Appeal to the Parliament, Evidence · Part 10
10. Position proved.
NOw followeth the last pointe, but not the least motive of persuation to the worke; namely, the strikinge at this roote of the Hierarchye; the removall of this Idoll; and the erecting of the puritye of Christs ordinances (as we conceive upon good ground) shall stay the course of sin; remove judgment; Recover Gods favour; make up the breaches of the Church, and common wealth, redeeme the honour of our state; remove the wicked from the throne; Dash cut the braines of our enemies hopes; and bring many blessings upon our King; Church and common wealth.
The euidence of this pointe will undenyablie followe upon the proofe of the former. There be twoe ordinary meanes to inforce the performance of any dutie, namely; feare of punishment, & hope of reward. Wee are bold to presse them both. But wee hope your generous, and noble minds like better to be led then driven; to be persuaded then inforced. The conjunct cause being removed; the effect must cease, and contrary effects must followe: for there is no vacuitie.
If we will stay the course of sin, we must go to the fountains head. The Prelacie is the mother of all sinne, and the daughters maintaine the mother; Take away the mother, and the daughter shall not finde so manie husbands. The sythe to mowe downe sinne (as hath beene shewed) is Discipline, which the Prelates can not endure, and that argueth and plainely convinceth their Kingdome, to subsist by sinne.
Some of their Champions scoffing at the desires of Gods people, for removall of them, and erecting of Discipline,B. Bilson de gub. 14. pag. 539. bidde them first set downe, and propound an other government; Facilius est, &c. It is easier (saith one) to subvert, or cast downe a thing then to erect it. Let them first finde out an other government, ere they remove this. His Fellow procter Scultingius hath the very same in effect,Lib. 1. p. 11 for the Popish government against the Calvinists.
This scoffe relisheth but of a Loose hart, we will not say of blasphemie; as if the government of Christs house were to seeke. Opposers of the trueth should have good memories. For he knoweth and confesseth that there was such a government as we plead for, and so is it yet still in readinesse, if usurpation were removed. Every one knoweth, that an ould rotten or plaguie house must be removed, or consumed with fire before a new Frame be set up:2 Thes. 2.6. foreign. Remove that which withhouldeth, & Christ who standeth at the doore, readie to come in, will bring his government with him.
The foule mouthed Censurers of the petition for reformation, would perswade the State, that Discipline can not suite nor sorte with the subsisting of a Monarchie. Cans. 6.And why? Because they putt lying aspertions upon it, as excommunicating of Kings; proceeding against them as tyrants, robbing them of their right.
It is an usuall thing with whoores to call honest women so, at the very first boute. They seeke the Presbyterians where themselves doe lye; si accusare sat est, quis erit innocens; If it is enough to accuse, who shall be cleare? Hath it not beene their owne ordinary course (as hath beene shewed) to interdict Kings, to depose them, and cause their lives to be taken from them, doe they not now usurpe the Kings right, (as hath beene proved.) And where they grant that actions Matrimoniall of Tithes, and Testamentary actions doe belong to the King de jure; yet they take them all to their owne Courts de facto. But what profit or priviledge can they shew the presbyterians to have robbed Kings off? yea have they not rather parted with their owne, for the advancement of the Gospell?
But to answer directly, to say that the government of a King, & the good of his State cānot stand with the government of Christ, jumpeth fully with that impious conceipt of Herode,Math. 2.3. foreign who hearing of Christs comming in the flesh, was exceedingly troubled, but without cause, for Christ had no eye to his Kingdome. VponUpon this conceite one writeth these pritty Iambicks:
Hostis Herodes impie,
Christum venire, quid times?
Non eripit mortalia,
Qui regnat dat coelestia.
Impious Herode, enemy to Christ,
What makes thee feare Christs comming in our mould?
Will he from Earthly Kings their Scepters wrest?
Who gives Kings Crownes, more glorious then of gould.
In a word, none but enemies to Christ, are enemies to the government of Christ, and if Christ were here on Earth, they that cannot endure his government, would not endure himself.
