A Reply to a Relation, Part 2 (1 of 3)

A Reply to a Relation · Part 2 (1 of 3)

p. 1THE REPLIE TO THE RELATORS EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO THE KING.

L. p. 1. THIS Tract will need Patronage, as Great as may be had: and that's yours.

P. Thus you begin your Epistle. But you might have added, on Earth. On Earth, no doubt, the greatest Patronage you can have, is the Kings But haply you neither thought, nor hoped of any higher Patron of this Tract, then on Earth. And therefore it will so much the more p. 2need some humane Patronage, and that as Great, as may be had; and all little enough, you will find in the end. But I hope, when once your Tract shalbe well troden out and beaten, that you will find but few that will travell your way, or follow such a Leader, and much lesse hazzard their own both honour and safety, by Patronizing such a perillous Tract, as this will appeare to be. And though you should find some to protect you from the Courts of Civill Iustice, yet never from Christs dreadfull Throne, where you shall certainly be judged, **Rom. 2.6.Rom 2:6according to your worke. And let me tell you, in putting forth this your Book under the Kings Patronage, you lay a greater burthen upon his shoulders, then he is able to beare; and should he undertake it, it would break his back. For then he must Patronize all your blasphemous lyes against GOD and his Word, and against all Truth; which when he comes once to know, instead of Patronizing, hee will Anathematize both you and your Book.

L. p. 2. He that seeks it (Court Truth) with a Roman Bias, or any other, then for it selfe, will run counter, when he comes neere it, and not find it, though he come within the Kenning of it.

P. Sir you say true. And for proofe hereof, it will appeare, and that too palpably, that this Roman Bias hath too much wheeled you about from the Truth, which you pretend to seek, but neither come neere it, nor within the Kenning of it. Or if within Kenning, so as you have been at any time by its cleare light convinced of it, the greater is your sin, and the more desperate your case, not to confesse it, but how much more to fight against it? And think not my L. that your plausible naming of Truth here, will so blind mens eyes, as to beleeve all is truth, that you have written in your Book. If you seek Truth, 'tis but as those **Gen. 19.11.Gen 19:11Sodomites sought for Lots doore, to violate his Angel-guests. For where you find the Truth sincerely preached and professed, doe you not lay violent hands upon Gods Angels, the Messengers of his Truth, and break into the houses of those righteous Lots, those Preachers of Righteousnesse, to cast them out? And then mervaile not, if GOD smite you with blindnesse, that you shall never find the Truth, for the end you seek it, namely to destroy it.

L. p. 6. He did but skip up and down, and labour to pick a hole here and there, where he thought he might fasten; and where it was too hard for him, let it alone.

P. What the Jesuite did, let him answere for himselfe. p. 3But perhaps, you will say the like of me here. For I touch not every particular passage, as where for your reputation sake you speake some truth, thereby to gaine credit to what is contrary, as you know **Math. 4.Matt 4who useth to doe▪ and therfore ‡‡Mark 1.34.Mark 1:34Christ would not suffer the Devils to confesse him at all: nor need I labour to pick holes here and there, when every where I find such wide gappes, wherein you lye so open, that you give me advantage to fasten at pleasure. And I have unmasked such dark holes, as your selfe have made with such artifice, as through which men may easily passe thick and three-fold to Rome. So as I feare you will rather complain of me, as for being too busie in reading some of your dark and mysticall Riddles, which perhaps you would not have had all men to have known.

L. p. 7. I fell into a most dangerous Fever, but it pleased GOD, beyond all hope, to restore me to health.

P. This was (as you there tell us) upon your thoughts of giving A. C. an Answer. But how ever, surely your Fever was as well sent of GOD to admonish you to desist from such an Enterprise, as you had then in hand, which was, under pretence to Answer a Jesuite, to overthrow the truth, and to reconcile the Church of England with that of Rome: as your restoreing was, to oblige you to walke more worthy of that mercy for the future, and not to renue and prosecute this your Designe. Or else it pleased GOD so to restore, and reserve you, to be not onelyonly a scourge to his People for their further tryall and humiliation, for a time, untill he had (as now he is in hand) **Isa. 10.12.Isa 10:12performed his whole worke upon his Sion: but also to be a plague to that sinfull Land, upon which, since that your restoring, you have been an Instrument to bring so many and grievous sins, as open profanation of the Sabbath, Altars, sheding of much innocent blood both of soules and bodies, and of terrible discontents, and divisions in the State, and the like: and so at length, that he might call you ‡‡Ier. 20.3.Jer 20:3Magor Missabib, Feare-round-about, making you a terrour to your selfe, when you shall come to feele the fire of his fiery indignation to kindle upon you.

L. ibid. How of late I have been used by the Scandalous and Scurrilous Pennes of some bitter men (Notable Hypocrisie. whom I heartily beseech God to forgive) the world knoweth; little leasure, and lesse incouragement given me, to Answer a Iesuite, or set upon other Services, while I am under the Prophets affliction, Psal. 50.19, 20.

P. And what those Scandalous, and Scurrilous pennes are, and who those some bitter men, the marks you have set upon them p. 4are sufficient to shew, the Scarres whereof they will carry to their graves, to be a witnesse against you in the great day of doom. And bitter men you may well call them, as whose lives you have filled with all manner of bitternesse, and that in a high degree, as hell could invent. Of these THREE Remarkable bitter men, one was a Minister, of your own Coat, saving that his was not of the **Rev. 17.3.Rev 17:3Scarlet couloured-Dye. He preached against the Scarlet-sins of the Land, especially in the Church, which touched your Lordship not a little, and therefore Bitter. For this, he was extraordinarily summoned to the Court of High-Commission; from whence appealing to his Majesty he was notwithstanding proceeded against by suspension in the same Court: his house violently broken open, and searched, his person neither flying nor resisting) seased on, and carryed away late in the night to prison, and made a closse prisoner; his very Wife debarred from him: brought into the Starre-Chamber, and there Censured to be degraded, deprived of his living, of his Liberty, of his Eares on the Pillory, fined in five thousand Pounds to the King, and to indure perpetuall Closse imprisonment, in Lancaster-Castle, whence he was after 12. weeks imprisonment there, in the base Common Goale, where his Wife might not come to him, nor any Physitian in his necessity; closely conveyed to the Sea side, and thence by a Sea-voyage of sixe weeks space in a stormy winter, and dangerous Seas, to be carryed to Guersosey Castle, where ever since he hath indured Banishment in Closse prison; where nor wife, nor children, nor any friend, nor acquaintance, are permitted to visit him; and where he is not allowed the use of pen, and inke, and paper, a little to deceive time withall in his solitary muse, the solace of a Scholars life. And what was the Cause of all this sharp and teerrible Censure? In summe this: He had put in his Answer to the Bill into Court, and that by speciall Order of the Court, where it was, upon his Oath to be a true Answer, admitted. But about a week after, the main body of his Answer, which contained his defence of what he had confessed upon Oath to be his (which was one onelyonly Book, intituled, For GOD and the King, containing the effect of his two Sermons, preached in his own Church, on November 5th. 1636. for which, he was first questioned by the High Commission; together with an Apology of an Appeale, all in one Book) which was by the two Lords Chiefe Iustices wholly expunged (containing about foure-score sheets of paper) p. 5as Impertinent and Scandalous, and all this, before the Interrogatories were brought to him in his Closse Prison, to Answer ▪ the Answer whereunto was to be reckoned as a part of his Answer in Court, such as now it was left. So as the Interrogatories coming at length to be tendred to him (for I have all circumstances by credible intelligence) hee refused to make Answer to them, alledging, that his Answer, which he had put into the Court, being expunged as Impertinent and Scandalous, he saw not himselfe any further bound to Answer Interrogatories; for so doing, he should assent to the condemning of his Cause before the heareing, by assenting to the expunging of his true Answer, as Impertinent and Scandalous. Hereupon his Censure was drown up in black and white, and concluded on, before the Day of hearing came, in which he tendred to the Court a Copy of his Intire Answer, as it was f…rst put into the Court, desiring the Court it might be there publickly read, but it was refused; then he tendred a Copy of his Reasons (seaven in number) of not Answering the Interrogatories, desiring they might publickly be read in Court; but that was also refused. And in all the Kings Attourneys Pleading (which was his Speciall Taske against BURTON) hee could alledge or object nothing at all, in his Book confessed, against him, but some Few Passages, wherein they said hee was too bitter. To which he Answered, there was Cause for it; and that he had not exceeded the Latitude or Liberty of a Minister in reprooving of Sinne: and for any thing in his Book, hee was there ready (as he told the Court) to make it good, if hee might be heard. But his Doom was already set downe in the blacke Booke, before the Censure came, which (for all hee could say) must not be reversed: So he was Censured (as before) as one holding Seditious and Schismaticall opinions, though none was or could be proved against him. And the like censure had the other two with him, the one a Physitian, the other a Lawyer. Now my Lord, do not you well enough know all this to be true, and better then I can tell you? I know you do: but I tell you, to rub over your memory, and awaken your sleepy Conscience, who were the main moving cause of all this, as All the world knows. And how farre you we…e an Instigator of the Court, so to censure, and of the King to inflict; you very well know. Who? Your Lordship? Farre be it. For your Piety doth p. 6heartily beseech GOD to forgive them. Indeed in the conclusion of that your Pamphlet which you read then in the Court after the Censure was past,Notorious Hypocrisie of the Prelate. you had these words, or the like, whom I leave to the Mercy of GOD, and the Iustice of the King. But if indeed you doe heartily and unfainedly beseech GOD to forgive them: why doe you not (if indeed they have justly offended GOD, and the King, in transgressing any Law, divine or humane) both your selfe from your heart forgive them, if they have done you any wrong, and testifie it by a serious soliciting of the King, and that now after two whole yeares, and more Imprisonment, and Banishment, yea and Divorcement from their Wives, to release and acquit them? Or why do you not (if you be as you pretend, one of Christs Ministers) at least inform the King, how contrary it is both to Gods Law, and Mans Law, and the Law of Nature, to separate Man and Wife in this sort, without any just cause given on either part? But the King, in his Clemencie had granted to their Wives liberty and leave to goe to their Husbands: And do not you know, my Lord, whose piety and charity, and equity, and policie it was to reverse and hinder it? Well my Lord, let me deale freely with you, and that from the mouth of the Great Iudge, **Iam. 2.13.Jas 2:13There shall be Iudgement without Mercy, to him that sheweth no Mercy. Yea, Suppose the Cause of that most terrible Censure had been just: yet should there be no place for Mercy, and that now after so long a time, and so sharp a Tryall? What? Not one drop, nor crumb of Mercy? That's enough for hell. But you will say (as you have done) Mercy was shewed in sparing their lives. How I pray you? They were never questioned for their lives, much lesse was any Sentence of death passed upon them; nor was there any Cause found, although perhaps narrowly searched for, but no preced…nt was found. Againe, Suppose they had been in a legall way, and justly sentenced to dye: yet so to spare life, as to make and leave it worse then any death can be, as being a continuall and languishing death: Call you this a mercy? Take heed, least herein that be verefied of you, which the wise-man saith, **Pro. 12.10.Prov 12:10The tender mercies of the wicked are cruell. Or shall the examples of Heathen cruelty be justified by theirs, who professe to be Christians?Prelates Mercies exceed all Heathen Cruelty. But what Heathen example can you parallell to this? Indeed I remember one, and but one, that comes somwhat neere it. The Roman Verres, Praetor in Cicily, closse imprisoned one Apollonius a rich Citizen there, so as neither his old Father, nor young Son might, for p. 7the space of one whole yeare and a halfe, come to see him; and this for no other cause, but that he was rich; a punishment (saith the Orator) to be redeemed with a mans very life; when life hath nothing left Praeter Calamitatem, but meere Calamity. Whereupon the Author saith (who was himselfe no meane Statesman) Haec cum accidunt, nemo est, quin intellegat ruere illam Rempub. Haec ubi veniunt, nemo est, qui ullam spem salutis reliquam esse arbitretur. I need not English it to your Lordship, Yet I will: When such things happen, there is none but understands that Common-wealth to be falling: when these things come to passe, there is none, that can imagine any hope of safety to be left. And what have you left to those THREE remarkable Men, Praeter Calamitatem? What, but a miserable life? As the Prophet saith of Ierusalem's Captivity in Babylon: **Lam. 4.6.Lam 4:6The punishment of the daughter of my people, is greater then the punishment of the Sin of Sodome, that was overthrowne as in a moment, and no hand Stayd on her. And ‡‡vers. 7.They that be slain, with the sword, are better then they, that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the Field. So as a life, stript of all the outward comforts of the world, yea and of the meanes of spirituall comfort, which one Friend should minister unto another, haveing nothing left Praeter Calamitatem, but Calamity, is it not a greater punishment, then death it selfe? How is it then a mercy, instead of death undeserved, to grant such a life. But you say, 'tis just. For they were Censured pro Confesso. Pro Confesso? Of what? Of all charged in the Bill. Why, they did Answer, and it was condemned before hearing. And, Si sat est accusasse, quis innocens erit? If it be enough to have accused, who shalbe innocent? And againe, let the Court-Records be searched, if there be ever such a Precedent, that a man should be so censured, for not assenting to the condemnation of his Cause, before the hearing? Or that ever any Defendants whole and intire body of his Answer, containing his just Defence, yea and when he could not expect any Counsell to plead for him, that either would, or durst: should unaliturâ, at one dash be expunged, as Impertinent and Scandalous, and that after it was orderly admitted upon Oath into the Court? Or if this be found to be the Custome of such Courts, may not a man here apply the foresaid Speech of that Roman Orator: When such things happen, there is none, but understands that Common-wealth to bee falling: when these things come to passe, there is none that can imagine any hope of Safety to be left? Were not these things Prognostications and Presages, p. 8if not rather immediate fore-runners, and causes of some terribl… imminent and impendent Stormes, that should shortly after fall upon the Land? **Is…. 26.11.But, O Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see. But they shall see, and be ashamed, &c. But how ever you are so charitable, Prelates notable Hypocisie.as heartily to beseech GOD to forgive them. Now, suppose you did this from your heart, as some naturall man may do: doe you think it a sufficient discharge to your Conscience, or holy water enough to wash you cleane from the guilt of the blood of these men, which you have so shed? Is not this a meere mocking of GOD and Men, to pretend piety in praying for those, whom you still most cruelly persecute with all the damnable malice and hatred which you could learne of none, but of the Schoole-master of Hell? And doth not your notorious hypocrisie appeare in this, that you still pretend piety in praying GOD, and that heartily, to forgive those, as Malefactors and Offendors, whom your own Conscience knows to be innocent, and of whose punishments (at least some of them) you cannot give so much as the least colour of reason, or just cause, other then such, as the very Heathen do hisse out of all Courts of justice, as the bane and ruine of Common-weales? So as while you heartily beseech GOD to forgive those that be innocent persons, you forget once to pray to GOD to forgive your selfe, who have been the main Instrument of committing such an example of Diabolicall cruelty and iniquity, as is without all example either in the Christian or Heathen world.

