they admit of many being there is bâ—â— one This I speak in reference to the Country not to particular men Neither is there a sort of Christians in the world who are less servants unto Christ if it be enough to make them so to be the greatest prophaners of his day for the Sabbath day is only distinguished from other daies by a Sermon in the Church and the Alehouse being full of Mechannicks drinking and carousing from morning untill night the shops are open and buying and selling all the day long excepting halfe the window which is to distinguish the day but the door is open to let in the buyers and the other halfe of the window is open to let in the light and wonderfully strange it is and remarkable to consider how these people who shook off their allegiance to their Prince upon pretences of Reformation should be so besotted as to fall into such a strange and unheard heard of prophanenesse of him and the day whereon Christ himself is to be worshipped as in their Metropolis or chief City to have a dog â—arket kept to the utter scandall of â—â—ue Religion and Christianity it selfe â—â—is is no more then what I have seen â—â—d if it were not true it were easily reâ—â—rned upon my self as the greatest imâ—â—udence that could be imagined but O â—â—e partiality of the picture-drawer â—hen he receives large wages for a siâ—ilitude he insults over his own work â—nly because it is like when the face it â—elf is most abhominable Now for their freedome from Tyâ—anny and oppression if the Turkes or Tartars had conquered them they never would nor never did where ever they extended their dominions impose such taxes and rates as they have imposed on one another incredible even to the full value of the severall commodities which run through their natives hands but you will aske me how it is possible they should live then to which I answer you by sharking and cosening of strangers Let any forraigners come there and ask for a dinner and for such a dinner as they may well afford for eight pence a piece they will ask you five shillings a man find but the least fault with them and they will demand twelve pence a piece more for fouling of linnen and if you seem angry at that you shall mend your self with the payment of six pence a piece over and above for fouling the roome and seeke a remedy and you shall be told the Prince of Orange himself if he were there could not help it altom all is all the reason they will give you if in sadnesse you shall complaine of such abuses to indifferent Judges they will tell you that the States do lay such heavy taxes upon the Inhabitants that they are faine to fly to such shifts for their subsistance thus men pleased with the itch of Innovation are contented to scratch the bloud out of their own bodies till they feel the greatest smart rather then their Physitian should let out a little spare bloud to cure the disease and preserve them in good health but you will say that for all this they thrive and prosper abundantly so do the Argiers men but with what credit and reputation in the eye of the world I believe both alike It was not their strength or policy which brought them to this height and flourishing condition but it was our policy of State in â—â—mulation to other Princes which helâ—ed these calfes to Lions hearts teeth â—nd clawes untill the high and mighty â—utter-boxes stood in competition with the Crowne and I am afraid the siding with such Rebels hath turned Rebelâ—ion into our own bosomes as a just â—udgement from that God who is a reâ—enger of all such iniquities they may call it the Schoole of War whilst wanting a good cause it could be no otherwise then the Christians shambles I should be sorry that Holland should be the English-mans Looking-glasse a spur for his feet or a copy for his hand I hope the hand of providence will cure us like the Physitian who cur'd his patient by improving his disease from a gentle Ague to a high Feaver that he might the better help him CHAP. XV That Episcopacy is Jure Divino IN this discourse I shall not trouble my selfe nor you with Titles Names and words of Apostles Evangelists Arch-Bishops Bishops Patriarchs Presbyters Ministers Angels of Churches c. which were all from the highest to the lowest but tearmes reciprocal and were often taken in the Church of God and in the Scripture it self for one and the same for if any man though never so meane a Minister of the Gospel converted any Nation the Church ever called him the Apostle of that Country as Austin though but a Monke was every where tearmed the Apostle of England and Saint Paul being an Apostle stiles himselfe a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Paul bids Timothy being a Bishop to do the work of an Evangelist and therefore no wonder if Bishops and Presbyters be â—ften mentioned for one and the same â—ut it is a great wonder that any manâ—er of men should make this a ground â—or any argument against Episcopacy â—hese kind of arguments instead of striâ—ing fire that should light the candle â—hey do but pin napkins over