A Discourse Apologetical, Addendum
An Advertiſement concerning two Allegations in Lilies Poſtſcript.
HEre when I had laid aſide my Pen, caſting mine eye occaſionallie on this Vatlets Poſtſcript, I chanced to light in the Cloſe of it, on the Allegations of two Autors in ſome reſpects not unlike himſeif, the one writing in Engliſh, the other in Latin; together with a task impoſed by him upon me to Engliſh the latter; which, though neither of them concern me in particular, yet for ſome conſiderations, I ſhall not ſtick to relate either, and at ſo kind a frends reqeſt, ſo far forth to gratifie him, as to Engliſh the latter, with a little overplus thereunto.
The former Autor, one Cleavland, a man to me, either by ſight or hearſay, toung, or pen, utterlie unknown, futher then his frend Lilie gives me notice here of him, in ſome Satyrical Libel (it ſeems) is pleaſed to term the late Aſſemblie at Weſtminſter (as he, who himſelf ſtyles it a Synode of Presbyterians, as if it conſiſted of none but ſuch, relates him) A Flea-bitten Synode, An Aſſemblie brewed of Clarks, like Royſton Crows, or Friers of both Orders, black and grey.
The latter, left for me to Engliſh, is parcel of a Latin Epiſtle of one Carpenter, a man whoſe face I never ſaw, ſave in the Frontiſpice of one of his Books, of which alſo, ſave by this occaſion, I never before ſaw leaf or line. Yet before I come to fulfil Mr. Lilies ſuit here, I ſhall not think much, or deem it much amiſſe, to entertain my Reader, with a Character of the Autor; and that moſtlie, or wholie rather, from his own words and works, relations and writings, which, till upon this occaſion, having never before ſeen or ſought after, I have now latelie in regard of this taske by his frend Lilie impoſed upon me, made enquiry for, and after the ſight thereof procured, have taken ſome pains to peruſe.
The man was ſomtime a Popiſh Prieſt (ſo himſelf acknowledgeth) Adve…t. Obj▪ 1 p. 423.of which ſort we have had in theſe later times, Counterfeit Conveits not a few, who pretending conſcience, as did that Arch-turncoat of Spalata, come over hither to do more miſchief by lurking and working underhand among us here, then they could do by abiding further from us abroad, and ſuch a one he confeſſeth himſelf, that Anabap. waſht chap. 42. p. 154ſome of his own kindred (whom therefore he ſtyles Jewiſh Preſbyterians) ſuſpect him to be; yea he complains of, or exclaims rather againſt one, (whom he calls a man of pufpaſt, like that fat Ibid. chap. 86. p. 343. 346.bellie-mountaind Biſhop) who lighting on one of his Works, ſaid no more of it, but wrote onelyonly upon it, Spalatenſis. And for my part, I ſhall herein paſſe no other cenſure upon him, then what my Reverend Father in Law Mr. Charles Pinner, a man of a qick and piercing judgement, did ſometime, after the reading of ſome of that Arch-diſſemblers Pamphlets, when they came firſt abroad, and were generally entertaind with much applauſe, paſſe upon the Autor of them, That the man, ſo far as might be gathered from his writings, ſeemed not yet well waſhed from his Popiſh dregs. And the ſelf ſame I conceiv may be as well ſaid of this man, notwithſtanding his waſhing of the Anabaptiſt over and over, that he is not yet wel waſht from his Popiſh conceits and opinions. For in the ſame his Waſhing-bowl, wherein he waſhes and Barbs the Anabaptiſt, he ſorrowfullie confeſſeth, that when he firſt came from the Papiſts, he was more fired on with paſsion, then Cha. 41. p. 152drawn with Devotion. And in ſome of his firſt Sermons he made here afer his coming over, to inſinuate himſelfe into favor with Archbiſhop Lawd, (who at firſt, as I have heard Dr. Low report, held him a loof off, and ſet light by him) by a publick profeſſion of his approbation and wel-liking of thoſe Imnovations that he had here brought in, he profeſſed (as is avowed by perſons of good credit, who themſelvs then heard him) that he found our Church at his return in a far better condition then when he left it; and that no man religiouſlie affected would refuſe to bow to the Alter. Again in the fore mentioned work he informs Cha. …2. p. 121▪his Reader, that in theſe our Weſtern parts there are more ebbings and flowings, more ſea-alterations & wave-motions of Religion, then elſwhere; and the Church of Rome holds Truth faſt manie times when others wretchedlie betray it. And he doth, he ſaith, ſincerelie confeſs, that even in that his Diſcourſ (concerning Ibid.Baptiſm) he walks beyond ordinarie walkings, upon the grounds of the Church of Rome; as indeed he doth, both in admitting a wide difference between the Baptiſm of John, and the Baptiſm of Chriſt, and the efficacie and effects of either, Ch. 30. As alſo in avowing infalliblie an infuſion of Habitual Grace, and Perfection of Sanctification in Baptiſm of Infants, Chap. 18. 19, 21, 25. And both in coining ſuch a character in Baptiſm imprinted on the ſoul as no Sacrament in the Old Teſtament had, Chap. 14. In ſtating the neceſſitie of Baptiſm unto Salvation, ne ceſſitate medii, Chap. 89. to which purpoſe alſo he alledgeth from a counterfait Justine, who concludes, as he ſaith, in the rebound, after much bandying of the buſineſs, that baptized Infants Cha. 74. p. 268.are ſaved, unbaptized Infants are not ſaved, leaving us to ſave our ſelvs as we can. Again, for unwritten Traditions, he telleth us, In verbo Sacerdotis Christiani, in the word of a Chriſtian Prieſt, we muſt be Cabaliſts in ſome ſenſe, Cha. 29. p. 107.and receiv with a plavdit, the diſtinction of Gods Word into written and unwritten. He wiſhes further, that when he came over, he could have transferred from Rome into England, and our Ʋniverſities two precious Jewels, School-Divinitie, and Chap. 102. p 372.Myſtical-Divinitie. Of the former whereof, to wit, School-Divinitie, wherin al the Bodie of Popiſh, Erroneous, Superſtitious, Prodigious, and Idolatrous Dictates and Doctrines ar couched & maintained, & which conſiſts, for a great part of it, of fond, frivolous, Chap. 40. …p. 144, 146.and fruitles debates, whereof ſome himſelf toucheth in his Waſhbowl. For as for the ſober, ſounder, and uſeful part of School Lerning, our Univerſities want it not, and his wiſh therefore is herein needles, as the lerned Works of our Writers that deal in Controverſies, do evidentlie ſhew; albeit that in their Engliſh Practical and Didactical Diſcourſes they diſcreetlie forbear to make uſe of it, becauſe it is not ſo congruous to popular apprehenſions. But of that Romiſh School-Divinitie, which he wiſhes derived from Rome into our Univerſities, he thus ſpeaks, I folow the Diſcours of mine own heart, in the deep Tracts of School-Divinitie (the Title of Doctor Profundus, belike, he may challenge) the ſtrength and marow whereof I find after long uſe to be ſuperlativelie strong and uſeful, above the marrow and strength of Lions; altho the craſſipelles thick-skinned Preachers (ſuch ar all ours to this Dr. Subtilis, that he may have Scotus his title too) dabling and wading in the ſhalow, think Cha. 87 p 356ſhalowlie of it. Of the latter, to wit, The ſpiritual Magazine of Myſtical Divinitie, as he termeth it, thus; The defect Chap. 102. p 379.hereof hath rendred the leaders of theſe wretched and leaden people (thus he reckons our Proteſtant people in compariſon of the Papiſts) wretchedlie deficient, and altogether ſinking within themſelvs. Where as hereby they might have made better and ſtronger uſe of their ſtrong (or ſtrange rather) imaginations (meer humane fancies) as the myſtical Divines have taught; Such, to wit, as plaie and ſport themſelvs with Gods ſacred Oracles, and exerciſe their wanton wits, in writhing and wrigling them to and fro, foreign, like ſome Puppets, or Engins, artificiallie framed, that with ſcrews and devices may be turned into what ſhapes and figures men luſt; That which he, and ſome other of his ſtrain, yea, to manie of our Novelliſts among us to freqentlie practiſe, and whereof in theſe his writings he hath given ſuch abſurd, immodeſt, irreligious and ridiculous Paterns and Inſtances, as were ſufficient to make anie modeſt, religious, ingenuous, or judicious perſons to loath and abhor it: Not unlike herein to that great French-man, a man otherwiſe of eminent parts, who Mr. L. C.commending to Scholars and Students this kind of ſtudie, propounds withal for a Sample ſuch a piece of a fantaſtical Jew, as would make anie pious Chriſtian mans ſtomak to riſe within him at the reading of it. But of ſuch ſtuff we have to much among us alreadie; which even the ſoberer ſort of Popiſh Writers themſelvs miſlike; and we are wel content it reſt where it is, wiſhing it rather exiled wholie from us, and the monopolie of it confirmed and confined unto thoſe of the Romiſh Synagog. Add hereunto his Popiſh reckoning of the ſeven Hed-ſins, and his Frierlie conceit, in a ridiculous application of Chriſts ſeveral ſeven bleedings for the cure Adv. p▪ 452, 453. Au. waſh. C. 88. p. 361.of them. Alſo his pleading for the ſetled and immoveable Font for the baptizing of Infants, which the Presbyterians, he ſaith, have brought to a moveable and unſettled Puediſh.
