An Epitome, Title page – To the reader
AN EPITOME OR BRIEFE DISCOVERIE, FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE Ending, of the many and great Troubles that Dr. Leighton ſuffered in his Body, Eſtate, and Family, for the ſpace of twelve years and upwards.
Wherein is laid down the cauſe of thoſe Sufferings; namely that Book called Sions Plea againſt the Prelacie, together with the warrantable Call that he had to the work: And alſo, the hard and heavie Paſſage of the Prelates proceedings againſt him, in the high Commiſſion, and Star-Chamber.
And laſtly, their invective ſpeeches in the ſaid Court of Star-Chamber; from the Impeachment whereof, and the Accuſations charged upon him, he vindicates himſelf by a juſt Defence.
To you it is given in the behalf of Chriſt, not only to beleeve on him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake,
Phil. 1.29.
Theſe are they which came out of great tribulation, &c.
Rev. 7.14.
Tot mala ſum paſſus, quae ſi comprendere.
LONDON, Printed by I. D. 1646.
TO The Right Honourable, the Lords Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes, of the Court of PARLIAMENT.
Right Honourable, and high Councell of State,
AS I acknowledge it a rich mercy from God, that he hath accounted me worthy, (though unworthieſt of my ſelfe) to ſuffer any thing for the Name of Chriſt; *Acts. ….ſo this addeth to the ſetting off the ſufferings, that by your Order, and under your Authority (Right Honourable) this Epitomie thereof (and but an Epitomie) is publiſhed to the view of all, many of whom, yet alive, were Eye-witneſſes to my nflictions. And as it was a part of Pauls happineſſe (though a priſoner) to plead before Aggrippa, *Acts 26.2.ſo I account it a ſingular favour, that you (more expert then Aggrippa in the Truths of Chriſt,) have heard pleaded, and adjudged me and my Cauſe, with ſo full and ſatisfactory a Judgment, that nothing can be added, but Execution: And therefore with humble and hearty thankes, give me leave further to intreat your Honours, that with Chriſt, and for Chriſt, you would finiſh the Work that the Father hath given you to doe, *John 17.4.And for my particular, as you have broke my bonds, and brought my Weather-beaten Bark to Shore, ſo I am confident, you will not ſuffer me to periſh in the Haven, Nam turpe laborantem deſeruiſſe in portu non fraginum facere.
To the compaſſionate Reader.
AS thou had'ſt a Simpathy in my ſufferings; ſo thou enjoyeſt a ſhare of my deliverance: The ſervants in the Parable, when they ſee how cruelly their fellow-ſervants were uſed, even by a Fellow-ſervant, as it is ſaid, they were very ſorry, and came and told their Lord all that was done. *Matth. 8.31.So according to the Application, when you did ſee and heare, *Clem: Alex: lib.hat unparalleld inflict…ons were done upon me in bitterneſſe of ſoule, you went to God, the Father of Spirits, and with many teares and ſupplications laid out the Matter before him; neither was it in vain, for your prayers and tears were ſtronger thou Jeremies Rags to pull me out of the Dungeon. Now this Book is not only libri mentis, as one of the Antients*ſicut frumentum gemin… molarum opere curatum, Hyer. ſpeaketh of Bookes. Fut it is alſo libri afflictionem, & mentis & corporis, the Off-…pring of Affliction, both of Body and Mind: Let the uſe of it be three-fold, for me, for you, and for the Afflictors, ſo many as live; For my ſelf, as I muſt labour in thankfulneſſe to be (as a Father ſpeaks) *Heb. 12.10.like the Wheat that comes from between the two Mill-ſtones, tryed, and purified. Or with Paul, *Prov. 23.2….more and more partaker of his holineſſe. In you, it may ſtirre up confidence, and reſolution, to buy the truth at the deareſt rate, and not to ſell it. The Gold of Ophir cannot equall the gain of ſufferings for Chriſt; As no man knowes the ſweetneſſe, joy, and honour, that are in fighting the Lords Battels, but he that hath been in the Field; ſo I way ſay (though it may ſeem a paradox, Here are Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thiſtles. Laſtly, it may be of uſe to my Tormentors, ſo many as live, or at leaſt to ſome of them; of whom, I ſay from my heart, O! that they might live. If theſe men have not caſt off Man, in regard of this Treatiſe all ſprinkled with Blood; they cannot but relent: If they would act Zacheus his part, humble confeſſion, and due ſatisfaction; They might dave aſhare in Zacheus his Portion. But if againſt God and Man, they will ſtand out without Bowels towards my neceſſities, and repairing of my wrongs; then I deſire them to take notice of that ſpeech of the Apoſtle,2 The ſ. 1.6. that the righteous God will recompence Tribulation to thoſe that trouble his. For the Spirit calls it a righteous thing ſo to doe, and that righteous God in part hath done it; And though the Lawes of God and Man call for revenge of Innocent Blood; yet I refer that to them, to whom God hath committed the Sword.
