The Gentle Lash, Articles
SPONGIA, OR, Articles exhibited by certaine Semi-Separatists indicted at Sessions, against Daniel Featley, D. D. before the Committee for plundered Ministers, Together with his Answer thereunto.
Tertul.
Veritas nihil metuit, nisi abscondi.
AFter Doctor Featley had waited divers weekes, upon the Committee for plundered Ministers; at the last, March 16. 1642. he was called into the Exchequer Chamber, to answer seven Articles put in against him, when and where M. White, being in the chaire, having the said Articles before him, demanded as followeth.
Did not you D. Featley in a Sermon say, that it was blasphemie and ignorance, to speake against bowing at the Name of Jesus, and that all those that pull downe the Railes from the Communion Table, or speake against them, or oppose the Ceremonies of the Bishops, are of the seed of the Serpent? &c.
There is no name of Bishop at all in the Articles, nor of other D. Fe…ceremonies, then the ceremonies of the Church established by Law or Canon, but I have read in Aristotle, that there is a fallacie called, Sophi Elen…Fallacia a pluribus iuterrogationibus sub una, when one single answer is expected to a double or treble interrogation. That I may not be intangled in such a n…t, I shall desire you M. White, to propound the Articles distinctly, and severally, and then I will answer them punctually. But before I hold up s…ptemplicem clypeum, to ward off your seven-fold stroake, I am constrained to make a motion to you that some order be taken, that I may safely wait upon this Honourable Committee▪ For, animam meam in manu mea porto; I cannot go and come, without evident perill of my life; besides, jeering, and rayling at me, by those of my accusers sect, in a most unchristian, and uncivill manner; the grounds of my feare are these.
The next day after the bloody Fray at Lambeth, as I landed at the staires, there a souldier that stood Sentinell, one Alexander Bagwood holding his Musket at my brest, charged me before divers of the Parish, that I was he who kindled the late fire; of which words of his I tooke present witnesse, and promised to call him to an account for them; on the Tuesday following, one of the Souldiers of Captaine Andrew…s his Company, being asked when they meant to leave the court of Guard at Lambeth, said, they meant not to go away, till they had made an end of me: this Tho. Addams testifieth upon …he Do…ors life …ught by …e ….Oath. On Wednesday being the Fast day, one of Kennigton told a Gent. my neighbour, that she heard the souldiers spe…ke amongst themselves, that they had missed their mark, and that they did look for me, if they could have met with me. The Munday following, one of the Parishioners sent me word, that a Gent. in her hearing, reported, that some of Captaine Andrewes his Company said, that they had a Warrant to Plunder me.
In these regards, I humbly desire, that according to the custome of all Courts in this case, I may have a protection both for my person, and estate, during my attendance here.
I know no such thing as you speake of, therefore answer to …. White.your charge.
The D. being somewhat moved, that so necessary a motion for the safety of his life should be so sleighted, after a little pause to recollect himselfe, went on in his speec…, as followeth.
Hoc uno die plus vixi, quam oportuit, this is the first day in all my life, that I ever heard Articles read against me in any Court Ecclesiasticall, or Temporall, or Committee of Parliament. For, what the Prophet Ieremie spake in another case; I have neither lent …5. 10.on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury, yet they curse me: I may truely say in this, I never drew Articles against any, nor had any till After … wa…e … ed for … Chann… and aft… for M. Foreb… last of: for M: White Dorch… ster. Heb. …now drawne against me: yet they seeke not only my Living (which, I heard in Westminster hall, was designed already for one M. Putie) but (as you heare) my life also. But my comfort is, that the like hard measure hath beene offered to the Prophets of God, and Ministers of Christ in all ages. * Nay the prince of our salvation was consecrated through afflictions; and give me leave to apologize for my selfe in the words of the blessed Martyr S. Cyprian, nec mihi ignominiosum est pati a meis, quod passus est Christus, nec illis gloriosum facere, quod fecit Iudas. All the favour that I shall desire is but this, for as much as all humane lawes ought to vaile bonnet to divine (as Iosephs brethrens sheaves bowed to his) that you will not receive an accusation 1 Tim. 19.against an Elder under two or three witnesses, and those not liable to just exceptions. I beseech you to take notice of it, the Apostle saith not, condemne not an Elder, under two or three witnesses, for so no other man by the Law of God might be, in case of life; but receive not an accusation against an Elder; and Calvin yeelds a good reason for it, cur hoc singulari privilegio presbyteros munit? respondeo, Deut. …hoc esse necessarium remedium adversus hominum malignitatem: nulli enim calumniis, & obtrectationibus magis sunt obnoxii, quam pii doctores; qui, quamvis exactefungantur suis partibus, utneminimum quidem erratum admittant, nunquam tamen mille reprehensiones effugiunt; at que hic est astus Satanae, alienare hominum animos a ministris, ut doctrina paulatim veniat in contemptum. Why doth the Apostle arme Elders with this singular priviledge above other men, that no accusation may be admitted against them but under two or three witnesses? I answer (saith he) that this is a necessary remedy against the malignity of men, for no men are more subject to calumniations, and back bitings, then godly doctors or teachers; who though they acquit themselves never so well in their function, that they cannot be taxed with the least errour, or fault therein: yet they can never escape a world of calumnies. And this is the cunning of Satan, to alienate mens minds from the Ministers of God, that so by degrees he may bring the Word of God into contempt.
As for the Articles, forex suo indicio; the contriver of them sufficiently discovereth himselfe; the very Articles themselves shew that they were patched together by a Tailor of two names, who is the accuser by the name of Ambrose Glover, but brought for a witnesse by the name of Ambrose Andrewes: he had time enough to have stitched them better, for he confesseth that he had beene about them this twelve monethmonth; yet how miserably are they botched? there is neither method, nor order, nor coherence, nor sense in them.
