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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85896	The generall and particular acts and articles of the late national synod of the reformed Churches of France, assembled by the permission of the King at Charenton neare Paris, beginning the 26th of December, 1644. Where by the present estate of those churches, as also their doctrine and discipline may be knowne. With divers other remarkable passages, and letters from the King and Q. Regent of France, to the said synod, and of the synod to their Majesties, and other great personages. Never before printed either in French or English, and now faithfully translated out of a written French copy. Whereunto is added a formulary of baptisme for those who from paganisme, Judaisme, and Mahumetisme, are converted to the Christian faith; as also of those Anabaptists who have not bin baptised before, composed in the nationall synod set forth at Charenton in the yeare 1645. and now faithfully Englished.	Eglises réformées de France. Synode national (1644-1645 : Charenton-le-Pont); Anne, Queen, consort of Louis XIII, King of France, 1601-1666.; France. Sovereign (1643-1715 : Louis XIV)	1646 (1646)	Wing G488; Thomason E361_5; ESTC R201205	74,805	110

of the Province thither the Ministers shall come with one Ancient of every Church Article 2. Such Assemblies and Colloques shall be made to advise concerning differences and difficulties which may be propounded and which may happen in the said Churches Article 3. Thence also the Ministers shall propound the word of God every one in his turne to the end that men may know how every one hath done his duty by exercising himselfe in the study of the Scriptures as likewise of the method and forme he useth in the handling of them Article 4. The Authority of the Colloques is subject to that of the Provinciall Synod as the Consistory is to the Colloques Article 5. The Colloques and Synods shall advise to limit the bounds of the places within which every Minister may exercise his Ministery Article 6. The Censures of the Pastours and Ancients shall be upon the issue of every Colloque CHAP. VIII Of Provinciall Synods IN every Province the Ministers of every Church shall assemble themselves once or twice in the yeare as they may according to the wisdome and discretion of the Synod CHAPTER IX Of Nationall Synods Article 1. NAtionall Synods shall be Assembled from yeare to yeare so far forth as possibly they may The Synod of Montpellier and another of Gorgeau have ordered the Convocation of Nationall Synods to bee from three yeare to three yeare Article 2 3. And because it is at this day difficult and dangerous to assemble a Nationall Synod in great number of Ministers and Ancients It is decreed for this time onely and during such difficulties that the Brethren assembled in every Provinci●ll Synod so far-forth as possibly they may choose two Ministers and two Ancients the most expert in the affaires of the Church for to send them thither in the name of all the Province and that the Deputies come thither with sufficient Testimonies and charged with good Instructions signed by the Moderator and Scribe of the Nationall Synod And to the end there be no failing the Provinciall Synod shall name three or foure Pastours and as many Ancients because if they which were first named be hindered by sicknesse or other lawfull impediments to undertake the journey there bee others which may serve in their place In the Nationall Synod at Charenton 1644. and 1645. expounding the third Artic●e of the fourth chapter of the Discipline The Assembly declares that the Instructions wherewith every Province chargeth the Deputies which she sendeth unto the Nationall Synod ought to be resolved in the Provinciall Synods by plurality of voyces and signed in the said Assemblies by the Moderators and for default thereof they shall no more regard what they propound then they doe the Propositions which particular men shall advance of their owne heads and without Commission In the same Synod it is inserted that because of divers defects met withall in sending Letters from the Provinces it is enjoyned unto all to insert in them the proper names and sur-names of the Deputies To wit of good Letters in the bottome of which the submission shall be set downe in these words for substance Wee promise before God to submit our selves to all which shall bee concluded and resolved on in your holy Assembly to give obedience and to execute them with all our power and that wee are perswaded that God will governe there and will conduct you by his holy Spirit in all truth and equity by the rule of his Word for the good and edification of his Church and to his great glory and this is that wee demaund of God in our prayers This is that which was framed in the generall Synod at Vitrey held in the yeare 1617. conformable whereunto shall bee the submission required in the Letters of them which are deputed in Provinciall Synods Article 4. In the beginning of Nationall Synods shall be read the Confession of Faith of the Church of France with the Articles of the Discipline Article 5. 6. 