our eyes â—nd turne us round untill we know â—ot where we are and then we grope â—or we know not who and lay hold â—f we know not what he that will â—ut down this over-grown up-start tree â—f errour must first clear his way to the â—oot and brush away all those bramâ—les and briers which grow about it â—e must not leave any thing standing â—hat may lay hold of the hatchet and â—eviate the stroke turning the same â—dge upon the feller that was intended â—or the tree if we should insist upon â—ames and titles we should make but a â—onfounded piece of worke and run our â—elves into a most inextricable labourinth and Mazes of errour Where we might run and go forwards and backwards and round about and nere the near Christs are Kings Kings are Gods God is Christ and Christ is Biâ—hop of our souls Bishops are Presbyters Presbyters are Ministers a Minister is an Apostle an Apostle is a Minister and so if you will quite back againe I must put off these as David threw away Sauls Armour non possum incedere cum iis I love to knock down this monstrum informe ingens in lumen ademptum with a blunt stone taken out of a clear River which with the sling of application may serve well enough to slay this erroneous Philistine though he were far greater then he is In the first place therefore let as understand what is meant by Jus Divinum if any man meanes that Episcopacy is so Jure Divino that it is unalterable and must continue at all times and in all places so that where it is left off there can be no Church he meanes to give much offence and little reason for there
is no question but the Church may alter their own government so that it be left to themselves to alter as they shall thinke most convenient as well as alter the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first of the week or as well as they chang'd immersion into aspersion of the baptised and many other things which carried as much Jus Divinum with them as Episcopacy and yet were chang'd The Jus Divinum that is in Episcopall Government doth not consist in the Episcopacy but in the Government be it Episcopall or what it will but where the government is Episcopall no question but there Episcopall government is Jure Divino because a government and if it were otherwise that government into which Episcopacy degenerateth would be Jure Divino as well it provided that none touch this Ark of the Church but the Priests themselves for if the hand which belongs to the same body pull the hat from off the head the man loses not his right only he stands in a more humble posture but he is in as strong possession of his owne right as when 't was on his head but if another hand should chance to pull it off the party stands disgracefully depriv'd of his highest right and ornament So if Episcopall Government of the Church be put down or altered by Church-men themselves the Jus Divinum is but removed from the supremacy of one and fastened in the stronger hold of many members for this is a Maxim that admits no posterne power never fals to the ground neither in Church nor State but look what one lets fall another takes up before ever it comes to ground wherefore loosing nothing they keep their own but whether this power in Church or State in the point of convenience be better in the hands of one or many let whose will look to that that 's not my work neither the names of governments nor the numbers of governours shall ever be able to fright away this Jus Divinum out of the Church government be the government what it will bene visum fuit spiritui sancto nobis keeps in the Jus Divinum be the government never so altered whereas forbidden and improper hands actions as unusuall as unwarrantable lets out this Jus Divinum when they have changed it to what they can imagine now whether or no it be proper for a Lay Parliament or a Representative of Lay-men by the power of the Sword declining the Kings Authority will and pleasure who was appointed by God to be a nursing Father of his Church to alter Church-government so Antient so begun by Christ himself in his own person over so many Apostles so practis'd by the Apostles over others so continued all along I mean Episcopacy that is to say one Minister constituted an overseer of many and to lay hold upon tumults and insurrections to pull down these overseers and for men who in such cases should be governed by the Church to pull down the Church-government without any the least consent of the Church-governours I leave it for the world to judge only my own opinion is this That any government thus set up or by such practises as these altered must needs be so far from being Jure Divino that it must needs be Jure Diabolico but it may be objected that if they should have stayed untill the Bishops had altered themselves they might have staied long enough to which it may be answered that had the Bishops been but as poor as Job there would have been no such haste to change their cloathes The Ark was a tipe of the Church and whatsoever was literally commanded concerning the tipe must be