſtred againſt their oppoſites, of all which we ſhall produce ſome remarkable inſtances.

The Miniſters in and about London, being reſtrained by Colour of His Majeſties forementioned Declaration and Proclamation, to Preach any thing concerning Election, Predeſtination, Perſerverance, or any thing oppoſite to the Arminian Errors thereupon framed this enſuing Petition to his Majeſty (about the end of the Parliament, 1628.) for liberty to Preach againſt the Arminian errors in point of Predeſtination &c. which this Biſhop being informed off, anticipated, and fruſtrated, two of the Copies, of which Petition were found in his Study by Mr. Pryn, thus endorſed with his owne hand. The Copy of the intended Petition about liberty of Preaching Predestination, &c.

To the Kings moſt Excellent Maieſty, The humble Petition of divers Miniſters of Gods Word, in and about the City of London, and elſe where.

Moſt Humbly ſheweth,

THat whereas your royall Majeſty out of your Religious zeale for the conſerving of the Church committed to your Charge in Peace, and for the confirming of the Doctrine of the ſame agreeable to Gods word, and conteyned in the Articles eſtabliſhed; did publiſh both a Proclamation, and a Declaration, therein prohibiting all opinions either againſt or beſides the Orthodoxall grounds of Religion expreſſed in the ſaid Articles, as alſo all raiſing of doubts and diſputatios [Page] which may nouriſh faction in Church and Common wealth. And yet your Majeſties ſaid edicts are ſo interpreted, and preſſed upon us, as we are not a little diſcouraged and deterred, from preaching thoſe ſaving Doctrines of Gods free Grace in Election, and predeſtination which greatly confirme our faith of eternall ſalvation, and fervently kindle our Love to God, as the 17th. Article expreſly mentioneth. So as we are brought into a great ſtrayt either of incurring Gods heavy diſpleaſure if we do not faithfully diſcharge our Embaſſage, in declaring the whole Councell of God, or the danger of being cenſured for violators of your Majeſties ſaid Acts, if we preach theſe conſtant Doctrines of our Church, and confute the oppoſite Pelagian and Arminian Hereſies, both preached and printed boldly without feare of Cenſure. As if the ſaving Doctrines of Chriſt were prohibited, and theſe impious Hereſies priviledged, which Councells both old and new have condemned, and the admired NOTE. judgement of our late Soveraigne your Royall Father K. Iames, of bleſſed memory, hath for ever branded, calling the maintainers thereof, Arrogant and Atheiſticall Sectaries, who are not aſhamed to lye ſo groſly, as to avow that their Hereſies are agreable with the Religion, and profeſſion of the Church of England, which corrupt ſeeds of Hereſie & Faction, (if not the more ſpeedily rooted out) the wiſe King tell's the neighbour States, will of neceſſity bring utter ruine to their ſtate by the too bold, and frequent Diſciples, and followers of that enemy of God, Arminius.

Wee therefore your Majeſties faithfull, obedient, peaceable and conformable Subjects to all your Majeſties Lawes, being moſt tenderly ſenſible of the diſhonour of Chriſt, and of your Majeſty his Vicegerent over us, infinitely more deare unto us then our lives, moſt humbly on our bended knees, beſeech your Gratious Majesty to take into your Princely conſideration the forenamed Evills and Greivances under which we groane; and as a wiſe Phiſitian to preſcribe and apply ſuch ſpeedy Remedies, as may both care the preſent Maladies, and ſecure the Peace of Church and Common-wealth, from all thoſe Plagues which our neighbours have not a little felt, and more may feare if the Councell of the moſt juditious King be not the bettter followed.

And according to our bounden dutie we ſhall daily pray for the continuance of your Majeſties peaceable, proſperous, and religious Raigne over us.

About March: 1628. Dr. Hall then Biſhop of Exceter publiſhed a Booke called the Reconciler, in the cloſe whereof, he inſerted two Letters, to vindicate himſelfe from the imputation of Arminianiſme, wherewith ſome had then aſperſed him; to witt, his owne letter to Dr. Davenant, then Biſhop of Salisbury, and his Anſwer thereunto; which Letters comming to be licenced, Doctor Thomas Turner the Biſhops Chaplain, who authorized it (no doubt by the Biſhops directions and command) expunged, theſe two Paſſages out of the Letters, againſt the Arminian Tenets, and in approbation of the Synod of Dort. conteining the principle Subject matter of the Letters, and the end for which they were written, the Copy of which Purgations was ſeized in the Archbiſhops Study by Mr. Prynne who atteſted it, thus endorſed with his owne hand. That which my Chapline Mr. Turner left out of the letters of the Biſhop of Exceter, and Sarum ABOVT ARMINIANISME.

In my Lord Biſhop of EXONS Letter, to the Lord Biſhop oſ SARVM, there was this Paſſage oblitcrated.

YEA, as if this calumnie were not enough, there want not thoſe whoſe ſecret whiſperings caſt upon me the foule aſpertions of an other Sect, whoſe name is as much hated, as little underſtood: My Lord, you know I had a place with you, [Page] though unworthy) in that famous Synod of Dort, where (however ſickneſſe [...]ereaved me) of the honour of a concluſive ſubſcription) yet your Lordſhip heard me with equall vehemency to the reſt, crying downe the unreaſonableneſſe of that way. I am ſtill the ſame man, and ſhall live and die in the ſuffrage of that Reverend Synod, and doe confidently a vow; that thoſe other oppoſed opinions cannot ſtand with the Doctrine NOTE. of the Church of England. But if for the compoſing of our differences at home (which your Lordſhip knowes to be far different from the Netherlandiſh) there could have beene tendered any ſuch faire propoſitons of accordance, as might be no prejudice to Gods Truth, I ſhould have thought it an holy and happy project; wherein if it bee not a fault to have wiſhed a ſafe peace, I am innocent.

In my Lord Biſhops of SARVMS Anſwer. Dated Ianuary 30. 1628.

This paſſage was expunged.

AS for the aſpertions of Arminianiſme, I can teſtifie, that in our joynt imployment at the Synod of Dort, you were as farre from it, as my ſelfe. And I know that no man can imbrace it, in the Doctrine of Pradeſtination and Grace, but he muſt firſt NOTE deſert the Articles agreed upon by the Church of England: nor in the Point of Perſeverance, but he muſt vary from the common Tenet, and received opinion of our beſt approved Doctors in the Engliſh Church. I am aſſured, that you neither have deſerted the one, nor will vary from the other; and therefore be no more troubled with other mens groundleſſe ſuſpirions then you would be in like caſe with their idle Dreames. Thus I have, &c.

Nathaniell Butter, the Stationer, perceiving theſe two letters not only extreamly mutilated, but made altogether uſeleſſe, and his Book leſſe vendible by theſe Purgations of the Licencer, adventured to print theſe expunged paſſages in them, whereupon he was apprehended and brought before Biſhop Laud by a Purſevant, committed Priſoner by him to the Fleet, without Baile or maineprize, contrary to the Petition of Right, though he tendred baile, his Bookes ſeized, and afterwards Articled againſt in the High Commiſſion, and there almoſt ruined, only for printing thoſe deleted Paſſages in two of our owne Biſhops Letters; as was proved by the Teſtimony of Maſter Henry Burton and Michaell Sparkes ſenior, committed to the Fleet by the Biſhop at the ſame time; by the Warrant of his commitment, under the Biſhops owne hand, the Articles in the High Commiſſion againſt Butter, Artic. 4. 5. and his Anſwer thereunto, produced in Court.

About the ſame time Nathaniell Carpenter Chapline to Archbiſhop Vſher, publiſhed a Book intitled Achitophel, or the Picture of a wicked Polititian. printed at Oxford by Lycence, wherein were divers paſſages againſt Arminianiſme, averring it to be planted among us by Ieſuiticall Polititians to undermine our Religion by degrees, and covertly to introduce Popery it ſelfe: which Booke was preſently called in, and all the Paſſages againſt Arminianiſme expunged by this Biſhops Agents, which done, it was reprinted at London without them, Anno 1629. to the great injury both of the truth and Author: as was atteſted by Mr. Prynne, & Michaell Spark Senior and evident to all who will compare theſe two Editions. What other paſſages againſt the Arminians and their Tenet have beene expunged in other Authors; ſhall be given in evidence elſewhere.

We ſhall next produce ſome memorable Inſtances what countenance was given to Arminian Bookes and Sermons, notwithſtanding his Majeſties Declarations and Proclamations to the contrary, by this Archbiſhops meanes. Doctor Thomas Jackſon, Chapline in Ordinary to his Majeſty, even ſitting the Parliament, ſoone after the Kings Declaration and Proclamation, publiſhed, A Treatiſe of divine Eſſence, and Attributes: part firſt, printed at London, 1628. for John Clerke Licenſed by this Prelates Chaplaine, dedicated to the Right honourable William Earle of Pembrooke [Page] in the very Epiſtle Dedicatory, to this Noble Peere, hee profeſſeth himſelfe AN ARMINIAN, and Patron of their Tenets: And Chap. 8. to 20. he profeſſedly maintaines: A mutability in Gods eternall Decrees of Election and Reprobation, depending upon the actions, and wills of men; Univerſall Grace and Redemption; with other Arminian Errors. This Book though publikely complained of, was never called in by the Biſhop; but the ſecond part thereof printed by Licence, An. 1629. and the Author of it advanced to the Preſidentſhip of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford, by this Biſhop, yea by him deſigned to bee Doctor of the Chaire (though he miſſed that preferment) to poyſon the Vniverſity of OXFORD with his Arminian Drugges.

An. 1630. Doctor Brookes of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge Writ an Arminian Treatiſe of Predeſtination, with which he acquainted Biſhop Laud, who encouraged him in the worke, recommending it to the peruſall of Doctor Lindſey, and Doctor Beale (two great Arminians,) promiſing to peruſe it himſelfe, as appeares by ſundry Letters. Whereupon Doctor Brookes returned this anſwer to him concerning it, in Anſwer of this Biſhops Letter to him, ſeized in his Study by Mr. Prynne; dated from Cambridge, Dece. 15. 1630. wherin there is this deſperate paſſage worthy Obſervation.

MY LORD, &c.

I Dare ſay: That their doctrine of Predeſtination is the roote of Paritaniſme, and Puritaniſme the roote of all rebellions and diſobedient intractableneſſe in Parliament, NOTE. &c and of all Schiſme and Saucineſſe in the Country, nay in the Church it ſelfe: this hath made many thouſands of our people, and to great a part of the Gentlemen of the Land Laytons in their hearts. Beſides, where nothing is done the weeds will over-grow the Corne, as they doe. For laſt Parliament they left their word, Religion, and the cauſe of Religion, and began to uſe the name of Church, and our Articles of the Church of England, &c. and wounded our Church at the very heart, with her owne name, And by pretence of putting downe Arminianiſme and defence of that Church, againſt which indeed they tooke up Armes: ſo that now they that hold the very opinions of Penry and W [...]gington, of Hacket and Coppinger in their beginning and others, of whom ſome were hangd, moſt impriſoned, many deprived, and ſome cenſured in the Starre-Chamber for ſeditious perſons, and Enemies to the Church of England, they, I ſay that hold the ſame opinions, cry out now the Church of England, and will have the Church of England to be theirs. I could juſtifie this and much more, but your Lordſhip knowes theſe things to be ſo better then I, &c.

What groſſe aſperſions he here caſts upon the Parliament and Anti-Arminians is ſo apparent, as needs no explanatory or aggravating Commentary.

On the 27. of Novem. 1630. Doctor Martin this Biſhops houſhold Chaplaine, a profeſſed Arminian, licenſed a Booke for the Preſſe, intituled, An Hiſtoricall Narration of the judgment of ſome muſt learned and Godly Engliſh Biſhops, holy Martyrs and others, concerning Gods Election, and the Merits of Chriſts death; ſet forth by I. A. of Ailward (a late Seminary Priest) and printed for Samuell Nealand, 1631. The whole ſcope of this Book was to prove, the Martyrs and first Reformers of our Church in K. Ed. the 6. and Q. Maries dayes, and the beginning of Q. Elizabeths Raigne, to be Arminians, and Arminianiſme the eſtabliſhed Doctrine of our Church: The firſt 66 pages of this Booke, conteine, The Coppy of an Anſwer unto a certaine Letter; wherein the Anſwerer purgeth himſelfe and others from Pelagius Errors, and from the Error of Free-will, or Juſtification of Workes, wherewith he ſeemed to bee charged by the ſaid Letter. And further, hee ſheweth wherein he differeth in judgment from certaine Engliſh Writers and Preachers whom hee chargeth with teaching falſe doctrine, under the name of Predeſtination. This Treatiſe, writes he, was publiſhed about the ſecond or third yeare of Queene Elizabeth, by a Protestant Divine, who floriſhed both in the time of King Edward, and Queene Elizabeth, and in the time of Queene Mary for his Conſcience endured voluntary exil; but he names not the Author in particular, [Page] nor produceth any warrant for this Encomium of him: The reſidue of the Booke are ſome miſtaken & perverted fragments called out of Biſhop Hoopers Preface upon the Commandements; and Father Latymers Sermons; concerning which Booke Maſter Prynne gave in this evidence upon his Oath; That it was the greateſt affront and impoſture ever offered to, or put upon the Church of England in any age, deſerving the higheſt Cenſure; of the firſt diſcovery whereof God made him the only Inſtrument: For as ſoone as this Book was printed, one Coppy of it was brought him by a Friend; who informed him, that it was licenſed by Maſter Martin. the Biſhops Arminian Chaplaine; that the Biſhop himſelfe had given order, the Booke ſhould not be publiſhed, till he had preſented one of them to the King, and gained his Royall approbation thereunto: That a day or two after the Booke was publiſhed by the Biſhops direction; One Copy whereof comming to the late learned Sir Humfrey Linds hands, he was very much troubled thereat upon its peruſall; whereupon hee repaired to Maſter Prynne at Lincolneſ-Iaue with the Booke; deſiring him to take ſome paines to give a ſpeedy anſwer to it, being (as he averred) a moſt dangerous Book, making more for the ſpreading and juſtifying of Arminianiſme, then any Booke formerly publiſhed. To which Maſter Prynne replyed, that he had no leiſure, and leſſe encouragement to anſwer it, being then & juſt before vexed in the High Commiſſion for his Perpetuity, and other of his Bookes written againſt Arminians; Wherefore Sir Humfrey himſelfe who had more leiſure, friends and abilities then himſelfe might doe well to returne an anſwer to it. Who thereupon replyed to Maſter Prynne, that none was ſo fit to anſwer it as himſelfe, who had peruſed more ancient Engliſh Writers, and was better verſed in them then any man he knew; Whereunto Maſter Prynne rejoyned, That he conceaved there was no need at all for himſelfe or any man elſe to anſwer this booke, for that there were two anſwers to it already in print; To which Sir Humfrey replyed, it was impoſſible, for that this Book came forth but that morning; unto which Mr. Pryn anſwered, that the greateſt part and maine ſubſtance of this Narration was anſwered Verbatim in two printed Books, long before either of them was born, and to give him fall ſatisfaction therein, hee ſhewed him two printed anſwers thereunto, and diſcovered the whole Impoſture to him in that manner as he related it at the Lords Barre.

Firſt he produced to him, & now to the Lords, the Originall printed Copy of the foreſaid anſwer, made unto a certaine Letter, &c. which had all the ſymptoms of an unlicenſed Pamphlet; there being neither Authors, nor Printers name, nor place where, nor yeare when it was printed to be found in the Title, or any other part of the Book, nor the leaſt mention where, or by whom it was to be ſold. Therefore it was doubtleſſe printed by ſtealth in a Corner, and not by any publike allowance, its entry not being extant in the Stationers-Hall. Next he produced two ancient anſwers in print to this pernicious Pamphlet: The firſt of them written by Iohn Veron, a very learned man, Chaplaine to Queene Elizabeth, and Divinity Lecturer in the Cathedrall of Pauls in the beginning of her Raigne, to whom he Dedicated his anſwer to this Pamphlet, Imprinted at London by John Tyſdale by publike authority. In which anſwer, (intituled. An Apologie or Defence of the Doctrine of Predeſtination, ſet fort by the Queens Highneſſe her moſt humble and obedient ſervant John Veron, and Dedicated to her Majeſtie,) wee have the name of the nameleſſe Author of this Arminian Pamphlet, the occaſion of compiling it, and the quality of the Author, expreſſed to the full, together with a compleat anſwer therunto. The Authors name is therein averred to be one Champeneyes, f. 20. 31. 37. 40. 41. 42. His condition and quality is therein thus expreſſed, f. 16. But in this I comfort my ſelfe, that his tongue is known to be no ſlander, For the like did hee moſt proudly attempt in your moſt Gratious Brother good King Edward the ſixths dayes, AGAINST ALL THE GODLY PREACHERS OF THAT TIME calling them marked Monſters of Anti-Chriſt, NOTE. and men voyd of the Spirit of God, (for none be they never ſo Godly, never ſo earneſt and faithfull labourers in the Lords Vineyard, have the Spirit of God, or doe know [Page] the efficacy of it, but he only) as many godly perſons be able to teſtifie to his face: that he did therefore, and for MANT OTHER ABOMINABLE ERRORS which he then ſtoutly maintained, BEARE AT THAT TIME A FAGGOT AT PAVLS CROSSE, Father Coverdale making then the Sermon there. Belike fearing now the like puniſhment, and that he ſhould be compelled to revoke his Pelagian-like opinion, hee NOTE. durſt not, for all his proud boast, ſet his owne name to his rayling and venemous bookes, nor yet ſuffer them to be ſold openly or publikly in the Booke-binders ſhops, but cowardouſly ſuppreſſing both his owne name and the name of the unwiſe and fooliſh Printer, got the whole Impreſſion into his hands, that ſo he might in hugger-mugger ſend them unto his NOTE. privie friends abroad, whom be like he ſuſpected to be of his Affinity and damnable opinion. How be it, this could not be wrought ſo privily, but that within a while, ſome of his bookes came into my hands, whereby ſhortly after, the Printer was knowne and brought to his Anſwer; whom this ſtout Champion of Pelagius hath left in the bryars, and leaſt he himſelfe ſhould be faine to ſhew a reaſon of his Doctrine, doth keepe himſelfe out of the way ſtill, and dares not once ſhew his face. If he be able to maintaine his Doctrine against my booke to, let him come forth and play the man, I am ready at all times to yeeld unto the truth, and unto the ſincere teachers thereof.

After this, f. 20. he ſtiles Champenyes; The blinde guide of the freewill men: f. 37. Champenyes a very Pelagian and conſequently a ranke Papiſt: p. 40. hee ſuffereth the Divell by ſuch Sectaries as Champenyes is, to ſow his lyes abroad, &c. And f. 41. Champenyes is the Standard-bearer of the freewill men. What an abominable Impoſture was it then for this new Pamphleter to ſtile him; A Proteſtant Divine who flouriſhed in the time of K. Edward and Q. Elizabeth, and in the time of Q. Mary for his conſcience endured voluntary exile; And to place him in the front of the moſt learned and Godly Engliſh Biſhops, holy Martyrs and others that ſuffered Martyrdome in the daies of Q. Mary, for the truth and Goſpell of Chriſt Jeſus, in which number he is Regiſtred in the Title Page, and placed before Biſhop Hooper, and Father Latymer in the Book it ſelfe,

The occaſion of writing this unlicenced obſcure Pamphlet, was as followeth, Iohn Veron being Divinity Lecturer in Paules Cathedrall, in the firſt yeare of Queene Elizabeth, handled the Doctrine of Predeſtination, and other incident Points thereto belonging in direct oppoſition the Popiſh, Pelagian, and now Arminian Tenets; which Lectures he ſoone after publiſhed in Print, and dedicated to Q. Elizabeth, in a booke intituled, A Fruitfull Treatiſe of Predeſtination, &c. Printed at London for JOHN TYLDALE about the ſecond yeare of Queene Elizabeths Raigne: againſt which Lectures, this Champnyes taking ſome exceptions, publiſhed this Anonimous Anſwer, by way of a Letter: which Veron ſoone after anſwered, almoſt verbatim, in his authorized Apology, dedicated to the Queen, whereto Champeneys never replyed. After which, this Letter was largly anſwered, word for word, from the very Title page to the end thereof, in a Book Intituled, An Apology or Defence of the Engliſh Writers and Preachers, with Cerberus the Three-Headed Dogge of Hell, chargeth with falſe Doctrine, under the name of Predeſtination: written by Robert Crowley Clerke,) a fugitive for Religion in Queene Maries dayes and an eminent laborious Preacher in thoſe times) Vicar of Saint Giles without Criplegate in London: Imprinted at London in Pater-Noſter-Rowe, at the ſigne of the Starre, by Henry Denham, Anno 1566. Octob. 14. Seene and allowed according to the order appointed. In which booke this Pamphlet which the Biſhop and his Agents now obtrude upon us, as the received Doctrine of our prime Martyrs and of the Church of England in King Edward the 6th. and Queene Elizabeths Reignes, was by publique Authority, in the name of all the Orthodox Writers, and Preachers of England, refuted, as directly contrary to the received Doctrine of our Martyres, Writers, Preachers, Church, and cenſured as Pelagiau and Popiſh in both theſe ancient printed Anſwers. It muſt needs therefore be an inexpiable, inſufferable abuſe in this Archbiſhop and his Inſtruments, thus to revive, reprint this exploded Erronious Arminian Treatiſe, in the yeare, 1631 and obtrude it on us as the received Doctrine of our Martyrs and Church of England [Page] in the beginning of Reformation, whereas there was nothing leſſe, on purpoſe to propagate his Arminian Errors, and ſtrengthen that leſuiticall faction. After this Mr. Prynne produced Biſhop Hoopers Confeſſion and Proteſtation of his faith, made to the whole Parliament, An. 1550. in King Edwards dayes. His comfortable Expoſition upon the Pſalmes (London, 1580.) his Articles upon the Creed, London, 1584. Artic. 3. to 15. 17. 21. 25. 29. 30. 33. 36. 38. to 56 62. 67. 68. 91. to 99. wherein he expreſly in terminis refutes, thoſe Arminian opinions, which this our Author wold wreſt out of the words of his Preface to the Commandements, contrary to his intention; together with divers Paſſages in Father Latimers Sermons, expreſly againſt the Arminian Tenets, which explicate his other miſapplyed Clauſes in the Hyſtoricall Naration, All which Mr. Pryn then ſhewed to Sir Humfry Lynde to his great ſatisfaction; & then deſired him to repaire to Biſhop Laud in his name, to acquaint him with the premiſes, and this deſperate Impoſture he had obtruded on our Church to his eternall Infamie, and thereupon to adviſe him, ſpeedily to call in and burne this dangerous ſeducing booke or elſe he would proſecute him to the uttermoſt for this abuſe. Sir Humfry accordingly acquainted the Biſhop & his Chaplin Martin herewith, but yet they took no courſe to ſuppreſſe the Booke; whereupon Mr Prynne repaired to Lambheth to Archbiſhop Abbot acquainted him with the execrableneſſe of this impoſture, ſhewed him the ſeverall old Anſwers to this new printed Pamphlet with the expreſſe poſitions of Biſhop Hooper, and Biſhop Latymer, contrary to thoſe imputed to them in this Narration; deſiring him to call in this dangerous Hiſtoricall Narration with all ſeverity, and to cauſe it to be publikely burnt, to reprint the old Anſwers to it; and withall to give him leave to proſecute Biſhop Laud his Chaplaine Martin, with the publiſher of this book in the high Commiſſion for this inſufferable abuſe. To which Archb. Abbot gave this anſwer that this booke did very much trouble him, that he had ſent to Biſhop Laud about it, who at firſt denied that his Chaplain licenſed it, but afterwards acknowledged it; that he gave order to call it in (but it was in a privat manner after moſt of the bookes v [...]nded) that he never ſaw nor knew of theſe 2. old Anſwers to it, & therefore deſired Mr. Pryn to leave them with him for a time, promiſing faithfully to reſtore them, and to give him an accompt of this buſineſſe on the Saturday following. In the meane time Mr. Prynne (becauſe this booke had done much harme in both the Vniverſities) ſent downe ſome of theſe Anſwers of Veron, and Crowly, with ſome of Biſhop Hoopers books to Oxf. & Cambridg to ſome of his acquaintance there; and to the Vniverſity Lybrary at Oxford whither many reſorted to peruſe them to their great ſatisfaction, and the Biſhops diſhonour, by diſcovering this impoſture to them. On Saturday being Eaſter Eve. Maſter Prynne repayred to Archbiſhop Ahbot for an Anſwer; who told him that he had called in this offencive book, ſeized on ſom of the copies, which were caried into Stationers-hall; that Biſhop Laud had ſince been with him, that he had ſhewed him the bookes there left, who confeſſed his Chaplin Martÿn had licenced this Narration in which he had done very ill, but he had given him ſuch a ratling for his paines, that hee would warrant His Grace hee ſhould never meddle with Arminian Bookes or Opinions more. To which Mr. Prynne replyed; that indeed he had ratled him to very great purpoſe, for no longer then yeſterday in the afternoone his Chapline Martin Preaching the Paſſion Sermon at Paules Croſſe, publikly broached, maintained, Vniverſall grace and Redemption, with all the Arminian Errors contained in this Book, and condemned in the Synol of Dort to the great offence of the Auditors, as his owne Chaplains Dr. Buckner, Maſter Auſten and Dr. Featley could at large informe him; and therefore the Biſhop did moſt groſly abuſe his Grace herein, who ſhould doe well to proceed againſt both of them and publikly cenſure them in the High-Commiſſion, or this groſſe practiſe, to the end the whole Kingdome might take notice of it: and the Arminian party, be thereby diſcouraged: That the Bookes they had ſeized were but few, the greateſt part of the Impreſſion being vented, & they were called in ſo ſlighty and in ſo private a manner, that few or none took notice thereof: and therefore ſome publike cenſure ought to paſſe upon them, & the Books thus ſeized to be openly burnt, [Page] elſe they would in a few monthes be ſold openly againe to corrupt the people, and no ſatisfaction at all given for this foule offence to the Church of England; which Archbiſhop Abbot confeſſed to be true, and ſaid, he would take ſome Order in it: but by this Biſhops power there was nothing more done againſt the Licenſer, Compiler or Booke, which ſoone after was as publikely ſold, as if it had neverbeene called in, to the perverting of many in their judgments, who knew not of this grand Impoſture; now publikly diſcovered at the Lords Barre, by all the forementioned books themſelves there produced, and the teſtimony of Maſter Prynne upon Oath: ſeconded by the Stationers booke of entries, and the teſtimonies of Maſter Sparke, and Maſter Walley. Doctor Martin for this good ſervice was preſently after by this Biſhop advanced to a great living, and likewiſe to the headſhip of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge, inſtead of other puniſhment, Maſter Prynne for his paines, in derecting this fraudulent dealing of the Biſhop and his Chaplaine, by way of revenge was ſoone after by this Biſhops meanes impriſoned in the Tower, and moſt ſeverely cenſured in the Starre-Chamber, for his Booke called Hiſtrianaſtix (though Licenſed by Authority) in which he made ſome mention of this impoſture concealed from the Fol. 531. 532. moſt: ſo fatall was it in thoſe times for any man out of Conſcience, or publike ends, to oppoſe the Biſhops Arminian deſignes, ſuch a Stirrop to mount up to preferments to advance them.

After this the Archbiſhops Chaplaine Doctor Haywood on the 26. of Auguſt 1634 licenſed Booke intituled, Collectiones Theologica, writ by Thomas Chune, and Dedicated to the Archbiſhop of Canterbury himſelfe, in which hee juſtified the Arminian Errors, and the Church of Rome to be a true Church, whereof there were two Impreſſions in one yeare, yet neither the Author nor Booke once queſtioned, though publikely complained of by Doctor Baſtwicke, at his Cenſure in the High-Commiſſion, where the Archb. openly juſtified it. In the yeares 1636. and 1639. the Arminian Errors were defended by Biſhop Mountague in print, in his Pars. 1. &. 2. Originum Eccleſiasticarum; Gods Love to mankinde, and by ſundry others without controle.

On the contrary; Doctor Twiſſe his Booke in anſwer of Arminius, though writ in Latine, was refuſed Licenſe by the Biſhop and his Arminian Chaplaines, Bray, and Baker, and his anſwers to Doctor Jackſon and the Arminian Pamphlet intituled, Gods love to Mankind, ſuppreſſed; ſome Lectures of Biſh. Davenant, and Sermons of Doctor Clerke againſt the Arminians were likewiſe ſtopped at the Preſſe, and not ſuffered to be printed with their other Lectures and Sermons. What Bookes againſt Mountague and the Arminians were called in, ſuppreſſed, and the Authors, Printers, Diſperſers of them ſeverely proſecuted in the High-Commiſſion, in the Yeares 1628. and 1629 Wee have already evidenced; Only wee ſhall informe you or one or two Preſidents more of later date. Doctor George Downham Biſhop of Derry in Ireland publiſhing a Booke in that Kingdome, againſt the Arminians, and the Totall and finall Apoſtacie of the Saints from Grace, about the Yeare 1630. Some of them comming over into England, Biſhop Laud cauſed a ſtrict Letter to be written in his Majeſties name to Abbot Archbiſhop of Canterbury, for the calling in and ſuppreſſing it within the Realme of England, where it was accordingly ſeized on; and another Letter to Doctor Vſher, Archbiſhop of Armagh, for the ſuppreſſing and ſeizing thereof in the Realme of Ireland; Which was manifeſted by the Docket Booke in the ſignet Office where entreyes of thoſe Letters are made in Aug. 1631. and by this Letter of Biſhop, Vſher to Biſhop Laud, (found in his ſtudy at Lambheth indorſed with his owne hand, and arreſted by Maſter Prynne) which fully diſcovers, that hee was the ſole or principall occaſion of his Majeſtices Letters for calling in this Booke; which hee ſeconded with his owne Letter to Biſhop Vſher for that purpoſe, who returned this anſwer to him.

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My moſt honoured Lord;

THe 8th of October, I received your Letters of the 22. of Auguſt, &c. The laſt part of your Lordſhips Letter concerneth the Biſhop of Derryes Book, for the calling in whereof the 15th day of October I received His Majeſties Letters, dated at Woodſtocke NOTE. the 24. of Auguſt, whereupon I preſently ſent out warrants, and cauſed all the Bookes that were left unſent into England to be ſeized upon; What did paſſe heretofore in the Preſſe at Dublin, I had no eye unto, becauſe it was out of my province, and the care J ſuppoſed did more properly belong unto my brother of Dublin. But ſeeing His Majeſtic hath been pleaſed to impoſe that charge upon me: I will (God willing) take order that nothing hereafter ſhall be publiſhed contrary unto His Majeſties ſacred direction. It ſeemeth Your Lordſhip did conceive, that my Lord of Derryes booke came out ſince the NOTE. Hiſtorie of Gotteſchalchus, whereas it was publiſhed above halfe a yeare before, whereby it came to paſſe, that all the Coppies almoſt both in Ireland and England were diſperſed before the Prohibition came forth, The matter is not new (as Your Lordſhip hath rightly obſerved) but was long ſince preached in Saint Pauls Church, when Doctor Bancroft was your Lordſhips Predeceſſour in that See, at which time the Treatiſe of Perſeverance was to have beene publiſhed, with Doctor Downams Lectures upon the 15th Pſalme, at as the very end of that Booke is partly intimated. And in the Hiſtory of Gotteſchalchus, Your Lordſhip may ſee your owne obſervation fully verefied, that after Prelates had written againſt Prelates, and Synods againſt Synods, theſe things could have no end, untill both ſides became weary of contending, But ſure I am I have made Your Lordſhip weary longere this: and therefore it is high time now to end. Therefore craving pardon for that prolixitie. I humbly take leave and reſt,

Your Honours faithfull Servant, Iace Armachanus.

Droghe da Novemb. 8. 1631.

By this Letter it is apparent, that this Prelate, whiles Biſhop of London, exerciſed a kind of Patriarchicall Juriſdiction, for ſuppreſſing all Orthodox Bookes againſt the Arminians both in England and Ireland; and that his commands in this kinde were punctually executed by thoſe Archbiſhops in both Kingdomes, who ſhould have moſt ſtoutly oppoſed his Arminian Innovations.

About the Palſgraves firſt comming into Engl. An. 1635. there was a Book printed, intituled the Palſgraves Religion, containing the ſum of the Religion profeſſed in the Palatinate Churches, tranſlated out of a printed Latine Coppy; which Archbiſhop Laud cauſed to bee ſtrictly called in and ſuppreſſed, only becauſe it glanced at the Arminian Errors: and bowing at the Name of JESUS, as not warranted by Phil. 29. 10. which was proved by the teſtimonies of Maſter Prynne, Michaell Sparke Senior and others.

What policies (beſides the forementioned Royall Declaration and Proclamation) this Arch-Prelate contrived and practiſed to ſuppreſſe all preaching againſt Armianiſme in the Vniverſities and elſewhere, wee ſhall next diſcover and make good by evidences under his owne hand.

In the yeare 1629. ſoone after the diſſolution of the Parliament Biſhop Laud preſents to His Majeſtie a Paper written with his owne hand (the originall whereof was ſeized on in his Study at Lambeth by Maſter Prynne, and produced at the Barre) thus intituled by him. Conſiderations for the better ſettling of the Church Government: whereof the third conſideration was this.

That His Majeſtie would be Graciouſly pleaſed to command the Lords the Biſhops that they give charge in their Trieniall Viſitations and at other times, both by themſelves and by the Arch-Deacons, that the Declaration for ſetling the Queſtions in difference bee ſtrictly obſerved. And that His Majeſtie would bee Gratiouſly pleaſed once in halfe a NOTE. [Page] yeare, to call for an account of all or ſo many of theſe, as in Wiſedome ſhall thinke fit. Theſe conſiderations were immediately after publiſhed, & ſent to every Archbiſhop and Biſhops to be ſtrictly put in execution as his Majeſties own Inſtructions; when as in truth they were no other, but the Biſhops, contrived by him alone, as the originall Coppie, written, and another Coppie corrected afterwards with his owne hand together with the Biſhop of Briſtolls Letter to him, dated Febr. 9. 1629. to reſolve ſome Queries touching theſe Inſtructions concerning the Lecturers in Briſtoll, infallibly manifeſt. So that His Majeſty was here the Biſhops meere Inſtrument to promote his Arminian and popiſh deſignes.

Theſe Inſtructions were publiſhed in moſt Dioceſſe by the Biſhops, but more ſolemnly in London-Dioceſſe by this Biſhop, who ſummoning all the Miniſters and Lecturers about the City of London, to London houſe, made a ſolemn Oration to them wherein he preſſed the neceſſity of theſe Inſtructions of his Majeſty for the good of the Church, and their chearefull obedience to them, and withall ſent letters to every Archdeacon in his Dioceſſe to publiſh them to all the Clergy, and to give an exact account to him how they were obſerved at the end of their ſeverall Viſitations; eſpecially the third Inſtruction: For keeping the Kings Declaration, that ſo differences and queſtions may ceaſe, inſerted into theſe Letters with his owne hand, as appeared by the Originall Copy found in his Study.

Soone after this Mr. Mady the Lecturer at Chriſt-Church in London, delivering this Doctrine in a Sermon there. That Election was not Vniverſall and Common, but Mr. Madyes caſe. ſpeciall and peculiar, belonging to ſome: And, That the Principall and efficient cauſe of Election was the will and Love of God, and not any merit, or foreſeene faith or workes of man, which he manifeſted by ſome Scriptures & Fathers, this Biſhop upon information hereof, convented him before him for this Orthodox Doctrine the 10. of March 1630. for that contrary to the Kings Proclamation, he had treated of Predeſtination and the forementioned points: Whereupon the Biſhop by an Act of Court (found among his other Papers by Mr. Prynne) prohibited him to Preach any more within his Dioceſſe, and admoniſhed him to obey this his Lordſhips Order. And Doctor Cornelius Burges, about the ſame time, for uſing only this Paſſage in a Sermon on Col. 2. 7. Jf your Miniſter preach Popery or ARMINIANISME you may change your dwellings and not trouble the Peace and Order of the Church, was convented before the Biſhop, enforced to deliver in the Copy of his Sermon, and much moleſted: and Mr. White, with ſundry others ſuſpended, for lightly touching upon ſome points relating to Arminianiſme, though agreeable to the Scriptures, and 17. Article of our Church.

As he thus proceeded in his Dioceſſe, ſo he was farre more violent in this kind in our Vniverſities, eſpecially in Oxford where he was Chauncellor, of which we ſhall give you theſe few inſtances.

One Mr. Thomas Hill of Hart-hall in Oxford on the 24. of May 1631. Preaching at Saint Maryes Church there on James 1. 16. let fall theſe Paſſages in his Sermon: And Mr. Hill [...] Caſe. here were my time and learning parallel to my Zeale, what a tempting doth preſent it ſelfe, to ſhew how raſhly (that I ſay not cruelly) our Pelagian Votaries, have handled the Decrees and Statutes of the King of Heaven: But they are to be miſchieved into honour (but no matter how) which tempts them to diſreliſh ſound Doctrine on no other ground then did David becauſe the Lords doe not favour it. 1. Sam. 29. 6. Scriptures they uſe worſe then the Turkes do Chriſtians at Tunis, enſlave it to the vaſſallage of the fouleſt error, and according to their moſt current garbe employ it to defend Popery, or as bad, PELAGIANISME &c. Popiſh Darts whet a freſhon a Dutch Grinston, have peirced deep. and without ſpeedy ſuccor will prove mortall. I am perſwaded theſe late tranſmarine T [...] nets had not beene ſo iolly and briefe among us, nor the oppoſite truth ſo Diametrally condemned by many, had they firſt made proofe of theſe points in their owne retired and ſerious contemplations.

For theſe ſlight glances againſt the Arminians (the Copy whereof was ſent up to Biſhop Laud, ſeiſed among his Papers, and endorſed with his hand;) by his procurement Mr. Hill was conuented before the Vice-Chancellor & heads of Houſes, and enforced [Page] to make a publike ſubmiſſive Recantation upon his knees, in a full Convocation held the 16. of Iuly 1631. recorded in the Vniverſity Regiſter. f. 35. to this effect I Thomas Hill doe freely and ſincerely acknowledge before this Venerable Aſſembly of Convocation, that in a Sermon lately by me Preached in Saint Maries, I did let fall divers ſcandalous ſpeeches, partly in oppoſition to his Majeſties Jnjunctions, by odious juſtling together of certaine factions in the Church, and imputing Pelagianiſme and Popery to the one ſide, Partly in diſparagement of the preſent Government of State and Church, by making foule and erronious Opinions, the rediest way now adayes, to preferment &c. All NOTE. which paſſages in my Sermon I confeſſe to have given juſt offence to the Vniverſitie, and to deſerve the ſharpeſt of Cenſures. Wherefore with all humble ſubmiſſion, I beſeech the whole Vniverſitie repreſented in this Venerable Houſe, to paſſe by this my woefull error, undiſcreet and miſguided zeale, And doe faithfully promiſe hence forward to abſtaine from all ſuch ſcandalous aſpertions and intimations, as tending only to the diſparagment of our Church, and the diſtraction and detrement of the Vniverſity. And this my ſubmiſſion I humbly crave may be accepted, which I do here make willingly, and from my heart with true ſorrow for what is past.

Thomas Hill.

Upon this ſubmiſſion and Recantation, the Arminian faction in Oxford grew very Mr. Fords. Mr. Thornes. and Maſter Hodges Caſes. bold, and having the both Chauncellor and Vice-Chauncellor of their party, vented their errors publikly both in the Pulpit & Schooles without any publique check; whereupon one Mr. Thomas Forde of Magdalen Hall, Mr. Giles Thorne of Bailioll Colledge, and Mr. Giles Hodges of Exeter Colledge, moved with a pious zeale and indignation againſt their inſolences, in Iune and Iuly, 1631. in their Sermons at Sr. Maryes uſed ſome bold expreſſions againſt the Arminians and their errors, under the Titles of Pelagians and Demi-Pelagians; for which being convented before the Vice-Chancellor, Doctor Smith, and others of the Arminian party, as Offendors againſt the Kings Inſtructions; and being ordered to bring in the Copies of their Sermons to him, when thoſe who preached Arminianiſme, were neither queſtioned nor reproved, but applauded, advanced for it, they thereupon perceiving the Vice-Chancellors partiality and Injuſtice, appealed from him to the Proctors (as they might do by the Vniverſity Statutes) who received their appeales. Hereupon Biſhop Laud complaines of their Appeales to the King, who on the 23. day of August following, heard the whole buſineſſe at Woodſtocke, where, (by the Biſhops procurement there preſent) theſe three young hopefull Divines were ordered to be expelled the Vniverſity, and the two Proctors for receiving their Appeal, deprived of their places (a Preſident with out paralell in any former Age) whereupon they were all three in full Convocation on the 26. of August, accordingly baniſhed & expelled the Vniverſity as was evidenced by the ſentence of their Baniſhment and deprivation, recorded in the Vniverſity Regiſter. fol. 32. to 39.

That this ſentence of theirs was the Biſhops owne Act, was manifeſted by the Copies of their Accuſations, by tranſcripts of their Sermons found in his Study, endorſed with his owne hand, by their ſeverall Petitions to him for reſtitution to the Vniverſity & likewiſe by theſe Paſſages in his Diary: Dayes of obſervation to me, The great hearing of the Oxford diſorders at Woodſtocke by King Charles Auguſt 23. 1631. (A ſentence ſo gratefull to him, ſo advantagious to the Arminian faction, that both in his Diary, and Booke of privat Devotions, hee make; the day on which it was given, a kind of Anniverſary holy day, of ſpeciall obſervation to him) After which it thus followes in his Diary.

Auguſt 23. 1631. In this June and July, were the great diſorders by appealing from Doctor Smith, then Vice-Chancellor, the chiefe ring-leaders were Mr. Ford of Magdalen Hall, and Mr. Thorne of Baylioll Colledge: The Proctors Mr. Atherton Burch and Mr. Iohn Doughty received their Appeales, as if it had not beene Parturbatio pacis, &c. The Vice-Chancellor was forced in a Statutable way to appeale to the King. The King with all the Lords of his Councell then preſent, heard the Cauſe at [Page] Woodſtocke, Aug. 23. 1631. being Tueſday in the afternoone, The ſentence upon the hearing was, That Ford, Thorne, and Hodges of Exeter Coll: ſhould be baniſhed the Vniverſitie: And both the Proctors were commanded to come into the Convocation Houſe and there reſigne their Office, that two others might be named out of the ſame Colledges, Doctor Prideaux Rector of Exeter Colledge, and Doctor Wiſkinſon Principall of Magdelen-Hall, received a ſharp Admonition for their miſbehaviours in this buſineſſe, (viz. for oppoſing the Arminian party, and favouring theſe Orthodox Schollers, being of their owne Houſes.)

True it is, that after this ſentence of Baniſhment pronounced and executed againſt theſe parties, one of them, to wit, Maſter Hodges, upon his moſt humble Petition to His Majeſtie, and ſubmiſſion to the Archbiſhop, with promiſe to be his faithfull obſequious Votary for the future, was reſtored to the Vniverſity for one yeares ſpace, only as a Probationer, to bewaile his offence and learne obedience, yet upon theſe two harſh conditions.

Firſt, That he ſhould make a publike Recantation Sermon in Saint Maries Church in Oxford before the Vniverſitie, confeſſing his great offence in preaching contrary to His Majeſties Declaration; which hee did accordingly on the firſt of January following, the Copy of which Sermon hee ſent up to the Biſhop, in whoſe Study it was ſeized:

Secondly, That he ſhould make this enſuing ſubmiſſion and Recantation in the Convocation Houſe before the whole Aſſembly of the Doctors, Procters, Regent, and non-regent Maſters, on his bended Knees, and with a minde officiouſly devoted; which hee did accordingly; 15. Decem. 1631. as is manifeſt by the Vniverſity Regiſter, where his ſubmiſſion is recorded in theſe words, Fol. 42.

§

I William Hodges doe freely and ſincerely acknowledge before this venerable Aſſembly of Convocation, that in a Sermon by me preached in Saint Maries upon the 26. of June laſt paſt, I fell upon the delivery of thoſe points which by His Majeſties Royall Injunctions were forbidden mee to meddle withall, and therein I with hearty ſorrow confeſſe, that I did let fall ſome paſſages which might bee taken to the diſparagement of the Government of the Church, in making Erronious and hereticall opinions, the way to preferment. All which with the maine currant of my diſcourſe might ſound to ſedition in the eares of the preſent Aſſembly. By this my great and unexcuſable offence, I doe freely acknowledge, that I have deſerved the ſharpeſt of cenſures and ſevereſt of puniſhments. And therefore that his Royall Majeſtie hath juſtly rewarded me for-the ſame, it being an offence of ſo high a nature. And I have nothing at all to pleade, but the Royall Mercy of my Gracious Soveraigne for my reſtitution to this famous Vniverſity. This my confeſſion and ſubmiſſion, I doe moſt humbly tender to the favourable acceptance of this venerable houſe, craving the pardon, as of the Vniverſitie in generall, ſo more ſpecially of our moſt Honourable Chancellour, whom with all humility, I beſeech to preſent this my acknowledgement unto his Majeſties ſacred hand, as the pledge and engagement both in preſent, and for the future, of my readieſt obedience.

William Hodges.

This done, after a full yeares probation and bewayling of his diſobedience, he was upon his Petition to His Majeſtie fully reſtored, and his cenſure at Woodstocke diſcharged, as the Vniverſity Regiſter manifeſts, which records both his Petition, and Reſtitution. pag. 50. 51.

Maſter Thorne likewiſe made a moſt ſubmiſſive Petition to the Archbiſhop, deſiring his favour pardon, and readmiſſion to the Vniverſity, but yet he found no fruits thereof. As for Mr. Ford; he refuſed to make any addreſſes to him and returning into Devonſhire, ſome friends of his intended to elect him for their Lecturer, or Vicar it, the Towne of Plymouth; of which the Biſhop being informed preſently procured a Letter from His Majesty, to the Major and Corporation of Plymouth not to chuſe Mr. Ford for their Lecturer or Vicar upon any termes, under paine of his Royall diſpleaſure; [Page] and another Letter to the Biſhop of Exeter, not to admit him to be their Lecturer or Vicar, in caſe they ſhould elect him, notwithſtanding His Majeſties Letter; as appeares by the Docquet Book in the Privy ſignet Office, September 1631. Wherein we finde theſe two Entries.

A Letter to the Major and Aldermen of Plymouth, requiring them to forbeare, either to make any election of one Thomas Foard unto the Lectureſhip of that Towne, or any ways to aſsist him in procuring the Advowſon of the Vicarage there; be being lately expelled the Vniverſity of Oxford, for a notable diſobedience by him ſhewed, procured by (the Biſhop of London) dated 12. Sep. 1631.

A like to the Lord Biſhop of Exeter, ſignifying His Majeſties pleaſure, that in caſe the ſaid Thomas Foard ſhould be elected to the ſaid Lectureſhip, or procure the ſaid Advowſon, he doe not give any approbation thereof; procured, ut ſupra, dated 12. Septem. 1631.

Theſe Letters were drawne by the Biſhops owne direction, not by the Secretary of State, or Clarkes of the Signet, being not entred at large in the Letter Signet Booke, but only this note of them entred in the Docquet Booke, by which his implacable tranſcendent malice appeared againſt the oppoſites to Arminianiſme, that not ſatisfied with their unjuſt baniſhment out of Oxford, he endeavoured by indirect means to hinder them from Eccleſiaſticall preferments in the Church, whereas hee advanced thoſe of the Arminian faction to places of higheſt eminency in the Church, as wee ſhall manifeſt in due ſeaſon.

After theſe ſevere proceedings againſt theſe Anti-Arminians in the Vniverſitie, the Arminians there grew very numerous, inſolent, few or none dating to oppoſe them but Doctor Prideaux, with two or three more in ſome paſſages in their Sermons, for which they were preſently queſtioned by the Arminian Faction, and enjoyned publike Recantations; witneſſe the Recantation of William Hobbes Fellow of Trinitio Colledge, the 25. of January 1632. for preaching againſt falling from Grace, contrary to the intent and purpoſe of His Majeſties Declaration, in a Sermon on a Tueſday at St. Maries; Recorded in the Oxford Regiſter f. 54 The Recantation of Maſter Thomas Cooke of Braſe-Noſe the 19th of July 1634. for uſing ſome paſſages in a Latine Sermon in Saint Maries, which by conſequence might imply connivency and partiality in the Vice-Chancellour (Doctor Duppa) towards ſome of the Arminian party, that had NOTE. violated the Kings Edicts, concerning ſuch points of controverſie as are forbidden; Regiſtred in the Vniverſity Register, pag. 90. with the convention and ſubmiſſion of Maſter Kichard Kilby, of Lincolne Colledge, before Doctor Bayley, Vice-Chancellour and others, March 13. 1637. for reviving ſome controverſies concerning Arminianiſme, contrary to His Majeſties Declaration; entred in the Vniverſitie Regiſter, fol. 152.

About September 1632. there were ſome Satyricall Verſes ſcattered abroad in Oxford againſt the Arminians, thus intituled. The Academicall Army of Epidemicall Arminians: To the tune of the Souldieur; wherein Doctor Corbet Doctor Duppa, Doctor Iackeſon, Doctor Marſh, Doctor Turner with others, of the Arminian faction were mentioned, and Biſhop Laud as their Generall, who receiving a Coppie of them, December 19. 1632. writ this endorſment on it. Oxford Libell againſt ſuch as they will needs call Arminians; Who were all backed by Biſhop Laud their grand Patron, and preferred to the higheſt Eccleſiaſticall preferments.

How the Arminian party prevailed in the Vniverſitie of Cambridge, by this Arch-Prelates abetment, ſo farre as to procure Barrets Recantation of the Arminian Tenets (ſolemnly made in that Vniverſity, in 37. of Q. Elizabeths Raigne, and then printed) to be raſed out of the Vniverſity Regiſter, where it was Recorded, and to proſecute Mr. Bernard whom he cauſed to be cenſured & ruined in the High-Commiſſion for preaching againſt the increaſe of Popery and Arminianiſme (of which hereafter) is ſo well [Page] knowne to moſt, that wee ſhall not inſiſt upon it, moſt of the heads of Houſes there (as Doctor Brookes, Doctor Beale, Doctor Martin, Doctor Paske, Doctor Coſens, Doctor Lany, &c) being profeſſed Arminians, and this Archbiſhops Creatures to proſecute his deſignes.

How diligent the Biſhops were, by colour of His Majeſties Declarations, and Inſtructions, to ſuppreſſe all preaching againſt all Arminianiſme in their Dioceſſe by this Arch-Prelates inſtigation, will appeare by their printed Viſitation Articles, for this purpoſe; particularly, by the Articles of enquiry, and direction for the Dioceſſe of Norwich, in the firſt Viſitation of Rich. Mountague, Biſhop of that Dioceſſe, An. Dom. 1638 Tit. 5. Artic. 22. in Church-Wardens. ‘Doth your Minister commonly or of ſet purpoſe in his populer Sermons full upon thoſe much disputed and little underſtood doctrines, of Gods eternall Predeſtination, of Election antecedaneous, of Reprobation irrespective without ſinne foreſeene, of Freewill, of Perſeverance, and not falling from Grace, points obſcure, unfoldable, unfoordable, untractable, at which that great Apoſtle ſtood at gaze with, Oh the height and depth of the riches of the Wiſdome and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgments, and his wayes paſt finding out? Rom. 11. 33.’ By the Archbiſhops Injunctions preſcribed to them in His Majeſties Name, whereof this was one. That they ſhould take ſpeciall care that no Miniſter nor Lecturer in their Dioceſſe ſhould preach upon the prohibited controverted points, contrary to His Majeſties Declarations and Inſtructions; and that they ſhould give an yearely account to the Archbiſhop of their proceedings herein, which they did accordingly; By meanes whereof the Arminian Errors were freely vented in all Dioceſſes, without any publike oppoſition, and thoſe who out of zeale to truth durſt open their mouthes to refuſe them, were ſilenced, ſuſpended, and brought into the High Commiſſion by this Archbiſhops practiſe, to their undoing; whiles the Arminians, on the contrary, had free liberty to broach their Erronious Tenets, without controle, and were advanced to the greateſt benefices, and Eccleſiaſticall Dignities.

Beſides this Arch-prelate not ſatisfied with propagating theſe dangerous Arminian Novelties throughout the Realme of England, endeavoured to infect by degrees the whole Church of Irel, therewith. To which end he not only cauſed Biſhop Downehams book, of perſeverance; there printed againſt the Arminians to be ſuppreſſed (as you heard before) but the very Articles of the Church of Ireland made in a full Nationall Synod and Convocation held at Dubline, 1615. and ratified by King Iames (wherein all the Arminian Errors are terminis terminantibus condemned as Erronious,) to be repealed; the L. Deputy Wentworth, by high hand (being but the Archbiſhops inſtrument herein) enforcing the Convocation at Dublin. An, 1634. by ſundry threatning Meſſages full fore againſt their wills, to condeſcend to the repealing of them under pretext of eſtabliſhing the 39. Articles of the Church of England, (compriſed in the former) for the only Articles of that Church for Vnity and Vniformity ſake; as was atteſted by Dr. Hoyle, a Member of that Iriſh Convocation at the Lords Ear, & long ſince publiſhed in print with the Archbiſhops privity, if not command, by Dr. Heylin, in his Hiſtory of the Sabbath, Part. 2. chap. 8. ſect. 9. pag. 259. in theſe very tearmes. ‘And here unto they were encouraged a great deale the rather: because in Ireland, what time his Majeſties Commiſsioners were employed, about the ſettling of that Church, Anno 1615. there paſſed an Article which much confirmed them in their courſes, and hath been often ſince alleaged to juſtifie both them and their proceedings: the Article is this; The firſt day of the weeke which is the Lords Day, is wholy to be dedicated to the ſervice of God, and therefore we are bound therein to reſt from our common and daily buſineſſe, and to beſtow that leaſure upon holy exerciſes, both private & publique. What moved His Majeſties Commiſſioners to this ſtrict authority, that J cannot ſay, but ſure J am, that till that time, the Lords day never had attained ſuch credit, as to be thought an Article of the faith, though of ſome mens fancies. Nor was it like to be of long continuance, it was ſo violently followed; THE WHOLE BOOKE BEING NOW CALLED IN, and in the place thereof, the Articles of the Church of England confirmed by Parliament in that Kingdome, Anno 1634.’

[Page] Vniformity with the Church of England was the pretence for revoking theſe Articles, but the reall cauſe was, becauſe they defined in terminis, The Pope to be Antichriſt; the Church of Rome to be no true Church, the Lords day to be totally ſanctfied, and all the Arminian Tenets to be erronious, contrary to the eſtabliſhed Doctrine both of the Church of England and Ireland. Grand obſtacles to this Arch-Preltats Popiſh NOTE. deſignes, and therefore neceſſary to bee ſette aſide. Theſe Articles being thus repealed, the Archbiſhop ſoon after ſent over Maſter Chapple (the moſt notorius ſeducing Arminian in the whole Vniverſity of Cambridge) into Jreland, to be Preſident of the Colledge of Dublin there, to poyſon that Vniverſity with his Arminian Drugs, which he there publikely vented, as Dr. Hoyle (Divinity Reader in that Vniverſity) atteſted upon Oath, who had frequent conteſtations with him concerning the ſame: This Chapple joyning with Dr. Bramhall Chaplaine to the Lord Deputy Wentworth (a profeſſed Arminian who managed all the Eccleſiaſtical affaires of that Church under the Archbiſhop and Lord Deputy) raiſed a great party there to oppoſe and ſuppreſſe the truth.

What influence this Arch-Prelate likewiſe had upon the Prelates and Clergy of Scotland, and how farre he proceeded in introducing Arminianiſme & by it Popery into the Church of Scotland, is ſo largely demonſtrated by M. Baily, in his Canterburians ſelfe-conviction, the laſt Edition, that we ſhall not here inſiſt upon it.

And thus we have given you a true and Copious Evidence of this Arch-Prelates endeavours to undermine our eſtabliſhed Religion by introducing fomenting dangerous Arminian Errors in all our three Kingdomes, of purpoſe to Vſher Popery into them by inſenſible degrees through this Ieſuiticall deviſe.

§

We ſhall now proceed to his varius attemps and endeavours to undermine the eſtabliſhed The Archbiſhops various Attempts and Endeavours to undermine our eſtabliſhed Proteſtant Religion, and introduce Doctrinall Popery into our Church. Proteſtant and advance the Romiſh Religion in our Churches, by introducing, broaching maintaining printing, publiſhing all kind of Doctrinall points of Popery, by ſuppreſſing Bookes and purging out Paſſages againſt them in old and new writers; by promoting protecting the Propugners, diſcouraging, perſecuting the oppugners of Popiſh Aſſertions, Sermons, Pamphlets, and ſundry other practiſes.

The Authorizing Printing diſperſing Popiſh Bookes Doctrines and prohibiting contrary Impreſſions to refute them, being the moſt pernitious deſtructiue prevalent project of all others to undermine Religion ſeduce corrupt both the preſent and future Generations with Popiſh Errors and ſet up Popery in its full vigor, we ſhall begin with this Archbiſhops various practiſes, concerning the Authoriſing, printing, diſperſing of Popiſh, prohibiting, ſuppreſſing purging corrupting Orthodox Bookes, againſt Popery; wherein he directly traced the Popiſh Prelates & Jeſuites footſteps.

The Pope with Popiſh Prelates and Jeſuites being Maſters of the printing Preſſes in moſt parts, had foure principall wayes to advance Popery, and ſuppreſſe the Proteſtant Religion, in relation only to printing.

The firſt was to Licenſe and print ſundry Books and Diſcourſes from time to time upon al occaſions in defence of their Erronious Popiſh Tenets againſt the Proteſtants.

The ſecond, to prohibit ſundry ſpeciall Treatiſes againſt Popery to bee printed, reprinted, diſperſed, or read; and to ſeize on and ſuppreſſe them in all places with greateſt diligence when printed.

The third, to purge out the principall Paſſages, Motives, Invectives againſt Popery and its abuſes in all old printed Books, ere they ſhould bee reprinted; and out of all new Bookes tendred to the Preſſe, before they could gaine Licenſe to paſſe it.

The fourth, to puniſh the Authors, Printers, diſperſers of any prohibited or unlicenſed Books againſt Popery, with the ſevereſt cenſures: all which is abundantly evident, by their ſeverall Indices Librorum Prohibitorum, and Librorum Expurgandorum by the Provinciall Councell of Sennes, Anno 1528. Apud Surium Concil: Tom. 4. p. 718. to 723. Laurentius Bochellius, Decreta Eccleſia Gall, lib. 1. Tit. 10. De Libris vetitis, cap. 1. to 29. The Statute of 34, and 35. H. 8. c. 1. Maſter Fox his Acts and Monuments, the old Edition, pag. 536. 573. 680. 450. 1335. &c. Dr. Iames his Index Generalis Librorum prohibitorum a Pontifieijs, &c. Oxon 1627. Antonij Poſſe [...]ini Bibliothesa ſelecta, with ſundry others;

[Page] The Arch-biſhop in imitation of this their policy, firſt of all ingroſſed the ſole power of licenſing all new Bookes of Divinity into his owne, his Chaplaines and Creatures hands, ſo as nothing could paſſe the Preſſe with publique approbation but by his or their precedent approbation, without danger of ruine to the Authors, Printers, Stationers, Venders, Diſperſers. And becauſe he feared and experimentally diſcerned that when Stationers or Printers were reſtrained to print new Bookes againſt Popery, they would preſently fall to reprint old ones formerly licenced by Authority; to prevent this inconvenience to the Popiſh party, he procured this enſuing Decree of his owne contriving, to be ratified by the Lords in the Starre-Chamber, then ſent it to the Stationers to print, and commanded them punctually to obſerve it, whereby he Monopolized the ſole power of authorizing Divinity Bookes for the Preſſe to himſelfe and his Agents; and reſtrained the reprinting of all Books, though formerly printed by Authority, without a ſpeciall review, and relicencing of them, by him and his Chaplaines.

This Decree was intituled.

A Decree of Star-Chamber concerning Printing, made the firſt day of July, 1637. Imprinted at LONDON by Robert Barker, &c. 1637.

This Decree in the Printed Order of Star-chamber prefixed thereunto, is Expreſly alleaged, to be drawne, and Penned by the advice of the moſt Reverend Father in God the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Grace, the Right Honourable and Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Biſhop of London, Lord High Treaſurer of ENGLAND, and of the Lord Keeper, the Lord chiefe Juſtices, and Lord chiefe Barron, when it was the Archbiſhops project only, who ſent it to the Preſſe, the others names being uſed only for conformity, as M. Walley & others atteſted upon Oath: We ſhall rehearſe only ſuch clauſes thereof as are moſt obſervable & pertinent to our purpoſe.

2. Jtem. That no perſon or perſons whatſoever, ſhall at any time print or cauſe to be imprinted, any Booke or Pamphlet whatſoever, unleſſe the ſame Booke or Pamphlet and alſo all and every the Titles, Epiſtles Prefaces, Proems, Preambles, Introductions, Tables, Dedications and other matters or things whatſoever thereunto annexed, or therewith imprinted, ſhall be firſt lawfully licenced and authorized only by ſuch perſon and perſons as are hereafter expreſſed, and by no other, and ſhall be alſo firſt entred into the Regiſters Booke of the Company of Stationers; upon paine that every Printer offending therein, ſhall be for ever hereafter diſabled to uſe or exerciſe the Art of Myſterie of Printing, and receive ſuch NOTE further puniſhment, as by this Court, or the high Commiſſion Court reſpectively, as the ſeverall cauſes ſhall require, ſhall be thought fitting.

That all other Bookes, whether of Divinity, Phiſick, Philoſophie, Poetry, or what ſoever, ſhall be allowed by the Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, or Biſhop of London for the time being, or by their appointment, or the Chancellours, or Vice-Chancellors of either of the Vniverſities of this Realme for the time being.

Alwayes provided, that the Chancellour or Vice-Chancellour of either of the Vniverſities ſhall Licence only ſuch Booke or Bookes that are to be printed within the limits of the Vniverſities reſpectively, but not in London or elſe where, not medling either with Bookes of the common Law, or matters of State.

5. Item, That every Merchant of bookes, and perſon, and perſons whatſoever, which doth or hereafter ſhall buy, import, or bring any booke or bookes into this Realme, from any parts beyond the Seas, ſhall before ſuch time as the ſame booke or bookes, or any of them be delivered forth, or out of his, or their hand or hands, or expoſed to ſale, give, and preſent a true Catalogue in writing of all and every ſuch booke and bookes unto the Lord Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, or Lord Biſhop of London for the time being, upon paine to have and ſuffer ſuch puniſhment for offending herein as by this Court or by the ſaid high Commiſſion Court reſpectively, as the ſeverall cauſes ſhall require, ſhall be thought fitting.

6. Item, That no Merchant or other perſon or perſons whatſoever, which ſhall import, or bring any booke or bookes into the Kingdome, from any parts beyond [Page] the Seas, ſhall preſume to open any Dry. Fats, Bales, Packes, Maunds, or other Fatdalls of Bookes, or wherein Bookes are: nor ſhall any Searcher, Wayter, or other Officer belonging to the Cuſtome. Houſe, upon paine of looſing his or their place or places, ſuffer the ſame to paſſe, or to be delivered out of their hands or cuſtody, before ſuch time as the Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterb. or Biſhop of London, or one of them for the time being, have appointed one of their Chaplaines, or ſome other Learned man, with the Maſter and Wardens of the Company of Stationers, or one of them, and ſuch others as they ſhall call to their aſſiſtance, to bee preſent at the opening thereof, and to view the ſame: And if there ſhall happen to be found any ſeditious, ſchiſmaticall or offenſive Booke or Books, they ſhall forthwith be brought unto the ſaid Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Lord Biſhop of London for the time being, or one of them, or to the High Commiſſion Office, to the end that as well the Offender or Offenders may be puniſhed by the Court of Starre-Chamber, or the High Commiſſion Court reſpectively, as the ſeverall cauſes ſhall require, according to his or their demerit; as alſo that ſuch further courſe may bee taken concerning the ſame Booke or Bookes, as ſhall be thought fitting.

It is further Ordered and Decreed, that no Merchant, Bookſeller, or other perſon or perſons whatſoever, ſhall imprint, or cauſe to be imprinted, in the parts beyond the Seas, or elſewhere, nor ſhall import or bring, nor willingly aſſiſt or conſent to the importation or bringing from beyond the Seas into this Realme, any Engliſh Bookes, or part of bookes, or bookes whatſoever, which are or ſhall be, or the greater, or more part whereof is or ſhall be Engliſh, or of the Engliſh tongue, whether the ſame Booke or Bookes have beene here formerly printed, or not, upon paine of the forfeiture of all ſuch Engliſh Bookes ſo imprinted or imported, and ſuch further cenſure and puniſhment, as by this Court, or the ſaid High Commiſſion Court reſpectively, as the ſeverall cauſes ſhall require, ſhall be thought meet.

18. Item, That no perſon or Perſons, doe hereafter reprint, or cauſe to reprinted, any booke or bookes whatſoever (THOUGH FORMERLY PRINTED WITH LICENCE) without being revived; and a new Licence obtained for the reprinting thereof. Alwayes provided, that the Stationer or Printer be put to NOTE. no other charge hereby, but the bringing and leaving of two printed Copies of the Booke to be printed, as is before expreſſed of written Copies, with all ſuch additions as the Author hath made.

XXIV. Item, The Court doth hereby declare their firme reſolution, that if any perſon or perſons, that is not allowed Printer, ſhall hereater preſume to ſet up any Preſſe for printing or ſhall worke at any ſuch Preſſe, or ſet, or Compoſe any Letters to be wrought by any ſuch Preſſe; he, or they ſo offending, ſhall from time to time, by the Order of this Court, be ſet in the Pillory, and Whipt through the Citie of London, and ſuffer ſuch other puniſhment, as this Court ſhall Order or thinke fit to NOTE. inflict upon them, upon Complaint or proofe of ſuch offence or offences, or ſhall be otherwiſe puniſhed, as the Court of High Commiſſion ſhall think fit, and is agreeable to their Commiſſion.

XXV. Item, That for the better diſcoverie of printing in Corners without Licence: The Maſter and Wardens of the Company of Stationers for the time being or any two Licenſed Maſter Printers, which ſhall be appointed by the Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, or Lord Biſhop of London for the time being ſhall have power and Authority, to take unto themſelves ſuch aſſiſtance as they ſhall thinke needfull, and to ſearch what Houſes and Shoppes (and at what time ſhall thinke fit) eſpecially Printing Houſes, and to view what is in Printing, and to call for the Licence to ſee whether it be Licenſed or no and if not, to ſeize upon ſo much as is printed, together with the ſeverall Offenders, and to bring them before the Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, or the Lord Biſhop of London for the time being, that they or either of them may take ſuch further Order therein as ſhall appertaine to Juſtice.

The Archbiſhop and his Confederates having accroached by coulour of this Decree the ſole power of the Preſſe into their hands, which they uſurped, without any ſuch [Page] pretext of Authority, long before the paſſing thereof, began after the Popiſh guife, in imitation of the Pope and Popiſh Inquiſitors.

Firſt, to prohibit the re-printing and ſale of ſundry Orthodox Bookes formerly printed and ſold by Authority, of which we ſhall give you ſundry notable inſtances. One of the firſt Books we find prohibited by the Popiſh Prelates in England, in King Henry the 8. his Reigne; was the Bible and New Teſtament in Engliſh of Tyndall [...] tranſlation, and all other Engliſh Bibles and Teſtaments having any Annotations or Preambles, which were ordered to bee out and blotted out of the ſaid Bibles and Teſtaments in ſuch ſort, as they could not bee perceived or read, under paine of forfeiting 40s. for every ſuch Bible with Annotations, or preambles, as you may read in the Statute of 34. and 35. H. 8. cap. 1. and in Maſter Fox his Acts and Monuments, pag: 635. 621. Whereupon thoſe Annotations and Preambles were cut and blotted out accordingly in ſundry old Bibles yet extant. Yea the firſt Booke in the Roman Indices, Librorum prohibitorum, in Forraigne parts, is the Bible of ſome Tranſlations (eſpecially Bibles in the Vulgar Tongue with Notes, and Prologues, the Bibles of Rob. Stephanus, Vatablas, [...]agnine, & others, (though Papiſts) with the Arguments of Raynerius upon the Pſalms expreſly ordered to be expunged, as you may read in the Index Librorum Expurgatorum, ſet forth by Gaspar Quiroga Archbiſh. of Toledo, Generall Inquiſitor of Spaine, Salmuri 1601. p. 7. to 18. 151. to 152. in Bochellus Decreta Eccleſia Gal. l. 1. Tit. 10. Delibris vetitis, c. 1. 11. Dr. Iames his Index Generalis Librorum prohibitorum, with others. So one of the firſt Bookes moſt ſtrictly prohibited to be printed, imported or ſold, by this Archb: was the Engliſh Geneva Bible with Marginal Notes and Prefaces, though printed here in Engl. not only without the leaſt reſtraint, but Cum Privilegio NOTE. Regia Majestatis, during all Q. Elizabeths and K. James their Reigns, by the Queens and Kings Printers, and ſince our Printers have neglected to reprint them for feare of hundering the ſale of Bibles of the laſt Tranſlation without Notes, they have been ſold without any contradiction till this Archbiſhop began to domineere; yet no ſooner was hee advanced to his Papall See, but the printing, importing and ſale of all theſe Bibles with Notes was moſt ſtrictly inhibited, the Bibles ſearched for, ſeized, confiſcated, the importers and Sellers of them impriſoned, vexed, and ſome of them ruined in the High-Commiſſion Court. Michaell Sparke Senior, depoſed, that himſelfe, and ſundry other Stationers had divers of their Engliſh Bibles with Notes ſeized and taken from them by the Archbiſhops meanes, which were commonly ſold before his time, without reſtraint, but contradicted and ſuppreſſed by him; and that himſelfe with diverſe others had been proſecuted in the High-Commiſſion for ſelling of Bibles with Notes, and ſome impriſoned and fined for this cauſe. Mr. Prynne, produced an Abſtract of a Letter dated Septem. 30. 1633. from Sir William Boſwell, (His Majeſties Agent in the Low-Countries,) endorſed with Mr. Dells hand, and found in the Archbiſhops Study, wherin among other accounts of his good ſervices for the Archbiſhop, he certified His Grace, that there had beene two Impreſſions of Engliſh Bibles at Delfe, and Amſterdam, with the Geneva Notes, &c. Whereof he might be pleaſed to make ſuch uſe as ſeemeth beſt for ſuppreſſing the abuſe at home, whether they are likewiſe NOTE. transported under pretence of White-paper, And April 14. 1638. he received another Information out of Holland from I. S. endorſed with Maſter Dells hand, concerning the Printing of Engliſh Bibles there in Quarto and Folio, with Notes in the Margent, intended to bee transported thence into England. A cleare Evidence, that his Grace was the Originall cauſe of ſuppreſſing theſe Bibles, not only at home but in fortaigne parts, and all for feare the Notes in them ſhould over-much inſtruct the people in the knowledge of the Scriptures; which Notes though highly eſteemed of in all reformed Churches, and printed not onely with their Latine Bibles, but with the Engliſh, French, Dutch, German, and Italian Bibles in vulgar uſe among them, and in the Folio Bible printed in Scot. 1610; yet now they muſt be totally prohibited, NOTE. ſuppreſſed only in England, by this Popiſh Prelate, though here formerly printed Cum Privilegio, and freely vended, read, approved, uſed in our Church for above 60. years ſpace together. How much Impiety, and Popery lies coucked in this notorious fact of [Page] his (not to be paralleld by any Proteſtant Prelates, but Popes and Popiſh Prelates only whom hee imitated herein) wee muſt humbly ſubmit to Your Lordſhips and all Proteſtants conſiderations.

In the Yeare 1631. William Beale, Servant to Maſter Henry Gellibrand, Profeſſor of the Mathematickes at Greſham Colledge London, ſet forth an Almanacke for that Yeare, by His Maſters Approbation, printed for the Company of Stationers, agreeing with the Kalendar before Maſter Fox his Acts and Monuments printed oft times by publike Authority, without the leaſt exceptions both in Queene Elizabeths. King James, and King Charles Reignes, in which Almanacke the names of the Popiſh Saints Canonized by Popes and thruſt into our Kalendars were omitted, and the names of reall Saints and Martyrs mentioned in the Booke of Martyrs, inſerted, juſt as they are in Maſter Foxes his Kalendar: This Prelate being then Biſhop of London taking great exceptions againſt this Almanack, brought both Mr. Gellibrand and his man into the High Commiſſion for compiling and publiſhing it, where hee proſecuted them with great violence. At the hearing of the cauſe, it appearing to the Court, that it was Verbatim the ſame with Mr. Foxe his authorized Kalender, and that ſome Almanackes of this kind had formerly bin printed, as tending only to the honour of our owne reall Martyrs, and the diſparagment onely of falſe Popiſh Saints, Maſter Gellibrand was acquitted by Archbiſhop Abbot, and the Generall Vote of the High-Commiſſion Court, none cenſuring him but this Biſhop: who perceiving Maſter Gellibrand to be acquitted, He thereupon ſtood up in a great paſſion, and publikely informed the Court, That the Queene her ſelfe ſent for him, and ſpecially complained to him againſt this Almanacke, which gave great offence to thoſe of her Religion; and deſired NOTE. him to proſecute the Author of it, and ſuppreſſe the Book; and therefore he hoped he ſhould not paſſe unpuniſhed in this Court; yet notwithſtanding the Court acquitted him: Hereupon the Biſhop ſtood up again in a fury, and ſaid to Mr. Gellibrand, Sir, Remember you have made a Faction in this Court, for which you ought to be puniſhed; and know that you are not yet diſcharged hence, I will ſit in your Skirts, for I heare you keepe Conventicles at G [...]eſham-Colledge after your Lectures there. Whereupon he gave Order for a ſecond proſecution againſt him in the High-Commiſſion, which ſo afflicted this good man, that it put him into a Feaver fit, whereof he died. And becauſe the Biſhop could not procure Maſter Gellibrand to be cenſured, and this Almanacke burned as he deſired, the Papiſts thereupon bought up moſt of them and made them Martyrs, by burning them in the fire. All which was depoſed at the Lords Bar by Mr. Gellibrand of Bread-ſtreet London, and ready to be atteſted by ſundry others, had not the Biſhop himſelfe acknowledged the truth thereof.

In this Evidence there are foure things very remarkable.

FIrſt, That this Biſhop was ſo ſhameleſſe as to profeſſe in open Court, that in this, Proſecution of Maſter Gellibrand, hee was but the Queenes and Papiſts Agent NOTE. proceeding thus againſt him at their ſpeciall requeſt.

Secondly, That he was extraordinary violent, if not extreamely irregular and unjuſt in this proſecution, making no Conſcience to ruine a Learned Pious Proteſtant, without any juſt Cauſe, to pleaſure the Papiſts, notwithſtanding hee was generally acquitted by the Court.

3ly. That when he could not have his will of this innocent Gentleman one way, he meditared preſent revenge another way & proclamed it in open Court, charging him with raiſing a Faction in the High-Commiſſion Court, when as his fellow Commiſſioners would not concur with him in his Factious proſecution to gratifie the Papiſts.

4ly. That hee bare an extraordinary affection to Popiſh, but an extreame inveterate malice to true Proteſtant Saints and Martyers, becauſe hee was ſo farre incenſed againſt Mr. Gillibrand and his Almanacke onely for omitting the names of falſe Popiſh Saints and Martyres, and placing the names of our reall Proteſtant Martyres in their ſtead: the truth whereof was then further manifeſted at the Bar [Page] by a memorable Paſſage in Doctor John Pocklingtons Altare Chriſtianum, licenced by Doctor Bray, the Archbiſhops owne houſhold Chaplaine (as appeares by the printed Approbation prefixed to it, and peruſed by the Archbiſhop himſelfe, who ordered it to be printed) of which booke there being two editions, Mr Pryn found both of them curiouſly guilded, and bound up in the Archbiſhops Study at Lambheth, in both of which this Paſſage remained uncorrected, unexpunged, wherein the Calender before the Booke of Martyres (which Mr. Gellibrand imitated) with our Godly Martyres are moſt groſly railed againſt, cenſured, traduced as Traytors, Murderers, Rebells, Heretickes, and the Popiſh Saints, in whoſe places they were inſerted, proclaimed to be, the holy Martyres and Confeſſors of Ieſus Chriſt, whoſe names are written in heaven, in theſe very tearmes, which you may find in the firſt Edition, Pag. 92. and Edit. 2. Pag. 114. This was the holy and profitable uſe of theſe Diptickes, much like the Liſt of perſons CENSVRED BY HOLY CHVRCH, called WITH SOME REPROACH OF TRVTH AND NOTE. CHRISTIAN RELIGION, Catalogus teſtium Veritatis (collected into one volume by Flacius, Illericus, and enlarged ſince by others:) And as unlike a KALENDER that I have ſeene, (to wit, that before Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments) wherein THE HOLY MARTYRS, AND CONFESSORS OF JESVS CHRJST (who had not only place ſometimes in theſe Dipticks, but WHOSE NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN) ARE RASED OVT, AND TRAITORS, MVRDERERS, REBELS, AND HERETICKS SET IN THEIR ROOMES; ſo as if Penry, Hacket, or Legat had come in time, they might have challenged as orient and ſcarlet a dye as ſome of them; Certainly more venome and malice could never have beene couched or Vented in fewer words againſt Mr. Fox his authorized Kalender to his Acts & Monuments, againſt our own Engliſh Martyres, the Profeſſors of the Proteſtant Religion in all ages & ſo by conſequence againſt our Religion it ſelfe, then is compriſed & vented in theſe lines, twice publiſhed in print in theſe Editions by this Arch-Prelates, & his Chaplaines ſpeciall approbation without the leaſt retractation, of purpoſe to pleaſe the Popiſh party, offended with Mr. Gellebrands Almanacke, which this Biſhop would have Martyred and burned for an Hereticke (as our Martyres were) to gratifie the Popiſh party much offended at it: by which the whole World may clearely diſcerne his ſtrong inclination, his cordiall affection to them and their, his palpable diſaffection to us, and our Religion.

§

We ſhall now proceed to other evidence. About the latter end of the yeare 1636. Maſter Prynne being certainly informed of the Archbiſhops intention to procure a Decree in Starchamber prohibiting the reprinting of all old Bookes of Divinity unleſſe they were firſt reviewed, purged, new Licenced by his Chaplaines, or Agents, before this Decree was ratified, ſent for Michael Spark Senior and perſwaded him to reprint ſome three or foure old Bookes, of ſpeciall uſe, againſt Popery, ere this Decree ſhould paſſe; by name, Thomas Beacons Diſplay of the Popiſh Maſſe, and his Reliques of Rome (as being then moſt ſeaſonable & oppoſite to the Archbiſhops Romiſh deſignes) formerly printed cum privilegio, in Queen Elizabeths Reigne, An. 1560. yea dedicated to all the Biſhops of England, and highly approved by them, Hereupon he cauſed Miſtreſſe Anne Griffin to begge leave of the Company of Stationers (who were owners of thoſe Coppies) to reprint theſe Bookes, which being granted; ſhe printed off his Diſplay of the Popiſh Maſſe, and began to Print his Reliques of Rome. No ſooner was the firſt of them publiſhed abroad, but a Papiſt ſeeing one of them newly printed, lying to be ſold in a Book-ſellers ſhop in Paules Churchyeard, reading the Title thereof, grew very angry at the Booke (being a very ſolid learned Treatiſe against the Popiſh Maſſe, with the Ceremonies accompaning it) and ſaid; hee wondered much that the Archbiſhop would ſuffer ſuch Bookes to be Printed in this Age: adding, that perchance he knew not of it, and therefore he would goe NOTE. over to Lambheth and informe him thereof, to the end it might be ſuddainly called in, ere it were diſperſed: which it ſeemes he performed accordingly, for the very next [Page] morning the Archbiſhop called in this Booke very ſtrictly, ſending his Purſevants and Officers to ſeize on all of them they could meete with, and underſtanding that Miſtreſſe Griffin printed it, he ſent for her to Lambheth, where he in a very angry manner demanded of her, why ſhe did reprint this book againſt the Maſſe NOW, above all other times, & whether ſhe could find no other time but this to print it? To which ſhe anſwered, ſhe did it for want of other work to imploy her ſervants, who elſe muſt ſit ſtill, ſeeing they could get no good New bookes Licenced. Then he demanded of her, how ſhee durſt reprint it without a new Licenſe? ſhe anſwered, She did it by leave of the Company of Stationers, and knew of no order to the contrary. After which he threatned her with the high Commiſſion, and told her, that if ſhe printed any more old Books though formerly licenſed, without a review and new licenſing of them by his Chaplaines, he would put downe her printing Houſe, and ſhe ſhould never print againe, though there was then no Order to the contrary; whereupon ſhe durſt not proceed to print his Reliques of Rome, but gave it over. All which was fully proved by the ſeverall Oathes of Mr. Prynne, Michaell Spark ſenior, & Anne Griffin: ſuch an Arch-favourer of Popery was this Prelate then grown, that he would not permit this Treatiſe againſt the verry Popiſh Maſſe it ſelfe to be reprinted, though formerly oft printed cum Privilegio, growes angry at the printing of it, cauſeth it preſently to be ſuppreſſed upon a Papiſte Information, and thus checks the Printer. Was not Popery grown to a ſtrong head among us, when not ſo much as one ſmall old Booke againſt the Maſſe and Idolatry of it, might paſſe the Preſſe, but it muſt preſently be ſuppreſſed by this Arch biſhops ſpeciall command, and the Printer thus threatned for it? Yet he forſooth (if wee dare believe his Proteſtations) was then as averſe from, as great an Enemy to Popery, as any mortall breathing.

About the ſame time, a Booke intituled, The Palſegraves Religion, containing the Faith and Confeſſion of the Churches of the Palatinate, (formerly printed, in Latine, and then reprinted in Engliſh,) was called in and ſuppreſſed by this Archbiſhops order, becauſe it over-boldly refuted ſome points of Popery and Arminianiſme as was Atteſted by the Oathes of Maſter Pryune and Michaell Sparke Senior.

Maſter Walley, Clerke of Stationers Hall and Maſter Downes depoſed, that after the Decree for printing was made, there were divers old Bookes againſt Popery formerly Licenced, (as the Booke of Martyres, Biſhop Jewells Workes, ſome parts of Doctor Willets Workes and others) which the Archbiſhops and Biſhop of Londons Chaplaines refuſed to new Licenſe; where upon they repaired to Sir Iohn Bramſton then Lord chiefe Juſtice, and deſired leave from him, that good Bookes formerly licenced and printed, might be reprinted without new Licence, elſe they ſhould be undone for want of Bookes, ſeeing they could not procure theſe Chaplaines to Licenſe any good Bookes whether old or new. Who anſwered them, that he could do nothing in it but they muſt go and attend the Archbiſhop, who had the chiefe hand in making this Decree.

Mr. John Vicars Schoole-Maſter of Chriſt-Church ſoone after this Decree, repaired to Doctor Baker (the Archbiſhops great Creature, Houſe-hold Chaplaine to the Biſhop of London,) for a New licenſe of his History of the Gunpouder Treaſon, formerly printed by Licenſe, which he had ſince enlarged with ſome pertinent Additions: But Doctor Baker abſolutely refuſed to Licence it: Maſter Vicars admiring at it; demanded of him the reaſon why he would not licenſe a Booke of ſuch a ſubject as this againſt the Gun-pouder Treaſon, an act ſo odious and deteſtable? who anſwered him, that we were not ſo angry with the Papiſts now, as we were about 20. yeares ſince, and that there was no need of any ſuch Bookes as theſe to exasperate them, there being NOTE. now an endeavour to winne them to us by faireneſſe and mildneſſe.

By theſe (with ſundry other inſtances of this kinde which we pretermit) we conceive it is moſt apparent; that one principall end of the Archbiſhops uſurping the power of Licenſing Bookes and publiſhing this Decree concerning the reſtraint of reprinting any Old Licenſed books againſt Popery, and the groſſeſt errors in it, was, that Popery might againe creep in among us by degrees without the leaſt oppoſition or impeachment.

[Page] Secondly, As he and his inſtruments prohibited the reprinting of old Orthodox Bookes, ſo they refuſed to Licence ſundry new ones, eſpecially againſt Popery and Arminianiſme, ſuppreſſing them when printed by Licence of others: This was evidenced, by the forecited Remonſtrance of the Commons in Parliament, Anno 1628 by the forementioned Bookes againſt the Arminians, ſuppreſſed and called in by this Archbiſhops means; and by theſe enſuing Depoſitions. Maſter Prynne depoſed, that in the Yeare 1627. Doctor Coſens publiſhed a Booke intituled, A Collection of private Devotions, Or, the houres of Prayer, fraught with Popery, and Popiſh Superſtitions, which gave great offence; whereupon, at the importunity of diverſe well'-affected perſons, he Writ a Refutation thereof, intituled; A Briefe Survey and Cenſure of Maſter Coſens his Coſening Devotions; which by this Biſhops meanes and his Confederates was refuſed Licenſe, at London Houſe; but afterwards licenced at Lambeth Houſe by Doctor Featly, and printed ſitting the Parliament, in the Yeare 1628. for writing which Booke only againſt Doctor Coſens his Popery, hee was immediately after the Parliament ended, queſtioned in the High-Commiſſion by this Biſhops procurement, and thence delivered by a Prohibition, to the Biſhops great griefe.

Maſter Henry Burton depoſed; That he writ a Book againſt Coſens his Devotions, which was called in by the Biſhops meanes: after which he compiled and publiſhed another Booke intituled, The Bayting of the Popes Bull, licenſed by Doctor Goade, for which hee was called before the Councell Table by this Archbiſhops inſtigation who was then preſent ſpake much againſt the Booke, and called it a Libell, although penned and written only againſt the Pope and his ſeditious dangerous Bull. That he printed by lycence, a Book called A Plea to an Appeale, in refutation of diverſe Popiſh and Arminian Errors broached by Mountague in his Appello Caſarem, which Book though licenſed was yet called in and ſuppreſſed by this Biſhops procurement: After which he writ another Booke againſt Popery, Intituled, The pouring out of the 7. Vialls, for which hee was called into the High Commiſſion Court by the Biſhop, and the Booke ſuppreſſed, That hee likewiſe writ another Booke called, Babell no Bethell wherin he proved the Church of Rome no true viſible Church; for which book this Prelate, being then Biſhop of London, ſent for him by a Purſevant; committed him immediately to priſon in the Fleet, contrary to the Petition of Right then newly paſſed, refuſing to accept any bayle, which he tendred, ſuſpended him from his living, proſecuted him in the High Commiſſion, and ſuppreſſed the Book.

Michaell Sparke Senior, depoſed; That himſelfe, together with William Iones, Nathantell Butter, Mr. Bowler and others were committed to priſon and vexed ſeverall times in the High Commiſſion by this Archbiſhops means, only for printing Bookes againſt the Papiſts and Arminians, that the Biſhop and his Chaplaines refuſed to Licenſe diverſe Bookes againſt Popery tendred to them, and purged ſundry others of the chiefe Paſſages againſt Popery, (as we ſhal prove anon) in ſo much that the Stationers, and Printers generally complained, that they could get no good Orthodox Bookes, but only Popiſh and Superſtitious ones licenſed, ſo as they were like to bee undone for want of trading, and that this was the generall complaint of the whole Company; which other Stationers likewiſe affirmed. Particularly, the Biſhop though he pretended much friendſhip to Sir Humfrey Linde, that learned Knight, the Author of Via Tuta, and Via Deuia, which were anſwered by a Jeſuite in a ſcurrilous rayling manner; yet he abſolutely refuſed to licenſe his elaborate Reply thereunto, Intituled, A Caſe for the Spectacles, upon no other pretence, but that Sir Humfrey was a Lay-man; but in verity, becauſe hee was unwilling to have him vindicate himſelfe and the truth againſt a rayling Jeſuite; of which Injuſtice, Sir Humfrey oft complained to Mr. Pryn, Dr. Featly, and others of his friends: Yet his Chaplaine could licenſe Chunaeus his Collectiones Theologicae, Dedicated to the Archbiſhop himſelfe, though compiled by a Layman of much inſtriot parts and learning to Sir Humfrey, in juſtification of Popery, A minianiſme and the Church of Rome.

Thirdly, He with his Chaplaines Agents, by his inſtigation or command, compiled [Page] Authorized, imprinted, publiſhed diverſe Bookes, Treatiſes, Sermons in defence of Popiſh Errors, Superſtitious, Ceremonies, practiſes, almoſt to the totall corruption and ſubverſion of our Religion; Of which we ſhall give you a briefe Catalogue and then proceed to the Popiſh Paſſages, errors broached, juſtified, authorized in, and propagated by them.

The BOOKES are theſe;

The Archbiſhops own SPEECH in Star-Chamber: Printed at Lond. An 1637.

The Book of Common Prayer, for the uſe of the Church of Scotland, printed at Edinburgh 1637.

Richard Mountague, his New Gagge for an old Gooſe, London 1624. His Appello Caeſarem: London 1625. His Originum Eccleſiaſticarum, Pars prior, Londini, 1636. and Pars Poſterior, Londini, 1640. His Anti-Diatribae, Londini 1625 and Viſitation Articles, Printed at Cambridge, and London 1638.

Maſter Iohn Coſens his Houres of Prayer, London 1627.

Edmund Reeves Communion Catechiſme expounded, London 1635.

Henry Cholmly, His State of the Now Roman Church, London, 1629.

Maſter Butterfield, His Maſchil, London 1629.

Doctor Iohn Pocklington, his Sunday No Sabbath, licenſed by Doctor Bray the Arch-Biſhops Chaplaine, 24. Febru. 1635. and his Altare Chriſtianum, licenſed by the ſame Doctor Bray 7. March, 1636. both printed at London, Ann: 1636. and 1637.

Doctor Peter Heylyns Hiſtory of Saint George, London, 1630. His Coale from the Altar, London 1636. His Antidotum Lincolnienſe, with His Moderate Reply to Henry Burton, London, 1637. and Hiſtory of the Sabbath, London 1636.

Francis Sales, (A Popiſh Prelate) his Introduction to a devout life: licenſed by the Archbiſhops Chaplaine Doctor Haywood, 3. Febr. 1636.

An Epistle, or Exhortatory Letter from Jeſus Chriſt, for every faithfull Soule devoutly affected, written by a Friar, and licenſed by Doctor Weekes, both his and the Biſhop of Londons Chaplain, 3. Febr. 1636.

The Female Glory, by Anthony Stafford, London 1635.

Maſter Yates his Tract of the Honour of Gods Houſe, London 1637.

Sparrowes Sermon of Confeſſion, London 1637.

The Churches Authority aſſerted by Samuell Hoard, Lond. 1637.

Mortification Apoſtolicall, by William Watts, London 1637.

Doctor Thomas Laurence his Sermon preached before the King at White-Hall, London 1637.

Iohn Elborow his Evodias and Syntyche, London 1637.

Robert Shelford his five Treatiſes, Cantabrigiae, 1635.

Richard Tedder, his Sermon preached at Wimondham, Anno 1637.

Collectiones Theologicae, by Chunaus London 1634.

Chriſtopher Dow, againſt Maſter Henry Burton, London 1637.

Iohn Browning concerning publike Prayer and the Faſts of the Church, London 1636.

Sir Thomas Ridleys, his Review of the Civill Law, Oxford, 1634.

Iohn Swan, his Redde debitum London. 1640.

Biſhop Halls Reconciler, his Epiſcopy by Divine Right, with infinite other Books, Sermons and Treatiſes of this kinde, which we pretermit.

Before wee proceed any further in this ſubject, we muſt acquaint Your Lordſhips with one memorable Paſſage concerning the Licencing and printing of Francis Sales his Introduction to a devout life; and Chriſts Epiſtle to a devout Soule.

The firſt of theſe Bookes being written by a Popiſh Prelate, having many Doctrinall and Practicall points of Popery interlarded with good meditations and Devotions compriſed in it was tranſlated into Engliſh by J. Y. (a Prieſt, and Jeſuite) dedicated by him to Miſtres Anne Roper a Popiſh Recuſant: and twice printed by Papiſts in forraigne parts, in the yeares 1617. and 1622. with all the Popery in it: about [Page] which time it was likewiſe tranſlated into Engliſh by a Proteſtant, who leſt out all the Popery and ſuperſtition couched therein, reteining only what was Orthodox and Pious; which was licenced for the Preſſe, and printed by Nicholas Oakes. On the 3. of February 1636. Doctor Hayward the Archbiſhops Chaplain, at the inſtigation of ſome Popiſh perſons, licenſed the very Popiſh Tranſlation of this Booke by (I Y) the Ieſuite, for the Preſſe, (moſt likely by the Archbiſhops approbation, who had one of theſe Bookes formerly printed in his Study produced by Maſter Prynne, endorſed with his owne hand:) which was forthwith entered in Stationers Hall for one W. Brookes a Popiſh Stationer, and preſently ſent to the Preſſe to be printed: One part of it comming to Nicholas Oakes his Houſe to be printed, he perceiving divers dangerous Popiſh Paſſages in it, and among others, one touching the Popes ſupremacy, repaired to Doctor Hayward who licenſed it, and acquainted him therewith, deſiring him to purg out theſe Popiſh Paſſages, elſe he durſt not proceed to print it. Whereupon the Doctor checking him for making ſuch a ſcruple, bid him go on and ſay nothing, and he would beare him out, and ſave him harmleſſe NOTE. from any danger that might befall him for printing it; adding that he himſelf would preach as much [as that he complained off] before the King, and therefore he needed not feare to proceed: Whereupon Oakes went on, and the Book (with the Epiſtle Dedicatory to Mrs. Anne Roper a Papiſt) was printed & publiſhed about Eaſter. 1637. neare the time the Archbiſhop cauſed an Information to be Exhibited in Star-chamber by Sir John Banks his Majeſties Atturney Generall, againſt D. Bastwick, Mr. Burton and Mr. Prynne, one of the Copies whereof comming to Mr. Pryns hands he finding it full of Popery, ſuperſtition, and the very ſame with the old Engliſh Popiſh Edition, and being informed by Oakes & others, of Dr. Haywards words to Oakes when he complained to him of it, he inſerted the Licenſing and printing of this Popiſh Booke among others, into his Croſſe Bill in Starre Chamber, againſt the Archbiſhop, his Chaplaines and others his Popiſh Confederates; which Bill he tendring to the Lord KEEPER Coventry to admit, the Archbiſhop getting poſſeſſion of it, upon view thereof and ſome complaints at Court againſt this Popiſh Booke, by the Right honourable Earle of Pembrook, and other well-affected Courteours; thereupon to colour his owne and his Chaplaines practicall knavery, in Licenſing and promoting this Booke, by laying all the blame and puniſhment upon others, and the poor Printer Ooaks, (who complained againſt it, and would have ſtopped it at the Preſſe) & to give ſom ſhew of ſatisfaction to the people much offended at the printing of this Popiſh Booke, eſpecially in that nick of time, when he had brought Dr. Baſtwick Mr. Burton, & Mr. Pryn into the Star-chamber for charging him with introducing Popiſh Doctrines and Innovations into our Church; cauſed his Majeſty to publiſh this following Proclamation, for calling in and burning the ſaid book; wherein he falſly ſuggeſted to his Majeſty, and his Subjects; that his Chaplaine purged out diverſe Paſſages therein tending to Popery, which the Stationer and Tranſlater afterwards inſerted againe, when as there was no ſuch thing: but his Chaplaine licenſed all of them at firſt, and would not purge them out at laſt; when Oakes complained of them; The Proclamation was this.

By the King. A Proclamation for calling in a Booke, entituled, An Introduction to a Devout life, and that the ſame be publikely burnt.

VVHereas a Booke, entituled, AN INTRODVCTION TO A DEVOVT LIFE, was lately printed by Nicholas Oakes of London., and many of them publiſhed and diſperſed throughout the Realme, the Copy of which Booke being brought to the Chaplaine of the Lord Archbiſhop of [Page] Canterbury for Licence and allowance, was by him, upon diligens peruſall, in ſundry places expunged and purged of divers paſſages therein tending to Popery: Nevertheleſſe the ſame Book after it was ſo amended and allowed to be printed, was corrupted and falſified by the Tranſlater and Stationer, who betweene them inſerted againe the ſame Popiſh and unſound paſſages: And the Stationer is now apprehended, and the Tranſlator ſought for to be proceeded againſt according to Juſtice.

His Majesty, out of His pious and 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 Iohn▪ Lanſpergius a Carthu ſign. 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 Page [...], 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 A Catalogue of Popiſh Doctrines, Poſitions, Errors, licenſed and Printed, by the Archbiſhops and his Chaplaince meanes. 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 r [...]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.

[Page] 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 NOTE. 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 God of Glory hath inveſted mortall men withall, in which reſpect it hath been ſaid and not otherwiſe, the head of the Emperor hath beene ſubjected to the Prieſts hands. Prieſts onely have this Commiſſion from Chriſt unto whom he ſaid, As my father ſent me, ſo ſend I you, and receive you the Holy-Ghoſt; whoſe ſinnes you remit, they are remitted. And in his Originum Eccleſiaſticarum, Tomi prioris, Pars poſterior, p. 464. to 470. Printed at London. 640. he largely aſſerts, Sacerdotes remittunt peccata: quomodo? Non annunciative tantum, aut optativè, SED AVTHORITATIVE, as he briefly expreſſeth himſelfe in his Index thereunto.

This Popiſh Doctrin of his, with ſome additions, touching confeſſion of ſins to Prieſts & their power to remit them, was publikly juſtified by M. Sparow, in a Sermon preached by him in St. Maries church in Cambridg, for which he being queſtioned by the Vice-Chanceller, Poſted up to London, to the Archbiſhop & his Chaplaines for ſanctuary, and procuring his Sermon to be there forthwith Licenſed and printed, he hereupon [Page] turned in triumph to Cambridge, to the great griefe and diſcouragement of the Proteſtant, but extraordinary encouragement of the Popiſh party there: In which Sermon of his touching Confeſſion, we find theſe Popiſh paſſages.

Page. 10. Our Confeſſion muſt be integra & perfecta, not by halfe, All our ſins muſt be confeſſed, omnia venialia, omnia mortalia, pag. 14. 15. ‘Thus have we ſeene the NOTE. nature of Confeſſion, and by that learn how to confeſſe, ſed ubi Confeſſarius? where is a Confeſſor all this while? where is any to take our Confeſſions? here is none in the Text to confeſſe to, if we had a mind to it: None indeed expreſſely named, but here is one plainely enough deſcribed: here is one that can pardon our ſinnes, would you know who this he is: I even I ſaith God, am he who blotteth out all your iniquities, to him even to him let us confeſſe: be ſure this is neceſſary, and no pardon to be hoped for, unles we confeſſe to him at leaſt; But there is another Confeſſor that would not be neglected, Qui confiteri vult ut inveniat gratiam, quaerat Sacerdotem ſaith St. Augustine: He that would be ſure of pardon, let him ſeeke out a Prieſt, and make his humble confeſsion to him: for God who alone hath the prime and originall right of forgiving ſinnes hath delegated the Prieſts his Judges here on earth, and given them the power of abſolution, ſo that they can in his name forgive the Sinnes of thoſe that humbly confes unto them, but is not this blaſpemy, ſaid the Scribes once; is it not Popery ſay ſome with us now? Take the Councell that is given in Iob: cap. 8. v. 8. enquier of the former Generations, aske the Fathers and they ſhall tell thee, Heaven waites and expects the Prieſts ſentence here on earth, for the Prieſt ſits Judge on earth, the Lord followes the ſervant, and what the ſervant bindes or looſeth here on earth, clave non errante, that the Lord confirmes in Heaven: Words ſo cleare for the Juditiary formall abſolution, of the Prieſt, as nothing can be ſaid more plaine. Pleaſe you next to enquire of Saint Ierome, who is ſaid to be the Patron of that opinion, that holds the Prieſts power barely declarative, and ſo indeed none at all, yet he ſpeakes home in his Epiſtle ad Heliodorum, &c. pag. 16. Heare what St. Gregory the great ſaith. The Apoſtles and in them all Prieſts were made Gods vicegerents on earth, in his name to retaine and forgive ſinns, not declaratively only but juditially; Animarum Iudices fiunt, as he goes on, they are made the judges of the Soules of men, caſting the obſtinate down to the gates of Hell, by the feareful power of Excommunication, and lifting the penitent into Heaven by the bleſſed power of abſolution, whatſoever ſins ye remit, &c. here is plainly a power of remitting ſins not by preaching, as ſome expound it, nor by Baptizing as others gueſſe, &c. pag. 18. Confeſſe alſo to the Prieſt, if not in private in the eatę, ſince that is out of uſe; male aboletur, ſaith a devout Biſhop, 'tis almoſt quite loſt, the more the pitty: yet however, confeſſe as the Church appointed, publikely &c.’ NOTE.

Doctor Pocklington (who among other Popiſh Errors which he maintained long ſince in Cambridge, juſtified, Auricular Confeſſion to Prieſts) hath divers ſhort paſſages tending to the ſame effect in his late publiſhed Popiſh ſcandalous book intituled, Altare Chriſtianum, (ſet forth by the Archbiſhops Command and licenced by Dr. Bray his houſehould Chaplaine) pag. 24. To the Chancell belonged the Veſtry, Lavatory, Repoſitory; and Relcinatories for hearing of Confeſſions. How prone thoſe who confeſſed their ſinnes to Prieſts were to receive abſolution from them, hee thus expreſſeth in the ſame Booke pag. 143. Their Penitents uſed adgeniculari, to fall downe upon their knees; taking abſolution before the Altars.

Old doting Shelford, who in the Title of his Treatiſes (which he preſented to the Archbiſhop) ſtiles himſelfe a Prieſt, to make himſelfe more fit to ſay Maſſe and heare Confeſſion, vvrites thus pag. 71. 119. Then they confeſſed their ſins to God and their Miniſter; for ſpirituall comfort and Councell. &c. Confeſsion and abſolution is flat Popery with ſuch, and all is ſuperſtition ſave a Sermon from the ſpirit, &c.

Christopher Dow a great favorite of the Archbiſhops; in his late Authorized book againſt Mr. Burton, intituled. Innovations unjuſtly charged, determines thus: Page 55.

To adviſe and urge the uſe and profit of private Confeſsion to the Prieſt, is no Popiſh Innovation, but agreeable to the Conſtant, and reſolved Doctrine of this Church. And if [Page] any ſhall call it Auricular, becauſe it is done in private, and in the eare of the Prieſt, I know not why he ſhould therefore be condemned of Popery.

But this Doctrinall Popery is more clearely and fully expreſſed in a Booke written in Latine by John Lanspergius, a Carthuſian Fryar, tranſlated into Engliſh, Licenſed for the Preſſe, by Dr. Baker and printed at London for Will. Brooks, 1637. intituled, Christs Epiſtle to a Devoute ſoule, p. 237. Thou ſhalt do well every month, (once at leaſt) to confeſſe thy ſins Sacramentally, & to receive the Sacrament of my bleſſed body, and this thou mayeſt do alſo upon speciall festivall dayes, as upon the feaſt of my Reſurrection, at Penticoſt alſo, and at the Aſſumption of my bleſſed Mother; and at the joyfull Feaſt of all my Saints, &c.

P. 246. Promiſe thy Obedience herein to thy Confeſſor, or to ſome other man, that feareth me, &c. Pag. 251. Thou must confeſſe thy ſinnes often to an approved Confeſſor.

Pag. 252. Say ſome devoute prayer, or doe ſome greater pennance, as thou and thy ſpirituall Director ſhall thinke fit, &c.

This was ſeconded by another Booke licenſed by Doctor Haywood the Archbiſhops Popiſh Chaplaine, the ſelfe ſame day that Chriſts Epiſtle was, by Doctor Baker, and for the ſame party (Books) compiled by a Popiſh Biſhop of Geneva, called Francis Sales, tranſlated into Engliſh by a Jeſuite, and intituled, An Introduction to a devout life, where thus we read.

Pag. 22. Confeſſe often, and chooſe a Confeſſor of Learning and diſcretion, &c.

Pag. 66. Shalt thou have leaſure to confeſſe thee, or not? ſhalt then have the Aſſiſtance of thy spirituall guide or not? Alaſſe O my Soule, &c.

P. 210. Of holy Confeſſion: Our Saviour hath left in his Church, the holy Medicine and balſome of Confeſſion or Pennance, that in it we may waſh away all our ſinnes.

Pag. 210. Confeſſe thy ſelfe humbly and devoutly once every moneth, and ever before thou communicatest if it be poſſible, although thou feele not thy Conſcience charged with guilt of any great ſinne: for by Confeſſion thou doeſt not only receive abſolution of the Veniall ſin [...]es NOTE. which thou mayeſt then confeſſe, but alſo great force, and vigour to avoyd them hereafter.

Pag. 212. Make not thoſe ſuperfluous accuſations which many doe of Cuſtome, I have not loved God ſo well as I ought, &c. for ſo thou bringest nothing in particular, that may make thy Confeſſor to underſtand the ſtate of thy Conſcience.

Pag. 214. Thinke it not enough to confeſſe thy Veniall ſins, but accuſe thy ſelfe alſo of the motive, &c.

Pag. 215. Wee muſt then confeſſe the particular fact, the motive and continuance of our ſinnes.

Pag. 216. Spare not to tell plainly whatſoever is requiſite; to declare purely the quality of thine offence, as the cauſe, ſubject or occaſion.

Pag. 218. Change not lightly or eaſily thy Confeſſor, but having made choice of a ſufficient one, continue conſtantly rendring him account of thy Conſcience on the dayes and times appointed, opening to him freely and plainely the ſinnes thou haſt committed from time to time, and monthly, or from two moneths to two moneths: tell him likewiſe of the State of thy Inclinations though thou haſt not ſinned by them, whether thou bee given to over-much mirth, or deſirous of gaine, or ſuch like inclinations.

Here wee have Confeſſion and Confeſſors ſerued up to the higheſt pitch of Popery by Popiſh Authors, printed in Lond. with publike Authority by the Archbiſhops and his Chaplaines ſpeciall Licenſe.

Wee ſhall conclude with Dr. Coſons Devotions, Intituled the Houres of Prayer: printed at London 1627. The precepts of the Church: Fifth to receive the bleſſed Sacrament of the body and bloud of Chriſt, with frequent Devotion, and three times a yeare at leaſt of which times Eaſter, to be alwayes one. And for better preparation thereunto, as occaſion is, to diſburden and quiet our Conſciences of thoſe ſinnes that may grieve us, or ſcruples, that may trouble us, to a Learned and diſcreete Prieſt and from him to receive advice, and the benefit of abſolution. And Pag. 25. A devout manner of preparing our ſelves to receive Abſolution.

[Page] How ſtifly this Doctrine of Auricular Confeſſion and Prieſts power of abſolution, was maintained, not only in print and Pulpit, but in private Conferences by the Archbiſhops Creatures, and Heads of Houſes in the Vniverſity of Cambridge, will appeare by this memorable inſtance. On Sunday the 25. of Iune 1637. one Maſter Adams preaching publikely in Saint Maries Church in Cambridge before the Vniverſitie Maſter Adams Caſe. on Iohn 20. 23. Whoſoever ſinnes yee remit they are remitted, &c. uſed theſe exorbitant Popiſh aſſertions touching Confeſſion of ſinnes to Prieſts. ‘That a ſpeciall Confeſſion unto a Prieſt (actually where time or opportunity preſents it ſelfe, or otherwiſe in explicite intention, and reſolution) of all our ſinnes committed after Baptiſme, ſo farre forth as wee doe remember, is neceſſary unto ſalvation, in the judgment of Fathers, Schoolmen, and almoſt all Antiquity, not onely Neceſſitate pracepti, but alſo neceſſitate medij, ſo that according to the ordinary, or revealed meanes appointed by Chriſt, there can be no ſalvation without the aforeſaid Confeſſion. That Chriſt intended this Confeſſion of our ſinnes in ſpeciall before the Prieſt, for a neceſſary meane to bring us to ſalvation; and to fruſtrate his intention or will though miſconceits, what were it but an argument no leſſe of indiſcretion, then of madneſſe and impiety? That God being an Enemy to all ſinne, will not pardon any, if we willingly conceale but one in our Confeſſion to the Prieſt. That Confeſſion is as neceſſary to ſalvation, as the Miniſtry of Baptiſme; as neceſſary to ſalvation as meat is to the Body. That ſince Chriſt ordained a Tribunall ſeat of Judgment, where ſins ſhould be remitted or retained at the diſcretion of a lawfull Miniſter, (as was evident by the Text he did) then WITHOUT DOUBT, twas his intention that the faithfull ſhould neceſſarily confeſſe all their ſins before the Prieſt, ſo farre forth as they remember, for the purchaſing of his pardon and remiſſion. This he averred to bee (as hee conceived) the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in our Lyturgie. That Confeſſion is a duty of farre more antiquity and extent then ever Popery was, in regard twas inſtituted by our Saviour, practiſed by the Apoſtles, the Holy Fathers and all ſucceeding Ages; and therefore though the Papiſts uſe it, it is not, it cannot be, as ſome would have it, A point of Popery. What, ſhall their Errors in ſome Tenets prejudice the Truth in this? What ſhall we refuſe the Grape becauſe the ſtalke is withered? This were a Puritanicall, a Novatian nicity. I never heard of any thing but a fooliſh Cock that ever refuſed a Gemme, though in a Dung-hill: and ſurely thoſe that reject ſo ſpeciall a means of their ſalvation, as Confeſſion is, meerly becauſe tis practiſed by the Papiſts, may not unfit, but very properly be ſaid to weare his badge.’ The whole Sermon was to this effect. Dr. Ward, Doctor Love, Dr. Brownrig, and Doctor Holdſworth, tooke exceptions againſt this Sermon, as ſcandalous and Popiſh; Whereupon Maſter Adams was convented for it before the Vice-Chancellour and Heads, who both required and peruſed the Copy of his Sermon: which done, the Vice-Chancellour, Doctor Brownrig, drew up this enſuing Recantation, which hee enjoyned him to make in publike, to give ſatisfaction to thoſe his Sermon had ſcandalized.

§

Whereas, &c. On Sunday the 25. of Iune laſt, in my publike Sermon on theſe words (St. Iohn 20. 23. whoſe ſins yee remit, they are remitted, and whoſe ſins yee retaine they are retained;) I delivered this doctrine, That a ſpeciall Confeſſion unto a Prieſt (actually, where time or opportunitie preſents it ſelfe, or otherwiſe in explicite intention and reſolution) of all our ſinnes committed after Baptiſme, ſo farre forth, as we doe remember, is neceſſary unto ſalvation, not onely neceſſitate praecepti, but alſo neceſſitate medii; ſo that according to the Ordinance, or revealed meanes appointed by Chriſt, there can bee no ſalvation without the aforeſaid Confeſſion; upon more mature thoughts, and better information, I doe find that this Doctrine then delivered, was both erroneous, and dangerous, having not warrant from the Word of God, and croſſing the doctrine of our Church, as may appeare by her Lyturgie in the ſecond exhortation at the Communion, and in the Viſitation of the ſicke, and in the ſecond part in the Homily of Repentance: As therefore in generall, I doe acknowledge [Page] in the words of the aforeſaid Homily, that it is moſt evident, and plaine, that this Auricular Confeſſion hath not his warrant of Gods Word, & that therefore being not led with the conſcience thereof, if we with feare and trembling, and with a tru contrite heart, uſe that kind of confeſſion, which God doth command in his word, (namely an unfeighned confeſſion unto Almighty God himſelfe) then doubtleſſe (as he is faithfull and true) hee will forgive us our ſinnes, and make us cleane from all our wickedneſſe, ſo in the caſe of a troubled, or doubtfull conſcience, I do conforme my opinion unto the direction of our Church, which in her Liturgie doth exhort, and require thoſe whoſe Conſciences are troubled with any weighty matter to a ſpeciall confeſſion, ſo that they who cannot quiet their owne Conſciences, are to repaire to their owne, or ſome other diſcreet and learned Miniſter of Gods word, to open to them their griefe, that ſo they may receive ſuch ghoſtly Counſell, adviſe and comſort, as their conſciences may be relieved, and by the miniſtery of Gods word, they may receive comfort, and the benefit of abſolution, to the quieting of their Conſcience, and the avoyding of all ſcruple and doubtfullneſſe. But it is againſt true Chriſtian liberty, that any man ſhould be bound to the numbring of his Sinnes, as it hath beene uſed heretofore in times of Ignorance and blindneſſe: This I do acknowledge to be the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning Confeſſion, and to it I do ex animo, ſubſcribe, and am heartily ſory for what ever I have de-livered to the contrary.

Mr. Adams being backedby the Popiſh Heads refuſed to make this Recantation, though juſt and faire; profeſſing he was not conſcious to himſelfe of any thing he had ſaid in his Sermon contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England: Whereupon at a full meeting of the Doctors, it was put to the Vote, Whether this Recantation ſhould be enjoyned him or no? Dr. Ward, Dr. Bambridge, Dr. Bacheroft, Dr. Love, Dr. Holdſworth: and the Vicechancellor, voted, he ſhould make this Recantation, but Dr. Collins, Dr. Smith, Dr. Cumber, Dr. Coſin, Dr. Lany, Dr. Martin, Dr. Sterne, and Dr. EDEN Voted, that hee ſhould not make it, juſtifying even the uſe and neceſſity of Confeſſion, to a Prieſt, neceſsitate medij, to obtaine abſolution; and affirming, that they would not Vote, Maſter Adams had delivered any thing contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England, in this point of Confeſſion; and thereupon acquitted him: But the Vice-chancellor adjourning the buſineſſe till another day, when 12. Doctors only were preſent, and Dr. Smith, Dr. Cumber, Dr. Martin, and Dr. Eden (who formerly acquited him) abſent, by the helpe of Dr. Paske his voyce, with much oppoſition, voted that Mr. Adams ſhould make the forementioned Recantation; to which hee and thoſe who Voted with him ſubſcribed their hands; Dr. Coſin, Dr. Lany, Dr. Beale, Dr. Sterne, and one more, ſubſcribed likewiſe their diſſents thereunto. When this was done all was done, and Mr. Adams without making any ſubmiſſion or Recantation at all, was diſmiſſed, and ſo encouraged, that he reſolved to maintain this his opinion in his Act queſtions. The whole proceedings in this buſineſſe together with the Copy of Mr. Adams his Sermon, and the Recantation NOTE. forementioned, were ſent up to London by Dr. Coſin, and found by Mr. Prynne in the Archbiſhops Study, endorſed with his owne hand thus, Received Mach 16. 1637. Doctor Coſins his Letter about the proceedings of Brownrig Vicechancellor of Cambridge againſt Mr. Adams for his Sermon about Confeſſion, Ianuary 25. 1637. &c. Who inſtead of cenſuring, concurred with Dr. Coſins, and the other Popiſh Doctors in protecting and juſtifying Mr. Adams in his groſſe Popiſh Doctrines of Auricular Confeſsion and Abſolution, which he endeavoured with all his might to introduce. And no wonder, for in his owne Diary, he writ this memoriall with his owne hand. June 15. 1622 I became CONFESSOR to the Lord of Buckingham, and Iune 16. being Trinity Sunday, he received the Sacrament at Greenwitch. And all Courtiers know, that hee was ſince for many yeares, not only a privy Councellor, but Confeſſor to his Majeſty; at leaſt Commonly ſo reputed; which made him ſo earneſt to bring all others under the yoak of Confeſſion, ſince he had brought theſe Grandees under it, Yea ſo farre had this Popiſh Tenet of the neceſsity, of Confeſſion and abſolution [Page] by Prieſts, prevailed among us by theſe authorized Bookes and Sermons generally preached for them; that Biſhop Mountague in his Printed Viſitation Articles for the Dioceſſe of Norwich, Anno 1638. made it a crime preſentable in Miniſters, not to preſſe the Doctrine and practiſe of it upon the people, at leaſt-wiſe in the holy time of Lent; as appeares by this memorable Article of his.

Tit. 7. Artic. 4. Doth the Miniſter eſpecially exhort the Pariſhoners TO MAKE CONFESSJON OF THEIR SINNES TO HIMSELFE, or ſome other learned grave and diſcreet Miniſter, ESPECIALLY IN LENT, againſt the holy time of NOTE. Eaſter, that they may receive comfort and ABSOLVTION, ſo to become worthy receivers of ſuch holy miſteries?

How farre the Archbiſhops Agents and Emiſſaries urged, exerciſed Popiſh Auricular Confeſsion, not only in England, but Jreland too, we ſhall inſtance but in one memorable example. The Archbiſhop in his Paper of Remembrances to the Lord Deputie of Ireland, when he firſt went over thither, (a Copy whereof Maſter Prynne met with in his Study) made this ſpeciall requeſt to him, in behalfe of one Mr. Croxton, a young Miniſter and Creature of his: I heartily pray your Lordſhip to take notice of one Mr. Croxton, whom J ſend over with your letters to my Lord Mount Norris. I hope he will prove ſo honeſt and ſo able a man, as may do good ſervice in thoſe parts, if God bleſſe him with life, And I doubt not but as it ſhall fall in your way, Your Lordſhip will beſtow ſome preferment upon him, for his maintenance, for which I ſhall thanke you. This Croxton arriving in Ireland, the Lord Deputy upon this recommendation of the Archbiſhop, received him with all due reſpect, and promoted him to ſeverall Eccleſiaſticall preferments there, as appeares by his Letters of thankes to the Archbiſhop; wherein he gives him the Popes Titles (Holineſſe, and moſt holy Father) as if he were a Pope: This Croxton being thus advanced, to promote the Archbiſhops deſignes, at Eaſter, in the Yeare, 1638. cauſed all his Pariſhioners to come up to the High-Altar at Goran, where hee was Incumbent, and there Sacramentally to make their Confeſſions to him; which the Proteſtants in thoſe parts deemed a moſt ſtrang and ſcandalous act, declaming much againſt it: Yet this audacious Popel in knowing how acceptable this Popiſh Innovation was to the Archbiſhop, the more to ingratiate himſelfe in his favour in a vaunting manner, certified His Grace by a ſpeciall Letter of all his proceedings herein, wherein he thanks God, for enabling him in ſome good meaſure, to effect that there, which other able men had only ſufficiently ſpoken of (but not accompliſhed) elſewhere: & likewiſe boaſts of his ſolitary oppoſition of the Archbiſhop of Armagh, and the whole Convocation at Dublin, in the points of Election and Gods Decree, when the Articles of Ireland were in a violent manner ſuppreſſed, and called in by his Graces procurement; making the ſigne of the Croſſe in the frontiſpeece of his Letter as the Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuites uſe to doe in all their Letters one to another: Which Letter (ſound in this Arch-biſhops Study at Lambeth, and atteſted by Maſter Prynne,) was openly read at the Lords Barre in forme enſuing.

My LORD.

IN humbleſt manner I begge your gratious acceptance of this juſt as neceſſary duty; whillſt I make an unqueſtionable relation of that which ſo nearely concernes my ſelfe. To provide the beſt J could for the more worthy receiving of the holy Communion this laſt Eaſter, J have (I thanke God for it) beene able in ſome meaſure, to NOTE do that here which able men have ſufficiently ſpoken of elſe-where, I have Sacramentally heard the Confeſſions of the people Committed to my Charge in Goran, (a certaine through-fare towne in the County of Kilkenye, in the Chancell, they kneeling before the Altar.

This is every where now counted a moſt ſtrange Act, without all warrant: ſayes bold ignorance, there is no preſident for it; ſaies the Divill, Envie, and double blinded malice, tis as voyd of Law as full of ſingularity, So unbidden, ſo unled did I once proteſt againſt that horrible decree obtruded (as it was received from Calvine) by the Archbiſhop of Armagh, and the whole body of this Kingdomes Clergy [Page] then Aſſembled in the Convocation at Dubline, that I ſtood then alone, that no man then ſtood by me, when I made that Proteſtation; I appeale to the not yet forgotten ſo eloquent, ſo godly, ſo very leaud, railing, curſing Cenſure upon that occaſion publikely delivered, by one that was then called Chancelllor Sing, ſince Deane of Drummore, the Lord Biſhop of Derrie and Maſter of the Rolls were not many houres ignorant of the very words by the then Chancellor and now Deane, then and there uttered.

The luckie opportunity of a truſtie Meſſenger, a ſervant to the Earle of Ormond and Chirurgian to his Troop, by name Michaell Oxenbridge, with the juſt conſcience of my dutie on this behalfe, emboldens me thus humbly to pray for ſuch acceptance in a Cauſe moſt acceptable, as may yet make the perſon of the poore receiver, NOTE. more worthy to be accepted.

Goran, Aprill 18. 1638.

Your Graces most devoted. Iames Croxton.

To the moſt Reverend Father in God, William by the Divine providence, Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Lord Primate and Metropolitan of all England.

This Letter was thus endorſed with the Archbiſhops owne hand: Received July 6. 1638. Mr. Croxton his receiving of Confeſſion.

BY which it is moſt apparent, that the introducing of Auricular Confeſſion was a ſpeciall deſigne of the Archbiſhops, proſecuted by his Emiſſaries and Creatures in all places; who gave him exact accounts of their proceedings herein, the more to endeare themſelves in his favour. To what end theſe Doctrines and practiſes of Auricular Confeſſion and Prieſts abſolution were thus urged, Maſter VVilliam Tyndall, in his Practiſe of Popiſh Prelates, and Obedience of a Christian man, (with other Proteſtant VVriters) will informe us, to wit; to enſlave the Laity to the Clergie; to advance the Prieſt above the King, the Myter above the Scepter; the Eccleſiaſticall Tribunall above the Secular; to fiſh out all mens ſecrets, to awe and keepe them under bondage, and accompliſh all their owne deſignes upon them with more facility, as they doe in Popiſh Kingdomes, where ſuch Confeſſions and Abſolutions are in uſe. Having thus done with this Arch-Prieſts Maſter-Peece, Confeſſion, and the power of Prieſts to remit ſinnes confeſſed, wee ſhall proceed to that which depends upon it, and muſt have neceſſarily followed on it, to the great oppreſſion of the ignorant ſeduced people; that is,

2. The uſe of Popiſh Penances, as wearing of haire-cloth, and ſuch like corporall puniſhments enjoyned by Priests for ſinnes Confeſſed, NOTE. with intention to ſatisfie God thereby for the ſinnes confeſſed; lately preſſed, as lawfull, profitable, commendable.

THe uſe and lawfulneſſe hereof (never heard of nor maintained in our Church ſince Reformation till this Archbiſhops Domination) is thus preſſed, juſtified, commended in theſe enſuing authorized bookes.

Chriſts Epiſtls to a Devout ſoule, pag. 252. Enjoyne thy ſelfe for thy Pennance to ſay ſome devout prayer, or to doe ſome greater Pennance, as thou and thy ſpirituall Director ſhall thinke fit.

Franeis Sales his Introduction to a Devout Life, pag. 131. Recompence (this loſſe) at leaſt by multiplying Jaculatory prayers, and by reading ſome books of Devotion with ſome voluntary Pennance or other, for committing this fault.

[Page] Pag. 209. The ſoveraigne balſome of Confeſſion or pennance.

Pag. 428. Diſciplying the body likewiſe hath a marvellous efficacy to ſtir up in us deſire of devotion, when it is moderately uſed: Haire-Cloath tameth the fleſh very much: upon the principall dayes of pennance, one may well uſe it with the adviſe of a diſcreet Confeſſor.

Dr. Pocklingtons Altare Chriſtianum, p. 42. writes thus, The firſt Room is called the Church-Porch where penitents uſed to ſtand, or rather to caſt themſelves downe, and in humble manner to deſire the faithfull to pray for them as they went NOTE. into the Church: after Delinquents had perfectly fulfilled their penance, they were reconciled to the Sacraments, and communicated: This diſtinction of places in the Church is very ancient and obſerved even from the Apoſtles times.

Pag. 44. This man after penance done for this fault was admitted into the Church againe.

Pag. 52. Cap. 10. Of dayes of pennance and abſolution, Citizens pennance.

P. 54. None that had fallen into any notorious crime were admitted againe into the Church before they had done open penance in Sack-cloth and Aſhes: Cerdon was not received into the Church before he had performed his penance: Exomologeſin faciens.

Pag. 55. In what ſort penitents performed their penance and made Confeſſion, the Act it ſelfe will diſcover.

This Exomologeſis giveth law both to our food and rayment, ſacco & cinere incubare; and ordereth men to lye in Sack-Cloth and Aſhes to humble your ſelves before the Prieſt, and to fall downe upon the knees before Gods Altars, to ſue unto all Brethren for their prayers in their behalfe, Haec omnia exomologeſis: penance worketh all this.

P. 56. Feeling nothing but rough Sack-Cloth, galling the ſides, ſeeing nothing but head, hands, face, cloaths, covered over with aſhes; have nothing to be ſeene but a pale face, thinne cheekes and a meagre looke, and this continued two, three, ſometimes foure yeares together, before perfectionem ſuam reciperent.

P. 57. Hereupon the Biſhops made an addition to the Eccleſiaſtcall Canon, that in every Church a Penitentiary ſhold be appointed to admit penitents into the Church, after they had done publike penance: A ſolemn day was ſet a part for taking of publike penance for open faults, by impoſition of hands, and ſprinkling of aſhes, namely, Aſhwedneſday, by the Canon of the Councell of Agatha in Gratian, This is the godly Diſcipline whereof our Church ſpeaketh in the Commination, of putting notorious ſinners to open penance in the beginning of Lent, and wiſheth that it might bee reſtored againe: And as Aſhwedneſday was appointed for putting notorious ſinners to open penance, ſo was MAUNDAY Thurſday ſet a part for their abſolutions.

P. 59. The godly diſcipline conſtantly practiſed in Churches and at Altars and the ſad and malencholly mention of Penance, Faſting and Prayer, with other Auſterities, which the pietie of the times have but juſt cauſe to thinke of.

P. 63. This was done 40. dayes before Eaſter namely on Aſhwedneſday in Sack-Cloth and Aſhes: And for 8. dayes together before Eaſter they were to doe penance, to faſt, to refraine all manner of pleaſures though never ſo lawfull, to ſtand bare foot upon Sack-cloth, and to watch on Good-Friday all night, or at leaſt till two a Clock in the morning. NOTE

Shelfords five Treatiſes, Pag. 71. Then they confeſſed their ſinnes to God and their Miniſter for ſpirituall comfort and Councell, then they endeavoured to make the beſt temporall ſatisfaction they could by Almes, Prayer and Faſtings, and other workes of humiliation.

The Scots New Service Booke in the Commination againſt ſinners, with certaine prayers to bee uſed diverſe times in the yeare, and especially on the firſt day of Lent, commonly called Aſhwedneſday: To which there is this addition in juſtification of Popiſh penance, made with the Arch-Biſhops owne hand.

[Page] Brethren in the Primitive Church, there was a godly diſcipline uſed, that at the beginning of Lent notorious ſinners were put to open Pennance, and did humbly ſubmit themſelves to undergoe puniſhment in this world, that their ſoules might be ſaved in the day of the Lord.

All which is thus cloſed up by Biſhop Mountague; who after a long diſcourſe in Juſtification, of Confeſſion and Penance, concludes thus, out of Pope Leo.

Originum Eccleſiaſticarum, Tomi Prioris pars poſterior, Londini, 1640. Pag. 467. Sect. 33. Christus enim (ut cum B. Leone loquar) Eccleſia Prapoſitis poteſtatem dedit, ut & Confitentibus actionem paenitentiae darent, & coſdem SALUBRI SATISFACTIONE PVRGARENT: & ſic ad communionem Sacramentorum, per januam reconciliationis admitterent.

3. That we ought neceſſarily to give blinde Obedience to the Eccleſiaſticall commands and directions of our Priests, Confeſſors, and ſpirituall Superiors.

THis deſperate Popiſh Aſſertion was publiſhed and juſtified in theſe Authorized printed paſſages, worthy our ſpeciall obſervation.

Chriſts Epiſtle to a Devout Soule, pag. 112. 113. 114. 116. Reſpect not the man who by my Ordinance is thy ſuperior, whether he be learned or unlearned: but have regard to this only that he is thy ſuperior, by whom I will govern thee, and in whom thou oughteſt to obey me; Wherefore I would have thee ſubject thy ſelfe unto him without any ſervile feare, or ſcruple of thy Conſcience, and diſpraiſing thine owne wiſdome and Councell ſubmit thy ſelfe to be governd by his judgment, and opinion whatſoever he ſhall determine or appoint thee. Walke in the path of Obedience, and doe nothing at all without the Counſell of thy Paſtor, or Ghoſtly Father, or Superiour, eſteeming that alwayes beſt which thy Superior ſhall thinke fitteſt, doe all things according to the councell of thy Superior, and ſubmit thy ſelfe wholly to his will and diſcretion: And Page 192. my inſpirations never diſagree from the Obedience that thou muſt carry to thy ſuperiors: therefore if thou ſubmitteſt thy ſelfe to them, and relieſt in no reſpect upon thy owne ſelfe, thou art ſure to walke in ſimplicity and purity of heart.

Francis Sales his Introduction to a Devout Life, pag. 334. 335. Obedience, Charitie, and Povertie, are three excellent juſtruments unto perfection: There are two ſorts of Obedience, the one neceſſary, the other voluntary, by neceſſary obedience, thou muſt obey thy Eccleſiaſticall Superiors, as the ſupreame head, &c.

Which is thus ſeconded by Chriſtopher Dow, in his Booke againſt Maſter Burton pag. 136. 137. Secondly, I ſay, that being done by the ſame Authority that firſt ſet them forth, it is neither for him, nor me, nor any other of inferiour rancke to queſtion them, but with humble Reverence to ſubmit to their judgments, and to think them wiſer and farre more fit to order thoſe things that belong to their places, than wee, whom neither it concernes, nor indeed can know the reaſons that move them either to doe or alter any thing, &c.

With whom Doctor Heylyn in his Coale from the Altar, p. 2. Thus complyes in judgment; Should we all be ſo affected as to demurre on the commands of our Superior in matters of exteriour Order and Publike Government, till wee are ſatisfied in the grounds and reaſons of their commandements, or ſhould we fly off from our duty at ſight of every new deviſe that is offered to us, we ſhould finde a ſpeedy diſſolution in Church and State.

Which Doctor Pocklington thus cloſeth in his Altare Christianum, pag. 180. What flood-gates this man ſets wide open to let in a whole deluge of confuſions, impiety, and Sacriledge into the Church, if the Contents of his Letter in this particular might obtaine, viz. That the Conſtitutions, Orders, Decrees appointed by Cannon or renewed by TRADITION of holy Church, be not of abſolute authority and require full obedience, but are to be ſcanned and diſputed.

4. That Christians here muſt have Altars; that theſe ought to be rayled in Altarwiſe, at the East end of the Chancell, and there bowed to and towards as to Gods mercy ſeate, and the place of Chriſts chiefe reall preſence upon earth, and that there can be no true Sacrament or Conſecration of it where there is no Altar.

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THis is the Subject matter of many whole Bookes lately publiſhed, authorized by the Archbiſhops Creatures and Chaplaines, as Doctor Heylyns Coale from the Altar; his Antidotum Lincolnienſe, His Moderate anſwer to Maſter Henry Burton, pag. 132. to 140. yea a thing expreſly enjoyned by the Archbiſhop and others in the new Statutes for the Vniverſity of Oxford, in the new Statutes of diverſe Cathedrals, the new Cannons and by diverſe Biſhops in their Viſitation Articles, already mentioned. We ſhall therefore inſiſt only on ſome other authorized Bookes and paſſages to this purpoſe.

Wee ſhall begin with Doctor Iohn Pocklington, his Sunday no Sabbath, printed by the Arch-biſhops approbation, and his Chaplaines licenſe, p. 43. 44. 50.

‘Habemus Altare, we under the Goſpell have an Altar, Heb. 15. 10. and ſo is the Word Altar, and Lords Table indifferently and alike anciently uſed: theſe were ſome Tables or Altars of ſtone, quia Chriſtus eſt lapis angularis: ſome were of Wood, the better to expreſſe his death on the Tree: theſe wooden Altars or Tables, the furious Circumceflions brake downe in Saint Auguſtines time: And if we doe not only bend or bow our bodie to this bleſſed Board, or holy Altar, but fall flat on our faces before his Footſtoole ſo ſoone as ever we approach in ſight thereof, what Patriarch, or Apoſtle would condemne us for it?’

Which he thus further proſecutes in his Altare Chriſtianum, pag. 108. Humble and lowly Reverence towards the holy and moſt Sacred Altar, where Chriſt is moſt truly and really preſent in the bleſſed Sacrament; pag. 142. Was not the Altar ſet in Sacrario, or Sancto Sanctorum, whereunto the Prieſt aſcended by certaine ſteps and degrees, and when they did ſo aſcend, were there not Pſalmes of degrees ſang, called for that cauſe Gradualls? durſt the Prieſts themſelves aſcend thither without doing lowly Reverence three ſeverall times? Veneration towards the Altar was then required and practiſed, pag. 145. Prieſts in our Church at the Ordination kneell upon their knees before the holy Altar then is given impoſition of hands before the holy Altar, then the Biſhop takes the holy Goſpells from the holy Altar, &c. no Biſhop was authorized before his Altar was conſecrated, pag. 153. To warrant and juſtifie the bringing them in and due honouring of them becauſe they are the ſeats and Chairs of eſtate, where the Lord vouchſafeth to place himſelfe amongſt us. Quid eſt enim Altare niſi ſedes corporis & ſanguinis Chriſti? p. 159. To come home to our Countrie, when the Author ſees the Kings moſt Sacred Majeſtie, and the honourable Lords of the moſt Noble order of the Garter performe moſt low and humble Reverence to Almighty God before the moſt holy Altar, the Throne in earth of that great Lord from whom their honour proceedeth, pag. 160. Deo at (que) Altari reverentiam exhibuiſſe viſi ſunt. Domino Deo & ejus Altari proni facti debitum impenderent honorem, Summum Altare in honorem Dei debita genu-flexione reverentia (que) conſalutabit, p. 175. Honour and Reverence of right belongs unto it in regard of the preſence of our Saviour whoſe Chaire of State it is upon earth. Nay he proceedes yet further, p. 75.

The Euchariſt cannot be receaved among Heretiques, for the Elements must be conſecrated before they become partakers of that Euchariſt: this Heretikes could not then doe, quia nec Altare nec Eccleſiam, becauſe they had neither Altar nor Church, for of neceſſitie ſayes St. Cyprian, Euchariſtia in Altari ſanctificatur, the Euchariſt is conſecrated upon the Altar: If then this were true, which this unadviſed man would make the Vicar believe, that there were no Altars nor Churches within 20. yeares after Chriſt, it muſt needs follow that the holy Euchariſt was not received by any of the holy Martyrs and bleſſed Saints of God in all the primitive Church, or elſe that they did receive ſome kinde of Sacrament, that was not conſecrated, for Euchariſtia [Page] in Altari ſanctificatur is a ground in which he ſets his reſt, as the Fathers before him, and his ſucceſſors ever did, P. 174. Saint Cyprian tells you, that the uſe of Altars is to ſanctifie the Euchariſt upon, and that without an Altar, it cannot be conſecrated, and that therefore Heretiques have no Sacraments among them, becauſe they have no Altars.

Edmond Reeve in his Chriſtian Divinity, contained in the Divine Service of the Church of England, ſeconds him in theſe words p. 132 to 137. Unto the due honouring of Gods holy name the place where Gods name is put is to be honoured alſo, now alſo ought every one being come into Gods Houſe to proſtrate himſelfe, i. e. to make low obeyſance towards Gods mercy-ſeat being in the uppermoſt part of the Temple pag. 133. A great Divine in our Church (Mr. Dr. Laurence in his moſt weighty Sermons) thus writeth. Wee are no more Idolatrous by our proſtration towards the Table of the Lord, than the Iewes were by theirs towards the Tabernacle of the Lord or the mercy-ſeat, pag. 134 Gods Board is to be accounted the peculiar ſeat of God within the Temple, and therefore towards it unto God, there we are to make low obeyſance whenſoever we come into Gods Houſe for to pray. Gods board is ever to have due reverence, and God who is there perpetually, is alwayes to be proſtrated unto: Should not Chriſtianity teach us that no ſeat of any Perſon, much leſſe of any of the Layty ſhould be above Gods mercy-ſeat, the ſacred Communion Table: The ſacred Communion Table is called an Altar, and it is alſo called Gods mercyſeat. Gods Board is ever to have due Reverence, and God who is there perpetually is alwayes to be proſtrated unto; yea, when as the Body and Blood of Chriſt in the bleſſed Sacrament, is not upon the ſame.

Robert Shelford Prieſt in his Five learned and pious diſcourſes, printed at Cambridge 1635. determines thus, p. 4. To this day all our Churches are called ſanctuaties, as in many other Regards, ſo eſpecially in regard of the Lords Table or high Altar at the upper end of them, which is Ieſus Chriſts mercy ſeat, becauſe there the memory of the everlaſting ſacrifice, is made and preſented to the holy Trinity, pag. 15. Seeſt thou not the Son of Gods ſeat here, the holy Altar at the upper end of this Houſe? Pag. 17. The 5. ſort of Reverence beſeeming Gods Houſe, is at the entring in before we take our ſeates to bend the Knee, and to bow our Body to him towards the more uſuall and ſpeciall place of his reſidence or reſemblance, which is the high Altar or the Lords Table, uſually ſtanding at the Eaſt end of Gods Houſe, Id (que) propter Christum qui eſt Lux Mundi, & Oriens nominatur, Zach. 6. 12. & ab oriente etiam expectatur venturus, pag. 19. 20. The firſt reverence that you make, becauſe the houſe is Gods and not mans, direct your aſpect to Gods Table, which Saint Paul calls the Lords Altar, ſaying, We have An altar whereof they have no right to eate which ſerve the Tabernacle: this is the great ſigne of Gods reſidence in this holy place, as the Arck was the ſigne of hs preſence in his Tabernacle: here the great ſacrifice of Chriſts death for our ſalvation, is in Remembrance repreſented to God the Father: and can we remember ſo great a benefit, and not reverence the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt for it? I do not exhort you to give Divine worſhip to Gods Table, but to worſhip God towards it, for Gods Altar is not terminativum cultus, but motivum only; as Daniel being in Captivity turned his face towards Jeruſalem when he prayed, but prayed not to it; thus if we come before God in his houſe with due reverence, then will he hould out his Golden Scepter of grace to us, as the great King Ahaſuerus held out his to Queene Eſter, but if we ſlight God in his owne place, and hee hould out his Iron Scepter to us, then let us be wiſe and learned.

Let us learne of our Mother Churches, for there our Reverend Fathers the Prelates and others make their reverence to God on this wiſe, both at their entry and return: wherefore to follow their good and holy Patterne, we alſo are to doe the like both at our firſt comming into Gods houſe and at our going out, &c.

Sundry ſuch Paſſages are to be found in many other new printed Pamphlets.

Theſe Popiſh impious Innovations and practiſes being complained againſt by Mr. Burton and others in their Writings; this Archbiſhop not only juſtifies them in [Page] privat, but in open Court in a premeditated printed Speech, at the cenſure of Doctor Baſtwick, Mr. Burton, and Mr. Prynu in Star-Chamber the 14. of June, 1637. there Num. 26. Moſes and [...]aron fell up [...]n their ſa [...]s atthe doore [...]f the Tabernacle only for [...] pray, not [...] Worſhip: Er [...], we muſt alwayes bow [...]o the Altar at our approaches [...]oit, is no good conſequence: out rather, Ergo, we muſt alwayes fall on our faces at and towards the Church doore, had bin a better ſequens. The Altar ſtood without the Doore of the Tabernacle, and the Laver betweene it and the Tent, Exod 40. 7. 8. 29. 30. Therefore if Moſes fell on his face at the Tabernacle doore, his worſhip was not with his face to, but from the Altar, and his bowing not towards, but fromwards it, quite croſſe to your bowing. moſt inhumanly cenſured, only for oppoſing theſe and other Popiſh Innovaſions, In which Speech of his, P. 34. &c. he writes thus.

One thing ſticks much in their Stomacks, and they call it an Jnnovation too: And that is, bowing, or doing Reverence at our first comming in to the Church, or at our nearer approaches to the holy table, or the ALTAR call it whether you will) In which they will needs have it, that we worſhip the Holy Table, or God knowes what. To this I anſwer, that if to worſhip God, when we enter into his Houſe, or approach his Altar, be an Innovation, tis a very Oldone, For This ſolemnity and the bowing uſed in it is only civill, not Religious. 2ly. Peculiar to the Knights of this Order. Therefore no rule for others in matter of their worſhip. Moſes did Reverence at the very Doore of the Tabernacle, &c. For my own part, I take my ſelfe bound to Worſhip with Body, as well as in Soule, when ever I come where God is worſhiped. And were this Kingdome ſuch as would allow no Holy Table ſtanding in its proper place, (and ſuch places ſome there are) yet I would worſhip God when I came into his Houſe. And were the Times ſuch, as ſhould beat downe Churches, and all the curious carved worke thereof, with Axes and Hammers as in Pſal. 74. (and ſuch times have beene) yet would I Worſhip in what place ſoever I came to pray, though there was not ſo much as a ſtone laid for Bethell, but this is the miſery, tis Superstition, now adayes for any man to come with more Reverence into a Church than a Tinker and his Bitch come into an Ale-houſe: the Compariſon is too homely, but my juſt indignation at the Profaneneſſe of the times makes me ſpeake it.

And you my Honourable Lords of the Garter, in your greater ſolemnities you do your (*) Reverence unto Almighty God, I doubt not; but yet it is verſus Altare, towards his Altar as the This is a meere groundleſſe fall [...]i [...], God & Chriſt being moſt preſent in the middeſt of his peoples hearts and ſoules not on the Altar. Mat. 18. 20. c. 28. 20. Eph. 4. 17. Gal. 2. 20. 1 Cor. 6. 19. 20. greatest place of Gods Reſidence upon earth; I ſay the greateſt, yea greater then the Pulpit: For, there tis, Hoc est Corpusmenm, this is my Body but in the Pulpit tis at moſt but, Hoc eſt verbum meum, this is my Word, And a Chriſts body is not God: nor his naturall body on the Altar: but only the Elements which repreſent it Now Chriſts word makes the Bread his repreſentative, not reall body, and the word, expreſſeth his Divinity, Ioha 1. 1. the Conſecrated Bread, his Body and humanity only: Therefore our reverence is no doubt more due to his word than to his body. And ſo St. Auguſtine expreſly reſolves it to be as due to it HOMIL 26. Jnterrogo vos ſratres vel ſarores, dicite mib [...], quid vobis plus eſſe videtur, verbum Dei, an corpus Chriſti [...]ſi verumvultis reſpondere, hoc utique dicere debetis, quod non ſit minus Verbum, quàm corpus Chriſti, et ideo quanta ſolicitudone obſervamus, quando nobis corpus Chriſti miniſtratur, ut nihil ex ipſo de noſtris manibus in terram cadat, tanta ſolicitudinc obſervamus, ne verbum Dei quod nobis erogatur, dum aliquid out cogitamus out loquimur de corde noſtro pereat, quia non minus reus erit, qui Verbum Dei negligente raudierit, quam ille qui corpus Chriſti in terram cadere negligentia ſua permiſerit. greater Reverence (no doubt) is Not ſo becauſe not commended. True we agree it. due to the Body, than to the word of our Lord and ſo i [...] Relation Anſwerable to the Throne where his body is uſually preſent, than to the Seat, where his Word uſeth to be proclaimed: and God hold it there, at his word, for as too many men uſe the matter, tis Hoceſt verbum Diabolt, this is the word of the Devill, in too many places. Witneſſe ſedition and the like to it. And this Reverence ye do, when ye enter the Chapell, and when you approach nearer to offer, and this is no Innovation, for you are bound to it by your order, and thats not new. And Idolatry it is not to worſhip God towards his holy Table, for if it had beene Idolatry, I preſume Queene Elizabeth and King James would not have practiſed it, no not in thoſe ſolemnities: & being not Idolatry, but true Divine worſhip, you will, I hope give a poore Prjeſt leave to worſhip God as your ſelves do; for, if it be Gods worſhip, I ought to do it as well as you, and if it be Idolatry, * you ought not to do it more then I. I ſay againe, I hope a You are no ſuch, but a rich Arch-Prelate poore Prieſt may worſhip God with as lowly Reverence as you do, ſince you are bound by your Order, & by your Oathes, according to a conſtitution of Hen. the 5. (as appeares) to give due honour and Reverence This is in the Copulative, you give one and the ſame adoration, at the ſame time both to God and the Altar in one Act of bowing, without any diſtinction, Therefore you adore both alike with one and the ſame worſhip, and ſo give Divine [...] to the Altar as well as to God, which is Idolatry; or but civill worſhip to God, not exceeding that you give Domino [Page] Deo, & Altari ejus, in modum virorum Eccleſiaſticorum: that is, to the Lord your God, and to his Altar, (for there is a Reverence You ſay but no wayes prove it. due to that too, though ſuch as comes farre ſhort of Divine Worſhip) and this in that manner, as Eccleſiaſticall perſons both worſhip and do reverence: The ſtory which led in this Decree is this: King Hen: the 5th. that Noble and Victorius Prince, returning gloriouſly out of France, ſat at this ſolemnity, and finding the Knights of the Order ſcarce bow to God, or but ſleightly, and then bow towards him and his ſeat, ſtartled at it (being a Prince then growne as Religious as he was before Victorious) and after asking the Reaſon (for till then the Knights of the Order never bowed towards the King or his Seat) the Duke of Bedford Anſwered, it was ſettled by a Chapter Act three yeares before: hereupon the great King replyed, No, Ile none of this, till you the Knights do it, ſatis bene, welenough, and with due performance to Almighty God. And hereupon the forenamed Act, proceeded, that they ſhould doe this dutie to Almighty God, not ſleightly, but ad modum virorum Eccleſiaſticorum, as low, as well, as decently as Popiſh Monkes and Friars adoring the hoſtia and Altar in thoſe blind times, were clearely both the ground and Patterne of this Altar-adoration, which this Arch-pre late would obtrude on us in theſe dayes of the Goſpell. But theirs was Idolatrous, ſuperſtitious, Popiſh. Therefore this is ſuch. Clergy-men uſe to doe it.

Now if you will turne this off and ſay, it was the ſuperſtition of that age ſo to do, Reply to Hardings Anſwer, Art. 3. Diu. 29. Biſhop Iewell will come in to helpe me there: for where Harding names divers Ceremonies, and particularly, bowing themſelves, and adoring at the Sacrament: I ſay Adoring at the Sacrament, not adoring the Sacrament; there Biſhop Jewell, that learned painfull and Reverend Prelate approves all, both the kneeling and the bowing, and the ſtanding up at the Goſpell (which as ancient as it is in the Church; and a common Cuſtome, is yet fondly made another of their Jnnovations,) And further, the Biſhop addes, That they are all Commendable geſtnres and tokens of Devotion, ſo long as the people underſtand what they meane and apply them unto God Now with us, the People did ever underſtand them fully and Your ſelfe and yours apply them tothe Altar. Deo et Altari ejus, not to God onely. Ergo in this you contradict your ſelfe. apply them to God; and to none but God; till theſe factious Spirits and their like to the great diſſervice of God, and his Church, went about to perſwade them, that they are Superſtitious, if not Idolatrous geſtures, as they make every thing elſe to be where God is not ſerved ſlovenly.

This raliacious ridiculous diſcourſe and practiſe of Altar Bowing, being fully anſwered reſuted in the Quench-Cole in a Pleaſant purge for a Roman Catholike, in the Marginall Annotations and here formerly proved to be derived from the Papiſts (pag. 63. 64.) we ſhall proceed to other Doctrines of this Nature.

5. That Ieſus Chriſt and his Paſsion are offered up to God as a ſacrifice in the Not the adoring which he mentions not. Sacrament of the Altar; and that it is a Sacrifice, as well as a Sacrament.

VVEE ſhall begin with Biſhop Mountagnos Viſitation Articles; printed both at London and Cambridge, Anno 1638. Tit. 7. Num. 12. If we will follow the courſe of the Ancient primitive Apoſtolicall Church, we ought not to traduce or be offended at the name, thing or uſe of Altar, whereat A MANIFOLD SACRIFICE is offered to God.

What kind of Sacrifice this is, Francis Sales thus declares, in his Introduction to a Devout Life, P. 191. 194. Vſe then all diligence to be preſent often at this Heavenly Feaſt, that with the Prieſt and other devout aſſiſtants thou maiſt joyntly offer up the fruit thereof, Chriſt Jeſus, to God his Father, for they ſelfe and all the neceſſities of holy Church.

The death and paſſion of our Redeemer which are actually and eſſentially repreſented in this holy Sacrifice, with the Prieſt and the reſt of the faithfull people, thou ſhalt offer unto God the Father for his eternall honour and thine owne ſalvation.

Robert Shelford in his five Treatiſes, ſeconds him in theſe termes, Pag. 2. The Sacrament of the Altar in which the ſacrifice of our Lord Chriſt is remembred, and repreſented unto his Father, P. g. 4. There the memory of the everlaſting ſacrifice is made and preſented unto the holy Trinity, Pag. 19. Here the great ſacrifice of Chriſts death for our Salvation, is in rememberance repreſented to God the Father, &c.

[Page] Doctor Pocklington is very copious in this Theme, in his Altare Chriſtianum, P. 130 Biſhop Mountague ſaith thus: I beleeve no ſuch ſacrifice of the Altar as the Church of Rome doth, I fancie no ſuch Altars as they imply, though I profeſſe a Sacrifice and an Altar: And a little after ſpeaking of his Adverſaries, hee ſaith thus; I have ſo good opinion of your underſtanding, though weake, that you will confeſſe the bleſſed Sacrament of the Altar (or Communion-table) whether you pleaſe, to be a Sacrifice, &c. Pag. 135. Abuſes of Altars and ſacrifices condemned not the things themſelves: Prieſts, Sacrifices, Oblations, Altars. The Sacrament of the Altar is not aboliſhed, P. 122. The Prophet Malachi ſaith Saint Juſtin Martyr did propheſie de Sacrificiis Gentium, id eſt de paue Euchariſtia & poculo Euchariſtiae. It appeareth that St. Iuſtin that holy Martyr did call the Euchariſt, a ſacrifice, and hath the Prophet for his warrant. Saint Ireneus alſo ſaith, that when Chriſt tooke the Bread and the Wine, Gratias eget, he gave thanks, and ſaid the bread was his body, and confeſſed the wine to be his bloud, et novi Teſtamenti novam docuit oblationem, and taught a new oblation of the New Teſtament; which the Church receiving from the Apoſtles, in univerſo mundo offert deo, doth offer unto God in all the world. This, ſaith he, is that pure ſacrifice offered unto God in every place which the Prophet Malachi ſpake of, before, Pag. 124. Saint Chryſoſt. How ſhall we receive this ſacred hoſt? How ſhall we partake the Lords body with a defiled tongue? For this ſacrifice, Domini ſacrificium eſt. This ſacrifice, the Prieſt ſtanding at the Altar, offereth to God for al the world, for Biſhops, for the church &c. according to our Collect on Good Friday, Pag. 126. When the ſacrifice of our Mediatour is offered it cannot be denied, but the faithfull are hereby eaſed. This oblation the ſame Father calls ſummum & veriſſimum Sacrificium, and ſaith, that at the memories of Martyrs, Deo offertur ſacrificium Christianorum, ipſum vero ſacrificium corpus eſt Chriſti, which is not offered to them (for themſelves are the body of Chriſt) but unto God, Pag. 127. It appeareth by that which hath beene ſaid that there were Altars, and oblations, and ſacrifices which the Fathers allowed. To conclude, this conſtant Doctrine of the holy Fathers concerning Altars, Oblations, and Sacrifices, is confirmed by the Canons of ſundry Councells, Pag. 128. Altars, Oblations, and ſacrifices were in Common uſe amongſt the moſt holy Saints of God that ever lived, Pag. 136. If there be no Chriſtian Altar, there is no Chriſtian Sacrifice, if no Chriſtian Sacrifice, there is no Chriſtian Prieſt, if there be no Chriſtian Prieſt, away with the Booke of Ordination of Prieſts and Deacons.

We ſhall cloſe up this with Doctor Peter Heylins words in his Antidotum Lincolnienſe. P. 6. 17. and 26. A Sacrifice it was in figure, a ſacrifice in fact, and ſo by conſequence, a ſacrifice in the Commemorations, or upon the Poſt-fact. A ſacrifice there was among the Jewes, ſhewing forth Chriſts death unto them, before his comming in the fleſh, a ſacrifice there muſt be amongſt the Chriſtians, to ſhew forth the Lords Death till he come in Judgement; and if a ſacrifice muſt be, there muſt be alſo Prieſts to doe, and Altars whereupon to do it, becauſe without a Prieſt and Altar, there can be no ſacrifice, yet ſo that the precedent ſacrifice was of a different nature from the ſubſequent, and ſo are alſo both the Prieſt and Altar from thoſe before; a bloudy ſacrifice then, an unbloody now: a Prieſt derived from Aaron then, from Melchiſedech now, an Altar for Moſaicall Sacrifices: then for Evangelicall now: for viſible and externall ſacrifices, though none for bloudy and externall ſacrifices: Not an improper Altar, and an improper ſacrifice, as you idlely dream of; for ſacrifices, Prieſts, and Altars being relatives, as your ſelfe confeſſeth, the ſacrifice and the Altar being improper muſt needs inferre that even our Prieſthood is improper alſo.

No Ieſuit can or doth ſay more then this amounts to:

6. That the body and blood of Chriſt are really, and ſubſtantially preſent in the Euchariſt, and the Bread and Wine tranſubſtantiated into them.

FRancis Sales, in his Introduction to a devout life, determines thus. P. 194. 219. The death and paſſion of our Redeemer, are actually and eſſentially repreſented [Page] in this holy ſacrince: Our bleſſed Saviour hath inſtituted the venerable Sacrament of the Euchariſt which containeth really and verily his fleſh and bloud.

Chriſts Epiſtle to a devout Soule thus ſeconds him, Page. 77. 78. Becauſe thou maiſt be inflamed with a greater reverence, love and deſire towards this bleſſed Sacrament, I aſſure thee, that without all doubt my body is there Sacramentally delivered unto thee, to be received, under the forme of Bread. Wherefore ſeeing it is the ſame body which I carry now glorified in Heaven, ſeeing it is no other, nor any like unto it, but even the very ſame, and ſeeing I carry not a body which is dead, nor with out bloud it followeth of neceſſity that together in the ſame body, there muſt be alſo conteined my ſoule, my bloud, my graces, and my vertues: To all which ſince the word is united it muſt alſo follow, that the whole Trinity is preſent in this Sacrament, as truly and as verily as they are in Heaven, though in another kind, id eſt, under a Sacramentall forme. The ſame opinion thou muſt in like ſort have of the Chalice, the new-teſtament in my bloud, conſider therefore that thou haſt mee really and perfectly there, Page 238. Make alſo every day to me in the honour of the holy Sacrament of my bleſſed body two reverent adorations.

Doctor Laurence in his Sermon before the King reſolves thus Page 17. 18. As I like not thoſe that ſay, he is bodily there, ſo I like not thoſe that ſay, his body is not there; becauſe Chriſt ſaith, tis there, and Saint Paul ſaith 'tis there, and the Church of England ſaith 'tis there, and the Church of God ever ſaid tis there; and that truly and ſubſtantially & eſſentially: and that not only by way of repreſentation or Commemoration; and yet without either con, ſub, or trans, which the antient Church ſaid not: by a reall, and nevertheleſſe a ſpirituall and myſticall and ſupernaturall preſentation and exhibition. For why ſhould our Saviour bid us take what he would not have us receive? We muſt beleeve tis there; we muſt not know what is there: our faith may ſee it, our ſence cannot; tis a miſtery, they all ſay, and twere no myſtery if twere knowne; his preſence they determined, the manner of his preſence they determined not: they ſay he is there, end they ſay the Lord knowes how. For why ſhould we ſeeke him naturally in the Communion, whom naturally we cannot finde in the Wombe of the Virgin.

Doctor Pocklington in his Altare Chriſtianum, writes thus. Page. 108. 153. The people were not ſo prophane and unchriſtian not to performe their moſt humble and lowly reverence towards the moſt holy and ſacred Altar, where Chriſt is moſt truly and really preſent in the bleſſed Sacrament, &c. Altars becauſe they are the ſeates and Chaires of eſtate, where the Lord vouchſafeth to place himſelfe amongſt us, (quid eſt enim Altare, niſi ſedes corporis et ſanguinis Chriſti as Optatus ſpeaks?) have bin in all ages ſo greatly honoured, and regarded of the moſt wiſe learned and moſt bleſſed Saints of God.

Doctor Heylin in his Cole from the Altar affirmes Page 15. Biſhop Ridley doth not only call it the Sacrament of the Altar, affirming thus, that in the Sacrament of the Altar is the naturall body and bloud of Chriſt, &c.

The Archbiſhop of Canterbury in his Speech in Star-Chamber, hath this ſtrange Paſſage which did much amuſe the VVorld, Page 47. ‘To Almighty God, I doubt not, but yet it is, verſus Altare, towards his Altar, as the greateſt place of Gods reſidence on earth: I ſay the greatest; yea, greater than the Pulpit, For there tis Hoc eſt corpus meum, This is my Body; But in the Pulpit, tis at moſt, but Hoc eſt verbum meum: This is my word, (and as many men uſe the matter, Hoc eſt verbum Diaboli, This is the word of the Devill). And a greater reverence, no doubt, is due to the Body than to the VVord of the Lord: and ſo in relation anſwerably to the Throne where his Body is uſually preſent than to the Seat whence his Word uſeth to be proclaimed, &c.’

Theſe words doe neceſſarily imply, a reall preſence of Chriſts Naturall Body on the Altar, not of his Sacramentall only. For this ſentence; The greateſt place of Gods reſidence on earth, I ſay the greateſt; yea greater than the Pulpit, for there tis, Hoc eſt corpus meum: &C. But in the Pulpit tis at moſt, but hoc eſt verbum meum: clearely demonſtrates that he meanes this only of Chriſts very naturall body. For firſt he ſpeakes of that Body of Chriſt, to which the Deity is hypoſtatically united, and ever preſent with:

[Page] Secondly, of that body which drawes along with it the greateſt preſence and reſidence of God Himſelfe on earth.

Thirdly of that body of Chriſt, which is farre more worthy and honourable than the word of Chriſt.

Fourthly, of that body to which a greater reverence no doubt is due, than to the word of the Lord: and ſo by relation, to the Throne wherin his body is uſually preſent, then to the Seat where his word uſeth to be proclaimed. Now all theſe cannot be intended of any repreſentative or Sacramentall Body of Chriſt, but onely of his Naturall body, Therfore his cleare meaning can be no other, but that Chriſts very natural body is really preſent on the Altar in the conſecrated bread, when the Sacrament is there adminiſtred. And to put this out of doubt, theſe paſſages in his Conference with Fiſher, p. 286. 293, 294, 295, 296. intimate, or rather clearely expreſſe as much.

All ſides agree in the truth with the Church of England, That in the moſt bleſſed Sacrament, the worthy Receiver is by his Faith, made ſpiritually partaker of the true and reall body and bloud of Chriſt, TRVLY and REALLY. I would have no man troubled at the words, TRVLY and REALLY, &c. Bellarmine ſaith, Proteſtants doe often grant, That the TRVE and REALL BODY OF CHRIST IS IN THE EVCHARIST, and TIS MOST TRAVE. For the Calviniſts, at leaſt they which follow Calvin himſelfe, do not only beleive, that the TRVE and REALL BODY of Christ is received in the Eucharist, but THAT IT IS THERE; and that we partake of it VERE ET REALITER: Nor can that place by any art be ſhifted, or by any violence wreſted from Calvines true meaning of the preſence of Christ, IN and AT the bleſſed Sacrament of the Euchariſt. And for the Church of Engl. nothing is more plaine than that it believes and teaches The true and reall preſence of Chriſt in the Euchariſt; unleſſe A. C. can make a body no body, and bloud no bloud. Nay Biſhop Ridley addes yet further, That in the Sacrament IS THE VERY TRVE and NATVRALL BODY and BLOVD OF CHRIST, that which was borne of the Virgin Mary; which aſcendod into Heaven, which ſits at the Right hand of God the Father, which ſhal come from thence to judge the quick and the dead, &c. All which compared with his Alterations and Additions made with his owne hand in the Booke of Common Prayer, which he would have obtruded on the Church of Scotland [recited at large in A Neceſſary Introduction to his Tryall, pag. 158. to 164.] ſo groſly Popiſh, that hee durſt not hazard the giving of them in evidence to this particular point, but pleaded the Act of Pacification and Oblivion in barre thereof as ſoone as ever they were but mentioned; will undoubtedly manifeſt him a meere Papiſt in this particular, and a profeſſed Patron of the Reall preſence Tranſubſtantiation, and the Maſſe it ſelfe.

7. That Crucifixes, Images, and Pictures of Christ, God, Saints, may bee lawfully, profitably uſed, ſet up in Churches, and [...]ught not to be demoliſhed, or removed thence.

HOw zealous the Archbiſhop with his Confederates were in defence of Images and Crucifixes in Churches, how forward to introduce and ſet them up in their Chappells, Churches, Cathedralls Houſes (confirming this Popiſh poſition by their practiſe contrary to our Homilies, Statutes, Writers) and how extreamely violent hee was againſt ſuch who did by word or deed oppoſe them, hath beene already at large demonſtrated in the premiſes, eſpecially in the caſes of Maſter Sherfield, and Mr. Workman: We ſhall therefore proceed to late authorized Bookes in juſtification of Images, Crucifixes lawfulneſſe and uſe in Churches, or elſewhere.

Biſhop Mountague in his Gagge p. 300. Writes thus of Images; Images have three uſes aſſigned by your Schooles; ſtay there, goe no further, and we charge you not with Idolatry; [Page] Inſtitutionem rudium: comme [...]orationem Hiſtoriae; & excitationem de votionis: you and WEE alſo give unto them. P. 317. Images in his time were much improved, yet not unto Adoration; Honour, Reverence, and reſpect, was given them to bee bookes to the ſimple and ignorant people. Pag. 318. 319. The Pictures of Chriſt, the bleſſed Virgin, and Saints may be made, had in houſes, ſet up in Churches; Reſpect and honour may be given unto them; The Proteſtants doe it, and uſe them for helpes of Piety, in rememoration, and more effectuall repreſenting of the Prototipe: but quatenus? You ſay they must not have Latria, ſo we; you give them Dulia: I quarrell not the terme though I could; there is a respect due to the Picture, ſigne, reſemblance, monument of great men, friends, good men, Saints, Chriſt: If this you call Dulia, we give it too: Let practiſe and doctrine goe together, we agree.

Which he thus proſecutes in his Appeale, pag. 250. Saint Gregories doctrine concerning Images farre from Popery; now had the Church of Rome gone no further in practiſe or precept, then that which Saint Gregory recommendeth, our Church I ſuppoſe [for ſo our Doctrine is] would not blame them, not have departed from them about that point: happily furious ones in our Church would proceed, but they are ſingular Illuminates. Pag. 253. Nor are they utterly and abſolutely unlawfull for any Religious imployment. Our ſtricteſt Writers do not condemn or cenſure St. Gregory for putting upon them that Hiſtoricall uſe of ſuggeſting unto, moving or affecting the minde even in Pious and Religious affections. For inſtance, in remembring more feelingly, and ſo being empaſſioned more effectually with the Death and bloudſhed, and bitter Paſſion of our SAVIOVR, when we ſee that ſtory fully and lively repreſented unto us in colours or work by a skilfull hand. And I know not the man that is made of humane would, but when he readeth in this booke his Tragicall indurance for man, will reflect upon himſelfe, and his owne Soule and Conſcience, with a lively reprehenſion of mans Sin; GODS love CHRIST'S endeared charity, in undergoing theſe unknown ſufferings for our ſake.

Pag. 254. But it hath diſtaſted ſome that respect and honour ſhould bee given unto them: Strange, &c. unleſſe men would have them pulled downe in all places, demoliſhed, ſtamped to pouder. The ſetting of them up ſuffering them to ſtand, uſing them for Ornaments, for helpe of memory, of affection, of rememoration, cannot be abstracted to my underſtanding from reverence and honour ſimply in due kind. P. 257. Give them no Latria and we agree. p. 258. The Church of Eng. condemneth not the Hiſtoricall uſe of Images: The Homily that ſeemes to condemne all making of Images, is to be underſtood with a NOTE. reſtriction, of making them to an unlawfull end. Many paſſages therein were fitted to the preſent times, and the condition of the people that then were, &c.

In his Orig: Eccleſiaſticarum, Pars Poſterior, Londini 1639. pag. 102. hee writes more boldly and plainely, concerning Images in theſe words.

Intuitum enim & Invitationem Imaginum non est cur quiſpiam, ut mihi videtur, improbet, aut condemnet, nos certe non obloquimur, non obmurmuramus. Ping [...]te, ſequemur, ſculpite ſuspicimus, Abrahami ſacrificaturientis Imaginem, Chriſti in Cruce pendentis Paſſionem, Typum illum, hoc complementum [quis negat] nos imitamur in Eccleſiis noſtris, intuemur libenter, & uſurpamus oculis, ex intuitu ad [...] commouemur, & ad deteſtationi conjunctam, [...] de peccatis noſtris in Judaeos vehementius inflamamur, Christi paſſionem tormentis compatimur, & ſimul in memoriam revocamus, non fuiſſe dolorem ſicut dolorem ejus: cujus illa, ut Graeci in ſuis Liturgicis loqunntur [...], vocem illam dolorificam expreſſerunt; Deus meus, Deus meus ut quid me dereliquiſti? Atque hinc ab intuitu isto inuitati, ad Amandum amore nostro, amorem illius excitamur, qui propter amorem noſtri, ut Auguſtinus loquitur, ſemetipſum [...], exinanivit, cum in Plenitudine existens Deitatis, quod habet ſanctus Leo, plenitudinem accepit naturae humanae. Et factus obediens ad mortem, mortem autem Crucis, [...] tantopere [...]: Haec & hujuſmodi nemo noſtrum negat, ſaltem negare nemo poteſt, ex intuitu efficacius ad animum & intimos cordium affectus deſcendere: eoque magis commendantur, in uſu poſita quotidiana, quo, tardiores cum ſimus, ad haec magnalia Dei recolenda pluribus indigemus & efficaciſſimis adjumentis.

Ibid, p. 104. 105. He proceeds thus. Chriſtianis licet fabricare omne genus Imaginum, & ſimulachrorum; Spiritum ſanctum ſub ſpecie linguae diſpertitae; in figura Columbae depingi, potuiſſe; de mente Patrum: Chriſtum quoque hominem vel in Agni [...] &c. tam certo liquet, quam ſolem meridie lucere. Dei autem Patris [...] fingi poſſit Image, non perinde liquet, cum non nulli velint, nuſquam illum ſub ulla fig [...]ra apparuiſſe [Page] apud ſaeculum prius: quod ab alijs tamen contra aſſeritur, ut veroſimilit erè Daniele: ubi Antiquus diorum, & Edius hominis deſtincti commemorantur: antur: Civilem autem uſum, as moralem ſtatno ad intuitum, ac Iavitationem. Succeſſerunt tempora cum frequentius in Templis locaremur: ſed tantum ad intuitum & invitationem. Tempora illa laudamus & imitamur. Permittimus Sanctorum Imagines quicun (que)eas formare voluerit, tam in Eccleſia quam extra, propter amorem Dei & Sanctorum ejus; adorare prohibemus frangere vel deſtruere eas non permittimus: haec illi, ITAET NOS: And p. 103. Si quis Sancts alicujus expreſſam Imaginem, beatae puta Virginis, Petri, Pauli dedecore afficiat, illum ego [...] optaverim, ac ſuae impudentia, ac temeritatis paenas dare, quod OPTIMONOS EXEMPLO aliquoties vidimus in Puritanos quoſdam animadverſum. Hee proceeds thus, Pag. 174. Sub pretextit reformata pretatis Deum, Eccleſiam, pietatem, per nefandiſſima ſacrilegia everſis ub [...]cunque Monaſterijs, Templis, Sacrarijs, & redactes in fiſcum maximis reditibus emunxerunt conſtanter religoſi Nebulones, &c. And in his Antidiatrib: Pag. 24. 27. 30. Haeretici nequaquam a te cenſeri debemus [...], aſſeramus enim diligenter & cum cura Petri, Pauli, beatae Virginis, Sanctorum aliorum innumeras imagines, praeſertim vero Ieſu Chriſts Redemptoris Crucifixi, etiam in Templorum criptis & lararijs, in perietibus & feneſtris, quas tamen non a loramus. Tantummodo taxamus in imaginibus [...], uſum & utilitatem non ſollicitamus ullo pacto: Christiani omnes adoramus Chriſtum Imagine & Simulacro. An verò ad intuitum & Invitationem constituerentur in lccis Sacris, & Sacratis conventibus destinatis, ſunt qui negant ex Origine, Arnobio, Minutio Faelice, ſed non perſuadent.

Sir Tho. Ridley in his View of the Civill Law, printed at Oxf. with Annotations, 1634 p. 52. and 192. Hath theſe paſſages added in the Margin concerning the erecting of Crucifixes in Churches, That which followeth in the Euchologe diſcovereth the forme & manner of ſetting up the Crucifix which the Law called [...]. Then the Crucifix muſt bee ſent to the place where the Church is to be erected, and there the Biſhop by whom it is conveied ſaith the forenamed ſervice, and when he maketh the Conſecration, the Croſſe muſt be ſet up behinde the holy Altar, &c.

Doctor John Pocklington in his Altare Chriſtianum, licenſed by the Archbiſhops Chaplaine by his owne ſpeciall direction, hath theſe paſſages, juſtifying the placing of Crucifixes upon the Altar, and againſt demoliſhing Images, pag. 143. The Croſſe of Chriſt alwayes uſed to ſtand upon the Altar. Chriſtians had no other Images in their Churches, Preter quam Crucis ſignum ſuper Aram, ad Ortentem verſum; erigerent ut mentem oculoſ (que) in caelum, ubi Pater eſt omnium expinſis manibus: but only the Croſſe of Chriſt wch ſtood upon the Altar. And it is not alſo ſaid, that the Altar which ſtood in former Princes times continued in Q. Elizabeths Chapell with the Croſſe upon it?

Pag. 87. Beſides the Altar ſo furniſhed, there are to be ſeene, many goodly Pictures, which cannot but ſtrike the beholders with thoughts of Piety and devotion at their entrance into ſo holy a place; as the Picture of the Paſſion, and likewiſe of the holy Apoſtles, together with a faire Crucifix, and our bleſſed Lady and St. Iohn, ſet up in painted Glaſſe in the Eaſt Window, juſt over the holy Table or ſacred Altar: ſo that I muſt needs ſay as I think all good men beſides will, that who ſo lives in his Lordſhips Dioceſſe muſt be condemned of great impiety that wil deſert his Lord and not follow him uſque ad Aras, Pag. 139. The Magiſtrate may proceed againſt Delinquents that Violate the Lords Table ſtanding Altarwiſe, or breake or deface the Picture of Chriſt, or of the Saints in Church-Windowes or Croſſes, and the like, upon the Statute, if any ſhould ſo offend (which God forbid.)

I ſhall cloſe up this with Francis Sales, his Introduction to a devout life; where he intimates to us what uſe we ought to make of Pictures and Crucifixes, P. 158. Sometimes kiſſe reverently his bleſſed Image, and ſay unto him, theſe words of Jacob, I will not leave thee, untill thou give me thy bleſſing, Pag. 159. Stirre up thy heart with corporall geſtures of outward devotion and proſtrating thy ſelfe upon the ground, laying thy Armes a Croſſe before thy brest, Imbracing his Image, &c.

8. That the Pope, or Papacy is not Anti-Chriſt, nor Anti-Chriſt yet come.

BIſhop Mountague in his Appello Caeſarem determines thus, Page 140. 141. That hee (the Pope) is Magnus ille Antichriſtus, is neither determined by the publique [Page] Doctrine of the Church, nor proceed by any good Argument of private men. I profeſſe ingeniouſly, I am not of opinion that the Biſhop of Rome perſonally is that Anti-chriſt, nor yet the Biſhops of Rome ſucceſſively are that Anti-chriſt.

Doctor Heylyn in his Moderat anſwer to Henry Burton thus ſeconds him page 126. The Pope not Antichriſt, for any thing reſolved by the Church of England, Page 127. 128. 129. You tell us that by the Doctrine of our Church in the Homilies and elſe where it is reſolved, that the Pope is Antichriſt: Your elſewhere, I am ſure is no where. Saint Iohn hath given it for a Rule, that every ſpirit that confeſſeth not that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, is not of God, but is that ſpirit of Antichriſt, whereof you have heard, &c. So that unleſſe you can make it good, as I thinke you cannot, that the Pope of Rome confeſſeth not that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, you have no reaſon to conclude that hee is Antichriſt.

Chriſtopher Dowe, in his Jnnovations unjuſtly charged, writes thus, Page 53. To the third, That the Pope is not Antichriſt: I anſwere, that though many of the learned of our Church (eſpecially at the beginning of our Reformation, when the greateſt heat was ſtricken betweene us and Rome) have affirmed the Pope to be Antichriſt, and his whole Religion to be Antichriſtian, and that ſome Bookes exceeding the bounds of Moderation in this point have paſſed a broad, & that with the licenſe of Authority, yet to them that calmely and ſeriouſly conſider it, it may not without good reaſon be diſputed as doubtfull, whether the Popes or any of them in his Perſon; or the Papall Hierarchy, be that great Antichriſt which is ſo much ſpoken of.

Robert Shelford in his five Treatiſes reſolves thus, Page 284. That Rome at this day is not the Beaſt is manifeſt, becauſe the Pope there now ſheddeth no bloud, Page 293. That the Pope is not to beheld for Antichriſt, I prove from Saint Iohns deſcription. Who ſoever is not of Antichriſts ſpirit, cannot bee Anti-chriſt, But the Pope is not of Anti-Chriſts Spirit, therefore he cannot bee Anti-Chriſt, Page. 297. The Church hitherto hath neither declared the Pope nor any other to be the great Antichriſt. Therefore as yet he is to come: 299. And were there no other Argument to free the Pope from being the Antichriſt among the Fathers, this is ſufficient, for that he maintaineth Images. Yea the very ſubject matter of his largeſt Treatiſe is this, and thus intituled. That the Pope is not Antichriſt, and that Antichriſt is not yet come. One of his Bookes of this Subject he preſented to the Archhiſhop, who received, yea reſerved it in his Study, without check or contradiction; and was ſo farre from diſliking this Opinion, that he gave ſpeciall Command to purge all paſſages out of old and new printed Bookes, which either directly J tearmed or intimated the Pope to be Antichriſt, or that man of ſinne, and repealed the Articles of Reland, for defining him to be ſo, as we ſhall hereafter manifeſt.

9. That there is a Purgatory, and Limbus Patrum.

CHriſts Epiſtle to a Devout Soule, P. 130. But when thou art come to perfection, and prayeſt, lying proſtrate at the feete of my Majeſty, thou ſhalt deſire to ſatisfie my Juſtice with that ſmall ability which reſteth in thee, and ſhalt offer thy ſelfe for my Glory unto PVRGATORY, and to ſuffer for the fulfilling of my will, whatſoever it ſhall be my will to lay upon thee, and the fulfilling of my will, ſhall pleaſe thee more then the eſcape of Pudgatory.

Mountague his Gagge Page 176. They Quarter out Hell into foure Regions Hell of the damned, Purgatory, Limbus Jnfantum; et Limbus Patrum, This diviſion, be it granted them, page 278. Gods Kingdome is not ſo narrowed, but that he might well have more places then one, Recepracles, Repoſitories, reſting places for the Righteous. Which he thus proſecutes in his Appeale, page 236. Heaven ſo ſpatious, extended, ſo capations, is not, nor hath beene ſo narrowed in, wherewith that there [Page] cannot be divers Deſignations, Regions, Habitations, Manſions, or Quarterings there page 237. They (the Fathers) were not in Hell, but as they were not there, ſo were they not likewiſe in Heaven, ſtrictly taken for the third Heaven that receptacle of the Righteous now together with the glorified body of our Saviour, page 238. For that place was not then ſtantibus ac tunc fitting or accruing to them, ſuch a Royall habitation the None-ſuch of God, did not befit their then inferior ſtates and conditions.

And in his Appar. P. 476. Communem eſſe Patrum ſententiam aliorum (que) doctiſſimorum Scriptorum noſtrae aetatis et Confeſſions, ſanctorum aminas ante Chriſti reſurrectionem non fuiſſe in Caelo. Hieronimi teſtimoniae ſunt innumera, ante adventum Chriſtiomnes and inferos ducebanturunde Jacob ad inferos diſcenſurum ſe dicit; et Evangelium docet magnum Chaos interpoſitum apud inferos: Nota quoque ut Samuelem verè quoque in inferno fuiſſe credas et ante adventum Chriſti quamvis ſanctos infernt lege detentos, locum eſſe ait qui lacus vocatur, et abiſſus, in qua non erant aquae; in qua animae recluduntur, ſive ad paenas P. 135. Obijciunt, nullus tertius locus indicatur in Scriptura preter infernum dimnatorum et Caelum: Reſp. Licet non indicaretur in ſcripturis alium eſſe locum tertium, non tamen inde ſequeretur non fuiſſe tertium, quia multa ſunt quae non indican tur in ſcripturis.

Many other paſſages of like nature might be added, but theſe ſhall ſuffer.

10. That there are Canonicall houres of Prayer, which ought to be obſerved

THis is the ſubject matter of Doctor Cozens his privat Devotions, or HOWERS OF PRAYER printed three or foure ſeveral times one after another, & digeſted into Canonicall houres; the practiſe whereof he not only there pleaded for, but [...] wiſe afterwards introduced in Peter Houſe in the Vniverſity of Cambridge [...] mong other his Popiſh Innovaſions) as was atteſted upon Oath by Mr. [...] and others.

The Archbiſhops owne private Manuſcript Devotions under his owne [...] ſeiſed by Mr. Prynne in his Chamber at the Tower, were all digeſted into Canonicall houers, in Imitation of the Houres of our Lady and other Popiſh Treatiſes of Devotion, as was manifeſted by the Booke it ſelfe, from Page 1. to 75.

Doctor William Watts, in his Mortification Apoſtolicall, printed at London, 1637. Page 47. thus Juſtifies the uſe of Canonicall houres. For this purpoſe the night was devided into Canonicall houers, or certaine times of riſing, to Prayers: At midnight will I ariſe to give thankes unto the, ſaid the man after Gods owne heart. Mark here that he praiſed not God lying, but uſed to riſe and doe it, at other houers the Saints may ſing a loud upon their Beds, and the ſpouſe may ſeeke her Chriſt in the Bed by night, but when a Canonicall houer comes (of which midnight was one) David will riſe to his devotions: thus did the Apoſtles 100. At midnight Paule and Sylas prayed and ſung praiſes unto God, The morning watch was another Canonicall houer, and this David was ſo carefull to obſerve, that he oft times waked before it, &c.

11. That men have Free-will in Actions of Pietie.

BIſhop Mountague in his Gagge determines thus, Page 109. Man hath freewill in Actions of Pietie, and ſuch as belong unto his ſalvation. For the concurrence of grace aſſiſting with freewill: The correſpondency of freewill with Preſcience, Providence and predeſtination, is much debated in your owne Schooles, Page 116. Our concluſion and yours is beth one, we cannot deny freedome of will; which who ſo doth, is no Cathelique no nor Proteſtant. Which he thus ſeconds in his Appeale, Page 75. 76. The Queſtion of [Page] freewill is a point of very great obſcurity, fitting rather Schooles then popular eares, or auditories, if not, what meane thoſe many diviſions amongſt men touching freewill, the nature, ſtate, Condition of it ſince Adams fall, the Concurrence and Cooperation thereof with Grace, Page 99. There is freewill, Man prevented by grace, aſſiſted putteth to his hand to procure Augmentation of that Grace, as alſo continuance unto the end in that grace, Page 95. Thus having with as great diligence as I could examined this Queſtion, inter parts, of freewill, I doe ingeniouſly confeſſe, that I cannot finde any ſuch materiall difference betweene the Pontificians, at leaſt of better temper and our Church. So he.

Shelford in his five Treatiſes Page 203. writes thus. The order for freewill, is for man; to which becauſe it is the Higheſt, God added his ſpeciall grace, And by this man travelleth, either to his home of happineſſe, or to his home of heavineſſe. He proceeds thus. Page 211. Herein ſtands his liberty and freedome to doe what he can, and will what he will in the way of Grace and goodneſſe, wherein God will ayd him to go beyond himſelfe, pag. 105. O bleſſed Charity if thou haſt this roote in thee, thou ſhalt comprehend this bredth and length, heigh and depth, and thou ſhalt with theſe holy Saints ſay, If I had beene in their Coates or had their occaſions, I would have done as they did.

I ſhall conclude with Index Biblicus, printed at London. 1640. Liberum arbitrium etiam post lapſus in homini manſit, &c.

12. That we are juſtified before God by Charity and good workers not by faith alone.

SHelford in his 5. Treatiſies, pag. 109. reſolves thus, The fulfilling of the Law juſtifieth: but Charity is the fulfilling of the Law, Ergo it juſtifieth: Where the Aboſtle preferreth Charity to juſtifying faith, he compareth them in the moſt excellentway, and it is moſt manifeſt, that the moſt exeellent way is in the way of our juſtification pag 120. Bona opera ſunt efficienter neceſſaria ad ſalutem.

Gredere Iustitia eſt omnis et una ſalus.

At non ſit olim tam malis ſemita nunquam.

Heroum laſſos duxitad aſtra gradus.

Sed labor et virtus.

Chriſtopher Dowe, in his Innovations unjuſtly charged, pag. 124. We muſt put all that we can, we muſt not fly to naked imputation, not by faith only, &c. pag. 127. Fr. 4 Sancta Clara, that good workes are effectively neceſſary to ſalvation, which poſition was intended and maintained in oppoſition to the Enemies of good workes, of whom ſome deny their neceſſity, others allowing their preſence as requiſite, deny that they conduce any thing to the furtherance of ſalvation.

Sancta Clara, his Deus, Natura, Gratia pag. 158. Hic pax facillime ineunda; ſic etiam D. Montacutius articulum be fide recte explicat, pag. 159. Ecce igitur plane & plene convenimus: Doctiores Proteſtantes tribuunt juſtificationem noſtram habitui justi [...]ae non ergo fidei Jmmo haec noſtra poſitio ſolemniter Cantahrigiae in Com tijs anniverſarijs pro actu doctor ali hoc anno currente menſe Iulio agitata eſt, pag. 181. Sanè nulla hodie reperi etur differentia in Confeſsione Anglica, & ſanctiſsima Confeſſione Trid. nihil in Articulis Hamptoni enſibus in oppoſitum ordinatur, ut patet Art. 9. de Iuſtificatione iunde Montacutius in ſuo Appello, Caeſar [...]m Cap. 6. expreſſe probat, Doctrinam noſtra [...]ſaltem ſecundum gradum hujus latitudinis, ab ipſis teneri, &c.

13. That there are Merits, workes of Supererogation, and Evangelicall Councells.

BIſhop Mountague his Gagge pag. 153 Good workes therefore ſaid to be meritorious are ſoon underſtood to be ex cord [...]gno: which that a worke may ſo he theſe [Page] conditions are required, That it bee morally good, freely wrought by man in this life, in the ſtate of Grace and friendſhip with God, which hath annexed Gods promiſe of reward: all which conditions I cannot conceive that any Proteſtant doth deny unto good workes.

Which he thus backes in his Appeale, pag. 203. The ſence of the word, which was but to procure, to incurre, to purchaſe, major eſt mea iniquitas quam ut veniam Merear, than that I may purchaſe or procure pardon, pag. 214. Touching Evangelicall Councells, I know no doctrine of our Church againſt them, pag. 215. So I ſay ſtill I know none: I doe believe there are and ever were Evangelicall Councells, ſuch as Saint Paul mentioneth in his Concilium autem do: ſuch as our Saviour poinred at, and directed unto in his. Qui poteſt capere capiat, ſuch as a man may doe or not doe without guilt of ſinne or breach of Law.

Shelfords five Treatiſes, pag. 120. Virtutum ſancta & ſpecioſa caterva ſalutem: Divino ex pacto, quam meruêre, dabunt, p. 130. And to this belong the Councells of the Goſpell which goe beyond the precepts of the Law, of which Saint Chryſoſt. ſpeakes, &c. CHRIST commanded nothing impoſſible inſomuch that many goe beyond the very Commandements, who ever did this: he forth with anſwers? Saint Paul, Saint Peter, even all the quire of Saints. Laſtly as Chriſts ſpirit and grace gives ſuch power to goe beyond the precepts, &c. pag. 189. By his Councells which goe beyond his precepts, (becauſe God hath given man free will to doe what hee can in the ſtate of Grace for the ſtate of Glory) he ſhewes him ſome exceeding meanes to grow to this lifes perfection and to improve the common reward of glory for the next life; as, ſell that thou haſt, &c. Theſe are Gods Councells, which of the Primitive Church were put in practiſe, but in our times they are put off with a non placet, pag. 146. Object. The very beſt workes of the Saints are uncleane impure menſtruous and mortall ſinnes, therefore it is impoſſible for any man to keepe the Law. Anſ. They that ſay ſo cannot be excuſed from extreame blaſphemie.

Francis Sales, pag. 7. 8. Devotion then provoketh us to doe with joy and delight all manner of good workes, although they bee not in any ſort commanded by Gods Law, but onely commended unto our free will, by his Councells and holy inſpirations, Pag. 375. Thy poverty (Philotheus) hath two great priviledges, by which ſhee can make thee rich in merits and deſerts.

14. That the Law is poſsible to be fulfilled, and Perfection attainable in this life.

SHelford Pag. 141. A Treatiſe ſhewing that Gods Law now qualified by the Goſſpell of Chriſt, is poſſible, and ought to be fulfilled by us in this life. p. 122. That there is a fulfilling of Gods Law in this life, Iames 2. 10. whoſoever ſhall keepe the whole Law, &c. here therefore is a generall and abſolute fulfilling ſpoken of p. 127. Chriſt hath merited that the righteouſneſſe of the Law ſhould bee fulfilled in us: therefore the Law is not impoſſible to be fulfilled for us, pag. 130. Chriſts ſpirit and grace gives power to goe beyond the precepts, pag. 139. If God ſhould command things impoſſible, he ſhould be more cruell then a Tyrant, pag. 147. The unregenerate cannot poſſibly fulfill the Law, pag. 149. But Gods Sonnes and ſervants are able to fulfill it, p. 189. By his Councells which goe beyond his precepts, he ſhewes him ſome exceeding meanes to grow to this lifes perfection.

Chriſts Epistle to a devout Soule, pag. 240. A Rule for ſuch as labour to attaine to Perfection, &c.

Francis Sales His Introduction to a devout Life, pag. 19. There are many degrees and exerciſes of devotion which eaſily lead ſecular perſons to Perfection, St. Lydia and Saint Chrispin were perfectly devoute in their open ſhops, &c. pag. 334. Charitie only placeth us in the hight of Perfection.

15. That there are Veniall ſinnes.

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CHriſts Epiſtle to a Devout Soule, p. 57. Although in this conflict there are many veniall ſins wont to be committed. That paine which is endured by reſiſting of mortall ſinnes doth take away all that paine which the Veniall ſinnes doe deſerve.

Pag. 32. Veniall ſinnes doe not take from us the life of Grace.

Francis Sales in His Introduction to a Devout life, writes in this manner.

Pag. 110. That we muſt purifie our ſelves from affections to Veniall ſins. Thou ſhalt diſcover in thy ſelfe, that beſides mortall ſins, from which by the fore-mentioned exerciſes thou haſt beene purged, there remaine yet in thy ſoule diverſe inclinations and affections to Veniall ſinnes.

Pag. 111. Wee can never be free from Veniall ſinnes in this life: I ſay then that one muſt purge his ſoule from all the affections and inclinations that hee feeles to Veniall ſinnes.

Pag. 112. A Veniall ſinne be it never ſo little diſpleaſeth God, though not ſo hainouſly that he will damne us, or caſt us away for ever for the ſame.

Pag. 114. Veniall ſins kill not our ſoules, but yet mar the hony of our devotion.

It is no haynous ſinne (my Philotheus) to tell ſome little lie in paſtime, to exceed ſomewhat in needleſſe talke, in careleſſe lookes, &c.

Pag. 119. Certaine Inclinations are not properly ſinnes neither mortall nor Veniall, but only imperfections.

Pag. 214. Thinke it not enough to confeſſe thy Veniall ſinnes.

Pag. 227. To communicate every 8. dayes it is requiſite, neither to bee guilty of mortall ſinnes, not any affection to Veniall.

Shelfords five Treatiſes, p. 130. Laſtly, A [...] Chriſts Spirit and Grace gives power to goe beyond the precepts, ſo it is not incongruent that it ſhould ſo molifie ſinnes in his members, as to make them Veniall and not killing.

Sparrowes Sermon of Confeſſion. All our ſinnes therefore muſt bee confeſſed; Omnia Venialia, omnia mortalia, ſo ſay the Caſuiſts.

16: That Reliques of Saints are to be preſerved and reverenced,

BIſhop Mountague, Orig: Eccleſiaſt: Pars prior. Pag. 39. De qua re, quid nos Angle ſentiamus breviter exponemus. Nos Martyres, &c. qu memorias ipſorum anniverſartas in orbem redeuntes in Sancto Stephano, Proto-Martyre honoramus, eorum [...] exoſculamur [...], &c. Reliquias ipſorum, lipſana, cimaelia, depoſita, ſi quae ſint, quaead noſtram notitiam pervenerint: Si quae nanciſci poterimus genuiua, non fucata, libenter ſuſcipimus, & veneratione ſua debita, congrua honeramus. Imprimis autem de Martyribus, ubi non conſtat veritas, diſquiſitionem cenſemus inſtituendam.

Pag. 40. Repraeſenta mihi faſe as illas Seruatoris; D [...]ce certiſſimo illas ipſas etiam, numextare, quibus Infans ſacratiſſimus involvebatur: Ego, quod ad me attin [...]t, libens merito cum ſumm [...] gandio, gratulatione, reverentia [...] accurram, ſuſcipiam, & ultra omnia, quae vocant Barbari Jocalia, Cimelia, lapides precioſos, aurum, aſtima [...]. And in his Antidiatr p. 17. Oſſa Sanctorum, Cineres, Reliquias vaſe aureo velamine precioſo convolvebant. Ego certè cum Conſtantino illas reliquias faſcijs involvam, auro includam circumge ſtandas, admovebo labijs, ac collo ſuspenſos manibus oculiſ (que) crebrò uſurpatat intuebor, vel in apothecas condam & recludam inter preciociſſima cemelia cenſendas.

17. That vowed Poverty, Virginity, a Monaſticall life, and Monaſteries, are lawfull, uſefull: Popiſh Votaries, Saints, Orders to be imitated, applauded.

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CHriſts Epiſtle to a Devout ſoule, p. 86. 87. 88. 89. brings in Chriſt thus ſpeaking to Chriſtians: I Was driven into baniſhment, brought up by the labour of my mother, and fed by Almes at other Folkes coſt, having neither houſe nor lodging of mine owne: withered often in the mountaines: how was I ſpoiled of all my garments at the time of my paſſion? &c. Looke therefore upon my poverty and leave to be ſad, why art thou not grieved like a good Emulatreſſe if thou ſee any man poorer then thy ſelfe (as Saint Francis was;) if thou perceiveſt any man more agreeable to my life and poverty then thy ſelfe: this indeed ſhould bee a kinde of emulation. Embrace with mee the croſſe of Poverty, &c. Determine therefore now, and make a firme reſolution from the bottome of thy heart, to contemne all things for the love of mee, and be unwilling to poſſeſſe any thing but even ſuch as of neceſſity thou art inforced to uſe, delighting in all Poverty, contempt and penury, that thou maiſt be worthy to enjoy mee.

Francis Sales, His Introduction to a devout life, page 19. True it is that the Devotion altogether contemplative, Monaſticall, and Religious, cannot be exerciſed in theſe Vocations (of Artificers, &c.) yet are there many other degrees of devotions.

Page 200. The ſolitarines of Saint Paul the firſt Hermit, is imitated in ſome ſort by the ſpirituall retreates of which we have ſpoken, and the extreame poverty of St. Francis, may be imitated by thoſe practiſes and exerciſes of ſpirituall poverty which we will hereafter ſet downe.

Page 354 Charity only placeth us in the heigth of perfection, but Obedience, Chaſtity, and Poverty are excellent Inſtruments to attaine unto it. I will not ſay any thing of theſe three vertues, as they are vowed ſolemnly, for ſo they appertaine to Religious perſons.

Page 335. When they are vowed ſolemnely, they place a man in the way and ſtate of perfection.

Henry Stafford his Female Glory page 23. Let us then imagine that this holy Recluiſe confined her body to this ſacred ſolitude, &c.

Page 28. The bonds of her Matrimony were askt in heaven, and no impediment found why ſhee might not wed God himſelfe; yet at the earneſt ſolicitation of the Reverend Prieſts, ſaith Mantuan, ſhe was content to bee betrothed to Joſeph, not that he ſhould doe the Office of an Husband, but ſerve as a barre to the importuninity of other ſuitors, that ſo ſhe might the more freely enjoy the inconceivable pleaſure ſhe tooke in her Vowed Virginity.

Page 148. You who have vowed Virginity Mentall and Corporall, you ſhall not only have ingreſſe here, but welcome: Approach with comfort and kneele downe before the grand white Immaculate Abbeſſe of your ſnowey Nunneries.

Page 235. My Arithmeticke will not ſerve mee to number all thoſe who have regiſtred their names in the ſodality of the Roſary of this our bleſſed Lady, &c. All which are Canonized for Saints.

Biſhop Mount Orig. page 303. Quantum detrimenti Regijs acceſſerit vectigali. busper illam deſolationem Monaſterijs invectam per importunum Henrici Octavi rigorem & per Parliamentarias Impropriationes? &c.

Page 382. Ejuſmodi vitae genere Ioannem jeciſſe fundamenta Monaſticae vitae hoc eſt Anacoreticae, et Aſcetica, cum illuſtriſsimo Baronio non abnuerim, &c.

18. That there are written Traditions, which we muſt obſerve, and are of equall Authority with the word.

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BIſhop Mountague in his Gagge page. 30. There are Traditions written and unwritten, you meane not here Traditions written I know it, no more doe wee.

Page 31. Traditions inſtituted by our Saviour even in points of beleife and Faith have divine Authority, as his written word hath. Traditions derived from the Apoſtles, have equall authority with their preachings and their writings, Traditions of the Church have ſuch authority, as the Church hath, all binde and oblige as they were intended, and as their extent is. For they muſt be conſidered not only from the Author, but from the end: ſome were intended to be permanent, others only to be tranſient for a time only, or elſe for ever: ſome Vniverſall, ſome onely Partiall: for the Catholike or elſe a private Church: ſuch variety and difference is in Traditions.

We do grant it in every kinde that either there are or have beene Traditions of Chriſt, his Apoſtles, the Church privat men.

Pag. 37. Quae univerſa tenet Eccleſia, ab Apoſtolis praecepta benè traduntur, quanquam ſcripta non reperiantur, ſaid Saint Auguſtine, and I ſubſcribe unto it. Omni modo bind they unto Obedience ſo long, in ſuch ſort, ſo farre forth as the Authors did intend, till the ſame Authority diſavow them which gave unto them being at the firſt. In the 34. Articie to this purpoſe, we read of and concerning Eccleſiaſticall Traditions.

Loe Traditions not only avowed but maintained.

‘Page 41. No Proteſtant living in his right wit will deny this, that the Apoſtles ſpake much more then is written. Therefore the Traditions of the Apoſtles and of the Church is without all queſtion of good credit and eſteeme, and ſo much we profeſſe, Art. 34.’ I grant, it hath diſpleaſed ſome which is ſaid

‘It is Tradition which avoweth it, ſeeke no further. I ſee no reaſon why any ſhould be diſpleaſed therewith.’

Doctor Pocklintons Altare Christianum, Page 48. None of all theſe Heretikes can derive their ſucceſſion from the Apoſtles, nor ſhew how their Doctrines were received by Tradition from them.

Page 49. According to Apoſtolicall Tradition.

Page 50. Thoſe that deprive us of the benefit of this Apoſtolicall Tradition.

Page 180. Traditions of holy Church, of abſolute Authority.

The Archbiſhop himſelfe in his Reply to Fiſher, determines thus page 44. Some Traditions I deny not true, and firme and of great both Authority and uſe in the Church as being Apoſtolicall.

Doctor Heylins Antid. Lincolnienſe page 86. Sect. 2. ‘Many things came into our mind by a ſucceſſionall Tradition, for which we cannot find an expreſſe command, which yet we ought to entertaine, ex vi Catholicae conſuetudinis, of which Traditions there are many which ſtill retaine their force among us in England. This Church (the Lord bethanked for it) hath ſtood more firme for Apoſtolicall Traditions, then any other whatſoever of the Reformation.’