And yet running on furiously in this desperate course, you say ††Pag. 388.after in the very Conclusion of your Book, that you are now 65. yeares of age: and yet you tremble not to think it cannot be long, before you must appeare before that strict Judge, from whose Tribunall and Sentence not your Greatest Patron in the world can rescue you. And if this be all your Charity, thus to pray for these men, whom you desist not to plague, they may say to you, as Christ did to those women, that **Luk. 23.28.Luke 23:28wept for him, Pray not for us, but pray for your selfe, that GOD would pardon your sin, in not taking vengeance on you for the blood of his Servants, which you have shed. And consider how you have used Christs Minister, with what horrible and detestable cruelty, and all for the faithfull discharge of his duty, in reprooving such enormities, and impieties, as your selfe cannot be but guilty of; the very remembrance whereof were enough to shake all the veines of your heart, and to cause your Conscience p. 9to quake and tremble, had you but the least sparke of common grace in you. Oh, the bloud and members of a Mans body are precious: and do you think they were made, and Redeemed with such a price, as Christs own bloud, for any Man to satisfie the lust of his Diabolicall and damnable malice upon, in taking them away gratis, and so easily? And especially the bloud of Christs Servant (which you have shed for no other cause, but for bearing witnesse unto the Truth) is it not **Psal. 72.14.Ps 72:14precious in Gods sight? And When he ‡‡Psal. 9.12.Ps 9:12maketh inquisition for blood, will he not remember, and not forget the complaint of the poore? Without doubt my Lord, his Great King and Master will utterly shame and confound you for ever, unmasking all your hypocrisie, and leaving you naked before all the world, if you still desperately goe on in this course. Nor is it your Fine-spun-cob-web-Lawne-veile, that can hide the grossenesse and foulenesse of your actions from the worlds eyes. And though you could mock men, yet God you cannot; ††Gal. 6.7.Gal 6:7but, Whatsoever ye sow, ye shall reape. Doe you beleeve the Scripture? What saith it? A man that doth violence to the blood of any Person, shall flee to the pit, Let no man stay him. But I leave you to GOD, whom ‡‡Pro. 28.17.Prov 28:17because you have no changes, you doe not feare: yet one day shall you feele.

But you tell us, that you have little leasure, and lesse incouragement thereby, to answer a Iesuite, or to set upon other Services. To answer a Iesuite. Oh glorious word! A Sound Protestant sure, that Answers a Iesuite· What may we not expect? This one word were enough to vindicate that reputation of yours, which you tell us anon of. But the mischief is, I have observed a §§A New found Art.New-found-Art of Late-dayes, that which our Protestant Doctors of the Now Church of England, have practised, and grown great Proficients in: namely, under the name and colour of Answering a Iesuite, or so to meet him at least the halfe-way between England and Rome, if he goe not further. So did your Brother of Chichester in his Appeale to Caesar, his Answer to the Popish Gagger. How finely jumpes he with the Jesuite, and comes closse to his doores? A pretty veile, to bring that old Hagge into request againe, and to set up her Throne in the Church of England. And whether your Lordship do thus or no, in this your glorious Answer to the Iesuite, we shall see at after. But why you should complain of little leasure, when you have so many Chapleins and Doctors at hand, and command, to set a worke: and, of lesse incouragement, when for such services, p. 10you have gotten the Metropolitanship of all England: I cannot see.

But before I passe further, I may not balke the close of your words, complaining, You are under the Prophets affliction: Psal. 50.19, 20. And what is that? Between the mouth that speaks wickednesse, and the tongue that sets forth Deceit. And whose affliction was this? The Prophets you say. What Davids? Yes. How prove you that out of that Psalme? 'Tis true, David had many afflictions in this kind; which hee in other Psalmes much complaines of: but he speakes not a word of his owne proper afflictions in this kind in that Psalme, which you quote. Therefore to passe by both your forced expression of the words, and false application of the sense: Let us take the Prophets own word: But unto the wicked, GOD saith what hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee? When thou sawest a thiefe, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with Adulterers. Thou gavest thy mouth to evill, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest, and speakest against thy Brother, and thou slanderest thine own Mothers Son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence, and thou thoughtest, that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe: but I will reproove thee, and see them in order before thee. Now consider this, ye that forget GOD, least I teare you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Thus farre GOD speaketh in that Psalme. In all which you see plainly, that the Prophet complains not of his owne suffering such things of wicked tongues. It is GOD that speaks here to wicked men. And if you had well and wisely looked …our face in that Glasse, you might farre sooner have discerned your selfe to be one of those to whom GOD speaketh, then to be as the Prophet so afflicted by them. And because you are so briefe in perverting the Scriptures, to make them a veile for your iniquity, and a Vergula Censoria to argue and accuse Gods own innocent Servants, as if their mouth spake wickednesse, and their tongues set forth deceit: lend your patience a little, while we doe truly interpret, and impartially appy the forecited words of this Psalme. Here GOD speakes to the wicked, and sets him forth by sundry markes and properties: as First, his notorious and audacious, shamelesse hypocrisie, in pretending to be for GOD, and for his true Religion: For he taketh upon him to declare Gods Statutes, and takes his Covenant in his mouth, but for all this, he hateth instruction, and casteth Gods p. 11word behind him. Secondly, his taking part with Theeves and Adulterers. Thirdly, his giving his mouth to evill, and framing his tongue to deceit. Fourthly, his sitting and speaking against his Brother, and slandering his owne Mothers Sonne. Fifthly, his carnall security, and vaine and wicked thought concerning GOD, as if he favoured him, and his wicked practises, and all because GOD was silent and patient, in forbe…reing to reprove and punish him. Now to apply this. If you can find any, to whom these things may more fitly and truely be applyed then your selfe, doe you apply them home unto them. But till you doe, give us leave to apply them so farre to your Lordship as we have sufficient warrant, and good evidence for. First, do not you in this your Booke in particular pretend at least to declare Gods word, and speak of his Covenant, as if you would become a Champion to maintain the holy Scripture, against the Roman Adversaries thereof? This you professe, and willingly grant. But in the proofe hereof, you set us up Mans Authority above the Scripture, as we shall see in the due place. And doe you not withall hate instruction, and cast Gods word behind you, when being by Gods Minister (as of late) reprooved and convinced of such things, as you neither could, nor can deny to be true, as being written in Capitall Letters in your forehead, and on the palmes of your hands: yet you not onelyonly hated and despised the reproofe, and instruction, which was according to Gods word, and the duty of a Minister, whose strict charge is among other things, to **Tit. 2.15.Titus 2:15reproove with all authority: but also have manifested this your hatred and contempt, in persecuting this poore Minister beyond all measure and example, yea and still continue persecuting him to this day, and that most Antichristianly; and not onelyonly him, but his Wife and Children, who have done you no offence at all, not suffering the one to goe see her Husband, nor the other their Father. O my Lord, heaven rings of this your fury, and the earth groaneth under such more then Heathenish inhumanity, not sorting with the Law of common humane nature. O **Math. 23.38Matt 23:38How shall you escape the damnation of hell? And what plagues may not the Land expect, for being guilty of such innocent blood, and of such unheard of Barbarisme, and that also maintained and continued in cold blood? Yea and doth not the spirit of the Beast in you breath out persecution, and blast many other of Gods faithfull Ministers, never leaving them, till you have rooted them out? And this you neither feare to practise, nor shame to professe. And then againe,vers. 19. Doe you not give p. 12your mouth to Evill, and frame your tongue to Deceit? You frame it as having a special art and **Ephes 4.14. Kubeia, Ka…ournia, methoda.Eph 4:14Method in it, as the Apostle spekas: which you expresse in the fourth mark especially. Sitting and speaking against your brother, and slandering your own Mothers Son; as will further yet appeare, and doth by your continuall and dayly practises, and specially in or at your High Commission chaire or Boord, where (as else where) you have a power to doe what you list without controule or contradiction. And for carnall security, in an impious and Atheisticall conceit of GOD, as if a favourer of wicked practises, because a patient forbearer to punish them presently: examine your own heart; nay may we not both read it in your courses, and understand it by your speeches, in sundry places of your Booke, where you would seem to have a speciall interest in Gods favour; as in his admirable restoring you (as you say) from your dangerous Fever, though you there forgot (as those nine Lepers that Christ clensed) to return him thanks, so much as verball. And for the further and fuller clearing of the verefying of all this in your selfe, I shall call your Book to witnesse. In the meane time here, Heare Gods doom against this wicked Man: But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thee. **Eccles. 12.Eccl 12He will bring every worke to judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evill. And as David elswhere saith, §§Psal. 10.13.14, 15.Ps 10:13Ps 10:14Ps 10:15Wherefore doth the wicked contemn GOD? He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. Thou hast seen it O GOD, for thou beholdest mischiefe and spight to require it with thy hand: the poore committeth himselfe unto thee, Thou art the helper of the Fatherlesse. Breake thou the arme of the wicked, and the evill man: Seeke out his wickednesse, till thou find none. But, ‡‡Rom. 6.10.Rom 6:10How long, Lord, Holy, and True? Surely, when he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembreth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the Humble. There is a day of Gods visitation a comming, and it hasteneth, yea we may see it even at the doores. Therefore Davids inference hereupon will sort well in this place. O consider this ye that forget GOD, least I teare you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