But to go on with the point of removing judgement, and the blessing ensuing upon reformation: besides the grounds from the former Positions; it is as cleare a trueth, as any in Gods booke; from promise; Instances of Examples, and reason:
For the first, the Scripture is abundant; it presseth no thing more; witnesse first, that place of Samuell: and Samuell spake to all the house of Israell: Put away the strange Gods from among you, 1. Sam. 7.3, &c.and Ashteroth, and prepare your hearts vntounto the Lord, and serve him onelyonly, and be will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistims. Here a people over head and eares in calamitie; there was in them humiliation, but they wanted reformation: the Prophet biddeth them joyne reformation with humiliation, and they should have what they desired.
To the same effect, the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Esaia:C. 1. v. 22. though the Israelites Silver was becom drosse, and their wine mixed with water; that is; they were becom glistering hypocrites, and they caried a fare show and semblance of Religion, as drosse caries a show of silver, and wine, mixed with water, a colour of wine; For this especiallie the Lord hateth them, howsoever they pleased themselves in those deluding showes; yea their Princes & Priests, that should have reformed others, both by Discipline & Example, were Rebelles, Devourers, Theeves, & Robbers, and companions of such, foreign: such Mistresse, such Maide. Yet for all this; though these their sinnes were of a scarlet, or crimsen die, if they will but heare and obey; if they will clense their hearts, and take away from before the Lord the evill of their workes, and doe good in stead of evill, he will not onelyonly forgive them, but also blesse them, they shall eate the good things of the Land, V. 19. Yea he promiseth to turne his hand upon them, (that is, to turn from smiting of them,) and he will burne out the drosse, till it be pure, and take away all the tinne, V. 25. Observe what followeth: He will restore their judges, as at the first, and their Counsellers, as at the beginning; so shall it be called a Citie of righteousnesse, and a faithfull Citie, V. 26. Observe the fruites of reformation, which though the Lord himself effecteth, (for without him we can doe nothing,) yet he reformeth by fecundarie means, where in he honoureth man much, and maketh him manifest his obedience.
This Mr. Zanchie witnesseth in a treatise of the reformation of the Church; speaking of the foresaid place of Esaia: I will burn out the drosse, &c. Quid per stannum, &c. What is ment here by the drosse and tinne? new Doctrine, will-worship, and all such things as have not their foundation from Christ & his Apostles. Sunt igitur omnia stanna novarum Doctrinarum, & novorum cultuum tollenda, & statuenda quae tempore Christi & Apostolorum, Regula 10.&c. Imo Ceremoniae & Disciplina ad prima principia, & primos fontes redigantur, ut profligatur omnis novitas, &c. The tinne of new Doctrines, and new invented worship are to be removed, and things are to be established, according to the institution of Christ and his Apostles; yea all Ceremonies and Discipline are to be reduced to the first principals and fountanes head of Christs institution, that all noveltie may be abandoned.
Where he also observeth, that our Saviour Christ bringeth all things to the same standard, in these words,Math. 19.8 from the beginning it was not so, rejecting everie ordinance, that hath not his institution from God.
This said Author presseth further this point of reformation from that place of Ieremie, which offereth it self for an other proofe:C. 6. v. 7. As a Fountaine casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickednesse.
To what a corrupt and corrupting habite of sinne was Ierusalem growen? like a poysonable welspring it was ever casting out deadlie waters; yea they were growen shamelesse in their abominations, and therefore the Lord threateneth to slay them V. 15. Yet for all this the Lord biddeth them: Stand in the wayes, and behould, and aske for the ould way, which is the good way, and walke therein, and ye shall finde rest for your sowles, V. 16. As if the Lord should say: Looke but upon my wayes; compare them with the wayes of sinne, that seeme so sweete unto you, and wherein your deceiving Prophets sooth you up; considder whether my wayes be not both more equall, & more profitable then the wayes of sinne; for in them ye shall finde refreshing, that is both comfort and prosperitie, where in the wayes of sinne there is nothing but wo and sorrow. So that (as Zanchie observeth) he allureth, or inforceth them to reformation. Argumento ab utili: From an argument of commodity.
So in the fourth of the same Prophesie: O Israell! V. 1.if thow returne unto me, (saith the Lord,) and if thow put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thow not remove.
