severall corruptions in it hath ever since maintained At least we may shrewdly suspect that he afforded this name a place there as the print or shadow at least of a Function which had beene before and the seed or basis of that which ought to have beene established among the Churches in his time then especially when it might be done with the least prejudice to manners or doctrine both which it was constantly beleeved were most of all undermined by Episcopacy The truth is all the Divines of greatest note with us have beene driven upon this conclusion whensoever they have fallen upon the same Question They all joyntly condemned with extreamest rigour the corruptions which in their times were in a sort the individuall companions of that Profession but they never deny it its due reverence considered abstractively in it selfe Calvin after he himselfe had executed the Office of a Bishop in Geneva * Instit l. 4. c. 4. § 4. discourseing of the ancient institution of Bishops in Cities of arch-Arch-Bishops above them in Provinces and in fine of Patriarchs advanced at the Councell of Nice above both the former saith that this was done â—â— order to the discipline of the Church and withall acknowledgeth that Antiquity notwithstanding such innovations had not the least thought of obtruding upon the Church any other forme of government then what God himselfe had prescribed in his word That howsoever they bestowed on that forme of their owne the name of Hierarchy a word not extant in Scripture yet we are not to dwell upon the notion but to weigh the nature of the thing it selfe By which passage Sir you may easily inferre how this worthy Author stood affected to the Order we speake of That of Beza an able judicious writer if we reflect upon the times he liv'd in is no lesse for our purpose then the former He grants in one place that Episcopacy was usefull in the Church and that the distinction of Bishops and Arch-bishops was first instituted for the readâ—er convâ—â—â—ing of Synods and managing the affaires of the Church with more steadinesse To wave what this able Auth or hath farther delivered upon the Question who will not hence conclude if he cast but an eye upon the many difficulties they meet with that are to steere the inclinations of men either in Religion or Policy that he was so farre from disallowing Episcopacy that on the contrary he approv'd it as an Institution of highest consequence to Christianity And in the particular case of England every body knowes that these two eminent Persons absolutely subâ—â—â—ibed to its continuance there The one of which hath published so much to the world in a Tract against Saraviaâ— and doth not the other also speake expressely in behalfe of those in that Kingdome which the men of this generation would quite extirpate But let us farther examine their opinion who speake of the thing in generall Polâ—â—â—â— is peâ—emptory that to make up those breathes in the Church which happened after the Apostles times there was one set ever the rest of the Presbyters and call'd by way of eminence Bishop whereto he subjoyneth that in relation to that primitive order and discipline of the Church there hath ever beene one ranked before the rest of his Brethren to keepe them within compasse and to prevent the broaching of any new doctrines Melanchton is yet more expresse The policy of the Church saith he that is the exteriour face thereof is compounded of two ingredients The first is the Ministery a thing of Gods owne immediate institution and it containes five parts 1. The right of calling and ordaining Ministers 2. The injunction to preach the Gospell 3. The power of remitting sinnes 4. of administring the Sacraments and 5. The right of exercising Jurisdiction upon Offenders by excommunication The second is the humane Constitutions of Bishops and Councells who are to regulate the degrees of Ministers and the difference of time and place when and where to execute their Functions Now saith he those constitutions are to be maintained for the cherishing of good Order yet so as they be drained from all tincture of superstition And he gives the reason because they have a kinde of right naturall the very law of nature obligeing us to the constant observation of good order in the conduct of our lives A passage very part for Episcopacy as noting unto us the impossibility of composing any Church disorders without it For the Members will then teare one another in peices and the body which kept them together in so close and strict an union cannot long malâ—taine the peace and harmony which that order as the soule infused into them as Saint Basil somewhere speaketh I cannot wave neither a passage I have sometimes read in Hierome Savanarola a bitter enemy to the corruption of the Clergy and one that vehemently declaim'd against the disorders of the Church If faith he in his booke de veritate Fidei there shall happen any knoâ—ty difficult scruple in the Assemblies of the faithfull the Bishops are they that must decide the Question which must needes be construed of that superiority whereby they are to bridle the boldnesse and insolence of such as being hurried on with a spirit of confusion disquiet â—he Church with maladies hard to be cured This mov'd the other Hierome about 1200 yeares agoe to avouch that the prosperity of the Church did so mainely depend upon the superiour Minister that were it otherwise there would be as many Schismes among Christians as Presbyters Which consequent saith the Arch-bishop of Spalata is manifestly seene in such of the reformed Churches as have abandoned Episcopacy This was the reason why the Princes and all those of the Clergy that subscribed to the Ausburge Confession did joine in such an open Protestation before God and Man that they sought not for the extirpation of it They were as well acquainted as we with the corruption of the Bishops and had as much at least to feare from their continuance as we can possibly have And yet to prevent the unavoidable necessity of that confusion into which they would otherwise have fallen they unanimously agreed upon the defence of that Ancient Order and to oppose with all eagernesse such as should endeavour the abolition of the same This they hotly pursued not barely in order to Religion which they laboured to rescue from Romish slavery but also for some secular considerations intwisted with Religion it selfe as the union and concord of the People without which it would be a very hard taske for them to preserve their severall Rights and Prerogatives entire This also is the reason why the succeeding Emperours made so many attempts to bereave the German Protestants of this Order being taught by experience that Episcopacy keepes them closer together and that this union of the People is the greatest obstacle to their ambitious designs Had there been any Bishops in the Palatinate all the rest of the reformed parts in Germany
would have strucke in for their defence and engaged themselves in the same quarrell France it selfe would not have suffered them to be made such an easy prey to the house of Austria But all things seemed to conspire the ruine of that State which to the prejudice of it's owne particular interests the interests of Christendome and of all those of the North who had declared themselves both against Rome and against all such as aim'd at an universall Monarchy would needs set on foot new maximes and pursue the project of a reformation from which it had so many visible evills to feare I have long since exceeded the bounds of a Letter and contrary to my first thoughts have well-nigh swelled it into a Volume The feare I have to trespasse upon your patience makes me passe by a whole cloud of our first Reformers all jointly subscribing to the same conclusion And besides the small remnant of time behind will not suffer me to recall into your memory what those of our Age determine upon the Question I have scarce heard of any able and judicious Divine with us who values not this Ancient Order as the band and instrument of that peice which Christ preached I know very well that all your narrow and popular Judgements doe leane another way and that the number of these exceeds by much that of the more knowing sort Nor am I ignorant that there be some able malicious heads amongst us which clearely see the truth but cannot affect it they are so transported with the love of an unlawfull and counterfeite liberty that they never busy themselves about the prevention of that disorder which it will inevitably sooner or later pull upon them and all such as adhere to them Mounsieur du Mouliâ— is none of that number This gallant man whom God honoured with so many eminent gifts above all that were either the Authors or Abettours of such corruptions as had crept into the Church is peremptory in the point appealing to the generall suffrage of Ecclesiasticall story that immediately after the times of the Apostles or indeed while they were yet living there begun in every City to be one of the Pastours set over the rest distinguished by the Title of Bishop and invested with a power above his fellowes to prevent that confusion which ordinarily flowes from equality this institution met with a generall approbation whence saith He we cannot excuse Aërius for opposing the determination of the Church in his time when the difference stood onely in point of Discipline A little after he concludes that in England God made use of certaine Bishops out of the Church of Rome for accomplishing that glorious worke of the Reformation whereupon the name and dignity Episcopall hath beene derived successively unto such his Ministers whom he hath raised up to discover the errours and corruption of men That in other places where God made choice of Presbyters and Doctours the Pastours of the Church are barely stiled Ministers the People with us being not able to digest the names of Preists and Bishops the bad conversation of such as went under that name having rendred them so extreamely â—dious Which yet is but a slender ground for their extirpation as I shall cleare anon Antonius de Dominis an able mâ—n without question and a professed adversary to the Romish Tyranny under which in fine he perished maintaines with great force of reason that the Election of Ministers to wit of Bishops and Preists was made by the Apostles according to the institution of Christ that the Church hath alwaies acknowledged and professed a difference betwixt them the diversity of their functions and the generall practice of antiquity having ever ranked Bishops before Presbyters And in the same place he takes the paints to collect and salve the severall passages of Scripture which seemingly speake the contrary as also those in the Fathers and Canons of Councels Whereupon he gives us a very remarkeable observation which I gave you a light touch of before and 't is this That all such as forsooke the Communion of the Catholicke Church as the Novatians and Donatists would yet still retaine their Bishops knowing very well that the Church could not possibly subsist without them as being absolutely necessary in the Catholique Church of which every one in particular