Thus you may see what need you have to beware how you meddle with such edg'd tooles, in misapplying the holy Word of God: for it is a sharpe two edged sword, which not skilfully handled (as a Sword in a mad mans hand) but applyed to a wrong use and object, will rebound back upon you, and wound you. God give you Grace to repent, if possible, if you be not come to that §§Rom▪ 2.5.Rom 2:5Sklur…tata kai ametanamton kardian (as the Apostle p. 13speakes; hardnesse, and impenitent heart, treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. I am plain, you see, if there may be hope, and surely 'tis no time now to spare, when we heare Gods Trumpet sounding the Alarme. You proceed:

L. p. ibid. In the midst of these libellous outcryes against me, some Divines of great note, and worth in the Church of England, came to me▪ one by one, and no one knowing of the others coming (as to me they protested) and perswaded with me to reprint this Conference in my owne Name. This they thought would vindicate my Reputation, were it generally known to be mine.

P. What libellous outcryes, my Lord? Of Scandalous and Scurrilous pennes? If Scurrilous, I approve not: If Scandalous, is not that in your sense onelyonly, because against you? But the Authours names were to the Bookes, which they avowed to be theirs. How then libellous? And Master BURTON in speciall offered to the full Court at his Censure, to prove all his Book to be true. And how then Scandalous? And if just reproofe of Iniquity and Enormities, and that by a Minister of GOD in his own Charge, be Censured for Scandalous: then how shall the writings of the Apostles, and Prophets, and the words of Christs owne mouth, escape this Censure of being Scandalous? For Master BURTON was a Minister of CHRIST, which under the Gospell is called a **1. Cor. 14.4.1 Cor 14:4Prophet, whose Office is to convince and reproove sinne. But he named your Lordship, and some other of your Brethren in his Book. True. And what of that? Doe you make this to be Scandalum Magnatum? Then what say you to the Prophet Elias, telling King Ahab to his face, (a)(a)1 Kings 18.18.1 Kgs 18:18Thou art hee, that troubleth Israel? And in his (b)(b)2 Chron. 21.12, &c.2 Chr 21:12writing to King Iehoram, hee told him his owne, which hee shortly after found too true. So the Prophet Elisha, when hee spake to the Elders of Israel, and called this Iehoram (Ahabs Sonne) a (c)(c)2 Kings 6.32.2 Kgs 6:32Murtherers Sonne, was at least Scandalous. The Prophet Ieremy is sent to the King and Queen, to admonish them to repent, and to humble themselves. 'Tis true indeed the (d)(d)Ier. 38.4.Jer 38:4Nobles incensed the King against Ieremy, as a troubler of the Land. The Prophet Nathan told King David, (e)(e)2 Sam. 12.2 Sam 12Thou art the Man. The Prophet Isaiah named (f)(f)Isa. 22.15.Isa 22:15that Treasurer Shebna. The Prophet Hosea said of the company of Priests (Chap. 6.9.) They make the King glad with their lyes; as also vers. 5. All these Prophets of the LORD, it seems were Scandalous men. And was Christs tongue Scandalous, when he spake to some, p. 14saying, **Luk. 13.32.Luke 13:32Goe and tell Herod that Fox? Or Pauls, in naming Demas and Alexander the Copper Smith, and Hymeneus and Philetus? And Iohn for telling of ‡‡3 Ioh 9, 10.Diotrephes his ambitious pride, and prating against the Apostle, and playing other Prelaticall pranks? Alas▪ Sir, you want either leasure, or the spirit of right judgement, to observe and discerne the nature of such things. And what then will you say of the Prophet Isaiah, who thus thundereth against the State, and against Ierusalem. ††Isa. 1 21.22.23.Isa 1:21Isa 1:22Isa 1:23How is the faithfull City become an Harlot? It was full of Iudgement▪ Righteousn…sse lodged in it: but now murtherers. Thy silver is become drosse: thy wine mixt with water. Thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of theeves: Every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the Fatherlesse, neither doth the cause of the Widow come unto them. And what of the Prophet Micah? Who saith **Mic. 3 8.Mic 3:8Truly I am full of power by th… spirit of the Lord, and of judgement, and of might, to declare unto Iacob his transgressions, and to Israel his sinne. Heare this I pray you, ye Heads of the house of Iacob, and Princes of the house of Israel, that abhorre judgement, and pervert all equity, that build up Sion with bloud, and Ierusalem with iniquity. The Heads therof judge for reward, and the Priests therof teach for hire, and the Prophets therof divine for money: yet will they leane upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? None evill can come upon us. And againe: ‡‡Mic. 7.2▪Mic 7:2The good man is perished out of the Earth, and there is none upright among men: They all lie in wait for blood, they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may doe evill with both hands earnestly: The Prince asketh, and the Iudge asketh for a reward, and the Great man he uttereth his mischievous d…sire: so they wrap it up. The best of them is as a briar: the most upright is sharper then a thorne hedge: the day of thy watchmen, thy visitation cometh, now shalbe their perplexity. And what of the Prophet Zephanie? ‡‡Zeph. 3.1.Zeph 3:1Woe to her, that is filthy and polluted, and to the oppressing City: She obeyed not the voyce: she rec…ived not correction: she trusted not in the Lord: she drew not neere to her God: Her Princes within her are roaring Lyons: her Iudges are evening Wolves, they gnaw not the b…nes till the m…r…ow: Her Prophets are light and trecherous persons: her Priests have polluted the Sanctuary: they have done violence to the Law. And what againe of the Prophet Isay? ††Isay. 29.2….Isa 29:2For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the Scorner is consumed, and all that w…ch for iniquity are cut off. That make a man an offender for a word: that lay a snare for him that reprooveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought. Infinite are the Instances in this kind, both in the Prophets, and elswhere, as in the New p. 15Testament. This is the very dialect, and usuall language of the Prophets, when they reproove sin, and especially, scarlet and predominate sinnes of the Court, and of Great ones. They deale plainly, roughly, and home. So Iohn Baptist. So Christ: **Mat. 3.7. & 23.33.Matt 3:7Matt 23:33O Generation of vipers, how shall ye escape the vengeance to come, the damnation of hell? So Paul to Elymas the Sorcerer, ‡‡Act. 13.10▪Acts 13:10O full of all Subtilty, and all mischiefe, thou Child of the Devil, thou enemy of all righteousnesse, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord? And Paul here is said to be full of the Holy Ghost. And Elymas the Sorcerer was of great power with Sergius Paulus the Governour. Now my Lord, to recollect all, with some application: Suppose either your Lordship had lived in those times of the Prophets, and of Christ, and his Apostles, or they had lived in these our times, and had used the like language to you, and your Compeeres, which they used to the wicked Priests, Prophets, and Princes of Israel: what would you have done? Would you not have been one of the foremost in (a)(a)Act 7.57.Acts 7:57stoning some, in (b)(b)Heb 11.37Heb 11:37sawing some, in (c)(c)Rev. 20.4▪Rev 20:4beheading some, in (d)(d)Math. 27▪ 20.35.Matt 27:20Matt 27:35crucifying some, in (i)(i)Heb. 11.Heb 11imprisoning some, in scourging some; and (if it had been, then in use, as it is not much unlike the Crosse) in pilloring some, and cutting off of the Eares closse to the stumps, with many other grievous things? And when ye had done all this, would ye not have loaden them with the infamous reproaches of Bitter Men, Scandalous tongues Libellous pennes, and Seditious persons? But perhaps you will say, as the Pharisees did, **Math. 24.30, 31, 32, …3.Matt 24:30Matt 24:31Matt 24:32Matt 24:3If we had been in the dayes of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets. But Christ tells them wherefore ye be witnesses unto your selves, that ye are the Children of them, which killed the Prophets. Fill up then the measure of your Fathers. Ye Serpents, ye generation of Vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore behold I send unto you Prophets, and Wisemen, and Scribes, and some of them you shall kill and crucifie, and some of them shall you scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute them from City to City. That upon you may come all the righteous bloud, shed upon the earth, from the bloud of righteous Abel, unto the bloud of Zacharias, the Son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar. What, did these hypocriticall Pharisees …lay Zacharias, which was many hundred yeares before? So faith Christ here. Why, but they professed the contrary. True: and so will you. But did not those Pharisees crucifie the Lord Iesus Christ, the Prince of the Prophets, and afterwards persecuted and slew his Apostles, and that for no other cause, but for that p. 16truth which they preached? Thus hereby they prooved themselves guilty of all the blood of the Prophets shed by their murtherous Fore-Fathers; So as if they had then lived, they that crucified Christ himselfe, would also have slaine his Prophets, who spake before of him. Now what fence hath your Lordship against this Sword of Christ, to ward off the like imputation of guilt of the blood-shed of the Saints and Servants of God? Have you not shed the bloud of a Minister of Christ, and that for no other cause, then for beareing witnesse to the truth, in discharge of that Embassage committed unto him? And so consequently have you not brought upon your soule the guilt of the bloud of JESUS, who under Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, and so of all his Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs? But you will say, BURTON had no such speciall mission, and commission as the Prophets had. No? Could not you see, that he was extraordinarily raysed up by GOD, and by him extraordinarily assisted, both in his Sermons, and in his Book, and in his free and undanted Spirit in his appearance and Answer before so many ‡‡Ier. 15.20▪ 21.Jer 15:20Jer 15:21Terrible ones in that Court, and in that fiery tryall on the Pillory, and other tryalls, wherein he carryed himselfe from the First to the Last with that constant magnanimity, that he seemed rather a Triumphant, then a Patient? Can you ascribe this to any humane strength of a poore impotent Man, wrastling and warring against such a dreadfull and direfull host of Adversaries: and not to the sole and extraordinary support of the Spirit of Christ in him? So as, when being a Spectator of the Tragedy (as you had been the maine Author) wherein you thought to glut your eyes with such a Spectacle, and to make your selfe even drunken with his bloud: were you not on the contrary amazed and confounded, to see a Man on the Pillory triumphing over your incomparable cruelty? Did not your Conscience then at least check you, and tell you, that you did then Pillory Iesus Christ in his §§Act. 9.4.Acts 9:4Servant, as it were nayling him ‡‡Heb. 6.6.Heb 6:6afresh to the Crosse, and putting him to an open shame? But you goe on: Saying:

