Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	bishop_n	call_v	diocese_n	3,019	5	10.2241	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96888	A dialogue, arguing that arch-bishops, bishops, curates, neuters, are to be cut-off by the law of God; therefore all these, with their service, are to be castout by the law of the land. Notwithstanding, the world pleads for their own, why some bishops should be spared; the government maintained; the name had in honour still; but the word of God is cleare against all this, for the casting-of-all-forth. The great question is, which way of government now? For two wayes are contended for, The Presbyteriall and Independent: something is said to both these wayes: but we have a sure word for it, that these two wayes are but in shew two, and will assuredly meet in one. Neuters are shewen openly here, and the curse of God upon them. Presented to the Assembly of Divines.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1644 (1644)	Wing W3486A; Thomason E34_10; ESTC R22862	54,646	56

give you content But touching the government by Bishops I thought verily you were resolved clearly and fully that it is Antichristian are you not A. No indeed not I. B. I see your memory fails you not your understanding you have understood that the head of this bulky body is reprobate silver what will you think then of the other members of this body What of the taile What of the f●ot Nay you understand that the head of this body nay the heads and that argues it is a monstrous body the Arch-bishop is struck-off by his own hand a slain man b An Idolater is a slain man I will cast down your ●lain men Ezek. 6. 4. For to say all in a word which you heard before in that head is the mouth that speakes blasphemies he is a slain man cast out as an abominable branch Will you plead now for any part of this body For the shoulders they are the Bishops Or the Belly That is their Courts Or the Thighes They are the Chancellours Commissaries Or Feet They are their Proctors and Doctors what shall I call them They are the Bishops Purvayers and Caterers to serve the Bishops lusts and their own Will you contend for these A. I tell you I contend for the government by Bishops B. A government If you have the government you must have the governours Archbishops and Bishops Archdeacons and Deacons Chancellours and Commissaries you must have their Courts too with their Doctors and Proctors there the most notorious I want a word whereby to expresse their villanies and notorious insolencies you must have that garbage too their Emissaries their Paritors those execrable rabble that stink all the world over All these you must have Will you contend for these or will you have all this prodigious government and governours sink down and fall into the earth from which it had its rise and originall after the Archbishops A. I would have the government stand B. You would anger a Saint pray you consider the Bishops are but the Archbishops hands the other officers not worth the recording are but Instruments in the B●shops hands Will you contend that these brethren in iniquity instruments of the Divell that these should be reserved and kept alive will you contend for this A. Yes indeed will I life is a pretious thing I le pray that they may be kept alive that is that the Governours may continue in their full force power and vertue notwithstanding any law though Gods law to the contrary B. A pittifull man But it is a foolish pitty and spoils a Citie and Kingdome both had you lived in the dayes of Ioshua you would have been a very earnest sutor to him That Achans silver his garment and his wedge of gold and his sonnes and his daughters and his oxen and his Ios 7. 24. asses and his sheep and his tent and all that he had might be preserved would you not A. Yes surely it would have grieved me to have seen all those persons and things to perish before mine eye as it grieved the Singing-men that were in Pauls to see the Priests what doe you call them vestiments or horse trappings to be burnt there before their noses so it would have grieved me to have seen such an execution such a destruction B. You have more wit then you shew for in shewing your pitty you had seemed wiser then Josua and all Israel For Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan and all the forementioned with him stoned him and them then burnt persons and things Doe you mark that ston'd them first and burnt them after stoning was not enough they must be burnt too Then they raised a monument there and there they set a marke they called it the valley of Achor i. e. a valley of trouble and perplexitie Achan had troubled all Israel he and all his must be troubled for that neither persons nor things must be spared Junius gives us a large note upon the place the sum is to teach us how contagious a thing sin is and how execrable the instruments of sin are Can you apply this to the persons and things in hand A. Yes I thank God B. That is well but if you can apply it indeed you will be aware you doe not your selfe trouble Israel nor will you have a word to say for them that are troublers there A. Not a word for Troublers yet I must speak for the government for indeed we idolize it we dote upon it we must have it B. If there were no other reason but that for the abolition of that government that were enough wee make it an Idol wee dote upon it therefore it shall be taken away But will we have the Government still then we must have the Governours still And now if I should tell you what horrible prodigious execrable I want a word murthers villanies have been committed by those Governors and their servants slaves rather I should make your eares tingle A. I think so too But you could tell me no more then the faults of persons only and their Courts no more Might not the persons bee purged and the Courts too and the government preserved Though there be no Catholique Bishop an Archbishop yet might there be a Diocesa● Bishop And now I have told you what we would have and our meaning a Diocesan Bishop we would have B. Very well But you must explain your meaning now what doe you mean by a Diocesan Bishop Or what is a Diocesse A. I cannot tell It is Greek to me B. To me also b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But you a strange man to conclude for that which is Greek to you you understand not You contend for a Bishop over his Diocesse and you know not what his Diocesse is I le tell you as well as I can for it is a strange word A Diocesse is a government in an house or in the place we commonly call the Church and they have stretched it all over the Citie and Countrey I mean they have enlarged the Diocesse they have so out compassed it that all the Bishops in the land were they Bishops indeed could not be sufficient for that place to fill up such a roomth they have rendred it so capacious that their Diocesse containes more roomth then Philippi a Citie in Macedonia contained and yet they allow but one Bishop there whereas by the expresse word of GOD there ought to be Bishops and Deacons b Philip. 1. 1. To inform you yet more fully I will tell you a story A request was made who made it or to whom is not pertinent for such a length of ground as an Oxes-hide would cover or rather be stretched unto A modest request it was granted a small spot of ground would be covered with an Oxes skin The petitioners make much of the gift for they did not doe as our Curriers doe and as Homer after his manner relates the manner very fully they did not tugg at it