would pretend to be a Member And hence is it that in Rome there have sometimes beene three at once one of the Catholiques who was the lawfull and true one the other two of those two bodies or rather dismembred peeces of the Church which they set up for no other reason but because they would otherwise have beene convicted to be without the pale of the Church of Christ I hope Monsieur Blondell and Salmasius when they have once purged Episcopacy from such corruptions as the spirit of lying had fastened upon it on purpose to render it as pernicious in the use is it was sacred in the institution will no longer keepe aloose in thâ—â— opinions from us â—ut sadly laying to heart the evills which will inevitably oppresse the whole Church if once it be deprived of it's ancient forme of government they will contribute such advice to this miserable Country as their knowledge and honesty shall suggest unto them nor continue to stifle a knowne truth as many at this day strangers to neither of us so unconscionably doe Let the Monkes grumble as long as they please against that Order to which they cannot endure their owne extravagant rules should be any way subordinate Let the insolent and saucy Jesuite oppose their authority and slinke out of their sight for feare they should take notice of his Corruption But let us whose thoughts ought to be most pure and actions most regular submit unto those maximes to which these fifteen last Centuries have paid an universall obedience Who knowes not that if the Power delegated to the Ministers of the Gospell should be equally shared amongst all Confusion and Division must needs be the issue Had not the Jewes who were but an inconsiderable Body in respect of us Christians their High Preist answerable to our Bishop in every particular Church who marched before the rest enjoyed divers peculiar prerogatives above his Brethren and had certaine distinct functions in point of Religion apperteining to him Doth not even reason informe us that 't is impossible for any Congregation or Society of men to keepe long together if there be not some one set over the rest that like an indissoluble chaine is to restraine the severall members how different and disagreeing soever among themselves within the limits of their proper callings What would be the issue of all our Assemblyes had they not a president over them by meanes whereof we still retaine an Idea of that Churches practise which we have abandoned for it's impurities And this indeed is the onely Antidote for all sores and distempers in the Church no remedy so present and Soveraigne it being impossible for the
inviolable among all the Nations of the earth for well nigh the space of fourteene hundred yeares together not a man in all this time opening his mouth against it what ever difference of opinions Schismes and Heresies the Spirit of blindenesse introduced within the pale of Christianity till this age of our Reformers who perswaded themselves they could by humane prudence setle among the Ministers of the Gospell an equality of merit of zeale of charity and affection by ordaining an equality of Power and Authority and were further confident by this meanes to cut the throate of that Tyranny under which our Fathers for so long a time had groaned as also to re-invite into the world that sweetnesse and â—ffability wherewith the founders of the Church so expressely charged it should be governed And lastly they presumed that if the Prelates were once outed integrity innocence and good manners would be restored to their place in the Church againe nor should luxury incontinence or any other kinde of leudnesse usurpe their Roomes any more for ever These indeed were good wishes and desires but the meanes of persuing them starke naught Neither did they meet with a generall likeing divers having rejected them as fighting with that successe which others had promised themselves in the use of them Did not Germany which first threw the Pope out of the Saddle and where the purity of the Gospell was first restored to its ancient Liberty retaine still in her Churches that superiority against which they declaime here 'T is inviolably maintained in most countries of the North. Did the Patriarch of Constantinople abjure or condemne it Cyrill when he reformed himselfe after the example of the Protestants in the West Or dare any of us deny him our Communion because he retained it Nay was he ever so much as advised to forgoe it The lustre and majesty of the title he bare was no impediment to him from being both a confessour and a martyr of the same Christ we worship But let us herein consult with our most eminent Reformers Luther a most violent opposer of the Authors of ruine and corruption in the Church after he hath spent himselfe in heaping reproaches upon the Bishops calling them Idolls and dumb Statues idle puppets deceitfull maskes trunkes without branches or rootes empty shadowes stage-players such as were so farre from knowing the honour of their Function and how to discharge it aright that they did not understand the Etymology of the name they bare wolfes breifly trayâ—ours 〈◊〉 murtherers the monsters of the Vniverse the burden of the earth the Apostles of Antichrist moulded and fitted for the destruction of the world and extinguishing the light of the Gospell at last he comes to himselfe againe and tells us that he inveighs onely against the corruption of their liver and their palpable Ignorance as for the râ—st thâ— he harboured not a thought against the Order and frame of the Church and that nothing he had spoken of those idle drousie Animalls and filthy belly 〈◊〉 Gods ought to be applyed to the honest Pastours and reall Bishops whom he there calls the Headâ— and Over-seers of the Christian Church In other places as namely in his Captivity of Babylon he overthrowes the sacrament of Order and rejecteth as a groundlesse fancy their indelible character But he quarrells not there with Bishops alone but even with Preists and Deacons avouching all the faithfull equally to be Preists and Deacons and endowed with equall Authority Notwithstanding recollecting himselfe he concludes for the exellency of Episcopacy acknowledging the name thereof to be sacred and ancient and that if he deny it those against whom he declaimes 't is because he thinks it unlawfull to bestow it on such whose corruption and filthinesse vendors them so unworthy of it In the Tract he compiled for the instruction of Ministers he closeth hiâ— reformation with an establishment of Bishops to which he would have the Cities of Bohemia conforme themselves in electing one or two and enabling them with Authority over the rest to goe in visitation about the Churches after the example of Saint Peter in the Acts which he stileth a lawfull and Evangelicall Archiepiscopacy But if men â—e so vainely timerous that they dare not adventure upon the reestablishing of an Apostolicall Institution he permits them to retaine the custome of Rome in having Bishops to call ordaine and confirmâ— such a they shall finde capable according to the platforme and Doctrine of Saint Paul So likewise you may see divers examples of that age which testify that the opinions of those times were much different from ours about the point in Question We finde in one of Peter Martyrs Epistles to Beza that a certaine Bishop of Troy making a scruple of continuing in that profession after his conversion to the Reformation was unanimously received and acknowledged of all for a lawfull Prelate whose Authority together with his Piety prov'd a maine advancement of the Churches good This worthy Author not condemning Episcopacy in generall passeth only this verdict upon it that in as much as none are raised to that dignity but by the favour of Princes Christians can have but faint hopes of reaping any great benefit thereby In the same place he concludes for the necessity of their visitations as a present remedy to curethe naturall infirmity of man who is ever declining from bad to worse and be speakes there of Primates and Arch-bishops as of those who for Sanctity of life and Purity of Doctrine were designed to this Function in the severall Cities and Sees of greatest note withall condemning those who intrude at their owne pleasures into the Ministery concludeing it is not without some emphaticall ground that in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus the severall conditions and qualifications of Bishops Preists and Deacons are so punctually described Where it is worth your observation that he marshalls all three in their proper ranks a pregnant evidence that he made more then two degrees of Ecclesiasticall Order And so likewise doth the Author of our reformed discipline in France who in the first Article acquaints us with three sorts of Ministers Bishops or Pastours Deacons and Presbyters quoting to this purpose the same Epistles with Peter Martyr Where two things deserve our notice first the name of Bishops and next that of Presbyters As for the former I cannot but wonder why he should confound it with that of Pastours then after distinguish both from Presbyters if it be true as many would have it that Presbyters Pastours and Bishops were but one and the selfe same thing in the Primitive Church As for the name of Presbyters it is misapplyed with us to such whose Function speakes them to be no more then Deacons A thing utterly repugnant to the practice all ages Whence it appeares that he was somewhat ashamed to baulke an Order which he knew the Primitive and purer Christians held in such singular estimation and the Church maugre the
