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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

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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
before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands which came out of great tribulation and had washed their robes Verse 14. and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb. But such as these think their dye is not deepe enough they must yet strike the Basilike veine y Sions plea 262. Gibson threatned King Iames that as Ieroboam he should be rooted out and conclude his race if he maintained Bishops Bancroft fol. 28. Nothing but this say they will cure the pleurisie of our State By which what fountaine of bloud they meane is fitter for the exposition of a Jesuite z Carolus Scriban Erratum valde fuisse in festo Barthol quòd secta non fuerit vena basilica id est quod percitum fuit regi Navarrae principi condensi than the enquiry of a Protestant Onely the torrent of such spirits is observable if not formidable who check at no power Well may the all-reaching arme of a Parliament assist but they hold it cannot stay their course * Sions plea 155. If the Hierarchy be not removed and the Scepter of Christs kingdome namely his owne discipline be advanced there can be no healing of the sore The Parliament may remove all state grievances in repairing wrongs censuring misdemeanours c. All which are to be done Sions plea 156. but the former is not to be left undone As God hath not blest any Parliamentary endevours because as we take it say they they went not this way to work so it is likely he will not be with you now if you go not this way to work Some were a little freer languag'd against the Parliament a Supplicat pag. 25. Bancroft fol. 50. 29. Eliz. That if they did not abrogate the government of Bishops they should betray God the truth and betray the whole kingdome But this is but gentle admonition if faire words will prevaile it is well if not they will doe it perforce b Unlawfulnesse of unlimited Prelacie fol. 12. Though the Parliament be for Bishops sayes one of them yet all the godly and religious will be against them And it is now become the language of the pulpit that if the Parliament will not releeve them c Eaton in his Sermon at Chester yet they shall stick fast together to maintaine their cause which is Christs cause Herein following the counsell of their Predecess●urs d Bancroft fol. 169. That if the brethren cannot obtaine their wils by suit nor dispute the multitude and people must work the feat Thus built upon the authoritie of one of their ancient Ring-leaders who tels them e Knox to the Communaltie fol. 49 50. Reformation of Religion belongs to the Communaltie The which carrying some Species of libertie in it they seeke to confirme that popular ambition by cherishing in them an opinion of a right in the power of the keyes as belonging f Eatons positions annexed 9. neither to the Pastour nor Governours but to the whole Congregation and to everie particular member thereof and Christ having committed them to everie one would of everie one demand an accompt A dangerous doctrine if once grounded in vulgar apprehensions These possest with an opinion of an equall interest in the power of the keyes of the Church which they know how to manage will much more plausibly embrace the suggestions of a paritie in the sway of the State as better suting with their capacities It will bee somewhat difficult to possesse the common people A Priest stirred up rebellion in King Richard the seconds rime with this argument that we are all sprung from the Tribe of Levi But the old seditious argument will be obvious to them That wee are all the sons of Adam borne free some of them say the Gospell hath made them free And Law once subverted it will appeare good equitie to such Chancellours to share the earth equally They will plead Scripture for it that wee should all Genesis 3.19 live by the sweat of our browes They will tell us that in Aegypt we were all fellow Brick-makers And it is no noveltie in the stories of this State That such Artificers have levelled the palaces of Nobles and squared out the dimensions of the Gentrie and Law-Givers according to the rule of their reason The emptie name of libertie blowne into vulgar eares hath over-turned many States how much more prevalent and dangerous must it bee when enforced as a religious dutie to disobey authoritie We know Saint Pauls precept is h Romans 13 1 2. Let everie soule be subject to the higher powers they that resist receive damnation And certainly since his time never any age till now brought forth such desperate Anti-Apostles as I may not improperly call them in absolute opposition to the rule of the Apostle i Eatons Position 9. To conjure men in their pulpits as they will answer it at the dreadfull day of judgement not to submit to any authoritie whatsoever And in defiance and contempt of our Lawes still in force which exact the deprivation of everie Ecclesiastique k Stat. 1 Eliz. cap. 2. the confiscation of the goods and chattels and imprisonment during life of every Laick that shall wilfully deprave the Liturgie established by Law in their petition to stile it l Freholders Petition Note 8. The English refined Masse-booke of Common Prayer In their pulpits to preach it m Eatons Position Note 10. sin to be present at reading of a prayer out of a booke by Minister or any other In print to publish that it is absolutely n 8 Propositions in print p. 1. sinful and unlawful to hear any Minister preach in the Church of England and the Assemblies thereof And seeing these are seconded by the frequent and publique venring of scandalous invective and libellous pamphlets full of seditious doctrines implying an absolute abnegation of the Kings supremacie * Volumes of Paraphlets That the Church is independant and must have all her officers and Lawes within her self which is to denie the Ecclesiasticall Law which Sir Ed. Cook says whosoever shall enie he denyeth that the King hath full power to deliver Iustice in all causes to all his subiects and withdrawing the people from their due allegeance exciting them to disobedience To me such bold violation and uncontrolled contempt of Lawes sitting the Law-Makers appeares formidable Omnia cum liceant non licet esse bonum I consider the Nobilitie and Gentrie of this Isle this nurserie of honour situate as the Low Countries in a flat under the banks and bounds of the Lawes secured from the inundations of that Ocean the Vulgar which by the breach of those bounds would quickly overwhelme us and deface all distinctions of degrees or persons and cannot but with admiration observe that Sampson like in their full strength but as blind with inconsiderate zeale as he by treacherie any such should lay hold