7. All Ecclesiasticall things may be definitively decided and resolved in a Nationall Synod CHAP. X. Of holy Exercise Article 1. THey shall correct the irreverence which they shall perceive in many when they are present at publick prayers or domestick in not uncovering their heads nor bowing the knees a thing which is repugnant to common piety causeth suspition of pride and may scandalize the good and therefore the Pastours and Ancients yea and the chiefe of every family are war●ed to watch carefully for this that during the said prayers every man without exception or acception give by exteriour signes testimonie of the humility of his heart and of the homage which he owes and is to make unto God except any one be hindered for so doing by sicknesse or otherwise whe●eof the determination shall be lef● unto the testimony of his owne conscience Article 2. The Congregations of the faithfull being likewise ordained to sing to the praise of God and to comfort and fortifie themselves by the use of Psalmes all shall be admonished to be present in the Congregations and they which shall thence absent themselves through contempt shall be censured as also they which uncover not their heads so long as they sing as well as in the time of the Celebration of the Sacraments so farforth as they may as at other times Article 3. In the time of sharpe persecution be it of Pestilence of Warre of Famine or other great affliction when they will choose the Ministers of the word of God and when there shall be question of Assembling Synods they may if necessity require it denounce on a certaine day one or more publick and extraordinary prayers with fasting howbeit without scruple or superstition and all upon great causes and considerations and the Churches are admonished to conforme themselves one unto the other in celebration of the Fast so far-forth as possibly they may according to the conveniency of time and place Article 4. The Churches which have beene accustomed to make publick prayers upon certaine dayes may keepe the order which they have a long time happily observed and other Churches are to conforme themselves therein according to the meanes it shall please God to give unto them hereafter The Pastours ought to reprove them which contemne the frequenting of Sermons and neglect the use of prayers which ought to be performed in private houses by the chiefe of the Families and their domesticks Article 5. They shall not make Prayers nor Sermons at the enterrment of the dead to prevent all superstitions and they shall not give publicke Almes at the said enterrments to prevent the inconveniences which may happen and they shall be exhorted which accompany the body to the grave to behave themselves modestly during the Convoy meditating according to the object which presents it selfe as well of the miseries and shortnes of this life as of the hope of the happy life to come Article 6. Because mourning consists not in the habits but in the heart the faithfull

Province to provide for him within a moneth and if within the same time he be not provided by the Colloque or Synod of the Province in the which he served he shall have his liberty to provid for himselfe with another Church out of the same Province even there where God shall give him meanes according to the order of the Discipline Article 30. Provinciall Synods have authority to change the Ministers for ●ertaine considerations their Churches being heard and their reasons being well and duly examined but in case of difference nothing shall be innouated unlesse by a Nationall Synod Article 31. When the Minister shall be persecuted or for other cause cannot exercise his charge in the Church unto which hee was assigned hee may bee sent elsewhere by the said Church c. Article 32. Ministers may be lent for Salarie with their owne good liking by the Consistory Article 33. Ministers lent for a time when the time of their being lent shall be expired they shall returne into the power of the Churches whence they departed Article 34. If within a yeare after the time be expired the Church redemand not their Pastour being lent he shall appertaine to that Church which borrowed him c. Article 35. Hee which being destitute of a Church cannot be imployed by the Province he may be hired out of the Province Article 36. To the end that the Flocks may acquit themselves of their duties toward their Pastours as the word of God obligeth them and that occasion be not given unto the Pastours to complaine and to depart from their Flocks they are admonished to administer unto them necessary things Article 37. Yea to meet with the ingratitude of many which have beene found to deale unworthily with their Pastours the order following shall be observed one quarter of their Pension is to bee advanced which hath been promised them by every man Upon the Article 36. and the other following it is remitted to the wisdome of the Consistory to proceed against the particular persons which are unthankfull to their Churches either by compelling them permitted by his Majesty or by particular Obligations or by Eccleas it is siastica●l Censures yea by Suspensions from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper after great and solemne remonstrances and warnings and other meanes as the Consistory shall advise And in the Synod of St. Foy Article 4. The Colloques and Synods shall proceed by all Censures against them which are unthankfull to their Pastours seeing the unthankfulnesse of particular men hath sh●wne it selfe greater then ever towards their Pastours touching their entertainment which menaceth the Churches with an entire dissipation It hath been advised that the