cannot answer that question for the Arch-bishops have not preached these I know not how many yeeres and the Bishope preach in the Lent-time onely and then there is such a throng to heare a Bishop preach that I cannot come within hearing Therefore I can give you no certaine report B. Though you heard not the Bishop yet you heard of his Sermon What heard you A. That the Bishop no sooner named his text but he ran away from it as from an adversary with which he could not agree Indeed the report of the Bishops Sermon is very various and monstrous so inconsistent it is with its selfe and with the text for though the sacred Scripture be constant to its selfe yet the Bishop and his Chaplin for he stood-up often in the Bishops place did mould frame and fashion his Text as you can doe Waxe to the fashion of the time or businesse in hand still turning head upon God and his Word and preaching not the preaching which God said unto him but what best agreed with the work in hand Jonah 3. 2. to make the King absolute and the Bishop an absolute Monarch also So they preached for just as the time served so the text should serve Now he preached-up the Kings Prerogative and preached downe the Subjects Priviledge set the Kings throne above GODS throne and his people below his foote This was the chiefe part of the Sermon as pertinent to the Designe in hand as it was crosse to the text Then Episcopacy must be Asserted by Divine Right The Government in the Church must be Monarchicall as in the Civill state it must be absolute And the better to bring about all this They preached-up Ceremonies Altars A brutish service wil render a people brutish and Organs and the lawfulnesse of the warre with Scotland the pursuing that brother with a sword Peace with Rome but no peace with Scotland What ever was the Text that was the Doctrine and subject matter a great while I pray you doe not aske mee any further account of the Bishops Sermon I can give no more account of it than the sick-man can of his dreames Surely It was so Heterogeneous incongruous Inconsistent with I say not baptized Reason but common reason and Baptizatam rationem sense that in very truth no good report can be made thereof B. I beleeve you and therefore I have done with your eare What reade you A. A very godly booke the Arch-bishops against the Jesuit Fisher wherein there is nothing sure to thrust away the people of GOD from the service of GOD but rather from the service of Rome I am confident of that B. Be not so confident of an Arch-bishops booke for as one said of his loving friend a blow from that hand would never hurt him So you may be confident That the Arch-bishop never intended by that booke to hurt the Pope or his Cause but to promote it heartily I doe assure you that the Arch-bishops intent was so honest so true so heartie towards Rome and so false toward the true Church that had he had as many necks as I reade one man had mouthes no fewer than fiftie they deserve every one to be tr●ssed up about with a rope and yet not a full recompence of reward for his ungodly labour in that booke B. Proceed What reade you A. A very pious booke which has thrust us quite off from Rome has caused a deadly fewd betwixt us and Rome it is called No peace with Rome B. There is such a book indeed but you do reade also that the same man has written That Rome is a true Church have you not read so A. Yes and truly me thought there was a great contrarietie in words such a difference as could never be reconciled No peace with Rome yet Rome a true Church it can never be reconciled thought I. B. Yes that it can though not well distinguish the times and persons and all is reconciled The same man writ both No peace with Rome before he was Bishop Rome a true Church after he was Bishop The one as a Minister of Christ the other as a Minister of Antichrist When he was a Bishop he must write as a Bishop that is the point And he could reconcile all very well he had been unbishopt else and so he put forth a book and called it a Reconciler which caused more than a suspition of the man that he was not a fearfull man onely but a right man a Proctor for Rome a subtill broker for Babylon GOD give him an heart to think of this for surely such a man as he should not have given so just a cause of suspition But proceed What reade you A. Pray you doe not trouble me with that question any more let it suffice to tell you what I know in two words the Bishops books and books licenced by their Chaplines if they may be called books are very many and stand as fully charged against their LORD and the Lords Anoynted as any books in Italy or in the Popes Library can doe B. I le aske you no more What you reade but what doe you see doe you see any thing from the Bishops tending to edification A. Yes if edification be a building and setting-up as I thinke the word doth import I see much tending that way I saw Bishop Wrens Library opened where I saw what doe you call them pretty knacks Images and Crucifixes c. All tending to edification of Romes Church and the Popes leige people B. Have you seene any Altars A. You might as well aske mee whether I have seene any Churches or Chappels or Cathedralls for in every of these places there is an Altar and most eminently seene there there is an ascent to it by degrees and steps as to Solomons Throne Indeed I may answer your question in the words of the LORD According to the number of Thy Cities Jer. 2. of thy Cathedralls thy Chancells thy Chappels are thy Altars thy gods O England B. You have bolted out a Truth here I thinke before you were aware I pray you let us understand our selves and examine whether you have spoke a Truth or no I asked you whether you have seene any Altars You answer mee Yes as many as there be Cathedralls and Chapp●lls and then you called them gods I pray you understand that it is not the Bishops calling wood or stone an Altar or the setting of it like a D●esser-board in your Kitchin Altarwise which makes it an Altar No They may for they are B●shops you may not take a stone a● a stock hew and polish the same then ●avish gold out of the bagg and so adorne it though all this cost and paines be bestowed upon it yet it is not an Altar nor a god yet no nor yet when they have set-it-up as was said Altar-wise like the D●●sser table in your Kitchin yet it is not an Altar nor a god yet But if the great man * Isa 2.

