View of Public Wants and Disorders in Wales, Text

View of Public Wants and Disorders in Wales · Text

p. 1A viewe of ſome part of ſuch publike wants & diſorders as are in the ſeruice of God, within her Maieſties countrie of Ʋ Ʋales, togither vvith an humble PETITION, vntounto this high Court of Parliament for their ſpeedy redreſſe. Anno 1588.

THe aeternall God, before whom I nowe ſtand, and ſhall ſtande in that day, eyther to be acquited or condemned; knoweth that the pitifull & miſerable eſtate of my pitifull and miſerable countreimen, the inhabitants of Wales; doe inforce me in moſt dutifull and humble maner, at this time, both to lay open before your eyes, whoe by the prouidence of God, are now to be aſſembled togither in this highe court of parlament: the wantes and deformities of the ſeruice of god in wales, my deere & natiue country, and alſo to intreat with the like ſubmiſſion, that the ſame by your wiſdomes may be ſpeedely redreſſed. The Lords holy ſeruice amonge that people hath many corruptions and more wants. Their caſe in regarde therof is very pitifull. Few or none there be who are thorowly touched to hauehave compaſſion thereof. The means of redreſſe is in the hands of this aſſembly, who are met together, to the end that al the ſubiects of this kingdome, may with fredome and liberty acquaint them with their ſuits and Petitions, for the promotinge of Gods glory, and the good of their cuntry. And therfore, in that I make known vntounto this high court, the greefes of my country, & deſire the redreſſe thereof; therin I neither intreat p. 2any thing which lieth not in your power to grant, nor craue that, wherin the caſe being neglected by others, I may not lawfully be a ſuter. The reaſon that mooueth me thereunto, is the diſcharge of my duty towards the Lord my God, towards his Church, towatdes my natiue country, and towards you of this honorable aſſemblie, which coulde not ſtand with my ſilence nowe in this ſuit. Concerning the Lorde, becauſe I am a pore wretched ſinner, vponupon whom he hath ſhewed great mercies, in pardoning my great offences often committed againſt his maieſtie; I hauehave by his grace taken a bonde of my ſelfe, to ſeeke the promoting of his honor by al means poſſible: and in the ſeeking thereof, to vtter the truth as far as my calling wil permit, without reſpect of perſon, time, place, eſtate, or conditiō of life whatſoeuer; and ſo to become an vtter enemie vntounto all theſe corruptions (by what authoritie or perſon ſoeuer they be maintained) whereby his holy ſeruice is hindred. And therfore you of this honorable aſſembly are not to maruel, that I both ſeeke the ouerthrow of theſe corruptions in Wales, whereof a non I wil ſpeak more at larg, wherby the Lords holy and ſacred miniſtery is ſhamefully polluted, and his ſeruice with the ſaluation of his people greatly withſtood: and alſo lay vppon you whoſe authority, good name, credit, eſtimation, and high place, I ought and by the grace of god wil defend, againſt al the detractors therof, euē with the loſſe of my life when it ſhalbe needful; the ſtaine and diſcredit of denying gods heauenly truth, the paſſage joyned with the continuance of the lamentable miſerie of ſoules, and the defence of monſtrous p. 3impietie, euē in gods own houſe, vnles you yeeld vntounto the ſuit, whervnto at this preſent you are entreated to be fauorable. As for the Church of God into which I hauehave bin begotten thorowe the word preched, by means of my abode in Englande, in theſe peaceable dayes of her highnes. I hauehave wholly dedicated my ſelfe to ſeeke the flowriſhing eſtate thereof by labouring to beutifie the ſame, both in the plucking vp by the rootes, of theſe filthie Italian weedes, wherwith it is nowe miſerably deformed; and planting therein whatſoeuer might be for the comlines of Gods orchard, in reſpect of my poore countrey; becauſe it pleaſed the Lord of life that therin I firſt ſawe the light of the ſunne, and hauehave been by my parents there liuing, brought vp in both the vniuerſities of this land, to the end if euer the Lord enabled me, I ſhould procure the good of my natiue countrymen. I hauehave vowed my ſelfe dutifully to benefite them al the waies I may. And in doing them good, I purpoſe not to reſpect mine own quietnes, yea or life, where my death can win them the goſpel. And wherein ſhal I ſtand my deare cuntrimen in any ſteed, if not by ſpeaking in their behalf then, when their wantes are moſt pitiful, & they not able, or not willing, to make knowne their miſerie? if not in bleſſing their deaf ears, in remouing the ſtumblinge blocke from before the eies of the blinde? if not in labouringe to bring them to heauen, who of their owne natures ſhould liue eternally in a worſe place to their woe? Their miſery at this day conſiſting partly, in the great ignorance of God wherein they liue, partly in thoſe corruptions and vnlawful callings, where by the p. 4Church generally within her maieſties dominions is peſtered; I am nowe with all humilytie to ſeeke the redreſſe both of the one and the other at the handes of this honorable aſſembly. This ignoraunce alſo, and theſe corruptions ſtanding as enemies in the way to hinder my bretheren from eternal life, I profeſſe my ſelfe to ſeeke their overthrowe and confuſion, and by the Lords aſſiſtance as longe as I liue, neuer leaue either of both, vntill the Church of God in Wales be diſburdened of ſuche vnnaturall plantes. Concerning you of this honorable aſſemblye, ſeing I hauehave receaued the former bleſſings throughe your handes by meanes of the outward peace, whereof hir right excellent maieſtie hath made the whole land partaker from the Lord, I cannot of conſcience; but in moſt humble ſubmiſſion & reuerent manner, put you in minde of the eſtate wherein you ſtand before the Lord, vnleſſe at this your meetinge, there be order taken, for the reforming in Wales of ſuch things as now ſhalbe made known vntounto you to be amiſſe, and you earneſtly with all reauerence and dutie, entreated to reforme. May it pleaſe you therefore to vnderſtand, that there is not only ſuch a defect of the ſeruice of the euerliuing God in all the publike meetinges for the moſt part, of all the inhabitantes of Wales, hir maieſties free borne ſubiects and people: as the moſt pariſhes within that cuntry, want the means of ſaluation, and hauehave wanted the ſame all this time of her proſperous gouernment: but alſo that there is ſuch corruptions in that part of Gods ſeruice which is eſtabliſhed, as the Lords holy and ſacted miniſterie, p. 5with al other eccleſiaſtical functions, pertayning vntounto the outwatd ſeruice of God, and the gouernment of his Church, are moſt intollerablie abuſed, and prophaned by ſuch as are there tollerated to intermedle with them. And may it pleaſe you in like ſort, that ſome order may be taken, whereby the ſeruice of God in his pure worſhip, being as you heare, many waies defectiue and corrupt among the people, may be without delay reſtored vntounto the integritie, which ſhalbe acceptable in the ſight of God, and the meanes of their ſaluation who profeſſe the ſame. This moſt humble and moſt waightie petition, I am the rather encoraged at this time to prefer, in as much as it doth not only tend to the ſaluation of many thouſandes ſoules, whō now (alaſſe) periſh in miſerable darknes and ignorance, but concerneth the furtherance, which is the point eſpecially to be reſpected, of the pure and ſincere worſhip of the eternall God. And it is that cauſe, being my ſecond incouragement, which you of this high court of parliament profeſſe all of you to fauour. For who is he that will not profeſſe him ſelf to be the fauorer of a ſuit tending to the honor of God, and the deliuerance of men from eternall woe and perdition? And it is that cauſe wherein eueryevery of you are bound vpō your alegeance vntounto the Lord and her maieſty, laying al other maters aſide, firſt and principally to deale; and ſo to deale as you ſuffer not your ſelues, for any worldly reſpectes, either by the vtter reiecting, or by the cold and careleſſe intertaining hereof, to betraie God, to betray his truth, to betraie the ſaluation of men, and to betray the whole kingdome vntounto p. 6the fiery wrath of Gods heauie diſpleaſure: Of all which ſinnes the Lord himſelfe findeth and pronounceth eueryevery one of you to be guiltie, that will not labour at this time of your aſſemblie, for the promoting of the cauſe nowe in hand. And howeſoeuer in former times, he hath ſeemed hitherto to wincke at the careleſſe reſpect, which you hauehave had to his true ſeruice: yet you are now to vnderſtand, that it is to be feared, leſt ſhamefull and ſpeedie deſtruction wil betide the whole kingdome, if the ſuite wherevppon the worſhipp of Gods owne Maieſtie ſtandeth; be as ſlenderly entreated of the parliament of England, as alway heretofore it hath bene. And that the petition may apear to be no other, then that, which he by whome alone all kingdoms and common welths are maintained, requireth without contradiction to be graunted, by this honourable aſſemblie, except his heauie wrath and diſpleaſure, would be procured vponupon the whole land. And that it may apear to be no other then that, the graunt where of, is the onlie way to ſaue them on whoſe behalf it is made; no other thē that which no ſtate, no kingdom, no councell, prince, potentate, high or lowe can denie, except they would ſhewe them ſelues to hauehave no care of religion and pietie: that theſe thinges I ſay may appear, we are to conſider more at large of the petition, and then whether it be ſuch, as vponupon the denial thereof, the wrath and anger of God is to be expected, for to fal vppon them, who ſhall denie the ſame, and the whol land for their ſinne. Nowe therefore, if there be nothing elſe required at your hand, in this whole treatiſe following, but that which the Lord himſelfe p. 7from heauen, pronounceth to be ſo neerly joined with the former points; as vponupon the refuſall of the ſuite, you ſhal openly declare, that you are an aſſembly wherein the Lords cauſe ſhal not be hard; an aſſemblie wherein the felicitie of miſerable men ſhall not be reſpected; an aſſembly who wittingly and willingly call for the iudgements of God vponupon the whole kingdome; an aſſembly wherein trueth, religion, and pietie can beare no ſwaye: then I hope that none will be found in this honorable court, to be ſuch an enemie vntounto the honor of God, the felicitie of men, and the quiet ſtate of this common wealth: none ſo prophane, wicked, and irreligious, as euen to thinke that the conſultation of this matter may be differred. But if on the other ſide, the ſuite be founde to be of no ſuch importance, as before is expreſſed, or if I be found to write any thing impertinent vntounto the former points, or not to hauehave behaued my ſelfe ſo dutifull in my ſtile and maner of writing towards this honorable court, as it became the baſeſt vaſſel vnderunder heauen, hauing a calling to deale in the like cauſe, to carie himſelf towardes the princes of his people, then let not my life be precious in your ſight. Here therefore, with all humility and reuerence, before the eternall God, his elect Angels and Church, her right excellent, our dread ſoueraigne, Queene ELIZABETH; I call euerye one of you to recorde, that vponupon the perill of my life, I will ſhewe, that you cannot but giuegive eare vntounto the ſuite, which is now preferred vntounto you, though by my baſe and ſinnefull hands, except you will neglect the honor of God, ſet light by the ſaluation of his people, p. 8endanger the ſtate of her Maieſty (whom the Lord long preſerue vntounto his glorie) with the whole kingdome, and proclaime vntounto the world, that all religion and truth is periſhed from amonge you. My manner of dealing herein, as it ſhalbe by the grace of God in all dutie and ſubmiſſion; as writing vntounto thoſe, whoſe authoritie and places, I am not without great reuerence to conſider, ſo ſhal it be plaine and free without miniſhing or clipping any part of the trueth (for the feare or fauor of any creature) which it concerneth you to heare; wherein I will vtter nothing but that, which by the aſſiſtaunce of God, I will ſeale with my blood, if I ſhall be driuen therevnto. The reaſon moouing me to ſo free and plaine a kind of writing, as neither I dealing in the ſame cauſe, nor yet any els before me hauehave vſed, is not (the Lord is my witnes) becauſe I would hereby, arrogate vntounto my ſelfe, the prayſe of a bolde rebuker of ſtates, & great perſonages; but it is firſt, becauſe I deale in that matter, vponupon the goodnes whereof, I may preſume to ſpeak the whole truth of God, eſpecially writing vntounto an aſſembly profeſſing true religion. Secondly, becauſe the ſuite is put vp vntounto them, who although they profeſſe to ſeeke the honor of God: yet hauehave heretofore altogether vndutifully refuſed to giuegive the hearing vntounto any motion tending vntounto the reformation of the religion, which they pretend to fauor and profeſſe. Some of them thinking the cauſe at all not worthie to be delt in. Others, not altogether diſliking the ſuite, iudged notwithſtanding the time wherein it was to be handled, not to be as yet come. Becauſe they ſaw that the baſe and p. 9ſupplicatorie maner whereby it deſired the hearing, made al other cauſes comming with authority from men, to be preferred before it. The moſt who in deede ſincerely fauoreth the cauſe, hauehave thought it to be a gaineles matter to deale at all therein. For as much as it is the generall voyce of all men, that reformation cannot be taken in hand, without the high and heauie diſpleaſure of her Maieſtie, who (to ſpeake as I am perſwaded) being borne in hand, by the vngodly perſwaſions of ſome godleſſe and irreligious men of the Eccleſiaſtical ſtate, that the Church within her Maieſties dominions, cannot be at a better ſtay then it is; hath not without great reaſon, bene hitherto the hard liar induced to hauehave the cauſe of religion againe dealt in, which ſhe is perſwaded altogether to be in a tollerable ſort, according to the will of her God. Being alſo vndutifully borne in hand that the endeuour of reforming religion is nothing elſe, but a new fangled and ſeditious attempt, proceeding from the factious & diſcontented braines of thoſe, who are ſlandered to deſire thereby nothing els, but the alteration of the preſent ſtate, dangerous to her royal crowne and perſon, and ruinous vntounto the whole kingdome. In reſpect whereof, the cauſe offering it ſelfe againe to be conſidered of this high court; it became the ſame to come, with a maieſticall and terrifying countenance; that if it pleaſed the Lorde, it might this way for feare compell them dutifully to ſtoupe vntounto it, whoſe fauor and good liking in a peaceable manner, hitherto it coulde by no means procure. And it became it ſo to offer it ſelfe, as withall it might appeare, that the enterpriſe p. 10of reforming religion, is not a matter tendinge to the diſturbinge of the commonwealth, and the diſliking of her Maieſtie. Except men would ſlanderouſly ſurmiſe the eſtate of this kingdome, to be ſo out of ſquare, as Gods trueth cannot hauehave paſſage therein, without the imminent ruine of al, and ſlanderouſly report her Maieſties will and affection, to be then intollerably croſſed, when the will of her God, is ſought to be eſtabliſhed: which aſſertions, ſhalbe manifeſted to be grieuous, and vndutifull ſlaunders againſt hir Maieſtie and the ſtate; by the opening of ſuch thinges as being amiſſe within Wales, the Lorde requireth to be reformed, at the handes of her Maieſtie and this Parliament.

