nothing at Gods hand c But the Papists teach That our good works deserve the grace of God and everlasting life also that men may do works of supererogation i. e. over and above those which the Law of God commandeth whereunto the doers thereof are not bound and they are available to help others d And therefore we may truely say That it is a proud and supercilious Religion And Fourthly Popery is a pernicious Religion where it is 〈◊〉 permitted and embraced and that both to Princes and People First To Princes and that in many regards namely 1. The Pope and Popish Clergy chalenge freedome from their power The Scripture indeed teacheth That every soul ought to be subject to the higher powers which are the Magistrates e But the Papiâ—…ts teach That Ecclesiasticall persons are not subject to the secular power or politick Magistrate but all ought to be subject to the Pope who compareth himself to the sunne and the Emperour to the moon and therefore Emperours and Kings in token of subiection and obedience do kissâ—… his feet f And 2. The Pope hath power over Princes and as he saith is of greater authority and power in a Kingdome then the lawfull King and Prince thereof as was observed by a Fryar who saith That it was not without cause that Malchus whose eare Peter cut off was the high Priests servant seeing that Malchus signifieth a King From whence he collects as the Papists indeed would have it and which Princes should observe and mark That as Malchus was servant to the high Priest so the Regall Majesty of Kings and Emperours is subject to the power of Priests g And Dorman said The Pope is the head and Kings and Emperours are the feet And Stanislaus Orichovius in Chimaera saith The Emperâ—…urs Maiesty is so far inferiour to the Pope in dignity as a creature is inferiour unto God Whence our famous Tindale deliberately and considerately said Popish Kings are but shadowes vain names and idle things having nothing to do in the world but when the Pope needeth their help And 3. The Pope challengeth power to excommunicate Princes and to cast them ouâ—… of the Church as Pope Clement excommunicated our Henry the eighth and Pope Pius 5. our Elizabeth And 4. The Pope hath power as he saith to depose Princes and to cast them out of their thrones and to dispose of their royalties and egall seats as him listeth Pope Benedict 9. desiring to puâ—…l down Hâ—…nry 3. Emperour and to raise up Peter King of Huâ—…gary 〈◊〉 â—…im the Crown of the Empire with this verse Petra dedit Româ—…ns Petro tibi Papa coronam The Rock to Peter gave Rome the Town The Pope to thee Peter gives the 〈◊〉 Thus Pope Zichary by the consent or conspiracy of the Nobles of France de 〈◊〉 Chilpericus the true naturall and liege 〈◊〉 tha Realm and placed Pipin in his room And Pope Bonifice the eighth because he could not have the Treasury of France at his command endeavoured with all his both worldly aâ—…d ecclesiasticaâ—…l puissance to remove Philip the French King from his 〈◊〉 and under his Bulls or Letters pateâ—…ts conveyed the same solemnly unto Albertus King of the Romans And therefore we do the Papists no wrong in saying Popery is a pâ—…rnicious doctrine to Princes And 5. Popery teacheth Regicide and King-killing 1. Bernardus de monte Policianâ—… a Dominick Fryar poysoned Henry Emperour of Lucemberg in the Sacrament John Chastell attempted the death of King Henry the fourth of France and Jaques Clementâ—…ffected it Thus private papists and priests have practised Regiâ—…ide 2. The Jesuites the prime pillars of popery do maintain it The popish Divines at Salamanca held That the Catholikâ—…s in Ireland who did fight against our Queen Elizabeth were by nâ—…â—…onstruction Rebells And this was also thus resolved by John de Sequenza Emanuel de Royas Jasper de Mena and Peter de Osorio professors of Divinity in the Colledge of Jesuites there And John Chastell confessed that the argument of King-killing was ordinary among the Jesuites and the aphorismes of Emanuel Sa confirm as much and likewise a book composed by the principall of the Seminary at Rhemes wherein it was affirmeâ—… and maintained That it was lawfull in certain cases for the Subject to kill the King 3. The Pope himself hath winked at such offendors for many of those who had a hand in the Gun-powder plot fled for that fact into Italy but not any of them was ever questioned reproved punished or called to an account for it by the Pope yâ—…e fourthly such Judasites and Traitours have beâ—…n praised by the Pope as we see pope Sixt us 5. who made an oration in praise and commendation of the Fryars faith who murdered Henâ—…y 3. of France And fifthly the popes have practised it by their agents for Innocent the fourth after he had excommunicated the Emperour Frederick corrupted one in Apulia to give him poyson of the which the Emperour recovering he afterwards hired his bastard sonâ—…e Manfred us to poyson him whereof he died And Alexander the third writ unto the Soldane that if he would live in quiet he should by some sleight murder the Emperour and to that end sent him the Emperours picture And thus by some gradations and steps it evidently appears That the popish doctrine alloweth of Regicide and King-killing 6. To fill up the mystery of iniquity popery teacheth That it is meritorious to murder those princes who will not take the popes