Now in the midst of these Libellous outcryes (what?) some Divines of great note and worth in the Church of England, &c. 'Tis no hard matter to Divine of what stamp, your Notable and worthy Divines in the Church of England be. But I passe them by, as unsaluted, it being obvious to all men, what kind of Divines doe merit to be accounted of you of Note and Worth in p. 17the Church of England: who are, and must be either Arminian, or Popish, or both, Flatterers and Sycophants, Proud and Profane persons, by which they are most noted and known, and whose worth is valued according to the rate of the magnitude or multitude of their Fat Benefices, Prebends, Deaneries, Prelacies, or other dignities, and according to their great Scholarship show'd in their seldome preaching in their own Cures, and their curious and quaint Rhetorizing in the Court, where the plainest part of the Sermon is down-right-rayling against the Puritans, and the base and grosse flattering of the Court. …ut what of these your worthy divines? First they come to your Lordship. Well, thats but good manners, to expresse their officiousnesse, though but with a complement. Secondly, not together, but one by one, not one knowing of anothers coming. Every one thinking perhaps to prevent other in so notable a piece of Service, and so to promerit all the thanks. Well, thirdly, What's the matter of this casuall, or rather miraculous confluence? To perswade with you to reprint this your Conference in your own name. But cui bono? To what purpose? For it would vindicate your Reputation, being generally known to be yours. Now least your Lordship may run into a strong misconceit, as if this strange concurrence of persons and Spirits, not one knowing of anothers coming, or occasion, were from some Constellation of the Starres, or rather from Divine Providence for your good: you know your Brother of Chichester protested in his Appeale, that he had never read Arminius: and yet how pat did he hit upon, and hold all the Arminian Points, as if he had been an old Disciple of Arminius his Schoole? By what Spirit trow you was this? But to the point: All this was to vindicate your Reputation. With whom? With Jesuites? Certainly not with any good Christians. Yet this you labour too, with laying on colous enough. But this Art of writing against Jesuites is now grown so stale, and triviall, as in these dayes it begets new Suspicions of a Popish Spirit, especially when it once comes forth under the Authority, or Name of Canterbury. Yet haply your Divines are Astrologers, observing the Constellations of the times, and thereupon divining or conjecturing, what fearefull events might come of it, and those perhaps prognosticating and ominating little good to your Lordship upon whom they saw a generall bad and malignant Aspect to be cast: might strain their wits, and use their strongest reasons to perswade you to use the best meanes to prevent the worst, whereof they imagined this their motion to p. 18be the best. And therefore they might perhaps frame their Speech in such a like forme, as this: My Lord, we observe abroad what discontents possesse most men against your Grace, about these late Innovations in the Church (as they call them) and you know, the Truth of Religion (as they apprehend it) as also the Liberty of their Consciences, are with the Puritans of high estimation: and men will not easily part with them, especially those that be Zealous indeed; as accounting them their best freeholds; Such especially, as acknowledge no other King over their Soules and Consciences in matters of Faith and Gods worship (as we have heard them say) but onelyonly CHRIST. And they have shrowd Arguments herein for themselves: And you see what necessary occasions and exigents may constrain the King to call a Parliament, and how farre that (being a meanes to fasten and confirme the Subjects affections to his Majesty now especially upon this Defection of Scotland) may draw the King to be willing to give his People contentment, in permitting them that purity in Religion in Faith and Discipline, which Christ and his Apostles (they say) have taught, and left them, without which (they say) they cannot be freed from the Yoake of Antichristian or humane Ordinance (for we use but their words) and how dangerous this may be to your Grace, whom they have marked out, as the maine Active Agent, or Instrument in disturbing their peace, and distracting their minds, and trenching upon their said Liberty, as they account it: And considering how the whole Land generally groaneth under many heavy Grievances (as People now adayes account Grievances) as their deep Sighs do interpret their minds: and of these your Honour is reputed one of the Prime Movers: And however your Lorship may haply conceive, that if ye be put to a pinch, your Book▪ your late Conference set forth against Fisher, will prove sufficient to ward off, and beat back all accusations annent Religion: yet my Lord, it is not put forth in your own Name, they may Question whether it be yours, or no, and say, that, being namelesse, you may in time disclaime it, if ever you can bring your pious purpose for peace to passe: And besides, 'tis now a long time since it was Printed, and so is forgotten: Wherefore our humble advise (with all due Submission to your Lordships pregnant wisedome) is, that your Grace would revise, correct and more fully expresse your selfe in some things, in the said Book, and so republish it in Print under your own Name: This in our poore opinions, will mightily take with the vulgar, and easily vindicate, and set upright your Graces Reputation. And because we are not ignorant of your multiplicious and waighty affaires in Court, not permitting your thoughts that vacancie, which such a worke would require: let not that trouble your Lordship, our Service shall not be wanting. Thus, or so your p. 19Divines. Well, now that you heare your friends Counsell, what's your Resolution.

L· ibid. I confesse I looked round about these men, and their motion; and at last my thoughts working much upon themselves, I began to perswade my selfe, that I had been too long diverted from this necessary worke: And that perhaps these might be in voce hominum tuba Dei, in the still voyce of men, the loud Trumpet of God.

P. And perhaps my Lord (and that whereof it may be ye wilbe the rather perswaded) the unanimous cons…nt of these Divines, might be by the instigation of that same Spirit, in which those **2 King. 22.2 Kgs 22400. Prophets by their unanimous vote prevailed to perswade King Ahab, to goe up to Ramoth Gilead, that so according to Gods own purpose he might there perish. But it might be, you say, Gods loud Trumpet. What, to hasten you to Judgement? Certainly, that lying Spirit in those Prophets was sent from GOD, to prepare the way of executing vengeance on that Ahab the more speedily, as who had sold himselfe to worke wickednesse, in sheding Nabaths blood. And surely when I look'd into the intrals of this your Booke (as the Roman Southsayers of old did into the bowels and entralls of their Sacrifices) and found them so exceedingly vicious and corrupt, and withall (like to Caesars Sacrifice, wherein was found no heart, which the Astrologers took for a bad signe) no heart at all to the true Religion indeed: it suggested these conceits into my mind, about this very passage of yours. But time will try all things. And if you will have my poore opinion, I am perswaded, if you had never put pen to paper (it having been supersufficient to have expressed your mind in your other handyworks, or Practises) and so had reserved your Apology (when requisite) to your perswasive Language, and powerfull Rhetorick, men might have had lesse hold to take off you, when you might have put all your other Actions upon a higher moving Cause, as usually ye doe. But for writing, you know Litera Scripta manet. Or else it had been better to have reprinted your First Coppy, as it was at first, without Alteration, and in your Chaplains name still; for so you should both have vindicated it from obscurity, lying hid, and lurking in the belly of Dr. Whites Works, and also at pleasure have either owned, or disclaimed it, as you found occasion. Or might have excused any thing, that might be taken in it as offensive, either imputing it to your Chapleins mistake, or to want of leasure to revise it, or (which is the surest and most beaten way) to the p. 20Printer▪ as was lately done about that notorious Popish Book of Salis his Devotions. And hereof (if your Lordship knows it not) I will tell you a pretty Tale. This Book of Devotion of Salis, A pretty tale.bearing the Title of Bishop of Geneva (although the Church of Geneva have no such Bishops) had been so long ago translated into English, and being purged from those grosse points of Popery, which were in the Originall Coppy, was by Authority published in Print, and sold well. But of late dayes, since you came to sit in that Chaire, one undertook to translate the Originall anew, and intire, as it was at first set forth by the Author, without altering any thing, as the Translator professed in his Epistle Dedicatory to Mris Anne Roper, a notorious Recusant. This Translation being brought to your Chaplein to license, it past for currant, as containing nothing in it against Faith and Manners, and so was licensed without the least correction of the grossest things in it. It came to the Printer, who falling aworke upon it, began to stumble at some no small Popish blocks, that lay in his way, insomuch as he was afraid to goe on, but went and shewed them to your Chaplein▪ who making a tush at it, bad him goe on, and he would beare him out in it. So Printed it was. And coming abroad, some began to find fault with it; and the stinke of the Booke more and more increasing with stirring, it came at length to be smelled by your Lordship. Hereupon what serious examination you used about it, I know not: but there being some Jealousie, that some one of those THREE forementioned troublesome bitter men (whose Cause was then shortly to be heard) might haply among other things (might they have been permitted to speake freely (cast that Booke in your Lordships dish: the next newes we heard of it, was, that a Proclamation is published for the burning of the Book in Smith-field, wherein also all the blame was layd upon the poore Printer, for which he must to prison, and you and your Chaplein were acquitted and cleared, as no way faulty. So easie is it with the least breath to blow away the blackest clowds, when they threaten a storme either against you, or your Chaplein in such cases. But now in this your Booke, so exactly Reprinted, and revised, and republished, wherein also you have ratified and avowed all in your former Booke for yours, you have for ever fast bound your hands, that you cannot helpe your selfe at a dead lift. Well, 'tis too late now either to prevent, or remedy what is past. Yet one thing there p. 21is, which you may perhaps deem to be operae pretium, worth your paines, as wherein lyes your maine Confidence of vindicating your Reputation with good men: and that is, some Large Discourses in your Booke, wherein you seeme to be point blanke against the Papists; as about the Scripture Transubstantiation, &c. This indeed might say well to it, and passe for currant, were there not in some of them so much grosse allay, as makes the whole to be **Ier. 6.30.Jer 6:30reprobate Silver, as the Prophet saith; and also, did you not commit a grosse Solecisme in writing a seeming Truth, and practising apparently contrary; and did you not overballance seeming Truths with too much Popish Truth throughout your Booke, as will all along appeare. And you know that if one ‡‡Eccles. 10.1·Eccl 10:1dead Fly will corrupt a whole box of oyntment, how much more a Swarme? And a little poyson corrected, and infused in a Potion, proves medicinall: but if uncorrected, and of two great a quantity it becomes mortall, and so instead of bealing, kills the Patient. But to proceed.