analogically observed in the thing tipified God sate in the Mercy-Seat that was over the Ark the Ark contained within it Aarons Rod and a pot of Manna so the Church containes the Law the Gospel the killing letter and the reviving spirit others interpret the Rod to signifie the government and discipline of the Church as the Manna the Doctrine of Christ and food that came down from heaven I take it to signifie both and both answers my purpose if both be therein contained neither must be touch'd but by the Priests themselves neither must we confine this prohibition to the Priests of the Law only but we must extend it also to the Ministers of the Gospel both which were tipified by the two Cherubims or ministring Angels of the Almighty these Ministers or Angels though opposite to one another yet they both lookt alike and neither of them upon one another but both of them upon the Ark that was between them there was mutuality in their looks and their wings touch'd one another so though the Ministers of the Law and the Gospel seem opposite in the administration of the same grace yet they must come so near as to touch one another in the manner of the administration exempli gratia as there was in the old Law High Priests Priests and Levites so in the new Law Bishops Presbyters and Deacons as none but Priests were to touch the Ark so none but the Ministers should reforme the Church Thus much for Government now for Episcopacy the question then concerning Episcopacy will be whether or no Jure Divino one Minister which answers to all names and sorts of Church-men and Church-officers whatsoever may not exercise jurisdiction and power over many Ministers within such a place or territory if this be granted the Bishops aske no more if it be denied how then did Christ Jesus Bishop of our souls give orders and directions to his twelve Apostles and taught them how they should behave themselves throughout this Dioces the whole world how did Saint Paul exercise jurisdiction over Timothy and Titus who were both Bishops and how did these two Bishops exercise jurisdiction over all the Ministers of Creet and Ephesus was not this by divine institution If I find by divine writ that Christ laid the foundation of his Church in himselfe alone being over all the Apostles and if I find that these Apostles every Apostle by himselfe in imitation of ouâ— Saviour accordingly exercised jurisdiction and authority over many Ministerâ— which were under them and commanded others to do the like as Paul Timothy and Titus and if I find the practise of the Church all along through the whole tract of time to continue the like Discipline shall not I believe this Discipline to be Jure Divino except Christ sends down a new conje deslier from heaven upon the election of every new Bishop Christ laies the foundation we build upon it he gives us the modell we follow the pattern the Church is built is not this by Divine Right because he doth not lay the severall stones with his own hands Christ promised that he would be alwayes with his Church and that he would send his holy spirit amongst them which should lead them into all truth so that the gates of Hell should not prevaile against it
but if Episcopacy be Anti-Christian then the gates of Hel have not only prevailed against it a long time but all along As all Judgements are given in the Kings name and all records run Rege presente though the King be not there in person but in power so the universall and un-interrupted and continued and generally received Discipline of his holy Catholick Church which Church we are bound to believe by the Apostolical Creed is Christo presente Ergo Jure Divino though Christ be not there in person but in power which power he conferr'd upon those who were to be his successours which were called Apostles as my Father sent me so send I you and he that heareth yâ—u heareth me and loe I will be with you alwayes unto the end of the world surely this Discipline of one over many call it what you will is to descend and continue unto the end of the world Object But it may be objected How can you prove that Christ commanded any such thing or that Christ gave to the Apostles any such power as to make successors in their steads with a warrant for it to continue from age to age Sol. Where do you find that Christ gave the Sacrament to any but his Disciples drike ye all of this but they were all Apostles to whom he said so where did you find that Christ administred the Sacrament or commanded it to be administred unto any Lay-men or women therefore is not the Sacrament given unto them Jure Divino because the words were left out in the conveyance when there grew a disputation concerning Divorcements Christ sends us to the Originall Sic autem not fuit ab initio if Christs rule be good then the Bishops are well enough for they may say concerning Episcopacy I mean one over many and that safely too sic erat ab origine some are very unwilling that this Episcopacy should be intaild by Christ upon his Apostles and their successours out of these words