But will ye ſee him treading more exactlie in the ſteps of that more eminent mount ain-bellied (as he cals him) Proteus or Vertumnus, to whom his Cenſurer he ſaith, compared him, and to whom for bulk of bodie and bellie he viciſſim compares that Cenſurer of him? where he makes his confeſſion, as he would do it he ſaith, and it were upon his death-bed; I moſt heartilie denie (ſaith he) and defie, renounce, abhor and proteſt againſt, the Cha. 41. p. 152.preſumption, pride, and avarice of Popes, their Nephews and Cardinals; the deceitful dealing of Prieſts, Jeſuits, Moncks and Friers; and againſt all other Doctrines, that bear the tru mark and hecceitie of corruption. Would not Spalatenſis think we qeſtionles, Yea, Cardinal Bellarmine, or Baronius himſelf, have ſaid as much? and much more, what there follows? For immediatlie in the verie next words, he ſpends a whole page and Ibid. p. 152. 153more in a tranſcendent commendation of the Papiſts, for their faithful conſervation of the Sacred Articles of Catholick and Apoſtolick Doctrine, their wel-ordered Zeal, admirable and moſt raviſhing Devotions, Deiform Intentions, Heroical acts of Vertu, Faſtings, Prayings, Recollections, Meditations, Introverſions, Aſpirations, Humiliations, Mortifications, Abnegations of themſelves, &c. As if all tru Zeal, ſound Devotion, and ſincere Pietie, or the higheſt ſtrains thereof at leaſt, were wholie cloiſtered up in the Popiſh Monaſteries among their Votaries (of whoſe Acts with us what they were Bales two whole Books may ſhew, and what they ar, and have been elſwhere, the teſtimonies of their own Writers, in Illyricus his Catalog, and Wolfs Memoralia, may ſufficientlie enform) or were to be found in the Romiſh Church, if not alone, yet in a far greater eminencie then in anie other. All which things, he ſaith, he doth moſt Ibid. p 2…3.humblie embrace, receiv, approv, with all his ſoul, heart, and ſpirit; and he wil never beleiv that the Tree (to wit, the Church of Rome, and its Superſtitious Orders of Moncks and Friers) is corrupted in the Root, Heart, and Subſtance, which brings forth ſuch heavenlie fruits. For as for what he ſolemnlie profeſſeth elſwhere, that he bleeds in his spirit, and is aſhamed Advert. Obj. 5. p 445, 446.of his companie (as if we belyed the Papiſts) when he hears ſuch things aſſerted in Pulpits by perſons non infimae Claſſis, as he ſaith, are fancie-formed pictures, and antick ſhapes, falling foul with his cleer knowledge: Thoſe he inſtances in, ar ſome of them too tru, as that Papiſts beleiv to be ſaved by their own Merits, which do in truth exclude Chriſts; that the Common people among them pray moſt commonlie in a language they underſtand not; that all ordinarie Papiſts (tho the all is in likelyhood an addition of his own) worſhip Images as their gods (yet himſelf elſwhere confeſſeth that their great Doctors, Thom. of Cha 34. p. …22.Aqine & Bellarmine reſolv, that Chriſts Image, and the Crucifix, may be adored with worſhip du to God alone; and that the ignorant Ibid. p. 126.Spaniards, men and women, yong and old, and of all ſizes counted their old worm-eaten Images, their Countrey gods.) Some ar credible enough, as that the Pope ſhould diſpenſe with Prieſts and Jeſuits to r…cant and joyn with the Miniſters of England, to reduce Proteſtants the more convenientlie to his Religion; which may the rather be beleived of thoſe who ar not ignorant of their Doctrine of Eqivocation, and their helliſh Practices of Deviliſh Deſigns, either perſonallie acted or approved and extolled by them, as himſelf elſwhere acknowledgeth. Cha. 40. p. 142, 143.And how can he clearlie out of his knowledge, as he ſaith, cleer the Pope in this particular? to which hed might be referred, what elſwhere he ſaith runs among the people for a Adv…rt. Ob. 5. p. 444.truth, that there ar or were latelie Jeſuits in our Armie, that preached there; which report himſelf, who knows Popiſh affairs, motions and contrivements in a large meaſure, and in holie Truth more then manie think him to know, (the truth whereof we ſhal, without putting him to his corporal Oath, eaſilie beleiv) and then ſome would have him to know, doth faithfullie Ibid. p. 445.beleiv to be the moſt malicious, and moſt damnable falſ invention of the ſeething-ſcalding-burning-fier-hot-hearted Genevenſis. (For now he is in his Ruf.) Laſtlie, others of them may wel be deemed Fittons of his own framing, as that, to let others paſs, that comes in laſt, to bring up the rereward, that no Profeſſors of chastitie live chaſtlie among them; and that Ii… 446.all of that Religion ar bloodilie minded. Of both which, howſoever experience and proof have upon publike Records left evidence ſufficient, not to run out far abroad, in Queen Maries daies here, and of later time in Ireland, to prov the truth concerning an over-great partie of them, yet is it not probable that anie of note would in ſo general terms avow. He confeſſeth indeed, as infalliblie Iibid. 446.certain, that there ar corruptions among Papiſts both of Doctrine and Manners; and ſcandals conſequentlie enſuing. But Cha. 41. p. 153this he puts off with a neceſſitie of ſcandals in all Churches, and no Angelical perfection to be expected in anie. And as Spalatenſis ſometime uſed to diſtinguiſh between the Court of Rome, and the Church of Rome: So he would have the world, he ſaith, Ibid. p. 149.to underſtand, that he now underſtands the difference between the Doctrines, which pride and private intereſt have publiklie raiſed in the Church of Rome, and which ar not deſtructiv of its being a Church; (as the ſins and errors of the Phariſees deſtroyed not the Chair of Moſes;) and the Doctrine of the Church of Rome lineallie deſcended from Apoſtolical Antiqitie, or included virtuallie in their ſeed and root. And where Serm. no Ser p 228.he proſeſſeth faithfullie to render an account of his Faith; He ſubjoyns at the cloſe of it, hitherto I have ſaid nothing but what a knowing Papist wil ſaie. And therefore our Pulpits, and the ears of our people have been abuſed by the devils Janizaries.Ibid. p. 230.
But wil you further ſee, how he would enforce upon us a neceſſitie of repairing to Rome for the ſure founding of our Faith? There is another work of his, wherein that Confeſſion of his Faith is contained; but which I know not how to term, nor himſelf, it ſeems, wel neither. For not unlike to that Riddle of Panarceus, related by Athenaeus out of Clearchus his book of Riddles, and Athen, dipnoſep. l. 10.enlarged by H. Stevens, and ſome others, concerning a blinking Eunuch, who ſpying a Flittermous hanging on a Ferula, or Fennel▪ giant, as ſome term it, threw at it with a Pumice, but miſſed it. foreign. A man no man, ſeeing and not ſeeing, a bird no bird, ſitting and not ſitting, on a tree no tree, threw at it and threw not at it, with a ſtone no ſtone. He accordinglie intitles, this his partlie Engliſh, partlie Latine Diſcourſ, A Sermon and no Sermon, preached and not preached, in a Church and not a Church, to a people and not a people; wherein his firſt Alarm to his Brethren of the Presbyterie, being his Brethren and not his Brethren. But in this Rhapſodie, give it what name you or himſelf ſhal pleaſe, he hath by piece-meal, with divers interlocutions in Engliſh to his Plebeian Auditorie, given out a Diſcourſ or Debate, of a great difficultie, which he ſaith, forſooth, he delivers in Latine, becauſe he had a ſecret to tel the Scholar in his ear, the main Serm. no Ser. p. 50.ſcope whereof in the firſt place bendeth it ſelf unto this, that our Engliſh Tranſlation of the Bible cannot afford a meer Engliſh man anie good ground to build his Faith upon. This the rather to bring about, he ſcoffs firſt at the work, which he termeth in plain Engliſh, a dispirited Tranſlation, then he fals foul on Pag. 52.thoſe Reverend, pious, and lerned Miniſters of Gods Word employed in it, of whom he paſſeth this verdict, Perſonas qibus Pag. 50.ſpiritum divinum, ne dicam affingere, ſed non audemus affigere, qorum que filios ex lu…o vario & verſatili conflatos videmus, & ad omnia paratos pro mutata rerum facie. I give you his own words, and will leav them to himſelf to Engliſh. Onelie thus much Engliſh anie weak Grammar Scholar may pick out of them, that the perſons made uſe of in that Tranſlation, were ſuch as we cannot ſo much as fain, much leſs dare to affirm, that they had the Spirit of God in them; and that by their children (as he terms, hem) we may ſee, what they were, to wit, men made up of ſuch clay as might be eaſilie moulded and wrought into anie ſhape whatſoever, as being readie to admit anie new impreſſion, as the ſtate and face of the times and things ſhall alter and change. A wicked and wretched cenſure, moſt uncharitablie and unchriſtianlie paſſed upon perſons of well-known piety, and approved integritie, and whoſe courſes and cariages, divers of them have evidently evinced the contrarie; and it may well be deemed, as him ſelf ſaith elſewhere (to return him his own words) alios ex ſuo judicat ingenio, that by his own diſpoſition he judgeth of Serm. no Serm. p. 201.them.
But what is the courſ then, that a meer Engliſh man muſt take for the ſure grounding of his Faith? yea not a meer Engliſh man onelie, but any lerned or unlerned, Paſtor or People; for that which he beats upon, and drives at as well in his Engliſh Diſcourſ as in his Latin Debate, concerneth as wel Teachers as people taught, and extendeth it ſelf unto anie Tranſlation, not our Engliſh alone, and Interpretation alſo whatſoever. It is this, aPage 125.By adhering to a Church of ſound learning, and ſufficient autoritie, bPage 110.ſuch autoritie as may reaſonablie put a ſtop to controverſies; cPage 131.that he may be able, producing the autoritie of ſuch a known Church, to lay his hand upon the Book, and ſay, This is the Original. And to this purpoſe he profeſſeth dPage 63, 64.reverentlie to imbrace thoſe Preachers, who are deeplie founded upon the ſenſe and ſentence of the Holie Ghoſt ſpeaking by the Church; and that the reaſon ePage 188.why the Doctrine of the Fathers is deemed tru, (not becauſe found agreeable to Gods word, the rule whereby the Apoſtles were content to have their Doctrine tried; but why then?) Act. 17. 11. & 26. 22.becauſe it was the Doctrine of the tru Church, in which, and of which they were. Such a Church belike as neither did, nor Anabap: waſht Cha. 62. p. 328.could hold anie error. And he concludes therefore, in another of his Works, that when we have done what men can do, if the Interpreters of Scripture be not ſpirited with the ſame Spirit (to wit, of Infallibilitie) with which the Writers thereof were ſpirited, they ſhall never give ſpiritual and ſecure judgement, proportionablie to the Prophetical and Apoſtolical Spirit; yea infalliblie; if it be not moreover infalliblie known, that they are Ibid.divinelie ſpirited; they cannot inbreath into us ſuch knowledg that ſhal qiet and allay our exaſperated and troubled hearts; and this the ſubtil Doctor Scotus binds with an infallible reaſon; No man perfectly and firmlie beleivs him (let him be Interpreter of the words or ſenſe) of whom he knows he can deceiv, or be deceived, in ſuch things, as having no ſecuritie of Direction from the gracious and manifeſt promiſe of God.