three or foure of our Kings raignes and against which our Protestants have alwaies so eagerly declaimed laying their grounds upon certaine proofes drawne from the corruption of Rome which gave life unto it had nothing in it of more venimous consequence then this we see here save that the Emissaries and Boute-feus of the English Confederacy have not as yet imbrued their hands in the bloud of their King And can it suite with their profession who talke so much of reducing Christian Religion to it's primitive purity and reviving the Innocence and Simplicity of the Apostolique times who call him their Master that reconciled the world to God and united men in the same mutuall affections who are not ignorant that Peace and Concord are the essentiall characters of a Christian and that such should never be the occasioners of warre to employ the sword in such a manner as this I cannot thinke there 's any man so credulous as to beleive that such courses can finde any welcome among those that are Protestants indeed they may with many who are such in shew onely of which sort are all the opposers not of monarchy alone but indefinitely of any secular authority whatsoever There were some in the infancy of the Church who strained Christian liberty so farre that they condemned it as unjust for the Enfranchised of God and such as were guided by his spirit to be subject to the command of any creature The Donatists sucked the same poison from them which afterwards diffused it selfe among the Anabaptists and in fine reached us also by meanes of some who gave a second birth to this Heresy which now walkes up and downe here in great bravery under pretences very specious in the apprehension of some shallow Judgements And though I conceive this will not be to the generall prejudice of the Reformed Churches in Europe by reason of that just jealousy which Princes ought to entertaine that they hold no intelligence amongst themselves and that they doe not all bandy togethr against the rights and prerogatives of their respective dominions Yet it must needs 〈◊〉 to their shame atleast if they doe not openly declare against the villany of their proceedings and the iniquity of their designes especially since they have had the impudence to invite them to an imitation of their example and to steppe in for the support of their faction I am not ignorant what grounds we goe upon and how little resemblance ours â—eare to theirs but the world will not passe sentence upon us by our positions but either by our actions or by our silence For if we be silent when they are bragging of 〈◊〉 with us and yet appearing in the field against their Soveraiâ—â— who will not be ready to conclude that had we the like power â—â— our hands we would do as much every wâ—â—it our selves â— but if 〈◊〉 the contrary we speake our mindes condemning the unlawfullnesse and horridnesse of their designe our actions suiting still with 〈◊〉 doctrine in stead of exasperating the secular powers we shall 〈◊〉 them for it cannot be but they will take part with us and 〈◊〉 off such as make them so subordinate either to the people in groâ—â—â— or to some select parcell of the whole body who let them talke what they will are no lesse Subjects then the rest In breife â— need but demand whether of the two are the better Christians those that wast so much bloud to subvert the right of Kings and to cherish a warre under counterfeit pretences for the suppression of all order and engaging the whole world to the same common confusion Or they of the Primitive times who maintained that to shâ—â— bloud was to violate Christianity to oppose Kings was to disobey God and to contest with Superiours was to fight against that Order which he established I beleeve they will hardly be swayed by examples lesse by reason nor that they put any great value upon the authority which the practise of the first ages may challenge over us If they do I would exhort such preachers of fire and sword to call to minde how the ancient disciplien of the Church denied their communion to such as had slaine an Enemy in a lawfull warre and that they would hence collect how those times stood affected to such as voluntarily embroyled themselves in an unlawfull and unjust one See Sir in part what I have to say to you upon this argument It will not be amisse if in the next place I acquaint you with the innovations they make in Religion and what fruits Christianity is like to reape from the labours of such doughty Reformers 'T is a truly impious designe to perâ—ue a Reformation in such manner as these men do and which tends onely to the subversion of an order established by God under a pretence of pulling downe one devised by man which they call Tyranny because indeed it is the onely meanes whereby to check them in that full caâ—câ—â—â— of unbridled licentiousnesse unto which they are naturally so much devoâ—â—â— Not but that there is alwayes matter enough for a reformation both in manners and government and that it is extreamely necessary to correct the evills and disorders of the present times and withall to prevent that corruption which may be feared from the future But who will be the fittest to go through with this taske will the Parliament no in as much as the Bishops that is the Clergy are no longer a part of it Will the Synod be able to supply this defect no not they because the whole body is composed of persons interessed besides that ignorance and blindenesse are there for the most part in their greatest exaltationâ— or if perhaps there be some knowing there is a great dearth of honest men most of them being possest with the spirit of division which hath drawne them into the by-paths of Hereticks as well ancient as moderne Well then shall the People beare the burthen this is altogether impossible unlesse first there be made an universall resignation of all sence and reason because of themselves they are uncapable of all manner of order and conduct Neither can the King assisted only by his Counsell and Magistrates be thought a â—it instrument to mannage the businesse for feare he make Religion waite upon his owne private interest and by consequent bring the spirit under the command of the Flesh The issue then will be to finde out a just and lawfull way for the advancing of this Reformation which in my opinion can be no other then that of a generall Assembly indicted by the Prince wherein the Boroughs shall have their Deputies whose voices are to be heard and their suffrages admitted The Church it's Bishops and Doctors The Parliament diverse of the Nobility which they may chuse out of their severall Houses and the King his principall Officers And to make the action more Authentique to establish in the Church that uniformity which ought to be in a body in which
the Spirit of Union and Concord is the Moderatour as that of Christians is there may be called thither the most eminent Protestants from forraigne parts by whose assistance all doubts and scruples may be solved This in my judgement is the way to maintaine the severall rights of each order in the State of England as also in the whole body of Christendome entire I know none that can dislike the project but your new Independants and the fanatique Illuminatâ—es commonly called Brownists who in truth are no other but the Brats or Brethren of the Munster-Faction These men have fancied to themselves a monstrous Common-wealth an absurd and motley State in which there should not be the least cognizance of civill Authority nor any other spirituall power acknowledged but such as the Sonne of God should by an insensible and â—idden influence exercise over them Collect now from these Premises how such kinde of people stand affected to Royalty and then what reckoning they make of Councels and the Persons they consist of Their aime indeed is to ruine both to have no Rulers or Overseers at all either Temporall or Spirituall Secular or Ecclesiasticall They want no specious colours to blanch the blacknesse of their Designe They make their King a Demy-Apostate and little better then a Tyrant They proclaime to the world that he had a resolution to violate Religion and to destroy their Liberties and Priviledges That he hath supplanted the Fundamentall Lawes of the Realme and falsified the Oath made to his Subjects the observation of which alone must entitle him to a Dominion over them As for the Overseers of the Church it hath no need say they of any at all in as much as the Founder and Head thereof hath skill enough to governe as he had to establish it That 't is enough if there be meere Pastours only to preach without being lifted above others or others above them Such be the Authors and Abettours of this Fancie who gave the first blow at Episcopacy A strange thing that some even of the honester sort should so rashly mingle with the enemies of that Order transported in the simplicity of their hearts by this groundlesse conceit that 't is the Prelates alone who have opened the gap to wickednesse in the Church as if where there are no Bishops at all Innocence and purity bare an absolute and soveraigne command in the Soules of men Ferrier Pâ—tes with many more besides in France will be perpetuall attestours to the world that your Church Government lyes no lesse open to the assaults and stratagems of the Devill then that which hath beene setled from all Antiquity Were it my drift to search it to the bottome it would be easie to demonstrate this with advantage and that had it beene a few yeares elder and liv'd in a Country where the Lawes of the Prince are not so rigorous against Innovatours as they be in France which permits but two sorts of Religion or at least if God had not from time to time raised some eminently guifted Persons therein in which respect I must needs confidently affirme that it flourisheth now more then ever there could not have wanted matter through the many visible inconveniences thereof to embroyle the Church in a tedious and perpetuall taske I shall but point at one 't is the equality of Pastours which indeed at first blush presents you with a comely glosse and hath a wonderfull influence upon the fancy when it beholds it at a distance but in truth is the source of disorder the fountaine of negligence and the bane of that laudable emulation among the virtuous to out-strip one another in goodnesse It is to shut the doore against the perfection of life in denying the strictest observers of their masters injunctions those advantages and prerogatives which himselfe hath designed them What a block is it in the way to all those eminent persons without who were a coming toward us You know better then I how memorable to this purpose is the example of the Arch-bishop of Spalata Being to be honoured with no ranke at all above others can you thinke they will quit that which they enjoy where they are There can be no humility so great but may justly take offence at this How can any Genius acquainted thoroughly with it selfe and borne to a preheminence over others with some singular endowments of Nature be allured over to a profession whose sweetest baiâ—e is but a voice with the meanest and where its resolutions shall be valued as cheape as those of any other particular Personâ— The world is not to learne what a traine of inconveniencies attend these kind of suffrages and Deliberations and how there must needes follow many farre worse upon the neck of those so long as there is nothing but a baâ—â— supputation of Votes without any endowed with Power and Abilities to poyse them Put case their Assemblies consist of a hundred Persons will there in truth be found ten who will not rather be opinionate to cover their severall defects then be conformable to the example of their fellowes or endeavour to better themselves by their Counsells Such is that selfe-love and radicall inclination we have to sooth our selves that we do not easily hearken to the commands of reason till we be awed thereunto And seeing this distinction of degrees is so necessary for the good of the Church how shall that end be obtained if there be not some delegated both in and out of those Assemblies to represent the power of the whole to exact upon all emergencies an account of their proceedings to have the right of proposing and collecting Votes of ratifying Decrees of promulgating and putting them in execution and daring to the field whatsoever opposers of the same Is this feisible without a Bishop seeing that in such Synods as ours all enjoy an equality of Power and Authority and where according to that proverbiall censure of the Assemblies of Carthage The greater number carries it from the better Besides when the Synod is dissolved each Minister is left to his owne liberty to do what his fancy shall suggest unto him Put case he be found hipping either in manners or Doctrine he iâ— accountable to none but those of his owne Consistory who are allwaies in readinesse like so many rotten Pillars to support a crazie Wall or so many blinde guides that will needes undertake to reduce straglers into the way or such as leade men upon a praecipice So that by this meanes the offender wants no invitations nor advantages to invâ—igle those that lend an care to him he being no way accountable but to another Assembly In the interim he is proling for parties to his crimes and Abettours to his Opinions so that instead of fearing the rigour of a Judge in the Synod he is often provided of an Advocate which would be altogether impossible were there one enabled to stifle such disorders in the wombe This hints me of what I have read in