The wants therefore, and corruptions of the ſeruice of God in Wales, joyned with the miſery of that people are; firſt, in that the moſt congregations within that countrie, hauehave all this time of the Goſpell preached in Englande, had no other ſeruice of God, for the working of fayth and repentance ſounding in them, but ſuch, as whereby the people partaking the ſame, cannot poſſibly be ſaued ordinarily. Miſtake me not. For I doe not ſaye, that eyther that ſeruice, which all this time of her Maieſties gouerment they hauehave had, and now hauehave, is idolatrous, or that by the publike authoritie of her Maieſtie and the Parliament, they hauehave bin publikely enjoyned, to profeſſe any other religiō, then that only true religion, in the profeſſiō wherof alone, ordinary ſaluation is to be had. But I affirme that God is not otherwiſe ſerued in the moſt aſſemblies there, then that way, whereby the food of eternall life, p. 11ſhall neuer be ordinarily conuayed to the people. This I affirme, and this I will ſtand vntounto, becauſe for the ſpace nowe of 30. yeares complete, they hauehave eueryevery where, for the moſt part, wanted the preaching of the word, without which, as it is plainely ſet downe in manye places of theaaIam. 1.12. 1 Pet. 1.2…. Iob. 33.23. 1. Cor. 121. Rom. 10.14. Epheſ. 1.13. and 2.17. Acts. 20.32. Pro. 8.34.35. Iſay. 53.11.Jas 1:121 Pet 1:2Job 33:23Rom 10:14Eph 1:13Eph 2:17Acts 20:32Prov 8:34Prov 8:35Isa 53:11 word, and I hauehave elſwhere largely prooued vntounto her Maieſtie and this high court, ordinarily, no fleſhe can be ſaued. Now my Lords, and you the reſt of this Parliament, conſider I pray you, what care hath bin had of the ſoules of men vnderunder her Maieſties gouernement, and how in the dayes of reckoning and account theſe things wil be anſwered. Conſider how lamentable a caſe it is, that in the flowriſhingeſt gouernment for outward peace, that is again vnderunder the cope of heauen; where publike idolatrie hath bene banniſhed, not one family or one tribe; but a whole nation ſhould periſhe for want of knowledge. And ſee whether I hauehave not ſufficient cauſe to deale with you on the behalfe of my countrie. My crie, my crie is not the crie ofbbDeut. 11.8Deut 11:8 giltleſſe and innocent blood, which were verye woefull, but of loſt and damned foules, which is moſt lamentable: and giuegive you eare vntounto it, my LL. leaſt the blood of ſoules bee laide to your charge, and required at your hands. For it is not the judiſpenſible dutie of the Parliament to giuegive eare vntounto this crie? Howe then I pray you, will it be anſwered before the judge of all the worlde in the day of judgement, if you be careleſſe of a dutie ſo neceſſarily required at your handes: when our Sauiour Chriſt affirmed it to be nothing availeable vntounto men, to winne the whole worlde,Luk. 9.22.Luke 9:22 if they loſe their p. 12owne ſoules. Did he thereby thinke you, not only enforce that they are in a miſerable taking, who in reſpect of the knowledge of their ſaluation, know not the right hand from the left: but alſo forcible in feare, that gouernours vntounto whome of truſt he hath committed inferiours, diſcharge not their duties in his ſight, vnleſſe they hauehave great care of the ſaluation of their people? Queſtionleſſe he doth. Let them therefore be afraide of aeternall ſhame and confuſion, who bluſhe not to be buſie in the conſultation of euerye trifling matter, and would be accounted great ſtate men for tything Minte and Cummin, whereas in the meane time, they are not aſhamed, no not to withſtande the conſultation, purpoſing to bring that to paſſe, which the wiſdome of God himſelfe Ieſus Chriſt, hath pronounced to be worthy the whole world, euen the ſauing health of men. Wel the day will come, how ſoone he alone knoweth, in whoſe handes are the keyes of all knowledge; wherein it ſhall appeare by wofull experience, & that too late, what an heauie reckoning will bee made with ſuch Parliament men. And take you heed that are of this aſſembly, now at the length after ſo many warnings, leſt you be found in their number, who make light account of the cauſe of the Goſpell offered vntounto them, and who thinke the matter of mens ſaluation, to be nothing elſe but a conceit, wherewith the immaginations of melanchollicke heads are vſually troubled. The cauſe one day ſhalbe found worth the conſideration, howſoeuer men now thinke that they may without dammage ſecurely contemne the ſame. And I woulde humbly intreate this high courte p. 13more ſeriouſly to conſider thereof. The ſuite is, that Gods honour may be truely yeelded vntounto him by the ſubiectes of this kingdome, and that their ſoules may be ſaued in the daye of Ieſus Chriſt; ſuch a ſuit as a greater cannot be conſulted of amongſt the ſonnes of men. And will not the wiſeſt and greateſt aſſembly in the land, take order that this may be harkened vntounto? Wil they not conſult of a waye how men may come vntounto the means whereby they may be ſaued; To what end elſe my Lordes ſhould you be aſſembled together, if this cauſe be not handled in your meetings? A Parliament gathered together in England, in the dayes of the Goſpell vnderunder Queene ELIZABETH, and the cauſe of Gods honor, & the felicitie of the ſubiectes neuer thought vponupon, neuer accounted worthy the conſultation. Such a ſtate and ſuch a gouernment may flowriſh and continue in peace for a time: but vndoubtedly the deſtruction therof is decreed with the Lord, the execution of which decree, ſhal not be ouerlong deferred, without ſpeedie repentance. Can there be a meeting of all ſtates in the lande to conſult in Parliament, what may be moſt behoffull for the promoting of Gods glorye, and the good of the common welth, and yet no care had, how the aeternal miſerie of a whole nation, euen almoſt the fourth part of the kingdome may be preuented? What is this elſe but to dally with Gods honour, and to delude his people of their ſaluation? When eſpecially after ſo many Parliaments, in a kingdome freely profeſſing the Goſpell for the ſpace of 30. yeares, in the fourth part of the kingdome, there ſhalbe founde ſuch groſſe p. 14ignorance, as no region vnderunder heauen, coulde at anye time yeelde the like preſident, ſo long after the banniſhing of idolatrie. I doe not ſolace my ſelf in conſidering the miſerie of my natiue cuntrimen, neither do I thinke thereof at all, vnleſſe it be to bewaile their eſtate, and to conſider how it may be redreſſed. This I may ſay of them without offence, that they neuer as yet for the moſt part, enjoyed the preaching of the Goſpell, ſince they wer profeſſed idolators vnderunder poperie. Now what felicitie concerning ſpirituall things, a profeſſion without the Goſpell preached can hauehave, the ſame they may enjoye I denie not. But what will be the end of ſuch a profeſſion? verely euen this. After a few dayes miſerably ſpent in this life ſuch profeſſors ſhalbe ſure (for any thing that is otherwiſe reuealed) to liue in hell for euermore. Will it then profit them at all, to hauehave liued in a kingdome profeſſing true religion, though they hauehave gayned the whol world therein, ſeeing they are ſure to loſe their owne ſoules: becauſe in this life they hauehave wanted the preaching of the Goſpell. And if this that I hauehave ſet downe be not ſufficient to expreſſe their miſerie, and to mooue you to conſider of them, I know not what may be accounted miſerable, or what may procure compaſſion. Or if this will not mooue you to graunt them the preaching of the Goſpell, then ſhal you leaue vntounto poſterities, but a ſmall teſtimonie of your religious hearts, and louelove to the Lords ſanctuarie. Is there not an heauen my Lordes, after this life for men to goe vntounto? Is it poſſible that they ſhall ordinarily go thither, who neuer enjoyed the preaching of the Goſpell? Or can our p. 15people in Wales looke for extraordinarie ſaluation? And will not you ſee that they be no longer deſtitute of this meanes, whereby they may walk in the ſtatutes of life and not die? Is this peticion that God may be truly honored, and the ſoules of men ſaued, hurtful to the ſtate, dangerous to her Maieſties ctowne and dignitie, and contrary vntounto hir affection? cannot this ſtate ſtand if God ſhould be truly honored, and that people trained in the waies of godlines? Cannot her Maieſties crowne and dignitie ſtand, if theſe thinges be enacted in Parliament? And muſt ſhee needs be vndutifully gainſaid, when the honor of her God, & the bleſſedneſſe of her people are pleaded for? Whoſoeuer hauehave, do, or will ſlaunder their ſoueraigne, and the whole ſtate, in this vile and vndutifull ſort, it is pitie they were not ſeuerely puniſhed. Againe my LL. is that a religious aſſembly? Is that an aſſemblie wherein trueth, pietie, the honor of God, and the aeternall happineſſe of men ſhal beare any ſway, where this petition can not be granted? Which deſireth nothing els, but that whiche may be enacted without the great hurt of any, & which ought to be graunted, whatſoeuer in the judgment of fleſhly wiſe men might ſeeme to enſue thereof. They will neuer therefore in the ſight of God and his Churche, eſcape the ignominie and ſtaine of irreligious and profane men, whoſe eyes will not be mooued with compaſſion at the eſtate of our people, and defects of Gods ſeruice among them. Nowe if I be thought to hauehave reported any vntrueth, concerning their eſtate, let me be brought face to face, for the triall hereof, with thoſe vntounto whom the p. 16care (I ſhould ſay the ſpoile) of the Church there is committed, and being conuinced to hauehave vttered any vntrueth, let me hauehave no fauour, but dye the death, before you of this honourable aſſemblye, and my blood be vponupon my owne heade, for impeaching the credite of the rulers of my people, and their gouernement, vndutifully by publike writing, whoſe eſtimation I know it to be vnlawfull for me, euen in thought once to violate.

I doe here therefore before your Hh. offer to prooue more at large, that the moſt congregations in Wales, want the very eſpeciall outwarde markes of a Church, and ſo the meanes of ſaluation by the worde preached, and the comfort of fayth, by the right adminiſtration of the Sacraments. I alſo offer to prooue, that your Hh. without your ſpeedie repentaunce ſhalbe reckoned with, becauſe that in this point, you hauehave plowed but iniquitie, and ſowed wickednes, and ſo as Iob ſayth,Iob. 4.8.Job 4:8 you ſhall reape the ſame. Beleeue them not, who tell you that all is well within Wales, & that they are a ſort of clamorous and vndiſcreet men, who affirme the contrary. Beleue them not, who tell you that it belongeth not vntounto your duties to be carefull of the eſtate of the Church, and that the Lorde requireth no more at your hands, but the mayntenance of outwarde peace. As though men committed to your gouernement, were but droues of bruite beaſtes, onelyonly to be foddered,Ie. 17.13.14. and kept from external invaſions and inroods. GiueGive eare rather vntounto the words of the Prophet, who with a loude voyce crieth vntounto you; Why will you die, you, your families & people, by the ſword, by the famine, and by the peſtilence. p. 17And why will you be damned (I may alude without injurie vntounto the word) as the Lord hath ſpoken againſt all thoſe gouernours, that wil not ſee their people prouidedaaEzra 7.17.23. pſa 2.10. & 101. 2. chr. 29 10. & 30.9 & 34.27. ex. 20.10. gen. 18.19. 2. chr. 15.12.13. & 17.7.Ezra 7:17Ezra 7:23 for, of the meanes of ſaluation. Therefore heare not the words of the prophets, who tell you, that you ſhall neyther ſee ſword nor famine, though you be ſtill as careles of your people, as hitherto you hauehave bene. Looke the punniſhments both of flattering prophetes, and of thoſe that are deceiued by their flatterie. Ierem. 14.15. Heare them not I ſay, but obeye the Lord in the execution of that dutie which he exacteth at your hands, by calling your people to the knowledge of his ſonne, that you may liue. For why ſhould this lande be made deſolate, for this your careleſnes? Ierem. 27.17. They propheſie vanitie and lies vntounto you, which ſaye peace, peace, while you diſpiſe the Lorde, and walke in this ſecure courſe, or elſe Ieremiah is deceiued. If they be prophets, and if the word of the Lord be in their mouths, let them intreat her Maieſtie, & you of this parliament, that the miſery of helples Wales, may at this time of your meeting be conſidered off, and redreſſed.

Thus I hauehave ſet downe ſome part of the wants …n the ſeruice of God in Wales, and ſome part of …hat miſerie, wherein my countrie is bewrapped; …nd which you are bound vntounto the Lord (but by …e moſt humbly entreated) to redreſſe. And this …s the cauſe wherein if you deale not, you betray …he honor of God, betraye his trueth, betraye the …eligion which you profeſſe, and betraye her Ma…eſtie, and the whole kingdome, vntounto the reuen…ing hand of God. For without controuerſie, the p. 18continuance of our ignorance, and the defectes of Gods ſeruice, will one day, and that ſhortly, I feare me, bring the Lord in fearefull and conſuming judgementes to take punniſhment of you, your wiues children, families and the wholland: becauſe in your ſtates & conſultation, his honor, and the blood of mens ſouls were not regarded. But this is neyther all the miſerie of the inhabitants of Wales, neythet is this all that the Lorde requireth to be amended by this Parliament, vnderunder paine of his heauie wrath.

In the ſeconde place then we are to conſider, the corruptions tollerated by the poſitiue lawes of this land, and countenanced by the authority of this high court of Parliament, in the ſeruice of God within Wales. Whereby no ſmall diſhonor redoundeth vntounto the Maieſtie of God, and wherein no ſmall part of the ſpirituall miſerie of that people doth conſiſt. For the remouing of which corruptions, it behoueth the Parliament, with ſpeede to be very carefull, euen before ſuch time as the Lord calleth the land to an account, for the wicked conſtitutions therein maintayned. Here therefore I affirme, vnleſſe without delay you labour to cleanſe the Churche vnderunder your gouernement in Wales, of all L. Bb. dumbe miniſters, nonreſidents, archdeacons, commiſſaries, and all other romiſh officers & offices, there tollerated, and ſo tollerated, as by the conſent & authoritie of the Parliament they are mainteyned; that you are both in this life and the life to come, likely to be ſubiecte vntounto the intollerable maſſe of Gods wrath, the execution whereof is not vnlikely to fall vponupon you and your houſes, p. 19vnleſſe you preuent the fiercenes of the Lordes indigna… ▪

If Moſes by a poſitiue lawe, ſhould hauehave allowed the offring of ſtrange fire by Nadab and Abihu, tollerated the miniſtery of blemiſhed &aaLeu. 20.18 23.Lev 20:18 deformed Leuites, ennacted that one not being of the line of Aaron, might preſſe before the Altar,bbNum. 16.10.18.7.Num 16:10Num 16:18Num 16:7 to offer the bread of his God: if Dauid had made it lawfull for Vzzah, to lay his hand vponupon the Arke; if Ioſiah or any other the godly rulers had, either giuen leaue to the curſed ſhepheardes in their dayes, to place others in their ſtead, to takeccEzek. 44.9Ezek 44:9 the ouerſight of the Sanctuary? Or permitted a conſecrated prieſt to be a ciuill gouernour; briefely had eſtabliſhed any thing in the Churche gouerment preſcribed by Moſes, contrary to the commandement, had they not bene in danger of the Lords wrath? They had without controuerſie.

And ſhall you of the high court of Parliament be diſpenced with, being guilty (except you labor to remoue the dumbe miniſtery, nonreſidence, with the vſurped and Antichriſtian ſeats of L. Bb. &c.) of tollerating & eſtabliſhing greater ſinnes among your people in Wales, in ſteed of the gouernment preſcribed by Ieſus Chriſt? aſſure your ſelues no. I do therefore in this point alſo, for the diſcharge of my dutie and conſcience towardes the Lord, his Church, my countrie, and the whol eſtate of this kingdom, taking my life in my hand …eſtifying vntounto you, before the Maieſtie of God, …nd before his church that our dumbe miniſters, …hat the callings of our L. Bb. archdea. commiſſ. with al other remnants of the ſacriledge brought …nto the Churche by that Romiſhe ſtrumpet, and p. 20now remaining in Wales; are intollerable before the Lorde, and that it is not likely … …uer you tollerating theſe thinges any longer, ſhall eſcape Gods fierie wrath. The trueth hereof I do briefly make knowne by the reaſons following, and offer to prooue them more at large, euen vponupon the peril of my life, againſt our 4. L. Bb. all their chaplains, retainers, fauorers and wel willers; whether in eyther of the two vniuerſities of this lande, or in any place els whatſoeuer. Theſe things I offer to prooue againſt M. D. Bridges, who lately in a large volume, hath vndertaken their defence. In which booke of his, he hath offered her Maieſtie & the Parliament moſt vndutifull injurie, by going about for the maintenance of his owne belly, & the belies of the reſt of his coat, to allien at the hears of the loyalleſt ſubiects in the lande, from their moſt carefull prince and gouernours. As though her Maieſtie and this honourable court, ment to turne the edge of the ſword againſt thē, who indeed deſerue not to be threatned with the ſcabbord.Compare pag. 448. of D Bridges his booke with Bellarmine. cap. 10. li. 5. cont 3. and you ſhall finde the one to hauehave writen the verie ſame thing for the A…ch that the other hath for the pope Into which booke he hath crammed as plaine poperie for the defence of our Bb. as euer Harding, Saunders, Turrian, Bellarmine, or any other the firebrands and enſigne bearers of Romiſh treaſon againſt her Maieſties crowne, hauehave brought for the Popes ſupremacie. And for as much as he in that booke, hath both vndertaken the defence of thoſe corruptions, for the tollerating wherof, the anger of God hangeth ouer the whole land; and alſo ſhewed himſelfe to be Ammonitiſh Tobiah, againſt the buylding of Ieruſalem in Wales, by defending the very breaches & ruins of the Babyloniſh ouerthrow, which by the p. 21juſt judgements of God vnderunder poperie we ſuſtained, to be the perfecteſt building that Sion can be brought vntounto; and ſo by this ſlander withſtandeth the ſaluation (which I doubt not) her Maieſtie and the parliament wiſhe vntounto my country. I hauehave ſo framed the reaſons following, as they ouerthrow the very foundation and whole frame of that wicked book & of al others, writtē for the defence of our eſtabliſhed Church gouernment.

Now that our dumbe miniſters, nonreſidents, L. biſhops, archdea. &c. are nothing els but an encreaſe of ſinnefull men,Num. 22.14.Num 22:14 riſen vp in ſteed of their fathers the idolatrous Monkes and Fryars, ſtil to augment the fierce wrath of God againſt this land and our gouernors: & that this booke of D. Bridges, and whatſoeuer els hath bin written for their defence, are nothing els, but edicts, trayterous againſt God, and ſlanderous to your ſacred gouernment, to defend the ſale and exchange of Church goods, & the very deſtruction of ſouls: to ſpeak al in a word, that both theſe corruptions & their defences, are cōdemned by the Lords own reuealed wil, as things directly againſt the ſame, and the lawes of her Maieſtie, expreſſed in his written word; and therefore not to be tollerated by your authoritie, vnleſſe you thinke that you may tollerate ſinne by your lawes; nor yet once to be ſpoken for or countenaunced, vnleſſe you would plead for Baal, I prooue by theſe reaſons.