19. That Ave Maries are to be now ſaid to the Virgin Mary: That ſhee and other Saints; and our Angells Gardians are to be invoked and prayed to, as our Patrons; Popiſh Saints to be imitated: and the Virgin Mary, extolled, deiſied, by Proteſtants as ſhe is by Papiſts.

CHriſts Epiſtle to a devout Soule, Page 237. Say with the ſame intention, the prayer at leaſt which I taught my Diſciples, and the Salutation of the Angell, to [Page] my bleſſed Mother; and offer me up to my Father in thy heart, and with me all thoſe good workes which I and my ſervants either do or have done for thee, and the vniverſall Church, pag. 252. Doe not omit every night to intreat my glorious Mother to pray unto me to pardon thee (at her requeſt) all ſuch negligences as thou haſt ignorantly committed, and which thou doſt not remember: She hath performed the office of a tender Mother NOTE. to mee, I have received nouriſhment from her bleſſed Duggs, and therefore I cannot nor will not (my love to Her is ſo great) deny any Petition that ſhe preſents: and therefore entreat me daily by her interceſſion for the amendment of thy life, perſeverance in vertue and obtaining of my grace, pag. 253. Thou ſhalt further intreat me by her Interceſſion, that the worſhiping and honouring of me may be daily amplified, inlarged, augmented and increaſed, either by this rule and inſtruction which I have now preſcribed and commended to thee, or by what other meanes ſoever that ſhall ſeeme beſt unto thee, p. 262. By the compaſſion of thy Mother &c. What can be more Popiſh then this?

Francis Sales in his Introduction to a devout life, writes thus page 19. Saint Lydia and Saint Chriſpian were perfectly devout in their open ſhopps; Saint Anne, Saint Martha, Saint Monicha amongſt their families, &c. page 89. Thou being placed upon thy knees before thy good Angell, Conſider, that God deſireth thou wouldſt make choiſe of Paradice, and thy good Angell alſo urgeth expreſly thee with all his power, offering thee on Gods behalfe a thouſand ſuccours, page 91. In like manner accept the favours which all the bleſſed Saints preſent unto thee; promiſe them that thou wilt make towards them, and give thy hand to the good Angell that he may guide thee thither, and encourage thy ſoule to make this choyce, page 97. O ſacred Virgin and all you bleſſed Saints of Heaven, I chuſe you for my guides and Patrons, I render my ſelfe under your colours. O my Guide and Gardian in heaven unite me unto this glorious and ſacred aſſembly: Page 194. We muſt pray for the whole Church NOTE. of God, employing and imploring to that end the interceſsion of our bleſſed Lady, Page 165. O Father of Goodneſſe, &c. Then think upon our bleſſed Lady, upon the good Angells and the Saints that are gone before thee, to the end that thou maiſt inſiſt in their ſteps, and be partaker of their happy interceſsions: page 197. The holy Soules of the Saints in Heaven, in company of the bleſſed Angells, they likewiſe doe good Oſhces and helpe to aſſiſtus by their ſacred interceſſion. Honour, Reverence and reſpect the ſacred and glorious Virgin Mary with an eſpeciall Love: ſhe is the Mother NOTE. of our Soveraigne Lord and heavenly Father Chriſt Ieſus, and conſequently our Grand-Mother. page 198. Chuſe ſome particular Saints amongſt the reſt whoſe lives thou maiſt more particularly read, taſt and imitate, page 200. Read alſo the lives of the Saints in which as in a mirror, thou maiſt ſee the pon [...]traiture of Chriſtian perfectiſon. The ſolitarineſſe of Saint Paul, the firſt Hermit, is imitated in ſome ſorts, by the ſpirituall retreates of which we have ſpoken; and the extreme poverty of Saint Francis may be imitated, &c. There be ſome Saints which more directly ſerve to guide and order our lives then others doe; as that of Saint Gregory our Apoſtle of England, as the life of the bleſſed Martyer Tereſſa, the lives of Saint Thomas of Aquine, Saint Francis, Saint Benuet, and ſuch like, page 201. Other Saints lives there are which containe more matter of admiration then of imitation, as the life of Saint Mary of Egypt, of Saint Simeon Stilites, of the two St. Katherins of Sienna and of Genua, and Saint Angla, and which never the leſſe do miniſter unto us great occaſions to taſt the ſweetneſſe of the love of God.

Biſhop Mountague his Amid. page 20. Non abnuerim, Sanctos eſſe Orationis & Interceſſionis (ut loqui ſoletis) Mediatores, ſed univerſim univerſos praecibus ſuis apud Deum interveniunt, & orationibus mediantur, page 22. Meminerunt amicorum ſuorum et rerum a ſi quondam in terris geſtarum quocirca ad Chriſtum in caelo recollecti, poterint de viae ordinaria per Jeſum Chriſtum apud deum Patrem amicos familiares [...] praecibus commendare, et adjuvare. Which hee thus further proſecutes in his Gagge, page 203. Now the caſe of Angell keepers in point of advocation and invocation is much different from other Angells, not Guardians; as being continually attendant, always at hand though inviſible, and therefore though we might ſay; Sancte Angele Cuſtes Ora pro me, it followeth not, we may ſay Sancte Gabriell ora pro m [...], page 207. [Page] Angels are to bee beſeeched who are deputed our Gardians, therefore not all Angells but onely Guardian, Page 214. The Saints pray for us in particular, ſome particular Saint for ſome particular man, in ſome ſpeciall caſe, ſome time. And to come more particularly to it. The queſtion is not, whether Saints departed doe pray unto God that is confeſſed on both ſides, &c.

Anthony Stafford in his Femall Glory, (in the Front whereof there is the Picture of the Virgin Mary encompaſſed with a Glory holding Chriſt a little Infant in her Armes) thus extolls, nay juſtifies the Invocation of the Virgin, and ſaying Aves to her, Med: Poetica. Ave Maria. Tu gaudi verbum peperiſti, & dicit Avete Omnibus: atque omnis terra revibrat Ave. He proceedes thus in the Reverſe. The Houſe of Gold, the gate of heavens power, great Queene of Queenes moſt milde, moſt meeke, moſt wiſe, moſt venerable, cauſe of all our joy, &c. In the Panegyrick of her he addes, To whom doe bow—The Soules of all the juſt, whoſe place is next to God.

Pag. 2. 3. He ſtiles her. Moſt Excellent Princeſſe; The Virgin Mother of God: Empreſſe of the lower world: The alone faire, the alone lovely, P. 32. Glorious Empreſſe Pag. 21. White ſpotleſſe Soule, illuminated with Revelations by the divine Object of her chaſt vowes. Pag. 150. Womans deareſt Miſtreſſe. Pag. 197. Our ſweeteſt Lady. P. 158. In all things the very figure and reſemblance of Sanctity it ſelfe, P. 148. 149. he thus approves of Nunneries, and prayers on Beads to the Virgin, before her Image with Chriſt in her Armes. You who have lived ſpirituall Amouriſts, whoſe ſpirits have triumphed over the fleſh, on whoſe cheekes ſolitude, prayers, faſts, and auſterity have left an amiable pale: you who ply your ſacred Arithmeticke, and have thoughts cold and cleare as the Chriſtall Beads you pray by: you who have voud Virginitie mentall, and corporall, you ſhall not only have ingreſſe here, but welcome. Approach with comfort, and kneele downe before the Grand Immaculate Abbeſſe of your Snowy Nunneries, and preſent the all-ſaving Babe in her Armes with due veneration. ‘Never thinke more of the Faecunditie of Wedlocke, ſince you ſee here that God himſelfe is the fruit of Virginity. P. 153, 154. He thus commends the burning of Tapers, and ſaying Maſſes on Candlemaſſe day, in honour of the Virgin Mary: This day is called Candlemaſſe, as much to ſay, the day of lights, on which (while Maſſe was ſinging) very many Tapers were burning in the Church. Innocentius thus propounds and ſolves the Queſtion.’

What is the reaſon that on this day we uſe ſo many lights in the Church? The cauſe of this inſtitution is twofold. The firſt is, that a heatheniſh cuſtom may bee converted into a Chriſtian Right or Ordinance, and that which was performed by ſuperſtitious Idolaters, in honour of Ceres and Proſerpina, may be turned into the praiſe and glory of the Virgin Mary. The ſecond is, that they who by Grace are purified, by this Ceremony may be admoniſhed to imitate thoſe prudent Virgins, who (as the Evangelicall parable teſtifieth) came not without their Tapers lighted to the Nuptialls of Chriſt their Spouſe. Pag. 209. There is the Picture of her fabulous aſſumption into heaven, cut in Braſſe after the popiſh forme, with men and women devoutly kneeling and praying to her, and theſe verſes written under the ſame.

What Honour could to this GREAT QƲEENE be done,

More then be taken up to Heaven high.

And there have God for Father, Spouſe, and Sonne,

The Angels wayte, the world ſtand wondring by?

After which, hee ſpends many pages to prove the Verity, or probability at leaſt of her Aſſumption into Heaven, Soule and Body; which (ſaith he) by many of the Fathers, all of the Romiſh Church, and ſome of the Reformd is held for an undoubted truth: (when as indeed it is a meere Popiſh ridiculous falſe Legend.) And to prove this, hee makes her to be borne without ſinne.

Pag. 212. Dammianus argues, That as conceiving without ſinne, ſhee brought forth her ſonne, without paine, a curſe laid on all, other women: ſo might it well be that ſhe who was without ſin, might overcome death, the reward of it; P. 119. [Page] 120. hee writes. That the Virgin is not to bee conſidered as a meere Woman, but as a Type or Idaea of an accompliſht piety. Adding: ‘They erre not ſo much, in my judgment, in the adoring extreame as ſome too ſevere maintaines of the former, doe in the neglecting. They are ſo farre from praiſing her themſelves, that they moſt unjuſtly deprive her of the praiſe given her by others. They reject all teſtimonies of her worth; as Haile Mary full of Grace, &c. They abhor to heare her called Domina &c. Concluding this point in theſe termes, pag. 223. Of one thing I will aſſure them, till they are GOOD MARIANS, they ſhall never be good Chriſtians: while they derogate from the dignity of the Mother, they cannot truely honour the Son, pag. 228. 229. Eraſmus ſtiles her, His SAVIORESSE, which NOTE. he cites with approbation p. 230. to 237. He proceeds thus in her prayſes. All parts of the world have produced admirers of her worth; Syria hath brought forth Eph [...]aim; Antiochia, Saint Chryſoſtome, Capadocia, Saint Baſill, and Saint Nazianzen; Conſtantinople, Germanus, and Proclus; Dalmatia, Saint Hierome; Germany, Rupertus, Albertus, and Agrippa; England Beda, France, Bernard, Spaine, Alphonſus; Italy, Aquinas, and Bonaventure; Africke, Saint Cyprian, and Saint Auſtine; Greece, Dioniſius Areopagita, &c. To theſe ſucceede famous Chriſtian Poets, ancient and moderne, who have written Pannegrricks upon her; as Beda Gregorius Nazianzenus, Innocentius Pontifex, Actius Sanazarius▪ Adam de Sancto Victore, Alcimus A [...] tus, Antonius Muretus. Aurelius Prudentius, Baptiſta Mantuanus, Clandiarus, Franciſcus Petrarcha, Godfridus Viterbienſis, Hieronymus Vide, Paulinus; D. Philippus Menzelins, Rudolphus Agricola, Sedulius, Venantius Fortunatus.’

To theſe I add many Emperours, Princes and Princeſſes and a world of devoute great ones, who have beene her proſeſſed admirers; as Conſtantine the Great, Charles, the Great Pulcheria Auguſta, Henry the ſecond Emperor, Alphonſus the Chaſt in SPAINE, Edwardus in Hungaria, Boliſlaus in Polonia. Venceſlaus in Bohemia.

All which are Canonized for Saints, and have erected and dedicated Temples to her memory: Neither have the Princes of this our Ile bin defective in doing her all poſſible honour, and in conſecrating Chappells and Tempells to her memorie: Fredericke the third Emperour made the contemplation of her almoſt his onely foode. Stephanus, King of Hungarie, called his Kingdome, the Marian Family: In this glorious Family, whole Kingdoms and Common-Wealths have NOTE. enrolled themſelves. My Arithmeticke wil not ſerve me to number all thoſe who have regiſtred their names in the Sodalitie of the Roſary of this our Bleſſed Lady the Originall of which is derived from the battaile of Naupactun, gained by Iohn of Auſtria, and the Chriſtians, which Victory was attributed to her interceſſion with her ſonne. The Colonian Sodallity firſt Inſtituted, had out of Lovaine, 4000. of Brabant, 30000. out of Gueldria, 4000. out of Holland and Zeland 7000. &c. Many holy Orders alſo are of this Sodallity, as the Benedictines, the Franciſcans and Carthuſians and many others. If all theſe Teſtimonies and examples of great worthy people will not move us to honour her, we ſhal be judged, both unworthy of this life, and ignorant of that better to come. For ſhame let not us alone deny NOTE. her that honour, and praiſe with all the world allowes her. Pag. 247. Hee Invocates her ſaying: O pardon Gracious Princeſſe, my weake indeavours to ſum up thy value, &c. And Pag. 248. Thou deſerveſt a quire of Queenes here, and another of Angells, in Heaven, to ſing thy praiſe, &c. And I confeſſe my ſweeteſt Lady. Page 249. To give thee an eſtimation anſwerable to thy merit, is a thing impoſſible: I muſt therfore be content to do by thee, as the Ancient Heathen did by the Images of the gods; when by reaſon of their height they could not place the Crowns on their heads they humbly laid them at their feet. In his Epiſtle to his Feminine Reader, ſpeaking of the Virgin Mary: This is ſhe who was on earth a confirmer of the good, and a reformer of the Reprobate; all her viſitants were but ſo many converts, whoſe bad affections and erronious opinions, the ſweetnes of her diſcourſe had rectefied: the Leproſie of ſin was her daily cure, and they, whom [Page] vice had blinded, were by her reſtored to their inward light, and their proſtrate Soules adored Divine, Majeſticall vertue reſiding in this ſacred Temple: the knowledge of her humbled the moſt [...] Natures, for the luſtre of her merits rendered their owne obſcure, And in his Epiſtle to the Maſculine Reader: But this I will ſay, that though I impute not the late troubles and afflictions of the Proteſtant party in Germany to the ſmall Reverence there paid her (many of Gods judgments according to Saint Augustine, being ſecret, none unjuſt) yet truly I beleeve, that the under-valuing of one ſo great and deare in Chriſts eſteeme, (as his Mother; cannot but bee diſpleaſing to him; and that the more we aſcribe to her, (ſetting Invocation a part) the more gracious we appeare in his ſight. He concludes it thus; I will only adde this, that ſince the finiſhing of this ſtory, I have read a Booke of the now Biſhop of Chiceſter, intituled Apparacus, &c. And I am glad to finde that I have not digreſſed from him in any one particular: Soe he, Loe therefore what a Metomorphoſis of our Religion is here. Here is a new Goddeſſe, brought in among us, the Virgin Mary adorned extolled deified with Titles, Courtſhips, Encomium, Hymnes: taken out of Popiſh Miſſalis, Houres, Breviaries, Poems. The Author glorieth, that he is the firſt who hath written, (as he ſaith) in our Vulgar tongue, on this our bleſſed Virgin: And God grant he be the laſt: But he beares himſelfe in all this upon the Church of England: where wee pray you? at laſt wee perceive this Church of England is the (then) Biſhop of Chiheſter (Mountague) in his Apparatus, from whom hee hath not digreſſed in any particular.

This Booke of Staffords giving very great ſcandall to Proteſtants, and encouragement to Papiſts, Mr. Henry Burton, in his Sermon intituled: For God and the King, page 123. 124. 125. diſcovered, cenſured theſe extravagant Popiſh Paſſages in it, adviſing the people to beware of it. For which, among other things, he was brought into the Star-Chamber and there cenſured: But on the contrary, this Popiſh Booke of Staffords with the forementioned ſcandalous Paſſages in it, were by the Archbiſhops ſpeciall direction profeſſedly juſtified, both by Doctor Heylin in his Moderate Anſwer to Mr. Burton (licenſed by the Arch-biſhops owne Chaplaine, and written by his command) pag. 123. 124. and by Chriſtopher Dow, in his Innovations unjustly charged, page 51. 54. and this Booke neither called in nor corrected, ſo audatiouſly Popiſhwas he growne, in this particular, among many others.

20. That the Church is alwayes Ʋiſible:

Biſhop Mountague his Appeale: Page 139. The Church of Rome hath ever beene viſible. The Church of Rome is and ever was a true Church ſince it was a Church. Therfore the true Church hath ever bin viſible. Which he thus ſeconds Orig. Eccleſiaſticarum Tomi prio: pars poster. page 463. Sanctè credimus, defendimus, &c. Eccleſiam nullis interceptam, interciſam intercapedinibus, perpetuô extantem, alicubi viſibilem, oculis uſurpandam, in eum finem et eo modo ut intelligere poſſint quibus curae illud eſt apud quos habeatur verbum vitae, &c.

21. That Churches, Altars, Chalices, Church-yards, &c. ought to bee Conſecrated by the Biſhop, and that his Conſecration puts an inherent holineſſe into them That one part of the Church or Chappell, is holier then another: That the place within the new Railes where the Altar ſtands is Sanctum Sanctorum, into which none but Prieſts ought to enter, yea, Chriſts Throne and Mercy ſeat.

DOctor Pocklingtons, Altare Christianum, page 51. Dedication and Conſecration of Churches uſed by Godly Biſhops, and taxed by the Centuriſts for the [Page] myſtery of Iniquity: I will paſſe from the placing of the Biſhops Chaire to the dedication of his Church where it was ſet. The dedication of Churches within two hundred yeares after Chriſt ſhewes cleerely [...] were Churches: Saint Clemens his Command both for building and Conſecrating of Churches makes it apparent, page 80. At the upper end of the Chancell, was a place incloſed and Railed in from the reſt of the Chancell, whereunto none, neither Prieſts that were Penitents nor Deacons were permitted to enter, and there to communicate and officiat in the Conſecration of the Euchariſt, or in the adminiſtration thereof unto Prieſts, but they themſelves: This place was called Sacrarium, here ſtood the Altar or Lords Table, and hitherto none might approach but the Prieſts themſelves. The Canon is cleare for it, no Lay-man may come within the Altar. Page 83. Prayer for Kings, for Biſhops, for the whole Church, and the Lords Prayer was then only ſaid at the Altar by the Prieſt in the holy of holies: Hee deſerves not to be named in the Prieſts, prayer at the Altar that is an occaſion to withdraw Prieſts from the Altar. page 108. They had ſhut up the Doore of the holy of holies whereunto he was entred to doe his reverence to the holy Altar, Page 141. A man may as lawfully and Chriſtianly adminiſter the bleſſed Sacrament in a Barne or Towne-hall, as in any place that is not Conſecrated to ſuch holy uſes. And when the Church was Conſecrated, was not the Altar the chiefeſt place which with moſt Ceremony and devotion was hallowed? when it was hallowed, was it not kept more carefully from Prophanation then any other part of the Church? was there not a Feaſt annually kept in a joyfull remembrance of the Dedication of every Church and did not the conſecration of the Altar carry the name of the Feaſt, page 142. Was not the Altar ſet in Sacrario or ſancto ſanctorum in the higheſt place of all, whereunto the Prieſt aſcended by ſteppes and degrees, and when they ſo aſſended, were there not ſaid Pſalmes of degrees? This holy Altar is in his owne nature, but a ſtone, but being conſecrated and dedicated benedictionem accipit.

Shelfords five Treatiſes page 2. From hence appeareth that the Altar is the principall part of Gods Houſe, as being the cauſe and Originall of all the reſt, &c.

Doctor Ridley his view of the Civill Law reprinted at Oxford 1634. in the marginall Annotations newly added to it, page 52. The Biſhop of the place ſhall come & lift up his hands to Heaven and conſecrate the place to God: P. 191. For that which concernes foundation and erection: All that the Patron had free to himſelfe was but the thought, hee might thinke where he would deſigne the ground, &c. but this was nothing without execution, and to this the Dioceſan vvas to be required as the moſt principall and moſt effectuall agent. If the Patron built a Church upon his ovvne ground vvithout the Biſhops conſent the Biſhop might pull it dovvne vvithout the A notable Paſſage to advance the Iuriſdiction of Biſhops, and deprive Patrons of their Rights. Patrons conſent: page 192. When he makes the conſecration, the Croſſe muſt bee ſet up behinde the holy Altar: word being brought to the Patriarch concerning the Church that is to be built, letters are directed either to the Exarch or to ſome of the Biſhops, to requeſt that the Church may be founded Conſecrated and entituled to the Patriarchs [...] &c. Conſecrated in the Name of ſuch a Saint, page 193. Things for the moſt part were altogether diſpoſed by, but nothing at all without the Biſhops Juriſdiction. That the Patriarch or Biſhop ſhould challenge this Jurisdiction over the new Church &c. it ſeemes moſt reaſonable, For what did the lay Patron more do, then a man of Iſraell who brought a Lambe but the Prieſt made it an Offering and an Attonement? The Patron parhaps might chuſe the place, but till the Prelate came and ſanctified the Ground, it might be as well a Denne of Theeves as a Houſe of Prayer: The Patron might bring the Stones, the Biſhop made it a Church, till then nothing was but the breathleſſe body of a Temple, the ſoule being yet to come from a Diviner influence of the Dioceſan: therefore the priviledge of a new Church followed not the building but the conſecration of it, &c.

Richard Tedder in his Viſitation Sermon: Licenſed by Doctor Samuell Baker, Feb. 6. 1636. Printed at London 1637. It is the Conſecration that makes Churches holy, and makes God eſteeme them ſo, which though they be not capable of Grace yet they receive by their Conſecration a ſpirituall power, whereby they [Page] are made fit for Divine Service, and being conſecrated, there is no danger in aſeribing a holineſie unto them.

21. Totall and finall Apoſtacy from Grace. Predeſtination a deſperate Doctrine Reſiſting of Grace.

BIſhop Mountague in his Appeale, pag. 29. 30, 31. Ex Artic. 16. After that wee have received the Holy Ghoſt we may depart away from Grace. Till the Church expound otherwiſe, it is as free for me to take it according to the Letter, as for you to deviſe a figure. The Article inſiſteth on men juſtified, after Grace received; challenged it was in this ſenſe as unſound at the Conference at Hampton Court, but defended, maintained avowed, averred for true, ancient, juſtifiable, good and Catholike by the greateſt Biſhops and Learnedſt Divines then living in this Church againſt that abſolute irreſpective neceſſitating and fatall decree of your new Predeſtination; ſtiled then and there by Biſhop Bancroft in publike audience with much vehemency without any Checke, diſlike, diſtaſt, diſſent (for we reade of none) a deſperate doctrine of Predeſtination. At what time alſo that Reverend Prelate and moſt accompliſht Divine Dr. Overall Biſh. of Norwich, &c. ſaid, That a juſtified man might fall away from Grace, and ſo ipſo facto incurre Gods wrath; and was in ſtate of wrath and damnation untill he did recover againe, Pag. 33. Can your Learning and underſtanding make any other Conſtruction of theſe words then, That a man may fall away from Grace, and become no Child of God at all. This is ſpoken, and meant. Not only of totall lapſe for a time, but alſo of finall ſeparation, and for ever.

Pag. 37. I ſee no reaſon why I might not have beene as confident in maintaining falling away from Grace, as you and your Divines are upon weaker grounds in defending the contrary.

Pag. 60. I muſt confeſſe my diſſent through and ſincere from the faction of Novelizing. Puritans, but in no one point more than in this their deſperate Doctrine of Predeſtination, Vide pag. 50. and 70. 71. &c. to like purpoſe. Pag. 72. Id. It is not in reaſon probable, that you ſhould have the doctrin of the Church on your ſide againſt Maſter Mountague—For the Church holdeth and teacheth punctually, and that againſt the Opinion and with the diſlike of the Learnedeſt of your ſide ‘that Faith, true juſtifying Faith once had may be loſt and recovered againe: that a man endued with Gods holy Spirit and enlightened with the heavenly light may looſe that holy Spirit, have that light put out, become like unto Saul and Iudas.’

Pag. 89. If a man juſtified may fall away from Grace, which is the Doctrine of the Church of England, then without queſtion hee may reſiſt the grace of God offered.

Pag. 214. It is an [...] of your other ſingularity, That Faith once had cannot be loſt totally and for ever.

Edmond Reeve, pag. 13. Mar. The Church ſignifyeth, that it is poſſible for ſuch as are made the Members of Chriſt to become the members of the Devill, if they take not due care.

Pag. 64. Seeing then that ſome have periſhed which have beene pronounced to have beene in the number of Gods Elect.

Shelfords five Treatiſes. pag. 187. Such as ſhall fall double, from leſſe and from greater grace and never riſe, for ſuch Juſtice hath a double due, a naturall and a ſupernaturall death; ſeated not only in paenâ damni, but in paenâ ſenſus, which the torments of hell fire afford.

22. That there is univerſall Grace and Redemption, and no abſolute Reprobation.

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THis having beene formerly touched, in the Evidence concerning Arminianiſme, wee ſhall bee the briefer in it here. Edmond Reeve writes thus; page 19. 20. Whereby doth God the Father draw all mankind unto Chriſt?

Anſ. Holy Church doth ſignifie it unto us, where it ſaith, that Almighty God doth ſhew unto all that be in error the light of his truth, to the intent they may returne into the way of Righteouſneſſe. St. Iohn ſaith, Chriſt is the light that lighteth every man which commeth into the world. Many Scriptures more declare that God is mercifull to univerſall mankinde, not willing the death of a ſinner, &c. as the Divine ſervice teacheth, and informeth us. The which Doctrine of hers as ſundry more, though we in our youngneſſe of Chriſtian knowledge do not underſtand; yet are we to believe alſo & to know, that the Fathers which ſet forth the divine ſervice did perfectly underſtand, like as alſo we are to beleive, that the Fathers of the Church now and alwayes doe in the great Myſtery of Godlineſſe comprehend many things which the Common people doe not; yea alſo ſome things which Miniſters of the inferrior Order, as Prieſts, Paſtors, and Teachers do not apprehend, who are therefore to bee guided in Divinity by thoſe moſt reverend and right reverend Fathers in God, and not to ſay that ſuch and ſuch ſayings in the Communion Booke are untrue, becauſe they underſtand them not.

Page 60. Saint Paul ſaith, That he gave himſelfe a ranſome for all; hee died for univerſall mankind: Againe the death of Chriſt is available for the redemption of all the world.

Page 61. Whereas it is ſaid by ſome, that Chriſt died not for Vniverſall mankind efficiently or effectually, namely for ſuch as periſh, they conſider not what the Scripture ſignifieth Chriſt to have done, yet hee did it not in phantaſy, but in reality, in every deed.

Page 66. 67. How could the Church ordaine and require for to be ſaid unto every particular member of hers in the Communion. The Body of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt which was given for thee, &c. if any one of them were abſolutely reprobated, 1. c. from all eternity unconditionally decreed to bee damned in Hell fire everlaſtingly.

The Booke intituled, Gods love to mankind; and Doctor Jack ſons Divine Eſſence and Attributes, part. 1. are profeſſedly written, to juſtifie univerſall Grace and Redemption.

23. That the Perſonall ſucceſsion of Biſhops is a true note of the Church, and neceſſary: That Peters Chaire was at Rome, and he ſate Biſhop there: and that it is the honour and happineſſe of our Church, that this Archbiſhop, of Cant. that now is, with our other Biſhops and Miniſters, can derive them perſonall ſucceſsion and Ordination from the Sea and Popes of Rome.

Dr. Pocklingtons, Sunday no Sabbath, P. 2. ‘Ou [...] Dioceſan can derive himſelfe the ſucceſſor of an Apoſtle: it is Saint Auſtins reſolution, Succeſſio Epiſcoporum ab ipſa ſede Petri, is that which among other things by him named, keepes us in gremio Eccleſiae, and Subjects us to our Biſhops Juriſdiction.’

‘Page 47. Their vanity may appeare that againſt all Antiquity make fooles beleeve, Saint Peter was never at Rome; making the ſucceſſion of Biſhops and truth of the Latin Churches, as queſtionable as the Centurists orders.’

‘Page 48. Reckon up your Prieſts who ſucceded one another after Saint Peter in his Chaire, if you will bee eſteemed Members of the Church; Hereby we may by Gods mercy make good the truth of our Church. For wee are able lineally to ſet downe the ſucceſſion of our Biſhops from Saint Peter to Saint Gregory, and from [Page] him to our firſt Archbiſhop Saint Auſtin, our Engliſh Apoſtle, as Biſhop Goodwin calls him, downeward to his Grace NOW, that ſits in his Chaire, Primate of all England and Metropolitan.’

Which hee thus ſeconds in his Altare Chriſtianum, Page 45. Saint Peters Chaire in Rome, ſucceſſion of Biſhops in the Church of England, &c.

‘Page 47. Though ſaith (Saint Auſtin) you ſlanderouſly call the Chaire in other Churches, Cathedram Peſtilenti [...]ae, what cauſe hath the Church of Rome giuen you to ſay ſo of it, In qua Petrus ſedet, et in quâ hodie Anaſtaſius ſedet?’

‘The very note whereby Heritickes were knowne from Catholikes was, that Catholikes could ſhew their Churches and the very Chaires in them, wherein there was not only a morrall ſucceſſion in purity of Faith and manners, but a locall ſucceſſion of Biſhops continued even from the Apoſtles times, which Heretickes could not ſhew, and therefore were hereby convinced to bee ſuch, and ſo put to ſhame and confounded.’

‘Page 48. Hee recons up thoſe that had ſucceded the Apoſtles, Saint Peter, and Saint Paul, in the Church of Rome.’

‘Page 49. Novatian is neither Biſhop nor Member of the Church (ſaith Saint Cyprian) becauſe hee cannot prove his ſucceſſion, according to Apoſtolicall Tradition.’

‘If in all this time there were no materiall Churches, then there could be no materiall Chaire, wherein their Biſhops were enthronized; and if no Chaire, then no reall Inthronization, then no perſonall ſucceſſion from the Apoſtles, whereby the right faith was derived from God the Father to his Son, nor from the Sonne to his Apoſtles, nor from the Apoſtles to ſucceding Biſhops. Thoſe that deprive us of the benefit of this Apoſtolicall Tradition, pluck one ſpeciall ſtaffe out of our hands, whereby we ſtay our ſelves from falling from the true Catholicke Church, and beat all Heretickes out of our Communion. Miſerable were we if hee that NOW ſitteth Arch Biſhop of CANTERBVRY, could not derive his ſucceſſion from Saint Augustine St. Auguſtine: from Saint Gregory: Saint Gregory, from Saint Peter for hee that remembreth whom he ſucceeds will doubtleſſe endeavour, and pray to be heire to their vertues, as well as poſſeſſor to their places. What a comfort is this to his Grace, NOTE. and to all thoſe that receive conſecration from him, and to all thoſe that they ſhall ordaine.’

‘Page 51. Tell us when and from whence you come? and what you make your ſelves to do in the Church that are no Sons of the Church? We can with Saint Iraeneus point you to the time of your comming in. You Cartwright and your brood came in, as moſt Sabbatarians did, under Archbiſhop Whitgift, and your Ames and Brightman, with your Laodiceans came in under Archbiſhop Bancroft, and you Vicars and our Cotton with his fugitives, came in, or rather went out under Archbiſhop Abbot.’

‘Page 144. I ſhall begin with my ſelfe. I had my Ordination from Biſhop Dove he had his Conſecration from Archbiſhop Whitgift, and the Archbiſhop his from the undoubted ſucceſſours of Saint Peter.’

Doctor Heylin his Moderat Anſwer to Mr. Burton, Page 72. Write; ‘If you have any other Pedegree, as perhaps you have from Wickliffe, Hus, the Albig [...]enſes, and the reſt which you uſe to boaſt of, keepe it to your ſelfe, non tali auxilio, the Church of England hath not need of ſo poore a ſhift.’

‘Page 68. The next thing that offends you and you clamour as if that they claime a viſible and perpetuall ſucceſſion down from St. Peter to Pope Gregory, from him by Austin the Monk, firſt Archbiſhop of Cant. unto his Grace now being and ſic de caeteris; That Gregory ſent Auſtin into England to convert the Saxons and made him firſt Archbiſhop of the Engliſh, is generally delivered by all our writers. Finally that my Lord the Archbiſhop that now is, is lineally deſcended in a moſt faire and conſtant tenor of ſucceſſion you ſhall eaſily finde, if you conſult the learned [Page] labours of Maſter Francis Maſon de Miniſterio Anglicano. The Papiſts would extreamely thank you, and think you borne into the World for their ſpeciall comfort could you but tell him how to diſprove that lineall ſucceſſion of our Prelates, which is there laid dowe.’

By Mountague his Gagge page 49. The Church hath ever beene viſibe. In England eſpecially; how can this fellow impute inviſibility to us who claime and prove a ſucceſſion.

25. That Sunday is no Sabbath, nor of divine inſtitution; that the ſtrict ſanctification of it, is Iewiſh, ſuperſtitious, and Rabbinicall. That May-games, Wakes, Revells, Dancing, Interludes with other ſports and pastimes are not only lawfull, but convenient and neceſſary thereon, not to be reſtrained but incouraged, and the Kings Declaration to that purpoſe, moſt pious and Religious. That two houres only of it, (viz. The time of publik ſervice, and ſermons) are to be kept holy; and that the reſidue may be ſpent in Recreations, or ordinary workes of our calling. That the Lords day Sabbath was never heard of in the world till Dr. Bounds daies: That the Sabbath is not morrall.

THis is the ſubject matter of many whole late printed Books againſt the morallity and ſtrict obſervation of the Lords-day Sabbath: wee ſhall inſtance only in ſome few; beginning with Doctor Pocklington, in his Sunday no Sabbath; where thus he moſt ſcandalouſly and prophanely writes page 6.

‘What ſhall wee think then of Knox and Whittingham, and their fellowes, that in their letter to Calvin depart from the conſtitution, Ordinance and practice of the Apoſtles and Apoſtolicke men, and call not this day the Lords day, or Sunday, but with the piety of Jeroboam, make ſuch a day of it as they have deviſed in their owne hearts, to ſerve their owne turne, and Anabaptiſing of it after the minde of ſome Iew, hired to be the God Father, therefore call it the Sabbath page 7. This name Sabbath is not a bare name or like a ſpot in their foreheades to know Labans ſheep from Iacobs, but indeed it is a Miſtery of Iniquity intended againſt the Church, &c. page 13. But what doe I ſpeake de integro die of a whole day? do but that in keeping the Lords day which the Widdow did in her Almes that gave two mites; ſic tu duas horas, ſo give the Lord two houres: this if you do not, beware you loſe not integroru mannorum labores, the Labours of many whole yeares, Page 20. Others alſo for the Plots ſake, muſt uphold the name of Sabbath that ſtalking behinde it, they may ſhoot againſt the ſervices appointed for the Lords day. Hence it is, that ſome for want of witte, too much adore the Sabbath as an Image dropt downe from Iupiter, and cry before it as they did before the Golden Calfe, This is an holy day unto the Lord; whereas it is indeed the great Diana of the Epheſians, as they uſe it, whereby the mindes of their Proſelites are ſo perplexed and bewitched, that they cannot reſolve, whether the ſinne be greater to bowle ſhoote or dance on their Sabbath, then to commit Murder, or the Father to cut the throat of his owne child. All which doubts would ſoon be reſolved by plucking of the Vizard of the Sabbath from the face of the Lords day which doth as well and truly become it, as the Crowne of Thorns did the Lord himſelfe. This was plotted to expoſe him to damnable diriſion, and that was plotted to impoſe on it deteſtable ſuperſtition; yet to die for it they will call it a Sabbath, preſuming in their zealous ignorance of guiltfull zeale to be thought to ſpeake the Scripture phraſe, when indeed the Dregs of Aſhdod flow from their Mouthes, p. 21.’ With us the Sabbath is Saturday, and no day elſe, no ancient Father, nay no learned man, Heathen or Chriſtian took it otherwiſe from the beginning of the world till the beginning of their Schiſme in 1554. page 22. Many that ſee ſo little benefit will be ſuckt out of the conſtitutions of the Apoſtles practiſe and tradition of holy Church, Doctrine of Godly and learned Fathers, that they have got themſelves [Page] heapes of Teachers, that to ſerve their owne turnes will call and keepe the Lords day, as a Sabbath, and ſo prophane it with ſuch outcries, that the voyce of truth will become ſilent: but with Moſes, liberavi animam meam.

Doctor Peter Heylin in his Hiſtory of the Sabbath, dedicated to his Majeſty, and printed by the Archbiſhops ſpeciall approbation, is every way as prophane and bitter againſt the morality, and ſtrict obſervation of the Lords-day Sabbath, as Pocklinton; we ſhall inſtance but in a Paſſage or two: The firſt is in his Epiſtle to the Reader, before the ſecond Booke of his Hiſtory, in theſe termes.

And this part we have called the Hiſtory of the Sabbath too; although the inſtitution of the Lords day, and entertainment of the ſame in all times and ages ſince that Inſtitution, be the chiefe thing whereof it treateth: for being it is ſaid by ſome, that the Lords Day ſucceeded by the Lords appointment, into the place and rights of the Jewiſh Sabbath, this booke was wholly to be ſpent in the ſearch therof, whether in all, or any Ages of the Church, either ſuch doctrine had beene preached, or ſuch practiſe preſſed, upon the Conſciences of Gods people. And ſearch indeed we did with all care and diligence to ſee if we could finde a Sabbath in any evidence of Scripture, or writing of the holy Fathers, or edicts of Emperours, or decrees of Councells, or finally in any of the publike Acts and Monuments of the Chriſtian Church, but after ſeverall ſearches made, upon the Alias, and the Pluries wee ſtill returne, Non eſt inventus: and thereupon reſolve in the Poets language. Et quod non invenit uſquam, eſſe putet nuſquam; that which is no where to be found, may very ſtrongly bee concluded not to be at all. Buxdorfius in the eleventh Chapter of his Synagoga Judaica, out of Antonius Margarita tells of the Jewes. Quod die Sabbatino, praeter animam conſuetam, praediti ſunt & alia, that on the Sabbath day, they are perſwaded that they have an extraordinary ſoule infuſed into them, which doth enlarge their hearts, and rouſe up their ſpirits. Ut Sabbatum multo honorabilius peragere poſſint, that they may celebrate the Sabbath with the greater honour. And though this Sabbatharie ſoule, may by a Pythagoricall. [...] ſeeme to have tranſimigrated from the Jewes, into the bodyes of ſome Chriſtians, in theſe latter dayes, yet I am able to give my ſelfe good hopes, that by preſenting to their view, the conſtant practiſe of Gods Church in al times before, and the conſent of all Gods Churches at this preſent, they may be diſpoſſeſed thereof without great difficulties. It is but anima ſuperflua, as Buxdorfius calls it, and may bee better ſpared then kept, becauſe ſuperfluous.

To which wee ſhall annex theſe paſſages in the eight Chapter of this his ſecond Booke Sect. 7. pag. 249. &c. Thus upon ſearch made and full examination of all parties, wee finde no Lords Day-Sabbath in the Booke of Homilies no nor in any writings of particular men, in more then thirty three yeares after the Homilies were publiſhed. Then reciting Doctor Bounds opinion in his book of the Sabbath pag. 211. All lawfull pleaſures and honeſt Recreations, as Shooting, Fencing, Bowling, which are permitted on other dayes; were on this day to bee forborne No man to ſpeake or talke of pleaſures, or any worldly matter, (he ſaith) Moſt Magiſterially determined, more like a Iewiſh Rabbi, then a Chriſtian Doctor. Yet Romiſh and Rabbinicall though this doctrine were, it carried a faire face and ſhew of Piety, at leaſt in the opinion of the Common people, &c. Sect. 8. p. 255. 256. We may perceive by this, that their intent from the beginning, was to cry downe the Holy Dayes, as ſuperſtitious, Popiſh Ordinances; that their new found Sabbath being placed alone, (and Sabbath now it muſt be called) might become more eminent. Nor were the other, though more private effects thereof, of leſſe dangerous nature; the people being ſo inſnared with theſe new devices, and preſſed with rigour more then Jewiſh; that certainly they are in as bad a condition, as were the Iſraelites of old, when they were captivated and kept under by the Scribes and Phariſes. Some I have knowne, (for in this point, I will ſay nothing, without good aſſurance) who in a furious kinde of Zeale, like the madde Propheteſſe in the Poet, have run into the open ſtreets, yea, and ſearched private houſes too, to looke for ſuch as ſpent thoſe [Page] houres, on the Lords Day, in lawfull paſtimes, which were not deſtinate by the Church, to Gods publike ſervice, and having found them out, ſcattered the companie, and brake the Inſtruments; and, if my memory faile me not, the Muſitians head too: and, which is more, they thought that they were bound in Conſcience ſo to doe, &c. And ſect. 9. p. 258. He moſt prophanely and ſcurrilouſly ſtiles the Lords-Day; The NEW SAINT SABBATH; And ſect. 13. pag. 269. &c. hee concludes thus. Nay which is more, it was ſo publikely avowed and printed, by one who had no calling to interpret lawes, except the provocation of his own ill ſpirit, That Dancing on the Lords-Day, was an unlawfull pastime, puniſhable by the Statute of 1 Carl. c. 1. which intended (ſo he ſaith) to ſuppreſſe Dancing on the Lords Day as well as Beare-Baiting Bull-Baiting, Enterludes and common Playes, which were not then ſo riſe and common, as dancing, when this Law was made. Things being at this height, it pleaſed His Excellent Majeſtie, ‘Obſerving, as hee ſaith himſelfe, how much his people were debarred of Recreation, and finding in ſome Counties, that The Kings Declaration. under the pretence of taking away of abuſes, there had bin a generall forbidding, not only of ordinary meetings, but of the Feaſts of the Dedication of Churches, commonly called Wakes, to ratifie and publiſh the Declaration of His Majesties Father, before remembred: Adding, that all thoſe feaſts, with others ſhould bee obſerved; and that all Neighbourhood, and freedome with manlike and lawfull exerciſes, be therein uſed; commanding all the Juſtices of Aſſize, in the ſeverall Circuits, to ſee that no man doe trouble or moleſt any of his Loyall and dutifull people, in or for their lawfull recreations, having firſt done their duty to God and continuing in obedience unto His Majeſtie and his Lawes: and further, that publication thereof be made by Order from the Biſhops, through all the pariſhes of their ſeverall Dioceſſes reſpectively.’

Thus did it pleaſe His Excellent and Sacred Majeſtie to publiſh His moſt pious and Religious purpoſe, of opening to his Loyall people the liberty of the Day, which the day allowed of, and which He ſhould have ſaid, No Chriſtian ſtate nor Church rather. all Chriſtian States and Churches in all times before had never queſtioned: withall, of ſhutting up that doore, whereat no leſſe than Judaiſme would in fine bave entred, & ſo in time have over-ran the faireſt and moſt beautifull Church, at this day in Chriſtendome, And certainly, it was a pious and Princely Act, nothing inferiour unto that of Conſtantine or any other Chriſtian King, or Emperour, NOTE. before remembred; it being no leſſe pious in it ſelfe conſidered, to keep the holy dayes free from Superſtition, than to preſerve them from Profaneneſſe; eſpecially conſidering, that permiſſion of lawfull pleaſures, is no leſſe proper to a feſtivall, then reſtraint from labour. Nay, of the two it is more ancient: for in his time, Tertullian tells us, that they did diem Solis laetitiae indulgere, devote the Sunday partly unto mirth and recreation, not to devotion altogether; when in an hundred yeares after Tertullians time, there was no law or conſtitution to reſtraine men from labour this day, in the Chriſtian Church. Yet did not his moſt Excellent Majeſtie finde ſuch obedience in ſome men and ſuch as ſhould have beene examples unto their flockes, as his moſt Chriſtian purpoſe did deſerve: there being ſome, ſo ſetled in the opinion of a Sabbath Day, (a day not heard of in the Church of Chriſt 40. yeares agoe,) that they chooſe rather to deprive the Church of their paines and miniſtrie, than yeeld unto His Majeſties juſt commands, for whoſe ſakes ſpecially, next unto my duty unto God, my Soveraigne and the Church my Mother, I have employed my time and Studdies, to compoſe this Hiſtory: that they may ſee therein in briefe, the practiſe of Gods Church in the times before them, and frame themſelves to do thereafter; caſting aſide thoſe errours in the which they are, and walking in the way which they ought to travell; which way when all is done will bee Via Regia, the Kings High way; as that which is moſt ſafe and of beſt aſſurance, becauſe moſt travellers by Gods people. Our private pathes doe leade us often into errour, and ſometimes alſo into danger, And therefore I beſeech all thoſe who have offended in that kind, to lay aſide their paſſions and their private intereſts, if any are that way miſguided; as alſo not to ſhut their eyes againſt thoſe truths, which are preſented to them for [Page] their information; that ſo the King may have the honour of their due Obedience; the Church the comfort of their labours, and conformable miniſtry. For to what purpoſe ſhould they hope, to bee ennobled for their ſufferings, in ſo bad a cauſe which neither hath the Doctrine, of the Scriptures to authorize it, or practiſe of the Church of God, the beſt expoſiter of the Scripture, to confirme, and countenance it? or to be counted conſtant to or in their firſt concluſions, having ſuch weak and dangerous premiſes to ſupport the ſame; ſince conſtancy not rightly grounded, is at beſt but obſtinacy, and many times doth end in Hereſie. Once againe therfore I exhort them even in Gods name, whoſe Miniſters they are, and unto whom they are to give up an account of their imployment; and in the Kings Name, whom as Gods Deputy they are bound to obey, not for wrath only, but for Conſcience ſake, and in the Churches name, whoſe peace they are to ſtuddy above all things elſe, and their owne names, laſtly, whom it moſt concernes, that they deſiſt, and goe not forward in this diſobedience, lest a worſe miſchiefe fall upon them. For my part, I have done my beſt, ſo farre to give them ſatisfaction in this preſent point, (ſo farre forth as the nature of an Hiſtory would permit) as they might thinke it no diſparagment to alter their opinions, and deſert their errors, and change their reſolutions: ſince in ſo doing, they ſhall conforme themſelves unto the practiſe of Gods Church in all times and Ages.

This prophane Doctor in his Epiſtle before Doctor Prideaux, his Lecture of the Sabbath: and in his Moderate Anſwer to Maſter Burton, pag. 50. to 56. 76. 80. 81. 110, 112. hath many paſſages to the ſame effect, againſt the Sabbaths morality, the ſtrict intire Sanctification of the Lords-Day; in yea Juſtification of the Book of ſports, and of the Archbiſhops and Biſhops ſilencing, excommunicating, cenſuting thoſe who refuſed to read it to the people.

The like paſſages we meet with in Biſhop Whites, Doctor Primroſe, and Maſter Joronfides Treatiſes of the Sabbath, in Chriſtopher Dew his Innovations unjuſtly charged, chap. 10. 11, 12. in Edmund Reeve his Communion Booke Catechiſme expounded; wherein the Piety, Neceſſitie, and Vtilitie of His Majeſties Declaration for ſports is extolled above Elah pag. 90. to 108. that theſe Pages were afterwards torne out of the Booke for very ſhame by the Stationer, they were ſo vile, licentious, and diſtaſtfull to moſt.

26. That Reading is Preaching: that Preaching is only for extraordinary perſons and times, not for ordinary Miniſters and ſeaſons: that one Sermon a moneth is better than two every Lords-Day. That Biſhops are not bound to preach, at leaſt, not ſo often as other Ministers, by reaſon of their great temporall employments and Court attendance, &c. And that Saint PAUL read Homilies.

SHelfords five Treatiſes, pag. 35. 36. After this a wiſe and diſcreet Sermon not made by every Miniſter, but by a man of Reading and diſcretion, right well beſeemeth this holy place.

Pag. 74. Some Pariſhes (as men ſay) have good Preachers but bad livers, and ſome have meane Preachers or Readers, but good livers, which of theſe are beſt? The good living Miniſter what he builds by his reading of Gods Word, Prayer, and adminiſtration of the Sacraments pulls not downe againe, but upholds all with his good life, therefore he is farre the beſt Preacher. Pag. 77. Haſt thou not thy Miniſter to doe this for thee every Sunday and Holy-Day in Catechizing: But thou likeſt not of this becauſe it is not a Sermon, how proveſt thou that? becauſe it is not ſpoken out of the Pulpit, nor delivered out of a Text, &c.

[Page] Page 78. The very reading of it is preaching, and not only preaching, but lively and working preaching, working upon mens ſoules to grace and goodneſſe. And that Gods Word read unto us, is preaching, you ſhall finde it expreſſed in, Acts 15. 21.

P. 82. What need is there of Preaching? The beſotted negligence of our delicate Puritans is that which makes them to run ſo after Sermons. God ſpeakes unto thee every Holy-Day by his owne Word.

Pag. 91. There is another kinde of preaching which is not fit for every kind of Miniſter, but for extraordinary and excellent men, called by God and the Church to reforme errors and abuſes, or to promulge to the world new Lawes and Cannons, And as this kinde is to be performed by extraordinary men, ſo it is not alwayes ſo needfull but only when neceſſitie requireth, for when things are ſetled, there needs no more ſetling but only preſerving. We ought not to have many Moſeſes, nor many Evangeliſts, nor many Apoſtles.

Pag. 93. The ancient and true doctrine ef the Primitive Church by ſet ed Articles is reſtored; therefore this extraordinary kind is not now ſo neceſſary, except it bee upon ſome notorious Crimes breaking in upon our people, or ſome exorbitances of greene heads, breaching the froth of their owne braines, which will hardly be reformed untill many of theſe be unfurniſhed of their Licenſes, and thoſe that are permitted be reſtrained to certaine times and ſeaſons. For better were it for our Church and people to have but one Sermon well premeditated in a moneth (which is inſinuated by the Canon) then two upon a day proceeding from a rolling braine and mouth without due preparation. NOTE.

Pag. 94. All the Biſhops in the Land can hardly keepe downe their wrong and unſeaſoned doctrine: Having ſhewed this kinde of preaching to be extraordinary for ſpeciall men, ſpeciall times and occaſions: It followes, that the preaching by reading is the ordinary preaching: This was the ordinary preaching in our Church before King Henry the eight.

Page 241. Preaching of its owne natare is indifferent, therefore the managing of it is not for all men; but only for ſuch as are of a ſtayed head and large underſtanding.

Dr. Pocklingtons Sunday no Sabbath, P. 31. No ground at all for the fruitleſſe and NOTE. diſobedient exerciſe of their afternoone talent; It will bee hard for the beſt and ſtubborneſt of them all, to ſhew a Sermon preached by any of the Fathers in the afternoone.

P. 32. S. Paul preached [...] all the while he was in his Homilie: what his Homily was it is hard for mee to ſay, whether it was that himſelfe made and did not NOTE. read, or one that he read and another made: An Homily, I am ſure it was, and it may be made by all the Apoſtles or the chiefe of the Apoſtles. Wherefore I take it for a cleare truth, that Saint Paul read the Decrees: and ſure I am by the word uſed in the Text that when he read them, and no more but read them without adding or deminiſhing, that hee preached by way of Homilie [...] Reading of Homilies, then is preaching, and ſo adjudged by the Learned Biſhops in the Councell of Rhemes.

P. 34. If then Reading of Decrees of the Apoſtles, be preaching, and uſed for the profit and peace of the Church, and for the eſtabliſhing of them in the faith, then ſurely is reading of Leſſons, Epiſtle and Goſpell, much more preaching, and the Reader is a Preacher.

Edmond Reeve his Communion Catechiſme expounded, page 74. They are ſaid to make an Idoll of Preaching, which place even the whole Chriſtian Religion in hearing of Sermons; and in Compariſon of preaching forth of a Pulpit, they nothing or very little account of the Common-prayer, and the reading of the Homilies.

Page 77. To preach unto a Congregation on every Sunday is the proper worke [Page] of Paſtours. But the Biſhops the Fathers in God having received the greateſt meaſure of the holy Ghoſt are to be imployed beſides, in the greateſt miniſteriall matters of the Church, as to ordaine Prieſts and Deacons, Chriſts holy Ordinance of Conſecration. P. 78. It is their worke to Conſecrate Churchces, &c. To require all the Eccleaſticall Lawes of the Kingdome, to be obſerved, and to have to doe in the affaires of the Common-wealth. Page 79. Many more are the employments pertainng to their high order, and calling; by reaſon whereof they may but at ſome certaine times preach unto Congregations, when as they ſhall ſee occaſion.

Page 94. Holy Church hath ordained, that in the Sunday afternoone, there ſhould be taught her fundamentall Catechiſme, her Lawes, her Canons, her Conſtitutions ſhould be read, the Common-prayer with the Leſſons be ſaid, and that the Homilies ſhould be read alſo.

27. That Biſhops pretended Lordly ſuperiority, in point of Order and Iuriſdiction, over and above other Miniſters, is of Divine right and inſtitution, and that there neither is nor can be any true Church, where there are no ſuch Lordly domineering Biſhops.

THis Archbiſhop of Canterbury himſelfe determines thus in his Speech in Star-Chamber, page 67. This I will ſay and abide by it, that the calling of Biſhops is Iure Divino, by divine Right: and this I ſay in as direct oppoſition to the Church of Rome as to the Puritan humour; and I ſay further, that from the Apoſtles times in all ages, in all places the Church of Chriſt was governed by Biſhops. Now this is made by theſe men as if it were contra Regem, againſt the King in fight or in power: But thats a meere ignorant ſhift, for our being Biſhops Iure Divino by divine Right, takes nothing from the Kings Right.

In his Reply to Fiſher, page 176. Hee poſitively affirmes, That ubi non eſt ſacerdos, non eſt Eccleſiae St. Hierom: And in that place moſt manifeſt it is that by Sacerdos, Saint Jerom meanes a Biſhop: Soe even with him, NO BISHOP AND NOE CHVRCH.

Doctor Heylin in his Moderate Anſwer to Mr. Burton, page 65. writes thus, by the Archbiſhops appointment: You are much offended with the Prelates that they will needs be Lord Biſhops Iure Divino, page 66. Your firſt exception is, That the Epiſcopall Authority is claimed from Chriſt: and that ſome of the Biſhops ſaid in the High Commiſſion. That if they could not prove it, they would caſt away their Rochetts: this is no more then what had formerly beene ſaid in the Conference at Hampton Court, when on occaſion of S. Hieroms ſaying, that a Biſhop was not divinae Ordinationis; the Biſhop of London (Doctor Bancroft) interpoſed; that unleſſe he could prove his ordination lawfull out of the Scriptures, he would not be a Biſhop foure houres, page 67. 70. Who is it, which of our Divines that holds Epiſcopall Authority to bee derived from any other fountaine then that of Chriſt and his Apoſtles? If any ſuch there be, he is one of yours: Traverſe, and Cartwright and the reſt of your Prodeceſſors: Men never owned for hers by the Church of England: Geneva had their hearts, wee their bodyes only.

This theame of Biſhops ſuperiority Iure Divino, over other Miniſters; was profeſſedly maintained by Biſhop White, in his Preface to his Treatiſe of the Sabbath againſt Braburne by Chriſtopher Dow in his Innovations unjuſtly charged chap. 19. p. 170. &c. by Iohn Swan in his Redde debitum, Chap. 2. ſect 2. p. 161. to 172. (aſſerting peremtorily, that the Hierarchy of the Biſhops is Iure Divino) with ſundry others in their printed Bookes yea: publikly affirmed with much confidence by both our Archbiſhops, with other Prelates in the Star-Chamber and High-Commiſſion: maintained publikely [Page] in the Divinity Schooles in both our Vniverſities, and aſſerted almoſt in every Pulpit, at leaſtwiſe in Cathedralls. But this Erronious Poſition being ſatisfactorily refuted, and palpably diſplayed to all the world by Doctor Baſtwicke, in his Flagellum, Apologeticus ad Praeſules Anglicano and by Maſter Prynne, in his Vnbiſhoping of Timothy and Titus; his Brevia and Catalogue of Writers in all ages refuting this poſition of theirs; and by the Presbiterians in Scotland the Archbiſhop and his Confederate Prelaticall Brethren were ſo hardly put to it that they ſeriouſly muſtred up all their policy, learning power, to maintaine their Epiſcopall Jurisdiction to be of divine right: Whereupon having engaged his Majeſty and his Privy Councell to maintaine it by the Sword in the Field he encouraged Doctor Hall, biſhop of Exeter (very prone of himſelfe to undertake ſuch an enterpriſe) to defend it with his ſmooth Rhetoricall penne in the Preſſe. This Biſhop upon his motion and requeſt readily undertakes the deſigned ſervice, compiles his Booke, intituled, Epiſcopacy by divine Right; the written Copy whereof he ſent to the Archbiſhop, ſubmitting it wholy to his power, to diſpoſe of it at his pleaſure, or alter any thing therein which he or his Chaplaines ſhould deeme meet: This Treatiſie was carefully read over by the Arch biſhop himſelfe and his Chaplaines line by line, who altered it in ſome places, and then authorized it for the Preſſe. The particulars concerning the cauſe and grounds of compling it with the Biſhops whole pretended Plot how to ſupport their tottering Hierarchy is fully related in the enſuing Letters of Biſhop Hall to the Archbiſhop, and of the Archbiſhop to him, all ſound and ſeiſed on in his Study at Lambheth.

We ſhall tranſcribe all theſe Letters according to their ſeverall dates, the firſt of them (extracted out of the very originall) is this.

MOſt Reverend Father in God, and my moſt Honourable Lord, I have received your Graces Anſwer in one to my three laſt, humbly thanking your Grace for your noble favours to that well deſerving Petitioner, Maſter Edgcombe, whom I recommended to your Graces notice. For Aſhbrenton, I gave order for a ſpeedy ſatisfaction, and make account to receive it, ere the cloſure of this letter.

Yeſternight I had the view of the Acts of the late Scottiſh Aſſembly, which I could not read without much indignation, in ſeeing the only true, and ancient Government of the Church ſo diſpitefully trod upon by ignorant Factioniſts. Vpon the peruſall whereof, I begin to think it were pity and ſhame they ſhould carry it away ſo, and that ſo publike an inſolence could admit of none but a more publike remedy, and may I be bold to impart unto your Grace what my thoughts were for ſome eaſe of this wrong, and mittegation of the ſcandall under the hope of your Graces pardon, I ſhall not ſticke to diſcover them in this ſecret and feareleſſe paper, humbly leaving them to your Graces favourable cenſure, although indeed, I ſhould have needed a larger Preface to ſo bould an attempt. Since then for his Majeſty to right the Church by the Sword, as the caſe now ſtands, is neither fit for our hopes nor our wiſhes (which were no other in ſo deſperate a Schiſme, then to reconquer his owne with much Charge, danger and blood) we thought it might be ſeaſonable, ſafe and happie to imploy the ſpirituall ſword, the remedy which the Church hath ever wont to make uſe of in ſuch occaſions, with bleſſed ſucceſſe,) I thought therefore if through your Graces mediation it might pleaſe his ſacred Majeſty to cauſe a Generall Synod of the whole three Kingdomes to be indicted, wherein all the Reverend Biſhops and chiefe of the learned, and dignified Clergy, and the profeſſors, and ſome other eminent Doctors of all the Vniverſities in all the ſaid Kingdomes may be aſſembled to paſſe their judgment (after free and full expectation) of theſe Schiſmaticall points, determined thus proudly, and raſhly by our Northen Neighbours, it could not but ſort to excellent effect, for ſo they might bee convinced of their abſurd errours; or at leaſt publikely before all the world, cenſured and condemned for what they are: and if they have any Remainders of ſhame they ſhall be made to bluſh at their owne miſerable tranſportation. This would bee ſome comfort to thoſe exiled Biſhops, who put Holy Iland (as I [Page] heare to the ſame uſe whereto it was imployed at the firſt Plantation of the Goſpell (to be a receptacle of perſecuted Prelates) that they ſhould ſee their cauſe taken to heart by the whole Church under his Majeſties dominions, and why ſhould we not think that the preſence and Authority of your Grace; with that eminent and learned Primate of Armagh, and ſo many other grave and renouned Prelates, ſeconded by ſo irreſiſtable powers of the learning and Judgment of ſo many aſſiſtant Divines (of great note and worth) cannot chooſe but certainly confound theſe heady and ignorant oppoſers of Government and good Order, and give great ſatisfaction to the world, who ſeeing the errours and groundleſſe proceedings of theſe men, ſhall hiſſe them out of countenance, neither can they ſhelter themſelves under the examples of other Churches in France and Netherlands, &c. Since neceſſity hath long agoe caſt them into that condition which theſe men (after eſtabliſhment in the right forme) have wilfully drawn upon themſelves, with an impetuous excluſion of a ſetled government. And certainly my Lord, me thinkes there ſhould be a kinde of neceſſity in this courſe, ſince not ſome few, but the whole Church of Scotland hath thus broken out into Schiſme, and ſhamed both it ſelfe and the Goſpell, and without ſome timely prevention the miſchiefe may yet grow further; whereas this way it may be (at the leaſt) choakingly convinced and ſeaſonably checked. Neither neede the charge hereof be great to his Majeſties coffers, ſince the burthen of the Commiſſioners may be layd upon the ſeverall Dioceſſe from whence they are ſent. Your Grace ſees whither my zeal hath carried me. If I have been to bold and forward in thus preſuming, I humbly crave the pardon of your Grace, which hath been extended to greater errours: I hope a good heart will excuſe all: the beſt wiſhes whereof are truely vowed, and duly paid to your Grace,

By your Graces in all faithfull Obſervance to Command. JOS. EXON.

Exon. Pal. Sept. 28.

Which Letter was thus directed. To the moſt Reverend and moſt Honourable my ſingular good Lord; My Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, Chancellor of Oxford, and one of the Lords of his Majeſties moſt honourable Privy Councell, preſent theſe.

And thus endorſed by the Arch-Biſhops own hand. Dat. Sept. 28. Received Octob. 1629. B. of Exon. Dr. Hall, To move for a Generall Councell of all his Majeſties Dominions, to ſettle the Scottiſh Schiſme.

What was done upon this Letter, and how the Arch-Biſhop tooke occaſion from it to engage Biſhop Hall, to write in defence of Epiſcopall Superiority by Divine Right and Inſtitution, will appear by the Biſhops next Letter to this Arch-Prelate, the Originall whereof we have under Biſhop Halls own hand and Seale.

May it pleaſe your Grace,

I Was not only glad but almoſt proud of your Graces acceptance of my poor but bold motion, which that it found favour in his Majeſties eyes, upon your Graces recommendation, was as much above my hope, as above the poſſibility of my thankfulneſſe. I do moſt humbly reſt in the grounds of his Majeſties moſt wiſe and juſt reſolution, although that which I propounded was not in any ayme at the Reclamation of thoſe ſtiffe Spirits, but at their conviction and ſhaming, together with the ſatisfaction and ſetling of any diſtempered or wavering minds, of any contentious perſon, at home or abroad. But ſince it hath [Page] pleaſed his Majeſtie to lay aſide that thought, I am moſt ſubmiſſively ſilent; As for that motion (which comming from your Graces hand is no leſſe in my conſtruction then a command) of my undertaking this great taske, of writing a ſatisfactory diſcourſe in this ſubject: I beſeech your Grace to give me leave to ſay, it doth too much overvalue me. If your Grace did but know my great weakeneſſe, ſo well as I know my little ſtrength, your Grace would not have ſingled me out for ſo high and noble an undertaking. I confeſſe in an holy zeale to the cauſe, no man ſhall outſtrip me, in abilities too many: yet ſince Note. it hath pleaſed your Grace to honour me ſo farre, as to thinke mee capable, and worthy of ſuch an imployment, I ſhall moſt gladly (without prejudice to any more able paines) endeavour my beſt this way. But would your Grace bee pleaſed to give mee leave to ſuggeſt another Motion. I thinke I ſhould intimate that which would not a little advance the ſucceſſe of this great ſervice. Single labours will be eaſily paſſed over with neglect, what will the Vulgar bee more apt to ſay then, This is but one Doctors judgement? Vis unita fortior. Might it therefore pleaſe your Grace to ſingle out and Empannell a whole Jury of learned Biſhops and Divines to joyne together in this ſubject, it could not chooſe but ſway much with the world.

And ſince I have taken the boldneſſe to move ſo farre, will your Grace give mee leave (out of the zealous intention of my thoughts upon the ſpeede of this notable ſervice) to propound ſome further ſpecialty; If therefore in Ireland, the Lord Primate, the Biſhop of Kilmore, the Biſhop of Downe, and Conner, men (as your Grace beſt knowes) of ſingular note in the Church. Heere at home, my Lord Biſhop of Durham, and Biſhop of Salisbury, and if your Grace ſhall thinke mee worthy to come in the arreare of theſe great and famous Prelates, I ſhall not faile of my beſt. With them the Profeſſors and ſome other eminent Doctors in the name of both Univerſities, and three or foure of the Biſhops and Doctors of Scotland, ſhall be enjoyned by your Grace to expreſſe their judgements fully, concerning theſe two Heads of Epiſcopacy, and Lay Prebytery; and to Print them together. It will bee a worke that will carry in it ſuch authority and ſatisfaction, as will give great contentment to the world, and carry in it a ſtrong rebuke of the Averſaries: And if your Graces reaſon and reſolution ſhould ſo lead you, as to bee ſeene in the head of this Learned Squadron; the worke would beare not much leſſe ſway, then if it were a Synodicall Act; Neither would I wiſh that each of theſe ſhould write a Volume of this matter; but ſuccinctly, (though fully and clearly) declare themſelves in theſe particulars, with ſuch evidence of Scripture, Antiquity, and Reaſons, as may moſt convince. But whether theſe be done in Theſi, or Hypotheſi; whether in way of Paroeneſis, or Apology, or reproofe, I humbly ſubmit to your Graces judgement and direction. I beſeech your Grace pardon this well-meant preſumption, and make account of the dayly Devotions of

Your Graces in all faithfull obſervance to Command. Jos. Exon.

Exon. Pal. Oct. 12. 1639.

After I had ſent away my Letters of complaint concerning Coxe, the man came to me, and upon our ſecond and third conference, began to relent: and finding that I had ſent up his Sermon to your Grace, reſolved to wait voluntarily upon your Grace, ſo as I hope your Grace ſhall at once heare of his offence and ſubmiſſion [Page] If ſo, a free and publike recantation would doe more good here, then his exorbitance hath done hurt; he hath been uſque ad invidiam, conformable, and is a ſufficient Scholler, and of unblameable converſation otherwiſe; I humbly leave him to your Graces either juſtice, or mercy, or both,

J. E.

This Letter was thus Superſcribed. To the moſt Reverend Father in God, my ever moſt honoured Lord, my Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitane, Chancellor of Oxford, and one of the Lords of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privie Counſell, preſent theſe.

And thus Endorſed with the Archbiſhops owne hand. Rec. Oct. 16. 1639. The Biſhop of Exeter. That more then one ſhould write in defence of Epiſcopacie againſt the Scots.

To this Letter the Archbiſhop returned an Anſwer; thereupon Biſhop Hall acquaints him in his next Letter, with the whole Platforme and Subject matter of his Booke, which he ſubmits to his judgement, craving his direction therein, as this Letter under his hand and ſeale will manifeſt.

Moſt Reverend and my moſt Honourable good Lord,

Notwithſtanding the importunity of your Graces manifold occaſions, I received (two dayes ſince) two Letters from your Grace at once, whereof the one ſignified his Majeſties pleaſure for the proviſion of a Benefice within my guift, for one of our poore exild neighbours, which I doe moſt willingly embrace, as out of my owne true commiſeration, ſo much more out of my obedience to my Gracious Maſter, but for the time as your Grace knowes, [...]. In the other, I doe firſt meet with your Graces mercifull and Fatherly proceedings with one of my ſtrayed Charge, Maſter Cox. I was in ſome hope of his relenting, ere I left him, if (as I perceive) the worke be perfected by your Graces effectuall councels, it will be happy for him, and great contentment to his friends; in regard both of his former conformity, and great Charge. He is not yet come down, an hearty Recantation will redeeme all. In the next place, I finde your Graces zealous care of the ſucceſſe of this worke, which upon your Graces motion, I have heartily undertaken; wherein for the not applying of ſo many hands, I doe humbly reſt in his Majeſties moſt wiſe determination, although Note. the danger of varience might have received a prevention, ſince the whole worke muſt have had one rule, and have come under one rule and cenſure, but this courſe is both more ſure and no leſſe effectuall.

For that which here concernes my ſelfe; I acknowledge my ſelf much bound to your Grace for your good opinion of my ability for ſo great a ſhocke, which I ſhall deferre to improve to the utmoſt; and whereas it is thought requiſite, that I ſhould ſet downe thoſe ſimple Propoſitions, which I ſhall undertake to make good in this worke: I doe moſt willingly entertaine it, and therefore ſhall make bold to acquaint your Grace with the whole plot of my intendment in this ſervice, humbly yeelding it up to your Graces Cenſure, or better adviſe.

And firſt my purpoſe is, (wherein I doe ſomewhat pleaſe my ſelfe, if your Grace be ſo pleaſed) to take my riſe from the 8th. Section of their laſt Synod of Edinborough, wherein Maſter George Graham is ſaid to come in, and condemne Epiſcopacie, and to profeſſe his repentance, which is there appointed to be recorded.

[Page] Hereupon, I meane to take this Mr. George to taske, and ſomewhat warmely to expoſtulate the matter with him, and when I ſhall, after a fervent preface, have driven him from the refuge of conforming herein to other (which I think I ſhall do to purpoſe) I ſhall then deale with him alone, and addreſſe my ſelfe to argue the caſe with him, and the Faction (whom I ſhall make my adverſary; the Faction, and not the Church of Scotland.) And ſhall undertake to make good theſe two points, as I conceive, both full and proper for the occaſion.

1 Firſt, That Epiſcopacie is a lawfull, moſt Ancient, holy, and Divine Inſtitution, (I meane, that which is joyned with imparity, and ſuperiority of Juriſdiction) and therefore where it hath through Gods providence obtained, cannot by any humane power be abdicated, without a manifeſt violation of Gods Ordinance.

2 Secondly, That the Presbiterian Government, how ever vindicated under the glorious names of Chriſts Kingdome and Ordinance, hath no true footing, either in Scripture, or the practice of the Church in all Ages, from Chriſts time till the preſent; and that howſoever it may be of uſe in ſome ſuch Cities, or Territories, as wherein Epiſcopall Government, through iniquity of times, cannot be had: yet to obtrude it upon a Church otherwiſe ſetled, under an acknowledged Monarchy, is utterly uncongruous, and unjuſtifiable. Before the proofe of which two heads; I purpoſe to lay downe certaine cleare and undenyable Poſtulata, ſome 15. or 16 in number, as the grounds of my following Arke, ſuch as theſe; 1. That Government which was of Apoſtolicall Inſtitution, cannot be denied to be of Divine Inſtitution. 2. Not onely that Goverment which was directly commanded and enacted, but alſo that which was practiſed, and recommended by the Apoſtles to the Church, muſt juſtly paſſe for an Apoſtolicall Inſtitution. 3. That which the Apoſtles by Divine inſpiration inſtituted, was not for the preſent time but for continuance. 4. The Univerſall practiſe of the Church immediatly ſucceeding the Apoſtles, is the beſt and ſureſt Commentary upon the practiſe of the Apoſtles, or of their expreſſions. 5. We may not entertain ſo irreverent an opinion of the Saints and Fathers of the Primitive Church, that they who were the immediate Succeſſors of the Apoſtles, would, or durſt ſet up a Government, either faulty, or of their owne heads. 6. If they would have been ſo preſumptuous, yet they could not have diffuſed one uniforme order of Government through the whole world, in ſo ſhort a ſpace. 7. The Ancient Hiſtories of the Church, and Writings of the eldeſt Fathers are rather to be beleeved, in the report of the Primitive of the Church Government, then thoſe of this laſt Age. 8. Thoſe, whom the Ancient Church of God, and the holy and Orthodox Fathers condemned for Errors, or Hereſies, are not fit to be followed as Authors of our opinion or practiſe for Church government. 9 The acceſſion of honourable Titles or Priviledges makes no difference in the ſubſtance of the Calling. 10. Thoſe Scriptures wherein any new forme of Government is grounded, had need to bee very cleare, and unqueſtionable, and more evident then thoſe, whereon the former rejected Policy is raiſed. 11. If that Order which they ſay Chriſt ſet for the government of his Church (which they call the Kingdome and Ordinance of Chriſt) be but one and undoubted, then it would and ſhould have beene ere this agreed upon againſt them; what, and which it is. 12. If this (which they pretend) be the Kingdome and Ordinance of Chriſt, then if any eſſentiall part of it be wanting, Chriſts Kingdome is not in that Church erected. 13. Chriſtian policy requires no impoſſible or abſurd thing. 14. Thoſe truths which are new, and unheard off in all ages of the Church (in many and eſſentiall points) are well worthy to bee ſuſpected. 15. To depart from the practiſe of the univerſall Church of Chriſt, (ever from the Apoſtles times) and to be take our ſelves voluntarily to a new forme lately taken up, cannot but be odious and highly ſcandalous. Upon theſe grounds laid, I ſhall come to ſubſume; and ſhall both convince the Faction in aberration from them, and fully prove the two points intended; After [Page] which, with ſome obſervations and Queries, I ſhall ſhut up in a vehement Exhortation both to them, and to our owne; if it may be for the reducing of the one, if not, yet to the ſetling of the other. If your Grace ſhall approve of this Plot-forme, I ſhall accordingly proſecute it; if your Grace ſhall thinke fit to alter or detract, or adde ought, I am as ready to ſubmit, with pardon craved for this length, and the unfained vowes of my hearty prayers, I take leave, and am,

Your Graces in all officious obſervance to command, JOS: EXON.

Exon. Pal. Oct. 28.

Which Letter was thus indorſed with the Archbiſhops owne hand; Received November 1. 1639. The Biſhop of Exeter his account of the Heads of his booke Intended for Epiſcopacy againſt the Scots.

To this Letter the Archbiſhop returned this enſuing Anſwer under his own hand, wherein he fully expreſſeth his opinion, both concerning Epiſcopacy and Presbytery.

THe reſt of your Lordſhips Letter is fitter to be anſwered by my own hand, and ſo you have it. And ſince you are pleaſed ſo worthyly and brother-like to acquaint me with the whole plot of your intended worke, and to yeeld it up to my cenſure and better advice, (ſo you are pleaſed to write) I doe not onely thanke you, heartily for it, but ſhall in the ſame Brotherly way and with equall freedome put ſome few Animad verſions, ſuch as occure on the ſudden, to your further Conſideration, aiming at nothing but what you doe, the perfection of the worke, in which ſo much is concerned.

And firſt for Mr. George Graham, I leave you free to worke upon his baſeneſſe and his ignorance as you pleaſe, aſſuring my ſelf that you will not depart from the gravity of your ſelfe, or the cauſe therein. Next you ſay in the firſt head; That Epiſcopacy is an ancient, Holy and Divine inſtitution. It muſt needs be ancient and holy if divine: would it not be more full, went it thus? So ancient as that it is of divine Inſtitution. There you define Epiſcopacy by being joyn'd with imparity, and ſuperiority of Juriſdiction: This ſeemes ſhort, for every Arch-Presbyters, or Arch-Deacons place, is ſo, yea and ſo was Mr. Henderſon in his Chaire at Glaſgow: unleſſe you will define it by a diſtinction of Order. I draw the ſuperiority not from that Juriſdiction which is attributed to Biſhops, Jure Poſitivo, in their Audience of Eccleſiaſticall matters, but from that which is Intrinſicall and originall in the power of Excommunication. Againe you ſay in that firſt point; That where Epiſcopacy hath obtained, it cannot be abdicated without violation of Gods Ordinance. This propoſition I conceive, eſt inter minus habentes; for never was there any Church yet, where it hath not obtained the Chriſtian faith was never yet planted any where but the very firſt feature, of the body of a Church was by, or with Epiſcopacy, and whereſoever now Epiſcopacy is not ſuffered to be, it is by ſuch an abdication; for certainely there it was a Principio. In your ſecond head you grant, that the Presbyterian Government may be of uſe, where Epiſcopacy may not be had. Firſt I pray you conſider whether this Conceſſion be not needleſſe here, and in it ſelfe of a dangerous conſequence. Next I conceive there is no place where Epiſcopacy may not be had, if there be a Church more then in title onely. Thirdly ſince they challenge their Presbyterian fiction to be Chriſts Kingdome and Ordinance (as your ſelfe expreſſeth) and caſt out Epiſcopacy as oppoſite to it, wee muſt not uſe any minſing termes, but unmaske them plainely, nor ſhall I ever give way to hamper our ſelves for feare of ſpeaking plain truth, though it be againſt Amsterdam or Geneva; and this muſt be ſadly thought [Page] on concerning your Postulata I ſhall pray you to allow me the like freedome, among which the two firſt are true, but (as expreſt) too reſtrictive. For Epiſcopacy is not ſo to be aſſerted to Apoſtolicall Inſtitution, as to barre it from looking higher, and from fetching it Materially and originally in the ground and intention of it, from Chriſt himſelfe, though perhaps the Apoſtles formerlyzed it. And here give me leave a litle to inlarge: The Adverſaries of Epiſcopacy are not onely the furious Aerian Hereticks (out of which are now raiſed Prynne, Baſtwicke and our Scottiſh maſters) but ſome alſo of a milder and ſubtiller Alloy, both in the Genevean Note. and the Roman faction: And it will become the Church of England ſo to vindicate it, againſt the furious Puritans, as that we lay it not open to be wounded by either of the other two, more cunning and more learned Adverſaries. Not to the Roman faction, for that will be content it ſhall be Iuris Divini Mediati, by, from, for, and under the Pope; that ſo the Government of the Church may be Monarchicall in him; but not Immediati, which makes the Church Ariſtocraticall in the Biſhops. This is the Italian Rocke, not the Genevean; For that will not deny Epiſcopacy to be Iuris Divini, ſo you will take it, vt ſuadentis vel approbantis, but not Imperantis; for then they may take and leave as they will, which is that they would be at. Nay (if I much forget not) Beza himſelfe is ſaid to have acknowledg'd Epiſcopacy to be Iuris Divini Imperantis, ſo you will not take it as, Vniverſalitèr imperantis, for then Geneva might eſcape, et citra conſiderationem Durationis; for then thought they had it before, yet now upon wiſer thoughts, they may be without it; which Scotland ſayes now, and who will may ſay it after, if this be good Divinity: And then all in that time ſhall bee Democraticall. I am bold to adde this, becauſe I find in your ſecond Poſtulatum, that Epiſcopacy is directly commanded, but you goe not ſo farre as to meete with this ſubtilty of Beza, which is the great Rocke in the Lake of Geneva. In your 9. Poſtulatum, that the acceſſion of Honourable Titles or Priviledges makes no difference in the ſubſtance of the calling. If you meane the Titles of Archbiſhops, Primates, Metropolitanes, Patriarkes, &c. 'tis well: And I preſume you doe ſo: But then in any caſe take heed you aſſert it ſo, as that the faction lay not hold of it, as if the Biſhops were but the Title of honour, and the ſame Calling with a Prieſt, for that they all ayme at, &c. The 11. Poſtulatum, is large and I ſhall not repeate it, becauſe I am ſure you retaine a Coppy of what you writ to me, being the ribbs of your worke, nor ſhall I ſay more to it, then that it muſt be warily handled for feare of a ſaucy anſwer, which is more ready a great deale with them then a learned one. I preſume I am pardoned already for this freedome, by your ſubmiſſion of all to me, And now I heartily pray you be pleaſed to ſend me up (keeping a Coppy to your ſelfe againſt the accidents of carriage) not the whole worke together, but each particular Head, or Poſtulatum, as you finiſh it; that ſo wee here, may be the better able to conſider of it, and the worke come on the faſter, So to Gods b. protection, &c.

Wil. Cant.

Lambeth, Nov. 11. 1639.

This Letter was thus endorſed with the Archbiſhops owne hand. My Anſwer (of Novemb. 11. 1639.) to the Heads of the Biſhop of Exons Bookes, intended for Epiſcopacie.

What Reply Biſhop Hall returned to this his Graces Letter, theſe following Lines of his will diſcloſe.

My moſt Reverend and moſt Honourable good Lord.

I Should be unthankefull, if I did not acknowledge every one of theſe Lines of ſo long a Letter, written with your Graces owne hand, a new obligation to me, who know the price of your time; yet the matter of them binds mee more; [Page] thoſe Animadverſions were ſo juſt, that I had amended thoſe paſſages (divers of them) voluntarily, ere I received this Gracious Admonition, for I did onely ſend your Grace the rude draught of what I meant to poliſh in the Expreſſion; your Grace obſerves truely ſome mitigation in ſtating the Cauſe, which I confeſſe to have purpoſely uſed, out of a deſire to hold as good Termes with our neighbour Churches abroad, as I ſafely might; your Grace knowes well how Doctor Field, and Doctor Downam have handled that point, if we may make the Caſe ſure for us, with the leaſt aſperſion caſt upon them, (who honour our Government, and cannot obtaine it) I conceived it the better, eſpecially, ſince the Scottiſh caſe ſo palpably differs; yet I would ſo determine it, as that nothing but neceſſity can either excuſe them, or hold up the truth of their being. In the Preſbyterie I muſt fall foule with them, howſoever; That Clauſe of abdication was inſerted, with reſpect to the preſent occaſion; I ſhall willingly abdicate it, Thoſe many ſcruples which may ariſe, and muſt be met with in this cauſe, will bee avoyded, if we doe plainly and ſhortly ſtate the Queſtion thus; Whether the Majority of Biſhops above Presbyters, be by Divine Inſtitution? which if we make good, I ſuppoſe, is as much as can be reaſonably deſired: for what Chriſtian can thinke it life or lawfull to depart from that which Chriſt and his Apoſtles have ſet in his Church, with an intent of perpetuall continuance? I have noted in my diſcourſe, thoſe two ſorts of Adverſaries, and with reſpect to them put in theſe two words, Lawfull, againſt the firſt; and againſt the ſecond, Divine; though the latter in the tractation comprehendeth both.

We ſhall not much neede, I hope, in this way to come within the Ken of that Roman Rock of jus Divinum mediatum, although it muſt fall into our mention. Shortly, I ſhall take carefull heede to thoſe points which you Grace adviſeth; and when I have laid my laſt hand upon the firſt part, whereof each clauſe muſt Bis ad Limam, ſemel ad linguam, I ſhall tranſcribe and ſend it to your Grace for your full and free Cenſure. In the meane time, with my beſt prayers, I take leave, and vow my ſelfe,

Your Graces in all faithfull obſervance to command, Jos. Exon.

Exon. Pal. Nov. 16.

The Archbiſhop with his owne hand thus endorſed this Letter. Received Nov. 18 1639. L. Exon. his Anſwer to thoſe Animadverſions I made upon the heads of his intended Booke for Epiſcopacie.

The Archbiſhop returning an Anſwer to this Letter, thereupon Biſhop Hall ſent up his Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy by Divine Right, accompanied with this Epiſtle, and the enſuing Propoſitions, which together with his Booke, he wholly ſubmitted to his Graces judgement and diſpoſall.

Moſt Reverend and my ever moſt Honourable good Lord,

I Have received your Graces ſpeedy and full anſwer to my laſt. And now according to my promiſe, I preſent to your Graces hands this Worke of mine, the bulk whereof ſwelled under my hand, beyond my purpoſe; whiles I could think no paſſage of it unneceſſary; I humbly ſubmit it to your Graces free Cenſure, not perſonall, (for I could not be ſo weake as to thinke your Grace could loſe ſo much time in peruſall of it) but Deputative. The more and the more judicious eyes paſſe upon it, the better. Whether for haſte, or delay; for impreſſion, or ſuppreſſion [Page] or ſuppreſſion, I am altogether indifferent: for my owne judgement I doe not think it werthy or capable of the atteſtation of others, eſpecially my betters, for that I do both take my riſe from a particular occaſion and do often interſperſe polemicall diſſertations, as with M. Parker, Anti-Tilenus, Vedelius, and others, without which me thought I could not ſatisfactorily clear thoſe points,) which paſſages I have no reaſon to think others ſhould take upon them, either to own or juſtifie. It was my ſecond bold motion to your Grace, That divers ſelect Biſhops and Divines, ſhould ſhortly and fully expreſſe their judgements in this ſubject; Your Grace thought fitter (to which I ſubſcribed) that it-ſhould be done by one or two, and allowed and ſeconded by more, ſuch a diſcourſe ſhould be only poſitive and ſhort: As for this, I ſuppoſe the judicious peruſers will thinke it may be of good uſe to ſettle and prepare the mindes of men, towards an unanimity of Judgement in this point, which perhaps may be otherwiſe varying: And if I may have leave to ſhoot my bolt I ſhould conceive, (if an atteſtation to our juſt Tenent be thought requiſite from many and the beſt hands) it would ſort beſt, that the ſubſtance of it ſhould be drawn up into ſome ſhort and full Propoſitions (ſuch as theſe which I have taken the boldneſſe to incloſe) and ſent or tendred to them for their ſubſcription; wherein I ſhould hold a generality of expreſſion the ſafeſt. I beſeech your Grace pardon this preſumption of mine, and for this my Labour, if it be found that it may be of any profitable uſe, in theſe way ward times, let it flye; otherwiſe it may this feſtivall be imployed in Thuris Piperiſue Cucullos. I ſhall be well content with either the light or the fire. Your Grace will ſoon finde that I have been plain enough with our Genevians: for the Forraign Churches I have taken the ſame courſe, with our learned Biſhop Andrews, as pittying their alleadging neceſſity, not approving their form: in the mean time not thinking it beſt to make Enemies where we may have friends. I do finde and ſhew the Scottiſh caſe utterly unlike theirs for our greater advantage: I have driven the point further than ſome worthy Divines before me; and eſpecially have laboured in that part, where the cauſe beares moſt, viz. in matter of Scripture; and the next following Antiquity. What it is, is wholly and abſolutely at your Graces diſpoſing, to what ever purpoſe your Grace will think fit: And ſo with the apprecation of an happy New year to your Grace, and to this whole Church, I take my humble leave, and am

Your Graces in all faithfull Obſervance to Command. JOS. EXON.

Exon. Pal. S. Tho. Day.

This Letter was thus ſuperſcribed: To the moſt Reverend and moſt honourable my ſingular good Lord, my Lord Arch-biſhop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, Chancellor of Oxford, and one of the Lords of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Councell, preſent theſe.

And thus indorſed with the Arch-biſhops own hand. Received Jan. 30. 1640. L. Exon Concerning his book: and the ſubmiſſion of it to my judgement.

The Propoſitions incloſed in this Letter were theſe following, to which the Arch-biſhop added this Title, and ſome inſertions with his own hand here noted with a diſtinct Character.

Concerning Church Government and the eſtate of Epiſcopacy.

1. God had never any Church upon earth that was ruled by a Parity.

2. The firſt Church of God which was reduced to a publike policy

Inſerted with the Archbiſhops owne hand.

was among the Jewes, and by his owne appointment was governed by a ſettled imparity of High-Prieſt, Prieſts, Levites.

3. The Evangelicall Church was founded by our Saviour in a knowne imparity; for though the Apoſtles were equall among themſelves, yet they were above the 70. and all other Diſciples, and were ſpecially indued with power from on high.

4. The ſame God and Saviour after his Aſſention did ſet ſeverall ranks and orders of the holy Miniſtry: Firſt Apoſtles: Secondly Prophets: Thirdly Teachers, &c. all which acknowledged the eminence and authority of the Apoſtles.

5. The Apoſtles after the Aſſention of our Saviour by the direction of Gods ſpirit, did exerciſe that power and ſuperiority of ſpirituall Juriſdiction over the reſt of the Church, which was given them by Chriſt, and ſtood upon their Majority above all other Miniſters of the Goſpell.

6. The ſame Apoſtles did not carry that power up to heaven with them, and leave the Church unfurniſhed with the due helpes of her further propagation and Government, but by vertue of this power and by the ſame direction of Gods ſpirit, ordayned in ſeverall parts ſpirituall guides and Governours of Gods people to ayde and ſucceede them.

7. The ſpirituall perſons ſo by them ordained were at the firſt promiſcuouſly called Biſhops and Presbyters, and managed the Church affaires, by common advice but ſtill under the Government of the Apoſtles their Ordayners and overſeers.

8. But when the Apoſtles found that Quarrels and Emulations grew in the Church;

Added with the Archbiſhops owne hand.

even while many of them were living; through the Parity of Presbyters, and ſide takings of the people; The ſame Apoſtles by the appointment and direction of the ſame ſpirit, raiſed in each City, where the Church was more frequent, one amongſt the Presbyters to a more eminent Authority then the reſt to ſucceed them, in their ordinary power of ordination and cenſure, and encharged them, peculiarly with the care of Church-Government, ſuch were Timothy and Titus, and thoſe which were ſtiled the Angells, of the ſeven Aſian Churches.

[Page] 9. Theſe ſelected perſons were then and ever ſince diſtinguiſhed from the reſt by the name Epiſcopi-Biſhops.

10. In the very times of the Apoſtles, and by the impoſition of their hands, there were divers ſuch perſons ſetled in the Church of God, being ſeverally ordayned and appointed to the over-ſight of thoſe populous Citties where their charge lay, to whom all the Presbyters and Deacons were ſubject.

11. Theſe Biſhops continued their fixed ſuperiority over their Clergy all the time of their life, with the well allowed expreſſe of ſpirituall Juriſdiction, and after their death

This was altered by the Arch-biſhop, and put in lieu of: were ſucceeded by others of their own Order or Degree

other Presbyters were choſen to ſucceed them, by the due impoſition of the hands of their fellow Biſhops.

12. There was no Church of Chriſt upon earth, ever ſince the times of the Apoſtles, governed any otherwiſe then by Biſhops, thus ſucceſſively (after deceaſe) ordayned.

13. This courſe of Government thus ſet by the Apoſtles in their life time, by the ſpeciall direction of the holy ſpirit, is not alterable by any humane Authority, but ought to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world.

14. Thoſe which in the new Teſtament are called the Elders of the Church were no other then ſpirituall perſons, ſuch as had the charge of feeding the Flocke of Chriſt by Word and Doctrine.

15. It is not lawfull for any Lay-perſon to lay hands on thoſe which are to be ordayned, nor to have any hand in managing the Cenſures of the Church, which onely pertaine to them who have the power of the Keyes delivered to them by Chriſt.

16. There was never any Lay Presbyter heard or read of in the Church of Chriſt in any Hiſtory, untill this preſent age:

This clauſe was added by the Arch-biſhop, with his own hand.

All which wee declare to the Doctrine and Judgement of the Church of England, concerning theſe points of Church Government.

Theſe Propoſitions were thus endorſed with the Arch-Biſhops owne hand: Rec. Decemb. 29. 1639. Biſhop Hall of Exeter his propoſitions concerning Epiſcopacy; Theſe perhaps may be thought fit for a ſubſcription of others.

There were two more Letters which paſſed between theſe Prelates about this ſubject and Book, which we have referred to a more proper Here. p. 263. to 267. place, where you may peruſe them: All which compared together will fully diſcover, the whole plot and deſigne of the Archbiſhop and his confederates, in maintaining their Lordly Epiſcopall Superiority to be of divine Inſtitution and Right, and how it was driven on by them, till it brake them all in pieces, by the authority and Juſtice of the preſent Parliament.

The laſt head I ſhall mention, is the ſumme and ſubſtance of all the fore-mentioned: namely,

21. That the Church of Rome is a true viſible Church, and never erred in fundamentalls, no not in the worſt times: That ſhe is the Ancient holy Mother Church; That her Religion, and ours of the Church of England, is all one: That men may be ſaved in that Church and Religion as well as in ours; and that it is a crime to be recanted, to hold Papiſts, as Papists, to be damned.

[Page]

This main comprehenſive Propoſition, ratifies and clearly demonſtrates to us, the true drift & ſcope of all the former; to wit, a [...] and reconciliation with the Church of Rome; the foundation whereof was firſt laid by this Arch-biſhops creature, Biſhop Mountague, who determines thus in his Gagge pag. 14. The Articles of our Creed are confeſſed on both ſides and held plain enough. The controverted points are of a larger and an inferior alloy: of them a man may be ignorant without any danger of his ſoul at all, pag. 50. Moderate men on both ſides confeſſe, this controverſie may ceaſe, Eccleſia Romana manet Chriſti Eccleſia & ſponſa, &c. In his Appeal pag. 136. Since there firſt was a Church in England, France, Spain, and Rome, there hath not ceaſed to be a true Church there: pag. 139. The Church of Rome is, and ever was, a true Church, ſince it was a Church. pag. 113. I am abſolutely perſwaded, that the Church of Rome is a true, though not a ſound Church of Chriſt, as well ſince as before the Councell of Trent; In eſſentialls and fundamentalls, they agree, in holding one faith in one Lord.

This Poſition was ſtrenuouſly maintained by Maſter Chomley, and Butterfield (who ſoon after turned Seminary Prieſt) in their Books againſt Maſter Burtons, Babel no Bethel; wherein they justified the Church of Rome to be a true Church, this being the ſubject matter of both their Treatiſes.

Tho. Chuneus, in his Collectiones Theologicae, Dedicated to the Archbiſhop, and Licenſed by Heywood his Chaplain, August 26. 1634. cap. 16. p. 45. 46. determines thus: Quaenam ſit Romana Eccleſia? Cum constet Romanam Eccleſiam, in primariis temporibuss, velut inter ignes Luna Minores, caeteris Eccleſiis praeluxiſſe, caeteriſque Maechantibus caſtam, & pudicam veritatis conſervatricem extitiſſe, nec in peſsimis uſque eo degeneraſſe cenſemus ut in primariis & fundamentalibus Religionis capitibus aberraſſe videatur; quidniquamvis in caeteris forſan vitiatam & temeratam, Eccleſiae tamen nomine honeſtandam cenſeam, &c.

[Page] This paſſage Doctor Bastwick taking exception againſt at his cenſure in the High-Commiſſion, read it openly in Court, where the Arch-biſhop publikely juſtified it in his ſpeech, affirming: That the Church of Rome was a true Church, and that it never erred in fundamentalls, in which we differ not, but onely circa fundamentalia.

This diſtinction of his was afterwards thus juſtified in Print by Christopher Dome, in his Innovations unjuſtly charged, pag. 48. Nor is it an abſurd diſtinction (as he unreverendly and abſurdly termed it) that a great Prelate uſed in the High-Commiſſion at the cenſure of Doctor Bastwick, when he ſaid: That we and the Church of Rome differ not in fundamentalibus, but circa fundamentalia pag. 49. The diſtinction is not abſurd, but it may moſt truely and fitly be ſaid, that we may and do differ about, and not in fundamentals: which Doctor Heylin likewiſe ſeconds in his Moderate Anſwer, to Henry Burton, p. 6. 124. 125. No difference between the Church of Rome and England in fundamentalls. Suppoſe a great Prelate in the High-Commiſſion [...] had ſaid openly, that we and the Church of Rome differ not in [...]amentalibus, yet how comes this to be an Innovation, &c. The Church of Rome hath done more againſt the Heretickes of this age, than you, or any of your Divines, be he whom he will. But for the Church of Rome, it is a true Church, and that we differ not from them in fundamentalls: ſee the Reconciler.

Doctor Potter, in his booke which he ſubmitted to the Arch-biſhops cenſure, concludes thus; pag. 62. 77. The moſt neceſſary and fundamentall truths, which conſtitute a Church, are on both ſides unqueſtioned. We hope well of thoſe holy ſouls who in former ages lived and dyed in the Church of Rome, &c. Nay, our charity reacheth further, to all thoſe this day who in ſimplicity of heart beleeve the Roman Religion and profeſſe it.

Doctor Pocklingtons, Altare Christianum, pag. 114. Termes Rome by the name of Holy Church, and applauds her canonized Popiſh Saints, ſtiling them, The Holy Saints and Martyrs of Jeſus Christ, whoſe names are written in heaven: And our Proteſtant Martyrs, Traytors, Murderers, Rebels, and Hereticks.

The Archbiſhop himſelfe was a profeſſed maintainer of the truth and viſibility of the faith and Church of Rome, not only in his Speech in the high Commiſſion, at Doctor Baſtwicks cenſure there, and in his Speech in Star-chamber, pag. 36. but likewiſe in his late Reply to Fiſher, Epiſt. Ded. p. 16. And were not this ſo, we ſhould never be troubled with that idle and impertinent queſtion of theirs: Where was your Church before Luther? For it was juſt there, where theirs is now. One and the ſame Church ſtill, no doubt of that; one in ſubſtance, but not one in condition of State and purity; Their part of the ſame Church remaining in corruption: and our part of the ſame Church under Reformation. In the Reply it ſelfe, pag. 370. 371. Rome, but with all particular Churches and no more than other Patriarchall Churches was and is, radix exiſtentiae, the roote of the Churches exiſtence. The Church of Rome and every [Page] other particular Church, &c. Indeed Apoſtolike ſhe is, as being the See of one, and he a prime Apoſtle, but not the onely Apoſtolike: Viſible, I may not deny, God hath hitherto preſerved her. And p. 376. Secondly, if the Religion of the Proteſtants be in conſcience a known falſe Religion, then the Romaniſts Religion is ſo too, for their Religion is the ſame. Nor do the Church of Rome and the Proteſtants ſet up a different Religion (for the Chriſtian Religion is the ſame to both) but they differ in the ſame Religion, and their difference is in certain groſſe corruptions.

I ſhall cloſe up this with a publike Recantation, drawn up and preſcribed by Godfry Goodman, Biſhop of Gloceſter, to one Mr. Ridler Miniſter of Little Deane, about 7. miles from that City: who having many Papiſts in his Pariſh, and preaching in a Sermon there, That Papiſts, as Papiſts were damned, and that the true Proteſtant Religion was the onely true and ſafe way to Salvation: he was upon the complaint of ſome Papiſts, convicted before this Biſhop, and by him enjoyned to make this following Recantation, preſcribed to him, in writing, in the Cathedrall Church at Glocester on Jan. 2. 1636. and for refuſing to make it, he was afterwards on the 5. of March next following ſuſpended from his living.

(IHS)

IN the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghoſt, Amen. Whereas I did deliver in a Sermon, lately preacht in this Dioceſſe, That if we are ſaved the Papiſts are damned; I am Note. right heartily ſorry that I ſhould deliver any ſuch doctrine, wherein I muſt acknowledge mine owne errour, and my great fault and offence.

Firſt, againſt his Majeſties Inſtructions, thus raſhly and unadviſedly to affirme, That Papiſts are damned.

Secondly, it is an offence againſt the laws of the Kingdome, For in the eye of the Law we are ſtill one with the ſame Catholike Church: for were we of a diſtinct or ſeverall Church, Then our Church could claim no right or Title to thoſe Priviledges, Charters, Foundations, and Revenues which it enjoyes at this day, for theſe were granted to Papiſts, and for many hundred yeares poſseſſed by them; and ſince there hath beene no new Law for transferring them upon a different or contrary Church; But this is made much more manifeſt by the expreſſe words of the Statute, as it appeares by the Act of Parliament which was made upon the firſt breach with the Papiſts: the words are theſe, That they do not thereby intend to ſeperate themſelves from Gods Catholike Church, but onely for Note. ſome politicall reſpects, to preſerve the Kingdome from Ruine. This was made the 25. of Hen. 8. and it is in force at this day; ſo that to make ſuch a difference between theſe two Churches, as is between damnation and ſalvation; certainly is againſt the Common Lawes, and the Statute Law of this Kingdome; beſides many acts of State, which being above my element, I will not preſume to touch upon.

[Page] Thirdly, againſt the Church of England; It is impoſible there ſhould be any greater offence, in regard of the affinity that is between both Churches, for we have the ſame Holy Orders, the ſame Church Service, the ſame Note. Ceremonies, the ſame Fasts, the ſame Feſtivals, and we have generally the ſame Canon Lawes; and therefore through ſides of the Church of Rome they do but give deadly and mortall Wounds to the Church of England who affirme, that Papiſts are damned.

Fourthly it is an offence to Chriſtian Religion; for we are to preach the Meanes how men may attaine Salvation, and to pteach Chriſt as a Saviour, we muſt not raſhly intrude upon his Judiciall power on every ſlight occaſion, to point out thoſe that are damned, as if we would ſhorten the mercyes of God and Monopolize them wholy to our ſelves, there is no militant Church without blemiſhes and imperfections, but as long as the foundation is ſound, that we bebeive in Chriſt crucified, and that we believe the three Creeds, ſo long there is hope of Salvation, Severall churches, though differing in many things, yet may be contained in the bounds of the Catholique church: Thus the Greeke church and the Latine Church, may be ſaved both, though they have difference betweene themſelves; and thus the Chriſtians that lived in thoſe parts of the world, which have beene lately diſcovered [and therefore did never partake with the reſt of the Catholike church] yet no doubt but thoſe may be ſaved.

Fiftly, there is nothing ſo proper to Chriſtians, as love and charity, and a man may be damned as well for want of charity, as for want of faith; and there cannot bee poſſible a greater want of charity, then to exclude men from Salvation: and therefore they who are apt in their owne ungodly malice to damne others, certainely themſelves are damned; Let it ſuffice that if any man ſhall aske God forgiveneſſe of his ſins, as no doubt every man doth, (for it is one part of the Lords prayer,) and theſe ſins doe imply not onely the Tranſgreſſions of our lives, but likewiſe the erour of our faith, ſo that asking God forgiveneſſe no doubt but God is mercifull.

And here I muſt likewiſe expreſſe my great ſorrow and griefe, that I have ſo much offended agaiſt the memory of our forefathers and Progenitors, ſuch as built our Churches, and were the meanes under God, not onely to give us life, but alſo to make us Chriſtians: when I conſider their Piety and their Mortification, ſhall I thinke theſe tended to nothing but onely to damne them? No, God forbid; and therefore in all humility and obedience, I doe here acknowledge my great fault, and do aſke forgiveneſſe of God, of the Church, and of our Reverend Dioceſan, and I deſire you all to teſtifie this my Sorrow and unfained repentance. Note.

By all theſe Authorized Popiſh poſitions, you may eaſily gueſſe at this Arch-Prelates Popiſh intentions, to reduce us backe to Rome.

§

We ſhall cloſe up this catalogue of Authorized printed Popiſh Doctrines and Poſitions, with two remarkable particulars more, ſufficient to amaze all Proteſtant Readers for their ſtrangeneſſe.

[Page] The firſt is, the extraordinary commendation of the moſt impious Councell of Trent, the Popes Maſterpiece, the principall eſtabliſhment, ſupport, of the whole body of Popery, and ſtrongest Pillar to ſupport both the Faith, Pope, and Church of Rome.

For this we ſhall produce one memorable clauſe, which you may read in the exact collection of all the Roman Emperours lives, from Julius Caeſar to the now reigning Ferdinando the ſecond; Printed at London for George Hutton, and licenſed by Doctor weekes, Chaplaine both to the Archbiſhop and Biſhop of London, Ann. 1636. p. 374. Ferdinando the Brother of Charles, and Sonne of Philip King of Caſtile was a man well learned, eſpecially in the Latine tongue, and alſo in Armes moſt expert and active; wherefore it was doubted whether he were of more agility in Chevalry, or more eloquent and fluent in the Latia, Italian, Spaniſh, High-Dutch, Hungarian, and Bohemian Languages. In the time of his Emperiall Government the Councell of Trent, was held, which was ſo commodious and profitable to the generall good of the world, Note. that it may ſerve for a certaine Rule, both of Government of States, and a forme of good life. In which proceedings this Emperour ſhewed himſelfe very forward and a great aſsistant.

What greater Encomions could be given of this damnable Popiſh Councell by publike Authority, without cenſure, revocation, or any Index expurgatorius, let all Proteſtants judge.

The ſecond is: The printing of the Popiſh Index Biblicus, here in London by Authority, An: 1640. made by Prieſts and Ieſuits, for their Vulgar Latin Bible, and binding it up with the Latin Bibles of Iunius, Tremelius and Baezers Tranſlation, to ſeduce the Readers and corrupt the Text.

You have heard before, how the Archbiſhop commanded the whole Hiſtory of our Saviours Nativity, Life, Paſſion, Reſurrection, Aſſention, to be publikly printed, and inſerted both into Engliſh and Latin Bibles, after the Popiſh garbe, taking his paterne from the Maſſe-booke; to pollute, pervert the text, and infect the Readers by degrees with Popery, even by theſe very Bibles, which otherwiſe would moſt alienate them from it. But not contented herewith he and his agents the better, ſooner, to ſeduce the people to Popery, even by the very Bible it ſelfe, cauſed ſome two or three thouſand Popiſh Indexes (made for the Popiſh Vulgar Tranſlation of the Bible by Prieſts and Jeſuits, and bound up with it) to be printed here in London by authority Anno. 1640. and bound up with our ſmall Latin Bibles of Junius and Bezaes tranſlation; to which it was never formerly annexed, as a fit Index for them. In which Index Biblicus, the groſſeſt points of Popery are poſitively aſſerted, as directly conteined in, and juſtified by the Scripture texts, to which it doth referre.

The publike printing, & ſale of theſe Indexes here in London with our Proteſtant Latin Bibles without controle, was atteſted by Michael Sparke Senior, Maſter Walley and others, and theſe popiſh paſſages read out of them at the Lords Barr, by Mr. Prynne: Adoratio Angelis & hominibus tributa, Gen. 18. 2. &c. Aqua benedicta. Baptiſmus tollit omnia peccata, Gen. 17. 14. &c. Benedictio qua Creaturae conſecrantur & ſanctificantur, Exod. 28. 2. &c. Hinc conſecratio Sacerdotum, Veſtium, Altarium, Templorum, Cereorum, Aquae luſtralis: &c. Caſtitas caelibum, praefortior Caſtitati conjugali. P. 45. 15. &c. Caſtitas haec conſulitur, vt perfectio Evangelica: 1. Cor. 7. 25. Certinon ſumus de accepta peccatorum remiſſione, vel vita aeterna conſequenda Eccle. 9. 3, 4. &c. Charitas virtus fide praeſtantior: Proverb. 10. 12. &c. Confirmationis Sacramentum Acts 8. 17. Heb. 6. 2. Doctrina Apoſtolica ſcripta et non Scripta firmiter tenenda. Rom. 16. 17. &c. Eccleſia eſt una & viſibilis; Gen. 6. 14. Euchariſtia ſub altera tantum, nimirum panis ſpecie Iohan 6. 58. data a Chriſto Luk. 24. 30. [Page] 31. ab Apoſtolis, Acts 2. 42. Euchariſtia non remanet ſubſtantia panis poſt conſecrationem, ſed eſt verum Christi corpus & ſanguis, Mat. 26. 26. Euchariſtiam in publicis ſupplicationibus circumferendam eſſe praefiguratur: Jehoſ. 6. 9. 15. 1. Schem. 4. 5. 2. Schem. 6. 4. 5. 6. &c. Fides ſine operibus non juſtificat: 1 Cor. 13. 2. Gal. 5. 6. &c. Jejunii meritum, Jerem. 35. 14. 19. Iejunatur pro mortuis. 1 Schem. 31. 13. Imagines juſſit Deus fieri. Exod. 25. 18. Impoſitio manus in Sacramento ordinis & confirmationis, Actor: 6. 6. Iuſti verè in hac vita. Luke 1. 6. &c. Iustificatio qua quis ex juſto fit juſtior, aſcribitur boxis operibus: Rom. 2. 13. Iuſtificatio impij non ſolum fidei aſcribitur, ſed etiam aliquatenus alijs virtutibus, vt ſpei: Rom. 8. 23. Penitentiae operibus: Jech. 18. 21. 22. Math. 3. 2. and Luke 7. &c. Liberum arbitrium etiam poſt lapſum in homine manſit. Gen. 4. 7. Librum arbitrium Co-operatur gratiae Dei. 1 Schem. 7. 3. &c. Matrimonium cujus rei ſacramentum. Eph. 5. 32. &c. Confert Gratiam et ſanctificationem: 1 Theſ. 4. 4. Operum merita & retributio ſeu merces. Pſal. 119. 112. &c. Opera bona Deo grata ſunt, & praemium merentur: Gen. 4. 4. 7. &c. Operari benè propter mercedem & retributionem licitum eſt: Pſal. 119. 112. Mat. 5. 12. Non in quolibet opere homo peccat: 2 Pet. 1. 10. &c. Ordinum ſacramentum, Joha. 20. 22. Peccatum ſacerdos remittit authoritate Divinâ: Math. 18. 18. &c. Petrus primus Apoſtolorum: Math. 10. 2. Quadrage ſimalis Iejunij exemplum Moſche: Exod. 24. 18. &c. Reliquiae, & veſtes ſanctorum, quam vim a Deo habeant, quidne per eas operatur Deus, vt pallium Elijae: 2 Reg. 2. 14. Vmbra Chriſti, Mat. 9. 20. Revelationes & viſiones, Jehoſ. 6. 1. Sacrificium Novi Teſtamenti appellatur Iugis cultus, Dan. 11. 31. Celebrabitur donec veniat dominus: 1 Cor. 11. 26. Sancti etiam defuncti rectè â nobis laudantur: Joh. 12. 26. In ſanctis ſuis Deus laudatur: Pſal. 151. 1. &c. Scriptura difficilis intellectu: 2 Pet. 3. 16. Nec omnia ſcriptis Apoſtoli mandarunt: John 20. 30.

All theſe, with ſundry other Popiſh Doctrines were conteined in this Index Biblicus, bound up with our Proteſtant Bibles, to pervert the Scriptures, ſeduce the Readers, and make the very Bible itſelfe (as much as in them lay) the very Patron and Propagator of Popery. Now what more deſperate project could there be to undermine our eſtabliſhed Religion, and ſet up Popery then this, to corrupt the very Scriptures themſelves by annexing ſuch a pernicious Index to them; A crime ſo tranſcendently execrable in an Arch-Prelate, intruſted with the greateſt care of our Religion, as no tongue is able to expreſſe its deteſtableneſſe to the full, no puniſhment great enough to expiate its guilt.

Wee have repreſented you with an Epitome of the ſeverall Popiſh Doctrines printed and authorized of late yeares in our Church by the Archbiſhop himſelf, his Chaplaines and Inſtruments, and could have furniſhed you with infinite others of this kinde: but becauſe Maſter Bayly in his, Canterburians ſelfe-conviction, the laſt Edition, hath collected and publiſhed moſt of them already to the world, where the ſtudious may praiſe them at their leiſure, and we deſire rather to ſatisfie, then ſurfet or tyre out the Reader with inſtances of this nature, we ſhall paſſe them by in ſilence, onely with this knowne experimentall obſervation, That all kindes of Popiſh, Arminian Doctrines were ever more bold and frequent in our Pulpits throughout the Realme, then in our Preſſes, eſpecially in our Vniverſities and the Kings owne Chappell; a truth ſo univerſally knowne to all, ſo plentifully manifeſted to the world in Mr. Whites firſt Century of ſcandalous and malignant Prieſts, that to prove it by witneſſes or Inductions of particulars, would be to light a Candle to the ſunne, and waſt much precious time in proving that, which no impartiall intelligent man ſo much as doubts of, but knowes moſt true of his owne wofull experience.

[Page] Fourthly, having given you this large account of what popiſh doctrines and poſitions both himſelfe, his Chaplaines, Agents, printed, authorized to corrupt the peoples IV. Notable paſſages againſt popery expunged out of new licenſed Books by the Arch-biſhop and his Agents in imitation of the popiſh Index Expurgatorius. judgement; we ſhall next preſent you with a large Engliſh Index Expurgatorius, of what paſſages he and they expunged out of ſundry Engliſh Writers, tendered them to licenſe, before they could paſſe the Preſſe; which will moſt clearly diſcover his and their Jeſuiticall practiſes, confederacies and deſignes to introduce the whole body of Popery among us with little or no oppoſition.

We ſhall begin with purgations of this nature, made by the Biſhop himſelfe, ſome of them before he had any publike authority to licenſe Books, but moſt of them after he uſurped this power, all of them ſo remarkable, that all Proteſtant Churches, Readers will ſtand amazed at them.

The firſt we ſhall inſtance in, is his purgations made in Doctor Sibthorps Sermon▪ preached at Northampton Aſſizes, before the Judges, in the yeere 1627. intituled▪ Apostolicall Obedience; the whole ſcope of this Sermon, was to juſtifie The lawfulneſſe of the generall Loane (then ſet on foot by the Kings ill Councellours, to keep off Parliaments) and of the Kings impoſing publike Taxes by his owne regall power, without conſent in Parliament; and to prove, that the people in poynt of conſcience and religion ought cheerfully to ſubmit to ſuch Loanes and Taxes without any oppoſition. To ſweeten this ſower theame, the Doctor had cunningly inſerted ſome popular paſſages into this Sermon againſt evill Counſellours, the toleration of Papiſts, Popery, and the prophanation of the Sabbath, which this Biſhop (who procured this Sermon of his to be printed) expunged with his owne hand, as was evidenced by the Originall written Copy, found in his Study, produced at the Lords Barre, and atteſted by Maſter Prynne.

The firſt paſſage he expunged was this; ‘When not onely the Emperour extirpates the Proteſtants in Bohemia, where he profeſt it, and Baveir in the Palatinate, where he hath a pretext of revenge for it, or the Spaniard and Arch-dutcheſſe in their Dominions, where the Jeſuits make it a caſe of Conſcience, but even the King of France not onely at Rochel and Mountabon, but alſo in other his confines: and when the Pope unites all theſe in a holy League; what may we expect will become of Brittaine, if like that wiſe King in the Goſpell, ours ſends not out whileſt the enemies are yet a farre off? you know how ſpeedily this Iland hath been overrunne with but a few being once entred, and our Ilands are not now better fortified.’

The next was this; ‘He that Diſturbs the State, and drawes the Prince to ill, is to undergoe what he intended to others, as Haman and his complices for their plot againſt the Jewes, Ester 7, 8, 9. chapters: He that under pretence of honour to the King is an enemy to Religion, ſhould ſuffer for a Seducer, as thoſe betrayers of the Prophet. Dan. 6. 4. to 25.’ It is probable that this Biſhop being then newly made a Privy-Counſellour, and putting the King upon pernicious and illegall projects, to the diſturbance of the State and prejudice of Religion, grew conſcious to himſelf, that this paſſage if un-expunged, might one day riſe up in judgement againſt him and be applied to himſelfe in after times; wherefore out of a provident foreſight, he thought it a poynt of wiſdome to expunge it: But ſince divine providence hath brought it to publike light, we conceive it will be a very good preſident to direct your Lordſhips judgement in the ſentence of this Haman, this Arch-Malefactor againſt our State and Religion.

The the third expunged clauſe was this; And whereas there is not onely a law of God but even of man againſt Sabbath-breaking, which concernes the fourth Commandement, NOTE. and divers againſt Popery, which trencheth upon the firſt and ſecond Commandement, &c. let not the other which concernes the Sabbath, ſeem to have been conſented to, onely upon the importunity of a few Preciſe perſons, but never intended for execution, leaſt God ſet ſuch a Memorandum upon them and you (who will not be carefull of the Memento ſet upon that Commandement) that whoſo heareth of it, both his eares ſhall tingle, as ſtories tell us, he hath done upon both Prince and People in France, Denmarke, yea and here in England, offending in that kind. Let not all the other Statutes tending towards the firſt and ſecond Commandement, ſeem meer engines of ſtate to draw reward for toleration, [Page] diſpenſation and connivancy, leaſt God connive not at, nor dispence with ſuch intolerable diſſimulation; leaſt he make the gaine gotten by this dividing of Adoration between him and Idols, to be like that of Solomens, in that caſe, which was recompenced with the loſſe and dividing of his Kingdome betwixt his ſonne and aſtranger, 1 Reg. 11, and 12. Chapters: But ob farre be that from the State of this Iland, and from you to be inſtruments NOTE. in it.

And in the Margin this Note, affixed to the word, ſtories, was quite purged out; Greg. Turonenſis. Magdeburg. cent. 12. c. 6. at London 1583, &c. in which places meaner perſons working, greater ſporting, Kings fighting battatles on the Sabbath dayes, are all reported to be overthrowne and destroyed with fearfull judgements.

Theſe being the onely pious. Orthodox paſſages in all this Sermon (againſt popery Papists, Sabbath-breaking and ill Counſellours) were quite croſsed out with this Biſhops owne hand, (who altered and added many things in it, for the worſe) and all to this very purpoſe, that the people might not take notice of any deſigne in forraigne parts, to extirpate the Proteſtant Religion, or to tolerate, ſet up Popery, or ſuſpend the Lawes againſt it, or Papiſts, Prieſts and Sabbath-breakers, at home, whereof theſe Clauſes gave them notice; which this Doctor (as had as he was) foreſaw world produce that deviſion in our Kingdom, which we now experimentally ſuffer under threatning uttter deſolation to us: all theſe purgations in one Sermon were made by polupragmaticall Prelat before he had any legall power to licenſe Books for the Preſſe [...] [...]econdly, we ſhall proceed to ſome higher attempts after he had gained ſuch [...] of them even upon the publike Records of our Church.

[...] of 3. Jacobi ch. 1. intituled, An Act for a publike Thanksgiving [...] every yeere, on the fifth day of November; ordaineth this day to be had perpetuall remembrance, that all ages to come might yeeld prayſes to God for our deliverance from the moſt inhumane, cruell, and barbarous Gunpowder-plot of the Papests, and hate in memory this joyfull day of deliverance: Hereupon there was a ſpeciall booke of Prayers and Thankſgiving compiled, and enjoyned by authority to be uſed on this day; in one of the prayers whereof, there was this clauſe; Root out the Babyloniſh and NOTE: Antichristian Sect, which ſay of Ieruſalem, downe with it, downe with it, even to the ground; and to that end ſtrengthen the hands of our gracious King, the Nobles & Magiſtrates of the Land with judgement and justice to cut off theſe workers of iniquity (whoſe Religion is Rebellion, whoſe Faith is Faction, whoſe practice is murdering of ſoules and bodies) and to root them out of the confines of this Kingdome, &c. This clauſe continued in all theſe publike books without the leaſt exception or alteration, from the yeere of our Lord 1606. till 1635. and then this Arch-biſhop conceiving this paſſage to lay an imputation and ſeandall, Firſt, upon the profeſſion of Romiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits, and blood-thirſty papiſts, by ſtiling them, a Babyloniſh and Antichrian ſect; Secondly, upon their Romiſh Religion, whoſe religion is rebellion, whoſe faith is faction; Thirdly, upon their Rebellious and traiterous practiſes, in ſtiling them, theſe workers of iniquity, whoſe practice is murdering of ſoules and bodies; Fourthly, upon their perſons as unfit to be tolerated in the Realm and meet to be rooted out of the confines of this Kingdom by the King, Nobles and Magistrates; a clauſe altogether inconſiſtent with our toleration of, and his reconciliation of us & our religion with them and Rome then actually intended, endeavoured by this Arch-prelat and his Confederates: he thereupon in the yeere 1635. cauſed this Book to be re-printed and, altered the forementioned clauſes in this enſuing forme (only to gratifie the Jeſuits, Prieſts popiſh Recuſants, and take off theſe juſt charges againſt them and their Religion, both for the time paſt and future) by turning the edge of this prayer upon the Puritanes, on whom the Papiſts would have fathered this their horrid treaſon, had it taken effect; Root out that Babyloniſh and Antichriſtian ſect (of them) which ſay of Ieruſalem, &c. And to that end ſtrengthen the hands of our gracious King, the Nobles and Magiſtrates of the Land with juſtice and judgement, to cut off thoſe working of iniquity, who turne Religion into Rebellion, and faith into Faction, &c.

[Page] Maſter Henry Burton in his Sermons on the fifth of November 1636. intituled, For God and the King p. 130. to 142. informed the people of this moſt groſſe alteration and charged the Arch biſhop to be the Author of it, aggravating his offence to the full; Maſter Prynne doing the like in his Epiſtle Dedicatory to his Quench-Cole: For this good ſervice among others, they were brought into the Star-chamber by the Archbiſhops inſtigation: who in his Speech in that Court at their conſure (publiſhed by ſpeciall command) Firſt of all confeſſed that he made this alteration; Secondly, juſtified the making of it, becauſe it gave offence and ſcandall to the Papists, which ever ought to be avoyded as much as may be: adding that it laid an imputation on their Religion as if it were rebell on ſpending ſundry Pag. 32 to 3 [...] pages in juſtification of this alteration as moſt fitting and neceſſary; averring, that our religion and the Papists was all one, and rendring three reaſons why this change was made; Thirdly, he addes by way of juſtification & excuſe that though he made this alteration, yet he did it by his Majesties command, p. 33. 34. His Majeſty expreſly commanded me to make the Alterations, and ſee then printed; and here are both the Books with his Majeſties warrant to each of them: ſo that herein I averre I did not offend, unleſſe that I gave not theſe men notice of it, or asked them leave to obey the King. To which it was anſwered; Firſt, that the Arch-biſhop confeſeth clearly in his Speech and publiſheth it to all the world in print. That he made the alterations in this prayer, which neither of his Predeceſſors Bancroft or Abbot durſt once to think of or attempt: Secondly, That he eſteemed Maſter Burtons and Maſter Prynnes diſlike of him for making theſe alterations in extentation of the horrid Gunpowder-plot, and favour of trairerous Jeſuits, Prieſts, Romaniſts, and the popiſh Religion, a moſt tranſcendent crime, worthy the ſevereſt, bloodieſt cenſure that ever was inflicted on any perſon in the Star-chamber, as appeared by their herbarous Sentence there, for which he heartily thanked the Lords in the cloſe of his ſpeech; whereas his offence was certainly ten thouſand times greater in making theſe alterations then theirs in charging him with them (when himſelfe confeſſeth and juſt fieth them) or diſliking them when made for ſuch ſiniſter popiſh ends: Thirdly that his reaſons to juſtifie theſe alterations to be fit and neceſſary were very abſurd; diſcovering the rottenneſle of his heart, with his extraordinary affection to popery, and Papiſts: His firſt reaſon, that it was fit and neceſſary to make theſe Alterations, to avoyd ſcandall and offence to Papiſts, in calling their religion Rebellion &c. was very unreaſonable and abſurd; For ſince this clauſe had continued un-altered un-excepted againſt neer thirty yeers ſpace together, and was never deemed ſcandalous by K. James, K. Charle's our ſubſequent Parliaments or Church, which approved and confirmed it, no ſolid reaſon can be given why it ſhould grow unſeaſonable or ſcandalous, only now, ſo an as to call for a neceſſary alteration, but that the Arch biſhop and his confederates had now a new reſolved plot to reconcile us to Rome and her Religion, which former ages never had; to which deſignethis clauſe might happily prove ſeandalous and obſtructive: Beſides he could not but conclude the alteration of it after ſo many yeers continuance, of purpoſe to gratifie Papiſts, prieſts and Jeſuits, the ſole contrivers of that marchleſſe excerable Gunpowder-plot would give extraordinary ſeandall & offence to all the whole Church, State, and cordiall proteſtants of Engl. and lay a ſecret tax, if not a publike cenſure on them and on K. James, for injuring the papiſts and their Religion even in theſe publike prayers neer thirty yeers ſpice together; yet this zealous Romiſh Agent would rather ſcandalize, cenſure, injure our whole Church, State, parliaments, King Iames with all true-hearted Engliſh proteſtants then give the leſt ſcandall to the papiſts or ſuffer this juſt imputatation of Rehellion to continue upon their religion. Moreover the whole parliament of 3. Iacobs in the Oath of Alleagiance then enjoyned with all our parliaments prelats Peers, who ſince have approved it: The ſecond part of our authorized Homilies for Whit-ſunday, with our Homilies againſt wilful rebellion; Biſhop B [...]on in his True difference between Chriſtian Subjection and unchriſtian Rebellion; Biſhop Iewel in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England part. 4. p. 439. to 470. Doctor Iohn White in his Sermon at Pauls-Croſſe, and in his Defence of the Way, ch. 6. 11. Doctor Crakenthorp's Treatiſe of the Popes temporall Monarchy, [Page] Deus & Rex, Haddon contra Oſorium; and generally all our Writers againſt the Popes ſupremacy at home, and in the reformed Churches abroad, reſolve unanimouſly in their writings, the Romaniſts Religion and Faith in the poynts of depoſing, excommunicating murthering Chriſtian Princes Kings, Emperours; of abſolving ſubjects from their alleagiance, & arming them againſt their Soveraigns, by the Popes authority and command, for not ſubmitting to his tyrannicall or Antichriſtian Edicts, it is meere Rebellion and Faction: For this Arch-prelate then thus publikely to averre it a ſcandalous imputation to them and their religion; and upon this ground to make theſe alterations in this prayer, and not in all thoſe Statutes, Homilies, Authors too, is a moſt falſe, abſurd, ſcandalous ſuggeſtion, and in truth, a meer evaſion to colour his affection to papiſts & their Antichriſtian Religion. His ſecond reaſon, that it wil be of dangerous conquence ſadly to avow that the Papiſts Religion is Rebelion, becauſe it is Chriſtian religion and the ſame with ours: is both falſ & fallacious; for popiſh religion, as popiſh is not Chriſtian, but Antichriſtian; and though papiſts hold many points of Chriſtian Religion, as they are Chriſtians; yet not one point of it as Papiſts; popery truly ſo called, being no part of Chriſtian Religion, but deviations from, or paradoxes againſt it: Yea, himſelfe confeſſing Speech in Star Chamber. p. 36, 37. That ſome opinions of theirs teach rebelion: That's apparently true; which opinions of theirs, are that part of their Religion, which this prayer cals Rebellion refutes his owne Objection: His third reaſon, that if you make their religion to be rebelion, then you make their religion and rebelion to be all one; and that is againſt the ground both of State and Law, &c. which never put any man to death for Religion, but for Treaſon and Rebellion onely is a meere childiſh fallacy; For their Religion is not any actuall treaſon or rebellion (for which only they ſuffered death) but doctrinall and habituall rebelion prone to produce actuall rebellions, and the mother of them; in which ſenſe onely this prayer ſtiles it Rebellion; yet ſuch, for which no Romaniſt ever dyed, unleſſe he reduced it into ſome treaſonable and rebellious action; and then he ſuffered onely for the act, not the Religion or opinion which induced him thereunto; he might well then have ſpared theſe three irrationall reaſons for this Alteration, with this aſſertion of his p. 39. I took it my duty to lay it before you, that the King had not onely Power, but Reaſon to command it; which onely aggravate, not extenuate or juſtifie his fact, his juſtification then reſts ſolely upon the Kings command and warrant; but this will not excuſe his guilt: For we have nothing but his own bare word in his own caſe (to which no faith can be given, having ſo often bin taken tardy in this kind) to prove; firſt that himſelfe did not move the King to command theſe alterations to be made which is more than probable, by his aleaging the reaſons whereupon they were made, and his activity in other changes of this nature: Secondly, that himſelf did not procure the Warrant for theſe Alterations after they were made and printed (being written with his own hand and having no witneſſe but himſelf to prove the date) as he hath done in other caſes: Thirdly, admit the command and warrant proceeded originally from the King himſelfe, not him; yet he being by his place and office principally entruſted with the care, honour, ſafety of our Religion and Church, ſo much concerned in theſe alterations; it had been his duty to have diſobeyed this command and diſſwaded his Majeſty from ſuch a 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 [Page] 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 [...]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 See his ſpeech in Star-chamber, p. 73 and Heylins Preface. 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 14 [...]. 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 NOTE. 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 [Page] 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 Ma [...]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 16 [...]. 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 Page 23, 24. 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 [Page] 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 ever your Graces in all humility.

CHR. POTTER.

Octob. 6. 1634. Queens Coll.

To which the Arch-biſhop returned this anſwer, as was manifeſted by the Letter it ſelfe, thus indorſed with his owne hand (found in his Study and atteſted by Maſter Prynne) Octob. 18. 1633. Doctor Potter, A ſecond Impreſſion of his booke, and my Anſwer to it.

BUt to the laſt clauſe of your Letter, about the re-printing of your booke, I have done that which you ſo have deſired; as you will ſee by this incloſed paper: they are but a few ſcattered phraſes, and I put them to your conſideration, as much for conveniency and charitable [Page] expreſſion, as for truth: Doo what you will with them ſo you miſtake not me, in that which your ſelfe have cauſed me to doe: but in that place, page 26. where you ſay, it may (viz. Mat. 11. 17.) be underſtood of any Aſſembly, as well civill as Eccleſiaſticall; NOTE. doe you not thereby give as much power to the Parliament as to the Church in Church affaires? I read in haſte, and it may be a miſtake, but you ſhall doe very well to conſider it: ſo in haſte I leave you to the grace of God, &c.

WIL. CANT.

The principall purgations mentioned in the incloſed paper appeare to be theſe, written with the Arch-biſhops owne hand which was produced.

Page 4. beleeve in the Pope: the Idol of Rome: page 15. onely in the Catholique Church: page 26. that in Saint Matthew (c. 18. v. 17.) tell the Church, which may be underſtood of any Aſſembly, as well civill as Eccleſiaſticall: page 97. never any Church ſo farre as Rome: page 2. page 8. the Scripture by its owne light, &c. all which were left out in the ſecond Edition, as that notable paſſage in Theodoret, concerning Laymens reading the Scriptures, in the firſt Edition of this Doctors Sermon at the conſecration of the Biſhop of Carlile, London 1629. was quite expunged out of the ſecond Impreſſion, belike by this Prelate direction, as well as theſe forementioned.

The fifth purgations and alterations of higheſt conſequence for the introducing of ſundry Popiſh doctrines, ceremonies, Tranſubſtantiation and the Maſſe it ſelfe, were by this Arch-prelat made in that Common-prayer-booke, which he endeavoured to inforce upon the Church of Scotland, all written with his owne hand; (already mentioned at large in A neceſſary Introduction to the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury his Tryall, page 156. to 164. to which the Reader may reſort for ſatisfaction herein;) which are ſo palpably popiſh and deſtructive to our Religion, that this Prelate had no other plea or fence againſt them when they began to be preſſed upon him, but onely the Act of Pacification and Oblivion, which he peremptorily inſiſted on, though the Committee of the Commons Houſe, who managed the Evidence, alleadged, that they were cleerly without this Act, & that they inſiſted on them only as Evidences to prove his endeavours to introduce Popery, and his good affection thereunto, in maitainance of the ſeventh and tenth originall Articles of his impeachment, not to prove him an Incendiary between both Kingdomes, in juſtification of the twelfth originall Article, to which he onely pleaded the Act of Oblivion.

We ſhall next proceed to other purgations made by his Chaplaines and Creatures, no doubt by his ſpeciall direction: Beginning firſt with a booke written by Sir Anthony Hungerford, who being a Papiſt in his younger dayes, and afterwards upon better conſideration, converted to our Religion, did thereupon write a Treatiſe to his Mother, then a Roman Catholike, to diſſwade her from that Religion, intituled, The Advice of a Sonne, profeſſing the Religion eſtabliſhed in the preſent Church of England, to his deare Mother a Roman Catholike; containing an acknowledgement of God his great mercy in bringing him to the profeſſion of the true religion eſtabliſhed in the Church of England, and adviſing, exhorting his children to perſevere therein; Sir Edward Hungerford his Sonne (a Member of the Houſe of Commons) depoſed upon Oath, that about the yeere 1635. he carried this Book, writ by his Father Sir Anthony, to the Arch-biſhops Chaplaine, Doctor Bray, to licenſe for the Preſſe, for the ſatisfaction and converſion of other ſeduced Romaniſts; who peruſing the ſame, took exceptions at ſome harſh paſſages (as he termed them) againſt Popes and Popery, in the 8. 14. 15. 17. and 62. pages thereof, which he told him muſt be quite expurged, or elſe the Treatiſe muſt not paſſe the Preſſe.

The paſſages were theſe: p. 8: Yet even thoſe truths they recommended unto us, upon as perilous and falſe a ground, as if a man ſhould therefore beleeve Chriſt Jeſus to be the ſonne of the living God, becauſe the devil did confeſſe it: page 14. 15. They will acknowledge that the Pope may be as wicked a man in life, as any other in the world, and by experience it hath been found, that ſundry of them have ſcarce had matches in this kind; as for inſtance of one, Pope Alexander the ſixth, whom Guicciardine (though NOTE. [Page] himſelfe a Papiſt) doth thus decipher: His manner and cuſtomes were diſhoneſt, little ſincerity in his Adminiſtrations, no ſhame in his face, ſmall truth in his words, little faith in his heart, and leſſe religion in his opinions; all his actions were defaced with unſatiable covetouſneſſe, immoderate ambition, barbarous cruelty; he was not aſhamed contrary to the cuſtome of former Popes (who to caſt ſome colour over their infamy, were went to call them their Nephewes) to call his ſonnes his children; and for ſuch to expreſſe them to the world. The bruit went, that in the love of his daughter Lucretia were concurrent, not onely his two ſonnes, the Duke of Candy, and the Cardinall of Valence, but himſelfe alſo, that was her Father, who as ſoone as he was choſen Pope, tooke her from her husband and married her to the Lord of Peſare, but not able to ſuffer her husband to be his corrivall, he diſſolved that marriage alſo, and tooke her to himſelfe, by vertue of Saint Peters Keyes, and it was amongſt other graces, his naturall cuſtome to uſe poyſonings, not onely to be avenged of his enemies, but alſo to dispoyle the wealthy Cardinals of their riches, and this he ſpared not to doe againſt his deareſt friend, till at the laſt, having a purpoſe at a Banquet to poyſon divers Cardinals, and for that end appointed his Cupbearer to give attendance with Wine made ready for the nonce (who miſtaking the bottle gave the poyſoned cup to him) was thus himſelffe dispatched by the juſt judgement of God that purpoſed to murther his friends, that he might be their Heir: Thus farre the Hiſtorian: page 17. I dare preſume it ſhall be made evidently to appeare unto you in the preſence of any that would oppoſe it, that their principle concerning the Popes infallibility (being the maine ſupporter of all Religion at this day in the Church of Rome) is not ſo ancient by ſo many ages in the world, as is the Alcoran of that accurſed Mahomet: if the foundation be proved new, what rule can they propoſe to ſecure your conſcience for the antiquity of the building? their continued Prieſt-hood, their daily ſacrifice, their ſatisfaction for ſinne, their works of merit: page 62. I was withall perſwaded in my conſcience, and ſo reſt yet, that this tranſcendent power and Papatus, id eſt, Principatus, tam in ſpiritualibus, quam in temporali [...]us, Panormitam. uſurpation of the Roman Biſhop in the ſpirituall and civill Regiment of the world, is ſo farre a ſtranger to the Church of God, as that it could be no other but the Kingdome of that man of ſin, which agreeable to the prediction of the holy Ghoſt, was to be raiſed in the boſome of the Church, for the laſt, the moſt powerfull, the moſt dangerous deluſion of the chriſtian world.

Verely any reall, cordiall Proteſtant might ſtand amazed, that an Arch-biſhop's Chaplaine, profeſſing himſelfe a Proteſtant, ſhould ſo farre ſcruple at ſuch paſſages as theſe, againſt the Popes ſupremacy in the ſpirituall and civill Regiment of the world; and thoſe other dangerous poynts of Popery cenſured in theſe paſſages, but eſpecially at this relation of Guicciardine a Popiſh Author concerning the Viciouſneſſe and Exorbitances of ſome Popes lives, recorded by ſundry other of their owne Popiſh Writers; and that paſſages of this nature muſt not now be remembred by our Writers, or ſuffered to paſſe our Preſſes without an Index Expurgatorius; yet ſuch was the condition and degeneracy of theſe times, that Doctor Bray told Sir Edward Hungerford he muſt give way for all theſe offenſive paſſages to be expunged, elſe neither of theſe Treatiſes ſhould be printed: At which Sir Edward admiring, demanded the reaſon why theſe clauſes againſt Popery writ by his Father (once a Papiſt) to ſatisfie others of that Religion, might not paſſe at this time, as they did commonly in other Engliſh licenſed Authors heretofore without exception? Who anſwered, that we were now in a faire way to win the Papiſts, and therefore we muſt not uſe any harſh phraſes againſt them: adding, that theſe paſſages would give offence to thoſe of that Religion, and therefore unleſſe he would yeeld to have them expunged, he would by no means licenſe the Books: To which Sir Edward replyed, that he being his Father's Executor and truſted with his writings, would never conſent they ſhould be ſo mangled, but would have all printed or none: Yet all the perſwaſions and friends he could uſe would not prevaile; unleſſe theſe clauſes were omitted, naught would be licenſed: Whereupon Sir Edward went to the Arch-biſhop himſelfe, and acquainted him with all the premiſes, earneſtly deſiring his Grace that the Treatiſes might be printed without theſe purgations, which would much muilate the Treatiſes, and prejudice the Author: To whom the Arch-biſhop gave this anſwer; Sir, I have many imployments, [Page] and am very buſie now, and have truſted my Chaplaines with thoſe things, to whom you muſt repaire: Then Sir Edward preſſing him againe, that they would not licenſe them unleſſe theſe paſſages were raſed out; the Arch-biſhop anſwered, I referre this wholy to my Chaplaines, having many other imployments my ſelfe, and therefore what they thinke fit to be done, you muſt ſubmit unto: Whereupon theſe Treatiſes were then ſtopt from printing, till Sir Edward ſome two or three yeers after got them printed at Oxford, in the yeere 1639. without theſe expunctions, or the Arch-biſhop's privity.

Doctor Daniel Featly, depoſed upon Oath, that he having printed ſeventy Sermons of his, preached upon ſeverall occaſions, formerly licenſed for the Preſſe; when the Book was ready to be publiſhed, the Arch-biſhop having notice of it, ſent for him to Lambeth, and demanded of him whether he was not about to publiſh ſome Sermons of his owne in print; who anſwered yes my Lord; then he demanded of him, whether his Sermons were licenſed, and whether any of his Chaplaines had peruſed them or not? he anſwered, that they were licenſed long ſince when himſelfe had power to licenſe books, and printed by vertue of that licenſe, and that none of his Graces Chaplaines had peruſed them: Then the Arch-biſhop ſaid, he thought, being ſo neere a neighbour to him, he would not have publiſhed any thing without acquainting him firſt therewith: To which the Doctor anſwered, that he intended as ſoone as ever the book was publiſhed, to preſen: his Grace in the firſt place with one of them. Then the Arch-biſhop commanded him, before he publiſhed theſe Sermons, to carry them to Doctor Bray his Chaplaine to peruſe, to ſee if there were any offenſive or unfitting paſſages in them, to the end, that if any ſuch were, they might be corrected or expunged. To which the Doctor replied, that he hoped there were no ſuch offenſive clauſes in them, and that the book was already printed off, ſo as no alterations could conveniently be made therein, without new printing the ſheets wherein they were made: yet in obedience to his Graces command, he would attend Doctor Bray with his Sermons to the end he might licenſe them before they ſhould be publiſhed; which he did accordingly: Doctor Bray having read over his Sermons, gelt them exceedingly, and and purged out all the ſmart and maſculine paſſages againſt both the Papiſts. Jeſuits and Arminians, to his great griefe; Whereupon he expoſtulated the matter with him why theſe paſſages of his, which paſſed currently without exceptions at White. hal before King James, King Charles, the Univerſity, and other publike Auditories when they were preached, and were highly approved of in former times, might not paſſe the preſſe without an Index expurgatorius now; alleaging, that it would be a great injury to himſelfe, and much coſt and prejudice to the Stationer to re-print ſo many whole ſheets as he had altered: But all this would not prevaile, theſe paſſages could not ſuit with the preſent times, & therefore they muſt ſtand purged, or the book be totally ſuppreſſed: Hereupon the Doctor acquainted Sir Edmund Scot therewith by way of complaint, and moved him to informe the Arch-biſhop of it; who anſwered him, that he conceived it would be to no purpoſe to complaine, for he thought the Archbiſhop's Chaplaines had directions from their Lord for what they did, and that his Grace would not alter any thing of this kind done by his Chaplaines; whereupon he ſubmitted and complained no further; and ſo the Stationer was enforced to re-print ſome ſixteen or eighteen ſheets anew that Doctor Bray had thus altered and purged (which Maſter Bourne the Stationer likewiſe depoſed) to his great prejudice and coſt.

Maſter Thomas White a Miniſter depoſed, that Doctor Clarke, one of the Prebends of Canterbury, a very learned, pious Divine, and one of the Tranſlaters of the Bible, leaving the copyes of diverſe of his choyſeſt Sermons, written with his owne hand, in his cuſtody at his death, which he deſired him to ſee carefully printed for the publike good after his deceaſe; he thereupon, in diſcharge of this his truſt, repaired to Doctor Heywood, the Arch-biſhop's houſhold Chaplaine, to peruſe and authorize for the preſſe; who receiving no leſſe then forty ſhillings for his fee for peruſing and licencing them, expunged all the chiefe paſſages in them againſt the Pope, Popery, Prieſts, Jeſuits, Arminianiſme, Arminians, and did in ſome places alter and corrupt the authors [Page] words ſo farre as to make him an Arminian in thoſe very poynts, wherein he oppoſed their Arminian opinions, and utterly refuſed to licenſe one Sermon of his, concerning Election, becauſe the whole ſcope of it was againſt Arminius and his errors. At which Maſter White being very much diſcontented, to ſee his deceaſed friend's Sermons ſo abuſed, demanded his intire copy and moneys again, but could procure neither of them, but the copy thus altered & expunged, which muſt either be totally ſuppreſſed or printed as he had caſtrated it: Whereupon he carried ſome other of his Sermons to Doctor Weekes and Doctor Baker, (the Arch-biſhops great creatures) Chaplaines to the Biſhop of London, who made the like alterations and purgations in them, as Doctor Haywood had made in the reſt; an exact catalogue whereof amounting to 210. corruptions and purgations, Maſter White preſented at the Barre upon his oath, which were afterwards made uſe of and reduced under ſeverall heads.

Maſter Chetwin atteſted, that Dr. William Jones of Eaſt-Berghall in Suffolk, writ a Comentary on the Epiſtles of Paul to Philemon and the Hebrewes, which he carried to Dr. Samuel Baker, Chaplain to the Biſhop of London, (Anno 1636.) a great Inſtrument of the Arch-biſhop's, to licenſe for the Preſſe; who purged out all the principall clauſes in it againſt Altars, Images, Maſſe, Tranſubſtantiation, Popery, Papiſts, and for the ſanctification of the Lord's day; a catalogue of the moſt whereof he had collected out of the written copy, which was ſo obliterated, that he could not read the ſame in many places, above 150. lines being made unlegible. That this book being printed according to the expunged, altered copy, which otherwiſe could not paſſe the Preſſe, the good old Dr. upon the peruſall of it after its printing, was ſo much diſcontented at the alterations and purgations made therein without his privity, that he diſclaimed into be his work, ſaying, it was the Licencer's only, not his; who had made him a favourite of thoſe Papiſh opinions, by his corrupting and changing his words, which he profeſſedly oppugned, refuted in his own genuine work; The regreete of which injury went ſo neer his heart, that he fell ſick through diſcontent, and ſoon after dyed; and is by theſe alterations and purgations, which were generally taken notice of, the ſale of the book was extreamly hindred, to the great loſſe of the Stationer that printed it.

Peter Cole Stationer, living in Cornhill London, teſtified, that he printed Maſter Richard Ward, his Comentary on Matthew anno 1639. out of which Doctor Weekes the Licencer, purged ſo many principall paſſages againſt Popery and Arminianiſme, as amounted to two ſmall written volumes collected by Mr. Ward himſelf, who was much grieved, injured thereby, and the ſale of the book quite ſpoyled, to his great prejudice. Theſe two ſmall volumes with this enſuing Abstract of them, were preſented by Maſter Ward himſelfe to the Parliament, who examined this abuſe at the Committee for printing.

§

Becauſe it is an offence highly to be puniſhed to abuſe your Honours pious and moſt juſt eares with untruths; I have therefore preſumed to preſent to your Honours view the heads and particular groſſe abuſes which my poore Book hath ſuffered by the Licenſer's too numerous obliterations: whereby it will appeare as cleere as the Sunne, that our Licenſers liberty in the licenſing of bookes is moſt licencious, and that Popery and Pelaganiſme were too much favoured and befriended by them; wholly leaving it to your grave, pious and prudent conſideration, how theſe and the like abuſes may be beſt redreſſed for the time to come.

Firſt, the Licenſer by his deleaturs, hath made ſome places and paſſages of my book ridiculous and non-ſenſe, E. G. in my written copy ſol. 338. the firſt line, the Reader is referred for more full ſatisfaction to the foregoing Objection; which Objection is wholly obliterated becauſe it ſnited not with the Licenſers opinion; and thus the Reader of my book is referred to that which is not in my booke, but expunged out of it: What the Objections were which were obliterated, your Honours may ſee in the greater of theſe two books, which I preſent to this honourable Court, page 138. 139. Againe, in my written copy, ſol. 339. I have theſe words; Our Saviour ſeems here to imply that many Antichriſts under the name of Chriſt, ſhall deceive many, whence theſe Queſtions following may be demanded, namely, &c. Theſe words are printed, [Page] but all the Queſtions promiſed were wholy expunged, ſave onely one which concernes not Antichriſt at all; here my Reader is promiſed ſome Queſtions in the plurall number concerning Antichriſt, but he finds but one onely in the ſigular number concerning the true Chriſt: What theſe expunged Queſtions were, your Honours may ſee in the greater book, page 65.

Againe, in my written copy, fol. 366. I have theſe words; Here therefore I lay downe theſe three things, viz. &c. and this is printed, but the Reader finds but two: for the ſecond is expunged; and what it was your honours may read in the leſſer of theſe two books page 51. a. and another parallel'd place, page 37. e.

Secondly, the Licenſer by his obliterations, hath in ſome places quite altered and perverted the ſenſe; E. G. In my written copy, fol. 18. I propound a Queſtion concerning the excellency of Baptiſme above Circumciſion, and firſt ſhew what Pereius the Jeſuite anſwers thereunto; and then what I juſtly except againſt his anſwer, and upon what grounds: Now the Licenſer here lets the Jeſuits anſwer ſtand, and expunges wholy what I ſay againſt it, making me thus by my ſilence to ſeem to my Reader to ſubſcribe to what the Jeſuit affirmes: Your honours may ſee both Pererius and my owne words in the greateſt of theſe two books, page 3. and another parallel'd place in the leſſer of theſe books, page 48. l.

Thirdly, ſome places and paſſages by the Licenſers deleaturs are maimed, lamed and left altogether unſatisfactory to the intelligent and quick ſighted Reader; examples whereof your Honours have in the leſſer book, pag. 9. f. and pag. 18. d. and pag. 51. b. and pag. 58. a. great book pag. 49. line 2.

Fourthly, ſome words and ſentences are by him changed and altered; as your Honours may perceive by this leſſer book, pag. 4. l. and pag. 21. b. and pag. 41. h. and pag. 42. b.

Fifthly and laſtly, ſome places and paſſages are by the licenſer ſo wholy obliterated and expunged, that no prints or foot-ſteps at all remaine of what was there; as will evedently appeare to your Honours by the greater of theſe books which I preſent to to your peruſall, and by the Index expurgatorius thereof, which I have here ſubjoyned.

Becauſe the imployments of this grave Senate and religious Aſſembly are ſo many and weighty, that it wants leaſure to read and peruſe all which was expunged out of my book, and which is contained in theſe two ſeverall Manuſcripts; I have therefore reduced all things contained in them both to ſome few heads, and a moſt compendious Index; by which, as in a glaſſe, your honours may quickly take a view of them all, and readily turne to any thing you pleaſe to peruſe; If you ſhould deſire that I ſhould referre your Honours to ſome particular places and paſſages, then I humbly beſeech yea to be pleaſed to caſt your eyes upon theſe which follow, wherein you ſhall find notable things expunged, and things not altogether unworthy of your pious paines and conſideration, viz.

In the greater of theſe two Manuſcripts, theſe; page 5. 11. 25. 27. 28. 65. 91. 93. 99. 102. 105. 109. 115. 125. 134. 137. 138. &c. that the fulfilling of the Law is impoſſible, pag. 43. Queſt. 1. and 57. Queſt. 1. and 58. Queſt. 2. and 59. Object. and 128. that Election is not from a fore-ſight of works, pag. 75. 81. 83.

In the leſſer of theſe two Manuſcripts theſe; pag. 1. a. and 2. a. c. and 4. c. and 5. ll. and 6. d. and 8. a. c. and 10. b. and 12. a. and 14. a. and 16. b. and 18. b. c. and 25. b. c. and 29. f. and 39. c. and 41. g. and 42. c. and 48. d. and 58. b. the things which were wholy expunged by the Licenſer, may be reduced to theſe few heads; namely;

Firſt, things charged upon the Papiſts; in the greater book, pag. 5. and 71. twice, and 109. 110. in the leſser book, pag. 4. c. and 25. b. c. and 40. b.

Secondly, poynts and paſsages tending to the overthrow of ſome Popiſh Tenents; in the greater book, pag. 1. 2. 19. five, and 20. 27. In the leſser book, pag. 1. f. and 2. b. and 5. m. and 6. b. and 10. a. and 12. c. and 14. b. and 15. c. and 17. h. and 18. a. and 36. b. and 40. d. and 52. d. e.

[Page] Thirdly, paſſages tending to the blemiſhing of ſeme Popiſh writers, and the diſgrace of Popery, and the unwarrantable practice of Popiſh people, and people Popiſhly affected; in the leſſer book, page 1. a. and 2. a. b. c. and 5. h. i. l. and 6. a. and 8. a. and 9. e. and 17. g. and 44. a.

Fourthly, poyms mainly and Interminis, controverted between us and the Papiſts; in the great book, page 11. 15. 17. 19. 23. 25. 26. 43. his. 57. 58. 59. 62. 63. his. 65. 67. 73. 75. 77. 81. 83. 85. 87. 89. 91. 93. 101. 121. 123. 124. 127. 131.

Fifthly, poynts and paſſages tending to the overthrow of Pelagainiſme and Arminianiſme, or the Remonſtrants tenents; in the greater book page 31. 33. 35. 37. 43. 53. 54. 62. 79. 97. 125. 130. 132. 138. 139. 140. in the leſſer book, page 1. d. and 4. a. b. d. e. and 9. g. and 18. e. f. and 19. g. and 25. a. and 28. c. and 29. d. and 40. a. e. and 51. a.

Sixthly, things not at all in controverſie, viz. in the greater book, page 7. 9, 39. 41. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 99. 105. 115. 123. 134. 135. in the leſſer book, page 5. k. and 6. e. and 8. e. and 9. d. and 10. d. e. and 11. f. g. and 17. c. and 21. a. and 30. b. and 48. b. c. and 53. g. h. and 57. c.

Seventhly, paſſages tending to reprove the vices and evill cuſtomes of ſome great ones; in the greater book, page 50. 51. and in the leſſer, page 4. f. and 42. e. and 43. f.

Eighthly, paſſages and poynts obliterated, tending highly to the honour and glory of God (in the leſſer book, page 7. i. and 8. b. and 19. h. and 28. c.) and of Chriſt (page 57. a.) and Diety of the holy Ghoſt, page 58. d.

Ninthly, the very ſentences of Scripture expunged; in the leſſer book, page 7. b. and 21. b. c. and 23. a. and 27. f. and 58. d.

Thus I have made bold to make this godly and grave Senate acquainted with the intolerable wrong which my weak labours have ſuffered by theſe obliterations, and of the diſgrace and diſcredit which bath reflected upon my ſelfe alſo thereby; for thoſe who are ignorant of the abuſes done by the Licenſer, muſt needs impute all the abſurdities and non ſenſe, and lame and imperfect paſſages either to the ignorance or negligence of the Author, this work being my firſt, and I my ſelfe but little knowne in the world when I put it forth: And therefore I humbly ſue to this honourable Aſſembly, that you would be pleaſed to licenſe for the Preſſe theſe notes contained in theſe two Manuſcripts, which were expunged by the Licenſer, that thereby I may have power to re-print and perfect my now moſt imperfect books: And your humble Petitioner ſhall be alwayes bound to pray to the Lord of glory and fountaine of all grace, for a bleſſing upon your proceedings, perſons, eſtates, lives, ſoules and all than concernes you.

Rich. Ward.

Many ſuch like purgations in other new books might be produced, but we will inſiſt on theſe alone, reducing the ſeverall paſsages purged out of them under diſtinct heads, which will infallibly evidence, and moſt perſpicuouſly demonſtrate his Jeſuiticall intentions, to uſher the whole body of popery into our Church by degrees, without the leaſt publike oppoſition: We ſhall begin with

1. Purgations of ſundry notable paſſages againſt Popery it ſelfe in generall, which muſt not paſſe the Preſſe upon any termes, but have a ſpeciall deleatur drawne over them.

In Doctor Clarkes Sermons, page 431. Sermon 19. l. 10. in the printed copy, Dr. Haywood the Licenſer (the Arch-biſhops own Chaplaine) purged out this clauſe againſt popery; God there expounds himſelfe, leaſt ſome Papists ſay, 'tis but my gloſſe; POPERY IS IDOLATRY by God's owne cenſure there, that prayes unto Images. It ſeems this practice and popery muſt not now be called Idolatry (as our Homilies againſt the perill of Idolatry, and all our writers formerly uſe to ſtile it) for that would ſcandalize the papiſts and make people to abhorre popery, ſo as never to embrace it.

[Page] Ibidem Sermon 20. page 443. l. 6. Popery a patchery and meer medley of moldy hereſies; are deleted by the Licenſer: It muſt have the honourable title of the old Religion ſtill, theſe two down-right Epithites will overmuch diſgrace it.

Ibidem Sermon 20. page 451. 452. this paſsage is expunged as ſcandalous to the Roman Religion: When he (the Pope or Prieſt) preacheth, it is lightly of legendary lyes; all Romes Religion is almoſt lyes: If I ſhall ſay, the Clergy-men lye not, I ſhall lye too: not lightly in his Doctrine, though the Romanists doe, that write and preach lyes.

Maſter Richard Ward in his Comentary upon Matthew, had theſe paſſages obliterated among ſundry others: We may justly feare that our Church ſhall have her period, when the Word ſhall depart from us to ſome other Nation that hath not enjoyed it, by a relapſe into Popery, as we did in Queen Maries time; or that we ſhall be overwhelmed by Atheiſme, and (as Rome doth now) onely retaine a falſe ſhew of a Church, being drowned either with ſome blind ſuperstition, or impious corruption; therefore we ſhould be afraid of Superstition, prophaneneſſe, impiety and contempt of the Word of God, leaſt our bread be taken away and given unto the dogges, &c. Some workes are odious unto God, but gratefull unto men, as to temporize, to flatter and ſooth up great men, to embrace the Religion commanded by their Kings and Governours, be it never ſo Idolatrous, falſe and ſuperstitious; theſe works are not to the done.

In Doctor Featlye's Sermons, ſtiled Clavis Mystica, page 226. the Doctor having ſpoken ſomething againſt gaudy Images, Tapers, Perfumes, and prayer in an unknowne tongue in the Roman Church, concluded thus; But me thinks I have ſtayd too long in the TEMPLE OF RIMMON, I returne therefore to the Temple of the living God: This Doctor Bray the Arch-biſhops Chaplaine, blotted out, as ſcandalous to the Church of Rome, cauſing the whole ſheet to be re-printed: And in the very laſt Sermon and page of his book, page 907. he purged out this whole devout prayer in the cloſe of the Sermon, onely becauſe this phraſe, of bowing to the Romiſh Baal, was comprized therein: ‘Purge our polluted conſciences by faith in his blood; that though our ſinnes be as red as ſcarlet, yet they may be made as white as woole. Vouchſafe to looke downe from thy higheſt Throne of Majeſty upon this whole Land proſtrating her ſelfe at thy foot-ſtoole, and wallowing in duſt and aſhes; deſpiſe not the ſighing of ſo many contrite hearts; deſpiſe not the prayers of ſo many thouſands, which thou knoweſt proceed not out of fained lips; ſet a marke upon thoſe that mourne in ſecret for all thoſe impieties, iniquities, impurities and abominations which it is not in their power to redreſse, and ſpare the Kingdome for their ſake who never have bowed to the ROMISH BAAL, nor given way to any corruption of thy pure worſhip, but have ſought thee with an upright heart. O Lord, for our ſinnes thou didſt deſervedly ſmite us with Peſtilence after the manner of Egypt; yet when we turned to thee by faſting, weeping and mourning, thou commandedſt thy Angell to ſheath his ſword: and ſince that thou threatnedſt to ſend a famine amongſt us, and cleanneſse of teeth in all our coaſts; yet when we humbled our ſelves before thee, as at this day, thou commandedſt the wind and clouds and they obeyed thee, and for ſowing one day in teares, we reaped in joy the harveſt of the whole yeere: And now O Lord, what is our hope? our hope is even in thee: the clouds are gathered together from divers parts of the earth, and they threaten thundering and lightning in ſuch ſort, that we have juſt cauſe to feare a black and diſmall day, a bloody day of invaſion, and utter deſolation neere at hand: Yet O Lord, behold this whole Nation as one man, ſtretching out her hands unto thee, behold thy Sonne ſtretching out his hands on the Croſſe for her: Heare us we beſeech thee for our Prince, and our Prince for us; heare us for the Peeres and Nobles, and the Peeres and Nobles for us; heare us for the Commons and the Commons for us; heare us for this whole Church, and the Church for us, and Chriſt for all: Remove our ſinnes as a cloud and our tranſgreſſions as a miſt, and let the light of thy countenance and beames of thy favour ſhine upon us, and dry up thoſe teares, which out of the bitterneſſe of our hearts we now ſhed abundantly before thee, ſo ſhall we thy people and ſheep of thy paſture, ſing unto then in the great congregation, and prayſe thy name even to our laſt breath, Amen.’

[Page] Strange is it, that ſo devout and pious a prayer as this, ſhould be totally expunged for ſtiling Maſſe and popery the Romiſh Baal.

What the true intention and deſigne in purging out theſe and the following paſſages againſt Popery were, will moſt cleerly, yea infallibly appear by theſe remarkable clauſes expunged by the Licenſer out of Doctor Jones his Comentary upon the Hebrewes. In the Manuſcript copy, page 443. the Doctor upon theſe words; Follow peace with all men: had comented thus; We muſt distinguiſh between Peace and Familiarity; We may be at a generall peace even with the enemies of God; but we muſt not be familiar with them: There is danger in that: Be at peace with a Papiſt, but be not familiar with a Papiſt. Secondly, We may be at peace with the perſons of all, but with the vices NOTE. of none: Be at peace with a Papiſt, but not with his Popery and Idolatry: Be at peace with a drunkard, but not with his drunkenneſſe; reprove that, ſhew thy diſlike of that: The Licenſer obliterates theſe two clauſes (omitted wholy thereupon out of the printed copy) page 560. Be at peace with a Papiſt, but be not familiar with a Papiſt; be at peace with a Papiſt, but not with his Popery and Idolatry: Their deſigne was to reconcile us to Rome, and therefore this Doctrine, that we muſt not be familiar with papists, though we be at peace with them, becauſe there is danger in that; and that we muſt not be at peace with their Popery and Idolatry, but onely with their perſons; muſt by all meanes be totally expunged, as heterodox and ſciſmaticall Doctrine.

The ſame Doctor in his Manuſcript copy, page 236. had this paſſage cloſed with a good prayer: England that was ever rude and barbarous, is now become civill and religious; and all that ever received the Beaſt's mark, have now baniſhed the Beaſt; and NOTE. GOD GRANT MAY NEVER CHANGE FROM THAT: The Licenſer, whoſe deſigne was conſonant to his Arch-maſters projects, to have us change to popery and receive the Beaſt and his mark againe, quite raſed out theſe words, relating particularly to England (totally omitted in the printed Book, page 278.) And all that ever received the beaſt's marke, have now baniſhed the beaſt, and God grant it may never change from it. Was not this a Romiſh beaſt indeed, and no true Proteſtant, who durſt obliterate ſuch a paſſage?

The Doctor in his written copy, page 93. uſed this diſſwaſion fro [...] popery to thoſe who pleaded the example of their forefathers continuance in it; ‘Thy Father was a ſpend-thrift and made all away, and wilt thou doe ſo too? Thy father had the Frenchpox for his uncleane life, and muſt thou deſire it too? ſo thy Father had the Romiſh NOTE. Pox, being infected with the Romiſh Religion, therefore muſt thou obſtinately continue in that diſeaſe?’All this the Licenſer totally deleted: and thereupon it is left out of the printed copy, page 128. where it ſhould have been inſerted.

The Doctor in his Manuſcript, page 148. had this paſſage; If he happen to be ſeduced by Papiſts or other hereticks, we that are preachers muſt have compaſſion on ſuch. The Licenſer wholy raſeth out: If he happen to be ſeduced by Papists or other Hereticks: NOTE becauſe the deſigne was, we ſhould be ſeduced by ſuch; and in ſuch a caſe Preachers muſt have no compaſſion on us; therefore it is omitted in the printed copy, page 196.

Finally, the Doctor in his Manuſcript, page 106. had this ſerious Exhortation: We have begun in pure and ſound religion, Let us not end in Popery, in Atheiſme, in NOTE. Browniſme, in Anabaptiſme. The Licenſer to demonſtrate where he and his Archgrace would have us end and ſettle at laſt; blots out the word popery, and puts in prophaneneſſe in its ſtead; and ſo it is is printed, page 140. Let us not end in prophaneſſe, inſtead of, Let us not end in Popery; in which they then intended we ſhould all ſhortly end, though God (by his omnipotent power and admirable providence) hath wholy fruſtrated this their intended end: We ſhall now proceed to another head of expunctions, to wit,

2 Paſſages expunged out of bookes tendred to licenſe, againſt the Papacy, Rome, the Popes Supremacy, Pride, Tyranny, Cruelty, Treaſons, murthering and depoſing Princes: Popes vicious lives, practiſes, and being Antichriſt, that man of ſinne, &c.

[Page]

Doctor Jones in his Comentary on the Hebrewes, had inſerted theſe ſeverall paſſages againſt the Pope in his written copy, which the Licenſer expunged as inſufferable, and thereupon they are quite omitted in the printed book, page 179. 251. 309. 377. 396. 406.

Page 206. in the written copy; Our Saviour Chriſt was as wiſe a man as the Pope, furniſhed with guifts for both affices as well as he, yet he would not meddle with civill matters, Luke 12. 14. of the extraordinary example of Melcheſedeck, no ordinary rule can be made. Page 266. All papists kiſſe the Pope's feet, yea Kings, Princes and Emperours (ſaith the copy) yea in ſo doing they make an Idol of him, as the idolaters kiſſed Baal. Page 284. Antichriſt hath been diſcovered, every man may ſee what he is, unleſſe the God of the world blind their eyes, naught is wanting, unleſſe it be the open converſion of the Jewes. Page 301. Nay the Pope himſelfe he muſt be carried on mens ſhoulders.

Page 308. The holy Ghoſt thinks it ſufficient to call Chriſt the great Prieſt; that will not content the Pope, he muſt be Sacerdos maximus: Chriſt hath the poſitive, he muſt have the ſuperlative; a proud prelat, that Antichriſt that exalteth himſelfe above God. Page 130. As for the calling of Luther, Calvin and Beza, and of the Ministers of the Gospel, it is warrantable by the Word, we can ſhew our Letters of Orders from Jeſus Chriſt, the great Biſhop of our ſoules: Are we not true Ministers, becauſe we are not created by the Pope and his Biſhops? The Apoſtles were not made by the Phariſees, or any prieſtes of that time yet good Ministers; and ſo may we though not made by the Biſhop of Rome: it is ſucceſſion [...], not [...], as Nazianzen ſpeakes; that is, a good, lawfull ſucceſſion. Good God! that ſuch paſsages as theſe ſhould ever be expunged by ſuch who profeſſe themſelves proteſtant prelats or Miniſters! certainly they had a Pope in their hearts, whatever good words we find in their mouths.

Maſter Ward in his Comentary upon Matthew, had an Index expurgatorius paſsed on theſe enſuing clauſes, againſt the Pope his pardons, power and uſurped authority; fol. 224. 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 admirers doe maintaine aſſertions directly contrary to the word of Chriſt; one example whereof we have in this verſe; Whoſoever ſhall put away his Wife. Fol. 314. Queſt. 7. We have no need of a ſecond purging. How derogatory then are the Papists to the ſufferings of Chriſt, who aſcribe more to the Popes pardons then to Chriſt's pangs: Antichriſt by his indulgencies, can both deliver and preſerve from purgatory, and ſend the ſoule ſtreight into Heaven, but they will dye in the quarrell before they will grant ſuch or ſo much power and efficacy to be in the death blood-ſhed and merits of Chriſt, fol. 160. Queſt. 2. who are like unto the Phariſees? &c. Anſw. The Church of Rome, whoſe commandements are more obſerved then the commandements of God; as appeare, by this; it is there taught, &c. II. That to eat fleſh upon a good Friday, is a greater ſinne then to commit murther, or adultery, and yet that is the Friday on which Chriſt did ordinarily eat the paſchall Lambe. III. To blaſpheme the name of God in this world is a ſmall offence, but to ſpeak ill of the Pope (eſpecially in Italy and Spaine) is an unpardonable and damnable offence. IV. The Jewes have a Religion whereby they affirme Chriſt to be a cozener; but to ſay that there is no other purgatory but the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, is a crime deſerving the inquiſition. V. Every Biſhop of France may give abſolution for faults committed againſt the law of God) but they cannot abſolve men of ſin [...] committed againſt the Pope and his Sea. Secondly, in the Roman church they teach things contrary to the Word of God; for firſt, God ſaith, &c. II. God ſaith in his Law, ſix dayes ſhalt thou labour, but the Pope ſaith, thou ſhalt not labour ſix dayes, but ſhalt obſerve the Feaſts commanded by the Pope to be obſerved. IV. God's commands by [Page] his Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10. That when we are invited to the houſe of Infidels, we ſhould eat of that which is ſet before us, making no ſcruple: On the contrary, the Church of Rome commands, when we are invited to the houſe of Hereticks, not to eat of all that which is ſet before us in Lent, or on Good-Friday, and faſting dayes. Fol. 163. Anſw. 2. Let us avoyd all Popiſh errors. Anſw. 3. Thirdly, they are to blame alſo, who bind themſelves by a Vow, not to eat fleſh upon ſome certaine dayes, and upon ſuch dayes have no other care then to abſtaine from fleſh onely.

Ibid. On Mat. 15. 9. theſe paſſages are oblitered: In vaine doe they worſhip me.

Theſe words being urged by us againſt the Popes power in making lawes, which binds the conſcience, Bellarmine anſwers three things thereunto, namely:

Firſt, by the Commandements of men, are underſtood Commandements which are contrary to the law of God, but the Popes precepts are not ſo: To this we anſwer.

I. All the commandements of men, in whoſe obſervation the worſhip of God is placed, is expreſly and directly condemned; for God is to be worſhipped as himſelfe preſcribes.

II. All ſuch commandements are contrary to the law of God, which ſaith, Thou ſhalt not adde to the word which I command thee; namely, in ſubſtantiall things, or which are impoſed as eſſentiall parts of God's worſhip.

III. There is no myſticall ceremony introduced or brought into the Church by the Popes or Popiſh Clergy, which was leſſe contrary to the laws of God, then was that tradition of waſhing hands before meat, which was ordained by the Elders of the Jewes.

Secondly, the Jeſuit anſwers, that our Saviour blames here onely unprofitable and frivolous ceremonies, onely invented by a humane braine or ſpirit; but the precepts of the Pope are no ſuch: To this we anſwer,

I. If all the Jewes, both Prieſts and people, did uſe ſuch fooliſh and frivolous ceremonies, as Bellarmine here ſaith are condemned, then why may not the Pope and Papists uſe ſuch, or be guilty of the ſame error.

II. All ſuch myſticall ceremonies which are brought now into the Church of Rome without the warrant of God's Word, were invented by a humane ſpirit, for the bleſſed Spirit of God never taught any other worſhip to the Church, then that which Chriſt inſtituted, John 14. 26.

III. If many, yea moſt of their ceremonies be not frivolous, fooliſh and ridiculous, I know not what is; but (as a work or ſubject not worth the inſiſting upon) I paſſe it by.

Thirdly, the Jewes (ſaith Bellarmine) were taxed by Chriſt, becauſe they eſteemed more highly of ſome humane lawes then they did of the law of God, as Mat. 23. 23. but the Papiſts doe not ſo. To this I anſwer: that this was never more ſeen in the Jewes then in the Papiſts, as was cleerly ſhewed and proved in the laſt Qeſtion of the former verſe.

Many ſuch like paſſages are purged out of this Author, which we pretermit.

But the groſſeſt purgations of all the reſt, were made by Doctor Bray in Doctor Clarke's Sermons upon the fifth of November, and upon other occaſions, as will appeare by theſe enſuing purgations, at which every zealous Proteſtant may wel ſtand amazed.

Page 228. 229. 230. &c. the Licenſer hath expunged this which followeth: ‘Such another woman ſaw the Prophet Zachary, her name was Wickedneſſe; Kinſ-woman to this, nay was not this ſhee? for the Prophet ſayes, ſhee was carried into Babylon. And they ſay, Rome is Babylon; we ſay it, themſelves ſay it. But I will diſcharge the Pope ſo, to make his Holineſſe this Wickedneſſe. Now what this viſion meanes, and who this woman is, an Angel expounds in the reſt of the chapter; looke at the laſt verſe; the woman is ſaid there to be the great City that uſurps ſoveraignty over the whole earth; by which that Rome is meant, is ſuperfluous to prove, Romaniſts acknowledge it; and Rome too in a Metonimy; not the ſtreets and wals of Rome, but the power and policy and government of Rome; they yeeld that alſo, but with caution, that we meane of Heathen Rome, not Chriſtian Rome, as it was the ſeat of Caeſars, not the ſeat of Popes, the throne of Antichriſt; they grant that too, but the Pagan [Page] Emperours muſt be that Antichriſt, not their Biſhops. But I find it (with their favours) to be the Church of Rome, and therefore this woman I expound to be the Papacy: I prove it not, it is needleſſe unto you, and bootleſſe unto them; if their learned labours who daily write of it, cannot perſwade them, what am I to hope it? and yet ſome of their Jeſuits, Vega and Ribera, doe now at length acknowledge it. The woman then is Rome, not onely Neronizing under Emperours, but alſo tyrannizing under Popes; who ſhee was in John's time doth not skill us much, we are to conſider what ſhee is now: It is not the Empire but the Church of Rome; it was the Empire once that being converted, cheriſhed the church: But filia devoravit Matrem, the Church hath choaked the Empire, and is her ſelfe become this woman: Now this bloody woman, drunken with the blood of Saints. In the third chapter (whereof this chapter is a comentary) there is not one onely, but two Beaſts, the firſt is the Empire, the latter is the Papacy, which therefore had two hornes, which are the Popes two ſwords, as in whom are met both powe [...], Patriarchall and Emperiall. Pope Boniface profeſt it at the publique Jubilee, riding one day in the Habit of a Pope, and the next of an Emperour, commanding to be cryed, Ecce duo gladij hic; behold he had two ſwords. Nay, why ſhould I grant it was the Empire once? I meane this woman; what though the blood of Saints were ſhed by Roman Emperours? yet this is not meant here; the Article is relative, it referres us to the firſt verſe, to the woman there; there ſhe is called a Whore; that title is proper onely to the Papacy, ſuperstition, and Idolatry, and prodigious impiety, hath caſt the appellation of an Harlot upon it. I am not worthy to hold the light to them that have written on this Propheſie; but me thinks they need not yeeld that this viſion concernes the Empire, but meerly the Pope, for this whoriſh woman is ſaid at the ſecond verſe, to have made drunke all Kings with her abominations, that is, with her idolatry; ſhall I ſay all Nations had their idolatry from Rome, I meane the Empire? where read we it? where prove we it? nay but Rome had rather her idolatry from them: It worſhipped all the gods of all the countries that it conquered. That I read both in prophane and Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory; What needed the Empire to teach the Empire that they had before? it learned of them, it taught them not, being tyed to ſo ſhort a time. I cannot argue any point; that to prove the Pope this woman, the title of Antichriſt is intayl'd to him, and the number of the beaſt fals fit to him: What need I when ſo many and ſo learned books proves them both; yea, as the high Prieſt propheſied of Chriſt unwillingly; ſo hath a learned Biſhop of our Land obſerved, that one of the Popes men hath inſcribed a book to him, and in his ſimplicity, hath put the beaſts name on him, Paulo quinto vice-Deo, To Paul the fifth Vice-God: In the numerall letters of theſe words is juſt contained the number of the beaſts, 666. Nay, but the Pope will none of it, if the date be not out and expired in the Empire; but we will needs extend it unto theſe times too, and make the woman, the Malignant church, then it is the church of England; we are this vvoman, vve proſecute, vve execute, vve ſhed the blood of Saints, even this very church of Canterbury, both ſhed the blood of Saints, Saint Thomas Beckets blood: 'tis not the Popes of Rome, but the Kings and Queens of England; King Henry was this vvoman, Queen Elizabeth, King James, all ſlaughterers of Saints; vvitneſſe Sir Thomas Moore's and Biſhop Fiſher's blood; witneſſe Saint Campions and Saint Gornets blood, a blood that vvrought miracles. If Canoniſts ſay truly, that if the Pope ſend troops of ſoules to hell, no man may oppoſe him: Domine cur ſic facis, ask him why he does ſo? ſhall I be unmannerly, if I liſt to loſe a little and belye our Kings, to cry Domine cur ſic dicis, ask him vvhy he ſayes ſo? the Pope hath power to alter ſubſtances & can he not change qualities, make Treaſon, Holineſſe, and Traitors, Saints? But it is Harlots manner to call honeſt vvomen Whores: This proves the Pope rather to be this whoriſh woman; conſtat de perſona, vve have the perſon: Pilate ſaid of Chriſt, behold the man; I may ſay of Chriſt's Vicar, behold the woman: We have her perſon, let us have her parts. The Woman is diſcribed, &c.’

All Princes have become his Vaſſals, and I think he tyed them to pay tribute and [Page] blood; ſo pleaſing to the Pope's pallate, that howſoever they have differed in their luſts to meats, ſome to Peacock and ſome to Porke, all of them have liked one kind of drink, and that is blood: Let no man wrangle, &c.

What doth the Pope pop us in the mouth with Emperours? Julian the moſt malicious of them all, vexed the Chriſtians, but would ſhed no blood; but the Pope is all for blood; his Buls and Briefes like Dracoes lawes, writen not with Inke but blood. I plead not for the Hereticke, as if I held he might not ſuffer death, ſuch may be the Hereſie; but the Pope maintaines diſtinction between mortall ſinne and veniall, holds it towards God, and failes it to the Pope; are ſome veniall to Gods ſelfe, and all mortall to God's Vicar? pardons may be purchaſt for offenders againſt God, but he muſt dye the death that treſpaſſeth the Pope: The leaſt ill word, Pope Alexander puniſhed with death, their owne liege people write it; Onuphrius, &c.

‘Bona verba quaeſo; it is the Pope, the ſhamefuller his ſinne, the holy Father, to ſpill holy blood; belike as Parſons ſaid he had a holy Italy, ſo the Pope happily hath a holy thirſt; for why not? why not ſacra ſitis, as well as ſacra fames? or doth his Holineſſe miſtake the blood?’ he might if Popes could erre, but they cannot, and he doth not; but wittingly and willingly he ſheds the blood of Saints: Faine would he cover this impious blood thirſtineſſe, by calling them Hugonists, Lollards and Heretiques: For the two firſt of them, I know no harme in them; and for the third, what Harlot will not call an honeſt woman whore? The faith which they have ſuffered for and their holineſſe have Sainted them, without the Popes canonization: They may be Saints though not of his making and of a better order then the Popes, to wit, of the holy Ghoſts, he is the right Saint maker, &c.

So ſweet is blood to the throat, that he ſheds it where he finds it, be it of what rank, what ſex, what age ſoever, etiam in infantem (ſaith Tertullian) nullius hostem, nullius reum, &c. the harmleſſe Infant that hath done no hurt, that doth think no hurt, even his blood will this Herod have; what doe I call him Herod? a more inhumane blood-ſucker then ever Herod was, then ever Pharaoh was; both of them ſhed the blood of babes new borne, this monſter ſpils the blood of babes unborne; a Kid night not be ſod in the mothers milke, this beaſt ſpares not the babe in the mothers wombe, &c.

A woman that affects the title of Holineſſe, her head the Popes holineſſe, her ſelfe, holy Mother-church, can this holy woman murther holy men? ſhee that canonizeth Saints, the founder of their feaſts, the builder of their Temples, the adorner, the admirer, the adorer of Saints, can ſhee ſhed the blood of Saints? ſhee can, ſhee does, and that in ſuch abundance.

Drunkenneſſe beſeems any ill, a Biſhop worſt; of all men Church-men ſhould be ſober; what a ſight is this? John ſees here a Biſhop drunken; the Univerſall Biſhop, the Prince, Patriarch, the Pope drunken; for we are bold under his benedicite, to make that man, this woman, not wine-drunke (though by their leave ſome of theſe are noted for that too, as Leo 10 and Nicholas 5.) but blood-drunken, &c.

Wherefore are the Jeſuits in France, and here, and every where, but to be his ſlaughtermen, to ſhed Kings blood? their feet ſwift to ſpill it, becauſe his throat luſts to ſwallow it; be wiſe now therefore O ye Kings, and be learned by France, O ye Princes of the earth; at leaſt let the Lyon learne by the Flower de luce, to watch not the Jeſuit onely, whoſe fingers itch to ſpill his blood, but the Recuſant alſo, as very a Traitor in his heart as he; the Lord convert their perſons, and confound their plots, as many as look at Jacob with an Eſan-eye, &c. The woman that rid on a beaſt of hell, hammers her bloody plots from the forge of hell, the Pope, &c.

The wicked Antichriſt would purchaſe heaven by ſending us to hell: had the Romiſh Canibols thirſted for our blood, yet charity would they ſhould have wiſhed well to our ſoules; but the Pope like Satan, the ſonne like to the ſire, malices even our ſoules; he would have ſacrificed our blood, and our ſoules ſhould have aſcended into the flames of the Altar, not like Manoahs-Angel into heaven, but our ſoules and [Page] bodies too, into that part of the Ayre, where the prince of the Ayre and his angels have their reſidence, that is in votis, the Pope wiſhed it ſo, I will not ſay, &c.

Their Jupiter Latialis, their Lord God the Popel or their Jupiter Infernalis, their Lord God the Devil, ſhould have many Hecatombees, &c.

The Vicar of Chriſt, a ſticker of Christians, the ſucceſſor of Saint Peter, a worker with ſalt-peter; he that makes God's blood of Wine, to drinke mans blood as Wine.

In Doctor Clarkes ſecond Sermon on the fifth of November, page 237. the Licenſer hath obliterated three whole leaves together, againſt the tyranny, bloodineſſe and viciouſneſſe of Popes and their Inſtruments, ſo as they cannot be read; and in the ſame Sermon, page 234. 235. 237. he hath deleated theſe clauſes and phraſes. ‘The ſpawne of Antichriſt; Romes Martyrs and canonized Saints, I hold them neither: All Martyrs are Chriſts, Martyrs of Jeſus. A diſcription of Antichriſt; the Romiſh Antichriſt: There are two Antichrists, Gog in the weſt, and Magog in the eaſt: Nay beſide Magog the Turke, Rome hath two at times: Firſt, the Empire, then the Papacy; this woman in the latter deſcribed here. Ariſtotle makes mention of one ſo inhumane, that ſhee would rip up womens wombs to eat the infants. Saint John's woman here hath been as ſavage; hath not ſpar'd a babe, ſpringing out of the wombe of the mother at the ſtake: Into the fire with it, 'tis a young Heretick.’

In his 23. Sermon, page 463. this paſſage is deleated: ‘Popes are free peradventure, nay it is paſt peradventure: my Text ſayes, every man, one Pope was free, he was a woman: nay all are free, for Popes are Gods; 'tis their own phraſe, Our Lord God the Pope, or if not God, yet not meere man, ſomething between both, their ſaying too; but by good chance, 'tis not here every man, but every one; who will ſcare that? yet as the Devil would not be belyed, ſo neither would the Pope be wrongd: Preaching againſt iniquity, let me doe none. 'Tis every one that cals on Christ's name: ſome Popes doe not; Julius the ſecond called on the Devils name. In nomino omnium diabolorum, in all the Devils names at his loſing of Rave [...]na: But take the paſſive ſenſe; all that are called by Chriſt's name, Christians: Popes are all ſo; not all ſo neither; Paul the III. was no Chriſtian it ſeems, for he doubted of hell, of the reſurrection and of God; ſurely Gregory the IX. was none, he called Chriſt an Imposter. Yet the Pope pretends Chriſt's name, titles himſelf by him, will be Chriſt's Vicar, beare Chriſt's name above all men, affect Chriſts titles above all men; his attribute of Holineſſe. Men on earth, Saints in Heaven, are but called holy; Peter is no more, his Predeceſſor ſanctus Petrus, Chriſt's Mother is no more, ſancta Maria; holy Peter, holy Mary; God's ſelfe reſts in it too, every perſon; holy Father ſayes Chriſt, John 17. The ſonne ſanctus Dei, God's holy one, Mark 1. the Spirit, the holy Ghoſt. The Pope likes not this poſitive degree, he will be ſtiled Sanctiſſimus, the moſt holy: 'tis not likely that iniquity is in this man, this moſt holy man: Lutherans and Calviniſts charge him with much, both his perſon and his doctrine, but they are lyars, hereticks all; Sacriledge and Symony, Inceſt and Adultery, ſetting of Subjects againſt Soveraignes, King againſt King, Murther and Maſſacre, infinite iniquities: ſic, that holy Father Pope ſhould doe ſuch things; they are not Calvin's calumnies, nor Luther's lyes, but confeſt by their owne Writers; nor doe Popes thus in perſon onely; that craves ſome pardon: But 'tis their Doctrine too, their Churches Doctrine, That a Prieſt of Jeſuit may forſweare, deny his parents, defraud his friend, betray his country, kill his King; fie, that holy Mother Church ſhould teach ſuch things. This theame (ſome may ſay) ſits not this place neither; the Pope is not here, &c.’

In his Sermon upon Quadrageſſima, page 122. line 10. & page 124. line 37. the Licenſer hath quite expunged theſe following lines. How then is the Popedome in the Devils gift, if Kingdomes be not? Satan gives it, and it is a kind of Kingdome, Regnum ſacerdotale, a prieſtly Kingdome: The Pope a Melcheſedeck, King and Prieſt, wears a Crowne, beares a ſword, both Regallities, three Crownes, multa diademata, Chriſt does, Revel. 19. and he is his Vicar: two ſwords, Ecce duo gladij hic: Popes are Kings betters, Cardinals Kings Peers; is the Pope the Devils creature and not Kings? But the [Page] Popedome is not Satans gift neither, Aeneas Sylvius himſelfe ſometimes a Pope, writes, that one got the Popedome fraude diabolica; we beleeve it, moe then one Silvester the Nccromancer, Boniface 7. Gregory 7. all fraude diabolica: by devilliſh machinations, that does not prove the Devill made them, or conſtrue it if you will, by the Devils meanes, it will not ſerve ſo neither, ſo Kings come often to their Crownes by devilliſh meanes, and yet God gives them; God may be the author of an act, whereof Satan may be in the meanes; God gave his Sonne to death for us, yet the Devill had his hand in it; John ſayes the Devill put in Iudas heart to betray Chriſt; God deſtroyes Ahaz, but the Devill was his meanes; a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all the Prophets: God would afflict Iob, the Devill was his inſtrument, 'tis plaine in the ſtory. For the poynt, as I would not belye, ſo I would not rob the Devill of his right; the Popedome is of God, but the Papacy is of Satan: To be a Prince and Biſhop, yea I will yeeld him higheſt Biſhop too, God gives him that; but his univerſall Prelacy and preſumption over Princes, the Devill gives him that: his power is from God, but his pride is from the Devill, Satan is yet more frank.

The Pope Patriſſall playes ſatan; ſome here craves not prostraction onely, leaſt happily you ſay, that's but civill reverence; and yet ſaving his reverence, 'tis more then the greateſt Monarch craves in all our Weſterne Kingdome; I ſay, he craves not proſtraction onely, but adoration too: Worſhip, divine worſhip, what elſe meant the cry of the Cicilian Ambaſſadours proſtrate before him, Tu tollis peccati mundi, miſereri noſtri; O thou that takeſt away the ſinnes of the world, have mercy upon us: &c.

Ibid. page 172. line 4. this is deleted by the Licenſer; Was not Iudas an Apoſtle? Origen ſayes he was, the Goſpell ſayes he was among the twelve Apoſtles; not Diſciples onely, but Apoſtles. Saint Matthew reckons him; here is then a place put for the Papiſts, which they never yet obſerved, for their Apoſtolicall Traditions; here is Traditio Apoſtolica indeed. Here I obſerve it not, what doe they elſe [...] is their [...], Trechery their occupation, Treaſon the Pope's trade; beſt they leave it, 'tis Iudas act, and brings a ſort of them to Iudas end, it will ſtrangle the Papacy it ſelfe at length.

In his ſecond Sermon upon ſeverall occaſions, page 293. l. 10. the Licenſer deletes: And theres a man in Rome, the Pope, will be as God the Sonne, for he is his Vicar.

Ibid. page 495. l. 22. Gods Peere, that's little, will be his ſuperior, will be worſhipt (Paul ſayes) above all that is called God: Who is that? even the Pope, &c. This Monſter, &c. Let every ſoule be ſubject to the higher Powers, Paul bids: be the Clergy exempt, they are not bound to the Lay barre; Thou ſhalt not make an Image, nor bow downe to it, thou ſhalt doe both, Gods lawes are ſtrait, the Pope will dispence with them, break thy Oath, marry thy wives ſiſter, thine owne ſiſter, thine Aunt, keep a Concubine, be a Catamite or Sodomite, kill a King, though a catholike, the Pope will abſolve thee. Hold we the Pope arrogant in the title of Chriſts Vicar; he is more, his power (it ſeems) is above Chriſts. Page 296. bids God a Biſhop, be the husband unius of one Wife; the Popes bids nullius, marry not at all; forbids the Cup at the Communion of the Lord, though Chriſt have ordained it; Scripture, Gods Word ſayes Sylu Perer: hath none authority, but from the Pope; I muſt end, the Pope is Omnipotent, Gods Attribute, yet one cals this Pope ſo: He can doe all things, yea he is all things; Gods peculiar too, ſo he is Gods Peere, behold the man is become like one of us. Idem: page 301. Theres a people in Affricke curſe the Sunne becauſe it fireth them, theres a Pope to curſe the Starres, Mars, Venus, Iupiter and Mercury, becauſe he loſt at dice, gameſters here curſe Cards and Dice, bite them, teare them, thats all, at moſt banne one another, tame Proteſtants and baſe ſpirited, learne of holy Father Pope to curſe the Heavens and God; why wrong I our brave ſpirits as hereticall as the Pope? was not Chriſt God? his paſſions, wounds, nayles, blood and death, yea heart and ſoule, black mouthed blaſphemy? what dares it not doe againſt Heaven in execrable Oathes? The Law, &c. page 338. The Popes Mint can coyne words too, to his Forge nothing comes amiſſe: in its Scriptures, Fathers, Counſels; yea, if it needs be, hee in a word writes too, In ſpite of all Gramarians, if the Pope ſay but. [Page] Fiatur: page 344. Balaak of Spaine, heires Balaam of Rome to curſe Iſrael, his brothers of France, to root out all the Religion in his Realme, or if Ieruſalem will needs be there, it ſhall not have peace there: The enemies, &c. page 346. Michael is Chriſts, his Angels are true Chriſtians, Rome now is that Synagogue, pretends Saint Peters chaire, Caiaphas ſits in it and convents Chriſt, and there is the Dragons Generall, the Popes, his captaine, Kings of his communion, all enemies to peace, &c. In the 13. Sermon, page 384. Tis now a proverbe in the Popes court, tis not for Princes, but for Merchants to keep oathes: of Popes and their partiſons; tis true which Zoſimus falſly ſaid of Constantine, that perjury was ordinary. Philip of Macedon, Pauſanias writes of him, that he brake all Leagues, all promiſes, all oaths; wee beare with him; 'twas the faſhion of his Countrey: not Cretians onely, as Saint Paul ſayes, from the Poet, but Grecians, all were lyars; heathen Grecians: The Pope, &c. page 387. That rough handed Eſau, that thirſts for Iacobs blood, that ſends his aſſociates to murther Kings, ſweares them to murther them, aſſoiles men eaſily from all their oathes of Alleagiance whatſoever, let him practice. In the 17. Sermon, page 420. Iohn ſaw a woman drunken with the blood of Saints; that's not the Pope, his ſex ſaves him from that charge, he is a man, if you doubt, one was a woman; Paul is for him, cals him the man of ſinne. In the 20. Sermon, page 443. l. 3. The hope of the life to come; they hold an old wives tale, hell a fable too: the worlds end, the reſurrection and Chriſts comming unto judgement, Inter Naeniai habentur, they reckon them meere fallacies, Petrarch ſayes, one of their owne church; That blaſphemous ſpeeches came from a Popes mouth; Quantas nobis opes peperit illa fabula de Chriſto; It was Leo X. he reckoned even the Goſpell a legend of lyes.

Sermon 27. page 449. I thought Papiſts held Letchery one of the ſeven deadly ſins, it ſeems a veniall one, very veniall by the Pope, who grants Prieſts Concubines, licenſeth the Stewes, leaſes out Curtizans in Fee-farme: B. Jewel's phraſe. Joannes de Coſa Dean of the Catholike chamber, wrote a book in praiſe of the lewdeſt kind of luſt: they will ſhortly ſay, I think, as Hierom writes, that Vigilautius ſayd, that continency is hereſie; then happily all the letchers in the land will turne Catholikes, a Religion fit for them; the Whore of Babylon will favour Harlots, her ſonnes (it ſeemes) profeſſe it all, for they fleere a chaſte and honeſt man, call him an Eunuch: But Satan, Popes and Cardinals are lyars: all Gods, &c.

Above twenty more paſſages of this nature, concerning the Pope, Papacy, Rome, are obliterated in this Doctors Sermons, which for brevity we pretermit: onely we ſhall conclude with one more, containing the good old Doctors hopes to ſee the Popes and Romes ſpeedy downfall, which this Arch-prelat with his confederates could no wayes patiently endure to heare of; and that is in his ſecond Sermon on the fifth of November, page 234. l. 3. The whole world will one day wonder, as he, at her drunkenneſſe, ſo it at her fall. Fals are incident to the drunken, and Saint John foretels that too, in two chapters; doubles the word in both, Cecidit, cecidit, ſhee is fallen, ſhee is fallen, ſay I one day. ‘That day (I hope) is neer, and the Popes period at hand: My ſelfe am unlikely by my yeers, (but I hope) my ſucceſſours ſhall preach this womans funerall, and that many here preſent, ſhall ſee this propheſie of Saint Iohn fulfilled: cecidit, cecidit. This drunken woman is neerly fallen, ſhee reels already, and that foreleads a fall, ſhe hath reeled a long time, ſundry whole Kingdoms, beſides many parts of Germany and France, relinquiſht her a long time ſince; God will haſten the reſt: Pray we all that, and bleſſe we God for ſaving us; pray he will ſo ſtill, even for his Sonne our Saviours ſake, unto both which bleſſed perſons, with the holy Ghoſt, be all glory, &c. Amen.’

Now we appeale to any intelligent mans conſcience, what the obliterating of all theſe paſſages againſt the Pope, Popery, Rome, &c. out of theſe new books, by the Arch-biſhop and his Chaplaines, portend and intimate, but a profeſſed confederacy in them to reduce us back to our ancient vaſſalage to the Pope and Sea of Rome, and the re-eſtabliſhing of the Popes authority, his Inſtruments, Agents and Popery among us in the higheſt degree; which the enſuing particulars will more fully demonſtrate.

3. Paſſages purged out of new licenſed Books, againſt ſeducing traiterous Papists, Popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits, Monks, Arminians; our toleration of, and remiſneſſe in executing Lawes againſt them, and revolting to Popery.

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DOctor Iones in his written Comentary on the Hebrewes, had theſe caſuing paſſages againſt Papiſts, Jeſuits and their errors, expunged: page 446. One Papiſt if he be permitted, will quickly make many Papiſts: p. 148. If we happen to be ſeduced by Papiſts or other Hereticks: page 348. Though the Papiſts be many and we but few, yet we may be of the Church: page 161. This was called confirmation, whereas the Papiſts afterwards abuſed it, and made a Sacrament of it, exalting it above Baptiſme: page 90. God hardneth not only permiſſivè, as Bellarm, and the reſt of the Papiſts contend: page 101. Not to ſeek ſalvation by the obſervation of the Law, as the Papiſts doe: page 241. We need not ſtand a loofe, as the Papiſts would have us: page 137. The Papiſts this day cleave hard to the Pope, nothing ſhall ſeparate them from him: page 291. Both the Jeſuits and theirs, cannot avoyd this place, &c. page 341. To deny Chriſt, ſaith Bellarmine, is an hereſie, or an error next doore to hereſie; yet Pererius the Jeſuit denyes that they be in that Paradiſe wherein Adam was; therefore he is neere to in Hereticks, &c.

In Doctor Clerke's Sermons, page 52. l. 28. this clauſe was expunged: And as himſelfe the great Goliah of hell, this little Sonne of David hath caſt downe and beheaded: ſo his ſeed in this Land, blood-thirſty Catholikes, incarnate devils, the word incarnate, root them out of Iſrael; and the devils borne, which is the Beaſt of Rome; the Horne of ſalvation knock it off in Zion; ſo ſhall King Jacob be ſafe, and his Iſrael be glad.

Page 231. 233. Doctor Haywood expunged theſe memorable paſſages againſt traiterous blood-thirſty Jeſuits and Papiſts. Wherefore are the Jeſuits in France and here and every where, but to be his ſlaughter-men, to ſheed Kings blood? their feet are ſwift to ſpill it, becauſe his throat luſts to ſwallow it: Be wiſe now therefore O ye Kings, and be learned by France O yee Princes of the earth; at leaſt let the Lyon learne by the Flower-de-luce to watch not the Ieſuit onely, whoſe fingers itch to ſpill his blood, but the Recuſant alſo, as very a traitor in his heart as he: The Lord convert their perſons and confound their plots, as many as look at Jacob with an Eſau eye.

We ſhould wonder both at the mans ſelfe and at the mans men, not at the Jeſuits onely, and the Seminary Priests, you ſhall not know them, to make them the wonderment: But the Recuſant Papiſt, yea every profeſt Papiſt, let us wonder at them too: They wax in number and in ſpirit, and their mouthes ſpeak preſumptious things; Think you they cenſure that treaſon from their heart? ſurely I will think that he that ſayes as the Pope ſayes, will alſo doe as the Pope does: Say he comes to Church, and hold the Kings ſupremacy; tamen Romanus eſt, as Segiſmond the Emperour ſaid of a Cardinall, yet he is a Papiſt; nullus eſt fidus eorum affectus, quorum eſt diverſa fides: therefore truſt not that man that holds any Popery; if he kiſſe like a Serpent, he ſure will ſting too: his peace is with thee, but rebus ſit stantibus, he is that womans Son; he thirſts for blood, even thy blood that embraceth him; he ſayes with Eſau in his heart, the dayes of mourning for Iſaac will come one day; then I will kill my Brother Ia [...]cob; but let us wonder.

Ibid. page 286. l. 10. theſe words are expunged: Inſtance but in the Pope; he is but one Serpent, but a great one, Draco magnus, in the Apocalipſe: He curſeth Kings, and States by his B [...]le, that is his Hiſſe. murders and maſſacres by his Jeſuits, they are his ſting: page 416. l. 25. I will not ſay the Jew, but ſurely the Gentile before the Jeſuit: page 420. l. 14. Rome is no Court of Arches, to licenſe the Jeſuit to teach where he will: page 427. l. 6. No Papiſt, no right Papiſt is a right Iſraelite, for there is guile in him: page 435. l. 5. The Epie [...]re Jeſuits and Stoick Prieſts, call theſe Calviniſts bablers; others of them ſay, they ſet forth ſtrange gods, for they preach to the people Ieſus & ſola ſides, a Male God and a Female: may we not know what this doctrine, this [Page] new doctrine, whereof theſe Calviniſts ſpeak, is? we will know what theſe things doe meane: Unhappy Recuſants.

