"Another time, namely then, when I was brought to the High Commission-board at London house, about that Book of mine,a . . though they had nothing at all against me, but railing and reviling, and charging me with sedition, which I retorted upon themselves, whereby I put them to silence for the time; yet they recovering breath, one of them said, 'I must to prison.' If I must, said I, I desire to put in bail, in regard of my ministerial charge; being within three days of Easter. No,' quoth my Lord of London, that then was, The King hath given express charge for you, that no bail shall be taken for you.' No! my Lord? Then I desire to know by what law or statute of the Land you do imprison me... I do here claim the right and privilege of a subject, according to the Petition of Right. Well, for all this, to prison I must; and if I found myself aggrieved, I must bring a writ of false imprisonment. To the Fleet I went; where I was a prisoner twelve days: and when they sent me forth, to make me amends, they put me into the High Commission: ' out of the frying-pan, into the fire!' But, blessed be God, and my King, by the benefit of whose good laws I obtained a Prohibition against their illegal proceedings; which fetcht me off those shelves where, else, with the threatened storm of their Censure, I must have suffered shipwreck. But now, I refer it to the sad consideration of the sagest, whether that which he fathered upon the King, was not a most dangerous and seditious speech, tending to possess both me and the many bystanders, and consequently all the people in the land, with a sinister opinion of the King's justice and constancy in the keeping his solemn covenant with his people, as in that Petition of Right... "Take yet another instance, and that also at the High Commission Court, where I was attending as a poor client, or rather an innocent, at the bar, waiting for my Censure. There, a Rule for a Prohibition for Master Prynne being tendered in Court, according to the course of the King's laws in that behalf, presently my Lord of London, the President of the Court, stands up and flies in the face of Master Prynne and his Prohibition with great heat of passion, even almost unto fury; and, after many threatenings to him, he uttered these words, that Whosoever should dare to bring the next Prohibition, he would set him fast by the heels'! This was spoken aloud, in open Court. Now, as I conceive, this did not a little reflect and trench upon the King's honour, the laws of the Land, and the liberty of the subject... Whereupon, then, did this man dare to utter such an insolent speech? Not from the King, I am sure. We have his royal word and hand to the contrary. And yet some, perhaps, might surmise that he durst not speak thus, in open Court, had he not some better ground for it than his own desperate boldness. Or, the best apology he can make is, that his tongue did run before his wit; and that, in the flames of his passion, he sacrificed his best reason and loyalty."d a "Babel no Bethel: The Church of Rome no true Visible Church of Christ." 1628. b Laud. See lk. p. 477. d P. 50-54. "To these instances, we will add two or three more, very remarkable, and whereof we all at this very time are eye-witnesses; for they are still in acting. The first is that most outrageous practice of the Prelates, in making havoc of the church and religion, by suspending, excommunicating, outing of Ministers from their freehold, and the like; because they cannot, dare not read the Book of Sports on the Lord's day... The reading of this Book, by the ministers, is to bring in-and that not creepingly and by stealth, but by the head and shoulders, as it were by a floodgate set open-a mighty Innovation of the unity in doctrine concerning the Sabbath which hath been ever since the Reformation; and so from the reign of queen Elizabeth, of famous memory; constantly, universally, and unanimously maintained in the Church of England, until this late faction of Anti-Sabbatarians started up to cry down all sanctification, all power and purity of religion. And, indeed, the Innovation of the Doctrine of the Sabbath hath brought in with it a universal innovation of all religion, as experience is an eye-witness... It was never read, nor yet pressed upon any minister to be read, during King James's reign, which lasted six years after the publishing of the said Book in print: it was not ratified under the King's Broad Seal: .. it was never, in his reign, used as a snare and an engine to oust good ministers out of their ministry and living, as it is now used by the Prelates... By whose means it was raked out of the ashes, I know not; but this I am sure of, that the re-publishing of it, with some addition, was the first remarkable work which was done presently after the Lord of Canterbury took possession of his Graceship!.. And though the Prelates, with their learned Doctors and heirs-apparent, have puzzled their wits, broken their brains and sleep, spent many hours, and days, and months, in compiling and setting forth Treatises, Histories, Sermons, and suchlike; and all to overturn the Fourth Commandment, with the sanctification of the Sabbath-day, and so bring in Libertinism and all profaneness into the Church, thereby exposing our religion to the reproach and scorn of the Papists themselves; .. yet all their sophistry, decurtations of authorities, wranglings, windings, contradictions, vain distinctions, and bold asseverations, will never be able to abide the test.".. "The last instance wherein the Prelates do endanger a division between the King and his good Subjects, whom the Lord preserve