In the first Article, there are two distinct Articles comprised, in the second six, in the third five, in the fourth two, in the fift three, and to fill up the number; th… first is repeated againe in this fift, in the sixt there are two, in the seventh five, in which Article also there is most eloquent Non sense; The keyes taken from the Church and left in such hands (who left them?) as have laid them by, untill they became rustie: so that Sodomie, Murther, Felony, Pillage, and Plunder, is daily committed without punishment, as if Sodomie, Murther, &c. were ever punished by the Ecclesiasticall Courts, or power of the keyes, for which all men know, men are arraigned and condemned at the Assises and Sessions.
Leave these speeches and answer punctually to the Articles.
In generall, I answer negatively to them all, so farre as they containe White. …atley.any offensive matter or criminall, punishable either by the Law of God, or man, civill, Canon, municipall, or common. In particular to the first, which is.
The first Article.
He suffereth new Cer…monies, as standing up at gloria patri, which many of his Parish prastise, and preacheth for bowing at the Name of Iesus; and doth bow at the Name of Iesus himselfe, and said, that it was blasphemie and ignorance for any to speake against bowing at the Name of Iesus.
Answer. Standing up at gloria patri is no new Ceremony, or gesture; …it hath beene used in Colledges, Cathedrall Churches, and Chappells of Noble men, and some Parish Churches for a long time. It is a commendable custome to expresse some outward reverence in that Doxologie, wherein the Three Persons of the most Glorious Trinitie are named: yet doe I not hold it a matter of necessity but indifferency; and therefore as S. Ambrose, when he was at Millaine, fasted on Saturday, because such was the custome there; but when he was at Rome, fasted not, because there they had no such custome: so if I come to a Church where such standing is used, I joyne with them in it, but if I come to any other place where it is not used, I sorbear it, that I may give no offence, either way. Howsoever the best is, my Informer chargeth me not with bringing in this gesture, or pressing it, but onelyonly with suffering some of my Parish to use it. What power have I to prohibit them? or what Law of God or man forbiddeth this gesture, in saying or singing, Glory be to the Father, and to the Sonne, &c?
It is forbidden by the Law, in that it is not commanded.M. W… D. Fe…
By your favour that is no good inference (such a thing is not commanded, Ergo it is forbidden by the Law) for indifferene things are such as neither are commanded, nor forbidden; The standing up at the Gospell, the Nicene creed, and that of Athanasius, the sitting downe in Pewes, or Galleries at Sermon, the preaching in a high Pulpit, with Steps, Mats, Pulpit-cloth, and Cushions, and an houre Glasse, are no where commanded; will it therefore follow that they are forbidden? To instance also in the Law of God, though it be true in matter of substance of Religion and points of Faith or manners, and generally in all things necessary to …, that what soever is not commanded is forbidden, yet in matter of circumstance, of time, place, h…bit, or gesture, or something that belongs to the exterior acts of Gods worship onelyonly, that maxime holds not; for example, the setting the Psalmes to be sung to such …unes, and plaid upon such instruments, as are mentioned in the title of the Psalmes, the keeping Fasts on the fift and seventh Zac. 7… 10. 10.monethmonth, celebrating the feasts of dedication, the reading Chapters intermingled with Psalmes, in such or such a number, or order; the lecturing on such or such dayes of the weeke, the receiving the Communion thrice a yeare, or once a monethmonth, the covering the Communion Table with a linnen cloth, or silke carpet, the standing of Godfathers and Godmothers at the font, nay to have a font in every Church, or to use such formes in christening, marriages, and burials, as now we use, are things not commanded by the law of God, will it follow therefore that they are forbidden? By …this reason I might argue against them, who in other Churches sit aet gloria patri (which it seemes M. White you approve of by your practise) or kneele, neither of these gestures are commanded. Ergo they are forbidden? or they are forbidden, in that they are not commanded.
Here one of the Members of the House of Commons being present, said, Doctor you forget your selfe, you thinke you are in the schooles, or words to the like effect: whereupon the D. desisted from prosecuting any more that point, and proceeded to his answer, to the bowing at the Name of Iesus.
For bowing at the Name of Jesus: Upon occasion of a Sermon preached by a punie Divine at Lambeth in my absence, who said …that Lambeth was the most superstitious place that ever he came in; for whensoever he named Jesus, they either bowed the head, or knee, or put off their hatts, which he affirmed to be a popish innovation and Idolizing. I the next Lords day after, at the earnest intreatie of the prime gent. of the parish, in my Sermon apologized in this manner, both for the Canon of the Church, and the practise of our parish. First, that bowing at the Name of Jesus was very ignorantly termed by him an innovation: for besides the Canon in B. Bancrofts time, confirmed by the royall authority of King Iames of blessed memory, there was an Iniunction for it, 1o. Elizabethae, and the most exquisitly learned and most Orthodox Doctor of the Reformed Church, Hieronimus Zanchius saith, it was a most ancient custome of the Christians so to doe; and before him S. Ierome, who flourished in the yeare of our Lord 390. in his comment upon these words of the Prophet Esay, to me every knee shall bow, testifieth that in his time there was mos ecclesiasticus Christo genua flectere: &c. Secondly, that it could be no idolizing, to bow at the Name of Jesus, for that: Idolum being derived from foreign video, is properly the object of the eye, not of the eare: which argument God him selfe useth, to deterre the people from Idolatry. You heard D 12.the voyce of the words, but saw no similitude, onelyonly ye heard a voyce v. 15. 16. Take heed therefore unto your selves, for ye saw no manner of similitude on that day, lest you corrupt your selves, and make any graven Image, the similitude of any figure. Thirdly, it is one thing to (bow to the Name of Iesus, another thing to bow in or at the Name of Iesus, as it is one foreignthing to kneele at the Communion Table, another thing to kneele to the Communion Table; it is one thing, adorare ad scabellum ejus, to worship towards his footstoole, which is commanded in Scripture, another thing adorare scabellum pedum ejus, to worship his footstoole, which is flat Idolatry. To how to the Name of Iesus, whether we meane thereby the syllables, or the sound, is grosse superstition: but to bow in, or at the Name of Ies…s is not so. Now what the Canon prescribeth & we in obedience Canthereunto practise, is, when in the time of divine service, the Lord Jesus shal be mentioned, to doe lowly reverence to his person, test…fiing by this outward ceremony, and gesture, our inward humility, and christian resolution, and due acknowledgement that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true eternall Sonne of God, and onelyonly Saviour of the World, in whom alone all the mercies, graces, and promises of God to mankinde for this life, and the life to come, are fully and wholy comprised. In this manner & to this end, in the time of divine service, to bow to the person of our S…viour in or at his Name Jesus, I said, was so far from being an Idolatrous ceremony, that to affirme it to be Idolatry in this sense, was no better then blasphemy, which I proved by this Syllogisme.