Page 348. l. 6. To ſo many hearers, ſo intelligent, little need application, yet the times crave it: Is not this Land a limbe of this Ieruſalem? of Jeruſalem it is but not of this, not of David's Ieruſalem; you heare Jeruſalem taxt roughly by the Prophet, both for murther and adultery, for ſhedding Saints blood, and ſerving ſtrange gods; England is no perſecutor, but it is an halter between two Religions: Dagon affronts Gods Arke; heres both Euchariſt and Maſſe, Babylon is in Ieruſalem: It's not unworthy the obſerving that Jeruſalem in the Originall tongue is of the Duall number; there are two Ieruſalems; David bid [...] pray for Ieruſalems peace, but whether Ieruſalem? that ſurely which he here deſcribes, where is Unity, v. 2. Religion, v. 4. and Juſtice, v. 5. Ieruſalem is a City that is at Unity within it ſelf, thither goe up the Tribes to prayſe the Lord, and there are our ſeats of judgement. Is our Jeruſalem ſuch? ſchiſme in the Church and faction in the State ſhew there is no Unity: Popery and Atheiſme ſpread over the whole Land; prove there is ſmall Religion; and impunity, leſſe Juſtice; and may we pray for peace on this Ieruſalem? we may; but yet it muſt be by ſome other Text; pray we may for any; Moſes did for Iſrael though fallen greivouſly; Samuel for Saul though a grand ſinner, we may well curſe, though happily in vaine; for God ſayes, non est pax, theres no peace to the wicked; ſinne at length captiv'd Iſrael, ſackt the City, raced the Temple; nunc ſeges est, graſſe growes at Ieruſalem: Yet deſpaire not daughter Zion return our Sullamite, theres no peace to the wicked: ceaſe we to doe evill, ſorry we for ſinnes, heartily weep we; pray we God for peace, we ſhall have peace: the prodigious pride of women, their wanton vanities, cenſured often by preachers, but in vaine, they will come with them to Church in ſpite of us, I think in ſpite of Angels too who are ever preſent in our Church, and the drunkenneſſe of men their whoredomes and blaſphemies, draw downe divine revenge on our Jeruſalem; France will be Gods [...]od, and Spaine will be his hammer to ſcourge and beat Ieruſalem to powder; mature repentance will preuent all, and peace will be on Iſrael.

And page 445. 446. Jeſuits muſt ſpeak for Mammon, he is their god: There are ſeekers of ſoules a phraſe frequent in Scripture ſeekers of blood, Ieſuits are ſuch; ſeek fooles they ſhould, Ieſus ſelfe did it; he ſought to ſave them, Ieſuits doe but to deſtroy them: They Querere animas, but not in Chriſts ſenſe, in Satane ſenſe to devour them; they ſeek carefully, for they will [...], do as the devil does, walk about the world to doe that worke: There are ſeekers of lyes, v. 42. The Church of Rome ſwarmes with ſuch ſeekers: That's from below too, another of Satans ſeekers, whom Chriſt cals father of lyes.

Theſe paſſages are all deleted by the Lincenſer as heterodox.

In Maſter Ward's Comentary upon Matthew, theſe clauſes were purged out by the Licenſer, fol. 120. Thirdly, Fiſhes, i. e. men, not onely rich men, but all men, and therefore the Monks are but bad fiſhers, who fiſh onely for great and rich men, labouring onely to draw them into their nets: Fol. 148. Firſt, my ſervants ſhall drink and ye ſhall be thirſty, and therefore it is a great inſolency in the Papiſts, thus diametrally to contradict the direct promiſes of God. Secondly, Aliquando bonus dormit Hom [...]rus, wiſe men may play the foole ſometimes, and ſubtle Sophiſters diſpute abſurdly, as our witty country-man Stapleton doth in this preſent Argument, diſputing thus, &c. Secondly, if our country-man Stapleton had not been a profeſſor of Divinity, and a teacher of others, he might have gone to the Logick profeſſor to learne to frame a better Argument, this thus framed by him being ſo abſurd; Thoſe that deſire temporall things are wicked, therefore thoſe who want temporall things are not happy; he had need look well to this Syllogiſme or Argument, leaſt with its foure feet it runne away from him. Fol. 154. Secondly, there is an anlawfull Hoſpitality, which is ſhewed to Traytors, Jeſuits, popiſh Prieſts: Fourthly, they are faulty here, who give unto the rich, as the Papiſts, who plentifully feaſt the fat Monks, and ſend large preſents to the Jeſuits and Cap [...]chins. Secondly, there are ſowers of diſcord in Kingdomes, viz. thoſe who inſtigate others unto warres, as the Cardinals and Jeſuits upon [Page] every occaſion doe whiſper in the eares of Princes, to make warre upon their Neighbours, when they perceive any advantage to be had thereby. Fol. 212. Secondly, adde nothing to the Word of God: Neither firſt, the chaffe of ſuperſtition with the Papiſts: Nor ſecondly, Machavilliniſme and unwarrantable policy, with ſome Statiſts: Neither thirdly, New opinions, &c. Fol. 213. Secondly, that is no true ſenſe of Scripture which doth make any ſentence in Scripture falſe, as the Papiſts make the Word of God quarrell with, and thwart, and croſſe it ſelfe; Example: they would prove Rom. 3. 28. & 4. 25. to be falſe by Iam. 2. 21. Now we know theſe expoſitions to be falſe, becauſe the eſtabliſhing of the one place, is the demoliſhing of the other. Fol. 276. Thirdly the Papiſts have Rimes which muſt be ſaid over three or four times every day; certainly with a little pains a man might make a good Parret a good Papiſt, for he might be taught to ſpeak all this. Fol. 476. Q. Wherein are the Papiſts to blame concerning the Augmentation of Faith? Anſw. They are faulty in two things; Negant fiduciam & certitudinem fidet, they grant faith, but deny both confidence and certainty of faith, &c. fol. 52. Anſw. But the Monkiſh life is not perſecution except thus becauſe the Locuſts (which are no other but Monks and Fryars) Revel. 19. doe bite and ſting like Serpents, that is do ſecretly wound mens conſciencex (and four lines after) Thirdly, all go not to Chriſt that come into Monaſteries but rather goe from him, they living after another rule then Chriſts; for Francis their great founder, erected a new ſect of Monkery, and found out a new rule for them, which he called regulam Evangelicam, the rule of the Goſpell, as though Chriſts rule were not ſufficient. Many other paſſages of like nature, over-numerous to recite, were blotted out of this Author by the Licenſer.

We ſhall conclude with ſuch paſſages as Doctor Bray, with the Arch-biſhop's privity, purged out of Doctor Featlyes Sermons, wherein ſome Texts of Scripture were expunged to do Popiſh Prieſts & ſeducers a favour: p. 90. What are the great Foxes but the Prieſts and Jeſuits? what are the little Foxes but the Demipelagian cubs, which will ſpoyle our faireſt cluſters, the Colledges of both Univerſities, if in time they be not looked unto, as they have done already in our neighbour Vine in the Low-countryes, &c. page 472. If theſe cries of the ſoules under the Alter awake not the zealous Magiſtrates whom God hath made protectors of his Spouſes, to draw out the ſword of wholſome Statutes out of the ſcabbard to wound the hairy ſcalpe of the Strumpet; yet let them at leaſt take compaſſion on the ſoules of the living, even their ſonnes and daughters, who are dayly enticed by ſecular Prieſts and Jeſuits and by their Agents conveyed over beyond the Seas, to be ſacrificed to the Molech at Rome; Cypr. de lapſis, quid hoc loco faciam dilectiſſimi fratres? ſluctuam vario mentis estu, quid aut quo modo dicam? lachrymis magis quam verhis opus eſt, ad exprimendum dolorem, quo corporis nostri, plagu deflenda eſt. What, or how ſhall I ſpeake unto you, beloved brethren? I need rather teares then words to bewaile the great loſſe our Church ſustaineth of hundred, nay thouſand of ſoules, that have been drawn out of the right way, and are fallen into the ſnares of Satan, and den of the Beaſt &c. Here though I loſe my voyce by it. I cannot but cry aloud with zealous Bul, in Apoc. Quae quae. ſo clmentia eſt crudeliſſimis [...]upis blandiri ut oves innocentes, Chriſti ſanguine redemptas impune dilanient? quae haec patientiae ſinere viniam Domini ab immaeniſſimis monstris deviaſtari. Bullenger, What clemency call you this, to ſuffer the Lords Vineyard to be ſpoyled and layd waſte by ugly monsters? what mercy to ſpare the Wolves, which ſpare not Chriſts ſheep redeemed with his procious blood?

Juven. ſat. 2. Ubinune lex Iulia dormis?

To what purpoſe ſerves our wholſome Lawes and Statutes, if they ruſt, as the Cic. orat. 1. in Catil. Habeamus ſenatus conſultum velut gladiam in vegin [...] [...]condiſum. Orator ſpeaketh, like ſwords in the ſcabbards, and are never drawne upon the ſworne enemies of our Church and ſtate? &c. page 485. That the ſeverity of our Lawes and Canons ſhould fall upon ſtraying Doves ſilly ſeduced perſons, without any gall at all, whilſt the Black-birds of Antichriſt are let alone: if chaſte Lydia be ſilenced for her undiſcreet zeale, let not Jezabel be ſuffered to teach and to deceive Gods ſervants, &c. page 495. I know to reſtraine ſuch abuſes is the peculiar duty of the Eccleſiaſticall and civill Magiſtrates, but to detect and diſcover them to authority, and to refraine from ſociety or Idolaters, is the duty of us all; and I beſeech you for the love of him who hath eſpouſed your ſoules to himſelfe and decked them with the richeſt Jewels of his grace, and made them a Joynture of his Kingdome, beware of Jezabels Panders, who goe about to entice you to ſpirituall fornication; If they be your Deut. 13. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. brethren, the ſonnes of [Page] your mother, or your owne ſonnes or daughters, or the wife that lyeth in your boſome, or your friends that are as your owne ſoules, that ſolicite you in this kind, ye are to renounce them, and by the law of God, to ſee justice executed upon them &c. p. 796. Beware therefore deare brethren, beware of the Panders of Antichriſt, who goe about to intice you not to corporall, but which is farre worſe, to ſpitituall whoredome; If they be Deut. 13. 6, 7, 3, 9, 10. your brethren, the ſonnes of your owne mother, or your owne ſonnes or daughters, or your wives that lye in your boſome, or your friends that are as your owne ſoule, that intice you to goe to Maſſe, and partake with the Romanists in their manifold idolatries, you are bound by the Law of God to be ſo far from conſenting to them, or hearing them, that you are to account NOTE. of them as your capitall enemies, and proceed againſt them as you would againſt thoſe who have plotted your utter ruine and overthrow.

Good God! that ſuch patheticall clauſes as theſe againſt ſeducing popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits, nay the very words of ſacred Scripture it ſelfe, ſhould be thus obliterated in our Proteſtant Church by the Arch-biſhop's owne direction, who profeſſeth himſelfe ſuch an enemy to Prieſts and Jeſuits! Doubtleſſe his vapouring proteſtations againſt them were all meere deluſory complements to beguile the over-credulous, ſince all theſe purgations proclaime both him and his agents to be their moſt endeared friends (as they openly vaunted them to be at Rome) and to hold moſt ſtrict intelligence with them.

From theſe purgations againſt Popery, Popes, Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, Monks, and other Romiſh vermine in the generall, we ſhall next proceed to ſundry expunctions againſt doctrinall poynts of Popery in particular, which we ſhall proſecute in an Alphabeticall manner; the firſt whereof is this.

4. That the Abſolution of Prieſts is but declarative; and that they cannot bind and looſe men at their pleaſures againſt Gods Word, as the Papiſts hold their Prieſts can doe.

IN Doctor Clerkes Sermons, Sermon 3. of the Nativity, page 23. the Licenſer hath expunged theſe words: Nay, nor bind nor looſe ſinne neither, but declarativè: the Prieſt does, but pronounce the abſolution, &c. So that in this purgation Chriſt is but the Phyſick, the Prieſt is the Phyſitian or Apothecary at leaſt; but he wants Heleborus to purge his braine.

In Maſter Richard Ward his Comentary upon Matthew, the Licenſer hath quite obliterated this paſſage as erronious, Matth. 18. 18. Whatſoever ye bind, &c. the Papiſts hold this groſſe opinion, that men are bound and looſed in Heaven, according to the will and pleaſure of every Prieſt, exerciſing the Keyes upon earth; and this Tenet they ground upon the generality of theſe words; Whatſoever ſinnes ye remit, they are remitted; and whatſoever you bind on earth ſhould be bound 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.

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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, Arch-biſhops Speech in Star-chamber, p, 47. becauſe there 'tis, 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? Queſt.

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, Anſw. 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 Queſt. 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, Anſw▪ [Page] 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 the word of Chriſt; one example we have in this verſe, Bellarmine ſaith, &c. page 57. Ob. 3. Chriſt ſaith, unto me is given all power, therefore (Antichriſts imp) Pererius ſaith, the Pope hath power over Infidels; And a little after Anſw. 2. all power is given to Chriſt, therefore to the Pope, is a blaſphemous and Antichriſtian conſequence, diſplaying the Pope to his colours, to be the Where in making himſelfe, or ſuffering himſelfe to be made equall with Chriſt, is obliterated.

Would not any Proteſtant admire ſuch paſſages as theſe ſhould be expurged, to gratifie the Pope.

The Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Arch-biſhops and Biſhops, and the reſt of the Clergy of Ireland, in Convocation holden at Dublin, in the yeere of our Lord 1615. for the avoyding of diverſities of opinions, and the eſtabliſhing of conſent touching true Religion: reprinted at London, 1629. Artic. 78. 80. determined thus againſt the Pope.

THE power which the Biſhop of Rome now challengeth, to be the ſupreame head of the Univerſall Church of Chriſt, and to be above all Emperours, Kings and Princes, is an uſurped power, contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God, and contrary to the example of the Primitive Church; and therefore is for juſt cauſes taken away and aboliſhed within the Kings Majeſties Realmes and Dominions.

The Biſhop of Rome is ſo farre from being the Supreame Head of the Univerſall Church of Chriſt, that his works and doctrine doe plainly diſcover him to be that Man of ſin, foretold in the holy Scriptures, whom the Lord ſkall conſume with the ſpirit of his mouth, and aboliſh with the brightneſſe of his comming.

Theſe Articles were ſo diſpleaſing to the Arch-biſhop (together with ſome others againſt Arminians) that in the yeere 1634. this whole book of Articles was revoked; ſuppreſſed by Parliament in Ireland, through his procurement; then which ſtrange act, there could not be a more apparent undermining of the Proteſtant Religion.

In the yeer 1634. there were, at the ſpeciall requeſt of the Queen of Bohemia, Letters Patents granted to Maſter Rulie, a Palatinate Miniſter, for a collection throughout [Page] [...] of the poore Miniſters of the Palatinate; in which Patent there was this notable [...] clauſe inſerted relating to their Religion and ſufferings.

Whoſe caſes are the more to be deplored, for that this extremity is fallen [...] them for their [...] constancy to the true Religion, which we, together with them, doe profeſſe, and [...] we are all bound in conſcience to maintaine to the utmoſt of our powers; whereas theſe relations and godly perſons being involved, amongſt many others their cou [...]trymen, in [...] common calamity might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other back-ſliders in the times of tryall, they would have ſubmitted themſelves to the ANTICHRISTIAN YOKE, and have renounced or diſſembled the profeſſion of the true Religion.

The very ſame formall words were uſed in former Patents of collections for them in King James his Reign, and in the Patent dated the 29. of Jan. in the third yeere of King Charles his Reign by which this Patent was drawn: The Arch-biſhop peruſing this Patent brought to him by Maſter Rulie, after it had paſſed the Seale, grew extreamly cholerick at it, rated Maſter Ruly, (who pleaded ignorance of the cuſtomes of England, and that the Patent was drawne by the Kings Atturney, according to former preſidents, without any directions from himſelfe, who was a meer ſtranger) chid him very ſharply, threatned to ſuppreſſe the whole collection, detained the Patent under ſeale, and carrying it the next day to the Court, complained of it to the King, checked the Lord Keeper and Secretary Cooke, for letting ſuch a clauſe paſſe in the Patent, who juſtified themſelves by former preſidents, by which they were guided; and by his violence, wholly cancelled the Patent after it was ſealed; then cauſed a new Patent to be drawne, wherein this former clauſe was omitted, the King telling the Lord Keeper that the Arch-biſhop would have it altered, and therefore it muſt be done; which thereupon was done occordingly. Now the cauſe of all this ſtirre and anger of his Grace-ſhip againſt this clauſe, was onely becauſe it ſtiled thoſe of the Palatinate, profeſſors of the true Religion, &c. and tacitely cenſured the Pope as Antichriſt in this latter clauſe; Where as theſe religious and godly perſons might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes, if with other back-ſliders in the times of tryall, they would have ſubmitted themſelves to the Antichriſtian Yoke, and renounced or diſſembled the profeſſion of the true Religion: As was punctually atteſted upon oath by Maſter Wakerly and Maſter Hartlib. Of which more fully hereafter.

Now that all the forementioned purgations of paſſages againſt the Pope, and his being Antichriſt, proceeded originally from the Archbi. himſelfe, without any other motive but his own inherent affection to his Holineſſe and the Roman party, we ſhall moſt apparently evidence to all the world, by a Letter of his to Dr. Hall the Biſhop of Exeter, ſigned with his owne hand, and Biſhop Hal's anſwer thereunto; the Originals of which Letters, Maſter Prynne ſeized in his Study at Lambeth, and atteſted at the Lords Barre, where they were both acknowledged and read in theſe enſuing tearmes.

My very good Lord:

I Have received your Lordſhips Letters of Decemb. 6. 23. and with them the copy of your Book, and in them a paper of ſhort propoſitions, which you think (and ſo doe I) is fitter for the atteſtation of divers hands then the book it ſelfe: Theſe propſitions ſhall be well weighed againſt the time of Convocation, which I conceive will be a fit time to take other Biſhops atteſtation, without further noyſe or trouble.

For your book, I firſt thanke you very heartily for your paines; and next, more then heartily (were it poſſible) for your noble and free ſubmiſſion of it, not onely to many eyes and judgements, but alſo in the maine to be ordered, and after that preſt or ſuppreſt as it ſhall be thought fit here. Which care or conſcience would men uſe which ſet out books, we ſhould not have ſo much froth and vanity in the world, as now 'tis full of.

But whereas you writ: Firſt, that the Booke grew into greater length under your pen them you expected; I cannot be ſorry for that, ſince that which you have added concerning Parker, Anti-Tilenus and Vedelius, ſeems to me very neceſſary: Secondly, [Page] that you are pleaſed to ſubject the work to me, and to interpret it, that you meant not perſonally to me, becauſe I could not have time for other great occaſions to reviſe it, but by way of deſputation: Theſe are to let you know, that were my occaſions NOTE. greater then they are, I would not ſuffer a book of that Argument, and in theſe times, to paſſe without my owne particular View: And therefore, my Lord, theſe may tell you, that both my Chaplaines have read over your book and that ſince them, I have read it over my ſelfe very carefully, every line of it; and I have now put it into the hands of my Lord the Biſhop of Ely: and this thrice reading over hath been the cauſe why I did not give you a more ſpeedy account of it.

And now, my Lord, according to the freedome which you have given one, I muſt tell you, that I have here and there in my reading of it over, made bold to alter or leave out a phraſe or two, but have as yet varied nothing that is materiall; and indeed I ſhould think it very uncivill and unjuſt too, to vary any thing that is ſubſtantiall, without firſt acquainting you with it, that ſo it may be done either by your owne pen, or at the leaſt, not without your owne conſent.

The particulars which I chiefly inſiſt upon are theſe: Firſt, you doe extreamly well to diſtinguiſh the Scottiſh buſineſſe from the ſtate of the forraigne Churches; but yet to thoſe Churches and their Authors you are a little more favourable then our caſe will now beare: But this I conceive will be eaſily helpt, and that without preſſing too NOTE. much upon them. The ſecond is, the firſt touch which you have concerning the Sabatarians, where you let their ſtrict ſuperstition paſſe without any touch at all, I think one little one will doo no harme. The third, which you ſeeme to paſſe by, as not much materiall in the Queſtion, is in our judgement here, the very Maine of the cauſe, and it is, whether Epiſcopacy be an Order or Degree? an Order certainly, if it be of Divine and Apoſtolicall inſtitution. For that which is but different by degree and circumſtantially, cannot be other then Iuris poſitivi; and the ancient word in the Fathers is, Ordinatio Epiſcopi; and our ordinary phraſe is of any of our Brethren the Biſhops, he is one of our Order: and why does the Church of England ordaine or conſecrate every one that is made a Biſhop, if it be but a Degree of the ſame Order? For when a Biſhop is tranſlated or made an Arch-biſhop, theras then no conſecration, becauſe they are Iuris poſitivi, and onely degrees: Your Lordſhip is very neere a whole leafe upon this tranſition; I beſeech you weigh it well, and then let me have it altered by your owne pen, and the ſooner ſent the better.

The laſt (with which I durſt not but acquaint the King) is about Antichriſt; which title in three or four places of your booke, you bestow upon the Pope poſitively and determinately, NOTE. whereas King James of bleſſed memory, having brought ſtrong proofe, in a Worke of his, as you well know, to prove the Pope to be Antichriſt; yet being ofterwards challenged about it, he made this anſwer; when the King that now is went into Spaine, and acquainted him with it, that he writ that not concludingly, but by way of Argument onely, that the Pope and his Adherent might ſee, there were as good and better Arguments to prove him Antichriſt, then for the Pope to challenge temporall juriſdiction over Kings: This whole paſſage being knowne to me, I could not but ſpeak with the King about it, who commanded me to write unto you, that you might quallifie your expreſſion in theſe particulars, and ſo not differ from the knowne judgment of his pious and learned Father: This is eaſily done by your owne pen; and the rather becauſe all Protestants joyne not in this opinion of Antichriſt. I have no more to trouble your Lordſhip with, but to pray you to have your anſwer to theſe with as much ſpeed as much ſpeed as may be; ſo to Gods bleſſed protection I leave you, and reſt

Your Lordſhips very loving friend and brother, W. CANT.

Lambeth Jan. 14. 1639.

I had not leizure to toke a copy of theſe Letters, therefore I pray let me have them back againe when you give me your anſwer.

[Page] This Letter was thus indorſed, To the right reverend Father in God, my very good Lord and Brother, the Lord Biſhop of Exeter, theſe. And after the receit againe, thus indorſed by the Arch-biſhop himſelfe; My Letters of Jan. 14. 1639. to L. B. Exon. about his book for Epiſcopacy.

To which Letter Biſhop Hall returned this Anſwer, found together with it in the Arch-biſhops ſtudy.

MOſt Reverend, and my ever moſt Honourable Lord, I doe firſt humbly thanke your Grace for thoſe houres and paines you have been pleaſed to beſtow, both upon my papers and me, and yet more for that noble freedome your Grace hath been pleaſed according to my earneſt requeſt, to uſe, in making knowne your Graces Judgement, in thoſe few Animadverſions which I have now received, and the gracious reſpect ſhewed to me, that after ſo full power, put into your Graces hands to dispoſe of thoſe papers, at your owne pleaſure; yet your Grace hath been pleaſed to take my unworthineſſe along with you, in the altering of my paſſages therein, wherein I hope I have ſatisfied your Graces expectation accordingly. As for my favourableneſſe to foraigne Authors and Churches, I foretold your Grace, that I held it beſt not to be ſparing of good words, though in the reality of the Tenet, I have gone further then the moſt others. Thoſe Authors whom I mention, with ſo faire reſpect, are in thoſe things (for which I cite them) our friends; but if your Grace find any phraſe too high or unſeaſonable, it is but a daſh of your Chaplaines pen, to whom I beſeech your Grace to give an abſolute freedome in this behalfe. For that of the Sabatarians, I have put a drop or two of vinegar more into my inke in two ſeverall places. For that paſſage concerning Antichriſt, I have turned it upon themſelves, without a declaration NOTE. of my owne judgement; however I find our learned patterne, Biſhop Andrewes, more then once punctuall this way. For that poynt of the Degree or Order of Epiſcopacy, although I well knew the weight of it, yet I did purpoſely intend to wave it here, becauſe both it fetcheth a great and learned part of the Schoole upon us, and becauſe I found it to be out of my way, ſince theſe factions with whom we deale, deny both a ſeverall Order, and a ſeverall Degree, allowing onely a priority of Order in the ſame degree; but our Tenet is doubtleſſe moſt defenſible: and I have accordingly ſo ſtated it in this review, which together with all my beſt ſervices, I doe humbly recommend to your Graces acceptation, vowing my hearty prayers for your Graces happy proceedings, as duly merited from

Your Graces moſt humble, and faithfully devoted in all obſervance JOS. EXON.

Exom. Pal. Jan. 18.

I have ſent back your Graces Letter according to your Graces pleaſure, and withall have been bold upon the humble ſuit of one of my worthy Clergy, Maſter Bury, to recommend a pious Petition of his to your Grace, the leaſt touch of anſwer in your Graces Letter, will abundantly ſatisfie him.

Two R [...]negadoes have in two ſeverall parts of my Dioceſſe been received into the Church, under that ſolemne forme of Penance which your Grace was pleaſed to appoint.

This Letter was thus ſuperſcribed; To the moſt Reverend and moſt Honourable, my ſingular good Lord, the Lord Arch-biſhop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitane, Chancelour of Oxford, and one of the Lords of his Mijesties moſt honourable Privy Counſell, preſent theſe.

And after the receit thereof, thus indorſed with the Arch-biſhops owne hand: Rec. Jan. 22. 1639. L. B. Exon. concerning ſome amendments in his book for Epiſcopacy.

In this Letter of the Arch-biſhops, and the anſwer to it, beſides the grand deſigne of [Page] aſſerting Epiſcopacy of divine Right and Institution, we may obſerve theſe conſiderable particulars.

Firſt, that he blames Biſhop Hall for being a little too favourable to the forraigne Proteſtant Churches, and their authors. Secondly, for paſſing by the Sabatarians (or ſtrict obſervers of the Lords day) without any touch at all, which he deſires him to rectifie and help, by ſome touches of ſhapneſſe againſt them: this is his charity to the Proteſtants and Sabatarians (or Puritans of you pleaſe) they were too candidly handled, and therefore muſt be more harſhly dealt withall: but now on the other hand, mark his extraordinary affection to, and care of the Popes honour and reputation. He doth in the third place, tax the Biſhop for beſtowing the title of ANTICHRIST on him three or four times in his Book poſitively & determinately. This was ſuch a tranſcendent crime, that he muſt needs acquaint the King himſelfe with it of his owne native diſpoſition, without any other Monitor, and procures a ſpeciall royall command to him from his Majeſty, to expunge thoſe ſcandalous and diſhonourable clauſes againſt his Holineſſe out of his Treatiſe. Fourthly, in the reaſon which he renders for acquainting his Majeſty herewith, and deſiring him to make this change, there are theſe conſiderable things to be taken notice of: Firſt, that King James himſelfe did in his printed His Apology for the Oath of Alleagiance, and Anſwer to Cardinall Perron. Works, at large prove and declare the Pope to be Antichriſt, by very ſtrong proofes. Secondly, that when the Spaniſh match was in agitation, and the Popes Diſpenſation required for the facilitating of it (being one of the firſt Articles in the Marriage Treaty) he was challenged by the Pope and his agents for it, but not before. Thirdly, that King James hereupon to ſatisfie the Pope, and gaine his favour was put to a hard ſhift, and enforced to coyne a new diſtinction which he never thought of till then, to excuſe the matter: That he writ thou, not concludingly, but by way of Argument onely; &c. Fourthly, that he made this anſwer and diſtinction when King Charles went into Spaine, and acquainted him with it by word of mouth, that he thereby might ſatisfie the Pope and his party. Fifthly, that this whole paſſage was knowne to him, and he privy to this ſecret, not knowne formerly to others; therefore he was certainly one of the Cabinet-counſell, who was privy to the Kings going into Spaine, and to the private inſtructions given him by King James before his departure hence; yea, very likely one who ſuggeſted this diſtinction to King James, to pleaſe the Pope and promote the Match; and therefore HE COULD NOT BUT SPEAKE WITH THE KING ABOUT IT: who hereupon commanded this Biſhop, to qualifie his expreſſions in theſe particulars, and ſo not differ from the knowne judgement of his pious and learned Father, from whoſe orthodox judgement notwithſtanding the Arminians might freely diſſent both with his Majeſties and this Arch-prelats approbation: Whereupon we find that theſe paſſages were qualified according to his deſire, although Biſhop Andrewes poſitive opinon in ſundry paſſages was, that the Pope was Antichriſt.

All which conſidered, we may infallibly conclude from his owne pen, that all the forementioned purgations of paſſages againſt the Papacy, Pope, and his being Antichriſt, were made by this Arch-biſhops owne ſpeciall direction, without any other ſuggeſtion but his owne Romiſh Genius and good affection to the Pope, to induce a more eaſie reconciliation with him: and this in direct oppoſition.

Firſt, to the ſeverall Statutes of 16 R. 2. c. 5. 25 H. 8. c. 19. 20. 21. 28 H. 8. c. 10. 37 H. 8. c. 17. which tacitely define the Pope to be the Antichriſt, who did obfuſcate and wreſt Gods word & Testament a long ſeaſon, from the ſpirituall and true meaning thereof, to his worldly and carnall affections, as pompe, glory avarice, ambition and tyranny; covering and ſhadowing the ſame with his humane and politick devices, traditions and inventions, ſet forth to promote and ſtabliſh his onely dominion, both upon the ſoules and alſo the bodies and goods of all Christian people, excluding Chriſt out of his Kingdome and rule of mans ſoule as much as he may, and all other temporall Kings and Princes out of their Dominions, which they ought to have by Gods law, upon the bodies and goods of their ſubjects; whereby he did not onely rob the Kings Majesty, being onely the ſupreame head of this his Realme of England, immediately under God, of his honour, right and pre-eminence[Page]due unto him by the law of God, but ſpoyled this his Realme yeerly of innumerable treaſure, and with the loſſe of the ſame, deeemed the Kings loving and obedient Subjects, perſwading to them by his lawes, buls, and other his deceivable meanes, ſuch dreames, vanities and fantiſies, as by the ſame, many of them were ſeduced and conveyed unto ſuperſtitious and erronious openions.

Secondly, to the book of Homilies, in the ſecond part of the Sermon for Whit-Sunday, page 316. and the 6. Sermon againſt wilfull Rebellion, page 316. which determines the Pope to be Antichriſt in theſe tearmes: Whereſoever you find the ſpirit of envy, hatred, contention, robbery, murther, extortion, witchcraft, neeromancy, &c. aſſure your ſelves that there is the ſpirit of the devil and not of God; albeit they pretend outwardly to the world never ſo much holineſſe, &c. ſuch were all the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the moſt part, as doth well appeare by the ſtory of their lives; and therefore they are worthily accounted among the number of the falſe Prophets, and falſe Christs, which deluded the world a long while: The Lord of heaven and earch defend us from their tyranny and pride, that they never enter into his Vine-yard againe, &c. and he of his great mercy ſo work in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the holy Ghoſt, that the comfortable Goſpel of his Sonne Chriſt may be truly preached, truly received, and truly followed in all places, to the beating downe of ſinne, death, the Pope, the devil, and ALL THE KINGDOME OF ANTICHRIST, &c. The Biſhop of Rome understanding the bruit blindneſſe, ignorance of Gods Word, and ſuperstition of Engliſh men, ond how much they were inclined to worſhip the BABYLONISH BEAST OF ROME.

Thirdly, to the 80. Article of the Church of Ireland, defining the Biſhop of Rome, to be THE MAN OF SINNE, foretold in the holy Scripture.

Fourthly, to the Book of Common-prayer, appointed for the fifth of Novemb. ſtiling the Pope, Papiſts and Jeſuits, A Babyloniſh and Antichriſtian ſect; and to the Kings Letters Patents, forementioned; defining Popery to be an Antichriſtian Yoake.

Fifthly, to the Hymne, printed in the end of all our Pſalmes and Common-prayer books. From Turke and Pope defend us Lord, which both would thruſt out of his throne our Lord Jeſus Chriſt thy deare Sonne: and the prayer for private families, bound up with our Bibles and Common-prayer-books; confound Satan and Antichriſt, &c.

Sixthly, to the whole torrent of our Proteſtant Martyrs, Writers, who define the Pope to be Antichriſt, yea the great Antichriſt, propheſied of in Scripture. This was the direct poſition of our godly, learned Martyr Walter Brute, who maintained it in a large diſcourſe, recorded by Maſter Fox, in his Acts and Monuments, edit. 1641. vol. I. p. 622. to 632. of our Engliſh Apoſtle Iohn Wickliffe, Fox ibid. p. 594. (juſtified by John Hus) and Joan Wicklif. Dialog. l. 4. c. 15. Rich. Wimbledon, in his Sermon preached at Pauls Croſſe, anno 1389. Fox, vol. 1. p. 718. Sir Geofry Chaucer, in his Plough-mans Tale: Lucifers letters to the Prelats of England, ſuppoſed to be written by William Swinderly, Martyr (Fox Acts and Monuments, edit. 1610. p. 482. 483.) Sir Iohn Oldeastle that famous Knight and Martyr; Fox ibid. p. 417. 418. Pierce Ploughman, his complaint of the abuſes of the World, Fox ibid. 1. edit. 1641. p. 520. to 532. Mr. Wil. Tyndall, a godly, learned Martyr, in his Obedience of a Chriſtian man, p. 214. 215 &c. in his Revelation of Antichriſt, and Practice of Popiſh Prelats: The Author of the image of a very chriſtian Biſhop, and of a counterfeit Biſhop, printed about the yeere 1538. Rodericke Mors his complaint to the Parliament of England, about 37 of King Henry 8. c. 23: 24. William Wraughter his Hunting and reſening of the Romiſh Fox, dedicated to King Henry the eighth: Henry Stalbridge his Exhortatory Epiſtle to his dearly beloved Country of England, in King Henry the eighth his Reigne: Iohn Bale Biſhop of Oſyris, in his Image of both Churches, and Scriptorum Illuſtrium Britta [...]dae, p. 33. 116. 117. 161. 286. 287. 471. 481. 633. to 640. 647. 702. & de Vitis Ponrificum Romanorum: Father Latymer, Maſter Bilney, Maſter Rogers, Shetterdon, and other of our Martyrs: William Alley Biſhop of Exeter in his Poore mans Library, part 1. ſol. 56. Biſhop Iewell in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England, p. 593. 449. 480. to 497. 508. and Reply to Harding, p. 220. to 230. Maſter Thomas Beacon his Acts of Chriſt and Antichriſt, his Supplication unto Chriſt, his Reports of Certaine men, & Reliques of Rome: [Page] Maſter Iohn Fox in his Meditations upon the Apocalips: Biſhop Bilſon in his book of Chriſtian Subjection and unchriſtian Rebellion: Doctor Whitaker, Doctor Robert Abbot, Biſhop of Sarum, Doctor George Downham, Biſhop of Derry; Doctor Beard, Maſter Powel, Doctor Willet, Doctor Fulke, Doctor Sutcliffe, Doctor Sharp, Maſter Squire, in their ſeverall Treatiſes and diſcourſes concerning Antichriſt: Doctor Iohn White in his way to the true Church, Sect. 61. Num. 4. Maſter Brightman upon the Revelation; Doctor Crakenthorpe, his defence of Conſtantine, and of the Popes temporall Monarchy; and generally all other our eminenteſt Engliſh Writers of any note, till this Arch-biſhops reigne, have poſitively defined the Pope and Papacy to be the great Antichriſt, and proved the ſame at large: We ſhall cloſe up this with two of the Arch-biſhops predeceſſors reſolutions in this point. The firſt is Arch-biſhop Cranmer, who as he refuſed to move or ſtirre his cap to the Popes Commiſſioners, when he was converted before them for his Religion, ſo he likewiſe profeſſedly averred the Pope to be the Artichriſt in theſe very termes, recorded by Maſter Fox in his Acts and Monuments, Vol. 3. Edit. 1641. p. 653. 660. 661. ‘The Biſhop of Rome, unleſſe he be Antichriſt, I cannot tell what to make of him; wherefore if I ſhould obey him, I cannot obey Chriſt: he is like the Devill in his doings, for the Devill ſaid to Chriſt, If thou wilt fall downe and worſhip me, I will give thee all the Kingdomes of the world: thus he tooke upon him to give that which was not his owne, even ſo the Biſhop of Rome giveth Princes their Crownes, being none of his owne; for where Princes either by election, either by ſucceſſion, either by inheritance, obtaine their Crowne, he ſaith that they ſhould have it from him: Chriſt ſaith, that Antichriſt ſhall be, and who ſhall he be? forſooth he that advanceth himſelfe above all other creatures: Now if there be none already that hath advanced himſelfe after ſuch ſort beſides the Pope; then in the mean time let him be Antichriſt, &c. After which, he deſired all them preſent to beare him witneſſe, that he tooke the traditions and Religion of that uſurping Prelat to be moſt erronious, falſe, and againſt the doctrine of the whole Scripture, which he had often times wel proved by writing and the author of the ſame to be very Antichriſt, ſo often preached of by the Apoſtles & Prophets, in whom did moſt evidently concur al ſignes and tokens, whereby he was painted out to the world to be known; for it was moſt evident, that he had advanced himſelfe above all Emperours and Kings of the world, whom he affirmed to hold their eſtates and Empires of him, as of their chiefe, &c. He hath brought in gods of his owne framing, and invented a new Religion full of gaine and lucre quite contrary to the holy Scriptures, onely for the maintaining of his Kingdome, diſplacing Chriſt from his glory, and holding his people in a miſerable ſervitude of blindneſſe, to the loſſe of a great number of ſoules, which God at the latter day ſhall exact at his hand, boaſting many times in his canons and decrees, that he can diſpence, contra Petrum, contra Paulum, contra vetus & novum teſtamentum, and that he, plenitudine poteſtatis, tantum prteſi, quantum Deus; that is againſt Peter, againſt Paul, againſt the old and new Teſtament, and of the fulneſſe of power, may doe as much as God. O Lord, who ever heard ſuch blaſphemy! if there be any man that can advance himſelfe above him, let him be judged Antichriſt: This enemy of God and our Redemption is ſo evidently painted out of the Scriptures by ſuch manifeſt ſignes and tokens, which all ſo cleerly appeare in him, that except a man will ſhut up his eyes and heart againſt the light, he cannot but know him; and therefore for my part I will never give my conſent to the receiving of him into this Church of England: thus Cranmer reſigned at his death.’ This Arch-prelat therefore hath ſhut his eyes and heart againſt this ſhining truth, in his godly Predeceſſors judgement, who not onely doubts, but denies the Pope to be the Antichriſt.

The ſecond is Arch-biſhop Whitguift, who when he commenced Doctor, and anſwered the Divinity act at Cambridge anno 1569. publikely maintained this aſſertion in the Schooles, Papa eſt ille Ancichriſtus, as Sir George Paul records in his life, p. 5. which this Arch-biſhops immediate Predeceſſor. Abbot (to omit Arch-biſhop Parker and Gryndall) likewiſe poſitively aſſerted; and Doctor Uſher Arch-biſhop of Armagh in a Letter of his to this Arch-prelat expreſly he writes, that he did undoubtedly beleeve [Page] the Pope to be Antichriſt; which title Biſhop Andrewes and Biſhop Hall. Biſhop Morton and Biſhop Downame, doe likewiſe poſitively beſtow upon the Pope, in ſome of their authorized impreſſions.

Therefore it cannot be but a grand offence for this Arch-prelat and his agents, contrary to the ſtreame of all our Martyrs, Writers, Prelats, to purge all paſſages out of theſe new-printed books, againſt the Popes being Antichriſt; in which all Proteſtant Churches, confeſſions, Writers, unanimouſly concurre, together with our owne.

7. Paſſages purged out againſt Altars, that the Croſſe is no Altar, that a Sacrifice may be without an Altar.

MAſter Ward in his Comentary on Matthew, f. 248. lib. 2. p. 43. 44. Anſw. 2. But the Croſſe is not an Altar, properly ſo called; for if it were, then it muſt either, Firſt, be ſuch in its owne nature, which cannot be, the Croſſe and the Altar differing, &c. Or elſe, Secondly, the Croſſe is an Altar by a humane uſe, or humane Ordination; now this is not ſufficient, becauſe ſo any thing may be made an Altar. Anſ. 3. Thirdly, we anſwer, &c. unto theſe words; that there may be a Sacrifice without an Altar; this appeares evidently thus: Firſt, the offering up of Iſaac, Gen. 22. was a true Sacrifice; for Iſaac was a type of Chriſt, both in his immolation or offering, and in his death, and in his life; Chriſt dyed for us, and ſo Iſaac did as it were in a certaine figure, according to that of the Apoſtle, Heb. 11. 19. Abraham received Iſaac from the dead in a figure and ſimilitude; Iſaac lived againe from this death; ſo Chriſt roſe againe from the dead. But yet in this ſacrifice of Iſaac there is no mention at all made of an Altar, Gen. 22. Iſaac verſe 7. ſaith, Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the Lamb for the burnt Offering? where we ſee, that he requires a Lambe, but he requires not an Altar; as if the one were neceſſary unto a Sacrifice, not the other. Secondly, what is more neceſſary for a feaſt or banquent then a Table, and yet a banquet may be without a Table; whence the Martyrs when they were in priſon celebrated the Lords Supper without a Table: Now the Euchariſt is a banquet, yea moreover a memoriall of this one ſacrifice of Chriſt in his death; and is often called a Sacrifice by the Fathers, and yet hath been celebrated often by many of the Fathers in priſon without a Table; as it is ſaid of Lucian, that he conſecrated the bread of the Lord, and celebrated the Supper of the Lord when he had ſcarce his hands at liberty, uſing his owne breaſt inſtead of a Table: and therefore it is evident, that there may be a ſacrifice without an Altar. Thirdly, what is more neceſſary for a Preacher when he is to preach then a Pulpit? that is, it is very requiſite and decent, and profitable for the people, that the Miniſter ſhould ſpeak unto them out of the Pulpit, as Ezra did, Ezra 9. But yet it is not ſimply neceſſary unto the eſſence of a Sermon, for a man may preach upon the plaine ground without a pulpit, as it is ſaid of Chryſoſtome, who preached unto divers perſons (in his perſecution) ſtanding not in a Pulpit, but at the ſide of the Lords Table; and therefore an Altar doth not appertaine unto the eſſence of a Sacrifice. Anſw. 4. Fourthly, we anſwer, &c. unto theſe words, Chriſt himſelfe being both the Knife, Oblation, Altar and Prieſt (it is ſaid, Heb. 9. 14. that Chriſt by his eternall ſpirit offered up himſelfe unto God;) whence it appeares, that his eternall ſpirit was a Prieſt to himſelfe, and therefore might alſo be an Altar.

8. Sentences expunged againſt the totall and finall Apostacy, or falling away of the Saints from grace, and their Perſeverance in Grace.

IN Doctor Featly his Clavis Myſtica page 15. 16. 17. No drop of this oyntment of the ſpirit is ever ſpilt, no ſeed of true faith ever corrupteth, no ſpark of divine grace ever dyeth; once throughly regenerated and ever a new creature; once graciouſly adopted, and ever a ſonne of God; once effectually called, and ever a true Beleever; I grant that it is a very caſte thing for them to ſlip that walk upon a Sea of glaſſe; but being upheld on the one ſide by the promiſe of God Jer. 38. 40. I will not turne away from them [Page] to doe them good, but I will put my feare in their hearts that they ſhall not depart from me: On the other ſide by Chriſts promiſe; (b) Satan hath deſired to have you that he Luk. 22. 31, 32. may ſift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not▪ It is impoſſible that any child of God ſhould fall irrecoverably or ſo dangerouſly, that he dye of his fall.

The mortall enemy of our immortall ſpirits knowing well what ſtreſſe this concluſion beareth, how many articles of Religion it ſupporteth, hath in all ages ſet ſome hereticks on work to undermine it: The firſt workman of note imployed herein, was Baſilides, who left the whole work to Pelagius, and he the halfe to the Semipelagians, and they to the School-men, Jeſuits, and other late Sectaries, who labour with might and maine to overthrow it; which if they could doe, the whole frame (in a manner) of our Chriſtian Faith would ſoon totter; for take away perſeverance in grace, and certainty of ſalvation hath no ground: take away certainty of ſalvation, affiance in God by ſpeciall faith hath no foundation; take away this ſpeciall faith in Chriſts merits for ſalvation, the doctrine of Juſtification cannot ſtand; take away the doctrine of Juſtification, what will become of the Goſpell: The aſſurance of our ſalvation in particular is the ſtaffe of our comfort, the life of our hope, and the anchor of our ſoules, which is faſtned to a three-fold Cable, as Saint Bernard tearmeth it, which can never be broken (viz.)

1. Charitas adoptionis.

2. Veritas promiſſionis.

3. Poteſtas redditionis.

God his love in adopting, his truth in promiſing, or the truth of his promiſes, and his power in performance: This three-fold Cable, the Sectaries above named ſeek to cut aſunder.

The firſt twiſt, which is the ſpeciall love of adoption, by making that grace common to all.

The ſecond, which is the truth of Gods promiſes, by ſuſpending them upon uncertaine conditions.

The third, which is God his power of performance, by ſubjecting the efficacy of grace to the uncertaine turne of mans will.

Now the Cables of our Beliefe being thus cut, the Anchor of our hope muſt needs be loſt; neither doe they onely, as much as in them lyeth, cut aſunder Saint Bernards three-fold Cable, but alſo looſen every link of Saint Pauls golden Chaine; Rom. 8. 30. whom he did predestinate them alſo he called; and whom he called, them alſo he justified; and whom he justified, them alſo he glorified.

The firſt link, whom he had predeſtinated, &c. they looſen, by making the decree of predeſtination conditionall and uncertaine. The ſecond link, whom he called, &c. they looſen, by making the grace of vocation both univerſall and reſiſtable. The third link, whom he hath juſtified, &c. they looſen, by making the act of juſtification repealable, and the habit of Faith amiſſible: But St. Aug. de praed. [...]. c. 17. [...] Austin clincheth them all faſt; whom he hath predestinated, them he hath called, to wit, with a calling according to purpoſe; not others therefore, but whom he hath ſo called he hath justified; neither others, but ſuch whom he hath predestinated, called and justified, them he hath alſo glorified: How can a man that is effectually called and juſtified, finally fall away and depart from the living God, who is locked in the middle of this chaine, and faſtened to Chriſt with the Adamantine links, on the one ſide of predeſtination, on the other ſide of glorificaon? neither the antiquity of Baſilides, nor the wit of Pelagius, nor the ſubtilty of the School-men, nor induſtry of the Jeſuits, nor the vehemency of the Lutherans, nor the ſophiſtry of the Remonſtrants, ſhall ever caſt ſuch a groſſe miſt before the eyes, I ſay not of faith, but of reaſon, as to perſwade us, that he can fall finally, whom God hath predeſtinated to ſtand, that he may be condemned whom God hath juſtified, that he ſhall ever be a veſſell of diſhonour whom God hath glorified: illo utique fine qui non habet finem, as Saint Austin ſpeaketh; that he may be caſt into hell, whoſe name is written [Page] in heaven; that he can be in danger of the ſecond death, on whom it hath no power at all: but every regenerate Chriſtian and true Beleever is effectually called, and therefore predeſtinated; is juſtified by faith, and therefore ſaved from wrath; hath part in the firſt Rom. 8. 30. Rom. 5 1. Apoc. 22 6. Heb. 12. 13. Rom. 8. 17. Reſurrection, and therefore the ſecond death hath no power over him; is received into the Church of the firſt borne, and therefore his name is inrolled in heaven: Are not all that are born againe of water and the ſpirit the ſonnes of God? if ſonnes, then alſo heirs: it is the Apoſtles conſequence; Are not all true beleevers lively members of Chriſts myſticall body, which is the true Church? if they are ſo, they muſt continue ſo, that Chriſts body be not maimed, &c. Saint Auſtin and Gregory make good the inference; Aug. de Doct. Chriſt. l. 3. c. 32. Non [...] Rex Su [...]mon del [...], quid ſecundum prae [...] ſuae gratiam ſanctam Eccleſiam de in [...] permanſaris ſanctis conſtruxit. Heb. 12. 2. Phil. 2. 13. Saint Auſtin expreſly denying that to be Chriſts body in truth, and conſequently thoſe members to be members of his body in truth, which ſhall not continue ſo for ever: St. (f) Gregory thus Comenting upon the words of Solomon; King Solomon made himſelfe a bed or Chariot of the wood of Lebanon: the wood of Lebanon is ſaid never to corrupt or rot, Solomon therefore made his bed or Chariot (he meaning the ſpirituall Solomon, Chriſt) of the wood of Lebanon, becauſe according to the grace of his preſcience, he hath built a holy Church of Saints, that ſhall continue ſo for ever.

P. 18. Indeed if this affection were, grounded upon any thing in us, or depending upon the liberty of our will, our changeableneſſe might make us ſuſpect the conſtancy therof: but ſith all the graces and vertues that ſhine in the faithfull, are but the reflections and gliſſonings of the beams of his grace: which beginneth and conſummateth all good in us, working in us both the wil and the deed. how ſhould this heavenly fire of Gods love ever go out, &c. Mark the rayes of the viſible ſun, how conſtant they are, being not moved at all, by the motion of the Object, but immoveably flowing from the body of the ſunne, though bluſtering winds tyranize in the ayre, and remove it a thouſand times out of his place in an hour, yet the ſun beams keep to their object which they enlighten, and ſtir not at all; in like manner our affections are tranſported with every gale of proſperity and ſtorm of adverſity, and our wils ſomewhat yeeld to every wind of temptation; yet Gods affections like the beams of the ſun, remain immovable where they are once fixed; for they depend not upon any qualities in us, but upon his owne immutable eſſence, who is more conſtant then we are inconſtant, more ſtrong then we are weak, more ſufficient then we are inſufficient, we praiſe and diſpraiſe with a breath, frowne and ſmile with a look, love and hate with a conceit; but Gods affections are not like ours, nor are Iſa. 55 8 John 13. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 13. 19. his thoughts our thoughts, neither are his wayes our ways, for whom he loveth he loveth to the end, & though we be unmercifull, yet he ſtill abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf.

Page 19. But I ſubſume, all true beleevers are the elect of God; how then can they periſh; if the election of all the faithfull be not as evident as the ſalvation of the elect in Scripture, why doth Saint Paul ſtile faith, the faith of Gods elect? why doth St. Luke aſſigne election as the proper cauſe of faith? as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved: as for the reprobates, if we beleeve the ancient Fathers, they are as farre Tit. 1. 1. Acts 13. 48. f Greg. l. 28. in Job c. 6. extra Eccleſiae me [...] ſuras omnes reprobi, etiamſi intra fide [...]mi tem eſſe videantur. [...]om faith as from ſalvation; all reprobates, ſaith Saint (f) Gregory, are without the [...]unds of the Church, although they ſeem to be within the pale of faith, and as farre from [...]e repentance as from faith: God bringeth none of theſe, ſaith Saint Aug. conc. pel. l. 5. c. 4. Idem de un [...]t. Ecleſiae c: 23. hoc donum proprium eſt corum quireg [...]abunt cum Chriſto. Mat. 13. 5. 8. Auſtin to healthfull and ſpirituall repentance, whereby a man is reconciled to God, and as farre from Charity as from both, for this gift of the holy Ghoſt, ſaith the ſame Father, is peculiar and proper to them who ſhall reigne with Chriſt.

The faith of hypocrits is reſembled by our Saviour to ſeed ſowne upon ſtony ground, which becauſe it had no root ſoone withered; but true faith to ſeede ſowne in good ground, which took deep root downward in humility, and grew upword in hope, and ſpread by charity, and brought forth fruits of good works abroad in great abundance: it is the plant which our heavenly Father planteth in our hearts, and ſhall never be rooted out: it is the true Plin. l. 21. c. 8 Amaranthus that never fadeth; but after all the flowers are blown away, or fall with the leafe, being watred at the root, reviveth and ſerveth for winter garlands; even ſo a grounded belief, after the flowers of open profeſſion of Chriſt are blown away by the violent blaſts of perſecution or temptation, being moiſtened with the water of penitent teares, reviveth againe, and maketh winter garlands for Chriſts ſpouſe.

[Page] Page 769. 1. Of the ſuppoſition, when the righteous turneth away from his righteouſneſſe: is not this ſuppoſition impoſſible? can the righteous turne away from his righteouſneſſe and commit iniquity, and doe according to all the abominations that the wicked doth? I anſwer:

Firſt, vvhether he can doe ſo or no, the Prophet here determineth not, but in caſe he doe ſo, he pronounceth his doome.

Secondly, vvhatſoever interpretation vve make of this Scripture, it favoureth not the Popiſh or Semipelagian tenet, concerning the poſſibility of the Apoſtacy of Saints: for it is confeſſed Bellarm. l. 3. de Juſtif. c. 12. on all hands, that theſe vvords are ſpoken in generall to all, elect as vvell as reprobate, and they are of ſingular uſe to ſtirre them up to watchfulneſſe over their wayes, and diligence and conſtancy in the uſe of all ſuch means, as by Gods grace may keep them from backſliding and dangerous relapſes; yet the elect as they themſelves freely grant, who are predeſtinated to eternall life, are in no danger of loſing it: this Commination therefore maketh nothing againſt the perſeverance of Saints.

Thirdly, yet becauſe he is cleanſed but in part, and hath but a temporary faith, and ſome flaſhes of heavenly light, it is poſſible for him with Demas, to forſake the Gospel and embrace this preſent world; with Hymeneus and Philetus, to make ſhipwrack of faith and a good conſcience: with Julian to become an Apoſtate and a perſecuter of the truth: in a word, he may depart from the ſeeming righteouſneſſe which he hath in the eyes of men, but not in the ſight of God, as Saint Gregory ſpeaketh; or from the true righteouſneſſe which he had in part, and that meaſure of ſanctification which before he received.

Fourthly, no man ever made queſtion, but that a truly regenerate man may depart from his actuall righteouſneſſe, and commit inquity, and doe according to all the abominations that the wicked doth, and that if he ſhould dye without repentance, that his former righteouſneſſe ſhould ſtand him in no ſtead, but that he ſhould ſuffer the pains of eternall death, which is all that the letter of this Text enforceth our aſſent unto.

Page 770. although it be moſt true, that an elect child of God can never fall quite out of Gods favour, yet doth not the light of his countenance at all times ſhine equally upon him; ſometimes he ſubſtracteth his grace from him for the abuſe thereof: and hence it commeth to paſſe, that he falleth often, and ſometimes dangerouſly; the wiſe man ſaith, the righteous falleth ſeven times a day, and therefore more then ſeventy times ſeven times in all his life; whereupon Saint Ep. 44. ſi cadit quomodo nostus? ſi iuſtus quomodo cadit? ſed iuſti vacabulum non amittit qui ſemper per poenitentiam reſurgit. Jerome maketh a Prov. 24. 16. witty quere; If he fall, how is he righteous? if righteous, how doth he fall? and gives us the ſolutian of it in a word; he loſeth not the appellation of a righteous man, who riſeth alwayes by repentance: his meaning is, that though the righteous fall dangerouſly and greivouſly hurteth himſelfe, yet he never dyeth of his fall, but his limbs are recovered by grace, and he riſeth againe by repentance, and ever after walketh more circumſpectly in the paths of Gods Commandements.

Fifthly, the Prononne (his) giveth ſome light to cleare the meaning; for the Prophet ſaith not ſimply, when the righteous turneth away from righteouſneſſe, but from his righteouſneſſe, that is, the righteouſneſſe of his owne works, or his inherent righteouſneſſe not the imputed righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, for that is not his owne: That I may be found in him, not having mine owne righteouſneſſe which is of the law, but the Phil. 3 9. righteouſneſſe which is of God by faith: Admit Chriſts righteouſneſſe, by which every true beleever is juſtified, cannot be loſt, yet he may loſe his owne righteouſneſſe, that is, it is very poſſible, and daily experience verefieth it, that he may give over his ſtrict obſervance of the duties of the firſt and ſecond Table, he may let looſe the reines to ſenſuall deſires, and he may follow the gainfull, or ambitions, or voluptuous courſes of the world; for the way to Heaven is up-hill, but the way to hell is down-hill, and thither the weight of our ſinfull fleſh ſorcibly tendeth: All theſe purgations we have in Doctor Featlyes Sermons.

There are theſe enſuing purgations made in Maſter Ward his Comentary on Matthew, fol. 300. (part 1. page 33.) There are two ſorts of evill, to wit, Firſt, ſome are [Page] onely precedent, which being once taken away returne no more; now theſe hinder the foundation, but not the edifice and are taken away by God in the elect; as for example: Firſt, the death of the ſoule in good things: Secondly, the captivity and ſlavery they are in under finne: Thirdly, the generall and totall pollution which is in them by reaſon of ſinne and the like.

Secondly, ſome are ſuccedent, which hinder the encreaſe, as thorns in the wheat hinder What hurt there is in this clauſe, I cannot diſcerne. the corne from growing; now theſe are daily to be taken away, and muſt be taken away after the plantation of grace; as ſinne daily ſprings up, ſo it is daily to be rooted out.

Page 67. Ob. Bellarmine here objects; the love of many ſhall wax cold, and therefore all righteous men ſhall not preſevere in faith, and conſequently all ſhall not be ſaved.

An. The Cardinal here proves nothing againſt us, except he will prove, that thoſe who fall from the Lord, or whoſe charity waxeth cold, were ſuch as were righteous before God by a true faith, or who had the love and faith of the elect of God, whereof mention is made Titus 1. 1. now that theſe were not ſuch, is cleare from verſe 24: of this Chapt. they would ſeduce, if it were poſſible, the very elect: and from Saint Auguſtine, Charitas quae deſert poteſt nunquam ver a fuit; that love which falleth away, was never any true love, or charity which may be forſaken, was never true Charity.

In the printed book, fol. 334. (but in the Abridgement of purgations, page 83.) it is queſtioned between us and the Papiſts, whether Election or Predeſtination to life eternall, be from Gods free grace, or a fore-ſight of mans good workes and faith?

Firſt, it is agreed upon betwixt us and them, that there are ſome elected and predeſtinated and this is cleare from Matth. 20. 16. & 22. 14. & 24. 31. Rom. 8. 30. Eph. 1. 4. and

Secondly, it is agreed betwixt us alſo, that thoſe who are elected and predeſtinated, are elected unto an eternall Kingdome, as is plaine from Luke 12. 32. And,

Thirdly, it is likewiſe agreed upon betwixt us, that thoſe who are elected unto life eternall, ſhall infallibly and certainly be ſaved: and this is proved from Mat. 24. 22. 24. John. 6. 29. & 10. 28, 29. & 11. 29.

This was aſſented unto by the beſt eſteemed Divines in the Councell of Trent, and thought to be Catholike, becauſe it was conſonant to the opinions both of Thomas, Scotus, and the moſt School-writers, and alſo to the doctrine of Saint Paul, and Catharinus himſelfe could not deny it: Read the Hiſtory of the Councel of Trent, lib. 2. p. 211. 212. Yea, Belarmine himſelfe doth affirme as much plainly, De grat. &. Lib. Arbit. lib. 2. cap. 10. which is worth obſerving, becauſe elſwhere he contradicts himſelfe; teaching, That the elect may fall from faith and ſalvation, and utterly and eternaly loſe both.

Fourthly, the Papiſts affirme, that faith and works foreſeen, were the impulſive and moving cauſe of the decree of election unto life everlaſting.

Fifthly, we ſay that the impulſive and moving cauſe of the decree of election is only that [...], and good will and free grace of God; and this we confirme from theſe places, Luke 13. 32. John 15. 16. Rom. 11. 5. Eph. 1. 6.

Idem. on Matthew page 134. printed, & 253. written copy: Some in oppoſition to Zanchies poſition of the perſeverance of the Saints, object this place to prove; that thoſe who are truly faithfull may fall wholly from faith, and conſequently may periſh eternally.

Anſw. 1. Firſt, this is but a parable, and inſufficient to evert ſuch a comfortable and well grounded Doctrine as this is, concerning the perſeverance of the faithfull.

Anſw. 2. Secondly, This Parable was given onely to the Jewes, and belongs principally unto them (although it may be applied to ſuch as they were) as it appeares by our Saviours concluſion, ſo ſhal it be with this wicked generation.

Anſw. 3. Thirdly, by this Parable our Saviour would ſhew that deſtruction did hang over the heads of the Jewes; and why? not becauſe they were once juſtified, and endued [Page] with true faith, and afterwards altogether loſt it, and fell from the grace of God; but becauſe they had received the law of God, &c. unto theſe words: and this is the plaine and the direct meaning of our Saviour in this place, and makes nothing againſt the preſeverance of the faithfull, or as though thoſe who were once endued with true faith, and truly freed from Satan, might loſe their faith wholly, and fall into the hands and power of ſatan and periſh eternally, becauſe nothing leſſe then this can be deduced from this place.

Anſw. 4. Fourthly, Melanchton, &c. unto the end, which ſinne he calleth a ſinne againſt conſcience, and therefore it cannot be meant of thoſe who are onely tempted by a humane temptation, and ſinne not out of contempt, but of ignorance and infirmity, as all the faithfull ſinne.

In Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, the Licenſer expunged theſe enſuing paſſages touching Perſeverance, and againſt falling from grace.

Page 61. & 146. Whom he graceth, he graceth to the end; whom he loveth, he loveth unto the end: pag. 445. What? is it poſſible for men to fall from the grace of God? out of the love and favour of God for ever? for whom he loveth, he loveth to the end; John 13. 1 Hypocrits may fall away, Luke 8. 13. 1 Cor. 10. 12. and even the elect themſelves muſt be circumſpect, they muſt not ſet all at ſix and ſevens, but muſt watch over themſelves that they fall not away.

Page 166. 167. there is a great aff [...]ity betwixt the elect and the reprobate, ſimia quam ſimilis: the elect and reprobate have all one and the ſame gifts in ſubſtance, but they differ in quantity, meaſure and manner of receiving.

The elect have the Fountaine, together with the ſtreames, and the root with the branches, they with their knowledge, zeale, &c. have Jeſus Chriſt and a lively faith; whereas the reprobate have the ſtreame without the Fountaine, the branches without the root, the graſſe on the houſe top, and corns in the wall, that ſodainly withers and dyes; ſo they fall from the knowledge they had, and from the faith, deſpiſe the holy Ghoſt, make a mock of the word, and deſpiſe the joyes of Heaven.

Theſe gifts ſink deeply into the hearts of the elect, whereas they reſt onely in the ſenſes and braine of the reprobate; they goe a little way into the heart of the reprobate, and affect them for a time, but as a corrupt ſtomacke caſts up the meat againe, though never ſo good, ſo thoſe defiled conſciences ſpew up that againe which they taſted of; the godly keep them, and are nouriſhed by them; the reprobate have the knowledge of Chriſt ſwimming in their braine, and their hearts are little affected; they have ſpeculativum cognitionem, but not applicativam, John 17. 3. they have a taſte of true faith, but not a true faith indeed; they have fidem historicam, hypocriticam, temporarium, meticuloſam, ſed non juſtificantem; they have ſpiritum illuminantem, ſed non ſanctificantem; they taſte the word but eat not the word to be nouriſhed by it, they have a ſight of Heaven, as Balaam had, ſo Moſes had of the Land of Canaan, but they [...]er not into Heaven; they have gifts like them, as counters are like gold, but not the very gifts.

Page 252. God never takes his ſpirit from a man, by whom we are ſealed to the day of Redemption.

Page 319. the children of God may ſame grievouſly, as Noah, David, Peter, and others have done, but they cannot ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt; in themſelves they may, in regard of the corruption of their owne nature, but in regard of Gods grace, promiſe and covenant, they cannot; for whom Chriſt loveth, he loveth to the end, and none can take his ſheep out of his hands; yet let us not be high minded, but feare, and work out our ſalvation with feare and trembling all the dayes of our life.

9. Paſſages expunged againſt Arminians, Semi-pelagians and Arminianiſme.

DOctor Peatly his Clavis Myſtica, page 90. What are the little Foxes, but the Demipelagian cubs, which will ſpoile our faireſt cluſters; the Colledges of both Univerſities, [Page] if in time they be not looked unto, as they have done already in our neighbour Vine in the Low-countries.

Ibidem page 898. I told you before; that this was a wet ſtep, and many here have ſlipt; for ſome odiouſly object, that unleſſe we will grant univerſall grace, and a power in the will of man to reſiſt and fruſtrate the worke of the ſpirit in our converſion, and that unleſſe theſe Jewes had ſufficient grace offered them to repent them of their ſins, and therby prevent this their finall overthrow, the prediction of our Saviour was to no end and purpoſe; nay, that his teares over Jeruſalem, might ſeem like to thoſe which Julius Caeſar ſhed for Pompeyes death, who yet himſelfe procured it, or might have hindred it if he would; did not Chriſt (ſay they) foreſee and decree the deſtruction of Jeruſalem? how then doth he bemoane it with teares?

10. Paſſages deleted, That men may be Aſſured of their ſalvation, and that Aſſurance of it is attainable in this life.

IN Doctor Clerkes Sermons, page 93, inſtead of theſe words, was ſure of his ſalvation, the Licenſer hath put in theſe words, obtained ſalvation.

We find theſe clauſes deleted by the Licenſer in Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, Written copy, page 310. The Church of Rome introduceth a doubting ſaith; we muſt never be aſſured of the forgiveneſſe of our ſinnes. the favour of God, and kindneſſe of his Sonne, that is preſumption; yet the Scripture would have us come to God with aſſurance of faith; why doubteſt thou, O thou of little faith? he that doubteth is like the wave of the ſea.

Ibid. page 335. In this deſcription of faith, and the whole commendation of it, throughout this chapter ſay the Jeſuits, the Apoſtle knew not the ſpeciall forged faith of the Proteſtants, whereby theſe new Sectaries and their followers aſſure themſelves of the remiſſion of their ſinnes, that they themſelves ſhall be ſaved, yea verely even this ſpeciall faith is to be found in this chapter as before.

Secondly, all theſe heleevers did ſteadfaſtly beleeve they ſhould be ſaved, they all looked for eternall happineſſe, therefore they were aſſured of the forgiveneſſe of their ſinnes; for without remiſſion of ſinne there is no ſalvation.

Thirdly, the ſpirit cryeth in the hearts of all the faithfull, Abba Father; now they cannot call God father, if they be not perſwaded of their reconciliation by Jeſus Chriſt, and that their ſinnes are waſhed away in his blood; this ſpeciall faith of the Proteſtants hath ſure footing in the Word of God, and the doubting faith of the Papiſts is excluded out of Scripture.

In Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, theſe paſſages are wholly obliterated; Matth. 19. 29. ſhall inherit everlasting life.

Whether may we in this life be aſſured of life everlaſting or not?

Firſt, in this life, not onely we may, but we ought alſo to be aſſured and certaine of everlaſting life, Urſin. de vita etern. qu. 7. Queſt. Anſw. 1.

Secondly, we may be certaine of it three manner of wayes (viz.) firſt, by faith, or by a full perſwaſion of the good will of God towards us; and ſecondly, by the beginning Anſw. 2. of true repentance, or by a full purpoſe and intent within us, to live according to Gods Commandements; and thirdly, by peace of conſcience, by a deſire of God, and by our joy and gladneſſe in him.

Thirdly, this certainty and aſſurance is grounded on ſure and ſtrong reaſons, viz. firſt the author of everlaſting life is unchangeable, even God himſelfe; ſecondly, Gods election Anſw. 4. is unchangeable; thirdly, Chriſt is heard in all things which he deſireth of his father; but he prayed that his father would ſave all thoſe whom he had given him; fourthly, Chriſt hath ſaid, That no man ſhall pluck his ſheep out of his hands, but he will give unto them everlasting life, John 10. 28. and Saint Paul ſaith, the foundation of God remaineth ſure, 2 Tim. 2. 19.

Ibidem fol. 176. Thou muſt come to a certainty of faith and grace; f. 324. to be made partakers of an infallible aſſurance of ſalvation, are deleted.

[Page] Ibidem fol. 240. in the written copy, before Queſt. 3. We ſhould labour for faith and the encreaſe thereof: Fourthly, faith is our ſeale and ſpirituall Unction whereby we are aſſured of pardon, reconciliation, adoption, juſtification, and after death, of glorification, 1 Cor. 1. 21. Now a weak faith cannot aſſure us of theſe, wherefore if we deſire to be certaine of them, we muſt labour to grow up and encreaſe in faith. Queſt. 3. Who are blame-worthy in this particular. Anſw. two ſorts of people, namely, 1. thoſe who neglect faith; and ſecondly, the Papiſts, &c.

Queſt. 1. Wherein are Papiſts to blame concerning the augmentation of faith?

Anſ. They are faulty in two things; negant fiducium, & certundinew fidei; they grant faith, but deny both confidence and certainty of faith; But of theſe conjointly and not apart, and that by divers degrees and ſteps: Now the queſtion here is concerning the paſſive, not active faith; Thirdly, the Papiſts being asked what this paſſive faith is which we give when we beleeve, doe in a manner make it no other then an hiſtoricall ſaith placing it wholly and altogether in the underſtanding credimus vera eſſe revelata, & promiſſa; atque a Deo justificari impium per gratiam, Coneil. Trident. wee beleeve that all the promiſes, and whatſoever elſe is affirmed in the revealed will, or written Word of God, are true, and that the wicked are juſtified of God by grace: But confidence (they ſay) is no part of faith; for fides eſt animi cer atudo de abſentibus, ſupra opinionem & infra ſcientiam. Thom. 22. & 4. 1. But we ſay that confidence and truſt is the chiefeſt thing in faith, yea, and that a particular truſt and confidence.

Object. 1. Againſt this the Papiſts object; it is no where written in Scripture that Peter or Stephen ſhall be ſaved, and therefore faith is onely generall and not particular.

Anſw. 1. Firſt, all the godly regenerated and elected ſhall be ſaved; this is true, but very obſcure. Anſ. 2. Secondly, that Solomon, Iames or Iohn ſhall be ſaved we acknowledge it to be no where found in Scripture, neither doe we contend about it. Anſw. 3. Thirdly, whoſoever beleeves ſhall be ſaved John 3. 16. and therefore if Solomen, Iames and Iohn doe beleeve they ſhall be ſaved; Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace, to the end the promiſe might be ſure to all the faithfull, Rom. 4 16 Yea, Abraham being fully perſwaded, that what he had promiſed he was alſo able to performe, verſe 21. it was imputed unto him for righteouſneſſe, verſe 22. Now it was not imputed to him only, but ſhall alſo be imputed unto us, of (with him) we beleeve on him who raiſed up Ieſ [...] our Lord from the dead, ver. 23 24. Where we ſee that all the ſpirituall ſeed of Abrahams faith ſhall be ſaved, that is whoſoever layes hold [...] on the promiſes of the Goſpell made unto the faithfull in Chriſt, and by a true and lively faith between them to be good and true in generall, and good and gracious unto him in particular ſhall be ſaved; yea we have a plaine place for the proofe of a particular faith in the Pſalme [...] where it is ſaid, he ſhall not be afraid of evill [...]ydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord, Pſal. 112. 7. but of this I have elſewhere more largely to treat.

Queſt. 9. Becauſe I ſaid that every one who by a lively faith layes particular [...] upon the promiſes of the Goſpel applying them unto himſelfe by the merits of Chriſt ſhall be ſaved, it may therefore be queſtioned, how or in what order our ſalvations wrought? Anſ. 1. Firſt God opened by a new way both the gates of heaven and hell Heb. 10. 20. Anſ. 2. Secondly, this new way he publiſhed and made known in his word, condemning all other wayes, read Rom. 1. 2. and 3. chapters, this is to be beleeved. Anſw. 3. Thirdly, in the Scripture the Lord exhorts us to adhere and truſt onely unto Chriſt this new way, and to ſeek ſalvation in him, and to hope for ſalvation by him Heb. 3. 9. therfore this alſo is to be beleeved. Anſw. 4. Fourthly, God promiſeth ſalvation unto all thoſe who beleeve in Chriſt, and he is faithfull in all his promiſes yea he that beleeveth not God, will make him a lyar, 1 Joh. 5. 10. as though there could be any ſalvation by any other meanes then onely by faith in Chriſt; and therefore Saint John [...] his Epiſtle, that thoſe to whom he writes may beleeve, 1 John 5. [...]3 there being no other way to come unto heaven, Acts 4. 12. We affirmed before, that the Papiſts deny, that there is any particular truſt or confidence in faith, or any certainty of faith, both which we condemne as errours in them; and therefore for the making good of this tax, cenſure no [Page] charge, I will propound two Queſtions, namely, Queſt. 1. How doth it appeare that there is any truſt or confidence in faith? Anſw. It appeares by theſe particulars, viz. Firſt, Saint Paul gives unto faith, ſtrength, certainty and a full perſwaſion, Rom. 4. 20, 21. Heb. 3. 6. 14. yea truſt and confidence, Epheſ. 3. 12. and Secondly; the phraſe to beleeve in Christum, in Chriſt, doth denote a confidence and truſt, Thom. Aq. 1 Pet. 1. 21. And thirdly, if the miraculous faith have confidence in its object (as it hath, 1 Cor. 13. 2.) then much more the ſaving faith in its. Anſw. 4. If the faith of prayer hath truſt and confidence (as it hath, James 1. 6. & 5. 15. & 1 John 5. 14. 15.) then faith hath particular truſt and confidence. And fifthly, the Papiſts in a manner or almoſt confeſſe thus much; for firſt, they ſay, that fiducia oritur a fide truſt and confidence ſprings from faith; and ſecondly, that therefore the ſafeſt courſe is to depend upon the mercy of Chriſt, Bellarm. Qu. 2. How doth it appeare that there is any certainty of faith? An. It appears evidently by theſe grounds, to wit, firſt, by the attributes given to faith, it is called [...], the ſubstance, ground or confidence of things hoped for, Heb. 11. 1. and [...], a confidence, and [...], a bold aſſurance, Heb, 3. 6. 6. 14. and [...], Heb. 10. 22. a full aſſurance of faith, quaſi plenis velis ad Christum, becauſe it carries us with full ſailes unto Chriſt, Illirious. And ſecondly, becauſe we are ſaid to know, 1 John 3. 14. & 4. 13. 16. Bellarmine anſwers hereunto, that to know, includes not certainty; but David ſhewes the contarry, Pſal. 16. 8. & 27. 5. & 125. 1. And thirdly, becauſe the holy Ghoſt teſtifies it, Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. Rom 8. 38. & 2 Tim. 4. 8. and hence Saint John ſaith, that he who beleeves, hath the witneſſe in himſelfe, 1 John 5. 10. and therefore they are Butchers of mens conſciences, who deny and take away this aſſurance. And fourthly, becauſe this certainty of faith is plainly and cleerly taught in the word of God 2 Pet. [...]. 10. & 1 Pet. 1. 13.

In the ſame written copy, fol. 225. this whole pious, orthodox diſcourſe is purged out.

How may we know whether we are brought to Chriſt or not?

We may know it by theſe ſignes, by which we muſt ſeriouſly try and examine Queſt. our ſelves; namely, examine firſt, if we perpetually meditate of Chriſt, if we think upon Anſw. him day and night, if we be conjoyned to him in our hearts; then it is a ſigne that we are are brought unto him: Secondly, if we alwayes ſpeak of Chriſt, and that from the abundance of the heart, then it is a ſigne that we enjoy Chriſt, for a Veſſell ſendeth forth ſuch liquor as it hath within: Thirdly, if we alwayes depend upon Chriſt, flying ſtill to him as unto our only refuge, making him our Cornu-copia, and eſteeming him to be our Phyſitian, our Fountaine, our Righteouſneſſe, our Life our Light, our Vertue, our Way our Food, yea all in all, then it is a ſigne that we enjoy him. Fourthly, if Chriſt being awakened, anſwer and help us (as he did his Diſciples, Matth. 8.) if being called upon he heare us, then it is a ſigne that he is in us, and remaines with us; if we can confidently and truly ſay with David, I will call upon the Lord, and then I ſhall be ſafe, Pſal. 18. 3. it is an argument of Chriſts preſence. Fifthly, if we be filled with joy and comfort in our ſoules, it is a ſigne that we are brought unto Chriſt, i. e. if we rejoyce in the Lord, and againe rejoyce, Phil. 4. 4. delighting our ſelves in him, and in compariſon of him, thinking all other things as droſſe, Mat. 13. 44. &c. Phil. 3. 8. Mel in ore melos in aure, jubilium in corde, Bern. S. 1. Pet. 18. if he be honey in our mouth, and muſick in our eares, and a rejoycing to our hearts, then it is a good argument that he lives with us, and lodgeth within us, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Sixthly, if we have peace within, that is, firſt the ſpirit of God witneſſing unto our ſpirits that we are the ſonnes of God, Rom. 8. 15, 16. & 1 Iohn 5. 10. and ſecondly, the providence and protection of the Lord, ſecuring us from all want and danger, Pſal. 30. 7. Rom. 8. 28. & 1 Cor. 10. 13. and thirdly, we from this aſſurance caſting our ſelves boldy and confidently upon the Lord as David did Pſa. 11. 1. & 27. 1. 3. & 56. 4. 11. & 18. 6, 7. then we may be ſure that we are brought home truly unto Chriſt. Seventhly, if Chriſt rule and reigne and beare ſway in our hearts, 2 Cor. 10. 4. Col. 3. 15. and that firſt, obediendo, by enabling us to obey him, Iohn 14. 15. & 1 Iohn 2. 3. &c. and that with ſuch delight, that we think his yoke eaſie and his burden light, ver. 29. and alſo ſecondly, compeſcendo, by ſubduing our affections, and repreſſing [Page] and ſuppreſſing our luſts, enabling us to ſee and to be ſenſible of thoſe ſinnes that hang ſo faſt on, and cleave ſo faſt too, Heb. 12. 1. yea making us with the ſenſe of them, to cry out with Saint Paul, me miſerum, O wretched man that I am who ſhall deliver me, Rom. 7. 24. Yea, with the knowledge of the ſoare, giving us a knowledge of the ſalve, with the ſenſe of the malady, the fight of the remedy; and as thoſe who being ſtung with the fiery ſerpents, looked upon the brazen Serpent, ſo Chriſt with the ſight of our ſinnes, gives us a ſight of himſelf, our Saviour; and when we look upon our tranſgreſſions with horrour, then he turnes our eyes towards him for comfort 1 Cor. 2. 2. Irae impetum cohibet, ſuperbia tumorem ſedat, livoris vulnus ſanat, luxuriae fluxum reſtringit, libidinis flammum extinguit, ſitum avaritiae temperat, totius dedecoris pruriginem fugat, Bern. S. Cantic. And thirdly, unprimende, by engraving good affections in our hearts, and by infuſing the wine of grace into our ſoules, and comforting us by his ſpirit; Senſus reparat, virtutes roborat honeſtos mores vegetat, caſtas affectiones fovet. Bern. S. Cantic. Chriſt reviewes our faculties, coroberates our graces and vertues nouriſheth in us good affections, begets in our hearts good habits, and in our lives good actions, and ſo rectifies our converſations, that they become honeſt and unblameable before men: certainly, he that is thus governed by Chriſt, and enabled by him to ſubdue and ſuppreſſe all evill affections and is filled with good and holy deſires within, and obeyeth the Lord in his life and converſation, doth enjoy Chriſt, and is truly brought unto him, and therefore let us ſeriouſly examine our ſelves by theſe particulars.

What harme or errour was couched in theſe paſſages that they muſt be quite obliteterated, and not ſuffered to paſſe the Preſſe, tranſcends our capacities to apprehend, but onely that they ſomewhat thwart the Papiſts.

11. Paſſages deleted againſt Auricular Confeſſion of our Sinnes to Popiſh Priests.

IN Doctor Clerks Sermons, page 443. this paſſage is expunged Saint James is flat for Auricular Confeſſion. that; Auricular confeſſion. Apoſtolicall too; was it not to the Prieſts that Iudas ſaid peccavi, confeſt he had ſinned in betraying innocent blood?

In Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, written copy, f. 10. this is deleted.

Firſt, the Papiſts anſwer hereunto, that the parts of repentance are three, to wit firſt, contrition, or as ſome of them ſay, Attrition; ſecondly, Auricular confeſſion; Thirdly, Satisfaction of Merit.

Idem fol. 125. Secondly, confeſſe and make knowne thy temptations to ſome pious and faithfull friend. Here we blame Auricular popiſh confeſſion; firſt, becauſe it doth diſcover laſcivious and wanton women; ſecondly, becauſe it is ordinarily enjoyned; and thirdly; held to be a work deſerving pardon, opere, operato; But firſt, if men not women, would confeſſe themſelves: and ſecondly, not alwayes, but in a caſe of conſcience, when his corruptions are likely to prevaile againſt him; yea, thirdly, not the ſinnes committed already, but onely the temptations and provocations and aſſaults unto ſinne; and fourthly, not to confeſſe to every one, but to ſome pious, prudent, diſcreet and grave friend or Miniſter, &c. we blame it not.

Idem fol. 227. Anſ. 4. A wounded conſcience is of all burthens the heavieſt to a circumciſed heart; thy ſinnes be forgiven thee, we ſee Chriſt here neither requires confeſſion, nor demands or reſerves ſatisfaction of this ſick man, but wholly takes away his ſinnes, to teach us that Chriſt pardons our ſinnes truly, Heb. 8. 12. Ier. 31. 31. &c. Iſa. 43. 25. Heb. 10. 17.

Anſw. 4. Popiſh auricular confeſſion, we tax for three things, namely, firſt, ob coactionem, &c. ſecondly, ob enumerationem; thirdly ob finem falſum; becauſe the end propounded therein by the Papiſts is falſe; for they teach men to confeſſe their ſinnes that by the peoples confeſsion and the Prieſts abſolution, their ſinnes may be taken away and pardoned by God; opere operato, even by the bare work wrought.

The Papiſts command Confeſsion for theſe two ends, viz. Firſt, that their confeſsion [Page] may take away ſinnes with God, and this they labour and diſpute ſtrongly for, and relate many fables to prove it; if the ſtudious Reader deſire a view of their Fables, he may find ſome in Antidot. Anim, pag. 145. Col. 3. & 149. Col. 3. & 2. they have worſe ends of their confeſsion then theſe, and that is, to reveale whores, whoredomes and the like, read Antidot. Anim. p. 145. Col. 3. 4.

Ibidem part 1. pag. 115. Queſt. 5. ſeeing that it is lawfull, and in ſome caſes requiſite, that ſome perſons ſhould ſometimes confeſſe ſome ſinnes unto their Paſtors, and that the Paſtor ſhould admoniſh and adviſe them hereunto (as was ſhewed, Mat. 3. 6.) when their conſciences are troubled with any ſinne, then whether ought Miniſters to take an oath of ſecreſie, the rather to induce men to confeſſe freely? An. There are two things here to be conſidered of for the reſolution of this queſtion, viz. Firſt, whether it be lawfull? And 2. whether it be expedient?

Firſt, we muſt conſider whether it be lawfull to take ſuch an Oath of ſecreſie or not?

Firſt, I thinke no man denies (except the Anabaptiſts) that in generall it is lawfull by Gods law to take an oath, either firſt, aſſertory; ſecondly, promiſſory (upon weighty cauſe) though it be not before a Magiſtrate.

Secondly, although the poſitive law threaten a Premunire to him who impoſeth an oath without authority, yet I know no danger to him who aſſumes it willingly and voluntarily.

But thirdly, whether this particular Oath be againſt our lawes, I want skill to determine; for on the one ſide concealment (in ſome caſes) makes a man acceſſary though after the fact; and what may not be performed muſt not be promiſed, eſpecially by oath: On the other ſide, the ancient Canons of the Church forbid (upon great penalty) to reveale confeſſions; and our Law 1. Eliz. confirme all the Canons that are not oppoſite to the Word of God, as I ſuppoſe this not to be.

Secondly, we muſt conſider whether it be expedient or not; to take ſuch an Oath?

This is the greater Queſtion, and muſt be reſolved by the grounds moving it: for whatſoever is lawfull in this, muſt be judged fit or unfit, Hypotheſi, according to the fit or unfit circumſtances which cloth it; firſt therefore, if firſt, the confitent (being burdened in conſcience, and deſirous to unfold his ſore) be hindred by feare or ſhame of publike diſcovery; and ſecondly, if there be no other end in the paſtor but to free him from this feare, I ſee no reaſon why he may not by ſuch a reverend proteſtation, aſſure him of that whereto his own office and conſcience bind him; for as the Canons cōmands concealment ſo Zozomen (ſpeaking of the times within three hundred yeers of Chriſt) ſaith, ſuch men as are burthened in conſcience, and deſire to unfold their griefes, muſt chooſe for their Confeſſor, a man upright of life, prudent, and ſecretorum tenacem, a faithfull concealer of ſecrets. But

Secondly, if the Miniſter uſe ſuch an oath as an aſſuring bait, to draw unwilling men to confeſſe, for the ſatisfying of his own curioſity or private ends, non laudo, it can neither be defended, commended, nor excuſed. But

Thirdly, I muſt adde, that ſeeing temptations lurk ſecretly in the heart, it is ſafer to leave them to the hearts great ſearcher, then to condemne them upon ungrounded ſuſpition unleſſe made evident by ſome diſcloſing circumſtances, wherein it is both more commendable and charitable to ſuſpect a great deale too little, then a little too much; hoc eſt conſilium fidele & verax, &c.

12. Paſſages deleted againſt the Arbitrary, Tyrannicall power of Kings; diſobedience to their unjuſt, popiſh and wicked commands, reſiſting their tyranny; and the mortality of Kings.

IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, f. 324. in the written copy, the Licenſer obliterated this enſuing diſcourſe on Mat. 22. 21. Give unto Caeſar the things which are Caeſars: Queſt. Whether is it altogether unlawfull to reſiſt civill power, when it is wicked [Page] and unjuſtly oppreſſeth the Church and Common-wealth, and compelleth Subjects to commit adultery, and perſecutes true Religion with fire and faggot? Anſw. 1. Firſt, it is lawfull for Miniſters to reprehend and rebuke the ſinnes of all who are under their charge, and conſequently Kings, Princes, Peers and Magiſtrates, when they offend; as is evident both by the examples of the Apoſtles and Prophets, and alſo from theſe places, 1 Tim. 5. 20. & 2 Tim. 4. 2. Heb. 13. 17. In which place it is ſaid, that Paſtors ſhall give account for thoſe Magiſtrates which periſh under their charge. Secondly, it is lawfull for the inferiour and ſubordinate Magiſtrates to defend the Church and Common-wealth, when the ſupreame Magiſtrate degenerates, and falleth into tyranny or idolatry: for firſt, Kings are ſubject to their Common-wealths, at leaſt unto the law of God, Deut. 17. 18, 19, 20. Ioſh. 1. 8. and ſecondly, it is the office of the inferiour Magiſtrate as well as the ſuperiour, to maintaine and defend the lives and ſafety of the ſubjects; and therefore although the ſuperiour Magiſtrate ſhould neglect his duty, yet the inferiour muſt not neglect theirs. Thirdly, it is not lawfull for any private perſon either to take up arms for the defence of the inferiour Magiſtrates before a danger come, or for their owne defence in danger, or for the avenging of themſelves after danger, if they can be defended by an ordinary power; and this we gather from David, 1 Sam. 24 26. Fourthly, it is lawfull even for a private perſon to reſiſt with weapons, if a tyrant like a theefe, ſhall offer violence unto him, either by himſelfe or by another, when he can neither obtain the relief and help of publike authority and power nor eſcape by any other meanes or way, for againſt whom it is lawfull for a man to defend himſelf by the Magiſtrate, againſt the ſame it is lawful to defend himſelf by himſelf in a caſe of neceſſity: as for example: If a King in his anger ſhould command one of his followers to kill ſuch a one, or ſhould run upon him himſelfe with his ſword drawne, intending to kill him, if that man could neither be delivered by the law or government of the Land, nor by flight could eſcape away, he might then lawfully with his ſword in his hand defend himſelfe even againſt the King himſelfe, but he muſt not offend the King, nor lay his hand upon the Lords anointed for the very law of nature teacheth men to defend themſelves, and to maintaine their lives againſt all the unjuſt aſſaults and practiſes of any whatſoever. Fifthly, to take away defence of himſelfe from a private perſon againſt a tyrant, is to eſtabliſh tyranny, for the law of God doth principally require the ſociety of humane converſation, and therefore thoſe things that are Caeſars are to be given to Caeſar; neither is he to be reſiſted, ſo long as he doth not oppoſe himſelfe againſt God, commanding ſome wicked Religion, or ſome wicked and unjuſt thing; for as Chriſt commands us to give unto Caeſar thoſe things, ſo he commands us to give unto God thoſe things that be Gods; and God forbids us to give unto Caeſar thoſe things which are not Caeſars, and therefore if Caeſar commands that which is repugnant to the command and will of God, we muſt not obey him, Acts 4. 19. & 5. 29.

In Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, theſe ſentences are purged out, page 387. in the written, & 493. in the printed copy: It is comparitively ſpoken, all the Statutes, Edicts and Commandements that proceed from Kings, are not to be feared; Saul commanded the Serjeants to lay violent hands on the Prieſts, but they moved not a hand to doe it, 1 Sam. 22. 17. Nebuchadnezzer made a proclamation, that all Nations and kinreds ſhould fall downe and worſhip his golden Image, yet the three children would not doe it, they choſe rather to be caſt into the fiery furnace; Darius made a Decree, none ſhould pray to any God, and yet Daniel he feared not the commandement, ſtill he prayed to the God of Iſrael; ſo Pharaoh gave commandement that the Egyptians children ſhould be throwne into the River, yet Moſes Parents feared God, and choſe rather to obey God then man: If the Kings commandement be according to Gods commandement, then obey it, if it be repugnant, then it is an excellent demand, Acts 4. 19. whether it be right in the ſight of God, to obey you rather then God, judge ye? children, ſaith Paul, obey your parents in the Lord; ſo, Subjects obey your Kings in the Lord; what reaſon is there we ſhould obey man above God? honour Kings as Gods Vice-gerents, be thankfull to God for Kings, yea though they be wicked ones, for a tyranny is better then anarchy; pray for Kings, reverence [Page] Kings, but feare not the earthly King before the heavenly; their breath is in their noſtri [...]l, they are alive to day, and dead to morrow; they have ſtrong hands and long horns to cruſh us with; yet God can dry up their hands, as he did Ieroboams, he can weaken their hornes, that they ſhould not gore us with them; I will tell you, ſaith Chriſt, whom you ſhall feare; not him that can kill the body, and goe no further, but he that can caſt ſoul and body into hell fire; let us feare the King of Kings above earthly Kings; God be thanked, we have a King, whoſe commandements are not contrary to Gods Commandements; but if God in his wrath ſhould ſend us a King as our ſinnes have deſerved, that ſhould command us to goe to Maſſe, to worſhip Images, to kill the Saints of God; let us not feare ſuch Commandements; either our God will deliver us out of their hands, even miraculouſly above our expectation, or elſe take us to himſelfe, and give us a crowne of eternall glory. And page 396. in the written copy, The fierceneſſe of Kings is not to be feared, when the King of Kings ſends us in his buſineſſe, &c. When the blood is heated, the mind incenſed, this is the rage of the King; the King was enraged for anger againſt Moſes, as Lamech ſaid, I would kill a man in my wrath; ſo where is this Moſes? bring him that I may flay him; and no doubt, he beſet the Land, and ſent out purſevants after him unto all places; yet Moſes feared it not; the wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon, yet if it be in Gods cauſe, let us not feare it: The devill is, [...], ſo Chriſt is [...], rapiens, eripiens to deliver us our of his hands; Nebuchadnezzar was wroth with the three children becauſe they would not fall downe and worſhip his golden image, they feared it not: Kings are mighty but God is more mighty; they have long armes that can reach far but God at his pleaſure can dry up their arms, as he dryed up Ieroboams hand, when he ſtretched it out to ſtrike Eſay 51. 1 [...]. the Prophet; they have ſharp hornes, but God can blunt their hornes: Of Lyons, he can make them Lambs, as he did Eſau and Laban; if they will be Lyons ſtill bluſtering and roaring againſt his children, he can ſend out his Angels on the ſodaine to ſmite them as he did Herod and can cauſe the very wormes to devour them: Let us honour Kings, yea though they be enemies to Gods Church, let us reverence their power and authority, but in matters appertaining to the King of Kings, let us not feare the fierceſt of them.

In the ſame Author, we find theſe clauſes likewiſe expunged, Written cop. f. 71. Book f. 396. A King and Queen are but fleſh and blood: Written copy, f. 52. Book f. 91. Art thou a King? yet thy breath is in Gods hand: and written copy, f. 231. Book f. 272. The King that is the breath of our nostrils muſt once dye.

It ſeems Kings in this age muſt be ſo flattered and their power ſo elevated that they muſt be reputed Gods, and not put in mind of their mortality, no nor other men; elſe what meanes the croſſing out of this ſentence in the ſame Author, pag. 380. Ye live baniſht here in Aegypt, ye were ready to ſtarve for hunger, where ye came firſt; ye are now ſeated in Goſhen, entreated curteouſly; yet remember ye muſt depart, and it will be a heavy departing unto you; we are wedded to the world, as to a ſpirituall Aegypt, we have need to be put in mind of our departure from it. Thus the Lord Jeſus ſhewed to Peter that the time was at hand he ſhould lay downe his tabernacle, Luke 9. 31. ſo Philip had [...] Pet. 1. 14 his Uſher, who daily ſaid to him, Memento Philippe te eſſe mortalem.

Did theſe popiſh Inquiſitors (judge you) ever thinke of death or their departure hence, who obliterated ſuch clauſes as theſe?

13. Paſſages deleted againſt Popiſh Blind Obedience.

THe Licenſer expunged this clauſe out of Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrewes; in the written copy, pag. 352. Some bold Papiſts take occaſion from hence to extort, caecam obedientiam, blind obedience: Abraham followed God, not knowing whether he went; ſo you muſt follow your teachers, though you know not whether they call you: There is no conſequence in that, we muſt follow God though we know not whether, muſt we therefore follow men? God is wiſe, men are fooliſh; God is truth men are deceitfull; therefore ſaith the holy Ghoſt, try the ſpirits, whether they be of [Page] God; the Bereans would examine Pauls doctrine by the Scrirtures before they would follow him; ſo muſt we doe; the chicken followes the hen, muſt it therefore follow the Kite too? if God call us, let us goe though we know not whether; he is our Shepheard he will not lead us into ditches or deliver us into the hands of the Wolfe; he is our Father, he will not carry his children where they ſhall be hurt, he is the Eagle; we are his birds, let him carry us whether it pleaſeth him.

14. Paſſages expunged againſt the Papiſts; that Baptiſme onely binds us to obſerve Gods Will and Commandements, and that it abſolves not men from all ſinnes.

IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, chapter 18. verſe 20. this clauſe is obliterated.

Whether doth Baptiſme onely bind us to the obſervance of the will and Commandements of God?

Firſt, Bellarm. l. b. 1. de Baptiſ. cap. 16. anſwears hereunto. That although Chriſtians are bound by ſolemne Vow in Baptiſme to walk in obedience before God and to keep his Commandements, yet are they not therefore freed and exempted from the obſervance of the Lawes and Ordinances of men, which they are bound in conſcience to keep, and that under paine of damnation.

Secondly we anſwer; that Baptiſme onely bindeth us to keep the Commandements of God, and ſo farre forth onely to obey men, as they command things lawfull; but we muſt not be brought in bondage to mens traditions and obſervations, ſeeing we are the Lords free men and by baptiſme are conſecrated to his ſervice; and this we confirme from this place, Goe and teach, baptizing them &c and teaching them to obſerve all that I command you; therfore baptiſme bindeth in only to the obſervation of Gods precepts, 1 Cor. 7. 23. ye are bought with a price, be not the ſervants of men: Baptiſme is a ſigne of the death of Chriſt the price of our redemption therefore we are freed from all meere humane ſervice in the receiving of Baptiſme, and for this cauſe it is called the baptiſme of Chriſt: Augustin (Contr. Petil. lib. 3. 55.) ſaith, Legimus Paulim dixiſſe, Evangelium meum, Baptiſmum autem meum nunquam dixit, &c. i. e. We read Paul to have ſaid my Goſpell, but my Baptiſme never; for never any of the Apoſtles durſt call the Baptiſme of Chriſt their baptiſme; therefore ſeeing it is the Baptiſme of Chriſt, and that we are onely baptized in his name, not in our owne names, or the names of men, we muſt onely hope to be ſaved by ſaith in him and become his ſervants wholly: If the ſtudious Reader would ſee how this anſwer of ours is both maintained and oppoſed. I referre him to Doctor Willets Synopſis, fol. 582 and Ameſius Bellarm. Enervat. tom. 1 page 251, 252.

And in the ſame Author page 18. this ſentence is expunged.

Queſt. 3. Wherein doth Baptiſme excell circumciſion, that thoſe who were circumciſed run thus unto John to be baptized?

Anſw. 1. Pererius the Jeſuit ſaith, there is a three-fold pre-eminence of Baptiſme above Circumciſion, viz. firſt, in the facility and eaſineſſe of it, it not being ſo painfull; ſecondly, in the univerſality of it, it being free for both ſexes and all Nations profeſſing Chriſt; and thirdly, in the efficacy thereof, becauſe Baptiſme abſolveth a man from all ſinne, and the puniſhment thereof.

Secondly, we willingly acknowledge the two firſt poynts of preheminence, but reject juſtly the third, becauſe neither Circumciſion then, nor Baptiſme now hath any ſuch efficacy, actually to give remiſſion of ſinnes; for if it were ſo, then it would follow, that every one who is baptized it ſurely ſaved, his ſinnes being remitted; or elſe, that his ſinnes being remitted returne againe: But God uſeth not, where he hath once forgiven ſinnes, to remember them any more Ezek. 18. 22.

Thirdly Baptiſme we confeſſe in ſignification and repreſentation, is more rich then circumciſion was, waſhing being a more lively reſemblance of our eleanſing in the blood of Chriſt; and beſides, it is a commemoration of a benefit performed, whereas [Page] Circumciſion was a type of the ſame to be exhibited: But for the efficacy there is no difference, ſeeing they both are ſeales and confirmations of faith for the remiſſion of ſinnes, and not actuall conferrers and beſtowers of grace, although they are (by the inſtituti on of Chriſt) meanes and inſtruments of conveying grace upon the elect.

15. Paſſages deleted againſt Becket, Gardener, with other Popiſh Saints, Prelats, Writers, and in defence of Calvin and Luther.

IN Doctor Jones his Comentary upon the Hebrewes, written copy, page 323. this clauſe is totally obliterated.

I pray God there be no ſuch (that knowing the Scriptures and Fathers, ſinne againſt their owne knowledge, and that of malice to the truth) among them (Papiſts) What did Gardener Biſhop of Wincheſter, and Lord Chancelour of England, in Queen Maries dayes, that burnt Cranmer and Hooper; who when Doctor Day Biſhop of Chichester came unto him, lying on his death-bed in desperation, and comforted him with the ſweet mercies of God in Chriſt, he brake forth into this ſpeech; My Lord, you may ſay ſo to a man in my caſe, but open this window once to the people, and farewell all. Did he not deſpiſe the ſpirit of grace, and ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt? Yet I define nothing, I leave him to the ſupreame Judge.

In Doctor Clerks Sermons, page 237. after the word wickedneſſe, theſe words are blotted out, Becket did; 'tis in his name [...] for ſinne, I fetch his name from Hebrew, becauſe I have read his father was a Jew; he ſinned againſt his Country and his King, betrayed both to the Pope, and dyed, though not directly, yet deſervedly.

In Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, fol. 178. the laſt line but two, this is gelded out: Where a Papiſt prayes to any Saint in Heaven: for ſometimes they pray to thoſe who in all probability are in hell, as Thomas Becket, Hildebrand, and divers cheating Impostors.

Doctor Featlies Clavis Myſtica, page 604. Postremum genus eorum eſt, qui oves Christi paſcunt, ſed cibo inſalubri, quo magis inficiuntur quam reficiuntur Christi oves agnique: eorum dico, qui floribus & fructibus Paradiſi aut noxias herb as admiſcent, aut flores Adonidis adſpergunt; cujuſmodi ſunt ista dogmata: Vires liberi arbitrij ab Adami lapſu, ad bonum ſpirituale fract as & debilitat as, non penitus profligatas & amiſſas; labem originis nemini unquam fraudi fuiſſe, unumquemque enim ſuum ſcelus luere: Gratiam novo foedere promiſſam omnibus expoſitam eſſe, nec cuiquam unquam defuiſſe, niſi qui ei defuerit: imputatam Chriſti juſticiam abſque inhaerente non plus prodeſſe quam inducium candidum Aethiopi ſuperinductum: fiduciam ſalutis propria a praeſumptione parum aut nihil differre: Genevates & Presbyterianos infeſtiores Eccleſiae hoſtes quam Pontificios: Calvinum in commentariis foede Hallucinari, non unquam ut ipſorum verbis utar, Judainare, & in multis Arrianizare; quid hoc ſibi vult calumniae? nunquid Calvinus ejuſque diſcipuli, qui in Arrianos non ſtilum modo; ſed & gladium ſtrinxere nuper evaſerunt Arriani? quam praepoſtere, a Bellarminus, Pontificiorum Corypheus hanc notam a quibuſdam imperitis ipſiſque adeo Papiſtis Calvino inuſtam eluit, & qui religionis reformatae a Lib. 3. de Christo, c. 19 vindices audire volunt, banc ei notam inurunt?

Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, in the written copy, page 150. As for the calling of Luther, Calvin, Beza, and of the Miniſters of the Goſpell, it is watrantable by the Word, we can ſhew our letters of Orders from Jeſus Chriſt the great Biſhop of our ſoules.

16. Paſſages deleted concerning Biſhops.

IN Doctor Clarks Sermons, page 173. the Licenſer hath put out theſe words; Why may I not adde a Biſhop too? let another take his Biſhopricke, ſayes Saint Peter, in the Acts, and meanes it of Iudas.

Idem page 398. after Amaſiah, theſe words, Arch-biſhop of that Province, are blotted out.

[Page] Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, in the written Copy, page 138. It may be Biſhops and Arch-biſhops have little feeling of the burden poore Miniſters in the Country are faine to ſuſtaine.

17. Paſſages expunged againſt the Blindneſſe, Superſtition, Idolatrous, Pompous worſhip and Adoration of Papiſts, prophane perſons, Popiſh Saints, Reliques.

IN Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, page 35. 36. written copy, this paſſage is evpunged. Qveſt.

What blindneſſe are we ſubject unto without Chriſt? Anſw.

There is a double blindneſſe, which men are ſubject and incident unto; to wit, Firſt, the blindneſſe of Superſtition, which is apparently ſeen in the Papiſts, who firſt teach us to worſhip Demoniacks, or damned ſoules in hell, or traitors, as Thomas Recket, and impious Gregory the ſeventh, called Heldibrand. And ſecondly, teacheth us to worſhip Chime [...]es, fictious, and things that never were in rerum natura: Thus they teach us to worſhip Saint Chriſtopher, Sanit George, Saint Katherine, and many hundreds more which cannot be proved to have been, or at leaſt, not Saints, but ſome of them grand impoſtors. Thirdly, they teach us to worſhip vile and baſe things, as peeces of rotten wood, making then beleeve they were peeces of Chriſts Croſſe, and old thred-bare garments, for ſome ſacred Veſtments, although the Prieſts themſelves knew them to be otherwiſe; yea the Euchariſticall wafer-cakes, although they have been conſecrated flightly, the Prieſt thinking of ſome other thing elſe, and not intending the conſecration thereof, which (according to their owne doctrine) is not then tranſubſtantiated, and therfore is palpable idolatry to fal down to a bare piece of bread. Fourthly they teach us to place Religion in outward things, as in the obſervation of dayes, meats, apparrell, and the like, Col. 2. 17. 18. None of all which things we are taught to doe in the Word of God, and therefore we had need beware of this blindneſſe of ſuperſtition.

Secondly, there is a blindneſſe of prophaneneſſe, which is twofold; to wit, either Pura negationis, or Pravae dispoſitionis, i. e. either naturall, or affected ignorance: Firſt there is in us a naturall ignorance, we by nature not knowing thoſe things which concerne the glory of God, or our owne ſalvation; and this blindneſſe is in all, even in the elect untill they be enlightned by the Spirit of God. Secondly, there is an affected ignorance, when men refuſe the meanes of knowledge, like thoſe deafe Adders that ſtop their eares againſt the voyce of the charmer, charme he never ſo wiſely: Now this blindneſſe of heart is alſo in every man by nature, for as naturally we know not our duty towards God, ſo naturally we deſire not the knowledge thereof, but are backward and negligent in the uſe of thoſe meanes, which God hath appointed for the curing of this blindneſſe.

And this, Ibidem page 365. Becauſe our Saviour doth acknowledge the powring of this precious oyntment upon him to be a good work, it may therefore be demanded if the Papiſts doe not well, who worſhip the Lord in great coſt and pomp? Firſt, Chriſt prayſed the precious oyntment, not as an ordinary worſhip, which ſhould alwayes afterwards he imitated, but onely as a ſingular miniſtery of his funerall, ver. 12. ſhee did it for my buriall: But Chriſt now is aſcended into Heaven, and is no more to be buried, and therefore this fact of Maries will he no ground for the Popiſh pompom worſhip: Secondly, the Popiſh pompous worſhip is full of ſuperstition and idolatry, but in this anointing there was none, and therefore it will not ſupport their pomp: Thirdly, when Chriſt departed from the world to Heaven, he left behind him in his ſtead the poore, commanding us to honour him by our bounty toward them; and therefore if we would beſtow our liberality aright, we ſhould enrich or refreſh with our ſubſtance the poore members of Chriſt, for he doth accept of that which is done unto them, as done unto himſelfe, Heb. 13. 16.

18. Paſſages deleted againſt Superstitious, Popiſh Ceremonies, and the abolition of them.

[Page]

IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, page 212. this clauſe is obliteraned: Adde nothing unto the Word of God; neither firſt, the chaffe of Superſtition, with the Papiſts, neither ſecondly, Machiavillianiſme and unwarrantable policy, with ſome ſtatiſts; neither thirdly, new opinions.

Secondly, indeed if any ceremony which our Church uſeth, ſhould be abuſed unto Superſtition, or ſuperſtitionſly uſed, and ſo become offenſive unto the beſt and deareſt members of the church, it were then much better to relinquiſh then to retaine them, to aboliſh then to uphold them, as Hezekiah did with the brazen Serpent, when it was abuſed unto idolatry; I ſay, it were better in this eaſe to deſtroy then to enforce them, if authority were ſo pleaſed, &c.

Ibidem page 210. this clauſe is deleated; A man may cenſure his brother for doing that which is indifferent, for in evill intent: as for example; if a Miniſter ſhould wear the Surplice, not for decency, or for obedience to authority, but onely to vex o [...] aſſend ſome who are weake or ſerupulous thereof, he deſerves to be cenſured and blamed, becauſe as much as in us lyes, we muſt offend none.

Ibidem page 267. this paſſage is croſſed out; Queſt. 2. What ſuperſtitious rites are to be aboliſhed in Baptiſme?

Anſw. Thoſe rites which are uſed at this day by the Papiſts, contrary to the inſtitution of Chriſt, and practice of the Apoſtles: Now theſe rites are either before the adminiſtration of the Sacrament, or in the time of the celebration of the Sacrament, or after the celebration thereof.

Firſt, before the celebration of the Sacrament they have theſe ceremonies: firſt, the Prieſt breathes in the child's face, that he may receive the holy Ghoſt; ſecondly, they have their exorciſmes, adjurations, or conjurations, whereby the devill is conjured, adjured, and commanded to depart from the ſoule of the Infant to be baptized, and to give way unto the holy Ghoſt, who now is at hand: thirdly, then the Prieſt reads certaine prayers belonging to this adi [...]ration; and then fourthly, he ſolemnly conſecrates the Font, wherein the water of Baptiſme is.

Secondly, the rites uſed by the Papiſts in the adminiſtration of the Sacrament, are many: Firſt, the Prieſt takes the child by the ſhoulders, and turning his head towards the eaſt, dips his face once in the water, with theſe words; I baptize thee in the name of the Father; Then he turnes the Infants head towards the north, dipping him againe with theſe words? And in the name of the Sonne; laſtly, he bends his head unto the ſouth, dipping him the third time, with theſe words; And the name of the Holy ghoſt: And thus by this threefold turning of the child, is formed or made the croſſe of Chriſt (into whoſe death the Infant is baptized) after the manner in the margent. Secondly, TSouth. North. beſides the Symboll of water in baptiſme, the Papiſts uſe ſalt, which is put into the mouth of the child baptized, which ſignifies wiſdome and prudence of ſpeech, according to the advice of the Apoſſle, Let all your words be ſeaſoned with ſalt, i. e. of divine wiſdome. Thirdly, they then uſe ſpittle, wherewith firſt, the eares are touched, which ſignifies, that he that is baptized, ought to have his eares open to heare the word of God, and the the principles of Religion: And ſecondly, therewith alſo the mouth is touched, together with the word Eph [...]ta, ſignifying, that he ſhould be alwayes prompt and ready to ſpeak of Religion and the word of God. Fourthly, then they make the ſigne of the croſſe, whereof they have a manifold uſe, viz. firſt, they make a croſſe upon the childs breſt, ſignifying thereby, that he ought to have and receive the faith of Chriſt crucified in his heart, according to that of the Apoſtle, With the heart man beleeeves unto righteouſneſſe: Secondly, they make a croſſe upon the childs forehead, which ſignifies, that he muſt not be aſhamed to confeſſe Chriſt, becauſe bluſhing appeares in the forehead, according to that of the Apoſtle, With the mouth confeſſion in made unto ſalvation; now this croſſe is made with the Prieſts thumb: Thirdly, they [Page] make a croſſe upon the eares of the Infant, and this croſſe is made with ſpittle, ſignifying that the eares of his heart ſhould be alwayes ſhut againſt the ſuggeſtions and temptations of Satan: Fourthly, they make a croſſe upon the Infants mouth, and this is made with ſpittle alſo, ſignifying, that the child ſhould have his mouth alwayes ſhut, leaſt he ſhould ſpeak evill words: Fifthly, they make a croſſe with ſpittle upon his noſe alſo, ſignifying thereby, firſt, that he ſhould ſend forth a good ſmell and ſavour of Chriſt in his life and converſation; and ſecondly, that he ſhould frequently offer unto God the fumes and incenſe of devout and holy prayers, by which the devill may be ſmoked out of doors, as Tobie did the evill ſpirit, chap. 6. ver. 16, 17: Sixthly, they make a croſſe upon the childs breſt and ſhoulder blades, with their conjuring oyle, ſignifying thereby, that the party baptized ſhould be ſtrong and couragious in the reſiſting of Satan, and reſolute in bringing forth the fruits of repentance.

Thirdly, after the Sacrament of baptiſme is adminiſtred, the Prieſt doth theſe things unto the party baptized (viz.) firſt, he anoynts him with chryme, or conſecrated oyle, which ſignifies the vertue or grace of the ſpirit of God, which they have received by, and in baptiſme: Secondly, he then gives unto him a white garment, which ſignifies a Sacramentall or Baptiſmall innocency, or that, how he is made pure, innocent and immaculate, both from the guilt and ſtaine of ſinne: Thirdly, he puts into his hand a wax taper, lighted, which ſignifies, firſt, the light of faith, which is given in Baptiſme; and ſecondly, that now he is tranſlated out of the kingdome of darkneſſe into the kingdome of light: Fourthly, ſometimes they give unto ſome milke and honey to taſte, whereby it ſignified, a right or title to eternall life, a figure whereof was the Land of Canaan, which flowed with milk and honey. All theſe and divers other ſuperſtitious rites the Papiſts ſuperſtitiouſly obſerve in the celebration of this Sacrament of Baptiſme, contrary to Chriſts inſtitution and the Apoſtles practice, and therefore there is great reaſon that they ſhould be aboliſhed. If any think I falſifie the Papiſts by what I have ſaid, or deſire to be more throughly informed concerning their practices, additions and ſuperſtitions, ceremonies in this Sacrament of Baptiſme, then let him well conſider theſe Authors and teſtimonies which follow, and he ſhall find all and a great deal more then I have ſet down, Manipulus curatorum de Baptiſme, cap. 8. fol. 14. 15. Pupilla Oculi de Baptiſmo, cap. 7. fol. 8. 9. Tertul. fol. 329. D. 335. D. G. 336. A. B. C. D. 337. A. 341. D. 342. C. E.

19. Paſſages purged out, That the Church is not alwnyes viſible.

IN Maſter Words Comentary upon Matthew, page 173. in the printed copy, this clauſe is blotted out:

A City that is ſet on a hill cannot be hid.

The Papiſts affirme, the Church of Chriſt to be alwayes viſible, and would confirme it from this verſe thus: That which Chriſt ordained to be the light of the world is alwayes Obj. viſible; but Chriſt ordained the church to be the light of the world in this verſe: Therefore the Church is alwayes viſible.

Firſt, the major propoſition is falſe, that every light is alwayes viſible, and therefore although we ſhould grant the Church to be the light of the world, which it is, yet it Anſw. 1. would not follow from thence that it is alwayes viſible, for theſe two cauſes (viz.) firſt becauſe the Sunne and Moon were ordained to be great lights (Gen. 1. 16. & Pſ. 136. 8.) for the governing of day and night, and yet we ſee them often darkned, and ſuffer ſtrong eclipſes; ſo the Church, though it be ordained to enlighten the world, by miniſtring the doctrine of the Scriptures, yet ſometimes it may faile out of mens ſights, as hath been ſhewed elſewhere, viz. upon Matth. 5. 14. Secondly, though the Church be a light, yet ſuch as walk in darkneſſe, loving that better then the light, doe not alwayes ſee it, but went either will or eyes thereto: thus the King of Aram's ſouldiers neither ſaw the Horſes nor Chariots of fire that were round about Eliſha, nor knew that they were in the midſt of Samaria untill their eyes were opened.

Secondly, the minor propoſition is falſe alſo; for although the light of the Church be granted, yet it is not true, that Chriſt our Saviour ordained it is to be alwayes the [Page] light of the world, according to this verſe, yee are the light of the world, for theſe words were ſpoken by Chriſt to his Diſciples, and his purpoſe therein was not to teach what the ſtate of the Church ſhould alwayes be, but to provoke them to conſtancy and holineſſe, becauſe they ſhould be in every mans eyes, and therefore if they chanced to doe otherwiſe then well, it could be concealed no more then the light of the Sunne; now this is nothing to the Churches viſibility: If the Reader deſire to ſee this argument more fully anſwered and enlarged, let him read our cleer and lilly White, in his Way to the true Church, fol. 90 91. 92.

Ibid page 140. this is deleted, Matth. 13. 47. The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Net, &c.

The Papiſts hold, that the true Catholike Church is alwayes viſible and Becanus undertakes to prove it from the Parable thus; Chriſt here compares his Church to a net Obj. caſt into the ſea which gathers of all ſorts of fiſh ſome, now this cannot be underſtood but of the viſible Church, becauſe the Proteſtants, who hold two Churches, the one inviſible the other viſible, doe thus diſtinguſh them; that in the inviſible are onely thoſe who are predeſtinated unto ſalvation, but in the other, namely, the viſible, are good and bad mixed together; but in the Church which our Saviour ſpeaks hereof, are good and bad commixed; and therefore he ſpeaks of the viſible Church, yea and alſo of the true Church; and therefore the true Church is viſible.

Firſt, it is falſe that the Proteſtants hold two diſtinct true Churches.

Secondly, Becanus fights with his owne ſhadow, concluding nothing againſt us; Anſw. 1. neither is this the Queſtion betwixt us and them, Whether the true Church of Chriſt be viſible? but whether the Catholike church be viſible or not? for we diſtinguiſh that ratione praedecati, but this ratione ſubjecti; for this true Church is partly viſible, partly inviſible and the Catholike church is viſible Quantum ad materiale, but inviſible Quantum ad formale, that is, Quatenus eſt Catholica.

Thirdly, that Church in which are good and bad mixed together, is not the Catholike church, but a particular, becauſe the Catholike church is an aſſembly of men, called by an internall vocation, that is, a ſociety or company which conſiſts onely of thoſe, who are both elected and called.

Ibidem page 275. this ſentence is purged out, Matth. 16, 18, 19. Upon this rock, &c.

The Papiſts produce theſe words, ſuper hanc Petram, upon this rock, &c. to prove, Obj. that the true church of Chriſt is alwayes conſpicuous and viſible; arguing thus; whether by this rock upon which Chriſt promiſes to build his church, we underſtand Chriſt or Peter, or Peter's confeſſion; yet alwayes the foundation is ſome ſenſible thing, and therefore the church is ſenſible; becauſe although now we neither ſee Peter nor Chriſt, his Lord, yet then (when Chriſt ſpake this) both of them were obvious to ſight, and now they are ſeene in their Vicar the Pope, Bellarmine de Eccleſ. Milit. lib. 3. ca. 11.

Firſt the Cardinall changeth his tearmes, for it is one thing to be ſenſible, another Anſw. 1. to be viſible: many things being ſenſible which are not viſible, as ſounds, the wind and the like.

Secondly, the foundation of the church is Chriſt, and not Peter, and therefore he begs the Queſtion.

Thirdly, we deny the antecedent, and his probation proves it not, becauſe Chriſt as he was the foundation of the Church, was not viſible; he not being her foundation, as he was man, but as he was God and man; yea he is a Mediator for thoſe who beleeve on him, and not thoſe who ſee him.

Fourthly, the Jeſuit playes the Sophiſter, committing a fallacy Ab hemonyma Eccleſia, the word church being ambiguous, ſignifying either a viſible ſociety (and ſo it ſignifieth not in this place) or elſe the univerſall and myſticall body of Chriſt, and ſo it is taken by our Saviour here.

Ibidem in the written copy, page 87. this ſentence is deleted: Touching the viſibility of the Church, I lay downe theſe propoſitions. Firſt, the inward church of Chriſt [Page] is not to be called viſible, becauſe although their perſons be viſible, yet ſo is not their conjunction with Chriſt their head, that being the internall work of faith, which is not to be ſeen: Secondly, the compleat and moſt univerſall church (from Abel unto the worlds end) may reſpectively be called viſible, namely ſecundum partes, becauſe although the whole never had being in uno i [...]stanti, in one and the ſame moment of time, and therefore could never be ſeene, uno i [...]etu, by any one aſpect or ſight, yet the parts of it (the church [...]tent in every age) have been ſeen in their ſeverall times. And in theſe two the Papiſts I hope will not diſcent: Thirdly, there ſhall be alwayes a true church, &c. not externall and corporall: That the inviſible church of Chriſt is beautifull, appeares by Saint Paul, who cals it pure, without ſpot or wrinkle, Epheſ. 5. 27. and by the pſalmiſt, The Kings daughter is all glorious: and that this beauty is ſpirituall and internall, appeares by the ſame infallible authority, who cals her black and faire, cant. 1. 4. that is, outwardly deformed, but amiable within; and againe moſt plainly, ſhee is glorious, but within, pſal. 45. 13.

20. Paſſages deleted, That wicked men are no true members of the true Church and mysticall Body of Chriſt.

IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon [...], printed copy, fol. 20. this diſcourſe was purged out.

Fifthly, they object this place to prove that wicked men are true members of the Obj. church of Chriſt; arguing that; the church is compared to a b [...]rn-floore, where there is both chaffe and corne, therefore wicked men are members of Chriſt's church.

I have upon Matth. 3. 11. anſwered to the place objected, and alſo to the Anſw. ſcope and drift of the objection, by diſtinguiſhing between the internall and inviſible, externall, and viſible church; I now adde a word or two thereunto by a threefold diſtinction (viz.) firſt, we diſtinguiſh between the catholike church, and a particular church: In the catholike church are onely good men, but in a particular nationall church are both good and bad: Secondly, we di [...]inguiſh between the ſyſteme or whole body of the externall and viſible church, and ſome few particular members thereof, becauſe that doth not alwayes agree to the whole church, which is uſually aſcribed to ſome particular externall members thereof, i. e. the profeſſors of the common faith of the church: Thirdly, we diſtinguiſh between the judgement of charity, and faith; for charity (which is not ſuſpetious, but beleeves all things, and hopes all things) 1 cor. 13. 45. doth often judge many hypocrties and externall profeſſors to be the true members of Chriſt, and the ſheep of his [...]ock; but faith informed by the Word of God, knowe moſt certainly, that no hypocrite or unbeleever, or wicked perſon (ſo long as they con-continue and remaine ſuch) doth belong unto the Eſſence or myſticall body of Chriſt.

And in the written copy, fol. 317. on Matth. 22. 1. this clauſe was deleated by the Licencer.

Bellarmine (lib. 3. de Eccleſ. cap. 7.) objects this place to prove, that wicked men belong unto the Catholike church, becauſe the church here is compared to a marriage Obj. feaſt, wherein not all the gueſts are elected, or inveſted with the marriage robe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, but ſome of them clothed in their rotten ragges, and polluted garments.

This and the like ſimilitudes which are urged by Bellarmine in the place above quoted, doe not ſhew the nature and eſſence [...] eſſentiall properties of the catholike church Anſw. (which the adverſary preſuppoſeth) but onely ſome certaine externall accidents thereof; and therefore they are referred to the externall company of all thoſe, who by the preaching of the Goſpell are in ſome ſort called unto Chriſt, and in ſome manner profeſſe the faith of Chriſt; now nothing hinders, but that in ſuch a company there may be reprobates, who belong not at all unto the eſſence of the true and internall church of Chriſt; and this and the other Parables which Bellarmine produceth makes nothing againſt us, for he ſhould have poored, that there are as well reprobates as elect veſſels [Page] in the catholike church and for the proofe thereof alleageth thoſe places which ſpeak not of the catholike and inviſible church, but of a particular and viſible church, wherein we confeſſe there are both good and bad, yea for the moſt part, more bad then good, but theſe bad ones belong not unto the catholike church, Alsteed. de natura Eccleſ. cap. 6. fol. 130.

21. Paſſages deleted againſt building Churches Eaſt and Weſt, and the ſuperstitious adorning of them with Images and ſuch like popiſh Furniture.

MAſter Ward, on Mat. page 342. It is controverted between us and the Papiſts concerning the formes of churches; and Bellarmine affirmes, that they ſhould be built eaſt and weſt, that ſo when we pray therein, our faces might be turned towards the eaſt; and for the proofe hereof he produceth this place; Ab oriente venturus creditur ad judicium; Ergo: It is beleeved that Chriſt will come unto judgement from the eaſt, therefore we ought to pray towards the eaſt.

Firſt, creditur, it is beleeved (ſaith he) namely, by thoſe who can beleeve what they liſt, though never ſo abſurd.

Secondly, ſuppoſe the antecedent were true, yet the conſequence halts; for although Chriſt ſhould come from the eaſt to judgement, yet it would not follow thence. that therefore we ſhould pray towards the eaſt; we muſt pray unto Chriſt, who is every where in regard of his Deitie, and (according to the Papiſts) in regard of his humanity alſo, and therefore which way ſoever we pray, we look towards him; yea, I imagine that Bellarmine would bluſh to affirme, and be backward to undertake to prove, that Chriſt's ſeat and throne of glory in Heaven is ſeated in the eaſt end thereof, and that the humanity never ſtirres or moves out of that ſeat and part of Heaven,; both which he muſt prove before his argument be of any worth or weight.

Thirdly, the compariſon (in theſe words) betwixt the comming of Chriſt and the lightning, doth not reſpect the place, but the cleare and ſodaine apparition of both, &c. All this is expunged.

In Doctor Featlye's Sermons, this paſſage is deleted, page 225. What meane our adverſaries then to ſpend ſo much in embelliſhing their churches, and ſo little in beautifying their ſoules? to lay out ſo much coſt upon the materiall, and ſo little upon the ſpirituall Temple of God? Their rood-lofts they paint, their pillars they engrave, their timber they carve, their Images they clothe, their pictures they cover, their ſtone Altars they guild, their croſſes they ſet about with jewels and precious ſtones; they have golden Miters, golden Veſſels, golden ſhrines, golden bels, golden ſnuffers, all golden, ſave the ordinary Prieſts: who, if Boniface of Mentz his obſervation be true, for the moſt part are wooden or leaden.

Dicite Pontifices in ſacro quid facit Aurum.

Saint Ambroſe taxing too much ſuperfluity in this kind, ſaith expreſly, That thoſe things pleaſe not God in, or with gold, which can be bought with no gold; if we ſpeak of the true adorning of the Church, it is not with the beauty of pictures, but with holineſſe, not with the luſtre of pearles and precious ſtones, but the ſhining of good works; not with candles and tapers, but with the light of the Word; not with ſweet perfumes, but with the ſavour of life unto life; neither will all the glorious furniture of Solomons Temple make any ſhew for their exceſſe in this kind of their outward deckings; for that furniture was typicall, then the ſervice of God was reſtrained to that Temple, and God himſelfe gave them the modell thereof: Is it not prepoſterous for Chriſtians to goe about to enrich the Goſpell with the beggarly rudiments of the law? what folly is it after they put out the light of the Word, or hide it, as it were, under a buſhell in an unknowne tongue, to ſtick up wax lights at the noon day? to cloth pictures, and to ſuffer the living members of Chriſt to goe naked? to adorne the Images of Saints, and to deface Gods Image in themſelves? to perfume their Churches, and breath out a noy ſome ſavour of impure brothels in their lives? &c.

22. Paſſages expunged againſt evangelicall Councels, tending unto Perfection, Merit, Superogation, and againſt popiſh Vowes.

[Page]

IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, written copy, page 105. this diſcourſe is purged out as heterodox.

He ſhall be called leaſt in the Kingdome of Heaven.

The Papiſts generally urge this place for the eſtabliſhing of their Evangelicall councels Obj. unto perfection.

But there are no ſuch councels as theſe, which the Papiſts would eſtabliſh from this Anſw. place, to wit, firſt, Free, which may be done or not done, as we pleaſe, and that without ſinne: ſecondly, councels unto perfection: and thirdly, unto merit; the truth of this anſwer appeares thus (viz.)

Firſt, becauſe this word Councell, is taken for the feare of God, conſilium preſervabit te, councell ſhall preſerve thee; read Proverbs 2. 11. & 8. 12, 13, 14. & 12. 15. & 19. 20. Heare councell and receive inſtruction: and ſecondly, becauſe no good thing in it ſelfe is free, the Commandements of God being the rule of good, and therefore whatſoever is ſimply good, is poſitively commanded; and what is not included in the morrall law, is not in it ſelfe good, but will worſhip: and thirdly, becauſe every perfection of good is preſcribed and enjoyned, be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect, Matth. 5. 48. ſaith Chriſt: Now although we can never attaine unto this perfection, yet we muſt endeavour thereunto: and fourthly, becauſe we deſerve nothing at Gods hands, but onely by the obedience of the Commandements, i. e; if there be any merit, it is in the obedience of the law; if Adam had merited, it had been by obeying that which was commanded, not that which was not required; for when by ſuch things we deſire to pleaſe God, he will ſay, who hath required theſe things at your hands? Iſa. 1. 12. and therefore little hope can the Papiſts have to merit Heaven by their monaſticall vowes, whether generall or particular.

Firſt, they have generall vowes, namely, firſt, the vow of poverty, and yet ſcarce any faire Mannours richer then their Monaſteries; Secondly chaſtity, which is like a painted Sepulcher, their Abbies and Nunneries being Dens of Sodomites: thirdly, obedience to humane traditions, rather then the commandements of God, whence the rules of Saint Francis or Saint Dominick, or lame Loyola, are more ſtrictly obſerved then the rules of Chriſt or word of God.

Secondly, they have particular vowes, as firſt, not to touch ſilver with their hands, but yet they may receive it in their hoods; ſecondly, not to touch fleſh; thirdly, to weare haire ſhirts, and the like. If the learned Reader deſire further proofe and information in this particular, I referre him to Hospmian de Origine Monachorus: certainly theſe are no Evangelicall councels, although they may truly be called Minima, things of the leaſt moment or importance, which periſh in the uſing, affording neither comfort nor true profit unto the uſer or obſerver of them, &c.

In the ſame Comentary on Matth. 28. 20. written copy, page 405. the Licencer hath gelded out this diſcourſe:

From theſe words (Teaching them to obſerve whatſoever I have commanded you) I lay downe this propoſition, That there are no Evangelicall counſels of perfection unto ſuperogation: for the underſtanding of this, I thus explaine the particulars thereof (viz.)

Firſt, conſilium, or councell, is either firſt, directionis, of direction: and of this theſe ſpeak not; or ſecondly, preſcriptionis, of preſcription, for the preparing and informing of the ſoule, Revel. 3. 18. now this the poſition underſtands, and it is twofold; namely, either firſt, this councell of preſcription is given injunctorie, by way of injunction; and thus we grant that there are Evangelicall councels: or ſecondly, theſe councels are given arbitrarie, arbitrarily, i. e. if we will doe them, we may, if we will not we may chooſe, and that without ſinne: now theſe the poſition ſpeaks, denying that there are my ſuch.

[Page] Secondly, Evangelium, Goſpell, is taken two manner of wayes, namely, either firſt for holy Hiſtory; and thus Goſpell is not here meant: or ſecondly, for the doctrine of Chriſt; and thus it is taken in our Theſis: thirdly perfection, perfection is two fold; namely, either firſt, infinite in God; or ſecondly, finite; and this is either firſt, Patriae of glory, and of our country; which perfection the Angels and Saints have in Heaven; or ſecondly, via, of grace, or of the way; and this is the perfection the Saints have on earth, and it is a perfection either firſt, partium, of parts and kinds; or ſecondly, graduum, of degrees; and this is either firſt, accidentall, which conſiſts in removing of obſtacles and lets, and this we grant: or ſecondly, eſſentiall; and this perfection is either firſt, neceſſary unto ſalvation, which is a full obſervation of the morall law, either by our ſelves or by another; or ſecondly profitable, which is not ſimply neceſſary unto ſalvation, but onely neceſſary for the obtaining of a more excellent degree of glory: now this perfection the Papiſts underſtand in their Evangelicall councels unto perfection, and this perfection in our poſition we utterly deny.

Fourthly ſupererogation, ſupererogation is two fold, to wit, either firſt, gradualis, when we performe the precepts of the law in a higher meaſure and degree then the law requires, and thus our Rhemiſts underſtand the word, 1 cor. 9. 16. or ſecondly, qualificalis, when we doe other good works beſides thoſe which are commanded in the law; and thus Bellarmine underſtands the word, who further alſo ſaith, firſt, that theſe works of ſupererogation, doe merit a greater degree of glory; and alſo ſecondly, that they are communicable even unto others, i. e. that both, firſt, they ſatisfie for the ſinnes of others; and alſo ſecondly, help to ſupply the defects and wants of others, Remiſt. Teſt. 2 cor. 8. 14.

Queſt. Wherein doe we and the Papiſts agree, and wherein doe we differ in this poynt of councels of perfection unto ſupererogation?

Anſw. firſt, we agree in this, that good things are either firſt, abſolutely good, and theſe are commanded; or ſecondly, reſpectively good, in regard of ſome circumſtances, and thus Saint Paul gives councell concerning marriage in the times and places of perſecution, 1 cor. 7.

Secondly, we differ in three things: firſt Re, in the thing it ſelfe; for firſt, Papiſts ſay that councels are better then commands, and that a man ſhall obtaine a higher ſtate and a greater meaſure of glory in Heaven by the obedience of councels, then by the obedience of precepts: ſecondly, we ſay that councels are inferiour to commands, and differ from them, not in obligation, but in the object; becauſe firſt, commandements are concerning things abſolutely good; but ſecondly, councels are of things reſpectively good; which when they are good cannot be omitted without fault.

Secondly, we and the Papiſts differ forma, in the forme of theſe Evangelicall councels; for they ſay they are arbitrary; but we ſay they are enjoyned: and thirdly, we and they differ fine, in the very end of them; for firſt, the Papiſts hold, that firſt, the works of councels merit a ſingular glory and a greater degree thereof; and ſecondly, that they ſatisfie for the temporall puniſhment of ſinne: ſecondly we hold neither of theſe, but onely that they are enjoyned as the works of our office and duty, whenſoever the circumſtances doe concurre, &c.

Ibidem written copy, page 139. this is deleted, ſweare not at all: Obj. Sextus Senenſis; and ſome other Papiſts ſay, that Chriſt here ſets downe a councell of perfection; not forbidding all ſwearing but rather wiſhing that men could ſo live in faith, love and truth, that there might be no uſe of an oath. Anſw. firſt, this is falſe, becauſe Chriſts words are not perſwaſory, but prohibitory, expreſly forbidding ſwearing.

23. Paſſages expunged againſt Popiſh evill Councellours, and the vices of Princes Courts.

IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, page 78, written copy, theſe clauſes are deleted.

[Page] A foole (faith Solomon) breedeth farres among friends, but a Man of wiſdome appea ſeth ſtrife: The firſt we ſee verified in Rehoboams young Councellours, who made a breach and irreconcilable rent between the King and his people, 1 King. 12. and the ſecond in good Abigail, 1 Sam. 25. 18. and in the woman of Tekoah, 2 Sam. 14. Sowers of diſcord are found in the Church or in the Kingdome; in Kingdomes, viz. Firſt, thoſe that long for nothing but warre, blaming a peaceable government and quiet State, and are never well but whiles they are fiſhing in troubled waters: Secondly, thoſe that inſtigate others to warre, as the Cardinals and Jeſuits upon every occaſion doe whiſper in the eates of Princes to make warre upon their neighbours, when they perceive any advantage may be had thereby: Thirdly, thoſe that make themſelves mercenary for the nouriſhing of ſlaughters.

Ibidem on Mat. 11. 7. 8. [...]. this whole diſcourſe is expunged. What went you out to ſee? &c. as theſe words, what went you out to ſee, a reed ſhaken with the wind? may be referred (by way of reproofe) unto the people; ſo alſo theſe, they that weare ſoft clothing are in Kings houſes; doth our Saviour then ſimply tax the pomp and glory of Princes Courts?

Firſt, certainly there is pompe and coſt, and bravery in Princes Courts, which is not unlawfull: and that both becauſe it ſerves to the beauty, glory, and ornament of the place, and alſo becauſe the vulgar ſort are kept thereby the better in obedience and feare: Secondly, yet our Saviour ſeems ex conſequenti, to reprove and condemne the life of Courtiers, or the court-life; went you out to ſee a man clothed in ſoft rayment? behold they that weare ſoft cloathing are in Kings houſes: as if he would ſay, a religious life and a court-life are not alike, for although the pomp, bravery and delights of Kings Courts be not immediately evill in themſelves, yet they leſſe ſuit and agree with Religion: Whence we may note,

That a ſoft, dainty, delicate and court-like life, hinders many from true Religion, or from being truly religious; it being the nature of pleaſure, to draw the mind along with it.

What things are ordinary in a court-life?

In Kings Courts theſe vices are moſt frequent and familiar; namely, firſt pride; it is ordinary with Courtiers to look high, to deſpiſe others, to over-prize themſelves and with Simon Magus to think themſelves ſome great ones, Acts 8. 2. Now Religion teacheth men to be humble and lowly, and to give place one unto another, and to ſtrive one to come after another; and not as many Courtiers frequently doe, who ſtrive, quarrell, juſtle and fight about the wals and precedency, Rom. 12. 10. 46. Secondly avarice, for they which have many things, want many; and they who ſpend much, want much; and according to the Proverb, rob Peter to pay Paul, i. e. extort from others to expend upon themſelves: Now Religion teacheth men to give almes, and to be liberall; but Kings Courts (although they teach not, yet at leaſt) practice rapire, oppreſſion and griping of thoſe under them: Thirdly, pleaſure and delight; as we ſee in Dives, Luke 16. and hence men become more effeminate, unconſtant and unable to ſuffer any afflictions, injuries, wrongs, or the like; whereas Religion teacheth men to ſuffer, and to want, and to be content in all eſtates, Phil. 1. 27. 29. & 4. 10. James 4. 7. &c. yea, the court-life being full of pomp and pleaſure, makes men more unable to reſiſt or withſtand the temptations of Satan, the allurement of the world, or the ſuggeſtions of their owne corrupt nature, and more proue and ready to yeeld unto them: Chriſt the ſecond Adam was tempted in the Wilderneſſe but could not be conquered; but the firſt being aſſaulted in Paradiſe (a place of pleaſure) was eaſily overcome: Fourthly idleneſſe; Courtiers (for the moſt part) are given to eating drinking, ſleeping and gaming, yea like the Iſraelites, ſpend the moſt part of their lives in theſe, Exod. 32. 6. but Religion teaches us to labour and take paines, yea to earne our bread with the ſweat of our browes, Gen. 3. and how can he labour in Religion who will not labour nor take paines in ſome worldly employment: Fifthly flattery; Aio, Aio, Courtiers can fawne and ſooth yea jurare in verba Magiſtri, ſweare what their Lords ſay: Now Religion [...]acheth men to be couragious and bold, yea not to flatter, but rather to reprove offenders [Page] to their face; as Chriſt ſaith, goe and tell Herod that Fox, and John boldly reproved him; for Herodias his brothers wife, and the King being angry with him for this, and caſting him into priſon, yea afterwards beheading him, the Courtiers willingly permitting it.

Who are here to be blamed?

Thoſe who are deceived with the delights of a court-life, for it is not what it ſeems to be, but rather is like to a painted reed, or a beautifull raine-bow, as appeares thus; Firſt, court-favour and felicity laſt not long, for it is as ſlippery as an Ele, as fading as a flower, as brittle as glaſſe, and like graſſe upon the houſe top, which quickly withers. Secondly, court-felicity and delights are evill, corrupting the manners; for firſt, ſome obſerve, that there are but few truly good in Kings Courts: and ſecondly, if they be good at firſt, yet at laſt they are corrupted, as we ſee in Tyberius, Cal-gula, Commodus: Aula vel malos invenit, vel facit, the Court finds ſome bad, and ſo leaves them; the Court finds ſome good, but makes them bad; and therefore who would praiſe that barne or field that changeth the wheat into tares? or that cask that changeth the Wine into vinegar? or that veſſell which changeth the Oyle into Lees? Secondly, they are to blame who delight in proud apparell and fantaſticall faſhions; for firſt, it was never a thing of any good report in Solomon, gorgeous attire is not reproved, but yet we ſee that his bravery, proſperity and court-delights did ſo eneruate and weaken his mind and cauſe him ſo farre to decline, that many have queſtioned, whether ever he were renewed by repentance or not: Secondly, proud and gorgeous attire is alwayes taxed and blamed in Scripture, read Iſa. 3. & 1 Tim. 2. 9. & 1 Pet. 3. 3. Yea thirdly, the bravery and faſhions of the Court are noxious and hurtfull unto the Country, who is too ready to imitate it herein: And fourthly, it is a fooliſh thing for a man to ſeeke praiſe by his apparrell, he being in his richeſt robes, no better then the Crowe, who braved it in borrowed plumes; yea, it is a wicked thing for a man to glory or be proud of his ſhame, as all thoſe doe who are proud of their apparell, it being but a covering of their ſhame, which vaile they had never uſed nor needed if they had not ſinned. Thirdly, they are here faulty who accuſtome themſelves to worldly pleaſures, paſtimes, and delights, as Dives did, Luke 16. for this is a ſtrong cord of vanity, Iſa. 5. 18. and many have been enſnared with lawfull things, whom the devill could never captivate or draw unto groſſe and enormious ſinnes, &c.

In Doctor Clarks Sermons, page 403. this clauſe is deleted: Their Councell will not inform Kings, for Kings have their Confeſſors they will ſay, that office fitteth them; the Courtiers dare not, it may prejudice their preferment: Nay Courtiers are rather corrupters of Kings, they make the King a Saint, an Angell, a God; theſe flatterers Constantine cals ſorices Palatij, the vermine of the Court: and what is adulatio but adaulatio, ſaith the Etymologiſt, to be a flatterer, that is, to be a Courtier, &c.

24. Paſſages deleted, That all things are decreed, and nothing uncertaine to God.

IN M. Wards Comentary on Matth. p. 10. writ. cop. this is deleted: Obj. Gods decrees are ſure, therefore all means are vain. Anſ. 1. If we muſt never uſe the means but in thoſe things where there is no decree, then we muſt never uſe the means at all, for all things are decreed, and there is nothing uncertaine unto God.

25. Paſſages deleted concerning Election, that it is not of foreſeen workes or faith, but onely from Gods free grace: That there is no Ʋniverſall Election, &c.

IN Doctor Clarks ſeventh Sermon, page 63. after theſe words, But of Gods vouchſafeing, the Licenſer hath expunged theſe words following: Not ex praeviſione, but ex dilectione; not by foreſeeing ought in us, but by foreknowing us in Chriſt; peace here againe proud Papiſt, and thruſt not upon God thy works to obtaine this peace; it is ſent to men of good will, not of good works, this peace, &c.

A whole Sermon of his touching election of free grace, not of works or foreſeen [Page] faith, on Rom. 9. was rejected by the Licenſer, and not ſuffered to be printed with his other Sermons.

In Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, 25. 14, 15. printed book, fol. 326. this paſſage is deleted by the Licenſer.

Bellarmine objects this place to prove, that Election or Predeſtination unto life eternall Obſ. is from a foreſight of good works, becauſe the Text ſaith, That the Lord gave unicuique ſecundum propriam virtutem five facultatem, to every one according to his owne ability.

Firſt, this place proves not the poynt, for theſe talents which are given to every one [...], according to his owne ability, doe not ſignifie life eternall: Anſw. and the reaſons hereof are plaine, namely; firſt, becauſe theſe talents were diſtributed and communicated to all the ſervants, both to good and bad, profitable and unprofitable, which cannot be affirmed of life eternall: Secondly, becauſe theſe ſervants were to give an account of theſe talents disburſed unto them, which cannot (without great abſurdity) be affirmed of life eternall: Thirdly, becauſe a reward was given to theſe ſervants who had well imployed their talents after their rendring an account of the imployment thereof; but no reward is to be hoped for or expected after life eternall: and therefore this place proves nothing for ſalvation from a foreſight of works, &c.

Secondly, Maldonate thinks theſe words (according to every mans ability) to be added onely for the making up and perfecting of the Parable, not having any ſignification in the Parable, nor any thing intended thereby; now if Maldodates expoſition of this place be true, then Bellarmines argument is falſly founded hereupon.

Thirdly, by Talents temporall graces may be meant, which God communicates both to good and bad, wicked and righteous; and thus not onely Saint Paul had an externall vocation unto the faith, but alſo Simon Magus; not onely Peter was called to the Apoſtleſhip, but alſo Judas Iſcariot; and hence Fricius expounds this place, Haec Parabola de Talent is docet, dona mortalibus a Deo conceſſa, &c. i. e. This Parable teacheth us, that the gifts which are given by God unto men, if they be be carefully imployed and exerciſed, then they will encreaſe and be confirmed in them, but if they be neglected, they will be loſt and utterly extirpated: whence Saint Paul exhorts Timothy, to ſtirre up and exerciſe the gifts of God in him; and therefore from hence, ſalvation from a forefihgt of works cannot be proved.

Fourthly, Janeſenius by theſe Talents underſtands thoſe gifts, which are called gratiae gratis datae and not thoſe which are called gratiae gratum facientes: and therefore (if he ſay true) Bellarmines argument is grounded upon a falſe foundation.

Fifthly; Ferus expounds theſe words thus, Unicuique ſecundam propriam virtutem, neque enim omnia omnibus conveniunt, &c. to every one according to his proper faculty, becauſe all things are not fit for all men; the body hath many members, and every member his ſeverall office; now if all were an eye, then where ſhould the hand or the foot be? thus he; and his meaning is, that God diſtributes not his Talents, i. e. ſpirituall gifts to all in the ſame meaſure, but in a divers and different, according to their faculty and ability, which is divers, and not in all the ſame; neither is this faculty or ability from thoſe in whom it is, but from him who diſtributes the Talents unto them, and therefore nothing can be concluded from hence for a foreſight of works: If any Reader would ſee a more full expoſition of this verſe, then let him read Doctor Mayer who is large upon it, page 291. 292. 293. if he would ſee a more full anſwer to the Objection, then I referre him to Doctor Sharp, Curſ. Theolog. de Praedeſt. page 28. obj. 15.

Ibidem written copy. fol. 354. on Matth. 25. 34. this clauſe is expunged: Bellarmine Obj. objects this place to prove, that both election and reprobation is from a foreſight of works; arguing thus; God at the day of judgement will no otherwiſe determine of thoſe things which then ſhall be, then as he ha [...] decreed from all eternity becauſe his decree is immutable, James 1. 17. Iſa. 43. 13. & 46. 10. But at the laſt judgement, in the execution of Gods decree, he will ſay, come ye faithfull: Therefore [Page] from eternity God hath decreed, i. e. elected and reprobated for theſe things.

Firſt, the propoſition is true concerning the matter and ſubject of Gods decree, becauſe Anſw. the decree is immutable, but not concerning the forme, becauſe there was one forme of the decree, and there ſhall be another of the execution thereof.

Secondly, if the meaning of the propoſition be, that God will change nothing in the decree, but as he hath decreed all and every thing, ſo according to that decree ſhall the execution of every thing be; then the propoſition is true, but ſo underſtood the argument concludes nothing (viz. againſt us) this onely thence following; therefore as he hath decreed from all eternity to ſave for faith, and to damne for unbeliefe, ſo ſhall the execution of the decree be; which is true, but concernes not the Queſtion in controverſie.

Thirdly, is followes not, Chriſt will ſay, come ye faithfull, &c. come for faiths ſake as for the meritorious or impulſive cauſe: for faith is the onely inſtrumentall cauſe and he intimates the impulſive cauſe, when he ſaith Benedictos patris, ye bleſſed of my Father; where is ſhewne, that their ſalvation did proceed from the free ſavour of God, becauſe God the Father of his free grace hath loved them in Chriſt.

Fourthly, if the Kingdome of God be an inheritance, then it comes or fals unto us, becauſe we are the ſonnes of God by a free adoption: But it is called an inheritance, for he ſaith here, Hereditatis jure poſſidete, poſſeſſe this Kingdome by right of inheritence: Therefore it fals not unto us for our works ſake, but becauſe we are the adopted children of God in Chriſt.

Ibid page 358. on Matth. 25. 39. this ſentence is purged out: It is queſtioned between Queſt. us and the Papiſts, whether election or predeſtination on to life eternall be from Gods free grace, or a foreſight of mans good works and faith?

Firſt, it is agreed upon betwixt us and them, that there are ſome elected and predeſtinated, Anſw. and this is cleere from Mat. 20. 16. & 22. 14. & 24. 31. Rom. 8. 30. Epheſ. 1. 4.

And Secondly, it is agreed betwixt us alſo, that thoſe who are elected and predeſtinated, are elected to an eternall Kingdome, as is plaine from Luke 12. 32. And

Thirdly, it is agreed upon betwixt us, that thoſe who are elected unto life eternall ſhall infallibly and certainly be ſaved, and this is proved from Mat. 24. 22. 24. John 6. 29. & 10. 21. Rom. 8. 24. & 11. 29. This was aſſented unto by the beſt eſteemed Divines in the Councell of Trent, and thought to be catholike, becauſe it was conſonant to the opinion both of Thomas, Scotus, and the moſt School-writers, and alſo to the doctrine of Saint Paul, and Catharinus himſelfe could not deny it; reade the History of the Councell of Trent, lib. 2. page 211. 212. Yea, Bellarmine himſelfe doth affirme as much plainly, De grat. & lib. arbit. lib. 2. cap. 10. which is worth obſerving becauſe elſewhere he contradicts himſelfe, teaching, that the elect may fall from faith and ſalvation, and utterly and eternally loſe both.

Fourthly, the Papiſts affirme, that faith and works foreſeen were the impulſive and moving cauſe of the decree of election unto life everlaſting.

Fifthly, we ſay, that the impulſive, and moving cauſe of the decree of election is only the [...] and good will, and free grace of God, and this we confirme from theſe places, Luke 12. 32. Iohn 15. 16. Rom. 11. 5. Epheſ. 1. 6, &c.

Ibid. page 305. on Matth. 20. 8. Every man received a penny, &c.

The Rhemiſts (upon Rom. 9. 2.) alleage theſe words to prove, That Predestination and Election is from a foreſight of works; they argue thus; the Maſter ſaith, call the labourers Obj. and give them their reward; therefore God from all eternity hath ordained, to give the kingdome of Heaven to thoſe whom he foreſaw ſhould bring forth good fruits and works.

Firſt, our Rhemists doe not prove the poſition controverted between us and them; for the Queſtion is not, Whether God have ordained to give Heaven to thoſe whom he foreſaw ſhould bring forth good works? for this we doubt not of, becauſe the Scripture Anſw. plainly declareth it, Rom. 2. 6. 10. & 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10. but the Queſtion is this, Whether this foreſight of good workes were the cauſe of predeſtination and election? for this we deny, and this if they would doe any thing they ſhould prove.

[Page] Secondly, this place ſpeaks not of predeſtination, but of the execution of predeſtination: Now it followes not, works goe before the execution of predeſtination, therefore before predeſtination it ſelfe: Now that our Saviour ſpeaks here of the execution of predeſtination, is plaine from the very words: for firſt, it is ſaid, that ſome of the Labourers were hired in the morning, and ſome at other houres; and then afterwards, when it was night, the Lord of the Vineyard ſaid to his Steward, Call the Workmen: Now this can no way be underſtood of predeſtination, which was long before the firſt houre of the day.

Thirdly, this place ſheweth, that good workes are the way to Heaven, wherein we muſt walk; but not that the decree of life hath reſpect to good works, for good works goe before the poſſeſſion of Heaven, but not before the decree and ordination.

Fourthly, Saint Ambroſe out of this place frameth a ſtrong contrary argument, proving thereby, that election is altogether of grace, without any reſpect to works, ſee before 2 Anſw. to Obj. 1. fol. 258. a. the laſt line, &c.

Ibidem page 302. this is deleted: Fourthly, the Papiſts are faulty here, who affirme that the decree of ſalvation came from the foreſight of works, and ſo they make them primus Motor.

Ibidem in the written copy, fol. 245. Although we know not the reaſon why the Lord doth it: but more particularly, firſt, we muſt acknowledge the Lord to be juſt in the election of the godly; now the order of election is laid downe, Rom. 8. 29, 30. & Epheſ. 1. 11. from whence and ſome other places, the order may be expreſſed thus, to wit, Firſt, God decreed to make Chriſt the head of his Church, Epheſ. 1. 22. then ſecondly, he ordained and decreed that there ſhould be a Church; and here, firſt, he decreed to create man; ſecondly, to permit him to fall; and thirdly, to repaire and recover ſome from their fall; and fourthly, to endow them with grace and ſaving faith. Secondly, we muſt acknowledge the Lord to be juſt in the reprobation of the wicked. Becauſe the diſſention of Divines is great in this point, I will ſpeak ſparingly thereof, and only lay downe the order of it, as I conceive it to be, and ſo leave it. Firſt, God decreed to create man; and ſecondly, God foreſaw that although man were created pure and immaculate, yet if he were left unto himſelfe, he would fall; and thirdly, God leaves man unto himſelfe, and permits him to fall; and fourthly, determines to offer the meanes of riſing againe, namely, Chriſt, and mercy in him, which he foreſaw would be flighted, and by many not received; then fifthly, for this contempt he juſtly reprobates them.

Ibidem fol. 319. 320. on Matth. 22. 14. It is affirmed by ſome, that there is a univerſall election, againſt which we urge this plaine place; Many are called, but few choſen; which place ſheweth, that although the externall meanes of ſalvation be offered to many, yet not all of them, but ſome onely are elected and choſen unto life.

Huberus hereunto anſwers, that there is, firſt, a general election, which is of all who are called to the Kingdome of God, and outwardly profeſſe obedience; and ſecondly, there is a ſpeciall election, which is of thoſe who obey their calling, and indeed perſevere and continue in the faith unto the end; his meaning is, that few are elected, not in reſpect of any election and ſeparation made in the counſell and decree of God, but becauſe ſome amongſt many perſevere to the end.

Firſt, there can be no ſuch generall election, for what choice is there when all indifferently are received? An election therefore implyeth a receiving of ſome, and a refuſing of others: all therefore cannot be elected: Secondly, this were to confound vocation and election, and to contradict Chriſt, many are called but not many are choſen: to ſay therefore that all or many are choſen, when Chriſt ſaigh, that but ſome, yea few onely are choſen, were to contradict his words: Thirdly, if the ſpeciall election depend upon mans perſeverance and continuance, and not this, rather upon thee (that if ſome are ſaid to be elected, becauſe they perſevere, and not rather to perſevere becauſe they are elected) then are men the cauſe of their own election, and they chuſe God firſt: but this is contrary to the Scriptures, Mat. 20, 15. & i Cor. 4. 7. & 1 Iohn 4. 20. the election therefore, of none dependeth upon their owne will, but upon the good will and pleaſure of God, &c.

[Page] And printed book, fol. 129. written copy, fol, 49. 50. this is raſed out:

Queſt. 2. Whoſe ſinnes doth Chriſt cure?

Anſw. The ſinnes of all men who are elected: for if any of them ſinne, Chriſt will mediate for them, 1 Iohn 2. 1, 2. becauſe he dyed for their ſinnes and ſakes, 2 Cor. 5. 15. (here note that in the two following Queſtions which are let ſtand, the word Elect is foure times obliterated.) Anſw. It appeares that Chriſt purgeth the elect from all ſin, becauſe he doth nothing imperfectly; fruits of holineſſe are to be added, out non Agunt, they are not Agents; Chriſt onely working both the will and the deed, Phili 2. 12. &c.

26. Paſſages againſt Equivocation and Popiſh Writers, expunged.

IN Doctor Clarks tenth Sermon, page 396. the Licenſer hath deleted theſe lines the Authors concluſion of his Sermon: Man ſtrives to give God gifts, many a man, eſpecially the man of ſinne: not the Pope onely, but of the Popes many; many an one labours too be liberall, builds Abbies, Churches, Hoſpitals, ſicut delictum, ita donum. gives bountifully, profuſely to ſatisfie for ſinne; Quis iſta? Who hath required theſe things at their hands? give God what God asks: He askes not thy goods, not thy lands, but thy heart; he cares not for ſacrifice; the Pſalmiſt ſayes, not thouſands of Rammes, not ten thouſand Rivers of Oyle; 'tis the ſacrifice of prayer; the ſpirituall ſacrifice of prayer that pleaſeth him; Hoſea bids offer him the Calves of our lips, that it, prayer and thankſgiving, and yet he cares not for them neither, unleſſe the fire that muſt make them a burnt-offering be kindled from the heart.

To end this, 'tis a marvaile if the falſe equivocating Papiſt takes no hold of this Text, to patronize his perjury; for what is the meaning of his mentall reſervation, but da mihi cor, onely to reſerve his heart unto God; be it never ſo falſe, he ſweares 'tis but juravi lingua, he hath ſinned but with his tongue, but lapſus lingue, his heart aſſented not unto the lye; God craves the heart here, not the tongue; God has his heart, 'tis well: but I feare he equivocates here too, meanes his Lord God the Pope; elſe cozening the Magiſtrate who executes Gods judgement, and ſits upon Gods Throne, and gives him Gods Oath, he but cozens God too; Saint Peter tels him that his Lord Gods predeceſſors, Acts 5. 4. non hominibus ſed Deo, he hath not lyed unto men, but unto God, and ſo conſequently hath given his heart not unto God, but unto the Devill, &c.

27. Paſſages expunged againſt labouring to encreaſe Faith.

IN Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, written copy, page 475. this clauſe is deleated.

Queſt. 3. We ſhould labour for faith and encreaſe thereof; faith is our feale and ſpirituall Unction, whereby we are aſſured of pardon, reconciliation, adoption, juſtification (and after death) of glorification, 1 cor. 1. 21. Now a weak faith cannot aſſure us of theſe; wherefore if we deſire to be certaine of them, we muſt labour to grow up and encreaſe in faith. The next words after Queſt. 3. who are blame-worthy in this particular? Anſw. two ſorts of people; namely, firſt, thoſe who neglect faith, and ſecondly, the Papiſts, with other large ſentences to this effect are obliterated.

28. Paſſages deleted againſt popiſh Fasting.

IN Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, written copy, page 289. this clauſe was obliterated.

Let us avoyd all popiſh errours: Thirdly, they promiſe alſo, who bind themſelves by a vow, not to eat fleſh upon ſome certaine dayes, and upon ſuch dayes have no other [...]are then to abſtain from fleſh onely.

29. Paſſages purged out againſt carnall and unchristian Feares and Popiſh Contrition.

[Page]

IN Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, page 203. in the written copy, the Licenſer hath expunged this diſcourſe: What muſt we not feare? The things in generall which the child of God ſhould not feare are many; but the principle are theſe three; viz. Firſt, he muſt not feare great dangers, yea the loſſe of his life: Secondly, he muſt not feare the loſſe of his riches, wealth or profit: Thirdly, he muſt not feare the favour of men, or the loſſe of the favour of men, Iſa. 5. 7. Ier. 8. 17. How may we be ſecure in dangers and evill if we muſt not feare them? Firſt, if we deſire to be ſecure from evils, then negatively we muſt not raſhly runne into any; either firſt, by an inſenſibility of danger, as Epheſ. 5. 14. when men ſleep in ſinne, and are altogether inſenſible of the danger they are in by reaſon of their ſinnes; or ſecondly, by preſumption, when a man makes a covenant with death, and is at an agreement with hell, Iſa. 28. 14. Rom. 11. 20. or thirdly, by carnall ſecurity, when men think that though they ſinne, yet they ſhall be ſafe and ſaved, as Rom. 6. 1. 15. Prov. 20. 14. Secondly, the particular and affirmative meanes to be freed from all evils are theſe; namely, firſt, faith and an internall and ſpirituall covenant with God; for unto ſuch as beleeve in God, and have made a covenant with him, many gracious promiſes are made in the Word, of help and ſuccour; and ſecondly, piety and a holy life, Iſa. 44. 2. & 51. 7. and thirdly, Hope fixed and built upon the promiſes of the Word. Ioſh. 1. 5. & Heb. 13. 5. and fourthly, a remembrance of the Lords aſſiſtance and ſuccour, either towards our ſelves in former times, or towards ſome other, as Deut. 7. 18. and fifthly, prayer unto God for help and ayd, as Iacob did; Gen. 32. 9, &c. & Dan. 6. 10. and the Apoſtles Acts 4. 14. &c. Wherefore if we deſire to be preſerved from all danger and evill, we muſt enter into a new covenant with the Lord our God, and beleeve in him: we muſt labour that our lives may be holy, pure and [...], and then hope confidently upon the promiſes which God hath made to ſuch; we muſt remember the many examples we have of Gods gracious aſſiſtance towards many in his Word: And laſtly we muſt pray that if we be free from corporall evils, the Lord would be pleaſed ſtill to preſerve a [...], and if any evill lye upon us, that he would deliver us.

So on Matthew 25. 25. page 331. this clauſe is purged out: The Papiſts ſay that there is a contrition which ariſeth ſimply and onely from the feare of puniſhment, which is good; and we ſay, that the feare of puniſhment at firſt is profitable, but after the love of God is entred into the ſoule, all feare of hell and damnation, which breedeth terrors and affrights of conſcience is expelled by love; this we confirme from this place thus, The ſlothfull ſervant ſaith to his Maſter, I knew that thou waſt an hard man, &c. and therefore I was afraid: Now this ſervant was not commended for this feare, but blamed and reproved, and caſt into utter darkneſſe; for his Maſter ſaith, thou evill and ſlothfull ſervant: and Origen hereof writeth well, non eſt honus hujuſmodi timor, &c. Neither is the feare good, neither doth it deliver from outward darkneſſe, Origen tract. 33. in Matth. Bellarmine replieth hereunto, that to feare God cannot be evill; but they who have this ſervile feare, doe notwithſtanding feare God: Ergo. Bellar. de poeuit. lib. 2. cap. 28. Firſt, the devill feares God and trembles, Iames 2. 12. and yet the Jeſuit would bluſh to ſay, that there is any good feare in Devils; Secondly, it is falſe that ſuch as thoſe feare God, for they feare not him but hell; and if there were no hell they would not feare him at all.

30. Paſſages deleted againſt Free-will, Reſisting grace, &c.

IN Doctor Featlyes Clavis Myſtica, page 604. Doctor Bray deleted theſe clauſes: Postremum genus corum eſt, qui oves Christi paſcunt, ſed cibo inſalubri, quo magis inficiuntur, quam reficiuntur Chriſti oves agnique; corum dico, qui floribus & fructibus Paradiſi aut noxias herb as admiſcent, aut flores Adonidis aspergunt; cujuſmodi ſunt iſt a dogmata, Vires liberi arbitrij ab Adami lapſu ad bonum ſpirituale fract as & [Page] debilitat as, non penitus profligat as & amiſſas, &c. And page 894. I told you before, that this was a wet ſtep, and many have here ſlipt; for ſome odiouſly object, that unleſle we will grant univerſall grace, and a power in the will of man to reſiſt and fruſtrate the work of the Spirit in our converſion, and that unleſſe theſe Jewes had ſufficient grace offered them to repent them of their ſinnes and thereby prevent this their finall overthrow, the prediction of our Saviour was to no end and purpoſe; nay, that his teares over Ieruſalem might ſeem like to thoſe which Iulius Caeſar ſhed for Pompey's death, who yet himſelfe procured it, or might have hindred it if he would; did not Chriſt (ſay they) foreſee and decree the deſtruction of Ieruſalem? how then doth he bemoane it with teares? &c.

Maſter Ward part 2. page 4. Queſt. 2. Why doe ſo few (if thoſe many who are called unto the profeſſion of Chriſt) perſevere unto the end? Anſw. Becauſe the gift of perſeverance is great, and but given to a few; I ſay great, becauſe it is greater then the gift of free-will (Auguſt. Corrupt & grat. 13.) for firſt, this was given unto Adam at the firſt, but not that Adam in his framing being endued with freewill, which he loſt by his fall but not with perſeverance, for then he could not have fallen. Here there is indeed pride in Religion, when God muſt be content either to accept of will-worſhip, and a free-will offering, or elſe he ſhall have nothing, &c.

31. A Clauſe expunged againſt Flagellant Fryars.

IN Doctor Clarks Sermons, page 148. After theſe words, both ſacrifice and Prieſt, this is expunged, To this end, I think the Fryars Flagellant never read this Text, why whip they elſe themſelves, but to heale themſelves by their owne blood; happily they will not be beholding unto Chriſt, they will be healed by ſtripes, but not by his. Thus much for the Phiſician, &c.

32. That God is not the Author of ſinne, deleted.

IN Doctor Claks Sermons, page 132. after theſe words, Gods owne works, the Licenſer hath expunged theſe lines following; Melanchton ſayes (Papiſts, ſay he ſayes it) and it is ſinne, then God muſt cry peccavi too; for that they inferre that we make God anther of ſinne; ſtrange they ſhould ſtudy ſchool-divinity ſo much, as not be able to distinguiſh between the Action, and the privity of the Action, between Actus and defectus, the Act and deformity: I preſume they will not learne of us, we Calviniſts are aſſes, they have all the learning; let Snarez teach them, a Jeſuit, that God doth operari Actum peceati, but not malitiam; the Act of Judas his delivery of Chriſt, that was of God; but the wickedneſſe of his heart in delivering him, that was of Satan and himſelfe: God is Author operis, but not ſceleris; Zuinglius, diſtinction, the operation, God's; the aberration ours.

33. Clauſes deleted and altered againſt Ʋniverſall grace, Ʋniverſall Redemption and Election, and reſisting Grace.

IN Doctor Clarks ſecond Sermon of the Nativity, page 6. after halfe of one world, inſtead of this parentheſis (for the Elect are few compared with the Reprobate) the Licenſer hath put in the parentheſis (nay not halfe, for how ſmall an handfull is man compared with other creatures?) &c.

Ibidem page 17. after to men onely, inſtead of theſe words, but not all, the Licenſer hath altered the Authors mind, and made him to ſay, to men onely, and to all; then ſhould follow this excellent paſſage which the Licenſer hath expunged: Pelagius the old Heretick, and all that are Minions to Pelagius, hold Chriſt was both natus & datus both borne, ſlame and ſuffered for all men, even for the reprobate, a reprobate, hereſie; Paul's place ſeems pat for them, 1 Tim. 4. 10. God's ſaid to be the Saviour of all men, not of beleevers onely: but all orthodox expoſitors conſter a Saviour there, to meane but a preſerver: No it is Chriſt there that is called ſo, but Gods preſerving providence [Page] looks indifferently [...] all: And Saint Ambroſe expounds it of Gods gracious goodneſſe not of his ſaving health,: God is good to all his creatures: will Grand a petty Papist he ſo ſenſeleſſe as to ſay, Chriſt is the Saviour of the bruit creatures? yet David ſaith in the Pſalmes, that the Lord ſaveth both man and beaſt; firſt, preſerveth them; but the main pillar of this Papiſt paradox is another place of Pauls, who wil have Pantas Authopus All men to be ſaved, 1 Tim. 2. That's their Acchibilleom, they ſayunan ſwerable; but theres no poynt of popery more curiouſly and ſoundly anſwered then that; yet to mans comfort, and Gods glory: we ſay too in ſome ſenſe, that the Nobis here meanes emnibus, the child was borne for all men: but then we meane all men, as the ſchoole it ſelfe diſtinguiſheth, not fingulos genetum, but genera ſingulorum, not every ſeverall man, but ſome of every ſort, &c.

Ibidem page 17. in ſtead of, to ſome of all Nations, the Licenſer ſayes, admini [...]um to men of all Nations, &c.

Ibidem page 69. l. 1. after theſe words, but to men of grace, the Licenſer hath blotted out as followeth: Nor let the Lutheran hold univerſall grace, this phraſe confounds him too: As fides is not omnium, all men have not faith, ſo all men have not peace, God ſendeth it onely unto men, benae voluncotis, ſuch as he ſpecially hath called out in Chriſt; peace is confirmed to faith; many other graces are conferred on all promiſcuouſly, but peace, Gods pardon is but ſent to ſome; they are beleevers: Gods reconciliation is their appropriation, whom God hath vouchſafe to be men of his good will. This ſubject I have handled ſometime heretofore; to conclude it and my Text. God doth not prostitute his peace to all, as the Harlot doth her body, who (as the Prophet ſpeaks) openeth her feet to every ſtranger: Peace it a ſaving grace, and therefore ſent onely to them that ſhall be ſaved; ſalvation is proper to the elect alone, and God elected none but whom he loved; Gods love and his good will I cannot ſever them, for himſelfe couples them, Matth. 3. This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleaſed, &c.

Ibid. page 91. l. 6. after theſe words, no man damned, the Licenſer hath expunged theſe following words: Not all, that is, every; it is not ſingulis, but omnibus not every ſeverall perſon, but all ſorts of men, the terme ſo taken in many other Texts; too tedious to cite: grace hath decreed ſalvation to all men, that is, as Divines doe commonly diſtinguiſh, not ſingulis generum, but generibus ſingulorum, not to all perſons, but to all kinds; the terme is to be taken, not individuatly, but generally; theſe words, but to all men, the Licenſer added, &c.

In Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, chap. 20. v. 11. They murmured againſt the good man of the houſe: this ſentence is expunged.

Queſt. To whom may theſe words be fitly applied, or who are like to theſe murmurers?

Anſw. It may aptly be applyed to thoſe who accuſe the election and reprobation of God, of injuſtice, becauſe he gives unequall rewards to equall deſervers: they argue thus; he who gives aqual [...]bus inaqualia, unequall rewards to equall deſervers, is unjuſt; but if all men be equall and alike in Adam, and yet of them God chooſeth ſome, and refuſeth others, he thereby giveth unequall rewards to equall deſervers; and therefore in ſo doing is unjuſt: But the Major propoſition here is true onely of him who gives unequall rewards to equall deſervers of debt, or contrary to his bargaine; and therefore it is moſt falſe of God, who gives nothing either of debtor againſt his covenant; we muſt not ſay that God is unjuſt; becauſe he gives freely unto ſome, riches, honour, power, health, learning, wiſdome, and the like, and not unto others, or becauſe he pittieth ſome and paſſeth by others, ſeeing that he is debter to none: ye [...] from this Parable it may evidently be proved, that although the Lordelect ſome unto life, and not others; yet he is injurious unto none: for firſt, he is not bound to elect any, and ſecondly, unto thoſe whom he doth elect, he doth more then he needeth, or, is bound to doe; and thirdly, becauſe he gives election and life eternall to whom he will; and fourthly, becauſe he is the abſolute Lord over all creatures, and therefore he may diſpoſe of men as he pleaſeth; and fifthly, becauſe thoſe who jarre at the Lords bounty and mercy, ſhew themſelves to be envious, and are indeed injurious both againſt God and their neighbours, Parens ſ. fol. 797. a. &c.

[Page] Ibidem on Matth. 25. 24. page 331. To him that hath ſhall be given: this clauſe is purged out; Some object theſe words to prove, that God will give greater grace unto him, or beſtow greater upon him who hath well uſed the light of nature. Anſw. By theſe Talents, are here underſtood the gifts of God, and eſpecially the knowledge of God by the Goſpell; which knowledge he is ſaid to hide, who doth detaine the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, and doth keep in the knowne truth: that Talent therefore cannot be that ſufficient grace which they ſay doth happen to Inſidels and unregenerate perſons, but that grace which God doth beſtow upon his domeſticall ſervants: neither by him that hath, is underſtood a man in his meere naturals, or ſome heathen man furniſhed with ſufficient grace, but a man furniſhed with the knowledge of the Goſpell, which is given to one for that end that by edifying his Neighbour he might ſpread that knowledge ſo farre abroad, and like mony put out to uſe, it might be encreaſed with many additions.

And Ibidem on Matth. 23. 37. O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, how gladly would I! &c. Bellarmine obiects this place to prove, that God gives to every man ſufficient grace to be ſaved if he will; arguing thus; how often (ſaith our Savoiur) would I have gathered thy children together, but ye would not? how would God gather the children of Jeruſalem? yea ſo would doe it, that he complaines of them who would not, if thoſe whom he knew could not will it, he did not ſo help that they could will it, and therefore they wanted not ſufficient grace: A. Our Saviour in this place ſpeaks of all the Jews who oppoſe themſelves againſt him and his Prophets, and there were ſome amongſt them who were not free from blaſphemy againſt the holy Ghoſt, as Chriſt himſelfe witneſſeth, Matth. 12. 31. which ſhall never be forgotton: Now none will ſay that ſuch ſinners as thoſe were endued with ſufficient grace, except thoſe onely who with Pelagius call grace nature: and I will not charge Bellarmine with this, becauſe (Bel [...] de Grat. primi hom. cap. 6.) diſtinguiſhes thus between grace and nature, Peccatis graviſſimis amittitur donum gratiae ſupernaturalis; ſed non corrumpitur donum aliquod naturale: i. e. By hainous offences and crimes, a man may loſe the gift of ſupernaturall grace, but not any naturall endowment or gift; now if there be any ſinne or ſtate of ſinne which doth exclude grace, then there were many in Ieruſalem who had not ſufficient grace: But concerning the true meaning of this verſe, I ſhall ſpeak more by and by.

Obj. 2. This place is further objected to prove, that a man may reſiſt his effectuall calling if he will; Hemingius (de Grat. univerſali page 117.) argues to this end thus; Our Saviour faith, O Ieruſalem, how often would I have gathered thy children, &c. and thou wouldſt not? wherefore if they would, they might have been ſaved; it is therefore in mans power to reſiſt his vocation.

Anſw. Firſt, if men might enjoy Heaven if they would, and wittingly and willingly runne unto Hell, they are neither worthy of mercy from God, nor pitty from men: But ſecondly, it is true, that it is not for any defect or want of grace on Gods behalfe, that many being called beleeve not, but the defect is in themſelves; there is no defect properly in God, for his calling is ſufficient unto all,; but that it is effectuall to ſome and not to others, commeth of their owne corruption and evilneſſe of nature, which God taketh away and healeth in whom he pleaſes, and ſuffereth the reſt to remaine in their hardneſſe of heart: Thirdly, there is a ſufficient calling for all, when God offereth the externall meanes of ſalvation, whereby all might come thereunto if they had grace; Now this calling may be reſiſted by men whom God juſtly leaveth unto themſelves: There is alſo an effectuall calling, when as God worketh inwardly by the efficacy of his ſpirit, drawing his elect, and of unwilling, maketh them willing to obey their calling: and thus onely the elect are called, and this calling cannot be reſiſted, as appeares by theſe words of our Saviours, Many are called; namely, ſufficiently on Gods behalfe; but few are choſen; that is, effectually called, as the elect onely are: Now the firſt of theſe callings was offered to Jeruſalem: Fourthly, that Gods effectuall and gracious calling of election cannot be reſiſted, is cleer from Scripture; No man (ſaith the Apoſtle) hath reſisted God's will: but as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Whatſoever pleaſed him, that [Page] did he in heaven and earth: whom it pleaſed God therefore to ſave and call by his grace they ſhall be ſaved and called, &c.

In Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, this clauſe is raced out, in the copy, page 283. But whoſe ſinnes did Chriſt remit in his offering? The ſinnes of many, not of all; Some deliver this peremptory doctrine, that he dyed as well for Caine as Abel, for Saul as David, for Judas as Peter: Indeed the diſtinction of the School-men is not wholly to be rejected, that Chriſt dyed, quoad efficaciam, only for the elect, quoad ſufficientiam, for all; yet properly to ſpeak, he dyed properly for the ſinnes of the elect, for the Scripture is evident, that the benefit of Chriſts death reacheth to the faithfull alone; to as many as beleeved in him, he gave this power to be called the ſonnes of God; that whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhould not periſh; the cup of the new Testament, ſhed for many; I pray for them, I pray not for the world; and doe you think that he would ſhed his blood for the wicked of the world? If we will have any comfort by the paſſion of Chriſt let us examine our ſelves whether we have any fruit of it or not; canſt thou ſay with Job, I know that my Redeemer liveth; with Paul, I live, yet not I but Chriſt in me? then Chriſt was offered for thy ſinnes, then all thy ſinnes were nailed to his croſſe, and not one of them ſhall be laid to thy charge at the day of judgement. This may be a ſingular comfort to Gods choſen children: in many things we ſinne all, The juſt man falleth ſeven times a day; but here is our comfort, Chriſt hath taken away our ſinnes; Caine cryed out, my ſinne is greater then I can beare; we need not take up that lamentable cry, for Chriſt hath taken away our ſinnes: O death where is thy ſting? thanks he to God that giveth us victory through Jeſus Chriſt, &c.

Ibidem page 269. Many are called by the Word preached, but are not called by the Spirit, &c.

34. Paſſages deleted concerning hearing Gods word.

In Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, written copy, page 235. this is expunged: The hearing of the Word is neceſſary unto the knowledge of God: It may here be objected, we can learne this knowledge nostro Marte, by our owne reading and ſtudy, and comparing one thing with another, and therefore the preaching of the Word is not neceſſary. Anſw. Firſt, certainly by thoſe meanes men may learne the principles of Religion, and the propoſitions of faith and obedience: Secondly, but the knowledge of God and Chriſt is a greater thing, yea a ſpirituall thing, which is onely revealed from Heaven, Matth. 16. 17. which revelation Chriſt promiſes in the miniſtery of the Word, 2 Cor. 3. 6. Thirdly, they that know not the Goſpell, are ignorant of the power, vertue and wiſdome of God: and therefore the greateſt Schollers in the Univerſities, and the wiſeſt in the Court, or Temples, or Innes of Court, ſhould heare willingly (without contempt, deriſion and ſcorne) the Sermons of the meaneſt Schollers or gifted Miniſters (that are called by God to the work of the Miniſtery, as Aaron was) becauſe in the preaching of the Word, God hath promiſed to make knowne his power, &c.

Ibidem written copy, fol. 227. this is likewiſe croſſed out.

Queſt. What is required here of no?

Anſw. Firſt, we muſt take heed of all evill hearing, that is, reſtraine and keep our eares from wicked councels, perſwaſions, allurements and provocations unto ſinne, Prov. 1. 10. Dout. 13. 1. &c. Xenocrates Amphotidus did rather chooſe to perſwade children then men, becauſe the manners of the men are ſo corrupted that he had no hope to peſwade or prevaile with them (Plutarch de Inſtit. liber:) but the children being free from evill habits, were more eaſily perſwaded and drawne to embrace morall [...]; ſo the way for the eare to receive and entertaine good words, yea Gods good Word, i [...] to preſerve, keep and ſtop it from hearing all evill words whatſoever as much as in no lyeth: Secondly, we muſt accuſtome our ſelves to heare that which is good, Prov. 4. 20.

Queſt. How may we know whether Chriſt hath opened our eares and cured the deafneſſe of our ſoules or not?

[Page] Anſw. Firſt, ſome heare amiſſe; as for example: Firſt, ſome diſlike and diſtaſte Sermons, either becauſe they are ſo common and ordinary, or becauſe they are ſometimes ſomething long: Secondly, ſome love not preaching, neither deſire it, and therefore heare it with a great deale of tediouſneſſe and wearineſſe: Thirdly, ſome deſire it amiſſe, or affect it for ſome evill end, or baſe or by reſpect: Fourthly, ſome carp at the word they heare: Fifthly, ſome deride the word they heare: Sixthly, ſome heare only for ſome table-talk: Seventhly, ſome heare that they may learne by ſome wreſted argument or other to maintaine or defend their ſinnes: Eighthly, ſome heare that they may be delighted, that is, they deſire rhetorick, wit, eloquence, ſtrong lines, near, acute, poliſhed phraſes, that thereby their itching eares might be tickled, and delighted, Ezek. 33. 32. but non delectent verba ſed proſint, Senec. words ſhould profit rather then pleaſe. Secondly, good hearing hath many properties whereby it may be known; as 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.

[Page]

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 [...]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, lets 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 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 [Page] 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 Almeſdeeds; 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,

[Page] 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 [...]s from God for our works, as Saint Elzear [...]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 m [...]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 Bellarmine (lib. 4. de juſtif. cap. 5.) argues thus; The Scripture calleth the works of the righteous abſolutely good works, as in this verſe (that they ſeeing your good works:) But if all the good works of the righteous be mixed with mortall ſ [...]nne, then they are rather to be called evill then good works: This he proves from another (viz. ex Areopag [...]a quarto de divinis nominibus, Quia malu [...] dicatur opus abſolte niſi integre fic bonum: becauſe except a work be perfectly good, it is abſolutely called evill: Firſt, this phraſe works are abſolutely called good, is Amphibola and doubtfull, ſometimes ſignifying the works which are good, ſimple; and ſometimes thoſe which are good in part. Secondly, works are called good, either firſt, indefinitely, as they are commanded in and by the law; or ſecondly peculiarly, as they are performed by ſome ſingular perſons; as it is one thing to deſire vertue in generall and another the vertue of Alcihiades or Socrates; as it is one thing to commend learning in generall, another the learning of Plato or Cicero: ſo it is one thing to ſpeak of good works in generall, another of the good works of Peter, John or Paul.

Thirdly, theſe things premiſed, we grant, that works are abſolutely called good taken indefinitely and as they are commanded; yea this verſe proves it, which ſpeaks not of works done by any particular perſon, but of thoſe which men ought to doe; there is none of ſound judgement can deny or doubt, but that we are ſo debters unto the Law, that we ought not onely to begin, but alſo to perfect that which the Law preſcribes as perfectly good, and in all the parts thereof abſolute; but he were of unſound [Page] judgement that hence would conclude, becauſe it is our duty to doe it, therefore we doe it, for Saint Paul confeſſeth, that he doth not onely the good which he ought, but which he would doe: Thus I ſay, if we conſider the works as they are enjoyned, it is true that they may be called abſolutely good; but if we underſtand particularly the works of this or that man, then we deny that ever the Scripture cals them abſolutely good, neither doth the Cardinall prove this, becauſe (as was ſaid before) this place ſpeaks not of what is done, but of what ought to be done, Chamier, T [...]n. 3. fol. 360. 1. 2. 3. de Imperfect. Op. lib. 11. cap. 23.

Fourthly, our work which we doe are called good in Scripture; Non ſecundum perfectam justitiam, ſed hanc quae bumanae fragilitati competit (Hier. Dialog, 1. Contr. Pelag.) not according to perfect righteouſneſſe, but as it is agreeable to our humane frailty; or, they are good in part, though not perfectly. Becanus yet urgeth this place for the proofe of this opinion of perfection of works; diſputing thus: The Apoſtles are commanded ſo to ſhine before men, that they may ſee their good works, and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven: But how ſhall men ſee their good works, if they all be damnable? or how ſhall their heavenly Father be glorified, if all they doe be contaminated and defiled with ſinne? Anſw. We muſt diſtinguiſh between humane and divine judgement; men ſee mens works as they are outwardly, and can goe no further, they onely perceive what is obvious to their ſenſes, and can neither ſee the heart, nor know whether that which is done be done according to all the circumſtances that are required thereunto. Now true righteouſneſſe is proper unto the heart, and it is the circumſtances that make the work more or leſſer, good or bad: and therefore although men ſee the good works of the righteous, which outwardly they ſhew forth and glorifie God for them, yet it followes not hence, therefore thoſe works are in Gods ſight perfectly good, &c.

Ibidem fol. 185. this is croſſed out: The morall law was a bond of ſalvation unto Adam Rom. 2. 13. and of death, Gal. 3. 10. but is now abrogated by Chriſt, in regard of the conditions, we being now justified onely by faith.

Ibidem on Matth. 12. ver. 27. written copy page 251. this diſcourſe is obliterated: By thy words thou ſhalt bo justified.

Queſt. What is the matter or materiall cauſe of our juſtification?

Anſw. Firſt, ſome ſay that the onely act of mans heart in beleeving is the matter of it. Secondly, ſome ſay that partly faith and partly Chriſts obedience is the matter of our righteouſneſſe. Thirdly, ſome ſay that the works of the law done by man, are the matter of our righteouſneſſe. Now all theſe three opinions are ſufficiently refuted by Maſter Forb's of Justification, cap. 22. page 77. to whom I referre the Reader. Fourthly, we ſay that onely Chriſt in his obedience, is the whole matter of our righteouſneſſe, and that nothing in Heaven or in earth, in man or without man, is the matter of mans righteouſneſſe before God, except onely Chriſt; this being amply handled and proved by Forbes, cap. 23. 24. and his book being in Engliſh and eaſie to be had, I referre the Reader thereunto, &c.

Ibidem written copy page 68. this is croſſed out by the Licenſer:

Thirdly, the Lord having converted and regenerated us, we are onely able to bring forth good works, for non precedunt juſtificandum, ſed ſequentur juſtificatum, Aug. good works march not before as cauſes of our juſtification, but follow as fruits or ſigns of our ſanctification, &c.

And page 336. Anſw. 1. They (good works) are the way and meanes unto this Kingdome, but I doe not give or grant this and that; Firſt, becauſe that which is but onely a meanes, is not at all a ſufficient cauſe: and Secondly, becauſe if we ſhould grant this then the Papiſts would have what they deſired; for they ſay, that good works are neceſſary to ſalvation. Non modo neceſſitate preſentiae, ſed neceſſitate efficienciae, Bellarm. de Juſtific. lib. 4. cap. 1. The way which leads to London, is indeed a meanes of comming to London, but not the efficient cauſe, Neque enim facit ſed patitur, ut quis veniat Londinum; for when a man comes thereunto, the way doth nothing but onely ſuffers, and therefore [...]he way thereunto is more rightly called cauſa ſine qua non, Parens ſ. fol. 848. b. &c.

[Page] In Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, page 58. theſe clauſes are purged out: By grace you are ſaved, not by works; any kind of way, let us not part ſtakes with the Lord, and give halfe to our ſelves, and halfe to the Lord, as the Papists doe.

Page 208. Our beſt works are defiled with ſinne, ſaith the copy; too often defiled, ſaith the Licenſer, &c.

Page 247. Our praying, preaching, hearing of Sermons, and beſt works are unprofitable to bring us to the Kingdome of Heaven; they may be ſeales of our election, but no cauſes of our ſalvation.

Page 253. The old Covenant depended on working; doe this and live; the new requireth nothing but faith, &c.

Page 339. Here we may behold what reckoning is to be made of the works of the unregerate, though they ſeeme never ſo glorious to the eyes of the world: God ſets not a ſtraw by them, no more then he did by the ſacrifices of the Pagans; nor their works be not meritorious, becauſe they proceed from an heart void of faith: yet they affirme them to be good works, and ſuch as pleaſe God: truly they be as pleaſing to him as the ſacrifice of Caine was, they are no better then fine gliſtering ſinnes; they want faith, therefore they cannot pleaſe God; nothing that we doe without faith hath any acceptance with God: It is ſaid of the ancient Iſraelites, that the Word profited them not, becauſe it was not mingled with faith, nor ſacrifice; in the time of the Law nothing was good unleſſe there were ſalt in it, ſo no work is good if it be not ſeaſoned with faith; therefore let us entreat the Lord to give us a true faith in Chriſt, that ſo our ſpirituall ſacrifices may be accepted of him.

And page 410. though the blind Papiſts will not ſee it, but we affirme, that our beſt works are defiled with ſinne; our preaching, our praying, our giving of almes hearing of Sermons, yea martyrdome, which is the moſt glorious work of all, may have ſome contagion of ſinne in it, our bearing of ſickneſſe may have ſome infirmities, we may curſe God in it, as Job's Wife perſwaded him to doe: and if God ſhould mark what is done amiſſe, who could ſtand? But here is his goodneſſe, he ſaw a lye in the work of Rahab, yet he commends it for a good work; he ſeeth imperfections in all that we doe, yet he paſſeth them over, and becauſe we be in Chriſt, he accepteth of that we doe; as a child may faile in doing his fathers errand, he may faile in ſome circumſtances; yet becauſe the ſubſtance of it is done, the father praiſeth him; ſo will our heavenly father us; well done thou good and faithfull ſervant; therefore let this encourage us to well doing &c. And page 101. We are not to ſeek ſalvation by the obſervation of the Law, as Papiſts doe.

38. A Paſſage expunged againſt the Churches Infallibility.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew page 294. this is deleted.

Object. The Doctrine of the Church is in all things infallible.

Anſw. Firſt, this was a perſonall promiſe, made onely to the Apoſtles, and ſo cannot be extended to all the Church, if we will ſpeak according to the words properly, according to their immediate ſenſe.

39. Paſſages deleted againſt the Impoſitions, Tyranny and Diſſimulation of Kings (ſee Arbitrary power, &c. page 289.)

IN Doctor Clarks Sermons, page 224. inſtead of legall imposts, the Licenſer hath put, peaceable impoſts.

Ibid page 225. inſtead of Subjects are not Tributaries, the Licenſer hath altered it to, good ſubjects need not to be Tributaries, &c. And inſtead of not that in Samuel, he puts, if not that in Samuel.

Ibidem, after jus Regis, the Licenſer hath blotted out theſe words; A plea abuſed to corrupt good Kings. Ibidem, Not Samuel's Tollet, is made, If not Samuel's Tellet.

[Page] Ibidem page 336. l. 4. theſe words, at all, are added by the Licenſer, and theſe that follow; Or if you will, not lawfull in a compulſory way, but in a conſultory: it wils due respect and diſcretion: The Author wrote thus; Kings are uncontrolable; who will ſay (ſaith Job) to a King thou art wicked? that ſhewes that it is not ſafe to cenſure them, not 'tis not lawfull, men may doe that they dare not doe, &c.

And page 452. after unto another, this is expunged; It was a King, a moſt Chriſtian King, that taught his ſonne happily all the Latine that he had, Qui neſcit diſſimulare, neſcit regnare, he cannot reigne that cannot faigne, &c.

In Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, page 145. written copy, this ſentence [...]s expunged: Subjects are not actively to obey Kings, when they command what God forbids in his Word.

40. Paſſages deleted, that the Law of God is poſſible to be fulfilled by men, as the Papists hold; and That men are damned for Originall ſinne as well as Actuall.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matth. 11. 5. page 227. this is obliterated.

How is the fulfilling of the Law impoſſible?

Anſw. Firſt negatively, not becauſe the works therein contained in their owne nature tranſcend the power of the mind or body, or Organs; for man in Paradiſe had ſtrength enough to obey the whole Law, and the Saints in Heaven doe perfectly fulfill it. Secondly affirmatively, the Law is impoſſible for man to fulfill: Firſt, the judgement of the mind is ſo depraved, that we know not how to doe any ſpirituall or morall work aright, ſo as we ought to doe it: and Secondly, becauſe the affections are ſo corrupted, that we are not able to governe them, or to curb or reſtraine the malice and depravation of them.

Queſt, 2. Why are ſo many, or any damned perpetually?

Anſw. Not onely for their actuall ſinnes, but even alſo for their originall corruptions, and depravation of nature, Epheſ. 2. 1, 2. for ſinners ſhall be beaten with ſtripes, and with more ſtripes, Luke 12. 47. &c. that is, Firſt, they ſhall have plura verbera, more ſtripes, and more grievous torments in hell for their actuall ſinnes. But Secondly, they ſhall alſo have verbera, ſtripes, eternall condemnation and torments (though not equall with the former) who never committed actuall ſinne, but onely dyed in their naturall eſtate, their originall corruption not being waſhed away by, or in the blood of Chriſt.

Obſerv. Secondly, by grace in Chriſt we are enabled to walk in the wayes of God, and to work his work, for Chriſt doth give unto all thoſe whom he cals power (in ſome meaſure) to obey him; for he gives not onely velle, power to will and deſire, but alſo poſſe, power to doe that which he commands, Phil. 2. 13.

Queſt. 3. How doth this appeare, for none ſeem (and that eſpecially to themſelves) more weak then the children of God?

Anſw. It moſt evidently appeares by theſe particulars, viz. Firſt, becauſe we are called unto the glory of God, Phil. 2. 15. &c. and to hold forth the Lamp of a pure life, Mat. 5. 16. and therefore certainly thoſe whom God cals, ſhall from him receive grace and power to performe good works. Secondly, becauſe Religion is the path-way to Heaven, and therefore undoubtedly thoſe whom the Lord cals unto that inheritance he will enable in ſome meaſure to walke in the wayes of Religion, and to giue unto him religious worſhip; read Deut. 5. 33. Joſh. 22. 5. Mat. 3. 8. 10. & 7. 20. Luke 11. 28. Rom. 2. 7. Gal. 5. 16.

Thirdly, becauſe Chriſt (unto thoſe whom he cals) gives the holy comforter, even a bright ſhining light, whereby we are aſſured of the love of God; which love of his worketh a threefold effect in us; namely, Firſt, it makes us love the Lord againe, and to returne love for love; and although we cannot love him in that meaſure and degree that he loveth us (his love to us being perfect, ours to him imperfect) yet we labour and deſire to love him above all things in heaven and earth: Hence ſecondly, we deſire [Page] to doe all things which are pleaſing unto him yea and to performe them cheerfully and with delight. Thirdly, the love of God of the holy ſpirit which aſſures us thereof, doth teach us how to obey God; namely in ſincerity of heart, yea with our whole heart and life, and that for the Lords ſake onely, not for any baſe or by ends of our owne; and in faith, hoping that our works ſhall be acceptable unto God for Chriſts ſake, &c.

Ibidem on Matth. 19. 18. page 289. manuſcript Copy, this diſcourſe is purged out by the Licenſer.

Queſt. Whether is the morall Law of God poſſible to be kept, or perfectly to be obeyed with, or by an actuall obedience?

Anſw. Firſt, the Law is poſſible to be obeyed, in regard of that relation which is betwixt our nature or out mind, or the faculties of the ſoule, and the actions themſelves, which are enjoyned in the law, for whatſoever is commanded in the law, whether internall or externall, may be performed by the faculties and parts of our bodies and ſouls; yea the obedience which is there required of us is to be performed by thoſe faculties: The Lord in his law doth not require of us impoſſibilia, impoſſible things; either firſt, in ſe, in themſelves; or ſecondly, respectu facultatum, in regard of the faculties of the ſoule; that is, the Lord in his law doth notcommand us to raiſe the dead, or to remove mountaines with, or by our vvords, for theſe are impoſſible things in themſelves for us to doe; neither doth he command us to flye in the ayre or to vvalk upon the vvater becauſe theſe are impoſſible in regard of us and our faculties; but he commands ſuch things as our faculties are capable of.

Secondly, the obedience of the law is impoſſible in regard of ſome circumſtances; that is, firſt, respectu extentionts, in regard of the extenſion; for firſt, although vve might performe ſome one particular action commanded in the law, yet not all and every ſuch action vvhich is therein enjoyned, and yet this the law requires of us: and ſecondly, although vve might performe ſome one action or other, vvhich the law enjoines, yet vve are not able alwayes to abide firme and immoveable in this our obedience, and yet the Lord threatens us vvith a curſe, if vve both doe not doe all, and abide therein alwayes, Gal. 3. 10. and thirdly, although we might performe many duties which the law commands, yet we could not performe them all alwayes in that ſufficient degree, and ample, and perfect meaſure which the law enjoynes; and thus Andradius himſelfe confeſſeth, that the firſt Commandement cannot be kept, vve cannot love God in that manner, meaſure and degree vvhich the law commands.

Secondly, respectu intentionis, in regard of the intention, becauſe vve can doe nothing vvith a perfect mind, for whatſoever is not of faith is of ſinne, Heb. 11. 6. and therefore vvithout ſaith, no true or acceptable obedience.

Thirdly, respectu infirmitatis, in regard of the infirmity of our nature, becauſe all the gifts and faculties of our nature are vitiated and corrupted, Job 4. 8. 19. & 15. 15. 16. Rom. 3. 10, &c. Pſal. 14. 12. Chryſostome (ſup. Matth. fol. 614.) ſaith That by nature we are blind, lame, taken with the palſie and incarcerated, and therefore no wonder, Legem non eſſe poſſibilem, if the law be unpoſſible unto us.

Queſt. 2. Is not this unjuſt for God to require of us that which is impoſſible unto, or for us to doe?

Anſw. No not at all: God may juſtly command a blind man to walk, if his blindneſſe come from himſelfe: if maliciouſly, he hath plucked out his owne eyes: A man may juſtly require his debt of a Prodigall: Rent is due unto the Land-lord, though the Tennant have waſted all his eſtate and ſubſtance; and God may juſtly require that obedience of us, which once from and by him we had power to performe, although now by our ſinnes we have loſt that power.

Queſt. 3. What may we learne from hence?

Anſw. Firſt to acknowledge that the duties enjoyned by the law are poſſible in themſelves; and Secondly, that they are become impoſſible unto us by ſinne, and the infirmity of the fleſh, Rom. 8. 3. and Thirdly, to confeſſe that God is true, and we lyars, he juſt, but we wicked.

[Page] Ibid, on Mat. 11. 29. The Papiſts generally object this place to prove the poſſibility of the laws fulfilling; What is this light burden and ſweet yoke (ſay the Rhemiſts) but the Commandements of God? and therefore they are poſſible to be kept, Bellarmine de juſtific. lib. 4. cap. 11. and Vaſques, and Alphonſus, and Salmeron, and the Trent Councell: and Becauus urgeth this place to prove, that actuall obedience to the whole law is not onely poſſible, but alſo very eaſie to the regenerate and juſtified perſon: They argue thus:

That burden which is light may be carried without ſhrinking under it, that yoke which is eaſie is worne without paine, and thoſe Commandements which are not burdenſome, may be obſerved without difficulty: But ſuch is the morall law, My Yoke ſaith Chriſt here, is eaſie and my burden light; therefore the morall law may be eaſily obſerved.

I will for the ſatisfying of this Objection, give onely a double anſwer, viz. Firſt anſwer to the point which they endeavour to prove, and then to the place which they alleage for their proofe.

Firſt, to the ſubſtance or matter, or ſubject matter of the Objection, viz. That the law is poſſible and eaſie to be obſerved by the regenerate: I anſwer; the law of God is impoſſible to be kepr in ſuch perfection as God requireth, and therefore no man can be juſtified by the works of the law, Gal. 2. 16. & 3. 11. Here obſerve theſe particulars, to wit, Firſt, the old Pelagians did wreſt this and the like places for this end, to prove the poſſibility of the fulfilling of the law, as appeares by Hierom (adverſ. Pelagian lib. 1. cap. 1. & lib. 2. cap. 2. & 4.) and Auguſtine (de Perfect. Juſtific. contra Coeleſtium, & de Natura & Gratia contra Pelagian cap. 69.) and therefore we may note by the way, from whence the Papiſts and thoſe amongſt us, who hold this erronious tenet, took or learnt it, &c.

Ibid. on Mat. 19. 21. If thou wilt be perfect, &c. this is purged out; The Papists hold that a man may perfectly obey, and fulfill the Law of God, and for the proofe hereof argue thus. If a man may doe more then the Law requires, then certainly he may doe as much. But a man may doe more then the Law requires; therefore he may doe as much. The minor Bellarmine proves by the example of this young man, who telling Chriſt, that he had obſerved all the Commandements, and that from his youth, our Saviour bid him doe one thing more, and then he ſhould be perfect (if thou wilt be perfect, goe ſell that thou haſt and give it to the poore, and follow me.) Now if the yong man had done this. he had done more then the Law required, in as much as whatſoever the Law required he had formerly obſerved, as he ſaid himſelfe; Hac omnia ſervavi a juventute, All theſe things have I obſerved from my youth up &c.