was never arraigned for those strange crimes which have beene proved upon some of it's Professours The Church is here to employ her authority which stretcheth not beyond suspension or deprivation and that of the Persons not of the Function How many Bishops hath Antiquity beheld shamelesly profaneing the holinesse of their Profession How many tainted with avarice ambition tyranny heresie sorcety and yet never man saw any considerable number of them condemned never durst or would any preferre a Bill for the suppression of the Order I am not ignorant of what is here commonly objected that absolute authority and supersâ—uity of riches are the usuall bane of the Soule and that there be but few men of ranke upon whom they have not a corruptive influence That these two being as it were inseperable Accidents cannot be sequestred from the Church without destroying the Subject which containes them That the Waldenses and Albigenses concurred in the same judgement and that of late they have received a totall proscription among our selves For the first it is granted by all that Riches and Authority suite not indeed with a narrow soule uncapable either of rightly understanding or knowingly valuing the pure and true dictates of Christianity To the second who denies but there may be Bishops without either investing them with an absolute Power or affording them any such excesse of riches In the whole Primitive Church there were none but indigent and necessitous ones enabled with no other authority then to dispense the graces of God and to proclaime his Judgements unto the People And yet no doubt but if choice were made of consci 〈…〉 men after the example of the Primitive Fathers there would be little ground to grudge them what the bounty of Kings and the consent of the People hath suffered them for so many ages successively to enjoy If they be such as are indeed worthy of a Bishopâ—icke they will employ their authority in executing Justice upon the vicious expend their riches in accommodating the needy as the Prelates here doe generally at this day Their very Adversaries confesse them to have ever beene most strict inquisitours after crimes and most severe â—â—nishers of the same Nor can they deny that the poore and unfortunate the Widowes and Orphans have ever found somewhat either in their Counsell or credit to protect them from scorne and reproach And they must needs farther acknowledge that besides those workes of Charity which call for a reverent esteeme and even a kind of veneration to the memory of an infinite traine of Bishops the publicke monuments founded by them both for the Honour and the profit of that Kingdome are so many pregnant arguments that they have employed their great revenues rather as just Stewards for the benefit of others then as the vassals of their owne pleasures Witnesse so many stately Churches famous Colledges rich Hospitals so many Bridges Foundations Dotations Edifices which owe their being to that Order 'T is true the Waldenses and Albigenses were generally against Bishops but who can give us the true meaning of those we desire may passe for our patternes How many were there amongst them whom it would be a great crime to propose for our imitation I cannot be induced to beleive that they of the most rationall sort among them who were best acquainted with the Errours which had then stole into the Church were the same with those who at that time made warre upon the Bishops Nor can I thinke that they who massacred Trincavell their Viscount in Besiers and dasht out their Prelates teeth having taken Sanctuary in Saint Magdalen's Church were in the number of those whose successours we glory to be called If so what may we thinke of the Divine Providence which forty two yeares after gave these bloud-thirsty men into the hands of the Croissades as very bloud-suckers as themselves who sacrificed them in the selfe same Church wherein they had spilled the bloud of others Vengeance pursued them into the place they had chosen for a Sanctuary and where they had exercised their cruelty there they received their punishment A remarkeable circumstance to assure us that the finger of God's Justice was there In the History of the Kings the Bookes of Chronicles and Mâ—ocabâ—â—s there are sundry notable examples of God's particular indignation against some upon whom he executed Justice in the same places where they had committed their severall crimes The like you have in Josephus and generally every Author abounds with such examples all which I will baulke with silence that I may not passe over two or three remarkeable accidents to this purpose in such fresh memory and knowledge of all the People here that even at this day they strike the consciences of the most with astonishment however they still continue in defiance to such visible summons from that providence which endeavours by this meanes to awake them The death of Hampden is one This man whom all your Novelists looked upon as one of the cheife Actours in the managing of their designe and who was the first that put them in a posture of Armes against their Prince received his Deaths-wound in the very same * * Chalgrove field feild where first he put the Militia in execution That of the Lord Brookes is another and perhaps you will thinke it a greater miracle In the very moment he threatned to demolish the Cathedrall of Lichfield the same day whereon they celebrated the memory of the * Saint Ghad Saint that founded it he was slaine with the glance of a bullet sent him from the hands of a dumbe person and that too just as he was peeping out at a door which I think hath not been hither to observed These circumstances are not to passe our attention being so many infallible testimonies of a Divine vengeance I might adde to the list of such examples that horrible disease of Pyâ—â— At the same time that his Conscience was gnawed with the vermine of ambition affecting a Tyrannicke power God gave him for food to lice and made him perish by such a kind of death as once he did those monstrous Tyrants Herod and Philip the second who both imbrued their hands in the bloud of their owne sonnes It remaines now that I should answer to such objections as are drawne from the custome of France wherein you can spare men labour your selfe with many moe besides that are acquainted with the present inconveniences which attend that way and foresee such as may be feared for the future In the meane time I will proceed to examine the grounds of Episcopacy And first of all I say that Episcopacy is either of Divine or at least of Ecclesiasticall Institution If of the former then ought Bishops to be continued where they are and restored where they are not Put case it be of the latter onely we are to examine whether it was establish'd upon good grounds or no and if so whether those grounds be not of equall validity
with us and we obliged as much thereupon to maintaine it I intend not at this time to discusse either of these two questions that taske hath already beene so amply performed by sundry eminent writers of this age that there remaines little more to be done to it Nor will I deliver my owne opinion I shall onely insist upon two others Saint Hierome saith that Episcopacy was instituted as the onely meanes to stoppe the current of those Divisions which sprung at first among Christians Before saith he that by the instigation of the Devill there were any fidings in Religion and People began to say I am of Paul and I of Cephas and I of Apollos the Churches were ruled by the joint resolutions of Preâ—sbyters But when every one began to fancy that those he baptized were his owne and not Christ's it was ordained throughout the whole world that there should be one chosen out of the rest with whom the cure of the Church was to be entrusted for the rooting up of Schismes and taking away all matter of dissention What this great Doctor spake so punctually of the Baptisme of Paul of Cephas and Apolloâ— is nothing in my judgement but an allusion to what we reade in one of the Epistles to the Corinthians and ought to be construed of all those seeds of division which the Devill scattered among Christians in the infancy of the Church and such as he hath throwne amongst them ever since Thus we see so many monstrous Heresies have beene strangled by meanes of this Order some â—â—â—oone as they saw the light others after they had in a sort empoisoned the whole Earth And if still there have continued some in the World or any slips of the old roote have beene remaining it hath generally happened in such places where Episcopacy had not it's full force and where Councells have not enjoyed their due liberty as in some of the Southerne and Easterne Countries and some also of the North where Christian Religion hath suffered either a totall extirpation or at least some notable alteration by 〈◊〉 If then Episcopacy hath produced fruits answerable to their hopes who did first institute it as beyond all contradiction it hath to what course shall we betake our selves in these distractive times wherein the Devill is so busy at his old game inâ—omenting Divisions among all those whom the Spirit of God hath freed from the yoke and slavery of Rome now especially when there are so many visible Factions amongst us some siding with Luther others with Calvin and most of the rest following no other guides then their owne apish unruly Fancies what course I say shall we now fly to for remedy but the example of all antiquity in tracing their Steps and conforming to their rules withall applying our selves to those Antidotes wherewith they healed the like distempers we suffer and are upon the point to perish under In those times the unity of the Head begat an Unity of Mission this an Unity of Doctrine and both together an Unity of all the Faithfull among themselves But in these dayes of ours from the multitude of Pastours equall in authority there flowes a diversity of Mission from this a repugnancy of Doctrines and from both jointly the Schismes and sidings of People which could never have befallen us had men contented themselves with a meere Reformation of Episcopacy and not utterly abolished it Or if during their Division they had established it in such places as they had made themselves Masters of or where they enjoyed a Toleration This is cleare from the