Mat. 28.20 I will be with you alwaies to the end of the world they will not have it to mean in their successours but the meaning to be this I will be with you alwayes unto the end of the world that is to say in the efficacy and power of my word and Gospel to all ages why may it not signifie this and that too that it doth one is no argument but that it may do both God made all things in number weight and measure and will you â—â—â—ike his word shall sensus factus thrust out sensus destinatus out of the Scriptures the first Ministers of the Gospel must adequate to the first Minister of the Law and behold the same method observed in both their institutions what difference is there between Christs words to his Disciples I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 and Gods words unto Aaron at his setting him a part for the High Priests office This shall be a Statute for ever unto thee and to thy seed after thee Exod. 28.43 Certainly if the Gospel be nothing else but the Law revealed and the Law be nothing else but the Gospel hidden whatsoever is written or said of the Ministers of the one must needs have reference also to the Ministers of the other and I shall desire you to look a little back upon the words which God said to Aaron when God speakes of the seed of Aaron he only maketh mention of the seed after him but when he speakes of the Statute he saith it shall be for ever if I do not flatter my own judgement that tels me that this Statute of High Priest-hood or Episcopacy call it what you will must have heires after the seed of Abraham is expired and did not the Catholick Church all along call the receiving of the holy Ghost the order of Priest-hood did ever any record above seven years date call it making of Ministers and why are they angry with the word Priest is it because the Prophet Isaiah Prophecying of the glory of Christs Church tels us we shall be named Priests of the Lord but that men shall call us Ministers of God Isay 61 6. If the Ministration of the Law be glorious shall not the Ministration of the Gospel be much more glorious 2 Cor. 1.3 and shall the Ministers of the same Gospel be lesse glorious when you see a man that cannot abide to see anothers glory you may be sure he is no kin to him or very far off so you may be assured that these are no true sons of the Church nor no right children who thinke a Chaire too great state for their fathers to sit in In the Apostles time these Bishops or if you will Superintendents which are all one in signification only a good Greek word chang'd by Mr John Calvin into a bad Latin word were stiled Embassadours of the Almighty Stars of Heaven Angels of the Church â—c but now these Embassadours are â—sed like vagabonds these Stars are â—ot Stars but fallings and the Angels â—re no where to be found buâ— ascending â—nd descending Jacobs Ladder whilst â—his reputation was given unto the Church and to its officers the stones â—f its building were in unity but as it â—s now it seemes no otherwise then as a Corps kept under ground seemingly inâ—ire but once touch'd soon fals to dust and ashes Never was there such a monster as this ruling and thus constiâ—uted Preâ—bytery the father of it Rebelâ—ion the mother Insurrection the midwife Sacriledge the nurse Covetousnesse the milke Schism the coats Armour the rattle Drums a Bloudy Sword the corrall Money the babies it delights to play withall it grows up to be a stripling and goes to school to a Councel of War its lesson is on the Trumpet its fescue a Pistoll its going out of school in ranke and file its play-dayes the dayes of Battaile and blackmunday the day of Judgement it comes of age and is Married with a Solemn League and Covenant it begets children like it self whose blessing upon them is the power of the Sword anâ— whose Imposition of hands are brokeâ— pates this monster cries downe thâ—â— truely Antient Catholick and Apostollick power which the Bishops exercised and then take it up againe and use it themselves in a higher nature then eveâ— any Bishops or Apostles themselves did or durst have done even to the excommunication and deposement of their Kings to the delivering of them up unto Satan and to Hang-men if they stood but in their way to whom the Apostles taught submission how faulty so ever they were and if not obedience yet submission to every one of their ordinances if not for their own sakes yet for the Lords sake and for Conscience sake these men cry down the same authority as Popish whilst they exalt themselves above all that are called Gods in a higher manner then ever any Pope of Rome ever yet did we will begin with this Monster in the very place of its Nativity