Firſt, this word More, may two manner of wayes be underſtood; namely, either, firſt ſimply it ſignifies ſomething which is not commanded; and in this ſenſe the conſequent is naught, viz. if a man may doe any one thing which is not enjoyned by the Law, then he may doe any thing which the Law enjoynes and commands; this followes not, for it is not neceſſary that that be done which is commanded, becauſe ſomething is done which is not commanded: as for example, the Sonne which was bidden to goe into the Vineyard, went not, and yet might at that time be doing ſome houſhold worke. Adam brake the Commandement given unto him, and yet ſewed figge-leaves to cover his ſhame, which he was not commanded to doe. Secondly, this word More may ſignifie ſome good thing over and above that which is commanded in the Law, or, after the fulfilling of all theſe things which are preſcribed in the Law, to doe over and above ſome other good worke which is not preſcribed. Now in this ſence we grant the Major, but as abſolutely falle we deny the Minor, viz. That a man may performe whatſoever is commanded in the Law, and other good things beſides which are not commanded. For there is no good thing at all beyond that good is commanded in the Law; otherwiſe the Law ſhould not be perfect, which is falſe by the very letter of the word, Pſal. 19. 7, 8 9. yea thoſe things which are not contained in the Law, are in themſelves neither good nor bad but indifferent; and where they are made good, it is by thoſe things which are in the Law. As for example, to Faſt is not in it ſelfe a morall good worke, [Page] but it is good if it be done for the love of God, and for the hatred of ſinne, or both, which are commanded in or by the Law. And therefore it is utterly falſe, That a man may performe a greater good worke then the Law enjoynes. Secondly to the proofe of the Minor, we anſwer two things: firſt, the yong man ſpeakes of a part not of the whole Law; that is, of the ſecond Table, not of the firſt, as appeares by the text: He demands of Chriſt, What he muſt doe to be ſaved? Chriſt anſwers, keep the Commandements, verſe 17. He demands againe, Which? Chriſt anſwers, Theſe, ver. 18. and recites the precepts of the ſecond Table onely; whereunto the Phariſee replies in this ſort; all theſe precepts (viz. of the ſecond Table) have I kept from my youth. Now ſuppoſe a man could abſolutely and perfectly fulfill the ſecond Table, yet it followes not therefore he fulfils the whole Law, for he may faile in his duty towards God; and he onely fulfils the Law, who performes his duty abſolutely both to God and Man. Secondly, the Cardinall playes the Sophiſter, committing the fallacy, called petitio principit, taking that for granted which is to be proved, viz. that the young man kept the whole Law, for without proofe we neither can nor may beleeve it, either upon the Jeſuites or Phariſees word: We (I ſay) doe not beleeve the teſtimony of this vaine young man touching his owne righteouſneſſe, vvho boaſted of keeping the ſecond Table in the outvvard duties thereof, vvhen as yet he vvanted inward charity towards his neighbour, and love towards his God; He avouched that he had kept all perfectly, and fulfilled that Commandement, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe: and thereupon is ſo bold as to aske Chriſt what lacke I yet? Chriſt to convince him of his pride and wants, puts him thus to the triall, If thou haſt ſuch perfect charity tovvards man, then certainly if God command thee to beſtovv, not a part, but all thy goods upon the poore, upon promiſe of better things to thy ſelfe, thy duty unto God, and thy ſingular charity unto men vvill make thee do ſo; Goe then ſell all that thou haſt and give to the poore, &c. upon vvhich ſpeciall command his covetous minde ſhevves it ſelfe: nay, it is plaine, he loved not his neighbour ſo vvell as his riches, neither is ſo dutifull to God, or charitable to the poore, as for either of their ſakes to part vvith his poſſeſſions; by vvhich he proclaime his heart to be full of covetouſneſſe, and void of faith in God and true charity tovvads his neighbour; and conſequently vvas farre from the obſervation of the vvhole Lavv.

41. Paſſages deleted againſt the Constancy of Gods Love and friendſhip to his Children.

IN Doctor Jones his Comentary on Heb. 4. 16. page 141. this is raſed out: A friend is borne for adverſity, & will be a friend when we need him: he is a friend indeed that keeps with us in a time of need: ſuch a friend is God Almighty through Jeſus Chriſt; be will help us at our need in this life, and at the length, take us up into that place where we ſhall need nothing any more. Strange, that ſuch a paſſage ſhould be obliterated as heterodox.

42. Paſſages expunged againſt the Popiſh Maſſe, Tranſubstantiation, adoring the Hoast.

IN Doctor Clarks Sermons, page 155. l. 4. this is blotted out by the Licenſer: I think indeed we prosper never the better for the Maſſe, never came bleſſing upon Iſrael by Baals Prieſts, &c. Admirable that ſuch a paſſage as this could not paſſe our Preſſes without a purgation, unleſſe the reſolution of theſe Inquiſitors were to uſher in Maſſe and Maſſe-Prieſts againe without oppoſition.

In Mr. Wards Comentary on Matthew, p. 179. there is this deleatur: There is a ſatiſfaction to God of attonement, which is unwarrantable, becauſe Chriſt by his death hath done this; hence then the Maſſe is an abomination, not an oblation, Heb. 10. 18.

P. 339. Thirdly, vve know not how to ſerve God aright, nor vvhen vve do vvell; ſo the Papiſts being ignorant of the vvay unto ſalvation, ſometimes runne unto the Maſſe, ſometimes undertake ſome long and vveary pilgrimage, ſometimes flee unto the Popes [Page] Buls, ſometimes enter into diverſe Orders of Monaſteries, and ſometimes hope that they ſhall be helped our of purgatory: thus ſtaggering like a drunken man, too and fronot knowing what way they ſhould take to come unto Heaven, and therefore who will deny but great is our blindneſſe? &c.

In Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, chap. 9. ver. 28. theſe notable paſſages are purged out, page 282. This Chapter may well be called the cut-throat of the Maſſe; it is ſtrange that the Papiſts reading it, are not aſhamed to uphold that Idol; for as no man dyes but once, ſo Chriſt was to be offered but once for the expiation of our ſinnes: It is the moſt groſſe and fantaſticall aſſertion that ever was heard of, moſt repugnant to Scripture and reaſon.

Firſt, Heaven muſt containe the body of Chriſt till all things be fulfilled: Ergo, it cannot be on the earth.

Secondly, if the bread that Chriſt gave to his Diſciples, were turned into his owne body, he muſt of neceſsity have two bodies, the one held in the hand of the other. Their diſtinction of a bloody and unbloody ſacrifice will not ſerve the turne, for without blood there is no remiſſion of ſinnes: and if his body were offered for our ſinnes in the Supper, then why was it offered after on the Croſſe? either it was a perfect oblation, or imperfect; if they ſay imperfect, O horrible blaſphemy! if they ſay perfect, then why was not another made? for as bono nil melius ſic perfecto nil perfectius. The Apoſtle cals the Gentiles fools, proſeſſing themſelves wiſe they become fools; for they turned the ſimilitude of the incorruptible God into the ſimilitude of Beasts, Birds and creeping things; much more may we call the Papists fools, that turne the ſimilitude of God into the ſimilitude of a peice of bread: If the Aegiptians are worthily to be derided for worſhipping a Cat for God, then juſtly may we laugh at the Papiſts, for worſhipping a wafer cake for God: If the Angel in the Revelation would not have John to worſhip him, O doe not ſo, worſhip God, how much more doth it grieve the Angels to ſee a piece of bread worſhipped for God; wherefore let us ſpit at this abominable ſacrifice, and never give entertainment to it: Doctor Taylor was angry with the Prieſt that began to ſay Maſſe at Hadley in Queen Maries dayes; thou Devil, who made thee ſo bold as to enter into this Church of Chriſt, and to profane it with this abominable Idolatry; the people pulled downe the Altar; you that have been ſeaſoned with his wholſome doctrine, tread in his ſteps: Let no Maſſe-monging Prieſt, that will take upon him without Commiſſion to offer up Chriſt forty or a hundred times, be admitted into our Church; remember that Christ can be but once offered to take away the ſinnes of the world. The deleting of ſuch a notable paſſage as this, diſcovers a profeſſed deſigne to bring in Popery among us againe, without the leaſt oppoſition: But this is not ſingular, but ſeconded with others.

Ibid. page 305. Whereas they ſay the Maſſe is but a commemorative and applicatory Sacrifice, to bring to our remembrance the ſacrifice on the Croſſe, and to apply it to us; that needeth not; a ſufficient commemoration and repreſentation of it is to us in the Supper, 1 cor. 11. 26. and it is applyed to us by faith, Rom. 3. 25, 26. Act. 18.

Page 244. No mortall man can offer up Chriſt, as the popiſh Prieſts blaſphemouſly preſume.

Page 292. Here we have a club to beat downe the Maſſe.

Page 417. If the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes, would have gone to Maſſe, if they would have acknowledged Maſſe with mentall reſervation to themſelves, the reall preſence of Chriſt in the ſacrifice, they might have been delivered; but they would not; they had rather have irons on their legs, then the intolerable burden of an evill conſcience in their ſoules; they had rather have bodies in priſon then ſoules in priſon; they had rather endure the paines of a materiall fire for a time, then the torment of hell fire or ever; this was greatly to be admired.

Page 418. We may ſcoffe at the Idolatry of the Papiſts; a woman ſaid unto a Prieſt in Queen Maries dayes, that came to buy a Capon; man canſt thou make God Almighty, and canſt not make a Capon?

Ibid. page 263. When Chriſt ſaith, doe this in remembrance of me, If the Maſſe be [Page] a remembrance of Chriſt, as they ſay it is comemorativum ſacrificium, then Chriſt is not there himſelfe.

P. 270. Obj. although Chriſts death was neceſſary, for the full confirmation and accompliſhment of the New Teſtament, yet it was begun to be declared in the ſacrifice of his laſt Supper, Matth. 26. 28, whereby it is plaine, that the bleſſed Challis of the Altar hath the very ſacrificall blood in it that was ſhed on the Croſſe, in and by which the New Teſtament was dedicated and doth conſiſt. Anſw.

The New Teſtament was ratified by the blood of Chriſt at his death, as appeareth by the whole diſcourſe, for the Testament is of no force till the Testator be de dead: Ergo it could not be ratified at all by the Sacrament of his blood.

Page 291. there are ſixteen lines croſſed to the ſame matter, that the Maſſe is no commemorative nor propitiatory ſacrifice, and may well be ſpared.

Judge then by theſe purgations, what was intended by this Arch-Prelate and his confederates.

43. Paſſages blotted out in defence of Priests marriage.

IN the Sermons of Doctor Clarke page 205. after as our Apoſtles, this is obliterated; The Papiſts except, that mariage is a clogge to Chriſtians, and an encombrance to the practice of religions duties; Saint Chryſoſtome controles that; it is (ſaith he) no hinderance unto heavenly things, yet doth the Pope condemne it.

And in Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew, fol. 1. this is deleted: Honourable marriage is to be preferred before diſhonourable whoredome: and therefore, ex ungue Leonem, we may eaſily conjecture without breach of chriſtian charity, what to think of Popery, that to all or any of their Clergy doth allow a diſpenſation for fornication, but denies unto them the lawfull remedy of marriage.

In Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, chap. 12. v. 14. this is deleted: Saint Paul ſtraines holineſſe to marriage, this is an holy bed, Heb. 13. 4. men may be holy and honeſt men though they be married.

44. Paſſages daſhed out, that the Virgin Mary was not without ſinne, originall and actuall: brake not the Serpents head: is not to be prayed to, &c.

In Doctor Clarks ninth Sermon of the Nativity, theſe words are deleted: theres a woman too, Papiſts ſay: without ſinne, Chriſts Mother; for her, why calleth ſhee then her ſonne her ſaviour? &c.

Ibidem page 338. l. 20. after never any ſonne, ſhould follow, One woman onely is exempt from ſinne, but onely by the man of ſinne, &c.

And p. 336. l. 20. after the right Puritane, the Licenſer hath deleted theſe lines: 'tis a hard poſſe that never comes in eſſe, if one may live without ſinne, 'tis mervaile never any did; ſtill they urge Chriſts Mother; ſhee lived without ſinne, was borne without it, ſome ſay conceived without it too: that they ſay is not de fide, and indeed it is not fit that every John Duns ſhould encreaſe the Churches creed, for he was the firſt that forged that paradox: But if Chriſts Mother, why not his Father too? was he not the ſonne of David? then had the Pſalmiſt ſpared this ſpeech, and I my paines at leaſt in this poynt; he might have in the peoples name ſaid, our ſinne, not my ſinne; in earneſt ſooth, the Papiſt muſt correct Magnificat, or grant our Lady was a ſinner; for calleth ſhee not her ſonne her ſaviour? My ſpirit (ſaith ſhee) rejoyceth in God my Saviour; Chriſt was called ſo, the Angel ſaith, becauſe he ſhould ſave his people from their ſinne; Chriſt was not Maries Saviour if Mary had no ſinne.

In Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, chap. 11. v. 32. page 414. this ſentence is blotted out: the Virgin Mary had him in her womb that had no ſinne, yet ſhee had ſinne in herſelfe, and was reproved by our ſaviour.

And page 292. after will be like God, this clauſe is blotted out: Pardon the Papiſts that mount Chriſts Mother above the Angels; ſhee hath deſerved it, ſhee bare God, [Page] 'tis fit ſhee ſhould ſit beſide her ſonne: Mater jube filium, ſhee may command him too; School-men were not firſt founders of this pride, 'twas long before them, what Gods propriety.

45. Paſſages expunged againſt Popiſh Monkery Vowes, Stewes, and Incontinency of their Monks and Clergy.

THeſe clauſes are deleted in Doctor Clerks Sermons page 341. with Papiſts Oratio, is Aratio, they worke as at the Plough; men pray almoſt all day, Monaſtery riſe in the night too.

Ibid. page 371. What meant that Monk that ſaid Rominizare, was Sodomizare, Rome was turned Sodome, the whole city.

Ibidem, page 218. Anſw. 1. But the Monkiſh life is not perſecution (except thus, becauſe the Locuſts, which are no other but Monks and Fryars) Revel. 16. doe bite and ſting like Serpents, that is, doe ſecretly wound mens conſciences. And foure lines after An. 3. All goe not to Chriſt that come into Monaſteries, but rather goe from him; they living after another rule then Chriſts, for Francis their great founder erected a new ſect of Monkery, and found out a new rule for them, which he called Regulam Evangelicam, the rule of the Goſpel, as though Chriſts rule were not ſufficient.

And page 309. Thirdly, ſo the Papiſts being ignorant of the way of ſalvation, ſometimes runne unto the Maſſe, ſometimes enter into divers Orders of Monaſteries, ſtaggering like a drunken man, too and fro, not knowing what way they ſhould take to come into Heaven.

46. A Paſſage croſſed out againſt mixing the Sacramentall wine with water.

THis clauſe is purged out in Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew page 380. Wine and blood cannot be both in the Sacrament corporally and ſubſtantially, as the Papiſts teach: It is controverted between us and the Church of Rome, whether the Wine in the Lords Supper be to be mixed with water, or pure Wine to be adminiſtred? and they ſay it is to be mixed with water; and we deny not, but that of ancient times, in hot Countries, eſpecially where their Wine was ſtrong, they uſed to mix water with wine in their common drink, and thereupon ſo uſed it in the Sacrament: but now to put water into the wine at the Sacrament, when it is not ordinarily ſo uſed or drank, we hold it to be an Antichriſtian cuſtome, and contrary to Chriſts inſtitution, as appears by this argument; Chriſt in his laſt Supper gave wine and not water to be drank, for he calleth it, the fruit of the Vine, which is wine and not water, Matth. 26. 29. &c.

47. Paſſages purged out concerning the Ministers doing their duty in Praying, frequent Preaching of the Word, the peoples diligent hearing of the Word preached, &c.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew page 41. this clauſe is obliterated: Mending their Nets.

Queſt. What is obſervable in theſe Nets?

Anſw. Note here two things in them, viz. Firſt Lead, that is, the ponderous denuniiation and menaces of the law: Secondly, Corke, and that is the ſweet and comfortable promiſes of the Goſpell, teaching us, that the preaching of the Word ſhould be fitted to the capacity and diſpoſition of the hearers, and that in a threefold regard; as firſt in regard of the time, it muſt be preached in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, 2 Tim. 4. 2. and ſecondly, in regard of the object, to every creature, Mark 16. 10. &c. thirdly, in regard of the manner, milk muſt be given to Babes, and ſtrong meat to men; the weak muſt be ſtrengthened, the obſtinate reproved; the ignorant inſtructed, [Page] the erronious reduced into the way of truth, and the wicked reclaimed from their evil wayes.

Queſt, Wherein muſt the Preachers of the Word, principally labour in the preaching of the Word?

Anſw. In theſe two things: Firſt, to ſink to the bottome the Net with the weight of Lead, by diving, penetrating, ſounding and deſcending into the intrals, bowels and loweſt vaults of the heart, becauſe otherwiſe they cannot catch thoſe who are hid and drowned in the mudde and earth; they muſt reveale and make knowne the wrath of the Lord againſt all iniquity and wickedneſſe of men (Rom. 18.) that ſinfull men by flying from, and forſaking their ſinnes, may avoid the wrath of God.

Secondly, when they have truly humbled their hearers with the judgement pronounced and denounced againſt them for their ſinnes, they muſt then raiſe them up to the top with cork, which brings the upper ſide of the net above water; they muſt be comforted and cheriſhed by the promiſes of the Word, leaſt otherwiſe the ſight of their ſinnes and ſenſe of Gods wrath, drive them to deſpaire: and theſe two, lead and cork, are carefully to be obſerved and handled; for firſt, ſinners muſt be caſt downe, then raiſed up: That Net needs no cork that hath no lead, nor thoſe hearers comfort who never lamented for their ſinnes; and therefore, firſt, Miniſters muſt ſhew the people the anger of God againſt ſinne, Rom. i. 17. 18. then ſecondly, the righteouſneſſe of faith, Rom. 3. 21. Firſt, ordinarily comes the ſpirit of bondage, which ſinks the ſoule to the bottome of ſorrow, and then ſeaſonably is held forth the ſpirit of adoption (Rom. 8. 15.) and the evangelicall promiſes which raiſe up the ſoule from the pit of hell: a [...] cork without lead, and comfort without lamentation, leads to preſumption, ſo lead without cork loſeth the net in the mudde and earth; and therefore our concord muſt be mixed with diſcord, and our creble with baſes; we muſt in our preaching ſing of mercy and judgement, mixing threatnings with promiſes, and weaving, inter-la [...] cing promiſes with terrors (as the Lord himſelfe doth through the whole book of the Scripture) if we deſire to fiſh, that we may catch many ſoules for an offering unto the Lord, for he fiſheth in vaine whoſe net wants either lead or cork.

Ibidem on Matth. 13. 55. written copy 261. this is daſhed out.

Queſt. Who are unfit or unworthy to take the calling of the Ministery upon them?

Anſw. Firſt, thoſe who being arrogant and proud for their learning and parts, thi [...] themſelves worthy to be preferred before others: Secondly, thoſe who make a [...] of Religion for baſe and worldly reſpects and ends onely: Thirdly, thoſe who are [...] dued onely with a fox-like wit and craft, and ſubtle policy: Fourthly, thoſe who [...] light and aiery in their preaching, ſeeking therein nothing more then popular appla [...] and praiſe: Fifthly, thoſe who doe not preferre the advancement of Religion and pr [...] pagation of the Goſpel, before all humane things: If the Reader deſire to ſee the [...] anſwers and particulars amplified and much enlarged, let him read Chemuit. Har [...] fol. 893.

Ibidem page 38. this is deleted. Thirdly, as the fiſh gaine nothing except they be taken with the hooke, ſo preaching profits not the hearers, except tha [...] obey what is preched; and therefore great is their miſery who neglect the preaching of the Word; for firſt, from ſuch the Vineyard ſhall be taken away; and ſecondly, th [...] wrath of God ſhall abide upon, and remaine with them; yea, thirdly, the Word preached, and the empty feats, will riſe up in judgement at the laſt day; and therefore man had better neglect pleaſure, riches, honour, meat, health, yea, life it ſelfe, tha [...] the preaching of the Word; for what will momentary pleaſure or uncertaine rices or vvorldly honour, or food or health, or life, profit us, if vve loſe our precious ſoul [...] (of more vvorth then all theſe) eternally. In fiſhers vve muſt conſider, beſides th [...] knovvledge and diligence, theſe tvvo things, to wit, the place and maine ſcope. Firſ [...] the place vvhere they fiſh, and herein vve may obſerve, firſt, that they muſt be in many places, for ſometimes fiſhers are in one place or part of the ſea, ſometimes in another, as vve ſee in Chriſt and his Apoſtles, Mark 1. 38. Secondly, there are fiſher [...] [...] in the uttermoſt parts of the vvorld; ſo Miniſters muſt follovv Gods cal [...] [Page] though [...] to goe to forraigne parts, their line vvent through all the vvorld: Thirdly [...] make long journeys, goe much ground, faile farre in the ſea for a fevv fiſhes: [...] Miniſters preach long for the vvinning of a fevv ſoules. Secondly, in fiſhes vve may [...] the maine ſcope; vvherein note, that ſervants fiſh not for themſelves, but for their Maſters; ſo Miniſters muſt wooemen for God, not for themſelves, and labour to gaine ſoules that they may be preſented as pure and chaſt Virgins unto the Lord (2 cor. 11. 2.) as Eleazer vvooed Rebecca for Iſaac not for himſelfe, and continued ſoliciting her untill ſhee conſented to goe with him; ſo the Miniſters of God muſt firſt labour not for an hour, but untill they have gained ſome ſoules unto the Lord their Maſter; and ſecondly, they muſt labour not for their owne ſakes, but for their peoples, yea, for Gods ſake, that is, for Gods glory, and their ſalvation; and thirdly, the Miniſters may be ſaid to labour for their owne ſakes too, for it is true, yee are my Crown and my glory, as the Apoſtle ſaith (Phil. 4. 1. & 1 Theſ 4. 19. 20.) yea, the Epiſtle which is written in our heart (2 Cor. 3. 2.) and if you ſtand faſt, then we live, 1 Theſ. 3. 8.

Ibidem page 40. The Church of God is ſometimes compared to the Sea, and then the Miniſters are the Pilots of the Ship, and the fiſhers in that Sea; and therefore if our names imply labour, and cur calling import induſtry, then Non-reſidents are not to be commended, if they abſent themſelves from their flocks, for their lucre or eaſeſake, and not upon ſome urgent and weighty affaires (for a time) which may be as profitable for the Church of God; Paul laboured night and day, and Chriſt prayed, not that drones and idle perſons, but that labourers might be ſent into his harveſt.

Ibidem page 328. Anſw. 2. Chriſt here onely reproveth the ambitions affectation of the Phariſes, who delighted much to be called Fathers (when the Phariſes ſate in Moſes Chaire, then they might call them fathers; that is, ſo long as they taught the truth) but when they were not directly ſubordinate unto God, and affected that which was due onely to him, then they were not to be counted as Fathers; mark here the oppoſition, call no man your Father, for one is your Father in Heaven: If the earthly Father be ſubordinate to the Heavenly, then ye may call them father; but when they affect that which is due to the heavenly Father, to whom belongeth the Kingdome, the power and the glory; then call them not Fathers.

Ibidem printed book, fol. 170. written copy, fol. 82. They miſ-apply the Word, who, firſt, ſow pillowes under mens elbowes; ſecondly, but principally, they who make ſad the hearts of thoſe by their preaching, whom God hath not made ſad: ſuch are thoſe at this day, who have ſmooth tongues, in reſpect of ſinne, and yet are full of bitter invectives againſt the better ſort; ſome hate the preaching of the Word, and therefore hate and abuſe the Preachers thereof; whence it comes to paſſe, firſt, that ſome Miniſters are partly fearfull, and ſo forbeare preaching, that by ſo doing they may decline hatred, perſecution, and reviling ſpeeches: Secondly, ſome are partly weary, &c.

Ibidem printed booke, fol. 178. written copy fol. 79. Quest. How muſt we ſo preach that God may gaine glory thereby?

Anſw. It is done three manner of wayes (viz.) either firſt, by preaching the glorious works of God, and that either firſt, his eternall works or decrees which were from all eternity; as namely, firſt, the creation of the Univerſe; ſecondly the predeſtinating of ſome unto ſalvation, from the corrupt maſſe of man-kind fallen in Adam; thirdly, our redemption by Chriſt; fourthly, the preparation of celeſtiall glory: Secondly, his works done in time; which are either firſt, temporall; as firſt, the preſervation of the whole world; ſecondly, the protection of man, leaſt he ſhould lack any good thing, or be harmed by any evill thing, &c.

Ibidem printed book, fol. 490. written copy fol. 298. A knowing Miniſter can better direct people to come out of their ſinnes, &c.

Page 29. book fol. 9. written copy 262. They being converted, muſt convert their brethren the Gentiles. Anſw. 8. The finall cauſe why the Apoſtles were ſent unto Iſrael was, that ſo their obſtinacy and hard-heartedneſſe might be perfected and ripened unto judgement; and therefore although the Samaritanes were more ready to hear [Page] and embrace the Goſpell then the Jewes (as appeares by John 4. & Act. 8) yet Chriſt ſends it to thoſe who are moſt backward and difficultly perſwaded (yea who will not be perſwaded) to embrace it, that ſo their ſinnes may be full and mature unto harveſt: Hence obſerve, that the preaching of the Word is often ſent unto many for their deſtruction; this evidently appeares thus, to wit, firſt from theſe places, Jer. 7. 27. Ezek. 2. 35. & 3. 6. &c. Matth. 24. 34. John 15. 22. 24. Act. 13, 46. & 7. 22. & 1 Theſ. 2. 15. Secondly, becauſe thus the juſtice and anger of God is juſtified, 2 (hron. 36. 16. Rom. 10. 21. Prov. 1. 24. Thirdly, becauſe it is the nature of the Word to harden as well as ſoften, like the Sunne which hardens mire, as well as ſoftens wax; for the Word is a light, and therefore where that ſhines men cannot ſinne in darkneſſe; and when men ſinne againſt light and conſcience, then judgement is neer, even at the doore, &c.

48. Paſſages deleted againſt Murther in Magistrates, Princes, and others.

IN Doctor Clerks Sermons in the Sermon on Innocents day, page 81. l. 5. After theſe words, but onely Malefactors, ſhould follow this deleted clauſe: Theſe were not; nay, ſlay they may not any man, that terme is odious; justice loveth no ſlaughter: capitall offenders Kings may put to death, but they may not ſlay men; I may not be peremptory before ſo learned hearers, who can judge better then I; I will not ſay certainly, but I will ſay happily, the Evangeliſt uſed this word of purpoſe to make the act the more erronious: Murther in a Magiſtrate, in a King to ſlay: Uriahs death plotted by David, David's ſelfe blood, Pſal. 51. Blood and murther are ſynonimous; the Prophet expreſly cals Ahab a murtherer, 2 King. 6. for Naboths death: The ſword of juſtice ſmites it ſlayes not in Scripture phraſe: Nay, a King may not ſlay, not a delinquent; if in his paſſion either himſelfe, or his men at his command, ſhall ſhed his blood, it is flat homicide; he might have ſentenced him to dye, but his private ſword may not kill any; Sauls Javelin throwne at Jonathan or David, had it kild either it had been murther, yea though they had been treſpaſſers, and their crime never ſo capitall.

In Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew fol. 110. this is expunged: There is an excuſeable homicide, which is either caſuall, &c. or ſodaine and ſtrange: Now this is gathered from Numb. 35. 17, 18. where the Lord ſaith, if he ſmite him with throwing a ſtone (whereby he may dye) and he dye, &c. and if he ſmite him with an hand weapon of wood (wherewith he may dye) &c. as if he would ſay, if he chance to kill him with a ſtone or a peice of wood, which there was no feare or likelihood would kill him, then he ſhould be quit and not dye: But here is a threefold doubt or ſcruple will ariſe, which I confeſſe I am not able to reſolve; viz. Firſt, whether ſuch indulgence, pardon, or exemption from puniſhment, be altogether to be granted to him who thus unexpectedly killeth his Neighbour, or whether this execution can be collected out of this place? Secondly, if ſuch a freedome from puniſhment be here to be underſtood, then whether the blow wherewith the party was killed, be to be underſtood of a ſtroke that was given in anger or in jeſt? Thirdly, whether by the blow which was given, be underſtood a ſtroke not mortall for the preſent, but a blow whereof the party long languiſheth, and at laſt dyes?

49. That Chriſt is our ſole Mediatour, not Saints and Angels, and againſt prayer to Saints, deleted.

IN Doctor Clerks Sermons, page 191. l. 24. after theſe words hath it often, ſhould follow this expunction: This provideth too againſt popery; God hath made Chriſt the only Mediatour, the ſole meanes of grace, of all his gifts whatſoever; Papists adde to him too more, merits of men, and interceſſion of Saints; horrible ſacriledge to rob Chriſt of his right; he is our Interceſſor; if not, yet blasphemy to diſable him, he belike is unſufficient, [Page] they put into his office the Saints, as Coadjutors: they be his fellow advocates; he is weake alone, or they thinke him very proud: He is our Mediator, but they muſt make meanes to him, his Mother muſt entreat him: Entreat? command her ſonne; jure Matris impera: they are not worthy the anſwering; what prayer is not made in his name is ſin.

And page 200. l. 19. After theſe words Saint Peter to his Maſter, ſhould follow. Proteſtants, ſome like not of the Liturgie; they ſay tis Popery: ſurely they miſtake: tis a wonder the Papiſt cenſure it not rather, that they call it not Calviniſme, or the Teregamus Domine: and Chriſt have mercy upon us; becauſe we pray in it immediately to Chriſt.

50. That Nature uſed well and improved, is a meanes to obtaine Grace, and greater graces then before. Expunged.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary upon Mat. 25. 14. p. 355. Object. Some object theſe words to prove, That God will give greater graces unto him, or beſtow greater upon him, who hath well uſed the light of nature. Anſw. By thoſe Talents are here underſtood the gifts of God, and eſpecially the knowledge of God by the Goſpell; which knowledge he is ſaid to hide, who doth detaine the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, and doth keepe in the known truth. This Talent therefore cannot be that ſufficient grace, which (they ſay) doth happen to Infidels and unregenerate perſons; but that grace which God doth beſtow upon his domeſticall ſervants. Neither by him who hath, is underſtood a man in his meere naturals, or ſome heathen man, furniſhed with ſufficient grace; but a man furniſhed with the knowledge of the Goſpell, which is given to me for that end, that by edifying his neighbour he might ſpread the knowledg far abroad, and like monie put to uſe, it might be increaſed with daily additions.

51. Paſſages deleated concerning Originall Sin.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Mat. 3. ver. 10. this is expunged, written copy, fol. 21, Every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and caſt into the fire. Argum. The Papiſts ſay that for originall guilt onely, we are not guilty at all of Hel-fire; and therefore Infants dying before the commiting of actual ſinne ſhall not be damned or puniſhed, poena ſenſue, with any ſenſible puniſhment. Now againſt this, theſe words may be thus aptly objected; Every tree which bringeth forth not good fruit, it hewen down and caſt into the fire; but Infants vvho are vvithout the Covenant, are trees obnoxious of originall ſinne, vvhich brings forth no good fruit; therefore Infants that are without the Covenant, being guilty of originall ſin, ſhall be cut down and caſt into the fire, &c.

The Papiſts ſay, that thoſe vvho are onely guilty of originall ſinne, ſhall not be puniſhed poena ſenſue, vvith any ſenſible torments after this life. Againſt vvhich Tenet this Text is thus aptly objected, All Chaffe is to be burnt with eternall fire, vvhich is a ſenſible torment; but whoſoever are poluted vvith originall ſinne, and not purged by the blood of Chriſt, are chaffe; therefore they ſhall be burnt with eternall fire, which is a ſenſible torment. The major propoſition is proved from this verſe, He will burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire. The minor propoſition is confirmed thus: It is neceſſary that ſuch as are poluted with originall ſinne, and not purged by the blood of Chriſt are either Chaffe or Wheat (and this the Papiſts I hope will not deny:) but they are not Wheat, becauſe they are not gathered into the Garner) for they ſay that ſuch as dye before Baptiſme, are not made partakers of the joyes of Heaven:) and therefore they are Chaffe prepared for the fire.

52. Deleted clauſes againſt the Oath ex Officio and forced Oaths.

IN Maſter Ward's written Comentary on Mat. p. 138. this Diſcourſe is purged out: Faulty, they are faulty here, who injuriouſly conſtraine men to ſweare: and this is [Page] two-fold, namely, firſt, when men are forced to ſweare againſt themſelves: this is injurious, no man being bound to betray himſelf; In criminalibus, licet in contractibus, not in criminall offences, but in contracts and bargaines: for an oath may lawfully be adminiſtred and given unto a man, to anſwer whether he made any ſuch bargain or covenant (as is aledged) or not; but it never uſed to a thiefe or murderer: for in criminall offences witneſſes muſt come in againſt a man, or he is acquitted by Law, and is never put to his oath to accuſe himſelfe. Secondly, Men are injuriouſly conſtrained to take an oath, De rebus ignotis, to anſwer they know not to what. This was altogether diſliked and diſalowed by that famous Martyr John Lambert, in his anſwer to the Biſhops fourteenth Article, Fox fol. 1119. whereunto I referre the Reader. Fiftly, all raſh ſwearers, &c. Fol. 139. Swear not at all. Object. Sixtus Senenſis, and ſome other Papiſts ſay, that Chriſt here ſets downe a councell of perfection, not forbidding all ſwearing, but rather wiſhing that men could ſo live in faith, love and truth, that there might be not uſe of an oath. Anſw. 1. Firſt, this is falſe, becauſe Chriſts words are not perſwaſory, but prohibitory, expreſly forbidding ſwearing. Ibid. fol. 239. b. fine. Que. 4. Whether it be lawfull to force one to ſwear? Anſw. 1. Firſt, a Magiſtrate may impoſe an oath, with theſe (three) limitations: firſt, if the thing be weighty: ſecondly, if otherwiſe it cannot be known: thirdly, if it be not a ſnare to catch a mans ſelfe, or a trick to make him accuſe himſelfe. Anſw. 2. Secondly, Magiſtrates ſhould be very wary how they enforce or conſtraine men to ſweare; becauſe, firſt, oftentimes they thus adde fuell unto the fire of Gods wrath, by making men forſwear themſelves; and therefore here it ſhould be conſidered, if it were not better to loſe the thing in queſtion, then to hazard the loſſe of our Brothers ſoule, by making him to perjure himſelfe. Paul would rather never eat fleſh while he lived, then offend his brother; and therefore he is far from Paul his charity, vvho for a thing of ſmal value or moment, vvill drive his brother to perjury. Secondly, if thou beleeve him when he ſweare, vvhy vvilt thou not beleeve him, if he take ſome ſolemn proteſtation? An honorable perſon being called into the Senat at Athens to depoſe touching ſome matters, the Senators vvould not have him to take the accuſtomed oath, knowing him to be a vertuous and honeſt man, Cicero orat. pro Balto. Thus except the matter be of very vveighty importance, vve ſhould conſider, Firſt, if he vvhom we deſire ſhould be put to his oath, fear the Lord, then he dare no more lye then forſwear himſelfe, Secondly, if he fear not the Lord, then how vvill he fear to forſwear himſelfe? And thus both Magiſtrates, and thoſe vvho are vvronged ſhould be very carefull not to conſtrain any offendor to ſwear, if by any other meanes the matter may be known or decided.

53. A Paſſage obliterated againſt popiſh Pardons, Indulgences and Purgatory.

IN Mr. Ward's Comentary on Mat. p. 179. vvritten copy, this is croſſed out as hetrodox. We have no need of a ſecond purging. (How derogatory then are the Papiſts to the ſufferings of Chriſt, vvho aſcribe more to the Pope [...] pardons, then to Chriſts pangs? Antichriſt by his Indulgences, can both deliver and preſerve from Purgatory, and ſend the ſoule ſtraight unto heaven; but they vvill dye in the quarrell, before they vvill grant ſuch or ſo much power and efficacy to be in the death, bloodſhed and merits of Chriſt, &c.

54. The very name of Papiſts expunged, with a paſſage againſt the Popes power.

IN Doctor Clerke's Sermon upon Candlemas day, page 95. line 14. The Papiſts ſay. page 166. l. 7. let Papiſts hold, &c. p. 171. l. 7. This Manuel, but the Papiſts take advantage of that. page 200. l. 16: Papiſts hold it. p. 224, l. 38. A Papiſt, p. 299. l. 5. 9. Papiſts ſay; Papiſts make. p. 330. l. 16. even by Papiſts, who extenuate ſinne, are blotted out▪ The like is frequently done in Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrews, and [Page] in M. Ward's Com. on Mathew; vvhere p. 395. there is this notable paſſage purged out; Chriſt ſaith, unto me is given all power: therefore (Antichriſts imp) Carerius ſaith, The Pope hath power over Infidels. All power vvas given to Chriſt, therefore to the Pope, is a blaſphemous Antichriſtian conſequence, diſplaying the Pope in his colours to be the Whore, in making himſelfe, or ſuffering himſelfe to be made equall vvith Chriſt.

55. A Clauſe expunged againſt Popiſh Penance.

IN Maſter Ward, page 34. this clauſe is obliterated. Fiftly, Bellarmines Argument followes not, as appeares by this inſtance; Papiſts ſay, their Penance is the ſecond table after ſhipwrack; now ſhe that ſinneth not needs not this Penance; but the Adultereſſe is admitted unto it; is therefore the Adultereſſe better then the Innocent, becauſe ſhe is made partaker of the ſecond Table, which the other is not? No more is ſhe for the ſecond Husband.

56. Paſſages expunged againſt Perſeverance in Grace.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Mat. 24. 13. He that endured to the end, &c. this paſſage is raſed out, He that endures unto the end, &c. We may learn hence, that patience in perſecution and affliction, is not praiſe-vvorthy, except it be permanent and endure unto the end. How doth this appeare? Firſt, evidently by theſe places and proofes, Mat. 10. 22. Luke 21. In patience poſſeſſe your ſoules. Heb. 3. 6. & 6. 11. &c. unto the 15. and 12. 3. 12. and Jam, 5. 7. unto the 12. And ſecondly, becauſe vvithout this perſeverance vve ſhall have noreward. He vvho digges for Gold, muſt continue diging untill he come to the vein or oare, elſe he loſeth his labor. He vvho is upon a journey or race muſt continue therein untill he hath vvon his vvager, or reached his journies end. He vvho is fighting a Duel, muſt ſtand upon his guard and vvithſtand his antagoniſt, yea continue coragiouſly to oppoſe him, untill he have got the victory, othervviſe all he doth at firſt onſet is nothing. The Iſraelites vvent out of Egypt and yet never came to Canaan; and many begin vvell, vvho for vvant of perſeverance fall ſhort of their reward. What is here required of us? To labour to perſevere and abide rightly armed againſt all temptations and trials vvhatſoever, even unto the end. Hovv muſt vve doe this. Anſw. By theſe vvayes and means, to wit; Firſt, our ingreſſe into the liſts múſt be living and ſolid, and not ſleeping or dead; for otherwiſe vve can never endure to the end. Secondly, vve muſt not love but leave and relinquiſh the vvorld, 1 Iohn 2. 15. for otherwiſe vve ſhall never be able to hold out againſt the aſſaults of the vvorld. Thirdly, vve muſt be trained ſouldiers, and exerciſe our ſelves daily in the Lords liſts; that is, vve muſt frequently give our ſelves; 1. to meditation: 2. to the hearing of Gods vvord: 3. to the practice of piety: 4. to the oppoſing and reſiſting of iniquity, and all manner of vvickedneſſe: and 5. to the ſtrengthning and corroborating of our faith by the Word and Sacraments. Fourthly, vve muſt principally exerciſe our patience and labor that it may have its perfect vvorke in us. Who can be alwayes patient, or indure patient in perſecution and affliction unto the end? They can vvho have not placed their hope in this life or any thing therein, but live in Chriſt, and place all their hope and confidence in him, Coloſ. 3. 3. 4.

In the ſame Comentary on Mat. p. 277. writen copy, this whole diſcourſe is obliterated. The words in this place; The gates of hell ſhall never prevaile againſt it: ſer [...]e us as a ſtrong rocke to build perſeverance of grace and faith upon, both againſt the Papists, Pelagians, Socinians, and others: For here our Saviour plainly promiſeth, that againſt thoſe which build their faith upon this rock Chriſt, the gates of hell, and power of ſatan, ſhall never prevaile. To this Socinus (in tractatu, de loco; tu es Petrus) anſwers, That theſe words of Chriſts are not ſo to be underſtood, as though the Devill could [Page] not prevaile againſt any of the members of the true Church of Chriſt: but, that ſo long as they are the true members thereof, it is impoſſible that they ſhould be hardned by Satan or hell; that is, he promiſeth to the Church, ſo long as it remaines the Church of Chriſt, that the power of death ſhall not ſo prevaile againſt it, that it come into condemnation: but he doth not underſtand by the gates of hell, the craft, deceit and fraud of Satan, whereby he labours to ſeduce and enthrall ſome. Hereunto we anſwer; firſt, whatſoever is an adverſary to the building of the Church upon the Rock, or to the conſtant adhering of the Church unto Chriſt, that is underſtood by the prevailing gates of hell, (for in theſe words he removes the contrary of that which before he had laid downe; upon this Rock will I build my Church:) but the fraudulent and crafty temptations of Satan, which are effectuall or of force, to ſeduce or enthrall the faithfull are principall enemies to this building of the Church, and conſtant adhering unto Chriſt; and therefore theſe crafty and ſubtile tentations are underſtood by the gates of hell. Secondly, whatſoever comes out of the gates of hell, or hath its beginning from thence, that is here underſtood by this phraſe of the gates of hell; but the temptations of Satan are hatched in hell, and come from thence; therefore they are here ment by the gates of hell. Thirdly, if the condemnation of the faithfull onely be underſtood here, by the gates of hell, then this promiſe may ſtand with the totall failing or falling away of the Church militant; (for then he ſhould promiſe nothing to the militant members of the Church, but onely to the dead, who dye in faith:) but this is repugnant to the intention of Chriſt in this place, and to the interpretation of all Writers, and the opinion of all Chriſtians. Fourthly, Saint Peter himſelfe, unto whom our Saviour here ſpeakes, ſeems otherwiſe to interpret theſe words then Socinus doth, 1 Pet. 2, 7, 8. where the Apoſtle teacheth, that unbeleevers and diſobedient perſons, who ſtumble at Chriſt and are offended with him, doe belong unto thoſe gates, which doe impugne and aſſault that building which conſiſts of living ſtones, and is founded upon the corner ſtone and true rocke, Jeſus Chriſt. Fiftly, the proportion or analogy ought to be obſerved, which our Saviour here intimates and implyes, betwixt two Cities; the one of heaven, which hath her gates and keyes, verſe 19. and the other of hell; which by the gates of her plots, practiſes and provocations doe ſeek the ruine of the heavenly city. Now in this place our Saviour promiſeth (and would have us to beleeve it upon his word, that none of the plots, projects, aſſaults or batteries of the gates of hell ſhall prevaile againſt the heavenly City, the Church. And therefore ſeeing one City is oppoſed to the other, and the gates of the one to the gates of the other; and the one (viz. the Church) is conſidered in the ſtate and condition of her preſent building; it is very requiſite that the other ſhould reſpect her preſent impugning and aſſaulting of the other; and conſequently, the craft, deceit, and fraud of Satan, whereby he labors to ſeduce, enthrall and deceive the members of the Church.

Ibidem p. 201. Chriſt is Never (the Licenſer makes it ſemetimes) abſent from his children; and then blots out this enſuing clauſe; For he loves them unto the end, Joh. 13. 1, yea, promiſeth to be with them unto the end, Mat. 28. 20. yea, dwels in them by his ſpirit, 1 Cor. 3. 16. & [...] Cor. 6. 16. but yet he ſeemes ſometimes to be abſent. And pa. 57. Profeſſors are odious unto the world, and derided, ſcoffed and taunted at by the world; but the comfort is, that they are dear unto God, and precious in the ſight of Chriſt, who will acknowledge them to be his, when he doth deny and utterly diſclaime thoſe their mockers and deſpiſers. And thus the Lord hath particular conſolations for all particular ſorts of his ſervants: And 12. lines after; They ſtand or fall to their owne Maſter; yea, they ſhall ſtand, and none (neither ſinne or Satan) ſhall be able to plucke them out of Chriſt's hand, John 10. 18.

57. Paſſages purged out againſt the Popiſh Pyx and Tranſubstantiation.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matth. page 341. there is this deletion. Que. Who may be ment there, or to whom may theſe words be fitly applyed? Anſw. Theſe [Page] words of our Saviours doe neerly touch the Papiſts, for they can point with their fingers, and ſay, here is Chriſt, and there is Chriſt: Behold, in this Pyx are three Chriſts, in that five, in that ſeuen, in that more; therefore it is likely that Chriſt giveth us this ſpeciall watch-word, and ſuch others, Beleeve them not.

Queſt. What doth our Saviour forewarne us of here?

Anſw. We have in this verſe a charge from Chriſt, that if thoſe Impoſtors, the Papiſts, ſhould ſay unto us of him; behold, he is in ſecret places or cloſets, we ſhould not beleeve it; and this is moſt appliable unto them who tell us; that Chriſt is to be found in a Pyx, and think that they have him in ſafe cuſtody, under lock and key.

59. Paſſages deleted againſt Prayer to Saints; Popiſh Prayers; the Merit of Prayer; praying firſt for spirituall things; and praying towards the Eaſt.

In Doctor Clerks Sermons page 140. l. 12. after yea, and then, the Licenſer hath expunged this following ſentence: The Papiſts are foulely befoold, who have prayed ſo long to Saints, being but damned ſpirits, and all in hell.

Ibid. page 219. l. 6. after that word mostly, this is deleted: Frayers, Papiſts ſay Saints pray; they want naught themſelves, but pray for us; they there fore pray to them; proofe from Scripture they preſſe but very poore; faine to fetch instance from hell: Dives prayed for his brethren: Bellarmine's reaſon, worthy a Cardinals hat, Happily.

In Maſter Wards Comentary on Matthew page 82. this is gelded out: When a Papiſt prayeth to any Saint in heaven; for ſometimes they pray to thoſe, who in all probability are in hell, as Thomas Becket, Hildebrand, and divers cheating impostors.

Ibip. page 164. 161. 168. 169. this is deleted: Let thoſe therefore who call upon the name of the Lord, depart from all iniquity, and let them labour to abound in all vertues, both morall and theologicall, that ſo our profeſſion may be praiſed both of prophane and civill men.

Thirdly, the Papiſts have Rimes, which muſt be ſaid over three or four times every day; certainly with a little paines a man might make a good Parret, a good Papiſt, for he might be taught all this; therefore they were forced to cry much and long.

The Papiſts ſay, prayer is a Meritorious work, as hath been elſewhere ſhewed; Againſt which, we urge this place thus; we muſt not pray as the heathen did, for they thought to be heard for the merit of their long prayers: therefore it becommeth not Chriſtians to pray with any opinion to be heard. Anſw. 2. Spirituall graces are to be demanded before temporall good. Thirdly, we have no true right unto temporall things, nor proper intereſt in them, nor any true warrant to beg them, untill we be converted; and therefore temporall things are not firſt to be deſired: Our Saviour teacheth onely thoſe to pray for temporall bleſſings, that can call God father, as we ſee in the preface of the Lords Prayer, which we cannot doe aright untill we be converted.

Ibidem page 341. this is deleted; Object. It is controverted betwixt us and the Papiſts, concerning the formes of Churches; and Bellarmine affirmes, that they ſhould be built Eaſt and Weſt, that ſo when we pray therein, our faces might be turned towards the Eaſt: and for the prooſe hereof, he produceth this place; Ab oriente venturus ereditur ad judicium; It is beleeved that Chriſt will come unto judgement from the Eaſt, therefore we ought to pray towards the Eaſt.

Anſw. Firſt, creditur, it is beleeved (ſaith he) namely, by thoſe who can beleeve what they liſt, though never ſo abſurd, &c. See page 299.

60. Paſſages obliterated concerning Predeſtination, Gods Decree and Reprobation. See Election, page 303.

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IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Mathew, in the writen copy fol. 172. this clauſe is expunged. How is the Kingdome of God attained unto? Firſt, the foundation of it is the eternall love of God. Secondly, from this love proceedes the Decree of Predeſtination. Thirdly, from this Decree followes Redemption wrought by Chriſt. Fourthly, thence followes the Promiſes of the Goſpell, applying Chriſt to our hearts. Fiſtly, and laſtly, followes Faith, which apprehends both the Promiſes and Chriſt.

What reaſon can there be that God ſhould prepare veſſels unto diſhonor? How can God create men to deſtroy them? I Anſwer. Neither is reaſon dumbe here, but can ſpeake ſomething in Gods behalfe: viz. Firſt we for our food kill Sheep, Oxen, Birds and Fowle, who never wronged vs; yea, for this end we fat and cram them, although we did not create them. How much more then may God deſtroy a creature which he hath made, and for his glory paſſe by a man who hath infinitely offended him? Secondly, Artificers often make peeces of worke and breake them againe, for the praiſe of their skill and Art, why then may not the Lord doe ſo? Obj. God gave nothing unto man but a being, therefore it was unjuſt to doe more unto him, then to take away his being. God who created man of nothing or of earth, might juſtly have reduced him againe to his firſt matter, but not make him worſe then he was: now to be damned is much worſe then not to be. I anſwer. Artificers and Craftſmen make veſſels for their owne ſervice, yea even to ſerue for baſe offices, and that for a long time, yea even for ever, if they and their veſſels could endure for ever. And therefore why ſhould we diſpute againſt God? Saint Paul durſt not doe it, Rom. 9. 13. &c. What reaſon is there that God ſhould condemne us for Adams fault? Reaſon anſwers, That for treaſon againſt the King, the Father is beheaded, and the children diſinherited; yea, becauſe old Wolves and Foxes endanger and injure us, therefore we kill the young ones that never harmed us becauſe they are of a ravenous nature alſo, and will doe hurt if they live; why then ſhould we plead againſt God? &c. See more of this Sect. 25. concerning Election.

In Doctor Clerk's Sermons page 91. l. 12. after theſe words, Saint Ambroſe doth warrant it, ſhould follow this large diſcourſe of Predeſtination, which the Licenſer hath totally expunged. I will not be peremptory in ſo perplex a Queſtion as is Predeſtination; I will ſay as I conceive it, and ſubmit me to your cenſure. In the great Councell in Heaven (why name I heaven? heaven was not yet) God meaning to make manifeſt both his juſtice and his grace to the world, which he purpoſed to create in time, for the glory of them, both out of the whole maſſe of man, ſelected ſome, and refuſed the reſt: whom his mercy pretermitted thoſe his juſtice predeſſigned unto damnation, but whom his love elected, thoſe his grace ordained to finall ſalvation: The Tragick Poet could ſay, God whom he loveth, he ſaveth; what then his grace fore-purpoſeth, his power in time effecteth, and his wiſdome manages and marſhalleth all the meanes; ſalvation onely is the end intended by his grace, but the meanes are many, that might come between: Grace hath a golden chaine of many links, ſalvation the laſt, but ſo faſtened to his fellows, that it cannot fail; adoption, redemption regeneration vocation, juſtification, ſanctification: adoption to the right and title of Gods ſonnes, redemption from death, regeneration by baptiſme, vocation by the Goſpell, iuſtification by faith, ſanctification by the ſpirit, all theſe Paul hath omitted, and named but the laſt, both as the moſt comfortable, and to which all the reſt doe purpoſely tend: Damnation is the doome decreed to the reprobate; Gods juſtice ſentenceth them, but how and in what order, I liſt not to diſcourſe, for offending of weak conſciences: For the execution of which ſentence, there was ordained death and hell, and ſatan, and the evill day; death to attend them, hell to enjoy them, ſatan to torment them, and the evill day to judge and deliver them; The Elect alſo doe deſerve that doome; Gods curſe is juſtly incurred by their ſinne, but Gods goodneſſe travelled with good, which [Page] decreed they ſhould be ſaved: Aske me not the Queſtion why God Almighty dealt not equally with all? It is already anſwered; God is juſt as well as gracious: Had he ſaved all, where then were his juſtice? had he damned all, where then were his grace? Reply not in thy reaſon, that God had he ſo pleaſed, might have been both juſt and gracious, 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, tis 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. [Page] 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 to preach, as Matth. 10. 5. Act. 16. 7. and ſometimes inwardly, by not bleſſing the Word which is preached unto the hearers thereof, &c.

Ibid. in the written copy p. 396. Queſt. To whom doth the preaching of the Goſpell properly belong?

Anſw. The Miniſtry of the Word belongs properly to the Elect, Epheſ. 4. 11, 12. he gave Paſtors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, and for the edifying of the body of Chriſt. Againſt this, this place is objected, the preaching of the Goſpell is ſent unto all (Goe and teach all Nations) and therefore it doth not properly belong unto the faithfull.

Anſw. 1. It is true, that we doe, and muſt preach unto all, becauſe the Miniſters of the Word, in the judgement of charity, muſt beleeve well of thoſe to whom they preach, leaving ſecret judgement unto the Lord: and Secondly, it is preached properly unto the Elect to convert them, and onely accidentally to the Reprobates, as being inſeparable, mixed with the other, as tares and chaffe are mixed with good corne, 2 Cor. 2. 16.

63. A Paſſage deleted againſt Ministers Reading their Sermons.

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IN Doctor Clerks Sermons, page 404. l. 8. after theſe words. improperly ſo called, theſe words are blotted out: A reading propheſie riſeth in the Church, but fit to be prohibited, for it is not from the ſpirit, Prophetiza nobis Christe, Matth. 26. 28. Chriſt, read who hath ſmitten thee; much a doe is about a reading Miniſtery; the King to name it, and the Biſhops to ſuffer it; but what ſhall we ſay of reading Propheſie? ſurely the Biſhops are to blame to ſuffer it; and yet the greater part of thoſe who condemne reading Priests; are themſelves reading Priests; reading is no preaching, ſo they falſly ſay; but their preaching is reading, ſo I may truly ſay.

64. Paſſages blotted out concerning the Sabbaths morality, perpetuity, ſtrict ſanctification, and againſt the prophanation of it.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew, written copy page 201. this is deleted, I came not to destroy the Law, &c.

It is here objected, that the Sabbath day was not morall; Chriſt would not have altered it; for in this verſe, he came not to diſſolve the Law, but to fulfill it.

Anſw. The alteration of the day is no diſſolving of the Law, no more then the alteration of the ſeverall ſervices, once in force by vertue of the ſecond Commandement, (as namely, circumciſion, ſacrifices, the Paſſeover, and the like) doth aboliſh that Commandement.

Object. 2. It is objected againe, Chriſt compareth the Sabbath to a ſacrifice, Mat. 12. 7. therefore it is ceremoniall.

Anſw. Our Saviour in that place uſeth a proverbiall ſpeech, thereby ſhewing, that the greater duty muſt be preferred before the leſſe; ſee Mat. 9. 33. where the ſelf-ſame ſpeech is uſed, and yet there is no queſtion of Ceremonies, but onely company keeping with Publicans and ſianers: Dod upon the fourth Commandement.

Ibidem page 110. this clauſe is gelded out: Some will not allow of all the words of precept, according to the Letter; as for example: Firſt, ſome divide the Sabbath into two houres in the fore-noon, and two in the afternoon, although they have no footing for it, either from the ſpirituall and literall meaning of the fourth Commandement: Secondly, other can diſtinguiſh, &c.

In Doctor Jones his Commentary on the Hebrewes, page 117. this ſentence is expunged. Here we are to learne, that we are to occupy our ſelves in a ſerious contemplation of the Sabbath day, it is as cheſt full of precious and invaluable Jewels, if it were unlocked unto us; it is a recordation of things paſt, namely, of the creation of the world which is never to be forgotten by us; and our Chriſtian Sabbath muſt put us in remembrance of the reſurrection of our Saviour Chriſt, which was a re-making of the world: Againe Secondly, The Sabbath was a type and figure of things to come, of that ſpirituall reſt that we ſhould have by Chriſt from ſinne, ſatan and the paines of hell; and likewiſe of that heavenly and everlaſting reſt that we ſhall have in the Kingdome of Heaven; all the week long we are working in thoſe callings wherein God hath ſet us eating our bread, as is the Commandement, in the ſweat of our browes; but on the Sabbath day we reſt from them all, doe nothing but heare the Word of God, pray, ſing Pſalmes, receive the Sacrament: and this ſhould put us in mind of that perpetuall Sabbath we ſhould keep in Heaven, where we ſhould doe nothing but praiſe God continually: yet for all that, this day, the day of dayes, the Lords day, which the Lord hath ſelected to himſelfe, is too little regarded by a great number; ſome men are ſo worldly that they will not reſt, no not on this day; they that doe reſt from bodily labours, will not reſt on ſuch a heavenly manner as they ought to doe, it may be they will be ſleeping even at the Church, when others be at Sermons, or they will be ſitting idle at home, in the ſtreets, or Church-yards, but they doe not make that holy and comfortable [Page] uſe of the Sabbath, as they ought to doe, they doe not now take occaſion to meditate upon that ſweet and joyfull Sabbath, where we ſhall reſt with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob for ever; yet as the holy Ghoſt teacheth us in this place, this is one principall uſe we are to make of the Sabbath.

In the ſaid Doctor Jones his Comentary, page 41. 103. 119. 232. 236. 253. 252. 274. 319. 320. theſe words, The prophonation of the Sabbath are put out, and the very name of Sabbath obliterated.

So in Doctor Clerk's Sermons page 200. l. ult. & page 147. l. 7. the word Sabbath is deleted.

65. Paſſages deleted, that the Sacraments Ex Opere Operato conferre Grace; and concerning the Sacrament of Baptiſme.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew, written copy page 399. this clauſe is purged out: Fourthly, by Baptiſme we gaine eternall life and ſalvation; that is although Baptiſme doth not conferre theſe ex Opere operato, yet where the Sacrament in rightly adminiſtred, and faithfully received, and Chriſt within juſtifying the perſon to be baptized, Rom. 4, 11. there Baptiſme doth ſeale all theſe mercies, graces and benefits unto the party baptized.

Anſw. 2. Baptiſme is not abſolutely neceſſary unto ſalvation, as appeares thus; Firſt Sacraments doe not conferre grace upon all, nor by a phiſicall power give grace unto any, but ſometimes God in and by the Sacraments conveyes grace unto his Elect children, and ſometimes by the Sacraments confirmes grace which he hath formerly conferred.

Ibidem on Matthew 3. ver. 11. I indeed have baptized you with water, but he ſhall baptize you with the holy Ghoſt. this diſcourſe is obliterated:

Queſt. What is John Baptiſts principall ſcope herein?

Anſ. His principall and particular ſcope was this, to ſhew that his baptiſme had no efficacy nor power in it from himſelfe at all, but onely from Chriſt: teaching us, that the outward Sacrament may be in-effectuall (vede August. contr. Faustum 10. 4. & 19. 12.) and that two manner of wayes, viz. Firſt, for a time onely, as thoſe who were baptized into John's baptiſme received not the graces of the ſpirit till afterwards, Act. 9. 2. And Secondly, ſometimes finally, and for ever; and thus Simon Magus was baptized but never benefitted at all by it, Act. 8. 13. 20. 23.

It may here be demanded, why the Sacraments are ſometimes in-effectuall, ſeeing they are the Sacraments of Chriſt, inſtituted by himſelfe?

Firſt, becauſe they are Sacraments appointed for the confirming of grace formerly given, not for the conferring of grace by any phiſicall power in themſelves (Rom. 4. 11.) and therefore no wonder if the Sacraments be not effectuall, when they are adminiſtred to one voyd of grace; for a ſeale ſet to a blank profits nothing.

Secondly, becauſe thoſe things which are a meanes of conferring grace, according to the Ordinance of God, are but onely meanes, and not efficient cauſes; and therefore unto the receiver is like the preaching of the Word, altogether unprofitable when they are not mixed with faith, Heb. 4. 2.

How may we know whether we are truly baptized or not, or whether our baptiſme be effectuall or operative in us?

We may know thisby a ſerious examination of our ſelves by thoſe things whereunto Baptiſme is compared, viz. Water A. Spirit B. Fire C.

A. Firſt, Baptiſme is compared to Water, which hath theſe two principall properties; Firſt, it waſheth cleane, and cleanſeth away filth and pollution from a garment, and therefore we muſt examine and try, whether we be waſhed and cleane purged from the pollution of [...]inne or not? Secondly, It moyſteneth and maketh apt to fructifie; and to bring forth fruit, Iſa. 44. 3. and therefore we muſt try whether we are barren or not? for if we encreaſe nor in the works of ſanctification, we are not yet truly baptized [Page] unto Chriſt. B. Secondly, baptiſme is compared unto the Spirit, or to wind or breath, who [...]e properties are theſe two, namely; Firſt, to coole and refreſh the Lungs; and ſecondly, to work inſenſibly, according to our Saviours ſpeech John 3. the wind blowes where it liſts, of which afterwards in his proper place, viz. upon John. 2. 5. Let us here onely examine, whether luſt burne and rage within us or not? for if we be enflamed therewith, and have no ſpirituall breath to coole theſe carnall flames, then we are not truly baptized into Chriſt; the pulſes of the conſcience being ſighes and prayers wherewith the child of God doth querch the fire of concupiſcence. C. Thirdly, Baptiſme is compared to fite, whoſe properties are theſe three; to wit, Firſt, to give light, and therefore he that is blind, is not yet by baptiſme made a member of Chriſt; for where the ſpirit of Chriſt is there the eyes of the underſtanding are opened by him; and ſecondly to purge away droſſe from mettle: and therefore we muſt try, whether the corruption of our nature be more and more ſubdued, and whether we be more holy, more pure and more unſpotted then formerly we were? yea like gold ſeven times tryed in the furnace; and thirdly, it doth enflame and burne; and therefore key-cold and luke-warme Chriſtians are not yet baptized into Chriſt: wherefore we muſt labour that our hearts may be enflamed with a deſire to advance the glory of God; as Saint Paul, when he ſaw the City Athens ſubject to idolatry, his ſpirit was ſtirred in him, Act. 17. 16.

66. Paſſages deleted, that the Euchariſt and Maſſe are no Propitiatory Sacrifice. (See Maſſe before.)

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew written copy page 324. this diſcourſe is deleted: Quest. Is the bread in the Lords Supper, when it is conſecrated, to be offered up as a Propitiatory ſacrifice unto God?

Anſw. No: our ſacrifices now are Thankſgiving and Almes, Hoſea 14. 3. Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 15, 16.

Object. But this Sacrament is frequently by the Fathers called a ſacrifice, and therefore the Maſſe is no Idoll; yea the Papiſts urge Heb. 13. 10, &c. and from thence of ſet up the Bread, Chriſt, unto God for a propitiatory ſacrifice.

Anſw. Firſt, it is not certaine that the Apoſtle in that place ſpeaks of the Euchariſt, yea rather contrarily, it is certaine, that he ſpeaks not of the Euchariſt, for verſe 15. it is ſaid, Per illum, by him, therefore let us offer. &c. and therefore if we offer ſacrifice unto God (per illum, ergo non illum) by Chriſt, then we doe not offer up Chriſt himſelf unto God.

Secondly, our ſacrifices now are ſpirituall, viz. prayers, praiſes and almes; as was ſhewed before in the anſwer to the Queſtion: And hence collections were wont to be made in the Church, 1 Cor. 16. at the time when the Euchariſt was celebrated; and thus the Fathers doe alwayes explaine themſelves when they ſpeak of ſacrifice: for there is a double ſacrifice, to wit, firſt, one which the Prieſt offers up, and this the Papiſts ſpeak of, but not the Fathers; ſecondly, a ſacrifice which every Communicant offers, and of this the Fathers ſpeak; Tu ſine oblatione venis, participas quod pauper offert, Chryſoſt. When thou commeſt to the Lords Supper, thou muſt not come without an offering.

Ibid. page 365. The Papiſts object, Chriſt in the inſtitution of his ſupper ſpeaking of his ſacrifice, doth not utter the words in the future tenſe: This is my body, which trad [...]tur, ſhall hereafter be given for you; and my blood, which effundetur, ſhall be ſhed for you: but in the preſent tenſe, pro vobis traditur & effunditur, which is given for you, and ſhed for you; therefore Chriſt did not onely ſacrifice his body and blood upon the Croſſe, but alſo in the Lords ſupper.

Anſw. Firſt, if theſe words (this is my body which is given, and my blood which is ſhed) be the ſubſtantiall words of the ſacrifice of the Maſſe, then there is a groſſe and impious errour in the Canon of the Maſſe; for in the firſt part of the inſtitution, the [Page] Canon wholly omits theſe word, quod pro vobis traditur, which is given for you; and in the other part of the inſtitution, the Canon hath not the preſent tenſe, but the future effundteur, this is my blood which hereafter ſhall be ſhed for you; and thus the very nerves and ſinewes of this argument are quite cut a ſunder by the Canon of the Maſſe it ſelfe.

Secondly, how can the ſacrifice of the Maſſe be called Jucruentum, an unbloody ſacrifice, if there were in effuſion of blood even at that inſtant when Chriſt celebrated his ſupper? yea if the Wine be ſubſtantially changed into the blood of Chriſt, and the Bread into his body, and that there be blood not onely in the Cup, but alſo with the fleſh, as they teach, then it muſt needs be a bloody ſacrifice.

Thirdly, it is not unknowne to the Chriſtian Faith of Proteſtants, when and where the body of Chriſt was given for the redemption of our ſoules and the blood of Chriſt ſhed for waſhing away of our ſinnes; for the Scripture in many places declares, that this was done in the death and ſuffering of Chriſt, and not in the celebration or inſtitution of the Euchariſt.

Fourthly, neither doth the uſe of the preſent tenſe prove that which they would have, for it is uſuall and well known, that there is an Enallage oft times in Scripture, and that not onely the preſent tenſe, but alſo ſometimes the preter tenſe is put for the future for the certainty of things affirmed: as for example; paer natus eſt nobis, unto us a child is given or borne; Agnus occiſus, the Lamb was ſlaine from the beginning of the world; behold the Lambe of God, qui tollet, which taketh away the ſinnes of the world, Ego pono, I lay downe my life for my ſheep &c. Chem. Exam. part 2. fol. 166. 6.

Many Paſſages of this nature are expunged out of Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrews, others altered by the Licenſer, which we pretermit.

67. Clauſes deleted againſt Popiſh Satisfaction.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew written copy page 17. this is deleted: Queſt. Which are the parts of Repentance?

Firſt, the Papihs anſwer hereunto, that the parts of repentance are three, to wit, Firſt contrition, or (as ſome of them ſay) Attrition: Secondly, auricular confeſſion; Thirdly, Satisfaction of merit.

Object. We may ſatisfie the wrath of God for the puniſhment due unto ſinne.

Anſw. Neither will this evaſion ſerve, that by grace our works ſatisfie, for grace and works are ſo divers, that they cannot herein concurre together; grace taking away works, and works grace, if they ſhould be joyned as working cauſes together.

Ibidem page 383 this is purged out: I read (ſaith Ambroſe) of Peter's penitent tears, but not of his Satisfaction; the which words of the Father, being urged againſt popiſh Satisfaction, Peter Lombard anſwered, Multa facta ſunt quae ſcripta non ſunt, many things have been done which are not written or mentioned in the Scriptures.

Anſw. This anſwer is a ſufficient ſatisfaction (with the Papiſts) being an eſſentiall point of pennance, and pertaineth to doctrine, and therefore it ſhould have an expreſſe warrant or proofe out of the Scripture; for in matters of faith or points of doctrine, an argument may be drawne negatively from the Scriptures (though not ſo in matter of fact) as for example; This doctrine is not found in Scripture, therefore it ought not to be received, is a good conſequence; wherefore the Fathers (viz. Ambroſe) argument is good, and the Maſters (viz. of the ſentences) ſolution looſeth not the knot.

And fol. 207. written copy: Thy ſinnes be forgiven thee.

We ſee Chriſt here neither requires confeſſion, nor demands or reſerves Satisfaction of this ſick man, but wholly takes away his ſinnes, to teach us that Chriſt pardons our ſinnes truly, Heb. 8. 12. Ior. 31. 21. &c. Iſa. 43. 25. Heb. 10. 17.

68. Scripture Texts themſelves and their very words alone deleted.

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NOt to trouble you with any already mentioned in the Premiſes take theſe enſuing inſtances inſtead of many more that might be added. In Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matth. p. 201. Chriſt indeed is never abſent from his children; for, he loves them unto the end, Ioh. 13. 1. yea, promiſeth to be with them unto the end, Mat. 28. 20. yea, he dwelleth with them by his ſpirit, 1 Cor. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 6. 16. But yet he ſeemeth ſometimes abſent. Ibid. p. 202. There is a fear of God, which is a godly fear; wherein two things are obſervable. viz. Firſt, that he is to be feared, Pſ. 2. 11. Pro. 1. 7. Eccle. 12. 11. And ſecondly, that he is not to be feared doubtingly, but beleeved confidently, Ioh. 4. 18. & Rom. 8. 38. Ibid. p. 84. All Chriſtians are called light: Thus Saint Paul taxed the Jewes, Thou art confident that thou thy ſelfe art a guide of the blinde, a light to them that ſit in darkneſſe, Rom. 2. 19. whence he intimates that every Chriſtian is or ought to be a light. Ibid. p. 194. Queſt. Why doth the Lord principally reſpect our Faith? Anſw. Firſt, becauſe Faith only ſaveth us, Rom. 3. 12. 27. &c. and 4. 5. Acts 13. 48. Ioh. 8. 24. Eph. 2. 8. Secondly, becauſe works ſerve onely to prove our Faith, Gal. 5. 8. Iam. 2. 18. Ibid. p. 207. Thy ſinnes be forgiven thee. We ſee Chriſt here, neither requires Confeſſion, nor demands or reſerves Satisfaction of this ſick man, but wholly takes away his ſinnes: to teach us, That Chriſt pardons our ſinnes truly, Heb. 8. 12. Ier. 31, 32. &c. Iſay 43. 25. Heb. 10. 17. Ibid. p. 403. Secondly, it appeares the Holy Ghoſt is God, becauſe he begat Chriſt the Sonne of God, Luk. 1. 35. where he is called, The power of the moſt High; and therefore he is God. Ibid. p. 187. the Lord is immutable and immoveable in his Law and Decrees of mercy, Iohn 13. 1. Rom. 11. 29. Ibid. page 221. All power comes from God; we neither have power to eſchew evill, nor to do good, Rom. 7. 15. 19. 23. Were not theſe Licenſers as bad or worſe then Papiſts, thus to obliterate theſe very Texts of ſacred Scriptures as heterodox, and unfit to paſſe the Preſſe? No doubt they would have raſed them out of the Bible it ſelf in time, as well as out of this Authors writings, who did but barely cite them in their genuine ſenſe, againſt Popiſh and Arminian errours.

69. Paſſages expunged, that the Scriptures are light, not hard to be underſtood, and to be read by the common people.

IN Maſter Ward upon Matthew 14. 15. page 27. 90. theſe clauſes are deleted. Ye are the light of the World.

The Papiſts affirme, the Scriptures to be hard, and difficult and obſcure, that the common people or Laity cannot understand them, and therefore it is to no purpoſe for them to read them. Now againſt this we produce this place, arguing briefly thus; the Apoſtles are the light of the world, therefore their doctrine (i. e. the Scripture) is perſpicuous, and facile, and may be underſtood by a diligent and obſervant Reader &c.

To this of Bellarmine we anſwer, firſt, the Major propoſition is falſe, that every light is alwayes viſible, for theſe two cauſes, viz. Firſt, becauſe the Sunne and Moone were ordered to be great lights (Gen. 1. 16. and Pſal. 136. 8.) for the governing of day and night, and yet we ſee them often darkned, and ſuffer ſtrange eclipſes: ſo the Church, though it be ordained to enlighten the world by miniſtring the doctrine of the Scriptures, yet ſometimes it may faile out of mens ſight, as hath been ſhewed elſewhere, viz. upon Matth. 5. 14. Secondly, though the Church be a light, yet ſuch as walke in darkeneſſe, loving that better then the light, doe not alwayes ſee it, but want either will or eyes thereto: Thus the King of Arams Souldiers neither ſaw the horſes and Chariots of fire that were [Page] round about Eliſha, nor knew that they were in the midſt of Samaria, untill their eyes were opened.

Neither do men light a candle and put it under a Buſhell.

The Papiſts ſay, that the Scriptures are ſo hard and obſcure, that although people were permitted to read them in their mother tongue, yet they could not poſſibly underſtand them, and therfore it boots not at all to do ſo: Now againſt this Tenet of theirs we enforce this place, arguing thus; Chriſt in the former verſes affirmed his Apoſtles to be, not only the ſale of the earth, but alſo the light of the world; and in this verſe ſhewes how abſurd a thing it is to light a candle, and then to put it under a Buſhell, and how uſefull it is to put it into a candleſtick, becauſe ſo it gives light to all that are in the houſe. But if the writings of the Apoſtles be obſcure, then we muſt of neceſſity confeſſe, that the light is hid under a buſhell, and is not ſeen by thoſe in the roome: Now if this be abſurd, then let the Paſtiſts acknowledge it an abſurd opinion to think the Scriptures obſcure, and rather affirme them to be perſpicuous and plain; yea, not only perſpicuous and clear to the underſtanding of ſome, but to all who are in the houſe, that is, to all the faithfull: Briefly, if the Goſpell be like a lighted candle which is put into a candleſtick, and gives light to all who are in the houſe, then it is perſpicuous and clear to the whole houſhold; but the former is true from this verſe; therefore alſo the latter, &c.

Were not our Prelates wholly Popiſh, and Romes ſworne Vaſſals, who could not endure to have ſuch paſſages as theſe paſſe freely through our Preſſes without a Romiſh purgation? and do not theſe bad fruits diſcover how rotten their hearts, how corrupt their judgements were?

70. Paſſages blotted out againſt Tranſubſtantiation; and Christs Corporall preſence in the Euchariſt.

IN Dr. Clerk's Sermons page 229. l. 21. after theſe words, not dye at all, ſhould follow this deleted cauſe; God is the creator; 'tis hee (John ſayes) made all things; the Popiſh Prieſt ſayeth, he can, by certaine words ſaid in the Sacrament, make his maker, create Chriſt, incarnate him again, turne bread into Chriſts body.

And in Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew, p. 380. Wine and bread cannot be both in the Sacrament corporally and ſubſtantially, as the Papiſts teach; But of this ſubject you have heard much before; we ſhall not therefore here enlarge our ſelves any further.

71. A notable clauſe deleted concerning the Toleration of Popiſh Prieſts, and Divines preaching againſt it.

IN D. Featlie's Clavis Myſtica, p. 175. this notable paſſage is purged out by the Archbiſhops Chaplaine: Now though toleration of different Religions falleth in ſome reſpects, within the compaſſe of the myſteries of ſtate, which cannot be determined in the Schools but are fitteſt to be debated at the Councel Table; yet conſidering the preheminence the Law of God hath above the law of men, and the dangerous conſequence of an ill reſolution of the ſtate in this point, which may tend to the ruine of many thouſand ſoules; certainly the Stateſ-man is not to begin but where the Divine ends in a deliberation of this nature; For firſt, it is to be enquired, Whether bearing with a falſe Religion, be a thing juſtifiable by the rules of true Religion? whether the God of Heaven permit any permiſſion of blaſphemy againſt himſelfe, or hereſie againſt his true worſhip? And in caſe that God diſpence with ſome kind of toleration of errours and abuſes for ſome time, to prevent a greater miſchiefe, the Councell of ſtate is to enquire, whether the condition of the preſent ſtate be ſuch, that the onely meanes to ſuppreſſe hereſie, [Page] is for a while to let it grow? as alſo, whether the cockle can be cleane weeded out without the ſpoile of much good corne? If the Grecians never undertook any matter of great conſequence, before they received anſwers from their Oracles; neither the Jews before they conſulted with God by the Ephod; nor the Romans, priuſquam de coelo ſervatum eſſet, before they had the approbation of their ſouth-ſayers; doubtleſſe all Chriſtian eſtates are to expect either a command, or at leaſt a warrant from Scripture, before they proceed in matters ſo neerly concerning God and his ſervice; otherwiſe, they goe about to ſet the ſunne by the dyall, not the dyall by the ſunne; alter the houſe to the hangings; whereas all good Governours ſhould be like good Pylots, qui manum ad clavum, oculos habent ad aſtra, who have their eye upon the ſtarres or C [...]rd and hand upon their helme; that is, they ought according to the direction from heaven to ſteere their courſe.

72. Paſſages expunged againſt Veniall ſinnes.

IN Doctor Clerk's Sermons page 295. l. 16. after Lotteries, the Licenſer hath deleated theſe words; All ſinnes ventall; ventall (I would ſay) there; yea (as a Romiſh Riball ſhamed not once to ſay) though a man had layen with our Lady.

And page 333. l. 22. after theſe words. A petty ſunne, ſhould follow; nor ever heard I of vice in a Diminutine, but onely in a Papiſt; Lindan hath Levicula vitiola, ſubſtantive and adjective abated both,

In Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matth. 5. ver. 19. page 105. One of the leaſt Commandements, this diſcourſe is raſed out.

Are all ſinnes mortall, are not ſome Veniall?

Firſt, ſome ſinnes are called veniall, poſſibilitate, becauſe there is a poſſibility that they may be pardoned; and they are thus called, in oppoſition to thoſe mortall ſinnes which cannot poſſibly be forgiven, as finall impenitency, totall apoſtacy, and the ſinne againſt the Holy ghoſt, Heb. 64. & 10. 26.

Secondly, ſome ſinnes are called veniall, facilitate, becauſe they are more eaſily and uſually forgiven; and they are thus called, in oppoſition to thoſe ſins which are ſcarcely or ſeldome pardoned; as ſwearing, and the idolatry of covetous men, which are ſeldome truly repented of.

Thirdly, ſome ſinnes are called veniall, promiſſione, becauſe they have a promiſe of pardon; and thus all the ſinnes of the righteous children of God are called veniall.

Fourthly, ſome ſinnes are called veniall, vera eſtimatione, becauſe they deſerve not death nor condemnation: And in this ſenſe we deny any ſinnes to be veniall, becauſe every tranſgreſſion of the Law is mortall; yea, hence Bellarmine confeſſeth, that they are not properly ſinnes, becauſe they are preter legem non contra, beſides the Law, not contrary to the Law; and therefore we ſhould not preſume becauſe our ſinnes are ſmall, but feare becauſe they are many; the ſmalneſſe of them having been a meanes to hinder us from turning from them, or repentig of them, and alſo to multiply and encreaſe the number of them.

Ibidem written copy page 334. Object. Therefore ſome ſinnes are veniall, ſome mortall.

Anſw. Firſt, neither an Eagle nor an Elephant will catch at flyes, and therefore it becomes not ſo great and learned a Scholler as Bellarmine is to catch and ſnatch at theſe flyes and moats.

73. Paſſages raſed out concerning our effectuall Vocation.

THis whole diſcourſe is obliterated in Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew 22. ver. 14. Many are called but few elected:

Queſt. How many ſorts of callings or cals are there?

Anſw. There is a double call, viz. particular and generall: Firſt, there is a particular calling or function, [...] to the miniſtery, and the like, John 6. 12. Matth. 7. 22. now [Page] this call belongs not unto ſalvation, and therefore I omit it: Secondly, there is a generall call unto ſalvation, which is two fold, to wit, ineffectuall and effectuall: Firſt, there is an effectuall calling, which is twofold. to wit, a calling whereby God cals all men, and a call whereby he cals the outward Church: Firſt, there is an effectuall call whereby God cals all men, and this is twofold, to wit; Firſt, the Word of God, which is ſaid to call all, and that both becauſe it ſpeaks unto all without difference; Come all, &c. Mark 11. 24. & Acts 17. 30. & 10. 35. and alſo becauſe the ſound thereof goes into all the world, or unto the atmoſt parts of the world. Rom. 10. 17. Pſal. 19. 4: The book of the creatures for the inviſible things of God are ſeen in the creation, Rom. 1. 20. and there are ſome marks and impreſſions or prints of God in every creature: Secondly, there is an effectuall call, whereby God cals the eternall Church, to wit, the whole Church profeſſing the Goſpell outwardly, whether they be Papiſts, Arrians, Hereticks, Ana baptiſts or Proteſtants: Whence we may learne, That all in the outward Church are called, and therefore many are called; this is cleere from this verſe: and chap. 20. 16. Luke 14. 16.

Queſt. 2. How are all in the outward Church called?

Anſw. Two manner of wayes, by the Word and Spirit; Firſt, all under the Goſpell are called by the Word preached, Matth. 23. 37. and hence the Goſpell is called Lucifer, the day ſtarre, 2 Pet. 1. 19. and the Word of life, John 6. 68. and the ſalvation of God, Act, 28. 28. and the word of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5. 19. and therefore what will become of thoſe who deſpiſe the Goſpell; that is, both firſt, the Papiſts, who becauſe they hate us, therefore they contamne the Goſpell which we profeſſe, although it be the word of life, and the means of their calling: Oh woe be unto thoſe who contemne the words of Chriſt; and alſo ſecondly, they who think preaching a fine thing, but not neceſſary; ſuch are they who can be content with a dumbe Miniſter, or who, like the Gergeſens, preferre their gaine before Goſpell; Oh! it is a greivous thing for Chriſt to call, and we to refuſe his gracious calling: and alſo thirdly, they who enjoy the preaching of the goſpell, and may be made partakers thereof, hath forenoone and afternoone on the Lords day, and yet neglect it, and for every trifle, and upon every triviall occaſion, will abſent himſelfe, Prov. 1. 24. Oh it is a fearfull thing for a man to loath this lovely manna; and likewiſe fourthly, they who doe not make a right uſe of that which they heare, and this is the moſt uſuall, and the moſt hurtfull of all, Amos 8. 11. And thus we ſee how all under the goſpell are called by the Word: Secondly, all under the goſpell are called by the Spirit, working within, as well as by the Word preached without: Now becauſe we make this a member of the generall ineffectuall call: it may be demanded.

Queſt. 3. Whether the call of the Spirit be ineffectuall or not? for it is ſaid, that thoſe who are led by the Spirit are the ſonnes of God, Rom. 8. 14. and that there is no condemnation to the ſpirituall man, Rom. 8. 1. becauſe the gifts of God are [...], without repentance, Rom. 11. 29.

Anſw. All this is true of the effectuall operation of the holy ſpirit, becauſe that is certaine and eternall; but there is a generall work of the ſpirit, which ends in perdition; that is, many may and doe fall finally and totally into ſinne, and conſequently into eternall deſtruction, in whom ſometimes there hath been ſome good motions, and generall operations of the bleſſed ſpirit; this is cleer from theſe places, to wit, Mat. 7. 22. & 13. 20. Heb. 6. 4. & 10. 26. & 2 Pet. 2. 20. Now this generall call and operation of the holy Spirit hath theſe degrees following. viz. Firſt, an underſtanding of the word, for the meere naturall man cannot underſtand it, Mat. 16. 23. & 1 Cor. 2. 14. Here obſerve two things, to wit, Firſt, there are many in the places of the Goſpel who heare the Word preached all the dayes of their lives, and yet underſtand nothing, but remaine children in underſtanding; now theſe never were made partakers ſo much as of common or generall grace: Secondly, there are ſome who live under the Word, and doe dogmatically underſtand the Word; now theſe muſt remember that knowledge is not enough, God having given them knowledge for practice ſake, yea to know and not to obey will aggravate their paniſhment. Secondly, a taſte of ſpirituall things [Page] and the heavenly gift, Heb. 6. 4. this is to receive the Word with joy. Matth. 13. 20. and there are few ordinary hearers, but at ſome time or other have theſe affecting motions, although for the moſt part the reprobate rather rejoyceth in the newneſſe then in the truneſſe of that which he heares. Thirdly, obedience in part for ſaking ſome ſinnes and doing God ſome ſervice, Mark 6. 20. And thus much for the firſt generall call unto ſalvation, to wit, the ineffectuall call. Now

Secondly, there is an effectuall calling, and thus onely the ſheep of Chriſt are called, John 10. 27. & 6. 44. & 2 Tim. 1. 9. & 1 Cor. 1. 26.

Queſt. 4. How many things are obſervable in this effectuall vocation or calling?

Anſw. Theſe five which follow; namely; Firſt, it is of and from God, that is, thoſe who are effectually called are called by God. John 8. 44. Act. 13. 48. Secondly, it is wrought by the Spirit, Mat. 12. 18. Iſae. 42. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 14. Gal. 3. 26.

Object. 1. Thirdly, it is free: Now againſt th [...]s it may be objected, election is free but not vocation, becauſe our works goe before effectuall vocation, as appeares by the Prodigall, and Eunuch, and Cornelius.

Anſw. There are two parts of our effectuall vocation, whereof the firſt is hid and ſecret, and internall. and is ſpiritually wrought by the holy ſpirit; and the ſecond part is manifeſt, and that is, the perfection of ſanctification, when it is outwardly perfected: Now both theſe proceed from the free love of God, who works in us both the will and the dead, both good habits and good acts; read Phil. 2. 13. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Jam. 1. 18. Fourthly, it is firme and certaine, Rom. 8. 30. 1 Theſ. 2. 24. Fifthly, it is not appertaining unto all, but onely thoſe who are elected, are effectually called, &c.

74. Clauſes obliterated againſt Wil-worſhip.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew, written copy page 361. this is expunged: Queſt. Becauſe this woman without any particular command from God, did by this her fact performe a good work, and an acceptable ſervice unto Chriſt, it may therefore be demanded. Whether thoſe works which are undertaken out of a good intention, though without a command, be acceptable ſervices or parts of Gods worſhip?

Anſw. No; for the Word ſaith, that he is worſhipped in vaine by the Doctrine of men, Iſa. 15. 9. and Col. 220. will-worſhip is condemned, yea this laſt was ſingular, not exemplary; for Mary anointed Chriſt without any ſpeciall command from God, but not without a ſingular inſtinct of the ſpirit, and Chriſt defendeth the fact, not at ſimply good or worthy to be imitated, nor becauſe he did approve of wil-worſhip, but becauſe it was gratefull unto him for another uſe, which he knew, but ſhee knew no, namely his buriall, which was ſhortly to be, Bareus ſ. fol 853. b.

Ibidem page 57. in the written copy: Here indeed is a pride in Religion, when God muſt be content either to accept of wil-worſhip, or a freewill-offering, or elſe he ſhall have nothing.

75. Paſſageo deleted concerning the loving, prizing and hearing of Gods Word.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthew, page 110. in the written copy, this clauſe is raſed out.

Anſw. 3. Except their righteouſneſe exceed that of the Scribes, they cannot be ſaved (becauſe civill honeſty without Religious zeale is but like a menſtrens cloth, Iſa. 64.) And afterwards the laſt line but four, Firſt, delight in the hearing of the Word, and call it not a wearineſſe or hard ſaying; we ſee in hunting that both the horſe and the dog runne after the Hare, but after a diverſe manner; for the horſe hath no delight in that ſport, and therefore if he were whipt and ſpurred, he would not ride after it, but the dog delights in the paſtime, and therefore runs ſwiftly of himſelf without any beating: Thus it is not enough to come to the houſe of God upon Gods day to heare his [Page] Word, but we muſt doe it with delight and deſire, if we would have the Lord to approve of our hearing.

Ibid. page 332. there is this further deletion: Firſt, how doe we love the Word? whether doe we prepone or poſtpone other things before it? we ſhould enquire with our ſelves, whether we ſo love the Word, that we had rather want our meat, drink, and rayment, and recreations, and riches, and all, rather then the preaching of the Word of God, &c.

Fourthly, unto an example of piety and purity, Phil. 2. 15. (we ſay and ſee that thoſe who are in place among the Papiſts, are bold and couragious in the defence of their Religions, and therefore it is a ſhame if any Proteſtants, who are preferred either to Eccleſiaſticall or civill dignities, ſhould ſtand as Newters betwixt two.)

And a little after: Thirdly, vvhether the back and belly of the poore bleſſe us, &c. Fourthly, vvhether vve uſe our riches for the buying and procuring the preaching of the Word or not, vvhen vve vvant it? For our Lord vvill take an account of the ſpending and diſpoſing of our riches.

76. Paſſages deleted concerning good works, their end; and againſt the Merit of Works, and Works of Supererogation.

IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Matthevv, p. 200. this is purged out: Queſt. Hovv many ends are there in the performance of good vvorks?

Anſw. Foure; namely, firſt, to pleaſe God; ſecondly, to glorifie God; and thirdly to make our ovvne calling and election ſure; and fourthly, to confirme, ſtrengthen and build up others: Novv the morall vvorks of the naturall man fall ſhort in all theſe but onely the laſt, for ſometimes his Neighbour reaps benefit thereby.

Ibidem printed book, fol. 156. written copy fol. 68. 69. Why may we not 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 ormony-worth, Iſa. 55. 1. and therefore we muſt not expect not exact the reward of glory, as a due debt unto NOTE. us from God for our works, as Saint Elzearous did, &c. Will not this hinder and diſcourage men from working, to remember that all their works merit nothing at Gods hand at all? Anſ. It is ſo far from hindering, that it furthers; ſo farre from diſcouraging, that it encourages; ſo farre from leſſening, that it encreaſes; and ſo farre from extinguiſhing that it enflames our deſires and endeavours to be rich in good works.

Ibidem written copy fol. 105. We deſerve nothing at the hands of God but only by the obedience of the Commandements, i. e. if there be any merit, it is in the obedience of the Law: if Adam had merited, it had been by obeying that which was commanded, not that which was required; for when by ſuch things we deſire to pleaſe God, he will ſay, who hath required theſe things at your hands, Iſa. 1. 12. and therefore little hope can the Papiſts have to merit Heaven by their monaſticall Vowes, whether generall or particular.

Ibidem written copy fol. 108. It is injurious unto Chriſt, to deſire God to accept of NOTE. the overplus of our brothers merits for us: Here we may obſerve the true Myſtery of Iniquity, and the impious impudency of the Popiſh Writers, and all who herein ſubſcribe unto them; who, firſt, hold that the merit of Chriſt is not ſufficient to ſave us, becauſe it is not ours, and we ought to have an inherent righteouſneſſe of our owne beſides that imputative righteouſneſſe of his, or otherwiſe we can never be ſaved: And ſecondly, that the merits of a meere man can ſave us although we be wicked, and have no ioherent righteouſneſſe in us at all; thus blaſphemouſly arrogating more to the falſe and faigned overplus of ſinfull men, then to the whole ſufferings and perfect merits of that Lamb without ſpot.

Ibidem written copy fol. 300. Object. For the merit of works: Anſw. Firſt, the Queſtion between us and the Papiſts is, demeritis ſecundum eſſe, but this concluſion is [Page] inferred de Meritis ſecundum dici, and therefore proves nothing againſt us: Anſw. 2. Secondly, he who can perfectly fulfill whatſoever is commanded in the Law, may be ſaid to merit the reward promiſed: but this none are able to doe, as hath been formerly in divers places proved: Anſw. 3. Thirdly, the promiſe of the Goſpell is not, doe this and live; but beleeve and thou ſhalt be ſaved: and therefore the reward is not merited by works, but given of grace and mercy? Anſw. 4. Fourthly, theſe accidentall promiſes, wherein life is promiſed to works, doe not give a tight unto the Kingdome of Heaven for the merit of works, but the profeſſion of life everlaſting through grace in Chriſt: And therefore works are not antecedent, cauſall and meritorious cauſes of this life, but in reſpect of our right thereunto, they are frequent conditions, and in regard of our poſſeſſion thereof, they are preparations thereunto.

Paſſages expunged againſt Prophaneneſſe, Libertiniſme, and living, ending in ſinne.

TO cloſe up theſe purgations we informed you in the firſt Section of them, p. 259. that the Licenſer changed this paſſage in Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, page 106. We have begun in pure and ſound Religion, let us not END in Popery; into, let us not end in prophaneneſſe; yet behold theſe purgers ending not only in Popery, but Libertiniſme and prophanenſſe too, in the higheſt degree, as their expunging theſe clauſes (to omit hundreds of like nature) evidence.

In Mr. Ward's Comentary on Matthew, p. 161. they deleted this period Thirdly they (Profeſſors) muſt be carefull to ſtop the mouthes of morall, civill, honeſt men, who uſually object, that they are not ſo proud, covetous, idle, revengefull, angry, and ſelfe-conceited as Profeſſors are; for they are Phariſes toward others, and little better then Publicans in themſelves; Let thoſe therefore who call upon the Name of the Lord, depart from all iniquity, and let them labour to abound in all vertues, both morall and Theologicall, that ſo our profeſſion may be praiſed both of prophane and civill men.

Page 147. in the ſame Author: Thirdly, another reaſon; why we muſt never ſinne at all, is, becauſe ſinne is like Penalopes Webbe, and therefore to admit of one were to caſt our ſelves as farre back as ever we were; wherefore we muſt ſo runne, that we may attaine, and ſo follow Gods Plough, that we look not backe: the ſow who after her waſhing turnes her ſelfe to her former wallowing, becomes as filthy as ever; and man by a willing running or falling into ſinne, becomes as far off from God, and odious unto him as ever; and therefore we muſt take no liberty unto ſinne at all.

And page 217. Secondly, thoſe are here blame-worthy, who after a generall call to the profeſſion of the gospel, live wickedly, turning the grace of God into wantonneſſe, Jude 4. and ending in the fleſh though they began in the Spirit, Gal. 5. 19: certainly theſe are the worſt of all in the Lords eſteem, this not being the perſwaſion of him who called them.

TO theſe purgations, infinite others might be accumulated, enough to make many whole Folio Volumes, but for brevitie ſake we ſhall pretermit them; all theſe here mentioned (for the Readers fuller ſatisfaction, & clearer diſcovery of this prelats popiſh intentions) not being read at large, at the Lords Bar, but onely the principall of them, the reſt but pointed at (though all there actually produced in generall collections of them) to husband time, and avoyd tediouſneſſe in this kind of evidence.

Now we appeal to all the world and every mans conſcience who ſhal impartially peruſe theſe ſeverall orthodox paſſages expunged out of new licenſed books, by the Archb. and his Agents, before they could paſſe the Preſſe (the like whereof was never heard of in any Proteſtant Church, but onely in Romiſh Babel) and compare them with the ſeverall forementioned Popiſh Doctrines, Superstitions, Errours, Clauſes authorized by them in other late printed Pamphlets, to corrupt the People: whether they be not a moſt full, ſatisfactory, experimentall, irrefragable Evidence to convince your Lordſhips and all gaineſayers, of the Arch-biſhops reall Endeavours, utterly to ſubvert the Proteſtant Religion, and introduce the whole body of popery (with arbitrary power and tyranny) [Page] among us without any publike oppoſition, notwithſtanding all his meer verball proteſtations to the contrary, moſt apparently contradicted, refuted, by theſe his popiſh purgations uncapable of any juſtification or excuſe, unparalleld by any Proteſtant Prelates unheard of in any Proteſtant Church, or in our own, before his comin [...]ering in it, unpractiſed by any, but onely popiſh Inquiſitors, in their Indices Expurgator [...]y; wherein we find the very ſelfe-ſame paſſages in ſubſtance, yea and ſome of them in terminis deleted out of Claſſicall Authors, which this Arch-biſhop and his Chaplaines have obliterated out of our Proteſtant Writers, as you may evidently diſcerne by theſe few particular inſtances in the Index Librorum expurgatorum, by Gasper Quiroga, Cardinall and Arch-biſhop of Toledo, and generall Inquiſitor for Spaine, Salmuri; 1601. wherein I find theſe with ſundry other like clauſes expunged out of the Index to Saint Augustine's Works, ſet out by Froben: The Annotations to the Bible of Robert Stephanus Eraſmus. and others. Eucharistiam non eſſe ſacrificium, ſed ſacrificij memoriam: Fides ſola justificat: Justi ſummus ſola fide; Justos ab injustis fides diſcernit, non opera. Imaginum uſus prohibitus. Matrimonium omnibus conceſſum qui continere non volunt. Opera nostra noe non ſalvare: Peccata venialia damnant. Qui Sabbathum obſervat ſanctificat. Sacra ſunt venalia Romae. Culum eſt venale Denſque: Roma ipſa Lupanar Facta eſt toto execrabilis orbe. Chriſtus ſol [...] pacificator & juſtificator. Non meremur beatitudinem de condiguo. Vult Dominus Altare terreum, nos autem marmoreum conſtru [...]mus: Epiſcopus non differt a Preſbytere. Sacerdos & Epiſcopus olim idem: Monachi olim non fuerunt, ſi [...]ut hodis, &c. Voterum nulla vincula apud veteres Monaches. Boatiſſime pater audit Romanus Pontifex [...] Tuin euim glorificatur nomen Dei, cum nihil noſiris meritis, ſed totum tribuitur illius [...]iſericordiae. Templorum ſupervacaneus ornatus. Alienis meritis & operibus nemo juvetur: Fides etiam in tentatione manet: Summum malum eſt in operibus noſiris & meritis confidere; hoc cum eſt meritum Chriſti blasph [...]m [...]re. Confitenda Deo peccata non homini: Scripturae divinae omnibus voleutibus perviae & faciles; Seripiuras legere omnibus, etiam mund [...]nis praeceptum. Sanctorum invocationem pracavit Jo [...]nnes, Salut non ex Meritis. Imagines pictas contra Religionem eſſe ſcribit Epiphanus: Imagines vel ſia [...]uas Dei cultores adorar [...] non debent. &c.

What affinity there is between theſe purgations of this popiſh Spaniſh Inquiſitor, and thoſe of this Engliſh Archprelate & his Agents, you may eaſily diſcern by comparing both together; & therupon neceſſarily conclude, that their intentions were alike popiſh, becauſe their Practiſes, Purgations are ſo parallell. Only there are theſe remarkable differences between them: Firſt, that theſe purgations made by him and his Agents are far more groſſe in ſundry particulars then any we find in this, or any other Romiſh Inquiſitors Index Expurgatorem: Secondly, that they were made by this Arch-prelat and his Chaplaines, who profeſſed himſelfe a zealous Proteſtant, and who in reſpect of his very calling, ſupreame authority in our Church, and the great truſt repoſed in him, ought rather to have authorized then purged out theſe paſſages, eſpecially in ſuch times when we were all generally running headlong unto popery, and apoſtatizing unto Rome; when as all theſe other deleatures were made by profeſſed papiſts only in popiſh Kingdomes, Churches, when they were falling off to the proteſtant Religion, which they endeavovred to prevent.

By this Card you may ſee and ſuppreſſe what compaſſe this Arch-director and Corrector of our Church did ſayle by, and what forraigne port he was making to.

[Page] The precedent branch of the Evidence againſt the Arch-biſhop, hath given moſt ample proof of the ſeventh and ninth Originall Articles, to which we ſhall onely adde; That, the Arch-biſhop having ſtopt the English Preſſes to all Orthodox Books againſt his Popiſh Innovations at home, endeavoured to hinder the Printing of them abroad in Forraign parts; to which end by Sir William Boſwels means, (then Leager Ambaſſador at the Hague) and the aſſiſtance of one Iohn le Maire, preacher in Amſterdam (his conſtant Spie and Intelligencer, to give notice of all Engliſh and Scottish Books there printing, as appears by ſundry Originall Letters under his hand and ſeal, found in the Arch-biſhops ſtuddy) he procured the States of the United Provinces in the Low Countries, to make a generall Proclamation in Aprill 1639. againſt the Printers and ſpreaders of Libellous and Seditious Books againſt the Church and Prelates of England, and obtained a Proclamation or Order from the Townes of Amſterdam and Roterdam, for the apprehending and puniſhing of Maſter Can and other English men, who Printed ſuch English and Scottish Books; which is evident by divers coppies thereof, and Letters from Sir William Boſwell and others, to the Arch-biſhop. By meanes whereof the Preſſes both in England and the Netherlands were all cloſed up againſt Orthodox Engliſh Books, under the notion of Libellous and Seditious Pamphlets, and could neither be Printed nor imported without great danger and cenſure.

On the contrary, divers Popiſh books of all ſorts, as well in English as Latin, French and other Languages, were Printed and diſperſed in London by Prieſts, Jeſuits, Papiſts and their Agents, without any reſtaint or ſearch made after them, or puniſhment inflicted on the Printers or diſperſers of them: yea, many thouſands of them were dayly imported by help of the Queens Prieſts and Capucins, who diſperſed them; and if the ſearchers or others ſeized them at the Cuſtome houſe, according to the Statute of 3. Iacobi. c. 5. which Enacts; That no perſon or perſons shall bring from beyond the ſeas, nor shall print, buy, or ſell, any Popish Primers, Ladies Pſalters, Manuels, Roſaries, Popish Catechiſmes, Miſſals, Breviaries, Portals, Legends and Lives of Saints, conteining any ſuperſtitious matter, Printed or Written in any Language whatſoever, nor any other ſuperſtitious Books, Printed or Written in the English tongue; upon pain of forfiture of 40. s. for every ſuch Booke; &c. The Arch-biſhop or his Chaplains would preſently ſend to the Searchers, and enjoyn them to reſtore theſe Books to the owners that claimed them; or elſe command them to bring them in to the High Commiſſion Office, upon pretence to proceed againſt the Importers, and to have the Books themſelves publikely adjudged to be burnt; where, after a little ſpace, they were delivered out from thence to the Importers, without any penalty or confiſcation, and then freely diſperſed among the Roman Prieſts and English Catholiques, to foment them in their Idolatry, Superſtition, and ſeduce others unto Popery: as one Iohn Egerton a ſearcher depoſed, and others atteſted; of which more hereafter. Which compared with the premiſed Licenſing of Popiſh, and purging Orthodox Books againſt Popery; will moſt perſpicuouſly diſcover his impious deſignes to advance and ſet up Popery among us by degrees.

The fifth particular branch of the Evidence to prove the first Generall Charge againſt the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury.

WEE ſhall in the next place proceed to the eighth and ninth Originall Article, which we ſhall addreſſe our ſelves to prove, and make a fifth Generall [Page] Proof of his Trayterous Endeavours to ſubvert Gods true Religion by Law eſtabliſhed in our Church, and to ſet up Popiſh ſuperſtition and Idolatry in its ſteed: and that is, His countenancing, commending, fomenting, and preferring of divers Clergymen, who were moſt addicted to, and greateſt Writers, ſticklers for Arminian Errors and Superſtious Popish Doctrines, Ceremonies, Innovations, to the beſt Eccleſiaſticall Dignities, Promotions, Benefices, and making ſome of them Chaplaines to his Majeſty, to the Princes Highneſſe; and Heads of Colledges in our Ʋniverſities, to poyſon thoſe Fountaines of Religion: Seconded with his contrary diſcountenancing, ſuppreſſing, ſuſpending, cenſuring, impriſoning, perſecuting, and driving forth of this Kingdome ſuch zealous, Orthodox Preaching Miniſters who were moſt bold and reſolute to oppoſe them.

For pregnant proof of the former Branch of this particular.

Firſt, it is clear and undenyable not onely by known experience and divers Letters found in his ſtudy, but by the Docquet Bookes and privy Signets on record, that this Archbiſhop (contrary to the uſe of his Predeceſtors) incroached, uſurped to himſelfe from the year of our Lord 1627. when he firſt grew potent at Court and became Biſhop of Bath & Wells, afterwards of London, before he was Archbiſhop, and ever ſince he mounted to the See of Canterbury, the diſpoſition and donation of all or moſt Biſhopricks, Deaneries, Prebendaries and Benefices of note in his Majeſties gift, or in the gift of the Lord Keeper and Maſter of the Court of Wards, not onely within the Kingdomes of England, but of Scotland and Ireland too; and that he uſurped the power of nominating Chaplaines in ordinary to his Majeſties and the Princes Highneſſe (contrary to all former Preſidents) belonging time out of mind to the Lord High Chamberlaines Office, who had the nomination of theſe Chaplaines and ſwore and inveſted them in their office, as Maſter Oldeſworth (a Member of the Houſe of Commons) Secretary to the late High Chamberlaine the Honourable Earle of Pembrooke atteſted upon Oath, and the Noble Earle himſelfe averred upon his Honour; a thing ſo notorious to all old Courtiers, and Chaplaines in ordinary to the King, as to doubt of it were a Soleciſme.

To make this apparent by punctuall proofes, we ſhall inſtance in ſuch particular perſons which were advanced by him to Biſhopricks even for their erronious Arminian opinions, or dangerous Popiſh Tenets and Practiſes. We have See p. 157. to 164. formerly proved, that Richard Mountague was queſtioned and voted againſt in the Commons Houſe in Parliament April 13. 1626. for his Arminian and Popiſh Tenets, publiſhed in his Gagge and Appeale, and, endeavouring, as much as in him lay to reconcile us to Popery: which complaint was revived againſt him in the enſuing Parliament, An. 1627. No ſooner was that Parliament diſſolved; but this Prelate, then Biſhop of London, who fomented, protected him againſt the Parliament all he could, in ſtead of diſcountenancing, puniſhing, advanced him to the Biſhoprick of Chicheſter in the place of Biſhop Carlton who writ againſt him. This was evidenced by the Docquet Book it ſelfe, wherein this entry of the Privy Signet and Election is recorded, Iuly 18. 1628. His Majeſties Royall aſſent for Richard Mountague, Batchelour in Divinity, to bee Biſhop of Chicheſter, ſignified, By order of the LORD BISHOP OF LONDON (Laud) And by the Record it ſelfe of the Kings Royall Aſſent, produced at the Bat by Maſter Prynne, and there Read in theſe Words.

CHARLES R.

REX, &c. Reverendiſſimo in Chriſto Patri perdilecto & perquam fideli Noſtro Domino Georgio providentia divina Cantuar: Archiepiſcopo ac totius Angliae Primati & Metropolitano, ac aliis quibuſcunque Epiſcopis quorum in hac parte intererit, ſalutem: Cum vacante [...]uper ſede Epiſcopi Ciceſtren: per mortem naturalem vltimi Epiſcopi ejuſdem, ad humilem petitionem Decani & Capituli Eccleſiae noſtrae Cathedralis Ciceſtr: per Literas Noſtras petendi licentiam conceſſerimus alium ſibi eligendum in [Page] Epiſcopum & pastorem ſedis pradicti, iidem Decanus & Capitulum vigore & obtentu licentiae noſtrae perdilectum nobis in Chriſto Richardum Mountague; ſacrae Theologia Baccalaurum ſibi et Eccleſia praedicta elegerunt in Epiſcopum & paſtorem, prout per literas ſuas, ſigillo corum communi ſigillatas Nobis inde direstas plenius liquet & apparet. Nos electionem illam acceptantes eidem electioni Regium noſtrum aſſenſum adhibuimus pariter et faverem, et hoc vobis tenore praeſentium ſignificamus. Rogantes, ac in ſide et dilectione quibus Nobis tenemini firmiter precipiendo mandautes, quatenus vos eundum Richardum Mountague in Epiſcopum et paſtorem Eccleſiae Cathedralis noſtrae Ciceſtren: pradictae fie vt praefertur electum, electionemque praedict: confirmare, et cundem Epiſcopum et paſtorem Eceleſiae Cathedralis predictae conſecrare, ceteraque omnia et ſingula peragere quae veſtro in hac parte incumbunt officio paſtorali, juxta formam ſtatutorum et legum Regni noſtri Angliae in hac parte edit [...] et proviſ: velitis cum diligentia, favere, & effectu. In cujus rei, &c.

This conteineth your Majeſties Royall Aſſent for Richard Mountague Batchelar in Divinity to be Biſhop of Chicheſter, voyde by the death of the laſt Incumbent. By order of the Lord Biſhop of London.

After this he ſo far honoured him, as to be preſent at his conſecration; Witneſſe this paſſage in his Diary, penned with his own-hand. Auguſt 23. 24. 1628. Saturday Saint Bartholmeus Eve, the Duke of Buckingham ſlain at Portſmouth by one Lieutenant Felton about 9. in the morning; the Newes of his death came to Croydon where it found my ſelfe, and the Biſhops of Wincheſter, Ely and Carliſle at the conſecration of Biſhop Mountague for Chicheſter, with my Lords Grace. In the year 1638. upon the Tranſlation of Biſhop Wren to Ely; this Archbiſhop preferred him to the See of Norwich; witneſſe Biſhop Mountagues Letter to the Archbiſhop thus endorſed with his own hand. Rec. Martii 29. 1638. Bishop of Ghicheſters ſubmiſſion of his Bookes to me, &c. Found in his Study at Lambeth and atteſted by Maſter Prynne.

May it pleaſe your Grace,

By Mr Bray I ſent your Grace another part of my Altar Relations, as my between-times of ſickneſſe would give me leave to tranſcribe; the reſt as I can diſpatch it, I will ſend after with Gods helpe: In the laſt, there is much of the Churches ſacrifice, faithfully related out of Antiquity not poſitively by me aſſerted. I am but a Narrator, and ſo the leſſe offenſive. Howſoever I give your Grace Power to diſpoſe Note. of what I write, as will fit the Church and State. For we are, I know, of the ſame Religion, drive to the ſame end, though not the ſame way. So much I related to Maſter Bray, and Mr Deane of Chriſt-Church. The remaynes of my Ague are worſe then the Ague it ſelfe, ſo that I cannot waite upon your Grace as I would. Yeſterday I took a Purgation, which I hope will doe me good, but hath much weakened mee, and Phiſitians in expelling the remaynes and reſtoring health unto the caſtle of ſtrength, ſay they muſt tuto pede movere. I cannot learn that my Lord of Norwich is yet fully tranſlated, till when I ſuppoſe there is no iſſuing of my Conge D'eſleer: I muſt humbly intreat your Grace that you would be pleaſed to informe me, when and what I should doe, in both which I am ſo ignorant: God make me profitable to his Church, to which I can bring nothing but honeſty and Induſtry, which I will promiſe; and to your Grace thankefullneſſe for your long-continued extraordinary Favours; in which vote I reſt. Note

Your Graces poor Servant and Brother, Rich. Ciciſt.

For the moſt Reverend my Lord of Canterbury his Grace, this.

[Page] By this Letter it is moſt apparent: Firſt, that Biſhop Mountague made the Archbiſhop acquainted with his Bookes before he printed them, and ſubmitted them to his cenſure: and how full of Popery they are, you have already heard: Yea after they were printed he preſented him with printed Coppies of them curiouſly bound up and guilded, produced and read formerly at the Lords Barre: Secondly, That Canterbury and he were of the ſame religion, and did drive at the ſame end; and what was that but the erecting of Altars, the introducing of Popery, and reconciling us to Rome, as this Letter and the foregoing evidence manifeſt. Thirdly, That his promotions were by the Archbiſhops long-continued extraordinary favours, for which he returnes him thankes in this Letter. And no wonder was it, that Biſhop Mountague was his ſpeciall Favourite; for if we beleeve the Pamphlet intituled; The Popes Nuncio, p. 11. 14. 16. (firſt publiſhed in Italian by the Venetian Embaſſadour) this great confident of the Archbiſhop was very intimate with Panzain the Popes firſt Legate, frequently viſited him, and very paſſionately deſired a Reconciliation of us and the Church of Rome: Yea, Godfrey Goodman Biſhop of Gloceſter, in his Letter to the Archbiſhop whiles they were both priſoners in the Tower, dated Auguſt 30. 1642. (the originall whereof was ſeiſed on by M. Prynne) writes: That at that inſtant when he diſſented from the New Canons (by Biſhop Mountagues encouragement) An. 1640. he could have proved, how that in his perſon he did viſit and held correſpondency with the Popes Agent and received his Letters in behalfe of his Sonne who was Note. then travelling to Rome, who by his Letters he had extraordinary entertainment there. This Biſhop Mountague would aſcribe to the favour and credit which he had gotten by his writings. If ſo, it ſeemes they were very well approved of at Rome; And this is not onely probable but reall, as appeares by an originall See a neceſſary Introduction to the Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Tryall. p. 146. 147. Letter under Biſhop Mountagues own hand to Secretary Windebanke, dated from Aldingburne Jan. 26. wherein he deſires this Popiſh Secretary to give his ſon leave to goe to Rome in his travell, which he is deſireous to do, and I (writes he) AM DESIROVS HE SHOVLD; deſiring him to acquaint his GRACE therewith, and remember his duty to him: His Graces advancement then of ſuch an Arminian and Romiſh Prelate, ſo intimate with the Popes Legate and much favoured at Rome, muſt certainly favour of a Romiſh deſigne to corrupt our Church, ſubvert our Religion, ſet up Popery and reduce us back to Rome.

Doctor Roger Manwaring Vicar of Saint Giles in the fields, a man very Popiſhly affected, and intimate with Papiſts, who abounded in his Pariſh; upon a complaint and Impeachment of the Commons in Parliament for two Sermons preached before his Majeſtie the third year of his reigne, in Justification of the Lawfulneſſe of the Kings impoſing Loues and Taxes on his People without conſent in Parliament, to the ſubverſion of the Property and Liberty of the Subjects (which Sermons were preached and printed by this Archbiſhops ſpeciall ſolicitation) was on the 14. of June 1628. cenſured by the Lords in Parliament; and thereby perpetually diſabled from all future Eccleſiaſticall preferments in our Church: Of this cenſure the Archbiſhop took ſpeciall Notice inſerting it into his Diary: adding, that himſelf was complained of by the houſe of Commons June 12. for warranting Doctor Manwarings Sermons to the Preſſe. Yet no ſooner was this Parliament ended, but in high affront of their publike cenſure, in Iuly following, by this Prelates aſſiſtance, Doctor Manwaring (as was proved by the Docquet Booke) was preſented unto the Rectory of Stamford Rivers in the County of Eſſex, voyd by the promotion of Richard Mountague to the Biſhopricke of Chicheſter; he who had right thereto was put by; and a diſpenſation granted to Doctor Manwaring to hold it with the Rectory of St. Giles which made this Doctor in the ſuperſcription of a Letter of his to this Archbiſhop, when London, about the Commiſſion of Fees in London Churches Jan. 28. 1631 (indorſed with the Biſhops own hand and found in his ſtudy) to ſtile him, My ſingular good Lord: And ſo he proved; for ſoon after, as was proved by the Docquet Booke, in May 1633. the Deanery of Worceſter was granted to this Doctor; and the grant ſignified to the ſignet office by the Biſhop of London (Laud) who procured him this preferment: What [Page] ſervice Manwaring did in that Church in ſetting up a Marble Altar, introducing Copes with other Popiſh Innovations, and what Account he gave thereof to the Archbiſhop his Patriot, you may formerly read, p. 81. under both their hands; which was ſuch a Meritorious Work that in few dayes after, the Archbiſhop procured a Conge d'eſlier for him to the Biſhopricke of St. Davids in Wales; which was ſigned by the Archbiſhop himſelfe, as appeares by the Docquet Booke in the ſignet office (produced at the Lords Bar) among the entries of December 1635. After which, himſelfe conſecrated him Biſhop of that See, as was proved by his own Diary, wherein he entred this Memento with his owne hand: Feb. 28. 1635. I conſecrated Doctor Roger Manwaring Biſhop of Saint Davids. So that this paire of malignant active Popiſh Prelates, Mountague and Manwaring, received all their Eccleſiaſticall preferments after the proceedings againſt them in ſeverall Parliaments, by his procurement, in higheſt affront of their Authority and Cenſures; who obtained likewiſe a Royall Pardon procured for them, entred in the Docquet Booke, Jan. 1628. Both drawne according to his Majeſties pardons of Grace granted to his ſubjects at his Coronation, with ſome particulars for the pardoning of all Errours heretofore committed ſeverally by them, either in speaking, writing or printing, whereby they might be hereafter queſtioned.

But to proceed to others; Auguſt 1628. we finde in the Docquet Booke a Conge d'ſliere, and Royall Aſſent by order from the Biſhop of London for Doctor Mawe (a known Arminian) to be Biſhop of Bath and Wells: and the like in the ſame Moneth for Doctor Richard Corbet (a profeſſed Arminian and one well-affected to Popery) to be Biſhop of Oxford, by order from this Biſhop, who afterwards promoted him to Norwich. In November, 1628, A Conge d'ſlier by his order too, was directed to the Deane and Chapter of Yorke to elect Samuell Harſnet then Biſhop of Norwich (a profeſſed notorious Arminian well inclined to Popery) to the Archbishopricke of York. Mart. 25. 1632. we find a Conge D'eſlire to the Dean and Chapter of Chriſt-Church to Elect Doctor John Bancroft Biſhop of Oxford, and in June following a Warrant for the reſtitution of the temporalities of this Biſhoprick to him, both ſubſcribed & ſignified by the Biſhop of London; and what a corrupt unpreaching Popiſh Prelate Bancroft was, is known to all the Univerſity of Oxford. In Octob. 1632. We find theſe four ſeverall Conge D'eſlires all procured by order of this Prelate, then Biſhop of London. One to the Dean and Chapter of Wincheſter to Elect Walter (Curle) Biſhop of Bath and Wells to be Biſhop of Wincheſter; Alike, to the Deane and Chapter of Coventry and Lichfield, to Elect Robert (Wright) Biſhop of Briſtol, to be Biſhop of that See. Alike to the Deane and Chapter of Peterborough, to Elect Doctor Auguſtine Linſell (an Arch-Arminian and very Popiſh and Superstitious, as was atteſted by Mr. Peter Smart upon Oath, and the Author of moſt of the Innovations in Durham Cathedrall, who joyned therin with Doctor Coſins) Biſhop of that See. Alike, to Elect Doctor Pierce Biſhop of Bath and Wells. Now how active all theſe Prelates were to ſet up Altars, introduce all Popish Ceremonies, ſuppreſſe Lectures, ſilence Miniſters, promote the Book of sports, advance Arminianiſme and Popery, hath beene already manifeſted in the premiſes: And we find that Doctor Lindſell was afterwards tranſlated to the Biſhoprick of Hereford Jan. 1633. and this Biſhop of Wincheſter made the Kings chiefe Almoigner in Iune 1637. by Order of this Archbiſhop. In Octob. 1635. we meet with in the Docquet Book a Conge D'eſlire and Letter to the Dean and Chapter of Norwich, to Elect Mathew Wren Biſhop of Norwich, both ſignified by this Archbiſhop of Canterbury; and the like for his tranſlation to Ely, March 17. 1637. by Order from this Archbiſhop. Now what an Arminian and Popiſh Innovator this Prelate was in all particulars (the Popiſh furniture of whoſe Chappell with Baſons, Candleſticks, Corporalls, Altar-cloths, A Chalice with a croſſe upon it, and other Popiſh Trinkets as appears by his own Book of Accounts coſting him 159. l. 4. ſhil. 1. d.) and how great a perſecutor, ſilencer, ſupreſſer of Godly Miniſters, people, the world experimentally knows, and the premiſes demonſtrate. We could inſtance in ſundry Engliſh & Welſh Biſhops more of the ſame ſtrain [Page] who were all advanced by his order, means, as namely Bi Neal made Archbiſhop of York by him; (an Arch promoter of Arminians, Popiſh Clergy men and all Popiſh Innovations:) Dr Iuckeſon, firſt made Biſhop of Hereford, afterward of London, and Lord Treaſurer by this Archbiſhop: A man though of a milde temper; yet as Superſtitious, as Popiſh as moſt of the former; and his Viſitation Articles (eſpecially the laſt enforcing the New Cannons and Etcetera Oath) as Superſtitious and Vile as any: Doctor Duppa Biſhop of Chicheſter, a known Arminian and very Superſtitious: Doctor Skinner Biſhop of Bristoll, and after of Oxford, a man tainted with Arminianiſme, and very much addicted to Popiſh Superſtitions, Innovations; with ſundry others; but theſe ſhall ſuffice. Onely we cannot pretermit a notable Letter of Dr. Iohn Towers to Sir Iohn Lamb, to be a Mediator to his Grace, to confer the Biſhopricke of Peterborough upon him; which Letter intimates, that all Biſhopricks and Eccleſiaſticall Preferments were then in his diſpoſall.

Worthy SIR,

I Intended onely my hearty Thankes to you in this Letter, for what I read in your laſt Letter to my Lord Biſhop, concerning my ſelfe; and your true Love in that I ſhall ever acknowledge with a ſincere heart. But now Sir, I muſt intreat leave of you, that I may joyn an earneſt ſuite to my thankes. My Lord Biſhop, I hear, is to be tranſlated to Hereford, and I am not thought on to ſucceed him. I dare not write to my Lords Grace of Canterbury. But I dare hope of his goodnes to me, and that he will commiſerate my caſe, when he ſhall be truly informed of my need, and what an utter diſcredit it will be to me in my Country, when I ſhall be intercepted by whomſoever, now the third time, after that his Grace did encourage me to pitch upon this Biſhoprick Note in his houſe at Weſtminſter. In truth Sir, if I miſſe of it this third time, I shall have no Joy to shew my face in the Dioceſſe. Therfore I beſeech you, that you will ſpeedily be my earneſt Solicitor to his Grace, that if for no other reaſon, yet out of meer compaſſion I may not be ſo utterly disheartened. I could be as glad to ſee Doctor Sibthorp in the Deanry almoſt as my ſelfe in the Pallace. Your intereſt in his Graces Love, may be a powerfull Mediator for us both. Good Sir delay not the time, to commend my cauſe to his Grace; in whoſe goodneſſe I cannot but have great confidence. I heartily commend you to Gods grace, and will ever be,

Your very thankefull friend. Jo. Towers.

Peterborough, Sept. 30. 1638.

What effect this Letter produced, appeares by the Docquet Book, Octob. 29. 1638. Where we find both a Conge De'ſlire, and Letter to the Dean and Chapter of Peterborough, to Elect this aſpiring Dr. for their Biſhop, both drawn up, by Warrant from this Archbishop of Canterbury. Belike Sir Iohn Lambe found this Doctor very thankfull for his promotion according to his promiſe, the rather, becauſe we find in the Docquet Book, Novemb. 5. 1638. A preſentation of this Dr Towers to the Rectory of Caſter in the dioceſſe of Peterborough, by order from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. Who as he diſpoſed of all Bishopricks in England, ſo likewiſe in Ireland even whiles he was Biſhop of London and ſince, as appeares, not onely by ſundry Letters from Doctor Vſher Primate of Ireland, and other Irish Prelates, found in his Study, but by ſeverall Writings and Warrants under his hand for diſpoſing Biſhopricks there; we ſhall inſtance onely in three.

The firſt of them (ſeiſed in his Study by Mr. Prynne) is thus indorſed with the Archbiſhops own hand. Mr. Lancaſters Reaſons why he should be Archbishop of Caſſils, though he be thought too young.

Maii 21. 1629.

WHereas the Lord Biſhop of London objected againſt my age, as being under 50. Your hon [...]our may be pleaſed, if it shall be inſiſted upon, to make known to his Majeſtie, that the lamentable eſtate of that Church is ſuch, that it is requiſite hee should be active, able, and wealthy, rather then old and decrepid, that should have [Page] that Bishopricke, to proſecute the recovery of the revenues thereof, where the laſt Archbishop left, who ſpent and spoyled himſelfe in the proſecution thereof, and ſo ſhall any other that ſhall undertake that, unleſſe he ſhall be of competent age, and ſhall have his Majeſties gracious favour and furtherance therein. Again, gravity, ſobriety, ſincerity, integrity, courage, counſell, goodneſſe, godlineſſe, hospitallity, and charity are more to be regarded in that Country, (where they pry with Eagles eyes into our lives and converſations, but will not heare our doctrine) then old age, where he ſhall not long want grey haires, if ſuites, troubles, moleſtations, vexations, perſecutions, and afflictions can procure them. Againe, it is held by moſt, that neither Saint John the Evangeliſt, nor Timothy the firſt Biſhop of the Epheſians, were above 30. yeares old, and yet our Saviour made choyce of the former, and Saint Paul of the latter, ſaith in the firſt of Tim. 4. and 12. Let no man deſpiſe thy youth.

By this its apparant that the power of diſpoſing the Archbiſhopricks and Biſhopricks in Ireland were in this Prelates hands, and that he rejected or advanced whom he pleaſed there; and therefore muſt be ſatisfied,

The ſecond is this Note writ with this Archbiſhops own hand found among Secretary Windebanks Papers, who thus endorſed it. Jan. 1634. My Lord of Canterburies Note for George Andrews Dean of Limbrick to be Biſhop of Fernes and Laughlin.

George Andrewes Dean of Limbricke to be Biſhop of Fernes and Laughlin: To hold in Commendam any thing he hath ſaving the Deanery. The Biſhopricke is voyd by the death of the late Biſhop thereof. You muſt draw up a Letter accordingly out of hand.

W. Cant.

Thirdly, A Warrant thus endorſed with the Archbiſhops own hand; A Warrant for the Biſhop of Limericke; writ by his Secretary Dell, and ſigned by himſelf in this forme: which will demonſtrate the forme of all his other Orders and Warrants to the Signet for the forementioned Engliſh Biſhops.

SIR,

YOu are to prepare a Bill for his Majeſties Signature after the uſuall manner, conteining a grant of the Biſhoprick of Limericke in Ireland, now voyde by the death of the late Biſhop there, to George Webbe Doctor in Divinity, and one of his Majeſties Chaplaines in ordinary. And for ſo doing theſe ſhalbe your Warrant.

Septemb. 22. 1634.

W. Cant.

To the Clerke of his Majeſties Signet attending.

His Authority in diſpoſing the Biſhopricks in Ireland was ſo abſolute, that William Biſhop of Corke and Roſſe in his Letter to this Archbiſhop. Aug. 7. 1640. (after he had paſſed through one or two Biſhopricks there) writes thus by way of acknowledgement to him for his preferments there; What I had or have is of your Graces goodneſſe, under him who gives life and breath, and all things; and under our gratious Soveraigne, who is the breath of our noſtrels.

The like we could prove for Scotland: and what kinde of Popiſh and Arminian Biſhops he there preferred, themſelves have ſufficiently declared in their Charge againſt him, and other See Maſter Baylies Canterburian ſelfeconviction. Writings.

Not to inſiſt upon his earneſt endeavour and conteſt to promote Dr. Theodor Price Vice-Deane of Weſtminſter, to a Welch Biſhopricke, as the fitteſt man in his conſcience of all others, who lived a profeſſed Unpreaching Epicure, Arminian, and dyed a reconciled Papiſt to the Church of Rome ſoon after, receiving extream unction from a Popiſh Prieſt, who miſſed the Biſhoprick onely by the Noble Earle of Pembrooks oppoſition, to which Dr. Owen was preferred in his ſtead.

[Page] We ſhall paſſe from Biſhopricks to Deaneries. To pretermit his advancement of Dr Manwaring, Dr Wren, Dr Duppa, and others to Deaneries, ere they were made Biſhops. Decemb. 1635. the Deanery of Worceſter was granted to Dr Chriſtopher Potter (a profeſſed Arminian, which Dr. Featly atteſted) by ſignification and order of this Archbiſhop of Canterbury, as the Docquet Book records: to whom he ſubmitted the correction of his Book entituled, Want of Charity; and imputed his preferments, witneſſe this Doctors own Letter to the Archbiſhop, the originall whereof, atteſted by M. Prynne, was produced and read, as followeth.

My moſt honoured Lord,

I Humbly thanke your Grace for very many Demonſtrations of your Love to me, and particularly for your last favourable mediation to his Majeſty in my behalfe, for a Prebend in Windſor. The conveniency of that preferment (if my Soveraign Maſter pleaſe to confer it on me) I ſhall value much more then the profit: But how ever reſolve, not to preſcribe to your Grace, much leſſe to his Majeſtie, or with immodesty or importunity to preſſe you. I bleſſe God for what I have, and hope he will give me the grace to rest well contented with my preſent condition, what ſoever it is. In the means while my Lord, the Obligations which I have to you are ſuch, as I can never ſatisfy, but with my prayers, which ſhall be conſtant, that your Grace may long live with honour and comfort Note. to ſerve God, his Majeſty, and this Church; which daily feeles the benefit of your wiſdome and goodneſſe, &c.

Your Graces in all humility. Chr. Potter.

Octob. 6. 1633. Queenes Colledge.

In April 1635. We find in the Docques Book a Preſentation of Dr Richard Bayly (generally reputed an Arminian, and Popiſhly affected) to the Deanery of Sarum, by Order from this Archbiſhop. In October 1638. Dr Thomas Jackeſon, a profeſſed Arminian (as Doctor Daniel Featly his fellow-Collegian atteſted) was made Dean of Peterborough, by the order and procurement of this Archbiſhop. By his meanes, Biſhop Wren was made Dean of his Majeſtics Chappell: And to conclude with one notable inſtance more inſtead of all others. October 16. 1640. the Deanery of Peterborough was granted to Doctor John Coſin; by ſignification and order from this Archbiſhop, who promoted him to this dignity by his own confeſſion, th [...] written with his own hand & atteſted by M. Prynne: I preſented four of his Majeſties Chaplaines in ordinary to his Majeſtie for the Deanery of Peterborough: His Majesty pitched upon Doctor Coſia in regard his meanes lying in the Biſhoprick of Durham was in the Scots hands, and nothing left to maintain him, his wife and children, but a poor Headſhip worth 40. l. per anuum; And out of the ſame conſideration, and no other, did I put his name with the reſt to his Majeſty. What an Arch-Promoter of Popiſh Doctrines, Ceremonies, Innovations this Dr Coſin was, appeares by the See p 70. 73, 74. 78. 193. premiſes; and Maſter Peter [...] teſtimony of him upon Oath, and what a recall intimate friend this Arch biſhop was to him, what a Patri [...]t and Protector of him againſt al Proſecutions, might be evidenced by ſundry Letters paſſing between them, over tedious to recite, the Originals whereof, found in the Archbiſhops Study, we have ready to produce.

For Clergy men infected with Arminianiſme, Popery, and devoted to Popiſh Ceremonies, [...] by him to be Chaplaines in ordinary to his Majeſty, & the Prince his Highneſſe; to corrupt their Perſons, Courts, in the Theory and Practiſe of Religion; we ſhall inſtance only in theſe enſuing: Dr Richard Bayly Deane of [...]; Dr Thomas Turner, Dr William Heywood, Dr Richard Marſh: Dr William Hutchinſon: (all formerly his own Chaplaines, as appears by a list of his Chaplaines ſince he was Biſhop, written with his own hands) Dr Peter Heylin; Dr William Brough, Dr William Lewes, Dr Thomas Laurence, Dr Samuel Baker; Dr Richard [...], Dr Iohn Coſin, Dr Walter Raleigh, Dr William Watts: Dr Benjamin Layney, Dr [Page] Thomas Bletchenden, Dr William Beal, Dr Iames Browne (advanced to be Deane of Hereford by his means of whoſe Popiſh Practiſes Page. 69. we formerly gave evidence) Dr Andrew Clare, Dr Chriſtopher Dow, Dr Luſhington; and Dr John Pocklington: How much many of theſe were addicted to Arminianiſme, Popery and all Popiſh Ceremonies, hath been formerly atteſted upon other occaſions; that the reſt of them were of the ſelfe ſame ſtrain, is ſo notoriouſly known in the Court, our Univerſities, the places where they live, to your Lordſhips and the Archbiſhop himſelf, that it needes no other proofe: That theſe were made his Majeſties and the Princes Chaplaines, by this Archbiſhops procurement, who uſurped upon the Lord High Chamberlaines office to nominate Chaplaines in ordinary to his Majeſtie (which ſtone of his Predeceſſors did ſince the Reformation) was atteſted by Mr Oldiſworth a Member of the Commons Houſe, who depoſed; That upon his knowledge for 25. years ſpace, it did belong to the Lord Chamberlaines office, to nominate and appoint the Kings Chaplains in ordinary, and ſo it continued all the old LordWill. Earle of Pembrookes Chamberlainſhip: And this the difference of the Warrants proves: For where the Kings Warrant runnes; Theſe are to ſignifie his Majesties pleaſure: there the King is to be conſulted with before the place is granted; as in the Warrant and caſe of the Bedchamber-men. But where the Warrant is, Theſe are to Will and require you to admit ſuch a one, as in the caſe of the Kings Chaplains, there the Lord Chamberlaine doth all by his owne authority without conſulting with the King. That ſince the preſent Earle of Pembrooke was Lord Chamberlain, the Archbiſhop took upon him to recommend all Chaplaines to the King, and many of them were his own Chaplaines firſt: which the Earl of Pembrooke himſelfe ſeconded.

Mr Oldiſworth likewiſe delivered in a liſt of the Kings and Princes Chaplaines in ordinary as they ſtood, Feb. 12. 1640. produced at the Barre. Two of theſe Chaplaines, to wit, Doctor William Heywood, and Doctor Samuel Baker, with his owne Arminian Chaplaines, Doctor Edward Martyn, Doctor William Bray, and Doctor Thomas Weekes (whom he openly denyed to be his Chaplaine before the Lords, till Mr Prynne proved the contrary by a liſt of his Chaplaines under his owne hand, affixed to the end of his Written Diary) were the Licenſers of all the forementioned Arminian and Popiſh Bookes publiſhed in our Realme, and the Purgatory Doctors, who obliterated all the fore-cited Paſſages againſt Popery, Arminianiſme, Popes, Jeſuites, Papiſts, out of our orthodox Writers. Others of them were Authours of ſundry Arminian, licentious, Popiſh Impreſſions: As Doctor Heylin, Doctor Laurence, Doctor Coſin, Doctor Watts, Doctor Dowe, and Doctor Pocklington; Whoſe Bookes were ſome of them written, others of them printed by the Archbiſhops command, ſome of them with, others without the Authours privity. Amongſt theſe we ſhall inſtance onely in Doctor Pocklingtons Bookes, the moſt Popiſh, Impious, and profane of any other; Who though lately dead before this Triall, yet ſpeakes loud enough to this purpoſe, in his Petition to the Houſe of Peeres before his cenſure, here remaining upon the File of Petitions.

A Copy whereof we have here ſubjoyned, compared with the Originall, by which you may clearly diſcerne by whoſe command his Popiſh Impreſſions were Printed and Publiſhed, even by this Archbiſhops, who peruſed them before they were printed.

To the right Honourable the Lords ſpirituall and temporall now Aſſembled in the High Court of PARLIAMENT.
The humble Petition of John Pocklington Doctor in Divinity, and Rector of Yevelden, in the County of Bedford.

[Page]

Moſt humbly ſheweth,

THat he is right hearty ſorry for doing or bringing any thing into his ſaid Church, without the direction of his Reverend Dicceſan, and dares not goe about in any ſort to juſtifie his doings: But waving all manner of defence, hee moſt humbly caſteth down himſelfe at your Lordſhips Feet, beſeeching you for Chriſts ſake to look upon him with the eye of mercy, who, with a moſt penitent and ſorrowfull heart confeſſeth his miſ-doing in the Premiſes, &c.

And whereas your Petitioner is charged to have ſet forth and publiſhed two Bookes, wherein he defends not only Innovations in Religion, but divers Popiſh, Wicked, and Antichriſtian points, and caſteth reproach upon our Engliſh Martyrs, Note. in Mr Foxes Callender, and magnifieth Popiſh Canonized Saints, for true Martyrs.

Hee doth moſt humbly give your Lordſhips to underſtand, ‘That order was given for their Printing, and ſetting forth, without your Petitioners procurement, motion, or knowledge;’ who compoſed them for his own private ſatisfaction, and to be the better ſatisfied, was willing to have them preſented to the conſideration of the Reverend Governours of our Church to receive their Opinion and Judgement about them: And for the Contents of the ſaid Bookes, If any Popiſh, Wicked, or Antichriſtian points be in them; Hee is ready and moſt deſirous from his heart utterly, and openly to abandon and abjure them: ‘But hopeth that becauſe the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Grace, did ſee, and read all or a great part of them, (as Note. his Chaplain Dr Bray could your Petitioner) and did without any ſuite of your Petitioner, give order and allowance for their Publiſhing:’ That no ſuch deteſtable points are conteined in the ſaid Bookes: and for our Engliſh Martyrs in Mr Fox his Calender, There is no mention, or any word, or ſyllable in either of thoſe Writings about them.

Wherefore again and again, he caſteth down himſelfe before this moſt Honourable Aſſembly, and beſeecheth you (who upon earth repreſent the God of mercy.) ‘to ſhew mercy to him, who is altogether innocent in moving to have the ſaid Beekes Publiſhed;’ And it truely penitent for what he hath done without his Dicceſans Directions; and moſt humbly beſeecheth his Lordſhip, now preſent, to admit his Submiſſion, and to be a meanes to obteine the favour of this moſt Honourable Houſe, and to procure his freedome and diſmiſſion, who voweth by Gods grace, to be ever hereafter ſo carefull of all his words, and actions, that neither the Church, nor any Member thereof, ſhall take any offence, or diſpleaſure at him.

Vera Copia.

And your Petitioner ſhall ever pray for the happi ſucceſſe of this preſent Parliament. John Pocklington.

[Page] Now what a Capitall Crime and tranſcendent miſdemeanour it is for this Arch-Prelate to place ſuch Arminian Popiſh Prelates, and Chaplaines in ordinary about his Majeſtie, & the young Prince (more infectious then See Cooks 4. Inſtit. p. 90. Cardinall Wolſies breath, to King Henry the 8. when infected with the great Pox) to ſeduce, poyſon them, as much as in them lay, with Arminian and Popiſh Errours, Superſtitions, Ceremonies, and in and by them their whole kingdomes and Nationall Churches; and that not onely by tranſient verball Sermons (which infect only the eares of the Auditors for the preſent) but by peſtilent printed Treatiſes, which corrupt the eyes, judgement, of the Readers, and univerſally ſeduce both the preſent and future generations more then any publike verball Sermons, though never ſo pernicious to the Auditors for the preſent, let all wiſe men judge.

For his promoting of Arminians, of perſons addicted to Popiſh Ceremonies, Errours, Innovations, to Offices and Headſhips in our Univerſities to poyſon thoſe fountaines of Piety and Learning, we ſhall inſtance in theſe few Particulars. During the time of his Chancellorſhip in the Univerſity of Oxford, from April 1630. till Anno, 1641. it is obſervable, that he nominated only five Vice-Chancellors to governe the Univerſity under him; namely Dr Smith, Warden of Wadham Colledge; Doctor Brian Duppa, Deane of Chriſt-Church (whoſe further promotions he procured) Doctor Pinke, Warden of New-Colledge, Doctor Bayly, Preſident of Saint Iohn Baptiſt Colledge, Doctor Frewen Preſident of Mary Magdalen Colledge, Dr Christopher Potter Provoſt of Queenes Colledge; (as the Univerſity Regiſter undenyably proves, and all Oxford Schollers can atteſt;) all deeply tainted with Arminianiſme, great Promoters of all Popiſh Innovations, Superſtitions, Ceremonies, in that Univerſity, as we have Here p. 70; 71, 72, 73. formerly manifeſted. Beſides, he promoted Doctor Thomas Iackeſon, a profeſſed Arminian, to the Preſident-ſhip of Corpus Chriſti Colledge in Oxford, and afterwards to the Vicaridge of Witney, as appeares by the Docquet Booke, to omit his advancement of Doctor Laurence, and other ſuch like Popiſh Doctors there.

What heades of Houſes hee promored in the Univerſity of Cambridge; and what profeſſed Arminians and Well-wiſhers to Popery they were, you have Here p. 73, 74, 193, 167. already heard in part; we ſhall onely repeate the names of ſome of them, Doctor Brookes, Doctor Beal, Doctor Martin, Doctor Coſin, Doctor Layny, Doctor Sterne, men very infamous both for Arminian and Popiſh Errors.

And not content to corrupt our Engliſh Academies, he promoted Maſter Chapple, the Archeſt and moſt notorious Arminian in the Univerſity of Cambridge, who leavened all his Pupels and many hopefull Schollers with Arminianiſme (as Mr Walker and others witneſſed) to the Provoſt-ſhip and Government of the Colledge and Vniverſity of Dublin in Ireland, (as appears by ſundry originall Letters thence, endorſed with his own hand, and himſelfe muſt needs acknowledge) whom he brought into that place with an high hand, where he did much hurt by venting his Arminian druggs, and maintained Juſtification by Workes: Exemption of the Clergy from the Secular power, and was very active in the Synod there, in ſuppreſſing the Articles of Ireland againſt Papiſts and Arminians, (as was Doctor Bramhall too, his grand Arminian Popiſh Inſtrument there) as was atteſted upon Oath by Dr Hoyle, a Member of the Aſſembly, and Divinity Reader in that Univerſity.

His advancements of Perſons tainted with Arminianiſme, Popery and Popiſh Superſtitions, to Benefices, Prebendaries and other Eccleſiaſticall preferments, are almoſt numberleſſe, as wee finde by the Docquet Bookes; all or moſt of the Eccleſiaſticall Preferments belonging to the Crowne being diſpoſed of by him alone of latter times, not by the Lord Keeper and Maſter of the Wardes as formerly, upon whoſe Preſentations he encroached. We ſhall inſtance in ſome few of many.

In September 10. 1628. Doctor Auguſtine Lindſey by order from this Biſhop, and a Letter by him procured from the King in his behalfe to the Preſident and Chapter of Litchfield, was promoted to a dignity in that Church, as appeares [Page] by the Docquet Booke: Mr George Walker the Miniſter atteſted upon Oath, that this Lindſy (whom the Archbiſhop afterwards made a Biſhop) was reputed one of the chiefe heads of the Arminian faction: and that Dr Baſtwick writing againſt the Arminians, & bowing at the name of Jeſus, was ſent to him by this Archbiſhop to be inſtructed and refuted, as the ableſt of that party. Mr Peter Smart a Reverend Divine depoſed; That this Doctor was an Arch-arminian to his knowledge, with whom he had frequent diſputes, a defender and ſetter up of Images and Altars: That he ſaid in his hearing; That none but ignorant Calviniſt Biſhops did put down Altars at the beginning of reformation; and that they were worſe then Jeſuites: That he was much offended with the Homilyes againſt the Perill of Idolatry, againſt ſetting up Images in Churches, and ſaid, that he would have theſe Homilyes put out of the Homily-Book, Note. and wondred why they were ſuffered to continue in it ſo long. A fit Cathedraliſt to make a Biſhop afterwards; and a great companion and friend of Sancta Clara.

In Octob. 1631. Peter Heylin (this Arch-Prelates great Creature and Votary, who reſigned himſelfe to his directions and command in all things, as appeares by an Epiſtle in a Manuſcript Sermon of his found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy) was by his order and procurement preſented to the Rectory of Hemingford; and in November following to a Prebendary in Weſtminſter; and in November 1632. he procured him a Preſentation to the Rectory of Haughton in the Dioceſſe of Durham. In September 1631. Dr Thomas Bletchenden by his order and procurement was promoted to a Prebends place in the Cathedrall of Canterbury; and Dr William Bray to another Prebendary in the ſame Church November 13. 1637. by his order too. Mr Thomas Luſhington was by his order preſented to a Prebendary in the Cathedrall Church of Sarum in June 1931. Dr John Weekes in December 1633. was by his order preſented to a Prebendary in the Cathedrall of Briſtol: Dr Brian Duppa Jan. 1633. was by his order preſented to the Chancellorſhip of Sarum and the Prebendary of Bridgenorth thereto annexed; and May 19. 1638. to the Rectory of Petworth. Dr Iohn Bramhall June 1632. was by his order preſented to a Prebendary in York Cathedrall. Dr William Beale Octob. 1637. was by his order and procurement preſented to the Rectory of Pauls Perry, of which two others were unjuſtly deprived in the High Commiſſion to make way for his promotion to it. Dr William Brough Jan. 19. 1938. by his order was preſented to a Prebends place in the Church of Windſor. In May 1639. by his order Dr Samuel Baker was preferred to a Prebends place in the Cathedrall of Canterbury, and Tho. Brown to a Prebends place in the Collegiate Church of Windſor. July 29, 1640. Dr Mumford by his order was preſented to the Rectory of Aneſby: what other Arminian, Popiſh, Superſtitious, Scandalous Perſons were advanced to livings by him, and how he poyſoned our Church with ſuch almoſt in every place, the World may ſee at large in Mr John Whites firſt Century of Scandalous Miniſters. We ſhall only add this one thing more; that even after his Commitment for high Treaſon he ſtill interpoſed in preferring Superſtitious Epiſcopall Clergy men of his faction to his Majeſties livings as well as to thoſe in his own gift; as we ſhall evidence by this Letter of his to the King (ſeiſed by Mr Prynne among his other Papers) all written and thus endorſed with his own hand; For the Kings most Excellent Majeſtie; which was anſwered by the King himſelfe in the Margent with his own hand in this enſuing forme.

May it pleaſe your Majeſtie,

I Conceive the Great Seal being left as it is, your Majeſtie will beſtow all ſuch livings as ſhall be voyde, and were uſually in the gift of the Lord Keeper, of what value ſoever they be.

⟨You are right.⟩

This I tooke my duty to put your Majeſtie in minde of, ſince it in part belongs to the ſervice which your Majeſtie was wont to truſt me with. And I am the more bold to put your Majeſtie in minde of this; becauſe by this meanes (if you pleaſe to make uſe of it) you may the ſooner provide both for the Scottiſh-men which ſuffer, and for other men which have ſerved your Majeſty at ſea. At this time I am informed that the Rectory of Aſhen in Northamptonſhire is voyd and in your Majeſties gift. [Page] It is thought not to exceed one hundred pound a year. The Biſhop of Brechen hath a ſonne (if your Majeſtie pleaſe) that is ready to take Orders, and may be fit for it.

⟨Give Order accordingly. C. R.⟩

And by that meanes may be ſome helpe to his father, who certainly needes it. If your Majeſtie like of this, and let me know ſo much, I ſhall give warrant for it accordingly. But I ſubmit all this, and my own unhappy condition, to Gods will and your Majeſties.

Your Majeſties moſt humble ſervant though unfortunate, W. Cant.

Jan. 3. 1640.

What a Plague and Poyſon theſe Arminian, Popiſh Prelates, Deanes, Prebends, Heades of houſes, Parſons and Vicars thus advanced by him proved to our Church, how near they had reduced us back to Rome, and how much they endangered the utter extirpation of our Proteſtant Religion, is ſo experimentally knowne to all men, ſo plentifully evidenced in the premiſed proofes, that we may confidently averr, had not God himſelf miraculouſly from heaven by the late Scottiſh Troubles and happy convention of this preſent Parliament retarded, prevented and utterly fruſtrated their dangerous proceedings and Jeſuiticall deſignes, in theſe three kingdomes, in all probability we had long ere this been totally over-run with Popery, and the zealous Profeſſors of the Proteſtant Religion in all three been either totally extirpated and maſſacred, as ſome hundred thouſands of them have been of late in Ireland, or baniſhed their own Countrey into forraigne Climes, or left to the mercy of the bloody Papiſts and theſe their Popiſh Confederates, whoſe tender mercies are but cruelties. This crime then of his is no leſſe then treaſonable and capitall, being ſo deſtructive both to Church and Kingdome.

As he thus preferred Popiſh and Arminian Clergy men to the chiefe Eccleſiaſticall preferments in our Church, ſo on the contrary (following the counſell of See, Looke about you. Contzen the Mogountine Jeſuit in his Politicks) he diſcountenanced, ſuſpended, ſilenced, ſuppreſſed, cenſured, impriſoned, perſecuted moſt of the prime orthodox, diligent preaching Miniſters in the Realme and forced many of them to fly into America, Holland and other forraigne places to avoyd his fury, only for oppoſing his Popiſh Innovations, and expreſſing their feares of the change of our religion by the encreaſe of Popery and Popiſh Superſtitions. Not to trouble you with any forementioned inſtances of Maſter Peter Smart, Mr Henry Burton, Mr Snelling and others; we ſhall inſtance in ſome freſh examples.

Mr Samuel Ward of Ipſwich, a moſt reverend, orthodox, and learned Miniſter of ſpeciall eminency, was by this Archbiſhops meanes on the 26. of Novemb. 1635. (as Maſter Samuel Wards Caſe. appeares by the High Commiſſion Records,) cenſured in the High Commiſsion at Lambeth; and there ſuſpended from his Lecture and Miniſtry, and every part thereof till abſolved by his Majeſty, enjoyned a publike ſubmiſſion and recantation, ſuch as the High Commiſſioners ſhould preſcribe, condemned in expences and coſts of ſuite, and committed to priſon; For preaching in ſome of his Sermons at Ipſwich, againſt Bowing at the name of Ieſus, the Booke of ſports on the Lords day, and ſaying, that the Church of England was ready to ring the Changes, and inſinuating unto his Auditory, that there was cauſe to fear an Alteration of Religion; ſaying, that Religion and the Goſpel ſtood on tiptoes ready to be gone; that divers good Miniſters were ſilenced, and that they ſhould beware of a relapſe unto Popery. In this cenſure the Archbiſhop had the chiefeſt hand, as was proved by the High Commiſſion Bookes and Mr Wardes Submiſſion, which was drawn up by Sir Iohn Lambe and ſent to this Archbiſhop, who endorſed it with his owne hand. This ſevere ſentence utterly ruined this famous painfull preacher who lay long in priſon, and ſoone after ended his dayes in great grief and ſorrow.

In April 1630. Articles were exhibited againſt Mr Charles Chancy, a Reverend Mr Chancyes Caſe. learned, painfull Miniſter living at Ware, for preaching againſt the Bacchanales and [Page] diſorders uſed by many in the Chriſtmas holy-dayes, the increaſe of Popery, Arminianiſme, and uſing theſe expreſſions in a Sermon of his, charged againſt him in his Articles, in Ianuary before: That Idolatry was admitted into the Church, and that not only the prophets of Baal, but Baal himſelfe is received, and houſes multiplyed for the entertainment of them; and with all ſaying, that the preaching of the Goſpel would be ſuppreſſed: That there wanted men of courage to tell the Superiours in the Church of their neglect, for that there was increaſe of much Atheiſme, Popery, Arminianiſme and Hereſie in our Church ſince the reformation of it, as at this time, wherein Hereſies were not onely broached but maintained; whereby he raiſed a fear among the people, and inſinuated to them, that ſome alteration of Religion would enſue and be brought in; and ſcandalized the whole Church of England and Government thereof. To theſe Articles Mr Chancy gave in his anſwer upon Oath in the High Commiſſion the 21, of the ſame April: and the very next day, by Order of that Court, the whole cauſe was referred to this Biſhop (then of London) being his ordinary; provided that if Mr Chancy did not ſubmit himſelfe to performe his Lordſhips order therein, that then his Lordſhip, if it ſeemed good unto him, might transferre the cauſe backe again to be cenſured in this Court. Whereupon Mr Chancy made a Submiſſion to his Lordſhip in Latin, and ſoon after was enforced to deſert the Kingdome, and ſet ſayle for New England to avoyd further perſecution. All which is manifeſt by the Originall Articles, and Mr Chancyes anſwer to them, found among Sir John Lambes ſequeſtred Writings by Mr Prynne; and by the Order of Reference and M. Chancyes Submiſſion, endorſed with the Biſhops own hand, the chiefe Proſecutor of this cauſe.

To theſe we could add M. Cotton, M. Hooker, M. Davenport, M. Wells, M. Peters, M. Glover, and ſundry other Miniſters driven into New England, and other Plantations; thoſe that fled over into Holland to avoyd his proſecution; with ſome hundreds of Miniſters queſtioned in the High Commiſſion and elſe-where, by his meanes, and there ſuſpended, ſilenced for not publiſhing the Booke of Sports, or not ſubmitting to his Popiſh Innovations. M. Saliſbury was queſtioned and troubled by this Prelate for theſe paſſages in his Sermon, on Math. 24. 6. How many thouſands have made ſhipwrack of faith & a good conſcience, renounced our true Church, ſtepp'd aſide to Arminianiſme, and from thence (as it is the wideſt gate that opens towards Rome) relapſed to Popery. Thus are wee ſcattered in our Jacob, and divided in our Iſrael. The Low Countryes not long ſince (if not ſtill) ſighed as deeply, and mourned as ſtrongly, to finde herſelfe (as imperceivably) to be overgrowne with Arminianiſme. And what a faction is like to be in our deplorable England between Popery and Arminianiſme together, except God be more mercifull and our State the more vigilant and mindfull, We ſhall ſee ſooner then tell, and feel ſooner then ſee. Doctor Staughton, D. Sibbes, D. Taylor, D. Gouge, M. White of Dorcheſter, M. Rogers of Dodham, with ſundry more of our moſt eminent preaching orthodox Divines were brought into the High Commiſſion and troubled or ſilenced for a time, by his procurement upon frivilous pretences: But in truth, becauſe they were principle Props of our Proteſtant Religion, againſt his Popiſh and Arminian Innovations. But omitting theſe we ſhall conclude this head with one memorable inſtance more which comes very home.

Mr Nathaniel Bernard Lecturer at Sepulchers in London preaching at Antholins Church in May 3. 1629. uſed this expreſſion in his prayer before his Sermon. Oh Lord open the eyes of the Queenes Majeſtie, that ſhee may ſee Ieſus Chriſt, whom ſhee hath peirced with her Infidelity, Superſtition and Idolatry: This Archbiſhop, then of Note. London, was preſently informed of this paſſage, atteſted by Walter Kirby an Atturney of Bernards Inne. Iohn Browne of Durham, Miniſter, and ſome others: Whereupon the Biſhop brought him into the High Commiſſion, where after long attendance, upon his Submiſſion, this enſuing Order was framed.

Officum Dominorum contra Nathanielem Bernard Clericum. Prima Seſſio Termini Hillarij.

[Page]

Die Jovis viz. xxviii. die menſis Januarii Anno Domini juxta, &c, 1629. Coram Commiſſionariis Regiis apud Lambeth Judicialiter ſedentibus, preſente Thoma Motterſhed, Regiſtrarij Regij Deputat:

HIS appearance by bond was reſpited untill this day, at which day and place the ſaid Nathaniel Bernard appeared perſonally, and then it being objected unto him by the Court, that he had in a Sermon lately by him preached or otherwiſe, delivered ſome Scandalous and undutiful ſpeeches, derogatory to ſome particular perſon of most eminent place, which the Court deſired not to have there repeated; and for that the ſaid Mr Bernard had acknowledged his error Note. in that kinde, as ſome of the Commiſſioners there, unto whom he had ſubmitted himſelf, reported, and himſelfe confeſſed; the Court was inclined upon his ſubmiſſion, being a young ſcholler and a ſtudent in Divinity, to accept his ſubmiſſion, and enclined to deal mercifully and favourably with him; yet conſidering that his ſcandalous and undutifull ſpeeches were of ſuch high nature as could not be well remitted or pardoned by this Court, without the approbation and the good liking of his moſt Excellent Majeſtie: the Court deſired the Lord Biſhop of London, to acquaint his Majeſtie therewith, and if his Majeſtie upon underſtanding of the Cauſe would be graciouſly pleaſed to pardon him and leave it to the Court, that then this Court, would take ſuch further order for his diſmiſſion, as they ſhould think meet.

Motterſhed.

The Copy of this Order, with another Paper conteining the words, were both endorſed with the Biſhops own hand and found among his Papers by Mr Prynne, who produced them. Mr Bernard not long after upon his ſubmiſſion was diſmiſſed the Court, After which repairing to the Univerſity of Cambridge to viſit his friends, he fortuned to preach at Saint Maries Church there on the 6. of May 1632. in the afternoon; wherein he let fall divers Paſſages concerning preaching, the purity of Gods Ordinances, worſhip, and againſt the Introducers of Popery and Arminianiſme, which this Biſhops creatures excepted againſt, and ſpeedily informed him off. Dr T. Cumber then Vice-Chancellor, informs him of this Sermon in a Letter of his May 22. 1632. wherein he writes in this manner. I cannot but further advertiſe your Lordſhip in a word; that here was one Mr Bernard, a diſcontinuer and a Preacher, as I hear, about London, who uttered ſome offenſive words concerning ſome Ceremonies, and Rites uſed in ſome Churches, in a Sermon of his at Saint Maries, and as I have heard in ſome other Church before: I gave a decree to the Beadle to convent him, but he could not be found: To which the Biſhop returned this anſwer written with Mr Dells hand and thus endorſed; May 27. 1630. A clauſe of my Letter to Dr Cumber concerning Mr Bernard, &c.

§

I AM ſorry you have been troubled at Cambridge with the diſtempered ſpeeches of any men in the Pulpit. And I must confeſſe, I heard of both the particulars you mention, before I received your Letter. That in St. Johns, it ſeemes they have puniſhed, Note. and you doe very worthily to joyn with them, in caſe any thing for the publique ſhall be further requiſite. And as for Mr Bernard, I am the more ſorry for him, becauſe he is in London within my Charge; Nevertheleſſe if he have done unworthily, I ſhall be very ready to aſſiſt you and the Vniverſity in what I may be able. And ſince you gave a Decree to the Beadle to convent him, and he ſlipt away the while, I will do the beſt I can to ſend him backe, there to be anſwerable to the Government againſt which he hath offended. And if he ſhall refuſe ſo to do, without giving better reaſon then I thinke he can, I ſhall certainly ſuspend him till hee do it. So in haſt I leave you, &c.

W. London.

[Page] Before this Doctors Letter the Biſhop had received an information of the heads of his Sermon from others thus endorſed with his own hand. May 6. 1932. Notes of Mr Bernards Sermon at Cambridge; the particulars whereof are hereafter expreſſed more at large in his own words.

Soone after Mr Bernard by this Biſhops proſecution was brought into the High Commiſſion Court and forced to deliver in a Copy of his Sermon to the Biſhop, which he did: who excepted againſt theſe Paſſages in it, for which he was articled againſt. Gods Ordinances for his publike Worſhip are the glory of any Nation. By Gods Ordinances here, I underſtand chiefly the Word, Sacraments and Prayer, which if blended and adulterated with any Superſtitious Innovations of men, ceaſe to bee Gods Ordinances, and he ownes them no longer. It is not the ſingle having of Gods Ordinances for his publike Worſhip, but the having of them in their purity and integrity that dignifies a Nation. Gods Ordinances for his publike Worſhip in their Purity and Integrity are a ſure ſhield between a Nation and publike ruine and deſolation: For proofe whereof, I challenge all Recordes both divine and humane to produce one inſtance wherein God puniſhed any part of his Church with any Nationall ruine and deſtruction, before they had either departed from, or corrupted his Ordinances. The Apoſtle Rom. 1. 16. affirmeth of the preaching of the Word, that it is the power of God to ſalvation. It is the meanes by which God manifeſteth his omnipotent and irreſistible power in the converſion and ſalvation of all thoſe who from eternity were ordained thereunto, by Gods abſolute and immutable Decree. This ſeemes to confute their errour who think meanly and baſely of theſe Ordinances of God, which we have proved to be the glory of that Nation, where they are in their purity and integrity. Theſe men turn their glory into ſhame; for is there not a generation of prophane men among us, who are afraide and aſhamed to preach twice on the Lords day, to preach plainly, powerfully, and ſpiritually to the ſoules and conſciences of their people, leaſt they ſhould be accounted Puritans? Many who are afraide to hear too often, eſpecially on the weeke dayes leaſt they ſhould be accounted Bible-bearers, and gadders after Sermons? Many who are as much afraide to performe holy duties in their families, and to ſpeake like Christians as Peter was, who that his ſpeech might not betray him, began to curſe and ſwear? Many who complain that there is too much preaching and that it was never merry ſince? Many who eſteem very meanly of prayer, eſpecially of the publike prayers of the Church? Some that have ſcorufully called the ſirging of a Pſalme a Geneva Iigge?

But the principall exception was for this enſuing Diſcourſe in the cloſe of his Sermon.

Further, I will not deny that God hath his true inviſible Church among thoſe Nations, as he had in Iſrael in the dayes of Ahab and Eliah: nay, I ſee no reaſon why (in a large, yet true ſence) we may not call the Church of Rome, Italy, or Spain a particular viſible Church of Chriſt: as Iſrael in the Reign of Jeroboem was a Church of God, though Idolatrous, and Apoſtaticall: Yet I ſay, that it is impoſible that any ſhould be ſaved living or dying (without repentance) in the doctrine and Idolatrous worſhip of the Church of Rome, as the late Tridentine Councell hath decreed it. My reaſon is this; Hee that thinkes to go to heaven any other way then by faith in Chriſt onely, ſhall never Note. come there. But he that dyes without repentance in the Doctrine of the Church of Rome (as the Councell of Trent hath decreed it) thinkes to go to heaven another way, then by faith in Chriſt onely, as namely by the merits of his own workes; Ergo ſuch a one ſhall never come there. Thirdly, if Gods Ordinances for his publike worship in their purity are the glory of a nation, then it followes, that they who go about to deprive a Nation of any of Gods Ordinances for his publike Worship, either in whole or in the beſt part of them (ideſt) in their purity and integrity, they go about to make that Nation baſe, and inglorious and if ſo, then are they enemies to that Nation, and Traytors to it, if it be their Note. own Nation: for Treaſon is not limited to the royall blood, as if he only could be a Traitor who plotteth and attempteth the dishonour and shedding thereof, but may be and is [Page] too oft committed againſt the whole Church and nation, which laſt, is by ſo much the worſt of them two, by how much the end is better then the meanes, and the whole of greater conſequence then any other part alone.

Whereby we may learn, what to account of thoſe among our ſelves (if any ſuch be, which is better known to you then to mee) who endeavour to quench the light and abate the glory of our Iſrael, by bringing in their Pelagian errours into the Doctrine of our Church eſtabliſhed by Law, and the Superſtitions of the Church of Rome into our warſhip of God, as high Altars, Crucifixes, and bowing to them, id eſt (in plain Engliſh) worſhipping them; whereby they Symbolize with the Church of Rome very ſhamefully, to the irreparable Shipwracke of many ſoules who ſplit upon this rocke. The Papiſts teach, that it is impoſſible to be ſaved in our Church and our Religion: Some of ours (at leaſt in outward profeſſion) teach, that it is poſſible to be ſaved in the Romiſh Religion and Church; hence an unſettled judgement concludes, if we may agree in Heaven, why do we not agree and meet each other halfe way on earth? And hence we have many Caſſanders among us, who meditate and wiſh a reconciliation between the Church of Rome and ours; and to be ſure (ſay the unſettled) it is the ſafeſt way to be members of that Church wherein both ſides agree that ſalvation is to be had, then of that Church in which one ſide onely affirmes it, and that a party; And this fills Rome with English proſelites. What can we thinke leſſe of thoſe men who by their Symbolizing with the Church of Rome in Doctrine and Worship give occaſion thereunto, then that they are enemies to this Church and Nation? I ſay, they are enemies, and therefore let us take up armes againſt them. But what armes? Preces Eccleſiae ſunt arma Eccleſiae, let us pray theſe men either to converſion (if it be Gods bleſſed will,) or to their deſtruction, fiat juſtitia, pereant illi. And let us uſe that prayer againſt them, which David uſed againſt Achitophell, with which I will conclude all; O Lord turne the councell of all theſe crafty Achitophells into folly, who go about to lay the honour of this Church and Nation in the duſt, by depriving us of the purity of any of thy Ordinances for thy publique Worship, which are the glory of this our Iſrael.

For theſe clauſes Mr Bernard was moſt ſeverely ſentenced in the High Commiſſion by this Biſhops violent Proſecution; Suſpended his Miniſtry, excommunicated, fined a thouſand pounds, impriſoned; condemned in coſts of ſuite, committed priſonet to the new Priſon, where he lay ſundry moneths, being moſt barbarouſly uſed and almoſt ſtarved for want of neceſſaries; of which he complained to the Biſhop by ſundry Letters and Petitions found in his ſtudy with Mr Bernards Sermon, and the informations againſt him, (endorſed with the Biſhops own hand and produced at the Barre) but could find no reliefe, unleſſe he would make this enſuing Recantation ſent to him by the Biſhop, and thus endorſed with his own pen: Septem. 11. 1632 A Copy of a Recantation tendered to Mr Bernard, Lecturer of Sepulchers, about a Sermon that he preached at Cambridge. He refuſed this Recantation.

Mr. Bernards RECANTATION.

WHereas in a Sermon made by me in this place the ſixt of May laſt upon this Text. The glory is departed from Iſrael, becauſe the Arke of God was taken. 1 Sam. 4. 21.

I had this Paſſage.

And the Apoſtle Rom. 1. 16. affirmeth of the preaching of the Goſpel, that it is the power of God to ſalvation: Ideſt, it is that meanes by which God manifeſteth his omnipotent and irreſiſtable power in the converſion and ſalvation of all thoſe who from Eternity were ordained thereunto by Gods abſolute and immutable Decree.

And I do here publikely acknowledge, that hereby (contrary to his Majeſties command in his Declaration lately publiſhed and printed with the Articles of Religion) I did go beyond the generall meaning of that place of Scripture, and of the ſaid Articles. [Page] And draw the ſame to maintaine the one ſide of ſome of theſe ill raiſed differences which his Majeſties ſaid Declaration mentioneth. And this I did, rather out of a deſire to thruſt in ſome-what into my ſaid Sermon in affirmation of one ſide of the ſaid differences, then any wayes occaſioned by the Text I then preached of.

For which I here publikely profeſſe my hearty ſorrow and do humbly crave pardon of God Almighty, of his Majeſtie, and of this Congregation.

And whereas in the ſame Sermon I had this paſſage.

If Gods Ordinances for his publique Worſhip in their purity are the glory of a Nation, then it followes, that they who go about to deprive a Nation of any of Gods Ordinances for his publique Worſhip either in whole or in the beſt part of them, id eſt, in their purity and integrity; they go about to make that Nation baſe and inglorious; and if ſo, then are they Enemies to that Nation and This Doctrine touched this Biſhops Copy nold then, and was one principall charge of [...]gh Treaſon againſt him now; no wonder therfore he was oſtended at it, & would have it recanted. Traytors to it, if it bee their own Nation; for Treaſon is not limited to the royall blood, as if he only could be a Traytor who plotteth and attempteth the diſhonour or ſhedding thereof, but may be and is too oft committed againſt the whole Church and Nation: which laſt is by ſo much the worſt of them two, by how much the end is better then the meanes, and the whole of greater conſequence then any one part alone.

Whereby we may learne what to account of thoſe among our ſelves (if any ſuch bee, which is better knowne to you then to mee) who endeavour to quench the light and abaſe the glory of our Iſrael, by bringing in their Pelagian Errours into the Doctrine of our Church establiſhed by Law, and the Superstitions of the Church of Rome into our Worſhip of God; as high Altars, Crucifixes, and bowing to them, id eſt, (in plain Engliſh) Worſhipping them; whereby they ſymbolize with the Church of Rome very ſhamefully to the irreparable Shipwracke of many ſoules who split upon this rocke.

I doe now upon better information finde, that mary erronious and daungerous aſſertions and conſequences unfitting to bee here expreſſed may bee collected and inferred out of the ſaid Wordes. And I doe therefore hereby publiquely recant all the ſaid wordes, as they are an uſe, or inference and application uſed by me, to be very raſhly and inconſiderately uttered, and to be very undutifull towards his Majeſtie. I doe humbly referre and ſubmitt my ſelfe to his Majeſties Clemency and gracious acceptance for the interpretation of my meaning of the ſame. And I am heartily ſorry, and doe humbly crave pardon that wordes and applications ſo ſcandalous to the preſent ſtate of the Church of England and ſo dangerous, proceeded from mee.

Thirdly, whereas in the ſame Sermon I had this paſſage.

By Gods Ordinances here, I underſtand chiefely the word, Sacraments and Prayer, in that purity and integrity wherein the Lord Chriſt left them, not blended and adulterated with any Superſtitious Inventions of man, for then they ceaſe to be Gods Ordinances and hee ownes them us longer.

I deſire that this paſſage may be taken and underſtood as I ſpake and meant it, and not otherwiſe; That is, not that I hold all humane Inventions added to Gods Ordinances to be Superſtiticus, for I account that tenet not onely falſe but palpably abſurd and fooliſh. But to exclude all thoſe humane Inventions which may hinder the preſervation of the Doctrine and Diſcipline of this Church of England in that Purity and Integrity wherein (through Gods gracious goodneſſe, by his Majeſties Lawes Eccleſiaſticall) we doe enjoy them.

Fourthly and laſtly, whereas by ſome other paſſages in my ſaid Sermon I was (as I underſtand) conceived by ſome, not onely to caſt aſperſions upon the preſent State of our Church and ſome principall Members and parts [Page] thereof, thereby to bring it and them into ſcandall and diſlike: But even under ſome ambiguous words, to move to take up armes for redreſſe, although with recalling or reſtraining the ſame in termes afterward and ſaying thus.

Let us pray theſe men either to converſion (if it be Gods bleſſed will) or to their deſtruction. Fiat juſtitia, pereant illi: and calling them crafty Achitophells, &c.

I doe here acknowledge and profeſſe I had no ſuch Intentions, neither doe I know any cauſe why my ſelfe or any other ſhould ſo bitterly invay againſt any in our Church. I am therefore heartily ſorry that I gave cauſe to any of the hearers to conceive ſo. And I humbly crave pardon for it.

For refuſing to make this ſtrange preſcribed Recantation, this godly Miniſter, though he in generall termes profeſſed, his ſyncere ſorrow and penitency for any Overſights and unbeſeeming Expreſſions in his Sermon, both in his Petitions and Letters to the Biſhop, (which would not ſuffice,) was for a long time deteined in the New Priſon, there miſerably abuſed by the Keepers, of which he oft complained without redreſſe, and in concluſion utterly ruined for ſpeaking out the truth.

Wee ſhall cloſe this branch of our Evidence with this obſervation; That as Rewards and Puniſhments rightly diſtributed are the greateſt incentives to vertue, piety, learning, and retractives from vice, error, ſuperſtition; ſo when they are perverted, miſplaced, they become the grandeſt diſcouragements to Piety, Religion, the ſtrongeſt attractives to Hereſie, Popery and all kinde of Superſtitions; Schollers commonly looke moſt of all after preferments; yea make it their principall ſtudy to comply with thoſe mens Opinions, and Practifes, who are the chiefe Beſtowers of them. No wonder therefore that our poor Church was ſodainly overſpread with a generation of Arminian, Popiſh, Superſtitious, Ceremonious, prophane, Prelaticall Clergy-men, when all or moſt Eccleſiaſticall preferments were in this Arch-Prelates diſpoſall, who for the moſt part advanced none but ſuch, but diſcountenanced, ſuppreſſed, perſecuted, & kept back from preferments moſt orthodox zeal us preaching Divines who would not comply with his Popiſh Innovations and Deſignes. It is very obſervable, that the Archbiſhop himſelfe records in his Diary, April 5. 1625. How he preſented to the Duke of Buckingham, by his command, a Schedule wherein the Names of Eccleſiaſticall perſons were written under the Letters O. (that is orthodox in his ſence, to wit, Arminians, or perſons addicted to Popiſh Errors and Superſtitions) and P. (that is Puritans) who was to deliver them to King CHARLES: Ever ſince which time Mountague, Manwaring, Wren, with ſuch like unorthodox Clergymen have been advanced, and all Puritans as they termed them, kept from preferment; And it is as conſiderable what Mr Chaloner depoſed to this purpoſe: That being in Rome about five yeares ſince, Friar John (the great agent there for our Engliſh Benedictines and Catholiques) was very inquiſitive and demanded ſeriouſly of him, Whether the Archbiſhop of Canterbury had not the beſtowing of all Eccleſiaſticall preferments and livings in England, especially thoſe in the Kings gift? Seeming to be confident they were all then in his diſpoſe, and thereupon aſſuring himſelfe, that he would advance ſuch perſons to them as ſhould be moſt favourable, moſt plyable to Popery and Papiſts, to drive on their deſignes; as they did indeed with a witneſſe, till this Parliament imployed their diligence and power to weed them out by Degrees. And therefore his advancement of ſuch unſound, corrupt, Popiſh Clergy-men on the One, and ſuppreſſing good Orthodox Preaching Miniſters on the other ſide; muſt neceſſarily import a moſt deſperate deſign in him to ſupplant our eſtabliſhed Religion, by ſuch a Generation of Vipers, who would eat out the very bowells of their own Proteſtant Mother Church, and Religion by Degrees.

The ſixth Branch of the Commons Evidence to make good their firſt Generall Charge of the Archbishops endeavours to ſubvert our Religion and introduce Popery.

[Page]

WEE ſhall now advance our progreſſe from this to the ſixth Branch of our Evidence, to make good our generall Charge of this Archbiſhops Traytorous Practiſes and Endeavours to ſubvert our true Proteſtant Religion, and introduce Popiſh Superſtition, and Idolatry; to wit; His Ieſviticall Practiſes, Plots and Proceedings by himſelfe and his Inſtruments to ſuppreſſe the frequent and powerfull Preaching of the Goſpel on Lordsdayes, Weeke-dayes, with all Lecturers and Lectures throughout the Kingdome, and the Feoffees for Impropriations, a principall meanes to maintaine the ſame; and his ſilencing, ſuſpending many godly Miniſters in all parts upon frivilous illegall Pretences, that ſo Popiſh Errours, Superſtitions might flow in and grow up the faſter, with none or little publique Oppoſition: This is fully charged againſt him in the eleventh Originall Article and ſixth Additionall; which were read upon this occaſion.

The firſt and moſt pernicious Plot this Prelate layd to ſuppreſs Preaching, Lectures and Lecturers, was drawn up by himſelfe under his own hand ſoon after the Parliaments diſſolution in tertio Caroli, and preſented by him to the King, under this ſpecious title which he gave it. Conſiderations for the better ſettling of the Church-Government: The Originall draught whereof, written with his own hand and found in his ſtudy by Mr Prynne, was produced and read in forme following.

Conſiderations for the better ſettling of the Church-Government.

That his Majeſty would be graciouſly pleaſed.

1. TO Command the Lords the Biſhops to their ſeverall ſeas; excepting thoſe which are in attendance at Court.

2. That none of them reſide upon his Land or Leaſe that he hath purchaſed; or on his Commendam if he hold any, but in one of his Epiſcopall Houſes. And that hee waſt not the woods where any are left.

3. That they give charge in their Tryenniall Viſitations; and at other times both by themſelves, and the Archdeacons, that the Declaration for ſettling the queſtions in difference be ſtrictly obſerved. Note.

4. That a ſpeciall Charge be given them againſt frequent and unworthy Ordinations.

5. That a ſpeciall Care be had over the Lecturers in every Dioceſſe: Which by Reaſon of their pay are the peoples creatures, and blow the Bellowes their way. Note. Sedition.

For the abating of whoſe power theſe wayes may be taken.

1. That the afternoon Sermons in all Pariſhes may be turned into Catechiſing by Queſtions and Anſwers, according to an Order ſet out by King Iames of bleſſed Note. Memory. If this cannot be, then:

2. That every Biſhop ordain in his Dioceſſe, that every Lecturer doe read Divine ſervice in his Surpliſſe before the Lecture.

[Page] 3. That where a Lecture is ſet up in a Market Town it be read by a Combination of grave and orthodox Divines neer adjoyning.

4. That if an Incorporation do maintain a Lecturer he be not ſuffered to preach till he take upon him Curam Animarum within that Incorporation.

6. That the Biſhop do countenance and encourage the grave orthodox Divines of his Clergy, and gaine them in the ſeverall quarters of his Dioceſſe to be preſent at ſuch Lecturers Sermons as are neere them: That ſo the Biſhop may have knowledge.

7. That the Biſhop ſuffer none under Noble men, and men qualified by Law, to Note. have any private Chaplain in his houſe.

8. That his Majeſty may be graciouſly pleaſed that men of courage, gravity, and experience in Government be preferred to Biſhopricks.

9. That Emanuel and Sydny Colledge in Cambridge, which are the Nurſeries of Note. Puritaniſme; may from time to time be provided of grave and orthodox men for their governours.

10. That his Majeſties High Commiſſion be countenanced by the preſence of ſome of his Majeſties privy Councell, ſo oft at leaſt as any Matter of Moment is to be. Note. ſentenced.

11. That ſome courſe may be taken that the Judges may not ſend ſo many Prohibitions. Note.

12. That his Majeſtie would be graciouſly pleaſed once in halfe a yeare to Note. call for an Account of all, or ſo many of theſe as hee in wiſdome ſhall thinke fitt.

1. The generall Feoffees for Benefices and preferment.

2. A new authorizing of the Injunctions.

By this Originall Paper, the main ſcope whereof is only to ſuppreſſe Preaching, Lectures, and extirpate all Lecturers by Degrees; it is apparant. Firſt, that this Prelate was the prime Projector, Promoter of all the Jeſuiticall Devices conteined in theſe Conſiderations, and ſince put in Practiſe in every Dioceſſe to ſuppreſſe Preaching, Lectures and Lecturers. Secondly, that the ſpecious pretence of having the Afternoon Sermons in every Pariſh turned into catechiſing; ſo much preſſed and commended, was only a meer pretence and wicked policy of purpoſe to ſuppreſſe Lectures and undermine Lecturers; None being enjoyned to catechiſe but ſuch as preached; none being queſtioned for not catechiſing if they preached not; and thoſe that catechiſed and preached too, or expounded, or uſed any other Catechiſm but that in the Common-Prayer-Booke, being queſtioned and ſuſpended as Delinquents. Thirdly, that he not only recommends theſe Conſiderations to his Majeſty, but moves him to turne them into Injunctions, and to call for an Account every halfe year to ſee how they were obſerved. Fourthly, that to effect and further this wicked project, all his orthodox, grave Miniſters are required to be preſent at Lectures the better to turne informers againſt Lecturers that were honeſt and painfull. Fifthly, ſome Colledges muſt have new Governours appointed them to prevent the growth of Puritaniſm: No new Biſhops muſt be made but ſuch who would be active in putting this deſign in execution: The Kings own privy Councell muſt be ſpecially enjoyned to dance attendance at the High Commiſſion to puniſh ſuch who tranſgreſſed theſe Preſcriptions, and the Judges inhibited to grant Prohibitions for their releife.

This foundation being layd, theſe Conſiderations of the Biſhop were in a few weeks after, with very little alteration, transformed and hightned into the Title of Inſtructions from his Majeſty; the Originall Draught whereof we have here preſent, interlined, altered with this Biſhops own hand: and then in Decemb. 1629, they were ſent in the Kings own name, as his owne Regall Injunctions, to the Archbiſhops of Canterbury and Yorke, and by them to all the Biſhops in their particular Provinces to ſee them punctually obſerved and put in execution in every pariſh within their Dioceſſe. One Copy of them was ſent by Archbiſhop Abbot to B [...] Laude, then Biſhop [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] of London. In purſuite whereof he ſummoned in all the Miniſters and Lecturers within the City and Suburbs to attend him at London Houſe; where hee made a ſolemne Speech unto them; Wherein (as appears by the Notes of it under his own hand here produced) he preſſed obedience to theſe Inſtructions of his Majeſtie, which he ſaid, had been miſtaken by ſome of them before it was poſſible for them to ſee, much leſſe to weigh them; adding, that they were full of Religion and Juſtice: that much good would come to the Church and Commonweale by obedience to them; the want of which obedience hath loſt us more wayes then one. And profeſſing he was ſorry there was need of thoſe or any other; yet ſince there is need, and the Government hath found it ſo, hee was glad of this occaſion to knowe, and ſee them together.

What theſe Instructions were, and how conſonant to his own Conſiderations, We ſhall manifeſt by an exact Copy endorſed with his owne hand in this forme. Decemb. 30 1629. Inſtructions from his Majeſty concerning the Reſidence of Biſhops; and the Lecturers: with ſome Notes, exceptions, explanations upon them in the margin, written likewiſe by himſelfe.

Inſtructions for the moſt reverend Father in God, our right truſty and right entirely beloved Councellor, George L. Archbiſhop of Canterbury: Concerning certain Orders to be obſerved and put in execution by the ſeverall Biſhops in his Province.

CHARLES R.

1. THat the Lords the Biſhops be commanded to their ſeverall Seas, (a) there to keep reſidence, excepting thoſe wich are in neceſſary attendance at Court.

2. That none of them reſide upon his land or leaſe that he hath purchaſed, (b) nor on his Commendam if he hold any, but in one of his Epiſcopall houſes if he have any: And that he waſt not the woods where any are left.

3. That they give charge in their Trienniall Viſitations and at other convenient times, both by themſelves and the Archdeacons, that the Declaration for the ſettling all queſtions in difference, be strictly obſerved by all parties.

4. That there be a ſpeciall care taken by them all, that their Ordinations be ſolemn and not of unworthy perſons.

5. That they take great care concerning the Lecturers in their ſeverall Dioceſſes, for whom we give theſe ſpeciall directions following.

1. That in all Pariſhes the Afternoon Sermons (c) may be turned into Catechizing by Queſtion and Anſwer, where and whenſoever there is not ſome great cauſe apparant to breake this ancient and profitable Order.

2. That every Biſhop ordain in his Dioceſſe, (d) that every Lecturer doe read Divine Service according to the Liturgy printed by Authority, in his Surpliſſe and Hood before the Lecture.

3. That where a Lecture is ſet up in a Market Town, it may be read by a company of grave and orthodox Divines neer adjoyning and in the ſame Dioceſſe: And that they preach in Gownes and not in Cloakes, as too many doe uſe.

4. That if a Corporation do maintain a ſingle Lecturer, he be not ſuffered to preach till he profeſſe his willingneſſe to take upon him a Living with Cure of Soules, within that Incorporation: and that he do actually take ſuch (e) Benefice or Cure, ſo ſoon as it ſhall be fairly procured for him.

6. That the Biſhops doe countenance and encourage the grave and orthodox Divines of their Clergy, and that they uſe meanes by ſome of the Clergy or others, that they may have knowledge how both Lecturers and Preachers within their [Page] Dioceſſes behave themſelves in their Sermons, that ſo they may take order for any abuſe accordingly.

7. That the Biſhops ſuffer (f) none under Noblemen, and men qualified by Law, to have any private Chaplain in his houſe.

8. That they take ſpeciall care that Divine Service be diligently frequented as well for Prayers and Catechiſmes as Sermons, and take particular note of all ſuch as abſent themſelves as Recuſants or other waies.

9. That every Biſhop that by our grace and favour, and good opinion of his ſervice, ſhall be nominated by us to another Biſhopricke, ſhall from that day of nomination not preſume to make any Leaſe for three lives or one and twenty yeares, or concurrent Leaſe, or any way renew any Eſtate, or cut any wood or timber, but meerly receive the rents due and quit the place. For wee thinke it a hatefull thing that any mans leaving the Biſhoprick ſhould almoſt undoe the Succeſſor. And if any man ſhall preſume to breake this order, (g) we will refuſe at our Royall Aſſent, and keepe him at the place which he hath ſo abuſed.

10. And laſtly, we command you to give us an Account every yeare the ſecond of Ianuary, of the performance of theſe our Commands.

Exceptions taken.

(a) This is broken.

(b) And this.

(c) This Catechiſing muſt be by the Catechiſm in the Com prayer book and no other. Divers in London muſt preach too or looſe their means. They cannot agree upon the great Cauſe.

(d) Whether this bind the Parſon or Vicar if he read the Lecture? Or all the Miniſters where there is a combination Vnleſſe it be upon the uery edge of a Dioceſe &c,

(e) And execut by himſelfe: And whether it ſhall be ſufficient to conforme ſome times, ſo the reading of Prayer bee conſtant.

(f) Excepted againſt in regard of diſplacing many young men &c.

(g) What if he do not let them till the Royall Aſſent be paſt?

Dorchester.

How diligent he was to put theſe Inſtructions into execution within his own Dioceſſe, will appeare by this Letter of his to his ſeverall Archdeacons; the originall whereof was produced, interlined with his own hand.

SIR,

THeſe are to let you underſtand, that his Majeſtie out of his Royall and Princely Care that the Government of the Church may be carefully lookt unto by the Biſhops and others with whom it is truſted, hath lately ſent certain Inſtructions to my Lords Grace of Canterbury and of Yorke, to be by them diſperſt to the ſeverall Biſhops of each Dioceſſe within their Provinces, to the intent that whatſoever concernes any Biſhops perſonally, or otherwiſe, in reference to thoſe of the Clergy which they are to governe, may be by every of them readily and carefully performed. The Inſtructions which concern the Perſons to be governed, are only the third, for keeping the Kings Declaration, that ſo differences and queſtions may ceaſe, and the fifth about Lecturers, and the ſeventh concerning private Chaplaines in the Houſes of men not qualified, and the eighth about either Recuſants or any other Abſents from Church and Divine Service; all the reſt are Perſonall to the Biſhops: yet becauſe they are ſo full of Juſtice, Honour and Care of the Church, I ſend to you the whole Body of the Inſtructions as they came to me, praying and requiring you as Arch-Deacon of London, to ſend me at or before Wedneſday the third of February next, both the Chriſtian and Surnames of every Lecturer within your Archdeaconry, as well in places exempt as not exempt, and the place where he preacheth and his quality and Degree. As alſo the Names of ſuch men as being not qualified keep Chaplains in their Houſes. And theſe are farther to pray, and in his Majeſties name to require you that you leave with the Parſon or Vicar of the place a Copy not of all, but of the foure Inſtructions mentioned, with the foure ſeverall branches belonging to the Lecturers, with a Charge that the Perſon or Vicar deliver another Copy of them to the Churchwardens; and that you do not onely call upon them for Performance, now preſently, but alſo take great care from time to time that at the End of your next Viſitation, and ſo forward at the End of every ſeverall Viſitation, I may by your ſelf or your Officialls have true notice how they are perform'd, and where and by whom they are diſobey'd. For ſo much my Lords Grace of Canterbury requires of me as you ſhall ſee by the Tenor of his Graces Letters to mee here incloſed. I pray you in any caſe not to faile in this, for if you ſhould, when I come to give up my Account I muſt diſcharge my ſelfe upon you, and that Neglect would make you go backward [Page] in his Majeſties favour beſides whatſoever elſe may follow; Thus not doubting of your care and fidelity in this behalfe I leave you to the Grace of God, and ſhall ſo reſt.

Your very loving Friend, Wil. London

January 4. 1629.

Upon the publication of theſe Instructions (ſtrictly purſued till this preſent Parliament) Lecturers and Chaplaines in private Gentlemens houſes were generally queſtioned and ſuppreſſed in all places, with very great Rigor; eſpecially if they refuſed or neglected to read Common Prayers in their Surpliſſes and Hoods before they Lectured: all Sermons on the Lords dayes in the Afternoon were generally ſuppreſſed by degrees throughout the Kingdome: moſt ſingle, and many Combination Lectures were put downe in every place; All Catechiſmes, but that in the Common Prayer Book, prohibited; All Expoſitions of Chapters or of the Catechiſme forbidden and layd aſide; Wakes, Revels, Dancing, and all kind of Recreations introduced, authorized, commanded by a Regall Declaration, printed and publiſhed in the Kings name by this Prelate as we have already proved, (and preached for in Pulpits, inſtead of Afternoon Sermons and Catechiſmes on the Lords day) that people might go more merrily down to Hell, and baniſh the thoughts of God and heaven out of their minds, on that very day whereon they ſhould minde them moſt. And that theſe Inſtructions might be the better executed, this Prelate both before and after he was Archbiſhop, together with Biſhop Mountague, Biſhop Wren, Biſhop Peirce and others thruſt them into their Viſitation Articles, and every Church-Warden and Sideſman on their Oath, was to inquire after the Execution and Violation of them. If any doubt aroſe upon theſe Instructions how to proceed upon them, not Archbiſhop Abbot, but this Lording Prelate, was conſulted with as the only Oracle, who beſt knew their meaning, as being the contriver of them: Witneſſe the Biſhop of Briſtols Letter and Quaeres to him about his Majeſties late Inſtructions Febr. 12. 1629. the Originall whereof (indorſed with Mr Dells his Secretaries hand) found with the former Papers in his ſtudy, was produced. If any neglect or connivance at Lecturers was uſed in any place, information and complaint thereof was preſently ſent up unto him; witneſſe this one from Canterbury againſt Archbiſhop Abbot himſelfe: thus endorſed with this Prelates own hand Feb, 18. 1629. The Proceedings of the Dean and Arch-Deacon of Canterbury upon the Kings Inſtructions.

MAſter Deane and Archdeacon of Canterbury received from my Lords Grace a Commiſſion for the ſpeeding of his Majeſties Inſtructions enforced by theſe phraſes. (It is expected that you ſhould ſtrictly put in execution theſe matters which do concern either your ſelves, in your own perſons, or the Clergy that do remain within my Dioceſſe, and this to be done, not as a thing of forme, or perfunctorily, but ſo that an account be made and returned to his Majeſtie, what fruit there is of theſe Inſtructions, and how in the ſeverall Dioceſſes they are performed. And therefore I pray you, and in the name of his Highneſſe require you to advertiſe me what is done in theſe particulars, and whether there be due obedience unto theſe commands.)

Accordingly the Commiſſioners ſent for Mr Palmer, a Lecturer in Saint Alphage Canterbury on Sunday in the afternoone, who firſt denyed to ſhew any Licence; Secondly certified that he had no Licence to preach there. Thirdly againſt the Miniſters will, he read Prayers and catechized but not according to Canon. Fourthly, in that catechizing he undertook to declare the Kings minde in his Inſtructions. Fiftly, he hath never heretofore read Prayers or uſed the Surpliſſe in that Pariſh. Sixthly, the Incumbent, a man licenſed by three Archbiſhops, petitioned that he might performe his own miniſteriall duties in his own Pariſh. Seventhly, Mr Polmer preached a factious Sermon in the Cathedrall Church, and detracted from Divine Service [Page] there, Eighthly the Incumbent for not joyning with him is threatned to looſe his tithes. Ninthly, factious parties of all the Pariſhes in the Towne are his auditors, where they will not be forbidden to ſit vpon the Communion table.

Hereupon the Commiſſioners, willed Maſter Palmer to deſiſt, and to give Maſter Platt the Miniſter of the ſaid-Church roome, to doe his duties himſelfe, vntill they might heare farther from my Lords Grace of Canterbury, and to him they remitted him, ſending up their reaſons wherefore they did it.

They likewiſe ſent for Maſter Vdnay Lecturer on Sunday in the after-noone at Aſhford, a Market towne and the moſt factious of all Kent. Where though there be a grave learned diligent Incumbent, and a Lecture beſide performed every Satturday by the grave neighbour Miniſters, yet Maſter Vdnay was invited thither by factious perſons, ſuch as are regiſtred in the high Commiſſion for Conventiclers, whereupon he obtained a recommendation from the King, directed to the Conſtable of Aſhford, who in the Kings name charging the Incumbent to admit him, thruſt him up into the Pulpit, where he hath ever ſince Lectured directly contrary to the third inſtruction for Lectures, it being a great diſcouragement to the Incumbent, Vdnay himſelfe having had a Benefice neere that Towne within eight miles, at which for this ten yeeres he hath never conſtantly reſided. For theſe reaſons the Commiſſioners wiſht him likewiſe to deſiſt, and referd him to my Lords Grace of Canterbury, who hath ſince replaced him in Aſhford by his Licence and Seale, and as we are informed hath likewiſe authoriſed Maſter Palmer.

By theſe proceedings the Commiſſioners are made the ſcorne of the factious. They and all other conformable Orthodoxe Miniſters are diſcomforted, his Note. Majeſties Inſtructions are annihilated, and Maſter Arch-deacon of Canterbury is inhibited his Iuriſdiction.

In his own Dioceſſe of London many Lectures were ſuppreſſed, many Lecturers and Miniſters queſtioned, ſuſpended by colour of theſe Inſtructions, eſpecially if they vſed the leaſt glances againſt Arminianiſme and Popiſh Innovations, by name Mr Iohn Rogers of Dedham, Mr Daniel Rogers of Wethersfield, Mr Hooker of Chemſford, Mr White of Knightsbridge; Mr Archer, M. William Martyn, M. Edwards, M. Iones, M. Ward, M. Saunders; M. Iames Gardner, M. Foxly, with ſundry others being likewiſe, ſome of them driven out of his Dioceſſe and the Kingdome too.

Biſhop Wren in purſuance of theſe inſtructions, preſcribed, printed and publiſhed theſe enſuing Viſitation Articles concerning Lecturers, in his Dioceſſe of Norwich, on which the Churchwardens were ſtrictly injoyned to enquire and preſent upon oath; as appears by his printed Articles, Anno. 1636. Which were reade in forme following.

Concerning the Ministers, Preachers and Lecturers.

44. Have you any Lecturer in your Pariſh, and on what day is your Lecture? If any ſuch be, doth he, twiſe at the leaſt every yeere, reade divine Service both Morning and Evening, two ſeverall Sundayes, publickly in his Surplice and Hood? and alſo twiſe in the yeere Adminiſter both Sacraments, with ſuch Rites and Ceremonies as are preſcribed by the Booke of Common Prayer?

45. Doth the Lecturer, (whoſoever he be) reade the Divine Service according to the Liturgy printed by Authority, in his Surplice and Hood before every Lecture?

46. Doth your Preacher or Lecturer behave himſelf in his Lectures and Sermons as he ought to do, teaching obedience and edifieing of his auditory in matters of faith and good life, without intermedling with matters of State, or newes, or other diſcourſes [Page] not fit for the Pulpit, and alſo without favouring or abetting Schiſmaticks or Separatiſts (that are at home or gone abroad) either by ſpeciall prayer for them, or by any other approbation of them?

47. Have you any Lecture of Combination ſet up in your Pariſh? And if ſo, is it read by a company of grave and orthodox Diuines, neer adjoyning, and in the ſame Dioceſſe? and doth every one of them Preach in a Gown, not in a Cloak? And when and by whom were they appointed? And what be their names?

48. Is any ſingle Lecturer (maintained by your Town or otherwiſe) ſuffered to preach, he not firſt profeſſing his willingneſſe to take upon him the cure of ſoules, nor actually taking a Benefice or Cure, ſo ſoon as it may be procured for him? What is his name? what licenſe hath he? And hath he a ſettled contribution affixed to the Lecturers place; or is it arbitrary, and for this Lecturer onely? What ſumme doth it amount to ordinarily? By whom is it uſually payd or collected or of late years hath been?

49. If any Pſalmes do uſe to be ſung in your Church, before or after the morning and evening Prayer, or before or after Sermons (upon which occaſions onely they are allowed to be ſung in Churches) is it done according to that grave manner (which firſt was in uſe) that ſuch doe ſinge as can read the Pſalmes and have learned them by heart? And not after that uncougth and undecent cuſtome of late taken up, to have every line firſt read, and then ſung by the people?

Concerning the Pariſhioners.

8. Is there within your Pariſh in any houſe or family, any one that is called or reputed a Chaplain, or that is known or ſuppoſed to have entred into holy Orders? Or any that live there in imployment as a Scholler? Preſent their names if there bee any ſuch, and how long they have been there.

Not long after, this Biſhop in his Dioceſſe of Norwich ſuppreſſed all Afternoon-Sermons on the Lordſday throughout his Dioceſſe; with moſt ſingle Lectures, Lecturers, and Combination Lectures too; which he permitted onely unto ſome few places after much Petitioning upon theſe hard conditions, which he returned and certified to this Archbiſhop (from whom they originally proceeded) in theſe enſueing termes, as appears by the Originall under his own hand, (found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy and atteſted by Mr Prynne.)

AN Account touching the Royall Inſtructions given by the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſtie, to the moſt Reverend Father in God, William Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate and Metropolitan of all England, concerning Orders to be obſerved by all the Biſhops of that Province. To the ſeverall Articles of which Inſtructions, I Mathew, Lord Biſhop of Norwich, thus humbly make anſwer, and in Order. Viz.

Decemb. 7. 1636.

IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN,

To the 5o Article, and the four branches thereof, I ſcarce found any Catechiſing uſed in the whole Dioceſſe, ſome fewe places excepted; but I have very ſtrictly enforced it, and I preſume it is now faithfully performed in moſt Churches of the Dioceſſe. Eſpecially in the City of Norwich, there were not above 4 Sermons on Sunday mornings in 34 Churches, only in the Afternoon they had them. But I cauſed Sermons or Homilies to be had in every Church in the forenoon, and Catechizing in the afternoon according to the Canon. Lectures abounded, eſpecially in Suffolke: Not a Market, or a bowling greene, or an Ordinary could ſtand without one, and many of them were ſet up by private Gentlemen at their pleaſures. At St. Edmunds Bury there were three: Two ſingle Lectures on Wedneſday, and Friday (in either of their Churches one) and one by Combination of neighbouring [Page] Divines on Munday the Market day. The Combination ending at Chriſtmas laſt, of themſelves they forbeare to begin it again, till they had fought to me for leave and order therein. I gave my conſent and allowed fifty choice Divines inhabiting within that Archdeaconry, upon theſe two Conditions.

Firſt, that the Divine Service being began duly by the Curate of the Church at nine of the Clocke, the Preacher for that day ſhould be ready in his Surpliſſe and Hood to begin the ſecond Service at the Communion Table; and ſo ſhould aſſend into the Pulpit after the Nicene Creede, and there uſing no other prayer then is preſcribed in the 55. Canon, nor preaching above one hour, ſhould not give the Bleſſing out of the Pulpit; but ſhould deſſend again to the Table and read the Prayer for the univerſull Church; and ſo diſmiſſe the congregation with the Peace of God &c.

Secondly, that the people of the Town ſhould duly reſort to the Church to the beginning of Divine Service and there deport themſelves with all Humility, Reverence and Devotion, in kneeling, ſtanding, bowing, being uncovered and anſwering audibly. Both which conditions are joyfully and duly performed, as well by the Preachers for their part, as the people, for theirs reſpectively: The two ſingle Lectures are likewiſe continued and performed upon the ſame conditions. Only during the time of this Faſt, I appointed the Friday Lecture to be held on the Faſt day alſo.

