An Answer to Articles Against
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A31885.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
AN ANSWER TO THE ARTICLES AGAINST Master Calamy, Master Martial, Master Burton, Master Peters, Master Moleigne, Master Case, M. Sedgwicke, M. Evans, &c. and many other painful Divines, who were impeached of High Treason by His Majesty.
First answering particularly the Articles themselves, then showing the mis-information of His Majesty by the Bishops, concerning the same.
Expressing the great care and vigilancy of those Theologians, which they have, and do daily undertake with great zeal, for the rooting out of Popery, the confounding of Rome, and for the erecting the pious truth, and sincerity of the holy Gospel of CHRIST.
London Printed for William Bond, and are to be sold over against the White Horse in Grubstreet. 1642.
[illustration]
DOCTRINA PARIT VIRTVTEM
AN Answer to the Articles against Master Calamy, Master Marshall, Master Burton, Master Peters, Master Moleigne, Master Case, Master Sedgwicke, Master Evans, &c. and many other painful Divines, who were impeached of High Treason by His Majesty.
W Here virtue flourisheth, there malice strives to confound, and emulation to subvert. This Hell-nourished malice has been entertained in the hearts of some malignant, and ill-affected Members to the Church, and in their inveterate spleen they have endeavored to eradicate that Basis or firm foundation of faith, which was laid in Christ by zealous Divines. I need not speak too obscurely, for my meaning includes the Bishops, who have envied the prosperity of Religion a long time, and have diligently aboured to supplant the same by preposterous introducement of Popery, Ceremonial superstitions, and Canonical innovations. And who soever that was zealous for the truth, and did in any manner oppose them in their Prelatical institutions, was either prosecuted by them in the extreme severity of justice, (and that sometimes extended too beyond its limits) or else suspended by them tam ab officio, quàm ábeneficio. Thus they tyrannically insulted over the Church, and without any let or contradiction usurped, whatsoever pleased themselves best. They have often times deluded the King with calumnious, and Parasiticall suggestions, and by that means, under a pretence of his protection, have surreptitiously inserted divers things unknown to His Majesty. But they themselves being found too viciously delinquent by the Parliament, were many of them arraigned of High treason, and committed to the Tower, where they maliciously first forged Articles of High treason against Master Pym, the Lord Kymbolton, &c. and withal directed the same unto His Majesty, with a stupendous Declaration concerning them: and implored his consent unto them. But they were intercepted in that frustrate expectation: then they molded second Articles of high Treason against Master Calamy, Master Marshall, Master Burton, Master Case, Master Sedgwicke, Master Evan, &c. with many other painful Divines: intimating again to His Majesty, that they were Traitors, and were great disturbers of the Church, who did not only subtract, or at least labored to induce the people to subtract lawful obedience to His Imperial Crown, but also did derogate obsequious loyalty, both frō His Royal dignity in postponing him behind the Parliament.
But give me leave (gentle Reader) to discuss the verity of the thing, and to answer these poor or at least false subjections against them. As for the first Article, their actions can sufficiently testify to the contrary, for rather then disturbers of the Church, they have labored to extract all divisions, and disturbances from it, endeavoring to regulate the free power, and authority thereof, according to the holy word of God, as it is specified, or at least prototypically presignified in the Scriptures. For their subtraction of Loyalty from the Crown, and their laboring to induce the people to subtract their daily practice in their preaching can apparently nullify: for they have always pressed, and exstimulated the people with great fervency of affection to all possible obedience to his Majesty, and all requisite loyalty to his imperial Crown. And seeing these two have been found false and erroneous, the other consequently must be an untruth, for they have labored to bring the people to become obsequious reciprocally, and mutually as well to the King, as Parliament, so that by subsequent conclusion, no post-position can be found inclusive in them. But I suppose, that it was the Bishops sole malice to misinforme the King, having an intestine envy against them. For because they would have introduced Popery, and these laborious Divines did beat it down to the confusion of Rome, and its adherents, therefore they have labored by all possible means (if they could) to supplant them, and subvert their intentions. But (alas) God is more powerful than the Devil: men in authority may triumph, and usurp too much arrogancy over their brethren for a time, but at length the same machination which they intended against others, shall fall on their own heads. For these painful Divines have not only zealously opposed those Romish innovations, which lately began almost to flourish in our Church: but have likewise labored with all sedulity, care, and vigilancy to reduce the same to the sincere truth of the holy Gospel of Christ. Yet notwithstanding they have been opprobriously scandalized by the Prelates, and their adherents, having invective aspersions cast upon their innocuous names; the reason no man can perfectly enucleate, unless their intents were to bring the Church to an Anarchy: for if the pillars of the Church be shaken, yea taken away, the structure can no longer remain, and the foundation it self will be everted. Yet in spite of all their malice, they are defended from the Tyrannicall minds and intentions of the Bishops, and will maugre all their wolvish resolutions, be preserved from their nefarious machinations against them: yet envy is a most insufferable torment, and greater than any Tyranny, therefore I will conclude with that sentence in Latin.