hearted Englishmen observe this that are lovers of their Countreys liberties 21. We have seen what the King hath granted sworn as also in what order and that the Oath is but one And yet Mr. Geree goes forward as if it were certain without question that this to the Clergie were a severall Oath from that to the people Confidently therefore he presseth it that the King cannot afterwards ingage himself Whereas he ingaged himself alike to his people at the same instant that he would preserve the priviledges both of Clergie and Commonaltie because both his people Now why His Majestie should be bound to maintain the priviledges of that one estate rather then of the other I cannot conceive Especially when I consider that the priviledges of the Clergie are granted to God without whose blessing nor privilege nor people can be preserved The King then herein non câ—â—sit jure suo hath not yeelded up the Clergie or his right to any other neither can he with a safe conscience do so But since Magna Charta hath been so often confirmed even by 32. severall Acts of Parliament the Parliament in that sense you take it hath parted with that right it had by these severall Grants and Confirmations and we ought in justice to enjoy our priviledges and they to maintain them unlesse they mean to affront and subvert so many Acts of Parliament and that main Charter and honour of this Kingdom As if they onely had the judgement of infa 〈…〉 ibilitie which Scotland denies Declarat of the Kingdom of Scotland p. 19. CHAP. IX How far forth and wherein the Clergie is subject to a Parliament and to what Parliament 1. THe net is prepared the snare layed danger is at hand and yet we must not forsake or betray the truth in time of need The noose layed by our Church adversary is this The Clergie and their priviledges are subject to the Parliament or they are not To this we must say yea or nay and the man thinks he hath us sure enough But the man is mistaken one mesh is not well made up and I must tell him that we are subject to the Parliament and we are not Subject we are to the Parliament consisting of head and members but not to the members without the head not to the members alone since we are subject to the members meerly for the heads sake and in those things onely wherein he subjects us to them Set apart the head and we are fellow members fellow subjects For Iowe no temporall subjection to any or many Subjects but onely for the Kings sake Though the Parliament be a great a representative an honourable body yet it is but a body And that body with every member thereof owe obedience and service to the head not one to another I say nothing if I prove it not by Scripture Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake Whether it be to THE KING AS SUPREME or unto Governors AS UNTO THOSE THAT ARE SENT BY HIM by the King As if he should say Submit your selves to the King for the Lords sake and to other Governors for the Kingâ— sake For Kingâ— have their Commission from God but all State Governors from the King and Iowe them no subjection beyond their Commission If then it shall please the King to give the members of Parliament power over us we must submit either by doing or suffering Either by doing what they shall command or by suffering what shall be inflicted on us 2. Subjection is not due to them as they are great or rich men but as they are the Kings Ministers This is evident because all Commissions breath and expire with the King Upon death of the King follows necessarily the dissolution of Parliament None of us that are meer Subjects have at such a time power one over another but onely by advice none of us authority but onely as this or that man hath gained esteem by his wisedome and integritie Onely the Preisthood never dyes because Christ ever lives from whom the Preist hath his Commission But all other subordinate powers expect a new Commission from the succeeding Prince This experience taught us upon the death of Queen Elizabeth 3. Though this be truth yet no truth can charge us that we claime exemption from secular power You see we acknowledge our selves subject to the King as also to those Ministers that he sets over us But as these may not exceed their Commissions given by the King neither may the King exceed his Commission granted him by God The Kings Commission is like the Preists ad aedificationem non ad destructionem for upholding the Church and service of God not for the ruining of either And the King may not grant a larger Commission to his ministers then himselfe hath received from the King of Heaven His Commission is to be a nursing father to the Church not a step-father to preserve to her all her rights and dues to see that she be provided with necessaries and to protect her against her profaine and sacrilegious enemies Surely if our Soveraigne hath intrusted the Parliament with any power over the Church and Church-men it is but