Now what doth all this drive to, but that no man, learned or unlearned, can have anie firm ground whereon to fix his faith, but by recourſ and adherence to a Church, that is, infalliblie known to be generallie infallible? And what Church he muſt of neceſſity mean and intend, I ſhall not need to tell anie, that knows ought in the Controverſies between Rome and us. For the truth is, no particular Church ſince the Apoſtles dayes, nay nor in their time, ſave as it was from time to time, directed and informed by ſome one of them ſurviving, either ever had, or ever did or durſt (that appears) lay claim to, anie ſuch priviledge of a general Infallibilitie; the preſumptuous and groundleſs challenge of the Modern Romiſh Church, by virtu forſooth of the Popes late introduced Autoritie, onelie excepted. And what this Deſign then drives to, anie one that hath but half an ey may eaſilie diſery.
Yea but the Difficultie (he ſaith) was never before propounded that he ever found or heard, by anie Church or perſon in ſuch Advert. Ob. 2. p. 424.manner, and making ſuch an aſſault, as he doth here.
That he hath indeed herein exceeded all other Writers, for ought I know, even the Papiſts themſelves, I ſhall readilie condeſcend unto him. For howſoever the Romaniſts and Popiſh Doctors hold, that the Pope, ſome of them, a General Council, other of them, cannot erre in determining ought concerning matter of Faith or Life; yet none of them, that I ever read or heard of, affirm that either Church or Pope can Infalliblie determine, whereſoever there are anie various readings in the Hebrew, or Greek Text, or whereſoever anie word in either is ambiguous, neither making anie material or momentous difference, which is the right reading, or …hich the genuine ſenſe of the word, which yet Degree of Infallibilitie this …an neceſſarilie reqires, as that without which no firm footing or ſure ground for our Faith can be found.
Yea but his Will-ſtrong Objector, he ſaith, ſayes, that the propoſal of his Difficultie induceth to Atheiſm; and this contradicts what I here ſay, and others, it ſeems before me have ſaid; for if it put to the Church of Rome, how induceth it to Atheiſm, which denies both God and Church?
Sir, I make no doubt, but that manie Points and Practiſes in Poperie, when the abſurdity of them comes to be diſcovered, and the end diſcried, for which they were at firſt introduced, and are ſtill ſtiflie maintained, induce millions unto Atheiſm. For example, When people ſhall be told, that the Pope for the time being, is Chriſts Vicar General to rule and govern the whole Chriſtian Church, and that there is no certain and infallible way of determining doubts in the Chriſtian Religion but by recourſ unto him; and ſhall withal conſider, what maner of creatures manie of the Popes themſelvs have been; will it not, think we, indeed, inſtead of pulling Baron A…al. … ▪ 955. Sect. 2, 3.to Rome, (which yet is the main drift of it) puſh rather to Atheiſm, to hear or read it conſequentlie maintained, that inſanus juvenis, a mad Lad, not above eighteen yeer old at moſt ſuch as Baronius reports John the twelfth to have been; yea p…er fermè decennis, a Idemex Gl. Rho. an. 1633 Sect. 6boy of about ten, as Rhodolphus Glaber of Benet the ninth; or one that lives ſo looſly and lewdlie, that he is not undeſervedlie deemed, if not to denie, yet at the leaſt and beſt, not to believ thoſe two main Articles of the Creed, the Reſurrection of the dead, and Life eternal, as Bellarmine himſelf acknowledgeth of Bel. de Pon. Ro… l. 4 c. 14.John the 23. or one that accounts and calls the Story of the Goſpel, Fabulam Chriſti, a Tale of Chriſt (as Jerome that piece of Apocrypha, Fabulam Tobiae, the Tale of Tobias) which of Leo the 10. Bale teſtifies; to be the Supreme Judge of all Controverſies in the Church, and his Dictates ſuch as are to be received Jo. Bal. in Vit. Pont. Rom.by the whole Chriſtian World, as undoubtedlie tru, and unfalliblie right, in all things concerning either Faith or Life? and of divers other Popiſh Tenets and Practiſes, as of Tranſubſtantiation, the Popes Indulgences, and Diſpenſations, &c. the like may be averred. But to anſwer you in few words: That which tends to the utter ſubverſion of mens faith, by endeavouring to introduce an utter uncertaintie of that which is the onelie ſure ground of their faith, without ſuch a help as is no where to be had, doth it not pave a plain and prone path unto Atheiſm? But ſo doth that which you here propoſe, beyond in ſome ſort, as your ſelf confeſs, what anie Romaniſt ever did. For to make men, not ſillie people onelie, but even the lernedſt of them, utterly uncertain of the genuine ſenſe of Scripture, and Gods Oracles more ambiguous then Apollo Loxias dark Riddles, and Heraclitus foreign his Dictates were; you tell us that they are conceived in ſuch an obſcure manner, that they are referta Myſteriis omnifariam eventilatis, & in incertum cadentibus, aliiſque velut Aenigmatibus infinitis, qae Lectores in diverſa rapiant atque ſolicitent Argumentis aeqo pondere libratis, full fraught with Myſteries, blown out every way, or into all ſhapes, and falling out altogether uncertainlie, as alſo with infinit Riddles, that ſolicite and draw the Reader divers ways with arguments of eqal weight on either ſide, and ſo leav him in ſuſpence, as if the whole Book of God were made up of ſuch intricacies; as alſo that they are penned in ſuch a Language, in qâ puncta varia, & in variis codicibus alia atqe alia, ſenſuſqe radicum multiplices & in omnia propendentes, qae vel doctiſſimis undiqe tenebras offundere nemini uſpiam docto dubium eſt, wherein the points are various, and the words pointed one way in one book, and another way in others, and the roots, or primitive words of ſo manie ſeveral ſignifications, that of themſelvs they incline to have anie thing made of them, by reaſon whereof, even the moſt lerned are encompaſſed with darkneſs on everie ſide, that which no lerned man anie where can make doubt of. And therefore forſooth no man lerned or unlerned can have anie ſure footing for their faith, unleſs they can find out, or light on ſuch a partie of whom they may have aſſurance, that he or they can cleer all thoſe infinit myſteries, and aſſoil all thoſe obſcure Riddles, and certainly ſettle all thoſe varieties, and determine all thoſe differences, by an undoubted pointing of the words firſt, and then limiting each of them to his tru and proper ſenſe there ſo read, and unleſs they be alſo firmlie aſcertained concerning ſuch a partie, that he or they cannot be deceived in anie of theſe particulars, nor will deceive him therein. Which when it ſhall be diſcovered to be a matter of meer impoſſibilitie, is not this a readie courſe to make people warp towards Atheiſm? for doth he not herein the v…rie ſame work, that he ſaith the grand Plot-maſter of Hell doth, labor Page 99.to make holie Scripture a leaden rule, appliable to all things? or can the Grand Plot-…ſter of Hell frame an Inſtrument more efficacious, to induce men to Atheiſm, then by working mens minds to a perſwaſion of an utter uncertaintie of anie word of God at all, But he ſaith, that as the Church of Rome hath enforced alike Difficultie, ſo have the greateſt and moſt conſpicuous Adv. Obj. 2. p. 425.Independents amongſt us reinforced the verie ſame with the ſame Church.
What Independents they are that enforce this difficulty in the verie ſame manner that the Church of Rome doth, I know not. But who ever they be, if anie ſuch be, if they enforce it as he doth, they take a readie courſe to deſtroy the faith of their followers, by enforcing upon them ſuch a ground for their faith as is no where to be had. If as the Church of Rome doth, thereby to inferre a neceſſitie of repairing to them out of all qarters of the world, for a ſound and final reſolution of all their doubts in Religion (for ſo the Romaniſts enforce it) they ſhall in ſo doing (to give them the Autors own words) having given a Bill of divorce Ser. no Ser p. 160.to one Pope, beyond the Seas, enſtal and enthrone a goodlie numbe of Popelings, and young little Muf…ies, at home. But of this let them conſider whom it concerns.
This Diſcourſe, or Debate, he ſaith indeed, he delivered purpoſelie in Latin, becauſe he would not diſſolv the ſoul-harmonie Adver. Obj 2. p. 425.of weak perſons. But there is enough in his Engliſh, wherein alſo the main ſubſtance of it is, to do miſchief more then enough, not indeed with any underſtanding, well-grounded, and judicious perſons, but with people of weak brains, unſetled minds, looſ affections, diſpoſitions inclinable either to Papiſm, or Atheiſm, whereof through the unſetledneſs of our ſtate, and the licentiouſneſs of the times, too manie have of late been, and are ſtill, in moſt places among us.
He profeſſeth indeed freelie and more then ſummis labiis, to Adv. p. 454.invite an Anſwerer; let him come, ſaith he. But in his Poſtſcript he reqires that the Anſwer be returned in Latin.