One place more from the Prophesie of Ezechiell:C. 45.8.9. Albeit they set their thresholds by my thresholds, and their postes by my postes, (that is, their Idolls by my worship, as indeed we have done,) they have defiled my holy name with their abominations, which they have committed; yet let them put away their fornication, and the carkasses of their Kings farre from me; That is, monuments of Idolatrie, erected to Ammon and Manasseth: And I will dwell among them. Innumerable places from Genesis to the Revelation, we might quote to this purpose; but the point is so pressed dayly from the pulpits, and you are so well acquainted with the Scriptures, that we neede but to give a taste. If Ephesus will repent, and doe her first worke; and Sardis strengthen the things that are like to dye. Yea if our Laodicea will be zealous and amend, the Lord will take up the controversie betwixt us and him; he will set his favour upon us; in stead of judgment we shall have merciemercy; in stead of Ignomine glorie; in stead of want, plentie; valour and magnanimitie; for faint-heartednesse: our Church shall be buetifull; our common-wealth floorishing, and if ye remove the drosse from the silver, we have the promise of a gloriously refined King.
The second sort of proofe is from the never-failing practise of Gods performance, with all such as doe reforme: hath the Lord failed, or come short in any thing that he hath promised?
Did not the Israelites upon their mourning & putting away their Idolls, (especially Ashteroth) finde deliverance from the yoke of the Philistims, 1 Sam. 7.and that by a glorious and marvelous victory over them, from the Lords owne hand, without ordinary meanes? What was Ai before Ioshua, when the cursed thing was removed? What was Benjamin before Iuda, when by humiliation their speciall sinne was done away? In a word, can any give an instance, that ever Gods people were denyed their suite, when they tooke a right course before the Lord? He is still the same God, and wilbe so to us, if we doe as they did for our breaches of Church, and common wealth.
The third sort of proof is taken from the reason, why it should be so; namely, from the nature of Gods promisses; which are all yea and Amen: from his end and intent in his threatening, which is not to destroy, but to reclaim: and lastly from his order of proceeding, namely he inviteth alwayes to return, before he overturneth. Return, return, &c. Why will ye die?
When God proclaymed his Israel to be nothing but a wellspring of wickednesse; yet how loath is he to cast him off.Ier. 6.8. Be thow instructed o Ierusalem (saith he) lest my sowle depart from thee, lest I make thee desolate in a Land that none inhabiteth: were the rebellions and abominations of Iudah so great, and so grievous that he hounded on the enimies to beseege her, and sack her v. 4.5. and yet was his sowle with her? yes sure or how should he threaten that his sowle, or affection should depart from her; yea his sowle was loath to depart, and would not depart at all if she would but hearken to instruction: here the Lord showeth the carefull desire of a parent, and the powerfull prevayling love of an husband, & that towards a rebellious childe, and an Adulterous-woman.
The like affection we see in God towards that Rebellious & Hypocriticall Israell and Iudah, whose goodnesse was as the morning cloud, going away as the morning Dew, that is, they seemed to have a certain holinesse and repentance in them, but it was but formall and Hypocriticall: a cloud without rain, a vaporous matter, quickly dissolved, and as the morning Dew quickly dryed up. Of all things God can not endure those sea-sick conterfeit apish fitts and yet for all this, when nothing could reclaim them, the Lord breaketh out for them (as we may say) in a mother-like passion:Hos. 6, 4. O! Ephraim what shall I doe vntounto thee? O Iudah how shall I intreat thee? as if the Lord should say, all possible means have been used to cause yow Israell and Iudah to return; but nothing hath prevailed, and what shall I doe more? O! that there were any way, or meanes, to recover yow; so that the Lord beareth, till he can bear no longer. Ah (saith the Lord) I will ease me of my adversaries, Esa. 1.24.and aveng me of myne enemies, vox indignationis & commiserationis (as one saith) a voyce of indignation, against sin; and yet a voyce of commiseration toward the sinner; he must in Iustice reveng, and yet his merciemercy is loath to doe it.