That forme of Church gouernement whiche maketh our Sauiour Chriſt inferior vntounto Moſes,Iudg. 6.38.Judg 6:38 is an impious, vngodly, and vnlawfull gouerment flat contrarye to the worde,Heb 3 6. Nom. 12.7.Heb 3:6 and therefore in no caſe to be tollerated by any lawes or authoritie, p. 22and the booke or bookes defending the ſame, are vngodly and impious bookes. But our Churche gouernment in Wales, by L. biſhops, archd. dumb miniſters, and other eccleſiaſtical officers (as for nonreſidents, let this one reaſon for all ſerue againſt them; they as much as in them lieth, bereaue the people ouer whome they thruſt themſelues, of the onelyonly ordinarie means of ſaluation, which is the word preached) is ſuch gouerment, as maketh the Lord of life, Ieſus Chriſt inferiour to Moſes, and this booke of D. Bridges, with all other bookes of the like arguments doe the ſame. Therfore this gouernment is a gouernment, not to be tollerated by law in any ſtate, vnleſſe men woulde feele Gods heauie judgementes for the ſame, and therefore alſo it is a gouernment moſt pernicious and dangerous, euen in pollicie vntounto the ciuil gouernment where it is eſtabliſhed, and this booke or books defending the ſame, are vngody wicked and pernicious bookes, trayterous againſt the Maieſtie of Ieſus Chriſte; crying for vnſufferable vengeance vpō ſuch as tolerate thē.

The propoſition is not to be doubted off. For is that Church gouernment or bookes to be tollerated, which make Chriſt Ieſus the ſonne of the aeternall God, yea God himſelfe inferiour vntounto Moſes? The aſſumption is thus prooued. That gouernement, and that booke or bookes, whiche holdeth Ieſus Chriſt God and man, to hauehave preſcribed no externall forme of the gouernment o… his Churche; but ſuch, as at the pleaſure of the magiſtrate, when time and place requireth may be altered without ſinne; preferreth Moſes before Ieſus Chriſte. This is manifeſt out of the expreſſe p. 23wordes of the text. Heb. 3.2.6. Becauſe the Lord Ieſus, being the ſonne, is in that place compared with Moſes a faithfull ſeruant in deed, and preferred before Moſes, in regard of the external gouernment, which Moſes had ſo faythfully preſcribed vnderunder the law, as it was not to be chaunged at the pleaſure of any magiſtrate, vntillaaDan. 9.27.Dan 9:27 the Meſſiah ſhould cauſe the oblations to ceaſe. For what king was there euer in Iudah, who without the breach of Gods law,1 Chron. 23.24.1 Chr 23:24 could alter the external regiment of the Iewiſh Church in the Leuitical prieſthood and officers? Dauid I grant, ordained ſome things not mentioned in the bookes of Moſes, but that whiche he did, proceeded from the ſpirit of God, and he had the worde for his warrant. The ſame is to be ſaide of whatſoeuer was done by any other of the godly kings in Iudah.

Nowe that the former compariſon, Heb. 3.2.6. betweene the ſonne and the ſeruant, Chriſte and Moſes, is concerning the externall regiment of the church, and not the ſpiritual gouernment of the inner man (as D. Bridges affirmeth pag. 51. lin 30.) it is plaine. Becauſe Moſes had nothing to do with the gouerning of the inner man; and therefore it were no prerogatiue for the Lorde to be preferred in faithfulnes before Moſes, in that diſpenſation wherein Moſes neuer dealt. Hence thē I aſſume, that our forme of Church gouernment in Wales, and this wicked booke, holdeth Ieſus Chriſt to hauehave ordained ſuch an externall forme of gouernment in his Churche, at his departure from earth to heauen, as at the pleaſure of the magiſtrate, might be altered without the breach of Gods inſtitution: which thing D. Bridges affirmeth p. 24pag. 55. And all our prelates grant that this high court of parliament may lawfully alter the forme of Church gouernement now eſtabliſhed. Therefore this gouernment, and this booke, preferreth Moſes before Ieſus Chriſt. And I cannot ſee how far this differeth from blaſphemie. Now if Chriſt ſhould be ſaide to ordaine no externall regiment at all, then Moſes is far before him, and the thirſt of ſuperioritie in our prelates, and their accompliſſes, is turned into extreame drunkennes of impietie by this aſſertion.

I beſeech the Lord in mercy to open your eies that are of this aſſemblie, that you may ſee how he and his people hauehave been dealt with by retaining ſuch laws in force, as juſtle & ouerthrow the … prerogatiue of his ſonn. And the Lord make you to ſee whether thoſe men, that defend the intereſt of the ſonn of God in this point againſt the tiranicall vſurpation of Bb. and hauehave brought for his title vnanſwerable euidēce, out of the ſacred records of Gods owne writings, offending eyther in matter or circumſtance in no one thing, but that they hauehave not dealt more earneſtlie with your Hh. and more roundly with the aduerſaries in the right of their maſter; hauehave deſerued to be impriſoned, thruſte out of their liuinges, reuiled, & railed vponupon by vngodly and wicked prelats vntounto the ſtate, as ſeditious and diſcontented men with the ciuil gouernment, dangerous ſubiectes & enimies vntounto her Maieſties crown. And ſurely the cauſe being made knowne vntounto you, as nowe it is, how ſoeuer the Lord may beare with your ouerſight heretofore, in the ignoraunce of the waight thereof: yet if you doe not, nowe abrogate p. 25ſuch a church gouernment, well may you hope for the fauour and intertainement of Moſes, that is the curſe of the lawe: but the fauoure and louing countenaunce of Ieſus Chriſt, I doe not ſee how you ſhal euer enjoy. To proſecute this point a litle farther. In moſt humble manner, I would know of you that are of this high court, whether of theſe 2. pointes following you would be ſaid to maintain, by the continuance of the aforeſaid callings & corruptions within Wales? For of either of the 2. you muſt needes be guiltie. Firſt doe you think you may preſume to defend by your authoritie and lawes, ſuch offices and officers in the eccleſiaſtical ſtate, whereby the churche is to be gouerned; that is, ſuch a Church gouernment, as in your conſciences you cannot, but acknowledg to be vnlawful before the Lord, and hurtful vntounto his Church? Secondly doe you thinke that any Church gouernment can be lawfull before your God, and profitable vntounto his church, which the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelf hath not preſcribed in his word? The which point whoſoeuer goeth about to defend, he, as before you hauehave hard, maketh Ieſus Chriſt, who as he is the onelyonly head of his churche, ſo he hath the alone juriſdiction to ordaine the gouerment therof, not to hauehave in the gouerment of his owne houſe, as great a prerogatiue as Moſes had. I earneſtlie intreat you thē, that as you would not be accounted, ether to defēd & countenāce thoſe things which in your owne conſciences are ſinful, or to account ſuch a Church gouernment to be lawful, as cannot ſtand with the roiall ſouerainty, that Ieſus Chriſt hath in his church: ſo to ſee the ſpedy aboliſhing p. 26of al dumbe miniſters Lorde Biſhops, Archdeacons, commiſſaries, chauncellors, &c. Out of the church, vnderunder your gouernment in Wales. You are now intreated to abrogate no other Church gouerment then that, which either in your own conſciences you muſt acknowledg to be vnlawful and odious in the ſight of God, and therfore without delay to be remoued, or ſuch a regiment the vnlawefulnes whereof, if with our Biſhops you ſhould go about to maintaine, then ſhould you rob Ieſus Chriſt of the prerogatiue & priueledge wherwith the ſpirit of God hath adorned him. Heb. 3.6. Becauſe it hath ben ſhewed, that it was not lawful for any ſtate or power to ordaine any other forme of gouernment in the church vnderunder the lawe, then that preſcribed by Moſes. If then you think our church gouernment by Lord Bb. Archdeacons, dumb miniſters, &c: in your conſciences to be vnlawful, that is; if you think it vnlawful for a miniſter, to ioine the office of a ciuil Magiſtrate with his miniſterie, and to beare rule and dominion ouer his bretheren either as a ſpiritual or temporal Lord; if you think it vnlawfull for a Lord Biſhop to beare ſoueraigne authoritie of al the miniſters within his dioceſſe; and if you think it vnlaweful that their miniſterie with the execution thereof, ſhould depend vponupon his pleſure, or diſliking; if alſo in your conſcience you think it vnlawful for him to take the charge of al the ſoules within 4. or 5. ſhires, and to take the charge of thoſe mens ſoules, whoſe faces for the moſt part, he wel knoweth he ſhal neuer behold; if in like mannet you think it vnlawfull for an Archdeacon, whoſe name and office was neuer p. 27read of in the word, and in his beſt inſtitution is, but to atend vponupon the miniſters and looke vntounto the poore (to hauehave a great number of miniſters at his becke and controlment) or if you think it vnlawful in your ſoules and conſciences, for our dumb miniſters, the patrons of al ignorance and blindenes, to take vponupon them the office of the imbaſſadors of Ieſus Chriſt, to declare his will vntounto the people, the beſt, part wherof, they them ſelues neuer know: thē there is no queſtion to be made, but that either you wil vtterly raze the memorie of this wicked and vngodly generation out of the Churche of Wales, or openly manifeſt, vntounto men and angels, that you will to the contumelious diſhonor of your God, and the vndoing of his church, countenance and maintaine L. Biſhops, Archdeacons, dumbe miniſters, with the reſt of that vngodly race, whoſe corruptions in youre owne conſciences you cannot but deteſt. On the other ſide, if you think it lawful for you, to ordain, what forme of church gouernment you like beſt of: and ſo holde it lawful to maintaine this eſtabliſhed among vsus; then ſee what wil follow the diminiſhinge of the prerogatiue that Ieſus Chriſt hath in the gouernment of his church. And that I feare me wil be this. The Lord will enter into iudgement with you of this parliament, for al the ſoules that hereafter ſhal be damned in Wales. Becauſe you make it lawfull by your authority, for ſuch guides to be ouer your people, as cannot poſſiblie lead, and direct them in the waies of godlines and ſaluation. He wil enter into judgment with you for al the ſinnes that ſhalbe there commited, for want of gouerment, which his ſon p. 28Chriſt hath ordained as a meanes to keepe men from tranſgreſſing againſt their God. He will enter into judgment with you for the monſtrous profanation, whereby thoſe proude, pope like, and blinde guides, hauehave polluted his houſe in the dayes of your gouernment, which you ſhoulde hauehave withſtood. He wil enter in to judgmnt with you for the puniſhments that are likely to fall vponupon them, becauſe you hauehave countenanced, and freely priueleadged them by lawe, to prouoke his wrath in that greuous ſort againſt their own ſouls. He wil alſoe (it is to be feared) enter into judgement with the whol land, for this your ſinne, and make his ſword drunk with the bloud of our ſlain men, yea he wil giuegive the whole kingdom, high & and lowe, into the handes of the enemie, that is cruel and skilful to deſtroy, that all the nations vnderunder heauen profeſſing religion, may feare and take heed, howe they doe not only denye to be gouerned by the lawes of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, but which is more grieuous in ſtead thereof, eſtabliſhe ſuch inſtitutions as are directly againſt his maieſties reuealed will. If thoſe thinges be not likely to fall vppon vsus, except the aboue mencioned vnlawfull callings of Lord Bb. dumbe miniſters, &c. be now at once euen in this Parliament rooted out of the churche in Wales, let not my head go to the graue in peace. Where are they now, who vſually affirm the intent or motiō of remouing L. Bb. dum miniſters, ye the whol church gouerment eſtabliſhed in wales, to be a matter odious in the ſight of her Maieſtie, & dangerous to the ſtate? Cannot hir Maieſty abide to heare, that Chriſt Ieſus ſhould be more faythful in his owne p. 29houſe, then Moſes was? Is it an odious hearing vntounto her Maieſtie, that the churche in her kingdome ſhould be cleanſed of al vnlawful callings and corruptions, and beutified, with the holy ordinances of her ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt, euen in her daies; that the ſame praiſe might be trulie aſcribed vntounto hir, in the adges to come, which the ſpirite of God hath yeeled vntounto King Ioſiah.2. Kin. 23.25.2 Kgs 23:25 Like vntounto Queene Elizabeth was there no Queene before hir, that turned vntounto the Lord with all hir hart, with all her ſoule, and with al hir might, according to all the lawe of Moſes, neither after hir aroſe ther any like vntounto hir. Cannot hir Maieſtie I ſay abide theſe things? Far be it that any ſhould perſwade them ſelues ſhe cannot. Then are they vndutiful ſlaunderers of hir highnes, who to terrifie the Parliament from dealing, concerninge the redreſſe of the church, vſually avouch ſuch purpoſes, to be altogether vaine, becauſe hir Maieſtie will neuer be induced to yeeld hir conſent vntounto the remouing of the eſtabliſhed gouernement of the Church; neither is the ſlaunder any whit leſſe vndutifull againſt the eſtate, when the kingdome is ſaid to be indangered, except Ieſus Chriſt, ſhould make it lawfull for the Parliament to tollerate what Church gouernment the ciuill ſtate can beſt away with. And it is a point wherin you of this Parliament may ſhew what harts you beare vntounto the ſinceritie of religion. My 2. reaſon followeth.

That forme of Church gouernment, and that booke or bookes, which make the eſtabliſhed regiment to be an humaine conſtitution, that is incluſiuely according to the worde (but no otherwiſe p. 30according to the worde then the ciuill gouernement is, whiche alſo muſtaa1. Pet. 2.13 2. Pet. 2.10.1 Pet 2:132 Pet 2:10 bee incluſiuely according to the ſame,) and ſo may at the pleaſure of man bee altered, as the ciuill gouernement may: that gouernment and that booke or bookes, (beſides that they prefer Moſes before Ieſus Chriſt) is a wicked and pernicious gouernment,Pag. 55. and they vngodly and peſtelent bookes.

But our Church gouernment in Church cauſes, and this booke of D Bridges with al other books of this grieſte, make the eccleſiaſticall gouernment to be nothing elſe, but an humane conſtitution, which may be lawfully altered, and aboliſhed at the magiſtrates pleaſure. Therefore our Church gouernment in Wales, and this booke or bookes, are vngodly and wicked.