example of Rome whose Disciples are never at oddes with themselves but still keepe the Body close and well compacted in all it's Members through the skill of their Conductours who have the sole power of deciding controversies amongst them and they neither have authority nor any the least badge thereof but what they derive from their Heads So that it is a rare thing to behold any Innovation of Religion with them either in Doctrine or Discipline and if any should arise that Order doth so hedge it in that it cannot proceed a steppe further then they please themselves If examples borrowed from our Enemies be odious let us insist onely upon that of England So long as the Bishops were not molested in their Functionâ— that Kingdome was not disquieted with any Schismes or disorders in the Church There durst not a Sectarie shew his head till those Christian Guides were overborne with violence and all superiority among Pastours decryed Now if their conjecture be sound who say that Saint Hierome builds not a bare allusion upon the words of Saint Paul but a cleare observation that immediately after the Apostles times there arose certaine jarres among their Disciples some pretending to a right of greater preheminence by reason of some better endowments which every one in particular ascribed to him who had baptised and instructed him and that upon this foundation the Devill attempted to build a multiplicity of bodies and prevailed so farre that he seemed to have got a share in the Church then in her Infancy have not we reason every moment to feare the like now from so many upstart Doctrines 〈◊〉 Religion and so many different sects in Europe resulting from that variety of Opinionâ— which is every where to be seene amongst out Teachers The malady is so great that it seemes to be arrived at its height and so little care is taken of applying a remedy as if men had a designe palpably to betray the cause of God The greatest mischeife I finde herein is that so long as our exteriour government shall continue in the same posture it is at this present it will be impossible to heale the distemper and if we go about to alter the Order established it must needes be from better to worse in as much as every sect will be busy in tempting others after it and so make a rupture in the Body and teare the Church in peeces Let us once more reflect a little upon Antiquity Had there beene ought amisse in the first institution of Episcopacy and had not indeed the spirit of God beene the sole contriver of it for the common benefit of the Church could his providence have given way to that generall unanimous approbation it received from Christians in every corner of the Universe We see clearely that of all the new Lawes and severall alterations devised by the wisedome and prudence of man there is not any one but hath beene opposed in some part of the world or other Witnesse what 〈◊〉 hath beene â—â—â—â—uded upon the Church either against the custome of Antiquity or the rules of Scripture such as arâ— the Supreme authority of one Person in cases spirituall the severall teâ—â—â—s about the Encharist Invocation of Saints worshiping of Images with many other But this decree which enables one of those that are imployed in the dispâ—â—sâ—tion of the Heavenly treasures with a power above his fellowâ—â— hath continued
same man to differ from himselfe We see that Families are ever at unity when they beare an orderly subjection to the Master of the House be there never so many private jarrings of opinions among the severall members Examine we the matter yet a little further Is there any thing more agreeable to reason then that the lesse depend upon the greater the weake and feeble upon the strong in a word to behold that subordination in the world that where any prejudiciall counselâ—â— or resolutions shall happen to â—e proposed they may be timously check'd by some intervening authority and kept within the bounds prescribed them How many may we every day see attempting to passe the bounds of their abilities and professions and of what a banefull consequence the impunity of such irregularities may prove I leave it for any man to determine This I 'me sure made the Divine Providence speake by the mouth of Saint Paul that * 1 Cor. 14. 29. when the Prophets speake there should be some to judge That which followes is very observable * v 33. The spirits of the Prophets are subject unto the Prophets whereof presently he renders the reason For * v. 34. God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace as in all Churches of the Saints Behold Sir at a nearer distance the reasons for which this Order was first established which in my judgement are of equall force for the continuance of it to all ages seeing you have as great cause now as ever to feare those inconveniences which attend on equality You have Councels to be assembled Schismes to be composed Heretiques to be convinced and many ill appointed Churches to be visited But there is yet a more speciall and pressing motive in the case of England to wit the Genius of the People who being accustomed to gaze upon a gorgeous outside will not without much reluctancy be drawne to yeild any manner of reverence and submission to such as stand not upon the vantage-ground of honour Witnesse their Divines and all the gowned tribe Let their vertues be never so legible the Great ones looke upon them but as so many silly fellowes in blacke extracted out of the scumme of the People who for their part thinke they doe them a great honour if they shall vouchsafe to use them as their companions The case being thus what may we thinke would attend the extirpation of Episcopacy out of that Kingdome but the utter contempt of Christianity From vilifying the persons 't is ordinary to proceed next to a slighting of the Profession though never so sacred And if they put such a cheape esteeme upon the Persons of those that are to direct the Conscience and watch over the soule with what oscitancy and indevotion will all their counsels and instructions be entertained amongst them 'T is indeed the dignity of the Prelates which hath hitherto supported the dignity of Religion and if any manner of respect hath beene paid them it was first excited by the Majesty and lustre of that superiority wherewith God hath invested them as the most naturall meanes to keepe in an Evangelicall awe a People whose very Genius seconded with excesse of riches and security hath merited them the name of the most insolent People in the world But they tell us that the Bishops of meere Overseers were become absolute Lords and of Rulers had transformed themselves into Tyrants which indeed may be true of some but not of all How many have there beene in England since the Reformation so farre from the least smacke of their Predecessours or any of their fellow brethrens vanity that on the contrary in examples of modesty and and humility they have left most of the truly Reformed Pastours in Europe behind them who knowes not that the now Bishop of Durâ—aâ— notwithstanding the large revenues he formerly enjoyed and the severall titles of honour particularly annexed to that Bishopricke hath manifested to the world that he is cast in the same mould with those untainted soules of the Primitive Church All men may reade his temper and what spirit swayed him in his greatest prosperity inasmuch as now sharing in the common calamity depriv'd of all his livelyhood and brought to indigence thrown downe from so high a pitch of greatnesse to so low an ebbe from so much honour to so much infamy shut up as it were in a prison without ease without liberty and almost without a freind too aged about fourescore and five or six yeares he beares it all out with such composednesse of spirit such an absolute resignation of himselfe to the Divine Providence in the midst of these his trialls that he seemes to have no part in the corruption of the Times and those impurities wherewith they charge his Brethren such a large portion he hath in the innocence and vertues of the Primitive Martyrs Did ever any man behold a more Apostolique man then the present * Bishop vsher Primate of Ireland I applaud not now the learning either of the one or other I speake onely of their piety that characteristicall vertue of the Saints Could any the most active and noted adversaries of Episcopacy ever blemish the conversation of Doctor Bromhall Bishop of Derry of Jewell Bilson Hall Downham Davenant Sands Abbot Andrewes Vsher Prideaux and a large Catalogue besides of such whose vertues are not yet come to my knowledge no more then their names For all those prerogatives they enjoy above other men by reason of the Character they beare for all that superiority and those titles full of pompe and magnificence the Lawes of the Land have allowed them did ever any know them give the least scandall to the most scrupulous conscience or the least occasion for the meanest Subject to complaine of them On the contrary the whole course of their lives is a copy worthy the imitation not onely of such as had need to reforme themselves but even of the most unblameable persons I should but wrong their modesties in proceeding any further And I would be loath to distast them having no other intent then simply to describe them However I shall confidently a vouch thus much that they live in Episcopacy with much more integrity then any of their Persecutours do in their professions as being conformable to their intention who first gave life unto it The Divine Authours of so sacred â—n Ordinance knew well enough what high conceits are apt to surprize the soules of men when once they are lifted up above others and hence was it that of so many names wherewith the Apostles invested the Rulers of the Church they pitch't upon the name of Bishop for such as were to fit at the Sterne There were others that carried more state and lustre with them as that of â—astour wherewith homer honours his King of Elder of Doctour of President of Cheife But this is a name of toile and diligence by which the first imposers of it intended to containe such as