Since then the promise, and practise of the Lord, and reason from the Lord make all good the trueth of this position; why should we either doubt of it, or give our selvs rest, till we enjoy the happie experience of it? wicked men putting far from them the evill day, lett their case be never so desperat, they never say there is no hope; but Gods people fall fowle on the contrarie; when they see a state in a forlorn condition; the wicked advanced, and the absteyner from evill made a prey to the wicked; they are disheartened from vsing means, because there is litle likelihood of prevayling; holding it their only hope, to have no hope: thus, Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me, Esa. 49.14.and my Lord hath forgotten me: not so; for if thow forget not him and thy dewtie, and indevor, God can not forget thy labor: observe how the Lord preventeth this objection, Lett the wicked, forsake his wayes, and the vnrighteous his owne Imaginations, and return vntounto the Lord, and he will have merciemercy upon him, and to our God, for he is verie readie to forgive. But they might have objected; can God ever be reconciled to us, who have transgressed all his lawes, and broken covenant so often with him? no sure; no man will do so; true saith the Lord, nor would yow do so to any, but I am not as man, my thoughts are not your thoughts, Esa. 55.7.8.9.neither your wayes my wayes; for as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are my wayes higher then your wayes.
Where observe the condition; if wickednesse be forsaken, and removed by those that are in place; then the Lord can not chuse, but send a blessing.
This same Argument ab utili, or profit, hath prevailed much in the matter of Reformation, with people or states, meerely seeking themselves, and their owne ends, without any conscience of obedience to the commandement; and if they pretended any zeall, it was but strange fire, a temporarie, and time-serving heat, was the most, and the best. So self-seeking Iehu reformed to a great hight, in removing of the evill, & restoring and establishing of the good; He did execution upon all Ahabs seed, the Prophets, Servants, and Priests of Baall to a man;1 Kings c. 10. he burnt Baall his Idols; threw downe the Temple, and made a lakes of it; he boasted much of his zeal, and uprightnesse of hart; the Lord giveth this testimony of him, that he had executed that which was right in his eyes; & had done vntounto the howse of Ahab all the things, that were in Gods heart, v. 30. And therefore the Lord promiseth, that his Sonne should sit on the Throne of Israell, vntounto the fourth generation.
The Lord made also this good; but was there either right eye, or right heart in Iehu for all this? No sure, for he departed not from Ieroboam his sinne,Hos. 1. and the Lord punished his posteritie for the very act, that he approved, because he did it for a Kingdome, and not to the Lord: yet we see how farre this temporarie reward prevailed in the matter of Reformation, with a meer time-server.
The Iesuits having got footing in the great Kingdom of Iapan, by their hellish plotts, & undermining of great ones, they sett all the State on fire; the Princes and Nobles against the King, and one against an other, till it was come to blood; but some wiser then the rest, discovering that infernal brood to be the ground, and cause of that state-consuming sedition; called the Iesuites to an account, executed some, and banished the rest, and inacted thereupon, that it should be present death for any Iesuite, to enter the Kings Dominions; which remaineth in force to this day.
By this reformation they are rid of that crew, who are the curse of us, against whom we have Lawes as good as may be, but no execution.
VponUpon this same point of ensuing good, the Biscaines are at a deadly enmitie, and naturall Antipathie with the brood of Prelats.
VponUpon this ground Venice, Millane, and Naples, will not endure to heare of the admitting of an Inquisition; for thereby, Honour, wealth, peace, & prosperous successe, should be utterly cashiered, and they their meanes, and families should be worse then Gallie slaves.
By force also of this stronglie prevayling argument, the Netherlander rid themselves, and their State of that bitter root of Lord Bishops; whom they knew to be the strength, & leaders of the Popes forces, and chiefe Pillers, (as we have proved,) for supporting that great Antichrist.