Firſt, Becauſe (he ſaith) he wil not enter the liſts with anie but Scholars. Secondlie, Becauſe he wil not be Sea-bounded, and judged in his future Diſcourſ by an Iſland. None, it ſeems, in this poor Iland ar of abilitie or ſufficiencie to judge of his writings; they ar ſo feeble, miſerablie defective, and ſhalowbraind, for want of his Scholaſtical and Myſtical Divinitie, which he wiſhes he could have brought over with him, wherewith to improve them. But why did he not then publiſh his former Debate by it ſelf, that it might ſodainly have flowen overſea, but give it out by morſels and mamocks, either in the Pulpit, or by the Preſs or both amidſt the intervals of a large Engliſh Diſcourſ? And in the next place he fals to threatning of him that ſhal oppoſe him. If the Adverſarie, ſaith he, ſhal be obſtinate (as they muſt be deemed all, that meddle with ought of his) let him know, that my Pen ſhal not ſpend Ink hereafter but in the Latin language. And withal, I promiſe, ſaith he, my Reader, that I wil not onelie endevor to ſatisfie him in the preſent matter, but I wil dreſs the matter in warm Language. Withal ſubjoyning a long addition of vain boaſting what rare and precious ſtuff he wil therein entertain his Reader with. Now in part of this denunciation he hath much failed; in part, if I miſtake him not, he hath not at all failed to make his word good; For whereas an Anſwer in Latin to his Latin difficultie hath been tendred An waſh Cha. 86 p. 342.unto him, as himſelf acknowledgeth; which he might, if he had ſo pleaſed, have replied unto in Latin, and ſo publiſhed it together with his former Latine Debate extracted out of his former Work: he hath returned onelie ſome few parcels or patches in Latin, diſperſed and diſ-jected like Abſirtus his limbs, all put together not making up four whole pages at moſt, inſerted into an Engliſh Work conſiſting of Pages upward of 450. Wherein alſo he is ſo far from giving anie real ſatisfaction to his Reader, that he doth not ſo much as afford him his Anſwerers own words in the language reqired; onelie picks out ſome curtailed Objections, as he termeth them, framed as himſelf pleaſeth, and delivered in Engliſh, and without the Arguments to back them annexed, and after a little ſorie ſtuff ſub-joyned, turns over the reſt, with a Caetera omnia ut aberrantia à ſcopo & aſſument amera rejicio, Pag. 433.and ſo lets them go. But ſure, had he deſired, as he pretended, to have the Debate of his Difficultie flie ſo ſpeedilie beyond ſea, he would never have clogged it with ſuch a weight of our leaden language (the beſt term that he can afford our Engliſh Proteſtant An. waſh. Cha. 102. p. 379.people) ſo far exceeding the whole bulk of its Latin bodie, annexed to it, and made up with it, as was like to confine it to our Engliſh Iland▪ and ſo impede and impeach its further progreſ and paſſage.
Howbeit, in ſome part of his promiſe, to wit, in his warm language, as he terms it, he is large enough, he is not at all wanting. For altho the Anſwer be framed in a modeſt manner, without anie broad or uncivil language, his Replie, which he tels him he ſhal find interſperſed in that large Diſcourſ, is dreſſed and pickled indeed both in the Engliſh and in the Latin, with great ſtore, and more then good, of ſqibs and ſcofs, his beſt Logik and cheifeſt Rhetorik, ſuch as aPag. 430.Pr…sta, puer, muſcarium; Boy, reach the fly-flap, and calling his Anſwerer bPag. 434.Sublicium caput, a Logger-hed. His Anſwer cPag 4…3.a famous tinckling of words, a ſound …mpiie of ſoundnes, which he bids him therefore dIbid.ceaſe, as a poor Apothecarie to ſet out to ſhew, like vain and empty pots and coffers. The original of his miſtake (as he terms it) ePag 425defluxionem per Caput vermiculans in Narem craſſam obtuſam que , A defluxion from his nittie Hed, into his ſnottie Noſe, (for ſo in plain Engliſh it ſounds): And beſides much more ſtuf of the ſame ſtamp, having prefaced ſomewhat of fP. 435, 436.an ambidextrons Trick or Deſign on foot in theſe tumbling times, of divers perſons in the ſame familie adhering ſome to one partie and ſome to another; That which is reſerved for the laſt as the worſt, that he is gPag. 436.an extract of Presbyterie from a ſtif-hearted and refractorie Presbyterian: And what is the Presbyterie, or the Deſign he prates of, to his Difficultie, or the Debate of it? But this is he that lays this Law on his Anſwerer, hPag. 427.Faceſſat omnis impexus, illotus, inqinatuſ que ſermo, Away with all undecent, unwaſhed and defiled langage, Yea, to affright his Opponent from dealing further with him, he tels his Reader, that if he be called to unriddle his enigmatical expreſſions, and to produce a concealed deſcription, which he hath in ſinu…, he will, and he ſhal, and he muſt laugh, if he be not plane foreign, one that cannot laugh at all. But let him according to his own propoſal, publiſh apart from his Engliſh Diſcourſ, his Difficultie as it is in Latin conceived, together with the Anſwer to it in Latin entire, and his own Latin Replie as it is here, thereunto; and it may be, as Eraſmus reports of one whom Frier Eraſm. Eccleſ. lib. 3.Robert de Lycio had laid a wager with, that he would in a Sermon with his Oratorie draw tears from him; how he confeſſed indeed that he wept, but it was out of meer pittie, to conſider that one of his parts ſhould be ſo vain and looſe of life as he was: So his Reader may ſmile at leaſt to ſee the mans vain confidence, in ſuppoſing he had given anie good ſatisfaction in the matter debated, by ſuch a Replie; and it may be ſuch a Rejoinder may enſu thereupon, as without ſcurrillous ſqibs and ſcofs to move laughter, or excurſions into ſuch by-matters as concern not the preſent debate, may lay forth the inſufficiencie of his Replie, and ſhuffling aſide as impertinent, ſuch paſſages as concerned him to have replied unto; which how it may affect the Reader, I ſhal ſpare to ſpeak or to preſage.
Meane while, for ſatisfaction of his difficultie, I ſhall refer him to himſelf, in thoſe ten Reaſons, Notes, and Marks, ſufficientlie arguing for Scripture, as it came first from God, as himſelf Serm no Ser. p. 44-49.confeſſeth in that very Work, or Sermon, if it were a Sermon (to go no further) wherein it was by him at firſt propounded. All which ar as evident, and as conſpicuous, as wel in the the Engliſh and Latin, or anie other Tranſlation, as in the Origiginal either Greek or Hebrew, and may conſeqentlie convince a man of its divine Authoritie for the ſubject Matter, whereon our Faith is grounded, without anie ſuch exqiſite skil as he ſpeaks of either in the Greek or Hebrew, in which latter verie few of the Ancient Fathers, either of the Eaſtern or Weſtern Churches, whoſe Works ar yet extant, had anie great skil. And the Reader, for further and fuller ſatisfaction in the ſame Subject, I ſhal refer to that Religious, Laborious, and Judicions Servant of God Mr. Richard Baxter, in the Second Part of that his large, pious, accurate and uſeful Work, entituled, The Saints Eternal Reſt.
Yea, but to ſtop the mouths of all thoſe, that charge him with Poperie, he ſaith, that to ſay A man may be joyned in communion or union with the Church of Rome, and yet preach here as a Serm. no Ser. p. 220.Miniſter, is a moſtfalſ alarum, and the mad belowing of Enthuſiaſtical, and fanatical perſons, anſwerable to Presbyterian ignorance. He that wil joyn with Rome, muſt unrooſt here.
But Sir, howſoever you ar pleaſed to eſteem us Presbyterians as a dul companie of ſillie Ignoramuſſes, yet ar we not as yet ſo brutiſh or blockiſh, but, that taught even by Experience, the miſtries of Fools, we have lerned and found it too tru to our coſt, that manie, in theſe latter times eſpeciallie, exerciſing their Miniſterie among us (whereof one of late not far from me) have yet by their Doctrine and Practiſe ſhewed evidentlie enough, which way their hearts and affections inclined, and accordinglie, when they either were unrooſted, being put beſide their places, or had feathered their neſts, and ſaw their time, have ſlipt away and ſhipt hence, betaking themſelvs thither, where their heart was before; whereof ſome alſo not meeting with what there they expected, have returned over again hither to work more miſchief here. Yea, was not this Spalatenſis his caſe? did he not exerciſe his Miniſterie here in preaching and adminiſtring the Sacrament, to an Italian Auditorie, and with an Italian Congregation, as alſo in preaching divers times at Court, and that againſt ſome points of Poperie? labouring the whilſt underhand to reconcile Rome and us, not by drawing them to us, but by withdrawing and writhing us neerer to them; yea did he not rouſt among us a long time on a rich Deanrie, a fair Maſterſhip, and for ought I know, on a fat Parſonage, which falling vacant in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Winſor, he attempted at leaſt to …eiſe upon, and howſoever Dr. White therein oppoſed him, telling him, that there were four ſorts of men that undertook Paſtoral charges, quorum paſcere qidam nec volunt, n…c valent; qidam valent, ſed non volunt; qidam volunt, ſed non valent, qidam & valent & volunt; ſome that neither would nor could diſcharge them; ſome that could, but would not; ſome that would, but could not; ſome that both would and could; that in neither of the two firſt he would rank his Lordſhip, he doubted not of his good-will; in the laſt he could not; in the third he muſt needs, for our people were Engliſh, in which language, he could not ſpeak to them; yet he anſwered the Doctor, he would do as he, and ſome other of them did, ſubſtitute one that ſhould do it. Whether he carried it, or no, I cannot ſay, but having long continued his diſguiſe, though not ſo cunninglie, but that at ſometimes, and in divers things, by perſons intelligent, it was eaſilie diſcried; at length, when he ſaw his Cofers well crammed, and the way for his return cleered by the deceſſe of one Pope his back-frend, and entrance of another, who had been ſometime his familiar acquaintance, and having got leav with his bag and baggage to be gone, he then pluckt off his Viſard, laid his Mask aſ…de, and apparentlie diſcovered, eſpeciallie ſo ſoon as he was got over to the other ſide, what in heart he had formerlie been, while …e lay lurking, like a Snake foſtred in the boſome, or V…per encloſed and nouriſhed in the body and bellie of our Church.