they had exalted above the ranke of others within the bounds of their câ—lling And agreeable hereunto what paines have the men we named ever denied to consecrate unto the Church Have they ever thwarted the Rules of their first Institution And if the name they beare speakes them engaged to a perpetuall taske in managing of publicke affaires have they not ever applied all the powers of their soules to the pursuance of the same Yes they have done it with a flaming and saint-like zeale and have made the world read in their Actions their constant readinesse to sacrifice their lives and fortunes to the good of their Brethren But they are traduced for countenancing Popery where it was already and scattering some new seeds thereof where it had been extirpate This may be true of some but is a grosse slander upon the most of them If it had a simple toleration this was done mostly out of a charitable regard towards the Reformed Churches in Popish Dominioâ—â— nay further for the good of the Papists themselves whom they so tolerated Their examples their conversation their affable deportment might happily one day draw them over to a Profession from which banishments and other the like rigorous courses doe commonly divert them Religion cannot be forced upon the soule God must either Infuse it himselfe or perswade it by men Had the Bishops leaned never so little to the Popish Party and could they have been induced by any warping in opinion to favour those of that Religion when the Protestants were overborne in Ireland they would certainly have used them with more humanity when they had them at their mercy as an argument of that good correspondence betwixt them But the case was much otherwise so as never were any in a more deplorable condition then they There is no manner of reproach disgrace losse persecution which hath not befallen them Had the Bishops there beene such as the common voice proclaimes them would they not have beeâ— spared And if they had not been Protestants indeed would they not have gone over to the Conquetours and have followed the prevailing party was there for all this I will not say a Bishop but even any well affected to Episcopacy whom the threats of Fire and Sword could prevaile with to embrace Popery and renounce the Reformed Religion They further tell us that they doated too much upon titles of pride and ambition and such honours as the superstition and Idolatry of blinder times bestowed on them Beshrew their hearts that did so But the Innocent have reason to complaine of hard dealing if they must be listed with the guilty were there indeed any such at all You will pardon me if I shall hereupon avouch that many even of our owne men have sometimes picked a quarrell where there needed none I remember we once fell in discourse upon this argument and how after some slight debate you agreed with me in the upshot that the Overseers of the Church ought in all reason to be invested with some distinct and peculiar character to draw respect from inferiours That this was ever the practice of the Church and the very intention of those that established a superiority therein Whence arose the severall appellations of Father Paternity Pope Holinesse with many such in use with antiquity Nor is Episcopacy and the respects due unto it commended unto us with more earnestnesse then formerly they were As God seemes to have graven his image in a more eminent manner upon the face of such as are in authority thereby representing his unity an unity not to be parallell'd with any thing in the world in like sort hath the Church universall honoured them with such prerogatives as might best denote the obedience due to God himselfe who conferred that function upon them Hence doth the Author of that Epistle to the Trallians which goes under the name of Saint Ignatius use these expresse tearmes Reverence your Bishop as yee doe Christ reserving also a share in the honour to the Presbyters that so by your subjection to the Bishop and the Presbytery yâ— may be sanctified in all things This Presbytery as he there interprets it himselfe is the Colledge of Presbyters a sacred Assembly the Bisoaps Councellors and such as we call Assessours in civill Courts to whom he enjoynes obedience as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ Where the distinction he makes betwixt the honour due to Bishops and that appertaining to Presbyters is worth our observation For he saith that the former are to be reverenc'd as Christ the other as his Apostles which he would never have done had he not presumed that they who were intrusted with the care of the Church did governe it according to the rules of their Master surrendring themselves to the obedience of his holy spirit and these holding fast to their head won authority to their Ministery and all their instructions by that conformity betwixt them I am not Ignorant that some cavill at this exhortation and take occasion hereby to condemne that age of having first attempted upon the honour and respect due unto Christ as if by such expressions the Bishops were put into the ballance with him but these men consider not how all this was grounded upon Scripture He that heareth you heareth me They have not rejected you but mee Obey thâ—â— that have the rule over you And besides what Ignatius enjoines in behalfe of Bishops Polycarpus a disciple of the Apostles expressely recommendeth in behalfe of Preists and Deacons in that excellent Epistle he wrote to the Philippians which we have only seene in manuscript Abstaining saith he from these things be ye subject to the Preists and to the Deacons as unto God and Christ the like expression was used by the Primitive Doctours of the Church in exhorting the People to obey their Kings and Princes which they borrowed from an Epistle fathered upon Barnabas not * This Epistle of Barnabas was 〈◊〉 first printed at Oxford by the Lord Primate of Ireland and since at Paris yet published to the world What inconvenience can there be in bestowing that upon one which hath beene given to many and allowing as much to a Bishop as hath beene granted an Assembly of Presbyters seeing that in the language of antiquity the care of the Church which was dispersed in the whole body is united in him and that authority which had beene scattered amongst so many wholly devolved upon him Suppose this corruption in manners they talke of were such indeed or worse suppose farther that the Bishops were guilty of some errours in Doctrine may we for all this suppresse them nothing lesse nay we are not so much as to decline theirs or any manâ— company upon this ground alone if we will beleeve one of our most able and judicious writers 〈◊〉 I meane who in his Lectureâ— Of the Church hath this passage that we ought not to deny a diseased Person the benefit of our society if the malady be not mortall and
contagious That in the body the separation of any one part is dangerous what errour soever hath infected it except it be Heresie or Superstition otherwise there can be no just cause of doing so As for the depravation of manners he is yet more expresse affirmeing it downe-right folly for any man to conceive that a sufficient ground of seperation and alleadging the words of Christ they sit in Moses chairs what therefore they bid you that doe and he gives the reason wheresoever there is purity of Doctrine God must needs have a Church though encombred with a multitude of faults Now if this eminent writer had occasion to speake thus what a grosse shame is it for such as have nothing to object against their Bishops but the bare corruption of manners to endeavour not only a simple seperation from them but a totall suppression of them As for their Doctrine that 's Scot-free from censure 't is indeed so pure that it agrees in every particular with that of our best reformed Divines witnesse their severall Tracts of the Eucharist The power of the Pope The right of Kings The adoration of Images and the like which assure us that those which at this day advance the purity of Religion are their deserving successors that laboured so much in the first establishing of it Such were the Prelates God employed in this great worke the Arch-bishops of Canterbury Yorke the Bishops of London Worcester in Peter Martyrs time Cranâ—er Ridley Latiâ—er Hooper men all famous in their generations and such as knew how to weild a Bishoprick Most of which dyed martyrs in that hot Combat they maintained against the Errours and impieties of their times Before them when men durst scarce mutter of a Reformation one of the Bishops of Lincolnâ— couragiously entred the Lists with the Idolatry Grosâ—head and Superstition into which the Church was then plunged And he performed the Combate with so much gallantry that the common suffrage of all good men after him gave him this honorary title The Hammer of Rome Yet for all this they of London maâ—â—e him and the rest I have named you the common the 〈◊〉 of their Invectives both in the Presse and in the Pulpit They spare not to call them in publique a packe of impostours and Hypocrites such as never trac'd the paths of Christianity but in a râ—â—ling posture their soules being drunke with the cup of abdomination what fellowship can we have with such a generation as this We who have ever paid so much honour and esteeme to the memory of those worthy men that we have placed them in the ranke and calendar of our Martyâ—â—â— Nay our most upright and conscientious Divines have proposed each circumstance of their lives and deaths as the most exquisite patternes in all Europe and perhaps in the whole world besides of an unwearied constancy in asserting Truth and suppressing falshood Finally they are accused for intermedling too much in State affaires They will needs have it unlawfull for them to beare any share in the administration of Justice and that such priviledges should be annexed to Episcopacy which say they are incompatible with â—â—y but the Secular Authority and therefore they tooke care to dâ—vest them of the same in the beginning of this Parliament They which harpe so much upon this string are the very same malignant Spirits of which I have formerly given you the character Had they but any shadow of reason is it possible they should thus fight against the custome and example of so many ages both in their owne forraigne Countries Who knowes not that the Constitutions of greatest consequence in any State have bin made in Councells Assemblies of Bishops What else meaneth that ancient Ordinance of almost 900 yeares standing which pronounceth all Elections of Kings void where the Bishops and cheife of the People are denyed their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whence arose the custome in all debates of preserving inheritances successions in families of having as much recourse to Episcopall as Regall Authority in that behalfe We finde that King Aethelstant â—â—â— 928. by expresse Statute joyned the Bishops in Commission with the Justices Secular to stop the current of Injustice and to root out all the seedes thereof Those employments did not divert them from the care of the Church Councels were no whit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the contrary we finde that in this Age or a little before whâ—â— the barbarisme of the Saxons had almost spent it self and men beguâ— to tast the sweetnesse of Christianity that the Bishops thereupon resuming their Authority and following the advice of one Bâ—nifâ—â—â— Arch-bishop of Mayence ordained that every Presbyter should yearly give an account of his Ministery to the Bishop who likewise for his part was yearly to visit his Diocesse in like manner to yeild an account of his proceedings to the Metropolitan these and many other Ordinances tending all to the establishment of purity in manners were with all rigour put in execution notwithstanding they set a part some time for secular affaires And this is further very remarkeable that Bishops themselves made lawes for the government of the People We finde it amongst others in one Odon Arch-bishop of Canterbury who exhorteth the Prince to yeeld all manner of obedience and submission to the Bishops which speakes the antiquity of their Power in this Kingdome a power which I can see no cause should be denied them if those that are invested with it be sincere Professors of true Christianity as they ought to be who are preferred to Bishopricks no more then their right of â—itting in Parliaments a right common to them with all the Bishops that ever have beene in the world and to which those of this Kingdome have a stronger title it being but the small remnant of that great power they had once and which they mannaged wit◠〈◊〉 much discretion Nor was it ever knowne that either King or People endeavoured their extirpation heretofore no not so much as to exercise my rigour upon their persons for about eleven hundred yeares together since the tyranny of the Saxon Kings forced them to quit the Realm and retire themselves to France that they might enjoy more case and liberty of Conscience in the service of God If ever their Votes in Parliament were lyable to suspicion it was doubtlesse in the reigne of Henry the 8 when they had so straight a dependance upon Rome that Prince having in a manner shaken off the Romish yoake and by his owne sole authority taken upon him the government of the Church of England which Pope Nicholas had heretofore freely resigned to Edward the Confessour had just cause to feare that in those Conventions they would betray his interestsâ—or of the Holy See's sake as they call it and so by consequent that he runne a great hazard of his owne Prerogative in not excluding them Notwithstanding be never had such a thought No more had Edward the Sixth nor Queene