For a closer of this point; be pleased to observe one instance from the present practise of the Hollanders. Since that nation is marked of all the world, to be the procreant & conservant cause of all mixtures of Religion, as that Aegyptian Nilus, is the mother of all sorts of monsters; it is matter of some wonder, why they are so farre from tolerating that ould Pelagianisme, and new Arminianisme, that they suppresse it with all their main; executing some, banishing other some, offering meanes and lives, and all in opposition of it; yea if the Arminians meat in private, their house & means are like to be ruined & spoyled by the multitud, the people persewed to the danger of their lives, so as they love no thing so much as Pictures & prunking; so they hate no thing so much as the Spainyard & Arminianisme: but what is the cause of all this indignation against Arminianisme? Is it because it is the Popes Benjamin; the neetest spun threed of Poperie, the last and greatest monster of the man of sinne, (for as the liker a Mounkie is to a man, the greater monster it is; so the liker impietie is to pietie the more monstrous it is?) Or is it because they love, & longe to be ingrafted in that Antichristian stem of the Prelacie? Or because it drayneth the verie life out of Religion; and changeth all Religion into a Protean form of Religion? Or lastly, because it derogateth from the verie essence, and attributes of God, exalting man against his maker? No; not for all these; yea directly for none of these; for then they would suppresse Poperie fullie; then would they not with Sultan Solyman, or blanched Atheists, make so much of that Machivilian principall; that a State may tolerate any Religion, so it be for its profit: Maxim. 2.which is directly (as one observeth) against the nature of God; and true Religion, (for there must be but one,)Specul. Belli sacri. c. 39. p. 232. the vertue of the commandement; the Office of the Magistrate; the dealing of Idolaters with their false worship, confirme this truth: and lastly; it is against the true profit of the State.
Againe, if in conscience they obeyed the commandement in one particular, they would also in an other, especiallie of the same species, or kinde: But since none of all these be the verie moving cause of their thus plying of the Arminians; what is the cause? Answer; this is the very marrow of the matter; they feare their coppie hould; namely, lest the Arminian grow so strong, that he overtop the State, and get the staffe out of their hand, (as indeed he is like to doe,) lest like a Marmosett (which caries the face of a man, & yet is a great enemie to the Mounkie) he should learn a trick beyond all their tricks; to overturne their trading; or lest out of desire of reveng, for the supposed wrong done to their sect; like the Arabian Monster Caccus, they should sett all on fire with their breath, & yet live themselves like the Salamander in the flame; but if they can keep them under from all place of government, both in Church and common wealth; both in armes and civill judicature, (though in some of these places the Arminian prevayleth;) and if they can expose thē to the indignation of the people; and keep his horns so short, that he can not push; then they thinke they shall prosper in what they put their hand to; so that it is clear, that libertie, prosperous successe, glorious renoun, plentie, prevailing against the enemie, and the enlarging of their tents, maketh them looke well to the Arminians water, that this bird of divers colours grow not to big in her nest.
Then if we set apart Religion, (which God forbid,) yet let glorie, prosperitie, and good successe, at home; victorie over our enemies, abroad; the removall of all evill; the enjoying of all good, all attending upon the downefall of the Prelacie, prevaile with you, to the abandoning of the stinch of these Harpies, which have made our Israell like a bird of divers colours, (as the Lord speaketh,) that is in stead of the Lords liverie, she is all stuck full of the gaudie Feathers of superstition, which causeth the Lord to sett the beasts & birds of all nations about her, to eat her up. They stand gazing indeed at her gay Feathers; Ier. 12.9.but they flout her, and devour her, because she hath quite spent all her Eagle-spirits.
To conclude; be pleased (right Honourable) to take a patern out of the Prelats owne practise, for the confirmation of this point. What is the reason, that the Prelats can rather suffer divers sorts of Hereticks, and dangerous Schismaticks, to live by them, then the Reformers, or Disciplinarians, as they call them? Is it not because they meddle with the great Diana of their Lordly pomp? These would have the Prelates bring their callings to the tryall of the Sanctuarie: These would have thē lay away their Lording, & do the worke of the Ministerie; yea to be content of the portion of the Ministerie: These would have them to put away their abominations from the Lords eyes; where with they breake the backs, and overburden the consciences of many thousands: These would have them to suffer Christ, whom they have kept so long at the doore, to come in, and reigne among us: But these are saucie fellows: These the Land can not bear: These must be smitten on the cheek, and put in the worst place of Golgotha, or banished the Land? and why good men? what hath the righteous done? A dangerous thing indeed; they have spoken against the profit of the Hierarchie; and as one of the ancients saith well:Trithe…. de Arnulpho ex ejus Chronic. Si Petrus resurgeret, &c. If Peter should rise from the dead, and should meddle with their sinnes; & profits especiallie; they would spare him no more, then they doe the faithfull of our times.
It was a maine motive of the Pharisies hatered toward Peter and Iohn, that they had beene with Iesus, Act. 4.13. So the Prelates hate these men, because they plead for Iesus.