The propoſition is proued by theſe reſons. Firſt they are wicked and intollerable, becauſe they make no difference between that which belongeth to the true worſhip of God, as eccleſiaſticall gouernment doth, and that which apertaineth vntounto ciuil pollicie. Contrarie to the apoſtle Peter, who affirmeth in expreſſe wordes, that wee hauehave reaceaued by the knowledge of God, whatſoeuer belongeth vntounto true religion, in ſuch ſort as it is vnlawful for man to add any thing of his owne inuention therevnto. For ſoe the worde Euſebeia tranſlated, godlines, ſignifieth in that place. Whereas the worde hath not ſo furniſhed vsus, with whatſoeuer belongeth to the ciuil magiſtracie, calledbbPet. 3.13. mans ordinaunce by the ſame apoſtle, but that therein thoſe thinges, that hauehave been and are inuented by them that neuer knew God, are warrantable, and may be incluſiuely according p. 31to the word. Secondly eccleſiaſticall gouernment being granted to be an human conſtitution, maketh the Pope to hauehave ſufficient warrant out of the word,If you read D. Bridges pag. 448. lin 3 you ſhall finde him not far from auouching this point. not of his Idolatrous and falſe religion, but of his ſuperioritie, ouer all ciuil Maieſtrates and paſtors within the eccleſiaſtical bodie of the church. For whie ſhould not the pope the ciuill Maieſtrate granting him this ſuperioritie, as all they vnderunder his juriſdiction doe) be alowed by the word, to be aboue the emperor, and all other Magiſtrates and miniſters whatſoeuer, if the eccleſiaſticall gouernment be an human ordinance? For I am aſſured that the emperor, with al other princes in Europe, may lawfully chuſe a Magiſtrate ſuperior vntounto them all, if they wil. And why may not this magiſtrate whom they may lawfully chuſe (and he lawfully yeelde vntounto their choyſe) to be the higheſt and ſuperiour go…or in chriſtendome, to be a biſhop, or an archb. …f the Church gouernement be an humane ordinaunce, or if it be lawfull for either of them to be Lordes, and to beare a ciuill office? Before I goe farther, I am particularly in this poynt, to deale with ſuch in this parliament, as are our L. Bb. in Wales. Here therefore in the audience of her R. excellent Maieſtie, and this honorable councel, … prooue before you the B. of Landaff, Dauids, A…aph and Bangor, that the Pope of Rome, whoſe …uperioritie all ſounde hearted chriſtians doe ac…nowledge to be intollerable and accurſed, hath …ltogether as good warraunt from the worde for his eccleſiaſticall hierarchie, as you, vntounto whom I …ow ſpeake, to be L. biſhops in Wales. My reaſon … conclude after this manner; and if you can infringe p. 32anye part thereof, I will not refuſe anye death, or other puniſhment, that ſhalbe laide vponupon me. What Bb. ſoeuet they be, that hauehave no other warrant of their lordly juriſdiction, whereby they exerciſe temporal gouernment, as ciuil magiſtrates, hauing ſtill their miniſtery vponupon them, & claime vntounto themſelues ſuperiority ouer their felow brethren, as miniſters, then the ordinance, good will and pleaſure of man, that is, of the ſtate wherin they liue; they hauehave no better warrāt frō the word of god, for this their lordly ſuperiority, then the Pope of Rome hath for his, who claymeth no other juriſdiction and ſuperioritie vntounto himſelfe, ouer magiſtrats and miniſters, then that which he hath, by the free conſent, good liking, and authoritye of thoſe ſtates, who voluntarilye ſubmit themſelues vntounto his idolatrous religion. But you the Bb. of Landaff, Davids, Bangor, and Aſſaph in Wales, hauehave no other warrant to be L. biſhops, that is, to joyne both magiſtracie and miniſterie together, and claime vntounto your ſelues authority ſpirituall (in deed according to the ſpirite that ruleth in the ayre, as the Apoſtle ſayth) ouer your fellowe miniſters, then the conſtitutions of man, to witt; the will and pleaſure of her Maieſty and this high court of parliament. Therfore you the ſaid L. biſhopps, hauehave no other warrant for your Lordſhips and ſuperioritie ouer other miniſters, thē the pope hath for his ſupream authoritie, and vniverſall prerogatiue. As for hi… crueltie, pride, and idolatrous profeſſion; far be it but I ſhould make difference betweene you an… him. Although eueryevery part of this reaſon be already prooued; yet I demand of you, by what authority p. 33you are ſo far, in reſpect of temporal things, and the abuſe of eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction, preferred before many godly and learned miniſters in this land; as you by vertue of your places, are Barons of the parliament houſe, enjoye great revenews, and are Lordes ouer your brethren and fellow miniſters? Your anſwere will be I knowe, that you hold this by the ſole authoritie of man, and no otherwiſe. This muſt needs be your aunſwere. For if you woulde claime your juriſdiction by any other title, your biſhoppricks would ſoone be forfeited. Now I pray you tell me, hath not the pope as good warraunt for his hierarchie as this is? For hath not the Emperor, the king of Spain, the Frenche king, with other ſtates, now profeſſing poperie, as good allowance from the worde, in regard of the office (as for the abuſe in the perſon or religion, that is not the queſtion) to make whom they will the ſuperior B. within their owne dominions, as her Maieſtie and the parliament hath to make one of you to be aboue al the miniſters in your dioces, or as good warraunt as they might hauehave to make eyther of you, to be Primate and Metropolitane ouer the reſt; which authoritie you will not denie vntounto them, as vnlawfull I am ſure. Eyther therefore, the ſuperiour power of the pope in his vniuerſal biſhoppricke, is a lawfull ſuperioritie, or els your lordſhips hauing no better warrant from the word, then the popedom hath; are vnlawfull, and intollerable. And it being vnlawfull for the parliament to tollerate, and countenance (I doe not ſay the popiſhe religion) but his ſuperiority ouer the miniſters within this land; it is alſo as vnlawful for thē to tollerat your p. 34ſpirituall juriſdiction ouer your fellow brethren. Here then I appeale vntounto your conſciences, whether you doe not ſee that the pope hath altogether, as good allowaunce from the worde, of his Antichriſtian juriſdiction, as you hauehave of your lordly callings. And againe I appeale vntounto you, whether you, who dare not, but holde the popedome of the B. of Rome to be an vnlawfull juriſdiction; do not you thinke, that the pope (though hee profeſſed the trueth of religion, as you doe, which in the dayes of the firſt biſhopps of Rome they alſo did) were not bounde in conſcience, to giuegive ouer this vniuerſall ſoueraigntie? Or if he coulde not abide to heare, that his place and office, whiche by the poſitiue law, and the good lyking of the preſent gouernement, were authorized, ſhoulde nowe be accounted vnlawfull in the ſight of God; do you not thinke that hir Maieſty, and this high court of parliament, notwithſtanding the lawes eſtabliſhed, and the fauour they beare vntounto his juriidiction, were bounde before the Lorde, to abrogate his ſuperioritie, as vnlawfull and intollerable in Gods Church. If you thus judge of the pope, as I hope you do! Oh then, why wil not you execute this ſentence againſt your ſelues, whiche you hauehave pronoūced againſt him? you beeing no leſſe guiltie of tyrannizing ouer your brethren, by vertue of your vnlawful calling. The juriſdiction of the pope is vnlawful (ſay you) notwithſtanding all the ſtates in Europe alow him to be vniverſall biſhop, and it is vnlawful notwithſtanding poperie were true religion, and hee a moſt holy man who ſate in the Romiſhe chaire. And you holde it alſo vnlawfull for the p. 35parliament, notwithſtanding al the former exceptions, to tollerate the popiſh ſupremacie, euen ouer the miniſters in this land. Why the worde of God by the ſame reaſon, pronounceth your callings to be vnlawful, and denieth it to be poſſible for them to be lawfull and tollerable, no though her Maieſtie and al the ſtates and parliaments in the world ratified them to be lawful.

To returne againe vntounto the whole bodie of this honourable aſſemblye. I intreate you in the name of God to conſider, how prejudiciall it wil be for our poſterities to refuſe the popes juriſdiction (if euer motion ſhould be made in parliament, for the reducing of that man of ſinne, as God forbidd there ſhoulde) ſeeing you hauehave not thought it vnlawful to retain their Ll. & ſuperiority, who hauehave no better warrant for their calling then the pope might hauehave for his, beeing confirmed by the free conſent of the ſtate. I go forward.

Thirdly, if Church gouernment be an humane conſtitution, then it may be lawfull for a church gouernour, vz. a biſhopp, archdeacon, or ſome other of that order, to preache, adminiſter the ſacramentes, ouerſee, excommunicate, &c. and to be a king. For the holy Ghoſte maketh it lawful, 1. Pet. 2.13. for any, ſupplying the place of an humane conſtitution lawfully, to be a king. And I woulde our biſhopps durſt denie it? Where then learne they that diuinitie, that it is more againſt the word, for a biſhop to be Baſi…eus, a king, Hyperichon, a ſuperiour, Hegemon, a captaine or gouernour, being titlesaa1. Pet. 2.131 Pet 2:13 ſanctified by the holy Ghoſte for ciuill officers, then Curios a Lord, Hyperpheron, a prelate, Euergetes, a lords grace. The former and p. 36latter, vz. Curios & Euergetes, being denied by our SauiourbbLuk. 22.25Luke 22:25 Chriſte vntounto biſhopps or miniſters, the 2. vz. Hyperpheron, neuer red in the word, for ought that I can remember. If they ſaye, that the abuſe of Lordlines, and graceles grace is forbidden by Chriſte, they hauehave bene anſwered, they are aunſwered, and let them replye when they can; that our Sauiour Chriſt neuer alowed abuſe or tyrannie in ciuill gouernors, when as he doth not forbid them to rule as Lordes, or to be called grace; and therefore ſpeaketh in this place, Luk. 22.25. of the lawful and ſanctified vſe of ciuil gouernement, and titles, which ſanctified vſe being lawful in the ciuil magiſtrates, he denieth to be lawful in his miniſters. He denieth I ſaye, the vſe both of the name and title of the magiſtracie, and alſo of the office vntounto his miniſters. Becauſe it were palpable abſurd, to thinke that the Lord in deed forbiddeth his miniſters to beare the name and title of the magiſtrats, whereas he granteth them the office and dignitie, wherevnto that name or title may be lawfully joyned in the ciuil magiſtrate. Here I knowe that the example of Ely the high prieſtes ciuill gouernment, will be brought in for the confirmation of the ciuil authoritie of our biſhops; wherevnto I wil make no other anſwer at this time, but that I hope that our biſhops do not thinke, that we vnderunder her Maieſties raign and peaceable gouernment, are brought to that exigencie, which the prophet threatneth ſhould come vponupon the people of Iudah:Iſa. 3.6.Isa 3:6 namely, that we ſhoulde take holde of ſome biſhop, and ſaye, thou ſhalt be our gouernour, becauſe we meane that our fall and ouerthrow ſhalbe vnderunder thine hand. p. 37For when Ely joyned the ciuil gouerment of the Iewes with his prieſthood, then the philiſtims gaue the Iewes a ſhameful ouerthrow, and tooke away the Arke of God. So that vnleſſe we holde it lawful for vsus to ſeeke ſuch meanes, as wherby we ſhal be ſure to fal before our enemies, and to be bereaued of the Arke of God; I ſee not why the example of Ely (who to make the beſt of it, ſheweth ſome extraordinarye thing proper vntounto Ely, and not to bee drawen into example by others) ſhould make it lawful for miniſters to beare ciuil offices. For in deed it ſheweth nothing els for our inſtruction, but that a readie way to bring a final deſtruction vponupon the land, is, for the parliament to giuegive our miniſters leaue to joyn the magiſtracie & the miniſtery together. And here it woulde be knowne, whether they (whoe in their bookes hauehave whotly and egerly purſued this example of Ely, to defend the ciuill juriſdiction of miniſters) hauehave not therein ſome ſecret meaning, if opportunitie woulde ſerue, to aſpire vntounto the crowne. For they may be ſuſpected to hope, if euer an in…erregium ſhould fall (as I truſt in God it ſhall neuer be in their dayes) that the eſtate would think …t moſt convenient, to commit the ſoueraigntie vntounto ſom conſcionable Churchman, vntill it may be otherwiſe diſpoſed off. And therefore it may be juſtly ſuſpected, that in diſputing from the example of Ely, they had one eye vntounto this wherof I ſpeak. For they may procue far better by the example of Ely, who was the chiefe magiſtrate in his dayes, that a miniſter may joyne a whol kingdome vntounto his miniſterie, rather then any other …nferiour office.

p. 38To conclude this point. Seeing, Firſt to make that which belongeth to the outwarde worſhip of God, to hauehave no more ground out of the worde, then that which appertaineth vntounto the ciuil magiſtracie. Secondly, to allowe of the popes ſuperioritie as lawful. And thirdly, to holde that a miniſter may be both a king and a miniſter, are wicked and abſurd aſſertions, and as we ſee directly againſt the word. Therefore it is wicked in like maner, to make the eccleſiaſtical gouerment to be an humane conſtitution: and not vnlikely by little and little, to paue the way for the vndermining of the ciuil gouernement; as the reaſons which our Bb. do bring for the maintenaunce of their ſuperioritie, and experience vnderunder poperie do giuegive vsus juſt cauſe to ſuſpect. For why may not a forged donation of Conſtantine, or Lodouicus pius, in time joyne the crowne of England, to the ſea of Davids or Bangor eſpecially; whiche from Ioſeph of Aramathea, can be prooued to hauehave a little better continuance of perſonall ſucceſſion, then Rome can from Peter; as well, as it joyned the kingdome of Sicilia, the Dukedome of Naples, the Ilandes, Corſica; Sardinia, &c: vntounto the popes Miter.

The thirde reaſon is thus framed, and I will be briefe. That forme of Church gouernement, and that booke or bookes, which teacheth, that there is ſomething to be obſerued, beſides that, which was included in the commiſſion giuen by our ſauiour Chriſt vntounto his Apoſtles,Math. 28.19Matt 28:19 wherin they were enjoyned to teache men, to obſerue whatſoeuer he commanded, is a gouernement execrable and accurſed by the ſpirite of God in plaine wordes, p. 39Gal. 1.9: and ſo are the bookes. And being ſuch, far beit, that eyther the gouerment, or the books ſhoulde be maintained by the authoritie of this high court of parliament. Such a curſe being pronounced againſt the maintaining of execrable things, as we finde Deuter. 7.15. But our forme of church gouernement in Wales, and this booke with many others, publiſhed by authoritie teach the ſame. For where is it included, much leſſe preſcribed in the word, that our Sauiour Chriſt aboliſhed an outward gouernment of the Church in the Leuitical pollicy, being in no ſort an humane ordinance, but altogether preſcribed by the lord himſelfe, to the end, that vnderunder the Goſpel there ſhould be no gouernement of the Church but an humane ordinance, that might lawfully be changed at the pleaſure of man? Or where is it reuealed, that the Apoſtles gaue the ciuill magiſtrate, when any ſhould be in the Churche; the commiſſion to aboliſhe the Preſbytery by them eſtabliſhed; becauſe there was no chriſtian magiſtrate in the Churche, as our aduerſaries themſelues confeſſe: but as the worde ſayth,aa1. Cor. 13.5 11. ephe. 4.4 rom. 12.6. 1. pet. 4.10 math. 21 25.1 Cor 13:5 eſtabliſhed by the Lorde; and therefore not to be abrogated by the magiſtrate, vntill his pleaſure in that poynte be farther knowne: therefore this gouernment, & this book or books, are execrable & accurſed.

Laſtly, that forme of Church gouernement, & that booke or books, which affirme the kingdom of Chriſte in the outwarde gouernement, to be a kingdome that cann be ſhaken, that is, altered, or remooued as the ceremoniall gouernement was: affirme that, which is contrarye to the expreſſe written word of God. Heb. 12.28. and therfore p. 40are not to be tollerated. But our Church gouernment in Wales by L. Bb. archdea. dumb miniſters, commiſſ. &c, in their making of miniſters, excommunication, &c: is ſuch, and ſuche is this vnlearned heape and ſophiſticall booke, with the reſt written on this argument. And therefore both the booke or bookes, affirme things contrarie to the worde, and ſo are not to be tollerated, vnleſſe we would hauehave the Lorde to bring ſpeedie ſhame and confuſion vppon vsus, for mayntaining ſinne by lawe.

The propoſition is apparant. Becauſe that by the word kingdome that cannot be ſhaken in the afoerſaid place. Heb. 12.28. muſt needes be ment perticularly (whatſoeuer ſignificatiō els thei hauehave as more generall) the outward gouernment eſtabliſhed vnderunder the Goſpel, ſince the aboliſhing of the ceremoniall lawe, which being compared, in regard of continuance, and remouing or doing awaie with Moſes his gouernment, (is ſaide to be a kingdome that cannot be ſhaken) that is, ſuch as the Lorde neuer meaneth to alter again vntounto the worlds end: as to hauehave any other gouernment placed in ſtead thereof by himſelfe, much leſſe by man, wheras that vnderunder Moſes is affirmed by the prophet Haggaie,Haggai 2.7.Hag 2:7 and heare by the apoſtle, to be a kingdom or gouernment that could be ſhaken, that is, altered. And this is the proper meaning of the place, Heb. 12.28. For by the kingdome that cannot be ſhaken, muſt needes be meant, either the aſſurance of ſaluation, which we hauehave vnderunder the Goſpel, or our inioying and profeſſing of externall life, or elſe the outwarde gouernement, not only in the preaching of the word, and adminiſtration p. 41of the ſacraments, but in the Church officers, the manner of their choiſe & their ſub…ects, wherin they are to be occupied. But as concerning aſſurance of ſaluation in this life, & the profeſſion of eternal life in heauen, which the fa…hers enioyed vnderunder the lawe, it was no more to be ſhaken then ours, the meanes thervnto by the word preached, they want no more then we doe. And ſo in theſe reſpectes they had a kingdome …hat could no more be ſhaken then ours. It remaineth therefore, that theirs was to be ſhaken, …n regarde of their outward gouernment, which was aboliſhed by the comming of Chriſt. And …herefore ours immooueable in this reſpect, vn…il his ſecond comming, which were ſenſleſſe to be affirmed, if Chriſt in his kingdome, wherevnto we are ſubiect, had inſtituted no externall regiment of his Churche. Can that be vnmooueable which is not at all? More ſenſeles it were to think, …his kingdom to be immutual in regard of the ſacraments, and not of the perſons, and officers, who are to deale with thoſe miſteries.

To come againe vntounto you of this honourable …ourt of Parliament, you are not to learne, that …o defend, by lawe, or to countenance by authori…ie, the breach of gods ordinance is the defence of ſin, and that the defence of ſinne, is the hatred of God, who rewardeth them to their faces that …ate him, Deut. 7.10. and therefore alſo you are …ot to be taught, what horrible ſinnes you ſhall …ommit,Nomb. 26.9. if hereafter you ſtil maintaine ſuch plain & manifeſt impieties. They are no trifles as you …ee. For I aſſure you, that Dathan and Abiram …he ſonnes of Eliab, men famous in the congregation p. 42had more colour of right, to claime vntounto themſelues either the ciuill gouernement from Moſes, or the prieſthood from Aharon. Becauſe they were the ſonnes of Reuben the firſte borne (vntounto whoſe lotte, had he not defiled his fathersaaGen. 49.4.Gen 49:4 bedd, by all likelihood, either the ſcepter or the prieſthood ſhould hauehave fallen) then theſe vſurpers hauehave to claim the places they are in, wherevnto either by right of inheritance according to the fleſh, or ordinaunce from God, they came by no title.

