An Epitome, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
SEcretary Cook fell upon the Point of Iure Divino. and citing Lane ſius his Agency for the Pope, in the Councel of Trent againſt that Tenet; he was forced by the truth (as the hearers ſaid) to acquit the defence of Iure Divine. I will paſſe the reſt and come to the declamations, or rather exclamations of the two Prelates, Dr. Laud and Dr. Neile, from whom, and by whom, the whole hu…neſſe was driven along.
To begin with Dr. Laud; then B. of London, the foreign or great and angry B. indeed with a dangerous ſting. After the Judges and others had ſpoken, hee fell on with a diſcourſe of almoſt two houres long; with which (as ſome ſaid) all the Hearers were wearied. But paſſing the Particulars of his Apologetick Preface; and alſo the bittereſt of his invective Charge againſt me, and my Book, wherein he invented much choller and little truth. I will onelyonly point at ſuch particulars of his Charge, as at the very relation wherof, truth ſhall be ready to acquit me, in the judgment of all ingenuity. In generall he ſaid, it was the moſt falſe, ſeditious and inhumane Pamphlet that he had ever ſeen, comparing it with others of that kind as he called them. Further, he accuſed me of Blaſphemy, of High Treaſon, and other Nominals; none of which he could prove; of all which, I have quit my ſelf ſufficiently, I hope in my Anſwer to I. R. his Accuſation; and alſo in mine Anſwer to the Information.
He told the Court of another Book done by me, called the Looking-Glaſſe of the Holy where, which he confeſſed, was ſomewhat milder; yet notwithſtanding, his late Majeſty King Iames would have hanged him (ſaid he) if he could have been found. And that I went over the houſe top with a naked ſword in mine hand,*lib. 3. de. Rep. Plate giveth way to Phyſitians to lye for their Patients good. But for one that will be a B. falſly to accuſe, it is very ſoule. It is true, I wrote that Book in the behalf of the late King and Queen of Bohemia: (and without Oſtentation be it ſpoken) it hath found reſpect from many Nations. It coſt me indeed the on-ſetting, by-charge, paines, and ſufferigns. For by the ſuggeſtion of the Co…d…marian and Prelaticall Faction, the Stationers entred my houſe▪ took away my goods, carryed my wife, and divers of my Family to priſon; only my wife fainted by the way, they left my young Children in the channell… and all this they did without Warrant or Officer appointed; which manifeſt wrong, I hope the high Court of Parliament will redreſſe.
But for his late Majeſties indignation againſt me, it was a meer ſuggeſtion: for His Royall Majeſty was my onelyonly refuge, in whoſe preſence and ſight, I was frequently in the height of my Troubles. He was graciouſly pleaſed to peruſe the Book, and out of his gracious favour, to give order that neither Prelates, nor others▪ ſhould trouble me any further: And that the equity of my Cauſe, and the groſneſſe of my Wrongs put upon me may the better appeare; the firſt high Court of Parliament▪ called by our Soveraign Lord King Charles, did promiſe that I ſhould have a ſpeciall hearing, and iuſt redreſſe. He taxed me with Ignoran…e, and bare pretence of Learning; affirming the Book not to be of my doing for all the rare wits (ſaith he of the Land for Law and Divinity) have been at the making of it.
If I made the Book (as indeed I did) then hath not his Lord…hip Learning enough to keep himſelf from a contradiction. It ſeemes the commendation of the Book was Reflexive upon himſelf, that he might ſeem at leaſt to confute ſuch an univerſall piece. But it hath ſtood …rme yet againſt him and all his Archers. I thank my God, who with the little Learning given me…, hath inabled me to make good what I hold, which he cannot doe; if with Moſes he were vers'd in all the Learning of the Egyptians.