And thus much ſhall ſuffice for the diſcovery of his good affection to Rome, and endevor to preſs a neceſſitie of adhering to ſome ſuch Church as they profeſs theirs to be, howſoever he profeſs that he is no Papiſt. For whereas he ſaith it is moſt falſ, which ſome have charged upon him, that he is reconciled to his Popiſh Prieſthood; It may well conſiſt with ought here related, there may need no reconcilement, if having brought it over with Anab Waſht. Chap. 42 p. 156him, as an indelible character, he ſtill retain it, as it ſeemeth he makes account, that he did, and doth; when by vertu, thereof, he braggeth that he hath power to diſpoſſes, and drive out devils, and cure ſtrange diſeaſes. For to this purpoſe toward the cloſe of his Sermon no Sermon; he tels his Hearers, that, Did the Witch cleav to them, or the Devil actuallie poſſeſs them; ſome ſtrange diſeaſe aſſalt them beyond the Phyſician, ſome lamneſs forſaken by the Surgeon cripple them; he might produce, not a Simon Magus with his Characters, or an Apollonius, &c. but a Page 245.poor Charactered man, to do ſomething for them in the Name of Chriſt, which is not according to Gods ordinarie courſe. Of which his vain pretenſion, and his freqent vaunts thereof being by letters minded and admoniſhed, he returns this Anſwer, The Charactered man you ſpeak of, gives God the glorie of thoſe Trials of his Character, which you contemn. And what Character is it, that pretends and profeſſes to have ſuch extraordinarie power and faculties annexed unto it, but the Character of a Popiſh Prieſt? which therefore he acknowledgeth ſtill to retain, tho he will not be ſo termed. Hence alſo it is, that howſoever he grant that manie Papiſts have miſled Scripture in their inconſiderate Ib. Chap. 35. p. 126.labouring to prov the ſingle life of the Prieſts to be of Divine Command; as alſo that ſome Prieſts were maried in the Ancient Greek Church, and the firſt Mariages of ſuch Serm no Serm. p. 229.perſons were allowable in that Church; Yet that himſelf being a member of the Weſtern Clergie, hath experimentallie foundlittle outward, and leſs inward comfort in Mariage. In which words Ibid.whether he do not manifeſtly intimate himſelf to be a member of the Clergy of that weſtern Church, which inhibites her Clergiemen mariage (that is in plainer Engliſh, a Romiſh or Popiſh Prieſt) and is therefore ſcrupled in his conſcience concerning his Mariage, I ſhall leav it to anie man of underſtanding to judge.Adv. Obj. 1. p. 421.
Again, albeit he proteſt ſolemnly in the ſight of God, that he is no Jeſuit, nor ever was; and that his heart is, and ever was An Waſht Chap 41. p. 150.extremely averted from the practiſes of pragmatical Jeſuits, and that he de fies, renounces, and abhors all the deceitful dealings of Jeſuits.
Yet am I well aſſured, that he cannot free himſelf from the juſt charge of practiſing Jeſuitical tricks, in ſending out his Emiſſaries, who (according to the Proverb in common uſe wi…h the Arabes, Qi afferunt ad te▪ auferunt â te, they that bring tales to thee, carrie tales from thee) to underfeel and undermine men, repair to them with counterfeit errands (which he denies not to E…pen Adag. Arab.have procured to be done) and return back from them fained anſwers, and falſreports, unleſſe they have been coine…, or forged rather by himſelf, and then fathered upon them.
He writes himſelf Rich. Carpenter Independent.Anabap Waſh Title Page.
And yet, againſt the Brethren of the Scotch Miſt, as he ſtyles them, iSerm no Serm. p. 67, 6….that with ſuch a noiſe exalt the perfection of their paritie, he maintains a Dependencie and ſubordination: as alſo he profeſſes to kAn. Waſh. Chap 8. p▪ 338.Believ (he hopes) with divine Faith, that Epiſcopacie is de jure Divino, and that lIbid. p. 339.Biſhops were inſtituted by Chriſt himſelf, and mIbid p. 331. chap 83.had ſublime Thrones, erected in Churches by Primitive Inſtitution; as alſo nIbid. 330.that there is a ſtrong neceſſitie of ſuch; and *Chap. 85. p 339.the Church of God being a well-ordered Army, is uncapable of a general paritie. Yea herein he runs on, or out rather, ſo far, as to avow that, in that ſaying of Jerome, oHi…ero…. Dial. adv. Lucif. Ibid. p. 339.Ubi non ſacerdos, non eſt Eccleſia; Where there is no Prieſt, there is no Church, by a Prieſt is moſt certainlie underſtood a Biſhop. Thus this miles glorioſus, like a ſecond Pyrgopolinices, hath with one blaſt of his breath unchurched, and blown away, all the Proteſtant Churches in France, the Netherlands, Geneva, and their Aſſociates, together with all the Congregations, whether Dependent or Independent, both in Old and New England, Scotland, and Ireland. And obſerv we here the mans extream partialitie, All the abuſes and abominations, blaſphemous and Prodigious Doctrines, Superſtitoius and Idolatrous practiſes, tho obſtinately retained and maintained in the Romiſh Synagog and in a General Convention of their chief Clergy-men by the Popes Autoritie aſſembled, and held, the moſt of them confirmed, with an Anathema to all thoſe that ſhall dare to impugn or oppoſe anie See Anab. Waſht. Cha. 4… p. 149.of them, ar not of force ſufficient to unchurch her, as this her Advocate avers, whereas the bare want of a Biſhop is with him ſufficient to unchurch all thoſe famous and faithful Churches of Chriſt, and Congregations of Gods people. And either he muſt be a Member ſtill, and a Prieſt of the Church of Rome, by his own grounds and grants, or elſe, for ought I ſee, of no Church at all.
Mean while, if we demand of him why he ſtyles himſelf Independent, as his frend Lilie ſaith concerning his aſſuming the Title of Merline, that he hopes anie man may name himſelf as he pleaſeth; Advert. Obj 5. p. 447.ſo makes he alſo in part anſwer, that whereas Hereticks and Schiſmaticks give him names at their pleaſure, he preſumes that he may have leav to name himſelf by what Name or Title he ſhall deſire to be modeſtlie called; but with all, telleth his Reader, That the chief Doctrines that he propoſeth, he will defend Ibid. p. 448.to have been formerlie defended and propoſed by the moſt lerned Divines in England, and now to be recommended to the people by the moſt popular Independents.
Thus then according to this Autors own Riddle of his Sermon no Sermon, may be ſaid of himſelf, that he is Papiſt, and no Papiſt; a Proteſtant, and yet not a Proteſtant; a Popiſh Prieſt, and no Popiſh Prieſt; Jeſuitical, and not Jeſuitical; Independent, Serm. no Serm. p. 231. Poſt…c…. p. 2.and not Independent; that which in ſome ſenſe he ſaith of himſelf, an Amphibious animal, or a Chimera, made up partlie of Papiſm, partlie of Proteſtantiſm, and partlie of Independencie.
In two things eſpeciallie he is juſt of the ſame ſtamp and temper with his frend Lilie, who hath good cauſe therefore to like him the better; And it was reported abroad that he had received money of Lilie to write in defence of him againſt my former Vindication; which being told him by a frend of mine, occaſionallie meeting him in the ſtreet, he acknowledged that he had been indeed lately with Lilie, who had ſpoken to him his pleaſure of me, but that he was reſolved not to write in defence of him, becauſe he knew his practiſe to be condemned in divers Councels, whoſe autoritie he regarged more then anie privat mans opinion. But howſoever behind Lilies back he give in his verdict thus againſt him, which peradventure he wil not do to his face, yet in ſome things he and Lilie ſo exactlie reſemble either other, that were their parentage uncertain, and were by conjecture to be gathered from their ſimilitude of diſpoſition and demeanure, they might well be deemed, like Pla…tus his Menechmi, to be gemini germani, two twins of one birth, or at leaſt, fratres uterini, both births of one bellie. The one good qalitie, wherein they ar ſo like either to other, is, that the manner of them both is rather to rail and revile, then by arguing and reaſoning to refel and refute: The other is, their extream malice and rage againſt the Presbyterian partie, the Genevan Diſcipline, and Calvin by name; both which may eaſilie appear of this latter (for of the other enough hath been ſaid and ſhewed alreadie, both in this, and in a former Diſcourſ) as well by that parcel of ſtuff, that his frend Lilie here preſents us with, as by other paſſages alſo abundantlie, yea luxuriantlie, in other his writings elſewhere.
It is a rule in the School, that Amor eſt odio prior, & odium Thom. Aqin ſum part. 1, 2. qeſt. 29 art 2.ex amore oritur, that Love ever goeth before hatred, and all hatred ſprings from Love. Therefore do wicked men hate God and his Law, becauſe they love themſelvs and their corruptions, which God by his Law doth croſs, controle, and endevor to courb; and it is by a grave Writer well obſerved, that men are many times eager againſt ſome, whom they either deem, or would have deemed delinqents, foreign, rather Plut▪ de irac▪ co…ib.out of ſelf-love, then anie hatred of evil, becauſe they ſtand in their way, or in their light, in regard of their ends and intereſts, or becauſe they oppoſe and thwart them in ſome corrupt courſes, that they are ſtronglie addicted to. And this ſeems to be the ground of this mans extream malice againſt the Presbyterian partie; he pretends indeed to hate them, as Gods enemies; but can he ſhew, wherein as Presbyterians they are ſuch? and in regard of ſuch abominable actions as he knows by them, but he tels us not Adv. Obj. 4. p. 439.what they are; but the main ground of the quarrel ſeems rather to be becauſe ſome profeſſed Presbyterians have aſſayed to diſcover ſome of his trains, or to deliver the matter in his own terms, becauſe Presbyterians as Presbyterians, have (as he dreems) been hurtful, and injurious to him; which what Engliſh Serm. no Serm. p. 225.to make of I know not well, unleſs his meaning be, that all the Presbyterians in the world have ſo delt with him; for he is not ignorant of the Axiom, qod convenit tali qatenus tale, convenit omni tali; and therefore his ſpleen is accordinglie ſuch againſt them all in general.