with some part of that wherewith God hath enriched him and no other 4. Well if we be under Parliamentary power it cannot rationally be conceived to be the meaning of the King so to subject us to the Parliament as to forget or renounce his hath by destroying the priviledges of the Clergie which he hath swoâ—ne to preserve against or in dishonour to that power to which they are legally subject How far we are legally subject to this Parliament I know and how far we are or may be under Parliamentary power I have alreadie declared The power we are legally subject to is his Royall Majestie and it is not it cannot be the meaning of the Kings oath to preserve our priviledges against his own power or to exempt us from his Iurisdiction Let the world judge whether your or our priviledges and principles be distructive of legall power We are bound by Canon faithfully to keepe and observe and as much as in us lieth to cause to be observed and kept of others all and singular Laws and Statutes made for restoring to the Crown of this Kingdome the ancient Jurisdiction over the State Ecclesiasticall AGAINST ALL USVRPED and forraign POWER Marke that it is not onely against forraign but it is against usurped and all usurped power Shew me if you can one such loyall Canon or resolution from any Presbyteriall Assembly This Jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall is by the Lawes and Statutes restored to the Imperiall Crown of this Realme and not upon the Parliament because it is by Gods Word settled upon the Crowne 5. This authority in causes Ecclesiasticall was in the godly Kings amongst the Jews Christian Emperors in the primitive Church and hath been exercised by the Kings of this Realme according to an Act of Parliament in that behalfe An. 32. Henr. 8. c. 36. According to this Statute were the Bishops and
Sir Edward Coke because a Lawyer and a States-man This great learned man assures us that It is a more grievous and dangerous persecution to destroy the Priesthood then the Priests For by robbing the Church and spoyling spirituall persons of their revenues in short time insues GREAT IGNORANCE OF TRUE RELIGION and of the service of God and thereby GREAT DECAY OF CHRISTIAN PROFESSION For none will apply themselves or their sons or any other they have in charge to the Study of Divinitie when after long and painfull studie they shall have nothing whereupon to live Will not our Church then come to a sweet passe And yet to this passe we are almost brought 16. All the inconvenience that Mr. Geree presseth is this that we are not subject to the Parliament to be whipped and stripped as they please If we be not subject to them I am sure they have made us so But how far forth and wherein we are subject to the Parliament and what Parliament shall speedily be taken into consideration Chap. 9. 17. You speak much of a former and a latter Oath the former to the people the latter to the Clergy As if His Majestie took two severall Oaths at two severall times Whereas in truth it is but one Oath as you acknowledge p. 1. taken at the same time and as it were in a breath Indeed there are severall priviledges proposed to the King which he first promiseth and afterwards swears to maintain As for the promise it is first made in grosse to the people of England afterwards to the severall States of this Realm but first to the Clergie by name In generall to the people of England the King promiseth to keep the Laws and Customs to them granted by his lawful and religious Predecessors Under this word People are comprehended the Nobilitie Clergie and Commons of this Kingdom Afterwards distinguishing them into severall ranks he begins with the Clergie promising that he will keep to them the Laws Customes and Franchizes granted to them by the glorious King S. Edward his Predecessâ—â— Secondly he promiseth to keep peace and GODLY AGREEMENT entirely to his power both to God the holy Church the Clergie and the People Here also you see his promise to the Church and Clergie goes before that to the People In the third branch His Majestie promiseth to his power to cause Law Justice and discretion in mercy and truth to be executed in all HIS JUDGEMENTS to all before named Next he grants to hâ—ld and keep to the Comminalty of this HIS KINGDOM the Laws and rightfull Customes which they have TO THE HONOUR OF GOD mark that so much as in him lyeth The Commonalty you see are not mentioned till we come to the fourth clause And last of all lest the Bishops though implied in Church and Clergie should seem to be omitted and an evasion left to some malignant spirits to work their ruine and yet seem to continue a Clergie the King promiseth to the Bishops in particular that he will preserve and maintain to them all Canonicall priviledges and due Law and Justice and that he will be their Protector and Defender How then can he desert them or leave them out of his protection 18. These