Here it muſt needes followe (you of this honorable aſſemblie hauing regarde vntounto the eſtate of your ſoules and bodies before the Lord, and your good names amōg poſterities) that if theſe things ſet downe be true (if not bring vppon me deſerued ſhame and puniſhment) you wil either labor to redres the miſerable eſtate of diſtreſſed wales, by erecting there a godly miniſterie, and abolliſhing all Cananitiſhe relikes, or for the defence, of a fewe vnconſcionable and godleſſe men, aduenture to vndergoe the fierie and flaming execution, of the burning decree of Gods wrath: My Lords, and you the reſt of this aſſemblie, be not deceiued, the Lord of heauen is angrie with you and his whole hoaſt for the Babiloniſh garments of theſe Achanes.Ioh. 7.9.21John 7:9John 7:21 Retayne them no longer if you would not fall before the enemie. When the L. ſhall plead with you, your wiues, children, family, & the whole land,Ezek. 38.22.Ezek 38:22 with peſtilence or with blood, as he is likely to do for theſe wedges of execrable golde, it is not the pontificall Lordſhips of Biſhops, at whoſe commaundement the Lords ſword wil returne again into his ſheath, when your gaſping p. 43ſoules ſhal cry for mercy at the Lords hand; it is not the proud and popelike Lordſhipps of Biſhopps, their vſurped juriſdictions, their profane excommunications, their pitiles murthering of ſoules, their railinge ſlaunders, againſt Gods truth and his ſeruants, their impious brething of the holy Ghoſt vponupon their Idol prieſtes, that wil driue the Lord to giuegive you any comfort. Let me therfore (thogh my perſō be baſe) entreat you, that the judgments of God againſt ſin, both in this life, & in that other of eternal wo & miſery may apeare ſo terible in your eies, and of that vndouted conſequence, as you wil no longer retain vnderunder your gouernment theſe things, whoſe continuance do giuegive the Lord juſt cauſe in this life to pronounce this ſentence by the mouth of Ieremie againſt euerie on of you,Iere. 22.29.Jer 22:29 that wil not promote this ſute, and execute the ſame. O earth, earth, earth, here the wordes of Iehouah, write theſe men deſtitute of children, men that ſhall not proſper in their dayes, yea there ſhal not bee a man of their ſeed that ſhall proſper, and bee a-parliament man, or beare rule in England any more. And in the life to come to ſay moreouer: Theſe mine enemies that would not hauehave me to beare rule,Luk. 19.27.Luke 19:27 by mine owne lawes ouer them and their people, bring hither & ſlay before my face, yea bind them hand and foote, and throw them to vtter darknes, there is weeping & gnaſhing of teth. And let me, crauing vponupon my knees, with all ſubmiſſion and earneſtnes, and more earneſt if it were poſſible to obtane, that my countrymen by your meanes may hauehave the word preached, euen the meanes whereby they may liue for euer, p. 44with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, in the kingdome of heauen. Graunt them this my Lordes, though I dye for it. And this the Lord knoweth is the only ſcope of my writing, and not the diſcrediting or galling of our Lorde Bb. Let not their places withſtand the ſaluation of my brethren, and the true ſeruice of God among them, and if euer I either write or ſpeake more againſt them, any further then their places, are like to be the ruine of hir Maieſtie and the whole ſtate, let it coſt me my life. Here me in this ſute good my Ll. The reward thereof, your ſoules ſhall find; otherwiſe I am likelie to become a weariſom and an importunate ſutor vntounto this high aſſemblye. The cauſe is ſo juſte, that if it were as ſometimes it was, by the apoſtle him ſelfe decided in the Athenianes Areopago, a court for heathen juſtice of famous and celebrated memory, I doubt not but it ſhould be hard. And ſhal it not hauehave juſtice in the chriſtian parliament of England; Iuſtice my Lords I ſay, for I ſeeke nothing elſe, but that the ſtatutes of the God of judgment and juſtice may be made known in my country, wher now they are vnhard of. Then the which, I know not what can be more juſt; neither can I ſee what juſtice in truth can be adminiſtred by them that neglect this cauſe. Trulie for mine owne parte, God aiding me, I wil neuer leaue the ſuite; though there ſhoulde bee a thouſand parliaments in my dayes, vntill I either obtaine it at your handes, or bring the Lord in vengeance and bloud to plead againſt you, for repelling his cauſe. I hope it wil not be here ſaid, that the parliament can doe nothing in the matter, becauſe hytherto all Churche cauſes hauehave p. 45bin referred vntounto the conuocation houſe & the leaders thereof, namelie to our Biſhops. And doe you meane it ſhalbe ſo ſtill? Then ſhall you ſtill maintain theſe horrible profanations of Gods ſanctuarie, whereof I hauehave ſpoken. Then may it be ſaid vntounto your ſhame, that Sion lying vppon the ground, and mourning like a widdow, ſtretched out her handes vntounto the parliament of England, but could find no comfort. Then may you ſtil be ſaid to betray Gods truth, to betray the ſaluation of his people, yea and to betray the liberties of this parliament. For what aſſembly is there in the land, that dare chaleng vntounto it ſelfe the ordering of religion, if the parliament may not? When you ſay then, that you may not deale in the matters of religion, becauſe the determinations of that cauſe is referred vntounto the Biſhops aſſembled in the conuocation houſe, who in their Cannons, are to prouide and ſee that the church be not in a decaied ſtate, do you not thereby thinke you rob your ſelues of your owne prerogatiue and liberties, and take order that the church without controuerſie may be ſtarued and ſpoiled.

In deed if the conuocation houſe were ſuch as it ought to be, vz. a ſinod of ſincere, and godly learned miniſters, wherein matters of relligion were determined of according to the worde, and the cauſe of God heard with out partiallitie, then indeed were it their partes to ſet downe for the direction of the parliament, ſuch thinges as were behoofull for the glorie of God, and the good of his church, & the parliament by their direction according to the word, ought to enjoine all the miniſters and people, whatſoeuer ſhould be thus p. 46enacted by the ciuil ſtate. And if the conuocatition houſe were ſuch an aſſembly, then were it not laweful for the parliament, to eſtabliſh any thing in the matters apertaininge vntounto the pure worſhip of God, among their people, but that wherein they ſhoulde be directed, by the aduiſe of the churche gouernours. For as in a chriſtian common wealth, where the ciuill ſtate ſincerely fauoureth the true worſhip of the Lord, it is not tollerable, no not for the right and lawful, muchleſſe (ſay the vſurping tiranical gouernors of the church) eſtabliſh any thing in the church, but by the authoritie of the chriſtian magiſtrat: ſo wher there are godly wiſe and ſincere miniſters, it is vnlawfull for the ciuill gouernour, to order any thing in the church within his domminions, but by their direction according to the word. So that I doe not denie, but that the conuocation houſe being an aſſembly of true and lawful church officers, you ought to vſe their adviſe and direction how the wants of the church might be ſupplied. But you ſhoulde not permit them to enact what they would by their owne authoritie, eſpecially their decrees being as now they are, to the ratifying of corruptions, and to the continuance of vngodly callings within theſe dominions. And if you mean to giuegive ouer your right in dealing with the caſe of God vntounto the conuocation houſe, to what end ſhall the ſtates of the land meete together in parliament, be euer againe ſued vntounto.

But alaſſe, that any thing in church cauſes, ſhalbe referred vntounto that aſſemblie, which would not ſtand as it doth, if there weare that good order in the church which the Lord requireth, and p. 47and as long as it doeth ſtand, muſt needs be the cauſe of all diſorders therein, and muſt needs be a meanes of continuing that ſtaruing ignoranuce which raigneth in this land. Why my Lords, to referre the cauſe of religion vntounto the Conuocation houſe, is nothing els, but to charge the wolues vnderunder paine of the diſpleaſure of careful ſhepherds, to ſee that the lambes may be fedd, beſides the injurious derogation that thereby is offered vntounto the liberties of this houſe.

And that it may appear how juſtly I apeal from that ſinagogue, vntounto this high court of parliament, and what ſmall hope there is to be conceiued of reforming the abuſes of our Church, if the redreſſe be committed vntounto that meeting; you of the honorable court of parliament are to vnderſtand, that the conuocation houſe condemneth this cauſe of chriſt now in hand, before it be hard: and that their onelyonly endeuours who are there mett, is howe to preuent him from bearing rule in the Church by his owne lawes. For it is well knowne, that all of them hauehave banded and linked them ſelues together, to maintaine the corruptions of our Church, whereof I hauehave before ſpoken; as the vngodly and popiſh hierarchie of biſhops, the ignorant miniſtery, &c. Which thing ſhal be manifeſted by the conſideration of the perſones, who are admitted vntounto the conſultation & mee…ing. And they are of 2. ſorts. Firſt, theſe whoe by …eaſō of the ſuperiority they vſurp over their bre…hrē, muſt needs be the chief doers in that houſe, …ow ignorant, vnconſcionable, and vnfit for the gouernment of the Church ſoeuer they be. Of which number, are our Archbb. and L. biſhops, p. 48&c. The ſecond ſort is of theſe, who hauing no intereſt to be there, in reſpect of anye ſuperioritie they beare in the Churche, are therefore elected and choſen to be there as the clarks of the Convocation houſe, &c. But there is ſuch freedome and liberty in the choyſe of theſe men, that great care and heede is alwayes had by our L. Bb. that none ſhalbe choſen thither, but ſuch, as for good cauſes are knowen to bee vtter enemies vntounto all ſinceritie, and ſtrong maintainers of the eſtabliſhed corruptions: if any other by ſome meanes be gotten thither, who doth but once mention the healing of the wounds of our Church, he is ſtraightwaies taken for a Nicodemus among thē; namely, for a man fauoring that ſide, which none of the great Scribes and Phariſes can brook, and lightly they take that order with him, which the Iewes tooke with thoſe, who profeſſed our Sauiour Chriſt; that is, they banniſh him out of their Synagogue. To be briefe, whoſoeuer are of the houſe there is nothing done there, but what the former ſort; to wit, L. archb. & Bb. would hauehave enacted. For the reſt, eyther cannot or wil not withſtand their proceedings. The whole ſway then, & direction of this ſynod, being in their hands, who are for the moſt part, the greateſt cauſe of the teares of our Church; will you referre the ordering of religion, & the reformation of the church vntounto the Conuocation houſe? I hauehave alreadye ſhewed, that you ought to be ſo far from permitting vntounto L. Bb. the diſpoſition of any thing behofull vntounto the Church of God, as the very names and places ſhould be razed from vnderunder your gouernment. And wofull experience theſe 30. full p. 49yeares, hath taught vsus what a lamentable reformation theſe men now bring to paſſe, if they may hauehave their owne wils. Why theſe men my Lords, and conſequently, the whole Conuocation houſe are in judgement contrarye vntounto ouraaLuk. 22.25.Luke 22:25 Sauiour Chriſt; for they holde it lawfull for miniſters to be Lordes ouer their brethren. Theſe men my Ll. are of judgement, that the exhortation of the Apoſtle Peter, was not directed vntounto them? The Elders which are among you, ſayth the Apoſtle, I beſeech, which am alſo an Elder, and a witnes of the ſufferings of Chriſt, & alſo a pertaker of the glorye that ſhalbe reuealed, Feede the flocke of God which dependeth vppon you, caring for it, not by conſtraint, but willingly, not for filthy lukers ſake, but of a readie minde, not as though ye were Lords ouer Gods heritage, but that ye may be enſamples to the flocke; and when the chiefe ſhepheard ſhall appeare, you ſhall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory. Theſe men I ſay, are in judgement, contrary vntounto this bleſſed Apoſtle, for they drinke it lawful for thē to be Lords ouer Gods heritage. They are of judgment, that chriſt Ieſus was not ſo faythfull as Moſes, in the gouerment of his owne houſe. And do you then thinke that they care how vnfaythfull rhey doe behaue themſelues, in the ouerſight of the Church? They hold the gouernment of the Church to be an humane ordinaunce, and ſo holde the Pope to hauehave ſufficient warrant of his hierarchie. They my Ll. hold the kingdome of Chriſte in the outward gouernment, to be a kingdome, the lawes whereof, may be chaunged and abrogated, at the pleaſure of man. They do not ſtick to affirme it lawful for p. 50them, to teach many thinges, not included in the commiſſion giuen by our ſauiour Chriſt vntounto his Apoſtles. Theſe men reject as vntrue, that which the ſpirite of God hath ſet downe by the Apoſtle Paule, 1. Cor. 1.21. Rom. 10.14. which is, that men are ordinarilye ſaued, by the preaching of the word. For they are perſwaded, that ſaluation may be ordinarily attayned vntounto by reading; & ſo they are perſwaded, that the Lorde hath promiſed his ſpirit to ſeale that doctrin in the heartsEpheſ. 1.13.Eph 1:13 of men, which through preaching was neuer made knowen vntounto them. What care then will they hauehave, to ſee the people prouided for of preching, wheras they are not perſwaded of the ordinary neceſſitie thereof. They my Ll. maintaine the continuance of the dumb and ignorant miniſtery, whereby our Church hath long ſince gotten her bane. Their judgement is, that they may be tollerated for lawful miniſters, in a chriſtian commonwelth and that the parliament may ſecurely maintain them in our Churche, without all feare of Gods judgementes for tollerating them! O the great hand of God in punniſhing our ingratitude, that in this cleare light of the goſpell, they who take vponupon them to be Archſeers, willingly ſee not, that none can be lawfull embaſſadors of Ieſus Chriſt, but they out of whoſe mouthes, this embaſſage is heard;1. Cor. 5.1 Cor 5 VVe beſeech you in Chriſts ſteed, that you be reconciled vntounto God: And yet ſuch is the blindnes of the convocation houſe, that they cannot ſee this.

But I bluſh to thinke, that they dare once preſume to giuegive any countenance vntounto nonreſidencie, that gaſtly and fearfull ſinne: and yet behold notwithſtanding, they are not onelyonly all of them p. 51guiltie thereof themſelues, but euen in the books which they hauehave publiſhed vntounto the world, in the defence of their corruptions, they hauehave not bene aſhamed to advouch the lawfulnes of this vnnaturall and deſperat murther: Yea the verye pulpits hauehave rung again & againe, with invectiues againſt al thoſe that withſtood this their madnes. O my Ll. & you the reſt of the R. honourable and worſhipful of this high court of parliament, I can not ſtay my ſelfe, but I muſt needes in this place, crie vntounto you for helpe and juſtice, againſt theſe vnnaturall men. The Conuocation houſe my Ll. defendeth nonreſidencie to be lawfull! Nonreſidencie my Ll. is defended to bee lawfull in the Conuocation houſe! And will you then truſt thē with the ouerſight of the people, who are of judgment, that they may lawfully ſtarue & murther them? Can you hope for any good to come vntounto the church of God from that councel, where it is enacted, that it may be lawfull for a bond of murthering nonreſidents to deſtroy the ſame If therfore in the parliament of Englande, there be any care of the glorye of God, and the libertie of his Church; if any pitie and compaſſion of the ſtarued ſoules of men, let others bee truſted to prouide foode for your people, and not thoſe, whoſe very judgements are ſo darkened, that they hold it allowable by the worde, for them to take order, that men may not be fedd. It is now meet my Ll. that they who holde it lawfull for men to make a trade of murther, ſhould be allowed for phiſicions. And what els are they, who defende the lawfulnes of nonreſidencie, but ſuche as profeſſe it lawfull for men to bee maintayned (rather then p. 52they ſhoulde want liuing) euen by the murthering of their brethren.

Is it not great pitie then, but that this Conuocation houſe ſhould be ſtil countenanced by the ſtate, to be the only place whence reformatiō of all the things out of order in our Church ſhould be expected? For therein doubtles, any thing ſhal be heard, which may tende to the furtherance of the goſpell; ſeeing none ſound (few excepted) are admitted into that aſſembly, who are not guiltie of the merciles and cruell murther of ſoules, as beeing all of them for the moſt part, curſed and bloody nonreſidents. And is it not great pitie, but that the parliament ſhould ſtaye and go no further in the reformation of religion, then it ſhould bee directed by the Conuocation houſe. For it may be hoped, out of queſtion, that the Cōuocation houſe will ſee, that no calling be henceforth tollerated in the miniſterie, but ſuch as the Lord in his worde warranteth to be lawfull. And therefore it may bee hoped, that the leaders thereof will not ſticke to put downe Archbiſhops, and L. Bb. that Chriſt alone, by the officers which he in his word hath appointed may rule in his church. They will not abide that anye blemiſhed & maymed Leuit ſhould come neere to the Lords Sanctuarie, nor any phariſaicall high prieſt ſhoulde vſurpe anye authoritie ouer his brethren in this lande. If this hope might be conceiued of them, then in deed woulde they bee meete to cure the diſeaſes of our church. But the truth is, that there is no reaſon why this ſhould be expected at their hands, becauſe they are ſo far (as this whole land knoweth) from hauing anye remorſe of the vnlawfull p. 53and vngodly callings wherein they nowe remaine, that their practiſes againſt God and his trueth, doe proclaime vntounto the worlde, that they neuer meane to reſtore againe her owne authoritie vntounto the Churche, whereof by their Lordſhips it hath bene ſpoyled.