I remember to have read long ſince a ſaying in Jerome, tho in what work of his now I remember not; and it comes the oftner to my mind, becauſe I obſerv the practiſe of it ſo rife in affairs▪ as well publike, as private. Multi eliguntur, (and ſo praeferuntur) non ſui amore, ſed alterius odio, Manie are choſen (and ſo in choice preferred) not ſo much out of love, or good affection to them, as out of hatred and diſ-affection of ſome others, that ſtand either in oppoſition to them, or in competition with them. And juſt ſo is it with this man; He profeſſeth to hate Preſbyterians and Anabaptiſts as Gods enemies, with a perfect hatred; But the Presbyterians moſt eſpeciallie, whom to depreſs …bi ſupra p 439therefore, and debaſe as much as poſſiblie may be, he cares not whom he ſets up and prefers before them, Anabaptiſts, Schiſmatiks, Hereticks, and whom not? Againſt the Anabaptiſts he writes moſt bitterlie; and yet that he might not be deemed to caſt them behind the Presbyterians, Altho, ſaith he, I bind up the Anabaptiſts into this heterodox fardle, yet I engage my ſelf to Adv. Obj 5. p. 443.make it ſhine as the Sun, that manie Anabaptiſts are the propugners and maintainers of manie excellent and divine truths, and are more juſtifiable before God, and more ſufferable with man, then Presbyterians and ſtrict Calvinists.
Again, of Heterodox Sectaries, and Separatiſts thus; Brethren, It burns in my bowels▪ and I cannot hold it: Some called Separatiſts, and they are ſo, and more then ſo, as ſeparating Serm no Serm. p. 194.from the Church, not in Communion onelie, but in Faith alſo, are better marowed, and more Evangelical, then theſe Pulpit Ignes fatui, fooliſh Fiers, then theſe Teachers ex argilla & luto conficti, of dirt and clay. And that you may not miſtake him, or make doubt whom he means by theſe fooliſh flaſhes, and dirty Preachers, to let you know in plain terms, they are the Presbyterians and Calviniſts, whoſe Doctrine he had in moſt odious manner traduced and exagitated before, he ſubjoyns immediatlie this ſcoffing paſſage, which may well go for a ſpecimen of his myſterious Interpretation of Scripture. He that compares the Independents with the Presbyterians, compares the Nephilim, or Ibid p. 195Giants that made others to fall before them, with the Pygmey Archers on the Towres of Tyre. For the Presbyterian Archers have crawled up to the top of a little Tyre lerning; but the Giants independing of Tyres and Towres are ſo well grounded, that the P…gmies dare not come down to them, and meet them on eaven ground, and the Independents may cry and hollow it up to the Pygmies on the tops of their Towres, that the Presbyterians at the foreign, of the Septuagint, Monſters divided between Men and Aſſes; and the Satyres of the Engliſh Bible; and might plead with reaſon, that theſe Aſſes have formerlie drunk up the Moon. Thus, to curry favor with the Independents, whom he would fain cloſe with, he courts them. As for the Presbyterians, he can find no language foul, or broad enough to belch up againſt them, or ſpew out upon them; whom therefore in both his Rabblements fraught with Ribaldrie he bedawbs and beſpatters with theſe, and other the like Satyrical and ſcurrilous Titles, aSerm no Ser. page 273.Scotch Phariſees; bPage 110.Scotch Manichees; cPage 115.Scotch Barnacles; dPage 129.Scotch Balaks and Balaams with their ſpeaking Aſſes; ePage 67.Brethren of the Scotch Mist; fPage 98.Jockey Preachers; gAn. W. c 103. p 384.Tincking-toned Presbyters; hS no S p. 101new-found Pulpit men, black Knights of the blew Bonnet, that would tuck up all powers under a Geneva girdle; iPage 204.Pulpit Petifoggers, Saint-mouthd things, in a brown, or blew covering, *A. W. c. 26. p 90.low ſqare Knights of the round Hoop; kS. no S. p. 1. 191with a Montebank boldneſs, and tumbling devotion ſhewing tricks in a round Hoop; lPag… 112.Pulpit Meteors; mPage 1…9Jewiſh Cabaliſts; nPage 221.Kirk Sea-monſters; oPage 190▪ 191Hungrie Dogflies; pPage 188.Northern Locuſts; qPage 234.homeſpun Jeſuits; rPage 230. Adv. p. 427. Ser no Ser. p 111. Ibid p. 225.the Devils Janiſaries. Thus he, who reqires forſooth, as you heard before, of thoſe that deal with him, to forbear, and baniſh all undecent, foul, and filthie language; and yet would not have anie to be ſcandalized with theſe overgone, or overgrown expreſſions (ſo himſelf terms them) for ſo foul he ſaith, are theſe Presbyterians, that his tongu wants words, and colours to pencil them, and black is not black enough for them: Whom therefore he rejects as upſtarts, and as the cauſes of Iliads of Ills, and Myriads of miſchief. And of whom having firſt thus averred, not ſparing to abuſe Gods glorious name thereunto; What abominable actions, notoriouſly oppoſite both to Juſtice and Purity, have both City and Country diſcovered to Ibid. p. 230.me in the lives of Presbyterian Ministers, and my toung never yet received an order from my heart to tell them; the glorie of God thereafter may command a diſcoverie; he thereupon addreſſeth himſelf unto them in theſe terms; Go then, ye Presbyterian Page 226.Miniſters, with your lyes of Defence, lyes of Offence, whole lyes, half lyes, qarter lyes; lyes with heds, but not with feet; with feet, but not with heds; lyes with neither hed nor feet; lies that are all bellie; ſhort lyes, long lyes, lyes of a middle ſize; lies whiſpered, and loud lyes; lyes of any bredth, of any length, of any bigneſs, a ly that plays or ſings the Tenor, a mean ly, and a baſe ly; lys of all ſorts, of all colors, of all faſhions; a ly, will ye buy? lyes that ſtill and ever ly, and never ly ſtill. And is not this down-right ranting, and raving with a witneſs? or is not the man, think we, not ſtaring, but ſtark mad? yea ſo far gone, that as much of the drug he preſcribes to the Claſſical Aſſes, as all Anticyra is able to afford, will ſcarce bring him into his right wits again? An. W. Cha. 41. p. 149.He tels us, that The violent motions of Spirit Jeſuitical and Presbyterian cannot be of God. And whence, think we then, are theſe motions of the Spirit? but to ſalv this, and ſave himſelf, he asks elſewhere, Is there not a godlie violence, and a religious vehe mencie? But how little of God, or of Religion in all this, Serm. no Serm. p. 111.letanie ſay, that is trulie godlie, and ſincerelie religious.
Ad hereunto his Lucian-like Dream, how one in his ſleep thought he ſaw the Presbyterian come dancing in a Mask with his Puediſh An. waſh. chap. 88. p 361.in his hands, and our Gib Anabaptiſt as round as a hoop dancing to him, grapling with him, pulling it from him, and furiouſlie daſhing it againſt the ground: And the interpretation of the Dream, That the Presbyterians have ſtamped and hiſſed away the uſe and virtu of the Sacraments, and the Anabaptiſts Ibid. p. 262.have folowed them at the heels with a trip.
Ad alſo, that abſurd, immodeſt; unſavorie and irreligious ſcof, wherein playing upon the word Kirk, not peculiar to the Scots, but common with them to the Dutch high and low, beſide others, and framed from the Greek word foreign, Gods-houſe; but he would have derived from foreign, a tail, and abuſing the terms uſed in the Greek verſion of the ſacred Hymn; he ſaith of theſe black Knights of the blew Bonnet (as you heard him before ſtile thhem) that David gives a fair-foul Image of ſuch Night-Ravens, Pag. 101. Pag. 102.Pſal. 11. 2. when he ſaith, they ſhoot, as the Septuagint, foreign or as another would interpret it, in Scoticis tenebris, in the Scotch darknes of their ſouls. (Is not this a moſt deteſtable abuſe of Gods Oracles? yet he adds) He that wil pleaſe Pag. 104.himſelf with this Northern point, may cheerfullie do it, and yet not over-act. For they creep out of their holes in the darkeſt night, and run here and there in great multitudes, like that living and buſie duſt on a Piſmire-hil; everie where carrying their Kirk behind them, that is, their foreign, their uglie tail, which they wag and fawn upon the ſillie dul-eyed people, that kn…w not a hed from a tail, with ſhaking the Kirk, the foreign of all Churches, which they would ſet over the Hed, even to the ruin of thouſands. And this ſcurrilitie ſo pleaſed him, that he muſt needs have it up again afterward with a further abſurd toy annexed to it, where he ſaith, The Scotch Imp in his Pag. 171.Pulpit-fort drives furiouſlie in the qeſt of gain, foreign a tail, which putteth me in mind of the Kirk, is allied n…erlie to foreign vain lucre.