Diadema Regis in manu Dej Esaj 60.3 DIEV ET MON DROIT Ps. 36.6 FLOS Jesse Iudaeque Leo sacra quem LYRA Laudat FLORES atque LYRAM CAROLIQUEtuere LEONES THE ROYAL CHARTER GRANTED UNTO KINGS BY GOD HIMSELF And collected out of his holy Word in both Testaments By T.B. Dr. in Divinitie Whereunto is added by the same Author a short Treatise wherein Episcopacy is proved to be Jure Divino Matt. 22.21 Da Caesari quae sunt Caesaris Job 14.7 There is hopes of a Tree if it be cut down that it will sprout again c. Sublato Episcopo tollitur Rex King Jame's Bas. Dor. LONDON Printed in the Year 1649. Chara dei Soboles magnum Jovis incrementum THe Of-spring of so many Loyal showers of blood and tears and Heir apparent to all the love and affection that Your royall Father had first purchased and then intail'd upon You by a deed of Martyrdome The Anchor of hope which we expect daily to be cast upon Englands shore by the hand of providence Hope hath for a long time brought up the rear but now shee 's in the van of all Your squadrons and when the Sun is once set in an Island how can it rise again but out of the water may the sighs of Your People fill Your sailes with such a prosperous gale as may land You safely upon English ground and seat You in Your Fathers Throne â—ay the flower of Jesse and the true Lion of the Tribe of Judah whom the sacred Harp so often praised defend all Your Lyons Harp and Lillies Never was there a Prince whose People were all Prophets and whose Prophets did all center in their Princes future happinesse before whilst the Enemy stands like the every-where wounded man in the Almanack pointed at by all the caelestiall signs never was their an Army who gloried so much in their strength when they are not able to stand by reason of the slipperinesse of the ground undar their feet made so by the tears of the People and the Bloud of their Soveraign Nothing but Your Majesties Royall Fathers sufferings could have made Him so famous and them so imfamous Nothing but that could have made the People know the difference between a Golden Cepter and an Iron Rod Your Father had been now living had He been lesse wise and he had not been put to death had not His People loved him too well Was ever Prince put to death by two such hands They forced the Laws to take away their own life they made Wisdome to sley her own children by whom shee should be justified and the love of the People the murderer of their own darling who can help it to cure the Kings evil requires a royall hand I doe not teach my pen so high ambition as to undertake such cures but it may be Inke will serve to cure a tetter or a wring-worm if it doe but so I shall think my pains well bestowed and my duty highly approved of if when I have presented this Royall Charter to Your Royall hand it may be graced with Your Princely Eie being it proceeds from as loyall a heart as can direct a pen how to subscribe the pen-man Your Majesties most faithfull and loyall Subject T.B. To the Reader Reader THis wretched Kingdome lately the envy of other Nations and now the object of pitty to all but to her selfe upon whom Peace had long doted and dandled their Kingdomes in her lap whose natives as though they had clipt the wings of Peace so that she could not flie away from them nor make the happinesse of peace once common to all the world now an inclosure within the broad ditch of their narrow Seas and the strong fence of their innumerable Ships having attain'd to all the prosperity and happinesse that such Sun-shine daies could ripen Shee fell from thence into the most bitter War that the greatest plenty could uphold and thence into the greatest miseries that the highest pride could cast her downe and now lies plunged in all the miseries of a Civill War whose direfull effects are as remedilesse as those whose causes are not to be found and as far from redressing as is the malady for which no reason is to be given though we cannot fathome the depth of these our unserchable miseries nor dive into the bottom of this Ocean of calamities yet let us wonder a little how we could squander away so great a share of that felicity which we once enjoyed out our selves of possessions so full stockt with blessings trifle away not sell our birth-rights of Peace for a messe of pottage that hath death in the pot If for Religion we have fought all this while when did the Church change her weapons must prayers and tears be turned into pike and musket did God refuse to have his Temple built by David a man after his own heart because only his hands were bloudy and will he now be contented to have his Church repaired and her breaches made up with skuls and carkasses must bloud be tempered with morter that must bind the stones of his Temple in Vnity or are the smitings of brethren strokes fit to pollish her stones withall Hath God refused the soft voice to remaine in thunder or hath his spirit left the gentle posture of descending downe upon his Apostles to the approaching of a mighty and rushing winde To go about the reforming of a Church by humane strength is as quite opposite to the nature of Reformation as is the going about the repairing of a Castle wall with a needle and thred He that looks for such inestimable goodnesse within Iron sides may as well looke to find a Pearle in a Lopster No no the Church must not be defended with Helmets the risisters of blows but with Miters which have received the