Appeal to the Parliament, Evidence · Part 2
2. Position proved.
SEcond Position, namely, that this Antichristian government cannot consist with soundnes of Doctrine, &c. It is too too manifest from reason and experience; for,
1. Can that goverment which is opposite to the Gospell of Christ (as it hath beene proved) endure the sound Doctrine of the Gospell?
No more then darkenes, can endure light, or sore eyes can endure the Sunne. As a polished glasse, and pure water, representeth the filth and deformitie of the face; so the puritie and power of the Word of God maketh the Monkish deformitie of the Hierarchy so to reflect upon it selfe, that she will needs breake the glasse, and trouble the Water that representeth her, and therfore she loves to fish in troubled Waters. A reverend worthie (as any lived in our time) being demanded an argument, ab utili to confirme the government of Christ in his Church; made answer, that this our Nation under the government of Antichrist for some 53 yeares, had abounded with heresies and schismes, to the eating out of …he heart of the word, where our neighbour nation, governed by the scepter of Christ, for the space of 40 & odd yeares, was cleare of all schismes & heresies. Wee will deliver it in the Authors owne wordes:
Epigramma pro presbiterio contra Episcopatum.
SCotos lustra decem rexit sacer ordo senatus,
Abs{que} nota haereseos, schismatis abs{que} nota.
Et delaeta ferae ex…ersit vestigia dirae,
Cui nomen triplex senio dinumerat.
Anglia praesulibus recta est septennia septem,
Haeresibus{que} frequens, schismatibus{que} frequens,
Atque impressa ferae servat vestigia dirae,
Cui nomen triplex senio dinumerat.
Et dubitamus adhuc sacrum auctorare senatum,
Ex auctorato praesulis imperio.
CHrists sacred scepter fiftye yeares had swayed
The Scotts, without rent schisme or haeresie;
No relict there of that fowle beast displayed,
Whose numerall name is with three sixes made:
But England governd fiftie yeares and three
By Prelates, swarmes with haeresies and schismes;
The great beasts relicts hatefull soloecismes
In Gods true worship by her are retaynd,
The number of whose name, (as hath been said,)
Three sixes make 666. is by them thus maintaynd,
Why put wee not Imperious Prelates downe,
And sett Christs sacred Senate in its roome?
2. As for Lawes and government, how can the government of an usurping enemie consist with the Lawes and government of a lawfull, & native King.
3. For holynes of life, nothing so odious nor so much persecuted, as that by the Hierarchie, and that both by mockery, & reall persecution. So that he that abstaineth from the common course of the world, maketh his life a prey, and he that walketh with God is too precise.
4. By breaking the barre of Discipline, they s…t open the gate of impietie. As for their pretended Discipline, the remedie is worse than the disease, for by it the godly are vexed, & the wicked strengthened.
5. And lastly, for the safety of state, how should the state be safe, where Christ is iustled out of his government, and his enemies raigne in his stead? It is the true observation of a worthy Patriott ubi silent leges Christ… &c. Where the Lawes of Christ beare not sway, the Lawes of the Land can do no good. A Kingdome devided against it selfe cannot stand. When Christ standeth at the dore and knocketh, and Antichrist beareth sway within, the Lord will turne his rejoycing to do them good, unto a rejoycing to do them evill. May it please your Honours to take further notice that this government is against the safetie of the state in these particulars.
1. It supporteth the hopes, of the Pope of Rome for his reentry, for so long as his Officers and houshold furniture remaineth, so long will he plead possession. And hence hath beene the treasons, and overturning plotts by the Popes against the royall persons of our Princes, and standing of our state for the space of 68 yeares.
2. This strengtheneth the hands, and warmeth the hearts of the Papists amongst us, ready upon all occasions to take part with the Pope & his Ministers.
3. This being the storehowse of superstitious trinketts, as Ceremonies, Fasts, Feasts, and such like; these be meate & drinke to strengthen the Papists, and Cordialls to comfort them.
4. The Hierarchie do disgrace (to the Papists great joy) the sincere sorte of people, which are the Walls of the Land. As for the Papists and Hierarchie, they agree pretty well: for the former do councell, and the latter executeth such designes against Gods people, witnesse Dolmans Watchword. The quodlibets, Spalato his second manifesto, Doct. Caryes Apologie, and the Prelats practise.
5. They nullify the lawes which are the soveraigne safeguard of the common-weale, as shall be farther manifested.
6. And lastly, they beate the watchmen from the walls or vail them so upon the walls, that howe can the city be safe?
IN the next place we come to prove the position by experience. And
1. For vnsoundnes of doctrine, our ordinary practise proclaimeth it, witnesse our schoole commencements, sermons in Court, city, and country: abuseing the Word, and revileing his Majesties best subjects, also printed books by authority, and that from no small ones being the verie streames of Popery, Arminianisme and such Pelagian stuffe, with the particulars whereof (being so many and manifest) we neede not trouble your Honours.
2. As for the pollution of Gods worship, and profanenesse of life, they cry to the verie heavens, it is true that the doore of the ordinances (not being close shutte, but upon the hinges) Christ commeth in to manie, but what is this to the universall profanenes, which is a pattern to all other nations, and the shame of our owne, and although Christ stand yet at the doore, when he hath sealed his owne, he will be gone, as for the glorie of Christs government there is none at all.
To conclude the point, of safety by an instance from the contrary; be pleased to take notice of the Nether Lands, which could never have been rid of the Spanish tyrannie, nor stood so long in prosperitie safely, if they had not casheired the Bishops,Method. Hisi. as for Geneva let Bodine speake (no Puritane sure) yet he commendeth them much, not for wealth, and greatnes, but for vertue peace and Godlynes, which he ascribeth to the power of Discipline, whereunto they attayned by abandoning Bishops; shewing further the divine …rce of Discipline, in bridling the lusts and countermanding the vices of men, which all the Lawes and judgments of men were not able to effect. And so we come to the third point to be proved.