The Learning and Place of a B. indeed ſhould rather have uſed Arguments then Torments, The weapons of our warfare are not carnall (ſaith the Apoſtie)*2 Cor. 10, 4 But his Armes ſhewes what houſe he is come of. The Attorney Generall made once a motion, of ſending ſome learned men to Neugate, to me, to diſpute the matter; whereof I was very glad. But all the Arguments that I ſee to this day (as I ſaid upon the Scaftold) were Priſon, Fire, Brands, Knife, and Whip, which as a…l know are unanſwerable Arguments. From theſe Velitations, he came to the main Shock of the Buſineſſe; namely, the defence of his Place and Calling, which he ſaid I had wronged egregiouſly. And inſtanced firſt in that Aſſertion, that it was the Grand and Maſter-ſinne, for which God had a Cont-everſie with Us, becauſe eſtabliſhed by a Law▪ Wherein he offered a Challenge to all men, that when they could produce any Law made for the eſtabliſhing of the BBs, Places, hee would undertake to prove, that there were BBs. before that Law. If his heat had not tranſported him, hee might have ſeen that both thoſe might be true; BBs. in his ſence might be before that Law: yet being eſtabliſhed in any meaſure by a Law, they became more dangerous; as may bee inſtanced from the Popes Supremacy, acknowledged by ſuch as did admire the Beaſt, that being eſtabliſhed by a Law, it became out of meaſure dangerous.
But by this Challenge (if I conceive not) hee would wave, if not diſclaime this Tenure of Humane Right too weak a Foundation for the Hierarchie, nam debile fundamentum fallit opus, for a weake Foundation deceives the Structure. But this ſhift diſcovers (compared with the undeniable evidence of thoſe of his own houſe, the Lawes of the Land and the Kings Prerogative) how good a Subject he is; and going on, he ſaves me from miſtake in affirming from Antiquity, that Iames was B. of Ieruſalem, and Peter B. of Anticch, a little more help would have made him ſay of Rome, but both a like true; And this may ſerve alſo to anſwer his alleadging of the Fathers, as Athanaſiu…, A…ſti…, Ambroſe, &c. who though they were mens BBs. as Re… calls them, yet they were not of his Babiloniſh Cut. The diſproofe of this Aſſertion is as needleſſe, as it ſelf is groundleſſe, yea the ſenceleſneſſe of it will hence appear, that that retrograde or Crab-like courſe from Apoſtle-ſhip to Epiſcopacy, could not ſuit with that higheſt function Apoſtilicall. So that he brings them ab equis ad aſi…os as if he would bring the Lord Major to be Conſtable. But ſuppoſe it had been ſo, it would have made as little for him, as the Popes plead for Peters being▪ B. of Rome, ſince their Hierarchy is no like Peter, then an unhappy Monkey is like a Man. But the Prelate being in ſolio, not content with this, hee windes up the bottome of his Hierarchy, and its Government to an higher Pin, debaſing the Miniſters and Government of Chriſt moſt opprobriouſly I ſet down his own words, untill the time (ſaith he) of Luther, Calvin and Beza, the world heard not of any other Government of the Church, but by BBs. and although Caelvin and Beza did abjure BBs, and their Government, yet hee found them to be more proud and imperious in their Government, then any BBs. in England. For witneſſe of which particular, let the Prelates overtopping of Kings, and States, and manifeſt Treaſons againſt both: and the true and hearty ſubmiſſion of the aforeſaid Miniſters, be ſpeaking witneſſes. And fol…owing the Charge, he affirmed that I and my fellow-Schiſmaticks, would obtrude upon the Church a new Government, affirming that only, to be lawfull, and the other Antichriſtian. By drawing up his forces in forme of Argument, he offered to prove that the Government by Elders and Deacons and the Diſcipline we call for, was more truly Antichriſtian, then theirs. And for the enforcing whereof (though he had none to hold his cloake) yet hee makes ſhift to bring up this Argument.
That Government, which neither Chriſt, nor his Apoſtles taught, nor was ever received in the Church for almoſt fifteen hundred years after, that muſt needs be Antichriſtian:
But the Government and Diſcipline called for by Elders and Deacons, &c. was neither taught by Chriſt, nor his Apoſtles, nor ever received into the Church for ſo long time.
Ergo, It is Antichriſtian.
— Quis talia tando?