cleft already not by broken pates but by cloven tongues not by men clad in Buffe but by Priests cloathed in righteousnesse Decitions in matters of faith must not be determined by armour of proof nor did the sword of the spirit ever make way to the conscience by cutting through the flesh He therefore who takes up Armes against his Soveraigne with pretenses of defending his Religion doth but take such courses as are condemned by the same Religion he would defend and indeed he doth but make Religion his stalking-horse to blind him whilst he aimes at that which he would have least suspect him which when he hath effected he meanes to get up upon the horse and ride him at his pleasure they pretend the good of the Church when you may be assured they intend nothing more then the goods thereof and like dissembling Lapwings make a shew of being nearest the nest when they are furthest of it If we Fight for our Liberties what Liberties are they that we Fight for if for Liberty of Conscience what doe you meane thereby if by Liberty of Conscience you mean that it shall be lawfull for every one to chuse
child insomuch that it made the Prophet weep to fore-see all the miseries that should happen 2 Kings 8.12 insomuch that it made Hasaell himself when he was told thereof cry out is thy servant a Dogge that he should do all these things â— vers. 13. yet for all this God will have him to be King and it be but to scurge his people the Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King over Syria vers. 13. Julian when from his Christianity he fell to flat Paganisme yet this Anointing held no Christian ever sought no Preacher ever taught to touch him or resist him in the least degree for whilst the cruell and bloudy Emperours were persecuting the poor Christians they were fitting their necks for the Yoke and teaching on another postures how they might stand fairest for the strok of Death Anâ— this was not Quia deer ant vires because they could not help it for the greatest part of Julians Army and the most part of his Empire were Christians For saith Tertullian in his appologeticall defence of the Christians of those times una nox pauculis faculis c. One night with a few firebrands will yeild us â—ufficient revenge if we durst by reason of â—ur Christian obligation and shewes how they neither wanted forces nor numbers and that neither the Moors or the Persians or any other Nation whatsoever were more mighty or more populous then they and how they filled all places Townes Cities Emperiaâ—l Pallaces Senats and Seats of Judgement and that they could do any thing in their revenge if it were any thing lawfull but this Anointing was the thing that kept the swelling down and hindred the corrupt humours from gathering to a head And therefore it is not as Stephanus Junius Franciscus Hottomanus Georgius Buchananus Ficklerus and Renecherus with the rest of the pillars of the Puritan Anarchy do answer being gravel'd at the practice of the primitive Christianâ— and those precepts of the holy Apostle that the Church then as it were swathed in the bonds of weaknesse had not strength enough to make powerfull resistance and therefore so the one taught and the other obeyed but if this doctrine were allowable then would inevitably follow these two grosse absurdities 1. That the pen of the holy Ghost which taught submission even to the worst of Kings was not directed according to the equity of the thing but the necessity of the times 2. That either the holy Ghost must turne politician and become a timeserver or else the Church must lose the meanes of its being and subsistance Whereas we know the contrary so well that when Acies Ecclesiae was so far from its bene ordinata that when al the Souldiers fled and the Life-guard routed the Lord of Hoast the Generall himself taken Prisoner yet then like the Sun looking biggest in lowest estate so the son of righteousnesse thinke ye not that I can pray unto my Father and he will send Lâ—gions of Angels and raâ—her thâ—n Gods children shall be oppressed by a company of Egiptians if it be his pleasure to deliver them he can without the drawing of one Sword turne Rivers into bloud produce an Army of Froggs to destroy them and rather then they should be necessitated for lack of means â—end swarms of Flies that may serve â—hem in the stead of so many rescuing Angelâ— and therefore it was not any â—ecessity that the Church was or could â—e in that procured in the Apostles or the first Christians either that doctrine â—r that use it was not dis-ability but duty not want of strength but a reveâ—end regard of the Lords Anointed that wrought these effects in both Let the people be never so many and mighty and the Princes of the people never so wicked and cruell mos gerendus est we must obey them not in the performance of their unjust commands but in submission to their just authority if not by our active yet by our passive obedience if not for their own sakes yet propter Dominum for the Lords sake if not for wrath yet for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 