promises made the King ariseth is led to the Communion Table where laying his hand upon the holy Evangelists he makes this solemne Oath in the sight of all the people The things that I have promised I shall perform and keep So help mâ— God and the contents of this Book Though then the promises be severall the Oath is but one and so no former no latter Oath not two but one Oath The Kings Oath to the people is not first taken but you are wholly mistaken 19. If any man desire to know who the People and Commonalty of this Kingdom are let him look into Magna Charta where he shall find them marshalled into severall estates Corporations and conditions There you shall also see the severall Laws Customes and Franchizes which the King and his religious Predecessors have from time to time promised and sworn to keep and maintain That Great Charter begins with the Church Inprimis concessimus Deo First we have granted to God and by this our present Charter have confirmed f in behalf of our selves and our Heirs for ever that the Church of England be free and that she have her Rights entire and her Liberties unmaimed Now Sir Edw Coke that Oracle of the Law tels us that this Charter for the most part is but DECLARATORY OF THE ANCIENT COMMON LAWS OF ENGLAND to the observation wherof THE KING WAS BOUND AND SWORN And not onely the King but the Nobles and Great Officers were to be SWORN to the observation of Magna Charta which is confirmed by thirtie and two Acts of Parliament 20. The Liberties of this Church as I have gleaned them from Magna Charta and Sir Edw Coke are these First that the possessions and goods of Ecclesiasticall persons be freed from all unjust exactions and oppressions Secondly that no Ecclesiasticall person be amerced or fined according to the value of his Ecclesiasticall Benefice but according to his Lay tenement and according to the quantitie of his â—ffence Thirdly that the King will neither sell nor to farm set nor take any thing from the demeans of the Church in the vacancie Fourthly that all Ecclesiasticall persons shall enjoy all their lawfull Jurisdictions and other rights wholly without any diminution or subtraction whatsoever Fiftly A Bishop is regularly the Kings IMMEDIATE OFFICER to the Kings Court of Justice in causes Ecclesiasticall Sixtly It is a Maxime of the Common Law that where the right is spirituall and the remedy therefore onely by the Ecclesiasticall Law the conusans thereof doth appertain to the Ecclesiasticall Court Seventhly Sir Edw Coke tels us from Bracton that no other but the King can demand or command the Bishop to make inquisition Eightly Every Archbishoprick and Bishoprick in England are holden of the King per Baroniam by Baronry And IN THIS RIGHT THEY THAT WERE CALLED BY WRIT TO THE PARLIAMENT WERE LORDS OF PARLIAMENT And every one of these when any Parliament is to be holden ought ex debito Justitiae by due of Justice to have a Writ of Summons And this is as much as any Temporall Lord can chalenge The conclusion of all is this that neither the King nor His Heirs or Successors will ever endeavour to infringe or weaken these Liberties And if this shall be done BY ANY OTHER nihil valeat pro nullo habeatur let it be of no force and passe for nothing Hence it is provided by Act of Parliament that if any Judgement be given CONTRARY TO ANY OF THE POINTS OF THE GREAT CHARTER by the Justices or by any other of the Kings Ministers whatsoever IT SHALL BE UNDONE AND HOLDEN FOR NOUGHT Let all true
tenths which Lay Impropriators are seldome charged with To the King we grant and pay subsidies after an higher rate then any of the Laity by many degrees Where then are the two Supremacies which we erect 12. 'T is true indeed that For deciding of controversies and for distribution of Justice within this Realm there be TWO DISTINCT JURISDICTIONS the one ECCLESIASTICALL limited to certain spirituall and particular cases The Court wherin these causes are handled is called Forum Ecclesiasticum the Ecclesiasticall Court The other is SECULAR and generall for that it is guided by the Common and generall Law of the Realme Now this is a maxime affirmed by the Master of the Law that The Law doth appoint every thing to be done by those unto whose office it properly appertaineth But unto the Ecclesiasticall Court diverse causes are committed jure Apostolico by the Apostolicall Law Such are those that are commended by S. Paul to Timothy the Bishop of the Ephesians and to Titus the Bishop of the Cretians First to receive an accusation against a Presbyter and the manner how 2ly to rebuke him if occasion require 3ly If any Presbyter preach unsound doctrine the Bishop is to withdraw himself from him that is to excommunicate him 4ly In the same manner he is to use blasphemers disobedient and unholy persons false accusers trucebreakers Traitors and the like 5ly The Bishop is to reject that is to excommunicate all Hereticks