Whosoever maketh Christ an Idoll is a Blasphemer.
But he that saith, it is Idolatry to bow to Christs Person in or at his name Iesus, makes Christ an Idoll;
Ergo he that saith that bowing to the person of Christ in or at his name Iesus is Idolizing, is a Blasphemer;
Howsoever, say I had said (which I utterly deny) that it was ignorance and blasphemy to speake against bowing at the Name of Iesus, the words may very well be justified.M. …
VVhat! will you maintaine, that it is ignorance and blasphemy to speake against bowing at the Name of Iesus? I will maintaine it, for thus I frame my argument.…y.
To speake against the text of the Holy Ghost is ignorance, and blasphemy.
But bowing in or at the Name of Iosus, is the text of the Holy Ghost. Phil. 2. 10. Ergo speaking against the bowing in or at the Name of Iesus, is ignorance, and blasphemy.
It is true; that there is some question among learned Divines, concerning the meaning of the Text, whether it be literall or figurative, whether by bowing we ought to understand corporall and externall bowing of the knee, or inward bowing of the heart.
Et adhuc subjudice lis est.
But all agree in this; that some bowing in or at the Name of Iesus, is here both warranted and commanded, to speake then against it simply and absolutely, without any distinction of meaning, or M. was …manner of bowing, is not onelyonly grosse ignorance, but direct blasphemy against the divinely inspired text of Scripture.…d
The second Article.
Whereas the Communion Table did stand in the middle of the Chancell, but is new removed and is set at the East end of the Chancell, and three ways compassed about with Railes, the said Table standing divers steps high, and hee boweth towards the East end of the Chancell: he likewise preacheth for the ceremonies, and calleth them innocent ceremonies, and calleth the Surplice a spotlesse garment, and refuseth to give the Sacrament to such as will not come up and kneele at the Railes.
Answer. For the Communion Table, I never gave order for the ….placing or displacing it, it standeth as it did when I came first to the Parish. Only once M. Woodward, when he was Church-warden, about 20. yeares agoe, brought it downe to the middle of the Chancell, and compassed it about with a most decent and usefull frame at his owne charge but the parishioners (finding the standing of it there to be very inconvenient, partly because it stopt up the passage from Lees Isle to Hawards Chappell, partly because it debar'd 30. or 40. at least from hearing the Preacher) with publike consent removed it to the place where it first stood time out of mind, and is the fittest place for it to stand in, that the communicants may best both heare and see the Minister at the Communion.
For the steps in the Chancell, at a publike meeting of all the …parish, it was proved that the Chancell had for above 60. yeares such an ascent as now it hath, and that by reason of store of corpses lately interred there, it could not be levelled without great wrong to the dead, and danger to the living from the stench.
For the frame about the Communion Table. It was made for 3foure reasons especially, 1. That we might come as neare as might be to the example of Christ and his Apostles, who at the first institution of the Sacrament received it about a table, 2. that the communicants might according to the Rubrick draw neare to the holy table, 3. That the Communions might be with more facility & decent order celebrated and in more convenient time finished then before they could be, 4. That irreverent abuses might be prevented, as the comming in of dogs, catching at the consecrated elements, and ill manner'd peoplesthrowing their hats and cloaks, & sitting upon it. In these regards, when, upon the receipt of an order from the house of Common a…ainst innovations, I assembled the whole parish together to put in execution that order, and asked them concerning this frame, they cryed all with one consent, it is no innovation, let it stand, let it stand.
For bowing towards the East. If they meane thereby bowing towards 4the Communion Table, at comming into the Church, and going out, though some men of good account in the Church both approve, and use it, yet neither I, nor my Curate ever doe so. But true it is that, as my pew is made, I kneele towards the East, as in the pulpit I doe towards the North, and at the Communion Table towards the South, but without any manner of superstition; some way I must bow, and I understand not but that it is as lawfull to bow or kneel towards the East, after the manner of all christians in the primitive Church, as well as towards the West after the manner of the Iewes, …o it be not done with any opinion of holinesse, or devotion to any part of the heaven, but in honour to him who made heaven and earth.
For the ceremonies. According to an order made by the House of …eeres, I have (as my text led me) sometimes preached for such ….decent ceremonies as are established by law, and commanded to be used in the Rubrick of the booke of Common Prayer: but for any new popish ceremonies I have mainly opposed them, and could never be brought, neither by perswasions, nor by threats, nor by presentments, …or citations, from the chancellour of Winton, or Arch-deacon of Surry, or his officiall to turne the Communion Table Altar-wise. Nay I preached a Sermon professedly against such changing it, or calling it by the Name of an Altar.
For the Surplice. I said that it was a decent vest, and had beene used 6.many yeares before popery crept into the Church or there was a whore of Babilon, and therefore ought not to be tearmed her smock.