At Ipſwich there hath been no Lecture ſince Mr Wards cenſure: It was not unknowne to ſome of them, that if they had ſought to have one, I would have granted it, but they are reſolved to have him or none; and him they make account to have in deſpite of all cenſures.

At Yarmouth there hath beene no Lecturer theſe two yeares, ever ſince which time more Peace hath been in the Town, and good Order in Eccleſiaſticall things much increaſed.

At Lyme their Lecturer dyed in February: They preſently ſought to have the Curate of the place allowed to be Lecturer: I gave leave that he ſhould ſupply the place, till I might further enquire of him; but about Whitſuntide, he voluntarily relinquiſhed, and not without ſome contempt; whereupon I would not ſuffer him afterward to return though ſome deſired it.

At Norwich one Lecture is ſtill held by Mr Cock, an honeſt conformable man of whom they make no great regard. Other two have voluntarily relinquiſhed, becauſe they will obſerve no Order, whereof one (Mr Bridge) hath left two Cures and is runne into Holland.

The other Lectures in the Country Towns were at this paſſe: Firſt, they obſerved no Order at all in reading of the Divine Service, or in abſtaining from points of controverſie, or in their habits. Secondly, Laymen had taken upon them to put in and put out ſome Lecturers at their pleaſure. Thirdly, the people alſo knowing before hand who was to preach, when any factious fellow came, would throng and hang upon the Windowes; but if they did not phanſie the man, the Church was halfe empty, to the great diſcouragement of many who complained thereof to me. Fourthly, they never ſought to me to obtaine any allowances or to receive any order about them, whereupon (after more then halfe a years expectation) ſome of them were inhibited untill they ſought leave of their ordinary. Since they in Suffolk Petition was made to me. 1 From Debenham, and I was ready to allow them a Lecture on the ſame conditions with St. Edmunds Bury, which they went to conſider of, but I never heard ſince from them. 2 From Bergholt, (vulgo Baifeld) which is a Mile of Dedham in Eſſex. But it being no Market Town, and I not finding a ſufficient number of grave and orthodox Divines neer that part: and Dr. Jones (an eminent man their late Lecturer) having often complained to me of their factious diſpoſitions, I took time to conſider of it. 3 From Haverill, no Market Town alſo, where a young fellow had thruſt up himſelf without leave, Sede vacanie, to be their Lecturer, yet in regard of his want of means I yeelded; upon condition, that he ſhould behave himſelfe orderly; and the Towne ſhould aſſure fourty Markes per annum, for a Stipend, which they have not yet done. [Page] In Norfolk from Wimendam and Eaſtharling ſuite was made to me, but it was ſince the Faſt began, whereupon I reſpited them, till it pleaſed God that it might ceaſe, and then I would be ready to do to them as I had done at Bury. Beſides theſe places afore named. I remember but three in Northfolke as yet inhibited: Viz. at Diſſ. new Buckenham, and Northwalſham, and three in Suffolk; viz. at Ixmom, a Lecture ſtarted up by Sir William Spring within theſe four years; at Cockefield, a private town, where the ſaid Knight bound his Clerk (when he preſented him) to read a Lecture there every Thurſday, becauſe Mr Knewſtubs had for many years before done it: And at Wickham where the Lecturer is no Graduate and hath been a common Stage player, a man of ſmall abilities, and of whom many complaints were brought to me.

This Biſhop Wren likewiſe prohibited, all ringing of Bells to give notice of a Sermon to the Pariſhioners or others; Suppreſſed all Preparation Sermons to fit men for the worthy receiving of the Sacrament; all Prayers before Sermons but that enjoyned by the 55. Canon; forbidding Miniſters to uſe any Prayers after their Sermons: Enjoyned Note. there ſhould be no Catechiſms uſed on the Lordſday inſtead of the Afternoon Sermon, but only ſuch Queſtions and Anſwers as are conteined in the Common Prayer book, not allowing Miniſters to expound or open the points of the ſame to the people, he and his Officers affirming in publike places, that ſuch an Expoſition might be as ill as a Sermon. And by colour of theſe Inſtructions and the Declaration for Sports he ſilenced, ſuſpended at leaſt fifty Miniſters, forcing many of them, and above three thouſand people beſides to deſert the Kingdome, and fly into Holland and New-England; as appears by the Articles of his impeachment, preſented to the Lords by the houſe of Commons and by ſundry witneſſes before ſeverall Committees. All which Exorbitancies iſſued from theſe Inſtructions; and muſt be put on this Archbiſhops ſcore, the Author of them, to whom Biſhop Wren and other Biſhops gave an annuall Account of their due execution.

Biſhop Mountague ſucceeding Biſhop Wren in the Biſhoprick of Norwich, in purſuance of theſe Inſtructions exceeded him in his Viſitation Articles concerning Lectures and Lecturers; as appeares by theſe enſuing; printed both at London and Cambridge: Anno. 1638.

4. Concerning Lecturers and Lectures.

Foraſmuch as of late years the courſe and humor of Lecturing and the frequenting and hearing ſuch exerciſes, is of great reſent in the State and Church of England, (from which courſe, as much good may enſue and be procured, if well and diſcreetly managed, ſo if otherwiſe, great hurt, danger and ſcandall may and often doth reſult; the cure and care whereof properly and immediately belongs to the Biſhop of the Dioceſſe where ſuch exerciſes are) the Church-Wardens and Sideſmen are given to underſtand, that there be amongſt us three ſorts of Lecturers.

1 The firſt, moſt hugged, followed, admired and maintained, is a ſuper-inducted Lecturer in another mans cure and paſtorall charge, who hath ſome reſemblance to the ancient Cathariſt in the Primitive Church, but is up and down the ſame with the Doctor in the New Diſcipline; which (I take it) is the motive of his ſo great approbation and good entertainment above the Incumbent of the Cure, though never ſo learned and painfull.

2 Concerning him, it is to be enquired, of what degrees in Schools he is? and of how long ſtanding and ſtudying in Divinity? whether he be a graduate in Divinity, a Doctor, or at leaſt a Batchelor, and not a young Student or Preacher?

3 Are his Lectures popular Afternoon Sermons? or be they Catechiſticall, and readings upon ſome common place of Divinity, or the four parts of the Engliſh authorized Catechiſme, or ſome of the 39 Articles of our Confeſſion?

4 Is he there admitted with the conſent of the Incumbent, or againſt his will, with warrant and authority from the Biſhop, under his Epiſcopall ſeal? Is the Miniſter and [Page] Incumbent of that place where he Lectureth, a Preacher or not? and if a Benefice be offered the Lecturer, do you ſuppoſe he would take it?

5 Doth he often and at times appointed read Divine Service, and adminiſter the Communion in his Surpliſſe and Hood of his degree?

6 Of what length are his Lectures, and how is his Prayer at beginning and end? is he there in conforme unto the Appointment and Order of the Canon? Can. 55.

7 Doth he in his popular Lectures ordinarily fall upon points of miſticall, darke, and abſtruſe Divinity, as Praedeſtination &c. Doth he intermeddle with matters of State, Government, forrein from his profeſſion, above his underſtanding?

8 Doth he oppoſe or traduce openly the Doctrine of his Brethren and neighbouring Miniſters; or obliquely, underhand or upon the by gird at them, the Doctrine, Diſcipline of the Church, any Pariſhioner &c. ſo deſigning him, them, or that, that a man may take notice of his meaning?

9 The ſecond ſort of Lecturers be thoſe of Combination, when many neighbouring Miniſters do voluntarily agree and conſent with the Ordinaries approbation, not otherwiſe, to preach a Sermon, every man in his courſe, at ſome adjoyning market town, upon the market day, for inſtructing of ſuch who repair together to ſell and buy in their duty to God, and commerce with man: Have you any ſuch Lecturers?

10 Who be the Combiners? be they beneficed men of the Dioceſſe, and not ſtrangers or Curates? who are not to be admitted, becauſe if they offend in their Sermons the Dioceſan cannot reach them; they are gone.

11 Doth this Lecturer any way abridge, hinder, or cut off Divine Service, which is compleatly to be finiſhed before the Lecture begin?

12 Do any reſorting thereto, walke aloofe, or in the Church-yard, on ſtay at ſome houſe purpoſely, and not repair to the Church till Lecture begin? If any ſuch miſdemeanour be, preſent it; and without amendment the Lecture ſhall ceaſe.

13 A third ſort be running Lecturers: who point upon ſuch a day to meete at ſuch a Church, moſt an end in ſome Country Town or Village; and then after Sermon, and dinner at ſome houſe of their diſciples, repeat, cenſure, and explain the Sermon, diſcourſe of points propoſed at their laſt meeting, by the head of that Claſſis or Aſſembly, ever to the promoting of their owne fancies, and derogation from the doctrine, and diſcipline of the Church: after all, they do again condicere, and appoint to meet next at ſuch a Church, in like ſort, to like purpoſe. Such I found in Suſſex at my comming thither. If you have any ſuch, or know any ſuch, preſent them (as far as you can learn) who they be, where they do meet, whither any of your Pariſh run after them.

By theſe we may diſcerne the ſpirit of this Prelate and his Malignity againſt Lecturers and Lectures, which he carefully ſuppreſſed in Chicheſter Dioceſſe, (where he publiſhed the like Articles) and would have done the like in Norwich, but that his predeceſſour Biſhop Wren, had left no Lectures for him to ſuppreſſe.

Doctor Pierce Biſhop of Bath and Wells, a great creature of this Arch-Prelates, to pleaſe his Grace the better, by colour of theſe Inſtructions (which he rigorouſly obſerved) ſuppreſſed all Lectures within his Dioceſſe both in Market Townes and elſewhere, as well combination Lectures, as thoſe maintained by Miniſters, or Lecturers upon ſtipends or the peoples benevolence, ſome of wch Lectures had continued 40 or 50 years without interruption, and were countenanced by ſome of his Predeceſſors actuall preaching at them in their turnes: which when he had effected, he publikely gloryed in this wicked act, uſing this moſt execrable ſpeech: I thank God I have not one Lecture leſt in my Dioceſſe: profeſſing before, that he hated the very name of Lectures, and would not leave ſo much as one Lecture in his Dioceſſe; and requiring the Miniſters upon their canonicall obedience not to preach any Lecture; alleaging, that there was no ſuch need of preaching no was there was in the Apoſtles dayes. Yea, he ſuſpended Mr Deveniſh [Page] the Miniſter of Bridgewater for preaching a Lecture there in his own Church on the Market day (which Lecture had continued from Queen Elizabeth time till then) and refuſed to abſolve him, till he hath faithfully promiſed to preach it no more. And when Note. he abſolved him on this promiſe, he moſt prophanely uſed to him theſe words of our Saviour ſpoken to the Woman taken in Adultery, Iohn 8. 14. Go thy way ſinne no more (that is, preach this Lecture no more, as if preaching was as heinous a ſinne as Adultery) leſt a worſe thing happen to thee: Furthermore in purſuit of theſe Inſtructions, he put down all Sermons on the Lords dayes in the Afternoon throughout his Dioceſſe, ſtrictly charging the Miniſters in his Viſitations, not to preach on Lords dayes in the Afternoon upon any occaſion, under pain of Suſpenſion; After which hee ſuſpended one Mr Corniſh, only for preaching a Funerall Sermon on a Lordſday Evening: Furthermore, he convented the Miniſter of Beercoockham before him, for having two Sermons on that pariſh Revellday; alleadging, that it was a hinderance to the Revel, and utterance of the Church-all provided to be ſpent 'on that day: (belike he had more care of the Church wardens Ale then the peoples Soules) and he queſtioned one Mr Thomas Erford a Miniſter, as a Delinquent, for preaching at the pariſh of Mountague on their Revellday, upon the Prophet Joels exhortation to Faſting Note. weeping and mourning; charging him; that not only his Sermon, but his every text too, was ſcandalous to the Revel, and gave offence to the meeting: And whereas divers godly Miniſters of his Dioceſſe being reſtrained from preaching, did take great paine thereupon to catechiſe their Pariſhioners in the principles of Religion on Lordſdayes in the Afternoon, according to the Letter of theſe Inſtructions, enlarging themſelves upon the Queſtions and Anſwers in the Catechiſme in the Common-Prayer-Booke for the peoples better Inſtruction, and uſing a ſhort prayer before and after that exerciſe, this Biſhop being informed of it corrected and ſharply reproved theſe Miniſters for their pains, threatning to puniſh them ſeverely if they Perſiſted therein; ſaying, Thus it was a Catechizing Sermon-wiſe, and AS BAD AS PREACHING: Charging Note. them, that they ſhould aske no other Queſtions, nor receive any other Anſwers from the people, but ſuch as were conteined in the Book of Common prayer; which one Mr B [...] rett Rector of Barwick not obſerving, was enjoyned penance for it; and one Humfrey Blake Churchwarden of Bridgewater, was likewiſe put to penance for not preſenting Mr Deveniſh the Miniſter there as a Delinquent, for expounding the Church-Cateckiſme, and making a ſhort prayer of his own before he began his exerciſe: All which particulars were proved by ſubſtantiall witneſſes before a Committee of the Houſe of Commons, drawn up into an Impeachment againſt this Biſhop; and being in verity the Impious fruites of this Arch-Prelates project (who encouraged him herein) muſt be juſtly and principally charged upon his ſcore: Quia plus peccat Author quàm Actor.

The like Suppreſſions of Sermons and Catechizing on the Lords day in the Afternoon were common in all or moſt other Dioceſſe; neither could any Combination Lectures be obtained in them; but with very great ſuite, and upon very hard conditions, which the Biſhops tooke advantage to preſcribe by colour of theſe Inſtructions, all ſtrictly obſerved till this preſent Parliament; This we could prove by many Inſtances we ſhall produce but one inſtead of all the reſt found among Sir Iohn Lambes Papers (the Archbiſhops grand Inſtrument herein) by Mr Prynns, endorſed with Sir Iohns own fift.

Orders given by the Right Reverend Father in God, JOHN Lord Biſhop of PFTERBOROVGH, for and concerning the Sermon weekly on Wedneſday in Saint JAMES Chappell in BRACKLEY, September the 14. 1639.

1. IT is ordered that the fifteen Divines whoſe names are here under written, ſhall be appointed to their ſeverall dayes by Dr H [...]ath Chancellor of the ſaid Dioces, [Page] or his permiſſion, by Doctor Sybthorpe one of his Surrogates, in a Catalogue, to be ſigned by him, annexed to theſe orders.

II. That no other Divine ſhall be admitted to Preach there upon any Wedneſday, but one of theſe fifteene (except the Curate of that place) upon any pretence whatſoever; And if one of theſe ſhall dye, or depart, or refuſe to preach, none other ſhall be Subſtituted, but by expreſſe allowance of the Biſhop.

III. That the Bell ſhall begin to toll a quarter of an houre before nine of the Clocke in the morning, and ſhall continue ſo toleing, till nine of the Clocke and no longer.

IIII. That immediatly upon ceaſing of the Bell the Divine Service of the Church of England for morning prayer ſhall begin, and ſhall be ſaid, together with the Letanie, either by the Preacher for that day, or elſe (in caſe of neceſſity) only by the Miniſter of the place of his aſſiſtant, in his Surplice and Hood, according to his degree in Schooles.

V. The Preacher for that day, ſhall be ready at the Communion Table in his Surplice and Hood (while a Pſalme is in ſinging after the Morning prayer and the Letanie) to begin the Communion Service (commonly called the ſecond Service) and that there be no Hiatus or ſtopp at all, after the end of the Pſalmes. If he be not there, He who did reade the Morning prayer that day, ſhall preſently goe thither, and proceede to the ſecond Service, and no Sermon ſhall be had that day. Note.

VI. The Preacher aſſoone as he hath repeated the Nicen Creede ſhall goe up into the Pulpet, in his Surplice and hood.

VII. No other forme of prayer before the Sermon ſhall be vſed, then is ſet Note. downe in the LV. Canon, to move the people to pray in the words and manner there perſcribed, interpoſing only, if he ſo deſire, the names of the Vniverſities and of his Colledge, or of his Patron, he being one quallified by Law, to have a Chaplaine.

VIII. The Sermon at the utmoſt ſhall be within the compaſſe of an howre, and Note. ſhall be ended with Glory be to God &c. without any other prayers in the Pulpit.

VIIII. The Preacher ſhall after is Sermon come preſently from the Pulpit, and ſo goe to the Communion table, and reade the prayer for the whole eſtate of Chriſts Church, &c. and one or two of the Collects, which ſtands after the Communion Service, and ſo ſhall diſmiſſe the people with that bleſſing there. The peace of God, &c.

X. A Surplice and Hood are to be provided for the Preacher at the charge of the Towne.

XI. The people to be admoniſhed by the Preacher (as neede ſhall require) to be diligent and of reverend behaviour at the divine ſervice, both before the Sermon and alſo after it. All men to be uncovered during all the time both of Service and Sermon; all perſons to do Reverence at the bleſſed name of Ieſus, to Note. ſtand at the Creedes, Hymnes and Goſpells; to kneele at the confeſſion and prayers, and practiſe all other parts of conformity to the Church Government, or otherwiſe it ſhall be ſufficient cauſe to have the combination for the ſaid weekely Sermon forthwith inhibited, if the Divine Service be neglected or deſerted, Or if theſe Orders above mentioned be not truely obſerved. Vpon condition whereof the Biſhop hath condeſcended unto the humble Petition preſented vnto his Lordſhip from the Major and the other Inhabitants of the ſaid Towne of Brackley, for ſuffering the ſaid weekely Sermon.

Theſe Orders under my Hand and Seale are to be ſet up for all thoſe whom they concerne, to take notiſe of the ſame, in ſome convenient place within the Chappell of S. Iames Brackley, or in the Chancell or [Page] Veſtery of the ſame Chappell, as the Incumbent of the place ſhall diſpoſe them, In teſtimony whereof we have cauſed our Seale Epiſcopall to be hereunto put, the day and yeer above written.

1. Doctor Sybthorpe Vicar of Brackley.

2. Mr. Burden Rector of Aynoe.

3. Mr. Yates Rector of Midleton cheny.

4. Mr. Loſſe Vicar of Leas weeden.

5. Mr. Oſborne Rector of Thenford.

6. Mr. Selby Rector of Chipingwarden.

7. Mr. Gage Vicar of Culworth.

8. Mr. Adams Rector of Aſhton in le walls

9. Mr. Burton Rector of Helmedon,

10. Mr. Oſten Rector of Braddon.

11. Mr. Iakeman Rector of Farthingoe.

12. Mr. Brocke Vicar of Maideford.

13. Mr. Hunt Vicar of Sulgraue.

14. Mr. Mander Vicar of Chacombe.

15. Mr. Hifeild Vicar of Evenley.

Jo. Petriburg.

By theſe unreaſonable conditions, (to which the conſciences of moſt orthodox godly Miniſters could no wayes ſubmit) moſt Combination Lecturers were totally diſcontinued, and ſuch as remained were for the moſt part ſupplied only by Prelaticall, Superſtitious, Ceremonious, Popiſh Clergy men of the Archbiſhops faction, whoſe Sermons and Examples did more corrupt then inſtruct, ſeduce then reforme the Auditors, and onely promote his Popiſh deſignes. To ſuch ſlavery, miſery were both Miniſters and People reduced by colour of this Prelates forementioned Conſiderations: Who being afterwards advanced to the Archbiſhopricke of Canterbury, had an annuall Account returned to him from all the Biſhops of his Province, how theſe Inſtructions concerning Sermons, Lectures and Lecturers, were obſerved, and what Proceedings were upon them; as was manifeſted by the Originals of their Accounts found in his ſtudy, endorſed with his own hand. And not content with his Provinciall Biſhops proceedings, himſelf in his Metropoliticall Viſiitation, gave ſpeciall Order to Sir Nathaniel Brent his Vicar generall, to inquire, how his Majeſties Inſtructions were obſerved? as appears by a Memorandum touching his Viſitation in generall March. 6. 1634. written with Mr Dells own hand, found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy with other Papers of that nature: and likewiſe ordered him to ſilence divers Miniſters, and not ſuffer them to Lecture: We ſhall give you one memorable inſtance in Mr Leighe a reverend Miniſter then of Wolverhampton, but now ſettled in Shoreditch by order of Parliament; For whoſe ſilencing this Archbiſhop gave ſpeciall order; as appears by a Letter under his Secretary Dells own hand (who acknowledged it at the Lords Barr) directed to Sir Nathaniel Brent, found by M. Prynne among Sir John Lambes Papers.

Worthy SIR,

THE Church and Colledge of Wolverhampton in the Dioceſſe of Litchfield, is an Appendix to the Deane of Windſor; who by Charter of Edward the fourth is both Patron and Ordinary, cum omnimoda juriſdictione. And in that regard, though they have not been viſited by any time out of mind, yet now he is content to lay by the Bulls and Charters of Exemption, and to admit of my Lords Metropolitan viſitation. But with all he hath made this humble ſuit to my Lords Grace, that if you viſit that Church and Colledge, they may not be ſummoned out of their own Juriſdiction, but rather that in your way from Litchfield to Shrewsbury, your viſitation may be held in that very Place, it being a goodly Collegiate Church, and every way ſit for it I am informed that Wolverhampton is but 12. miles from Litchfield, and not out of the way to Shrewſbury. Might you not be there on Munday May 18.?. In which my Lord wills you by all means to give Mr Dean content in what may conveniently be done. And whereas his Grace is informed that the Place is much given to Faction, and that the laſt Summer there were ſome very good Chapter Acts, and other Orders made by my Lord the Biſhop of Hereford, then Dean, to ſettle things there in a Church way, and to curbe the inſolency of ſome men, who ſince, upon occaſion of this my Lords Viſitation are bold to give it out, that they will have all reverſed &c. His Grace hath commanded me to ſignifie his expreſſe pleaſure [Page] to you, That no former Act made by the Chapter there, nor any Order appointed by the Deane, be reverſed, or any wayes altered, without firſt acquainting his Grace therewith. And that you take ſpeciall notice of one Mr Lee, a Prebend there who hath been the Author of much diſorder thereabouts, And if you can faſten upon any thing, whereby he may juſtly be cenſured, pray ſee it be done, and home, or bring him to the High Commiſſion Court to anſwer it there, &c. But HOWEVER let him not obtain any Licenſe to Preach any Lecture there, or in another Exempt place hard by at Tetenſhall, whither thoſe of Wolverhampton do now run after him, out of their Parish; Note. for the Church hath not much need of ſuch men. If you speak with Mr Latham of Litchfield who is the Surrogate there, he will informe you more fully concerning this Buſineſſe. That he (the ſaid Mr Lee) hath Churched Refractory Women in private &c. That he is averſe to all good Orders of the Church. As alſo that in another place thereabouts they cauſed a Bell-man in open Market to make Proclamation for a Sermon, &c.

One thing more, which I may not forget. My Lords Grace is informed that at Monkes-Illith in Suffolke, there is a Monument placed juſt at the Eaſt end of the Church, where the Communion Table or Altar should ſtand; And therefore his Grace wills you, notwithſtanding you are now paſt it, to take order that it be either Note. removed or demoliſhed. And that you be very carefull to do the like in all Churches elſe, where you finde the ſame Abuſe. So not doubting of your care in theſe Particulars, and wiſhing you health and content throughout your Journey, I take my leave, and am,

Your Faithfull poor Friend to ſerve you, William Dell.

Lambeth, April 27. 1635.

Mr Dean cannot be at Wolverhampton by reaſon of his attendance at Windſor, the Inſtalment being about that time, and therefore prays you to hold him accuſed.

Upon this Letter, Mr Leigh was ſuſpended by Sir Nathaniel Brent, as appears by an Abſtract of the Metropoliticall Viſitation delivered by Sir Nathaniel to the Archbiſhop, who thus endorſed it with his own hand. Iuly 16. 1635. The Abſtract of my Viſitation of Norwich, Peterborrough, Litchfield, &c. produced at the Barr; in which we find mention of above twenty other Miniſters ſuſpended from preaching in this his Viſitation. In his Inſtructions for his Metropoliticall Viſitation in the Dioceſſe of London (endorſed and ſigned with his owne hand) wee finde divers Informations againſt ſundry Miniſters incloſed, among which this is one.

Mr. Mr Randall. Randall Curate of Tuddington in Midleſex neer Hampton Court, preacheth long Sermons and factious on Sundayes in the Afternoone, though he hath beene admoniſhed of it, and inhibited by Mr Chancellor of London; to which the Archbiſhop underwrites this direction to Sir Nathaniel Brent his Viſitor: Sir, I require you that (beſides your other Inſtructions) you give me an Account of all particulars within named.

W. Cant.

Of which particular concerning Mr Randall, Sir Nathaniel after his Viſitation gave this account to the Archbiſhop.

MAſter Randall Curate of Tuddington (noted in the paper) confeſſeth, that ſince he was inhibited by Mr Chancellor of London to preach in the Afternoones on Sundayes, he hath once offended and no more. It was to make a farewell Sermon to that exerciſe, as he ſaith: wherein he rather aggravateth his fault then otherwiſe. Hee ſaith, that this Sermon was much beyond the compaſſe of an hour, and I beleeve it continued more then two houres. He now ſeeth and acknowledgeth his fault, proteſteth he will be most conformable for the future, and humbly deſireth to be diſmiſſed with a Canonicall Admonition. But I keep him in fear ſtill.

To this we might add his procurement of Dr Ienningſon Lecturer at Newcaſtle, to be queſtioned in the High Commiſſion at York, in the year 1639. whoſe Articles [Page] and Anſwers were both ſent up to Lambeth to his Grace-ſhip; and enforcing to quit that place, with the Kingdome too, to avoyd his fury: His proſecution of Mr Iohn Iemmet Lecturer at Barwicke, in cauſing the Biſhop of Durham in December 1639. to ſend for him by a Purſevant, ſilence him from preaching in Barwick, and baniſh him the Town, without any Articles or Witneſſes examined againſt him: with other inſtances of this nature; but for brevity ſake we ſhall omit theſe, and proceed to his next ſtratagem to ſuppreſſe preaching, which was:

His publiſhing of a Declaration for Sports in his Majeſties name, and ſilencing, ſuſpending, 2. excommunicating, queſtioning, cenſuring in the High Commiſſion and elſewhere, many hundreds of godly conſcientious Preaching Miniſters (whom the Inſtructions for Lecturers could not reach ſo farr as to ſilence, being Incumbents and not meer Lecturers) for refuſing perſonally to publiſh it in their Churches, to animate their people to profane the Lords day, with unhallowed Paſtimes: which becauſe we have Page 128. to 154. formerly inſiſted on, and proved to be his deſigne; we ſhall here but mention, and paſſe by, only with this one Addition; that Mr Thomas Valentine, Miniſter of Chalford Saint Giles in the County of Buckingham, being ſuſpended by Sir Iohn Lambe, Deane of the Arches, for not reading the Book of Sports, from which ſuſpention he appealed and procured time to conſider, whether he would read it or not; Mr Valentine not long after to obtain further time and favour writ a Letter to Sir Iohn Lambe dated April 28. 1636. with 5 l. incloſed, and a Petition to the Archbiſhop, on which Letter Sir Iohn makes this endorſment with his own hand, Maſter Valentine 28. April 1636. with 5 l. PEECES incloſed: which Petition Sir Iohn recommending to Mr Dell, procured him a gratious anſwer and ſome longer reſpite for the preſent; but in December and Ianuary following he was again moleſted and ſuſpended for not publiſhing this Declaration in proper perſon, though his Curate had formerly read it in the Church, as appears by two Petitions to the Archbiſhop for his abſolution.

His third deſign to ſuppreſſe preaching was, by diſcouraging conſcientious young Schollers and Divines from entering into the Miniſtry by putting divers clogs & difficulties 3. upon them, under a moſt ſpecious pretext; which was thus effected: No ſooner was this Prelate ſetled in his Archbiſhoprick, but he contrived a Letter, drawn by Mr Dell his Secretary, but interlined, corrected with his own hand, (as appears by the Originall draught found in his ſtudy) directed as from his Majeſtie to himſelf; which he afterwards preſented to the King, who directed and ſent it to him under his Privy Signet to be put in Execution, in manner following, as the very Letter it ſelfe under the Kings Signet declares; thus endorſed with the Archbiſhops own hand; Rec. Sept. 19. 1633. From his Majeſty, that no Miniſters be made ſine Titulo.

To the moſt Reverend Father in God our Right truſty and Right entirely beloved Councellor, William Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitane of all England.

CHARLES R.

MOſt Reverend Father in God, Right truſty and right entirely beloved Councellour, we greet you well. There is nothing more deer to US then the preſervation of true Religion, as it is now ſettled and eſtabliſhed in this our Kingdome, to the honour of God and the great comfort of our ſelfe, and our Loyall people; and there can nothing more conduce to the advancement thereof then the ſtrict obſervation of ſuch Canons of the Church as concern thoſe that are to take orders in their ſeverall times. More eſpecially of keeping that particular Canon which injoyns, That no man be made a Prieſt or a Miniſter without a Title: For we finde that many not ſo qualified, do by favour or other means procure themſelves to be ordeined, and afterwards for want of means, wander up and downe to the ſcandall of their calling, or to get maintenance fall upon ſuch courſes as are moſt unfit for them, both by humouring their Auditours and other wayes altogether unſufferable. Wee have therefore thought fit and Wee doe hereby ſtreightly require and charge [Page] you to call ſuch Biſhops to you as are now preſent in or neer our City of London and to acqulint them with this our reſolution. And further that you faile not in the beginning of the next Terme to give notice of this our will and pleaſure openly in our High Commiſſion Court, and that you call into our ſaid Court every Biſhop reſpectively that ſhall preſume to give Orders to any man that hath not a Title, and there to cenſure him as the Canon aforeſaid doth injoyn (which is to maintain the party ſo ordered till he give him a Title) and with what other cenſure you in Juſtice ſhall think ſit. And our further will is, That nothing ſhall be reputed a Title to enable a man for orders, but that which is ſo by the ancient courſe of the Church, and the Canon Note. Law, ſo far forth as that Law is received in this our Church of England. And as you muſt not fail in theſe our directions, nor in any part of them, ſo we expect that you gives us from time to time a ſtrict accompt of your proceedings in the ſame.

Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Weſtminſter, Note. the nineteenth day of September in the ninth year of our Raigne.

Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury.

Upon receit hereof; this Archbiſhop (whoſe project it was) directs this Letter following to the Biſhops of his Province, as is evident by the originall draught thereof corrected with his own hand and thus endorſed by him. Octob. 18. 1633. The Copy of my Letters upon this of his Majeſties to the ſeverall Biſhops of this Province.

S. in Chriſto.

My very good Lord,

HIS Majeſtie hath been often and much troubled upon complaints which have been made unto him by the Lords and other men of quality, concerning the multitude or both unlearned and unworthy Miniſters, which peſter the Church, and are alwayes the Cauſes of great ſcandall, and too often of Schiſm and Diviſions therein. And ſome of them are forced, to the ſhame of themſelves and their Calling, for want of means to begg for their Living, and yet are daily made in great numbers, and that directly againſt the Canon of the Church, which require's, That no man should be made a Miniſter ſine Titulo. For remedy of this great abuſe and wrong to the Church, his Majeſtie hath directed his Letters to me, and by them required me to call all ſuch Biſhops to me,, as were then in or about the City, and after conſultation with them, to ſend my Letters to every ſeverall Biſhop within the Province, to require obedience to the Canon of the Church, and his Majeſties directions according to it. The Tenor of his Majeſties Letter followeth, (as before).

ACcording to theſe Letters I am to pray and require you, that at all times of Ordination you be very carefull to admit none into Holy Orders, but ſuch men as for life and learning are fit, and which have a Title for their Maintenance, according to the Lawes and ancient practiſe of the Church. And his Majeſty hath farther commanded me to advertiſe your Lordſhip, that He will not faile to call for Note. an Accompt of theſe his Letters both of me and you. Thus not doubting but you will have a ſpeciall care both of the good of the Church and his Majeſties contentment herein: I leave you to the Grace of God and reſt.

Your Lordships very loving Friend and Brother. W. Cant.

In this Letter we find this Paper incloſed, writ with Mr Dells, but endorſed with the Archbiſhops hand, declaring what ſhall be a Title.

[Page] So upon the matter theſe Titles are named in the Canon. He that is ordained muſt have.

1. A Preſentation to ſome Eccleſiaſticall Preferment.

2. Or, A Certificate undoubted that he is provided of ſome Church voyde there.

3. Or, A Grant of ſome Petty Canons place, or the like, in a Cathedrall or Collegiate Church.

4. Or, A Fellow, or in the right of a Fellow in ſome Colledge in Oxford or Cambridge.

5. Or, A Conduct or Chaplain in ſome Colledge in Oxford or Cambridge.

6. Or, A Maſter of Artes of 5. years ſtanding living at his own charge in either of the Univerſities.

7. Or, The intention of the Biſhop that ordaines, ſhortly to admit him to ſome Benefice or Curates place then voyde.

And I think the Canon intends that after a Man is once admitted a Curate, the Parſon or Vicar of the place ſhould not have power to put them off at pleaſure, but only for ſuch criminall unworthineſſe as might deprive him of his Benefice if hee had one.

So I conceive, under favour, the Order may go briefly thus.

And farther his Majeſties expreſſe Command is, that this Canon be ſtrictly obſerved by all Biſhops in their ſeverall Dioceſſes reſpectively, and that none preſume to ordeine any man to be a Deacon, Prieſt or Miniſter under the penalty injoyned in the Canon, or any other which his Majeſties juſt diſpleaſure may inflict upon him.

Theſe Letters primâ facié ſeem very faire, neceſſary; but latet Anguis in herba: there was a dangerous deſigne couched under them.

For firſt, no Lecture whatſoever, was admitted to be a Canonicall Title: and ſo all ordination of Miniſters to ſupply Lectures was totally ſecluded: which was one chiefe end of this deſigne. Secondly, no Chaplainſhip to any Noblemans or Gentlemans family was allowed to be a ſufficient Title; and this gave a fatall blow to all ſuch young Chaplains ordinations; unleſſe they had ſome better Title and Livelihood for the future; which was likewiſe formerly aimed at in the precedent Conſiderations and Inſtructions. And by this device many yong Divines were in a manner quite excluded out of ſuch Religious Gentlemens Families, which might ſeaſon them with the practicall power of godlineſſe, or any principles which the Prelates held to be Puritaniſme or Preciſeneſſe. Thirdly, by this device all young Students in Divinity were made more dependent on, more obſequious to the Biſhops, & leſs dependent on the Nobility, Gentry, people; as the Letters inſinuate. Fourthly, under pretent of theſe Letters a kinde of new ſubſcription was impoſed on all ſuch who were to be ordained (eſpecially if ſuſpected to be orthodox or preciſe) to ſundry Arminian, Popiſh Errours, and Superſtitions, upon which they were interrogated to ſound their inclinations, and denyed Orders in caſe of diſa [...]ent: As namely: Whether Bowing at the name of Jeſus, and to or towards the Altar at their approaches to it, or ingreſſe to or egreſſe out of the Church, were lawfull, & commendable? Whether all baptized Infants were not truly regenerated? Whether Epiſcopacy and the Hierarchy of Bishops were not of divine Right? Whether the Church of Rome were not a true Church? Whether Altars, Copes, Organs, Tapers, Crucifixes and Images were not lawfull? Whether truly regenerate men might not totally and finally fall from Grace? and the like, By which Interrogations, and many new Ceremonies introduced at ordinations, ſundry godly Schollers and Students of Divinity were deterred from taking Orders, and a Superſtitious, Popiſh, prophane, Epiſcopall generation of New ordained Prieſts (zealous to promote, embrace the very groſleſt Doctrines and Superſtitions of Rome,) engeadred and ſcattered among us in moſt places; all powerfull [Page] ſoul-ſaving preaching baniſhed or quite layd aſide; and the people every where poyſoned with Popiſh and Arminian drugs.

By theſe and ſuch like practiſes, as likewiſe by preaching and printing againſt frequent Preaching; (Page 225, 226, 227. formerly touched) there enſued a great famine of the pure powerfull preaching of Gods Word, of godly Preachers in our Kingdome; and a monſtrous increaſe of Popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuites, Fryars, Papiſts, Popery, Superſtition, Prophaneſſe, Ignorance, Impiety; which have involved us in thoſe miſeries and diſtractions under which we now languiſh and are almoſt ruined.

His Fourth Device to ſuppreſſe preaching, was the ſubverſion of the Feoffees for buying in Impropriations, particularly charged againſt him in the 6. Additionall 4. Article; in theſe words.

That whereas divers gifts and diſpoſitions of divers ſummes of mony were heretofore made by divers charitable and well-diſpoſed perſons for the buying in of divers Impropriations for the maintenance of preaching the word of God in ſeverall Churches, the ſaid Archbiſhop about eight years laſt paſt, wilfully and maliciouſly cauſed the ſaid gifts feofments and contrivances made to the uſes aforeſaid to be overthrown in his Majesties Court of Exchequer contrary to law, as things dangerous to the Church and State, under the ſpecious pretence of buying in Impropriations; whereby that pious worke was ſuppreſſed and trodden down, to the great diſhonour of God and ſcandall of Religion.

This Article informes us briefly what theſe Feoffees were, we ſhall only add who they were, what they did, and how they were proceeded againſt by this Archbiſhop. About the year 1626. ſome godly Perſons in and about London to promote the preaching of the Goſpel, and ſet up a Preaching Miniſtry to inſtruct the people in divers great Towns and Pariſhes impropriate where they wanted means to maintain Preaching, of which they had long been deſtitute in former times, reſolved to lay their purſes together and chuſe out of themſelves four Divines, four Common Lawyers, and four Citizens of note who ſhould be Feoffees in truſt to purchaſe in theſe Impropriations, and with the profits of them to ſet up and maintain a conſtant preaching Miniſtery in places of greateſt need and eminency: whereupon they made choice of Dr W. Gouge, Dr R. Sibbs, C. Ofſpring, & I. Davenport Divines. Ralph Eyre, S. Brown of Lincolas Inne, C. Sherland of Greyes Inne, J. White of middle Temple Eſquires, Common Lawyers. Iohn Geering, Richard Davis, George Harwood and Francis Bridges, Citizens; to be Feoffees for this purpoſe; who with their own monyes and the contributions of other well-affected perſons in 2 or 3 years ſpace purchaſed in the Impropriations of Hartford, Dunſtable, Cirencester, with others, and ſet up able preaching conformable Miniſters (authorized by the Biſhops of the Dioceſſe) there in many other places where they had never any before; as likewiſe at Bridgenorth Clarely; and had they not been interrupted in this good work, would in very few years in all probability, have purchaſed in moſt of the great Towns & noted Pariſhes Impropriations of England in Lay-mens hands, where Preaching was moſt wanting, and meanes to maintain it. No ſooner had this Malignant Prelate notice of this pious religious work, but out of his enmity to Preaching, and the good of ignorant peoples ſouls (whom he would rather have ſtill keept in blindneſſe and the chaines of Sathan, then inſtructed with the Goſpels light, and brought under the Scepter of Jeſus Chriſt) he preſently projects not only the obſtruction, but utter ſubvertion of this pious deſigne, which none but a Devill incarnate, or Enemy of all goodneſſe could diſlike; many even of the worſer ſort of Biſhops, yea Courtiers, applauding it, as a very neceſſary and godly work.

That he himſelf projected the overthrow of theſe Feoffees, was proved out of his own Diary; where thus he writes in the cloſe of it. Things which I have projected to do, if Godbleſſe me in them: the third whereof is this: To overthrow the Feofment dangerous both to Church and State, going under the ſpecious pretence of buying in Impropriations. Over againſt which he writes in the Margin, DONE: which fights [Page] point-blanke with his very next project of a quite contrary nature, juſtifying theſe Feoffees acts, namely: To procure King CHARLES to give all the Impropriations yet remaining in the Crown within the Realme of Ireland, to that poor Church: Againſt which he writes in the Margin; Done and ſettled there: though to the impairing of that Crownes revenues, and that by power of the Councell Table, in an arbitrary, forcible and illegall way, to the undoing of many; as appears by ſundry Originall Letters thence; whereas the Feoffees buying in Impropriations did no wayes leſſen the Kings revenues, and was done in a juſt and legall way. To overthrow this pious work, he cauſed Mr Noy the Kings Atturney Generall, by the Kings command, to exhibit a Bill againſt theſe Feoffees in the Eſchequer Chamber, to confiſcate their purchaſed Impropriations to the King by a Decree of that Court, and ſo diſſolve all they had done: which Bill was proſecuted with all violence. To ſet on the proſecution with more edge he ſuborned his flattering creatures to declaime againſt theſe Feoffees and their deſign in the Pulpit both at Court and elſewhere. Among others, his great Minion Peter Heylin, preaching at Saint Maryes in Oxford before the whole Ʋniverſity, at the publike Act there, on Sunday in the afternoon the 11th of July 1630. diſcharged his venome againſt Lecturers, and theſe Feoffees in theſe bitter Invectives; p. 38 39: Planting of Penſionary Lectures in ſo many places where it needs not, and upon dayes of common labour, will at the laſt bringing forth of fruites, appear to be a tare indeed, though now no wheat be counted fairer, &c. Wee will proceed a little further in the propoſall of ſome things to be conſidered. The Corporation of Feoffees for buying in Impropriations to the Church, Doth it not ſeeme Note. in the appearance to be an excellent peece of Wheat? A noble and gracious point of Piety? Is not this Templum Domini, Templum Domini? But bleſſed God, that men ſhould thus draw near unto thee with their mouths, yet be far from thee in their hearts! For what are thoſe intruſted in the managing of this great buſineſſe? Are they not the moſt of them, the moſt active and the beſt affected men in the whole cauſe, et magna partis momenta, chiefe Patrons of the faction? And what are thoſe whom they prefer? Are they not moſt of them ſuch as muſt be ſerviceable to their dangerous Innovations? And will they not in time have more preferments to beſtow, and therefore more dependances then all the Prelates in the Kingdome? &c. Yet all this while we ſleep and ſlumber and fold our hands in ſloath, and ſee perhaps but dare not note it.

This Sermon he preſented to this Biſhop in writing bound up in Velome, who thus endorſed it with his own hand S. Mat. 13, 25. Maſter Peter Heylin; and reſerved it as a monument in his ſtudy; where it was ſeiſed by Mr Pryn and Mr Bendy, who produced and atteſted it.

Feb. 13. 1632. this cauſe came to hearing and ſentence in the Exchequer Chamber, where the Feoffees and their good deſigne were utterly overthrowne; of which the Biſhop made this ſpeciall Memento in his Diary in theſe termes: Feb. 13. 1632. Wedneſday, the Feoffees that pretended to buy in Impropriations were diſſolved in the Chequer Chamber. They were the main Inſtruments for the Puritane faction, to undoe the Church: The Criminall part reſerved.

John White of the Middle Temple Eſquire (a member of the Houſe of Commons) depoſed at the Lords Barre; that he attending this Archbiſhop, then of London, at London Houſe as a Councellour, about a right of Patronage to Chingford in Eſſex; after the hearing of the buſineſſe, the Biſhop demanded of him; Whether he were not one of the Feoffees for buying in Impropriations? to which he anſwered, he was: whereupon the Biſhop fell upon him with much bitterneſſe of ſpirit, calling him, An enemy of the Church, an underminer of Religion: and vehemently affirmed, that this worke of his and his fellow-Feoffees was miſcheivous to the Church and destructive to Religion, and that he would ſee him and his fellows ſhortly called to an Account for it, and ſtop them from proceeding in that work. That ſome few dayes after, he attended this Biſhop again at Fulham upon the former cauſe, where he took occaſion to diſcourſe with him at large about the Feoffees proceedings; enforming him, that their onely ayme and end in purchaſing in Impropriations was, for the better [Page] maintenance of Miniſters and Preachers where there was moſt need; that they bought them with their own moneyes, and the monyes of their friends, and diſpoſed the revenues thereof to none, nor placed any Miniſter in any Church, but ſuch as they took more then ordinary care ſhould be throughly examined by the Ordinary of the place, for his Sufficiency and full Conformity by law required. And therefore hee beſought him earneſtly, that he would not uſe his power to hinder and deſtroy ſo good a work, but rather to cheriſh and further it: And if he diſliked either the Perſons who managed it, or the courſe they took in ordering the ſame, they would appoint ſuch other meet perſons and rules for the regulating and carrying on of that pious worke as he ſhould think fit. But notwithſtanding this and all other Arguments he could uſe and earneſtly preſſe him withall, the Biſhop with much paſſion expreſly declared his reſolution, to break the neck of this good worke, that it should not proceed: Whereupon an Information was exhibited againſt the Feoffees by his procurement in the Eſchequer Chamber in the Kings name, by Mr Noy the Kings Attorny Generall, and ſentence given againſt them for ſeiſing all the Impropriations they had purchaſed and monyes received by them, into the Kings hands; whereby this good worke was deſtroy'd; the profits diverted to other uſes (as appears by the Docquet Book ultimo Decembris 1638. and Sir William Whitmores Petition to the Archbiſhop Novemb. 13. 1633. found in his ſtudy) and deboyſt ſcandalous unworthy Miniſters, ſuch as had been formerly turned out by other BPS put in to them; wheras they maintained ſundry godly Miniſters and ſix Lecturers at S. Antholins with the profits of the Impropriations purchaſed. After which, Mr White atteſted there was another Information put by the Kings Attorny into the Exchequer criminally againſt theſe Feoffees, as grand Delinquents, and that by this Archbiſhops direction, as was manifeſted by a Note produced by Mr Prynne under Secretary Windebanks own hand, to this effect.

IT is his Majeſties pleaſure, that the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his Grace, the Lord Keeper, the Lord Archbiſhop of Yorks Grace, the Lord Treaſurer, the Lord Privy Seal, the Earl Marſhall, the Lord Cottington, Mr Secretary Cook and my ſelf, calling to us Mr Atturny Generall shall conſider, whether the Feoffees which have been queſtioned in the Exchequer for the Feofment of Impropriations shall be proceeded againſt Criminally? and if ſo, then whether in the Court of Exchequer or in Starchamber?

Dated at Whitehall, 17. of January 1633.

Fran. Windebanke.

Mr Thomas Foxly a reverend Divine depoſed upon Oath, Viva Voce; That about Eight years ſince, William Laud now Archbishop of Canterbury did put down his Lecture on Fridayes at Saint Martins in the fields, for fear (as he pretended) leaſt thoſe that came thereunto ſhould infect the Kings, Queenes and ſuch Noble mens houſes as were in that Pariſh, with the Plague, though there then dyed very few in and about London of that diſeaſe, the Plague not being then in that Pariſh when his ſayd Lecture was ſuppreſſed, though God brought it into the Pariſh the very next weeke after its ſuppreſſion; by means whereof this deponent was deprived of his preſent livelyhood. After which he being brought before the ſaid Biſhop for divers frivilous matters whiles he was Biſhop of London, and cleared of them, becauſe there was no colour of Crime againſt him; The ſaid Bishop charged him, for intermedling with the buſineſſe of buying in Impropriations, and thereby endeavouring (as he expreſſed by putting his fingers to his Girdle and shaking of it) to bring the Bishops under the Feoffees Girdles for Impropriations; and when this deponent anſwered him, that this could not be, ſince the Miniſters on which they beſtowed the ſaid Impropriations were ſent to the respective Bishops of every Dioceſſe to be approved by them; he anſwered, that if he had known this deponent to be ſo buſie in this matter of redeeming Impropriations he should not have ſo eaſily gotten off before, as he did. And he farther depoſed, [Page] that about nineteen Moneths before this preſent Parliament he having a Chamber in London and ſtudy in Canewood neer Highgate, was rifled by Purſevants and taken and kept Priſoner for two Dayes and two Nights ſpace, by vertue of a generall warrant, to ſearch for Popiſh Books and ſuſpected Perſons, and bidden to chooſe, whether he would be brought before the now Archbiſhop, or Sir John Lambe; whereupon he bid the Purſevant carry him whither he would; who carryed him to Sir John Lambe; who told him, he muſt put in Bond to appear the next Thurſday at the High Commiſſion; which he did accordingly: on which Thurſday morning by meanes of Dr Bray, he obtaining ſpeech which the ſaid Archbiſhop, deſired him to grant him one weekes time to conſider, whether he might take the oath Ex officio, or not: which he hardly granting, the ſaid Archbiſhop ſaid; He had almoſt forgotten him, but by way of threatning ſaid, he remembred him about the buſineſſe of the Feoffees: to which the deponent replyed; That he was encouraged therein by Biſhops Note. and Privy Councellors, who ſometimes conceived it to be a very good worke to redeem Impropriations; and ſo he was deſired to appear the Thurſday following. But the very next Lords day another Purſevant was ſent to this deponent, who bringing him to the Councell Chamber door and there attending about halfe an Hour, a warrant under the ſaid Archbiſhops hand and five others, was delivered to the ſaid Purſevant to carry him to the Gate houſe; where he was kept cloſe Priſoner in a Chamber, not four yards ſquare, for the ſpace of twenty months; not having the allowance of pen and Inke to Petition, that he might know whom or wherein he had offended; that ſo he might repent, through God gives leave, yea calls upon the greateſt ſinners to Petition to him: and at three Months end (he growing very ſick by reaſon of his cloſe Impriſonment, and for want of one to cut his Haire, which he uſed to wear ſhort for his health) fell very ſick: his wife thereupon Petitioned time after time to have acceſs to him being at the very point of death, as his keeper informed her, but could neither by her ſelfe, nor any other friends, procure acceſſe unto him, untill ſuch time as Sir Mathew Liſter was appointed by the Privy Coucell to come unto him, to ſee in what ill caſe he was: upon whoſe certificate and fifty ſhillings paid Sir William Be [...] cher and his man, ſo ſoon as it could be procured from Friends, ſhe had a warrant to come and bring one Phiſitian and Chirurgian unto him, to let him blood, and permiſſion to repair unto him during his ſickneſſe, but no longer. In which ſtrict cloſe Impriſonment by the ſaid Archbiſhops procurement, he continued till about a Moneths ſpace after this preſent Parliament began, and then upon a Petition of his wives to the Houſe of Commons he was releaſed without bayl, and his ſaid Impriſonment by them voted Illegall; there being all this while no proceedings againſt him, nor any crime objected to him in any Court of Juſtice. By means of which Impriſonment he was much prejudiced and undone in his Eſtate, and his wife with four ſmall children expoſed to Pennury and Beggery.

Such a ſpite did He bear this witneſſe for his Activity in the buſineſſe of Impropriations.

Mr William Kendall, Mr Iohn Lane, and Mr Tempest Miller, ſeverally depoſed at the Lords Bar, that the Archbiſhop in the preſence of them and divers others, ſpeaking of the Feoffees of Impropriations, ſaid; that they were the bane of the Church; and then uttered theſe words in a vaunting manner, I was the man that did ſet my ſelf againſt them and (then clapping his hand upon his breſt, ſaid) I thank God I have deſtroyed Note. this work.

So as he did not only ſubvert this pious project to propagate the preaching of the Goſpell, but boaſted of it, and had ſo much ſhameleſſe Impiety, as to thanke God himſelfe for effecting it, who hath now in juſtice brought him into judgement for it, and made it one part of that Charge and Evidence, which we conceive will moſt juſtly deſtroy him.

The ſeventh and next ſtratagem he uſed to ſubvert the Proteſtant Religion, which he had almoſt totally ſuppreſſed, corrupted with Popiſh Errours, Superſtitions, Innovations in our Engliſh Churches, was his endeavours to undermine and ſuppreſſe [Page] it in theſe few Duth and French Churches planted here among us; who enjoyed their owne Government, Priviledges, Diſcipline without any interruption by any of his Predeceſſors, or other Engliſh Prelates, in all our Proteſtant Princes reignes, from King Edward the ſixth his reigne, till this Archprelates moleſtation of, and attempts againſt them, thus laid down in the twelfth Originall Article of his Impeachment.

He hath Traiterouſly endeavoured to cauſe diviſion and diſcord between the Church of England, and other Reformed Churches; and to that end hath ſuppreſt and abrogated the Priviledges and Immunities which have been by his Majeſty and his Royall Anceſtors granted to the Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdom. And divers other wayes hath expreſſed his malice and diſaffection to theſe Churches, that ſo by ſuch diſ-union, the Papiſts might have more advantage for the overthrow and extirpation of both.

To make good this Article we could produce many Letters, Papers, Inſtructions, Orders under the Archbiſhops own hand, or indorſed by him, found in his own ſtudy, here ready at the Barre; but for brevity ſake we ſhall inſtance only in ſome few particulars of more ſpeciall note.

The firſt is, that this Arch-prelate though he beares ſo good an affection and honourable reſpect to the Church of Rome, as to juſtifie her to be, a true viſible Apoſtolike Church, which never erred in fundamentals, and wherein men may be ſaved; and that we and ſhe are one and the ſame Church ſtill, no doubt of that, both one; as we have Pag. 235. 240, 241. formerly proved: Yet he is ſo maliciouſly deſpitefull to the Proteſtant Churches in forraign parts, and at home, that he reputes them not only no true Churches, but even no Churches at all, becauſe they have no Lord-biſhops, different in Order and Degree from ordinary Miniſters. This opinion of his we ſhall manifeſt, not only by his Divinity Queſtions when he was to proceed Batchelor and Doctor of Divinity (for which Dr Holland publickly checkt, and turned him out of the Schools with diſgrace, as a ſower of diſcord between Brethren, to wit the Church of England and other reformed Churches;) but by his own late reprinted Book An 1639. entituled, A Relation of the Conference between William Laud, then Lord Biſhop of St. Davids, now Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and Mr Fiſher the Jeſuite &c. p. 175, 176. where thus he writes (in juſtification of his former Theſes in the Divinity Schools:) For the calling and Authority of Biſhops over the inferiour Clergy, that was a thing of known uſe and benefit, for preſervation of Truth and Peace in the Church. And ſo much St Ierom tels us, though being none himſelfe, he was no great friend to Biſhops: And this was ſo ſetled in the mindes of men from the very infancy of the Chriſtian Church, as that it had not been till that time contradicted by any. So that then there was no controverſie about the calling, all agreed upon it. Then citing Jeroms words in the margin, he thus comments upon them. So, even according to St. Ierom, Biſhops had a very ancient and honourable deſcent in the Church from St. Mark the Evangelist: And about the end of the ſame Epiſtle he acknowledgeth it, Traditionem eſſe Apoſtolicam: Nay more then ſo, he affirmes plainly, That ubi non eſt Sacerdos, NON EST ECCLESIA (St. Ierom adverſ. Luciferianos:) And in that place moſt manifeſt it is, that St. Ierom by Sacerdos meanes a Biſhop; for he ſpeaks de Sacerdote qui poteſtatem habet Ordinandi: which in St. Ieroms owne judgement, no meere Prieſt had, but a Biſhop only, St. Ierom Epist. ad Evagrium: ſo even with him, NO BISHOP NO CHURCH. Which being his own poſitive judgement, the Dutch and French Proteſtant Churches both at home and abroad, muſt needs be no Church at all in his opinion, becauſe they have no ſuch Biſhops; and ſo are in farre worſe condition then the Church of Rome, in his repute.

To make this more apparent, we ſhall deſire you to take notice, that in Decemb. 1639. there was a plot between this Archbiſhop and others of our Prelates to obtrude upon all our Miniſters this ſubſcription, as the received Doctrine of the Church of England; to wit, that there could be no Church of Chriſt without Dioceſan Lord Biſhops; which clearly appeares by the Here p. 237, 238. forementioned propoſitions of Biſhop Hall, which the Archbiſhop thought fit for the ſubſcription of others: but eſpecially by the 1. 12. and 13. propoſitions viz. God had never any Church on earth that was ruled by a Parity: There was NO CHƲRCH OF CHRIST ƲPON EARTH [Page] ever ſince the times of the Apoſtles governed any otherwiſe then by Biſhops. This courſe of government thus ſet by the Apoſtles in their life time, by the ſpeciall direction of the holy Spirit, is unalterable by any humane Authority, but OƲGHT to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world. From whence it inevitably followes, that the reformed forraign Churches having no ſuch imparity of Governours nor Lordly Biſhops in them, are in this Arch-Prelates and his Confederates judgements, No Churches of God or Chriſt at all; and if the deſigne of ſubſcribing theſe Propoſitions had ſucceeded (as it did in the Etcetera Oath for a time) he would have engaged the whole Church of England, with all our Miniſters by a publike ſubſcription, in this moſt unchriſtian and uncharitable opinion; which not prevailing, was yet ſoone after thus ſeconded in print by his grand Favourite Biſhop Mountague (whom he advanced to two Biſhopricks) in his Originum Eccleſiaſticarum Tomi prioris Pars poſterior p. 464, publiſhed with his approbation, authorized by his Chaplain Dr Bray, preſented to, and accepted by himſelfe when publiſhed, as appears by two faire gilded printed copies thereof with his Archiepiſcopall Armes engraven on the Covers, found in his ſtudy by Mr Pryune (printed An. 1640.) ſince theſe Propoſitions of Biſhop Hall were ſent him; reſolving, that there can be not only no Church, but no Miniſters at all without Biſhops to ordain them, in theſe terms. Non eſt Sacerdotium niſi in Eccleſia, non eſt Eccleſia ſine Sacerdotio. Illud autem intelligo per [...] Epiſcopalem ordinariam. Neque euim admittenda conſneus extraordinariam aliquam ſen vocationem ſeu [...], niſi miraculoſam. Oportet omnino miraculis agant & ſuam confirment functionem ſigno aliquo, qui non ab Epiſcopis derivata ab Apoſtolis per ſucceſſionem inſtitutione, in Eccleſiam inducuntur, ſed velorti à ſeſe, vel neſcio unde intruſi, ſeſe ingeru [...]t. N [...]m quod pretendunt ordinariam vocationem retinendam, adhibendam, eique adhereſcondum, niſi in caſu neceſſitatis, abſurdum eſt; & ſuppoſitione innititur impoſſibilitatis: Neque enim talis caſus, ant extitit aliquando, aut contingere poteſt: niſi fallat not Dominus, qui promiſit, Porta inferorum non pravalebunt: Ecce ſum vobiſcum ad conſummationem mundi.

By which Poſition the forraigne Proteſtant Churches are reſolved, concluded to be no Churches, their Miniſters no Miniſters, their Sacraments no Sacraments, their Ordinances no Ordinances of Chriſt; (which perchance made Mr John Dury ordained in one of thoſe Churches, to be re-ordained a Miniſter here by the Biſhop of Exeter Dr Hall, before he was admitted to his Benefice, as appeares by their ſeverall Dated Exon. 22. Febr. 1634. Original Letters found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy.) And then what are they but meere Pagan Conventicles, farre worſe then Papiſts and the Church of Rome.

We ſhall only adde to this, that whereas Biſhop Hall in his Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy pag. 18. excuſed the forraign Proteſtant Churches from being unchurched by theſe Poſitions only in this regard; that the reaſon why they renounced Biſhops was meerly out of neceſſity, becauſe their Biſhops would not ſuffer them to enjoy the Gospel. Adding pag. 19. That it is very conſiderable, whether the condition they were in doth abſolutely warrant ſuch a proceeding? which is ſomewhat too hard a cenſure of them; yet the Archbiſhop in his See here p. 263, 264, 265. forecited Letter to Biſhop Hall, taxeth him for this his overmuch lenity towards them, in theſe termes: You are a little more favourable to the forraigne Churches and their Authors, then our cauſe will beare: and yet in the very ſame Letter, he miſlikes and blames this Biſhop for his overmuch ſharpneſſe towards the Pope, in his ſecond Book, for beſtowing the Title of Antichriſt upon him; wherewith he was ſo highly offended, that out of a zeal to his Holineſſe, he preſently complaines to the King himſelfe of this indignity offered to the Pope, and procures a ſpeciall Mandate from his Majeſty to Biſhop Hall, to qualifie his expreſſions in this particular with his owne pen, which he did accordingly. Notwithſtanding the Generall Harmony of confeſſions p. 318, 361, 388. confeſſions of all forraign Protestant Churches; The authorized See Illericus his Catalogus Teſtium Veritatis; Morney his Myſtery of Iniquity; Darrius, Gualther Tillanus, Monlin, Sharpius; and infinite others. Impreſſions of all their eminenteſt Writers; Our own Hom [...]lies See here p. 276, 277, 278. ſee Dr Featlies Appendix p. 47. and Dr Willets Synopſis Papiſmi. Writers of all ſorts, and the very Act of Parliament for the Confirmation of the Subſidies granted by the Clergy 3. Iac. (penned by all the Prelates and Clergy of England in full Convocation) give the Pope this Title, and ſtile the Ieſuites and their Adberents, THE UNSHAMEFACT [Page] BROOD OF ANTICHRIST. This his indulgence therefore to the Pope, Prieſts, and Church of Rome, and profeſſed emnity againſt the forraigne Reformed Churches in unchurching them, in making their Miniſters no Miniſters at all, and them no Chriſtians, nor Chriſtian Aſſemblies, diſcovers his very Intrals and inward bent of his ſoule to Popery, to the Church of Rome, yea his inveterate hatred to theſe Proteſtant Churches and their Religion too; The next thing wee ſhall fully evidence.

2. Though this Archbiſhop was ſo zealous an Advocate for the Church of Rome, as both in his publick Speeches, Writings to maintaine, That her Religion is the ſame with ours, as we have Pag. 139. 141. 247, 248, 249. formerly proved; yet he could by no meanes endure that the Religion of the forraign Proteſtant Churches and Ours ſhould be termed one and the ſame; Whereupon he preſumed to countermand, alter and purge his Majeſties Letters Patents under the Great Seale for a Collection for the poore diſtreſſed Miniſters of the Palatinate, Ann. 1634. becauſe it termed their Religion, The true Religion which we together with them profeſſe to maintain. This wee ſhall make good by two ſubſtantiall witneſſes, and the printed Letters Patents themſelves. The witneſſes are Mr Wakerly (then Secretary to Mr Secretary Cook) and Mr Hartlib, who depoſed at the Lords Barre upon Oath; That in the yeare 1634. the Queen of Bohemia ſent over one Mr Ruly a Palatinate Miniſter into England, with Letters of recommendation to the Archbiſhop, to deſire his mediation and aſſiſtance to the King, to grant Letters Patents under the great ſeale, for a generall Collection towards the reliefe of the exiled Miniſters of the Palatinate and their families, who were then in great diſtreſſe: which Letter Mr Ruly preſenting to the Archbiſhop (among whoſe Papers Mr Prynne found the very Originall) after the reading thereof, the Archbiſhop promiſed (out of reſpect to the Queen of Bohemia who writ to him with her own hand) to move the King in it, which he did; and then informed him, that it was the Kings pleaſure there ſhould be Letters Patents drawn for a generall collection for thoſe Miniſters as was deſired: Wherupon Mr Ruly requeſted the Archbiſhop, in regard he was a ſtranger and knew not our proceedings, to give him ſome directions how to get the Letters Patents drawn and ſealed; who anſwered, that he needed no inſtructions herein, for it was a thing of uſuall courſe, and willed him to repaire to the Officers of the King (his Secretaries and Attorney generall) who would draw and procure them to be ſealed. Whereupon he repaired to Mr Wakerly, who went with him to the other Officers and procured Letters Patents to be drawn according to former Preſidents, both in King James and King Charles reignes, and namely verbatim, according to Letters Patents for a like Collection, dated 29 Ian. 3. Caroli, which being drawn, engroſſed, and paſſed the Great Seal of England, without any ſcruple (the Lord Keeper both reading and approving the ſame before the ſealing) Mr Ruly carried the Patent over to Lambeth to deſire the Archbiſhops aſſiſtance for the printing, diſperſing and promoting therof; where meeting with Mr Dell, his Secretary, he acquainted him with his buſineſſe, and ſhewed him the Patent, who caſting his eye thereon, took ſome exceptions thereat, becauſe it made our and their Religion to be both one, ſaying, Are your Church and Religion and ours one? which done, he carried the Patent to the Archbiſhop, Note who after he had peruſed it, calling for Mr Ruly, demanded of him in a very angry manner, What have you brought me here? Mr Ruly replied, His Majeſties Letters Patents. At which anſwer he fell into a great paſſion, rating and reviling Mr Ruly with very ill language; threatned and called him ill names; proteſted that that Patent ſhould not paſſe though it were under the Great Seale, and made Mr Dell write ſomething out of it: Mr Ruly ſhaking for feare, excuſed himſelfe, that it was drawn by the Officers to whom his Grace had directed him, and if there were ought offenſive in it, he was altogether ignorant and not guilty of it. Whereunto the Archbiſhop replied; that were it not for his respect and engagements to the Queen of Bohemia, they ſhould have no collection at all, and that he could finde in his heart to quaſh it; but however he would ſuppreſſe that Patent, which he detained by him, and would have one drawn in another forme. Whereupon Mr Ruly leaving him to his angry mood departed, and acquainted Secretary [Page] Cook, the Lord Keeper Coventry, and other his friends with the Premiſes, who all wondred and were very inquiſitive what was the cauſe of all this anger; The Archbiſhop preſently after repaires to the King, and complaines much againſt this Patent, Secretary Cook, and the Lord Keeper for paſſing it; who being both ſent for by the King about it, acquainted his Majeſty, that it was made verbatim accorcording to former Preſidents, that they had his Majeſties hand and Royall aſſent thereto, and it was now paſſed the Seale, and ſo could not be altered. To which the King anſwers, that it muſt be altered, for that the Archbiſhop would have it ſo; and another muſt be Note drawn according to his minde. Upon this the Patent was recalled, and a new one drawn according to the Archbiſhops direction and preſcript; which being compared with the former by theſe Deponents and others (who were very inquiſitive what it was did ſo much enrage his Grace) they found it was only this enſuing clauſe, which he cauſed to be quite purged out, with little or no alteration elſe from that he ſuppreſſed.

Whoſe caſes are more to be deplored, for that this extremity is fallen upon them for their ſincerity and conſtancy IN THE TRƲE RELIGION, which WE, TOGETHER Note. WITH THEM DO PROFESSE, and WHICH WE ARE ALL BOƲND IN CONSCIENCE TO MAINTAINE TO THE ƲTMOST OF OƲR POWERS; Whereas theſe Religious and Godly Perſons being involved amongst others their Countrey-men, might have enjoyed their eſtates and fortunes, if with other backſliders in the times of Triall they would have ſubmitted themſelves to the ANTI-CHRISTIAN YOAK, and have renounced or diſſembled the Profeſſion of THE TRƲE RELIGION.

In lieu whereof he only inſerts, That they ſuffered FOR THEIR RELIGION; as if our Religion and theris were contra-diſtinct and different one from another, and theirs not the true. Which Secretary Cook when he ſaw affirmed would make a Schiſm, a Diviſion betwixt us and the forraign Proteſtant Churches, by intimating that they profeſſed neither our, nor yet the true Religion, (as Mr Wakerly depoſed) and gave great ſcandall and offence to the Deponents, yea to the forraign Churches and Proteſtants here, who took ſpeciall Notice of it.

In this notable peece of Evidence we ſhall deſire your Lordſhips and the world to take notice of theſe remarkable particulars. Firſt, of this Archbiſhops inſufferable Inſolency, in daring to preſume ſo farre as to ſtop, ſuppreſſe the Kings own Letters Parents when approved by his Royall Signature, allowed by the Lord Keeper, and actually paſſed under the Great Seale of England. Secondly, his extraordinary over-ruling power with the King, who againſt his own Iudgement, Signe Manuall, Seale, and former Preſidents, muſt have this Patent altered in this clauſe, only becauſe the Archbiſhop would have it ſo, and for no other reaſon. Thirdly, that this alteration proceeded meerly from the Archbiſhops own motion, not from any Prieſts or Ieſuits inſtigation, much leſſe from the King (as he Speech in Star-chamber, p. 32. to 39. See here p. 247. 248 pretended the alterations of the Prayer-Book for the fifth of November did.) Fourthly, that he was exceeding paſſionate and enraged at this clauſe, inſomuch that this charitable Collection and Patent muſt totally be quaſhed, rather then this clauſe tolerated; whereas his Chaplaines authorized Books in commendation of Popery, Popiſh Errours, yea pleading for Rome and her Religion as true, and one with ours. Fiftly, that this very clauſe had paſſed both the Broad Seal and Preſſe too, without the leaſt exceptions, in a Patent, 29 Ian. 3. Caroli not full ſeven yeares before, even in King Charles his own Reign; and in another Generall Collection granted under the Privy Signet the ſeventeenth of Iune, in the ſixteenth year of King James, Anno Dom. 1618. for reliefe of the Inhabitants of the Town of Weſell; then printed by Authority, together with Archbiſhop Abbots directions concerning the ſame to the ſeverall Biſhops under him, dated June 25. 1618. wherein we finde theſe following expreſſions; That that City had been a place of ſuccour and reliefe to many afflicted ſtrangers, ſuch as have been exiled for THE TRƲE RELIGION That they were not able any longer to ſuſtaine the charge neither of the Miniſtry, nor of the Free-ſchoole, which heretofore they have erected for the propagation of THE [Page] TRƲE RELIGION &c. which ſhould excite us to enlarge the Bowels of compaſſions toward them, which cannot be better expreſſed of our parts, then by having compaſſion and a fellow-feeling of them, MAKING THE SAME PROFESSION OF FAITH THAT WE DO, yet doe ſuffer ſuch adverſity &c. which are the ſame in terminis with thoſe in this expunged Patent. What then was the cauſe that this Clauſe ſhould be thought ſo inſufferable, ſo impaſſible by this Archprelate now? Certainly there muſt be ſome great myſtery of Iniquity in it; he and his Predeceſſor Abbot had not the ſelfe-ſame opinion of the Proteſtant Churches and their Religion. Abbot deemed both their Churches and Religion true, and the ſame with ours; but Laud deemes them no Churches at all, their Religion not the true Religion, nor the ſame with ours at this time, though formerly one and the ſame with it. And why ſo? becauſe himſelfe had altered, perverted, yea almoſt quite ſubverted it, both in Deſign and Execution, intending to ſet up Popery as the only old and true Religion: therefore to ſuffer ſuch a Patent to paſſe both the Great Seal and Preſſe in his Majeſties name, as ſhould proclaim their Religion, to be the true Religion, which we together with them do profeſſe, and we are all bound in conſcience to maintain to the uttermoſt of our power; when he and his Confederates bent all their might to ſuppreſſe it; and to commend their ſincerity and conſtancy in the true Religion, when as they might have enjoyed their eſtates and fortunes, if with other backſliders, in the times of Tryall they would have ſubmitted themſelves to the Antichriſtian Yoak, and have renounced or diſſembled their profeſſion of the true Religion, in theſe dayes when he with his Confederates endeavoured to make men Backſliders, Apoſtates, and perſwaded them to ſubmit themſelves to the Antichristian yoak, and to renounce or diſſemble the profeſſion of the true Religion, would have quite croſſed or fruſtrated his Deſign; Therfore out it muſt, and be obliterated whatever comes of it. Finally, obſerve his imbittered malice to the Proteſtant Churches, but grand affection to the Pope and Church of Rome, moſt evidently diſplayed by this expunction: the firſt in deleating thoſe clauſes which ſtyle theirs, the true Religion, &c. the latter in expunging this expreſſion in favour of the Roman Church and Pontife only, if they would have ſubmitted themſelves to THE ANTI-CHRISTIAN YOAK; which we have elſewhere Page 263. dilated upon. In briefe, He that thus would have the Proteſtant Churches no Churches at all of God or Chriſt, their Miniſters no Miniſters, their Religion not the true Religion, nor the ſame with ours, muſt certainly expreſſe abundance of malice and diſaffection to theſe Churches, endeavour to cauſe diſcord and diviſion between the Church of England and them; (the very charge in the Article) and proclaime himſelfe a greater friend to the Church of Rome and her Religion, then to the Proteſtant Churches and the true Religion in them profeſſed: yea a Trayterous endeavourer to ſubvert the true Religion eſtabliſhed in our Engliſh Church, which is the ſame with theirs. And the rather may we beleeve this of the Archbiſhop, becauſe ſhortly after he cauſed a Book entituled, A Declaration of the Faith and Ceremonies of the Palſgraves Churches, printed firſt in Dutch, but afterwards in Engliſh Anno 1637. to be ſtrictly called in and ſeized by his Purſevants (in high affront of the Prince Palatine, then newly arrived in England, and of his Churches) becauſe it declared thoſe Churches Orthodox judgement and cenſure againſt ſundry Arminian and Popiſt Errours, Innovations, Ceremonies, which hee and his Confederates then laboured to introduce among us; as was atteſted upon Oath by Michael Spark ſenior and Mr Prynne; when as we never heard of any Popiſh Books (as Sancta Clara and others here printed) either called in or ſeized by his ſpeciall voluntary command, but countenanced, yea reſtored by him or his Agents, when ſeiſed by the Searchers and Stationers.

Let all the world then judge by this prime peece of our Evidence, what manner of Proteſtant this Archbiſhop was, and how ill he ſtood affected to the Proteſtant Religion.

3. Theſe premiſes conſidered, no wonder if he endeavoured by all his policy and power to ſuppreſſe, nay abrogate the Priviledges, Immunities of the Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdom, granted to them by his Majeſty and his Royall Anceſtors; [Page] which he in part accompliſhed to their prejudice, the next part of his Charge in the twelfth Article, of which we ſhall preſent you this ſummary accompt.

King Edward the ſixth by his Letters Patents dated the 24 day of Iuly, in the fourth yeare of his Reigne granted this enſuing Patent to the Dutch and French Proteſtants then living in exile in London, eſtabliſhing their Church and Presbyterian Government among themſelves, exempt from all Epiſcopall Iuriſdiction, appointing a Superintendent over them, and Miniſters of their own. Which Patent, for the rarity thereof, and the better underſtanding of this Charge, we ſhall at large tranſcribe.

EDwardus Sextus Dei Gratia Angliae, Franciae, & Hiberniae Rex, fidei Defenſor, & in terra Eccleſiae Anglicanae & Hiberniae ſupremum Caput, omnibus ad quos praeſentes literae pervenerint ſalutem. Cum magnae quaedam & graves conſiderationes Nos ad praeſens ſpecialiter impulerunt. Tum etiam cogitantes illud quanto ſtudio & charitate Chriſtianos Principes in Sacroſanctum Dei Evangelium & Religionem Apoſtolicam ab ipſo Chriſto inchoatam inſtitutam & traditam animatos & perpenſos eſſe conveniat, ſine qua haud dubio politia & civile regimen neque conſiſtere diu, neque nomen ſuum tueri poteſt niſi Principes caeterique praepotentes viri, quos Deus ad regnorum gubernacula ſedere voluit, id imprimis operam dent, ut per totum Reipublicae corpus caſta ſinceraque religio diffundatur, & Eccleſia in vere Chriſtianis & Apoſtolicis opinionibus & ritibus inſtituta & adulta, per ſanctos, ac carui & mundo mortuos Miniſtros conſervetur, pro eo quod Chriſtiani Principis officium eſſe ſtatuimus, inter alias graviſſimas de regno ſuo bene ſplendide (que) adminiſtrando cogitationes, etiam religioni & religionis cauſae calamitate fractis & afflictis exulibus conſulere. Sciatis, quod non ſolum praemiſſa contemplantes, & Eccleſiam à Papatus tyranide per Nos vindicatam in priſtina libertate conſervare cupientes, verumetiam Exulum & Peregrinorum conditionem miſerantes qui jam bonis temporibus in Regno noſtro Angliae commorati ſunt voluntario exilio Religionis & Eccleſiae cauſa mulctati, quia hoſpites & exteros homines propter Chriſti Evangelium ex patria ſua profligatos & ejectos & in Regnum noſtrum profugos praeſidiis ad vitam degendam neceſſariis in Regno noſtro egere non dignum eſſe duximus, cujus liberalitas nullo modo in tali rerum ſtatu reſtricta clauſave eſſe debet, At quoniam multi Germanae nationis homines ac alii peregrini qui confluxerunt, & in dies ſingulos confluunt in Regnum noſtrum Angliae ex Germania & aliis remotioribus partibus in quibus Papatus dominata Evangelii libertas labefactari & premi coepta eſt, non habent certam ſedem & locum in Regno noſtro ubi conventos ſuos celebrare valeant, ubi inter ſuae gentis & moderni idiomatis homines Religionis negotia & res Eccleſiaſticas pro patrio titu & more intelligenter obire & tractare poſſint.

Idcirco de Gratia Noſtra ſpeciali ac ex certa ſcientia & mero metu noſtris, nec non de aviſamento Concilii noſtri volumus, concedimus, & ordinamus, quod de caetero ſit & erit unum Templum ſive ſacra Aedes in Civitate noſtra London quod vel quae vocabitur, Templum Domini Ieſu, ubi Congregatio & conventus Germanorum & aliorum peregrinorum fieri & celebrari poſſit, ea intentione & propoſito ut à Miniſtris Eccleſiae Germanorū aliorum (que) peregrinorum Sacroſancti Evangelii incorrupts interpretatio, Sacramentorum juxta verbum Dei & Apoſtolicam obſervationem adminiſtratio fiat, & Templū illud ſive ſacram Aedem illam deuno Superintendente & quatuor verbi Miniſtris erigimus, creamus, ordinamus, & fundamus per praeſentes. Et quod idem Superintendens & Miniſtri in re & nomine, ſint & erunt unum corpus corporatum & politicum de ſe, per nomen Superintendentis & Miniſtrorum Eccleſiae Germanorum & aliorum peregrinorum, ex fundatione Regis Edwardi Sexti, in Civitate London per praeſentes incorporamus, ac corpus corporatum & politicum per idem nomen realiter & ad plenum creamus, erigimus, ordinamus, facimus, & conſtituimus per praeſentes. Et quod ſucceſſionem habeant. Et ulterius de gratia noſtra ſpeciali, ac ex certa ſcientia, & mero motu noſtris, nec non de aviſamento Concilii noſtri dedimus & conceſſimus, ac per praeſentes damus & concedimus praefato Superintendenti & Miniſtris Eccleſia Germanorū & aliorū peregrinorū in Civitate London, Totum illud Templum, ſive Eccleſiam nuper fratrum Auguſtinentium in Civitate noſtra London, ac totam terram fundum & [Page] ſolum Eccleſiae pradict. excepto toto choro dictae Eccleſiae, terra, fundo, & ſolo ejuſdem, habendum & gaudendum dictum Templum ſive Eccleſiam, ac catera praemiſſa (exceptis praeexceptis) praefato Superintendenti & Miniſtris & Succeſſoribus ſuis in puram & liberam Eleemoſinam. Damus ulterius de aviſamento praedicto, ac ex certa ſcientia & mero metu noſtris praedictis per praeſentes concedimus praefato Superintendenti & Miniſtris & Succeſſoribus ſuis plenam facultatem, poteſtatem & authoritatem ampliandi & majorem faciendi numerum Miniſtrorum, & nominandi ac appunctuandi de tempore in tempus tales & hujuſmodi ſubminiſtros ad ſerviendum in Templo praedicto, quales praefato Superintendenti & Miniſtris neceſſarium viſum fuerit. Et quod haec omnia juxta beneplacitum Regium. Volumus praeterea quod Johannes Alaſco, natione Polonus, homo propter integritatem & innocentiam vitae, ac morum, & ſingularem eruditionem valde celebris, ſit primus & modernus Superintendens dictae Eccleſiae. Et quod Gualterus de Laenus, Martinus Flanders, Franciſcus Riverius, Richardus Gallus, ſint quatuor primi & moderni Miniſtri. Damus praeterea & concedimus praefatis Superintendenti & Miniſtris & Succeſſoribus ſuis facultatem, authoritatem, & licentiam poſt mortem vel vacationem alicujus Miniſtri praedictorum de tempore in tempus eligendi, nominandi, & ſurrogandi alium perſonam habilem & idoneum in locum ſuum. It a tamen quod perſona ſic nominatus & electus, praeſentetur & ſiſtatur coram Nobis, Haeredibus, vel Succeſſoribus noſtris, & per Nos, haeredes, vel ſueceſſores noſtros inſtituatur in miniſterium praedictum. Damus etiam & concedimus praefatis Superintendenti Miniſtris & Succeſſoribus ſuis facultatem, authoritatem, & licentiam poſt mortem ſeu vacationem Superintendentis de tempore in tempus elegendi, nominandi & ſurrogandi alium perſonam doctum & gravem in locum ſuum. It a tamen quod perſona ſic nominatus & electus praeſentetur & ſiſtatur coram Nobis, Haeredibus, vel Succeſſoribus noſtris, & per Nos, Haredes, vel Succeſſores noſtros inſtituatur in officium Superintendentis praedictum. Mandamus & firmiter impungendo praecipimus tam Majori, Vice-Comitibus, & Aldermannis Civitatis noſtrae London, Note Epiſcopo London, & Succeſſoribus ſuis, cum omnibus aliis Archiepiſcopis, Epiſcopis, Iuſticiariis, Officiariis, & Miniſtris noſtris quibuſeunque, quod permittant praefatum Superintendentem & Miniſtros, & ſucceſſores ſuos, liberè, & quietè frui, gaudere, uti, & exercere Ritus & Ceremonias ſuas proprias, & Diſciplinam Eccleſiaſtitam propriam & peculiarem, Non obſtante quod non conveniant cum Ritibus, & Ceremoniis in Regno noſtro uſitatis, abſque impetitione, perturbatione, aut inquietatione eorum vel eorum alicujus, aliquo Statuto, Actu, Proclamatione, Iniunctione, Reſtrictione, ſeu uſu in contrarium inde antehac habitum, factis, editis, ſeu promulgatis in contrarium non obſtante. Eo quod expreſſa mentio de vero valore annuo, aut de certitudine praemiſſorum ſive eorum alicujus, aut de aliis donis ſive conceſſionibus per Nos, praefatis Superintendenti, Miniſtris & Succeſſoribus ſuis ante haec tempora factis in praeſentibus minime facta exiſtit, aut aliquo Statuto, Actu, Ordinatione, Proviſione, ſive Restrictione inde in contrarium factis, edictis, ordinatis, ſeu Proviſis, aut aliqua alia re, cauſa vel materia quacunque in aliquo non obſtante. In cujus rei teſtimonium has litteras noſtras fieri fecimus Patentes. Teſte Meipſo apud Leighes viceſſimo quarto die Iulii, Anno Regni noſtri quarto. Per breve de privato Sigillo, & de dat. praedict. Authoritate Parliamenti ſignatum.

P. Southwell.

Et eſt ſigillatum Sigillo Regio ſub-appenſo.

To the Copy of this Patent found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy, we ſhall ſubioyne theſe enſuing Orders and Paſſages in their favour, and confirmation of this Patent, [Page] in Queen Elizabeths, King Iames, and King Charles their Reignes, preſented to the Archbiſhop by the Miniſters of theſe Forraigners Churches.

The Letters of the Privy Councell to the Church of London, containing theſe words. Ann. 1573.

Non ignoramus variis Eccleſiis, varios & diverſos jam ab initio Chriſtianae Religionis ſemper fuiſſe ritus ac ceremonias, dum hi ſtantes, illi in genua procidentes, alii proni procumbentes adorant & precantur, & tamen eadem pietas eſt ac religio, ſi verè & ad verum Deum oratio tendat, abſitque impietas ac ſuperſtitio &c. Non contemnimus ritus veſtros, neque vos ad noſtros cogimus, probamuſque ceremonias veſtras, ut vobis, & veſtrae reipublicae unde orti eſtis, aptas & convenientes.

The Order of the Privy Councell the 29 of Iune. Ann. 1574

If others would joyne themſelves to the ſaid Churches, that ſuch Perſons ſhall be counſelled to betake themſelves to ſome other parts of this Kingdome where they may be commodiouſly received: If they doe this, we will willingly call in our former Commandement.

The Anſwer of King Iames to the French and Dutch Miniſters the 21 of May. Ann. 1603.

Ie vous protegeray ainſi quie convient a un bon Prince de maintenir & deffendre tous ceux qui ont abandone leur Patrie Pour la religion. Mou deſire eſt de vous deffendre comme a fait la Reyne ma So [...]ur, qui vous a receu eu ſo [...] Royaume, & pour laquelle vous avez prie Dieu. Que ſi aucun vous trouble ou moleſte, pleignez vous en amoy, & Ie vous maintiendray.

The perpetuity granted to the Dutch at Colcheſter Ann. 10. Jacobi the 17 of October. Ann. 1612.

As alſo their Orders in their Church and Aſſemblies there, tending to the good Government of the ſaid Congregations, in as free, large, and ample manner in all reſpects, and to all intents, conſtructions and purpoſes, as heretofore they have uſed, and hath been tolerated and allowed unto them, according to the true intent of this our preſent Ordinance: any Proviſion or Juriſdiction to the contrary thereof in any wiſe notwithſtanding.

The Order of the Privy Councell for the French Church of Canterbury, the ſecond of May. Ann. 1613.

That the ſaid Congregation within the City of Canterbury, ſhall according to his Majeſties gracious pleaſure, peaceably and freely enjoy all ſuch Priviledges, Liberties, and Immunities, and be permitted to uſe their Aſſemblies and Congregations in as ample manner as heretofore hath been allowed to them in the time of Queen Elizabeth, or ſince.

The Order of King James under his ſignet the 13 of Iune. Ann. 1616.

Theſe are therefore to will and command all our Courts of Iuſtice, and other our loving Subjects, to permit and ſuffer the ſaid ſtrangers, [Page] members of the Out-landiſh Churches, and their children, to enjoy the continuance of our favours before declared in this behalfe. Conſidering the loving kindeneſſe and good entertainment which our Subjects and their children doe receive and finde beyond the Seas.

The Order of the Privy Councell for the Walloones of Norwich the 10 of October. Ann. 1625.

Thoſe of Norwich, although borne in the Kingdome, ſhall continue to be of the ſaid Church and Society, and ſhall be ſubject to ſuch Diſcipline as hath been by all the time of fifty five yeares practiſed among them: And if any ſhall be refractory, they ſhall be bound to appeare at this Board.

The gracious Anſwer of King Charles to the Deputies of the Forraigne Churches the 30 of April. Ann. 1623.

I thank you for this; and I aſſure you that I will continue unto you the ſame favour which the King my father did ſhew unto you. And I hope that my marriage ſhall not be any dammage unto you, but rather an occaſion of much good to your Countrey men.

The Order of King Charles for all ſtrangers the 13 of Novemb. Ann. 1626.

We will and command our Iudges &c. to permit and ſuffer the ſaid ſtrangers, members of the Out-landiſh Churches, and their children, quietly to enjoy all and ſingular ſuch Priviledges and Immunities, as have been formerly granted unto them, without any troubles, arreſts, or proceedings by way of information or otherwiſe; conſidering the faire uſage and good entertainment which our Subjects and their children doe receive beyond the Seas.

The Order of the Privy Councell for the Dutch of Norwich the 7 of Ianuary. Ann. 1630.

That all thoſe that are now, or hereafter ſhall be, members of the Dutch Congregation, although borne within this Kingdome, ſhall continue to be of the ſaid Church and Society ſo long as his Majeſty ſhall be pleaſed, without any prejudice to their Priviledges and Birthright; and ſhall be ſubject to all ſuch Diſcipline as hath beene all the time aforeſaid uſually practiſed amongſt them, and from time to time contribute to the maintenance of the Miniſtry and poore, and the defraying of all other neceſſaries charges of the ſame Congregation, as they ſhall be aſſeſſed, and occaſion ſhall in that behalfe require.

By vertue of this Patent, Orders, Grants, the Dutch and French Churches in London and other Dioceſſe enjoyed the free exerciſe of their Religion, Diſcipline, exempt from all Archiepiſcopall and Epiſcopall Iuriſdiction from Edward the ſixths time till Ann. 1634. without any interruption. But no ſooner was this Prelate warme in his Archiepiſcopall chaire, but he begins to diſturb their peace, and threaten their totall ſubvertion throughout his Province, as in Canterbury, Sandwich, Maidſtone, Norwich, Colcheſter, London, Southampton, and likewiſe in Yorkeſhire, Axholme, and elſewhere, which he had formerly projected in this manner.

[Page] On March 22. Ann. 1632. this Biſhop upon his own motion procured a reference to himſelfe from the Lords of the Councell, concerning the Engliſh living in forraigne parts, and the forraigne Proteſtant Churches in England; concerning which he drew up and preſented two ſeverall Papers to the Lords found in his ſtudy, under Mr Dells hand, thus endorſed with his owne, Concerning the Dutch and French Churches in England &c. here neceſſary to be inſerted, though not read at large.

VVHereas I was commanded by your Lordſhips upon Friday, March 22. 1632. Firſt to repreſent to His Gracious Majeſty the great and Honourable care you had to preſerve the unity and Government of the Church of England as it ſtands now eſtabliſhed by Law; Which care was very great and pious, and according to my duty, in the Name of the Church, I humbly thank your Lordſhips for it: And have in purſuance of your Commands faithfully acquainted His Majeſty with as many particulars as I could carry away ſafe in my memory.

Secondly, I was commanded by your Lordſhips to take into farther conſideration ſuch Heads as might beſt conduce to the rectifying of ſuch his Majeſties Subjects as reſide at Hamborough, or elſewhere beyond the Seas, but eſpecially in the Low-Countreys, either in Merchandize, or in uſe and exerciſe of Armes under the Colonells there. As alſo what might be thought fit to be done concerning the French and Dutch Churches, as they now ſtand, and are uſed at this preſent within this Realme; but at ſuch time as your Lordſhips in your wiſdome ſhall beſt approve.

Concerning the firſt of theſe, viz. the Engliſh living in Forraigne parts, I humbly recommend to your Lordſhips Wiſe. dome, as followeth.

1. Whether it be not fit (I had almoſt ſaid neceſſary) that the ſeverall Colonels in the Low-Countreys ſhould entertaine no Miniſter as Preacher to their Regiments, but ſuch as ſhall conforme in all things to the Church of England eſtabliſhed: And be commended unto them from your Lordſhips by adviſe of the Lords Archbiſhops of Canterbury or York for the time being.

2. That the Company of Merchants reſiding there, or in any other Forraigne Parts, ſhall admit no Miniſter as Preacher to them, but ſuch as are ſo qualified and ſo commended as aforeſaid.

3. That if any Miniſter having by feigned carriage gotten to be ſo recommended, either to any of the ſeverall Colonells, or to the Deputy Governour and Body of the Merchants there, ſhall after be found unconformable, and will not mend upon warning given him by the Colonell or Deputy Governour of the Merchants, ſhall within three months after ſuch warning given, and refuſed, be diſmiſſed from his ſervice, that a more orderly and peaceable man may be ſent unto them.

[Page] 4. That every Miniſter or Preacher with any Regiment of ſouldiers that are his Majeſties borne Subjects, or with the Company of Merchants there or elſewhere, ſhall read Divine Service, Chriſten children, Adminiſter the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, marry, inſtruct the younger or more ignorant ſort in the Catechiſme, viſit the ſick, bury the Dead, and doe all other Duties according as they are preſcribed in the Book of Common-Prayer maintained in the Chuch of England, and not otherwiſe. And that he which will not conforme himſelfe ſo to doe, ſhall not continue Preacher either to any Regiment of Engliſh, or Scottiſh, or to the Merchants.

5. That if any Miniſter or Preacher, being the Kings Subject, ſhall with any bitter words or writings in print or otherwiſe, defame the Government of the Church of England eſtabliſhed, His Majeſties Embaſſador or Agent in thoſe parts for the time being, is to be informed of it, and upon notice given from him to the State, he or they ſo offending ſhall be commanded over by Privy Seale or otherwiſe, to anſwer their offence or offences here.

6. That no Colonell of any ſeverall Regiment, or Deputy Governour of the Merchants, ſhall give way that their Miniſter or Preacher ſhall bring any other Miniſter to preach for him in time of his ſickneſſe, abſence, or other neceſſary employment, but ſuch as for whoſe Conformity to the Church and Government here, he will be anſwerable.

7. That if any Miniſter being a Subject of the Kings, in the Low-Countreys, or any other place beyond the Seas, ſhall in any other Auditory, as well as before the Regiments or the Merchants, preach or publiſh, or in any other way by publike Speech, Writing, or Printing, divulge any thing derogatory to the Doctrine or Diſcipline eſtabliſhed in the Church of England, or otherwiſe prejudiciall to the Temporall State and Government, His Majeſties Agent there ſhall uſe the beſt meanes he can to diſcover him or them ſo offending, and having found them, ſhall preſently certifie the State here, that ſo they may be recalled by Privy Seale to anſwer it. And if they then refuſe to come, that the Law in that caſe paſſe upon them.

8. That no man ſhall be choſen or ſent over by the Merchants here, either to Delf, or any other place of their reſidence beyond the Seas, (whenſoever any ſuch place or places ſhall become voyd) but ſuch a man as is conformable to the Church of England both in Doctrine and Diſcipline, and ſuch as will be carefull to ſee that they which are under his Governments ſhall obſerve all ſuch Church Duties as are expreſſed and required in any the former Articles. And that ſome of the chiefe Merchant-Adventurers here be ſent for to the Board, and be made acquainted with this Article. And farther, that at every time and times that they ſend a new Deputy Governour to any place of their Reſidence, they preſent the ſaid Deputy to the Lords, and give [Page] them aſſurance of his fitneſſe and ſufficiency for that Charge. At which time the ſaid Deputy may have ſuch Directions given him by their Lordſhips as the preſent times and occaſions require. And that there be like care taken for other good Officers there, as for the Deputy Governour himſelfe.

9. That whenſoever the Merchant-Adventurers ſhall become ſuitors to His Majeſty to renew or confirme their Patent (as in moſt Kings times it is uſuall ſo to doe) that then there be a Clauſe inſerted into their Patent, to binde them to the obſervance of all, or ſo much of theſe Inſtructions, as ſhall bee thought fit by his Majeſty and the Lords.

10. That the preſent Agent, as alſo all others that ſhall ſucceed in that employment, have theſe Inſtructions given them in Charge; and that once a yeare they be required to give the Board an Account what the Proceed of the buſineſſe is. That ſo His Majeſties Subjects aſwell abroad as at home, may be kept in orderly obedience to the Honour of His Majeſties Government, and the better uniting of the hearts of his People to God, His Majeſty, and one to another. In which will conſiſt the ſtrength as well as the Honour of the Kingdom.

11. I conceive it no way fit, that the Miniſters which are His Majeſties Subjects in Holland, ſhould have any Claſſicall Meetings allowed them (as it ſeemes they pretend ſome grant ſince the yeare 1622.) eſpecially that they be not ſuffered to aſſume power of Ordination; for then it will be a perpetuall Seminary to breed and tranſplant men ill-affected to the Government into this Kingdom.

It is to be obſerved that the French and High Germane Congregations in the Low-Countreys doe all obſerve the Liturgy of their own Mother Churches; only the Engliſh obſerve neither their owne, nor any other uniformity.

Concerning the ſecond; that is, the French and Dutch Churches, as they now ſtand in many parts of this Kingdom, I as humbly repreſent, firſt the Danger, then the probable Remedy.

For the Dangers I humbly ſubmit, but conceive as followeth.

1. It was Honour and Piety in this State, when at the firſt way was given for thoſe Churches both in London and ſome other parts of this Kingdome; Becauſe at that time there was perſecution upon them in their owne Countreys: And the Peace with which God then bleſſed this Kingdom, was their ſafety.

2. I conceive it was never the meaning and purpoſe of this State then, or at any other time, that they living and continuing here, marrying, and having wives and children, and many of them plentifull fortunes [Page] and Lands; And their children and childrens children being now Natives, and his Majeſties borne Subjects, ſhould live like an abſolute divided Body from the Church of England eſtabliſhed, which muſt needs work upon their affections, and alienate them from the State, or at leaſt make them ready for any Innovation that may ſort better with their humour.

3. It is likewiſe conſiderable what an entire and divided body they keep themſelves. For few or none of them marry with any of us, but only one with another. Upon which it muſt needs follow, that as they encreaſe and multiply, they which are now a Church within a Church, will in time grow to be a kinde of another Common-wealth within this, and ſo ready for that which I hold not fit to expreſſe any farther.

4. It is likewiſe of great conſequence, that theſe men living with their entire Families, divided from the preſent Government of Church and Common-wealth are many, and have got their Reſidence and ſettlement in all or moſt of the Haven Townes, eſpecially ſuch as lie fitteſt for France and the Low-Countreys. And were occaſion offered, God knowes what advantage they may take to themſelves, or make for others.

5. Their Example is of ill conſequence (in Church affaires eſpecially) to the Subject of England. For many are confirmed in their ſtubborne wayes of diſobedience to the Church-Government, ſeeing them ſo freely ſuffered in this great and populous City.

6. Laſt of all, I think it very juſt not to ſuffer French or Dutch Church differing from us in Diſcipline, to be otherwiſe or longer tolerated in any part of this Realme, then the Doctrine and Diſcipline of the Church of England ſhall among the Subjects of this Crowne be tolerated in thoſe ſeverall parts beyond the Seas, whither they have cauſe to reſort and abide.

For the Remedies likewiſe I humbly ſubmit, but conceive they may be theſe.

1. I think it fit their Number in all places of this Kingdome bee made knowne as fully as may be; that your Lordſhips may the better judge both of them, and the way to reduce them into one Body with this Kingdome in which they are borne Subjects.

2. I conceive the beſt way to know their Number, is by a Command from the State it ſelfe, and to have it avowedly taken in all places where they reſide; with a Certificat either preſently, or when your Lordſhips ſhall think fit, which are the men of Credit and Wealth [Page] among them. And this may be done really for their good, and ſo ſweetned as that they may apprehend it for a benefit, as indeed it is.

3. It is fit, if they will continue as a divided Body from both State and Church, that they be uſed as Strangers, and not as Natives. That is, that they may pay all double duties as Strangers uſe to doe, and have no more Immunities then Strangers have, till they will live and converſe as other Subjects do. And this matter of loſſe or gaine is as likely to work upon them, eſpecially the Merchants and richer men as any other thing, and perhaps more.

4. When it ſhall be thought fit actually to reduce them to live as other Subjects doe, both in relation to Church and State, the way I conceive may be to have them fairely warned in an Eccleſiaſticall way, for every man with his Houſhold (if he be not a new commer, but a borne Subject) to repaire to his Pariſh Church here, to conforme himſelfe to Prayers, Sacraments &c. And if any receive not according to Cannon and Law, then to excommunicate him or them. And by that Note time the Writ de Excommunicato capiendo hath been ſerved upon ſome few, it may be the reſt will yeeld themſelves.

5. If this doe not prevaile, I then conceive under favour, it will be hard to remedy, unleſſe the State will publikely declare, That if they will be as Natives, and take the benefit of Subjects, they muſt conforme themſelves to the Laws of the Kingdom aſwell Eccleſiaſticall as Temporall. Note Which Declaration, when it ſhall once be made publike, I think they will be well adviſed before they will reſiſt or refuſe it.

By theſe Papers it is apparent, That this Arch-Prelate was the Originall Contriver of all the proceedings againſt the Dutch and French Churches. In purſuance of theſe determinations of his, in his Metropoliticall Viſitation Ann. 1634. & 1635. he ſummoned all the Miniſters and Elders of theſe Churches to appeare before Sir Nathaniel Brent his Vicar Generall; as appeares by an Abſtract of his Viſitation endorſed with his owne hand, unto whom he preſcribed theſe two following Injunctions.

1. That all the Natives of the Dutch and Walloon Congregations in his Graces Dioceſſe, are to repaire to their ſeverall Pariſh Churches of thoſe ſeverall Pariſhes where they inhabit, to heare Divine Service and Sermons, and performe all duties and payments required in that behalfe.

2. That the Miniſters and all others of the Dutch and Walloon Congregations which are not Natives and borne Subjects to the Kings Majeſty, or any other ſtrangers that ſhall come over to them, while they remaine ſtrangers, may have and uſe their owne Diſcipline as formerly they have done; yet it is thought ſit, that the Engliſh Liturgy ſhould be tranſlated into French and Dutch, for the better ſettling of their children to the Engliſh Government.

Theſe Injunctions were preſcribed to the Forraign Churches at Norwich, An. 1634. and to theſe at Canterbury, Maidstone, and Sandwich, 13. Aprilis 1635. as appeares by ſundry Copies of them found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy: and the like were impoſed on all other Dutch and Walloon Churches within his Province. Yet not content herewith, he cauſed the Archbiſhop of York to impoſe harder conditions [Page] on the Forraigne Congregations within his Province; as appeares by two Letters found in his ſtudy under the Archbiſhop of Yorks owne hand, the one dated Octob. 1. 1636. the other 22 Ian. 1637. Wherein he denyes them the exerciſe of any Eccleſiaſticall Iuriſdiction of their owne, injoynes them the uſe of the Engliſh Liturgie in the French Tongue, with obedience to all the Lawes and Ordinances of the Church of England, to receive the Sacrament once a yeare in the Pariſh Church wherein they dwell, and to performe all their Chriſtnings, Marriages, and Burials there; elſe no Congregation of their owne would be permitted. Hereupon theſe Forraigners conceiving theſe Injunctions prejudiciall to their Ancient Rights, Liberties indulged them, and deſtructive to their Churches, oppoſed them all they could in an humble way.

Upon the publication of theſe Injunctions, the Dutch and Walloon Churches at Norwich preſented this enſuing Remonſtrance to the Biſhop there, who ſent it up to the Archbiſhop, who received it as appeares by the endorſement Febr. 21. 1634.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD RICHARD LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH.

The humble Remonſtrance and Petition of the two Congregations of Strangers in the City of Norwich.

IT hath pleaſed my Lords Grace of Canterbury to ſend forth lately two Injunctions to the three Congregations of Strangers, Canterbury, Sandwich, and Maidstone in his Graces Dioceſſe, to this effect. 1. That their Engliſh Natives ſhould ſeparate from them, and reſort to the Engliſh Pariſh Churches where they dwell. 2. That the Remainder of them, being ſtrangers borne, ſhould receive and uſe the Engliſh Liturgy, tranſlated into their own language, upon the firſt day of March next. The which is generally conceived to be a leading caſe for all the Strangers Congregations that are in England.

1 Now foraſmuch as the ſaid Injunctions ſeeme to be oppoſite, not only to ſundry Orders of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Councell heretofore upon ſeverall occaſions granted unto ſeverall Congregations of the ſaid Strangers; but [Page] chiefly to all the gracious Liberties, and Priviledges granted unto them of old, and continued during the Reigne of three moſt famous Princes, King Edward, Queene Elizabeth, and King Iames of glorious memory; And confirmed by his now Majeſties Regall word our gracious Soveraigne (whom God long preſerve) which he was pleaſed graciouſly to give unto the Deputies of all the ſtrangers Congregations in England, proſtrate at his Majeſties feet, the 30 of April 1625.

2 And alſo, that the obſerving of the ſaid Injunctions will neceſſarily draw after it many great and unavoydable Inconveniences both common and perſonall; as namely that

1 The Pariſhes ſhall be needleſſely charged with a great multitude of poore Strangers that are Engliſh Natives.

2 Many ſuch Natives ſhall ipſo facto loſe the benefit of their Toleration in exerciſing their Manufactures, having not ſerved their ſeven years Apprentiſhips, and be in danger of ruine or moleſtation.

3 Many ſuch alſo that underſtand not well the Engliſh tongue, ſhall be little edified by the Engliſh Prayers and Sermons which they ſhall heare.

4 Their Families ſhall be divided, ſome going one way, ſome another to their appointed Aſſemblies; which may miniſter an unhappy opportunity of licentiouſneſſe to ſervants and children that are looſely minded.

5 The Alien ſtrangers that ſhall remaine, being not the fourth part of the now ſtanding Congregations (eſpecially in this City) for want of competent ability to maintaine their Miniſter and poore, muſt needs be utterly diſſolved and come to nothing.

6 So the ancient and much renowned Aſyla, and places of refuge for the poore perſecuted and other ignorant Chriſtians beyond the Seas, ſhall be wanting; whereat Rome will rejoyce, and the Reformed Churches in all places will mourne.

7 Many Miniſters (and thoſe ancient) having no other meanes but their Congregations, which ſhall then faile them, ſhall be to ſeek for themſelves and their deſtituted Families.

[Page] 8 The Forraigne poore will be added to the Native poore, and encreaſe the charge and burden of their ſeverall Pariſhes, who will be to them no welcome gueſts; or elſe be ſent away beyond Sea, where they will open many mouthes againſt the authors of their miſery.

9 The Common-wealth ſhall loſe many skilfull workmen in ſundry Manufactures, whom in times paſt the Land hath ſo much deſired.

10 Many thouſand Engliſh of the poorer ſort ſhall miſſe their good maſters that ſet them on work and paid them well, which will cauſe them to grieve at their departure, if not to murmure.

11 And ſay a handfull of Aliens ſhould remaine to make up a poore Congregation, where ſhall they baptize their new-borne Infants? If in their Pariſh Churches, then ſhall the ſtrangers loſe one of their Sacraments; and if in the ſaid ſtrangers Congregation, then it would be known when they ſhall be ſent away to be admitted as Natives in their Engliſh Pariſhes.

12 A greater difficulty will yet ariſe about the Engliſh Rites and Ceremonies enjoyned to ſuch Aliens as ſhall remaine. For though they miſlike them not in the Engliſh Churches, unto the which upon occaſion they do willingly reſort; yet when this Innovation ſhall come upon them, it will bee ſo uncouth and ſtrange, as it is doubtfull whether it, or the ſeparation of the Natives from the Aliens, will bring the more trouble; And whether they will not both be followed (though not aequis paſsibus) with the utter diſſolution of their Congregations.

13 And the rather, becauſe it is not likely that upon their want of a Miniſter, any will be ready to come (though ſent for) from beyond the Seas to ſerve them upon theſe two Conditions. The one, to be contented with ſo meane a ſtipend as they ſhall then be able to afford, and that uncertaine too. The other, to obſerve ſuch Rites and Ceremonies as they were never acquainted withall, yea are offenſive to ſome beyond the Seas, from whence they ſhall be called.

3 Laſtly, foraſmuch as we have given no occaſion of offence [Page] that might deſerve the taking away of our former Liberties, but have ſtill demeaned our ſelves peaceably and reſpectively toward the Engliſh Diſcipline; Neither do we harbour any factious Engliſh perſons as members of our Congregations; And alſo that by two ſeverall Orders of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Councell, your Lordſhip and your Succeſſors have power to order the diſordered in both the Congregations, if any ſhall happen.

Therefore we humbly entreat your good Lordſhip ſeriouſly to take the premiſes into your grave and judicious conſideration; And as occaſion ſhall ſerve, to acquaint his Grace of Canterbury with them if your Lordſhip think it ſo fitting. Vnto whoſe Grace we deſire our humble duties to be preſented; humbly beſeeching his Grace that he will be pleaſed to be graciouſly and favourably enclined to us and the reſt of the ſtrangers; And (if it be poſſible) to ſtay the proceedings of his Graces Commiſſaries upon the ſaid three Congregations of his Graces Dioceſſe; that ſo they and we all may yet continue under the ſhadow of His Majeſties moſt gracious protection and Toleration, as before. And wee ſhall pray for his Graces and your Honours long life and proſperity.

Theſe weighty motives not prevailing, they preſented an humble Petition to the Archbiſhop himſelfe Iun. 26. 1635. endorſed with his owne hand, and ſeiſed in his ſtudy by Mr Prynne, the ſame in ſubſtance with their Remonſtrance to the Biſhop of Norwich; beſeeching his Grace to be pleaſed to take theſe their motives into his pious and charitable conſideration, and to ſuffer them yet to enjoy the benefit of his Majeſties and his Noble Predeceſſours grace of Toleration.

To this Petition after much ſollicitation, meanes and friends made to the Archbiſhop, he returned a very peremptory Anſwer in a Letter of his to the Dutch and Walloone Congregations at Norwich, dated Auguſt, 19. 1635. the Copy whereof was found in his ſtudy; wherein all the favour he would grant to them (or any other forraigue Churches) was this;

That his Majeſty was reſolved, that his Injunctions ſhall hold, and that obedience ſhall be yeelded to them by all the Natives after the firſt deſcent, who might continue in their Congregations, to the end the Aliens might the better look to the education of their children; and that their ſeverall Congregations might not be too much leſſened at once; but that all of the ſecond deſcent borne here in England, and ſo termed, ſhould reſort to their ſeverall Pariſh Churches whereas they dwell; concluding his Letter in thoſe words: And thus I have given you anſwer fairely in all your particulars, and doe expect all obedience and conformity to my Injunctions; which if you ſhall performe, the State will have occaſion to ſee how ready you are to practiſe the obedience which you teach. And for my part, I doubt not but your ſelves, or your poſterity at leaſt, ſhall have cauſe to thank both the State and the Church, for this care taken of you; But if you refuſe (as you have no cauſe to doe, and I hope you will not) I [Page] ſhall then proceed againſt the Natives according to the Lawes and Canons Eccleſiaſticall. So hopeing the best of your ſelves and your obedience, I leave you to the Grace of God, and reſt

Your loving Friend W. Cant.

Auguſt. 19. 1635.

By theſe Injunctions theſe Churches were moleſted and diſquieted ſome three or foure yeares ſpace; ſome of them interdicted, ſuſpended and ſhut up for a time, for refuſing conformity; others of them diſſolved, their Miniſters deſerting them rather then ſubmitting to theſe Injunctions, all of them much diminiſhed, diſcontented, the maintenance of their Miniſters and poore Members much impaired almoſt to their utter deſolation, notwithſtanding all the great friends they could make to intercede in their behalfe; and they brought quite under that Epiſcopall Iuriſdiction and Tyranny, from which they were formerly exempted. Hereupon many conſciencious Aliens and their children deſerted the Kingdom, who could not in conſcience ſubmit to the Ceremonies, Innovations in our Churches, and moſt of their Families were miſerably diſtracted, as appeares by a Summary Relation of the Archbiſhops proceedings herein, preſented to the Parliament, and by a late printed Book, entituled, A Relation of the Troubles of the three Forraigne Churches in Kent, cauſed by the Injunctions of William Laud Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Anno Dom. 1634. (ſet forth by Iohn Bulteel Miniſter of Gods Word to the Walloon Congregation of Canterbury, printed Anno 1645.) to which we ſhall referre the Reader for fuller ſatisfaction.

And as he thus endeavoured to ſubvert the Forraigne Dutch, French, and Walloon Churches at home, and to preſſe the Engliſh Liturgy upon them; ſo he attempted to diſturbe our Engliſh Regiments and Congregations abroad in Forraigne parts and Plantations, by impoſing the ſtrict obſervation of the Engliſh Liturgy and Ceremonies on them not formerly uſed, by Orders from the Councell Table (eſpecially by that of October 1. 1633. to the Merchant-Adventurers) which bred great diſturbances among them, as appeares by ſundry Letters from Sir William Boſwell, Mr Stephen Goffe, and others, found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy, which we ſhall pretermit for brevity ſake; only we ſhall inſert the Copy of his owne Letter to the Merchants at Delfe (found in his ſtudy) dated Iune 17. 1634.

AFter our hearty Commendations &c. We are commanded by his Majeſty to ſignifie unto you, that this Bearer Mr Beaumont, choſen by joynt conſent of your Company to be your Preacher at Delfe, or where elſe you ſhall at any time reſide, is a man learned, ſober, and conformable to the Doctrine and Diſcipline eſtabliſhed in the Church of England; And that you are to receive him with all decent and curteous uſage fitting his Perſon and Calling, and to allow him the uſuall ancient ſtipend which Mr Forbes lately, or any other before him hath received. And farther we are to let you know, that it is his Majeſties expreſſe Command, that both you, the Deputy, and all and every other Merchant, that is, or ſhall bee reſiding in thoſe parts beyond the Seas, doe conforme themſelves to the Doctrine and Diſcipline ſetled in the Church of England: And that they frequent the Common Prayers with all religious Duty and Reverence at all times required, as well as they doe Sermons: And that out of your Company you doe yearly about Eaſter, as the Canons preſcribe, name two Church Wardens, and [Page] two Sideſmen, which may look to the Orders of the Church, and give an Accompt according to their Office. And Mr Beaumont himſelfe is hereby to take notice that his Majeſties expreſſe pleaſure and Command to him is, that he doe punctually keep and obſerve all the Orders of the Church of England as they are preſcribed in the Canons and the Rubricks of the Liturgy. And that if any of your Company ſhall ſhew themſelves refractory to this Ordinance of his Majeſty (which we hope will not be) he is to certifie the name of any ſuch Offender and his offence to the Lord Biſhop of London for the time being, who is to take order and give remedy accordingly. And theſe Letters you are to regiſter and keep by you, that they which come after may underſtand what care his Majeſty hath taken for the well ordering of your Company in Church affaires. And you are likewiſe to deliver a Copy of theſe Letters to Mr Beaumont, and to every Succeſſor of his reſpectively, that he and they may know what his Majeſty expects from them, and be the more inexcuſable if they diſobey. Thus not doubting but that you will ſhew your ſelves very reſpectfull of theſe his Majeſties Commands, we leave you to the Grace of God and reſt.

Your very loving friend W. Cant.

By all which premiſes compared with his forementioned judgement of the Forraign Churches, that they were no true Churches of Chriſt becauſe they had no Biſhops; their Miniſters no Miniſters, and their Religion not the ſame with ours; it is infallibly evident, that his deſigne was to ſuppreſſe and ſubvert the Dutch and French Churches by degrees at home, and to embroyle them and our Engliſh Congregations abroad, for the better advancement of the Roman Catholike Church and Religion both at home and in Forraign parts. And ſo we have fully made good the twelfth Originall Article againſt him in all particulars.

Our eigth and laſt Evidence to prove his trayterous deſign to ſubvert the Proteſtant Religion and bring in Popery, is compriſed in the 13 Originall Article; That he hath trayterouſly and trecherouſly plotted and endeavoured to ſtirre up warre and enmity betwixt his Majeſties two Kingdoms of England and Scotland, and to that purpoſe hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdom of Scotland divers Innovations both in Religion and Government, all or the moſt part of them tending to Popery and Superſtition, to the great grievance and diſcontent of his Majeſties Subjects of that Nation; and for their refuſing to ſubmit to theſe Innovations, he did trayterouſly adviſe his Majeſty to ſubdue them by force of Arms &c. Nay joyned in confederacy with the Papiſts, Prieſts, Ieſuites, and employed Popiſh Captains and Commanders to make warre againſt them; all which we can abundently prove by ſundry Papers, under his own hand; by Originall Letters found in his ſtudy, and ſundry Additions, Alterations in the New Scottiſh Liturgy See A Neceſſary Introduction to the Archbiſhops Triall, p. 148, to 156. elſewhere recorded, the Originall Copy whereof we have ready to produce under his own hand. But becauſe he hath pleaded the Act of Pacification and Oblivion made ſince his Impeachment in barre of this Article, and the Scottiſh Liturgy (which doubtleſſe it extends not to) and thereby hath tacitely acknowledged the truth of this Article, of which he dares not abide the triall; we ſhall forbeare to give any evidence thereon, till his plea be over-ruld; which the Commons did not preſſe the Lords to do, becauſe they would avoyd expence of time, and conceived their forementioned evidence very full to convict him guilty of the firſt branch of his firſt generall Charge (abundantly proved by all the premiſes) That he hath trayterouſly endeavoured to ſubvert Gods true Religion, by Law eſtabliſhed in this Realm, and inſtead thereof to ſet up Popery, Superſtition, and Idolatry.

The ſecond BRANCH of the firſt generall CHARGE concerning the ARCH-BISHOPS endeavours to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of ROME.

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WEE ſhall now paſſe on to the ſecond Branch of the Arch-biſhops firſt generall impeachment touching Religion, thus expreſſed in the tenth originall Article.

That he hath traiterouſly and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome; and for the effecting thereof, hath confederated with divers popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits, and hath kept ſecret intelligence with the Pope of Rome, and by himſelfe, his Agents and Instruments, treated with ſuch as have from thence received authority and instructions; he hath permitted and countenanced a popiſh Hierarchy, or Eccleſiasticall government to be establiſhed in this Kingdome; by all which traiterous and malicious practiſes, the Church and Kingdome hath been exceedingly endangered, and hath been like to fall under the tyranny of the Roman Sea. Which is ſomewhat amplified in the ſeventh additional Article, which we ſhall conuex thereto.

To prove this Article, we ſhall lay downe and make good two ground-workes (which the precedent Evidence hath ſufficiently cleered:) Firſt, that this Arch-biſhop hath beene generally reputed a Perſon popiſhly affected, and a Papiſt in heart, both whiles he was reſident in the Univerſity of Oxford and ever ſince; and that he was beleeved, reported to be ſuch a one by the popiſh party, both at Rome, and elſwhere beyond the Seas. No wonder therefore if he endeavoured to reconcile and reduce the Church of England to the Church of Rome.

To prove the Arch biſhop a reputed Papiſt whiles he was reſident in Oxford, we ſhall produce two Witneſſes of credit, who knew him very well there, and have had ſome neere relation to him ſince. The firſt is Doctor Danel Featly, who depoſed viva voce at the Barre, That the Arch-biſhop whiles he was remaining in Oxford, was generally reputed to be popiſhly affected, and one addicted to the popiſh party, and that he meeting a Pupill of his at Paris in France (when he waited on Sir Thomas Edmonds as his Chaplaine there) which Pupill had turned a Papiſt; diſcourſing with him concerning this Arch-biſhop (then reſident in Saint John's Colledge in Oxford) he told him, that Doctor Laud his Tutor was againſt the Popes ſupremacy, NOTE. but did maintaine many Catholike points of their Religion. The ſecond is Sir Nathaniel Brent, his owne Vicar-generall, who depoſed at the Barre, that this Arch biſhop while he continued in Oxford, was there generally reputed to be popiſh; that he and others conceived him ſo, not upon any fained but upon very probable grounds; one whereof, then generally taken notice of, was, that when he did his exerciſe for Batchelour of Divinity, he tooke his ſuppoſition almoſt verbation out of Bellarmine, which he remembers the better, becauſe one Mr. Dale then Proctor, his Opponent, who took exceptions at it, ſhewed him his ſuppoſition in Bellarmines Works, concerning the neceſſity of Baptiſme, which was conſonant to the tenent of Rome. Another ground of this opinion of him was, that he held acquaintance, and moſt familiarly converſed [Page] with thoſe in the Univerſity who were moſt addicted to Popery, and reputed Papiſts, and had ſundry differences, bickerings, diſputes with many ſound Divines about points in Religion; particularly, he had very intimate acquaintance with, and oft frequented the company of one Browne, reputed a Papiſt in his life, and found to be ſo after his death; there being a manuſcript writ with his owne hand, and thought to be his owne, found in his Study, in defence of popery, and maintaining among other things, that one might be a Minister, officiate, and actually remaine in the Church of England, NOTE. and yet be actually reconciled to the Church of Rome. This book King James hearing of, ſent for it; which being brought to him, when he had read this paſſage, he ſaid, if this poſition of his were true, he could not now tell whom to truſt; And that there was ſuch a generall report of the Arch-biſhop then he thought himſelfe would not deny, and for that he had ſeen that book of Browns, a petition of this Biſhops in a great mans hands, to whom King James delivered them, wherein healleaged, that he NOTE. was traduced to be a Papiſt, but deſired his Majesty not to think ſo of him.

To theſe teſtimomies we ſhall adde a notable paſſage in Doctor Abbot's Sermon at Saint Peters in Oxford, on Eaſter-day, Anno 1615. formerly touched on p. 155. on which you may reflect.

That ſome were partly ROMISH, partly Engliſh, as occaſion ſerved them, that a NOTE. man might ſay unto them, Noſteres an adverſariorum? who under pretence of truth and preaching againſt the Puritan, ſtrike at the heart and root of the faith and Religion new eſtabliſhed among us, &c. That they cannot plead, they are ACCOUNTED PAPISTS, becauſe they ſpeak againſt the puritan, but becauſe BEING INDEED PAPISTS, they ſpeak nothing againſt them; If they doe at any time ſpeak againſt the papists, they doe but beat a little about the Buſh, and that but ſoftly too, for fear of waking and diſquieting the birds that are in it; they ſpeak nothing, but that wherein one Papiſt will ſpeake againſt another; as againſt Equivocation, the Popes temporall authority, and the like; and perhaps ſome of their blasphemous ſpeeches: But in the point of Freewill, Juſtification, Concupiſcence being a ſinne after Baptiſme, inherent righteouſneſſe, and certainty of ſalvation, THE PAPISTS BEYOND THE SEAS CAN SAY THEY ARE WHOLLY THEIRS, AND THE RECUSANTS NOTE. AT HOME MAKE THEIR BRAGS OF THEM, AND IN ALL THINGS THEY KEEP THEMSELVES SO NEERE THE BRINK, THAT UPON ANY OCCASION THEY MAY STEP OVER TO THEM.

Now for this ſpeech, that the Preſbyterians are as bad as the Papists; there is a ſting in the ſpeech, which I wiſh had been left out; for there are many churches beyond the ſeas, which contend for the Religion establiſhed among us, which yet have approved and admitted the preſbytery; and this is to make them as bad as the papists. Beſides, there have lived among us many reverend and worthy men, which have not rejected the preſbytery, taking it even for Lay-Elders: and among the reſt Doctor Nowell, late Deane of Pauls, in his Larger Catechiſme, pag. 29. & 71. affirmeth, that in every well-governed Church there was a Presbytery; and yet this Catechiſme by the late reverend Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, was commanded to be had in every Grammar Schoole; Which ſurely he would not have done, if the preſbyterians were as da [...] rous or bad as the papiſts.

And now that I have cleered my ſelfe from this imputation of being for the preſbytery, it will lye upon them to CLEARE THRMSELVES IF THEY CAN FROM THEIR SUSPITION OF POPERY: For as Saint Hierom ſpeakes NOTE. In crimine haereſeos patientem eſſe non decet: And for their ſpeech of preferment, its not that I look for; I make account I have lived to the end of a Students life; and God forbid that now for the hope of a little preferment, I ſhould betray the cauſe of Chriſt: I have been ever of this mind: if there be no preferment on earth there is enough in Heaven: And my deſire is, while I live here, to walk in ſincerity and truth: If I ſhould doe otherwiſe, how ſhould I look my Saviour in the face? might he not ſay uto me, what art thou? ROMISH or Engliſh? PAPIST or PROTESTANT? or what art [Page] thou? A MONGRELL OR COMPOUND OF BOTH? A Proteſtant by NOTE. Ordination, A PAPIST in the point of Freewill, inherent Righteouſneſſe, and the like; A Proteſtant in receiving the Sacrament, A PAPIST in the Doctrine of the Sacrament? What doe you thinke, are there two Heavens? If there be, get you to the other and place your ſelves there, for into this where I am, yee ſhall not come.

Theſe Notes of Doctor Abbots Sermon were found in this Arch-biſhops Study, written with his owne hand (produced and atteſted by Maſter Prynne) incloſed in a copy of a Letter of his to the then Biſhop of Lincolne, under his owne hand too, thus indorſed by him; April. 18. 1615. The copy of a Letter which I ſent to the Lord Biſhop of Lincolne concerning a Sermon, in which Doctor Abbot HAD WRONGED ME IN THE UNIVERSITY: In which Letter he incloſed theſe Notes for his Lordſhip to peruſe, complaining thus therein, I came time enough to be at the rehearſall of this Sermon: upon much perſwaſion I went to Church, where I was faine to ſit patiently, and heare my ſelfe abuſed almoſt an hour together, yet I was pointed at as I ſate; for this preſent abuſe, I would have taken no notice of it, but that THE WHOLE UNIVERSITY APPLIES IT TO ME; and my owne friends tell me, I ſhall ſink my credit, if I anſwer not Doctor Abbot in his own NOTE. kind: Nevertheleſſe in a buſineſſe of this kind, I will not be ſwayed from a patient courſe; Onely I deſire your Lordſhip to vouchſafe me ſome direction what to doe, &c.

By which it is cleere, under his owne hand-writing, that Doctor Abbot and the whole Univerſity in the yeer 1615. reputed and accounted him a Papiſt; a Papiſt indeed, at leaſtwiſe, partly Romiſh, and partly Engliſh; or a mongrell and a compound of a Papiſt and Protestant; one ready upon all occaſions to ſtep over to the Papists: A Papiſt in the Doctrine of freewill, justificaiian by works, inherent righteouſneſſe, concupiſcence no ſinne after Baptiſme, certainly of ſalvation, and the Doctrine of the Sacrament; and that the papiſts beyond the ſeas could ſay, he was WHOLLY THEIRS, and the Recuſants at home make their brags of him.

This his temper was the cauſe of Doctor Hals Letter to W. L. (William Laud as is generally conceived) long ſince printed, Anno 1608. in the third Decad of his Epiſtles; Epiſt. 5. page 55. (for which his works were lately threatned to be called in, or this Leter expunged out of them) wherein he thus expoſtulates with him for his unſetledneſſe and newtrality in Religion, and inclining to the popiſh party: I would I knew where to find you, then I could tell how to take a direct ayme, whereas now I muſt rove and conjecture; to day YOU ARE IN THE TENTS OF THE ROMANISTS; to morrow in ours; the next day betweene both, NOTE. againſt both: Our adverſaries think you ours; WEE, THEIRS. Your conſcience finds you with both, and neither: I flatter you not; this of yours, is the worſt of all tempers; how long will you walk in this indifferency? reſolve one way, and know at laſt what you doe hold; that you ſhould caſt off either your wings, or your teeth: and loathing this Batlike nature, be either a bird or a beaſt, &c.

We ſhall conclude this part of our Evidence with the depoſition of Francis Harris, a converted Prieſt, examined upon oath before the Lords, who being in the Parliaments Army, could not poſſibly be procured viva voce (of which oath was made) and thereupon his depoſition was read as followeth.

The Examination of FRANCIS HARRIS of Chriſt-Church London, taken Jan. 9. 1643. before the Lords Committee, appointed to take the Examinations in the Cauſe of the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury.

THis Deponent ſaith, that he being at Paris in France, about 24. yeers ſince, meeting with one Ireland (who had formerly bin one of the chief School-Maſters of Westmin. School, and then a Prieſt) and diſcourſing familiarly with this Deponent, [Page] the ſaid Ireland told him, that the now Arch biſhop of Canterbury and he were intimate friends, and that he had diſcovered unto him, when they were in the Univerſity together, that the ſaid Arch-biſhops reſolution was, to leave the Kingdome, and to reconcile himſelfe to the Church of Rome, and that he knew him to be a Papiſt in his NOTE. heart, and wondred why he ſtaid ſo long behind, ſaying, that perchance honores mutant mores. And this Deponent further ſaith, That one Leander a Benedictine Fryar, and Doctor of the Chaire at Doway, by the common report of Papists and Priests, both abroad and in England, was very familiar with the ſaid Arch-biſhop, and came over on purpoſe into England (where this Deponent ſince ſaw him) to negotiate with the ſaid Arch-biſhop about matters of Religion, to make a reconciliation between the Church of Rome and England: And this Deponent was bred up a Roman Catholike, and a ſcholler, and a ſecular Prieſt, and upon better advice reconciling himſelfe to the Church of England did often ſolicite and petition the ſaid Archbi. for ſome mean imployment in the Ministery, as having done very good ſervice in diſcovering Prieſts and Jeſuits to the Meſſengers appointed to apprehend them, but the Archbiſhop never gave hau any encouragement or countenance.

This Examination taken before Us, Kent. Lincolne. Francis Harris.

That he hath been reputed a Papiſt in heart, opinion and practiſe ever ſince he left the Univerſity, is ſo notoriouſly knowne to all, that we ſhall produce no witneſſes, many having been publikely cenſured, and privately queſtioned by his power, for calling and reporting him ſuch a one and many publike papers being paſted up and ſcattered about the City and Court from time to time, proclaiming him ſuch a one, of vvhich we have at leaſt a dozen, found among his owne and Secretary Windebankes writings: and that our Engliſh popiſh prieſts and Roman Catholikes (as well as Proteſtants) beaſted of him to be theirs, vve have many inſtances vvhich vve could produce, did vve need ſuch evidence, and the teſtimony of tvvo Prieſts to boot.

But vve ſhall rather informe and prove to your Lordſhips, vvhat repute the papiſts had of him in foraigne parts, yea even in Rome it ſelfe, ſince himſelfe hath chalked [...] out the vvay, and furniſhed us vvith this kind of proofe, by procuring Sir Henry Mildmay (a Member of the Houſe of Commons) very unſeaſonably and unhappily to teſtifie for him in this kind, vvhat a hard opinion they had of him, and hovv much he vvas hated in Rome by the Jeſuits and others, more then any man breathing, the manner of enforcing vvhoſe teſtimony is very remarkable.

The Arch-biſhop ſome fevv dayes before his tryall, petitioned the Houſe of Commons, that Sir Henry Mildmay of the Jewell Houſe (one of their Members) might be examined in his behalfe, as a ſpeciall witneſſe for him, how much he was hated and ſpoken againſt above all men at Rome, for oppoſing the Popes and Papiſts deſignes in England. Which being granted, the Arch-biſhop moved tvvo or three times very unſeaſonably, that Sir Henry might be called to give in his teſtimony in this kind; vvho being then out of Tovvn and not appearing the Committee of Commons who managed the Evidence, promiſed to ſend for, and cauſe him to appeare the next day at the Lords Bar; vvhich he did, to wit, on June 11. 1644. Whereupon the Archbiſhop deſired him to acquaint the Lords. Whether he had not been of late yeers at Rome, and what opinion they held of himſelf there? Whether Sir Henry upon his return from thence, dining with him at Lambeth, did not tell him of his own accord, he was the moſt odiousman of any at Rome? and therefore certainely the furtheſt of any from ſetting up popery, and endeavouring to reconcile us to Rome. Whereupon Sir Henry ſaid; My Lords, it is true, J was ſome few yeers ſince at Rome not upon any meſſage or deſigne at all, but being ſomewhat infirme in body, J was adviſed by my phyſicians to travell for a time into forraign parts to recover my health: Wherupon J firſt travailed into France, from thence into Italy, and being there, to ſatiſfie my owne curioſity, and recover my health, J travelled to Rome. During my abode there, J was very [Page] inquiſitive to know, what opinion they had of us in England, and of the great men there, especially of the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury: and I obſerved there were ſome there that were againſt the Arch-biſhop, and ſpake ill of him; others that ſpake very well of him, and ſo much I informed him at Lambeth upon my returne from thence; but I deny that ever I told him, he was the moſt odious man at Rome of any, or, of any that had ſate in that Sea: The Arch-biſhop then averred, that he uſed theſe ſpeeches to him at dinner at Lambeth, at a time when Auditor Phillips was there; who demanded of Sir Henry, whether he ſaw the Pope when he was at Rome, and what manner of man he was? Who replied, that he ſaw him in his Garden out of a window, riding a great horſe in a morning, and that he was very like the Auditor; Sir Henry confeſſed this diſcourſe with the Auditor, but abſolutely denied he ever ſaid, he was the moſt odious man at Rome of any, &c. and deſired him to prove it: Wherupon the Archbiſhop asked of his Secretary Dell, whether he did not heare Sir Henry tell him ſo much at dinner? Who anſwered, that he did not heare him ſay ſo, but that his Grace told him after dinner that he ſaid ſo; which Sir Henry peremptorily denied: After which Sir Henry being demanded by Maſter Serjeant Wild, who they were that ſpake againſt the Arch-biſhop, who for him? and what he conceived to be the cauſe why ſome ſpake thus againſt him, others in his behalf? He anſwered, that there were two factions in Rome, one of the Jeſuits; ſome of theſe diſliked the Arch-biſhop and ſpake againſt him, becauſe they conceived he aimed at too great an Eccleſiaſticall power in theſe Kingdomes, for himſelf: The other was of the Secular Prieſts who all ſpake very well of him and commended him, becauſe he carried himſelfe in ſuch ſort in the government of our Church, as to draw it neerer unto the Church of Rome, and ſhewed himſelfe favourable to their party: Whereupon the Arch-biſhop ſaid, that Sir Henry never told him this before: Who anſwered, it was true; and the reaſon was, becauſe he never demanded of him any ſuch Queſtion, but now he was demanded the Question upon his Oath, and therefore he muſt ſpeak the truth. At which paſſage moſt of the Auditory ſmiled, and the Committee of Commons who managed the Evidence, thanked the Arch-biſhop for this good teſtimony on his behalfe, deſiring him to furniſh them with ſome more ſuch witneſſes: Adding, that ſeeing Sir Henry was but a ſingle witneſſe in this caſe, and ſo perhaps the Arch-biſhop would evade his teſtimony, though produced by himſelfe; and ſince he had given them this occaſion, to examine what opinion the Prieſts and Jeſuits had of him at Rome; they therefore humbly deſired, that they might now produce the teſtimonies of ſome other Gentlemen of note, who had been at Rome as well as S. Hen. & could give as good or better an account of his credit there, as he had done. Whereupon they poduced Captain Authony Mildmay (brother to Sir Henry) to teſtifie his knowledge in this particular; who depoſed at the Bar upon oath; That he was at Rome at the time when Con, the Popes Nuncio, was to come over into Eng. as Nuncio; who then enquired of him concerning the infirmities and age of Arch-biſhop Abbot, and thereupon ſaid, Biſhop Laud who is to ſucceed him, will be more favourable to us then he hath been: That there were two great factions in Rome one of the Jeſuits, another of the Secular Prieſts; that the Jeſuits faction did not like the Archb. becauſe he uſurped too much Eccleſiaſticall power to himſelf and endeavoured to make himſelfe a Patriarke over all his Majeſties Kingdomes; but the Secular Prieſts and their faction loved and ſpake very well of him, becauſe they ſaid they knew him to be their friend, and that he had a deſigne to bring the Popiſh Religion into England: NOTE. That Father Fitton and Father John told him, that there was a deſigne to reconcile England to the Church of Rome, that Biſhop Laud was the chiefe inſtrument in it, that other Engliſh Biſhops did joyne with him in the deſigne, and that he ſhould find, that there ſhould be none preferred in the Court, but ſuch as were Papiſts, or affected to popery: That Father Fitton being the generall agent for the Secular Prieſts, had extraordinary good intelligence from England, and that Maſter Walter Mountague when he was at Rome, lay at his houſe; that Father John was the generall agent at Rome for the Benedictines; and that Father Talbot a Jeſuit, had told him as much as theſe two had done concerning Biſhop Laud; who yet ſpake ſomewhat ill of him, becauſe [Page] (ſaid he) he intends to make himſelfe a Patriark of all the Kings Dominions out of his pride, which (he ſaid) would eclipſe the Popes authority, and therefore he ſaid he NOTE. was condemned at Rome by their party (the Jeſuits) for this particular, although otherwiſe he was a great favourer of their Religion.

This teſtimony, even from Rome it ſelfe, is very full and punctuall to our purpoſe, that there was no difference at all between the Secular Prieſts and the Archbiſhop, nor yet between the Jeſuits and him, but only this, that he out of his ambition would, like his Predeceſſor Anſelme, be Malmesb. De Geſt. Pontif. Angl. l. 1. Relation of a Conference with Fiſher. pag. 271. Papa alterius orbis, the Pope or Patriark of our other world and of the Kings Dominions (which the titles of Sanctitatis Vestrae & Sanctiſſime Pater, attributed to him by the Univerſity of Oxford and Maſter Croxton, made them jealous of) which the Jeſuits could not well brook at Rome.

But to make this more cleer, we ſhall adde one witneſſe more, who hath been often times at Rome, and ſpent divers yeers among papiſts in foraigne parts, and that is one Maſter Thomas Challoner a Gentleman of quality, who thereupon being ſworn gave in this following teſtimony, viva voce upon oath, which he ſet downe under his owne hand.

§

MY LORDS,

TOuching the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, I can ſay little in particular, but in generall thus:

Firſt, that for theſe fourteen or fifteen yeers laſt paſt, it hath been my fortune divers and ſundry times to be in France, Flanders, Holland and Italy, where very often happening into the company of Lawyers prieſts, and men of the long Robe, I found them alwayes very forward in their diſcourſe of England, and of the great hopes they had to ſee it ſuddenly reduced to the catholike faith: that they had many great parſons in England who were ſecretly of their religion, and in particular, the Arch-biſhop, whom they avowed to be wholly theirs, a good Roman Catholike, a politike propagator NOTE. of the Roman faith, by minutes and degrees, wherein he uſed great ſubtilty and craft, which they called wiſdom; and that both he and others would openly declare themſelves ſo to be in time convenient, beſeeching God & the bleſſed Virgin to proſper his deſignes. And this is ſo notorious, as I beleeve no man of any experience in foraigne parts who hath had an eare to hear, or a tongue and heart to ſpeak the truth, but hath heard the ſame often re-iterated and will atteſt it. Yet upon what foundation theſe opinions ſhould be built, I am not preciſely able to determine.

Secondly, that eleven or twelve yeers ſince I being at Bruxels in Brabant, and there diſcourſing with an Engliſh Gentleman, who had been an ancient traveller, touching the then late rooting out of ſundry Engliſh able and orthodox Miniſters, for not complying with the Biſhops in divers new idolatrous ceremonies; this Gentleman aſſured me, that he had often heard of ſtrange reports of matters likely to befall England, both from Engliſh and Iriſh papiſts, which he gave no heed unto, ſuppoſing them to ſpeake rather as they would have it, then as it was in verity: But now that he had heard ſo much from me, he did much ſuſpect that there was ſome plot in hand to change the Religion in Eng. wherof he would diligently enquire, aſſuring me that he had as good means to know it, as any man of our Nation that lived on that ſide of the Seas. At our next meeting, he told me, that he had dived into the plot. That ere long,NOTE:we muſt all of neceſſity be papiſts in Eng. that the beſt wits both in Eng. and on that ſide of the Seas were interested therein: That it was ſo politickly laid, that he did not ſee how in the judgment of man it could poſſibly be prevented: That the Archb. and ſome other Biſhops were of the plot, and that the reſt of the Biſhops and Clergy, partly for feare of loſing what they had, partly for hopes of geting more, would undoubtedly comply: That the refuſers if they could not be corrupted, were to be turned out of their livings, baniſhed, impriſoned, or forced to live in obſcurity: That it was to be done by gradations, to bring in this point of Popery in one quarter of a yeer, and the reſt in another; and if not direct popery, yet ſo neer thereunto, as the common people themſelves [Page] would ſlide into it unawares: that nothing but the King of Sweden's prosperity did hinder the ſudden effecting of it. Lastly, that if we reſisted not, we ſhould be cheated and cozened of our Religion; and if we reſisted, we ſhould be compelled thereto perforce.

I replied, that I thought the Papiſts in England were not of any conſiderable number to effect their ends by force, and that they were alſo diſ-armed. He told me the Papiſts were more in number, and better armed then I conceived them to be; many going now to Church, who would then declare themſelves papiſts; beſides a world of Newters, who for hopes of preferment, would be eaſily drawne to their party: that they vvere all united, and beſides armed with authority: He affirming, that for many yeers vve had vvholly been governed by Papiſts; moſt men in higheſt authority being either vvholly ſo, or at leaſt, as ſerviceable unto them for private ends, as if they vvere ſo indeed.

I replied, that if we ſhould be compelled to defend our Religion by force, their authority would not be regarded. He told me, the Iriſh vvould be brought in. I anſwered, NOTE. that I had ſpent ſome yeers in Ireland, and knew them to want both courage and meanes to effect ſo great a buſineſſe, ſo that unleſſe they were backed by the King of Spaine in a better manner then I conceived he was able at that time to doe, they durſt not undertake it. He told me, they ſhould have a better back, and more encouragement then the King of Spaine could give them, and that both France and Spain ſhould aſſiſt therein.

I replied, that I thought France and Spaine were likely to diſagree, and therefore unfit for ſuch a buſineſſe. He told me, that ſince J vvould needs have it, the greateſt introducers of popery ſhould be the Proteſtants themſelves: Whereat vvhen J vvondred, as ſeeming to me a paradox; he told me, that the vvar ſhould be ſo diſguiſed, under NOTE: falſe notions and pretences, as the Proteſtants ſhould ignorantly become the Jeſuits ſervants, and by the effuſion of their ovvne blood, ſet up popery by force.

Thirdly, that being in Rome ſeven or eight yeers ſince, one Father John of the Order of Saint Benet, was very tnquiſitive of me to knovv, vvho beſtovved the livings in England, and vvhether the Arch biſhop did not doe it? I anſwered, that the livings NOTE. were in the donation of ſuch as had the Advouſons of them whether it were the King Arch biſhops, Biſhops, Deanes and Chapters, Colledges, Corporations, Noble men, Gentlemen or others. He asked me, if the Arch-biſhop did not beſtow the Kings livings? I ſaid no but the Lord Keeper, if they were under ſuch a value; if above, the King himſelfe. He ſeemed very much agrieved that the Arch-biſhop did not beſtow them, and NOTE: told me, that he did not deſpaire of ſeeing England to be very ſuddenly Catholike: And though be were, by reaſon of his Order, tyed more ſtrictly to the Pope then others were, yet he was carefull to have both Kings and Kingdomes priviledges preſerved, and more particularly, that the Benefices in England might not be beſtowed upon Italians as formerly, but that the Arch-biſhop ſhould have the ordering thereof. All this I have oft related ſome yeers ſince, to divers perſons of quality, for which I incurred ſome trouble by the Jeſuits and this Arch-biſhops meanes.

This Teſtimony is ſo home and punctuall, that we ſhall adde no more thereto: it informs us of a long ſince plotted and actuated confederacy between this Archbiſhop and other Engliſh Prelats, and the Popes Inſtruments at Rome and in other forraigne parts, to introduce popery, and reduce us back to Rome: It chalks out to us the manner and method of their proceedings in all particulars and the politick contrivances of all ſorts to effect their intended deſigne; all which we have by wofull experience ſeen punctually acted, purſued accordingly to this very moment in which purſuit this Archbiſhop hath been the Archinſtrument; ſince then we viſibly behold theſe reports of theirs verefied to the view of all the world; we muſt no longer look upon them is empty rumours or diſcourſes, but as reall Evidences beyond all exceptions.

The ſecond groundwork we ſhall lay and prove is this: That there hath been for many [Page] yeers laſt paſt, a dangerous damnable Plot, and ſerious endeavour of the Pope and his Inſtruments to reduce and reconcile the Church of England to the Church and Sea of Rome, and that this Arch-biſhop was privy to, and had notice of it.

This Plot was firſt laid about the yeer 1617. when the Spaniſh Match was ſet See A neceſſary Introduction to the Arch-biſhops Triall, p. 1. to 50. on foot, and King Charles (then Prince of Wales) fent into Spaine, of purpoſe to reconcile him (and in him our Kingdomes) to the Church of Rome, the prime end the Pope and Catholikes intended in that Match and Treaty; as appeares by the ſeverall Articles paſſages and proceedings in it, well knowne to this Prelate, by the Popes Letter to the Prince, whiles in Spaine, to reconcile him to Rome, and make him a dutifull Sonne of that Church, by the Popes Letter to his Nuncio, the Biſhop of Conchen (when the Prince was in Spaine) to endeavour his converſion to their Church upon this occaſion; by a Jeſuits Oration, to induce his Highneſſe to that Religion, and by the Articles of the Duke of Buckingham againſt the Lord Digby, and the Lord Digbies Articles of impeachment againſt him in Parliament, charging one another reciprocally with high treaſon, for endeavouring to withdraw the Prince (when in Spaine) from his Religion, and make him a Roman Catholike; of all which we find Authentick Copies endorſed with his owne and Windebanke (his creatures) hands, among both their ſeized papers (already publiſhed at large in print, where you may peruſe them at leizure) and therefore he could not poſſibly be ignorant of this Plot: The rather becauſe the ſending of the King (when Prince) into Spaine, was the Duke of Buckingham's project, of purpoſe to ſeduce him in his Religion, for which there were Ibidem p. 31, 32, 33. Articles of high Treaſon exhibited againſt him by the Lord Digby in the Houſe of Peers in Parliament, on the firſt of May, 1626. as appeares by the Lords Journall, and the Biſhops owne Diary; to which Duke this Biſhop was both a Confeſſor, and cabinet boſome Covnſeller, as theſe clauſes in his owne Diary manifeſt. June 9. 1622. My Lord Marqueſſe of Buckingham was pleaſed to enter upon a neerer reſpect to me, the particulars are not for paper: (therefore certainly ſome deep Myſtery of iniquity fit to be concealed) June 15. I became C. (Confeſſor as himſelfe expounded it) to my L. of Buckingham. Jan. 11. My Lord of Buckingham and I in the inner Chamber at York-houſe, &c. and Fed. 17. next following, The Prince and Marqueſſe Buckingham ſet forwards very ſecretly for Spaine.

That this Prelat was privy to the plot of ſending the Prince thither, before he was ſent, and to the Inſtructions given him here how to demean himſelf even toward the Pope and his inſtruments when he came thither, is moſt apparent by his owne Letter under his owne hand, ſent to Biſhop Hall, Jan. 14. 1639. wherein there is this notable paſſage, Here p. 264. formerly urged upon another occaſion.

The laſt (with which I durſt not but acquaint the King) is about Antichriſt, which Title in three or four places of your Book, you beſtow upon the Pope poſitively and determinately; whereas King James of bleſſed memory, having brought ſtrong proofe in a work of his, as you well know, to prove the Pope to be Antichriſt, and being aftewards CHALLENGED ABOUT IT, he made this Anſwer; WHEN THE KING THAT NOW IS WENT INTO SPAINE, AND ACQUAINTED NOTE. HIM WITH IT, that he wrote that, not concludingly, but by way of Argument onely, that the Pope and his adherents might ſee, there was as good and better Arguments to prove him Antichriſt, then for the Pope to challenge temporall juriſdiction over Kings: THIS WHOLE PASSAGE BEING KNOWNE TOME, I could not but ſpeake with the King about it, who commanded me to write unto you, that you might qualifie NOTE. your expreſsion in theſe particulars, and ſo not differ from the knowne judgement of his pious and learned Father, &c.

By this relation under his owne hand and Seale, it is as cleere as the noon-day Sunne, this Prelat was not onely privy to the Kings voyage into Spaine before he departed hence, but likewiſe to the private inſtructions for his carriage towards the Pope & his agents when he came there; and his zeal to have this title of Antichriſt given to the Pope by Biſhop Hall ſo lately, thus qualified, obliterated, and his complaint of it to the King at this time, plainly ſhewes that he bare a good [Page] affection to the Pope and his deſignes both then and now, and politickly furniſhes King James with this equivocating Anſwer, to pleaſe his Holineſſe: and to put all out of queſtion, that he was privy to this journey before it was undertaken, we ſhall prove it by his owne Diary; wherein thus he writes: Feb. 17. 1622: The Prince and the Marqueſſe Buckingham ſet forwards very ſecretly for Spaine: Feb. 21. I writ to my Lord of Buckingham into Spaine: March 31. 1623. I received Letters from my Lord of Buckingham out of Spaine: April 19. I received Letters from my Lord of Buckingham out of Spaine: June 13. I received Letters from the Duke of Buckingham out of Spaine: Aug. 17. I received Letters from the Duke of Buckingham out of Spaine. By which it is apparent, Firſt, that he knew of the time of their ſecret departure to Spaine the very day they went: Secondly, that he knew whether they went, and writ Letters to the Duke into Spaine within foure dayes after their departure hence, before they were neere there, or knowne to be arrived there: Thirdly, that he held conſtant intelligence with the Duke all the time he was in Spaine, writing frequently to him, and received no leſſe then four Letters from him from thence; therefore queſtionleſſe he was privy to this perilous journey of the Prince into Spaine (one of the horrideſt treaſons that ever was acted) thereby to pervert him in his Religion, and reconcile both him and our Kingdomes to the Sea of Rome; for this very act alone (which his profeſſion, as a Biſhop, ought to have engaged him againſt with all his might) he deſerved to be impeached of high treaſon as well as the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Digby, who impeached one one another of See A Neceſſary Introduction to the Arch-biſhop of Canterburies Tryall, p. 31, 32, 33, 34. high treaſon for it in Parliament, anno 1626. In one word, this Biſhop at the time of the Princes being in Spaine, was ſo farre in love with the Maſſe-book, and ſo ſtudious of it, that he noted his Miſſale Romanum (neatly bound up & gilt, in folio) almoſt in every leaf with his own hand, by way of approbation, and every moneth in the Callender of it, by inſerting into it with his own pen, the Feaſts and Stories of divers Popiſh Saints, with the tranſlations of their Reliques; and in the Moneth of Sepetmber, the 13. day he writes this Memoriall of the Princes returne out of Spaine; Prince Charles this night took ſhip at Saint Andrews to come out of Spaine, but had no prayers in his ſhip that night, becauſe ſo many Spaniards were aboard. To prove which, the Miſſal it ſelfe was produced: This his noting and ſtudying of the Maſſe-book at that very time, doth as we conceive, ſtrongly intimate his approbation of it, his good hopes and aſſiſtance to introduce it by that Spaniſh Match, had it ſucceeded.

But that breaking off (to his griefe) ſoone after the Princes returne from Spaine, the next deſigne of the Duke and his popiſh confederates, to reconcile, See A Neceſſary Introduction, &c. p. 69 [...] to 150. reduce us to Rome, was the tranſlation of their Scene from Spaine into France, and making up a popiſh Match there, between the King and our preſent Queen Mary (a zealous Roman Catholike & grand patriot of that party) whoſe powerfull mediation and ſolicitations, might (as theythen writ) in time effect and accompliſh this plot, as we have elſwhere cleerly demonſtrated: And in this project likewiſe this Arch-biſhop had a finger, if not a hand: For the Duke of Buckingham (with whom he was a Cabinet Counſellour) being ſent into France to conſummate that Match, and bring over the Queene from thence, we find this Arch-biſhop poſted Letters thither to him, immediatly after his departure hence, by theſe ſeverall paſſages in his Diary. May 11. 1625. Die Mercurij primo mane Dux Buck. Verſus mare ſe tranſtulit obviam iturus Reginae Mariae in Galliam: Dedi ad Ducem eo die Literas, ſed quae properantem ſequerentur: Maij 19. Die Jovis Literas ſecundas miſi ad Ducem Buck, tunc pauliſper morantem Pariſijs: Maij 29. Die Solis Literas tertias dedi in manus Epiſcopi Dunelmenſis, qui cum Rege iturus, traderet eas Duci Buck. ad litus applicanti: Junij 5. Die Pentecoſtes mane inſtanter iturus ad ſacra, Literas è Gallia à Duce Clariſ. Buckinghamiae in manus meas ſe dedere. Reſponſum dedi Aurora proxima: Junij 12. Die Solis Regina Maria, maria pertranſciens, ad Litus Noſtrum appulit, circiter boram ſeptimam Veſpertinam: Det Deus ut Haſpera ſit The very expreſſion uſed by Nich. le Maistre, a French Prieſt, in his Inſtauratio Antiqui Epiſcoporum Principatus Pariſiis 1633. p. 279. Quid vetat id ipſum in Anglià perfici, maxime ubi deſaeviit ćador ille perſecutionum per magnanimi Regis, & Invictiſſimi Prinpis benignitatem, per imminent iſtis Regionibus in Chariſſima Coniuge Sydus Borbonium Quibus Aſtristanquam Dioſcuris, deferveſcat forſan aliquando tempeſtas, & agnoſcet Generſus Princeps Chriſtum eundem, ſub quo Maiores ſui tam glorioſe triumpha [...]unt. & foelix Stella orbi noſtro. Theſe [Page] ſeverall Letters of his to and from the Duke upon this occaſion (the Originals and Copies whereof could we have met with them, would doubtleſſe have diſcovered many notable ſecrets) intimate, both his privity to, and concurrence in this popiſh French Match, as well as in the Spaniſh.

This we ſhall further cleere by other paſſages in his owne Diary, diſcovering what a great favourite and inſtrument of the Qveens he hath been, even ſince the Marriage. Aug. 30. 1634. Saturday at Oatlands, the Queen ſent for me, and gave me NOTE. thanks for a buſineſſe with which ſhee truſted me; her promiſe then that ſhe would be my friend, and that I ſhould have immediate addreſſe to her when I had occaſion. Here we have the Queen truſting the Arch-biſhop with a private buſineſſe; her thanks for his diſcharge of this truſt, with a promiſe of future favour, and immediate addreſſe to her upon all occaſions: May 18. & 24. 1635. Whitſon Munday at Greenwich, my account to the Queen put off till Trinity Sunday, then given her by my ſelfe, and aſſurance of all that was deſired by me, &c. A very ſuſpitious paſſage: after which, five whole NOTE. lines are ſo raſed that they are not legible: April 3. 1639. Wedneſday, before the Kings going, I ſetled with him a great buſineſſe for the Queen, which I under ſtood ſhee would never move for her ſelfe: the Queen gave me great thanks, and this, day I waited purpoſely on her, to give her thanks for her gracious acceptance; ſhee was pleaſed to be very free with me, and to promiſe me freedome.

This intimacy of the Arch-biſhop with the Queene, theſe private ſervices he did for her, and theſe ſpeciall mementoes of her favours to, and freeneſſe with him, could not be to convert her to the Proteſtant Religion (which he never attempted in any meaſure, for ought we ever heard) it being contrary to the tenth Article of her Marriage, which runs thus; Alſo the King of Great Britaine is by Oath bound NOT TO ENDEAVOUR BY ANY MEANS AT ALL NOTE. to have his ſaid Queen to renounce the Catholike, Apoſtolike and Romiſh Religion, nor compell her to do any thing whatſoever that is contrary to the ſame Religion. Now this Archbi. was ſo farre from endeavouring her converſion to our Religion himſelfe, that in his owne Metropoliticall viſitation, he prohibited Miniſters publikely to pray for the Queens converſion in their Pulpits, and queſtioned, cenſured ſome Miniſters in the High Commiſſion, for praying for her converſion from Popery to our Religion, as a grand unpardonable offence. To prove this, we ſhall firſt produce his owne Informations and Inſtructions to Sir Nathaniel Brent (endorſed, ſubſcribed with his own hand) touching his Metropoliticall viſitation in the Dioceſſe of London, in March 1636. Among which we find a paper thus endorſed; Informations of divers abuſes in the City of London: The ſecond particular whereof is this; That ſome Preachers take great liberty to pray before and after their Sermons looſly NOTE. and factiouſly, as FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE QUEEN: over againſt which, theſe two names are written in the margin; Maſter Walker of Saint Johns Evangeliſt, Maſter Burtons Curate, &c. Saint Matthew Friday-ſtreet: To which himſelfe adds this ſubſcription, directed to his Vicar generall that viſited:

§

I require you, that beſides my other Instructions, you give me an account of all particulars within named

W. CANT.

Hereupon Sir Nathaniel Brent in purſuance of this Order, in his open viſitation prohibited the Miniſters to pray for the Queenes converſion: for proofe whereof, Maſter Hugh Ratcliffe of Martins Ludgate, teſtified upon oath, That at a viſitation held at Bow Church in London by Sir Nathaniel Brent, Vicar generall to this Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, in whoſe right he then viſited, about Mar. 1636. the ſaid Sir Nath. then and there in his publike charge to the Miniſters, in his bearing uſed theſe words; Whereas divers of you in your Prayers before your Sermons, Uſe TO PRAY FOR THE NOTE. QUEENS CONVERSION, YOU ARE TO DOE SO NO MORE. Adding, that the Queen did not doubt of her converſion; meaning, that ſhee [Page] doubted not but that ſhee was already in the right way: We could produce other witneſſes of this, but the thing is ſo notorious, we ſhall need no more.

From this inhibition of his, we may certainly inferre theſe concluſions: Firſt, that he who thus publikely inhibited other Miniſters to pray for the Queens converſion, would never queſteonleſſe himſelfe endeavour by prayer, conference, or intimacy with her, to convert her to our Religion: Secondly, that he muſt verily beleeve her popiſh Religion to be the true Religion, and ours the falſe; elſe both himſelfe and all other our Miniſters were bound, in duty, conſcience, moſt realouſly and conſtantly to pray in ſpeciall manner to God, for her Highneſſe converſion from it, becauſe Gods Word and chriſtian charity required it; the imminent danger that might and doth acrew thereby to her owne ſoule in particular, to his Majeſty, his royall Iſſue, and this whole Church, State in generall, exacts it; and the publike Liturgy of our Church (which this Prelate ſo much ſtickled for) both warrants and preſcribes it; not onely in the ſpeciall Collects for the King and Queen, the Letany, the Prayer for the eſtate of the whole Church militant, but likewiſe in the Collect for Good-friday, which runs thus:

Mercifull God, who haſt made all men, and hateſt nothing that thou haſt made, nor wouldeſt the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould be converted & live, have mercy upon all Jewes, Turkes, Inſidels and Heretycks, and take from them all ignorance, hardneſſe of heart and contempt of thy Word, and ſo fetch them home (bleſſed Lord) to thy ſtocke, that they may be ſaved among the remnant of the true Iſraelites, and be made one fold under one Shepheard, Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, &c. May, yea muſt we then pray for all Jewes, Turkes, Hereticks in generall, that God would really convert and bring them to his fold, though we have no ſpeciall relation to them; and muſt our Miniſters yet be expreſly prohibited to pray for the Queens converſion in particular, to whom we have ſo neere relation; the want of whoſe converſion hath brought ſo many miſchiefs, wars on our Church and Kingdomes? Certainly this was an Act of the greateſt impiety that ever was committed by any chriſtian Prelat, if he really beleeved the Queen to live in a falſe Religion; and may juſtly brand him for an Atheiſt, being diametrally contrary to Gods precept, 1 Tim. 3. 1, 2. I exhort therefore, that firſt of all ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions and giving of thanks be made FOR ALL MEN, for Kings and ALL THAT ARE IN AƲTHORITY, that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſſe and honeſty: Therefore he muſt needs beleeve her popiſh Religion to be the true, ours the falſe; elſe he would have encouraged rather then prohibited Miniſters to pray for her converſion unto us and our Religion, whom it ſeems by this inhibition, he would have converted to her and hers. Thirdly, this inhibition manifeſts, at the leaſt, that the Archbiſhop was a very cordiall friend, ſervant, not onely to her Majeſties perſon but her popiſh Religion too, that he deſired her un-interrupted continuance in it, without the leaſt oppoſition, not onely by way of diſpute, but prayers too: Fourthly, this publike prohibition in his own Metropoliticall viſitation, was of it ſelf a great encouragement to, a ſtrong confirmation of her Majeſty and all the popiſh party in their falſe Religion, giving them great advantages to ſeduce others to it, as the true, becauſe this Injunction intimated it to be the true Religion, wherein they might ſafely perſevere.

But did this Prelate ſtop here only, openly to inhibit men thus to pray for her Majeſties converſion? No verily; for both before and after this, he impriſoned, queſtioned and cenſured ſome in the High Commiſſion, for ſuch prayers. Maſter Bernard (as we proved formerly) was queſtioned, cenſured in the High Commiſſion as a grand offender for ſuch a Prayer; Maſter Hugh Peter was apprehended by a Purſevant, impriſoned for a time in the New-priſon, ſilenced here from his Miniſtry, and forced into Holland by the Arch-biſhop, onely for praying at Sepulchers Church for the Queen, in theſe words, That as ſhee came into a Goſhen of ſafety, ſo the light of Goſhen might ſhine into her ſoule, that ſhee might not periſh in the day of Chriſt; as himſelfe and ſundry others will depoſe: But we ſhall inſiſt [Page] onely on two other inſtances in the High Commiſsion: The firſt is one Maſter William Jones, a Glouceſterſhire Miniſter, who (as Maſter Prynne atteſted upon oath) Master Jones Caſe: was brought into the High Commiſsion, Anno 1636. and there proſecuted by the Arch-biſhops meanes, for not reading the Booke of Sports, and for praying thus for the Queen in his Pulpit to God; To ſhew unto the Queene the light of Goſhen, and to bring her to his true worſhip: What worſhip? ſaid the Arch-biſhop to him; as if her popiſh worſhip were Gods true worſhip.

Nor did he onely perſecute and trouble Miniſters thus for praying for the Queens illumination and converſion to Gods true worſhip; but likewiſe for praying to God to keep the Prince from the infection of popery; witneſſe the caſe of one Maſter John How, Miniſter of Loughborough in the County of Leiceſter, who on the Master John Howes Caſe. ſixth day of November 1634. (as was proved by the Regiſter book of the High Commiſsion Court, there produced and read) was cenſured in that Court (where the Archbiſhop was chiefe Judge and Dominus fac totum) attached, committed during his Majeſties pleaſure, ſuſpended from the execution of his Miniſtry, and every part thereof, fined five hundred pounds to the Kings uſe, ordered to make a ſubmiſsion to the Court, and condemned in expences and coſts of ſuit, onely for praying but once in the Pulpit, That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery, whereof there was great cauſe to feare; for that (as was alleaged) theſe words did much derogate from his Majeſties known, approved, Religious care in maintaining, propagating the true Religion here eſtabliſhed, profeſſed within this Realme, and cauſed a cauſeleſſe jealouſie of the education of the young Prince his Sonne in the popiſh Religion. When as he onely intended it of the danger of his education in reſpect of the Queen his Mother, and thoſe many ſeducing Prieſts, Papiſts then about her, who by many policies, devices, endeavoured, as much in them lay, to draw him to, and educate him in the popiſh Religion: it being provided by the ſixteenth Article of the Kings marriage with France; That the children which ſhall by reaſon of the ſaid marriage be borne and live, ſhall be nurſt and brought up NEER THE SAID LADY AND QUEEN, from the time of their birth, untill they come to the age OF FOURTEEN YEERS. In reſpect whereof there was great cauſe to feare the Princes infection by, and ſeducement unto Popery, without Gods extraordinary mercy; and therefore great need of our frequent prayers to prevent it.

His rigorous proceedings therefore againſt theſe Miniſters on the one hand, for praying for the Queens illumination with, and converſion to our Religion; and his ſevere cenſuring them on the other hand, for praying, That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery, compared with his intimacy, favour with the Queen, his redineſſe to ſerve her Majeſty upon all ſpeciall ſervices and commands, are a moſt pregnant evidence, not onely of his conuſance of, but powerfull concurring aſſiſtance in promoting this grand dangerous deſigne, of introducing Popery, and reconciling us to the Church of Rome.

And that which may further ſatisfie your Lordſhips and the world herein, is, his extraordinary dignifying of Queen Maries, his depreſſing King Edward the ſixth his Reigne, in his very Preface to the new Statutes, compiled by him for the Ʋniverſity of Oxford; the Originall whereof was produced, and this clauſe read out of it: Edwardo ſexto ad clavem ſedente, novo ſundatum eſt molimine, &c. Praſcribente Rege, & lenocinante NOVITATE, primo viſum opus admitti, &c. Paulo poſt potiente rerum Maria, ſub Cardinalis Poli auſpicijs idem recruduit labor. Novae exindè data leges, ſed pari cum prioribus anguſtiâ: Interim tamen, inter incerta vacillans Statuta, viguit Academia, colebantur ſtudia, enituit Diſciplina, & OPTANDA TEMPORUM FAELICITATE Tabularum defectum reſarcivit innatus Candor, & quicquid legibus deerat, Moribus ſuppletum eſt. Decurrente temporum ſerie, & vitijs & legibus pariter laboratum eſt.

In which paſſage he brands King Edwards dayes of Reformation, with Flattering Novelty; applauds Queen Maries, under the government of Cardinall Pool, as thoſe wherein the Univerſity of Oxford did moſt eminently flouriſh in learning, Diſcicipline, [Page] manners; and magnifies the deſirable felicity of thoſe times (under another Qu. Mary of the ſame Religion) depreſſing Queen Elizabeths reign, and her ſucceſſors, as more abounding with vice, and more defective of good laws and government (in our Oxford Univerſity at leaſt) then Queene Maries. This paſſage is not only ſeconded by Doctor Pocklingtons forecited clauſe, who brands our Martyrs Here, [...]. ſuffering in Queen Maries dayes, for Rebels, Traytors, Hereticks; but by Doctor Heylyn, in his Moderate Anſwer to Maſter Burton (penned and publiſhed by the Archbiſhops command,) who thus diſparageth King Edwards, applauds Queene Maries lawes and actions: pag. 100. 101. 102. Now for King Edward the ſixth, the caſe ſtands thus: King Edward being a Minor, about nine yeers old, at his firſt comming to the Crowne, there was much heaving at the Church by ſome great men that were about him, who purpoſed to enrich themſelves with the ſpoyles thereof: For the effecting of which purpoſe, it was thought expedient to leſſen the number of thoſe Biſhops which were then in place, and to make all thoſe that were to come the more obedient to the Crowne: Ʋpon this ground, there paſſed a Statute, 1. of this King, conſiſting of four principall Branches; whereof the firſt cut off all Elections and Writs of Conge diſlier, formerly in uſe; the other did, if not take off, yet very much abate the edge of Eccleſiaſticall cenſures: Then he recites the words of the Statute, and concludes; which Act with every branch and clauſe thereof was afterwards repealed, 1. of Queen Mary, c. 2. and hath ſtood ſo repealed to this very day, &c.

This magnifying then of Queen Maries dayes, and depreſſing King Edwards, implyes a grand deſigne in this Arch-prelate, to rvevie thoſe Marian times, as happy and deſirable.

From theſe few generall, we ſhall next deſcend to ſome more particular inſtances, to prove, that there was a ſerious deſigne and endeavour of the Pope and his Inſtruments in forraigne parts, to reduce us back to Rome, that the Archbiſhop had exact notice of it, and yet was ſo far from reſiſting, oppoſing this their deſigne, according to his place, truſt, duty, that he complied with them to the utmoſt of his wit and power therein. It cannot be expected, that in a Plot of this nature, being a hidden work of darkneſſe, and abſtruce myſtery of iniquity carried on with all the artifice and cunning that Rome or Hell could ſuggeſt; diſguiſed, concealed under divers charactariſticall Letters, which we cannot as yet unriddle, though we have ſome of them in our cuſtody; ſealed up under oaths, promiſes of ſecreſie, and acted by ſuch Jeſuiticall ſpirits, as will rather obſtinately die, then diſcloſe the ſecrets of their helliſh conſpiracies; which we cannot poſſibly manifeſt to the full, unleſſe we had been ſo happy as to have ſeized the Arch-biſhops moſt ſecret papers (which he conveyed away or burned before his cloſet, dores were ſealed up) and the Popes Nuncioes Cabinet, or might have liberty to ſearch the Popes own Cloſet, or Cardi. Barbarino his ſecret papers and the private intelligences of the Roman Conclave; yet we preſume we ſhall produce ſo many cleer demonſtrations, and circumſtantial proofs, as ſhall abundantly ſatisfie your Lordſhips judgements, conſciences, and the world, both of the reality of this plot, and the Arch-biſhops guiltineſle in concurring in it: We know it is uſuall for Juries to convict, for Judges to condemne and execute Traitors, felons as well upon violent preſumptions & circumſtances, as upon eye witneſſes and punctuall teſtimonies of the facts for which they are indicted: and we doubt not but our evidence in this kind will be ſo cleer, as it will ſurmount a violent preſumption, yea amount to an infallible demonſtration, conviction of his guiltineſſe, if not ſeverally conſidered, yet at leaſt conjoyned.

The firſt particular Evidence to prove a deſigne at Rome, to reduce us to our ancient vaſſalage under it, is a very notable paper printed at Rome, Superiorum permiſſu (in two large folio ſheets paſted together) An. 1636. In the firſt & uppermoſt ſheet, there is a coper Peece, cut with Anticks, wherein there are two Scutchions; the one hanging juſt in the middeſt neere the upper end of the ſheet, wherein the Popes and Cardinall Barbarino (his Nephewe's) Armes are engraven; the other hanging a little lower then the former, on the right ſide of the ſheet, containing [Page] the King of Englands Armes: The Author of this paper was an Engliſh Fryar, who ſtiles himſelfe, Frater Franciſcus a Sauctâ Mariâ, Sacra Theologiae Lector Generalis, Primario Jubilato; ac Provinciae Sanctae Elizabethae Cuſtos: The ſubſtance of it he ſtiles, Concluſiones Theologiae; which are thirteen in number; but that which is moſt obſervable therein, is this dedication of it to Cardinall Barbarino.

Eminentiſsimo & Reverendiſsimo Principi Franciſco Cardinali Barbarino, Sanctae Romanae Eccleſiae Vice-Cancellari [...] R. R. ANGLIAE, SCOTIAE, necuon Seraphicae NOTE. Religionis PROTECTORI VIGILANTISSIMO; Frater Ludovicus à Sancta Maria, Anglus, D. D. D. MAGNAE BRITANIAE. PATRONO MAXIMO, ET BRITANICAE NATIONIS, & Minorum Familiae minimus, Theologiam devovet ſu [...]m.

By this paper it is evident, that this Cardinall was publikly deputed and ſtiled, even in print at Rome, The moſt vigilant Protector of England, Scotland, and of the Seraphicall Religion there; the greateſt Patron of great Brittaine, deſigned to this charge, for this very purpoſe, to See Romes Maſter-piece reduce it againe to the boſome of the Roman Church, the onely uſe, end of this his office and Title. Of this deſigne this Arch-biſhop had moſt certaine intelligence from Maſter Middleton, Chaplaine to the Engliſh Agent at Venice, to whom this paper was ſent from Rome, and by him conveyed to the Arch-biſhop, who thus indorſed it with his owne handwriting. 1636. Fra. Ludovici â Sa. Maria Angli Theſes, &c. and reſerved it in his Study at Lambeth, where Maſter Prynne atteſted it was ſeized. This Fryar's right name (as appears by a paper under See A Neceſſary Introduction, p. 145. Secretary Windcbanks owne hand) was Kerton, alias Morton, who ſoon after repaired into England, to help reduce it; Where he lived ſo wickedly, in drawing Maids, Women and others to ſinne carnally, and committed ſuch horrible acts in proſecuting his luſts, that be was enforced to returne to Paris in France: Secretary Windebank giving his ſon Tom, ſpeciall inſtructions (when he went over thither to negotiate the Palſgraves releaſe) To adviſe thoſe of his Order there, to prevent his returne bither, becauſe he would be aſſuredly publikely puniſhed according to the laws, to the great ſeandall of his Religion: which manifeſts a correſpondency in Windebank and his ſonne (this Arch-biſhops creatures) even with the Franciſcan Fryars, beyond the ſeas, and a care in them to prevent this Fryars, with his Religious publike diſgrace and ſcandall.

The ſecond Evidence (which backs the former) is, a diſcovery of a moſt deſperate See Romes Master-piece. Plot of this Cardinall Barbarim, and his four ſorts of Engliſh and Scottiſh Jeſuits, II. reſiding in and about Drury-lane and Long-acre, where they had built a Colledge; and had their conſtant meeting; of which ſociety, this Cardinall was the immadiate head next under the Pope, to whom they bad their immediate addreſſes, and directed their weekly intelligence: The plot was, to ſubvert the Proteſtant Religion, ſet up Popery, and reconcile us unto Rome, by engaging the King in a bloody warre againſt the Scots, and working him to their party; and in caſe they could not doe it, then to give him a poyſoned ſigge (as his Father was poyſoned) and ſeize upon the Prince, whom they would educate in the Romiſh Religion. This Plot was diſcovered, meerly out of remorſe of conſcionce, by one who was a chiefe actor in it, ſent from Rome to aſſiſt Con, the Popes Lagat in his Negotiations in England, to one Andreas ab Habernfield (Phyſitian to the Queen of Bohemia) who diſcloſed it to Sir William Boſwell, the Kings leager at the Hague, who from thence by ſundry Letters, revealed it to this Arch-biſhop, in whoſe chamber at the Tower, the whole plot and originall Letters concerning it, were ſeized on by Maſter Prynne (who atteſted and produced them at the Barre) and publiſhed them at large to the world by order of Parliament, in Romes Maſter-piece, where the principall Agents in this plot, and their proceedings therein are particularly related many of them (as Secr Windebank, the Earle and Counteſſe of Arundell, Mr. Porter of the Bed-chamber, and Sir Toby Matthew) being the Arch-biſhops intimate friends and familiars. Of this Plot the Arch-biſhop took ſuch ſpeciall notice, that he acquainted the King himſelfe with it, as appeares by his owne Letter to the King, and his Majeſties Anſwer to it, with [Page] his owne royall hand to it in the margin, ſent from York to Lambeth: Yet for all this, he was ſo far from croſſing this their Jeſuiticall deſigne, that he confederated and joyned with the Jeſuits and popiſh party in fomenting, maintaining the war See A Neceſſary Introduction to the Arch-biſhops Tryall, p. 170. to 200. againſt the Scots, and revived it when it was ceaſed, by perſwading the King to break the firſt pacification, and denounce a ſecond war againſt them.

The third particular we ſhall produce, to prove an endeavour of the Pope and Cardinall Barbarino at Rome, to reconcile, reduce us back to them, and that this Arch-biſhop had notice of it, is a Letter (found in his Study, atteſted by Maſter Prynne) written to him by one Maſter John Greaves, from Ligonne, March 3. 1639. indorſed with his owne hand thus, Rece. Mar. 27. 1640. Faſtidius printed at Rome: Wherein Maſter Greaves hath this clauſe: I humbly beſeech your Grace to pardon my preſumptions, and this other Information which I ſhall give your Grace: They have printed at Rome a Book of Faſtidius, a Britaine Biſhop, De Vitâ Chriſtianâ, WHICH THE CARDINALL FRANCISCO BARBARINO INTENDS NOTE. TO DEDICATE TO HIS SACRED MAJESTY; a Book of ſingulan devotion and piety, and of great Antiquity; the Author being a Biſhop in England, about three hundred yeers after our Saviour. Lucas Holſtenius, a very learned man, hath the care oft the Edition, but hath not I thinke, as yet finiſhed the Annotations upon it: For the Text, he and I compared the Manuſcript (which was alſo very ancient) with the printed Copy, and I find it exactly to agree.

Now what other meaning could there be for this Cardinall to print this book at Rome, to dedicate it publikely to our King, and to uſe Maſter Greaves himſelfe in comparing the printed Copy with the Manuſcript, but to inſinuate himſelf into the Kings affections, thereby to reduce both him and his Dominions unto the boſome of the Church of Rome, which the forementioned diſcovery of this and the Jeſuits Plot, by Andreas ab Habernfield, more largely demonſtrates? this Cardinall ſending over ſundry Statues, Pictures, Antiquities, and other vanities from Rome to his Majeſty, to incline him to the Roman party, as we have See Romes Maſter-Piece, p. 16. and A neceſſary Introduction, &c. p. 146. elſewhere manifeſted,

The fourth particular Evidence we ſhall inſiſt on, which addes luſter and vigor to all the former, is the Book intituled Deus, Natura & Gratia: Ʋbi ad trutinam Fidei Catholicae examinatur Confeſſio Anglicana, & ad ſingula puncta, quid teneat, qualiter differat execuitur: Acceſsit Paraphraſtica Expoſit to reliquorum Articulorum Confeſſionis Anglicae, per Fr. Franciſcum â Sancta Clara, olim apud Duacenſes in Collegio B. Bon aventurae, Provinciae ANGLIAE F. F, Minorum, S. Theolog. Lectorem primarium: Printed Lugduni, 1634. Cum Privilegio Regis, & approbatione Doctorum.

This Book was dedicated to our King Charles, with a Dedicatory Epiſtle, to ſeduce his Majeſty in his Religion, and induce him to eſtabliſh the Romiſh Religion amongſt us by his Royall authority; as this cloſe of the Epiſtle manifeſts: Periculoſum nobis admodum, atquè etiam miſerabile eſt, tot nunc fides exiſtere quot voluntates, &c. Contremiſcunt oſſa mea dum hoc recogito: Morbus, ubi ſpiritus vitales opprimuntur, nempè ut fides radix vitae corrumpitur, difficilime ſanatur: Hic morbus noſter: Remedium tamen, & illud efficax, à Samaritano noſtro deſignatum reperimus, nec aliud niſi illud, DIC ECCLESIAE. Dico: Eccleſiae definitiones Majeſtati Veſtrae propono; Sanctorum Patrum & Venerabilium Doctorum expoſitiones, Novorum ineptijs praepono; quas dum modeſtè retego, in Chriſto [...]ego; ſaniem, non-ſcalpendo, ſed ſuavitèr lambendo; lavo ut abluam: SACRO VESTRO IMPERIO OPUS, QUIPPE UT EXECUTIONI MANDETUR, quod ab Eccleſia & Sanctis Patribus ſancitum eſt, ſecundum illud Juſtiniani. Conſtit. 42. Haec decrevimus Sanctorum Patrum canones ſecuti: HOC TUA MAJESTATE DIGNUM; hoc dignitati cauſae conſonum, HOC SALUTI ANIMARUM PRORSUS NECESSARIUM; ET OMNIS POPULUS, DICET AMEN.

Sacrae ſuae Majeſtatis

Devotiſſimus Subditus

Fr. Fran. â S. Clara.

[Page] The ſcope of the whole Book in the compoſing and publiſhing, was to reconcile, reduce both our King, Church, and the Articles of our Religion, which i [...] coments upon, to the Church of Rome. This we ſhall evidence,

Firſt by the Authors owne expreſſe confeſſion, pag. 338. Inſtudui (ut vides) NOTE. pie Lector RECONCILIARE Articulos Confeſſionis Anglicae, DETERMINATION IBUS ECCLESIAE CATHOLICAE: NON ECCLESIAM IPSIS, ex quâ collapſi ſunt; SED IPSOS ECCLESIAE, in qua (Dei opitulante Gratia) ſalvandi ſunt, DUCENDOS CENSUI. Corticem verborum ſubinde cenſurâ graviori dignum cenſebis; ſenſum ocrò latitantem, quem elicui, non adeò veritati diſſonum, niſi alio detorquere malint, recte judicabis: his tamen verborum Novitatibus, Chriſtum lacerum inſpexi, tunicam inconſu [...]ilem diſſutam, diſſectam reperi: quis non condoleret? quis non REDINTEGRATIONEM SUADERET? omnibus modis, ſi poſſet, PERSUADERET? HIC UNICUS SCOPUS MEUS, &c. Omnia Eccleſiae & ejus ſub Chriſto capiti [the Pope] quâ del eo reverentiâ ſubmitto: Ʋltro obteſtor Deum & Sanctos ejus, me in hoc qualicunque Opello noſtro animarum ſalutem, PER FIDEI REDINTIGRATIONEM intendere: Quod Deus per viſcera Domini Noſtri Jeſu Chriſti, ad interceſſionem omnium beatorum opportunè efficiat; ET SERENISSIMUM REGEM NOSTRUM, PRO OMNIUM CATHOLICORUM NOTE: VOTIS, AD UTRAMQUE FAELICITATEM PERDVCAT.

Secondly, by the cenſures and judgements of the Doctors and Divines (who are twelve in number) prefixed, by way of approbation thereunto: James Dre [...] a Sorbon Doctor, Londini pridie Calend. Auguſti. gives this teſtimony of this Book▪ Fateor me, &c. ſed & laudaſſe conſilium & propoſitum tuum, quod in Eccleſiae utilitatem ceſſarum auguror, ad CONCILIANDOS ERRANTIUM ANIMOS, ſi Deus Opt. Max. caeptis tuis annuat, QUOD SPERO PRECORQUE. Thomas Blaclo, Profeſſor of Divinity, 5. Julij 1633. gives this verdict of it: Libellum qui ſic inſcribitur, Articuli confeſſionis Anglicanae paraphraſticè exponuntur, &c. ex zelo Fidei & animarum ſcriptus omnibus CONCORDIAE ET PACIS CHRISTIANAE AMICIS, non poteſt non eſſe acceptus, cum Catholico & animo & calamo ſcriptus ſit, & errantibus, UT AD CHRISTI CAULAM NOTE. REDITUM INVENIANT, facem Catholicae veritatis, quaſi ex propinquo ad alliciendos puſillanimos oſtentet: William Tomſon, Doctor of Divinity, writes of it, 20. Aprilis, Dignum praelo, cenſuit ſperans INTER PROTESTANTES, ſaltem moderatiores, fructuri futurum. T. P. a Papiſt, profeſſor of Divinity, 16. April 1633. gives this approbation of it, Tractatum hunc perlegi, &c. & verè ſecundum calculum meum, publicatio operis PROTESTANTIBUS MODERATIORIBUS ARRIDEBIT (omnibus pla, ere difficilimum) ET AD NOTE. READVNATIONEM CUM ECCLESIA ROMANA, DUM OPPORTUNUM FUERIT DISPONET: & interim reverentiorem ejus eſtimationem inuret; praeſertim reliquos Confeſsionis Anglicae Articulos (quod optarem) eadem moderatione exponere vellet, & ad calcem hujus operis (ſi pro voto ſucceſſerit) Lectorem ſpe caterorum foveres: All which are atteſted to agree with the Originals, by D. David, Monachus & Decanus Congregationis Caſinenſis, olim Romae Sereniſ. D. N. Urbani Papae Octavi Panetentiarius, NOTORIUS APOSTOLICUS. The deſigne therefore of this Booke, by the teſtimony of all theſe popiſh Doctors, and of the Popes owne Notary, was, to reconcile, reunite us and our Articles to the Church and Doctrine of Rome.

Thirdly, this we ſhall make evident by notable paſſages in the Booke it ſelfe, wherein the Athor proclaimrs our reconciliation in ſundry points of doctrine, as Biſhop Mountague, Bi. Andrewes, with ſome other of our popiſh Doctors expounded both our Articles, Homilies and poſitions: In his 22. Problem. concerning the great controverſie about Juſtification, he thus publiſheth our agreement and conſent, page 157, 158, 159. Haec Doctrina eorum & noſtra; nec plus dant fidei [Page] quam Concilium Trid. quoad juſtificationem, ſi cautè exponantur, &c. Hîc ergo facilima pax ineunda; ſic enim D. Montacutius Articulum de Fide rectè explicat, &c. Nulla igitur differentia quoad hoc punctum. Ecce igitur PLANE ET PLENE NOTE. CONVENIMUS: Et hinc ut patebit quaeſtione ſequenti doctiores, Proteſtantes tribuunt juſtificationem noſtram intrinſecam habitui Juſtitiae: non ergo fidei. Imo haec noſtra poſitio ſolenniter Cantabrigiae in Comitijs anniverſarijs pro actu Doctorali haec anno currente menſe Julio, agitata & probata eſt. Which he thus ſeconds, page 181. Quibus omnibus benè penſatis, ſanè nulla hodiè reperietur differentia in Confeſſione Anglica, & Sanctiſſima diffinitione Trid. nihil enim in Articulis Hamptonienfibus in oppoſitum ordinatur: Ʋt patet Artic. 9. De Juſtificatione: Ʋnde Montacutius in ſuo Appello Caeſarem, ca. 6. expreſſe probat, doctrinam noſtram, ſaltem ſecundum gradum hujus latitudinis, ab ipſis teneri, & ibidem rectè adducit Doctorem White, aſſerentem, in Juſtificatione peccatoris, duas eſſe actiones Dei; unam, quâ remittit peccatum; alteram, qua poteſtatem dat homini reſiſtendi peccatis; quae poteſtas eſt ipſa charitas infuſa in cordibus noſtris, per illam ſecundam actionem Dei, quae eſt ipſiſſima doctrina noſtra. HIC IGITUR PAX.

So in the point of falling from grace, in his 30. Problem, An Juſtus poteſt finaliter NOTE. peccare? page 209, 210, 211. he brings in our 16. Article, and the Booke of Homilies, juſt as they are cited by Mountague in his Appeale, to prove, that a juſtified perſon may fall from grace, and ſinne finally; concluding thus, Et certè omnes confeſsiones aliarum Nationum ferè conſpirant, cum Ovarello in Collatione Hamptonienſi; Montacutio in ſuâ Appellatione, Cauſabono, in Epiſtola ad Bertium, cum reliquis omnibus melioris Notae.

In his 36. Problem, concerning Supererogation, miſconſtruing the fourteenth Article of our Church, point blank againſt the words and ſenſe, he concludes thus, page 253. Interim â nobis ſtant Confeſſio Anglicana, & ejus Genuini ſequaces, HIC ERGO PAX, & utinam Pax illa, non quam mundus dat, quae ſingulis horis novitate opinionum violatur, ſed quam Chriſtus ſuis Apoſtolis legavit, &c.

In the 37. Problem concerning the Invocation of Saints, and its lawfulneſſe, he writes thus, page 260. Montacutius de hoc ſubjecto agens, momentis rationum, & monamentis authoritatum oppreſſus, â veritate ſtat, & alij frequentèr: De re agitur non ſolum inter nos concordia, ſed ni fallor inter celebriores ex adverſarijs, ut poſted melius patebit: Which he proſecutes, page 273, 274, 275, 276. where he records, Quoad Reliquiarum & Crucis Chriſti Venerationem, profitetur D. Andreros, in Reſponſ. ad cap. 18. Peronij. Cauſabonus in Exercitationibus Baronij, ad An. 34. Cultus etiam ſeu venerationem quandam honoratiorem Sacrarum imaginum, cum Chryſoſtomo in ſua Liturgia, id eſt, inclinationem religioſam ad Imaginem, aſtruit poſt alios D. Montacutius, in Reſponſoria ad Heighamum, & in Appello Caeſarem cap. 22. Then he concludes, page 277. Hîc igitur cum Confeſſione Anglica erit PAX OMNIMODE, modò non ex affectu partium, ſed veritatis, omnia pro dignitate perpendent. Cloſing up his Deus Natura & Gratia thus; In quibus ſi omnia rectè perpenderit Lector eruditus, MAGNUM FUTURAE READUNATIONIS SPECIMEN NOTE. PERSPICIET.

After this, pag. 278. he paraphraſeth all our 39. Articles, endeavouring to reconcile them, and us in them, to the Tenets of the Church of Rome: pag. 316, 317. on the 31. Article (againſt the ſacrifice of the Maſſe) he gloſſeth thus; Nulla prorſus hîc erit difficultas cum doctioribus Proteſtantibus, qui planè hoc totum fatentur: Ʋt videre eſt apud D. Andreros, contrâ Perronium, & D. Montacutium, contra Heigham & alios frequenter: Denique nec hic Articulus, ullatenus adverſatur: Cum enim ipſi fateantur, in Eccleſiá eſſe Sacerdotes, eſſe etiam Sacrificia propitiantia, fateantur neceſſe eſt. Nam in Heb. 5. Omnis Sacerdos conſtituitur, ut offer at dona, & ſacrificia pro peccatis; HIC IGITUR NECESSARIO PAX: Ad pacem verò hanc altius ſtabiliandam, examinemus naturam ſacrificij, &c. Eſt igitur ſacrificium, ſed cum termino illo NOTE. reſtrictivo â Patribus uſurpato, incruentum, quod non negant. And pag. 334. Et eo plus quo video celebriores Proteſtantium Doctores Sacerdotes & ſacrificia agnoſcere. In the [Page] 25. Article concerning Homilies, pag. 321. he thus ſhakes off our Homilies, in our Biſhops owne tearmes: Nec tenentur Proteſtantes, ob haec verba in Articulo ſtatim in ſingula verba vel ſententias Homiliarum jurare, &c. Prudenter igitur quae ſanam Doctrinam ſapiunt, populo legenda; alia, neglectui habenda.

Pape 332. in the 37. Article, concerning the power of the civill Magiſtrates, againſt the Popes Juriſdiction, he writes thus; D. Montacutius, contr. Heighum & alij eorum doctiſsimi, quibuſcum de hoc egi, nullam utique Juriſdictionem ſpiritualem Regibus noſiris concedunt, ſed gubernium civile & temporale, indirectè & per accidens, ob pacem Reipubl. in perſonas & cauſas Eccleſiaſticas extenſum. Gaviſus ſum etiam valdà NOTE. de illo quod etiam his diebus factum eſt Cantabrigiae, in Comitijs pro actu Doctoroli, ubi SUMMO PONTIFICI UT MAXIMO PATRI (ſic enim eum appellabant) deſignata eſt cura ſpiritualium, Regi temporalium, licet ſub fine ſubjiciebatur, Regum eſſe omnes regere; quod intelligi debet civiliter, non ſpiritualiter, modò â nobis explicato. After which, pag. 334, 335, 336. he handles theſe three Queſtions: Firſt, Whether any have power to withdraw themſelves from ſubjection and obedience to the Sea and Church of Rome upon any occaſion? Secondly, Whether we of this Realme had ſufficient cauſes to doe it? Thirdly, Whether we did well in it, and did not exceed meaſure therein? And he reſolves the two latter thus.

Ʋtraque quaeſtio ſi [...]e dubio, graviſsima eſt, & maximum meretur diſcuſsionem. Quod ſi cauſa ſufficiens non fuerit; vel terminus juſtae ſubſtractionis exceſſerint, quanta pericula in tàm diuturno ſciſmate? Hinc utique omnia quantacunque mala ſunt, originaliter ebullierunt. Catholici veriori & tutiori parti adhaerere volentes, cum inſufficientiasm cauſae, quam moderaminis exceſsum agnoverunt ponderant utique graviſsimum illud Auguſtini; praecidendae unitatis nulla eſt juſta neceſſitas, Lib. 2. cont. Epiſt. Parm. Utinam DENVO AUTHORITATE PUBLICA pro dignitane (PURITANIS NON INTERMIXTIS NOTE.) EX AFFECTU READUNITIONIS PERPENDERETUR & ad hoc ſinguli evoluant Auguſtinum contra Donatum. Scio illos hoc abhorrere de quibus dicit Caſſander, (licet haud ſatis affectus Romanae Ecclesiae;) Plerique ex eis qui ſibi ab Evangelio nomen ſumpſerunt, cum partem qua vetus Catholicorum, & Ecclesiae Romanae nomen retinet, prorſus aſpernantur, omnem que ejus communionem defugiunt, nec ut membra ejuſdem corporis, amore & miſericordia proſequuntur (quod nos a Puritanis hic experimur) ſed ut Satanae & Antichriſti corpus abominatur. Scio id equidem & doles, & qui ejuſmodi ſunt, quomodo â ſchiſmatis (rectius dixiſſet Haereſeos) nota eximi poſſunt, non video.

From all theſe remarkable paſſages of this book, it is moſt evident, that it was purpoſely penned, publiſhed, dedicated and preſented to the King, to reconcile him, and reunite our Church and Articles to the Church of Rome; that this union and accommodation was already accompliſhed by Biſhop Andrewes, Biſhop Muntague, and others of our moſt eminent moderate Divines, in many points of greateſt moment, and would ſoon be effected in the reſidue, by a publike Aſſembly or Synod of our Prelates and divines, if no Puritans were intermixed among them.

But you will object; What is all this, or this Book to the Archbiſhop? Did he know any thing of this Plot, Book, or had any hand therein? Yes verily: Firſt, he know of this book before it was publiſhed, Doctor Lindſey his great favourite (whom he advanced to a Deanary and two Biſhopricks, as we have formerly proved) acquainting him therewith, and bringing the Author of it to his Grace, who had recourſe to him ſeverall times after: This we ſhall prove by a paper writen with his own hand, by way of extenuation of this charge even ſince his commitment to the Tower, and there ſei [...]ed on by Maſter Pryme, which was read as followeth.

[Page] MY Intelligence with the Pope by S. Clara. I never ſaw that Franciſcan Fryar in my life, to the utmoſt of my memory, above four times, or five at moſt.

He was firſt brought to me by Doctor Linſey, it was when he was ſetting out his booke about the Articles of the Church of England; and I then told Doctor Linſey, I did feare he NOTE. would never expound them, ſo as the Church of England might have cauſe to thanke him for it.

He never came to me after, till he was almoſt ready to print another booke, to prove, that Epiſcopacy was authorized in the Church by divine right; and theſe was after this vnhappy ſtirres began: His deſire was, to have this book printed here; but at his ſeverall addreſſes to me for this, I ſtill gave him this anſwer: That I did not like the way which the Church of Rome went concerning Epiſcopacy: And howſoever, I would never give way that any ſuch book from the pen of any Romaniſt, ſhould be printed here: And the Biſhops of England are very well able to defend their owne cauſe and calling, without calling in any ayd from Rome, and would ſo doe when they ſaw cauſe; And this is all the conference that ever I had with him.

This excuſe of his (though partiall) acknowledgeth, that he was acquainted with the book and Author before its printing, and that Doctor Linſey his favourite, was a great promoter of it, privy to the plot of Reconciliation, and very intimate with the Fryar that compiled it.

Secondly, when the book was printed, this Author preſented not onely the King, but Archbiſhop himſelf with one of them, bound up in Vellam, with the Kings Armes on the cover, and blew ſilk ſtrings, which he thus endorſed with his owne hand, Fron. â Sanctâ Clara, Problemata 37. Expoſitio paraphraſtica Confeſsionis Anglicanae: Which book he reſerved in his Study at Lambeth, where Maſter Prynne ſeized, and produced it at the Barre.

Thirdly, he not onely received, but permitted it to be publikely ſold and diſperſed amongſt us, without any ſeizure or reſtaint, and to be twice or thrice reprinted in London, notwithſtanding many exceptions and complaints againſt it, when as he moſt ſtrictly ſuppreſſed orthodox books.

Fourthly, if Fryar Saint Giles were the true Author of this book (as he was reputed by the Fryars in forraigne parts) the Archbiſhop not onely knew, but maintained him in the Univerſity of Oxford (to ſeduce, poyſon the Schollers there, and reconcile them to Rome) and gave him an annuall penſion of one hundred Markes; the blame of which action for his owne excuſe, he would tranſferre upon the King (without any proofe at all, but onely this ſurreptitious warrant, without any date at all, writ with his owne hand, not by any Secretary of State) which will no wayes extenuate, but aggravate his crime, the warrant being no doubt fraudulently procured, to ſerve a turne at a dead lift, ſince his troubles.

Charles R.

CAnterbury, Maſter Saint Giles by ſerving Ʋs and this State, hath loſt all his hopes in France, and deſires to spend his time here at his private ſtudies; I would have you think upon ſome way for his maintainance, and to place him in Oxford, that he may have uſe of that Library, which he much deſires: And he may ſo order it, that his profeſſion in Religion may doe no harme.

What the ſervice was that this Fryar had done for the King and State, for which he loſt his hopes in France, we could never learne, unleſſe it were the penning and publiſhing of this book, which ſome Jeſuits and their faction onely, diſliked. What it was that this Archbiſhop did for him (upon this warrant, [Page] as he pretends) is thus expreſſed, in a paper written with his own hand, by way of excuſe, ſeized by Maſter Prynne in the Tower, and by him produced at the Lords Barre, where it was read as followeth.

MAſter Saint Giles was a man well reputed of in France, and placed about the Queens Majeſty, at her Majeſties firſt comming hither: After upon ſome ſervices (and thoſe in a very faire way) done to this State, he loſt ground in France, and when ſome other French men were ſent away from the Queens ſervice, he durſt not goe thither, but choſe to live here in a very low condition for ſafeties ſake, rather then adventure thither. All this while the man was unknowne to me, but comming one day to wait upon his Majeſty at Saint Jamſes, his Majeſty was pleaſed to ask me, Whether I knew Maſter Saint Giles? I anſwered, I did not: Hereupon his Majeſty tooke occaſion to tell me the condition of the man, and his wants, and withall, told me which way he conceived ſome reliefe might be given to his neceſsities; and preſcribed me a way how to order it, that he might receive for his maintainance NOTE: a hundred Marks a yeere. This in obedience to his Majeſty, I did: (and I have his Majeſties Warrant for it) But I never allowed or gave him one penny of my owne.

Not long after this, partly that the poore man, being a ſtranger, might live the cheaper, and partly that he might have the uſe of the publike Library, reſolving (as he pretended) to follow metaphisicall learning, and not engage himſelfe in the controversies of the times; His Majeſty moved me againe, that he might live in Oxford, and in ſome Colledge or Hall there. In this I humbly beſought his Majeſty to pardon me, becauſe it would be dangerous to the youth NOTE. bred in that Colledge, and ſcandalous to his Majeſty, this Church, and the Ʋniversity, and bring danger upon my ſelfe, being Chancellour there: After much importunity uſed by me, his Majeſty was gnaciously pleaſed to be ſatisfied, that he ſhould not be admitted to live in any Colledge or Hall among the Students, but required me not to hinder his going to Oxford, and the making uſe of the Library, provided, that he kept no company with any young Schollers; that he lived privately in ſome Towne-houſe; and that he did not preſume to exerciſe his Prieſtly function, or doe any thing againſt the lawes: This he undertook to performe, and I could never find (by any the ſpies which I put upon him) that he brake this in any particular, but lived there without offence given to any.

In all times of his recourſe to me for his pension, I never ſpent one houre with him, nor had I ever any diſcourſe with him at all, but once onely, and that was about a dangerous opinion of Pompanatius,: At that time he told me, he had a desire to labour in that Argument, and to confute him: I told him, I could not approve any medling with that queſtion in theſe times, for that I thought few would be able to underſtand the ſubtilty of that diſpute, and that the ſtirring of it in theſe times would doe a great deale of miſchiefe; and this is all that ever paſt between him and me all my life.