One of the Prelates watchmen, preaching before the King, out of the 11. of Numbers, upon Moyses pains taking, and the people his murmuring: In his Misapplication, came first to gird at the loan-mony recusant; and then bitterly to envey against the Presbyterians, or Disciplinarians, (as it pleased him to tearm them;) but why against them? because they could not endure that either due obedience, or Honourable maintenance, should be given to the Bishops; and therefore (said he) they had best looke to them; for if they have the cutting of the Bishops Cloath, their trayns will be short enough.
But to leave him in his Spiders Web, and to follow the point a litle further: Intruders upon other mens right, can endure any men (how bad so ever) rather to live by them, then the servants of him, whom they intrude upon; and thence it is, that these wicked husbandmen killed the servants, (as it is in the Gospell,) that came to receive their Maisters rent, Mat. 21.33, &c. They did not kill the theeves, or the robbers, and spoylers of the vineyard; but the Servants, yea and the Sonne too; And the end of all was, that they might take the inheritance.
Divers laterall or side-windes may blow together; but windes directly opposite, can not blow together: Herode & Pilate did agree to the crucifying of Christ, because that winde might possibly blow some profit to them both, (as they supposed by the pleasuring of Caesar.) The Pharisees, Saducees, and Herodians (though all at ods one with an other) could yet concure to the insnaring of Christ: Since all these have out of their love to profit, looked so closselie to such as were against their profit; whether they were friends or foes to God; whether their actions or ends were good, or bad; it will be great imputation to you, not to remove that, which hath ever hindered, and shall hinder, till it be removed, all the Honour, and welfare, that can be thought on, for the good of Church and State: and also not to establish the Scepter of Christ; which being established, all honour, and hapinesse, should attend us and ours; yea God shall dwell among us; and then what good thing can be wanting to us.
Stand you vp then before the Lord; lend God your hand, (as we may speake with reverence,)Exo. 15.26 and he according to his promise, will be our Physitian, and will put no more these heavy deseases upon vsus; If we return to him by true reformation, the Lord will turne to vsus, Hos. 6.1.and will heale vsus, as he hath wounded us; stricke you but the right veine, and God will doe the cure. As for Honour, if you will Honour God in this particular, (as hetherto he hath not beene honoured in this nation,) he will not onelie make our ancient honour to returne, but he will heape more honour upon our head, then ever heretofore he hath done; But upon the Kings Majestie especiallie, and you the Instrumentall restorers of all things, you have Gods promise for it, and he will surely make it good:1 Sam. 2.3 them that honour me, I will honour; As for our enimies, forraigne and domestique; this will be to them as the thunder clappe, which discomfitted the Philistims. This will be the onelyonly hornett to stricke terrour to the hearts of all our Romish Cananites. All the prophane crue, and enemies of State, will be glad to hide their heads, at the fall of this Babell; Spaine, Rome, & Austria. And all our English Edomites will be attired in mourning; crying out alas! alas! the helmet of our hope is fallen; yea, if you doe it indeed, your Honours shall see, that none but Babels friends will either helpe them, or pittie them. And for this especially, they are to be looked unto. If this be effected, the hearts of all that plaguie crewe of Dunkerke, and the hearts of all their abetters will faile them. This will be more matter of rejoycing to all the Reformed Churches in the world, and especially to Christs distressed people, then ever as yet they heard off from us; For to speake the truth, some Reformed Churches dare not trust us, and all expect litle good of us, whilest the Hierarchie overtoppeth the State; neither is this in them a groundlesse conceite.
For first, how can the Scepter carryers of Antichrist affect and further a State, or Church governed by the Scepter of Christ, quite opposite to their subsistance?
2. How can they helpe them, when they hate their cause?
3. How can they wish them well, and doe them good abroad, when they persecute and kill at home their own brethren, and Countrymen, yea not sparing their kindred in their flesh, for the very same cause, which these forraignes maintaine, and for which they suffer?