L. p. 9. I have thus acquainted your Majestie with all occasions, which both formerly, and now againe have led this Tract into the Light.

P. And not without cause needs your Tract to be led into the light. I will not here apply that speech of Christ, Blind needs leading.If the blind lead the blind, but leave it to the event.

L. p. 11. GOD forbid, I should ever offer to perswade a Persecution in any kind, or practise it in the least.

P. How? What doe I heare? GOD forbid? What, neither perswade, nor practise Persecution, no not in the least? And must GOD be named in it too? What meaneth then (as **1 Sam. 15.14.1 Sam 15:14SAMUEL said to SAUL) the bleeting of the Sheepe, and the bellowing of the Cattell in mine eares? Or you mistook the word, when instead of GOD forbid, you should have said, GOD forgive me both for perswading Persecution, and for practising it, and that in as high a measure as possibly I could, the times considered. And GOD forgive, should be from your Heart; whereas GOD forbid, is but from the lippes outward, and spoken out of meere Hypocrisie, shamelesse grown with Impiety; Or else Persecution is with you, as sin is with many, so frequent and habituall, as the custome of Persecuting takes away, the sense of it. Or els as Paul, before his conversion, was **Act. 26.11.Acts 26:11mad with p. 22persecuting the Saints: So you are so intoxicated with drinking the blood of innocents, that you know not what either you say or do. Or, in a word, notwithstanding you have been so long a Practitioner in this kind of Trade, yet you know not what persecution is, nor what or who the Saints of GOD be, nor who are the true Ministers of Christ, nor who are his true members. 'Tis well, if Ignorance will excuse you: that you might come once to say with Paul, **1 Tim. 1.131 Tim 1:13But I was received to mercy, for I did it ignorantly through unbelife. But can you say so? Or rather doe you not sin against the light of Gods Word, against the light of your Conscience, against the light of naturall Reason, and the Law of Humanity, and against Gods Law, and against Mans Law, and (I had almost said) against the Holy Ghost it selfe? Unlesse you be one of those, that for blindnesse stumble at noon day. How many godly and able Ministers of Christ, together with their Wives and Children, are cast out, and undone by you, and all for not daring to obey you in those things, wherein of necessity they must have dishonour'd GOD? Or for omitting one of your Ceremonies, perhaps but once, or twice, and the like? Yet this with you is no persecution, no not in any kind. What is it then? OnelyOnly a punishing of the Puritans, that so they may be rooted out. This you blushed not to say openly in Starre-chamber, when you with your Brethren were charged for casting out above a hundred Ministers in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, Surrey, and where not? But you neither practised, nor perswaded to it. Why did you not disswade? Why did you not enterpose? Why did you not relieve them, when upon Petition to the King, they were referred to you? No such thing. They are a sort of Puritans: they must be rooted out, This is enough to wash your hands of persecution: as Pilate did of his condemning of Christ: for they are Puritans. So the Popish Prelates in Queen Maries dayes, in burning the Martyrs, were no persecuters; for those Martyrs were Hereticks. Nor will the High Priests and Pharisees prove persecuters, and murtherers in Crucifying of Christ, for they could say, He was a seducer and deceiver. And so in summe, There wilbe found no such thing in rerum naturâ, not in the whole world, as persecution is. Now what patience can refrain it self at these things? O notorious, impious, shamelesse, gracelesse Hypocrisie. Or Hypocrisie shall I call that, which hath not the least veile, or cloake, or vizard, or pretence, or colour, or shadow of a shadow to overshadow it withall, but meere shamelesse impiety daring p. 23God to his face, using his Sacred name as a white veile to lay over the black-butchery of Gods own deare Saints, saying God forbid, when his own wicked heart, and blood-guilty Conscience, and foule bloody practises, cannot but convince him of a more impious and shamelesse lye, then the Divel himselfe, (except he were incarnate) durst make? Not practise Persecution in any kind, no not in the least? What kind of persecution is there, ô Prelate, whereof thou art not an Actor, and that in the highest Degree? Dost thou not persecute Gods Ministers with Suspention, Silencing, Excommunication, Deprivatoin, Degradation, spoyling their dwelling place, Confiscation of their goods by intollerable Fines, Imprisonment, dismembring of their bodies, shedding of their blood, banishment, or driving them to seek for refuge from thy cruell Tyranny among the wild Beasts, and wild Woods, and wild Salvages, in Countryes not inhabited, in desolate Deserts, the worst of which is to be preferred before thy all-destroying Cruelty? Nay when they have escaped thy Lyons Clawes with their Skin, dost thou not (**Rev. 12.Rev 12 as the Dragon) vomit after them a Flood of persecution with thy venemous tongue? So insatiable is thy blood-thirsty Cruelty: and yet after all this hast thou a Forehead to say, God forbid, that I should practise Persecution in any kind, no not in the least. Now I call heaven and earth to witnesse against thee; and that holy and righteous God, the Father and King of Saints, whom thou persecutest, and whose Sacred Name thou darest prophane with tongue and pen, judge thee for all thy Cruelties, and Lawlesse persecutions of the poore Servants of Iesus Christ. Lawlesse indeed, wherein thou outstrippest the persecutions of Stephen Gardiner and Edmond Bonner, who had a Law for what they did, but thou hast none. O what punishments in Hell shall be sufficient for these things! I must confesse my zeale is here transported, but it is not beyond the Cause provoking it. I will conclude with this hearty Prayer, though in your words, but not with your Spirit. God forbid that you should ever, to wit, for ever, perswade Persecution in any kind or practise it in the Least. God forbid you should Ever doe it: Ever? Amen. Ever. Nay what saith the Lord? **Psal. 12▪Ps 12For the oppression of the poore, for the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith the Lord, I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. Now: even Now from him that puffeth at the godly? Who is that? The Tongue-master, he that speaks with flattering lippes, and a double heart, and proud things, saying, Who i… Lord …ver us? Now, Now will the Lord arise against such as are p. 24in the highest and ruffe of all their wickednesse. And do not you think you are one of these, yea and a Prime one too? You think? Say I? Doth it ever enter into your thought, that you shalbe judged for these things, and that, Now, even Now? The Scripture tells us No. For David Saith, **Psal 92.6.7Ps 92:6Ps 92:7A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a foole understand this, (what this?) when the wicked spring as the grasse, and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish, it is, that they shalbe destroyed for ever. Even Then in the top of their flourishing estate they shalbe destroyed. Yea their flourishing estate is the immediate cause of their perishing: when the wicked spring and flourish: It is that they shalbe destroyed for ever. But wicked is a Generall word, and perhaps it hath no reference here to you in particular. Yes certainly, you in particular; the Holy Ghost doth in this Psalme point you out as it were with the finger. How? Note but the Title of the Psalme: A Psalme for the Sabbath day. But it may seem strange that David should heare speake of the wicked, and of their flourishing estate. What coherence hath this with the Sabbath day? Surely hereby the Spirit of Prophesie notes out unto us a speciall time or age of the Church, wherein ungodly men should most notoriously oppose themselves against the sanctification of the Sabbath day, and wherein they should extraordinarily flourish and prosper, even as the green and goodly bladed **Psal. 129.6.Ps 129:6Grasse, that groweth on high upon the house tops: but in that their flourishing estate, they should sodainly perish. And of all other times and ages of the Church, ever was this Prophesie so extraordinarily and remarkably verefied, for ungodly and desperate offenders in this kind, as in this present age, and especially in the Church of England, now since your springing up and flourishing upon the toppes of Canterbury Palace? For shew us any age, wherein the sanctification of the Sabbath, or Lords day was by publike Edict dispensed with, and by sundry Printed Books cryed down, and you shalbe excused from being of those men, whom the Holy Ghost notes out here for wicked and ungodly. But you cannot. Therefore this Psalme for the Sabbath day speaks of you in speciall, as being a professed enemy of the sanctification of the Sabbath, and so of all true holinesse, and yet you doe so flourish and prosper in this your wicked and impious opposition to all Godlinesse as never any have done more, nor so much in mans memory. But what's the issue of this? These wicked enemies of Godlinesse, and of the sanctification of the Sabbath in speciall p. 25shalbe destroyed for ever? But when? Even then, when they are in the top of their flourishing estate. But how shall we know this? First, GOD hath said it, and therefore 'tis sure enough: and Secondly, this their flourishing estate is an immediate both signe and cause of their utter ruine. But doth your Lordship beleeve that this shall ever be verefied of you? Why should you not? For are not you the great Instrument and Agent in advancing the Edict for Sports to its full execution; And why should you not then beleeve the rest, that in the height of your present prosperity you shalbe destroyed for evermore? And why doe you not beleeve it? For David saith, A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a foole understand this: to wit, when he wicked spring as the Grasse, and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish, it is that they shalbe destroyed for ever. And doe you not know, do you not understand this▪ Then you fill up the Prophesie to the full, as verefied of you wholly.

L. p. ibid. But on the other side, GOD forbid too, that your Majesty should let both Lawes and Discipline sleep, for feare of the name of Persecution, and in the meane time, Let Master Fisher and his fellowes angle in all parts of your Dominions for your Subjects, &c.