This Saint Giles by this Prelats meanes, continued in the Univerſity of Oxford ſundry yeers, and had the uſe of the Libraries there, where he did much miſchiefe; Maſter Broad of Oxford depoſed, that Saint Giles continued in Oxford foure yeers or more, that he was a very dangerous insinuating perſon, that Doctor Turner, Doctor Johnſon, and others of the Ʋniversity, uſually reſorted to him, and familiarly converſed with him, though he were there knowne to be a popiſh Prieſt; that when Maſter Prynne, Maſter Burton, and Doctor Baſtwick ſuffered at Weſtminſter on the Pillory, this Saint Giles ſpeaking of their ſufferings, told this Deponent (in whoſe Kinſwomans houſe he lay) that though the Archbiſhop and other Biſhops WERE CORDIALL FOR THE NOTE. ROMISH RELIGION, yet he doubted their cruelty would rather hurt then further their cauſe, becauſe it loſt them much in the affections of the people. Now what a capitall offence it was for this Archprelat to harbour ſuch a dangerous ſeducing Prieſt, (reputed one of the greateſt Schollers among the Papiſts) in this famous Univerſity to ſeduce the Students there (and as the Queens Apothecary, a great Papiſt, reported, of purpoſe to inſtruct the Doctors there, as Maſter Godfrey, a quondam converted popiſh Prieſt averred) and to lay the blame of it thus wholly on his Majeſty to excuſe himſelfe, we humbly ſubmit to your Lordſhips conſideration.

[Page] To prove this Saint Giles (now Prieſt to the Venetian Ambaſſadour, reſident in London, where he doth much miſchiefe) the Author of Deus, Natura & Gratia, &c. what repute it had among Papiſts abroad, how the Archbiſhops Agents applauded, made uſe of it, and certified him from time to time, how it was entertained by Papiſts in forraigne parts, what they thought of him and other great perſons in England, & how they ſtood affected to popery, we ſhall produce two Originall Letters from Maſter William Middleton (then Chaplaine to the Lord Fielding, Ambaſſadour at Venice) ſent thence to the Archbiſhop, in whoſe Study they were found by Maſter Prynne, endorſed by Maſter Dell and the Archbiſhop: the firſt of them beares date in Septemb. 1635. and was received by the Archbiſhop Octob. 9. wherein he thus writes:

Right Honourable and moſt Reverend,

I Thought it no little happineſſe, I had performed that duty of writing it pleaſed your grace [...]o lay upon me, &c. While I was writing, there came a Franciſcan Fryar to my ſelfe, his busineſſe was this; A mind, he told me, he had, to leave theſe parts, and with them the Religion here in uſe; that I ſhould doe him a great favour, would I procure him a paſſage to England, either by Sea or Land; that there he had formerly beene, and was in love with place, perſons and Church, as there ordered and eſtabliſhed. Ʋpon which words, how I dealt with him, I will relate to your Grace: I asked him how long he had been of this reſolution, and what moved him to it? He anſwered, the time ſince he had taken this reſolution, was two monethes and a halfe, the motives the ſame that firſt moved us at the firſt to leave Rome. I anſwered him, it could not be (reſolve I did, that I might the more deeply dive into the sincerity of his intentions, as ſtrongly as my poore ability would ſuffer me, to plead for Rome) becauſe ſhe had reformed Miſſals, Monaſteries, ſundry Corruptions in conferring of Orders and Benefices; that all had not received the Councell of Trent; that of thoſe who had, ſome did mitigate harder expreſsions, and were upon courſes of Conciliation of both harts, as appeared by a Booke of Franc. â Sancta Clara, &c. I fell then to queſtion him, Whether and when he had been at Rome? He told me, in June and July laſt: I askt him how the affaires NOTE. went there? He told me, their opinion of us was, that his Majeſty was favourable to the Catholikes, that ſome great ones about him were ſo too, or in heart were: The Archbiſhop himſelfe. ONE HE NAMED, concerning whom as at home, ſo abroad (as of old, of the beſt of men) there was much murmuring among the people; for ſome ſaid he was a good man, others ſaid, nay, he deceiveth the people: Now if ſome might interpoſe their judgements, they would pronounce, a good man he is, becauſe he deceiveth both here and there, but both to their own good: Concerning the Fryars, he told me, ſome were very good, but moſt otherwiſe, and that in exceſſe, eſpecially for Sinnes of uncleanneſſe, which generally raigne in Italy. Three ſeverall times I had diſcourſe with him; in the laſt of which, falling into diſcourſe of Fran. â Sancta Clara, he told me, he was HOMO NEQUISSIMUS, by whoſe meanes yeerly, there was ſent to the Catholikes in Flanders, ten thouſand pounds: The Author of that Booke, which goes under his name, was Father Giles, PADRE AEGIDIO, who lives at the Venetian Ambaſſadours, &c. Since I came to Venice, I have procured the acquaintance of Padre Fulgentio, who is, Teologo de Stato, called by the Colledge to Counſell, when there is any buſineſſe between them and the Pope, &c. I ſent to him Fran. â Sancta Clara; after diſcourſing with him; he told me, it was impoſsible to concile Trent and England, and yet men ſooner then Articles: He likt his intention in the generall, his judgement and temper in moſt of the Problems before he came to the Articles. There is, as I am informed by a diſcreet Gentleman at Florence, a Jeſuit lately returned from England to Rome, who pretends to have made a ſtrict diſcovery of the ſtate of England, as it ſtands for Religion; how King is diſpoſed, how Queene, what Lords are of the Puritan faction, what not; but by name, his Honour of Dorſet and Pembroke are ſtrong for Preciſians: He ſayes, That the Puritanes are ſhrewd fellowes, but thoſe that are counted good Proteſtants, are faire conditioned honeſt men, and think they may be ſaved in any Religion. I am promiſhed the [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] the Relation written; if it come to my hands, and there be any thing in it worthy your Graces view, I ſhall hereafter humbly preſent it to you, as now my ſelfe.

Your Graces moſt humble and moſt obedient ſervant, WILL. MIDLETON.

The ſecond Letter is dated December 21. 1635. in which there are theſe obſervable clauſes:

Right Honourable and moſt Reverend, &c.

WHen I was in France, I fell acquainted with one Father Talbot a Jeſuit, with whom I had many diſcourſes, but among others this, about the Book of Franciſcus â Sancta Clara. I askt his judgement of it, and the reſt of the Catholiks: He anſwered, it reliſht not with them: I fell preſently into a comendation partly of the book, but more of the intention of him who writ it: He ſeconded what I ſaid; but withall told me, there was a certaine Conſultation held, what they ſhould doe with it; ſome, exrema ſuadebant, and cried ad ignem; but himſelfe talking with the Popes Nuncio at Paris, thought the beſt courſe was, to let it dye of it ſelfe; to which the Nuncio a very moderate man (ſo he told him) was very inclinable: From which (I did gather) that (though they did pretend a diſlike) the Booke was not diſallowed by them above; which collection of mine then, is now confirmed; for this very day I received a Letter dated from Rome, Decemb. 11. and it is in theſe words: Father Francis his book upon the exposition of the Articles, contrary to what I have told you, is licenſed here in Rome, and I have it. Sent it was from one NOTE. Maſter Houſe, lodging in the houſe of one Maſter Pitton, a kind of Agent from the Engliſh Prieſts: In Rome there is great talk of an Engliſh Cardinall; and the man, who is already Roman Catholike, muſt be the man, Maſter Mountague. Your Lordſhip I know will ſmile, if not at this, yet at that I ſhall now write: A Catholike diſcourſing with me, let a word fall, and this it was: ‘That within this twelve moneth the Pope did wiſh, that his Sacred Majeſty of England were, as once, his truſty Sonne, for then he would not be ſo uſed as he is, either by French or Spaniard. The ſame party did not ask the queſtion but onely thus; I wonder whether my Lord of NOTE. Canterbury have any hand in ſending S. Major Bret to Rome? I anſwered, becauſe, I ſaw he was fiſhing, Surely no; becauſe as you know it is written, he comes from the Queen, and in her name. ROME IS VERY KIND TO OUR ENGLISH GENTLEMEN;’ I humbly entreat your Graces pardon, if in a deſire to let nothing, I hear, ſcape your knowledge; I moſt lowly offer unto you ſuch things as will make you loſe ſo much time, as you ſhall read the Letter: But though your Lordſhip loſe a little time, yet not me, I beſeech you, loſe that good opinion which I hope you have conceived of

Your Graces moſt really devoted and obedient ſervant, WILL. MIDLETON.

December 21. 1635.

By theſe Letters it is moſt apparent, that Saint Giles was the Author of Sancta Clara's book; that though the Jeſuits ſeemed to diſlike it, yet it was at laſt authorized and printed at Rome, where they had a good opinion not onely of the Kings favour to the Roman Catholikes, but of the Archbiſhops inclination to their party, their Religion, and conceived he had a hand in ſending Major Bret [Page] to Rome, to negotiate with the Popes &c. This laſt Letter is thus endorſed with Mr. Dels hand, Recep. Jan. 10. 1635. from Venice, from Maſter Midleton, The allowance of Saint Clara his Book at Rome: to which the Archbiſhop himſelfe addes with his owne hand; This is not ſo; (therefore it ſeems he had better intelligence here from Rome, then Maſter Midleton had at Venice;) The Engliſh Cardinall, The Engliſh Agent.

How farre this Book was approved, countenanced here in England by the King and Archbiſhop, will appeare by theſe Inſtructions under Secretary Windebankes owne hand, to his Sonne, when he was at Paris to ſolicite the Palſgraves enlargement, found among his ſequeſtred papers, and atteſted by Maſter Pryme.

IF you heare Fa. Francis his Booke, or perſon touched, let them know, that we underſtand aſſuredly that it proceeds from the Jeſuits, (moſt likely alſo by this laſt Letter of Mr. Midleton to the Archbiſhop) who imploy others in it, as they did againſt Father Leanded till it coſt him his life; and if that upon their informations, they proceed againſt ſuch perſons, who THOUGH IN ALL THINGS CATHOLIKE yet are more diſcrect and temperate, and not intermedling in matters of State, THE KING WILL BE NOTE. MUCH OFFENDED.

Thus much for this Book of Sancta Clara, and the Author of it.

The fifth Evidence we ſhall pitch upon, to prove a deſigne to reconcile and reduce us back to Rome, is the Popes and his Agents promiſes, tenders of Cardinals Caps and Places to ſome prime Engliſh men, and to this Archbiſhop himſelfe in particular; the end whereof could be no other, but to enthrall us againe to the ſuperſtitious juriſdiction of the Papall See.

The firſt proffer we find of a Cardinals Cap made to any Engliſh Prelat ſince the Reformation, was to this Archbiſhop, who thus records the time and manner thereof with his owne hand in his Diary.

Aug. 4. 1633. Sunday, news came to Court of the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterburies death, and the King RESOLVED PRESENTLY to give it me, which he did. Aug. 6. That very morning at Greenwich, there came one to me ſeriouſly, and THAT AVOWED NOTE. ABILITY TO PERFORME IT, AND OFFERED ME TO BE A CARDINALL. I went preſently to the King and acquainted him both with the thing and perſon.

It is very conſiderable that Maſter Anthony Mildmay depoſed, that Con the Popes Nuncio, told him at Rome before Archbiſhop Abbots death, that Biſhop Laud ſhould ſucceed him, and that he would be more favourable to the Catholikes then Abbot. By which it appeares, that Biſhop Laud was long before Abbots death deſigned to the place, if not at the ſolicitation, yet at leaſt by the approbation of the Roman party: No ſooner comes newes to Court of Archbiſhop Abbots death, but the King preſently reſolves, that Biſhop Laud ſhould ſucceed him; and no ſooner is this known at Court, but that very morning (as himſelfe records) he is thus ſeriouſly offered to be a Cardinall, by one who avowed ability to performe it; and that at Greenwich in the Kings own Court. Who it was that made this offer, were worth the diſcovery, but this myſtery he couceales; The Plot againſt the King, diſcovered to him by Habernfield, informes us, See Romes Master-Piece, page, 116. That Con the Popes Nuncio had a command to offer A CARDINALS CAP TO THE ARCHBISHOP, in the name of the Pope of Rome, and that he ſhould allure him alſo, with greater promiſes; but this firſt offer was before Con's arrivall here. Were the perſon an Engliſh Subject, of what rank ſoever, this proffer of his to to revive this popiſh dignity of a Cardinall among us, and to receive it from the Popes exploded forraigue power (which drew Maſter Fox his Acts and Monuments, old Editum, p. 741. Sir Ed: Cooks 4. Inſt. p. 89, 90, &c. Cardinall Woolſey into a Premunire, if not under the guilt of high Treaſon, though this honour was procured him, not only by King Henry the 8th his aſſent, but ſolicitation) deſerved the ſevereſt exemplary puniſhment, eſpecially ſince it tended to engage the Primate and Metropolitan of [Page] all England,, moſt obliged by his place and office, againſt all Popiſh power, offices, ſuperſtitious doctrines, to ſubmit unto them, and become the Popes ſworne vaſſall: If the Popes owne Nuncio [Panzani] which is probable, or any other forraigne Agent, the affront had been ſo great both to the Archbiſhops perſon, place (had he been cordial to our Church, our Religion, being both a Privy Counſellour, the Kings grand favorite, and he who ſteard our Churches helm) to the honour of our Church, Religion, of the King himſelfe and his Royall Court, that it could not patiently be put up or pretermitted without ſome eminent ſatiſfaction: But be the perſon one or other, certaine it is, he was never once queſtioned or moleſted by the Archbiſhop for this proffer, who took it ſo well at the parties hands, or rejected it ſo coldly, that on the 17. day of the ſame Moneth, he had a ſecond ſerious offer made to him of the ſelfe-ſame dignity, (moſt probably by the ſame perſon) which himſelfe thus Regiſtreth in his Diary.

Aug. 17. 1633. Saturday, I had A SERIOUS OFFER MADE ME AGAIN NOTE: TO BE A CARDINALL: I was then from Court, but ſo ſoon as I came thither, (which was Auguſt 21) I acquainted his Majeſty with it: But my anſwer againe was, that ſomewhat dwelt within me, which would not ſuffer that, till Rome were other then it is.

What it was that dwelt within him (which made him not abſolutely, but for the preſent only, to refuſe this offer till Rome was other then it is) we may learn from Sir Hen. Mildmay's, Mr. Anth. Mildmay's, & Mr. Challoner's depoſitions forementioned, Here p. 412. to 416. and his owne Reply to Fiſher, pag. 171. to wit, an ambitious, Papall ſpirit; he would (like his worthy Predeceſſor, Saint Guil. Malmſ. de Geſtis Pont. Ang. l. 1. p. 223 Eadmerus, Cap grave. Antiquitates Eccleſiae Brit. and Godwin in his Life. Anſelme, ſo he ſtiles him) be both in Title and Juriſdiction, Papa alterius Orbis, Pope of our Britiſh world, and Ʋniverſall Patriarch of all the Churches within his Majeſties Realmes and Dominions; which Rome, as it then was, and the Jeſuiticall party there (as theſe witneſſes have depoſed) diſtiked and would not ſuffer; and for this cauſe onely he refuſed this dignity, which would have more enthralled him to the Popes and Romes juriſdiction (not to their Religion) then his ambitious ſpirit could well brook.

This double, ſerious proffer of a Romiſh Cardinalſhip to the Archbiſhop, is an infallible Argument; Firſt, that the Pope and his Conclave at Rome, had an extraordinary good opinion of his favour, his good affection to Popery and their Antichriſtian Church, elſe they would not have profered him ſuch a dignity, incompatible to any Proteſtant Engliſh Prelat: Secondly, that they deemed him the apteſt, activeſt Inſtrument to reconcile and re-unite us to Rome of all other, in reſpect of his favour at Court, power with the King, and inclination to Popery (as Sir Henry Mildmay, Maſter Anthony Mildmay, Maſter Challoner have atteſted;) therefore they would honour him with a Cardinals Hat, to the end, that as his Predeceſſor Cardinall Poole, Archbiſhop of Canterbury (the laſt Engliſh Cardinall of any of our Prelats) reconciled our revolted Kingdom to Rome in Queen Maries dayes, as appeareth at large by the Statute of 1. & 2. Phil. & Mary, ch. 8. So he inveſted with the ſame Papall dignity, and fitting in the ſelf-ſame See, might once more as eaſily reduce us to the boſome of the Roman Church in the dayes of this Queen Mary, (as Popiſh as the former) as he did then.

As this Archbiſhop, ſo Maſter Walter Mountague, not long after, had good hopes given him at Rome to be made a Cardinal, as the Archbiſhop himſelf was informed by Mr. Middleton's forecited Letter; which dignity he ſhould have lately received thence, had he not been impriſoned (if Sir See A Neceſſary Introduction, &c. p. 143. 253, 254 Kenelme Digbies Letter may be credited) to help on this work of our reducement to Rome; yea, the diſcovery of See Romes Maſter-Piece, p. 24. Andreas ab Habernfield to the Archbiſhop, informes both him and ns, That one of Endimion Porters Sonnes of the Bed-chamber (now in armes againſt the Parliament) was promiſed a Cardinals Hat, if this deſigne ſucceeded well, and that Sir Kenelme Digby, Maſter Walter Mountague, and other active Inſtruments who promoted that deſigne among us, attended the ſixteen Cardinals Caps that were vacant, which were therefore detained vacant for ſome yeers, to impoſe a vaine hope on thoſe who expected [Page] them; And Maſter Widford in his Letters from Rome to Secretary Windebank Novemb. 10. 1640. informes him, that Maſter Sommerſet and Maſter Brudenell were come to Florence, aiming at our Engliſh Cardinals Caps, which then, by reaſon of the Popes Catarre, were like to be diſpoſed of. All which particulars are a moſt cleere demonſtration of the Pope and his Conclaves endeavours to reduce us back to Rome, and of this Archbiſhops privity to, if not aſſiſtance in it.

The ſixth Evidence we ſhall mention to prove the Archbiſhops, not onely intelligence of, but compliance with the Popes and his Inſtruments Plots and proceedings to uſher in Popery, and reduce our Kingdomes to the Antichriſtian Religion and Church of Rome, is his conuſance and furtherance of this their deſign in Ireland, which we ſhall thus demonſtrate. The Houſe of Commons June 11. 1628. preſented a Remonſtrance to the King, concerning the extraordinary encreaſe and growth of Popery, of Papiſts both in England and Ireland, and the extraordinary favour which they found from ſome great perſons in his Court; wherein they had this notable clauſe concerning Ireland.

IT doth not a little alſo encreaſe our dangers and feares this way, to understand the miſerable condition of your Kingdome of Ireland, where without controle the Popiſh Religion is openly profeſſed and practiſed in every part thereof, Popiſh juriſdiction being generally exerciſed NOTE. and avowed; Monaſteries, Nunneries, and other ſuperſtitious houſes newly erected, re-edified, repleniſhed with men and women of ſeverall Orders, and in a plentifull manner maintained in Dublin, and moſt of the great Townes, and divers other places of that Kingdome: Which (of what ill conſequence it may prove) if not ſeaſonably repreſſed, we leave to your Majeſties wiſdome to judge: But moſt heartily beſeech you (as we aſſure our ſelves you NOTE. doe) to lay the ſerious conſideration thereof to your Royall, pious heart, AND THAT SOME TIMELY COURSE MAY BE TAKEN FOR REDRESSE HEREIN.

Had this pious, prudent, timely advice been then harkned to, and followed to purpoſe, it might no doubt (through Gods concurrence with it) have prevented that horrid Rebellion, thoſe bloody Maſſacres of ſome hundred thouſands of poor Engliſh Proteſtants in, and devaſtation of that diſtreſſed Kingdom, which have broken forth and been perpetrated there of late, almoſt to the utter extirpation of the Engliſh and Iriſh Proteſtants, the ruine of that Kingdome, and infinite loſſe, yea eminent danger of this our Realme to boot.

But this Popiſh Prelate, though he then certainly knew this Remonſtrance to be moſt true, out of an inveterate hatred to the Parliament, and a deſire to promote the Catholikes deſignes there, inſtead of perſwading his Majeſty to hearken to this true information and wholeſome advice of his faithfull Commons, drew up a moſt pernitious malepert Anſwer, with his owne hand, in his Majeſties name, againſt this Remonſtrance, which he preſented to his Majeſty; wherein he incenſed him againſt the Commons, charging them not onely with miſinforming, but traducing his Majeſties government by this clauſe concerning Ireland, in this diſhonourable language, produced and read under his owne hand out of the Originall draught, atteſted by Maſter Prynne.

FOR Ireland, We think in caſe of Religion, 'tis not worſe then Queen Elizabeth left it, and for other affaires, 'tis as good as we found it, nay perhaps better; and We take it a great diſparagement of Our government that it ſhould be urged, that new Monaſteries, Nunneries, and other ſuperſtitious houſes are erected and repleniſhed in Dublin, and other great NOTE. Townes in this Our Kingdome; for we aſſure Our Selves, Our Deputy and Our Counſell there will not ſuffer God and Our government ſo to be diſhonoured, but We ſhould have had ſome account of it from them; and We may not endure thus to have Our good People miſled with ſhewes.

[Page] Which in plaine tearmes is but a giving the Houſe of Commons the Lye, and a ſlandering of them as falſe Informers, both to the King and people: By which wicked practice, their Remonſtrance was rejected as a ſlanderous Libell, and their Councell not purſued; the dolefull effects whereof, we now experimentally feele and rue. That this Prelate when he made this Anſwer, certainly knew of the grand encreaſe of the Papiſts in Ireland, and that they had then upon the matter obtained a publike toleration, will appeare by a paper found in his Study, (produced at the Barre,) thus endorſed with this Archbiſhops own hand, 1626. The Biſhops of Ireland about a Toleration feared.

The Judgement of the Arch-biſhops and Biſhops of Ireland, concerning toleration of the Papiſh Religion, by publike Proteſtation.

THE Religion of Papiſts is Superſtitious and Idolatrous, their Faith and Doctrine erronious and hereticall, their Church (in reſpect of both) Apoſtaticall; to give them therefore a toleration of Religion, or to conſent that they may-freely exerciſe their Religion, and profeſſe their Faith and Doctrine, is a grievous ſinne, and that in two reſpects: Firſt, it is to make our ſelves acceſſary to their ſuperſtitious Idolaries, Hereſies, and in a word, to all the abominations of popery; but alſo (which is a conſequent of the former) to the perdition of the ſeduced people, which periſh in the deluge of the Catholike Apoſtacy. Secondly, to grant them a toleration in reſpect of any money to be given, or contribution to be made by them, is to ſet Religion to ſale, and with it the ſoules of the people whom Chriſt our Saviour hath redeemed with his moſt precious blood: And as it is a great ſinne, ſo it is a matter of moſt dangerous conſequence, the conſideration whereof we leave to the wiſe and judicions, beſeeching the zealous God of truth to make thoſe who are in authority zealous of Gods glory, and of the advancement of true Religion, zealous, reſolute and couragious againſt all Popery, Superſtition and Idolatry.

There were likely to be granted to the Papiſts in Ireland many priviledges, and withall, a toleration for their Religion, in the conſideration of the payment of a great ſumme of mony. This Eaſter tearme 1626. there was a great meeting of all the chiefeſt of the whole Kingdome, and the Archbiſhops and Biſhops, &c. and it was likely to be concluded: Doctor D [...]wanm Biſhop of London-Derry April 11. preached at Dublin before the Lord Deputy and the State; his Text was Luke 1. at the 79. In the midſt of his Sermon he openly read this Proteſtation above written, ſubſcribed by the Archbiſhops and Biſhops of Ireland, and at the end, he boldly ſaid, And let all the people ſay, Amen. And ſuddenly all the whole Church almoſt ſhook with the ſound that their loud Amen made, &c. The Lord Deputy called from the Biſhop of Derry a Copy both of his Sermon and Proteſtation to ſend to the King: The learned and couragious Biſhop gave this Anſwer, that there was nothing he either ſpake or read, in the Pulpit, but he would willingly juſtifie it before his Majeſty, and feared not who read or ſaw it: So now by Gods mercy nothing may yet be done, or will be, till the Lord Deputy heare from the King.

That this information of the Commons to his Majeſty, was then moſt true, reall, and that this Biſhop knew it to be ſo in every particular, we ſhall manifeſt by this printed Proclamation, found in his Study, thus endorſed with his owne hand, not long after his Anſwer to the Commons Remonſtrance: April 1. 1629. A Proclamation concerning the growth of Popery in Ireland, &c. which was read as followeth:

§

[Page]

By the Lord DEPUTY and COVNSELL. Henry Falkland:

FOraſmuch as We cannot but take notice, that the late intermiſſion of legall proceedings againſt popiſh pretended or titulary Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Deanes, Vicars generall, Jeſuits, Fryars, and others of that ſort, that derive their pretended Authority and Orders from the See of Rome, hath bred ſuch an extraordinary inſolence and preſumption in them, as that they have dared here of late, not onely to aſſemble themſelves in publike places, to celebrate their ſuperſtitious ſervices in all parts of this Kingdome, but alſo have erected houſes and buildings called publike Oratories, Colledges, Maſſe-houſes, and convents NOTE. of Fryars, Monks and Nunnes, in the eye and open view of the State and elſewhere, and doe frequently exerciſe juriſdiction againſt his Majeſties Subjects, by authority derived from the See of Rome, and (by colour of teaching and keeping Schooles in their pretended Monaſteries and Colledges) doe train up the youth of this Kingdome in their ſuperſtitious Religion, to the great derogation and contempt of his Majeſties regall power and authority, and great offence of many of his Majeſties good Subjects, contrary to the Lawes, and Eccleſiaſticall government of this Kingdome, and the impoveriſhment of his Majeſties Subjects in the ſame.

Theſe are therefore to will and require, and in his Majeſties name, ſtraightly to charge and command all, and all manner ſuch pretended or titulary Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Deanes, Vicars generall, Arch-deacons and others, deriving any pretended authority, power or juriſdiction from the See of Rome, that they and every of them forbeare from henceforth to exerciſe any ſuch power, juriſdiction or authority within this Kingdome, and that all ſuch Abbots, Pryors, Jeſuits, Fryars, Munks, Nunnes, and others of that ſort, as aforeſaid, doe forthwith break up their Convents in all houſes of Fryars, Colledges, Monaſteries, and other places whereſoever they are, or ſhall be conventually or collegiatly aſſembled together within this Kingdome, and to relinquiſh the ſame, and to diſperſe and ſeparate themſelves.

And that all and every of the Orders before named, and other Prieſts whatſoever, doe from henceforth forbeare to preach, teach or celebrate their Service in any Church, Chappell, or other publike Oratory, or publike place, or to teach any School in any place or places whatſoever within this Kingdome.

And We doe further ſtraightly charge and command all and ſingular the owners of ſuch houſes of Fryars, Colledges, Monaſteries, Schooles, Oratories, Maſſe-houſes and Nunneries, that they and every of them reſpectively in default of the perſons before named, their voluntary relinquiſhing of the ſaid houſes of Fryars, Colledges, Monaſteries, Schooles, Oratories, Maſſe-houſes and Nunneries, doe forthwith expell and thruſt forth all and ſingular ſuch Fryars, Jeſuits and other Monaſticall perſons out of the ſame, and to convert the ſame to other more lawfull uſes, upon paine to have their ſaid houſes ſeized to his Majeſties uſe, and both the one and the other to be proceeded againſt for their unlawfull aſſemblies, and maintainance of ſuch unlawfull Conventicles and corrupt nurture of children, in the ſevereſt manner that by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome and Eccleſiaſticall government of the ſame may be had or extended, whereof they and every of them are to take notice, and to veeld due obedience thereunto, as they and every of them will avoid his Majeſties high indignation, and the conſequence thereof.

Given at his Majeſties Caſtle of Dublin, the firſt day of Aprill, 1629.

Adam Loftus Canc.

T. Baltinglaſſe.

Wil. Parſons.

Ja. Armachanus.

R. Dillon.

Rich. Bolton.

Hen. Valentia.

Ant. Midenſis.

Dud. Norton.

Mo [...]re.

Hen. Docwra.

Ad. Loftus.

[Page] Here we have a confitentem, reum the Bi. himſelf under his own handwriting endorſed on this Proclamation, juſtifying the Parlia. Remonſtrance to be true, and his Anſwer to it a malicious ſlander, to advance the Papiſts deſignes: After which he had further intelligence from time to time, by ſeverall Letters and Papers out of Ireland (A Neceſſary Introduction, &c. p. 100. to 119. elſewhere publiſhed at large) of the dangerous growth, encreaſe and inſolencies of the Papiſts there, notwithſtanding this Proclamation, and that there was a popiſh Hierarchy there exerciſed and Univerſity erected without controle: We ſhall inſtance onely in two remarkable Letters, written to him from Doctor Beadle, Biſhop of Kilmore and Ardagh, found in his Study, endorſed with his owne hand, and read at the Lords Barre.

The firſt of them he thus endorſeth, April 1. 1630. From Doctor Beadle, Lord Biſhop of Kilmore and Ardagh, about the ſtate of the Church in his Dioceſſe, and the Papiſts in Ireland: Who writes thus thereof:

Right Reverend Father, my Honourable good Lord:

SInce my comming to this place, which was a little before Michaelmas (till which time the ſetling of the State of the Colledge, and my Lord Primates viſitation deferred my conſecration) I have not been unmindful of your Lordſhips commands, to advertiſe you, as my experience ſhould informe, of the ſtate of this Church; which I ſhall now the better doe, becauſe I have been about my Dioceſſes, and can ſet downe out of my knowledge and view, what I ſhall relate, and ſhortly, to ſpeak much ill matter in a few words, it is very miſerable: The Cathedrall Church of Ardagh, one of the moſt ancient in Ireland, and ſaid to be built by Saint Patrick, together with the Biſhop's houſe there, downe to the ground: the Church here built, but without Bell or Steeple, Font or Chalice; The Pariſh Churches all in a manner rained or unroofed and unrepaired; the people, ſaving a few Britiſh planters here and there (which are not the tenth part of the remnant) obſtinate Recuſants; a Popiſh Clergy more numerous by farre then we, and in the full exerciſe of all juriſdiction Eccleſiaſticall, by their Vicars-generall and Officials; who are ſo confident, as they excommunicate thoſe that come to our Courts, even in Matrimoniall cauſes, which affront hath been offered my ſelfe by the popiſh Primates Vicar-generall, for which I have begun a proceſſe againſt him; the Primate himſelfe lives in my Pariſh, within two mile of my NOTE. houſe, the Biſhop in mother part of my Dioceſſe farther off: every Pariſh hath his Prieſt, and ſome two or three apiece, and ſo their Maſſe-houſes alſo; in ſome places Maſſe is ſaid in the Churches; Fryars there are in divers places, who goe about, though not in their habit, and by their impor [...]ate begging empoveriſh the people: Who indeed are generally very poore, as from that cauſe, ſo from their paying double Tithes to their owne Clergy and ours, from the d [...]th of Corne, and the death of their Cattle theſe late yeers, which the [...] to their ſouldiers and their agents, and which they forget not to reckon among other cauſes, the appreſſion of the Court Eccleſiaſtiaſticall; which in very truth any Lord I cannot excuſe, and doe ſeek to reforme.

For our owne, there are ſome ſeven or eight Miniſters in each Dioceſſe, of good ſufficiency, and (which is no ſmall cauſe of the continuance of the people in popery ſtill) Engliſh which have not the tongue of the people, nor can performe any divine offices, or converſe with them, and which hold many of them two, three, foure, or more Vicarages apiece; even the Clerkſhips themſelves are in like manner conferred upon the Engliſh, and ſometimes two or three or more upon one man, and ordinarily bought and ſold, or let to farme, &c. His Majeſty is now with the greateſt part of this Country, as to their hearts, conſciences, King, but at the NOTE. Popes diſcretion, &c.

Your Lordſhips moſt obliged ſervant in Chriſt Jeſu, WILL. KILMORE and ARDREN

Kilmore the 1. of April 1630.

His ſecond Letter to the Lord Deputy of Ireland about the maintainance of the [Page] Army and the Cavan Petition, which he ſent incloſed in an other Letter to the Archbiſhop, is ſomewhat more full and obſervable, wherein there is this memorable paſſage concerning the encreaſe and inſolencies of the Papiſts in Ireland; which Letter he received thence Decemb. 4. 1633.

Right Honourable my good Lord, &c.

IN the midſt of theſe thoughts, I have been advertiſed from an honourable friend in England, that I am accuſed to his Majeſty, to have oppoſed his ſervice, and that my hand, with two other Biſhops onely, was to a writing, touching the monies to be levyed on the Papiſts here, for maintainance of the men of warre, &c. Indeed if I ſhould have had ſuch ad intention, this had been not only to oppoſe the ſervice of his Majeſty, but to expoſe with the publike peace, mine own neck to the ſ [...]eans of the Romiſh Cut-throats: I that know that in this Kingdome of his Majeſty, the Pope hath another Kingdome farre greater in number, and as I have heretofore ſignified to the Lords Juſtices and Counſell (which is alſo ſince juſtified by NOTE: themſelves in print) constantly guided and directed by the Order of the new Congregation, de propaganda ſide, lately erected at Rome, tranſmitted by the meanes of the Popes Nuncioes reſiding at Bruxels or Paris, that the Pope hath here a Clergie, if I may gueſſe by my owne Dioceſſe, double in number to us, the heads whereof are by corporall Oath bound to him, to maintaine him and his Regalities, contra omnem hominem, and to execute his Mandates to the utmoſt of their forces, which accordingly they doe, ſtiling themſelves in print, Ego N. Dei, &c. Apoſtolicae Sedis gratia Epiſcopus Fermien, & Oſſorien, &c. I that know there is in this Kingdome, for the moulding of the people to the Popes obedience, a rabble of irregular Regulars, commonly younger Brothers of good houſes, who are growne to that inſolency, a [...] to advance themſelves to be Members of the Eccleſiasticall Hierarchy, in better ranke then Priests, in ſo much as the cenſure of the Sorbon is faine to be implored to curbe them, which yet is called in againe, ſo tender is the Pope of his owne Creatures: I that know that his Holineſſe hath erected a new Ʋniverſity at Dublin, to confrant his Majesties Colledge there, and to br [...]ed up the youth of this Kingdome to his devotion; of which Ʋniverſity NOTE. one Paul Harris, the Author of that infamous Libell which was put forth in print againſt the Lord Armaths Wansted Sermon, ſtileth himſelfe in print to be Deane: I that know and have given advertiſement to the State, that theſe Regulars dare erect new Fryeries in the Country, ſince the diſſolving of thoſe in the Citys that they have brought the people to ſuch a ſottiſh ſenſeleſneſſe, as they care not to learne the Commandements; as God himſelfe ſpake and writ them, but they flock in great members to the preaching of new ſuperstitious and detestable doctrines, ſuch as their owne Priests are aſhamed of, and at theſe they levy collections, three, four, five, ſix pound at a Sermon: Shortly, I that know that theſe Regulars and this Clergie have at a generall meeting, like to a Synod, as themſelves ſtile it, holden at Drogheda, decreed, that it is not lawfull to take the Oath of Alleagiance, and if they be constant to their own doctrine, doe account his Majesty in their hearts to be King, but at the Popes diſcretion. In NOTE. this eſtate of this Kingdome, to think the bridle of the Army may be taken away, it ſhould be the thought, not of a brain-ſick, but brainleſſe man, &c.

The day of our deliverance from the popiſh Powder-plot.

Your Lordſhips in all duty, WILLIAM KILMORE.

By theſe two Letters, it is moſt apparent, that this Arch-Prelat was from time to time acquainted with the extraordinary encreaſe and inſufferable inſolencies of the Papiſts in Ireland, as likewiſe of their popiſh Arch-biſhops and Biſhops audacious proceedings in that Kingdome, which he was more fully informed of by two printed papers; (ſent to him by Archbiſhop Ʋſher) the one in Latin, the other in Engliſh, found in his Study; endorſed thus with his Secretary Dels hand, May 3. 1632. Protestations of the Secular Priests in Ireland, againſt Thomas Flemming Arch-biſhop of Dublin; one whereof was read at the Lords Barre.

To all the moſt Illuſtrious Archbiſhops and Biſhops of Ireland, but more particularly to thoſe of the Province of Dublin, their honourable Lords, David Biſhop of Oſſory, John of Fernes, Roſſe of Kildare, and Matthew Vicar Apoſtolicall of Lagblem.

[Page]

MOST Illustrious Lords and Reverend Biſhops, the Priests of Dublin make their complaint before you, that the moſt Illustrious Arch-biſhop of Dublin, Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, without alleaging my cauſe againſt them, onely for his will and at his pleaſure, uſeth to exile and baniſh Priests out of his Dioceſſe: and they proteſt that in ſo doing, he exerciſeth a tyranny over the Clergie, contrary to the Canons of holy Church, and the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome.

Moſt Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Chriſt, the aforeſaid Prieſts doe make their complaints, that the ſame moſt Illustrious Arch-biſhop of Dublin, Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, though humbly ſought unto, and deſired, doth refuſe to doe them justice in their cauſes, neither yet will be permit the Clergie to follow their actions meerly civil before the Magistrate, cōtrary to the received customs of this kingdom, from the firſt converſion of this Nation; & they proteſt that in ſo doing, be exerciſeth a tyranny over the Clergie, contrary unto the Canons of the Church, and the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdome, &c.

Moſt Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Chriſt, the aforeſaid Priests doe complain, that the Illustrious Arch-biſhop of Dublin, Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, is accustomed to anſwer the Clergy, complaining of their grievances to him, If I doe you wrong, you may goe to Rome to complaine: In the meane time, reporting himſelfe ſo powerfull in the Court of Rome, that be feares no adverſary: And of this that reverend Prieſt, Father Patrick Ca [...]ill, Doctor of Divinity, had experience, who for a yeere treating of his injuries and grievances done unto himby the Arch-biſhop of Dublin, could by no meanes prevaile once to be admitted to the preſence and audience of the moſt eminent Cardinall NOTE. Ludovifius, Vice-Chancellour of Rome; which Cardinall notwithstanding is given by his Holineſſe unto the Iriſh, at the only Patron and Protector of the Iriſh Nation: Theſe things we may remember with griefe, but amend them we cannot; but we profeſſe before Almighty God, his Holineſſe, and all faithfull people, that this is nothing elſe but to tyrannize over the Clergie, to the diſhonour of the Church, and no ſmall contempt to the See Apostolick.

For which and other cauſes beſides to be alleaged, and in their due time and place to be proved againſt the above named Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, we the aforeſaid Priests, and hereafter to be named, doe ſet before your eyes, moſt Illustrious and reverend Lords, theſe our grievances, as meet and honourable witneſſes of this our deed, writing and publike inſtrument, and as far as is poſſible and lawfull for us by the Canons of holy Church, declining the juriſdiction of our aforeſaid Ordinary by this our preſent writing, and from this time forth we appeale unto the See Apostolicke, from all Eccleſiasticall cenſures hereafter to be inflicted upon us by the ſame Illustrious Arch-biſhop, Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis; and in the meane time, providing for our innocency and ſafety, (according to the example of Saint Paul, and Saint Athanaſius) we doe invocate the ayde of the ſecular arme for our preſent remedy, againſt the aforeſaid Illustrious Arch-biſhop Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, and all Regulars of what Order ſoever, as well Monks as begging Fryars, Abettars, Counſellours and Participants with him in the premiſes, as violators and contemners of all Lawes divine and humane, and men by the Law excommuicate. Humbly beſeeching your Lordſhips in the bowels of the Crucified, that you would be pleaſed to intimate with as much ſpeed as may be, this our Protestation and Appeale unto the See Apostolick; and the God of peace and love, long preſerve your Reverend Lordſhips in ſafety.

Dated at Dublin, May the third, in the yeer of our Lord 1632.

Peter Caddell, Doctor of Divinity.

Paul Harris pr. Deacon of the Univerſity of Dublin.

From which Proteſtation, we may obſerve theſe conſiderable particulars:

Firſt, that the Papiſts in Ireland had their owne popiſh Archbiſhops, Biſhops and a Vicar Apoſtolicall reſiding then amongſt them, as the title and body of this Proteſtation manifeſts.

[Page] Secondly, that their Archbiſhop Flemming had a popiſh Clergy under him, in his Province, and did exceedingly tyrannize over them, uſurping juriſdiction even in temporall cauſes, and over the Kings own Courts among the Catholikes of Ireland.

Thirdly, that the popiſh Biſhops in Ireland, did uſually conferre Orders, and exerciſe all Epiſcopall juriſdiction there.

Fourthly, that they had a ſpeciall Cardinall at Rome [Ludovifius] given by NOTE. the Pope unto the Iriſh, as the onely Patron and Protector of the Iriſh Nation.

Fifthly, that they were grown extraordinary bold and inſolent there, ſo as they openly publiſhed this their Proteſtation and Appeal in print, both in Latin and English, to all the world, and avowed it under their hands, ſubſcribed to it.

Sixthly, that they had then erected a popiſh Univerſity in Dublin it ſelf, of which Paul Harris profeſſeth himſelf Deacon (or Dean, as Biſhop Beadle ſtiles him. even in print.

This Prelat, though he knew all this, yet for ought we find, he never took any ſevere courſe at all to prevent the encreaſe and inſolencies of the popiſh Prelats, Prieſts, Fryars, Papiſts there, but rather to foment them: For firſt, he promoted and ſent over divers ſuperſtitious popiſh Clergy-men thither, as young Mr. Croxton, Doctor Bramball (his principall Agent and Informer, Chaplain to the Lord Deputy) Maſter Chapple, and others, who ſet up ſundry popiſh innovations, and brcohed popiſh Doctrines there, to the great encouragement of the Papiſts: Secondly, he ſent over the Lord Wentworth (his grand inſtrument and confederace) to be Lord Deputy of that Kingdome, who extraordinarily favoured the popiſh party there, and at laſt proceeded ſo far, as to make uſe of them even in Parliament, to ballance the Protestants, the better to conquer and enſlave that Kingdome, even by Parliaments; witneſſe this remarkable clauſe in A Duplicate of a Diſpatch of this Lord Deputies to his Majesty Jan. 22. 1633. with this ſubſcription: For my Lords Grace of Canterbury; found in his private Study at Lambeth, thus endorſed with his own hand, Rec. Mar. 2. 1633. Comp. Ang. Reaſons for the preſent calling of a Parliament in Ireland: Where thus he writes concerning the Parliament then intended to be there called.

‘I Shall endeavoour that the lower Houſe may be ſo compoſed, as that neither the Recuſants, nor yet the Protestants ſhall appear conſiderably more one then the other, holding them as much as may be, upon an equall ballance, for they will prove thus eaſier to govern, then if either party were abſolute. Then would I in private diſcourſe ſhew the Recuſant, That the contribution ending in December next, if your Majeſties Army were not imployed ſome other way before, the twelve pence a Sunday muſt of neceſſity be exacted upon them: Shew the Proteſtant, that your Majeſty muſt not let goe the 20000li. contribution; nor yet diſcontent the other in matter of Religion, till the Army were ſome way elſe certainly provided for, and convince them both, that the preſent quarterly paiments are not ſo burthenſome as they pretended them to be: And that by the graces they have had already more benefit then their mony came to:’ Thus poiſing one by the other, which ſingle might perchance prove more unhappy to deal with.

With this Machiavillian policy, he then acquainted this Archbiſhop, and acaccordingly purſued it; which what deſperate effects it hath of late produced in that Kingdom, by making the Iriſh Papiſts able to over-maſter, and almoſt extirpate the Engliſh-Iriſh Proteſtants and their Religion there, we now experimentally feel to our greateſt grief and danger.

Neither did the Archbiſhop only approve this helliſh policy of the Lord Deputy, but likewiſe in the late Scottiſh troubles, they both moſt deſperately perſwaded his Majeſty (without the privity of the other Lords) to raiſe an Army among the Papiſts in Ireland, to ſubdue the Scots by force, becauſe they durſt not truſt the NOTE. Engliſh, in regard the puritan party was ſo great, and beld correſpondency with the Scots; which advice was held moſt dangerous and pernicious councell by our Stateſ-men, as two: A Neceſſary Introduction, &c. p. 170, 171, 170. Jeſuits [Page] G. T. (Talbot the Jeſuit) and William Hewill, writ to their Father Superiour at Paris [...]nne 28. 1631. as appears by their intercepted Letters, found among Secretary Windebanks ſequeſtred papers.

If any ſhould object, than this Archbiſhop had no power or charge at all in Ireland to ſuppreſſe the Papiſts there: We anſwer, it appears by hundreds of papers, Letters found in his Study, ſent from thence to him; that nothing at all was there acted concerning any Church affairs, but by his direction, who ſwayed all things, diſpoſed of all Church preferments there at his pleaſure, and likewiſe did what he pleaſed there in moſt ſtate buſineſſes by reaſon of his power with the King, and intereſt in the Deputy, inſomuch, that the very naming of him at the Counſell Table there, was like a Gorgons head, to amaze all oppoſites, and ſtrike them mute, or into a ſhaking fit, as the Primate of Armagh informed him in two ſeverall Letters from thence: Wherefore we cannot but from all the premiſes conclude this very Archbiſhop guilty of being not only privy, but aiding to the reeſtabliſhing of popery in Ireland, and reuniting it to the Church of Rome; which Realm being fartheſt out of ſight, was thought the meeteſt Theater for the Pope and his Inſtruments to act their deſigns and parts upon, with moſt advantage, ſecurity, and leaſt oppoſition.

The ſeventh particular, which moſt evidently manifeſts the Pope's with his Agents deſignes and ſtudious endeavour to reconcile us to Rome, and our domeſtick compliance therewith, is the Popes ſending of divers Nuncioes ſucceſſively from Rome into England (a thing never formerly heard of ſince the Reformation) who kept their reſidence, and were entertained as Nuncioes to him in London, Westminster, had frequent acceſſe to Court, and held correſpondency with divers of our Nobility; more eſpecially with Secret. Windebank and Biſhop Mountague, this Archbiſhops chief Creatures, ſeconded with our avowed entertainment of popiſh Agents at Rome, of purpoſe to reduce and reconcile us to it.

The firſt of theſe Nuncioes was Gregorio Panzani, who arrived at London Decem. See A Neceſſary Introduction, &c. pag. 141, 142, 143, to 146. 209. to 218. The Popes Nuncio. Romes Master-Piece. The Popes Breve. 25. 1634. where he was received, welcomed, treated with both by King and Queen; who continuing here till the yeer 1636. and then returning, Seignior Georgio Con, a Scot, (who departed from Rome towards England May 20. 1636.) arrived here about the end of that moneth, bringing a great Breve, and many Reliques of Saints, Meddals, and pieces of gold and ſilver, with the Popes picture ſtamped on them, who was courteouſly entertained by the King and Queen at Hombly in Northamptonſhire, where he found them, and afterwards kept his reſidence in Westminster neer the New Exchange. He after three yeers and two moneths ſtay here in England, aſpiring to a Cardinals Cap, returned towards Rome, laden with great ſtore of Jewels and gifts worth many thouſand pounds. After him Count Roſſetti, a Noble man of Ferrara, was ſent over hither as Nuncio, who continued his Negotiation here, and found great reſpect at Court, till he was driven hence by this Parliament, wherin were many complaints againſt him, about July 1641. as we have elſwhere manifeſted: And as the Pope had his Nuncio's here, ſo had we our reciprocall Agents at Rome: The firſt of them was Maſter Walter Mountague, who arrived there about Auguſt 1633. to whom ſucceeded Serj. Major Bret, who arrived at Rome about Decemb. 1635. After him ſucceeded Sir William Hamilton, a Scot, dangerous Papiſt, who came to Rome about the end of May 1636. and continued Agent there till this preſent Parliament: Of all which this Archbiſhop had exact intelligence, as appears by Maſter Midleton's Letters to him, and Habernfields Diſcovery; found among his owne papers, endorſed by himſelf.

The eighth particular, is the Popes and his Congreations, de Propaganda ſide, a [...] Rome, ſending over infinite ſwarms of Seminary Prieſts, Jeſuits, Fryars of all ſorts into England, to ſeduce us; their erecting of a popiſh Hierachy, ſocieties of Jeſuits, Monaſteries of Monks, Nuns, and other popiſh Locuſts ſecretly among us, and holding a generall Counſell at London, whereof Con the Popes Nuncio [Page] was Preſident; to raiſe arms, forces, monies againſt the Scots, to advance the Catholikes cauſe; all which we have elſwhere related, proved at large, and was very well know to this Prelat, by the manifold Remonſtrances, Petitions of the Parliament, againſt this dangerous encreaſe of Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, Popery, which Petitions he ſtill oppoſed.

Theſe five particulars thus proved, premiſed, infallibly demonſtrating a dangerous deſign and proſecution of it in the Pope and his Inſtruments to reduce, ſubject us to the Church of Rome, of which this Archbiſhop was moſt fully informed, and wherewith in a great meaſure he complied with them; we ſhall now proceed to demonſtrate, that inſtead of counterworking, oppoſing, reſiſting this known deſign and practice of theirs, according to his truſt and duty, he did moſt traiterouſly and wickedly combine, confederate with them to the utmoſt of his wit and power, to advance, accompliſh this their deſign and project by ſundry Jeſuiticall practiſes; ſome whereof we have formerly proved, preſſed at large, and therefore ſhall only recapitulate now, to re-freſh your memories, and then proceed to further evidence.

Firſt of all, he began to uſher into our Cathedrals, Churches, Chappels, Univerſities, by inches and degrees, one after another, Altars, Images, Crucifixes, Tapers, Copes, conſecrated Baſons, Altar-cloths, bowing to Altars, Popiſh conſecrations of Churches, Chappels, Church-yards, Flagons, Veſtments, Credentiaes, Corporals, turning and railing in Communion Tables Altarwiſe, kneeling at the new Rails, ſtanding up at Gloria Patri, praying toward the eaſt, reading ſecond ſervice at the Altar, with other popiſh Innovations formerly mentioned; at firſt he introduced them only as things tolerable, or indifferent, at laſt enjoyed them as expedient and neceſſary.

Secondly, he proceeded to introduce divers Arminian Tenents as a bridge to popery; firſt, in Pulpits, diſcourſes; then in printed authorized books, prohibiting, ſuppreſſing, all preaching, printing, and books againſt them under ſevere penalties.

Thirdly, he next went on to countenance, authorize, maintain, confirm, both in Pulpit and Preſſe, divers erronious poſitions, contrary to the general ſtraine and tenent of our own and forraign Proteſtant Writers of chiefeſt note, tending towards a reconciliation between us and Rome: We ſhall inſtance in theſe few particulars, maintained by himſelf, both in his ſpeeches and writings: Firſt, that the Church of Rome is a true Church: Secondly, that ſhe never erred in fundamentals in the worſt times, but only circa fundamentalia, both which he publikely maintained in the High Commiſſion at Doctor Bastwicks cenſure, as Maſter Burton and Maſter Lane a Miniſter depoſed: Thirdly, that the Religion of Papiſts and Proteſtants is one and the ſame: Fourthly, that men may be ſaved in the Church of Rome and Romiſh Religion, & therefore we need not pray for any Papiſts converſion, no not for the Queens, which he ſpecially prohibited, and queſtioned thoſe who thus prayed for her: Fifthly, that the Pope is not Antichriſt, nor ought to have this title given him, which he expunged both out of the publike Books of our Church, and private mens impreſſions: Sixtly, that the Pope is ſupream head of the Church, the firſt and greateſt Patriarch; and to make this doctrine paſſe more current, he ſuffered the Popes own Titles of, Sanctitatis Vestrae Sanctiſſime Pater, Spiritus Sancti effuſiſſime plenus; Optimus Maximuſque in terris: Ille quo rectior non-ſtat Regula, quo Prior eſt corrigenda Religio; to be attributed to him ſucceſſively in ſundry Letters from the Univerſity of Oxford, Maſter Croxton and others without controll; and proclaims himſelf a Patriarch, in his own book againſt Fiſher, pag. 171. Seventhly, his own Chaplain Doctor Bray, by his ſpeciall direction, in two Books of Doctor Pocklingtons, ſeverally printed, and reprinted with authority, proclaimed, that he derived his lineall ſucceſſion and Epiſcopacy from Pope Gregory and Saint Peters Chair at Rome, and that our Church was miſerable if he could not doe ſo; which Doctor Heylen, by his ſpeciall [Page] command, ſeconded in print; which Biſhop Mountague thus trebles in his Originum Eccleſiaſticarum; Tomi Priorus, pars poſterior, pag. 465. In Pontificali, ſeu libro quam vocamus Ordinationum, Epiſcopus, (AB AUGUSTINO LEGITIME DERIVATA SUCCESSIONE, ET GREGORIO ROMANO DEDUCTUS) Sacros Ordines ſecundum veteris Eccleſiae Cannores conferens, Ordinandum Sacerdotem, ſic affatur, Accipe Spiritum Sanctum, &c. Deriving not only this Archbiſhop, but all our other Biſhops ſucceſſions and Epiſcopacy from Augustine the Monk, and Pope Gregory of Rome; a goodly Romiſh pedegree to be much inſiſted on directly reducing us back to Rome, from whence it was derived, as to our Mother Church.

Fourthly, he with his Inſtruments and Chaplains, vented, authorized not only in the Pulpit, but Preſſe, all manner of popiſh erronious doctrines, never heard amongſt us in former yeers, comprizing the whole body of Papiſtry, of purpoſe to reduce us back to Rome; the particulars whereof you have heard, refuſing, ſuppreſſing orthodox Books, written againſt popiſh errours, and purging the chiefeſt paſſages againſt the Church, Pope, Preſts, Jeſuits and errours of Rome out of all old reprinted and new licenſed books, before they could paſſe the Preſſe, as we have abundantly proved, inſerting popiſh pictures, and a popiſh Index into our very Bibles, the more eaſily to ſeduce men to Popery.

Fiftly, he advanced the moſt corrupt, popiſh, ſuperſtitious perſons of all ſorts, to Biſhopricks, Deaneries, Prebendaries, Head-ſhips of houſes in the Univerſity, Chaplains to the King and Prince, and the greateſt Benefices; ſuppreſſed, ſilenced, deprived, cenſured, baniſhed the moſt zealous preaching orthodox Miniſters in all places, and kept them from preferment, the better to facilitate and effect this deſign.

Sixthly, he cauſed ſundry books tending to Reconciliation of us to Rome, to be printed and publiſhed, eſpecially Biſhop Mountague's Appeal, and other Books ſince, of which Sancta Clara took ſpeciall notice, and made bold to proclaim a peace and reconciliation in moſt points between us.

Seventhly, he ſuppreſſed all Lectures and after-noon Sermons on the Lord's day in moſt places, that the people through ignorance might be more eaſily ſeduced; and inſtead of ſtrict ſanctification of the Lords day, the principall means of encreaſing piety, knowledge, and keeping men off from popery and prophanneſſe, he cauſed a new Declaration to be printed and publiſhed in his Majeſties name, for the uſe of prophane ſports and paſtimes even on Gods own day, and under pretext thereof, cauſed hundreds of our moſt conſciencious Miniſters, (whom otherwiſe he could not tax or quarrell,) to be ſilenced, ſuſpended, impriſoned, yea, driven out of the Realm to forreign Countries and Plantations, that ſo theſe grand obſtructions of our reconciliation with Rome being removed we might without any great difficulty or oppoſition be reduced, reconciled to her; and leaſt any impediment ſhould ariſe to croſſe this Unity from the Dutch, French, or Walloon Churches in our Realms, not any ways poyſoned with his popiſh drugs and Romiſh innovations, he attempted their extirpation too, and had almoſt effected it: All which particulars we have already proved.

We ſhall now proceed to ſome further evidence, manifeſting his compliancy, intelligence and concurrence with the Pope and his Inſtruments in this helliſh plot; what evidence of this kind, common fame and report, both at home, at Rome, and elſwhere hath given in againſt him, Sir Henry Mildmay, Maſter Anthony Mildmay, Maſter Challoner and others have already atteſted: what reall evidence we have yet remaining, to make good this fame, we ſhall now produce.

It had been too groſſe, too palpable an overſight in ſuch a politician as this Archbiſhop was reputed, and very prejudiciall to his deſigns, conſidering the place he ſuſtained, his pretended profeſſion of the Proteſtant Religion, his diſlike of Rome, and the many vigilant eyes that were continually fixed on his actions, to have held any open or immediate intelligence with the Pope, or [Page] his known Agents here, and therefore it can not reaſonably be expected from us to produce direct proofs of any ſuch groſſe intelligence; what then he could not act publikely and immediatly in perſon, he contrived to effect more courtly and mediatly by fitting inſtruments, who held ſtrict correſpondence with the Roman Pontife and his Negotiators. The two truſtieſt perſons he could call out for ſuch a purpoſe, were Maſter Francis Windebank, a lay man, and Richard Mountague a Divine, who had other aſſociates joyned with them to accompliſh this reducement: To enable them the better to carry on this work with more advantage to the Catholike cauſe, he procured Mountague (in deſpight of ſeverall Parliaments oppoſition) to be made a Biſhop, heaped ſundry preferments on him in our Church (of which he ſo ill deſerved) as we have already proved, and ſhall not here inſiſt on: As for Windebank, he advanced him to one of the greateſt places of truſt and ſecrecy in the Kingdom, making him a principall Secretary of State to his Majeſty, which he thus expreſſeth with his own hand in his Diary: June 15. 1632. Master Fancis Windebank, MY OLD FRIEND, was ſworn Secretary His old, ancienteſt and moſt loving friend, as he tearms him in his Diary. Novemb. 24. 1625. Aug. 1629. June 16 1632. of State, WHICH PLACE I OBTAINED FOR HIM of my gracious Master King CHARLES; ſo that he was a creature of his own advancing. No ſooner was he ſetled in this place of honour and truſt, but he preſently fals to his deſigned work; he protects, releaſeth popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits, Fryars, and held familiar correſpondency with them, entertaining them in his houſe, Study, Coach, Garden, and feaſting them at his Table; impriſons, moleſts, reviles the Meſſengers who by office, duty, were bound to apprehend them; ſuſpends the execution of all penall laws againſt them and popiſh Recuſants, by his Letters and Warrants of protection under the privy Signet; held familiar intelligence with Cardinal Barbarino and Panzani, Con, Roſſetti, the Popes Nuncioes, during their abode in England; ſends two of his ſons to Rome in their travels, where this Cardinall entertains them with all curteſie and reſpect for their Fathers ſake, and ſends ſundry Letters to Con from Rome in one of their Trunks; all which being largely proved and publiſhed to the world in Romes Maſter-Piece. The Popiſh Royal Favourite. A neceſſary Introduction to the Archbiſhops tryal. A neceſſary Introduction, p. 123, 124. the Royal popiſh Favourite, p. 18. to 33. other Impreſſions, we ſhall but point at here.

Firſt, For Windebank's releaſe of Prieſts and Jeſuits, for which he was impeached by the Parliament, and fled the Kingdom, we have elſwhere given you a Catalogue of 27. Prieſts diſcharged by him out of priſon, the Original Warrants for whoſe diſcharge we have ready to produce under his hand, and printed the Copies of them; we ſhall mention only one or two Warrants wherein this Archbiſhop concurred with Windebank in the releaſe of two popiſh Prieſts from their priſons, though we never heard of ſuch a favour extended by him to any Puritan or Zealot againſt Papiſts, whom he ſhut up cloſe priſoners even in forraign parts, from Wives, Children, Friends, and all humane comforts.

The firſt is a Warrant for the releaſe of one Robert Hais, a Prieſt (ſo proved upon Oath by Maſter Thomas Mayo, a Purſevant) dated 13. Decemb. 1633. the Originall whereof under Seal was read:

At Whitehall the 18. of December 1633. preſent.

Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury.

Lord Cottington, &c.

Archbiſhop of York, &c.

Master Secretary Windebank.

WHereas a Petition was this day preſented to the Board, by Robert Hais, priſoner in the New-priſon, ſhewing, that the Petitioner is much impoveriſhed in his eſtate by his long impriſonment, and is now grown ſo weak through infirmities, that unleſſe by their Lorſhips favour he may enjoy the benefit of freſh ayre for the recovery of his health, his life is in great danger; and therefore made humble ſuit to be diſcharged from priſon (for preſervation of his life aforeſaid) upon good ſecurity, to attend the Board within ten days after notice in that behalfe; Foraſmuch as his Petition was recommended to the Board BY THE QUEENS MAJESTY; their Lordſhips doe think fit, and order, that the ſaid [Page] Hais (firſt giving good ſecurity, to attend the Board within ten dayes after notice given, as aforeſaid) ſhall be diſcharged from his impriſonment, and enjoy his liberty, without moleſtation or trouble of any Meſſengers, or other his Majeſties Officers whatſoever; whereof the Keeper of the ſaid priſon, and all other whom it may concern, are to take notice.

Ex. WIL. BECHER.

The ſecond, is a Warrant for the enlarging of William Walgrave (depoſed to be a dangerous ſeducing Prieſt, by Maſter Francis Newton) ſubſcribed with the Archbiſhops own hand, and others; the Original whereof was produced.

Theſe are to will and command you to ſet at full liberty the perſon of William Walgrave formerly committed to your cuſtody; and for your ſo doing, this ſhall be your ſufficient Warrant. Dated at Star-chamber the laſt of January 1633.

Wil. Cant. R. Ebor, &c.

Secondly, for Letters of grace and protection, granted by Windebank, under the Privy Signet, for the ſtay of all proceedings againſt Recuſants, and ſuſpenſion of penall Laws againſt them; there are multitudes of them printed by Authority of Parliament, in the Popiſh Royall Favourite, to which we ſhall remit the Reader.

Thirdly, for his holding intelligence with the Popes Nuncioes, Cardinal Barbarino, Jeſuits, Prieſts, and dangerous Papiſts, with his ſons reſort to, and entertainment at Rome; we ſhall evidence it by theſe enſuing Letters, the Originals whereof under hand and ſeal, endorſed with Secretary Windebanks own hand, were produced and read at the Lords Bar.

The firſt is a letter written from Rome it ſelfe from Gregorio Panzani (the Popes firſt Nuncio ſent thence into England,) dated May 31. 1637. wherein he returnes harty thanks to this Secretary, for the many favours he daily received from him whiles he was Nuncio in England, in behalfe of the poore Catholicks; makes mention of his Sonnes being entertainment at Rome, and Cardinall Barbarino his extraordinary commendations of them; the Originall whereof was ſhewed, written in Italian, and a true tranſlated copy thereof (atteſted upon oath by one Maſter Godfry) read in theſe enſuing words.

Moſt Excellent Sir, Patron moſt honoured,

I Would have contained my ſelfe from writing to your moſt illuſtrious Lordſhip, for feare of being ſome impediment, I knowing your many occupations; but I having heard from many perſons, in particular by letters of Segnior Franciſco, ſometimes my Secretary, the honourable mention that otherwhiles your moſt illuſtrious Lordſhip is wont to make of any perſon; and having alſo oftentimes underſtood NOTE. from your moſt famous Segnior Cavaliere Hamilton, and from Father John the Benedictin, how much your moſt illustrious Lordſhip ſtraineth your ſelfe in favouring of me; I have been forced to commit this rude civility, taking in hand my Pen to give you trouble; I aſſure your moſt famous Lordſhip, that I live ſo much obliged to you, that NOTE. I ſhall never be able to pretend to ſatisfie one and the leaſt particle of that which I owe, ſeeing that during my abode in London, moſt rare were thoſe dayes in which I did not receive from your moſt illuſtrious Lordſhip ſome grace in the behalfe and favour of the poore Catholicks. I muſt alſo congratulate my ſelfe with your moſt famous Lordſhip, concerning the moſt noble manners and behaviours of your Lordſhips Sonnes, the which with their ſingular modeſty, and other moſt lavdable vertues, have gained ſuch an opinion, amongſt them that have knowne them in this Court, [Page] that I could never be able to expreſſe it, and the Lord Cardinall Barbarino, in particular cannot ſatiate himſelfe in praiſing them; It grieves me not to have had the fortune to meet with them in this Citie, becauſe willingly I would have attested my devotion towards your moſt famous Lordſhip; to the which, and to all your moſt illuſtrious Family, I reſt, deſiring eternall felicity from heaven; in the meane while I humbly intreat you to favour me with ſome Commandement, and I kiſſe your hands

Your moſt illustrious Lordſhips moſt devoted and moſt obliged Servant, GREG: PANZANI.

From Rome the 31. of May, 1637.

This Letter is moſt full and punctuall, to prove Secretary Windebanks intelligence and correſpondence with Rome, the Pope and his Agents.

The ſecond is a Letter from Father Joſeph (then a kind of Confeſſor to the French King, by whoſe ſpecial command it was, writ Confeſſor afterwards to our Queen, and one of the Capucines in Somerſet-Houſe) written from Paris in Italian to Secretary Windebank; the tranſlation whereof into Engliſh by Maſter Godfrey (who atteſted the truth of it upon oath) was read as followeth:

Moſt excellent Sir, My Patron moſt worſhipfull:

I Should be too much wanting in my duty, if I did not render my moſt humble thanks to your Excellency, having after ſo many other favours conferred upon our NOTE. Miſſion, received for a compleat height the ſingular proof of your affection, in the delivery of our Fathers; I knowing with what love and care you were pleaſed to comply your ſelf in this work, the which beſides the merit of charity, hath been moſt gratefull to his moſt Christian Majesty, who in this doth with great ſatisfaction acknowledge the good will of his Majesty of great Brittain, in the perſon of his Minister in theſe Occurrences, which he well poliſheth: If in any occaſion I can ſerve your Excellence, you ſhall find me moſt ready to render you proofs of my devotion and obſervance, beſeeching you to continue the favourable effects of your benignity towards our Fathers: And with this I end, augurating unto you all compleat felicity.

Your Excellencies moſt devout, and moſt humble Servant in Chriſt Fryar Joſeph of Paris, Capucine.

From Paris the 23. of Novemb. 1634.

By this Letter it is evident, what a Profeſſed Patron this Secretary was of popiſh Prieſts and Fryars, and what correſpondency he held with them.

The third, is a Letter to Secretary Windebank from Father Phillips (the Queens Confeſſor) to inform him of Sir William Hamiltons departure from Paris towards Rome, where he reſides as Our Agent to the Pope; and of Con the Popes Nuncioes departure from Rome towards England; a pregnant evidence of his privity and compliancy with this Negotiation.

Right Honourable,

YEſter night after your Honours departing from Hampton-Court, I received this incloſed: The Gentleman who ſent it to me from Paris, writeth, that Sir William Hamilton departed from thence the third of June, that is our 24. of May, ſo that now he muſt be neer unto Rome. He writeth alſo, that Seignior Georgio G [...]es, whom the Pope doth ſend to the Queen, was to depart from Rome about the twentieth of May; if he have heard of Sir Williams haſty going, it may be he [Page] will ſtay till his arrivall, which I could wiſh, becauſe he both can and would help him better at the beginning then any other I know: I reſt ever

Your Honours moſt humble and devoted Servant, R. PHILLIPS.

From Hampton-Court the 9. of June 1636.

The fourth, is a Letter of Maſter Thomas Windebank, writ to the Secretary his Father from Rome, thus endorſed with his own hand, 6. Septemb. 1626. Tom from Rome, recei. 22. our ſtile.

SIR,

MY moſt humble duty remembred, &c. In my laſt, of the ſixt of this preſent, I have given an account of my arrivall at Rome, and of the favour Sir William Hamilton was pleaſed to doe me, to invite me to his houſe; this note, that he did it with ſo much earneſtneſſe, that I could not avoid the receiving of that honour: I have been to viſit the Cardinal Barbarino, who having had notice of my arrivall here, ſent to viſit me firſt: He is ſo obliging and curteous to all our Nation, NOTE. that I the leſſe wonder at the honour he doth me, to take notice of me, but I hope his favour will ſtay there; I ſee no reaſon I ſhould think otherwiſe, &c.

Your moſt obedient Son THO. WINDEBANK.

Rome Sept. 10. ſtilo novo 1636.

The fift, is a Letter from his Son Tom from Rome, thus endorſed by the Secretary, Tom from Rom, Rec. 30. Sept. our ſtile. Wherein thus he writes:

SIR,

MY moſt humble duty remembred, &c. Sir William Hamilton hath been pleaſed to put ſo great an Obligation upon me, as to invite me to his houſe for the time that I am in Rome; I would very willingly have avoided the putting him to ſuch an inconvenience, but he preſſed it ſo far, that I could not refuſe the receiving of that favour; the Cardinal Barbarino I underſtand HATH LONG EXPECTED ME HERE, hauing had notice of my being in Italy, and I am NOTE. afraid, THAT OUT OF RESPECT TO YOU, he will put ſome honour upon me, but I will avoid all engagements, as much as with civility I may.

Your moſt obedient Son THO. WINDEBANK.

Rome Sept. 6. ſtilo novo 1636.

Theſe two Letters cleerly manifeſt his Son's being, reſpect, and great entertainment at Rome, both by Sir William Hamilton, our popiſh Agent there, and Cardinal Barbarino.

The ſixt, is a Letter of his ſaid Son, from Padoa, thus endorſed by Maſter Secretary, 16. March 1637. Tom from Padoa, Rec. 8. April our ſtile.

SIR,

I Gave advice in ſome of my former, of a Trunk I ſent from Livorno, into England unto Maſter Richant, to be delivered unto you, but have not as yet received any news of the arrivall of it: I ſent not the keys, as not deſirous it ſhould be opened untill my comming home, becauſe few of the things in it are mine, [Page] but the CARDINAL BARBARINES TO MASTER CON, he told me there was no haſte in the delivery of them, ſo that I might doe it my ſelf.

Your moſt obedient Son, THO. WINDEBANK.

Padoa 26. March ſtilo no. 1637.

Here his Son becomes an Inſtrument to convey popiſh Trinkets from Cardinal Barbarino at Rome, to Con the Popes Nuncio then in England.

The ſeventh is a Letter from the Lord Scudamore, to Secretary Windebank from Paris, informing him of a Statue ſent from Cardinal Barbarino from Rome, to be tranſported to him into England.

Right Honourable,

HEre is come to Paris one Maſter Chambers, with the Statue from Cardinal Barbarino; another, the ſervant of him that made the Statue, comming along in company to take it forth, but no where upon any tearms, till it be in England: Upon Munday next, Maſter Chambers intends to ſet forwards for Deepe, &c.

Your Honours to command, JOHN SCUDAMORE.

Paris June 16. 1637.

The eighth is a Letter written to him from his Son Christopher Windebank from Rome, informing this Secretary, how many Friends and Servants he had there, who much reſpected and honoured him for his ſake; among others Panzani, who had been here a Nuncio, and Father John, (agent to the Engliſh Benedictines in Rome,) which he thus endorſed, Kit from Rome.

Moſt dear Father,

I Salute you, &c. eſpecially not being in any place my ſelf, where I am not looked upon by all thoſe who profeſſe themſelves SERVANTS of your moſt Illuſtrious Honour: HERE IN ROME your moſt Illuſtrious Lordſhip hath NOTE. many; amongſt the which, Sir William Hamilton, Seignior Gregorio Panzani, and Father John kiſſe your hands, &c.

Your moſt obedient Son, CHRIST. WINDEBANK.

From Rome the 15. of April 1639.

If we compare theſe Letters with the forementioned Inſtructions of this Secretary to his Son Thomas at Paris, concerning Ludovicus â Sancta Maria, Franciſcus de Sancta Clara his Book, and Father Leander, it is paſt all controverſie; that he held moſt ſtrict and conſtant intelligence with the Pope, Cardinal Barbarino, the Popes Nuncio's, Prieſts, Jeſuits, and contributed all poſſible aſſiſtance to them in their confederacy of reducing us back to Rome.

The reallity whereof, and this Archbiſhop's cognizance of it, was thus atteſted to the Archbiſhop himſelf, by Andreas ab Habernfield, and Sir William Boſel, in the Plot they ſent him from the Hague, found in his chamber in the Tower, endorſed with his own hand.

SEcretary Windebank, a moſt fierce Papiſt, is the moſt unfaithfull to the King of all men, who not only betrayes and reveals even the Kings greateſt ſecrets, but likewiſe communicates Councels, by which the deſigne may be beſt advanced: He at leaſt thrice every week converſeth with the Legat in nocturnall Conventicles, and reveals thoſe things which he thinks fit to be known, for which end he hired a houſe neer to the Legats houſe, whom he often reſorts [Page] to through the Garden door, for by this vicinity, the meeting is facilitated; [...]he ſaid Secretary is bribed with gifts to the party of that conjured ſociety, by whom he is ſustained, that he may the more ſeriouſly execute his Office: He ſent his Son to Rome, to inſinuate himſelf into the Roman Pontiffe.

For his committing Meſſengers to priſon, untill they ſhould enter into bond never to perſecute Prieſts or Jeſuits more (an extraordinary good ſervice of a pretended Proteſtant Secretary of State) you ſhall hear thereof anon, when we produce our Witneſſes.

By all theſe particulars, it is moſt evident, that this Secretary, (the Archbiſhops old, and moſt intimate loving friend,) was advanced by him to this place of truſt, to be a moſt peſtilent trecherous inſtrument of protecting, enlarging, ſecuring popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits, Fryars, Papiſts, to hold familiar intelligence with the Popes Cardinals, Nuncio's, Agents, to promote their dangerous deſigns upon us, and reduce us back to Rome; that the Archbiſhop knew he was ſuch an one, and yet continued his intimacy and correſpondency with him to promote the ſame deſigns.

We ſhall now proceed a little further, and cleerly evidence to your Lordſhips and the world, that the Archbiſhop held, not only remote & mediate correſpondency with the Pope and his Agents by Biſhop Mountague, Windebank, and others of his Inſtruments, but even with moſt deſperate popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits and Papiſts themſelves; Not to inſtance in the Earl of Arundel and his Counteſſe, Sir Kenelme Digby, Sir John Winter, and other lay-papiſts, who were very active ſtrenuous promoters of this Romiſh plot, at Habernfield's Diſcovery informs both the Archbiſhop himſelf and us, we ſhall nominate ſome profeſſed Prieſts and Jeſuits of note, with whom he had intelligence.

Sancta Clara, as we have proved formerly under his own hand, was brought to him by Doctor Lindſey, who acquainted him with his Book of Reconciliation, before it was printed, and was with him afterwards ſome five or ſix times more, proffering him his Service to maintain Epiſcopacy to be Jure Divino.

Monſieur Saint Giles, a moſt dangerous ſeducing Prieſt, though known to him to be ſuch a one, was maintained by him ſundry yeers together in the Univerſity of Oxford, where he had the free uſe of the Library, to inſtruct and ſeduce both the Doctors and Students there, & reduce them back to Rome, who were running too faſt thither without ſuch a ſpur to poſt them forwards, or Poſtilion to direct them in the way: This we have proved under his own hand, by the teſtimony of Maſter Brode, and if need be, we have Maſter Nixon, Maſter Godfrey, and one Father Cox a Benectine Prieſt, to atteſt it further on their Oaths.

Sir Toby Matthew, a moſt dangerous ſeducing active Prieſt and Jeſuit, was frequent with him at Lambeth, White-Hall, and other places, eating oft with him at his Table, riding ſometimes very familiarly with him in his Coach, and going with him in his Barge.

Father Flud alias Smith, a moſt deſperate ſeducing Prieſt and Jeſuit, who had a hand in the Gun-powder-plot, was very familiar with his Creature Windebank and oft frequented the Arch-biſhop at Lambeth Houſe.

Father Leander, a Benedictine Monk (his ancient Chamber-fellow and acquaintāce in Oxford, ſent over into Engl. about the yeer 1636. as was generally reported among the Benedictines and Papiſts, of purpoſe to reconcile us to Rome, by his intereſt in this Archbiſhop, and great learning, was very intimate with his Grace and Windebank: So was Father Price, general of the Engliſh Benedictines (who procured the Searchers place at Dover, and put Papiſts into it, for the more ſecure paſſing of Prieſts, Jeſuits & popiſh Agents the eaſier into England, conveying Engliſhmen and women to forraign Monaſteries, and intelligence to and from Rome, and other parts, by the aſſiſtance of Windebank, Canterbury, and others:) yea, the popiſh Biſhop of Calcedon too, Dr Smith, held firm correſpondence with him.

[Page] Neither was he thus only familiar and held correſpondency with theſe Prieſts and Jeſuits, but protected them all he might, not proſecuting them at all, but onely in ſhew to delude the people, and then very coldly, ſecuring them in by priſons where they had the beſt chambers, great reſort, liberty to goe in and out at pleaſure without a Keeper, never ſending them to the common Goales, to be indicted, executed, and at laſt releaſing them out of priſon, when as he perſecuted, cloſe impriſoned, baniſhed into forraigne Countries, dungeons, cut off the ears, ſlit the noſes, branded the cheeks of ſome, and utterly ruined other Proteſtant Miniſtes and zealous Gentlemen, for oppoſing popery and popiſh Innovations. Nay, he impriſoned one Gray, a great diſcover of Prieſts, only for apprehending Prieſts, caling him a Prieſt-catching knave, commanded the Purſevants not to keep company with him, for if they did he would diſplace them, and pull their Meſſengers coats over their ears; denied to imploy others as Meſſengers to apprehend Prieſts and Jeſuits, becauſe, he ſaid, they were too hot and zealous in that ſervice; yea, he ſuffered all manner of popiſh Books to be imported, to ſeduce his Majeſties Subjects, reſtored them to their owners, when ſeized by the ſearchers, contrary to an expreſſe Statute, concealed ſome of their moſt deſperate plots, treaſons, diſcouraging, menacing the Witneſſes that revealed them: To evidence all this, we ſhall produce our witneſſes, who teſtified upon oath as followeth:

James Waddeſworth Gent. of Saint Dunstans pariſh in the weſt, London, depoſed both in writing and vivâ voce at the Lords Bar, That one Henry Smith, alias Loyd, a dangerous Prieſt and Jeſuit, before the beginning of the Scottiſh Warres, did cell him in Norfolke (where he met him) That the popiſh Religion was not to be brought in here by diſputing or Books of controverſie, but with an Army and with fire and ſword; NOTE. that he hath often times ſince met the ſaid Smith, going (as he told him) to ſee the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who (as he ſaid) was a good man, and loved them well; that himſelf was about eight yeers ſince, impriſoned above three yeers ſpace in ſeverall priſons, only for calling a Prieſt Traitor, and for apprehending Prieſts: During which time of his impriſonment, the ſaid Smith came three or four times to viſit him, in the name of the Archbiſhop, the Lord Cottington, and Secretary Windebanke, and told him, That if he would adjure the Realme, and never proſecute Prieſts more, he ſhould have a Warrant under the Kings hand to releaſe him, which he refuſing at that time, he was afterward releaſed out of priſon, but upō this promiſe, never to proſecute NOTE. prieſts again: And when he was thus enlarged, one Davis brought him four pound in money from the ſaid Archbiſhop (as he told him) towards the payment of his fees. And he further depoſed, that he hath often met Father Price a Prieſt, Superiour of the Engliſh Benedictines, and Father Leander a Benedictine Monk and Prieſt, going (as themſelves ſaid and confeſſed) to Lambeth to the Archbiſhop, to ſee and ſpeak with him, which they oft times ſpake in a vanting manner; and that Leander was commonly reported to have been the Archbiſhops Chamber-fellow in Oxford: That Smith, alias Loyd the Jeſuit, did uſually meet at the Lord Cottingtons houſe in Breadſtreet, at a Juncto every Friday night; where were uſually preſent, the ſaid Lord, Sir Toby Matthew, the Spaniſh Embaſſadour, Sir Arthur Hopton, Endimion Porter, James Hammond a great Papiſt, and Secretary Windebank: Which Juncto ſometimes met at Sir Arthur Hoptons houſe in the Pallace-Yard at Weſtminſter.

Francis Newton of Saint Giles Creplegate London, Gent. depoſed both in writing and by word of mouth at the Lords Bar, that he by vertue of a generall Warrant from the Lords of the Counſel for the apprehending of Jeſuits and popiſh Prieſts (among others, apprehended one Henry Morſe, a grand Jeſuit, and great ſeducer of his Majeſties Subjects, who had perverted 500. perſons in and about London, as appeared by certificats at his Triall, who being like to be diſcharged before his Triall, this Deponent by the appointment of Secretary Cooke, the Lord Keeper Coventry, and Lord Privy-Seale, repaired to Lambeth to the Archbiſhop, to deſire him to give this Deponent order, that the ſaid Morſe might not be diſcharged, they ſaying, it is now time to look about us, ſo many being ſeduced by one [Page] perſon: Whereupon he repairing to Lambeth, deſired Maſter Dell, the Archbiſhops Secretary, to help him to ſpeak with the Archbiſhop from theſe Lords, about the Prieſts diſcharge: Maſter Dell anſwered, that the Archbiſhop was buſie with Sir Toby Matthews, (commonly reputed a Jeſuit, and an arch-intelligencer of Rome) in the Garden, and this Deponent being earneſt with Maſter Dell to have an anſwer from the Archbiſhop to return to the Lords, he brought anſwer from him, That the Deponent ſhould bring him the next day before the Councell-boo [...]d, and ſent Dell the next morning to Maſter Secretary Cooke, to know, whether he had ſent the Deponent to him or no. After which the ſaid Prieſt being ſent to Newgate, and arraigned upon two Bils found againſt him, was by Order form the King, put by his judgement, and ſoone after releaſed. He further dep [...] ſed, that one Henry Loyd, alias Francis Smith, alias Rivers, alias Sin [...]us; (Provinciall of the Jeſuites, and a chiefe actor in the Gunpowder-treaſon, as this deponent was informed by one Stukely a Prieſt, who bid this deponent remember him of 5. die Novembris, meaning the Gunpowder-plot) was by the Deponent and one Tho: Mayo, Indited and Out-lawd of High-treaſon; and afterwards being protected by Secretary Windebank from the arreſts of Meſſengers, this Deponent oftentimes meeting of him in the ſtreets on horsback, and telling him, that a ſledg and three horſes were fitter for him then one horſe to ride on; he replyed ſome two or three times, when the Deponent uſed theſe ſpeeches, holding up his finger; well Newton, you rogue, I have done your arrand to my Lords grace of Cant. already, and ſhall do it to Secr. Windebank alſo. And he depoſed, that he hath ſeen the ſaid Jeſuit once at Lambeth-houſe, and there entertained by Mr Del the Archb Secretary, in a room neer the Archbiſhops Study, where being in familiar conference with the ſaid Mr Del, he did whiſper to him, & often caſt an eye toward this Depont as if he were ſpeaking of him. He likewiſe further depoſed, that he hath oft times ſeen the ſaid Smith the Jeſuit at Secr. Windebanks houſe, talking very familiarly wth him, and clapping him on the back, & that he met divers times ſundry of the impriſoned popiſh Prieſts, freely walking without a keeper in Grays-Inne walks, and in other places, and that they lay abroad out of priſon in Towne and in the Country many weeks together, & he hath gone into the Newpriſon & Clinck where there were about 20 Prieſts impriſoned, and found not above one or two there.

Richard D [...]unel Gent. depoſed upon oath, that he being a priſoner in the Newpriſon ſome yeers ſince, the Prieſts and Jeſuits committed thither by the Archbi. had the beſt rooms in the priſon, a Cook, Steward and cōmon table, at wch they dicted al together, Maſſe ſaid in their chambers, divers Ladies & Gentlemē in [...] ches frequently viſiting them without reſtraint, and great ſtore of Veniſon ſent them in its ſeaſon, when as Mr Huntly and other godly Miniſters there impriſoned by the Archb. were thruſt into the worſt lodgings, denied liberty to di [...] together, and were not ſuffered to goe out of priſon upon any occaſion, but with a coſtly keeper attending on them, though they had given bond for their true impriſonment, neither had their friends free acceſſe to them, but were many times queſtioned and reſtrained.

Thomas Mayo a Meſſenger, of Saint Andrewes Holborne, teſtified upon Oath, That about nine yeers ſince, the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, having committed one John Evans a Miniſter to the Gate-houſe, for printing of Bils, ſetting forth the uſe of the Antimonial Cup, he did thereupon repaire with a Petition in his behalfe, to the Archbiſhops houſe at Lambeth, where he then ſaw Maſter Henry Moore, and Henry Loyd, alias Smith, two dangerous Jeſuits, in the great Chamber above ſtairs, neer the Archbiſhops Study, waiting there, as he conceiveth, to ſpeak with the ſaid Archbiſhop, and very familiarly entertained in diſcourſe by Maſter Dell, who carried himſelfe very reſpectively towards them, which he well remembreth, for that he then delivered an Antimoniall Cup to the ſaid Maſter Dell to be delivered to the Archbiſhop from Maſter Evans: And he further depoſed, that he hath often ſeen Sir Toby Matthewes (whom this Deponent [Page] hath ſeen in Saint Johns Colledge in Lovain in Brabant, who there was reputed a Jeſuit) at Lambeth houſe, and there walking in a friendly manner with the ſaid Archbiſhop, and at other times hath ſeen Sir Toby riding with him in his Coach (once in NOTE. the Strand) and paſſing with him in his Barge from White-hall to Lambeth; that he often aſſiſting other Meſſengers to diſcover and apprehend Prieſts, and finding ſome neglect in them in that ſervice, did thereupon deſire the ſaid Archbiſhop, That he might have a Warrant for himſelfe to apprehend Priests and Jeſuits: To which the ſaid Archbiſhop anſwered, You are too hot and nimble for that ſervice, ſaying, NOTE. He had Meſſengers enough already, and refuſed to grant his requeſt: And withall by order from the ſaid Archbiſhop, he was imployed to attend popiſh Ambaſſadours houſes, Denmark-houſe, and the Popes Nuncioes Lodging, to view and returne unto him the number of popiſh Prieſts and Recuſants which reſorted thither to Maſſe; which accordingly he did every Munday, for the ſpace of halfe a yeer and more, giving the Archbiſhop a Certificate of their number and quality; but he never received any order from him to apprehend any of them, nor ſaw any fruit or reformation thereof: That he having a ſpeciall Warrant from the ſaid Archbiſhop and others of the high Commiſſion, to apprehend one Peter Wilford, a Prieſt, (condemned ſince the Parliament, and now in Newgate) and apprehending him by vertue thereof, he brought him before this Archbiſhop to his Chamber in White-hall, who ſent this Deponent word by NOTE. Sir John Lamb, that he would not meddle with him; and the ſaid Wilford having a Protection from Secretary Windebank which he ſhewed the Deponent, was thereupon diſcharged by the ſaid Archbiſhops direction, ſignified by Sir John Lamb.

Elizabeth Gray of Saint Margarets Westminster, Widow, depoſed, That her late husband, John Gray, being a Meſſenger to the Lords of the Counſell, and having a Warrant from them to apprehend Jeſuits and Seminary Prieſts; the ſaid Gray by vertue of that Warrant, apprehended one Fiſher, alias Perſey, a grand Jeſuit, and acquainted Maſter Secretary Cook therewith, whereupon he was committed priſoner to the Gate-houſe, there to remaine untill he ſhould put in ſecurity to depart the Realme, and never to returne againe: Soon after which, the ſaid Gray and one John Cooke (as the Deponent was often informed by them) meeting the ſaid Fiſher walking in the ſtreets, apprehended him; whereupon he ſhewed a Warrant of Secretary Windebanks, requiring that no Meſſenger ſhould apprehend the ſaid Fiſher, nor ſearch the houſe or houſes where he ſhould frequent; upon which Gray diſcharged him, and repairing to Secretary Cook acquainted him with the ſaid Jeſuits protection; who thereupon commanded Gray and Cook to repaire to this Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and acquaint him with the premiſes; who thereupon went to Lambeth, and deſired Maſter Dell the Archbiſhops Secretary, to acquaint the Archbiſhop therewith, as from Maſter Secretary Cook, and to grant them a Warrant to apprehend the ſaid Fiſher: To which Maſter Dell replied, That he was an idle fellow, and bade him move the whole Board for it, For his Lord would grant no ſuch Warrant: Whereupon Gray replied, Lord have mercy upon is all, I ſee how the game goes now, I hope to ſee better days.

For which words, the ſaid Gray was ſent for the next day before the Counſell, upon the complaint of the ſaid Archbiſhop, and committed priſoner to the Fleet for the ſame: Whereupon this Deponent exhibited many Petitions to the ſaid Archbiſhop, and the whole Board for her ſaid husbands releaſe, to which ſhe could get no anſwer; and one day ſhe preſenting a Petition to the ſaid Archbiſhop in the ſtone Gallery at Whitehall, for her Huſbands enlargement, he looking upon the ſame, and ſeeing the ſaid Grayes name therein, flung it away in an angry manner, ſaying, he would have nothing to doe with a Prieſt-catching knave. By meanes whereof, her ſaid Husband continued a priſoner in the Fleet for two and twenty weeks, and could not be [Page] releaſed (as Maſter Read Secretary Windebanks Secretary, told this Deponent) till ſuch time as he ſhould give Bond and Baile, never to apprehend Priests and Jeſuits more.

The next day ſhe going to Secretary Windebank for her Husbands releaſe, Maſter Read (his Secretary) demanded, where his ſaid Bond and Baile was? To which ſhe anſwered, That ſome Gentlemen in the Fleet ſaid, That in requiring ſuch Bond and Baile, they incurred a Premunire: To which the ſaid Maſter Read replied, That the ſaid Gentlemen and the Deponent deſerved to be ſent to Newgate for theſe ſpeeches: And Secretary Windebank himſelfe taking exception at the ſaid ſpeeches, gave Order, after the ſaid Gray had his Diſcharge, That he ſhould ſtay in priſon till every penny of his Fees were paid.

That a little before this her ſaid Husbands trouble, upon his apprehending of a Prieſt or Jeſuit, from whom he took good ſtore of Books, to the value of an hundred pounds; the ſaid Archbiſhop commended it for a good piece of ſervice, and willed him to bring the ſaid Books to his Houſe at Lambeth, and he would well recompence him: But he receiving and keeping the Books, never gave him any recompence.

John Goldſmith depoſed, that about four yeers ſince, he being in the High-Commiſſion Court at Lambeth, the Archbiſhop before the Court ſate, called all the Meſſengers of the Court to him, and charged them to take heed that they kept not company with one Gray, A PRIEST-CATCHER, againſt whom Secretary Windebank had made a complaint at the Counſell Table for diſcovering Prieſts; and told them, that if he heard that any of them had any more to doe with him, he would not onely LAY THEM BY THE HEELS, BUT LIKEWISE PULL THEIR COATS OFF FROM THEIR BACKS, AND TURNE THEM OUT OF THEIR PLACES. And he further depoſed, that he did complaine and indite a Papiſt for ſaying, THAT OUR RELIGION WAS SPURD OUT OF KING HENRY THE EIGTH HIS COD [...]IECE; whereupon the Papiſt proſecuted him in the High Commiſſion for a defamation.

John Cook of Rederoſſe-ſtreet, London, depoſed, That John Gray a Meſſenger, had a Warrant from the Lords of the Counſell Table, for the apprehending of Prieſts and Jeſuits: And that the ſaid Gray and this Deponent by vertue thereof, did apprehend one Father Fiſher, alias Pierſey, a grand Jeſuit, and brought him before Maſter Secretary Cooke, who wiſhed us to bring him before the Counſell Table the next ſitting, which we did accordingly in Anno 1634. And after his Examination there, the Archbiſhop of Canterbury and Secretary Cooke went to the King, to know his pleaſure what ſhould be done with him: Who returning to the Board, the Archbiſhop delivered the Kings pleaſure to this effect:

Master Fiſher kneele downe upon your knees every morning and every evening, and pray for the King for granting you your life: And to be ſhort, Master Fiſher, his Majesties pleaſure is, that you ſhall be forthwith baniſhed this Kingdome, and all at her his Majesties Dominions; and you ſhall remaine priſoner in the Gate-houſe, untill you put in good ſecurity before the Kings Attourney, Sir John Banks, never to returne again. Whereunto Fisher replyed: If he had a hundred lives, be would come hither againe, or elſewhere, if his Superiour ſo commanded him; and utterly refuſed to put in any ſecurity.

Whereupon the Board ſent him to the Gate-houſe, there to remaine untill he ſhould put in ſuch ſecurity as aforeſaid.

[Page] Whereupon, about four moneths after, the ſaid Gray and the Deponent met the ſaid Fiſher in Holborn, and demanding of him the reaſon of his going abroad; he replied, We were Rogues, what was that to us; and ſhewed us a Warrant under the hand of Secretary Windebank for his enlargement: Whereupon Gray and this Deponent went to Lambeth to the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and endeavoured to acquaint him by Maſter Dell his Secretary, that Fiſher had a Warrant from Maſter Secretary Windebank for his liberty, and deſired to know the Archbiſhops pleaſure therein: But Maſter Dell made anſwer, That his Lord would NOTE. not meddle with ſuch trifling matters: Whereupon Gray ſaid, He hoped to ſee better days, for he ſaw now how the game went: The next day after, Gray was ſent for by a Meſſenger to the Counſel Table, and then the Archbiſhop ſaid at the Table, This fellow railed on me, and bid them have him away; whereupon Gray was committed to the Fleet, where he lay twelve weeks upon the Archbiſhops complaint, and after that, ſeven weeks more by Secretary Windebanks Warrant, who refuſed to releaſe him, unleſſe he would give bond and bail, never to proſecute Priests and Jeſuits more. NOTE. He further depoſed, that in his hearing, one Loyd a dangerous Jeſuit, deſired Sir Kenelm Digby to tell the Biſhop of Canterbury, that he could not that day dine with him, and bid him remember his love to the Archbiſhop, and deſire him NOTE. to be mindfull of the buſineſſe that they and he had formerly ſpeech about: And that he hath often ſeen the ſaid Loyd, Sir Kenelm Digby, Sir Toby Matthews, and one Gray a great Papiſt, at Lambeth at the Archbiſhops houſe.

Maſter Thomas Thacher of Barkin Pariſh, London, atteſted upon Oath, That he having a Warrant from the High Commiſſioners to apprehend popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits, did by vertue thereof apprehend Maſter Henry Morſe a Jeſuit, and one Gârdiner a Prieſt, great ſeducers, who being committed to Newgate, were ſoon after diſcharged thence by Secretary Windebank's Warrant; to whom he repairing for his fees; the ſaid Secretary demanding a ſight of his Warrant, which he ſhewed, detained it from him, and would not reſtore the ſame: Whereupon he repaired to the Archbiſhop, and deſired of him a new Warrant to apprehend Prieſts and Jeſuits; who thereupon told him, That Secretary Windebank had complained of this Deponent to the Queen, and demanded of him if he kept not NOTE. company with one Gray, who gave him intelligence of the perſons and lodgings of Priests and Jeſuits, and wiſhed him not to keep company with him any more, for if he did, he would lay him by the heels, and turn him out of his Place. He further depoſed, that he having a ſpeciall Warrant from the Lords of the Counſel for the apprehending of Sir Toby Matthew, a dangerous Papiſt; and apprehending him accordingly, the late Lord Strafford Deputy of Ireland, ſent for this Deponent to bring Sir Toby to him, which he did; who thereupon diſcharged Sir Toby by word of mouth, and promiſed to ſave the Deponent harmleſſe, who thereupon repairing to the Archbiſhop, acquainted him therewith, the Archbiſhop ſaid, it is well, I ſhall ſpeak with him anon.

John Egerton of the Minories, depoſed, That he being at Lambeth-houſe upon occaſion, did ſee Sir Toby Matthew there two ſeverall times with the Archbiſhop; That he being one of the Searchers of the Cuſtom-houſe in London, did on the 28. of December 1633. ſeize four hundred Popiſh books in Engliſh, written by one Lewes of Puente a Jeſuit, with divers popiſh Primmers and Catechiſmes, brought over from beyond the Seas, to ſeduce his Majeſties Subjects, contrary to the ſtatute of 3-Jacobis cap. 5. which gives the forfeiture of 40s. for every Book ſo imported, againſt the Importers of them: Which Books he carried to the now Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who commanded him to deliver them to Maſter Motterſhead, Regiſter of the High Commiſſion; which he did: and that about a fortnight after, he comming to the ſaid Motterſhead, to demand ſatiſfaction [Page] for his pains and charge in ſeizing the ſaid Books, and demanding of him where the ſaid Books were? he anſwered and affirmed to the Deponent, That he had delivered them to the owners of them by the Archbiſhops direction and command; NOTE. and Motteſhead appointed him only forty ſhillings for his pains, when the charge he had been at in carrying them from place to place, coſt him five pounds: After which he was troubled in the High Commiſſion for importing Engliſh Bibles, and there put from his Searchers place, impriſoned and fined two hundred pounds, when as the Importers of popiſh books were never queſtioned.

In the yeer 1640. May 16. upon the Letter of Doctor Thomas Weeks, Chaplain both to the Archbiſhop, and Biſhop of London, there were eleven Caſes of popiſh Books, belonging to one John Weld, a Popiſh Recuſant and others, delivered out of the Custom-houſe, where they were ſeized, to the owners to be diſperſed, to ſeduce his Majeſties people, contrary to the Statute, as Maſter Jones, Maſter Dent, and others of the Cuſtom-houſe, atteſted under their hands: Viz. Holy Courts 456. Key of Paradice 603. Manuels 661. The life of Eleazar Count of Sabri [...] 259. The following of Chriſt 116. Popiſh Catechiſmes 344. dozens; Fronts for Altars 39. Ladies Pſalters 24. The Mirrour of new Reformation 134. Offices of our Lady 558. Maſſe books 9. and two great ones more; The Devout heart 101. Vade Mecum 276. A Method to ſerve our Lady 570. Moſt of theſe were very richly bound up, and ſome of them delivered to Knight the Regiſter of the High Commiſſion, by the Archbiſhops order, and by him reſtored to the owners; when as on the contrary, he was very ſtrict in ſeizing all puritanicall Books, and puniſhing the diſperſers of them; witneſſe this his ſubſcription to the Petition of one Francis Wallis Gentleman, who complaining to him againſt one Thomas Abbis of London, for ſelling and tranſporting beyond the Seas, an Abſtract of the Laws of New-England, The whole proceedings againſt Doctor Bastwick, Maſter Burton, and Maſter Prynne, and againſt the Biſhop of Lincoln, the Archbiſhop ſubſcribed it in this ſort.

I deſire Sir John Lambe to be very carefull of this buſineſſe, and that he imploy a trusty and diſcreet Meſſenger for the apprehending of the party here complained of, and ſeizing his Books, and let me have an account thereof.

March 14. 1637.

W. CANT.

For the Archbiſhops intimacy with Doctor Smith the Biſhop of Calcedon, we have no direct proof at hand, but two very ſuſpicious paſſages in his own Diary, which ſeem to intimate it, wherein we read as followeth: Jan. 26. 1631. My neerer acquaintance began to ſettlewith D [...]. S. I pray God bleſſe us in it. June 25. 1632. Do. S. with me, &c. Cum Ma. Which Do. S. we conceive to ſignifie, either Smith the Arch-Jeſuit, of whoſe familiarity with him the former witneſſes have depoſed; or Doctor Smith Biſhop of Calcedon, with whom, if not this Archbiſhop, yet his Minion Secretary Windebank at leaſt, held ſtrict intelligence, as appeares by this Originall Letter to his Sonne at Paris, under his owne Hand and Seale, found among his ſequeſtred Papers by MASTER PRYNNE.

TOm, &c. If you ſee Doctor Smith Biſhop of Calcedon there, who is a great Confident of the Cardinals, he may be A FIT [Page] INSTRUMENT TO MAKE SOME DISCOVERY OF THE INTELLIGENCE THE SCOTS NOTE. HOLD THERE: but this muſt be done with great caution.

Your very loving Father, FRANCIS WINDEBANK.

Drury-Lane Decemb. 12. 1630.

The benefit of this intelligence being principally to redound to the Archbiſhop, the originall cauſe and grand fomenter of the Scottiſh Wars, it is moſt probable, this advice proceeded originally from him, and his intereſt in this popiſh Biſhop.

Before we make any ſpeciall application of the preceding teſtimonies and evidence, we ſhall only manifeſt what a moſt pernicious, ſeducing, dangerous Prieſt and Jeſuit, this Sir Toby Matthew (with whom the Archbiſhop ſo familiarly converſed) was at that very time.

Andreas ab Habernfiela's Diſcovery of the Plot of Treaſon againſt the King, ſent from Sir William Boſwel to the Archbiſhop himſelf, gives this true Character of him: See Romes Maſter-Piece, pag. 19, 20. Sir Toby Matthew a Prieſt and Jeſuit, of the Order of Politicians, a moſt vigilant man, one of the primeſt heads, to whom a bed was never ſo deare, that he would reſt his head thereon, refreſhing his body with ſleep in a chaire for an hour or two, ſpareth his mach inations neither day nor night; a man principally noxious, and the very plague of the King and Kingdome of England; a moſt impudent man, who flies to all Banquets and Feaſts, called or uncalled, never quiet, alwayes in action and perpetuall motion, thrusting himſelf into all meetings of Superiours, urgeth conferences familiarly, that be may fiſh out the minds of men: whatever he obſerveth thence, that may bring any commodity or diſcommodity to the part of the Conſpirators, he communicates to the Popes Legat, the more ſecret things he himſelfe writes to the Pope, or to Cardinal Barbarino. In fine, he adjoynes himſelfe to any Company; no word can be ſpoken that he will not lay hold on and accommodate to his party: In the meane time, what he hath fiſhed out, he reduceth into a Catalogue, and in the Summer carries it to the generall Conſistory of the Jeſuits Politicks, which ſecretly meets together in the Province of Wales, where he is an acceptable Gueſt: There Counſels are ſecretly hammered, which are moſt meete for the convulſion of the Eccleſiasticke and Politicke State of both Kingdomes.

Yea, this moſt ſedulous promoter of the Popes deſignes, for his dexterity, experience and ſedulity in mannaging his Holineſſe affaires in England, was in ſuch extraordinary favour with the Pope, that by a Speciall Bull he committed his laſt Nuncio, Count Roſſetti (being but yong) to his tutelage and direction, as to his Angle Gardian; hoping, that his Nuncio aſſiſted by his Counſels, would produce no ſmall fruits to the Catholicke Church IN A SHORT TIME, SPACE, and NOTE. through the help of the female Amazons there RESTORE THE AUTHORITY OF THE SEE APOSTOLICK IN THE KINGDOM OF ENGLAND, which by oceaſion of one woman (Queen ELIZABETH) was there ſuppreſſed. The Copy whereof (found among Secretary Windebankes papers) being very materiall, was read at the Bar: In which Bull the Pope himſelfe gives him this Title: A ſufficient evidence that Sir Toby was both a Jeſuit and Prieſt too.

Dilecto Filio TOBIAE MATHEO Societat. Jeſu Sacerdoti Urbanus Papa 8.

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DIlecte Fili ſalutem & Apoſtolicam benedictionem. Ardens animarum zelus quo jam a toi annis in vinea Domini laborando ſtrenuum te militem exhibuiſti, NOTE. promeretur ut tuae virtuti debitam laudem reddamus. Sane magnâ cum exultatione audivimus See Romes Maſter-peece, p. 19, 20, 21. labores quos ſuſtines ut ſedis Apoſtolicae amplitudinem augeas, & quo ca: ritatis zelo omnibus omnia fias, ut omnes lucrifacius. Decet certè te viram Apoſtolicum, magni Apoſtoli exemplo doctum, ut Judeis fias tanquam Judeus, & iis qui ſunt ſine lege, tanquam ſis finè lege, dummodo Sedis Apoſtolicae dignitatem promoveas. Ideo cum in magnam Brittanniam mittere ſtatuerimus dilectum filium Comitem Roſſeti, noſtrum & Sedis Apoſtolice cum poteſtate Legati a latere Nuntium, Juvinem zelo Dei accenſum, Apoſtolicae ſoliciuudini noſtrae ſatisfactum credidimus, ſi eum tuae curae NOTE. committeremus. Juſſimus igitur ut tibi i [...]mmunicet Inſtructiones ſibi datus, & a dilecto filio & Nepote noſtro, Franciſco Sanctae Reverendiſ. Eccleſiae Card. Barbarino ſubſcriptas, teque ab eo quo pro ſede Apoſtolica zelo ardes rogamus, & in quantum opus, eſt, tibl mandamus, ut praedictum filium & Nuntium noſtrum, in omnibus dirigas moneas, inſtruas, lapſus & errores ejus, (qui per juventutem facilè accidere poſſunt) corrigas (ut ſedis Apoſtolicae decor inviolatus permaneat) & ut denique in omnibus ei te Angelum cuſtodem prebeas. Magnam certè ſpem concepimus predictum filium & NOTE. Nuntium tuis conſilii [...] adjutum, non parvos, in Eccleſia Catholica fructus producturum. Labora igitur, dilecte fili, opus fac Evangeliſtae, Miniſterium tuum imple, Catholicos zelo Dei accende, ipſos comforta, ſed praecipue Amazones ill as quae (ut a dilecto filio Georgio Conneo audivimus,) die ae nocte ſtrenuè decertaut pro dignitate ſedis Apostolicoe. Non diffidimus de Domino, neque de potentia ejus, quia ſicut occaſione Q. Elizab. unius faeminae, authoritas ſedis Apoſtolicae in Regno Angliae ſuppreſſa fuit, ſic nunc per tot Haeroicas faeminas (illas imitantes quae à Galileo ſequebantur Dominum) ſocietatem ejus aſſidiue ſequentes, BREVI in codem Regno reſtituenda ſit. Adhortare igitur illas ut opus aggreſſum viriliter proſequantur, & de ſede Apoſtolica (quae devoti Feminii ſexus peculiarem curam gerit) bene mereri pergant. Rogamus patrem Domini NOTE: noſtri Jeſu Chriſti, ut tibi ſpiritum ſanctum ſuum mittat, qui te in omnibus & per omnia cuſtodiat. Apoſtolicam noſtramque benedictionem, dilecte fili, iterum atqúe iterum tibi impartimur.

Datum Romae apud S. Petrum, ſub annulo Piſcatoris, pridie idus Maii.

By all theſe premiſed Teſtimonies and Evidences, it is moſt fully proved, as farre as is poſſible for us to goe, unleſſe we had the very Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuites themſelves here perſonally preſent to be examined (who would be very unwilling to diſcover any thing againſt their Arch-Patriot upon Oath.)

Firſt, that this Archbiſhop held familiarity and correſpondency with ſundry notorious Prieſts and Jeſuites forementioned, imployed as Agents by the Papiſts to reduce and reconcile us unto Rome; who were oft-times ſeene at Lambeth-houſe, neer his Study, and publikely boaſted of their recourſe to, and favour with him.

Secondly, that Sir Toby Matthew, the moſt dangerous ſeducing Prieſt and Jeſuite of all others, was moſt intimately familiar with him, and oft-times ſeen with him both in his Coach, his Barge, his Garden, his Houſe, and a frequent Gueſſe at his Table: and Saint Giles, a moſt pernicious Prieſt, maintained by him in the Univerſity of Oxford to ſeduce the Doctors and Students there to Popery.

Thirdly, that he was very coldin the proſecution of Prieſts and Jeſuites; and if at any time he impriſoned them for a ſhew to gull the vulgar people, it [Page] was onely in the Clinke or New Priſon (not Newgate or any County Goale,) where they were protected, ſecured againſt all Legall proſecutions, had the beſt Lodgings, a common Steward, Cooke, Table, very good fare, great reſort of all ſorts of people, daily Maſſes, and free liberty to walke and ſtay abroad at pleaſure without a Keeper, as freely as any man might walke out of his owne Houſe. Yea, ſuch was his indulgence towards them (though Arch-Traytors by our Lawes) that in his Epistle Dedicatory to the King himſelfe, before his Relation of a Conference with Fiſher the Jeſuite, he makes this profeſſion of it in Print, not onely to his Majeſty, but to the whole world, in theſe words which were read at the Barre.

In which Speech give me leave to obſerve to your Sacred Majeſty, how grievouſly you ſuffer him (Maſter Fiſher) and his Fellowes to be perſecuted for the Catho, like Faith, when your poore Subject and ſervant cannot ſet our, A true Copy of a Conference held with the Jeſuite, Juſſu Superiorum; but by and by this man is perſecuted. GOD FORBID I SHOULD EVER OFFER TO PERSWADE A PERSECUTION IN ANY KINDE, OR PRACTICE IT IN THE LEAST: (to [...]it, [...], Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits, of whom onely he there intended it:) For [...] HAVE NOT GIVEN HIM OR HIS SO MUCH AS COVERSE LANGVAGE.

Behold from his own pen what a moſt mild and favourable [...]end he was to Jeſuits and Roman Prieſts! He never perſwaded any perſecution againſt them in any kind, or practiſed it in the leſt; adding an abſit, God forbid that he ſhould ever offer it: But yet on the contrary, did he not perſwade a perſecution in every kind, and practiſe it in the bigheſt degree againſt the moſt zealous Proteſtant Miniſters, Gentlemen who oppoſed his and their popiſh deſigns, by exciting his Majeſty and the whole State againſt them, even in this very Epistle, yea, in his printed Speech in Star-chamber, at the cenſure of Maſter Prynne, Maſter Burton, and Doctor Bastwick, and in his Epistle Dedicatory to the King, thereto prefixed? all meer perſwaſions, excitements to perſecution in the extreameſt degree; Nay, did he not moſt cruelly practiſe the ſame in the ſevereſt manner upon ſundry of them, by adjudging them to the Pillory, fining them beyond their eſtates, cutting off their ears, ſlitting their noſes, branding their cheeks with hot irons, whipping them through the ſtreets, ſhutting them up cloſe priſoners in naſty dungeons, baniſhing them into remote Iſlands, there to be perpetually impriſoned al their lives, ſo ſtrictly, that neither Wives, children, kinred, friends, muſt have the leaſt acceſſe unto them, nor yet ſet footing in the Iſlands to viſit or relieve them? yea, deprive them of Pen, Inke, Paper to write unto their friends for neceſſaries, or Petition for releaſe; intercept all Letters and reliefe ſent to them, and deprive them of the uſe of all Books to paſſe their time, except the Bible, Common-Prayer-Booke, Doctor Cozens, and ſuch like Books of private devotion? And did he not perſecute hundreds of other godly Miniſters, yea raiſe up a generall perſecution againſt them throughout the Kingdome, and drive ſundry of them, with many thouſands of religious, godly people out of the Kingdome into forraigne Plantations among Savages and Indian heathens? Nay, did he not all this and more whiles he had any power, notwithſtanding God himſelfe did forbid it? And whereas he writes, That to his remembrance be never gave this Jeſuite, or any of his, ſo much as courſe language: he was ſo far from uſing ſuch civility to our godly Proteſtant Miniſters, Gentlemen, & others who moſt oppoſed Popery and Popiſh Innovations; that his mouth was full of moſt bitter railing Invectives, Satyres, revilings againſt them, not onely in his private Chamber when ever convented before him, but even in his publick Speeches in the Starchamber and High-Commiſſion; witneſſe his printed Speech in Starchamber before mentioned, with his Epiſtle to it; nay, in this [Page] very Epiſtle to the King, he thus railes upon them in down-right tearmes; How I have been uſed by the ſcandalous and ſcurrilous pennes of ſome bitter men, the world knows: little leaſure and leſſe encouragement given me, whiles I am under the Prophets affliction, Pſal. 50. between the mouth that ſpeaks wickedneſſe, and the tongue that ſets forth deceit, and ſlander me as thick as if I were not their own mothers ſonne. In the midſt of theſe libellous outcries againſt me, &c. Factious people at home, &c. And not content to rayle at them himſelfe in Speech and Print, he ſet his creatures every-where to revile and rayle moſt libellouſly againſt them in Preſſe and Pulpit; witneſſe Doctor Heylins and Chriſtipher Doves books againſt Maſter Burton, written and printed by this Archbiſhops command, Doctor Pocklintons and Biſhop Mountagues Books forecited; Biſhop Whites Epiſtle before his Diſcourſe of the Sabbath, Doctor Heylins History of the Sabbath, and Antidotum Lincolnienſe, with infinite Sermons, full of gall, vinegar, and moſt libellous railings againſt Puritans, and the moſt zealous Proteſtant without the leaſt invective againſt Prieſts, Pope, or Jeſuits; Therefore his grand addition, his favorable dealing with Prieſts and Jeſuits on the one ſide, compared with his moſt harſh perſecutions and libellous invectives againſt their [...] are moſt pregnant evidences for what party he ſtood, and whoſe [...] moſt cordially drived on.

Fourthly, that the Archbiſhop contrary to his Truſt, Oath, Place and duty, both as an Archbiſhop, a Privy Counſellour and high Commiſſioner, did not onely favour Seminary Prieſts and Jeſuits, though traitors by Law, but diſcourage, diſcountenance thoſe Officers appointed by the State to apprehend them; telling Thomas Mayo, that he was too hot and nimble for that ſervice; threatning Maſter Thatcher to lay him by the heels, and turne him out of his place, if he kept NOTE. company with Gray, who gave him intelligence of the perſons and lodgings of Priests and Jeſuits; threatning all the Meſſengars of the high Commiſſion openly in Court, that if they kept company with Gray (whom he called A PRIEST-CATCHER) he would not onely lay them by the heels, but likewiſe pull-their Coats from off their backs, and turne them out of their places: That he cauſed Gray to be committed to the Fleet above twelve weeks for apprehending Prieſts, and the words forementioned, yea threw away his Petition, ſaying, He would have nothing to doe with that PRIST-CATCHING KNAVE: nay, he and Master Waddeſworth muſt not be releaſed out of Priſon till they would promiſe never to apprehend or proſecute Priests or Jeſuits more. A moſt cleer demonſtration, that he not onely had correſpondency and intelligence with Prieſts and Jeſuits, but likewiſe was their Arch-protector, their grand friend, inſomuch that Smith the Jeſuit openly threatned Maſter Newton in the ſtreets, That he had done his errand to the Archbiſhop.

Now we appeale to all the world, whether ever any reall Proteſtant Prelat ſhewed himſelf ſuch a Patriot of Prieſts and Jeſuits in this kind as he? or whether the Pope himſelfe could have done more in their behalfe then he did, had he ſate Archbiſhop of Canterbury at Lambeth-houſe. It was one chief Article of the Privy Counſels and Judges charge againſt Cardinall Woolſey, preſented to King Henry the eighth: That he had been the impeacher and disturber of due and direct correction Cooks 4. Inſt. p. 94. of Errours and Hereſies, by reaſon whereof, they crept more abroad, and tooke greater place, being highly to the danger and perill of the whole body, and good Christian people of this Realme: All which this Archbiſhop is guilty in an higher meaſure, in reſpect of Popery, Prieſts and Jeſuits, then ever this Cardinall was, in regard of the Lutheran Sect and Opinions.

Fifthly, it is evident that the Archbiſhop had a hand in aſſiſting the Papiſts Prieſts and Jeſuits, in the diſperſing of their popiſh Books, to ſeduce his Majeſties Subjects, contrary to an expreſſe Statut; whereas he uſed all poſſible diligence to ſuppreſſe the printing, diſperſing, importing Orthodox Books (and thoſe he ſtiled Puritannicall) both at home and beyond the Seas.

[Page] Finally, the Archbiſhop complyed with the Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, in concealing their very treaſonable plots and conſpiracies againſt the King, Kingdome, Church; and all profeſſors of the Proteſtant Religion; we ſhall inſtance but in two particulars. The firſt is in the caſe of Miſtreſſe Anne Huſſey, who depoſed at the Lords Barre to this effect: That William O Conner an Iriſh Prieſt, ſervant to the Queen Mother, ſoon after Eaſter, in the yeer 1640. among other diſcourſes, told her, at the houſe of one Maſter Hill, neer the Strand in Weſtminſter, That there were many private houſes about London, wherein they uſed to have Maſſe ſaid, that there were 7000. men in private pay ready to ayde the Catholicks, and to NOTE. cut the Protestants throats that ſhould reſiſt them.

After which, he comming to her in great haſte, at Miſtreſſe Pinocks houſe about the end of July 1640. told her, That he was then in great haſte, for he had Letters from the Queen Mother, to be delivered to three Embaſſadours, the Spaniſh, the Venetian, the French, to ſend to the Pope, to know from himſelfe or his Legat, when to begin the ſubduing of the Protestants; that the Queen his Lady was no foole, and that if the King joyned with the Protestants, they would cut him off, if not by the ſword, yet by ſome other way; that if no other hand would doe it, his hand ſhould kill the King; and that he would kill an Heretick at any time, for the advancement of the Mother Church of Rome, ſwearing by Saint Francis and Saint Dominick, that he would doe it. All which he ſpake to her in Iriſh, ſhe counterfeiting her ſelfe to be a Roman Catholick, deſirous to become a Nunne: He likewiſe confeſſed, That he had been a ſervant long to the Queen Mother, and imployed by her in buſineſſe to all the Princes of CHRISTENDOME.

Whereupon ſhe according to her duty and alleagiance, complained of this Prieſt, revealing this diſcomſe and treaſon of his to the Lords of the Privy Counſell, atteſting her information upon oath, and producing a Letter of this Prieſts to her under his owne hand, with ſome other witneſſes to confirme her teſtimony in point of circumſtance of time, place, and this Prieſts reſort unto her; But the Archbiſhop of Canterbury to diſcourage and take her off from this diſcovery, reviled and gave her many ill words and threats, told her ſhe was mad, NOTE: and that ſhe was hired by the Londoners to make this accuſation; demanding, how ſhe durſt be ſo bold as to utter or diſcover ought which had any the leaſt reflection upon the Queen Mother? threatning to have her puniſhed, and cauſed her to be committed to one of the Sheriffes of Londons houſe; whereas the other Lords gave her good words, and committed the Prieſt to the Gate-houſe, and ſo the buſineſſe was ſmothered, without further proſecution, till ſhe revived it this Parliament in the Commons Houſe, who releaſed her of her reſtraint.

We ſhall cloſe all with the moſt deſperate plot of Cardinall Barbarino, the See Romes Maſter-Piece. Popes Nuncio, the ſociety of the Engliſh and Scottiſh Jeſuits, with their confederates, to ſubvert the Protestant Religion, uſher in Popery, raiſe a Warre between England and Scotland, ſubvert the government both of Church and State, yea, to poyſon the King himſelfe if he croſſed this deſigne, and then to ſeize and traine up the Prince in the Popiſh [...].

This plot being diſcovered at firſt only in generally, by a chief Actor in it, (ſent from Rome) to Andreas ab Habernfield, & Sir Wil. Boſwell, & by them by Letters from the Hague to the Archbiſhop; he conceiving it to be a plot only of the Puritanes to deſtroy the King and himſelf too, revealed it to the King, and proſecuted the further diſcovery with all earneſtneſſe, as appeares by ſundry Originall Lett [...]ers concerning it, ſeized and atteſted by Maſter Prynne, produced at the Barre. But no ſooner received he the large particular diſcovery of it, which faſtned the treaſon onely upon Cardinall Barbarino, the Popes Nuncio, the Jeſuits with their confederates, Sir Toby Matthew, Sir Kenelme Digby, Sir John Winter, Endimion Porter, Secretary Windebanke, Maſter Walter Mountague, the [Page] Counteſſe of Arundel, and others, but he preſently ſmothered it; yea though he received the full diſcovery of it, but on the 14. of October 1640. not many dayes before the beginning of this preſent Parliament, yet he he never revealed it to both or either Houſes of Parliament, or any members thereof for the preſervation of our Religion, Church, State, King thereby, and the executing condigne puniſhment on theſe Arch-traitos and Conſpirators, then preſent in London and Weſtminſter, nor yet ſo much as diſcloſed it, when Sir Toby Matthew, Sir John Winter, and others were queſtioned in the Commons Houſe, about the Popiſh Parliament kept in London, and the levying of moneys againſt the Scots, among the Papiſts; nor when Secretary Windebank was queſtioned for releaſing Prieſts and Jeſuits againſt Law, and the negotiation of the Popes Nuncio debated in the Commons Houſe, but concealed theſe papers from the Parliaments knowledge, till Maſter Prynne unexpectedly ſeized them in the Archbiſhops Cabinet in the Tower of London.

From all which particulars, we conceive we have abundantly manifeſted, moſt ſubſtantially proved his correſpondency, confederacy with the Pope and his inſtruments of all ſorts, in their moſt deſperate treaſons, to extirpate our Religion, introduce popery, reconcile, reduce the Church of England to the Church of Rome, and moſt ſatisfactorily juſtified, the firſt Branch of our charge of high treaſon againſt him in every particular; wherupon we moſt humbly pray, in the name of the Commons of England, the Judgment of an Arch-traitor to be given againſt him, as one who hath declared himſelf a profeſſed Traitor, not only to our Laws, Liberties, Parliament, Kingdoms, but to our very Religion, Church, ſouls, the higheſt treaſon of all others, eſpecially in a Clergyman, an Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who is by title, office, Primate and Metropolitan of all England, yea Confeſſor, chiefe Curate, and Eccleſiaſticall Vicegerent to the King himſelfe, who entruſted him wholly, if not ſolely, with the care of our Religion, which he hath moſt perfidiouſly undermined, betrayed ſundry wayes, as all the premiſes demonſtrate.

The Archbiſhops ſeveral ANSVVERS To the Proofs and Evidence produced to make good the firſt Branch of his CHARGE, with the Commons Replyes, and Rejoynders thereunto.

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VVE have now preſented you with the intire evidence of the Commons given in againſt the Archbiſhop at the Lords Tribunal, in proof of the firſt main Branch of his impeachment, to wit, his traiterous endeavours to ſubvert the true Religion eſtabliſhed among us, to introduce and ſet up Popery, and reconcile us unto Rome, without any diminution, to which I have here and there made ſome ſmall Additions, not by way of evidence or charge, but only of illuſtration or amplification of ſome things given in evidence in the general, briefly pointed at and ſo paſſed over, not read at large at the bar for want of time.

We ſhall next as faithfully, as exactly as our imperfect notes, and frail memory will aſſiſt, relate his ſeveral Anſwers and Replies given to the particular proofs produced againſt him, both as he delivered them in perſon after each dayes evidence at the Lords bar, and as he afterwards repeated them in his general defence, with ſome Additions, in the Lords and Commons Houſe; wherein if I have involuntarily miſtaken or miſreported his words or anſwers in any particular as I preſume I have not done, his ſurviving friends muſt only blame either him, or themſelves, not me, who uſed all the means I could to his Secretary Mr. Dell, his Councel, and others whom he truſted with his Papers, to procure his own Original written Notes, Anſwers, and Replies, or true Copies of them; that ſo I might have printed them verbatim, to avoid all calumnies and miſtakes; yet could neither by my own intreaties, nor warrants from Authority procure them, or any Copies thereof: Mr. Dell returning me this anſwer, that he believed the Archbiſhop himſelf had burnt all his Notes and Anſwers in his life time, to prevent their publication after his death.

To avoid prolixity, obſcurity, that every Reader may more clearly diſcern the inſufficiency, falſhood, Sophiſtry of his Anſwers, and the pregnancy of the Commons proofs, and evidence to make good their impeachment againſt him in each particular; I ſhall forbear to relate his Anſwers and the Commons Replies thereto, intirely together in two diſtinct continued Relations, as they were delivered at the bar, but ſubjoyn the Commons diſtinct Replies to his ſeverall Anſwers to each particular proof and part of their evidence, as they lie in order; that ſo reddendo ſingula ſingulis, the pertinency of their evidence, and reality of his guiltineſſe, may more perſpicuouſly ſhine forth to all the world, I aiming only at verity, not victory in this Relation.

The Archbiſhop began his Anſwer to the firſt Branch of the Commons charge, concerning his traiterous endeavours to ſubvert the true Religion of God by Law eſtabliſhed among us, and ſet up Popiſh Superſtition and Idolatry in its ſtead, with a general deteſtation both of the charge and fact, for which preſumptuous and unſeemly expreſſion, he was juſtly taxed by the Commons councel, as being [Page] a defiance given to them and their proceedings, proſeſſing it the greateſt unhappineſſe that ever beſel him, to be thus deeply and criminally charged by the Honourable Houſe of Commons (the repreſentative body of the whole commonalty of England) before the higheſt Tribunal in the Realm, as being guilty of ſuch a crime as this, in his laſt dying dayes, when he had one foot already in the grave, which his own conſcience pronounced him to have been guiltleſſe of, all the dayes of his life: Yet proteſting it to be an unſpeakable comfort to him in this his infelicity, that he was arraigned for it before ſo juſt, ſo Honourable an Aſſembly of Peers (many of them being privy to the ſincerity of his actions and advices to his Majeſtie) to vindicate his integrity to all the world, and waſh off all thoſe black ſpots of calumny, of obloquy, wherewith he had for many years bypaſt, been moſt unjuſtly aſperſed by Sectaries on the one hand, by Ieſuits and Papiſts on the other, to ruin him both in his reputation, fortune, and his Majeſties moſt gracious opinion. And ſo preſuming he had ſufficiently cleared himſelf in the general from this heavy charge in their Lordſhips and others opinions by his firſt dayes ſpeech, the new Canons and Oath preſcribed in them and by his Book againſt Fiſher the Ieſuite; he would without any further Prologue or Apology diſcend to Anſwer the particular evidences, proofs, produced againſt him by the Commons in their reſpective order, with as much brevity, perſpicuity as the ſuddainneſſe of his preparations, the frailty of his memory, the burthen of 70 yeers, with other natural infirmities then lying heavy upon him, would permit: And to give him his due, he made as full, as gallant, as pithy a defence of ſo bad a cauſe, and ſpake as much for himſelf, as was poſſible for the wit of man to invent, and that with ſo much Art, Sophiſtry, Vivacity, Oratory, Audacity and confidence, without the leaſt bluſh or acknowledgement of guilt in any thing (annimated by his ſeated Panders lying by him) as argued him rather obſtinate, then innocent, impudent, then penitent, a far better Orator, Sophiſter, then Proteſtant or Chriſtian, yea, a truer Son of the Church of Rome, then of the Church of England in many particulars, as you will anon diſcern.

He began his defence, where the Commons did their charge, and they their Reply where he began his Anſwer, to wit, at his publike Chappel at Lambeth Houſe.

The firſt thing the Commons have in their evidence charged againſt me, is the ſetting up and repairing of Popiſh Images and Pictures in the glaſſe windows of Object. 1. my Chappel at Lambeth; and amongſt others, the Picture of Chriſt hanging on the Croſſe between the two Theeves in the Eaſt window; of God the Father in Form of a little old Man, with a Glory, ſtriking Myriam with a leproſie; of the Holy Ghoſt deſcending in Form of a Dove; and of Chriſts Nativity, laſt Supper, Reſurrection, Aſcention, and others, the Patern whereof Maſter Pryn atteſted I took out of the very Maſſe Book, wherein he ſhewed their Portratures.

To which I anſwer: Firſt, that I did not ſet theſe Images up, but found them Anſw. there before: Secondly, That I did only repair the windows which were ſo broken and the Chappel which lay ſo naſtily before, that I was aſhamed to behold, and could not reſort unto it, but with ſome diſdain, which cauſed me to repair it to my great coſt: Thirdly, that I made up the Hiſtory of theſe old broken Pictures, not by any patern in the Maſſe Book, but only by help of the fragments and remainders of them, which I compared with the ſtory: Fourthly, though the very reſemblances of them be in the Maſſe Book, yet I proteſt I never knew they were there, till Maſter Pryn ſhewed them in it at this bar: And it is but a meer fallacy, the Pictures which I repaired are in the Maſſe Book; Ergo, I took the patern of them out of it: Fifthly, Maſter Calvin himſelf allows an Hiſtorical uſe of Images, Juſt, l. 1. c. 11. Sect. 12. where thus he writes, Neque tamenea ſuperſtitione teneor, ut nullas prorſus imagines ſerendas cenſeam; ſed quia ſculptura et pictura Dei dona ſunt, purum et legitimum utriuſque uſum requiro: Sixthly, our Homilies themſelves allow an Hiſtorical uſe of Images, as appears by Page 64, 65. [Page] Seventhly, The Primitive Chriſtians approved, and had the Pictures of Chriſt himſelf: Tertullian recording, that they had the Picture of Chriſt engraven on their Chalices in form of a Shepherd carrying home the loſt ſheep on his back. Eightly, I hope the repairing and ſetting up of theſe Pictures is no High-Treaſon by any Law. Ninthly, Images and Pictures in Arras, or Glaſſe-Windows, are not againſt the Statute of 3. E. 6. c. 10. but Statues onely.

To this was replyed: Firſt, That he did not finde theſe Images there compleat or entire, but broken and demoliſhed by vertue of our Statutes, Homilies, Reply. Injunctions forecited, and that at the beginning of Reformation; ever ſince which time they continued unrepaired, as Monuments of our indignation and deteſtation againſt them, like the ruines of our Abbies and Monaſteries.

Secondly, We have here confitentem reum, the Archbiſhop plainly confeſſing that we charge him with; to wit, the repairing of the broken Images of Chriſt, the Holy Ghoſt in Glaſſe-Windows; and no wayes denying, extenuating, but juſtifying this Popiſh-Fact of his againſt our Statutes, Homilies, Injunctions, Writers, yea, his own frequent Subſcriptions to our Homilies, and Articles of Religion, which confirm them: Nay, Mr. Brown his own Joyner, atteſted, that he by the Archbiſhops directions, repaired and new made the broken Crucifix in Croyden Chappel, as well as in Lambeth Chappel; and the Archbiſhop plainly confeſſeth, That he had no great devotion to ſerve God in Lambeth Chappel, nor yet to reſort unto it, till theſe Images were repaired, and now beautified to pleaſe his eyes.

Thirdly, That himſelf took pains, and gave direction to the Glaſiers to make up the Stories and Pictures in the Windows, out of the broken fragments remaining, and new made them to his exceſſive coſt, whereas he might have new glaſed them with unpainted Glaſſe, for the tenth part of that his Painted Pictures coſt him.

Fourthly, He confeſſeth the very portratures of the new furbiſhed Pictures in his Chappel to be all contained in the Maſſe-Book, which we made ſo apparant to your Lordſhips, that he could not with ſhame deny it; but proteſts he knew them not to be in it, and that he took not his patern out of it. To which we muſt reply, That he having noted his Maſſe-Book, wherein we ſhewed them to be portrayed, in every page almoſt with his own hand, and turning this Book ſo frequently over, muſt of neceſſity ſee theſe Pictures in it, which are ſo large and viſible, unleſſe we ſhall ſuppoſe him blinde, or ſuch an hater of them, as purpoſely to turn his eye-ſight from them, which is improbable; And therefore, notwithſtanding this bold Proteſtation of his, we hold our Argument both true and ſolid. The new Images in his Chappel-Windows exactly agree in all things with the Printed ones in his Maſſe-Book, which he could not but know, and ſee too, as oft as he noted or peruſed his Roman Miſſal. Ergo, He took his patern from the Maſſe-Book in the repairing, as well as his Popiſh Predeceſſors in the firſt making of them, ſince no other patern hath been produced by him, by which he gave directions to new make them, but the Roman Miſſal.

Fifthly, We wonder greatly, that he who hath ſo much traduced, reviled Mr. Calvin publikely heretofore, ſhould flie thus unto him for ſhelter now; but as he abuſed his perſon and memory then, ſo he miſerably perverts and miſapplies his words now, point-blank againſt his meaning. Mr. Calvin onely affirms, that he is not ſo ſuperſtitious as to think it altogether unlawful to make any Images of men or Beaſts for a civil uſe, ſince painting is the gift of God: From whence the Archbiſhop hath inferred. Ergo, Mr. Calvin holds it lawful to make the Pictures of Chriſts Nativity, laſt Supper, Paſſion, Reſurrection, coming to Judgement; of God the Father, like an Old Man; of Chriſt on the Croſſe, of God the Holy Ghoſt, in form of a Dove, and Cloven-Tongues, of the Virgin-Mary, other Saints, and to ſet them up in Churches, as he did theſe Images in his Chappel: Whereas Maſter Calvin in the ſelf ſame place, in moſt poſitive terms, concludes the contrary; Witneſſe the very next words following thoſe he objects; [Page] Purum & legitimum utriuſque uſum require, ne quae Dominus in ſuam gloriam, & bonum noſtrum nobis contulit, ea non tantum polluantur praepoſtero abuſu, ſed in noſtram quoque perniciem convertantur. Deum effingi viſibili ſpecie NEFAS ESSE PƲTAMƲS, quia id vetuit ipſe, & fieri ſiue aliqua gloriae ejus deformatione non poteſt. Which he proves at large. Then ſpeaking of Images in Churches, he writes, they were introduced thither, Inſtit. l. 1. c. 11. Sect. 13. Non judicio aut delectu, ſed ſtulta & inconfiderata cupiditate. In the very next Section he debates the very point in queſtion, whether it be lawful for Chriſtians to have any Images at all of Hiſtories, or of mens bodies (not of any perſons in the Trinity, the very making whereof he formerly concludes to be a great wickedneſſe) which he thus propounds and reſolves:

Verùm illo quoque diſcrimine omiſſo, an ullas omnino imagines, ſivè quae res geſtas, ſive quae hominum corpora figurent, habere in templis Chriſtianis expediat, obiter expendamus. Principio, ſi quid nos movet veteris Eccleſiae authoritas, meminerimus quingentis circiter anuis, quibus magisadhuc florebat religio, & ſyncerior doctrina vigebat, Chriſtiana templa fuiſſe communiter ab imaginibus vacua. Ergo tunc primùm in ornamcutum templorum aſcita ſunt, quum miniſterii ſynceritas nonnihil degeneraſſet. Non diſputabo ecquid rationis habuerint qui primi ſuerunt ejus rei authores: verùm ſi atatem cum aetate conferas, videbis illos multum declinaſſe ab eorum integritate qui imaginibus caruerunt. Quid? an paſſuros fuiſſe putamus ſanctos illos Patres Eccleſiam tandiu ea re carere, quam utilem ac ſalutarem eſſe judicarent? At certe quia videbant in ea aut nihil aut minimum utilitatis, plurimum autem ſubeſſe periculi, repudiarunt magis conſilio & ratione, quam ignoratione aut negligentia praetermiſerunt. Quod etiam Auguſtinus claris verbis teſtatur, Quam his ſedibus locantur, * Epiſt. 49. & lib. 4. De Civitate Dei. c. 31 inquit, honorabili ſublimitate, ut à praecantibus atque immolantibus attendantur, ipſa ſimilitudine animatorum membrorum atque ſenſuum, quamvis ſenſu & anima careant, afficiunt infirmos animos, ut vivere ac spirare videantur, &c. In Pſal. 113. Et alibi. Hoc enim facit, & quodammodo extorquet illa figura membrorum, ut animus in corpore vivens magis arbitretur ſentire corpus, quod ſuo ſimillimum videt, &c. Paulo poſt. Plus valent ſimula [...]hra ad curvandam infaelic [...]m animam, quodos, ooulos, aures, pedes habent: quàm ad corrigendam, quòd non lequuntur, neque vident, neque audiunt, neque ambulant. Haec ſanè videtur cauſa eſſe, cur 1. Ioan. 5. 21. Johannes non tantùm à ſimulachrorum cultu, ſod ab ipſis quoque ſimulachris cavere nos voluerit. Et nos horribili inſania, quae ad totius ferè pietatis interitū orbem ante hac occupavit, plus nimio ſumus experti, ſimulat (que) in templis collecantur imagines, quaſi ſignum idololatriae erigi: quia ſibi temperare non poteſt hominum ſtultitia, quin protinus ad ſuperſtitioſos cult [...]m delabatur. Quòd ſi nec tantum periculi immineret, quam tumen expendo in quem uſum deſtinata ſint templa, neſcio quomodo indignum mihi videtur eorum ſanctitate, ut alias recipiant imagines quàm vivas illas & iconicas, quas verbo ſuo Domini [...] conſecravit: Baptiſmum intelligo & Coenam Domini, [...]um aliis ceremoniis quibus oculos noſtros & ſtudioſius detineri, & vividius affici convenit quàm ut alias hominum ingenio fabrefactas requirant. En incomperabile imaginum bonum, quod nulla penſatione reſarciri poteſt, ſi Papiſtis creditur. This Author hath many ſuch like Paſſages in his other works; and therefore the Archbiſhops citing of him to juſtifie his Chappel Images, argues either extreme Ignorance or Falſhood.

Sixthly, Whereas he would pray in ayd from our Homilies, to juſtifie the Hiſtorical uſe of theſe Images in his Chappel: The Homilies are ſo point-blank againſt it, as we have proved, that Impudency it ſelf would bluſh to cite them to ſuch a purpoſe, eſpecially ſince the Third Part of the Homily againſt the Peril of Idolatry, pag. 41, 42, 43. expreſly reſolves it unlawful to make the picture of Chriſt, or any perſon in the Trinity, much leſſe to ſet them up in Churches.

Seventhly, That the Primitive Chriſtians approved of Images, and had the picture of Chriſt in their Churches, and engraven on their Chalices, is a moſt notorious Falſhood: For Juſtine Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Minutius Felix, Origen, Arnobius, Cyprian, Lactantius, Geegory Nyſſan, Athanaſius, Ambroſe, Epiphanius, Euſebius, Hierome, Auguſtine, Hilary, Chryſoſtome, Theodoret, [Page] Theophylact, and other Ancients unanimouſly agree, That the Primitive Chriſtians had no Images at all in their Churches, together with the Councels of Eliberis, Conſtantinople, Toledo, Francford, and Conſtantine the Great, Conſtantinus Caballinus, Nicephorus Stauratius, Philipicus, Anthemius, Theodoſius the ſecond, Leo Armenus, Valens, Michael Balbus, Theophylus, Charls the Great, with ſundry other godly Emperors, utterly demoliſhed and caſt them out of Churches, as Eccleſiaſtical Authors, our own See the 2. and 3. part of the Homily againſt the peril of Idolatry. Homilies, Hiſtriomaſtix, p. 894. to 915. Biſhop Uſhers Anſwer to the Ieſuits challenge, pag. 491. Rutherfurds Divine Right of Church-Government. Writers prove at large againſt the Papſts: De Origine Erroris. c. 2. & 17. Lactantius and other Primitive Chriſtians write expreſly, That without doubt there can be no Religion at all in that place whereſoever any Image is; whereupon Epiphanius rent the Image of Chriſt or ſome other Saint, which he found in a Church painted in cloth, out of holy indignation, as contrary to the Authority of the Scriptures. In few words, Our own Homilies againſt the peril of Idolatry, part, 2. p. 38. expreſly reſolve, That when Images began to creep into the Church, they were not onely ſpoken and written againſt by godly and learned Biſhops, Doctors and Clerks, but alſo condemned by WHOLE COVNCELS OF LEARNED MEN aſſembled together; yea the ſaid Images, by many Chriſtian Emperors and Biſhops were defaced, broken and deſtroyed. Which Mr. Calvin in the place objected by the Biſhop, affirms likewiſe. And therefore it is a moſt deſperate Impudency in the Archbiſhop, thus falſly to affirm the contrary, point-blank againſt our Homilies and his own ſubſcription to them. And whereas he cites Tertullian, to prove, that the Chriſtians in his dayes had the picture of Chriſt upon their Chalices; We Anſwer, That if the Book de Pvdicitia be Tertullians own, (of which ſome doubt) yet his words import no ſuch thing, which are theſe, A parabolis licebit incipias; ubi eſt evis perdita à Domino acquiſita, & humeris ejus revecta; Procedant ipſae PICTƲRAE CALICƲM VESTRORƲM (not noſtrorum) ſi volle nillis perlucebit interpretatio pecudis illius, utrumne Chriſtiano vel Ethnico peccateri de reſtitutione colliniet. If this place intimate any thing, it is onely this, That the Phychici and other Hereticks againſt whom he writ this Book, (not the Orthodox Chriſtians, as this Prelate dreams) had the picture of the loſt ſheep graven on their cups: will it therefore follow hence, Ergo The Orthodox Chriſtians had Crucifixes and Images of Chriſt, God the Father, the Holy Ghoſt and the Virgin Mary in their Churches, in their Chappelss, as he hath ſet up in his Lambeth Chappel windows? Certainly this is a groſſe Nonſequitur. Yet this is his learned Argument from this Authority rightly ſtated. And that he hath moſt groſly abuſed Tertullian, your Lordſhips and his Auditory, in alleadging Tertullian for defence of Images, and their uſe among the Primitive Chriſtians; certainly Tertullian is ſo far from any ſuch opinion, that he hath written a whole Book de Idololatria, next before this de Pudicitia, wherein he expreſly condemns, not onely the having, but making of any Image or Picture for any uſe, and the very Arts of carving and painting Images, as contrary to the ſecond Commandment (as the * Jews, Ioſephus, Philo and others did before him; & the very Turks and Perſians at this day.) Take but this Sentence of his inſted of many; Omnis forma vel formula Idolum ſe dici expoſcit. Idolum TAM FIERI quam coli Deus prohibet. Quanto praecedit ut fiat quod coli poſſit tantò prius eſt NE FIAT ſi coli non licet. Propter hanc cauſam, ad eradicandum ſcilicet materiam Idololatriae, lex divina proclamat, Ne feceris Idolum: & conjungens: Neque ſimilitudinem eorum quae in coelo ſunt, & quae in terra, & quae in mari: TOTO MƲNDO EJƲSMODI ARTIBƲS INTERDIXIT SERVIS DEI. Artifices ſtatuarum & Imaginum DIABOLVS ſeculo notulit, &c. Which he proſecutes at large throughout this eloquent Book. And therefore his Impudency and Sophiſtry in citing Tertullian for defence of Images in Churches, who is thus point-blank againſt the making of any Image whatſoever, even for civil uſes, is an intolerable, inexcuſable Boldneſſe.

Eighthly, Whereas he Anſwers, That the ſetting up of theſe Glaſſe-Images is no High-Treaſon by the Statute: We grant it not to be ſo ſimply in it ſelf, neither do we urge it to be ſo, but as it tends to ſubvert our Religion, Laws, and ſet up Popery, [Page] concurs with his other practiſes of this nature, ſo it may and will prove High Treaſon. The ſecond Part of the Homily againſt the peril of Idolatry, Page 37. aſſures us, That the maintenance of Images hath brought in a ſea of miſchiefs, horrible Schiſms, Rebellions, TREASONS, and his maintaining of them hath done the like.

Ninthly, we conceive that the Statute of 3. E. 6. c. 10. which command all Images of Stone, Timber, Alabaſter, or Earth, graven, carved, or painted; which heretofore have been taken out of any Church or Chapple, or yet ſtand in any Church or Chapple to be defaced and deſtroyed, extend to Images in glaſſe windowes as well as others, which are but painted Earth; and that which confirms us in this opinion is, That the Homilies againſt the peril of Jdolatry (the occaſion of this Law) and the injunctions of Queen Elizabeth made in purſuance of it, extend in direct terms to Images in glaſſe windowes, as well as to Images of Stone, Timber and the like, yea, the practiſe of that time in defacing the glaſſe Images in Lambeth Chapple-windowes (which he of late repaired) and in moſt other places, infallibly proves it: Together with the Statute of 3. Jac. c. 5. which reckons up Jmages and Crucifixes, of what matter ſoever, among the Reliques of Popery, and enjoynes them to be defaced: wherefore the evaſion of his is moſt falſe and frivolous, eſpecially ſince Popery may creep in at a glaſſe-window, as well as at a door; and our Homilies, Injunctions, writers cenſure all of them alike, if this Statute do it not: Finally, by all theſe Anſwers he profeſſeth himſelf a moſt zealous, real Papiſt, but falſe Proteſtant in pleading thus boldly and falſly for the uſe of Images of all ſorts in Churches, and in repairing of Popiſh Images formerly defaced by Authority, inſteed of confeſſing and craving pardon for this his dangerous error, his moſt Idolatrous, Popiſh practiſe.

The ſecond thing objected againſt me, as a Popiſh Innovation in my Chapple Object. 2. at Lambeth, is, See here Pa. 62, 64. my removing and railing in the Communion Table there Altarwiſe, with the ends of it North and South againſt the wall; my furniſhing it with Baſons, Candleſticks, and other furniture, and hanging a cloth of Arras behinde it, with the Picture of Chriſt and his Apoſtles eating the Lords Supper together.

Anſ. To which I Anſwer, Firſt, That the railing in and placing the Table Altarwiſe is warranted by Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, which preſcribe, That Anſw. the Holy Table in every Church be decently made, and ſet in the place where the Altar ſtood: Now the Altars generally in all Churches, as all Antiquity manifeſts, ſtood at the Eaſt end of the Quire, North and South cloſe to the wall, as the Tables were lately placed, and there were railed in: This therefore is no innovation.

Secondly, the furniture on the Altar is no other then ſuch as is in uſe in the Kings own Chapple at White-Hall, and had been there uſed ever ſince and before my time.

Thirdly, that the Arras peece at the back of the Table containing the Story of Chriſts laſt Supper, was fit for that place and occaſion: That ſuch Images and repreſentations were lawful, approved by all the Lutheran Churches, yea, by Maſter Calvin himſelf, for an Hiſtorical uſe, in the place forecited, Jnſt. l. 1. c. 11. Sect. 12.

Reply, To this the Commons replied, Firſt, That neither Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, nor the Rubrick in the Common Prayer-Book, nor any Law or Canon Reply. of our Church preſcribe the railing in of our Communion Tables, or placing them Altarwiſe againſt the wall, with the ends North and South: There is no ſillable in any of them to warrant any ſuch Popiſh innovation, preſcribed only by Popiſh Canons, as we have proved: That it cannot be proved that Altars were generally ſo placed and railed in anciently, either in England or elſwhere: The contrary whereof we ſhall prove anon; That the makers and executers of theſe Innovations knew beſt of any, where and how Communion Tables were to be ſituated by vertue of them, and they generally placed them throughout the Realm, in the midſt of the Quire or Chancel, with the ends Eaſt and Weſt, ſtanding a convenient diſtance [Page] from the Eaſt wall, without any rail about it, in which poſture they generally ſtood in all Churches, Chapples, and in Lambeth Chapple it ſelf for one, ever ſince theſe Injunctions publiſhed, till this innovating Arch prelate altered this their ancient ſituation. Yet both the Rubrick in the Common Prayer Book, the Queens Injunctions, the 82 Canon, Biſhop Jewel, Biſhop Babington, Doctor Fulk, and other of our writers agree, that when the Sacrament is adminiſtred it ought to ſtand in the body of the Church or Chancel, of which more hereafter: This therefore is an innovation and that a Popiſh one too, tending to introduce private Maſſe, to remove the Lords Table as far as poſſible from the view and audience of the common people, when the Sacrament is celebrated at it.

Secondly, We See p. 62. have proved, that this Altar-furniture of Candleſticks, Tapers, Baſons, Crucifixes, and the like, was originally borrowed from the Roman, Ceremonial, Pontifical, and the Popiſh Councel of Aix, which injoyn them, That the third Part of our Homilies againſt the peril of Idolatry, and Queen Elizabeths Injunctions (which he cites for the placing of Lords Tables Altarwiſe) Injunct. 2. 23. 25. condemn, cenſure, aboliſh, as Superſtitious, Ethnical; and Popiſh, all Candleſticks, Trendals, Rolls of wax, and ſetting up of Tapers, for that they be things tending to Idolatry and Superſtition, which of all other offences, God Almighty doth moſt deteſt and abhor, for that the ſame diminiſh moſt his honour and glory: Therefore the Kings Altar-Furniture in his Chappel at White Hall, can be no juſtification nor extenuation of his offence, who ſhould have reformed his Majeſties Chappel (whereof he was the Dean and Superintendent, according to our Lawes, Homilies, Injunctions which condemn ſuch Altar-trinkets) not conformed his own Chapple, Altar to the Kings, in theſe meer Popiſh Superſtitious innovations.

Thirdly, The Arras hanging was rather ſuited to the Crucifixes in the glaſſe window over it and other Images of Chriſt in that Chappel, then to the place or Lords Table where it hanged. The Table and Sacramental elements themſelves, with the uſual participation of them every moneth, being ſufficient to minde us of our Saviours laſt Supper, paſſion, death too, and 1 Cor. 11. 26. Gal. 3. 1. to ſhew them forth till he come, (who uſed no ſuch Pictures nor Crucifixes, when he inſtituted his laſt Supper) without any ſuch Image or Crucifix: which being condemned by our Statutes, Homilies, Injunctions, Canons, Writers, as we have formerly evidenced, yea, by all Antiquity, by Mr. Calvin himſelf, and many Lutherans too, ought not to have been placed there; the rather, becauſe there is no warrant nor preſcript for it, but only in the See p. 62. Roman Ceremonial, p. 69. 70. His conformity whereto was the only ground of hanging up thoſe Arras Pictures, which well deſerves another hanging, eſpecially in an Arch-prelate, who profeſſeth himſelf a Proteſtant, and as averſe from Popery as any man whatſoever.

The third ſort of Innovations in my Chappel charged againſt me, is the ſetting Object. 3. up of a Here pag. 63, 64. Credentia or Side-table, my own and my Chaplaines bowing towards the Table or Altar at our approaches to it, our going in and out from the Chappel; my Chaplains with my own uſing of Copes therein, at the celebration of the Lords Supper and ſolemn conſecrations of Biſhops, atteſted by Dr. Heywood my own Chaplain, who confeſſed, That he celebrated the Sacrament at Lambeth Chapple in a Cope, that my other Chaplains did the like, and that he thought I was ſometimes preſent when they did it; that the Bread when the Sacrament was adminiſtred was firſt laid upon the Credentia, from whence he took it in his hand and then carried it too, and kneeling down upon his knee preſented it, laid it on the Lords Table, on which there were Candleſticks, and Tapers, but not burning, as he had ſeen them at White-Hall; which Mr. Cordwel once my ſervant likewiſe depoſed; adding, that I was preſent ſometimes when this was done, and that my Chaplains bowed down thrice towards the Altar at their approaches to it.

To which I Anſwer: Firſt, that I took my patern of the Credentia from Biſhop Anſw. Andrews Chappel.

[Page] Secondly, that this bowing towards the Altar was uſed in the Kings Chappel, and in many Cathedrals both in Queen Elizabeths and King James their raigns.

Thirdly, that the uſe of Copes is preſcribed by the 24 Canon of our Church Anno 1603. which orders thus, See p. 63. In all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, the Holy Communion ſhall be adminiſtred upon principal feaſt dayes, ſometimes by the Biſhop if he be preſent, and ſometimes by the Dean, ſometimes by a Canon or Prebendary, the principal Miniſter uſing a decent Cope. This therefore is no Innovation.

To this was retorted in general, that Sir Nathaniel Brent, and Doctor Featly depoſed, nor there was no ſuch Credentia, bowing towards the Table, Altar, nor Reply. any Cope at all uſed in Lambeth Chappel, in his predeceſſors time; therefore all theſe are meer Innovations: In particular, it was replied, that it appears not by proof Biſhop Andrews had any ſuch utenſels, veſtments, or bowings in his Chappel; therefore this is a meer groundleſſe evaſion: But admit he had, yet Biſhop Andrews Chappel was no Law, Canon, nor Patern for him to follow, againſt our Lawes; Common Prayer Book, Homilies, Injunctions, which exclude ſuch innovations: And if the Patern of the Chappel and its Furniture which we gave in evidence were Biſhops Andrews, as he avers; it was as groſly Popiſh and Superſtitious as the Popes, or any Popiſh Prelates Chappel whatſoever. As for the Credentia, it is directly taken out of the Roman Ceremonial and Pontifical, as we have Here p. 63. proved, the onely Canons we know preſcribing it, and we finde the uſe of it only in ſome Popiſh Churches, and mentioned no wherebut in the Roman Miſſal, among the Rites of celebrating the Maſſe: Therefore it is a meer Popiſh utenſel, appropriated to the Maſſe and a forerunner of it.

Secondly, This bowing to and towards the Altar, was never preſcribed by our Statutes, Articles, Homilies, Common Prayer Book, Injunctions, Canons, never practiſed by any till of late, but ſome few Popiſh Court Doctors, and Cathedraliſts; never uſed by his Predeceſſor or his Chaplains, See the Quench-cole, p. 24. &c. introduced only by Papiſts at the firſt, in honour and adoration of their Breaden God upon the Altar; and enjoyned only by the Pa 63, 64. Roman Miſſal, Ceremonian, and Popiſh Canoniſts, as we have largely manifeſted: Therefore not to be juſtified or excuſed.

Thirdly, the Book of Common-Prayer, and adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England (the onely Directory what veſtments, Ceremonies are to be uſed, confirmed by our Lawes) preſcribes not any of theſe; warrants not but excludes the uſe of Copes upon any occaſion: Our Homilies and writers of beſt rank condemn Copes, as Iewiſh, Popiſh, Paganiſh, enjoyned only by the See. p. 64. Roman Ceremonial, and Pontifical, as we have proved, See Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, Num. 47. Injunctions deeming them Popiſh: Yea the third Part of the Homily againſt the peril of Idolatry, hath this memorable paſſage concerning them, p. 72. And becauſe the whole Pageant muſt thorowly be plaid, it is not enough thus to deck Images and Idols (with gold, ſilver, rich, wanton and proud apparel, tempting their paramours to wantonneſſe) but at laſt come in the Prieſts themſelves, likewiſe decked with gold and pearls, that they may be meet ſervants for ſuch Lords and Ladies, and fit worſhippers of ſuch Gods and Goddeſſes; and with a ſolemn pace they paſſe forth before the golden Puppets, and fall down to the ground on their marrow-bones before the Honourable Idols: (and their gorgious Altars too) Therefore certainly it is impudency for him thus to introduce and juſtifie them againſt theſe Authorities. Now whereas the Archbiſhop pleads the 24 Canon, made in the yeer 1603. to warrant the uſe of Copes in his Chappel: we Anſwer firſt, That the Canon extends onely to Collegiat and Cathedral Churches, not Parochial, much leſſe to Chappels: Therefore it can no wayes warrant, but condemns this uſe of Copes in his Chappel: Secondly, it enjoyns onely the chief Miniſter to uſe a decent Cope; not a gawdy one with Images, and rich embroidring upon it, ſuch as his Copes were: Thirdly, this Canon was never binding to any, but meerly void in Law, being never confirmed by Parliament, and croſſing both the Common Prayer [Page] Book and Homilies ratified by Parliament: Therefore all theſe his Anſwers in juſtification of theſe Innovations, diſplay his impudence to the world, in juſtifying ſuch Popiſh Reliques as theſe.

The fourth kinde of Innovations charged againſt me in my Chappel are, here p. 64. 65. the Object. 4. ſtanding at gloria patri, bowing at the name of Ieſus, not uſed in my Predeceſſors dayes; the ſetting up of a new Organ, where there was formerly none, and the conſecrating of Utenſels, Altar-clothes, Flagons, with other Popiſh-furniture ſolemnly in a Cope, atteſted by Mr. Boadman and others, which are objected to be taken out of the Roman Miſſal, and Pontifical.

To which I give this Anſwer:

1. That the ſtanding up at gloria patri, though not preſcribed by any Canon, Anſw. or Rubrick of our Church, is of great Antiquity, and hath been commonly practiſed in our Churches.

2. That bowing at the name of Ieſus, is a thing preſcribed in direct termes by Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, Num. 12. and the 18 Canon of our Church; therefore no Innovation nor offence.

3. That though there were no Organs there before my time, yet they being approved and generally uſed in our Church, there could be no Popery in them.

4. That the Conſecration of Churches, Communion Tables, Altars, Chalices, Veſtments is no fault, nor Innovation; for it is as ancient as Conſtantine the Great, and have been uſed in the Church of Chriſt ever ſince his time.

5. That ſuch Conſecrations are neceſſary, elſe the Lords Table could not be called holy, nor the Church holy, nor thoſe veſſels holy veſſels, as they uſually are: Yea, there is a Holineſſe in the Altar, as Chriſt averreth, which conſecrates the gold thereon: And the Statute of 5 and 6. Ed. 6. againſt quarrelling and fighting in Churches, proves, that they are holy places; and they could not be holy, unleſſe firſt conſecrated: As for the form of conſecrating theſe veſſels, I took it not out of Miſſale Romanum nor the Roman Pontifical, as is objected; but from Biſhop Andrews his Form, as learned, reverend, Orthodox Proteſtant a Prelate, as ever the Church of England bred.

To this was Replied: Reply.

1. That it is confeſſed, there is neither Canon nor Rubrick enjoyning any to ſtand up at every rehearſal of gloria patri in time of Divine ſervice; a moſt diſorderly unneceſſary and confuſed Ceremony, wherein men ſtart up and quat down ſodainly again, as if they were frighted out of their ſleep: And we have proved, that it is enjoyned only by the Pa. 64. Roman Miſſal, no very good Directory for us Proteſtants; as for his pretended antiquity and cuſtomary uſage of this Ceremony in our own and other Proteſtant Churches, it is meerly fabulous without any Authority to warrant it, but his own aſſeveration.

2 That bowing at the name of Ieſus, was originally introduced, preſcribed by See the Appendix of bowing at the name of Ieſus, Lame Giles his haltings, Queries concerning bowing, &c. Popes decrees, Popiſh Councels, Canoniſts, Writers, of purpoſe to juſtifie the adoration of Images and the conſecrated Hoſt; that it is no where enjoyned by our Common Prayer Book, Articles of Religion, Homilies, or Book of Ordination, the only Authentick binding Records of our Church, wherein all Rites and Ceremonies, to which we are bound by Law are preſcribed, That the Injunctions and Canons are no binding Lawes, and their Authority (had they ever any) long ſince expired, that ſome of the beſt Orthodoxeſt of our writers have profeſſedly writen againſt this Ceremony, as Thomas Beacon, Dr. Whitaker, Dr. Willet, Dr. Ayry, and others, which was never preſſed on any by our Prelates in their viſitation Articles, nor generally uſed till of late, and now quite exploded as ſuperſtitious, and abſurd: Yea, Dr. Featly and Sir Nathaniel Brent directly prove, that it was not uſed in Lambeth Chappel by his predeceſſor Abbot, or his Chaplains, ſervants.

3. For Organs, there were none in that Chappel before his time ſince the Reformation: Therefore an Innovation there. And though generally received and uſed in Cathedrals, yet all Authors agree it was a Pope, Platina, Balaeas and others in his life, Polidor Vergil. dc Invent. Rerum. lib. 6. c. 2. The. Beacons Reliques of Rome c. 76, 77. Hiſt. Maſtix. p. 282, &c. (Ʋitalian by name) [Page] firſt introduced the uſe of them into Chriſtian Churches, and all know they are moſt in uſe only in Popiſh Churches beyond the ſeas.

Fourthly, for the Antiquity and lawfulneſſe of conſecrating Churches, we have already diſcuſſed, and ſhall further reſute it in its due place; for the conſecration of Altars, Flagons, Altar-clothes, and other Altar-furniture, the only thing here objected; we have proved the original and derivation of it, to be meerly from the Roman Miſſal and Pontifical, and from no better nor higher Antiquity: He pretends, but proves not, that he took his immediate preſident from Biſhop Andrews, a late deceaſed ſuperſtitious, if not Popiſh Prelate, how ever he applauds him: Therefore certainly from no Antiquity. But from whom did Biſhop Andrews take his patern? doubtleſſe from the Roman Miſſal and Pontifical, ſince no other ſampler can be produced. And are theſe a fit patern for a Proteſtant Biſhops imitation? As for his objected reaſon, that Altars, Churches, Flagons, &c. could not be called nor reputed Holy, unleſſe thus ſolemnly conſecrated: Firſt, It is but a meer Nonſequitur, it being not any Biſhops formal unwarrantable conſecration, but the peoples appropriation of them to a ſacred uſe that makes them holy, not inherently, but relatively only, with reference to the holy Ordinances therein adminiſtred, of which hereafter: For the Statute of 5 and 6. E. 6. c. 5. It hath been not one ſillable in it in juſtification of the conſecration of Churches, much leſſe of Altars, Flagons, Altar-clothes and the like; neither doth it ever ſtile the Church or Churches holy, or a holy or conſecrated place: nor could it well be ſo, in reſpect of their conſecration only, they being Hallowed onely by Popiſh Prelates in times of Popery, with ſuch Popiſh Reliques, Ceremonies, Chriſms, Exorciſms, Croſſings, and waſhings with holy water, and ſince then exploded as ſuperſtitious and ridiculous: Therefore to juſtifie theſe conſecrations from thence, is to make a concluſion without any premiſes to warrant it. Finally, he diſcovers a rotten Popiſh ſpirit, inclination in the higheſt degree, in pleading for, and juſtifying to the utmoſt ſuch Popiſh conſecrations againſt the expreſſe reſolutions of our Orthodox here p. 115. 116. forecited Writers, Prelates, and his own learned predeceſſour Matthew Parker, who have ſo ſeverely cenſured them as Popiſh, Iewiſh, and childiſh tryfles fit to be exploded.

Secondly, having ended with my Chappel at Lambeth, they next purſued me to Object. 2. my ſtudy there.

Where, firſt they Pa 66, &c. charge me for having an Engliſh Bible with a Crucifix embroidered on the Cover of it.

To which I Anſwer, That I bought it not, but it was ſent unto me by a Lady, Anſw. and the Crucifix it ſelf is lawful, if there be no adoration of it; as appears by the Chriſtians engraving of it on their Chalices in Tertullians dayes.

To which was replied: Firſt, that his receiving and reſerving of this Bible Reply. with a Crucifix on the Cover, (which was ſo viſible to his eyes, and lay upon his ſtudy Table) was as great an offence as if he had bought it: And no Lady durſt have ſent him ſuch a preſent, had ſhe not been aſſured of his good affection to ſuch Popiſh Pictures.

Secondly, whereas he avers the Picture of the Crucifix to be lawful, ſo it be not adored: He herein expreſly contradicts our See here p. 59. 102. to 110. Homilies, to which he hath ſubſcribed, our Statutes, Injunctions, Authors forecited, yea, the judgement of all ſound Antiquity. And if this Picture of Chriſt hanging ſtill on the Croſſe (as if he had never been taken down thence) be lawful, (as he avers with the Papiſts againſt all Orthodox Proteſtants) then it is lawful to make or reſerve it either for a meer civill uſe to grace his ſtudy, or pleaſe his eye ſight only; which certainly is an extream diſhonour to, diſparagement of our moſt bleſſed Saviour and his paſſion, who is Luk. 1. 35. Act. 4 30. the holy One of God, tranſcending all civil uſes being made for holy ends alone: or for a religious uſe, to ſtir up our devotion, and put us in remembrance of his death (which he hath purpoſely ordained his Gal. 3 1. 1 Cor. 11. 26. word and Sacraments to do) which at beſt is ſuperſtition.

[Page] Thirdly, the place of Tertullian (already quoted) proves not at all that the Chriſtians had any Crucifixes or Pictures of Chriſt engraven on their Chalices; there is no ſuch ſillable in his writings, but only that the Hereticks againſt whom he writ, had the Picture of a loſt ſheep engraven on ſome of their Cups. And we hope there is a vaſt difference, between Hereticks and Orthodox Chriſtians, the Picture of a loſt ſheep, and a Crucifix or Picture of Chriſt himſelf hanging on the Croſſe.

The ſecond thing charged againſt me in my ſtudy, is a (g) Book of Popiſh Pictures printed 1623. containing the Portratures of the Life, Paſſion, and Death of Object. 2. (q) Pa. 66, 10. [...]. our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.

I Anſwer, that I kept it only as a Scholler, to peruſe and refute it upon occaſion, nor Anſw. to adore or make uſe of the Pictures in it.

To which was anſwered, that this Book was (as the Papiſts ſtile their Images) a meer ignorant Lay-mans, not a learned Archbiſhops Book, conſiſting meerly Reply. of unlawful Pictures: Therefore he had it only to view, not read.

Secondly, his curious guilding of the Book and Pictures in it, argues, that he prized it more then ordinary to help him in his Devotions.

Thirdly, he was ſo far from refuting it, that he authorized thoſe very Pictures to be reprinted in England, and bound up in our Bibles.

Fourthly, he had many ſmall Popiſh guilded velome Pictures, curiouſly guilt inſerted into this Book; a pregnant proof he very much doted on theſe Puppets in his declining age.

The third particular objected againſt me in my ſtudy, is Page 66. two large folio Object. 3. Maſſe-books, and that I had noted one of them frequently with my hand: That I had likewiſe there the Roman Miſſal, Pontifical, and twenty two Popiſh hours of our Lady, Breviaries, Manuels, and Books of Popiſh devotion.

I Anſwer: Firſt, that it is lawful for every learned man to have thoſe Books to peruſe and refute them, as there is occaſion, there being no great Schollers Anſw. but have them in their ſtudies for this end; for which cauſe alone I both read and noted one of them with my own hand, not out of any love to, or approbation of the Maſſe it ſelf: And they may as aptly conclude that I am a Turk, becauſe I have the Alcoran in my ſtudy; as that I am a Papiſt or Popiſhly affected, becauſe I have the Maſſe-book. The ſame Anſwer I ſhall give to the other objected Books found in my ſtudy.

The Reply hereto was: Firſt, that the meer having all or any of theſe Books Reply. in his ſtudy, was no convincing argument of his affection and inclination to Popery, no more then his keeping the Alcoran as a Schollar, proves him to be a Turk; neither was it ſo preſſed by us, ſince many Proteſtants have them in their ſtudies to peruſe, refute; which is no offence, but laudable and neceſſary in ſome caſes. But we have punctually proved all along, that he bought, peruſed, and noted them with his own hand; not by way of diſlike or refutation, but approbation, yea he purſued them ſtrictly in practiſe and imitation, as far as the moſt ſuperſtitious Popiſh Prieſts or Prelates did at Rome in moſt particulars.

Secondly, compare his having of theſe Books, with the extraordinary curiouſneſſe and coſtlineſſe of their binding, guilding; the Popiſh Images, Crucifixes in his ſtudy, Chappel, Gallery, and the reſt of our following evidence; and then they are a very ſtrong Argument, to prove him a profeſſed Papiſt in affection, opinion, if not in practiſe too.

The laſt Page 67. objected thing found in my Library is, my private Prayers and Devotions written with my own hand, againſt which there are three exceptions: Objection.

Firſt, that ſome of theſe Prayers are extracted out of the Roman Miſſal, Pontifical, Breviary, and hours of our Lady.

Secondly, that they are digeſted into Canonical hours of prayer after the Papiſts Model.

Thirdly, that I make mention of proſtration in ſome of them.

[Page] To which I return this general Anſwer: That this being only a Book for my Anſw. own private devotions and uſe alone, ought not to be charged againſt me. As to the objected particulars excepted againſt, I Anſwer: Firſt, that if any ſuch prayers be taken out of the Miſſal, Pontifical, or Roman Breviary; yet they are devout and pious in themſelves, and there is no prayer to Saints or Angels in the Book: Thirdly, the Canonical hours of Prayer are of very great Antiquity in the Church: derived from holy King Davids practiſe, who ſaid Pſ. i. 9. 164. Seven times a day will I praiſe thee, and was taken up and practiſed by Chriſtians within two hundred years after Chriſt, and approved of in preces privatae, in Queen Elizabeths raign: Thirdly, that proſtration in prayer is no crime, but commendable, and a ſigne of extraordinary humility; Chriſt himſelf uſing this geſture in his prayers before his paſſion.

Hereunto the Commons Councel retorted in general, That his own private devotions did beſt of all ſerve to diſcover his ſecret intentions and inclinations; Reply. therefore they were fit to be given in evidence, for this purpoſe. In particular: Firſt, that his collecting of Prayers out of ſuch Popiſh dunghils, when there were purer mines to dig in, was a ſymptome of a Romiſh inclination. And whereas he alleageth the matter of thoſe prayers to be good; thoſe we except againſt are for their very matter meerly ſuperſtitious: Secondly, that this juſtification of the Antiquity and lawfulneſſe of Canonical hours of Prayer, was taken verbatim out of Mr. Coſens his hours of Prayer, formerly complained of in Parliament. That Canonical hours of Prayer, are no wayes warranted by Davids preſident, who ſpeaks onely of Praiſe, not Prayer, and never digeſted his Pſalms or Prayers into ſuch Canonical houers, nor any other Saint in the Old Teſtament or New: The moſt exact patern of Prayer which Chriſt himſelf left both his Diſciples and us to imitate, warrants no ſuch practiſe: nay the Primitive Chriſtians and true Antiquity never knew of any ſuch Models of Prayer, digeſted into Canonical hours, which Popiſh monks firſt introduced, practiſed, preſcribed: Neither did Queen Elizabeth approve of them as Dr. Coſens pretends in his hours of Prayer, whence the Archbiſhop borrowed this falſe anſwer; as See Dr. Coſens his coſening devotions. ſome who anſwered his Book by publique Authority have manifeſted to his ſhame: Thirdly, the Archbiſhop hath quite miſtaken the laſt objection; which was not his proſtration to God in Prayer, but, his proſtration coram Altare, and dum Altari adſto, in honour and reverence of his idolized Altar: So that the charge reſts ſtill upon, and ſticks faſter to him then before, by this his juſtification.

Thirdly, From my ſtudy at Lambeth they purſued me to my Gallery there, Object. 3. where they charge Page 67. three Pictures againſt me; to which I return this Anſwer.

That the firſt of them, which is the great one, was given me by a friend, and there can be no harm or Popery in it, being onely the Picture of Saint Ambroſe, Anſw. Auguſtine, Jerome, and Gregory the firſt, which may be lawfully made and reſerved. That the two other Pictures were in the Gallery long before my time, and continued there in Archbiſhop Abbots, Bancrofts, and Whitgifts dayes; to prove which he produces Mr. Dobſon his ſervant, who affirmed, that he ſaw theſe two latter Pictures in the Gallery in Archbiſhop Bancrofts time, where they continued ever ſince; and one of them is a Picture againſt Popery, to wit, of Chriſt, going into the ſheepfold by the door, and of Popiſh Prieſts and Friers Ioh. 10. 1, 2, 3. climbing into it by the window, like theeves and robbers: Beſides, the Harmony of confeſſions of the reformed Churches, holds that Images are in themſelves indifferent, ſo as no adoration be given to them; yea, Mr. Calvin in the Inſt. l. 1. c. 11. ſect. 12, 13. place forecited, is of the ſame opinion: And I have written againſt the adoration and ſuperſtitious uſe of Images as fully as any man whatſoever: Therefore thoſe Pictures can be no evidence of mine intention to bring in Popery.

To which was rejoyned: Firſt, that we beleeve the firſt Picture was a preſent Reply. ſent unto him from Rome, where the workmanſhip of it ſhews it was made; and [Page] therefore he did wiſely to conceal his name, who beſtowed it on him: That we did not except againſt the meer Pictures of thoſe Fathers; but againſt the Picture of the Holy Ghoſt in form of a Dove hovering over their heads, and ſending forth rayes and influences from his beak ſeverally upon each of them; directly contrary to our Statutes, Homilies, Writers, which condemn all ſuch Pictures of the Holy Ghoſt, or any other perſons of the Trinity.

Secondly, that one of the other Pictures was a moſt abominable Idol of Chriſt newly taken down from his Croſſe all bloody, with ſhaven crown Prieſts, Friers, and Nunns, ſtanding and kneeling round about him; which kinde of Pictures by our Lawes, Homilies, Injunctions reſolutions (as we Page 102. to 108. have already proved) ought to be utterly demoliſhed and not ſuffered in private Houſes or Galleries, no more then in Churches or Chappels, The other was a Picture of Chriſt himſelf upon a ladder, not entring in at a door, with Monks and Friers only about him: and therefore as ſuperſtitious, Popiſh as the former, and not tolerable by our Lawes, eſpecially in an Archbiſhops publique Gallary, where all ſorts of ſtrangers and viſitors of quality were entertained; who by this example would be induced, if Proteſtants, to approve of ſuch ſuperſtitious Pictures, and to procure the like by way of imitation; If Papiſts, would be thereby hardned, confirmed in their ſuperſtition, and in giving them adoration, eſpecially when they ſhould behold the like Superſtitious and Idolatrous Pictures, as well in his Chappel and ſtudy, as in his Gallary, where no ſuch were in his predeceſſours dayes, but only broken and defaced ones. As for his predeceſſours having or leaving theſe two laſt Pictures to him, it is no juſtification, nor mitigation of his crime; their ill actions are no Apology at all for his, who repaired and beautified in his Chappel thoſe very ſuperſtitious Images, which they demoliſhed, and never durſt repair.

Thirdly, whereas he produceth the Harmony of confeſſions of the Proteſtants Churches, for proof of the uſe and indifferency of theſe Images, ſo as they be not adored: He cites neither Section, nor Page, nor ſentence therein to prove this aſſertion, but we muſt take it on his own bare word; which how falſe it is, we ſhall prove by the words of the Harmony it ſelf: Sect. 17. p. 401. Where the latter confeſſion of Helvetia, Cha. 17. determines thus. But yet notwithſtanding we muſt admoniſh men to take heed, that they count not among things indifferent; ſuch as INDEED ARE NOT INDIFFERENT, as ſome uſe to count the Maſſe, and THE USE OF IMAGES IN CHURCHES. This is the only paſſage we finde in the Harmony of confeſſions for the indifferency of Images or their uſe, which is point blank againſt him. And as for Page. And ſo in his Inſt. l. 2. c. 8. ſect. 17. Mr. Calvins forecited Text, it is as point blank againſt him, as this of the Harmony, as we have proved. Therefore this charge lies ſtill heavy upon him in each particular, and bewrayes both his Popery and falſity in quotations.

Secondly, from Lambeth houſe, they next purſued me to White Hall, where theſe Page. 69, 70, 71. particulars were charged againſt me: Firſt, my own perſonal bowing Objection. to the Altar: and my enjoyning of others his Majeſties Chaplains to uſe it, when I was Dean of the Chappel: Secondly, the hanging up of a glorious large coſtly Arras Crucifix behinde the Altar, on paſſion week, in his Majeſties own Chappel there, in the yeers 1636. and 1637. which gave great ſcandal and offence, as Sir Henry Mildmay atteſted: Thirdly, my making his Majeſties Chappel a patern of imitation to all Cathedrals and other Churches: Fourthly, the practiſe of Dr. Brown, and two Seminary Prieſts, in bowing to the Altar and Crucifix there; with their ſpeech to Mrs. Charnock.

To the firſt of theſe I Anſwer, that my bowing there was only to worſhip God, not the Altar, and I hope it is no offence nor treaſon to worſhip God in the Kings Anſw. own Chappel, or to induce others to do the like: The lawfulneſſe of this worſhip towards the Altar, I have manifeſted at large in my Page 39. &c. Speech in Starchamber, and proved it by a Chapter order in the Black book of Windſor, which the Knights of the Honourable Order of the Garter yet obſerve and practiſe; therefore it is no [Page] Popery, nor Popiſh Innovation, but a reverence fitting the place which the Homily for repairing and keeping clean Churches commands. And I pray God that under colour of caſting ſuperſtition out of Churches, we bring not in prophaneſſe.

To the third I Anſwer, that I was not Dean of the Chappel, but Biſhop Wren when this Crucifix was ſet up; that neither Sir Henry Mildmay, nor any other ever complained to me, that they were ſcandalized by this Crucifix: If Sir Henry took ſcandal meerly at the Crucifix it ſelf, he muſt have taken ſcandal at that Crucifix in the old hangings, which ſtood continually, behinde the Altar, as well as at this which was more coſtly; which ſince he did not, it ſeems, he took ſcandal only at the workmanſhip, not at the Crucifix it ſelf, in this more coſtly peece.

(To the third he gave no Anſwer.)

To the fourth I Anſwer, that Dr. Browns act is nothing to me, he is old enough and muſt anſwer for himſelf: The ſame Anſwer I give to that of the Seminary Prieſts; only this I ſhall add, that perchance it might be an act of cunning in them, of purpoſe to diſcredit and diſcountenance all our external worſhip, of purpoſe to gain Proſelytes to themſelves.

To which was replied: Firſt, that to worſhip God as we ought in the Kings Chappel, is no treaſon, nor offence; but this kinde of worſhipping God there or elſewhere Reply. towards the Altar, is both See the Quench cole p. 240. to 330. A pleaſant purge for a a Roman Catholike, p. 140. to 182. where this is largely proved. Popiſh, Superſtitious, and Idolatrous: For by the Black-book of Windſor which he cites, it was introduced in the very darkeſt times of Popery in Henry the 5. his raign, or a little before: and that in modum virorum Eccleſiaſticorum, a worſhip derived from Eccleſiaſtical perſons, to wit, Popiſh Prieſts and Monks of that age: It was a worſhip joyntly given in one and the ſelf ſame act and inſtant Deo & Altari, to God and the Altar, that is, in their interpretation, to the conſecrated Hoſt and breaden God (as they deemed it) on the Altar, and to the Altar it ſelf: It was preſcribed See here p. 63, 64. only by Popiſh Canons, the Roman Miſſal, Ceremonial, Pontifical, and introduced purpoſely to ſupport their Errour of Tranſubſtantiation at firſt, and now revived for that very purpoſe: as the Archbiſhop himſelf defines in his Starchamber Speech; who yields this reaſon, why we muſt how towards the Altar, not towards the Pulpit: For there tis, hoc eſt corpus meum, &c. And a greater reverence no doubt IS DUE TO THE BODY, then to the Word of the Lord: Therefore for him to introduce ſuch an Idolatrous, Superſtitious worſhip, as this into the Kings own Chappel contrary to the Word of God, and Law of the Land, under pretext of Gods worſhip, to corrupt the King and his whole Court in their worſhip and Religion, and alienate his good Subjects affections from him, will prove little leſſe then Treaſon in the higheſt degree: As for his pretended Speech, we Page 200. 201. have already refuted it. And for the Homily, it hath neither word nor ſyllable to warrant it, but ſome thing againſt it, ſince as it condemns, prophanes, on the one hand, ſo it cenſures all ſuperſtition on the other; between which this Prelate would have no medium, as this his prayer imports.

Secondly, That the Archbiſhop was chief Superintendent of his Majeſties Chappel, as Primate and Metropolitan of all England. The King and Queen where ever they live in England, being his immediate Pariſhoners, and the whole Kingdom but his Pariſh; though devided into ſeveral Biſhopricks, as hath been reſolved by all the Nobles in King Henry the firſt his raign, as our Hiſtorians, and his Antiq. Eccle. Brit. p. 33. 102. own Predeceſſour Archbiſhop Parker record: Therefore Biſhop Wren being only Dean of the Kings Chappel, the Archbiſhops creature, and brought into that office by him, durſt not have ſet up this gaudy Crucifix there, in the paſſion week, in his preſence without his approbation and direction, by which he tacitly confeſſeth it was done: That it gave publique ſcandal to many well-affected Courtiers, and others, Sir Henry Mildmay depoſed, and particularly to himſelf, who complained of it to the King, and the Archbiſhop too; who if his heart had been right and fervent to our Religion, would have been moſt ſcandalized, offended at this unuſual ſcandalous ſight, and never have permitted it ſucceſſiively two yeers [Page] together, nor juſtified it ſo peremptorily as now he did. And whereas he objects, that had Sir Henry been thus ſcandalized with the Crucifix it ſelf, he would have been as much offended with the old, there conſtantly hanging, as with the new: We Anſwer, That the old was hardly viſible and ſcarce obſerved by any; but this ſo groſſe, ſo great, ſo gaudy and notorious, that every man in the Chappel took ſpecial notice thereof, as if it had been ſome new blaſing Star. And if the old were ſo viſible all the yeer long, what need the hanging up of this new one onely in the paſſion and Eaſter weeks, which was never uſed in the memory of man before? In fine the third Part of the Homily againſt the peril of Idolatry, reſolves, that the moſt rich, coſtly, gaudy Images and Crucifixes, are more dangerous and ſcandalous, then others not ſo ſtately: therefore Sir Henry might well be ſcandalized with it, more then with the old one not ſo coſtly.

Thirdly, he gives no Anſwer to that which is one main charge from this Innovation in the royal Chappel, to make it the patern, the Canon to regulate all Cathedral, and Pariſh Churches by. His ſilence herein bewrayes his guilt.

Fourthly, Dr. Browns, and thoſe Seminaries adorations of this Crucifix and the Altar, were but the meer ſcandalous fruits of his own exemplary Innovations before, and erections of them there; and their ſpeeches occaſioned by his actions. Therefore the guilt of them muſt reſt heavieſt on himſelf, not them. It is his own oft iterated poſition, Relation of the conference with Fiſher. That he who gives the occaſion of a Schiſm ought to be repu [...]ed the Schiſmatick, not he that ſeparates upon the occaſion given: And Tertullian in his Book De Idolatria reſolves, That the makers of Idols are the greateſt Idolaters, becauſe none would or could worſhip them, were they not firſt made that they might be worſhipped: His own hanging of up this Crucifix and bowing towards the Altar, and it was the cauſe that Dr. Brown and theſe Seminary Prieſts adored and bowed towards them in the ſelf ſome manner, as himſelf there uſed: Therefore the crime, the ſcandal of it, muſt reſt moſt on himſelf. His pretence, that this might be done and ſpoken by the Prieſt, to gain Proſelytes, by diſcountenancing our external worſhip, is a very ſtrange improbable whimſey, ſince our Biſhops, our Doctors imitation of their Popiſh worſhipping Crucifixes, Altars, was more likely ten thouſand to one; to gain them Proſelytes, then any diſcountenancing whatſoever thereof by them could be; yea, it had been a monſtrous contradiction and folly in them, to diſcountenance that very thing themſelves practiſed and endeavoured to draw others to: Therefore the whole weight of this heavy charge concerning his Majeſties Chappel, reſts intirely upon him in each particular, without the leaſt diminution.

Thirdly, from White-hall they purſued me to the Kings Coronation at Weſtminſter Abbey, Pa. 69 70. where they charge me. Object. 3.

1. With compiling the Form of this Coronation.

2. That the unction was in forma crucis.

3. That the old Crucifix, inter regalia, was ſet upon the Altar.

4. That divers of the Prayers in it, and this manner of anointing, were taken verbatim out of the Roman Pontifical.

5. That after the Coronation, I ſolemnly offered the Regalia at the Altar in the Kings name.

Anſ. To which I ſhall give this Anſwer:

1. That the Form of the Kings Coronation was made and agreed on by the Anſw. whole Committee, according to a former Book I had of my Predeceſſor; and I was but a Miniſter to the Committee in what I did.

2. That the anointing in Form of a Croſſe was made by my Predeceſſor, not by me, who ſupplied only the place of the Dean of Weſtminſter.

3. That I was commanded to bring this old Crucifix, being inter regalia, and to place it on the Altar.

4. That admit the Prayer objected, be taken out of the Roman Pontifical; yet if it be good as it is, there is no hurt: we know the ſtory of the cock in the fable, [Page] dum vertit ſtercorarium offendit gommam: And a Pearl is never the worſe if raked out of a dunghil.

5. I was to offer the regalia at the Altar by my place, and the Book of Common Prayer approves of offerings.

To which was Replied:

1. That it appears by his own Diary, that he had the chief hand in compiling Reply. this Form, and that it was collected, corrected by himſelf, though other Biſhops were joyned in conſultation with him.

2. That though the Unction were made by his Predeceſſor, which he makes not appear; yet it was principally by his direction, and himſelf makes ſpecial mention of it, That it was in medum Crucis, in the Margent of his Book.

3. That he makes no command appear from any Supream Authority for his placing the old Crucifix on the Altar, neither doth he alleadge who it was that gave him any ſuch command: Therefore it muſt be interpreted his own voluntary act.

4. That the Prayer it ſelf is not very good, ſavouring of Papal pride in the Clergy; and it is no ſuch precious Pearl, as that he needed to rake ſuch a dunghil of Popiſh ſuperſtitions as the Roman Pontifical is, to finde it out to adorn his Majeſties royal Diadem with at his Coronation.

5. He proves not, that it was his duty thus to offer up the regalia at the Altar, yea, the Form of the Kings Coronation found in his own ſtudy, enjoyned it not, and he pretends no command at all for it: Therefore it was his own ſpontaneous act; as for the Common Prayer Book, ſurely it preſcribes neither this, nor any other ſolemn oblation at all at an Altar: And ſo this charge remains unavoyded.

Fourthly, from Weſtminſter they proceed to the Page 70. to 75. Univerſities, firſt of Oxford, where I was Chancellor, next of Cambridge: In Oxford they object: Object.

1. That there were ſome old Crucifixes repaired, and divers new ones erected in divers Colledges there, ſince I became Chancellour of the Univerſity, whereas there were none before my time.

2. That Communion Tables were railed in Altarwiſe and bowed to, which they were not before.

3. That I enjoyned all Schollers by a Univerſity Statute and Oath to give due reverence, and bow to the Communion Table, and that my Letter required bowing and proſtation before the Altar.

4. That my viſitor at Merton Colledge enjoyned the Fellows and Schollers there to bow to the Lords Table, and queſtioned Mr. Chainel, and Mr. Corbet for not bowing.

5. That they uſed Copes in ſome Colledges, which they did not before.

6. That there was a very ſcandalous Statue of the Virgin Mary with Chriſt in her Arms, ſet up in the front of the New Church porch of St. Maries next the ſtreet, to which Mr. Nixon depoſeth he ſaw one bow, and another pray.

7. That I enjoyned Latin Prayers all the Lent, not uſed before my Chancellorſhip, ſince the Reformation.

8. That I enjoyned by a Statute all Regent Maſters, to reade and ſing what ſhould be preſcribed them in ſolemn Proceſſions.

I Anſwer:

1. That there is no proof at all, that I knew of the repairing and ſetting up of Anſw. theſe Crucifixes, or that any complained of them to me. That the Crucifix in Lincoln Colledge was ſet up by the Biſhop of Lincoln, and it would have been thought hard, if I ſhould have oppoſed it.

2. That the turning and rayling in of the Tables Altarwiſe is warranted by the Queens Injunctions, as I have proved.

3. That the Statute enjoyne only due reverence when they come to offer at the Lords Table, and that my Letter implies a bowing or proſtration only, according to the 95 Pſalm.

[Page] 4. That Sir John Lamb only queſtioned Maſter Chainel, and Maſter Corbet, which is nothing to me; and Doctor Frewens words are but a hear-ſay, beſides, they were not puniſhed for not doing it.

5. That Copes are warrantable by the 24 Canon.

6. That the Statue at St. Maries was ſet up by Dr. Owen, reputed a reverend Orthodox Divine, not by me, nor is there any proof I had notice of it, or of any bowing or praying to it, which might be a miſtake in Alderman Nixon.

7. That Latin prayers have been anciently uſed in the Univerſity on Aſhwedneſday, and being among Schollers who underſtand the Language, there can be no hurt therein.

8. That no Proceſſions are intended in the Statute, but ſuch as our Law allows in nature of perambulations, the Statutes of the Univerſity preſcribing, That nothing ſhall be done therein but according to the Doctrine and Diſcipline of the Church of England.

9. For the Innovations of like nature in the Vniverſity of Cambridge, they concern me not, I being not their Chancellor, and not enjoyning them, nor made acquainted with them.

Whereunto was Replied:

1. That all thoſe Crucifixes were erected at Oxford, ſince he became Chancellor Reply. of it: That his own example in his Chappels at Lambeth and Croyden, where he repaired the old broken Crucifixes at his own coſt, were the primary occaſions of ſetting up thoſe in Oxford, by way of imitation. That he could not chooſe but take notice of them being himſelf ſeveral times at Oxford in perſon, where he entertained the King, Queen, Prince, and Prince Elector, ſundry dayes: Beſides, having conſtant weekly intelligence by Letters, and recourſe of Schollers of all ſorts to him from the Univerſity, who acquainted him with all particulars there tranſacted, he could not but take notice, and have exact knowledge of them: And he being both Chancellor and Viſitor of the Univerſity, his not hindring of their ſetting up at firſt, not pulling them down, when ſet up contrary to our Statutes, Homilies, Injunctions, was in Law both a commanding and approving of them. Nam qui non prohibet malum quod poteſt, jubet. That none complained to him of them, was his own fault; ſince none durſt complain againſt that then, as a crime, which himſelf firſt practiſed in his own Chappels, as a commendable action. His Anſwer to the Crucifix erected in Lincoln Colledge proves clearly he had knowledge of it; and truly it could not have been well taken at his hands to pull that down according to Law, unleſſe he had pulled them down firſt in other Colledges, and his own Chappel, the Biſhop of Lincoln perchance ſetting it up, onely to humour his Grace, and manifeſt to the world, he was but his Ape in this particular.

2. We have already refuted his ſecond Anſwer as falſe, and therefore ſhall repeat nothing here.

3. That this due reverence, was interpreted by himſelf in his Speech in Starchamber, to be a bowing to the Altar or Lords Table: For (ſaith he) THERE IS A REVERENCE DUE TO IT: Namely, of bowing the body, not onely towards, but to the Altar, DEO ET ALT ARI EJƲS, in the dative caſe, and proſtration, not ſimply to God, but CORAM ALT ARE DEI & Chriſti ejus, is preſcribed by his Letter, as much worſhip as the Divel himſelf required of our Saviour, Luk. 4. 7. Si adoraveris CORAM ME; as the vulgar Latin, or fall down BEFORE ME, as the Margin of our Engliſh Bibles render it; whereas the 95 Pſalm, requires no worſhipping and falling down thus before an Altar, but before the Lord our Maker only, without any mention of an Altar or Lords Table in the Pſalm.

4. His Viſitors act in queſtioning thoſe Fellows for not bowing, was his own, and muſt concern him, ſince he did it only in his name and right by his Commiſſion, in purſuit of his Injunctions: and Dr. Frewens words are expreſſe, that the Archbiſhop ſent him to Maſter Corbet, when Proctor, requiring and preſſing him in [Page] his name to bow to the Altar in regard of his place, elſe it would be ill taken. And though theſe fellows were not puniſhed nor ſuſpended for not bowing, yet they were often queſtioned, menaced, forced to obſcure themſelves, and deſert the Colledge for a time, and had not the Scottiſh Troubles intervened, would have been ſeverely puniſhed too.

5. Copes in Colledges, are neither within the words nor meaning of the 24 Canon.

6. Neither the Church-porch, nor ſtatue at St. Maries being the Univerſity Church, could or would have been erected there by Dr. Owen, without the Archbiſhops ſpecial licence being Chancellour, and ſupream Viſitor there, as Archbiſhop, as himſelf both pretended, pleaded; and he muſt needs not only hear of, but ſee it too, when he was in Oxford. Therefore the blame thereof muſt be his alone: As for the bowing and praying to it, Mr. Nixon ſwears it directly, and was not miſtaken, as he would ſurmiſe to excuſe the odiouſneſſe of this new erected Oxford Idol, which gave ſuch publike ſcandal.

7. Its true that Latin Prayers on Aſhwedneſday onely, were formerly uſed in Oxford before the Batchellors of Art, but he enjoyned ſuch Prayers all the Lent long in ſtead of Engliſh, which was never done before, to uſher in Latin Service by degrees in an unknown tongue, divers Townſmen reſorting to the Engliſh Prayers in Lent, who could not underſtand theſe new Latin ones which he introduced.

8. This Statute enjoyning reading and chanting in ſolemn Proceſſions, was made in time of Popery, and Popiſh proceſſions, and renewed in theſe New Statutes made by this Archbiſhop. Therefore certainly meant of ſuch proceſſions not of perambulations only, which are not uſed by the Univerſity: And the objected ſubſequent Statute, is but a blinde to delude the ſimple for the preſent; the Doctrine and Diſcipline of our Church (in the Vniverſities judgement) being only written in his breſt, The Regiſter of the Vniverſity of Oxford, p. 183. quo rectior non ſtat regula, quo prior eſt corrigenda Religio, as they write unto him in their Letter of November 9. 1640. the laſt recorded in their Regiſter.

9. Whereas he would aſſoil himſelf from the Popiſh Innovations in Cambridge Vniverſity, the guilt of them muſt originally reſt on him alone, for theſe reaſons.

1. Becauſe they were introduced by his inſtruments, favourites, creatures there advanced by him: as Dr. Martin, Dr. Coſens, Dr. Beal, Dr. Lany, Dr. Stern.

2. Introduced in imitation of thoſe Crucifixes, Images, Copes, Altar-furniture, Genuflexions, which himſelf had introduced at Lambeth Chappel, to which they were ſubſequent, not antecedent.

3. Becauſe though he was not Chancellor, yet he pretended to be Viſitor of this Vniverſity, and that of Oxford too, as he was Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and procured a ſolemn Decree and Patent for it, to himſelf and his ſucceſſors: Therefore ſince he did not prohibit, correct, ſuppreſſe them as Viſitor, according to Law and duty, they will prove his proper Innovations; the rather becauſe he permitted, countenanced, nay enjoyned the like at Oxford by new Statutes, where he was both Viſitor and Chancellor, which was never done in Cambridge: That he ſhould have no notice of thoſe Popiſh Innovations there, which were ſo notorious to all the Kingdom, ſo publikely ſpoken of in every place, when as he had conſtant weekly intelligence from thence (as appears by ſundry Letters) of all tranſactions there, and was ſo converſant with the chief Authors of them, is not only improbable, but impoſſible: Therefore he ſtill lyes under the guilt of this intire charge concerning the Popiſh Innovations in our Vniverſities.

Fifthly, from the Vniverſities, I was next traced to Cathedrals, and Collegiat Churches, where I am charged with introducing, enjoyning ſundry Innovations Object. 5. tending to Popery by my viſitors, Injunctions, and new Cathedral Statutes: As P. 75. to 87

1. Copes.

2. Altars, ſome of them made of Marble ſtone.

3. Turning and railing in Communion Tables Altar wiſe.

4. Bowing to and towards the Altar and Lords Table, which I enjoyned to ſundry Cathedrals by new Statutes, as namely to the Cathedraliſts of Canterbury (as Dr. Jackson and Dr. Bletchenden depoſed) and divers others.

5. Crucifixes and Images.

6. Candleſticks, Baſons, Altar-clothes, with other Altar Ornaments; and they inſtanced in ſundry particular Cathedrals, as Canterbury, Glonceſter, Durham, Wincheſter, Chicheſter, Hereford, Worceſter; where theſe Innovations were introduced by my Injunctions and new Statutes, to make way for them in Pariſh Churches, who muſt imitate theſe their Mother Churches.

To the firſt of theſe I Anſwer, that the uſe of Copes in Cathedral and Collegiat Churches, is enjoyned by the 24 Canon made in Convocation, An. 1603. therefore Anſw. it was lawful, and no Popiſh Innovation for me to enjoyn them, as I have formerly proved.

To the ſecond, that Altars, both the name and thing, were in uſe among the Primitive Chriſtians and Churches, who were far from Popery, and long before it; yea, are found both in the Old and New Teſtament; as divers learned men have largely proved.

To the third, that my Injunctions for rayling in of Altars, and Lords Tables Altarwiſe, with the ſides againſt the Eaſt wall of the Quire, is conſonant to the Queens Injunctions, to the practiſe of approved Antiquity, all Altars and Lords Tables being generally ſo placed in Churches in ancient times, both in this and other Churches of Chriſtendom, as well Eaſt as Weſt; and that there is no matter of Popery in placing and rayling in Lords Tables in this manner, as I have proved at large in my printed Speech in Starchamber.

To the fourth, that I did in the very Statutes for the Cathedral-church of Canterbury, and others, enjoyn the Prebends and Members of the Cathedral, P. 52. to 63 Summa reverentia adorare Deum verſus Altare; which bowing to worſhip God towards the Altar, as Dr. Bletchenden atteſted upon oath, was uſed before the new Statutes of Canterbury were made, yea, approved, practiſed by Dr. Jackson himſelf, as readily as by any other Prebends, who hath given a greater teſtimony againſt himſelf, then me: After which he produced his Secretary Mr. Dell, to teſtifie without oath, that in the peruſal of the old Statutes for the Cathedral of Canterbury, divers ſuperſtitions were put out by the Archbiſhop, and by name, Prayer for the ſoul of King Henry the 8. after his deceaſe. Then he concluded his Anſwer thus, That the 95 Pſalm did command this kinde of bowing at our entrance into the Church, and that the Knights of the Honourable Order of the Garter were bound by a Chapter-Order, to bow to God towards the Altar, when they offered at it in their ſolemnities, and did ſtill practiſe it without guilt or ſuſpition of Popery: Therefore himſelf might uſe, enjoyn, and others practiſe it, without any guilt of Popery at all, as well as they.

To the fifth, that Crucifixes and Images were not ſimply unlawful, being uſed in the Kings own Chappel: That Images in Churches had been long in uſe, even in Conſtantine the Great his Raign, and long before; therefore no Popery could be couched in them.

To the ſixth, that thoſe are no other then what the King uſed in his own Chapple, and had been long time uſed in the Church for greater Ornament, luſtre, it being a diſparagement to our Religion, to have God ſerved ſlovenly and meanly, as many deſired he ſhould be, under pretence of ſhunning ſuperſtition.

To this was Replyed:

1. That neither our Common Prayer Book, nor Book of Ordination, nor Homilies Reply. confirmed by Parliament (the only Canons in force to direct us) nor Queen Elizabeths Injunctions in the firſt year of Her Raign, enjoyn any Copes in Cathedrals, more then in other Churches, but condemn, ſeclude them alike out of all our Churches, and that the laſt Common Prayer Book in King Edwards dayes, [Page] expreſly prohibits them: Therefore the 24 Canon (which was never any binding Law confirmed by Parliament, and expired with King Iames, if not before) can be no warrant for their uſe.

2. That the 24 Canon, enjoyns onely the chief Miniſter to wear a Cope, and that but at the adminiſtration of the Sacrament, not at any other ſeaſon: But the Archbiſhop contrary to the Canon, enjoyned Cathedrals to provide divers Copes, at leaſt four a peece, and preſcribed them to be worn, as well when the Sacrament was not adminiſtred, as when it was, and that by others, beſide the chief Miniſters: Therefore he exceeded the Canon it ſelf.