to stretch it out that it might fill-up as much as possibly the hide could hold But they cut large thongs out of it as we say and so stretched and tentered those thongs that they could reach over so much ground as thereon to build a Citie as capacious as Philippi was King Philips towne and there they placed if I well remember one Regent Here was a notable policie to get ground Truly the Bishop has dealt as politickly with the Diocesse he has made it wide and large he has cut large thongs out of it he has gained much ground if all be gain that comes to his hand he has built a palace thereon and found a Lordship there and there he was there he had elbow-roomth enough and was a Lord in his Diocesse Do you understand what an over-grown thing this Diocesse is How the Bishop hath lengthened it what incomes the Bishop hath from it what provisions were made for him there And yet Lucullus coenat cum Lucullo as he said when he had prepared a supper for a King which he al●ne did partake of All these provisions and preparations are but for one Bishop all this to cram and fatten one Capon that was his name who was predecessor to Mr. Juel of him anon as vile as the other was pretious You know a Diocesan Bishop now and what his Diocesse is A monstrous thing wherein I know not how many hundred parishes are crowded-up together that there may bee more roomth for the Lord. You understand this A. Yes I thank you I understand your meaning fully That you would have a Bishop in every Parish B. My understanding is not cleare there For to be briefe with you First I doe not allow of the name Bishop and I beleeve when I shall have told you somthing about it as I shall anon you will not allow the name neither 2. And for a Parish I doe not well understand that division or who made that distinction A. Can you tell what you would have B. Yes I thank God I would have in such a place as Philippi was Bishops and Deacons for that is according to Gods expresse will Phil. 1. 1. A. Very true But how many Bishops and Deacons must there be for such a place as Philippi was B. I cannot tell the number But there must bee a Bishop and Deacons for every Diocesse A. So think I too one Bishop for one Diocesse non est elenchus inter nos we are agreed B. True but then it must not be a Diocesse stretched out and tentered as the Oxes-hide was beyond all imagination We were concluded even now that that is properly a Diocesse which one man can oversee and whereunto his voyce can reach when his people are assembled in their meeting-place A. A meeting-place Why not a Church B. Your question is not to purpose therefore you shall have no answer Can you except against any word that has been last spoken touching the Diocesse and the Bishop there that is the question A. In effect I have answered already No for what you have spoken is the expresse will and word of GOD. But you seem to hold that there is no superiority in the Church quit your selfe there first that I may resolve others touching that great objection B. That I will These words Bishops and Deacons a Tit. 1. 5. not my words hold forth the contrary so also these and ordain Elders a These words doe inferre not onely That the Ministers are above their people but that there is a superioritie amongst themselves nature sense reason the naturall body if wee should goe over it and observe the parts from top to toe will cleare all this There is the head and so downward put your finger into your mouth that is the little worlds heaven there are upper and lower teeth but all doe the same service for the body It is so in the body politique There are some for Counsell they are heads Some for direction they are eyes Some to uphold and beare up others they are shoulders Some for action they are hands It is so in the house of Parliament two houses they say there are Speakers in both to whom all turne themselves when they speake Superiours for the time and when the worke is done then there may be a change It is so in every Court a Chaire there and some one sitting in it It is so in the Assembly of Divines every where in Church Chappell House It is fit it should be so nay it must be so What a fond conceit is it then to thinke That there cannot be Over-seers in the Church but they must be everlasting Lords and as perpetuall Dictators There is a destinction of gifts of graces therefore of persons and of places How grosse a mistake now to thinke That wee allow of no Superiours because wee abhorre those that have Lorded it over the LORDS inheritance Wee doe indeed for it is expresse against the command of GOD. I might be large here but you are a sober man you are satisfied touching Superiours and I have quitted my selfe at that point have I not A. Indeed you have But now That wee are as our vowes are upon us throwing-down and rooting-out the Hierarchy that Antichristian that cursed Government Its friends make clamours against us I le tell you what they say very briefly for so you will answer I am sure They bring Scripture and object first That wee speake evill of Dignities Jude 8. Verse 10. B. Bid them say on things which wee know not Then bid them prove That wee know not what the Dignities of Arch-bishops and Bishops have been or know not that they be evill Bid them prove that but that they can never doe wee know those Dignities are evill and sith they call evill good woe unto them What say they next They speak Scripture still So did the Devill too What is it A. That the Arch-bishops and Bishops are Powers Therefore not to be resisted for there must be no resisting of Powers B. Bid them reade on That are ordained of God Now bid them prove that Arch-bishops and Lord Bishops c. are ordained of GOD are the ordinance of God Rom. 13. A. I have enough to choak my adversaries now B. No but you have not They will goe on with the argument but marke how they proceed Just as a boy that goes upon his head his heeles are upward and so he spurnes against heaven Just so these kinde of men will goe-on till they have wrought out this conclusion That the Devill and mans will are to be obeyed Their Reason for they are POVVERS and all powers are of God doe you observe A. Yes very well and I am sure I shall be too hard for my Adversaries Aug. takes away the honour Lord from the Bishop leaves him the work The Bishop does clean contrary takes to himself all the honour and leaves the work Lib. 19. ca. 19. 1 Tim 3. 1 Thes 2. 7