Elizabeth and certainly those Princes had more to feare for the Rights of their Crowne which they rescued from the Romish Subjection then the People at this day can possibly have for their liberties and Priviledges Their Religion then bound them to what in all probability was very prejudiciall to the Rights of their Kings nothing doth now obligâ— them to the least disadvantage of the People Then they swore obedience to the Bishop of Rome now they do it to none but to God himselfe Then the discipline of the Church had well-nigh suffered a totall subversion and England after the example of Poland might have conceived that the Nobility alone without Bishops were intrusted with the Reformation of the Church and that there was no more need of Prelates for Counsellors of State that is to sit in Parliament Notwithstanding neither did that Example nor these considerations prove prejudiciall to the Bishops The Fundamentall law of the Realme by which they are established together with the necessity of maintaininâ— them and besides that sundry the most eminent amongst them had couragiously sacrificed their lives in behalfe of Christianity oâ—â—poysed all other considerations whatsoever And the law which first seated them in Parliament expects them there still now especially when God 〈◊〉 leased to make use of Publicke votes for the government of the Church they are of more importance then eveâ— They are in England as in our Assemblies of State or as the Clergy in our highest Courts of Justice Which of our Kings who are absolute Monarchs without sharing their Power either with People or Parliaments as they do in other places which of them I say did ever entertaine a thought of debarring the Bishops this Priviledge We finde indeed in a certaine old Constitution that one of our Kings out of a zealous and pious intent making it seemes a conscience of diverting them from the service of God discharged theâ— all except the Abbat of Saint Denys from assisting at Parliamenâ—â— and hearing criminall cases but we finde not that this Ordinanâ—â— was ever put in execution but on the contrary that the weighâ—ieâ— employments of those times were wholly devolved upon Church-men whose abilities and honesty won them such a generall repuâ—â— that the custome then was for Princes to select among others two Bishops for the cheife of their retinue to be the 〈◊〉 of the Court and withall to see that justice were exactly and due 〈◊〉 administred They had likewise two Masters of Requests continually attending on them one of which was alwayes â— Clergy-mâ—â— who gave present Justice And we finde in a certaine Constitutioâ— of one of our Philips that of five appointed to give answer 〈◊〉 such Petitions as were presented in Parliaments two were to be Lay-men and three Clerkes But what neede we go farther then England to warrant the equity of this custome debarre the Bishops their right of sitting in Parliament and what respect will a proud licentious People afford the Clergy you may assure your selfe none at all Let them use what meanes they can to make them their Synods or Councells of any esteeme with them they will conforme no further to them then they please themselves Indeed to disvote Bishops in such Assemblies is to bereave them of all Authority and to open a gap for any wilde Chrochers in point of Religion to enter in that Kingdome 'T is in a word to suppresse the Bishops themselves to throw downe the Pillars of the Church and so to render the conservation of Christian Purity impossible Perhaps Sir you may thinke I speake in this more then comes to my share being one who professe to have no portion in the corruptions of Rome and so much to abhorre the Superstition of embracing such things as some upon divers pretences either out of ignorance or malice have introduced into the world to the great prejudice and disquiet thereof and in derogation to the just liberty of Conscience But if you please to reflect a little upon that prodigious clashing of opinions which at this day divides England into so many severall sects you will certainely conclude with me that in case this Order be once abolished neither innocence of manners nor integrity of doctrine can any longer enjoy a place in that Church The reason 〈◊〉 obvious if it be but considered how since the discontinuing of Episcopall Power in that Kingdome those that owe obedience and should be accountable for their doctrines to the Bishops do now live in such a horrible fashion as I have allready inform'd you that we may safely beleeve the most of them are the spawne of such as were once disgorged out of the mouth of Hell and dispersed in the Church to stifle Christianity in her Cradle rather then the successors of those that have beene the constant assertors of truth and opposers of falshood Witnesse the severall impieties and heresies both ancient and moderne where with they empoyson the soules of that People who in the common confusion listen to them blindely swallowing downe under pretence of Reformation all sorts of fancies and doctrines indifferently The most absurd dreames of the old Chiliasts the most pernicious ertours of Origen the most infamous libertinisme of the Anabaptists and the most execrable impieties of the Sociâ—ians doe usually take up the greatest part of their Sermons the rest being designed either for inflaming the Auditours with the coales of sedition and setting both parties at an irreconcileable distance or else to embase all manners to the lowest degree of corruption Yet in this generall depravation God hath reserv'd for himselfe some well disposed persons and indued them with courage to enquire into their actions and to brand the crimes of the Age. They have stoutly express'd their dislike of what hath beene constantly delivered by many hundred Preachers in that Kingdome I will not present you with an exact list of all they have published Judge with your selfe if there be any impiety those men will make scruple of many of whom out of an extreame unheard of impudence have had the boldnesse to defame in the open pulpit some of the other sex whom they could not tempt to lewdnesse in their private Houses I am very credibly informed that their names were presented to the Parliament but could never heare oâ— any punishment so much as intended them this in my opinion was the 〈◊〉 crying sinne then that of the Ghostly Father who seduced a 〈◊〉 in time of confession There is in this an unparallel'd kind of scandall and such as you will find farre to surpasse the greatest crimâ—â— which have ever beene charged upon any Hereticke in the World Such disorders were not to be heard of till 〈◊〉 Bishops were outed of their Jurisdiction and ill Church discipline robbed of it's force and vertue notwithstanding the naturall irregularity of that People Three yeares Anarchy and Independance in the Church have plunged that State into more confusion then all the Civill Waâ—â— thâ— case prosperity and long
enjoyed plenty the wildnesse and debauchednesse of many of their Princes in former times could doâ— There be some I know that lay all the blame upon the negligence of the Prelates accusing them of betraying that care where with they were entrusted for the good of the People and are therefore urgent to have thâ—â— made the first examples of Justice as having 〈◊〉 led the Churches with a company of scandalous debâ—ist fellowes instead of honest and faithfull Pastours But were this true the evill they complaine of would have shewed it selfe during their Authority aâ—d while these monsters were in place and not onely within these few yeares as it hath done Not would this shamelesse caâ—umny deserve any other answer were it not expedient to let the world know that at the very moment the peace of the Church was molested the Devill shooke off his chaines and hath ever since without all controule disgorged his venime in the midst of it So long as there was a perfect harmony of affections betwixt the People and their Pastours and an absolute conformity to those rules which were unanimously observed for the space of a whole age and upwards such as had any seeds of a corrupt and depraved soule were at least over-awed and so not daring to appeare abroad they were made uncapable of doing any mischeife Those who are best acquainted with the Innovations of the times and that make any conscience of a Lye will all conclude with me that the disorder which at this day hath overcast all England with an everlasting shame owed it's beginning to none but such as have usurped the place of those ancient Divines and Pastours which they drive to their Cures They are for the most part but a schismaticall and factious Crew which the madnesse of a brutish and seditious People hath confusedly thrust up into the pulpit Men of a farre different temper from those who were in a peaceable and Legall way preferred to those places before Such at Lond. were Holdsworth Hacket Featley Marsh Shoote Squire all men of abilities and such as the Puritans themselves before ever these troubles began followed with admiration These worthy persons who have by their learning and conversation so much advanced the Protestant cause when to satisfy their Conscience and discharge the duty of their callings they endeavoured to prevent the growing evils and to choak the Ieeds of that fatall and deadly division among all the members of this Kingdome were shamefully debarred of their Liberty the exercise of their profession and to compleate their miseries having first made them spectatours of such ignorant malicious and turbulent Firebrands as were preferred to their Benefices and possest of their Houses they thrust them