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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75749	A remonstrance, against presbitery. Exhibited by divers of the nobilitie, gentrie, ministers and inhabitants of the county palatine. of Chester with the motives of that remonstrance. Together with a short survey of the Presbyterian discipline. Shewing the inconveniences of it; and the inconsistency thereof with the constitution of this state, being in its principles destructive to the laws and liberties of the people. With a briefe review of the institution, succession, iurisdiction of the ancient and venerable order of bishops. Found to bee instituted by the Apostles, continued ever since, grounded on the lawes of God, and most agreeable to the law of the land. / By Sir Thomas Aston baronet.	Aston, Thomas, Sir, 1600-1645.	1641 (1641)	Wing A4078; Thomason E163_1; Thomason E163_2; ESTC R212696	75,691	128

and the nature of Free-men would to so grave a Senate administer as much matter of serious consideration implie as much need of Reformation as a large invective full of bitter reviling which might more convince us of want of Charitie than the Bishops of Moderation being virulence of Spirit never argued either Civility or Christianitie never tended to piety or unity nor advanced either Religion or good Order g Hoc reperiemus nimiam mor ofitatem ex superbia magis fastu falsa que sanctitatis opinione quam ex vera sanctitate veroqueejus studio nasci Itaque qui ad faciendum ab Ecclesiâ defectiones sunt aliis audaciores quasi Antesignani ij ut plurimum nihil aliud causae habent nisi ut omnium contemptu ostentent se aliis esse meliores Calvin Institut lib. 4. Cap. 1. sect 13. Calvin observes that too much bitternesse or obstinacy springs rather from pride and disdaine and a false opinion of holinesse then from true sanctity or the desire thereof And that such as are forwards and the leaders of others in their defection from the Church have for the most part no other cause but their owne selfe conceipt thinking themselves better than all men else But if either processe of time or discontinuance of Parliaments have admitted any superstructures of exorbitant power doubtlesse the wisedome of the House instructed with the steerage of the State would reduce such without our clamours For such complaints as are against the temporall power of the Bishops wee know of no such thing inherent to the Order h Si quam habent Episcopi potestatem gladii hanc non habent ut Episcopi ex mandato Evangelit sed jure humano do natam â Regibus Imperatoribus ad administrationem civilem suorum honorum Haec interim alia functio est quam ministerium Evangelii Melancthon Articul fidei 37. In his speech the 23. of Ianuarie Melancthon tells us if they have any power of the sword it is of humane institution given them by Kings and Emperours if so certainly ejus est revocare cujus est dare And where a gracious Prince ex mero motu and I may say ex puro amore out of a tender affection to the peace and welfare of his people hath freely offered a retraction of such temporall authority i If upon serious debate you shall shew that Bishops have some temporall authority not so necessarie for the government of the Church and upholding of Episcopall iurisdiction I shall not bee unwilling to desire them to lay it downe as is not necessary for the government of the Church it is more proper for the debate of his great Councell to decide the poynt than befitting the importunity of us his much satisfied subjects especially with such violence as relishes rather a sentence than a supplication Quia non consensum quaerit sed dissidium auget qui quod fact is praestatur verbis exigit But for the Office and Order it selfe 't is confessed we were so farre from joyning with them either in their prayer of abolition or the ●n●ecency of their Language that 't was thought it became us to vindicate the Countrey consisting of Civill Gentrie from the imputation of such incivilitie as that petition if it had past as the Act of our Countie might perhaps fixe upon us And more then in our owne excuse of not joyning with them we presumed not to move any thing for or against the Bishops but being wee intimated our feare that these practises and tenets tended to introduce a Presbyterie 't was necessarie to shew we had no hand in that Petition which would have no Bishops lest we might seem to desire neither These prejudices of opinion thus removed I hope men will with more cleare eyes see the Integritie of our intentions and will with us in time take heed of Wolves especially when they appear in sheeps cloathing As we are a Gentrie who for Antiquity shall subscribe to none so I hope shall we ever testifie our zeale as great our resolutions as firme to preserve our ancient liberties as any Countrie whatsoever And I believe if any had our provocation they would have made our complaint A Survey