if it goeth against thy conscience say â—s the people were wont to say when they fell down before the Asse that carried the Image of the Goddesse Isis upon his back non tibi sed Reâ—igioni if thy conscience condemns thee God is greater then thy conscience and we must look what he commands as well as what she dictates the one may be mislead the other cannot mislead sacrifice may be either pleasing or displeasing to the Lord but obedience was never faulty thou maist offer the sacrifice of Fools when thou thinkest thou doest well but upon how sure grounds goes he who can say with the Prophet in all his actions If I have gone a stray O Lord thou hast caused me to erre never deviating from the expresse of his word Now God gives us expresse command that we should not touch his Anointed what condition soever they are of Nâ—lite tangere Christos meos touch not mine Anointed and where Gods rules are generall we must not put in exceptions of our own for the wickednesse of a King can no more make void Gods ordinance of our orbedience unto him then mans unbelief can frustrate Gods decree in us Rom. 3.3 Let Saul be wicked and let wicked Saul be hut once Anointedd David states the question neither concerning Saul nor his wickednesse but whether he being the Lords Annointed there 's the businesse it is lawfull to stretch forth a hand against him who can stretch his hand against the Lordâ— Anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9 CHAP. VII Whether upon any pretences whatsoever it be lawfull to depose murder or so much as touch the Lords Anointed THere was the first time that ever it was put to the Vote â—hether a King might be put to death â—r not but it was resolved upon the â—uestion in that Parliament Ne perdas â—estroy him not it is well that Davidâ—ad a negative voice or else it had been â—ut a bad president for Kings it is wel â—hat the men with whom David had this â—arley would hearken unto reason and â—et that sway them otherwise Davidâ—ight have been forced to flie as fast â—way from his own men as he did first â—rom Saul for there wanted no Layâ—reachers then to preach the destruction â—nd slaughter of Princes under the preâ—ences of wicked government and tyranâ—y who had the trick then as well as â—ow to couch their foul meaning in â—ood words and Scripture phrase with a dixit dominus when the Lord said no such thing as Davids Zealots 1 Sam. 24 5â—This is the day wherof the Lord said unto thee I will delivâ—r thine Enemy into thine hand anâ— thou shalt doe unto him what as shalâ— seem good unto thee that is thou shall murder him that was their meaning though the word was a good word and we doâ— not read where the Lord said any such thing at all So Abishai 1 Sam.
no more but the Proxies and Atturneies of the people and yet for all this the authority which they hold to be as Anti-christian in the Chaire they practise as most Christian on the Bench and much improve it these monsters that they may the better cry downe the Divine Right that is in Episcopacy and descended to them from the Apostles tel us â—hat the calling of the Apostles was extraordinary and died with them to make answer to which assertion we must consider how many wayes a thing may be taken to be extraordinary and if we find that it may be taken so many wayes if we can prove a thing extraordinary one way we must not take it to be extraordinary in every respect exempli gratia Saul was extraordinarily called by God because imediately by him but this doth not make the calling of Kings to be an extraordinary calling for that succeded so the Apostles were extraordinarily called by God as not being called out of the tribe of Levi nor taken from the feet of Gameliell nor brought up in the schools of the Prophets yet this doth not follow that the calling of the Apostles should be extraordinary for they had their successours It may be extraordinary à parte ante but not à parte post only in regard of the manner of their election but not in regard of the nature of their commission they were called Apostles in regard of their mission not in respect of their commission which was no more but what Bishops had neither doth the word Apostle signifie so great authority as doth the word Bishop the one betokening but a Messenger the other an Overseer and therefore there is no extraordinarinesse hitherto that they should not bâ— extraordinary 2. A man may be said to be extraordinary in regard of some extraordinary gift and endowmentâ— which God hath given unto a man as unto the Apostles the gift of tongues of healing c. but thiâ— doth no way make the calling extraordinary for then it would follow that if God Almighty should give unto any ordinary Minister extraordinary gifts then his calling should be extraordinary or that the calling of Kings should be an extraordinary calling because God bestowes on some Kings the extraordinary gift of healing It may be further urg'd the calling of the Apostles was an extraordinary calling because they were pen-men of the holy Ghost and in