part in the favouring and furthering of his idolatries and superstitions witnesse Cardinall Como his instructions to Parry and Sixt us his oration mentioned before in defense of the Jacobine that murdered Henry the third I will conclude this with a story of our own King James being admonished by Queen Elizabeth a little before the coming of the Spanish Armamado to take heed of the Scottish papists and the King of Spain answered pleasantly That he looked for no other favour of the Spaniards then that which Polyphemus promised to Ulyssâ—…s To devour him last after all his fellowes were devoured Certainly wofull and wretched experience hath proved this true That those princes who embrace and entertain Popery are not onely in a miserable slavery but also in as great dâ—… of their dearest lives as any private person if they will not 〈◊〉 all things comply with and be obedient and subiect unto the Pope that man of sinne And therefore our late Prelate now I hope with the Lord who was never corrupted with thâ—… 〈◊〉 of the times boldly concludes That Jesuited Papists caâ—…not be good subjects â—…ndly Popery is a peâ—…nicious dâ—…ctrine to People as well as to Pâ—…inces and that in a threefold regard to wit 1. Iâ—… respect of their estates for faith they say is not to be kept with Hereticks and the Pope can dispense with and absolve from all coveâ—…ants contracts bonds and bargains made with such And 2. Iâ—… respâ—…ct of
THE PRINCIPALL DUTY OF Parliament-Men OR A SHORT AND COMPENDIOUS TREATISE CONCERNING THE UNITY AND UNANIMITY WHICH SHOULD BE IN THE MEMBERS OF THAT HONOURABLE ASSEMBLY By Richard Ward Master of Arts and Minister of the Word at Stansteed-Mount-Fitchet in ESSEX 1 COR. 1. 10. I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ That you all seek the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that yee be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement London Printed by J. R. 1641. TO All the Right Honourable and Right Worthy of all Honour together with the Right Worshipfull and Right Worthy the Members of the High and Honourable Court of PARLIAMENT In especiall In regard of a more especiall Engagement To the Right Worshipfull Sir Edward Deering Knight and Baronet and Sir Thomas Middleton Knight his very noble Friends and Sir Thomas Barington Sir William Massam and Sir Martin Lumley Knights and Baronets Of and for the County of Essex RIght Honourable Right Worshipfull and Religious Senators I know that to the ayd and furtherance of some great enterprize and design there is more required then Wishes and Desires and therefore as to the building of the Lords House every one brought some thing according to his ability so to the Prosperous successe and happy issue of this long desired Parliament there is required not only a Religious care and endeavour in your Honours but also that we whose causes you are pleased to agitate and manage and whose grievances you take into your grave considerations should afford unto your Honours that furtherance and assistance which lyes in our power that is both in zealous and fervent calling upon God for you and in a modest and humble enforming and advising of you The secious Animadversion hereof emboldened your humble Orator to present this Petition for it is no other unto your Honours for Unity and Unanimity in Religion among yourselves considering with my self the necessity and excellency of the Theam for the furtherance of your Christian consultations and deep designes and that none as yet have tendred any Treatise unto your Honours of this Subject As fair faces need no Painting nor good Wine a gaudy Bush So a rare and transcendent Subject needs no poor Oratory to praise it nor affected Language to set it forth And therefore I will not make any Encomions in commendation of that religious Amity and Unity which should shine and shew forth it self in your Honours but only give you a short hint of the necessity and excellency thereof and then referre your Honours to the pious consideration of the Treatise it self An Emblematist by an acute Embleme endeavours to shew the excellency of Unity Unanimity and mutuall accord and ayd in those who are joyned in Commission together for any publike good His Impresse or Embleme is Diomedes and Ulisses the two Gretian Worthies The former whereof be supposeth to be wise politike and prudent able to advise counsell contrive and manage a Warre and the latter strong couragious and bold yea able to atchieve any feazible enterprize His word or Motto is Unum nihil duos plurimum posse One is as good as none but two can do much The declaration and amplification of the Embleme is expressed in these verses Viz. Viribus hic praestat hic pollet acumine mentis Nec tamen alterius non eget alter ope Cum duo conjuncti veniunt victoria certa est That is When one is strong the other very wise To help each other they must not despise For when both strength and wit conjoyned are Then crowned victory doth follow warre I have so amply amplified and applyed this Embleme in this Discoursive Petition presented to your Honours pernsall that I will wholly here balk the application thereof That the Treatise dedicated unto your Honours might carry the more weight the Dedicator being of small worth I have not stoln a Coal from the Altar but borrowed a sentence from Haven of