of Presbytery SECT 1. The Designe of some Presbyterians T IS an ill presage of worse events to begin with the subversion of Gods house the Church It is not Reformation but totall Innovation many men look for 'T was a signe of no good intent when such a petition must bee smother'd up from the knowledge and Counsells of the Gentrie And though it were supprest after it had beene spread abroad as perhaps finding the times not ripe for a full discovery of their occult designes yet to those that will see it gives light enough that under pretext of Reforming the Church the true aime of such spirits is to shake off the yoke of all obedience either to Ecclesiasticall Civill Common Statute or the Customarie Lawes of the Kingdome and to introduce a meere Arbitrary Government But it may perhaps be said this is but the fancy of some distempered Zelots in that part onely and that I doe but raise a shadow and fight with it let such compare well the harmonie of other licentious raylers whose pamphlets garnish every stall and the concurrence of those of the same straine in the times of Queen Elizabeth and King James with the present positions and petition complained of and I dare promise they shall finde them all of a peece all champions for the Presbyterie which they then cal'd The great cause the Holy cause which as they then declared k Rogers his Preface to the Articles they will never leave suing for though there should be a thousand Parliaments untill either they obtaine it And lately preach'd by Eaton in Chester in the pulpit to the like effect or bring the Lord in vengeance and bloud upon the State and the whole land for repelling the same With what Method Iustice and Moderation they goe about it is worth the observation SECT 2. The Method of their proceedings IN this Chart of their petition we may find our selves plac'd among the Antipodes to all order rather than in a State govern'd by Lawes It hath been the Method of former times that the Parliament the Primates the Nobiles with the minores Nobiles the Gentrie consult and dispence the rules of government the Plebeians submit to and obey them But in their Petition ordine converso petitioners Plebeians assume to give judgement the Parliament must execute the Nobility and Gentrie suffer by it They make not any one proof or complaint against any one Bishop or their order yet clearely sentence them all l Their Petition note 2. Martin Marprelate f. 11. 12. Engl. Compl. to Jesus Christ That the Hierarchie is that beast to which the Dragon gave his power fol. 11. All Prelaticall government is papal ib. The Bishops the limbes of the great beast of no

ferocemque Tyrannum coli voluerit non alia ratione nisi quia regnum obtinebat Calvin Institut l. 4. cap. 20. Art 27. we see what obedience the Lord will have given to this wicked and fierce Tyrant for no other reason but because he was a King With whose counsell his successor Beza * Beza Epist 24. 2d peregri Eccl. in Anglia fratres well agrees Illud solis precibus patientiâ sanari potest The Triacle against this venome is Prayer not Vengeance We must be subject for Conscience sake q Rom. 13.5 Hence it is deduc'd and incorporated into an Article of our Religion r Article 37. That the Kings Majestie hath the chiefe Government of all estates Ecclesiasticall and Civill in all causes within his Dominions Which is not the sole position of our Church But with this agree all the Reformed Churches ſ Helverian Art 16. Bazil Art 7. Bohem. Art 16. Belg. Art 36. August Art 16. Saxon. Art 23. And more particularly the French Church whose Article of Religion is t Moulins Buckler of Faith Art 40. fo 535. Wee must not onely endure and suffer Superiors to Governe but also wee must honour and obey them with all reverence holding them for Gods Lieutenants and Officers whom he hath appoynted to exercise a Lawfull and an Holy charge we must obey their Lawes and Statutes pay all Tributes and Imposts bear the yoke of Subjection with a good and free will although they be Infidels Therefore we detest those that would reject Superioritie and establish community of goods and overthrow all course of Justice But yet perhaps the policy of States have found this Supreame power prejudiciall to the good of Common-wealths and the Lawes of God must give way to the Lawes of Nations since Salus populi Suprema Lex Gregor Tholosan Syntag jurum l. 47. ca. 17. N. 1. But experience tells us the Romans were quickly wearie of their change of Government from a King to a Senate and in nine yeares reduc't it to a Dictator finding by experience that commands depending upon divers votes beget distraction and Ruine And Historie informes us that the Spartan State wherein The King the Nobilitie and the people had their just proportions of power administration of Iustice and obedience subsisted above eight hundred yeares in a happy and flourishing Condition whereas Athens being a popular State