unthankfull men which shew themselves refractory to the many advertisements made unto them by the Consistory the foresaid Consistory shall proceed against them to the depriving them of the Sacraments The Synod of Alez Considering that many Churches seeing themselves every day in danger to faile through default of meanes to entertaine amongst them the holy Ministerie All the Churches are exhorted so farre forth as they desire the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ to gather a stocke be it by devotion amongst the living be it by Testamentary Legacies of particular men or by any other convenient meanes so that the holy Ministery of the word of God may be ever preserved and that posterity may be instructed and confirmed from age to age in the true Religion The Synod of Charenton Observ 9. upon the Synod of Alez the Article which concernes the meanes to entertaine the holy Ministery shall be read in the Consistories which shall be exhorted to procure the execution thereof so farre forth as possibly they may In pursuit whereof the Article following hath been agreed on in the Provinciall Synod of Handen Seeing the Churches which have formerly resented notable effects of the Kings liberality have within these few yeares been so destitute of that succour that the Flocks which are founded on the hopes to partake of the moneys granted by his Majesty are for the want of these moneys threatned with an evident and approaching ruine and that through default of zeale and affection rather then for want of meanes to particular men the necessities as well of the Churches as of the Pastours encrease every day insomuch as if it be not speedily prevented it is impossible to hinder their dissipation The Synod of this Province touched with a just apprehension of so great a Calamitie to prevent it have ordained that all Churches be advertised that they ought to search out among themselves the meanes for their proper subsistance to raise the Contribution of particular men to represse the Ingratitude of them which testifie and shew a notable defect of zeale and charity and to take order for time to come that though the money granted by his Majesty entirely faile yet the Ministers of the Gospell may bee conserved in those places where it hath pleased God to establish them and the Kingdome of Christ advanced In pursuit of this Article and to come unto the execution thereof It hath been decreed that the chiefe of every Family shall assemble and meet together in every Church presently before the dissolving of this Assembly to the end that upon the place they advise to make new stocks and to provide for the subsistance of the Flocke of which they are members and that they dispose themselves unto the observation of the Article of the Generall Acts of the Nationall Synod of Alez and of the Nationall Synod of Charenton which shall bee read unto them Article 38. To preuent for time to come the dissipation of the Churches They which shall be elected to conduct the Action of the Colloques shall make enquirie in every Church of the enter tainment which they owe unto their Ministers c. Article 39. When necessary assistance shall be denyed unto the Pastour and that he shall remonstrate and make his complaint thereof when three moneths are passed it shall be lawfull unto the said Pastour to goe unto another Church with the advise of a Provinciall Synod Vpon the complaint of a Minister of the ingratitude of his flock all circumstances shall be prudently considered and upon the information which shall be made they shall principally have regard unto the poverty of the Churches and to the substance and meanes of him which makes the complaint putting a difference betwixt ingratitude and inability to the end they may follow that which may most concerne the glory of God the edification of his Church the honour of the Pastour and of the Ministery Article 40. The Church which shall be found to be ingratefull shall not bee provided of a Pastour till it hath fully satisfied that which was due unto him of whom it hath been deprived Article 41. The Ministers which have any state or fortunes may notwithstanding take Salary of their Flocks yea it is expedient that they take it in regard of the consequence and for the

into Idolatry Resp If the fault be fresh in memory and very late hee may not be chosen otherwise there is no doubt CHAP. III. Of Ancients and Deacons Article 1. IN places where the Order is not yet established the Elections as well of the Ancients as of the Deacons shall bee made by the common suffrages of the people and of the Pastours but where rhe order of the Discipline hath been already established it shall be in the power of the Consistory with the Pastours to choose the fittest and ablest men with earnest prayers and the nomination of them shall be made unto the Consistory with loud voyce and the charge of them which shall be chosen shall be made to the Consistory to the end they may know in what they are to be employed and if they consent they shall presently after be named to the people two severall Lords dayes to the end that the consent of the people may also be taken and if there be no opposition on the third Lords day they shall be received publikely they standing up before the Chaire with solemne prayers and so they shall be setled in their charges signing the Confession of Faith and the Ecclesiasticall Discipline but if