I remember, that while I lived in the Citie, there was one Hen…ch Clapham, that had been ſometimes a Separatiſt at Amſterdam; but afterwards coming over and pretending to be converted by Judge Anderſon a profeſſed enemie to all Puritans, became then as furious a Preacher and Writer againſt the Presbyterians See his Chro…ological Diſcourſ, and his Satyrical Dialogues.as ever he had been againſt the Prelates before, as wel in the Pulpit, as in his Pamphlets; whatſoever the ſubject matter was otherwiſe, juſt in the ſame manner as this man doth, ever anon ſcoffing and girding at them. And his ſcurrillous carriage in this kind growing ſo groſs and unſufferable, that he came at laſt to be convented in the High Commiſſion Court, B. King, when he was to paſs his cenſure upon him, ſpake to this effect, that there were two ſorts of people that juſtlie deſerved a ſharp and ſevere cenſure, the one was of thoſe that brought the Pulpit upon the ſtage, the other of thoſe that brought the Stage into the Pulpit; and theſe latter (in which rank he reckoned the partie then to be cenſured) were well worthie of as deep a brand as the former. And trulie in either of theſe kinds, which the Biſhop obſerved, Mr. Carpenter hath not failed to play his part. In the former when he was among the Papiſts and Jeſuits abroad; For ſo himſelf informs us, that when he made a Latin Play among the Jeſuits, he acted the part of a Miniſter, and preached upon the ſtage (telling us Exper Hiſt, & divin. lib 2. chap 5. p. 253.with all on what Text he preached) moving exceſſive laughter at …veri… word; as alſo, that at Rome he compoſed a Play of a mixture of Engliſh and Latin (ſuch as his Sermon no Sermon Ibid.is) wherein he p…r…onated a Miniſter, much prophaning the words and phraſes of holie Scripture: And again, that at Rome Lib. 5 chap. 7. p 245.he acted the part of a Miniſter, a Chang…ling, a T…rk, and a Devil, all in one Comedie of his own compoſing; whether the ſame with the former, or ſome other, he ſaith not. But thus ye ſee how he brought the Pulpit upon the ſtage, when he was among Papiſts. W…ll ye ſee how he brings the ſtage into the Pulpit, now he is among Proteſtants? To what you had before, take further theſe few paſſages; Search into your boſomes, O ye men of the Pulpit, ye Jockie Preachers. And, They ſhould leav a… Peru Serm no Serm. p 98.the Monkeys, and Apes, with their bad faces of their own making, and the Parat with his vain Tautologies and Repetitions. Qam tandem haec, Tragoedia an Comoedia dicam, habitura Page 100.eſt Cataſtrophen? I cannot ſtay here, majora molior. Qaſi aliud agens, as treating of holie things, and looking (good Man, Ibid.ſweet Man…, heavenlie man) an other way, or towards Heaven, he wounds the Superior Powers with collateral ſenſes as with ſide-blows, and in everie Sermon, for penurie of ſound matter, damps the void and aerie brains of the people with high reaſons and buſineſſes of State. Again, Theſe New-found Pulpit-men, Page 101.Black-Knights of the Blew-bonnet, well, feathered outwardlie, but Adamites in underſtanding hope devoutlie, that verie Atlas will run away, and the Heaven of Superioritie and Government, with all the Larks in the Aier, come down to them. And, They Page 105.uſe the white Geneva Wand in their Hands, as Pallas doth in Homer, who makes wondrous ſport with Ulyſſes a little man; he is now ſmal, wrinkled ragged, and torn, and ſcarcely tru, but ſhe having graciouſlie touched him with her white Wand, he is now again tall, and of a goodlie favor and Perſonage. And now the gallant man hath hair of a violet, purple, or sky-color, and the verie ſame is a ſin and no ſin, as theſe trime Saints are (it is their own ſweet phraſe) conſcientiouſlie moved to teach that day. And the ſame Text and Sermon onelie new vampt are fitted for a new leg and walking, and ſtretched, as teeth, and all being put to them for the retriving of a contrarie purpoſe, with a little handling of the matter betwixt; Verilie, even ſo it is, dear brethren, there is Scripture for it: And, Verilie, my dear brethren, Is it not ſo, there is Scripture to the contrarie, even the Scripture uſed formerlie by our Adverſaries. And thus the miſerable people, tho they hear contrarie ſounds from their mouths, yet hearing ſtill the ſame ſound from their Noſes, are themſelves led by the Noſe. Again, Telling me from a Pulpit Page 1…8.in the air, to which I muſt look up, as if the Pulpit-men came even now from heaven, of Humilitie, &c. and bringing about at everie half turn, Our glorious God (for ſo they call him) Jeſus Chriſt, the Saints, the Lord Jeſus be with all your Spirits. And, to heap up no more of this traſh, one paſſage more onelie, Theſe wodden Preachers are as thoſe uſeleſs fallings of the wood exerciſed with the Saw. Might I not juſt lie fire at them with a Sarcaſm? O ſad and bad concluſion of their, Ah Lord, Dear Father, holy God, Father, of all their ſpeaking good in the Scoth tone, and their praying God to do good to this people. O Images of wax, ſuch as Witches make to miſchievous ends, call ye this your improving your intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt? Lord help us; Might I not righteouſlie compare theſe men of Clouts with the religious Mountebank in Bromiardus, &c. for I am werie of tranſcribing, and ſo will my Readers, I doubt, be of reading ſo much of this illfavored ſtuff, the reliqs, it may be of that ſcurrilous language that he uſed upon the Stage, when he perſonated there our Miniſters, and from thence he now brings into the Pulpit. Sure had he ever ſeriouſlie repented him of his acknowledged prophane abuſe of Gods Word, and jeering his Miniſters in ſo irreligious and atheiſtical a manner, as himſelf relates, he would never have let the reins looſe to his tongue, to run out at randome again in the ſame kind, much leſs in the Pulpit. I was ſometime ſaying, in regard of ſome paſſages, that this piece of his was not unlike to ſome of Oliver Maylards Poſtils. But the truth is, that both this his Sermon no Sermon, and that other his Waſhing Bowl, are no other then as Satyrae Menippeae, or ſome of Ariſtophanes his Comoedies with the Interlocutions, or as the Ludi Feſcennini, in which they did è plauſtro convicia fundere, full of girds, and ſqibs, and ſcoffes, and jeers, and ſcurrilous expreſſions, and Satyrical excurſions, as of one rather acting a part or varietie of parts and perſons (as he ſaith at Rome he ſometime did) upon a Stage, then ſeriouſlie and religiouſlie delivering Gods Oracles, and ſoberlie debating Matters of Faith, and ſuch as concern Mans eternal welfare
But to draw towards an end, of this unpleaſing and unſavoury Subject. In the cloſe of his Firſt Alarm againſt the Presbyterians, or his Sermon no Sermon, inter alia, he thus ſubſcribes it, By me Richard Carpenter, not a Papiſt, but a Proteſtant; but not protesting againſt ought, that is foreign in anie Chriſtian Church, whereſoever, or whatſoever; who likewiſe utterlie diſclaim, that I am or ever was, or will be, Jeſuit from Rome, or from Geneva. As if Calvin, Farel, Viret, Beza, and their ſucceſſors in the Miniſterie and Church-Government at Geneva, were all no other then Jeſuits, and not unfit to be ranked and ranged among, or yoked at leaſt with Romiſh Jeſuits. And as he concludes that his Firſt Alarm againſt Preſbyterians; ſo begins he his Waſhing of the Anabaptist, which he might as well have intituled his Second Alarm againſt them. For in the Frontiſpiece of it, (wherein he preſents us with his own Portraiture) he ſets on the top of the Page, the Jeſuit Lionmouthed; and cloſe by him the Presbyterian Dragon-tounged; for ſo himſelf expounds the figure. And again in an Advertiſement, ſub-joyned to the main bod…e of his Book, towards the latter end of it, to ſhew how implacablie he is diſpoſed toward this Presbyterian partie, he thus defies them, and denounces War againſt them, ſtill yoaking and conjoyning them with Jeſuits; I. R. C. Sacerdos ſummi Dei (ſome ſecond Melchiſedek belike foreign …o ſtyled) denounce a holie, ſcholaſtical, literarie War, againſt all pragmatical Jeſuits, and againſt all factious Geneva Jeſuits.
But his literarie War we need little to regard, eſpeciallie conſidering what manner of weapons he fights with. There is one thing more that I ſhall adde, and there an end; yea there would be an end, had theſe men (his frend Lilie and he) their wils, when they had made an end of us. For howſoever, of the ordinarie Anabaptiſts, he ſaith, tho he be ſorie to ſay it, that they An Waſ Chap. …01 p. 374.ſpeak nothing but Fire and Halters, and Puniards to all that endevor to try them, and their opinions; yet he being no man of bloud, he finds it checkerd in his Ordination, that he may not yeeld anie concurrence to the ſhedding of bloud; And indeed in Ibid. p. 372.that Worthie Councel ſo much craked of for the Popes uncontrolable power, ſaid to be held under Pope Sylveſter at Rome, there is a Canon inhibiting anie Clerk to enter into anie Court, Act 2. Can 16.qia omnis curia à cruore eſt dicta (and yet for all that they can find out ways and wiles enow thereby to ſhed blood in abundance, and ſo did when time was among us, notwithſtanding their Ordination) and he deſires therefore only to have them fairlie convinced …i…. p. 374.of their foul errors by Argument: Yet concerning the Presbyterians, that he may ſhew his concurrence in depth of malice with his frend Lilie againſt them; as the one cals for a general maſſacre of them, ſo the other in his Sermon no Sermon, having ſpoken, as I have formerlie related, of the Church of Englands fourth and laſt iſſu, the poor and bare beggarlie Preſbyter, left by his mother to ſhift for himſelf, he is ſo liberal to him as to beqeath him ſuch a Legacie, as his good frend Lilie would be verie loath ſhould be withheld from him; I leav, ſaith he, theſe hungry Preachers (his Picture indeed ſhews him to be Page 180.none of thoſe ſtarvlings, but to be fat, and well fed) as I found them, tearing all with their Kites feet, and Eagles claws, or as I have hunted them, untill I find them as the crafty Fox hung up in the Warren by the teeth, with ſelf-induſtrie, among the ded vermin: So that had theſe men the ſword in their power, and the halter in their hands, we might eaſilie deem what the Presbyterians doom and lot were like to be; what he ſaith the Anabaptiſts ſpeak, would too ſoon in likelihood be put in execution; for how poor a curb the Popiſh Ordination is to keep men from being bloodie-hearted, and bloodie-handed, the examples of Gardiner, Bonner, and the main bodie of the Popiſh Clergie in thoſe Marian times here among us; as alſo of the late ſavage and prodigious butcheries and maſſacres exerciſed and executed in Ireland of late, wherein the Roman Clergie were prime both incendiaries and actors, will over-evidentlie evict. And might it not juſtlie make people to ſuſpect, that there was ſome Munſterian buſineſs under-hand abrewing amongſt us, when theſe two Aſſociates, the one a Star-gazing Wizard, who pretends his Dictates to be taken out of the Celeſtial Records, and to be not ſo much uncertain Predictions asundoubted Propheſies, dares to call for a general maſſacre of the Presbytery, yea indeed of the Miniſterie: And the other a Characterd Prieſt, a moſt bitter Traducer, and utter Renouncer of our Presbyters and Preachers, as no other, nor better then the Devils Ianiſaries, leſs juſtifiable before God, and ſufferable among men, then ſome of the worſt ſort of Separatiſts, and Sectaries, dares profeſs to expect to ſee what the former calls for, to be put in execution? We want not thoſe that preach, that no thorough Reformation can be, untill our preſent Miniſterie be wholie removed, and the qickeſt and ſureſt, tho the ſafeſt, I dare not ſay, way would be, not by throwing them al out, as ſome it may be have deemed, but by taking them all away in ſuch manner as theſe men ſuggeſt and expect.