regard that the holy Ghost sate upon each of them no that doth not make it extraordinary quoad nos that it should not descend for other Divines and Evangelists were pen-men of the holy Ghost as well as they therefore what was not extraordinary to themselves cannot be extraordinary to us 4. For their receiving the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 is no otherwise but what all Bishops â—astors and Curates do receive when they â—eceive orders Receive ye the holy Ghost only the difference is this they received it by the fleeing of cloven tongues and they by â—â—position of hands but still the extraordinaries consists in the manner but not the matter of the thing received so that â—ll this while there is no reason why this calling of the Apostles should be so extraordinary as that it should not descend If Christ promised to be with his Apostles unto the end of the world and they did not continue unto the end of the world surely I should thinke without any straining of Gnats or swallowing of Cammels that the meaning of our Saviours words should be this that he would be with those in the assistance of his holy spirit that should succeed the Apostles in their offices of supervising his Church and propogation of his Gospel except I should see more reason then I do yet why the Apostles calling should be so peculiar that it must not descend or that the government of one over many be so inconsistent with the Church her good in after-times more then in the beginning that Episcopacy should be so abominable Briefly I can compare these Presbytâ—â— pulling down the Bishops to no othâ—â— thing then to a company of unhappy boyâ— who being not tall enough to reach 〈◊〉 fruit and wanting a ladder for the frâ—â—â— sake lay hold upon the branches and brâ—â—â— down a bow making it thereby no part 〈◊〉 the tree so these men wanting merâ—â—â— to taste the fruit of learning and not hâ—ving capacity enough in themselves tâ— reach those preferments which the Church holds out to those who are deserving they render that which was part of the Church as sever'd from the body which is the highest kind of Sacriledge not only in depriving the Church of part of its goods but part of it self Lastly If there were no other reason to be given if not for the Divine Right of Episcopacy yet for the lawfulnesse thereof but this one topicall argument which I shaâ— use raised out of the continued practise of the Church in all ages to men whose faces are not bras'd so thick that it were reason proof it were sufficient in my understanding viz. Suppose all the arguments which were for Episcopacy were as weak as so many strawes to support a cause yet though four strawes are not able to support a table yet 〈◊〉 thousand bound up together in 〈◊〉 bundels will hold it up as firme as so 〈◊〉 props of Iron so though some few 〈◊〉 of some few men within some few 〈◊〉 are not able to make an argument 〈◊〉 Episcopacy that shall be evincing yet 〈◊〉 practise of the Church all along for 〈◊〉 hundred years in fourteen hunâ—red Dioces and throughout fourty ages â—akeâ— good the argument against any few 〈◊〉 Straws or Wat Tilors whatsoever 〈◊〉 But there were no Diocesan Bishops 〈…〉 primitive times Sol. Was not Christ a Diocesan Bishop â—nd was not the world his Dioces were 〈◊〉 the Apostles Diocesan Bishops when â—â—e whole world divided into twelve 〈◊〉 were their twelves Dioces were not â—imothy and Titus Diocesan Bishops when Creet and Ephasus were alotted to be their Dioces Ob. There were no Lord Bishops in those daies Sol. Those who ruled well were to be accounted worthy of double honour and will you not allow them single Lordship Ob. The Lords of the Gentiles exercised dominion but so shall not you So. No not such dominion as they exercised there is a great deal of differeâ—â— betwixt dominion and domineering â—â—â—twixt Lordship and lording it over Goâ—â— inheritance a paternall government 〈◊〉 never accounted intollerable but by unruâ—â—â— children if this were not to be allowed 〈◊〉 how did Christ rule his Apostles Paul Tâ—mothy and Titus both these all the Ministeâ—â— in Creet and Ephasus Ob. St Paul laboured with his hands thâ—â— he might not be chargable to the brethren Sol. So might the Bishops if they needeâ— no more to study Divinity then did the Apostles but if any benefactory had bestowed large revenues upon S. Paul I see nâ— reason why he might not be a keeper 〈◊〉 hospitality as well as he advised Timoâ—â—â— so to do but now Julians persecution is reviv'd Do not saith Julian destroy the Christians but take away the maintenance of the Church and that will bring their Ministers inâ—o contempt and so destroy their Religion and now they are at it Libera me domine saith Sainâ— Augustine ab homine impio id est libera me 〈◊〉 me so we had need to pray unto Almighty God that he would save his Church out of the hands of her Church-men for shee now lies upon the ground like the tree that complained that she was rent in sunder by wedges made out of her own body FINIS See Buch. de Jure Reg. Sam. â—4 5