scarce stood out an age The nearest degree of government to a Monarchy being ever longest lived and most glorious most safe for the people as was seen in Rome when the Commons to suppresse the power of the Nobilitie in the Consulls created the Tribunes of the people who sharing in government would share in honours and fortunes too which occasioned the Agrarian Law Titus Livius That no Citizen should have above five hundred Acres of Land and that the people should share equally in all Conquests This bred the quarrell of Sylla and Marius continued in Caesar and Pompey and ended in the ruine of Rome From these observations Tacitus drawes this conclusion Vnius Imperii corpus Tacitus Annalls 1. unius animo regendum videtur It is necessarie the body of one Empire should bee governed by one head which must not bee barely a Titular head a shadow of power without the weight of it for Lawes well made availe little unlesse they be entrusted to a hand that hath power to exact execution of them Nor doe I observe that these principles of Divinity or Policie doe essentially differ but rather seeme to bee ●he same with the fundamentalls of the Lawes of this Kingdome For sayes Bracton the learned Historian in the Genealogie of our Lawes Bracton fol. 107. u Rex ad hoc creatus est electus ut justitiam faciat universis quia si non esset qui justitiam faceret pax de facili possit exterminari supervacuum esset leges condere justitiam nisi esset qui leges tueretur Potentiâ verò omnes sibi subditos debet praecellere parem autem habere non debet nec multo fortius superiorem maximè in justitia exhibenda ut dicatur veré de eo magnus Dominus noster magna virtus ejus To this end was a King created and chosen that he might doe Iustice to all men because if there were not one to administer Justice peace would soone be rooted out and it were vaine to enact Lawes or talke of Iustice if there were not one to defend the Lawes Who must be one not subordinate to inferiour powers but sayes hee Hee ought to excell all his subjects in power And hee must have no equall much lesse a superiour chiefely in administring Iustice That it may truely bee said of him Great is our Lord our King great is his vertue And hence is it that such Princely jurisdiction superiorities and authority over Ecclesiasticall Causes and persons is annexed to the Imperiall Crown for ever by our Statute Lawes * 1 Eliz. 1. And that in the oath of Supremacie w Oath of Supremacie 1 Eliz. 1. we not onely acknowledge the King to bee the supreame Governour in all Ecclesiasticall things or Causes but are sworne That to our power we shall assist and defend all Iurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences and Authorities united and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne In this Scala Regia this Gradation of Royall Monarchy we can finde nothing incongruous to the faith or liberty of a true Protestant But wee see our selves bound by Oath to acknowledge and support that Regall Government our Statutes have establish'd our Lawes approved Historie represents most happy policy recommends as safest to which all protestant Churches confesse due allegeance All Primitive times yielded full obedience To whose Throne Christ himselfe yields Tribute To whose power he commands submission and reverence To whose jurisdiction is committed the designation of Bishops and Judges whose persons God will have sacred whose Actions unquestionable whose succession he himselfe determines whose Kingdomes hee disposes and whose Election is the All-Makers sole prerogative Now whether these Crownes and Scepters shall be held Jure Divino or not I take not on me to determine but I may be bold to deliver Du-Moulins owne words x Moulins Buckler of Faith fol. 560. Whosoever buildeth the authority of Kings upon mens institutions and not upon the Ordinance of God cutteth off three parts of their authoritie and bereaveth them of that which assureth their Lives and their Crowns more than the guards of their bodies or puissant armie which put terrour into subjects hearts instead of framing them to obedience Then the fidelity of subjects will be firme and sure when it shall be incorporated into piety and esteemed to be a part of Religion and of the service which men owe to God SECT 10. Presbyterie inconsistent with Monarchy IN the government of the State as now it stands there being then so much Harmonie though it may sometimes bee out of Tune