For herein Lilie, and this his intimate friend concur and accord, that as Lilie, howſoever he pretend a diſaffection to the Preſbyterian partie onelie, yet his malice extends it ſelf unto the main bodie of our Miniſterie, nor can he ſo conceale it and keep it in, but that in ſome paſſages it hath broken out, and bewrayed what lay inwardlie ſmothered in his heart. In like manner is it with this man; tho he ſet up the Presbyterie as a Mark or But at which to level and diſcharge his virulent ſhot, and envenomed ſhafts, yet his aims and intentions ar far wider and of larger extent, and do now and then diſcover themſelvs, in glances at our Miniſters and Preachers in general, ſuch of them eſpeciallie, as ar eager and zealous for ſound pietie, and againſt Poperie; that which as in divers other places, whereof ſome above mentioned, plainlie enough appears, ſo moſt palpablie toward the end of his Sermon no Sermon, where giving Directions to a Chriſtian ſoul, what courſ to take for its ſafetie, he uſeth theſe words, Say to the fleſh, Thou art meer birdlime; to the world, Go dirt; to the Devil, I have too long Pag. 135.been thy ſlave. Say to theſe Preachers, ye are ignavum pecus, a dul kind of cattle, ye have lerned a tumbling trick with the lip and tongue; but for action, you know not the behavior of zeal, humilitie, charitie, or of anie tru virtu; and I will rather ire ad genua praetereuntium, beg my bread of all others (or as his Latin imports, at the knees of paſſengers, in the moſt abject manner by the high-way ſide) then cloſe with you. Thus as out of extream hatred to the Scotch Presbyterie, he ſolemnlie profeſſeth, that whereas in the old Orders of Baptiſm, the Catechumenus did firſt publicklie make his Abrenunciation of the Devil and all his works, with his face turned towards the Pag. 1 Po.Weſt: for me (ſaith he, for ye ſhall have it in his own terms to a tittle) I will ſpeak it aloud, nec comprimam me, Be I fancied an Energumenus, Competens, Catechumenus, or Neophyte, or what men of low knowledge pleaſe to ſcribble me in their fancies; I will utterlie renounce the Devil and all his works, while our moſt merciful God continues to me the commerce of breath betwixt the Air and this my mortal bodie, with my face turned toward the North. So here out of a parallel affection and diſpoſition of heart and mind towards our Miniſterie, he would have our Preachers by every Chriſtian ſoul renounced and abandoned together with the Fleſh, the World, and the Devil. How like Lilie to a hair? So that as himſelf relates of one, that after the view of one of his Books, he ſaid no more of it but onelyonly wrote on it, Spalatenſis; ſo of theſe two, out of which moſt here hath been extracted, no more needs to be ſaid, ſave to write upon either of them, Lilie.
Thus having done ſomewhat more, I ſuppoſe, then M. Lilie looked for, and more it may be then he deſired, more at leaſt then he reqired; I ſhall come at length to grant his bown, and to give my Reader in as good Engliſh as I may, what he out of Mr. Carpenter hath preſented him with in Latin.
The Epiſtle it ſelf is at the latter end of his later Work. The Inſcription of it, as Lilie gives it, To the Lunatik and Chimerical Claſſes, which term of Claſſis, he elſwhere ſaith is a diſmal and odious Name. In it (as Mr. Lilie tells you) he tells the Claſſical men, that they are fraud, a lye, emptineſs, an Idol. Again, infected, unpoliſhed Phyſicians, exact Aſſes, and Claſſical Aſſes; and towards the end, taking his leav of them. You of the Calviniſtical Sect, a Sect diſſected, ſubſected, and reſected; I wiſh you together well in your wits, and your pates with Ellebore throughlie purged.
Thus, have I fulfilled Mr. Lilies reqeſt, the rather that foreign, ex fimbria de text…, by thoſe thrums and threds that he hath pickt and puld out of it, and by thoſe ſnips and ſhreds, which as for paterns he hath pared of it, the Reader may judge of the whole piece, what manner of ſtuffe it is; for it is in this regard eavenlie wrought, all the Epiſtle of the verie ſame tenor, à capite ad calcem, from the one end to the other; whom alſo for the ſame purpoſe I have the more liberallie preſented with ſome more then good ſtore of his chips, that by them he may lern what kind of timber it is, whereof the main frame and fabrick of his out-works raiſed and reared againſt the Presbyterian partie doth conſiſt.
To conclude all; I ſhall take the boldneſs in all Chriſtian ſubmiſſion to addreſs my ſelf unto thoſe Powers that are in higheſt Autoritie with us. Unto whom mine humble ſuit and earneſt reqeſt ſhall be, that they would be pleaſed, not ſlightlie, but ſeriouſlie and adviſedlie to weigh and conſider, whether it wil… ſtand with the Honor of the State, to ſuffer a ſolemn Aſſemblie called together for Advice in Eccleſiastical Affairs by the Parliament of England, when it was in its prime, and conſiſting not of ſuch Miniſters of the word onelie, as were by them well eſteemed, but of divers choice members alſo, out of either Houſe, as well that of Lords, as that of Commons, ſelected, to be termed, a Flea-bitten Synode, an Aſſemblie of Royſton Crows, or Friers of both Orders, black and grey, by a baſe Varlet, that lives by cheating of people. For in qoting of it with approbation, he makes it his own. And as for the Autor of it, his Satyres (it ſeems) dance in the dark, as the Autor of Fur paedeſtinatus ſaith the Dancers, do at Geneva; whereas this fellows Merlins Fly abroad in open daylight; yea, if the father and breeder of them may be believed, flye out over ſea, into all parts of the world, to the diſhonouring of our Nation, by that ribaldrie, wherewith they are ſo full fraught, in all States and Churches (thoſe among the reſt ſo notoriouſlie traduced and abuſed in them) wherſoever they arrive. As alſo that it may be dulie and deeplie pondered, whether it be in like manner conſiſtent with the Honor of our State, to ſuffer that Eccleſiaſtical Goverment, that was not onlie by the vote of the major part of that Aſſemblie recommended to the Parliament as agreeable to Gods word, and by joynt conſent of both Houſes ſo approved of, and ſetled in ſome places neereſt at hand with us, and that before thoſe exorbitant courſes that of late have been charged upon them; but that is alſo eſtabliſhed in the Dutch and French Reformed Churches, and that of Geneva, with thoſe other adjacent, and in joynt combination with it, and hath with allowance of publike Autoritie, even in the greateſt height of Epiſcopacie, been exerciſed in thoſe foreign Congregations among us; and not ſo manie Reverend, painful, and faithful Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, and his Goſpel, of our own onelie, but ſuch alſo in foreign parts as the Lord hath ſo far forth vouchſafed to honor and grace, as to make them chief Inſtruments of demoliſhing the Kingdome of Antichriſt, and of purging the Churches, both at home by their Miniſterie, and elſwhere abroad alſo by their ſavourie writings, and wholeſome advice, and whoſe Names are precious in all godlie mens minds; to ſuffer, I ſay, ſuch Churches, ſuch Church-government ſuch Miniſterie, ſuch Ministers, to be ſo immodeſtlie, ignominiouſlie, ſcurrilouſlie, ſatyricallie, opprobriouſlie, and contumeliouſlie traduced, by a couple of I know not well what I ſhould term them, ſcoffing Lucians, ſure I may, a common Cheater the one, an amphibious, as in ſome ſenſe he terms himſelf, an amphibolous (I am ſure at leaſt) creature, the other; and, if I might preſume ſo far, to have it at leaſt thought upon, whether the Agents for thoſe States and Churches that are thus notoriouſlie abuſed, might not in juſtice and equitie reqire to have ſuch ſcandalous writings paſs the fire by the Hang-mans hand, and ſome kind of reparation for the wrong therein done them from the Autors of them, as being ſuch ſlanderous traducers, and notorious abuſers of their Miniſters and Miniſterie. But this with the whole Addreſs I ſhall leav to the pious and prudent conſideration of thoſe whom it concerneth, therein to deal, as they ſhall deſire to have their own good names preferved, and perſons by God protected, for the procuring whereof one hopeful way may be, by the vindicating and righting of thoſe Gods faitful ſervants that are wronged in either kind.