For refusing to give the Communion. If I had repelled any from the Communion who refuse to kneele at the receiving that holy 7.Sacrament, I conceive, with submission to better judgements, that the Rubrick of the booke of Common Prayer est…blished by law would beare me out in it, where we finde these formall words, the minister shall deliver the Communion to the pe…ple in their hands kneeling. Yet the truth is, I never repelled any for not kneeling: onelyonly I remember that a prachant youth… a prentise to Ambrose Andrewes comming to the Railes refused to kneele and when I admonished him thereof that he should not give scandall to the communicants who were all upon their knees, but conform himselfe to the humble gesture prescribed by the Church, and he notwithstanding would not so much as bow a knee, I passed him for the present: but when afterwards he presented himselfe againe at the same communion, and I saw teares in his eyes, I came to him and demanded of him whether he came prepared, and refused to kneele meerely upon scruple of conscience, and when he seriously affirmed that he did so, I gave him the communion, and wished him to come to me the next day to take away his scruples: and when he ca…e, because Andrewes his wife had said before many, that this apprentice of hers could make a better Sermon then I; I examined him in points of Catechisme, and sound him tardy and ignorant enough.
The third Article.
He preacheth for Organs, shewing how necessary they are to be in Churches, and hath preached against prayer ex tempore, and saith of such praying, whereas such were never in, so they are ever out; and the said Doctor preacheth but seld… ne to his people, having two great livings, yet he pressed hard for 2 s. 9 d. in the pound of his parishioners, untill it came neere the commencing of a suit at law to prevent him.
Answ. For Organs. I remember that commenting upon that text …of the Apostle, Col. 3. 16. admonish…ng one another in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs, I said that some noted upon the word Psalmoi derived from foreign tango to touch, that psalmes properly signified such songs as were made to be sung, and plaid upon the lute, harpe, or some such like instrument: & hereupon inferred the lawfull use of instrumentall musick, vhich though I conceived to be no very strong argument, becaused rawne from a meere etymologie: yet for the doctrine it selfe, I held it very sound and good, that it is lawfull to proise God as well with instrumentall as vocall musick. And for Organs in particular, I said they were not to be accounted popish, for S. Ambrose and S. Austine commended the use of them in the Church in their time, & at this day the protestants use them both in the low Countries, and in England; and for the Pope he hath none in his Chappell: yet his Majesty hath in his, as his predecessors had before him. Howsoever I am sure that no man can testifie that ever I undertooke to shew how necessary Organs be; I doe not hold them necessary, but very lawfull, and of good use both in the Kings Chappell, Cathedrall Chutches, Colledges, and elsewhere.
The law forbiddeth them, for the Act of Parliament forbiddeth M. W…any to use any other forme, or manner of Prayer, Service, or Sacraments; then is there expressed.
I deny your argument, and my reason is, an Organ is no manner …atley.or forme of singing, or service, but a meere instrument wherewith we stir up our affections, the more to praise God, and sing more tunable, and delightfully. As a sword is no forme or manner of fighting, a toole is no forme or manner of working, a knife is no forme or manner of cutting: so neither is an Organ, Lute, or Harp, any forme or manner of singing, or praysing God, but an instrument onelyonly, wherewith we pray or praise, or sing more melodiously White -plus- the sedtime.& gracefully; & sith it is evident, that no Organ or other musicall instruments are any types of Christ, or parts of the abrogated Law of Moses: I am yet to learne, why we may not as lawfully use Organs in our Churches, as King David used them in the Temple; 150. 34Praise God with the sound of the Trumpet, praise him with the Psal…ery and Harpe, praise him with the Timbrell and Pipe, praise him with the stringed …instruments and Organs.
For praying ex tempore. I never condemned it absolutely, but 2, …contrariwise when I preached at Lambeth, upon these words of the Apostle, The spirit maketh intercession withsighes and groanes which cannot be expressed. I much pressed the use thereof, especially when according to our Saviours precept, we retire into our closets, and pray to our Father in secret; but I found fault with some carelesse preachers in our dayes, who came into the Pulpit at publike Fasts, and presumed without any premeditation to pray many houres ex tempore, in which their prayers they used much Battologie and vaine repetitions against the expresse commandement of our Saviour, & excluded his prayer, which is the perfect pattern of all prayer. The words of my Sermon transc…ibed verbatim, are these. They expunge the Lords prayer, and doe not at all rehearse before or after it their owne, how long soever they make them. Whereas the Reformed Churches generally conclude their prayers, before Sermon with the Lords prayer, partly in opposition to Papists, who close up their devotions with an Ave Maria, partly to supply all the defects and imperfections of their owne these leave out that sanctified forme of prayer, in which, it being the quintessence of all prayer, one drop is more worth, and hath in it more vertue, being powred out in Faith, then an Ocean of their conceived abortive prayers, in which they are never out, because indeed never in, neither can they easily make an end, because they never knew how to begin.
For my seldome preaching. Besides ten distinct bookes, and some of them of no small volumne, which I have published in the defence of the Orthodox Protest…nt Religion, against Atheists, Papists, and Arminians, I have beene a constant preacher in England, and in France, for these 32 yeares at least. This last yeare I have preached sometimes twice and sometimes thrice in a weeke, though not so often at Lambeth as I used to doe, partly by reason of my attendance two moneths at Court, by command of the then Lord Chamberlaine the Earle of Essex, partly in reg…rd of a double taske recommended to me, from some Members of the Honourable House of Commons: the former writing annot…tions upon all S. Pauls Epistles, the latter, an answer to a treatise of a Popish Priest, Intituled, A safegard from Shipwrack; the former ready for the Presse; the latter Printed with the approbation of the House. OnelyOnly this is true, that I have very seldome or never preached at Lambeth Church this y…are in their hearing; for five of them have not beene at Lambeth Church at divine prayer these 9 mon…ths, for which their delinquency, I humbly desire that according to the To mot… Wh… tur… deaStatute they may pay their …2d to the poore, for every Sunday and Holyday they have beene absent from their Parish Church.