Fathers own words whereby judge what truth is to be expected from sueh juggler● First he cites Metaphrastes in whom saith he we read that Peter was a long time in Brittannie and drew many Countreys to the Christian faith but at last when he had illuminated many with the light of the word and had constituted Churches hee ordained Bishops Presbyters Deacons returning to Rome the 12. y●er of Nero Cesar here were the severall degrees of dignities Again he recites Aristobulus (h) Aristobulum quoque cuius ipse in epistola ad Romanos meminit britannorum episcopum a paulo ordinatum in Menaeis Graecorum Vsher fol. 9. whom Paul mentions in his Epistle to the Romanes and was one of his seventy Disciples him Paul ordained Bbishop of the Brittains This was a large Parish Next he relates many diversities of opinions concerning Ioseph of Arimathea his being in England (i) Vsher fol. 24. licet hoc fuisse verum quod tamen non fuit non sequitur ergo quod totum solium illud suscepit fidem and concludes that although it were true which it was not yet it follows not that therefore all the land had received the faith for it might be disperst amongst private persons but was never received by the whole kingdome nor came they to have Christian Churches till Lucius time as is confest by that reverend Bishop (k) Publice vero primum sub Lucio Elutherio receptum hic fuisse Evangelium consentiens nostrorum historicorum est sententia Vsher ibid. fol. 52. That the Gospel was first publiquely received here under Lucius and Elutherius with which accords Master Fox in his Martyrs That from Peter Anno 65. after Christ Elutherius was the twelf●h successive Bishop of Rome (l) Acts and Monuments fol. 34. Hieron lib. de viris illustr Iraeneus lib. 3. cap. 3. Acts and Monumets fol. 107. Vsher Brit. eccles primord fol. 54. 59. who about Anno 161. sent Fugacius or Fuganus and Dimianus or Damianus which converted first the King and people of Brittain and baptized them with the Baptisme and Sacrament of Christs faith The Temples of Idolatry and all other Monuments of Gentility they subverted converting the people from their divers and many Gods to serue one living God There were in Brittain 28. head Priests which they called Flamines and three Archpriests which they called Archflamines having the oversight of manners and as Iudges Those 28. Flamines they turned to 28. Bishops and the three Archflamynes to three Archbishops having their seats in three principall Cities which being Master Fox his own words according with the Bishop (m) Vsher ibid. ●o 59. you may observe how a lyar confounds himself for he first says The Church of England was governed some hundred yeers without Bishops from the first plantation and in the next line he disproves himself That in the instant of the conversion of the Church and supplantation of idolatry were planted Bishops from whence he concludes an excellent Argument Because they were instituted by Elutherius the twelfth successive Bishop of Rome from the Apostle Peter Non interrupta serie Converted the people to the true God subverted idolatry and supplanted the heathen Priests Ergo They are of Ethnicall or Diabolicall not Apostolicall institution Truly Reader I have spent too much time on him but it is to admonish the vulgar with the Apostle Paul to stop their ears against such Libellers and (n) 1 Tim. vers 45.6 Not to give heed to fables The end of the Commandement is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of faith unfained from which some have swerved unto vain jangling desiring to be teaehers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirmed I do it to perswade some able Divine not to mispend time to answer the matter of their Pamphlets but that it will be time well spent to discover the falshood of such saucie-untaught-teachers as here the Apostle speaks of to display their misquotations and distortions of Scripture It is the best and quickest plea to take away the testimony of a false witnesse to prove him formerly perjur'd And in this point the works of such persons thorowly traced they will best be rendred despicable to the world For though the Prophesie of Saint Paul (o) 2 m. 4. 3 That the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap up to themselves teachers having itching eares and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto falbes is in these dayes most evidently manifested of many yet charity forbids us to censure all to seek untruth for it s own sake many no doubt are deluded with that species of truth which the pretended though abus'd quotations of Scripture they stuffe their books withall carries with it which I dare promise any man that will take pains to examine will scarce finde patience to read any more of them Reader I have wandered too long from thee but now return not to beg thy approbation I Court no mans but to advise thee for thine own sake That being falshood is so bold to offer to outface truth in pirnt to let all whispered detractions from which no Good work is free be rejected by thee and receive and weigh these following truths of the manner of procuring the subscriptions and the reasons of presenting that Remonstrance the carriage whereof is testified the contents avowed by thy friend if thou art either a freeman or a Protestant THO. ASTON THE REMONSTRANCE REPRESENTED TO THE HOVSE OF Peers by Sir THOMAS ASTON Baronet from divers