there be opposition the cause shall be knowne and determined in the Consistory and if they cannot accord there all shall bee remitted to a Colloque or Provinciall Synod Article 2. They shall not choose hereafter so far forth as they may them for Ancients and Deacons in the Church which have Wives contrary to the true Religion following the saying of the Apostle Howbeit to the end the Church be not deprived of the labour of many good personages the which by reason of their forepassed ignorance have Wives of a contrary Religion they shall be tolerated onely for the necessity of time provided that they make their duty to appeare by indevouring to instruct their foresaid Wives and to solicite them to a conformity in the Church Article 3. The Office of Ancients is to wa●ch over the flocke with the Pastours to cause the people for to assemble themselves and that every man be found in the holy Congregation to make a report of scandalls and of faults to know and judge of matters with the Pastours and in generall to have care with them of all things which concerne the order entertainement and government of the Church so that in every Church they shall have a forme of their charge in writing according to the circumstance of place and time Article 4. The Office of the Deacons is to gather and distribute by the advise of the Consistory the moneys of the poore of the prisoners and the sicke to visite them and to take an especiall care of them Article 5. The Office of Deacons is not to preach the word of God and to administer the Sacraments notwithstanding in case of necessity the Consistory may choose certaine Ancients and Deacons to Catechise throughout Families also it is permitted unto the Ancient in the absence of the Pastour to say publike prayers on ordinary dayes when they shall be chosen thereunto by the Consistory so that they follow the forme which is prescribed in the Psalmes As for Deacons which have been accustomed to Catechise publikely in certaine Provinces The inconvenience heard and weighed which hath happened and may happen hereafter the Churches are exhorted where that custome hath not been received to abstaine from it and others which have used it to leave it and to cause the said Deacons if they be found capable to range themselves into the Ministery of the Gospell so soon as possible they may Article 6. The Ancients and Deacons may very well assist the Propositions of the word of God but the decision of the Doctrine is principally referred unto the Ministers Pastours and Doctours in Divinity which are duly called to their charge Article 7. The Deacons nor the Ancients likewise may not pretend primacy or domination the one over the other bee it in nomination to the people or in place or in order to give their advise and other things depending on their charges Article 8. The office of Ancients and Deacons as it is used among us at this day is not perpetuall howbeit for that the change of them may bring detriment to the Church they are exhorted to continue their charge so long as they may and if they depart from it they shall not do it without leave of their Church Article 9. The Ancients and Deacons shall be deposed of their charges for the same causes that the Ministers of the word of God may be according to their quality Article 10. The restitution of Ancients and Deacons deposed shall bee after the same manner as the Restitution of Pastours CHAP. IIII. Of Deacons Article 1. THe Moneys of the poore shal● not bee disposed of but by the Deacons with the advise and consent of the Consistory Article 2. In ordinary distributions it is required that one or two Ministers be present above all in the rendring of Accounts Article 3. The people shall have notice given and be advertised of the making up the Accounts to the end that they may if they please be present aswell for the discharge of them which mannage the Accounts as to let every man know the neces●ity of the Churches and of the poore Article 4. To hinder disorder the Assembly adviseth that every Church nourish their owne poore c. CHAP. V. Of Consistories Article 1. EVery Church shall have a Consistory composed of persons which shall have the government thereof to wit of Pastours and Ancients and the Pastours ought to praesede in this company as likewise in all Ecclesiasticall Assemblies Article 2. As for Deacons seeing the Church by the necessity of the time have employed them hitherunto prosperously in the Government of the Church as also exercising the Charge of Ancients the which hereafter shall be so chosen and continued they shall have the government of the Church with the Pastours and Ancients and for that cause they shall accompany them ordinarily in the Consistory yea in the Colloques and Synods if they bee sent thither by the Consistories Article 3. In places where the exercise of the Religion is not already established the faithfull shall be exhorted by the Colloques to have Ancients and Deacons and to follow the Discipline of the Church and shall be advised in the said Colloques into what Church they ought to range themselves for their conveniency from whence they may not depart without communicating it unto the said Colloques Article 4. Every Church shall have one onely consistory and it shall not be permitted to establish any other Counsell for any affaires of the Church and if there be found any other Counsell separated from that of the Consistory it shall be speedily removed Howbeit the Consistory may call unto them sometimes such of the Church as they shall thinke good when any affaire shall require it Article 5. It resteth in the