For my two great Li…ings. They were I confesse good Livings, if I might have my …: but f…rst for rent of houses, and the tenth part of …he cleare gaines of Merchants and Artificers (according to the Statute of K Edward the sixt) I never received a peny, and for the land in the Parish, whereof there was wont formerly to be 1000 acres in tillage; t…ere are now not above 120, the Parishioners turning their a rable land (the tenth where of was worth at least 4s per acre) into pasture for cow-keeping, for which I receive according to the custome but 4d per acre, yet out of these I pay to the King and my Curat…, and other charg…s, 100 l per annum.
For 2s 9 per pound. I never demanded it of any man, nor receive any more from them who live in the greatest, and fairest houses of Lambeth (and have not land there) then two pence for their oblation at Easter; so little doth the food of their soules stand them in. Howbeit thus much truth is in the Article, that when the Minsters and Ci…izens of London referred the great difference betweene them concerning Rent of houses to the …rbitration of his Majesty, and a proposition was made to all the Suburbs & parts ad oyning, that they should likewise submit all controversies concerning their tithes to his Majesty, for the preventing of litigious suits as well in spirituall Courts, as at common …aw. I being sent to, appeared with the rest, and under my h…nd and seale bound my selfe to stand to his Majesti…s Order: but the p…rishioners by the advice of M. Holbourne, refused to submit to the sa n…, and so nothing was done.
The fourth Article.
The said Doctor in a Sermon preached the 25 of July, 1641, said, that all those that pull downe the Raile… from the Communion Table, or speake against the…, and oppose the ceremonies of the Church, are of the seed of the Serpent, and enemies to God.
Answ. I said no such thing, but describing the seed of the Serpent, I said, they were his seed, who did the workes of the Divell, as our Saviour conclude…h them to be the children of Abraham, who doe the workes of Abraham: now the workes of the Divell are all manner of workes of iniquitie, impuritie, or impiety: iniquity, as exaction, extortion, opp…ession, sacrisedge, &c. impurity, as whoredome, adultery, incest, &c of impiety, as prophaning the Lords …, …nd his Sanctuary, breaking into Churches, and without any authority fro… the lawfull Magistrate, plucking up P…wes and Railes, and pulli… downe Organs, and defacing all the Ornaments of the Church, and Monuments of the dead. And for this just reproofe of outrages committed in the Church, I have good warrant, both from the Law of God, and an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament. The words here alledged by the accuser, I never spake in terminis, prout j…cent: yet, if their testimonies, though not upon Oath, may beare downe my bare negation, let them stand as they doe, there is nothing in them, but may very well be defended. For I speake not of any Popish Ceremonies, but of such Ceremonies as are established by law in our Church, and are no way repugnant to the word of God; those who not ignorantly, but …ilfully oppose such rires and Ceremonies, and continue in their opposition to the true Church of God, they are the seed of the Serpent and enemies to God. For Christ commandeth us to hold them for heathens and publicans, who refuse to heare the Mat. 17, Lu. 1…Church, and he saith, He who heareth you, heareth me, and he who heareth me, heareth him that sent me: and the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrew…s, Obey them that hav… the rule over you, & submit your selves, for 13. …they watch for your soules as they that must give account, that they may doe it with joy and not with griefe, for that is unprofitable for you.
The fift Article.
The Doctor said in a Sermon, that bowing at the Name of Iesus was used, till Cartwright that Arch-heretick and those that followed him opposed it, but Q. Eliz…beth crushed Marprelates brood, and put Penry to death, and Udall in prison till he dyed: and because they would not bow their knees, she bowed their backs in the Starchamber. And further said, that the State had sa…e long and done nothing, but unlesse something be done, wee are all undone; a Fowle that sitteth long and doth not hatch, her egs are addle; and a woman alwayes conceiving and never bringing forth, what comfort can she be to her husband?
Answ. Concerning Cartwright, and Penry, &c. and the contents of this whole Article, they are arrowes shot at randome, no time or place is expressed where any such Sermon should be preached by me: and therefore I conceive, under favour of this Honourable Court, that I am not bound to answer them. But I would willingly heare from my accusers, what was the Text upon which I delivered this doctrine, how I divided it, and from what branch or part I made any such inferences, or uses: if they cannot shew this, as I know they cannot it will evidently appeare that these men came to Church, not as Bees to gather hony, but, as spiders, to suck some juice, which they might turne to poyson.
Yet I will not deny, that in some sermon it is possible, I might inveigh against Cartwright, and Martine Marprelate, and Penry, that Arch-schismaticke, and Barrow, and some others of their sect, whereof some were deservedly censured in the Starchamber, and others sentenced to death.
Have you any more to say to this passage?…te.
Nothing, but that to my best remembrance I used not the word …ley.Arch-hereticke, but Arch schismaticke; and for the rest, I never heard it till now to be criminall, to alleadge a true story or narration, out of the life of Q. Elizabeth, and the Chronicles of England.
Here one of the Committee said, but doth the Chronicler of England, or the Writer of the life of Q. Elizabeth, say, that she bowed downe their ob…n: … …r, & …udg sus…y of …f the …rs …s. …tley.backs?