Noblemen and Gentlemen of the County-Palatine of CHESTER against PRESBYTERIAN Government To the High and Honourable Court of Parliament The Nobility Knights Gentry Ministers Freehoulders and Inhabitants of the Countie-Palatine of Chester whose names are subscribed in the severall Schedules hervnto annexed Humbly Shew THat whereas divers Petitions have lately been carried about this Country against the present form of Church-Government and the hands of many persons of ordinary quality solicited to the same with pretence to be presented to this honourable Assembly which we conceiving not so much to ayme at reformation as absolute Innovation of Government and such as must give a great advantage to the adversaries of our Religion we held it our duty to disavow them all And humbly pray that we incurre no miscensure if any such clamours have without our privitie assumed the name of the County We as others are sensible of the Common grievances of the Kingdome and have just cause to rejoyce at and acknowledge with thankfulnesse the pious care which is already taken for the suppressing of the growth of Popery the better supply of able Ministers and the removing of all Innovation and we doubt not but in your great wisdomes (a) Wee conceived it not proper for us by way of prayer to intermeddle but by way of

submission to leave these to the Iudgement of the Parliament you will regulate the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Courts to suit with the temper of our Laws and the nature of freemen Yet when we consider that Bishops were instituted in the time of the Apostles (b) philip 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 That they were the great Lights of the Church in all the first generall Councells (c) Anno. Bishops 330. at Nice 318 380. at Constant 150 430. at Ephesus 200 451. at Chalcedon 430 553. at Constant 165 681. at Constant 289 781. at Nice 350 870. at Constant 383 That so many of them sowed the seeds of Religion in their bloods and rescued Christianity from utter extirpation in the Primitive heathen persecutions (d) Vid. Eusebius Fox his Martyrs That to them we owe the redemption of the purity of the Gospel we now professe from Romish corruption (e) Vid. booke of Martyrs Cranmer Tutor to Ed. 6. That many of them for the propagation of that truth became such glorious Martyrs (f) A Cranmer B. Latimer ● Ridley B. Hooper B. Park A Parker A. B Gri. B. Whitegift c. vid. booke of martyrs That divers of them lately and yet living with us have been so great assertors of our Religion against its common enemy of Rome (g) Bishop Iewel Bishop Andrewes bishop White Archbishop Vsher Bishop Moreton Bishop Davenant and our English Seneca Bishop Hall And that their government hath been so long approved so oft established by the Common and Statut Laws of this Kingdome (h) Bracton lib. 3. fol. 106. Flet. a lib. 7.24 Coo. Little fol. 97. 134. stat 14. E. 3. 25. E. 3. 16. R. 2. H. 8.20.1.8.9 Eli. And as yet nothing in their doctrine generally taught dissonant from the word of God or the Articles established by Law i) Partiucular men errours cannot be aken for the Tenets of the Church In this case to cal their Gouernment a perpetuall vassalage an intolerable bondage And prima facie inaudita altera parte to pray the present removall of them or as in some of their petitions to seek the utter dissolution an● ruine of their offices as Antichristian (l) The petition annexed note 6. we cannot conceive to rellish of Justice or Charity nor can we joyn with them But on the contrary when we consider the tenour of such writings as in the name of petitions are spread amongst the common people the tenents preached publiquely in Pulpits (m) The positions annexed and the contents of many printed Pamphlets swarming amongst us all of them dangerously exciting a disobedience to the established forme of gouernment and their severall intimatious of the desire of the power of the keyes (n) Petition anexed note 4. And that their congregations may execute Ecclesiasticall Censures within themselves (o) Petition annexed note 19. We cannot but expresse our just fears that their desire is to introduce an absolute Innovation of Presbyteriall Government whereby we who are now governed by the Canon and Civill Laws dispensed by twenty fix Ordinaries easily responsall to Parliaments for any deviation from the rule of Law conceive we should become exposed to the meer Arbitrary Goverment of a numerous Presbytery who together with their ruling Elders wil arise to neere forty thousand Church Governours and with their adherents must needs bear so great a sway in the Common-wealth that if future inconvenience shall be found in that government we humbly offer to consideration h w these shall be reducible by Parliaments how consistent with a Monarchie and how dangerously conducible to an Anarchie which we have iust cause to pray against as fearing the