the which the whole nature of originall sinne is placed in the onely hereditary corruption incident originally in all men and the imputation of the first sin of Adam is denyed The Assembly condemnes the said Doctrine insomuch a● that it restraines the nature of sinne in the only hereditary corruption of the posterity of Adam excluding the imputation of the first sinne by which he is fallen And forbids upon paine of all Censures unto all Pastours Professours and others which shall handle the said question not to depart from the common received sense of the Protestant Churches which besides the corruption have all acknowledged the said imputation unto a●l the posterity of Adam and ordaine that all Synods and Colloques which shall hereafter proceed to the receiving of Schollers to serve in the holy Ministery to oblige them to the signing of this Act. Because that the Adoration which is rendred by the Roman Church unto the Host which shee pretends to consecrate hath as well in their publick service as when it is carryed in Procession and to the sick this false presupposition for a maine foundation that by the Consecration it is made properly the very same body which was taken out of the wombe of the blessed Virgin by the eternall Sonne of God unto whose divine Person it appertaines as well before as after his Incarnation And because the Roman Church renders and requires no other Adoration then that of Latria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Consecrated Host and they of the Religion in regard of the same follow another beliefe touching the substance of the Host which they hold to be after the Consecration of the same insensible and inanimat matter which it was before cannot according to the sense of their consciences and the fundamentall principle of Christianity attribute soveraigne Adoration unto a thing which by nature is not God nor transfer the glory of the eternall God to any of the creatures of lower degree The Synod adjureth all by the profession which they make to serve the Lord purely and by this irreparable prejudice which they cause on the one part to come by their inconsideratenesse and on the other in regard of their owne consciences which they shamefully betray and for them of their fellow Citizens which are of the Roman Religion whom they confirme in their superstition as well as for the weake among themselves whom they lead into errour by the example of a prevarication most unworthy of the name which they beare to returne unto themselves and to bewaile their estate before the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ whose Glory they have prophaned so farre as in them lies It ordaines therefore that then when the Host shall be carried by them of the Roman Church that every one of them retire himselfe so soone as possibly hee may not to give any scandall to his neighbour and as for them which will not retire feeding themselves with this frivolous imagination that they set n t their thoughts as the Members of t●e Roman Church doe which adore it with the same worship as they doe the Divinity perswading themselves that they may conforme unto that custome by a servile complaysance in putting off the ha● then when the Host passeth if not for the cause of it as their complaysancie requires at least in honour of the Curate or Vicar which beareth it or of them which accompany it seeing they answer no● the intention of them which they thinke to gratifie because they undertake to substitute a civill salutation not a Religious worship which the Church of Rome ordaines and that they attribute it unto another object then she propoundeth resting themselves against the Maxims of civility received among all men to honour not as the Roman Church pretends the Lord of Glory but in his presence and as it were in contempt of him the Minister which sayes he is cal●ed to serve him and that in the proper act of service which he pretends to render unto him nor yet to the duty of Christian sincerity which requires that our deeds be veritable expressions of our desires and not deceitfull shewes of that which is not only with our intention but formally contrary to blind malignantly the eyes of them which see and observe us and lastly not answering the example of the Ancient Christians which could never suffer such disguisements but holding them impious and sacrilegious loved rather to expose themselves to death then to depart never so little from the fidelity which they had sworne unto God in their Baptisme The Synod ordaines that it be carefully declared unto them that they may not continue in this hypocrisie with what pretext soever they colour it without irreligion and open mockery of God and of men without scandall of their brethren and mortall wounding of their owne consciences and in case they continue in this ungodly resolution Enjoyne all the Consistory to pursue them with all Ecclesiasticall censures as unworthy of the Communion of the faithfull after they have caused in all places where there is need a publick reading of this present Act to the end that no man may pretend cause of ignorance Seeing that for a long time the patience and long-suffering of the Lord which invites men to repentance