An Epitome, or briefe Deſcription of Doctor Leightons troubles, for the ſpace of twelve yeares, and upward.
AS the*Iustin. …is…. lib. 6. pag. 114 Ancients of Sparta oppoſed themſelves ſtrenuouſly in the gates of their Citie, againſt the whole Theban Army, under the conduct of Epaminondas, intending to ſurpriſe the City: ſo ſome of the better ſort, both of City and Countrey, came to my houſe at Blacke-friers, deſiring my adviſe concerning the preſentment of their grievances to the high Court of Parliament then being, in Anno 1628. and that by way of Petition. In the generality of the ſubject whereof all did agree; namely, the Prelates, who looked like nothing more then the ſurpriſers, yea and ſackers of the Church and State; and that in a more cruell and unnaturall manner, then the Thebans did againſt the Spartans, and under a more impious and bloudy leader, namely, the Man of Sinne, then was that noble and generous Generall Epaminondas: but in the particular extent or degree of inlarging their defires they varied: Some would have the power of the High Commiſſion abated, ſome a mitigation of the preſſing of the Ceremonies, ſome, that the Miniſters might not be ſo inſlaved; ſome, that the tyranny of their Courts, troubling of people, and exacting of Fees, might be taken courſe with; but the queree comming to me, my ſimple opinion was right down, for Extirpation of the Prelates, with all their Dependances, and Supporters: my reaſons againſt that courſe was, that the lopping of the branches had done no good, the ſtriking at the roote, would make all fall together. Fruſtrafit per plura, quod fieri potest per pauciora: Many workes in one ſaves labour. They deſired me to frame the Petition, which I deſired rather ſhould be done by ſome other, but at their requeſt I ſet upon it, and in two houres I drew up that Decade or ten Poſitions, the ſubject of the Booke. Which Poſitions containe the reaſons of my advice. That night wee met according to appointment, where the Poſitions being read, they told me, if I could, and would prove thoſe, I ſhould exceedingly deſerve of the Church and State. I replyed, that I could not attend it by reaſon of my Calling; ſome other might be found both more able and better fitted with helps; I was almoſt ſplit upon a former imploiment, and none to hale me to ſhoare. Laſtly, I conceived I ſhould have more fiſts about mine eares then mine owne, if that worke came to light; but notwithſtanding of all theſe feares and doubts, their importunity and my willingneſſe, (though in much weakeneſſe) to bring any thing to the Publique Cauſe, prevailed with me, and I framed up the proofes, which being peruſed, gave full ſatisfaction: they deſired me to goe beyond the Seas, and publiſh it; which I told them, I neither could, nor would doe, without the review, and approbation of the Godlieſt, Learnedſt, and moſt judicious of the Land, both Miniſters, and others: by ſuch parties the thing being approved, ſome whereof were Parliament-men, I deſired their hands to it, which they freely granted, yea (as I confeſſed in my Examination to the Atturney Generall) I had 500. hands to it. Away I went, and publiſhed it beyond Seas, being both a chargeable and painfull peece; and becauſe ſome might think that I might ayme at gaine, if any did ſo, they might anſwer themſelves, the fiery heate of the Worke would burne up the gaines; but to anſwer more directly, I profeſſe I had in all but 50 pound of ſome private friends for the defraying of all charges, which was but a poore pittance of that which it coſt me; beſides, mine owne charges, the thing it ſelfe coſt me triple, to haſten it to the Parliament, beſides the intermiſſion of my calling. And being done, the Parliament had two of them ſent over by a friend; but the Parliament being diſſolved, I ſhut up ſhop till a better time; but fearing to come over (for the Prelate had his Spies there) I gave order to my wife to put away my houſe, and houſe-hold-ſtuffe, which was done to our great detriment: but in July following I came over, we ſet up houſe againe, which being ſcarſe fully furniſhed; and wherein I had not been above ſix weekes, when on the 17. of February 1629. comming out of Blacke-friers Church, Croſſe and Tomlins two High Commiſſion Purſevants, with many others with them, by an High Commiſſion Warrant, attached mee, and dragged me with great force and violence to London-houſe, where I remained untill 7. of the Clocke. When the Prelate returned from Fulham with Doctor Corbet in his Coach; Croſſe made a ſhew to bring me before the Prelate, but he meant it not, for they carryed me through a ſubterranean-way, opening up a doore (as they ſaid) not opened ſince Queene Maryes daies, and having brought bolts to put upon me, they carried me with an huge multitude of Bills, and Staves, to Newgate; in the entry whereof they had almoſt kill'd my Wife: and there they caſt me into A naſty Dog-hole, full of Rats, and Miee, no light almoſt but from the uncovered Roofe, no place but the ruines of an old chimney for fire, affoording me neither meat, drinke, nor bedding; ſo that I had been betweene the Tueſday at night, and the Thurſday at noone, without food. Two doores were ſhut upon me, and none ſuffered to come at mee. The ſumme of all this is in my Petition to the High Court of Parliament, and alſo in my Anſwer to the Star-chamber Bill.