9. the Arch-bishop humbleth himselfe and the meane man the in●eriour Bishop bowech-downe before it then you may call it an Altar and i● you please a god too But if you have seene no bending nor cringing nor bowing nor humbling before this wood and stone then you have miscalled this wood and stone and wronged the Arch-bishops and Bishops all A. I have not miscalled it I have called it as they have named it B. You are a man of short Discourse pray you remember what was said That it is not the forme fashion placing setling of wood or stons or calling it an Altar which makes it an Altar none of all this but the bowing and humbling that gives unto it a worship and that makes it an Altar and a god hoth * Ecce plumbatur erig●tur nec adhuc Deus est Consecratur oratur ●unc postremo Deus est M. Fel. in fol. 1. pag. 16. lin 27. A. But now nor Pope nor Bishop will grant That bowing and humbling before wood and stone make it a god B. I thinke as you say and no matter what Pope or Bishop Jesuit or Papist grant ordeny This wee affirme to the face of all the Papists in the world That this bowing and humbling no Civill worship in the Church is a worship proper and peculiar to God alone He is a God whom wee so worship or wee make it though out wood or stone wee make it a god as much as in us lies while wee make wood and stone share in this worship wee deifie it wee exalt it on high and our folly with it wee make it more than a creature In a word By bowing and humbling before wood and stone wee make it a false god and our selves I say not abominable but a very abomination My Question then is Have you seene any of all this bowing and humbling before wood and stone Have you seene Arch-bishops and Bishops the great men and the meane men doe so A. I can give you a cleare answer to your Question for I can tell you what I have seene with mine eyes In Aprill 1640. The day after the Parliament sate then and there in Pauls Quire I observed the Arch-Bishops and Bishops every one except two ducking so low before the Altar that their back-parts appeared and their fore-parts their heads dis-appeared And what call you that Bowing and humbling sure And what they did in Pauls they would doe in the Kings and Queens Chappell and in their owne where they have the same piles of wood and stone with wax-tapers upon them and Priests with what call you it upon their backs before the Altar I call it an Altar now by your allowance and a god too for the great man has humbled himselfe before it and the meane man has bowed downe B. Had wee time to stay upon it I would bid you reade on Therefore forgive them not These are terrible words but wee must passe them over and so proceed Your eye has don you good service It has showne you the most abominable Idolatry that ever was committed under the Sunne exceeding that of the Priests in the Queens Chappell for there they humble themselves and bow but not before wood and stone but before a wooden or a Breaden-god the worke of their owne hands They that can make gods with their owne hands can worship them and with the same Reason I descend now from the eye to enquire of your other senses B. What did you Smell and Taste all the time of the Bishops raigne A. As was the smell of the Services in the Queens Chappell where was the grossest the rankest the most stinking Popery yet not so abominable as the Bishops Idolatry for the Reason above-said B. What have you felt A. You should not aske me that Question I am as they call mee a lay-man by which name I cannot tell my selfe what I am nor must you aske any of the Bishops Clergy-men The Bishops and their Ministers are the lot and inheritance of the Lord the Clergy they say though They are as their Lords are Aske a Minister of Jesus Christ any one faithfull Steward in Gods house he will tell you That if the Bishops could not thrust him off from the worke and service of the LORD then he could thrust him-out of GODS house and his owne and thrust yet sorer at him till he had thrust him out of the Land It is unspeakable what Gods faithfull Ministers and faithfull people have suffered from the Bishops themselves and their bloudy servants what Devouring words what violence from their hands B. Very well Now I pray you answer mee from what all your senses have reported to you whether you have observed any thing spoken or don by the Bishops any fraud any force whereby to thrust away the people of GOD from the service of GOD their good Master in heaven Answer according to the report your senses have given to your understanding touching this matter A. That the Bishops have endeavoured by all their sayings and doings To render The Lords Day vile and contemptible more marred than any Day They endeavoured also to thrust away King and people from the worship and service of their God c. B. That is enough for grant so much and yet more you must grant and then that followes which being well prosecuted will strike at the Bishops heads and trusse them short by the necks But yet you must answer mee more fully and so you will put me to the trouble of other Questions and your selfe to the answers Was all this fraud and force these Devices Methods Depths of the Bishops were all these but an endeavour onely and a Designe with them In polluting To pollute The Lords Day In defiling To Defile the house of God and the services there Was it but an endeavour only to thrust away the Deputy from the faith To stop the mouthes of the Ministers To thrust them out of GODS house and their owne and into prisons or out of the Land Was it but an endeavour but a Designe onely To make some of them who would doe their dutie a spectacle to God Angells and men I know the Lord has His Reserve a Remnant a few Names who would not defile their garments He did preserve some out of the fire and some in the fire some He delivered from the Lions den and some He rescued from out of the Lions mouth I know the LORD has had His Reserves evermore and His Deliverances and His Rescues are wonderfull It is granted also That all these hard words and ungodly deeds have tended to the spreading of the Gospel the furtherance of it even in this Land and to the encrease of the faithfull the ennobling and hightening of their Spirits by the opposition made against them It has made many lights burne the brighter the stronger the winde was to put them out The LORD has many and faire wayes to re●rute His Nobles and Worthies wayes well beseeming and becomming the