hath made way to his just anger against impiety so that the fire of his indignation which passeth from Region to Region hath covered the face of Christendome with an universall conflagration so that for the present his Almighty hand is armed and lifted up to smite the warres the cause of the obduration of the people continuing and menacing offenders with a totall ruine The Nationall Synod Assembled by the permission of the King at Charenton considering that the onely remedy of so many miseries consists in the conversion of men and in the humiliation of their hearts before the glorious Tribunall of that great God whom they have provoked to jealousie and that the perpetuall exercise of Christians ought to be the renuing of themselves and the cutting off of dead workes to serve Gods holy name in Righteousnesse and that true piety exhorts the faithfull as well in generall as in particular to offer unto the Lord of glory justly provoked the reasonable sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart unto the very feet of his most holy and divine Majesty and the Provinciall Synods have summoned in their Divisions Fasts according as the particular necessity requires And now to implore the grace and mercy of the Almighty and infinite good God to obtaine his favour for the establishment of a generall Peace the settlement of the Estate the conservation of the Sacred person of the King the benediction of his youth the glory of his Crowne and happy successe of his Armes under the lawfull government of the Queen Regent and the prosperity of all the Royall Stemme Enacts that a Fast of all the Churches of this Kingdome shall be Celebrated the fourth day of May next and that all the

excogitatae atque sancitae à Normannis quibus nulla Gens magis litigiosa atque in controversiis machinandis ac proferendis fallacior reperiri potest Since the Laws of England were instituted by William the Conquerer which is as much as to say the Tyrant it is not to be wondered at that they respect only the profit of the King and have no regard to the good of the Subject and are full of pleadings ambiguities and contrarieties in themselves for they were invented and established by the Norr●ans then whom no Nation is more litigious nor more deceitfull to invent and wyre-draw Suits and controversies But I believe he looked more upon the practice then the sense and nature of our Lawes There happeneth rarely in the Civill Law a doubtfull case called Casus pro amico A case to pleasure a friend withall when upon arguing the case the arguments upon both sides are of such equall weight that neither by anything spoken in pleading nor by any arguments or reasons from his owne knowledge the Judge can possibly discerne to which side the Ballance of Justice inclines in this ambiguity the Judge without wronging his conscience not being able to judge upon the merits of the Cause may judge according to the merits of the Person he may give it to the poorer by way of charity or to the worthier by way of reward● But our Judges and Lawyers endeavour to make all causes such Casus pro Amico If it be in Chancery though never so plaine after a Reference or two and a Generation or Pedigree of Orders the controversie will become so intricate that the merits of the cause being lost all the labour lyes in the mannaging of Reports and Orders and somtimes even in cases of the like nature equity beares the sway sometimes the Common-Law according as the party Plaintiffe and Defendant play their game for that is the onely personall merit here respected I have insisted the more upon the abuse of equitie as being the fowlest ulcer in all our legall grievances and but an upstart of no Antiquity For our Law it cannot be over throwne but by it selfe nor without the injurious wit of a Lawyer to misconstrue and betray it These Sonnes of the Law have turned justice into wormwood the honourable profession of the Law in artem litigandi into the trade of brabbling and pettifogging It were a worke of infinite labour to trace halfe their misdeameanours They are Turba gravis paci placidaque inimica quieti Quae semper miseras sollicitabit opes Foes to sweet peace and unto pleasing rest Which miserable wealth do still molest They are Crumeni-mulga natio loquuteleia turba A purse-milking generation and a prating Rabble I speake not these things against the Profession nor against all the Professors amongst whom I know are many worthy of respect for their abilities and integrities I speake onely against the common Traders of the Law vulgus Iurisperitorums Of these I may say that the house of a crafty Lawyer or Atturney keeps the Countrey in awe and drawes in contribution as farre as an ordinary Garrison And custome being growne into a second nature it is as naturall for a poor countrey-man to feare one of these as for a Larke to feare a Hobby Having thus prepared your minde to receive good councell I will now give it you without Fee or Bribe Take heed how you fill up Elections with these kinde of men the Recorder of every Borough will of course looke to be chosen as being the mouth of his Corporation But it is a Custome not fit for the necessity of these times our affaires require rather States-men then Lawyers My reason against such Elections follow 1. The knowledge of the Common-Law doth no way conduce to the making of a States-man It is a confined and topicall kinde of Learning