consequences would proue the utter losse of Learning and Laws which must necessarily produce an extermination of Nobility Gentry and Order if not of Religion With what vehemencie of spirit these things are prosecuted and how plausibly such popular infusions spread as incline to a parity we held it our duty to represent to this honourable Assem●ly And humbly pray that some such present course be taken as in your wisdoms shall be thought fit to suppresse the future dispersing of such dangerous discontents amongst the common people we having great cause to fear that of all the distempers that at present threaten the wellfare of this state there is none more worthy the mature and grave consideration of this honourable Assembly then to stop the torrent of such spirits be●ore they swell beyond the bounds of Government Then we doubt not but his Majestie persevering in his gracious inclination to heare the complaints and relieve the grievances of his Subjects in frequent Parliaments it will so unite the head and the body so indissolubly cement the affections of his people to our Royall Soveraigne that without any other change of Government he can never want Revenue nor wee Justice We have presumed to annex a Copie of a Petition or Libell dispersed and certain positions preach'd in this County which vve conceive imply matter of dangerous consequence to the peace both of Church and State All vvhich vve humbly submit to your great Judgements praying they may be read And shall ever pray c Directed to the house of Peeres And subscribed by the Lieutenant of the County Three other Noblemen Knights Baronets Knights and Esquires fourscore and odde Divines fourscore and ten Gentlemen tvvo hundred threescore and odde Freeholders and other inhabitants above six thousand None of them Popish Recusants And all of the same County The Petition which was spread abroad in the Countrie amongst the Common people by some private Persons to procure hands but was concealed from the Gentrie A Copy wher●of was annexed to the Remonstrance and was complained of having injuriously assumed the Name of the Humble Petition of the Free-holders and the rest of the Inhabitants within the Countie of Chester which might seeme to involve the whole Countie Sheweth THat whereas the manifold unsupportable burdens wherewithal our Consciences and estates have beene long oppressed with a continuall increase thereof have at last so tyred and infeebled our strength that we find our selves unable to subsist any longer under the weight thereof wee dare not now neglect to take the present opportunitie of serving the Lords providence in the use of this meanes which we hope is of his owne appoynting for our reliefe But as we have in some measure implored God who is the blessed Author so wee thought our selves bound humbly to Petition this honourable and renowned Assembly convened in Parliament for redresse of our miseries being the likelyest instrument so farre as we apprehend not limiting the Holy one of Israel for that end and purpose which we humbly pray may be duly considered as we make bold to tender them in these few Lines following Our miseries are such as are either Ecclesiastical or Civill first Ecclesiasticall and that in regard of the usurping Prelates their lawlesse dependent officers and their irregular manner of worshipping

English Brethren writes thus (g) Bez. Epist 12. f. 220. Jmmo optima omnia nobis de eo regno pollicemur in quo tam multorum etiam excellentissimorū martyrum Sanguine obsignata est Christianae religionis instauratio I promise to my selfe even the best things of that Kingdome wherein the restauration of Christian Religion hath beene sealed with the Bloud of so many excellent Martyrs (h) Hortamur ut omni animorum acerbatione de posita alii alios patienter ferant Fegiae Majestati clementissimae omnibus praesulibus suis ex aenimo obsequantur And exhorts them that leaving all bitternesse they would beare one another with patience and obey the Queenes Majestie and all their Prelates with a free heart And writing to Bishop Grindall (i) Beza Epist 23. ad Grindall Quod tu igitur quorundam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perpetulisti everendissime vir in eo sane in signe patientiae lenitatis Chr●stianae specimen eddisti quo majore post hac paena digni erunt qui porro aut horitatem tuam aspernabuntur he commends his Christian lenity and patience for bearing with the selfe-conceited pride of some and saith they shall deserve a greater punishment that will reject again his authority But Beza is but a single witnesse take another then though later in time yet no lesse eminent in worth Peter Du Moulin both superintendents of the Reformed Churches In England saith he (k) Moulins Buckler of Faith fol. 347. Petr. Molinaeus Thesibus de notis Ecclesiae par 2. Th●s 33. Episcopos Angliae post conversionem ad fidem ejuratum papismum asserimus fuisse fideles D●i servo ne debuisse deseraere munus vel titulum Episcopi where God hath used Bishops to strive against and to resist Papistry And where God hath given them Soveraigne Princes which maintained and upheld them by their power Episcopall order continueth and flourisheth at this day And God hath here raised up and still doth excellent Bishops both for learning and pietie which couragiously maintaine Gods cause both by word of mouth and writing and some of them also have received the Crowne of Martyrdome for the Confession of the Gospell If the men were without exception was their Discipline the cause of quarrell Aske them they will tell you yea They say (l) First Admonition to the Parliament p. 17. 