Who could but bluſh to hear; much more to aſſert ſuch palpable untruths. We deſire no better Judge, or Arbiter, than the major Propoſitian; and for the minor, when he, or any of his can prove it, for mine own part, I will bring both my Book and my Sufferings, and lay them down at his feet. But I may ſay to him, as the Welch-man ſaid in fight, Cud her not ſeo her Buckler. If height and heat would have let him ſee the truth of that Book, which he was reviling, it would have ſhewed him the mouth of the Minor turned directly againſt him, by way of retorſion; proving pregnantly in divers places, the Hierarchy and their Government▪ to be Antichriſtian; and the Officers and Government which hee maligneth, to be the true Ordinance of God: For proofe of this, be pleaſed to peruſe the * Book, eſpecially,Syons Plea. the proofes of the firſt and ſecond Poition, and divers other places; as from Page 110 to 114. Page 87, 149, 194 to 201. and other places of the Book, any that will may find enough for that which he ſpeaketh againſt, and alſo againſt that which hee pleadeth for. I will quote but one place for all concerning the originall of Prelacy; for I feare the bulk of this work ſhall of neceſſity be bigger then I would have it. And if Syo …s Plea were not mine own, I would humbly intreat the honourable Senate, that where it hath been thrice printed, they would cauſe it once more to come forth under Publique Authority, for the ſatisfaction of many that hath it not. To the place then that BBs. of his mould are not of God: and then by his own propoſition they are of An…ichriſt, * appeareth by the teſtimony of A. B.*Page 25. Bal. ſcript. Brit. centur. 1.37. Cent. 6.7. col. 591. of more Learning and equanimity than himſelf. Sed cujus teſtimonie nullun… gravius, But no mans evidence of better weight, from the year 507 (ſaith he) the Church began to be ruled by BBs. which Government was eſpecially deviſed & invented by the Monks which indeed is true; for untill this Age (every particular Church was governed by the BBs. Elders, and: Deacons of the ſame. Witneſſe the Authors of the Cent. Mag. and though ſome before this were titular BBs. yet their ſuperiority the Church would not bear. Witneſſe, our Engliſh Synode,Synod. Harf…rd. Anno 674. For further proofe, I could add a Jury of BBs. and other the learnedeſt of the Land, but I cannot inſiſt. Look the 8 page of the aforeſaid Book; many wondered that they anſwered not the Book, and therefore took it for granted they could not.
Sed ſi non aliqua nocuiſſet mortus eſſe.
As they have had divers Treatiſes which they never anſwered; ſo that thrice honourable Patron of Chriſt his Cauſe, the Lord Brooke, hath publiſhed a Maſter-Piece, which hath muſled all theit mouths. Dr. Hall objecteth againſt Petitions and Treatiſes, that ſtill they had the Matter out of Zions Plea, but what in Zions Plea have they refuted?
Another paſſage of the Prelate was, concerning their Intruſion upon Civill Iuriſdiction, and Lordly Dominion over the Ministry. Againſt both which, the word of the Evangeliſts are cited,*Mat. 20.25. Luke 22.25. Be not ye called gracious Lords; the Prelate was puſled with the words; and ſeeing that he was beaten out of that coyned diſtinction of the Jeſuits from the ſimple and compound Verb foreign and foreign, he betook himſelf to quarrelling with the tranſlation. It is true (ſaid he) that it is ſo Engliſhed, but it is not truly tranſlated. For tryall whereof, if we conſider the word, according to the ſtrictneſſe of Etimology foreign ſignifieth Benefactor. By which name few or none have cauſe to call them. But the meaning of the Spirit there, is by the word to ſet forth the outward Pompe, Splendor, and Bounty, that accompany the Government and Deportment of Princes: And therefore the Latine tranſlateth it Benefici. The French indeed hath in the Text, Bien facteurs, but the Marginall Note explaines the meaning very fitly, by the word Mag…fiquis, foreign (as Lawyers and Humaniſts obſerve) is ſome Externall Art of glorious bounty, ſuch as cometh from Princes, or Princely diſpoſitions: The ground of this acceptation, I conceive to be from a word in the firſt Language of the ſame ſignification. The Prophet David defireth the Lord to give him a free Spirit,*Pſal. 51.1… ▪ but the Word in the Originall ſignifieth a Princely and Royall Spirit. A well framed Spirit. foreign the French Bien fais in the Margine. By this it appeareth, that the Prelate brings either his diſſimulation upon the Stage in impeaching that which he knowes to be a true and fit tranſlation. or otherwiſe, he diſcovereth his Ignorance in Scripture-phraſe, and the Originals. All this while this man of Tongue▪ ſpake what hee would without controlment, and made up his concluſion with concurring to that heavy & bitter Cenſure, which was hatch'd & brought out (as his Servants, and others could tell) before my cauſe came to tryall: But to his concluſion, he added an Apology for his Preſence and Aſſiſtance in this great Service, where he confeſſed, that by the Canon-Law no Eccleſiaſticall perſon ought to be preſent, or aſſiſt in ſuch a Judicature, where there is loſſe of life, or member: But (ſaid he) to take away the Ear is not loſſe of hearing, and ſo no member loſt; neither is the ſlitting of the Noſe loſſe of ſmelling, and ſo no member loſt. So for burning the Face, or whipping no loſſe of Life or Member; And therefore he concluded, he might aſſent to the Cenſure.