P. Here (I hope) you speake it seriously, GOD forbid. At least in part. For you name two things: Lawes, and Discipline: Lawes, against Jesuites, as Fisher and his fellowes. And herein it may be questioned perhaps by some, whether you speake seriously GOD forbid, that such Lawes should sleep. For you know they have slept so long a time, and so soundly,Taking Gods Name in vaine by the Prelate. that I feare your God forbid will not prove loud enough to awaken them. And as for Discipline, that's for your Puritans. And for that you need not trouble the King to breake his sleep, your selfe I trow, can look well enough to the keeping of that awake. For in truth it can take no rest for you. And therefore neither in this respect need your God forbid to be serious, as being altogether superfluous. OnelyOnly the best use, that you can make of it (as you know it better then I can tell you) is, is that your God forbid here may prove so happy (for the vindicating of your Reputation) as to perswade the misdeming world, that if the Lawes against Iesuites do sleep, you are not the cause of it, who ever els: God forbid: and if Dissipline be over wakefull and too quick, and exceed all bounds, as having no Law to confine it (alas!) you are not the Man, God forbid. For wake or sleep your [God forbid your Ma…esty should let them sleep] argueth p. 26plainly, that the keeping of the Discipline awake, is his part, whose it is not to let them sleep? 'Tis well, my Lord you have so strong a back to lay your burthens upon (as is touched before) especially when they presse too hard upon you, as in the clamours and outcryes against your outrages. But what? Doe you come here with your God forbid your Majesty should suffer Discipline to sleep, when but a little before, and almost with the same breath, you said God forbid I should ever offer to perswade a Persecution in any kind? Do we not know what the awakening of Discipline is? Is it not like the awakening of a sleeping Lyon? Doth not then the rigorous and incessant restlesse execution of Discipline (so as it can never be suffered once to sleep) trench upon Persecution at least as neare, as you say at after, sundry errours of the Church of Rome come neare the overthrowing of the Foundation, or as their worshiping of Images comes too neare heathenish Idolatry? But in your Close, you apply your God forbid onelyonly against the Jesuites. That's well, that you presse it not with your Discipline upon your Puritans, as you do the Lawes against Romes Fisher-men. And I note here, that for Jesuites you have Laws: but for Puritans you have Discipline, without Lawes: or as it stands in opposition to Lawes. But what followeth? Alas! what do I find saluting me in the very front of your next page?

L. p. 12. Now as I would humbly, beseech your Majesty to keep a serious watch upon these Fisher-men, which pretend S. Peters, but fish not with his net: so I would not have you neglect an other sort of Anglers in a shallower water.

P. Yet your words seem to import a greater zeale in you against the Iesuites, then against your Puritans. For touching those, you humbly beseech: but concerning these, you onelyonly would have. And yet what you onelyonly would have, is somwhat, and perhaps as prevailing (especially when you set it on in private) as your open humbly beseeching. Yea being Primate of all England, or Patriarcha Alterius Orbis, I know not whether you may speake it in the Popes stile, **Platina in …ita Bon. 3.Volumus & jubemus, as much to say, I would have: and then by this reckoning it would surmount, I humbly beseech. But what's this other sort of Fishers, that you would not have his Majesty to neglect? Or what these Anglers in a shallower water? or what their bad nets? This hath relation to Discipline, as the former to Lawes; and so though for your Reputation sake you modestly spare to name them, yet they are in plain English, your Puritans, and those, Puritan-Preachers p. 27especially, because Anglers. But where are there any such creatures, as Puritan-Preachers now adayes? Doe not all conform, and submit to your Discipline? And are not all Non-Conformists put to perpetuall silence, as in the grave? O, but you say, there is a sort of Puritan Conformists which are worse then the Non-Conformists, whom you have often said, you would worme out. And to worme out, is as men tread out the wormes out of the ground. OnelyOnly we must not call this Persecution, to set your feet with all your waight, upon Gods Ministers. God forbid. But who are they? Such as will not conform to your New Discipline and Ceremonies: Such as will not read in their congregation the Edict for Sports on the Lords day: Such as will not observe the Kings order for not preaching of Predestination, and other doctrines of Grace: Such as will not observe the order for bare Catechising out of the Booke, by Simple Question and Answer, without any exposition: Such as will not forbeare preaching in the Afternoon, and that often times beyond their houre, the people standing on thornes the while, to be at their Sports, considering that Afternoone-Sermons are forbidden, but not afternoon-Sports: Such as though for feare they submit to their Prelates domination, yet you suspect them to be disaffected with your Church Government, as being an intollerable Tyranny. These are that Serious Sort of Fishers you mention. But what are those Shallower waters, which you say they Fish in? Perhaps you meane, they are a Sort of Shallow-braind fellowes, poore Snakes, that angle in shallow waters, that is, have but a poore Vicaridge, or Stipend, or preach to Shallow-simple people, (the Great-Fishes being in your deeper Seaes taken with your Long-lined Angle, or Sweep-net) or in a Shallow water, and that of force, because you forbid them to Fish in the Deep waters of Election and Predestination, leaving them onelyonly the Shallowes of morall Divinity to fish in, whereby they shall never be able to catch one good Fish, but onelyonly such small Gudgions, as when the net is drawn to shore, or cast away. And the Shallower waters ye oppose to these Deep waters the Iesuites Fish in. For they Fish in all the deep Rivers, and Ponds in the Land, yea and most, in the Bishops Seaes, or Cathedrals, where they find and inclose whole Sholes of Fish; and they **Egkathetoi.Fish in the Deeps of mens hearts, and leave not a Creeke unfished, and those no simple ones neither, I will not say, Lords and Ladies in the Court, though themselves dare professe it So as they can ‡‡Episcari.Fish out of them the discovery of all the Mysteries of State, whereby p. 28they maintaine a rich Trade of such Commodities, by way of intelligence to Rome and Spaine and other Forraigne parts. Whereas your other sort of Anglers have indeed an Angle and Line, that will dive into the secrets of Mans heart, and that is the plaine and powerfull preaching of Gods Word, which pierceth even to the dividing asunder of Soule and Spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart: but haply, this is that which you call their bad nets, which they Fish withall. Indeed they Fish not with the Golden-nets of Heliogabalu… ; they use not to bait their hooks with guided Flattery, nor with the glittering shew of humane learning, in powring forth Greek Sentences, which the Fish onelyonly gaze upon, but never bite, onelyonly (as **Nihil est facilius, quàm imperitam multitudinem volubilitate verborum decipere, quae quicquid non intelligit, plus miratur. Nabis sine Cortice▪ H…r.Ierome saith) most admiring, what they least understand; and which every novice newly cropt out of the shell of Grammer Schoole, with the help of Books can con, and recite: which is not to Fish with Peters net, not to preach sound Divinity to the edification and Salvation of Gods people, but to Fish for a Whale, for some great Cathedrall, or so. And therefore perhaps also you call the nets of these men, bad nets, as being either broken with age (preaching the good old Saving Truth) such as will not hold a good Fat Fish, or benefice, as when they take to themselves such a liberty in Preaching the truth, and against sinne, as they come to loose all: or too small, such as will not inclose a plurality of great Fishes, though they be in Severall Seaes or Diocesse. Or not like to the Monkes net, which he used to spread his Table withall, till under this veile of humility he crope up to the Lord Abbots chaire, and rich Table, where he used his net no more, having taken the Fish he lookt for. Thus I suppose by this time I have fished out your meaning of that other sort of Fishers and Anglers, whom you would not have his Majesty to neglect. But if he doe, I hope your Lordship will not neglect to hinder such Fishers from setting up their Busses in your Seaes, or to have the least private Pond or Chappell to angle in. You said well to such fellowes (when the time was) when with the help of Noy's Arke you suppressed that great Busse of the Feoffees in Trust, which had it gone on, would have in time drawn many Fishes out of the Devils **2 Tim. 2.26 Ezogremenoi2 Tim 2:26nets, of whom they are taken captive at his will, and have translated them out of your brackish and bitter Seaes, into those Fresh Rivers of the waters of life, where they should have bin out of danger to be catcht with your carnall baites, though they could hardly escape your tearing Hookes. But enough of this. p. 29Yet one thing more here I cannot but note, and that is this: you humbly beseech his Majesty to keep a serious watch over the Romish Fishers: and withall you adde,The Prelates Counsell to the King perillous. that another Sort of Anglers be not neglected. Who this other sort is, is shewed, namely your Puritan Preachers: that is to say, The most godly, painfull, zealous Ministers in the Land; and so the most vigilant watchmen to preserve the flockes of Christ from Wolves and Foxes, that seek to devoure them. And who are these Wolves and Foxes, but these Romish Fishers you speak of? that I may not say also, your homebread Wolves and Foxes, the Prelates, and their Faction. Now if the Lawes against these Wolves and Foxes doe sleep, and if the faithfull watchmen be removed, and none but a sort of dumb **Isay. 56.10, 11.Isa 56:10Isa 56:11dogges left, that either cannot, or will not, or dare not barke, but themselves helpe to devoure the flocks, as the Prophet speaks: do you think, that though the King should keep never so serious watch, it were possible to preserve his people from perishing by these Wolves? Certainly the case being so, though the King should watch both night and day, and had Argus his eyes, yet he should but weary himselfe to no purpose, yea although he had the help of your many-eyed dogges your Pursuants (who are cunninger at fastening upon the Shepheards, then upon the Wolves) to boot. For then how easily and quickly may the Wolves and Foxes devoure all the Flocks in the Land, when the faithfull Shepheards and wathmen (as your Lordship knowes Leo-well) are taken away; and when those Fishers can show the people this your Book, which as a vast net were able at one draught to inclose multitudes, by ex…rting them to be reconciled to Rome, and that upon this one ground, that the Church of England and of Rome is one and the same Church, no doubt of that? of which anon.

But yet, me thinks, I have not all this while dived deep enough to sound the bottome of this word, Not neglect. Somwhat of a moderate Speech, in the smoothnesse of the barke. Not neglect, as if you should say, I would not have your Majesty to be too rigorous against the Puritan Ministers, good men, but yet I would not have you to neglect them. But we cannot better find out the full meaning of this word, but by the large Commentary of your Practises, which summed up together, amount to thus much. I would not have your Majesty to neglect, that is, I would not have your Majesty neglest means, that can possibly be devised, for the utter rooting out of these Puritans, that do so pester your Kingdome. And for that you must make your main aym at the suppressing of the Puritan Ministers. p. 30For smite the Shepheard, and the sheep wilbe Scattered. Now forasmuch as all Non-conformists, are put to perpetuall silence, wherein we have been helped by your good Lawes: and we want Lawes to deal… with your Puritan Conformists: therefore we must supply that with policie, backed with your Royall Power. Your Majesty must set forth Edicts, laying a straight charge on us Prelates, to see them executed. For instance: That all Ministers, yea and that in their own Persons▪ not by their Curates, do read in their severall Congregations respectively your Book for Sports on Sundayes and Holy-dayes. This will pack away a good many of them, who I know will never read it. Le… another be made, for setting up of Altars in all Churches, as that for S. GREGORIES under S. Pauls, which would be pulished in Print, although in the meane time it be safely kept among the Records of the Counsell Board; and your Proclamation since enjoynes all Orders for Religion to be observed, whether Publique, or Private, being made at the Counsell-Board. A third, to prohibit all Lectures on the week dayes, and also preaching on the Afternoones on Sundayes. A fourth, prohibiting Controverted points to be preached on at all, or Predestination, &c. which will mainly pinch the Puritans. A fift, That whatsoever Rites we Bishops doe or shall impose upon the Churches, may be ratified under your Majesties Broad Seale, both for the preventing of Premunires, and suppressing Clamours of the People against the Prelates, and enforceing Ministers to obey them. A sixt, That a Proclamation be published, to inhibit all men from speaking or writing against the Religion of the Church of England, As it is now established, leaving out that other Phrase, as it was in Queen Elizabeths time, and turning into, As it is Now established. And to all these adde, VnderUnder pain of your Majesties most heavy Displeasure; not nominating any particular punishment, because of the Lawes, but leave that to us▪ for so long as you doe but give us power, we shall not want meanes and wayes to punish them, so long as either the High Commission, or Starre-Chamber doe stand. And thus in short time, there should not one Puritan be left in the Land. And all this I meane, by, I would not have you neglest.