I hauehave determined with my ſelfe, not to trouble this honorable aſſemblie at this time, with any large diſcourſe, concerning theſe men & their dealngs: otherwiſe, I would ſhew by euidēt profs, that they (and ſo the whole Conuocation houſe) are guiltie of ſuch crimes, as the fauorableſt interpreter of their proceedings, woulde of neceſſitie be drawne to giuegive this ſentence againſt thē, namely; That they are intollerable oppugners of Gods glory, and vtter enemies vntounto the liberties of his Church. And they ſhould alſo be drawne to confeſſe, that the parliament in maintayning the Conuocation houſe, did maintayne and defend, together with the hindering and ſmoothering of the trueth, not only the deformed ruines; but alſo the lamentable oppreſſion of the Church. So that it ſhould appeare, that as long as that houſe ſtandeth, as at this day it doth; there could be no hope at all, that either Gods heauenly trueth ſhould hauehave free paſſage, or the Churche her lybertie in this kingdome. The briefe heades of the publike crimes, whereof the leaders of the Convocation houſe are guiltie, I will here ſet downe, & they ſhalbe herafter evidently prooued, if they vntounto whoſe charge they are laid dare deny them

Firſt therefore, their very callings and places, that is, the callings & places of our Archbiſhops and L. Bb. are ſuch as they they cannot poſſibly, p. 55but diſhonour God, and bereaue the Church of her libertie by continuing in thē. Secondly their practiſes in thoſe places, for the maintenaunce of their tyrannicall ſuperioritie, & others the corruptions of the Church, which they wilfully contrary vntounto all trueth and aequitie doe maintaine, are ſuch, as by them, they hauehave not onelyonly monſtrouſly maymed the outward face of the church, in the matter of gouernement and ceremonies: but alſo grieuouſly wounded the ſame, in the matters of doctrine and ſacramentes: vntounto the mayntenance of all which corruptions in the gouernment of the Churche, in the ceremonies, in the doctrin & ſacraments, they hauehave joyned the crimes of ſeducing and deceiuing the ciuill ſtate and people, by bearing all eſtates in hand, that al hath bene and is well in the Church; and in like manner, as much as in them lay, they hauehave vexed and perſecuted as many of the deare ſeruants of God, as hauehave but entended to motion the redreſſe of any of the former corruptions. Hereof if I ſhall not be able to prooue the eyes and leaders of this ſynagogue, & conſequently the whol houſe to bee guiltie; let mee to the terror of all ſlaunderers, be put to all the torments that may bee invented. The Conuocation houſe cannot here object, that I deal injuriouſly with the whol aſſembly, by laying vntounto the charge of the whol, thoſe crimes whereof our Bb. alone are guiltie. For the whole houſe, neuer as yet, diſauowed the hierarchie of Bb. their practiſes in vrging ſubſcription, in maintayning the dumbe miniſterie, nonreſidencie, &c. And vntill the corruptions of the Bb. be ouerthrown in that aſſembly, the whol p. 55houſe ſhall be ſtill juſtly ſubject vntounto the former accuſations.

See now my Lords whether they doe not bewray their impietie who think, that men weary them ſelues about ſmall matters, when they call for a reformation of the church. And ſee whether there be not many and vrgent cauſes, to inforce the parliament to take the gouernment of the Church out of the hands of theſe men, vnleſſe the continuance of the ruinous breaches of our Church would be ſtil maintined, it is not the matter of capp, ſurplice, tippet, and other beggerlie and popiſh ceremonies, whence al the diſſention and diſſagreement in our church is ſprong vp. But the controuerſies ariſe, becauſe our Archbb. and Bb. are not permitted with the ſilence and conſent of the ſeruants of God, to ſmother, perſecute, depraue & corrupt, the truth of that true religion which in name they profeſſe, & to vndermine, and captiuate the church of God in this land. Thoſe who withſtand, their vngodly procedings, hauehave hitherto dutifully kept them ſelues within the bonds of the calings, wherin the Lord hath placed them, they hauehave in al ſubmiſſion and duty entreated that the cauſe of God might be equally hard, and that her Maieſtie and the parlament would amend the things proued to be amis, they hauehave neuer as yet, preſumed thēſelues, to take in hand the correction of any thing. But how quietly on the other ſide, hauehave the leaders of the conuocatiō houſe behaued them ſelues, whē a redres hath bin caled for at the hands of the ciuil ſtate? Surely they hauehave alwais hitherto preſētly betakē thēſelues, to impriſonments and bonds p. 56and would neuer ſuffer the truth to hauehave the hering, nor any man with quietnes to ſtand in the defence therof. And therefore alſo, al the tumults that hereafer are like to ariſe in the Church of God within this land, about theſe controuerſies, the leders of the conuocation houſe, are the cauſes thereof, for they wil not yeeld vntounto the truth, but labour by all meanes poſſible, to ſmother the ſame. Gods ſeruants cannot winke at their procedings, vnleſſe they would betray Gods truth, and the libertie of his church. The leaſt parte of the ſinnes of our Bb. hath bin in the maintenance of vnprofitable, ſuperſticious, and corrupt ceremonies. If they would but yeeld free paſſage vntounto the truth, and hir authority vntounto the church in other matters, they ſhould not be gretly moleſted for theſe things. And woe be vntounto them, if they had rather prouoke god and his church to battel againſt them for the defence of the truth, then receiue the light, & grant peace vntounto the church. Concerning her Maieſtie, who (as it is thought) can neuer be induced to aulter the eſtabliſhed gouernment, I anſwere, that if it be made known vntounto her, and proued out of the word, that the eſtabliſhed regiment of the church, is traiterous againſt the Maieſtie of Ieſus Chriſt, that it confirmeth the popes ſupremacie. O therfore it is dangerous vntounto her crown, that it is beſides the commiſſion giuen by our Sauiour Chriſt vntounto his apoſtles; and therefore accurſed, that it ſheweth them to be void of all care of re…igion, who wittingly countenance the ſame, and that it calleth for the judgments of God againſt her, and her kingdom, and then if ſhee yeeld not vntounto the razing p. 57of all ſinful callings, out of the church, I will not deſire to liue, if this be thought a matter worthy of death, for a man to be dutyfully perſwaded of his ſoueraigne. Be it that her Maieſtie hath bin moued, by ſome of this houſe, for the redreſſe of the church, you ſhould moue her againe, and againe, and neuer leaue vntil you be heard. Great matters are neuer brought to paſſe, without great and mighty endeuours. Our ſinnes hauehave otherwiſe deſerued, then, that the Lord ſhould at the firſt encline mercy vntounto vsus, in the ſight of her highnes. Would any of you alter any part of the gouernment of his family, being perſwaded by leud flatterers, that all were well, vnleſſe the abuſe were ſhewed, and you earneſtly dealt with for a reformation. And can you then maruel, that our ſoueraigne is hardly drawne to reforme the church, whoſe eſtate, in her hearing, is daily ſaid out of the pulpit to be moſt floriſhing, wheras the deformity therof is not made knowne vntounto her. I know it is no ſmal perſwaſion that ſhould driue a monarch, to abrogat the receued conſtitutions, and eſtabliſh new, vnles the vnanſwerable neceſſiry thereof, were made knowne vntounto her or him. I am perſwaded that her Maieſtie knoweth not, the exacting neceſſitie, that lieth vppon her ſholders of reforming the church. Shee knoweth not the eſtate of her vntaught and damned ſubiects to be as it is. Wherefore ſerue parliament men, if her eies muſt be in al places to ſee eueryevery thing, and what doe you ſee, if you do not ſee our miſerie and lament it? I grant indeed, that of this point ſhe ought to be moſt careful, but if of overſight, the waightieſt matters be omitted, ſhoulde p. 58not you put her in mind hereof? And in ſubmiſſion entreat her and neuer leaue entreating, vntill ſhee yeeld to turne away the wrath of God from her, and her kingdome, by abolliſhing vngodly ordinances, and reſtoring beauty vntounto Zion.

Well, I hauehave forged, the moſt notable ſlanders that euer were coined, or els, the ſtate of my cuntrey vnderunder her Maieſties gouernment, is very miſerable, & yours no leſſe lamentable, if it ſo continue. And if you make not the ſame knowne vntounto her Maieſtie, and ſee it be ſpeedely amended, the Lord make Quene Elizabeth, and her crown free, from the bloude of her deſtroyed people. And I pray God if it be his will, that their ſoules be not required at your hands in the day wherein quick and dead ſhalbe judged.

But it may be, that you wil pretend the wante to be ſo difficult, that it cannot poſſiblie be performed. Do what lieth in you, and then the Lord is anſwered. The farther you go herein, the eſier wilbe the paſſage, you are deſired no more, then not to countenance ſinn, and for reformation to go no farther then meanes will reach. Becauſe it is a worke of difficultie, therefore muſt you needs hinder the ſame by lawe as you doe, by tollerating theſe abuſes; Becauſe the whol worke is difficult, therefore ſhal it not begin; Becauſe it is a hard matter to plant the ordinance of God, therefore muſt the breache thereof be in force, & maintained? Becauſe in Canaan the ſonnes of Anak,Num. 13.14.Num 13:14 & towns walled vp to heauen (mountains of pretenſed excuſes, hauehave ben ſeene) therefore muſt you needs ſuffer the people, brought by her Maieſtie and you, out of Egipt, to remaine ſtil in p. 59…he wildetnes, on this ſide Iordan, euē vnderunder theſe men, the dumb miniſters L. Bb. I meane which are …it for nothing els, then to be leaders, whenſoeuer …portunitie ſhall ſerue,Num. 14.4.Num 14:4 to bring the people again …nto Egipt? Becauſe our land, by reaſon of our continuance in ſinn, and that wee hauehave not had ſkilful workmen among vsus, doth not now bring forth religion and godlineſſe in the meaſure it ſhould, therefore muſt you needs be ſure, that profaneſſe and atheiſme ſhalbe ſowen, and the breach of Gods lawe flouriſh there, in the perſons of thoſe men? Therefore the juſt Lord,Ezek. 2….Ezek 2 wil be juſt in the midſt of you, whenſoeuer he reckoneth for theſe things, becauſe you are ſo far from doing what you may in the planting of godlineſſe, that you ſuffer impietie againſt his Maieſtie, to bear ſway, and that by law and authority.

Concerning the hardneſſe of the work, this I make knowne vntounto you, that if you wilbe ruled by the cannon of the word, you ſhalbe able with eaſe and the good liking of your people, to do ſo much therein, as you ſhal deliuer your owne liues from the wrath of God. But if that rule ſhal take place no farther, then it may ſtand with the continuance of Lord Biſhops, and other corruptions of the eccleſiaſticall ſtate, I ſee not what you can ſay vntounto the Lord, when he hath made you an aſtoniſhment, and an hiſſing vntounto all the nations vnderunder heauen:Nehe. 9.39 but ſurely thou art juſt in all that is come vponupon vsus for wee would not be ruled by thy words.

Wel the word teacheth and requireth of you 2. things and no more, in this worke. In both it requireth your practiſe, if you would be directed by p. 60it. Firſt it requireth, that Wales may be redreſſe by proclaiming that commiſſion giuen by ou… Sauiour Chriſt vntounto his apoſtles, Math. 28.19.20 in eueryevery corner thereof, and both the parts of th… commiſſion, it requireth to be kept inuiolably as well that, of goe preach and baptiſe, as the other, of teach them to obſerue, whatſoeuer I hauehave commanded you. Secondly, while you ſtay the Lords leaſure to raiſe vp fit men for this worke in eueryevery congregation, it requireth, that the people where preachers cannot be placed at the firſt, may hauehave ſom ſtay, that inconueniences be avoided. For the Lord will not hauehave religion, ſo vndiſcretly eſtabliſhed, as that the inconueniences that might growe thereby vntounto the ciuil ſtate, as much as may be, be not wiſely preuented; in the effectinge hereof, 2. things are to be looked vntounto, both of them greatlie furthering the worke. Firſt the bleſſing of God is to be labored for, by humbling your ſelues and your people with Daniel before the Lord,Dan. 9.1.3.Dan 9:1Dan 9:3 in faſting and praier, and then you ſhal ſee, he wilbe with your endeuours. Secondly you muſt enjoine eueryevery one according vntounto his place, to hauehave a hand in this worke, and encourage the gentlemen, & people that ſhalbe found forward, by gracing and countenancing them for their forwardneſſe in religion, and ſhewing that the more forward they be, the more credit they are like to purchaſe with your Hh. And you muſt not ſuffer an vncircumciſed mouth,Nom. 14.39. to bring a ſlander vponupon that good land, whereunto the Lord offereth to bring you and your people,Nom. 14.10. if you would obey, much leſſe, to lift vp a ſtonn againſt Caleb or Ioſhuah, that withſtand the fury p. 16of a whol wicked hoaſt in the defence of the Lord. For otherwiſe, if you ſuffer al to ſit ſtil, and looke vppon our deſolations, the moſt to liue on the ſweetnes of our ruines, and diſcountenance all that labour therein, you can looke for nothing elſe ſhortly; but that lamentable complaint, and it is a great work of God, that we hauehave heard the ſame long agoe, of euerie poſſeſſor in this land. Whyther ſhall wee goe? Our brethren and their hard intertainment hauehave diſcouraged our harts;Deut. 1.18.Deut 1:18 woulde to God that we had died in the Land of Egipt, would to God we weare dead: were it not better for vsus to turne into Egipt?Nom. 14.2. com let vsus make a captaine and returne thyther. The land indeed is a good land, whereunto, when our ſoueraigne brought vsus out of Egipt, wee entended to make our iorney: but alaſſe, we are neuer able to ſtand againſt the pouertie, loſſes, impriſonment, diſcountenance by our ſuperiors, that our brethren hauehave ſuſtained, which hauehave ſet their faces againſt this land, neuer able to ſwallowe vp the ſlanders and bitter names of Puritans, preciſians, traitos, ſeditious libellers, &c. that wee ſee, raiſed againſt thoſe that would bring vsus thyther. And therefore my Ll. and the reſt of the high aſſemblie, in vaine ſhall you vſe other meanes, and leaue this vnattempted

The redreſſe of Wales, conſiſteth of 2. partes, both muſt be ſpeedely ſet vponupon by your Hh. or els certainly the judgements of God will finde you out. Firſt you muſt aboliſhe out of the Churche, whatſoeuer you ſhal finde to be a breach of gods ordinance (as I hauehave prooued dumbe miniſters, nonreſidents, and L. Bb. to be) or els your reformation p. 62will be little better then that of theaaKin. 17.33. Samaritanes, who feared Iehouah, but worſhipped their owne gods. I woulde hauehave it marked in this place, what is required at the handes of the parliament, that it may thereby appeare, whether with any colour of reaſon, this part of the petition in hand can be denied. The parliament is deſired to enact, that no vnlawfull calling be tollerated vnderunder the gouernment within the church of God in Wales; if they will not yeeld vntounto this part of the ſuite, now put vp in the behalfe of that people; what cloake doe they leaue vntounto themſelues, whereby they may but couer their ſmall care to glorifie God? Is not the caſe to be aſtonied at, that an aſſembly profeſſing true religion, cannot be drawne to yeeld vntounto ſo juſt a requeſt, it is a hard matter I grant, to build the church of God: Men moſt willing to bring that worke to paſſe, cannot doe it; but there is no difficultie in the worlde, for the parliament of England to manifeſt that, although they cannot go ſo far in promoting the Goſpell as they would wiſhe; yet that they will not at any hand maintaine by lawe any thing, which may hinder the courſe thereof. Wel let as manye as are parliament men, looke vntounto this, as ſure as the Lord liueth, they ſhall anſwere one day, before him, who is the judge of quicke and dead, and giuegive a reaſon why they would not conſent to root out ſinne, and the breach of gods law, out of this common wealth. Do they ſeek the innovation of the ſtate, who deſire, that no lawe or ſtatute may be in force, which vpholdeth the tranſgreſſing of Gods holy inſtitution? Or may they be accounted dangerous ſubjects vntounto their p. 63prince, who cannot abide that any treſon againſt God ſhould be countenanced? Well, this branche of the ſuite is ſuch, as the Tridentine conſpiracie would bluſh to profes the rejecting therof. What then may be thought of the high court of parliament, if it cannot be there granted?