He doth not say Q. Elizabeth bowed downe their backs, but he saith, that she by the Lords of the Starchamber fined them, and imprisoned some of them; and that by her Judges she condemned Penry and Barrow to death. I spake therefore within compasse, when I said she bowed downe their backs. But whereas it is objected that I should say the State sate long and had done nothing, it is as farre from truth as common sense; I never uttered any such words, I have by me the copie of that Sermon, wherein the similitudes of a Fowle sitting and never hatching, and of a woman conceiving and never bringing forth, are to be seene and read, but nothing that tendeth that way. The doctrine was generall, that lawes served to little purpose without execution, or good intentions … actions, for acta laudantur, & omnis laus virtutis est in actione, the particular application to the State was not mine, but theirs; and if by the State they meant the Parliament, they deserve the just censure thereof. The formall words in that Sermon transcribed out of the Originall are these: Dictum Sexti Pompeii, non acta laudantur, if a Hen sitteth and never hatch, or a woman be ever breeding and never bring forth, what profit is by the one, or comfort from the other? Habemus senatus consultum sicut gladium in vagina reconditum, we have good Laws against Recusants, Brownists, Drunkards, &c. but these Lawes are like a sword lockt fast in the scabbard, the Magistrate needs will or strength to draw it out; execution is the life of the Law, if something be not done, we are all undone. Howsoever date & non concesso, if one witnesse in the affirmative mustsway more then a hundred in the negative, who yet were present at the sermon, and heard all passages, and remember those very similitudes of a Hen, and of a woman, and yet not these of the State sitting long, let it be so. I confidently affirme, that there is no malignity or offensive matter in the speech, if it betaken with the antecedents & consequents; for Sextus Pompeius would very faine have had that very act done, which he spake of to the Pylot, and a Hen that sitteth upon her eggs would hatch them, if it were in her power; and the cause why they come to no good, is in the eggs, because they are addle, not in the Hen; and questionlesse a woman in travaile striveth what she is able, and would with all the veines in her heart be delivered if she could possibly by any meanes: therefore if I had spoken those words (which I never did) for neither I, nor any other man, to my knowledge, calleth the Parliament the State, but the assembly of the three estates) the meaning in that place could be no other then this, that by reason of the great distractions in the Kingdome, and divisions betweene the Members of both Houses, though they had sate long and desired nothing more then to settle Church and Common-wealth in Peace: yet little hitherto could be done.
The sixt Article.
When the Doctor was demanded what moneys he would give or lend to the King or Parliament, he used delayes in giving an answer, and at last would doe nothing; and further, being demanded by one of his Parish whether it were good to lend; he answered him, it was not safe for him to give or lend.
Answ. I never denyed to give or lend to the King and Parliament, …but it is true, that seeing contrarie commands, both published in Print from His Majesty and the high Court of Parliament; I desired at the first that the Collectors would repaire to the Knights, Ladies, and others of the chiefe ranke of the Parish, and shew me what they gave or lent, which they refused to doe: but when they came a second time unto me, I appoynted them to meet me at the Vestry the Tuesday following, and there I would resolve them, but they never came unto me, yet certified that I denyed to give or lend, and would have certified also that I disswaded others; but M. Clay, one of the Collectors, struck that clause out, saying, there was no reason to certifie that as from me, which they never heard me speake, but onelyonly another man, was said, could affirme as much. To the accusation it selfe, of not lending money, my answer is, that when Colonell Urrey was at Action, he lay in my Parsonage house, and his Souldiers not content with such Corne and H…y as they received from my Farmer at their owne price, demanded the keyes of the great Barne, and had them in their hands for foure dayes; in which time, through the carelessenesse of one of the Souldiers that lay in the Barne, (if not purposely) the stack of Corne was set on fire, and the whole B…rne and two stables were burned downe to the ground, the losse thereof estimated by divers of the Parishioners, was 211 pound at the least. Besides this, when the maimed Souldiers were placed in the Savoy, my whole stipend was layd out towards the buying of beds for them. In which consideration, I conceive that this honourable Committee will hold me excused from any further gift or loane, I being not presently furnished with money, and having no temporal Living, nor Ecclesiasticall Dignitie, Deanery, Archdeaconry, or Prebend.
For that one of the Parish, whom they affirmed I disswaded 2. …from lending to the King and Parliament, I desire that he may be called face to face, in the meane while I offer this Certificate under his owne hand.
Meeting D. Featley about S. Ma… garets Hill, by and by after M. White, M. Goad, and some others, were appoynted for Lambeth Parish, to see what the Inhabitants would doe upon the Propositions; after other discourse, I demanded of D. Featley what he thought of it, he replyed, that he thought the businesse would speed the worse, because they had made choice of such men as were not beloved in our Parish, nor came to our Church: But whereas it is reported, that D. Feately should disswade me, or any other to my knowledge, it is falsely suggested, for beyond my ability I freely lent 38 li.
per me Neariah Mormay.
The seventh Article.
The said D. said in a Sermon, the 4. December, 1642. are not these resisting times, wherein authority is trampled upon, Gods true Ministers despised, all Lawes neglected and contemned, the keyes taken from the Church, and left them in such hands as have layd them by untill they become rustie and of no use, so that Sacriledge, Wheredome, Sodomie, Murther, Felony, Pillage, Plunder (and what not?) i… daily committed without punishment and is not the whole tenure of the Gospell against that, which is preached almost in every Pulpit in London, who doe nothing but cry Arme, Arme; Fight, Fight, Blood, Blood, Battel, Battel, Kill, Kill, and they pretend they fight for Religion, and the priviledges of Parliament, and the right of the Subject; but he said, the wise have lost their wisedome, and the physitian his kill, and the remedy is worse then the disease.