Thus we know your mind, But in the meane time, my Lord you might doe well to consider and consult, what may be the Consequences of these things, that you thus load the King withall, What? Thus to root out the Puritans, and so by your Innovation of the State of Religion by Law established, to make way for your Reconciliation with Rome? Take heed what you doe. Have you not learned that principle in the Politicks, That Suddaine Changes in the Civill Government, and most of all p. 31in Religion, is full of perill? And another notable point of prudence I have read of, For a Prince (how ever he may haply connive, yet) not to appeare the prime Author of such projects and practises, as may breed a heart-burning in the people. For as the Heathen Poet sung,

Invidia Siculi non invenere Tiranni

Majus Tormentum—.

And the Wise-man saith, **Pro. 27.4.Prov 27:4Who can stand before Envy? Not Caesar himselfe And therefore if you tender the Kings honour, and the peace and weale of his Kingdome, doe not lay too great a burthen upon him. Give way, that some things may be imputed to your zeale, so as if you should come to be questioned for it (as you have no such feare, so long as there is no Parliament, which I hope you will look too well enough) the King may have opportunity to show his favour, in spreading his Royall wing over you. But my Lord you professe great love to his Majesty, and to the peace and prosperity of his Kingdome: Will you now show how zealously and sincerely you love the King and his people at this time? At this calamitous and dangerous time, when you see a whole Kingdome, even his Native Countrey fallen off at one clappe. And for what cause? Some say, 'Tis for Religion, because they cannot injoy it in that purity, nor their Consciences in that liberty, as antiently they did, before the Prelates came to be set over them; but by that their meanes, they are more and more pressed (as they complain) to bring them to a full conformity to your Church of England, as now you have made it, which you say, is all one with the Church of Rome, and which in your Booke you labour to reconcile to Rome. And can there be any thing more offensive to true Christian Stomacks, then the burthening of their Consciences with such things as are against Gods Word, and Christs Kingdome, and their Christian Liberty? Or is it not for this Cause▪ that they are thus fallen off? But the Late Proclamation given at White-Hall Febru. 27. 1639. seemes to intimate, that one maine Cause of the Scots discontent, is the Hierarchicall Government. For there it is said, We neither can, nor will permit Episcopall Government established by many Acts of Parliament in that our Kingdome, to be abolished. And againe, the Proclamation saith, And further we thinke to declare unto you, and to the Christian world, that by our Intention of introducing the Service Booke into that Kingdome, we had not the least thought of Innovation in Religion, in this or that, but meerely to have a conformity with that Worship of p. 32God, which is observed within both our other Kingdomes, though il-minded men have wrested some things in it to a Sinister Sense. Thus it seems to me, that the Scots are discontented with Episcopall Government, and Ceremonies; which usually go together. Now were it not a worthy and admirable piece of Service in your Lordship to his Majesty to study, how the State may be reduced, and that in the most peaceable and safe way, that may be? Will you be pleased to take a Fooles Counsell? Would you purchase to your selfe an immortall name, and become a Mirrour and Miracle of this age, and an example to all posterity (the King having past his word) and so do the best service to the King, that ever any of his Subjects hath done? Do no more but this: Cast away your Rochet and Miter; Divest your self of all Episcopall Ornaments and Titles ▪ Utterly renounce and relinquish your Hierarchy, as being not onelyonly against Christs word and Kingdome (as afterwards shall by Gods Grace appeare) but also as being most pernicious to the Peace and Welfare of Civill States, most Antichristian, and one particular cause expresly of the defection of a whole Kingdome from his Majesty. Now show hereby, that you so love the King, that rather then he shall loose one of his Kingdomes thus, you will utterly and voluntarily depose your selfe from your Hierarchicall throne. And I know your Lordship doth every where professe your love to peace, and tell us very much of it in your Book. Now can there be a more peaceable way then this to reconcile Scotland, and reduce them under the Kings Government? And as for ceremonies, if they stand in the way, I assure my selfe, were your Hierarchy but once removed out of the way, either his Majesty would take an Order for them, or they would even sponte sua of their own accord fall, as having now no more Masters to waite upon. But enough of this. It shall be my dayly prayer in the mean time, that GOD would establish his Majesties Kingdomes with the Gospel of peace, and the Peace of the Gospel in our dayes, and to our Posterity till the coming of Iesus Christ. You proceed.

L. p. 13. 'Tis truth, I must tell it, 'tis the Gospel I must preach it. 1 Cor. 9.16.

P. 'Twere well, if you told nothing but Truth, and that not onelyonly, of necessity, with a must, but of **Phil. 1.15.Phil 1:15love, and of a ready mind. But your Book will further show what truth you tell And for the Gospel, when doe you preach it? Or how? What? As the Apostle did whom you quote? And if you must preach p. 33it, why doe you restrain others from it? That your selfe onelyonly might preach? Why then preach you no oftner? Surely your restraining of others from preaching, puts the greater necessity upon your selfe (if indeed you be a Minister of the Gospel, and not a dumb Priest) to preach the more frequently. For indeed you Prelates take upon you to be as so many Popes, or universall Pastors over all the Churches in your Diocese respectively (though you seldome or never preach in any) and the Ministers must be but your Curates; So as they also must preach no more, nor oftener, nor otherwise, then you their good Lords and Masters doe prescribe and limit them, by vertue of their oath of Canonicall obedience. Thus have you taken away the **Luk. 11.Luke 11Key of knowledge, and hangd it at your owne girdle, so as neither ye goe into heaven your selves, and those that would enter, ye hinder. But what doe I say? Have you and your Prelates reserved to your selves (as one of the Papall Reserved Cases) the power of preaching the Gospel? My Lord under correction you forget your selfe. Do you not remember the Kings Order for preaching, or rather for not preaching, that no Ministers, of what degree or ranke soever they be, Archbishop, Bishop, and all under them, shall not preach of the Doctrines of Election, Predestination, Redemption of the Elect onelyonly, Effectuall vocation of the Elect onelyonly, Iustification of the Elect onelyonly, Assurance of Salvation to the Elect onelyonly in Grace, all which Doctrines are the maine and sole Doctrines of Grace, and of the Gospel, So as for Ministers not to preach of these, and maintaine them against the Adversaries thereof, and especially in these times of opposing and undermining the truth of Grace, and of the Gospel, is to cease to be Ministers of the Gospel? According to which reckoning (if the said Order be strictly observed, as you Prelates in all your Visitations doe charge the Ministers, inquiring of those, that be Delinquents in this kind, to suspend or admonish them) you have no preachers of the Gospel left in the Church of England. And doe you not remember, that one Lent, after the said Order was come forth, two of the learnedst, Du…ham, Sarisbury.and most Orthodox Prelates of the Church of England for preaching before the King of such points, were both checked for it, since which time, I doe not heare they have transgressed the said Order? And therefore I conceive, that his Grace of Canterbury is by the same Order inhibited to preach the Grace of the Gospel, or the Gospel in these dayes. King Iames indeed gave out an Order, inhibiting all inferiour Ministers onelyonly to preach of those points, but p. 34reserved a liberty to Prelates and Deanes, to preach of them, as being men of more discretion, then ordinary. But now Bishops, nay Archbishops, and all are involved. Therfore had not your Lordship forgot your selfe, I suppose, you would not have told the King to his face, That the Truth you must tell, and the Gospel you must preach. Therfore correct that word, my Lord.

L. ibid. And when the Foundations of Faith are shaken, be it by Superstition, or Profanenesse, he that puts not to his hand, as firmely as he can, to support them, is too wary, and hath more care of himselfe, then of the cause of Christ.

P. A Speech Surely, which without any more adoe were sufficient to vindicate your Reputation with all good men▪ had your words but a right meaning. But your Foundations of Faith are layd so low in the Earth, **Polosus versatur in universalibus.in Generalibus, that no man can come clearely to discerne them, or what you meane by them. And besides, did you in this place meane the true Foundations of Faith indeed, yet being not constant to this in other of your passages, and much lesse in your practises, this is of the lesse credit, to obtain even of Charity it selfe any favourable interpretation. And having read over your Book, we come to be so well acquainted with your Foundations of Faith, that we may say truely, It no more belongs to you to put to your hand to support the true Foundations, then it did to §§2 Sam. 6.6, 72 Sam 6:62 Sam 6:7Vzzah to stay the Arke, when the Oxen shooke it. For which his meddling, the Lord smote him. And I feare little better will be your reward. Nay what reward shall you expect, who instead of supporting the Foundations of Faith, doe put your heart, and head, and hand, and all you can to supplant them? (As we shall see all along.) And I am perswaded, the more you speake in this kind, the more you rubbe and gall your owne Conscience, and make it so tender in this respect, that the least touch of conviction goes to your heart.

But stay: Do I not mistake, Foundations of Faith, instead of Superstition and Profanenesse? For Them, here, may have for Antecedent aswell Superstition and Profanenesse, as Foundations of Faith. And so the sense runnes thus, He that puts not to his hand as firmly as he can to surport them, that is, Superstition and Profanesse, is too wary, &c. And now that I consider it better, this must be your meaning, if your words and deeds agree. And for proofe, let us come to particulars. You give us two generall instances, whereby the Foundations of Faith are shaken. The one, Superstition, the other Profanesse, Answerable to these p. 35two, I will help you out with two particular instances, the one of Superstion, the other, of Profanesse; by both which the Foundations of Faith are shaken; which we shall see how firmely you Support.