The ſecond meanes for you to redreſſe the eſtate of Wales muſt bee this; you muſt place as many godly learned men as can be found, to call the people, and ſee them prouided for. But here great aduice is to be taken, where, and howe they be placed. Firſt then, you are to looke out the places, that are fitteſt by all likelihood to receiue the word, and vntounto thoſe, to hauehave the ſpecialleſt regard. For ſeeing you are not able at once, to furniſh the whole countrie with able men; you muſt firſt hauehave regard of that part of the haruiſt, which is moſt readie for the mowers. This reſpect we ſee the ſpirite of God to hauehave had, Act. 16.7. Where the ſpirit woulde not ſuffer Paule to go to Bythinia, but rather tooke his iourney to Macedonia, where by reuelation, verſe 9.10. hee was aſſured, that there was preparation made for the receyuing of the goſpell. Concerning the other point, the miniſters that ſhalbe ſent, muſt not be ſcattered aſunder, one here, and another there in the countrie; neither ſent one by one, but many muſt be ſent together, & placed ſo nere one another, as may be. And ſo the miniſters hauing aedification, and comfort one by another, ſhall neither decay in their gifts, nor be diſcouraged; and the people by this meanes, ſhalbe ſure to be thorowly called. If the complaint be made for want of ſufficient men, and ſufficient ſtay for their liuings: For the p. 64men, take al thoſe, whome the Lorde hath made fit for this worke, and he can require no more at your hands, vntill he rayſe vp more: which if he neuer do, your good endeuours, and encouragement vntounto ſtudents and others, not being wanting to bring this to paſſe, he cannot in juſtice puniſh you, though your people be not taught. Becauſe you hauehave ſene all thoſe well beſtowed, whō he quallified for the calling, and ſo doe now expect a bleſſing from him vponupon your labours, that you might ſend more. The ſubterfuge will be but the coat of a net, to aske (as cōmonly your prelats do) how there ſhould be poſſibly founde, as many learned men, as wales requireth, ſeeing they who are found, are not placed there. And do you deale well with the Lorde, that becauſe all cannot be brought at once to ſerue him, as he willeth, therfore they that may ſhall not? The ſame is to bee ſayd of the miniſters liuings. Remoue the dumb miniſters, nonreſidents, L. Bb. (if you will not do this, you go beſides the word of God, and ſo there is no direction for you) and there will be more liuings void, able to maintain godly miniſters, thē ſhalbe I fear me, good men found to ſupply their places. And verely I maruail, what men perſwade themſelues the Lord to be; whereas they thinke, he can be ſatisfied with ſuch ſielie ſhifts? Is it not a ſtrange matter to find Church liuings in wales for L. Bb. nonreſidents, and dumbe miniſters, to ſinne againſt God, and ſtarue ſoules withall, and deny any to be there, for godly miniſters to honor God, and worke the ſaluation of his people. The children muſt ſtarue for want of bread, becauſe the dogs before their eies muſt be fed therwith. p. 65Good reaſon? yea, but the remouing of thoſe men, would be likely to ſet the land on fire. Marke how ſubtill the deuill is, in the maintenaunce of his kingdome. When godly miniſters are depriued, becauſe they will not linke themſelues with wicked Bb. to betray the kingdome of Chriſte, & ouerthrow the lawes of this land, there is no inconuenience feared. But if Satans meſſengers be once ſhoued at, behold, the land will not be able to bear this loſſe. I grant indeed, that men which make no conſcience for gaine ſake, to breake the law of the aeternall, and maſſaker ſoules (as theſe do) are dangerous ſubjects, and not to be truſted any farther then they are fed.

The moſt of them are vnſauerye ſalte, ſuch as hauehave hitherto liued vponupon ſacriledge and the ſpoil of ſoules. Order might be taken, notwithſtanding by the magiſtrate, that theſe and their families, ſhould neyther want thinges neceſſarie for their outwarde eſtate: nor yet be maintayned in idlenes. For the people, the ſtay for them is, eyther in regarde of publike meetings on the Sabboth, or the ſacraments, mariage or buriall. For the keeping of the Sabboth, the worde requireth they ſhould, if poſſiblie they can, reſort where preaching is, vntill good miniſters be placed in eueryevery pariſh: if the places be far, as commonly our pariſhes be verye large, and it is not likely in ſhort time, to plant preachers ſo neere together, as the people may eueryevery Saboth reſort vntounto them, they muſt be enjoyned to meete together in their pariſh churches, & ſome diſcreet man among them ſelues to read the worde, and vſe ſome forme of prayers, as ſhalbe thought meeteſt: by the aduiſe p. 66of the godly learned. Concerning the ſacramēts, the word requireth, they ſhould reſort vntounto a preching miniſter for them, and not attempt to keep their children vnbaptized any longer, then they muſt of neceſſitie. Mariage is moſt conveniently to be don by the miniſter, but is no proper eſſentiall worke of the miniſter; and therefore may be ſolemnized by others, at the magiſtrats appointment. Concerning burial, it is a worke of chriſtian charitie, and being the laſt duetie that we are to performe towards the departed; we ought to accompany them decently and orderly, with all comlines to the graue. The word mentioneth or includeth noe forme of prayer vſed at buriall; therefore they are ſuperfluous, neyther is the miniſter as in an action belonging to his office, to hauehave any more to doe herein, then any other of the brethren.

Thus I hauehave ſet downe vntounto your Hh. the only courſe in regarde of ſubſtance, that the worde warranteth to be taken in ſuch a deformed eſtate as ours is. And nowe my Ll. and the reſt of this honorable aſſembly, let my counſell be acceptable vntounto you, breake of your ſinnes, by rooting out theſe plants, which the Lorde neuer planted in his vineyarde, and your iniquities, by abandoning the ſame, ſo much as in you lieth; ſo there may be a healing of your former ouerſight. If not the Lords face will be againſt you, yours, and the wholland for euil, & not for good. Oh my Lords, is it not a miſerable caſe, that men ſhould ſo liue vnderunder your gouerment in this life, as they cannot poſſibly, but liue in hel in the life to come. Oh my Ll. heauen cannot be obtayned whē we are gon. p. 67Oh my Ll. now is the time for the goſpell to floriſh in Wales or neuer. Oh my Ll. if her Maieſtie and your honors (whome from my verye heart I wiſh the Lorde to bleſſe) ſhould be gone the way of all the world; for mine owne part, the ſtaffe of mine hope, to ſee any good done amongſt my brethren ſhould be broken. Blame me not therefore, if I deale earneſtly in a cauſe of ſo great a moment, and ſo vnlikely to be obtayned of our wofull poſterities, whom my ſuit in a moſt neere ſort concerneth. Oh, why ſhould they hauehave cauſe to ſay, the Lord be judge between vsus and the gouernours which were vnderunder Queene Elizabeth, in the dayes of our fathers; for they might hauehave opened our eyes, and healed our woundes, which now alaſſe, are deſperat and paſt recouery.

It is now full 30. yeares and vpward, ſince Babylon hath bin ouerthrowne in Wales, rather by the voice of her maieſties good laws (whom good Lord forget not for this worke) then the ſounde of any trumpet, from the mouthes of the ſonnes of Aaron among vsus. But alaſſe, what ſhall we and our poſterities be the better for this, if Sion bee not built. And what comfort can Zerubbabel, or Nehemiah hauehave, to bring them out of Babylon, if they meane but to reaedifie Shilo, ſeeing it is the beautie of Sion, wherein the Lorde delighteth. We hauehave cauſe in deed to thanke God, that this wicked citie hath beene by her Maieſtie broken downe in ſome ſort; but are neuer the better, ſeeing the walles of Sion lie euen with the grounde. Nowe for the ſpace of 28. yeares, no man greatly laboured to her Majeſtie, the parliament, or the people themſelues, eyther by ſpeaking or writing p. 68in the behalfe of eyther of theſe vnreconcilable cities. Men belike, thinking no more to be required at their hands, then the razing of Babel, and the diuel as yet, contenting himſelfe with Bethel. The laſt parliament, by al liklihod the very ſame week vponupon a ſodaine, the interpriſes of the building of both in 2. ſeueral books, iſſuing from 2. of the remoteſt corners in our lands. (Southwales and Northwales) was taken in hand. The one of the books pleading the cauſe of Sion, & cōminig forth by publike authority and alowance, was directed vntounto her Maieſtie and the parliament, requiring at their hands by vertue of the lords own mandatory letters, the performance of this work ſhewing by euidence of greateſt antiquitye, this to be required of duty at their hands, as a part of the homadge, due vntounto his highnes, whoſe foedaries and vaſſales, all the princes and ſtates vnderunder heauen muſt acknowledg themſelues to be, and a portion of that inheritance being theirs by lineall diſſent, from their predeceſſors, the godly kings and rulers, who time out of minde alwaies laid their ſhoulders vntounto this burthen.y druch Chriſtiano-gawl. The other written in weltch, printed in an obſcure caue in Northwales publiſhed by an author vnknowne & more vnlerned (for I think he had neuer read any thing but the common publiſhed reſolution of. R. P. a booke contayning many ſubſtantiall errors, Fryer Ruſh, and other ſhamful fables) ſtood to by non, and hauing no reaſon to ſhew why his Babilon ſhould be raedefied, it contained it ſelf within the hands of a fewe priuate men, and neuer durſt to this houre be made knowne vntounto any of our mageſtrats. Both the books in this thing had the p. 69ſame ſucceſſe, in that both together they fel into the hands of the prelats, who as they pretend, are enemies vntounto both places, but vndoubtedly vntounto Sion eſpecially, as it apeared by their hard dealing with the patrone of that cauſe,This is ſpoken in reſpect of the church gouernment. whereas the fautors of the other, being alſo in their handes, were either not at al delt with, or very curteouſly entertained of them. The reaſon of their enemity vntounto both, but their hatred vntounto Siō is, that neuer I feare me, meaning to go thether, and conſtrained by lawe to be enemies vntounto the other, they hauehave of the gold of Caldea, and the droſſe of Ieruſalem compacted them a citty, wherewith they meane to content them ſelues vntil they returne to Babel again, or (the Lord be merciful vntounto thē) vntounto a worſe place. HaueHave they not therfore good cauſe to be the more beholding to the on for the gold, then the other for the droſſe; Wel be you aſured hereof, that they who ſtirred vp both theſe inſtruments, both at one time, will neuer ſuffer them to ceaſe, vntil in Wales either a church of Chriſt, or a ſinagogue of ſathan be built. Out of queſtion the concurring of both cauſes, ſheweth that the lord hath ſom ſecret work in the matter. Sathans inſtruments for their parts, were neuer buſier then they are at this houre, and ſhal I be ſilent? They trecherouſly againſt the lawes of God and this land ſeek to bring the people again vntounto Egipt. I according vntounto both, endeuour neuer to let them reſt, vntil it pleaſe the Lord by meanes of her Maieſty, and the parlament, to bring them within the land of promiſe, no though they were vppon mount Nebo, whence with their eies they might view the ſame. They hauehave delt, and deal ſecretly p. 70with poor ſoules in dark corners, and dare not make knowne the fabulous cauſe. I hauehave delt al this while in the face of the ſun, and nowe before the ſtate of the land aſſembled together. I-want not a good cauſe, and by the grace of god, it ſhal neuer want the poore defence which I cann yeld vntounto it, or hide the face as long as I liue; whether you countenance it or no, I know that on day it ſhal preuail, when this wilbe the Lord knoweth beſt: but the matter is, whether you wil embrace Chriſt in the building of his Church, or Sathan in continuing the breaches thereof. Therfore entertaine this cauſe, & you giuegive Sathan the foile, reject this, and you ſtrengthen him. And try if you deny it the hearing, whether the very papiſts in this land, wil not be thereby encoraged to ſupplicate vntounto the parliament, that you would graunt them the liberty of their ſeared conſciences, to commit publike idolatry

Al that hitherto I hauehave ſpoken, hath ben ſaid either in the cauſe of Chriſt, which is a good cauſe, or in the behalfe of Sathan. If I ſeeke the building of his ſinagog, wil you let me liue? If of the church of Chriſt, wil you deny me your help? which yet againe and againe, in the name of the eternal God I require, & for the precious deth & paſſions ſake of Ieſus Chriſt, I earneſtly deſire at your handes. My Ll. and whoſoeuer are parlament men, as you would hauehave the Lord to entertaine your ſouls in the life to come, as you would hauehave him ſhewe you any mercy, as you louelove her Maieſty and her life, as you would hauehave the continuance of her peaceable raign over vsus, which the Lord vndoutedly threatneth to ſhorten, becauſe he woulde p. 71bring deſtruction vponupon you and vsus al, for the contempt of his truth, as you would not hauehave your names razed from vnderunder heauen, as you would not hauehave the Lord to bring vponupon vsus and our land, the Spaniſh, Italian, Romiſh or Guiſian forces, as you would not hauehave theſe, who ſhal liue to ſee the deſolation and deſperat ſorrow, which the Lord is likely to bring vponupon this land, not abide to ſee you or your childrē ride, or go in the ſtrets, as you would not hauehave the moſt contemtible to ſtretch forth his hand vponupon the dereſt things you poſſes, and offer violence vntounto the frute of your bodies? So entertaine this cauſe, grant this ſuite, and be careful of the Lords true ſeruice in wales. Otherwiſe, the vengeance of God I feare me, will neuer leaue you and your poſterities, as long as there is a man of your houſes left vnderunder heauen.

Ezekiel in deed is not nowe liuing, to put you in mind of the neceſſity of redreſſing the things amis, by laying open the corruptions of all eſtates vnderunder your gouernment, as he doth cap. 22. of his propheſie. His words I wil ſet downe that you may wey our eſtate, with the time wherin the prophet liued, and ſee whether the Lorde wil ſpare you & vsus, if we ſtil prouoke him to ſmite. There is a conſpiracy of her prophets in the middeſt thereof, ſaith the prophet, like a roring lyon, rauening the pray, they hauehave deuoured ſoules, they hauehave taken the riches and the precious thinges: they hauehave made her many widdows in the middeſt thereof, her prieſts hauehave broken my law, and hauehave defiled my holy things: they hauehave put no difference betweene the holy & profane, neither diſcerned between the vncleane and the cleane, and hauehave hid p. 72their eies from my ſabboth, and I am profaned among them. Her princes in the middeſt thereof are like wolues rauening the pray, to ſhed blood and to deſtroy ſoules, for their owne couetous lucre. And her prophets hauehave daubed her with vntempered morter, ſeeing vanities, and deuininge lyes vntounto them, ſayihg, thus ſaith the Lord Iehouah, when Iehouah had not ſpoken. The people of the land hauehave violently oppreſſed, by robbing and ſpoiling, and hauehave vexed the poor and needy: yea they hauehave opreſſed the ſtranger againſt right. Thus far Ezechiel. Be the ſinns of our prophets, of our princes, and of our people the ſame, that here he ſpeketh againſt, be they greater or be the leſſe: yet without controuerſie, if the Lord may ſay, I hauehave ſought for a man in the parliament of England, that ſhould make vp the hedge, & ſtand in the gapp, before me for the land, that I ſhould not deſtroy it, but I found none: then woe be vntounto vsus, for that ſhal follow, which is ſet downe in the prophete. Therefore hauehave I powred out mine indignation vppon them, and conſumed them with the fier of my wrath: their own waies hauehave I rendered vponupon their heads, ſaith the Lord Iehouah; And vnleſſe there were juſt cauſe to thinke that this Lorde, had either already or ſhortly ment to pronounce this ſentence againſt vsus, we might cō temne and ſcorn at the broken aſſalts of the Spaniards, or any other the enemies of the Goſpel, and her Maieſties whoſoeuer. But as long as we giuegive not the right hand to the Lord, by entering into his ſanctuarye, we hauehave juſt cauſe to feare a nation that is no nation, much more a people in number as the ſand, which is by the ſeaſhore. Our p. 73leagues and moſt ſtable couenants with the enemies; the Lord will ſoone diſanul, ſtanding thus at the ſtaffes end with his Maieſtie, as we doe.