Set open the Ale-house you may be sure some body will come reeling out The same may be said of setting up May-poles and countenancing other sports thereto belonging You cannot command them and forbid the taking pleasure to riott in the day time Wee doe not reade and it is worth our observation that Balaam did command the people to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moah He did not point Zimri and Cosb● to goe to the Tent in the face of the Congregation and on that solemn day he had more civilitie than so Balaam Numb 24. 14. Chap. 31. 16. See Trem. did advise onely so and no more Balaam was an old Man as he was so his counsell must be grave not seemingly sowre nor apparently uncivill Let Isra●l and Moab come to an inter-view let them see each others faces let them be present at each others sacrifices This was the Counsell but worse than a curse for now folly will be committed in I●●●l no doubt of that And then The GOD of Israel will be offended wi●h Israel He will depart and then a curse followes as certain as when the Cloud is thicke The thunder-clap followes in our senses the sparkling flash Bad Counsell is worse than sower Counsell and more poyson u● for by bad counsell not sower counsell Balaam taught Balack To lay a stumbling block before Israel as the Spirit calleth a Rev. 2. 14 it And it proved in the issue sower counsell too Israel found it so as wee reade b Numb 25. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 8 To apply here The Bishops did not command Idolatry saying Goe serve other gods No but they set-up Altars That was enough to defile the whole Land and to make a people commit adultery with stones and with stocks c Jer. 3. 9. The Bishops did not command Tipling and Drunkennesse No But they commanded sports and pass-times Whitson-Ales and May-poles Allow the cause and countenance that you allow the effect and countenance that also which naturally issueth thence If the maid lay leaven in three pecks of meale shee need not command it to sower the whole lumpe Put fire and fuell together you need not bid it to burne Set a desirable object before the eye you need not command the heart to lust after it Set the windowes doores gates all open you need not bid the enemy enter A small sparke falling into gunpowder you know what it will doe whether you will or no or though you command the contrary And you know as well That they who command Wakes Whitson-Ales setting up May-poles and other sports therewith used do command filthy Tiplings and Drunkennesse and other abuses in such distempers usuall I have been the longer upon this to cleare your judgement in so necessary a point I proceed now to the next Question Did the Bishops but endeavour was it but their seeking onely To turne the Deputy from the faith Act. 13. 8. A. I cannot make answere here for I cannot tell whose endeavour and seeking it was I can tell All are turned from the Faith King and Bishop Priest and people and all All are turnd away from God that is cleare enough The Church and State are turned up-side downe what possibly Church-men could doe But who was the chiefest Artist and Turner here that I cannot so well tell B. If you cannot you are content to be informed at this point from them who can tell us from ancient Records That the Bishop turned the Deputy from the faith and with him very much people wee will reade the Records but consider with mee first How high the Bishops Power and Authoritie was A. How high the Bishops Power He was not in the Zenith d The Zenith is the highest point in the heavens over your head The Nadar is that point of earth your foot stands upon The place wher the Popes must be laid and their honours in the Dust of the Church for there onely the Pope sits Take it at the height of its elevation The Bishops power was but Derivative as a streame from the See of Rome a bastard-power from the Pope B. You are mistaken our Bishops power was as independant as the Popes power is as absolute a Pope in his Diocesse and that was all over the Land as the Pope is all over the Christian world And all his Actions Dictates Determinations c. were as Magisteriall and Pope-like as ever were the Bishops in Rome But I pray you consider with mee what I was about to say but that you interrupted mee 2. What an influence like some malignant Starr the Bishops power had from the Councell-Table Starr-chamber every Court and place into the affaires and transactions of Church and State 3. Enquire wee of ancient dayes and wee shall well understand That while the Priests were good The King was good When the people might say He is a very good Priest Then they might say He is a very good King Jehojada an excellent Priest for he made a Covenant between 2 Chron. 23. 16. God the King and the People That all should be not their owne but The LORDS People an excellent Priest he So was Joash the King as forward and zealous to say no more as the Priest was * Ver. 6. The Priests zeale kindled the Kings zeale made it fervent and boyling-hott So it was like the burning of thornes quickly in a flame and as quickly out It was not a zeale a fire from above But this is the point So long as the Priest was excellently good a living example before the Kings eye so long the King was good Zechariah a very good Priest too And in his dayes Vzziah was a very good King for he sought God in the dayes of 2 Chro. 26 Zechariah and all that while he prospered I might be large wee will reade but one or two Records more The one tells us 4. That the Temple and the Temple-worke there was never defiled while the chiefe Priests there did their office It is true The King fretted against the Priests and stormed against the LORD till the LORD 2 Chron. 26. 20. smote him in his forehead then he was calme and still But while the chiefe Priest and fourescore more with him did their office all was well except the King It was ill with him who did fret against the Priests because they did their office and against The Lord That charged them so It was ill with him But the Censer and the Sacrifice was in their hands unto whom it did belong To offer unto the LORD and serve before Him Let us record one example more and that will relate to these times King Ahaz had a servant a Right man for his s●●vice But as vile a Priest as was in all Judah What was the King If any man makes it a question The sacred Records will resolve him As miserable a King as his Idolatries other abominations could make him And his Priest the basest servant in the world a