Him who spake nothing but Golden Sentences and unto whom Kings Princes Peers and the mightiest Monarches must stoop that your Honours may look upon and accept of this Present as a Stem sprung from that Stock though it be very rough hewn as an explication of our Saviours own prayer for your prosperous Proceedings although not unfolded with â—…hat curious art that it deserves as a sacred saving and necessary truth though folded up in course cloath and as a Message sent unto your Honours from Heaven from the King thereof though by a most mean Messenger and unworthy servant of his And then he shall think himself happy in being an instrument of Peace Love Unity and Concord unto your Honours who will alwayes pray for your Persons and proceedings and all that concerns you and acknowledge himself ever Your Honours most humble and observant Orator RICH. WARD THE PRINCIPALL DUTY OF PARLIAMENT-MEN JOHN 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee RIght Honourable Right Worshipfull and grave Senators Astorides having once seen Roscius his gestures duâ—…st never after come upon the Stage Hiparchion hearing Rufinus blow upon his Pipe would never after play upon his Flute Two things daunt the minde of a Speaker or Writer Viz. The skill and Person of the Reader or Hearer Whence Demosthenes that famous Orator of Athens was so astonished at the Majesty of King Philip that he lost his Speech And Carvitus seâ—…ing Hannibal come into the Schools became dumb I may justly apply these Antiquities unâ—…o my self considering the worth of those to whom I write and the unwortâ—…inesse and weaknesse of the Writer I dedicate these lines to those who are of acute wits strong judgements profound knowledge sound learning and eloquent tongues but for my self although I cannot say truly That I am like Moses a man of a slow speech and stammering lips yet most justly That I am not like Aaron of an eloquent tongue neither an ear-tickling Orator And therefore may justly fear to speak or write unto so learned an Assembly But because your Honours are not ignorant that it is not more tedious to a Carpenter to work against the grain then it is for a Scholler to force his Genius or to handle a Subject Iuvità Minerva I will therefore make no more excuses for my self but passe from the Apology to the Proeme CHrist being to give up that body to death for our redemption which he took in a humane life for our sins before his now approaching end fore-arms his Church with a four-fold warning to wit I. An exemplary document of Love and Humility shewed in washing his Disciples feet Chap. 13. 1. c. And. II. A propheticall prediction of his death and their scattering Chap. 13. 18 c. And III. A large Sermon continued from Chap. 13. 31. to Chap. 16. to the end And IV. A most pious prayer as is used after our Sermons for
reason that we should leâ—…n even in circumstances rather to that polluted Harlot then to so many godly reformed Churches where they are demolished and as for the Papists well may we draw near to them but they will not stirre onefoot towards us either in doctrine or ceremonies Thirdly It is 〈◊〉 The Parliament and Magistrate have power to command and settle these Ceremonies therefore it is fitter others should yeild to them then they to private men All this I acknowledge with reverence provided they go no further therâ—…in then the Word doth lead them But it is nothing to the question What were convenient for them to command For. 1. Men may have power and not finde necessity to use it e And 2. In that place to the Corintbians the Apostle gives some light to our question Not using saith he his power to the hinderance of the Gospel The preaching whereof is hindered by these our Ceremonies in many worthy men 3. The Apostle who had as much power as any now in our Church was afraid to burden the Disciples necks with such yokes f And I professâ—… ingenuously unâ—…o your Honours if power were in my hands I durst not for the world command them and that for these reasons namely 1. Offense is every where for bidden It is not good to do any thing whereby thy brother is offended g no though thine own conscience be resolved h Whence I reason thus If I ought not to doâ—…t ese when my brothers conscieâ—…ce is offended for if I dâ—… I sin against Christ i how much lesse ought I to command him to do them whose conscience trembles at them And seeing the cause of this offense to speak truly and freely must needs be in him who hath power to choose whather he will impose them or not I durst not for the world venter on that Woe pronounced against such as give offense and lay stumbling blocks before their brethrens feet when they need not k 2. Things once polluted especially by Antichrist and the rather offen'e remaining still in them ought not I think to be retained much lesse advanced by enâ—…orcing Law without great necessity which in these I confesse I see not 3. Seeing we plead freedom from Traditions even those ordained by God under the Law me thinks the Lord may thus plead with us Have I by the Gospel freed you from my own ordinances and will you entangle your brethrens with mans devices I prosesse in the fear of my soul I should fear that to lay such yokes on the Disciples necks were to tempt God l For concâ—…usion I will lay down a particular or two viz. First I â—…istinguish