after the first and second admonition 13. These things the Ordinary or Bishop ought to do De droit of Right as Sir Edward Coke speaks that is to say he ought to do it by the Ecclesiasticall Law IN THE RIGHT OF HIS OFFICE These censures belong not to secular Courts they are derived from our Saviours Preistly power aud may not be denounced by any that is not a Preist at least And a Maxime it is of the Common Law saith that famous Lawyer that where the right is spirituall and the remedy therefore ONELY BY THE ECCLESIASTICALL LAW the câ—nusans thereof doth appertain to the Ecclesiasticall Court But A BIHOP is regularly THE KINGS IMMEDIATE OFFICER to the Kings Court of Justice in causes Ecclesiasticall Therefore not a company of Presbyters no rule for that And this is it that wrings and vexes you so sorely For your a me is to share the Bishops Lands and Jurisdiction among you of the Presbyteriall faction This your vast covetousnesse ambition have of late cost the Church full deere and have been a maine cause of these divisions and combustions By these means you have made a forcible entrie upon Nabaoths Vineyard It were well Ahab and Jezabel would beware in time However wise men consider that every one that steps up to the Bar is not fit to be a Judge nor every one that layes about him in the Pulpit meet to be a Bishop 14. Besides in those Epistles this power is committed to single Governors to Timothy alone and to Titus alone But Timothy and Titus were Bishops strictly and properly so called that is they were of an higher order then Presbyters even of the same with the Apostles Hence is that of S. Cyprian Ecclesia super EPISCOPOS constituitur omnis actus Ecclesiae PER EOSDEM PRAEPOSITOS gubernatur The Church is settled upon BISHOPS and every Act of the Church is ruled BY THE SAME GOVERNORS By Bishops not by Presbyters Now the word of God is norma sui obliqui the rule whereby we must be regulated from which if we depart we fall foule or runne awry Since then the Church is settled upon Bishops it is not safe for any King or State to displace them lest they unsettle themselves and their posterity They that have endeavoured to set the Church upon Presbyters have incurred such dangers as they wot not of For if we beleive S. Cyprian they offend God they are unmindfull of the Gospel they affront the perpetuall practise of the Church they neglect the judgment to come and endanger the souls of their brethren whom Christ dyed for Neither is this the opinion of S. Cyprian onely Ignatius speaks as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As many as are Christs cleave fast to the Bishop But these that forsake him and hold communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the accursed shall be cut off with them This is Ignatius genuine resolution attested by Vedelâ—us from Geneva and if true a most dreadfull sentence for those that endeavour the extirpation of Episcopacy 15. As for the Priviledges of the Clergie which you are so earnest to ruinate I shall manifest that they have footing in the Law of Nature in the Law of Moses and in the Gospel In the Law of Nature Abraham give tithes to the Preist of the most high God The Preists in Egypt had lands belonging to them as also portions of the Kings free bountie And the same Law of Nature taught Pharoah and Joseph not to alienate either the Preists lands or other their maintenance in time of extremest famine By the light of Nature Aâ—taxerxes King of Perfia decreed that it should not be lawfull for any man to lay toll tribute or custome upon any Preist Levite Singer Porter or other Minister of the house of God And King Alexander sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes made Jonathan the High Preist a Duke and Governor of a Province He commanded him also to be clothed in purple and caused him to sit by or with his own Royall Person He sent also to the same High Preist a Buckle or collar of Gold to weare even such as were in use with the Princes of the blood And by Proclamation he commanded that no man should molest the High Preist or prefer complaint against him And can it be denied that Melchisedec Preist of the most high God was King of Salem and made so by God himself 16. In the Law the Lord made Aaron more honourable and gave him an heritage He divided unto him the first fruits of the increase and to him especially he appointed bread in abundance For him he ordained glorious and beautifull garments He beautified Aaron with comely ornaments and clothed him with a robe of glory Upon his head he set a miter and a crown of pure gold upon the miter wherein was ingraved Holinesse And this if I mistake not is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Philo tels us was set upon the Preists head and is the cheife ornament of the Eastern Kings The reason he gives for it is this because while the Preist is discharging his dutie he is more eminent then any person whatsoever even then Kings But I rather conceive it was because at that time he represented or prefigured the Royall Preisthood of our Saviour 17. For the Gospel we have prophecies in what state and honor