3. None of his Predeceſſors in their viſitation Articles, or Injunctions, ever preſcribed, exacted the providing or wearing of Copes in Cathedrals, but himſelf alone, and in many Cathedrals they had never any Copes at all, in others but mean ones, as appears by the Abſtract of his viſitation, under his viſitors hand, found in his ſtudy; yet notwithſtanding he enjoyned the providing of new, better and coſtlier Copes to their great coſt, in imitation of the Roman Pontifical, that ſo they might be like Romiſh Cathedrals in forraign parts. This allegation therefore of his will not excuſe him.

Secondly, we grant, that the name of Altars, together with the thing, are frequent in the Old Teſtament, to offer Sacrifices and burnt offerings upon, which were but Hebr. 8. 5. [...] 10. 1. to 6. types and ſhadows of Chriſts real Sacrifice for us on the Croſſe, needing no iteration, yea, not to be iterated without blaſphemy, Hebrew. 7. 27. cap. 9. 26, 27, 28. All Altars therefore vaniſhed at his death as meer Iewiſh types and Ceremonies; wherefore though in the New Teſtament, we finde the name of an Altar, yea, thing it ſelf with reference to the Mat. 5. 23. c. 23. 20, 35. Luk. 1. 11. Rom. 11. 3. 1 Cor. 9. 13. [...]hp. 80. 1. 8. Heb [...] 7. 13. [...]am. 2. 21. Reu. 6. 9. c. 8. 3. [...]9. 13. c. 11. 1. [...]. 14. 8. Iewiſh Altars and Paganiſh Idolaters onely, yet we never finde the name Altar in any text given to the Lords Table; but Altars, and Prieſts ſerving at the Altar, are put in contradiſtinction to the Lords Table, and Miniſters of the Goſpel, 1 Corinth. 9. 13. 14. c. 10. 16. to 21. Hebr. 7. 12, 13, 14. Chriſt him ſelf celebrated, inſtituted the Sacrament onely at a Table, not Altar, yea, he called it a Supper (which is to be eaten at a Table) not a Sacrifice to be offered at an Altar, Luk. 22. 30. Ioh. 12. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 22. And it is as evident as the Sun at noon-day, by the expreſſe teſtimonies of Origen, Contra. Celſum. lib. 4. and 7. Minucius Felix, his Octavius, Cyprian, Contra. Demetriadem, Cyrillus Alexandrinus, Contra Julianum. lib. 9. Arnobius Contra Gentes, lib. 6. Lactantius de vero cultu. Cap. 24. (who all lived within 300 yeers of Chriſt) which Biſhop Morton proves at large in his Inſtitution of the Sacrament, Edit. 2. London, 1635. lib. 6. c. 3. p. 417, 418, 419, and c. 5. p. 461, to 495. By the current ſufferage of the third part of the Homily againſt the peril of Idolatry, p. 44. (ratified by the 35. Art. of [Page] Religion, to which all Miniſters by the Statute of 13. Eliz. c. 12. are to ſubſcribe) Biſhop Iewell in his Defence of the Apology, Artic. 3. Diviſ. 26. p. 145. Thomas Beacon in his Reliques of Rome, Tit. of Gods Church f. 322. Mr. Calfehill his Anſwer to Marſhall f. 31. 32. King Edward the 6. and his whole Councell in Mr. Fox Acts and Monuments, p. 1211. with ſundry other of our owne Authorized Writers, That the Primitive Chriſtians for above 250. yeares after Chriſt, had no Altars at all, but only Lords Tables: Pope Sixtus the ſecond, first introducing Altars into the Church, and that the Fathers which ſucceeded them, deemed Chriſt himſelfe and his Croſſe the only Altar meant and intended. Hebr. 13. 10. which Biſhop Morton in his Inſtitution of the Sacrament, Edit. 2. London 1635. l. 6. c. 3. p. 417 418 419. &c. 5. p. 461. to 465. fully proves. Therefore the Archbiſhops bold aſſertion, that the Scriptures, Fathers, and primitive, Chriſtians practiſe, Iuſtifie both the Antiquity uſe and lawfullneſſe of Altars, is a moſt groſſe untruth, though averred by his Creatures Dr. Heylin, & Dr. Pocklington in their late Popiſh Bookes publiſhed by his direction. As for our Church, ſtate in the beginning of Reformation, they were ſo far from allowing Altars, that they See the Quench Col [...] where this is fully proved exploded, aboliſhed both the name and thing out of our Common Prayer Booke, Articles, Homilies, Statutes, yea by publique Lawes and Injunctions commanded the Altars in all Churches whatſoever to betaken away and removed as Superſtitions, Popiſh, unfit to be tolerated in any kinds, and ſet up Lords Tables in their ſtead, which continued ever ſince till this Archbiſhop turned many of them into Altars, to introduce the Popiſh Sacrifice of the Maſſe againe.

Thirdly, The Rayling in and placing of Communion Tables Altarwiſe againſt the VVall, like a Dreſſer, or ſide Table is not conſonant to Queene Elizabeths Injunctions, which require the Communion Table (not to be fixed to the Wall or rayled in cloſe priſoner againſt it; but) to be removed, when ever the Sacrament as distributed, and placed in ſuch ſort within the Chancel, as whereby the Minister may be more conveniently board of the communicants in his prayer and adminiſtration, & the communicants may more conveniently, & in greater number communicate with him. If then it were to be thus removed and placed conveniently from time to time, then not to be conſtantly fixed, impounded Altarwiſe againſt the Eaſt Wall of the Quire, remoteſt from the people: but ſeated in the Body of the Church (where the Chancell is too ſmall or inconvenient) or in the Chancell (where it is capacious) neare the midſt, as the Rubrick of the Common prayer Booke; and the 82. Canon Anno 1603. determine.

But the Archbiſhop objects, that the Injunctions preſcribe the Communion Objection. Table in every Church ſhall be ſet in the place where the Altar ſtood.

True; Now (ſaith he) the Altar (in every Church) ſtood at the upper end of the Quire, North and South, as appeares by the practiſe of the Church.

This we deny as moſt falſe: Therefore his concluſion from the Injunction; Anſwer: That the Table in all Churches ought thus to be placed North and South, at the upper end of the Quire, is a meer inconſequent. To refute this groſſe dotage of his, and diſplay his learned ſuperſtitious Ignorance to the world, leaſt any ſhould be deluded with a fond opinion of his great learning, we confidently affirme, that he neither doth nor can produce ſo much as one Preſident or Authority in all Antiquity, but only his owne groundleſſe confidence, to juſtifie his aſſertion. On the contrary we ſhall offer ſome few punctuall arguments, preſidents, Authorities undeniably manifeſting, that Altars and Lords Tables anciently, not only among Pagans and Iewes but [...] the Primitive Chriſtians and learned Papiſts themſelves▪ were not rayled in North & South againſt the Eaſt end of their Quires, but ſeated in or neare the midſt of their Churches or Quires, that all the people might ſit, ſtand, and go round about them:

Not to trouble you with proofes beyond contradiction of the Situation of See the Quenchcole. p. 16. to 23. Purchas Pilgrimage l. 4. Pagan and Iewiſh Altars in ſuch ſort, that the Prieſts and people might goe, ſtand, and dance round about them. We ſhall inſiſt only hath the placing of Chriſtian [Page] Altars and Lords Tables in this poſture. That theſe were thus generally placed in all Churches, will appeare by theſe infallible Arguments.

Firſt, from the very defintion of a Quire, which Iſidor Hiſpalenſis Orig. l. 6. c. 19. [...]banus Maurus, de Univerſo. l. 5. c. 9. & de Iuſtit Clericarum l. 1. c. 33. Amalarius Fortunatus, de Eccleſi Officijs l. 3. c. 3. Durandus Rational. Divin: l. 1. c. 1. num: 18. Durantus De Ritibus Eccleſ. l. 1 c. 17 [...]um. 1. Barthol [...]maus Gavantus Comment: in Rubricas Miſſ. p [...]rs. 1. Tit. 15. ſect. 2. Servius in Virgilium Ae [...]id. l. 6. Calepine, Galvin, Eliot, Molicks in their Lexicons and Dictionaries Tit. Chorus; and others thus unanimouſly define; Chorus eſt multitudo in ſacris collecta, & dictus Chorus, quod intitio IN MODVMCORONAECJRCA ARAS STARENT & ita pſaller [...]ut. If then Quires had their denomination, From the multitudes ſtanding ROVND ABOVT THE ALTARS IN A RING or Circle and ſo ſinging; then Altars certainly in the Primitive times were not rayled in againſt the Wall, as of late they were, but placed in the midſt of the Quire in ſuch ſort, that all the people might ſtand and go round about them ſinging.

The 2d. Argument is drown from the formes of Prayers in ancient Liturgies and Miſſalls, wherein the Prieſt ſtanding at the Altar uſually prayed. Pro omnibus his CIRCVMSTANTJBVS; and makes frequent mention Omnium CIRCVMSTANTIƲM M [...]ui tibi hoc Sacrificium landis offerunt, For proofe whereof you may conſult at leiſure, Canon Miſſ, in Caſſandri Lyturgica p. 21. 25. 61. 62. 65 66. 72. 94. Romri [...]s in [...] l. 1. c. 66. Durandus Rationale Divinorum. l. 4. c. 53. and Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments, Edit. ult. vol. 3. p. 3. 11. Hence our old Henrici Spelmanni Concil. Tom. 1 p. 589. Sa [...]en Canons prohibited a Prieſt to celebrate Maſſe alone, upon this ground: Eſſe [...]nim debent qui ei CIRCVMSTENT, quoe ille ſalutet, a quibus ei reſpondantur, & [...] illi [...] eſt ille Dominiens Sermo, ubi cun (que) fuerint, duo vel tres in nomine [...] illic ſum & ego IN MEDJO EORVM. which is taken out of Gregory. lib. Capitul. c. 7. ſeconded by Regine De Eccleſ. Officijs. c. [...]9. and Caſſandre Liturgica [...]. 33. p. 8. Hence Gerardus Lerithicus de Miſſa Puel preroganda, reſolves thus, Ne (que) Canon [Miſſa] debet nimium tacitè legi, ſed expreſſa voce, ut a CIRCVMSTANTIBVS poſſt [...]diri & percipi, cum CIRCVMSTANTES [...] ſingular reſpondere, Amen. Now that all the people uſually ſtood [...] about the Altar in St. Chryſoſtomes daies is evident by two paſſages in his Operum Tom. 4. Edit. [...] Ducaei p. 82. 83. De Sa [...]erdotio l. 3 & 6. where thus he writes: O miracle! He who ſits at his Fathers right hand, is at that very inſtant of time handled with the hands of all [in the Sacrament of the Lords Table] and this is done, not by any juglings, ſed apertis & circumſpicientibus CIRCVMSTANTJVM OMNIVM O [...]VLIS, &c. Multitudinem aſpexiſſe Altare ipſum CJRCVMST ANTIVM and by his Homil. in Jſai 6. where he writes thus. D [...]ſt thou not think that the Angels, ſtand Round about this dreadfull TABLE and COMPASSE IT ABOVT ON EVERY SIDE? So Athanaſius in the life of Anthony makes [...]tion of Altar [...] Domini multorum [...] CJRCVM [...]ATVM, & Gregory Na [...]nzen. Oratio 21. blames ſuch who intruded themſelves unto the holy Miſteries with [...] hands; & CIRCVM SACRAMMENS [...] &c. All which, compared with that of the [...]. S [...]rius Concil: Tom. 2. l Iewels Reply to Harding, [...] 19. Councel of Conſtantinople Act. 1. That whiles the Dip [...]icks were reading, the people with ſilence draw together ROVND ABOVT THE ALTAR, and gave [...]are. Are infallible proofes, that Altars and Lords Tables in the Primitive times, and anciently in Popiſh Churches where generally ſo placed that all the people STOOD or might ſtand ROVND, ABOVT THEM. Therefore not rayled in Altarwayes againſt the Wall.

The 3d. Argument it taken from the [...], of the Prieſts and Deacons going round about the Altar when they approached to it, and ſtanding round about it when they officiated. In the Lyturgy attributed to St. Peter in the Lyturgy of Saint Iames, in the Lyturgie attributed to St. Baſil and St. Cryſo [...]oma in the Aetheop [...], [...] Miſſalls, and the Miſſall of the Chriſtians among [Page] the Indians, the Prieſt when he approacheth to the Altar to officiate begins with this ſentence of the Pſalmiſt, I will waſh my hands in Jnnocency, and ſo will I, COMPASSE, or go ROVND ABOVT THINE ALTAR. And in the ancient Roman Order in Caſſanders works p. 101. 102. 107. 112. 118. 119. I find theſe paſſages, that Biſhops when they officiated uſually went round about the Altar, and the Sub-Deacons ſtood behind it, Tunc Acolyti vadunt dextra laeva (que), poſt Epiſcopu CIRCA ALTARE. Subdiaconi finito officio vadunt RETRO ALTARE, aſpicientes Pontificem ſtantes erecti, &c. Dionyſius Areopagita hath this paſſage, Eccleſ. Hierarch. c. 3. CIRCVMSTANT autem eum ſoli cum Sacerdotibus Miniſtri ſelecti. And Jſiodor Hiſpalenſis de Eccleſiaſt. Officijs l. 2. c. 8. with Surius Concil. Tom [...] 3. p. 298. Concilium Aquiſgran: ſub Ludovico Pi [...], teſtify: That Deacons heretofore CIRCA ARAM CHRISTI, quaſi columnae Altaris aſſistere it. Moſt convincing proofes, that Altars generally in all Churches ſtood a great diſtance from the Wall, and were not Rayled in Altarwiſe againſt it but placed ſo that the Biſhops, Prieſts, Decons, might go and ſtand round about and behinde them.

The 4th. Argument is deduced from the manner and forme of Biſhops conſecrating Altars preſcribed, uſed even among the Papiſts themſelves in ancient and late times Durandus in his Rationale Divinorum l. 1. c. 7. num. 15. informes us, that the Biſhop when he conſecrates any new Altar, Septies ALTARE CIRCVIT goes Round about it ſeaven times, to ſignifie, that he ought to take care for all, and be vigilant for all, which is ſignified per CIRCVITVM, by this his going round about it; which he could not do were it railed in againſt the Wall, and not ſet ſome competent diſtance from it. In the De Eccleſiae Conſecratione p. 260. 263. 264. De Altaris Conſecratione p. 290. 295. 298. 300. Roman Pontificall, we finde the Biſhop when he conſecrates an Altar, is to go round about it ſeverall times, Pontifex CIRCVIT TER ALTARE ad dextram; CIRCVIT iterum ſemel Altare ad dextram, CIRCVIT ſemel Altare ad ſiniſtram. Pontifex CIRCVIT Septies Tabulam Altaris, aſpergens eam, &c. CIPCVIT ter Altare: CIRCVIT ſemel Altare: An unanſwerable evidence, that even among the Papiſts themſelves, the Atars anciently ſtood generally in all places, not Altarwiſe againſt the Wall, as our Communion Tables were lately placed but a good diſtance from it, neare the mid'ſt of the Church or Quire, that the Biſhops, Prieſts, People might ſtand and walke round about them.

2ly. We ſhall manifeſt it by expreſſe Authorities; not to mention any already cited, which are punctuall, St. Auguſtine de verbo Domini ſecundum Ioannem Serm. 42 ſaith; Chriſtus quotidie paſcit, Menſa ipſius est illa IN MEDIO conſtituta. Yea Durandus Rationale Divinorum l. 1. c. 2. num. 15. writes thus. By the Altar out heart is ſignified, which is in the Middeſt of the body, as the Altar is in the middeſt of the Church, And lib. 5. he gives this reaſon why the Prieſt turneth himſelfe about at the Altar, to wit, to fullfill this Scripture, IN MEDIO ECCLESIAE aperui os meum. Epiſt. Lector. p. 115. before his tranſlation of the Greek Lyturgy. Gentianus Hervetus, & De Graecorum Ritibus Bibl. Patrum. Tom. 18. p. 771. Genebrard deſcribing the manner of the Greek Church at this day, expreſſeth it thus, In Graecorum Templis unum tantum eſt Altare, idque IN MEDIO CHORO, aut Preſbyterio. From theſe and the forecited authorities, both forraigne and our owne Domeſticke Divines of chiefeſt note reſolve expreſly, That the Lords Tables and Altars in the primitive times, till privat Maſſes were lately introduced, ſtood in the middeſt of the Quire, Church, People, who came round about them not at, the Eaſt end of the Quire, as of late they were placed. This is in terminis, affirmed by Hoſpinian; De Origine Altarium. c. 6. p. 135. by learned Phillip de Mar [...]ix Tableau des Differens part 5. c. 6. p. 307. by the incomperable Lord Mornay, De Miſſa, l. 2. c. 1. p. 177. by eminent Peter Du Moulin, in his Nauvante du Papiſme Contr. 11. c. 17. 18. p. 1022 1026. and ſundry other forraigne Proteſtants: with whom our owne Divines accord: we ſhall [...]ite ſome few of their words very briefly.

In the yeare 1533 There was a ſhort Treatiſe concerning the Lords Supper, written (as is ſuppoſed) by our learned Martyr Mr. William Tyndall, printed with his workes cum privilegio, p. 476. 477. wherein he preſcribes; that the Bread [Page] and Wine ſhould be ſet before the People IN THE FACE OF THE CHVRCH upon the Lords Table, and that the Congregation ſhould ſit ROVND ABOVT IT according to the pure uſe of the Sacrament in the Apoſtles times. Learned Martin Bucer (ſometimes Regins Profeſſor of Divinity in the Vniverſity of Cambridge in King Edward the 6. his Raigne) in his In his Scripta Anglicana p. 457. Cenſure of our Engliſh Liturgie writes thus. Jt appeares by the formes of the moſt ancient Temples, and Writings of the Fathers, that the Clergy ſtood in the MIDDEST of the TEMPLES, which were for the moſt part round, and out of that place did ſo adminiſter the Sacrament to the People, that they might plainly heare and underſtand the things there recited by them Eminent Biſhop Jewell See his life before his workes. Sect. 25. one of Queen Elizabeths Viſitors in the firſt yeare of her Raigne when the Jnjunctions were made who had a principall hand in aboliſhing our Altars and placing Communion Tables as they formerly ſtood; in his Authoriſed workes.) enjoyned to bee had and read in every Church; (affirmes and proves at large in Anſwer to Hardings Preface: Reply to Harding Article 3. Diviſ. 36. Article 13. Diviſ. 6. ſundry places by pregnant Authorities and reaſons, That the Holy Table and Altar in and among the primitive Chriſtians and Fathers was not made of ſtone but wood; and stood Not at the end of the Quire, but in the Middeſt of the Church among the People who came round about it & that it ought to be ſo placed; producing the Authorities of Euſebius, Augustine, Durand, the Councell of Conſtantinople, and others to prove it. Doctor Gervaſe Babington, Biſhop of Worceſter, in his comfortable Notes upon Exodus. c. 22. & 27. p. 275 (in his folio workes) writes and proves expreſly: That the Apoſtles and Primitive Fathers and Chriſtians: had no Altars but Communion Tables only; made not of Stone, but boards, and removeable. SET IN THE MIDDEST OF THE PEOPLE, AND NOT PLACED AGAINST A WALL. Our laborious Dr. William Fulke in his Anſwer of a true Chriſtian to a counterfeit Catholike London 1577. Article 15. p. 55. 56. in his Confutation of the Rhemiſh Teſtament. Notes on 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 18. on Hebr. 13. Sect. 6. and in his Defence againſt Gregory Martin: c. 17. affirmes in direct words; that the Altar and Lords Table anciently ſtood In the middeſt of the Quire or Church, ſo at the Miniſters, Deacons, and people might Stand round about it, and not againſt a Wall as your Popiſh Altars now ſtand, as is eaſiy to prove, and hath often times bin proved, and it ſeemes you confeſſe as much. But ſo they cannot ſtand about your Altars, except ſome of them ſtand on the top of the Wall, or in the Window: and Mr. Cartwright in his Notes on the Rhemiſh Teſtament on the 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 18. writes, That in the premitive Church, the Lords Table was ſituated IN THE MIDDEST OF THE CHVRCH AND PEOPLE, not againſt a Wall. Dr. Andrew Willet in his Synopſis Papiſmi, the 9th. Generall controverſie, Queſt. 6. Error 53. p 496. expoſtulates thus with the Papiſts for placing their Altars at the end of the Quire, contrary to Antiquity. Why bring they not their Altars down to the BODY OF THE CHVRCH? we ſee no reaſon why the Communion Table may not be ſet In the body of the Church as well as in the Chancell, if the place be more convenient and fit to receive the Communicants. Learned Biſhop Morton in his Inſtitution of the Sacrament. Edit 2. London 1635. l. 6. c. 5 Sect. 15. p. 462 writes, That the Table of the Lord anciently ſtood in the middeſt of the Chancell, So that they might Compaſſe it round; which he proves by Euſebius, Dionyſius Areopagita, Chryſoſtome, Athanaſins, Auguſtin, Lindan, and Dr. Fulke; yea Dr. Williams late Biſhop of Lincolne now of Yorke, in his Holy Table Name, and thing aſſerts and proves the ſame at large for which this Arch-Pre ate fell foule upon him in the latter end of his Speech in Starchamber; If then all theſe Teſtimonies may be credited before the Archbiſhops bare affirmation, neither Altars nor Lords Tables anciently ſtood Altarwiſe, North, & South againſt the Eaſt end of the Quire in our own or other Churches, as he falſely avers they did. 3ly. We ſhall evidence this by Preſidents abroad & at home. For forraiegn Preſidents. In the famous Church of Tyre which ſurpaſſed all others in Phaenici [...], for its ſplendor built in the time of Conſtantine the Great the Altar was placed in the MIDDEST; as Euſebius, Eccleſia. Hist. l. 10. c. 4. records in [Page] expreſſe termes. Altari (que) deni (que) tanquam Sancto Sanctorum IN MEDIO SANCTV ARII SITO, &c. It is ſtoried by Socrates Scolaſticus. Eccleſiaſt. Hiſt. l. 5. c. 22 and Nicephorus: Eccleſiaſt. Hiſt. l. 12. c. 34. That in the great Church of Antioch in Syria, the Altar stood not to the Eaſt, but towards the weſt part of the Church; Sacra Ara, non ad Orientem, ſed ad Occidentem verſus, collata fuerat: And ſo not Altarwiſe as this Archbiſhop pretend. W [...]llafridus Strabus, de R [...]bus Eccleſiaſtis. l. 4. c. 19. records: That in the Temples only built to God, or clenſed from the filthineſſe of Idols, the Altars were placed towards divers climates according to the conveniency of the places; there being no place where God is not preſent: That in the great Church at Ieruſalem, built by Conſtantine the Great and his Mother over the Sepulchre of our Lord, in a Round forme, in the Pantheon at Rome, dedicated by Pope Beniface to all Saints, and in the Church of St. Peter, Altars were placed not only towards the Eaſt part, but likewiſe diſtributed into other parts and quarters of them. Chemnitius in his Examen Concilij Trident. pars 4. avers, and our oppoſites confeſſe it. That in the Catacombe at Rome, THE ALTAR STOOD IN THE MIDDLE; and that in St. Peters Church it ſelfe in the Vatican, the high Altar ſtands before the QVIRE, to wit in the middle of the Church or Chancell, as an Italian Author explaines it, in his deſcription of this Church. Platina, in the life of Pope Nicholas the third, records, That the Altar of St Mary in Rome, through the great inundation of Tibur in this Popes dayes, was ſurrounded with water, ROTVNDE quatuor pedibus; Therefore it ſtood not againſt a Wall. Anastatius, De vitis Rom. Pontif. p. 68. 69. writes, that Pope Sergins in the yeare 694. made a foure-ſquare vaile about the Altar in Saint Peters Church at Rome having 4. white and 4. Scarlet Curtaines, JN CIRCVITV ALTARJS, round about the Altar, which ſtood not therefore againſt a wall. In the great Cathedrall of Rome it ſelfe, Anno Dom. 1547. as William Thomas, an eye witneſſe, in his Hiſtory of Italy and Thomas Beacon out of him, f. 282. atteſt, the Altar on Chriſtmas day, when the Pope him ſelfe and all his Cardinalls received the Sacrament, STOOD IN THE MIDDEST OF THE CHAPELL OR QVIRE, the Pope ſitting in a Throne of wonderfull Majeſty behinde it Rerum Germ. Script. Tom. 1. p. 590. 591. Sigiſmund. the Monke in his Chronicon Augustinum, Anno 1483. pars. 1. c. 1. relates, That in the Ancient Cathedrall Church of Auguſta, dedicated to Saint Afra, there were two Quires and two Altars ſtanding under two Arches: That in the body of the Church were 4. Altars; the chiefeſt of them was the Altar of St. Denys placed, verſus OCCIDENTEM in parte Septentrionali, non juxta murum, ſed quaſi IN MEDIO. Alb. Crantzius Metrop. l. 1. c 9. & Hoſpinian de Orig. Altarium c. 6. writed that Wit [...]kind found the face of Charls the Great, full of alacrity after he approaches, Menſam Templo Mediam, the Lords Table placed in the Middeſt of the Church, to receive the Sacrament at it: And the ſame Hoſpinian in the ſame Chapter records, that in the Reformation made at Zurick Anno 1523. The High Altar was placed where the Font had anciently ſtood (neare to the Weſt Doore, not the Eaſt end of the Quire.) In briefe, the very Roman Cerimonial l. 1. c 12. p. 70. informes us, that even of late times many Popiſh Altars ſtood not against the wall, but diſtant from it, as theſe clauſes prove: Quod ſi Altare parieti adhaereat, &c. Si Altare ſit A PARIETE SEIVNCTVM, &c. Therefore to rayle in all Altars, Lords Tables and place them Altarwiſe againſt the Eaſt end of the Quire wall North and South, as this Archbiſhop did, is to be more Popiſh, more Superſtitious then the very Papiſts themſelves, even in forraigne parts.

To come to Preſidents nearer home; Our venerable Beda in his Eccleſ. Hiſt. l. 2. cap. 3. relates, that the famous great Church of St. Auguſtins in Canterbury, it ſelfe (built by Augustin the firſt Archbiſhop of that Sea) had an Altar ſtanding almoſt in THE MIDDEST OF IT and that in the North Iſle, not Eaſt Habet haec Altare IN MEDIO PENE SUAE: this was with in 700. years of Chriſt. Yea Everden a Monke, and Maſter In his Britani Edit. ult: p. 409, Cambden out of him: records; That the Monkes of Saint Edmunds Bury in Suffolke, whiles they layd the [Page] foundation of a new Chappell in the reigne of King Edward the firſt, found the walls of an old Church built ROUND [which we think was firſt built to Saint Edmonds ſervice] So as the Altar STOOD AS IT WERE IN THE MIDDEST: In the Church of Carmarthen both the high Altar and Lords Table Anno 1555. Stood in the middeſt of the Church, as Maſter Fox Acts and Monuments, Edit: 1610. pag. 1404. 1406. records: and in Saint Patricks Church in Dublin, the High Altar ſtood about the middeſt of the Quire under the firſt Croſſe, a Yard and more beneath the Arch where the E: of Corks Tomb now ſtands; and that on all ſolemne Feaſting dayes, they Went Round about the Altar: as appeares by a Letter written from thence to this Archbiſhop himſelfe (endorſed with his owne hand) by Maſter Benjamin Culme, dated from Dublin, Aprill 19. 1634. In fine, learned Doctor Anſwer of a true Chriſtian to a counterfeit Catholike printed at London, 1577. Artic. 15. pag. 55. 56. Fulke informes us, That the Altar uſually ſtood in the MIDEST of the Church, wherof ſome ſymptomes remain in our Cathedrall Churches. Moreover, if you marke the moſt part of our Churches in England, you ſhall plainly ſee, that the Chancels are but additions builded ſince the Churches, in likelihood by the Parſons, who diſdained to have their places, in the mideſt of the people, as the old manner was. Alſo you may ſee ſome Churches builded round, as at London the Temple, and another is at Cambridge of the ſame faſhion, and ſome Churches have the Steeple at the Eaſt end very unhanſomly, and the Rood loft. Again, many Churches have croſſe Iſles in which the people cannot ſee the Chancell, when they were builded; For ſuch Churches as are late erected have the Churches and Chancells all of one building, and are made of ſuch faſhion, that one may ſee the High Altar in every part of them.

From all theſe reaſons and authorities we may infallibly conclude, that Altars and Lords Tables generally in all Chriſtian Churches were alwayes placed in the mideſt of the Church, or Quire, not rai [...]ed in Altarwiſe (as of late among us) againſt the wall. Therefore the Archbiſhops groundleſſe ſurmiſe to the contrary and his maine Argument, from the Queenes Jnjunctions founded on it, is both falſe and frivolous.

Now whereas hee Objects, that there can bee no Popery in placing Communion Tables Altarwiſe, we anſwer, that if we conſider this ſituation of them ſimply in it ſelfe, perchance it may be true. But if we obſerve that Prieſts private Maſſes, brought in this ſituation of Altars firſt of all into the Church of Rome, and that the end of this new placing of them is, to turne our Lords Tables into Altars, to imitate the Papiſts, and make way for private Maſſes, as all other concurrent circumſtances manifeſt, then it favours of See the Quenchcole p. 201. to 208 Popery in the higheſt degree. Finally, we ſhall obſerve the Archbiſhops jugling and falſhood in this particular. In his Speech in Starchamber he averreth. pag. 53. 14. And yet here is nothing done either by violence, or command, to take off the Indifferency of the ſtanding of the holy Table, either way, but onely by laying it fairely before men how fit it is there ſhould be Order and uniformity. And yet we have proved, that hee by his ſpecial Jnjunctions under Seale, and by private Letters to his Vicar General, enjoyned all Lords Tables to be placed and rayled in Altarwiſe; yea excommunicated, cenſured, fined in the High Commiſſion ſuch Miniſters and Church-Wards as oppoſed or refuſed to obey his Injunctions herein, as the Caſes of Maſter Chancy, the Church-Wardens of Beckington, John Premly, Ferdinando Adams, and others evidence.

Fourthly, We reply, that the Archbiſhop in his Starchamber-speech, p. 45. 46. makes this averment, And yet the Government is ſo moderate [God grant it be not too looſe the while] that NO MAN IS CONSTRAINED, NO MAN QUESTIONED, only religiouſly called upon, venite, Adoremus, Come let us Worſhip; that is, bow to, and toward the Altar: Yet here we have himſelfe confeſſing, and others teſtifying upon Oath, that he enjoyned all Schollers in the Univerſity of Oxford, all Officers, Prebends in Cathedrall and Collegiat Churches by ſpeciall Statutes [to which they were all compelled to ſweare Obedience [Page] and Conformity] to worſhip God with higheſt Reverence towards the Altar, to bow devoutly to, towards it at, their approaches thereunto, which none were ever thus ſtrictly obliged to do by ſpeciall Lawes and Oathes in the very darkeſt times of Popery. That Doctor Jackson did approve, practiſe this bowing to the Altar for a time, it was by force only of theſe new Statutes and Oath, as himſelfe depoſeth, for which he profeſſeth his hearty ſorrow: and whereas Doctor Blechenden ſweares, that ſome Prebends uſed to bow before theſe new Statutes, it was only by reaſon of this Archbiſhops Injunctions and daily practiſe both at Court and in Lambeth Chappell. For his expunging of the prayer for King Henry the 8. after his death, out of theſe Statutes, it no way juſtifies nor extenuates his Injunction of ſuch Popiſh Altar-Adorations. For the 95. Pſa. it commands us only, to worſhip, fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker; not towards or before an Altar, which is not the Lord our Maker: Neither did the Archbiſhop himſelfe, not the moſt ſuperſtitious Popiſh Prelate or Clergie man in England ever yet uſe to Worſhip and fall down to God, before or towards the Altar, juſt when this Venite, Adoromus was read; which requiring no ſuch Worſhip at the very inſtant it is reading, much leſſe exacts it after or before its reading. For the Knights of the Garters Chapter-Order made in times of Popery, in imitation of Popiſh Prieſts, it is no binding Law to any but thoſe of that Order, in their ſolemnitie, which being meerely Civill, and if it bee Deo & Altars ejus, joyntly; then certainely ſuperſtitious, Popiſh, nay Idolatrous too, cannot be fit for imitation of Proteſtants.

Fifthly, We reply, that theſe Crucifixes, Images being unlawfull to be made. condemned by Our Statutes, Homilies, Injunctions, Writers, Church, and all ſound Antiquity, as wee Pag. 59. 103. to 108. have proved; and Conſtantine the great condemning them: their pretended Antiquity, or uſe in the Kings Chappell, can no wayes juſtifie his re-erecting them in Cathedralls. And here we cannot but obſerve the Archbiſhops Legerdemain, and groſſe abuſe of his Majeſties Chappell.

Firſt, himſelfe introduced Crucifixes with other Popiſh Innovations into it, which he afterwards by way of imitation preſcribed to Cathedralls; And then being charged with this practiſe in Cathedralls, he juſtifies himſelfe by His Majeſties Chapell, where he takes Sanctuary; juſt as if a Cutpurſe ſhould juſtifie the cutting of a mans purſe in Pauls Cathedrall becauſe hee formerly picked another mans pocket in Whit-Hall Chapell, which is nothing elſe, but to wipe off the preſent charge by the next preceeding, which lyes ſo heavy upon him, and to juſtify this ſubſeouent crime of his by another anteceeding it. But in truth this is a meere deviſe [...] draw an Odium on His Majeſty, and his Chappell, who muſt Patronize [...] Popiſh Traiterly Actions, ſince we have proved theſe Innovations of his in Cathedralls to bee directly taken out of the Roman Ceremoniall, Pontificall, and brought in by their preſcription; not learned from the Kings own Chappell, as he falſly pretends.

Sixthly, To his Altar Ornaments, and trinkets in Cathedralls which he would juſtifie by the Kings Chapell too, when expreſly taken out of the Roman Pontiſical and Ceremoniall in imitation of forraigne Popiſh Cathedralls; we ſhall returne the ſelfe ſame anſwer, and cloſe up all with his own ſentence in his Star-Chamber Speech, pag. 55. (where he paſſeth judgment againſt himſelfe in theſe following words) Nor hath the Kings Chappell any Prerogative (if that may be called one) above any ordinary Church, to diſſerve God in any ſuperſtitions Rites; Where give mee leave to tell you, that the King and his Chappell, are most wrongfully, and with ſcorne abuſed. Undoubtedly they are ſo by theſe undutifull anſwers of his; whereby hee hath juſtified to the utmoſt each particular of this his charge, which he hath in no ſort extenuated nor taken off from himſelfe in any particle.

Sixthly, They proceeded in the next place from Cathedralls, to charge me with Pepiſh Innovations in Object. 6. Pariſh Churches and Chappells; which charge is reducible Pag. 87. to 114. to theſe heads.

[Page] Firſt, my enjoyning Church-Wardens to remove and rayle in Communion Tables Altarwiſe; as in the caſe of Saint Gregories, and other Pariſhes.

Secondly, Preſcribing the people to receive the Communion at the new rayles kneeling.

Thirdly, Enjoyning Miniſters to ſay Second ſervice at the Communion Table rayled in Altarwiſe.

Fourthly, ſetting up of Crucifixes and other Images in Churches, Chappells, Glaſſe-windowes; particularly in the new Chappell by Tuttle-fields, in Weſtminſter.

Fifthly, Preſcribing theſe Innovations in viſitation Articles, by Biſhop Wren, Biſhop Mountague, Biſhop Peirce and others; and forcing Church-Wardens upon Oath to preſent all thoſe who ſubmitted not to them.

Sixthly, puniſhing and cenſuring thoſe in the Star-Chamber, High Commiſſion and elſewhere, who oppoſed or ſubmitted not to theſe Innovations: by name, Maſter Peter Smart, Maſter Charles Chancy, Maſter Miles Burkit, the Church-Wardens of Beckington, Ferdinando Adams, John Premly, Mr. Henry Sherfeild, Mr. John VVorkman Mr. Prynne, Mr. Burton, and Doctor Baſtwick.

Seventhly, my Chaplaines purging out a paſſage againſt Images taken out of the very Homilies, in Doctor Featlies book.

Eightly, My licenſing of Popiſh Pictures and Crucifixes to be printed in London, by one [...]ke, and to be bound up with our Engliſh Bibles.

To the firſt, I anſwer in Generall, that this removing and placing Lords Tables ANSWER. Altarwiſe, is warranted by the Queens Injunctions, as I have formerly evidenced: As for the caſe of Saint Gregories, the Table was not turned by mee, but by the Deane and Chapter of Paules: And when it came to the Councell Table, I did there only deliver my opinion, and oppoſe the Queens Injunctions againſt Biſhop Jewels opinion and Maſter Fox, there preſſed: and the Order made therein, was made by the King and Councell then preſent, not by me alone.

Secondly, I preſſed none to come up to receive at the Rayles, no further then the Common Prayer Booke preſcribes, which enjoynes the people to draw weare and take the Holy Sacrament for their comfort.

3ly. Reading Second ſervice at the Lords table is no Innovation, it hath bin ever ſince my rememberance conſtantly practiſed in Cathedralls, and is warranted by the Rubrick.

4ly. I gave no order for ſetting up Images or Pictures in any pariſh Church; nor yet in the new Chappell at Westminſter, and Mr. Browne ſweares, it was Dr. Nowel that directed and paid him for his work there, not I.

5ly. I made neither Biſhop Wrens, nor Mountagues Viſitation Articles, nor Oathes, they were their owne, and if they have oſtended in making them, they muſt anſwer it themſelves, ſome of them having bin particularly queſtioned for them already.

6ly. For thoſe particular perſons caſes objected, I ſhall anſwer them in order.

1. For Mr. Smart, he was cenſured by the high Commiſſioners of Yorke for a Schiſmaticall and Scandalous Sermon, not by me who had no hand in his cenſure.

Secondly, For Mr. Chancy, he ſpake contemptuous [...] againſt the raile, that he would ſet it up in his Garden: He was ſuſpended only till he did ſubmit, after which he did ſubmit and confeſſe his fault, and then was abſolved.

As for the words I uſed to his Advocate witneſſed by Mr. [...]brand, it was when he was over bold, and it is uſuall with Courts to checke Counſell in this kinde, when they oftend in ſuch nature.

Thirdly, For Mr. Burkit, There were 5. Articles againſt him, beſides that which was read, and he was proſecuteſt, cenſured for them al, not that only which is objected.

Fourthly, Ferdinando Adams, extreamly interrupted my Viſitors, and Biſhop [Page] Wrens Viſitors too in their Viſitation at Ipſwich by locking up the Church Doores againſt them; for which high aſtront Proceſſe was awarded againſt him.

Fifthly, Iohn Premly his proſecution was the Act of Sir Nathaniel Brent, and it was for an high contempt.

Sixtly, For Mr. Sherfield, he was cenſured by the Major voyce of the Court, not by me alone: and Mr. Caryll depoſed that the Picture he brake was only conceived to be the Picture of God the Father; not that it was ſo: But admit it were, yet it was not lawfull for him of his owne Authority to pull it downe and break it, no not though it had bin the Picture of Iupiter himſelfe; This I did then affirme, for which I had the Authority of St. Auguſtine, and Biſhop Davenant. Yea in Conſtantine the Great his time, as Euſebius writes in the third Booke De vita Conſtantini c. 52. 53. 54. No priuate Chriſtians of their owne heads durſt deſtroy the Jdols that were then worſhipped, nor the temple of Aeſculapius, wherein the Divel himſelfe was adored, til Conſtantine the Emperour gave expreſſe command, and appointed certaine men, whom he particularly imployed, to demoliſh them. It is true he pleaded, that he demoliſhed it by the Authority of the Veſtry; but the Veſtry had no authority themſelves to do it, therefore they could not derive it unto him. But it was Idolized and adored by ſome. True, but this appeared not till the hearing of the cauſe, and was unknowne before.

Seaventhly, The purging out of a Paſſage againſt Images in Dr. Featlyes Sermons taken out of our Homilies; was no act of mine, but my Chaplaines, who muſt anſwer for it, yet there are other paſſages therein left which are ſmartenough againſt Images and their adoration: And Dr. Featly never complained hereofto mee.

Eightly, The Bibles wherein theſe Pictures are ſhewed were Secretary Windebanks and Dr. Ducks which is nothing to me: yea one of them is a Latine Bible printed beyond the ſeas, at Amſterdam, a place free from ſuperſtition, not here Indeed I firſt ſaw one of theſe Bibles in Miſtreſſe Kirkes hands, whereupon I ſent for one of them my ſelfe, and then acquainted the Lords of the Councell with it, who reſolved they ſhould not be ſold publickly, nor laid upon ſtalls, for feare of giving ſcandall, but privatly; whereupon I told Mr. Wally as much, which he hath teſtified, But yet this is no Innovation, for the old Engliſh prin-Bibells are full of Pictures.

Ninthly, Mr. Workman was juſtly ſuſpected for inconformity; he was cenſured for other things, as well as for paſſages againſt Images, as appeares by his ſentence, As firſt for his words againſt Dancing. 2ly. For ſaying Images in Churches were Idolls (though they are not Idolls till they are worſhipped) and that they were no better then ſtewes; an unfitting expreſſion. 3ly. For ſaying that Drunkards were preferred. 4ly. That the Election of Miniſters was in the People. 5ly. For praying for the King of Sweden before our King. 6ly. For preaching againſt the Government of the Church eſtabliſhed by Law. 7ly. For ſpeaking againſt Pictures in privat houſes as wel as in Churches. For thoſe of Glouceſter queſtioned for granting him an Annuity, & then ſued in the High Commiſſion, they were not many, but only the principall Offendors: & it was lawful to cal them into the High Commiſſion, becauſe their grant to him was in affront of authority; their Fine was but ſmall 10. [...] a peece, and that was pardoned: As for Mr. Workman himſelfe being put from his Miniſtry by ſentence, he was unfit to teach Schoole, or practiſe Phiſick, for of leavening others with his dangerous opinions.

10ly. For Mr. Pryn, Mr. Burton, and Dr. Baſtwick I anſwer, 1. That the Proſecution againſt them in Starchamber was in a legall way, for ſeditious Schiſmaticall and libellous Books. 2ly. That the rejecting of their anſwers under their owne hands and taking them pro confeſſo was no act of mine, but of the whole Court. 3ly. That the expunging of Mr. Burtons Anſwer, was not done by mee, but by the two chiefe Iuſtices, to whom it was referred by the Court, who muſt anſwer for it if unjuſt, and that the Copy of his anſwer found in my Study interlined [Page] with black-lead, ſo far as it ſhould ſtand, was not interſined by me. 4ly. J gave no ſentence againſt them at all, but only Iuſtified my ſelfe and my proceedings againſt their calumnies. But it hath bin objected, that Mr. Cockeſhut gave an accompt of the proceedings againſt them to me from time to time: therefore I was the cauſe thereof. I confeſſe he gave me ſuch an account, and it was juſt and fit he ſhould do it, becauſe the cauſe concerned not only myſelfe in ſome ſort in particular, but the Church of England in generall, of which I ought to take care according as my place and duty required: But I was no cauſe of any irregular proceedings: Yea, but I gave thankes to the Lords in the cloſe of my Speech for their ſentence and Iustice on them, though I cenſured them not my ſelfe: True and it was no more then I ought to do in behalfe of the Church: But yet after the ſentence given in my Epiſtle to his Majeſty, I excited him to put it in execution. No, I only left it to his Majeſties conſideration to forbeare or execute it, as he in his juſtice and wiſdome ſhould deeme meet.

To this was replyed, 1. in generall; that the Archbiſhop in his ſpeech in Starchamber, p. 53. hath this expreſsion concerning rayling in Communion Tables Altarwiſe Reply in pariſh Churches: And though it ſtood in moſt Pariſh Churches the other way yet whither there be not more reaſon the Pariſh ſhould be made conformable to the Cathedrall and Mother Churches, then the Cathedralls to them, I leave to any reaſonable man to judge. So as his Innovations begun in Cathedralls, were purpoſely introduced there firſt of all, to draw on Pariſh Churches to Popiſh conformity with them in theſe Innovations. Next, in particular we reply: that the alteration of the ſtanding of the Lords Table and rayling it in Altarwiſe, was no wayes warranted by the Queens Injunctions, but contrary to them, as wee have largely manifeſted. That though this was not done immediately by himſelfe, but by the Deane and Chapter of Paules, yet he was the Originall author of it, and juſtified it when complained of. That he publikely checked the Councell, Pariſhioners and ſir Henry Martin before the King and Lords for oppoſing this Innovation, and alleadging Biſhop Iewill and Mr. Fox againſt it: deſiring his Majeſty to take theſe Bookes out of the Church, if they made no better uſe of them then to oppoſe this Novelty. That he carried himſelfe more like an Advocate then Judge in this Cauſe, and when the King himſelfe was ſatisfied and would have it ſtand as formerly, his violence was ſuch, that he over-ruled both King and Councell, and drew up the Order forecited in their names for eſtabliſhing this Innovation which favours of his ſtile and ſpirit, the guilt whereof muſt reſt principally on him.

2ly. The comming up to the Rayles was preſſed by his Viſitors, Agents authority, and thoſe excommunicated who refuſed to come up and receive at the New Rayle; to which certainly it was never the minde of the Common Prayer Book the Communicants ſhould draw neare, ſince there were no Rayles to draw neare and kneele at till this Archbiſhop enjoyned them to be ſet up, in imitation of the Papiſts, as we have proved: but this drawing neare, is rather a drawing neare to Chriſt by faith, with our hearts and affections, or elſe a drawing neare to the body of the Church of Chancell where the Lords Table is to be placed, & to the Miniſter officiating, as it is expounded by the Q [...]eens Jujunctions; & 28 Canon. The Table when the holy Communion ſhal be adminiſtred ſhal be placed in ſo good ſort within the Church or Chancel, as thereby the Miniſter may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and adminiſtration, and the Communicants alſo may more conveniently, and in more number communicate with the Miniſter.

3ly. We anſwer, that the Lords Table was ordained only to adminiſter the Sacrament See the Quenchcole. [...] 9. to 235 thereat, not to read ſecond ſervice at it, for which the Reading Pew is appointed as the Common-prayer Book, the Homilies of the worthy receiving the Sacrament, and reparing Churches; Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, the Canous made 1571. p. 18. and the 82. 83. Canons Anno 1603. reſolve. Now this Archbiſhop enjoyned [Page] ſecond ſervice now to bee read at the Lords Table when there was no Communion, and where it was rayled in at the upper end of the Quite, not brought downe into the body of the Church or Chancell; contrary to the Rubrick in the Common Prayer Booke, which expreſly determines: That the Epiſtle and Goſpel (chiefe parts of this ſecond ſervice) ſhall be read where the two Leſſons are, with a loud voice, that the people may heare the Minister that readeth them the Miniſter standing and turning himſelfe, as he may best be heard of ALL ſuch as be preſent (which he cannot be if he read them at the upper end of the Chancell remote from the people, where the Churches are great, or the Miniſters voyce low.] This innovation then which was never practiſed in any Pariſh Church till of late, though uſed in ſome Cathedralls, wherein the Rubrick enjoynes the Communion every Sunday in the yeare at leaſt to be adminiſtred; which was wholly omitted, and the ſecond ſervice at the Table left to ſupply it) is directly contrary to the Rubricke, Homilies, Injunctions, Canon.

4ly. It is evident that Crucifixes were ſet up in many Pariſh Churches, Chapells of the Kingdome, which though we cannot prove to be done by his expreſſe particular Command; yet certainly it was by his example or incouragement, who repaired and ſet up Crucifixes in his owne Chappells at Lambeth, Croyden, and one over the Altar in Paſſion week in the Kings owne Chappell at White-Hall. Beſides, thoſe who erected them were either his owne Chaplaines or Faverites who knew his minde, and did it for to imitate and pleaſe his Grace to gaine ſome further preferments.

For the Images ſet up in the New b Chappell in Tuttle fields, we [b] have proved, that the Arch-biſhop promiſed to bestow a new Window on it: that thereupon the old Page 93. was taken downe, the Kings Armes removed, and thoſe Images, with the Archbiſhops owne Armes (as the Donor of it) ſet up: that his Chaplaine gave directions about the VVindow: and Mr. Sutton ſweares that the money for new glaſing it was paid ſince the Archbiſhops commitment to the Tower by his direction, as he believeth. A cleare evidence, that he was the Author and director of this worke, notwithſtanding all his ſhifts to elude it.

5ly. Though the Archbiſhop made not theſe Biſhops Viſitation Oathes and Articles; yet he made all of them Biſhops, who durſt do nothing in their Dioceſſe or Viſitations but by his direction; to whom they gave an Annuall Accompt of their proceedings in writing, as we have manifeſted. Beſides, its apparent that all theſe Viſitation Articles were made in purſuance of his owne Archiepiſcopall Injunctions, Inſtructions, and himſelfe approved of theſe their Oathes, Articles, never checking nor queſtioning them for them, though their Metropolitan: yea himſelfe preſcribed the ſelfe ſame things in his Metropoliticall Viſitations, by printed Articles, written Injunctions, or private Jnſtructions, as theſe Biſhops did in imitation of him. Therefore hee muſt Anſwer for theſe their Articles, Oathes, proceedings as farre forth as they, who were but his Inſtruments.

Sixtly For his Anſwer to the particular Caſes, wee ſhall returne theſe Replyes.

1. That though Mr. Smart was cenſured by the High Commiſſion at Yorke, yet he was firſt impriſoned here at London, and tranſmitted from the High Commiſſion here to York by this Archbiſhops meanes; who complyed with Dr. Coſin in his proſecution, and diſpoſed of his livings after his deprivation, as we can prove by ſundry Letters found in his Study; As for Mr. Smarts Sermon, it was neither ſcandalous nor factions, but Orthodox, and Iuditious, againſt the Popiſh Jnnovations introduced in the Cathedrall of Durham, where he was the ancienteſt Prehend, deſerving rather applauſe then any cenſure, as both Lords and Commons have reſolved upon a full hearing, and awarded him reparations and Damages for his unjuſt cenſure.

2ly. Mr. Chancy ſpake no contemptuous words at all againſt the Rayle, nor of ſetting it up in his Garden: His ſuſpention was illegall, not only without, but againſt [Page] Law and Canon; As for his ſubmiſſion, it was forced, and a meere art to deterre others from oppoſing his Graces Popiſh Innovaſions, the only proſecutor appearing againſt him. And his ſhaking up or menacing of his advocate, an unlawfull act, to diſcourage him from making any defence, and ſubject his Client to a cenſure. Therefore inexcuſable.

3ly. The main Article againſt Mr. Burkit, was only for his and the Churchwardens removing of the Table when the Sacrament was adminiſtred into the body of the Church without the rayles, according to the Rubrick, Queene Elizabeths Injunctions, and the 28. Canon, the other Articles being but frivilous, not inſiſted on: And for this he was moleſted in the High Commiſſion, yea a traditio Satana, a turning over of him to Sir John Lamb pronounced againſt him, who uſed him like a Lyon a Wolfe in a Lambes Skin.

4ly. For the Churchwardens of Beckingtons moſt ſevere, illegall, harbarous proſecution, we have proved by the depoſition of Mr. Iohn Aſh, a Member of the Commons Houſe, that the Archbiſhop himſelfe ſince his Impriſonment in the Tower confeſſed, that Biſhop P [...]res their Dioceſ [...]n did do nothing herein, but by his direction. If therefore the rule in Law bee true, Plus peccat Author [...] Actor, he muſt be far more guilty both of their proſecution, Excommunication, and heart-breaking ſubmiſſion, then Biſhop Peirce, his Inſtrument.

5ly. For Ferdinando Adams, he was excommunicated in the Archbiſhops name by Mr. Dade his Surrogate, and this Excommunication pleaded in Barre of his Bill in Starchamber. The proceſſe, Purſivants ſent out to apprehend him, and the impriſonment of his Attorney till he withdrew his [...], were all by the Archbiſhops procurement. His ſhutting Biſhop VVrens Viſitors out of the Church at Jpſmich unleſſe they derived their Authority by Letters Patens, from the King, was warranted by the Statut of 1 Eliz. c. 1. Therefore his proſecution, only for his duty and allegeance to the King againſt the Biſhops diſloyall incroachments, was moſt unjuſt and diſloyall. 6ly. Iohn Premly, was not proſecuted by Sir Nathaniell Brent, but by the Archbiſhop himſelfe, for oppoſing his order in the Metropoliticall Viſitation, in removing the Lords Table placed Altarwiſe, to the place and poſture wherein it formerly ſtood; for which he was fined, cenſured, impriſoned in the High Commiſſion, where the Archbiſhop ſate chiefe Iudge againſt all Law and Iuſtice, his act being no contempt, nor offence in Law; but the Archbiſhops order by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Viſitor, and Dr. Nevells act, a contempt againſt Law and Canon.

7ly. Mr. Sherfield was proſecuted principally by the Archbiſhops procurement, for demoliſhing according to Law: an Idolatrous blaſphemous, falſe Image of God the Father, which was openly Idolized▪ Hee was then a Juſtice of Peace, Recorder of Sarum, and had the Warrant of the whole Veſtry (wherein were ſix or ſeaven Iuſtices of Peace at that time) to demoliſh this Image, and take downe the whole Window, which all the Kings Subjects, (and Iuſtices of Peace eſpecially) have authority to demoliſh by the Statutes of 3. Ed. 6. c. 10. 3. Iac. c. 5. The Book of Homilies, and Queene Elizabeths Injunctions: n. 23. within their ſeverall Pariſhes without any ſpeciall order from King or Biſhop: yea, God himſelfe gives ſpeciall Commands not only to the ſupreame Majeſtrate, but to the Common People alſo, to deſtroy Idolls, [...] Jmages, and Altars Exod. 34 13. 14. Deut. 7. 5. c. 12. 1. 2. [...]. Iſay 17. 78. In purſuance of which commands, not only King Aſa 2 Chron. 14. 3. King Hezechiah 2 Kings 18. 4. King Manaſſ [...]h 2. Chron. 33. 15. King Joſiah and his people, a Chron. 34. to [...]. demoliſhed and brake in peeces Idolatrous Altars and Jmages: but likewiſe ALL THE PEOPLE of the Land went into the Houſe of Baal and brake it downe, Altars and Jmages brake they in peeces, and [...]low Mat [...]an the Prieſt of Baal before the Altars: 2 Kings 11. 1 [...] without any ſpeciall Warrant or command from King Ieho [...]ſh or Ieho [...]ada, (which the Holy Ghoſt records for their honour.) yet were they never queſtioned or fined in Starchamber for it becauſe they had no warrant from either of them. [...]. [Page] after King Hezechiah his Paſſeover, the Scripture expreſly records, 2 Chron. 30 13. 14.—c. 31. 1. That ALL ISRAEL that were preſent went out to the Cities of Iudah and brake the Images in peeces, and cut downe the groves; and threw downe the High places and Altars out of all Iudah and Benjamin, in Ephraim alſo and Manaſſith, untill they had utterly diſtroyed them all; which is recorded to their Eternall honour by God himſelfe: nor were they ever queſtioned or fined for a Riot, in any Starchamber, or High Commiſſion or for going out of their owne limits, or doing this without a ſpeciall Commiſſion from the King. Therefore Mr. Sherfield being a publike Majeſtrate, both as a Iuſtice or Peace and Recorder of Sarum might much more by the whole Veſtries Order, demoliſh this Idolatrous Picture in his owne Pariſh Church, in ſuch a privat manner as he did, without blame or cenſure, having ſufficient authority from theſe Texts and Preſidents of Scripture, and from the forecited Statutes and Injunctions; to warrant it every man in ſuch a caſe being a lawfull Majeſtrate, without any ſpeciall warrant. Thus the common people in Girmany and elſe where in the beginning of Reformation, brake downe the Popiſh Images and Altars without any ſpeciall Order from the Superior or Inferior Magiſtrates, as Mr. Acts and Monu mean vol. 2. Edit. 1640. p. 86. to 98. Fox and others record; And therefore, his Doctrine of the Archbiſhops, that it is unlawfull to break downe the very Image and Temple of Iupiter and Eſculapius where the Divell himſelfe was worſhiped, without the ſpeciall command of the ſupreame Magiſtrate, is a moſt impious Paradox; for if the ſupreame Magiſtrate will give no ſuch command, theſe Idols, Devills ſhall ſtill be to erated, worſhiped to Gods diſhonour, and Religions ſlander, in deſpite of all the people and inferior Magiſtrates. As for the place of Euſebius, it only proves; that Idolatrous Statues, Images, Temples, were demoliſhed by the Emperor Conſtantines ſpeciall command; but that the Chriſtians under him, might not lawfully have defaced them without ſuch a ſpeciall command, eſpecially after a Generall Statute and Edicts publiſhed by him for their demoliſhing, without being lyable to a ſeveer cenſure [the only thing in queſtion] is no wayes warranted by, nor deducible from Euſebius, nor Saint Auguſtine. Yea had Mr Sherfields zeale out-run his diſcretion in this act, it deſerved rather applauſe then cenſure, from a Proteſtant Prelate, yet this Biſhop was ſo far from excuſing, extenuating, that hee aggravated his pretended offence beyond all bounds of Law, Iuſtice, Conſcience, pleaded as zealouſly for the lawfullneſſe of Images in Churches, and of this abominable Idoll of God the Father, as the Pope himſelfe could have dont; yea he abuſed Master Sherfeild in his ſpeech and cenſured him with the higheſt, though a Biſhop, when ſome temporall Lords excuſed, yea acquitted him. And though this cenſure was not his alone, but carried by the Major voyce, yet his voyce, Speech, violence occaſioned, and aggravated it. For his evaſions, that this Picture was conceived to bee the picture of God the Father as Maſter Caryl depoſed; not a picture of him in truth: It is a moſt childiſh evaſion, for the Scripture is expreſſe, That God being a ſpirit, an inviſible infinite Eſſence, can have no true pillure, likeneſſe, or ſimilitude made of him by any corporall viſible repreſentation, Iſay 40. 18. to 27. c. 46. 5, 6 Acts 17. 29. Rom. 1. 23. 24, 25. whence every ſuch Image of God is tearmed, a lye in Scripture, Iſay 44. 20. Hab. 2. 18. Rom. 1. 25. &c. And if ever any Image of God were a lye, then certainly this, as hath bin proved. Now, whereas he pretends, it appeared not it was adored and idolozed till the hearing, it is certaine it appeared to Mr. Sherfield long before the hearing or demoliſhing of it as he depoſed in his anſwer, and this appearing by witneſſes upon Oath to the Biſhop and whole Court when the cauſe was heard, made his unjuſt and heavy cenſure, farre more abominable to God and man.

Eghtly, Mr. Workman was principally cenſured for his preaching againſt Images, though his expreſſions were the very words of our Homilies. The other particulars vvere all juſtifiable, true, & no wayes cenſurable except the ſixt, [Page] which was pretended, but not proved. Therefore his cenſure moſt unjuſt, and his cenſuring of ſome of thoſe of Glouceſter that joyned in a grant of Annuity to him under the City Seale though the Fine was but ſmall, and afterwards remitted, was far more unjuſt.

1. Becauſe the grant of this Anpuity was not only an act of Charity, but juſtice and equity, puniſhable by no Law and highly to bee commended.

2ly. Becauſe they were cenſured in their privat naturall Capacity, for what they acted only in their politique, as Members of the Corporation under their Common Seale, wherein the whole City were engaged as much as they.

3ly. Becauſe they damned this grant of which they had no cogniſance, to ſtarve a faithfull Miniſter and his Family, who had no other Livelyhood. As for his prohibiting him to teach Schoole, to practiſe Phiſick, when he had put him from his Miniſtry without any juſt cauſe it was a treble tyrany and oppreſſion, he being enforced to take this courſe only to ſupply himſelfe and his family, for which the Law of God and nature enjoynes him to provide, unleſſe he will 1 Tim. 5. 8. be worſe then an Infidell: and doubtleſſe he muſt needs be worſe then any Infidell who had the heart to do it upon ſuch a poore pretence, that he might infect others with his opinions, to wit, of the unlawfullneſſe of Images in Churchs, or private houſes the very approved, reſolved Doctrine of our Statutes, Homilies, Injunctions, Writers, Church.

9ly. For that he alleageth by way of juſtification and excuſe touching the moſt barbarous cenſures of Mr. Prynne, Mr. Burton, & Dr. Baſtwick: We reply, 1. That his hand was to all the Warrants for their Illegall commitments, croſe impriſenments before their cenſures. That the Books for which they were queſtioned were neither ſcandalous, Seditious nor Schiſmaticall, but neceſſary Apologies, Pleas againſt his unjuſt tyrannicall proceedings in the High Commiſſion, and Popiſh Innovations in the Church to ſubvert our Religion. That himſelfe in his Starchamber Speech (and Heylin and Dove after him) confeſſeth juſtifieth the truth of theſe Innovations wherewith thoſe Bookes did charge him: all which the former and this preſent Parliament have unanimouſly complained off and voted to be illegall, Popiſh, deſtructive to our Religion. Therewere theſe Bookes were neither Scandalous, nor Libellous.

3ly. Both the proceedings and ſentence againſt them are voted, adjudged by both Houſes to be altogether illegall unjuſt barbarous, contrary to Magna Charta, the Lawes of the Land, and liberty of the Subject, and unparralel'd in any age; therefore ordered to be utterly raſed and taken off the file, as unfit to remaine upon record to prejudice poſterity.

4ly. Their proſecution proceeded principally from him, the Orders for ſhutting them up cloſe priſoners, denying them pen inke, paper, and ſpeech with one another, were procured by him. The Orders for denying them liberty to put in their Anſwers under their owne hands, taking them pro confeſſo, were made when himſelfe ſate and Voted in Court, being both proſecutor party and Iudge; the ſentence was given; He ſitting in Court, though particularly excepted againſt though he gave no Vote in the Cenſure it ſelfe, yet al knowe he was the cauſe and contriver of it before it was given, yea he approved and thanked the Lord for it, in his Speech, when it was given cauſed it to he moſt ſeveerly executed when given againſt the will of thoſe that gave it inſtigating his Majeſty to the bloudy execution of it; afterwards when executed; denyed Mr. Pryns ſervant liberty upon Rayle to attend him during his wounds ſet his hand firſt to all the Warrants for ſending them to and cloſe impriſoning them in remote Caſtles, and after that for baniſhing them into forraigne Iſlands, where they were ſo ſtrictly mewed up, that neither freind, Wife, Children could have the leaſt acceſſe unto them for their releife, nor they procure liberty of pen inke or paper to write unto them for neceſſaries. Yea, had not he ingaged his extraordinary power and malice in their proſecution, neither the Court, Iudges, Officers, nor Lords, [Page] had bin ſo extravagant, ſo unjuſt in their proceedings, Cenſures, Executions againſt them nor their Councell ſo over-awed as they were, nor they denyed liberty to anſwer for themſelves, and to impeach their Oppoſites by a Croſſe Bil; which if admitted (as it ought of right and juſtice) it, would have prevented their, heavy Cenſure, elſewhere, which probably would have falne ſhort of this he is now likely to incurre. All which conſidered, this part of the charge ſtickes faſt upon him in each particular.

7ly. Himſelfe ſent for Dr. Featly, and commanded him to carry his Sermons to his Chaplin to peruſe, who thereupon expunged this and other paſſages out of them after they were printed, to pleaſe his Lord; and his Chaplains Act in this caſe is his own. And though other paſſages againſt Images remained, yet no reaſon can be given for expunging this [being the direct words of the Homily,] but his complyancy with the Papiſts: Yea, Dr. Featlie ſweares expreſly, that he did complaine of it to Sir Edmond Scot, who told him it would bee bootleſſe to complaine to the Archbiſhop, who would undoe nothing his Chaplaine had altered.

8ly. For the Popiſh pictures, we have proved them printed in London by the Archbiſhops own authority and direction, that himſelfe ſaw and approved them whiles in printing, being the very ſame with thoſe his Chapell windowes, the Maſſe-Booke, and Boetius a Bolſwort, found in his ſtudy: That they were ordinarily bound up in Bibles and ſold in ſhops, of which the Stationers complaining to him he thereupon gave them the foreſaid anſwer himſelfe. But that the Lords of the Counſel gave any ſuch order he produceth no proofe at all. In few words, if the pictures were lawfull, to bee bound up in Bibles; why then did he give order that they ſhould bee only ſold in private, not in publique? If unlawfull, Popiſh, Idolatrous, or ſuperſtitious, contrary to the Scripture, our owne Statutes, Homilies, Jnjunctions, VVriters, as we have proved them, then they ought not by his direction, to ſell or binde them up in Bibles, no more privately theſe publikely, And whereas he Objects, that the Latine Bible produced wherein ſome of theſe pictures were bound, was printed at Amſterdam; wee grant it. But the Pictures in it, were printed and bound up with it here in London, not at Amſterdam, and theſe Pictures by the Archbiſhops owne direction were bound and ſold with many Engliſh Bibles; in which act he ſo much gloried, inſtead of being aſhamed of it, that he would have theſe Bibles thus bound up with Pictures, called the Arch-Biſhops Bibles, by way of diſtinction. As for the Engliſh Bibles printed with Pictures in Queene Elizabeths dayes, they had no Note. other Pictures in them, but onely of the Arke, Temple and ſuch like, not any Pictures of Chriſt, the Virgin Mary, or any perſons of the Trinity. All which conſidered, this part of his charge ſtickes ſtill upon him in each particular notwithſtanding all his evaſions.

Seventhly, They Object againſt me the Conſecration of Churches and Chappells Object. 7. as a Popiſh Innovation; tending to introduce Popery among us, and have Pag. 114. to 228. inſtanced in my conſecrating of Creed-Church, St. Giles Church in the fields; and the Church-yard there; for conſecrating whereof the Pariſh paid me 15. l. The Church of Stanmore Magna, my Chappell at Aberguilly, the forme, and furniture whereof were excepted againſt as Popiſh, the Chappell of Hamer-Smith, where they alleadge, I conſecrated the firſt ſtone when it was layd, the Chappell of Roe-Hampton; and that I would have conſecrated other Chapells Cambridge.

To this I anſwer firſt in generall; that the Conſecration of Churches is very Anſw: ancient and warranted by Scripture and Eccleſiaſticall ſtories. In the Old Teſtament, wee read that the Tabernacle, with all the Veſſells, Ornaments thereto belonging were ſolemnly conſecrated by Exod. 4 [...]. 9. 10, 11. Moſes; That afterward when the Temple was built, it was ſolemnly 1 King. 8. 2 Chro. c. 5. 6, & 7. dedicated and conſecrated to God by King Solomon, and all his Princes and people. After this when the Temple had bin ſhut [Page] up and defiled, the Prieſts and Levites by 2 Chro. 29 Hezekiah his command, ſanctified and cleanſed both it and the Veſſells thereof. So 2 Chr. 34. 8 King Joſias purged the Houſe of the Lord. After which when the Temple was re-edified, the Children of Jſrael, the Prieſts and the Levites kept Ezra. 6 15 16, 17. the dedication of the Houſe of God with joy; and offered in the Dedication of the Houſe of God an hundred bullockes, which Feaſt of Dedication, was obſerved by the Jewes even in our Saviours time, as wee read in the New Teſtament, Iohn 10. 22. In the reigne of Conſtantine the great, when Chriſtian Churches began to be built, or re-edified: wee no ſooner read of their building, but of their ſolemne conſecration and Dedication; as of the conſecration of the Church of Tyre with ſundry others mentioned by Euſebius in his Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory, l. 10. c. 3. & Devita Conſtantini, l. 4. c. 40. After which wee finde this practiſe continued in the Chriſtian Church in all ages, as Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories, the Conſecration Sermons of ſundry Fathers, the Canons of ancient Councels and the Canoniſts in their titles De Conſecratione Eccleſiarum, prove at large. Wherefore this can be no Popery, ner Innovation. Yea if Churches were not conſecrated, then I ſay, they could not bee termed Holy, for it is the Conſecration makes them holy. And if places be not holy then perſons alſo cannot be holy, when they are conſecrated and entred into holy Orders. As for Biſhop Pilkinton and Archbiſhop Parker, they ſpeake not ſimply againſt conſecrations in generall, for they were conſecrated Biſhops and the book of Ordination is confirmed by Parliament, nor yet againſt conſecrating of Churches in generall, but againſt the Popiſh conſecrations of them uſed by ſome moderne Romiſh Prelates. For my form of conſecrating them, it was not taken out of the Roman Pontificall, but that which was uſed by Biſhop Andrewes, from whom I had it: This forme I followed at Creed Church and the reſt. Secondly, To the particular conſecration of Churches Objected, I anſwer.

Firſt, to that concerning Katherin Creed-Church. It was teſtified, that I came thither in a Pompous manner; I deny it; it was only in a grave and ſeemly manner. It is Objected, that as ſoone as I came within the Church doore I fell downe upon my knees: True, it was no more then my duty; being an Oratory; Num. 14. 5. c. 16. 22, 45. c. 20. 6. Moſes and Aaron fell down on their faces at the doore of the Tabernacle: 2 Chron. 29. 26. 29, 30. Hezekiah and the people bowed and worſhiped as I have proved at large in my Speech in Star-chamber: And, Pſa. 95. 6. O come let us worſhip and fall downe, and kneell before the Lord our Maker, is the common Introitus in our owne and other Lyturgies. It is objected, I pronounced the place and ground holy: I did ſo, and it is an ordinary and legall Speech, there being a relative though not an inherent holineſſe in Churches Dedicated to Gods ſervice. Hence wee read in Iuſtinian Codicis, l. 1. tit. 5. this Title DESACROS ANCTIS ECCLESIIS, as they are there often ſtiled: Therefore Churches are holy, and their conſecration makes them ſo. Wheras it was ſaid, I threw up dust into the ayre: This I deny: and where it was alleadged, that this was in imitation of the Roman Pontificall; that is a miſtake, for the Pontificall preſcribes Cinis, a hes not duſt to be caſt abroad, and Greek Letters to be made therein, with many other vanities. For my forme of conſecration, Biſhop Andrewes made it, from whom I deſired a Coppy and had it, which I obſerved. It was objected that the form of prayer I uſed, is in the Maſſe Booke and Roman Pontificall; It may bee ſo, many other very good prayers are in it, yet they be good. It was further alleaged, that I objected Doctor Deniſons Sermon to him at his cenſure in the High Commiſſion: I Objected only his extravagances, and that was no hurt. For St. Giles Church, it is true I conſecrated firſt the Church and then the Church-yard which is the uſuall manner; as for the fees amounting to 15. l. I returned them againe, and beſtowed them on the poore of the Pariſh.

But it hath bin Objected, that theſe were no new Churches, but Churches only new repaired: therfore not to be re-conſecrated. I anſwer, that there was ſome new ground taken in at Saint Giles, and admit there were ſtill the ſame [Page] longitude and latitude, yet the walls and ſtructure being for the moſt part new; the Churches in this reſpect were new, and to be new conſecrated.

Thirdly, to the conſecration of the Objected Chappells, I confeſſe their conſecrations; and though there be no expreſſe forme for conſecrating of Chappells in the Pontificall, nor mention in Eccleſiaſticall ſtory of Chappels conſecrations; yet ſeeing they are Oratories, and Euſebius teſtifying, that Oratories were conſecrated in Constantines time, there is the like warrant and Antiquity for conſecration of them, as of Churches. For my Chappell at Aberguelle, I conſecrated, and put a name upon it, (as Saint Augustine ſaith, wee dedicate Churches to Saint Peter) for diſtinction ſake; and though I had a relation to the beheading of Saint John Baptiſt in my Dedication of it, I hope there is no hurt therein. For the patterne and furniture of the Chappell produced, as if it were mine at Aberguelle, it is a miſtake: for it is the patterne of Biſhop Andrews Chappell and furniture (which I cauſed to be written out) as the indorſement of it proves, viz. 1623. Chappell and furniture as it was in uſe by the Right Reverend Father in God Lancelot Andrewes, Lord Biſhop then of Winton.

I had no ſuch furniture in my Chappell there. For the Wafer basket and the reſt, they concerne not me, yet Wafers have bin alwayes uſed and are at this day in the Greeke Church and in Weſtminſter Abbey too. Whereas it is objected, that I hold there is a badge of Holineſſe put upon our Churches and Chappells by a Biſhops breath, I anſwer no, but there is an awſulneſſe, put upon them; For my prayer at the laying of the foundation ſtone of Hamerſmith Chappell, there is no hurt, nor ſuperſtition in it. In fine, I hope there is is no High Treaſon to bee found either in the one or other, in conſecrating Churches, Chappells or foundation ſtones.

To this brave flouriſh of his for the Antiquity and lawfulneſſe of the conſecration Reply. of Churches, of Chappells, we ſhall returne a full reply. To his Preſidents taken out of the Old Teſtament we anſwer.

1. That Moſes had an expreſſe command from God Himſelfe to conſecrate the Tabernacle, with all the veſſells thereof, by annointing them with conſecrated Oyle, Exod. 40. 10. 11, 12. [they being types of Chriſt to come;] but wee have no ſuch command from God, to conſecrate Churches, Church-Yards, Chappels Altars, Veſtments; which are no types of Chriſt, already come.

Secondly, This conſecration was made by Moſes the Temporall Magiſtrate (not by Aaron the High Prieſt) without any other ceremony then meer annoynting the Tabernacle and its Veſſells, implements, with oyle: Therefore no warrant for Biſhops conſecrating Churches, Church-Yards, Chappells Altars, Veſtments, with other ceremonies, without any anoynting them with oyle.

Thirdly, this conſecration was only Temporary, Jewiſh, ceremoniall, aboliſhed by Chriſts death, Col. 2. 14. to 23. Heb. 7. 12. c. 9. 1. to the end, and cap. 10 1. to 22.

Fourthly, King Solomon did not conſecrate the Temple not the Veſſells and Court thereof, with Oyle, as Moſes did the Tabernacle; but 1 Kings 8 2 Chron. 5. 6. and 7. after hee had brought the Arke, Tabernacle and all the Holy Veſſells into it, with praiſes, thankeſgivings, inſtruments of Muſicke; and after the cloud and glory of the Lord had filled the Houſe, he made an heavenly prayer only in the middeſt of the Court (not in the Temple) before all the Congregation of Iſrael, kneeling on his knees, and ſpreading forth his hands towards heaven, [uſing no ſuch prayers or ceremonies as the Biſhop uſed:] and all the hallowing that we read of in this ſtory is, Solomons hallowing the middle of the Court, that was before the houſe of the Lord (and how was that?) only by offring burnt offerings and peace offerings, 2 Chron. 7. 7. 1 Kings 8. 64. From which Hiſtory and practiſe, of his we ſhall obſerve.

1. That if there were any conſecration of this Temple, it was made only by King Solomon himſelfe, not by the High Priest, Prieſts, or Biſhops, who now appropriate all conſecrations of Churches, &c. to themſelves alone.

Secondly, That the Oracle of the houſe where the Arke was placed, is called THE MOST HOLY PLACE, even before and without any conſecration [Page] of it at all, 1 King. 8. 6, 10. 2 Chron. 5. 7. Therefore the conſecration made it not moſt holy, but only the uſe to which it was deſigned.

Thirdly, That the Atke, Tabernacle, Veſſells were brought into the Temple, and praiſes, thankſgivings, there ſolemnly ſung to God, who manifeſted his preſence there, filling it with a Cloud and his glory, ſo as the Prieſts could not ſtand to miniſter; before Solomonmade is prayer, which ſome tearme a conſecration; whereas this Archbiſhop fell to his conſecration, before any publike prayers, thankſgiving Pſalmes, Service, or Sacraments adminiſtred.

Fourthly, That if this prayer were a conſecration; it was made only in the outward Court, not in the temple it ſelfe, whereas the Arch-biſhops conſecration was made in the Church, not Church-Yard.

Fifthly, That the Hallowing of the Court (and ſo by conſequence of the Temple, if properly conſecrated) is by the text aſcribed only, to Solomons offering of burnt offrings, meat-offrings, and the fat of the Peace-offerings: not to any other prayers, exorciſmes, Unctions, or Ceremonies, which Offrings being long ſince ceaſed, and not to be uſed by Chriſtians, the conſecration of Churches and Church-Yards muſt likewiſe ceaſe, unleſſe it bee onely by performing publike duties of Gods worſhip in them. Therfore this preſident of Solomon and the Temple under the Law; is no warrant at all for our Biſhops conſecrating of Churches, Church-Yards, Altars, Veſſells or Veſtiments under the Goſpell.

Fifthly, the ſanctifying and cleanſing of the Temple and Veſſells of it preſcribed by Hezekiah, but executed by the Prieſts and Levites; was only the clean, ſing out of the Idols, Jdolatrius Altars, rubbiſh, filth and uncleanneſſe of the Temple, which they found, and carried out thence into the Brooke Kidron; with their ſcouring of the Veſſells, which had beene polluted, as is plaine by the letter of the text, 2 Chron. 29. &c. c. 33. 15, 16. compared together. Therefore it makes nothing for any Epiſcopall conſecration of Churches, but only for keeping them cleane from filth and Idolls.

Sixthly, that of Ezra. 6. 16, 17. is no warrant for the hallowing of Churches or Chappells. For it only mentions; That the Prieſts, Levites, and Children of Iſrael kept the Dedication of the houſe of God with joy; and offered at the dedication of the houſe of God an hundred Bullockes, two hundred Rammes, 400. Lambs; and for a ſinne offering for all Iſrael, twelve he-Goates according to the number of the Tribes of Iſrael. And they ſet the Prieſts in their diviſions and the Levites in their courſes for the ſervice of God. But of any ſpeciall Prayers, Ceremonies, Unctions, and the like, uſed at this Dedication, by the Prieſts or people, wee read not one ſyllable. Therefore this their Dedication of the Temple, was only their offering of burnt offerings, of ſinne offerings in it to God, and ordering the ſervices of the Prieſts and Levites in it. Therefore no Preſident for the conſecration of Churches by our Prelates, ſince ſuch oblations, ſuch courſes of Prieſts, Levites are ceaſed with Chriſt, Hebr. 7. 11. 12, 18.

Seventhly, the Feaſt of Dedication mentioned John 10. 22. was not of the Temples Dedication, but of the Altars, inſtituted by Iudas Maccabeus and his Brethren, to be annually kept by the ſpace of 8. dayes in the Month Caſl [...]u, 1 Mac. 4. 56 59. as Interpreters and the Margin of our Bibles reſolve: which being of no Divine Inſtitution, kept only by the Superſtitious Jewes, not by Chriſt, or his Apoſtles, (who are not ſaid to obſerve, but only to be at Jeruſalem when it was the Feaſt of Dedication Iohn 10. 22.) It can be no warrant at all for the conſecration of Altars, much leſſe of Churches now.

Finally wee anſwer, that we find no mention in Scripture or Claſſicall Writers, of any conſecration of Iewiſh Synagogues, to which our Churches properly ſucceed, but only of their Tabernacle and Temple, in ſuch ſort as you have heard; with which our Churches, Chapells have no proper Analogie: That this Argument of the Archbiſhop drawne from the preſidents in the Old Teſtament, is borrowed from no Orthodox Ancient Father or Councell, but only from the Popiſh Canoniſt, Gratian De Conſecratione. Diſtinct 1. who thus concludes from theſe preſidents. Si enim Judai qui umbrae legis deſerviebant, hoc facicbant, multo [Page] magis nos quibus veritas patefacta & gratia per Ieſum Chriſtum data eſt, Templa Domino aedificare, & pro ut melius poſſumus orare, ea (que) DIVINJS PRECIBVS ET SANCTIS VNCTIONIBVS, ſuis cum Altaribus & vaſis, veſtibus quoque & Reliquijs, ad divinum cultum explendum utenſilibus DEVOTE ET SOLENNITER SACRARE & non in alijs quam in Domino ſacratis ab Epiſcopis, & non a Corepiſcopis [qui ſa [...]e prohibiti ſune] niſi ſumma exigente, neceſsitate, Miſſas celebrare nec ſacrificia offerre debemus Domino. You ſee out of what Popiſh quiver this Archbiſhop drew this leaden ſhaft of his.

To his pretended antiquity for the conſecration of Churches, Chappells, Altars, &c. ſince Chriſts time: we anſwer, firſt, that Centur. Magd. 3 cap. 6. p. 148. before the raigne of Conſtantine the Great there is no credible preſident or authority at all for dedication of any Churches: And that Euſebius who (De vita Constantini l. 3. c. 24. to 40. 45. 47. 49. 50. 51. lib. 4. c. 39) makes mention of Conſtantines and his Mother Helenaes building of divers ſtately Churches at Bethlehem, in the Mount of Olives, in Conſtantinople, Nycomedia, Mambre in Phaenicia, and elſewhere, & by his Edicts enjoyned Chriſtians to build Churches, yet makes no mention of any Edicts for their hallowing. True it is, that De vita Conſtantini. l. 4. c. 43. 45. 47. we read, that Conſtantine ſummoned a General Councell of Biſhops to Jeruſalem, to ſettle ſome differences in the Church, and that at this meeting he thought best to conſecrate, and thereupon kept the Feaſt of the Dedication of the Temple which he had built at Jeruſalem over our Saviours Sepulchre, which the Prieſts, then Conſecrated, but how? with prayers, diſputations, preachings expoſitions of Scripture, and receiving the Sacrament, as he expreſly defines c. 45. But of any other particular Church then this thus conſecrated by his appointment, we finde no mention. Indeed the ſame Euſebius in his Eccleſiaſt Historiae, l. 10. c. 3. De Encauijs ubi (que) locorum celebratis, writes, that Churches being reedified under Conſtantine, Deinceps celebre ſpectaculum, nobis omnibus optabile & vehementer deſideratum, ante omnium occulis proponebatur, Dedicationum ſcilicet feſtivitates per urbes ſingulas, templorum nuper aedificàtorum conſecrationes: which intimates, that Churches, then new built were See Centur Magd. 4. c. 6. p. 408. Sozom. l. 2. c. 26. ſolemnly dedicated to God in moſt places; but what thoſe Dedications of them were, he informes us in the ſame Chapter, That they were Panygericall Orations in praiſe of their founders, &c. of which he cites a memorable one made to Paulinus Biſhop of Tyre in the next Chapter. Theſe Dedications therefore of Churches then, were farre different from thoſe uſed by the Papiſts and this Archbiſhop now. We read not then of any conſecration of their foundation ſtones, any pompous proceſſions to them, any knocking at the doores, by the Biſhop, crying with a loud voyce, Open, Open ye everlaſting doores, &c [a cleare perverting of Scripture;] of no flying open of the doores there-upon; No falling downe upon the marrow bones; and ſaying: This place is holy, &c. No caſting up of duſt in the ayre, no ſuch prayers, proceſsions, round about the Church; bowings to the Altar, pronouncing of curſings and bleſsings, Peepings, recoylings, and other Antick tricks as this Biſhop uſed at Creed Church, and elſewhere, no Hallowing of Altars, Altar-clothes, Veſſells, Vestments, Churchyeards, Chappells. Therefore theſe Conſecrations in Conſtantines dayes, are no warrant at all for his, the rather, becauſe not made by Biſhops alone, who now monopolize them.

After Conſtantines time, there is very rare mention of any Conſecration of Churches in Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories, or the genuine writings of the Fathers, till Popery overſpread the Church, and Popes brought it in by forged decrees, Gratian himſelfe, being unable to cite ſo much as one Fathers Authority for it [Di Conſecratione diſtinct.. 1. where he profeſſedly handles this ſubject] but only the forged Decrees of Popes, and the Canons of two or three late Popiſh Councells; there being no Canons concerning it in any ancient genuine Synods: Yea the conſecration of Churches was ſo much neglected even in the very darkeſt time a of Popery above a thouſand yeares after Chriſt that See here p. 127. O [...]hobon the Popes, Legat and the Synod held under him here in England in Henry the third his Raigne, acknowledge, that there were many Pariſh Churches and ſome Cathedralls then uncruſecrated although built long before.

[Page] Now to prove the conſecration and meerly Popiſh [as of late ages it hath beene uſed at leaſt] it is agreed by Gratian, Platina, the Centuryators, Thomas Beacon, and others, that Pope Hyginus, Gelaſius, Iohn, Nicholas, Clemens, Sylveſter, Felix and Gregory (whoſe ſpurious Decrees are cited by Gratian De Conſecratione Distincti: and Surius in his 1. and 2 Tome of Councells) were the firſt inventors and preſcribers of this Ceremony of Conſecrating Churches and Altars: preſcribing.

1. That no Church ſhould be built or conſecrated without the command, Authority, or conſent of the Biſhop of Rome.

2ly. That every Church ſhould be conſecrated with a Maſſe, and no Maſſe ſaid or Sacrament adminiſtred [unleſſo in caſe of abſolute neceſsity) but in a conſecrated Church, and at a conſecrated Altar.

3ly. That theſe Prieſts ſhould be deprived who ſaid Maſſe or officiated in unhallowed places or at unconſecrated Altars.

4ly. That no Altars ſhould be conſecrated without the Reliques of Saints, and if any Altars were conſecrated without them, they ſhould be pulled downe.

5ly. That all Stone Altars ſhould be anoynted and conſecrated with Chriſme.

6ly. That no Church ſhould be conſecrated wherein a Pagan was interred, unleſſe his corps were firſt digged up and cast out of it.

7ly. That the Timber of a conſecrated Church, and Vestments once conſecrated, though worne out & decayed ſhould not be converted to any other good uſe but burnt to Aſhes and theſe to be laid up ſafely in ſome place within the Church, least they ſhould be polluted with the feet of thoſe who paſſed by.

8ly. That none ſhould touch the conſecrated Altars, Veſſells, Veſtments, or be enabled to keep them, but conſecrated perſons.

9ly. That if the Altar of any Church were renewed; or the walls new built, or defiled with murther, blood-ſhed, or the meeting or burying of Hereticks therein, that then it ſhould be re-conſecrated; otherwiſe not.

10. That no man whatſover ſhould See Friderici Lindebr ogi Gloſſorium. Tit. Crucem ſigere. Capit Caroli et Ludovici. l. 5. c. 229. Iuſtiniani Novella 67. 131. preſume to build any Church before the Biſhop of the City firſt came to the place, & fixed a Croſſe thereon; and the Patron informed him, what ſtipend he would alow for the finding of Tapers, Gardians to keep it, Prieſts to Officiat in it, agree to have it conſecrated, and to ſprinkle the floore and Court thereof with holy water.

Of latter times, many Ethnicall, ſuperſtitious Exerciſmes, Conjurations, Vnctions, Ceremonies, Notions, and frantick inventions have bin added by Popes and Prelates to theſe conſecrations recorded at large in the Roman Caeremonialls, Pontificalls, Thomas Beacons Reliques of Rome, Mr. Calfehill and others: whereby it will appeare to be moſt Popiſh, ſuperſtitious in the higheſt degree, whatever is pretended to the contrary. Whereupon it was exploded, condemned by our Church, State, Biſhops, and other writers in the beginning of Reformation, as Popiſh, Jewiſh, Superſtitious and by forraigne Proteſtant writers (See Aretij Problemata Locus 121 De Encaenijs) as we have formerly proved. Therefore it muſt needs be a Popiſh deſigne in this Archbiſhop to revive it now.

For his Argument, that Churches cannot be called Holy, unleſſe conſecrated by a Biſhop; it being his conſecration that makes them ſo. We anſwer.

1. That Biſhop Pilkinton and others define this very Doctrine of his, to be Popery, as we haye proved, ſo doth Aretius too.

Secondly, That the moſt Holy Place, was ſo ſtiled, though never conſecrated 1 King. 8. 6. 10. So Jeruſalem is called very frequently, the Holy City: Matth 4. 5. c. 27. 53. though never conſecrated. And God told Moſes the place whereon thou ſtandeſt is holy ground, Exodus 3. 5. though never conſecrated by a Biſhop.

Thirdly, Our owne (Of Repairing and keeping cleane Churches. p. 78 79.) Homilies informe us, That the Church is counted and talled Holy, not of it ſelfe (nor yet for its conſecration by a Biſhop) but becauſe Gods people reſorting thither are holy, and exerciſe themſelves in holy and heavenly things.

Fourthly, The hearing and preaching of Gods Word, Prayer, and receiving the Sacraments therin are ſufficient of themſelves to ſanctifie and make it holy without [Page] any other conſecration. See 1 Tim. 45. Centur: Mag: 3. and 4. c. 6. & Aretij Problemaia Locus, 126. who reſolves further againſt this ſuperſtition: Vana eſt etiamilla ſuperſtitio, quod dicunt; Niſi dedicatur Templum, non poſſe ibi preces haberi, non exandiri orantes, non rectè praedicari verbum Dei, nec Sacramenta adminiſtrari: quae ſententia MANIFESTE JƲDAISMUM RESIPIT; Chriſtus tamen praemonſtravit, Horam nunc eſſe, ut veri adoratores, nec in monteiſtonec Jeroſolymis, ſed ubique lieorum Deum adorent in spiritu & veritate. Athanaſius ſane non erubuit preces habere & populum ad audiendum verbum Dei convocare in Templum Alexandrinum majus, quamvis nondum eſſet Dedicatione conſecratum: nondum enim juſſerat Imperator. Id noſtri hodie magnum nefas ducunt.

Fifthly, ſanctification in its owne nature, is nothing elſe, but a ſequeſtring of any thing from a common or ordinary uſe, to a religious and ſacred purpoſe. And this may be done without a Biſhops exorciſme or conjuration; in wch reſpect the firſt borne, firſt fruits, and oblations among the Jewes were termed Holy, though never ſolemnly conſecrated, becauſe appropriated and devoted unto God. For his other Argument, that if places bee not holy perſons cannot be ſo; and our Church allowes of the conſecration of perſons; Ergo of places. It is both a fallhood and abſurdity. For firſt, it is God and his Spirit only that make perſons holy, not Prelates; who never ſanctifie places as they do perſons. Secondly, Our Church allowes only of the Ordination (not conſecration) of Biſhops and Ministers, confirmed by Statute (many of whom ordained ſuch, are ſo far from being holy, that they are moſt polluted and unclean) but not of conſecrating Churches; utterly exploded by the Common Prayer Booke, and book of Ordination, compriſing all the authorized Rites and Ceremonies of our Church, whereof conſecration of Churches is none. And thus much in anſwer to his defence in generall for conſecration of Churches.

Secondly, For the particulars Objected; our witneſſes depoſe, that his comming to Creed Church, was pompous, not decent, that he fell downe on his knees to pronounce, the place and ground holy, in the name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt; not to adore and pray to God; which the Examples of Moſes, Aaron, and Hezekiah warrant not, who never fell down at the Tabernacle door not bowed the head and worſhipped to conſecrate either the Tabernacle, Temple, or Altar. And whereas he objects, that his pronouncing of the place holy as ſoon he entred into it, was legall, &c. we anſwer.

1. That himſelfe avers, that no Church or place is legally holy, before it be conſecrated; and when he pronounced it holy upon his entrance to it, hee had not conſecrated it; therfore by his own doctrine it was not legally holy, when he pronounced it ſo.

Secondly, If our Churches be legally holy by their conſecration, then the conſecration of our Popiſh Prelates in times of Popery with ſuperſtitious, Popiſh Ceremonies, conjurations, Exorciſmes, enoylings, proceſſions, ſprinklings with holy water, made them ſo, ſince moſt of them were onely conſecrated in, though none re-conſecrated ſince the times of Popery: And if ſuch Popiſh conſecrations make them legally and really holy, then they are of as great efficacy at his owne or Biſhop Andrewes his forme, and no difference at all between them.

Thirdly, For Iustinian, he makes no mention at all in that Title of conſecration of Churches, and ſtiles them holy Churches, only in reſpect of the holy duties publikely performed in them. For his throwing up of duſt, two witneſſes expreſly depoſe it, which muſt overballance his own bare negation: and there is ſo little difference between duſt and aſhes, that they are uſually coupled together as Synonimaes, in Scripture and Authors. That he took his forme from Biſhop Andrewes, is only averred by himſelfe nor proved by any witneſſes; but that it agrees with that in the Pontificall which we found in his Study even in terminis, is moſt cleare; and therefore we cannot but preſume he derived it from thence. However, if Biſhop Andrewes imitated the Pontificall, and he Biſhop Andrewes, the charge is ſtill alike, both of them imitating and complying with the Pope herein. He grants his prayer taken out of the Pontificall; therefore no doubt [Page] the reſt, eſpecially his frequent bowings and Jackanapes trickes at the Altar: which he cunningly pretermits and anſwers not. For Dr. Ieniſon, he objected only his preaching againſt Images to him at his cenſure, and that was no extravagancy. As for the conſecrating of Churches only repaired or ſomwhat enlarged, we know no Law nor Canon in our Church to warrant it: And to take ſees for it, is both Symony, and extortion. For the reſtoring of them, it is only affirmed not proved; and to take them illegally to beſtow them on the poore, is but to rob Peter to cloath Paul.

Thirdly, For the conſecration of Chappells and meere private Oratoties, there is no preſident in Antiquity; yea Gratian himſelfe and the Roman Pontificall allow the uſe of them, without any conſecration: Therefore to conſecrate them is to exceed even Popery and Papiſts in Superſtition. As for his Chapell of Aberguilly his owne Diary proclaimes his Superſtition both in its conſecration. and denomination of it. For the Patterne and furniture of it, his owne notes and papers clearly prove, it was the ſame with that of Biſhop Andrews, whoſe forme of conſcration himſelfe alleageth he punctually purſued. And if this were the true patterne furniture of Biſhop Andrews owne Chapell Anno 1623. all the world may juſtly cenſure him for a profeſſed Papiſt, his Chapell Altar, and their furniture being as Popiſh Superſtitious, Idolatrous every way as the Pops in Rome, yea exceeding the very Roman Ceremoniall and Pontificall For Wafers, they are directly contrary to the Rubrick at the end of the Communion in the Book of Common prayer; we wonder therefore with what face this Prelate dares juſtify them: That a Biſhops breath puts only a badge of reverence not holineſſe on Churches, is diametrially contrary to what he formerly affirmed. Perchance he now remembers that Quicquid effecit tale eſt magis tale? and therefore Biſhops cannot make other things holy with their breath who have little or no holineſſe at all in their hearts: For his ſolemne conſecration prayer at the laying the firſt ſtone of Hammerſmith Chappell, it hath neither Scripture, Law, Canon, Antiquity, but the Roman Pontificall to warrant it: Therefore it is meerly Popiſh Wheras he objects by way of jeare, that he hopes the conſecration of Churches and Chapells is no Treaſon: we anſwer, that we do not charge it to be ſo in it ſelfe. But we have proved it to be a branch of Popery and a groſſe one too and being introduced by him among other things to ſet up Popery, and ſubvert Religion it will prove Treaſon in this reſpect, as we ſhall manifeſt in due time. And ſo this intre charge remaines unavoyded in any the leaſt particle.

8ly. The next Charge urged againſt me, Is The Kings Declaration for the uſe of ſports on the Lords day, preſcribing the obſervation of Revells, Wakes. Feaſts of Dedication likewiſe, formerly ſuppreſſed, where I am Pag. 128. 155. accuſed. Object. 8.

1. For cauſing this Booke to be enlarged, reprinted in his Majeſties name to prevent the petition of the Iuſtices in Somerſetſhire, and make way for Mr. Prynnes cenſure.

2. For preſſing Miniſters to read it in their Churches without any Warrant, ſuppreſſing of Sermons cenſuring thoſe who refuſed to publiſh it, (as Mr. Wilſon, Maſter Player, Maſter Heiron, Mr. Snelling with ſundry others) encouraging other Biſhops to ſuſpend, ſilence many Godly preaching Miniſters for this cauſe, preſſing this Book, and ordering Churchwardens to preſent ſuch who refuſed to publiſh it, by Viſitation Oathes and Articles.

3ly. For reviving, diſorder, by wakes, Revels, and cauſing the Iudges Orders to be reverſed:

To the firſt of theſe I anſwer, That the Kings Declaration for ſports was printed Anſwer. and publiſhed by his Majeſties ſpeciall command. Yea I had a Warrant under his hand to ſee it printed, and there is no proofe at all that it was printed, publiſhed or enlarged by my procurement. Beſides, the Declaration is but for the uſe of lawful Sports and that only after evening prayer ended: and the cauſe of publiſhing it at that time was partly Barbourous Book of the Sabbath, who would revive the Iewiſh Sabbath, and the Iewiſh rigidities poſitions of others [Page] touching the Lords day, whoſe poſitions drew Brabourne into that Error. In Geneva it ſelf (as I have bin ceedibly informed by Travellers) they uſe ſhooting in peeces long bowes Croſſe Bowes, Muſters, and throwing of the bowle too, on the Lords day as well before as after Sermons ended, and allow all honeſt recreations without reproofe of their Miniſters, yea, Mr. Calvin the great profeſſor there Inſtit. l. 2. c. 8. ſect. 34. blames thoſe who infected the people in former ages with a Iudaicall opinion, that the morality of the 4th. Commandement, to wit, the keeping of one day in 7. did still continue; which what elſe is it then in diſhonour of the Iews to change the day, and to affix as great a ſanctity to it, as the Iewes ever did. And that thoſe who adhored to their conſtitutions who broached this Doctrine, Craſſa carnalique Superſtitione Judaeos ter ſuperant: Men may be too ſtrict as wel as prophaneherein. Yet I for my part have ever ſtrictly obſerved the Lords day in point of practiſe: And whereas it was atteſted by Mr. Prynne, that this Declaration was publiſhed to prevent the Petition of Somerſetſhire for the reviving of Iudge Richardſons forecited order: Sir Robert Philips and many other Gentlemen of that County complained againſt the order to the King, whereupon the Iudge was ordered to reverſe it, and the Declaration was not publiſhed till after the reverſall.

2ly. The Declaration was ordered to be publiſhed in the Church; and that was ſufficient warrant to enjoyne Miniſters to publiſh it there, & although no penalty be preſcribed in it to ſuch who ſhould refuſe to publiſh the ſame, yet it is implyed, otherwiſe, the command were idle in caſe of diſobedience. That it was publiſhed with intent to ſuppreſſe afternoon Sermons, that ſo the people might [...]ave more time for Sports; This could not be, ſince none were to uſe any Recreations till after Evening Prayer ended. That I gave my Viſitor command to ſuſpend thoſe who refuſed to read it, was only within my Dioceſſe of Canterbury, not in my Metropoliticall Viſitation throughout my province; I ſuſpended but three Miniſters in my whole Dioceſſe, who had firſt time of conſideration granted them, to wit, Mr. Wilſon, Mr. Culmer, and Mr. Player, only ſuſpended ob officio for their contumacy being men of factious Spirits. For Mr. Wilſon and others being brought into the High Commiſſion for not reading this Declaration, it was the act of the Court, not mine. As for Mr. Snelling, he was excommunicated by Dr. Woode not me, and he was queſtioned in the High Commiſſion; for not bowing at the name of Ieſus, and as well as not reading this Book, Beſides I was not preſent at his cenſure there neither did I expunge his anſwer. Nor did I preſſe the reading of the Declaration in my Viſitation Articles, if other Biſhops did it, tis nothing to me; themſelves muſt anſwer for it, not I.

3ly. Feaſts of dedication have beene of great Antiquity, and in generall uſe in ſome Coutries; and there is a lawfull uſe of them for Hoſpitality, and increaſe of love among Neighbours and friends, as the Biſhop of Bath and Wells, with divers of the graveſt Clergy in the county of Somerſet certified his Majeſty, who deſired their continuance:

If ſome abuſes crept into them as they did in ſome places, and it ſeemes in Somerſetſhire, yet this was no good reaſon to take away the feaſts and meetings themſelves, as Iudge Richardſon did by his order (for which there were great complaints made by men of quality) but only to regulate them, and take away their abuſes, which this Declaration doth without countenancing any diſorders.

To this was replyed. 1. That it is cleare by the evidence given, and his Letter written, to the Biſhop of Bath and Wells that this Declaration was enlarged Reply. by himſelfe, and republiſhed by his inſtigation and procurement: That himſelfe put his Majeſty upon the reprinting of it, the warrant being written with his owne hand and being without any date at all makes it probable it was procured ſince the Declaration printed. The later end of the Declaration it ſelfe concerning Wakes and Revells, compared with the juncture of time when it was publiſhed, manifeſts that it was thruſt out to croſſe Iudge Richardſons order, and foreſtall the Petition of the Somerſetſhire Iuſtices for its continuance, immediatly after its reverſall, it having no relation at all to Brabournes Booke. [Page] Beſides the publiſhing of it, juſt when Mr. Prynne was queſtioned for his Hiſtriomaſtix (wherein he cenſures mixt dancing Sports & Paſtimes on the Lords day) and reciting it in the very information againſt him, manifeſts; that it was likewiſe reprinted to make way for his firſt cenſure in Starchamber. Moreover ſome of the recreations mentioned in it are not very lawfull upon any day though the Archbiſhop affirmes the contrary, but certainly unlawfull on any part of the Lords day, even after evening Prayer, as See Sunday a Sabbath The Divine Tragedy and Hiſtriomaſtix. Pathers, Councells, Imperiall Lawes, and both Protestant and Popiſh writers have reſolved. The pretended Practiſe of Geneva, which he alleageth, is but a Heareſay without proofe, borrowed from Peter Heylins prophane Hiſtory of the (he ſhould have ſaid, NO) Sabbath. part. 2. c. 6. ſect. 6. 8. 9. who yet informes us ſect. 9. that Da [...]noing hath bin condemned by French Synods and writers (as well Proteſtantas Popiſh) which yet the Declaration for ſports in terminis allowes of on the Lords day, contrary to the practiſe and judgement of Geneva. As for Mr. Calvin himſelfe though he differs in ſome particulars touching the Morality of the 4th. Commandement from other of our Divines, yet he in expreſſe words condemnes. Dancing and Paſtimes on the Lords day, not deemingita Iewiſh Superſtition or rigidity to prohibit ſuch ſports thereon, eſpecially Dancing, as his 71. Sermon upon Iob, proclaimes to all the world; and other Geneva Ministers ſince him, have done the like. That this Declaration did de Pacto put downe afternoone Sermons on the Lords day in moſt and forenoone too in many places, by ſuſpending ſundry preaching Miniſters who durſt not publiſh it out of conſcience, is apparent to al. Wherefore to affirme this one part of the Archbiſhops deſign in reprinting thereof, is a certaine and more then probable truth; and the words of it, that they ſhould uſe thoſe Paſtimes after Evening Prayer, (not evening Sermon) import as much, ſome Biſhops grounding their ſuppreſſing of Afternoone Sermons on this expreſſion; which Sermons Peter Heylin in his Hiſtory of the Sabbath. part. 2. c. 6. ſect. 9. and c. 7. and 8. makes to be meere innovations, as doth Doctor Pocklington in his Sunday no Sabbath, both publiſhed by this Archbiſhops command and approbation. For his owne ſtrict obſervation of the Lords day, it is an averment without truth. Certainly he that made conſcience of its ſtrict obſervation himſelfe, would never give way to ſuch a Declaration encouraging others to prophane it, who were apt to do it without ſuch an incitement; nor ſuſpend ſuch Godly Miniſters, who durſt not publiſh it out of conſcience, for feare of encouraging others to prophane it. Yea, his pretended ſtrictneſſe of late times was ſuch, that himſelfe and his ſervants made it an ordinary practiſe in the Somer to go to Bowles and uſe other paſtimes on it, and he ſate conſtantly thereon at the Councell Table about worldly buſineſſe. 2ly. That there was no warrant at all in the Declaration that Miniſters ſhould publiſh it, or to puniſh any who refuſed it, hath bin formerly proved at large, and where there is no penalty preſcribed in a Law (much more in a Declaration) no puniſhment can be inflicted. That he gave expreſſe order for ſilenſing Mr. Wilſon, Mr. Culmer, and Mr. Player, is proved by ſeverall Oathes, and that they were ſuſpended divers yeares not only ab officio, but beneficio, having nothing left to ſupport their Wives and Families. That they were obſtinate or ſactious is a groundleſſe ſcandall, not proved, they were only conſcientious and would not diſobey God to humour men. That he ſilenced only theſe three in his Dioceſſe was but caſuall, becauſe others ſubmitted to read the Booke; but his command was generall, to ſuſpend all who refuſed to read it, and thoſe three in ſpeciall. That he put not any Article of Inquiry touching the reading of this Declaration into the Articles for his Metropoliticall Viſitation, was his Jeſuitical Art and cunning, to conceale his wickedneſſe and prophaneneſſe from publique view, but that he gave private Inſtructions to his Vicar Generall in this his Viſitation, to convent and queſtion ſuch who had not read it, who thereupon did accordingly queſtion divers good Miniſters for this very cauſe, you have heard it proved at large by the very Abſtracts of his Metropoliticall Viſitations, under his owne and his Viſitors hands. That other Biſhops inſerted ſuch an Article into their printed Viſitation Inquiſitions, we have fully proved, as alſo that they gave an Accompt to him of the Miniſters they had ſuſpended for not Reading the Declaration according to his Injunctions. Therefore their Articles of this nature proceeded meerely from him, and muſt be charged on him, as well as on themſelves. That it was the Act of the Court, not his to bring any into the High Commiſſion for not reading this Book, is a moſt falſe averment; for Mr. VVilſon [now (ſ) Page 149. 150. a Reverend Divine of the Aſſembly] was brought into the High Commiſſion by his owne expreſſe command and no others, as himſelfe depoſeth, who perſonally ſuſpended him before at Lambheth for that cauſe both from his Office and Benefice: and Mr. Page was by his ſpeciall order brought into the High Commiſſion as appeares by his owne Subſcription to Francis Thompſons Petition. That Mr. Snelling was there queſtioned, and ſeverely cenſured by the Archbiſhops meanes, who gave Order not to accept either his Anſwer or defence; and threatned to burne it; is cleare by the proofes Page 151. forementioned. That his cenſure was only for not publiſhing the Declaration, is evident by the ſentence it ſelfe, if well obſerved, his not bowing at the name of Jeſus, being put in only for a Cipher, but not inſiſted on at the hearing.

[Page] And whereas he pretends, he was not preſent at his cenſure, which he proves not; we know he was vertually, if not perſonally preſent thereat; yea, his unjuſt ſuppreſſion of his tendred Anſwer and defence, was the onely cauſe of his cenſure; which if received were ſo learned, ſolid, ſatisfactory, that prophaneneſſe and injuſtice it ſelfe could not have impoſed ſuch a cenſure on him. Thirdly, annuall Feaſts of Dedication of Churches are not ſo ancient, but that we know their Originall: The Feaſt of Dedication of the Altar, inſtituted by Judas Maccabeus was the See Aretii Problemata Locus 126. de Encaeniis. firſt of this kind we read of: Indeed Solomon kept a Feaſt for 2 Cor. 7. 8. ſeven dayes ſpace when the Temple was dedicated: And Constantine the great, with ſome others in his dayes, when Churches were dedicated, made a great Feaſt; but that thoſe Feaſts continued annuall in perpetuity, I find no mention in any approved Antiquity. Theſe annuall Feaſts of dedication were firſt invented by the ſpurious popiſh Decrees of Pope Felix and Gregory, thus recorded by De Conſervatione Diſtinct. 1. Gratian; Solennitates dedicationum Eccleſiarum, Epiſsoporum & Saterdotum per ſingulos annos ſunt celebrandae: Solennitates Eccleſiarum dedicationum & Sacerdotum per ſingulos annos ſolenniter ſunt celebrandae, ipſo Domino exemplum dante, qui ad festum dedicationis Templi, omnibus id faciendi dans formam, cum reliquis populis eandem festevitatem celebraturus venit, ſicut ſcriptum eſt; Facta ſunt Encoenia in Hieru olymis, & hyems erat, & ambulabat Jeſus in Temple in porticu Solomonis. Quod autem octo diebus encaenia ſint celebrando in libro Regum perfecta dedicatione Templi cernas. Other Decrees then theſe of theſe two Popes (the latter whereof is built upon cleer miſtakes of Scripture) cannot be produced. Theſe Bacanalian feaſts are thus cenſured by Aretius, Problem. 126. Hodie verò Solennitates instituuntur; tote die bibitur, tote die luditur, ſaltatur, laſcivi cantus audiuntur; quae omnia magis ſpirant Bacchi quoddam festum à Maenadibus celebrandum, quam piam Christianiſmi antiquitatem: And were wholly aboliſhed among us by the Injunctions of King Henry the eighth, and Statute of 6 Edw. 6. c. 3. by reaſon of the idleneſſe, exceſſe and great miſchiefes they produced to mens ſoules; Yea, many Judges riding the Westerne Circuit, ſuppreſſed the Wakes and Revels kept upon them from time to time for theſe abuſes and other weighty Reaſons. Yet this prophane Arch-prelate revives, re-eſtabliſheth them by this DECLARATION, cauſeth thoſe Judges Orders to be reverſed with a ſtrong Hand, by a Plot and Certificate from Biſhop Pierce and others, checks, nay puniſheth Chiefe Juſtice Richardſon, removes him from that Circuit, and lets looſe the Reines to all Licentiouſneſſe, prophaneneſſe, whereby infinite miſchiefs enſued, as we have fully proved: So that this whole Charge ſticks ſtill upon him.

Ninthly, from theſe ceremoniall and practicall, they proceed to doctrinall innovations in matters of Religion, wherein I am charged; Firſt, with an endeavour Object. 10. to introduce and propagate Arminianiſme in our Church, the redieſt inlet z Pag. 154. to 178. to Popery and a part thereof, though I knew it to be a plot of the Jeſuits to ſubvert our Religion, as appears by the Jeſuits Letter; and that principally; Firſt, in being a common Patriot of Arminians, together with their Books, Tenets, and a preferrer of ſuch; by name, of Biſhop Mountague, and his Appeale complained of in Parliament, Doctor Jackson and others; for which I was taxed by a Declaration of the Commons in Parliament: Secondly, in cenſuring the Commons Declaration in Parliament againſt the Arminians, and their Vote too: Thirdly, in calling in and ſuppreſſing Books againſt Arminianiſme, though licenſed, and queſtioning, cenſuring the Authors, Printers, diſperſers of them in the high Commiſſion, as Biſhop Carltons and Biſhop Downames Books, Doctor Featlies, Doctor Goads, Maſter Rouſes, Doctor Sutcliffes, Maſter Prynnes, Maſter Burtons Books, and others; when as the Arminian Authors went unqueſtioned, and their Books printed by authority, as Doctor Jacksons Book, and the Historicall Narration, licenſed by my owne Chaplaine Doctor Martin: Fourthly, In abuſing his Majeſties Proclamation, his Declaration before the 39. Articles of our Church, with the ſubſequent Inſtructions, prohibiting controverſies [Page] againſt the Article, eſpecially in the controverted points of Arminianiſme, to ſuppreſſe all preaching againſt Arminian errours, and puniſh ſuch as durſt oppoſe them, by ſilencing, ſuſpending, cenſuring them in the high Commiſſion or elſwhere, and conniving at the Arminians to vent and preach their errours freely under pretext thereof, without reſtraint or oppoſition, both in the Univerſity and City: Fiftly, for purging paſſages againſt Arminianiſme and Arminians out of Books tendred to the Preſſe, and particularly out of Biſhop Hals and Biſhop Davenants Letters; with ſome other incident particulars which fall under theſe heads: Sixtly, in repealing the Articles of Ireland againſt Arminianiſme, which King James declaimed againſt as damnable hereſie.

To this I anſwer in generall, that I never endeavoured to introduce Arminianiſme Anſwer. into our Church, nor ever maintained any Arminian opinions. For the Jeſuits Letter, it is nothing at all to me, it layes nothing to my charge in particular, and it was lawfull for me to read and keep it; it containes many ſtrange vile things in it againſt the Parliament, which I approve not, but deteſt. To the particulars, I anſwer; Firſt, that I did neither protect nor countenance the Arminians perſons, books or tenets; for Biſhop Mountague, I had no hand in his Book, I countenanced it not, it was ſuppreſſed and called in by Proclamation; he was preferred by Sir Dudly Carltons meanes, not mine, who was then a ſtranger to me: True is is, I was in a Declaration of the Commons houſe, taxed as a favourer, advancer of Arminians and their opinions, without any particular proofe at all, which was a great ſlander to me: Secondly, I anſwer, that being publickly traduced in that Declaration, I did returne an anſwer to vindicate my owne innocency, as was neceſſary for me to doe, to free my ſelfe from that ſcandall, without any derogation to the Parliaments authority: Neither did I this till I was expreſly commanded by the King himſelfe, as appeares by the endorſment, whoſe command it was lawfull, yea neceſſary for me to obey; and I durſt not have done it without ſuch his Royall command: After which I penned it, with all due reſpect to the Parliament, and it was never publiſhed. For my anſwer to the Parliaments Vote, it was onely a private paper kept in my Study, and communicated to none, written for my owne private ſatisfaction, and derogating noting from the power of Parliaments, it belonging properly to the Convocation and Church of England by the Lawes and Statutes of the Land, to make Canons and ſettle controverſies in Religion, as the Statute of 25. Hen. 8. c. 19. & 1. Eliz. c. 1. evidence: Thirdly, the calling in and ſuppreſſing of theſe Books, and proſecuting the Authors, Printers of them in the High Commiſſion, was the Courts act, not mine: For Biſhop Carltons Book, it was called in by the High Commiſſion, and atteſted onely by Maſter Sparke, a ſingle Witneſſe; Biſhop Downhams Book was called in by the Kings ſpeciall command, both in England and Ireland, becauſe publiſhed contrary to the his Royall Proclamation, and Declaration: For Maſter Prynnes Perpetuity, I doe not know that it was burnt in private; if it were, it was by the cenſure of the Court, there being ſome things in it liable to juſt exceptions: Doctor Sutcliffes Book is not proved to be called in by me: For Maſter Prynne, Maſter Burton, and thoſe that printed their Books, they were not cenſured in the High Commiſſion, but diſmiſſed thence without cenſure: For Doctor Jackson, he was a learned diſcreet man, I licenſed not his Book, nor doe I know he profeſſed himſelfe an Arminian: True it is, the Historicall Narration was licenſed by my Chaplaine Doctor Martin, without my privity, for which I turned him out of my ſervice, and the Book it ſelfe was called in and ſuppreſſed.

Fourthly, the Kings Proclamation and Declaration before the Articles, were his owne, not mine, both publiſhed to ſettle peace in the Church, by ſilencing thoſe controverſies which diſturbed it by printing or preaching, which unquiet ſpirits would not ſubmit to, and the Authors of the Books forementioned, among [Page] others, with ſome other Preachers about the City and Univerſity, for which they were juſtly queſtioned, ſuſpended, and ſome that broached Arminian Tenets in Oxford, were brought in queſtion, and ordered to recant, as well as thoſe that preached againſt it: The cenſure of Maſter Ford and his complices in Oxford, was by the King and Counſell upon a ſolemne hearing at Woodstock, not by me, and they well deſerved it, for kindling ſuch a fire in the Univerſity, as was like to ſet all in combuſtion: For the Univerſity of Cambridge, I medled not with it: The conſiderations was not my paper, but Biſhop Harſnets, who drew them; and I did but tranſcribe them, and the end of them was not to ſupreſſe preaching againſt Arminianiſme, but to preſerve peace and order in the Church. For the Inſtructions, they were the Kings, not mine, and they were ſent to me in a Letter by my Predeceſſor Archbiſhop Abbot, and brought to me by his Secretary Maſter Baker, with command to ſee them put in execution within my Dioceſſe of London; to prove which, I have produced the teſtimony of Maſter Dobſon, who affirmed it to be true. Fiftly, for the purging ſome paſſages out of Biſhop Hals and Biſhop Davenants Letter, and impriſoning Maſter Butter for printing them. I anſwer, that the ſame was done by my Chaplaine, as being contrary to his Majesties Proclamation and Declaration, and Biſhop Hall himſelfe at laſt conſented to it, and was well ſatisfied upon the reaſon given him by my Chaplaine, that it was for the quiet of the Church; and therefore for the Printer of his owne head to put it in, deſerved exemplary puniſhment. Sixtly, there is no proofe that the Articles of Irreland were reverſed by my procurement, it was done by the Convocation there, where I was not preſent.

To this was replied in generall, That his endeavours to introduce Arminianiſme were ſo fully cleered by the premiſed evidence, and his protection both of Reply. the Authors, and fomenters of it, that impudency it ſelfe would bluſh to deny it. That the Jeſuits Letter which he had in his cuſtody endorſed with his owne hand did fully diſcover to him, that the planting and introducing Arminianiſme here in England, was their Plot and chief Engine to ſubvert our Religion: And though it makes no particular mention of him, yet it informes their Superiour and others, that the Arminians had locked up the Dukes eares already; a Periphraſis of himſelfe (the Dukes Earwig, as he was then ſtiled) who had his eare more then any: His compliance therefore with the Arminians, notwithſtanding they were but the Jeſuits inſtruments to drive on their deſignes, as he certainly knew by this Letter, much agravates his crime, and makes exceedingly againſt him: True it is, there are ſome ſtrange paſſages, concerning Parliaments in this Letter, but himſelfe hath as bad or worſe in his Diary, and Anſwer to the Remonstrance of the Commons Anno 1628. therefore certainly he diſliked not theſe in this Letter.

Particularly, this replication was retorted to theſe his anſwers; Firſt, that he was a profeſſed patriot of the Arminians perſons, Books, Tenens, and particularly of Biſhop Mountagues; of whoſe cauſe he was moſt anxious and inquiſitive, whom he acquainted with his Majeſties ſpeciall favour to him while he lay under the cloud of the Parliaments diſpleaſure, his receiving all informations or ſpeeches againſt his Erronious booke; whoſe proceedings in Parliament, when there queſtioned, were daily repreſented to, and reſerved carefully by him; whoſe ill book and opinions were in ſundry conferences particularly juſtified by him, whoſe preferments proceeded originally from him, and with whom he held moſt intimate correſpondency till his death, as the forecited paſſages in his owne Diary, and alleaged evidence proves moſt fully: For his advancement by Sir Dully Carltons meanes, it is but a bare ſurmiſe, contrary to the Dockquet Book to excuſe himſelfe: The Proclamation for calling in his book proceeded from the Parliaments proſecution of him, not from this Biſhops care, who ordered it ſo, that it proved the chiefe inſtrument of promoting Arminianiſme, by hindring all writing and preaching againſt it what in him lay, he informing the world in the very Proclamation it ſelfe, that the Author was puniſhed onely with a good [Page] Biſhoprick for writing this Book, & highly advanced maugre three ſeverall Parliaments complaints and oppoſition; In briefe, the Commons Remonstrance is a ſufficient evidence of his guilt and no ſlander at all (as he ſlanderouſly tearmes it) being verified by ſo many proofs: Secondly, his anſwer to the Remonſtrance of the Commons is full of bitterneſſe, ſawcineſſe, ſcandals againſt the Parliament, charging them with untruths in the higheſt degree, onely for ſpeaking that; which was moſt true: That he was commanded to returne this anſwer to it by the King himſelfe, without any ſuit of his owne, is very improbable, and reſts on him to prove, which he hath not done: However, he proves not that he did exceed his Commiſſion. And whereas he alleageth by way of excuſe, that his anſwer to it was never publiſhed, truly this was his griefe, as appeares by his owne endorſment of it, and no act of his, who deſired to have it printed then. Whereas he pretends he durſt not have anſwered it, had not the King commanded him; certainly he that durſt controll the Kings owne Letters Patents, under his Seale, (as he did in the caſe of the collection for the Palatinate, and ſundry other particulars given in evidence againſt him,) revoke the Kings own pardons and prohibitions to the high Commiſſion, ſaying, they ſhould not ſerve the turn; yea, deprive the King of his Soveraignty, that he ſhould not relieve nor pardon any man cenſured in the high Commiſſion, though never ſo unjuſtly; that hath preſumed ſo frequently to break off Parliaments, yea, to reſolve to diſſolve them before they were called, In caſe they prove peeviſh, &c. and to write ſo of Parliaments as he hath done in other papers, durſt write ſuch an anſwer as this without any royall mandate to encourage him: And this his anſwer to the Commons Vote againſt Arminianiſme demonſtrates, which is fraught with tranſcendent contempt of their authority and proceedings therein baſely ſcorned, ſcoffed at: And the reaſons given therin, prove that it was no private note to ſatisfie himſelf alone, but a paper purpoſely complied to incenſe the King & others againſt the Commons, as the comparing it with ſome paſſages of his Diary, and diſſolving of that very Parliament in diſcontent ſoon after, will eaſily demonſtrate: For the Statutes objected, they prove no ſuch thing as in pretended, our Parliaments in all Ages (not the Convocation, who are but only aſſiſtants to the Houſes in matters of Religion, when their advice is required) having been the ſole Judges, Law-givers, determiners of all Eccleſiaſticall affaires, matters of Religion, as we can prove by See Truth Triumphing over Falſhood where this is largely proved. infinite Preſidents: Thirdly, the calling in, ſuppreſſing, burning of all the forecited books againſt Arminianiſme, with the queſtioning of the Authors and Printers of them in the high Commiſſion, is directly ſworn, proved to be his act, and the Courts onely mediatly, by his procurement; the Warrants for their Citation, Commitments, were ſigned with his hand, he was the onely violent man againſt them in open Court, upon all occaſions; and though many of them were not cenſured, but got off, yet it was onely by prohibitions, full ſore againſt his will, for the bringing whereof he threatned to lay them by the heels: However, thoſe that eſcaped beſt were there proſecuted ſundry yeers, put to great attendance and expence, many of them impriſoned, and their books all loſt or privately burnt by his direction, without any cenſure of the Court at all; as Biſhop Carltons Book againſt Mountague, and Maſter Prynnes Perpetuity, though both publikely licenſed by Archbiſhop Abbots Chaplaines; Biſhop Downhams Book (as this Archbiſhops owne Letter to Biſhop Ʋſher manifeſts) was called in by his inſtigation onely; to colour which he procured a mandate from the King; and his owne endorſment proves, that Doctor Sutcliffes Book was ſuppreſſed in the Preſſe by his procurement: For Doctor Jackson, he could not but know him to be a profeſſed Arminian, being ſo reported by all, and declaring himſelfe to be one both in his Epiſtle and Book, which, though complained of, was never ſuppreſſed nor queſtioned, notwithſtanding his Majeſties Proclamation and Declaration: For the Historicall Narration (the vileſt impoſter ever thruſt upon our Church) it was licenſed by [Page] his Chaplain Doctor Martin, with his owne privity; the calling of it in was the act of Archbiſhop Abbot, upon Maſter Prynnes complaint, and the publike ſcandall it gave, much againſt this Biſhops will, who hath ever ſince connived at the ſale of them. The turning away this his Chaplaine for it, is but a falſe ſurmiſe, for he promoted him to the Headſhip of Queens Colledge in Cambridge, and a very great living to boot, inſtead of bringing him into the high Commiſſion; and was he not then ſeverely puniſhed for ſo grand a crime? Fourthly, though the Proclamation and Declaration prohibiting preaching and writing on theſe controverſies, were the Kings in name and title, yet they were originally this Biſhops meer plot and contrivance, to ſuppreſſe all Books, Diſputes, Sermons againſt Arminianiſme, to uſher it in the faſter without any oppoſition; the Arminians under pretext hereof, having liberty to preach, to print their errors, without check or cenſure, as our evidence abundantly proves, he making them meer ſnares to entangle all conſciencious, zealous, orthodox men, Miniſters and others, whoſe zeale excited them to appeare againſt theſe dangerous diſturbers of our Churches and Kingdomes peace, in Preſſe, Schooles or Pulpit: For Maſter Fords and his complices ſevere cenſures in Oxford, even to expulſion and baniſhment, they proceeded meerly from his own violent proſecution, as the Evidence unanſwerably proves; the Kings and Counſels cenſures being principally ſteered by his compaſſe, the chiefe actor, proſecutor, and Judge in this cauſe: And whereas he pretends, that thoſe who preached or printed Arminianiſme were convented, cenſured in the Ʋnverſities and elſwhere, as well as thoſe who preached againſt it; let him name but one Scholler, Miniſter, that was ever impriſoned, deprived, ſilenced, proſecuted in the high Commiſſion, or caſt out of favour for preaching, writing, printing Arminianiſme, and then perchance he may be credited; but ſurely not one ſuch preſident can be found: Whereas Maſter Mountague was made a Biſhop, Doctor Harſnet an Archbiſhop, Doctor Linſey promoted to two Biſhopricks, Doctor Potter, made a Deane, (to omit ſundry others) and Doctor Duppa made the Princes Tutor, Deane of Chriſt-Church, and a Biſhop too, becauſe he was an Arminian. True it is, that we find in the Univerſity Regiſter of Oxford, pag. 50. that one Maſter Robert Rainsford (ſince a Doctor) teaching divers Arminian Tenents in a Sermon at Saint Maries, in defence of Election from foreſeen Faith, and Ʋniverſall Grace; was upon Doctor Prideaux his complaint, not long after the expulſion of Maſter Ford and Maſter Hodges, convented before the Heads, and enjoyned a very ſlender Recantation, in as partiall terms as might be; not of his Arminian errours (which he hath oft ſince broched) but of his diſobedience to his Majesties Declaration, recorded in theſe tearmes:

§

WHeras I Robert Rainsford preaching at Saint Maries in Oxford the 12. day of Auguſt 1632. and falling upon ſome prynts, which by reaſon of the agitation of them, have cauſed trouble in the Church, have been forbidden to be preached on, both by his Majesties Declaration, and by his expreſſe Order to the Vice-Chancellour at Woodſtock, (whereof having left the Ʋniverſity for the space of two yeers and upwards, I was altogether ignorant) have thereby incurred his Majesties displeaſure, and was therefore worthily convented by the Vice-Chancellour; I doe freely and humbly acknowledge my diſobedience, and am hartily ſorry for the ſame, deſiring thoſe that are to be my Judges, upon my promiſe of better behaviour hereafter, to accept this my unfained acknowledgement, and to be favourable unto me.

21. Auguſt 1632.

Robert Rainsford.

This was all his cenſure, farre different from Maſter Fords and Maſter Hodges, [Page] though after their puniſhment, and ſo his offence farre greater then theirs, who did not begin the quarrell, nor kindle the fire of the Arminian Controverſies in Oxford, but their Oppoſites, who eſcaped ſcot-free, and were promoted by this Archbiſhop himſelfe for oppoſing, when they were thus ſeverely handled for maintaining the truth. So in London the Anti-Arminians were generally ſilenced, ſuppreſſed, the Arminians connived at, advanced, encouraged by this Prelate, under pretext of this Declaration, as the Commons in Parliament complained in their forecited Remonstrance, and as we have proved by ſundry inſtances, to which he returnes no anſwer, and ſo ſtand confeſſed by his ſilence. For Cambridge Ʋniuerſity, we know he was Viſitor there, though not Chancellour, and had as great an influence upon it, if not power and activity in it, as in Oxford, giving all encouragement to the Arminian party there, advancing them to Headſhips and other preferments. For the Conſiderations they are written with his owne hand, ſavour of his ſtile, ſpirit: That Biſhop Harſnet was the compiler of them, is but his owne averment, without proofe or probability; and admit they were his in the penning, yet certainly they were his owne in the contriving, executing; and ſo were the Instructions, though drawne up in his Majeſties name, and ſent to Archbiſhop Abbot, who muſt be ordered to ſend them incloſed in a Letter unto him, onely to colour the Plot, as if it were not his; whereas the Originall under his owne hand diſcovers the contrary.

Fiftly, the purging of thoſe objected innocent, orthodox paſſages, even out of two Biſhops Letters by his Chaplaine, was certainly by his owne command, elſe his Chaplaine durſt not be ſo bold with his Superiours of ſuch note and eminency, who if they conſented to this purgation at all, it was onely as Mariners conſent to throw over ſome of their goods into the Sea in a ſtorme, leaſt the whole Ship and fraight ſhould be loſt; either this muſt be expunged, or the whole Book ſuppreſſed; and all under pretext of his Majesties Declaration and the Churches peace; neither of which could reſtaine Arminian Books from the Preſſe: And whether the Stationer, Butter, deſerved to be impriſoned without Baile or Mainprize in the Fleet, to be Articled againſt in the high Commiſſion, to ſuſtaine the loſſe of all his Books, and ſuffer other penalties for printing theſe paſſages, the beſt part of his Book; (without which, the Letters themſelves were meere Ciphers, fragments,) let the indifferent judge, till the Archbiſhop can produce an Arminian Stationer, puniſhed in this ſort for printing Arminian Treatiſes, contrary to the Kings Proclamation and Declaration.

Sixtly, our Evidence ſufficiently proves, that the revocation of the Articles of Ireland proceeded orinally from him, who was virtually, though not corporally preſent there in Doctor Bramhall, Maſter Chapple, and his other Arminian inſtruments, and the Lord Deputy Wentworth, who had neither power nor malice ſufficient to effect ſuch an Arch-exploit without his omnipotent concurrence and abuſe of his Majeſties authority: For that of King James, that he never cenſured Arminius for an Heretick, nor his opinions for Hereſie, but onely Vorstius, the contrary is moſt apparent by his very words, in his Declaration againſt Vorſtius, pag. 15. to 33. where he ſtiles Arminius, that Enemy of God; Arminianiſme HERESIE; Arminians, Heretiks and Atheisticall Sectaries: Bertius his Book of the Apostacy of the Saints, a blaſphemous Book, and this his Doctrine a wicked Doctrine, an abominable Hereſie: So that all particulars of this his heavy Charge ſtick ſtill faſt upon him.

Tenthly, I am charged Pag. 178, &c with various attempts and endeavours, to undermine Object. 10. the true Proteſtant Religion, eſtabliſhed in our Churches, and ſet up Popery in its ſtead, by maintaining, Printing, publiſhing all kind of doctrinall points of Popery, and hindering all publike oppoſition againſt them; which generall was branched forth into ſundry particulars; which I ſhall anſwer in their Order.

The firſt is, The authorizing, printing, diſperſing of ſundry popiſh Doctrines, [Page] Books, and the prohibiting the contary impreſſions to refute them, Pag 178, &c by vertue of a Decree made in Star-Chamber by my Procurement, the 1. of July 1637. by colour whereof, it is objected, divers old printed Books were prohibited to be reprinted, imported; as the Engliſh Geneva Bible with marginall Notes, the printing whereof I endeavoured to ſuppreſſe abroad in the Netherlands, as well as at home: The queſtioning of Maſter Gellibrand in the high Commiſſion for his mans publiſhing an Almanack according to Maſter Fox his Calander in the Book of Martyrs, wherein our Engliſh Martyrs names were inſerted in ſtead of popiſh Saints, whom Doctor Pocklington abuſed in print; my checking, threatning of Miſtris Griffin for reprinting Thomas Beacons Diſplay of the Popoſh Maſſe; my calling in of the Palſgraves Religion; the deniall of reprinting Maſter Fox his Acts and Monuments, Biſhop Jewels Works, and ſome part of Doctor Willets; for refuſing to licenſe new Books againſt Popiſh errours, and calling in of Mr. Prynnes, Maſter Burtons, and others Books againſt popery, yea queſtioning them with ſundry Printers and Stationers, in the high Commiſſion, for printing, publiſhing Books againſt the Papiſts and Arminians; my licenſing, countenancing divers popiſh bookes, lately printed, diſperſed, to infect and poyſon his Majeſties people with popiſh errours, as Francis Sales his Book, Chriſts Epistle to a devout Soule, Biſhop Mountagues, Doctor Pocklingtons, Doctor Heylins, Doctor Lawrences, Reeves, Shelfords, Chownaeus, Staffords Books and Sermons; The lives of the Emperours, the popiſh Index Biblicus, my owne Speech in Star-chamber, and others, wherein divers groſſe points of popery and ſuperſtition, muſtered up under divers heads, are comprized; many of which were complained of by Master Prynne in his Croſſe Bill in Star-Chamber, ſuppreſſed by my meanes, and by Maſter Burton in his For God and the King; for which they were unjuſtly cenſured in the Star-Chamber; to which Maſter Croxtons Letter to me, with a croſſe in the front, approving moſt groſſe Auricular confeſſion in the open Church, is ſubjoyned.

To which I anſwer; Firſt, That the Decree in Star-Chamber was the act of the whole Court, who likewiſe ordered it to be printed, not mine: That it was Anſwer. made onely to regulate the abuſes of printing: That the Stationers themſelves deſired, approved, and gave me thanks for it. Secondly, That the Engliſh Bible with Geneva Notes, was onely tolerated and connived at, not allowed heretofore; that ſome paſſages in it were abuſed, and very ill uſe made of them; as among others, that in the firſt of Exodus, which teacheth men not to obey the commands of Kings. King James himſelfe in the Conference at Hampton Court, pag. 47. publikely declared his diſlike of this tranſlation, as the worſt of all, and thereupon took care for a new tranſlation to be made, but withall gave this Caveat, that no marginal Notes ſhould be added to it, having found in them annexed to the Geneva tranſlation ſome Notes very partiall, untrue, ſeditious, and ſavouring too much of dangerous and traiterous conceits: As for example; the firſt chapter of Exodus, and the 19. verſe, where the marginall Note alloweth diſobedience unto Kings: The endeavour to ſuppreſſe it in the Netherlands, was not any extent of my power thither, but the act of Sir Will. Boſwell the Kings Agent there, who did but his duty therein. Thirdly, for Maſter Gellibrands Book, it was printed not in forme of a Calender but Almanack; it was publiſhed to diſcountenance the old Saints, and was a meer innovation, contrary to all former Almanacks in uſe among us, and to that in the Common-prayer book: That the Queen ſent to me about it, I could not help that: That I told Maſter Gellibrand he laboured to raiſe a faction in the Court, I remember not the words; and if he did ſo, he deſerved to be cenſured for it: That the Papiſts burnt it, I could not help that: Neither did it agree with Maſter Fox his Calender, but he abuſed it, in leaving out divers Saints allowed by the Church of England, as the Epiphany and Annunciation of our Lady: For Doctor Pocklingtons Book, wherein he abuſed our Martyrs, it was licenſed by his Chaplain, Doctor Bray, who was cenſured for it, as was Doctor Pocklington too, in the Lords Houſe.

[Page] But it is objected, that my Chaplaines act is in law mine owne: I anſwer not, Objection. Anſwer. unleſſe I command it: But the Book it ſelfe was found in my Study, and I preferred Doctor Pocklington for it. I know no ſuch thing, and though I had the Book, yet I knew not of this paſſage in it. Fourthly, for the calling in of Beacons Book, printed by Miſtris Griffin, it is nothing to me what a Jeſuit ſaid of it; and if called in, it was becauſe ſhe reprinted it contrary to the Star-chamber Decree. Fiftly, for the Palſgraves Religion, I remember it not, and if called in, it was becauſe it was contrary to the Kings Declaration, and touched upon ſome points of controverſie prohibited by it. Sixtly, the hindring of the reprinting of Maſter Fox, Biſhop Jewell, and Doctor Willet, was no act of mine. Seventhly, I hindered the printing of no new Books againſt Popery. Eightly, the queſtioning of Maſter Prynne, Maſter Burton, and the reſt in the High Commiſſion, was no act of mine, but the Courts; nor were they cenſured, but got off without cenſure: Maſter Burton ſaid, he was queſtioned before the Counſell Table for one of his Books, as a Libell: If it were a Libell, there was cauſe to doe it. He added, he could not be quiet for being troubled in the high Commiſſion; nor could the Church be quiet for him, which was the cauſe of his trouble. He affirmed, I committed him to the Fleet, and denied him the benefit of the Petition of Right. I anſwer, there was cauſe enough for his commitment, for printing of Books without licenſe, and for diſturbing the peace of the Church, and he had the benefit of the Petition of Right, becauſe the reaſon of his commitment was expreſſed in the Warrant. Ninthly, I licenſed none of the particular books forecited my ſelfe, nor any of my Chaplains to my knowledge, I am certaine not by my command, and if any of them have tranſgreſſed herein, themſelves muſt anſwer for it, not I; who having many other weighty publike affaires to look after, had no time to peruſe or licenſe Books my ſelfe, and was enforced to commit this truſt to their care. Tenthly, to the particular books I anſwer, Firſt, that though Sales his book was licenſed by my Chaplaine, yet he was abuſed therein, by the Tranſlator & Printer, who was puniſhed for it in Star-chamber: The book it ſelf was called in and burnt by Proclamation, and I diſmiſſed the Doctor for licenſing it out of my houſe and ſervice: For Christs Epistle to a devout Soule, it was licenſed at London Houſe, by Doctor Weeks, the Biſhop of Londons Chaplain, not mine, and ſo nothing to me; beſides, it was ſuppreſſed before it was publiſhed: For Doctor Heylins Books, they are nothing to me, I had no hand in them, nor yet in Doctor Pocklingtons, who hath been cenſured for them himſelfe: For Biſhop Mountagues Impreſſions, they concerne not me, I did neitheir adviſe nor authorize them: For the Lives of the Emperours, which commend the Councell of Trent, the Book was not licenſed, and I know not of it. For the Popiſh Index Biblicus printed in England, it is nothing to me, it was without my privity and direction: For the ſeverall popiſh paſſages objected out of ſome newbooks, the Authors themſelvs muſt anſwer them at their perill, they concerne not me: For the rejecting of Maſter Prynnes Croſſe Bill in Star-chamber, complaining of theſe popiſh Books and Doctrines, it was none of my act, but the Courts and Lord Keeper Coventries; and ſo was Mr. Burtons cenſure for his Book, in which I gave no Vote: For Maſter Croxtons Letter to me with a Croſſe, enjoyning Auricular confeſſion, I could not hinder it, nor his practiſe of confeſſion being in Ireland: And for the paſſages objected out of mine owne Speech in Star-chamber, that they imply and neceſſarily inferre the popiſh Doctrine of Tranſubstantiation, and the giving of divine worſhip to the Altar, even the ſame that is given to God. I anſwer, that neither of theſe can be inferred from thence; for my words onely imply, that Christs body is truly and really preſent in the Sacrament; yet not corporally, but in a ſpirituall manner, and ſo is received by us; which is no more then Maſter Calvin himſelfe affirmes on the 1 Cor. 11. 24. where thus he writes: Neque enim mortis tantum & Reſurrectionis ſuae beneficium nobis offert Christus, ſed corpus ſuum in quo paſſus eſt & Reſurrexit: Concludo, REALITER (ut vulgo loquuntur) id eſt, VERE Nobis in Coena datur Chriſti corpus, ut ſic A [...]imis [Page] Nostris in Cibum ſalutarem; and Maſter Perkins himſelfe faith as much. For my words, that we ſhould bow DEO ET ALTARI, which are coupled both together with a Conjunction Copulative, yea both bowed to at the ſelf-ſame time, in one and the ſame act, and the worſhip directed to, and terminated in both alike: Ergo, divine worſhip is given to the Altar herein as well as to God, which is flat Idolatry, or but ſuch civill reverence given to God as is rendred to the Altar; which is to diſhonour God, and gives him no greater worſhip in his houſe then is due unto a creature: I anſwer, that though the act of bowing be the ſame to both, yet the object, mind and intention being different, the worſhip muſt be ſo too; There is a double worſhip and bowing, one of the body, the other of the heart, as Maſter Perkins himſelfe diſtinguiſheth; which is properly called Veneration, when done but to a creature in a civill reſpect, and worſhip onely when given to God himſelf.

To this was replied, Ferſt, that this Decree of Star-chamber concerning printing was onely his owne act originally, who projected and put that Court upon it, Reply. (whereof he was an over-potent Member) theirs onely Miniſterially, to ſatisfie his importunity therein, as the forecited Paſſages in the Decreee it ſelfe, and our Witneſſes atteſt: Yea, the printing of it was by his own command, to enlarge his Juriſdiction, which it much advanced: We grant that ſome things in the Decree were good, approved of by the Stationers, who deſired the ſame, of which we complain not, and ſome particulars very uſefull, had a right uſe been made of them. But the prohibiting reprinting of all Orthodox Books formerly printed by authority, unleſſe re-licenſed by him or his Agents; the deniall of any old book to be reprinted even againſt Popery it ſelfe, with the ſuppreſſing or purging moſt new Books againſt Popery, under pretext of this Decree, and the arbitrary puniſhing ſuch who tranſgreſſed herein both in the Star-chamber and High Commiſſion, was a tranſcendent crime, of which this Arch-prelat and his Confederates (not the whole Court of Star-chamber) were onely culpable: Yea, the Stationers were ſo farre from being well pleaſed with, or returning him thanks for this, that they complained to the chiefe Juſtice, and groaned under the preſſure thereof. Secondly, the Engliſh Bible with the Geneva Notes, was not onely tolerated but printed and reprinted among us in England, Cum Privilegio, during Queen Elizabeths and King James Reignes; and in 15. Jacobi there was an Impreſſion of them printed here by the Kings own Printer; ſince which time, the new Tranſlation without Notes being moſt vendible (the Kings Printers forbearing to print them for their private lucre, not by vertue of any publike reſtraint) they were uſually imported from beyond the Seas, and publickly ſold without any inhibition or puniſhment, till this Archbiſhops time, who made it no leſſe then an High Commiſſion crime, to vend, bind or import them. For the Notes, they are generally approved by all our Protestant Divines, which fled hence for Religion in Queen Maries dayes, who dedicated the ſame to Queen Elizabeth. For the Note on Exodus 1. it is both ſound and Orthodox, condemning onely obedience to the arbitrary, tyranicall, unjunſt (not lawfull) commands of Kings, contrary to the Lawes of God, nature, men, being warranted by the example of the Midwives, who diſobeyed King Pharaohs bloody Mandate, in not murdering all the male Children of the Iſraelites, by ſundry other Eſter 3, 2, 3, Dan. 2. 5. to 17 cap. 3. 3. to 30 cap. 6. 5. to 21. 1 Sam. 22. 17, 18. 2 Sam. 1. 2, 10. Acts 4. 18, 19. cap. 5. 28. to 41. Scripture Texts; yea, warranted by the Fathers and See Gratian Cauſa 11. qu. 3. Bernard. de Modo bene vivendi, cap. 19. Tertul. Apolog. Canoniſts themſelves, who ſpeake as much or more then this Annotation doth. For King James his cenſure of this Tranſlation and Notes upon it, no doubt it proceeded from ſome Prelats miſ-information: However, we are certain that his own inſerting of popiſh Pictures of the Birth, Life, Paſſion, Reſurrection and Aſcention of Chriſt, the Holy Ghoſt, the Apoſtles, yea the very Aſſumption of the Virgin Mary, and the like, into our Engliſh, and of a Popiſh Index into our Latin Bibles, was farre worſe, more dangerous then any Geneva Notes; and the prohibition of inſerting Marginall Notes into the Bible, a policy learned from our Engliſh Prelats in King HRNRY the eighth his [Page] Reigne, who when they could not hinder the printing of the Bible it ſelfe in Engliſh, of Master Tyndals Tranſlation; yet procured an Act of Parliament for the Obliterating of his Notes thereon; as the Statute of 35. Hen. VIII. cap. 1. and Maſter Acts & Monuments, vol. 2. p. 586. 587. Fox informes us: And his endeavour to hinder the importation of Bibles with Notes from Holland, of which he had information by two Letters ſent from thence, diſcovers his vigilance, yea, ſpite againſt this Tranſlation and the Notes upon it.

Thirdly, for Maſter Gellibrands Almanacke, ſet forth by his ſervant, it was agreeable to Maſter Foz his Calender; onely inſerting our Engliſh Martyrs in the place of popiſh Saints; no High Commiſſion crime by any knowne Law; That it differed from other Almanacks herein, is no greater offence, then for one Almanack-maker to vary from another in calculating the Weather, or other Astronomicall Obſervations, who better deſerve an High Commiſſion cenſure for retaining the names of ſundry Popiſh Saints, (yea arrant Traytors, as Becket, Anſelme, with ſundry others) omitted in the Calender of the Common-Prayer Book, and agreeing Verbatim with the Calender in the Roman Miſſall, then he, for omitting the names of Romiſh Saints, whom God never Canonized, but the Pope alone, for their zeale or ſufferings for the Papall Cauſe and Romiſh Superſtitions. The Queens ſending to him about this Almanack, ſhewes, that the Papiſts took it to be a great blow to their Religion; and though he could not hinder the meſſage, yet certainly he might have ſurceaſed all proſecution of Mr Gellibrand upon the Queens and Papiſts complaints for this act of his, where as he purſued him with al violence to gratifie them. For the words he remembers not, our Witneſſe ſwears them preciſely, and his threatning Maſter Gellibrand upon a meere groundleſſe ſuppoſition, that he had raiſed a faction in the Court, becauſe they acquitted him full ſore againſt his will; argues both his violence and injuſtice: That the Papiſts burnt it, when he could not attaine the burning of it in the High Commiſſion, argues their malice, and his owne readineſſe to comply with them againſt ſo good a work, in honour of our owne Engliſh Proteſtant Martyrs. For his omiſſion of ſome Saints, viz. the Epiphany and Anunciation, no man knew them to be Saints till now, but onely Feſtivals, which other Almanacks mentioned, and it is onely alleaged not proved that he omitted them. For Doctor Pocklingtons Altare Christianum, it was licenſed by his owne Chaplaine Doctor Bray, yea publiſhed by his owne command, without the Authors privity, if we beleeve his Petition to the Lords; and their two puniſhments, cenſures in the Lords Houſe for this Book, adjudged to the fire and burnt, is no extenuation, but aggravation of his guilt, the moſt culpable of all three: Himſelfe confeſſeth, that his Chaplaines act is his owne in Law, if he command it, and this Doctor himſelfe affirmes, that he did command its printing; therefore the act is his more then the Authors or his Chaplains, who did but obey his ſuperiour command. That Doctor Pocklington did preſent him with both the printed Impreſſions of this Book, curiouſly gilt, he cannot deny, they being found in his Study endorſed with his owne hand: That he knew not of this paſſage in it againſt our Martyrs, and in honour of Popiſh Saints, is not probable, yea, impoſſible, ſince generally complained of in print, and particularly by Maſter Prynne at the Pillory, who deſired all to take notice of it; of which the Archbiſhop had preſent information, yet neither recalled the book nor obliterated the paſſage.

Fourthly, the calling in of Mr Beacons book againſt the Maſſe, upon the complaint of a Prieſt or Jeſuit, with his words and threats to Miſtris Griffin, for reprinting it at ſuch a time as this, reflect as fouly upon him as poſſible yet he puts it off with this impudent common ſhift, It is nothing to me: For the reprinting and his calling of it in, it is directly ſworne to be before the Star-chamber Decree, therefore not done in purſuance of it; and were it done after, yet not juſtifiable without higheſt impudency by any true Proteſtant Prelate.

[Page] Fiftly, for the Palſgraves Religion, it is proved to be called in by him, who hath the happineſſe to forget all the evil deeds which he cannot juſtifie, though others ſweare them: And it was not contrary to the Kings Declaration (which himſelfe originally contrived) in the Kings intention, but in his owne perverting of it, to ſuppreſſe the truth. Sixtly, the hindering of the reprinting of Maſter Fox, Biſhop Jewel and Doctor Willets Works, was certainly his owne act, becauſe done by colour of this Star-chamber Decree, procured by himſelfe for this very purpoſe, and the reprinting of them was ſtopped by his owne Officers, creatures meanes, who knew his mind, if not received his command herein: Seventhly, himſelfe, if not immediatly, yet originally and mediatly hindered the printing of all the new Books againſt Popery, refuſed at the Preſſe, and denied licenſe by his Inſtruments, Chaplaines, Doctor Bray, Doctor Haywood, Doctor Weekes, Doctor Baker, unleſſe firſt purged by them.

Ninthly, the queſtioning of Maſter Prynne, Maſter Burton, with their Printers and Stationers in the High Commiſſion, for their Books againſt Doctor Coſins his popery, Babel no Bethel, Baiting of the Popes Bull, and the like, was originally his act alone, not the Courts, which did naught in it but by his inſtigation: Their getting off thence was by Prohibitions, ſore againſt his will, where elſe he reſolved to ruine them. Maſter Burtons anſwering the Popes Bull by licenſe, deſerved no queſtioning at the Counſell Table, and was certainly no Libell at all, unleſſe the Pope or his Partiſans deemed it ſuch to them: His Books then were no trouble to the Church, and therefore it was ſtrange and moſt unjuſt he ſhould be troubled for them; yea, his impriſonment without Baile (which he tendered) when bailable by Law, was contrary to Magna Charta and the Petition of Right, though the cauſe of it (not warranted by Law) was expreſſed in the Warrant. Tenthly, his owne Chaplaines overſights and offences in licenſing popiſh Books, even with this ſpeciall Encomium, that there was nothing in them contrary to faith and ſound Doctrine (the forme of licenſing himſelfe preſcribed them under his owne hand) is certainly both in law and juſtice, his owne crime more then theirs, who muſt anſwer for it much more then they; the truſt of licenſing books being originally repoſed in himſelfe by the State, and in his Chaplaines onely by his owne Deputation, for See 27. Ed. 3 Stat. 2. c. 19. whom he muſt anſwer at his perill: To prove this, and take away this poore evaſion, which he ſo much inſiſts on, we ſhall put but theſe few caſes See 27. Ed. 3 Stat. 2. c. 19. adjudged in Law; 5. E. 3. c. 8. 19. H. 7 c 10. Brooks & Fitz. herberts Abrigment. Tit. Eſca. See the Sherifs Oaths in Daltons Office of Sherifs and Regiſter, f. 301. b. Quo ne prendres nul Bailleif en voſtre ſervice, pus qu y vous ne voylles reſpondre. If a Bailiffe, under Jaylor, or under Sheriffe ſuffer a priſoner to eſcape, or any way to miſdemeane themſelves in their office, an action of eſcape, debt (an fine in caſes of felony and treaſon,) and action of the caſe lyeth againſt the high Sheriffe and chiefe Jaylor for it, who muſt undergoe the penalty and blame, becauſe they are their ſervants, entruſted by themſelues: And to put a caſe, which comes neerer home, and is farre ſtronger then this of a Chaplaine, 21. E. 1. membr. 3. Dorſo Clauſo, and in the Pleas of that Parliament, placit. 17. John Archbiſhop of Yorke was queſtioned in Parliament, for excommunicating William of Willicon, and John Rowman, ſervants to the Biſhop of Durham, then imployed in the Kings ſervice; the Archbiſhop pleaded juſt as this Archbiſhop doth now, That they were not excommunicated by himſelfe, but onely by his Commiſſary, who muſt anſwer for it, and ſo no act of his for which he ought to anſwer: But yet notwithſtanding, it was upon ſerious debate reſolved in Parliament, that the Act of his Commiſſary being his owne immediate Officer, was his owne act, for whoſe miſdemeanour he muſt anſwer, and thereupon he was fined 4000. markes to the King, and forced to pay it, (a great fine in thoſe times for ſuch an offence) yea gladed to make many friends to the King to avoid a further cenſure: which is farre ſtronger then the caſe of this Archprelate: For this 5: E. 3. Commiſſary was an Officer eſtabliſhed by Law, which the Archbiſhop could not remove at pleaſure without juſt cauſe; but his Chaplaines were no Officers by Law, but meer meniall ſervants, under his immediate command, and removable at pleaſure; therefore certainly, they durſt licenſe nothing eſpecially againſt our eſtabliſhed Religion, without his privity and command: Beſides, there were never any ſuch popiſh Books authorized ſince the beginning [Page] of Reformation in any of his Predeceſſors times, by themſelves or their Chaplaines, neither durſt ſuch erronious pamphlets appeare publickly amongſt us, till he grew great to patronize them; yea, when they were thus licenſed, and publickly complained againſt, as Popiſh, erronious, and deſtructive to our Religion, he cenſured, perſecuted ſuch who durſt complaine or write againſt them, never queſtioning nor puniſhing the Licenſers, Printers or Authors of them exemplarily as he ſhould have done, to diſcharge the truſt repoſed in him, and vindicate his ſincerity herein; whereas if any new Book againſt Arminians or Popiſh Innovations did but privily paſſe the Preſſe by licenſe of his Predeceſſors Chaplaines (as Biſhop Carltons Book againſt Mountague, Maſter Prynnes Perpetuity, his Survey of Maſter Cozens his Cozening Devotions, Hiſtriomaſtix, with other forenamed Impreſſions did) he preſently ſuppreſſed, burnt them, queſtioned the Authous, Printers, Diſperſers, Licenſers of them, both in the High Commiſſion and Star-chamber too, where Maſter Prynne by his meanes, was cenſured in the higheſt degree of extremity for his Hiſtriomaſtix, a licenſed Book, and Maſter Buckner too, who licenſed it, fined by this Archbiſhop himſelfe and that Court; therefore this act of his Chaplaines muſt reſt upon his own head, and the guilt thereof lye heavieſt upon him, whoſe fault it was to make choyce of ſuch, and to entruſt them in this kind. As for his excuſe of his many other grand imployments, which ſo engroſſed his time, that he had no leiſure to peruſe what Books were tendred and licenſed for the Preſſe, it is ſo farre from being any excuſe, that it aggavates his crime: Certainly the preſervation of our Religion in its purity, the keeping out all Popiſh innovations in Ceremony, Doctrine, Worſhip, and the ſuppreſſion of Popiſh errours, Books, Doctrines, were the principall things of all others, which his Place, Calling, yea, his Majeſties truſt engaged him to look unto; for him then to neglect this principall part of his Epiſcopall duty, the frequent preaching of Gods Word (he ſeldome appearing in the Pulpit after he became Archbiſhop and a Privy Counſellour) to drowne himſelfe in all manner of ſecular imployments in the Star-chamber, Counſel-Chamber, Exchequer, ſpending his time in proling about Tobacco; Licenſes, illegall Taxes, Projects, Monopolies of all ſorts, contrary to the Lawes and Liberties of the Subjects, in undermining Parliaments, oppreſſing the people every where, and managing the Kings Revenues, (things no way ſuitable to his ſpirituall Function;) is ſo farre from extenuating, that it puts the higheſt degree of aggravation upon this his negligence and Chaplaines miſdemeanours, which he ſhould have better looked too: But admit the reall duties of his Place alone had been overburthenſome to him, he ſhould then have intruſted, imployed ſuch in Licenſing and peruſing Books, who would have diſcharged the truſt repoſed in them, in farre better manner then his knowne Popiſh and Arminian Chaplains did. Tenthly, to his excuſes touching the particular Popiſh Books objected: We anſwer, firſt, that Sales his Booke was Licenſed by Doctor Haywood, his own Chaplain: that he was not abuſed in it, but the Printer, whom he checked for complaining to him of the Popiſh paſſages in the Booke, and encouraged to proceed in the printing of it, which otherwiſe he durſt not have printed. That it was afterwards called in and publickly burnt, was no thanks to him or his Chaplain, but to Maſter Prynnes croſſe Bill againſt him and his Chaplaine in Star-Chamber for licenſing it; As for the Proclamation for calling it in, it was but a meere device to abuſe the King, Kingdome, to juſtifie or excuſe his peccant Chaplain and himſelfe, by a moſt falſe relation of the carriage of the buſineſſe. Beſides, if his Chaplain was innocent, Why then doth he pretend, he puniſhed him by turning him out of his ſervice? If guilty, Why doth he juſtifie him to the King and Kingdome by this Proclamation? But indeed this pretended puniſhment was but a meere pretence; for he puniſhed him onely with a good Living, to wit, Saint Giles in the Fields, ſending him from Lambeth thither to infect that Pariſh with his Popiſh Leproſie, or to pleaſe the Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, of which there were more reſiding in that Pariſh [Page] alone, then in all the Pariſhes about London. For Christs Epistle to a Devout Soule, that it was licenſed by Doctor Weekes at London-houſe the ſelf-ſame day that Sales was at Lambeth; is true, but yet it is as true that Doctor Weeks was this Archbiſhops owne Chaplaine, and the Biſhop of London his meer creature Servant, yea it appears there was a ſtrong confederacy between the Chaplaines of Lambeth and London-houſe in licenſing both theſe Popiſh Books for the ſame Stationer the ſelf-ſame day, to propagate and licenſe Popery with a witneſſe, even juſt at that very ſeaſon, (which makes it more remarkable) when Maſter Prynne, Maſter Burton, and Doctor Bastwicke were proſecuted by their good Lord and Maſter Canterbury in the Star-chamber, for oppoſing their Popiſh Innovations, Impoſitions, Doctrins, and juſt when the gaudy Crucifix was erected by him at White-hall in the Kings owne Chappell in Paſſion week, they then thinking all cock-ſure on their ſide: That this Epiſtle was ſuppreſſed, we may thank, not the Archbiſhop, but Maſter Prynn's Croſſe-bill, who but a few weeks after was ill requited with a bloody barbarous cenſure for his paines, and ſent away hence cloſe priſoner, firſt, into North-Wales, then into Jerſey, where none muſt have acceſſe unto him, to prevent any more ſuch oppoſitions, diſcoveries of popiſh Bookes and Bils againſt them. For Doctor Heylins Books complained of, they were ſome of them purpoſely written by the Archbiſhops owne command, as he hath confeſſed (to wit, that againſt Mr. Burton & Antidotum Lincolnienſes) & licenſed by his own Chaplaines; therefore they concerne him much: For Doctor Pocklingtons Popiſh Impreſſions, they were peruſed by himſelfe, yea, publiſhed by his direction without the Doctors privity, as his Petition manifeſts; therefore his cenſure for writing them, will be no excuſe for his owne publiſhing, or his Chaplaines authorizing them without the Doctors knowledge or deſire: For Biſhop Mountagues Books, they were all bound up (moſt of them with his Armes very rightly gilt) and preſented to him by Mountague himſelfe; after that, entertained by him in his Study, juſtified by him in private conferences, yea, the later of them expreſly ſubmitted to his judgement, diſpoſe, and licenſed by his Chaplaines; and yet are they nothing to him? For the Epitome of the Lives of the Emperours, it was licenſed by his owne Chaplaine Doctor Weekes, at London-houſe, as the licenſe and entry of it in the Stationers Hall (which we have here ready to produce) atteſts: That he took no notice of it, nor of what was in it, was his owne voluntary negligence, who could take notice of any the leaſt pretended Puritannicall, Anti-epiſcopall, or Anti-Arminian paſſages in all new printed Books whatſoever; yea, of any harſh paſſages againſt the Pope, Papiſts, Jeſuits, and cauſe them to be ſuppreſſed, expunged, and the Authors of them ſometimes to be deeply cenſured: For the Popiſh Index Biblicus, being printed here in London, then publikely bound up with our Latin Bibles of Junius and Tremelius tranſlation (with which they as well accorded as Fire doth with Water, or Popery with Proteſtaniſme) it concerned him moſt of any thing to take notice of, and have moſt ſeverely puniſhed: But this vigilant Argus againſt Protestaniſme, or any thing that trenched upon Epiſcopacy, Popiſh Ceremonies, Arminianiſme, or the High Commiſſion, was here as blind as a Beetle, and could eſpye no Books at all (though never ſo groſſe) that made for Popery and popiſh Innovations, or elſe fell faſt aſleep, when he ſhould watch againſt theſe popiſh enemies, who ſowed their Tarts ſo faſt among us.

For the objected popiſh paſſages out of theſe now Authorized Printed Authors, himſelfe muſt anſwer for them:

Firſt, becauſe many of them were particularly complained againſt by Maſter Burton in his Sermon for God and the King; by Maſter Prynne in his Croſſe Bill, which he read, and by ſundry printed Books, which he could not but take notice of; yet he neither ſuppreſſed the Books, nor queſtioned the Authors, Printers or diſperſers of them. Secōdly, becauſe never any ſuch large crop or harveſt of Popiſh Books and Tares appeared or ſprung up in our Engliſh Church before his time, ſince the beginning of Reformation; it being the chiefe part of his place and [Page] Office as Archbiſhop of Canterbury to ſuppreſſe and extirpate, whereas he authorized and propagated them all he could. For the rejecting of Maſter Prynnes Croſſe Bill in Star-chamber againſt him, his Chaplaines and Confederates for Writing, Licenſing, Publiſhing theſe Popiſh Books and Paſſages, it was principally his owne Act, who ſtopped it at the Lord Keepers; was preſent when it was rejected in open Court (where he ſat as one of the moſt ſwaying Judges) and endeavoured to have brought him in danger of his life, onely for preferring it in a Legall manner; whereas had he, his Chaplaines, Confederates been Innocent, they would have Petitioned the Court it might have been received, that ſo they might legally have cleared themſelves (if they could) of that, which now (bleſſed be God) we have fully proved before an Higher Tribunall, for which this cauſe by Gods providence was reſerved, as the fitteſt Court both to heare and cenſure it. For Maſter Croxtons Letter; he was his owne creature, ſpecially recommended by him to the Lord Deputy Wentworth, who preferred him for his ſake: and he that durſt preferre ſuch a Popiſh Prieſt in that Popiſh Kingdome, who dared thus openly to put the Maſſe-Prieſts, yea Jeſuits badge of a Croſſe in the Front of his Letter to him, and acquaint him with this open practice of Auricular Confeſſion; muſt doubtleſſe be no wel-wiſher to our Religion, and aſſured of the Archbiſhops readineſſe to concur with him in the approbation of his courſes, elſe he durſt not write thus to him.

As for that paſſage in his Speech in Star-chamber; we have Pag. 203. 204 already proved, that it neceſſarily implyes a Tranſubſtantiation, or corporall preſence of Chriſt on the very Altar. For, there (ſaith he, not in and to the beleevers heart, receiving him ſpiritually by faith) tis, Hoc eſt corpus meum, &c. and A greater reverence no doubt is due TO THE BODY, then to the word of the Lord. Its true, our 28. Article reſolves, That in the Lords Supper, to ſuch as rightly, worthily and with faith receive the ſame, the bread which we breake is a partaking of the Body of Chriſts which is given, taken and eaten in the Supper, ONLY after an heavenly and ſpirituall manner. And the meane whereby the Body of Chriſt is received and eaten in the Supper, is Faith. And in this ſence Maſter Calvin writes, that the very Body of Chriſt wherein he ſuffered and roſe againe, is offered to us, & REALLY & TRƲLY given unto us in the Supper, in a ſpirituall manner onely. But did ever our Articles, Mr Calvin, or any Proreſtant writers hold, That Chriſts body was really or truly preſent upon the Altar (where it is, ſaith he, uſually preſent, and the greateſt place of Chriſts reſidence upon earth) or more preſent then in his Word. Certainly, never any Proteſtant Author, but only Papiſts writ ſo before himſelf. And where doth Maſter Calvin ſay Chriſts body is, which we really and truly receive in the Lords Supper? What? on the Altar? there is no ſuch ſyllable in him; but the very next words, which the Biſhop purpoſely concealed, reſolve us, that it is in heaven; Calvin in Chriſtum IN CAELO MANENTEM ô Nobis recipi, ſine ut in celeſti ſun gloria maneat, & illuc aſpici, & inde ſe tibi communicet. The like our Common 1 Cor. 11. Prayer-Booke and Homilies alſo reſolve. Therefore they call on us, Surſum corda, to lift up our hearts and faith to heaven, and feed upon Chriſt there; not on the Altar. This Cobweb diſtinction therefore of his (eſpecially if compared with the See A neceſſary Introduction to the Archbiſhops Tryall, p. 159. to 163. Alterations and Additions made by him in the Scottiſh Common-Prayer-Booke; where he cleerly maintains a Tranſubstantiation) will no wayes cover his ſhame, or take off his guilt. As for his DEO & Altari, the Argument preſſed againſt him from it is ſtill unanſwered: ſince one and the ſelfe-ſame worſhip in one and the ſelfe-ſame act, inſtance, is given joyntly to both. And whereas he ſaith, the object diſtinguiſheth the worſhip; it is moſt falſe; ſince See Mr. Rutherfords Divin right of church Government, ch. 1. queſt. 5. Divine worſhip is and may be given to an Altar, an Image, a creature, a peece of Bread (as among the Pagans and Papiſts) as well as to God himſelfe. So that this whole part of our Evidence remaines unanſwered, unſhaken in any particular, and is onely aggravated by his poore evaſions, his impudent juſtifications, of what he hath cauſe to be moſt aſhamed, if not confounded, before ſuch a great Tribunall and judicious Auditory.

[Page] The eleventh charge againſt me is, the expunging of ſundry paſſages againſt Object. 11. Popery, Arminianiſme, &c. out of ſeverall printed Books and Sermons, by me and others, before they could paſſe the Preſſe, which Paſſages have been reduced to ſeverall heads: I ſhall not recapitulate the charges of this kind, but anſwer them ſeverally in their order.

The firſt of them is my own Pag. 245. &c. Anſwer. purging out of Doctor Sibthops Sermon ſundry paſſages againſt Popery, evil Counſellours and prophaners of the Sabbath. Object. 1.

To which I anſwer, Firſt, that the King committed the peruſall of this Sermon to four Biſhops, whereof I was but one, and theſe expunctions were made by their conſent, not by me alone: Secondly, the firſt of them ſeemed to lay an aſperſion on the Emperour, the King of Spaine and France, the Duke of Bavaria and Archdutcheſſe, as if they had a deſigne to extirpate the Proteſtant Religion; therefore it was not thought fit it ſhould paſſe the Preſſe, for feare of giving offence to them: Thirdly, the ſecond of them ſeemed to caſt an aſperſion upon the Kings Counſell, and was therefore croſſed out: The third gives the name of the Sabbath to the Lords day, which is never ſo termed in the new Teſtament; appropriated to the Jewiſh Sabbath only on the Saturday, now wholly abbrogated; and likewiſe makes Popery to trench upon the breach of the firſt Commandement: which being a thing doubtfull and diſputable, was thought fit to be expunged.

To which was replied, Firſt, that the committing of this Sermon to three other Biſhops beſides himſelfe to be examined, is a bare averment of his owne Reply. without any proofe; that any other peruſed it beſides himſelfe, appeares not: All the additions, purgations in it, are made with his owne hand onely, and none others, therefore his alone; yea, if he did it jointly with others, this will not extenuate his fault, ſince as we muſt not doe evill alone, ſo we muſt Exod. 28. 2. not follow a multitude to doe it. His anſwers to theſe expunged particulars, are moſt abſurd and falſe: For the firſt of them was ſo farre from being a ſcandall, that it was then (and yet is) a moſt See A neceſſary Introduction, &c. pag. 86 c. 17. apparent truth, publiſhed to all the Kingdome in the Kings owne Letters to every County throughout the Realme, concerning the Loane in February 1627. to draw it on, and the Doctor in his Sermon to ſet on this Loane, did but tranſcribe it out of the Kings owne Letter; if then it were a reall truth, why was it blotted out of his Sermon, more then out of the Kings owne Letter? If a ſcandall and untruth, why did the King and his Counſell then publiſh it in their Letters, to delude the people and draw on the Loane? But the truth is, our Religion muſt be rooted out abroad by the Emperour, Kings of Spaine, France, with their Confederates, and undermined by the Prelaticall and popiſh party at home, yet we muſt have no liberty to ſpeak of it our ſelves, or publiſh it to others, for feare of preventing the deſigne: For the ſecond clauſe, he thought it might reflect on, or riſe up in judgement one day againſt himſelfe, therefore it was wiſdome for him to raſe it out; the Kings evill Counſellours by this meanes muſt neither be reprehended nor puniſhed: For the third paſſage, it is true, that the Lords day is not directly ſtiled the Sabbath in the New Teſtament, yet it is termed the firſt Mat. 28. 1. Mark. 16. 1. Luk. 24. 1. 1 Cor. 26. 1. of the SABBATHS oft times in it; but admit it were not, yet ſeeing all dayes of ſacred reſt and worſhip whatſoever, are ſtiled Levi. 16: 31. c. 23. 24. 32. 32. c. 25. 2. 4. 6 c. 19. 3. 30. c. 26. 2. 3. 4. 35. 2 Cron. 8. 13. c. 31. Iſa. 1. 13. c. 56. 4. Lam. 2 6. Ezek. 46. 3 Hoſ. 2. 11. Col. 2. 16. Sabbaths, both in the Old and New Teſtament, and the Sabbath in its proper Definition, is nothing elſe, but a weekly day of ſacred reſt from worldly labours, pleaſures, imployments, devoted wholly to Gods publique and private worſhip; and the Lords day is ſuch a Sabbath as this, and ſo termed by See Sunday a Sabbath, and M. Lee of the Sabbath. Councels, Fathers, forraigne writers of all ſorts, and more eſpecially by our owne Engliſh 13. Eli. c. 16 Statutes, Homilies, Proclamations, Letters-Patents, Canons, Biſhops viſitation Articles, and Writers of all ſorts; why this paſſage concerning the Lords day Sabbaths ſanctification, and the prophanation of it, ſhould be obliterated by him, no reaſon can be rendred, but onely the prophane Anti-ſabbatarian Diſpoſition of his owne heart, which ſoon after more publiquely diſplayed it ſelfe, in the re-publiſhing and preſſing the Declaration for Lordſ-day ſports: [Page] ſports: For the latter clauſe of this deleted period, concerning connivance at Popery, which trencheth upon the firſt and ſecond Commandement, and making the Lawes concerning it, meer Engines of State, to draw reward for toleration, diſpenſation and connivance, &c. his excuſe is moſt miſerable and ridiculous: For firſt, it is generally agreed by all Proteſtant Writers, that Popery trencheth upon the firſt Commandement, by advancing the See Officium [...]eatae Mariae [...]èrnardinus De [...]usti his Meriale. Biſhop Uſhers anſwer to the Jeſuits Chalenge Mornay his Miſtery of Iniquity. Doctor Reinolds de Idolatria Romano Eccleſiae. Maſter Rutherfords Divine RIGHT of Church Government, cap 1. Sect. 5. Virgin Mary, Pope (to omit the Bredden Wafer) into the very Throne of God himſelfe, and Deifying them both with divine Titles, Adorations, Attributes, Epithites, Oriſons, and the like; therefore no reaſon to delete this clauſe, that it trencheth on the firſt Commandement: the rather, becauſe Paul himſelfe affirmes it in direct termes, 2 Theſ. 2. 3, 4. as all orthodox Expoſitors reſolve: Secondly, its agreed by all Proteſtants, yea, by this Arch-Prelat himſelfe (in ſhew at leaſt, when his reputation ſeemed to be ſomewhat blaſted, as if he were devoted to Popery) and expreſly reſolved by our Homilies againſt the perill of Idolatry, that Popery expreſly trencheth upon the ſecond Commandement ſundry wayes, as by adoring Crucifixes, Images, Saints, Angels, Reliques, Altars, the conſecrated Hoaſt, yea, by invocation of Saints departed, and introduction of ſundry Idolatrous Superstitious Rites, Ceremonies, formes of Worſhip, invented by Popes, Prieſts, Fryars, into the Worſhip of God: Therefore had he deleted its intrenchment upon the firſt Commandement as dubious, yet ſince there is no queſtion of their tranſgreſſing the ſecond in all theſe particulars, his abolition thereof is inexcuſable, and diſplayes his popiſh diſpoſition: Thirdly, however had he deleted this likewiſe, yet his obliterating that which followes, againſt connivance at, and ſuſpention of Lawes againſt Popery and Papists for luchre ſake, leaſt God make the gaine gotten by this dividing betwixt him and Idols, to be like that of Solomons, which was recompenced with the loſſe and dividing of his Kingdome betwixt his Sonne and a Stranger, &c. (the ſad effects whereof we have lately felt) with all other paſſages whatſoever againſt Popery (eſpecially at this juncture of time, when all forraigne popiſh Princes had confederated to extirpate the Proteſtant Religion in forraigne parts, as the firſt deleted paſſage informes us) is ſuch an unſufferable execrable crime, in one who pretends himſelfe a Proteſtant Biſhop, and had then no legall authority to correct or licenſe Books for the Preſſe, as deſerves the higheſt cenſure; yea, diſplays to all the world the hidden Popery of his heart, if not his ſecret correſpondency with the Romiſh party to replant their falſe ſuperſtitious Religion and Idolatry in our Church; and from this originall purgation of his, we may viſibly diſcover, that all ſucceeding expunctions of this kind made by his owne chaplains and other Agents at Lambeth or London-houſe, proceeded primarily from himſelf, as the originall cauſe and Author of them.

The ſecond Objection of this kind is, my alterations of the Prayers See here pag 246. 247. appointed for the fift of November, in ſome particular cauſes in the Impreſſion of them, Objection 2. Anno 1635.

To this I anſwer, Firſt, that theſe alterations were not made by me, but the Anſwer. Prayers were ſent unto me altered by the King himſelfe, who commanded me to ſee them printed according to thoſe alterations; and I have here the Books, with his Majeſties hand and Warrant to each of them for what I did: Secondly, that the expreſſions were ſomewhat overharſh, and fit to be altered, terming their very Religion, Rebellion, being but the Christian Religion, and the ſame with Ours, as I have proved at large in my Speech in Star-chamber, to which I muſt referre, where I have rendred reaſons for it, which gave generall ſatisfaction then, and I hope will doe ſo to your Lordſhips now.

To which was replied, Firſt, that the Archbiſhop ſhewes his great undutifulneſſe here in caſting this and other his unwarrantable popiſh actions on the King Reply. himſelfe: Secondly, that for ought appeares he procured from the King this Warrant ſince the alterations were printed, yea complained of, and that by circumvention: Thirdly, that it had been his duty to have diſſwaded the King from giving way to ſuch ſcandalous alterations in favour of Jeſuits, Papiſts, [Page] Traitors, and their bloody Religion. Fourthly, that himſelfe in his Speech, page 33, 34. confeſſeth, he made the Alterations himſelfe by the Kings command: Therefore the Book was not ſent him altered by the King or any other, as now he falſly pretends. Fiftly, as for the grounds of the moſt groſſe alteration mentioned in his Speech, we have Page 247, 248, 249. already refuted them at large in the Charge; therefore we ſhall not actum agere, but refer you thereunto.

The third Here pag. 249, 250. Anſwer. objected Purgation made by my ſelfe is, of ſome clauſes appointed in the Book for the Faſt, Anno 1636. Obje. 3.

To which I anſwer, Firſt, that it is not proved that I made theſe Purgations: Secondly, that I have given a full anſwer to, and ſhewed there was reaſon for the making of them, in my SPEECH in Star-chamber, where they were objected.

To this was replied, Firſt, that himſelfe doth both confeſſe and juſtifie thèſe Reply. purgations in his ſaid Speech, to be made by himſelfe, and his confederated brethren, to whom the care of this Faſt was committed; therefore he much forgets himſelfe here in denying it to be proved, when we undeniably evidenced it, by his owne printed Confeſſion: Secondly, we have already Page 242, 250, 251. refuted his reaſons for thoſe purgations mentioned in his Speech, diſcovering their abſurdity, and fully proving, that they were made meerly in favour of Popery, to which he hath not returned the leaſt ſhadow of anſwer; therefore we ſhall acquieſſe therein without further reply.

The Page 251, 252. fourth objected alterations and purgations aſcribed to my ſelfe, are in Objection 4. Doctor Potters Book, entituled, Want of Charity, &c. the ſecond Edition.

To which I anſwer, Firſt, that he writ to me of his own accord, to alter or correct any thing I thought meet in the ſecond Impreſſion of his Book, and what I did therein Anſwer. was upon his owne requeſt: Secondly, that the expreſſions I adviſed him to amend, were either ſuch as were very harſh, as Beleeve in the Pope; or ſomewhat obſcure, as The Idol of Rome, &c. Thirdly, that his expoſition of Matth. 18. 17, 11. Dic Eccleſiae, &c. concernes not the Parliament, but the Sanhedrin, or Civill Court of the Jewes: And whereas it is urged, that I writ, his Expoſition of it, ſeemes to give as much power to the Parliament, as to the Church (or Convocation) in Church affaires, which is a derogation to the Parliaments Juriſdiction; I conceive it to be none, ſince it appeares by the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 1. that the Parliament cannot determine any thing in matter of Religion, without aſſent of the Clergy in their Convocation; this Act, providing, That the High Commiſſioners ſhall not in any wiſe adjudge any matter to be Hereſie, but onely ſuch as hath beene heretofore determined, ordered or adjudged to be Hereſie by the authority of the Canonicall Scriptures, or by the firſt foure generall Councels, or any of them, &c. or ſuch as ſhall be hereafter ordered, judged or determined to be Hereſie by the high Court of Parliament in this Realme, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CLERGY IN THEIR CONVOCATION. Fourthly, that I did not alter or raſe out thoſe paſſages, but onely left them to the Doctors owne conſideration, who thereupon of himſelf amended and left them out.

To this was replied, Firſt, that Doctor Potter writ to him onely to correct or alter by his ſervant Master Dell or others, any thing in his Booke OFFENSIVE Reply. TO HIM: To which he returned this anſwer; I have done that which you have ſo deſired, &c. So as theſe very paſſages againſt the Pope and Papiſts were offenſive to him, as well as to them; at which (as it ſeems by the Doctors Letter) he had formerly taken ſome offence, elſe why ſhould he thus write to him, to alter and correct any thing in his Booke offenſive to his GRACE? It ſeemes by this, that whatever offended the Pope or Papiſts (be it but an harſh expreſſion) offended his Grace too, who was all for Charitable expreſſions towards them, who are ſo uncharitable towards us.

Secondly, for the expreſſions themſelves: The firſt of them is not ſo harſh, as true and fitting, ſince Papiſts not onely beleeve the Pope, See Auguſtinus Triumphus Bellarmini, & others paſſim. but beleeve in him too; [Page] viz. That his Expoſition of Scripture is infallible; that he cannot erre in his chaire; that this Lord God the Pope, cannot onely pardon ſinnes, and releaſe ſoules out of purgatory at his pleaſure, but infallibly ſave all ſuch who adhere to, beleeve in, and truſt upon him for ſalvation. The latter of them, the Idol of Rome, is a proper Periphraſis or Character of the Pope himſelfe, who is there See Morney his Myſtery of Iniquity. idolized, adored ſundry wayes.

Thirdly, the deleting his expoſition on Matth, 18. 17, 18. upon the reaſon rendred by him, is both derogatory and deſtructive to the Eccleſiasticall Juriſdiction of Parliaments, in Eccleſiaſticall cauſes and affaires, which See Truth triumphing over Falſhood. our Parliaments have alwayes judged, ſetled, establiſhed in all Ages, oft times without, yea againſt the Clergies conſent, the Convocation onely propounded, adviſed, and ſubmitted wholly to the Parliaments judgement: Yea, our Parliaments have made Lawes concerning Hereſie, its puniſhment, and matters of Religion, ſometimes without the Clergies conſent, as it is evident by the Statutes of 25 Hen. VIII. c. 14. 28 Hen. VIII. c. 10. 35 Hen. VIII. c. 5. 1 Edw. 6. c. 1. 2. & 12. with others: Sometimes upon their Petition and earneſt requeſt, as 5 Ric. II. c. 5. 2. Hen. IV. c. 15. (repealed, though never truly a Statute, ſince the Commons never conſented to them) 2 Hen. V. c. 7. Sometimes by their requeſt and advice too, as 31 Hen. VIII. c. 14. 34 Hen. VIII. c. 1. 1 k 2 Ph. & Mary, c. 6. As for the Statute of 1 Eliz. c. 1. it no wayes inferres, that the Parliament it ſelfe cannot adjudge or determine any Eccleſiaſticall matters without the aſſent of the Clergy in the Convocation (for then they had never caſt our Popery and the Popes uſurped authority which the Clergy ſtill maintained, nor wrought any reformation of Religion in our preſent or former Parliaments) but onely Enacts, That the High Commiſſioners ſhall adjudge nothing to be Hereſie, not formerly reſolved to be ſo (as this Act expreſſeth) but what the Parliament ſhall adjudge [...]rder and determine to be Hereſie by aſſent of the Clergie in their Convocation; from whence no argument can be deduced, but this Nonſequitur; The High Commiſſioners can judge no new opinion to be, nor puniſh it as Hereſie, unleſſe the Parliament of England firſt adjudge it to be Hereſie with the aſſent of the Clergy in Convocation, by the expreſſe proviſion of this Act: Ergo, the Parliament can make no Eccleſiaſticall Lawes, meddle with no Church affaires, nor determine ought to be Hereſie unleſſe the Clergy in Convocation firſt aſſent thereto. Pretty incoherent Logick, and Anti-parliamentary Divinity.

Fourthly, that Doctor Potter himſelfe voluntarily corrected them upon his Letter, appeares not; but if he did, it was to pleaſe this Archbiſhop, in deleting thoſe paſſages which he ſignified to be diſpleaſing to him, the better to obtaine the Prebendary he ſued for to him in this Letter: Wherefore theſe purgations muſt reſt ſtill upon his ſcore.

To the Popiſh Alterations and Delections, under his owne hand made in the SCOTTISH COMMON-PRAYER BOOKE, which the Commons deſired to preſſe, he pleaded the ACT OF PACIFICATION AND OBLIVION, againſt the very reading of them: Whereupon they did forbeare, and wave the reading of them for the preſent, though cleane out of the ACT, alleaging onely, that this Plea of his was a plaine confeſſion of his Guilt.

The fifth ſort of purgations Page 252, 253, 254. objected to me are thoſe in SIR ANTHONY HUNGERFORDS Books, which DOCTOR BAAR my Chaplaine would Obje. 5. have expunged: Of which SIR EDWARD HUNGERFORD his Sonne complained to me, as he depoſeth, after he had expoſtulated with my Chaplaine, who would croſſe them out, or not licenſe the Bookes: Whereupon I told him, I having many other imployments had trusted my CHAPLAINES with thoſe things, which I wholly referred to them, therefore what they thought fit to leave out, you muſt Submit to: And thereupon would not redreſſe his Grievance herein.

To this I Anſwer, Firſt, that if there were any Errour herein, it was [Page] not mine but my Chaplaines, ſince dead, who if he were alive, and might have been heard to ſpeake for himſelfe, would doubtleſſe have given a good account and reaſon to your Lordſhips, why he thought theſe paſſages unfit to be printed. Saint Augustine ſaith, that oft times infinite harme did accrew to the Church, per temerarios veritatis aſſertatores; and every Treatiſe written againſt Papiſts is not ſo ſatisfactory, but that it may prove ſo diſadvantagious to the Cauſe, as to be unfit to be printed: It may be theſe were ſuch; however, God be thanked, the Books were printed with thoſe paſſages in them, and ſo no harme done by my Chaplaine. Secondly, for my anſwer to Sir Edward; it was true, I had ſo many publick buſineſſes then upon me, that I had no leiſure to peruſe Books for the Preſſe, and thereupon referred that truſt wholly to my Chaplaines; therefore if they offended, they onely muſt anſwer for it, not I: and ſhould I herein controll what my Chaplaines had done in this kind, it would have ſo diſcouraged them, that none of them have undertaken the office of a Licenſer afterwards: Beſides, I ſhould have been perpetually troubled with clamours againſt that which my Chaplaines thought fit to be blotted out of Books tendred to them to be licenſed, for them every man would have appealed from them to me in this kind, ſo as I ſhould have had no quiet.

To this was replied, Firſt, that we have formerly proved at large, that his Chaplaines errours and delinquencies in this kind are his owne, becauſe the care Reply. of licenſing Books was originally veſted in himſelfe, and they were but his entruſted ſervants, for whom he muſt be reſponſible at his perill; and the rather in this caſe, becauſe he confeſſeth his Chaplaine is dead and cannot be puniſhed for it, who if alive, could give no reaſon for not licenſing thoſe Books, unleſſe theſe paſſages againſt popery were expunged; but onely this, that it was by his Lords owne ſpeciall directions, who would ſuffer no harſh paſſages againſt popery or Papiſts to paſſe our Preſſes unexpunged; as appeares by thoſe himſelfe purged out of Doctor Sibthorps Sermon, the Prayer for the Faſt, Doctor Potters Treatiſe; and that himſelfe was every way as Popiſh, as good a friend to Popery as his Grace. Secondly, for Saint Augustines ſaying, we approve it, confeſſing, that every Pamphlet weakly written againſt Popery is not fit to paſſe the Preſſe: But this concernes not thoſe two Treatiſes, written by a converted Papiſt of eminent rank, with excellent ſolidity, judgement, learning, which muſt not be licenſed; not upon any pretext of weakneſſe or want of ſolidity in them (never ſo much as once objected;) but onely becauſe Sir Edward Hungerford would not condiſcend that the forecited clauſes againſt the Pope and Popery (ſome of them taken out of Popiſh Authors themſelves) ſhould be expunged out of his Fathers Works, to martilate them. That theſe Books were ſince printed without thoſe purgations, is no thanks to the Archbiſhop nor his Chaplaine, who would not licenſe them vnleſſe firſt purged, and the licenſing of them without ſuch purgations by others, proves ſtrongly, that there was no juſt grounds of purging them, but onely [...] gratifie the Pope and popery. Fourthly, we beleeve his anſwer true, that he intruded himſelfe out of a polypragmaticall humour into ſo many ſecular imployments, as he had little time to peruſe Books or preach the Goſpell; but this is only his crime, not his excuſe: However, ſince he could find ſo much leiſure upon all occaſions to perſecute godly Miniſters, ſuppreſſe Orthodox Books, Lectures, Prayers, advance Arminianiſme, Popery, and popiſh deſignes, he might by like reaſon have found out time enough to have peruſed theſe ſmall Treatiſes or at leaſt the clauſes excepted againſt by his Chaplaine upon Sir Edward Hungerford's complaint, being a Gentleman of quality and fortune. Fiftly, the latter part of his anſwer proves, that it was altogether bootleſſe for any man to complaine to him of his Chaplaines abuſes in purging out paſſages againſt Popery, and that he was reſolved to heare no complaints of this kind, much leſſe not to redreſſe them: His reaſons rendred for it are moſt abſurd. The firſt is, becauſe this would diſcourage his Chaplaines from being Licenſers: It ſeemes by this [Page] they were ſo really, ſo realouſly popiſh, that they muſt not be checked or controlled in the leaſt kind for purging out ought againſt Popes, Popery, Papiſts, for feare of diſcouragement, no, not by himſelfe; or ſo waſpiſh and ſelf-willed (like himſelfe) that they would fling up their very Office of licenſing, if they might not have their wils, to obliterate what they pleaſed, without any ſuperiour controll: But this is but a pretence, for Doctor Bray himſelfe rendred this as the true reaſon of hie refuſall to licenſe theſe clauſes to Sir Edward; That they would offend thoſe of the Roman Religion, againſt whom no harſh phraſes muſt be uſed, we being now in a faire way to win them (viz. by reconciling our ſelves to them, not them to us) therefore they muſt be either expladed, or the Book left unprinted. The ſecond reaſon is yet more abſurd, taken from his owne caſe and quiet, that he ſhould have been perpetually troubled with imployments and clamours of this nature, &c. It ſeems it was his Chaplaines conſtant practice by his owne direction, to purge out all ſharpe paſſages againſt the Pope, popery, and popiſh Innovations out of new licenſed Books, os elſe the reaſon would not hold; for did they it but rarely, not uſually, he ſhould not have been perpetually diſturbed with ſuch complaints as this of Sir Edwards: But be it ſo or not, yet certainly it was no more then his place and duty required, to heare and redreſſe all juſt complaints of this kind againſt his Chaplains when they did amiſſe, elſe Authors, Stationers, Printers, might be moſt injuriouſly handled by them, without knowing where to complaine or ſeek reliefe; for to whom elſe ſhould they complaine, but unto him, whoſe Chaplaines they were, whoſe place, truſt, they herein executed by his own appointment? Or who elſe ſhould or durſt right them herein if injured, but himſelfe? and if it were no trouble for him to ſpend whole dayes, weeks, yeers, in advancing unlawfull oppreſſive Loane, Monopolies, Projects, Impoſitions, Texes, to oppreſſe the Subjects, contrary to, and inconſiſtent with his Archiepiſcopall function; with what face could he deem it any trouble or vexation to ſpare one hour or two each moneth or yeer in hearing, examining ſuch juſt complaints againſt his Chaplaines, when they ſo groſly offended? This anſwer therefore plainly remonſtrates, that he was inflexibly reſolved his Chaplaines ſhould purge out all notable paſſages againſt the Pope, Popery, and popiſh errours, no doubt by his owne ſpeciall direction given to them: Therefore let who would complaine thereof, he muſt goe without redreſſe, and ſubmit to his Chaplaines pleaſure, elſe his whole Volume muſt goe unlicenſed, be it never ſo uſefull, ſo neceſſary for our Religions juſt defence; which manifeſts the tranſcendent height of his and his Chaplaines reſolutions, their arbitrary, uncontrolable proceedings to ſet up popery without oppoſition, by theſe Purgations.

The fixt purged Book is Doctor Featlies Sermons, ordered by my command (after they were printed by an ancient Licenſe) to be carried to my Chaplain Doctor Obje. 6. Here p. 108. 254. 269. 270 Bray, who gelded out of them divers of the ſmarteſt and moſt maſculine paſſages againſt Popery, Arminianiſme, toleration of Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, and a paſſage againſt Adoration of Images by Papists, taken out of the very Homily againſt the perill of Idolatry; whereof he complained to Sir Edmond Soot, deſiring him to acquaint me with it; who told him, he conceived it would be in vaine, becauſe he thought my Chaplaine had directions from me for what he did, and that I would not alter any thing in this kind done by my Chaplaines.

To this I anſwer: Firſt, that though it be the place and office of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury to have a care what Books are Licenſed, yet Doctor Featly himſelfe Anſwer. (who hath been a Chaplaine and Licenſer of Books under my Predeceſſor) can atteſt, that the Archbiſhop himſelfe did ſeldome or never uſe to peruſe or licenſe Books in perſon, but onely by his Chaplaines. Secondly, theſe purgations were made by my Chaplaine, who is dead and cannot anſwer for himſelfe; not by me: and Doctor Featly never complained to me of them; neither did Sir Edmond Scot ever acquaint me with any complaint the Doctor made to him about [Page] it. Thirdly, though ſome few ſmart Paſſages of this kinde are expunged, mitigated, and left out; yet there are in his Sermons, yea in thoſe very Pages complained of, many ſharpe paſſages againſt Popery left in (two or three whereof he read) as one againſt Prayer to Saints, p. 787. where he compares the Papiſts with the Baalists, p. 808. where he avers, that the Pope is Antichriſt; and p. 810. where he cals the Pope, the whore of Babylon. Therefore theſe could not be thought to be croſſed out in favour of Papiſts and Popery, but becauſe the expreſſions in them were ſuch as might give juſt occaſion of diſtaſte. Fourthly, I ſhall by your Lordſhips favour demand of Doctor Featly himſelfe two queſtions, and deſire his anſwer to them. Firſt, Whether when he was a Licenſer in my Predeceſſors time, it was not uſuall for his Chaplaines to qualifie or raſe out ſome unfitting expreſſions when they ſaw cauſe, out of Books tendered to them to licenſe? and whether they were not liable to cenſure, if any ſuch eſcaped them, upon complaint? Secondly, Whether himſelfe, ſince the ſitting of this Parliament, hath not written a Book, afterwards licenſed? and whether the Licenſer did not alter and blot ſomething out of it? what was it, and who did it?

To which ſodaine queſtions the Doctor being commanded by the Lords to give an anſwer; replyed to the firſt Queſtion; That he and his fellow-Licenſers did ſometimes uſe to qualifie or obliterate ſome paſſages ſavouring of Puritaniſme, or in favour of it, (eſpecially after the burning of Doctor Mockets Booke, for which the Licenſer was reprehended) and that himſelfe was once queſtioned before King James for a Booke licenſed, about a paſſage concerning the calling of the Jewes, and for Maſter Eltons Booke upon the Commandements, ſavouring of Puritaniſme; but he never knew in his time of any Paſſages againſt the Papiſts, Popery, Arminianiſme, or the like, expunged out by Archbiſhop Abbot, or his Chaplaines; nor any one queſtioned for licenſing any ſuch, but rather encouraged, till of late times. To the ſecond, he confeſſed that he and Maſter Rouſe did joyntly write and publiſh a Booke fince this Parliament, intituled Ʋertumnus Romanus, and that Maſter Rouſe cauſed him to ſtrike out a Paſſage in it that was ſomwhat ſharpe againſt the Separatists, which he did at his deſire. Whereupon the Archbiſhop urged, that then he hoped his Chaplaines might have the ſame liberty to croſſe what they thought fitting out of the Books they licenſed, though it were againſt Popery.

To this was anſwered: Firſt, that by Queene Elizabeths Injunctions, Numb. 51. The Archbiſhops of Canterbury, York & Biſhop of London themſelves (not their Chaplains) Reply. are appointed to Licenſe Books, and trusted with this charge: which they perſonally performed, as appeares by ſundry Entries of Books licenſed by them in the Stationers Register of Entries: And why their Succeſſours in theſe dayes ſhould not perſonally licenſe Books and diſcharge this truſt, as well as their Predeceſſours, making [...] of their Chaplains onely for their aſſiſtance, to report the ſubſtance of the [...] unprinted to them, no reaſon can be given, but either their careleſneſſe, [...], or overmuch intermedling with ſecular affaires, no wayes concerning or beſeeming them. Secondly, that his Chaplaine made theſe Purgations, not himſelfe, is no excuſe, ſince he did it by his ſpeciall command and direction, as Sir Edmond Scots words, and Doctor Featlies teſtimony evidence. Thirdly, his Chaplains death is no excuſe of his own guilt. That Doctor Featly complained not to him of theſe Purgations, is no excuſe; for if he had, Sir Edward Hungerfords example, his owne anſwer to him then, his preſent expreſſions at the Barre now, and Sir Edmond Scots words to Doctor Featly clearly prove, it had been bootleſſe and he remedileſſe; Legem ſibi dixerat ipſe, he was reſolved to admit and redreſſe no complaints of this nature againſt his Chaplaines. Fourthly, the permitting of ſome Paſſages againſt Popery to ſtand in the Doctors Sermon, is an aggravation of his Chaplaines crime in purging out others of the ſame nature; for why ſhould not all ſtand as well as ſome, eſpecially that againſt Popiſh worſhiping of Images taken verbatim out of our Homilies there quoted, and the very words [Page] of the Scriptuze it ſelfe againſt conniving at Popiſh Seducers to Idolatry? Indeed thoſe that remained are more generall; theſe obliterated more particular, ſharpe, piercing, and more concerned our preſent times, practiſes; therefore leſſe reaſon to be expunged. Fiftly, theſe expunctions out of the Doctors Sermons were ſo many that the Printer was enforced to new print ſome 16. or 18. ſheets in folio, to his great prejudice. That thoſe Paſſages he cites eſcaped their purgation, was becauſe the Booke being large, they paſſed undiſcerned till after its publication, elſe doubtleſſe the Archbiſhop and his Chaplaines would have croſſed them out in Doctor Featlies Sermons, as well as in Doctor Sibthorps, or in Doctor Potters, Biſhop Hals owne Booke, Doctor Jones and Doctor Clerke; and not have permitted his Brother Pontiffe of Rome, to be ſtiled Antichriſt, and the whoore of Rome, and his Prieſts compared unto Baalists. Sixtly, Doctor Featlies teſtimony is a very ſtrong evidence againſt the Archbiſhop; for before his time, there were never any ſuch Purgations made, but onely of Paſſages in favour of Puritaniſme, nor any Books queſtioned, or Paſſages deleted that were againſt the Pope, Popery, Arminianiſme, Jeſuits, Seminary Prieſts, or Papiſts, which the Archbiſhop and his Chaplaines firſt introduced. As for his Vertumnus Romanus, being joyntly written by Maſter Rowſe and himſelfe; it was juſt that Maſter Rowſe ſhould have liberty to croſſe out by the Doctors conſent any paſſage he diſliked, and the Doctor conſented to have this deleted; this Paſſage therefore not being obliterated by any Licenſer, but by the Authors themſelves by joynt conſent, and being not againſt Popery or Papiſts, but Separatiſts onely (who profeſſe the ſame Doctrine with us, and were then ready to joyne with us in one way of Worſhip, of Government) is no extenuation or juſtification of his and his Chaplaines purging this Doctors Booke ſo groſely as they did of Paſſages againſt the Pope, Popery and Arminianiſme.

The next Purgations Here p. 254. 255. objected, were made in Doctor Clerks, Doctor Jones, and Maſter Obje. 7. Wards Books, by Doctor Heywood, Doctor Baker, Doctor Weeks.

To this I anſwer: Firſt, that there are divers ſharpe Paſſages yet remaining in Doctor Clerkes Sermons againſt Papiſts: that they were licenſed part of them by Anſwer. Doctor Weekes (none of mine but the Biſhop of Londons houſhold Chaplain) and part of them by Doctor Heywood my Chaplain: That Maſter White diſtinguiſhed not what Sermons were Licenſed by the one, what by the other. Beſides, Maſter White is but a ſingle witneſſe. Secondly, Doctor Jones his Commentary on the Hebrewes was licenſed and purged by Doctor Baker, the Biſhop of Londons Chaplaine, and Maſter Wards Booke by Doctor Weeks, not by me or my Chaplaines; therefore they concerne me not.