Let it not be ſayd in this pIace, that the Lord would not hauehave ſo wonderfully wrought our late deliueraunce, out of the hand of the Spaniarde, if he ment at al to hauehave called the land to reckoning for the great ignorance, and wicked eccleſiaſticall conſtitutions, which are truly ſayd to be maintained therein. For this, both Moſes and Saloman,Deut. 29.18.49.20.Deut 29:18Deut 29:49Deut 29:20 note to be the man of all thoſe that ſhall not prolong their dayes, Moſes warneth al ſtates in any caſe to take heed, that there ſhould not be among them, man, woman, family, nor tribe, which ſhould turne his hart away from the Lord God, ſo that when he heareth the wordes of the curſe, he bleſſe him ſelfe in his hart, ſaying, I ſhall hauehave peace though I walked after the ſtubbornenes of mine owne hart, thus adding drunkennes vntounto thirſt. For ſaith he, the Lord wil not be mercifull vntounto that man: but then the wrath of the Lorde ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and eueryevery curſe that is written in this booke ſhal light vponupon him, and the Lord ſhall put out his name from vnderunder heauen, & the Lord ſhal ſeperate him vntounto euil, according vntounto all the curſes that is writen in the booke of the lawe.Eccleſ. 8.11.13.Eccl 8:11Eccl 8:13 And Soloman knowing the corruptions of men to be ſuch, as their harts are fully ſet in them to doe euil, becauſe ſentence againſt their euil works is not ſpedely executed, openly teſtifieth, that although a ſinner doe euill an hundreth times, & the Lord prolong his days, yet it ſhal only be well, with them that feare the Lord, and do reuerence before him. But it ſhall p. 74not be wel with the wicked (ſaith he) for he ſhalbe like a ſhadow, becauſe he feareth not before God. And therefore although at this time the Lords anger hath not viſited, nor caled the ſinnes of our land to account, with gret extremity by the hand of the Spanyard: yet let vsus be aſſured, that it ſhall not goe wel with vsus, vnleſſe you of the high court of parliament, ſhew that you feare your God, and doe reuerence before him, in purging out of his holy ſeruice, what ſoeuer is ſuperfluous therein, and in adding whatſoeuer is wanting therevnto. The Lord by that deliuerance, gaue vsus warning that he paſſed by vsus, but ſo, as vnleſſe the corruptions of his ſeruice be clean don away with ſpeed by her Maieſty and the parliament, meaneth to paſſe by vsus no more: but to ſuffer his whol diſpleaſure to fall vppon vsus, at his next comming. And in deed, as often as I conſider our late defence from the Spaniſh invaſion, together with our deſerts, I am induced to think, that the Lord then was affected towards vsus, as ſomtimes he was towards Iſrael his owne people, concerning whom he ſpeaketh, Deut. 32.26. I hauehave ſayd, I would ſcatter them abrod, I wold make their remembrance to ceaſe from among men, ſaue that I feared the fury of the enemie, leſt their aduerſaries ſhould wax proud, & leſt they ſhould ſay, our high hand and not the Lord hath done al this. Therefore let not our deliuerance harden, you of the parliament, in the ſinn of maintayning the breaches of the Lords houſe. The ſame Lord that wrought our deliuerance, wil ſurely be the cauſe of our ruine, if his honor be ſo neglected by you as vſually before time it hath ben. And we are to take heed, p. 75leſt the Lord ſeeing our profane, and vaine inſulting of the victory, when we are not a whit bettered thereby, ſend ſome Ieremy among vsus which may cry, as he did vntounto the king, and ſtates of his time, in the like matter. Thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, thus ſhal you ſay to the parliament of England. Behold, except at this your meeting, all the deformities that are tollerated in my ſeruice, be at once done a way, and except you grant free paſſage vntounto my goſpel: the nauy of the Spaniard which I diſcomfited before you, ſhal come againe, and fight againſt this land, and waſte it with fire and ſword. Therefore deceiue not your ſelues, ſaying, the Spaniardes are ſo weakened by their laſt diſcomfiture, that they are not able to purſue their intended inuaſion, for it ſhal not be ſo. No though you had ſmitten the whole hoſte of the Spaniard, that fought againſt you, and there remained, but wounded men amonge them: yet ſhould eueryevery man riſe vp in his tent, and ouerrun this land. And let vsus looke aſſuredly, whenſoeuer the abject and contemtible enemy ſhall aſſaile vsus, abject and contemptible I ſay, in al reſpectes, in compariſon of the value and ſtrength of our men and munition (and the Lord increaſe them a thouſand fold more) that this God, whoſe ſeruice is ſo litle eſtemed of vsus, wil ſend a terror into the hart of our valianteſt and ſtouteſt men, ſo that he, whoſe hart is as the hart of a lion, ſhalbe as weake as water: and on enemye ſhal chaſe a thouſand of vsus, becauſe the hand of the Lord wilbe againſt vsus for our ſinns. It is not therefore the Spaniſh furniture and preparations: but the ſins within the land, which we are moſt of all to feare. p. 76For although the army of the Spaniard were cō ſumed with the arrowes of famine: although the contagious and deuouring peſtilence had eaten them vp by thouſands: although their totterting ſhipps were diſperſed, and caried away with the whirlwinde and tempeſt, although madneſſe and aſtoniſhment were amongſt them, from him that ſitteth in the throane, vntounto her that grindeth in the mill: although the Lords reuenging ſword, in the hand of our valiant captaines and ſouldiers, had ſo preuailed againſt them, as it had left none in that vncircumciſed hoaſt, but languiſhing and foyled men, notwithſtanding a contemptible, & wythered remnant, of the plague and famine: a navie of winde and weather beaten ſhips, a refuſe of feeble and diſcomfited men, ſhalbe ſufficiently able to preuaile againſt this lande; vnleſſe another courſe be taken for Gods glory in Wales by your Hh. then hitherto hath bene. If I did ſpeake vntounto infidels, & vngodly atheiſts, I know I ſhould not be ſo plaine, becauſe vntounto ſuch, the trueth at ſometimes is vnſeaſonably ſpoken. But I ſpeake vntounto thoſe, that hauehave vndertaken the profeſſion of Chriſtianitie, and therefore ſhould at all times be fit to heare the trueth of God. And I know no temporizing trueth, no temporizing judgements of God againſt ſinne; no trueth that is to be concealed vntounto chriſtians, becauſe their Hh. cannot brooke the ſame; no trueth that is, eyther not at all, or minſingly to be vttered, becauſe ſtates louelove not to here thereof. So that I was in this matter, not to conſider what your high places were content to here, but what was the dutie of your high places to heare. And therefore I ſhould thinke it p. 77(I proteſt) an vndutifull and flattering petition, to entreat your Hh. not to be offended with mee, for vttering the trueth. As though I ſuppoſed, you would thinke it wonderful, that a man ſhould aduenture to ſpeake, euen in the cauſe of his God, any farther then ſtood with your good liking.

The ſum of all that the Lord requireth at your hands in the cauſe of his honour, is concluded in theſe 2. points. Firſt, that you abrogate out of the Churche, whatſoeuer you finde therein, to be a breach of Gods ordinaunce. Secondly, that you countenance the preaching of the word, in ſuch ſort, as the courſe thereof be not ſtayed, for the pleaſure or profit of any creature. Theſe poyntes are ſo reaſonable, that whoſoeuer vponupon choiſe, & deliberation, denieth any of them (of inconſideracie and want of due examination of matters. I know many things may be done amiſſe) I cannot ſee, what he differeth from a plaine Atheiſt. And therefore againe I admoniſh you, in the name of God, to looke vntounto your ſelues, and thorowly to waigh, what the Lorde by the mouth of Ezekiel, threatneth againſt you, if you ſtil refuſe his waies and mainteine theſe bypaths of mans inventions in his Church. You hauehave feared the ſworde,Ezek. 11.8… 10.12.Ezek 11:8 ſayth the prophet, and I will bring a ſworde vponupon you ſayth the Lord Iehouah, and I will bring you out of the middeſt of this land, and deliuer you into the hands of ſtrangers, and execute judgements among you. You ſhall fall by the ſworde, and you ſhall know that I am the Lorde; for you hauehave not walked in my ſtatutes, nor executed my judgementes, but hauehave done after the manner of the heathen that are round about you.

p. 78The lawes offices and officers of our church for the moſt part, being not according to the ſtatuts of the lord, but framed after the maner of the popiſh gouernment, whereby the nations round about vsus are tiranized by the mā of ſin; that is not a matter to be wondered at, that the alteratiō of our eccleſiaſtical ſtate is deſired. And beſides our ſauior Chriſt & his Goſpell came into the world, to alter, yea, and ouerthrow ſtates and gouernements, in al things wherin they ſhould be contrary vntounto his wil, and I hope that you of this parliament wil not deny him this prerogatiue. If I hauehave ſought the remouing of any thing, which the lord requireth not to be altered, I craue no pardon of mine ouerſight. What I hauehave written in this whol treatiſe, I am ready by the grace of God, perſonally to make good (though it were vppon mine vttermoſt peril) whenſoeuer I ſhalbe therevnto called, by you of this honorable aſſembly; wherein there are many of good eſtimation and credit, who vponupon the motion of mine apperance by this houſe, wil I truſt, vndertake that I ſhall come to ſtand vntounto the premiſes by me ſet downe. So that I may obtain (which I moſt humbly craue of you, R. Hh. and worſhipful) that vponupon mine apperance I be not …y any court, or prerogatiue (only the H. court of parliament excepted, vntounto whom, as being the higheſt councel in the land, in this cauſe I apeale) debarred of my liberty, before my cauſe according vntounto the word be ouerthrowne. The injury which I ſuſtained the laſt parliament (being a ſuitor in this cauſe) enforceth me to craue this at your hands, which otherwiſe, I ſhould hauehave perſwaded my ſelfe to be a needles ſuit. For wheras p. 79the auncient priueledges and liberties of this houſe, do giuegive leaue (during the parliament) vntounto any that are ſuitors thereunto, quietly to follow their ſuits without feare of any arreſt, and being arreſted, do preſently deliuer and ſet them free, I was not ſuffred to enioy any the former liberties. But contrary vntounto all religion, law, equity, and conſcience, to the great derogatiō of the liberties of this noble court, was committed cloſe priſoner by ſome, who abuſed the high commiſſion; their dealing might hauehave appeared more tollerable, & leſſe derogatorious vntounto your Hh. & worſhips, if they had ſhewed any cauſe of mine impriſonmēt (their abuſed authority only excepted) which vntounto this day is altogether vnknowne vntounto me.

I know, that the infirmities and wants of men, who deale in good cauſes, are commonly beaten vppon the back of the cauſe they handle. Therefore the Lord knoweth how careful I hauehave bin to keepe it vnſpotted, and my ſelfe out of all vnneceſſary danger. Setting downe nothing before I had conſidered what might inſue, ether in regard of the matter or manner of deliuery. But why did I publiſh a matter of ſuch waight, before I aquainted the parliament therewith? Whie it is publiſhed to the ende, that the parliament may bee acquainted with the ſuite, which could not be done by priuate writing. And it is but an vngodly ſhifte of thoſe that woulde ſmother the trueth, to pretend it to be againſt the law, to moue the parliamēt in any ſuit that is printed. As thogh the ſuits of men vntounto that high courte, were parliament ſtatutes. In deede if the parliament had enacted the remoouing out of Wales, all L. Bb. dumb miniſters, p. 80&c. Then were it an intollerable part, for any to publiſhe their actes, but by their appointment. Graunt you the petition, and the cauill of committing it to the preſſe, will eaſily be anſwered. If you do not meane to yeeld vntounto the ſuite, neither woulde you hauehave done it, being mooued therevnto by priuate writing. The cauſe I make knowne, to the end it may be granted, and herein let not my life be precious vntounto me; vponupon the neceſſitie of the publiſhing hereof I ſtande, becauſe that the worlde may ſee when you redreſſe theſe things, that you did nothing, that you durſt leaue vndone, vnles you would bring ſwift deſtruction vponupon your ſelues and the whole lande. But what follie is it to thinke, that ſuch great matters wilbe reformed in our dayes. Rather what injurie doe they vntounto the whole ſtate, who thinke that they wil any longer tollerate the breach of Gods law. And in this point, let the good opinion, that they who alledge ſuch pretences conceiue, be wayed with my dutiful perſwaſions of this honorable aſſembly, and both cauſes judged accordingly. For mine owne part, I think the majeſtie of the cauſe to be ſuch, as they who are the Lordes, dare not but entertaine it, and tremble to thinke, that all this while, it hath beene ſo careleſly attended vponupon. And it is in the behalfe thereof, that I hauehave preſumed to deale with you, who otherwiſe durſt not hauehave ſuffered my voyce to be hearde, in the ears of the princes of my people. Let what I hauehave written bee examined, yea by mine aduerſaries themſelues (if I hauehave any) and it ſhal appeare, that I hauehave made a conſcience, howe I hauehave delt with my ſuperiors, eſpecially thoſe, concerning whom p. 81it is ſaid, you are Gods, leſt I ſhould ſeem to leaue behinde me, the leaſt print of a minde in any ſort tending to defame them or their gouernement, As I hauehave bene carefull hereof, ſo let the Lorde, yea and no otherwiſe, (which I ſpeak as far as my corruptions will permit) grant this cauſe, and my ſelfe alſo, if it be his will, fauour in your eyes. In deed in regarde of the cauſe, I come Mandatorie wiſe, vntounto this honorable aſſembly, but in regard of my ſelfe, I come in feare and trembling as vntounto the Lords vicegerents, entreating moſt humbly, that the dignitie of ſo high a cauſe, be thoght off, nothing the more diſhonorably, becauſe it is brought in my hands. And I proteſt in reſpect of my ſinnes, that the Lorde may juſtly denie it the fauour it deſerueth in your eyes, becauſe I am a dealer therein, But this ſhould be no reaſon why the parliament ſhould giuegive it a repulſe. For in the eyes and eares of al the world I make it knowne, that it is the cauſe of the liuing god wherin I deal And that if it had beene poſſible for me to hauehave written more humblye and dutifully, I had done it. Or if I had ſeene anye waye, that might hauehave bene likelier to preuaile wirh my ſuperiors, then this, I take the Lorde to witneſſe vntounto my ſoule, that I woulde not hauehave vſed this courſe. And I would to God I could tel how to make the cauſe plawſible. So farre I am, from ſetting downe any thing, that might cary with it any ſhewe of occaſion to hinder and diſgrace the ſame. Well I hauehave don my endeuour, the ſucceſſe I expect at the Lords hands, vntounto whome I commend the cauſe and the ſaluation of that poore people.

The ſword of iuſtice reached vntounto you by the p. 82Lord himſelfe, to take puniſhment onelyonly of him that is an euil doer. I fear not, becauſe I hauehave not offended. If it ſhould be drawne againſt me for this action, the preſident would be ſuch, as they who ment herafter to propheſie vntounto you, might be aduiſedly counſeled not to propheſie, and the Lord as a token of your iuſt deſtruction to enſue, would ſay they ſhal not propheſie nor take ſhame If I hauehave ſpoken any vntruth, beare witnes thereof, if a trueth, I dare ſtand to it by the Lords aſſiſtance, and demand what he is that will preſume to obiect and throw him ſelfe vntounto the vengance of God, by punniſhing me an innocente; It is a common manner with ſome in theſe dayes, to threaten thoſe who deale in this cauſe nowe in hand: but they are to know that it is not ſo eaſie a matter to ſpil their bloud, whoſe daies are numbered with the Lord. The Lord may (I confeſſe with griefe) in regard of my other ſinnes, bringe mine head to the graue with bloud, but in this caſe what hauehave I offended? And therfore vndouted woe wil betide him, that ſhall moleſt me for this worke. Howe ſoeuer it be, thus I hauehave performed a duty towards the Lord, his church, my country, & you of this high court, which I wold doe if it were to be done againe, though I were aſſured to endanger my life thereby. And be it knowne, that in this caſe I am not afraid of earth. If I periſh I periſh. My comforte is, that I knowe whither to go, & in that day wherein the ſecrets of all hearts ſhal be manifeſted, the ſincerity alſo of my cauſe ſhal apeare. It is inough for me, howſoeuer I be miſerable in regard of my ſinnes, that yet vntounto Chriſt, I both liue and die, and purpoſe p. 83by his grace, if my life ſhould be prolonged, to liue hereafter, not vntounto my ſelfe, but vntounto him and his church, otherwiſe then hitherto I hauehave don. The Lord is able to raiſe vp thoſe that are of puerer hands and lipps then I am, to write and ſpeak in the cauſe of his honor in Wales. And the Lord make them whoſoeuer they ſhalbe, neuer to be wanting vntounto ſo good a cauſe; the which, becauſe it may be the Lords pleaſure, that I ſhal leaue them behind me in the world, I earneſtly and vehemently commend vntounto them, as by this my laſt wil & teſtament. And hauehave you R. honourable & worſhipful of this parlirment, poore Wales in remembraunce, that the bleſſing of many a ſaued ſoule therein, may follow her Maieſtie, your Hh. and worſhips, overtake you, light vppon you, and ſtick vntounto you for euer. The eternal God giuegive hir Maieſty & you, the honor of building his church in Wales, multiply the daies of hir peace ouer vsus, bleſſe her and you ſo in this life, that in the life to come, the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen, may be her and your portion. So be it good Lord.

By him that hath bound him ſelfe continually to pray for your Hh. and worſhips. IOHN PENRI▪

End of the text · John Penry, View of Public Wants and Disorders in Wales (1589)