Preists ought to be had among Christians Witnesse that Evangelicall Prophet whose words are these Ye shall be named THE PREISTS OF THE LORD as they are at this day Men shall call you the Ministers of our God Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and ye shall be EXALTED WITH THEIR GLORY This is one the other shall be from that royall Psalmist In stead of thy Fathers thou shalt have children whom thou mayest make PRINCES in all Lands Do not you go about to make the Word of God a lye while you endeavour to dis-inherit the Clergie of these privileges and honors But God shall be true he shall be justified in his sayings and every man shall be a liar Behold how these prophecies were fulfilled under the Gospēl When our Saviour sent forth his Apostles and Disciples to preach the Gospel and to dispense his heavenly mysteries he daines them with this honour to rank them for usage with himself He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that receiveth you receiveth me To intimate to all Christians that they ought to use his messengers as they would Christ in his own person For whether well or ill he will take it as done to himself Hence is it that the Galathians received S. Paul as an Angel of God even AS CHRIST JESUS Yea they were ready to pull out their own eyes to do him a pleasure And when this Apostle came to Melita he and those that attended him were courteously entertained honoured they were with many honors and enriched with gifts by the Prince of that Island and his people 18. Some it may be may conceive that these were but personall honors and that they belong to them onely whom Christ immediately ordained But the Scripture will teach us a better lesson For doth not our Saviour say He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me Now we know that our Saviour sendeth not onely by himself but by those also to whom he hath given power to send and ordain Thus by S. Paul he sent Timothy and Titus and we find S. Barnabas with S. Paul ordaining Presbyters in all Churches where they came This therefore is a generall rule those Governors who labour in the Word and Doctrine whether they be ordained by Christ or his Apostles or any other to whom this authoritie is duely given are WORTHY OF DOUBLE HONOR that is saith Primasius both in love and place Thus Titus by the Corinthians was received with fear and trembling and memorable obedience They honoured him as Theodoret speaks as their Father and reverenced him as their spirituall Governor These honors are due not so much in respect of personall worth as in regard of the office which they bear This appears by S. Paul who willeth the Philippins not onely to receive Epaphroditus their Apostle or Bishop with all gladnesse but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he chargeth them to hold SUCH AS HE WAS in honour and reputation All must be thus honoured but those most that are most worthy 19. Constantine the first Emperor that ever was christen'd had learned this lesson he therefore did reverence the Bishops ad imaginem quandam divinae praesentiae as if he had some resemblance of God before his eyes He kissed those Bishops skars that had suffered for Christs most holy Name He entertained divers of them at his own table and at their departure he bestowed upon them many goodly gifts Upon Bishops he conferr'd very many privileges and the highest Honors he had to bestowe He ordained that those Canons which were agreed upon by the Bishops and had received his Royall approbation should be of more sacred authority then any Law or sentence that should passe from his highest Judges and that none of his Princes should dare to infringe them To conclude he commanded the Governors of his severall Provinces to give reverence and honour to Bishops threatning no lesse then death to such as should revile or abuse them What reverence and esteem Bishops were of with his severall sons though differing in Religion the Church History manifests for these and all other privileges were inviolably preserved to the Church till that Apostata Julian ware the Crown But those pious and orthodox Emperors that succeeded him raised up the Church and made good her former privileges 20. The reason why good Princes were so carefull of the Church and Churchmen was because they were confident with Great Constantine that God gave a blessing to their affairs for the Bishops sakes And those two wise Emperors Leo and Constantine professe with Justinian that the peace and felicitie of their people as well for body as soul depend upon the harmonious consent of the Imperiall and Episcopall functions Mark that In Scripture the Prophets and servants of God are called the charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof because by their prayers they did more prosper their Countrey then by force of arms Yea by them God blessed his people These were the Church-priviledges and these the opinions the most Christian Princes had of Church-men And you cannot say that any of these Emperors had any dependance upon the Pope or any compliance with him But we are fallen into those times wherein it is accounted losse to bestowe cost upon Christ pietie to rifle the Church and good service to God to murder his Apostles and Priests Indeed what ever is good and commendable is now with the round brotherhood cried out upon as Popish By this time I hope it appears that these immunities which belong to the Church arise not from the errour of the times as you suppose but from the tenure of Scripture That 's the tenure we hold by CHAP. XII Whether to sit and vote in Parliament be incongruous to the calling of Bishops 1. SOmething an hard theme to treat upon and unpleasing to the times And yet I must say something to it lest I seem to desert the cause to blame our Predecessors of indiscretion and to acknowledge that weaknesse in our Bishops which the wisest of this Kingdom know to be far from them What Not contented to strip us of our rights lands and priviledges but you must twit us with the losse of the Bishops Votes as if they were neither fit to sit or vote in the House of Peers That this hath been done cannot be denied but how justly I shall not question for the honour I bear to my Soveraign Yet thus much is evident to every single eye that we have had many even and conscionable Parliaments wherein Bishops have voted what kinde of Parliament we have had without them some will make bold to speak hereafter But a word in private Were they not thrust out lest the King should have too many faithfull Counsellors in the House Were they not removed to make way for these civill broils The Incendiaries knew full well that those
to slip in the Presbyters they are not the men they are not called for These are Episcopall privileges all other Ecclesiasticall persons are to be contented with those liberties and free customes quas priùs habuerunt which they enjoyed heretofore 8. The Writ summoned this Parliament for the defence of the Church of England Herein you have also made the Writ void for you have destroyed the Church of England And in destroying the Church you have destroyed the Writ The Commission is for defence they then that destroy what they are bound to defend overthrow their Commission Our Saviour sent his Apostles to preach peace to blesse and not to curse to please God and not man If then we preach warre and not peace if we curse when we ought to blesse if we please men and not God we forfeit our Commission S. Paul is plain If we please men we are none of Christs servants much lesse Apostles For his servants we are whom we obey whom we please If then we prove faithlesse and unprofitable servants we shall be turned out of our Masters house even out of doores and cast into outer darknesse Upon these grounds I argue thus He that overthrows the prime intention of the Writ overthrows the Writ But you have overthrown the prime intention of the Writ Therefore you have overthrown the Writ That you have overthrown the prime intention of the Writ I prove thus The prime intention of the Writ is for the State and defence of the Church of England But you have overthrown the State and defence of the Church of England You have therefore overthrown the prime intention of the Writ The second Proposition cannot be denied it is so palpably true The former is Sir Edw Cokes his words are these The State and defence of the Church of England is first in intention of the Writ And if the Writ be made void all the processe is void and so farewell Parliament 9. Besides I have learned that the assembly of Parliament is for three purposes First for weighty affairs that concern the King Secondly For the defence of his Kingdome And thirdly for defence of the Church of England For the King no question but the Bishops are faithfull to him We see they have constantly adhered to him in these times of triall In Gods and the Kings cause they have all suffered and some died commendably if not gloriously For the defence of the Kingdome none more forward with their advice purses and prayers And for the Church who so fit who so able to speake as Bishops Versed they are in the divine Law in Church history and in the Canons of the Church They fully understand not onely the present but the ancient state of the Church They know what is of the Essence of the Church what necessary and what convenient onely what is liable to alteration and what not These things are within the verge of their profession and most proper for them to speak to 10. When King David first resolved to bring up the Arke of the Lord from Kiriath-jearim into his own Citie