betwixt Affection and Conscience that may be moved where tbis is not entangled and indeed I see no reason our conscience should be brought into subjection for these things The Apostle bidding us seek those things above and not these below m whâ—…ch is expounded by the best Comments that I have read of those negative Traditions Tâ—…uch not tast not handle not c n as if the neglâ—…ct of such could defile us with sin But for our Affection I see not how I can embrace those things with applause and liking if the Lord would please to dispose them otherwise or to move your Honours hearts to take them away For 1. They are the dregs of that Romish abomination and grant it were lawfull to marry a harlot yet who would espouse her whom such Ruffians have defiled The High-Priest might not marry a harlot oâ—… one pâ—…lluted but a Virgin of his own people o St Paul holding it no sin to eat of the Idol sacrifice forbids it notwithstanding because we must have no fellowship with them p And 2. These Ceremonies of ours make the Papists boast both abroad and at home Abroad that we are but little separate from thâ—…m yea that all our rites are borrowed of them Read but Parsons under the name of E. O. against Dr Sutcliff and Dr Willet And at home the Papists in York-shire and other places have triumphed at the Altaring of the Communion Tables hoping that in time sacrifices would be â—…ffered thereupon And 3. The simple people in many parts of our Land do very often abuse our Ceremonies and are abused by them many thinking our Service and Sacraments without the Suâ—…plice and Baptism without the Crosse to be imperfect And 4. If there were no more in them but that they offend many souls of excellent temper zeal and humility what heart that lovâ—…s the bâ—…ethren truly can affect those things that so much offend them For it is no small thing to disturb the peace of God in the consciences of the weak But 5. How much more when by them a grievous Rent is made in our Church drawing and driving many into forraign parts and Nations aâ—…d into parts and divisions who else would joyn with us in a gladsome reconcilement Then 6. What Christian heart will not bleed to see the grievous harms our Ceremonies have done and in part do to the children of God Bishop Farrer and others in Master Fox entrapped by them when otherwise they might have escaped and daily of late dayes many conscionable and able Preachers silenced for no want of unblameable conversation even their adversaries being witnesses but only for not daring to conform Whereby many people yea innumerable poor souls have been hindered of that food which Gods ordinance hâ—…th allotted unto them I will shut up this first particular with the words of Master Fox speaking of one Harlstone threatened for not wearing a Surplice It is pitty saith he such baites of Popery are lest to take Christians in God take them away or else us from them q Secondly I desire that every one would do his part in these Ceremonies i. e. 1. That every private Christian in his daily private prayers would importune the Throne of mercy in the behalf of the Church that it may be daily more and more puâ—…ged from all drosse and freed from spot or wrincle or any such thing r as also for his brethren That the Lord would please to free them from such burdens as pierce unto the soul And 2. That those who shall be called either in Parliament Convocation or any lawfull Assembly would plead as much for the purity and pâ—…ace of the Church openly as private Christians do or should do in their prayers privately modesty mildnesse humility love and peace alwayes observed And therefore herein also your Honours should labour to be one And Fifthly In withstanding zealously and courageously all errors heresies superstitions and whatsoever els might disturb distract the unity of Religion A covetous old man going out of doors and leaving his God his gold behinde him commanded his old wife who sâ—…aid at home to let in none till his return lest he should be rob'd Imo non ad fortunam quidem No not to Lady Fortune herself though she should
he infected former ages yet he doth so mould them a new and cast them into other forms Ut non cognosâ—… as cosdem esse that we cannot at first fight perceive them to be the same For example The doctrine of the now libertines is for substance the same which the Simonians hâ—…ld in the first infancy of the Church But the grosse Tenents which his boldnesse broached in former times that it was lawfull yea as some said requisite or rather as others necessary to follow all uncleannesse and so to please and delight those evill spirits to whom by nature we are subject were too broad for these dayes of light and knowledge And therefore he brings in this Harlot muffled with many distinctions sometimes between the upper and neither parts of the body after between the body and the spirit Lastly between the compreâ—…ending part and other parts of the soul Again Satan desires now as much as ever to reduce the pomp and idolatry of Rome into our reformed Churches but as the Fowler hides his nets with cheffe and himself with bushes and pipes sweetly as if there were nothing there but meat and melody so the devill covers his dangerous purpose with chaffy doctrines and hides himself under other pretences entertaining the simple with delightfull