those names by the Heathen in honour to the Sun and to the Queen of heaven Venerable for Antiquitie So is the Pope too and his Cardinalls more ancient than he if you will beleeve them or their Advocate for he and they conclude from sacred Scripture too see what Interpreters they are That the Cardinalls are two dayes older than the Moone They were in the firmament of the Church before the Moone was set in the heaven as they collect very wisely from the Text 1 Sam. 2. 8 See Childs patrimony pag. 104. pointed to in the Margin I will not contend with you nor you with me you shall have your saying Arch-bishops are venerable for their Antiquitis So you say so I say wee are agreed Arch-bishops are as ancient as Paganisme as Heathenisme in this Land They were here before the Land was Christian And now that this Land must be the LORDS Land and the people there The LORDS people Christians indeed now shall Arch bishops be no more A. Let Antiquitie goe I see it will doe them no good but a necessitie there is there should be Arch-bishops B. A necessitie then there is reason for it and Law both but there is neither He be as plaine with you as a pack-staff Tell mee when I have told you There ar● severall flocks of sheepe in the Land a Shepheard over every flock so carefull wee are of our sheepe that harmlesse usefull cattell And great reason for that Now tell me What reason or Law is there That there should be a great a Catholique Shepheard to o●ersee all these Shepheards have you any Reason or Law for that A. No truly That there should be a great Overseer over small overseers B. I thought so Therefore I know there is no necessitie A. I must grant it but there is a Decency B. A Decency worse and worse You should remember your charge To speake as the O●acle of GOD and as in the eares of GOD. You doe not answer your charge when you say That the being of Archbishops in a Church makes for the decency in the Church I answer you there are not Arch-Angells in heaven And is it decent there should be Arch bishops or Primates on earth There is no decency in it at all I know you will forsake that Argument A. Well But they say there can not be a glorious Church without Arch-bishops B. A foppery I had almost said a blasphemy I shall say it anon The Church is glorious in heaven you will say and yet there be no Archbishops there all men say A. I have heard them highly extolled commended and praised B. For what for their vertues A. Yes B. So was Hildebrand * Beno Cardinalis Aventinus making his entry to speak of Pope Hildebrand saith thus Now must I speake of warres slaughters murthers killing of fathers strives hatreds fornications robberies spolings of common treasure spoilings of Churches debates and seditions more then civill the Pope praised who had poysoned six Popes his predec●ssours w●s a Conjurer and raiser of Devils and threw the Sacrament into the fire This man was commended for his vertues Judas has been comcommended above the Apostles Commended Is that any newes when Robbers Murtherers Rebels Traitors vile and treacherous Priests and persons are highly commended at this day they are honoured dignified titles of grace and honour are conferred upon them To say all in a word the Anti-Parliament the Parliament in Oxford consisting of the out-casts from this Parliament Oxford Parliament I say the refuse the garbage of the land that Parliament is commended Will you put any force in praise and commendations I pray you know from me that a quartane Ague has been praised so has folly been exalted by very learned men Nay I could read you a long oration in the praise of a Louse If I should tell you what persons and flatuous things have been commended I should make you laugh heartily But we are serious Certainly that Argument will not hold neither But to speak-out plainly and all in a word It is blasphemy for a man to take unto himselfe that honour A. I grant it to be blasphemy in the Popes mouth B. In the Popes mouth It is blasphemy in the mans mouth who will assume unto himselfe that name that incommunicable name Archbishop or Primat for he is Pope the mouth that speaks blasphemies as truly Pope in London as Pope Leo was in Rome To dispatch this and to cleare your judgement from the clearest light I pray you consider That the Lord Jesus Christ Blessed for ever is if I might use our Dialect the Archbishop and Primat in heaven and earth And the Seaven Spirits is His Vicar-generall He is the great Shepheard the sole Monarch the King of Kings and Lord of Lords And because the Gian●s of the world and Lords of the earth because Almighty Kings in their conceit thinking they have an arme like God and so Lord-like Bishops have set themselves against this Lord and King therefore has this Lord and King set his face against them He has taken to Himselfe power and an Iron rod into his hand and now we see him thrash the Nations like straw and the Hills like chaffe and comming upon Princes Isa 41. 15. 25. as upon mortor Now we see him smiting the earth terribly nor will he leave smiting till the bloodshed there bee discovered till the gods there be starved till the Idols there be cast out to the Moles and to the Batts Isa 2. now we see him shaking Kingdomes and Crownes nor will he leave shaking till he have shat●ered and broken them to peeces because they would not be the Lords Kingdomes nor would they with the Elders cast down their crownes before the Throne If they continue obstinate if 〈◊〉 4 10 they will not rule for Christ if they will not submit unto Him then thus and thus the Lord Christ will do unto them that all the Kingdomes of the earth may know The Lord Christ reigneth there is a God that judgeth in the earth But who shall bold out while hee sees these things accomplished They that wait patiently for the Lord for here is the patience of the Saints They that leave God to his own time worke and way doe their own work faithfully take hold of the Almighty arme wrap up their soules in a promise touching this matter so they are at peace And this peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep their hearts in perfect peace peace peace Amen A. I 〈◊〉 you have not done B. Ye● indeed have I unlesse you have any more to say for Arch-bishops have you A. Not a word I could bite my tongue for saying so much But I have much to say for Bishops that others may be put into their rooms that the Bishops government may be continued their office and their name B. I see you will trouble me and I am content with the trouble so it may ease your mind and