Answ. To speake nothing of the incoherent Non-sense in this Article, where it is said, the keyes were taken from the Church, and …. Featly.left them in such hands as have layd them by: I say, that none of the particulars alledged in this Article are found in that Sermon; true it is, that in another Sermon preached at a Fast, I inveighed against the great disorders committed in the Church & Common-wealth, by such. who made advantage of the present distractions, promising themselves impunity by reason that the keyes of the Church now grew rustie through disuse, & the temporall sword was otherwise imployed. All that I spake in the Sermon here objected was this. There is no Ecclesiasticall Discipline at all exercised for Lay…mens usurping upon the Priests function, and handicrafts mens handling the word with their blacke and impure hands, for preaching Hereticall, Schismaticall, and blasphemous Doctrine, for Adultery, Incest, and filthinesse not to be named, no punishment of Ecclesiasticall censure now inflicted: And the tenure of the Gospell runs thus, feare God and honour the King, speake not evill of the Ruler of Gods people, curse him not, no not so much as in thy thought; whereas they publikely in the greatest assemblies speake evill of dignities, and slander the footsteps of the Lords anoynted, and compare our Religious and most gracious Soveraigne, my Master,
Quo nihil immensus mitius orbis habet, to wicked Tyrants and persecuters of Gods Saints. The Scripture every where exhorts us to peace and reconciliation, Revenge not your selves, but give place unto wrath, for vengeance is mine, I will repay it saith the Lord; render to no man evill for evill, nor rebuke for rebuke: be not overcome of evill, but overcome evill with good: seek peace & ensue it, let righteousnesse and peace kisse each other, O pray for the peace of Ierusalem, they shall prosper that love it: if it be possible have peace with all men: and blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall see God: and follow after peace and holinesse, without which no man shall see God: but their preaching is nothing but horrentia martis arma, Arme, Arme, Kill, Kill, thunder with the Cannon, Plunder, &c, And for the last words pretended to be spoken by me in that Sermon, viz. the wise have lost their wisedome, and the physitian his skill, and the remedy is worse then the disease, they are very unfaithfully related, for I uttered them not positively, but suppositively, and divisim not conjunctim. The passage transcribed verbatim out of the originall is this. Though divers remedies have beene applyed to the maladies above mentioned, yet the remedies have hitherto proved, in the event, worse then the diseases; an evident argument that either the wise physitians faile in their skill, or the malady is grown incurable, or God giveth no blessing to their method of curing.
Concerning the witnesses, and the just exceptions to be taken against them, let the testimony under the hand of the Clerke of the peace, and the certificate of the Parish, under the hands of the Churchwardens and Vestry be read; All which I humbly submit to the wisedome and justice of this Honourable Committee, preferring a like petition to that which the Roman Orator tendered for poore Roscius Amerina, that you would be pleased to afford this cause so noble, gracious and equitable a hearing; that my adversaries who daily associate themselves with those souldiers, against whom I have strong presumptions, that they seeke not onelyonly to deprive me of my Living, but my life, may never have cause to glory, Eum, quem militum gladiis non potuerunt, vestris sententiis jugulasse.
At the next sitting of the Committee on Thursday last being the 23 of this instant monethmonth of March, 1642. M. White, whether he thought the other Articles frivolous and of no con sequence at all, or whether he and the Committee rested satisfied with the answers formerly given, it is not certainly knowne, but on this day he pretermitted diverse of them, instanced only in a branch of the first, and of the fourth, and two of the fift, and one of the sixt, and two of the seuenth; and because the D. denied them all, he called in witnesses to prove them, and required the D. to take legall exceptions against them, if he had any. To prove that the D. should say it was ignorance and blasphemy to speake against the bowing at the Name of Jesus; Iohn Goad (and Ambrose Andrewes, were produced: to prove that he said in a sermon the 25 of Iuly 1641, that all that pul downe Railes and oppose the ceremonies of the Church, are the seed of the Serpent, Edward Searles, and Edmond Rayner, a shipwright, *Because he said, he was as much the Lords annointed as the King.commonly called the ancient King, were produced: to prove that he called Cartwright an arch Hereticke, and that the state had sate long and done nothing, and that the keyes were taken from the Church, and laid in such hands as laid them by till they became rusty, & that he inveighed against the London Preachers, who do nothing but cry arm, arm, fight, fight, &c. Thomas Sharpe and Iohn Clerke were produced, who also both testified to the first article concerning bowing at the Name of Jesus. Lastly, to the sixt article only M. Neariah Mormay was produced.
When the witnesses appeared, the D. first proposed some interrogatories to them, and after tooke exceptions against them, both in generall, and particular. The interrogatories he propounded to them, by M. White, were these; First, at what time the Sermon was preached, which is mentioned in the first Article, and likewise when the Sermon was preached that is mentioned in the fift Article. Item, upon what text such sermons were preached, and what they remembred else in those sermons, to which they all could answer nothing. Whereupon the D. desired that the Committee would give no credit to such loose and indefinite testimonies, especially against the originall sermons written in his booke, from which, it is well knowne, he never used to vary. This authenticall originall wherein there was no blot, scratch, or rasure in the places, to which the Articles had reference, the D. exhibited; but M. White would not looke upon it, though in other Courts, and namely the high Commission and Star Chamber, and Councell table, where 'Sermons have beene questioned, the undisproved originall hath beene alwayes preferred before broken notes taken by ignorant and illiterate men. The exceptions hee tooke against the witnesses in generall, were, that competent witnesses, especially against an ecclesiastial person & D. of Divinity ought to be men of good ranke & quality, at least without any taint or brand on them, such as are free from all malevolent affections to their pastors: for the rules of the law concerning witnesses to be admitted are these: In teste attendenda, status, dignitas, fidei puritas, et morum gravitas; item cujus conditionis, cujus opinionis fuerit, et ne forte aliquis contra praefatum pastorem inimicitias habuerit: Item testes absque ulla infamia aut suspitione aut manifesta macula esse debent. That the witnesses here produced are not so qualified, I desire the certificate of the vestry, under their hands (which I have here to shew, and there are divers of the said Vestry here present to make it good) may be read; but M. White said, he would take no papers (yet he tooke both the Articles, and other notes, and informations against the D. from his adversaries) nor would permit the D. to read it, The certificate was as followeth: we the parishioners of the parish of Lambeth, doe certifie that Iohn Goad, Ambrose Andrewes, alias Glover, Edward Searles, and Westmall Burrell, of the said parish of Lambeth, are disaffected persons to the discipline and liturgie of the Church of England established by Act of Parliament, have openly depraved the booke of Common Prayer, some of them doe not come to the Church at all and stand indicted as delinquents at Sessions and Assises, and that they are accounted turbulent persons, and sowers of strise and contention.
This certificate being refused, the D. required that the record he had from the Sessions might be read and considered of; this, after M. Harper the Church warden had testified before the Committee, that it was subscribed by the hand of the Clerk of the Peace, and that he himselfe saw him write it, was admitted for an evidence: the record followeth.