24. 26. Syon● Plea 29. The Communion Booke is culled and picked out of that Popish Dung-hill the Portuise and Masse book (m) Second admonition pag. 42. The Sacraments are wickedly mangled and prophaned (n) Gilby pag. 2. They eate not the Lords Supper but play a Pageant of their owne The publike Baptisme (o) First Admonition pag. 40. is full of Childish and superstitious toyes the Ceremonies (p) Gilby pag. 40. are popish fooleries Romish Reliques and ragges of Antichrist If all were thus farre amisse what hope was there yet of Reformation They tell us (q) Pen●es Epistle before the motion England with an impudent forehead hath said I wil not come near the Holy one and (r) Gilby pag. 77. hateth them to this day that faithfully doe their office What miserable condition shall any charitable Christian consider this distressed Nation to bee in that views it either in such colours those Fathers or these our Brethren have set us forth in What must be the comfortable Contemplation of that great day of which (ſ) Job 19.25 Iob sayes I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for myselfe and my eyes shall behold And as St. Paul sayes (t) 1 Corinth 13.12 see face to face and know even as also we are knowne When we call to minde our prim●geni●ors were Heathens denying God our predecessors Apostates fallen from the true God to Romish Idolatrie and superstition our Fathers and our selves such Schismatiques from whom all good Christians must separate themselves Miserable indeed were the condition of this forlorne state if other Reformed Churches spake not better of us than wee of one another SECT 4. The opinions of the Reformed Churches HEare Calvins opinion in his Epistle to the Lord Protector of England (u) Calvin in his Epistle to the L. Protector Quod ad formam precum Rituum Ecclesiarum valde probo ut certa illa extet a qua pastoribus in sua sunctione disiedere non liceat The forme of prayer and the Ceremonies of the Church I doe exceedingly approve of as that from which the Ministers ought not to depart (w) Martin Bucer Scripta Anglican pag. 456. Egi gratias Deo qui dedisset vos bas ceremonias cô puritatis reformare nec enim quicquam in illis deprehend● quod non sit ex verbo Dei desumptū aut saltem ei non adversetur commodè acceptum Martin Bueer a learned Reformer being requested by the Arch-bishop Cranmer to give his censure of the English Liturgy sayes I praise God that gave you light to reduce these Ceremonies to such purity for I finde nothing in them which is not taken out of the Word of God or at least wise if clearely interpreted not repugnant to it (x) Beza superintendens Genevae Doctrine puritat viget in Anglia purè sincerè Rogers Preface Beza writes from Geneva That in England true Doctrine flourishes purely and sincerely The German Zanchie (y) Zanchius de Strasborough per hanc Reginam factam c. That by this Queens comming to the Crowne God hath againe restored his Doctrine and true worship And Danaeus (z) Danaeus a Frenchman at Geneva Rogers in his Preface to the 39. Articles gives this large testimony That the whole compasse of the world hath neuer seen any thing more blessed nor more to bee wished for than is her Government If then we find that neither Queen Parliament State Clergie Doctrine Ceremonies nor the Church it selfe can please such Separatists but they revile all whom all the world else admires approves 1 Corinth 13.1 Though they speak with the tongues of men and Angels and have so little Charity let us value them but as sounding Brasse and tinckling Cymballs Let us weigh their noyse no more let it be said to them as Jehu to Jo●am a 2 King 9.22 What hast thou to doe with peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Jezabel and her witch-crafts are so many what do these men with religion in their mouths when they have no Christianity in their hearts b 2 Timothy 3 3 4 5. Being without naturall affections truce-breakers false-accusers fierce despisers of those that are good heady high minded having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turne away And from the delusions of such God turne the hearts of all loyall Subjects 'T is the nature of Man-kinde that being deceived by the species