calculated onely for the Meridian of Westminster-Hall and reacheth no further then Dover Transplant a Common Lawyer to Calice and his head is no more usefull there than a Sun-Dyall in a grave who ever heard of the Politikes written in Law-French 2. If the making and penning of good Lawes were the worke of these times as they are not it were not wisdome to choose mercenary Lawyers to make Lawes because they are the first men to invent subtilities to evade them and make them uselesse and will pen them obscurely on purpose to make themselves work in the interpretation 3. Lawyers being a bold and talkative kind of men will intrude themselves into the Chaires in all Committees where being accustomed to take Fees they will under-hand protect Delinquents and their concealed Estates with tricks and devices 4. The Reformation of Courts of Justice is a work of absolute necessity without it though the sword of the Lord returne againe into its scabbard so that you have no warre you shall have no peace But if you have many Lawyers they will never suffer any effectuall Law to passe for this purpose Because they get more by the corruption and delayes of the Law than by the Law it selfe 5. It it necessary to make a Law for imitation of exorbitant Fees extortion and prevarication amongst Lawyers as is used in other Countries 6. It is necessary to limit the certain number of practisers in each Court that they swarme not like Loc●sts over the Land devouring and impove ishing it These blessings you will never attain unto unlesse God give you the wisdome to avoid such Elections Lay the sin as well as the shame and smart of legall oppressions to you● hearts and you will find that the cries of the oppressed have beene a principall motive to draw down Gods vengeance upon this mournfull Land Was ever so desperate a wound given to your Lawes Liberties and Properties as the predetermined judgement of Ship-money Who gave that blow Judges What were they theeves Cum Prewilegio Regiae Majestatis who bought Justice by whole sale and sold it by retaile who assisted them Lawyers who undertaking to plead for their Clients against it prevaricated for the most part and betrayed the cause to get favour and preferment And yet such proceedings were against both the Judges and the Coronation Oath And the Judges as well as the King have the Coronation Oath in keeping Tresilian and his fellow Judges were condemned and executed in Richard the seconds time for making the King breake his Coronation Oath upon an extrajudiciall opinion collusorily given for saith the Record Sacramentum Domini Regis erga populum suum habent ad custodiendum But our Judges though more wicked have the happinesse to live in a more wicked age cujus pars magna sunt and out-live their Crimes paying only a small part by way of Fine enjoying the rest of their stollen Treasure Occulta spolia pluros de pace triumphos After they had made Peace as devouring as Warre and the Law as cruell as the sword who that is not a better Christian than these Brothers of the Coyfe Brothers in evill will not cry out with Epicurus Deos prorsus contemnere res humanas That God takes no more care what men doe on this Earthly Ball that man doth what Ants do in an Emmet-hill When Cicero in Verrem Verres being Pro-Consull of Sicily had pilled that Province and other Pro-Consulls and Pro-Pretors were punished for lesser extortions he laughing at their foolish moderation vaunted to his Broker Timarchides that hee had gotten enough to buy the friend-ship of the Senate and come off a rich and honourable man So our Judges enjoy their crimes and the price and reward of them Nay Fruuntur diis iratis cum tu victrix provincia ploras grow fat and prosper upon the anger of God and man whilst this Land groanes under the sad weight of sword pestilence and famine the effects of their injustice But through whose favour is it they have not expiated their crimes with their bloud and washed away the guilt of the Land but the Lawyers who wisely consider it may be their own case another day I have shewed you how unsafe it is to trust mercenary men with making or keeping of your Lawes I will epitomize what I have said in Panigyr ad Trajanum Plinies words Olim Criminibus jam legibus laboratur metuendum est nè legibus fundata res publica sit legibus eversa Heretofore we were laden with our crimes now we are oppressed with our Lawes And it is to be feared least the Common-wealth though founded by the Lawes be confounded by the Lawes or rather by the Lawyers I have given you good Counsell God make it wholesome to you and safe to me which if the times be not too wicked to hear truth I shall not doubt In the mean time the feeling experience I have in the publike calamities hath raised my resolution rather to scorne then fear any injury Justum tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava jubentium non vultus instantis Tyranni mente quatit solida Fractus illabatur orbis impavidum ferient ruinae A just and constant man will not be shaken in his resolution neither by the threats of tyrants nor by the clamours of the many-headed multitude though the world fall upon him he will fall accompanied with justice honesty religion mistake mee not I doe not meane hypocrisie Leve est quod ferre possum breve est quod ferre non possum Mors ultima linearerum est So I conclude my advice and God conclude our miseries Printed in the Year 1646.