I have ſet down his own words, as they were related unto me; and by this Paliatory diſtinction I appeale unto any Scholler, whether, or no he hath diſmembred Logicke, Law, Divinity, and Anatomy; knoweth he not, that the form gives the being! Now mangle an Fare, or an Noſe, and it wanteth the forme; and ſo it is not in propriety of ſpeech an Ear, or a Noſe; Again, an Organ may loſe the function, and yet remain an Organ: ſo an Organ may be mangled, and yet ſome part of the function remain. Secondly, for Lawes Divine, Humane, as Civil-Law, Canon-Law, the Lawes of England, Statute, and Common: Counſels, the whole Current of the Learned, Antient, and Modern, concur with one voyce, to the ſecluding of them from all Civill Judicaure: what place then is there at all for the Prelates dawbing and illogical diſtinction. For proofe of all this Cloud of Witneſſes, I intreat the Reader, for brevities ſake, to have recourſe unto Zions Plea, from page 129. to page 135. out of which I hope he ſhall have abundant of ſatisfaction. By the Lawes of England no Clergy-man ſhall beare any Rule, or exerciſe any Juriſdiction, niſi in ſpirit…libus (faith Br…cton)*lib. 1. fol. 5. numb. 2. the ſecond Lawyer that wrote in England, who lived in the time of Henry the 3. when Popery was in its Ruffe.
Another antienter then he, and firſt that ever wrote, bears witneſſe to the ſame truth; namely, Judge Glanvil in the time of Henry the ſecond,*lib. 4. fol. 32 ….6. That they ſhould not meddle with any matter of Civil Right, though it ſeemed collaterally to belong unto them. The State of Ʋenice (though Popiſh) maintain their Right in this particular againſt the Pope, and all his Clergy, whom they would not ſuffer to meddle with any ſecular affaires: though the Pope interdicted them ſhut up their Churches, and was preparing to come in Armes againſt them; but they ſtood their ground. Whereby it appeareth that the ſeducing the Prelates from all Civil Judicature, is no new thing; but a thing as all the Lawes that we can name, and practiſe hath been anſwerable; yea▪ the Pope himſelf by word and practiſe hath approved of it and ſo doth Bellarmine. *de Pontif. Rom. lib. 5. c. 10.… word or two of the Canon-Law which the Doctor-mentioneth, which inhibits (as the Learned obſerveth) foreign ſecu…ar cares. And was not this a ſhrewd ſee…r Buſineſſe, and to give judgment on a d…ing man more bitter then death. The Canon-Law (with which all other Lawes concur in that particular) forbiddeth that any Clergie-men ſhould ſit on Blo…, or be preſent where any ſuch Cenſures be given. If Be…armine in the place fore-quoted, will not have them to be Arbitros facult atum, Iudges in matters of Civil right; much leſſe will he allow them in caſe of Blood.
And laſtly, he acted the very Quack in Anatomy; his diſſertion indeed was very deep, ſed potius lanlena qua… anatomia, but rather Butcherie then Anatomie. God made the Ear and not a mangled ſti…mp of an Eare, for hearing; the table of the Ear reverberates the Ayre, being the medium between the Mallet and the Anvill, but my table was cut cleer away, and ſo was it done to other…, whereby our hearing is much hurt: and thence it is, that in puniſhing rognes they touch not the table. But ſomething muſt have been ſaid, though better nothing at all,*Nam mala cauſa null is medetur remediis. An ill Cauſe can never be cured.