8 9. at that argument But I have two words wherein I would be satisfied before wee come to a full stop The one is touching the office of a Bishop the other is touching the name Concerning both great things and honourable are spoken even by GOD Himselfe Touching the office first Can you except against it B. No indeed can I not I cannot except against a good worke and that is the office To give the minde to reading to exhortation and to doctrine that is the office Naturally to care for the children exhorting comforting charging them as a Father doth thence his dutie is concluded That is the office To be gentle among the Children knowing them by name affectionately desirous after them provoaking them by teares and as a nurse cherishing them That is the office It cannot be blamed nor the Bishop neither I mean the man for he is a father a nurse he is that which stands in the nearest relation importing the tendrest care and dearest affection and he is blamelesse in all How dare you or I blame him whom GOD commends A. So say my Adversaries too The office is not to be blamed nor the Bishop You see both are as ancient as Paul was And you know too That a Reverend Father of the Church has calculated the nativitie of the Bishops and the descent of the office and he finds the office in heaven and the Bishops before the ancient Kings in this Land B. Very true all this And now you need not tell your Adversaries That the Reverend Father is answered by the Sonnes of the Church ●or that he sta●ed heaven in the face so long that at last he fell into the Ditch You need not tell your Adversaries this for they know it well enough I could tell you now a notable Story as judicious Calvin tells it mee concerning Maximilian the Emperour a notable Story and very pertinent but I will not trouble you with it onely point at it in the Margin * Calvin upon Isa cap. 19. 11. And so question you a little Doe you thinke that Paul means by office and Bishop the Government of a Catholique and universall Bishop an Arch-bishop or Diocesan and Lord Bishop doe you thinke so A. I cannot tell what to thinke B. No why I told you before their office cannot be found in the earth A. They have found it in heaven B. So presumptuously they said and now you see though they will not that they are brought downe to the sides of the pitt You should not put mee to repetition for indeed what I spake of their Government might have sufficed for their office But reade the Text againe The office is a good worke cannot you tell your Adversaries now what worke they have made in the Church and Common-wealth I know you can You reade also That the office of Pauls Bishop was naturally to care for his people as a father as a nurse His office was to feed the flock of Christ The mightie word of GOD was the Scepter of Pauls Bishop therewith he cast downe strong holds strong rodds a Ezek. 19. 11. were the Scepter of these B●shops These did not feed but rule the sheepe of Christ with a rod of Iron b Rev. 2. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies He shall feed or rule The Pope and his Bish make the later to be the office of a Bishop So the sheepe have had a hard feeding from that interpretation You reade againe Pauls Bishop must be blamelesse were these so A. What is all this to the office B. I told you before and I will repeat it but this once Their office is not found in heaven or earth It is true If wee beleeve them they have found their office in heaven and have executed it upon earth as wee heard but who will observe the whole Series of things shall discerne plainly That a curse has cleaven to their office evermore closer than the Ivy to the wall or the morter betwxt the joyning of the stones As it alwayes does to that office which is not of Gods ordaining and for which no man though for his sinceritie honestie learning without exception can be sufficient I will not recall here what was said how crosse Catholick Bishops Lord or Diocesan Bishops are to God and His Word I will onely say what some have said of the Pope and apply it to ours Some Popes have been Fathers but never any Pope an holy Father And some few very few good men But never any a good Pope So also as true of our Bishops looke wee over them all wee may finde some good men very few but not one Good Bishop And this I must ever thinke is by vertue of the curse which cleaveth to the office A. I am in a worse case to answer my Adversary now than before Never any a good Bishop Many good Bishops say my Adversaries for many of them were martyrs B. Not many if I remember five onely but twice five were persecuters Five martyrs will not argue so strongly for the goodnesse of the office as twice five against it Againe Martyrdome does not make a good Bishop he must render himselfe good while he lives by magnifying his office A. Well and so they did Bishop Ridley and Bishop Latimer What can you say against them B. Nothing not a word God has accepted them He has pardoned It shall be remembred no more how Bishop Ridley dealt with King Edward the Saint he would but I forbeare Nor how Bishop Latimer that good man over-taken through Infirmitie did in a Sermon comply with a murtherer against the good Kings Uncle the good Lord Protector too like a Bishop B. Bishop Hooper what say you against him A. Against him I have much to say for him an excellent man he he had his Table full with good cheare you will say and so have our Bishops too no full set with company he eat not his morsels alone and they the poorest of his flock and which I would have noted God would have it followed he fed their soules first from his owne mouth and then their bodies with his meat his doctrine did drop upon them Deut. 32. 2. as the raine and his speech distill'd as the dew The meaning is he Catechised them first and then said Eat friends and be merry GOD accepteth the worke An excellent man So was Bishop Juel too the Jewel Lege vitam Juelli of our Church set as a Diamond there He gave himselfe up to the LORD and His worke he spent and wasted a wearied body therein and gloried in it as well he might that so he did And it greatly refreshed his dying spirits when his soule sate on his lips That he had wasted his body and spirits too in the worke of the LORD c. to whom he hath given-up his account with Joy A. Very well excellent men these and were not these good Bishops B. Look how you force me yet I will not