4. They are no friends to such people, for they repine much they should have any supply; witnesse, that Amazia, or burden of the Lord, that in the time of collection called the French (Deffendors of the Gospell) by the undeserved name of Traytors from the Pulpit. This Inquisition-Impe, is juxta pontem & pontificem, hard by the Pope, and the foote of the bridge; whose blasphemous scoffing of the word; reviling of Gods people; professing of Poperie, and resorting to Gondomars howse, requires that you should rather censure him as a Wolf, than suffer him to be over a flock. To this particular also the Prelates bear witnesse, calling of the Ministers into question, for mony collected to their poore brethren, Ministers of the Pallatinate. As for the last collection, no thankes to them.
5. And lastly; They oppose bitterly, by speech & writing, the Learned, & worthy maintainers of the puritie of Christs ordinances, or opposers of the Romish trash, and Hierarchicall government, as Beza, Calvine, Cartwright, &c.
As the Papists have newly printed a thing against the Calvinists, for rooting of them out of all places, where they reside; so the Prelates are not wanting to second them here with pen, & pike, for their utter extirpation, yea they and theirs deliver it, as a maxime; If the Presbyterians or omniparians be not taken a course with; they can not stand. Therefore all religious professers (whether conformers or non-conformers) had need to looke to themselves: For with them and the Papists, all these are Calvinists; witnesse that Sack-butt, that bid a plague on all conforming Puritanes.
As for state-professors they hould them their friends. Since then the good of Christs cause: the glading of all Gods people: the ruine of Antichrist, and the shaming of his friends faces, calleth for so worthie and noble a worke. Ne vestrae occasioni desitis, nec suam hosti detis: Loose not so faire an oportunitie; give no advantage to your enemie. Strike this basilike-veine: For nothing but this will cure the Pleurisie of our State. Which if you neglect, they may (perhappes one day) tant you to your faces, with this disgracefull proverbe: Physitian heale thy self.
Take of then this Hydraes head: and sense, life, action, and motion of all the wicked, and wickednesse, shall perish.
Lastlie, to drawe to an end; It maketh much for the prosperitie, and peace of the State, if we make warre on Gods enemies; because they are Gods enemies: and disburden the Land of that which is a burden to him; he will be at peace with us, and then all things shall go well with us. For if he be with us, who can be against vsus? As for th'increase of the Kings estate, and supply for his affaires; what can make more then this?
For first, if the King be with God in this; he will be with him, and what can he want?
2. The wealth of the subject shall be much increased, both by Gods bleshing on their labours; by reason of their better & more holy cariage; and further, by sparing 200000. pound per annum, at least; which the Prelates rake out of them.
3. Being governed by the guidance of the Gospell of peace. They shall not be so prone to law-suits, wherein much monie is ill spent, and much idlenes & other sinnes do ensue by attendance from their necessarie affaires: and by consequence much povertie followeth.
4. The Ministerie shall save by this meanes 100000. pound per annum, extorted from them by the Prelates.
In causes and braules about matrimonie, the people spend not so litle as 50000. pound per annum, besides the great summes which they have for probates of willes, being the Kings proper due, which might inrich his coffers 100000. pound per annum, and save them from abusing the will of the defunct, under a colour of supposed pious vse. To omitt the unlawfull gaines of their Soul-censures, with a great share of this; yea or all (if the King and State stood in need) would the subjects be readie to supply for service: For as the wealth and honour of a King standeth in the wealth, and love of his subjects, so what will they not give or do where their love is fixed.
Lastlie, the Prelates Lord-like meanes, arising to 23217. pound, or there about, per annum, (as we conceive,) besides their commendames, (and other emoluments,) might serve his Majestie for manie good uses, where it doth no good now, but much hurt.
Advertisment to the subjects of Scotland. pag. 88. 8. 9By this Princelie revenew (as one of their owne friends observeth) but upon them by the prodigalitie of Princes, they are turned from religious Priests to temporall Princes: Into whose hands by this meanes the Princes have put the verie same sword, wherewith to this day they doe not onelie cut the throat of Kings and their authoritie, but have also spoyled the puritie, and piety of the Church of God: and in place thereof have introduced this pollution, pride, avarice and superstition, which shall never have an end, so long as they remaine so rich as they are. Devotie peperit divitias, & filia devoravit matrem: Devotion brought out wealth, and the mother devoured the daughter, we use his owne ver…e words.