into Dungeons where they still continue loaded with chaines and â—â—ons bemoaâ—ing their owne and their Countryes misery The most of the Cambridge Doctors have well nigh beene in as bad condition for refusing to take up armes against their Prince Above all Doctor Ward who after he had beene Professour of Divinity in that famous University for the space of thirty yeares reputed generally for one of the most pious and knowing men â—â— his time and who had with much vehemence opposed Popery and Arminianisme and all other Innovations of our age hath suffered divers torments by their cruelty who endeavoured to extort his approbation of that tyranny which they exercised upon the Soules of all those they sought to engage in their faction In fine he died having beene kept in bonds as a vile Malefactour His last words acquaint us sufficiently with the nature of his crime I will never said he giving up the Ghost be a Rebell to my King nor well I ever contribute to that outrage which is done to my Prince Those be the debâ—ist fâ—llâ—wes the Bishops set up these be the Monsters whom they chase out of their Pulpits and banish the Churches The 〈◊〉 which the Parliament or rather a franticke people have put in theâ—â— roomes are such as I have formerly describ'd you who preach nothing but injuries and denounce nothing but cursings and yet for all this talke of agreement with us in France Certainly it highly concernes us to entertaine no manner of commerce or allyance with them I speake onely of the outward conformity as for that within what fellowship and unity of spirit can there be betwixt us aâ—d those that are enemies to all Order and harbour so many impurities amongst them These are they of which your Synods must henceforth consist if the Independents doe not quite suppresse them and who must prescribe Rules to Christendome These be they who must mould the Discipline and dispose of the Government of the Church Judge now with what wisedome and holinesse it is like to be governed Let them ordaine or execute what they please the Magistrates must be no better then Lookers on in as much as the Clergy and themselves are two distinct bodies which must needs draw along with it such consequences as are most pernicious both to Church and State For by this â—â—nes a doore is opened not onely to sedition tumults aâ—d civill warres but even to all excesse of 〈◊〉 and licentiousnesse to which that Nation is naturally devoted There would be lesse cause to feare any such disorder might the Bishops be still continued and enjoy their Priviledge of sitting in Parliament The People would entertaine better correspondence one with another and Peace would sooner flourish amongst them The Prelates like faithfull Pastours preaching innocency as well by their practise as their doctrine and as members of a Convention representing the whole State would by their authority nourish good agreement and perfect harmony in all the inferiour Clergy This your Boutefeus and opposers of Episcopacy perceive well enough and therefore would have no Rulers at all neither Bishop nor Magistrate In which respect they are farre worse then the Ministers of that Tyrant of the Church who in shaking off as much as in them lieth all obedience to secular Princes acknowledge a multiplicity of Heads amongst themselves and by the severall ascents and power of superiâ—â—ity which they call Hierarchy and which they have prudently established for prevention of discords and confusion they arrive at last at one to whom all indifferently are bound to submit as to their spirituall Monarch They bragge withall of an intended conformity to Geneva But let me tell them before they can doe this they must abjure that Independence which they are so hot in pursuit of and in stead of being Masters and Lords Paramount in their Consistories they must submit to their just Authority whom God hath in every State deputed to represent his Authority to wit Princes and their Vicegerents For so it is in Geneva where in the place they issue forth their spirituall censures one of the cheife Senatours is alwaies appointed to passe sentence upon offenders without the concurrence of any one besides which denotes the subordination of the Consistory and it's subjection
Calvin upon this Argument That the Presbyters to wit all such as had the cure of Soules were accustomed in every City to cull out one amongst the rest upon whom in particular they bestowed the title of Bishop to prevent saith he those ordinary Divisions which flow from a Parity Notwithstanding this Bishop was not so farre liâ—ted up above his fellowes in honour and degree aâ— that he might exercise any act of jurisdiction over them His proper function resembled that of a Consul in the Senate He made relation of proceedings in a full House â—e advised informed exhorted He ruled aâ— by his authority managed the whole Action and put the generall and unanimous results of the Senate in execution whereto he subjoyneth that according to the universall attestation of all Antiquity the necessity of the times was the first Authoriser of this Custome Now this necessity was nothing but those divisions which crept in among the Pastours of the Church for want of some principall Overseers which is now farre greater in this Nation then ever it was with them as you shall see anon But let us feele a little more the pulses of these men that will have no degrees or preheminence in the Church They be the very same that would have none in the State also They strike at Episcopacy for the same ends they have assaulted Royalty They are no strangers to the frowardnesse of their owne dispositions but are sufficiently convicted how farre each of them in particular hath degenerated from the Maximes and even from the very graine of their Ancestours That they are generally odious and destructive to the Publike nor can ever build any hopes to themselves but such as must have their foundation in perpetuall discords That seeing their expectations frustrate and themselves consequently in a wretched condition their onely way is to advance a generall confusion and so to involve all order and constitution of former ages which crosse their wicked inclinations in the same common ruine The very complexion of these Râ—kâ—â—ells speakes the worth of what they oppose so eagerly To which if you addâ— the manner how they have from the beginning invaded it with what violence they have proceeded you may easily inferre the basenesse of those who put them upon that employment No sooner had they notice of those jealoâ—sies betwixt the King and his Parliament wherein at that time there were not a few sicke of the same disease with themselves but they readily embraced the opportunity to make their Soveraigne and the Bishops sensible of their inveterate spleene towards them Having first set some of the other sexe a worke which in the open streets renounced all shame and modesty in lieu of benedictions wherewith the custome was to greet Princes to belch out with a deliberate impudence most traiterous expressions against their King the impunity of that sexe whose insolence is oftner sleighted then punished animated the other to a desperate resolution of offering violence unto his Person To which purpose they invest his Pallace seize upon White hall gates and had not the well mannaged providence of some of the Lords though strongly suspected by that frantique multitude quashed their designe he could not have escaped their hands The King having given them the slip immediately they divert the streame of their fury upon the Bishops as if they had beene of a Jewish descent and some Pilates were upon the bench to give judgement they cryed away with those followers of Christ as the other had cryed away with Christ himselfe The Parliament indeavouring in a â—rudent way to settle this disorder found a rub at the first from some among themselves that had a maine hand in the businesse giving private intelligence to that seditioâ—s Rabble how their proceedings were disliked and how the House of Lords had carried the matter in favour of the Bishops and that they likewise were seconded by a considerable party of the House of Commons This set them all on fire in a moment insomuch that of Accusâ—â—s and Prosecuters they had turned Executioners if those pious men had not by keeping out of the way given place to their fury In the meane time they are still urgent they bawle they threaten But perceiving how that great Body would hardly be forced without destroying it and throwing themselves also into danger they joine subtilty to open violence The Bishops must be impeached of High Treason against King and Kingdome and of subverting the Fundamentall Lawes of the Land This prodigrous calumny nourished the boldnesse of their Abettours in Parliament and drew over to them all the faint hearted debarred the liberty of protecting justice and rendring her venerable to such as had yet freely withstood those violent courses From that very houre they are interdicted all resort to Parliament Their Houses are plundered their persons imprisoned their complaints derided In a word there is not any outrage imaginable which they did not exercise upon them insomuch that the very reasons they alleadged to cleare themselves were brought under the compasse of a high misdemeanour albeit they knew not how to proceed against them For even in their greatest heare they were forced to leave the matter undecided and so it continues to this day They are never more gravelled then when they fall upon debate of that The Parliament that is to say the Lower House and the Synod doe both joine heads together to put an end to the Question The one in debarting those a place in their Assembly who have a light to sit there from the first institution of Parliaments and whose votes in that place are so fundamentally necessary that without them all the decrees of the other are null and the originall constitution of the Kingdomes infringed thereby The other contributes to their totall extirpation and to shake off all obedience to them that so they may open a gappe to their Libertinisme and force upon the Church that disorder and confusion which the spirit of giddinesse they are possessed with hath ever aimed at Judge Sir by these proceedings what sincerity there it in these Novelists and if any honest man can shake hands with them Suppose the Bishops had indeed transgressed in matter of State this is but a poore plea for the proscription of Episcopacy in selfe The Persons should be punished not the Profession abolished after the example of those Emperours who having upon good ground such at least as appeared so to them ejected certaine of their Bishops did forthwith substitute others in their roomes to let the world know that if with one hand they put the law in execution against the crimes of men with the tother they would still maintaine the reverence due unto an Order in their esteeme so sacred that those they had divested of it they adjudged altogether unworthy of the same Suppose now they were found peccant in point of Religion this they may be as Men and as Sinners not as Bishops The Ministery among us