in a perpetual bond of unity, is their most impetuous and violent obtruding of new Rites and Ceremonies, which they have begun through some whole Dioceses; and exacting a new conformity in all ministers thereunto. This is another snare wherewith they may catch more ministers, either to oust them of their ministry and living, or else to captivate them for ever as vassals for whatsoever base uses their good masters will put them unto. And herein they have made a fair progress already; as, for example, in two whole counties, Norfolk and Suffolk, where, in a very short space, they have made the foulest havoc of good ministers and their flocks, now left desolate, and exposed to the wolves as sheep without their shepherd, as our eyes have never seen; for, a P. 55-60. there are, already, threescore Ministers in that one Diocese suspended, and between three and fourscore more have time given them now till Christide, by which time either they must bid their good conscience farewell, or else their precious ministry and necessary means. Neither, I think, can it be showed, that in all Queen Mary's time, there was so great havoc made, in so short a time, of the faithful ministers of God in any part of, yea, or in the whole land. And now do these counties and countries groan under this intolerable burden; remediless, if God and the King do not relieve them. And our neighbour's house being thus on fire, doth it not concern us all, to look to it? For they say, that this shall be a precedent for all England! . . Our New Reformers are tooth and nail for setting up Popery again: witness their hoisting up Altars in most places, as also of Images; crucifixes, with adorations; putting down of the means of knowledge, as preaching, and bringing in of ignorance; also preaching for sundry points of Popery, as auricular confession, praying to saints, yea, printing of such sermons; prayer for the dead, and many other. They must needs mightily shake and unsettle the peace of the state by these their dangerous and desperate attempts, and fill the people's minds with musings what the issue will be, and how the King will digest these things at the Prelates' hands !b a .. "The next instance is, their arrogating of their episcopal title and office of superiority from Christ and his Apostles! This they did lately, in the High Commission Court, and that upon occasion of Dr. Bastwick's cause, then before them; where he was accused, and severely censured, for writing a book, intituled Flagellum Pontificis, et Episcoporum Latialium.' In which book, he whipped that usurped authority of the Roman hierarchy; through whose sides, by reason of their near affinity, or, rather, consanguinity, they being sensible of the smart of his whip, took it all upon themselves; and so, as judges in their own cause, passed their episcopal censure upon him: yea, although he not only in his book, but openly before the whole Court, professed and protested that he meddled not with those Prelates who received and acknowledged their episcopal jurisdiction from kings and princes... Notwithstanding, they alleged for themselves, that they had their episcopal authority from Christ; and if they could not prove it, they would cast away their rochets. So they may cast their caps too for any such proof they can bring for it?.. Our Prelates have no other claim for their hierarchy, than the Popes of Rome have, and do make; which all our Divines, since the Reformation, till but yesterday, have disclaimed; and our prelates cannot otherwise, but by making themselves the very limbs of the Pope, and so our Church a member of that synagogue of Rome. The constant practice of our Prelates proveth this; for they neither have at any time, nor have sought to have, any of the King's Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of England, for their keeping Courts and Visitations, &c.; but do all in their own a That this is "no violation of any of the Articles," and a doctrine not condemned by the Church of England, has been judicially argued and affirmed in the Arches Court, London, in the cause "Breeks against Woolfrey," Dec. 12th, 1838. Pp. 64-67. • 1635. 12mo. "Dr. Pocklington's Sunday no Sabbath,' p. 48." names, and under their own seals, contrary to the law in that behalf... They labour, by all means possible, to maintain this their absolute and independent jurisdiction: .. nay, they have grown so formidable of late, as if they were a new generation of giants! that the very motion of a Prohibition makes the Courts of Justice startle! So, as good causes are lost, and innocents condemned, because none dare plead and judge their cause according to the King's laws, whereby we ought all to be governed. For example, the ininisters of Surrey, who are suspended from their ministry, and outed of their means and freeholds, against all law or conscience, yet are so disheartened and overawed, that they dare not contend in law against the Prelates, for fear of further vexations... But some will say, that they defend and maintain all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to be from the King... Will Matthew, [Wren,] Lord Bishop of Norwich, say that he hath any warrant from the King, special or general, for making such havocs and hurlyburlies in those two great counties of Norfolk and Suffolk?.. If he have not any warrant, but doth it of his own head, or by the instigation of any other ArchPrelate, then let him look to it, lest he come to suffer as a usurper... If he say, he hath warrant for it, let him show it; but I hope he will not father his desperate courses upon the King... I should be the first that should