he consulted with the Captains of thousands hundreds cum universis Principibus and with all his Princes about this businesse By their advice he orders that the Arke should be carried in a new Cart and Vzzah and Ahio are to drive it But what becomes of this consultation An error was committed clean thorough and Vzzah suffers for it Though David were a marvelous holy man and a good King and had a company of wise religious Councellors about him in the removall and ordering of the Arke they were mistaken because they did not advise with the Preists about it For the Preists lips preserve knowledge they shall inquire of the Law at his mouth And the Law will not have a Cart to carrie the Arke nor Lay-men to meddle with it David saw his mistake with sorrow and confesseth to the Preists that he and his Councellors had not sought God after the due order And why so Quia non eratis praesentes so the Fathers read because the Preists were not present he had not consulted with them about this sacred businesse And hence it is that they did illicitum quid somthing that was unlawfull That then a thing be not unlawfull we must consider not onely what is to be done but the order and manner is to be considered how it ought to be done least failing of the due order it prove unlawfull Most Christians know bonum what is good but few are skilled in the bene how it ought to be done and that is it that makes so many ruptures so many breaches and factions in the world because every man will prescribe the order and manner which God knows they ttle understand 11. When therfore David had once more resolved to fetch up the Arke from the house of Obed Edom he calls for the Preists and acknowledgeth that none ought to carrie the Arke of God but they and that therefore the Lord had made a breach upon him and his because the Preists had not brought it up at first That this fault may be duly and truely mended David commands the Preists to sanctifie themselves and to bring up the Arke They did so they brought it up upon their shoulders according to their dutie And God helped the Levites that bare the Arke because it was now done in due order It is no shame then for us to acknowledge our error with David and with him to amend what is amisse Yea this was such a warning to him that he would not so much as resolve to build an house for the Lord till he had acquainted the Prophet Nathan with it In matters therefore that concern the Arke of the Covenant the Church of the living God it is not safe to do any thing without the Preists advice If then the cheif and maine end of calling a Parliament be for the good of the Church it is most necessary to have the cheif Fathers of the Preists present But Sir Edward Coke assures me that this is the main end of calling a Parliament His words are these Though the State and defence of the Church of England be last named in the Writ yet is it FIRST IN INTENTION And what is first in intention is chiefly aimed at all other things that are handled are but as means to effect that It is not then incongruous but most consonant to the calling of Bishops to sit and Vote in Parliament 12. Besides if the honour of God and of holy Church be first in intention how shall the honour of God and of the Church be provided for how defended when the Fathers of the Church are discarded who know best what belongs to Gods honour who are most able to speake in defence of the Church to shew how she ought to be
Bishops And in both ye lay the whole work upon the Presbytery as if they were the men that could discharge all sacred and Ministerial duties No such matter the contrary is manifested Can any man imagine that a common souldier or an ordinary marriner doth performe the cheife work in an army or ship because they take the greater toile to the outward eye No no it is the Pilot in a Ship the Colonel in a Regiment the Admirall in a Navy and the Generall in an Army that discharge the cheife duties Without these there would be wise worke by Sea or Land Evâ—ry one that can pull a gable or manage an oare is not fit to be a Pilot. Every man that can and dare fight and charge with courage is not fit to be a Commander But the Church is both a ship and an armie And I dare say that every one that can talke lavishly or make a rhetoricall flourish in the Pulpit is not fit to be a Bishop or Governour in the Church of Christ And yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting ordain Presbyters in every City These are the duties of a Bishop without which the Church will suddenly be out of frame and crumble into nothing 16. In a ship or regiment no man comes to sit at the stern no man attempts the cheife command the first day if he do both ship and regiment suffer for it No they are trained up in their severall professions and by degrees they rise till they come to the highest Thus was it in the ancient and thus is it in the present Church If any be