First, For Superstition, I instance in Altars. These you erect: these you bow unto. Now to set up, and bow unto, or before, or pray towards an Altar of wood or stone, overthowes Christ, the Prime and maine Foundation of Faith; and that by your owne Confession. For Altars in the Old Testament were ordained of GOD to be Types and Figures of Christ, as also were the Sacrifices, and the Priests. But now Christ being come, our onelyonly Sacrifice, our onelyonly High Priest, and our onelyonly Altar, those Types doe all cease. And in the New Testament, as Christ is called our Sacrifice and High Priest; So also our Altar. **Heb. 13.10.Heb 13:10We have an Altar (saith the Apostle) whereof they have no right to eate, which serve the Tabernacle. Why so? For the Levites or Priests, which still served the Tabernacle, rested still in the Typicall Altar, denying Christ to be come, and so they have no right to Christ the true Altar, he being come, and having abolished all Types. And the Apostle there doth clearely prove this our Altar to be Christ. For (saith he in the very next words, as a reason annexed) The bodies of those Beasts, whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sinne, are burnt without the Campe: Wherefore Iesus also, that he might Sanctifie the people with his own blood, suffered without the Gate. Let us goe forth therefore unto him without the Campe, bearing his reproach For here we have no continuing City, but we seeke one to come. By him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. In which words taken together, Christ is set forth unto us both as our onelyonly Altar, and as our onelyonly High Priest, and as our onelyonly Sacifice. First, as our onelyonly Altar, vers. 10. Secondly, as our onelyonly High Priest; For so he stands in relation to the Leviticall Priesthood, as the Truth to the Type, v. 11, 12. Thirdly, as our onelyonly Sacrifice, in offering his owne blood, v. 11. And thus he is said to Sanctifie us. And this sanctifying hath speciall relation to Christ, as the onelyonly Altar. For in the **Exod. 29.37.Exod 29:37Law, no Sacrifice, or Offering was sanctified, but by the Altar. being offered up upon it. As Christ saith to the Scribes and Pharisees those blind guides. ‡‡Math. 23.19Matt 23:19Ye Fooles and blind: whether is greater the gift, or the Altar, that sanctifieth the gift? Thus every gift, every Sacrifice is sanctified by the Altar, on which it was offered up. This Altar is onelyonly Christ, whose blood p. 36being offered up upon the Altar of his Divinity, Person, or Nature, was thereby sanctified, and accepted of GOD, for an All-sufficient Sacrifice for our sinnes. And thus both the persons of all true beleevers, and their Spirituall Sacrifices are Sanctified, being offered up, and presented to GOD on the Altar Christ. Our Persons, as, Heb. 13.12. and our gifts, or Sacrifices, v. 15. By him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise continually, that is, the fruit of our lippes, giving thanks to his Name. Thus through Faith in Christs Name, all our Sacrifices of Prayer, of Praise, of Almes, and of a Contrite heart, are Sanctified and accepted of GOD, as Testimonies of our Faith, Charity, Repentance, Thankfullnesse, and Obedience, as being offered up upon our onelyonly Altar Christ. This onelyonly Altar it is, that Sanctifieth the gift. Thus we see how these three, Altar, Priest, Sacrifice, are equally, and inseparably resident in Christ. So as he is as well our onelyonly Altar, as our onelyonly High Priest, and our onelyonly Sacrifice of expiation. And Bellarmine himselfe confesseth, that these three, Altar, Priest, Sacrifice, are Relatives, and alwayes goe together. Hee therefore that sets up another Altar besides Christ, may as well set up another High Priest, and another propitiatory Sacrifice, as Antichrist doth in the Masse. And to set up any one of these, not onelyonly shakes, but quite overthrowes the maine Foundation Christ. And for the Altar, the Sanctification of all Sacrifices and offerings is so proper and peculiar unto it, that one of your **Dr. P…klinton in his Sermon of Christian Altars.Divines, going about to maintaine your Christian Altars (as he calls them, but indeed Antichristian) saith expresly, that of necessity there must be an Altar in every Church, as of wood or stone, to Sanctifie the Sacrifice, otherwise it should be altogether unsanctified. And how comes this Altar of his and yours to have such a treasure and overplus of holinesse in it, as to communicate such holinesse to the Sacrifice, yea to the Sacrifice of Christs body upon it (as he puts it) but by the Bishops Consecration of it, as the same Author saith, whose Book is by your Chapleins license published in Print. So as it seems your Episcopall consecration of the Altar infuseth a holinesse into it, and the Altar communicates and imparts its holinesse to the Sanctifying even of the Sacrifice of Christs body it selfe, which you would not have to be farre off from the Altar. But now it being most evident hereby, that your Altars doe quite overthrow the Foundation Christ, who is our onelyonly Altar: how firmely you put to your hand to support this Foundation, I call heaven and earth to witnesse against you; who p. 37being on the contrary a Supporter of Altars, and so a Supplanter of the onelyonly true Altar Iesus Christ, you give sentence against your selfe, as one that is too wary, and hath more care of himselfe, then of the Cause of Christ. And forasmuch as you are so zealous in promoting your Altars in every Church, I do here in the Name of Iesus Christ, protest against you, as a most notorious Adversary of Christ, and so an Antichrist, a setter up of Judaisme or Heathenisme in your Altars; and I doe utterly renounce all communion with you in your services, the principall part whereof you place in your Altars, which are so many damnable Idols, which you adoring, are damnable Idolaters, and which are set up and upholden to the intolerable reproach of Christ, and whereby he is altogether denyed and renounced. And thus you give just cause to all true Christians to seperate themselves from your communion, in your worship of a false Christ, as your false Altar, if they will hold their communion with Christ.

Now for the second Instance of shaking the Foundation Christ, which is Profanesse. Tell me, are not the ten Commandements Fundamentalls, as being the principles and rules of our Sanctification. So as the Popes Parasites are not so impudent, as in their Decretals, and other writings, to affirme, that he can dispence with the morall Law, although they say of him in the Decretalls, That Papa aliquando nimium Papaliter dispensat, The Pope sometimes dispenseth too papally, or Pope-like. What say you then of the 4th Commandement, touching the Sabbath day of the Lord our God, and the Sanctification thereof? Dare you say, the Commandement is not Morall, being placed in the midst of the Ten? And though that seaventh day (being the Last of the week, as wherein God rested after the finishing of the worke of Creation, which he therefore appointed to be the Sabbath day, of the Old Testament) be now abrogated, as giving place to a new Sabbath day, the First of the Weeke wherein our Lord Iesus Christ (having finished the worke of a New creation) rising againe, entred into his Rest, namely the State of Rest, Immortality, and Glory: is therefore the 4th Cammandements Morality so abrogated, as it is not still in force to injoyne us Christians the Sanctification of that day of the Week, which is the Sabbath day of the Lord our God, Iesus Christ? Or doth it not aswell, and by the same Reason bind us Christians to the Sanctification of the first day of the week, as whereon the Lord our God Iesus Christ rested from a greater worke of Creation: as it did the Jewes to the Sanctification of the 7th or last day of the Week, as whereon the p. 38Lord God rested from his worke of the Creation of Heaven and Earth? It is so demonstrative and cleare, that to deny it, argues not onelyonly grosse ignorance in the knowledge of Christ and of Divinity, but also a mind destitute of grace and true sanctity, that dare imagine the least imperfection or mutability to be in that, or any other of the Morall Commandements. Now if the 4th Commandement bind us Christians (as 'tis cleare it doth, and as hereafter I shall take occasion to be a little more large in it) to the Sanctification of the Sabbath, or rest day, of the Lord our God, which is now the First day of the weeke, upon the same Reason, that it obliged the Jewes of the Old Testament to keep the 7th or last day of the week: then is not the open profanation of the Lords day by sports and pastimes, a shaking of a foundation of Faith? Nor doe I meane onelyonly a Profanation thereof de facto, in practise, either through ingnorance, or custome, or frailty: but by open and professed Toleration and Dispensation, and that by publick Edict, incouraging people to such vain sports, and pastimes, as doe most Heathenishly profane not onelyonly the Day, but the very name of Christianity and Christian Profession. So as this Profanation and so violation of the 4th Commandement, is of a very high nature, and a sinne of presumption, as wherein humane Authority lifts it selfe up against and above the Law-giver himselfe, daring to dispense with his holy and eternall Law, and that in giving liberty to the flesh to commit sinne, even with greedinesse. Now this Foundation of Faith, whereby the Communion of Saints, and all true sanctification of life, is supported, and maintained, to wit, in the due sanctification of this day, in all holy duties, publique and private, being thus not onelyonly shaken, but with high contempt troden under profane feet, through intollerable pride of men: have you put to your hand as firmly as you can to support it? Did you interpose your selfe, that that Booke for Sports might not be revived out of the Ashes, wherein it had lyen so long buried, as it was all, rotten, and forgotten? Or, that it might not be reprinted, with a new Enforcement? Or at least (if it must needs be so) that it might not be pressed upon Ministers, to read it in their Congregations to the manifest dishonour of GOD, and their holy Ministry, and to the great offence of their Consciences, and of their People? And when the feare of GOD, and their owne Conscience withheld some from reading of it: did you spare any of them from suspension at least? Did you spare Mr. Wilson of Kent, from Suspending him with your own mouth? Nay were not divers p. 39Ministers, in Surrey and els where, as in Kent, Essex, &c. so prosecuted, as either they were put out of their livings, as Mr. Snelling of Kent, or els for feare of worse, did voluntarily quit their livings, and got them gone? And when upon petition some were referred to you, what reliefe had they? Did you put to your hand, as firmely as you could to support the poore men? Or did you show them the least mercy or favour? Nay, on the contrary, are you not the Grand, if not the Sole Instrument both of reviving, republishing, pressing it upon Ministers, punishing and oppressing them, yea and undoing them about it? Is this to put to your hand as firmly as you can to support such a Foundation of Faith, when you not onelyonly shake, but breake down the Pillars, by whose Ministry such a foundation is maintained? Are you not then not onelyonly too wary, and one that hath more care of himselfe, then of the Cause of Christ: but too unreasonably bold, and impious, in not onelyonly not supporting, but putting to your hand as firmely as you can to the utter demolishing and ruinating of these holy Foundations of Faith, both by your Antichristian superstition, and Heathenish profanesse? Nay, in so shaking one Foundation, the 4th Commandment, in the open toleration of the profanation of the Lords Sabbath day, you shake all those ten Foundations, overturning all holinesse, all duties to God and Man, as Infidelity against the first Commandement; Setting up your May-Idol-Poles against the second Commandement: taking Gods name in vaine, in breaking that Baptismall vow of Christianity, in renouncing all vanity, against the third Commandement: despising and abusing Gods Ordinances against the fourth: teaching irreverence and disobedience to Parents and Masters, and that expresly against the fifth Commandement: giving occasion of murther, against the sixth: of adultery, against the seaventh: of drunkennesse, and so of theft, and opening the very flood gate to all wickednesse. To conclude this point, Either your Lorship is most grosly ignorant of the Foundations of Faith, what they be, or you are extreamely selfe blind in imagining, that the world will not suspect any Serpent lurking under the green leaves of your goodly words, having too much tasted of your bitter fruits; so as your fair words, and foule actions, must needs make men asmuch abhorre your gracelesse hypocrisie, as they doe your shamelesse impiety, while under a faire colour and meere pretence of holding and upholding the Foundations of Faith, you undermine them, and blow them up.