fourth reason here There is no need of the name Cast it away and there will be no lacke Lastly should I reade you a leafe in the Rhem Testament how effectuall the holding-up and keeping-in of names has been for the keeping-in of abominable persons and things you would yeeld mee so farre at least That this name Bishop is to be abolished I have don A. And I am satisfied and at a sweet agreement in my soule That Arch-bishops Lord-Bishops their Government and office is to be thrust-out and the name abolished I pray you heartily give me leave to weepe B. You need not aske leave you have a command for that Weepe with them that weepe It is sufficient you have a command to weepe for your owne sinnes and others and for the slaine of the people You have example for it too To make your couch swim with teares your eyes flow like rivers and to make the place you stand in a Bochim * Judg. 1. 5 a place of weeping for reasons many from within and from without weepe and spare not A. To tell you the truth I never thought of this kinde of weeping I asked you leave to weepe for company with the Kings and Merchants of the earth Because their gods are taken away and what have they more B. O monstrous weepe for company with the Kings and Merchants of the earth This indeed is to weepe with them that weepe but it is to doe as those women did who sate weeping for Tammuz Ezek. 8. 14 A. That is Hebrew is it not B. No nor Greeke neither It was an Aegyptian-god a most abominable Idoll As comely a posture now for Kings and Merchants of the earth to sit weeping over the Hierarchy amore abominable Idoll than was that Tammuz A. I yeeld to you heartily But truly I intended to weepe in a merriment onely as I have heard one did and so I le tell you a Story to refresh you and my selfe a little A little man but a great Tyrant was ferrying-over to a place from whence he must never returne And a poore Cobler who was mightily oppressed by that Tyrant was in the same Boat with him The Tyrant wept heartily for he was taken from all his gods he should see them no more neither his Palaces nor his Lordships and so he cryed lamentably The Ferriman a merry fellow would make the Cobler cry too and so he did O mee poore Cobler I have taken Sanctuary now at the place where the wicked cease from troubling where the weary lie at rest They heare not the voyce of the oppressed O mee poore wretch I shall mend shooes no more I shall labour no more I shall feele neither hunger nor thirst any more B. I le heare no more not a word more though I know it might be well applyed You have made it pretty Christian yet it is not for this place I would have you rejoyce in all the peoples sight and sing aloud for joy of heart for so the upright doe Certainly there is the same cause now to rejoyce as the Church had when they went through the Psal 66. 6. flood on foote There did wee rejoyce in Him our Fathers went over wee rejoyce And for the same reason for wee say now as they did then Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power and so forth for wonderfull workes follow as are the workes of GOD now adayes Certainly the Church has the same cause of rejoycing as it had when the great Dragon was cast-out Then was heard a loud voyce saying in Rev. 12. 9 10. heaven in the Church now is come salvation c. reade it out Certainly the Churches time is coming nay it is come when Babylon must be throwne downe Therefore wee must now heare a great voyce of much Rev. 18. 21 people in heaven the Church saying Hallelujah Salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God Amen Rev. 19. 1. A. I thanke you Sir you have made good use of my fained teares and fained mirth you have taught mee how to doe both in good earnest B. It is an hard lesson heare me forth I pray you and The LORD grant I may heare my selfe 1 If you doe weep indeed if you are grieved indeed then your griefe is more That you have grieved GOD than because His and your Adversaries have grieved you that is first 2 If you rejoyce indeed then you rejoyce with trembling 3. If you prayse GOD indeed for the workes He has done I cannot expresse how wonderfull they are then you live to His praise That is Selah then you rise-high in praises when your life praiseth Him that is when your conversation is in heaven If God your God is your strength then He is your Song If He be your Salvation He is your praise too 4. If you long to see God appeare in His Glory To see Him worshipped according to His Command in a Church-way Then you are fitting and making your heart meet for such a worship and you commune with your owne heart upon your bed enquiring what holinesse you have gained by the Ordinances you now have for they that are not good husbands and thriving under these I cannot tell whether they shall be trusted with greater matters 5. And to shutt up this matter If it be with you as aforesaid Then your heart is open and your mouth open and your purse is open and your hands hang not down All you have and all you are shall be expended laid out for Him for His Name for His cause for His servants All for Him who hath so laid-forth all His Attributes for us A falling sinking dying Nation All for Him forget it not who remembred us in our low estate All for Him Amen A. I joyne with you heartily and that is all the answer I can make to all the fore-mentioned I must enquire further of you for resolution now The Government by Bishops it is gone it is fallen like a great Milstone It shall be found no more in heaven the Church Amen There are now two wayes of Government I expresse it as I can and as I conceive it in the most popular way The Presbyterian way the Independent way The Adversary meets mee in both wayes crosseth mee in the one choakes mee in the other I beseech you Sir for Gods sake and His cause be pleased to give mee satisfaction that I may satisfie others who finding mee almost your Conver● B. I le cut you short there I pray you doe not call your selfe my Convert If the Word of GOD has not turned you hold you where you first were for Arch-bishops Lord or Diocesan-Bishops hold you there A. God forbid But I pray you pardon the Word It relates to you but as to an instrument and let mee goe on My Adversaries finding me a Convert hitt mee in the teeth with this You are for the Scotts Discipline the Presbyteriall-Government a Rigid Government worse than