suddenly raised to a Bishoprick it is seldom for the good of that Diocese 17. But you and your fellow Presbyters want congruous and sufficient maintenance down therefore must the Bishops and their Revenues must be divided amongst such good Pastors as you are The Levellers doctrine right the Nobility and Gentrey have too much the godly of the land to little all therefore must be shared that Jack and Tom may have a congrurus maintenance If the great men of the Land will not yeeld to this the Parliament shall be garbled the Nobility and Gentry shall be turned aside and then look for a new Covenant and a fresh extirpation Dukes descend from profane Esau Marquesses Earles Vicounts c. are but heathenish titles invented by the children of darknesse and the children of light defie them What Are we not all Adams sons Are we not brethren in Christ Is it not fit that we should all have share and share like as had the children of Israel in the land of promise As long as the Church onely was strook at it was well liked of but now patience perforce we must be leveled both in Church and State We shall find that there is such a sympathy between them in all Christian Common-wealths that they stand and fall swimme and sink together 18. What talke we of Levelling That is enough to destroy the State and face of a Kingdome But in your project there will be no danger How No danger No danger say you of sacriledge No danger in the subversion of the Church Surely this must be ruine to Episcopacy and consequently to the Church For no Bishop no Church Ecclesia enim super Episcopos constituitur for the Church is founded and settled upon Bishops So S. Cyprian Think not that we exclude Christ Christ it is that layd the foundation and settled the Church so And it is not for man to unsettle it or to lay another a new foundation For other foundation can no man lay then that is layed by Jesus Christ But we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets And Bishops and Apostles are of the same order they are one and the same Apostolos id est Episcopos Praepositos Dominus elegit So S. Cyprian the Lord made choice of APOSTLES THAT IS OF BISHOPS Prelates When therefore our Saviour founded the Church upon the Apostles he founded it upon Bishops Who dare then after this foundation He that endeavours it doth not build but destroy the Church 19. Is there no danger of sacriledge in robbing father and mother The Bishop your father and the Church your mother For as in the Church you were born anew of water and the Holy Ghost so if you be a Presbyter as a Presbyter you have your being from a Bishop or else you have no such being But you return that ye rob not the Church for you intend that these revenues shall be settled upon Church-men that is upon Presbyters Suppose you rob but one but your Father the sacriledge is detestable For doth not the Lord say Who so robbeth his father or mother and saith it is no transgression the same is the companion of a murtherer But to make the sacriledge more odious I shall manifest that ye have not onely robbed your Father but your Mother also The Bishop your father is the husband to his particular Church If then you rob him of his meanes who will succeed in his roome and become an husband to that Church For though there be a thousand Presbyters in a Diocese yet if she be without a Bishop that Church is a widow So that great Councell of Chalcedon Thus ye rob the Bishop of his means that Church of her husband And wile a widow she can bring forth but a bastard brood Consider that 20. Upon these motives I must tell you that if his Majestie shall gratifie either the Parliament or the Assembly in the abolition of Episcopacy and in sacrificing the Church-lands to your or their sacrilegious avarice it will be such a work for which following generations shall have just cause to pitie lament him that so good a man should either be cheated or enforced into so foule a sin His children and the whole Kingdome would rue it and the generations to come unlesse the world turn Presbyterian will speak of Him as of King Henry the eight with this difference that King Henry wilfully plunged himself into this sin and King Charles was driven into it by an Atheisticall and bloody faction But I am confident his Majestie is seasoned with better principles he knows it was no excuse for Saul to confesse that he had sinned because he was afraid of the people and obeyed their voice not Gods directions This King knew Gods Word rejected it God therefore rejected him from being King and his seed from the throne A lamentable case to be frighted by a multitude out of Gods favour and the Crowne But I hope you have no Saul in hand Our good Kings Crowne you may cause to totter but not his resolution Ye may and have robbed him of his Prerogatives revenues and liberty but you cannot imprison or force his conscience that will injoy her ancient priviledges freedome