address my humble complaint to his Majesty of such dishonour done unto him, and humbly petition his Majesty to vindicate his honour from the least suspicion of his giving way to, or countenancing the Prelates, in such their practices as cry up to Heaven for vengeance upon their heads... This claim, which the Prelates make of their prelation and jurisdiction over Christ's Ministers, jure divino,' being repugnant not only to clear Scripture, forbidding all such domination as they practise,.. but also to the King's crown, to the laws of a The Visitation Articles for Norwich, an. 1636, ch. i. art. 2." b"There was one Wren, Bishop of Norwich, born in London, a fellow, whose father sold babies, and such pedlary-wares, in Cheapside. This fellow very peremptorily, one day, as he sat in judicature in the High Commission Court, said openly, He hoped to live to see the time when a Master of Arts, or a Minister, should be as good a man as any Jack Gentleman in England! And, verily, the pride of this saucy citizen's son hath been one main cause of the ruin of the clergy. Concerning this Wren, I know Canterbury preferred him, and brought him to those ecclesiastical advancements, in court and church, which he enjoyed. I do also know, and have heard it from some who waited on Canterbury in his chamber, that he would oft say that the rash actions.. of this Wren would undo the clergy; but in regard he hath been the sole means of his advancement, he could not well do any act prejudicial against him, but it would redound to the dishonour of himself and the clergy in general; also, he had many reluctancies in himself for preferring so unworthy a scornful fellow, who proved the scandal and scorn of churchmen, and an extraordinary plague to the whole nation. For upon his plaguing and punishing many godly clothiers in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, they were forced to leave their native country, and betake themselves and families into the United Provinces, where they have taught the Dutch the art and manufacture of clothing, even to the utter impoverishment of this whole nation !" Several Observations upon the Life and Death of Charles I. By W. Lilly. 1651. 4to. Reprinted, with a Life of Lilly, 1774. 8vo. p. 219. In p. 180, he remarks of the King, that "he erred extremely in this one business, when divers godly Christians in Norfolk delivered him a petition against the tyrant Wren, their bishop, he sent for Wren, and bade him answer it !" c Matt. xx. 25-28. Mark x. 42-45. 1 Pet. v. 1, &c. the land, and, consequently, to the liberties of the subjects; I know not with what warrant or conscience, any minister of Christ can submit to the practices of these men !a "And here, Beloved, let me, in the name of the Lord, admonish you, that whatsoever passages, or outrages, you see to be done by the Prelates, although they do never so boldly pretend the King's name for it, yet believe them not. Let never any sinister opinion concerning his Sacred Majesty, creep into the closet of your breasts, and as a snake, either sting or poison your true and loyal hearts towards him. And, therefore, beware of all those Factors for Antichrist; whose practice it is to divide kings from their subjects, and subjects from their king; that so, between both, they may fairly erect Antichrist's throne again... Stick close to your King; and if any danger come near his sacred person, step between, and let the loss of your own precious life rescue and secure his... If Princes shall command anything against God and his law, then we must remember that we are God's Servants too; and, therefore, must obey man in nothing that stands not with our obedience first to God: for this cause, the same Word of God is a rule both for the King, how to carry himself in governing, and for every Subject, how to carry himself to the King; and first unto God.c "Yea, and herein have we cause to comfort ourselves, and to bless the name of our God, who hath not left himself without witness, but hath raised up many zealous and courageous champions of his truth: I mean, faithful Ministers of his Word, who choose rather to lose all they have, than to submit and prostitute themselves to the wicked, unjust, and base commands of usurping Antichristian Mushrooms... Yea, their very not yielding in this battle, is a present victory !d "A Bishop ought not to be subject to Princes, but to rule over theme and this, they have sufficiently proved by their late practices !f "What one Protestant can they bring that ever committed treason against his King; or lifted up a hand against his sacred person? But we can fill large volumes of examples, if need were, of Jesuits, Priests, and Prelates, that have been notorious traitors to their emperors and kings, and some of them that have laid violent hands upon the Lord's anointed. And howsoever they cry thief' first, and their cry being loudest prevails most, especially being ushered in with the very name of' Puritan,'-as, of old, the very name of Christians was crime enough, -yet they which thus abuse the ears of pious princes, . . these, will be found to be the greatest 'thieves.'..h "Were it a law in England,—as it was once amongst the Locrians, that whosoever would propound a new law, should come with a halter about his neck, that if it pleased not the Senate, the hangman was ready to do his office,—and the opportunity served, I should come with a halter about my neck, with this proposition, That it would please the great Senate of this Land to take into their sad consideration, b 1 Pet. ii. 17. ⚫ P. 75, 76. a P. 67-74. d P. 83. f P. 88. Apol. adv. Gentes. h P. 91. |