inconsistent with Monarchie 11 Presbytery inconsistent with Civill Magistracie 12 Presbytery inconsistent with laws 13 The inordinate violence of the Presbytery 14 That this Discipline brings not liberty to the vulgar but introduces a meere Arbitrary Government 15 That the Presbyterian discipline is confessed a yoake 16 The vain excuse that Lay-elders shall moderate refuted 17 No Reformed Church gives any president paralell with us 18 Conclusion That to introduce a new form is dangerous The Table to the Review of Episcopacie Sectio prima That there were Bishops in the Apostles times 2 That the seven Angels of the seven Churches were Bishops 3 That there hath bin a continued succession of Bishops 4 That they were Diocesan Bishops 5 That the Clergie ought to be superiour to one another 6 That they assume no power or jurisdiction their predecessors had not 7 That Bishops had the same power of Ordination in former times 8 Ecclesiasticall censures anciently in Bishops 9 Titles of Honour anciently given to Bishops 10 That there were Archbishops in the primitive times 11 That late great Writers approved Bishops 12 That Bishops were approved in the Reformed Churches 13 Episcopacie approved by the ancient customary laws 14 That abolition of Episcopacie will occasion great distraction in the Common Laws 15 That it will destroy great part of the Statute Laws 16 Whether it may be done by the Kings Legall Prerogative 17 The Conclusion REader the Authors absence hath occasion'd many omissions having not opportunity to peruse the Presse especially in the quotations The best helpe is thy friendly patience to passe by the literall faults amend these few following and beare with the rest Some of them vary the fence therefore it is desired thou wilt amend them ere thou readest Errata IN the Survey of Presbytery Praef. B 2 p. 2. line 7 all men line 11. for instructed r intrusted Sect. 2. l. 19. for them r. their Sect. 2 pag. 2. marg l. 41 read Prelate Church Sect. 3 not 1 marg r. pertulisti ibidem for eddisti r eddidisti not k for ne nec C 2 p 2. ma●g not o for 40. r 21 Sect 7 l 12 blot out they say Sect 7 D 8 l 17 add as Calvin cals them fanatici homines c. El 9 for Deo r duo marg for Tomes r Tom. 7 E 2 p 2. l 17 r Censurers E 3 p 2 l 29 adde such unlimited Sect. 9 l 9 for every r Envy cla●our F fol. l 13 a full point at possession fol F 2 p 2 l 4 put out it F 3 l 23 for and r c. ibid marg l 11 r frenabit fol G 2 p 2 l 25 r observable G 3 p 2 marg l 2 r Dominio G 4 marg l 2 r 59 H 3 p 2 l 19 adde man not to rest fol. I l 17 r. Presbytery fol l 2 l 1● after repent adde The Praesbyterians affirme l 3 p 2 l. 6 r these new Standerbearers K 8 l 2 blot out that L 2 p 1 l 7 for those r these L 3 l 7 r Classicall In the Review of Episcopacie Fol 9 marg l 11 r Heraclam fol 10 marg l 25 r Episcopatum fol 11 marg l 12 for ad id r adversus fol 13 l 2 r Fencelesse fol 24 l 8 r other fol 26 marg l 25 r hoc fol 27 l 12 for many r may fol 38 l 5 for cause r course fol. 39 l 4 for received r. retained fol 43 l 2 for absolute r obsolete fol 57 l 20 for which his r with his fol 65 l 3 for if r that the Prelates l 28. put out cure fol 77 l 19 for both r but. The Preface T IS a time of Censures nor actions nor persons scape if perhaps the power yet not the tongues of men certainly the Goose-Quill did never more licentiously lesse civilly bedabble both times and persons No action of so pure intention hath beene more bespatter'd than the deliverie of this Remonstrance No man with more confidence lesse cause hath beene more mistaken misse-censured than my selfe Yet some I presume that have now seene those Motives which before they did not are satisfied there was just cause for us to complaine none for them to judge We alas are none of those that live in Goshen a Exod 8.22 sever'd from the sorrowes of our brethren wee have had our b The common Grievances swarme of flies to destroy our fruits we have felt the storme of a distempered state as well as they c Exod. 9 26. But we had rather with prayer and patience wait and hope for the reunion of our distracted peace than rend the breaches wider by pulling on our heads a greater plague than wee have yet felt or then the Egyptians suffered till their d Exod 14.25 And the Lord troubled the Egyptians and took off their Chariot wheels that they drave heavily 28 And the waters returned and covered the Chariots and the horsemen and all the Hoast of Pharaoh Chariots were taken off their wheeles or then we hope we can till our Lawes the Hinges of the State be dis-joynted the reines of Gouernment let loose Then alas how soone with them should we be overwhelmed with disorder and confusion how easily become a prey to the first invader Yet I feare we undergoe more censure who pray the preservation than those that seek the abolition of those Lawes that give us Life and safetie by preserving Order which is the Soule of Government Ordo est anima Legis Wee meet with severall sorts of Censurers some seem to robbe the Gentrie of the right of their owne free thoughts as if they were but properties to serve the ends of others act the designes of the Bishop and his Clergy who I doe absolutely affirme never knew of it till it was done yet I doe confidently assume if he required it might have as many free testimonies of qualitie of his moderation as any man of that reverend Order Others of the same stampe seeke to impeach the credit of the Subscribers as if a great part were papists All may see our instructions were not to admit such I resolutely affirme no one Gentleman of quality there is such and I confidently believe not one at all of the whole number Some that certainly never saw it Censure for company that wee onely swimme against the streame and contrary to the Torrent of other Countries have put in a justification of a plea for Bishops such I said before sure never saw it when they doe they will finde that we have the same sence of disorder in Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction as others have That to us e The Remonstrance the suppressing of Poperie the increase of able Pastors the removing of Innovations will be equally acceptable as to other Subjects onely we conceived our modest submission to the judgement of that great Counsell Remonstrance to regulate the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Courts to suit with the temper of our Lawes
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