To this was replyed: Firſt, that the moſt pungent and pregnant Paſſages in Doctor Clerkes Sermons againſt the Popes Authority, tyranny, pride, Jeſuits, Reply. Prieſts, Papiſts, Arminians, Arminianiſme, Popery and Popiſh errours, are [...] tally wiped out by the Licenſers, and very few ſuch eſcaped their ſpunge [...] leaving therefore of a few inconfiderable Paſſages againſt them unexpung [...] [...] no more excuſe the obliterating of the reſt; then a thiefes leaving of a true mans cloathes on his backe, or ſparing his life, will juſtifie or extenuate the taking away of his purſe, or the leaving a few Cottages ſtanding excuſe the burning of a whole City beſides. That Doctor Weekes and Doctor Heywood joyned in expunging theſe Sermons, proves their confederacy onely, not leſſens but aggravates their iniquity. As for Doctor Weekes he was his owne Chaplaine as well as the Biſhop of Londons, as appeares by his owne hand and Diary; therefore he muſt anſwer for his miſdemeanours in this kinde, for purging both Doctor Clorkes Sermons and Maſter Wards Commentary: For Doctor Baker, he was his owne great favourite, advanced by him to a Prebendary, as appeares by the Docquet Booke; Therefore his Index Expurgatorius on Doctor Jones his Commentary (proceeding doubtleſſe from this Archbiſhops antecedent directions) muſt remaine upon his ſcore, notwithſtanding all his ſhifting evaſions. To the particular paſſages purgged [Page] out of theſe Authors, he returned no anſwer at all; onely by theſe his ſeverall anſwers to theſe Purgations, all the world may clearly diſcover his ſhameleſſe impudence and Popery in juſtifying them, his brain-ſick folly in his extenuations of them, his palpable Romanizing in practiſing many of them himſelfe, and the whole weight of all the Branches in this charge falling heavily upon him, notwithſtanding all his ſhifts to ward them off.

The twelfth charge Page 349. objected againſt me is, my connivance at the importation of popiſh Books, and reſtoring them to the owners, when ſeized by the Cuſtomers Object. 12. and Searchers, contrary to the Statute of 3. Jacobi e. 5.

To this I anſwer, I never connived at their importation, and that the reſtoring of them when ſeized, was not by any direction of mine, but by order of the High Anſwer. Commiſſion Court.

To which was replied, Firſt, that he doth not ſo much as once alleage, he ever gave any order for ſeizing any Popiſh Books imported, whereas the Cuſtomers, Reply. Searchers, Purſivants, and other Officers had ſtrict Warrants and ſpeciall Commands from him to ſeize all imported Bibles with Notes, with all Books ſavouring any way of Puritaniſme, as he deemed it, or tending againſt Arminianiſme and popiſh Innovations. Secondly, he confeſſeth, that popiſh Books when ſeized, were uſually reſtored by order of the High Commiſſion Court to the owners, contrary to the Statute, whereas that Court never reſtored any Bibles with Notes, or Books againſt Arminianiſme or popiſh Innovations ſeized by their order, but burnt them privately, or otherwiſe deſtroyed them. Thirdly, he proves not that any of them were reſtored by Order of Court, whereas Egerton ſweares, that Motterſhead averred, they were reſtored by the Archbiſhops owne order, without the Courts: But be it by order of Court, yet his crime is ſtill the ſame, ſince himſelf ſate Preſident and chiefe Controller in the High Commiſſion, and conſented to theſe Orders, if not commanded them to be made; whereas in duty he ſhould have croſſed them; that Court not daring to make any ſuch Orders of Reſtitution without his conſent, who had ſuch an over-ruling power in it.

The thirteenth particular Here page 349 to 354. objected againſt me is, my advancing of Arminians and Clergy-men ſuperstitiouſly and popiſhly affected, to Biſhopricks, Deaneries, Headſhips Object. 13. of Houſes, Prebendaries, and all other Eccleſiaſticall preferments, yea Chaplainſhips, not onely about my ſelfe, but about his Majeſty, and the Prince: with my encroachments herein upon the Lord Keeper, the Lord High Chamberlaine, Maſter of the Court of Wards and Liveries; and my diſgracing, perſecuting godly Orthodox Miniſters, and keeping them from preferment, for oppoſing Arminianiſme, popery and popiſh Innovations; of both which they have given ſundry particular inſtances, to the chiefe whereof I ſhall returne ſuch anſwers as I am [...]ble in due place.

[...] this I ſhall anſwer ſomething in generall, Firſt, that to my remembrance Anſwer. [...] preferred no ſuch perſons to Biſhopricks, or any Eccleſiaſticall livings and preferments; ſecōdly, if any of thoſe preferred by me were ſuch at the time of their preferments, it was unknown to me; and if they turned ſuch afterwards, I could neither foreſee nor prevent it: Thirdly, on the contrary, I have preferred divers worthy orthodox Miniſters, free from all exceptions; as Maſter Taylor of Clapham, now one of the Aſſembly, Maſter John Downham, Biſhop Hall, and ſundry others.

To which was replied, Firſt, that we had proved the generallity of thoſe he preferred, to be addicted, inclined to Arminianiſme, Popery, or both, and ſo Reply. knowne to be when he advanced them, no doubt to himſelfe better then others, and this their inclination was one chiefe cauſe of their preferment. Secondly, that his preferment of Maſter John Downham and Maſter Taylor, orthodox men, to petty Benefices, and no higher preferments, was but a meer ſtale to blind ſome peoples eyes, or ſtop their mouths, for his advancing of ſo many rotten, corrupt, [Page] popiſh Clergy-men to Biſhopricks, Deanaries, Prebendaries, Arch-deaconries, Maſterſhips of Colledges, and the fatteſt Benefices; but no juſtification nor extenuation of his preferring of ſo many ſuch. Thirdly, for his advancement of Biſhop Hall (viz. from one Biſhoprick to another) it is yet a meer non liquet to us, onely averred not proved by himſelfe; but if true, it was rather to corrupt and draw him over to his party, then preferre him for his owne or the Churches benefit; and how that worthy Prelate hath degenerated, declined ſince, in caſe of Epiſcopacy, the Scottiſh Warres, the new Canons, the Et cetera Oath, popiſh Ceremonies, Innovations of all ſorts, and preſſing the book of Sports upon the Lords day, we have already manifeſted by his owne Letters in part, and the reſidue is ſo experimentally knowne to moſt of his Dioceſſe, that it needs no proofe. However, his preferring of above twelve Judas-Biſhops to one true Apostle, is a grand diſſervice to our Church, our Religion, and no juſtification nor extenuation of his offence therein.

For particulars, the Here page 250 to 256. firſt thing I am charged with, is for advancing Maſter Mountague, Doctor Manwaring, Biſhop Neale, Biſhop Wren, Doctor Lindſey, and Obje. 1. others, to Biſhopricks, men publikly complained againſt, one of them cenſured in Parliament, and diſabled from all preferments in our Church, which was proved by the Docquet Books.

To this I anſwer, Firſt, that Maſter Mountague was not preferred by me to any Biſhoprick, neither is the Docquet Book any good proofe thereof, but he was Anſw. preferred to it by Sir Dudly Carltons meanes; true it is, I was at his conſecration, but that was by command, and I could not refuſe or reſiſt it: Beſides, he was a great Scholler, therefore thought worthy of preferment by the King. Secondly, for Doctor Manwaring, I did not preferre him, but it was his Majeſties pleaſure to beſtow a Deanary, and after that a Biſhoprick on him in regard of his ſufferings for his ſervice, notwithſtanding his ſentence, and he commanded me to conſecrate him, which command I had no power to withſtand or oppoſe, being bound by Law and the duty of my Place to obey it. Thirdly, for Biſhop Neale he was a worthy man, free from Popery and Arminianiſme, who in King James his Reigne, before his preferment to Winchester and York had been preferred to ſundry Dignities, Biſhopricks, and was in office and good eſteem at Court, both with King James and King Charles. Fourthly, For Biſhop Wren, when I firſt preferred him, he was a worthy man, who waited upon his Majeſty when he was in Spaine, and did good ſervice there; if he hath miſdemeaned himſelfe ſince, it is his owne fault, not mine, he is ſtill alive, and muſt anſwer for himſelfe, to the charge and impeachment exhibited againſt him. Fiftly, Doctor Lindſey was a very great Scholler, who deſerved well, neither did I know him to be an Arminian; 'tis true, he was preferred to two Biſhopricks ſucceſſively, but it was by Biſhop Neale, whoſe Chaplaine he was, not by me; there is no Oath nor clea [...] evidence it was by my meanes, the Docquet book being no ſufficient [...] for it mentioned onely the Kings pleaſure and order for it, ſignified by [...] Signet to me, as a ſervant, but not that I was the author of his preferments; the King may ſignifie his pleaſure to the Signet Office by whom he pleaſeth; as for Maſter Smarts teſtimony of him, there were ſome quarrels and differences at Durham, between Maſter Smart and him, which may cauſe him to ſpeak the worſe of him: Maſter Walker ſaith onely, he was reputed a great Arminian, which is no Hereſie. Sixtly, however theſe were affected, yet none can charge me with any Popery or Arminianiſme.

To this was replied, Firſt, that we have as cleerly proved as the Sunne at noon day, that Mountague was protected, advanced by him, and that in contempt of Reply. the Parliament, by his owne Diary, the Docquet Book, Biſhop Mountagues owne Letter of thanks to him for his favour and preferments, which he hath no way anſwered; as for his preferment, that it was by Sir Dudly Carltons meanes, it is but a bare ſurmiſe of his owne, without proofe or colour; and for his preſence [Page] at his conſecration, it was meerly voluntary to countenance him, not by command for ought appeares. Secondly, it appeares moſt cleerly by the Evidence given, that Doctor Manwaring was advanced both to his Deanary and Biſhoprick by his means & recommendations alone, for the diſſervice he had done the Kingdome by thoſe Sermons for which he was juſtly ſentenced in Parliament, and the ill offices he had ſince done our Church, by introducing Stone-Altars, Copes, with other Popiſh Reliques, Ceremonies thereinto; that he was thus advanced and conſecrated a Biſhop by him in direct affront of the Parliaments cenſure, diſabling him from all future preferments, we have fully proved: And whereas he layes the Odium of his preferments onely upon the King to excuſe himſelfe, it is but his owne bare allegation, without any ſhadow of proofe, and that in his owne caſe, for his owne defence, therefore not to be credited: But admit it true, yet ſince himſelfe was preſent at his cenſure in the Lords Houſe, upon the Commons impeachment of him, recorded it in his Diary, and was accuſed for having a finger in his Sermons, and licenſing them for the Preſſe, it was his duty to have acquainted his Majeſty with, and minded him of this his cenſure, diſabling him for ever from all ſuch preferments in our Church, to have oppoſed his preferment, and withſtood his conſecration and Mountagues too; the rather, becauſe every man before any Biſhops conſecration, hath free liberty to put in any juſt exceptions againſt him, there being a publike Inſtrument ſolemnly poſted up in the Arches at Bow, before every Biſhops conſecration (as a neceſſary formality) giving publike notice, That ſuch a one is to be conſecrated the Biſhop of ſuch a Dioceſſe ſuch a day, and ſignifying, that if any perſon can take any juſt exceptions againſt him, and ſhew good cauſe why he ſhould not be conſecrated, he ſhall be heard. In regard whereof, this Archbiſhop ex Officio, might, yea ought to have ſhewed the Lords publike cenſure of Manwaring, as a juſt legall Plea, why he ſhould not be conſecrated a Biſhop (as Maſter Jones the Printer did in a legall way object Biſhop Mountagues Popiſh and Arminian Books, with the proceedings pending againſt him in Parliament for the ſame, is a juſt cauſe why he ſhould not be made a Biſhop, yet he could not be heard nor prevaile therein:) therefore the neglect of this his truſt, duty, contrary to Law, and his recommending, conſecrating him to be a Biſhop, in affront of the Parliaments Judgement which diſabled him, muſt needs be a tranſcendent crime, no wayes mittigated, but aggravated, by his falſe diſloyall excuſes. Thirdly, for Biſhop Neale, he was ever reputed a Popiſh and Arminian Prelate, a perſecutor of all orthodox, godly Miniſters, a preferrer of popiſh Arminian Clergymen, making choyce of ſuch for his Chaplaines, for ſuch a one was he accuſed to his Majeſty by the Houſe of Commons in their Remonſtrance Anno 1628. and complained of in ſundry Parliaments before his advancement to Winchester or Yorke: For his pretended worth, all the Court knew very well he had little worth or learning in him, being unable to preach, write, diſpute, not preaching once in a dozen yeers or more: For his preferments and Court-offices, they were gained, maintained by flattery, ſymony, and his baſe temporizing ſervility, he ſerving as a ready Inſtrument upon all occaſions to introduce anypopiſh Innovaſions in the Church, and ſet on foot any oppreſſing projects in the State: Therfore his preferment of ſuch an ill Inſtrument (who firſt advanced and brought this Arch-Prelat into favour at Court) is no wayes excuſable. Fourthly, Doctor Wren was before his advancement to a Biſhoprick, a profeſſed Arminian, a ſuperſtitious, popiſh, diſſolute, impious, corrupt Clergy-man, and ſo reputed by all; therefore a fit Chaplaine to promote the Spaniſh Match and Deſigne, to ſeduce his Majeſty, when in Spaine, from our Religion; and his tyrannicall, ſuperſtitious, popiſh proceedings ſince he was made Biſhop, have more fully diſcovered what he was before: All or moſt of which being in purſuance of the Archbiſhops Inſtructions, Injunctions to him (as his Annuall Account of his proceedings to him evidence) himſelfe who promoted him and them, muſt be more guilty of, and reſponſible for them, then Wren himſelfe, who yet may ſuffer for them in due [Page] time. Fiftly, Doctor Linſeys ſchollerſhip is not in queſtion, but his Arminian, popiſh inclination and opinions, which were ſo much the more dangerous, by reaſon of his great reputed learning and ſchollerſhip; the greateſt Schollers, if unſound, being the moſt pernicious ſeducers, and unfitteſt to be preferred of all others: That he was promoted by Biſhop Neales meanes, is a bare allegation of his owne without proofe; that himſelfe preferred him is cleere by the Docquet Booke; how much he was tainted with Popery and Arminianiſme, Maſter Smart and Maſter Walker have depoſed upon Oath, and his preſumption in bringing Sancta Clara to him, even when he was about to publiſh his Book, to acquaint him with his perſon and deſigne of reconciling us thereby to the Church of Rome, (which himſelfe records under his owne hand) is a ſufficient confirmation of their teſtimony and his intimacy with him, after which he yet preferred him; For Maſter Smarts quarrell with him at Durham, it was onely for his Arminianiſme, popiſh Tenets, and Innovations there broached, introduced, and ſo his teſtimony the more credible, he then complaining againſt him in Parliament for it; for the Docquet Booke, it is not ſimply, that the King ſignified his pleaſure by this Archbiſhops for Doctor Linſeys, and thoſe others preferments, but that it was by Order from the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, therefore no doubt by his procurement, conſent and approbation, who had engroſſed the ſole diſpoſall of all preferments Eccleſiaſticall. Sixtly, to that he objects, that however theſe were affected, yet none can object any Arminianiſme or Popery to him: We reply, that his conſtant advancing and favouring of ſuch perſons, is a very ſtrong evidence of his inclination to both; and our evidence already produced to prove it, is ſo full, that it unavoidably manifeſts him guilty in the higheſt Degree of both. Finally, he gives no anſwer to the other popiſh and Arminian Biſhops preferments by himſelfe, and ſo confeſſeth it.

The ſecond thing I am Here p. 350. charged with, is the preferring of Doctor Potter and Obje. 2. Doctor Jackson, both Arminians, and Popiſh Doctor Coſins to Deanaries.

I anſwer, Firſt, that Doctor Potter was a learned man, an there was no proofe Anſwer. he is an Arminian, but by hear-ſay. Secondly, for Doctor Coſins, I named foure to the King for the Deanary of Peterborough, whereof he was one, and the King pitched upon him by reaſon of his poverty and loſſes by the Scots. Thirdly, for Doctor Jackson, he was a learned man and honeſt, for which cauſe I did prefer him.

To which was replied, Firſt, that we proved directly Doctor Potter was a profeſſed Arminian, by Doctor Featlies teſtimony, and ſo known, reputed to be by all Reply. in the Univerſity of Oxford, ſo as none can deny it; yea he preferred him as he was thus inclined, not as a learned man; his learning making him onely capable of doing more miſchiefe in propagating his Arminian errours. Secondly, that he recommended Doctor Coſins to the King, and th Deanary, is cleer by the Docquet Book and his own confeſſion; that he put any other in competition with him▪ Is uncertaine: Aowever, he carried the Deanary by his recommendation; and for him to advance a perſon ſo popiſh, ſo ſuperſttitious, ſo infamous, ſo oft complained againſt in Parliament for popery, as this Doctor was, who had done ſo much miſchiefe in our Church, upon any pretext, was, no doubt, a grand offence. Thirdly, Doctor Jacksons civill converſation and learning, made his errous and preferment more dangerous, more pernicious; his Arminian errours, not his Learning or Honeſty being the ground of his advancement to this dignity, and of thoſe other Deanes preferments, to which he hath given no anſwer.

The third thing Here p. 336. 337. Anſw. objected againſt me, is my encroachment upon the Lord Chamberlaines Office, and preferring Popiſh and Arminian Chaplains in ordinary Object. 3. to the King and Prince.

For this, I deny I did ever encroach upon the Lord Chamberlaines Office, or that I preferred any ſuch Chaplaines in ordinary to the King or Prince, neither is [Page] there any proofe that they were preferred by me; as for Doctor Heylin he was preferred by the Earle of Danby, Doctor Coſins by the Archbiſhop of Yorke, Doctor Baker by the Biſhop of London, Doctor Pocklington and the reſt, by I know not whom; as for Doctor Weekes he was none of my Chaplaine, but the Biſhop of Londons, and by him preferred.

To which was replied, Firſt, that Maſter Oldſworth expreſly depoſed, and the Earle of Pembroke himſelfe averred the contrary, that he encroached on the Lord Reply. Chamberlaines Office, and preferred theſe Chaplaines to the King. Secondly, that many of them were his owne Chaplaines, therefore doubtleſſe ſpecially recommended to the King by himſelfe, and no other. Thirdly, the King entruſting him with all Eccleſiaſticall affaires and preferments, no man elſe but himſelfe could preferre any to be Chaplaines to the King, but by his approbation or aſſiſtance firſt obtained; yea, no other perſon durſt encroach upon the Lord Chamberlaines Office in this kind but he. Fourthly, we ſhall prove Doctor Weekes to be his owne Chaplaine, by a Catalogue of his Chaplaines, written with his owne hand, affixed to the end of his Diary, which was produced and read; in which Catalogue Doctor Weekes his name was found Regiſtred among others of his Chaplaines; therefore his impudency and falſhood in denying it, was moſt intolerable: Hereupon the Archbiſhop being ſo confounded, that he could not deny it; confeſſed he was his Chaplain, but he had quite forgotten it, by reaſon he lived at London-houſe, and was that Biſhops houſhold Chaplaine, which the Commons Counſell ſaid, was a very poore excuſe for ſo palpable, ſo groſſe an untruth, averred with ſo much confidence.

The fourth thing Here p. 359. objected againſt me is, my preferring of Arminians, and perſons popiſhly affected, in the Univerſities; as Doctor Jackson and others in Obje. 4. Oxford, Doctor Martin in Cambridge, and Maſter Chapple in Ireland.

I anſwer; Firſt, that Doctor Jackson was a learned man, and honeſt, and for ought I know orthodox. Secondly, Doctor Martin was my houſhold Chaplain Anſwer, for a time, but not knowne to me to be an Arminian. Thirdly, Maſter Chapple had a great name in the Univerſity of Cambridge for a great Scoller, which made me preferre him; what he did maintaine in Ireland is but by hear-ſay, ſince I preferred him, and there was no complaint ever made to me againſt him, by Doctor Hoyle or any other.

To which was replied; Firſt, that he anſwered not to the maine charge, againſt him, in making ill Vice-Chancellours as well as Heads of houſes in Oxford: Reply. To that to which he offers an anſwer, we give this Reply; that Doctor Jackson was a profeſſed Arminian, though learned and honeſt, therefore no fit man to be Preſident of ſo famous a Colledge as Corpus Christi. Secondly, that Doctor Martin was a profeſſed Arminian, and declared himſelfe ſo by licenſing Arminian Books, and maintaining Arminian errous in his Sermon at Pauls-Croſſe when he was his owne houſhold Chaplaine; all which was knowne and complained of to himſelfe; therefore unfit to be made Maſter of a Colledge in Cambridge, or any other of his ſtraine, to which he gives no anſwer. Thirdly, that Maſter Chapple had a great name in the Univerſity of Cambridge and in London is true, but it was onely for a moſt dangerous Arminian, who leavened the whole Colledge wherein he lived, and many of the Univerſity with his peſtilent errors; therefore a moſt unfitting man for him to make Provoſt and chiefe Governour of the Ʋniverſity and Colledge in Dublin, where Doctor Hoyle expreſly depoſeth, that he broached not onely Arminian, but dangerous Popiſh Errours, of which it was in vaine to complaine to the Archbiſhop, who advanced and countenanced him herein.

The fift Pa. 359, 360 objection is, my encroachment upon the Lord Keepers and Maſter of the Wards Rights, of preſenting to the Kings livings, with my preferment of Object. 5. divers Arminians, and perſons popiſhly affected to Prebendaries and Benefices of beſt value; as Doctor Heylin, Doctor Weekes, Doctor Baker, Doctor Bray, Doctor Heywood, and others.

[Page] To this I anſwer; Firſt, that I encroached not upon either of their rights: True it is, there being a difference between the Lord Keeper Coventry and the Lord Anſwer. Cottington, Maſter of the Court of Wards, about the preſentation towards livings in the Kings gift; I took occaſion thereupon to informe his Majeſty, that till the controverſie were decided between them, he might doe well to diſpoſe of theſe livings himſelfe, for the encouragement and reward of ſuch young Schollers that went to Sea as Chaplaines in his Ships, who had nothing to live on after their returne from Sea, till they went forth againe; which motion the King approving of very well, committed the diſpoſing of theſe livings accordingly to my charge, without my deſire or ſuit. Secondly, I diſpoſed of livings to divers good and orthodox men, as to Doctor Jackson of Canterbury, and others, as well as to the perſons objected, who were not all preferred by me; for Doctor Heylin was promoted to his livings by the Earle of Danby, Doctor Baker and Doctor Weekes were preferred by the Biſhop of London.

To which was replyed; Firſt, that moſt of the living belonging to the Lord Keeper, and Master of the Wards, were beſtowed by him, of which both of them oft Reply. complained; therefore he encroached upon both, which none of his Predeceſſors did: For thoſe belonging to the Maſterſhip of the Wards, he confeſſeth he diſpoſed of them by the Kings appointment, but that it was upon the pretended occaſion, without his ſeeking or deſire (though occaſioned onely his motion) we know not how to credit his bare word, without better evidence, who hath had the impudency to deny his owne hand-writing very often ſince his Tryal, and afterwards been enforced to confeſſe it. Secondly, his collation of Livings upon orthodox good men are ſo few, that he names but one [Doctor Jackson of Canterbury] and that when he had ſo farre prevailed upon his weakneſſe, by a new Cathedrall Statute and Oath, as to induce him to Bow to the Altar, &c. as frequently as other Prebends (which he hath depoſed) to his great ſhame, and re-greet ſince; this one Swallow therefore will prove no Spring, no proofe of his ordinary preferring orthodox godly men to livings, which he commonly beſtowed on the moſt rotten Arminians and popiſh Clergy-men he could cull out. Thirdly, the Docquet Booke is expreſſe, that Doctor Heylin was promoted to his livings and Prebendary by himſelfe, not by the Earle; that Doctor Baker and Weekes too were preferred by him, not by the Biſhop of London; and Weekes being his owne Chaplaine, and Baker made a Prebend of Canterbury (where no man durſt interpoſe but he) no doubt they were both preferred by him, as the DOCQUET witneſſeth on Record, againſt his impudent Deniall, without other proofe or truth.

The fixt Objection is, that I uſurped to me the conferring of moſt Biſhopricks and Eccleſiaſticall preferments in Ireland. Objection 6.

I anſwer; firſt, that I preferred none there, but at the requeſt of the Primate of Armagh, and others of that Kingdome, who firſt recommended them to me Anſw. by their Letters. Secondly, that I was a meanes, at their requeſt, to recover the Patrimony of the Churches in that Kingdome, which had been long defrauded of it; to reſtore Impropriations, and increaſe the Revenues of Biſhopricks and Church-livings there, for the encouragement of Learning, and better maintenance of Preaching; in which regard, they were deſirous I ſhould be acquainted with the perſons they thought meet to have recommended to them. This appears by the ſubſtance of moſt of the Letters that paſſed between the Lord Primate and other Biſhops of Ireland and me.

To which was replied: Firſt, that we inſtanced in his beſtowing Biſhopricks, Deaneries and other Church-preferments in Ireland, onely to demonſtrate the Reply. Papall uſurpation, and Patriarchicall Juriſdiction he there encroached even whiles he was Biſhop of London; and to evidence his power in diſpoſing of all Eccleſiaſtical preferments then at home, ſince he diſpoſed of theſe in Ireland, where he had no Epiſcopall or Archiepiſcopall Juriſdiction. Secondly, that moſt of thoſe he there preferred, were never recommended from thence, though ſome of them perchance [Page] were. Thirdly, that although the recovery of the uſurped depopulated Patrimony of that Church in Ireland was a commendable worke, if done in a Legall way; yet to recover it, per fas & nefas, as he did it, by the meere arbitrary power of the Lord Deputy & Councell Table there, by oppreſſing, ruining, diſpoſſeſſing men of what they had lawfully purchaſed againſt their wils, without any conſideration or legall proceeding, was a moſt unjuſt and wicked act. Fourthly, juſtly to recover and get in Impropriations to maintaine Preaching, was a very good worke; had this beene his end; but certainly this was but a meere pretence; for would he, thinke you, ſet up ſincere Preaching in Ireland; who ſuppreſſed it all he could in England? Would he who ſubverted the Feoffees for purchaſing in Impropriations to the Church, to ſupport Preaching and Preaching Miniſters in England, recover and get in Impropriations to the Church in Ireland, to ſupport Preaching and Preaching Miniſters there? No verily: He did it onely to maintain the Pompe, Power, Pride, State of the Prelates and Clergy there; as he did in England; not to maintain, or ſet up godly Preaching Miniſters, which he both here and there ſuppreſſed all he could.

The fourteenth thing objected againſt me is, my proſecution and ſevere proceedings Obje. 14. againſt godly Miniſters, for Preaching againſt Arminianiſme, Popery, and its dangerous increaſe among us; as namely againſt Maſter Samuel Ward, Maſter Chauncy and Maſter Bernard.

To this I anſwer; firſt, that theſe perſons Cenſures were the Act of the whole Anſwer. High-Commiſſion (which is but one body aggregate, for whoſe Act no one particular man is liable to be queſtioned, but the whole Court;) not mine alone (as an Act of Parliament is the Act of both Houſes, not of any particular Member) who gave my voyce alwayes laſt, or laſt but one; and ſo could not ſway the Court with my opinion, not knowne to the Court till I delivered it, after all had declared theirs. Secondly, that the Act of Parliament which lately aboliſhed the Star-chamber and High-Commiſſion hath no retroſpect to nullifie the Sentences given in them, but admits them good and valid in Law, not ſubjecting the Judges who gave them to any puniſhment. Thirdly, their Sentences appeared to me to be juſt, upon juſt grounds; and admit the Sentences or Proceedings unjuſt, yet it is but a miſdemenour in others of the Commiſſioners that gave them; therefore no Treaſon in me. Fourthly, the Paſſages and Sermons for which they were Sentenced were, partly Schiſmaticall againſt the laudable Ceremonies of the Church and the Kings Declaration; partly Seditious, to infuſe feares and jealouſies of the increaſe of Popery into the peoples mindes, and caſting aſperſions upon the Governours of the Church; For Maſter Bernards proſecution it was upon the Complaint of Doctor Cumber, Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge. Fiftly, for other Miniſters that were queſtioned, or fled from hence to New-England; they were Non-conformists, queſtioned upon juſt complaints; and moſt of them fled hence, out of a conſciouſneſſe of guilt or of a panick feare, before they were queſtioned or purſued.

To this was replyed; firſt, that we Exod, 23. 2. muſt not follow a multitude to doe evill; and Reply. injuſtice done by a whole Court, is a greater crime in every particular perſon who votes or concurres in it, then if he had done an act of Injuſtice alone; becauſe more dangerous, more inexcuſable, a greater perverting of Juſtice; Pſal. 94. 20. to 24. framing of miſchiefe by a Law, and making the very throne of Justice, a throne of wickedneſſe: Yea, ſince the injuſtice of the whole Court flowes from the injuſtice of each particular Members vote, and is the Act of each particular man who concurres in, or conſents to it, he may no doubt be juſtly cenſured for it; and others concurrence with him will be no excuſe. If twenty men joyne in a Treaſon, Felony, or Treſpaſſe, See Stanfords Pleas, l. 1. c. 44. 45. any one of them may by Law be ſeverally arraigned and condemned for it, as well as all of them together: We have a notable Preſident to prove this in the Judges cenſured and condemned in Parliament in King Richard the ſeconds time, for delivering their opinions contrary to Law againſt the Members of Parliament, and in the Judges [Page] queſtioned, impeached this preſent Parliament for their falſe Judgement given in the caſe of Ship-money; who might have pleaded as well as the Archbiſhop, each for himſelfe, the judgement we gave in theſe caſes was the Act and Judgement of the whole Bench; therefore we ought not to be ſeverally impeached for it; but none of them were ſo inconſiderate, as to make ſuch a childiſh plea, which himſelfe refuſed to admit in the High-Commiſſion in the caſe of the men of Glouceſter, cenſured for granting an Annuity to Maſter Workman their Minister, under the City Seale; an Act of the whole Corporation; yet they were there Sentenced for it in their naturall capacities, as ſingle men. And if this Plea ſhould be admitted, no corrupt Judges in any Court of Juſtice ſhould be ſeverally proceeded againſt for any illegall Judgement or proceedings of the Court, which would be the very bane of publicke Juſtice, and encourage ill Judges to doe what they liſt. Secondly, the objected Act of Parliament leaves the Judgments of both Courts as it found them, neither better nor worſe; and the Judges that gave them in the ſame condition as before, not in a better. If the Judgment be unjuſt, it leaves both them and the Judges, as far forth liable to examination, repeal, cenſure, as formerly; as appeares by divers of them now queſtioned in Parliament for unjuſt Sentences therein given. Thirdly, the Proceedings, Sentences againſt theſe perſons were certainly moſt unjuſt, being onely for Preaching neceſſary Truths; and that which is but a Miſdemeanour in others, ſimply conſiderated as a ſingle offence; may prove high-treaſon in him, being conjoynedwith, and done in purſuit of his other Treaſonable practiſes to ſubvert Religion, Lawes, Liberties, introduce popery & an arbitrary tyrannicall government, which we have fully manifeſted. Fourthly, the paſſages for which they were cenſured, were neither ſciſmatical nor ſeditious, nor ſcandalous, but neceſſary for thoſe ſecure times, to mind the people of the dangerous covert encreaſe of popery, Arminianiſme, and undermining of our Religion, which all now viſibly diſcerne, but few then obſerved; and to ruine godly Miniſters for diſcharging their conſciences, duties, in warning men of thoſe dangers and ſpeaking for the ſafety of that endangered Religion, which we all profeſſe, was a moſt unjuſt and monſtrous miſdemeanour, eſpecially in an Arch-prelat, who ſhould have encouraged, rewarded, advanced them for this their faithfulneſſe: as for the aſperſions pretended to be caſt upon the Governours of the Church therein, they were in truth meer generall cenſures, without particularizing of ſuch who juſtly deſerved them: And it is no calumny, but a neceſſary duty for Miniſters to tell negligent or unfaithfull Prelates of their duties, and reprehend them for their ſupineſſe when they are faulty, as well as other men. For Maſter Bernard and the reſt, they were proſecuted onely by this Archbiſhops own inſtigation: for all the paſſages and proceedings againſt them were found in his ſtudy, endorſed with his own hand; he was the perſon to whom they made their humble addreſſes though without relief, and the only inexorable enemy they met with; their unjuſt cenſures therfore muſt reſt principally on him, who though he voted laſt in their condemnation, yet appeared firſt in their proſecution, and pre-directed their cenſures in private, before they were given in open Court. Fiftly, all the forementioned godly Miniſters were unjuſty moleſted by him, and few fled from hence, but ſuch who were actually proſecuted or threatned with ruine ere they left the Kingdom; moſt of them being then conformable to all Rites and Ceremonies by Law eſtabliſhed in our Church, though not to his popiſh Innovations, Ceremonies, and Book of Sports, againſt our Lawes and their conſciences too: This charge therefore ſtill reſts entirely upon him, notwithſtanding his evaſions.

The fifteenth charge objected againſt me is, my endeavours, practiſes, proceedings to ſuppreſſe preaching, Lecturers, Lectures on Lords-dayes and week-days; Object. 15. and that firſt, by a paper of Conſiderations which I tendred to the King. Secondly, by Inſtructions extracted out of them, and ſent as the Kings, in his name and authority to both the Archiſhops and all Biſhops of the Realm, to be put in ſtrict [Page] execution; by colour whereof many Lectures, Lecturers were ſuppreſſed in my owne Dioceſſe of London, and in other Dioceſſes, eſpecially by Biſhop Mountague, Biſhop Wren, and Biſhop Peice; as appeares by their Articles and proceedings. Thirdly: orders for Combination Lectures. Fourthly, the Kings Letters that none ſhould be ordained without a Title. Fiftly, the ſilencing of Maſter Leigh and others by my own direction and Letters ſigned by me. Sixtly, by ſuppreſſing the Feoffees for Impropriations, alledged to be my act and project.

To this I anſwer; firſt, that theſe Conſiderations were originally drawne by Biſhop Harſnet, not me, who onely tranſcribed them out of his Copy. Secondly, that theſe Inſtructions of the King were before I was made Archbiſhop, and were ſent unto me by my Predeceſſour in the Kings name to be put in execution in my Dioceſſe; whereupon I was bound in duty to ſee them executed, being good and neceſſary; the intent of them being principally to bring all Lecturers to conformity, to ſuppreſſe ſingle Lecturers where there were Preaching Miniſters, to preſerve peace between the Miniſter and people, betwixt whom Lecturers in many places made great contentions, alienating the peoples affections from their Miniſters perſon, Miniſtry, and raiſing divers Schiſmes, to the diſturbance of the Churches peace. As for the Articles, Proceedings and Miſdemeanours of Biſhop Wren, Biſhop Mountague and Biſhop Peirce, they are nothing to me; they muſt anſwer for themſelves. Thirdly, the Orders for Combination Lectures were none of mine, and tended onely to bring men to conformity. Fourthly, the Kings Letter, that none ſhould be made without a Title, was to prevent unworthy Ordinations, agreeable to ancient Canons, and no harme therein. Fiftly, for Maſter Leigh, I received many complaints againſt him, that he was a ſciſmaticall & ſeditious perſon, wherupon I writ thus to my Vicar generall; If you can faſten any thing on him, whereby he may be juſtly cenſured, then to proceed againſt him, and he finding juſt cauſe did ſuſpend him for his non-conformity; ſo as in this I did but diſcharge my duty, and deſerve no blame. Sixtly, as to the Feoffees for impropriations, there was great complaint made to me againſt them, that their end was to take away the right of patronages from the Church to make thoſe Miniſters they preferred independent on the Biſhops, & dependent wholly on them, and to engroſſe moſt Eccleſiaſticall preferments into their own hands, which I conceiving to be true in it ſelfe, and that it would prove miſchievous to the Church, did thereupon by the Kings command, cauſe an Information to be exhibited againſt them, in a legall way, in the Exchequer; where upon a full and faire hearing, they were ſuppreſſed, not by me, but by the Judges of that Court, who gave ſentence againſt them; which ſentence was either legall or illegall, juſt or unjuſt; if juſt and legall, then there was no wrong nor injuſtice at all done in the caſe, and ſo no cauſe of accuſation or complaint againſt me, or thoſe who gave it; if illegall and unjuſt, the Judges who gave the ſentence muſt anſwer for it, not I, who proſecuted them onely in a legall way, and left them to judge according to Law and Juſtice: Beſides, ſome of the profits of the purchaſed impropriations, were beſtowed towards the maintainance of Lecturers at Saint Antholins, contrary to the truſt and intention, and Parſons not wholly conformable to the Church of England were put into ſome of them; therefore I conceived that I did but my duty in queſtioning & ſuppeſſing them as I did: For Doctor Heylins Sermon, it concernes not me, he ſpake therein of the Feoffees, according as he conceived of them, and if any thing be miſtaken he muſt anſwer for it: As for Maſter Foxly, I did onely check him for his forwardneſſe in this work, which I conceived would prove miſchievous to the Church.

To which was replied; Firſt, that the originall draught of theſe Conſiderations was produced under his owne hand; that it was but a tranſcript out of Biſhop Reply. Harſnets Copy, the originall Author of them, is but his owne bare ſurmiſe, without any proofe or colour: But admit Harſnet firſt contrived them, yet he was the onely man that preſented them to the King, and cauſed them to be put [Page] in execution, to the ſuppreſſion of Lecturers, Lectures, preaching; therefore the miſchiefe produced by them muſt reſt on him alone. Secondly, it is true, the Inſtructions were ſent to him by his Predeceſſor Abbot, as from the King; but we have proved, that himſelfe firſt procured, contrived, preſented them to the King, to be put in execution, and cauſed the King to ſend them to Archbiſhop Abbot, to communicate them to all the Biſhops of his Province; and ſo zealous was he in the purſuit of them in his owne Dioceſſe of London, that he ſuppreſſed many Lectures and Lecturers by colour of them; yea, ſuch was his activity in their originall contrivance and ſubſequent execution, that the Deane and Chapter of Canterbury certified all their proceedings on them, not to Archbiſhop Abbot, but to him, being then but Biſhop of London, and complained to him of the Archbiſhops remiſneſſe in ſeeing them duly executed in ſuch ſort as they deſired, as we have fully manifeſted: Therefore all the miſchiefe in ſuppreſſing of Lectures and preaching, by meanes or colour of them, muſt light upon his head, the originall contriver and chiefe proſecutor of them; yea, all Biſhop Wrens, Biſhop Mountagues, and Biſhop Pierces Viſitations Articles, and ſuppreſſions of preaching, Lecturers and Lectures, muſt be attributed to & charged upon him, becauſe they originally ſprang from theſe Injunctions of his contrivance; becauſe he was acquainted with, and countenanced, approved them in all their wicked proceedings, of which they gave a particular annuall account to him in writing, found in his Study under their owne hands, and never checked but animated them in their perſecutions, ſuppreſſions of godly Miniſters, Lectures, Preaching, Et qui non prohibet malum quod poteſt, jubet, is the very reſolution of the Canon Law. Thirdly, the Orders for Combination Lectures, tending to ſuppreſſe or make them meerly ſuperſtitious or ceremoniall uſeleſſe Ordinances, though not made immediately by him, did yet ſpring originally from him, were ſent up to, and not revoked, but approved by him, and Sir John Lambe his creature, and no Biſhops durſt to have made or enjoyned them without his previous approbation or direction; therefore he muſt beare the blame and guilt of them. Fourthly, for the Kings Letter touching Ordination of Miniſters, we have proved it to be his owne (the Originall thereof being penned, corrected by himſelfe) not the Kings, whom he over-reached, abuſed in it: For though the pretence and letter of it ſeemed very faire and neceſſary, yet the intention and execution of it by the Archbiſhop, was moſt impious, deteſtable, to ſuppreſſe Lecturers, Lectures, Preaching, and deter all pious, conſcientious Schollers from the Miniſtery, as we have plentifully manifeſted, to which he hath offered no reply; nor yet to his preſſing of the Book of Sports, for the like purpoſe. Fiftly, for his ſilencing Maſter Leigh and others Lecturers, his anſwer is very defective, ſince he cannot prove him factious or ſciſmaticall, nor yet Maſter Randall, they being known to be orthodox and conformable: The onely crime they were guilty of was, that they were diligent, painfull Preachers, and did much good among the people; and therefore his Letter concerning Maſter Leigh is poſitive, That if nothing can be fastened on him, whereby he may be cenſured; HOWEVER let him not obtaine any licenſe to Lecture there, &c. for the See here p. 381. Church hath not need of ſuch men: And Maſter Randalls fault was onely this, that he preached long Sermons on Sundayes in the afternoon, and for this they muſt be and were ſuſpended from preaching. Sixtly, for the Feoffees to purchaſe in impropriations, it was a moſt pious work, to the great benefit of the Church and peoples ſoules, approved generally by the worſt of men and Biſhops; that the overthrow of it was his owne act and deſigne, we have undeniably proved it by his owne DIARY, and ſundry witneſſes from his owne mouth; that any ever complained to him thereof as dangerous to the Church, is but his owne bare allegation, void of truth; he naming neither the perſons complaining, nor the time of their complaint: That it would introduce a Miniſtery independent on the Biſhops, is a falſe ſurmiſe, ſince none were recommended to officiate or preach at any of the purchaſed Impropriations, but by ſpeciall licenſe of the Biſhops in [Page] whoſe they were, and none were preſented to them but conformable men, free from all juſt exceptions, & if he could juſtly except againſt ought in their proceedings, Maſter White depoſeth, he offered that he himſelfe ſhould rectifie it, ſo as the work might proceed; but this would not content him, but they muſt be ſuppreſſed and criminally proceeded againſt: That he did it in a legall way, is no juſtification nor excuſe, ſince thoſe who work and accompliſh miſchiefe by colour of Law, are worſe then open Tyrants: For the ſentence, no doubt it was moſt unjuſt, and ſo the Earle of Dorſet, who was preſent at it, told the King himſelf, affirming the buying in of Impropriations to be the beſt work that ever was ſet on foot, for the Churches good; his owne beging the Impropriations in Ireland from the Crowne, for the pretended good of the Church, proves it infallibly againſt himſelfe: But that the Judges onely muſt anſwer for this unjuſt ſentence, not he, is a meer Nonſequitur; becauſe the Law reſolves, that Plus peccat Author quàm Actor; and the Judges had never given ſuch an unjuſt ſentence in this cauſe, had not he by his violence, power, fraud, interreſſing the King himſelfe againſt the Feoffees, over-awed, ſwayed the Judges to ſwarve from the rules of Piety and Juſtice: That ſome of the revenues of purchaſed Impropriations were contributed towards the maintainance of Saint Antholins Lecturers, is true; but that it was a miſ-imploying by them contrary to truſt, or that any unworthy or unconformable Miniſters were put into them, is a groſſe falſhood, diſproved by Maſter White upon Oath: However, had it been true, he ſhould then have reformed the abuſe, not utterly deſtroyed the good work, ſo much conducing to Gods glory, and the peoples edification: For Heylins Sermon, it was preſented to, retained, approved, yea himſelfe advanced by him, and no doubt he preached it by his direction: As for Maſter Foxly, he did not onely check, but perſecute, impriſon, and moſt barbarouſly handle him to his undoing, onely for his promoting this pious project, even after he had quite overthrowne it, and openly vaunted of this his wickedneſſe: All which conſidered, each branch of this charge ſticks moſt immovably upon him, notwithſtanding all his evaſions to ſhake it off.

The ſixteenth charge urged againſt me is, That I have endeavoured to cauſe diviſion and diſcord between the Church of England and other reformed Churches, Obje. 16. and endeavoured to ſuppreſſe the Priviledges & Immunities of the reformed Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdome; wherein it was objected: Firſt, that I eſteemed them no Churches of God or Chriſt at all, becauſe they [...]nted Biſhope which they endeavoured to prove by mine owne Conference with Fiſher, Biſhop Hals Propoſitions, approved by me, and Biſhop Mountagues Book, authorized by my Chaplaine. Secondly, that I deemed their Religion and ours not to be one, but different, and their Religion not to be the true Religion: Upon which ground I grew angry with Maſter Ruly, and cauſed the Letters-Patents granted by the King for a Collection for the Palatinate Miniſters, to be revoked after they had paſſed the great Seale, and a clauſe in them to be expunged, to their great injury and ſcandall, as Maſter Wakerly and Maſter Hartlib atteſted. Thirdly, that I cauſed the Declaration of the Faith and Ceremonies of the Palſ [...] Church to be called in and ſuppreſſed. Fourthly, That I moleſted the DUTCH, FRENCH and WALLOONE reformed Churches in England ſundry yeers, and infringed their ancient Priviledges by my Injunctions in divers particulars.

To this I anſwer in generall, that I deny both the Charge and Article, and that I have endeavoured to promote and preſerve peace between the Proteſtant Anſw. Churches abroad, and encouraged Maſter Dury, who was imployed to make a reconciliation between the Calviniſts and Lutherans beyond the Seas, as I could evidence by ſundry of his Letters; therefore I had a good affection to theſe Churches, and no intent to make any diſcord between them: To the objected particulars I anſwer;

[Page] Firſt, that in my Conference with Fiſher, I cite only St Jeroms words, to prove a difference in order and degree, between a Biſhop and ordinary Presbyter, and inferre from his words, as his opinion, not mine; ſo even with him, no Biſhop, no Church. But it hath been objected, that Biſh. Mountagues Book determines expreſly, that there can be no Church without Biſhops, nor Miniſters but ſuch who are ordained by Dioceſian Biſh. diſtinct from an ordinary Miniſter, and that no Miniſter (no not in caſe of neceſſity) can be ordained by any other; therefore the forraign Proteſtant Churches, which have no ſuch Biſhops, and their Miniſters, being not ordained by Biſhops, but other Presbyters, can be no Churches nor Miniſters: I anſwer, that this Book and opinion of his concernes not me, being none of mine but the Authors: Yea, but I maintained and approved the ſame opinion in effect in Biſhop Hals Propoſitions touching Epiſcopacy, to which I endeavoured to procure a generall ſubſcription, preſſing it upon others; and therein I determine, That there was no Church of Chriſt upon earth ever ſince the Apostles times governed otherwiſe then by Biſhops; and that this government is unalterable, and ought to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world: Which doth wholly unchurch all the reformed Churches, and reſolve them to be no Churches of Chriſt. I anſwer, that theſe Propoſitions were ſent me by Biſhop Hall, of his owne accord, that what I did in them was by his conſent, neither were any preſſed to ſubſcribe them, nor they propounded concludingly: And though Epiſcopacy be not alterable, yet it may be regulated: That it is unalterable, Biſhop Bilſon hath proved it long ſince, it continuing ſo in all Churches at leaſt fifteen hundred yeers after Chriſt, and is allowed, approved by the Book of Ordination; yea Maſter Calvin himſelfe on that of John, As my Father ſent me, ſo ſend I you, acknowledgeth the perpetuity of Biſhops in the Church.

Secondly, I deny that I eſteem the Reformed Churches Religion & ours not to be the ſame; true it is, we & they differ in ſome particular points of Doctrin as wel as in Diſciplin; but this makes us not wholly to differ in Religion, nor did I deny their Religion to be true: As for Maſter Ruly, I uſed him very civilly with all reſpect, and promoted the Collection for the Palatinate all I could, having received a Letter from the Queen of Bohemia for that purpoſe: True it is, I cauſed the objected clauſe in the firſt Patent of the Collection to be altered, but it was by the Kings direction, who gave order for it, upon my acquainting him therwith; and I conceive there was ground enough to doe it: Firſt, becauſe ſome of the Palatinate Divines (as Paraus upon the Romans) differed from our Church in ſome points of Doctrine touching the Kings Supremacy, concurring therein with the Papiſts;) for which his Book was here publickly condemned, burnt, and likewiſe in ſome other points,) therefore it could not be properly ſaid that their Religion and ours was the ſame in all particulars: Secondly, it ſeemed to determine a great controverſie between Proteſtant Divines among themſelves, and likewiſe between them and the Church of Rome; whether the Pope be Antichriſt? which was never yet determined by any Councell, and of which there is great doubt and difference in opinion even among the learned: Now I conceived it a very unfitting thing to determine ſuch a doubtfull controverſie definitively by Letters. Patents under the great Seale, which is not yet reſolved in the Schooles. Upon theſe grounds the King thought fit to revoke the Patent, though it were under the Great Seale, which I had no power to recall, but the KING onely.

Thirdly, I deny that I called in the Declaration of the Palſgraves Religion, neither doe I rememeber any ſuch thing: Fourthly, it is true, that I queſtioned the Dutch and Walloone Churches, but not for any ancient Priviledges, but onely for their encroachments beyond their priviledges, to the prejudice of our Engliſh Churches and Pariſhes wherein they lived; yet my Injunctions and proceedings towards them in this kind, were ſo faire and juſt, that they reſted ſatisfied with them, and returned me ſpeciall thanks for my favour towards them and their [Page] Congregations; therefore I much mervaile that this my carriage ſhould be ſo much blamed, as to make it a CAPITALL CRIME and CHARGE againſt me.

To this was replyed in the generall, that the premiſed proofes, with his late military proceedings againſt the Scots, for complying with thoſe Churches in Reply. their Doctrine, Diſcipline, Government, ſufficiently evidence his enmity to, his oppoſition againſt thoſe forraigne Proteſtant Churches, becauſe they had no Biſhops; inſomuch that he blamed Biſhop Hall for dealing ſo mildly with them in his Book for Epiſcopacy, which he ſubmitted to his cenſure, where on the contrary he is ſo zealous of the Popes honour, that he could not but complaine to the King of ſome harſh paſſages in it, beſtowing the Title of Antichriſt on his Holineſſe, and procured a ſpeciall command from his Majeſty to the Biſhop to expunge them, to gratifie the Pope; yea, his purging out the objected clauſe in the Kings Patent, and ſuppreſſing of the Declaration of Palatinate Churches Faith and Religion, argues little affection in him to thoſe Churches, and much inward rancour againſt them, but a very high eſteem of Rome: As for his encouraging of Maſter Dury in his deſigne of reconciling the Calvinists and Lutherans, Maſter Dury undertook this worke without his privity or advice, and found ſo ſmall encouragement from him, that he oft complained thereof to his friends, as we are credibly informed.

To the particulars we reply; Firſt, that in his Conference with Fiſher, he doth not recite, but miſrecite and pervert Saint Jeroms words and opinion; who dogmatically reſolves in his very Epiſtle to Evagrius, which this Archbiſhop quotes, and elſwhere; That Biſhops and Presbyters Jure Divino, are both one and the ſame, as well in Juriſdiction as Office, and that Presbyters have the power of Ordination as well as Biſhops: Therefore his appropriating of the word Sacerdos and Jeroms ſaying, Ʋbi non eſt Sacerdos non eſt Eccleſia; to Dioceſian Biſhops, which he cleerly meanes of Prieſts and Miniſters in generall, is a groſſe perverting of Jeroms meaning; and his inferene thence: So even with him, NO BISHOP and NO CHƲRCH, is only a Declaration of his owne private opinion, not of Jeroms, who held no ſuch Prelaticall Paradox: For Biſhop Mountagues Book, it was licenſed by his Chaplaine, preſented to, received, approved by himſelfe: Biſhop Hals Propoſitions were not onely interlined with, but allowed under his owne hand, as fit for a generall ſubſcription, and now he juſtifies them not onely by Biſhop Bilſons opinion, but likewiſe by Maſter Calvins, as great an enemy to Biſhops as Saint Jerome, whoſe words he wilfully perverts as he did his, in applying that to Dioceſian Biſhops, which he ſpake onely of ordinary Miniſters, who ſucceeded the Apoſtles in their Miniſteriall Function: In briefe, his owne Conference, together with Mountagues Book, and Biſhop Hals Propoſitions, approved by him, doe neceſſarily unchurch all the reformed Proteſtant Curches, un-miniſter all their Miniſters, and make them no Churches no Miniſters of Chriſt; whereas he averres the Church of Rome to be a true Church, and her Prieſts to be true Miniſters, as we have formerly proved; therefore he muſt needs be guilty of the extreameſt malignity and anmity againſt them, what ever he pretends to the contrary.

Secondly, he denies, and yet at laſt juſtifies and maintains what we charge him with, to wit, that he denies the Religion of forraign Proteſtant Churches to be the ſame with ours, or to be true Religion; & he inſtanceth in the opinion of Paraeus, whoſe Commentary on the Romans he cauſed to be burnt as erronious, when as he writes no more then Bilſon did before him (whom himſelf hath cited in defence of Epiſcopacy) & other orthodox Writers of our Church have maintained publickly for truth before & ſince: As for the burning of Paraus his Book, being of a forraign Nation and no Subject to our King, without ſummoning him to defend himſelfe, it was an unjuſt, raſh, inconſiderate action, to ſay no more, as his Son hath manifeſted to the world in print, who hath juſtified his Fathers opinion to the full, as orthodox: However, the extravagant opinion of one Palatinate Divine, in [Page] point onely of the Kings Supremacy (not about any Article of Faith) cannot make the reformed Churches and ours to be of different Religions, eſpecially ſince he argues in his Star-chamber Speech, that the Papiſts Religion and ours are both one, though we differ in ſome private Tenets: Yea, his deniall of the Proteſtants Religion in forraigne parts to be the true Religion, when as he contends that Rome is a true Church, argues his virulency againſt the one, and good affection to the other. Thirdly, the calling in of the Declaration of the Palſgraves Religion, is directly and punctually proved to be his act; its impudency therefore in him to deny it, and policy not to remember it. Fourthly, for the purgation and revocation of the Letters-Patents, he not onely confeſſeth, but ſhameleſly juſtifies it (moſt undutifully laying the blame, the ſcandall of it on the King himſelfe, who did naught therein but by his inſtigation) and that upon two falſe, ſcandalous grounds: Firſt, that the Religion of the forraigne Palatinate Churches and ours differ and are not the ſame: then which falſhood nothing can procure a greater ſciſme and juſter ground of ſcandall between us and thoſe Churches. Secondly, that no Councill had defined the Pope to be Antichriſt, of which there was great variety of opinions amongſt Proteſtant Divines touching the ſame, unfit to be decided by the Kings Letters-Patents. Therefore he purged it out becauſe it intimated the Pope to be Antichriſt, and ſubjection to him an Antichristian Yoke of bondage; both which compared with his Purgations out of Biſhop Hals Book of Epiſcopacy to the ſame effect) proves him a Papiſt with a witneſſe, and a ſpeciall friend to the Popes Holineſſe, of whoſe honour among us he is extraordinary tender: That the Pope is the Antichriſt, all See here p. 276. to 279. Catalogus Teſtium veritatis Forraign & Domeſtick Proteſtant Divines (and ſome Papiſts too) unanimouſly agree, except Mountague and Shelford, his creatures: And whereas he pretends, no Councill hath ſo determined: We anſwer, that the See Doctor Crakenthorp of the Popes temporal Monarchy, p. 167. Synod of Gape in France, Anno 1603. the whole Synod and Convocation in Ireland, Ann. 1615. in the very Articles of their Religion, Num. 80. with the whole Convocation and Parliament of England, in the Act for the Subſidy of the Clergy, 30 Jacobi, to omit others, define the Pope to be the Antichriſt, and Popery Antichristian, more fully then thoſe Letters-Patents; and why theſe new Letters-Patents ſhould not determine them to be ſuch, as well as the old ones both in King James and in King Charles their Reignes, but muſt now be revoked after they had paſſed the great Seale of England, becauſe this Archbiſhop would have it ſo, tranſcends any mans capacity to gueſſe at any other probable reaſon, except onely this Prelats affection both to the Pope and Popery, or enmity againſt the reformed Churches and their Religion: For his incivilities to Maſter Ruly by reaſon of this clauſe, our Witneſſes teſtimoniall will outſway his bare deniall of them. Fiftly, the premiſes abundantly manifeſt to all, that the Archbiſhop invaded, diminiſhed the ancient Immunities and Priviledges of the Dutch and Walloon Churches in all parts, not their pretended encroachments onely upon our Churches Priviledges, and that he was ſo farre from being their friend, that they eſteemed him then their greateſt enemy: If they formerly returned him any thanks (by way of Court-complement) for not taking away all their priviledges, as well as ſome of them, after many yeers hot conteſt, we are certaine they juſtly complained of him ten times more for invading, depriving them of ſundry of their ancient Immunities, which almoſt brought their Churches to utter ruine: In few words, his owne forecited Papers, and Monſieur Bulteels Booke of the manifold troubles of thoſe Churches by this Arch-Prelats proſecution, will abundantly falſifie this his pretended friendſhip towards them, and remaine as a laſting Record againſt him to Poſterity. All which conſidered, the whole Bulk and every particle of all the proofs and evidences produced by us to make good the firſt branch of the Commons firſt generall Charge of High-treaſon againſt him, remaine altogether unſhaken, unavoyded, maugre all his ſophiſticall evaſions, proteſtations and ſhifting anſwers to them. And ſo much for the firſt branch of his firſt generall Charge.

The Archbiſhops Defence and Anſwers to the COMMONS Evidence in the maintenance of the Second Branch of their firſt Generall Charge, touching his Endevours to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome, and the Commons Reply thereunto.

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I Proceed now to the Archbiſhops Defence againſt the Second Branch of the Commons firſt Generall Charge; to wit, his Endevours to reconcile the Church Obje. 17. of England to the Church of Rome.

To this he gave ſome general Anſwers in his Generall Defence at the Lords Barre, Septemb. 2. 1644. to this effect: My Lords (ſaid he) I am charged for endevouring Anſwer. to introduce Popery, and reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome: I ſhall recite the ſum of the Evidence and Arguments given in for to prove it.

Firſt, I have in my firſt Speech, nominated divers perſons of Eminency, whom I reduced from Popery to our Church. And if this be ſo, then the Argument againſt me is this; I converted many from Popery, Ergo, I went about to bring in Popery, and to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome.

Secondly, I am charged to be the Author of the, &c. Oath in the New Canons, parcell of which Oath is to abjure Popery, and that I will not ſubject the Church of England to the Church of Rome. (A more ſtrict Oath then ever was made againſt Popery in any age or Church.) And then the argument againſt me is this; I made and tooke an Oath to abjure Popery, and not to ſubject the Church of England to the Church of Rome. Therefore I was inclinable to Popery, and endeavoured to ſubject the Church of England to the Church of Rome.

Thirdly, the third Canon (of the late New ones) was made by me, which is againſt Popery; and then the Argument is; I made a Canon againſt Popery; Ergo, I was inclinable to, and endevoured to introduce it.

Fourthly, I was twice ſeriouſly offered a Cardinalſhip, and I refuſed it; becauſe I would not be ſubject to the Pope and Church of Rome; Ergo, I was addicted to Popery, and endevoured to reduce the Church of England into ſubjection to the Church of Rome.

Fiftly, I writ a Booke againſt Popery, in Anſwer to Fiſher the Jeſuit; and then the Argument is this; I writ a Book againſt Popery; Ergo, I am inclinable to Popery, and laboured to introduce it.

Sixtly, it is alledged, I concealed and cheriſhed the Plot of the Jeſuits diſcovered by Habernfeild; and therefore I intended to bring in Popery, and reduce the Church of England to the Church of Rome. I amſwer, either this Plot was not reall; and if ſo, then Romes Masterpeece is quite blowne up, and publiſhed in vaine. Or elſe it was reall, & then I was really in danger of my life, for oppoſing Popery and this Plot. Then the Argument from it muſt be this; I was in danger of my life for cheriſhing the Jeſuites Plot of reducing the Church of England to the Church of Rome; Ergo, I cheriſhed and endevoured to effect this Plot.

Seventhly, I laboured to make a reconciliation between the Lutherans and Calvinists; Ergo, I laboured to introduce Popery, and make a reconciliation between the Church of England and the Church of Rome.

[Page] This generall defence and ſcoffing anſwer of his at the Lords Barre, ſeemed very ſpecious to ſome ignorant Auditors, who took theſe feined objections of Reply. his owne forging, to be the arguments, and maine ſtrength of the Commons Evidence produced, to convict him of a ſerious endeavour to ſubvert the Proteſtant Religion, introduce popery, and reconcile the Church of England unto Rome; when as the Commons made no ſuch objections from the Evidence and proofs againſt him: Wherupon they replyed, that he did but fight with his owne ſhadow, and abſurd arguments of his owne framing (as he did in his Sear-chamber Speech) inſtead of repeating and anſwering their reall Objections and proofs againſt him, transforming his owne defence into their Charge and Evidence; a meer ſophiſticall, Jeſuiticall practice, of which he made uſe throughout his Tryall, to which we ſhall reply in order.

Firſt, the Commons never objected, that ever he reduced any from popery, but that many were ſeduced to, and hardened in it by his meanes: Their Objection being; He was a meanes of ſeducing many to, and obdurating thouſands in popery, by his introducing popiſh Doctrines, Innovations, Ceremonies, &c. Ergo, he went about to bring in popery, and reduce us back to Rome: That he reduced any from popery, is but his owne bare allegation in his firſt Speech and generall Defence, without any proofe at all, but his owne bare word, which the Commons denied; himſelfe confeſſing, that ſome of the eminenteſt of them preſently relapſed after their converſion, and lived and dyed Papiſts: See then the falſhood and fallacy of this miſ-repeating Sophiſter, in the very firſt entrance and principall argument of his generall Defence.

Secondly, to his ſecond and third arguments we retort; That the Commons never gave in evidence againſt his making or impoſing the &c. Oath, or third new Canon, to prove him guilty of introducing popery, or endeavoring to reconcile us to Rome, but to two other different purpoſes, which he wholly pretermits; therefore his two arguments from them, as the Commons own, are meer forgeries, impoſtures of his owne: As for the &c. Oath, it hath no ſuch clauſe in it as is pretended; indeed it hath this clauſe, That I will not endeavour by my ſelfe or any other directly or indirectly, to bring in any Popiſh Doctrine, contrary to that which is establiſhed; which is but a meere pretence and policy, all or moſt popiſh Doctrins and Ceremonies being introduced, licenſed, eſtabliſhed among us when this Oath was made, as the premiſes evidence, and no Doctrine being then eſteemed Popiſh but what the Archbiſhop pleaſed, though truly ſuch: As for the third Canon, it enjoynes onely private conference with popiſh Recuſants, and preſentments, excommunications of ſuch of them who are obſtinate, and if they conforme not, then that their names ſhall be preſented to the Judges of the Aſſi [...]e, which is no more then other Can. 63. Canons formerly enjoyned to no purpoſe or [...] at all, and was but a meer State-policy to ſtay the preſent elamours of the people and Scots againſt the Prelats, for their connivance at popery and confederacy Can. 65, 66. with Papiſts, againſt thoſe they ſtiled Puritans, and a thing not really intended, but pretended onely.

Thirdly, his fourth, fift and fixt arguments are of the ſame nature, meer Chimeraes of his owne forging, which he would father on the Commons, who preſſed theſe particulars againſt him in a far other manner, to which he gives no anſwer: His refuſing of a Cardinals Cap, was onely becauſe he deſired to be an abſolute independent Patriarch and Pope within the Kings Dominions: His Book againſt Fiſher was publiſhed in his owne name upon entreaty of others, onely to blind the world, and ſtop the clamours againſt him, in making them beleeve thereby he was no friend to Papiſts or popery, when as we have proved the contrary out of that and other of his books. To that of Habernfield we ſhall anſwer in due ſeaſon; ſome deeming it onely a forgery or plot of his owne deviſing to juſtifie himſelfe, others a reall truth.

Fourthly, his ſeventh argument is a moſt wilfull perverſion of the Commons [Page] charge, who expreſly impeach him for endeavouring to cauſe diviſion and diſcord between our owne and other reformed Churches, that ſo Papists might have the more advantage; which we have abundantly proved. And he makes the charge to be, that he endeavoured a reconciliatiou between the Lutherans and Calvinists (of which good act he was never guilty in the leaſt degree, for ought he makes appeare, but of the quite contrary) Ergo, to reconcile the Church of ENGLAND to the Church of ROME.

By which ſtrange prevarication and Jeſuiticall ſophiſtry, the world may cleerly diſcerne, the ſophiſtry, fallacy, and apparent Legerdemaine of this his generall Defence, and impertinency of his Anſwers, encountring onely his owne ridiculous fictions, not the Commons reall Objections.

Having recited theſe his generall Anſwers, we ſhall purſue him to his particular evaſions to the evidence and proofes produced, to make good the ſecond Branch of his firſt generall Charge, wherein he thus proceeded.

The firſt thing objected againſt me is, That I have ever been generally reputed a Papiſt, or perſon popiſhly affected, both in the Univerſity of Oxford, whiles reſident Obje. 1. Page 409. to 415. there, and ever ſince; as likewiſe in Rome and in other forraigne parts; for proofe whereof, the teſtimonies of Doctor Featly, Sir Nathaniel Brent, Doctor Abbots Sermon, Doctor Hals Letter, Francis Harris his Depoſition, with the teſtimonies of Sir Henry Mildmay, Maſter Anthony Mildmay, and Maſter Thomas Challoner have been produced.

To this I anſwer; Firſt, that all theſe are but hear-ſayes or reports, and no Anſwer. convincing Evidence, that I was really a Papiſt, or inclined unto popery: Doctor Featlies teſtimony is but a report from one who ſaid he was my Pupill, and that at Paris many yeers ſince, in forraigne parts: Sir Nathaniel Brents teſtimony is but a report from Maſter Dale, of a thing long ſince, that my ſuppoſition was taken out of Bellarmine, which I deny: His further teſtimony is onely this, That Browne, with whom I kept company, was but a reputed (not an actuall) Papiſt during his life, and what he ſubjoynes, that he was found to be ſuch a one after his death, is very conſecturall; for it appeares not that the Book objected was of his owne penning, though it were his hand-writing, for it might be a tranſcript: That I petitioned to King James, that I was traduced to be a Papiſt, is true, and I had good reaſon ſo to doe when I was thus traduced; and upon my Petition, the buſineſſe was referred to the examination of divers worthy perſons, and I cleered upon full hearing by the King: For Doctor Abbots Sermon, I complained of it, as I had cauſe, as being traduced by it; he was knowne to be my enemy, and to doe me wrong herein, therefore his words are not to be valued in this caſe; nor Doctor Hals Letter to W. L. which might be to ſome other as well as to me, who am not nominated therein: For Francis Harris his teſtimony, I never knew nor ſaw the man to my knowledge, and it is but a hearſay from one Ireland many yeers ſince, and that beyondthe Sea; for Ireland himſelfe I onely knew, but had nofamiliar acquaintance with him.

Secondly, for Sir Henry Mildmayes teſtimony, it is onely a bare rumour and report from ſome perſons at Rome, unknowne both to me and him, purpoſely raiſed by the Papiſts to blaſt or wound my reputation, and what he now atteſted is quite contrary to that himſelfe informed me at my Table at Lambeth, immediatly after his returne from Rome, as I am ready to depoſe upon my corporall Oath, if I may be permitted: His Brother Maſter Anthony Mildmay his teſtimony is but an incertaine report from I know not whom at Rome, that I was ſomewhat more favourable to their Religion then my Predeceſſors; and what he heard from Father Fitton, is but his report, and a falſe one too, of purpoſe to ſlander me, or deceive their Proſelites there: For Maſter Challoners teſtimony, it is but a report too, from I know not whom, and a diſcourſe of others to him, without any ground ariſing from me; and I have cauſe to feare, that what he teſtified was meerly out of ſpleen, and a meer engine to ruine me, becauſe upon [Page] complaint I cauſed him to be Committed for ſome high Offences charged againſt him, amounting to little leſſe then Treaſon; to avoyd which, he was enforced to fly beyond the Seas, where he heard theſe reports concerning me, it we may beleeve him; which are no evidence at all in Law.

To this the Commons replied; Firſt, that though common fame be no convincing Reply. evidence of it ſelf, yet in many caſes both in common, Civill and Canon Law, it is a good ground of ſuſpition, Deut. 13. 12, 13, 14. Joſh: 22. 11, 12. inquiſition, accuſation and apprehenſion too, eſpecially if it be a generall, univerſall and long continued fame both abroad and beyond the Seas, as this is; but being ſeconded with concurrent actions (as his) it is a moſt ſatisfactory proofe; and in ſuch a caſe, vox populi, eſt vox Dei: Beſides, himſelfe gave the occaſion of this evidence, by his examining Sir Henry Mildmay, to know what report they gave, and what opinon or repute they had of him at Rome when he was there? Whether he were not the moſt odious man to them of any living, &c. If the reports and common fame they heard of him at Rome were no evidence at all to cleer him, as he reputed it; why then did he produce Sir Henry, as a principall witneſſe for him, and examine him meerly what report and repute he had at Rome? If he conceived it good evidence to cleere him, in caſe Sir Henries teſtimony had proved anſwerable to his expectation, then certainly it muſt be as available to confirme and prove his guilt, yea Sir Henries teſtimony falling quite croſſe to what he pretended, muſt needs be farre ſtronger againſt him, then it could have been for him, had he teſtified what the Archbiſhop pretended; becauſe he is a witneſſe of his owne producing, and had been but a ſingle witneſſe for him, but is ſeconded with two more concurrent teſtimonies againſt him, even concerning the opinion they had of him in Rome it ſelfe, which is backed with a generall opinion of the ſame kind both among Papiſts and Proteſtants too, who concurred in their judgements and reports concerning his good affection to Popery, and endeavours to reconcile us to the Church of Rome: Yea, as this good opinion and report concerning him was univerſall in all places, both abroad and at home, ſo it is fortified by a publike charge in Parliament given in againſt him, by the two whole Kingdomes of England and Scotland, and confirmed by ſo many pregnant evidences of all ſorts, that it muſt made be granted to be a moſt enforcing, convincing argument of his guilt; the rather becauſe himſelfe gave the firſt occaſion of this kind of euidenes: For Doctor Featlies teſtimony, it is a report of one of the Archbiſhope owne Pupils, who haſt knew his opinions: Sir Nathaniel Brents teſtimony is upon his owne knowledge, ratified by the concurrent opinions of others, grounded upon his popiſh ſuppoſition taken out of Bellarmine, his familiarity with Maſter Browne a reputed Papiſt, Noſcitur ex Comite: Upon his owne confeſſion in his Petition, and the common fame of the Univerſity; that he was cleered upon his Petition of this imputation he produceth no evidence at all, neither mentions he any particular time when, nor perſons by whom he was cleered: For Doctor Abbots Sermon, it is the cleareſt teſtimony in the world, that he was then generally reputed a Papiſt in the Univerſity both by Proteſtants, and Papiſts, and likewiſe in forraigne parts, for which cauſe alone and no other, this Doctor was his enemy: As for his complaint againſt it as injurious, it no way extenuates nor takes off the common fame and reputation of being a Papiſt, which Doctor Hals [...] (not denied by him to be written and meant of himſelfe) and Francis Harris his teſtimony ſecond and confirme: Whereas he faith, he never know nor ſaw this Harris, this invalids not his teſtimony, and his little acquaintance in reallity, that he knew him, if not, [...] & in [...]ute, by [...] Fame and [...] putation, to be a Papiſt in heart opinion, and the onely thing for which are produce his teſtimony.

Secondly, for Sir Henry Mildmayes teſtimony, it is more then a bare report, for he teſtifies on his owne certaine knowledge, that which the Archbiſhop produced him to prove, what opinion the Jeſuits, Prieſts and Popiſh [...] [...]ad of him at Rome [Page] when he was there, together with the reaſons of their opinions and report; and he depoſeth the truth hereof quite contrary to what the Archbiſhop ſuggeſted: whoſe Oath is not to be credited in his owne caſe, to impeach Sir Henries teſtimony, fortified with two others concurring with it: The like we anſwer to Captaine Anthony Mildmayes and Maſter Challoners teſtimonies; they both depoſe what opinions and reports the Popes Nuncio Con, Father Fitton, Father Talbot, and other Engliſh Jeſuits, Priests and forraigne Papists had of the Archbiſhops good affection to their Religion, and how inſtrumentall he was to introduce Popery, and reduce us backe to ROME, declaring punctually each particular: Therefore their teſtimonies are all reall, and no hear-ſayes or bare reports, as he pretends. As for Maſter Challoners pretended malice, it is but a bare ſurmiſe, and being a Gentleman of quality and integrity, this poore pretence is altogether inſufficient to diſparage his teſtimony upon Oath: The rather, becauſe the Archbiſhops endeavours to impriſon and bring him into the High Commiſſion heretofore, was, onely for ſpeaking of the Prieſts and Jeſuits Plots to bring in Popery, and ſome of our Biſhops compliance with them; the party who complained againſt him, being both a Prieſt and Jeſuit, now in actuall Armes againſt the Parliament, in the Kings Army, (as Maſter Challoner depoſed;) a great confirmation of the truth of his Teſtimony, and of the Archbiſhops guilt. In few words, all theſe recited teſtimonies, what opinion they had at Oxford heretofore, and at Rome, and other places ſince, of his being a Papiſt, and confederating with them in their Deſigne of introducing Popery by inches, and reducing us backe to Rome, compared with his preceding practiſes, doe fix this charge ſo faſt upon him, that all his Sophiſtry or Oratory cannot ſhake it off.

The ſecond thing objected is this, That there was a dangerous Plot laid and ſeriouſly purſued, to introduce Popery, and reconcile the Church of England Object. 2. to the Church of Rome, to which I was privy, and had certaine notice of it, yet I complyed with it, and never laboured to prevent it; which the Commons laboured to prove by divers generall inſtances: Firſt, by the Spaniſh Match, propounded to the King when Prince of Wales, and his ſending over into Spaine, of purpoſe to pervert him in his Religion, as appeares by the Articles of the Treaty; the Popes Letters to the Prince and Biſhop of Conchen when in Spaine, the Articles of the Duke of Buckingham againſt the Lord Digby, and the Lord Digbies againſt him in full Parliament, Anno 1626. To which they Object I was privy, becauſe I was Confeſſor to the Duke, and his Cabinet Counſell at that time, and becauſe my Letter to Biſhop Hall, my owne Diary, and Letters to and from the Duke, whiles in Spaine, with the Note in my Maſſe Booke diſcover and confirme it: Secondly, by the French Match with the Queen promoted purpoſely to uſher in Popery, and to reconcile us unto Rome; to which they Object I was privy and aſſiſtant, as my Letters to the Duke, my intimacy and compliance with the Queen, my inhibitng Miniſters to pray, and puniſhing them for praying for the Queens converſion, my cenſuring of Maſter How for praying, That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery, with my magnifying of Queen Maries dayes, and depreſſing King Edwards and Queen Elizabeths, demonſtrate.

Secondly, by ſundry particular inſtances; as Firſt, Ludovicus a Sancta Maria his Concluſiones Theologicae: Secondly, the Plot diſcovered to me by Haberufield: Thirdly, the Dedicating of Faſtidius his Works to the King by Cardinall Barbarino: Fourthly, Sancta Clara his Deus, Natura, Gratia, writ of purpoſe to reconcile us to Rome, with which I was acquainted, and maintained the Author of it, Saint Giles, a moſt dangerous ſeducing Prieſt, in the Univerſity of Oxford: Fifthly, the proffers of Cardinalſhips to Engliſh men, and twice to my ſelfe: Sixthly, the ſtrange encreaſe and proceedings of Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, and the Popiſh Hierarchy in Ireland, to which I was privy, [Page] yet denied it, and incenſed the King, againſt the Commons for complaining of it: Seventhly, the Popes ſending of divers Nuncioes ſucceſſively into England, where they reſided, and were publickly entertained, with our reciprocall ſending and maintaining Agents at Rome, to work a Reducement of us back to that Antichriſtian See.

To this I anſwer, Firſt, that I was neither the Author nor Fomenter of the Anſwer. Spaniſh Match, nor of the Kings Voyage into Spaine, which was charged on the Duke and the Lord Dighy: It is true, my Lord Duke was pleaſed to enter into a neer familiarity with me, and to make me his Confeſſor, and that I writ Letters to him into Spaine, and received Letters from him thence; but this proves not that I was privy to that Plot; as for the Popes Letters to the Prince and the Biſhop of Conchen in Spaine, to pervert him in his Religion, they are nothing to me, and my Letter to Biſhop Hall, was many yeers after that Match broken off.

Secondly, there is no proofe of my furthering the Match with France, or that the end of it was to reduce us back to Rome; the reſpects and ſervices I did for the Queen, were no more then in civility and duty I ought to performe out of the duty I bare to the King my Maſter, whoſe Conſort and Wife ſhe is; her gracious favour towards me, proceeded only from her owne gracious diſpoſition, not from my deſerts or ſeeking; and I had no reaſon to reject it, becauſe it would be a meanes for me to work the more effectually upon her Majeſty: For my giving Order in my Metropolitical Viſitation to my Viſitor, to inhibit Miniſters to pray for the Queens converſion, or queſtioning any for praying for it, I abſolutely deny it; and for Maſter How, he was juſtly cenſured for his prayer, it being ſcandalous to his Majeſty in queſtioning his care of the Princes education in the true Religion, and infuſing jealouſies into the peoples heads, of his education in Popery, and inclination to it. As for my pretended magnifying of Queene Maries dayes, and depreſſing of King Edwards and Queene Elizabeths, in the Preface to the OXFORD STATUTES, I anſwer, that that Preface is none of mine, nor proved to be ſo; and if it were, yet the words relate to the State and Statutes of the Vniverſity of Oxford only in their dayes, not of our Church and Religion.

Secondly, to the particular Inſtances, I anſwer, that the firſt, ſecond and third of them concerne not me: I was neither the cauſe, nor author of, nor privy to them, nor could I hinder them, and the ſecond of them is a ſtrong evidence for me; For the fourth of them, Sancta Clara his Book, it was printed at Lyons, not at London, and Saint Giles was not the Author of it, but another Fryar, I had no hand in it, nor was privy to it; yet it was diſliked by many of the Papiſts, becauſe it gave much advantage to our Church and Religion: For his being at Oxford, it was much againſt my will, by the Kings ſpeciall Warrant, for which I have his hand, and I maintained him not there, but the King. To the fifth, the proffer of Cardinals Caps to others, is nothing to me; and for the offer of a Cardinalſhip to my ſelfe two ſeverall times, as I could not hinder the offers, ſo I rejected them, and acquainted the King both with the perſon and thing, which is all I could doe, expreſſing the cauſe of my refuſall thereof, to be, That ſomething dwelt within me that would not ſuffer that till Rome were other then it is, as appeares by my owne Diary: The ſtrongeſt Evidence that can be to acquit me from any compliancy with Rome. To the ſixth I anſwer, that the encreaſe and proceedings of the Papiſts in Ireland, mentioned in the Objected Letters and Papers, are nothing to me, I was not the cauſe nor author thereof; the Monaſteries and Nu [...]meries mentioned in them, were but poor little houſes; My anſwer to the Cōmons Remonſtrance was penned by the Kings ſpeciall command, as appears by the endorſment, & I knew not of theſe Iriſh papers, nor of the encreaſe of popery there, whē I returned an anſwer to the Remonſtr. An. 1628. theſe Proclamations, letters, papers being dated ſince that time: for the Deputies letters they are nothing to me, I could not hinder [Page] the writing and directing of them to me, and himſelfe hath already been impeached, condemned for his Actions, for which I am not to anſwer. To the ſeventh I ſay, it was not in my power to hinder the Popes ſending his Nuncioes hither, which the King condiſcended to upon the Queens earneſt deſire, to accommodate and ſatisfie her Majeſty in ſome things which concerned her in her Religion. For the Agents ſent and reſiding in Rome they were hers, not mine, ſent thither by her Majesty without my privity, and againſt my liking.

To this was replied; Firſt, that the forementioned Evidence fully demonſtrats Reply. that the Archbiſhop was both privy, conſenting, aſſiſting to the Spaniſh Match, Voyage, and to the very Instructions given to the Prince before he went into Spaine, how he ought to ſatisfie the Pope about King James his proving him to be the Antichriſt, in his publique writings; therefore the Popes Letter to the Prince and Biſhop of Conehen, to pervert the Prince in his Religion; with the Dukes and Lord Digbies attempts there, to ſeduce him to popery, and reconcile our Churches and Kingdomes to Rome by this meanes (contained in their mutuall Articles of Impeachment, the Copies of which Letters and Articles were found in his owne Study by Maſter Prynne) muſt needs concerne him, ſince he could not be ignorant, that the Pope and his Inſtruments would uſe their utmoſt diligence to ſeduce the Prince to their Religion, when they had him thus ſent, and betrayed into their power for that very purpoſe; and his Letter to Biſhop Hall, though written but of late, long after that intended Match, yet fully relates his privity to the moſt ſecret Inſtructions before it, to gratifie and pleaſe the very Pope himſelfe, and prevent his Objections againſt the Match, or King James. For the French Match, the Evidence proves he was both privy, conſenting and aſſiſting to it, even after he knew the danger of it in point of Religion, both to the King and Kingdome, by the proceedings and Articles in the Spaniſh Treaty, being both the very ſame in ſubſtance; whereas his intimacy, power with the King, Duke, and quality of his place as he was a Biſhop, yea Confeſſor to one or both of them, ſhould have engaged him (had he been a reall Proteſtant) to have uſed his utmoſt endeavours to diſſwade the King and Duke from both theſe Popiſh Matches, as moſt perilous, deſtructive to our Religion; the ſad effects whereof we now viſibly behold in our civill wars, and read In Characters written with our owne blood. For his intimacy with the Queen, it favours of farre more then civility or duty, and her extaordinary favours to him proceeded from no other cauſe, but his compliance with her Majeſty to introduce popery, and reduce us back to Rome, as appeares by his proceedings againſt Maſter Gellibrand in the High Commiſſion for his Almanack (wherin the popiſh Saints were expunged, and our Martyrs inſerted) at her Majeſties requeſt, by his prohibiting Miniſters to pray, and cenſuring them for praying for her converſion to our Religion, which we have punctually proved, and of Maſter Howe for praying to God to preſerve the young Prince from being brought up in Popery, of which there was great feare; a harmleſſe yea neceſſary prayer, both in reſpect of the Queen Mother, then too neer him, and the Queen, who by the Articles of the Match, was to have a great hand in his Education till he was fourteen yeers of age, as alſo in regard of the Popes Nuncioes, the ſeducing Jeſuits, Priests and Capucines about the Queen, Court, Him, and childrens naturall proueneſſe unto errour: Which prayers, admit they had been an overſight, yet proceeding from a godly Chriſtian Zeale, deſerved onely a private admonition, not open proſecution, or High Commiſſion cenſure; but his making of them ſo publickly criminall, and cenſuring thoſe ſo ſeverely for them, of purpoſe to deterre all others from praying for the Queens converſion, or againſt the Princes perverſion, is an undeniable argument of his good affection to Popery, and attempts to reduce us thereunto: For his extolling Queen Maries, and depreſſing King Edwards, and Queen Elizabeths dayes, the words ſufficiently declare, it was as well in reference to the Religion then profeſſed, as to the Ʋniverſity Statutes, and the Preface it ſelfe is of his owne making as well as the Statutes, as we ſhall more fully manifeſt in due place by his own letters.

[Page] Secondly, to the particular inſtances, the Commons made this reply; Firſt, that their maine end in producing them was onely to demonſtrate, that the Pope and his Instruments had a reall Plot and deſigne to introduce Popery, and reduce us back to Rome, and that the Archbiſhop could not but know and take ſpeciall notice thereof by all theſe particular Letters, Papers, Books, found in his owne Study, ſent, written to himſelfe, endorſed with his owne hand, or recorded in his Diary; which ſhould have engaged him with greater vigilancy, care, animoſity, to have oppoſed them and their deſignes: In which regard, the three firſt of them, with all the reſt moſt neerly concerned him, neither doth, nor can he plead ignorance of them: Secondly, that though all theſe particulars prove not, that he promoted, confederated with them in their deſignes, yet ſome of them directly prove it, as his countenancing of Sancta Clara his Books, his maintaining of Saint Giles (a moſt dangerous ſeducing Popiſh Prieſt) many yeers in the Univerſity of Oxford; his oppoſing, anſwering the Commons Remonstrance againſt the dangerous open encreaſe and practiſes of Papists in Ireland to ſet up Popery there, and branding it as a ſcandalous untruth: Thirdly, for Habernfields plot, we ſhall prove how it makes againſt him in due time; and for Sancta Clara his Book of Reconciliation, we have proved; Firſt, that he knew of it, and had both the Book and Author brought to him by his Favourite Doctor Linſey before it was printed; this we have under his owne hand, therefore it is monſtrous impudency in him to deny it: Secondly, that this Book when printed, was preſented to, reſerved by him in his ſtudy, and the Author with him there ſome three or four times afterwards: Thirdly, that it was printed and publickly ſold here in Londō without controll: Fourthly, that his creatures both abroad and at home much applauded it: Fiftly, that Saint Giles was the Author of it, a popiſh Prieſt whom himſelfe ſent to, and maintained in the Univerſity of Oxford, to pervert and ſeduce Schollers there; That he had the Kings Warrant for it, is no excuſe, and the Warrant being without date, written with his owne hand, and ſigned by the King to help at a dead liſt, ſavours of meer fraud, circumvention, and will amount to an aggravation, but no extenuation of his crime: Fourthly, the proffer of a Cardinalſhip twice unto him, even at Court, ſo ſoon as he was nominated Archbiſhop, proves the good opinion that the popiſh party had of his inclination to their party and Religion; his concealing the names of the parties that made him the offer (which he will not diſcloſe) and his not proſecuting and complaining againſt them to bring them to publique juſtice, prove that he deemed this proffer no injury nor diſparagement: if a poor Puritan did but write againſt Popery or Popiſh Innovations, he preſently proſecuted him in the High Commiſſion or Star-chamber, where he was ſure to be fined, impriſoned, pillored, ſtigmatized, ſcourged, baniſhed; but he that ſeriouſly tendred him a Cardinals Cap twice one after another, eſcaped ſcot-free, without ſo much as being once queſtioned for it: As for his informing the King thereof, it was not by way of complaint, but advice; and his anſwer to the King, if true, is no abſolute rejection of the Dignity, but rather an adjournment for the preſent, his ambitious itching deſire of being a Pope and Patriarch throughout his Majeſties Dominions, teſtified by Sir Henry, and Maſter Anthony Mildmay, with Maſter Challoner, making him refuſe the preſent offer, not any deteſtation of Popery, or reconciliation with Rome: To the ſixt was replied, that it appeared by the Biſhops Protestation in Ireland, that he knew of the great growth and power of Papiſts there even in the yeer 1626. two yeers before his Anſwer to the Commons Remonſtrance, which lyes on him ſubſtantially to prove, that it was made by the Kings command, as to this particular, not yet attempted by him, his owne bare endorſment being no proofe in his owne caſe: The Letters, Papers afterwards received by him from Ireland, moſt cleerly manifeſt his exact intelligence of popiſh Prieſts and Papiſts dangerous encreaſe and proceedings there, without the leaſt oppoſition from him, or complaint againſt them: The ſmalneſſe of their Monasteries, Nunneries there erected, is no extenuation of his guilt: Small evils not ſuppreſſed [Page] will prove grand univerſall miſchiefes in ſhort time, as thoſe their Monaſteries and Nunneries there have done: For the Lord Deputies Letters, it's true, he could not hinder the directing and ſending of them to him, but he might have hindered, prevented the execution of his deſperate popiſh project related in them, and have cruſhed it in the ſhell, which he never did. To the ſeventh was anſwered, that his extraordinary former power both with the King and Queen, might and ſhould have engaged him ſo farre, as to prevent thoſe Roman Nuncioes arrivall, here, and our Agents at Rome, whom he never ſo much as once oppoſed for ought appeares, but complied with, by his Agents, Biſhop Mountague and Secretary Windebank, as we have fully manifeſted, when as he ſhould rather have loſt his Archbiſhoprick, liberty, life, then have any way conſented to it in the leaſt degree, and openly reſiſted it to his utmoſt power.

The third Objection againſt me is, my compliance with the popiſh party, and Object. 3. Pag. 441, 442. endeavours to introduce Popery, advance the Papiſts Deſignes, and reduce us back to Rome by ſeven particulars formerly inſiſted on, and now onely recapitulated with reference to the former proofs.

To moſt of all theſe I have given full anſwers before, and therefore ſhall be Anſwer. the briefer in giving further anſwers to them now. The firſt, ſecond, fourth, fifth, ſixth and ſeventh inſtances I deny, in the ſenſe they are preſſed, and have acquitted my ſelfe from them in the premiſes: To the third I ſhall give ſome further Anſwer.

Firſt, it is there objected, that I maintaintained the Church of Rome to be a true Church, and that ſhe erred not in Fundamentals, no not in the worſt times, bue onely Circa Fundamentalia: And that I juſtified Chownaeus his Book, who maintained the ſame. I anſwer, that I did & doe maintain her to be a true Church Veritate entis, not Moris, though corrupt & erronious in ſome points, as a thief is a true man, though a thiefe: And in my Book againſt Fiſher, I charge her with ſome groſſe corruptions, errours, to the very endangering of ſalvation, and with ſuperstition too. Secondly, I am charged that I did maintaine at Doctor Bastwicks cenſure, that ſhe erred not in Fundamentalibus, but Circa Fundamentalia; this diſtinction I ſhall ſtill maintaine. There is a great difference between Fundamentalia and Superstructoria, and yet ſome circumſtantials may deſtroy the foundation: For example; Firſt, Quid What it is a man beleeves; if a man beleeves the Trinity without the Unity, or the Unity without the Trinity, this plucks up the Foundation: Secondly, Ʋbi, the circumſtance of place; for if any ſhould deny that Chriſt was borne, or took his fleſh in Judea, this grates upon the very foundation: Thirdly, Quibus Auxiliis, we beleeve, convert and doe works of piety; by nature or grace? If by the ſtrength of nature onely, as the Pelagians held, this endangers the foundation: Fourthly, Quando, as to deny that Chriſt is not already come in the fleſh, this ſubverts the foundation, though but a circumſtance: And it is a rule in the Schools, Aliqua circumstantia dat ſpeciem morali actioni; and in this ſenſe the Church of Rome doth erre about fundamentals. Thirdly, it is alleaged, that I hold the Religion of the Church of England and Rome is both one; Conference with Fiſher, page 576. I anſwer, that it is one and the ſame Religion in the generall; to wit, the Christian Religion: But yet I there write; That we differ in the ſame Religion, though we ſet not up a different Religion; and the difference is in certaine groſſe corruptions, to the very endangering of ſalvation, which each ſide ſayes the other is guilty of. Fourthly, that I maintain, people may be ſaved in the Roman Church and Religion; I anſwer, that other learned Proteſtants are of the ſame opinion, not generally of all, but of thoſe among them who want meanes of better inſtruction; yet I hold it is very dangerous to continue in that Church and Religion, for any who have means to come out of them. Fiftly, that I hold the Pope is not the Antichriſt, and therefore I cauſed this Title given him to be expunged, & authorized, received, printed Books denying him to be Antichriſt, as Shelfords and others, contrary to our Homilies, Writers, and the Articles of Ireland: I anſwer, that no man can charge me, that I hold the Pope not to [Page] be Antichriſt: It is a great queſtion even among learned Proteſtants, whether he be ſo o [...] not. The Church of England hath not poſitively reſolved him to be ſo: The Homilies define him not to be Antichriſt: and the Articles of Ireland binde not us here. My expunging of this Title and others of that nature was upon other grounds. However, it is no ſuch undoubted Article of Faith, as Powell in his Booke De Antichristo, with others, make it. As for the objected Books, I neither Licenſed nor approved them, though I had them in my Study. Sixtly, it is objected, that I hold the Pope to be ſupreame head of the Church; Though Francis Sales, and others ſtile him ſo, they muſt anſwer for it, its nothing at all to me who hold it not. As for his titles given me by Croxton & the Univerſity of Oxford in their Letters, it was without my privity, I could not hinder it; and the ſame Titles have been uſually given to Biſhops in former ages, as appeares by the Epiſtles of Saint Cyprian, Auguſtine and others. Seventhly, for Pocklingtons and Biſhop Mountagues deriving my Succeſſion from Auguſtin, Gregory, and Saint Peters Chaire at Rome; it was without my privity: It is no more then Maſter Maſon hath proved long before my time; and the Papiſts would give you harty thanks, could you diſprove this lineall Succeſſion of our Biſhops.

To this was replyed in generall, that all the ſeven objected particulars prove a moſt apparant deſigne in him to introduce Popery, and reconcile us to Rome; Reply. and that all his Anſwers to them had been formerly diſproved as falſe and impertinent. In particular, That the Church of Rome was no true Church at all, but a falſe, Antichriſtian, as well as a corrupt Church. for Firſt, it hath no true Foundation, being not built upon the Apoſtles, Prophets, and Chriſt the corner-Stone. Secondly, no true Head, Ordinances, Sacraments, Worſhip, but a falſe adulterous head, the Pope; corrupt Ordinances, Sacraments, and a meere Idolatrous, ſuperſticious wil-worſhip. Thirdly, no true Miniſtry, nor government of Chriſts inſtitution. Fourthly, ſhe yeelds no true Subjection nor Obedience to Chriſt, his laws, word, ſpirit, but oppoſeth him and them in all. Fiftly, ſhe is over-ſpread with a Leproſie of damnable Errours in Doctrine, corruptions in Faith, Manners, Ordinances, Government. Sixtly, the definition of a true viſible Church in our Homilies and Writers agrees not to her. Seventhly, our Homilies, Writers define her to be a falſe Church, not a true, who are all muſtered up together by Maſter Burton in his Babell no Bethell, where ſhe is largely proved to be no true Church. For his diſtinction, that ſhe is a true Church Veritate Entis, though not Moris, as a Thiefe is a true man; it is a meere childiſh evaſion: For it is not the meere entity and being of a company of men, that makes up a Church, or true Church; for if ſo, the Turks, Pagans, or any aſſembly elſe ſhould be a true Church, as well as the Proteſtants; but a company of men rightly qualified, to wit; profeſſing the true Chriſtian Faith, among whom the Word of God is truly Preached, and the Sacraments duly administed. To ſet then the diſtinction and compariſon right. If one ſhould demand of the Archbiſhop, Whether a Theefe be a true man or no? as this phraſe true man, in our ordinary language ſignifies an honeſt juſt-dealing man, with reference to his qualities, morals, not his Entity or being as a meer man: himſelf grants that he is no true man, but a falſe one, in this ſenſe, in this very diſtinction; and to anſwer, that he is a true man in regard of his eſſence, therefore a true man in reſpect of his Morals, were a meer impertinency, & Nonſequitur. By the ſelfe-ſame reaſon, when we demand of him, Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church? and he anſwers She is ſo, Veritate entis, for ſhe conſiſts of a company of perſons, or reall men; not veritate moris, for that they are not ſo truly qualified in thoſe Morals, or rather ſupernaturall principles which makes them to be a true Church: Himſelfe muſt needs grant, that his diſtinction is fallacious, in applying this veritas entis to them as they are a Church, not men; or elſe yeeld that they are a falſe, but no true Church, becauſe his not veritate Moris, can be applyed to nothing elſe but to ſuch morall and divine qualifications, as ſhould make them a true Church; ſo as his owne diſtinction directly [Page] ſubverts this his falſe concluſion of her being a true Church; and his charging her with groſſe Corruptions, Errors, Superſtitions, to the endangering of ſalvation doth the like.

Secondly, it was retorted, that his diſtinction of her erring onely circa fundamentalia, not in Fundamentalibus, was a falſhood: For firſt, her affirming the Church to be built upon Peter and the Pope, not Chriſt the chiefe corner-ſtone. Her denying the Scriptures to be Scriptures but as they are grounded on, confirmed and expounded by the Authority of the Church and Pope, Her making Apochryphall Scriptures Canonicall, and ſo adding to the Scriptures. Her giving the Pope power to null and diſpence with things againſt the Scriptures. Her reſolving the foundation of all our Faith into the Church; To beleeve as the Church beleeves, not into the Scriptures themſelves. Her deifying of the Virgin Mary, Saints, Images, in praying to and adoring them with divine worſhip. Her joyning of Saints Merits and Mediations with Chriſts, and making them joynt Saviours, Mediators & Advocates with him. Her turning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper into a Propitiatory Maſſing Sacrifice, of as great or greater Merit as Chriſts own Sacrifice on the croſſe; adoring the conſecrated Bread, as their Lord God and Chriſt himſelfe. Her taking away the Sacramentall Cup from the Laity, pointblanke againſt Chriſts owne Inſtitution. Her giving Chriſt an ubiquitary body on earth, inſtead of a glorified body in heaven; her tying people to pray to God in an unknown tongue, with her creating a new head of the Church in Chriſts ſtead, the Pope, who hath the Keyes of Heaven, Hell and Purgatory too; and can pardon ſins, releaſe Soules out of Hell and Purgatory at his pleaſure; with her aboliſhing the ſecond Commandement out of the Decalogue; What are they all but Fundamentall Errors, nullifying that Church which maintaines them, and not Errors onely about the foundation?

For his foure inſtances, that circumſtances may undermine and deſtroy the Foundation: We anſwer, Firſt, that neither of all theſe inſtances concerne the Papiſts or Church of Rome, the ſubject in queſtion; therefore altogether impertinent. Secondly, they are not meer circumſtantials, but fundamentals; becauſe directly contrary to the expreſſe words of Scripture and Articles of our Faith, of which they are unſeparable parts; which if falſe in any part, may and will be falſe in the whole, and no ground of Faith at all. For the rule of the Schools we agree it, but how he applyes it to his diſtinction, or the Church of Rome, we cannot yet diſcerne.

Thirdly, it was replyed; That the Religion of the Church of Rome and England is not one and the ſame; For that which they repute the maine part of their Religion, is no Chriſtian Religion at all, nor part of the Chriſtian Religion, but meere Antichriſtian Errour, Superſtition, corruption, Idolatry. And in his Booke he doth no more charge her with ſome groſſe corruptions endangering Salvation, then ſhe chargeth us, as the peruſall of his words demonſtrates. Fourthly, his juſtifying ſalvation to be had in this falſe Antichriſtian Church and Religion, denying the foundation, is contrary to the opinion of all Otthodox Proteſtants, who make her damnable Errours the ground of their ſeparation from her. And though ſome affirme, that divers in the Church of Rome are ſaved; yet none are ſaved by being of that Church, or by that Faith and Doctrine which ſhe properly cals her Faith and Religion, wherein ſhe differs from us, but by their relying onely on Chriſts merits, which ſhe diſclaimes.

Fiftly, his deleting all phraſes, clauſes calling or intimating the Pope to be the Antichriſt, is a cleer evidence, that he holds him not to be ſo: Elſe his ſinne, fault will prove the greater in purging out that as Heterodox and ſcandalous, which himſelfe beleeves to be a truth. For our Statutes, Homilies, Writers, they define the Pope either in direct termes, or equivalent expreſſions to be Antichriſt and our Church, yea State in them, at leaſtwiſe in our forecited Statutes, and the Subſidy, Act 3. Jac. penned by the Convocation. As for the Articles of Ireland, though [Page] they bind us not, yet being taken out of the Articles and Homilies of England, they ſufficiently declare the reſolution of our Church as well as theirs, that the Pope is Antichriſt; and Doctor Ʋſher Primate of Armagh, in a Letter of his to the Archbiſhop himſelfe, Jan. 4. 1635. (the very day of his birth) writes, That this conceit is ſo rife in the minds and mouths of the Papists now adayes, THAT WE ARE COMMING ON AND EVERY DAY DRAWING NIGHER UNTO THEM THEN OTHER; for the ſtopping of whoſe ſlanderous mouths, let this ſuffice, That whatſoever others imagine of the matter, I ſtand fully convinced in my conſcience, THAT THE POPE IS ANTICHRIST; and therefore if I ſhould be ſo mad as to worſhip the Beaſt, or receive the marke of his name, I muſt be [...], and juſtly expect the revenge that is threatned againſt ſuch, Apoc. 14. 10, 11. Wherefore for this Arch-Prelat to queſtion it, to purge out all paſſages ſtiling him Antichriſt, after ſuch a Letter, to ſuffer ſuch Books to be printed, and retaine them in his Study, which deny him to be Antichriſt, without any cenſure of them or their Authors, is a grand offence, ſavourng of his good affection to the Pope.

Sixtly, though himſelf gives not this title of Supream head to the Pope in direct terms, yet he doth it in effect in his owne Book, and his Chaplaine licenſed it in Sales, for which himſelf muſt anſwer. As for the papall titles given him by Maſter Croxton & the whole Univerſity of Oxford, in ſeverall Letters, it was certainly with his approbation, elſe he would have reprehended them for it, which he never did: Theſe titles are ſuch as of later times have been appropriated only to the Pope, and were never given to any of his Predeceſſors in any Age, much leſſe to any Proteſtant Biſhop: And though one of them (as Sanctiſſime Pater) may perchance be found in Cyprians and Auguſtines genuine Epiſtles; yet Sanctitas in the abſtract, can hardly be ſhewed in any of their true Epiſtles, nor was ever appropriated to any for many hundred of Ages, but to the Pope: As for the other exorbitant and blaſphemous titles, no Father nor ancient Author was ever guilty of giving or affirming them.

Seventhly, for Pocklingtons and Mountagues deriving his pedegree and ſucceſſion from Rome, it is in ſuch phraſe and language, as was never uſed by Maſon, or any Obje. 4. elſe in former times, with a meere intention to reconconcile, reduce our Church and Prelats to Rome, from whence they derive their pedegree; the end of all theſe new poſitions and objected particulars againſt the Archbiſhop, the guilt whereof ſtill reſt upon him, notwithſtanding all his Evaſions to ſhake it off.

The fourth thing charged againſt me to make good this Branch, is my holding intelligence, correſpondence with the Popes Nuncioes, Agents, Prieſts, Jeſuits, by my Favourites and Inſtruments, as by Biſhop Mountague and Secretary Windebanke, advanced by my meanes; the later of them, as appeares by many produced Letters and Teſtimonies, holding intelligence with Cardinall Barbarino (who entertained his Sonnes at Rome) the Popes Nuncioes, and with divers dangerous Prieſts, Jeſuits, whom he protected, releaſed out of priſon, and impriſoned the Meſſengers who uſually apprehended them, till they gave bond, never to apprehend nor proſecute Prieſts any more.

To this I anſwer, Firſt, that there is no cleer proofe of Biſhop Mountagues advancement by me, or intelligence or compliance with the Popes Nuncio, Prieſts, Anſwer. or Jeſuits; but if there were, it is nothing to me, being without my privity, knowledge, or approbation: Secondly, for Secretary Windebanke, it is very true, I was the meanes of advancing him to the Secretaries place (being my ancient friend and acquaintance) but not with any intent to advance Popery, protect or releaſe Prieſts, Jeſuits, or hold any correſpondency with the Pope or his inſtruments; if he proved ſo ill an inſtrument after his advancement, it was beyond my expectation, himſelfe muſt anſwer, and hath been impeached for it, not I: For the Letters he received from the Popes Nuncio Panzani, the Queens Prieſts, or his Sonnes, with their going to, and entertainment at Rome, they concerne [Page] not me, who was not privy to them nor their entertainment: But it is objected, that we continued our friendſhip ſtill, notwithſtanding I knew his correſpondency with, releaſing and protecting Prieſts, Jeſuits, and joyned with him in ſome Warrants: I anſwer, that it is well knowne that he and I were at variance and diſtance of later times, he deſerting me in the buſineſſe of the late Lord Treaſurer Weston, and for my hand to one Warrant jointly with his and others for a Prieſts releaſe, it was but caſuall, we being then both together at the Counſell Table, where his Releaſe was condeſcended to, upon ſufficient baile and caution, at the Queens requeſt.

To this was replyed; Firſt, that Mountagues correſpondency with the Popes Reply. Nuncio, Prieſts, Jeſuits, his popiſh inclination and endeavours to reconcile and reduce us back to Rome, are abundantly proved in the premiſes, with his good affection to, and compliance with him in this deſigne, the end and cauſe of his advancing him to two ſeverall Biſhopricks, the laſt wherof was Norwich: In his account from whence to the Archbiſh. himſelf for the yeer 1638. (written with his owne hand, endorſed with the Archbiſhops, and found in his Study) there is this notable clauſe concerning King Henry the eighth, the firſt ſuppreſſor of the Popes power among us; The Biſhoprick of Norwich, ſince the totall deſolation and diſſolution of the former Biſhoprick by King Henry the eighth, WHO STOLE THE SHEEP, AND GAVE NOT SO MUCH AS THE TROTTERS FOR GODS SAKE, is a meane thing, (though worth above one thouſand pounds per annum) A moſt ingrate and ſcandalous expreſſion of an avaritious popiſh Prelat, unworthy of ſo fat a Biſhoprick, who inſtead of being Shepheard, became a Wolfe, devouring not onely the Sheep, but Shepheards of his Dioceſſe, and vexing them more with his popiſh Viſitation, Articles, then ever KING HENRY the 8. did the Prelates by diminiſhing their over-large Poſſeſſions.

Secondly, for Secretary Windebank, it is undeniable; Firſt, that the Archbiſhop was the onely meanes of his advancement to that place of truſt: Secondly, that he was his meer creature, inſtrument, boſome-friend, and privy to all his actions: Thirdly, this intimacy and friendſhip of theirs, continued till Windebanks flight hence in to France, upon the Parliaments impeachment againſt him for harbouring and releaſing Prieſts and Jeſuits, and that the tranſitory ſhort differerence between them about the Lord Treaſurer Weston, had no relation at all to any thing concerning Prieſts or Religion, wherein they both accorded: Fourthly, that the ſame Prieſts and Jeſuits, as Sir Toby Mattehw, Smith, Leander, Sancta Clara and Price, were intimate and familiar with them both: Fiftly, that they both concurred in checking, diſcouraging, impriſoning, Gray, Thatcher, Waddeſworth, and others for apprehending Prieſts, Jeſuits, and in calling Gray a Prieſt-catching knave; Sixtly, that they both joyned together in ſome Warrants for the releaſe of Prieſts; and his excuſe, that it was by caſualty when they were both at the Counſell Table, where others joyned with them, is no extenuation of his offence; where he being the over-potent member, ſhould have engaged all the reſt to oppoſe ſuch an illegall ſcandalous action, and not have drawne them on thereto, by ſetting his hand firſt to the Warrant: But it was to 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; [Page] 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 Object. 5. 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 Anſw. 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 [Page] 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 examine and how far their teſtimonies will ſway with your Lordſhips, I moſt humbly ſubmit to your grave judgements, they being formerly offended with me, for preſſing the examination of the many complaints againſt them in this kind.

Secondly, to the particular teſtimonies I anſwer; Firſt, that Saint Giles his reſiding and maintainance in Oxford, was by the Kings ſpeciall Warrant, which hath been produced, much againſt my will; and I never heard he exerciſed his popiſh Function, or ſeduced any there, but onely ſtudied metaphyſicall learning, according to his engagement: Secondly, For Sir Toby Matthew, I did not know that he was either a Prieſt or Jeſuit, and utterly deny that he was ever with me in my Coach or Barge, or uſually repaired to me to Lambeth, though being an eminent Archbiſhops Son, I might in that regard have permitted him more free acceſſe unto me: And my Secretary, Maſter Dell, remembers not that ever he told Newton that Sir Toby Matthewes was with me in the Garden at Lambeth: Beſides, Newton, is but a ſingle witneſſe; and Maſter Dobſon atteſts, that he never ſaw Sir Toby Matthew with me at Lambeth. As for his releaſe when apprehended by the Lords Warrant, it was only by the Earle of Straflords order, not mine. For Smith the Jeſuit, there is no proofe that ever he was with me at Lambeth, but onely that he was ſeen there talking familiarly with my Secretary, Maſter Dell, neere my Study doore, who denies and remembers not any ſuch thing: As for his words to Newton, that he had done his errand to me, they are but the reports of a Jeſuit to ſlander me, there being no proofe that ever he ſpake with me: For my correſpondence with the Biſhop of Calcedon, Doctor Smith, there is no proofe but conjecturall from my Diary: For Leander and Price their reſorting to me, it is but a report, without proofe at all: And for Sancta Clara, I never ſaw him above three or four times, according as I have truly related under my owne hand: Fourthly, Saint Giles and he were Aliens borne out of the Kings Dominions, [Page] and no naturall born Subjects; therefore admit I had harboured and maintained them, it is no fellony nor treaſon by our Lawes, and directly out of the Statute of 27. Elizabeth: Fiftly, Waddeſworths teſtimony, it is but a hearſay; for my ſending four pound to pay his Fees, I think it is true, and it was upon this occaſion; He pretended that he had been a Roman Catholick, but was now really converted to our Religion, and thereupon releaſed, but wanted money to pay his Fees; whereupon I ſent him four pound, thinking him to be a new convert to us, and it was upon his own ſending to, and acquainting me with his poverty and condition: Sixtly, for my releaſing and refuſing to meddle with Wilford the Prieſt, it neede no other anſwer then what the Witneſſe ſweares, that he had a protection and Letter of diſcharge from Secretary Windebanke, and this was the cauſe I refuſed to meddle with him: Seventhly, for Gray, he was committed by the Lords of the Counſell, not by me; he gave me very ill language, and uſed approbrious ſcandalous ſpeeches of me in my owne houſe, for which he was committed: As for my calling of him Prieſt-catching knave, it is proved but by one Witneſſe; and indeed there were many complaints againſt him for abuſing his authority in ſeizing and ſearching after Prieſts, to the prejudice of thoſe who were not ſuch: whereupon I commanded the reſt of the Meſſengers belonging to the High Commiſſion not to keep him company, to avoid the like abuſes and complaints: Eightly, for Egertons teſtimony, it is but a report from Motterſheads mouth, a ſingle Witneſſe, formerly cenſured in the High Commiſſion for his abuſes in importing prohibited Books, and therefore his teſtimony is to be ſuſpected; Maſter Jones is not produced to make good his teſtimony, but his papers onely, which are no evidence: Ninthly, for the liberty and freedome of Prieſts in their priſons, it was unkowne to me, and their Keepers fault, not mine, who would have reſtrained them: Finally, Mayo witneſſeth thus much for me, that I gave him command to watch the Embaſſadours and Popes Nuncioes houſes, to ſee who reſorted thither to Maſſe; which he did, giving me an account thereof; and Thatcher confeſſeth, that I gave him a Warrant to apprehend Prieſts and Jeſuits; though I denied it to another, whom I thought not fit to truſt in ſuch an imployment; a cleer evidence I was no friend unto, and held no correſpondency with them. Whereas it is objected, that I confeſſe I never perſwaded nor practized any perſecution againſt popiſh Priests and Jeſuits, though I perſwaded and practized it too againſt Puritans, and thoſe who oppoſed popery: I anſwer, that I hope it is no offence not to be a perſecutor, or not to give ill language to Jeſuits; and for my perſecuting of orthodox Miniſters and Puritans, I never perſecuted any, though I proſecuted ſome for their ſchiſme and miſdemeanours: Wherefore this heavy charge which hath made ſo great a noyſe in your Lordſhips and the peoples eares, is I hope quite wiped off, and fallen to the ground.

To this was replyed in generall; Firſt, that the Deſigne charged upon him is, not his reconciling of ROME to us, but of the Church of ENGLAND Reply. to the errours and corruptions of the Church of ROME; and how active he was, how farre he proceeded to accompliſh this, and how neer he had brought it to perfection, both in point of Doctrine, Ceremonies, practiſe, the premiſed evidences have abundantly manifeſted, notwithſtanding all flouriſhes to the contrary in his Book againſt Fiſher, publiſhed not out of any zeale againſt popery, but meerly in policy upon other mens ſolicitations, to ſtop the peoples clamours againſt his popiſh practiſes and proceedings, as himſelfe relates in his Epiſtle thereunto: And his ſetting up ALTARS, CRUCIFIXES, IMAGES, TAPERS, introducing bowing to ALTARS, COPES, Conſecration of Flagons, Churches, Chappels, purging out all paſſages againſt popiſh Doctrines, Popes, Jeſuits, popiſh Prieſts, &c. his permitting all kind of ARMINIAN ERROURS and Popiſh Tenents, to be Preached in our Pulpits, and publiſhed in Print [Page] with his Chaplaines ſpeciall approbations prefixed to them; together with his countenancing; advancing the Authors, fomenters, and perſecuting the oppugners of them, ſpeak farre cleerer, louder againſt him, then all his empty writings and teſtimonies of himſelfe can poſſibly plead for his juſtification, being ſo palpably contradicted by the whole ſtreame of his actions.

Secondly, that his intimacy, correſpondency with popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits is ſufficiently proved by our former evidence: Sir Toby Matthew, the moſt active pernicious Jeſuited Prieſt in the Kingdome, we have proved to be riding with him ſometimes in his Barge, ſometimes in his Coach, ſometimes in private earneſt diſcourſe with him in his Garden, and frequently with him at his Table; what greater familiarity or intimacy could there be between them then this? That he knew him to be a Prieſt and Jeſuit, is cleere by Habernfields plot, found in his Study, informing him to be ſo; and by the Popes Bull to him, common in many Courtiers hands: For Sancta Clara, his favourite Doctor Lindſey brought him to his Study, with his Book to reconcile us to Rome, to peruſe it of purpoſe before it went to the Preſſe; after which he came thrice to him, writ a Book in defence of Epiſcopacy by divine Right, with an intention to gratifie him, and tendred it to him for his licenſe, as himſelfe confeſſeth under his See here p. 427. own hand in a written paper, where he extenuates this fact all he could; and is this no intimacy nor correſpondency? For St Giles, his own See here p: 428. hand-writing, teſtifies that he knew him to be a Prieſt, yet notwithſtanding he permitted him to reſide ſundry yeers in the Univerſity of Oxford, where himſelfe was Chancellour, to have the uſe of the Library there; yea he provided him a large maintainance, & conſtantly paid it to him there, during his reſidence, he repairing oft times to him to receive it; and is all this no intimacy, no correſpondency? For Leander, he denies not but that he was with him once or twice, and if common reports both among popiſh Prieſts, Papiſts or Proteſtants may be credited, he was once his Chamber-fellow in Oxford, and moſt intimate, powerfull with him here, being purpoſely ſent hither by meanes of his intereſt in him, to compleat our reconciliation and reduction to Rome. For Smith, a moſt dangerous Jeſuit, we have proved his being at Lambeth neere his Study, his familiarity with Maſter Dell his Secretary, who uſed him with great reſpect; his intimacy with Secretary Windebanke, the Arch-biſhops greateſt confederate; his ſending of meſſages to the Archbiſhop by Sir Toby Matthew, to remember the buſineſſe he told his Grace of when he was laſt with him; and his frequent threatning of Maſter Newton the Meſſenger when he met him in the open ſtreets, that he would complaine of him, or doe his errand to the Archbiſhop, and that he had done it; And are theſe no badges of his intimacy? For his acquaintance and correſpondence with the Biſhop of Calcedon, Doctor Smith, it is apparent by his owne Diary, and Windebanks Letter to his Son, himſelfe not daring to deny, that Doctor Smith mentioned in his Diary, is any other then Calcedon: For Price the Provinall of the Benedictines, we have proved that he hath been ſeen at Lambeth talking familiarly with Maſter Dell, and waiting neer the Archbiſhops Study doore to ſpeak with him in private; that he and Leander have been oft times met, going, as themſelves affirmed, to Lambeth to ſpeak with the Archbiſhop, who cannot deny but they were with him; and by whoſe means we know not, this Price procured the Searchers place at Dover for the uſe of the Benedictines, and put two profeſſed Papiſts into it, for the freer paſſage of Prieſts and Jeſuits into the Kingdome, and more ſecure conveying intelligence to and from Rome: Now lay all this together, and we dare confidently averre, that all his predeceſſors ſince the Reformation put together, had not halfe that intimacy, correſpondency with Prieſts and Jeſuits as he; and if the truth were knowne, the party or parties who two ſeverall times ſeriouſly tendred him a Cardinals Cap, avowing ability to performe it, was either the Popes owne Nuncio, or ſome Prieſts, Jeſuits or popiſh Agents, who had inſtructions [Page] from the Pope himſelfe to make this offer to him; which none durſt nor could without hazard of their lives, have tendred ſo much as once, much leſſe twice to any of his proteſtant predeceſſors: That he received no Letters from Prieſts and Jeſuits, is a thing not credible; the double proffer of a Cardinalſhip to him from Rome, is a ſtronger evidence that he received Letters likewiſe from thence, then his owne bare word, he received none: It is true, we met with no ſuch Letters in his Study or Cloſet, but the reaſon was, himſelfe before his commitment and afterward, when he went to Lambeth to fetch papers thence (his Cloſet and Study being not ſealed up till ſome moneths after his commitment) had time and wiſdome enough to convey all ſuch Letters out of the way, or burne them, leaſt they ſhould riſe up in judgement to condemne him, though he removed not others thence, wherein he conceived leaſt danger, the better to colour his removall and burning of the moſt dangerous.

For Maſter Dobſons Teſtimony, he is but testis domesticus, his owne meniall ſervant, a meer ſingle Witneſſe, and unſworn too, therfore not ſo much to be valued; but take it as it is, it proves little for him: He ſaith, that Archbiſhop Bancroft received Letters of intelligence from forraigne Prieſts and Jeſuits, but he knowes neither their perſons nor names, much leſſe that they were either prieſts or Jeſuits and that any ſuch reſorted to his Table, he cannot certainly affirme it: for he cannot nominate any one prieſt in particular, and conceives onely they were prieſts but knowes it not but by conceit, without other evidence: For Julius Maria and the other forraigner, who dieted for a time at Archbiſhop Abbots Table, he confeſſeth he did not know them to be prieſts, but ſtrangers they were, and papiſts, who made ſome ſhewes and promiſes to that Archbiſhop of turning Proteſtants, the onely ground why he thus entertained them, to further and perfect their converſion; but as ſoon as they faltred with him, they were preſently diſcarded: But what is this to this Archbiſhops caſe, who kept correſpondency with theſe Prieſts and Jeſuits, of purpoſe to pervert and reduce us back to Rome, not to convert them unto us; certainly neither of theſe two (though Bancroft was none of the greateſt enemies to Rome) ever entertained a Jeſuit, or moſt pernicious known ſeducers into their Coaches, Barges, Cloſets, Gardens, as he did Sir Toby Matthew and Sancta Clara; never maintained any Prieſts in the Univerſity to ſeduce young Schollers, and inſtruct the Doctors there, as he did Saint Giles, who profeſſed, that the See p. 428. Archb. was very cordiall for their Romiſh Religion; never checked, impriſoned purſivants for being too active in apprehēding Prieſts, nor reviled them by the name of Priest-catching kndves, as he hath done; their caſes and his therefore are very different: For Maſter Dobſons not ſeeing Sir Toby Matthew at Lambeth; Ergo, he was never there with the Archbiſhop; it is a meer Nonſequitur; Maſter Dobſon is ancient, perchance his eyes were ſo dimme he could not diſcerne him, or he was out of the way when Sir Toby was there; but divers others ſweare they ſaw him there; Maſter Dell informed Maſter Newton, that his Lord was buſie with Sir Toby Matthew in the Garden: yea therefore the Archbiſhop dares not produce him to teſtifie his knowledge, leaſt he ſhould confeſſe the truth.

For King James his encouraging Watſon and Preston to write againſt the Jeſuits and other of their Orders, no doubt it was a lawfull policy, and if this Archbiſhop made uſe of theſe Prieſts, Jeſuits for the like good ends, we ſhould have commended, not accuſed him for it; but he makes uſe of them the quite contrary way, to poyſon, corrupt our Univerſities, to ſophiſticate our Articles of Religion, to put ſuch a Roman gloſſe upon them, as might make them ſeem to be Roman Catholiques and to reconcile us ſpeedily to Rome, not Rome to us, as Sancta Clara his Book (written in England, and See p. 427. ſhewed to his Grace by the Author himſelfe, accompanied with his great favourite Biſhop Linſey before its publication, as himſelfe acknowledgeth under his owne hand-writing) manifeſts paſt all contradiction; therefore the caſe of Preston (to whom he himſelfe hath given [Page] a protection under his hand and Seale as well as Abbot) is altogether impertinent.

Thirdly, for his correſpondency with Sir Toby Matthew, Sancta Clara, Saint Giles, Leander, Smith and Price, we have ſo fully proved it, that impudency it ſelfe would bluſh to deny it: OurWitneſſes have ſworne all of them to be popiſh Prieſts, himſelfe under his hand confeſſeth Saint Giles to be ſuch a Prieſt, and that he was charged not to exerciſe his See p. 428 Prieſtly Function during his reſidence in Oxford; it is ſtrange audacity therefore in him to deny, that he knew any of them to be Prieſts, when he infallibly confeſſeth he knew him, and no doubt knew all the reſt to be ſo too, eſpecially Sancta Clara, who ſtiles himſelfe ſo in his Book, yea Father Price and Leander too, were moſt notoriouſly knowne to all to be ſuch, and to exerciſe their Prieſtly Function in London, if not in the Court it ſelfe ſometimes, therefore knowne no doubt to be prieſts to him.

Fourthly, for the Witneſſes produced, we very much wonder at his exceptions againſt them, moſt of them, as Maſter Waddeſworth, Newton, Mayo, Thatcher, Goldſmith and Cooke, being perſons imployed by the Lords of the Counſell, himſelf and the high Commiſſioners to apprehend Prieſts and other Delinquents, who cōtinued in that imployment after the pretended complaints againſt them: If they were men ſo diſhoneſt, ſo uncredible as he pretends, why thē did himſelf, the Lords and high Commiſſioners make choice or imploy ſuch for their Meſſengers, & commit ſo great a truſt unto them? If they be perſons worthy to be truſted with ſuch an employment by perſons of honour, quality and himſelfe too, then certainly moſt competent Witneſſes, atteſting onely that they know, with reference to the Arch-biſhop, in the very execution of their Office, about the apprehending of Prieſts and Jeſuits, wherein none can give ſo full or punctuall teſtimony as themſelves, who are moſt privy to their own Actions. For the pretended abuſes committed, they concerne onely two or three of them, not all; that they are guilty of ought complained againſt them, there is not the leaſt ſhadow of proofe offered by the Archbi. and admit there were, yet it would no wayes invalid their teſtimony, being not in the things for which they were accuſed, and fortified with other concurrent teſtimonies, as Maſter Thatchers, Maſter Deuxels and Elizabeth Grayes, againſt which there is no juſt exception; for Mr Egertons cenſure in the High Commiſſion, it was moſt unjuſt and illegall; he was ſentented there to be deprived of his Searchers place, and fined forty pounds, onely for giving way, and conniving at the importation of ſome ENGLISH BIBLES with GENEVA NOTES, and ſelling ſome of them to others: A dangerous crime, which will rather improve then impeach his teſtimony in all honeſtmens opinions.

Secondly, for his particular anſwers, we ſhall returne this replication; Firſt, that the Warrant under the Kings hand for Saint Giles his reſidence and maintainance in Oxford, is without date, written with the Archbiſhops owne hand, and a meer circumvention; yea, it ſeems a very ſtrong argument of his guilt; for if himſelfe did not place and provide for him in Oxford, what need he procure ſuch a Warrant from the King to doe it? and if he had been cordiall to our Religion, he would never have accepted ſuch a Warrant, nor intermedled with ſuch a dangerous ſcandalous Deſigne as this, to poyſon and ſeduce the whole Univerſity (who took publick notice of it) in ſuch a time of generall defection and backſliding unto popery.

Secondly, for his intimacy with Sir Toby Matthew, and knowing him to be a Prieſt, our Witneſſes evidences are ſo cleere, we ſhall rather pitty his impudency in denying it, then trouble your Lordſhips in repeating them; Maſter Dobſons not ſeeing him at Lambeth, is no proofe he was not there, and the Earle of Straffords releaſing him, was ſeconded with his owne approbation who ſaid it is well.

Thirdly, for Smiths, Leanders and Price their reſorts unto him, we have formerly [Page] cleered it, and ſhall not repeat; Sancta Clara his addreſſes to him, with his Books to reconcile us, is confeſſed under his owne hand, we need no other teſtimony.

Fourthly, that Sancta Clara and Saint Giles were Aliens, is no extenuation of his guilt, but aggravation; for they were therefore the fitter, the likelier to be imployed hither by papall authority, to reduce us back to Rome; But admit them Aliens, which he hath hath not as yet proved, yet Sir Toby Matthew, Leander and Price were native Engliſhmen, and ſo within the Statutes of 23 Eliz. c. 1. & 27 Eliz. c. 2. which he would evade.

Fiftly, for Maſter Waddeſworths teſtimony, it is very full, the Deſigne was to ſend him over-ſea, or to impriſon him, till he ſhould enter into bond never to proſecute or apprehend Prieſts more, to which plot the Archbiſhop was privy, whoſe name was uſed to him, himſelf confeſſing he ſent him four peeces to be rid of him; He pretends it was becauſe he pretended himſelfe a convert: Certainly this is but a pretext, he being a convert many yeers before, and one imployed to apprehend Prieſts long before his impriſonment, his diligence herein being the cauſe of his troubles.

Sixtly, his refuſall to commit Wilford, a moſt dangerous ſeducing Prieſt, before he knew he had any protection, and diſcharging him afterwards, onely becauſe he had a protection from Secretary Windebanke, with Maſter Dels anſwer, that his Lord would not meddle with ſuch trifles; ſhewes the coldneſſe of his zeale to our Religion, and his good affection to popery: If a godly Proteſtant Miniſter had but ſcrupled at the reading of the Book for Sabbathday-ſport, or omitted the leſt Ceremony, or preached but a Sermon on a Lords-day after-noon, theſe were ſuch hainous crimes, and matters of ſo grand importance, that they muſt be forthwith ſuſpended, committed, deprived, and all buſineſſes ſet aſide to proſecute them, notwithſtanding any protection of Law or Goſpell; but if a dangerous Prieſt, who had perverted above two hundred ſoules, be brought before his Grace, alas his zeale is ſo frozen, he will not meddle with the buſineſſe, and his friend Secretary Windebanks Warrant muſt ſet him free, and ſecure him againſt all lawes and proſecutions: A plaine proofe of a confederacy between them to protect theſe Traytors, and reduce us back to popery, by granting liberty to ſuch pernicious ſeducers.

Seventhly, for Gray, his onely fault as our Witneſſes depoſe, was, that he complained againſt, his expertneſſe and diligence in diſcovering prieſts, and aſſiſting other Meſſengers to apprehend them; for this hainous crime alone, Windebanke complained of him to the Queen; and for this very cauſe Thatcher is ſpecially charged by the Arciſhop himſelfe, not to keep company with him, under paine of being turned out of his place; and Goldſmith depoſeth, that the Archbiſhop himſelfe gave a publick charge to all the Meſſengers of the High Commiſſion not to keep company with Gray any more, for if they did he would lay them by the heels, pull their Coats off their backs, and turne them out of their places; Committed he was to the Fleet upon the Archbiſhops complaint, only for uſing words implying his coldneſſe in proſecuting prieſts, & hoping to ſee better times; a very poor cauſe to impriſon him ſo long: His own hand (as we proved) is to the Warrant for his commitment: He oft times petitioned for his enlargement by his wife, but his petitions were ſtill rejected with ſcorn; He anſwers, He will have nothing to doe with that Prieſt-catching knave, proved by two Witieſſes, Elizabeth Gray and Goldſmith. Ʋbi dolor ibi digitus; here was the cauſe of all the malice againſt Gray, this was his grand crime, he was a prieſt-catcher, and a knave for catching them; ſtrange language from an Archbiſhop: But what followes? his favourite Windebank muſt come in to act the ſecond part and cloſe up the Tragedy; Gray muſt not be enlarged after many moneths impriſonment, till he put in baile never to diſcover or proſecute Priests more, and then they ſhould all be quiet in ſhort time [Page] with our prelats and popiſh Clergies concurrence, quickly reduce us all to Rome: This is the upſhot of the Deſigne, which this evidence concerning Gray moſt cleerly diſcovers and proves too.

Eightly, for Egertons teſtimony, concerning his reſtoring of popiſh Books, it is more then a report, it was from the mouth of Motterſhead a ſworne Officer to the Archbiſhop, now dead, who durſt not report an untruth of this nature, and the Archbiſhop himſelfe confeſſeth, the many Books forementioned, were reſtored by order of the High Commiſſion Court, whereof himſelfe was a chiefe member, therefore by him; a cleer confirmation of Motterſheau's words, Egerton's teſtimony, and Maſter Jones his papers.

Ninthly, for the liberty of Prieſts, Jeſuits, and their ſaying Maſſe in priſons, it was his owne negligence and connivance, the Keepers being under his command, & the High Commiſſioners, who could look narrowly enough to Puritans and godly Miniſters: and indeed their commitment thither to ſecure them from our common Goales and all legall proſecutions, was but a meer fallacy to delude the people, and advance the Catholick cauſe with greater facility and leſſe ſuſpition.

Tenthly, Mayoes teſtimony and Thatchers, are ſo farre from extenuating, that they aggravate his offence; their Warrants and imployments being meer diſſimulations and ſhadowes to gull the people; for naught was done upon the intelligence of the one, to whom he refuſed to grant a Warrant, becauſe he was too hot againſt Prieſts; and no Prieſts apprehended by the other, who had his Warrant upon this condition, Not to imploy or keep company with Gray, the onely man that could diſcover Prieſts and Jeſuits to him, and help him in their apprehending.

Finally, his owne objected confeſſion in his Epiſtle to the King, God forbid I ſhould ever offer to perſwide a perſecution in any kind, or practice it in the leaſt, &c. againſt Prieſts and Jeſuits, coupled with the premiſes, when as he was ſo terrible, ſo bloody a perſecutor of Orthodox godly Miniſters, and zealous Proteſtants, unanſwerably proues his connivance at, his protection of, and confederacy with them, to re-enthrall us in their Romiſh bondage: So that this whole charge, however he conceives he hath ſhaken it quite off and laid it in the duſt, recoiles upon him with greater vigor, and reſts heavier on his back then ever.

The laſt charge of this nature againſt me is, Page 459, 460. that I complyed with Papiſts, Prieſts and Jeſuits, in concealing their very Treaſonable plots and conſpiracies Obje. 6. both againſt our State, Church and Religion, to reduce us unto Rome, for which they produce two inſtances; my threatning and committing Miſtris Huſſey, for diſcovering a dangerous plot of the Queen. Mother and others to cut the Proteſtants throats; and my concealing of Habernfields plot diſcoverd to me, not proſecuting or revealing it to the Parliament or Lords, to fift it to the bottome.

To this I anſwer that I did not conceale nor diſcourage the diſcoverers of either of theſe two plots: For the firſt of them, I conceived it very improbable, Anſwer. and I thought Anne Huſſey to be crazy when ſhe revealed it, and ſo much I told her; For her commitment to the Sheriffes, it was at her owne deſire, for her greater ſafety; and there was as ſtrict an examination as poſſible of this conſpiracy, but no cleer evidence: For the latter plot, as ſoon as I received intelligence of it, I preſently revealed it to the King, as appeares by my Letter, and the Kings Anſwer to it in the margin, under his owne hand, which Maſter Prynne hath printed; and the ſubſequent Letters prove, that I did all I could therein, but could make nothing of it; This I beleeve a noble Lord here preſent well remembers, to whom I diſcloſed it, to wit, the Earle of Northumberland (who preſently replyed, he did remember no ſuch thing:) However, it is one of the greateſt evidences that can be of my ſteadfaſtneſſe in the proteſtant Religion, and oppoſition againſt popery, if the plot were reall, and if but counterfeit, then no crime to conceale it.

[Page] To which was replyed; Firſt, that all the premiſes abundantly prove, that he Reply. was privy and aſſiſtant to many Jeſuiticall plots and devices to uſher in popery, and reduce us to Rome, therefore it is no wonder that he oppoſed not, nor proſecuted, but ſmothered them all he could: Secondly, that the firſt of the plots which he then conceived improbable, hath ſince experimentally proved reall both in England and Ireland, yea his b Owne with Straffords dangerous advice to the King, To ſee A neceſ [...]ary Introdution to his Tryall, p. 170 71. bring in an Army of Iriſh Papists at that time, to ſubdue the Scots, becauſe they durſt not truſt the Engliſh; was cozen Germane to this plot, which ſhe diſcovered, and probably a branch thereof; For his deeming and calling her Mad-woman, when ſhe ſpake both punctually and rationally, with his reviling terrifying words to her, his laying an imputation on the whole City of London, that ſhe was hired by them to make this diſcovery, with his menaces to have her puniſhed, &c. were unſufferable abuſes in ſuch a caſe as this, to ſmother a moſt execrable Treaſon, and ſuch a terrifying of a Witneſſe, as we ſhall not read the like, eſpecially when all the other Lords encouraged and gave her good words: As for the further examination of the buſineſſe afterwards and commitment of the Prieſt, it proceeded only from the other Lords, not him, who did all he could to dant the Witneſſes, and conceal the Conſpiracy; which if fully proſecuted at that time, might have prevented the bloody Maſſacres which have ſince been made in Ireland and England, in proſecution of the ſame Deſigne, to advance the Catholick Cauſe, and reduce us back to our preſtine Romiſh thraldome and ſuperſtitions: Thirdly, for Habernfields plot, it is true, upon the firſt diſcovery of it to him in the generall onely, when he deemed it to be a conſpiracy plotted & proſecuted onely by Puritans, he acquainted the King therewith, which we confeſſe in our Evidence; but as ſoon as he received the full diſcovery of it, & found the parties engaged in it to be Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, and ſome of his owne creatures, confederates therein particularized, (as Secretary Windebanke, Sir Toby Matthew, and others about the Court,) he preſently ſets downe, proceeds no farther in it, conceales his papers to himſelfe, not diſcovering them to King, Counſell, Parliament, nor endeavouring to apprehend, examine the parties named in it, when preſent, and ſome of them queſtioned, yea impeached in Parliament for ſome particulars relating to it: Which concealment of his, of a moſt deſperate Treaſon and Conſpiracy, thus circumſtantiated in a caſe of ſuch grand concernment to the ſafety of the King, Kingdome, Church and Proteſtant Religion, we conceive to be a high and treaſonable offence, tending onely to advance thoſe popiſh Deſignes to ſubvert our Religion, and ſubject us unto Rome, which have ever ſince been proſecuted by the ſelfe-ſame parties, faction, with an higher hand and more open face of late, then ever heretofore: That this plot was not a fiction, (unleſſe onely in that which concernes himſelfe, wherein he knew there were ſome miſtakes, he being not ſo odious at Rome as it ſeemes to make him,) but a reall truth in all or moſt particulars which concern our Religion; his owne Diary, his endorſments on it together with our dear-bought experience, & late Diſcoveries concurring with it, fully evidence. His own cōviction therfore of its reality ſhould have enduced him, if not to proſecute, yet at leaſtwiſe to have revealed itto the Parliament, that they might have fifted it to the Bran, which he never did; Maſter Prynnes ſeizing it in his Chamber, to his great griefe, being the onely meanes to bring it unto light: His argument, that it makes moſt of any thing for the juſtification of his ſincerity to our Religion, and oppoſition to Popery, aggravates, not extenuates his offence in concealing it, becauſe then he had more reaſon to diſcloſe it, as well for his owne vindication from ſcandal, as the publike ſafety of our King, Church, Religion; but his engagements to this confederated Popiſh party, and the Advancment of their cauſe were ſuch, that he preferred them before his owne private pretended juſtification, or the ſafety of all theſe coupled together: Wherefore he ſtill remaines under the guilt, weight of this and all other [Page] the Commons forementioned particular charges, notwitſtanding all his Anſwers, Defences to enervate or elude them: And therefore upon this firſt generall Branch of his Charge, the Commons prayed Judgement againſt him from the Houſe of Peers, as the Archeſt Traytor, the cunningeſt Ʋnderminer Subverter of of our eſtabliſhed Religion, the greateſt Advancer of Popery, and moſt ſedulous Agent to reduce us back to Rome, of any Archbiſhop or pretender to the Protestant Religion, that our Engliſh Soile or the Christian world have ever bred; concluding in the Poets words, Dij talem terris avertite Pestem.

The remaining Branches of whoſe Charge and Tryall, we ſhall (God willing) contract into a leſſer Volume, and publiſh with convenient ſpeed; in each Branch whereof, he will appeare as Criminall, as Treaſonable, as Arch a Malefactor as in this, wherein he moſt proteſted, moſt laboured to aſſert his Innocency againſt ſo many pregnant Evidences and cleer Demonstrations of his guiltineſſe, as will render him moſt execrable to all true Protestants for eternity, however ſome have already enrolled him in their lying Legends, for a moſt glorious Martyr, and more meritorious Saint, then ever his traiterous Predeceſſor Becket was; whoſe Treaſons and other grand Miſdemeanours, were farre inferiour both in quantity, quality, and a trocity unto his.

FINIS.

THE TABLE OF THE Principal matters contained in this Hiſtory, ſome Pages whereof being over-caſt and twice ſet, others miſprinted; wherethey are twice paged, thou ſhalt finde that in the later which is not in the former; and the other in the corrected, that is not in the miſtaken pages.

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Dr. Robert Abbots teſtimony of Lauds inclination to Popery in a publique Sermon in Oxford, p. 155, 410, 411. 545 546.

Abſolution of Prieſts but declarative, expunged, p. 207. 350 to 357.

Ferdinando Adams Excommunicated and vexed by Lauds Officers, for not removing the Lords Table, and ſetting up a place of Scripture near the Commiſſaries Court, p. 101. 488, 489, 494.

Mr. Adams his Sermon in defence of Auricular Confeſſion, p. 192, 193.

Adoring the Euchariſt, paſſages concerning it, and againſt Popiſh Adorations expunged, p. 271.

Altars erected, juſtified as Chriſts Throne, furniſhed with Candleſticks, Tapers, and other Popiſh Trinckets, railed in, bowed to by Lauds Example and Injunctions, and juſtified to be neceſſary, p. 62, 63, 64 67 68, 71. 72, 76. 102, 113, 114, 101 to 125, 148, 191, 199, 200, 217, 218. 473 to 490.

Paſſages againſt Altars expunged, p. 279.

Placed anciently in the midſt not Eaſt end of the Quire, p. 480 to 490.

Biſhop Andrews his Popiſh Chappel opiions and Altar-furniture, p. 121 to 125. 424 425 499.

Angel Gardians Invocation maintained in late printed Books, p. 213. 214.

Antichriſt by our own Statutes, Homilies, Writers, reſolved to be the Papacy and Pope, yet denied by Laud and his Confederates, who purged out the Name and Title thereof, when applied to the Pope; with King James his opinion concerning Antichriſt and Biſhop Uſhers, p. 178, 206, 207, 260 to 279,542, 551 to 555.

Apoſtacy, ſee falling from grace,

Arbitrary Government, paſſages againſt it expunged, p. 289, 290.

Arminianiſm, a Plot of the Jeſuits; it and Arminians countenanced, promoted by Laud, paſſages againſt them purged out; Books againſt them ſuppreſſed; their Errors countenanced in Preſſe, Pulpit, p. 159 to 178, 284, 285. 507 to 517 530 to 537.

See Election, Predeſtination, Univerſal Grace.

Articles of Ireland againſt Arminianiſm and the Pope ſuppreſſed by Lauds means, p. 177, 178, 272. 509. 512.

Aſſurance of ſalvation, paſſages deleted out of new Books in defence thereof by Lauds Agents, p. 287 to 291

Ave Maries uſe and practiſe juſtified in new printed Books, p. 213, 214.

Auricular Confeſſion maintained in Print, Pulpit, practiſe; paſſages againſt it expunged by Laud and his inſtruments, p. 188 to 196. 288, 289.

Dr. Aylets Letter concerning the rayling in Lords Tables, and receiving at the Rails, p, 121.

B

Baker an Arminian advanced by Laud, a Licenſer of Popiſh Books, and purger of paſſages againſt Popery and Arminianiſm: his Anſwer concerning the Gunpowder Treaſon, p. 184, 186. 256 to 300. ſparſim 360. 528.

Baptiſm, paſſages againſt the Papiſts, and Popiſh Ceremonies uſed in it, deleted, p. 292, 295, 296. 338 339.

Cardinal Barbarino, Patron of the Engliſh Nation, head of the Jeſuits here, his endeavors to reconcile us to Rome, and entertainment of Secretary Windebanks Sons at Rome, p. 242. 422, 423, 445, 446, 447.

[Page] Dr. Baſtwicks, Mr. Pryns, and Mr. Burtons unjuſt Cenſures by Lauds proſecution, for oppoſing his Popiſh Innovations, and the illegal proceedings againſt them, p. 110, to 114, 488, to 497, 513, 517, 518, 519, 520.

Dr. Bayly an Arminian, promoted by Laud, p. 356, 359.

Beacons Reprinted Book againſt the Maſſe, called in by Laud upon a Ieſuits complaint, and the Printer threatned to be ſuppreſſed, p. 189, 190. 513, 514, 516

Dr. Beal an Arminian and Popiſhly affected, Lauds creatures advanced by him, p. 73, 193, 357, 359.

Tho: Becket an arch-Traytor, prayed to, Chriſt invoked to ſave us by this Traytors blood: Paſſages againſt him purged out of new Books, Epiſt. Ded. p. 293.

Beckington Church Wardens moſt cruelly perſecuted, Excommunicated, forced to publique Recantations, to the breaking of one of their hearts, for not removing and railing in the Lords Table Altarwiſe by Lauds direction, p. 97, to 101, 488, 489, 494.

Biſhop Beedles Letters to Laud, of the ſtrange encreaſe of Popery, and boldneſſe of the Popiſh Prelats, Prieſts and party in Ireland, p. 436, 437.

Mr. Bendy his Teſtimony, p. 71.

Mr. Bernards Cenſure in the High Commiſſion, and cruel uſage for praying for the Queens Converſion, and preaching againſt Popery, Arminianiſm, and their dangerous encreaſe, p. 362, to 367. 535, 536

Bibles with Notes prohibited, ſeized, and the importers of them puniſhed by Laud, p. 124, 181, 182, 454. 513, 515, 516, 529.

A Crucifix embroydered on his own Bible. p. 66. 470

Popiſh Pictures of Chriſt, the Holy Ghoſt, Crucifixes, and the Virgin Mary, printed and bound up in Engliſh and Latin Bibles by Lauds direction, and thoſe to be called the Archbiſhops Bibles, p. 109, 110. 471, 491, 497, 515.

The Popiſh Index Biblicus here printed and bound up with our Bibles to corrupt them, p. 243, 244, 513, 514, 519

Mr. Birkets vexation in the High Commiſſion for removing the Table out of the Rails at the Sacraments Adminiſtration, and not bowing at the Name of Jeſus, p. 96, [...]7, 488, 494.

Lordly Biſhops, paſſages concerning thē expunged out of new Books, p. 293, 394

Their juriſdiction and ſuperiority over other Miniſters, claimed by Laud and his Confederates, not from the King, but Iure Divine: Biſhop Halls Letters, book & Propoſitions to Laud concerning it. No true Churches without ſuch Biſhops, p. 227 to 299, 293, 294. 389, 390, 540, 541

The Biſhops of Irelands Proteſtation againſt toleration of Popery, p. 434.

Biſhops Popiſh and Arminian preferred by Laud, p. 335 to 355. 530, 531

Books againſt Popery, Arminianiſm, ſuppreſſed, in defence of them Licenſed by Laud and his inſtruments, who purged the moſt material paſſages againſt Popery out of new printed Books, prohibited the reprinting of old, and reſtored Popiſh Books, when ſeized, contrary to the Statute, p. 178 to 348, 453, 455. 512 to 530.

Bowing to or towards the Altar, and at the Name of Ieſus, borrowed from the Papiſts, yet enjoyned by Laud, p. 63, 64. 71, 79, 80, 81, 152, 361, 467, 468, 469, 473, 474 475, 486, 487, 515, 520. See Altar.

Dr. Bramhall his Letter to Laud from Ireland, and his Agent there, p. 82, 179, 355. 512

Dr. Bray, Lauds houſhold Chaplain, an Arminian, a Licenſer of Popiſh, purger of Orthodox Books, yet promoted by him, p. 108, 109, 186, 253, 234, 258, 261 &c. 354. 357, 360. 524 to 529

Sir Nathaniel Brent his teſtimony of Laud, his Popiſh inclination, company, and proceedings in his Metropolitical viſitation by his directions, p. 59 62, 64, 71, 79, 80 89 90, 91. 410, 411, 413. 418, 419, 545, 546 Mr. Brodes teſtimony of St. Giles, p. 428.

Dr. Brooks Letter and Book to Laud againſt Predeſtination, and the Parliament, p. 167.

Dr. Brown his Adoring of, bowing to the Altar and Crucifix in the Kings Chappel, p. 69. 473, 475

Advanced by Laud, p. 347.

Duke of Buckingham advanceth Laud, makes him his Confeſſor and intimate Counſellor, writes Letters to, and receives Letters from him, when in Spain, France, to make up the Matches there: Author of the K. Voyage into Spain, to corrupt him is his Religion, p. 416, 417. 547, 548, 549

[Page] Bulls paſſages againſt Popes Bulls deleted, p. 322, &c.

C

Calvin, paſſages in his praiſe deleted, his perſon, words abuſed, perverted, miſrecited by the Archb. to juſtifie Images & real preſence, p. 293, 462, 463, 464. 499, 504, 505, 506 514, 520.

His cenſures of Images in Churches, dancing and paſtimes on the Lords day, Ib.

Cambridge Ʋniverſity infected with Popiſh Innovations, Doctors, Doctrines by Laud and his inſtruments, p. 73. 74, 192, 193, 359, 476 to 479

Candleſticks and Tapers on Altars, borrowed from the Papiſts, introduced and uſed by the Archbiſhop, p. 62, 122, 123 479, 487.

Canonical hours obſerved, juſtified by Laud, who digeſted his private Devotions into them, p. 67, 208. 471, 472.

Canons made 1640. Voted illegal, and charged on the Archbiſhop, p. 12, 26, 29, 39, 44.

Canons preſſed by him on the Church of Scotland, p. 32, 33.

Cardinalſhip twice offered to Laud, and expected by other Engliſhmen, p. 432, 433. 548, 550

Biſhop Carltons Book againſt Mountague, and Arminianiſm ſuppreſſed, and Mountague made Biſhop in his place, p. 159, 161, 162. 507, 508

Cathedrals viſited, infected with divers Popiſh Ceremonies, Innovations, Injunctions, Statutes by Laud, p. 59. to 57, 204, 205, 206. 536, 537, 538

Ceremonies Popiſh introduced, paſſages againſt them expunged, p. 295, 299.

Mr. Chaloners teſtimony againſt Laud, p. 414. 415. 545, 546, 547

Chaplains Popiſh and Arminian preferred to King and Prince by Laud, p. 356, 357. 517, 529, 532, 533,

Champneys, his Arminian Letter Reprinted by Dr. Martins and Lauds Licenſe, as the Doctrine of a Church, though Refuted by Veron and Crowly long ſince, as contrary thereunto: A ſtrange impoſture diſcovered by Mr. Prynne, p. 168, 169. 507, 508, 510, 511.

Mr. Chancyes Cenſure and Recantation for oppoſing the Rails, and preaching againſt the dangerous increaſe of Popery and Arminianiſm, p. 93, 94, 361, 362. 488, 493, 535, 536.

Mr Chapple a grand Arminian made Provoſt of the Ʋniverſity of Dublin in Ireland to corrupt it, by Laud, where he vented both Arminianiſm and Popery, p. 359. 533

Chappels Conſecrated and adorned with Popiſh furniture by Laud, p. 120, to 128. 513, 520

King CHARLS his Pardon granted to the Archbiſhop of all Treaſons, &c. under the great Seal, after the beginning of his Tryal. Epiſt. Ded.

He deems Lauds death, blood meritorious, and a means to promote his Cauſe, Ib. Popiſh Innovations in his Chappel; and at his Coronation, p. 67, 68, 69, 70. 473 to 477

His warrants without Date procured by Laud for printing the Book of Sports, altering the Gunpowder Treaſon Book, and maintaining St. Giles, a moſt dangerous Prieſt, in Oxford, p. 148, 247, 248, 407, 408. 522, 577.

Diſpleaſed with the Commons for queſtioning Mountagues Appeal, whom he made a Biſhop, yet called in his Book by Proclamation, p. 158, 161, 162.

His Declaration before the 39 Articles, wreſted to propagate Arminianiſm, and ſuppreſſe truth, p. 120, to 164.

His Proclamation for calling in and ſuppreſſing Sales his Popiſh Book, how procured, miſtaken to abuſe the world, and juſtifie Laud and Heywood, p. 186, 187.

His Inſtructions concerning Lectures and preaching, how procured, abuſed, p. 370, to 474. 478 to 488

His Letter to the Archbiſhop and Biſhops, concerning Ordination penned by Laud, how much abuſed to ſuppreſſe preaching, and keep out good men from the Miniſtry, p. 382 to 385. 537, 538, 539

His Voyage into Spain of purpoſe to ſeduce him in his Religion, which was there attempted by the Pope, his Nuncio, the Jeſuits, Buckingham and Digby; and King James his Inſtructions to him before he went, concerning his writing that the Pope was Antichriſt: Lauds privity and aſſiſtance to the Voyage, Match, Inſtructions, and the Match with France plotted by the Popiſh party to ſeduce the King, p. 416, to 419, 547 to 550

His command to judge Richardſon, to St. [Page] revoke his Order againſt Wakes and Revels, p. 151, &c.

St. Clara his Book Dedicated to him, to reconcile him and us to Rome, p. 423. Ana Fuſtidius Dedicated to him by Cardinal Barbarino, Ibid.

Biſhop of Calcedon, Lauds intimacy with him, and Windebanks uſe of him, p. 454, 455.

Catechizing in the Afternoon a meer pretence to ſuppreſſe Preaching, and what form muſt be uſed, p. 368, 369, 370, 372, 374 376, 378

Chaplains in private houſes ſuppreſſed, p, 369, 371, 372.

Miſtris Charnocks teſtimony, p. 69.

Chriſts Epiſtle to a devout Soul: a Popiſh Book Licenſed, p. 186, 187, 195, &c.

Church maintained to be alwayes viſible: The Church of Rome to be a true Church, to have the ſame Religion with in, not to have erred in Fundamentals; the Reformed Proteſtant Churches to be no Churches, if they want Lord Biſhops, and not to be of our Religion; by Laud and his adherents, who endeavoared to ſuppreſſe the Dutch, French and Walloon Churches here; and purged out clauſes concerning the Church, and building Churches Eaſt and Weſt, p. 27, 30, 207, 293, 296 to 300, 388 to 409. 441. 530, 531, 532.

High Commiſſion, Lauds deſign to advance its power, p. 369.

St. Clara his intimacy with Canterbury, and Book to reconcile us to Rome, p. 39 423 to 432 550, 557 to 560.

Dr. Clerks Sermons miſerably gelded, purged by Lauds Chaplains, p. 254 to 376

John Cooks teſtimony againſt Canteroury, p. 452, 453.

Mr. Cooks recantation in Oxford, p. 176

Conſecrations of Flagous, Altarclothes, Churches, Chappels, Churchyards, meerly Popiſh, introduced, uſed juſtified by Canterbury, whoſe Arguments for them are examined, refuted, p. 65, 114 to 128, 217, 218. 497 to 506.

Conſiderations compiled and preſented by Laud to the King, to ſuppreſſe Preaching, Lectures, Lecturers, p. 368 to 376. 536, 537, 477.

Con the Popes Nuncio, p. 413, 440.

Contrition Popiſh, paſſages againſt it expunged. p. 308.

Copes introduced & enjoyned by Laud, p. 64 71. 76, 80, 81. 468 469 476 to 490.

Mr. Corbets teſtimony and trouble for not bowing to the Altar, by Biſhop Laud and his Viſitor, p. 71. 477.

Earl of Corks Tomb in Ireland ordered by Laud to be taken down, for ſtanding in the place of the Altar, and Letters thence concerning it, p. 82 to 88.

Dr. J. Coſin, a Popiſh Innovator at Durham & Cambridge, advanced & protected by Laud, p. 72, 73 78, 355, 356. 532.

Councels Evangelical to perfection, juſtified in new printed Books, p. 209, 210. Paſſages againſt them expunged, p. 300.

Councellors that are ill, paſſages againſt them purged out of new Books by Laud and his Agents, p. 245 301, 302.

Creed-Church how conſecrated by Laud, p. 113, 114 598 503.

Credentia a Popiſh Innovation and Ʋtenſil introduced by Laud in his Chappel, p. 63 464, 468.

Crowlyes Anſwer to Champenyes, p. 69

Croxton recommended by Laud to the Lord Deputy Wentworth: by him advanced in Ireland, his Letter to the Archbiſhop, and practiſe of auricular confeſſion publiquely there. p. 194 195.

Crucifixes erected by the Archbiſhop and his Agents in his own and the Kings Chappels, Cathedrals, and elſewhere p. 59 to 57. 205, 205, 216. 462 to 490. Iuſtified by him, p. 464, 465.

Mr. Culmer ſuſpended by Laud, for not reading the Declaration for Sports on the Lords day, p. 146. 506.

Dr. Cumber his juſtification of Auricular Confeſſion and Letter to Laud, with his Anſwer thereunto touching Mr. Bernards Sermon, p. 193. 363, 364. 535.

D

Dancing and other Paſtimes on the Lords day juſtified in late printed Books; condemned by Fathers, Councels, Calvin & others, p. 222 to 226 372. 504, 505, 506.

Davis his Petition to Laud concerning Contributions to rail in the Altar, p 90.

Deans Arminian and Popiſh preferred by Laud, p. 356 532, 533.

Declaration for Sports enlarged, reprinted and preſſedon Miniſters by Lauds Practiſe, p. 128 156 382.

Decree of God: paſſages concerning it deleted, p. 333, 364, 365.

[Page] Decree of Star-chamber concerning licenſing and reprinting Books, illegall, procured abuſed by Laud, to the prejudice of our Religion, and the advancement of Poperty and Arminianiſme, p. 198, to 210, 512. to 516.

Barron Denham his Orders againſt Wakes, Revels, Churchals, p. 126, 127, 153, 154, 513, 515.

Maſter Dell, Lauds Secretary, his Letter to ſilence Maſter Leigh, p. 388. His intimacy with Prieſts and Jeſuits, and anſwer to the Purſevants, p. 450, 451, 453.

Maſter Deuxels teſtimony of Prieſts liberty in their priſons, p. 450.

Maſter Dow advanced, his popiſh Booke, p. 207, 357.

Biſhop Downhams Book againſt the Arminians and falling from Grace, called in by Lauds meanes both in England and Ireland, p. 171, 172, 508, 510.

His Proteſtation againſt toleration of popery in Ireland, p. 434.

Doctor Duppa an Arminian, made Vice-Chancellour of Oxford, and promoted by Laud, 176, p. 354, 359, 360.

Maſter Dury his reordination and attempts to reconcile the Calviniſts and Lutherans, p. 340, 539, 541

Dutch and French reformed Churches in England proſecuted and deprived of their priviledges by Laud, accounted no true Churches, nor of our Religion, p. 27, 33, 388, to 409, 539, to 543.

E

King Edward VI. his Patent to the Dutch and French, to enjoy Churches of their owne Diſcipline in England, p. 394, 395. his times depreſſed, p. 420, 421.

Election Univerſall and from foreſeen Faith and Works maintained, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 303, to 307, 309, to 312.

Egerton his teſtimony againſt Laud, p. 453.

Equivocation, clauſes againſt it expunged, p. 307.

F

Faith alone doth not juſtifie, but Charity and Works, maintained, paſſages againſt it, the nature of faith and growth in it, deleted, p. 209, 307, 314, 315, 341.

Falling from Grace maintained in many late printed Books, and paſſages againſt it expunged, p. 219, 279, to 287, 314, 315, 316, 425.

Faſt Booke purged of paſſages againſt popery by Laud, p. 250. Paſſages againſt popiſh Faſting deleted, p. 307.

Faſtidius his Booke printed and dedicated to the King by Cardinall Barbarino, p. 423

Feares carnall, paſſages againſt them, and the feare of God, expunged, p. 388, 341.

Dr. Featlies teſtimony againſt Laud, and the purging of his Sermons by his Chaplaine and command, p. 59, 62, 63, 64, 108, 254, 259, 269, 270, 279, to 283, 459, 526, 527.

Feoffes for buying impropriatioas ſuppreſſed by Laud, p. 385, to 389, 537, 538, 539

Fiſher the Jeſuit enlarged, protected by Windebank, his anſwer to the Lords, and Lauds kind dealing with him and his, p. 451, 452, 457.

Flemming the popiſh Archbiſhop of Dublin his proceedings, and the popiſh Prieſts Proteſtation againſt him, p. 438.

Maſter Fords ſevere cenſure and baniſhment for oppoſing Arminianiſme in Oxford by Lauds meanes, p. 174, 175, 176.

Maſter Foxlies impriſonment by Laud, and his ſpite to him for furthering the buying in impropriations, p. 387, 388, 537, 539.

Master Fox Acts and Monuments prohibited reprinting and uſe, p, 87, 88, 184.

Free-will maintained in new Books, paſſages againſt it expunged, p, 208, 209. 254, 308, 309.

Fryars Flagellant, paſſages againſt them deleted, p. 309.

G

Master Gellibrand proſecuted for his Almanack by Laud at the Queens and Papists requests in the High Commiſſion, p. 182, 183, 513, 516.

Saint Giles a dangerous ſeducing Papiſt, maintained by Laud in Oxford, the Author of Deus, Natura & Gratia, as thoſe beyond the Sea affirmed, p. 39, 427, to 433. 557, to 562. His teſtimony of Lauds cordiall affection to popery, p. 428.

God not the Author of ſinne, paſſages concerning it deleted, p. 309. his over-ruling providence in the puniſhment and pulling downe of wicked men by their owne Counſels, Epiſt. Dedicat.

Goldſmiths testimony againſt Laud, p. 452.

Grace Univerſall and the power of reſisting Grace, maintained; paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 220, 309, 310, 311.

Gray, a diligent diſcoverer, apprehender of Priests and Jeſuits, diſcouraged, committed [Page] by Laud for his good Service, others warned by him not to come in his company, under pain of loſing of their places, called a Prieſtcatching-knave, ordered to put in Bond never to proſecute Priests more ere releaſed, p. 451, 452, 457, 558, 559, 562.

Maſter Grimſtones Speech againſt Laud upon his impeachment, p. 20, 21.

Powder-treaſon Book altered by Laud in favour of Papists, p. 246, 522, 523.

H

Habernfields diſcovered Plot of Treaſon concealed by Laud, p. 459, 460, 563, 554.

Biſhop Hals Letter againſt Arminianiſme purged by Lauds Chaplaine, p. 165, 166, 508, 509, 512. His Letters, Book and Propoſitions ſent to Laud, touching Epiſcopacy by Divine Right, and the bloting out the Title of Antichriſt out of his Book given to the Pope, p. 228, to 239, 263, 275, 276, 416, 540, 541, 542.

Sir William Hamilton, agent at Rome to the Pope, his reſpects to Windebank, and entertainment of his ſons at Rome, p. 446, 447, 448.

Hardning, paſſages concerning it againſt the Arminians deleted, p. 313, 214.

Harmony of Confeſſions miſ-alleaged by Laud, in justification of Images in Churches p. 472, 473.

Francis Harris his testimony concerning Laud, p. 411, 412.

Doctor Haywood Lauds Chaplaine, a Licenſer of popiſh Books, and purger of orthodox paſſages againſt popery, Papists, Arminianiſme, advanced by him, a practiſer of popiſh Ceremonies, p. 63, 64, 186, 187, &c. to 350

Sparſim, 356, 357, 528, 533, 534.

Hereſie determined by Parli. p. 521, 522.

Doctor Heylin advanced by Laud, his popiſh and prophane Books and paſſage againſt the Feoffees for Impropriations, Sabbath, &c. p. 186. to 215, 216, 227, 356, 360, 521.

Master Hils recantation, and Mr. Hobes p. 173, 176.

Hiſtoricall Narration, a ſtrange impoſture in juſtification of Arminianiſm, diſcovered by Mr. Pryn, p. 168, 169, 170, 513, 510

Holy-dayes, paſſages againſt them deleted, p. 312.

Our Homilies condemne Images, Altars, Tapers, Copes, and the Pope as Antichriſt: cenſured, paſſages tranſcribed out of them, expunged by Lauds direction, p. 102, to 110. 360, 426.

Maſter Howe cenſured in the High Commiſſion for praying to God to preſerve the Prince from popiſh education, p 420, 548, 549

Doctor Hoyle his teſtimony, p. 359, 533.

Sir Anthony Hungerfords Treatiſes againſt Popery denyed Licenſe by Laud and his Chaplaine, unleſſe expunged; and Sir Edmund Hungerfords teſtimony concerning it, p. 252, 253, 524, 525, 527.

Anne Huſſey, her teſtimony and diſcovery, menaced and reviled by Laud for it, p. 459, 563, 564.

I

Doctor Jackſon of Canterbury, his bowing to the Altar, and teſtimony againſt Laud. p. 79, 534.

Doctor Jackſon of Corpus Chriſti, an Arminian, advanced by Laud, p. 166, 167, 356, 359, 533, 534.

K. Ja. his cenſure of Arminianiſm for hereſie, p. 512. the Popes being Antichriſt, p. 419.

Jeſuits planters of Arminianiſme, their Letter, p. 159, 160, Lauds intimacy with, and Windebanks releaſe and protection of them, p. 443, to 459. 556, to 562. paſſages againſt them deleted, p. 267.

Biſhop Jewels Works diſliked by Laud, and prohibited reprinting, p. 17, 88, 184.

Images popiſh of Chriſt, God, the holy Ghoſt, Virgin Mary, erected by Laud in his Chappell, Gallery, Study, Churches, contrary to our Statutes, Homilies, Injunctions, Writers; juſtified by him, printed and inſerted into our Bibles; paſſages for them authorized, againſt them expunged; his perverting of Authors to juſtifie them, and cenſure of Maſter Shelfield for breaking, and Maſter Workman for preaching againſt them, adored by ſome, p. 58, to 62, 66, to 78, 93, 102, to 110, 204, to 207 462, to 480, 487.

Infallibility of the Church, a clauſe againſt it deleted, p. 318.

Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes ſtrangely purged and corrupted by the Licenſer, p. 255, to 348 528,

Maſter William Jones queſtioned in the High Commiſſion for not reading the book for Sports, and praying for the Queens converſion, p. 420.

Father Joſephs letter to Windebank, p 445

Ireland, the Archbiſhops diſpoſing of all preferments and Church-Offices there, his intelligence and Papers thence of the ſtrange encreaſe of Popery, Papiſts, and the inſolency of popiſh Prelates, Prieſts, Monks, Nunnes there, and yet deniall of it in his Anſwer to [Page] the Commons Remonſtance, p. 82, to 87, 171, 172, 154, 355, 433, to 446, 534.

Doctor Juckſon made Biſhop of London and Lord Treaſurer by Laud, p. 354.

Juſtification by Faith onely denied, by Works and Charity, aſſerted in new Books, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 203, 314, 315, 316, 359, 424, 425.

K

Maſter Kilby his recantation, p. 176.

Kings arbitrary power and taxes, paſſages againſt them deleted in new Books, p. 289 290, 319, 319.

L

Lactantius his paſſage againſt Images, p. 463.

Sir John Lambe, Lauds creature, Letters of intelligence & information to him to be communicated to Laud, a Bribe of 51 incloſed in a Petition to him, p. 91, 92, 93, 380, 454.

Maſter Lancaſters reaſons, why he ſhould be Archbiſhop of Caſſels, p. 354.

Lainy an Arminian and Popiſh Doctor promoted by Laud, p. 193, 359.

Latham an informer to Lamb and Laud p. 91, 92, 381.

Latin ſervice enjoyned by Laud, p. 71, 477, 478.

LAUD his riſe and violent deportment in Church, State, p. 17, 18, 19. and throughout this History; his firſt accuſation, impeachmēt, commitment, with the Articles exhibited againſt him both by the Commons and Scots, p. 19, to 41. His Petitions to the Lords for Counſell, delay of his Tryall, maintainance, with the Anſwers to them, and Orders of both Houſes preceding his Tryall, p. 42, to 49. His Anſwer and Demurrer to the Commons Articles, p. 43, 47. His firſt appearance at the Lords Barre upon his Tryall, with the paſſages concerning it, p. 45, 46. The manner and dayes of his Tryall, with his Speech at the Lords Barre at the beginning thereof, p. 49, to 57. The generall heeds of his charge p. 47. The proofs and proceedings upon the firſt branch of his Charge, touching the ſubvertion of Religion, and introducing of popery, p. 57, to 565. His popiſh Innovations Ceremonies, Superstitions, Pictures, Books at Lambeth and Croydon, p. 59, to 67. 461, to 473. at Whitehall in the Kings Chappell, and at Westminster at the Kings coronation, p. 67, to 71. 473, to 476. in the Ʋniverſities of Oxford and Cambridge, p. 70, to 76. 476, to 479. in the Cathedrals of Glouceſter, Durham, Canterbury, Hereford, Wincheſter, Worceſter, &c. and in Ireland, p. 75, to 87. 478, to 488. in Pariſh Churches and Chappels, p, 87, to 114. 487, 488, &c. His proceedings againſt Master Smart, Maſter Chancy, Maſter Burket, and divers others in the High-commiſſion and Star-chamber, for oppoſing his popiſh Innovations, p. 93, to 114. 488, to 498, His Innovations in popiſh conſecrations of Churches, Church-yards Chappels, Foundation-ſtones, &c. with the popiſh furniture of his Chappell, and his dedefences thereof, p. 114, to 128. 498, to 505. His promoting and enforcing the Book of Sports, and ſeverely cenſuring Miniſters for not reading it, the account whereof was given to him, p. 128, to 154. 503, to 508. His introducing, fomenting Arminianiſme, protecting, advancing Arminians, and proſecuting their oppoſers, and all Books, Sermons againſt Arminianiſme, p. 154, to 178. 507. to 512. His various attempts to introduce direct Doctrinall Popery, by maintaining, authorizing, printing, importing popiſh Books and Errours, prohibiting the printing of new, reprinting of old orthodox Books againſt them, and purging out the moſt pregnant paſſages againſt popery, popiſh errours, Prieſts, Jeſuits, the Pope himſelfe, prophaneneſſe, and arbitrary papall power out of Bookes tendred to Licenſe, of which there are ſundry Examples, pag. 198, to 346. 512, to 530. His preferring of divers Arminians, and perſons popiſhly affected (as Mountague, Manwaring, Coſins, and divers others) to Biſhopricks, Deanaries, Vicechancellourſhips, Headſhips in the Ʋniverſities, Chaplainſhips to the King, Prince, Himſelfe, others; to Prebendaries and the beſt livings both in England and Ireland, and ſuppreſſing, perſecuting thoſe who oppoſed popery and its encreaſe, p. 345, to 368. 529, to 537. His manifold plots and devices to ſuppreſſe Preaching, Lecturers, Lectures, keep out godly men from the Miniſtery, and ſubverting the Feoffees for Impropriations, p. 368, to 388. 536, to 539. His endeauours to ſuppreſſe the Proteſtant Dutch, French and Walloone Churches among us, his invading their priviledges, moleſting them divers yeers, & eſteeming them no Churches of Chriſt, nor their Ministers to be Miniſters, becauſe they had no Dioceſian Lord [Page] Biſhops, p. 388, to 409. His manifold endeavours to reduce and reconcile us to Rome, his correſpondency with Prieſts, Jeſuits, and and concurring with them in their Deſignes and Treaſons, with his Anſwers and the Commons Replies thereto, p. 409, to 460. 543, to 565.

His Anſwers, Defences to his ſeverall charges, and the Cōmons Reply thereunto, p. 463, to 565. canonized for a Martyr and Saint at Oxford, and his blood reputed meritorious, Epiſt. Dedic. See other particulars concerning him in the other Titles of this Table.

Doctor Laurence his popiſh Sermon; he promoted by Laud, p. 186, 356, 359.

Law poſſible to be fulfilled, p. 210, 211. contrary paſſages deleted, p. 310, to 323.

Leander a popiſh Fryar intimate with Laud, and his quondam chamberfellow, ſent over to reconcile us to Rome, p. 412, 431, 448, 449, 556, 557, 559.

Lectures, Lecturers ſuppreſſed by Laud and his confederates, by what meanes, and Orders made for that purpoſe, p. 268, to 390. 536, to 540.

Maſter Lee ſilenced by Lauds ſpeciall command, p. 380, 381, 537, 538.

Doctor Lewes (who fled hence for ſodomy) advanced by Laud, p. 356.

Doctor Lindſey a grand Arminian and popiſh Divine advanced by Laud to ſeverall Biſhopricks, acquainted him with Sancta Clara, and brought him and his Book to him ere it was printed, his words concerning the Homilies, p. 353, 359, 426, 427.

William Long champ, Biſhop of Ely his pride and power imitated by Laud, p. 17, 18.

Love of God constant, deleted, p. 322, 341.

M

Mr. Mady convented by Laud for preaching againſt Arminianiſme. p. 135

Dr. Man waring cenſured, diſabled by Parliament (for maintaining arbitrary Taxes and Government) from any Church-preferments, advanced to a Living, Deanery, Biſhopricke, and conſecrated Biſhop by Laud; his popiſh Innovations at Worceſter, p. 81, 352, 353, 356, 530, 531.

Marriage of Priests, paſſages for it deleted out of new Books, p. 324.

Dr. Martin an Arminian Laud's Chaplain, advanced by him his Arminian practiſes, p. 167, 168, 123, 357, 359, 508, 5112. Queen Maries dayes magnified by Laud, Queen Elizabeths and Edw. 6. depreſſed, p. 420, 421, 547, 548, 549.

Virgin Maries invocation, adoration, birth without Originall ſinne, with the uſe of Aves to her justified, paſſages contrary thereunto expunged, her ſtatue with Chriſt in her arms erected at Saint Maries in Oxford, and adored, p. 72. 213. to 218, 324.

Lud. à Sancta Maria his Theſes at Rome, p. 419, 420.

Maſſe and its merit justified, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 322, 323, 324, 347, 425

Maſſe-book noted, imitated, approved by Laud, in whoſe ſtudy two of them, ſtately guilt were found, who took the pattern of his Chappel Windowes out of it, p. 59. to 67, 417, 471.

Sir Toby Matthew a dangerous ſeducing Prieſt and Jeſuit, his intimacy with Laud, the Popes Bull to him to recommend his Nuncio to his custody, and reconcile England to Rome, p. 448, to 452, 455, 456, 557, 559.

Tho. Mayo his teſtimony againſt Laud, p. 450, 451.

Mediator Chriſt alone, not Saints or Angels, deleted in new Boooks, p. 328, 329.

Merits and Works of Supererogation juſtified, paſſages againſt them deleted, p. 209. 210. 315. to 318, 425.

Maſter Middletons Letters to Laud, p. 429, 430, 431.

Sir Henry Mildmay, & Anthony Mildmay their teſtimonies againſt Laud, of his Innovations in the Court, and eſteem in Rome p. 67, 68, 412, 413, 414 543, 546, 547.

Miniſters duty: paſſages concerning it deleted out of new Books, p. 325, 326. See Preaching.

Mixing Water with Wine in the Sacrament, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 325.

Monaſteries, Monks, Monaſticall Vowes, Life, juſtified in new Books, paſſages againſt them deleted, erected in England and Ireland, yet denied by Laud, when complained of by the Commons, p. 212, 325, 433 to 548, 550, 551.

Ri. Mountague an Arminian & popiſh Divine queſtioned, voted againſt in Parlia. protected, advanced to Biſhopricks, and conſecrated by Laud; his Popiſh Books juſtified, approued, reſerved by him, Books againſt them ſuppreſſed; his intimacy with the Popes Nuncio, and endeavours to reconcile us to Rome, his Son ſent to Rome, Lauds inſtrument to help reduce us to it; his Viſitation Articles concerning Arminianiſme, Lectures, Lecturers, [Page] &c. account to Laud of his proceedings, ſcurrilous cenſure of Henry the 8th, popiſh and Arminian Tenets, Book in defence of Altars, Sacrifices, and opinion of comming up to the Railes, p. 94, to 103, 113, 157, to 163, 177, 171, 350, 351, 351, 352, 376, 377, 443, 530, 531, 554, 555.

Murther in Magiſtrates, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 328.

N

Nature well uſed, no meanes to obtaine Grace, deleted, p. 329.

Biſhop Neale, Lauds Patron at firſt, a Popiſh, Arminian, unpreaching Prelat, promoted by Laud to Wincheſter and York, p. 354, 530, 531, 532.

Moſter Newtons teſtimony againſt Laud, p. 449, 453.

Maſter Nixons teſtimony concerning Innovations in Oxford, and adoring the Statue of the Virgin Mary there erected, p. 72. 455, 456.

Popes Nuncioes entertainment in England, p. 440. See Panzani, Roſſetti.

O

Oath ex Officio, paſſages concerning it deleted, p. 329, 330.

Etcetera Oath made by Laud, damned in Parliament. p. 19, 26, 30.

Viſitation Oaths preſcribed againſt Law, p. 96.

Obedience, blind and popiſh juſtified, p. 197. paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 291, 292.

Oblations at the Altar uſed, introduced, preſcribed by Laud, p. 72.

Maſter Oldſworths teſtimony of Lauds encroachments upon the Lord Chamberlaines Office, in commending Chaplains to the King, p. 356, 357, 532, 533.

Ordination, limitations concerning it preſcribed by Laud in the Kings name, to ill purpoſes, held to be void and null, unleſſe made by Biſhops, p. 368, 370, 382, 383, 384.

Originall ſinne, paſſages orthodox concerning it deleted, p. 313, 328, 329.

Doctor Owen his popiſh Statue erected at St. Maries in Oxford adored, and he made a Biſhop, p. 72, 335, 477, 478, 537, 538.

Oxford Univerſity, Laud made Chancelour of it unduly, her Statutes altered by Laud, his popiſh Arminian Vice-Chancelours and proceedings there againſt Anti-Arminians, their giving him Papall titles, Of your HOLINESSE, &c. p. 70, to 74. 154, 359, 441, 476, 477, 478.

P

Maſter Page his Petition to Laud about the Declaration for Sports, p. 149, 150.

Maſter Palmer a Lecturer, complaints to Laud againſt Archbiſhop Abbot for ſuffring him, p. 372, 373.

Panzani the Popes Nuncio, his Letter to Windebank of thanks, for releaſing Prieſts and favour to Roman Catholicks, p. 352, 440, 444.

Papiſts, paſſages aginſt them expunged, their boaſts in Books, and ſpeeches of our relapſe and falling baek to their Religion, p. 113, 114, 260, to 270, 554.

Archbiſhop Parker his cenſure of Popiſh Ceremonies, conſecrations of Churches, p. 18, 119, 125.

Biſhop Pierce advanced by Laud, his Invations, ſuppreſſing of Preaching, Lectures, perſecution of ſuch who refuſed to raile in Lords Tables, &c. by Lauds command, his letters to Laud about Churchales, Revels, &c. impious ſpeeches, againſt Lectures, preaching, p. 97, to 101, 134, 141, 353, 372, 377, 378

Penance Popiſh, juſtified, preſcribed in printed Books, p. 195, 196, 197. clauſes againſt it expunged, p. 331.

Perfection attainable in this life maintained, p. 220.

Perſeverance in Grace, paſſages for it deleted out of new Books, p. 279, 280, 332.

Pilgrimages Popiſh, paſſages againſt them deleted, p. 323.

Biſhop Pilkington his cenſure of Popiſh conſecrations of Churches, p. 115, 110.

Doctor Pocklington his popiſh prophane Books publiſhed by Lauds command, his and their cenſure in Parliament, his Petition; derivation of Lauds ſucceſſion from Rome, and terming our Martyrs Rebels, Traytors, Hereticks, but popiſh Martyrs Saints: promoted by Laud, p. 184, 186, 190, 196, to 241, 357, 358, 458. 552, 554.

Pontificall and Ceremoniall of Rome, found in Lauds Study, and immitated by him in his Popiſh Innovations and ſuperstition, p. 62, 63, 64. 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 81, 112, 113, 126.

Pope maintained by Laud and his Confederates, not to be Antichriſt; to be ſupream head of the Church; Paſſages againſt his Tyranny, Treaſons, Pardons, &c. deleted; his Bull to Sir Toby Matthew and Nuncioes in England: See Antichriſt, p. 259. to 268, 542, 551, to 555.

[Page] Popery maintained in printed Books, paſſages againſt it in generall and particular deleted, intended to be introduced by Laud and his confederates, by what ſteps and means, p. 26. to the end of the History; See more eſpecially p. 184. to 350.

Doctor Potter an Arminian promoted, his Booke altered in favour of Papiſts by Laud, his Letters to Laud, p. 251, 252. 356, 523, 524.

Prayer to Saints and Angels justified in late Books, p. 213, 214. paſſages againſt it deleted, and againſt Popiſh prayers and the merit of them, p. 331, 425.

Prayer before and after Sermons or Catechizing (except onely that forme preſcribed by Canon) prohibited Ministers and Lecturers, p. 97, 373. to 380.

Preaching decried, written againſt, ſuppreſſed, paſſages for frequent, powerfull preaching and hearing the Word deleted, p. 225, 226, 325, 326, 335, 336, &c. 364.

Predeſtmation, the Doctrine of it oppoſed, ſtiled a deſperate Doctrine, paſſages concerning it deleted, p. 290, 339, 340.

Prieſts power to remit ſinnes judicially, maintained, p. 188, 195.

Popiſh Prieſts adore the Altar and Crucifix in the Kings Chappell, p. 89.

John Premly his cenſure in the High Commiſſion, for removing the Lurds Table, p. 101, 488, 494.

Father Price a popiſh Prieſt intimate with Laud, p. 448, 449, 557, 559.

Doctor Theodor Price, whom Laud would make a Biſhop, dyed a reconciled Papiſt, p. 355

Proceſſions justified, preſcribed by the Oxford Statutes, p. 73, 477, 448.

Prohibitions to the High Commiſſion and Eccleſiasticall Courts deſired to be restrained by Laud, p. 369.

Purgatory and Limbus patrum maintained in new printed Books, paſſages againſt them and all other purgations, except Chriſts Blood, deleted, p. 207, 332, 335.

Purging orthodox Books, and a Popiſh Index Expurgatorius introduced by Laud and his Chaplaines, with ſundry instances thereof, p. 244, to 350. 521, to 530.

Q

Queen, Lauds intimacy with her, favours from her, and for what end, p. 418, 548, 549 complains of Mr. Gellibrands Almanack, & puts in Laud to question him, 184. Sends Agents to Rome, p. 430, 549. Prayers for her converſion prohibited by Laud, and Ministers questioned, cenſured by him for praying for her converſion, p. 362, 363. 418, 419, 420, 547, 549.

Quiroga his Index Expurgatorius imitated by Laud and his Chaplaines, p. 348.

R

Master Rainsford an Arminian, enjoyned a mild Recantation, not of his opinions, but indiſcretion, p. 511.

Master Matthew Randall his ſuſpention by Lauds order, for preaching on Lords dayes in the afternoon, p. 381, 537, 538.

Reading maintained to be preaching, paſſages againſt it expunged, p. 222, 225, 337.

Recantations preſcribed to Anti-Arminians, p. 175, 176. To Master Ridler by the Biſhop of Glouceſter, p. 241, 242.

Receiving at the new Rayls an Innovation much preſſed, Bi. Mountagues and Wrens opinions thereof, p. 98, 99, 100.

Reeves his popiſh and prophane Booke, p. 186, 199, 225.

Reliques of Saints justified in new Books, p. 211, 425. paſſages againſt them deleted, p. 294.

Reprobation denied, p. 220. paſſages concerning it deleted, p. 334.

Judge Richardſons order againſt Churchales, Revels revoked by Lauds procurement, p. 128. to 136, 505, 506.

Doctor Ridly his popiſh Booke, p. 186, 218.

Reſiſting Grace maintained, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 219, 309, 310, 311.

Master Rogers of Dedham, and another of that name ſuſpended by Laud, p. 373.

Rome justified by Laud, and his complices to be a true Church, not to have erred in fundamentals, that men may be ſaved in it, that her Religion is the ſame with ours, and that our Biſhops derive their ſucceſſion from it p. 220, 221, 239, to 243, 364, 365, 390, 391, 393, 441, 551, to 555.

Roſſetti the Popes Nuncio committed to Sir Toby Matthewes tuition by the Popes Bull, p. 445, 446.

Master Ruly, Biſhop Lauds harſhneſſe towards him, and why, p. 391, 392.

S

Sabbath, Books written by Lauds instigation [Page] againſt the morality and ſtrict ſanctification of it; ſports, works, pastimes authorized and uſed by his meanes, clauſes for its ſanctification, morality, & the very name of Sabbath expunged, oppoſers of its prophanation ſuſpended, proſecuted, cenſured, p. 128. to 155. 223. to 226, 246. 337, 338. 376, 377. 382. 504, 505, 506, 521.

Sacraments, ex opere operato, convey not grace, deleted, p. 338, 339.

Sacrifice of the Maſſe, Altar maintained, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 201, 202, 225. 279. 339. 425.

Saints Invocation and popiſh Saints justified, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 213, 214, 293, 425.

Sales his popiſh Booke licenſed by Lauds Chaplaine, called in and burnt by Proclamation, p. 186, 187, 188. the 513, 514, 515. popiſh poynts in it, p. 191, 195, to 215,

Master Salisburies Sermon againſt popery and Arminianiſme questioned by Laud, p. 362.

Satisfaction popiſh, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 340.

Second Service at the Altar enjoyned, p. 378, 379.

Scriptures themſelves expunged, paſſages againſt their light, and common peoples reading of them deleted, p. 341.

Shelfords popiſh Book & opinions, p. 186 196, 199, 209, 210, 225, 226, &c.

Maſter Sherfields cenſure in Star-chamber for breaking an idolatrous popiſh Image, and Lauds bitterneſſe againſt him for it, p. 102, 103, 488, 489, 491, 494, 495.

Doctor Sibthorps Sermon purged by Laud himſelfe, p. 245, 246. 521, 522.

Sinne, paſſages againſt living and continuing in it expunged, p. 347.

Skinner an Arminian made Biſhop of Briſtoll by Lauds meanes, p. 354.

Maſter Peter Smarts caſe and teſtimony p. 93, 353, 360, 481, 493, 530.

Smith a dangerous Jeſuit, and Smith Biſhop of Calcedon, intimate with Laud and Windebank, who protected him, p, 448, to 456, 557, to 562.

Maſter Snellings cenſure in the High Commiſſion by Lauds meanes, for not reading the Declaration for ſports, p. 151, 152. 504, 505.

Sparroes Sermon in juſtification of Confeſſion, p. 186, 189, 190, 211.

Anthony Staffords popiſh Booke, Deifying the Virgin Mary, juſtified by Laud, p. 212, 216, 217, 218, 513, 514, 515,

Doctor Sterne, a popiſh and Arminian Divine, preferred by Laud, his defence of Confeſſions and Priests obſolution, p. 193, 396, 359.

Succeſſion perſonall of Biſhops, made a Note of the Church, and our Biſhops lineally derived from Rome, p. 220, 221.

Superſtition, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 294, 295, 296.

Master Sparks testimony, p. 183, 184, 243.

T

Baron Tanfields Order againſt Churchales p. 153.

Tertullian miſ-recited, perverted by Laud for the uſe of Images, who expreſly condemnes all Images, and the very art of making them, p. 463, 465.

Maſter Thatchers teſtimony of Lauds favouring Prieſts, &c. p. 413.

Maſter Thornes expulſion out of Oxford for oppoſing Arminianiſme, p. 174, 175.

Toleration of Papiſts, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 245, 246, 342.

Doctor Towers Letter to Sir John Lambe, to prevaile with Laud to make him a Biſhop, and Orders for Lectures when made Biſhop, p. 354, 378, 379.

Traditions juſtified, p. 213.

Tranſubſtantiation and reall preſence of Chriſts body in the Sacrament, juſtified in new Books, and by Laud himſelfe, paſſages againſt it deleted, p. 35, 202, 203, 204, 322, 323, 324, 332, 333, 342, 514, 515, 526.

Trent Councill magnified in printed Books, p. 243. Maſter Bernard queſtioned for diſpraiſing it, p. 364.

Treaſon againſt the Church and State, as well as againſt the King, &c. held dangerous, ſeditious Doctrine by Laud, who queſtioned Maſter Bernard for it, p. 364, 365, 366.

Doctor Turners Letter of information to Laud againſt Doctor Prideaux, in behalfe of Master Mountague, p. 157, 158.

V

Maſter Valentines ſuſpention for not reading the Book for-Sunday-ſports, p. 382.

Maſter Udney a Lecturer, his permiſſion by Abbot, complained of to Laud, p. 373.

Veniall ſins maintained in printed Books [Page] p. 211. Paſſages againſt them deleted out of orthodox Books, p. 343.

Veron his anſwer to Clampneyes, p. 169, 184.

Maſter Vicars Hiſtory of the Gun-powder Treaſon denied licenſe, p. 184.

Vocation effectuall, paſſages concerning it deleted, p. 341, 342.

Vowes of Poverty and perpetuall Virginity Juſti [...]cal, and clauſes againſt them deleted, p. 222, 225, 325.

Biſhop Uſher his ſtrange ſpeech to Sir Charles Coot, and want of zeale to maintaine the Proteſtant Religion in Ireland, Epiſt. Dedic. Very great with Laud, Ibid. His Letter to Laud concerning the calling in of Biſhop Downhams Book againſt the Arminians, p. 172. concerning the Popes being Antichriſt, and the Papiſts brags of our Apoſtacy towards Rome, p. 554.

W

Maſter Waddeſworths teſtimony againſt Laud, p. 449, 559, 561.

Maſter Wakerlies teſtimony of Lauds carriage in purging the Kings Patents, and ill opinions of the Proteſtant Churches p. 391, 392.

Wakes, Churchales and Feaſts of Dedication ſuppreſſed by the Judges, revived by Laud, and juſtifies their miſchiefe, and his pretences for them anſwered, p. 128, to 149, 505, to 507.

Maſter Wallies teſtimony, p. 184, 109, 110.

Mr. Sam. Wards cenſure for preaching againſt popiſh Innovations, and the encreaſe of popery by Lauds meanes, p. 361.

Mr. Rich. Wards Comentary on Matthew ſtrangely purged, p. 255, to 348.

Dr. Weeks Lauds Chaplain, denied by him yet proved under his hand, a licenſer of popiſh and purger of orthodox books, p. 184, to 350. 357, 528.

Mr. Joh. White one of the Feoffees for Impropriations, his testimony of Lauds carriage in this buſineſſe, p. 386, 387.

Maſter Thomas White his teſtimony touching the purging of Doctor Clarkes Sermons, p. 254, 255.

Serjeent Wildes Speech at the beginning of Lauds Tryall, p. 51, 52. 53.

Doctor Willets Works denied to be reprinted, p. 134.

Biſhop Williams orders concernieg railing in Communion Tables, p. 100.

Maſter Willinghams teſtimony, p. 109, 110. 113, 114.

Mr. Th. Wilſon ſuſpended by Laud for not reading the book for ſports, p. 199, 505, 506.

Wil-worſhip, paſſages againſt it deleted p. 345, 364.

Secretary Windebank advanced by Laud intimate with the Popes Nuncioes, Agents; reſpected, and his ſons entertained at Rome by Cardinall Barbarino, and others: Panzani, Father Joſeph, Father Phillips and his ſons Letters to him; a great protector enlarger of Prieſts, Jeſuits, and Lauds inſtrument herein; his impriſonment of Purſevants till they promiſed never to diſcover or proſecute Prieſts any more, p. 443, to 452, 554, to 562.

Cardinall Woolſeys charge, for ſuffering innovations in Religion, p. 458.

Word of God, paſſages for the reading, hearing and diligent preaching of it deleted, p. 345, 346. See Preaching and Miniſters.

Works, paſſages that they merit not, and are imperfect, expunged, p. 313, to 318, 346, 4 [...]5.

Maſter Workmans cenſure in the High commiſſion, and Lauds moſt viollent, barbarous proceedings againſt him for preaching againſt Images, according to our Homilies, and other trifles, p. 103, to 110, 488, 489, 490, 495, 496.

Biſhop Wrens Viſitation Articles, proceedings, innovations, ſuperſtitions, advancement by, and annuall account of his proceedings to Laud, p. 96, 97, 153, 353, 373, to 377, 488, 493.

Biſhop Wright promoted by Laud, his Innovations and proceedings at Coventry, p. 90, 91, 92, 353.

Courteous Reader, I ſhall deſire thee to correct theſe enſuing Errataes, which through the Printers negligence have eſcaped the PRESSE.

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Page 19. line 34. read 1640. p. 20. l. 9. accuſation. p. 39. l. 25. the then. p. 41. l. 44. that they, p 42 l 43 Octob. Novemb. p 43 l 5 of Commons. p 47 l 31 preceding, p 48 l 21, 32 1643. l 30 Mildmay, p 57 l 38 precedency, p 60 l 32 dele baudy. l 52 Gentes, p 62 l 22, 60 r 70. p 53 l 26 pariete, p 65 l 37 uſually, l 55 Evangelium, p 65 l 3 Eightly r Ninthly, p 67 l 6 Archbiſhops, p 70 l 25 r Fiftly, l 30 Sixtly, p 73 l 35 Proceſſions, p 71 l 25 r ſet up in Durham Cathedrals, l 29 the, he, l 37 a, at, p 81 l 44 as, at, l 52 dele in, p 82 l 44 r 1633. p 91 l 48 at the, p 94 l 25 to be, p 90 l 21 learn, leane, 96 l 29 men, p 102 l 34 to, of, p 107 l 35 Wiſe, Guiſe, p 110 l 11 As, A, l 36 priſoner, p 112 l 28 proſecuters, p 115 l 16 Eccleſiae, p 116 l 48 has, haec, p 119 l 16 veritati, p 120 l 39 decapitation, l 41 mentem, p 121 l 23 temporibus, l 31 conſuetudine, l 32 quantum, l 44 1633. p 123 l 13 dentia, l 18 Miſtal, p 125 l 47 adjurantur; per, pro, l 50 Deinde, 1 51 animae, p 128 l 8 dedicationum, p 134 l 31 dele at, p 153 l 33 Exchequer, Sidenham, Denham, p 154 l 34 he, the, p 147 l 31 revering, revoking, p 142 l 1 them, him, p 155 l 27 all, at, p 156 l 13 Neg. l 53 accepi, p 162 27 imitating, p 169 l 41 with, which, p 174 l 14. decriment, l 19 both the, 177 l 24 refute, p 183 l 29 revived, reviewed, l 48 they ſhall, p 192 l 15 through, p 207 l 44 Purgatory, p 209 l 16 height, l 39 be, de, l 45 unde, p 213 l 1 unwritten, p 214 l 3 maintainers, l 44 with, which; p l 24 l 42 travelled, p 225 l 23 yea in, p 226 l 29 nature, p 228 l 4 Anglicanos, l 19 compiling, p 229 l 34 r 1639. p 232 l 47 againſt, amongſt, p 234 l 5 formalized, l 21 though, p 235 l 25 your, p 238 l 29 to be, p 236 l 1 r 28, p 243 l 18 forme norme, l 26 Bezaes, l 50 praefortior, praefertur, p 244 l 42 praiſe, peruſe, p 254 l 28 dele and, p 25 [...] l 27 dele is, p 265 l 2 Ahab, p 271 l 1 Danaeus, p 272 l 29 to, in, p 274 l 4 deputation, l 51 take, 278 l ult. dele he, p 298 l 40 wicked, p 305 l 12 is, it, p 309 l 30 pravity, p 309 l 10 Pantes Anthropous, l 18 confirmed, confined, p 315 l 47 privatively, p 316 l 40 abſolute, ſir, l 43 ſimply, p 317 l 9 works, p 322 l 40 Buls, p 323 l 19 dele not, p 325 l 4 [...] denuntiation, p 327 l 3 Fiſhers, p 329 l 26 and 36 ſenſus, p 335 l 7 eſt, es, p 337 l 33 as, a, p 340 l 1 words, l 3 efundetur, l 31 in that, p 343 l 39 repenting, p 345 l 20 dead, deed, l 35 not, p 346 l 10 Religion, p 347 l 8 profeſſion, poſſeſſion, p 341 l 3 ſuppreſſe, diſcerne by, p 349 l 21 reſtraint, p 351 l 4 directas, p 352 l 13 Panzani, l 21 dele he, p 375 l 26 Lynne, p 376 l 12 Beerchrockham, p 379 l 30 his, p 384 l 30 ſufficient, 395 l 35 habitis, l 40 editis, p 421 l 22 revive, p 424 l 39 placere, p 325 l 6 hoc, p 427 l 8 this was after theſe, l 23 Fran. p 434 l 33 Downham, p 441 l 6 five eight, p 456 l 4 tot. p 410 l 12 r deny, for that he had ſeen that Book of Brownes, and a Petition, p 461 l 45 dele Councell, p 462 l 26, ſealed pardon, p 263 l 21 now, new, p 445 l 26 vel in illis, l 32 as, which, l 49 intulit, p 446 l 6 command, l 9 extends, l 52 Innovations Iniunctions, p 488 l 38 our Injunctions, p 426 l 21 have hath, p 470 l 19 dele been, p 472 l 13 dele Councell, p 473 l 56 Popery, p 475 l 22 Idololatria, l 24 up, of, p 479 l 20 is, are, p 476 l 40 41 42 dele which Biſhop Morton proves at large in his Inſtitution of the Sacrament, Edit. 2. &c. to 495, p 484 l 46 Lindan Coccius, 485 l 37 write, p 486 l 38, 54. p 494 l 32 printed, l 47 for feare, p 497 l 29 theſe, then, l 48 in Camor. p 502 l 1 the, this, dele and, l 4 Diſt. 1. l 45 called, p 504 l 16. conſeeration, l 35 entire, l 49 diſorderly, p 507 l 19 celebranda, p 517 l p 5 dele to, l 48 glad, p 519 l 20 Lincolnienſe, l 47 now, new, p 522 l 39 clauſes, p 525 l 14 would have, l 17 them, then, l 38 mutilate, p 526 l 7 his l 15 or, l 44 Scot, p 531 l 29 is as, p 532 l 29 and, l 40 the, l 42 however, p 533 l 22 dele Counſell, p 534 l 13 livings, l 23 collations, p 536 l 20 conſidered, p 537 l 3 Pence, l 38 originally, p 541 l 14 of the, p 545 l 39 anſwer, l 43 cheriſhings reſiſting, p 544 l 8 Starch, p 447 l 42 inhibiting, p 550 l 19 under, p 551 l 23 but, p 554 l 15 ſavoring, p 553 l 29 a Shepheard, p 557 l 4 with, p 559 l 41 provinciall, p 562 l 23 ſports, leaſt, l 34 as our, l 38 Archbiſhop, p 564 l 21 priſtine, p 360 l 24, 31, r 1631, 1638, p 364 l 2 1632, 370 l 14 of, l 24 which, p 382 l 1 enforcing him, p 385 l 38 and in, p 388 l 2 Cave, p 397 l 35 neceſſary, p 406 l 39 theſe, p 329 l 26 harts, parts, l 30 were more, p 330 l 39 yet, let, p 332 l 2 ſuperſtitions. p 434 l 4 experimentally, p 356 l 7 Lucrifacias, l 13 datas, l 27 aſſidue, p 458 l 47 guilty of, p 103 l 23 whereas ſome.

In the margin p 64 l 8 Dr. p 66 l 4 r c. p 96 l 2 Burkit, p 417. l 27 calor, l 32 imminens, l 3 [...] generoſus, p 463 l 17 Balaeus l 26 Hiſtrio-maſtix, p 523 l 16 Triumphans, Bellarmin.

Some other ſlips there are which I ſhall deſire thee to amend as thou findeſt them, having no leizure to make an exact catalogue of them all.

[Page]

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Canterburies doome, or, The first part of a compleat history of the commitment, charge, tryall, condemnation, execution of William Laud, late Arch-bishop of Canterbury containing the severall orders, articles, proceedings in Parliament against him, from his first accusation therein, till his tryall : together with the various evidences and proofs produced against him at the Lords Bar ... : wherein this Arch-prelates manifold trayterous artifices to usher in popery by degrees, are cleerly detected, and the ecclesiasticall history of our church-affaires, during his pontificall domination, faithfully presented to the publike view of the world / by William Prynne, of Lincolns Inne, Esquire ...

Prynne, William, 1600-1669.

Edition statement

1646

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Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2006-06 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A56144

ID [STC]

Wing P3917

ID [STC]

ESTC R19620

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12399796

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12399796

ID [VID]

61245

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A56144)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61245)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 288:3)

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— Canterburies doome, or, The first part of a compleat history of the commitment, charge, tryall, condemnation, execution of William Laud, late Arch-bishop of Canterbury containing the severall orders, articles, proceedings in Parliament against him, from his first accusation therein, till his tryall : together with the various evidences and proofs produced against him at the Lords Bar ... : wherein this Arch-prelates manifold trayterous artifices to usher in popery by degrees, are cleerly detected, and the ecclesiasticall history of our church-affaires, during his pontificall domination, faithfully presented to the publike view of the world / by William Prynne, of Lincolns Inne, Esquire ..., Prynne, William, 1600-1669..

Extent

[20], 18-565, [14] p.

Printed by John Macock for Michael Spark, Senior ...,. London :: 1646.. (Errata: p. [14] at end.) (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.) (Includes index.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.