At the generall quarter sessions of this yeare, for the county of Surry, holden at Gilford, on Tuesday next after the feast of the translation of Thomas the Martyr in the 18 yeare of his Majesties raigne that now is. Iohn Goad of Lambeth, Ambrose Andrewes of the same, Edward Searles of the same and Iohn Hopkins of the same, were by the Jury of the high Constables of the County indicted for not repairing to the parish church of Lambeth, to heare divine service and the common prayers of the Church, by the space of 12 sundayes, but did voluntarily and obstinately absent themselves from the same, contrary to the statute in that case provided.
Ita testor Tho. Foster, clericus pacis Com. Sur.
In particular, I except against Io. Goad. That he is a man who stands indicted at the Sessions, ex record, supr.1.
That he hath spoken often, as he cannot deny, much in derogation of the booke of Common Prayer, as namely, against diverse 2.passages in the Letany, the crosse in baptisme, and the forme of absolution in the visitation of the sick.
That he is a breaker of the Sabbath himselfe, and causeth his servants to worke upon that day, as he did on the 28 of 3.November last. To the former two exceptions, Goad could answer nothing; but to the last, he said, it was in case only of necessity; but the D replyed it was meere covetousnesse, and no necessity at all, as his neighbour Andrew Bartlet an ancient vestry man would testifie against him, whom the D. earnestly desired to be called in, he being ready & waiting in the next room, but hee could not obtaine it of M. White to have him called.
Item against Ambrose Andrewes.
That he stands indicted as is abovesaid.1.
That he likewise, as Goad, hath spoken much in derogation of 2.the Common Prayer book, and hath not come to the prayers and Sacrament at Lambeth these nine months at least, as the Reader, Clerke, and Sexton, and Church-wardens also were ready to testifie,
That whilst he came to Church (as he did formerly) he frequently 3.disturbed the Preacher, he usually talked and laughed in the Sermon, jeering at the Minister, and once when the D. himselfe preached, spake aloud in his sermon, saying; It is time thou hadst done already, and other such contemptuous and disgracefull words; for which by the statute 10. Mariae Sess. 2. he is, if it be proved against him by two witnesses, to be committed without baile or mainprise to the Goale; the two witnesses, said the D. are here present to testifie it, Richard Hooke, & William Chapman. but M. White would not have them called in.
That when his wife had said before one of the neighbours, that 4.at Lambeth Church they had nothing but pottage, and that they must goe to London for rostemeat, & that the Church was no better then a barne or stable; and that neighbour reproved her for it, her husband, the said Ambrose Andrewes, said, he would iustifie and maintaine what his wife had said.
Item, against Edward Searles.
That he stands indicted at the Sessions: ut supra.1.
That he confessed that the cause of their preferring Articles 2.against D. Featley, was to stay the prosecution of a bill against him the said Searles at Sessions, and said, that if the D. would take off the indictment, th… articles against the D. should soone be with-drawne: this is testified by Tho. Pibus and another.
That this Searles is a Blasphemer of the holy Scripture; say- 3.page missing
nancy against the Parliament, and the proceedings thereof; saying openly in his preaching, that our State had sate long and done nothing, comparing themto a Fowle that sitteth long and hatcheth not, whose eggs be addle, and to a woman that alwayes conceiveth and never bringeth forth, who can be no comfort to her husband; and hath not onelyonly not given or lent to the present necessary preservation of the Kingdome, but declared to others that it is not safe to give or lend to the Parliament, and hath openly preached that these are resisting times, and that the keyes are taken from the Church, and left in such hands as have layd them by till they be rustie, and that the whole tenure of the Gospell is against that which is preached commonly in London, where Arme, Arme, Blood, Blood, Fight, Fight, is commonly preached; and they pretend they fight for Religion, and priviledge of Parliament, and the liberty of the Subjects, but the wife have lost their wisedome, and the physitian his skill, and the cure is worse than the disease. All which the Commons in Parliament assembled, taking into consideration, for the provision of a Godly, Learned, and Orthodox Divine for the said Parish, and for fit maintenance for such an one, doe Order, that the said Church and the profits thereof, be forthwith Sequestred, &c.
Die Martis, II Iulii, 1643. The Order for sequestring the Parsonage of Lambeth from D. Featley, being put to the question; It was resolved negatively. H. Elsinge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.
Notwithstanding this resolution of the house of Commons, in justification of D. F. a substitute of M. Whites of Dor…hester, who beares his character in his name, stretched his Chevarel conscience so farre, that to gratifie some Schismaticall Separatists at Lambeth, read a Paper upon the 9. of November last, in the Parish Church of Lambeth on the Lords day, in which D. F. is charged with the Articles above mentioned, formally in terminis (which were rejected by the house of Commons, as partly idle and frivolous, partly false and scandalous, and the D. cleared and acquitted of them all) and they made the ground of the sentence of Sequestration, pronounced against him September 29. Now sith a Judge cannot justly pronounce different sentences, and give divers judgements upon the selfe same evidence, neither is it possible after a cause is fully informed and sentenced, that the same party should be both guilty, and not guilty of the same Delinquencies numero: And forasmuch as the sentence above mentioned, whereby the D. is cleared, acquitted, and absolved, is upon Record, and may be seene by any who shall search for it, in the authenticall Register of the Acts of the house of Commons: It followeth necessarily and unavoydably, that D. F. not onelyonly remaineth still Rector of Lambeth (as he is styled in the very forme of Sequestration) but also standeth rectus in curia. As for the Letter to the Primate of Armagh, intercepted, wherewith alone he is charged in another Declaration, it is answered above: It was no Letter but an unsealed note drawne from D. F. by a wile, See the Gentle Lash.it discovers no secrets at all, nor layes any imputation upon the Assembly or Parliament, and is so farre from containing any offensive matter, or subject to any just exception or censure; that the close Committee who exactly perused it, and tooke a Copy of it, sent the true originall to the Primate of Armagh at Oxon, who hath it in his keeping.