vanities in the mean time assaulting faith as perseverance of the Saints the All-sufficiency of the written Word and heavenly nature of saith c. and labouring to draw us back into some antiquated and demolished vanities of old used by the papists and disused in reformed Churches as Altars Cross s Tapers Images Pictures in walls windows garments and the like because these being once admitted will serve as so many graduall Steps to re-advance that Babylonish Strumpet to that Seat of Supreme and Spirituall Monarchy from whence by our fore-fathers she was iustly dismounted These three mentioned are main causes which fill the world with dissentions For errors are a pleasing bait our wanton appetite greedily embracing them and the devil as a skilfull Angler baits his hook of dissention with them that we may say as Anthoninus once said Vah Domine quis evadere queat O Lord who can escape But Fourthly there is another over-swaying cause of more power than any yea all of these and that is The fearfull wrath of our God delivering up those people to blindenesse and errour whose sinnes he findes ripe unto harvest It is dangerous when Sathan like a roring Lion goes about to deceive us h but much more fearfull when the Lord gives leave and permits him to tempt us i but then beyond all most desperate when our sinnes shall provoke the Lord to seal a Commission or Warrant to this deceiver Go thy way and thou shalt prevail k If men turn the glory of God to the similitude of sinfull man l whether the Prophet and people do wickedly m or the people sacrifice to the golden Calf n or set up Idols in their hearts o God will give up the people to serve the Host of Heaven p and even infatuate the Prophets for their sakes q and make their wayes slippery in darknesse that they may fall therein r and so give them up both priest and people to their own hearts lust and even unto a reprobate sense s For it is a just thing with God if we will not receive the Word of truth to send us strong delusions that we should believe lyes t yea to a people thus given over it will little avail them to have religious Princes Peers and Laws For God will effectuate his own will mauger all impediments u he can make foolish the wise Counsellours and send among them the spirit of errours x he can take away the heart of Princes and make them wander out of the way y yea he hath threatned to make our hearts fat z and smâ—…e us with the spirit of slumber that we shall not see for a recompence unto us a Thus your Honours have seen the causes of these differences dissentions and rents which are amongst us and it may now be expected that I should shew the remedies against those causes but I omit it Partly because I have amply shewed the duty both of Magistrates and people for the averting of spirituall as well as temporall plagues from Church and State in my Pious mans practice in Parliament time And Partly because I would not presume to teach a Dolphin to swim or direct your Honours our politick and Ecclesiastick Physitians what physick to administer or what receits to prescribe for the curing and recovering of our sick Church your own Christian care and consideration and pious prudence experience and knowledge being best of all able to direct you herein Thus much therefore shall suffice for the first prime particular of the second main generall viz. That we petition your Honours so to consider of our dissentions divisions and discord and the causes of them that you may use the utmost of your endevour and poweâ—… to suppresse redresse and take them away The other fellows Secondly the next thing which in the name of all true hearted English and sincere children of the Church of England I humbly beg of your Honours is That true Religion may be established in the unity of truth amongst us by you But it may be your Honours will here demand of me Which is that holy Unity of truth which You desire We should establish and be one in the firm rooting of I might answer unto your Honours That it is the true Religion of Christ But this doth but beget another question viz. Which is that true Religion of Christ Now though it were answer enough against the Papists to say That which the reformed Churches hold according to the written word yet this will not satisfie the doubt amongst our selves considering the manifold Tares of different opinions which Satan hath laboured to sow even in the midst of our Reformed Churches yea in the midst of our own Church of England I might here instance in Lutherans and Zwinglians in non-conformists and conformitans in Calvinists and Remonstrants and Socinians c. What shall we then say to this Shall we take upon us to determine which are true Tenents and which erroneous It were too great a pride to confine all differing learned men to my poor opinion lest they should say unto me When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee a neither will I undertake a work of such arrogancy It will be I hope a more acceptable and profitable course to observe unto your Honours some few Rules and Remonstrances which may serve as Land-marks to overn and direct our doubtfull steps at least probably to find out that heavenly palace of holy truth where we may safely and securely set down our staffe and stay our selves 1. Take heed of innovating in Religion Innovation hath bin ever