Thus we see that bad they are by their calling; yet made worse by their revenew, which to remove into his Majesties hands, would be profitable for all, and hurtfull to none. In this respect they may well be called foreign, as Aristotele calleth favorum pestes: the plaguie consumers of hives; they eat up the sweat, and poyson the rest.
By removing of this Antichristian calling, and his Majesties taking the meanes to himself, he shall do two good Offices in one; namelie, he shall supply the wants of the State, and pull them as brands out of the fire of their dangerous, and unlawfull condition. Try but the withdrawing of their temporall emoluments, and they will presently forsake their leaden arguments.
It is cleare by the former testimonie and others produced to that effect, how they spoyle all both temporall and Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction: If they spare not Christ, they will spare nothing. They that would make Paul conforme, cannot choose, but deforme all. And therefore M. Bullinger calleth them Harpyes, that is monstrous byrdes with maiden visages, but ravenous tallants, leaving an ill smell upon all that they touch. They are compared by one to the Devill, and Scamony, which alwayes leaveth an evill disposition behinde them.
For our parts we will say no more of them, but that which a learned Antiquarie said of Rhumn…y Marsh: Hyeme mali; aestate molesti; nunquam boni: Bad in Winter: hurtfull in Sommer: never good.
And so much for the proofe of the Positions.
It will not be amisse before we shut up the treatise, to say some thing concerning the meanes, whereby the Prelacie may be removed.
Masculous resolution, and strenuous action, are the two twins of an Heroick Spirit: as armes are never wanting to maintaine true fortitude; so too, these two brought forth by true valour, and mature deliberation, meanes can not be wanting; If out of the pride and feare of the heart, they be not neglected, or quarrelled, the worke shall be done; but if all the meanes that possiblie could be thought on, were laid open to the eye of a state,Lament. 1.6 yet if the Princes (as the Lord speaketh) be like Harts that finde no pasture; or (as he speaketh of Ephraim) if they be like a silly doue without a heart; Hose. 7.11.that is without resolution & courage; there can be no good done, nor honour atchieved; and that is a fearfull token, that the Lord hath a purpose to slay such a people: but we desire and pray to see better things of you, & from yow, & that the Lord would give you eyes, harts, and hands, to use all good meanes, to bring your appointed worke to passe.
Thrise noble Nehemiah undertooke a great work; had very weake meanes, much opposition: not onelyonly by the enemies without, but even by that false belliegod betraying priest Semaiah, he was tempted to a cowardly forsakeing of the work; but God gave him an other heart. Should such a man as I flee (saith he:)Nehem. 6.11. so must you (right Honourable) resolve to encounter all discouragements, difficulties, and frighting alarmes thus: Should such men as we feare to doe that for Christ, our King, and Countrie, which is of more necessity then life it self.
It were enough that we have proved punctually the worke to belong to you, and to be of so absolute a necessitie, as the avoyding of Gods displeasure, and the procuring of his favour; If we left the meanes to your wisedome, & experience; able to go beyond all that we …an say: yet we hope it shall not be offensive, or derogatorie to your judicious invention; if we be shewing …nd sharping some tooles, wherewith you may worke.
But before we com to the particulars, be pleased again to remember, that all the means must be planted, and discharged directlie against this grand evill of the Prelacie: reformation must begin at the root.
It is a good admonition of Peter Martyr: in Ecclesia reformanda Elizei exemplum imitandum est; in 2. Reg. v.fontem ipsum &c. in the reforming of the Church, the practise of Elizeus is to be imitated; and the fountain is first to be healed, from whence all the poysonable contagion,Oratio ad Maximil. anno 1500. and corruption cometh. These be they (as a learned man complained to the Emperour) à quibus Ecclesia laceratur; by whom the Church is torn in peeces.
D. Downam would make the world beleeve that the contempt of these Bishops, In Epist. dedicat.is the cause of the greatest evill, if not of all the evill among us; for which he citeth Chrysostome in 2. Timoth. 2. But D. Downam doth know verie well, that Chrysostom knew no such Bishops as he speaketh off: indeed the contempt of Bishops, of Gods making, is no small cause of the evills that are upon us, and yet are further threatened against us; but all this contempt cometh, upon them by the Prelats Tyranizing over them; who can not, but by removal of the Prelacie attain the honor due to them. Now to the means.